Pendulum of Fate, Wizard Heart Hall and Spirit Lake!

The person approached quickly; he was a rather tall and strong man.

He had very fair skin, a bald head, and a sinister look in his eyes. There were three knife-like cuts on each side of his face. He wore a black robe with wool trim and broke through the thick fog like a ferocious Night Owl hunting for food.

With the strength of a peak Third Level Wizard, the nine Spiritual Power Crystal shone brightly in Ronan's perception.

The bald man in black robes exuded a strong Undead Aura. He stopped flying a few hundred meters away from Ronan and immediately saw the girl's corpse lying on the ground. Then he turned his gaze to Ronan and said coldly, "Did you kill this bitch?"

"Where's the ring?"

Ronan calmly opened his palm, and the silver Linked Ring slowly floated up from his palm.

You mean this?

The bald man in the black robe didn't speak, but the cold glint in his eyes answered everything.

The atmosphere in the room gradually became somber, with a sense of impending doom building up until it reached its peak.

Suddenly!

A flash of silver light shot out from Ronan's hand. The bald man in black robes moved suddenly as if in response. When he subconsciously grabbed the silver light that was rushing towards his face and saw the silver Linked Ring in his hand, he was stunned.

"Here's your ring back."

From afar, Ronan's calm voice drifted over, "However, I need a map."

The bald man in the black robe looked down at the Linked Ring on his hand, then looked up at Ronan in the distance, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.

Clearly, things had taken an unexpected turn.

He had prepared for a major battle, but he never expected that the handsome young man in front of him, who exuded a strong sense of threat, would hand over the item to him so easily.

The bald man in the black robe remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "How did you know this ring was mine?"

"This doesn't sound like something a Third Level Wizard would say."

Ronan shook his head, and in front of the bald man in black robes, took out a brand new robe from his Space Ring and slowly draped it over his shoulders.

"Your scent lingers on the Linked Ring, very strong, which shows you usually keep it close to your body..."

"You know this is Linked Ring?"

The bald man in the black robes exchanged glances, his eyes flashing before he pulled a pentagram-shaped Rune Stone from his robe's sleeve and tossed it at Ronan. Then, looking at the girl's corpse on the ground between them, he coldly said, "That bitch spent three whole years gaining my trust. I don't know where she got the potion that put me in a brief coma. She took so many things from me, and before she left, she even dismembered one of my pets that I'd raised for many years."

Ronan listened to the bald man in black robes and examined the Rune Stone the other man had thrown at him, confirming that it was indeed the map he wanted.

Alazan's dampening words weren't enough to completely extinguish his interest in the Linked Ring, which held the secret of a Silver Ear Goblin's private treasure vault. But for now, Ronan was more interested in finding a "local" wizard to learn more about the surrounding area.

"You shouldn't want this bitch's corpse anymore, right?"

After rambling on with a string of curses, the bald man in the black robe pointed at the girl's corpse on the ground and asked Ronan a question.

"If you're interested, please feel free to do so."

The bald man in the black robe nodded, put away the corpse, probably still thinking about how he would "whip the corpse to vent his anger" when he got back.

The air still carried the scent of a storm, and even with his wide robes covering him, Ronan's unintentional gestures often exuded the coldness and majesty that came with the "bloodline" of the Storm Weaver.

The bald man in black robes always harbored a strong sense of apprehension towards him, but his initiative to make friends did bring the two of them closer together.

"Are you from elsewhere, sir?"

The bald man in the black robe hesitated for a moment, then slowly introduced himself, "Jason Franklin."

"Ronan Damien."

Ronan gave a simple, common wizard's salute and said casually, "I did just come from the Life Empire."

"That's quite a distance..."

The bald man in the black robe frowned and quickly said, "Let's go, let's find another place to sit down and talk. The environment here is terrible."

"Just as I wished."

The bald, Black Robe Wizard Jason turned and led the way, with Ronan following behind. The two flew quickly towards the edge of the swamp.

In the afternoon, two figures dressed in long robes walked along the cobblestone street.

Arriving at the entrance of a small tavern, the leader in the long robe stopped, extended his pale hand with dark blue veins showing, and gently stroked the head of a trembling gray dog in front of the door a few times before pushing open the door and going inside.

I didn't realize you liked small animals so much.

At the oak round table in the corner of the tavern, Ronan took off his hood and looked at Jason in front of him, who was dressed in black robes and had a bald head and six terrifying knife cuts on his face. He spoke with some surprise.

He could sense that beneath Jason's sinister and vicious Black Robe Wizard body lay an unusually gentle and soft heart.

This stark contrast amazed him. No wonder, Jason, a peak Third Level Wizard, had fallen for that Born Evil Seed girl's tricks. If it were any other Black Robe Wizard, their soul would probably have been extracted and used as oil for lamps countless times.

"I prefer fresh and vibrant plants. Actually, I used to be a Plant-Type Wizard before switching to dark magic."

