Above the mage!

Chapter 593 Soren's Magic Hall
There were over a thousand fourth-order ice caves, but Elder Gain only ordered ten to be taken temporarily.

Because as long as there are enough ice demons in the ice cave, they still have a chance to continue to advance.

Moreover, Ice Fiends are somewhat like biological groups; when their numbers are large enough, the rate at which new Ice Fiends are generated will increase significantly.

The seven ice caves previously controlled by the Snowfield Guardians were exploited in a way that was "draining the pond to catch all the fish" each time they were used:
As soon as the Ice Spirit is formed, it is harvested. The entire process relies on the extremely cold environment of the Ice Cave to slowly nurture new Ice Spirits, making it incredibly inefficient.

Take the third-tier ice cave as an example. A full bottle of third-tier ice essence requires twenty years of aging, and it will forever remain at the third tier, with no potential for advancement.
Therefore, from the very beginning, Gaode Maps set a sustainable development tone for Ice Silk Island, this ice cave:
A small amount of Icefiend is provided annually to the Iceborn mages of the North, ensuring that the population's survival is not affected while providing them with long-term benefits.
Elder Gain readily agreed, and Gao De was also relieved.

Elder Gain was a steady and reliable person, which is why he was chosen to be the captain of the tree-protecting team in Yugathira.

Having acquired the fourth-tier Ice Fiend, he was preparing to challenge the Soren Arts Hall after returning to the Golden Flower Dynasty.

Gao De immediately began using Ice Fiend to enhance his current combat power.

After finding a quiet room where no one would disturb him, Gao De took out the "ice needle," or ice crystal fragment, that he had been hiding in his ear.

The third-order ice crystal fragments are a deep indigo blue, and the needle body has a spiral dark pattern and the tip splits into three sharp barbs.

Judging from its appearance alone, the ice crystal fragments already resemble a meticulously crafted, unique hidden weapon.

The third-tier Frozen Blade, without considering other additional bonuses, already has a base power exceeding 100 degrees, making it Gaode's trump card for output.

Now, Gaode Maps wants to take its capabilities to the next level by leveraging the fourth-tier Ice Fiend.

Upon opening the ice crystal bottle, a blue flame, half a foot high, instantly shot up from the bottle's opening.

The flames offered no warmth whatsoever; instead, they emanated a bone-chilling cold, causing the temperature in the quiet room to plummet below freezing, and fine ice crystals to form on the floor.

Gao De controlled the ice crystal fragments to suspend above the flames.

Almost simultaneously, the fourth-order ice energy in the bottle seemed to be drawn in, transforming into a viscous, icy-blue stream of energy that surged out of the bottle's mouth, completely enveloping the ice crystal fragments and forming an ice cocoon the size of a fist.

Gao De closed his eyes slightly, and his mental energy, like the hands of a skilled woman, began to sort through the fourth-order ice energy.

Logically speaking, the energy density of fourth-order ice energy far exceeds that of third-order ice energy. To extract its essence and perfectly integrate it into the ice crystal fragments is beyond the capabilities of a second-ring mage.

From this perspective, it actually makes quite a bit of sense.

Otherwise, the Frozen Blade spell would be too overpowered.

After all, for those second-generation law mages from prominent families, if they have the need, they can probably get their hands on even a fifth-tier ice demon, let alone a fourth-tier one.

Without this restriction, in the most extreme case, a first-ring mage could even wield the [Frozen Blade], a spell with power comparable to a fourth or fifth-ring spell.

This clearly violates the balance of the spell system.

The mental strength required for enhancement is the key limitation preventing low-level mages from infinitely enhancing the [Frozen Blade].

The enhancement process can only be carried out by the mage himself; it cannot be done by someone else.

If your mental strength is insufficient, even if you possess fourth- or fifth-tier ice magic, it will be useless.

Because you simply don't have the ability to extract these high-level ice demons into strands and integrate them into the ice crystal fragments, just like a husband looking at his beautiful wife but being powerless.

This restriction applies equally to all mages, including those of high virtue.

Although his mage level was still at the second ring, his mental strength had already broken through the limit of a third-ring mage.

His mental strength was equivalent to that of a third-ring mage, allowing him to refine fourth-tier ice magic at the level of a second-ring mage.

This is the snowball effect. Because his mental strength is far superior to that of mages of the same level, he can do things that mages of the same level cannot do and master spells that are far more powerful than those of mages of the same level.

The whole process was smooth and seamless.

Under his mental control, the fourth-order ice elemental energy in the bottle was cleansed of impurities, leaving only the purest ice elemental essence.

