Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Chapter 100 Choice

Facing the three legendary wizards, Kate said loudly, "My esteemed legendary wizards, I need some time to think. I will make my choice during the final question-and-answer session, is that alright?"

The projections of the three legendary wizards nodded slightly, and the other wizard apprentices who had been granted the right to ask questions eagerly stepped forward to ask theirs.

First was Serena Shadow, the apprentice who had always been like Cate's shadow, who silently stepped forward and bowed slightly to Aemon Shadowsong, the Night King.

Her aura was almost completely concealed, her voice clear and direct: "Your Majesty, King of Eternal Night. The shadow is an extension of my existence, but when condensing the Heart of Shadow, I always feel that the shadow is too ethereal, lacking a substantial core sufficient to bear the imprint of the laws, making it difficult to complete the final qualitative transformation. How can the shadow possess weight and an anchor?"

Her question directly addresses a common dilemma faced by Shadow Apprentices when constructing a Wizard's Heart—how to solidify the ethereal power of shadow into a stable core.

The Night King's humanoid shadow rippled slightly, and his cold voice, like the clash of cold iron, said: "Shadows are not absolute nothingness; they are the traces left after light and matter are stripped away," representing the other side of reality.

Seeking a place of eternal, unchanging shadows, or a sacred relic bearing the weight of history.

Resonate with and anchor your core to it. Practice the "Shadow Anchoring Technique," which involves sinking your will into the depths of the shadow dimension like the heaviest shackles, forcibly giving it weight and form.

Remember, this process is perilous; those lacking willpower will be assimilated by the eternal shadow.

He flicked his finger, and a point of extreme darkness entered Serena's brow. It was the cultivation method of "Shadow Anchoring Technique" and the coordinates of a place where "Eternal Shadow" might exist.

A glint flashed in Serena's eyes as she bowed and withdrew, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty."

Kyle's figure "saw" out from the shadows beside Serena, also facing the Night King.

His question was even more pointed: "Your Majesty, my shadow of slaughter is too sharp, filled with destructive desires. When forming its core, this power is prone to spiraling out of control and backfiring, making it difficult to balance 'slaughter' with 'control.' How can I tame this double-edged sword, making it an extension of my will rather than its master?"

He sought absolute control over the ultimate killing power.

The Night King seemed to chuckle softly, with a hint of appreciation: "Destruction and control are one. Do not try to tame, but understand, guide, and even—enjoy."

Seek out an ancient shadow creature or malevolent spirit that is similar to you in nature, defeat it, devour its core, and use its existence to neutralize and stabilize your killing intent.

Alternatively, one can cultivate the "Shadow Pact," forging an ancient blood pact with one's own shadow of slaughter, clearly defining master and servant, sharing power while establishing boundaries. However, caution is advised; devouring may lead to contamination, and the pact itself carries the risk of backlash.

Another stream of dark information flowed into Kyle's brow, containing the secrets of the Shadow Pact and information about a potentially existing ancient shadow creature. Kyle remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly and retreated into the shadows.

Sophia strode forward and bowed respectfully to Elune Greenleaf, the Sage of Life, her rock armor creaking softly.

Her question was full of power: "Sage! My heart of the earth is thick and solid, but lacks vitality and change," like a lifeless, stubborn rock.

I struggle to integrate the rules of life into it, to bring it to life, to achieve its ultimate sublimation. How can I make the rocks breathe, how can I make the earth grow?

What troubles her is how to integrate the laws of life into her own deep earth-based foundation.

The voice of the sage of life was gentle and full of wisdom: "Child, the earth is not inanimate; it nurtures all things and is the cradle of life. What you need to perceive is not the hardness of the rocks, but the life force flowing beneath them."

Seek a place where the earth's veins converge and life flourishes, or a crystallization of the "heart of the earth" containing boundless vitality.

Try to integrate your consciousness into the flow of the earth's veins and feel the process of life being conceived from nothing.

"Practicing the Activation of the Crystal Core Technique involves infusing life energy into your core like a seed, guiding it to grow slowly, and transforming it into the heart of a living mountain."

