276 - 283

Entry

After having lived in the south coast for so many years, Leylin now had a basic knowledge of the situation there.

Geographically speaking, though the south coast was said to be a coast, it was a huge continent that covered mountain ranges, marshes, plains, snowy areas, and all sorts of topography. There were even a few concealed, savage ruins that even official Magi did not dare explore.

The largest population on this continent consisted of the native people. There were around 100 million of these regular human, and were divided into hundreds of dukedoms in various sizes.

Behind these dukedoms were the dark and light Magi controlling them.

The nobility and lords who were in power were basically the descendants of many official Magi!

Every once in a while, large Magi organisations in the south coast would test the spirit and talent of these noble families and recruit them to become acolytes. They would provide them with knowledge for them to continue governing for generations.

Though these academies would also bring in peasant acolytes, the percentage was very low. Only those of exceptional talent would be considered, and most of the times, their lives could not be guaranteed.

Some light Magi academies would not even recruit peasant acolytes, only the dark Magi were willing to do so!

Even with such a large population, the number of peasants with spiritual talent was simply too small.

Out of over ten thousand plebeians, only one would be lucky enough to be born with talent to become an acolyte and a Magus.

Even amongst them, their talent was nothing exceptional. If one talked about third or fourth-grade aptitudes, one really needed quite some luck.

Hence, a lot of academies and schools disappeared not due to enemy invasions, but from not being able to find a successor. This resulted in the gradual diminution of their power and their eventual demise.

The dark and light Magi both divided their powers well and forbid the recruitment of acolytes at certain boundaries. Due to their conflicting ideas about management, the population that was under dark Magi jurisdiction and their prosperity could not compare to the light Magi.

Hence, the method of recruiting acolytes from outside their region became another way for dark Magi organisations to gain more acolytes.

In Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, this was also the case. They eliminated so many acolytes every year and were not able to steal people from the light Magi domain. This sometimes resulted in a lack of new students to recruit, and they had no choice but to try getting students from the Chernobyl Islands.

Though there were so many methods that could be employed, there were still few official Magi in the south coast.

In addition to this, the difficulty of the process of advancing to a new rank made this problem even worse.

Those acolytes with grade one or two aptitude would basically be unable to advance. Their limit would be becoming a level 3 acolyte.

Advancement to an official Magus was even more difficult, and the method to being promoted was controlled. Acolytes who were peasants had not even heard of a high-level meditation technique, and even if they were lucky enough to advance, they would be mediocre at best.

Rank 2 Magi were even more rare. In the entire south coast, there were only less than a hundred!

For this reason, the Light Magi Alliance's might was diminished after the loss of four rank 2 Magi, and caused the dark Magi to be stirred up.

If it was said that a rank 2 Magus was the highest level that could lord over rank 1, then rank 3 Magi were basically the real owners of the entire south coast!

Based on what Leylin knew, rank 4 Morning Star Magi had virtually vanished, and rank 3 Magi were truly the ones in control.

This was so much so that of all the rank 3 Magi who had had notable achievements, there were less than ten, and every one of them were leaders at the level of Magi from the Lighthouse of the Night.

From Kemoyin's Pupil and descriptions from the Book of Giant Serpent, after a Magus entered rank 3, one would awaken a lot of mysterious abilities. The difference between rank 3 and rank 2 was like that between heaven and earth.

If he was pursued by a rank 3 Magus, no matter what preparations Alistair had made, then all of them would come to naught.

"That Alistair is probably being pursued by a rank 3 Magus, and has been fleeing in this direction!"

Leylin felt like he had deduced the truth.

"That scamming inn actually dared to fool me with false news! If I ever see them again…"

When comparing the inn and Iron Crown, Leylin was naturally more inclined to believe that local tyrant.

In addition, he was quite interested in that exchange meeting.

"An exchange meeting held by the Iron Crown? I think I really should go take a look."

Leylin pondered, and turned in a corner.

Next, a silver-haired old man walked out, quickly vanishing into the market.

...

Three days later.

Not far away from the Brambles Iron Door., at an overhanging cliff.

The high black cliff seemed to cross the horizon. In the air, there was a little platform that was formed from a large protruding rock. On its surface was some soil, and weeds as well as vines and flowers that nobody knew the names of were growing.

*Whoo whoo!*

A black ray of light shot out from a distance away, arriving on the platform.

*Rumble!* A pit appeared in the soil, revealing a middle-aged, burly Magus.

"Based on the directions provided by the A.I. Chip, this should be the place!"

The burly man took out a black card and came beside the rock stratum. The simple methods used by regular Magi to conceal things were easily seen through, and the burly man laughed, sending out spiritual force waves towards a layer of rock wall.

*Bo! Bo!*

The rock walls were separated like waves, revealing two Magi in uniform, a metallic insignia on their chests.

At the sight of the man, they were extremely polite, "So it's Lord Black Snake! We are the Black Iron Guards of the Iron Crown, and we've been here waiting for you!"

Upon seeing him tossing out a card, these two were even more respectful as they bowed, "Please come with us!"

They then entered a hallucinatory spell formation, and the burly man expressionlessly followed them.

Within the spell formation was a flight of stairs, and after walking hundreds of metres, the Magi respectfully guided the burly man into a luxuriously decorated room.

After sending away the servants, the burly man surveyed the area.

In front of him was a huge crystal glass, through which one could see a large dome of spectator's seats and raised platforms.

There were a few Magi already seated, and the energy waves on their bodies were concealed well. However, under the eyes of this burly man, nothing could be hidden. This might was that of a peak rank 1 Magus, on the verge of breaking through!

Recalling the many passageways and large number of Magi, the burly man could not help but sigh, "Iron Crown has really worked hard to open up a passageway for us rank 2 Magi!"

This burly man was naturally Leylin's disguise.

After receiving the invitation, Leylin lost his desire to look around Brambles Iron Door., and found a random cave. He spent the day training in his high-grade meditation technique, and quietly waited for the time of the exchange meeting to arrive.

For Magi, meditation was something that had to be done everyday, and this was even more so for Leylin.

Kemoyin's Pupil was a meditation technique that was extremely compatible with him. Everytime he meditated, he could feel his power increasing bit by bit, and this speed was basically astonishing!

Based on his estimations, his current speed was several times faster than those rank 2 Magi that also had high-grade meditation techniques.

The reason had already been analysed by the A.I. Chip, and it had to do with his bloodline of the Giant Kemoyin Serpent!

After his heart had been remodelled, Leylin thoroughly fused with this bloodline. The mysterious strength held within was beginning to be activated by Kemoyin's Pupil, thus increasing his strength.

Each high-grade meditation technique had a different nature. As a Magus trained more, this could even increase a Magus in a certain area, raising one's elemental resistance or even creating a mysterious ability!

In Leylin's eyes, a high-grade meditation technique like Kemoyin's Pupil allowed one to modify one's body and strengthen it through training. A Magus' body would draw closer to that of the ancient Giant Kemoyin Serpent.

As for that incomplete Sacred Flame, a Magus would train and produce a special spiritual force. It did not have any uses other than to extend into the extensive consciousness of the continent, and from the huge amount of historical information, pick out useful fragments and get some premonition.

However, this ability had a large amount of uncertainty, and were sometimes ineffective. The technique was also incomplete, which Leylin found to be a pity.

Behind the crystal glass covering, there was a comfortable white sofa, as well as a communication device that was covered in runes beside it.

Leylin sat without a word, dull silver spiritual force instantly connecting with the communication device, and instantly understanding the way to use it.

This was a communication device, which was also used to send the quoted price to Magi. Magi could manipulate their spiritual force to proceed with all sorts of exchanges, and avoid being recognised by people they knew.

The south coast was not that big, and there were plenty of rank 2 Magi who held resentment against each other. If they were to flare up and fight, then Iron Crown would definitely be in a difficult position.

Hence, they did not dare hold this exchange meeting at the headquarters, but rather set up this place.

For rank 2 Magi, Iron Crown was even more eager to please. On the little table beside the sofa, all sorts of snacks and fruits were placed. Some of them even had the ability to increase spiritual force and the effects of meditation, and their value was something that would even cause regular official Magi to become green with envy All these items were silently displayed here, letting Leylin pick as he pleased.

"Metal-Leafed Fruit!" Leylin easily picked out an apple that was emitting a metallic lustre, and bit into it.

The Metal-Leafed Fruit was truly the specialty from the secret plane that the Iron Crown controlled. It had the ability to condense spiritual power and increase the effects of meditation, and was highly sought by some official Magi. However, Leylin almost could not feel any effects.

After advancing to become a rank 2 Warlock, most of these resources that were useful to rank 1 Magi had lost their effectiveness. For items like this, the Iron Crown's special product, it was only a means for him to quench his thirst.

First Glimmer of Dawn

*Ding ling ling!*

Accompanied by ringing sounds, an old Magus suddenly appeared on the high platform.

