Chapter 117: The Unknown

Xius was unsure of the exact level of the Abyssal bloodline coursing through him, nor did he know where its growth ceiling lay. These lingering questions dulled the joy that had initially filled his heart.

"Guess I can only take it one step at a time." With a casual wave, Xius summoned a water mirror that floated before his eyes.

He gazed into the mirror, seeing himself unchanged from before. His eyes had shifted from a deep purple to a faint violet, and there was now an indescribable aura about him.

"My current strength should be enough to hold my own against anyone below a Level Two Sorcerer, unless it's one of those veteran Level One Sorcerers—that could be a real threat," he thought, gathering his belongings. He resolved to find a space-type enchanted item soon; as his collection of possessions would only grow, carrying them all on his person was impractical.

"Chip! Extract and transmit the templates for the Exploding Thunderball and Flame Rain spells to me!" he commanded the chip. Both spell templates had been gifted to him by Gergale; both were Level One sorcery, perfectly suited for Xius’s current capabilities.

"Beep! Analysis and simulation underway. Estimated time: 15 days."

"Let’s see what’s beneath this pool," Xius decided after hearing the chip's prompt. He tapped the surface twice; as expected, it was hollow beneath. To avoid falling unexpectedly again, he punched the pool's bottom with force.

Cracks spidered outward from where his fist struck, and numerous stones tumbled into the space below.

Peering over, Xius saw the depth wasn’t great—only about two meters. Without hesitation, he leapt down.

"White moonstones—so many of them!" The space below was not the pitch-black void he had imagined. Instead, a staircase paved with white moonstones appeared before him, illuminating the entire cavern.

The moonstones emitted a soft, moonlight-like glow, elegant and subdued. Shadows danced among them. Often carved into ornaments for their fine grain and natural radiance, moonstones were highly prized. But Xius had never seen such a vast collection gathered in one place.

After a moment of hesitation, he cautiously stepped onto the stone stairs.

The staircase stretched far beyond his expectations. After walking a while, Xius estimated it spanned at least three hundred meters. Who would build such a structure in a place like this?

"A teleportation array?" At last, he reached the end. The lines and runes etched on the ground made its purpose clear.

"Is Gergale asking me to activate this teleportation array?" Xius observed the assortment of materials arranged around it. He realized that by channeling his spiritual power into the array, he could activate it.

Soon, he would leave Alcrea and journey to an unknown destination.

Xius hesitated. He had only just arrived in Alcrea. Although the place operated under peculiar rules, those very rules had made things easier for him. Developing himself here seemed safer than venturing into the unknown.

Besides, Xius suspected Alcrea held secrets; otherwise, such strange rules would make no sense.

"Forget it, I’ll go. Just don’t know when I’ll come back..." After much thought, Xius resolved to activate the array and seek out Gergale.

Standing at the center, he poured spiritual energy into the ground. The energy lines began to glow, and the teleportation array activated.

Xius felt as if he stood on a drifting ship, swaying left and right, unable to discern what was happening around him.

The activation caused the entire cavern to shake violently, threatening collapse at any moment.

The ancient trees of the Eternal Forest seemed to sense it—their luminescence flickered briefly before dimming into silence.

When Xius awoke, he found himself lying in a valley. A pale red blood moon hung low on the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the landscape.

"Where am I?" He rose from unconsciousness, surveying his unfamiliar surroundings with curiosity. He had no idea where the teleportation array had taken him; this was completely unknown territory.

"Wait, my belongings..." He searched around but found no sign of his backpack.

"Good, the Guiding Amulet is still here!" Xius breathed a sigh of relief as he touched the amulet resting on his chest. Though now a Level One Sorcerer and with the Elemental Body far surpassing the amulet’s low-level enchantment, he still valued the item—it could be upgraded to increase its worth.

"It’s a pity to lose all those things..." After a thorough search, he gave up on finding his bag.

Inside were some clothes, gold coins, a few magic stones, and most importantly, several vials of Concentration Potion and some materials he had set aside.

This teleportation had cost him dearly; not only was he in an unknown place, but he was now left with nothing but the clothes on his back.

"Chip! Display my stats!" Planning to leave the valley and find someone to inquire about his location, Xius looked up at the unnatural-colored moon and knew this was nowhere in Alcrea.

"Beep! Xius Bruch: Level One Sorcerer. Bloodline: Abyssal. Strength: 7.12. Agility: 8.91. Constitution: 10.97. Spiritual Power: 32.12. Mana: 32.12 (mana synced with spiritual power). Status: Healthy."

"No noticeable changes." Xius examined the unchanged stats and knew the teleportation had not harmed him.

Though the journey had been rough, at least he had arrived safely without incident.

The valley was desolate, barren of any plants. Under the moonlight, a figure moved slowly through the valley, its presence unsettling.

Xius felt the same uncertainty—he had no idea where the valley’s exit was and could only follow his instincts.

"Warning! Negative energy around host increasing!"

"Hmm? Ghosts?" Xius spotted several spectral figures floating nearby.

The ghosts seemed to sense blood, lunging at Xius with terrifying speed.

"Want to test your luck?" Xius chuckled lightly. Clenching his hand, he summoned a bolt of lightning and sent it crackling toward the spirits.

"Ahhh!" The lightning pierced through the ghosts, their shrieks echoing through the valley, chilling to the bone.

"Brother, look! There’s someone over there!" Not far off, two people watched Xius through the shadows.

"Quiet! These sorcerers aren’t to be trifled with. If they spot us, we’re done for," the older brother whispered, lowering his voice.

"Brother, what level do you think that sorcerer is? He seems about our age," the sister murmured, covering her mouth.

"How would I know? But judging by his power, I’d say at least a Level Three Sorcerer apprentice," the brother said with envy as he watched Xius wield lightning.

"Let’s go, brother. If we don’t return soon, father will notice," the girl urged, gently tugging his sleeve.

"Alright," he replied reluctantly, casting one last glance at Xius’s figure before following his sister away.

"There really are a lot of ghosts in this place," Xius observed as more spirits surged toward him. He didn’t understand why so many gathered here, nor why they kept attacking despite certain death.

"What kind of cursed place is this?" After some time, the valley finally quieted. Xius resolved to leave quickly, find someone, and learn exactly where he had ended up.