Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Inside the Purification Chamber of the Evergreen Barrier, Ella was enveloped in the emerald light of the Fountain of Life. The silvery-gray hyphae of the iron-corroding fungus were temporarily dormant under the purifying force field, like a venomous snake frozen in ice.

Chen Lin had quietly returned to his stone chamber.

The spiritual sea of ​​a fourth-level wizard apprentice is like a night sky cleansed by stardust. The golden roots of the Seed of Origin appear even more profound under the influence of the moon's essence. The cold core that analyzes the origin of all things operates more efficiently and precisely.

He stood by the window, the dark gold patterns on the Bloodthirsty Vine on his right arm pulsating gently—after advancing to the fourth-level wizard apprentice, the mental suppression of the Bloodthirsty Vine was as easy for Chen Lin as eating and drinking.

The rich life energy environment within the barrier was like fertile soil, nourishing this tamed and dangerous demonic plant, making it a powerful fighting force for Chen Lin, and bringing him peace and joy.

However, Chen Lin knew that this peace was temporary. The battlefield of the Southern Trial was fraught with danger, and Ella's condition was critical. He needed sharper weapons and more cunning methods.

"It's time to find you new companions." Chen Lin stroked the patterns on his arm and took out three emerald-colored seeds from his inner pouch. These were snake-patterned vine seeds he had collected during his escape from the Bone Rot Swamp, and the naturally formed snake-scale patterns on their surfaces gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the soft magical light of the barrier.

Unlike the initial contact with the seeds, which were extremely toxic and violent, these seeds, now perceived by the Seed of Origin, are like dormant venomous snakes, containing a ferocious potential waiting to be unleashed.

The chilling reminder from the Seed of Origin spread through my consciousness:

[Target: Snakevine Seeds]

[Characteristics Analysis: A potent neurotoxin that acts on the nervous system, blocking nerve signal transmission; a tough vine structure with strong physical binding force; moderate psychological pollution, with bloodlust and disordered instincts.]

[Host Symbiote Status: Bloodthirsty Vine (Level 4 Wizard Apprentice - Fusion Moonshadow Trait - Stable)]

[Integration Solution Demonstration:]

Core strategy: Suppressing the Bloodthirsty Vine's origin + Harmonizing with Tranquilizing Flower + Catalyzing with Barrier Life Energy

Optimization directions:

1. Toxin Refinement and Enhancement: Remove redundant hallucinogenic components, enhance nerve blocking efficiency, and attempt to add weak mental interference to disrupt the target's mental field.

2. Vines structure reinforcement: Inducing vine fibers to mutate towards higher toughness and elasticity, thereby improving physical binding and energy conduction efficiency.

3. Purification and Guidance of Mental Pollution: Utilize the calming properties of the Tranquilizing Flower to neutralize chaotic instincts, and use the Moonshadow Symbiosis property to guide bloodlust into control, releasing it during combat attacks.

Assessment: Toxin backlash, medium risk; psychological pollution infiltration, low risk; symbiotic energy conflict, low risk.

[Expected Gains: New talent, Neurotic Toxin; Lesser Entangling Vines upgraded to Bloodlust Poison Ivy Entanglement, adding paralysis and life-steal effects, increasing Blood Regeneration effect; Weak Mental Interference Field]

A glint of light flashed in Chen Lin's eyes.

The paralyzing toxin of the snake vine has been incredibly effective in previous battles. If it can be optimized and integrated, it will become an extremely dangerous trump card in his hands.

He took action immediately.

The laboratory's isolation barrier closed silently, temporarily isolating it from the abundant life energy of the outside world.

Chen Lin needs a relatively barren but controllable environment with abundant life energy to precisely guide the mutation direction of the snake vine.

He first took out three Silver Vein Tranquilizing Flower seeds that he had carefully cultivated.

This magical plant, with its silver-blue veined petals, exudes a gentle yet steadfast calming aura, serving as a key medium to neutralize the mental pollution caused by snake vine.

Guided by the Seed of Origin, Chen Lin carefully soaked the seeds of the Tranquilizing Flower in diluted Moonlight Moss Purifying Liquid, while also adding a few drops of his own blood.

Nourished by the purifying liquid and blood essence, the silver-blue petal veins emitted an even purer glow.

Next, Chen Lin placed the snake vine seeds into a specially made obsidian petri dish.

The bottom of the petri dish was engraved with fine runes, simulating the cold, damp, and slightly necromantic microenvironment of the edge of the bone swamp—the most comfortable original growing place for snake vines, which can maximize their activity.

"Step 1: Awakening and Inducing." Chen Lin cut his fingertip and dripped a drop of blood containing his own essence and the life force of the Blood-Devouring Vine into a petri dish.

