The copy has 0 error tolerance, and the last words on the ground are all wrong for me.

Chapter 407 Extraordinary Shrinkage
Players of the Abyss game are the key to entering the fourth level of the Abyss.

Wu Chang pondered the information revealed by the Omniscient Crystal; this sentence revealed two pieces of information.

First, entering the fourth level of the abyss is extremely difficult; certain conditions must be met, and it is not simply a matter of having sufficient strength to advance and enter.

Even a great evil god like Lyman, who possesses multiple powers and whose followers are spread across various planes, cannot easily enter it.

The second point is the existence of players, or rather, the existence of the Abyss game, which is closely related to the fourth level of the Abyss, or at least is one of the paths to enter the fourth level of the Abyss.

This connection may be related to what Christine mentioned about the mutual selection between players and the Abyss game.

Being a player alone is not enough; as a key player, one should also meet certain conditions.

Lyman, Christine, and the Mother of Desire have developed countless followers, and their evil god cult is a powerful force that all four major organizations fear.

Even so, they still failed to enter the fourth level of the abyss, which shows that the threshold for entering the fourth level of the abyss is higher than imagined.

Wu Chang looked down at the Omniscient Crystal in his hand. According to the existing intelligence, the Omniscient Crystal and the Miracle Walker clan are likely to have come from the fourth layer of the Abyss.

Perhaps, besides the players, they are also the key to entering the fourth level of the abyss.

Thinking about this, he suddenly understood why the Bright Society went to such great lengths for the Omniscience Crystal. Could it be that what they valued was not the Omniscience Crystal's omniscience itself, but rather that it came from the fourth layer of the Abyss?

"Do you have a way to take me to the fourth level of the abyss?" Wu Chang asked the crystal in his hand.

Just as he expected, the Omniscient Crystal did not give him any response.

The lack of response means that, with his current abilities, he is not even qualified to know the relevant information.

Still not strong enough.

If he already possessed the stats of the third layer of the Abyss, the Omniscient Crystal wouldn't have kept anything from him.

We must improve our strength as soon as possible.

He looked at the attribute panel. Given his current situation, the most beneficial and appropriate thing to do at this stage to improve his strength was to enhance the root power of mysticism.

As an ability he acquired when he changed jobs to Root Knight, it was always ignored because it was of such low quality.

His development of the power of the mystical roots is still at the stage when he first acquired the ability. He only uses it occasionally when breaking mystical rituals or setting up spatial teleportation arrays.

This experience in the Steam Phantom dungeon greatly changed his understanding of the power of rules.

Between abilities, the level is only a reference; the appropriate ability is more important than the advanced ability.

For example, at the Moonlight Sanatorium, he was able to subdue the Eye of Lyman with his D-rank Mamba Iron Elbow, but other advanced skills might not have been able to do the same.

Similarly, if the power of rules is used properly, its effect in the desolate realm is no less than that of divinity.

Unless one can condense a complete divine kingdom in the desolate realm like the Children of the Deep Sea, the fundamental power that can influence the rules of the entire plane is even more practical than divinity.

His changed perception of the power of origin, coupled with his current title "The Fortune Stealer," has made him even more eager to enhance his power of origin.

If one day he defeats the Chosen One and uses his own power of origin to influence the rules of the plane, but his power of origin is still inferior to that of other players, then things will get really interesting.

While exploring the Steam Phantom dimension, he was deeply inspired by the mystical powerhouse in Xavier's right chest and the mystical magic circle used by Lyman's projection.

If he can understand the structure of these two mystical runes, his control over the root power of mysticism will at least reach the level of Cold Mountain and Phantom.

The most important thing in studying the occult is time, and right now, that's exactly what he lacks most.

Unfortunately, all his private dimensions were developed into pillars of the mortal world by him when he was creating a large divine kingdom.

Including the Steam Phantom dimension he had just acquired, which was in the process of upgrading from the beginning, it turned into an intermediate layer the moment he conquered it.

This makes it extremely difficult for him to find a plane with a large difference in the flow of time where he can cultivate.

He gave a wry smile, realizing that sometimes going too far in doing things isn't necessarily a good thing.

Unable to find a suitable private space, he could only turn his attention to Eileen's divine realm.

Among the planes where Eileen sowed her faith, the only remaining spark is the Midnight Graveyard plane.

Fortunately, when he was building the large divine kingdom last time, he didn't have time to go to the Midnight Graveyard plane, leaving behind this one last survivor. Otherwise, he would have had to go to Hou Jingchuan and try to borrow a plane by owing a favor.

