Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Gaga emerged from the shadows of the manor wall.

It is now only the size of a goose egg, and its feathers have become the same color as the surrounding stone walls.

You wouldn't even notice there's a bird unless you looked closely.

It crouched in the shadow of the vines on the wall, its silvery-gray pupils slowly turning.

The interior of the manor was clearly visible in every detail.

There were patrolling guards in the front yard, wearing dark blue armor and long swords at their waists.

Their steps were synchronized, their eyes sharp—they were all rigorously trained soldiers.

These people had a slightly abnormal aura, but each of them had the force field fluctuations of a first-level wizard.

As the guards passed by, Gaga gently flapped its wings.

The body faded again, blending into the shadows of the stone slabs on the ground.

Following the veins of the shadow, it "flows" like water toward the main building of the manor.

The main building's doors were tightly shut, with only a dim, yellowish light seeping through the cracks.

The squeaky chirp slipped through the shadows under the door and landed in the candlestick's shadow in the corner of the hallway.

The hall was empty.

Only the crackling of the firewood in the fireplace cast dancing light and shadow.

It waited a few seconds to make sure it was safe before continuing to drift inward.

After passing through the long corridor and around the stairs, we finally stopped in front of a heavy oak door.

The door panel is engraved with intricate runes, and pale golden energy flows slowly between the patterns.

This is a protective magic array.

Gaga tilted its head, its silver-gray pupils shimmering with starlight.

"Eye of Misfortune" activated.

It saw the flow trajectory of the runic energy and the weakest points of the magic array.

With a gentle tremor of its wings, three extremely fine, dark silver feathers fell off.

The feathers transformed into tiny shadow blades in the air, precisely piercing three nodules.

Puff, puff, puff.

Three soft thuds were heard, and the runes on the door dimmed for a moment.

Although it only lasted for less than a fraction of a second, it was enough for it to act.

Gaga swayed and slipped into the shadows under the door.

Behind the door... was a study.

The bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, crammed with heavy ancient books.

The desk was large, and a dark red ancient book lay open on its surface.

The edges of the pages were scorched yellow, as if they had been burned by flames.

Gaga crouched in the shadows atop the bookshelf, its pupils slowly scanning the entire room.

Its gaze finally settled on the wall behind the desk.

There was an ordinary landscape painting hanging there.

The painting depicts the distant mountains of East City, rendered with rough brushstrokes, resembling an apprentice's practice piece.

But... Gaga's pupils contracted slightly.

It "saw" the edge of the picture frame, at that extremely subtle magical fluctuation.

The fluctuations were very subtle, almost blending into the energy of the wall itself.

If it hadn't advanced to the second tier and become extremely sensitive to shadows and energy, it would have been impossible to detect it.

"Heh heh! I am the Shadow Nighthawk, you think you can fool my eyes?"

With a flap of its wings, it slid from the shadow of the bookshelf to above the picture frame.

The little paws gently touched the edge of the picture frame.

hum...

The picture frame vibrated slightly, and a layer of light gray film appeared on its surface, with twisted runes flowing across it.

It's another protective magic array.

Moreover, the complexity of this magic array is more than one level higher than that of the one outside the door.

Gaga didn't force its way in. Instead, it plucked a dark silver feather from under its plumage and put it in its mouth.

The tip of the feather gently touches the surface of the light film.

There was no sound, no light.

However, a tiny hole appeared on the light film.

The runes at the edge of the hole twisted and disintegrated, as if they had been "eaten up" by something invisible.

"Too easy!"

Gaga swayed and squeezed into the hole.

The scene before my eyes suddenly changed.

Behind the picture frame... is a downward staircase, narrow enough for only one person to pass at a time.

The walls on both sides were inlaid with glowing moss, emitting a pale green light.

A faint... rotten smell permeated the air.

Like tree roots that have been buried for a long time and are completely rotten in damp soil.

The squeaky bird floated down the steps, and the further down it went, the stronger the stench of decay became.

At the end of the stairs was a black metal door.

There was no lock on the door, only a palm print groove.

It stopped in front of the door with a clatter, its silver-gray pupils fixed on the groove.

It retrieved a recording crystal from the dimensional space, which Ian had given it in advance.

The little paws gripped the crystal tightly, aiming it at the crack in the door.

Then, its body began to change.

The edges of the feathers shimmered with a dark silver light, and the entire body became almost transparent.

