Chapter 254 - 166: Clouds of Suspicion, Return, Upheaval at Headquarters

It was a transcript of Wang Ya’s words, and beside it sat a True Sight Ball for recording the mission.

Kelan Wizard set down her feather pen and pinched the bridge of her nose with her long, slender fingers. ’This junior brother of mine is such a handful. His quota mission was full of unexpected incidents again.’

’When I completed my quota missions, nothing this troublesome ever happened.’

She couldn’t help but believe that some people in this world just had exceptionally good luck, always stumbling into unexpected situations.

Watching Wang Ya’s departing figure, Kelan Wizard’s gaze fell back to the papers before her.

Her expression grew a little solemn.

She murmured to herself, "These are troubled times... The Illuminati has already appeared on the Official Wizards’ radar. Even if you silence those people, it’s useless."

"Sigh... I never thought that even you all would break the rules, that you wouldn’t hold the line."

Kelan Wizard fell silent once more. She finally closed the manuscript, leaned back in her chair, a weary look on her face.

In truth, it wasn’t just about the many repercussions of the major internal investigation.

The subtle movements from the Natural Ring Tower had forced the Official Wizards of the Dark Land to consider many other factors.

For instance, war between the Wizard Influences.

Kelan Wizard shook her head. ’I’m worrying for nothing. A war between Wizard Influences could never happen.’

’Never mind the Mountain and Sea Contract they signed.’

’There are so many Wizard Influences in the Land of Mountains and Seas. If two of them started a war, it would only invite the others to meddle, and third parties would be the only ones to benefit in the end.’

’If even she could think of this, there was no reason the Official Wizards couldn’t as well.’

.....

「In the study.」

Wang Ya took off his Wizard Robe and hung it on a rack.

’The rewards from this quota mission were average, at best.’

’At least Harak devoured those Extraordinary Creatures, increasing its potential a little more.’

’The more gene fragments inside the Infinite Core, the more successful the fusion experiment for the Infinite Dream Genome will be.’

At least, Wang Ya’s plan was to integrate the numerous Black Souls from the Black Core into the Infinite Core.

’The Black Core’s ability to transform and contain Black Souls is an excellent supplement for the Infinite Core.’

’It could also serve as a nexus to connect to the Dream World.’

’As long as something has consciousness, it can dream and possess Spiritual Power. With enough of them, I could enter the Dream Gap at any time to receive a boost to my Dream Power.’

The Dark Wizard Mark was still flooded with junk messages.

Wang Ya couldn’t be bothered with them. ’Boring tricks.’

With the quota mission complete, Wang Ya now had over nine months of free time.

[Target: Black Core]

[Estimated Analysis Time: 1 year]

Hesitation flickered in Wang Ya’s eyes. ’One year... That’s a little too long.’

Then, he steeled his resolve and selected it as the analysis target.

’Advancing to a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice might trigger a new transformation in my Eye of Truth. It’s not impossible that I’ll gain another analysis slot.’

’The pressure on me would be much less. My Meditation Method is occupying one slot, so an extra one could be used for other research projects.’

’As for Magic Stones, I’m running low. It’s time to find new sources of income and cut down on expenses.’

’And I have the ability to do so.’

’And to rapidly increase my Spiritual Power while simultaneously closing the gap in my Magic Stone resources, there is only one way.’

Wang Ya’s pupils began to glow with a white sheen, as did the surface of his skin.

The Dream World.

The familiar, color-splashed world reappeared. As Wang Ya’s form completely solidified, the world’s shape stabilized along with him.

The sky was filled with clouds like cotton candy. Birds made of filamentous fungal colonies, all stuck to one another, flew over the expanse of the Primitive Forest.

This was the first time Wang Ya had entered the Dream World through his own ability, rather than via the Illusory Dream Garden.

The Illusory Dream Wizard couldn’t help him forever. He would have to rely on his own power to put down roots in the Dream World and carve out a place for himself.

Wang Ya noticed some differences.

’The Illusory Dream Garden at least possessed many features of the real world. The Illusory Dream Wizard likely did that on purpose, strengthening its ripples with reality by starting from the level of memory to anchor it.’

