Pioneer Wizard's Notebook

The idea for the Knight's Stone is wonderful, but unfortunately there are still too many things that need to be adjusted.

The golem core is nowhere to be found, the permafrost vortex spirits lack research materials, and it is unclear how to store and modify them.

Linde spent the whole night working on things in the lab.

Finally, he buried his head in the papers on his desk, shook his head helplessly, and the excitement that had surged up was extinguished.

Without actual data, the research cannot proceed.

Currently, it serves no purpose other than producing piles of waste paper.

He abandoned his unrealistic ambitions and decided to focus on figuring out the method of rune fusion first.

As for the Knight's Stele, we'll see if Raven can make any unexpected gains.

In the following days,

Linde continued to learn how to multitask, controlling the raven, his spiritual alter ego, as it soared through the skies above the valley.

On the one hand, drawing maps from an overhead perspective prepares for subsequent development.

On the other hand, they search for magical materials that may exist in the forest to facilitate further research.

Thanks to his tireless efforts, the map was expanded.

In the valley of the Ice Mist Forest, the areas closest to the iron ore mining station have been cleared of the fog and become visible.

The mining station continued north, and that area was named Hot Spring Mountain by Linde.

The most striking topographical feature is the large hot spring where underground thermal currents converge beneath the mountain wall.

The regional overlord is that sword-spine earth dragon soaking in the hot spring.

Because it doesn't eat meat, and also because of the warm environment of the hot spring.

It attracts a large number of herbivores and omnivores every day, including mammoths, reindeer, snow hares, and white apes, who take a short rest here.

The smell of blood will irritate the sword-spine earthworm and anger it.

Therefore, predators such as polar bears and winter wolves dare not approach easily.

Linde was very interested in the sword-spine earthworm, but what intrigued him even more was the origin of this hot spring.

There are no ice fields or volcanoes nearby.

The formation of a large hot spring can only mean that there is a special mineral or energy core with fire properties below.

Unfortunately, the Sword-Spine Earth Dragon is too powerful, and Linde doesn't plan to provoke it in the wild for the time being.

He called the area west of Hot Spring Mountain the White Spider Forest.

Countless white spiders hide their nests in the dense cedar forest.

The glistening spider silk blends almost seamlessly with the snow; a slight misstep could turn you into prey on its web.

Linde dared not approach and could only observe from a distance, high in the air.

Judging from the number of white spiders in these nests, a powerful spider queen has likely emerged within them to rule the colony.

A single nest of white spiders isn't particularly strong; even an ordinary person could easily take it down.

However, the sheer number of them combined led to a qualitative change, making them a threat far exceeding that of the massive Sword-Spine Earth Dragon.

To the north of the White Spider Forest lies a swamp near the Mecca River.

Lind named it the Dark Swamp.

Unlike other swamps with frozen ice, the Dark Swamp remains damp and muddy even in the extreme cold.

The surface is covered with dense moss and shrubs, and bubbles occasionally rise from the silt below and burst on the surface of the water.

Linde initially found it difficult to understand.

It wasn't until they saw a mammoth gnawing on a bush being bitten by a huge snake's head that emerged from the swamp and dragged below that they understood the true situation here.

The dominant species in the Dark Swamp is the Swamp Serpent, which lives below.

Occasionally, three snake heads would emerge to breathe, each the size of an adult bison.

Relying on the ancient bloodline awakened within him, the three-headed swamp python passively released a spell that maintained the existence of the dark swamp.

Despite the surrounding snow and ice, the swamp remained vibrant with life.

The other animals were also aware of the existence of this terrifying overlord.

However, animals including mammoths and reindeer still choose to forage near the swamps.

Even when their companions are being dragged away right in front of them, they often turn a blind eye.

It's easy to understand why food is scarce in the North during the harsh winter.

Rather than let their entire tribe freeze and starve to death in the snow, they'd rather gamble on their luck in the swamp and hope they won't be the ones eaten.

After all, once a swamp python swallows a mammoth, it will not hunt again for a week.

The animal mortality rate is much lower than in other places.

"It is both a dominant species occupying the top of the ecological niche and a maintainer of the entire regional ecosystem. It is so powerful that it is fascinating."

Linde sighed.

The Dark Swamp was his primary focus area because it was home to a large number of rare and exotic plants.

Under the influence of the three-headed swamp python and nourished by its corpse, many of them emitted faint magical fluctuations, which are worth studying.

Unfortunately, the owner of this place was too perceptive and noticed the raven's special spirituality.

Whenever Linde tried to get closer, he felt a fear of being watched.

The swamp python does not welcome outsiders.

Linde had no choice but to keep his distance and give up his petty theft.

Hot Spring Mountain, White Spider Forest, and Dark Swamp—these are the three new maps he has explored over the past few days while flying through the valley.

The Ice Mist Forest did not disappoint Linde's expectations.

The outer edge of the river valley alone contains immense development potential.

Unfortunately, none of the local regional overlords are weaker than the King of the White Bears.

If the war were to break out on their own territory, Sunflower Farm would most likely end up being completely wiped out.

Linde wasn't in a hurry.

These regional overlords will not leave their territories unless absolutely necessary, which is actually good news.

The manor has ample time to develop its strength.

They will also serve as a barrier between the North and the Blooming Territory.

Even if the White Frost Dragonborn wage war against the human kingdoms.

As long as the Ice Mist Forest stands in the way, enemy troops will be unable to launch a large-scale invasion here.

They could only obediently attack the Broken Dragon Fortress, which the Northern Lion Kingdom had built on the Dragon Ridge Plain, but were blocked by that formidable, snow-covered pass.

Thinking this, Lind continued flying above the forest.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and his eyes became piercing in an instant.

He saw the Ice Demons, more than eighty wolf-shaped Ice Demons walking in the forest.

That's not the key point. The key point is that these Ice Demons are controlled by humans.

At the very heart of these ice monsters, a strangely shaped lizardman cautiously made his way forward.

It has a human body and a lizard's head, a slender body, and a neck covered with white, shield-shaped scales.

This appearance is exactly what the dwarves call the White Frost Dragonborn, the culprit who started the Northern War.

Moreover, this lizardman was carrying a staff made of a wolf's skull inlaid with crystals and wearing a mysterious white robe engraved with dragon patterns.

After the dwarven elder's intensive training, Lind had gained some understanding of the Northern Clan's situation.

Unsurprisingly, the other party was a White Frost Priest who worshipped an evil dragon.

The ferocious dragon fang patterns on his chest signify that he has stepped into the extraordinary realm, making him an extremely special divine attendant among the White Frost Dragon descendants.

The equivalent of a church priest in the Church of the True God in the human kingdom.

Why would the White Frost Priest, a highly respected figure among the dragon descendants, end up in the Ice Mist Forest?

Lin De felt extremely vigilant and kept a close eye on the other party's movements from a distance.