The blood came into contact with the runes at the bottom of the obsidian and was instantly absorbed, transforming into an energy field carrying Chen Lin's spiritual imprint and the ferocious aura of the Blood-Devouring Vine, which enveloped the three snake-patterned vine seeds.

The scale-like patterns on the seed surface twitched slightly, as if a sleeping venomous snake had been awakened by the smell of blood.

Fine roots emerge from the tip of the seed, greedily absorbing the simulated swamp energy in the petri dish.

Chen Lin was completely focused, the Seed of Origin acting like the most precise probe, monitoring every energy change and gene expression within the seed.

When the snake vine seedlings broke through their shells and stretched out their first pair of emerald-colored cotyledons with tiny poisonous thorns, Chen Lin began the crucial grafting and harmonization process.

He transplanted a Silver Vein Tranquilizing Flower seedling, which had been prematurely grown to the appropriate stage using the Seed of Origin, its roots already soaked in the essence of blood, next to the Snake Vine seedling.

The roots of the two plants quickly came into contact in the specially prepared culture medium.

"Seed of Origin, guide the energy pathway," Chen Lin murmured to himself. Dark golden root phantoms extended in his consciousness, precisely piercing the energy cores of the two seedlings.

He guided the pure and calming spiritual energy of the Silver Vein Tranquilizing Flower, like a gentle stream, slowly flowing into the raging energy veins of the Snake Vine seedling.

A faint hissing sound echoed in the silent laboratory. The snake vine seedling trembled violently, and dark red spots representing chaotic instincts appeared on its emerald leaves, as it tried to resist the invasion of foreign energy.

The silvery-blue radiance of the Silver Vein Tranquilizing Flower stubbornly penetrates and spreads, like a gentle net, enveloping those restless dark reds.

Chen Lin timely activated the power of the optimized moonshine moss on the windowsill. Soft silver light penetrated the barrier and fell on the two seedlings.

The purifying power of the moonlight moss cannot directly suppress the chaos of the snake vine; it mainly acts as a catalyst, accelerating the fusion process between the calming energy of the tranquil flower and the essence of the snake vine, while suppressing any potential spiritual pollution.

This process lasted for three whole days.

Chen Lin, like a skilled bartender, carefully adjusted the proportions of the "ingredients": when the chaotic instincts of the snake vine became too intense, he increased the input of the calming flower's energy and the moonlight moss's silvery glow; when the snake vine's vitality declined, he injected a trace of his own essence and the life force of the blood-devouring vine to stimulate it.

Finally, a strange seedling appeared before our eyes.

Its main stem remains the emerald green of the snake vine, covered with fine, scaly patterns, but the edges of the leaves are shimmering with the silvery-blue halo unique to the calming flower. The vine itself has also become more supple, subtly revealing a restrained ferocity rather than primal chaos.

Seed of Origin: [Optimized Snake Vine seedling cultivation successful! Mental pollution purification level 85%, toxin purity increased by 40%, vine toughness increased by 25%].

Chen Lin moved the optimized snake vine seedlings to the core of the magic array in the center of the laboratory.

This is a composite contract array that he personally hand-drew, combining features of some of the dark runes from the Thorn Garden with those of the Barrier Life Array.

At the heart of the formation, there was a Silver Vein Tranquilizing Flower, which he had cultivated and which radiated a warm, silvery-blue luster—it would serve as a stabilizer and bridge for the fusion.

He sat down cross-legged, his right sleeve slipping down to his shoulder, revealing the dark gold, faintly pulsating patterns of the Bloodthirsty Vine.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Lin adjusted his state to its peak. His mental energy was like a calm lake, and the analytical data projection of the Seed of Origin carefully appeared before his eyes.

"start!"

He formed a hand seal to activate the magic circle.

A blend of dim and emerald light illuminated the optimized snake vine seedlings.

At the same time, Chen Lin guided the power of the Bloodthirsty Vine in his right arm, and a dark golden torrent of life with a fierce aura surged out of his arm, entered the magic array, and established a connection with the snake vine seedling!

"Hiss—!" The seedling seemed to sense the threat of its natural enemy and instantly sprang up!

The emerald-green vines grew wildly and twisted, their sharp, poisonous thorns gleaming with a deadly cold light, carrying a refined paralyzing toxin, as they viciously stabbed towards Chen Lin!

The silvery-blue halo on the surface of the vines fluctuated violently, revealing the ongoing struggle within.

Chen Lin neither dodged nor evaded, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes! The Bloodthirsty Vine patterns on his right arm instantly came to life, radiating a brilliant dark golden light!

Several tangible, dark gold vine phantoms burst forth from the arm, carrying an even more ancient and pure bloodlust and predatory will, like predatory pythons, precisely constricting the attacking emerald vines!

"Roar!" The will of the Blood-Devouring Vine roared silently in Chen Lin's mental sea, a natural suppression of a low-level existence by a high-level magical plant!

