The axe formed from Mister Power collided with the spider legs enhanced by the Blood River Plane. In an instant, Lock experienced a hallucination, seeing what looked like a mountain-sized blood-colored tide crashing down ruthlessly towards him.
Lock was sent flying by this massive force.
Nidhogg's pupils suddenly constricted. Even though the highly compressed Mister Power was no match for the Blood River, which held an overwhelming victory in total power, the axe formed from that extreme compression was like a stone cutting through tofu. It sliced through his Eternal Defense Field and severed one of his spider legs.
Nidhogg gritted his teeth, feeling a massive threat, while extreme malice flickered in his eyes. "This man cannot be allowed to stay in the Six Towers Land, or my Basil Family will never have a day to rise."
"One Great Wizard Sura is already enough."
"I don't want a second Great Wizard Sura to appear."
The Ritual Magic circle behind Nidhogg activated once more, borrowing even more power from the Blood River Plane. His body swelled again, and patterns spread across the surface of his skin.
"Power, Blood River Plane, give me more power!"
A blood-colored defensive shield formed around his body. He closed in, stepping onto a small hilltop and trampling directly toward Lock.
Lock watched Nidhogg move like a shifting mountain peak and was slightly stunned, as the opponent's power had clearly exceeded the First Ring level.
"By borrowing power from other Planes, one can use external force to boost their own power beyond individual limits. Is this what Ritual Magic is?"
The Great Green Leaf Dragon Sparrow wings on Lock's back flapped. He moved rapidly amidst the attacks of the opponent's massive frame, dodging the strikes from the remaining four spider legs.
Lock frowned. He realized that after Nidhogg used the simplified version of Great Magic, he could actually break through his Natural Force Field.
Continuing the fight would be severely disadvantageous for him.
The King of the Dead he had summoned raised its bone sword, attempting to approach Nidhogg. But before it could get close, it was blown over by the magic pressure mixed with the power of the Blood River Plane. In the next moment, it was destroyed by one of the spider legs.
After all, it was only an Archaeology spell at the Gasification Stage.
The Suzerain in Lock's hand limited the level of the archaeological undead he could summon.
Currently, he had only mastered three Archaeology spells: History Pointer, Summoning the Undying King, and Summoning the Tomb King.
The more advanced Archaeology spells in the Witch King Magic Codex were slow to learn due to the level restrictions of the Suzerain.
As for Historical Reproduction, he was learning it rapidly, but he hadn't fully mastered it yet.
Nidhogg spat out strands of poisonous silk that looked like meteors. Relying on his spider intuition, he predicted Lock's movements. Several times, the poisonous silk touched Lock's body and successfully transmitted bloodline toxins, but in the next moment, Lock used Primal Fire and Potionology methods to refine the bloodline toxins into nothingness.
"It's just First Ring level bloodline toxin; I can still handle it. Besides, I've endured so many types of bloodline toxins from the Basil wizard before, and with a large number of his memory fragments, my understanding of Bloodline Studies toxins has greatly improved."
Lock looked at Nidhogg. "There's no other way. He is, after all, a First Ring Crystallized Wizard."
"I can only use that."
The opponent clearly came with ill intent; this matter could not be settled peacefully.
The mark of a Original Rune appeared on Lock's forehead, and a terrifying aura emerged from his body. Simultaneously, his entire heart skipped a beat. In the next moment, when his heart resumed beating, massive natural primal force converged toward him.
Even the nature within the Poisonous Valley seemed to cheer for Lock as he revealed his identity.
Relying on the fierce beast panel to boost his magic pressure, Lock's magic pressure formally crossed 9,000 for the first time, jumping directly to 9,999.
Although the fierce beast panel could double his stats, every single point added after 9,000 represented a world of difference. Furthermore, due to the issue of soul limits, it was impossible for Lock's magic pressure to exceed 10,000.
As long as one hadn't broken the soul limit a second time, no wizard could possibly break through ten thousand magic pressure!
At that moment, Nidhogg's magic pressure and Lock's magic pressure were exactly the same for the first time.
Moreover, Nidhogg felt a massive threat from Lock. A bone-deep fear exploded in his heart in an instant.
Nidhogg was startled and hurriedly used the Viper Pupil power of the Mind School to look at Lock, attempting to intimidate him. However, it was reflected back by Lock's Dragon Might, causing Nidhogg himself to fall into a momentary state of mental distraction.
