A roaring crash of falling water split the morning stillness as Zenon, Zane, and Zion Bluemoon glided over the emerald canopy, following the deafening thunder toward its source.Golden light streamed between bamboo stalks, and within a few breaths, they emerged above a clearing and hovered at its edge—only to behold a breathtaking sight.Before them stretched a colossal abyss—an enormous circular chasm, over a kilometer in diameter.It plummeted into the unknown depths of the world, a yawning mouth devouring water from all directions.Cascades from dozens of high rivers and falls leapt into it from every side like silver serpents.The surface at the rim churned as waterfalls crashed in, yet there was no splash or return—only a bottomless descent that seemed to devour light, sound, and even reality.At the edge, hundreds of cultivators from across Aetheria had gathered. Some stood. Some knelt. Some floated in midair, cross-legged, like lotus statues above the void.But the most remarka

As the final echo of the Heavenly Carp's bellow faded into silence, the suffocating tension that had gripped the Heavenly Barrow began to lift like a dissipating mist.A solemn, almost holy quietude settled over the area. The once roaring chasm of chaos now breathed with an eerie calm.The surviving cultivators, only 200 from the thousands who had entered, sat in silence upon their leaf platforms, eyes closed in lotus positions, their bodies healed and blood dried on their clothing yet their spirits surging with newfound clarity.The emerald glow that had once enveloped the leaf domes faded, leaving behind only lingering trails of celestial energy.Then, like cracks of thunder in reverse, bursts of mana surged from various individuals as they opened their eyes—some trembling, some overwhelmed, some with tears rolling down their faces.For many, this moment was a rebirth.But not Zane.His eyes remained firmly shut, his body wrapped in a cocoon of silver-blue mana, thick and dense like

King Elpis turned toward his queen, brows furrowed slightly...“But if he’s not human… then what is he?” he murmured.“He’s definitely not a demon. I’d know if he were.”Queen Elara, ever composed, her beauty as timeless as the mountains, folded her arms beneath her long, sleeves.Her voice, like spring wind through the ancient groves, was both gentle and absolute.“I’m not entirely sure either,” she said slowly. “But... at first, I thought he might be a phoenix.”Elpis blinked, momentarily taken aback.“A phoenix? What would a phoenix be doing here, in Verdantia of all places?” he asked incredulously. “And that boy—Oasis—he’s been here since birth. Didn't he take the Whispering Exams? You said so yourself.”He leaned forward, expression skeptical.“And why would anyone from the Phoenix Clan abandon Phoenix Peak to live in a human kingdom?”Elara didn’t waver.“I understand your doubt. But still—it’s a possibility we cannot dismiss. In Phoenix Peak, there exists a Volacris Clan... and

The warm, golden light of the mana-lamps spilled across the walls, casting a soft glow over the modest but neatly-kept interior.The walls were lined with polished oak panels, and a worn table sat at the center of the room where Oasis and the man took their seats.The space felt lived in but quiet—too quiet. Oasis could tell instinctively that no other life dwelled in the house aside from the two of them.“Lad, it’s fascinating,” the man said, breaking the silence and leaning back in his chair. “The scrawny kid we pulled out of the river that day has grown like this.""And without a doubt, you seem strong, stronger than most even. Judging from your clothes, you’ve made it in life. I’m sure Sir Elias would have been proud.”Oasis lowered his gaze respectfully.“I’m sure you’ve noticed,” the man continued, “most folks here… if not all… are new faces.”There was a pause, his voice trembling slightly.“The massacre years ago… it was brutal. Only those who were away from the hamlet survive

“Mmh… fascinating,” Oasis murmured, retracting his hand from the massive globe of sealed energy.As the ripple of mana quieted, a thoughtful light shimmered in his azure eyes.“This… this isn’t just raw power. There’s insight… memories… a portion of Master Elias’s magical knowledge woven into it.”Oasis took a step back and exhaled slowly, gazing into the swirling power.“So a mage can divide their strength to such magnitude… truly extraordinary.”His mind flickered back to the scroll, a vivid account of Master Elias’s life that he had studied closely.After the infamous War of Enlightenment, Elias had been tainted by demonic mana, a creeping curse that began to erode his Mana heart and conscious realm.To resist its spread and preserve his strength, Elias had used an ancient magical method known as the Triform Severance Method, a forbidden technique of Runic Spirit Division. He had coined this sealed room and the method used within it "The First Anchor of Purity."Using the Triform