Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

The results of the second round of draws were announced quickly. Chen Lin's first opponent was Hank Ironbeard.

By leveraging publicly available information and market rumors, the Seed of Origin quickly retrieved relevant information:

[Target: Hank Ironbeard]

[Level: Mid-stage Fourth-Level Wizard Apprentice]

[Affiliation: Barrier Pharmacists Association]

[Specialization: Potion Throwing/Poison Mist Control/Basic Protection Spells]

[Characteristics: A sneaky fighting style, adept at using various homemade poisons, paralyzing smoke, and corrosive acids to weaken opponents, buy time, and look for an opportunity to strike decisively. Arrogant and disdainful of apprentices not from orthodox backgrounds.]

[Common methods: Paralyzing dust, strong acid splashes, secondary energy shields, slowing potions.]

[Weaknesses: Relatively weak in close combat, average mental strength, and ineffective against those with high resistance or purification abilities.]

[Threat Assessment: Low]

"A pharmacist?" Chen Lin's lips curled up slightly.

This was like a godsend. He had just consumed the Lunar Eclipse Concentration Dew, and his mental perception was at its peak, making him exceptionally sensitive to energy fluctuations.

The soul-stabilizing and mental-pollution-resistant properties provided by the externally applied Soul-Devouring and Heart-Guarding Ointment are the nemesis of this type of poisonous witchcraft.

What's even more ingenious is that the other party's disdain for those from unorthodox backgrounds is an excellent point of attack.

Match day.

The largest battle platform in the central training ground was activated, and a light blue energy shield rose up.

Chen Lin and Hank entered from the two entrances on the opposite sides.

Hank was a short, stocky apprentice with a brown beard, wearing a specially made leather combat vest with multiple pockets, which was bulging with all sorts of bottles and jars.

His gaze toward Chen Lin was filled with disdain and mockery.

"Hey, isn't this our famous Qing Teng Workshop Master?" Hank said sarcastically, his voice amplified throughout the entire area via a sound-amplifying array.

"Zero contribution points and you still make it to the second round? Looks like sending some flowers and plants to the masters really works! But real combat isn't farming, be careful not to get your new robes dirty with my little gadgets!"

He deliberately shook a bottle containing a green, viscous liquid at his waist, eliciting a burst of laughter from the audience.

Chen Lin remained expressionless, only bowing slightly in a standard manner.

His silence and composure seemed particularly abrupt in the face of Hank's provocation.

The referee, a peak-level fourth-tier apprentice with four and a half silver patterns embroidered on the hem of his robe, announced expressionlessly:

"Chen Lin (#527) versus Hank Ironbeard (#46). Rules: No lethal attacks, no use of destructive items. A loser is declared the one who submits, becomes incapacitated, or falls out of the ring. Now... begin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a fierce glint flashed in Hank's eyes, and he pulled out two grayish-white bone spheres from his vest with lightning speed, slamming them hard at Chen Lin's feet!

"Try this! It'll numb the dust!"

puff!puff!

The sphere exploded, and a large cloud of grayish-white powder instantly spread out, carrying a pungent, spicy smell, quickly enveloping a radius of several meters around Chen Lin!

The powder not only obscures vision, but also contains potent neurotoxins. Once inhaled or in contact with the skin, it can quickly cause limb stiffness and sluggishness!

Almost simultaneously, Hank flung out three more small blowguns, their arrowheads coated with a ghostly green slime, which shot toward Chen Lin’s upper, middle, and lower body with a whooshing sound—a corrosive acid solution!

He didn't intend to give Chen Lin any time to react at all, and immediately launched his most skilled combination of poison attacks!

A gasp of surprise erupted from the audience.

Although Hank's tactics were underhanded, they were often effective, and many apprentices who were stronger than him had fallen victim to his opening three moves.

However, Chen Lin, who was in the center of the poisonous fog, seemed to have a premonition!

With the Seed of Origin's enhanced perception and the Eclipse Moon Concentration Dew's heightened mental acuity, Hank's actions of picking out the bone ball, the trajectory of the powder's diffusion, and the angle of the blowgun's flight were all clearly presented as if in slow motion!

The energy fluctuations and toxic structures of the paralyzing dust have nowhere to hide in front of the Seed of Origin!

Chen Lin didn't even move a step.

He subtly twitched his right arm, quietly activating the power of the Bloodthirsty Vine.

Several dark gold vines shot out instantly, intertwining in front of him to form a small but tough vine shield!

Ding!Ding!Ding!

Three blowguns were precisely embedded in the vine shield. The eerie green corrosive liquid on the arrowheads splashed out, making a "sizzling" sound, but only left shallow scorch marks on the surface of the vines, which were quickly repaired by the vines' own vitality!

The almost invisible pale purple aura on the surface of the vines flickered slightly, neutralizing and devouring the corrosive energy that was trying to penetrate!

At the same time, Chen Lin took a deep breath!

The Moonmoss amulet on his chest shimmered with a faint silver light.

Thanks to the powerful mental resistance and soul stabilization provided by the Soul-Devouring Heart-Guarding Ointment, the pervasive paralyzing dust had negligible impact on his mental sea!

