Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The lagoon was surrounded by fields of Dragon Bone Grass that grew in thick clusters. Yang Ling tried to transport some of the grass into the space with the Wizard’s Pagoda, but it took a lot of energy. If it took that much to move some Dragon Bone Grass, he wasn’t sure he would be able to move all of it. He’d never get the whole lagoon transported even if he exhausted all of his mental energy.
After repeated attempts, Yang Ling realized that he had to spend the same amount of mental energy to transport a can of water from the lagoon as transporting twenty blades of Dragon Bone Grass. There was an abundance of Dragon Bone Grass, but the amount of water in the lagoon was unimaginable.
According to the memories of the Flying Dragon King, even though the surface area of the lagoon was fairly small, the deepest part of the lagoon was over a hundred meters deep. Who knew how long he might take to transport all of the water into the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda, especially if he did it one can at a time!
Was there no simpler way?
Sitting cross-legged on the lagoon’s shore and carefully recalling what Yuna had once said about space element magical spells, then attentively remembering the Wizard Techniques recorded on the stele, Yang Ling puzzled, unable to come up with a simpler method.
To help clear his head of that frustration, Yang Ling decided to take a swim in the freezing lagoon. But when he touched the water, it was not cold as he had expected; his pores did not contract at all, but instead expanded, as if they were absorbing the energy contained in the water.
Soon, an icy sensation spread throughout his body, circulating along a new, mysterious path, carried along by the Wizard Power. Slowly, tendrils of green appeared on the surface of his skin, darkening as he swam!
Could it be that my body is able to absorb the energy and poison carried in the water?
Yang Ling inspected his palm, streaked with green. According to the memories of the Flying Dragon King, the miraculous effects of the Flying Dragon Lagoon were created by the Dragon Bone Grass growing in and around the lagoon.
In addition to the green-tinted poison, the Dragon Bone Grass contained a compound that could also convert the valley fog into an icy energy, which would then be absorbed by the water. The effects of one blade of Dragon Bone Grass might not be obvious, but the energy released by large clusters of Dragon Bone Grass gathered together would be significant.
Yang Ling recited the Wizard Mantra silently, working to absorb all of the energy contained in the pool of water. Slowly, the icy sensation intensified, and green lines snaking across his skin darkened and sharpened.
The training method of the poison technique on the stele was unique, placing emphasis on the fact that the person training the technique should test the poison using his own body and through that condense and accumulate the poison in his body. According to the explanation on the stele, his body’s resistance to poison would be far superior to an average person’s after having trained the technique to a certain degree. He would also be able to attack his enemies using the poisonous substances around him through his mental energy. The technique was powerful.
The poison condensed, and then condensed further…
As Yang Ling put in his best effort in condensing the poison, it slowly formed a small orb inside him, orbiting around the Wizard Core at high speed. As the amount of poison he absorbed increased, the orb grew slowly as it darkened in color.
If Yang Ling had opened his eyes, he would have realized that the green streaks on his skin had turned shades darker, from pale green to ink. From a distance, the color looked similar to the skin tone of the Flying Dragons.
Yang Ling realized some time later that he had subconsciously entered the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda.
Compared to the last time he was there, the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda had expanded substantially, as though it was growing as every second passed. Correspondingly, the white fog released by the Wizard’s Pagoda also became increasingly thicker.
Yang Ling wondered if he was imagining the faint roars coming from inside the Wizard’s Pagoda, following the pattern of his heartbeat. As he focused in, he noticed that there were minute ripples in the air. Familiar ripples came from all around him, and Yang Ling could clearly sense the minuscule movements of every blade of grass even with his eyes closed.
In the outside world, Yang Ling could only teleport short distances when he used the Earth Evasion Technique, but in the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda, he could immediately appear at any position he wished without expending any Wizard Power or mental energy. That feeling was as though he held everything in the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda within his palm!
Could this be an ability I gained after having advanced to the level of Heaven Wizard?
Yang Ling walked slowly toward the Wizard’s Pagoda. Soon, he realized that the Wizard’s Pagoda had changed.
A corridor, about two steps wide, had appeared behind the stele. The thick fog billowed continuously on both sides like walls.
The corridor was winding, with steps leading upward. Following the path forward, Yang Ling soon arrived at a door that looked identical to the main door.He pushed open the heavy wooden door and saw a stele that seemed to be an exact replica of the one behind him.
Is this the second level of the Wizard’s Pagoda?
Yang Ling giggled in surprise and excitement, and greedily read the contents on the new stele, his excitement mounting. As it turned out, what was recorded on this stele were not ordinary Wizard Mantras, but mysterious, obscure Restrictions.
Unlike the Wizard Formations recorded on the stele at the first level, the power of the Restrictions were greater, but correspondingly, they required more Wizard Power and mental energy to use. Yang Ling realized, after reading the entirety of the new stele, that his Heaven Wizard level was not enough for him to use any of the Restrictions. He would need to keep training if he ever wanted to use them.
