The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

As the mist dissipated, the air seemed to shimmer, refracting the descending rays of dawn. The caravan traveled through the damp, chilly morning, expecting to reach the Maya Capital City in a day and a half, nearly two days’ time.

Mounted on a black horse, with a short sword strapped to his back and clad in black light armor, Wang Ya looked every bit the part of a young noble Knight out for experience.

Though he rode with a straight back, seemingly focused on the journey, he was actually contemplating his future on the Wizard Path and which direction to take.

Extraordinary Resources, Witchcraft Knowledge, an Extraordinary Foundation, and Wizard Experiments—these were the four main paths.

Wang Ya had already laid most of the Extraordinary Foundation required for a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, giving him the ability to research and improve Low-tier Witchcraft.

Once he mastered all the Extraordinary Disciplines and completely perfected his Extraordinary Foundation, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to create his own Witchcraft.

The next step was to consider advanced knowledge for his Extraordinary Foundation, such as [Extraordinary Anatomy - Advanced]. This would involve attempting dissection experiments on Middle-tier Extraordinary Creatures, extracting Extraordinary Materials, and even performing surgery on Extraordinary Bloodlines.

[Energy Science - Advanced] would focus on the Particle Energy within a Wizard’s body, teaching how to alter particle frequencies for advanced applications in Witchcraft power and casting speed.

[Elemental Science - Advanced] wouldn’t stop at basic, common Elemental Energy. It would teach methods to discover, search for, and perhaps even create new forms of Elemental Energy.

There were rumors in the Dark Land that an Official Wizard of the White Bone Lineage had created a unique White Bone Particle Energy. Its power, properties, and effects were completely different; anything it touched would have its cellular structure altered, lose all vitality, and transform into pure bone.

Wang Ya thoroughly clarified in his mind the Wizard Path he would take next.

He would use the path of an Elemental Wizard as his foundation, then expand into other necessary Extraordinary Disciplines and fields of knowledge.

He needed to gain the ability to independently conduct Wizard Experiments as soon as possible. He would then research the variables of the Harak bloodline, explore the potential of the Shadow-Feathered Crow, and develop the Extraordinary Race.

He would research how to generate income through Magic Stones, thereby ensuring an endless supply of Extraordinary Resources.

Knowledge of Alchemy was a secondary priority, depending on whether that notoriously elusive instructor ever showed up for class.

As a rough plan took shape, Wang Ya’s eyes grew increasingly bright.

After completing his assigned task, he would focus on the Secret Realm competition in two and a half years, the requirements of the Dark Cultivation Plan, and the honor of becoming a Child of the Dark. He was determined to win it.

Once he had fully absorbed the contents of the Inheritance Witch Book, he would not necessarily be weaker than the genius newcomers from other Wizard Clans.

Furthermore, by modifying its contents, he could make it even more suitable for himself.

He had the ability to face anything, and the enhancement of his Eye of Truth was an even greater asset.

.....

Dressed in black robes with worn-out patches and shoddy hats on their heads, Baton Bailin and Eugene Bailin paid the fee to enter the city. The streets were crowded, and their dark, weathered faces didn’t look out of place among the throng.

The Face of Residual Dreams was a Low-tier Witchcraft Artifact with remarkable versatility.

”Brother, how are we going to deal with Wang Ya Harak? How will we fool the True Sight Ball?”

”That guy Mengta already has a backup plan in place. The Maya Kingdom’s royal family will cooperate with us. Let’s go see them first, then we can work out the details.”

Baton Bailin estimated that it would still be two or three days before Wang Ya Harak arrived at the Maya Capital City.

Although they had lost his trail, he was bound to show up in the Capital City eventually.

The objective of the Vengeful Spirit incident mission was to either gather information or eliminate the Vengeful Spirit causing the disturbance.

All they had to do was lie in wait, and they would catch that stupid rabbit, Wang Ya Harak.

At a side entrance to the inner Royal Palace, their appointed meeting place, a dedicated person was already waiting and led the two inside.

”Respected Master Wizards, welcome. The King has prepared a banquet to welcome you and is just waiting for you to be seated.”

A portly member of the Maya Royal Family bowed obsequiously to the two of them. Behind him, rows of maids and servants knelt in unison.

Baton Bailin nodded slightly. ”Lead the way. Is Kenny there?”

”Of course. The King is humbly awaiting the arrival of the Master Wizards.”

