Chapter 210: Wizard King

Trish's voice carried undisguised surprise: "You have already successfully performed bloodline modulation?"

She remembered that the Lady Lady Ailan she saw last time was still an ordinary tree spirit; although she already had a certain level of intelligence, her form was still closer to a plant, far from human.

Now, the elegant female form before her eyes completely overturned her inherent impression of tree spirits.

Lady Lady Ailan smiled slightly, a smile that was both gentle and carried a touch of pride:

"Yes, Miss Trish. Thanks to the master's bloodline modulation technology, I was able to recover to a form close to my ancient ancestors."

Trish's gaze toward Luo En carried more caution; she had to re-evaluate the strength and talent of this peer:

"Your bloodline modulation technology is indeed well-deserved; to be able to modulate an ordinary tree spirit to this extent, I'm afraid you are already close to the level of a professional modulator."

Having an Official Wizard as a mentor, her extraordinary knowledge could be considered rich.

Because of this, Trish knew even better the difficulty of bloodline modulation.

Even those professional modulators found it very difficult to elevate an ordinary tree spirit to this level.

Such success required not only a solid theoretical foundation but also an extremely deep understanding of the essence of life, as well as operation techniques that were terrifyingly precise.

"Luo En." Trish put down her teacup, a smile appearing on her face:

"The workshop is thriving, and the harvest from the Bloodline Altar is indeed rich; it can be seen that your recent state is very good."

Without extra instructions, Lady Lady Ailan, standing not far away, had already used her vines to serve tea to her master.

As for Li Li Liya, who used to help him around, she had been too nervous these days, to the point that after completely relaxing yesterday, she had slept until now and still hadn't woken up.

"Thanks to the Bloodline Altar." Luo En sat down opposite her, observing Trish's changes.

The young girl's temperament was more mature and steady than before, her long brown hair neatly coiled behind her head, revealing a neck with beautiful lines.

The most obvious change was her skin; her already fair complexion was now even more crystal clear, with faint green patterns faintly visible—this was a sign that her Forest Elf bloodline had been further activated.

The aura emitted from Trish had also become fresher, like morning dew in the forest, carrying a kind of vibrant vitality.

This change was clear at a glance to Luo En, who was familiar with bloodline characteristics.

Trish's Forest Elf bloodline had been purified by at least twenty percentage points, which was already a considerable improvement for someone who originally possessed the Forest Elf bloodline.

It seemed that even without the one-time transformation brought by the "Bloodline Altar," the other party had been making astonishing progress every day.

"You visited specifically, is there something the matter?" Luo En asked, his voice calm, carrying just the right amount of curiosity.

A flash of complex emotion crossed Trish's eyes, as if she were hesitating about how to speak.

Her fingers gently toyed with the edge of the teacup; that was her habitual action when thinking:

"I came here this time to say goodbye to you; the day after tomorrow, I will be taking Valen Master's gargoyle with my mentor to the Crystal Spire."

The young girl's voice carried a hint of reluctance, but she tried her best to maintain the calmness a wizard should have.

In that instant, it was as if something flashed through her eyes, deeper than friendship, yet quickly suppressed by her.

"So quickly confirmed?" Luo En was a bit surprised, sitting up straight unconsciously:

"I thought you would at least have a period of preparation time."

Valen's departure was scheduled for two days later; Corinna seemed impatient to take her student away from this Black Mist Forest.

"The original plan was to leave in a few months."

Trish nodded, her slender fingers still lingering on the edge of the teacup, as if wanting to get some sense of security from this simple action:

"But the Bloodline Altar incident changed my mentor's mind. She believes that the Black Mist School is no longer safe, especially for an apprentice with a special bloodline like me."

She took a deep breath, her eyes becoming firm:

"Mentor said that the activities of the Abyssal Eye have penetrated into the core area of the school, and in the future, there may be more 'Awakened' like Oliver and Cynthia. For my mentor, my safety seems more important than anything else."

When mentioning Corinna, Trish's tone carried a kind of undisguised closeness, which made Luo En curious.

After all, in his impression, that silver-haired wizard was a cold and ruthless existence; it was hard to imagine she would care so much about an apprentice's safety.

After a short silence, Trish seemed to remember something and suddenly laughed out loud.

"Speaking of which, you might not know, but Mentor Corinna is completely different in private from the cold image she presents."

"Oh?" Luo En raised his eyebrows, signaling her to continue.

A rare sense of relaxation flashed in Trish's eyes, and a gentle smile hung on the corners of her mouth:

"She usually looks as cold as an iceberg, always wearing that white mask, but in private... she is simply a life-idiot."

Seeing Luo En's surprised expression, Trish's smile deepened:

"Don't believe it? She doesn't even know how to properly brew a cup of tea; she always boils the water until it's scalding, then pours it directly onto the tea leaves, and the result is always bitter and astringent.

Once I couldn't help but complain a few times, and she actually got angry, saying she 'disdains studying these low-level techniques'!"

Trish imitated Corinna's tone, and that deliberately exaggerated arrogance made Luo En unable to help but smile.