It would take time for Eileen to communicate with the power of the Eternal Lake, so he called Eileen along and they traveled together to the Midnight Graveyard plane via the Pillars of the Gods.

He and Eileen arrived at the Tree of Miracles and channeled their consciousness into it.

Following the trunk of the Tree of Miracles downwards, penetrating deep into the earth, his consciousness detached from the real world, overlooking Eileen's divine kingdom from a macroscopic perspective.

It was a temple supported by six huge stone pillars shaped like tree roots, with the canopies of the six trees intertwined to form the roof of the temple.

At the center of the temple is a pool that, from a distance, looks no different from the purification pools in ordinary temples used to store clean water for sacrifices. But upon closer inspection, one discovers that it is not a pool at all, but an endless sea.

In the very center of the ocean stands a sculpture, the statue of Erin in front of the Everlight Church Square on Briff Island.

Eileen's faith occupied the center of the quiet town's plane, and she gained complete control over all the faiths in the plane.

For this reason, as Irene's birthplace, the tranquil town became the core of her divine kingdom, transforming into the central pool of the temple.

Wu Chang's goal today was not the Tranquil Town instance. His gaze lingered briefly on the pool before looking down at the temple.

His gaze pierced through the temple floor, and in the earth beneath the temple, he saw the roots of faith.

Most of these roots come from the six pillars of the divine kingdom that support the temple, with one exception.

His consciousness followed the root system downwards and soon touched a soft barrier.

"Players are entering the Desolate 51503 plane through the Divine Kingdom Passage."

"Note that the current instance will be considered a Faith instance. After entering the instance, the time flow rate between the Faith instance and reality will be 15:1. Each day spent in the instance will consume 300 Decaying Silver Coins. If the balance is insufficient, you will be forcibly teleported out of the instance."

"Does the player wish to enter the current instance?"

Compared to previous dungeons, the Faith dungeon is neither cost-effective nor time-consuming.

But now he has no choice but to endure it.

"Enter."

With a flash of light, Wu Chang and Eileen returned to the holy city of the Kingdom of Mikel, Serina.

They appeared inside a temple, where a statue depicted a young girl with wings on her back and a heavy hammer in her hand.

The sculptor's skill is hard to assess; the statue he sculpted, while not exactly a replica of Eileen, is at least quite different.

But the faith invested in the statue truly reached Eileen's divine realm, so Wu Chang didn't care about so much.

The temple was deserted, with no clergy left on duty and no guards around it.

Perhaps it's been too long since he's been back; it seems the Eternal Light Church here has declined. In Wu Chang's memory, even the most deserted church in Serina wouldn't be this deserted.

He and Eileen walked out of the temple. It was nighttime in the cemetery. Wu Chang looked up and saw that the moon in the sky was large and bright. The only flaw was that the moon was not a full moon.

"It's a pity, it would have been better if it were a full moon."

Accompanied by the tapping of a cane on the ground and the dragging sound of shoes scraping against the pavement, an old voice said:

"There will never be a full moon here again."

Wu Chang turned around and saw an old man with a thin build, gray hair, and sunken eyes, leaning on a wooden cane, appear behind them.

Wu Chang waved his hand and said:
"Long time no see, Han. You look much more energetic than before, but it seems there's something wrong with your leg."

The "old man" who appeared in front of them was Han Er, the one who was supposed to hand over the tomb keeper to Wu Chang in the Midnight Graveyard instance.

If you met Hanl for the first time, you would never guess that the old man who was about to die was only thirty-five years old.

Besides being the former gravedigger, Han is also the one who gives out hidden side quests.

The reason he became like this was because he deliberately destroyed himself, making him like those half-dead living corpses, possessing black, white, and gray energies within his body, so that he could intercept Mikel I's plan during the Blood Moon Eternal Life.

He yearns to seize the power of King Mikel I and then seek revenge against the Soullight Cult, which controls the flames.

However, after witnessing Wu Chang's strength, he entrusted his hopes for revenge to Wu Chang.

It was precisely because of Han's hidden side quest that Wu Chang found the sleeping Mikel I, obtained the Golden Throne that Mikel would later frequently use, and helped Irene complete her ascension to become a true god with the ascension crown.

As soon as you enter the Midnight Graveyard instance, you see familiar faces; nothing could be better.

