Wizard: My Skills Can Infinitely Break Through

This was a standard move. Edmund wouldn’t let a subordinate who knew his secrets slip from his grasp.

Ian opened the metal box.

Inside was half of a scorched-black notebook. The edges of the pages were irregularly charred, as if they had been licked by flames but not completely incinerated.

The text in the notebook was written in the ancient Tua Language, but some passages were covered in dark red stains that gave off a strange, faint shimmer in the light.

”What did they say?”

”Edmund took part in a ruin exploration ten years ago.”

Aidele rubbed her temples.

”That expedition was organized by the Rose Commerce Association. The target was an ancient sacrificial site in the third stratum of the Burning Canyon.

”The team originally consisted of twelve people, but only six returned alive. Edmund was one of them.”

”So he changed after he came back?”

”According to the recollections of his personal attendant at the time, Edmund went into seclusion for a whole month after his return.

”When he emerged, his field of research had shifted from bloodline Purification to the fusion of Anomalous Energy.

”Moreover, he began to frequently contact Black Market channels, acquiring large quantities of materials labeled ’forbidden’.”

Ian flipped through the scorched notebook.

His panel simultaneously scanned the residual text and stains on the page.

A progress bar for the analysis of the ancient Tua Language advanced rapidly at the edge of his vision.

The panel labeled the dark red stains as ”dried residue of an Abyssal Creature’s blood.”

As the panel continued to decipher the information, Ian’s heart skipped a beat.

’The notebook... it actually mentions a strange ”Path of the Morning Star.”’

’This is extremely precious and secret High Tier Knowledge.’

Aidele froze. ”What... it really mentioned the Path of the Morning Star?”

She had never encountered Level Four Knowledge before. This was possibly the greatest reward from this affair, aside from taking down Edmund.

Ancient Wizards considered Level Four Morning Star Wizards to be the most important watershed on the path of the Extraordinary.

Ian traced a finger over a passage in the notebook that wasn’t completely covered by stains.

’To break through to the Morning Star realm, one must comprehend a Rule unique to oneself and complete the ”Rule Imprint.”’

’This means engraving one’s own Rule Mark into the depths of their Sea of Spirit.’

’But every person’s Path of the Morning Star is different. Once a Wizard reaches Level Four, they can no longer imitate others.’

”So Edmund chose the Abyss?”

”That’s what the notebook says... Didn’t you read it?”

Aidele looked a bit embarrassed. ”I’m not fluent in the ancient Wizard Language... I can’t read it.”

Ian saw the longing in her eyes. He had rarely seen such an expression on Aidele’s face.

Then, Ian slowly recounted the fragmented contents of the notebook.

”’...While the Abyssal Rule is perilous, the success rate for the imprint might be even higher than in the Wizard World. As for the price one must pay... the rest of the text is missing.’”

The Laboratory fell into a brief silence as they both digested the information.

The only sounds were the faint hum of a constant-temperature cabinet and the rising evening wind outside the window.

Gaga flew down from the windowsill and landed on Ian’s shoulder. Its dark silver feathers brushed against the side of his neck, a cool sensation against his skin.

”He thought he could escape the Abyss.”

Aidele’s voice was quiet, as if she were talking to herself.

”In the end... he just became a vessel for the Abyss.”

Ian closed the notebook. The Isolation Runes on the metal box lit up again, suppressing the contaminating fluctuations within.

He looked at Aidele. After Edmund’s fall, her entire demeanor was like that of a tempered blade.

”How many resources have you taken over these past few days?”

”Fifty percent of what was under Edmund’s name.”

The corners of Aidele’s mouth lifted slightly. She was clearly in a good mood.

”That includes the mining rights to three medium-sized Magic Crystal Ore deposits, the shops on two commercial streets in the southern district, and his former subordinates in the clan’s Law Enforcement Team...

”Also, Edwin sent someone with a congratulatory gift this morning: a complete set of Level Two Alchemy Tools.”

”Oh? A sign of surrender?”

”I’m not sure. I imagine he’s just trying to lie low for now.”

Aidele rose and walked over to the lab bench, gently stroking Gaga’s feathers.

”The few remaining competitors are starting to waver. Some have secretly contacted my Steward, hoping to exchange resources for ’future amnesty.’

”As for the Elder Council... Elder Soron has clearly expressed his support for my succession as Clan Leader.”

Ian noticed her hand on the lab bench; her fingers tightened slightly.

”How is your father doing?”

The change of subject seemed to relax Aidele’s shoulders. She turned, the smile in her eyes growing more pronounced.

”Delia has been watching him for me lately. The corruption marks have faded by another thirty percent.

”Yesterday morning, Delia said his finger twitched. It was only for a moment, but the Medical Wizard confirmed it’s a sign his consciousness is starting to return.”

”He’ll still need at least three more months of continuous Purification. You can’t stop the Potions.”

”I know. It’s a good thing I’ve acquired so many resources. Otherwise, I’m not sure I could have gathered all the necessary materials.”

Aidele walked back to the workbench and took out another, smaller Crystal Bottle.

”This is what you wanted. I separated it from the items sealed in Edmund’s Laboratory.

”All the vector samples marked ’Abyss-related.’ Twenty-seven types in total.”

Ian took the Crystal Bottle and released a thread of Spiritual Power to investigate its contents.

Tiny fragments of matter floated inside the bottle.

Dark red crystalline powder, desiccated black tissue fragments, the corroded remains of some metal...

Each one emanated contaminating fluctuations of varying intensity.

The panel’s detection data cascaded down the edge of his vision, listing the classification, contamination Level, and Rule characteristics of all twenty-seven samples one by one.

”The Elder Council is letting me research these?”

Aidele nodded. ”Don’t worry. I got it approved by the Elder Council under the pretext of ’developing a complete Purification protocol.’”

”Elder Soron personally signed the permit, but it came with one condition.