Wizard: Starting with Dealing with Magical Plants

Chapter 213 Secret

"The Soulfire is connected to the energy network of the stone platform, constantly replenishing it!" Roland saw the key through the Insight Ring.

"We must cut off the energy supply, or—disrupt the operation of the stone platform!"

His gaze fell upon the stone platform behind which lay the leisurely bone collectors.

The old wizard is the key.

However, it would be extremely difficult to bypass these reinforced skeletons and attack him directly.

The Bone Collector seemed to have seen through Rolin's intentions, a hint of mockery flashing in its eerie green soul fire: "Trying to deal with me?"

Let me play with my kids first.

He swung his bone staff again, and several mounds of earth suddenly rose from the floor of the stone chamber. Immediately afterwards, several tentacles made of pale bones and covered with barbs burst out of the ground and swept towards the team like giant pythons!

These bone tentacles were incredibly powerful and fast, instantly making the already strained defenses even more chaotic.

"This won't do!" Blake exclaimed, a bone tentacle sweeping towards him, his arm numb. "We have to find a way to interrupt his spellcasting!"

A fierce glint flashed in Lehman's eyes, as if he had made a decision. He suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a small mouthful of blood essence, which turned into a blood mist and merged into the lightning in his right hand!

In an instant, his entire right arm was crackling with lightning, and his sleeve was charred black!

"Lehman! Don't do anything rash!" Ella said urgently.

Lehman ignored him, raising his blood-stained, lightning-covered right arm high, aiming it at the direction of the Bone Collector!

"Secret Thunder - Blood Extreme!"

A massive, dark red bolt of lightning, its center wreathed in blood, roared out like an enraged dragon!

Wherever it passed, the air was ionized, emitting a piercing shriek! The power contained in this lightning bolt far exceeded Rayman's usual level, clearly indicating that he had used some kind of self-damaging secret technique!

The bone collector's expression finally changed!

He hadn't expected the other party to be so resolute!

He hurriedly held the bone staff horizontally in front of him, chanting rapidly. The remaining part of the gray-white orb on the stone platform suddenly contracted, turning into a solid gray-white shield in front of him. At the same time, several skeletons around him rushed towards the lightning, trying to block it with their bodies!

Boom!!!

Dark red lightning crashed violently into the gray-white shield!

The shield twisted violently, emitting a cracking sound as it struggled to withstand the pressure!

The two skeletons blocking the way were instantly electrocuted and charred, scattering all over the ground!

The shield lasted for less than a second before shattering!

The thunder's remaining force was still strong, slamming heavily into the bone collector!

"Ugh!"

The bone collector let out a short, piercing scream as he was struck by lightning and sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the rock wall behind him!

His gray robe was instantly charred and torn, revealing his withered, mummy-like body underneath. His chest was charred, and his bone staff flew out of his hand, the gem at the top shattering!

The remaining grayish-white orbs of light on the stone platform completely dissipated, turning into specks of phosphorescent fire and disappearing.

The light from the network of runes on the ground and walls quickly dimmed and went out.

The enhanced skeletons that were repairing and attacking all dimmed the soul fire in their eye sockets, and their movements became stiff.

Slowly, it finally stopped moving, and scattered into piles of broken bones.

The bone tentacles also fell limply to the ground, turning into bone dust.

The stone chamber suddenly fell silent.

Only Lehman's heavy breathing and the faint, still-pulsating crimson electricity on his right arm could be heard.

His face was ashen, and he swayed, but Ella caught him.

"Lehman! How are you?" Ella asked anxiously.

Lehman shook his head, his voice weak: "I won't die—it just means I won't be able to do this for a while."

The crimson lightning on his right arm finally dissipated, and his arm hung limply, his skin covered with fine, charred cracks.

Rowling strode to the rock face where the Bone Collector had crashed. The old wizard sat slumped against the rock, his chest charred black, his breath extremely weak, and the eerie green soul fire in his eyes flickering like a candle in the wind.

He tried to raise his hand, but only managed to move his fingers.

Rowling crouched down and looked at the dying old wizard.

The bone collector seemed to sense someone approaching and struggled to turn his eyes to look at Rolin.

The eerie green soul flame was devoid of its previous indifference or mockery, leaving only a dying turbidity and—a strange, liberating tranquility.

"————Ha————In the end————I still couldn't————see————" he said intermittently, his voice so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

"The secret key to the throat of the dead lies at the altar."

