Chapter 365: Unraveling the Mystery

Chapter 365: Unraveling the Mystery

The restrictions on the first floor posed no challenge for the trio, and they quickly deciphered and claimed the items on the tables.

As they progressed, Gear Jack inadvertently discovered that the tables were crafted from Peak Third Rank Rare Artifact Rohu trees, making them valuable.

The Rohu tree, naturally attuned to various elements, is a favorite among Natural School wizards for crafting staves.

Peak Third Rank Rohu trees are rare, and these tables could yield over a hundred staves of the same rank.

"Damn those needle moles!" Gear Jack exclaimed.

"Aksha's greed knows no bounds, preferring to use Peak Third Rank plants for tables rather than sharing them with others."

Gear Jack's face contorted with indignation:

"If the college had a few Third Circle Wizards overseeing it, it wouldn't have fallen into the hands of intruders!"

"He brought this upon himself!"

"..."

"Quack... Quack..." The Three-Eyed White Raven squawked, "Enough chatter, let's head to the second floor."

The second floor also had several tables, each adorned with various items.

Compared to the first floor, the restrictions here were more intricate and robust, prompting the trio to employ their skills to unravel them.

Gear Jack's hands transformed into massive rotating gears, like a grinding wheel, swiftly eroding the restrictions.

The Three-Eyed White Raven's beak flickered with dark light, pecking rapidly; its innate ability was a bane to many restrictions, breaking them with just a few pecks.

As for Linen...

He summoned flames, burning through the restrictions.

Upon reaching the third floor, he continued in the same manner, finally attracting the attention of the other two.

"Hmm?"

The Three-Eyed White Raven's three eyes flashed:

"Little Linen, your flames are impressive. Even these restrictions are no match for you."

"Indeed!" Gear Jack realized, furrowing his brows:

"The restrictions outside the Wizard Tower were also easily broken by you. Your flames must be Second Rank by now."

"Not quite!" The Three-Eyed White Raven suddenly spread its wings, its eyes glowing:

"These flames..."

"You're a Third Circle Wizard!"

Third Circle?

Gear Jack was momentarily stunned, then instinctively tensed his body, as countless gears spun rapidly around him.

"Who are you?"

The Three-Eyed White Raven vanished in a flash, leaving behind only the black lines that could cut through anything.

This was the Three-Eyed White Raven's innate ability.

Two years ago, when Linen first entered the Titan Core as a novice wizard, reaching the Late First Circle was already beyond many people's expectations. No one would have imagined that he could become a Third Circle Wizard in such a short time.

"No need to be so tense, my friends," Linen shrugged, "I'm still me, not replaced by anyone. I just advanced a bit faster than usual."

"Is that so?"

Gear Jack's expression twisted:

"Becoming a Third Circle Wizard in two years is a miracle, even among the Four Powers and the Nine Noble Families."

"You expect us to believe that?"

"Hmm..." Linen spread his hands:

"This is the truth."

As he spoke, flames erupted around him, swirling like a sea of fire, repelling the Three-Eyed White Raven that was about to launch a sneak attack.

"We mean you no harm," Linen assured them.

"You should know that," he added.

"I merely borrowed the power of time from the Titan Core to elevate my cultivation to the Third Circle."

"Nonsense!" Gear Jack roared, "If it were that easy to become a Third Circle Wizard, Viper Academy wouldn't be lacking one!"

"Well..." Linen pondered, "Perhaps Aksha Dean doesn't allow others to advance to the Third Circle, challenging his authority?"

"Quack!" The Three-Eyed White Raven flapped its wings, revealing itself, "Jack, his aura hasn't changed. He's probably not someone else."

"A Third Circle Wizard trying to deceive us? Do you think we'd fall for that?" Jack still shook his head, "He's definitely not Linen!"

"What do you plan to do?" The Three-Eyed White Raven whispered, "I tried earlier, and I estimate we can't beat him. As for escaping, I might have a chance, but you probably won't."

