Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Five: Ingle Town "Falling Star Pendant rune modification in progress — adding virtual runes to coordinate control!"
The Chip's voice rang out at the same time.
A blue light flashed over
Next, he would need to modify the Falling Star Pendant according to these transparent patterns.
And while Leylin was inscribing, the Chip could remind him at any time to prevent errors.
After using tweezers to fish the Falling Star Pendant out and place it on a piece of white velvet, Leylin picked up a hard runic pen from the side and began the delicate engraving work on the cross's surface.
At that moment, his hand was like a steel sculpture — incredibly steady, without the slightest tremor.
This was work that demanded extreme care and patience, very time- and energy-consuming.
As time passed, beads of sweat constantly dripped from Leylin's forehead.
"Falling Star Pendant runic array modification successful! Added Fortification rune! Energy Dissipation rune! Extension rune…"
Hearing the Chip's notification, a slight smile appeared on Leylin's face.
He then picked up another hard runic pen with a groove along its body.
"Next, it's time to prepare the filling material!"
Leylin lit two beakers and melted the Magical Item ingredients he had separated earlier, turning them into two cups of molten liquid.
Then, following a specific ratio, Leylin began mixing the molten liquid from the two beakers together.
Leylin flicked the groove, and the upper part of the runic pen split open, revealing a filling port.
He then poured the now silver-black viscous solution into the pen's body.
Fine, intricate runes constantly flickered around the runic pen, emanating a mesmerizing glow.
Leylin adjusted the pen tip, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. The tip retraced along the groove he had just inscribed.
However, at this moment, the silver-black solution continuously dripped from the pen tip, filling the engravings completely.
After completing the final stroke, Leylin examined the completely transformed cross and nodded in satisfaction.
"Activate!"
Leylin uttered two syllables in the Ancient Byron Language.
Boom! A ring of greyish light emanated from the cross, with threads of silver luminescence constantly traversing along the runic array that Leylin had just inscribed upon the
The silver-grey light continuously merged, growing brighter and brighter, until it completely enveloped the Fallen Star Pendant.
When the light fully subsided, the Fallen Star Pendant had completely transformed.
It still retained the shape of the cross, but its size had grown several times larger.
Moreover, its color had changed from the previous silver-grey to a now dark crimson.
Countless tiny runes were inscribed across its surface, completely obscuring the original cracked gemstone.
Leylin held the dark crimson Fallen Star Pendant in his hand. It was heavy, its weight having increased significantly from before.
"Ding! Fallen Star Pendant upgrade successful! Current grade: Mid-tier Magical Item! Current physical defense: 24 degrees. Spell resistance: 25 degrees!" The Chip's notification sounded once more, bringing Leylin good news.
"Physical defense went from the original 13 degrees to 24 degrees. Spell resistance went from 15 degrees to 25 degrees! Not bad, not bad at all!"
This level of improvement was nearly comparable to the defense of the Comorin Scales, essentially equivalent to gaining another innate defensive spell. Leylin was naturally very pleased.
However, innate spells still far surpassed such magical items. As Leylin's strength increased in the future, the defense of his Comorin Scales would also continue to grow.
As for the Fallen Star Pendant, unless he could find a large quantity of precious materials to upgrade it again, its defense would be hard-pressed to keep up with Leylin's needs.
Therefore, from a long-term perspective, focusing on his own innate spells was the more practical choice.
"On the South Coast, Apprentices use Low-tier Magical Items, Rank 1 Wizards use Mid-tier Magical Items and occasionally Low-tier Magical Items, and only the most powerful Rank 1 Wizards and those Rank 2 Wizards possess the capability to claim High-tier Magical Items!"
Leylin recalled what he had read in the Tome of the Giant Serpent.
Although the era of Grand
Now that the Falling Star Pendant had been upgraded to a Mid-tier Magical Item, it would remain useful even when Leylin was only a Rank 1 warlock, which naturally put him in a fine mood.
……
The Magreli Great Canyon stretched across the borders of the Duchy of Yinglan and several neighboring major powers. It was the only route into the White Domain controlled by White Wizard factions such as the Nine Ring Tower.
Of course, this was only true for wizards.
The common folk of these great duchies never set foot outside their own territory from birth to death. Even mercenaries at most took on jobs within their homeland.
Mercenaries and bards who had traveled through the neighboring duchies could use their past experiences as boasting capital and earn respect.
"The Magreli Great Canyon is riddled with dangers. The journey alone would take several months…"
Thinking over the information about the canyon, Leylin furrowed his brow slightly.
Travel in the wizard world was inconvenient, creating considerable trouble for wizards on the move.
