192: All Kinds of Living Things (IV)

Blood Fortress Wizard Academy.

Inside the belly of a small mountain, barely a thousand meters high, a massive karst cave several hundred meters tall had been hollowed out, created by modifying a natural cave, forming a huge space connecting the surface and the underground.

In this dark and vast space stood a blood-red Wizard Tower. This was the main base of Plant Heart Academy's old rival

—Blood Fortress Academy.

With this terrifying undertone of darkness and bloodiness, anyone unaware of the truth would likely assume at first glance that this was a Black Wizard Academy, but the undeniable fact is that it is a White Wizard Academy, with a heritage spanning over 500 years.

“Wizard Yadisi, your performance is quite disappointing!”

“Plant Heart Academy has a new successor, and Old Man Joyce quietly became a Tier 2 Advanced Wizard.”

“Tell me, what exactly have you been doing for the past fifty years?”

“How has Blood Fortress Academy become increasingly dilapidated since it was entrusted to you?”

“Old Ancestor, it's not that your grandson neglected his duties; your grandson truly did his best.”

Wizard Yadisi, who had been so spirited and triumphant outside the Ancient Elf Secret Realm, now looked like a beaten dog, utterly defeated and covered in scars, completely lacking the dignity and pride of a Formal Wizard... Wizard Yadisi cried out in a tone of extreme injustice:

“Old Ancestor, your grandson hasn't relaxed even slightly these years. I spent a huge price to bribe over 100 Wizards from Plant Heart Academy to act as informants, including 5 Advanced Wizard Apprentices.”

“The resources spent monitoring and gathering intelligence on that Old Man Joyce accounted for a full fifth of Blood Fortress's annual income!”

“But those dirt farmers are truly deceitful; they even fool their own people!”

“It is said that even Wizard Green did not know Wizard Joyce had become a Tier 2 Wizard before he became a Formal Wizard himself, and everyone believed Old Man Joyce was nearing the end of his lifespan.”

“Therefore, Wizard Green spent a huge price to quickly overcome the Mind Bottleneck before becoming a Formal Wizard, just so he could catch the Ancient Elf Secret Realm and become a Formal Wizard.”

“You tell me, under these circumstances, how could your grandson possibly have obtained the real information?”

…“Forget it.”

“Alas…”

Soaked in a massive, special Blood Pool, a blood-red bat, half submerged, sighed.

“Due to the upheaval a hundred years ago, our Academy fell from its peak of 4 Formal Wizards: one died in battle, one left, one reached the end of their lifespan, leaving only me severely injured and barely surviving. In the past century, you are the only new Formal Wizard we have produced. We have declined to this extent, and it is no longer something manpower can change.”

“Now, fate is no longer on our side. In 10 years, I must follow that Old Man Joyce to the Middle-earth Continent Wizard World. I wonder if you can hold onto this vast inheritance?”

“Old Ancestor?!!!”

Wizard Yadisi, kneeling on the floor, cried out in surprise:

“How can you do this, Old Ancestor? Aren't you still seriously injured? Why must you go to the Middle-earth Continent?”

“The journey is long and perilous, full of dangers, and you'll be under the scrutiny of an old rival. Even if the Middle-earth Continent Wizard World is tempting, shouldn't you avoid taking such a huge risk?”

“Hmph…”

“Do you think I am going to the Middle-earth Continent willingly?”

“It's been over 100 years. The injuries I sustained fighting Old Man Joyce back then healed long ago. I've only been pretending to be unhealed to deceive the outside world.”

“Others may not know, but that Old Man Joyce definitely does. For the safe development of his Plant Heart Academy, he will surely take me along on the large ship heading to the Middle-earth Continent.”

“If I don't go, it's certain death. Only by going will I have a sliver of hope for survival.”

“How can I allow others to sleep soundly on my couch? I cannot escape this fate.”

“Wizard Yadisi, Old Man Joyce will not allow me to remain on the Mist Coast. Once I leave, you will be the only Formal Wizard left at Blood Fortress. Have you figured out how to continue the legacy of Blood Fortress?”

…“Old Ancestor, your grandson can't bear to lose you…”

Wizard Yadisi showed an appearance of extreme sorrow, weeping profusely and wailing incessantly, acting as if his own father had died, making him look incredibly filial at first glance, though no one knew the true situation.

“That damned Joyce, that immortal old bastard Joyce, how can he be so overbearing?”

“Is there no justice on the Mist Coast? Is he still a White Wizard? I refuse to believe there is no place for fairness within the Seven Towers Alliance.”

“Old Ancestor, I will find people from Radiant Fire Academy to step forward and absolutely, absolutely seek justice for you.”

“Enough, stop wailing.”

A trace of human-like mockery flashed in the eye of the huge blood-red bat.

“This is how the world is. Where there is power, there is right. Might makes right!”

“Do you think the people from Radiant Fire will uphold justice for you? Don't be ridiculous. Aren't they also part of the hegemonic power structure?”

“In the constant suppression and encirclement our Academy has suffered over the past hundred years, Radiant Fire Academy contributed greatly. Wasn't it all just to curry favor with His Excellency Joyce?”

“Now that His Excellency Joyce has become a Tier 2 Wizard, haha, aren't those people from Radiant Fire Wizard Academy trying even harder to please him, like poodles?”

“If you cause a scene like this, you'll just be adding a bit of ridicule to the Mist Coast Wizard World.”

…“Enough, enough…”

“I will contribute one last bit of strength for Blood Fortress.”

“Wizard Yadisi, I now order you to act like a shrinking turtle for the next 10 years.”

“One: Immediately consolidate all influence, abandon the resource strongholds in the Mist Islands, and concede them to those Black Wizards. You can communicate with the Pirate King of Blood Bone Forest, trying not to leave any evidence, and secretly exchange the resource points for Blood Essence.”

“Two: Immediately abandon all resource points near Plant Heart Academy, pulling the border back to the most basic red line stipulated by the Seven Towers Alliance—30 kilometers. At the same time, command all Wizards in the Academy not to enter Plant Heart Academy's territory, not to conflict with Plant Heart Academy's Wizards, and not to kill anyone from Plant Heart Academy.”

“Three: Immediately sell the Academy's soon-to-be-mature and stored Formal Wizard-level resources to Plant Heart Academy, including Blood Fruit, Blood Vine, Black Mamba Snake, Dark Mushroom, and others. Then, gather all the resources the Academy can raise and exchange them for Blood Essence. I need you to procure 3,000 pieces of Blood Essence within 10 years. Even if you have to sell off part of the Academy's heritage, you must produce 3,000 pieces of Blood Essence, understand?”

“Old Ancestor, this... this... this…”

Wizard Yadisi was genuinely stunned at this moment. To produce such a massive amount of Blood Essence would require emptying the entire reserves of Blood Fortress Academy, perhaps even selling off some fixed assets. If they truly did this, Blood Fortress Academy would regress two hundred years and inevitably lose its seat among the Seven Towers Alliance's 7 Executive Towers.

“Just do as I say.”

“Only a sufficiently weak Blood Fortress Academy is qualified to be the neighbor of the current Plant Heart Academy.”

“If we don't even have this much foresight, our Academy could be wiped out in an instant.”

“Wizard Yadisi, let's just survive these 10 years first, understand?”