Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

"Why don't you go to the potions workshop to rest for a while?"

"No need, let's just set off." Ian shook his head.

This is Silversail Harbor. He still remembers the Collins family, one of the rulers of the nearby Silversail City.

He hasn't officially joined the Just family yet, and if they set their sights on him, it will be very troublesome.

The hustle and bustle of Silver Sail Harbor gradually faded into the distance behind us.

Fortunately, Collins and the second-level wizard did not show up, seemingly having truly forgotten their unpleasantness with Ian.

Edel and Delia led the way, guiding Ian and Gaga through the teleportation zone outside the port.

A dozen or so teleportation arrays made of obsidian were arranged in a ring, with queues forming in front of each array.

There were wizards, servants dragging crates, and guards dressed in clothing with different family crests.

The air was filled with an exceptionally strong ozone smell, a characteristic of the space runes once activated.

"The Eastern Intercity Teleportation Network is maintained by the Seven Towers."

Edel's voice was soft, but her steps didn't stop. "To East City, take Formation Number Three."

She handed over three silver-blue crystals, which the gray-robed wizard guarding the teleportation array accepted.

He merely glanced at the dark gold emblem on Adele's cloak, then nodded and stepped aside.

The moment Ian stepped into the teleportation array, the obsidian patterns beneath his feet lit up with silver light.

My vision suddenly distorted, as if I had been "pulled" in by an invisible hand.

A bizarre array of colors flashed past my eyes, while a low, resonant hum filled my ears.

Gaga gripped his collar tightly, her little paws trembling slightly.

Three seconds, or perhaps less.

The ground beneath my feet felt solid, and a dry, warm smell, carrying a mixture of plant ash and metal smelting odor, wafted towards me.

Ian steadied himself and looked up.

My first impression was... tall.

The teleportation array was located on a high platform with an unobstructed view.

Directly ahead, a colossal city, entirely constructed of dark blue boulders, stretches across the vast plain like a crouching ancient beast.

The city wall is over 100 meters high, its surface covered with traces of erosion from the years, and densely packed defensive runes that shimmer with a faint light.

At the top of the city wall, a watchtower stands every few hundred meters, with a basketball-sized crystal suspended atop each tower, emitting a steady detection wave.

Further away, in the city center, several spires pierce the low-hanging clouds.

The tallest tower was bathed in a silvery-blue glow, and a huge crystal ball at its top slowly rotated, casting a faint radiance on the clouds within a radius of tens of kilometers.

That is the Just family's "Time Trace Tower".

Just by looking at him, Ian could feel his mental sea tightening slightly.

The energy fluctuations emanating from that tower were vast and ancient, carrying the obscurity and heaviness unique to the rules of time.

More understated than the seven crystal towers of Silver Sail Harbor, yet also more oppressive.

"Ister City," Edel's voice rang out beside her.

She gazed at the towering building before her, her expression complex.

"This is one of the Just family's three main cities, and also... the place where I was born."

The square below the platform was teeming with people.

Wizards dressed in colorful robes hurried about, while merchants drove hovercars or small constructs through the crowd, and apprentices jogged around carrying boxes of materials.

The noise level was a fraction lower than at Silver Sail Port, but it was much more orderly.

Everyone had a clear purpose on their face; there were few idlers.

The concentration of magic in the air was at least 30% higher than in the port area.

"The elemental energy here... is so active," Ian muttered to himself.

"Three medium-sized magical veins converge beneath the city of Ister."

Delia explained softly, carrying her suitcase, her gaze sweeping gently across the square.

"Our family has been operating for tens of thousands of years, and our city defenses and energy-gathering rune arrays are already perfect."

Without lingering, Adele walked straight down from the platform.

At the edge of the square, a row of identical dark gray carriages were parked.

The cart was pulled by a six-legged lizard-like creature, nearly two meters tall at the shoulder, covered with fine scales, with gentle eyes, and exhaling faint white breath.

The drivers were all burly men wearing gray short shirts and whose aura was around that of a first-level apprentice.

