Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Kate stood at the edge of the central square of the Emerald City, clutching the warm, jade-like fragment of the Root of Immortality in her palm.

What flows from the fingertips is the power of life's origin, as vast as a galaxy, the vicissitudes of countless years, and the key to a higher level of life.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, 80 points of spiritual power surged ceaselessly, spatial perception was as keen as a star compass, the spatial anchoring brought by the fusion of the Void Vine was as stable as a mountain, the Bloodthirsty Vine lay dormant within the cage of order, and the golden roots of the Seed of Origin greedily analyzed the faint rule imprints emitted by the fragments of the Immortal Root.

"Life...space..."

Kate murmured softly, her eyes seemingly swirling with a silvery-blue nebula and a vibrant, emerald-green torrent of life.

The baptism of the Purification Temple, the fusion with the Void Vine, and the acquisition of the Root of Immortality—all of these were pushing him toward a critical point—the threshold of a fourth-level peak apprentice, and beyond that, the vast realm of a formal wizard.

He needs a direction, a path of advancement sufficient to encompass his unique symbiotic system, the analytical power of the Seed of Origin, and the dual rules of space and life.

"Seed of Origin, In-depth Deduction: Based on the existing ability system (Bloodthirsty Vine, Moon Shadow Symbiosis, Golden Thorn, Floating Flower, Analysis of Seed of Origin), core resources (Fragment of Immortal Root, Seed of Void Vine, Holy Spring Water, Void Tranquil Lotus), and insights into space/life rules, the optimal core sorcery construction scheme is deduced."

A chilling stream of analysis instantly surged through the sea of ​​consciousness:

[Promotion Path Simulation Initiated]

[Core Objective: To build a stable, efficient, and growth-potential core magic (energy core cycle)]

Key Element Analysis:

Spatial Rules (Initial Understanding): Characteristics: Stability, Refraction, Transmission, Perception. Carriers: Void Vine Seeds (fragments of spatial coordinates), Void Serenity Lotus (spatial anchor points), Moon Shadow Essence (spatial affinity).

Life Rules (Initial Understanding): Characteristics: Growth, Purification, Cycle, Origin. Carriers: Fragments of the Root of Immortality (origin of life and imprint of rules), Holy Spring Water (highly concentrated life essence), Blood-Eating Vine (predatory life-giving feedback), Floating Flower (stabilizing the spiritual sea).

Seed of Origin (Core): Characteristics: Analysis, Optimization, Suppression, Harmony. Function: To coordinate conflicts between space and life energy, suppress the ferocity of the Bloodthirsty Vine, and optimize energy circulation efficiency.

Symbiotic System (Basic): Bloodthirsty Vine (Physical Attack/Defense/Life Steal), Golden Thorns (Physical Defense/Energy Deflection), Floating Flower (Spiritual Sea Stabilization/Spiritual Pivot Seed), Moon Shadow Symbiosis (Spatial Perception/Refraction).

Solution selection:

Option A: Space Control

Core concept: Using the seeds of the Void Vine as the core, an energy cycle is constructed with spatial travel and perception as its main components.

Advantages: Highly compatible with existing space capabilities, strong explosive power, and unparalleled mobility.

Disadvantages: Difficult to integrate with the rules of life, the Blood-Eating Vine system may be rejected, the pressure of harmonizing the Seed of Origin is enormous, and it lacks endurance and resilience.

Promotion risk: High (intense energy conflict).

Option B: The Source of Life

Core: Using fragments of the root of immortality as the core, an energy cycle is constructed with life growth and purification as its core.

Advantages: Great potential, strong recovery ability, good synergy with Holy Spring Water and Floating Flower, can deeply suppress the ferocity of Blood-Eating Vine.

Disadvantages: Spatial abilities may become secondary, lacking explosive power, resistance to abyssal pollution relies on suppression by the Seed of Origin, and initial defense is relatively weak.

Promotion risk: Medium to high (requires addressing spatial compatibility issues).

Option C: Spacetime Nursery (Recommended)

Core: Based on the original seed, construct a dual-core circulation system of "space as garden and life as seed".

Architecture:

Base plate: Seed of origin (analysis, harmonization center).

Space Garden: Using the Void Lotus of Tranquility as the spatial anchor and the Void Vine Seeds as the spatial network, it constructs a stable and expandable spatial energy field, providing a stable environment and energy transmission channels.

Seed of Life: With fragments of the Immortal Root as the core of life origin, the Holy Spring as the source of nourishment, the Blood-Devouring Vine as the driving force of circulation, and the Floating Flower as the interface of the spiritual sea, it constructs a system for the growth, circulation, and feedback of life energy.

Symbiotic Connection: Golden Thorns merge into the barrier of the Garden of Space, strengthening defense and energy deflection; Moon Shadow Symbiosis serves as a lubricating and refractive layer for both the Garden of Space and the Seed of Life.

