The approaching figure was a tall and robust man.
His skin was pale, his head bald, and his eyes were sinister. On both sides of his cheeks were three knife-like gashes. He was draped in a black Wizard Robe with woolen edges, cutting through the thick fog like a menacing night owl on the hunt.
At the peak of a third-level wizard's strength, nine Mental Power Crystals shone brilliantly in Ronan's perception.
The bald man in the black robe exuded a strong aura of darkness and necromancy. He halted his flight hundreds of meters away from Ronan, immediately spotting the girl's corpse on the ground. His gaze then fell on Ronan as he spoke coldly, "Did you kill this wench?
Where's the ring?"
Ronan calmly opened his palm, and a silver linked ring slowly floated up from his hand.
"This one?"
The bald man in the black robe didn't speak, but the cold glint in his eyes answered everything.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, with a sense of impending violence building up, reaching a critical point.
Suddenly!
A flash of silver shot out from Ronan's hand. The bald man in the black robe instinctively moved, catching the silver streak that had been aimed at his face. When he saw the silver linked ring in his hand, he was momentarily stunned.
"Here's your ring."
From a distance, Ronan's calm voice echoed, "But I need a map."
The bald man in the black robe looked down at the linked ring in his hand, then glanced up at Ronan in the distance, a faint trace of confusion flickering in his eyes.
Clearly, the situation had taken a turn he hadn't anticipated.
He had been prepared for a fierce battle, but he never expected that this handsome young man, who exuded an aura of immense threat, would so easily hand over the item.
The bald man in the black robe remained silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "How did you know this ring was mine?"
"That doesn't sound like something a third-level wizard would say."
Ronan shook his head, pulling out a brand-new Wizard Robe from his space ring and slowly draping it over himself.
"The linked ring has your residual aura on it, quite strong. It seems you've been keeping it close to you..."
"You know this is a linked ring?"
The bald man in the black robe's expression shifted, his eyes flickering as he pulled out a pentagram-shaped rune stone from his robe's sleeve and tossed it toward Ronan. Then, glancing at the girl's corpse on the ground between them, he spoke coldly, "This wench spent three whole years gaining my trust. Somehow, she got her hands on a potion that knocked me out briefly... She took many of my things, and before leaving, she dismembered a pet I'd raised for years."
As Ronan listened to the bald man's words, he examined the rune stone the man had thrown, confirming it was indeed the map he needed.
Alazan's discouraging words hadn't completely extinguished Ronan's interest in the linked ring, which supposedly held the secret to a legendary silver-eared goblin's private treasure trove. But for now, Ronan was more interested in finding a "local" wizard to learn more about the surrounding area.
"You don't want the wench's body, do you?"
After a long tirade of curses, the bald man in the black robe pointed at the girl's corpse on the ground and asked Ronan.
"If you're interested, go ahead."
The bald man in the black robe nodded, collected the corpse, likely still thinking of using some method to "vent his anger on the corpse" after returning.
The air was still tinged with the remnants of a storm. Even with the wide Wizard Robe shielding him, Ronan's casual movements often exuded the coldness and authority bestowed upon him by his "lineage" as a storm weaver.
The bald man in the black robe always harbored a strong sense of wariness toward him, but Ronan's proactive goodwill had significantly bridged the distance between them.
"Did you come from elsewhere?"
The bald man in the black robe hesitated slightly before slowly introducing himself, "Jason Franklin."
"Ronan Damien."
Ronan performed a simple, common wizard's greeting and said indifferently, "I just arrived from the Life Empire."
"That's quite a distance from here..."
The bald man in the black robe frowned and quickly added, "Let's go. We'll find a better place to sit and talk. The environment here is too poor."
"Agreed."
The bald wizard Jason turned and led the way, with Ronan following closely behind. The two of them flew swiftly toward the outskirts of the swamp.
In the afternoon, two robed figures walked along a long, gravel-paved street.
They arrived at the entrance of a small tavern. The leading robed figure stopped, extended a pale hand with dark blue veins visible, and gently stroked the head of a shivering gray-haired dog before pushing the door open and entering.
"I didn't expect you to be fond of animals."
At an oak round table in the corner of the tavern, Ronan removed his hood and looked at the bald head of Jason in the black robe, as well as the six terrifying scars on his face, speaking with some surprise.
He could sense that beneath Jason's sinister and fierce exterior as a black-robed wizard, there seemed to lie an unusually gentle and soft heart.
This stark contrast intrigued Ronan. No wonder Jason, a peak third-level wizard, had fallen for the tricks of that inherently evil girl. If it had been any other black-robed wizard, her soul would have long been extracted and used as a lamp countless times.
"I prefer living and vibrant plants, actually. I used to be a plant-based wizard before switching to dark magic."
"Why the change?"
Ronan asked casually.
"Revenge."
