Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Ten minutes felt like an eternity, both long and cruel.

When the terrifying storm of beams of light, a symbol of death, subsided, the number of surviving apprentices in the entire purification corridor was less than 40% of what it was when they entered!

Outside the Tower of All Things, large swaths of extinguished markers on the All Things Recorder's master display silently testify to the ruthlessness and efficiency of the temple's rules.

The wizard apprentice on duty hurriedly reported this, and Archmage Horn nodded slightly, muttering to himself:

"It seems we've entered the Purification Temple. The treasures are tempting, but you need strength to acquire them. Assessing risks is a basic skill for wizards. What a pity."

The lingering, burnt smell of the energy after it has been "purified" and the aftereffects of a dissipated soul, mixed with the icy aura of the Holy Radiance Crystal, created a nauseating atmosphere of "pure death."

The survivors were all wounded, some pale as paper, others weak and unsteady in their breathing, their eyes filled with the shock of surviving a disaster, the fear of the rules, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

The attrition rate far exceeds 60%!

This gateway to hope first turned into a graveyard that devoured lives.

Kate's teleportation point is located in the middle of a relatively open corridor, but this so-called "openness" is only relative to the areas where constructs are densely packed.

The moment you step inside, an overwhelming sense of terrifying pressure descends upon you!

The silver purifying light was like billions of red-hot steel needles, piercing deep into every inch of his skin!

The passive energy absorption and deflection field activated by the Thorn Armor are greatly reduced here, like trying to block a raging flood with leaves, which are instantly washed away.

The light penetrated easily, bringing a real burning sensation.

Even more deadly is the test of one's mental state!

The Seed of Origin issued a sharp alarm, and the ferocious instincts of the Blood-Eating Vine were as if thrown into a pool of boiling holy water, emitting silent, dying howls and violent struggles in an attempt to resist this "purification," which instead triggered an even stronger rejection.

Fortunately, the previous practice with the Thorn Storm made Kate more adept at controlling the Bloodvine, and the abyssal energy never dissipated.

The troublesome thing is that the spoils from the corrupted ancient tree lord—that piece of living wood heart containing the abyss's aura—is like a red-hot iron in my arms, emitting a strong "contamination" signal, fiercely resisting the purifying light, and trying to break out of my body!

Kate felt as if her magic was trapped in a quagmire, her mental strength was like being shackled with heavy chains, and her power was forcibly suppressed to less than 70%!

He could even "see" the surfaces of several slowly moving constructs nearby, where runes representing energy accumulation were faintly glowing, and the locked cursor had already vaguely landed on him!

The shadow of death loomed over them in an instant!

In a life-or-death situation, the instinct to survive overrides everything!

Kate unhesitatingly activated the Moonshadow Symbiosis to its fullest extent!

Deep within the Bloodthirsty Vine patterns on his right arm, the power fused with the essence of the moon shadow was fully awakened!

A layer of even richer, pale silver moonlight, with faint spatial ripples, instantly covered his entire body!

This is not a defensive shield, but rather the refraction and deflection of space!

It's like forcibly creating a distorted, relatively "calm" body of water within a surging, purifying sea of ​​light.

When the deadly purifying beams came into contact with this halo, most of them were cleverly refracted and shot in other directions; the small portion that penetrated were weakened and slowed down by the inertial properties of the moon's shadow.

Although it still brings persistent stinging and pressure, at least it is no longer a deadly torrent!

This bought him a crucial, less than three-second respite!

He must find a real way out!

The Shadowvine Protection mode of the Shadowthorn Ring is not very effective for this method of determining friend or foe based on energy detection.

He needs to use the power of the Seed of Origin to quickly find the correct way to use Silver Star Moss.

Kate quickly took out the specially made insulating jade box from her bosom, which suddenly became scorching hot.

The silver star moss spore inside the box, which had been in a deep dormancy, seemed to be strongly called by the aura of the same temple and awakened on its own!

A tiny, pure, cool, and vibrant starlight pierced through the insulating layer of the jade box and stubbornly shone through!

