Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Chapter 96 The Heart of Lamentation

The violent energy turbulence and ear-piercing wails of souls within the cave subsided instantly, leaving only the slow, mournful sound of deathly energy flowing and the heavy breathing of the group.

Dead silence.

Evan, Sophia, Elena, Kyle, and Serena all stood frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the scene before them.

What did they see?

That pseudo-wizard-level undead lord who made their souls tremble and whose mere pressure nearly crushed them—

That terrifying being, brimming with destructive energy and poised to crush them—was actually—instantly killed by Kai?!

One move?!

The unfolding of that strange domain, the precise lock-on that transcended space, the deadly piercing that ignored all defenses—it all happened too fast, too shocking! It was beyond their comprehension!

"This—this—" Evan opened his mouth, but found his throat dry and unable to make a complete sound.

His gaze toward Kate was filled with disbelief and shock, and a hint of—awe? The power Kate had displayed had completely surpassed the scope of a fourth-level apprentice, touching the edge of a formal wizard.

Sofia's rock-like face, usually cold and hard, was completely replaced by astonishment.

She watched Kate's figure slowly land, then looked at the spot where the Howling Lord had vanished, and finally her gaze settled on the suspended Howling Heart. Her rocky lips moved, but she only managed to utter two words: "—Monster."

Elena wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her silver eyes flashing intensely, as if she were recalculating the trajectory of the stars.

She looked at Kate, her voice trembling slightly, almost ethereal: "The Time-Space Nursery—is this your core sorcery?"

She sensed more clearly than others the faint yet real aura of intertwined space and life rules contained within Kate's domain.

Kyle and Serena helped each other to their feet, their eyes in the shadows fixed on Kate, their cold gazes revealing an unprecedented apprehension and—a barely perceptible fear.

Their prized shadow stealth proved so vulnerable to Kate's attacks, which could lock onto spatial nodes and ignore defenses.

Kate ignored the shock of the crowd.

He was slightly out of breath; maintaining the Reincarnation Nursery and the explosive attack just now had taken a huge toll. He raised his hand, and the Heart of Wailing and the Heart of the Dead flew into his hand.

The Heart of Wailing was icy cold to the bone, and countless vengeful spirits within it wailed silently. The overwhelming spiritual energy and the source of death impacted his spiritual sea, but it was quickly calmed down under the suppression of the Seed of Origin and the Nursery of Reincarnation.

The heart of the deceased is much warmer, like fine black jade, exuding a pure and restrained aura of death and a faint, undying will.

"Seed of Origin, scan the loot."

[Item: Heart of Wailing]

[Characteristics: A highly condensed aggregate of the source of spiritual pollution, the source of death and decay, and trace amounts of abyssal corrupting energy. Contains vast and chaotic soul energy and fragments of the rules of death.]

[Status: Active (unstable), requires purification and suppression.]

[Value: Extremely high! Can be used to enhance mental attacks, research death/mental rules, or as high-level necromancy materials.]

[WARNING: Direct contact or inhalation carries an extremely high risk of mental pollution and moral decay!]

[Item: Heart of the Dead]

[Characteristics: Pure crystallization of the essence of death, containing a faint fragment of undying will (pure).]

[Status: Stable.]

[Value: Extremely high! Can be used to enhance death-related abilities, cultivate fragments of the Root of Immortality, or as top-tier material for necromancy/life-related (opposite conversion) abilities.]

"Objective achieved." Kate felt relieved and carefully placed the two hearts into a specially made sealed jade box.

He removed the Reincarnation Nursery, and the domain force field dissipated.

The dense aura of death surged into the cave again, but everyone had recovered from the shock and activated their protective gear.

"Kate—you—" Evan finally found his voice. He walked up to Kate, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "—You saved everyone. Just now—what kind of power was that?" He finally couldn't help but ask.

"The initial application of the spacetime nursery, which I now call the Reincarnation Nursery," Kate replied calmly, without much explanation. "With the help of this domain, I can analyze the energy structure more clearly and pinpoint key nodes. The core energy transmission of the Wailing Lord was severed by the spatial anchor, causing its defenses to collapse and giving me a chance to deliver a fatal blow."