His golden attire looked extremely formal. Beside him were two female servants, who were more attractive than him, holding silver plates. They displayed something that looked like a root and showed it to the Magi below. Surrounding them were multiple projections of enlarged images.

"The Devil's Antenna is an object retrieved from the body of a beast that had the strength of an official Magus. It has been well preserved within a liquid, and its worth is from two hundred to five hundred thousand magic crystals. It's a pity that it's of no use to me anymore…"

Leylin merely scanned the item that appeared on the platform, and immediately lost interest.

"Before the trade meeting begins, is there a need for this auction? How pointless…"

Though Leylin found it boring, the item on the platform seemed to be extremely attractive to the rank 1 Magi below. The shouts of people haggling could be heard, and the auction was extremely lively.

The items on auction by Iron Crown could be said to be of good quality and quite inexpensive, making them highly sought after by the rank 1 Magi.

Magic artifacts, high-level slaves, precious materials, knowledge, and even potions that could increase one's spiritual force were displayed one after the next, allowing the Magi below to compete with them and choose.

These were obviously not attractive to the rank 2 Magi. Neither Leylin nor the other rank 2 Magi in the VIP rooms shouted out a price.

Leylin simply closed his eyes and rested, using the A.I. Chip to simulate the spell models of rank 2 spells.

Though the spell models of the three rank 2 spells in the Book of Giant Serpents were already in his head, he had realised the other uses of the simulation methods of the A.I. Chip while mending the teleportation spell formation.

Through the A.I. Chip's simulations, he could actually accelerate his own understanding of the activation and firing of these spells, allowing the once robotic movements to be more agile.

This was a function that the A.I. Chip did not have before and was something that had been created after his advancement.

With this function, Leylin's understanding and manipulation of rank 2 spells could almost surpass that of rank 2 Magi who had been accumulating knowledge over many years.

"However, the number of rank 2 spell models that I have is just too small…"

Leylin practised Scorching Touch once more and furrowed his eyebrows.

A rank 2 Magus would usually be backed by a powerful organisation that would have no lack of spell models as they would have been accumulated over time.

However, Leylin was different since he was now going solo. Tthe difficulty of this path was exacerbated by the strict regulations for rank 1 Magi in the south coast which were even worse for rank 2 Magi.

Even when he was in Four Seasons Garden, Leylin didn't even have the qualifications to come into contact with rank 2 spell models.

From killing Cabourn and Desmund, he had gained some experience and realisations regarding the use of rank 2 spells. However, what he lacked was the most important thing— spell models! Leylin only had these experiences as a reference.

"It's not quite possible to buy this sort of thing using magic crystals. Perhaps if I lie low for a period of time, I can try to use other methods…"

As the auction went on, some items that could attract rank 2 Magi began to appear, and some prices were shouted from several VIP rooms.

At this moment, the announcer's voice from below attracted Leylin's attention, "Middle-grade magic artifact— Sabre of the Dawn! This is a sabre found in an ancient ruin, and it is said that its previous owner was a mighty Branded Swordsman. Starting price: five million crystals, or any precious materials of the same value!"

Leylin opened his eyes, and through the transparent glass screen, focused on the platform below.

At this moment, there was a dull-gold metal long sword put on display by the servants behind the announcer.

This long sword was around 1.5 m long and two fingers wide. For Branded Swordsmen, such as Number 2 and Number 3 who used swords that were the size of regular humans, this was merely pocket-sized.

However, a hint of glee appeared on Leylin's face. On the surface of the long sword of the Rays of Dawn, there were some strange runes which were quite similar to the runes he had branded onto the bodies of Number 2 and Number 3.

"Looks like it's the real deal!"

He nodded, and a slither of spiritual force quoted a price through the communication device, "Five million magic crystals!"

A middle-grade magic artifact naturally was not so valuable, but this long sword was evidently worthy enough to do research on, which garnered the interest of the rank 2 Magi.

Quickly enough, a price was quoted from a VIP room not far from Leylin, "5.5 million!'

Leylin's face darkened and he looked towards that VIP room. It was a pity that he could see naught but a blurry shadow.

The glass in the VIP rooms had naturally been processed. Guests could see outside through the glass, but people on the outside could not see anything inside the room.

"Six million!" Leylin immediately increased the price. Other than the magic crystals he possessed, he also had materials he had obtained from the secret plane and the wealth of two rank 2 Magi. This would obviously cause rank 2 Magi to be jealous, and it was natural that he could be so generous.

As if able to sense Leylin's resolution and immense wealth, the rank 2 Magi nearby stopped raising the price and this long sword became Leylin's.

"The guest at VIP room 7, please take note! Our staff is bringing your auction item to do the exchange. Please prepare magic crystals or items that are of similar value…"

News travelled through the communication device, and after just five minutes, an expressionless man brought the servant who had been holding the silver plate to Leylin's room.

"May I know where this long sword was created?" After the delivery, Leylin's eyes flashed as he questioned them.

"My apologies! This belongs to the client and it is our duty to keep this a secret for him!"

Though they were speaking to a rank 2 Magus, the staff still rejected Leylin's demands. This exhibited their manners and professionalism.

"Very well!" Leylin nodded and waved for these two people to take their leave.

Next, he picked up the long sword on the table, and gold rays shined in Leylin's hand.

A regular middle-grade magic artifact could no longer satisfy the needs of a rank 2 Magus. What was more useful was a high-grade magic artifact or even a magic device!

However, Leylin had no desire to use it. He was merely interested in the runes on this long sword.

"A.I. Chip! Scan and record the runes, and then compare it with the runes of the Branded Swordsmen!" Leylin thought in his mind.

[Beep! Recorded runes, now comparing with the runes of the Branded Swordsmen…]

The A.I. Chip loyally intoned. Right after, Leylin received the results, [Similarity to fire elemental Branded Swordsmen runes recorded by Host body is 67.1%. Similarity to foundation metallic runes: 34.2%. Similarity to basic sharpness: 13.9%. Estimated to be the runes of the weapons of the Branded Swordsmen! Estimated time required to perfect and alter: 294 hours!]

"Like I thought!"

Glee appeared on Leylin's face. The information he had on the Branded Swordsmen was extremely limited. Even with the A.I. Chip perfecting and supplementing information, he was still only able to gain the fire elemental runic spell formation suitable for males.

As for the runes for other elements and the weapons suitable for Branded Swordsmen, he had no clue at all.

Now, with the appearance of this long sword of the Rays of Dawn, Leylin could finally see some hope.

He also had another thought. The Fallen Star Pendant, which was a magic artifact that had accompanied him all these years, was beginning to be unable to meet his needs. He had hence sent it back to his family.

He now lacked an offensive-type magic artifact.

Perhaps, he could carve these branded runes on a magic artifact by imitating those on the long sword and create a weapon that was meant for him!

Leylin touched his chin and pondered over the feasibility of this plan.

While Leylin scanned and analysed the sword in his hands, a few Magi were quietly discussing in the VIP room that had been competing with him for this magic artifact.

"Torp, why aren't you quoting another price? It's just six million magic crystals. That's nothing to you, right?"

A female in purple-gold Magus robes spoke to a red-bearded old man, a bewitching aura surrounding her.

"The magic crystals aren't much, and I don't actually want that magic artifact that much. I just want to analyse the runes on it, and I'm sure this kind of special magic artifact has very strict requirements for users. I've even come to suspect that those who aren't Branded Swordsmen will be unable to use this long sword… The ancient Branded Swordsmen have already vanished from the south coast for thousands of years. It's not worth it to spoil our plans for this item."

The red-bearded Torp touched his beard.

"En! You are truly a Master Blacksmith! To be able to glean this much information from just a look…" The woman seemed to be in awe and then continued on worriedly, "I keep having this feeling that the plan is much too hurried. Will he really come…"

"Don't worry! He'll definitely be here!"

The red-bearded Torp spoke with conviction, "We've put out bait this time that is definitely irresistible to him. In order to use that item more effectively, he'll definitely come!"

"That's great!" The woman patted her chest, and then glanced at Leylin's room with some conjectures in mind.

"Say, do you think he's inside? Should I sound him out?"

"Don't do it!" Torp immediately stopped her. "Don't act rashly. If it really is him, would he dare be so bold as to compete with us? Besides, offending an unfamiliar rank 2 Magus would probably be unfavourable to us…"

"Hehe, I'm just joking. You actually took it seriously…"

The woman giggled coquettishly, and her figure disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind the old man who looked to be in a difficult position.

On the platform, the last item on the public auction was sent out. The announcer went on, "The auction has ended, and we will now enter the segment of the exchange meeting. Those who wish to leave may exit through the passages at both sides."

*Rumble!* Along with his words, the large doors at two ends of the hall opened loudly.

Bait

Many rank 1 Magi left the hall on the first floor through the two doors.

