Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Kate stepped into the portal and was instantly engulfed by the soft yet powerful green light of life.

After the dizzying sensation subsided, he found himself standing on a boundless, emerald-green ocean composed of pure life energy.

Beneath my feet rippled with liquid light waves, and above me stretched the sky, where emerald-colored light rivers flowed.

The air was so pure it was almost suffocating; every breath felt like inhaling the purest essence of life. The fatigue in my mind vanished instantly, and even the Bloodthirsty Vine appeared unusually peaceful within the cage of order.

However, this seemingly peaceful ocean contains an indescribable oppressive force.

A grand, ancient voice, seemingly originating from the will of the World Tree, resounded directly within Kate's soul:

[The source of life, the core of the purifying temple. Outsiders, seeking the root of immortality, must pass three trials to prove you understand the weight of life and are worthy of its glory.]

[First Trial: The Shadow of Life.]

As soon as the voice fell, the sea of ​​life light ten meters in front of Kate suddenly surged and condensed into a figure that looked exactly like him.

The same face, the same clothes, even covered in thorny armor, with a phantom image of a blood-devouring vine wrapped around its right arm.

The only difference is that this "Kate" has eyes that burn with pure, unadulterated emerald green life flames, and his body radiates pure life energy fluctuations with an intensity completely consistent with his own.

[Rules: Defeat your life mirror image. Only life energy-related sorcery may be used. Non-life-based abilities such as spatial abilities, Bloodvine Plunder, and Mental Shock will be suppressed. Time limit: 15 minutes.]

Kate's pupils contracted slightly. The Seed of Origin responded instantly:

[Mirror Body: Energy attribute is pure life energy, strength equal to the host (78.5 mental strength). Possesses all life-related abilities of the host (Thorn Armor passive defense, weak life feedback, weak life interference from the Spirit Pivot Seed).]

[Warning: The host's spatial abilities (blinking, refraction) are forcibly suppressed by environmental rules, and the Bloodthirsty Vine's attack instincts are amplified and imprisoned by the Cage of Order.]

"The only way to fight this is with life-related abilities..." Kate thought with a chill.

His life-related abilities, aside from the passive defense of the Thorn Armor and the slight life feedback from the Bloodthirsty Vine, mainly consist of the pure life energy reserves from the Holy Spring Water, and... the slight mental interference from the Spirit Pivot Seed.

The means of attack are extremely limited!

Without a word, Mirror Kate raised her hands, and several vines made of pure life energy, wrapped around emerald green thorns, shot out from the ground like javelins towards Kate.

It was extremely fast, carrying the will of purification and restraint.

"Thorn Armor - Life Resonance!" Kate shouted, activating the Thorn Armor with all her might, while simultaneously guiding the energy of the Holy Spring water stored within her body to cover her entire body.

A rich, emerald-green halo lit up.

Puff puff!

The vines of life collided with the halo, unleashing a powerful purifying energy.

Kate felt the thorny armor on her body making a "sizzling" sound, as if the parts that did not belong to life were being forcibly "purified" away!

The defensive force field fluctuated violently.

Mirror Kate's figure blurred, and the sea of ​​life light beneath her feet surged, increasing her speed dramatically. She instantly closed the distance and unleashed a punch.

A highly compressed ball of life energy was concentrated on his fist.

Kate couldn't teleport, so she could only dodge to the side, while simultaneously making a fist with her right hand, and the Seed of the Spiritual Pivot condensed in her palm.

He attempted to channel the energy of the sacred spring water into the seed.

"Seed of the Spiritual Pivot - Life Interference!"

A seed enveloped in a rich, emerald-green glow shot out and exploded in front of Mirror Kate.

A spiritual ripple carrying a strong life force spread out.

Mirror Kate paused slightly, the flame of life in her eyes flickered, as if her judgment was interfered with by the spiritual fluctuations of this life form.

The trajectory of the energy blast veered slightly off course, grazing past Kate.

"It works! But it's not enough!" Kate gritted his teeth. His Spirit Seed was not a powerful offensive skill, so its disruptive effect was limited.

Mirror Kate recovered extremely quickly, clasped her hands together, and pressed them sharply against the sea of ​​light.

"The Grip of Life!"

Two enormous green hands, formed from the sea of ​​life light, suddenly shot out from under Kate's feet and viciously grabbed at his legs.

A terrifying binding and purifying force emanated from it.

Kate had no way to avoid it.

The life resonance aura of the thorn armor was suppressed and eroded by the immense life energy contained in the giant hand.

A sharp pain shot through my legs, as if I were being assimilated and broken down.

