The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

The area of the Dark Wizard Upper House was demarcated by a massive black clock tower. The streets stretching out below were like drawn lines, and the tower’s swinging pendulum aligned perfectly with the Wizard Tower in the Core Zone of the headquarters, which was itself shrouded in the fluctuating waves of dark particle energy.

Lando Wizard, dressed in a blue wizard robe, strolled down the street with his hands in his pockets. He said lazily, ”I wonder what troublesome business we have to discuss at this gathering. They’re all titled elites, yet they always have to drag a small fry like me along. Ah, I’m destined for a life of toil.”

Beside him was the Wind Wizard, who wore a half-face golden mask. A helpless look appeared in his eyes. ”Lando, you’d better rein in that personality of yours. Quite a few people are attending this gathering, including several Extreme Wizard Apprentices.”

”That’s my point,” Lando Wizard said with a yawn, stretching his arms out wide. ”They can just discuss it amongst themselves. I’m not much of a fighter anyway.”

There were few Wizards on the street, but they were all universally powerful, ranging between Level 2 and Level 3 Wizard Apprentices.

The pair soon arrived at a gray, box-shaped building on the Commercial Street. After their identities were confirmed via their Wizard Marks, they were enveloped by a Teleportation Witch Array.

The setting resembled a salon meeting. A dozen or so figures were seated on sofas. A cold wind blew in from the window, causing the arranged flowers and plants to sway gently. Although the light was ample, it was impossible to make out the facial details of those present, creating an air of mystery.

The room was very spacious. In the seats of honor were several figures led by Wizard Yi Si, their Wizard Robes bearing the insignia of the White Bone School.

The remaining seats were all occupied by Wizards from the various Extraordinary Schools.

Some held cups of tea or other beverages, sipping them slowly.

Others leaned back on the sofas with their eyes closed, resting.

If Wang Ya were here to observe with his Eye of Truth, he would find that the particle energy fluctuations from the auras of at least a third of the Wizards present had reached the level of Tuta Wizard.

Wizard Yi Si’s brow furrowed slightly. On the sofa to his right sat a scar-faced Wizard—it was Gusai Wizard. He nodded to Wizard Yi Si and then stood up.

”Everyone, all the invitees for this Salon Association meeting have arrived,” he announced. ”I will let Senior Brother Yi Si explain the details.”

”Sorry, sorry, I’m late!” Lando Wizard exclaimed as he pushed the door open. He was visibly taken aback by the imposing assembly inside and let out an awkward chuckle.

All eyes in the room subconsciously turned toward him.

A drop of cold sweat trickled down Lando Wizard’s forehead. ’This is insane,’ he thought. ’Three Extreme Wizard Apprentices and six Level 3 Wizard Apprentices... Is this the kind of power the second-in-command of the White Bone Lineage can rally?’

With a grave expression, the Wind Wizard gave a slight bow, then patted Lando Wizard on the shoulder before taking a seat on a sofa at the edge of the room.

Wizard Yi Si’s expression was as cold as ever as he began to outline the agenda for the salon.

”The Antuun Clan is leading the remnants of the Bailin Clan in an attempt to make an issue of the annihilation of those two Wizard Clans. The Wizard Family Alliance will throw its weight behind them later. This isn’t just targeting me; it’s a conflict between the Wizard Clans and the School Lineages...”

”However, our opponents understand that this matter cannot be blown out of proportion. The higher-ups won’t care about something so trivial. It’s nothing more than a so-called squabble over pride. The Wizard Clans want to regain their footing and save face, but whether we grant them that is our decision.”

Wizard Yi Si sneered, his tone filled with disdain.

From his seat on the fringe, Lando Wizard muttered under his breath, ”Senior Brother Yi Si is so damn domineering. It would be even better if this had nothing to do with me.”

The Wind Wizard silently scooted away, creating some distance between himself and Lando Wizard.

The other Wizards didn’t show much of a reaction, as they were evidently familiar with Lando Wizard’s personality. He was a natural-born slacker who only got serious in certain situations.

Wizard Yi Si continued, ”I will enter the Battlefield. My opponents will be two Level 3 Wizard Apprentices from the Bailin Clan. I have already agreed to the terms offered by Kaze of the Antuun Clan and signed a Wizard Contract.”

”It’s a wager, made under official witness: I will fight both of them alone.”

Gusai Wizard looked perplexed. ”This... Do they not realize how vast the power gap is?”

Wizard Yi Si stated flatly, ”Some people know I’ve advanced in rank. Others do not.”

”A natural whale fall nourishes all life. The Wizard Clans of Ancient Forest Mountain have leeched so much blood in the Dark Land; it’s time for them to give it back.”

The Wizards present immediately understood. Both sides were adhering to a tacit agreement; the price to be paid was merely the final erasure of the Bailin Clan.

”This matter is secondary,” Yi Si said. ”The top priority is the Dark Cultivation Plan.”

What Wizard Yi Si said next made every Wizard in the room turn solemn.

The Dark Cultivation Plan was far from useless to them. On the contrary, it could be of immense help—it could even aid their advancement to the rank of Official Wizard.

At their level, every one of them had to consider their next advancement.

”There are only so many slots available. As for how to obtain more of them, the key lies with... those above...”

After a period of discussion, everyone had a clear understanding of the situation.

Dark Wizards of all power levels would have a chance to obtain one of the spots.

Their main competitors would be the Wizards from the Wizard Family Alliance.

The Salon Association meeting ended as evening approached. Lando Wizard wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, rose from the sofa, and asked with sleepy eyes, ”Is it over? Can we go back now?”

The corners of the mouths of the three figures still in the room twitched.

The Wind Wizard pressed a hand to his forehead.

Gusai Wizard suddenly spoke up. ”Senior Brother Yi Si, that young fellow you mentioned seems to have run into some trouble. Someone is interfering with his quota missions.”

After hearing the details, Wizard Yi Si’s expression remained unchanged. ”If he can’t even complete his quota missions,” he said flatly, ”then he is far from qualified to be my pawn.”

”But the kid is rather interesting,” Gusai Wizard added, a smile spreading across his face as if he’d just remembered something. ”He never came to me to claim his reward of a free course.”

Wizard Yi Si was visibly stunned for a moment, and his expression turned inscrutable. His lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, he said nothing.

......

「Zhen Dan Wizard City.」

From the Teleportation Array in the city’s center, a figure clad in a black Wizard Robe strode out of the enveloping white light.

Perhaps because he had spent so much time in the Dark Land, the significantly thinner concentration of natural particle energy made Wang Ya’s brow furrow slightly.

”Esteemed Wizard from the headquarters, please use your Wizard Mark to record the completion of your quota mission.”

The Teleportation Array was guarded and maintained by Wizards from the City Lord’s Mansion.

Wang Ya nodded to the middle-aged Wizard before him, from whom he could clearly sense an aura of decline.

Wizards like him were also members from the Dark Land. Typically, they were individuals who had exceeded their allotted time in the Wizard Lower House but failed the assessment to enter the Upper House. As a result, they could only accept arrangements to serve in Wizard Cities such as this one. This was a common fate for members of the Law Enforcement Wizards as well.