There were many Restrictions recorded on the stele. There were Restrictions that could trap his enemies inside an illusion; there were Restrictions packed with killing intent; there were defensive Restrictions that were similar to protective barriers. In the last corner, Yang Ling noticed a Retrieval Restriction that would allow him to retrieve items out of thin air. Miraculously, even a Heaven Wizard would be able to use it.
After confirming it several times and concluding that he had not missed anything, Yang Ling left the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda, acting quickly.
Even though one could use the Retrieval Restriction if he had advanced to the level of Heaven Wizard, the explanation on the stele told him that the power of the Restriction was tied to the Wizard Power and mental energy of the caster. The greater his individual abilities, the further away he could retrieve an item from, and the more items he could retrieve.
Yang Ling arranged himself in the customary meditative position and took a deep breath. Then he cast the Retrieval Restriction on a blade of Dragon Bone Grass, quickly forming the appropriate hand gesture. As the gestures he formed changed, the Wizard Power and mental energy in his body spread outward, enveloping the tiny Dragon Bone Grass as if it were as thin and light as a spider’s web.
Slowly, mysterious symbols began to appear around the short Dragon Bone Grass, and the air rippled and shone, spreading outward like a wave.
“Come to me!” Yang Ling commanded as he formed the last gesture, his massive Wizard Power and mental energy pouring from him. In that instant, glowing silver symbols appeared around the Dragon Bone Grass, spinning like a windmill, faster and faster. Soon, with a buzz, the Dragon Bone Grass disappeared, only to reappear near the forest of Arrow Bamboo in the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda.
After his successful experiment, Yang Ling worked quickly and without resting, and gradually increased his collection of Dragon Bone Grass. After repeated successes, he decided to choose a valleyin the space of the Wizard’s Pagoda and retrieve the entirety of the lagoon to build a small pond.
After smelling the Dragon Bone Grass and water from the pool, the horde of Flying Dragons swarmed to him even without Yang Ling’s command. Even the Flying Dragon King came, and gulped down the Dragon Bone Grass and pale green water.
Could he transport the entire pool of water and a large portion of Dragon Bone Grass into the space at one go?
Yang Ling circled the lagoon a couple of times and hesitated. There was too much Dragon Bone Grass in the valley, and too much water in the lagoon to transport either one little by little. If he wanted to build a base of Flying Dragons in his Wizard Pagoda space, he’d need to find a way to transport more at a time.
But of course, the greater the number of items he tried to retrieve, the more Wizard Power and mental energy he had to exhaust!
As a precaution, and in order to guarantee that he had enough power to sustain such a wide Restriction, Yang Ling retrieved all of the Magical Beast Essence Crystals he had inside his Space Ring, then set up a large scale Spirit Gathering Spell Formation right there on the spot.
Over the months, he had purchased several Magical Beast Essence Crystals from the townspeople and the soldiers. These, coupled with the Essence Crystals he found searching the caves of the Flying Dragons, meant that he had many premium Magical Beast Essence Crystals piled up in his Space Ring. He had intended to set up a giant Spirit Gathering Spell Formation when he returned to Wissen Town, to accelerate Yuna, Goode, Alice and the rest’s training. But this was a good use of them as well!
After setting up the Spirit Gathering Spell Formation and activating it using his Wizard Power, the Formation quickly began working on its own. It absorbed energy from the air and emitted a five colored glow.
After consuming a few dozen Magical Beast Blood Orbs and quickly replenishing the Wizard Power and mental energy he had expended, Yang Ling sat down in the center of the Spirit Gathering Spell Formation. He silently recited the Wizard Mantra and cycled through the hand gestures, casting a large-scale Restriction.
Slowly, obscure symbols began appearing in the bushes and under the water’s surface. The symbols increased in number, slowly rotating like a windmill, the speed gradually increasing!
Perhaps it was because the scale of the Restriction was too large, or the Spirit Gathering Spell Formation could not bear such a large burden. A buzzing sound slowly began to gather around him. Yang Ling felt his Wizard Power and mental energy pour out like the tide. His hand gestures slowed, and took more effort. His hands felt as if they were weighed down with lead.
Sighing deeply, he consumed the last of his Magical Beast Blood Orbs and clenched his teeth as he finished the last of the hand gestures. His Wizard Core suddenly expanded like a balloon after having contracted immensely, expelling the last of his Wizard Power. Whatever mental energy he had left also swelled out of his body, absorbed into the Restriction as if it were a bottomless hole.
At the instant where Yang Ling was completely depleted of energy, a silver glow illuminated the valley as the symbols spun dizzyingly. The buzzing sound intensified as water and the Dragon Bloodgrass inside the Restriction’s radius vanished.
