Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Chapter 102 Return

The soft glow of the Emerald City was gradually left behind as the six members of the Emerald Peak Alliance followed the figure of Archmage Horn, who exuded a powerful life force, and stepped into the stable teleportation array leading to the Evergreen Barrier.

After a brief moment of dizziness from the flashing light and spatial shift, a familiar and welcoming aura wafted over – a blend of the fragrance of countless magical plants, fertile soil, and the unique purifying barrier of the fortress.

Suddenly, the view opened up before them, and they found themselves standing on the ground paved with huge, activated bluestone slabs in the central teleportation plaza of the Evergreen Fortress.

Meanwhile, a large number of people were already waiting in the square.

Leading the group were several core high-ranking members of the Barrier.

Glenn, the mentor, whose simple robes could not conceal his profound aura, wore a gratified smile; beside him was Evelyn, the master golem builder, whose sharp gaze swept over everyone, lingering for a moment on Kate before giving a slight nod; there were also several other department heads and a group of curious Barrier apprentices watching.

However, the most eye-catching figure was standing next to Mentor Glenn, a tall man with fiery red hair, grinning broadly—Rhodes!

"Evan! Sophia! Kate! You guys are finally back!" Rhodes' voice boomed, filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and the joy of a long-awaited reunion. He strode forward, first giving Evan a hard punch on the shoulder, then exchanging a fist with Sophia, and finally looking at Kate with a complex expression that ultimately turned into a sincere hug. "Kate! Well done! I heard you're a big hero for our stronghold now!"

A smile appeared on Evan's usually composed face as he playfully punched Rhodes in return: "Looks like you've recovered well; the power of your 'Flame Fist' hasn't diminished."

Sofia's rock-like face softened, and she joked, "Without you carrying the load, we had to work much harder this time."

Although Kyle and Serena remained silent, a hint of warmth appeared in their eyes as they nodded to Rhodes.

Elena smiled, her silver eyes sparkling, and said softly, "It seems you haven't been idle these past few days; you've made considerable progress, Rhodes."

"Hehe, I'm still a bit worse than you guys, but I'm already at the peak of level 4, so I guess I'm qualified to move forward."

At this moment, Instructor Glenn's gentle voice rang out: "Children, welcome home. Archmage Horn has already informed you of your performance in the Tower of Trials. Not only did everyone pass, but Kate achieved an unprecedentedly brilliant result, ranking among the top three on the leaderboard, bringing unparalleled glory to our Evergreen Fortress!"

A chorus of suppressed gasps and exclamations erupted around them. Top three on the leaderboard! Every Barrier Realm apprentice knew what this meant! It was proof of being the most outstanding genius in the Southern Region, a stepping stone to the path of legend!

Evelyn, the mentor, also spoke up: "Your growth has far exceeded expectations, especially your teamwork and crisis management skills. The Green Summit Alliance truly lives up to its name."

Archmage Horn smiled, looking at the group of young people he had personally sent out. His gaze finally settled on Kate, his voice resonant and gratified: "Kate, your performance has earned the Stronghold invaluable resources it hasn't received in centuries. All the expenses you need to advance to a formal wizard will be provided free of charge. The Sage of Life has bestowed his will upon you, accepting you as his personal disciple. Once you advance to a formal wizard, you can choose to stay in the Southern Region to continue your training, or you can choose to go to the Central Continent. With the Sage's protection, your path to becoming a wizard will be even smoother. This is an honor our Evergreen Stronghold has never enjoyed in centuries!"

"The Sage of Life?!" This time, even Mentor Glenn and Mentor Evelyn showed expressions of shock.

The surrounding apprentices were in an uproar, their gazes towards Kate filled with disbelief, awe, and envy. A Sage of Life—a great being standing at the pinnacle of the entire Southern Region, and indeed, the wider world!

Just then, a clear, cool, and uniquely magnetic female voice rang out: "Hmph, I, Liria, will not be stingy with someone the Sage of Life has taken a liking to."

The crowd parted, and Potions Master Lyria walked slowly forward. She was still dressed in a neat, dark green robe, her face refined yet aloof, but at this moment, her eyes held obvious satisfaction and a hint of barely perceptible admiration.

She walked straight up to Kate, scrutinized him sharply from head to toe, and nodded: "Not bad. Your spiritual power is refined, your foundation is solid, and your understanding of space and life is beginning to take shape. It seems that what you gained from the trial far exceeded your expectations. Now that you have become a disciple of the sage, your future is limitless."

