Time Stop

"The Ancient One Vilan..."

"This absolutely can't be a coincidence, right?"

Beside a mountain path.

Roger's expression remained calm and composed.

But deep inside, a raging storm was brewing!

That moment.

His brain started spinning rapidly—

"If it's not a case of the same name."

"Then there are at least two possibilities."

"The first possibility is that, through a series of coincidences, Vilan entered the Legacy of Time before me and made a significant contribution to the Second Age of the historical instance ' The Legend of Farview Town.'"

"But this possibility is extremely low."

"Although the number of historical instances isn't too large, it's still a certain base; if he enters first and I enter later, and we end up entering the same instance, that would be too much of a coincidence!"

"That leaves only the second possibility."

"Vilan ..."

"They entered the Legacy of Time with me!"

This thought came to mind.

Roger couldn't help but close his eyes, frantically recalling his experiences in the "Between Purgatory"! His consciousness swept wildly through his memories:

The Third Army Corps

A base for remnants of the Salvation Army.

The soldiers were routed.

Scenes flashed through his mind.

Although Roger was unable to find conclusive evidence.

However, considering the current situation...

It's highly likely that Vilan or a clone of Vilan is among the remnants of the Salvation Army! Roger was searching for clues about Tongma Town at the time.

Some Salvation Army members were spared.

Now it seems...

This action turned out to be foreshadowing! Only in this way can the phenomenon of Roger and Vilan entering Far Gaze Town at the same time be explained!

"So... what exactly is the Lord of Time's compensation mechanism?"

Thinking about this...

Roger was slightly puzzled.

If anyone who was lured into the Blood Crow Pit in the Between Purgatory is eligible.

That "Far Gaze Town" has probably been thoroughly ravaged by the invaders long ago! He carefully considered the similarities and differences between himself and Vilan.

The final conclusion was that perhaps only time was lost Between Purgatory and hell.

Only those who successfully return to the Prime Material Plane are eligible to obtain the Feather of Time! Besides that...

There should be some other hidden conditions.

Roger's fate remains unknown.

"I never expected to hear news of Vilan again in this form."

Beside the path.

Listening to Blue Will's enthusiastic introduction.

Roger was filled with emotion.

He couldn't determine Vilan's current condition.

Despite Blue Will's confident assurances to him—

The mainstream historical view is that the Ancient One have fallen, and those remaining near the castle are merely imposters who have stolen a small portion of the Ancient One' authority.

But Roger still couldn't feel at ease.

For Vilan.

It's safe to say that no one understands it better than him!

Many of the skills and tricks Roger has mastered today were learned from Master Vilan!

That guy is so cunning!

Even if everyone tells Roger Weilan that he is dead and there is no ashes left.

Roger still suspects that this guy might stage a "return of the dead" scene in the castle!

Special.

After he learned more about Weilun Castle from Blue Will.

This suspicion grew even stronger! What "Curse of the Ancient Castle," what "treasure of the Ancient One"...

Roger looks like he's fishing! And not just one or two fish.

Instead, there are hundreds or even thousands of spirit mediums! Considering that the other party is already Ancient One is high above, second only to the Five Plank Road Masters.

He had only just begun to learn Psychic Art.

This made Roger feel deeply passive.

"As expected, it's best to time travel as early as possible!"

"Although five years have passed, I've spent most of that time working in isolation..."

"We need to learn from our peers as soon as possible!"

Thinking this way.

Roger readily accepted Blue Will's invitation to work with him.

The two walked together to the location on the invitation.

Lakeside Village.

Along the way.

The two did not walk very fast.

The main reason is that Blue Will is physically weak.

This guy needs to rest after walking only a short distance.

Roger had to stop and wait for him.

This made Blue Will look a little embarrassed.

Roger generously said it was no problem.

Anyway, a little more time won't make a difference.

And take advantage of this opportunity.

Roger casually struck up a conversation with Blue Will.

Roger learned this from their conversation.

The young man wearing black-rimmed glasses was a historian and a member of the Spring Faction Esper Order "Witchcraft Heavenly Maiden".

He was mainly active in a small town south of Far Gaze Town.

That is the territory of the "Lord of Spring".

Generally speaking.

Given the vast physical distance between them, it's rare for them to meet in the spirit world. Therefore, Roger's ability to rescue Blue Will from the Rust Sword Forest can be considered a matter of fate.

Blue Will was grateful for the help.

Therefore, he answered almost all of Roger's questions without reservation.

It was a short walk.

Roger already had a clear idea in his mind.