"I can't take it head-on," Kate thought to herself, as the Seed of Origin began to operate frantically. "Analyze the energy structure; the weakness lies in the energy node in my palm."

A fierce glint flashed in Kate's eyes. She abandoned her defense and poured all the remaining energy of the Holy Spring into her right fist.

Under the resonance of life, the thorny armor shone with an unprecedentedly intense emerald light.

"The Seed of Origin - Guiding Life Energy, Focusing on One Point."

Ignoring the giant hand that grabbed him, he concentrated all his power into his right fist and slammed it into the energy core of one of the giant hands!

boom!!!

A vibrant green energy shockwave exploded outwards.

Kate's fist struck the energy node of the giant hand precisely, and the highly concentrated life energy collided.

The giant hand trembled violently, the nodes in its palm collapsed instantly, and the entire giant hand dissipated into points of light.

But another giant hand had already grabbed Kate's left leg.

A terrifying surge of purifying energy rushed in.

The thorn armor groaned under its strain, a burning pain shooting through its left leg.

The essence of life is being forcibly extracted and assimilated.

"Ah!" Kate screamed in pain, but her eyes became even more crazed.

Using the recoil from smashing a giant hand with his right fist, he forcefully twisted his body, using his grabbed left leg as a fulcrum, and his right leg, like a battle axe, carrying all his strength and remaining life energy, slashed fiercely at Mirror Kate's neck.

Mirror Kate seemed to have not expected her opponent to be so fierce, and hastily raised her arm to block.

boom!

Kate's whip kick slammed into Mirror's arm, and a burst of emerald light erupted!

Mirror Kate staggered backward from the immense force, and the giant hand that had been gripping Kate's left leg loosened its grip due to the injury to the original body.

"An opportunity!" Despite the excruciating pain in her left leg, Kate landed, and the last remaining seed of the Spiritual Pivot condensed once more.

This time, he incorporated a trace of the cold analytical will of the Seed of Origin into it.

"The Seed of the Spiritual Pivot: Life Analysis - Interference".

The seed shot out silently, hitting Kate's forehead precisely as she staggered in the mirror image.

hum!

This time the interference was completely different.

It was no longer a simple fluctuation of life force, but a mental impact with icy analytical power, which instantly invaded the pure life consciousness core of Mirror Kate.

Mirror Kate's body suddenly stiffened.

The flame of life in his eyes fluctuated violently, as if "impurities" had been forcibly injected into his pure consciousness, causing a brief period of confusion and self-doubt.

Kate did not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He pounced like a wounded beast, gathering his last bit of strength in his right fist and slamming it into Mirror Kate's heart.

"Let's end this!"

boom!!!

A vibrant green light exploded on Mirror Kate's chest.

The pure life energy core collapsed instantly under the dual impact of the violent power and the cold analytical will.

Mirror Kate's body, like shattered glass, transformed into countless emerald light spots, slowly dissipating into the sea of ​​life light.

[First Trial: Shadow of Life, Passed. Evaluation: Fierce and fearless, skillful use of wisdom, and unwavering will.]

Kate knelt on one knee, breathing heavily, feeling a burning pain and weakness in her left leg.

The thorn armor's light dimmed, and some of the holy spring water was also consumed.

[The Second Trial: The Pact of Symbiosis.]

The grand voice rang out again. The sea of ​​light before Kate parted, revealing a small "island" made of pure soil.

In the center of the island grows a small, extremely withered sapling with yellowed leaves and cracked branches—a projection of the Tree of Life.

At the base of the sapling, a companion flower, equally dying, with drooping petals and a dull color, was entwined.

[Rules: Before the Tree of Life withers (time limit: 30 minutes), heal its companion flower so that it blooms into a mature flower.]

You can only use your own inherent life energy or spiritual will to guide and resonate with it.

Direct intervention using any external objects or non-living energy is prohibited. When the accompanying flower blooms, the sapling will revive.

Kate walked to the edge of the island, and the Seed of Origin scanned with full force:

[Target: Tree of Life seedling (dying projection), accompanying flower (deeply withered)]

[Status: The source is severely damaged, life energy is depleted, and a weak symbiotic connection exists.]

[Healing Challenges: Direct energy infusion is impossible (as prohibited by the rules); it requires spiritual resonance and life guidance to stimulate the body's own vitality for recovery.]

[Recommendation: Establish a deep spiritual connection, simulate a symbiotic relationship, and guide its internal energy circulation.]

Kate sat cross-legged before the accompanying flowers, closing his eyes. He suppressed all aggressive thoughts and sank his mind into the depths of his spiritual sea.

