Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Peering
Ian sat down at a spot by the window, carrying a stack of heavy tomes.
He needed to research improvement methods for Tier One Meditation Potions to prepare for upgrading his Concentration Potion after its Limit-Breaking.
The archives weren’t crowded. Only a few scattered Magic Potion Alchemists in deep blue robes were reading quietly in the corners after selecting their books.
Ian had just opened the first book, *Tier One Spiritual Potion General Theory*, when a low sneer came from beside him.
"Well, well, if it isn’t our newcomer, ’Tenth on the Merit List’? What’s the matter? Not out killing enemies on the battlefield? Decided to bury your nose in a book instead?"
The voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough.
Ian didn’t even look up, continuing to flip through his book.
The speaker was a young male Wizard with curly brown hair. He was at the Level One Initial Stage, with the Magic Potion Department’s Silver Potion Bottle Badge pinned to his chest.
Seeing Ian ignore him, he curled his lip.
"Some people get a few Merit Points from the Demon Hunting war and suddenly think they’re a big deal.
Magic Potion Science is about accumulated knowledge and Talent, not something you can grasp just by killing a few grunts from the Abyss."
His companion, a Female Witch with glasses, quietly advised, "Blake, that’s enough."
"Am I wrong?" Blake’s voice rose a little.
"A newly promoted Level One Wizard, what does he know about Potion improvement? I bet he can’t even make sense of the Energy conflicts in a Tier One Potion."
Everyone else in the archives looked over.
Ian finally put down his book. His gaze was calm as he turned to face Blake.
"Are you finished?"
Blake froze.
"If you’re finished, you can shut up now," Ian said, his voice flat.
"If you have such profound insights into Magic Potions, you can write a thesis and submit it for Instructor Herman’s judgment.
Spouting nonsense here only makes you look like an idiot."
Blake’s face darkened. "You..."
"Me what?" Ian cut him off.
"My tenth place on the Merit List was earned through killing. What about you? Did you earn your Magic Potion achievements by picking fights?"
"Pfft!" Someone nearby couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Blake’s face flushed crimson. Just as he was about to erupt, the door to the archives was pushed open.
An Elder Wizard with graying hair, dressed in a deep blue Long Robe, walked in.
The aura of a Level Two Wizard silently spread, and the archives fell instantly quiet.
The Elder Wizard swept his gaze across the room, his eyes landing on Blake.
"Blake, have you finished organizing today’s experimental data?"
Cold sweat broke out on Blake’s brow. "Instructor Herman, I..."
"If you haven’t finished, then get to it."
Herman’s tone was level, yet it carried an undeniable authority. "The Magic Potion Department has no need for people who talk too much."
"Yes..." Blake bowed his head and hurried away.
Herman then looked at Ian, his gaze profound. "Wizard Marcus, come with me."
Ian stood up and followed him out of the archives.
The two of them entered an office at the end of the corridor.
Herman sat down and pointed to the chair opposite him. "Sit."
Ian sat down without a word.
"Blake is Julian Wizard’s student," Herman said, getting straight to the point.
"Julian came to see me a few days ago, asking about you."
Ian’s expression flickered. "Julian Wizard?"
"A Level Two Shadow Wizard in charge of internal discipline at the High Tower."
Herman looked at him. "He said your movements during the Demon Hunting war were strange. That you left the team without authorization and he suspects something is wrong with you."
Ian was silent for two seconds before saying, "I was hunting a Wizard named Eye of Dusk at the time. Alevia Wizard can testify to that."
"I know," Herman nodded.
"Alevia has already told me, but Julian won’t give up so easily."
He tapped his fingers on the desk. "It’s no coincidence that someone started trouble with you the moment you joined the Magic Potion Department."
Ian understood. Julian was testing him.
Using a small fry like Blake to test his reaction.
If he had tolerated it, the other party would have pushed their luck.
