The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

In any case, all the relevant evidence and records were now in the True Sight Ball.

The streak of blood-red light on the city wall was indeed a measure left by Blood Wizard Klau, and it had recorded some information.

What happened next would depend on how the Dark Land Headquarters decided to handle it. Wang Ya had done all that he could.

The Flying Griffin soared higher and higher into the night sky until it vanished into the clouds, heading toward a Wizard City that housed a Teleportation Array.

However, what Wang Ya failed to notice was a small black dot that had inexplicably appeared on his fair cheek, somewhat resembling the spell runes on the surface of the Black Core.

Within Celestial Wings Wizard City, a mass of dark shadows converged, reforming into the figure of Rilis. Her gaze was locked on the direction the Flying Griffin had disappeared, as if she could see the face of the person behind the Red Lotus Mask.

And indeed she had seen him. Using a subtle form of Curse Witchcraft, she had locked onto him and gathered some information.

She had also left something on him.

The item could cause no harm, nor was it a curse. Its sole function was to lock onto his location, creating a sense that grew stronger or weaker depending on the distance.

As the Flying Griffin disappeared from view, the sensation grew fainter and fainter.

A handsome face, black eyes, and that distinctive teardrop mole... In her mind, Rilis locked onto a single person.

The first-place winner of the Dark Land’s Secret Realm competition, Wang Ya Harak.

He was also the beneficiary of the Dark Cultivation Plan, a program similar to the Natural Spirit Cultivation Plan.

All the major Wizard Influences paid attention to such things. If an outstanding Wizard was allowed to reach their full potential, they could have a considerable impact.

’Wang Ya Harak, you can have this victory. But don’t celebrate too soon. My Black Core isn’t so easily taken.’

Rilis’s eyes turned frigid, and a powerful aura enveloped the Black Souls surrounding her.

Without the Black Core to control them, the Black Souls didn’t dare to disobey or resist Rilis. They could only endure immense pain under the pressure of her Extraordinary Spiritual Power.

’Sooner or later, I will take back what is mine.’

Rilis now considered Wang Ya Harak a formidable rival. He was merely a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, yet he was already this capable.

Once he matured, he would undoubtedly become the most troublesome and terrifying Wizard in the Dark Land.

Recalling their encounter in the great hall, Rilis gritted her teeth.

An even greater pain was inflicted upon the many Black Souls, especially Luo Dan and Murphy, whose Soul Bodies were on the verge of dissipating.

They could only endure it in silence, not even daring to cry out in agony.

They didn’t dare direct their resentment at Rilis. Instead, their hatred for Wang Ya became boundless, as they believed this was all his fault.

...

By the time the pair returned to the Dark Land Headquarters, a thin layer of ice coated some of the buildings and streets. Under the self-circulating energy of the Witch Arrays, the evaporating moisture formed a faint, shimmering halo effect.

First, they went to the Dark Library to report on the Wizard Task. Kelan Wizard took the matter extremely seriously, personally escorting Wang Ya to a management office on the first floor of the Upper House Library.

The person in charge was a Wizard Wang Ya had never seen before.

He wasn’t tall, but rather quite small and frail. He sat in his office chair with a hunched back and graying hair. He was a very old Wizard, his skin covered in wrinkles, yet his eyes were exceptionally bright and full of spirit.

They lacked the cloudiness and weary air of decline typical of elderly Wizards.

Wang Ya couldn’t sense any particular aura from him, but after a glance with his Eye of Truth, he understood why.

This was an Official Wizard, responsible for the entire task administration department.

His name was Cang Lan Wizard.

Few Wizards knew Cang Lan Wizard’s true background. They only knew that he had been managing the task administration department for a very, very long time and held considerable prestige.

This was despite not being a member of the Twelve Wizard Towers.

"Wizards from the Natural Ring Tower infiltrated the Dark Land and replaced all the City Lord’s Mansion Wizards and Law Enforcement Wizards in Celestial Wings Wizard City..." Cang Lan Wizard’s expression grew grim as he processed the report.

In truth, as soon as Wang Ya and Zack had cleared the immediate vicinity of Celestial Wings Wizard City, they had used a special method to contact the Illusory Dream Wizard.

Now that they had arrived back at headquarters, he figured the Wizards dispatched by the Dark Land must have already reached Celestial Wings Wizard City.

He just didn’t know what the outcome was.

The most likely scenario was that the Black Wizard from the Natural Ring Tower had seen things were turning against her and fled the Dark Land’s territory.

One should not underestimate the operational capacity of a major Wizard Influence; they even had methods to teleport Wizards directly from the headquarters to the most remote border Wizard City.

The replacement of a Border Wizard City’s leadership was just the tip of the iceberg. Who knew what the Natural Ring Tower was planning, or if they had caused even more disruptions within the Dark Land’s territory.

Headquarters would absolutely take this seriously.

Wang Ya’s guess was correct. When the Illusory Dream Wizard relayed the message to the Gloom Wizard, the latter’s expression had shifted, and they even convened a small remote meeting.

They determined how to handle the situation and dispatched no fewer than three Extreme Wizard Apprentices to investigate Celestial Wings Wizard City and deal with the Black Wizard involved.

They used the Dark Remote Point Teleportation Array.

It consumed a significant amount of Energy to teleport the three of them.