Although the starlight was small, it was like a lighthouse in the night, instantly creating a wonderful resonance with the moonlight essence that Kate had activated!

Kate had a sudden inspiration and acted without hesitation!

He ripped open his shirt, revealing the core projection of the Seed of Origin on his chest. At the same time, he opened the jade box and, without hesitation, used his mental power to guide the tiny, sesame-seed-sized Silver Star Moss Spore, which now shimmered with pure silver light like a miniature star, and pressed it hard against his heart!

The moment the spores touch the skin, they disappear instantly, like cool dewdrops melting into parched earth!

A clear, pure, powerful yet gentle torrent of life starlight erupted within Kate's body!

This force resonated strongly with the environmental energy purifying the corridor!

The Seed of Origin operated at its peak at this moment!

The dark golden roots, like the most intricate weavers of energy, frantically guided and harmonized this nascent starlight power:

Guide the pure starlight energy of the silver moss to weave an extremely thin, starlight coat on the outermost layer of the body, composed of countless tiny starlight runes.

This outer garment exudes an aura of life and order that originates from the temple.

The spatial refraction and inertial properties of the moon's essence are incorporated into the "skeleton" of the starlight coat, so that it can not only perfectly contain starlight, but also maximize the deflection and weaken the impact of external purifying light by utilizing spatial characteristics.

At the same time, the "buffering" properties of the moon's shadow protect the interior.

In the innermost layer, the power of the Seed of Origin, mixed with some starlight and moonlight, forms a powerful "filter" that suppresses and envelops the restless, ferocious blood energy of the Bloodthirsty Vine and the aura of the Abyss fragments. It also attempts to use the newly generated starlight to forcibly transform and simulate the "polluted" attributes of its outermost layer into a relatively "neutral" life energy fluctuation.

The moment this complex and precise symbiotic balance energy film, constructed from "silver moss starlight + moon shadow space + primordial harmony," was finally formed, a miracle occurred!

The omnipresent, suffocating pressure of purification suddenly disappeared by more than 70%!

The stinging sensation on the skin's surface transformed into a comfortable feeling, like soaking in cool spring water.

The cleansing of the soul has also become a gentle purification.

More importantly, the constructs nearby that had been locking onto him and whose runes were lighting up rapidly dimmed their light and their movement trajectories subtly shifted, no longer targeting him!

Kate felt as if she had been temporarily certified as an observer with "visitor privileges" from an "intruding virus".

Although the construct is still dangerous, as long as he doesn't intentionally kill himself, he can walk and observe relatively safely in this death maze!

He no longer needs to expend enormous mental energy to resist environmental suppression, and can devote his precious energy to exploration, observation and analysis.

The existence of that complex symbiotic membrane became his talisman in this place, its value far exceeding that of a top-tier magical artifact.

Activating the Silver Star Moss under extreme pressure and forcibly constructing such a precise dynamic balance between starlight, moon shadow, blood-devouring vines, abyss fragments, and its own life energy is an unprecedented challenge and tempering for the Seed of Origin.

It is like a divine weapon forged in a high-pressure furnace, greatly improving the speed and accuracy of analyzing complex energy structures, especially when dealing with highly regulated energy environments like the Temple.

He can more keenly perceive the energy core nodes of the construct, the patterns of its movement trajectory, and the "purification" pressure thresholds of different areas.

Having experienced extreme conflicts and forced fusion of different attributes, its ability to harmonize energy has reached a new level.

In the future, when integrating new magical plants or dealing with complex energy environments, the fault tolerance and success rate will be significantly improved.

The suppressive power against the Bloodthirsty Vine became stronger and more stable than ever before, thanks to the combined effects of starlight and the temple environment.

He could even sense that, under such high pressure, certain extremely stubborn "impurities" deep within the core of the Bloodthirsty Vine, originating from the abyss and primal bloodlust, seemed to be forcibly tempered and stripped away, making the symbiote's energy essence more "condensed" and more controllable.

Through initial fusion with the Silver Star Moss and enhancement by the Seed of Origin, Kate's perception of the Purification Corridor reached a whole new level:

He could vaguely "perceive" the direction of the vast and orderly flow of temple energy in the corridor, as if he were seeing an invisible energy network.