The trunks and roots of the trees were completely inverted. Branches and leaves grew out of the soil, while the roots wantonly exposed themselves—twisted, woody tentacles. On these roots crawled fist-sized black ants, each with a single, massive eyeball that took up its entire head...

’It’s too grotesque, too mentally jarring. There’s spiritual pollution everywhere.’

Fortunately, Wang Ya’s current Extraordinary Spiritual Power was quite formidable, allowing him to withstand the spiritual pollution emanating from the surrounding trees.

’As long as I don’t look and don’t think, the pollution can be further contained.’

Wang Ya recalled the Witch Books he had studied about the Dream World.

ROAR!

A low roar came from behind Wang Ya. The ground underfoot was a field of grass that looked as if it were covered in mold. Each tiny blade was black and grew in a folded pattern.

Wang Ya’s pupils constricted. A Dream Creature was staggering toward him—truly staggering. It had the general shape of a tiger, but its head was split open down the middle, revealing twisting, fleshy tendrils with eyeballs embedded in them. Its four limbs were also hideously malformed.

It inexplicably reminded Wang Ya of the bizarre infected creatures from the monster movies of his previous life.

The Dream Creature before him was just as bad, if not even more hideous and terrifying.

Dream Power materialized into a substantial ray of light, forming a bolt that attempted to intercept the charging Dream Creature. It was starving and wanted to gorge itself; the biped in front of it was the best meal of the day.

It had no discernible aura or fluctuations of Biological Energy... Wang Ya could only rely on his most primal instincts to detect a faint sense of danger from this Dream Creature.

In the next moment, his Dream Power was torn to shreds.

True Alternation Witchcraft.

Back in the real world, Wang Ya’s expression was terrifyingly dark. He had never imagined that a random, ugly Dream Creature could possess enough Dream Power to utterly crush his own.

’The most primitive wilds of the Dream World are just as Teacher Illusion Illusory Dream said—full of danger.’

Wang Ya’s plan to open up a new source of income was to sell Dream Creatures for profit. It would be best if he could form an entire supply chain.

Harak’s Infinite Blood Core could be used to artificially create some Extraordinary Creatures, but that would be a burden on Harak and would consume the power of its Blood Core.

So, that option had to be ruled out. He would have to choose to put down roots in the Dream World and establish his own Dream Territory.

’If I keep developing it, I could eventually achieve a scale comparable to that of the Illusory Dream Wizard.’

’The Infinite Dream Genome experiment needs this kind of environment as well.’

Wang Ya reined in his emotions. ’One failure is nothing. The Illusory Dream Wizard also went through hundreds, even thousands, of failures to achieve his current Power.’

’However, today is not a good day to try again. I need to restore my Dream Power first.’

Using his Dark Wizard Mark, Wang Ya found Wizard Yi Si’s profile information and sent him a message.

The other party accepted Wang Ya’s invitation and would meet with him tonight.

Wang Ya’s eyes flickered. He slowly lowered his right hand, clenching it into a fist to cover the shimmering Dark Wizard Mark.

「The ’Night Night Night’ Wizard Tavern.」

Wizard Yi Si arrived as scheduled. Looking at the front door, he raised an eyebrow, apparently recalling some old memories.

He usually frequented such places in the Upper House for meetings and other activities.

He had come here back when he was in the Lower House, but its appearance and atmosphere had been completely different.

Of the Wizard Students in his cohort, some were dead, some had retired into seclusion, and others had taken official posts... Wizard Yi Si was lost in his memories before he looked up at the nervous Wizard Waiter and said lightly, "The house special, room temperature. Send it to private room 123."

"Ye... Yes... Honored Master Wizard," the Wizard Waiter said nervously.

The other Wizards in the hall were also awed by the subtle aura emanating from Wizard Yi Si.

A Lower House Wizard who recognized Wizard Yi Si stared with wide, tense eyes, watching the man’s back with his peripheral vision as he entered the hallway.

’Who on earth could make a Heritage Wizard from the White Bone Lineage come all the way here for a meeting?’