Chapter 1216
"I'm not sure what you'll encounter inside, and it isn't certain—everyone faces something different. I can't tell you exactly how far you'll go either; it's unpredictable. Some have wandered for three days without making it through, while the fastest record belongs to Lord Thornton Merlin, who reached the depths of the Ancestral Grounds in just five hours."
You have to make it on your own—no one can help you. That's the rule of the Ancestral Grounds..."
Rico hesitated for a moment, then added another line.
"Also, it's said that when you start the trial, no one can assist you—not even a Sky Rank mage. If outsiders intervene, it could bring even greater danger.
Of course, with Master Leon's strength, you should be able to make it through. The only difference is how long it takes—the shorter the time, the higher the rewards and status, apparently. It's said Lord Thornton Merlin once received guidance from one of the oldest ancestors deep within the Ancestral Grounds."
Leon nodded, then took out a rare magical metal from the Abyss and handed it to Rico.
"Rico, thank you for your guidance. Consider this a token of my appreciation."
Rico stared at the piece of metal in Leon's hand, its surface covered in strange patterns, his eyes nearly bulging out.
"Th-this... this is far too precious, Master Leon..."
Leon smiled, pushed the metal into Rico's arms, then strode into the mist and disappeared from sight.
Rico opened his mouth, but didn't refuse again. He stared at the metal in his hands, unable to hide the joy on his face.
Abyssal Blood Copper... I've searched for eighty years and never heard of it being auctioned anywhere. I can't believe Master Leon just gave me a piece.
The last time I heard someone acquired Abyssal Blood Copper, they traded three low-tier Essence Relics for it—and only succeeded because a Sky Rank mage was involved in the exchange...
With such a large piece of Abyssal Blood Copper, I can upgrade my Essence Relic by a whole tier. I might even use its power to comprehend the laws, and within twenty years, I could break through the barriers of the Ancestral Grounds' depths—maybe even advance to Sky Rank...
Ecstatic, Rico hurried toward the mist, eager to go back and process the Abyssal Blood Copper. He had no idea that inside Leon's demi-plane, refined Abyssal Blood Copper was already piled into a small mountain.
Leon entered the mist. In its deepest part, several figures radiating extraordinary power had gathered together.
In front of them sat a crystal ball the size of a human head, displaying Leon's image inside—completely unaffected by the surrounding mist.
One of them, dressed in a fiery red robe with matching hair, appeared to be a Sky Rank mage in his forties. He watched the crystal ball, a faint smile on his lips.
"This misty spatial rift may be dangerous for those below Sky Rank, but for Leon Merlin, it shouldn't pose much threat. As long as he's careful, he'll make it across safely."
Beside him, another mage in a black-and-red robe stood, his imposing build hardly resembling a typical spellcaster—more like an Orc Sword Saint than anything else. He, too, wore a faint smile.
"That's right. We can't share too much with outsiders, but those youngsters guarding the entrance to the Ancestral Grounds—we've always warned them. This mist is laced with spatial rifts, and even we might not be able to save them if things go wrong."
More importantly, the rules inside shift according to the strength of whoever enters. If we step in, the dangers could instantly wipe out any of the juniors below Sky Rank...
This Leon Merlin, his strength is already comparable to a Sky Rank powerhouse—he just hasn't crossed the threshold into extraordinary force. So, traversing these misty rifts shouldn’t threaten his life; it’s really just a matter of how long it’ll take him.
The red-haired, red-robed mage raised a finger.
"One day. I figure he’ll make it through in about a day."
The burly, orc-like mage shook his head.
"I don’t think so. The misty rift’s rules mostly scale by rank, and he’s only a Ninth-Rank Title Archmage—though his real strength is way beyond that. Still, to get through, he’ll need at least two days. Forty-eight hours, minimum."
Around the crystal ball, four or five Sky Rank mages with noticeably weaker auras than the previous two began sharing their own opinions.
"I think forty-five hours."
"Forty hours should be about right. The reports say his combat strength is impressive."
"I’d guess fifty hours. You know, in the misty rift, brute strength alone doesn’t guarantee a quick passage."
"True. That Ninth-Rank Title Archmage kid who fell in before—what a shame. His power matched a newly advanced Sky Rank, but he still died trapped inside. We couldn’t rescue him in time..."
The red-haired, red-robed mage waved his hand.
"Alright, enough arguing. Leon’s about to face his trial. Who knows what it’ll be? If he gets Mirror Elements, his combat power might let him finish in a day. But if it’s runic transformations, things could get messy."
Labordo, you’re the best with spatial magic—your foundation in space rules is solid. Be ready: if he faces danger he can’t resist, you’ll need to go save him.
It’s rare for our family to have such a gifted young one. We can’t let him die here."
Beside him, a mage who looked to be in his thirties, dressed in a silver robe and lacking any trace of the usual mage’s authority, simply shrugged.
"Alright. I’ve roughly pinpointed his location, but with my strength, even at top speed it’ll take me ten minutes to reach him if something goes wrong. If he can’t hold out for ten minutes, then there’s nothing anyone can do..."
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"Hey, look—there are a dozen Mirror Elements appearing in front of him. Oh, all white Mirror Elements... he’s in big trouble now…"
The red-haired, red-robed mage showed a hint of surprise on his face.
