Ancient Wizards: A Little Progress Every Day

Bernal and Serena sat on the steps in front of the castle gate, watching the handsome young man Dargo slowly walk towards them amidst the beautiful, crystalline scenery.

He slowly walked up the steps, sat down next to Bernal, whose face was deathly pale, and took out a bottle of healing potion from his storage ring and handed it to him.

"You were right not to kill them."

Bernal looked weakly at the potion in his hand, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. He said in a low voice, "The Thorn Ring encourages internal competition, but does not allow internal killing. No one can bear the punishment for killing a fellow member."

"So that's why you've managed to live this long?"

Dago remained expressionless. "If I had known this, would I have waited until they were finished torturing you before coming in?"

Upon hearing this, Bernal, whose face had lost its rosy hue, shook his head with a wry smile. He didn't know how to respond to Dago's words; he had indeed been a bit too devoted to the rules of the Thorn Ring.

To be honest, Dago was already merciful. But if those people really intended to kill him and Serena, they certainly would have done it. After all, they were young and could say they were acting on impulse. What could the Wizarding Hall do about it?

At worst, they would be expelled from Cletham and banned from entering for life. For those who could profit from the Painful Thorns, this was not a bargaining chip they couldn't sell.

There are many things behind the scenes that Bernal cannot see. Just as Deren said before, the Lord of the Silver Ring had protected him, but he was completely unaware of the truth.

Bernal solemnly apologized to Dago, admitting that his thinking had been somewhat naive.

Naïve is never a compliment in the wizarding world; it's a thoroughly derogatory term.

Dago didn't say anything more. Naive? How naive he had been before!

When he saw them humiliating the two men, there was a moment when he wanted to slaughter them all, but he stopped himself in the end.

Perhaps it's because he wants to repay Bernal for the extra amount he received outside of the deal?

Or is it a pity for that "unanswered" communication rune crystal?

Dago was unaware that if he were to commit murder, he would at most become a wandering wizard again, while Bernal would inevitably suffer the bloody retribution of the thorns of suffering.

You can run away from the monk, but you can't run away from the temple.

However, he does regret it now. He has gotten himself involved in the Kroger family's mess and is now labeled as such.

The storage pouches he snatched from the four wizards he had knocked unconscious were a small consolation for Dago—since he had already offended them, it didn't matter if he offended them even more.

Dago felt a lump in his throat, but he had nowhere to vent it, because it was entirely his own fault.

However, this frustration quickly dissipated. Anyway, we'll deal with whatever comes our way, and things will work themselves out in the end.

After a moment of silence, Dago spoke up: "I have a technique, a new method for refining spiritual potions that I developed while improving my mentor's techniques at the academy."

"What kind of technology is it specifically?"

Bernal looked surprised and astonished, while Serena remained calm. She had drunk the psychoactive potion made by Dago, and its effects were significantly better than those of other psychoactive potions on the market.

"Your family's cultivation techniques for magical plants are top-notch, including the cold brewing technique for moonflowers. You can cultivate moonflowers on a large scale in the manor. Then I will provide the technique for making spirit potions. Together, we can grow bigger and stronger and create new glories."

Dago looked at the two men with a gleam in his eyes and said confidently.

It's a pity he doesn't have any finished silver-white spirit potion right now, otherwise he would definitely let Bernal try it.

As a wizard of the Thorn Ring, Bernal knew very well what a new type of psychic potion meant. Most of the apprentice wizards in Cletam City drank several psychic potions every day to promote their mental cultivation.

If Dago's psychic potion truly has the effects Serena once described, all the apprentice wizards in Cletam will surely be at their disposal.

At that time, their wealth will reach an incredible level, and their family will be revived during this opportunity, provided that they have the strength to protect this wealth.

And even his own wounded soul, and his wife's soul in stagnation, could see a tiny glimmer of hope.

He had dreamt countless times of returning to those days, of his wife's laughter, Serena's lively and cheerful demeanor, and the vibrant energy of Kroger Manor!

However, when a miracle wizard holds gold, it is called wealth, but when a child holds gold, it is only called disaster.

Women and children can make mistakes, but men can't!

"I agree to this on behalf of the Kroger family, but it must be carried out in a planned manner. Dago, your primary task right now is to gain a position in the Silverthorns, so that the Pain Thorns will restrain their actions."

"Serena and I first planted moonflowers on a small scale on the Kroger family's estate, and then produced new spiritual potions in small batches."

Bernal rubbed his chin, analyzing the situation rationally, while Serena smiled and nodded repeatedly. Seeing her brother regain his confidence, she felt genuine joy.

"Serena, don't laugh. Your training can't stop. You must advance to a formal wizard as soon as possible, join the Silver Thorns, and provide assistance to Dago."

"As for the Painful Thorns, I will report this matter to the Wizarding Hall and make them pay a heavy price. On the other hand, Dago, you need to be careful of their counterattack in the Silver Thorns recently. They also have considerable power in the Silver Tower."

Dago nodded, indicating that he was fine.

Having come to their aid this time, they will be bound together even more closely from today onwards.

"Let's talk somewhere else. Let's go inside the castle and finalize the details."

Bernal stood up and invited Dago into Krogh Castle with aristocratic etiquette, signifying the Krogh family's formal acceptance of Dago.

...........

......

A figure slowly walked along the dilapidated and desolate Oak Street.

This was a very young man with a thin face, pale skin, long and beautiful fingers, and neatly combed black hair. He wore black diamond studs on both earlobes.

He wore a beautiful green robe with three thorn knots as a symbol on the left breast.

Although the robes were covered in runes that shimmered with light, they gave the wearer a strange, dark, and profound aura.

He was like a shadow that could devour light; when he appeared at the end of the long street, the entire street became even darker and more sinister because of him.

The young man soon arrived at number 60 Oak Street, where five unconscious figures lay sprawled on the street in front of the building.

Inside, it was a chaotic battlefield of magic, with traces of frost still visible everywhere.

The young man's gaze lingered briefly on the bodies of the five wizards following him on the street, a great deal of coldness flowing through his eyes, but his face remained expressionless throughout.

After kicking his five good-for-nothing underlings awake, he found a communication crystal in his hand.

The man spoke calmly into the communication crystal.

"I am Jareden."

"Get me in touch with Chaplin and tell him I have something that everyone is interested in and I hope to sit down and have a good talk with him. It's about Bernal and his successor."