Wizard: My Skills Can Infinitely Break Through

On the high platform, Elder Soron’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He stared at the formula, his withered fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the stone chair.

"Aidele... She has a good eye for people. Not bad at all."

He murmured to himself, his voice soft, yet everyone in the hall heard him loud and clear.

Aidele rose at the opportune moment. She first thanked the Elder for his praise, then walked to the edge of the high platform and looked at Ian, her expression complex.

"This formula is Ian’s own unique creation."

Her voice was cold and clear, but it carried distinctly to everyone’s ears.

"But he trusts me, and I will not allow him to be taken advantage of."

She turned to face Elder Soron and bowed slightly.

"If the clan requires it, I can make the decision to retract it. As for its specific value... that will have to be negotiated after the assessment."

Elder Soron looked at Aidele, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Approved," he said with a slow nod, growing more and more satisfied.

’This girl knows to consider the clan’s interests. She has the makings of a Clan Leader.’

The gazes of the entire hall—filled with envy, jealousy, and hate—fell upon Aidele, piercing her like needles.

The hand Edwin used to hold his teacup trembled slightly.

A few drops of tea sloshed out, landing on his silver-white sleeve and spreading into a dark stain.

But he maintained the smile on his face, though deep inside, his sense of loss grew ever stronger.

"Third item on the review: the question-and-answer session."

The middle-aged official’s voice pulled everyone’s attention back to the proceedings.

According to custom, he only needed to ask a few token questions before announcing that the review was passed.

The middle-aged official cleared his throat, just about to speak.

Suddenly, a side door to the hall was pushed open, and seven young men in gray Apprentice Robes were led in by two Guards.

They looked to be sixteen or seventeen years old, their faces etched with nervousness and unease.

Their steps were unsteady, and their gazes darted about restlessly.

The hall fell silent in an instant.

Everyone looked at the seven Apprentices, then toward the Edwin brothers on the high platform.

Something stirred in Ian’s mind.

But his face remained calm; only the silvery glint deep in his eyes brightened for a fraction of a second.

"Who are you? Who let you in?"

The middle-aged official frowned, his voice tinged with displeasure.

’What is wrong with the Wizards at the door?’ he thought. ’How could they let these Apprentices just walk in?’

The lead Apprentice swallowed hard, raised his head, and spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

"I... We... live near Wisteria Lane, and we saw Honored Guest Elder Marcus with our own eyes... moving suspicious materials late at night."

He gritted his teeth and mustered his courage again.

"They were in black cloth sacks, irregularly shaped, and seemed to give off a faint Abyssal Aura."

As his words fell, a deathly silence descended upon the hall.

All eyes focused on Ian.

Aidele’s brow furrowed slightly as she recalled the message Delia had sent her that morning.

"Milady, Edwin sent a private message. He said there might be... an ’incident’ today."

She had been on alert then but hadn’t expected the situation to unfold like this.

Ian’s heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained nonchalant.

’It seems the Abyssal Altar isn’t even safe on the third basement level,’ he thought. ’I’ll have to dismantle it as soon as I get back.’

He was certain, however, that no one could have seen any Abyssal materials.

Even if he had any, he kept them in his Dimensional Ring, so there would be no need to physically move them.

Before he could speak, Aidele had already risen to her feet.

She walked to the edge of the high platform, her deep purple sleeves stirring slightly in the air.

"No. 7 Wisteria Lane is my father’s private property." Her voice was cold, like a blade of ice cutting through the air.

"I was the one who arranged for Honored Guest Elder Marcus to reside there."

Her eyes, filled with frost, swept across the seven Apprentices.

"Are you implying... that I had him move suspicious materials?"

The Apprentices stammered in response, their faces deathly pale.

The lead Apprentice’s lips trembled.

"I-I... we just saw things being moved... As for whether they were suspicious... we’re not sure..."

"Then how did you get in here? Who sent you?"

Aidele pressed further, her mind rapidly narrowing down the list of suspects.

At that moment, Edwin set down his teacup and stood up, an angry expression on his face.

"If you are not certain, then do not make baseless accusations against an Honored Guest Elder. In consideration of your loyalty to the clan, leave at once."

His voice was stern. On the surface, he was reprimanding the Apprentices, but in reality, he wanted to bring this farce to a quiet end.

Aidele’s gaze swept over Edwin, her wariness growing even stronger.

The Apprentices, as if granted a full pardon, turned to withdraw.

Just then, one of the "Guards" walking at the rear suddenly lifted his head.

His eyes were vacant, and the corners of his mouth curved into a bizarre smile.

The Guard violently tore open his tunic, revealing a fist-sized, dark-red Crystal Core strapped to his chest.

The surface of the Crystal Core was covered in fine cracks, and a dark-red light swirled rapidly within... like a beating heart.

A Blast Core.

The dark-red light inside the Crystal Core grew brighter and brighter, and a wave of violent Energy instantly radiated outward.

The air in the hall seemed to be squeezed tight by an invisible hand, suddenly growing heavy and still.

A glint appeared in Ian’s eyes. ’This aura... it’s already on par with the Level Two Late Stage!’

The faces of the few Level Two Wizards closest to the blast instantly turned deathly pale.

They could feel that if that Energy were to erupt, the entire hall would be blown to smithereens.

Just as the Crystal Core was about to detonate...

Soron, from his place on the high platform, let out a cold snort that echoed through the hall like a clap of thunder.

An invisible pressure descended like a mountain.

The Guard’s movements froze instantly.

His entire body was paralyzed as if frozen in amber, unable to even move his eyes.

Inside the Crystal Core, the rapidly swirling dark-red light was forcibly suppressed.

The Guard was like a wild beast with its throat squeezed, his violent struggles utterly useless.

The hall was deathly silent.

All eyes were fixed on the frozen Guard, his own gaze vacant and dull.