If he had retaliated too harshly, he might have given them leverage against him.
"Thank you for the warning, Instructor," Ian said.
Herman waved his hand. "I’m not helping you. I just don’t like people playing petty games on my turf.
The Magic Potion Department only cares about ability, not background. Since you’ve chosen the ’Abyssal Contamination Neutralizer’ project, just focus on doing it well.
As for the Potion’s safety and efficacy review, once you have results, no one will dare touch you."
"I understand."
"One more thing," Herman paused.
"I’ve reviewed the Magic Potion records you submitted. The efficacy of your Tier Zero Potions is very strong, especially the Concentration Potion.
But Tier One Potions are another domain entirely. The Energy conflicts are more complex and the Rules more obscure. Don’t rush. Take your time."
"Yes."
Leaving the office, Ian returned to his residence in the core district.
He didn’t immediately start his research. Instead, he communicated with Gaga, who was resting hidden in the shadows.
"Gaga, did any ’guests’ visit the room while I was away?"
"Gaga?" Gaga emerged from the Shadow on his shoulder.
It tilted its small head and blinked. "Nope. The Ring on the main door has been quiet, just like a stone."
The Ring it mentioned was a small trinket that Gaga had infused with Shadow Energy, used to passively sense disturbances from Shadow Element Energy.
This was more energy-efficient and stealthier than Ian being on high alert himself.
"You didn’t feel anything?" Ian pressed.
He knew Gaga’s Perception was extremely strong in a shadow environment.
"Feel something?" Gaga flapped its wings and landed on a shelf in the living room.
"Hmm... right after you left this morning, over by the window... yeah, it was like a very, very faint ’Shadow Insect’ crawled by. It was gone in an instant.
I thought it was just a normal sliver of shadow floating in, so I didn’t pay it any mind. What’s wrong, Ian?"
"Shadow Insect..." Ian’s eyes turned cold.
This was likely some kind of shadow-based Detection Technique. It was so subtle that even a being as sensitive to shadows as Gaga had almost missed it, mistaking it for a natural phenomenon.
"So they did come. A probe," Ian murmured.
Their methods were very experienced. They hadn’t triggered any alarms, just taking a "passing" glance.
"Ah! Someone really dared to peek? GAK!" Gaga instantly grew tense, its feathers puffing up slightly.
It began to circle low around the room, its grayish-cyan pupils scanning every corner.
"Who’s so bold? Let me find them, I’ll peck them in the eye!"
"Stop looking. They’re long gone," Ian gestured for it to be quiet.
"The technique was clean, a standard Shadow Element Detection Technique. They didn’t leave any traces that could be directly tracked."
That was the troublesome part. The other party was acting within the Rules, spying in a way that left almost no evidence.
It was a clear statement of their attitude: I know you have secrets, and I’m watching you, but I won’t leave you any leverage.
This kind of ever-present, shadowing surveillance was more infuriating than a direct confrontation.
Ian walked to his Alchemy Platform and fell silent for a moment.
’Confront them directly? I have no proof.’
’Complain to Herman or Alevia? That would just make me look incompetent.’
’Besides, they’re a Level Two Wizard. With their high status, they might not even bother with me.’
’Wait passively for the next peek? That’s too passive.’
He needed a method that would allow him to counter-attack silently, without directly provoking a conflict, and perhaps even turn the tables on them.
His gaze fell upon his Dimension Ring, and an idea sparked in his mind as he remembered something inside it.
He took out a Crystal Box. Inside lay three pieces of dark purple crystal fragments of varying sizes.
Chaotic Rule Patterns flowed across their surfaces, emitting a cold and bizarre aura.
[Abyssal Law Crystal Fragments]
This was one of the fragments that had scattered after the World Deformation Tumor was destroyed during the Demon Hunting war.
He had never dared to use it lightly, because the Abyssal Rule information contained within was chaotic and violent. Direct contact or even research was risky.
But now...
