Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

The coldness of the Forgotten Stream did not wash away all traces.

Although the tracking ice spikes that Kane finally injected into Ella's shoulder were neutralized by the moonlight moss purification fluid, the residual necrotic frost energy clung to her like a leech, creating a strange resonance with the already restless iron-corroding fungus within Ella's body.

The mycelium spread through the silver-gray metal skeleton, creating cracked patterns, and each pulsation released a bone-chilling cold that eroded her nerves.

Chen Lin's right arm was also in bad shape. He forcibly unleashed the Bloodthirsty Vine to fight against Kane, and then soaked in the stream containing inert life particles. A series of empty burning pains came from the depths of the dark gold patterns. The purifying radiance of the Moonlight Moss seemed unable to completely soothe the thirst that came from the source.

"We must... leave the riverbank..." Ella's voice trailed off as her mechanical eye scanned the surrounding gray-white mist.

"Kane's Icethorn... its residual energy... like a lighthouse... will attract... the 'scavengers' of the Pale Woods..."

Chen Lin understood what she meant.

The monsters roaming the mist in the Pale Woods, twisted by necromantic energy, are extremely sensitive to any unusual or new energy fluctuations.

He carried the nearly exhausted Ella on his back and trudged into the depths of the woodland covered with thick undead moss.

The soft humus underfoot absorbed the sound of footsteps, and the huge, gray-white ancient trees stood like silent tombstones, their twisted branches stretching out under the leaden sky, casting suffocating shadows.

The days that followed were a silent trek and a brutal test of survival.

There are always ill-intentioned eyes in the fog.

The incorporeal vengeful spirits, like cold, damp air, try to creep into the cracks of the mind, inducing despairing illusions.

Chen Lin had to keep activating the Moonlight Moss Amulet, its faint silver glow struggling to create a small patch of spiritual sanctuary in the dense necromantic environment.

The Seed of Origin operated wildly, analyzing the energy fluctuations of the vengeful spirits and guiding Chen Lin to use the life force of the Blood-Devouring Vine to counteract it, like a torch waving in the darkness, briefly dispelling the chill.

Ella's prosthetic eye acted like a precise radar, providing early warning of the more dangerous spiritual aggregates gathering in the fog and guiding Chen Lin to take a detour.

Some pale ancient trees, completely corrupted by necromantic energy, came to life as terrifying "Wailing Treemen".

They move slowly, yet their roots spread silently beneath the humus layer, suddenly bursting forth to entangle their prey, while the hollows in their trunks emit soul-devouring wails.

In one encounter, Chen Lin was dragged toward a tree trunk by his ankle entangled by tough roots. Ignoring the excruciating pain in her left arm, Ella unleashed the iron-corroding fungus under the stimulation of necromantic energy, unleashing an even stronger metal-corroding force. The alloy wrist blade, with its grayish metallic luster, ruthlessly severed the roots, at the cost of the fungal hyphae eroding upwards an inch further.

The dense necromantic energy of the Pale Woods is both highly toxic and a catalyst for iron-corroding fungi.

In an attempt to combat the "poison," the mycelium became unusually active and greedy, frantically draining Ella's remaining life force and eroding her spine and brain.

The secondary life essence concentrate that Chen Lin provided every day was like a drop in the ocean.

Ella's face grew paler and paler, the light of her mechanical eye flickered, and the metal parts from her left shoulder to her left chest were covered with spiderweb-like gray-white ice cracks. Every breath she took was accompanied by the hissing sound of metal rubbing together.

The Blood-Devouring Vine on Chen Lin's right arm was also restless due to the lack of high-quality life energy replenishment. The suppressive effect of the Moonlight Moss was weakening, and the dark gold patterns were throbbing uneasily under the skin, exuding a thirst for flesh and blood.

The only hope lies in the direction pointed to by the decoded "Report on the Origin of Abyssal Fungi" deep within Ayra's mechanical brain—the "Evergreen Barrier" outpost on the northeastern edge of the Pale Woods.

That was the bridgehead for the "Hand of Life" organization to penetrate deep into this land of death.

Relying on Ella's remaining fragments of memory and her mechanical eye's analysis of the earth's ley line energy flow, they struggled through the mist and skeletons.

On the seventh day, when Chen Lin used his last bit of strength to split open a curtain of hanging thorns covered with paralyzing poison, the sight before him made him gasp for breath.

