Mystical Journey

A year passed in the blink of an eye with the ending of spring and the coming of winter.

Above Planet Scarlet Snow, a black vortex appeared suddenly before a black-haired youth walked out of the teleporting vortex slowly. His face was dull, and a pure, icy, blue flame was burning from his right hand slowly.

Shh shh shh!

Three waves of crispy noises could be heard consecutively before the figures of three elders appeared in front of the youth.

“Carthage, was the incident with the Imperial Commodity Sect your doing?!” Second Elder asked in a deep voice with an unkind expression on his face.

Carthage’s expression remained calm, a hint of surprise could be seen on his face faintly.

“Second Elder, what are you saying? What does the incident with the Imperial Commodity Sect have to do with me? I was determined in refining my Ice Dragonflame. I haven’t taken a step out of my territory.”

“What exactly have you been doing throughout this year? We’re all very aware already, so why do we have to stand here and hypocritically pretend that we don’t know anything?” First Elder had always supported Carthage, however, he was now glaring at him with a somber look on his face.

“I don’t know what you’re saying,” Carthage smiled. Suddenly, he turned his face and looked in another direction before a strange chill soared into the sky there.

Howl…

A clear and melodious wolf’s howl echoed from afar.

The three great elders heard it at the same time. Grave and aghast expressions appeared on each of their faces.

While looking in the direction of the Black Wolf Lair from afar, all four people could see a chain of white clouds that appeared there. It resembled a pearl bracelet that was constantly turning.

“Non-falling Level… This is too soon!” Third Elder’s voice was hoarse and tinged with envy and disbelief. “He just entered the sect not too long ago?!”

“He’s worthy of being known as my Junior Brother,” The smile on Carthage’s face became even more apparent. “Three Elders, please excuse my withdrawal now. Since the fourth Non-falling Level of the Scarlet Snow Sect has come into being, the sect will definitely organize a celebratory event, right?”

None of the three elders replied. They were slightly fearful of Carthage. This supposed disciple was too unfathomable. They were unable to discover his backgrounds despite probing into him secretly a few times. Compared to Garen who had entered the Non-falling Level, they were still more afraid of Carthage.

“You won’t even let me leave. So what’s the exact reason for the Three Elders to surround me today?” Carthage asked helplessly. “You need to know that I’m still busy with many other things…”

Third Elder’s voice was sharp when he spoke.

“Putting the incident with Garen aside first, someone actually saw huge changes occurring inside the Imperial Commodity Sect after you entered! How exactly are you going to explain this?! Imperial Commodity Sect is an ally of my Scarlet Snow Sect. Don’t tell me that you’ve actually participated in sect-destroying movements?”

Carthage smiled faintly.

“Elder, I’m afraid that you didn’t witness this personally. You are just making a baseless claim, correct? I wonder who told you this?”

“It was the elder of the Hollow Inscription Sect!” said Third Elder coldly. “You thought that no one knew about your actions, but you never expected that the elder of Hollow Inscription Sect would pass by and discover it, right?”

“Elder of Hollow Inscription Sect?” Carthage smiled suddenly. “Third Elder, just recently, Hollow Inscription Sect stopped existing… The proof… is gone,” he whispered profoundly.

“You!” Third Elder’s gaze trembled furiously. “Are you trying to fool me? Very well, very well! First Elder, Second Elder, I don’t believe that we cannot stop him today. Let’s move out together!”

First Elder and Second Elder glared at Carthage solemnly now. Finally, the issue within the Scarlet Snow Sect was about to be torn away fully.

********************

A ring of clouds resembling a white pearl necklace rotated above Garen’s head.

He was sitting upright in the center of the mansion’s courtyard when the cold wind whistled naturally. Shrouds of cold air streams surrounded him, turning into layers of substantial and visible white chill. These chill resembled white streamers or ribbons that were constantly revolving and spinning around Garen speedily.

Sparkling peacock-like patterns could be faintly seen at the top of each of these ribbons and streamers. They resembled numerous intangible Frost Peacocks that were constantly spinning and fluttering around him.

