Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Ian stepped out of the space, and the passage behind him silently closed.

This place is in the central part of the Wizarding Continent, on the edge of the Silvermoon Highlands.

The air was filled with a thick mist of energy, which enveloped the continuous mountain range, making only some of its tall outlines vaguely visible.

"Ian, the space here is shattered, be careful." Gaga emerged from the shadows, scanning the surroundings warily.

Ian nodded slightly, his senses already spreading out, penetrating the thick fog.

Deep within the mountains, besides the chaotic ley line energy and magic, there was also a sense of "emptiness," a trace left by the erosion of the void.

"Walk."

With a swift movement, he no longer tore through the void, but instead transformed into a streak of light, skimming low along the mountain ridge and disappearing into the mist.

After venturing more than a hundred miles into the mountains, the feeling of "emptiness" suddenly became clearer and more intense.

With a hiss, the fog ahead suddenly burst open, and dozens of gray shadows shrieked as they pounced.

They are not large, about half the height of a human, with a pair of compound eyes, resembling a hybrid of a mantis and a beetle, their bodies covered with chitinous exoskeleton, and their mouthparts constantly opening and closing.

These are the lowest-tier "drones" of the Voidlings, and they've already spread here.

Upon discovering Ian, they charged in a swarm without hesitation, intending to tear the intruder apart, devour him, and turn him into food for their nest.

Ian did not stop walking; he merely moved his mind slightly, and the space within a ten-mile radius centered on him suddenly froze.

The dozens of low-level void insects that charged forward, still in their attacking stance, were forcibly pinned to the spot by this invisible and vast force.

The chaotic light in their compound eyes flickered wildly, conveying instinctive terror, yet not a single limb could tremble.

A glint of crimson gold light appeared deep within Ian's eyes.

The temperature inside the solidified space rose rapidly. The void worms couldn't even withstand it for a fraction of a second, and were directly ignited starting from the smallest molecular level.

Silently, dozens of low-level void insects turned into a cloud of fine ash.

"Cleansing up bugs is easier than cleaning up mutants," Ian muttered to himself as he continued on his way.

Along the way, similar harassment occurred three or four more times.

The swarms of insects seemed to be everywhere, emerging from crevices in the rocks and deep in the mist, growing larger with each passing year. Some even began to appear as "velociraptors" with thicker carapaces and forelimbs that had evolved into blade-like shapes.

But in the face of an absolute power disparity, quantity is meaningless.

Ian didn't even stop walking; it was as if an invisible death domain existed around him.

Any swarm of insects that intruded into his perception range, whether it was the "raptors" on the ground or the "shadow-winged insects" that tried to harass him from the air and were as fast as shadows, was instantly frozen and turned into ashes.

As he flew, he left behind patches of "pure" areas that existed only briefly before being filled again by mist and the aura of the void.

Passing through the mist at the edge of the highlands, the scenery suddenly changed, revealing a vast Moonlight Plateau.

The earth is not ordinary soil and rocks; it is entirely composed of moonstone, which gleams with a soft, silvery-white luster.

On the plateau, patches of silver forests dot the landscape.

The branches and leaves of the trees, with their silvery-gray or crystalline hues, stand quietly, slowly absorbing the void energy floating in the air.

A pale purple crack stretched across the sky, hanging in mid-air.

Beneath the crack, a layer of silvery-white light membrane covering the entire plateau, like an inverted giant bowl, blocked the purple halo from the outside.

This is the famous "Silver Moon Barrier," but at this moment, several parts of the barrier's light membrane have dimmed and broken.

Pale purple energy seeped from the holes and dripped onto the plateau, while countless tiny black dots continuously drilled into those holes.

On the edge of the plateau, there stand several watchtowers inlaid with intricate silver runes.

A tall, slender figure was looking at Ian, clearly having already noticed the undisguised fluctuations of rules emanating from him as he approached.

Ian flashed and appeared in front of the watchtower. The figure also landed lightly from the top of the watchtower; it was a female moon elf.

She was tall and slender, half a head taller than an average human woman. Her skin was a warm, pearly white, and pointed ears peeked out from her long silver hair. Her aura fluctuated at approximately the peak of a third-level wizard.