"Also, she especially likes to tease people." Trish continued, her voice carrying helplessness:

"Sometimes she suddenly appears in my room in the middle of the night, scaring me so much I almost cast a defensive spell. But the next second she hands me a cup of hot milk, saying it's to 'check my alertness'."

She shook her head, but the smile in her eyes grew stronger.

These little anecdotes between mentor and student allowed Luo En to see a brand-new image of Corinna, completely different from the silver-haired wizard who made people shudder.

"Speaking of which." The young girl's expression suddenly became somewhat complex, a flash of hesitation in her eyes:

"I previously signed a ten-year service contract with the school in exchange for resource allocation. But my mentor directly paid off the remaining debt years for me, allowing me to completely break free from the school's contract."

Luo En raised his eyebrows; he had learned about this information during his time as a junior apprentice.

Schools usually provided resource support for talented apprentices, but in exchange, apprentices needed to sign service contracts, promising to work for the school for a period of time.

Once such a contract was signed, unless someone was willing to assume the remaining contract responsibilities, it was almost impossible to dissolve.

"Of course, this also means that I am now completely bound to her."

Trish smiled bitterly, her gaze falling on the ripples in the teacup:

"However, considering that I get along quite well with my mentor, this is not a bad thing."

She looked up, staring directly into Luo En's eyes:

"The Crystal Spire has broader resources and knowledge; for people like us, that place offers more possibilities."

Luo En could hear a different meaning in her tone, seemingly hinting that he should also consider heading to the Crystal Spire.

But he just smiled slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Then, since you are about to head to the Crystal Spire, you should have a certain understanding of the detailed situation there, right?"

He asked with a hint of probing, trying to steer the topic toward the direction he was interested in.

"Of course." Trish put down her teacup, her eyes revealing a hint of yearning:

"My mentor showed me many images and memory fragments about the Crystal Spire; the scale and magnificence of that place far exceed my imagination."

Her voice became full of enthusiasm:

"It is said that the resources and knowledge there are more than several times that of the Black Mist School, especially in the field of extraordinary biology, where there is the most cutting-edge research.

Mentor said that the newly built 'Library of Life' houses detailed information on tens of thousands of extraordinary creatures, from appearance and form to internal structure, from living habits to bloodline characteristics, everything is available."

Trish paused for a moment, her gaze becoming deep:

"What is even more amazing is that the Crystal Spire possesses a complete enchantment discipline, which is almost unheard of in other schools.

It is said that only by mastering the core secrets of enchantment can one possibly step onto the advanced path of an 'Ancient Alchemist'."

"'Ancient Alchemist'..." Luo En repeated softly; this legendary career path had always been one of his goals.

"In legend, only an 'Ancient Alchemist' who is simultaneously proficient in potionology, alchemy, and enchantment can attempt to study the two major forbidden topics of the 'Philosopher's Stone' and 'Life Transmutation'."

"However, these are almost just legends now."

Trish added somewhat regretfully:

"The last true Ancient Alchemist passed away more than a thousand years ago; now, there are very few people who can be simultaneously proficient in these three disciplines, and even in the Crystal Spire, you can't find a few."

Luo En took a sip of tea, concealing his somewhat surging emotions.

He could actually find this information, but his real focus was still on information more closely related to the Crystal Spire, rather than those ethereal legends.

"What is the power structure of the Crystal Spire?" He continued to ask, some plans faintly forming in his heart.

Trish looked around vigilantly, and only after seeing Lady Lady Ailan had activated the vine barrier did she lower her voice:

"The Crystal Spire is divided into several major wizard clans and some independent wizards. Among them, the most powerful is the 'Wang Guan Clan'; it is said that their ancestors once produced a Great One."

"Great One?"

Great One is the honorific for a Wizard King.

Luo En's eyes widened; this was an existence beyond a Great Wizard, and there were only a handful in the history of the entire Ring Abyss Continent group.

In the wizard's world, above a Morning Star Wizard is a Moon Luminary Wizard, then a Dark Sun Wizard, followed by a Great Wizard, while a Wizard King is the highest known realm.

At the level of a Wizard King, one has completely transcended the category of ordinary life; dimensions, time, fate, and various rules and concepts are all playthings in their hands.

Even some plane-native gods are far from being opponents of a Wizard King, which is why every Wizard King can be honored as a "Great One."

As for Demon Gods... that is simply too ethereal, not worth mentioning.

"Don't be so surprised." Trish looked at Luo En's expression and smiled slightly, somewhat proud of being able to bring him such shocking information:

"Although it sounds unbelievable, according to my mentor, it is true.

However, the existence of a Wizard King is too powerful and usually does not stay in the main world.

It is said that their life level is too high, and merely the aura fluctuations produced when they appear would cause serious damage to the ecology of the entire main world, distorting reality."

Her eyes became more focused, as if telling a story she had treasured for a long time:

"Therefore, after achieving the Wizard King level, most of them will head to the endless worlds beyond the Star Gate to conquer planes. Only occasionally will they maintain a weak connection with the real world through some special link."

Trish slowly took a sip of tea and continued to explain:

"Nevertheless, the wizard's bloodline inheritance cannot be ignored.

