Chapter 179: Snake Valley

Chapter 179: Snake Valley

A month later, Karl emerged from his meditation in the Essence Sea, focusing on the Law of the Underworld. He checked his data panel and shook his head in frustration.

"Too slow!" he muttered to himself. After experiencing rapid progress in his cultivation, this month of arduous cultivation with no noticeable improvement felt like torture.

Several times, he had the urge to infuse Essence into his spiritual power. But considering that cultivation became more challenging as one advanced, he restrained himself, knowing that it would be more cost-effective to do so later on.

"In the Magic Forest, there are too many wizards, and resources are relatively limited. Potions that enhance cultivation are often expensive, and even the core disciples of great families can only consume them to a limited extent."

"On the other hand..."

"The path of knighthood is less crowded, and resources are more abundant, making it difficult for prices to rise."

In the past, Karl had an ample supply of potions, which allowed him to cultivate the Divine Demon Transformation to the third layer in a short time.

"The path of wizardry is like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge. Although their power is stronger at the same level, for now, the path of knighthood seems more suitable for me..."

"What a pity!"

"The Divine Demon Transformation consumes too many resources. To cultivate it to the fourth layer, I would need to consume second-rank potions."

Second-rank potions!

Each bottle cost hundreds of magic stones, and some even required over ten magic crystals—far beyond Karl's means.

Moreover, cultivating the Divine Demon Transformation required not just one or two bottles but a continuous and substantial supply of potions.

"Fortunately, hard cultivation can also improve one's physique, albeit at a slower pace."

"As for Thousand Buddha Hands..."

"I've finally entered the first realm!"

Karl's face lit up with a smile as he clapped his hands vigorously, and phantom images flashed by, each representing a different palm seal.

The cultivation of Thousand Buddha Hands was divided into four realms.

First Realm: Single Hand Realm!

In this realm, one mastered the use of every seal, able to form them in any situation, marking the entry-level stage.

Karl had just achieved this realm.

Second Realm: Ten Hands Realm!

Here, one could combine ten or fewer palm seals to create new ones, significantly increasing their power.

Zuo Dan resided in this realm.

However, he took a shortcut by using the Demon God's ability to transform multiple palms, allowing him to form complex seals.

The true Ten Hands Realm involved condensing various seals into one, unleashing their combined might in a single palm strike.

Third Realm: Hundred Hands Realm!

In this realm, one could combine dozens of palm seals to form a powerful seal, enabling them to fight opponents of higher realms.

If Zuo Dan had reached the Hundred Hands Realm, Karl, even at his full power, would stand no chance. Zuo Dan could even withstand second-rank experts with his late first-rank cultivation.

Fourth Realm: Thousand Hands Realm!

In this realm, one mastered the essence of Thousand Buddha Hands, embodying the principles of both Buddha and Saint.

If an ordinary person could attain this realm, they could instantly ascend to Sainthood with a single palm strike.

"Buddha! Saint!"

"These are titles equal to that of deities, indicating that Thousand Buddha Hands is a fourth-rank Holy Technique."

"Even more powerful than the Divine Demon Transformation!"

"What a pity..."

"This martial art is too dependent on one's comprehension or so-called 'Buddha's strength.' No amount of resources can compensate for a lack of understanding."

"I have the blood of the Abyssal Squid, and I can also take the evil path like Zuo Dan, advancing to the Ten Hands Realm ahead of time. But even then, I can only reach the Ten Hands Realm!"

"To enhance my strength in a short time, I can only..."

"Enter the Wizard Tower!"

"Mr. Kenny," Nina greeted Karl as she stepped out of the manor, bowing slightly and extending her hand in an ancient gesture of respect. "Please, come in."

"Miss Nina," Karl began, "who else is here?"

"Rest assured, Mr. Kenny. Everyone who went to hunt the ferocious beasts are acquaintances," Nina assured him with a smile. "Except for you, of course!"

"Allow me to introduce them to you."

In the hall, Nina gestured towards an elderly man standing at the head of the table. "This is the legendary knight Harvey spoke of—Mr. Kenny! Mr. Kenny, this is my father, Clemens."

Clemens!

The head of the Walker Family!

A late first-rank wizard and one of the four controllers of the Dream Bazaar.

He was a robust old man with graying hair and sharp, though his eyes were hazy and yellow, they remained piercing.

'Clemens married and had children at over a hundred years old, so he must be around 170 or 180 years old now?'

'His lifespan is almost over!'

The two men nodded to each other, acknowledging their introduction.

"Priestess Linda," Nina said, her voice turning solemn as she gestured to the hooded witch beside Clemens. "Ms. Linda is a bloodline wizard skilled in beast control, and her bloodline power is as high as the second rank."

Bloodline wizard?

Karl's eyes flickered with interest, as he himself had cultivated bloodline witchcraft and, by chance, merged with a third-rank bloodline.

For wizard apprentices, having a suitable bloodline made it easier to advance to the rank of wizard, but the subsequent path became more challenging.