Though they did not know much, from the serious atmosphere that emanated through the hall after the announcer's words, they felt as if they were being pushed down by a mountain.

*Hua la la!*

The masses dispersed quickly and in an instant, only a few rank 1 Magi were left in their original seats.

On the second floor where the VIP rooms were, not one Magus left.

*Boom!* The doors closed, and the solemn atmosphere shot up to the extreme!

"Oh? Is it starting?"

With a smile about his lips, Leylin watched the centre and prepared for a good show.

"Alright! Let's start with me!"

From a VIP room on Leylin's far right, there travelled a very robotic voice that was neither male nor female. It had obviously been heavily processed.

"I have one portion of the potion Sea of the Ocean. I wish to exchange it for the hearts of three Fire Scorpions, or the core of a Lava Tyrant! Is anyone willing to make this trade?"

Along with the words, a projection of the potion was sent over, and could clearly be seen by everyone in the hall.

"I have two Fire Scorpion hearts, and wish to replace the rest with magic crystals. How does six million sound?"

A hoarse old voice sounded.

"No, I only need fire elemental materials! However, I can buy those two hearts from you for whatever price you name…" It was a pity that this offer was rejected by that Magus. Next, these two Magi spoke through the communication device, their conversation now a secret to the Magi outside.

The MC on the platform was already just standing aside, leaving the area for the rank 2 Magi to use.

Leylin waited silently and watched as all kinds of precious items were traded. His expression was calm, like that of a cheetah waiting for its prey to rise up to the bait.

After discussions with Iron Crown and Leylin's own judgement, he could now confirm that this exchange meeting was a setting that Iron Crown or the light Magi faction were using to lure out Alistair.

All that they were putting out were items that Alistair could not resist.

At this moment, an item that made Leylin's eyes twinkle was exhibited in the hall.

"A high-levelled alchemy notebook, recording terrifying information from the abyss. Those who possess too little spiritual power will see illusions while flipping through it. The previous owner has already gone completely crazy and died, so the next buyer has to be careful."

Along with this voice, a book that was black on the outside and had blood-red eyes projected in the middle of the notebook was displayed.

This notebook looked to be extremely torn, and even a few corners were damaged. However, the red eye in the middle was still extremely agile. Though it was just a projection, Leylin felt as if this eye was focusing its attention on himself, causing him to tremble inside.

In addition, Leylin also noticed something interesting on the surface of this black notebook.

Beside the red eye, there were countless veins and black runes. These runes were all twisted together, and actually seemed to resemble little black snakes.

"This…" Silver light flashed at Leylin's palm, and the Book of Giant Serpent that had been kept in his spatial pouch appeared in his hands.

The runes on the surface of the Book of Giant Serpent were extremely similar to that on the notebook.

"The Great Magus Serholm! This is likely to be the notebook left behind by him…" Leylin mumbled to himself, eyes shooting out crimson rays.

At the same time, blood-red rays furiously exploded forth from the crystal on Leylin's wrist.

"89"

[Warning! Warning! Too much adrenaline is being secreted, and there is an 89% chance that this will stimulate the nerves indefinitely, and result in a detrimental effect on the mind!]

The A.I. Chip sent out blue words before Leylin.

"How… How… How troublesome!" Leylin roared lowly, and then loosened a black water flask from his waist and gulped deeply.

The water that had the potion of tranquility mixed inside calmed the impulse that had risen in Leylin.

At this moment, the sounds of people quoting prices out there could be heard again and again. It was evident that this notebook that recorded information about the abyss had garnered the interest of many rank 2 Magi.

After advancing to become a rank 2 Magus, a lot of Magi who did not possess high-grade meditation techniques had lost their direction. Hence, they were extremely enthusiastic about researching information regarding the Ancient Era as well as other geographical locations, hoping to discover methods for them to advance.

The aura of the abyss on this notebook was extremely strong, to the point that Leylin's face paled slightly.

For this reason, this alchemic notebook had received the attention of numerous rank 2 Magi.

"I really like this notebook. What do you want?"

Leylin contacted the Magus selling this notebook through the communication device, speaking in a low voice.

"What do you have for me?"

Evidently, this notebook was extremely popular and the seller was waiting for something good before he would sell it.

"Three standard portions of an ancient spiritual force potion that can be said to be useful in helping a Magus break through. I can even add in 500g of Filthy Magic Dust! Since you have this notebook, you must have done some research on items in the abyss. This Filthy Magic Dust is a precious ingredient that came directly from the abyss!"

Leylin thought for a moment and immediately showed his bottom line.

The Tears of Mary potion was now of little use to him. In addition, after advancing to rank 2, they were now nothing in his eyes.

Also, he was now disguised and this person would not be able to investigate his background. Even if that happened, would anyone dare make things difficult for a rank 2 Magus?

Leylin now had the power to take care of himself on the south coast, and was not afraid of any challenges!

"Hss… Ancient spiritual power potion that's useful in breaking out of a bottleneck? And Filthy Magic Dust from the abyss?"

It was evident that after Leylin quoted this price, the Magus was shocked into silence for a long while.

After a few minutes, Leylin received his reply.

"Show me the potion!"

"Fine!" Leylin pondered for a moment and then produced a test tube filled with the Tears of Mary. Some silver light bundled up a bit of the potion and disappeared into that Magus' room.

"It really is an ancient potion! Alright! Let's proceed with the trade!"

Though the Magus tried his best to suppress it, Leylin could still hear the impatience in his voice.

"Alright! However, I'm not getting the better end of the deal here, so you need to tell me about the origins of this alchemy notebook!"

Leylin, on the other hand, was extremely composed and hoped to gain more clues.

"… Alright, I'll tell you everything I know…"

The voice was quiet for some time and then sent some information over to Leylin's room.

Leylin carefully skimmed through the information and then nodded.

The trade between these two VIP rooms was extremely rapid. Outside were the spiritual forces of many rank 2 Magi, seemingly extremely curious about the trade between these two people.

However, Leylin nor the Magus had any intentions to reveal anything.

A moment later, rank 2 Magi continued with the exchange and one after another, all sorts of precious and rare items were displayed.

"Next up is a treasure from the Eternal River Plains' secret plane!"

A lazy voice sounded from the VIP room right smack in the middle.

In a split second, people seemed to even stop breathing, focusing on the VIP room from which this voice was produced.

The secret plane was now a hot topic and all the precious materials from there were sold at a very high price.

Upon hearing that the rank 2 Magus in the VIP room wanted to make a sale, even the few rank 1 Magi downstairs began to whisper amongst themselves after getting over the shock.

"Is it coming?" Kemoyin's Scales surfaced on Leylin's skin as he stared hard at the room.

From the information he had gathered, Leylin knew that the rank 2 Magus Alistair had only stolen a treasure from the ruins. What he did not know was that this treasure could display its might only when coupled with another item in the ruins. It could even help a rank 2 Magus to advance.

With his fervent desire to break through, Leylin could confirm that even if he knew this was a trap, there was a high chance that Alistair would still come charging in.

What appeared on the screen was a concentrated green liquid that formed a ball, floating in mid-air.

"This is the extract of a Wisdom Tree. Its purity is at 5, the highest level. The ancient Wisdom Trees have the intelligence of an enlightened Magus, and its extract has the effect of raising one's spiritual force. When used with other treasures to break through, it is extremely effective!"

The hall broke out into a large commotion.

Even potions that could help acolytes or rank 1 Magi to increase their spiritual force would result in a mad scramble for them. A precious item like this that could help a rank 2 Magus break through to rank 3 was something that had not ever appeared in the entire south coast.

"Wisdom Tree?"

Understanding flashed in Leylin's eyes.

"Indeed, only the crystallisation of ancient wisdom like that in the legends has enough spiritual force to help a rank 2 Magus break through."

In myths and legends, the Wisdom Tree was a very amiable old being, and many famed ancient Magi had received its teachings and enlightenment, and even its blessings and gifts, which helped them to accomplish much.

In the information in ancient texts, Leylin had seen how Magi had received gifts from the Wisdom Tree. After drinking the extract, the Magi were able to break through.

"For rank 2 Magi, just the effects of the extract are hardly enough. It needs to be stored for a period of time, and for this reason, the item in Alistair's hands is necessary."

Leylin quickly discovered the entire story. "We'll just have to see if Alistair's coming!"

Lone Wolf

Usually, the extract of the ancient Wisdom Tree would be stored securely in the light Magi headquarters, and there might even be a rank 3 Magus keeping watch over it. It would basically be impossible for Alistair to obtain it.

To lure him out, they had brought the real essence of the ancient tree! That rank 3 Magus had also temporarily left his post.

Magi were not idiots, and Allistair was no exception; before confirming that there was no rank 3 Magus around, he would definitely not appear.

