Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Kate walked slowly down the white jade platform. The emerald green tundra beneath her feet was soft and elastic, and every step felt like walking on a living, breathing carpet.

The fresh scent of grass and trees and the faint fragrance of flowers in the air are refreshing and invigorating, and the fatigue in my mind caused by the ripening of silver star moss and the maintenance of the symbiotic membrane is slowly fading away.

The Seed of Origin is like the most sophisticated radar, constantly scanning its surroundings.

It filters out energy fluctuations that are too powerful, obviously guardians or traps, and focuses on finding weak, anomalous, or slightly different energy sources that are of the same origin as the temple.

He strolled along a long corridor of vines that flowed with liquid light. The vines were like giant jade pipes, with tangible life energy flowing inside and radiating a soft halo.

On both sides of the corridor are strange plants of various shapes and colors, emitting a faint light: there is the "Song Wind Grass" whose leaves sway in the wind like crystal wind chimes and make a crisp and melodious sound; there is the "Spring Flower" whose stamens are like miniature fountains and constantly gush out pure dew; and there is the "Earth Vein Root" whose roots pulsate like breathing and exude a rich earth-based vitality.

Kate did not rashly touch these rare herbs. The scan of the Seed of Origin showed that most of them contained powerful life energy, but they were also closely connected with the rules of the temple. Picking them rashly might invite the guardians' expulsion.

He simply recorded their forms and energy characteristics, enriching the database of the primordial seeds.

He walked to a relatively secluded corner, near the edge of the courtyard, where the light was dim and a patch of low-lying, sapphire-like shimmering moss grew.

Amidst the moss, a few inconspicuous clover-like blades of grass dotted the landscape. Their leaves were a translucent pale purple, with a faint silver sheen flowing through their veins; they appeared utterly unremarkable.

However, just as Kate's gaze swept over one of them, the Seed of Origin suddenly emitted an extremely subtle yet exceptionally clear notification:

[WARNING! A slight spatial fluctuation anomaly detected!]

[Location: Three meters ahead, in the moss thicket, the third pale purple clover on the left.]

[Fluidity characteristics: Unnatural spatial folds, traces of microscopic spatial anchors, extremely low energy level, and highly assimilated with the surrounding environment.]

[Analysis: Suspected spatial entrance or teleportation node; structurally stable and not aggressive, but the triggering mechanism is unknown.]

Kate paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

Spatial fluctuations? In a place where life energy is so highly concentrated?

He immediately focused his mind, and the essence of the moon shadow under the blood-devouring vine pattern on his right arm was quietly activated, and the pale silver spatial perception field spread out like ripples on water.

With the combined perception of the Seed of Origin and the essence of the Moon Shadow, the seemingly ordinary pale purple clover indeed contained an extremely tiny, needle-like spatial singularity at its core!

The spatial structure around the singularity exhibits an extremely subtle, ripple-like distortion, which is incongruous with the stable space around it, yet it is forcibly anchored and compressed by some powerful force, perfectly integrating into the life energy field of the clover. If it weren't for the Seed of Origin's extraordinary sensitivity to energy abnormalities, it would have been impossible to detect!

"A natural disguise... or some kind of trial?"

Kate was wary, but her curiosity only grew stronger.

The appearance of such a hidden spatial node within the Purification Temple is no accident.

Considering the "information about the interior of the purifying temple" mentioned by mentor Liria and Elena's prophecy, this is likely an unrecorded hidden area or trial.

He cautiously approached the clover and stopped about a meter away.

The Seed of Origin was operating at full power, and a stream of icy analysis flowed into consciousness:

[Target: Unknown spatial node carrier (pale purple clover shape)]

[Spatial structure: A stable micro-wormhole, approximately 1 micrometer in diameter, connecting to an unknown subspace.]

[Triggering mechanism speculation: Requires contact with specific frequencies of life energy or spatial energy for activation.]

[Risk Assessment: The spatial structure is stable with no signs of energy leakage. Triggering this event will most likely result in spatial displacement, entering the target space. Forced destruction or accidental triggering may lead to spatial disorder or node annihilation.]

