Had Qin Fengming opened his eyes just then, the expression on the black-robed elder standing before him would surely have shocked him into collapsing on the spot.
The black-robed elder standing before Qin Fengming now wore an expression entirely different from before.
An immense, spine-chilling aura emanated from him. It was strange and difficult to fathom, seeming to carry both a murderous intent and the delight of a savage beast that had spotted its prey.
It was impossible to tell whether delight or bloodlust predominated. It merely made one feel an even deeper chill throughout the body.
At the same time, a gleam appeared in the elder's formerly unfathomable eyes. His entire body seemed to have gained a measure of vitality, no longer remote and beyond reach. Though he exuded something terrifying, he now felt like a human being rather than an elusive phantom.
"I have waited through endless ages, and at last I have encountered someone of exceptional talent. But you are so young that it is difficult to predict how deeply you can comprehend incantations. Whether you meet my requirements will depend on whether you can fathom the rune restrictive spell here within a month."
An exceedingly hoarse voice suddenly rang through the formation shimmering with multicolored radiance. It sounded like someone whispering in the distance, lending the words an ethereal quality.
The black-robed elder's unusual expression appeared only briefly before slowly fading, leaving him as he had been before.
Nearly twenty days later, Qin Fengming finally opened his eyes as he sat cross-legged. An expression of immense delight appeared on his youthful face.
He sprang to his feet and looked at the black-robed elder, who still stood before him, seemingly unchanged. A faint smile touched Qin Fengming's lips. He bowed and said:
"Thank you for protecting me,