Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Inside Chen Lin's cave, he sat cross-legged under the pure silver glow emanating from the optimized moonlight moss, trying his best to adjust his state and restore his mental and physical strength.

He knew that Ella would soon return with the "results".

As expected, shortly after Derek's desperate curses faintly echoed from afar and then quickly disappeared, Ella's figure reappeared silently at the cave entrance.

Her mechanical eye swept over the reinforced iron cage, the blood-feeding basin flowing with dark gold light, and the moonlight moss barrier interwoven with silver light above, finally settling on Chen Lin.

"Where is it?" Ella's voice was devoid of any emotion, but Chen Lin could sense that the agitation of the iron-corroding fungus in her body seemed to have intensified, and the hyphae under the sutures on her left arm were wriggling slightly.

Chen Lin took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the lab bench. There, two ceramic bottles sat.

A container filled with a viscous, emerald-green liquid—that was the extracted, pure venom of snake vine.

The other contained a dark green, viscous substance mixed with the Seed of Origin's optimized matrix, his own blood, and a small amount of Moonshine Moss's purifying energy, emanating a rich and pure life force—this was the antidote and bait he had prepared for Ella.

He pushed the two ceramic bottles toward Ella: "The one on the left is a snake vine venom catalyst. The one on the right... is a life essence that can temporarily suppress or even satisfy that thing in your body."

According to my analysis, the venom is dripped into the life essence, mixed, and then applied to the active mechanical interface of the fungus.

He paused, looking directly into Ella's mechanical eyes. "The effect is temporary, but enough to grant you unprecedented peace. Provided... where is my gift?"

Ella did not answer immediately.

She picked up the bottle of dark green liquid that exuded a strong sense of life, her cold, metallic fingers gripping the bottle tightly.

The agitation of the iron-corroding fungus almost burst through the sutures! She was silent for a few seconds, seemingly assessing the situation, struggling with the thought.

Ultimately, she chose to use it immediately, gently opening the bottle cap with her right hand and slowly and evenly applying the mixed venom to the mechanical opening...

This feeling!!! For the first time in six months, she experienced peace and joy, as if it had stimulated her core, bringing back some past memories...

Then, she opened her left hand, which she had been tightly clenching.

Something lay quietly in her metal palm.

It was a section of dark red vine about three inches long!

It writhed slightly like a living creature, its surface covered with fine barbs, and the tips still had bits of fresh flesh and blood—most likely belonging to Derek.

The vines themselves exuded an extremely strong bloody smell and violent dark energy. Even though they were temporarily suppressed by Ella's powerful mental strength, one could still feel the crazy, bloodthirsty will within them!

This is a vine that has been peeled off from the main body of the Bloodthirsty Vine, containing fragments of its core vitality and will!

"During the post-feeding period of weakness, detach the core fragments." Ella's voice remained icy. "Your life is more valuable than a runaway fungal culture dish for now. Don't disappoint me."

She tossed the scalding, dangerous fragment of the blood-red vine at Chen Lin, then turned and disappeared into the shadows outside the cave.

Chen Lin's heart nearly leaped out of his chest!

With lightning speed, he caught the vine in a specially made stone box with faint sealing runes engraved on its inner wall.

The vines fell into the box and immediately began to violently strike the box walls, producing dull thuds. The runes on the box walls flickered on and off!

[Target: Bloodthirsty Vine Core Fragment (Highly Active, Contains a Strong Bloodthirsty Will)]

[Status: Briefly weak after eating, but with a strong instinctive resistance]

[WARNING: The fusion process must begin immediately, otherwise the fragment activity will rapidly decline and lose its core characteristics!]

There's no time to hesitate!

They actually gave him the core fragment of the Bloodthirsty Vine directly, so the cultivation plan he had prepared had to be put on hold. Chen Lin frowned slightly, thinking of the iron cage that had been reinforced earlier.

Chen Lin knew that this was the most crucial window of opportunity!

He quickly placed the stone box in the center of the blood-feeding basin inside the reinforced iron cage!

The dark golden liquid covering the bottom of the basin, which was infused with his essence and spiritual power, suddenly boiled up the moment it came into contact with the Bloodthirsty Vine fragments, just like water droplets thrown into boiling oil!

The dark gold patterns burst forth with a dazzling light, clashing fiercely with the bloody red light emanating from the vine fragments.

"Begin!" Chen Lin roared, his mind highly focused, fully activating the primordial seed deep within his consciousness:

[The Seed of Origin Activated! Fusion Protocol Initiated!]

[Analysis of the target's mental imprint... Strong bloodlust detected (malice concentration: high)!]

[Eat up evil thoughts!]

[Activate the mental suppression field!]

[Connect to the Blood Feeding Contract Domain!]

Om-!

Above the iron cage, a silver light net woven from the rhizomes of moonspot moss suddenly lit up!

Pure, purifying light cascaded down like a waterfall, enveloping the entire iron cage and the blood-feeding basin!

The bloody red light emitted by the Bloodthirsty Vine fragments was suppressed as if it had encountered its nemesis, and emitted a sizzling burning sound!

At the same time, Chen Lin felt a violent, chaotic, and endlessly thirsty thought surge through the connection with the Blood Feeding Basin, crashing into his consciousness like a flood bursting its banks!

That was a fragment of the Bloodthirsty Vine's core will! It wanted to devour him! To possess him! To turn him into nourishment!

"Ugh—!" Chen Lin let out a painful groan, blood instantly seeping from his seven orifices! He felt as if his soul was being torn apart! His mind was filled with bloody hallucinations and a bloodthirsty impulse!