"Heh..." Linen smiled, extending goodwill, "You two are my seniors. If you don't want to fight, shall we continue looting on the upper floors?"

"You're really Linen?" Gear Jack was astonished.

If it weren't Linen, a Third Circle Wizard sneaking in wouldn't bother being nice to them.

Not mentioning dividing the treasures here, not killing them on the spot was already a show of kindness.

"Absolutely!"

Linen nodded, leading the way upstairs.

He had no intention of attacking the two, as he needed his physical body to establish himself on the Calim Continent.

And Viper Academy was undoubtedly the most suitable place for that.

Moreover, they had some connection, making it hard to turn against each other.

As for monopolizing the treasures here...

Linen didn't have strong attachments to external objects, especially since he hadn't found anything truly remarkable yet.

"Hmm?"

On the fourth floor, the number of tables had dwindled to single digits, and the quality of the items on them was increasingly high.

Linen's gaze fell on a longsword, his eyes sparkling:

"A Fourth Ring Infernal Flame Knight Sword?"

"Yes."

The Three-Eyed White Raven flapped closer, explaining with a hint of flattery, "When we discovered the Titan Core, there were signs of past battles here, and not all weapons were left behind."

"Weapons that have survived for countless years are of no low quality, but most of them are quite remarkable."

Linen eyed a particular sword, his expression flashing.

"This one too!"

Linen nodded slowly, having noticed the inconspicuous chip on the blade of the Knight Sword and its somewhat dimmed glow.

However...

Fourth-Tier is still Fourth-Tier. Even if damaged, its quality remains, and it can still be used after being reforged.

Gear Jack's eyes lit up.

The metal used in a Fourth-Tier weapon must be exceptional. If he were to devour and refine it, his strength would undoubtedly increase.

"Senior Linen," Jack said, extending his hand.

"Please, take it!"

Gear Jack pursed his lips, glanced at the Three-Eyed Raven who had retreated to the corner, and slowly approached the restriction.

Linen smiled faintly and walked to a desk where a staff was placed. He summoned flames to burn away the restriction.

The staff inside was also Fourth-Tier and damaged, but from its material, it seemed suitable for him.

"Peng!"

The restriction broke, and Linen reached out to pick up the staff.

"As expected..."

"A staff made from Fourth-Tier Fire Phoenix feathers and Divine Tree Cangwu can significantly enhance the power of Fire-based magic."

Holding the staff, he could clearly sense the active fire elemental aura all around, as if he could gather a city-destroying flame with a mere thought.

Seeing that Linen had taken the lead, the White Crow also found a restriction and started pecking at it.

Soon...

The three of them ascended to the fifth floor.

At this level, the power of the restrictions increased significantly. Gear Jack had to exert all his strength to break one.

The White Crow was in a similar situation, managing to break one but unable to attempt another.

Sixth Floor.

Linen took out the Third-Tier Peak Annihilation Sword, glared at the restriction before him, and slashed it with a low shout.

"Crack..."

The restriction shattered, revealing a flowing water-shaped wizard robe.

"A Fourth-Tier wizard robe," the White Crow explained, "Although severely damaged, it can still provide decent defense and magical enhancement."

"With the staff and this robe, you can even stand a chance against a Third-Tier Peak wizard."

"You must have other tricks up your sleeve."

Linen smiled but remained silent.

Seventh Floor.

The restrictions here were beyond the abilities of both the White Crow and Gear Jack, leaving them drooling over the items they couldn't access.

Linen circled around and stopped in front of three drops of water.

"What is this?"

"Time Pearls," the White Crow answered, having followed Aksha for centuries and thus knew everything about this place.

"These are products of the Titan Core, crafted by a Sixth-Tier wizard, and each drop seals several decades of time."

"It's said that there are also Time Pearls of centuries, millennia, and even tens of thousands of years, but I haven't seen them."

"What are they for?" Jack frowned. "They seem similar to the time adjustment methods in the Time House."

