The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

’One hundred and twenty years of persistence. The fifth Black Sun Badge... I *will* wait for you. I firmly believe my long wait will not be for nothing.’

Victor reminded him quietly from behind, ”Lord Komore, the Oby Brothers report that the output from the Extraordinary Ore Vein has recently declined. They suspect there’s a problem with the Magic Stone Vein, and even the natural particle energy has become turbulent.”

”Pay it no mind. It’s just the Witch Array inside the Black Sun Ruins cycling the outside world’s Natural Energy to maintain its balance.”

Komore’s tone was indifferent. ”If I weren’t worried that the Black Sun Ruins would get lost in Outer Space, I would have already used the Witch Array’s cycle to force them open.”

The consequences of that would be unacceptable to Komore.

The commotion would be enormous, and this entire region would be severely affected, causing things like spatial gaps and rifts to appear.

Not only would it attract attention from all quarters, but there was also a high probability that the interior of the Black Sun Ruins would be damaged, destroying the inheritance within.

The probability of it getting lost in Outer Space was also significant. If that were to happen, Komore’s one hundred and twenty years of waiting would all be for naught.

”Tell them to keep an eye on the Black Sun Ruins. If all five keyholes light up, it means the fifth Black Sun Badge has arrived at Licorice Camp.”

”Understood, Lord Komore.”

.....

The clusters of buildings constructed by mortals comprised the Wizard Mansions and Wizard Residence Zone within Licorice Camp.

Wang Ya and Kaze Antuun checked into a Wizard Mansion.

In Kaze Antuun’s room, the two discussed the information they had gathered during their reconnaissance that day.

”There are four Extreme Wizard Apprentices in total. Victor usually stays in the Circular Tower, while the Oby Brothers’ movements are erratic. The eldest brother, however, tends to stay in the Circular Tower to handle any unexpected incidents that might occur in Licorice Camp.”

”The second brother is in the main vein, watching for accidents and any Wizards trying to smuggle out Extraordinary Ore. The third brother’s whereabouts are highly unpredictable; he might be in the Circular Tower right now.”

”Besides its map function, the Black Sun Badge also seems to be the key to opening the Black Sun Ruins. It can sense the ruins within a certain range.”

They had a solid grasp of the initial situation without revealing too much about themselves.

The four Extreme Wizard Apprentices of Licorice Camp had no idea that another Extreme Wizard Apprentice had arrived right under their noses.

Otherwise, they would have already fixed their sights on them, monitoring the pair until they left Licorice Camp.

The two had already confirmed their escape methods and routes, so even if a problem arose, they could withdraw at any moment.

For Wang Ya, safety was always the top priority.

The two decided to use the Black Sun Badge the next day to confirm the exact location of the Black Sun Ruins.

Lying on the bed in his room, Wang Ya hadn’t taken off his Black Mask, and he was still wearing his gray Wizard Robe.

The skin on his face beneath the mask glowed with a faint white luster. Wang Ya closed his eyes. Dream Power surged, and a corner of the Dream Realm instantly connected with him.

’Open, Dream Gap!’

A familiar distortion appeared in Wang Ya’s pupils, followed by a vast expanse of white—his own Dream Realm.

No, it was very different from his previous Dream Realm.

The Dream Territory had replaced the original empty darkness of the Dream Realm. Beneath the vast whiteness were countless floating Dream Foams. As they bobbed up and down, one could see the scenes contained within them.

They were all woven by Wang Ya using Dream Foam Witchcraft, stored as consumables within his Dream Territory.

After he opened the Dream Gap, this part of the Dream Realm became one and the same with his Dream Territory in the Dream World.

White, paint-like curves outlined Wang Ya’s body of consciousness. White threads trailed from his hands as a transparent screen appeared before him. This corner of the Dream Realm contained many dreams; it was far more powerful and vast than the corner near Celestial Wings Wizard City.

It contained not only the dreams of Wizards, but also those of the vast number of mortals from the surrounding Mortal Cities.

It also contained the Black Soul Dream Realm from Harak’s Infinite Black Core.

HSSSS!

A raven, pitch-black with white outlines, suddenly squeezed its head out from the void of the Dream Territory.

The raven, with its black-gray pupils and white eyelids, stared at Wang Ya’s body of consciousness.

Wang Ya was stunned for a moment, then smiled. ”I almost forgot about you, little guy. You’re half a Dream Creature yourself.”

Harak spread its wings and landed on Wang Ya’s shoulder.

Harak was able to directly invade and enter Wang Ya’s Dream Territory for two reasons: Wang Ya had sensed its approach and deliberately granted it access, and Harak possessed its own unique Extraordinary Traits.

The opposing traits of dream and reality were perfectly reconciled within Harak, allowing it to be a raven that could travel between the two realms.

For some reason, the image of ravens from his past life surfaced in Wang Ya’s mind—ravens that traveled between the Netherworld and reality. He noted the similarities: both were ravens with black feathers, though their eyes varied, some blood-red, others pitch-black.

On the screen of light before him, phantoms of various colors appeared. The colors themselves were objects formed from distorted, curving lines, and the mental pollution was extremely severe.

Let alone ordinary people, even a Wizard couldn’t withstand such high-intensity mental pollution from the Dream Realm.

Only Dream Wizards could work with dreams directly, becoming beings capable of manipulating the Dream Realm.

Wang Ya was very cautious. Although his investigation during the day had given him a preliminary impression of Licorice Camp, Celestial Wings Wizard City was a prime example. Who knew what else might be lurking there?