Of course, he had another option — boarding an airship like the one he had arrived on.
Unfortunately, this mode of transport was not only expensive but departed only at fixed times each year, and it imposed strict requirements on passengers. At the very least, a local family or organization had to serve as guarantor.
Leylin was now on the Black Bone Forest Academy's wanted list, so naturally he would not be boarding any airship. He could only travel overland on his own.
"Where does your parents' friend — that Aunt Marilyn — live?" Leylin asked
"Innengle Town, right beside the Great Canyon!" Ivy's voice was barely above a whisper.
Leylin nodded. This girl's blood had been of great help to him, and moreover, her route didn't conflict with his own. Under the circumstances, he didn't mind lending a hand.
"Very well! I'll escort you to Innengle Town first to find your Aunt Marilyn!"
Leylin said to Ivy.
"M-My Lord! Could I… could I stay by your side?"
After hearing Leylin's words, Ivy was silent for a while before she finally asked this question.
"Oh? Why? I haven't exactly treated you well!"
Leylin was somewhat surprised. He had been a noble ever since he crossed over, and then became a respected Wizard Apprentice. He had never taken care of anyone before. Ivy had even caught a small illness along the way, and if Leylin hadn't been an Apothecary, she might well have died.
Moreover, Leylin had to draw a large tube of blood from Ivy every now and then. He simply couldn't understand why this girl still wanted to continue following him.
Could it be? Was my charm that high? Or had she developed some kind of attachment through suffering?
Leylin rubbed his chin, letting his imagination run wild for a moment.
"You want revenge, don't you?" However, he quickly guessed what was on the girl's mind.
The girl hung her head low, clearly an admission.
"Ivy, you should be well aware that due to your family's inherited constitution, you cannot become an Apprentice until you recover the lost Meditation Method. Even I can't do anything about that!"
For the sake of their journey together, Leylin felt it was better to lay the facts out plainly for Ivy.
"I know! But I'm asking you to help me get my revenge! I'm willing to pay any price for it!"
The little girl made one last effort.
"Sorry. Wizards value fair trade, and neither your wealth, your body, nor even your soul would be enough to make me go up against another full Wizard!"
Leylin refused the girl's plea without hesitation.
After hearing Leylin's cold, ruthlessly pragmatic words, Ivy's shoulders trembled. She hugged her knees and sat on the carriage in silence.
The carriage soon entered Innengle Town.
This was clearly a gathering place for wizards. Ordinary people were rare, and the buildings were full of a gloomy and eerie style. Even the air was filled with the smell of rot and dampness.
"This kind of place doesn't look too pleasant!"
Leylin frowned. In his experience, the areas alongside major roads in dangerous zones like this were almost always inhabited by rogue cultivators with ill intentions, desperate wizards, or outright criminals wanted on arrest warrants!
Offering a brief mental sympathy for Ivy, Leylin followed the street to the number plate that Ivy had given him earlier.
What appeared before Leylin was a dilapidated two-story building, its black wooden planks hanging precelously, emanating an air of decay.
The first floor had been converted into what looked like a general store, though business appeared rather poor, with very few people going in.
After parking the carriage to one side, Leylin took Ivy by the arm and entered the store.
"Marilyn! Is Marilyn here?" Leylin called out. He made no effort whatsoever to conceal the energy fluctuations within him, and his passage into Ingle Town had been entirely unobstructed.
"Esteemed Wizard, how may I be of service!"
No sooner had Leylin spoken than a middle-aged woman emerged, wearing a greasy gray apron, her figure portly, her eyes narrow, her face heavily made up. Her expression was one of humble fawning.
She was the very image of a nasty housewife — were it not for the third-rank apprentice fluctuations emanating from her.
"Is that Marilyn?" Leylin asked Ivy beside him.
"Y-yes!" Ivy nodded, and Leylin finally understood why she had been so reluctant.
It seemed that Ivy's parents must truly have been at the end of their rope to have their butler bring her here to seek refuge with Marilyn.
"This is Ivy! Do you recognize her?" Leylin pulled Ivy forward.
"John's daughter!" Marilyn's expression shifted slightly. "I'm terribly sorry about what happened to the Lannistak family..." she said, managing to squeeze out a few tears.
"...I happened to be passing through at the time, and when the butler implored me, I brought her here..."
Leylin briefly recounted the sequence of events.
Upon hearing that she was expected to take in Ivy, Marilyn's face had turned completely troubled. Leylin suspected that had he not been present, Marilyn would likely have thrown them out on the spot.
"Since it is the Wizard's wish, then so be it!" After a lengthy struggle, the woman finally forced an ugly smile onto her face and answered.