Chapter 204: Every Journey Has an End (5k)
A silent tower.
There were no windows, making it difficult to see the sky outside.
Only simple bookshelves spanned the vast interior of the tower, the only things present in this empty space.
Upon each bookshelf were displayed ancient-looking books.
A faint mysticism emanated from the books, revealing their status as spell origins.
In the world of wizards, knowledge itself was equivalent to power.
The rarer, the less widely disseminated, and the less known to the world, the spell origins and forbidden knowledge were—
The more potent the mysticism surrounding them, and the more powerful their effects after casting.
Thus, this was also the importance of having a teacher in the world of wizards.
A teacher was one who transmitted the Way, imparted knowledge, and resolved doubts.
Learning forbidden knowledge, imparting rare spell origins, and even avoiding the dangers and taboos in magical experiments…
Whether for Fourth Era’s young Shaya or First Era’s Heiser—
If they had not met each other, they might have spent their entire lives unable to even complete their arcane enlightenment, unable to cross the threshold into what was known as wizardry.
And if it were just a few months ago, when she had just met her teacher Shaya, and under his guidance, had taken a step into the unknown hall of arcane and magic.
At that time, the Golden Elf would have likely discovered a new world of treasure, overjoyed, even completely immersed in it.
After all, Shaya had always said that Heiser’s composure as a wizard was not yet stable enough, and if she were to rashly engage with high-complexity spell models, she might go mad or suffer a backlash of mental power. For this reason—
No matter how much Heiser pleaded, he had never opened all the spell origins he possessed to her, only selectively teaching her a very small portion of them.
However, at this very moment.
The countless secret origins that she had longed for not long ago, the origins that led directly to the brilliant arcane ocean, were all displayed without obstruction on the bookshelves within the tower.
For a wizard who regarded knowledge as wealth, this was equivalent to a mountain of gold placed before her.
Yet, Heiser had no desire to read those spell origins at all.
She was not foolish.
Even though she did not know when the ancient Sun God and Shaya had arranged for the ritual to begin.
However—
The dreamlike journey not long ago.
And at the end of this journey.
Shaya’s words, which sounded like liberation yet carried a hint of reluctance.
All pointed to the obvious truth.
A truth that Heiser was unwilling to face, yet had to face.
The unease in her heart grew, almost filling her mind.
However, no matter how hard she tried, the massive metal door remained unmoved, not swaying even a bit.
Rumbling—
A tremendous sound, like the sky falling, echoed from the distant sky.
At the same time, Heiser suddenly felt that the bloodline restriction from the Elf King on her body had weakened.
The restriction, which originated from her blood and had limited her mental power and bloodline, preventing Heiser from using either the Golden Elf’s inherent supernatural abilities or magic, was now slowly fading.
Soon, it disappeared.
The powerful mental strength of a legendary Golden Elf and a legendary mage once again filled her entire body.
Transforming her from a helpless girl into a peerless legendary expert.
Not just the restriction—
Even the black tower itself was gradually fading.
The originally solid metal walls were becoming illusory and transparent.
Through the illusory tower, one could vaguely see the blurred scenery outside.
And so, in an instant, Heiser understood everything.
Not just the city of Lokiia, which was holding an arcane festival.
Even this black tower was an illusion created by Shaya’s will and magic.
However, unlike the city of bubbles that vanished with the sunlight, like Atlantis.
This black tower was infused with more of Shaya’s mental power and had been solidified.
Within its existence, the boundaries between illusion and reality had blurred, almost transforming from illusion into reality, something Heiser herself had not noticed before.
But since it was an illusion, it would eventually dissipate.
And the scene before her—
signified.
Whether it was the source of the Golden Elf’s bloodline restriction, the ancient Sun God, or the master of this illusory black tower—
They were all leaving.
Leaving this world, leaving her side.
Heiser suddenly stood up.
A clear and pleasant, yet extremely rapid, chant echoed throughout the empty tower.
It was a high-level clairvoyance spell, which Shaya had called “Clairvoyance A+” when teaching it to Heiser.
It could ignore obstructions, transcend physical barriers, and directly peer at the entirety of the outside world.
The spell model for clairvoyance was instantly constructed under the effect of high-speed divine speech.
Then, it transformed into a faint water screen.
Reflecting everything outside.
The next instant.
Heiser’s light golden eyes suddenly constricted.
The world was collapsing.
