Stanley arrived from afar, transforming into a massive beast-form vampire as he landed on the ground. In that instant, he immediately deployed his permanent defensive field, [Aberrant Blood Curse].

Stanley's expression changed several times, his gaze becoming serious. Complex blood-colored advanced curse formations, with him at the center, rapidly expanded outward.

Originally, he had thought that hunting down Locke would be pure bullying, a formal wizard against a wizard apprentice, essentially a one-sided slaughter.

Even an apprentice with First Circle wizard characteristics was still just an apprentice but now the situation had changed.

Where the blood-colored energy defensive circle of the Aberrant Blood Curse enveloped, all things began to distort. The surface of stones grew dense networks of tiny blood vessels covering their surfaces, dust particles in the air began to cluster together because of this, transforming into one tumor after another.

The so-called Aberrant Blood Curse was, in reality, imposing a blood curse on non-living objects and non-flesh objects, forcibly transforming them into flesh curses.

Even elemental life forms would be forcibly transformed into flesh bodies under the curse of this Aberrant Blood Curse.

Moreover, these were flesh individuals filled with negative energy, and even magical energy could be converted into flesh bodies.

Using this method, a cursed protective circle was formed to protect the caster of this blood curse.

Therefore, this was a defensive-type blood curse.

The transmission path of this blood curse was that the range covered by this cursed protective circle would transform into flesh life forms, and after being enveloped for a long time, would even gain the ability to reproduce the next generation.

Locke looked at that Aberrant Curse and frowned slightly. As a botanical wizard, he naturally greatly detested this type of magic.

He directly deployed his Life Force Field.

The permanent defensive fields of both sides, with the two as centers, began an intense collision.

One dust particle after another in the air was converted into tumors by Stanley's blood curse, while Locke's Life Force Field in turn annihilated them, causing these dust particles to explode and disappear one by one.

"How is this possible? Not only has he become a formal wizard, he actually has such high mana." Stanley retreated half a step. "Has his mental power vaporized?"

The behavior of two formal wizards directly competing with their permanent defensive fields was equivalent to a head-on collision, comparing whose magic pressure was higher, whose mana was higher, and whose defensive magic spell model was more exquisite.

This was an extremely dangerous method of direct confrontation.

Stanley was just an ordinary formal wizard. There was no way he could compete head-on with the current Locke over whose permanent defensive field was more powerful.

Stanley's expression changed dramatically. At this moment, the Life Force Field around Locke had already compressed his Aberrant Blood Curse energy circle to only about 1 meter around him.

This indicated that Locke's mana currently completely surpassed his, completely suppressing him.

In Stanley's eyes flashed jealousy and disbelief. "Even if you advanced to become a formal wizard, how could your mana increase so quickly? I've been a formal wizard for over twenty years, yet my mana is still inferior to yours."

"Damn it, I can't directly compete with his permanent defensive field head-on." Stanley came to his senses. "He just advanced to formal wizard. Even if his mana is powerful, his spell library definitely doesn't have many First Circle spells."

"In fact, this Life Force Field might be the only thing he knows."

"Competing with him in permanent defensive fields is completely attacking his strength with my weakness."

In Stanley's eyes flashed intense jealousy and rage. Witch Sophia and Locke, these two super geniuses, filled his heart with jealousy.

"So what if you're a formal wizard? You don't have any First Circle spells in your spell pool. Today I can add another achievement of hunting a First Circle wizard to my record."

Stanley bared his fangs and claws. He suddenly completely retracted his permanent defensive field, transforming it into an energy membrane that wrapped around his entire body, using this form to compensate for his mana being inferior to Locke's.

The highly condensed permanent defensive field gained the capital to contend with Locke's Life Force Field, thus allowing him to move within Locke's Life Force Field magic, which was substantively an anti-negative energy field.

"Didn't expect this, did you? Permanent defensive fields can be compressed to this degree. You just advanced to formal wizard, you still don't understand many combat techniques that First Circle wizards should know."