After all, while other wizards could increase their cultivation through meditation alone, bloodline wizards had to find ways to improve their bloodline integration during meditation, effectively doubling the difficulty in the same amount of time.

Additionally,

During breakthroughs, they faced obstacles similar to Insight Barriers, which was why few bloodline wizards reached the second rank.

Many formal wizards would study bloodline witchcraft as a supplementary skill, but few made it their primary focus.

"This is Bernie from the Perro Clan." Nina pointed to the last person, her expression indifferent.

"Bernie is very skilled in water witchcraft. He can cast spells to enhance Mr. Cannon's abilities."

Karl nodded in agreement.

Including himself, there were five wizards in their group.

Clemens was a late first-rank wizard, Nina and Bernie were both mid-stage first-rank wizards, and Karl and Priestess Linda were early-stage first-rank wizards.

However, Karl was also a legendary knight, and Priestess Linda's second-rank bloodline made her stronger than an ordinary early-stage wizard.

In any case...

The team was small, but their strength was not to be underestimated.

Karl scanned the entire venue and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Aside from Clemens, he wasn't entirely confident about the others, but they could handle themselves if they faced off directly.

Even Clemens wasn't completely out of the question, especially with the new abilities he had acquired a few days ago.

This was one of the reasons he had agreed to this mission.

"If there's nothing else, let's set off!" Nina took out a golden whistle and blew it, and soon a gust of wind swept through.

Two divine steeds with wings on their backs landed in the estate, pulling a luxurious carriage behind them.

First-rank flying horses! These were much more impressive and majestic than Daniel's antelope carriage.

...

The Magic Forest, located between the Eastern Kingdom and Calim continents, was not a small area.

Based on a clue from a snake valley, finding the exact location could take a lifetime.

Two days later.

Near the Nameless Snake Valley.

A small cloud swayed slightly, as if something had passed through it, leaving behind wisps of smoke.

The invisible carriage hovered in the air for a moment before choosing a direction and descending towards the valley below.

"Whoa!" Nina exclaimed, and the carriage landed steadily.

The group climbed out of the carriage, stretching their bodies that had been cramped for two days, and looked down into the valley below.

The valley was filled with mist, making it difficult to see clearly, but they could make out its narrow terrain, the dense miasma, and the occasional slithering snakes and insects.

"This is the place." Clemens's eyes flickered with a hint of complexity as he gazed into the valley, but he quickly composed himself and spoke calmly, "Let's take a rest and prepare before we begin."

"Okay!"

"Yes, sir!"

"I'll check the situation inside." Priestess Linda took out a stick and gently touched the ground.

The next moment, the twisted patterns on the stick seemed to come to life, transforming into rats that scurried downward.

Soul Control!

Beast Control!

These rats had no physical bodies; they were formed from the souls of rats and the dirt on the ground.

They didn't have any signs of life, only faint mental waves, making them perfect for gathering information.

"There's no need for such trouble." Karl gently caressed the grass on the ground, and his eyes emitted a soft glow as his consciousness connected with the nearby plants.

First-rank Spell—Whisper of Life! This was a life magic spell for communicating with plants and gathering information, one of the four first-rank spells he currently possessed.

"Hmm?" Clemens's face changed slightly.

"Oh!"

Karl's eyes narrowed, and he looked up sharply, "There's someone nearby!"

"Swish!"

As soon as Karl spoke, Nina and Priestess Linda reacted, their bodies shimmering with the light of defensive witchcraft.

"I'm surprised. Mr. Cannon also knows the Whisper of Life spell." Clemens, however, remained calm and spoke softly, "Don't worry, they are friends I invited."

Friends?

Karl's expression darkened as he turned to look at the three figures emerging from the invisible state not far away. When he recognized them, his heart skipped a beat.

Gold! How could he, a sixth-circle wizard from the Green Family, be here?

Fortunately, Karl's altered appearance prevented the other man from recognizing him.

Although he didn't recognize the other two, their powerful mental waves indicated that they were mid-stage first-rank wizards.

But why would they bring so many people just to gather medicine for Harvey, a knight without any witchcraft talent? Even if it was a rare herb with other uses, it didn't seem worth the effort.

Something was amiss!

"Nina."

Priestess Linda spoke in a low voice, "What's going on?"

"Linda." Nina seemed just as confused, her face filled with bewilderment. However, she trusted her father and reassured Linda, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

"Hmph!"

Priestess Linda snorted, "I agreed to help you because of our years of working together, but you went behind my back and found others."

"Since you already have other helpers, I believe you won't need my assistance. I'm withdrawing from this mission and won't accept any payment."

Karl withdrew his hand and took a step back, aligning himself with Priestess Linda.

"Since you're here, there's no need to leave in a hurry." Gold slowly approached and spoke softly, "The secrets here must not be revealed to others. If anyone tries to leave early, I won't be so polite."

Linda and Karl's hearts sank.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end