Ancient Wizards: A Little Progress Every Day

Just as Dago was searching through the vast crowd, he suddenly sensed the vibration of a communication stone within his spatial ring.

After taking out the communication stone and confirming the identity of the messenger, Dago's eyes flickered.

Barker suddenly contacted him at this time.

Half an hour later, in an elegantly styled room, a first-ring wizard served tea and snacks on the table in front of Dago and Buckle, and then respectfully withdrew.

The walls are covered with "Dream Moss," which slowly releases a calming fragrance, and the floor is made of "Silent Wood," which absorbs excess noise.

The number of wizards gathering in the ruins of the Fairy Ancient City is increasing, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a quiet and undisturbed place within a radius of dozens of miles.

The air was filled with chaotic and violent elemental particles, and the mental energy fields unconsciously emitted by tens of thousands of wizards intertwined to form an irritating "background noise".

Similar teahouses and taverns emerged, also located within spatial tents, with rental prices quite high.

But after activating the soundproofing and shielding array, you no longer have to worry about being disturbed when chatting or discussing business inside.

This is a commercial extension based on "spatial folding technology," and another powerful tool for the Hammet Merchant Guild to plunder low-level wizard magic stones.

Dago picked up the teapot, which was steaming slightly, poured a cup for Barker, and gently pushed it in front of him.

A few emerald green leaves floated in the tea. The moment they came into contact with the air, the leaves unfurled and released a refreshing energy wave, clearly indicating that they were no ordinary tea.

"Thanks."

Barker thanked him.

Dago didn't say anything, he just looked at Barker's current state.

Compared to the time he met Barker three years ago in the ascetic pavilion of the Thorn Ring, Barker has changed a lot.

Those are not just the marks of time, but also the roughness left by the harsh reality.

The biggest change was that he wore a small silver mask on his left cheek to cover it.

In addition, Barker, who was once sharp and dazzling like a golden crystal, has become much more restrained and mature.

That kind of "maturity" comes from teetering on the brink of life and death, from the despair and compromise that comes after witnessing insurmountable mountains.

Barker noticed Dago's watchful gaze, thought for a moment, and then reached out to remove the mask from his cheek.

As the mask was removed, a nauseatingly sweet and pungent odor instantly filled the small space, and the surrounding "Silent Wood" floor even emitted a slight sizzling sound, as if it were being corroded by acid.

Dago's eyes narrowed slightly as he activated his microscopic vision, seeing Barker's left cheek, which was hidden by the mask.

The skin and flesh around the eyes and cheekbones were completely rotten, and even a small part of the facial bones and eyeballs were completely exposed. A foul odor emanated from the hideous wound.

It was no ordinary physical injury; the edges of the wound shimmered with a ghostly green phosphorescence, and the cells were constantly dying, regenerating, and dying again, trapped in an eternal cycle of pain.

This is a trauma at the level of rules, an irreversible curse.

"It was left behind by Andariel."

Barker said calmly to Dago.

"The Ghostly Poison Mask?"

"Um."

Barker nodded.

Dago didn't speak; he had only recently heard of Andariel's name.

The owner of this name is the strongest successor of the "Phantom Mask," representing the three major wizarding factions in the south, and seems to specialize in necromancy and poison magic.

He is very powerful, a late-stage third-ring wizard, a top-tier genius, and infamous, many third-ring wizards turn pale at the mention of his name.

When Dago tried to recall Andariel's image, all he could picture was a tall, thin, and blurry figure.

There was also the giant skull that the opponent was standing on, its body engulfed in green flames.

"I was pretty lucky. In the battle to besiege Andariel, three of our genius wizards from a mid-sized wizarding force, similar to our Thorn Ring, were completely killed, and five were seriously injured. Two of them haven't fully recovered yet..."

The so-called "good luck" means that one is still clinging to life.

Barker tapped the rim of his teacup lightly with his fingers as he spoke to Dagger in a casual tone, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

This indifference is a helpless acceptance of one's own fate.

Dargo's expression was complex. After experiencing such a dangerous battle, it was no wonder that Barker's entire demeanor had undergone such a huge change.

Perhaps his target has changed now; it's no longer Gehrman, but "Venom Mask" Andariel.

"Is the difference really that big?"

After a brief silence, Dago spoke.

Barker put the mask back on his face, and the runes shone brightly again, suppressing the stench.

He replied, "It's even more exaggerated than you imagine."

Talent, aptitude, ability, and heritage

"Without confronting people at that level directly, you simply cannot comprehend the despair and terror they evoke..."

Barker paused slightly mid-sentence, then continued, "As far as I know, Rufus isn't doing too well either. He's been constantly hunted by the inheritors of 'Stone Peak,' and his physical body has been nearly destroyed twice."

"Rufus".

Dago frowned slightly, his mind churning as he retrieved memories of this person.

That was the Dark Crystal Cult's number one genius, with whom he had unintentionally exchanged blows on the Goblin Plains.

He remembered that the other party practiced some kind of ancient blood secret technique, which could transform him into a terrifying monster with exposed flesh and blood.

That is a violent cracking and recombination of one's own genetic chain, sacrificing reason in exchange for the ultimate enhancement of the physical body.

Physical strength seems to be the opponent's advantage, and it can even directly confront the state of "complete despair" that I was in three years ago.

To be able to shatter such a powerful and domineering body, and twice at that, how strong must his opponent be?

This shows that the other party has reached a terrifying level in the field of "physical destruction".

"Metal Peak?"

After thinking for a moment, Dago said, "This is the first time I've heard of this faction."

"That's normal."

Barker replied, "Stone Peak doesn't refer to a particular wizarding faction; it represents a lineage of tradition, with only a few or even one inheritor per generation—a number that can't even compare to that of a typical small wizarding faction."

"But their successors are sometimes even stronger than the top geniuses of a major wizarding faction."

This is the difference between elite education and mass-production education.

They do not pursue quantity, but only the ultimate evolution of individuals. Every inheritor who emerges is a monster who not only possesses terrifying talent, but also has a massive amount of resources.

Upon hearing Barker's reply, Dago's expression shifted slightly, and his logical chain quickly closed: "Is this the kind of person who just arrived, Evaque?"

"right."

Barker nodded. "However, the ancient spirit witch school represented by Evaque is extremely rare. This is the first time it has appeared in the South. The intensity of this battle for the Isidore Prodigy spot far exceeds the previous two."

"Even people from the central region came to join in the fun."

Barker shook his head, picked up the teacup in front of him, and took a sip.

The tea had cooled slightly, but he seemed oblivious, using it merely to mask the weariness in his eyes.

Dago knew he was referring to Tracy and Michael, but he didn't mention it. Instead, he continued, following up on what Evaque had mentioned earlier, asking, "What school of thought is the Ancient Spirit Witch? Do you know anything about it?"

This is a blind spot in knowledge; for wizards, the unknown often means danger.

Barker thought for a moment and said, "It seems you are unaware that in ancient times, what wizards initially pursued was not the ancient bloodline."

"Oh?"

Dargo was intrigued by Barker's words, a natural reaction of a seeker of knowledge who has caught a whiff of truth, and gestured for him to continue.

"What wizards pursue is the immortality of the soul, so in the beginning, many pursuits of power... started with the soul."

Barker recounted the story in detail.