Stanley plunged headfirst into Locke's Life Force Field crystalline barrier system. Energy sparks continuously appeared on his body surface from the friction of the two force fields, and even a series of small explosions.

Each small explosion was like a flash, flickering past in an instant.

Stanley transformed into a beast-form vampire three stories tall, the unique beast transformation state of a vampire count, and violently struck toward Locke.

A vampire count possessed physical strength that vampire barons could not hope to match.

What flowed through his blood vessels was not blood, but curse energy converted by the vampire curse.

In this state, even his missing right arm would forcibly regenerate a temporary arm.

Locke frowned. Large Green Owl Banana grew from his back, and he flew away from his original position. He saw Stanley, transformed into a vampire count, punch a large crater where he had been standing.

"Hm? Worthy of a First Circle level vampire, its physical strength has actually reached this degree." Locke quickly dodged, while Stanley transformed into a vampire count opened three pairs of bat wings covered with blood-colored membrane on his back, immediately pursuing Locke from behind.

"Too slow." On the head of Stanley's beast-form vampire count body grew three pairs of blood-red eyes.

Stanley caught up to Locke, gripped both fists together, and from above Locke struck fiercely down at Locke's back.

'Bang~'

The tremendous kinetic energy contained in his fists was completely blocked outside the crystalline barrier of the Life Force Field half a meter in front of Locke's back, unable to advance further.

A trace of doubt flashed through Stanley's eyes. 'He hardly compressed his permanent defensive field at all, so why can't I still break through his permanent defensive field?'

'Could it be that the gap in mana between him and me is even larger than I imagined?'

Stanley rapidly calculated formulas in his mind, estimating what this situation represented regarding Locke's magic pressure. The result was a heart-startling answer he arrived at, three thousand!

Stanley's eyebrow twitched.

This meant that this former first-class wizard apprentice before him truly currently had vaporized mental power.

He had once completely led this first-class wizard apprentice in magical rank, yet currently, it was this former apprentice who completely led him.

Stanley had already developed thoughts of retreat.

A permanent defensive field supported by three thousand magic pressure, and the Life Force Field, which was such an excellent and complete defensive magic, he simply didn't have many spells that could break through it.

If the opponent knew even a little of the [compression technique] for permanent defensive fields, then he would have no chance to fight at all, like a frail youth having to duel a strong man.

Even if there was a huge gap in their spell libraries, because of the permanent defensive field, the gap would be reversed.

Stanley turned and fled into the distance.

Locke hadn't expected that after the opponent realized he had no means to break through his permanent defensive field, he would be so decisive, immediately turning to flee. No wonder he had been able to survive from his teacher Witch Sophia's hands back then.

At that time, this guy had also turned and fled upon seeing Witch Sophia.

At this moment, Locke drove three Super Mandrake Vines, made them visible, bound them around Stanley, and pulled him toward himself.

Locke said, "Stanley, don't run. Didn't you come to kill me?"

Stanley, transformed into a beast-form vampire, turned his head and roared furiously. "Let me go! You don't have any attack magic to break through my permanent defensive field either. Let's not waste each other's time."

"Consider yourself impressive. Let's call the account between us even."

Locke glanced at the tracking curse magic on his body. He knew that to remove this magic, either the person who cast the curse must die or actively remove it.

But since the opponent had no intention of removing it, this meant the guy was just lying. He estimated that after returning, he was preparing to bring reinforcements.

Locke said coldly, "You want to call it even, but I don't want to call it even."

"You just stay here."

Stanley shouted loudly, "Let me go! You don't have any attack magic to break through the permanent defensive field on my body."

Locke's expression was strange. No, actually he did have one.

Locke took out from his astral ring a bottle from a set of potions he had bought at the previous auction, the Minor Viridian Potion, three bottles in total.

Previously at the auction, he had spent one hundred fifty thousand magic stones to purchase a large pile of magical resources, which included three bottles of Minor Viridian Potion. Originally it was just in case, but now it was being put to use.

Stanley saw the three bottles of Minor Viridian Potion in Locke's hand and immediately understood what Locke wanted to do. "Damn it, you cunning potion sellers."