At the same time, Lock seized the opportunity and poured all his magic pressure into the Natural Force Field, transforming it into an emerald-green spear. That spear instantly severed another of Nidhogg's spider legs, leaving him with only three legs, turning him into a three-legged spider.
Anger and fear intensified simultaneously in Nidhogg's eyes. "Damn it, he can actually still strengthen himself!"
"Potionology, Breeding Science, Botany, Archaeology, Bloodline Studies..."
"He has so many methods, it's impossible to guard against them all." A doubt flashed through Nidhogg's mind. "Where could a Commoner Wizard get so many resources to study? Is he truly a super genius? I have completely offended this man. No, I absolutely cannot let him escape unscathed."
"I have no way back now."
A flash of madness crossed Nidhogg's eyes. "Blood River Plane, lend me more, more! I want even more power!"
In the next moment, a phantom of a blood river appeared in the sky. A stream of blood surged into his soul; the Ritual Magic actually lent him even more power.
"Hahaha..." Nidhogg looked at Lock and said viciously, "Stupid Liquefaction Stage wizard, you will never understand the power of a Crystallized Wizard. There is no limit to the power I can borrow from Ritual Magic."
With the enhancement of a dozen general Bloodline Studies spells and the power of the Blood River, Nidhogg's spider legs swung toward Lock. The massive impact carved a trench into the ground before it even touched the surface.
Lock used Mister Power to meet it head-on. In the next moment, one of Nidhogg's massive spider legs was severed by Mister Power and sent flying, turning Nidhogg into a two-legged spider.
But even with the fierce beast template active, Lock was also sent flying. His Natural Force Field was momentarily shattered, and the weapon compressed from the Eternal Defense Field cracked inch by inch.
Fortunately, he had the undying dragon scale to protect his body, which was why he wasn't killed by that kick just now.
Lock rolled across the ground, the situation before him more dangerous than ever.
This was his first time fighting a wizard a level higher than himself. The opponent's Ritual Magic was indeed powerful. A mediocre wizard who was completely suppressed by him before using Ritual Magic could now fight him to this extent, even after Lock used Mister Power, the fierce beast panel, the undying dragon scale, and Archaeology methods all at once.
Lock used the Great Green Leaf Dragon Sparrow to dodge the poisonous silk spat out by the opponent and looked at Nidhogg. "His power is still increasing? Could it be true what he said, that the Blood River Plane's support for him is limitless?"
"How is that possible?"
"If that's the case, I have one last move." Lock's eyes were resolute. "End my own life within the secret realm to force an exit. Once I'm out, I'll use the White Dragon Ring to summon the power of the White Dragon Tower and fight Nidhogg for authority."
Lock struggled to dodge the opponent's attacks, ready to strike his own heart at any moment, when he suddenly looked at Nidhogg. "No, something is wrong with Nidhogg's condition."
At that moment, Nidhogg was frantically attacking his surroundings, having fallen into a state of frenzy. "This wizard cannot be allowed to live!"
"Cannot be allowed to live! Kill! Kill!"
A towering blood river boiled around him, and Nidhogg's body grew larger and larger, but at the same time, his body began to become transparent.
Nidhogg suddenly snapped awake. "No, the power I borrowed from the distant void through Ritual Magic is too much."
"Oh no, this has exceeded the limit."
"Damn it, the Blood River has locked onto my soul and is demanding payment." His eyes were clear for only a moment before the Blood River continued to pour power into him. His body kept growing until he was like a giant connecting heaven and earth.
His power had clearly transformed from exceeding the First Ring to now approaching the Second Ring. Lock even suspected his current body possessed the strength of the Second Ring.
The problem was that this was entirely the result of the Blood River forcing power into his body.
Consequently, the Blood River began to recall his body and soul, seeking to take back the power it had lent while also claiming his physical form and spirit.
Normally, one would never die within a Wizard Secret Realm.
But at this moment, Nidhogg had broken that restriction. Because he had used Ritual Magic recklessly to borrow mysterious power from the distant void, he was now completely out of control.
Lock didn't know what would happen if Nidhogg's soul was summoned to the Blood River, but looking at the situation, it certainly wouldn't be anything good.
"No!" A sliver of sanity appeared in Nidhogg's eyes again, but it didn't last long. He now fully possessed power equivalent to the Second Ring, having transformed into a titan as vast as the world itself.
He connected heaven and earth.
