Wizard: Adventures in Two Worlds-Chapter 445 - 004 Snake Valley

「One month later.」

Carl withdrew from his practice of the Source Sea Meditation Method and glanced at his data panel, helplessly shaking his head.

Too slow!

Having grown accustomed to rapid progress in Cultivation, the lack of any response after a month of arduous cultivation was torturous.

Several times, he considered adding Source Material to his spiritual power.

He only restrained the impulse because he considered that cultivation became more difficult later on, making it more cost-effective to add it then.

"Wizards are plentiful in the Magic Forest, and resources are relatively limited. Potions that can enhance one’s Cultivation often come at steep prices. Even for large families, only Core Disciples have limited access to them."

"On the contrary..."

"Not many have traversed the Knight Path to the Legendary Realm. It is flush with resources, so the prices are hardly high."

Back then, an ample supply of Potions had allowed Carl to rapidly advance the Holy Demon Transformation to the third layer in a very short time.

"The Wizard Path is like a single-log bridge crossed by thousands of troops. Although Wizards at the same Level are stronger than Knights, it seems the Knight Path suits me better for now..."

"What a pity!"

"The Holy Demon Transformation is too resource-intensive. To advance to the fourth layer, one must take Second Order Potions."

Second Order Potions!

A single bottle could cost anywhere from several hundred Magic Stones to a dozen Magic Crystals, far beyond what he could afford.

The key was that cultivating the Holy Demon Transformation required not one or two bottles, but a large and continuous supply.

"Fortunately, arduous training also increases Constitution, albeit more slowly."

"As for the Thousand Buddha Hands..."

"Finally, I’ve reached the initial stage!"

A smile touched Carl’s lips as he suddenly clapped his hands forward. A series of afterimages flashed by, each representing a different Dharma Seal.

The cultivation of the Thousand Buddha Hands is divided into four realms.

One Hand Realm!

This is the introductory stage, where one can proficiently use every Dharma Seal and form them under any circumstances.

Carl had just reached this stage.

Ten Hands Realm!

You can combine up to ten Dharma Seals according to your will, forming new Dharma Seals.

This realm greatly enhances the power of the Dharma Seals.

Sodan is in this realm.

However, he took a shortcut, leveraging the power of an Evil God to manifest multiple palms for combination seals.

The true Ten Hands Realm involves condensing multiple Dharma Seals into one, channeling all their power through a single palm.

Hundred Hands Realm!

In this realm, one can combine dozens of Dharma Seals into a powerful new one.

It’s possible to fight beyond one’s tier.

If Sodan were at the Hundred Hands Realm, Carl would stand no chance against him, even if he gave his all. Sodan might even be able to withstand Second Order opponents with just a First Rank Late Stage Cultivation.

Thousand Hand Realm!

This realm implies full mastery of the essence of the Thousand Buddha Hands, essentially becoming one with Buddha, one with the holy.

If a mortal could attain the Thousand Hand Realm, a single Dharma Seal would be enough to elevate them from mortal to immortal.

"Buddha! Holy!"

"These are titles on par with the Divine, suggesting that the Thousand Buddha Hands is a Holy Skill that leads directly to the Fourth-tier."

"Even stronger than the Holy Demon Transformation!"

"What a pity."

"This Martial Art requires too much insight, or what is called a ’Buddha’s heart’—resources alone are not enough to advance."

"Having the Bloodline of the Abyss Giant Squid, I too can follow Sodan and take the deviant path to prematurely reach the Ten Hands Realm, but that’s as far as I can go!"

"To enhance my strength in a short period, there’s only..."

"The Wizard Tower!"

「 」

"Mr. Conni." Nina walked out from the manor to greet him, curtsying with an ancient formality. With a gesture towards the back, she said, "Please, this way."

"Miss Nina," Carl asked, "who else is here?"

"Rest assured, Mr. Conni, all those going on this beast hunt are familiar faces," Nina smiled delightfully. "Aside from you!"

"Allow me to make the introductions."

Upon reaching the hall, Nina nodded to the elderly man who had stood up from the main seat. "This is the Legendary Knight Harvey speaks of, Mr. Conni! Mr. Conni, this is my father, Clements."

Clements!

The Clan Leader of the Walker family! A First Rank Late Stage Wizard and one of the four controllers of the Dream Market.

He was a stout old man with graying hair, his eyes, though dim, still sharp.

Clements married and had children when he was over a hundred years old, so he must be around one hundred seventy or eighty now?

His lifespan is running short!

The two nodded in acknowledgment, having now met.

"Witch Linda." Nina turned to the hooded witch beside Clements, her voice turning solemn. "Lady Linda is a Bloodline Wizard specialized in Beast Control, with a Bloodline potency as high as Second Order."

A Bloodline Wizard?

Carl’s gaze shifted subtly.

He had also practiced Bloodline Magic and, by a stroke of fortune, had merged with the Bloodline of a Third-tier creature.

