Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

The next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 234 The Eternal Silence Corridor - Ascalon's Fallen Royal Court. We look forward to your visit.

When the view cleared again, a salty sea breeze rushed towards me.

Ian opened his eyes, and his first thought was... "noisy".

Countless energy fluctuations mixed together, forming a near-tangible "noise".

It was as if dozens or even hundreds of spells were brewing nearby, and an atmosphere of restlessness permeated the surroundings.

They were standing on a huge stone platform.

The platform is suspended in mid-air, with rolling gray-blue seawater below, waves crashing against the bottom of the platform and splashing up white foam.

And around the platform.

"Gah..." Gaga couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

Ian also took a slow breath.

As far as the eye can see, there are dozens of similar suspended platforms, arranged in a ring above the sea for more than ten kilometers.

Each platform was occupied by figures dressed in different robes and wearing different emblems.

His gaze paused noticeably as it swept over the platform of the Shadowmoon Tower.

A pair of blood-red eyes locked onto Ian.

Crimson Royal Court, Bloodstained Bazar.

On the platform a little further to the right, two ghostly flames turned toward the Shadowmoon platform, and the rustling feathers on Ian's shoulder fluttered slightly.

The Withered Council, Silas the Deathspeaker.

Further away, there are the "Silver Ring," the "Tidal Gathering," and the "Storm Temple"...

There are also many more factions that Ian doesn't recognize at all.

Some wizards rode enormous flying mounts, some stood on levitation alchemy devices, and some were even completely encased in writhing flesh armor.

There are many strong people.

Ian could sense at least twenty auras belonging to second-level crystallization wizards.

The number of first-level wizards... has exceeded five hundred.

"The Tide Tribe are sea creatures, belonging to the Wizard Alliance. They generally don't provoke us. The Storm Hall is also a member of the Alliance, but they have a bad temper, so don't go looking for trouble."

Hermann's voice rang in my ears.

"As for the other island powers..."

He sneered, "Remember, here, you can't trust anyone but yourself."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a strange change occurred in the middle of the distant sea.

The once calm sea began to churn, and large swaths of pale mist rose from the seabed, spreading out as if they were alive.

Where the fog passed, the seawater became viscous and dark, as if it had lost all its vitality.

At the same time, the sky began to darken.

The sky was not covered by dark clouds, but rather by a deeper kind of "dimness".

The light was swallowed up by the invisible, and although it was still noon, the sky quickly darkened.

Then, the stars appeared.

One by one, stars suddenly lit up. Their positions were disordered, completely defying common sense.

Some are almost touching the sea surface, some are hanging high overhead, and some even form an inverted constellation pattern.

"An inverted star chart..."

Herman muttered to himself, a serious look appearing in his gray eyes for the first time.

"here we go."

Gaga shrank its neck, its little eyes staring nervously at the mist.

"Ian... I have a bad feeling about this!"

Ian didn't speak, but silently activated the [Furnace Tempering Technique], and the jade-like glow under his skin shone faintly.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the pale golden crystalline light spots also began to activate, elevating perception to its peak.

He can "see"—no, he can "feel" it.

Something is rising from the depths of that pale mist.

It has no physical form, but is a manifestation of some kind of... "concept".

Death, despair, frozen time, shattered civilization...

"Notice."

Hermann raised his hand, and a silvery sheen gathered at his fingertips.

"The gates of the royal court are about to open. Once inside, whether you disperse or unite is up to you."

He didn't finish his sentence.

In the middle of the sea, where the fog was thickest, the seawater suddenly collapsed.

A giant whirlpool with a diameter of over a kilometer was formed instantly, and the seawater was swallowed into the abyss as it spun wildly.

At the center of the vortex, a pale object is slowly rising.

The first things to emerge from the sea were the skeletons.

Vast, unimaginably large, pale skeletons, like mountains.

They intertwine, stack, and twist, forming the base of a kind of inverted pyramid structure.

The skeleton is covered with crystallized architectural remains: broken pillars, shattered arches, collapsed towers...

Everything was "frozen" in the moment of destruction by some force.

Then it crystallizes and becomes a cold decoration.