[Suggestion: Try contact resonance using trace amounts of similar life energy or moonlight essence.]

Kate took a deep breath.

Opportunities and risks coexist. However, the assessment of the Seed of Origin indicates that the risks are manageable.

He slowly raised his right hand, and the symbiotic membrane at his fingertips, composed of "Silver Star Moss Starlight + Moon Shadow Space + Primal Harmony," lit up faintly once more.

This time, he deliberately suppressed the starlight and life force, handing over control to the essence of the moon shadow.

A faint wisp of pale silver energy, imbued with spatial inertia and refractive properties, emerged from the thin membrane at Kate's fingertips like the gentlest tendrils, slowly reaching towards the spatial singularity at the core of the clover.

Just as the pale silver energy was about to touch the singularity—

hum!

The clover jolted violently!

Its core spatial singularity suddenly lit up, bursting with a dazzling silver-white light!

A powerful suction force instantly arrived, not acting on the physical body, but directly on Kate's mental core and spatial coordinates!

Kate felt a blur before her eyes, as if she had been thrown into a rapidly spinning kaleidoscope!

The surrounding Garden of Life faded and vanished rapidly, like a shattered mirror!

The next moment, the dizzying sensation disappeared.

A solid sensation came from my feet.

Kate finds herself in a completely unfamiliar and strange space.

There is no sky, no earth here.

All around was a boundless, slowly flowing, silvery-gray void, like liquid mercury.

The void is not static, but rather pulses and flows slowly as if it possesses life, exuding a cold, desolate aura, yet containing a vast spatial energy.

The light comes from the void itself, even and soft, yet it carries a chilling sense of emptiness.

The air was so thin it was almost a vacuum, and the gravitational field was weak and chaotic. Kate needed to adjust her posture slightly to keep her balance.

Most breathtakingly, in the center of this silvery-gray void, floats a gigantic lotus flower.

It is not a physical entity, but rather formed from pure spatial energy!

The petals display a deep, ever-changing silver-blue hue, with pale gold specks flowing along the edges like stardust, layer upon layer, slowly opening and closing as if breathing.

At the center of the lotus is not the seedpod, but a slowly rotating, deep vortex, like a miniature black hole, emanating a powerful spatial suction and soul-stirring fluctuations.

The entire lotus flower exudes an indescribable sense of tranquility and vastness, as if it were the heart of this void, the embodiment of the rules of space.

[Analysis Target: Void Serenity Lotus (Mature Stage)]

[Form: A highly condensed aggregate of spatial energy, existing between matter and energy.]

[characteristic:

Core spatial anchor point: The lotus heart vortex is a powerful spatial node that stabilizes the existence of this space.

Spatial energy affinity: naturally attracts, condenses, and purifies spatial energy.

Anchoring in the Sea of ​​Spirit: Emits special spatial fluctuations that can soothe mental ripples, stabilize the structure of the Sea of ​​Spirit, and resist mental shocks and pollution.

Rules Manifested: The trajectory of the petals' movement contains subtle spatial folds and stable fragments of rules.

[Value: Extremely rare! Can significantly enhance spatial talents, stabilize the mental sea, improve the purity and capacity of mental power, and assist in comprehending spatial rules.]

The message from the Seed of Origin was cold and shocking!

The Void Serenity Lotus! This is the top-tier magical plant mentioned by Instructor Liria, ranking first among those that enhance and stabilize the spiritual sea! Its value far surpasses that of the previous Silver Star Moss!

However, before Kate could even rejoice, a sudden change occurred!

Om-!

The enormous Void Lotus of Tranquility seemed to sense the intruder's presence, and the deep vortex at its heart suddenly accelerated its rotation!

An invisible, powerful spatial repulsion field instantly spread out, like an invisible tide, slamming into Kate!

Kate felt her body sink, as if she had been plunged into viscous mercury, making every movement incredibly difficult!

What's even more terrifying is that this force field is not just a simple physical repulsion, but also carries a spiritual "expulsion" will, attempting to peel his spiritual imprint out of this space!

At the same time, the Seed of Origin issued a sharp alarm:

[WARNING! Spatial repulsion field detected! Intensity continues to increase!]