He spoke of it casually, but Evan and the others knew all too well the danger and difficulty involved.

Analyze the energy structure of a pseudo-wizard-level undead? Precisely lock onto and anchor its core nodes? Deliver a fatal blow amidst the opponent's frenzied attacks?

Each and every one of these is simply incredible!

"Analyze—Lock on—One Strike—" Sophia muttered to herself, a bitter smile appearing on her rock-like face. "Now I believe you are truly qualified to construct that kind of core magic. Compared to you, my rock armor is like a toy."

"The trajectory of the stars has shifted because of you, Kate." Elena looked at Kate, her silver eyes sparkling with starlight, carrying a hint of inquiry and deep approval. "Your path may truly lead to the pinnacle of the highest rules."

Kyle and Serena remained silent, but the coldness and scrutiny in their eyes as they looked at Kate were gone, replaced by a tacit acceptance and obedience in the face of an absolute powerhouse.

"Alright," Evan took a deep breath, suppressing his inner turmoil and regaining his composure as the leader, "We can't linger here. Although the Howling Lord has been defeated, its lair should still contain many valuable items. As agreed, the Heart of the Howling and the Heart of the Dead belong to Kate. We'll search the lair, and the rest of the spoils will be distributed according to our contributions, how about that?"

No one objected. Kate's demonstrated skill and contributions made it indisputable that she deserved priority in choosing the spoils.

Behind the core area where the Wailing Lord had vanished, they discovered a hidden stone chamber protected by a powerful barrier. The barrier had weakened after the Wailing Lord's death and was broken by the combined efforts of the group.

The stone chamber was filled with various rare materials: "Wraith Crystals" that emitted strong spiritual fluctuations, "Nether Iron Ore" containing pure death energy, some ancient bone scrolls that recorded necromancy and abyssal knowledge, and a large number of high-quality magic stones and magic gems.

The most precious items were three things placed on a stone platform in the center of the stone chamber:

A fist-sized, jet-black, strange mineral with what appears to be swirling stars inside—a fragment of an astral meteorite core (containing faint astral and spatial energy).

A bizarre crown forged from an unknown black metal, its surface engraved with countless faces of pain and wailing (the Howling Crown, a powerful amplifier of mental attacks, but with the added consequence of mental pollution).

A crystal bottle containing three drops of a viscous, ink-like liquid that exudes the pure essence of death—the blood of the dead (a highly concentrated essence of death).

"A huge haul!" Evan looked at the dazzling array of treasures, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes. "Kate, you go first."

Kate's gaze swept over them. The fragments of the Astral Meteorite Core would help him solidify his Spatial Garden, and the Blood of the Dead was an excellent material for cultivating fragments of the Root of Immortality.

While the Howling Crown is powerful, its mental pollution side effects are too great and it is not suitable for him.

"I want fragments of the Astral Meteorite Core and the Blood of the Dead," Kate said.

"No problem." Evan nodded and handed the two items to Kate.

The Howling Crown was taken by Evan, who planned to take it back to the Barrier for research or exchange.

The remaining vengeful spirit crystals, nether iron ore, bone scrolls, magic stones, and gems were distributed among the group according to their contributions in the battle.

Although Kate contributed the most, he had already taken the core spoils and voluntarily took less, allocating more resources to Elena, Kayle, and Serena, who were more seriously injured in the fight against the Wailing Lord's mental assault.

The allocation process was harmonious and swift, and no one raised any objections.

Having gone through life-and-death battles, especially Kate's breathtaking game-winning shot, the team's atmosphere has become even closer, and the trust and recognition between them have reached a new level.

"Thanks to Kate this time." Sophia weighed the large piece of Nether Iron Ore she had been allocated and a rare smile appeared on her face, though her rocky face looked a little stiff when she smiled.

"Indeed." Elena carefully put away the vengeful spirit crystal that could nourish spiritual power. "Without you, we would probably all become new vengeful spirits in this cave."

Kyle and Serena remained silent, but they nodded slightly to Kate as a way of expressing their gratitude.