Unlike Roger, who was cursed and forced to go to "Lakeside Village".

Blue Will and the others (most of whom were psychics) were all heading for the treasure of the Ancient One.

According to legend.

The treasure left behind by the Ancient One Vilan can rapidly increase one's altitude on the Spirit World Cliff.

What's even more fascinating is...

It is said that Vilan concocted 10 bottles of the Elixir of Immortality during his lifetime.

Each bottle can add 500 years to your life!

This elixir of immortality is just the tip of the iceberg of the Vilan treasure.

Inside the ancient castle.

It hides thousands of insane treasures, attracting psychics to flock to it.

However, obtaining the treasure is clearly not that easy.

Every year, the castle's mysterious butler sends out 36 invitations.

These invitations will be randomly sent to various parts of the world.

Only those who receive an invitation are qualified to enter Lakeside Village —anyone else who approaches the castle will be driven away by a mysterious force, and will not even have the chance to compete for the treasure! Therefore, invitations are issued every year.

A small storm of bloodshed will sweep through the entire psychic community.

The same applies this year.

Blue Will told Roger.

He paid a huge price to buy the invitation from the black market.

The person from the Blade School who was chasing him in the spirit world was also because of the invitation.

As for more specific details...

Blue Will did not say.

But it's not hard to tell from his focused and vigilant expression as he narrated.

For many psychics.

The invitation from Lakeside Village is truly a treasure!

"It seems the purple trait really works; it comes with an invitation right from the start..."

Upon hearing this...

Roger couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Blue Will looked at the light shining in his eyes.

Roger couldn't help but think of that "Best Friend's Last Letter".

An even greater question arose in his mind—

"If all these people were to die in the castle, the psychic world should have already been thrown into turmoil..."

"Why does someone as well-informed as Blue Will seem completely unaware?"

Despite his relaxed expression.

But Roger remained highly vigilant.

He always valued taking sides with curses.

Now the potential rival has become Vilan.

He would be even less careless.

that's all.

The two sides traveled at a stop-and-go pace.

And in this process.

Roger also retrieved his own background from the 'memory bank'.

It is said to be his background.

Essentially, it's a combination of two fateful traits—"Country Folk" and "the Curse of the Ancient Castle"—that are interwoven into the Historical World backdrop:...

In this memory.

Roger was originally a countryman born in a village next to Lakeside Village.

He grew up in the deep mountains from a young age.

I once accidentally wandered into the gates of an ancient castle.

Perhaps it's because I was lucky.

Nothing terrible happened.

Until he was 14 years old.

The expedition organized by Sven and others found him.

Let him take on the role of guide.

The group eventually embarked on a suicidal journey to target Weilun Castle.

It's strange, really.

The psychics couldn't get close to Weilun Castle at all.

But a group of ordinary people, despite some setbacks, managed to get into the castle!

Subsequent experiences became vague and fragmented.

Roger only remembered that they had experienced several rather thrilling events in the castle.

final.

They have provoked a terrible monster.

The monster Immense Strength and nearly killed a powerful mercenary on the spot.

After the group decisively escaped.

The monster did not pursue them further.

It was precisely during this process that...

Roger saved Sven's life.

As for what exactly the expedition team retrieved from the castle...

Roger didn't actually know.

After all, he was just a guide.

After that incident.

Roger could no longer stay in his rural hometown—he would have all sorts of strange dreams and be attacked by terrifying but not deadly creatures.

In order to survive.

He had no choice but to flee to Far Gaze Town, where he found a job as a caregiver and began a life of aimless drifting.

The filter of memory ends here.

When the moon rises above the treetops.

The two stood on a high hill.

Not far away.

The shadow of the Gilbert Mountain Range resembles a lurking beast.

The majestic and perilous Weilun Castle is built halfway up the mountain.

From this perspective.

Roger could see the long and wide moat, and the magnificent arched bridge that stood over it like a rainbow.

The castle gates are hidden in the mountain mist.

Occasionally, a few crows would fly by.

A chilling scream drifted from an unknown place, causing people to frequently look around to check if any evil creatures were nearby.

The gaze follows the castle downwards.

At the foot of those mountains lies a vast and fertile land.

A tranquil lake dotted the landscape.

The north side of the lake was also shrouded in mountain mist.

The ruins to the south consist of old houses, haphazardly laid planks, and collapsed barracks.

That was Roger and his companion's destination!

Hint: You have discovered ' Lakeside Village '.

The scenery of Lakeside Village is extremely beautiful.

This is true even in the quiet of the night.