Advantage:

Compatibility: Space provides a stable framework and pathways, life provides core motivation and growth potential, and the seed of origin acts as a mediator, maximizing compatibility with the existing system.

Growth potential: The "nursery" architecture can reserve interfaces to integrate more dimensional magical plants in the future and evolve into the "world tree" form.

Stability: Spatial anchoring + life origin + suppression by the seed of origin, triple stability.

Balanced offense and defense: Space travel/refraction + Bloodthirsty vine physical attack and defense/plunder + Golden thorns defense + health regeneration.

Disadvantages: The construction is extremely complex, the requirements for the precision of mental control are abnormal, it requires a massive amount of energy to support it, and the advancement process may trigger a backlash from the rules.

Promotion Risk: Extremely High (If out of control, energy will be annihilated).

Resource Requirements:

Core materials: Immortal Root Fragment (already possessed), Void Vine Seed (already possessed), Void Serenity Lotus (already possessed), Holy Spring Water (80 standard units, already possessed).

Auxiliary materials: High-purity spatial crystals (used to stabilize the spatial garden), life-law affinity media (such as the sap of the activated ancient tree in the Emerald Temple), and a large amount of pure magic stones/elemental crystals (energy supply).

Environmental requirements: A region with a relatively stable spatial structure and a high concentration of life energy.

Protection Requirement: At least one high-level wizard proficient in the rules of space or life must be present to protect you (to reduce the risk of rule backlash).

[Estimated success rate (current status): 55%]

Kate's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "The Time-Space Nursery...that's it!"

This plan perfectly aligns with the advantages of his symbiotic path and the Seed of Origin, and has immense potential.

Although the risks are extremely high, the path of a wizard is inherently defying the heavens.

He carefully put away the fragments of the Root of Immortality and turned to walk towards the Linyu Inn.

The core magic requires consultation with the allies of the Green Peak Alliance, and may also require the use of some of their resources.

Pushing open the door of the revitalized treehouse in the hotel, a warm and vibrant atmosphere greets you.

Evan, Sophia, Kyle, Serena, and Elena were all there, clearly waiting for him.

"Kate!" Evan was the first to stand up, his gaze sharp as lightning, instantly sweeping over Kate. "Your aura... 80 points?! Peak Level 4! And this life essence... You succeeded?!"

Even Sophia's rock-like face showed surprise: "The aura of the Root of Immortality... though faint, its essence is extremely high!"

Elena's silver eyes sparkled, as if piercing through appearances: "Spatial anchoring is stable, the essence of life is sublimated... Kate, your gains in the Temple are beyond imagination."

Kate nodded, making no attempt to hide anything: "I was fortunate enough to pass the Sage's Test and obtain a small fragment of the Root of Immortality. My spiritual power also naturally progressed, reaching the peak of Level Four."

He briefly described the three trials of the Green Path Trial and the Source of Life, focusing on the understanding of the rules of life and the acquisition of the Root of Immortality, omitting the details of the in-depth deduction of the Seed of Origin, only saying that it was the direction he had comprehended.

"A spacetime nursery?" Evan frowned slightly after hearing Kate's concept of a core sorcery based on space and life, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the wooden table. "This concept... is very bold, and also very dangerous. The fusion of space and life is an extremely profound field even at the formal wizarding stage. If you are not careful, the energy conflict could tear you apart."

"I know the risks," Kate said calmly, "but this is the path I can think of that best utilizes all my strengths. Bloodvine, spatial abilities, origin... analysis, and this Root of Immortality—they all need such a framework."

"What do you need?" Sophia asked directly, her greyish-white rock armor reflecting a soft light. "Materials? The environment? Or a protector?"

"I have everything." Kate listed the items. "I have the core materials, but I need a large amount of high-purity spatial crystals to stabilize the 'Spatial Garden,' and I also need a medium that can enhance the affinity with the rules of life, preferably the sap of the revitalized ancient tree unique to the Emerald Temple. The energy supply requires a massive amount of magic stones or elemental crystals. The most crucial thing is the environment—it needs a place with stable space and abundant life energy. And... it would be best to have a high-level wizard to protect us and deal with any possible backlash from the rules."

"Space crystals and magic stones are easy to obtain," Evan mused. "Our reserves at the Barrier and what we've gained in the trials should be enough. As for the sap of the revitalized ancient trees..." He glanced at the shimmering nebula crystal in Elena's hand: "The revitalized ancient trees of the Emerald Temple are guardians, and their sap is their life essence, extremely difficult to obtain. However... since the Sage has acknowledged you, perhaps we could try exchanging it for the Star-Leaping Ferns you've cultivated or some of the Holy Spring water? The star trails indicate that a successful transaction is possible."

"It's worth a try," Kate nodded.

