The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

Light shone from the newcomer’s residence, suggesting its owner was still busy.

The sealed windows and doors didn’t hinder Number Two’s observation of the residence’s interior. His Extraordinary Bloodline, the Shadow Crow, granted him three special Abilities: Shadow Concealment, Thermal Perception, and Dark Breath.

Shadow Concealment could hide his aura, allowing him to walk within the shadows. Even a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice would find it difficult to detect him.

With Thermal Perception, he could accurately identify targets in even the darkest environments. Combined with Dark Breath, which provided a specific visual perspective, he was a natural-born assassin.

He leaned against a wall of the residence, positioned near what was likely the cultivation chamber. The heat signature feedback from his senses was strongest in this spot.

Number Two took an instinctive deep breath as his Bloodline Power called to him. After using Dark Breath, he could capture all scents within range and, combining it with Thermal Perception, form a spatial map in his mind.

However, a flood of acrid scents converged in his lungs and chest. The stench was like something that had fermented in a septic tank for decades, mixed with the bizarre fragrance of roses. His expression changed instantly. He had inhaled too much, and his body recoiled in discomfort.

It was as if the cultivation chamber contained nothing but this nauseating gas... Number Two’s vast experience and assassin’s instincts screamed at him to flee. But his body wouldn’t obey; he found it difficult to even move a finger. His Particle Energy fell into disarray.

HISS!

Powerful Particle Energy converged inside the cultivation chamber, followed by an extreme temperature that made Number Two’s skin burn. Blinding sparks swelled from the door and windows, then burst outward.

The terrifying high pressure was too much even for the cultivation chamber, built with Wizard Technology. All that could be heard was a soul-shaking roar followed by a shriek.

CRACK! That section of the wall instantly turned to ash.

An Elemental Tide of fire, formed from high-density Particle Energy, directly engulfed Number Two and rippled outward, striking the Foggy Witch Array outside.

It was like a terrifying dragon, wantonly spewing its breath.

The dark night seemed to momentarily brighten.

The reflection of the wildly expanding firelight filled Number Two’s pupils until it consumed him completely.

At the final moment, his expression remained numb as he pushed his Bloodline Power to its limit. Feather-shaped scales erupted across his skin.

The Foggy Witch Array took a massive hit, and even the central hub inside the residence developed a slight crack. However, it withstood the aftershock, concealing even the fluctuations of Particle Energy.

When everything calmed down, a huge, scorched crater had formed near the cultivation chamber. The temperature was still high, and the deeper parts had even vitrified into a crystalline state from the intense heat.

A charred, blackened humanoid figure lay inside it, its robes having turned to ash in an instant. Its left arm and right lower leg had even broken off—the high temperature had completely killed the flesh, marrow, and cells, leaving charcoal-like fractures.

About fifteen minutes later, when the temperature had mostly subsided, a figure in a gray robe opened the door to the main room and walked out. His pupils glinted with an imperceptible, fine blue light.

Wang Ya stood before the scorched crater, the residual heat searing his cheeks, yet a smile touched his lips.

He had guessed correctly. Gandhi Wizard was connected to the series of events at Ancient Forest Mountain, and he wouldn’t act personally but would instead send a Wizard Slayer to dispose of him.

Of course, he hadn’t used up his full repertoire of countermeasures, as he had also prepared for the possibility of Gandhi Wizard attacking himself.

When the Eye of Truth detected an intruder, he had, just to be safe, used a Middle-tier Witchcraft Scroll to ensure the intruder was completely eliminated.

[Prompt: Target is deceased! Possesses the ’Shadow Crow’ Extraordinary Bloodline. Partial bloodline activity remains. Analysis: Can produce a bloodline evolution Effect on the cultivated creature ’Harak’.]

Wang Ya’s eyes lit up. This was a pleasant surprise.

The Shadow Crow Extraordinary Bloodline was considered top-tier, even among Low-tier Extraordinary Creatures.

