Wizard: My Skills Can Infinitely Break Through

Chapter 184: Chapter 182: Successive Visits

Early the next morning, a visitor arrived.

Ian swept the area with his Spiritual Power and was slightly surprised. ’How could it be him?’

He walked to the door and opened it a crack.

Standing outside was a tall, thin man wearing the dark brown Long Robe of the Rune System. A shimmering Rune Badge was pinned to his chest.

It was Kevin, the Rune Wizard who had bought his Tier Zero Potions.

He specialized in Barriers and Energy Conduction and was very well-connected within the High Tower.

"Wizard Marcus." A smile spread across Kevin’s face as he bowed slightly. "Forgive my sudden visit."

"What is it?" Ian asked without opening the door any further.

"I have some news I think you might be interested in," Kevin said, lowering his voice. "It’s about the ’Sleeping Underground Palace’."

A flicker of interest showed in Ian’s eyes. He opened the door fully.

"Come in."

Kevin stepped into the living room, his eyes quickly scanning the space before finally settling on the notes on the bookshelf.

"Sit," Ian said, gesturing to a chair.

Kevin sat down, took a small wooden box from his robes, and pushed it across the table.

"A small token to congratulate you, Wizard Marcus... on your recent successes."

Ian opened the box.

Inside were three high-quality Calm Rune Stones, which could aid Meditation and stabilize one’s spirit.

They weren’t exceptionally valuable, but they were very practical.

"Get to the point," Ian said, closing the box.

Kevin rubbed his hands together.

"Well, it’s like this... My uncle is in the resource management department. He let slip a couple of days ago that the High Tower has already started drafting an exploration list for the ’Sleeping Underground Palace’."

Ian cut him off. "What about the list?"

After Kevin’s explanation, Ian had a much clearer understanding of the situation.

The information was similar to what Robert had told him, but far more detailed.

Only Level One Wizards and above possessed the ability to explore the Underground Palace in depth.

"The spots will be assigned according to the old rules: internal recommendations plus a strength assessment," Kevin said.

"But this time is a bit special. They’ve confirmed signs of a Void Anchor Stone vein deep within the Underground Palace. The quantity isn’t large, but it’s enough to make people’s eyes turn red with greed."

Ian’s heart skipped a beat.

"My uncle saw the exploration report with his own eyes. It contained an energy spectrum graph of the Underground Palace’s interior, and the characteristic waveband of the Anchor Stone was very distinct."

Kevin paused, his voice dropping even lower.

"Wizard Marcus, there will be a lot of people fighting for a spot this time.

It won’t just be our High Tower. The Withered Council, the Deep Red Royal Court, and several neutral Wizard Organizations and families will all be sending people.

The spots are limited, so the competition will be fierce."

"You came to me for a reason. Just say it," Ian said calmly after listening.

Kevin looked at Ian, a strange light in his eyes. "Wizard Marcus, with your strength, securing a spot will be no problem at all.

If you get in, could you help me bring back some ’Earth Palace Ghost Dust’? I need it to refine a Witchcraft Artifact... We can negotiate a good price!"

"We can talk after I’ve secured a spot," Ian said noncommittally.

"With your strength, it’s a sure thing!"

Kevin slapped his thigh, then added as if remembering something.

"Oh, right, the assessment will be in about three months. The specific rules haven’t been announced yet, so you should prepare."

Ian’s gaze sharpened.

’In three months, not only would I be stronger, but Gaga’s power would also advance.’

After the battle in the Dark Hills and consuming a large amount of Blood Essence, Gaga was now solidly in the Tier One Middle Stage.

Combined with its [Omen Eye] and Shadow Shuttling, it would be immensely useful.

"Understood," Ian said.

"Then I won’t disturb you any longer, Wizard Marcus. If you ever need anything from the Rune System, just say the word."

He walked to the door, then turned back and smiled.

"Seriously, you’re the man of the hour in the High Tower right now. A lot of the old-timers are asking about you. Some want to win you over, some want to form an alliance, and others want to size you up... You should be careful."

"Mm."

The door closed.

Ian sat back down, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the tabletop.

’Void Anchor Stone...’

...

That afternoon, there was another knock on the door.

The sound was soft but steady—three knocks, evenly spaced.

Ian’s Spiritual Power swept out, and he paused, slightly taken aback.

He turned, walked to the door, and opened it.

Alevia was standing outside.

She wore the deep purple uniform Long Robe of the Vice-Dean. Her hair was pulled back into an immaculate bun, and her face was expressionless, but her eyes were somewhat softer than usual.

"Vice-Dean Alevia." Ian stepped aside. "Please, come in."

Alevia nodded and stepped into the living room.

