Ancient Wizards: A Little Progress Every Day

Seeing the Great Ice Serpent submit, Dago showed a slightly satisfied expression.

The enormous snake's head hung low, its scales rubbing against the sand and gravel of the wasteland, making a sickening "rustling" sound.

Two streams of white, icy air shot out from the nostrils of the giant ice serpent, forming a thin layer of frost on the ground. Its normally savage vertical pupils trembled slightly, reflecting Dago's indifferent face.

The past month or so of travel, though ostensibly a journey, has actually been a period of taming.

Dargo did not use any gentle or soothing methods. In the wizarding world, obedience stems from absolute power.

Whenever the Great Ice Serpent showed even a hint of wild restlessness, Dago would precisely manipulate his mental power, piercing its most vulnerable point in consciousness like a scalpel—not fatal, but capable of bringing a chill that reached the very soul.

It must be said that the Great Ice Serpent's strength is still quite terrifying.

It sat there, like a small mountain made of ice crystals and flesh.

Even in its subdued state, the chill emanating from it instantly froze the surrounding withered weeds into powder.

Three years ago, Dago's bloodline underwent a second purification, which was a high-stakes gamble and a brutal act of plunder.

The one who made the biggest "sacrifice" for him was undoubtedly the guy right in front of him, who was practically burying his head in the ground.

Dago slowly reached out, his pale, slender fingers stroking the cold, rough scales of the great ice serpent.

He only remembered the feeling of power when he woke up from the blood cocoon, the surge of energy that made his blood boil and every cell in his body seem to be cheering and jumping for joy, which formed a stark and ironic contrast with the miserable state of the giant ice serpent in front of him.

What a sight it must have been, with such depleted essence and blood!

The enormous snake body had shrunk by almost half, and its once crystal-clear scales, which flowed with icy magic, had become gray and dry, like pieces of dead tree bark.

The most shocking thing is the single horn on its head, which symbolizes the noble bloodline of the ancient snake species—it has not only lost its luster, but is also covered with fine cracks, as if it will crumble into dust at any moment.

He was indeed moved for a moment at the time. He tried to propose to Bernal, in an almost negotiating tone, that he would use some resources to compensate the Great Ice Serpent.

"That's what you deserve. As the one in charge of the contract, I'm not stingy with equivalent exchanges."

However, Bernal's response was an extremely cold and indifferent mental fluctuation.

"No need, Dago. This is its duty as a magical pet, and it is the value of its existence."

Bernal's voice echoed in his memory, devoid of any warmth, "Moreover, this is also a perfect opportunity to relieve the urgent pressure brought about by the 'Soul Bet Agreement'."

Resources should be used where they are most needed, not to repair a tool that is merely "usable".

It is an extreme rationality that completely commodifies life, the most naked survival rule in the wizarding world.

The poor ice serpent, in its most vulnerable state, dragged its broken body back to the perilous primeval jungle alone.

It needs to find a glimmer of hope for self-recovery amidst killing and being killed, or it may simply die and become the excrement of a more powerful monster.

This is a brutal selection process.

Unexpectedly, three years later, Bernal still looked prematurely aged, while this guy was as energetic as could be.

Dargo tapped his fingers lightly on the snake scales, producing a crisp, metallic sound.

Not only has it advanced to a third-ring magical beast, but the defensive power of these scales is so great that even ordinary first-tier sorcery cannot leave a mark on them.

Not to mention its chilling breath and terrifying crushing power that can shred rocks with sheer physical strength.

Dago quickly constructed a battle model in his mind.

If the Great Ice Serpent were put into a real combat simulation, its current combat power would be roughly equivalent to that of Igorshius three years ago when he was in a berserk state with his blood fully activated.

That opponent who once posed a challenge to him is now probably unable to withstand even a single blow from the Great Ice Serpent.

This guy has only lived for less than four years since he was born.

"Ancient bloodlines are indeed enviable, with almost limitless potential..."

Dago withdrew his hand, a trace of coldness remaining on his fingertips. "Even as the exploited party, given a little chance to breathe, it can show amazing resilience."

If it weren't for the natural suppression of the one percent of Despair Winter Dragon bloodline within him, this superior pressure originating from the depths of his genes would have required considerable effort to subdue this beast that had grown into a behemoth, and he might even have needed to use some of his trump cards.

As Dago pondered, a thought flashed through his mind, and a screen of light instantly appeared on his retina. Accompanied by the soft sound of data streaming across the screen, he opened his system panel—Strength: Second Ring Formal Wizard (173%)

The data is cold and precise, faithfully recording his current situation.

After more than a month, Dago's strength not only did not increase at all, but the percentage value actually decreased.

To ordinary people, this might seem like a stagnation or even a regression in cultivation, but in Dago's eyes, it was the beginning of a qualitative change.

The cause comes from inside the body.

At this moment, Dago closed his eyes, and his consciousness instantly sank into that vast and mysterious mental space.

Here, the gray sun hangs quietly, radiating its constant light.

Around Gray Sun, the soul seal [Winter Star] representing his core power is undergoing some mesmerizing changes.

The original soul seal [Winter Star] only exuded a simple aura of extreme cold. Although its structure was stable, it appeared somewhat rough.

But now, around the Dharma seal, there seems to be a beautiful and intricate silver border.

These silver patterns are not static, but rather flow and change slowly like living things.

They not only represent the extreme cold of frost, but also incorporate the depth of space and the mysteries of reflection in mirrors.

This is an elevation at the level of rules.

The modified [Winter Star] Fain Dago was only briefly tested on the Great Ice Serpent.