"Alistair's nickname is Lone Wolf. He's definitely used to working alone, and has the strength to overpower groups of people. He must have a certain level of confidence and strength!"

To be able to heavily injure two rank 2 Magi in a single move, he himself must be rather difficult to deal with. Leylin was sure about this.

Even within rank 2 Magi, Alistar was definitely above the middle level and might even have reached the peak, and was just a step away from advancing to rank 3!

Once he verified there was no rank 3 Magus here, there was a large possibility that he would attack and attempt to rob this item!

"When that happens, it's all up to us!"

Leylin surveyed the VIP rooms. How many of the ones inside were dark Magi, and how many were light Magi? How many were like him and harboured ulterior motives?

Evidently, the extract of the Wisdom Tree had attracted the attention of all the rank 2 Magi present.

One after another, spiritual force from multiple Magi, each carrying a strong desire to complete the trade, rushed into the room that Magus was in.

For regular Magi, rank 2 was usually the limit if they did not possess high-grade meditation techniques. When that happened, Magi's innate spells would have already been finalized, and even if they were to switch to a high-grade meditation technique, it would be impossible to advance further.

To forcefully alter a crystallised core consciousness that had already taken shape required a method that did not exist in the south coast. There were rumours that it could be found in another world or in the central continent, but this was not something that Magi in the south coast would ever have the chance to come into contact with.

Hence, the essence of the Wisdom Tree that could provide enlightenment and help a rank 2 Magus raise their spiritual force was their only hope to being promoted to rank 3!

They were willing to pay any price for this!

While rank 2 Magi in the VIP rooms were fiercely communicating by way of their spiritual force, a voice broke the silence.

"100 million magic crystals, and fifty standard portions of the crystallisation of spirits!"

This voice used no spiritual force and was instead shouted from one's throat. The place where this voice originated made Leylin even more surprised—it was actually from a rank 1 Magus on the lower level.

"Interesting! He's just a rank 1 Magus, but he dares to stick his hand into this contest between rank 2 Magi!"

Leylin sized up the Magi who was shouting with interest.

There was a certain set of rules in private trade meetings like this. Rank 2 Magi formed their own circles, and it was impossible for rank 1 Magi to participate.

This rank 1 Magus actually dared to speak so loudly. If he didn't have outstanding might, then it meant there was a huge organisation backing him!

Or could it be… that their target had appeared?

Leylin focused his attention on this rank 1 Magus. He was of average build and donned a black robe. His face wasn't able to be seen, but under the gazes of numerous rank 2 Magi, he was still able to maintain his composure, "This Lord Rank 2 Magus did not specify any materials, and only stated that the person who can give the most valuable materials will obtain it. I wonder, is what I'm offering of the highest value here?"

For lower ranked Magi, having the attention from rank 2 Magi was like being a weak, frail rabbit that had been dropped into a pride of lions. Most Magi would long since have been scared stupid, yet this rank 1 Magus was still very calm.

"How is it? Can you confirm that it's Alistair?"

In the room of the Magus that Leylin had vied with for the Rays of Dawn, the lady asked the old man, Torp.

"I can't tell for sure!" The old man, Torp, who had a red beard, stroked his chin. "His attire is extremely unfamiliar, and I don't feel the aura of anyone I know. Out of all the people who were invited here, we have the least information about him!"

"That means there's a high possibility that it's him!"

The woman extended a forked tongue and licked her lips.

"It's very possible. Prepare to attack!" Torp nodded, and concealed waves from a spirit imprint began to spread, "Target is suspected to have appeared. Prepare to attack!"

"Alright!" "Understood!" "Clear!"

Different voices sounded in the surrounding VIP rooms.

"Alright!" The place became silent, and the voice of the rank 2 Magus who was selling the extract of the Wisdom Tree was heard from the VIP room.

As he spoke, golden yellow rays of light wrapped around the green extract that was filled with vitality, and it slowly floated out of the VIP room.

"Many thanks, my lord!" A glint of excitement appeared in the eyes of the rank 1 Magus who had bid, and he bowed slightly. A bunch of materials and crystals flew from his body.

The items that were to be traded met in mid-air.

*Bang!* All of a sudden, fierce red light shone from the green extract. The extremely dazzling red light looked intense, and was very similar to an alert signal!

"It's him! It's Alistair!" "Move!"

As if triggering some switch, the VIP rooms belonging to rank 2 Magi exploded. Each and every one of the Magi who had reached rank 2 brazenly showed off their strength, and immense energy waves were constantly produced, causing an earthquake in the surroundings.

"Binding of Azora!" A streak of golden white light fiercely attacked the area where the rank 1 Magus was.

"Awoo!" At this moment, the Magus that was suspected to be Alistair suddenly ripped off the clothes on his chest, revealing fangs and a black tattoo of a huge wolf still dripping blood.

With his roars, a large black wolf leaped out of the Magus' chest, its large and sharp claws reaching forward!

*Bang!* Golden yellow binding lights were smashed by the giant claws and were rendered to bits of gold light that quickly dispersed.

"The totem of the giant wolf! It can't be wrong, this is Alistair!" More Magi charged out of the VIP rooms, streaking towards the rank 1 Magus like sharks that had found their prey.

An immense repressing force field suddenly appeared in the arena of the trade. The wandering rank 1 Magi that had been on the first level quickly retreated, looking pitiful as they left.

Some were even more unfortunate, the powerful spells of Rank 2 Magi having brushed passed them and causing serious injuries.

"Damn it! I shouldn't have come here!"

A black figure had been caught by the intense red rays and could only dodge pitifully, their body charred over.

The figure's hood was pushed back, revealing the face of the black figure. Surprisingly enough, it was the lady boss who Leylin had seen before, specializing in selling information.

"Damn it! Damn it! Are the leaders of the organisation stupid? Everyone here is a rank 2 Magus! They hid this information from the other Magi and wanted me, a puny rank 1 Magus to coordinate with their plans and go into the lion's den? Did they want me dead?"

*Bang!* At this moment, the sparks from a huge green fireball brushed past and crashed into buildings behind her. There was even a corroded crater from the aftermath of the attack.

The female Magus was stunned for a second and then ran for the door without looking back. "Damn it, do whatever you want! I don't care anymore!"

Compared to a rank 1 Magus, the spells of rank 2 Magi may not be as flashy, but the strength within were like mountains or seas. Just brushing against an object would cause it to turn to dust.

*Ka-cha!*

Numerous black figures that were like ancient savage beasts pounced out from the surroundings and sealed all the entrances from which Alistair could escape.

Amongst these Magi were white-haired elderly, grand and dignified ladies, as well haughty gentlemen in formal attire. The common trait between them was the symbol of the Light Magi Alliance on their chests.

"Alistair, you actually dare betray the glory that represents the light Magi! The Supreme Alliance will punish you!"

The red-bearded Torp yelled, and with a wave of his hand, immense flames and lava were produced from his hands, turning into a firey-red hammer.

"Lava Hammer!"

Lava kept boiling at the surface of the red hammer, emitting energy waves that belonged to rank 2 spells.

"Keke! I only temporarily entered the light Magi alliance. All that I have obtained are items I've gained through trade. How have I betrayed anyone?"

Alistair, who was in black robes, laughed in a strange manner that sounded like the howls of a wolf.

"This is definitely Alistair's voice!"

"Go! What else is there to say to traitors who can't even repent?"

The many rank 2 light Magi roared and colourful spells surrounded Alistair.

The black totem of a large wolf that Alistair had let out quickly turned to dust under the combined attacks of the rank 2 Magi.

Surprisingly, Alistair opened his arms and sneered at the rank 2 Magi that surrounded him.

"I have done no wrong! I need to advance to rank 3, and after that, darkness will eventually descend on this land!"

He chanted words that sounded like a prophecy, and his body began to crack under the continuous onslaught of spells.

*Pak!* *Pak!* Black fragments flew in all directions.

"This is… A dark Magus' corporeal body puppet!"

Noticing that something was not right, Torp immediately yelled, "Beware! This is not Alistair's real body, but a temporary flesh puppet!"

A ring of lava surrounded the puppet's body.

*Pak pak!*

The black fragments from the flesh puppet melted into liquid in midair, forming large black nets that were similar to spiderwebs, which covered all the nearby rank 2 Magi .

*Boom!*

The roof of the exchange hall shattered, and a Magus that looked exactly the same as the flesh puppet from before emerged from the rubble and dust; he howled at the Magus who was selling the extract of the Wisdom Tree.

"Awoo!"

Faced with the wolf howl, that Magus' eyes seemed to glaze over, and he seemed to have been temporarily stupified.

"The Howl of the Lone Wolf!"

"Alistair's unique mental attack!"

The rank 2 Magi who were trapped let out expressions of immense hatred.

Rank 3

However, it was too late.

With a sly grin on his face, Alistair suddenly transformed.

