Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System-Chapter 84 - 82: Plane Waymark

Evening.

Green Shade Manor.

Herds of cattle and sheep lay dead on the grasslands, their bodies already beginning to rot and stink.

Servants covered their mouths and noses with cloth, scrambling to drag the animal carcasses to a designated spot. Fear and exhaustion were written on every face.

At the edge of the pasture, a few figures in black robes stood silently.

They kept their distance from the busy servants, as if they were from another world.

One of them held an ancient Bronze Vessel, its surface covered in strange runes.

Wisps of green gas, imperceptible to the naked eye of an ordinary person, drifted from the dead livestock and slowly gathered into the vessel.

"Lord Yor, what are we to do..."

An old servant pushed a wheelchair, in which sat Yor, his head covered in sparse white hair.

This once valiant Knight’s Attendant was now in his twilight years.

Anxiety was etched onto his wrinkled face, and his withered, bony fingers gripped the armrests of the wheelchair tightly.

Among the black-robed figures, a tall man spoke in a low voice, "The plague Qi is almost collected." His voice had a metallic quality. "Damn that Truth Church Court! A thousand years ago, why would we have needed to go to all this trouble? Back then, we could collect plague Qi directly from city after city, even release pathogens capable of wiping out all life on the Continent and gather the plague Qi from the entire land. Not like now, forced to hide in this remote region and collect it from livestock!"

Another, slightly shorter and stouter black-robed figure sighed. "Enough, Goffrey. Complaining won’t do any good. Once we’re done collecting, we can leave this world and take our chances in the other one. Only there can we Wizards have a future."

The third black-robed figure’s voice was younger, filled with a hint of yearning. "That’s right. Although that world is fraught with danger, it’s also full of opportunities. They say Magic Stones are everywhere, like a return to the age of planar exploration. As long as we’re willing to risk our lives, we can definitely become the supreme beings among Wizards."

Just then, the tall Goffrey suddenly asked, "By the way, where did Ailendra go?"

The shorter, stout figure shrugged. "You know her. She can’t sit still, probably wandered off again."

Goffrey immediately lowered his voice in displeasure. "Running around at a time like this! Isn’t she afraid of being discovered by the Church Court? Does she think she can do whatever she wants just because she’s about to become an Official Wizard? No matter how strong she is, can she be stronger than those Judges from the Church Court?"

"Alright, alright," the younger black-robed man mediated. "It’s not like you don’t know, she’s always wanted to find a suitable apprentice. It’s too hard to find someone who meets her requirements in that other world."

Goffrey was still muttering, "An apprentice? At a time like this? We’re about to head to the Plane Waymark, and she has the mind to..."

Their conversation was cut short by the sound of urgent hoofbeats.

In the distance, an investigation team led by Arthur and Luca was galloping toward the manor.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long, and their armor glinted coldly in the twilight.

Yor, in his wheelchair, seemed to sense something, his cloudy eyes turning in the direction of the black-robed figures.

But he could not see them, his gaze going past their position to Arthur and Luca behind them.

The black-robed figures tacitly stepped back and apart, their forms gradually melting into the twilight.

Only the Bronze Vessel still glowed faintly, continuing to absorb the aura of death that permeated the land.

Goffrey took one last look in the direction beyond the manor and said in a low voice, "I hope Ailendra gets back soon. The opening of the Plane Waymark waits for no one."

...

Night.

Inside the study of the Baron’s Castle, candlelight cast a warm halo over mountains of official documents.

Aurora wore an exquisite, pale blue velvet long dress. Beneath its hem, her pure white stockings shimmered with a soft luster in the candlelight.

She was sitting sideways on Murphy’s lap, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall. Her small face rested on her folded arms, fast asleep amidst the piles of documents.

Ever since she began getting involved in the domain’s affairs, the twelve-year-old girl had always insisted on sitting on her brother’s lap to handle official business, using the excuse that she "needed to be able to ask for guidance at any time."

Over time, Murphy had come to accept this habit.

Whenever Aurora fell asleep like this, he would close his eyes and cultivate, neither disturbing her rest nor delaying his own practice.