"As for the environment," Kyle said coldly from the shadows, "Emerald City itself is a place rich in life energy. Spatial stability... as long as it's not near the entrance to Starfall Rift or the Wailing Barrier, it's sufficient. The 'Green Vine Secret Realm' within the barrier might be better, but it's too far away to solve the immediate problem."

"As for the protectors..." Evan looked at everyone, his gaze finally settling on Elena. "Elena's stellar field can stabilize energy, Sophia's earth barrier can withstand physical impacts, and Kyle, Serena, and I can handle unexpected disturbances. But none of us are formal wizards, and we may not be able to handle the potential backlash from the rules..."

"Instructor Liria," Serena suddenly spoke, her voice cold, "She is proficient in magical plant cultivation and life energy, and also has some knowledge of space. If she were willing to lend a hand..."

"We are still in the midst of a trial, and we cannot ask outside wizards for help, as that would violate the trial rules."

Kate said in a deep voice, "It's okay. I want to gather materials first and try it myself. If it doesn't work, I'll go back to the stronghold and try again. But I still need a few senior students to protect me during my attempt."

Evan and the others nodded and agreed to accompany Kate to gather materials first. If Kate succeeded, observing the process would be beneficial for them in building their own core witchcraft.

Kate and Elena travel to the Emerald Temple again.

This time, he brought with him the carefully cultivated Starfly Fern with its leaves covered in silvery spatial patterns, and a small bottle containing about 5 units of holy spring water.

At the entrance to the temple, they met Aldridge, the Ancient Tree Sage, once again.

Kate bowed respectfully and offered the starfrog and holy spring water:

"Wise One, thank you for your guidance and the test. This is a variant fern that I cultivated by fusing spatial and life energies, containing a faint power of astral coordinates."

This bottle of holy spring water is a gift from the Garden of Life. I wish to exchange it for a portion of the pure sap from the temple's revitalizing ancient tree, to solidify my path.

The wise man's emerald gaze swept over the Starfly and the Holy Spring, lingering on Kate for a moment, as if he could see through the surging spatial energy within him and the aura of that fragment of the Root of Immortality.

"Young explorer, your path is full of unknowns and challenges," the wise man spoke slowly, his voice like the rustling of pines in a forest.

"I accept this exchange. May this essence of life help you establish a firm foundation and plant immortal hope in the nursery of time and space."

A verdant vine emerged from behind the sage, its tip dripping several drops of crystal-clear, emerald-green sap, exuding a rich aura of life's laws, which precisely fell into a specially made jade bottle prepared by Kate.

[Obtained: Revitalized Ancient Tree Life Essence (Exclusive Supply from the Emerald Temple)]

[Characteristics: Contains a pure affinity for life rules, which can greatly enhance the efficiency of life energy fusion and slightly amplify the understanding of life rules.]

Kate accepted it solemnly and bowed deeply.

When they returned to the inn, Evan and Sophia had already prepared the large amount of high-purity space crystals and magic stones they had collected.

Kate sat cross-legged in the center of the room, her mind sinking into the Seed of Origin.

He placed the fragments of the Root of Immortality at the core of his spiritual sea, beneath which the phantom of the Lotus of Tranquility slowly rotated, while the seeds of the Void Vine orbited like satellites, and the water of the Holy Spring transformed into trickling streams that nourished everything.

The essence of the revitalizing ancient tree sap was drawn out and integrated into the spiritual particles.

"Analysis, harmonicization, simulation..."

The Seed of Origin was operating at full capacity, its icy analytical force field enveloping all core resources, repeatedly simulating the construction process of the "spacetime nursery," deducing the connection of each energy node and the reconciliation of every conflicting rule.

Time passed quickly amidst the intense preparations and deep meditation.

Finally, Kate was ready, and the group reunited.

Kate nodded slightly to them: "The location will be in the 'Heart of the Emerald Forest' on the west side of the city-state. It is one of the nodes in the lifeline of the city-state, and the space is relatively stable."

"Evan, you're in charge of perimeter security. No one is allowed within a kilometer. Elena, your Astral Field is providing support and stabilization in the core area."

The heart of the Emerald Forest is a tranquil clearing surrounded by countless giant, luminous ferns. The ground is covered with thick moss that emits a warm, green glow, and the rich life energy in the air is almost condensed into liquid.

Kate sat cross-legged in the center of the open space, placing the Immortal Root fragments, Void Vine seeds, Void Tranquility Lotus, Revitalized Ancient Tree Sap, Holy Spring Water, and a massive amount of Space Crystals and Magic Stones in front of her.

Kate took a deep breath, her eyes as calm as a still lake.

"Seed of Origin, activate!"

"Time-Space Nursery, Construction Begins!"

boom--!

My mind was instantly agitated!

The Seed of Origin burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant golden light, its roots spreading wildly and forcefully dominating all energy!