The gray mist thinned here, and the leaden sky seemed to have been torn open, letting in a few pale but real rays of sunlight. In the center of a relatively open valley stood a building that seemed completely out of place with the deathly atmosphere of the pale woodland.

It was not a magnificent castle, but a wizard's tower built of huge, weathered black rocks.

The tower is not particularly tall, but it is exceptionally thick and sturdy, and its surface is covered with vibrant green vines.

These vines are not the bloodthirsty monsters of the thorn garden; their leaves are as warm and smooth as jade, exuding a gentle yet resilient life force, as if draping the cold black stone in a vibrant coat.

The tower's base was deeply embedded in the earth, with intricate runes faintly visible flickering between the vines.

The tower has no sharp observation deck at the top, but a dome-shaped structure made of naturally woven vines, resembling a flower bud, with a huge crystal at the top that emits a constant, warm green light.

Most striking is the middle section of the tower, where a clear emblem shines brightly amidst the surrounding vines—a hand made of pure energy, wrapped in ivy, steadily cradling a tender sprout breaking through the soil.

The Hand of Life! The Evergreen Barrier!

Hope, like a blazing warm current, instantly dispelled the chill and fatigue of the past few days.

Chen Lin was greatly encouraged and almost cheered.

He turned to look at Ella on his back. Her tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, and her mechanical prosthetic eye seemed to sense a familiar energy fluctuation, flashing a faint blue light.

However, just as they were about to step into the valley, a sudden change occurred!

"Hiss!"

A sharp, piercing screech tore through the air! Several gray shadows burst forth from a seemingly peaceful pile of bones beside the tower! They were three monsters resembling giant vultures, with exposed bones and rotting wing membranes—Rotting-winged Ghouls!

Their scarlet eyes were fixed on Chen Lin and Ella, especially the unusually delicious aroma emanating from Ella's left arm, a mixture of necrotic frost and iron-corroding fungi!

Clearly, they were predators drawn by this scent, lurking here in ambush!

The Rotting Winged Ghoul was incredibly fast, swooping down with a pungent stench of decay, its sharp bone claws aimed straight for Ella on Chen Lin's back! Chen Lin's old strength had just dissipated and new strength had not yet been generated, and the Bloodthirsty Vine, due to excessive suppression and weakness, was a beat too slow to react!

At the critical moment!

"Buzz—hum!"

A beam of emerald green light, as fast as lightning, shot out from an inconspicuous firing port on the middle level of the wizard tower!

The beam of light struck the head of the ghoul charging at the front with pinpoint accuracy!

There was no violent explosion, only a slight hissing sound. The ghoul's head instantly vaporized as if corroded by strong acid, and its massive body lost control, falling to the ground at an angle!

Immediately afterwards, two more green lights appeared!

The other two ghouls were also accurately shot in the head! Their corpses, emitting blue smoke, fell into the pile of bones, twitched a few times, and then remained still.

The tower door slid open silently a crack. A boy with a youthful face but wary eyes, dressed in a dark green apprentice's robe, appeared in the doorway. In his hand, he held a strangely shaped short staff, as if entwined with vines, the tip of which still retained a faint green glow.

His sharp gaze swept over Chen Lin and the unconscious Ella on his back. When he saw the menacing metal arm guard on Ella's left arm, wriggling with grayish-white mycelium, his pupils contracted sharply, and he subconsciously took a half step back, raising his short cane slightly, full of vigilance.

"Halt! Who are you? Why are you approaching the Evergreen Barrier with... the corruption of the Abyss?"

The boy's voice was tense, but he tried his best to remain calm.

Chen Lin immediately stopped and carefully placed Ella on the ground, while raising his hands to indicate that she was harmless.

He took a deep breath and said in as calm a voice as possible, "We come from the Thorn Garden, we are fugitives! Her name is Ella, a former fourth-class apprentice of the Hand of Life! She is infected by the Abyssal Iron-Eroding Fungus and needs your help! We have brought a token!"

He quickly took out the fragment of the jade wooden talisman from Ella's pocket—a shattered piece, only half remaining, with charred edges but still faintly glowing with life within—the remnants of the vine madness.

The boy's expression changed drastically the moment he saw the tattered talisman! He recognized this style!

This is a life-saving tool issued by the organization to high-ranking executors!