After seven years of winter cold and summer heat, Murphy’s Cultivation had progressed significantly.

Ninety percent of the Floating Meridians in his body had been widened, and his strength in a single arm reached two hundred and twenty kilograms, far surpassing that of an ordinary Knight’s Attendant.

However, progress on the final ten percent was exceptionally slow, and he didn’t know when he would be able to reach the Realm of Perfection.

’If only my Breathing and Guiding could reach the "Slightly Accomplished" realm,’ Murphy thought.

The rewards granted by the system were not a simple accumulation of proficiency. The greatest difference between "Initial Glimpse" and "Slightly Accomplished" was knowledge.

Every time Murphy received a new "Horse Trainer" reward, the system would grant him entirely new knowledge.

It was systematically perfected content. For a single person to improve through study without a dedicated teacher, the mere act of collecting and organizing the information would take countless years.

And Murphy speculated that the Breathing and Guiding Technique "Slightly Accomplished" must contain the complete technique for gathering the Heaven and Earth Qi.

For example, the Rising Sun Purple Qi was mentioned in "Initial Glimpse," but the description was vague and lacked a specific method for gathering it.

Murphy knew his own limits; he was no peerless genius.

These bodies of knowledge, passed down and refined through generations, were not something he could innovate upon in a short time.

Therefore, although his proficiency with Breathing and Guiding had indeed increased after long-term Cultivation, and his cultivation speed had quickened somewhat, he was still unable to directly gather Heaven and Earth Qi.

The Black Light Energy within his body could assist his Cultivation, but perhaps due to insufficient energy or an incompatible attribute, the progress was never as significant as that from the Knight’s Secret Medicine.

Over the years, by constantly devouring the remnants of the Knight’s Secret Medicine, his Black Light Energy had only increased by twenty percent.

However, this growth was not without its uses. At the very least, the ability of his Thousand-Faced Illusion to alter his aura had been significantly enhanced.

Yes, the supernatural ability of Thousand-Faced Illusion was far more than a simple change of appearance.

It could completely alter a person’s aura, as if changing the very root of their bloodline.

Now, even if a Bishop from the Church Court were to personally inspect him, they would not necessarily be able to detect the Black Light Energy mixed into Murphy’s aura.

"Mmm..." A movement on his lap interrupted Murphy’s thoughts.

Aurora shifted slightly, the delicate fabric of her white stockings brushing softly against Murphy’s thigh, creating a faint, ticklish sensation.

"Time to get up. My leg’s gone numb," Murphy said softly.

Aurora, still drowsy, shook her head, her golden hair swaying. "Don’t wanna get up, I’m not getting up."

"If you keep sitting like this, my leg is really going to break."

"Then let it break," the young girl said, opening her azure eyes with a sly smile. "That way, you can never leave my side, brother."

"You’re talking nonsense."

Aurora suddenly sat up straight and looked at him seriously. "Brother, what do you think of that person?"

"Which person?"

"The one Mother mentioned. The girl from the Hans Viscount Domain."

An image of the little girl from seven years ago, full of curiosity about the Foucault Pendulum in the courtyard, appeared in Murphy’s mind.

He replied calmly, "Remember, our greatest adversary has always been Viscount Hans."

"But she’s working for Viscount Hans."

Murphy explained patiently, "You must learn to distinguish between primary and secondary conflicts. Primary conflicts are often irreconcilable, but secondary conflicts leave room for maneuver."

Aurora seemed to have an epiphany, her eyes shining with admiration. "No matter how many grand principles those tutors teach, none are as insightful as a single sentence from you, brother. Does that mean... we can win that person over?"

Murphy gently stroked her golden hair. "Perhaps. The world is unpredictable. But you must remember to always prioritize yourself, no matter what."

Aurora nodded obediently, leaned back against his chest, and closed her eyes. "I understand, brother."

Outside the window, the moonlight deepened. Murphy looked at Aurora sleeping peacefully in his arms, then closed his eyes as well to resume his Cultivation.