Not an exaggerated metaphor, but a true reality.
The lowest level of that gloomy palace had disintegrated into countless fragments, some scattering, others peeling away downwards.
Then, they merged into the surging ocean.
Not just the palace in this World Tree fragment plane.
But also, the entire former Elf Royal Court itself.
The magnificent Holy Spear pierced the night sky, allowing the light of day to shine upon the Royal Court once more.
But, at this moment.
The Royal Court, bathed in sunlight, was also being pierced by that glorious Holy Spear.
And then, it fell downwards together.
But Heiser, and the black tower she was in.
Just as Shaya had told Heiser in his stories.
This black tower, created by Shaya’s will, was like the secluded utopia called “Avalon” from myth and legend.
It isolated all the destruction, all the annihilation, outside the tower.
The Lost Island, along with the ruins of countless wreckage, fell towards the infinitely dark and desolate abyss at the bottom of the ocean, along with the Holy Spear.
And along with them, from the falling Lost Island—
came the sound of the young man’s laughter, so familiar to Heiser.
“Into the abyss—”
“Fall with me!”
A vast sound echoed throughout the Lost Island, between the sky and the ocean.
“Teacher Shaya…”
At this moment, Heiser finally understood everything.
From beginning to end, Shaya’s actions—
Whether it was this meticulously planned journey, or such a massive undertaking that overturned the entire Lost Island.
Its root—
was still, for her.
It was just that Shaya’s chosen method was far more intense and resolute than Heiser had previously imagined.
*Clink*—
A crisp sound rang out.
It startled Heiser, who was staring blankly at the scene in the clairvoyance water screen, back to reality.
She saw a phantom book fall from a bookshelf inside the tower.
As it fell halfway through the air, the phantom book suddenly opened.
Then, lines of clear, distinct text slowly appeared on the book.
It was Shaya’s handwriting; Heiser had seen his writing countless times when he taught her magic, and it was exactly the same as this.
Simultaneously, familiar words echoed.
“Hey, hey, hey, can you hear me?”
“Cough, in short, Heiser.”
“I should have told you these words face to face…”
“But that ancient Sun God was still in a state of complete recovery, and our conversation might have been overheard by Him, so I’ll tell you this way.”
“By the time you see this book and hear these words—”
“I should no longer be on the Prime Material Plane, but have gone to another world with the Creator of the Glorious Era.”
“No, that might be misleading, making you think I died with Him. But in short, I’m not dead yet.”
“If everything goes smoothly, I should have gone to the inner side of the Prime Material Plane, the inner side of the world, which you can also call the Abyss.”
Shaya’s voice was calm, a stark contrast to the Golden Elf’s slightly trembling figure as she read the illusory words.
“To be honest, I’m a bit reluctant…”
“After all, I just met such a beautiful Golden Elf, and I’ve only spent a few months with you. We haven’t even confessed our feelings, let alone kissed…”
“To leave you like this and go to another world with an undead being who has lived for who knows how many years, and whose gender is unclear, anyone would be upset.”
“But—”
His voice paused slightly.
Then, it carried a hint of regret.
“This is the only way.”
“With the Holy Spear, to forever suppress me, Him, and the Lost Island carrying the curse of the ancient era, in the deepest part of the Abyss.”
“This way, no matter the outcome of the struggle between Him and me.”
“Even if He wins in the end and successfully possesses my body, He will still be suppressed by the Holy Spear on the inner side of the world and unable to return to the Prime Material Plane to interfere with you.”
“Heiser, you can still live safely and happily, free to do whatever you want.”
“Of course, this is the worst-case scenario.”
Shaya’s tone rose slightly.
“Actually, I don’t think I’ll lose to him.”
“It’s just a matter of outlasting an old man. In terms of youth, I’m far superior to that ancient undead monster.”
“So, you don’t need to worry too much about me.”
“Isn’t there a possibility that He is the challenger?”
“He wants to possess my body, but he doesn’t know that I also want to challenge the old geezer.”
“I’ve also been eyeing the partial remnants of the Creator of the Glorious Era who once ascended the Throne of Heaven.”
The young man’s voice did not carry much tension.
It even had a hint of teasing, as if he were truly going to challenge an old man at that moment.
But to Heiser’s ears—
It made her heart grow even colder.
As if falling into an ice cave.
Anyone could see that these were just words of comfort from Shaya.