Starting from an Official Wizard, the probability of descendants inheriting aptitude and special talents is much higher than that of ordinary people.

By the time of a Great Wizard, blood relatives almost certainly inherit part of the aptitude and talent, and each generation can produce at least a few Official Wizards; this is also the reason why wizard clans are formed."

Luo En nodded thoughtfully; this law of bloodline inheritance generally exists in various extraordinary professions.

"Therefore, the descendants of the Wang Guan Clan, although separated from that Wizard King ancestor by countless generations, can still produce far more outstanding geniuses than ordinary Great Wizard clans."

Trish's tone carried deep envy:

"It is said that the most outstanding members of the Wang Guan Clan can receive the attention and protection of that Wizard King, which makes their status in the Crystal Spire unshakable."

"I didn't expect there to be such a legendary existence behind the Crystal Spire."

Luo En sighed softly, his heart full of yearning for this extraordinary center of the Central Lands.

"Speaking of which." Trish smiled slightly, a flash of cunning in her eyes:

"I have seen ancient books about enchantment on my mentor's bookshelf a few times; if you are interested in this aspect, perhaps in the future I can try to secretly transcribe some for you."

This proposal made Luo En feel somewhat amused; he certainly didn't need Trish to help him in this way.

"No need to take such risks." He said casually: "If I am truly interested in enchantment, I will naturally find relevant books myself."

Trish nodded, a flash of appreciation in her eyes.

If Luo En had agreed just now, that wouldn't be like him...

After a silence, the brown-haired girl's expression suddenly became somewhat playful; this was a side of her Luo En rarely saw:

"I have a proposal."

"What proposal?" Luo En's curiosity was piqued by her expression.

"How about we make a bet?"

Trish tucked her brown hair behind her ears, lazily leaning on the sofa, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation:

"Bet on who becomes an Official Wizard first."

Luo En raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised by this sudden challenge, but was immediately stirred by his competitive spirit:

"Oh? What is the stake?"

"If one person becomes an Official Wizard later, they agree to a condition set by the person who becomes a wizard first."

Trish proposed, a confident smile hanging on the corners of her mouth: "How about it, dare to accept?"

Luo En narrowed his eyes, gently rubbing his chin, thinking about the possible motives behind this proposal.

Trish had always been a shrewd person; proposing such a bet must have its certainty.

But regardless, the bet itself was interesting and could motivate both sides to move forward more diligently.

"Hehe, you are quite confident in me, and in yourself."

Luo En pondered for a moment and laughed out loud: "I accept, but we are currently walking different paths; how do we confirm who reaches the goal first?"

Trish's smile deepened, as if she had long expected him to agree; she took out a small crystal ball from her bosom and placed it gently on the table:

"This is a pair of magic resonance balls, given to me by Mentor Corinna. We each hold one; once someone becomes an Official Wizard, the magic fluctuation will automatically trigger resonance, and the other party will be able to sense it."

Luo En reached out and picked up the crystal ball, checking it carefully.

The surface of the crystal ball was as smooth as a mirror, and inside, a group of silver mist could be faintly seen flowing slowly.

He used "Extraordinary Identification" to perform a detailed test, and after confirming there were no hidden malicious effects, he nodded with satisfaction:

"A very fair proposal; I accept this bet. The design of this resonance ball is quite exquisite."

"Made by my mentor herself." Trish's voice carried a hint of pride:

"As long as the magic fluctuation reaches the standard of an Official Wizard, it will be activated immediately."

The two looked at each other and smiled, both carrying sparks of competition in their eyes.

After a moment of silence, Luo En got up and walked to a cabinet on the side, taking out an exquisite box.

The box was made of dark brown wood, with complex leaf patterns carved on the surface, and a circle of silver thread inlaid on the edge, emitting a faint magic fluctuation.

"I also have a gift for you." Luo En said, his voice low:

"I originally intended to give it to you after you left according to the original plan in a few months; I didn't expect it to come in handy so soon."

He opened the box, and inside lay a short staff about thirty centimeters long.

The staff body was made of emerald-green vines, with a crystal-clear green leaf inlaid at the top, emitting a soft light.

As the box opened, a fresh scent of grass and trees wafted out, reminding one of the fragrance of the forest after rain.

"This is..." Trish's eyes widened, her breathing noticeably accelerating; she was clearly shocked by this exquisite gift.

"A parting gift for you." Luo En placed the box in front of her:

"The main materials are Lady Lady Ailan's Life Leaf and several main vines, which can amplify the effects of nature-type spells. Your Forest Elf bloodline should have a very good resonance with it."

Trish reached out to touch the staff, but hesitated at the moment of contact, withdrawing her hand, her brows slightly furrowed:

"This is too precious; I cannot accept it. The Life Leaf, even if Lady Lady Ailan has advanced to an 'Ancient Tree Spirit,' the output should be very small, right? And the production process must be very complex."

Her gaze lingered on the staff, her eyes full of both longing and hesitation.

Luo En could understand her mood—in the wizard's world, gifts are often accompanied by certain expectations or exchanges, especially such precious gifts.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 211 =====