Ancient Wizards: A Little Progress Every Day

Bernal led Dago and Serena out of Cletam City and into the vast Grand Canyon Forest.

Following the direction west of the forest, after walking for about half an hour, the three of them turned into a quiet and secluded valley.

A small waterfall hangs down from the cliff above the valley, splashing up a mist that fills the air.

Dago saw Bernal, who was leading the way, disappear behind the waterfall in the blink of an eye. When he and Serena followed, they only saw a bare rock wall.

A faint energy fluctuation emanated from behind the stone wall. Dago tried to reach out his hand and saw that the rough, hard, moss-covered rock wall melted like water. Then, a strong suction came from behind the stone wall, and he stumbled into the stone wall.

Serena followed closely behind.

"A secret base?"

When light returned to Dago's eyes, a brand new world unfolded before him. How could he not know that he had entered a folded space?

It was like the testing space he used when he took the entrance exam for the French circuit.

Bernal led him into what was also a small folding space—or rather, a "miniature" one.

The size of this folded space is probably less than half the size of the test space.

Dago estimated that the entire folding space was only a little over a thousand square meters in area. Half of it had been cultivated into a nursery and potion garden, but only a few dozen half-dead potions were sparsely planted there.

Of the remaining half, one-third was converted into a spell training ground, and the remaining third looked like a laboratory. Dago saw potion stations, rune stations, distillation stations, incubation rooms, etc.

The last third is the living area, furnished with some simple furniture and a large number of books.

"This is the last legacy the Kroger family left me. This folded space was created by a small spatial energy orb, but because it hasn't been properly maintained for a long time, it's about to collapse."

Bernal walked into the living area like a master, took off his blood-stained robe, and began to heal himself with potions.

Upon hearing Bernal's explanation, Dago indeed saw some runic patterns at the edge of the space, with obvious signs of repair in some places.

There were also patches of air that looked like frosted glass. Dago often saw similar phenomena when he "violently" opened other people's storage equipment. It was a sign that the folding space was becoming unstable.

In short, this miniature folding space is like an old house that has been in disrepair for many years. Not only is the exterior "wall paint" peeling off, but even the interior "rune wires" and other things are exposed, giving people a sense of "dismantling".

It perfectly reflects the current state of decline of the Kroger family.

"Even Serena didn't know that this was the last refuge the Kroger family left for their descendants, and their last chance to turn things around."

Bernal, shirtless and revealing his muscular physique covered in scars, walked toward Dago and Serena carrying two silver goblets. "If this place is destroyed or occupied by the enemy, the Krogg family's last hope for revival will be lost."

Dago nodded and took the silver cup that Bernal handed him. The cup was filled with a purplish-red liquid with a faint fruity aroma. He held it in his hand but did not drink it.

His gaze swept over the potion garden and the rows of experimental tables in the distance, and he casually remarked, "I didn't realize you had such a wide range of interests in your secondary professions."

Bernal said calmly, "When you find yourself at your wit's end, you always have to try to do something else."

Serena was deeply moved by Bernal's words and looked up at him.

She only knew that her family had declined, but she never imagined that her brother had done so much for the family's revival. She was still too weak and didn't even have the qualifications to participate in this game.

Dago, on the other hand, remained calm. He had always been curious about the story of Bernal, especially about how he, a "Triple Knot" genius, had fallen to such a state.

The scars on his body, both new and old, seemed to be silently telling these stories.

Bernal seemed to see the doubt in Ronan's eyes, and he said calmly, "It's just that the injury to his soul is causing him to lose strength. He won't die anytime soon. Let's talk about you, Dago."

He casually found a clean new robe in the living area, put it on, and sat down next to Dago.

"I'm quite interested in the wizards you offended in the Thorn Ring. Were they all wizards with the same level of three-star rating as you?"

Dago's eyes flickered slightly, and he couldn't help but ask, "What exactly does a level three 'Straw Ring' rating mean? Does the ring restrict a wizard's spellcasting?"

"The completion rating is a symbol of strength and talent. The only way to upgrade the completion rating is through contribution points, which are the tasks displayed in the task hall within the magic circle. The higher the completion rating, the higher your status within the magic circle, and the more resources you can possess and control."

Bernal said in a low voice, "Every wizard in the magic ring strives to improve their spell rating. The magic ring doesn't care which school of magic the wizards they absorb previously practiced or whether they have condensed a soul imprint. After entering the magic ring, you don't need to completely abandon the skills you have practiced."

Dago suddenly realized that he remembered the magic circle wizards he had defeated before, and the young wizard who led them had left a deep impression on him with his hurricane sign.

"I see that besides the elemental domain power you have comprehended from your main ice-type magic, you seem to have mastered several other extreme techniques as well."

Bernal looked at Dago with a strange look in his eyes.

Dago nodded; he couldn't hide this from Serena, who knew some of his past from his time at the academy.

"You have a great talent for magic, and you seem to have mastered a unique shortcut."

After a moment of contemplation, Bernal said, "However, this may not be entirely a good thing. Usually, the more extreme the techniques one comprehends, the more difficult it becomes to achieve resonance in a single domain."

"A resonance within a single domain?!"

Dago blinked and blurted out, "What's this now?"

It's not surprising that Bernal, a former genius of the Three Thorns Knot, comprehended the power of the domain, and it's clear that he has gone much further on this path than Dago.

Although Dago is now under the influence of the Despair and Ice Domain, his understanding of the domain is still only superficial.

Bernal explained, "Domains don't have a significant hierarchy. However, there is a clear distinction in the degree of resonance between a wizard's spirit and the sign. A wizard who reaches the first level of domain resonance will experience a further transformation in the power and form of their domain."

A hint of urgency flashed in Dago's eyes as he pressed, "How do we achieve that?"

"First, you need to truly understand the essence of the domain power you possess."

Bernal said calmly, "The development of this domain stems from your profound understanding of a certain type of sign. This understanding only brings you one step closer to the second level of the Spirit Realm than an ordinary wizard. It is still vague to you; it has only revealed a glimpse of its outline and surface."

"You have to keep trying to get closer to it, to clear away the fog that obscures it, until you truly touch its surface. Essentially, all the extraordinary originates from the spiritual realm."

Dago looked dazed, as if he understood something, but not very clearly.

Bernal shook his head and said, "You are only at the initial stage of the first ring, and your soul is not strong enough. Some things are still too difficult for you. Take it one step at a time. Remember one thing: don't just use the power of the soul seal as a tool. It represents the extension of your will and the bridge for your soul to resonate deeply in the spirit world."

"The soul imprint is a bridge for deep resonance between the soul's will and the spirit world."

Dago repeatedly pondered the words Bernal had mentioned, his eyes constantly revealing a thoughtful glint.

He suddenly realized that standing with Bernal wasn't entirely a bad thing. As a former genius of the Three Kingdoms, Bernal could be his guiding light on his wizarding path for a long time.

If he hadn't chosen to act today, he might not have known about these things regarding the resonance of a first-level domain for a very long time.

At this moment, Bernal spoke up again: "At least Jalidon, who is at least three rings strong, must be a second-ring wizard, and should be much stronger than an ordinary second-ring wizard."

"However, you don't need to worry too much. You are only at the first stage now. Even if he wants my family's seal, he can't directly attack you. But you need to be careful, as they may try to defeat, cripple, or tame you in other ways."

"them?"

Dago frowned and asked, "What other way?"

Bernal didn't elaborate, only saying calmly, "You'll find out later."