Then it is drawn into strands a hundred times finer than a strand of hair, each strand shimmering with a crystal-clear luster.

Gao De focused intently, threading the needle and connecting the fragments one by one into the ice crystal.

As the fourth-order ice energy was incorporated and refined, the color and shape of the ice needles began to change once again.

The deep indigo blue gradually faded, replaced by an almost transparent ice white, and the spiral patterns on the needle became clearer.

The three barbs at the tip of the needle became even sharper, their edges gleaming with a cold, eerie light, as if they could tear the air apart.

The ice flowers in the quiet room grew thicker and thicker, even starting to climb up the walls, while the light of the blue flames gradually dimmed as the ice energy was consumed.

It took about two hours in total before the last strand of fourth-order ice energy was integrated into the ice crystal fragments.

The blue flame in the bottle was completely extinguished, and the transformation of the ice crystal fragments was finally complete.

The ice crystal fragments were no longer the indigo blue they had been, but were now pure white and shimmering with iridescent light.

The needle's body is shrouded in a dark, flowing, icy blue halo, and the barbed tip seems to emit a chilling aura.

Gao De let out a long sigh, withdrew his mental energy, opened his eyes, and a trace of fatigue flashed in them, but more so, excitement.

He left the room, found an open space, activated the Mandora's Eye, and then cast the upgraded [Frozen Blade+] once, immediately obtaining the specific values ​​of the fourth-tier [Frozen Blade+].

The first stage of piercing damage has been increased from 30 degrees to 42 degrees, and the second stage of cold damage has been increased from 76 degrees in the third stage to 121 degrees.

The total base power suddenly reached 160 degrees.

Even with other bonuses, its power surpasses even that of the third-circle Evocation spell, Fireball.

Thinking of this, a smile involuntarily appeared on Gao De's face.

The astral energy dissipated like ripples, and Gao De's figure appeared in a hotel room in Green Forest City.

Eevee, who had been hiding in the shadows of the room by using Astral Stealth, had long ago predicted Gaudí's return by observing the changes in Astral energy.

The moment Gaode appeared, it jumped onto his shoulder, affectionately rubbing its fluffy tail against his neck, making soft, whimpering sounds.

Clearly, during the few days he was away, Ibrahimovic stayed in his room as Gaudí had instructed, and did not wander around.

Gao De appreciatively reached out his finger and gently scratched the soft fur on Eevee's chin, then casually fed it a jewel-shaped sweet berry as a reward.

Afterwards, he left the room, checked out, paid the bill, and boarded the airship bound for the county town of Karen.

Karen City, Sant Airport.

The airship landed and the hatch opened.

As Gaode emerged from the city, a unique flavor of a mountainous city wafted over.

It was a unique scent, a blend of the fragrance of pine and fir in the crisp air and the faint smell of metallic dust drifting from the distant mines.

Unlike the mild climate of Greenwood City, Karen City is nestled against a rocky mountain, resulting in a drier climate and a somewhat biting wind. As a county seat, the Sente Airport has a very large flow of people, mostly merchants and travelers between various cities.

However, Gaode did not follow the crowd toward the city center of Karen, but instead headed toward the west side of the airport.

Because the Soren Academy is not located in the bustling center of Karen City, but rather at the foot of Blackrock Mountain outside the city.

Magical combat differs from ordinary fighting; mages often unleash powerful spells during battles.

If the magic hall were located in the city center, and the magic went out of control, it could very likely affect the surrounding buildings and civilians, with unimaginable consequences.

Moreover, French Bulldogs are different from mixed martial arts.

A physical fight only requires a ring, but a magical fight requires a large enough space to accommodate the spellcasters.

In particular, mages who excel at wide-area attacks, long-range spells, and high mobility cannot unleash their true power in a confined space.

The road leading to the Solon Academy is clearly marked with signs and slogans, and there are even special horse-drawn carriages available for shuttle service.

However, Gaode did not take a horse-drawn carriage, but chose to go there on his own.

It didn't take too long to get there.

The outline of the Soren Academy gradually came into view.

The Soren Academy is located at the foot of Black Rock Mountain, far from the city center, and boasts a flat open space covering thousands of acres.

Surrounded by towering rock cliffs, it not only blocks the spread of the spell's aftershocks but also provides natural spectator seats.

The Solon Academy has a very distinctive appearance. It is built entirely of black stone, and the main building is circular, like a huge disc with a diameter of 300 meters.

The roof is a hemispherical transparent dome with a huge crystal embedded in the center. Countless tiny magic crystal lamps hang below the crystal, ensuring that the interior of the museum is as bright as day, even at night.