Like a solidified shadow.

It slowly "saw" in from under the door crack...

Behind the door was a small secret room, about twenty square meters in size.

The four walls were empty, with only a stone platform in the center, its surface covered with twisted runes.

Those runes... I don't recognize them at all.

But it could sense a certain pain, chaos, and nauseating aura contained within the runes.

"This is it. It's exactly the same aura of the abyss that Ian told me to 'remember' before."

In the center of the stone platform, there was a dark red book, open to the elements, with intricate array diagrams drawn on its pages.

In the center of the array was a familiar symbol.

A twisted spiral, with three dark red dots at its center.

"The core of the Abyss Altar's construction."

The little claws of the quack trembled slightly, for it had seen that Ian had also built something underground.

"I never expected that besides Ian, there would be someone else who dared to contact the Abyss directly."

It didn't approach the stone platform, but instead crouched in the shadows of the corner, aligning the recording crystal with the entire secret chamber.

Inside the crystal, a pale silver light began to flow.

Record everything: stone platform, runes, books...

Just as the recording was about to be completed.

Footsteps sounded on the steps outside the secret room, very light, but getting closer.

Gaga's pupils contracted sharply, and he immediately stopped recording. His body swayed, and he disappeared into the shadows in the corner.

The next second, the metal door was pushed open, and a figure walked in.

Edmund was wearing a dark gray loungewear robe and holding a glass of red wine.

His face was expressionless, and his eyes were as calm as a stagnant pool.

He walked to the stone platform and put down his wine cup.

His gaze fell on the open book, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edges of the pages.

A long time passed.

He suddenly spoke, his voice very low, as if he were talking to himself.

"Just one last step..."

He bent down and took out a crystal bottle from a hidden compartment under the stone platform.

The bottle contained a dark red liquid, as viscous as blood.

Deep within the liquid, something was vaguely wriggling.

Edmund uncorked the bottle and slowly poured the liquid onto the runes on the stone surface.

Nourishes...

The moment the liquid came into contact with the runes, a plume of black smoke rose up.

The smoke carried a strong, fishy stench, like rotting flesh mixed with sulfur.

The runes on the stone platform began to glow, a dark red light, like dried blood.

The light grew brighter and brighter, finally locking onto Seven Degrees Sunset Red, Cola Novels, and every update of "Wizard: My Skills Can Break Through Infinitely" above the stone platform, condensing into a phantom image.

A twisted spiral, with three dark red dots at the center.

It's exactly the same as the one depicted in the classic texts.

Edmund stared at the phantom, a slow smile curving his lips.

That smile... was cold, insane, and carried a kind of almost devout obsession.

"Soon..."

He spoke softly, reaching out to touch the illusory figure.

The moment the fingertip touched the surface of the phantom, the skin began to wither and dry out.

It's like all the moisture has been drained away.

But he showed no pain on his face; instead, he had an expression of enjoyment.

"Once the altar is complete, and the Time-Traces bloodline merges with the power of the Abyss... I will embark on a brand new Path of the Morning Star!"

His voice grew softer and softer, eventually turning into a series of indistinct murmurs.

In the shadows of the corner.

Gaga held its breath, even though it didn't need to.

The little paws gripped the recording crystal tightly, recording everything.

Edmund stood in front of the stone platform for more than ten minutes until the phantom slowly dissipated before he withdrew his hand.

The fingertips have returned to normal, except for a dark red line on the skin surface.

It's like ink seeping into a blood vessel.

He picked up his wine glass, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, then turned and walked out of the secret room.

The metal door slowly closed behind them.

Gaga waited another five minutes, making sure Edmund was far away, before emerging from the shadows.

The little paws gripped the recording crystal tightly, and with a sway of its body, it disappeared into the shadows of the door crack.

Following the path it came from, it silently drifted back to the study.

Drill out of the frame hole and use feathers to repair the light film.

Walk through the long corridor and slip out of the main building.

Finally, he emerged from the shadow of the wall and returned to the alley.

The entire process was conducted without alerting anyone.

Ian opened his eyes in the shadows of the alley.

On the other end of the soul connection, Gaga's vision had been severed.

But he "saw" the last part of the record.

Stone platform, runes, ancient texts... and Edmund's cold, crazed face.

A slight weight came from my shoulder.

Gaga is back, her little paws gripping his collar tightly, her body trembling slightly.

"Ian..."