Jason's expression remained calm as he said, "My entire family was wiped out, their souls taken. The only survivor, my nephew, hid inside a cat, but due to my negligence, he was dismembered."
Ronan was taken aback and spoke with a hint of guilt, "I'm sorry."
"It's nothing. It happened a long time ago, and that cat will soon die of old age."
Jason shook his head and then skillfully called out to the bartender, "Two 'Debtors,' please."
Ronan surveyed the small tavern. It was entirely crafted from red oak, with the wall behind the bar adorned with various styles of wizard hats. In the dimly lit corner to the west, two figures in gray robes whispered to each other, seemingly engaged in some clandestine transaction.
Wizards of all levels—first, second, and even third—were scattered throughout the tavern, most looking somewhat travel-worn.
"This is White Pine Town."
The bald Jason spoke to Ronan, though Ronan had already noticed this when he saw the tavern's sign upon entering. In the lies spun by the inherently evil girl, White Pine Town had been "massacred" by Jason.
"White Pine Town."
Ronan took out the map of the central continent that Jason had exchanged with him and found that their current location was on the western side of the Life Court, but it was not part of the Life Court's imperial territory. If they continued westward, they would be close to the Pendulum of Fate, one of the three major wizard empires in the central region.
"Where is your destination?" Jason asked Ronan.
Ronan shook his head, "I haven't decided yet. My plan is to find a sufficiently powerful faction to settle down and prepare for my ascension to Dawn..."
"Same as me," Jason thought for a moment and said, "I'm about to head to the Pendulum of Fate and try to join the Heart of Darkness. If you don't have a better plan, why not travel with me from here on out?"
"The Heart of Darkness," Jason continued, "is a powerful black-robed organization that specializes in training wizards of the dark and necromantic schools. It's one of the two super-large wizard factions in the Pendulum of Fate. Thanks, just put it here."
Jason called over the bartender to place the drinks on the table and then pushed one of the glasses towards Ronan.
"Try it, it's one of the specialties here. It will give you an unparalleled experience."
The surface of the crimson, blood-like liquid was covered with a dense layer of insects, like ants, and they were still alive.
After some hesitation, Ronan took a small sip, biting down on a few of the live insects, producing a "crunch" sound. A slight bitterness spread in his mouth, combined with the flavor of the alcohol itself, creating an indescribably strange taste.
Jason, on the other hand, took a big gulp. Ronan even saw a few black ants crawl out from the cut on Jason's cheek, only to be casually pushed back in with his finger.
"Can you tell me more about the Pendulum of Fate?" Ronan put down his glass and asked calmly.
"The Pendulum of Fate is different from the other two major empires in the central region," Jason said, slowly stirring the drink with a fingernail, creating a vortex. He watched as the black ants were swallowed by the vortex and then spat out at the edge of the glass.
"The most revered person in the Pendulum of Fate is the Prophet. Even each king is appointed by the Prophet."
"The Prophet... a divination wizard?" Ronan's eyes flickered.
"Yes, the Pendulum of Fate has the most powerful divination spell lineage in the entire Upper Ring Continent. The Prophet guides the direction of the entire empire..."
"What about the two super-large wizard factions? What are they like?"
"Besides the Heart of Darkness that I just mentioned, the other one in the Pendulum of Fate is called—Spirit Lake," Jason said, dipping his finger into the drink and sketching a simple diagram of the three factions on the oak table. "The Prophet holds a transcendent position, while the Heart of Darkness and Spirit Lake stand in opposition to each other, coexisting without conflict. These three form the skeleton of the entire Pendulum of Fate empire. As for the other large and small wizard factions, they are the flesh and blood that fill it out."
"I think Spirit Lake would be a good choice for you," Jason looked up at Ronan and said seriously, "Spirit Lake has inherited many spell schools, almost all of which are extremely powerful. If I'm not mistaken, you mainly practice wind and lightning spells, right? You can find a suitable path to climb higher in Spirit Lake."
Ronan did not deny Jason's mistaken assumption and quietly pondered what Jason had just said.
The Life Empire was definitely out of the question. The Elemental Ring held significant power there, and the fifth-level wizard Fuminge coveted the Herams inheritance he possessed. If they found out he was still alive, they would never let him go.
Moreover, Fuminge was not the only wizard who coveted the Herams inheritance. Many in the Life Empire likely knew he had obtained it, so he had already planned to change his name and relocate to continue his cultivation.
Among the three great empires, the Tangista Wizard Empire was located at the northernmost part of the central continent, though he had no idea how far it was from his current location. The Pendulum of Fate was nearby, and the Spirit Lake was an even more powerful super-large wizard organization than the Elemental Ring. He estimated that the ice magic inheritance he needed for his future cultivation could also be found at the Spirit Lake. After weighing all aspects, it indeed seemed like an excellent choice.
"I'll think about it," Ronan replied slowly.