A glimmer of emerald light, containing the techniques of "Activating Crystal Cores" and "Earth Vein Sensing," merged into Sophia's brow.

Her eyes lit up, and she pounded her chest armor hard: "I understand! Thank you, sir!"

Alphonse Raging Tides of the Temple of Tides stepped forward and bowed to Aaron Star Orbit, Lord of the Stars. His question carried a hint of anxiety: "Saint Star Orbit, my Tidal Heart surges and roars, but it relies too heavily on the external ocean of water elements. In places where elements are scarce or when suppressed, its core function stagnates, and its power plummets. How can I internalize my ocean, making it self-generating and independent, thus achieving an 'Inner Sea'?"

He seeks the independence and internalization of the energy source.

The Lord of the Galaxy manifested as starlight, his voice ethereal and profound: "Tides originate from the gravitational pull of the stars, and the ocean resides in the heart of the world. Your gaze should not be limited to the sea before your eyes."

Visualize the starry sky and sense the tides of water elements in distant celestial realms; or explore inward and open up the spring of the inner sea at the bottom of the spiritual sea.

"Practicing the Star Vortex Sea Condensation Technique involves drawing upon stellar vapors, or using one's own bloodline and spiritual power as a source, to condense a drop of primordial true water, gradually expanding it to form an inner sea. This method is difficult, requiring a profound understanding of the nature of water, and the inner sea is initially weak, necessitating a long period of accumulation."

A sliver of starlight, carrying the secrets of the "Star Vortex Sea Condensation Technique," fell into Alphonse's brow.

He took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming: "Thank you for the guidance, Saint!"

Shadowsong's face was still somewhat pale. He stepped forward and bowed deeply to the Night King, Emon Shadowsong, his voice sinister and sharp: "Your Majesty, I crave power and pursue efficiency. Devouring and plundering are my fastest methods. However, when condensing the 'Heart of Shadow Devouring,' the chaotic soul fire and power gained from devouring clash with each other, making purification and unification difficult, and even risking contamination and backlash. How can I efficiently purify and control what I've devoured, transforming it into pure resources?"

His path was fraught with plunder and danger, and the problems pointed directly to core hidden dangers.

The Night King remained silent for a moment, then shadows surged: "Greed is the driving force, and also the abyss. Construct a Shadow Forge," to burn with the purest shadow fire...

It purifies all impurities, turns dross into fuel, and fuses the essence into one.

"Supplemented by the Soul Imprint Shackles," your unique mark is imprinted on every soul core you devour, forcing it to submit and assimilate.

But remember, even the furnace has its limits; excessive absorption will eventually lead to self-immolation; the backlash from the soul imprint, though small, can accumulate and shake your very foundation.

The perilous methods of the "Shadow Furnace" and the "Soul Imprint Shackles" entered Yingge's mind.

A cold smile curved his lips as he bowed and withdrew, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty." He had clearly made his decision.

Elena gracefully stepped forward and bowed to Aaron Star Orbit, the Lord of the Star River.

Her question was ethereal and profound: "Your Excellency, the Star Heart I envisioned can resonate with the starry sky, but prophecy and the power of destiny are elusive and unpredictable. When condensing the core, it is difficult to solidify and anchor it, and it is easily disturbed by the turbulent currents of external destiny, and may even be lost in the illusion of the future."

How can I transform prophecy into concrete rules to solidify my resolve?

What she was concerned with was how to materialize and formalize the illusory power of prophecy.

The Lord of the Galaxy, surrounded by shimmering starlight, declared: "Destiny is not nothingness; it is a web woven from countless causes and possibilities. Capture the clearest and most steadfast threads of destiny," and weave them into your very core.

Alternatively, seek out a powerful prophetic relic, such as the "Fragment of Fate" or the "Eye of the Prophet," and use it as a foundation to build your core.

"Practicing the Star Orbit Destiny Art" will briefly elevate your soul to a higher dimension, allowing you to overlook the long river of your own destiny and select the most stable tributary to bind your core to it.

