Chapter 1374
The most suitable runes to fuse into the Arcane Wheel are these foundational Law Sigils—like the roots of a tree. Only with a strong foundation can one continue to grow stronger; this is the most important reason for enduring power.
Half an hour later, the mana around Leon was so dense it almost became tangible. The Mana Mist grew thick and sticky; here, a single breath could restore all expended magical energy.
The alchemical arrays laid throughout the castle had been pushed to their limits, locking every ripple of power inside. Yet within the Natural Semi-Plane, the winds were already rising. At the summit of Sky Pillar, mana gathered into thunderclouds—rolling black clouds formed a colossal vortex, spinning atop the peak. At the vortex’s center, a multicolored pillar of light crashed down onto Sky Pillar.
Terrifying mana rampaged across the entire demi-plane. The vast reserves stored within the Natural Semi-Plane began to drain rapidly. The water level of the Mana Lake kept dropping. Facing this frenzied consumption, the Arcanavine Forest—now grown into a dense woodland—was abruptly roused from its slumber. One by one, arcanavines shot up from the ground, their emerald bodies snaking into the void and vanishing, writhing like giant serpents.
Mana in the void was greedily dragged into the demi-plane by the arcanavines, then purified and transformed into the purest magical energy. Thick streams of mana gathered at the tops of the vines, merging halfway into roaring waterfalls that crashed down into the Mana Lake, replenishing its dwindling reserves.
The entire demi-plane trembled. Every creature inside—whether forced laborers or others—hid in terror, shivering. An extraordinary Mythic Artifact was being born. Even the plane’s origin was stirred. Such power rarely appeared except when a plane was on the verge of collapse.
And when a plane collapses—even a small one—the destructive force unleashed is enough to make even those who can destroy worlds with a gesture steer clear.
Everything Leon had done before was now showing its worth. He spared no expense, fusing vast amounts of Eternal Dark Gold into the plane’s development, greatly increasing its strength. He also opened a demi-plane and merged it directly into the heart of the Natural Semi-Plane, forming Sky Pillar at its center, then inscribed the Runes of Truth—ten thousand and eighty in total—into Sky Pillar.
Even though more than ninety percent of those Runes of Truth remain uncomprehended, their power alone is enough to make Sky Pillar the most stable place in the Natural Semi-Plane, suppressing the plane’s origin and holding the entire realm together, making it unshakeable.
All of this had driven the Natural Semi-Plane’s development to a truly terrifying level. Its evolution focused on essence, not size. Even now, with its very origin being drawn upon, the impact on the plane itself was minimal.
Countless streams of mana surged in. At the heart of Sky Pillar, a sphere of light pulsed and expanded, a terrifying aura rising exponentially—as if a god or demon were about to awaken there.
The enormous vortex in the sky spun faster and faster, with ever more mana pouring from the thick multicolored pillar of light into the center of Sky Pillar.
Outside the Natural Semi-Plane, the space around the castle was already warping. Even the power of the Tiered Alchemy Array could no longer fully block the fluctuations inside. The castle’s interior was distorted, and the mountain of Mana Crystals from before was almost depleted. As the crystals shattered, their released mana was devoured in an instant.
Leon watched the shadow of the Natural Semi-Plane with a grave expression. With a wave, he drew out another hundred thousand cut Mana Crystals and cast them in. Each crystal dissolved rapidly—faster than before.
Despite the ferocious rate of mana consumption, Leon’s tense face relaxed a little. The more mana devoured, the smoother the process—once the new Arcane Wheel was born, its power would be even greater.
Time slipped by. Within the Natural Semi-Plane, mana was nearly boiling, and its origin was being drawn forth. If not for Sky Pillar’s suppression, the plane’s origin might have been damaged by now.
External fluctuations had diminished greatly, but the Alchemy Array still couldn’t fully block them. From outside the castle, space seemed utterly warped—a faint, terrifying pulse radiated outward from the center. The patrol Alchemical Golems all turned to glance back at the castle.
In Pabette’s crystal eyes, light flickered frequently. He turned to look at the castle, now so warped it was unrecognizable, and decisively ordered all Alchemical Golems to expand their patrol radius.
A swarm of Alchemical Golems began expanding their patrols outward from the castle, covering a range of twenty to thirty kilometers.