Muscles bulged, and thick, coarse fur that was characteristic of wolves covered his body. Fangs grew, and there was even fur on his face. Even his ears had turned into those of a wolf!

He threw himself forward, and in that moment, he turned into a werewolf!

*Pak!* Sharp wolf claws twisted in the air, and a rank 2 Magus' head was smashed into pieces. Red and white brain juices spilled all over the ground.

The large werewolf did not stop and fished out a vial of green liquid from the corpse. His eyes revealed craziness along with his elation, and he was prepared to jump and leave the area.

"Alistair!"

At this moment, the announcer, who had retreated to the sidelines, suddenly stood forward.

Under white rays of light, the announcer's body underwent a huge change.

His face became elongated, and a white beard dragged across the ground.

An overwhelming, tremendous, and unparalleled spiritual force descended onto the area.

"Giant Tree!" As the old man spoke, a huge plant suddenly grew from the center of the platform. The thick vines on the tree constantly extended, even crushing firm rocks into powder.

The huge tree blocked the entrance at the top, giving the werewolf no routes to escape.

"Awoo…" The werewolf that Alistair had transformed into howled at the old man.

"A rank 3 light Magus!" Leylin, who was in a VIP room, widened his eyes in surprise.

This was the first time that he had seen someone at the most powerful rank amongst the light Magi!

A rank 3 Magus was the absolute peak in the south coast! They were indomitable powers that controlled both the dark and light Magi.

The moment this light Magus attacked, magnificent and splendid life spells ignited within the auction area.

The wooden tables and chairs seemed to grow lives of their own, spores growing on their surfaces and turning into vines and plants.

In that instant, the entire area turned into a green plant heaven, with the giant, ancient tree right in the centre. It reigned like an emperor, standing tall and unyielding.

"When plant-type spells reach this level, it's already touching the surface of being a 'domain'…" Leylin, who had the guidance of the Book of Giant Serpent, had foresight that far surpassed all the rank 2 Magi present. He was able to recognise how remarkable this rank 3 Magus was.

"But… plant-type? This somehow feels very familiar!"

Dark energy particles exploded in Leylin's hands, and the green plants in the VIP room instantly turned to dust.

This rank 3 spell immediately made him think of Reynold, the rank 2 Magus from Four Seasons Garden. Whether in terms of spells or aura, they were much too similar.

"Could it be that this rank 3 Magus is Reynold's mentor or relative?"

With this thought, all of Leylin's plans to participate disappeared.

In the auction hall, there were very few Magi who had chosen to just observe without lifting a finger.

There were two or three Magi in VIP rooms that still maintained their silence, not planning to do anything.

Alistair had dared to utilise a flesh puppet to hinder the light Magi, even risking his life to steal the essence from the Wisdom Tree. Furthermore, he had almost succeeded.

Leylin could not help but be in awe at his decisiveness and patience.

It was a pity that with the suppression by a rank 3 Magus, any plans were all in vain.

No matter how well Alistair was able to deal with rank 2 Magi, he was definitely not a match for a rank 3 Magus.

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!*

Within the boundaries of the green plants, the large black nets of mucus were quickly broken through by the many vines from all sorts of plants. The rank 2 Magi that struggled free quickly assembled behind the rank 3 Magus and secretly dispersed, trapping Alistair, who had turned into a werewolf, in the middle.

The furry werewolf in the middle kept howling at the Magi, a cunning look glinting in his eyes.

"Hm, something's wrong!"

Leylin suddenly found an issue. Alistair, who was being surrounded, was much too calm about his current situation.

"Grab him!" The rank 3 Magus whose beard reached the ground seemed to have noticed something. His brows furrowed, and he quickly commanded the Magi behind him.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Several streaks of translucent magic arrows cut through the skies and produced whistling sounds, causing several Magi's heads to explode.

*Bang! Bang!* A few light Magi immediately collapsed.

"What's going on?" The light Magi around quickly retreated, all sorts of innate defensive spells flashing and appearing on their bodies.

Unfortunately, this was all useless!

The translucent arrows seemed to possess some terrifying magical power, and even the defences that rank 2 Magi spent all their energy on could not withstand them at all.

"Greta Abyssal Arrow? Fedlan, it's you!"

The rank 3 light Magus roared in surprise, and green rays of light were produced from the foliage. Under the green rays, the green vines turned into large hands that seemed to break through space and appear in front of the translucent arrows, cancelling each other out.

The light Magi that had survived stuck close to the rank 3 light Magus, surveying their surroundings fearfully.

"You dark Magi actually dare betray the contract with the alliance. Aren't you afraid of punishment?"

The rank 3 old light Magus seemed to know his opponent's identity and immediately exclaimed.

"Hehe! Light Magi, the contract with the alliance—they've long since become things of the past! From hereon, darkness shall unify the continent!"

Along with the strange laughter, a dark green figure suddenly appeared within the auction hall.

After the figure appeared, green fluids and light rays began to take over half of the area, competing with the plant domain of the light Magi.

There were immense energy waves emitted from the body of the dark green figure that were on par with a rank 3 Magus.

"Hoduke, my old friend, isn't it obvious? The continuous betrayal and fall of rank 2 Magi implies that there's a large issue with your light Magi's values. Only dark Magi are qualified to rule the south coast!"

The dark green figure seemed to be narrating some sort of insignificant issue, but the faces of the light Magus who heard this immediately underwent a violent change!

With the huge temptation of the Eternal River Plains' secret plane, as well as the continuous damage dealt to the light Magi alliance, the dark Magi finally decided to break this fragile balance and bring war to the rest of the south coast!

"Come out!"

*Shua shua!* As the dark Magus spoke, a few figures suddenly appeared in the middle of the hall.

All these people had used black headcovers to cover their face, and there was an overpowering scent of blood on their bodies. On top of that, the energy waves they emitted were not lower than that of a rank 2 Magus!

Upon seeing this, the rank 3 light Magus' expression worsened.

*Rumble!* Black mucus reached the heart of the giant tree, and covered by white gas, the tree shriveled up at a rate that could be seen by the naked eye. Eventually, it toppled and revealed a black rock with a hole in it.

"Let's go! Don't forget our agreement!" Fedlan spoke to Alistair, who was still in his werewolf form.

"Awoo!" The werewolf howled at Fedlan a few times as if in reply, jumped into the black hole that was a passageway and then vanished.

"The essence of the Wisdom Tree is extremely precious. They absolutely can't gain possession of it!"

Hoduke, whose beard touched the ground, turned pale. Upon seeing that Alistair had fled, he quickly ordered the Magi behind him, "I'll hold back the dark Magi. You need to get the essence back!"

As a rank 3 Magus, Hoduke was well read and knew that the dark Magi were not very prepared. Whilst they were at a huge disadvantage, they couldn't just let Alistair leave.

If not, it wasn't going to be just the problem of losing a few rank 2 light Magi. This was a matter of imbalance of power between rank 3 Magi!

A portion of the extract of the Wisdom Tree might not be enough to help a rank 2 Magus break through, but with the treasure in Alistair's hands, it was a real possibility.

Hoduke knew very well that the treasure in Alistair's hands would create a heaven-defying effect when paired with the essence of the Wisdom Tree.

"My old friend, we haven't exchanged blows in two hundred years. I wonder what kind of changes your Wailing Earth technique has undergone!"

Hoduke muttered, while the power from vegetation began to vibrate.

"Hehe! Twenty years ago, I finally succeeded in my experiments and refined three thousand pure blooded Quarks, and I blended their innate talents into Wailing Earth. I'm sure the result will not leave you disappointed."

Fedlan laughed again. A huge phantom image filled with skulls and gravestones appeared, and it struck against the green mirage filled with plants.

"Is this the domain of rank 3 Magi?"

Leylin observed the two rank 3 Magi exchanging blows and commanded the A.I. Chip to record everything down carefully.

Battles between two rank 3 Magi were very rarely seen, so this was extremely precious information.

Leylin, who possessed Kemoyin's Pupil, the Book of Giant Serpent, as well as much information from the Four Seasons Garden, naturally knew that the power displayed by these two rank 3 Magi was still not a true "Domain".

A real domain was a terrifying might that only rank 4 Morning Star Magi would be able to produce.

In a domain, all Magi who were weaker than rank 4 would have their abilities suppressed by a few levels, perhaps even to the point that they became like regular humans.

These two rank 3 Magi were only able to grasp a hint of this concept, and lacked the terrifying ability to suppress a Magus' might!

However, now that he had been forced into these two rank 3 Magi's "Domains," Leylin couldn't help but emit a few large darkness elemental runes, as if wanting to have a standoff with the domains.

"The domains of these two rank 3 Magi are already beginning to affect the Magi around them. Though the effect is very slight, it still isn't weak enough to be ignored."

Leylin gave the two figures, who were now hard to differentiate, a long look, and stood without any hesitation.

Sage

"Shadow Stealth!"　　

