"The materials required beyond Plan C are far too rare — I can't possibly find them right now!"
"The Comoyin Giant Serpent bloodline has already fused with my body and even my soul. Forcibly abandoning it would definitely cause me to drop an entire rank as a wizard, and could even endanger my life. Absolutely out of the question!"
"It seems the only option is to brew the Tranquility Potion as quickly as possible!" Leilin's expression was grave.
He had long since obtained the formula for the Tranquility Potion, and all the necessary materials had already been gathered at Black Bone Forest Academy. Producing the finished potion was merely a matter of time.
He had originally believed he could tough it out through sheer willpower, but it was now evident that the problem of emotional instability had plagued wizards for tens of thousands of years — it clearly wasn't something that could be resolved by personal willpower alone.
Leilin had always prided himself on being a rational person, and he deeply detested anything beyond his control.
After that, Leilin glanced toward a nearby cave and let out a cold smile.
Inside the cave, the captured and unconscious Kweireit — stripped of everything on his person — had been tossed there by Leilin.
Leilin was quite eager to get his hands on intelligence about the Lilisite Family.
Therefore, even though he knew Kweireit might carry some kind of tracking spell, Leilin still decided to interrogate him.
As long as he moved quickly enough, he could definitely leave before the other side reacted.
After all, they still considered him nothing more than a third-rank apprentice and wouldn't even consider the possibility of Kweireit failing. But such good fortune wouldn't continue after Kweireit.
...Several hours later, Leilin finally departed after obtaining what he wanted.
Where Kweireit had been, nothing remained except a puddle of yellow pus.
"Who would have thought Bosain's backing was so formidable — he turned out to be the sole grandson of a Lilisite Family elder who had already achieved over 80% spiritual elementalization and met the conditions for advancement..."
As Leilin traveled, he mulled over the intelligence he had just obtained.
An Apothecary was skilled at preparing all kinds of potions, and Leilin had accumulated a diverse array of methods from his experiments in Polar Night City. He had tried every single one on Kweireit, and before long, the official wizard's mind had completely collapsed — he revealed everything and only begged for a quick death.
According to Kweireit, Bosain's grandfather was a powerful elder within the Lilisite Family and the person in charge of Kweireit's line of wizards.
That was how he had been able to deploy Kweireit, a first-level wizard.
Leilin had killed the man's blood relative, and this time he had also cost him a first-level wizard under his command. He knew that his enmity with that elder was only growing deeper.
But it wasn't all bad news.
Within the Lilisite Family, the power struggle over the patriarch's position had reached a critical juncture, and the elders of each faction fiercely resisted one another. This meant that Leilin only needed to figure out how to escape from that particular elder.
However, having so brazenly murdered the man's blood relative — and even an official wizard — whichever faction caught him would certainly not hesitate to deal with him as well.
With his strength alone, Leilin couldn't hope to contend against their massive family.
After brief consideration, Leilin made his decision to flee the Academy.
The Marsh Duchy was Black Bone Forest Academy's territory, and to a certain extent, it was also where the Lilisite Family's influence was concentrated. The further east one went, the more pronounced this became.
The north was an impassable region of danger. Leilin's plan was to head due west, cross the Lunar Lyre Mountain Range, and enter the territory of Gothic Sage's Cottage.
These two powers had just fought a war and were bitter enemies.
Within Gothic Sage's Cottage's domain, Black Bone Forest Academy's influence would be at its weakest.
But Leilin didn't plan to linger in Gothic Sage's Cottage's territory. While they would certainly be pleased to gain an official wizard's combat power — and stick it to Black Bone Forest Academy in the process — Leilin had absolutely no intention of becoming anyone's pawn.
The entire South Coast was vast! The region around Black Bone Forest Academy and Gothic Sage's Cottage was nothing more than a remote backwater on the easternmost fringe of the South Coast — practically the countryside.
After passing through the Inlan Duchy under Gothic Sage's Cottage's control, he would take the route through Magre Grand Canyon, pass through a dozen or so duchies, and arrive at the central region of the entire South Coast.
He had heard that over there, White Wizards held the highest authority, and even ordinary people could coexist in peace — lethal battles and wars were rare.
Leilin's plan was to go there and develop himself.
Although he could continuously advance simply by practicing a high-grade Meditation Method, that didn't mean he didn't need resources.
Quite the opposite — whether attempting spiritual elementalization or increasing the speed of his Meditation Method practice, Leilin needed resources. Vast quantities of top-tier wizard resources!
At the same time, he needed to mass-produce potions to generate sufficient funds.
All of this required a large enough distribution hub.
And the South Coast's largest wizard market was located in its central region, jointly overseen by the Nine-Ring White Tower and several major local powers.
The moment the Nine-Ring White Tower came to mind, Leilin suddenly thought of George.