He emerged slowly from the grayish-white poisonous fog as if taking a leisurely stroll, his body spotless and his eyes as sharp as ever!

"What?!" Hank's grin froze instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief! "Impossible! My Paralyzing Dust can even take down a level four magical beast! How could you be unharmed?!"

The audience erupted in uproar!

"Damn it! He's actually alright?"

"Those vines... their defenses are incredible! Even the corrosive liquid wasn't affected?"

"Is he that resistant to toxins?"

Chen Lin did not answer, nor did he give Hank another chance to make a move.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and with a burst of speed, he charged straight at Hank like an arrow released from a bow!

Hank was terrified. He was skilled in mid-range poison attacks and was most afraid of being attacked at close range!

He frantically pulled out a bottle filled with a yellow liquid, about to spill it—a slowing agent!

But Chen Lin was too fast!

With the precise prediction of the Seed of Origin, Chen Lin spread his five fingers on his right hand and made a loose fist towards Hank the instant Hank raised his hand!

"Bloodthirsty Poison Ivy Entangling!"

Several vines with emerald patterns and dark gold luster, like venomous snakes that had been lurking for a long time, suddenly sprang up from the cracks in the stone slabs beneath Hank's feet!

The tenacious vines, carrying a fierce aura, tightly wrapped around Hank's legs and his right hand holding the bottle!

Binding and strangulation!

"Ugh!" Hank cried out in pain, feeling as if his legs were being clamped by iron pincers, and the numbness spread rapidly along the points of contact with the vines!

The slowing potion bottle in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter and shattered, the yellow liquid flowing out, but it didn't touch Chen Lin at all!

"Get out of my way!" Hank roared, slamming his left hand down on a rune at his waist—his secondary energy shield activation device for survival!

hum!

A pale yellow energy shield instantly expanded, attempting to deflect the entangled vines!

However, Chen Lin's vines were not purely physical constraints!

The pale purple halo on the surface of the vines suddenly lit up!

The highly concentrated neurotoxin, mixed with a trace of the predatory will of the Blood-Eating Vine, invaded Hank's body like countless tiny poison needles through the newly torn wound!

"Ah!" Hank felt as if his brain was being pierced by countless tiny needles, and his mental control instantly became disordered!

The secondary energy shield flickered and teetered on the brink of collapse! Even more terrifying, a strong sense of bloodlust and weakness emanated from the entangled parts, as if the vines were forcibly draining their life force!

Chen Lin's figure appeared before Hank like a ghost!

He didn't use any weapons; he simply raised his right hand, and at the tip of his index finger, a dark golden energy point, like concentrated blood, condensed, radiating a chilling and ferocious aura—this was highly concentrated life force of the Bloodthirsty Vine, possessing both physical impact and mental intimidation!

"Admit defeat, or lose an arm." Chen Lin's voice was icy, like a cold wind whistling through Hank's eardrums.

The point of light at the fingertip was only an inch away from Hank's forehead!

The terrifying pressure and the threat of death caused Hank to break down instantly!

"I surrender! I surrender!"

Hank screamed, his face ashen, his body trembling violently from fear and paralysis.

hum!

The pale blue energy shield dissipated instantly.

The Level 4 Peak Apprentice, acting as referee, instantly appeared on the stage. After confirming that Hank was incapacitated, he loudly announced, "Chen Lin, number 527, wins!"

The entire room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even louder uproar!

"You won?! So quickly?"

"Hank's three signature moves... were completely countered?"

"Those vines... how eerie! Defense, binding, paralysis, bloodsucking? What kind of magic is this?"

"Is he completely immune to toxins? Or does he have some kind of powerful protective charm?"

"A fourth-level wizard apprentice...it seems to be true! And quite powerful!"

Chen Lin expressionlessly withdrew the vines and the blood from his fingertips, not even glancing at Hank, who was slumped on the ground and being carried away by the medical apprentices, before turning and walking off the stage.

His gaze calmly swept across the audience, pausing briefly on several high-ranking wizards with profound auras before withdrawing.

The Seed of Origin clearly caught several scrutinizing, surprised, and even slightly interested gazes falling upon him.

The first battle was clean and decisive.

He not only won, but also demonstrated to everyone, in a near-crushing manner, his terrifying resistance to poison, his exquisite manipulation of vines, and his solid skills as a fourth-level wizard apprentice.

The title of Green Vine Workshop Master is no longer just associated with selling magical plants; he is also a top-tier expert in the apprentice stage.

Back in the rest area, Chen Lin sat cross-legged and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The battle just now didn't take much of his energy, but he needs to maintain peak condition.

The Seed of Origin replays the battle, analyzes the gains and losses, and anticipates even stronger attacks that might be encountered.

He could sense that with this victory, even more eyes were watching from the shadows.

There is admiration, there is apprehension, and there may also be... covetousness.

Just then, an apprentice wearing a robe bearing the insignia of Liria's Laboratory hurried over and respectfully said to Chen Lin, "Mr. Chen Lin, Master Liria requests that you visit her laboratory after the competition."

Chen Lin opened his eyes, a knowing glint in them. The fish were starting to bite.

He needs to use this selection process not only to win resources, but also to gain attention and acquire more resources to strengthen himself.

He nodded slightly: "Understood."