Age of Adepts

The Wraith was sending out an invitation for a quest.

According to it, the region that it invited Grim to was a cold ice world that seemed to contain an exceptionally rare cold ice dragon.

However, the Witch Demon Congenas' target wasn't the cold ice dragon, but rather a cold ice artifact buried deep within the other dragon's nest - the Ancient Harsh Winter Casket.

It was rumored that this treasure casket was created by the powerful ice giants of the Ancient Era, and it contained a terrifying and strange cold from the Land of Death, capable of granting the user the rules of ice and a portion of the laws of death.

Judging from the treasure's attributes alone, it was also extremely compatible with the original attributes of the Witch Demon Kanganus!

So, it was no wonder that it was recruiting around, trying to break through this strange cold world in one fell swoop and seize the Ancient Harsh Winter Casket. And it picked Grim, apparently also wanting to use his incomparably powerful arson ability to break the home ground of that cold ice dragon.

However, after learning that Grim was ill and needed a period of rest and recuperation, Witch Kangonnas immediately said that this matter was not urgent, and that it also needed to continue to invite other companions. Thus, the agreement was made for eighty years from now.

Presumably, by that time, the trauma on Grim's soul origin would be well healed.

It had to be said that the time dimension of a creature like the Wraith was indeed different from most of the bit creatures. Time that was exceptionally rare and precious in the eyes of others was nothing more than a blink-and-you'll-miss-it period of afternoon tea with them.

"An invitation from a Wraith can make you feel this much?" Alice looked incredulous: "I've heard the name Kangonas before, and it seems to be a pretty scary guy. But as long as you can guard against their instant death-type spells, creatures like Wraiths aren't really that hard to deal with!"

"You probably don't know that in my former mind, creatures like witches, evil spirits, and demons were already representatives of some sort of extreme power. I could only look up to such guys even before I was promoted to Witch Master. But now... but I have to call myself a brother to them, a virtual brother to them, and there's always a hint of absurdity in my heart!" Grim sighed infinitely.

Alice's long, satin-like hair fell behind her, and a look of sympathetic understanding sprang up on her soft, serene face, as she gently stepped forward to Grim and clasped her arms around his waist.

"It is not surprising that you feel and think as you do. The speed of your advancement is so fast, so fast that it's a little hard for you to get used to it! Which one of those 4th rank wizards didn't go through a long period of three to four hundred years to grasp the status and power in front of them. And you... have been fighting and fighting... barely even taking a breath."

"The Crimson Family, like you, are both too young within the 4th rank group. Young enough to be lacking in every aspect, and unable to match the status in front of them! Did you know that? Since the Crimson Family became a 4th rank power, how many witches have been waiting outside the gates to ask for an audience, how many families and organizations have wanted to throw in their lot, and how many large powers have wanted to form an alliance with you..."

Hearing Alice's cross-examination, Grim shook his head blankly.

These days, he spent his days hiding inside the Flame Throne Witch Tower to recuperate from his injuries, and incidentally sorting out the treasures and resources he brought back from the Otherworldly Roll. To be honest, he hadn't really asked a single question about the specific affairs within the family, nor did he know what the current development was.

In his deepest heart, as long as he had himself, a 4th rank sorcerer, sitting behind him, the Crimson Family would only flourish, and no one would ever dare come looking for trouble!

Alice couldn't help but chuckle softly when she looked up and saw Grim's blank look on his face.

"Regardless of your majesty, those disciples and cronies under you wouldn't dare to bother you with these tedious trivialities. But have you ever thought that the current Crimson Family's bottom is still too thin and thin! Not to mention, those sorcerers who came to negotiate and discuss family cooperation matters were all powerful sorcerers of the 2nd and 3rd rank at every turn. That disciple and henchman of yours is only a 2nd rank beginner or intermediate, can you imagine the psychological pressure you're under when you go to negotiate with someone with such strength?"

Grim listened intently and began to think silently.

The current Crimson Family was a little too expansive just like Grim.

This referred not to the mentality, but the overall strength.

Although the Crimson Family had produced Grim, a famous 4th stage sorcerer, the 3rd stage members who acted as the backbone of the family were slow to cultivate. So far, the Crimson Family only had Alice, Mary, Soros, Olivine, and Ectoplasmic Ghazluvi as their 3rd rank.

Among them, Alice was the leader of the Fate Witch, so naturally, she couldn't stay and sit within the Crimson Family. Mary and Soros are vampires, and recently even broke into that Hessian dimension to open up territory for the Crimson Family outside.

Ollivine is a Dragon Eater and can only be considered a 3rd rank guest of the Crimson Family, not willing to be deeply involved in the family's internal affairs. The only remaining Iso-Brain Ghazluvi, on the other hand, had been sent by Grim to the extra-domain Esoda camp to open up the extra-domain market for the Crimson Family.