That youth who had traveled alongside him had ultimately entered the Nine-Ring White Tower to study. Five or six years had passed in the blink of an eye. With a fourth-rank soul aptitude, he had surely advanced to third-rank apprentice by now.
"Wonder how they're all doing?"
Leilin muttered to himself, quickening his pace toward the Lunar Lyre Mountain Range.
"BOOM!!!"
The massive cave collapsed entirely, revealing the fury of whoever had struck.
As the dust settled, a figure emerged — an old man clad in silver-white armor.
Strange metallic ornaments adorned his face, and his silver eyes burned with unmistakable rage.
"To think... to think even Kweireit has been killed!"
"I will never let you get away with this!" the old man hissed through clenched teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging.
...
Especially when the servants and apprentices respectfully addressed him as "Master
Feile did have ample reason to be proud.
He had successfully advanced to wizard before the age of thirty! Such speed of progress had left even his own mentor astounded.
Feile thoroughly enjoyed the look of astonishment on other people's faces.
Furthermore, thanks to his reputation as a prodigy, the Bauhinia Family had proactively approached him for recruitment, offering extremely generous terms.
The soul contract they offered was also more lenient than the one at the Academy.
Though he had lost a degree of freedom, it was a trivial price compared to a first-level Defensive Wizardry Template and invaluable advancement experience.
Without those two things, he would never have advanced to first-level wizard — and perhaps there should be a third: the
The moment he thought of the Rainbow Potion, Feile's mind turned to that woman Biji. Presumably, by now, that fool had been executed by her family?
A contemptuous smile tugged at the corner of Feile's lips.
Previously, the only reason he hadn't kicked her to the curb long ago was that she kept sending Magic Stones and resources his way.
And after Biji had inadvertently revealed that her family possessed a carefully guarded Rainbow Potion, Feile had found himself unable to suppress his desire.
First, he had deliberately saved her during the Secret Realm Blood Battle to deepen her fondness for him. Then he had feigned anxiety about his advancement, coaxing her into stealing her family's treasured secret for him!
Hmph! As if he — Feile, who would one day become the Wizard King uniting the entire South Coast — could ever be interested in someone like her!
Moreover, according to certain rumors, the Bauhinia Family intended to marry one of their young ladies to him. This was a classic tactic used by major wizard families to secure the loyalty of prodigious wizards.
Not only could they bind him tightly to their chariot through marriage, but they could also acquire fresh, excellent bloodlines.
"M-Master... it's time for lunch!"
A timid voice spoke up — it belonged to a golden-haired girl in an Apprentice Grey Robe, her face still carrying a touch of baby fat. She couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve years old.
"Mm." Feile responded in a low voice, reaching out to grope the girl's cheek.
The girl blushed crimson but dared not resist, allowing Feile to fondle her before finally retreating with burning cheeks.
Feile watched the girl's departing figure, his eyes brimming with unconcealed greed and desire.
Feile knew that in this regard, he had always harbored somewhat peculiar tastes — for instance... he disliked mature women! He only liked young girls!
This little girl was an apprentice he had taken on after becoming an official wizard. The reasons were partly the Bauhinia Family's request, and partly because she was so innocent and adorable.
Feile had never bothered to conceal his desires.
And from an outsider's perspective, nothing seemed amiss.
Official wizards always enjoyed privileges, and in the Bauhinia Family's view, if it merely cost them this much to gain an official wizard's tutelage, the little girl was getting the better end of the deal.
Feile sat at a long dining table, dressed in immaculate formal attire.
Beside him sat the little girl from earlier.
Around them, over a dozen attendants and stewards served in silence.
In truth, they were all servants provided to Feile by the Bauhinia Family, costing him not a single copper coin.
Even the high tower he currently resided in had been constructed at the Bauhinia Family's expense and freely gifted to him.
Whenever Feile found himself in such a situation, his mood was always excellent.
"What's for lunch today?"
"Fresh veal tenderloin, Master!" an elderly steward said with a bow.
A slender serving maid stepped forward and lifted the golden food cover for Feile. A waft of steam rose from within, revealing a piece of perfectly cooked veal tenderloin surrounded by broth and sauce.
Feile deftly sliced off a piece with his knife and speared it with a silver fork.
"This meat... seems a bit redder than ordinary beef..."
Feile remarked mildly, placing the morsel in his mouth...
After finishing, Feile dabbed his lips with a white silk napkin.
"This beef tastes excellent today. Where is it from?"
"Reporting, Master! A meat vendor came to the door to promote his wares. I saw that the beef was genuinely fine quality, so I purchased some..." the steward reported.
"Isn't this the outskirts of the Bauhinia Family's domain? How could a meat vendor come here to sell?"
A sudden sense of absurdity washed over Feile. (...)