Edel walked to the third carriage, and the coachman, seeing the emblem on her cloak, immediately bowed and opened the carriage door.

"Go to the south of the city, Golden Oak Street." Adele's voice was devoid of emotion.

The interior of the carriage appears more spacious than the exterior, thanks to a simple technique for extending space.

The seats are upholstered in dark leather, and the windows are fitted with one-way transparent glass.

The lizard took a step, its pace steady yet fast, and soon merged into the traffic on the main road.

Ian observed the city through the car window.

The streets were wide enough to accommodate six carriages side by side.

The ground was paved with neatly cut gray-white stone slabs, with fine runes of cleanliness and sturdiness engraved at the seams.

The buildings on both sides have a unified architectural style, mostly three to five-story stone buildings, with various shops on the ground floor.

Materials for potions. Crafting and repair of witchcraft tools, scroll copying, and even signs for laboratories for rent.

The proportion of formally trained wizards among the pedestrians was surprisingly high.

Almost every few hundred meters he walked, Ian could sense the presence of a first-level wizard.

You can also see a few level-two wizards, most of them in a hurry or with entourages.

Occasionally, a few more ornate hovercraft, powered by pure energy, would pass by.

Different family crests are imprinted on the car body, and pedestrians will consciously give way.

Order, a strict order, permeates every detail.

The carriage traveled for about half an hour, and the surrounding buildings gradually became lower and the streets became quieter.

Finally, we stopped in front of a row of three-story stone buildings that looked quite old.

The outer walls of the stone building were covered with dark green vines.

An old wooden plaque hangs above the door, its inscription faded and blurred.

I could barely make out the words "Potion Materials and Customization," and the sign read "Golden Oak No. 12."

It is here.

Adele opened the car door, stood in front of it, and quietly looked at the wooden sign for a while.

She reached out and gently brushed her fingertips along the worn edges, her movements very light.

Delia stood half a step behind her, a hint of heartache in her eyes.

"This is the property left to me by my mother."

Adele withdrew her hand, her voice calm, but Ian caught a glimpse of her jawline tightening slightly for a moment.

"After her death, old Finn took care of everything."

She pushed open the wooden door.

The door hinge made a soft "creaking" sound, sounding dry and rough from not being oiled for a long time.

Inside the door was a small front hall, somewhat dimly lit.

There was no one behind the counter. Some common materials were scattered on the shelves. Ian noticed that some hidden corners were cleaned up neatly.

The room had a scent of aged herbs, but no musty smell from the old house.

"Finn the Wizard?" Delia called out into the room.

A slow sound of footsteps came from the back room.

The curtain was lifted, and an old wizard in a gray robe came out.

His hair was gray, and his face was lined with deep wrinkles.

His back was slightly hunched, but his eyes were still clear and sharp, and he was holding a crystal grinding bowl that he was polishing.

Upon seeing Adele, a complex emotion flickered in his cloudy eyes.

There was surprise, worry, and a hint of barely perceptible joy.

But more than anything, I felt a deep sense of exhaustion.

His gaze lingered on Adele's pale face for two seconds before sweeping over Delia behind her.

Finally... it fell on Ian.

It was an undisguised scrutiny, from top to bottom, as if assessing the value of a piece of goods.

He couldn't see through Ian's aura, but he vaguely guessed that the other party was a level two wizard, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

It seemed somewhat unexpected, but then it quickly returned to its usual calm.

"Miss."

Old Finn's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, "You're back."

He didn't use honorifics; his tone was as flat as if he were stating the weather.

"Finn the Wizard." Adele nodded slightly, her back straight.

"I'm back. This is Wizard Marcus, my guest advisor. He will be staying here for the next period of time."

Old Finn paused for a moment, his hand holding the mortar and pestle still.

He looked at Ian again, this time with a deeper gaze, as if trying to see right through him.

"Guest?" he repeated, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Miss, it's not easy for a regular level two wizard to pass the family affairs office's review."

This statement is direct, even somewhat harsh.