"You can come with me first and consider it along the way," Jason said indifferently. "It's not easy to join a super-large wizard organization. They have high requirements for a wizard's talents and qualities in all aspects. I'm going to the Heart of Wizards Hall just to try my luck. Of course, if I can't get in, I can always choose to join a slightly lesser organization. Both of us are at the third level, on the verge of breaking through to the fourth. Generally, large organizations would still be easy to join."
It was clear that Jason had done a lot of research on this, considering all possibilities. He had a meticulous mind that didn't match his outward appearance.
Ronan nodded and said nothing more.
The two silently drank their respective beverages. After finishing a cup of "Creditor," Jason ordered another drink called "Incantation."
The atmosphere of wizardry in the central continent was far more intense than in the south. Even in a remote border town like White Pine Town, one could order these wizardly wines derived from potion-making.
After three drinks, Jason's pale complexion began to take on a pinkish hue, and the cold, dark aura of a necromancer that surrounded him was diluted.
Suddenly, he took out the linked ring Ronan had returned to him earlier and said in a low voice, "Damien, I don't know if that's your real name. Although this is our first meeting, the fact that you returned this linked ring to me without hesitation proves you're someone worth befriending. Few wizards know the secret of the linked ring. I've consulted many ancient texts to find some clues. Once I discover the true location of the treasure hidden behind this ring, I'll invite you to join me."
After saying this, Jason took out a communication device shaped like a black bat and tossed it in front of Ronan.
Ronan was caught off guard by Jason's sudden "heartfelt confession." He picked up the bat-shaped device from the table, remained silent for a while, and then abruptly asked, "Do you have few friends?"
Jason shook his head. "I don't have any friends."
By the time Ronan looked up, Jason across from him had already slumped on the table, emitting soft snores.
'What a strange yet interesting person,' Ronan thought to himself as he picked up the unfinished "Creditor" on the table and took a small sip.
"Once we cross that mountain ahead, we'll officially enter the territory of the Pendulum of Fate Empire," one of the two robed figures said as they swiftly flew a hundred meters above the ground under a gloomy sky that seemed ready to rain at any moment.
A flock of black crows flew past Jason's feet, and he turned back, shouting at Ronan.
Ronan followed the direction Jason pointed and saw a faint blue glow emanating from behind a low hill covered with fruit pines.
When they flew over the hill, Ronan finally saw, not far ahead, a winding, glowing "blue river" that divided the gray land into eastern and western parts.
It wasn't a real river, but a special breed of Spell fungi that glowed in slightly dim environments, spreading out like a carpet, resembling an endless blue river from a distance.
"Is this the border of the Empire of Fate?"
Ronan gazed at the magnificent and beautiful glowing fungal river, feeling somewhat impacted, and couldn't help but take out the Myriad Treasure Orb to capture the scene.
"Yes!"
Jason stood beside him, replying loudly. After leaving White Pine Town, they had traveled day and night for nearly half a month, and now they were finally about to enter the territory of the Empire of Fate. His spirits were exceptionally high.
"Everything is guided by fate, including our meeting! Haha."
Jason laughed and shouted. Apart from his appearance, it was hard to associate anything about him with the notoriously cold and evil group of black-robed wizards.
In fact, he was quite a chatterbox. During their journey together, at least ninety percent of their conversations were dominated by Jason's incessant talking.
Although Ronan wasn't as excited as Jason, his heart was also stirred.
The golden ladybug transformed from Alazan's soul crawled around in his consciousness space, but all Ronan could see was the new and unfamiliar future he was about to face.
He landed at the edge of the blue fungal river, choosing to walk across this special boundary.
Upon closer inspection, the Spell fungi resembled beautiful velvet flowers. Every few seconds, the fine fungal tubes would spray out glowing fluorescent powder, dyeing a small patch of air into a dreamy and hazy blue.
With an inexplicable feeling, Ronan took a gentle step forward.
However, the moment he crossed the fungal river, an ancient and prolonged bell sound suddenly rang in his ears.
"Dong—"
"Dong—"
Like the deep and melodious sound of a brass pendulum swinging in an old-fashioned clock at midnight.
It traversed the long corridor of time, piercing Ronan's soul in an instant.
Ronan remained silent, immersed in this strange and mysterious bell sound, his footsteps halting.
Only when the bell sound faded, the immense sense of tranquility that enveloped him receded like a tide.
Jason looked at him in confusion, "What's wrong? Why did you stop?"
Ronan lightly pursed his lips, un
able to describe the feelings in his heart.
"Didn't you hear the sound of a pendulum?"
Jason shook his head, his face growing more puzzled, "The Pendulum of Fate is just a symbol. In the Empire of Fate, you can't hear the pendulum's sound everywhere.
Are you hallucinating?"
Ronan said nothing more, silently continuing forward.
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