The golden roots of the Seed of Origin slowly extended, attempting to establish an extremely faint spiritual connection with the withered companion flower.

He "saw"—a deathly silence of darkness.

The companion flower's consciousness was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, filled with despair and depletion.

Its symbiotic connection with the seedling of the Tree of Life has almost been severed, leaving only a faint trace of connection.

"Guide...resonate..." Kate murmured to herself.

He abandoned the idea of ​​"healing" and instead imagined himself as a pure and vibrant "stream".

He mobilized the remaining pure life force from the sacred spring within his body, not by injecting it, but by letting it circulate slowly within him like breathing, radiating a gentle, inclusive, and hopeful life force.

At the same time, he transformed the analytical force field of the Seed of Origin into the gentlest "perception," like the softest tentacles, stroking the withered veins of the companion flower, feeling the almost stagnant, extremely faint life rhythm within it.

"Same frequency...resonance..."

Kate adjusted the frequency of her own life's fluctuations to match the faint, lingering rhythm of the accompanying flower.

He no longer tries to "give," but tries to "awaken."

In his spiritual sea, the spatial anchor point, which had become even more stable after being integrated with the Void Vine, now became the cornerstone of his spiritual will, allowing him to maintain absolute focus and stability in this desolate darkness.

Time passed second by second.

The accompanying flowers showed no reaction.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Kate's forehead as her mental energy continued to deplete.

The rules prevented him from using any potions from his dimensional bag to replenish his strength.

"Not enough... this is still not enough..." Kate thought anxiously.

He sensed that the faint life force inside the companion flower was slowly dissipating.

"Symbiosis...is not just about sharing energy, but also about resonating wills and having the shared belief to face adversity!"

A sudden inspiration struck Kate, and she thought of her relationship with the Bloodvine, the Seed of Origin, and all the symbiotic magical plants.

He no longer merely simulated gentle life fluctuations, but instead transmitted his own inner tenacious will to survive countless desperate situations and never give up through spiritual connection!

It was a resolute act of devouring evil thoughts in the corrupt garden, a calm demeanor of confronting constructs in the purification corridor, a courage of facing spatial storms in the Crystal Source Cave, and a fierce bravery of exchanging injury for life in the trial of the Shadow of Life!

This indomitable and resilient will to live, like a stone thrown into stagnant water, stirred up a barely perceptible ripple in the desolate depths of the companion flower's consciousness!

hum...

The withered petals of the accompanying flower trembled very slightly!

Immediately afterwards, Kate "saw" that the almost stagnant life rhythm inside the companion flower, as if injected with new energy, throbbed very faintly!

And then another one! Slowly, but definitely recovering.

Kate was in high spirits!

He immediately combined this unwavering will with gentle life fluctuations, continuously transmitting it like the most patient gardener, nurturing this tiny spark of revival.

On the withered stems of the companion flowers, a faint hint of green began to emerge and slowly spread upwards.

The drooping petals also seemed to lift up slightly.

Kate guided the revitalizing life force within the companion flower, attempting to touch and repair the almost severed symbiotic connection with the seedling of the Tree of Life, as if building a fragile bridge.

The moment that faint connection of life is re-established.

hum!

A faint green light instantly appeared on the cracked branches of the Tree of Life sapling.

A pure life force, originating from the very source of the Tree of Life, flows back to the companion flower through the newly established connection.

The accompanying flowers, like rain after a long drought, suddenly recovered at a rapid pace.

The stems turned emerald green, the leaves unfurled, and the drooping flower bud visibly plumped up and stood upright.

In the last minute before the countdown ends.

Boo!

With a soft sound, the bud of the companion flower slowly opened!

Five petals, as if carved from jade, unfold, revealing a stamen at the center that radiates golden light, exuding a pure and powerful life force! A mature flower, in full bloom!

As the accompanying flowers bloom, the cracks in the seedling of the Tree of Life quickly heal, and the withered yellow leaves turn lush and green, exuding vitality.

[Second Trial: Symbiotic Bond, Passed. Evaluation: Comprehended the true meaning of symbiosis, awakened vitality with willpower, and rebuilt the life connection.]

Kate let out a long sigh of relief, feeling exhausted but filled with joy.

He carefully plucked the mature companion flower; its petals felt warm and smooth to the touch, containing the pure essence of life. He carefully put it away.

The Third Trial: Immortal Memories.

The grand voice carried an unprecedented solemnity.

The sea of ​​life-giving light surrounding Kate vanished instantly, replaced by absolute darkness and silence.

