During the Knight stage, Combat Energy covered the body like a layer of black gauze; as a Great Knight, it coated the body like leather armor; and at the Earth Knight stage, it further evolved into a light set of armor.
The armor, enveloping the outside, was lifelike, adorned with Earth patterns and blue cloud patterns, as well as beast face motifs.
With a thought, Ivan materialized a pair of bat-shaped shoulder guards that added to the majestic appearance of his dark armor, making it indistinguishable from that worn by nobility.
“Come.”
The next second, he drew upon more Power of Earth, making the Earth patterns on his Combat Energy armor more prominent and vivid.
He noticed enhancements in his defense, endurance, recovery, and strength, particularly the armor’s defensive properties, which included an all-element Resistance, or spell warding capability.
However, his agility would be slightly affected.
He tried using the Combat Energy Slash, finding that its most effective range had reached fourteen to fifteen meters, and with a casual strike, the attack’s intensity reached twenty graduated degrees; with full effort, it could reach thirty, a significant improvement.
Strength: 11.8, Agility: 11.7, Body Constitution: 12.1, Spirit: 31.4
On the attribute panel, all physical aspects had been improved, with the body constitution data becoming the highest of the three; his ear’s hearing and Combat Energy penetration traits were also strengthened.
On the Academic Prodigy panel, [Knight Breathing Skill] Experience Points had increased by one thousand five hundred, drawing closer to level 8 in the discipline.
“The Tidal Treasure Tome states that the lifespan of an Earth Knight can increase by about thirty to forty years. By right, being an Earth Knight correlates to the Level 2 category, yet this lifespan is still far less than that of a Level 1 Sorcerer.”
A Level 1 Sorcerer’s lifespan is around three hundred years. Ivan could not perceive whether his own lifespan had changed, nor did he know if the increase in lifespan was cumulative.
“Ivan, that armor is truly majestic, don’t you think, Howde?”
“Yes, yes, Old Spider, I’ve never seen such formidable and imposing armor.”
These days, the Old Spider, having been taught many lessons by the Silkworm Queen, had become very submissive and only hoped that the fierce and formidable duo would leave sooner rather than later.
“Don’t just flatter me, now that your spiritual intelligence has awakened, when you have time you might as well discuss with Scented Butterfly and Wind Moth, discussing how to deepen the Insect Breathing Method.”
“Ah?”
Upon hearing Ivan’s words, the Silkworm Queen looked somewhat dumbfounded.
It was only an insect, yet it was expected to study something so profound.
“What do you mean ‘ah’? I’m not one of your rapid wood silkworms, after all, I can’t cultivate the Insect Breathing Method, and I can’t experience the truest feelings during your cultivation. It’s time-consuming and laborious to research this way, and it’s easy to veer off course.”
When previously researching the Insect Breathing Method, Ivan had identified an issue: he was not of the Insect Race, which naturally limited him in studying the Insect Breathing Method, preventing him from deducing it to the same degree as the Knight Breathing Method.
The Silkworm Queen was different—it had the potential to take the Insect Breathing Method to higher levels.
“But I don’t know how,” the Silkworm Queen lamented, her head practically spinning.
“You can ask me if you don’t know. I’m not completely hands-off. When I have time, I might be able to help you develop a basic-level Insect Meditation Method,” Ivan continued.
Seeing that the sorcerer had made up his mind, the Silkworm Queen had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
Old Spider listened to the conversation between the man and the insect, and words like ‘Insect Breathing Method’ and ‘Insect Meditation Method’ stirred an uneasiness within it. It had never thought there would be a cultivation method suited for its kind, beyond just eating and eating.
The Old Spider wanted to ask for the method but didn’t know how to broach the topic.
Ivan didn’t pay it any mind, rewarding the Old Spider with some element stones. He then had the Silkworm Queen transform into a green pigeon to carry him aloft, preparing to return to Mongna Ant Land Cottage.
On the way, he contacted Sorceress Mauline.
Mauline’s tone was as cold as ever, urging him to return as soon as possible, saying that someone was waiting for him at the academy.
The return journey was faster than the trip there; it took only a week for Ivan to get back to the Mongna Ant Land Cottage.
Inside the Twin Towers, before Ivan had a chance to catch his breath, Mauline found him right away.
“Sorcerer Ivan, I heard your harvest in the Red Cloud Realm was quite good.” Mauline didn’t bring up the matter of him severing the Secret Method Seal again.
“It was okay,” Ivan responded mildly.
“As the sorcerer of the Mongna Ant Land Cottage, remember, any valuable items should be traded with our academy first, not with people from other academies.”
The Red Cloud Realm was rather special and usually only caught the attention of Insect Control Masters. By the time Mauline was ordered to scout for information, the events of the Red Cloud Realm had long concluded, and several months had passed since the Insect Control Masters had dispersed; naturally, she didn’t manage to gather much insider information.
Of course, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to seek information about Ivan from Randall.
“Understood.”
Hearing Mauline’s words, Ivan looked at her in surprise, as if to say, if you were so unwilling, why didn’t you send the person away instead of going to the trouble of calling me back?
“That Dorando sorcerer has quite a background, the beloved only child of a Level 2 Sorcerer,” Mauline guessed his thoughts and explained.
“That’s not going to be easy, I’ve used everything I got in the Red Cloud Realm on my insects, nothing was left.”
On this point, Ivan shared the same view as Mauline: both believed that the repair of the runes sorcery array was just a pretext, and that there must be another purpose behind it, most likely the resources of the Red Cloud Realm.
“Anyway, try not to offend Dorando Sorcerer; it would be troublesome for you. Also, it’s been a while since you’ve delivered anything for the Black Magic Wind Bundle Array dais,” Mauline emphasized. Once Dorando and Pense arrived and saw they didn’t wish her to stay, she tactfully left.
For Ivan, Pense was somewhat of an acquaintance, having once given him a Transfer Sealing Scroll and invited him to visit the Rapid Flow Twin Towers to discuss Enchantment knowledge.
“Sorcerer Ivan, the Black Magic Wind Bundle Array dais is your work, right?” Dorando asked with certainty.
“That’s right,” Ivan was taken aback that they did not come for the Red Cloud Realm. “If the two of you wish to purchase, you will have to go through our academy, as I have promised not to sell it to outsiders.” Enjoy more content from empire
“To be honest with you, we have purchased one before and have studied it in-depth, which is why we wanted to ask for your help,” Dorando said.
“Go ahead, but I can’t guarantee I will be able to help,” Ivan had an uneasy premonition. He glanced at Pense, who returned an awkward smile.
“I need you to use a Black Magic Wind Array to help someone become an official sorcerer,” Dorando said urgently.
“No problem, you can purchase the array dais from the academy.”
“No, no, not to purchase the dais, but to need you to set up a more powerful Black Magic Wind Bundle Array, even a Black Magic Wind Array, to ensure someone can become an official sorcerer,” Dorando revealed his true intent.
He added, “Don’t be hasty to decline. Sorcerer Pense has done extensive research and knows the true potential of your Black Magic Wind Array—that the pure spiritual energy it transforms has a good chance of elevating an apprentice to an official sorcerer, which is an extraordinary feat.”
Upon hearing this, Pense’s expression turned even more awkward.
He enjoyed researching Enchantment and was thrilled by the Black Magic Wind Bundle Array available on the market. He had collected several array daises from various sources for research and accidentally discovered the amazing effect hidden beneath the rune lines.
The Trollope family owed Dorando a favor, and when they found themselves in trouble and sought his advice, he couldn’t resist sharing this discovery, leading to their current visit.