Faced with Wu Chang's greeting, Han Er was taken aback for a moment, then smiled wryly:
"It's been thirty years since we last met, and you actually say I look much more energetic. Was I in such a bad state back then?"

"Thirty years?" Wu Chang was startled by this number.

Although he knew that the time flow was different between each plane, the fact that there was a thirty-year gap between his two visits was still somewhat unexpected.

He originally thought that ninety days was enough time for five years to pass in the Steam Phantom, which was already exaggerated enough, but he did not expect that the time flow difference in the Midnight Graveyard plane was even greater.

When they met earlier, he saw that Han's body still contained the three elements of black, white, and gray, and assumed that only a few months or a year had passed since he left.

Thirty years later, Han'er was now sixty-five years old. The average lifespan in the Midnight Graveyard plane was already short, and in his youth, Han'er had consumed too much of his life force in his pursuit of revenge. Now, at sixty-five, he was nearing the end of his life.

What should have been a joyful reunion suddenly turned somewhat somber.

Unlike Wu Chang, Han Er didn't seem to care about any of this. He pointed to the moon in the sky and said:

"Ever since you shattered the Miracle Moon, the incarnation of the Great Sage, before you left, the moon in the sky has been forever missing a corner."

Wu Chang gazed at the moon in the sky; the missing piece seemed to be the very spot where the Tree of Miracles had originally taken root.

Han turned to look at Wu Chang and Eileen, and said:

"Where have you been all this time? Thirty years have passed, yet you haven't changed much."

After a moment's hesitation, Wu Chang decided to tell Han the truth. He said:

"We were not in this world for a period of time; we went to another dimension. In our world, only two months have passed."

"Two months, huh? No wonder." Hanl showed an expression of understanding, not particularly surprised.

"How long will you be staying this time?"

Wu Chang said, "About a month and a half."

With a time flow ratio of 15:1, one and a half months is equivalent to three days in the real world.

When he returned to reality, He Yun had just finished preparing.

"Where are you planning to go during this time? Will you be going back to Serina?" Han asked.

Wu Chang said, "We don't plan to go anywhere else; we'll stay in Selina."

Hanl's face lit up with joy, and he asked, "In that case, let me help you arrange your accommodations."

Wu Chang shrugged and said, "As long as you don't assign us to the Kingdom's Great Cemetery, anywhere is fine."

As a space lord, he has an efficient use of space in the inner world. Even if you are given a space the size of a toilet, he can expand it into a two-bedroom apartment. He is not picky about where he lives.

Han was very happy to see Wu Chang and Eileen in the final moments of his life.

He walked outside, leaning on his cane, and said:
“I live not far away, come with me.”

"Wait a minute." Eileen called out to Hanl, enveloping him in a healing spell.

Han felt a warm current coursing through his body, and his left leg, which had been struggling, suddenly regained its strength.

He tried stepping on the ground, jumped a few times in place, and then excitedly threw away his cane.

"Praise be to you, great goddess, you have given me back my youthful body."

"It's just a minor illness, don't worry about it."

Eileen's smile was somewhat forced, because she knew that she could only heal Han's body, but could not slow down the loss of his life force.

Hanl saw what Eileen was thinking and said with a smile:

"You're the one who shouldn't worry about it. I remember you said that light magic can heal injuries, but it can't prolong a person's life."

Hanl had a very nonchalant attitude towards life and death.

“I was worried that I was too slow and would delay your trip, so I wanted to find you a trustworthy guide. Now that I’ve regained my youth, I’ll show you around Selina.”

Led by Han, Wu Chang and Eileen wandered through the Selina district at night.

This holy city of the Kingdom of Mikel was completely different from what they had imagined.

During the Midnight Graveyard period, this place is undoubtedly a sacred site in the Kingdom of Mikel, attracting a large number of pilgrims and the dying every year who come to the city in an attempt to witness a miracle.

A large influx of people will naturally drive urban development.

In Wu Chang's memory, the city of Selina should have been filled with magnificent, colorful churches, and pilgrims and devout believers could be seen everywhere, day and night.

However, thirty years later, the entire city has become dilapidated, and the paint on the church has faded and peeled off due to years of neglect.

Many chapels are covered with vines, and pilgrims are rarely seen on the streets anymore.

Wu Chang asked in confusion:
"What's going on? Did a war take place here while we were away?"

Hanl shook his head and said:
"There was no war here, but since you, no miracles have ever occurred here."

Looking at the dilapidated city, Hanl showed no regret or lament. Instead, he casually told Wu Chang and Eileen about the reasons for Serina's decline.

