Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

The banquet hall was brightly lit.

The crystal chandelier cast a warm glow, illuminating the gleaming marble floor.

This was supposed to be a celebration of the family's monthly gathering.

At this moment, however, it was deathly silent.

All sounds... music, laughter, clinking glasses, all disappeared.

The guests froze in place, their wine glasses hanging in mid-air, their smiles frozen.

Their gazes were all focused on the center of the hall.

Edmund lay prostrate on the ground, his magnificent robes now in disarray.

He gripped his neck tightly with both hands, his nails digging into his skin, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, and dark purple lines spreading wildly.

Starting from the chest, it climbed up the neck, eroded the cheeks, and finally even the whites of the eyes were stained with inky black.

Only deep within his pupils gleamed a dark red light, a characteristic of being corrupted by the abyss.

"Heh...heh..."

A series of broken gasps escaped his throat, and his body convulsed violently.

The other elder, seated at the head of the table, had a gloomy expression.

He and Edmund have always been close, and last month he even secretly gifted him a bottle of third-tier magical beast blood.

He suddenly stood up, and with a wave of his sleeves, a silver protective spell was instantly cast.

Suddenly, a wisp of inky black aura escaped from Edmund's mouth and nose.

The breath, as fine as a hair, drifted towards his sleeve.

The moment it touched the silver protective layer, it emitted a hissing corrosion sound, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the surface.

He groaned, and several dark purple lines appeared on the back of his left hand as well.

Although it was dispelled in the blink of an eye by his third-level wizard's mental power.

But its terrifying pollution capacity is enough to make everyone see clearly.

At the head of the table, another elder slowly put down his silver wine cup.

The base of the wine glass made a crisp "ding" sound when it touched the table.

"The abyss... what a terrible pollution."

In the Central Continent, offering sacrifices to the Abyss is an absolute prohibition enshrined in Article 1 of the Pan-Continental Taboo Regulations.

Any research, contact, or even mention of it will attract the attention of the Wizarding Council.

If serious damage is caused, the most brutal and thorough pursuit will follow.

But now, the first in line to the Just family's throne actually harbors such a strong aura of the abyss.

"This... is impossible!"

In Edmund's camp, a level two wizard staggered to his feet, his face ashen.

"Lord Edmund must have been framed! That must be it..."

His voice abruptly stopped.

Edmund suddenly looked up.

Those eyes, stained with ink black and dark red, stared intently at the wizard.

Edmund's lips curled into a twisted smile.

"Ah...He is calling..."

A hoarse, broken voice, mixed with multiple overlapping sounds, squeezed out of his throat.

This is not Edmund's voice.

The sounds included a woman's shrill laughter, a beast's growl, and the gurgling of viscous liquid.

In the hall, the mental seas of wizards below level two were instantly stirred up, and countless fantasies rose from the bottom of their hearts.

"seal."

The white-haired elder raised his withered right hand, his index finger pointing lightly in the air.

In an instant, nine silver-white chain phantoms descended from the dome of the banquet hall.

The chains were formed entirely from mental energy, with dense sealing runes flowing across their surface, radiating an aura of suppression.

Whizzing……

The silver chains flashed in mid-air and instantly pierced Edmund's limbs, torso, and head.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed throughout the hall.

The dark purple lines beneath Edmund's skin began to writhe and struggle wildly.

Inky black smoke billowed from his seven orifices, twisting in the air into grotesque tentacles before being shredded by the chains.

As soon as all the tentacles sprouted, they were burned and annihilated bit by bit by the silvery-white runes.

The whole process took no more than three seconds.

Edmund lay on the ground, the dark purple patterns not yet completely gone, but no longer wriggling.

His eyes regained some clarity, but the dark red tinge deep in his pupils just wouldn't go away.

The white-haired elder slowly lowered his hand, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

Fortunately, three family elders, including him, attended today's gathering.

The source of the pollution was contained before it spread, preventing a major disaster.

The other two elders also had grim expressions, their eyes swirling with cold killing intent.

"Edmund." The white-haired elder's voice rang out again, this time carrying an even more powerful mental pressure.

"Where did you obtain your knowledge of the Abyss?"