Evan patted Kate on the shoulder, his tone sincere: "Kate, you're not only our team member, but also our trump card and—the person who has gone the furthest on the path of wizardry. From now on, we'll leave the rest to you."

Kate nodded, without refusing.

He put away his spoils, feeling the immense energy emanating from the Heart of Wailing and the Heart of the Dead in his arms, as well as the newly acquired fragments of the Astral Meteorite Core and the Blood of the Dead, his heart filled with anticipation for the future.

"Let's rest for a bit and recover." Kate looked into the depths of the cave. "Then, we'll leave. Next, we need to maximize our points according to the rules and try to get everyone on the trial leaderboard. If you encounter any creatures of this level here, contact me immediately."

The group was thrilled. With Kate, the strongest creature in the undead demiplane would become their team's points pool, an unprecedented advantage.

Afterwards, everyone communicated privately, took the medicine, and began to regulate their breathing.

The cave returned to silence for the time being, with only the sound of deathly energy slowly flowing and the deep shock and admiration in everyone's hearts for Kate's earth-shattering attack.

Inside a small building in the town, Evan, Sophia, Kyle, Serena, and Elena sat around a wooden table covered with glowing moss.

On the table lay their respective spoils from the Eternal Desolation Wasteland, as well as supplies they had just replenished from the Alliance's crystal exchange point. The air was filled with the fragrance of herbs, the coolness of ores, and a barely perceptible sense of tension.

Evan surveyed the group, his eyes sharp: "Have you all rested enough? How are you feeling?"

Sophia stretched her arm, which was covered in dark gold-patterned rock armor, making a dull sound. "The rock armor has fused with the fragments of the earth vein crystal core, increasing its defense by 20%. The rock armor repair ointment we used has also been replenished." She pointed to several boxes of ointment on the table that were emitting earth elemental fluctuations.

Kyle's figure loomed in the shadows of the corner, his voice icy: "Spatial perception stable, shadow jump distance increased. Replenished with advanced stealth dust and paralyzing agent." Several vials of powder and dark green liquid, shimmering with an eerie glow, were pushed out.

Serena nodded silently, indicating that she was in good condition, and placed several rhombus-shaped crystals engraved with spatial stabilization runes on the table.

The Nebula Crystal in Elena's hand remained as warm and smooth as ever, its silver eyes gleaming with starlight. "The Stellar Field is stable, the prophecy interference has weakened. I've replenished the Stellar Resonance Potion and the Mental Protection Scroll." Her gaze swept over the items on the table. "Senior Aiwen, did you summon us to discuss our next course of action?"

"Not bad." Evan said in a deep voice, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Everyone saw what happened during this trip to the Valley of Bones. Kate's strength—has already exceeded the scope of a regular fourth-level apprentice. The domain suppression of the Reincarnation Nursery, combined with his unpredictable spatial teleportation and precise weakness strikes, gives him the potential to threaten or even instantly kill pseudo-wizard level beings."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "This means that our previous strategy—to proceed cautiously, clear the perimeter, and accumulate points—needs a major adjustment!"

"Adjustments?" Sofia frowned. "You mean...?"

"Concentrate resources and target high-value objectives!" Evan said decisively, "Pseudo-wizard level creatures! Like the Wailing Lord we encountered before!"

The room fell silent instantly. The terrifying pressure of the Howling Lord and his soul-chilling wails still lingered in their hearts.

"Evan, are you crazy?" For the first time, Sophia's rock-like face showed obvious astonishment. "That kind of monster, even if Kate can handle it, what about us? Just its undead minions and the area-of-effect mental attacks would be enough to give us a run for our money! If it weren't for Kate turning the tide last time—"

"The risks are huge, but the rewards are equally huge!" Evan interrupted her, his eyes gleaming. "Elena, project the data from the All-View Recorder."