He quickly stepped forward, carefully sensing the residual, pure energy fluctuations unique to the Hand of Life on the talisman fragments. He then looked at Ella's body, fused with the machine and suffering greatly, and the wariness in his eyes was quickly replaced by shock and a trace of sympathy.

"Senior Sister Ella?...It really is...Abyssal Iron-Eroding Fungus..." the boy murmured, then immediately shouted into the tower, "Instructor Lina! Quick! There's a seriously wounded person! It's...it's one of ours! Carrying fragments of the vine swarm!"

Soon, a middle-aged witch dressed in a dark green robe, with a gentle demeanor but piercing eyes, strode out of the tower gate.

She immediately spotted Ella on the ground and the fragment of the talisman, and her expression instantly became extremely serious.

She crouched down, her fingertips glowing with vibrant emerald light, and gently touched Ella's forehead and the wound on her left arm.

"Life vessels severely damaged... Soul corrupted by both abyssal aura and necromantic energy... Deeply symbiotic mutation of iron-corroding fungi... And residual necromantic energy with frost attributes..."

The wizard Lina's brows furrowed more and more, but when she sensed the familiar primordial mark on the talisman fragment, a trace of regret and determination flashed in her eyes.

"Quickly! Carry him into the Purification Chamber! Activate the highest-level purification and life-sustaining array! Notify Grand Wizard Horn!"

Several people, also dressed in dark green apprentice robes, quickly stepped forward and carefully lifted Ella using a specially made vine stretcher.

Lina then turned her gaze to Chen Lin, who was exhausted but had a determined look in his eyes: "Young man, thank you for bringing our sister back. You are also badly injured. Come with me."

The moment Chen Lin stepped into the Evergreen Barrier, a warm, pure, and vibrant energy enveloped him.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, a stark contrast to the decaying, lifeless desolation of the pale woodland.

The tower's interior walls are covered in living, breathing moss that emits a soft green glow.

Chen Lin's tense nerves finally relaxed, and the restlessness of the Bloodthirsty Vine in his right arm was gently soothed in this environment.

He watched as Ella was quickly carried towards the upper levels of the tower, silently praying: Live on, Ella.

......

Just as Chen Lin and Ella stepped into the Evergreen Barrier, deep within the Thorn Garden, in Icethorn's private meditation room, the atmosphere was as cold as frost.

Kane knelt on one knee, his remaining right eye burning with resentful rage, and half of his body still bearing the marks of burns and mental shock from fighting the vine swarm and the Soul-Eating Bomb.

"Mentor! They've escaped into the Pale Woods! That experimental subject's Blood-Devouring Vine is strange; it can devour my Necromancer's Frost! And that traitor, Ella, she used a high-level artifact from the Hand of Life! We..."

"Enough, Kane." Icethorn's voice, as cold as ice, interrupted Kane's roar.

He stood by the window, his back to Kane, gazing at the still listless Chaos Vine outside.

He wasn't tall, but he exuded a chilling aura that made people's hearts tremble. The temperature in the entire meditation room dropped to freezing point, and thick white frost formed on the walls.

"You've done your best to avenge Derek." Icethorn slowly turned around, his face shrouded in the shadow of his low-hanging hood, revealing only his sharply defined jawline and a pair of emotionless, icy blue eyes.

However, continuing the pursuit comes at a cost far exceeding the benefits.

The Pale Woods are the hunting grounds of the Hand of Life; to venture in rashly is to wage war against both those hypocrites and the spirits of the woods.

Kane looked up abruptly: "But mentor! That test subject has enormous potential, and there's the abyssal fungus on Ella..."

"Potential?" Icethorn let out a cold sneer. "That's a poisonous fruit carefully cultivated by Vivian! Look at Chaos now!"

He pointed to the withered, yellowed vines outside the window, "Vivian's foundation is damaged, and she is eager to fill the gap with these containers, even at the cost of prematurely detonating them."

The boy escaped into the Pale Woods; his fate is unknown. Even if he survives, he will be closely monitored by the Hand of Life, becoming a thorn in Vivian's side that could turn against her at any moment.

He walked up to Kane, and the invisible pressure made Kane almost unable to breathe.

"Our target has never been one or two runaway apprentices. Vivian's power is waning, and undercurrents are stirring within the academy."

