Hearing this, Solomon couldn’t help but widen his eyes, looking at him. He had never considered this before: how could someone who has never studied possibly create special high-level magical items?
In contrast, Narnya seemed to have anticipated this, his face revealing an expression of inevitability.
After a while, Narnya left first. Before leaving, he casually gave Ivan a gift of Advanced Enchantment Knowledge as a gift for their first meeting.
This generosity was comparable to that of Solomon, or perhaps this was just the Five Leaves Spear’s way of doing things.
Ivan silently resolved that he would definitely join the Five Leaves Spear.
“Sorcerer Ivan, you truly always exceed my expectations,” Solomon lamented. Being able to create high-level magicalized items without having learned the corresponding knowledge was not the same as having learned it.
“One of my strengths is that I have good learning ability and comprehension,” Ivan said with a light smile.
“Indeed exceptional. It seems my eyesight is very accurate. I recognized your extraordinary nature at first glance, haha,” Solomon acknowledged with a nod, complimenting his own discerning eye in the process.
After some casual conversation, he solemnly reminded Ivan:
“Moon Pincer Peninsula should be less than peaceful recently; something significant is likely to happen. This could be an opportunity or a danger for you.”
“Is it the Star Moon Alliance?”
“Hard to say. Anyway, complete your assessments quickly. Once you truly join the Five Leaves Spear, you’ll find that you can see farther and higher. Then, Moon Pincer Peninsula will surely not confine you anymore. At that time, we’ll strive together for the cause of the Human Clan.”
Hearing Solomon’s serious reminder, Ivan nodded earnestly and committed his words to memory.
A few days later, Ivan returned to Mongna Ant Land Cottage.
He lingered in the library, consulting various records, but found not the slightest mention of the Ant Beings’ secret vault. Even information about the Tidal Flats Ant Being and the Ant Being barrier was scarce, and what little there was dealt only with superficial matters.
This was undoubtedly a huge disappointment for him.
“The Three Great Families surely have records, but my relations with them have already soured. Moreover, the Ant Beings’ secret vault likely involves the core secrets of Mongna Ant Land Cottage. Even if our relations hadn’t soured, it probably would still be hard to gain access to related information.”
Thinking about how he had been a sorcerer for so long yet had never even been allowed to enter the Purple Dew Garden Secret Realm of the academy, he immediately discarded the idea of trying to understand the Ant Beings’ secret vault through the Three Great Families.
His mind worked tirelessly, pondering a breakthrough. He thought of Randall, the Hunting Team, and the Flash Vortex Academy Alliance.
Three years was neither long nor short. If he missed the chance to join the Five Leaves Spear, he reckoned he would regret it bitterly in the future.
Before long, he arrived at Randall’s three-story circular tower.
“Mentor, do you know of the Ant Beings’ secret vault?” Ivan asked directly, facing his mentor.
“Do you mean the secret storage left behind by the Tidal Flats Ant Being?” Randall was somewhat surprised he suddenly brought up this matter. After thinking for a moment, he spoke the truth:
“Indeed, there has been such a legend that there is a secret vault left by the Tidal Flats Ant Being in our region. But no one has ever found a trace of it. It’s just a very distant legend.”
“You mean the vault of the Ant Beings is inside the swamp?” Ivan asked in surprise.
“That’s an entirely unfounded statement. You’re not interested in the Ant Beings’ vault, are you? I advise you not to waste your time. After so many years without discovery, it shows that it’s not easy to find, or it might not even exist at all,” Randall advised earnestly.
“Alright, I was just asking,” Ivan didn’t inquire further; it was difficult to explain.
From Randall’s reaction, it was not difficult to see that ordinary sorcerers definitely would not know about the vault.
After leaving the round tower, he didn’t rush to find the Hunting Team or anyone else. Three years was not short, and some things couldn’t be rushed; it required finding the right opportunity.
If all else failed, he would do his best to enhance his own strength and means and try to investigate from within the Three Great Families.
…
That night.
On the high plateau on the western side of Moon Pincer Peninsula, where the altitude was higher, the Night Forest Academy of the Highland Alliance was situated in a rather remote area to the southwest.
True to its name, the Night Forest Academy nestled in the midst of a Black Forest.
Most of the trees in the forest were ‘Night Shadow Trees’; they were tall with many branches, but sparse leaves. Moonlight poured from the sky but vanished soundlessly upon touching the forest, as though devoured by something.
Due to the peculiar nature of the Black Forest, the nights at ‘Night Forest’ were exceptionally dark. From outside, one could not discern any silhouette, nor hear a sound.
“Rumble, rumble.”
That deep into the night, a deafening noise shattered the tranquility of the Black Forest. Element energy violently surged, and patches of light sprang up, suddenly stirring the surroundings into a commotion.
“Kill!”
“Who dares to come and violate my Night Forest?”
“Ha-ha-ha, it’s your academy we’re attacking. We’ll use the reputation of ‘Night Forest’ to elevate the prestige of our Star Moon Alliance. Die!”
A scene that hadn’t appeared in years suddenly erupted before the Sorcerer’s Academy. The considerable number of attackers made the sorcerers of Night Forest realize this wasn’t a fake attack; someone had indeed dared to assault a formal Sorcerer’s Academy.
The academy’s sorcerers reacted quickly and soon stabilized the situation. They were well aware that as long as the academy’s defensive sorcery array stood, the opponents would struggle to reach the interior.
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However, the next moment many faces turned pale as the academy’s defensive sorcery array was breached in but a brief interval.
“Damned scum!”
Many cursed loudly, unsure whether they were directing their anger at an insider within the academy or the invaders who had broken through.
Once the invaders found a breach, they swarmed into Night Forest Academy, beginning a bloody massacre and unchecked pillaging. Flames and screams permeated the Black Forest.
With the dawn of a new day, a shocking piece of news spread across Moon Pincer Peninsula with incredible speed.
Night Forest Academy had been reduced to ruins. Countless sorcerers and apprentices had died, leaving the institution in name only. This upheaval was unprecedented in the millennium-long history of Moon Pincer Peninsula.
Star Moon Alliance, a name that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
It alerted everyone to the presence of such a force on Moon Pincer Peninsula. Unbeknownst to all, this force had acquired the capability to destroy a formal Sorcerer’s Academy.
A few days later, another earth-shattering disclosure emerged. The Dean of Night Forest had been ambushed and left in an uncertain life or death situation half a month prior. Given the current situation, it was very likely he was dead.
Because the two major sorcerer families that largely controlled the Night Forest Academy had also suffered a devastating blow to their dwellings on the night of the Night Forest’s sneak attack.
Another piece of news attracted attention: on the night of the attack on Night Forest, a large number of traitors emerged within the academy. They colluded with external forces and instigated a rebellion, plunging Night Forest into a passive and untenable situation.
There was also a rumor that the invaders were not only wandering sorcerers but also included some from other formal academies.
As these various pieces of news spread, all the formal Sorcerer’s Academies were thrown into a huge uproar.