Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

The third afternoon after the exchange meeting.

Ian sat cross-legged on the soft couch, his eyes slightly closed.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the pale golden crystalline core slowly rotated.

With each rotation, tiny silver specks of light are drawn out from the void.

The light spots merged into the crystal surface, like water droplets seeping into parched land.

Slow, but persistent.

The process of transforming spiritual energy into elements is progressing at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

0.1%...0.11%...

suddenly.

A low hum came from deep within the ship, penetrating the thick metal bulkheads.

Immediately afterwards, a cold, emotionless broadcast voice rang out simultaneously from all over the cabin.

"Announcement to all passengers."

"The Leapfrog will enter the outer channel of the Chaotic Void Rift at 9:00 AM tomorrow."

"All level two wizards, please prepare yourselves and keep the tokens accessible."

"According to Article 3 of the boarding agreement, you are required to assist in the defense of the spaceship when necessary."

"Specific instructions will be communicated via tokens one hour before entering the Rift Valley."

"To reiterate: All second-level wizards, please prepare."

The broadcast ended, and the shaking of the ship stopped.

But the air inside the cabin seemed to freeze instantly.

Ian opened his eyes, a fleeting glint of pale gold starlight flashing in his pupils.

He raised his hand and looked at the passenger token in his palm.

The anchoring crystal at the center of the token is emitting a steady, faint glow.

But deep within that light, there seemed to be some kind of hidden, unactivated runic structure.

"It's finally here..."

He muttered to himself.

When Derek handed him the token in Wiltshire, he mentioned that "obligations must be fulfilled when necessary."

Tickets for cross-sea voyages are never cheap.

The cheap ones are bought with lives.

On its shoulder, Gaa poked its head out from under its wing, blinking its little eyes.

"Chaos in the sky... that doesn't sound good at all."

"Um."

Ian stood up and walked to the porthole.

Outside the window, the starry sky remains vast.

But on the distant horizon, an unusual area can be vaguely seen.

The color there was darker, almost jet black.

The sky also presented an unnatural sense of distortion, like silk cloth crumpled by an invisible hand.

Even from hundreds of kilometers away, you can feel that heart-pounding spatial fluctuation.

"Spatial disorder..." Ian's eyes darkened slightly.

He was no stranger to this kind of fluctuation.

Deep within the Protoss ruins, in those areas where space is shattered, a similar aura emanates.

However, the scale here is many times larger.

It was evening.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Three clear knocks, with a steady rhythm.

Ian raised an eyebrow slightly, and his mental energy quietly probed out.

Outside the door, two figures stood out. One was familiar—it was Edel Just.

Another unfamiliar but equally solid aura, at the late stage of level two, with a gentle and restrained presence, carrying a certain elder-like calmness.

Ian, unaware of any malice, got up and opened the hatch.

Adele was still wearing that dark blue robe, and her complexion had improved somewhat compared to a few days ago.

But the weariness in his eyes was hard to hide, and his back remained straight.

Beside her stood a middle-aged witch with a gentle face, dressed in a long blue dress.

The witch looked to be around forty years old, with an ordinary appearance and clear, gentle eyes.

She nodded slightly to Ian, her gesture natural and graceful.

"Excuse me," Adele said, her voice a little hoarse.

"This is Delia Just, an elder in my mother's lineage."

Delia took a half step forward, placed her right hand on her chest, and performed an ancient family salute.

"Good day, Graymoon Wizard."

Her voice was gentle, like the warm afternoon sun.

But Ian could sense that beneath that gentle exterior, within that solid, iron-like spiritual power, lay an extremely rich elemental energy.

It is in the late stage of the second level, and has a solid foundation.

"Please come in."

Ian stepped aside to let the two into the cabin.

Delia walked behind and gently closed the door behind her.

His movements were fluid and natural, clearly indicating that he had been taking care of Adele's daily life for many years.

The three of them took their seats.

The cabin was small and felt somewhat cramped.

Without any pleasantries, Adele went straight to the point.

"Tomorrow at nine o'clock, the Leapfrog will enter the chaotic void. I need to remind you of a few things."