At this moment, her face showed undisguised scrutiny and wariness as she looked at Ian.

"Human wizard, state your identity and purpose. This area is under the control of the Silvermoon Council. Entry is prohibited without authorization."

"I am Ian Marcus, a fourth-level Morning Star Wizard."

Ian responded calmly, his gaze sweeping over the watchtower behind her and the conspicuous breach in the barrier on the plateau further away.

"Invited by the Alliance Council to assist in handling matters related to the Void Rift."

Upon hearing the words "Level 4 Morning Star," the Moon Elf captain's wariness lessened slightly.

Three months ago, the council sent two fourth-level elders to explore the rift, but they have not been heard from since.

With increasing pressure on the barrier and more frequent insect swarms, any powerful external assistance is highly anticipated.

"I am Cecilia, captain of the eastern patrol of Silvermoon Highlands." She nodded slightly, confirming Ian's right to pass.

"The High Priest is aware of your arrival and has commanded me to receive you here. Please follow me and do not stray from the route. The spatial structure of some areas is affected by cracks and is not very stable."

Ian nodded and followed Cecilia a few steps behind.

She walked with light and agile steps, clearly very familiar with this moonstone landscape.

Along the way, Ian observed silently.

The landscape of Silvermoon Highlands is unique and magnificent, but this beauty is marred by a crack in the sky.

Below, through those gaps, you can see Zerg figures of various sizes flickering, trying to crawl in.

Near the rift, the ground was purplish-black, contrasting sharply with the surrounding silvery-white luster, and faint energy bursts and sharp hisses could be heard from afar from time to time.

According to Cecilia, it was a patrolling "Starblade Guardian" squad fighting against the stragglers.

She seemed to be used to it, only she was moving at a faster pace.

"Those forests," Ian pointed to a particularly tall woodland in the distance, which appeared to be an ancient and deep silver-gray.

"Are they absorbing void energy?"

Cecilia paused slightly, glancing at Ian with a hint of surprise at his keen observation.

"That is the ancient forest, the place where the world's mother tree grows. The subspecies of ancient trees nourished by its power still retain some of the properties of purification and absorption, which can slow down the direct damage of the void erosion to the original source."

Her tone carried a deep-seated reverence and pride, which was then tinged with a sense of heaviness.

The mother tree still needs to grow, but the cracks are constantly widening, and the power of the barrier is weakening.

Three months ago, Elders Carlisle and Thran were ordered to venture beyond the rift to investigate and find a way to stop its expansion or the core of the Mother Nest...

Ian recalled the information Nicholas had mentioned, and now it seemed that progress could no longer be described as slow.

At the same time, doubts arose in his mind. The Elf King of Silvermoon Highlands was a Level 5 Radiant Moon, so he should have been easy to deal with...

"Could there be another reason?" Ian wondered to himself, while becoming more vigilant.

This seems quite different from the information Nicholas gave, which explains why he said the compensation was generous.

Cecilia silently led the way, and they soon ventured deep into the heart of the plateau.

The surrounding moonstone buildings gradually increase in number, with an elegant and simple style that blends harmoniously with the forest.

Many moon elf residents were active, most of them with skin between pearl white and light silver-gray, and eyes that were mostly moon white or light green. They wore clothing with elements of nature and moonlight.

Seeing Cecilia pass by with a human wizard and a strange familiar, everyone cast curious and wary glances their way.

Ian noticed that the Moon Elf society was clearly hierarchical, but the atmosphere was heavy, filled with a sense of tension and dedication to the survival of the community.

After passing through the commoners' district, Cecilia led him to a temple surrounded by a huge ancient tree.

"High Priestess Karendil is waiting in the Hall of the Moon." Cecilia stopped in front of the hall; her duties had come to an end.

Ian whispered something to Gaga, and the little guy obediently flew to the branch of an ancient tree outside the hall, curiously looking at the glowing plants around him.

Pushing open the moonstone doors reveals a spacious and towering hall.

The walls and dome are inlaid with a large number of moonstones, which illuminate the hall with a clear light.

At the far end of the hall, a moon elf sat on a stone chair, wearing a silver priest's robe embroidered with stars, moon, and tree patterns, and holding a staff inlaid with a huge moonstone.