After standing up, Leylin used the spell that had the most outstanding concealing abilities out of all of the the rank 1 dark elemental magic he knew.　　

With the added bonus from his solidified spiritual force as a rank 2 Magus, Shadow Stealth was now terrifyingly formidable.　　

Leylin's figure disappeared from the VIP room in an instant, such that even the rank 2 Magi outside were not able to detect him.　　

"Alistair actually sided with the dark Magi. With him as the leading cause, this sets the background for the Third Magus War."

Leylin was unmoved by this, his body like a mirage as he hurried along.

"He's not my business anyway. I just need to know if he has anything I need in his possession!"

The essence from the Wisdom Tree must have some extraordinary effects for ancient Magi to view it so highly.　　

Though Leylin possessed a high-grade meditation technique, he wouldn't mind some extra assurance for when he wanted to break through.　　

*Boom!*　　

Alistair leapt, his powerful hind legs leaving behind two deep pits in the ground.　　

With much momentum, he fiercely jumped out of the hole and began to run wildly on the field.　

"He's over there!"　　

Following closely behind him was that group of rank 2 Magi from the light Magi alliance. Upon seeing the situation, the leader immediately waved his sleeve!

*Weng weng!*　　

A concentrated volley of countless bugs was produced from his sleeves, and immediately after, a huge grey cloud floated out from the large sleeves of his robes.　

Upon closer inspection, this 'cloud' was actually comprised of many densely packed bugs.　　

These bugs had two compound eyes, and their mandibles were fierce and sharp. A pair of translucent wings flapped at a high frequency, producing waves of an ear-piercing sound that would cause one to feel fidgety.

"Go!" This light Magus pointed at Alistair.　　

The bugs chirped in a way that shook the heavens, forming the image of a human face without eyes, and chased after Alistair, who was currently still in his werewolf form.　　

The huge human face streaked across the sky, looking like a black cloud of gas in the air. It quickly caught up to the werewolf who was fleeing, opened its mouth, and roared at him.　　

"Awooo!" The werewolf faced the heavens and howled, gathering two large masses of wind-elemental energy particles that turned into wind blades, one horizontal and the other vertical. It turned into a huge cross shape, and chopped towards the human face in the air.

The wind blade trembled slightly as it streaked past the face. In that moment, the bugs scattered and then regrouped, completely unharmed by the attack.　　

"Chi chi…" Along with the cries from the numerous bugs, a great grey 'flood' was spat out from the human face, which engulfed the werewolf within.　

Upon closer inspection, within the 'flood' were several worms that were even tinier than most insects, their sharp mouths glinting with light.　　

*Chi chi!!!*　　

The grey worms wrapped around the werewolf in an instant, and the horrifying sounds of something being gnawed into were heard.　　

"Woo woo…" From within the grey worms, the werewolf's pitiful howls could be heard.　　

"Alright! Now that he's been caught by the Death Insects, he can't run!"　　

The light Magus who manipulated the worms grinned, "Go, get him! Steal the treasure and essence of the Wisdom Tree!"　　

"As expected from the 'Death Bug Manipulator', Jajone!" The rank 2 Magi following him exclaimed in admiration and hastened towards their target.

At this moment, a beautiful melody from a recorder travelled from some distance away.

The formless sound waves swept through the area, and swarms of grey bugs fell one after another.

*Boom!* The surface of the earth cracked open, and two rank 2 Magi donning the robes of the dark Magi rushed out, accompanied by two huge white fireballs striking the human face in the air.　　

"Ah…" The human face emitted a sound similar to the shrieks of a female, and the face then began to distort.　　

In merely a couple of seconds, the face was shrouded with white flames, and large groups of Death Bugs dropped.　　

"It looks like you've long since sided with the dark Magi!"　　

The huge face formed out of bugs seemed to be connected to the spiritual force of the light Magus; after it had been burnt through, he visibly paled.

However, he cared not about his injuries, and instead focused his attention on Alistair, who had escaped from the attack of the worms.　　

The werewolf was now in a pitiful state. More than half of the pretty fur on his body had disappeared, revealing patches of pink skin and flesh.　

On his body were some very large wounds, revealing muscle tissue that had been severely damaged. One could even see bone.　　

*Chi chi!* The blood vessels and muscles visible on the wounds constantly wriggled, and layers of flesh covered the injury and stopped the flow of fresh blood. At areas which were barren of fur, a fine layer of fur began to grow.

The abnormal healing ability of werewolf exhibited its strength here.　

"Let's go!" With a wave from a rank 2 dark Magus, countless white ribs and bone spurs appeared in front of the light Magi, forming a large wall.　

The wall seemed to have a life of its own, cunningly moving and trapping the light Magi within.　　

Then, with Alistair in tow, the two dark Magi left.　　

*Bang! Bang!*　　

From within the white bone cage, the dull thuds of people ramming into the cage were heard. One after another, hemisphere-like shapes appeared all around the cage, and around these shapes were even some minute cracks.　　

These cracks increased in size, and eventually, the cage exploded open!　　

The white dust from the broken spurs dissipated, revealing the figures of a few light Magi.

"There are still rank 2 dark Magi reinforcements! The situation is getting more troublesome! Send out the signal!"　　

The Magus who was the leader of the light Magi roared.　　

A Magus nodded and swiped upwards, and a shooting star with alternating red and green colours streaked through the sky.　　

*Xiu xiu xiu!*

Minutes later, thirteen Magi in black robes with iron crowns on their heads arrived at the scene.

"Alistair has already sided with the dark Magi. There's now a rank 3 Magus holding Lord Hoduke back, and there are also two dark Magi who took Alistair away!"　　

The light Magus looked to be in a difficult position.　　

"It's the same situation that we are in! Don't worry though. We've sprinkled large amounts of the pollen of the Nine Threaded Flower at the auction area. As long as he was there, he'll definitely be unable to escape the pursuit of the Patchy Bees."　　

A Magus whose crown was a lot larger than everyone else answered.　　

"We are extremely confident in the setup of the Great Sage." The leader of the light Magi bowed, displaying his respect towards the sage.

These thirteen Magi were actually sages of Iron Crown, and were absolute existences in terms of their might!　　

Their neutral stance also caused the light Magus leader to have to do away with his haughty attitude.

"Now that the dark Magi are also involved, we may not be able to provide you with more help. You know that the very reason why we have been able to maintain our reputations as towering existences is our neutral stance!"　　

The Great Sage continued.　　

"Great Sage…" The leader of the light Magi's face fell, and turned icy. "We signed a contract stating that you would pursue Alistair. What do you mean by those words, Great Sage?"　

"But… what about the dark Magi?" The Great Sage looked to be in a difficult position. Meanwhile, the leader of the light Magi had a vile look on his face.

"Just attack. We will take on the pressure from the dark Magi. The conditions in the contract we agreed on can be altered, and I can even concede on some matters…"　　

The leader was silent for a moment and then chose to make a compromise.　　

Besides, they did not have much time left.　　

After hearing this, the Great Sage of Iron Crown smiled, looking as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 　　

He produced a transparent glass bottle from within his robes, a creature with numerous compound eyes at the centre within the bottle. This creature looked like a bee with an image of a black eye on its yellow wings, and was quietly resting within the glass bottle. Traces of intelligence and quick-wittedness flashed through its eyes.

The Great Sage opened the neck of the bottle, and after flying in circles a few times, the little creature, the Patchy Bee, began to fly in a certain direction.　　

"It has found them!" the Great Sage exclaimed, dense metal plating appearing on his body and forming the armour that Knights usually wore into battle.

*Bang!*　

The white skeleton of a large horse rose from the ground, green spiritual flames burning in its eye sockets and being snorted from its nostrils.　　

"My old buddy, I'll have to use you again!" The sage in armour stroked an old and tattered pair of reins and sighed with regret.　　

He fiercely rode the skeletal horse, and roared from deep within his throat. "Iron Crown!"　

"Glory for life! Advance for our responsibilities!" The sages present answered in a loud voice.　

The skeletal warhorse neighed, and black liquid metal covered the entire body of the horse. In an instant, the skeletal warhorse turned into a giant metallic beast with sharp barbs protruding from the surface of its body.

*Lu Lu!*　　

One after another, metallic warhorses struggled out of the ground and carried the other sages. Some of the sages wore dazzling magic robes, while others donned metallic armour. Powerful spells were sent out in a constant stream.　　

In an instant the thirteen sages with iron crowns turned into Steel Knights possessing immense power!　　

"Chase after them!"　　

Following the orders of the Great Sage, the thirteen warhorses charged forward, leaving behind traces of burning hoofprints.

"The inheritance from ancient Magi! This is definitely a branch of the ancient Magi!"　　

The light Magi's eyelids twitched as they uttered these words in their hearts.　　