Eugene Bailin said impatiently, ”Enough. Hurry up and take us to Kenny. This is absurd. Why are you dawdling? He’s just a little mortal king, what’s with all the ceremony?”

The member of the royal family hurriedly bowed and scraped, leading the two deeper into the palace.

The Bailin Brothers let down their guard. They were just a group of weak mortals, after all. Their Extraordinary Spiritual Power easily sensed the fragility of the bodies around them.

According to Mengta, once they found Kenny, he would arrange everything. They only needed to worry about how to kill Wang Ya Harak and eliminate any risk of exposure.

Inside the magnificent, gilded palace, white candles flickered on a long dining table. Maids in long dresses moved back and forth with trays, creating the picture of a perfect banquet.

Waiters in vests stood with slight bows, quietly awaiting orders from the King, who sat at the head of the table.

”You’re Kenny!” Baton Bailin didn’t spare a glance for the steaming delicacies on the table, questioning Kenny directly.

”Mengta should have told you to cooperate fully with my plan. And as for things you shouldn’t say, you’d better keep them rotting in your mouth.” Baton Bailin’s brow suddenly furrowed. ’The King of the Maya Kingdom is this young? Not a single trace of age on him.’

He vaguely sensed something was off but couldn’t put his finger on it. He didn’t know what Kenny looked like; Mengta had handled all the prior arrangements.

Eugene Bailin, however, casually picked up some food from the table and took a couple of bites. It was delicious, but for a Wizard, it held no nutritional value.

Kenny smiled. ”Esteemed Master Wizards, I am indeed Kenny. Please, have a seat. We can discuss our business at a leisurely pace.”

Baton Bailin’s brow furrowed, his eyes turning cold. ”Mortal, are you looking to die?!”

’Since when does a mortal dare to put on airs in front of a Wizard!’

’He’s just a king. It would be no big deal even if I killed him.’

Kenny revealed a bizarre smile. ”Master Wizards, you shouldn’t be so high and mighty. You should be trampled under our feet.”

Baton Bailin’s killing intent flared. Without a moment’s hesitation, his Particle Energy surged as he cast one of the three Witchcrafts he had mastered.

He made a grasping motion in the air toward Kenny. Instantly, a mass of thorny vines erupted from the ground and shot toward Kenny, turning the long dining table to splinters. The walls were torn apart, the thorns sharp enough to shred steel.

Low-tier Witchcraft: [Thorny Whip]

ROAR!

A sharp, dog-like bark echoed out. Baton Bailin’s face instantly turned ashen. His Witchcraft shattered, and his Spiritual Power took a heavy blow. He barely managed to swallow the mouthful of blood that rose in his throat.

’Impossible!’

As Baton Bailin looked around in horror, he discovered that his surroundings had transformed. He was now in a deep, unknown underground palace, bathed in the red glow of a churning Blood Pool.

He was on an altar. In the Blood Pool beside him, Eugene Bailin was unconscious, his body being devoured by the pool’s flesh and blood. Clearly, there had been something wrong with the food.

”Esteemed Master Wizard, please, become one with the God of Gendas.”

Below the altar, Kenny was prostrated in a deep bow, a mocking expression on his face. The monstrous and grotesque form of his right arm was exposed to the air.

Baton Bailin stared in terror at the enormous, grotesque, dog-like statue before him. His voice grew shrill. ”Damn it, you’re worshipping an Evil God!”

He recalled information he had learned at the Dark Academy, the most important of which concerned Evil Gods.

Unknown entities from Outer Space—Evil Gods, bizarre creatures, grotesque fiends—had a miniscule chance of passing through spatial rifts into the Material World.

Such beings were ancient, terrifying, and supremely evil, and they brought catastrophic trouble wherever they appeared.

They had to be exterminated as quickly as possible. Such incidents could even be reported directly to headquarters, which would dispatch Extreme Wizard Apprentices, or even Official Wizards, to deal with them personally.

ROAR!

The once-rigid statue now seemed to be alive.

Reflected in Baton Bailin’s pupils was a grotesque, surging, elongated maw, and the bizarre sight of fleshy buds writhing on its forehead. The vision shattered his conscious defenses.

Then, a mass of barbed tentacles extended from the elongated maw, ensnaring Baton Bailin and swallowing him in a single gulp.

”Wiz...ard... delicious... and terrible... thing... so... tasty!”