Wizard Lord:I can Extract Anything

A barrage of head-sized, energy-arc-laden acid spheres flew towards the wizards, instantly dissolving the second-circle wizards at the front. The remaining wizards hastily erected mana shields, but without the coordinated casting techniques of white wizards, the shields of ordinary first-circle wizards couldn't withstand even a single acid sphere. Even second-circle wizards had their shields broken under the concentrated fire of several mini Mother God cannons.

"Damn that Declan! Was his brain eaten by pigs to let the native insects outsmart him like this?" a second-circle black wizard cursed. The insects were evidently well-prepared, even deploying strategic weapons like mini Mother God cannons—clearly a premeditated trap.

Their previously smooth advance was now revealed as a calculated setup by the insects. The puppet wizard had been thoroughly duped.

But cursing wouldn't solve anything. Faced with the relentless cannon fire, the wizards had no choice but to retreat from the tunnel.

"Disperse and break out!"

Once outside the tunnel, a second-circle wizard decisively led the charge into adjacent smaller tunnels.

These tunnels were narrow, allowing one wizard to pass at a time, but their abundance meant the insects couldn't possibly place a cannon in each one.

As the wizard flashed to a tunnel entrance, a thunderous explosion shattered his hopes.

Boom!

A loud blast echoed from within the tunnel, causing it to collapse instantly.

Simultaneously, explosions reverberated from dozens of smaller tunnels along the settlement's perimeter.

The insects had sealed all the small tunnels!

Meanwhile, inside the Mother God Temple, the High Priest completed the sealing of the puppet wizard.

Holding the starry prison the size of a fist, the High Priest smirked cruelly and swallowed it whole.

Then, with a spread of his wings, he appeared atop the pyramid in the grand hall.

Watching the wizards still struggling to break through, the High Priest breathed a sigh of relief.

"Seems I wasn't too late."

He placed the starry net, which had captured the puppet wizard, in the statue's hands. As he chanted incantations, the statue seemed to awaken, releasing a storm of energy as if to tear the High Priest apart.

The High Priest snorted, a layer of starlight armor shimmering into existence.

The energy storm battered the armor without leaving a ripple.

The Mother God Temple's location wasn't chosen lightly. Each temple was built over a ley line spring, periodically erupting with energy storms. Only the statue's faith energy seal could suppress it.

The High Priest's crystal emitted mental tendrils, channeling the ley line's energy into the starry net.

With this massive energy influx, the Mother Insect God relic merged into the ground, a web of energy rapidly spreading from the temple across the settlement.

He intended to trap all the wizards within this cavern!

...

"Caw, Richard, I have a bad feeling."

Amidst the wizards, Ulysses suddenly opened his eyes, his divine intuition sensing a change in the settlement.

"A bad feeling?"

Ulysses turned to the temple. "Caw, activate your energy sight and check the old insect's temple for changes."

Richard complied, switching to energy sight, his face paling. In his vision, streams of energy crisscrossed from the temple, spreading rapidly outward like a giant web, poised to ensnare them in seconds.

"Caw, what do you see?" Ulysses asked anxiously.

Due to his soul injury, Ulysses could vaguely sense something approaching but couldn't pinpoint it.

"Run! Something's spreading from the temple!"

Richard shouted to the other wizards, immediately heading for the tunnel.

Whatever this web was, it spelled bad news for the wizards.

"Ulysses, clear a path! Use everything you've got, or we're all done for!"

At Richard's command, Ulysses flew ahead, black flames flaring intensely, drawing the attention of many wizards.

"That energy... it's second-tier! Isn't he a first-circle wizard?" a second-circle wizard remarked, astonished by Richard.

And given Ulysses' presence, he certainly wasn't a run-of-the-mill second-tier creature. His power could rival second-circle wizards.

But now wasn't the time to question wizard secrets. Seeing Richard's warning and Ulysses charging ahead, the wizards followed, ready to force their way out.

Leading the charge, Ulysses left a trail of black flame, resembling a black phoenix.