This method requires great courage and wisdom. Although the bond is secure once formed, it is also easily affected by the fluctuations and calamities inherent in the current of one's destiny.

The Star Orbit Destiny Technique and the information about the sacred artifact of destiny were transformed into starlight, which merged into Elena's silver eyes.

She nodded thoughtfully, "I will remember the saint's teachings."

Evan stepped forward and bowed to the Sage of Life, Elune Greenleaf. His question focused on essence and control: "Sage, the wind is formless and shapeless, and the heart of my free wind is difficult to capture and solidify. To pursue form too much will lose the true meaning of the wind's freedom; to let it run wild, however, will make it difficult to solidify."

How can we strike a balance between form and meaning to forge a perfect mindset?

He sought a solution to the contradiction between the laws of wind: "freedom" and "form".

The wise man of life gently responded: "The wind is not without form; its form lies in its flow, and its meaning lies in its change. Your core should not be a solid object," but rather an eternal vortex, a cyclical system that constantly exchanges energy and information.

Perceive the changing winds of the four seasons, the rhythm of the astral winds. Practice the "Resonance of a Thousand Winds" method, guiding wind elements of different natures to dance harmoniously within your core, forming a dynamic, stable, yet infinitely potential-filled balanced structure. Its form is constantly changing, but its core cyclical rules remain eternally constant.

The insights and cultivation secrets of the "Thousand Winds Resonance Method" flowed into Evan's mind.

A flash of understanding crossed his eyes; he now had a clear direction on how to condense the Heart of Wind. "Thank you, sir."

Leo Thorns stepped forward and bowed to the Sage of Life, Elune Greenleaf. His question was full of aggression and vitality: "Sage! The heart of the Bloodthirsty Thorns that I envision is full of predatory vitality, but it is too extreme, lacking internal circulation and sustainability, and is prone to collapse due to excessive plundering during ascension."

How can we integrate "nurturing" and "cycle" into extreme plundering to achieve a "symbiotic heart of thorns"?

His aggressive life path has hit a bottleneck.

The wise man's voice carried a hint of consideration: "Plunder and giving are not opposites. Your thorns should not only be a means of taking, but should also be part of the ecosystem."

To understand the balance between strangulation and symbiosis in the forest.

Try to divide your core into a "plunder zone" and a "nourishment zone." Practice the "Life Echo" technique to feed back and purify the life force you've plundered, using it to nourish your core and even feed back into the surrounding environment, forming a brutal yet stable internal cycle. Let your thorns bloom with the flowers of life amidst the carnage.

The secrets of the Life Echo Technique entered Leo's mind. A fighting spirit ignited in his eyes: "The cycle of plunder and nourishment—I understand! Thank you, Sage!"

Chloe Lightforged, the chosen one of the Star Towers, stepped forward and bowed deeply to Aaron Starpath, the Lord of the Stars.

Her question, however, was unexpectedly tinged with seriousness: "Your Excellency, the 'Star Core' I envisioned is pure and powerful, but its connection to the starry sky is too close, making it susceptible to indirect influences from disturbances in distant star realms, leading to instability in the core."

How can we filter and shield against harmful interstellar clutter without severing our connection with space, thus ensuring the purity and stability of the core?

She sensed a deeper danger, a problem concerning core defense and purity.

The light of the Lord of the Stars rippled slightly, growing ever more solemn: "The vast universe is not just about brilliance. Construct a star filter barrier," based on your soul's wavelength, building multiple layers of filters to allow only stable stellar power that resonates with you to flow into your core.

Alternatively, one could seek out rare materials such as "Silent Stardust" and "Void Amber," and fuse them into the core to naturally shield against harmful fluctuations.

Practicing the "Mind-Star Harmony Technique" purifies your connection with a specific constellation or ruling planet, reducing uncontrollable pan-astronomical connections and significantly minimizing noise interference. However, this will also limit the breadth of your future access to stellar power.

"

The method of integrating the "Mind-Star Synchronization Technique" and the construction of the Star Filter Barrier, along with related material information, into Chloe's consciousness.

