Eternal Tower: Atreia Era

Three days later, Lynn and Lina's injuries had basically healed, and the ether within their bodies had returned to its peak state, even slightly improved compared to before. Lynn's Judgment of Light, honed through practical experience in the trials, had broken through to the peak of the intermediate level, only one step away from the advanced level. His understanding of the power of judgment had also deepened, allowing him to flexibly utilize the essence of the power of judgment in battle, achieving perfect unity of mind and sword. The Barrier of Light had also become increasingly solid, able to stably withstand attacks from mid-to-mid-level combat skills, and even barely withstand the impact of late-to-mid-level combat skills.

Lina's strength has also improved significantly, successfully breaking through to the peak of the initial stage, only one step away from advancing to the Winged Realm. Her basic combat skills have become increasingly proficient, and the precision of her ether manipulation has reached a new level. Although the Light Barrier has not yet reached the minor mastery stage, she can still use it flexibly in battle to effectively resist enemy attacks. At the same time, she has also mastered the advanced move of the basic light blade - Light Combo Slash, which can release several light blades in an instant for continuous attacks, with power far exceeding that of ordinary basic light blades.

As agreed, Lynn and Lina arrived at Gavin's meditation chamber on time. Gavin's injuries had mostly healed. Although the ether within him had not fully recovered, his breathing had become steady, and his face had regained some color, no longer as pale as before.

"Mentor!" Lynn and Lina bowed respectfully.

Gavin nodded slightly, gesturing for the two to sit down. His gaze fell upon them, his eyes full of approval: "Very good. You have recovered quickly, and your strength has also improved considerably. It seems that this trial has indeed tempered you greatly." He paused, then continued, "Lynn, your Judgment of Light has broken through to the peak of the intermediate level, your Light Barrier has reached the minor level, and your Ether foundation is becoming increasingly stable. You are only one step away from becoming a mid-level Guardian. Lina, you have also broken through to the peak of the initial level, and the precision of your Ether manipulation has made a qualitative leap. You are not far from advancing to the Winged Realm."

"It's all thanks to our mentor's guidance and cultivation," Lynn and Lina said in unison, their hearts filled with gratitude.

Gavin waved his hand and said gently, "This is mainly the result of your own efforts. I just pointed you in the right direction. Next, I will develop a new training plan for you to help you break through your strength faster and cope with future dangers."

He looked at Lynn and said solemnly, "Lynn, you are exceptionally talented, possessing an extremely strong affinity for the Light Aether and a remarkable comprehension of combat techniques. You have now reached the peak of the initial stage, just one step away from becoming a mid-level Guardian. Your main training goal going forward is to break through to the mid-level Guardian level, while simultaneously mastering the Judgment of Light to its highest level, comprehending the foundation of the mysteries of Light, and enhancing your combat abilities and adaptability. In addition, I will teach you another high-level combat technique of the Celestial Race—Purification of Light. This technique can purify all impure and shadow powers, and has a strong restraining effect on the combat power of dragons and demons. It will greatly help you in your future battles against dragons and demons."

Lynn was overjoyed and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Master! This disciple will definitely cultivate diligently and break through to the intermediate-level Guardian as soon as possible, mastering the Light Purification combat technique, and living up to Master's expectations."

Gavin nodded, then looked at Lina and said gently, "Lina, although your talent isn't as great as Lynn's, you're hardworking, meticulous, and your ether manipulation precision far surpasses that of your peers. Your main training goal going forward is to break through to the Wing Formation stage and become a true mid-level Guardian. At the same time, hone your basic combat skills, mastering the Light Slash to perfection, and improve your support and defensive abilities. I will prepare the necessary pills and materials for your Wing Formation advancement to help you break through your bottleneck faster and condense stronger wings."

Lina's eyes were filled with excitement as she bowed and said, "Thank you, Master! I will certainly live up to your expectations and break through to the Winged Realm as soon as possible to improve my strength. I will fight alongside Lynn to protect the Celestial Clan."

Gavin smiled with satisfaction and nodded. "Good, you all have this determination, very good. Next, I will first teach Lynn the Light Purification Combat Technique, and then prepare the pills and materials for Lina's Wing Advancement. In addition, I will slowly tell you about the secrets of the dragon-demon collusion during your training, so that you can learn more about the enemy and find their weaknesses."