The entire building exudes a suffocating atmosphere of desolation.

When it is fully raised, it reaches a height of over three thousand meters.

At the base of the inverted pyramid, directly opposite the center of the vortex, there is a door.

A twisted archway pieced together from more bones and crystals.

The door was tightly shut, its surface covered with dark red patterns that resembled dried blood.

In the center of the gate is a huge circular dial with forty-nine evenly distributed markings.

The only pointer points to zero degrees.

"The Royal Court Gate... this time it is still open at 49 degrees, which means forty-nine days in reality."

Someone whispered something.

The next second, the door opened.

It opens slowly and silently inward.

Behind the door was a deep darkness.

In the depths of darkness, one can vaguely see a chaotic corridor, suspended steps, and upside-down architectural fragments.

"Walk!"

Hermann gave a low shout, and a burst of silver light erupted!

The seven people and one bird on the Shadowmoon Tower transformed into seven streaks of light and shot toward the door.

The crimson light of the Crimson Court, the gray fog of the Withering Council, the holy light of the Silver Ring, the blue glow of the Tide Society, the lightning of the Storm Temple…

Hundreds of streaks of light ripped through the dim sky, like moths drawn to a flame, rushing toward the pale, gigantic gate that exuded an aura of death.

Ian glanced back as he flew past.

Bloodblade Bazar was staring intently at him, and the ghostly flames under Deathspeaker Sylas's hood also turned in his direction.

Ian turned back, his eyes calm.

Gaga gripped his shoulders tightly, her little paws exerting a slight pressure: "Ian..."

"Don't be afraid," Ian said softly.

"This time, we are ready."

As soon as they finished speaking, they rushed into the darkness inside the door.

In an instant, all the sounds disappeared.

The sounds of waves, wind, and other wizards cutting through the air... were all shut out.

What remains is a deathly silence, almost like a vacuum.

The light also became eerie, even though the sky outside the door was still quite bright.

Inside the door, however, there was only darkness, like a faint light covered with a layer of dust.

As far as the eye can see, there is a wide corridor extending forward.

The walls, floor, and ceiling of the corridor are all made of some kind of cold "memory substance".

Its surface is smooth and has a grayish-white luster, but upon closer inspection, one can see blurry images floating deep within the material.

A humanoid creature was running when suddenly its body froze, and then it began to melt from its feet.

A group of people dressed in strange robes knelt around a glowing crystal, and the next second, all of their heads exploded at the same time.

A tall tower collapses amidst purple flames, the moment its spire falls frozen in time...

A relief depicting the moment of death.

There was no sound, yet it was more chilling than any scream.

"Don't stare at it for too long."

Hermann's voice echoed in the deathly silence. He walked at the front, a silvery sheen flowing around him, forming a thin protective layer.

"These memory substances will pollute cognition, hurry up."

He had been here once before and was very familiar with the place.

The seven men followed him closely, but Ian could sense that the other six men's attention wasn't entirely on Herman.

Some people were cautiously observing their surroundings, while others were subtly moving their fingers inside their sleeves, clearly preparing some kind of witchcraft.

Some people had shifty eyes, as if they were plotting something.

"This is what a normal wizarding team should be like."

Each with their own agenda and fighting their own battles, they are only temporarily on the same path.

Ian walked in the middle of the group, observing as he went.

Occasionally, branch paths will appear on both sides of the corridor.

Some extend upwards to become spiral staircases, some sink downwards into darkness, and some even lead directly to a wall.

The wall surface rippled like water, clearly indicating the entrance to the folded space.

"The rules of space are indeed distorted..." he thought to himself.

Gaga perched on his shoulder, its little eyes scanning the surroundings warily, before suddenly transmitting its voice through a soul connection.

"Ian, something's not right with the shadow."

"How so?"

"They...are moving." The cackle of the voice carried confusion and a hint of unease.

"It's not moving with us, it's moving on its own. Look at that piece in the left corner..."

Ian looked in the direction it indicated.

In the corner, a shadow that should have been still was slowly creeping.

Like a living, viscous liquid, its edges undulated slightly, shrinking away from them.

"The Shadow Binder..."

Ian's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the information Alyvia had given him.

