Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

The clamor in the central training ground reached its peak after Chen Lin's hard-fought victory over Avira, and then quickly subsided into a silence that still carried a lingering sense of awe.

Chen Lin's figure disappeared into the contestants' tunnel, leaving behind shattered ice crystals on the stage, charred vine remains, and lingering discussions in the audience.

"He won...he really beat Avira!"

"What was that in the end? The seed didn't even get planted, and instead it became blurry?"

"Ivy seems to have been poisoned? Her movements suddenly froze!"

"That was ruthless! He was risking his life! Look, he couldn't even stand up straight at the end!"

"Points... 37 points! Just barely made it to the top 20! He did it!"

Evan, Sophia, Kyle, and Elena stood silently on the viewing platform, watching the direction Chen Lin had left in.

A rare hint of emotion flickered across Sofia's usually stony face: "37 points... a net win of 25 games... he did it."

Kyle nodded silently in the shadows, the usual coldness in his eyes seeming to melt away for a moment.

Elena's silver eyes sparkled as she whispered, "A path of thorns... a will of iron."

Evan took a deep breath, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Notify the core members of the 'Azure Summit Alliance' that Chen Lin... is now qualified to participate in our final preparatory meeting."

Chen Lin was carried back to the secret room of Qing Teng Workshop by two medical apprentices on a floating stretcher.

He was completely overdrawn.

The spiritual sea was covered with fine cracks due to the forced activation of "Seed of the Spiritual Pivot - Return of the Moon Shadow to the Ruins", like glass covered with ice patterns; the damage to the nerve plexus in the right arm was aggravated by the extreme cold environment, and the numbness spread to the entire forearm; the seed of origin dimmed due to over-operation, and the analysis efficiency dropped significantly; the body also suffered from multiple frostbite and lacerations, and the qi and blood were severely depleted.

He fell into a deep coma and lost all awareness of the outside world.

Shortly after Chen Lin was carried away, Master Liria personally came to the workshop's secret chamber.

Her powerful mental energy swept over Chen Lin's body, and a hint of seriousness flashed in her silver-gray eyes.

She left behind several bottles of specially made "Starlight Concentration Balm," "Life Source Extract," and "Nerve Regeneration Agent," and instructed Tamir to dispatch two senior medical wizard apprentices from her laboratory to take turns guarding him 24 hours a day to ensure that Chen Lin received the best treatment.

Tamir looked at Chen Lin, who was still unconscious but had a furrowed brow and a deathly pale face, his eyes filled with a complex and unreadable expression.

Jealousy, resentment, and a barely perceptible admiration all eventually turned into an almost inaudible sigh.

He personally supervised the medical apprentices' treatment process, ensuring that his mentor's orders were strictly followed.

Two days and two nights.

Chen Lin felt as if he had sunk to the deepest part of the ocean, his consciousness rising and falling in endless darkness and excruciating pain.

In the sea of ​​consciousness, the seven-colored floating flower appeared somewhat withered, and the three silver seeds rotated slowly.

The golden roots of the Seed of Origin, like weary engineers, slowly guided the medicinal power of the Starlight Concentration Ointment, repairing the cracks in the sea of ​​consciousness little by little.

The dark gold patterns of the Blood-Devouring Vine pulsated faintly beneath the skin of his right arm, greedily absorbing the abundant vitality provided by the Life Source Extract, nourishing his riddled body.

The nerve regeneration agents act like the most sophisticated nanorobots, moving between damaged nerve fibers and repairing the conduction pathways.

Under the combined effects of the medicine and the Seed of Origin's tenacious self-healing power, Chen Lin finally opened his eyes slowly on the morning of the third day.

The blinding light made him squint instinctively.

A wave of aches and pains, both all over his body and a deep-seated fatigue washed over him, causing him to groan involuntarily.

The numbness in my right arm has lessened considerably, but it still feels heavy and weak.

A sense of emptiness and dull pain wafted through my mind, like a rubber band that had been stretched too much and then forcibly stitched back together.

"Senior Chen Lin, you're awake!"

A medical apprentice standing by the bedside exclaimed in surprise and quickly handed over a cup of warm, fragrant, pale green medicine.

"This is the 'Tranquilizing and Nourishing Essence Dew' that Master Liria instructed. Please take it."

Chen Lin struggled to sit up, took the medicine, and drank it all in one gulp.

The warm medicinal liquid flowed into my throat, transforming into a gentle energy that flowed throughout my body, slightly relieving the soreness in my body and the stinging in my mind.

He looked around and confirmed that he was in the medical care ward of the walled city.

"How long have I been unconscious?" His voice was terribly hoarse.

"Two days and two nights, senior brother."

The apprentice answered respectfully.

"Master Liria and Senior Brother Tamir both came to see you and left these potions. The master instructed that you should rest and recuperate. The selection competition is over, and you have successfully advanced to the top 20!"

Top 20!

Chen Lin's heart skipped a beat, and an indescribable emotion welled up inside him—was it ecstasy? Was it relief?

Ultimately, it all turned into a profound sense of satisfaction.

he made it!

With a net win of 25 games under almost impossible circumstances, they managed to break into the top 20!

"What will the final score be?" he pressed.

"37 points, senior! You're right in twentieth place!" The apprentice's tone was full of admiration.

37 minutes... Chen Lin closed his eyes, his mind flashing back to the thrilling final showdown with Avira.

