Wizard: Start with Biological Transformation to Grind Experience
Chapter 176 - 015: Transaction

Chapter 176: 015: Transaction

The long swan-like neck raised high, as the surging energy rapidly converged towards the throat, ready to be released through this opening.

However, at this critical moment, a powerful hand abruptly grabbed her, as if tightening the valve of a gushing water pipe, forcibly pushing all that ascending energy back down.

The energy that couldn’t be released quickly turned into Frey’s bitter recompense. The black mist on her face spread throughout her body, and the upheaval of her spiritual power made her tremble uncontrollably, almost to the point of fainting.

"Ah... ah..."

Her mouth was wide open, but the terrifying Banshee’s wail only came out sounding like the quacking of a duck.

"Are you trying to strangle her to death?"

Seeing that Frey was already on the verge of rolling her eyes back from suffocation, Grant, who had been silent all along, finally spoke: "She still has value for me. If you don’t want to make me your enemy, I’d advise you not to do this."

Though his words were spoken lightly, his tone brooked no argument.

Lynch turned his head to glance at him and casually flung Frey away, sending her crashing heavily into a nearby large tree.

Regaining her freedom, Frey quickly stood up. However, she was no longer as aggressive as before. Instead, she appeared incredibly fearful, immediately hiding behind Grant and staring at Lynch with terror in her eyes.

It seemed that Lynch had simply grabbed her neck, but in truth, he had entirely sealed off her magic circuit, leaving her spell frozen within her own body.

Being able to achieve this either required an incredibly detailed understanding of her magic or exceptionally extraordinary strength. Regardless of which it was, Frey knew this was far beyond what she could contend with.

’Damn it, where on earth did this monster come from?!’

At the level of a High-level Apprentice, she had felt this same sense of oppression only from her terrifying classmate Diego, someone she had always regarded as possessing the greatest strength among High-level Apprentices in this world.

Frey didn’t realize that what would shock her even more was yet to come...

"Snap!" Lynch clicked his fingers.

Amid the fluttering pages, a black magic array briefly flashed on the ground, and immediately after, a squat and chubby figure appeared on the ground.

Frey’s expression shifted dramatically: "Barton!!!"

The figure before her was none other than Barton, a fellow Inheritance Apprentice of Wizard Morris!

Frey was deeply shocked: "Who exactly are you?! Why is Barton here with you? Did you do something to him?"

At this moment, Grant seemed to finally recognize Lynch as well. He stared at Lynch in confusion for a while before asking, "Have we met somewhere before?"

"Tsk~"

Lynch clicked his tongue and said, "That’s quite rude of you to ask. You’ve caused me more nightmares than I can remember."

Grant furrowed his brows and thought seriously for a moment but couldn’t recall anything.

He hadn’t opened a Sea of Consciousness yet, and his spiritual power was still at the level of an ordinary person, so it was impossible for him to remember the few fleeting encounters he had with Lynch.

Unable to figure it out after some thought, Grant decided to drop the matter.

He continued, "Name your price. I need you to help me complete the modifications left unfinished on me."

Lynch controlled Barton, who walked over and began swallowing the scattered Forest Beldam corpses on the ground. Ever since he had modified Barton’s Void Beast stomach, Barton had been repurposed as his Space Witchcraft tool. After all, Barton’s stomach now held over a thousand cubic meters of space.

While collecting these precious experimental materials, Lynch didn’t even lift his head as he said, "I want the inheritance on that woman—Wizard Morris’ knowledge of the Spiritual System."

Frey’s expression changed.

Grant didn’t hesitate: "Fine, I agree. When can we begin the trade?"

"Trade?"

Lynch turned his head, surprised, and glanced at him.

"Haha."

He chuckled softly, plunged the Great Sword into the ground, crossed his arms over the sword’s cross-guard, and rested against it: "I think you’re mistaken. What I want from her—the spiritual legacy—is merely the price for her to keep her life."

Grant frowned: "You’ll end up dead."

Lynch stared at him: "Feel free to try."

The two locked eyes, neither speaking further.

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Frey couldn’t help but shiver. Instinctively, she wanted to retreat as far away as possible.

After a while...

Grant finally broke eye contact.

He then said, "I have her soul contract. Let’s use that as the basis for a deal. As long as you help complete the modifications on me, I’ll hand her over to you. Whether you crush her, mold her, or turn her into a dog—it’s entirely up to you."

Frey’s face turned grim.

So that’s why—this was the real reason she was complying so obediently?

A soul contract was an extremely advanced form of witchcraft. It could forcibly bind to the soul of the one it was cast upon. Once signed under duress, the bound individual’s life and death became completely controlled by their master.

Just as Lynch was about to speak, Frey interjected: "I don’t agree with this!"

"We had an agreement! I help you find someone to complete your modifications, and you promised to return my freedom. How dare you break your word?!"

Grant said nonchalantly, "I never said I intended to keep my word."

Frey sneered in ridicule: "If you can’t adhere to even the most basic rules, what’s the point of forcibly achieving Extraordinary Transcendence? Humans should just stay human. The world of wizards is no place for you!"

A shadow of malice crept across Grant’s face.

He didn’t respond further, swiftly chanting a spell.

"Clatter!"

Under Frey’s feet, a pitch-black Hexagram Magic Array suddenly appeared. Chains emerged one after another from the magic array, binding her limbs. Immediately, the figure of a phantom wielding a long whip appeared behind her and viciously lashed out at Frey’s back.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

The thorned whip tore apart Frey’s cloak with a single lash, exposing her pale back. The next lash shredded her white flesh, revealing the bloodied muscle beneath. By the third lash, her very bones were laid bare.

Frey was beaten to her knees, screaming in agony.

"Don’t let there be a next time!"

After delivering the warning, Grant withdrew the power of the contract.

Frey nearly collapsed to the floor, trembling as she tended to the bloodied wounds on her back, glaring at Grant with a feral hatred in her eyes.

Lynch chuckled: "It seems your slave isn’t entirely obedient."

Grant replied, "With time and torment, through patient discipline, she’ll eventually submit completely."

Lynch said, "Sounds tempting."

But after a brief pause, he changed his tone: "Unfortunately, I have no use for that."

Grant’s brows furrowed deeply.

His expression darkened: "So, a confrontation between us is unavoidable?"

Lynch said, "You can’t use something I’ve already acquired as leverage for a transaction. If there’s to be a deal, it must involve something I don’t yet have."

Grant asked, "What do you want?"

Lynch didn’t beat around the bush and directly stated his demand: "I want Wizard Morris’ inheritance in magical techniques."