Water Mage in the Flame Realm

The temple returned to silence.

Earlier, when Ivan triggered the "Earth Fire Curse," causing the "Molten Rock Fire" to emerge out of thin air, the noise was actually quite significant.

Andrew's feelings about this were quite peculiar as well.

If he were still a traditional Water Mage, he would only think "Ivan is on fire."

But after advancing to become a Water Magic Lord, the "Soul Contracter" link between Andrew and Ivan was established, so when Ivan was attacked, Andrew felt as if he was being attacked too.

Moreover, since this underground space is now considered part of Andrew's territory, through the Gate of Enlightenment, the territory is essentially a Magic Crystal outside Andrew's body. The fire within made Andrew feel a bizarre sensation of "internal burning inflammation."

"So, the cultivation path of a Water Magic Lord is truly different," Andrew couldn't help but exclaim, "It's neither a common Mage nor an ordinary Lord!"

On the surface, Andrew had never appeared so unlike a Mage as he did at this moment. In the "Enlightenment Normal State," to others, he seemed entirely like an ordinary person.

But Andrew himself felt differently: he always felt that he was no longer just a simple person. Behind his humanoid exterior lay his territory. It was as if he appeared human on the outside, but in reality, he was a colossal beast.

Simply put, he felt... immense.

In any case, when the Molten Rock Fire jumped around just now, it was truly very lively, forming a stark contrast with the current silence.

Ivan stared at the Molten Rock Fire he had torn into two halves, which vaguely formed into some special shape—

The fire did not rebound, did not rekindle, nor did it come raging back.

Only then did Ivan finally confirm, "I... really tore apart one of the Eight Strange Fires, the Molten Rock Fire..."

As a Desert Hunter, Ivan's combat experience was extensive, and he didn't think his previous "I'm doomed" judgment was a misjudgment.

The Molten Rock Fire truly was very powerful!

But Ivan ultimately underestimated Andrew.

And underestimated his own true strength as the former leading figure among the three Combat Classes, the Deep Blue Guard.

The Deep Blue Guard, paired with the exclusive Deep Blue Armament, was once the most powerful combat class, overpowering the Crimson Knight and the Flame Warrior.

Ivan looked down at the Magic Breastplate on his body. In his eyes, the breastplate shimmered with a deep blue hue. But to others, the breastplate remained invisible—the Invisible Enchantment continued to work.

"So from now on, I am no longer a Desert Hunter, but a Deep Blue Guard."

Ivan murmured.

He felt that certain revolutionary changes were occurring within him.

The magnitude of the change was no less than when Andrew first attained the Water Soul Constitution, leaping from an ordinary person to a Professional.

Ivan temporarily ignored the changes in his body.

He turned around, came before Andrew, bowed his head, and knelt on one knee.

Until this moment, this inwardly rebellious man had truly and completely surrendered to Andrew.

Although he didn't say anything after kneeling, the meaning was already obvious: from now on, he was willing to follow Andrew!

Andrew quickly helped him up, smiling, "Don't do this, I don't like this kind of thing." Deep down, Andrew retained much of his pre-transmigration mindset. After a pause, he asked, "The soul contract between you and me was signed inadvertently, without us knowing. If you don't want it, Ivan..." Seeing Ivan's facial expression, Andrew couldn't help but smile again, "Alright, forget what I said."

Now, with the Gate of Enlightenment and the Soul Guardian,

as a more advanced Water Magic Lord based on traditional Water Mage—although still only Tier One—he was at least a small package with all the essentials.

"Hmm, now all that's left is to solve the water problem for the town's residents," Andrew thought.

This seemed to be the initial purpose of coming here.

With the storage space function of the Gate of Enlightenment, drawing water became much more convenient.

Andrew and Ivan worked together, finding some ancient containers left behind in the small houses by the lake.

Meanwhile, Andrew also released several Water Demon Puppets to help.

Ultimately, they collected about a week's worth of water needed by the townspeople into the storage space of the Gate of Enlightenment.

"So the only problem left is how to return to the surface?" Ivan looked at Andrew.

Even though Andrew's image in Ivan's mind had changed significantly compared to before, remembering the scene not long ago when Andrew cried out, "It's over, I've miscalculated, I forgot to calculate the return trip problem," Ivan still found it... strange.

Andrew caught a hint of strangeness in Ivan's eyes, awkwardly responding, "Uh, returning to the surface is no longer a problem. Ivan, could you not look at me that way..."

Ivan was taken aback, "You can return to the surface?"

Andrew nodded.

First, by reactivating the ancient "seed" left behind, and activating the Lake of the Ocean in an instant, they obtained an enormous Fire Extinguishing Value.

Completely sufficient to unlock another Water Element Artifact, allowing a return to the surface through the connection with Shire and the underground space.

"This is completely doable, feasible. It's just..."

Andrew thought, "There's no need for it."

Now they had found a way to return to the surface's Wildfire Town without consuming Fire Extinguishing Value.

Andrew beckoned Ivan to return to the temple with him.

Returning once more before the long altar, they looked at the gemstone with water flowing inside.