The Void Lotus of Tranquility shone brightly with silver light, and the lotus heart vortex spun rapidly. A vast spatial power surged out, forcibly opening up and stabilizing a void "garden" in the sea of ​​consciousness!

The spatial crystal was instantly shattered, and the pure spatial energy, like steel bars and iron, merged into the boundaries and framework of this garden.

The seeds of the Void Vine burst forth with azure starlight, transforming into countless spatial veins, like the most intricate pipes and root systems, deeply penetrating the "Garden of Space," constructing a network for energy transmission and perception.

"The Seed of Life, Condensed!"

Kate growled, guiding the fragments of the Immortal Root into the core of the garden.

The fragments shone with a vibrant green light, pulsating like a heart, radiating a vast vitality and the fluctuations of its rules.

The holy spring water transformed into sweet rain, nourishing the fragments. The essence of the revitalizing ancient tree sap blended in, greatly enhancing the affinity with the rules of life.

"Bloodthirsty Vine, Cage of Order, open!"

The patterns on his right arm lit up, releasing the ferocious will of the Bloodthirsty Vine. However, under the life pressure of the Seed of Origin and the Root of Immortality, as well as the powerful mental suppression, it was instantly bound, purified, and guided!

It transformed into a dark red torrent brimming with predatory vitality, forcibly injected with the "seed of life," which became the core driving force of its cycle!

"Floating Flowers, Spiritual Connection!"

Seven-colored floating flower phantoms bloomed in the sky above the spiritual sea, and the spiritual core seed at the flower's stamen shone with light, establishing a solid connection with the "Seed of Life" and becoming a bridge between the spiritual sea and the core of life.

"Golden thorns, bulwark!"

Dark golden thorny vines blended into the boundary of the "Space Garden," strengthening its defenses, their surface metallic spikes gleaming with a cold light.

"Moonlight and shadow coexist, refraction!"

The pale silver essence of the moonlight flows between the spatial veins and the core of life, acting as a lubricant and buffer layer, reflecting potential energy conflicts.

The entire construction process was like building a tower to the heavens amidst raging waves!

The violent force of space and the vastness of the origin of life constantly collide and squeeze!

The ferocious and maddening Bloodthirsty Vine was violently assaulting the Cage of Order!

The Seed of Origin was operating at overload, its golden roots constantly cracking and regenerating, while the icy analytical force field suppressed the turmoil at every energy node, optimizing the circulation path.

Standing to the side, hands forming a mudra, layers of gentle force fields, imbued with the dual mysteries of life and space, enveloped Kate, like the strongest dam, resisting the backlash of rules emanating from the violent energy within her spiritual sea, while continuously soothing the intense tremors in Kate's spiritual core.

Elena's stellar field formed a second layer of stabilizing net on the outside, neutralizing the spatial ripples.

Kate's seven orifices began to bleed, his body trembled violently, and his mind felt as if it were being torn apart. But his eyes remained firm, like a rock!

"Place it for me...!"

A silent roar erupted in his heart, pouring all his will, beliefs, and yearning for a higher level into the emerging "space-time nursery"!

Om-!

A grand, resounding hum, seemingly emanating from the depths of the soul, resounded.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the raging tide of energy suddenly subsided.

A miniature "nursery" that exudes endless mystery has finally taken shape!

The base is the golden root network of the seed of origin.

Above is a stable "space garden" composed of the Void Lotus of Tranquility and spatial veins, with dark golden thorny barriers flowing along its boundaries.

At the core of the garden, fragments of the Immortal Root take root like saplings of the World Tree, drawing water from the sacred spring and radiating a boundless life force. The dark red energy transformed from the Bloodthirsty Vine forms a cyclical driving force within it.

The ethereal image of floating flowers swayed above it, connecting the entire spiritual sea.

The essence of the moonlight enveloped everything like a thin veil, reflecting the radiance of space and life.

The core sorcery—the Time-Space Nursery—has been successfully constructed!

An unprecedentedly powerful aura erupted from Kate!

There were signs that his mental strength was about to break through the 80-point barrier!

The mental sea expanded several times over, becoming incredibly stable, and the spatial perception range surged to a kilometer, with precision reaching the finest detail.

The life force is as vast as the sea, and the strength and resilience of the physical body increase dramatically.

More importantly, he clearly felt an unprecedented and profound resonance between himself and the surrounding space and the living earth beneath his feet.

Although it was only a rudimentary form of witchcraft, it did indeed break through the limits of a wizard apprentice's trick-level spell, allowing Kate to step into the threshold of becoming a first-ring wizard.

The soft light of the Emerald City bathed Kate, and he slowly opened his eyes. In the depths of his pupils, his left eye seemed to shimmer with a river of stars, while his right eye swayed like the Tree of Life.