Edmund struggled to lift his head, his face still bearing traces of pain and madness.

His lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he abruptly turned his head to look at the corner of the hall.

Adele stood quietly, her deep purple wizard robes accentuating her exceptionally aloof demeanor.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

Edel turned to face the three elders and bowed deeply.

"Elders, please allow me to state something else."

The white-haired elder nodded slowly: "Speak."

"Regarding the illness of my father, Patriarch Titus Just."

Edel straightened up and took out a roll of dark silver parchment from her dimensional ring.

She unlocked the bloodline lock on the scroll and unrolled the paper.

The paper was densely covered with data, charts, energy fluctuation curves, and dozens of detection marks encrypted with special runes.

"In order to cure my father, I have been developing a brand-new purification agent. During this time, I have collected a lot of data on my father's condition."

Adele spoke at a steady pace, but her aura grew increasingly cold.

"I remember that the family's initial diagnosis of my father was 'bloodline curse'."

But all methods of purifying the curse failed!

"Until three months ago, I obtained a crucial sample."

She lightly touched a certain area on the parchment with her finger.

A dynamic image appeared there, showing a drop of dark silver liquid dripping into a mass of inky black polluting energy.

The moment the two forces came into contact, the polluting energy boiled violently, and countless fine dark purple patterns appeared on the surface.

The patterns were exactly the same as those on Edmund's body.

"This is the result of a contaminated sample extracted from my father's body reacting with the core ingredient of the [Soul-Soothing Potion]."

Adele looked up and her gaze fell on the slumped Edmund.

"Just now, after the pollution erupted on my brother Edmund, I secretly compared the energy fluctuations of the two samples."

She paused for a moment and looked around the hall.

"The homology between the two is almost 90%."

The words had barely left his lips when they exploded in everyone's minds like a thunderclap.

"Impossible!" This time, it was Edmund himself who screamed.

He struggled to stand up, but was held down by the silver chains, and kept screaming.

"You falsified the data! You framed me! The corruption on the clan leader is clearly a bloodline curse..."

"Yeah?"

Edel interrupted him and took out another item from her dimensional ring.

This is a crystal the size of a fist.

Inside the crystal was a wisp of dark red liquid, in which tiny black particles were suspended and slowly wriggling.

"This is a batch of 'abnormal materials' that I intercepted from the Rose Chamber of Commerce three days ago, and the contaminant carriers extracted from them."

Edel held the crystal high so that everyone could see it clearly.

"Testing revealed that the source of contamination in this batch of materials was Black Crow Alchemy, owned by Edmund's brother."

She looked at Soren, another elder at the head of the table.

"Elder Sauron, you are an expert in tracing origins in magic. Could you please examine this crystal on the spot to determine if the contamination within it is of the same origin as that on my brother Edmund?"

Elder Soren raised his hand and grabbed at the air, and the crystal flew into his palm.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, a complex silver rune appearing between his brows.

Three seconds later, he opened his eyes, his gaze filled with nothing but icy killing intent.

"Indeed, they share the same origin." Elder Soren's voice was icy cold.

"Not only do they share the same origin, but this wisp of pollution also contains... the bloodline of Edmund."

Wow!

The crowd in the hall erupted in chaos.

Bloodline aura is one of the most distinctive marks of a wizard, similar to soul fluctuations, and is almost impossible to fake.

The contamination contains the bloodline of Edmund, which means...

This pollutant had long-term contact with Edmund, and even cultivated it himself.

Furthermore, its homology with the pollution found in the patriarch Titu's body is as high as 90%.

This terrifying truth has been laid bare before everyone.

"Edmund." The white-haired elder slowly rose to his feet.

His hunched body now exuded a mountain-like aura of power.

"You... how dare you plot against the clan patriarch."

Edmund's face drained of all color instantly.

He wanted to defend himself, to deny it, to say that he had been framed, but the bloodline mark does not lie.

The fact that a fourth-level wizard couldn't be found, and that Elder Sauron personally tested the results, constitutes the highest level of evidence.

"When...did I become someone's plaything?!"

