Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

The light gate rippled like water, and Kate stepped out from it.

Before me still lay that verdant tundra, shimmering with dreamlike light, where enormous, glowing ferns cast dappled shadows, and the air was filled with the unique freshness and tranquility of the Garden of Life.

However, this tranquility was shattered in an instant.

"Kate!"

"Junior!"

Several voices, filled with surprise and concern, rang out simultaneously.

Evan, Sophia, Kyle, Serena, and Elena—the five members of the Green Peak Alliance—were all seated around a huge, warm, white crystal rock not far from the portal.

They had clearly been waiting there all along.

Evan was the first to stand up. His pale blue robe fluttered without wind, and his sharp gaze swept over Kate's entire body in an instant, carrying a hint of scrutiny and relief.

A hint of emotion appeared on Sofia's rock-like face, and the rock armor on her body seemed to become even more refined, with a hint of dark golden metallic luster.

Kyle and Serena appeared silently behind Kate like two shadows, their cold eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Elena was the calmest of them all. She slowly rose, her silver eyes sparkling with starlight. When her gaze fell on Kate, a profound and indescribable light flashed within them, as if she had seen through the surface to reveal a deeper change.

The nebula crystal in her hand shone with a warm light, and its aura was more stable than before.

"It's been three days, Kate." Evan's voice was steady, tinged with concern. "Thankfully, you came out within the agreed time. How... is the situation inside?"

Three days? Kate felt a chill run down her spine. In the Crystal Source Cave, where time flowed abnormally, she felt that at most a day had passed.

It seems the time difference between inside and outside the secret cave is greater than he expected.

"We encountered some trouble, but... we gained something." Kate's voice was calm, yet carried an unprecedented composure and confidence.

He did not describe in detail the dangers of the Crystal Source Cave and the terror of the nine trials, but simply said:

"The spatial structure was extremely unstable and the energy was violent, but it eventually found its target and passed the final test."

With a thought, a specially made chalcedony box with intricate life runes and spatial stabilization runes engraved on its inner wall appeared in his palm.

The lid was slightly opened, and an indescribable, powerful, pure, yet gentle and restrained aura of life essence instantly spread out!

The aura was so pure and vast that the surrounding luminous plants seemed to be nourished, their leaves unfurling and their light shining even brighter.

Sofia's rock armor gleamed with a warm luster, while Elena's nebula crystal spontaneously emitted a soft silver-blue glow, as if in response.

"Life Source Crystal... Sub-body!" Elena's silver eyes flashed with starlight, her voice carrying a rare fluctuation.

"You did it! Not only did you find it, you also gained its approval?!"

Evan's eyes flashed with a sharp light, his keen gaze fixed on the jade box, as if trying to pierce through the box walls to see the treasure inside.

He took a deep breath, the rich life force in the air invigorating him, and said in a deep voice:

"Good! Good! Good! Kate, you did it! A treasure that no one could find for centuries, a treasure foretold by a high-ranking prophetic wizard!"

A genuine smile appeared on Sofia's rock-like face.

Kate quickly closed the lid of the box, shutting out the smell.

Although it is in the Garden of Life, the aura of the Life Source Crystal is too tempting, and it is hard to guarantee that it will not attract unnecessary trouble.

"This amount is enough for Ella."

Kate carefully put away the chalcedony box, a huge weight finally lifted from her heart.

With this, combined with the holy spring water, Ella's soul wounds and depleted life force will surely be healed!

"Your aura..." Elena's gaze remained fixed on Kate, tinged with a hint of inquiry.

"Completely different. Mental strength... 69 points? But its refinement and quality... far surpass that of an ordinary peak fourth-level apprentice! It's even... on the verge of some kind of qualitative change?"

Her words surprised everyone once again.

69 points of mental strength!

There's still a distance to go before reaching the 80-point threshold for a Level 4 peak apprentice, but only a few days have passed?

Moreover, Elena emphasizes "quality" and "refinement"!

Evan and the others immediately began to carefully sense it.

really!

Kate stood there, her aura as deep and imposing as a mountain, yet she possessed a sense of dynamism that blended seamlessly with the surrounding space.

The fluctuations in mental energy were extremely restrained, unlike before, when the ferocious aura of the Bloodthirsty Vine would occasionally leak out.

At this moment, he was like a deep pool or ancient well, calm on the surface but containing unimaginable and immense power within.

The oppressive feeling brought by that kind of mental power, although not at its peak, its purity, stability, and the subtle resonance with space, far surpassed that of veteran level four late-stage experts like Sophia, who had even touched the threshold of the peak!

"The baptism of the Crystal Source Cave?" Evan asked in a deep voice.

"Yes." Kate nodded, offering a brief explanation, "The tempering of spatial turbulence and life energy, and... the gift of the final trial."

He was referring to the primal baptism of the Life Source Crystal and the tempering of the nine trials.

"It seems the harvest has far exceeded expectations." A hint of approval and seriousness flashed in Evan's eyes.

"Not only the Source Crystal, but you yourself have also undergone a transformation. This perilous journey was worthwhile!"

"How was everyone's experience?" Kate asked, looking at the group.

"Quite a haul," Evan said, gesturing around.

"Although the Garden of Life is dangerous, it is also a treasure trove. We have used these past few days to collect some rare magical plant materials and have each gained some insights."

Sophia fused with some of the activated wood core fragments, greatly increasing the defensive capabilities of her rock armor. Kyle and Serena's spatial awareness became even more acute.

Elena's celestial prophecies have also improved under purified conditions.

He paused, then looked at Kate: "More importantly, while we were waiting for you, Elena performed another stellar calculation. The entrance to the fourth level of the Trial Tower is at the other end of the Court of Life, near the boundary of the 'Withered Royal Court.' However…"

Evan's eyes sharpened: "A powerful guardian beast is lurking at the entrance. According to prophecies and ancient records of the Barrier, it should be a descendant of the 'Star Wanderer'—the 'Void Shadow Beast'! It's at the peak of level four, possesses the ability to jump through space, and is extremely troublesome."

"The fourth trial tower?" Kate's heart skipped a beat. Instructor Liria's information mentioned this place. The environment was special and it might contain treasures or trials related to the fall of stars.

"That's right," Elena replied, her voice ethereal. "The star trails indicate that the energy tides of the fourth trial tower are stabilizing, making it the best time to enter."

But the Shadow Beast is the biggest obstacle. Its spatial abilities seem to have been somewhat suppressed by the purification field of the Court of Life, but it is still extremely dangerous.

"Peak of Level Four, Space Jump..." Sophia said in a deep voice, her grayish-white, rocky skin gleaming with a cold, hard sheen under the light.

"Spatial jump ability is extremely troublesome and impossible to defend against. In an environment like the Garden of Life, our power is somewhat purified and suppressed, while its spatial ability, although weakened, still holds the advantage."

"Besides, this is its home turf," Kyle added coldly from the shadows. "It knows every inch of this space intimately."