She looked up, her dark brown eyes staring directly at Ian.

"There are 'phase spirits' in the chaotic void."

"My grandfather was attacked by a small group of floating spirits when he was traveling through the rift valley on a merchant ship."

Of the six level-two wizards on the ship, only three survived.

Her tone was calm, but the bloodthirstiness in her words was palpable.

Ian's eyes narrowed slightly; he had never encountered this thing before.

Adele remained silent for a moment.

"Those who survived have one thing in common: they did not cause any real harm to the floating spirits."

"Or rather... it's impossible to 'injure' the floating spirits."

Delia added softly from the side, her voice still gentle, but the content was cold.

"Phase-floating spirits are social creatures with low intelligence but extremely strong group consciousness."

"Injured spirits release a special pheromone, like an invisible distress signal."

"Signals can travel extremely far in the void, attracting more of their kind."

"It's fine if it attracts a small group."

"But if it attracts a medium-sized or even large-scale Floating Spirit King... there's a high possibility it's a Level 4 being..."

She didn't finish speaking, but Ian already understood.

Even without the King of Floating Spirits taking action, just its subordinate races would be enough to engulf this spaceship.

"The Giant Sail Alliance and the Floating Spirit Clan have an ancient pact."

"I'll continue," Adele continued.

"Merchant ships sailing normally will not be attacked, but the agreement only applies to the main ethnic group."

"Those small, wandering groups that have broken away from the main group, or newly formed groups of young animals, are not protected by the agreement."

"They will attack when they are hungry."

Ian remained silent for a moment.

"You mean, we can only defend, not kill?"

"Yes."

Adele nodded, her eyes serious.

"If forced to take action... make sure that every floating spirit that is attacked is completely annihilated."

"Leave no trace behind, leave no chance to release pheromones."

Ian frowned slightly, his fingers gently stroking the armrest.

Suddenly, he remembered his talent for witchcraft.

[Gravity-collapsed sphere]

This is a completely annihilating attack, and there's also the [Entropy Change Domain].

Another innate sorcery, [Frost Ray], combines ice and fire, and can also break down matter into energy.

He didn't seem too afraid of this kind of existence.

"I understand." Ian nodded slowly.

Edel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and looked at Delia.

Delia understood and took out a roll of yellowed animal hide from her sleeve.

The animal hide scroll was old, and the edges were worn and frayed.

But the material is special, with a cool and supple feel, like the leather of some ancient creature.

Edel took the animal skin scroll and gently spread it out on the table.

On the animal hide, densely packed, twisted symbols were written in silver ink.

The symbols are not any kind of writing system that Ian is aware of.

More like the trajectory of stars or the natural patterns of spatial cracks.

Ian's gaze fell upon it.

next second.

hum!

Deep within the sea of ​​consciousness, the [Seed of Stars] trembled slightly.

A barely perceptible silver glint flowed across the pale golden surface of the crystal.

It resonated very faintly with the energy rhythm of the symbols on the animal skin!

Although it was only for a moment, Ian caught it.

"This is……"

He looked up at Idyl.

Edel's fingers traced the surface of the animal hide, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"A manuscript left by an ancestor of the Just family, from the relics of the Yuangu Clan."

She paused, then added.

"The Yuangu race is an ancient race that lived at the same time as the Protoss. It is said that they were more powerful than the Protoss and were skilled in astronomical and spatial technology."

"And there's also a unique... method for crafting witchcraft tools."

"But they perished even earlier in that ancient great war."

Ian's pupils contracted slightly.

Yuangu tribe.

This was the first time he had heard the name, but the resonance of the [Seed of Stars] did not lie.

This manuscript is indeed related to the rules of the stars.

"The manuscript records the observation notes of the Yuangu people on the void creatures."

Adele continued, "I've been researching this for three years and have only cracked less than 10% of it, but some of the information should be useful to you."

She looked at Ian with an honest gaze.

"You photographed the Void Crystal not just for the [Water of Balance], right?"

Ian was startled, then overjoyed, but his expression remained unchanged.