She paused, her tone calm yet revealing a startling truth: "As agreed, I would temporarily manage the Green Vine Workshop to help you accumulate resources. Now that you have returned and achieved far more than we anticipated, the workshop should naturally be returned to its rightful owner. This is all the net profits the workshop has generated over the past year."

She handed over a heavy mithril coin pouch engraved with spatial runes, and a green vine emblem symbolizing ownership of the workshop.

"Furthermore," Liria added, her tone still calm, yet eliciting another murmur, "the potion formulas you designed and improved are selling extremely well, generating substantial profits. According to the rules of the barrier, improvers are entitled to continuous dividends. From now on, your dividends will be delivered to you on time every year. Make good use of these resources and don't waste your talent and the sage's favor."

Kate was deeply moved. She accepted the storage bag and emblem, and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Instructor Liria! But according to our previous agreement, you are entitled to 9% of the profits from the Green Vine Workshop for the past three years. This was clearly stated in our original agreement. Such a generous gift... Moreover, I am still your disciple. Becoming a disciple of the Sage of Life without your permission, I really cannot accept your kindness..."

Liria gently helped Kate up with both hands, smiling. "Kate, your performance has proven your talent and ability. I just have higher hopes for you and am investing a little more in you. After spending more than half a year together in the Fortress, I've become familiar with your character, and I believe you won't let me down. As for the master-disciple relationship, wizards don't value it that much. What we value more is whether it's beneficial to our own development. Besides, there was actually a different meaning behind taking you as my disciple in the first place. Of course, now that you've been accepted as a disciple by the Sage of Life, none of that matters anymore. I trust my judgment."

Kate wanted to say something more, but was stopped by Liria. "No need to say anything more. If you have something to say, wait until you become a full-fledged wizard. Right now, you really need these resources. To me, these magic stones are just like chicken bones, dispensable."

He knew that this was not just resources, but also a weighty recognition and investment.

Master Liria may seem aloof, but her past investments and support for Kate have given Kate a unique warmth, much like the kind elders who dedicated themselves to teaching students without expecting anything in return during her time at school before she transmigrated.

Rhodes watched in stunned silence, clicking his tongue and saying, "Good heavens—Kate, you've really struck it rich! Green Vine Workshop is now a magic stone tree that produces magic stones! I heard that its monthly income has reached a stable 5000 magic stones or more. Carlos even told me that if we couldn't get our goods directly from your Green Vine Workshop, some of our previously best-selling potions would have become unsellable."

Evan chuckled and patted Rhodes on the shoulder: "Kate earned it through her own strength. It was founded by Kate, and after being personally developed by Master Liria, how could it not be strong?" Sophia nodded in agreement.

The others in the Green Crown Alliance were also genuinely happy for Kate.

They've been through life and death together, their bond is unbreakable. Kate's rise also means that their group's future potential will be even greater.

Elena said softly, "Congratulations, junior Kate." Kyle and Serena also cast congratulatory glances their way.

A warm feeling welled up in Kate's heart. He looked at his companions, his mentors, and the great wizard Horn, and finally said with a firm gaze, "Without fighting side by side with my seniors and supporting each other in this trial, Kate would never have been able to make it to the end. These resources are also the result of our joint efforts."

His words touched Evan, Sophia, and the others, making them even more convinced of their junior's abilities.

High Wizard Horn stroked his beard and smiled with satisfaction: "Not arrogant or impatient, and knowing how to be grateful, very good."

Archmage Horn continued with a smile, "Alright, you must all be tired. Go back and rest well. You can come to my office in three days to discuss your detailed gains and insights from this trial. The Barrier will provide appropriate rewards and support based on your performance."

"Yes! Thank you, mentor! Thank you, Grand Wizard!" the crowd responded in unison, bowing to their respective mentors and Grand Wizard Horn.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, Kate chatted with her friends for a while longer, promising to meet again in the future, before returning to their respective homes.

Kate didn't immediately return to her treehouse. Instead, clutching the green vine emblem and the heavy coin bag, she went to the edge of the relatively quiet platform.

In the distance, the direction of the Pure Life Chamber on the upper level of the Evergreen Barrier is lush and full of life.