His face was weathered, his eyes deep purple, his aura vast and unfathomable, faintly connected to the "Silver Moon Barrier" that separated the entire hall from the outside world. (We have all the fantasy novel genres you like; welcome to visit.)

High Priest Karendil, another level-five Moon Elf, specializes in spatial magic and is known as the "Voidwalker".

As Ian stepped into the hall, Karen Deer looked over.

"Welcome to Silvermoon Highlands, Lord Marcus." Karendil's voice was calm, yet carried an imposing majesty.

"Captain Cecilia should have already explained the basic situation to you along the way."

"The situation is more serious than I previously understood," Ian said bluntly, stopping in the center of the hall.

"The cracks in the sky are continuously polluting the barrier, and the loopholes are increasing. When you sought help three months ago, the situation had not yet deteriorated to this extent."

A bitter smile crossed Karen Deer's face, and the weariness in his eyes became more obvious.

"You're right. When we were sending messages to the Wizard Alliance, we were able to maintain a balance, but just a month ago, the other side of the rift seemed to have completed an energy absorption burst, causing the rift to expand at an accelerated pace and the pressure on the barrier to increase sharply."

"Carlisle and Thran..." A trace of sorrow appeared in his eyes, "The flames of their souls were extinguished completely a month ago."

Ian's heart tightened; this was yet another situation he was unaware of, and he began to reassess the risks of this trip.

The loss of two Level 4 Morning Stars is a heavy blow to the Silvermoon Council and the entire Moon Elf race.

"High Priest, what kind of 'insect hive' is on the other side? Even a level 5 Moonlit Night can't handle it?"

"I haven't spotted any Level 5 Zerg yet, but there are just too many of them."

With a gentle wave of his staff, Karendil caused moonlight energy to converge in the air at the center of the hall, forming a clear silver light curtain.

Blurry images began to appear on the light screen, clearly fragments of information that the previous investigators had transmitted back at great cost or observed through special means.

"This is a mid-level world that has been corrupted and transformed by the Zerg. Now, it has become an outpost for the 'Hive' to invade our world."

"How dare the Zerg invade the Wizarding World? Don't they have intelligence?"

"Of course they dare, and they are extremely intelligent, but only the queen insect is the core of the insect race."

Karendil's voice was icy as he began to recount the past history of the wizarding civilization and the Voidlings to Ian.

The Void Zerg civilization, with its aggressiveness and expansionist desires, is no less than that of the Wizard civilization at its peak.

The two civilizations are true mortal enemies. Over countless years, they have fought several large-scale wars against the Void Race, which have affected several large worlds.

The wizard civilization won all these wars, but at an extremely high cost.

The Void Zerg civilization is centered around individual "Hives," forming a highly unified hive-like consciousness. All Zerg units are extensions of this consciousness.

The Zerg have countless such hives, each capable of waging war and invading an entire world on its own.

But all the hives belong to the Void Queen of the Zerg.

On the light screen, the images switch rapidly.

The first to appear were the basic units of the swarm, each with a unique appearance, and their numbers were boundless.

They busily transport the transformed matter and energy blocks, constructing complex nests and energy pipelines on the distorted and deformed land.

This is the most basic engineer and combat unit, "Heroic Peak," which is numerous and replenished very quickly.

Next came even more ferocious individuals, with imposing physiques, thick carapaces, and forelimbs that had evolved into terrifyingly large blades or bone hammers, charging with a ferocious aura that could destroy everything.

"Rapid Insects" are the main force of ground assaults and elite combat units.

The scene shifts to a Zerg race with unusually developed mouthparts that can spray dark purple energy streams.

They often appear in clusters, and when the energy flow hits the Silver Moon Barrier or Moonstone structures, it emits a violent corrosive sound, rapidly dissolving magical structures and matter.

"Bone-Eating Worm" is a ranged attack unit that is highly destructive to energy defenses and physical structures.

The sky was also filled with threats, including a flying insect with a pair of translucent wings and a strange, swift flight path that could swoop down at high speed and spray a wide-ranging rain of corrosive acid.

"Shadowwing" is an air superiority and high-speed strike unit.