The Time House was the room where Linen had broken through, capable of adjusting the flow of time within certain limits.

"There's a big difference!"

The White Crow raised his neck and said, "The Time House is part of the Titan Core. Cultivating inside provides energy from the Titan Core, and time is more limited."

"Time Pearls, on the other hand, allow you to pass through several decades in an instant. Although you can think, you can't truly cultivate, which is equivalent to..."

"Stealing time!"

"If a Second-Tier wizard carries a Time Pearl that has sealed hundreds of years, they will surely die unless they possess longevity secrets."

"That's true," Jack nodded slowly. "Instantly consuming hundreds of years of lifespan is unbearable even for a Third-Tier wizard, making it a deadly weapon."

"But..."

"Can it only be used against enemies?"

"Not exactly," the White Crow shook his head. "Although it can't increase cultivation or temper the body, it can construct magic circuits within the spiritual sea, which can be used in emergencies."

"In short, it's more effective against enemies, and the key is that the Titan Core can continuously produce Time Pearls. If someone controls the Titan Core, they essentially possess a powerful weapon."

Continuously producing Time Pearls?

Linen's eyes lit up, and he held the Annihilation Sword, slashing at the restriction with a low shout.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"Bang!"

The restriction trembled with powerful force, and the spiritual light flashed, causing ripples on the restriction. Linen was pushed back a step by the backlash.

"What a powerful restriction!"

"But it can't stop me!"

His figure flashed, and the sword light fell, causing the seventh floor to glow and blind onlookers.

"Crack..."

After an unknown amount of time...

With a crisp cracking sound, the restriction was finally broken, and Linen obtained three Time Pearls.

As for the other items...

Although they were excellent, he didn't plan to waste more energy here.

"Let's go upstairs and see. If there's nothing good, we'll find a way out and try to leave this place."

Eighth Floor.

As soon as Jack stepped onto this floor, his body stiffened, and his eyes locked onto something on a table.

"Heavenly Thunder Silver Ingot!"

"It's really the Fifth-Tier material, the Heavenly Thunder Silver Ingot, rumored to transform into any characteristic silver ore?"

"Yes," the White Crow flapped its wings.

"I've only heard of this, I didn't expect Aksha to have one too."

"If I had it..." Jack trembled with excitement.

"I'd have a forty percent chance of becoming a Third-Tier wizard and even a chance to touch the Fourth Tier!"

"I must get it!"

"Well..." The White Crow spoke softly.

"I'm not trying to discourage you, but we can't even break the restrictions downstairs, let alone here."

"Even Linen might not be able to do it."

Gear Jack's body stiffened, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, and he felt like he had fallen into an ice cave.

He slowly turned his head to look at Linen, his gaze filled with shock.

"I can't do it either."

Linen shook his head:

"The restrictions on this level have already employed Fourth Circle methods. If I had half a year or a year, there would be a chance to open it."

"Linen..." Jack opened his mouth, his eyes filled with despair:

"Really not possible?"

"This..." Linen thought for a moment, then spoke with uncertainty:

"The chances are slim."

"So there's a chance!" Jack's eyes lit up, and he subconsciously took two steps forward, his face filled with excitement:

"Linen, if you help me get it, then... then I'll listen to whatever you say from now on!"

"Hmm?"

Linen raised an eyebrow:

"Are you serious?"

"I am!" Jack clenched his teeth:

"I can sign a three-hundred-year contract with you, and for three hundred years, I'll acknowledge you as my master!"

"The prerequisite is that you help me obtain the Celestial Thunder Ore!"

"Acknowledge you as my master?" Linen shook his head lightly:

"That's not necessary, but I need you to serve me for five hundred years. If you don't succeed in breaking through, your corpse will belong to me as well."

Serving and acknowledging a master are two very different concepts.

Acknowledging a master is akin to becoming a slave.