Numerous black, giant Werewolves nearby surrounded Garen and protected his safety loyally.

“Unparalleled supreme master of incomparable holiness, we thank our master for granting us life, intelligence, and strength. There is nothing on the earth or in the sky that does not submit itself to the rule of our master…” The Two-headed Giant Werewolf named Turing crouched on the ground while reciting a chant.

These chants had been recited for a continuous year already. Ever since Garen entered and meditated here a year ago, this place had become a prohibited area for non-frost creatures. Every creature that passed by or approached this place would be surrounded and enveloped by extremely terrifying chills, no exceptions.

The few times when Eva and King Cat came over to take a look, they discovered that it was impossible for them to get close. Therefore, they could only turn around and leave.

After reciting his chant, Turing stood up and carefully observed the new changes throughout Garen’s body. Other than the ring of clouds, he did not notice any other new developments. He continued praying for Garen quietly in his heart before turning around and walking in the direction of the lair’s canteen.

At this moment, Garen, who had been sitting down with his legs crossed all this while, slowly opened both of his eyes after a whole year.

He lowered his head and looked at his own chest. A chain of red pearls was spinning there slowly. It was the Non-falling Level Wheel that had been solidified by the Scarlet Snow Technique’s Origin Crystals.

“After one year and fifteen days, it has finally succeeded. The Hellfrost Peacock Technique… is truly terrifying!” he sighed emotionally in his heart. The speed of the Devour ability was enough to simply frighten him.

All of the substances could be used by the Hellfrost Peacock’s Devour ability. However, the difference and the issues lied in how much of it was used.

He looked inwardly at his current body, including his bones, muscles, and internal organs. A strange layer of light that which had a faint glow of a jade glimmered across all of his body parts. This layer of light flowed across the surface of his internal organs slowly, as if it was alive.

“This is the Non-falling Light. In comparison to the initial Inherited Level Energy Field, its strength has increased significantly. If it were to attack the average peak Inherited Levels while they were merely standing there, it would be impossible for them to find a way to destroy this halo layer.”

Garen clenched his fist happily while feeling this incomparably powerful strength surging within his body.

He glanced at his current Attribute Pane.

‘Nonosiva Lin — Strength 40, Agility 40, Vitality 40, Intelligence 35, Potential 48030%. Soul Limit 40.’

Other than his Intelligence which had yet to be fully achieved, all of his other three attributes had reached their limits fully. These limits referred to the terrifying degree of 40 points.

Garen stood up and reached his left hand out before pointing each of his fingers.

Shh!

A substantial air wave shot out frantically like an arrow and pierced through a nearby enclosure of solid ice with a ‘puff’. No one knew where it had flown to as there was only a clear round hole that was left behind on the wall.

“This is the limit…” Garen exhaled deeply. It seemed as though all of the air in the courtyard was swept away by an enormous beast suddenly. An intense pulling force dragged the surrounding Werewolves immediately and attempted to fly towards Garen.

Some of the broken stones and icicles around them flew around as well and shot towards Garen.

This was the terrifying effect of his single breath.

Pfoo…

Exhale.

The terrifying air currents surged out of Garen’s mouth suddenly, sweeping up violent hurricanes instantly. They blew at the surrounding Werewolves, whose movements were initially being dragged down, causing them to roll out towards the vicinity. It gave them an abnormally hard time.

“This is the Non-falling Level, huh… It’s truly a terrifying degree… But I don’t know if the other Non-falling Levels have such powerful bodies as mine.”

Garen guessed that the answer was ‘no’. The limits of the physical bodies of the humans in this world were much lower than his own. They would probably reach their limit around 20 points or so. After that, the Energy Machinists would not rely on upgrading their physical fitness, but would instead merge external matters to increase their own strengths while simultaneously strengthening their own skills greatly. They would use their skills to produce their Non-falling Light to protect themselves.

This way, they would not rely greatly on their physical fitness. At the same time, their lengthy lives allowed them to fully make up for external substances and fuse with them slowly in order to upgrade themselves.

