Wizards pursue the truth

Chapter 497 [497] The Pale Battle of the Foam Banquet Exchange Tournament (5k words today, 10,000 words achieved)

Whoosh!

The splashing water droplets, refracted by the light, display colorful brilliance. The long river runs through the entire bubble world, serving as a source that nourishes the land and supplies all dream creatures.

At this moment, the dream creatures living in the long river peeked out, listening to the sounds of the outside environment and the lively commotion.

Some wizards walked along the riverbank and then onto the ancient wooden bridge connecting the two sides of the long river.

"You little bastards, how dare you step on my body? Get off me!"

On the railings of the ancient wooden bridge, pairs of eyes opened, glaring angrily at the passing wizards. When they spoke, they startled the wizards, especially some young wizards who had never been to the Bubble World before. Their legs froze on the spot, unsure whether to go forward or backward.

Some of the older, more ancient wizards smiled and said, "Don't worry, just go. This bridge has been around for so many years and it's still the same old thing. If we weren't in the Bubble World, I would have chopped it down and used it as firewood long ago."

"You dare burn your bridge, you little bastard, you don't want to live anymore, do you? I'm going to kill you all."

"I'm going to kill you all!"

The wizards passing by exchanged smiles. The young wizard, no longer fearful or worried, strode across the bridge and headed to the inner area to attend the grand bubble banquet.

In the flowerbed area, a wizard walks along the cobblestone path, the Nightmare Mark on his palm glowing, unaffected by the bubble world itself; he observes the peculiarities of the dream vegetation, the dewdrops condensing in the misty air, the living plants, and the fang-like mouths of the flower buds that seem to draw in the mist from their surroundings.

The wizard looked somewhat nervous. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt the gaze of the vegetation on him, a gaze that seemed to want to devour him alive.

He was also there to attend the banquet.

Wizards bearing the Nightmare Mark will not miss this opportunity to meet the Nightmare Wizard.

Furthermore, rumors are circulating that this banquet will determine the future direction of Conquest, and if seized, it will bring enormous benefits.

"The teacher said that before the banquet begins, there will be an exchange and battle competition. All the formal wizards and star wizards will comment and give advice. The wizards who participate in the competition must be no older than eighty years old and must be wizard apprentices."

"Among wizards with the strength of a limit wizard apprentice, there are only a few who meet the standard. I may not be the strongest one, but I am definitely not the weakest. It is said that the Divine Child Solomon has mastered the Burning Silence inheritance of the Nightmare Wizard and has honed his strength to the limit. He is in a state of breaking the limit and may even break through to become a formal wizard. It is only one step away."

"His decision not to break through seems to be to choose his own path as a wizard." The young wizard walked quickly along the cobblestone path, deeply admiring the blue-haired wizard's figure. If it were an ordinary wizard, having the opportunity to become a disciple of the Nightmare Wizard, he would have long since relied on inheritance to advance to a formal wizard and then continue to improve.

After all, the Nightmare Wizard's strength is that of a Star Wizard. Breaking through to that level is not impossible, and there is guidance along the way.

He himself lacked confidence that he could surpass his predecessors, especially a legendary figure like the Nightmare Wizard.

"What choice will you make, Divine Child Solomon? Or will you seize this opportunity to defeat other wizards, accumulate invincible momentum, and condense your true spirit under the watchful eyes of many formal wizards and star wizards?"

The young wizard "Mair" was very much looking forward to it. There was a reason for this guess. The Nightmare Wizard rarely appeared in the headquarters or outside. Even the disciples of the lineage found it difficult to see the Nightmare Wizard at the right time.

This was the best opportunity he could have had, and he wouldn't have given it up either.

Show your wizarding path to your teacher, the strongest warrior with the will to conquer.

His eyes lit up; this exchange competition was indeed a good opportunity.

Coincidentally, his teacher, the "Fire Lion Wizard," will also be participating.

"This is the era of young people."

"Teacher, let me show you how much I've improved."

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The ancient forest, with its branches and leaves blocking out the sunlight and reaching heights of thousands of meters, features trees that are black and white in appearance: black trunks, white leaves, and unripe fruits hanging at the tips, their color a restrained black.

Some dream creatures also live in the forest, and their shapes and appearances are particularly peculiar. Some are plump spheres with no facial features, only a pair of wings that flap and flutter. They have two narrow legs, like spiders, and their upper bodies are made of wood. They have a mask and scales that protect their only eye. They are extremely sensitive to any movement, and if they sense any danger, they will immediately run away quickly on their long legs.

Even some beast-like dream creatures known for their speed would find it difficult to keep up with its pace.

Roar!

A group of blood leopards gathered together, seemingly a family, strolling leisurely through the forest, occasionally yawning as they surveyed their territory.

They are the absolute rulers of this forest region, and are the offspring of countless generations of leopard creatures originally captured by the Nightmare Wizard.

Suddenly, they became alert, clearly having sensed something.

It was a series of shouts and curses coming from afar, and it seemed to be a woman's voice.