He clearly remembered that when he received the three bottles of [Soothing Potion] a few days ago, he had the gray-robed old wizard under his command, who was most skilled in testing, examine them repeatedly.

All test results showed that the medicine was pure and harmless, and had a gentle calming effect on the soul.

It was so perfect that he felt comfortable taking it.

They even planned to add their own abyssal corruption "ingredients" to a batch of soothing potions...

Once the potion falls into the hands of other heirs, they will secretly contaminate it and frame Edel for it.

"That potion... must contain something I don't know about!"

He abruptly turned his head and looked again at the corner of the hall.

This time, he wasn't looking at Adele.

Instead, it was the black-robed youth sitting quietly behind Adele.

Edmund's pupils contracted sharply.

He remembered that before the banquet began, this pharmacist named Ian had "accidentally" passed by him.

As the two brushed past each other, Edmund felt a slight discomfort in his mind, but it vanished in an instant.

He didn't pay attention at the time, but now that he thinks about it...

"It's you..." Edmund managed to squeeze out two words in a hoarse voice.

Ian looked up and met his gaze.

His young face was calm, and his dark eyes showed no emotion.

He didn't even speak, just sat quietly, the dark silver night harrier on his shoulder tilting its head, its silver-gray eyes reflecting Edmund's disheveled figure.

"Gah! You idiot."

The cawing sounded a silent mockery.

A violent killing intent surged within Edmund, but the silver chains held him firmly in place, preventing him from mobilizing even a trace of his mental energy.

He watched as the young man in black robes calmly looked away.

At that moment, Edel's voice rang out again.

"Elders, the chain of evidence is complete." She bowed deeply.

"Edmund Justt, who has long been exposed to the cultivation of Abyssal corruption, used it to murder the patriarch and intend to overthrow the family."

According to the first article of the Family Rules, the punishment should be "separation of bloodline and eternal imprisonment of the soul."

"I request immediate execution."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Blood vessels separated.

The soul is imprisoned forever.

This is the Juster family's cruelest punishment, reserved only for traitors.

The white-haired elder remained silent for a long time before slowly scanning everyone present.

The remaining seven heirs each had a different expression at this moment.

Edwin and Adrian looked grim. They had some dealings with Edmund before and were now afraid of being implicated.

Aisha sat quietly, her fingertips gently twirling a vibrant green leaf. She was reading *The Wizard: My Skills Can Break Through Infinite Barriers*, enjoying her reading time.

The other heirs were either terrified or had shifty eyes.

But no one stood up for Edmund.

Edelweiss's momentum has been established.

The white-haired elder exchanged a few words with the two people beside him and secretly notified the other six elders.

As time slowly passed, the air in the hall became increasingly oppressive.

Until... the white-haired elder looked up and looked at everyone in the hall.

"By unanimous vote of the council of elders, Edmund Just's right to be his successor is hereby revoked."

He had just finished speaking when he raised his hand and loosely clenched his fist.

The nine silver chains tightened suddenly, and the runes burst forth with dazzling light.

Edmund let out a piercing scream, his body convulsing violently as the dark purple patterns were peeled away and torn apart bit by bit.

Ink-black blood gushed from his seven orifices.

Blood dripped onto the marble floor, leaving sizzling, burnt marks and emitting a nauseating stench.

The guests retreated hastily, their faces pale.

The whole process lasted about a minute.

When the last trace of dark purple veins was peeled away, Edmund was already like a lump of mud, his pupils dilated.

The white-haired elder waved his hand, and a black crystal coffin flew out, sucking Edmund into it.

The surface of the crystal coffin was covered with dense sealing runes, which then turned into streams of light and disappeared into the ground.

That was the family's underground prison.

Throughout the entire process, Adele stood quietly.

She only slowly exhaled after Edmund was completely sealed away.

The fingers beneath the dark purple robe sleeves had turned white from clenching so tightly.

But she didn't relax.

He turned around, faced the stone table, and bowed again.

"My father is still in a coma, and the Just family cannot be without a leader for even a day."

Her voice regained its calmness, even carrying a just-right hint of weariness.

"Edmund's brother has violated a double taboo, and his properties and associates must be liquidated immediately."