“It’s fortunate that my physical fitness isn’t something that I rely on,” Garen knew that this quality of his was not considered exceptional among the Energy Machinists of Planet Naga. He was considered average at best because even stronger ones existed among the Energy Machinists who were fused with external substances.

He could feel that his current state was somewhat similar to the Totem world. Every part of him was covered by that layer of Non-falling Light, including the strong winds that had randomly blown out earlier. Everything was like this. After being covered by a layer of extremely powerful Non-falling Light, even a normal attack would become extremely terrifying.

After examining his own situation briefly, Garen noticed suddenly that all of his attacks were covered by this Non-falling Light, making them very similar to the previous Totem world.

At the same time, the ones that made him the happiest were Turing and the other Werewolves.

The layer of Non-falling Light covered not only himself but also Turing and the other Werewolves.

“Isn’t this the real meaning behind the use of ‘Non-falling’ in the Non-falling Level?” Garen could sense that he was the only one who could see this Non-falling Light because Turing and the other Werewolves had not seemed to realize it at all.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a slender silhouette appeared behind Garen. The person who had arrived held a sword in his hand and looked at Garen calmly while completely ignoring the Werewolves around him.

“Garen, it’s great that you’ve broken through. There’s a ceremony that I need you to attend in my place,” This person was Carthage who was clashing with the three elders earlier.

“Ceremony?” Garen turned around while his heart trembled slightly. Despite him entering the Non-falling Level already, Carthage still had an unperturbed look on his face. Moreover, Garen had not even noticed when he had arrived. This made his heart slightly more fearful.

“Yes, a welcoming ceremony from the Magnetic Field. They may even bring the Major Sect Battle forward,” Carthage said lightly. He glanced at Garen’s chest where the Non-falling Wheel was located. “Your progress rate is too slow.” A black pearl appeared in his hand suddenly before he flicked it gently.

The pearl landed on Garen’s hand immediately.

“It’s Bloody Sea Pearls, devour it,” said Carthage calmly.

Without any hesitation, Garen swallowed the pearl in one mouthful directly.

Other than a large number of blood abilities, he had already guessed that the red pearl from earlier also possessed extremely potent means of activating potential. In order to enter the Non-falling Level so quickly, perhaps Carthage had previously exhibited means of overdrafting his potential earlier.

“Since the Non-falling Level is the seventh stage, one must grasp the Board Realm in order to go any higher. This is the Timeless Board. Take it and comprehend it. I’ll come back and get it after three days. How much you can comprehend depends on you.” Carthage made his hand quiver before a white jade colored board descended before Garen gently and was caught by him.

“What’s the Timeless Board?” asked Garen while furrowing his eyebrows. He had never heard of this thing at all.

Carthage waved his hand and released a separation Energy Field that obstructed their surroundings.

“The seventh Non-falling Level produces the Non-falling Light while the eighth level requires you to comprehend boards. Use it to fuse your Willpower and skills into one body and grasp its energy. You can achieve the first step of controlling your Thousand Gravitational Force through this. The Timeless Board is core to solidify everything that the eighth level powerhouses require. In order to enter the ninth level, you need to create a Timeless Board first. Next, you will create the Sublime Board before finally entering the Ultimate Board.”

“In other words, the Timeless Board is the symbol of the eighth level. Timeless Board, Sublime Board, and Ultimate Board. The ultimate end refers to the tenth level of the Perpetual Motioners, right?” Garen asked quietly.

“You don’t need to know so much. Your maximum limit is Level Nine, while Level Ten will be eternally impossible. Even for a Level Nine, your current self…” Carthage did not continue speaking but turned around and left slowly instead.

Garen’s gaze followed him into the distance.

“When will the ceremony start? To what extent must I be prepared?”

“One month later. Everything is up to you. That’s right, the Timeless Board in your hand belonged to the Guardian of the Blue Frost Sect,” Carthage’s voice echoed from afar.

Garen’s heart trembled violently. As expected!

Carthage’s strength was apparently enough to kill the Level Eight Guardian…