Appropriate Bloodlines make it easier for a Wizard Apprentice to advance to an Official Wizard, but the path that follows gets harder.

After all, while other Wizards can simply meditate to increase their Cultivation, Bloodline Wizards must also seek ways to enhance their Bloodline integration, effectively doubling the difficulty within the same timeframe.

Moreover, they face obstacles akin to ’insight blockades’ during their breakthrough, making it rare for Bloodline Wizards to reach Second Order.

Many Official Wizards also practice Bloodline Magic, but few focus primarily on it.

"This is Berni from the Pelo family." Nina pointed to the last person, her expression indifferent. "Berni’s Water Magic is quite remarkable. Later, it can be used to provide support to Mr. Conni."

Carl nodded.

Including himself, there were a total of five Wizards on this trip.

Clements was a First Rank Late Stage Wizard. Nina and Berni were both First-order Middle Stage Wizards. Carl and Witch Linda were First Order Early Stage Wizards.

However, Carl was also a Legendary Knight, and Witch Linda, with her Second Order Bloodline, was stronger than an ordinary First Order Early Stage Wizard.

In any case...

Although the team was small, its strength was not to be underestimated.

Glancing over the group, Carl breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Apart from Clements, against whom he wasn’t very confident, he could deal with the others in a direct confrontation.

Even against Clements, he wasn’t without a chance, especially since he had acquired new methods a few days prior.

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

"If there is nothing else, then let us depart!"

Nina took out a golden whistle and blew it. Soon, a Gale swept through.

Two magnificent winged horses descended into the manor, pulling a luxurious carriage. First Order Creatures—Pegasuses!

This was much more impressive than Daniel’s antelope carriage and had more presence.

「Two days later.」

Near the Nameless Snake Valley.

A white cloud wobbled slightly, as if something had passed through it, leaving trails of smoke.

The invisible carriage circled in the sky for a moment before choosing a direction and swooping down towards the ground.

"WHOA!" With Nina’s low command, the carriage landed steadily.

The group disembarked one by one, stretching muscles unused for two days, and looked down into the valley.

The valley was shrouded in mist, obscuring the view. It was clearly long and narrow, filled with miasma, and seemed to be teeming with snakes and insects.

"This is the place."

Looking at the valley, a complex expression flashed in Clements’s eyes. He quickly steadied his emotions and spoke, "Everyone, rest first. We will proceed once we’ve adjusted."

"Alright!"

"Yes!"

"I will check the situation inside first." Witch Linda took out a staff and gently touched the ground.

The next moment, the twisted patterns on the staff seemed to come alive, transforming into rats that scurried down into the valley.

Soul Control! Beast Control Technique!

These rats did not have physical bodies; they were formed from the souls of rats and the surrounding earth.

They bore no signs of life, only faint fluctuations of spiritual power, making them ideal for scouting.

"There’s no need for such trouble."

Carl reached out and gently caressed the weeds on the ground. His eyes emitted a soft glow as his consciousness connected with the nearby plants.

One-Circle Witchcraft—Whispers of Life!

This was a life-affinity Witchcraft for communicating with plants and obtaining information, and it was one of the four One-Circle Witchcraft spells he currently knew.

"Hmm?"

Clements’s expression changed slightly.

"Eh!"

Carl’s eyes narrowed as he abruptly looked up. "There are people nearby!"

SWOOSH!

No sooner had he spoken than Nina and Witch Linda reacted, their bodies flickering with the Spirit Light of Defensive Magic.

"I hadn’t expected Mr. Conni to also know Whispers of Life," Clements said, his expression unchanged, speaking slowly. "Don’t worry, they are friends I’ve invited."

Friends?

Carl’s face darkened as he looked towards three people emerging from Invisibility nearby. His heart skipped a beat when he recognized one of them.

Gold! Being from the Six Rings Tower and the Green family, what is he doing here?

Fortunately, Carl had disguised his appearance and was not recognized.

Although he didn’t recognize the other two, their spiritual power fluctuations were intense; both were First-order Middle Stage Wizards.

Is all this just to collect herbs for Harvey, a Great Knight with no talent for Witchcraft? Even if the herb is rare and has other uses, does it warrant so many people?

This situation is strange!

"Nina." Witch Linda spoke in a muffled voice, "What’s going on here?"

"Linda." Nina also seemed unclear about the situation, her face filled with bewilderment. However, trusting her father, she advised, "Don’t get worked up. There won’t be any trouble."

"Hmph!" Witch Linda snorted. "I agreed to help you because of the trust we’ve built over years of working together, yet you’ve gone behind my back to find others."

"Since you already have other helpers, I’m sure you won’t be needing me. I’m withdrawing from this mission, and I don’t want the reward either."

Carl withdrew his hand, taking a step back.

He agreed with Witch Linda on this matter.

"Since you’re here, why the rush to leave?" Gold said slowly as he approached. "The secret here cannot be known by others. If anyone wishes to leave early, don’t blame me for being discourteous."

A sense of foreboding weighed heavily on both Linda and Carl.