Revelation, Echoes of the Past, Silence Calamity! (Second Update)

Eris's Keen Edge, azure wings pierced through the thick, murky black clouds, and the man and eagle veered off course, entering the territory that once belonged to the Tangista Empire. Ronan stood atop Eris's high wingtip, looking down. He had never been to Tangista before, but he knew that Tangista of the past would never have looked like this. Tangista now resembled the corpse of a cursed giant, its skin covered in festering sores and swollen pustules. The vast plains were filled with decaying swamps; the vegetation of the mountains and forests had vanished, resembling clusters of hardened scabs, and the rivers beneath had dried up, like wisps of purplish-black fungus. Countless Abyss Monsters swarmed and crawled across the land and in the low sky like flies and maggots. Ronan had Eris lower himself, then landed on Eris's back, parting the ubiquitous, wispy purplish-black smoke in the air, and gently stepped onto a field in the wilderness. The land, reeking of a pungent, putrid stench, was filled with twisted, grotesque black wheat. A relatively clean scarecrow stood in the field. Ronan looked down and saw the wheat field piled high with eerie, pale white insect eggs. He casually plucked a section of wheat and squeezed out a thick, highly corrosive black sap. Ronan crossed the wheat field and headed towards a city in the distance. This once bustling city was now devoid of any human presence, with only a bare flagpole standing atop the city walls. Some monsters, resembling a hybrid of bats and frogs, clung to the city walls, which were covered in yellowish-green mold. Upon seeing Ronan, they let out shrill screams like cats. "Buzz—" Star Force Field emanated from him, and the monsters, with their oily green eyes, who had been frantically charging at Ronan, were crushed and burst apart by the invisible force field as they approached within a hundred meters of him. Ronan strolled through this stench-filled rain of monster corpses into the city, walking along the central avenue that was the city's main thoroughfare. He saw various crooked and collapsed buildings crowding together like boils, their walls and roofs covered with a thick layer of eerie, writhing moss. The air was thick with the smell of dust. At the end of the avenue, beside a collapsed fountain filled with putrid water, Ronan saw the "gathering" of all living things in the city and its surrounding area. Countless corpses, fresh, rotting, or dried, were fused together and piled into a massive sacrificial tower. The ground around it was painted with the Sixth Ring symbol of the Ancient Wizard Revival Society, along with numerous strange, twisted characters and symbols of unknown meaning. Ronan's gaze followed this incredibly tall tower of flesh and bone upwards. At the base of the tower were still livestock and animals; further up, they became humans, then magical beasts, and finally the corpses of wizards clad in robes. "A sacrificial tower with a strong abyss style, the prayers at the bottom mention words like 'evil eye' and 'evil slayer'," Alazan's voice whispered in his ear, as he too was watching the scene. "You can understand these words?" Ronan looked down, staring at the dark red characters drawn on the ground by dried blood. "I only recognize a small part. I've read a few books about the [Abyss Demon]. There's too much writing from the Abyss; no one can understand it all," Alazan paused, then continued, "This altar should have been used and abandoned. It seems to contain some runes from Shared Magic Array ..." "Shared Magic Array?" Ronan's expression shifted slightly. "What's that?" "If you ever go to the Middle Ring, you'll inevitably come across it. If nothing unexpected happens, you'll use it sooner or later," Alazan succinctly summarized. "It's called Shared Magic Array, but it's actually usually a high-ranking wizard unilaterally sharing the energy, thoughts, and knowledge of a low-ranking wizard. The magic circle is used to collect additional units of wisdom for their own research and analysis. The Shared Magic Array causes negligible harm to low-ranking wizards, but the runes in this Shared Magic Array have been drastically altered. It's no longer just sharing, and it's not limited to energy and thoughts... it even includes the soul and life. Words like 'plunder' and 'supply' would be more accurate." "Plunder and Supplies. Deductive Analysis," Ronan murmured, gazing at the magnificent yet cruel tower of flesh and blood sacrifices before him. "The White Wizard King, with the power of the Ancient Wizard Revival Society, is willing to sacrifice the lives of all the lowly wizards and people of Tangista, in an attempt to mend the deficiencies in his bloodline and rid himself of the [Declining Blood]." Ronan seemed to have found the answer, and he seemed to understand why he saw the figure of Thomas, the former commander of the First Legion of the Tangista Empire, in Serena's guest seat. The White Wizard King had indeed gone mad. From the moment he joined forces with the Ancient Wizard Revival Society to kill his former friend, Valitz Phoenix, he had already gone mad. A madman naturally wouldn't care about dragging the entire Upper Ring Continent down with him. Ronan no longer needed to look any further. He could imagine that similar sacrificial towers must be everywhere within the territory of the Tangista Empire. This land had been completely corrupted by the abyss, just like the former Quivada Oasis. The history of the Keldim Empire seemed to be repeating itself. Ronan summoned Eris, who was carried by the Ancient Thunder Eagle, and they once again soared into the sky. At that moment, a roar resembling that of a lion or tiger echoed from the thick, dark