The unexpected attack on the Howling Rift consumed a significant portion of her reserves for suppression and investigation. This is precisely the crucial window of opportunity for us to accumulate strength and seize control of the Academy and its resource allocation!

Icethorn's fingertips condensed into a crystal-clear snowflake, exuding an aura of absolute zero, and gently pressed it onto Kane's injured shoulder.

The extreme cold instantly suppressed the burning pain in Kane's wounds and his boiling rage, and also calmed his fanatical mind.

Let Vivian and her "little fruit" entangle each other in the pale woods.

Kane, your power should be used in more important ways.

Concentrate resources to prepare for the challenge of becoming a formal wizard.

"Once you successfully advance, the resources of Thorn Garden, and even Vivian's position... will all be ours." Icethorn's voice carried an undeniable allure.

"A moment of patience is for a better future. Do you understand?"

The anger in Kane's eyes gradually subsided, replaced by a deeper yearning for power and submission to his mentor's ambition.

He lowered his head, his voice hoarse but firm: "Yes, mentor! I understand."

......

On the top floor of the Thorn Garden, Vivian stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, her fingertips gently stroking a newly sprouted vine shoot of the Chaos Vine, which had a strange dark golden hue.

The tender bud greedily sucked the pale golden essence blood seeping from her fingertips, trembling slightly.

A crystal ball floated beside her, clearly reflecting the outline of the Evergreen Fortress, even showing the vines and buds symbolizing the Hand of Life atop the tower. A fleeting image of Chen Lin and Ella entering the tower flashed by.

"Evergreen Barrier... Hand of Life..." Vivian's lips curled into a playful yet cold smile. "Truly... an unexpected surprise, my little fruit."

Behind her, a trusted wizard whispered a report: "Dean, it seems Icethorn has given up the pursuit. Kane has been recalled, and the energy fluctuations in the Everfrost Corridor are unusually active; they might be preparing something..."

"As expected."

Vivian didn't turn her head, her voice languid, "That old fox Icethorn, on the surface he's protective and impulsive, but he's actually the best at weighing pros and cons. He saw an opportunity, an opportunity... to seize more power while I'm 'weak'."

She applied slight pressure with her fingertips, and the tender vine bud emitted a soft, joyful hiss.

"Should we...?"

"No need," Vivian interrupted her confidante, her emerald eyes fixed on the white tower covered in vines inside the crystal ball, as if she could see through the walls to Chen Lin inside.

"Let them fight, let them struggle. Icethorn thinks my foundation is damaged and is eager to reap the harvest? Ha..." She chuckled, her laughter melodious but devoid of warmth.

"This fruit, number 78, is more interesting than I imagined. Not only did it fuse with the Bloodthirsty Vine, but it also unleashed a deeper potential during its escape, and even acquired the properties of the Forgotten Stream... What's even more amazing is that it fell into the hands of the Hand of Life."

Vivian's eyes gleamed with a calculating light. "Let the Hand of Life 'look after' him for me. Use their resources and their purification methods to help me... further cultivate this fruit. The mutation of the Abyssal Iron-Eroding Fungus and the Blood-Eating Vine symbiote... what kind of sparks will they ignite in an environment rich in life energy? It's truly something to look forward to..."

She turned and walked toward the three empty culture tanks in the center of the laboratory, her fingertips brushing against the cold glass walls.

"As for recovery...aren't there readily available nutrients right here?" Her gaze swept over the figures of several mediocre third-level apprentices toiling away in the bottom mine of the crystal ball, as if they were lambs to the slaughter.

"Initiate the secondary incubation program. Use these... consumables to stabilize Chaos's condition. Give our 'little fruit'... more time to grow."

Vivian's voice was gentle, yet it determined the fate of countless people: "When he was purified and healed by the hand of life, and perhaps even became stronger... when he thought he had finally rid himself of the thorns and embraced the light..."

She walked to the window and stroked the dark golden vine bud once more, her eyes greedy and deep.

"...That is the moment to reap the sweetest fruit. How can the mark of thorns be so easily erased? Your origin, your evolution, will eventually flow back into the veins of Chaos, becoming the foundation for me...to climb even higher peaks. Grow well, my dear...Subject 78."

In the laboratory, only the faint sound of the Chaos Vine sucking blood remained, and in the crystal ball, the emblem symbolizing life and hope atop the Evergreen Barrier tower shimmered quietly at the edge of the pale woodland.