Serving,

on the other hand, allows one to refuse Linen's arrangements within the scope of the contract, granting a certain degree of autonomy.

"I can!"

Gear Jack nodded heavily:

"As long as you help me get it, I'm willing to help you become the new Dean of Serpent Academy!"

As for the corpse...

If he fails to break through, his life will undoubtedly end when his lifespan reaches its limit. Who cares about the ownership of the corpse?

"Good!"

Linen's face brightened, and he took out a Time Orb from his body, clapping his hands to directly activate the power within.

Instantly.

A thin, gel-like substance enveloped him, and time in the outside world seemed to freeze as well.

He couldn't move, not even his eyes, but his thoughts continued. At the same time, a realization rose in his mind.

Seventy years! He would maintain this form for seventy years, while only a moment would pass in the outside world.

'Seventy years should be enough.'

Among the inheritances left by Karl to him, there was a top-tier fire-based wizardry known as Primordial Annihilation True Fire.

This flame's ultimate rank reached the sixth tier, capable of burning an entire world.

Of course, Linen couldn't possibly master this wizardry at present, but he could take the initial steps, using his own flames to draw upon a strand of Primordial Annihilation True Fire.

And this,

required the construction of a complex and massive spell circuit.

One hundred and forty years later!

Indeed.

During this time, Linen had activated another Time Orb, and seventy years were far from enough for him to successfully construct the spell.

A moment in the outside world, but a century within.

White Crow and Jack only saw Linen consecutively shatter two Time Orbs, and immediately felt a significant change in Linen's aura.

Aging!

Weakening!

...

"You..." Jack stammered:

"You've consumed one hundred and forty years of your own lifespan?"

"It's not entirely consumed. At least, I've constructed a spell." Linen's face stiffened, and he twitched the corner of his mouth:

"Now, I have the confidence to break the restriction."

"Squawk..." White Crow screeched:

"Is it worth it?"

"Wasting over a hundred years of your lifespan will ensure you never have a chance to reach the Third Circle Peak."

"You originally had the hope of becoming a Fourth Circle Wizard."

"But you also said it was just a possibility." Linen smiled, and his body flickered, revealing his Flame Dragon form.

The Flame Dragon had complete claws and scales, horns on its head, and its body was wrapped in raging flames, with four claws beneath its belly.

If it had five claws,

it would be a Fourth-Clawed Divine Dragon!

"Roar!"

Linen roared, suddenly spewing out a strand of flame that pierced the restriction like a sword.

"Crack!"

The restriction shattered.

White Crow and Jack only felt a terrifying aura being released and retracted, and by the time they regained their senses, the Fourth-Tier restriction had already been broken.

"Good..."

"Impressive wizardry!"

White Crow screeched repeatedly:

"That flame just now, any Third Circle Wizard who touches it would surely die! I've never heard of such a powerful Third Circle Spell!"

Gear Jack, on the other hand, tightly clenched his fists, holding the Celestial Thunder Ore, and nodded solemnly:

"Thank you!"

"Let's sign the contract first." Linen smiled, then pointed upstairs:

"I just saw something up there, but I think I might have mistaken it."

"What?"

The two followed him up the nine-story tower and stopped in front of a jade egg.

"Primordial Divinity Egg!"

White Crow blinked his three eyes:

"It's really a Primordial Divinity Egg!"

"The Primordial Divinity Egg is a divine object sought after by all Bloodline Wizards. After consuming it, one can refine the foreign bloodlines in their body and evolve into a higher-tier bloodline." Gear Jack murmured:

"Similarly..."

"It can cleanse any toxins, curses, and secret techniques."

"Yes." Linen stroked his chin:

"Aksha is poisoned, and there are detoxification items and various wizardry traps here. Why didn't he escape to this place?"

"Unless..."

"Unless he wasn't poisoned at all!" Jack's voice deepened:

"Or he has the means to detoxify himself and doesn't need the Primordial Divinity Egg. He's been deceiving everyone all along."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end