Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Inside the evergreen fortress's pure and serene chamber, a gentle yet powerful life energy, like a tangible warm current, fills every corner.

The living moss covering the walls emitted a pure green light, and the vines hanging from the dome acted like natural IV tubes, slowly infusing the essence of life into Ayla's body on the central crystal platform.

Complex runic arrays flowed across the ground, walls, and dome, forming layers of purification and repair fields that stubbornly resisted the deep-seated abyssal iron-corroding fungi and necrotic frost.

Chen Lin sat on the cold stone bench outside the Pure Life Gate. The Bloodthirsty Vine patterns on his right arm, enveloped by the rich life energy of the barrier, presented an unprecedented tranquility.

But this calm is not tranquility; it is more like a dormant state after being forcibly suppressed by a powerful external force.

He could clearly feel that the bloodthirsty instinct deep within the vines had not disappeared. On the contrary, nourished by the pure life energy, it was like a seed planted in fertile soil, harboring an even stronger and purer... hunger.

The Seed of Origin projects a cold analysis into consciousness:

[Symbiotic State: Bloodvine (Fused with Forgotten Stream Ability - Stable Phase)]

[Energy Level: Peak of Level 3 Apprentice (Critical Breakthrough Point)]

[Core Requirement: High-purity life/flesh essence (Current environment satisfaction: 70%, significant suppression effect)]

[Potential Risk: A high-concentration bio-energy environment may accelerate the evolution of the symbiote. Breaking through the critical point requires higher-order energy/flesh to sustain it; otherwise, the risk of backlash will increase dramatically.]

[Seed of Origin Status: Energy abundant, analysis efficiency increased by 15%, no external spiritual imprints detected]

"No residual mark detected..." Chen Lin murmured to himself, his fingertips unconsciously brushing across the dark gold patterns on his right arm.

Escaping the thorn garden and breaking free from Vivian's mark and surveillance should have been the greatest relief. But now, a deeper unease entwined around him like vines.

Is the Seed of Origin, the cheat code he relied on for survival and to have traveled through time, truly a pure talent? When he was struggling at the bottom of the Thorn Garden, it was like a lighthouse in the darkness.

But now, standing in this White Wizard's Fortress filled with goodwill and life energy, the cold, almost absolutely rational analytical ability of the Seed of Origin, as well as its subtle understanding and optimized guidance of the Blood-Eating Vine, sent a chill down his spine.

He knew that the Seed of Origin needed to devour evil energy to evolve. Now that he had a chance to catch his breath, he calmed down, but some other thoughts surfaced in his mind.

The aura of the Soul Tree seed that Vivian sensed when she detonated her Stand in the Rift Valley was too perfect in its simulation of the Primal Seed... Was this merely a coincidence, or... was it somehow connected to Vivian's plan in some unknown way?

Is its ability to analyze all things, devour evil thoughts, and suppress demonic plants part of some larger experiment? Am I the controller, or... a more sophisticated vessel? After all, this cheat ability of mine didn't come with me when I transmigrated.

"Mr. Chen Lin?" A gentle voice interrupted Chen Lin's thoughts. The wizard Lina was already standing in front of him. Her dark green robe was stained with a few traces of light gray left from the conflict between the purifying energy and the abyss aura. Her face showed obvious fatigue, but her eyes were still gentle and sharp.

"Ella's condition has stabilized for the time being. The 'Fountain of Life' of the barrier and the highest-level purification array have suppressed the spread of the fungus and the erosion of the necrotic frost. Her core consciousness has shown signs of recovery under the stimulation of powerful life energy."

Chen Lin immediately stood up: "Witch Lina, she..."

Lina gently raised her hand, gesturing for him to sit down. She then sat down on the stone chair beside her, her gaze complex as she looked at the tightly closed door of the purification chamber. "It's bad, worse than I expected."

The abyssal iron-corroding fungus has become deeply symbiotic with over 60% of her mechanical components and has begun to erode her spinal nerve interfaces and some brain tissue replacement units.

The necromantic frost energy injected into her body resonated with the abyssal properties of the fungus in a strange and unsettling way, creating a complex form of icy corruption that greatly increased the difficulty and risk of purification.

She paused, her voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of sorrow and deep regret: "Ella... she was once one of my best and most promising students."