"You even have this trick!"

The next moment, Locke vaporized the Minor Viridian Potion, transforming it into mist. He enveloped it around Stanley's surroundings, and he himself deployed his Life Force Field, using this force field to press toward Stanley's permanent defensive field. Then using the potion vaporization potion master technique, he injected the three sets of Minor Viridian Potion into Stanley's permanent defensive field.

The branches of the Super Mandrake Vines were breaking one by one. Even though Locke had strengthened them and the spell models with his three thousand magic pressure, these spell models and apprentice-level magical plants could not withstand magic pressure above one thousand for too long.

Moreover, the beast-form vampire count was definitely not simple. Its close combat strength was enough to rival the legendary First Circle creature Behemoth, and perhaps it could even brawl with demons from the Abyssal World without falling behind.

So the Super Mandrake Vines were rapidly breaking, but the problem wasn't too serious.

The Minor Viridian Potion was eroding Stanley's permanent defensive field, causing one flaw after another to appear in his permanent defensive field, as if the originally airtight armor now had one small defect after another appearing.

The Minor Viridian Potion was a First Circle level universal curse-breaking potion. At this moment, its medicinal effect could just dispel the Aberrant Blood Curse that surrounded Stanley's body.

Meanwhile, Locke's Life Force Field crystalline barrier penetrated pervasively into the gaps in Stanley's permanent defensive field. The anti-negative energy field seeped into Stanley's body.

This caused some of the connection points of the advanced curse formations on his skin surface to begin breaking. Some skin actually reverted to human skin.

Locke manipulated his Life Force Field, "Compressing the permanent defensive field... this is roughly how it works. I've grasped a bit of the trick."

This thing was originally just some slight adjustments and changes to the existing spell model. Before becoming a formal wizard, Locke had already modified the Forest Sanctuary and made fine adjustments to adapt it to his soul.

So during battle, he rapidly calculated formulas mentally and redesigned the model, slightly compressing the Life Force Field into a pervasive force field to invade Stanley's body.

Stanley, three stories tall, let out a bestial roar. His three pairs of crimson eyes on his face released an unusual red glow.

The Black Chain Sword Bamboo, wrapped in black magic pressure, transformed into a massive blade edge that slashed across Stanley's back.

At the last moment, Stanley finally broke free from the restraints of the three Super Mandrake Vines and forcibly flew away.

However, his lower body was severed at the waist by Locke using the Black Chain Sword Bamboo. But because he had three pairs of wings, even with only his upper body remaining, he could still fly normally, so he flew away directly without looking back.

Because the Large Green Owl Banana couldn't catch up to his speed, Locke glanced at the direction Stanley was fleeing and didn't continue pursuing.

Stanley's angry voice appeared in midair. "You just wait, Wizard Locke Augustine."

However, he was also somewhat lacking in confidence. He was just a formal wizard, fundamentally unable to take revenge on a wizard with vaporized mental power.

And Locke's permanent defensive field was too powerful, with high magic pressure as well.

Unless he fell into being surrounded and attacked by numerous First Circle wizards, or was hunted by a wizard whose magic pressure far exceeded his, otherwise there was almost no danger to his life.

Locke glanced at the direction Stanley fled. According to his usual practice, he would definitely eradicate the roots, but because First Circle permanent defensive fields were really too much like turtle shells, even using three bottles of Minor Viridian Potion to temporarily dispel the curse, because First Circle permanent defensive fields were permanent, as long as the medicinal effect weakened slightly, Stanley's permanent defensive field would automatically recover.

And he himself didn't have any particularly powerful attack magic, which meant that without revealing his trump cards, he fundamentally couldn't kill Stanley.

Considering that Stanley had previously had a small half of his body severed by Witch Sophia, injuring his soul foundation, and now had his lower body severed by himself again, once more injuring his soul foundation, his future path cut off, just recovering from his injuries would take who knows how many years, so Locke didn't pay too much attention.

Locke looked at the Black Chain Sword Bamboo in his hand. At this moment, the Black Chain Sword Bamboo had actually already broken, like a broken sword.