In the south coast, there was a rumour floating around about the Magi organisation with a neutral stance, Iron Crown. These thirteen sages of Iron Crown had received the power of the inheritance from some ancient ruins, and were henceforth able to set up and establish Iron Crown!

Obstruction

"A full body armour, and a spirit animal with formidable attack power as a mount!"　　

The light Magus mumbled to himself.　　

"This must be the inheritance from the ancient Steel Knights!" Beside him, another light Magus sighed in admiration.　　

"In ancient times, Magi were able to obtain very abundant resources. Even high-grade meditation techniques weren't anything special, and mere official Magi were able to obtain them as well! Many Magi discarded all prejudices they had towards factions and sects, learning and improving together. They even formed a huge alliance, conquering one world after another! That was the golden era of the Magi!"　　

He repeated, eyes burning with fervent passion.　　

"But for some reason, the ancient Magi received some huge blow, and historians made a conjecture that there was a world that was especially strong, and our Magus World's attack on them was thwarted."　　

"In order to prevent the war from spreading to our world, the ancient Magi made the painful decision to close the channel that connected them to this world, and sealed the other channels that were connected to other worlds. Even then, the ancient Magi who had suffered greatly lost their ability to pass on their abilities, and eventually declined."　　

The leader of the light Magi sighed ruefully and then narrated this history like it was some ancient poem.　　

"Even if Magi were able to receive the inheritance from ancient Magi, they still lacked some of the required materials from other worlds, which made it impossible for them to progress!"　　

"Hence, the Magi of today now use meditation techniques to progress, because this is the best route, and many could use the experiences of their seniors to advance. The ancient Magi who had acquired the inheritances were extremely pitiful. If they were lucky, they were able to find resources that were compatible with their bodies and improve, but most of them were stuck at rank 1 for their whole life."　　

The Leader said.　　

"The ancient Steel Knights are said to be from a world close to us. It's a specific profession unique to the Steel Lava world. After conquering that world, the ancient Magi altered our bodies with some methods, which resulted in the special state of evolution that the Steel Knights can achieve. Without an enormous amount of luck, their strength will stay at this point forever, so you don't have to envy them."　　

"What should we do now? Should we proceed at a faster pace?"　　

A Magus with an inverted crimson cross in his eyes asked.　　

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*　　

While travelling, the rank 2 Magi used their minds to continue their conversation.　　

With the help of their solidified spiritual force, their thoughts were processed at a rate many times faster than that of a rank 1 Magus. With just a wave of spiritual force, large amounts of images and words could be contained within.　　

"No! We're going to slow down!"　　

With a cold glint in his eyes, the leader of the light Magi slowed.　　

"Just let those Iron Crown Steel Knights charge at the frontlines!"　　

"A portion of the essence of the Wisdom Tree and that treasure should be enough to motivate them to go all out! We'll follow behind them."　　

The leader exclaimed coldly.　　

This was actually a ploy. The Steel Knights were well aware that the light Magi might take advantage of them by following them behind, but under the temptation of the treasures, they still chose to pursue their targets.　　

As for the contract with the light Magi? If they really managed to obtain treasure, the light Magi would pay a large amount for it anyway.　　

These Steel Knights were very confident in their abilities, they were sure that they would be able to end the battle before the light Magi arrived!　　

Alistair and the dark Magi who were fleeing at the front also stopped at this point.　　

In front of them, a figure suddenly appeared out of thin air and blocked their path.　　

This man looked to be extremely plain, and if he were ever to be in a crowd, he would be difficult to be picked out. However, he had the unique energy waves that belonged to rank 2 Magi, causing the three's faces to change.

"Hand over the essence of the Wisdom Tree and the treasure you possess!"　　

The middle-aged man sounded extremely haughty, taking a large gulp from the flask at his side and looking unperturbed.　

"You…" The two dark Magi behind Alistair became extremely annoyed. So what if this middle-aged man was a rank 2 Magus? They had three Magi who had reached rank 2!　　

"Awoo!" Alistair's answer was extremely simple, howling at Leylin. His face, which had already turned into that of a half-wolf, produced an angry expression as he pounced towards Leylin.　　

*Pu pu!* While running, he opened his mouth and two balls of giant wind-elemental energy particles flew towards Leylin like explosives.　　

Meanwhile, the werewolf seemed to transform into wind and hid in the intense draft, approaching Leylin like a hurricane, his sharp claws filled with an iciness and bloodlust.　　

"The second stage of beast transformation!" Leylin focused on the werewolf who was nearing him, blue lights occasionally flashing in his eyes.　　

With a sweep of his right arm, red powder spread in the air.　　

"Scorching Touch!"　　

Two streaks that brought about intense heat penetrated the wind elemental energy balls and shot towards the werewolf!

"Awoo!" Alistair howled repeatedly, his body constantly changing directions.　　

However, the two lines of Scorching Torch seemed to have a navigation system and turned a circle in the air, blocking the werewolf's path. Based on the drills from the simulations performed by the A.I. Chip, the way in which Leylin was using the Scorching Torch was similar in familiarity to one who had been analyzing it for decades. He had even researched and created a few tiny tricks that were uniquely his.　

"Woo!" The werewolf tried his best to dodge the attack on his chest, but instead, his right arm was directly struck by the red ray of light.　　

Alistair howled, a furry arm with a claw on it flying away.　　

"Bind!"　　

Leylin stretched his arms forward, and slight shadows formed two black figures that twined around Alistair, who had now lost an arm.　　

"Come help!"　　

*Bang!* Under the pester of the shadows, Alistair was forced to undo his werewolf transformation and roared, producing the voice of a human.　　

The two dark Magi with him exchanged gazes, and suddenly made their move!　　

A bald Magus placed his hands on the ground, chanting a few mournful-sounding incantations that sounded like the howls of a spirit seeking vengeance.　　

*Chi chi!* A black thorny bone spur forest suddenly emerged from the surface of the ground.　　

Whether rocks or plants, they were all penetrated through by these black bone spurs.　　

The thorny bone spur forest increased in area, its blackness approaching Leylin.　

*Bo! Bo!* The two black figures were pierced by the bone spurs, but it did not hurt even a hair on Alistair's body.　　

"Hehe, Siley, you did well!"　　

Another dark Magus laughed, and the black rod in his arms extended.　　

"Spirits laying silent in the Weeping Abyss, come back to life,!"　　

A green fireball suddenly formed in front of the black rod and exploded, turning into starry specks that shot into the bone spur forest.　　

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!*　　

The black bone spurs Siley had summoned forth levitated, forming thousands of large skeletal soldiers holding bone nail hammers and white giant hatchets, charging towards Leylin.

"A combination spell!"　　

Leylin cried out involuntarily. Within rank 2 spells, if the spells displayed by two Magi were similar in terms of their effects, there could be a combo effect if they utilized secret methods that allowed them to combine attacks.This type of magic would then be called a combination spell, and its power far exceeded that of regular rank 2 spells!

However, there were few rank 2 Magi whose body and spiritual force were at a similar level. The conditions for releasing this type of magic were very harsh, and there was only a small number of Magi who fit the requirements. Leylin never imagined that he would get to see this.　　

*Bang!*　　

The large white nail hammer slammed down, bringing with it the ear-piercing sounds of an explosion. The air nearby seemed to have its pressure sucked away by the strong wind, and Leylin momentarily felt suffocated.　

[Estimated might of target's purely physical attack: 90 degrees!] The A.I. Chip provided in time.　

Leylin dodged the hammer, and a red layer appeared on the surface of his body. "Purely physical attack? Does that mean there's still a magical attack?"　　

"Ga ga!" At this moment, a large skeletal soldier that saw Leylin escaping opened its mouth.　

Multiple white bone spurs flew powerfully like white raindrops, covering all the areas that Leylin was planning on retreating to.　　

*Rumble!* The white bone spurs slammed into the layer on Leylin's body and then exploded.　

The immense energy waves wreaked havoc on the red layer, and the rays flickered inconsistently, illustrating its difficulty in withstanding this attack.　　

"Ga ga!"　　

Behind that skeletal soldier, large groups of soldiers began to shoot out spurs as well.　　

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!*　　

Under their attacks, the red protective layer on the surface of Leylin's skin shattered loudly.　　

*Bang! Bang!*　　

Large amounts of black, densely-packed scales appeared as his body was thrown a long distance away by the undulations from the explosion.　　

Yellow rays flashed as the shape-shifting effects were destroyed, revealing Leylin's true appearance.　

"Latent Fireball!" "Scorching Touch!"

Red and white flames extended, and the bone spurs that filled the skies were burnt to ashes.　

"Black flames? You- You're Leylin!"　　

The bald Magus who produced the black bone spurs couldn't help but exclaim, stunned.　　

"Long time no see, Director Siley!"　　

Leylin grinned as he greeted Siley.　　

"Siley! Is this the student that betrayed the academy? He's actually advanced to rank 2!"　　