A fourth-class apprentice, just one step away from becoming a full-fledged wizard. She was intelligent, decisive, and possessed an unwavering faith in the Hand of Life. That mission to hunt down the Flesh Thief… we underestimated the target's madness and the terrifying corruption of the Abyss.

She could have become a vital pillar of the organization in the Pale Woods, perhaps even a future member of the Elders... instead of what she is now...

Lina didn't finish her sentence, but Chen Lin could feel the heavy regret in her voice. A promising elite, because of a failed mission, was transformed into a killing machine in the Thorn Garden, and now she dragged her broken body back to her old home, struggling on the edge of life and death.

"We are trying an unconventional approach," Lina's voice grew serious. "Using the immense vitality of the Fountain of Life, combined with an ancient 'consciousness anchoring' technique, we are attempting to temporarily strip away Ella's remaining, uncontaminated core consciousness and upload it to the spiritual network of the 'Guardian Tree' within the barrier."

This isn't a long-term solution; it's more like preserving the last vestige of her existence before her body completely collapses. Meanwhile, we will continue researching methods to isolate or suppress the abyssal fungi.

"Consciousness uploaded?" Chen Lin's heart skipped a beat. This meant that Ella might lose her body forever and become a...digital ghost?

"This is currently the only way to prevent her 'self' from being completely corrupted."

Lina's eyes held an unwavering resolve. "The cost is enormous, but it's worth the try. Her mechanical brain may still contain crucial information about the Thorn Garden, the Abyssal Iron-Corroding Fungus, and even the special symbiote within you. This is vital for us, for the entire front against the darkness."

Chen Lin remained silent.

Even in the eyes of the Hand of Life, Ella's value is not merely that of a "sister who needs to be saved."

"As for you, Mr. Chen Lin," Lina's gaze turned to him, becoming scrutinizing and profound, "the Archmage Horn wishes to see you."

The core area of ​​the Evergreen Fortress is not located at the top of the tower, but deep underground. Chen Lin followed Lina down a spiraling staircase formed naturally by giant tree roots, into a vast underground space.

This place felt like another world. The dome was woven from countless massive tree roots, thick and radiating a soft white light, like an inverted forest.

In the center, an ancient tree of indescribable size stands silently, its trunk possessing a warm, jade-like texture, flowing with emerald light like a galaxy—this is the guardian tree of the barrier, and the core of the source of life.

The air was filled with an intense, almost palpable, life force—pure, ancient, and vast—causing the Bloodthirsty Vine patterns on Chen Lin's right arm to emit a comfortable, slight hum, greedily absorbing the dissipating energy.

Three people stood under the ancient tree.

The leader was an elderly man with white hair and beard, a kind face, and eyes that seemed to see through one's soul.

He wore a simple linen robe and held a wooden staff wrapped with tender green vines. He exuded a gentle yet unfathomable aura that was the same as that of the ancient trees—the High Wizard Horn, the highest-ranking official of the Hand of Life in the Pale Woods region.

To his left was a middle-aged male wizard with a serious face and sharp, hawk-like eyes. His robe was embroidered with a complex leaf vein emblem representing high-level healing and purification specialization—Glen Wizard, the chief healer and master of life magic of the Bulwark.

On the right is a female wizard with a cool and aloof demeanor and eyes like those of a precision instrument. Her robes are adorned with tiny gears and runes, and she holds a crystal model with an ever-changing structure floating in her hand—Witch Evelyn, the master of the golem construction and energy system of the Barrier.

"Welcome to the Roots Hall, Mr. Chen Lin." Archmage Horn's voice was gentle, like the whisper of an ancient tree, directly soothing the soul and causing Chen Lin's tense nerves to relax involuntarily.

"Thank you for taking me in, Archmage Horn." Chen Lin bowed respectfully, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.

"Ella is our lost child. You did a good job bringing her back." Horn's gaze fell on Chen Lin, his gentle eyes seeming to penetrate flesh and look directly at the Blood-Eating Vine on his right arm and the Seed of Origin deep in his consciousness.

"Lina has already reported your situation. The fugitive from Thorn Garden, who fused with the Bloodvine core fragment, possesses a unique talent for plant control and analysis... and there's also the troublesome Abyssal Iron-Eroding Fungus within Ella. Your experience is nothing short of legendary."