"A dozen white Mirror Elements—that’s equivalent to a dozen Ninth-Rank Title Archmages. Leon’s definitely got a headache coming, but with his power, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. He should be able to wipe those guys out in under an hour…"
"Hey, Labordo, wasn’t your first time crossing the misty rift just like this? Didn’t you run into ten white Mirror Elements and nearly get wiped out?"
Labordo, clad in silver, seemed to recall some unpleasant memories—his face turned a little sour.
"Well, you all know—I’d just broken into Sky Rank back then, hadn’t mastered any real spatial mage combat techniques yet. So, that mess was just a fluke… nothing more."
While the mages speculated, Leon suddenly opened his eyes. Magical waves surged, a shield of runic script flared to life, and he drew his Dragon Staff.
A second later, ripples appeared in the space ahead, and suddenly, as if swapped out, a cluster of crystal-clear statues—like transparent crystal—materialized before Leon.
As Leon laid eyes on those crystal statues, his Dragon Staff blazed with piercing light. Blue Explosive Flame spells, trailing sapphire tails, crashed down in a wild barrage.
The instant the crystal statues sensed Leon, their surfaces began to glow with rainbow light, rapidly shifting and almost coming alive.
In less than a second, several crystal statues transformed into figures identical to Leon—except their bodies seemed ghostly and transparent…
But in less than a second, as if perfectly timed, every crystal statue was struck by six enhanced Explosive Flame spells…
Six enhanced Explosive Flame spells—each packed with the fiercest blast—encircled the statues, detonating from six directions at once.
In an instant, a thunderous explosion rang out, crystal shards bursting skyward. Then, those shards reformed in midair, turned transparent again, and vanished without a trace…
"Mirror Elements, huh? Looks like this is where two spaces have merged…"
Leon kept moving, his pace steady and unhurried. After walking a dozen meters, he suddenly stopped again.
The flames behind him hadn’t faded yet…
Meanwhile, the Sky Rank mages gathered around the crystal ball fell silent, their eyes wide with shock…
"Blakeman, did I just see what I think I saw? One second—a one-second fight, and it’s over? My gods…"
The red-haired, red-robed mage looked genuinely amazed.
The black-robed mage had just said Leon was in for trouble, but before the words even landed, Leon had already finished the fight. All he could do was give a wry smile…
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"Redman, Leon’s reaction speed is incredible. You know, those white Mirror Elements need a full second to complete their transformation once they lock onto a target…
Any one of us here could launch an attack within that second and wipe out those fools as soon as the white Mirror Elements appear…
Redman didn’t reply, just gave an irrepressible grin. These are real Sky Rank mages, after all—even the weakest among them have been at first rank for ages and could advance to second rank anytime…
Even the strongest among these white Mirror Elements can only match a Ninth-Rank Title Archmage. They’re basically just a bunch of weaklings waiting to be slaughtered—no comparison at all…
For now, everyone just watched in silence.
Leon stood motionless for three minutes before finally taking another step. As he moved, the blue flames burning behind him vanished instantly.
This is a crossing point between two moving spaces; the one he just fought in has already drifted off somewhere unknown.
Looking around, there’s nothing out of place—just mist everywhere, with visibility limited to a dozen meters.
After entering this space, Leon kept moving at a steady pace, crossing more than fifty meters and passing through three nearly undetectable moving spaces before abruptly changing direction—heading left.
After crossing into another space, Leon waited thirty-six seconds, then doubled back a dozen meters, entering yet another space.
The mages observing through the crystal ball stayed silent, watching Leon’s actions. Only after three minutes did Redman finally speak up.
"I’ve heard Leon Merlin is a craftsman, especially skilled in alchemical potions and arrays. Seems he’s got a real knack for magical devices and forging, too…"
Blakeman opened his mouth, finally showing a look of sudden realization.
"Damn, are you saying this kid has already unraveled the spatial maze of the misty rift? No way—it’s only been twenty minutes! Five hundred years ago, we had to pay a huge price just to invite a spatial maze specialist, and even he barely managed to break through after more than ten days… And Leon says this place is chaos, ever-changing, with no fixed safe path at all…"
But watching the crystal ball, Leon kept moving—sometimes advancing, sometimes retreating, even doubling back after a few dozen seconds…
The mages all clammed up, even though most knew a bit about alchemy. But true mastery takes decades, and none of them are actual craftsmen. Even their best skills are just a small part of the craft—like brewing a single type of potion…
Everything before them was a bit shocking, but nobody dared draw any conclusions now…
"Labordo, get ready—damn, why are five black Mirror Elements showing up!?"
Redman suddenly cried out, pointing at the crystal ball. The magical waves seemed to explode outward, the powerful aura almost igniting the air.
Labordo stared at the crystal ball as five black crystal statues appeared, only to vanish instantly…
Blakeman furrowed his brow.
"Damn, five black Mirror Elements at once? Each one can unleash Sky Rank power—this is a headache. I don’t know if Leon can last ten minutes…"
"Who was keeping track of Mirror Elements in the misty rift before? Damn, how can five black Mirror Elements show up at once?"
"Alright, enough chatter. Let’s hope Labordo can reach him quickly. Seriously, we just catalogued Mirror Elements in the misty rift last year—never saw five black ones appear at once. What’s going on here?"
"Leon’s luck is something else. I remember the worst I ever had was running into two black Mirror Elements at the same time…"