Departure

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 only an apprentice-level spell, after all. It would not help him much.

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

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

His offensive capabilities could now be said to be maxed out, but his defenses were still somewhat lacking.

"Hmm, Rock Wall and Adaptive Spell Fusion seem like they could create a pseudo-First-Circle defensive barrier spell."

This spell was not particularly famous. He had only heard about it in passing 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 Contribution Points left in research funding, 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 thinking about it and grasped a Divine Power Crystal, beginning to absorb it.

"This feels so good."

The divine power within the crystal was drawn into his mind through the Meditation Method. He felt as though his entire Sea of Consciousness had been enveloped by a cool lake.

It was icy and refreshing, immensely comfortable.

Meanwhile, outside Lohr Laboratory.

Several First-Circle Wizards silently stepped out of their laboratories and turned their gazes toward Lohr Laboratory.

They had all been alarmed by the unique pressure emitted by the Divine Power Crystals and had come out specifically to see which colleague was so generous.

To their astonishment, they discovered that the pressure was coming from Lohr Laboratory.

"Why would Agular give Divine Power Crystals to a student like him?" 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 when given to apprentices was increasing mental power, which was simply wasteful.

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

"Hehe, Aililuo, you haven't read the announcements this month, have you?"

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

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

"Agular certainly is generous." An aged voice came from another direction.

"Lohr's talent can be called the greatest among the current Earth-Fire School. He actually dares to send this little fellow into that meat grinder. Isn't he afraid the boy will die in there?"

"Lohr's talent really is quite remarkable."

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

After saying that, he did not linger. He returned directly to his own laboratory, found his 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 truly rises, what will become of our Earth-Water School?"

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

He was unwilling to watch a Third-Circle Archwizard from the Earth-Fire School emerge before his eyes.

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

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

"Go on." Randolph, dressed in a red-and-yellow wizard robe and rather tall in stature, 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 further, but after seeing the gloomy expression on Randolph's face, she swallowed her remaining 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 dark glint flashed through his eyes.

Before Lohr arrived, he had been the only apprentice in the Earth-Fire School with his own 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 the right to possess a permanent laboratory, an emotion known as jealousy began brewing within him.

On the far side of Murphy Continent, inside an entirely black Wizard Tower.

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

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

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

He was originally a wizard apprentice of the Dark Divine-Power Faith School. Within the Dark God's Divine Kingdom, he could absolutely display First-Circle combat power.

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

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

"What do you want to do in the Divine Kingdom Exploration Tournament?"

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

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

"Fine." 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, Grandfather."

Thirteen days later.

On the fifteenth floor of the Earth Wizard Tower, inside Lohr Laboratory.

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

He had failed four times for this model, spending a full 2,900 Contribution Points in research funding.

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

Then his thoughts shifted. Raising his head to look at the ceiling, curiosity flashed 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.

Just then, knocking sounded outside the laboratory.

Lohr got up and opened the door. Fray's face came into view, and behind him stood 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 the First-Circle Wizard rank, and Lohr no longer needed her protection.

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

"Mm. Let's go to the top of the tower together. Lord Nelson will send you into the Divine Kingdom." Fray nodded.