Setting Off

After giving the Divine Power Crystals to Lohr, Agular did not ask Lohr for the Small Lava Eruption Spell and simply left.

That thing was ultimately just an apprentice-level spell and would not help him much.

After seeing Agular off, Lohr returned to his bedroom. Looking at the five Divine Power Crystals in his hand that radiated a terrifying aura, he came up with a new plan.

Becoming a Third-Level Apprentice ahead of schedule was actually a good thing.

His offensive capabilities were now practically maxed out, but his defenses were still somewhat lacking.

Hmm, combining Rock Wall with Adaptive Spell Fusion seems like it could create a pseudo-First-Circle defensive barrier spell.

This spell was not particularly well-known. He had only heard a little about it in his previous life, so he was not sure whether it was real.

There are still fourteen days before the Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament begins. I have 3,700 research points left, enough for five experiments. Once I advance to a Third-Level Apprentice, I'll find someone to test it on.

Having made up his mind, Lohr stopped dwelling on it. He gripped a Divine Power Crystal and began absorbing it.

This feels amazing.

The divine power within the crystal flowed into his mind through the Meditation Method. His entire Sea of Consciousness felt as though it had been wrapped in a cool lake.

It was icy and refreshing, unbelievably comfortable.

Meanwhile, outside Lohr's laboratory.

Several First-Circle Wizards silently walked out of their laboratories and looked in the direction of Lohr's laboratory.

They had all been alerted by the unique pressure radiating from the Divine Power Crystals and had deliberately come out to see which colleague was so generous.

To their astonishment, they discovered that the pressure was coming from Lohr's laboratory.

"Why would Agular give Divine Power Crystals to his student?" A gray-haired witch sensed the divine power fluctuations, her face full of confusion.

Divine Power Crystals were not cheap. One gram cost 1,000 contribution points. The only use they had for apprentices was increasing mental power, which was simply wasteful.

As for other avenues of development, apprentices had no way to research them.

"Heh heh, Aililuo, you haven't checked the announcements this month, have you?"

Outside the laboratory opposite, a middle-aged wizard laughed. "The High Council is planning to hold an apprentice Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament. The rewards are incredibly generous—even spatial equipment is included. Even I'm tempted."

"I imagine that person intends to let Lohr compete for it, which is why he gave him those Divine Power Crystals."

"Agular really is willing to spend." An aged voice came from another direction.

"Lohr's talent is undoubtedly the greatest of the current Earth-Fire School. He actually dares send that little fellow into that meat grinder. Isn't he afraid Lohr will die in there?"

"Lohr's talent truly is impressive."

Hearing this, the middle-aged wizard Tolaf nodded with apparent admiration. "I hope he can make it out safely. Otherwise, it would be a loss for our Nelson Wizard Tower."

After saying that, he did not linger and returned directly to his own laboratory. He found a communication orb and sent a message to his student.

After putting down the communication orb, Tolaf's lips curled slightly. If the Earth-Fire School really rises, what will become of our Earth-Water School?

In the current Nelson Wizard Tower, only the Earth-Fire School and the Earth-Water School lacked a Third-Circle Archwizard.

He had no intention of watching a Third-Circle Archwizard from the Earth-Fire School emerge before his eyes.

Although it was not suitable for him to act directly, stirring up some trouble was not a problem.

On the tenth floor of the Wizard Tower, inside a specially approved laboratory.

"Lord Randolph, I have some news about Lohr to tell you." A pretty blue-haired girl in a yellow-and-blue wizard robe spoke with a smile.

"Tell me." Randolph, tall and clad in a red-and-yellow wizard robe, replied calmly.

"Just now, Wizard Agular gave Lohr..." The girl relayed all the information her mentor had given her.

"I understand. You may leave." Randolph pointed at the closed laboratory door.

"You really are..."

The girl wanted to tease him a little more, but after seeing Randolph's gloomy expression, she swallowed the rest of her words and obediently left the laboratory.

"Trying to sow discord?" Randolph tugged at the corner of his mouth, only to find that he could not smile at all. "Those are Divine Power Crystals!"

"This Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament may be my only chance." A trace of gloom flashed through his eyes.

Before Lohr arrived, he had been the only apprentice of the Earth-Fire School with a laboratory, and the First-Circle Wizards had valued him greatly.

But ever since Lohr arrived, he could clearly sense the change in the First-Circle Wizards' attitudes.

And after hearing that Lohr had directly become a Second-Circle Wizard's student and obtained permanent ownership of a laboratory, an emotion called jealousy began brewing within him.

On the other side of Murphy Continent, within a pitch-black Wizard Tower.

"Saul, the trial divine kingdom chosen by our Murphy Continent is the Dark Godland. This will be very advantageous to you. Do not disappoint me."

A middle-aged wizard dressed in a black wizard robe, his entire body shrouded in black mist, spoke softly.

"I will not disappoint you, Mentor." Before him, the gray-haired youth Saul, also dressed in a black wizard robe, replied with complete confidence.

He was originally a wizard apprentice of the Dark Divine-Power Faith School. Within the Dark God's divine kingdom, he would absolutely be able to wield First-Circle combat power.

At the top floor of an entirely red Wizard Tower in the center of Murphy Continent.

"Grandpa, I want to participate in the Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament." A child of around eight years old, dressed in a red wizard robe, spoke in a coquettish tone.

"What are you going to the Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament for?"

Before the child, an ordinary-looking old man crouched down and asked with a smile, "You don't lack those resources, do you?"

"I heard it's very lively there." The child blinked. "I want to go take a look."

"Sure." The old man stroked the child's head and said indulgently, "No apprentice can threaten you anyway. If you want to take a look, then go."

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Thirteen days later.

On the fifteenth floor of the Earth Wizard Tower, inside Lohr's laboratory.

"Hah..." Looking at the newly fused rune model in his Sea of Consciousness, Lohr let out a long breath. "I finally finished it before the Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament began."

For this model, he had failed four times and spent a full 2,900 research points.

"With this thing, my ability to protect myself has increased greatly. It wasn't a loss." Lohr smiled.

Then his thoughts shifted. He looked up at the ceiling, curiosity flashing through his eyes. "I wonder how we'll enter the divine kingdom later. The current Wizard Alliance doesn't have anything like spatial teleportation arrays."

Knock, knock, knock.

At that moment, someone knocked on the laboratory door.

Lohr got up and opened it. Fray's face came into view, and behind him followed more than a hundred Third-Level Apprentices dressed in red-and-yellow wizard robes.

Among them were quite a few people Lohr knew, such as Lus and Tia.

Kateya was not among them, because she was already confident in challenging for First-Circle Wizard, and Lohr no longer needed her protection.

"Wizard Fray." Lohr greeted him with a smile.

"Yes. Let's go to the top of the tower together. Lord Nelson will send you into the divine kingdom." Fray nodded.