Immediately afterwards, countless fragmented, complex, and unimaginably vast streams of information, like a bursting dam, surged wildly into Kate's consciousness.

He "saw" a seed sprouting in the chaotic void, absorbing the primordial stardust and energy...

He "senses" the roots struggling to extend through the barren fragments of the star's core, drawing meager nutrients...

He "experienced" countless stellar collisions and space storms, struggling to survive on the brink of destruction...

He "experienced" the joys and sorrows of coexisting and nourishing with countless lives, only to have them taken away by time...

He "endured" the corrosive influence of the abyss and the entanglement of deathly energy, struggling painfully between depravity and purity...

He "witnessed" the rise and fall of civilizations, the birth and death of life, rising and falling in the endless river of time...

This is the life journey of the Immortal Root, spanning billions of years and countless dimensions.

It is the weight of time, the vicissitudes of existence, and the insignificance and tenacity of life on a cosmic scale.

The information flow is too massive and too cumbersome!

Kate felt her consciousness was like a small boat on a raging sea, instantly submerged.

His mental sea was stretched to the point of excruciating pain, and even the frantic operation of the Seed of Origin could barely decipher this massive amount of information.

The Bloodthirsty Vine wailed painfully within the Cage of Order, as if it were about to be assimilated and annihilated by this vast body of life memories.

"No! We can't lose our way!" Kate roared silently from the depths of her consciousness.

He felt himself being assimilated by the vast memories of the Immortal Root, about to lose himself and become an insignificant footnote in this long epic of life.

The golden roots of the Seed of Origin burst forth with unprecedented radiance.

The spatial anchoring of the Void Serenity Lotus frantically stabilized the spiritual core, pushing the purity and carrying capacity of the spiritual power enhanced by the fusion with the Void Vine to their limits.

"I am Kate, and I write my own life!"

He clung desperately to the last vestige of clarity in his core consciousness, like grasping at a single rock amidst raging waves.

He no longer tried to analyze all the memories, but instead reduced the analytical field of the Seed of Origin to its extreme, focusing on only one point—searching for the core pulse of the "essence of life" in the torrent of memories of the root of immortality.

He saw the seed's yearning for life as it sprouted.

He sensed the persistence of "preservation" as the root system extends.

He experienced the instinct for "continuation" when struggling on the brink of destruction.

He understood the "cycle" flowing between symbiosis and extinction.

He realized the importance of upholding "purity" amidst pollution and purification.

Stripped of the dust of billions of years and the cloak of countless experiences across dimensions, Kate touched upon the most core and essential thing—life, which is existence itself's eternal pursuit of "continuation" and "blossoming".

It is the will to tenaciously draw energy, adapt to the environment, and seek to flourish, no matter how harsh the environment or how bumpy the journey.

It is a glimmer of light in the darkness, a ray of hope in a desperate situation.

"I understand..." Kate whispered in her mind's eye.

"Immortality is not about being eternally alive, but about imprinting the will of life into every struggle, every blossoming, and every passing on of tradition!"

In the instant of his enlightenment, the vast and boundless torrent of memories seemed to have found its home, no longer violently assaulting his consciousness, but transforming into a gentle and powerful force of life essence, slowly merging into his spiritual sea, nourishing his soul, and strengthening his life essence.

Darkness fades away.

Kate stood once more above the sea of ​​life's light, her eyes deep and unfathomable, as if she had witnessed countless vicissitudes, yet remained as clear as a newborn infant.

Nourished by the boundless source of life, his spiritual power naturally broke through the final shackles!

[Mental Strength Breakthrough: 78.5 → 80 (Peak Level 4)]

[Life Essence Sublimation: Physical vitality cap +15%, Soul resilience +20%, Life affinity greatly increased]

[Gained: Mark of Recognition from the Root of Immortality (weak)]

Before him, the sea of ​​life light slowly parted, and a root, only the length of a finger, emerald green like jade, flowing with liquid golden light and exuding an indescribable aura of the origin of life, slowly drifted into Kate's palm.

[Item: Fragment of the Immortal Root (Active)]

[Status: Contains pure, immortal life essence and faint traces of life rules; fully active.]

[Characteristics: Slowly regenerates (requires extreme living conditions), continuously nourishes the host's life essence, accelerates injury recovery, extends lifespan, and slightly enhances understanding of life rules. Can be used as a top-tier life-type material or cultivation core.]

Kate held the warm, jade-like root tightly, feeling the immense life force and the timeless will it contained.

He succeeded! Not only did he pass the triple test, but he also took a giant leap forward in the essence of life, and his mental strength finally stepped into the threshold of the fourth level peak!