With such a left and a right stroke, there was none of the core 3-stage that could reside within the family and deter the outside forces.

This also meant that the Crimson Family, a big family that had just been promoted to a 4th rank power, was actually backed up by a group of 2nd rank wizards. While Grim wasn't willing to belittle Meryl and Gargamel's efforts and achievements, it was true that the two of them's rank simply couldn't hold down the field a lot of the time.

It would invariably cost the Crimson Family a lot of money in many cases.

After all, most of those witch family patriarchs or organization leaders who came to negotiate and negotiate were 3rd rank wizards. They were naturally a thousand times more reluctant to let them trawl to bargain with a few rank 2 witches. With the resources they negotiated and the information they exchanged, even just a small fluctuation of interest would add up to a big loss.

Therefore, raising the overall strength of the family as soon as possible was also a matter of great urgency!

Meryl was her own disciple, and also possessed the Fire Dragon bloodline, and if Grim took care of her eccentrically, it was still very possible for her to advance to the 3rd rank with a large amount of resources. But 3rd rank was the limit of her potential, and it would be difficult to progress any further.

And Gargamel's talent was even less talented than Meryl's, his potential limit was also at the 2nd step.

Placed within some ruthless families, they simply wouldn't spend such a huge amount of effort on a 'untalented' witch like Gargamel. For those 4th rank forces, a witch without 3rd rank potential was simply not worth cultivating. And to become a core sorcerer of a 4th rank power, it was absolutely impossible to do so without 4th rank potential.

Of course, having potential didn't mean that you would succeed.

However, without potential then there wasn't even the slightest hope of success!

So, by now, Grim, as the head of the Crimson Family, would need to consider an alternative to Gargamel. It wasn't cruelty, or crossing the river, but rather... practical necessity.

Of course, out of personal feelings, Grim could also find a way to raise Gargamel's natural potential again. But then, the resources and effort spent on Gargamel alone would already be enough to cultivate two or three equivalent levels of sorcerers for the Crimson Family!

So, exactly how to choose was also a question that Grim needed to consider holistically.

"Do you think there's any value in continuing to cultivate Gargamel?" It was because Grim was thinking deeply about this question that he couldn't help but ask it.

Alice closed her eyes in thought, stared openly into Grim's black pupils and smiled, "His development potential has been exhausted, and although he is quite loyal and talented, his individual strength is still a hard one after all! With his longevity, if the Crimson Family is still the original 3rd rank power, then it would still be fine for him to serve with dedication for another two or three hundred years."

"But most core sorcerers of the 4th rank forces, he's clearly not suitable..."

"You mean to replace him?" In the meantime, Grim's brows knitted together without even realizing it.

In the meantime, Alice stretched out her hands and smoothed Grim's locked frown, smiling faintly, "Gargamel has been serving you faithfully for more than a hundred years, and you don't have the nerve to say you'll change. Besides, the current central continental landscape was created by Gargamel, and if it were rashly replaced by an outsider, there would definitely be a huge upheaval within the family!"

"So what you're saying is..." and Grim got a little confused.

"A change is definitely needed! But the man we replaced also has to take care of the perception of Gargamel and his affiliated forces, so that they don't shake the foundation of the family in fear. Now do you see who it is?"

"You mean her? She's...still a little girl, right! Can it hold up?" Grim instantly understood Alice's meaning, but he still felt a bit hesitant.

"You, ah... have been running around outside all these years and have barely managed the internal affairs of the family properly, so naturally you don't know how much that little girl has improved!" Alice pursed her lips and smiled, "I'm afraid you don't know that! That little girl is now 2nd rank advanced, and... she's 143 years old, so she's no longer the little girl you had in mind!"

"2nd rank advanced... wouldn't that be higher than Meryl's rank?" Grim couldn't help but be a little horrified as well.

"Yes, the speed of this girl's advancement is already not inferior to yours in the slightest. I never thought that Gargamel, a former wandering wizard, would be able to produce such a talented daughter. If you promote Emelia, Gargamel will not only not hate with you, but will be even more grateful."

"Over the years, both Gargamel and Ava have put almost all their efforts into Emelia. And Emelia is competitive enough that a good portion of what Gargamel has laid down in the Eloise region over the years is due to Emelia. Gargamel's men are extremely trusting of her as well!"

"Emelia's origins can be a bit odd..." still Grim was hesitant.

"What does that have to do with anything? Isn't it just a part of the Spore Princess' soul? Could it be that you've become a 4th rank wizard and still fear the underground clan coming to look for trouble?"

Hearing Alice's unrelenting cross-examination, Grim laughed easily instead.

"Then find a time to call that Emelia over, and I'll reward her with a treasure that will establish her identity first!"

Alice immediately laughed softly.

"That girl and I are on good terms! I'll let her know..."