"I want to forge a magical artifact, a magical artifact related to space."

A slight smile curved the corners of Adele's lips.

"Void Crystal, produced from the ruins of the Abyss Clan, is one of the core materials for crafting 'Phase Wizard Tools'."

And this manuscript happens to contain records of the forging ideas for phase-based magical artifacts.

She gently pushed the animal hide scroll toward Ian, her movements light but carrying a certain solemn weight.

"This manuscript can be used as a deposit."

Ian didn't go to take it immediately, but looked at Adele.

"Deposit?"

"Become my guest minister."

Adele's voice was calm, but every word was clear.

"I don't need you to risk your life, but when I need you, support me to the fullest extent of your ability, and..."

She paused, then added, "In some public settings, they've taken my side."

"Should I state my position...?" Ian pondered, head bowed.

Adele continued, her tone unhurried.

"In return, once we arrive in the Eastern Territory, I will open the Just family's secret vault to all the books about the Abyss Clan and Void Creatures for you to consult."

"If I win, I will inherit the family business..."

She raised her head, a sharp glint in her eyes.

"The compensation will only increase."

Inside the cabin, all was silent.

Only the low hum of the ship's engines could be faintly heard through the bulkheads.

Delia sat quietly to the side, her gaze gently fixed on Edel.

His eyes held concern, relief, and a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.

Ian's fingers continued to tap lightly on the armrest.

He was weighing his options.

The manuscripts of the Yuangu Clan were indeed attractive to him, especially the parts that resonated with the [Seed of Stars].

That might involve a deeper application of the rules of the stars.

It might even be the key to his crafting of unique magical artifacts.

But being a guest advisor meant publicly taking sides and getting involved in the Just family's succession struggle.

This also means that the conflict with Collins Hawkwood will escalate from a personal feud.

The risks are high, but the rewards are also high.

Time passed slowly, but Adele did not urge her.

She simply sat quietly, her back straight, her eyes calm.

at last.

Ian said, "I will give you an answer after the chaos."

A glint of light flashed in Adele's eyes; if she didn't refuse, there was still room for negotiation.

Along the way, she met several second-level wizards, but she wasn't very satisfied with any of them.

Some show unfathomable thoughts from the very beginning, while others are extremely difficult to communicate with.

"Can."

She stood up, and Delia followed suit.

"You can keep the manuscript for now, and give me a reply in three days."

Ian looked at the yellowed animal hide on the table, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.

"it is good."

Adele nodded slightly, then turned and walked towards the door.

Delia followed behind her, and when she reached the door, she glanced back at Ian.

His eyes were gentle, but there was a hint of warning hidden deep within.

"Grey Moon Wizard, be extremely careful on your journey to the Rift Valley. The floating spirits may be weak, but their eeriness is... more terrifying than that of an ordinary level two wizard."

After saying that, she opened the door, and the two figures disappeared into the corridor.

The hatch closed.

Ian stood still, his gaze fixed on the rolled-up animal skin.

The quack flew down from my shoulder and landed on the edge of the table, its little paws scratching at the edge of the animal hide.

"Ian, this stuff... it smells like stars."

"Um."

Ian reached out and picked up the animal hide scroll. It was cool to the touch and had a soft, supple feel.

The silver symbol reflected light slightly under the lamplight, like flowing mercury.

He carefully put the animal skin scroll away, placed it deep inside his dimensional ring, and walked to the porthole.

Outside the window, the inky black sea drew closer.

Beneath the distorted sky, some fleeting, translucent shadows could be vaguely seen.

Like a jellyfish, or like mist, it drifts slowly in the void.

"Phase Floating Spirit..."

Ian repeated the name in a low voice.

In his eyes, a faint golden starlight slowly swirled.

He already had a tendency towards it.

But some decisions... need to be thought about for a couple more days.

On her shoulder, her little head tilted to one side, her heterochromatic eyes reflecting the distorted light from outside the window.

"Ian, are we really going to help that witch?"

"Maybe."

Ian rubbed its little head.

"But before that... let's get through tomorrow safely first."