At the entrance of the art museum stand two stone pillars, each ten meters high, with lifelike bas-reliefs carved on them.

Above the entrance hangs a huge wooden plaque with the four characters "Solon Academy" engraved in gold paint.

Several guards dressed in the standard uniforms of Solon County stood at the gate, their eyes sharp.

Upon seeing Gao De walking straight towards them, one of them stepped forward and routinely reminded them, "During the Gym Challenge, the Soren Gym will not be open for rent to the public."

Before this, this place was a popular spot for sparring among the mages of Karen City, and could be used for a fee.

Although this service was suspended during the challenge, some mages who had just finished their seclusion and were out of touch with the world still came to try their hand at it.

He encountered several such monks almost every day, and he had grown accustomed to this rhetoric.

"I am a challenger from Byron County, here to challenge the Soron Magic Academy," God explained earnestly, his face calm but his tone confident.

"A challenger, a mage?" The uniformed guard was slightly taken aback, but immediately reacted, turned to the side, and said politely, "Master, please come in."

In addition, he summoned another staff member, who led Gao De into the magic hall and immediately reported the news that a challenger had arrived.

Upon entering the Soren Academy, Gao De's first impression was one of spatial oppression.

The circular structure, which already appears quite grand from the outside, seems even more spacious and magnificent from the inside, thanks to its towering dome.

Staff members silently led the way, and Gaode finally arrived at the venue for the art museum challenge.

This is a natural arena that has undergone limited human intervention but has largely preserved its original landscape.

The site is extremely vast, with bare, uneven black bedrock interspersed with hard, grayish-brown soil.

The thick, jagged rock pillars rise from the ground like the fingers of a giant, creating natural shelters and high points.

What's even more eye-catching is that there are also many ancient ironthorn trees scattered throughout the site.

This peculiar magical plant has a dark, metallic sheen on its bark, a twisted yet exceptionally resilient trunk, sparse and sharp needles like iron thorns, and roots that grip the rocks tightly like writhing dragons.

The dome above the venue was surprisingly open.

This is essentially an open-air venue.

"This is the venue for our gym's defense, the Black Stone Heart Arena," the young staff member leading the way said to Gao De. "All gym challenges take place here."

"The rules are simple: surrendering, losing the ability to fight, or leaving the arena means defeat."

"The guardian monk will be here shortly. Please wait a moment, Your Excellency. You are the first monk to challenge us today."

Although the Magic Hall Challenge is a national competition with unprecedented popularity, the number of mages who come to challenge the hall every day is actually not that many.

Because most mages are self-aware enough to know that their strength is insufficient.

The mages who can challenge others are all absolute geniuses in the field.

Such geniuses are rare even across the entire Golden Flower Dynasty, and when divided among the thirteen art schools, they become even more sparse.

Gao De nodded slightly, while simultaneously observing and familiarizing himself with the environment of the Black Stone Heart Method arena.

Although he is confident, he is not arrogant. In French fighting, the venue is also a crucial factor.

Due to the vast differences in geographical environment and inherited culture, the systems of sorcerers and their areas of specialization vary greatly from county to county.

In Byron County, most mages practice water and wind magic, and they are also skilled in water and wind elemental spells.

Their strengths lie in their high mobility and flexibility, as well as their prowess in protracted warfare.

In Solon County, the mages there often practice wood and earth elemental magic, and their preferred spells are also wood and earth elemental spells.

Its most notable feature is its unparalleled defensive capabilities and ability to control the battlefield.

Without a doubt, the Blackrock Heart arena is richest in earth and wood elemental energy, and the terrain is more suitable for mages who excel at these two types of spells.

The ground provides an excellent medium for earth elemental mages to cast spells such as Earth Spikes, while the presence of the Ironthorn Ancient provides natural casting materials for wood elemental spells.
This is a great boon to the monks guarding the temple in Solon County.

However, Gaode Maps did not have any opinions or thoughts on this.

Because this is reasonable and within the scope of the rules.

Since he is a challenger mage, he must be stronger than the defending mage. He must be able to successfully challenge the mage even when the venue is at a disadvantage in order to prove his strength and be qualified as a substitute player.

Not only the Solon Magic Academy, but also the magic dueling arenas of other county magic academies are in a way that favors the mages guarding the academy.

For example, the fighting arena at Byron Academy is located on a small artificial island in the sea.

Furthermore, Gao De is not like the ordinary Byron County monks; his practice is the "Green Wood Longevity Sutra," a practice based on the wood element.

This venue also gives him an advantage, as it's his "home ground"!
(End of this chapter)