Chapter 30: Battle and External Aids

"The power of this Wraith is close to the fourth degree… Not bad, looks like it could be troublesome." 

Through the crystal ball, Lynn quickly assessed the strength of his opponent's sorcery, but instead of worry, a faint smile appeared on his lips. 

Without the slightest panic, he gently stroked the Heart of Floral Language hanging around his neck. 

As his spiritual power guided it, the special pendant emitted a radiant glow full of vitality. Petals rapidly sprouted, weaving together into an impenetrable barrier in front of Lynn. 

Boom! 

The Wraith's breath collided with the Heart of Floral Language barrier. The black negative energy was completely neutralized and dissipated. 

Having become more familiar with the Heart of Floral Language, Lynn could now precisely control this magical artifact, forming a defensive wall instead of the all-encompassing cocoon he initially could only create. 

At this moment, with just a simple barrier, he effortlessly nullified his opponent's spell attack. 

The Heart of Floral Language could unleash a defensive strength of up to fifty degrees, though each use required a cooldown period. 

Just now, he had only used a small portion of its energy to easily counter the sorcery cast by the apprentice wizard. 

"Damn it! A magical artifact?!" 

The second-level apprentice wizard from the Nightshadow Fortress frowned deeply but didn't stop. He immediately began chanting the incantation for another spell. 

"Phantom Arrow!" 

A translucent arrow materialized in the sky, emitting faint energy waves as it locked onto Lynn's figure and shot forward with lightning speed. 

"Around the second degree of power." 

Lynn glanced at the energy fluctuations of the Phantom Arrow, quickly making a judgment, yet he remained still, not attempting to dodge. 

As the arrow closed in, he once again activated the Heart of Floral Language. A burst of flowers bloomed, manifesting a protective shield that intercepted the Phantom Arrow, turning it into nothingness. 

"A magical artifact that can be used multiple times?!" 

The apprentice wizard from Nightshadow Fortress looked even more distressed. He now realized he might have encountered one of the Furnace's "rich bigshots." 

Lynn's magical artifact was clearly of a high grade, and his deliberate defensive posture only made the opponent feel mocked and humiliated. 

With two consecutive attacks effortlessly neutralized, frustration took root in the apprentice wizard's heart. 

He could feel his spiritual power depleting rapidly only enough remained to cast one final spell. 

Yet, throughout this battle, there had been no true strategy; his attacks simply couldn't break through that seemingly simple "turtle shell" of his opponent. 

"Go on…" 

Lynn's calm voice drifted over, carrying a hint of composure, even amusement. 

He wasn't in a hurry to counterattack because he understood that his opponent was merely a second-level apprentice wizard of the Nightshadow Fortress perfect for providing him with a safe live combat exercise. 

With the Heart of Floral Language, he was practically invincible, allowing him to observe his opponent's spellcasting techniques and rhythm without distraction. 

After all, this was a battlefield, and he needed to seize every opportunity to familiarize himself with a wizard's combat techniques and tempo. 

"My magical artifact is out of energy now. If you don't come, then I will." 

Lynn's hooded face revealed a grinning set of white teeth, his voice lighthearted but laced with mockery. 

His opponent's expression turned ferocious at his words. Enraged, the apprentice wizard grinned bitterly and sneered: 

"Death Coil!" 

Before he finished speaking, a dense surge of negative energy rapidly gathered around Lynn, forming a black vortex barrier. 

Within the vortex, decayed, corpse-like hands slowly extended outward, exuding an oppressive aura of rot as they reached for Lynn. 

"Close to the sixth degree of power… Looks like you've given it your all." 

Lynn smirked, "Since that's the case, let me send you off properly." 

Once again, flowers bloomed around him, their fragrance permeating the air. The protective barrier easily fended off the Death Coil's grasping hands. 

All of this was within Lynn's calculations. 

Just before activating the Heart of Floral Language, he had already silently completed the incantation for Frostbolt. 

Swoosh 

With a sharp sound of air being pierced, a slender Frostbolt materialized in midair, its icy glow locked onto the chest of the second-level apprentice wizard. 

Having exhausted his spiritual power with Death Coil, the apprentice wizard was completely defenseless. 

Boom! 

As the Frostbolt struck, a layer of frost rapidly spread, instantly freezing the apprentice wizard into an ice statue. 

A second later, the statue shattered, turning into countless shards of ice, scattering into the forest. 

Lynn brushed off his sleeve and murmured to himself: 

"With the Heart of Floral Language, I can crush second-level apprentice wizards. All I need to do is counter their spells with ones that have shorter casting times. After all, my artifact can tank their attacks head-on…" 

Some people firmly believe in relying solely on their strength, refusing to entrust their safety to external aid. 

They insist that true power lies in one's capabilities, using pure sorcery to solve all problems. 

But Lynn was not one of them. 

Firstly, his spiritual power was naturally limited, and utilizing external aids was the best way to enhance his combat abilities and more importantly, to survive. 

Secondly, Lynn had always believed that the biggest distinction between humans and animals was the ability to discover, create, and utilize tools. 

Moreover, as the pinnacle of human intelligence, high and mighty wizards should be the best at leveraging all available resources to solve problems. Otherwise, what difference was there between them and knights, who relied purely on brute force and swordsmanship? 

Wizards are called the "thinking profession" for a reason. 

They combine tools and intelligence to turn the impossible into possible. 

To Lynn, those who stubbornly insisted on "personal strength only" were narrow-minded. 

The true essence of sorcery wasn't just about seeking power but harnessing it to bend the world to one's will. 

As Lynn quickly analyzed the key takeaways from this battle, his gaze shifted toward the other two battlefields. 

He knew that his defensive strategy had delayed things somewhat, but it had been worth it to study his opponent's combat rhythm. 

By now, the battle was nearly over. 

Sonya, with her overwhelming power, had defeated two opponents at once and was already rushing to aid Colin, helping him finish off the last third-level apprentice wizard. 

After the battle, Sonya frowned slightly and rubbed her temples. 

Her spiritual power was overtaxed, leaving her pale-faced. 

In contrast, Lynn and Colin appeared much more relaxed, having used only 20% of their total spiritual power. 

After all, they couldn't even utilize the other 80%, unless they were willing to risk activating their Life Seeds which would leave them crippled for several days. 

Clearing the battlefield, the three looted their fallen enemies, gathering whatever valuables they could before quickly departing. 

Using the Furnace's tracking techniques, they began to gradually rendezvous with the main force. 

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