In the final moments of Midnight Graveyard, the Blood Moon's miracle of immortality resurrected countless undead, who then overthrew Serina.

A large number of churches and believers died in the chaos. After Zhang Huo died, the Cathedral of Soul Light collapsed not long after. Before Wu Chang and Eileen left, they shattered the First Miracle in front of countless believers.

Almost overnight, the faith of the Kingdom of Mikel collapsed.

Fortunately, Irene's appearance led many believers to believe in her existence. The Mikel royal family's thirst for miracles also helped the believers who witnessed that night to build a church that belonged to Irene.

The church where Wu Chang and Eileen appeared was a product of that incident.

The problem is that the source of the miracles in the Kingdom of Mikel, the great wonder on the moon, has been destroyed by Irene.

Meanwhile, Eileen and Wu Chang did not return to Serina for thirty years, resulting in the absence of miracles not only in Serina but also within the Kingdom of Mikel during this period.

The dying come to Serena, but no longer find relief from their pain; those who pray for the resurrection of their loved ones kneel before the statue of Irene, but cannot perform the miracle of resurrection as the Church of Soullight has.

A holy city without miracles cannot be called a holy city.

The believers in the Kingdom of Mikel are the most devout; they are willing to give anything for miracles and risk death to make pilgrimages on foot for years.

The believers in the Kingdom of Mikel are also the most pragmatic. As soon as they find that their current sect is ineffective and unable to perform miracles, while the neighboring sect can, they will immediately and devoutly join the neighboring sect.

Their devotion is directed toward miracles, not any particular deity or religious sect.

Wu Chang had witnessed this more than once during the Midnight Graveyard instance.

It was precisely because of this reality that, in the tenth year since the miracles ceased, the entire kingdom of Mikel abandoned the holy city.

Believers no longer make pilgrimages, the seriously ill no longer yearn to be buried in the kingdom's great cemetery, and even the new king of the Kingdom of Mikel begins to doubt whether the miracles recorded in the past were stories fabricated by previous generations.

Under these conditions, the midnight graveyard has become a rare phenomenon.

Extraordinary shrinkage.

People's skepticism about miracles has led to skepticism about the supernatural.

Under the influence of the first law of mysticism, the more people doubt, the thinner the supernatural power becomes; even those who once possessed supernatural abilities begin to wither away.

The depletion of power within the superhumans, rendering them unable to display their previously recorded abilities, has once again fueled doubts about their superhuman abilities.

This vicious cycle led to the near extinction of supernatural powers in just thirty years.

The biggest victim of the disappearance of supernatural powers is still the former Serina.

Previously, Serena had merely been abandoned and was almost forgotten.

In many places, the term "Kingdom Cemetery" has even come to be used as a euphemism for the holy city of Serina.

After hearing Han's description, Wu Chang and Eileen exchanged a glance, their eyes showing surprise at the same time.

Both their experiences and their understanding of supernatural powers have given them a common sense.

That is, once the extraordinary appears, there will only be ups and downs, but it will never be interrupted.

Moreover, once extraordinary power flourishes, its scope will only expand without external influence.

Especially in a plane like Midnight Graveyard, after people witness extraordinary events on a large scale, the number of extraordinary individuals should explode in a short period of time.

For example, in the Steampunk instance, Olivia proposed the Extraordinary Steam Engine, and the emergence of Extraordinary beings sprang up like mushrooms after rain, even giving birth to the Chosen Ones of the Planes.

For example, in the Quiet Town instance, after the Lost Continent appeared, even if Eileen and Wu Chang did nothing, the Kingdom of Orgrim's research on extraordinary power still made rapid progress.

The extraordinary shrinkage that occurred in Selina was something the two had never heard of before.

No wonder Hanl has been unable to heal his leg injury, which could have been cured with just one E-rank Light Magic spell.

If it's extraordinary atrophy, then everything makes sense.

Looking at the dilapidated Serina, a bold idea suddenly popped into Wu Chang's mind.

The source of extraordinary power actually comes from the erosion of the abyss. In other words, the higher the degree of erosion of a plane by the abyss, the stronger the bond with the abyss, and the stronger the extraordinary power in the plane will be.

When extraordinary power becomes strong enough, it will trigger a plane ascension, allowing one to enter a deeper level of the abyss.

If that's the case, if the extraordinary power within a plane is completely severed, will that plane escape the abyss?

(End of this chapter)