Sometimes, it could even be sold for the price of a middle-tier Extraordinary Bloodline.

’It can even cause a bloodline evolution in Harak...’ Wang Ya grew curious. ’Could Harak evolve its own Extraordinary Bloodline from a common bird, then be bred to pass it down and create an entire flock of Extraordinary Creature Haraks?’

In fact, some powerful Wizards had already realized this idea of Wang Ya’s.

They created personal resource lands, cultivating and breeding Extraordinary Creatures and special Extraordinary Plants to generate massive profits.

”Hm?” Wang Ya’s gaze shifted. In the crater, there was a black Short Blade, half-covered in char.

[Target: Shadow Slayer Blade]

[Category: Alchemy Witchcraft Artifact]

[Level: Low-tier Witchcraft Artifact]

[Abilities: ’Metal Activation’, ’Overclocked Particleization’, ’Particle Energy Interference’]

[Evaluation: An exceptionally fine Low-tier Witchcraft Artifact. It can channel the user’s Particle Energy, is excellent at destroying Energy Shields, and can interfere with Particle Energy, weakening the influence of some Low-tier Witch Arrays and Low-tier Witchcraft.]

[Note: Some core restrictions have been damaged. The ’Particle Energy Interference’ Ability is inactive.]

Wang Ya blew the dust and char off the blade. A dark luster gleamed on its surface, its sharp edge blindingly keen.

’Good stuff!’

Wang Ya now understood how this strange Wizard Slayer had managed to maintain some bloodline activity within the Red Dragon Breath instead of being utterly destroyed.

He tapped the corpse’s chest with the flat of the Shadow Slayer Blade. The next moment, the feather-shaped scales crumbled into charred ash.

Most of the torso was cooked through and necrotic, but a small portion still retained its activity.

Without wasting time, Wang Ya retrieved his tools from the cultivation chamber and extracted the Shadow Crow bloodline from the corpse.

Inside a small glass jar was a dark, murky liquid about two or three centimeters deep. He would still need to use a Wizard’s methods to extract the true Shadow Crow bloodline factors.

This amount wasn’t enough, but Extraordinary Bloodlines could be cultivated, so Wang Ya wasn’t worried.

Only about three days of the week had passed.

There were still four days left. He had killed a Wizard Slayer; the person behind the scenes would definitely not let this go.

He estimated more trouble would come knocking. There was more than one Wizard Slayer.

The good news was that the mastermind wouldn’t show their face. Gandhi Wizard was wary of the rules and Wizard Yi Si, so he wouldn’t attack Wang Ya directly.

Wang Ya’s eyes turned cold. He would deal with whatever came his way. At this point, he was ready to go all out. Things couldn’t get any worse.

’I refuse to believe I can’t last a mere four days in my own residence!’

Wang Ya then began to clean up the messy scene.

However, this entire scene was being watched by a pair of indifferent eyes. When they saw Wang Ya deal with the Wizard Slayer so cleanly, a hint of surprise appeared in them.

Then, as if drawn in by curiosity, the observer studied Wang Ya carefully, discerning the traces of Particle Energy and even his level of Witchcraft cultivation at a glance. To the owner of these eyes, Wizards who practiced different Witchcraft Systems always had a unique ”flavor” to them.

But this observation left the owner of the eyes stunned.

He could see traces of three different Fire Elemental Energy Witchcraft on Wang Ya, which was likely a unique case among the newcomers.

A figure in a brown Wizard Robe seemed to step out of the void. He had purple hair, the face of a middle-aged man, and a habitually cold expression.

It was Wizard Yi Si.

”An interesting little fellow. Quite a surprise,” Wizard Yi Si said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips on his otherwise deadpan face.

Then, his gaze fell upon the scorched crater on the ground. His eyes narrowed like a fox’s, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a startling curve, as if he was about to burst into hearty laughter.