Above the mage

Chapter 2 Ilan

Magic is indeed wondrous, inspiring endless longing and imagination, but Gaode doesn't have much time to marvel at it.

The environment here was terrible, dark and rotten, poorly ventilated, and as silent as a tomb. He felt depressed after only staying there for a short while.

This is clearly not a place to stay for long.

More importantly, he was tested on medicine by the monk Seda and then came back to life. Could this matter be left unresolved?

Without a doubt, the most urgent task is to escape this medicinal garden.

How do I escape?

As Amy said, these apprentices were branded with a tracking mark on the very first day they were brought back by Master Seda.

Unless the tracking marks are removed, there is no way to escape the clutches of the sorcerer Seda.

Gao De slowly sat up, but instead of getting out of bed, he leaned against the wall, seriously considering how to escape the control of the sorcerer Seda.

With his current knowledge base, he can only think of two methods.

First, since there is a spell for tracking marks, there must also be a spell that can remove tracking marks.

Second, if the problem cannot be solved, then eliminate the person who created the problem—Master Seda.

It sounds simple, but it's harder than climbing to the sky.

At least for him right now, that's the case.

Magic is wondrous, and therefore incredibly precious.

He is a mage apprentice with no background who is treated like a "little gray mouse". So far he has only mastered two tricks, both of which came from the mage Seda. Where can he learn the spell to remove the tracking mark?

Moreover, learning magic is extremely difficult. Even if he were to acquire the corresponding magic, he would absolutely not be able to master it in a short period of time.

As for dealing with Master Seda, that's practically impossible.

Master Seda is a seasoned mage who has mastered countless powerful spells.

He only possessed two magic tricks, both of which were completely harmless.

Gao De thought about it over and over again, but still couldn't come up with a solution to his current predicament.

He hesitated for a moment, just about to ask Amy, who had only recently quieted down, something.

There was some noise coming from outside.

The sound of hurried footsteps approached, and an apprentice who looked much older than himself knocked on the door and entered.

He walked briskly, glancing around the cramped room, and soon his gaze accurately landed on Gao De, who was half-lying on the bed.

"God, Master Seda heard you've woken up and wants you to see him right now!"

Upon hearing this, Gao De's gaze sharpened slightly, his mind racing. However, he clearly lacked the ability to disobey the mage Seda's orders, so he simply nodded and said, "Alright."

Without hesitation, Gao De got up and left the room with the apprentice who had come to deliver the message.

Only after watching Gaode leave did Amy realize what had happened.

It seems that Gaode is a little different after waking up.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

Stepping out of the room, there is a long, narrow corridor.

The corridor is curved, like a crescent moon, with a door at regular intervals on both sides.

There was a candle on each side of the door, its faint light and warmth dispelling the darkness and coldness of the corridor.

Although his predecessor had lived here for nearly two years, he did not retain this memory for Gao De, so he was completely unfamiliar with the environment and was quietly observing his surroundings.

The apprentice who came to deliver the message obviously did not notice Gao De's little trick.

In fact, in such a dangerous and oppressive environment, how could these apprentices have the mind to care about others?

So at least Gaode doesn't have to worry about being exposed or having others notice any difference from before.

Having just arrived in this world, and before he could even catch his breath, he had to face the mysterious and unpredictable Master Seda. It's impossible for Gao De not to feel pressured.

As he followed the messenger apprentice, he imagined in his mind what it would be like to meet Master Seda later.

Just then.

A door on the left suddenly opened, and a young man with a gloomy expression walked out.

Gao De did not know him.

But he seemed to know Gao De, standing coldly in front of Gao De's path, looking at him with a forced smile before Gao De could even speak.

"Gao De, it seems you're very lucky. Even drug testing didn't kill you."

Gao De frowned slightly, glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to leave.

It's not that I'm afraid of him, it's just that I don't know him, and if I were to engage in conversation, I might easily give myself away.

Besides, this person is obviously here to cause trouble, so why bother with him?

Just as Gao De was about to pass by this person, his shoulder slammed into him with ill intent. The force was so great that Gao De felt as if he had hit a wall, causing him to stagger back a few steps before regaining his balance.

"What, Gao De, have you become so arrogant that you disdain to speak to me?" The gloomy young man chuckled sarcastically. "You don't actually think that just because you have some talent and can concoct a basic spider venom potion, you can impress the mage, do you?"

"If the Master truly valued you, he wouldn't have sent you to test the medicine," he said coldly, looking at Gao De with a compelling and condescending air. "Haven't you come to terms with reality yet?"

"The Master summoned me, and I'm on my way to see him. Is your matter more important than the Master's?" Gao De asked calmly. "If not, please step aside."

The young man's expression immediately turned ugly.

But he quickly regained his composure, then slightly shifted his body to make way, and said with a grin, "Why didn't you say earlier that the Master was looking for you? Alright, alright, go ahead, but don't delay the Master's business."

Gao De glanced at the young man, said nothing, and walked past him with a cold face.

"Do you think that just because this drug trial didn't kill you, I can't do anything to you?"

As Gao De passed the young man, he heard the young man's low, threatening words.

crunch~

After saying this, the young man went back to the room he had just come from and closed the door.

"Let's hurry, don't keep the Master waiting." Gao De remained calm in the face of the young man's harsh words and said to the experienced apprentice who was leading the way.

The experienced apprentice nodded and continued walking forward. After walking a little further, he couldn't help but say, "Sigh, Gao De, you survived testing the medicine for the mage this time, which means you weren't meant to die. But you can't always be this lucky. Why did you provoke Yilan? Everyone knows he holds grudges the most."

Gao De's eyes flickered; so that was the young man's name.

"Ilan?" he asked tentatively.

"Ilan was the first apprentice of Master Seda, and Master Seda treated him somewhat differently."

He was the only one among us who could freely enter and leave the herb garden, even though it was to sell goods for the Master, it was enough to show that he was different from us.

Moreover, putting aside everything else, the apprentices in the herb garden have changed countless times over the years, yet he has remained unscathed. This alone speaks volumes.

"We can't afford to mess with him."

"What, he can't possibly kill me," Gao De retorted.

"Although he might not dare to kill you directly, it would be easy for him to make things difficult for you."

"Look, if you hadn't been lucky this time, you would have been killed by him," the experienced apprentice said.

Gao De was taken aback for a moment, then realized the source of Ilan's confidence: "Was it because of him that I was chosen by Mage Seda to be a test subject?"

"Otherwise, why would we have chosen you? You're the only one among us who can independently prepare basic spider venom potion."

It turned out to be the case.

Gao De glanced back at Yi Lan's tightly closed door, his eyes flickering.

(End of this chapter)