Finally, the light screen focused on several relatively small Zerg creatures, whose carapaces had a crystalline texture and whose bodies emitted strong energy fluctuations.

These insects are usually located at the center of the swarm's protection, their bodies constantly absorbing the surrounding void energy and emitting a rhythmic glow.

"This is a crystal nucleus worm," Karendil emphasized.

"They are the energy nodes and converters of the swarm, supplying energy to the entire swarm system, and are extremely important."

"These little things are equally dangerous. If necessary, the Mother Nest's will can force them to self-destruct due to energy overload."

"The void energy shockwaves it generates are powerful enough to instantly kill a level three wizard, and when there are many of them, they can even severely injure an unsuspecting Morning Star."

Before the video ended, several blurry, distorted shadows flashed by, their aura causing even Ian to look solemn.

"These are the mother insects' guards. They have already touched upon the application of spatial rules, and are able to perform short-distance spatial jumps or create local spatial distortions. They are very troublesome."

"I suspect that Carlisle's disappearance from Elder Thran's contact is related to encountering this type of entity."

The light curtain dissipated, and the hall was once again bathed in the cool moonlight.

There was a lot of information, and Ian silently processed it.

A Zerg civilization with a complete system, clear division of labor among its units, and unified command based on the Hive Mindset poses a threat far greater than ordinary Void creatures, and may even be comparable to the chaotic Abyss civilization.

They have strategies, tactics, and a constant supply of manpower and energy.

"What are the Silvermoon Council's current plans?" Ian asked Kyrendel. "Repair the barrier and then passively defend? Or..."

"Passive defense only leads to certain death." Karendil's purple eyes flashed with a cold light.

"The power of the barrier originates from the World Tree and the accumulated essence of past generations, but it is not inexhaustible, and the rift continues to draw upon the world's origin to expand."

"We must go beyond the rift and find a way to stop its expansion, or at least destroy or disrupt the core nodes that draw energy from it, to buy time for the barrier to repair and for the World Tree to grow."

He knew in his heart that this would be difficult to do.

Queen Serafina is currently stationed at the core of the barrier, using her own Radiant Moon Domain to stabilize the biggest weaknesses, making it impossible to make any moves.

He himself must constantly confront the Mother Nest consciousness on the other side of the rift to prevent sudden large-scale spatial teleportation.

The other human and elven council members in the council were either preoccupied with other important matters or on their way.

Ian's arrival undoubtedly alleviated the shortage of high-level personnel.

"You want to penetrate the rift and destroy the nodes, but you lack a powerful enough Morning Star Wizard."

Ian understood the other person's situation and potential request.

"Yes," Karendil readily admitted, "This is not only a matter for my elven race, but also a crisis for the entire Wizarding Alliance."

"We need powerful Morning Stars who excel at frontal assaults and large-scale clearing operations. The methods you've demonstrated on the outskirts of the mountains are exactly what we need."

Gravity and heat, a very special combination of rules, are perfectly suited to counter swarm tactics.

It would be extremely dangerous for an ordinary Morning Star wizard to enter.

The world on the other side is now the Zerg's home turf, the rules have been modified to some extent, and there is also a powerful hive consciousness suppressing them.

"High Priest, you've been talking to me for so long, but I haven't heard what kind of reward you want to pay?" Ian said calmly.

Karen Diehl's breath hitched slightly. "What do you want?"

"I'm new here and don't understand many things, so I need to consider whether to take on this task."

Ian shook his head, looking serious.

Seeing Ian's attitude, Karendil knew that he wouldn't budge unless he offered something really good.

"I know that most of the morning stars who come here hope to obtain our fountain of life, and you have the same purpose, don't you?"

Ian knew there was no need to deny it in front of a level 5 Radiant Moon, so he nodded.

"If you participate, the Silvermoon Council will open part of the resource vault ahead of schedule. If you can bring back key information or achieve results, even the Void Energy Core... is not out of the question."

The last sentence was seductive, but Ian remained unmoved.

"I need to understand the specific situation on the other side first. Also, if I agree to participate in this matter, I must first receive the Fountain of Life and the Energy Core materials."

Otherwise, he would turn around and leave without hesitation.