Before he could finish speaking, the fire in his eyes went out completely, and his head drooped limply to one side.

Rowling silently checked and confirmed that the bone collector was dead.

He picked up the broken bone staff, then rummaged inside the charred robe and found a palm-sized, flat box made of some kind of black metal.

The flat box was engraved with twisted runes and felt cold to the touch.

Without opening it immediately, Rolin put away the remains of the bone staff and the flat box.

Then, he walked toward the stone platform that had lost its luster.

The runes on the surface of the stone platform have lost their activity as the energy supply has been interrupted, and the dark red luster in the engravings has also faded.

However, in the center of the stone platform, where the light sphere had originally been suspended, Roland discovered a shallow groove. At the bottom of the groove was a small, exceptionally pure, dark purple crystal fragment, no bigger than a fingernail.

Inside the fragment, a faint light slowly circulated, emanating the same corrupting source energy as the previous sample, but purer. At the same time, it also contained a very faint energy imprint similar to that cold, ancient will.

This should be one of the key items used by the Bone Collectors to guide and tame the corrupting source of power and to assist in conducting soul experiments.

Rowling carefully removed the small fragment and wrapped it in multiple layers of insulating material.

Just then, Blake and Liana walked over. Blake had suffered some shock, but was otherwise unharmed.

Liana was exhausted and pale, but she could still hold on.

Two furnace guards sustained minor injuries and were being bandaged.

"Solved?" Blake looked at the corpse of the bone collector.

"He's dead." Rowling nodded.

"Before he died, he said the secret of the throat of the dead, the key to which lies in the altar."

"An altar?" Ella helped the weakened Lehman over.

"Does it refer to the energy source at the deepest part of the crack?"

"Very likely." Roland looked into the depths of the stone chamber, where there was an even darker, narrow passage leading downwards. The detector showed that the energy readings indicated by that passage were still alarmingly high.

"We were just in a side chamber."

"The real core is probably even deeper down."

"Lehman needs immediate treatment and rest," Liana said worriedly, looking at Lehman's limp right arm.

"My purifying power has limited effect on his self-damaging lightning backlash; he must return to base for professional treatment."

Blake looked at the weakened Lehman, then at the deep passage, his brow furrowed.

Rayman is a key combatant, but now he is seriously injured and unable to fight, severely weakening the team's strength.

Continuing to venture into the unknown and dangerous core area is too risky.

"The mission objectives have been partially achieved. A Pale Hand stronghold has been located, high-ranking members have been killed, and key items and intelligence have been obtained." Blake finally made the decision.

"Lehman's injury cannot be delayed."

"We will immediately return along the same route, take Lehman back to base for treatment, and report the current intelligence."

"As for the depths of the rift—we will explore it after we have more manpower and a more comprehensive plan."

This decision was pragmatic, and no one objected.

Lehman Brothers' situation is indeed not optimistic.

The group quickly cleaned up the battlefield, collected all valuable items and samples, erased any obvious traces, and then, supporting each other, began to retreat upwards along the rock crevice passage they had come from.

The return journey was equally arduous, but fortunately, the Bone Collector was dead, the energy source of the stone chamber was destroyed, and the activity of the undead creatures in the cracks seemed to have decreased, their attacks were no longer so frantic and orderly.

Using their memories of the way there and Blake's experience, the team made it back safely to the middle of the crevice where they had first descended and found the safety rope they had left behind.

After re-secured the safety buckles, the group began their arduous climb upwards.

Liana used her last bit of Purifying Flame power to cast a stabilizing aura on Rayman to alleviate his pain.

Ella and Rolin provided cover from below.

When they finally climbed out of the crack again and felt the relatively normal scorching air and dark red sky above, everyone breathed a long sigh of relief, and exhaustion surged up like a tide.

Without stopping, the team immediately headed back towards the Seventh Forward Base.

It was late at night when we returned to the base.

The base was still brightly lit.

Lehman was rushed to the medical ward, where he was jointly treated by Santa therapists and Imperial apothecaries accompanying the army.

Rowling, Blake, Ella, and Liana immediately went to the command center to report the mission to base commander General Hossman.

After listening to the detailed report and looking at the seized items and samples, especially the pure dark purple fragment the size of a fingernail and the black metal box of the bone collector, General Hossman's expression turned solemn.