Elena understood, and the Nebula Crystal flashed, unfurling a light screen in the air, clearly displaying the loot list after the team killed the Howling Lord:

Heart of Despair: Valuation score ≥ 1000 points (Price available but no market)

亡者之心：估值积分≥500点怨灵结晶15：总计300点幽冥铁矿8块：总计240点骨板书卷（亡灵法术残篇）：估值积分≥200点高阶魔石50：总计250点深渊怨念结晶碎片，1：估值积分≥150点（其他零散材料、魔石）≈200点总计预估积分收益：≥2840点！

"Did you see that clearly?" Evan's voice was tinged with excitement. "A successful pseudo-wizard-level hunt yields nearly three thousand points! And that doesn't even include the core materials and knowledge that can't be directly measured in points!"

He pointed to another set of data below the light screen: "Look at what we did before: clearing out the outer undead swarms, hunting level four peak Sky-Splitter Beasts, and even exploring the edge of the Starfall Rift Valley. Each operation took an average of several days, involved everyone, and was quite risky, but what was the average reward? Each operation yielded a total of about 300-500 points! And we needed to rest and replenish frequently!"

"What does this mean?" Evan's gaze swept over everyone. "A successful pseudo-wizard-level hunt yields the same rewards as ten regular adventures for our team! That's equivalent to saving us nearly a month of trial time! Not to mention the immense boost the core materials provide to individual strength!"

Kyle spoke coldly from the shadows: "The rewards are tempting, but what about the risks? The Wailing Lord is not alone."

Deep within its lair, hundreds of undead minions reside, along with a powerful spiritual domain. Kate can handle the lord, but how do we cope with the tidal wave of minions and the pervasive spiritual pollution? Last time, we were nearly wiped out.”

"That's precisely why we need to concentrate our resources and optimize their allocation!" Evan was prepared; he pointed to the items on the table, "Look what we have now!"

He picked up Sophia's Rock Armor Repairing Balm: "Sophia, your Earth Barrier is the team's strongest shield. These repairing balms and the replenishing Leyline Resonance Elixir" will allow you to recover quickly after taking a high-intensity impact and temporarily increase your Rock Armor's resistance to energy shocks.

Your task is to stand at the forefront, build a defensive line, and withstand the onslaught of undead minions, especially physical and energy attacks, when Kate locks onto the Lord's core.

Sophia looked at the boxes of ointments and medicines, a resolute glint in her eyes on her rock-like face: "I understand. As long as there are enough medicines and repair ointments, I can hold on."

Evan then pointed to the stealth dust, paralyzing agent, and spatial stabilizing crystal that Kyle and Serena had replenished: "Kyle, Serena. You are the team's spearhead and shadow. The advanced stealth dust, combined with your shadow jump, allows you to briefly conceal yourself among hordes of undead, enabling you to carry out crucial assassinations—such as eliminating undead spellcasters who might interfere with Kate, disrupting undead energy nodes, or paralyzing key targets with paralyzing agent. The spatial stabilizing crystal is used to stabilize your jump landing point in chaotic energy fields, preventing you from being torn apart by spatial turbulence."

Kyle and Serena exchanged a glance and nodded silently. Assassins lurking in the shadows excel at finding opportunities for a fatal blow amidst chaos.

"Elena!" Evan looked at the silver-eyed girl. "Your stellar field and mental defenses are key! The replenished stellar resonance potion can temporarily increase the strength of your stellar field and your mental resistance."

Your core tasks are threefold: First, fully deploy the Starfield to minimize the impact of the Howling Lord's mental pollution and the area howling on the team.

Secondly, by using celestial prediction, they can sense the movements and energy nodes of the undead minions in advance, providing Sophia and Kyle with early warnings and guidance.

Third, in critical moments, use the mental protection reel to protect core team members from fatal mental shocks.

.

Elena gripped the Nebula Crystal tightly, her silver eyes gleaming with starlight: "The power of the stars will guide us against the darkness. I will do everything in my power to maintain the force field and the early warning system."

Finally, Evan pointed to the large amount of wind elemental crystals he had replenished and several "Eye of the Hurricane" runes that shimmered with blue light: "My control of the wind is responsible for field control and mobility. The Eye of the Hurricane can create strong wind pressure in a small area, disperse poisonous fog, slow down the charge of undead hordes, and even briefly interfere with the flow of energy."