This allows him to instinctively avoid "high-pressure zones" where energy converges and "traffic hubs" where structures frequently move.

He can more clearly "read" the changes in brightness of the runes on the surface of the construct, the speed of movement, and the differences in their combination. These subtle changes often represent different alert levels or actions that are about to be taken.

This is akin to having grasped a portion of the Temple Guards' "behavioral code".

Within the purification corridor, time seemed to lose its meaning; only the constant silver glow emanating from the Holy Radiance Crystal and the geometric crystal structures suspended and moving in the endless space constituted the eternal theme of this absolute light domain.

Kate moved very carefully.

The symbiotic balance membrane covering his entire body, composed of "silver moss starlight + moon shadow space + primal harmony," acted like the most precise pass, preventing him from being instantly "purified" by the construct. However, this was not an absolutely safe zone.

He could clearly perceive that the existence of the thin film was more like a "compatibility certification" than a "permission grant".

Although the constructs did not attack him actively, he had to avoid them in advance when their movement trajectories happened to cover his path.

Those enormous crystal structures possess unparalleled physical mass; even a slight collision with them would be enough to shatter them into pieces.

More importantly, he cannot make any "out-of-line" moves—actively attacking, attempting to destroy the crystal, or experiencing a violent imbalance in his internal energy fluctuations will immediately be judged as "invasion of a source of contamination," leading to a devastating purification judgment.

The Seed of Origin operates efficiently under entirely new pressures.

[Environmental scan continues: The direction of the temple's energy flow is stable, with the core pointing towards the depths of the corridor (towards the Garden of Life).]

Current regional structural density: slightly below average.

Path planning: Proceed along the weaker energy flow region, avoiding large structural cluster nodes.

Kate is like the most sophisticated detector, maximizing her perception.

He relied not only on his eyes, but also on the Seed of Origin's deep analysis of the environment and the subtle "homogeneous sensing" brought by the Silver Star Moss.

This perception allowed him to vaguely sense which areas had gentler "purification" pressures and where "secondary energy sources" might exist that were of the same origin as the temple but slightly different.

He followed the guidance of the Seed of Origin, wandering through the magnificent yet empty corridors.

The cold, crystalline rock beneath my feet gave me a constant, unchanging sensation, while all around me were slowly moving, deadly stars.

The air was so clear it was unsettling; the only sounds were his own soft breathing and the faint energy disturbances caused by the movement of the construct.

After an unknown amount of time, perhaps several hours, the Seed of Origin suddenly sent a new hint:

[A weak energy anomaly was detected: Location: 150 meters to the left front, at the bottom of the corridor in a crystalline depression.]

Energy Attributes: A fusion of highly pure water and light elements, with faint life fluctuations.

Similarity to the Temple: 92%, with slight differences.

Speculation: This could be a unique symbiote or resource point that originated within the temple.

Kate perked up.

Water element! This is exactly what he needs!

He immediately adjusted his direction and cautiously approached the target point.

As the distance closed, the peculiar energy fluctuations became clearer.

The analysis of the Seed of Origin has also become more in-depth:

[Target morphology simulation: Non-fixed crystal structure]

The energy structure exhibits fluid aggregation characteristics, is highly introverted, and its fluctuation frequency is highly consistent with the crystalline rock background.

It contains faint but pure traces of life.

After navigating around a massive, slowly rotating spherical structure, Kate finally spotted her target.

At the bottom of a natural crystalline depression about three meters in diameter, a small pool of liquid has accumulated.

This liquid is not ordinary water; it has a dreamlike, liquid silvery texture.

Its surface is as calm as a mirror, reflecting the holy light of the dome, yet inside, pure, stardust-like specks of light flow slowly within.

It emits extremely faint water vapor, but the moment this water vapor comes into contact with the air, it is assimilated into pure light particles and dissipates.

[Target confirmed: Glimmering Algae (a species endemic to the Purification Temple)]

[Form: A unique symbiotic entity somewhere between liquid water and concentrated light energy.]

