At the entrance to the ruins, figures were scattered chaotically across the shallows.
Survivors from the various factions sat or stood, their faces etched with lingering shock and confusion. Their long robes were torn and stained with blood.
The seawater lapped against the reefs, and a salty, damp wind carrying the stench of blood drifted slowly through the crowd.
Ian landed in the shadows at the edge of the shallows, his gray Long Robe stained with water, looking no different from the other disheveled Wizards.
He slowly straightened up, his calm gaze sweeping across the area.
"Ian!"
Herman’s shout came from the left.
The Crystalized Wizard’s gray robes were tattered, and a makeshift bandage was wrapped around his chest. His face was pale, but held a look of relief.
Two men followed behind him, both Liquidation Wizards from Shadow Moon Tower. One had an arm seeping blood; the other wore a black cloth over his left eye.
"You... I knew you’d be okay!"
Herman stopped three steps in front of Ian and sized him up, his voice filled with an irrepressible exhaustion and surprise.
"I got lucky."
Ian nodded, his voice calm.
On his shoulder, Gaga had its neck retracted, hiding in the shadow of his hood. Only its small eyes were visible, vigilantly scanning its surroundings.
Seeing only two people behind Herman, he asked, "The others..."
Herman didn’t answer, just gave a bitter smile, his gaunt fingers tightening around his Magic Staff.
"Eight of us entered the ruins. The number who made it out alive... including you, is only four."
He paused, then lowered his voice.
"At the end... did you see anything?"
Before he could finish speaking, not far away in the Silver Ring’s contingent, a white-robed Level Two Wizard didn’t even turn his head, but the Holy Light around him fluctuated faintly, as if he were probing for something.
Farther away, the two remaining Level Two Wizards from Immortal Heart were gathered together, their expressions as dark as water, conversing in low voices.
Occasionally, they would glance up at the entrance to the ruins, killing intent surging in their eyes.
They hadn’t found Gunnar.
Ian’s expression remained unchanged as his calm, dark eyes met Herman’s.
"I was teleported to a shattered platform. I hid from three waves of shadow mutants, and just as I found a way out... I was forcibly teleported away."
His tone was flat, with no discernible flaws.
Herman stared at him for two seconds before finally nodding slowly.
"Good... It’s good that you’re out."
He turned to the other two from Shadow Moon Tower.
"Prepare to head back. We shouldn’t linger here."
The crowd was packed in front of the Teleportation Array.
The various factions, their moods a mix of sorrow and joy, began to depart one after another. The atmosphere was as oppressive and silent as the calm before a storm.
The two Level Two Wizards from Immortal Heart blocked the entrance to the Teleportation Array, their crimson eyes sweeping over everyone like searchlights.
"Everyone who came out of the ruins, register!"
His words were aimed at every faction except the Silver Ring and the Embrace of Nature.
The bald, burly man who spoke had a coarse voice and held a dark red Crystal Stone in his hand.
A bloody light swirled across the Crystal Stone’s surface; it could detect residual traces of Gunnar’s Witchcraft.
An uproar went through the crowd, but it was suppressed by the Spiritual Power of the two Level Two Crystalized Wizards, and everyone fell silent.
The line moved forward slowly.
When it was Shadow Moon Tower’s turn, the bald, burly man narrowed his eyes, his gaze locking onto Ian.
"You... what’s your name?"
"Ian Marcus."
Ian answered calmly, his gray Long Robe fluttering slightly in the port’s sea breeze.
"Did you see any of our people in the ruins?"
"I did."
Ian nodded, his dark eyes showing no ripple of emotion.
"At the entrance to the third level, I saw a three-meter-tall burly man. His aura was very strong."
The bald man stared intently at him as the bloody light from the Crystal Stone in his hand flared, bringing it within three inches of Ian’s chest.
The Crystal Stone showed no reaction.
Ian’s expression didn’t change. He even frowned slightly, as if confused by the other man’s rudeness.
Beneath his skin, the Jade-like Radiance had already been completely concealed.
In his Sea of Spirit, the pale gold Crystal Core was covered by a layer of camouflage enhanced by the Star Spirit Blessing, perfectly simulating the fluctuations of a Level One Peak Liquefaction.
Even Gaga was shrunk back into the shadows, the glow in the depths of its heterochromatic eyes as still as stagnant water.
The bald man snorted coldly and withdrew the Crystal Stone.
"Go on through."
Ian gave a slight nod and walked steadily toward the Teleportation Array.
Behind him, Herman secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The light of the teleportation faded.
「Longgu Port, Shadow Moon Tower Teleportation Hall」
Ian stepped out of the Teleportation Array and took a deep breath.
The tension that had gripped him for nearly three months finally began to ease slightly.
"Let’s return to our quarters and rest first."
Herman’s voice was weary.
"The Shadow Moon needs emergency repairs. The wing plates and secondary power core that were damaged last time need to be replaced. It will be at least half a month before we can set off to return to the High Tower."
Ian nodded without saying anything more.
He turned and walked toward the residential area.
Gaga emerged from the hood, rubbing its small head against his cheek.
"We finally left the ruins... I’m so tired, gaga."
"Mm."
Ian rubbed its small head, the soft, warm sensation transmitting through his fingertips.
"I’ll grill some fish for you when we get back."
"Really, gaga?!"
The little creature’s eyes instantly lit up, and its feathers even puffed out slightly.
"I want three! No, five!"
"Alright."
He found a random inn to stay in.
Ian set up simple soundproofing and warning Runes inside the room, then sat down cross-legged.
Deep within his pupils, a faint golden starlight flashed and disappeared.
He raised his right hand, fingers splayed.
Above his palm, a black dot the size of a Rice Grain appeared silently.
There were no fluctuations in Gravity, no spatial distortions.