I recommend that Nassenger lead the enforcement team to carry out the initial cleanup within three days.

The white-haired elder looked at her silently.

Deep within those cloudy eyes, complex emotions surged.

Examining, weighing, doubting, and a hint of... indescribable admiration.

He spoke slowly.

"Edale Just".

"exist."

"Exposing traitors and eliminating the cancer within the family is a great achievement."

The white-haired elder's voice was deep, "Developing purification medicine and alleviating the clan leader's illness are the two achievements."

"You will be rewarded for your two merits. From today onwards, you will enjoy level three family privileges, be able to mobilize two law enforcement teams, and have your monthly resource allocation increased by 30%."

The white-haired elder paused, then added.

"Furthermore, you will personally lead a search of Edmund's private estate, and all items related to the Abyss must be sealed and handed over to Elder Sauron."

"Yes."

Adele bowed in response, her movements impeccable.

But a very faint smile flickered beneath her lowered eyelids.

Just then, a suppressed commotion arose from a corner of the council chamber.

Edwin finally snapped out of his shock.

He stared intently at Adele, his lips pressed into a pale line.

His usually arrogant eyes were now churning with anger, resentment, and... fear.

Yes, fear.

He suddenly realized that everything that had happened from last night's banquet until now was too coincidental.

Why did Edmund's corruption erupt at the family's monthly banquet?

Why was Adele able to prepare all the evidence in advance?

Why...why would that level two wizard named Ian develop a purification potion for the Abyss's pollution at such a critical moment?

Countless questions exploded in my mind.

But Edwin didn't dare ask a single question.

Because he saw that Adele was slowly turning her face and her gaze was fixed on him.

Those deep purple eyes were calm and still, yet they made Edwin's blood freeze instantly.

That's the look a hunter gives his prey.

"Brother Edwin."

Adele's voice was as soft as a greeting.

"You don't look well, do you need to rest?"

Edwin's Adam's apple bobbed.

He wanted to speak, to refute, to question, but all the words stuck in his throat.

He glanced at the three elders above him out of the corner of his eye.

Their gazes were fixed on him, filled with scrutiny and warning.

He suddenly understood.

From the moment Edmund was exposed, the battle for succession... was already over.

Abyssal corruption is an absolute taboo in the wizarding world.

And Edel had just personally sent a competitor who had touched a taboo into a sealed cage.

At the same time, she also took out a purification agent.

It also received the approval of the elders.

They also... controlled all the evidence and the initiative.

Edwin slowly loosened his clenched fist, his palms covered in cold sweat.

He lowered his head, avoiding Adele's gaze, his voice hoarse.

"……Need not."

"That's good."

Edel turned her gaze away and looked back at the elder.

She took out three dark silver vials of medicine from her bosom and presented them with both hands.

"This is the second batch of tranquilizing potions that we have completed improving."

Tests have shown that it has a significant purifying effect on negative energy erosion below level two, and for level three pollution... it can at least slow down its spread.

The white-haired elder took the test tube.

The dark silver liquid flowed slowly in the glass tube, with tiny, orderly vortices faintly visible inside.

He probed with his spiritual power, and his turbid pupils brightened slightly.

"The resonance of order... is very pure."

He gave Adel a deep look and pointed to the surface of the test tube.

After a long pause, he slowly nodded.

"Let him continue his research and development; the family will provide all the necessary resources."

"Yes." Adele bowed again.

This time, there was a subtle relaxation in her movements.

Successful.

Not only did he bring down Edmund, but he also established Ian's "value" in front of the elders.

From now on, all covert investigations against Ian will be tacitly approved by the elders... and even protected.

She slowly straightened up.

The morning light had completely filled the banquet hall, and the twelve runic stone pillars cast long shadows in the light and shadow.

The three elders sat down again and began to discuss the follow-up matters in hushed tones.

The eight heirs gradually withdrew from the stage.

Edwin walked the fastest, his back stiff like a puppet.

Adrian followed closely behind, his steps so hurried he almost stumbled.

The other successors exchanged glances, their faces filled with awe and apprehension.

Only Ashia paused as she passed by Edel.