She didn’t sit, but stood in the center of the room, her gaze sweeping over the notes on the bookshelf and the several draft notebooks spread out on the table.

"Did Malena come to see you yesterday?" she asked.

"Yes," Ian said.

"She was stuck on a Witchcraft Model. I gave her some advice."

"Mm," Alevia said, taking a Metal cylinder from her robes and placing it on the table.

The cylinder was cool to the touch, its surface engraved with the Badge of the Shadow Moon Tower.

"Take a look at this."

Ian picked up the Metal cylinder, unscrewed the cap, and pulled out a rolled-up piece of Parchment.

The Parchment was thick, its edges gilded with gold thread. When he unrolled it, he saw it was covered in dense text and diagrams.

The top line read:

[Preliminary Exploration and Resource Assessment Report on the "Sleeping Underground Palace" (Top Secret)]

Ian looked up.

Alevia had taken a seat and was now tapping her fingers lightly on the tabletop.

"The news spread faster than you might have thought," she said calmly.

"It’s already circulating among the High Level Apprentices and some of the Level One Wizards."

Ian looked at the Parchment in his hand. "Robert couldn’t have obtained intelligence of this level."

"He certainly couldn’t," Alevia said, looking at him. "That’s why I came to you."

Ian continued reading the report.

It was extremely detailed, mentioning the Underground Palace’s location, its predicted period of stability, its internal environmental characteristics, and the already identified danger zones...

And, of course, the resource estimates.

’Ancient Alchemy Laboratory... Rule Crystal Mine Area...’

Ian muttered a few keywords. The information was similar to what Kevin had told him that morning, but much more detailed.

Ian put down the report and looked at her.

"You’re not going?"

"I’m not," Alevia said, shaking her head. "I’m the Vice-Dean. I can’t leave the High Tower so easily.

She paused. "Malena won’t be going either. She was just promoted and isn’t strong enough. It would be a suicide mission for her."

Ian was silent for a few seconds.

"Then you came to me because you want..."

"A partnership," Alevia said bluntly. "Or, to be more precise, a commission."

She took another small leather pouch from her robes, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward him.

The pouch was untied, and Ian could see its contents: a large pile of High Level Magic Stones and a few faintly glowing Abyssal Rune Stones.

"I need you to bring something back for me," Alevia said.

"Deep within the Underground Palace, there’s a material called ’Sands of Time’. It would be helpful for my research into time magic."

Ian looked at the pouch on the table but didn’t move.

"It’s dangerous in there. I might not even go in."

Alevia’s tone was certain. "With your current strength, there are no more than five Level One Wizards in the Shadow Moon Tower who can best you. And of those five, three are too old to risk entering the Underground Palace."

She paused before adding, "Besides, you just killed three Core Stewards from the Withered Council. Although it’s not being spoken of openly, everyone who needs to know, knows.

There aren’t many in the High Tower who dare to underestimate you now."

Ian didn’t respond.

Alevia watched him, her gaze deepening.

"Ian, the Underground Palace is an opportunity, but it’s also a meat grinder.

All the major powers will send people in. The Withered Council lost Cold Crow, so they’re guaranteed to send someone even stronger this time.

The Deep Red Royal Court won’t be absent either. They’ve never been on good terms with Shadow Moon, so you’ll have to be extra careful of them."

Ian considered for a moment, then looked up. "I’ll participate."

’The Void Anchor Stone... I have to get my hands on it.’

Alevia stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.

It was a faint smile, but a genuine one.

"I knew you’d say that." She stood up from her chair.

"Keep this. Consider it a down payment. I’ll help arrange a spot for you in the Underground Palace, but you’ll still have to go through the formality of the assessment. Get ready for it."

"What’s on the assessment?"

"It hasn’t been decided yet, but it will most likely be a combat test."

Alevia walked to the door and turned back. "By the way, thank you for helping Malena."

"It was nothing."

"It might have been nothing to you, but you saved her a great deal of time."

Alevia opened the door. "See you in three months."

The door closed.

Ian stood where he was, looking at the report on the table.

He walked over, picked up the report, and read through it carefully one more time.

He paid special attention to the lines about the Void Anchor Stone vein.

"...Located deep within the third level of the Underground Palace, the ’Twisted Corridor.’ Strong Energy reaction, but surrounded by dense spatio-temporal turbulence, making detection extremely difficult..."

"...Suspected remnants of an Ancient Protective Array. Danger Level: Extremely High..."

Ian rolled up the report, stuffed it back into the Metal cylinder, and stored it in his Dimension Ring.

Outside the window, the sky had completely darkened.

In the distance, the spires of several Wizard Towers lit up, like silent eyes in the darkness.