Chapter 543: Resurrection
At this thought, Leon dared not think any further. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, pointed at the pile of Wraithbird bones not far away, and forced a smile at Reina: "See? I wasn't lying to you. If you want your father to end up like that, just go ahead and crush all my companions. I swear I won't meddle anymore—I'll just leave this place."
Though those were his words, Leon had no intention of leaving. No matter what, he had to retrieve the other two Five-Colored Dragon Crystals.
Besides, there was no point in keeping the Dragon Revival Array running any longer...
Strictly speaking, this wasn't a true Dragon Revival Array. When it was constructed, it didn't follow the steps Leon was familiar with. Some crucial yet nearly impossible details had been replaced with other methods, resulting in an array that lacked forbidden power and could only turn corpses into undead creatures.
After all, a true Dragon Revival Array had never appeared in the Northend World.
"How could this happen, how could this happen..."
Reina snapped awake, as if her soul had left her body, muttering the same words over and over. She clearly couldn't accept this reality. But it was understandable—she had endured endless loneliness and isolation, spending thousands of years in the Crystal Palace without ever leaving.
Though she was bored out of her mind every day, she never once regretted her decision. A little suffering was nothing, as long as she could reunite with her father.
Her father had completely left this world when she had just come of age. To her, he was the most important person in her life...
Yet after thousands of years of persistence, she suddenly realized her efforts had been in vain. In that instant, she felt as if her entire world had collapsed.
"Actually, I do have a way to bring your father back..." Leon stowed away his dagger, floated off Reina's back using Levitation, and landed on the ground. Looking at the dazed Reina, he couldn't help but shake his head silently. Luckily, Reina had a strong mind—anyone with less fortitude would have already broken down after all this.
"What did you say?" Reina, still in a haze, stopped sobbing as soon as she heard Leon's words. Her silvery eyes looked at him anxiously, doubting her own ears and needing confirmation: "Are you serious?"
"Of course. I really do know a way to bring your father back..."
"Can... can you help me?" With Leon's clear answer, Reina instantly grew tense. She wouldn't give up even the slightest chance to see her father again.
"I can..."
"R-really?"
"Yes, I really can help you... But I can't do it yet. Only when I reach Sky Rank will I be able to use this method to resurrect your father. Before that, I need to take the Five-Colored Dragon Cores from the Dragon Revival Array, and honestly, there's no reason to keep the array running anymore." Leon rubbed his nose and gave Reina a bitter smile.
He wasn't lying to Reina—he was confident he could do it, but it would take some time...
After all, resurrecting a Frost Dragon that's been dead for thousands of years is hardly simple. It involves rules that can't be shaken—only forbidden power can accomplish it.
He was absolutely confident that when he became a Sky Rank mage, he would achieve the rank of Saint Alchemist.
For the creators of Northend World, attaining sainthood was an unattainable dream—one that most would never reach in their lifetime...
But for someone from thirty thousand years in the future, like him, becoming a Saint Alchemist wasn't difficult. It just required time and accumulation. After careful calculation, he was certain he could reach sainthood after becoming a Sky Rank mage.
This confidence came from his mastery of alchemical knowledge far beyond this era.
When he reached Saint Alchemist, he still wouldn't be able to construct a true Dragon Revival Array—the requirements were simply too harsh, impossible to fulfill. But he did know a method that could achieve the same effect as the array.
In that age, when magical civilization reached its peak, there was a period of several centuries when the whole Northend World was swept up in research on the Dragon Revival Array. The wisdom of countless brilliant alchemists was gathered to dissect the array, launching massive calculations and analyses.
Undoubtedly, it was a colossal undertaking...
After ten years of research, those alchemists finally made a breakthrough—the core secret of the Dragon Revival Array was an incredible method to recondense dissipated souls. This discovery thrilled them. Though they regretted not being able to construct the array, the ability to recondense souls was its true essence...
Then, alchemists across Northend World launched a sweeping academic campaign to study how to recondense souls.
Recondense souls?
Back then, many voices in Northend World questioned the alchemists, saying they must have had too much time on their hands to waste effort on something so meaningless.
To them, that research truly was pointless...
Because it was simply impossible...
But a century later, the alchemists delivered a resounding slap to their critics, solemnly announcing to all mages in Northend World that they had developed a method to truly condense souls!
In that moment, the entire Northend World was in an uproar—all the mages were talking about it.
In fact, by the time this method was developed, the peak era was already ending. Soon, Northend World underwent drastic changes, and the research that had once driven alchemists mad ended up gathering dust in a vast, decaying library.
Leon, in that vast, decaying library, didn't think much of the book recording those major research results. To him, it was less useful than a Figaro Formula, and he only read it for leisure when bored.
What else could he do? In those circumstances, it could only be considered a leisure read...
The soul condensation method developed by the alchemists was beyond even Worldshapers—only a Saint Alchemist could use it.
After all, condensing and creating souls is an unfathomable feat—strictly speaking, it's the domain of the gods. Mortals can hardly achieve it, unless they reach the height of a Saint Alchemist.
"Sky Rank... Very well, remember your promise." Hearing the young mage's words, Reina was stunned—partly delighted, partly anxious. She knew Sky Rank was a lifetime goal for most, but for this young mage, it seemed only a matter of time...
Her reasoning was sound: the young mage looked no older than twenty, yet was already a Fifth Rank Archmage. And his true power far exceeded his rank—if he hadn't appeared in the previous battle, she wouldn't have been so desperate; she could have dealt with Thorne Merlin and the others in ten minutes...
She'd been shocked at the time—a mage at the Archmage level wielding such terrifying power. If he broke through to Title Archmage, how fearsome would he become?
By then, even as an Eighth Rank Title Archmage herself, she might not be a match for the young mage...
That was why, after hearing his words, she was truly moved. She had endured thousands of years—waiting a few hundred more for the young mage to reach Sky Rank was nothing to her.
"Alright..." Leon nodded gently and said no more. His gaze shifted to Thorne Merlin and the others lying on the ground. He walked over and spent about ten minutes thawing them out. Only after finishing did he turn his attention to the Dragon Revival Array at the center of the palace.
This was his true purpose for coming to the Winterrealm...
Cracking the array was a tedious process. Not until dusk the next day did he finally break it down—the entire array collapsed, its power quickly fading, and he successfully retrieved the two Five-Colored Dragon Cores.
He carefully placed the exquisite Five-Colored Dragon Cores in his pocket, then called everyone together to prepare for their return to the Blazeforge Realm. The group of six strode out of the palace in grand fashion.
Huh...
Just as they left the palace, Leon was surprised to notice there were more than six people—at the very back of the group, a silvery figure followed closely. He instantly recognized her: it was Reina, the Frost Dragon in human form.
"You..."
He turned to look at Reina in confusion. She was staring back at him with a blank expression—her pale face was even more haggard than before.
"What's wrong?" After a moment, Reina finally couldn't help but purse her lips, her expression still cold.
"I want to know why you're leaving here and choosing to follow me..." Leon rubbed his nose helplessly, as if being followed by a beautiful woman was an unfair burden.
In truth, Leon was just genuinely helpless...
With Reina by his side, it was like carrying a ticking time bomb—he had to stay on guard at all times. With his current strength, he was still somewhat wary of Reina.
Of course, maybe he was just overthinking...
"Hmph..." Reina snorted coldly, her gaze icy as she looked at Leon. Her silver eyes showed no emotion. "How do I know you'll keep your word? What if you trick me? I have to follow you until you reach Sky Rank and fulfill your promise—only then will I leave..."