In the event of a full-scale war between Wizard Influences, the Dark Land could use its true Long-distance Peak Transmission Array to teleport any required Wizard from the headquarters to any Wizard City within its territory at a moment’s notice.

The Witch Arrays present in every major Wizard City were linked to this system.

Those Witch Arrays could even unleash attacks comparable to those of an Official Wizard, but the cost was a lengthy charging period.

This authority was not held by the City Lords of the various Wizard Cities.

Only specially authorized Wizards dispatched from headquarters could exercise that level of control.

Cang Lan Wizard rolled the True Sight Ball around in his hand, then placed it back on the desk. His bright eyes landed on Wang Ya as he said with a smile, "The information you’ve gathered is flawless. You truly are an outstanding young man."

"The revision of this Wizard Task’s level, the reward associated with the Blood Wizard Klau case, and your personal reward will all be finalized in due time."

As Wang Ya and Kelan Wizard were leaving, Cang Lan Wizard added, "Above the rank of Child of the Dark is the Dark Walker. You haven’t completed a large quantity of Wizard Tasks or quota tasks, but their levels have been relatively high, which is excellent. If you complete another one or two A Level Tasks, or an S Level Wizard Task, you’ll likely meet the prerequisites to be promoted to Dark Walker. Then you’ll just need to spend a certain number of Dark Points for the promotion."

"Thank you for informing me, Master Cang Lan Wizard." Wang Ya gave the old man a slight bow, his Wizard Etiquette flawless.

Wang Ya and Kelan Wizard walked along the stone paths of the Maple Forest, discussing various matters. They covered a wide range of topics, from insights and mastery of Dream Witchcraft to matters concerning the Illusory Dream School.

"If you have any questions, you can also ask the other two Heritage Wizards."

Kelan Wizard was referring to the other two members of the Illusory Dream Lineage: Vich Wizard and Autumn and Winter Wizard.

"I understand, Senior," Wang Ya replied with a slight nod.

Wang Ya didn’t head back to the Illusory Dream Tower. Instead, a True Sight Ball materialized in his hand.

The information and images within a True Sight Ball could be copied and transferred.

’I should inform Blood Wizard Klau’s family about this,’ Wang Ya decided.

They were likely the ones most anxious for news.

He met with Ma Fei Bohan in the same Wizard City mansion where they had spoken before.

The old man looked even more ancient than before. There was a weariness, a slowness to his movements.

Only when Wang Ya called out to him did his numb shuffling in the hallway cease. His cloudy eyes turned to Wang Ya, a faint glimmer of hope in their depths, though it was tinged with apprehension.

Ma Fei Bohan had learned a lot recently. He knew the City Lord’s Mansion represented absolute authority, much like how the Dark Land’s headquarters managed its many Wizard Cities.

A matter ruled upon by the City Lord’s Mansion Wizards was almost never wrong, and there were very, very few cases of such rulings being overturned.

He had spent all this time dwelling on this matter, and the worry had turned his hair and beard completely white.

Sorrow ages a person faster than anything, stealing away their time.

Wang Ya said nothing, merely pushing the True Sight Ball across the table toward the old man.

"Master Wizard, is this..." Ma Fei Bohan’s voice trembled, his face a mask of desperate hope.

"The truth about Blood Wizard Klau and what happened in Celestial Wings Wizard City. I hope this will be of some use to you."

Wang Ya added, "There was indeed something wrong with the official report. Blood Wizard Klau didn’t die during a Clearance of Extraordinary Creatures. He was killed by a Wizard from the Natural Ring Tower."

Ma Fei Bohan’s body trembled with emotion. He kept licking his lips, but he couldn’t stop them from quivering. His eyes reddened. "I knew it! I knew Klau wouldn’t have died so simply! Klau was so brilliant, the most outstanding Wizard in the Bohan Clan! So many Master Wizards praised him... Klau... My Klau..."

Wang Ya watched in silence as the old man wept, his eyes fixed on the images within the True Sight Ball.

He quietly pushed the door open and left the room.

The old man needed some time alone.

Suddenly, Ma Fei Bohan’s trembling voice called out from behind him. "Master Wizard Wang Ya, the Bohan Clan thanks you for everything you’ve done! Thank you so, so much!"

Wang Ya’s keen Spiritual Power could sense the old man’s head repeatedly striking the floor, his body bowed, his fragile knees bruising from the strain... Wang Ya’s expression remained indifferent. He didn’t pause his stride, only saying faintly, "It was part of the Wizard Task. Something that had to be done."

’The emotions of a Wizard Clan are sincere, but sometimes they can also be fatal.’

’I don’t need such emotions. I’m long accustomed to solitude.’

A cold winter wind whipped at his robes. There were more Wizards on Freedom Street than in the Business District. The busy people were still busy, striving for whatever it was they desired.

A layer of ice coated the street; the Witch Arrays here didn’t include clearing such things.

Wang Ya walked down the street with a steady gait. He looked up at the sky, where the dark clouds in the gray expanse seemed to be forming shapes as the cold wind blew.

He held out his palm, and a soft, crystalline object landed on it.

Its pattern was perfectly symmetrical.

’It’s snowing...’

Wang Ya had originally planned to return to the Three-Layered Space to continue his in-depth research of the Wizard Path, but in the end, he found himself at the Night Night Night Wizard Tavern.

Of course, he hadn’t come to this place willingly.

It was that fellow Gray, who had once again roped a few people into a gathering to exchange insights on their respective Wizard Paths.