I will use Wind Chains to help Sophia solidify the defenses, use Wind Blades to cut through the undead formation, and, if necessary, use Wind Shackles to restrict the target that poses the greatest threat to Kate.

He took a deep breath and concluded, "We are no longer fighting separately, but building a solid fortress around Kate as our core combat force."

Sofia is the shield, Kel'Thalas is the fangs in the shadows, Elena is the mental barrier and the eye of warning, and I am the wind that controls the battlefield.

Our goal is singular—to create a brief but absolutely safe window of opportunity for Kate to ignore distractions and focus all her efforts on locking onto and eliminating the core of the pseudo-wizard-level target.

"As for those undead minions—" A sharp glint flashed in Evan's eyes, "As long as we can withstand the first wave of attack, cooperate with Kate's Thorn Shadow Puppet to interfere and divide them, and with the chaos and suppression brought about by Kate's successful killing of the leader, the rest is just time to harvest points."

Silence fell in the room again, but the atmosphere was different. The previous shock and doubt were gradually replaced by a do-or-die determination and the excitement of seeing a huge opportunity.

"I agree," Sophia said first, her rock armor trembling slightly. "The risks are enormous, but worth the gamble. Our resources should be concentrated on this high-value objective that can bring about qualitative change."

"It's feasible." Kyle's voice came from the shadows, carrying a cold, calculating tone. "As long as the tactics are executed properly, the window of opportunity is sufficient."

Serena nodded silently.

Elena said softly, "Although the star trajectory is interfered with by the death energy of the dead, I can vaguely sense that there are powerful, unnaturally condensed death energy cores in several areas—perhaps that is the location of the next target. I will continue to deduce."

"Alright!" Evan slammed his hand on the table. "Then the strategy is settled."

Over the next few days, we'll focus on digesting the resources and refining the new tactics. Sofia will concentrate on practicing maintaining the Rock Armor Barrier under mental attacks.

Kyle and Serena, familiar with the effects of the new stealth dust and paralyzing agent, conducted high-precision assassination drills using the spatial crystal;

Elena, try combining the Stellar Field with the Mental Protection Scroll; I'll coordinate and control the operation.

He paused, then said seriously, "Remember, our role is to support and create opportunities. The real killing blow is for Kate."

Don't try to relieve his stress; that will only distract him. Make sure he's safe and secure when he acts.

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison. Just then, the door was gently pushed open.

Kate walked in, her aura restrained, yet an invisible force field seemed to surround her, causing the space to ripple slightly.

He had just finished a deep meditation, consolidating his domain in the field of the cycle of rebirth.

"What are you discussing?" Kate asked calmly, looking at the people sitting around and the various supplies on the table.

Evan stood up, a smile spreading across his face. "Kate, you've come at the right time. We've just adjusted our strategy for the upcoming trials."

He briefly explained the resolution and resource allocation plan to Kate.

"—Therefore, we have decided to concentrate all our resources to prioritize finding and assisting you in hunting down pseudo-wizard-level undead lords or similar beings."

Evan concluded, "We'll handle clearing the perimeter, fending off the minions, and creating opportunities; you'll focus on the core and strike decisively. One successful hunt yields far greater rewards than ten of our regular operations!"

After listening, Kate's gaze swept over the potions on the table, which were clearly prepared for high-intensity team defense and support.

Looking at the scrolls, dust, and crystals, and then at the burning fighting spirit and determination in everyone's eyes, he understood.

He nodded, his voice steady: "This strategy is feasible. The domain suppression of the Reincarnation Nursery, combined with spatial teleportation, can effectively restrict the movements of pseudo-wizard-level targets. As long as you can buy me enough time and space, I am confident that I can take down the core."

He walked to the table and picked up a crystal that emitted spatial fluctuations: "However, the selection of targets needs to be careful. It's best to look for targets with relatively independent core areas or those with terrain that can be used. Elena's prophecy can be of great help."

Elena immediately responded, "I will continue to monitor the celestial trajectories and pinpoint the location and characteristics of high-value targets."