【characteristic:

Highly purified: Contains the purest light and water elements, with a strong neutralizing and cleansing effect on abyssal pollution, deathly energy, and spiritual defilement.

Life Nourishment: Pure life energy can accelerate wound healing (especially energy trauma and soul burns) and restore original vitality.

Energy Coordination: It can harmonize conflicting energies and stabilize fluctuations in the mental state.

Symbiotic environment dependence: It can only exist for a long time in the purification corridor or similar high-purity light domain environment. Its energy will dissipate rapidly after leaving, and it needs to be stored in a special container (such as the Holy Radiance Crystal Container).

Passive defense: Its very existence creates a weak purifying field, but excessive external pressure or malicious contact will trigger its self-annihilation or attract constructs.

"Glimmer..." Kate murmured the name to herself, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes.

This is exactly what he needs! A water-based magical plant with powerful purifying and life-nourishing effects, and whose energy attribute is the same as that of the temple, might be effective against the stubborn erosion deep within Ella's soul and the depletion of her life essence.

But how do we obtain it?

Scooping it up with your bare hands? Don't be ridiculous.

This luminescent algae appears calm, but the Seed of Origin clearly indicates that any physical touch could be considered "contamination," causing it to instantly self-annihilate, wasting this precious resource, or even attracting nearby constructs due to excessive disturbance.

He needs an extremely gentle approach that is "approved" by the condensing algae.

Kate's gaze fell on the symbiotic balance membrane on the surface of her body.

This is the product of the combination of Silver Star Moss Spores and his own power, containing the aura of a "visitor" recognized by the temple.

"The Seed of Origin: A Safe Collection Plan. Core Idea: Utilizing a symbiotic film as a medium to simulate a gentle 'homogeneous contact'."

[The proposed solution is under development...]

[Solution: Thin film impregnation method.]

Kate received the deduction plan from the Seed of Origin, reviewed it, and began to execute it.

He took out a small vial of holy radiance crystal, about the size of a thumb. The inner wall of the vial's mouth was etched with simple guiding runes by him using the essence of moonlight guided by the Seed of Origin.

He took a deep breath and mobilized the power of the Seed of Origin, slowly thickening and softening the symbiotic membrane covering the tip of his right index finger, giving it a semi-transparent texture similar to hydrogel, with the starlight and spatial ripples flowing on it becoming more pronounced.

The movements were as slow as if frozen.

He held his breath and, with an almost infinitely slow, vertical, and effortless motion, extended his index finger toward the pool of liquid silver light.

The thin film on the fingertip made no ripples the moment it touched the liquid surface, as if the water droplet had merged into the ocean.

A cool, pure, and vibrant sensation emanates from the membrane.

The original seed works tirelessly to maintain the stability of the thin film and homologous fluctuations.

The liquid of the condensing algae seemed to "hesitate" for a moment, and that faint life fluctuation resonated extremely subtly with the thin membrane on Kate's fingertip.

Then, a miracle happened—wisps of liquid silver light, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, slowly and spontaneously spread upwards, soaking and enveloping the thin film on Kate's fingertips, forming a thin, flowing silver coating.

Kate was overjoyed, but her movements remained as steady as a deep pool.

He slowly lifted his index finger off the liquid surface at the same pace.

The liquid from the condensing algae clinging to the membrane, like the most docile pet, remained steadily on the membrane without any sign of detachment or dissipation.

The whole process took less than ten seconds, but it took a lot of effort from Kate.

He took out the small crystal bottle that his mentor had provided earlier; it was a container specifically used for purifying the temple.

He quickly moved his fingertip to the mouth of the crystal bottle and gently touched it.

The homologous properties of the crystal rock and the luminescent algae took effect immediately. The layer of liquid silver light, like a weary bird returning to its nest, instantly detached from the membrane and slid into the crystal rock bottle, lying quietly at the bottom, still radiating a dreamlike pure luster.

It's done! Although it's only about ten drops, they are the key seeds. I believe that with the seed of origin, cultivation will not be a problem.