This magical plant could no longer be used, otherwise it would completely die.

After all, it was a magical plant that had followed him for over a year. Locke sighed and placed it into his astral ring, then took out the Jade Iris Lichen.

"Apprentice-level magical plants fundamentally cannot participate in battles between First Circle wizards. Magical plants without wood element crystal cluster cells are really like holding a blade of grass for First Circle wizards, truly too fragile."

"Only First Circle magical plants that are kings among magical plants can withstand the magic pressure of formal wizards."

Locke sensed that the Nibelung Astrology System was once again attempting to establish mental contact with him. Witch Gabriel's voice sounded somewhat nervous. "Locke, you seemed to have just encountered a senior curse master. Are you alright?"

"What is your current condition?"

Locke nodded, "Mm, I'm fine. It's just that formal wizards with permanent defensive fields are really too hard to kill. I let him escape."

Witch Gabriel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "Locke, you just advanced to First Circle wizard. You have far too few spells in your spell pool."

"Moreover, normal battles between First Circle wizards are like this. Everyone has permanent defensive fields, so they're really hard to kill. You being able to defeat a long-established senior curse master is already very excellent."

Senior Advisor Francis suddenly interjected in the Nibelung System, "I observed your battle a bit through the Nibelung System. That magic pressure reaction was Wizard Stanley, right? Although he's just an ordinary wizard, the beast-form vampire count he transformed into is still relatively troublesome. He's killed quite a few of our wizard apprentices on the battlefield."

"Locke, you being able to defeat him shows that you can now hold your own. Time is truly wonderful. The apprentice of yesteryear now stands on equal footing with us."

Senior Advisor Francis said, "Wizard Augustine, as long as you open the defensive system and accomplish great merit for my academy, I promise you that you can have priority to stay and work at the school, even directly giving you a position as Lecturing Wizard."

"Our Lilith's Cottage teaching work has its own advantages. For example, our Lilith's Cottage teaching positions don't have as much pressure as other places, and they're all lifetime tenure systems."

"There are also many benefits. All wizard apprentices in the academy can support you financially, and research conditions can be satisfied as much as possible. As long as you work well, I guarantee that within ten years, I can get you evaluated for a formal wizard mentor teaching position!"

"The evaluation conditions from lecturer to wizard mentor at our Lilith's Cottage Academy aren't that strict. You only need to publish three S-rank articles in the association library. That is, equivalent to super S-rank articles or SS-rank articles on Lilith's Cottage's side."

"It can be said that at Lilith's Cottage, formal wizards all live very comfortably. With conditions like yours, Wizard Augustine, at our Lilith's Cottage, you'll very quickly be absorbed as a core member. Your future development ceiling might even be Senior Advisor!"

Locke was rather speechless. He hadn't expected that even at this time, Advisor Francis would still extend an olive branch to him, wanting to keep him at Lilith's Cottage.

The key was, why would he want such comfort? Formal wizards staying in the southeastern quadrant would indeed have very little pressure, but his ambitions didn't lie there.

Locke quickly used the Large Green Owl Banana to fly to his destination, the underground entrance to Lilith's Cottage's defensive device. "Witch Gabriel, please help me get in first."

"If we delay a bit longer, I'll very likely be noticed by those black wizards."

Witch Gabriel at this moment obviously also believed that restarting Lilith's Cottage's defensive system was more important than persuading Locke to stay at Lilith's Cottage, so she directly ignored Senior Advisor Francis and said to Locke, "Alright, Locke."

"Locke, I'm using Astral Orbit Fortune Tampering to modify your destiny trajectory, so those black wizards temporarily won't notice you. But I can't sustain it for too long."

"Hurry inside."

Before Locke, at the entrance to an underground chamber, the magic lock on the magic alloy door suddenly began to rotate. The magic lock automatically opened.

Locke quickly entered inside and immediately locked the magic lock again from the inside, closing the magic alloy door behind him.

Just shortly after he entered, a green fireball struck this magic door. Obviously, some black wizard had already noticed Locke's actions.