[Warning! The host's mental barrier has been severely impacted!]

[[Evoking Evil Thoughts] Operating at overload! Evil thought energy conversion in progress...]

[Mental Suppression] Field power increased to 120%! Host's mental energy is rapidly depleted!

Chen Lin bit his tongue, the excruciating pain keeping him conscious to the last shred! He frantically extracted the power of the Seed of Origin, golden roots dancing wildly in his consciousness, desperately devouring the onrushing bloodthirsty evil thoughts, transforming them into streams of pure yet violent energy that, in turn, assaulted his spiritual sea!

At the same time, the purifying radiance of the moonshine moss is constantly weakening the original dark energy of the vine fragments.

This is a battle of wills! A life-or-death struggle between the Seed of Origin and the instinct of the Blood-Devouring Vine!

The vine fragments writhed, swelled, and contracted wildly in the blood-feeding basin! It struggled, it resisted!

It tried to pierce the stone basin, but was tightly bound by the dark golden blood and runes! It tried to corrupt the silver light net, but was scorched and hissed by the purifying power!

Chen Lin's face grew paler and paler, and his body trembled violently due to the excessive depletion of his mental energy.

Without hesitation, he grabbed the dark green bottle of calming medicine next to him and tilted his head back to gulp down half of it!

The liquid, a mixture of moonshine moss matrix, its own blood, and snake vine venom, flowed into its body, bringing a refreshing life force that temporarily relieved the excruciating pain and emptiness in its mental sea and also slightly numbed the raging will of the Blood-Eating Vine.

[Host has been replenished with life energy/mental tranquilizer! Condition temporarily stable!]

[Efficiency boosted for [Evil Devouring]! Evil thoughts are converted into energy and injected into the contract field!]

[Detection indicates a loosening of the target's mental imprint! Suppression increased!]

Seizing this brief respite, a ruthless glint flashed in Chen Lin's eyes! He suddenly stretched out his right hand, spread his five fingers, and pressed hard against the frantically writhing fragments of the Blood-Eating Vine in the Blood Feeding Basin!

His palm was instantly pierced by sharp barbs, and blood gushed out!

"With my blood, I will build your nest! With my soul, I will bind your thoughts! To live together—!"

He used all his strength to roar out the original maxims deduced from the Seed of Origin, which communicated the life contract!

boom!!!

The dark golden blood in the blood-feeding basin suddenly burst forth with an unprecedented light!

The runes on the basin wall seemed to come alive!

Chen Lin's blood mingled with the dark golden blood in the basin, enveloping the fragments of the Bloodthirsty Vine!

The vine fragments let out a final, piercing scream, like the shriek of a soul, and the violent struggle abruptly ceased!

Its dark red color faded quickly, and dark gold patterns similar to those of the Blood Feeding Basin runes appeared!

[Contractual Field Resonance Achieved!]

[Spiritual imprint binding successful!]

[Core fragment activity is stable! Symbiotic channel established!]

"Now!" Chen Lin endured the excruciating pain and weakness, and suddenly pulled his right hand out of the basin!

That fragment of the Bloodthirsty Vine was no longer an independent entity; one end of it was deeply embedded in Chen Lin's palm flesh, like a grafted branch! Dark golden patterns spread along the vine, and were also deeply imprinted on Chen Lin's blood vessels and bones!

A violent, scorching, and destructive torrent of life surged wildly into Chen Lin's body, following the connection between the vines and his arm!

"Aaaaaahh ...

Unimaginable pain swept over my entire body!

It felt as if every inch of flesh was being torn apart and reassembled! Blood vessels felt like they were being scorched by lava! Bones groaned from the unbearable strain!

The immense life force and dark energy contained within the Bloodthirsty Vine are forcibly transforming his body!

The silvery sheen of the moonlight moss above the iron cage surged, relentlessly purifying the dark impurities surging into the energy!

The Seed of Origin was operating wildly, devouring the remaining bloodthirsty evil thoughts, and guiding this violent energy to cleanse and expand Chen Lin's fragile meridians and spiritual sea!

The veins under his skin bulged out, displaying an eerie pattern of interwoven dark gold and blood red!

[Body modification in progress...]

[A dramatic shift in host life form has been detected!]

[Mental strength has broken through the threshold... Advancing to Level 3 Apprentice!]

[Gained Talent: Blood Energy Recovery (Automatically draws life energy to repair itself when injured; effect increases with the strength of the host/Blood-Eating Vine)!]

[WARNING: Symbiote energy level too high! Host's body has reached its limit! The modification process is accompanied by intense pain and the risk of loss of control! Maintain the Moonmoss barrier! Maintain mental suppression!]

Chen Lin's body was curled up and convulsing in the iron cage, emitting a low growl like a wild beast. Sweat and blood soaked through his apprentice robe.

Each surge of energy felt like torture, but after each surge, he felt his power expanding at an astonishing rate!

Outside the cave, on the black iron fence of the Thorn Garden, the Bloodthirsty Vine, which had lost part of its core fragment, seemed to sense something, emitting a series of silent energy fluctuations filled with anger and confusion. The vines unconsciously tightened, making the black iron creak.

Deep within the dark, moss-covered corridor, Chen Lin's agonizing roars were muffled by the thick rock walls.

Only the intertwined dark gold and blood-red light and pure silver glow within the iron cage silently tell the story of a lowly apprentice's cruel transformation as he seeks power from the abyss of darkness.