Delia frowned slightly, about to speak, but Adele raised her hand to stop her.

"I know," Adele's voice remained steady.

But Ian saw her fingers, hanging by her side, contract slightly and then relax.

"Arrange accommodations for Mr. Ian, and... access to the workshop's underground laboratory."

Old Finn fell silent.

He lowered his head and slowly wiped the polishing mortar, which was now gleaming, with the old velvet cloth in his hand, stroke after stroke.

The lobby quieted down, and dust particles floated silently in the light.

After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked at Adele, his complex weariness even more evident in his eyes.

"Miss, all that your mother left behind... is this."

His voice was low, like a sigh.

"This workshop has barely managed to stay afloat these past few years, taking on odd jobs just to make ends meet. If you drag it into this... it won't be able to hold on."

Adele met his gaze, her pale face expressionless.

But deep in his eyes, there remained a stubborn persistence.

"It's precisely because it's about to collapse that we have to take a gamble."

Her voice was soft, yet resolute: "Finn the Wizard, I hope you can help me."

Old Finn looked at her for a long time.

Finally, he sighed deeply, a sigh that seemed to bend his back even more.

"Never mind... never mind."

He shook his head, turned and walked towards the back room. "Come with me."

He led the three through the front hall, behind which was a small courtyard with a half-dead old golden oak tree.

Opposite the courtyard was a row of rooms, and old Finn pushed open the door to the innermost room.

The room was small and simply furnished, with a bed, a desk, a chair, and a wardrobe.

The window faces the courtyard, and the surrounding environment is clean, but it exudes a sense of desolation as if it has been uninhabited for many years.

"A potion master used to live here, and I've always kept it tidy."

Old Finn pointed to the room, "Mr. Ian, if you don't mind, you can stay here for now."

The kitchen is next door, so you can take care of your own meals. The workshop's material storage and laboratory are over there...

He pointed to the heavy metal door on the other side of the courtyard.

"I'll give you the key later. The equipment inside is a bit old, but it still works. As for the materials... there aren't many left in the cabinet. The list is on the table."

His arrangements were concise and efficient, with the decisiveness characteristic of old-school craftsmen.

There was no unnecessary chatter or polite formalities.

Ian nodded. "That's enough, thank you."

Old Finn waved his hand and looked at Edel again.

"Miss, your room is the same one as before. Delia knows. Please settle in first, and I will go prepare dinner."

After saying that, he hunched over and slowly walked back to the front hall.

Once he was out of sight, Adele turned to Ian, a faint, apologetic smile on her face.

"The Wizard Finn... has a rather eccentric temper, but he means no harm. This workshop has survived until now entirely thanks to him."

"I wouldn't mind."

Ian walked into the room, his fingers brushing across the desk surface; there was no dust.

Adele seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Tomorrow morning, we'll go to the family affairs office."

Her tone regained its calmness, "Submit your guest registration, and my return documents, and then..."

She paused, then said, "We're officially entering the campaign process, and time is tight."

Ian looked out the window at the golden oak tree, where the last rays of the setting sun filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled light on the courtyard floor.

"Mm," he replied.

The quack flew down from his shoulder and landed on the windowsill, curiously looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings, its little head turning left and right.

Edel and Delia left the room and went to their own lodgings.

Ian closed the door, shutting out the outside world.

He walked to the window and looked at the heavy metal door across the courtyard.

There were faint runes and flowing light on the door, traces of a protective magic array, although the energy fluctuations were very weak.

Slightly worn, on the fringes, but independent.

Most importantly, there is a complete potion lab here, perhaps with old equipment but fully functional.

That's enough for him.

It nuzzled against his shoulder and rubbed against his cheek.

"Ian, it's so quiet here... much quieter than on the ship."

"Mmm." Ian rubbed its little head.

"From now on, this will be our new starting point."

He looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky. In the center of East City, the crystal ball atop the Time-Traces Tower illuminated half of the city's night sky.

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents have begun to stir.

And he had already stepped onto the edge of this vortex.