Just then, a muffled groan came from ahead.

The male wizard on the far left of the group suddenly stopped, covered his forehead, and his face turned deathly pale.

"What's wrong?" Herman immediately turned around.

"I...I heard a sound..."

The wizard gritted his teeth, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"Many sounds... screams, explosions, and... someone chanting incantations..."

"Echoing Mirage".

Herman's face darkened, and he raised his hand to point a finger at the wizard's forehead.

"Hold fast to your mental fortitude! Those are fragments of environmental memory, not the truth!"

A silver light entered the wizard's forehead, and his expression relaxed slightly, but his eyes remained unfocused.

"Keep going, don't stop!" Herman shouted.

"The longer you stay here, the greater the impact!"

The group moved forward again, but the atmosphere was noticeably more tense.

Ian silently circulated his mental sea, and the pale golden crystalline light spots emitted light, isolating the chaotic "echoes" that were invading his consciousness.

The [Spirit Devouring] property fluctuates slightly, devouring and purifying a very small amount of mental pollution.

After walking for about ten more minutes, the path ahead changed.

At the end of the corridor was a spacious hall.

In the center of the hall, three twisted skeletons lay on the ground.

Scattered around the skeleton were broken crystal bottles and charred metal fragments.

A long time ago, someone must have come here and met with misfortune.

Hermann raised his hand to signal a halt, his gray eyes sweeping across the hall.

There are six passageways around the hall, three of which are blocked by collapsed crystalline fragments.

The other three paths were pitch black, and it was unclear where they led.

"Split up," Hermann said succinctly.

"Three paths, choose one for each. Those who want to travel together can team up, and those who want to go alone can do so at their own discretion."

"Regardless of whether we've found anything or not, meet back here in an hour, if you'd like."

As soon as he finished speaking, the six liquefaction wizards moved almost simultaneously.

As soon as he finished speaking, the six liquefaction wizards moved almost simultaneously.

They paired up, quickly chose one of the two passages to the left or right, and disappeared into the darkness without looking back.

Without hesitation or discussion, it was as if they had been waiting for this moment.

In the end, only Herman and Ian remained.

Herman looked towards the central passageway, then at Ian: "Together?"

Ian shook his head: "I'll go alone."

A flicker of surprise crossed Hermann's gray eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Whatever."

He turned and walked toward the central passage, a silvery sheen swirling around him before disappearing into the darkness.

Ian stood still and waited until everyone had left before slowly walking towards the left passage.

Two teams of liquefying wizards chose the right, while he chose the less crowded left to avoid an immediate encounter.

A squawking bird flew off his shoulder, its small eyes gleaming faintly in the dim light.

"Ian, we need to be careful... those two groups of people just now, the way they looked at us wasn't right."

"I know," Ian said calmly.

"In the ruins, everyone is a potential enemy, including your 'teammates'."

He walked into the passageway.

The passageway was much narrower than the previous corridor, only three meters wide, and the ceiling was also very low, giving people a sense of oppression and suffocation.

Within the memory material on the wall, the images became denser and more frenzied.

Countless hands reached out from the wall, trying to grab something.

Twisted faces screamed silently, the light of the explosion frozen in the instant it burst forth…

"Don't look," Ian whispered to Gaga.

There is something deep inside the passage.

There were no living creatures and no energy fluctuations.

"It seems to be some kind of... 'emptiness'?"

It was as if a piece of space was missing, exuding an aura of death.

Ian stopped in his tracks.

About fifty meters ahead, the passage was completely blocked by a large patch of grayish-white vines, which climbed all over the walls like blood vessels.

The vines remained still, their surface covered with fine, sharp thorns that gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen in the dim light.

"The Vine of Annihilation." Ian's eyes narrowed slightly.

The information mentions this thing; it releases a "silent field" that absorbs sound and magical fluctuations.

Moreover, its attack speed is extremely fast, and its spikes possess a terrifying "annihilation" property.

Just then, he heard very faint footsteps in front of him.

It was very light, but in this deathly silent environment, it was clear and jarring.

Ian's mental perception began to spread, and he became cautiously on guard.

Two people.

It was the liquefied wizard who had just entered.