She bowed deeply: "Thank you, Holy One, the Starry Tower will remember you."

Finally, it was Kate's turn to lead the standings, with an absolute advantage—all eyes were instantly on her!

Kate stepped forward calmly, her gaze sweeping over the three legendary incarnations. Her choice was unwavering, settling firmly on Elune Greenleaf, the Sage of Life.

He took a deep breath, his voice clear and steady: "Thank you for the opportunity given to me by the three gentlemen. I, Kate, in the name of the apprentice of the Hand of Life, after careful consideration, wish to follow the path of the Ring of Life and request the guidance of the Sage of Life."

This choice makes perfect sense. His core path aligns best with that of the Sage of Life, while the Shadow Path of the Night King is incompatible with his development direction. Moreover, possessing the Seed of Origin and focusing on his own analysis and deduction, he does indeed have reservations about the Starry Sky Temple path, which relies excessively on prophecy and external revelation.

A smile of immense satisfaction and appreciation appeared on the face of the Sage of Life, a smile that contained boundless vitality and wisdom.

"good!"

The voice of the Sage of Life resounded through Wizard Phili, deeper than before, filled with the resonance of the laws of life.

"Kate, your choice and your achievements are deeply appreciated. As an apprentice, you have accumulated over 10,000 points and stood out from the crowd. Such talent, temperament, and perseverance are unparalleled in hundreds of years."

The path you are exploring, the concept of "Reincarnation Nursery," has boundless potential that cannot be contained by ordinary traditions.

The promotion dilemma you face is by no means a single problem, but rather involves a systemic sublimation of life, space, and even the very essence of the soul.

Upon hearing this, everyone held their breath. The Sage of Life actually spoke so highly of Kate!

The Sage of Life continued, making a startling promise: "Kate, I, Elune Greenleaf of the Circle of Life, hereby grant you my right to be my disciple!"

"Whoa—!" An uncontrollable gasp rang out in the hall. A legendary disciple!

Although it was said to be possible before the trial, the legend's personal promise still made the other wizard apprentices envious and gossipy.

The voice of the Sage of Life suppressed the clamor: "Because my true form is still at the edge of the astral plane harmonizing a large-scale elemental tide, I am unable to come in person for the time being. Once this matter is resolved, I will send an avatar carrying a portion of my will and power to your side."

"At that time, you will receive:

Firstly, the legendary resources passed down through generations include the complete sequel to the "Life Origin Star Chart" meditation method, fragments of the "World Tree Core" to nourish your immortal roots, Void Crystal Cores to stabilize your spatial nursery, and various rare materials, potions, and secret treasures.

Secondly, a month of personal instruction: My avatar will accompany you for a month, systematically explaining the key points of the integration of the laws of life and space, answering all your doubts on your path of cultivation, personally guiding you to perfect the "Reincarnation Nursery", and making full preparations for your upcoming advancement to a formal wizard.

Thirdly, the protection of the Dharma Master: Once you are ready, I will protect you and ensure that your process of building your mental image and advancing to a formal wizard is flawless, and guide you to build the most solid foundation.

Fourthly, needs will be met: During this period, I will do my best to meet any reasonable needs you have for your spiritual practice.

Each promise is more astonishing than the last! A month of legendary personal guidance for the advancement of a protector! This treatment far surpasses any previous individual consultation!

Kate was filled with excitement, but he suppressed his emotions, bowed deeply, and said in a steady and respectful voice, "Thank you, teacher. Your disciple Kate will live up to your expectations."

He did not ask any specific questions, because his status as a direct disciple of a legendary figure meant that he would receive systematic and comprehensive guidance that went far beyond the answer to a single question.

All his confusion will be perfectly resolved in the upcoming one-on-one instruction. That in itself is the best answer.

The Sage of Life nodded in satisfaction, and then the figures of the three legendary avatars slowly faded and finally disappeared into the hall.

The atmosphere in the hall remained tense for a long time. Everyone knew that a true genius had gained wings to soar, and Kate would surely have a place in the future wizarding world.