This was an endless expanse of ice plains, stretching as far as the eye could see. A vast whiteness blanketed the land, and the piercing cold wind howled like a blade, cutting to the bone.
A lone figure suddenly appeared amidst the frozen wasteland a tall and imposing wizard clad in white robes. His aura was formidable, and his presence alone carried an overwhelming pressure. He was none other than the Morning Star-level Fourth-Level Wizard Tower Master Baixin.
"I've gained a preliminary understanding of this Landscape... It's time for me to leave," he murmured in a deep voice, tinged with a hint of cold detachment. His gaze was fixed upon the depths of the ice plains, where the unknown lurked.
In his hand, a pure white rag doll slowly emerged. But the doll was no longer pristine over half of it had turned pitch black.
This was no ordinary object. It was a Cursed Doll, an artifact capable of shielding a Fourth-Level wizard from various passive curses and harmful influences.
Baixin had spent a fortune to acquire this rare item, specifically to counter the unpredictable and chaotic forces that might be encountered on this mission.
"For even a Fourth-Level wizard's Cursed Doll to be eroded to such an extent... It seems that this Landscape hides secrets even the Lord of the Furnace has yet to uncover."
His expression darkened slightly as the icy wind whipped against his robes, causing their hem to flutter like drifting snow.
He did not believe that the Lord of the Furnace had deceived him. According to their agreement, the other party was bound to disclose everything he knew.
"I just hope he has made sufficient preparations. Otherwise, his plan might fail."
After a moment of contemplation, Baixin tightened his grip on the Cursed Doll, scanning the barren and desolate ice plains.
He intended to leave before the Cursed Doll lost all effectiveness. Now was the perfect time.
However, when he activated his power to depart, he found to his astonishment that he was unable to leave!
The howling wind carried strange, whispering voices, and the bitter cold gnawed at him like invisible daggers.
The desolate ice plains, apart from the wind's eerie wailing, were void of any movement. It was as if he had stepped into a prison of despair.
Baixin narrowed his eyes, his expression growing even colder.
He had chosen to leave, yet nothing happened something within the Landscape had shifted.
Still, he remained unfazed. After all, he was a powerful Fourth-Level Morning Star Wizard. A mere unstable Landscape could not possibly imprison him.
"This situation... I was prepared for it."
He muttered under his breath, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint as his robes billowed violently in the frigid wind.
"For this venture, I devised three contingency plans: high, mid, and low. If things take a turn for the worst, my lowest option is to summon the power of the Wizard World directly."
"My middle plan would be to retreat to my private dimension and wait for an opportunity."
"As for the best plan..." A slight smirk tugged at the corner of Baixin's lips, his expression steely and resolute. "That would be to break through this entire Landscape!"
His gaze swept across the vast frozen wasteland. The cutting wind tore at his robes, yet he stood firm like an unshakable mountain.
Determination filled his eyes as he stepped forward, his every footstep seemingly causing the very ground to tremble.
"And my choice is to break through!"
As his words fell, Baixin's body slowly began to rise into the air. Around him, an immense and boundless mental force surged forth, a power far beyond mortal comprehension.
Inside his mental domain, four distinct and permanent wizardry imprints pulsated with overwhelming energy.
As a Fourth-Level wizard, Baixin possessed four permanent wizardry imprints one for each level he had ascended.
A First-Level wizard had a First-Level Permanent Wizardry Imprint.
A Second-Level wizard had both First and Second-Level Imprints.
And now, Baixin, as a Fourth-Level wizard, carried all four imprints, each radiating an unfathomable force.
Without even casting an active spell, his mere presence alone unleashed a terrifying shockwave an immense surge of energy that spread outward like an unstoppable tsunami.
The impact expanded rapidly, from several hundred meters to an even greater range, causing massive cracks to form across the ice plains!
"Crack! Crack!"
Like an intricate spiderweb, the fractures spread in all directions, as though the very fabric of the world was being torn apart.
At that moment, the Landscape finally retaliated.
A colossal, invisible force materialized a crushing pressure descended from the sky like an unseen hand, attempting to suppress Baixin where he stood.
This was the core rule of the Maze, a suppression force designed to bind all wizards within its domain!
Even wizards as formidable as Lord of NightNightshadow Fortress or Master of the Bitter Heart Sect, both Third-Level wizards, would be forced to submit before this power.
And yet Baixin remained unmoved.
Standing tall like an indomitable sword, his towering figure did not waver in the face of the overwhelming suppression.
For within him resided a sliver of power from the Wizard World itself.
This was the exclusive gift of Morning Star Wizards the very foundation of their ability to traverse the myriad realms without fear of foreign suppression.
His white robes fluttered in the storm, his aura bursting forth like a tidal wave, colliding head-on with the descending force.
"You hold no leverage over me." His voice thundered through the icy expanse, carrying the weight of absolute authority. "You are but a mere shadow. Even if you were whole, how could you ever challenge the might of the Wizard World?"
His words, filled with unwavering confidence, reverberated like rolling thunder. Around him, his boundless mental force surged like a roaring ocean, tearing apart the very laws binding this frozen domain.
For the first time, the rules of the Maze showed signs of faltering. The once absolute suppression force wavered, unable to take full effect under the crushing might of Baixin's will.
Amidst the endless ice plains, his figure was now wrapped in a dazzling starlight. From afar, he resembled a celestial body suspended in the sky, his radiant glow piercing through the snowstorm, illuminating the desolate land.
Standing with pride and defiance, Baixin's celestial radiance shrouded the surroundings. His deep, piercing gaze sliced through the void locking onto a faint, shadowy figure in the distance.
"So it was you, traitor, behind this deception?" Baixin sneered, his voice resounding like a thunderclap. "Perfect. It's time to clean house!"
As his gaze bore down on the figure, what was once a mere illusion of wind and snow finally revealed its true form.
A battered and terrified figure emerged, face drained of all color, eyes filled with both fear and fury.
This was none other than the Lionheart Knight, who had defected from Baixin Tower!
Baixin let out a cold chuckle. The starlight around him grew even more dazzling, and his aura surged once again, carrying an oppressive force that bore down upon the Lionheart Knight like an inescapable tide.
"There's something off about you... Come here and let me take a closer look," Baixin said, his gaze narrowing slightly.
As his stellar radiance surged, the entire ice plain trembled violently.
The Lionheart Knight, trapped beneath Baixin's unyielding gaze, trembled uncontrollably there was nowhere to run.
Yet, amidst his sheer terror, he hurriedly pulled out a maple leaf one that burned with a strange, orange-yellow glow.
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