Its entire aura was perfectly contained, making it look like a real black pebble.
With just a thought, this "pebble" could instantly erupt, grinding everything within a two-hundred-meter radius to dust.
The Level Two Talent Witchcraft, [Gravity Collapse Ball].
Its power was at least ten times stronger than when it was at Level One.
’Star Spirit Blessing... Seed of the Stars...’
He muttered to himself, the dim firelight reflected in his dark eyes.
In his Sea of Spirit, the pale gold Crystal Core was slowly rotating.
With every rotation, minute amounts of Star Energy seeped in from the Void, tempering his spirit and nourishing his Soul.
This was the "Star Resonance" characteristic that came with the second layer of the "Starry Sky Festival".
From now on, his Cultivation speed would far surpass others at the same level.
More importantly...
Ian focused his thoughts.
Across the surface of his skin, the Jade-like Radiance flowed like water.
Deep within the radiance, silvery-white star patterns faintly appeared, like constellations in the night sky.
During the breakthrough, the [Furnace Body Tempering Skill] had been suffused with the Star Rule, evolving a new characteristic.
Star Tempering Body.
It could not only absorb Life Energy from Blood Essence but also draw in stellar radiation from the starry sky, tempering the physical body from two sources.
Now, his physical strength... was enough to withstand a direct hit from an ordinary Level Two Witchcraft.
’It’s not enough.’
Ian slowly clenched his fist, his knuckles letting out a soft crackle.
He recalled the giant hand that had reached out from the fissure in the sky back in the ruins.
It had blotted out the heavens, crushed the altar, and brought Annihilation to the entire Star Spirit Race.
That was a casual strike from an existence at least at Level Five, or perhaps even Level Six.
’Power... I need more.’
He muttered to himself, a cold resolve flashing in his eyes.
On his shoulder, Gaga tilted its little head, its heterochromatic eyes filled with confusion.
"Ian, what are you thinking about, gaga? Your expression is scary."
"I was thinking..."
Ian rubbed its small head, the corner of his mouth curving into a very faint smile.
"About whether I should make your next grilled fish spicy."
"Gaga?! No way, no way! The last time it was spicy, my feathers were puffed up for three days!"
The little creature shook its head frantically, flapping its wings in protest.
A very faint laugh echoed in the room.
...
Half a month later, the repaired "Shadow Moon" cut through the waves, embarking on the long voyage back to the Anoroya Continent.
The secondary power core at the stern was still cracked, making its speed slower than on the journey over.
Ian stood on the deck, watching Longgu Port and the Broken Islands shrink in the distance behind them. The salty, fishy sea breeze rushed to meet him.
He needed time to digest everything he had gained from the ruins and consider his next steps.
Herman came to his side, let out a slow breath, and turned to look at Ian.
A complicated expression appeared on his gaunt face.
"Ian..."
He lowered his voice.
"Try to keep a low profile after we get back."
"Immortal Heart lost Gunnar, the Silver Ring also suffered heavy losses, and the other factions were hit hard, too... They won’t let this go."
"I understand."
Ian nodded, his dark eyes calm and placid.
He turned and left the deck, his gray Long Robe trailing a long shadow behind him.
After the Shadow Moon was repaired, all of its Defense Arrays were activated.
Thanks to Herman’s extensive experience, they passed through the "Storm Corridor" with some scares but no real danger.
A month later, they could faintly see the Wizard Tower soaring into the clouds.
"Gah! We’re finally home! Without me to look after them, I wonder if Lucy and the others have been going hungry?"
On his shoulder, Gaga was huddled in the hood, a trace of emotion surprisingly showing in its small eyes.
"I left enough Blood Essence by the small tree. They won’t go hungry."
After disembarking, Ian immediately left on his own, flying toward the High Tower with Gaga.
He returned to his residence and shut the heavy stone door.
Only then did Ian slowly let out a turbid breath.
Deep in his eyes, the faint golden starlight slowly faded.
He first took stock of his most important gains:
In his Sea of Spirit, the pale gold Crystal Core was slowly rotating.
This was the greatest reward from his trip to the ruins: the [Seed of the Stars].
A Rule Fragment comprehended by a Level Four Wizard!
It was not only a powerful auxiliary Witchcraft Tool but also carried a portion of the Star Spirit Race’s knowledge Inheritance, making its value inestimable.
Next was the Star Marrow, a viscous liquid that emanated pure starlight and was a specialty product of the Star Spirit Race ruins.
It was an extremely precious resource for his Starry Sky Festival and for crafting certain Potions.
There were also other spoils of war, taken from Bazaar and Selas.
He inspected them carefully, completely destroying any items with tracking marks or those that might expose his identity with [Frost Ash Beam].
The remaining materials, Magic Stones, and a few unmarked Witchcraft Tools of decent quality were sorted and stored away.
After organizing his items, he walked to the entrance of the basement and pressed his fingertips against the rock wall.
A Rune lit up, and a section of the floor slid open silently, revealing a downward staircase.
Ian descended step by step.
His footsteps echoed on the narrow stairs, like a drumbeat on the gate to another world.
Fifty meters down, the Abyssal Altar stood silently.
In mid-air, twenty-eight Void Anchor Stones floated, and a three-meter-wide vortex of darkness rotated slowly.
He walked to the front of the altar and stopped.
He slowly raised his right hand and pressed his palm against the altar’s edge.
It was cold and rough, its uneven surface a testament to the Erosion of Time.
Then, he closed his eyes.
In his Sea of Spirit, the Crystal Core suddenly flared with light!
A pale golden radiance seeped through his skin, flowing out into the dim basement.
And the vortex in the center of the altar began to boil violently.
It was as if it had scented a kindred aura.
"It’s time to go back and take a look..."
Ian muttered to himself.
"Yalan Continent... It’s been six years already."