The struggle of the optimized snake vine was instantly stopped, and the jade vine groaned under the strangulation of the dark gold python.

Now! Chen Lin suddenly grabbed the Tranquilizing Flower in the center of the magic circle and crushed it with force!

The pure, silvery-blue sap, mixed with the shimmering light of the moon's essence, fell like sweet rain upon the two fiercely battling vine forces.

"Buzz—!"

A strange resonance resounded. The calming power of the Peace Flower played a crucial role.

This power, like a lubricant and a buffer, instantly penetrated into the core of the snake vine, calming its final rage and resistance. At the same time, it built a bridge of communication between the raging will of the blood-devouring vine and the essence of the snake vine.

Chen Lin felt a sharp, piercing pain in his right arm, like being stabbed by a thousand needles!

Each fusion is accompanied by cellular conflict and destruction, as new forces are forcibly integrated into his flesh and symbiotic structure!

He gritted his teeth and focused all his energy on the Seed of Origin, guiding this bloody yet intricate fusion.

The symbiotic's dark gold patterns, like greedy roots, burrowed deep into the essence of the optimized snake vine, following the channels opened by the Tranquilizing Flower and the Moon Shadow Essence.

This is a purposeful process of absorption, integration, and transformation.

The nerve-paralyzing toxin refined by the snake vine was absorbed and assimilated by the predatory nature of the blood-devouring vine, becoming part of its power; the tough vine structure genes of the snake vine were analyzed and optimized, strengthening the physical properties of the blood-devouring vine.

The remaining bloodthirsty and chaotic instincts of the snake vine after its purification were perfectly absorbed by the bloodthirsty will of the blood-devouring vine.

At the same time, Chen Lin's own flesh and blood are also undergoing transformation.

New vine patterns—a complex pattern slightly lighter than the original dark gold, with an emerald base and a silver-blue halo—began to spread under the skin of his right arm, intertwining and merging with the original Bloodthirsty Vine patterns.

The excruciating pain washed over his nerves like a tidal wave, but after each impact, he felt his control over the vines on his right arm becoming more precise and comprehensive. The numbness from the venom of the snake vine gradually subsided, and the more resilient texture of the vines filled Chen Lin with power.

The fusion process lasted for several hours.

As the light in the laboratory gradually dimmed, Chen Lin slowly opened his eyes.

Sweat soaked through his robes, his face was pale, but his eyes were as sharp as a newly sharpened knife.

He raised his right arm. The originally simple dark gold blood-devouring vine pattern had now transformed into a complex totem with a dark gold base, emerald patterns entwined around it, and a faint silver-blue halo flowing around its edges, exuding a mysterious and dangerous beauty.

With a slight thought, a phantom vine suddenly sprang out, no longer pure dark gold, but dark gold interspersed with emerald veins, its tip surrounded by an almost invisible pale purple halo—that was a highly concentrated nerve-paralyzing toxin!

[Symbiotic Status Update: Bloodvine (Fused with Serpentine Vine Ability - Stable)]

New ability unlocked:

1. Neuroparalyzing toxin: Can be released through blood or vines, increasing the paralyzing effect by 150%, accelerating the onset of action, and adding a slight mental interference that can temporarily disrupt the target's mental concentration.

2. Bloodthirsty Poison Ivy Entanglement: An upgrade to the Lesser Vine Entanglement Technique. The vines combine the toughness of the Bloodthirsty Ivy with the flexibility of the Snake Vine, resulting in stronger binding force. They automatically inject neurotoxins while simultaneously drawing life energy from the target to replenish the host.

[Evaluation: The toxin's strength has been increased, but it only targets nerve interference and requires blood contact to take effect; its effect on mental interference is weak and has limited effectiveness against targets with high mental strength.]

As Chen Lin felt the more complex and powerful force flowing through his right arm, the corners of his mouth gradually turned up.

The path of a wizard is fraught with pain and risk at every step, but each transformation brings him one step closer to taking control of his own destiny.

Whether in the Thorn Garden or the Evergreen Fortress, only the power he holds in his own hands truly belongs to him, and only the knowledge he truly understands can allow him to go further on the path of wizarding. Having grasped the fundamental rules of this wizarding world, he understands that only the power and knowledge that belong to him are worthy of his heartfelt joy.

He cleaned up the traces in the laboratory and carefully disposed of the discarded culture residue.

Putting aside the possible contingencies of the Seed of Origin, let's cherish this brief moment of peace that may end at any time. Thinking of how few magic stones he had left due to a series of expenditures, Chen Lin shook his head with a wry smile, released the barrier, and turned around to gently push open the window of the stone chamber.

Outside the window, the verdant market of Evergreen Walls has awakened, and the faint sounds of people can be heard.