"Damn it, you little bastard, how dare you touch my body? My body isn't for you to touch."

"Keep quiet. This is just an experiment. Don't make a fuss."

"You little brat, you're not worthy to touch me. Let go of my feathers, and my bowstring has never been used to fire an arrow. It's reserved for the man I've chosen. You're not good enough for me. Let go of me."

"Okay, okay, I know, keep your voice down."

A figure dressed in a purple wizard's robe gradually walked over, the Nightmare Mark on his palm glowing, with long purple hair, a handsome face, and an excited smile on his lips.

He seemed oblivious to his surroundings, grabbing a dream creature with both hands and studying its structure.

It was a creature with white feathered wings, whose body was mostly made of bows and arrows. Its eyes were at the ends of its head, and its mouth was long and thin. It kept muttering vulgarities and seemed very angry.

When Ax plucked the bowstring, its words trembled, as if it had been subjected to some extreme stimulus.

"You little brat, put your arm down, I'm going to shoot you through."

"Look, I'll just take a look. The dream creatures are really too peculiar. I don't usually have many opportunities to study them. I finally have the chance to enter the bubble world this time, so I have to figure you out."

The young wizard chuckled and muttered to himself, "This is a trump card spell of mine, prepared to defeat the divine son Solomon in the future. Little one, it's an honor for you to be involved."

"Ax, what are you doing? We don't have much time left, don't waste any more time."

A voice resounded directly in the young wizard's mind.

"Teacher, I understand, I'll be right there." Ax's expression immediately became serious, maintaining a solemn demeanor even though the teacher wasn't around.

"This banquet is no small matter, and the exchange competition is also an opportunity. Whether you can seize it or not depends on yourself."

The deep voice rang out again, slightly hoarse and weathered, as if it had experienced a lot.

"Understood, teacher. I will win the exchange competition and show you my years of hard work and the accumulation of knowledge on my path as a wizard."

The young wizard in the purple wizard's robe solemnly made his promise.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

On the other side, Wizard Yi Si returned to the present moment. Looking at the several wizards approaching, he managed a smile on his usually expressionless face.

"have not seen you for a long time."

He greeted the figure who was also a formal wizard.

"Witch Yi Si, it's been a long time."

The figure dressed in a golden wizard's robe is a newly appointed official wizard who also participated in setting up the illusion-reversal magic array.

The Golden Light Wizard was also a rather aloof and taciturn person. After exchanging greetings, he fell silent and stood aside.

The several formal wizards beside her all greeted Wizard Is.

One of them was an old friend, a withered wood wizard, who was also one of the more reclusive members among the group of formal wizards.

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Maple leaves filled the sky, fluttering and dancing. Giant maple trees enveloped the huge island, with only one road leading in and out, which was also the only way to enter the central island.

Whoosh!

Based on the environment created by the Dream Realm, the lake is not calm, but rather undulating. As soon as maple leaves fall on it, they are swallowed up by the dream creatures underwater, maintaining the purity and clarity of the lake.

Its expanse is several times larger than that of the Dream Island in the Dream Realm, with towers, pavilions, and arched buildings everywhere, all interconnected, and long streets linking them together, making the islands interconnected. Many wizards who arrived early have already begun to explore.

There are also some wizards from the Dream School who have opened shops, offering items for trade with other wizards who come to this place, or simply bartering between wizards, or exchanging items for contribution points.

The atmosphere was very lively. It was perhaps a little smaller than the main campus, but it was also more popular.

Those who can enter this place are not simple in terms of identity, status, or even strength.

The Nightmare Mark is the mark of joining the Nightmare Bubble Network and becoming a Nightmare Scourge.

In the deeper layers of space, only the true spirit of a formal wizard could perceive the anomaly. Several buildings had been constructed there, including the main structure of a pyramid-shaped banquet hall. Wizard Yi Si stood on the second level, observing the external space reflected through spatial ripples. Only after seeing that troublesome figure appear did she turn her gaze away.

Just as he said, this war banquet was no ordinary event; it was almost certain that the war against the Pale Hand wizarding forces was about to begin.

The Dark Wizard will also return to participate in this banquet.

He withdrew from the task of installing and overseeing the virtual reality amplification generator ten years ago. Only the Dark Wizard knew the progress, and he was unable to spare the time.

Logically speaking, such a large-scale mobilization, with all the high-level forces and future lifelines gathered here with a desire for conquest, would only be for something concerning the future fate of the entire wizarding force and every individual wizard.

"A banquet is also a parliament that concerns the future."

"Little ones, the Nightmare Wizard's strength has already reached an unbelievable level. Whether you can seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity depends on your performance."

Wizard Yi chuckled. If he weren't ineligible, he would have liked to participate in this exchange competition. After all, it was an opportunity to receive personal guidance from Nightmare Wizard. If used well, some of the problems that had been hindering the development of a wizard's path could be easily solved.