clouds in the distance. The black clouds parted, and a gigantic and ferocious magical beast leaped out. "Roar—" The three-headed Magic Creature, with lion's mane, ram's horns, and snake scales, spread its eagle-like wings, its scarlet eyes fixed on Ronan. It roared, emanating a terrifying and evil aura befitting a sixth-tier magical beast. A powerful black hurricane tore through the clouds, rapidly sweeping towards the two. Eris cried out and suddenly rose into the air. "Chimera!" Ronan straightened up on Eris's back, his gaze fixed intently on the monster, which resembled the legendary Chimera yet exuded a twisted and evil aura. A golden sea of clouds surged within his azure pupils, and countless golden flames, like broken runes, erupted from his body. Indescribable phantoms appeared, and from within the light, tentacles resembling crimson gold extended out. "Boom!" Several tentacles suddenly taut, piercing through layers of void, leaving a dazzling crimson trail in the black, murky sky. They instantly struck the roaring monster's translucent, crimson-gold glass tentacles, which slowly retracted. The tips of the tentacles, which were constantly flowing with Undying Bird flames, were stained with a few specks of dark blue blood. "Go back and tell Juventus," Ronan said calmly, narrowing his eyes. "There will be a battle between him and me eventually, but not now." After speaking, Ronan dissipated his powerful aura, signaling Eris to turn around and head towards their predetermined target. Behind them came the furious roar of "Chimera." This Magic Pet mount belonging to Juventus seemed to have also been modified by the power of the abyss, becoming stronger and more ferocious than it had been years ago. Its speed was unbelievable; even Eris had to exert considerable effort to barely shake it off. Ronan sat on Eris's back, his mind entering the Mist Space. He swiftly passed by the more than 2,500 barbarian and elven tribes led by Iris. After a brief period of confusion, these people had begun to adapt to their new life in the Mist Space. Vast tracts of land were being cultivated, more vegetation and trees were being planted, and houses were being built. The Clarity Snake, fed by so many distracting thoughts, was experiencing increasingly strong fluctuations in its consciousness, showing signs of awakening from its slumber. The Saint Blood Tree visibly becoming more lush. At its base, the young girl Kosti was quietly reading a wizarding book, with Dodol III curled up at her feet and Arrietty perched on her shoulder; she seemed quite popular here. Bennigo was still busy with his own affairs. Compared to the outside world, everything here seemed peaceful and serene. Ronan silently exited the Mist Space and then removed a ring from the ring finger of his left hand. Opening it, he could see a massive ice block completely frozen by the cold. Sealed within the ice were the World Devouring Insect. Ronan had spent nine years in the Fire Leaving Realm; if not for this method, these World Devouring Insect would have long since gnawed through the ring and escaped. Unbeknownst to him, Eris's voice echoed in his mind. "We're here, brother." Ronan looked up and saw the distant horizon shrouded in thick gray fog— the Destiny Mist of Pendulum of Fate, a method established by the prophets of past generations, possessing a certain degree of isolation. This was one of the key reasons why the White Wizard King and the Ancient Wizard Revival Society had not yet completely conquered the Destiny Empire. Closer at hand lay a long, narrow canyon. He had returned once more to the Destiny Empire, to the Spirit Lake region, to the Silent Corridor. Ronan still remembered the scene when the Spirit Lake Wizard, Sigel, had led him into the Silent Corridor for the first time, but he hadn't seen Sigel the last time he entered Spirit Lake, and didn't know where he was now. Ronan bid farewell to Eris and entered the canyon alone. Of the three revelations the Prophet Eve left him, the first was about the Gu Yinduo Ruins located in the Silent Corridor. He didn't know what Prophet Eve wanted to tell him, but this journey should provide the answer. He traveled to the bottom of the canyon, traversing winding rock passages, until Ronan arrived before the massive, suspended crystal cluster covered in runic enchantments. The Silent Corridor, once a large, shared secret realm between the Wizard Heart Hall and the Spirit Lake, was always guarded before its opening. Now, with the Wizard Heart Hall disbanded and the Spirit Lake lost, the entrance to the secret realm was naturally deserted. Entering the entrance, he once again found himself in the ancient corridor with its towering ceiling. Blurry figures flickered on the walls on either side—ancient projections left by the Gu Yinduo Wizard. Ronan silently traversed the entire corridor, then came to the ancient complex where he had once stood during his assault on Dawn. Outside the complex, in the black wilderness, beneath the flowing gray mist, Echoes of the Past monsters, conjured from the echoes of magic, still roamed. Ronan ventured deeper, passing the spot where he had fought Qi Ge. Continuing on, the monsters gradually decreased, replaced by ancient, frozen sculptures. An eerie atmosphere permeated the air. Ronan summoned Aihaxia and slowly approached one of the sculptures. It was a statue of a middle-aged wizard with a short beard, wearing a flat-topped wizard's hat unlike anything seen in the modern Wizard World. He was shirtless, his chest ripped open, his hands resting on his exposed ribs, a posture reminiscent of someone playing a musical instrument. His expression, however, revealed a strange excitement and fanaticism, his eyes fixed on a certain point, Ronan seeing an almost devout