The rank 2 Magus who cooperated with Siley gained interest as he looked Leylin up and down, "He's quite talented!"

Goodbye

"Leylin, do you also wish to obtain the extract from the Wisdom Tree?"

Siley looked at what could be said to be the most outstanding student in the history of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, a complicated expression on his face.

On one hand, there was no need to prove Leylin's talent as a Magus. To be able to advance to rank 2 at such an age and at such a speed was something rarely seen in recent years of Magus history.

Siley believed if Leylin could maintain this rate, it was definitely possible for him to became a rank 3 Magus before he turned a hundred, and advance to the most powerful ranking in the entire south coast! If he was still in the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, the school would definitely be in its golden age.

On the other hand, Leylin had already betrayed the academy, and his fierce strike back had resulted in the death of Marb, the elder of the Lilytell family, one of the three large families in the academy. He had even killed off a large number of rank 1 Magi, causing the Lilytell family's power to decline by a large amount and almost have their name removed from the Magus World!

Hence, Siley had many thoughts regarding Leylin's appearance.

"Yes, director!"

Since his shapeshifting spell had already been removed, Leylin no longer had anything to hide.

"I hope you don't interfere, as the essence of the Wisdom Tree and the treasure Alistair obtained are items that I need!" Leylin bowed slightly.

Looking back on things, the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy had treated him quite well, not taking into account the actions of the Lilytell Family. They had abided by the basic principle of trading using equal values, allowing Leylin to be enlightened as a Magus and walk the path of the strong.

Hence, unless there were some special circumstances, he did not wish to exchange blows with Siley.

"How arrogant! You're just a newly advanced rank 2 Magus, and yet, you actually dare…"

Before Siley had the chance to react, the dark Magus with him had already furiously lashed out.

In his eyes, no matter how much of a genius Leylin was, he had only just advanced. Though he had the terrifying battle achievement of killing two rank 2 Magi, who knew if he had taken advantage of the situation and killed them while they were seriously injured?

Hence, his attitude towards Leylin was a little too much.

"Young man, let a senior like me teach you how you should act in the circle of rank 2 Magi."

Two masses of black rays were produced from this rank 2 Magus' hands, forming a skull.

"What pointless preachings! How bothersome!"

Leylin muttered to himself, the red in his eyes becoming increasingly intense. On his wrist, the transparent crystal had begun to emit a dim red colour.

"What did you say?" The rank 2 Magi who was speaking was startled.

"I said you should do something about your habit of preaching. Otherwise, I don't think you'll live to see the sun tomorrow!"

Leylin suddenly raised his head, smiling brilliantly.

*Tss tss!*

Large amounts of white smoke poured out of the body of one of the large skeletal soldiers from before. Suddenly, the frame of the soldier scattered, turning into a pile of bones on the ground.The fragmented bones were corroded again, and ended up as a pile of black powder.

From a circle of charred earth, corrosion began to spread in all directions with Leylin at the centre of it all, the grass rotting in an instant and turning into something similar to mud.

Numerous bugs fell to the ground, and a mole flipped over, body stiff as it lay upside down, rotting.

As if the Grim Reaper had arrived, the entire region sank into deathly stillness.

*Slam! Thud!*

One after another, the large skeletal soldiers fell, their frames falling apart as they turned into powder.

"You used a poison attack that affects a large area!" Alistair was already injured from before, and under the powerful attack of Leylin's Toxic Bile, his right arm began to fester.

Alistair looked miserable as he gritted his teeth, producing a test tube and pouring it on the wound on his right arm.

*Rumble!* A tongue of flames covered the area down from his right shoulder, and the smell of flesh burning was produced.

Alistair grimaced. After the flames disappeared, blood was no longer flowing freely from the wound on his shoulder, and the festering from before had disappeared.

"Go! I'll stay behind and teach him a lesson!"

The dark Magus exclaimed coldly, with a hint of bloodlust.

"Alright! Be careful of the light Magi, I suspect that they have made some agreement with Iron Crown."

Alistair quickly replied, moving to ride a magnificent flying carpet that appeared from his body.

All of a sudden, his eyes glazed over and he fainted!

*Bang!* Alistair's body hit the ground; there were mysterious black patterns that looked like snakes slithering on his face.

Even the flame potion from earlier was unable to deal with the toxins!

"What ferocious neurotoxins! It can lie dormant before it completely flares up! This is bad!"

The expression of the dark Magus who found Leylin a nuisance changed vastly.

Immediately after, a pitch black gas surrounded his body.

The toxins of the terrifying ancient beast, the Giant Kemoyin Serpent, began to corrode his body and spirit!

"I told you before. You can't stop me!"

Like a Grim Reaper that had descended to Earth, the phantom image of a huge python appeared behind Leylin as he headed straight for Alistair, who was in a dead faint. After taking the essence of the Wisdom Tree from his lap, Leylin went through the pouch on Alistair's waist, and dug out a crudely made wooden cup.

The surface of this cup was an aged dark yellow, with the unique lines of the ancient tree. It also produced the slightly sweet smell of vegetation.

Though the appearance was nothing spectacular, Leylin could feel a very ancient and aged aura.

Even if it was an inanimate object, the cup still gave off a feeling of intelligence.

"This is… a wooden cup made from the bark of the Wisdom Tree!"

Leylin touched his chin. The reason why he was so sure was that besides the A.I. Chip's tests and his own conjectures, the essence of the Wisdom Tree he now possessed was beginning to emit a slight green lustre, which was a huge indicator.

*Bo!*

Leylin relaxed his right hand, and the green bundle of light disappeared into the wooden cup.

Like ice melting, the extract of the ancient tree and the wooden cup fused together. The cup was instantly covered by a layer of green light, and the inside of the cup was filled halfway with a transparent liquid. This liquid emanated an aura of vitality and intelligence.

Leylin sniffed the liquid for a moment and felt his mind clearing. The usual myriad of thoughts that went through his mind kept appearing, and the questions that he had been faced with while training began to be solved, causing him to feel more open-minded.

"Is this enlightenment?"

Joy appeared on Leylin's face, and a layer of light from his hands sealed the cup.

"The ancient Wisdom Tree! It truly is the crystallization of ancient intelligence! Just breathing in a little resulted in such a dramatic effect. What will happen if I use it all?"

A fiery look appeared on Leylin's expression, and with a flash of silver light from his hands, the wooden cup and the essence within disappeared.

"Unexpectedly, the person who had been a student has already surpassed me!"

Siley was also surrounded by a layer of black gas. While glancing at Leylin, a bitter smile appeared.

With the corrosion from the toxins, neither he nor his partner was able to exhibit even 70% of their true strength. Even if they worked together, it would still be difficult to win against Leylin.

The dark Magus who did not like Leylin had long since fled, body flashing with the energy waves of spells used to dispel toxins.

Unfortunately, the black poison became denser, and did not seem to be able to be removed.

At the thought of what he had said, this dark Magus' face turned red. Thankfully, his face had been completely obscured by the black gas, so nobody could see what sort of expression he had.

Seeing Leylin holding the target of their mission, this dark Magus had all sorts of thoughts and his lips twitched, but in the end, he didn't say anything .

Leylin's might far exceeded his expectations. He was basically at the level of the elite within rank 2 Magi, and he or Siley were unable to handle him by themselves. Attempting to fight may incur the hatred of their opponent, as well as cause more unnecessary deaths.

Dark Magi were very shrewd people. Even if he was able to hold onto the essence of the Wisdom Tree, there was no way he would have the chance to use it for himself. Why would any dark Magus risk their lives for it then?

Leylin naturally did not know about the complex thoughts running through their minds. Based on experience, however, he was largely able to guess their train of thought.

Hence, after nodding briefly towards Siley, he turned to leave.

*Step! Step!*

The sounds of the hoof steps of horses constantly sounded, and from the horizon a distance away, a team of Steel Knights appeared.

Though there were just thirteen people there, the knights were like a flood of steel that was charging towards them.

"It's the thirteen sages of Iron Crown, who form the Steel Knight Squad!"

Siley gulped, "Since when did they work together with light Magi? Or was this just a simple dispatchment?"

At this point, he couldn't help but chance a glance at Leylin.

Their target could only be Leylin, who had stolen the essence.

*Lu lu!*

Thirteen giant steel beasts that spewed out flames and had green light in their eyes stopped before the group. They fanned out and surrounded the Magi.

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* The leader's helmet automatically opened, revealing the face of the Great Sage. "Who has the essence of the Wisdom Tree?"

He looked around with suspicion.

Their target, Alistair, was now collapsed on the floor, and nobody knew if he was alive or dead. There was a high possibility that the essence had been divided amongst the Magi here, or had been stolen. He naturally did not recognise Leylin, who had only just showed up.

What made him the most annoyed was that all of the Magi present were staring at him the way they would a dead man.