He stood upon the Poisonous Valley.
A plane gate opened behind Nidhogg, threatening to suck him entirely inside. His body had become semi-illusory, a special phenomenon formed by the principle of the plane from the Blood River Plane pouring into his body.
It certainly wasn't a good thing.
'Nidhogg' suddenly lowered his head and issued an invitation to Lock on a mental level: "Locke Augustine, I have been watching you since you stepped out of the poison pool."
"Sign a contract with me, and I will grant you infinite power. You can borrow limitless strength from me to empower your body and gain infinite self-healing. I can give you a body that will never die and never fail."
"Sign a contract with me..."
Lock looked at the god-like 'Nidhogg' and knew that the person speaking to him was not a wizard of the Basil Family, but a will from the Blood River Plane—perhaps the will of the Plane itself, or something else.
"So this is the truth of Ritual Magic." Lock's expression was grave. "The wizards who invented Ritual Magic were truly bold. This is essentially a loan issued to wizards of the Wizard World by certain special high-level worlds in the distant void where the Plane's will is overly active."
"It's fine if used cautiously normally, but if one's willpower is insufficient and they borrow recklessly, the other party won't mind consuming the wizard who borrowed its power down to the last drop."
"To collect the interest."
Lock's expression shifted slightly. He had no reason to agree, especially after seeing with his own eyes how the other party was about to devour a wizard whole.
'Nidhogg' was still waiting for Lock's response. But perhaps because Lock was only using a bunch of methods to stack his magic pressure to 9,999, and only his Three-Eyed Tiger-Eyed Cat bloodline was at the First Ring Crystallization Stage, he wasn't considered a true Crystallized Wizard.
Therefore, after waiting for a while and seeing no reaction from Lock, 'Nidhogg' stopped waiting and said coldly, "Locke Augustine, the gates of the Blood River Plane will always be open to you."
"In the infinite void, only I am the most generous, promising to lend you infinite power!"
In the next moment, 'Nidhogg' actively walked into the plane gate. Nidhogg made one last struggle; he was, after all, a First Ring Crystallized Wizard with a magic pressure of 9,100.
Faced with the threat of death, he still made a final effort to save himself.
Unfortunately, the Blood River Plane had directly boosted his magic pressure to an exaggerated fifteen thousand, raising his power to the Second Ring level.
This was equivalent to the Blood River Plane and the Wizard World jointly investing in him, but since the Blood River Plane now held the majority of the'shares,' it could pull him directly away from the Wizard Plane.
"No! Help me! Eye Demon Wizard, save me!" Nidhogg was like a drowning man grasping for a straw, flailing his arms and actually calling for help from Lock, the enemy he had intended to kill.
But in the end, he still walked into the plane gate. At the moment he entered, a torrent of magic tide was spat out by the Blood River Plane behind the gate.
"What is this?" A look of doubt appeared in Lock's eyes. "Did the Blood River Plane spit back all the magic power contained within Nidhogg's soul?"
"So, the Blood River Plane only wanted Nidhogg's soul?"
"From the perspective of energy conservation, the Blood River Plane just took back the power it lent to Nidhogg and returned the power that belonged to the Wizard Plane. Thus, only Nidhogg's soul was pulled away."
"The Blood River Plane wants souls? No, it wants high-value souls." Lock realized. "And at least the soul of a First Ring Crystallization Stage wizard."
Lock actively opened the druids ring and summoned a dimensional gate in mid-air to receive the purest magic tide energy decomposed by the Blood River Plane from Nidhogg's Spell Model, magic pressure structure, bloodline power, and True Blood after his death.
This magic tide was very pure. Just gathering it within the druids ring would be of great benefit to the hundred-acre Forest Sanctuary inside, saving him a large sum of money on soil and fertilizer.
Coincidentally, he really had run out of money recently.
To make the Forest Sanctuary reach its adult form, he had spent every last cent in his pocket.
After Nidhogg was sucked into the Blood River Plane, Lock descended from the air. He deactivated the Original Rune and dismissed the Hydra, as the magic pressure within the Hydra was also completely exhausted.
In this battle, he had actually used all his methods and almost met with disaster.
"Is this the power of a First Ring Crystallization Stage wizard?"
"Being one level apart truly makes a world of difference in a fight." Lock felt lucky. "Fortunately, his Ritual Magic went out of control. I suppose that counts as a self-destruct.