worship on his face. Aihaxia descended from Ronan's head, coldly surveying the surroundings like a loyal guardian. Aihaxia's strength remained at level four; now, his help to Ronan was minimal. Ronan had only summoned him because of the Echoes of the Past runes he had inscribed within him. Ronan carefully examined the statue before him, sensing no fluctuations of runes or magic. Thinking this, Ronan extended a finger and gently placed it on a rib of the statue wizard's chest. "Ding—" Like an icicle striking a crystal plate, the point where Ronan's fingertip touched the stone rib produced a sound like piano keys. This sound resonated from the depths of Ronan's soul, indescribably beautiful and moving. Ronan was surprised, but before he could try touching a second rib, the sound began to undergo a bizarre distortion, becoming incredibly sharp and high-pitched. "Ah—" It was as if countless people were simultaneously screaming at the top of their lungs in Ronan's ears; terrifying sound waves exploded directly in Ronan's mind, like a sonic nuclear explosion. Ronan's body trembled violently, his pupils dilated instantly, and he felt every inch of his flesh, his internal organs, his brain, and even his soul vibrating violently. His eyes, mouth, nose, and ears almost simultaneously left winding trails of blood. Ronan's body stiffened. Before his vision completely blurred, he glimpsed Aihaxia beside him, who seemed to be enduring the same unimaginable pain. He watched helplessly as Aihaxia clutched his head, his face contorted in agony, exploding into a violently churning cloud of soul smoke. After that, Ronan could sense nothing more. This terrifying attack, erupting from within, seemed to last an entire century before finally subsiding. Ronan struggled to recover from the aftershocks of the sound, examining himself internally. He discovered that in just this one wave, the liquid sphere of life within his body had shrunk by more than half. The soul smoke that Aihaxia had transformed into churned weakly beside him, its aura also weakened to less than a third of its original strength, plummeting below level four. "What is this?" Ronan gasped, wiping the blood streaming down his face. Suddenly, he realized something. "No!" Ronan, ignoring the tearing pain coursing through his body, abruptly sat up. After rapidly moving his lips for a moment, he stopped in disbelief, staring blankly around before his eyes. His gaze finally settled on the wizard statue before him, its chest torn open, its ribs forming piano keys. Sound! All sound had vanished. In this place, no matter what he did, he couldn't make a sound. It was as if a mysterious and vast power, an incomprehensible rule, had forcibly stripped this space of all sound. This was a Land of Lost Sound. Ronan's eyes flashed. He reached out, his Itai flowing into the form of a dragonspine longsword. Every metal bone fragment on the longsword vibrated rapidly, yet it couldn't produce a sound. The longsword hovered above the statue's head, but didn't fall. Suddenly, Ronan took a deep breath, sheathed his Itai and the weakened Aihaxia, and continued deeper into the ruins. Here, he saw more and more bizarre sculptures. Like the first statue he encountered, almost every one of them was a manifestation of a wizard. Some tore off their own tendons to use as strings; others ripped off their own skin to beat drums; some removed their own throats to play like organs; and still others dismantled their own leg bones to pound on them. Every statue's face was filled with excitement and fervor, all facing the same direction, as if immersed in the most joyful and wonderful things in the world. Their expressions and actions created a stark contrast, presenting an indescribable eeriness in the completely silent environment. "In that place, perhaps the answer I seek lies there," Ronan thought, his eyes fixed on the direction all the statues faced, gritting his teeth as he rushed rapidly into the depths of the swirling gray fog. The wind whipped his robes, yet made no sound. A vast, invisible, and terrifying entity seemed to lurk within the flowing gray fog, silently waiting for Ronan to "walk into its trap." Ronan didn't know how long he had been traversing the gray fog; the deeper he went, the thicker the fog became. When the fog thickened to a viscous, watery consistency, Ronan lunged forward, as if passing through a heavy barrier, and his vision abruptly brightened. Countless intricate and beautiful musical notes floated like bubbles in the void. Ronan saw a tall, thin figure sitting on the ground, his back to him, his shoulders heaving as if he were weeping. Ronan slowed his pace, walking step by step towards the enormous, luminous figure. The figure seemed to sense his presence, stopped weeping, and then slowly turned its equally slender head 180 degrees. When Ronan saw the figure's face clearly, he felt as if struck by an invisible force. He froze, his body tense, standing motionless like a statue. The figure's face was covered with countless muffled faces of wizards, their mouths still trying to speak despite lacking a voice. These countless moving faces formed the figure's features, and countless eyes stared intently at Ronan. Suddenly, the gigantic figure's mouth gaped open, letting out a silent roar towards Ronan— "Boom!" At that moment, a massive torrent of information Torrent Ronan's mind, countless images flashing before his eyes. An ancient tale, sealed for countless years, slowly unfolded before him. Secrets, calamity. In the vast space, two figures, one enormous and one minuscule, stared silently at each other. Ronan's pupils went unfocused, his lips trembled, and he murmured a few words: "The Silence Calamity Echoes of the Past." (Second update, supplementary)