"Why?"

Ronan asked casually.

"Revenge."

Jason's expression remained calm as he said, "Our entire family is wiped out, even our souls have been taken. The only surviving nephew was hiding inside a cat, but he was dismembered because of my negligence."

Ronan paused, then said with some guilt, "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, it happened a long time ago, and that cat will soon die of old age."

Jason shook his head, then expertly gestured towards the bar, "Two 'Creditors' drinks, please."

Ronan surveyed the small tavern before him. The overall style was made of red oak, and the walls behind the bar were covered with various styles of wizard hats. Under the dim yellow wall lamp in the west corner, two gray-robed men were whispering to each other, as if they were conducting some kind of shady deal.

Wizards could be seen everywhere in the tavern, some at level one, two, and even three, most of them looking somewhat travel-worn.

"This is White Pine Town."

Bald Jason was talking to Ronan. In fact, Ronan had already realized this when he entered the tavern and saw the sign. In the lie fabricated by the girl Born Evil Seed, White Pine Town was actually "bloodied" by Jason.

White Pine Town

Ronan took out the map of the Central Continent that Jason had given him and discovered that their current location was to the west of the Life Royal Court, but not within the imperial territory of the Life Royal Court. Further west, they would be very close to the Pendulum of Fate, one of the three great Wizard Empire in the central region.

Where is your destination?

Jason asked Ronan.

Ronan shook his head. "I haven't decided yet. My plan is to find a powerful enough force to settle down with and prepare for my advancement to Dawn..."

"Same as me."

Jason thought for a moment and said, "I'm about to head to the Pendulum of Fate to try and join the Wizard Heart Hall. If you don't have any better plans, you might as well come with me."

"Wizard Heart Hall"

"A powerful black-robed organization that specializes in training dark and Undead Arts wizards, one of the two Super Large wizarding forces of the Pendulum of Fate. Thank you, put it here."

Jason told the bartender to place the drinks on the table, and then pushed one of the glasses toward Ronan.

"Try it, one of the specialties here will give you an amazing experience like never before."

The surface of the blood-red wine was covered with a dense layer of insects, like ants, and they were still alive.

After hesitating for a moment, Ronan took a small sip and crunched a few live insects with his teeth. A bitter taste rose in his mouth, which, combined with the taste of the liquor itself, created a strange and indescribable flavor.

Jason took a big gulp, and Ronan even saw a few black ants crawl out of the cut on his cheek, which he then casually shoved back into his mouth with his fingers.

"Could you tell me more about the Pendulum of Fate?"

Ronan put down his glass and said calmly.

"The Pendulum of Fate is different from the other two great empires in the central region."

Jason slowly stirred the drink with the fingernail of one finger, creating a whirlpool, watching the black ants being swallowed by the whirlpool and then spat out on the rim of the glass.

"The most exalted person in the entire Pendulum of Fate is the prophet; even every king is appointed by the prophet."

"A prophet... Prophecy Wizard?"

Ronan's eyes flickered.

"Yes, the Pendulum of Fate possesses the most powerful prophetic Spell Inheritance in the entire Upper Ring Continent. The Prophet guides the entire empire's course..."

"What are the situations of those two Super Large wizarding forces?"

"Besides the Wizard Heart Hall that I just mentioned, another name for the Pendulum of Fate is the Spirit Lake."

Jason dipped his finger in the wine and traced simple markings of the three factions on the oak table, saying, "The Prophet holds a transcendent position, the Wizard Heart Hall and the Spirit Lake stand as equals, neither invading the other. These three form the skeleton of the entire empire of the Pendulum of Fate. As for the other large and small wizarding forces, they are the flesh and blood filling it."

I think Spirit Lake is a good choice for you.

Jason looked up at Ronan and said seriously, "There are many schools of magic passed down from the Spirit Lake, and almost every one of them is extremely powerful. If I'm not mistaken, you mainly practice wind and lightning magic, right? You can find a suitable path to advancement in the Spirit Lake."

Ronan did not deny Jason's wrong guess, and pondered Jason's words on his own.

The Life Empire is definitely gone forever. The Elemental Magic Ring is very powerful in the Life Empire, and the Level Five Wizard Fomingge, wants the Helamus Inheritance on him. If he knew that Fomingo was still alive, he would never let him go.

Moreover, Fomingge was by no means the only wizard Helamus Inheritance. There were probably quite a few people in the Life Empire who knew that he had obtained the Helamus Inheritance. He had originally planned to change his name and go to another place to cultivate.

The Tangista Wizard Empire, one of the three great empires, is located at the northernmost edge of the Central Continent, an unknown distance from his current location. The Pendulum of Fate is very close, and the Spirit Lake is Super Large wizarding force even more powerful than the Elemental Magic Ring. He can probably find the Ice Magic inheritance he needs for his future cultivation in the Spirit Lake. Considering all aspects, it is indeed an excellent choice.

"I'll think about it."