That was the supreme being of the Glorious Era, the god of gods.
Even if it was just a partial remnant, even if it had been sleeping for millennia, with layers of weakening and suppression, its true power might be less than a tenth, or even less than a hundredth.
But who in this world could truly say they could defeat the other?
For beings above Legendary, pure physical combat was not particularly dangerous, as Legendary Experts had too many life-saving methods if they were at a disadvantage.
Substitute puppets, astral escape, remote space transfer, and even phylacteries from the school of necromancy could preserve a life.
However, battles within the Spiritual World were the most dangerous.
After all, with just one careless mistake and the spirit was erased.
Then, even if the body remained intact, even unharmed.
You would no longer be you, and the intactness of the body would be meaningless.
“Teacher Shaya…”
“With what kind of heart did you say these words…”
The Golden Elf’s voice trembled slightly.
Shaya’s actions were clearly for her sake.
If it weren’t for her, Shaya would not have fallen into such a dangerous situation, even risking his life.
But, at this moment.
He himself was in peril, the most dangerous person.
Yet he acted as if nothing was wrong, comforting her with teasing and confident words.
Cold tears slid down Heiser’s delicate face and fell onto the floor of the black tower.
Making a crisp *pat* sound.
“If I’m not mistaken, Heiser, you’re not crying right now, are you?”
“Honestly, I don’t really like seeing you cry so miserably…”
“It’s too dramatic, too cloying.”
“This is not a dramatic separation in a Qiong Yao drama, where heaven and earth are separated, but merely a short separation.”
“There’s no need to act as if I’m already dead, like you’re mourning for me.”
Shaya’s words also carried a hint of helplessness.
“You don’t want me to lose to that old geezer who calls himself the Sun God, do you—”
“Since that’s the case, then smile, Heiser.”
“If the sun had shadows, everyone would be sad, wouldn’t they?”
“And if I could feel your smile, then when I’m struggling with that old geezer at the end of the Abyss, I’d have more spirit.”
Hearing the young man’s words.
Heiser wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
She wanted to smile—
But found that her expression in the water screen reflection was even uglier than crying.
“Ah, no—”
“Come to think of it, asking you to smile in this situation might be asking too much.”
Shaya paused slightly.
“In short, although I am confident, that is still the remnant of a great being who once ascended the Throne of Heaven in an era.”
“Even if I win in the end, it will take a long time.”
“Perhaps years, perhaps decades, perhaps centuries.”
“So, no matter what, we won’t be able to see each other for a very long time.”
“I’ve left all the spell origins stored in Yui’s database, along with related secret knowledge, in this illusory black tower—”
“This way, even without my guidance, you can continue to grow and become stronger with the knowledge in this entire Grand Library.”
“One day, you will become very strong—”
“You will reach the pinnacle of the stars, the end of all arcane and magic, and even truth.”
“Deeper and farther than I have.”
His words were confident, as if he were stating a certain fact rather than making a guess.
“By the way, let me formally bid you farewell, Heiser.”
“Actually, I prefer calling you ‘Shī Jiang’ over this name.”
“Of course, you probably can’t understand the meaning of this title now, but you’ll know one day—”
“Until then, consider it a small whim of mine.”
Then, Shaya dropped his teasing tone and became slightly more serious.
“Then—”
“Goodbye, Shī Jiang.”
“Every journey has an end—”
“Our journey will be no exception.”
He smiled: “Perhaps, in the long lifespan of you elves, the less than a year we spent together is less than one-thousandth of it, a trivial fragment.”
“But for me, this journey, and you, Shī Jiang, are special.”
“You are the most beautiful Elf Race girl I have ever seen.”
“In your eyes, I saw the Sea of Stars…”
Heiser seemed to see the black-haired, black-eyed human youth’s lips curve slightly as he said this.
“So, I hope that the next time we meet—”
“We can be more than just a teacher and disciple relationship.”
“But, to go further.”
“After all, a Master-Disciple Reversal…”
“I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time, don’t disappoint me…”
The young man’s slightly teasing words faded along with the rumbling sound of the Lost Island falling into the Abyss.
The light on the book inscribed with Shaya’s writing gradually dimmed.
The Golden Elf’s hand instinctively reached out.
As if trying to grasp the last thing the young man had left behind.
But she grasped nothing.
The phantom book gradually faded.
Finally, it transformed into thousands of scattered light spots and returned to nothingness.
