Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

It was a relatively clear morning with little fog.

As usual, Ian emerged from a hidden crevice in the rocks, drank some of the morning dew he had collected, and prepared to continue his trek.

Suddenly, he stopped moving.

The wind... still carried the chill of the mountains, but the magical turbulence in the air seemed... to have lessened!

It's not an illusion!

He closed his eyes and carefully sensed, his mental energy extending outwards like the most sensitive tentacles.

Indeed, the resistance, as if traveling through water, has been reduced!

He opened his eyes and looked around. The twisted and gnarled trees were fewer, replaced by some tree species that still looked strange, but were considered normal.

The moss that used to come back to life on the ground had disappeared, leaving only ordinary, slippery rocks and sparse grass.

Even the whispers that had been lingering in my ears, sometimes loud and sometimes soft, became extremely faint, almost imperceptible.

Ian's heart suddenly raced.

He dared not relax his vigilance immediately, keeping his "Eye of Vigilance" at its limit and observing carefully for a long time.

There were no lurking demonic beasts, no abnormal energy fluctuations, and no inherent malice in the environment.

"Could it be... that I'm finally moving on?"

An irrepressible surge of excitement ignited in his cold and weary heart.

He suppressed the urge to run away immediately; years of caution led him to choose to verify first, and he explored carefully...

One hour, two hours...

The environmental changes became increasingly apparent, and the magical turbulence weakened further, returning to the level it was at when we first entered the mountains.

He even discovered a faint path, worn by wild animals, winding its way to the northeast.

He climbed to the highest rock peak in the area, and looking out, the gray-white clouds thinned, and the distant mountains no longer appeared distorted and bizarre, but rather carried a sense of the majesty of nature's creation.

Ian's heart began to pound again; all signs indicated that he had truly escaped this terrifying mountain range!

He took a deep breath of the "fresh" air, wiped the dust off his face, and headed northeast with anticipation in his eyes.

……

Yinxi Town.

On the main road outside the town, a traveler, looking weary from his journey and as if he had encountered a mountain disaster, appeared, his steps slightly unsteady.

Ian's appearance attracted some attention, but the townspeople only glanced at him curiously and then paid no more attention.

Such wanderers are not uncommon around the mountains.

Ian used a few animal teeth to exchange for a clean set of clothes, as well as some durable dry food and jerky, at a general store in town.

He deliberately used a slightly hoarse voice to bargain, playing the role of an adventurous man who was not good with words.

After replenishing his supplies, he went to the town's only tavern, where the best sources of information were.

I ordered a glass of ale, sat in a corner, and listened quietly to the conversation between the adventurers and the townspeople.

At first, it was just some mundane matters, but after a few drinks, a burly man with a full beard, who was also the leader of the town's adventurers, Balu, began to boast about a "thrilling" experience he had when he was young.

"...Back then, we were chasing a wounded saber-toothed tiger, and unknowingly ended up at the edge of the Northern Shadowwood!"

Balu lowered his voice, his face filled with awe, "That place is eerie. It's shrouded in mist even during the day, and the trees grow in strange shapes. We didn't dare go deep into it; we just circled around the outskirts of the forest..."

Someone nearby chimed in, "Boss Balu, did you see the 'fairy' again?"

"Fuck you!" Balu cursed, but his expression turned serious.

"The fairy didn't see it, but we did... someone came out of the forest, wearing a gray robe, we couldn't see their face, and they pointed at the ground, and the stones floated up! We were so scared we didn't dare move, we lay on the ground, the person glanced at us, and then... whoosh, they disappeared!"

The tavern fell silent for a moment, then someone whispered, "Is that a spirit from the mountains?"

"It could also be the legendary wizard..."

Shh! Don't talk nonsense, or you'll get yourself into trouble!

Balu took a swig of his drink and concluded, "Since then, our team has made a rule: never approach within ten miles of the Gloomwood. There are... well, we mortals can't mess with those there."

After hearing this, Ian understood. Gray robes, a staff, moving objects... this description most likely indicated a wizard apprentice.

The use of [Wizard's Hand] or similar low-level witchcraft, and the sudden disappearance, could be due to speed-up or concealment magic, which is considered an incredible feat in the eyes of adventurers.

"Gloomwood..." Ian remembered the name and the general direction.

After finishing his beer, he got up and left the tavern, finding an inn in town to stay at.

After closing the door, he tidied himself up, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"I can't stay here any longer," Ian thought to himself. This place was too isolated; there was almost no access to information at the wizarding level, and resources were out of the question.

It took him nearly three months to traverse the mountains. Resources were scarce along the way, and he dared not meditate deeply, so his spiritual progress almost stagnated.

The only good news is that his "Secondary Frost Ray" and "Bloodline Refining Technique" have been increasing in proficiency rapidly while he is traveling and constantly driving away and killing demonic beasts, and are on the verge of breaking through the limits.

[Invisibility] is a newly learned level zero advanced sorcery, and together with [Arcane Mark], these are Ian's only two advanced sorcery skills at present.

[Realm Level: Advanced Wizard Apprentice (7.5%)]

[Talent: Moderate Light Affinity]

[Skill: Intermediate Star Moon Meditation Technique: Mastery (122/1600)]

Secondary Frost Ray: Breaks limit once (768/800) (Breakthrough effect: 1. Twin)

Arcane Mark: Beginner (7/400)

Invisibility: Proficient (217/800)

Bloodline Refinement Technique: Mastery (781/800)

Rock Bear Potion: Beginner (213/400)

Concentration Potion: Beginner (26/400)

Other skills...

His goal is to gather resources, resume his cultivation progress, and continuously improve himself so that he can return to Shadowmoon Tower with dignity when he is strong enough.

There, he still has many unfulfilled wishes, and his family.

Early the next morning, Ian left Silver Creek Town carrying a wooden box.

He didn't ask for the specific route, but based on the general direction described by Balu and his own judgment, he headed north.

His condition was much better than before; at least he was properly dressed, had basic supplies, and his mental energy had become more solid and agile after being subjected to intense training.

Two days later, he approached a woodland shrouded in a light gray-white mist. The trees here were much more normal than before, and were exceptionally tall and lush.

The forest was dimly lit, and the concentration of free magic in the air was significantly higher than in Silverstream Town. It was also relatively peaceful, without the chaos and malice of the unknown lands.

"This should be it, the Gloomwood."

Ian stopped and did not rush in. He first found a secluded place to rest and adjust himself to his best condition.

Then, he released his aura, and a slight spiritual fluctuation of a high-level apprentice emanated from him.

He strode forward, steadily walking towards the misty, glowing woodland.