Ronan replied slowly.

"You can come with me first and then we can think about it later."

Jason said calmly, "It's not so easy to join Super Large wizarding force. The requirements for wizards' talents and qualities in all aspects are very high."

I went to the Wizard Heart Hall just to try my luck.

Of course, if you can't get in, you can choose to join another slightly less powerful faction.

We're both level three, on the verge of breaking through to level four at any moment. We can easily enter most large factions.

It's clear that Jason has done a lot of research on this and considered all the possibilities; he has a delicate mind that is quite different from his appearance.

Ronan nodded and said nothing more.

The two silently drank their respective beverages. After finishing a glass of "Creditor," Jason ordered another drink called "Spell."

The atmosphere of witchcraft in the Central Continent is much stronger than in the south. Even in a remote border town like White Pine Town, you can still find these wizarding wines derived from Magic Potion Studies.

After finishing the three glasses of wine, Jason's pale skin began to turn a bit pink, and even the cold aura of a dark and Undead Arts Black Robe Wizard was softened.

He suddenly took out the Linked Ring that Ronan had given him earlier and said in a low voice, "Damien, I don't know if this is your real name."

Although this is our first meeting, the fact that you returned this Linked Ring to me without hesitation proves that you are someone worth befriending. Very few wizards know the secret of the Linked Ring, and I only found a few clues after consulting many ancient books.

Once I find the true location of the treasure hidden behind this ring, I will invite you to come with me.

After saying that, Jason took out a communication device shaped like Black Bat and threw it in front of Ronan.

Ronan was caught off guard by Jason's sudden outburst of emotion. He picked up the bat prop from the table, remained silent for a moment, and then abruptly asked, "Do you have very few friends?"

Jason shook his head.

I have no friends.

When Ronan looked up, Jason across from him was already slumped over the table, snoring softly.

'What a strange and interesting person.'

Ronan picked up the half-finished "Creditor" drink on the table, took a small sip, and thought to himself.

"Once we cross that mountain, we will have officially entered the territory of the Empire, the domain of the Pendulum of Fate."

On a day with less-than-ideal weather, under a gloomy sky that seemed ready to rain at any moment, two figures clad in long robes sped across the sky a hundred meters above the ground.

A flock of black ravens flew past Jason's feet. He turned around and shouted at Ronan.

Ronan looked in the direction Jason pointed and saw a faint blue light shining through a low hill covered with pine trees.

After they flew over the low hills, Ronan saw that not far ahead, a long, winding, glowing "blue river" divided the gray land into two parts, east and west.

It wasn't a real river, but rather a special species of magical fungus that would glow in slightly dim environments, spreading out like a carpet, and from a distance, it looked like an endless blue river.

"Is this the border of the Destiny Empire?"

Ronan gazed at the magnificent and beautiful luminous fungus river, feeling a sense of awe, and couldn't resist taking out the Myriad Treasure Orb to capture the moment in a photograph.

"Yes!"

Jason stood beside him and answered him loudly. The two had been traveling day and night for almost half a month since leaving White Pine Town, and now they were finally about to enter the territory of the Destiny Empire. His interest was exceptionally high.

"Everything is guided by fate, including our meeting! Haha!"

Jason laughed and shouted. Apart from his appearance, it was really hard to associate him with the Black Robe Wizard who were known for their coldness and evil.

In fact, he was quite talkative. During the journey with Ronan, at least 90% of their conversations consisted of Jason's incessant chatter.

Although Ronan wasn't as excited as Jason, he was still stirred by the emotions within him.

The Golden Ladybug, a manifestation of Alazan's soul, crawled around in his Consciousness Space, but Ronan could only see the new and unfamiliar future that he was about to face.

He landed at the edge of the Blue Mushroom River and chose to walk across this special dividing line.

Upon closer inspection, the magical fungi resembled beautiful velvet flowers. Every few seconds, their thin tubes would spew out luminous powder, dyeing a small patch of air a dreamy and enchanting blue.

With a strange feeling in his heart, Ronan took a small step forward.

However, just as he crossed the Jun River, a long and ancient bell suddenly rang in his ears.

"Clang--"

"Clang--"

Just like at midnight, the brass pendulum of an old-fashioned grandfather clock swings, producing a deep and melodious sound.

It traverses the long corridor of time, piercing Ronan's soul in an instant.

Ronan remained silent for a long time, lost in the inexplicable and strange sound of the bell, and his steps came to a halt.

As the chimes faded into the distance, the immense sense of tranquility that had enveloped him receded like the tide.

Jason looked at him suspiciously. "What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

Ronan pursed his lips, unable to describe the feelings he had at that moment.

"Didn't you hear the sound of a pendulum?"

Jason shook his head, his confusion and bewilderment deepening. "The Pendulum of Fate is just a symbol. In the Destiny Empire, you can't hear the pendulum's sound everywhere."

Are you hallucinating?

Ronan didn't say anything more, and just silently continued forward.