[Rejection Mechanism: The target space refuses entry to those who are not spatially compatible or who cannot pass the test.]

[Test content speculation: Under a repulsive force field, one must approach and make contact with the core of the Void Lotus of Tranquility to prove their spatial affinity or control.]

[排斥力场强度：当前Lv1（行动迟缓），预计60秒后提升至Lv2（寸步难行），120秒后提升至Lv3（精神剥离）。]

[Countdown begins: 59…58…57…]

The chilling countdown tolled like a death knell in Kate's mind!

The test has begun! And there's a time limit!

He had to walk to the Void Lotus of Tranquility within two minutes, braving the increasingly strong spatial repulsion, and touch its core!

"Spatial affinity...control..." Kate's eyes lit up instantly!

He immediately activated the essence of the moon shadow with all his might!

From deep within the Bloodthirsty Vine patterns on his right arm, the power fused with the essence of the moonlight surged forth!

A richer, pale silver halo, rippling with spatial energy, enveloped his entire body!

Thorn Dash Mode activated instantly!

His feet and calves were covered with almost transparent dark gold energy thorn vines!

However, under the powerful spatial repulsion field, the speed boost brought by Thorn Speed ​​was greatly weakened!

He felt as if his legs were filled with lead, and every time he lifted his foot, it was extremely difficult!

"Not enough!" Kate gritted her teeth!

He tried to take a step forward, but his pace was as slow as a tortoise's crawl!

At this speed, it would take more than ten minutes to get to the Lotus Center, let alone two!

The Seed of Origin is operating wildly:

[Force field analysis: The repulsive force field is essentially a viscous field formed by high-density spatial energy, and it possesses mental expulsion properties.]

Countermeasures:

Option A: Force a breakthrough. Use stronger spatial energy to clash with or tear apart the force field. Risks: Huge energy consumption, potential for spatial backlash, low success rate.

Option B: Integration and Adaptation. Adjust one's own energy frequency to match the force field, reducing repulsion. Risk: Requires extremely high precision control; susceptible to mental expulsion and willpower interference.

Option C: Refraction Evasion. Utilize the spatial refraction properties of the moon's shadow essence to find weak points in the force field or gaps in the flow, and proceed in a circuitous manner. Risks: Complex path, mentally taxing, and time-sensitive.

Time was of the essence! Kate made a swift decision—combining Plan B and Plan C! The primary focus was on integration and adaptation, with reflection and avoidance as secondary measures!

"Moonlight Symbiosis - Frequency Synchronization!" Kate whispered.

He immersed his mind in the Seed of Origin, guiding the energy fluctuations of the Moon Shadow Essence. Instead of confronting the repulsive force field head-on, he acted like the most precise tuner, trying to perceive, analyze, and simulate the spatial frequency of this void and the repulsive force field!

A pale silver halo flowed and shifted across his body like ripples on water.

The heaviness brought by the repulsive force seemed to have lessened slightly, but the mental will to expel it was even stronger, like countless cold needles trying to pierce his mental sea!

"Soul-Devouring Heart-Guarding Ointment!" Kate thought to herself and used an increased amount of Soul-Devouring Heart-Guarding Ointment.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the soul barrier constructed by the Soul-Devouring Heart-Guarding Ointment was instantly reinforced, firmly isolating the external will to expel it.

At the same time, the cold computational field of the Seed of Origin enveloped his mental core, shielding him from the agitation and panic brought about by the expulsion of his will, allowing him to remain absolutely calm.

"Frequency acquisition in progress... Deviation correction... Synchronization rate 10%... 20%..."

The stickiness of the repulsive field continuously weakens as the synchronization rate increases!

Kate felt a sense of lightness in her body!

He immediately seized the opportunity and exerted force with his feet!

"Swift Journey Through Thorns - Refraction!"

Guided by the essence of the moonlight, his figure no longer moved in a straight line, but instead, like a ghost, drew strange zigzag trajectories in the void, ripples of spatial refraction!