In the days that followed, Lynn and Lina once again immersed themselves in rigorous training. Every morning, Lynn would enter the Ether Tempering Array to hone his etheric foundation, expand his etheric sea, and improve the purity and control precision of his etheric power, laying a solid foundation for breaking through to the intermediate-level Guardian. At noon, he would repeatedly hone his Light Judgment on the training platform, comprehending the essence of the Judgment's power. At the same time, he followed Instructor Gavin to learn the Light Purification combat technique, studying and practicing every detail, from basic moves to the essence of the combat technique.

The Purification of Light technique is far more difficult to master than the Judgment of Light. It requires condensing luminous ether into a pure ball of light, using the purifying properties of light to cleanse all impurities and shadow forces. Initially, Lynn practiced repeatedly but could not condense a pure ball of light; either the ether was not refined enough, or the light power was not pure enough to exert its purifying effect. However, he did not lose heart. Under the guidance of his mentor Gavin, he constantly adjusted the way he condensed the ether, refining his technique repeatedly, and gradually grasped the essence of Purification of Light.

Lina's training was equally rigorous. Every morning, she would circulate the ether within her body, tempering her etheric foundation and increasing its concentration in preparation for advancing to the Wing Formation stage. At noon, she would repeatedly practice Light Slash and Light Barrier, refining the details of her combat techniques and improving her attack and defense capabilities. In the evening, she would take the Wing Formation Pill prepared for her by her mentor Gavin, using the pill's effects to expand her etheric sea and break through the bottleneck of advancing to the Wing Formation stage.

Gavin, their mentor, remained by their side throughout, patiently guiding their training. Whenever Lynn encountered a bottleneck in his Light Purification combat technique, he would offer timely guidance, helping her grasp the essence of the technique. Whenever Lina faced difficulties in advancing to the Winged Realm, he would adjust her training methods and provide assistance. In addition, during their training breaks, he would explain to them the secrets of the dragon-demon alliance and the ancient history of Atreia, helping them understand the enemy's weaknesses and the guardian's mission.

According to Gavin's explanation, the collusion between the Dragon and Demon races was not accidental. A thousand years ago, during the civil war within the Celestial Demon race, the Dragons had already established contact with the radical faction within the Demon race. Back then, the Dragons secretly instigated conflict between the Celestial and Demon races, creating tension and triggering a civil war. The radical faction within the Demon race, seeking to leverage the Dragons' power to control Atreia, readily agreed to a secret cooperation. Over the years, the Dragons and Demons have been secretly cultivating Shadow Warriors, accumulating strength, and waiting for the opportune moment to join forces and attack the Celestials, unifying Atreia.

Furthermore, Gavin's mentor discovered that the Dragon and Demon races were secretly searching for fragments of the ancient Tower of Eternity. The Tower of Eternity, built by the twelve Olympian gods in ancient times, contained immense creative power, maintaining the balance of Atreia and possessing world-destroying power. When the civil war broke out among the Demon race, the Tower of Eternity collapsed in the flames of war, its fragments scattered throughout Atreia. The Dragon and Demon races sought to find these fragments, rebuild the Tower of Eternity, and use its power to control Atreia and enslave all living beings.

Lynn and Lina were filled with shock and anger after listening to Gavin's explanation. They hadn't expected the Dragon and Demon races to have such grand ambitions—not only did they want to join forces to attack the Celestials, but they also wanted to find the fragments of the Tower of Eternity, control Atreia, and enslave all living beings. Their resolve strengthened even further; they were determined to cultivate diligently, improve their strength, stop the Dragon and Demon races' plot, protect the peace of Atreia, and safeguard the future of all living beings.

As the days passed, Lynn and Lina's strength steadily improved. Lynn had mastered the basic moves of his Light Purification combat technique, able to condense pure light orbs to exert a certain purifying effect. Although he hadn't yet reached the minor mastery level, he could effectively counter the corrupting and shadow powers of dragons and demons in battle. His Light Judgment was also getting closer and closer to the major mastery level, and his understanding of the power of judgment was becoming more profound. His etheric foundation was also becoming more and more solid, only one step away from breaking through to the intermediate-level guardian. The etheric sea within his body had also expanded considerably, and the purity and control precision of his etheric energy had also significantly improved.

Lina's progress was equally remarkable. Her Light Slash had reached a high level of proficiency, allowing her to unleash multiple light blades in an instant for a powerful, continuous attack. Her Light Barrier had also become more robust, capable of reliably withstanding attacks from early-stage mid-level combat techniques. With the help of the Wing-Condensing Pills and materials prepared by Instructor Gavin, her Ether Sea had expanded considerably, and its concentration had reached a new level, bringing her closer to advancing to the Wing-Condensing stage. Signs of Wing-Condensing were also beginning to appear within her body.