"Just lucky," Chen Lin replied cautiously.

"A fluke?" Wizard Glenn spoke coldly, his hawk-like gaze locking onto Chen Lin's right arm. "The Blood-Eating Vine is the signature ferocious magical plant of the Thorn Garden. Even after fusing with its core fragments, it can still maintain its sanity and can even devour the necromancy... This is by no means a fluke."

The symbiote within you is in a very special state, its energy level approaching the critical point of a fourth-level wizard apprentice. In this environment brimming with life energy, it's like a seed planted in fertile soil, poised to sprout at any moment and bring unpredictable consequences.

His words went straight to the heart of the matter, carrying the keen insight unique to therapists and a hint of instinctive vigilance toward the abnormal.

The crystal model of the wizard Evelyn spun rapidly, projecting a complex energy flow pattern, which clearly outlined the energy contour of the Blood-Eating Vine on Chen Lin's right arm and simulated its interaction with the life energy field of the barrier.

"Energy compatibility analysis... There is a potential conflict between the life essence of the Blood-Eating Vine and the barrier life field. The current suppression effect depends on the advantage of the environmental energy level. When an individual's energy exceeds the critical point or encounters high-intensity stimulation, the risk of loss of control is estimated at 47.3%." Her voice was devoid of emotion, as if she were reading an experimental report.

High Wizard Horn raised his hand slightly, signaling Glenn and Evelyn to remain calm.

He looked at Chen Lin, his gaze still gentle, yet containing an undeniable insight: "Mr. Chen Lin, there's no need to be nervous. The Hand of Life believes in the balance between life and order, and will not easily deny a soul because of its source of power. We have seen the efforts and risks you have taken to save Ella. Your special talent is a precious power to fight against darkness and analyze corruption."

He paused, his tone turning serious: "But honesty is the foundation of cooperation. The Bloodvine within you is a tremendous power, but also a tremendous threat. It originates from the dark cultivation of the Stranglethorn Garden, and its inherent bloodlust and predatory nature are fundamentally different from our path. We will not see you as a tool or a threat like the Stranglethorn Garden did, but we need to ensure that this power does not get out of control, does not jeopardize the peace of the stronghold, and does not push Ella into an even more dangerous situation."

"We need to conduct a more in-depth observation, assessment, and necessary...guidance on you and the symbiote within you."

Horn's voice carried an elder's tolerance, yet also contained the organization's principles: "During this period, you will be protected by the barrier and can use basic cultivation resources, but your activities will be temporarily limited to designated safe areas. We will arrange for Wizard Glenn to assist you in stabilizing your symbiote state, while Wizard Evelyn will conduct basic research on the harmlessness of your plant control and analysis talents in order to find a safer symbiote control solution."

At the same time, we need you to provide as much detail as possible about the Thorn Garden, Vivian, and your own fusion process. This is not only about your safety, but also about Ella's healing, and even more so about our overall strategy to combat the darkness of the Thorn Garden.

Chen Lin's heart sank, carrying a complex mix of relief and uncertainty. The protection of the hand of life was not unconditional acceptance, but rather an observation period accompanied by scrutiny, research, and control.

They saw his value, but they were also wary of the "dark seeds" within him.

He raised his head to meet the deep gaze of Archmage Horn: "I understand. I am willing to be observed and guided, and to fully cooperate by providing all the information I know. I have only one request—please, please save Ella."

High Wizard Horn smiled gently. "Of course. Ella is family. Go, Lina will arrange accommodations for you. Remember, Evergreen Fortress is a sanctuary, but order and balance are the foundation of our existence."

Led by Lina, Chen Lin left the Hall of Roots. As he stepped out of the archway formed by the coiled roots of a giant tree, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of a hanging aerial root of the ancient tree, emitting a soft glow, which seemed to unconsciously and very slightly avoid the direction of his right arm.

Inside the Purification Chamber, Ella, who was unconscious, suddenly convulsed violently.

On the surface of the purifying cocoon covering her left arm, a faint, almost imperceptible dark gold pattern, like ink dropped into water, flashed by in the pure emerald light.

Beneath her mechanical prosthetic eye, a stream of encrypted data originating from the Thorn Garden's core laboratory, doubly sealed by abyssal fungi and necromantic frost, seemed to... loosen for a moment under the impact of the barrier's powerful life energy.