Its childlike voice echoed in the soul connection, tinged with lingering fear.

"That person... is terrifying, just as terrifying as you."

Ian reached out and gently stroked its head; the feathers felt cool to the touch, carrying the lingering warmth of the shadows it had passed through.

He knew what "Gaga" meant; it meant that Edmund's strength was terrifying.

"You did a great job."

He took the recording crystal from Gaga's paw. The crystal was heavy in his hand, and a pale silver light flowed inside.

He infused his spiritual energy into the crystal.

Instantly, the scene in the secret room reappeared in my mind.

Until... the bottle of dark red liquid that Edmund poured out.

"Blood essence tainted by the abyss..."

Ian muttered to himself, his eyes as cold as ice.

He recognized that the liquid was made from the blood of the Abyss's servants.

It wasn't very pure, but it was enough to activate the simple altar.

Edmund is attempting to build an abyssal altar, but his knowledge in this area is far inferior to Ian's.

He took an unconventional approach, researching how to fuse the power of the abyss with the Just family's Time-Traces bloodline.

This is the bloodline of the Morning Star Wizards of the wizarding world!

That's enough to attract even a sliver of attention from the will of the abyss.

"I see……"

Ian put away the recording crystal and looked at the dark blue manor in the distance.

Night had fallen, and only a few lights shone in the manor.

Like a giant beast crouching in the darkness, with cold eyes wide open.

"I can confirm that the Abyss Seed within Titu... was planted by Edmund."

He frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled by Edmund's motives.

"You can't be that stupid, can you? You actually want to rely on the Abyss to embark on a new path of rules?"

And even more so because of... the abyss.

Every time he runs the "Starry Sky Ceremony," he is fleecing the abyss.

Each time you purify the abyss's aura, the interface will give you some rewards.

He and the abyss were already bound by karma.

And Edmund... could very well be a new breakthrough.

"Let's go."

Ian turned and disappeared into the darkness of the alley.

Gaga perched on his shoulder, its silver-gray pupils scanning the surroundings warily.

The man and the bird quickly disappeared into the city's intricate alleyways.

Only the distant manor remained, silent in the night.

Like a tomb, burying secrets unknown to others.

It was late at night when I returned to 12 Golden Oak Street.

Only one wall lamp was lit in the laboratory, casting a long shadow on the stone slab with its dim yellow light.

Ian sat at the lab bench, his fingertips tapping lightly on the surface.

The crystal I kept nearby had lost its luster.

But the images in his mind became clearer and clearer.

Edmund's face, the runes on the stone platform, the bottle of dark red liquid...

There was also the jet-black beard in the spiritual sea of ​​the patriarch Titu Just when he was asleep.

"Of the same origin..."

He repeated the word in a low voice, his eyes deep.

The little rascal on his shoulder tilted its head and asked softly, "Ian, should we tell Adele?"

Ian remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his head.

"We can remind her, but the crystal needs to be kept for now."

He looked out the window; the stars in the night sky were sparse, and the moonlight was obscured by clouds.

"This matter is too complicated. Adele needs to focus on developing her power and cannot afford to be distracted."

Moreover... he touched the dimensional ring on his chest, where the recording crystal was kept.

He couldn't explain how the abyssal aura was discovered, whether by Chieftain Titus or Edmund.

Only those with an extremely deep understanding of the abyss can detect similar auras.

Furthermore, where did Edmund obtain his knowledge of the Abyss Altar?

He only found the dilapidated altar by chance in the underground world back then.

If it weren't for the panel's help, he'd be buried a long way off.

The Abyss Altar is not something a level two wizard could build.

Most importantly, it's his control panel...

This being, unknown even to Gaga, is the foundation of all his power.

Each time you purify the abyss's aura, the interface will give you a reward.

Every time he operates the "Starry Sky Ritual," he steals the rules of the abyss.

If it attracts the intervention of forces at level three or higher... what if it gets involved?

Ian dared not imagine the consequences; the taboo against the Abyss was ingrained in the very bones of the Central Continent.

Any trace related to the abyss will be subject to the most severe cleansing.

He cannot take the risk.

"But……"

Gaga gently pecked at his ear with its beak, its voice filled with worry.

"That person is researching such a terrifying thing, if Edel didn't know..."

"It's enough that she knows there's danger."

Ian soothed Gaga in a calm voice.

"Let's keep an eye on things secretly, and wait for the right opportunity..."