Just as their cultivation was progressing steadily and they were about to break through their bottleneck, bad news came from the Guardian Academy—the border fortress had been attacked by the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan. The Celestial Guardians on the border suffered heavy casualties, and the border fortress could be breached by the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan at any moment.

This news, like a thunderbolt, exploded throughout the Guardian Academy, plunging all students and instructors into panic and rage. The Dragon and Demon races had actually joined forces, and had even launched the first attack on the Celestial race's border fortress. This meant that the war between the Celestial race and the Dragon-Demon alliance had officially begun.

Lynn and Lina were filled with anger and anxiety upon hearing the news. They knew that the border fortress was the Celestial Race's frontline defense against the invasion of the Dragon and Demon races. Once the border fortress fell, the Dragon and Demon races would launch a massive invasion of Celestial territory, slaughtering Celestial beings and wreaking havoc on Atreia. They wanted to immediately go to the border fortress to support the border guardians and fight alongside them against the Dragon-Demon Alliance's attack.

The two immediately went to Gavin's meditation chamber, found Gavin, and volunteered to go to the border fortress to support the border guardians.

"Mentor, we have learned that the border fortress has been attacked by the Dragon Demon Alliance. We request permission to go to the border fortress to support the guardians of the border!" Lynn and Lina said, bowing, their voices firm and their eyes full of fighting spirit.

Gavin looked at the two, his eyes filled with relief, yet also with a hint of solemnity: "I know you want to contribute to the Celestial Clan and protect the creatures on the border, and I am pleased with that intention. But you must understand that the battles at the border fortresses are exceptionally brutal. The Dragon Demon Alliance has deployed a large number of troops, including many high-level combatants. With your current strength, going to the border fortresses would not only fail to provide support, but you might also sacrifice yourselves in vain."

"Master, we are not afraid to sacrifice ourselves!" Lynn said firmly. "The guardians of the border are fighting a bloody battle to protect the Celestials and Atreia. We cannot stand idly by! Even if our strength is not yet sufficient, we must do our part to fight alongside them and never back down!"

Lina nodded, her eyes filled with determination: "Yes, Master, we are not afraid of sacrifice. We want to go to the border fortress to support them, even if it's just to hold back the enemy's attacks, we are willing to do it!"

Gavin looked into their determined eyes and knew that he couldn't stop them no matter what. He sighed softly and said solemnly, "Alright, I agree to let you go to the border fortress. But you must remember, once you arrive at the border fortress, you must obey the border general's orders. Don't be reckless, don't act on your own, and protect your own safety. Your growth is related to the future of the Celestial Clan; you cannot be sacrificed lightly."

He paused, then continued, "I will prepare some high-level healing pills, ether-restoring pills, and some defensive treasures for you to help you protect yourselves in battle. In addition, I will write a letter to the generals of the border fortresses, asking them to take good care of you and arrange suitable combat missions for you, so that you can participate in battles, accumulate practical experience, and ensure your safety."

"Thank you so much, Mentor!" Lynn and Lina were overjoyed and bowed deeply in gratitude. They knew that although Mentor Gavin was worried about their safety, he had still chosen to support them, and this trust filled them with motivation.

Gavin nodded, raised his hand, and a storage bag floated slowly into Lynn's hand: "Inside are healing pills, pills to restore ether, and defensive treasures. Keep them safe. Tomorrow morning, you will set off for the border fortress. Remember, you must protect yourselves and come back alive. I'm waiting for you to break through your strength, become pillars of the Celestial Race, and fight alongside me against the Dragon-Demon Alliance to protect the peace of Atreia."

"Disciples will remember Master's teachings!" Lynn and Lina bowed in unison, their eyes filled with determination. They gripped their storage bags tightly, secretly vowing to protect themselves and do their utmost at the border fortress, fighting alongside the border guardians to resist the Dragon Demon Alliance's attacks, living up to Master Gavin's trust and expectations, and living up to the expectations of the Celestial Clan.

As night fell, Lynn and Lina returned to their secluded training chamber, packed their belongings, and carefully stored away the elixirs and treasures given to them by their mentor, Gavin. They knew that tomorrow they would head to the border fortress to face a brutal battle, a battle that would determine the very survival of the Celestial Race. But they felt no fear, only unwavering faith and indomitable fighting spirit. They believed that as long as they worked together, side by side, they could surely withstand the Dragon-Demon Alliance's attack, protect the Celestial Race's territory, and safeguard the peace of Atreia.

Meanwhile, at the border fortress, the battle had reached a fever pitch.