Seeing the breakout, the insects activated the mini Mother God cannons. As green blobs filled the barrels, scores of arcing acid spheres shot towards Ulysses.

"Caw, Richard, witness my true power!"

Ulysses expanded, transforming into a sky-swallowing demon bird, spewing black fire to incinerate most of the acid spheres.

For the few that got through, Ulysses shrank, deftly weaving through them unscathed.

The acid spheres collided, releasing a cloud of green mist.

Capitalizing on Ulysses' fiery opening, ten second-circle wizards advanced with shields, charging through the mist and unleashing a barrage of spells.

Boom!

The spells crashed against a light barrier.

A priest insect had erected a starlight shield. After years of warfare, the Black Crystal Insects had learned to counter wizard spells.

Warrior insects stood ready by the mini cannons, blade-arms gleaming, prepared to face the wizards.

They were ready to die fighting the wizards.

Behind them, the second volley of Mother God cannons was almost ready.

"Damn it, you all owe me for this!"

A second-circle wizard, seeing the situation, gritted his teeth and sent a mental message to his comrades.

Screech...

A metallic grinding filled the warrior insects' auditory sensors.

In the next moment, a metal serpent emerged from a wizard's robe, charging towards them.

The serpent was covered in runed metal scales, forming a complex array.

With a deafening boom, the serpent exploded, its scales shredding the insect defenses.

Warrior insects, the starlight shield—everything was torn apart by the explosion, akin to a second-circle wizard's self-detonation.

The wizard who released the serpent coughed up blood, nearly drained of his power.

His sacrifice wasn't in vain. The other wizards quickly filled the gap.

Spells flew, shredding the insects rushing to fill the breach.

The following wizards joined the assault, unleashing a torrent of magic to rip through the insect lines.

Amid the chaos, Richard pressed forward. Suddenly, he sensed a powerful energy wave enveloping everyone.

A massive light web rose from the settlement's edge, encapsulating it completely. The wizards who hadn't escaped were now trapped like birds in a cage or fish in a net.

"Close call, just a few seconds more!" a wizard exclaimed in relief.

Without Richard's warning, they would have been trapped like the other groups.

"Kid, I owe you one." A second-circle wizard approached Richard, handing him a card. "If you need help, find me at residence block seven, number 372."

"I owe you too."

"As do I."

In moments, Richard collected a dozen second-circle wizard cards and over a hundred from first-circle wizards.

Each card represented a favor. If Richard needed assistance, these wizards would offer help, if not their all.

As the starlight net rose, the High Priest ceased his channeling, the entire temple settling.

A priest insect draped a white silk cape over him.

"Insect Inhart, did you capture the wizard creature?" the High Priest inquired.

Insect Inhart lowered his head in shame. "High Priest, I failed you. The wizard creature escaped me again."

"Again?" The High Priest noted his wording.

"High Priest, it's the wizard I chased into the Abyss of Origin before. He escaped and has grown significantly stronger." Insect Inhart reported.

Though they hadn't clashed, Richard's energy was much stronger than before, his life force more vibrant.

And the black bird had grown more formidable.

Without their distinct features, Insect Inhart might have mistaken him for another wizard.

"Emerging stronger from the Abyss..." The High Priest pondered, recalling an ancient legend.

In Black Crystal Insect history, some priest insects had delved into the origins of the Mother Insect God.

Contrary to popular belief, not all priest insects fervently worshipped the Mother Insect God.

A faction existed without faith in the deity.

These insects, always present in history, had brought unique insights to their kind.

For instance, the origin of the Mother Insect God.

Some priest insects speculated, based on unverifiable clues, that the Mother Insect God began as a demon in the Abyss of Origin, gaining tremendous fortune to rise as a powerful entity rivaling the World Mushroom.

Considering this, the High Priest commanded Insect Inhart:

"Insect Inhart, take a squad of Mother Insect Guards and capture the wizard creature."

"But I might not find him, High Priest."

The High Priest closed his eyes, a beam of light from his crystal entering Insect Inhart's.

"They took my statue. Even if they isolate it in a small space, you can sense its faith energy."

"Remember, you must capture him."

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