Now Andrew finally understood the function of this gemstone.

"Come on, we're heading back." Andrew beckoned Ivan, simultaneously pressing his hand on the gemstone.

With a hum.

The gemstone was activated by Andrew's Multiplicative Magic Power, instantly shifting from colorless and semi-transparent to a mysterious water-blue hue.

A straight blue light shot out from the gemstone, soaring into the sky!

The beam hit the center of the temple's dome, further amplified by the temple, and then continued to shoot upward from the temple's roof. After reaching the top of this underground space, it seemed to be unobstructed, continuing upward, upward, and upward!

This gemstone is actually a "Teleportation Stone," located underground. At the same time, there should be a corresponding Teleportation Stone in Wildfire Town.

Through these two teleportation stones, there's no need for any Water Manipulation Technique, allowing one to enter and exit this underground space at any time.

The way to activate the Teleportation Stone is by using Andrew's Water Magic.

In the temple, Andrew and Ivan's bodies were enveloped in a blue light, moments later turning into two streams of light, ascending towards the ground along the blue beam, much like an elevator.

"With this, the surface Wildfire Town and the Lake of the Ocean below are truly connected."

Andrew smiled faintly.

By activating the Teleportation Stone, the previous disconnect between the surface Wildfire Town and the underground Lake of the Ocean was quietly and naturally resolved.

Moreover, as he triggered the teleportation mechanism, Andrew had already sensed the location of the Teleportation Stone within Wildfire Town.

Wildfire Town.

It was now almost late afternoon, nearing evening.

The statistical work organized by An Ya on personnel with signs of Professional Awakening had basically concluded.

In the town center's Magic Laboratory, Barbara let out a long sigh of relief: "Finally done!"

Busy since then, she finally reactivated the laboratory's heating function and repaired the "fortress" function damaged during the fire on the night Andrew crossed over.

Simply put, the current Magic Laboratory also functions as a "Magic Defense Tower," capable of monitoring and patrolling within a certain range around Wildfire Town, even without Barbara's control.

"And when I personally control it, this Magic Laboratory can accurately attack any suspicious target within two thousand meters! Both the range and the Magic Power are incomparable to what I could do alone!"

Barbara was very pleased, thinking, "With this, at least when facing the Desert Speaker Rose, we're not entirely defenseless!"

After resting for a while and drinking some water, Barbara, without bothering to eat, returned to the center room of the entire building structure of the Magic Laboratory.

She discovered this room while repairing the laboratory's functions before.

Entering again now, Barbara focused her gaze.

The small room had no windows, nor any tables, chairs, or cabinets, just a small platform with a semi-transparent gemstone placed on it.

"Though mages more or less have a hobby of collecting, and I do too. Finding a gemstone in this laboratory left by Humboldt is nothing new. But..."

Barbara stared at the gemstone, "The moment I first entered this room and saw this gemstone, my 'Warm Fire Order' jumped again."

Closing the door, Barbara walked forward.

Since the laboratory's repair work was done, she thought, might as well study what this gemstone is before night falls!

But just then, the gemstone suddenly trembled, then shone brightly.

Barbara couldn't tell the color of the light, only that it was very bright but not dazzling.

After all, it was something left by Humboldt.

Instinctively, Barbara raised her guard to the highest level.

"Warm Fire Puppet!"

"Flowing Fire Shield!"

"Hexagonal Fire Array!"

With a wave, three defensive Fire Magic spells were cast.

Then, Barbara saw—

Faintly, two figures emerged within that light!

"What's going on? Did I trigger some forbidden Summoning Magic? Is this... did I summon some kind of Magic Life?!" For a moment, Barbara's heart was in her throat, feeling an intense urge to strike first and launch an offensive.

But just as she was about to make a move, she finally saw clearly, those two "Magic Life" figures in the light—

One was tall and sturdy, yet landed silently like a feline.

The other was slightly thin, but stood with a straight back and had a delicate appearance.

Who else could it be but Andrew and Ivan?

"..."

Barbara looked at Andrew and Ivan, her beautiful eyes wide open, momentarily speechless.

"..."

Andrew and Ivan also looked at Barbara, their expressions odd, equally silent.

Ivan didn't speak because he didn't expect to be directly teleported to the surface without passing through the Water Tower Tree, Shire. Glancing around, he thought: Is this Humboldt's Magic Laboratory?

As for Andrew, he hadn't expected to meet Barbara immediately upon teleporting! It turned out that the surface Teleportation Stone's location was indeed just as he sensed when he activated the one in the temple—in Wildfire Town's central Magic Laboratory.

Then Barbara spoke, a bit foolishly asking: "You two... where did you come from?"

Andrew didn't know how to explain, mainly wondering if he could share the Lake of the Ocean's matters with Barbara.

After a moment of silence, he awkwardly diverted: "There's no need to worry about the town's water problem now, it's been resolved."

Barbara: "..."

Seriously? Even if you want to change the subject, don't be so stiff!?

Ivan resisted a facepalm, now strongly suspecting Andrew had little experience dealing with women, likely still a virgin.