At that time, he only mobilized a trace of the power of the magic seal, and the space around the giant ice serpent instantly froze. Countless tiny ice mirrors appeared out of thin air, trapping the giant ice serpent in a maze composed of countless refracting surfaces.

It's not just freezing the physical body, but also freezing the sense of direction and distance.

He was very satisfied with the upgraded Vaillant.

"Over the course of three years, I did not blindly pursue the accumulation of spiritual strength, but instead chose to reflect and mature."

Dago opened his eyes, and deep within his pupils seemed a blizzard was subsiding. "It has made my foundation more solid, and those hidden dangers left over from pursuing speed have been eliminated one by one, making up for some of the gap in foundation between me and the top geniuses of those great wizarding forces."

"All expectations have basically been met."

He clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him. The sense of control and fulfillment brought him a slight sense of joy.

"The only thing I'm lacking right now is my cultivation of soul power."

Dago glanced at his system panel, his eyes flickering slightly as he looked at the slightly glaring "172%".

Accumulating spiritual power is a gradual process, or it requires stimulation from some kind of high-energy resource.

This gap cannot be forced; simple meditation is unlikely to bring about explosive growth.

There are less than three months left before the deadline for the battle to start the Isidor Wizards roster spot.

Three months is but a fleeting moment in the long life of a wizard, but for Dago now, it is a crucial juncture that will determine his future fate.

He could only try his best, even if the hope was slim.

Opportunities often lie hidden in the unknown.

My decision to come to the Mechanical Heart on Undine's advice was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

She mentioned that she also had the idea of ​​looking within the Mechanical Heart to make up for the last bit of soul power lacking when advancing to the third ring wizard.

The Mechanical Heart, a remnant of the dwarven civilization, holds countless taboo secrets about the fusion of soul and machine.

He could only hope that "Melville's Wonder Box" would bring him some real surprises.

Dago thought for a moment and glanced around briefly.

The wind in the wilderness carried sand and gravel that stung my face.

The surroundings were deathly silent, with only the occasional strange howl of the wind coming from afar.

He flipped his wrist and took something out of his spatial ring.

That was the "Melville's Wonder Box" that Undine had given him, which had already been opened.

The box wasn't big, only about the size of a palm, and it was made entirely of an unknown dark gold metal.

The surface is covered with countless gears of different sizes, some of which are only the size of a grain of rice, yet they are still engraved with intricate runes.

The moment this strange metal box appeared, it was filled with a mysterious and ancient aura, as if it did not belong to this era, but came from a glorious era where steam and the extraordinary danced together.

After taking the box out, Dago immediately noticed that the interlocking brass gears on the box were rotating much faster than they had been in the Thorn Ring.

"Click, click, click..."

The sound of gears meshing was fine and rapid, like a heart beating anxiously.

It seems to possess some kind of guiding function, or perhaps it yearns for something to approach.

With a swift movement, Dago leaped lightly onto the broad head of the giant ice serpent, as if it were a weightless feather.

The giant ice serpent obediently raised its head. Although it didn't like being used as a mount, it could only flick its tongue to show its submission under the suppression of its bloodline.

Dargo held the magic box aloft, feeling the faint vibrations emanating from its interior—the rhythmic flow of magic within its mechanical structure.

He commanded the great ice serpent to roam freely across the wasteland.

The enormous snake's body left winding tracks on the wasteland, raising clouds of dust.

Based on the speed at which the gears on the magic box rotate, Dargo is like a navigator holding a compass, calibrating his bearings in the vast wilderness.

Even the slightest change in rotation speed was keenly detected by his powerful mental strength.

He quickly identified a direction, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and then continued to search deeper and deeper in that direction.

Time slipped away in the tedious search.

until--

"Click-clack—"

As the great ice serpent swam to a low hill, Dago suddenly heard the magic box in his hand make an extremely crisp sound of gears turning.

The sound was no longer the previous delicate one, but rather a crisp, excited sound, like the crack of a lock being opened.

"Found it."

The powerful spiritual energy of a late-stage second-ring wizard suddenly spread out, not in a grand manner, but like an invisible net, instantly covering an area of ​​several miles in radius.

The Eye of Truth is silently woven between the eyebrows.

In Dago's spiritual vision, the world instantly sheds its appearance.

The once gloomy wasteland has disappeared, replaced by an energy world composed of countless points of light and lines.

In a field of vision composed of countless dappled points of light, Dargo saw a living creature made of complex lines slowly emerge from behind the hill.

Under the detection of the Eye of Truth, the flesh and skin of reality are meaningless; lines signify the orderly arrangement of free energy particles, often representing a completed spell or a running rune array.

Through the fog of energy, Dago finally saw the true nature of his target.

It was a short, gray goat that looked quite ordinary.

It looks unremarkable, even somewhat dilapidated.

It had a broken horn on its head, the cut worn and grime-covered, as if it had endured a long period of time.

One of his legs seemed to be naturally shorter, causing him to walk with a limp, which looked somewhat comical, with his body swaying exaggeratedly with each step.

but.

Under the hazy sunlight of the wasteland, the gray goat's entire body gleamed with a faint metallic sheen, and every single curled strand of its wool reflected a cold, hard texture in the light.

Its movements and expressions, especially its pair of clear black and white eyes that darted about and occasionally dipped its head to nibble on non-existent grass, were all incredibly lifelike, just like a real goat.

This ultimate disguise, this skill that perfectly mimics both machinery and life...

At this moment, Dago was completely captivated by the internal structure of the lame grey goat.