In addition to the comments from other formal wizards and star wizards, and even the resources they generously provided, there is a guarantee that one or two ultimate wizard apprentices will no longer need to worry about collecting resources and accumulating them over a hundred years, and can directly and without any worries about condensing their true spirit.

The resources here include legendary potions that even qualified wizards can use.

Although there is only one copy, it is a resource that is cherished to the extreme.

It has a price but no market.

He has not yet fully transitioned his foundational path to the path of legend.

"It's time to go see some other old friends."

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Inside the pyramid-shaped folded space, which is almost the size of a forest outside, there are medieval castle buildings, and some wizards are going in and out.

"The Nightmare Wizard still remembers us; he cherishes old friendships."

Kazeantuen's face flushed red, as if he had returned to his youth. He paced back and forth in the room, making Hadesantuen rub his forehead.

"Father, please don't get too excited. The banquet hasn't even started yet."

"What do you know? Why would Lord Nightmare Wizard allow our Anton family to enter the Banquet Pyramid alone? Even some direct descendants and family members of formal wizards are not qualified to enter here. This is already conveying some information. Seize this opportunity, and we can re-enter the core of the Heart of Conquest."

"I told you to stop messing around with those alchemical tools and witchcraft artifacts. I told you to focus on taking over the family business, or seriously study the extraordinary courses, expand your wizarding path, and advance to become a formal wizard," Kaze Anton said with exasperation. "Otherwise, how could our Anton family have left the core area of ​​the headquarters? Even the little corner we have left has been taken over by other families and forces."

"Zack is much more promising than you. If he can break through to become a formal wizard, our Anton family will have a brighter future once again."

Hades could only smile bitterly, unable to refute.

His age and life essence have begun to decline, and he is no longer at his peak. The possibility of him successfully breaking through to become a formal wizard on his own is very small.

The family simply didn't have the resources to acquire the legendary blood potion.

Zack also followed the same path, preparing to first break through to become a formal wizard, and then find a way to acquire resources to exchange for the legendary blood potion, thereby changing his foundation.

This path is equally difficult. Once he successfully breaks through to become a formal wizard, his family will find it difficult to help him anymore. Instead, they will have to rely on him to develop the family.

It's no wonder Kaze Anton was so emotional; no one could accept falling from grace after experiencing better treatment and status. Once upon a time, the Anton family were the founders of Conqueror's Heart, holding a pivotal position.

The current situation is like falling from the sky into the clouds.

Ultimately, it all comes down to strength.

Status and benefits can only be obtained and guaranteed through strength.

As more and more new, officially recognized wizards emerge, a corresponding chain of interests emerges behind them. The total pie is only so big, and if there's one more person taking a slice, everyone else will be affected to some extent.

Those who are unworthy of their position should naturally give up more.

No matter how big the cake is, it will still be the same.

The Anton family is one of those who are unworthy of their positions.

If there had been a proper wizard back then, they could have protected and maintained most of the foundation and interests.

Many elder families, lacking a formal wizard, have long since fallen from grace, leaving the core area to develop in the inner and outer perimeters.

Years have passed, and the state of mind regarding conquest has almost stabilized, making it even more difficult to regain what has been lost.

"If it weren't for Mona's relationship with that person, which made others hesitant, we wouldn't even have gotten the last scrap."

Kazeantun looked at Hades, shook his head repeatedly, and then sighed deeply.

She no longer counted on her eldest son.

I just hope Zach can break through successfully.

On the other hand, we must seize this opportunity to rebuild our relationship with the Nightmare Wizard.

For some reason, his eyes became somewhat dazed. What was the Nightmare Wizard like in the past?

It seems that he watched her grow up step by step. And then what happened?

So much time has passed that he has forgotten some of the details.

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In the room, a full-length mirror reflected a woman with a curvaceous figure, long black hair, long eyelashes, and skin that was as fair and supple as ever.

Mona touched her face and lips; nothing seemed to have changed.

She hasn't changed.

What about him? Has he changed?!

"Wang Ya." Her eyes were like water, misty and foggy, as if showing some scenes from the past.

"And Matthew, will you come? You will come, won't you?"

"And Gray, where are you?"

Time cannot erase memories; there are always some things that are hard to forget in a lifetime.

Time cannot take away feelings; at least she has never lost them.

Mona took out a metal token from her wizard ring, which was once the proof of her status as the owner of the Harak General Store. It still had the familiar engraved characters on it. Now, she still owned the store, which was located in a remote corner of the main commercial street.

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The wind howled, snowflakes danced, and the sky was gloomy. A vast number of snow spirits still existed, but compared to the peak of the blizzard season, both their numbers and the level of threat had been greatly reduced.

This is a good thing, indicating that the blizzard season has entered a weakening phase, and after a while, the season will completely change.

Dark eyes watched everything, gazing down at the indescribably magnificent, sprawling buildings below, like a fortress complex, or a fortified watchtower of war.

"This is the last virtual-to-real amplification generator."

P.S.: 10,000 words done.

(End of this chapter)