He no longer forced his way into the area with the strongest force field, but instead keenly sensed the "gaps" where energy flowed in space and the relatively weak "vortices," weaving through them like a fish!

Although the speed is still not as fast as the outside world, it is several times faster than before!

[Synchronization rate 35%... Repulsion reduced by 45%... Movement speed increased to normal 40%...]

[Countdown: 45 seconds…]

However, as he got closer to the center of the lotus, the strength of the repulsive field increased exponentially!

The suction force of the lotus vortex began to appear, as if it wanted to suck him into the endless darkness!

Improving the synchronization rate has become extremely difficult! The mental drive to expel the will is crashing against the soul barrier like a tsunami!

Kate's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and her mental energy was being depleted like a flood!

[Synchronization rate 42%...Slow improvement...Repulsive field strength Lv1.5...Movement speed reduced to 30% of normal...]

[Countdown: 30 seconds…]

We were still nearly twenty meters away from the center of the lotus flower! But every step felt like crossing an insurmountable chasm!

"We can't stop!" Kate's eyes flashed with a fierce light!

He gritted his teeth and made an extremely risky decision!

"Seed of the Spiritual Pivot - Spatial Anchoring!"

From the flower's stamen, a Spiritual Pivot Seed, entwined with rich pale blue moonlight and with a trace of secondary spatial anchor power integrated into its core, shot out!

The seed didn't shoot towards the lotus, but instead exploded with a bang not far in front of Kate!

Om-!

A powerful mental shockwave with spatial anchoring effect spread out!

A temporary, relatively stable "anchor point area" was forcibly created within the violent spatial force field!

The spatial repulsion field in this area was instantly disrupted and weakened!

Like an arrow released from a bow, Kate seized this precious moment, unleashing her full power to dash through the thorns and plunge into the anchorage area!

[Entered temporary stable zone! Repulsive field weakened by 70%!]

He covered a distance of five meters in an instant!

But the anchoring effect lasted for less than two seconds before dissipating! An even stronger repulsive force surged forth like a rebound!

Kate was prepared!

"The second one! Seed of the Spiritual Pivot - Spatial Anchoring!"

Another seed has exploded ahead! A new stable zone has emerged!

Kate sprints again!

[Countdown: 15 seconds…]

[Distance: 10 meters!]

It was as if he was making a space jump in a race against death!

Relying on the precious Ling Shu seed and accurate prediction, a brief passage was opened in the violent repulsive force field!

Mental energy is being consumed at an alarming rate! The Seed of Origin is operating at overcapacity to maintain synchronization! The soul barrier is fluctuating violently under the impact of the expelling will!

[Third one! Anchored!]

Boom! The stable zone has reappeared!

Kate gave it her all in one last sprint!

Five meters!

[Countdown: 5 seconds!]

The repulsive field strength suddenly increased to Lv3!

A terrifying feeling of stickiness and mental detachment struck at the same time!

Kate felt as if her body was frozen in place, and her soul was being forcibly pulled out of her body!

The lotus was so close! The deep vortex in the lotus heart emitted a terrifying suction force.

"Now!"

An unprecedentedly resolute light flashed in Kate's eyes!

Instead of seeking stability, he poured a large amount of moon shadow essence and all his spiritual power into his right arm in a desperate gamble.

"Moonlight Refraction - Overload!"

hum!

The pale silver halo covering his entire body instantly became dazzling!

His figure became blurred and distorted in the Lv3 force field, as if it had turned into several overlapping afterimages!

This is not movement, but rather the use of the spatial refraction properties of the moon's essence to forcibly create a brief spatial mirror shift in its own position!

The repulsive field and mental expulsion instantly lost their precise target lock!

At this critical moment!

Using the tiny gap created by the mirror image shift and the directional correction, Kate's main body, as if teleporting, pressed her right hand hard against the center of the giant lotus flower—that deep, rotating vortex!

[Countdown: 1!]

Om-! ! !

The instant Kate's finger touched the vortex!

Time seemed to stand still!

The violent spatial repulsion field seemed to have been paused, vanishing without a trace in an instant!

That suffocating mental drive also receded like the tide!

The entire silvery-gray void fell into absolute silence.