In his hands, it seemed, lay resources powerful enough to change the fate of many. Furthermore, his status as a direct disciple of a legendary wizard made him a true Celestial Dragon within the Evergreen Barrier.

But deep down, his heart was set on an original goal: his companions who had escaped the Thorn Garden with him. Although he had initially appeared eager to heal Ella in order to gain the Bastion's trust and establish a foothold there.

The experience of sharing hardships in the Pale Woods was real. At the very least, we should save her and fulfill our promise to live and die together and escape the Thorn Garden safely.

"Ella—" Kate murmured to herself, her eyes gentle yet firm.

As his spiritual power sank into his spiritual sea, the fragment of the Immortal Root floated quietly at the core of the Time-Space Nursery, radiating a gentle yet powerful aura of life essence.

The cold, analytical stream of the Seed of Origin operated silently, and combined with his deeper understanding of the rules of life and the resources he now possessed, a detailed and feasible plan quickly took shape:

[Treatment Target: Ella (Soul Trauma, Depletion of Life Force)]

[Core Solution: Using the Life Source Crystal as the core and the activity of the Root of Immortality as the catalyst, construct the "Life Source Ritual"]

Required materials:

Main materials: Life Source Crystal (trace amount required, already available), Root of Immortality (sufficient quantity, already available)

Auxiliary materials: High-grade Soul-Soothing Grass (stabilizes the soul, needs to be purchased), Moonlight Essence (purifies spiritual power, needs to be purchased), Soul-Nourishing Magical Plants (such as Concentration Flower, needs to be purchased), Custom-made Soul Container (guides and stabilizes, needs to be entrusted to Instructor Evelyn or Barrier Craftsman Master).

Environment: High-concentration life energy environment (can be satisfied by the core of the Garden of Life or the Master Liria Laboratory)

Support: Requires at least one certified wizard protector proficient in both life and soul magic (Mentor Glenn or Archmage Horn are suitable)

[Resource Support: Qing Teng Workshop's revenue and dividends are sufficient to cover all auxiliary material procurement and customization costs.]

[Estimated success rate (current conditions): 78% (based on host's understanding of life rules, resource completeness, and guardian's strength)]

[Follow-up treatment: After the ritual is successful, the patient needs to be continuously nourished with diluted holy spring water and the aura of the root of immortality, supplemented with specific magical potions. Full recovery is expected within three months.]

The plan is clear and straightforward.

Kate took a deep breath, her heart filled with hope and motivation.

He looked at the emblem of ownership of the workshop returned by Master Liria in his hand. This was not only wealth, but also an important guarantee for saving Aila. The resources promised by Evergreen Barrier were mainly for the energy needed by the Kepp class. It was better to make up for the resources needed to save Aila out of his own pocket.

"It'll be soon, Ella." Kate looked into the distance, her gaze seemingly piercing through layers of leaves and buildings, and saw the mechanical girl lying on the hospital bed, her breath faint.

"I promised you I would save you. Now, I've found a way and have enough resources. Once I've prepared everything, you'll regain your health and feel the beauty of sunshine and life again."

Kate smiled and said, "As for your choices and future developments, let time decide."

.

The life-or-death struggle in the Trial Tower, the glorious ranking on the leaderboard, the favor of the Sage of Life, the return of the workshop —

All these achievements and gains seem to have a deeper meaning at this moment—they are all for the purpose of fulfilling that initial promise: to save a life that deserves to be saved.

At the very least, this was his initial motivation for going to the Southern Region Wizard Trial. As for his current gains, they were beyond his expectations and are the result of his hard work step by step.

In truth, Kate knew that treating Ella could at most restore her to the level of a third-level wizard apprentice and relieve her from the predicament of being corroded by the Abyssal Iron-Eroding Fungus. He himself had to continue moving forward.

Having possessed the Seed of Origin and already having one foot in the door of becoming a formal wizard, a significant gap had already formed between him and Ella. Allowing her to return to normal and continue on the path of wizardry was merely a way for him to fulfill his promise, settle a matter in his heart, and prepare for his undivided attention to strive for becoming a formal wizard.

Kate put away the emblem and coin pouch, then turned and walked towards Mentor Glenn's office. His first step was to discuss the possibility of a treatment plan with Mentor Liria and request her assistance.

Yes, he still called Liria by the title of mentor in his heart, which was a small detail of Kate repaying the investment in wizard Liria.

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