A chilling reminder from the Seed of Origin surfaced in my consciousness:

[Physical condition: Moderate injury, multiple frostbite, muscle tears, blood and qi deficiency, recovery rate 40%]

[Mental Sea Status: Mildly damaged, multiple minor cracks are being repaired, stability 60%, Seed of Origin analysis efficiency restored to 70%]

Symbiotic state:

Blood-Eating Vine: Moderately decreased activity, energy deficiency, nerve damage affecting conduction, currently recovering.

Seed of the Spiritual Pivot (Floating Flower): Mild lethargy, mental exhaustion, seed generation speed reduced by 50%, control precision decreased by 20%.

[WARNING: High-intensity combat and mental exhaustion are prohibited in the short term, otherwise it may worsen injuries or cause permanent damage.]

The cost was huge, but the result was worth it!

He took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and began to cooperate with the medical apprentice in the follow-up treatment and recovery.

For the next two days, Chen Lin was completely immersed in recuperation.

He took the precious medicine left by Lyria on time and, with the help of his medical apprentice, engaged in gentle energy guidance and spiritual nurturing meditation.

The workshop's affairs were temporarily handled by hired apprentices and a temporary manager sent by Carlos. He needed to recover as quickly as possible to prepare for the upcoming Southern Region Trials and... the "surprise" promised by Master Liria.

The awards ceremony for the top 20 finalists was held in the central council chamber of the fortress.

This was a small but extremely high-level ceremony, presided over by Archmage Horn, with several high-ranking members of the Barrier, including Master Liria, in attendance.

The council chamber, which can accommodate hundreds of people, was only filled with twenty people at the moment—the 20 top apprentices who had emerged from this selection competition.

The atmosphere was solemn and respectful.

Chen Lin sat in the back corner, his face still pale with illness, but his eyes had regained their usual sharpness and calmness.

He changed into a clean, dark green apprentice robe, deliberately concealing the vine pattern under the right sleeve.

He could feel several gazes falling on him—there were the approving and inquisitive looks from Evan, Sophia, and others, as well as the curious, wary, or even jealous stares from other elite apprentices.

His victory over Elvira, his bizarre tactics in the final moments, and his incredible record of 25 wins despite playing injured have already spread throughout the fortress.

High Wizard Horn's voice, gentle yet powerful, echoed throughout the council chamber:

"...You are the pride of the Evergreen Barrier, the hope for the future of the Hand of Life."

The selection process for the Southern Region Trial is not only a test of your strength, but also a tempering of your will and potential.

You earned the glory of representing the Barrier in the Southern Trials with your blood and sweat, and you also won the Barrier's full support!

With a wave of his hand, twenty dimensional bags, each shimmering with a different light, were respectfully presented to each of the top 20 apprentices by the standing wizard apprentices.

Chen Lin took his own dimensional bag.

The bag was made of some kind of tough monster hide, with the Evergreen Barrier emblem and the words "Southern Region Trial Qualification Selection - Top 20" branded on its surface. He probed into it with his spiritual power.

A generous reward comes into view:

First, there are 5000 standard magic stones, which can be obtained without signing a loan agreement. This is a direct investment in their potential by Barrier.

A silver token engraved with a pattern of a guardian ancient tree.

Holding this token grants numerous privileges within the walled city: access to a higher-level library area, priority access to advanced training grounds and meditation rooms, discounts in shops within the walled city, and eligibility to apply for certain special resources.

The three bottles of concentrated "Fountain of Life" essence, each exuding a rich life force, are top-tier remedies for rapidly healing injuries and replenishing the body's vital energy, and are extremely valuable.

The "Mental Barrier" protective scroll is a one-time consumable item. Once activated, it can form a powerful mental barrier in a short period of time to resist mental attacks and pollution.

A life-saving trump card in critical moments.

A set of "Elemental Resistance" potions includes five bottles each of neutralizing and resisting the five basic elements: fire, ice, wind, earth, and lightning, to cope with the ever-changing environment in the Trial Tower.

The Southern Trial Tower Basic Intelligence Compilation is a jade slip containing a wealth of information and a powerful mental lock.

This is a valuable piece of basic intelligence accumulated by the Barrier over many years regarding the Trial Tower environment, common dangerous creatures, and characteristics of some known areas.

A parchment certificate shimmering with magical light, a voucher for exchanging custom-made magical artifacts (high-level).

With this certificate, you can apply for a custom-made high-level apprentice-level magical artifact at the Barrier Mystic Workshop, with all costs borne by the Barrier.

This is one of the biggest and most substantial rewards for the top 20!

Chen Lin's heartbeat quickened slightly.

This reward is very generous!

The 5000 magic stones and the custom magic device certificate were a godsend for him.

Magic stones can be used to purchase a large number of rare materials, which can be used to repair injuries, consolidate one's realm, and even try to optimize new potions or spells.

Custom-made magical artifacts can perfectly make up for his current shortcomings!

He discreetly put away the dimensional bag and, along with the other apprentices, bowed in gratitude to Archmage Horn.

The arduous journey along the thorny path has yielded rich rewards at this moment. But this is only the beginning; the challenges of the Southern Trials are the true test.

After the ceremony, just as Chen Lin was about to leave, an apprentice wearing a robe with the insignia of Liria's Laboratory quickly approached him and said respectfully, "Mr. Chen Lin, Master Liria requests your presence in her laboratory."

Chen Lin's heart skipped a beat.

Here it comes, the "surprise" the mentor promised.