This usually low-key fifth young lady rarely showed a faint smile.

She didn't say anything, just nodded slightly, and then turned and left.

Adele watched her figure disappear through the doorway.

Then, she turned and walked towards the side door on the other side of the hall.

As I pushed open the door, a chilly morning breeze rushed in.

The mist had dissipated, and shops on both sides of the street were opening one after another, with the sound of horse-drawn carriage wheels rolling over the stone pavement growing louder as they approached.

She took a deep breath.

The cold air rushed into my lungs, carrying the chill of early winter.

But she felt that this was the most refreshing morning in three years.

"Miss."

Nassenger emerged from the shadows and reported in a low voice.

"The enforcement team has taken control of the Black Raven Alchemy Workshop and is currently investigating all of Edmund's properties. The initial seal is expected to be completed before sunset."

"Make it cleaner."

Adele didn't turn around; her voice was very soft.

"Everything related to the Abyss should be sealed away separately, especially... written records."

Nassenger's pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly lowered his head.

"Yes." He turned and disappeared into the alley.

Edel stood alone on the porch, the sleeves of her deep purple robe fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.

She raised her hand and looked at the dark silver family authorization token in her palm.

On the surface of the token, the time-marked patterns shimmered with a warm luster in the morning light.

Level 3 access control.

As long as her father remains unconscious, this is the highest level of authority she can exercise within the family.

And now... no one can challenge this authority anymore.

She slowly tightened her grip on the token.

The cool metal against the palm provides a distinct tactile sensation.

But she felt something burning in her chest.

That was the burning passion that had been suppressed for three years, finally bursting forth from the ground.

"Edel." A gentle voice came from behind.

She turned around abruptly.

Ian had somehow appeared behind him, with Gaga curled up and dozing on his shoulder.

He wore that simple gray robe, holding a roll of parchment in his hand, the morning light casting a pale gold hue on the tips of his hair.

He looks... just like an ordinary level two wizard.

But Adel knew it wasn't true.

She had seen those focused eyes in the laboratory.

I've seen the subtle, orderly glow that flowed from his fingertips as he analyzed pollution maps.

I saw him on the third basement level of Wisteria Lane, facing a level-three contaminant... with a calm, serene expression.

"you……"

She opened her mouth, but suddenly didn't know what to say.

Thanks? That's too little.

Questioning? That's stupid.

In the end, she simply looked at him intently, her voice so soft it was almost a sigh.

"...Is everything arranged?"

"Hmm." Ian nodded and walked up to her.

He took out an even smaller, dark silver test tube from his pocket, which was only the size of a thumb.

The liquid flowing inside was purer than any previous batch.

"Third Edition Soul-Soothing Potion, Concentrated Form."

He handed it to Adele.

"Use this on the clan chief, remember to halve the dosage. If the pollution concentration drops by more than 5% within three months, it means you're on the right track."

Adele took the test tube; the liquid was slightly warm in her palm.

It seems that the internal vortex of order is spinning faster than any previous batch.

She could even sense a faint spiritual resonance emanating from the surface of the test tube.

"You..." She raised her head, as if to say something.

But Ian had already turned away.

His gray robe billowed in the morning breeze as he walked toward the courtyard exit. The cicada on his shoulder opened one eye, blinked at him, and then curled back up.

"I'll go back and continue adjusting the formula," Ian's voice drifted on the wind.

"If anything comes up, have Gaga send a message."

The footsteps faded into the distance.

Edel stood alone on the porch, watching his figure disappear around the street corner.

The test tube in my palm was still warm, like a miniature star.

She suddenly remembered what Gaga had said last night when she brought the medicine.

"Ian said...this is just the beginning."

Start.

She slowly tightened her grip on the test tube, and a cold flame ignited deep within her deep purple eyes.

Yes, this is just the beginning.

Edmund has fallen, but the source of the Abyss knowledge remains unknown.

The elders' stance is still unclear, and while other competitors are temporarily lying low, they will certainly not give up.

The father is still unconscious.

And then there's... the mastermind lurking in the shadows, the one who provided Edmund with knowledge of the Abyss Altar.

All the problems still need to be solved.