1: Traveling through the wizarding world

Mist Coast.

A tall, white Wizard Tower stood silently in the depths of the forest, occupying a vast area.

For tens of miles around the Wizard Tower, there were cultivated fields and uniformly built houses, with figures bustling about in the fields.

What a peaceful and idyllic rural scene.

But upon closer inspection, various strange and peculiar crops revealed the extraordinary nature of this place.

Among the various crops in the fields, some were relatively normal, such as Magic Wheat—which looked exactly like common wheat. These were Demonized Plantss cultivated by wizards over generations of selection from common wheat.

There were also some that were quite strange and peculiar, like the Human-Faced Demonic Sunflower, which resembled an enlarged sunflower, but its disc had a twisted black human face on the back. These were wild Demonized Plantss tamed by wizards.

The farmers toiling in various fields were also extraordinary—

After a series of different spells, magical light enveloped them.

Seeds sown in the ground sprouted tender green shoots… Rice that was heading quickly became plump and golden… Stubble remaining after harvest rapidly decomposed into a pile of ash, fertilizing the soil… In a certain secret room.

“Hiss… my head hurts so much,”

“My head is about to explode…”

“Where am I?”

“Wasn’t I still working overtime?”

“That inhuman project manager! Three days and three nights, and he still hasn’t satisfied the client, insisting on dragging everyone along to work overtime.”

…The person who had regained consciousness looked at the room, filled with Western fantasy elements, with a bewildered expression.

A white crystal chandelier, walls made of rough, unknown gray stones, covered with various strange lines, with faint glows flashing occasionally.

The room was not large, only about ten square meters.

It was simply furnished.

Aside from a straw mat under his bottom, there was only a large flowerpot in front of him.

The flowerpot was sparsely filled with tiny, rice-like seeds.

Some had sprouted green shoots, others hadn’t… Zhang Qiang.

A first-generation university student from a rural family in an eighteenth-tier small county town on Aqua Blue Star, China.

To make a name for himself, he toiled bitterly in the magical, fast-paced metropolis of Modu.

Finally, after three days and three nights of continuous overtime,

He died suddenly—

And boarded the transmigration express… At this moment.

A torrent of memories surged from the depths of this body’s mind, gradually soothing Zhang Qiang’s stinging spirit.

Only after Zhang Qiang completely merged with the original body’s memories did he understand the full story.

Speaking of which, the original Green was also a pitiful person with a tragic life experience similar to Zhang Qiang’s.

Green Anglet.

Born into the Anglet family, a baronial family in a remote region of the Motlan Grand Kingdom, he was the second son.

Because he was found to possess wizard qualifications, he was sent at the age of ten to the famous White Wizard Academy on Mist Coast—Plant Heart Wizard Academy… “This was Green’s good fortune.”

“Thank goodness… thank goodness…”

“This Green didn’t have to enter a Black Wizard Academy like his predecessors, constantly facing life-threatening dangers.”

Zhang Qiang thought to himself.

Zhang Qiang, who came from a peaceful era, certainly didn’t want his life to be taken at any moment; if that were the case, he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

But this was also Green’s misfortune.

Because Green’s wizard qualifications were not outstanding… The Wizard World’s qualification divisions, from highest to lowest, were: First Class to Fifth Class.

Although Green was not the lowest Fifth Class, as a Fourth Class qualified wizard, his comprehension was not very good either.

Among the Wizard Apprentices in the same batch as Green, Fifth Class accounted for 37%, Fourth Class for 42%, and Third Class for 21%. There were no Second Class apprentices.

First Class was even a legend; in any case, Mist Coast had not produced a First Class Wizard Apprentice in several centuries.

First Class qualifications could only be obtained by a favored child of destiny.

And the difference between each class of wizard qualifications was three to five times as much.

Taking the simplest Meditation Technique talent as an example, a Third Class Wizard Apprentice’s Meditation Technique talent was at least three times, and at most five times, higher than Green’s.

Not to mention… the difference in comprehension between apprentices of different wizard qualifications was also a very important criterion… So, when competing with other Wizard Apprentices in the same batch, Green was always at a disadvantage… Although the White Wizard Academy—Plant Heart was not as cruel as some Black Wizard Academies.

For example, it didn't encourage bloody competition among Wizard Apprentices, like the Black Sota Wizard Academy described by a certain great author, to cultivate powerful wizards through a 'raising gu' method.

But under the condition of a fixed total amount of resources,

Plant Heart Wizard Academy inevitably adopted a system of cultivating apprentices through survival of the fittest, only with more gentle methods.

This led to a very serious phenomenon.

At Plant Heart Wizard Academy, competition was fierce.

In other words, 'involution' was very severe!

“Important things said three times!”

“Involution, involution, and still f*cking involution!”

…And the reason Zhang Qiang could transmigrate.

It meant that the original Green had died, completely cold.

So, in an atmosphere of assured safety, peace, and tranquility within the academy,

And with Green not having made any enemies, how did the original Green die?

There is only one truth!!!

—Sudden death… Green, like Zhang Qiang who died from overwork, also died suddenly due to frantic overwork!

This was the conclusion Zhang Qiang reached after sorting through Green’s memories… Plant Heart Wizard Academy’s system for cultivating Wizard Apprentices was unique across the entire Mist Coast.

It adopted a cultivation method of lenient entry and strict assessment.

Because the entire Wizard Academy only had one Meditation Technique, as long as the elemental perception test leaned towards plants and wood, regardless of the wizard qualification level, it would admit them into the academy for cultivation.

However, the five-yearly assessment was a nightmare for countless low-level and even Intermediate Wizard Apprentices.

Because the consequences of failing the assessment were extremely severe… All academy apprentices who failed the five-yearly assessment would be—

“Graduated”!

“Graduated” apprentices would enter the sequence of Battle Wizards, spending three years learning various combat spells and survival experience.

Three years later, they would have to leave the peaceful and stable Wizard Tower and go deep into the jungles of Mist Coast, or the dangerous Mist Islands, to carry out various combat missions.

They would compete for resources with Wizard Apprentices from other Wizard Towers of the Seven Towers Alliance, and fight against pirates (Black Wizard Apprentices) active in the Mist Islands.

Zhang Qiang felt terrified just thinking about it.

“I’m scared… I’m scared…”

So, the original Green, in order to pass the five-year assessment, frantically practiced the 0-ring low-level spell—Seed Germination Technique—in the meditation room.

When his spirit was exhausted, he meditated;

When it recovered, he cast spells;

When he was hungry, he drank a full meal potion.

He was completely in a state of not giving up until he achieved his goal.

As the saying goes, if you don't go mad, you won't become a Buddha.

Unfortunately… Lady Luck did not favor Green this time. In three days and three nights of frenzied madness, Green ultimately—

Exhausted his spirit and died suddenly!

…Perhaps due to transmigration.

At this moment, Zhang Qiang (for ease of reference, hereafter uniformly referred to as Green)

had perfectly merged with the original body's memories and recovered his spirit.

“Alas…”

“My dear Green…”

“Rest in peace…”

“I will inherit your will and walk well on the wizard’s path.”

“If you have any unfulfilled wishes, remember to send me a dream.”

Green silently prayed, performing a simple farewell ceremony for his deceased predecessor.

“Within my abilities, I will try my best to fulfill your last wishes.”

“Farewell…”

“Although you gave me a hellish start, I don’t blame you. We are both pitiful souls sharing the same plight.”

“Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, on the road to the underworld, do not look back…”

“May you be reborn into a good family in your next life…”