Roger and his companion walked along the moonlit path.

They all remained silent, as if by unspoken agreement.

I was afraid of disturbing that breathtakingly beautiful tranquility.

The scenery and atmosphere at this moment are so beautiful.

It evokes feelings in people naturally.

It's a pity.

The guy sitting next to Roger was a pale-faced guy who looked like he had kidney deficiency!

The two walked for a while.

We arrived at the center of the village.

It was at this moment.

Roger bent down and picked up a tile covered with mysterious patterns, examining it closely.

A strange feeling surged through his brain.

After a while.

On the data panel.

"Reading: You have read mysterious text, and your inspiration has been slightly enhanced."

"Your inspiration has been enhanced (3 stars or higher, but less than 4 stars)"

"Can a small tile really inspire creativity?"

Roger was marveling at it.

Blue Will also came over.

He glanced at the tile in Roger's hand and said with a smile, "This is a ' Moonlight Tile.' Unread Moonlight Tile can fetch a very high price outside."

"In places like Lakeside Village, you can gain a lot of benefits just by staying there and doing nothing."

Moonlight Tile are just one example.

Because this is a projection of the spirit world onto the Prime Material Plane!

Roger paused upon hearing this. "Projection?"

Blue Will nodded and said:

"That's the mainstream view."

"I've heard a secret about the projection in Lakeside Village, but I don't know if it's true or not."

"It is said that the Ancient One Vilan had actually successfully opened up the Sixth Stack Road on the Spirit World Cliff."

He has already signed an agreement with the Five Plank Road Masters.

He could have become the sixth Ascended being in the world.

But it was on the eve of his ascension.

One of his disciples betrayed him.

The disciple destroyed the Sixth Stack Road by unknown means.

Ultimately, this ruined Vilan's path to ascension.

He was forced to transform into another form of existence in the spirit world: the Ancient One.

"But the Ancient One are not the masters of the plank road after all. No matter how long the Ancient One live, they will eventually die. After the Sixth Stack Road broke, Vilan had no chance of making any further progress and eventually gradually disappeared from the world's sight."

"Many years later."

"He left behind only this ancient castle..."

After hearing this story.

Roger stood up thoughtfully.

The two walked forward for a while.

The result came at this moment.

Roger discovered something strange again—

It was a string of colorful lights.

Under the moonlight.

The glass spheres on the surface of these colored lights reflect a flickering light.

He seemed to have noticed the confusion in Roger's eyes.

Blue Will proactively explained:

"These are the colored lights of the Amusement Park."

"It seems like it was more than ten years ago when a wealthy businessman from Far Gaze Town saw the beautiful scenery of Lakeside Town and wanted to develop tourism here. He had all sorts of resorts Amusement Park ready."

"But then the wealthy businessman suddenly died."

"Business here has stopped. We are currently located near the former resort, while the Amusement Park should be further north—possibly north of Resting Lake."

Roger put down the string of colored lights.

He looked at Blue Will and couldn't help but sigh:

"You know so much!"

Blue Will smiled shyly, "Maybe this is an advantage of my profession."

After saying that.

He looked around and said:

"We should be among the first batch to arrive."

"Just find any room to stay in tonight."

"We'll have to wait for Mr. Modo to arrive to find out the specifics."

"I'm planning to stay in this room... Would you like to stay with me...?"

Faced with Blue Will's enthusiastic invitation.

Roger politely declined.

The two then said goodnight to each other.

They each found a room and went inside.

The moon is high in the sky.

Night was falling.

The faint howls of wolves could be heard outside the village.

The next two days.

Roger and Blue Will teamed up to conduct an initial exploration of the parts of Lakeside Village that were not shrouded in fog.

The results were quite remarkable.

They found a lot of valuable Moonlight Tile alone.

After being divided equally.

Roger also had as many as 11 pieces.

And there are countless other Spirit Medium and materials.

In this process.

Aside from occasionally encountering some paranormal phenomena, they did not suffer any direct danger.

In the dead of night.

Roger practiced his inspiration in the room, following Blue Will's instructions.

He discovered that the efficiency of cultivation in Lakeside Village was several times higher than in other places! Even more terrifying was...

He doesn't even need to use a "Dream Entry Ritual" to do this.

No wonder this place is considered a projection of the spirit world.

While Roger was actively exploring Lakeside Village.

A number of people have come here sporadically over the past two days.

These people are all psychics who hold invitations.

As soon as they entered the village, they very consciously found a house to stay in.

The psychics rarely talk to each other.

Roger and Blue Will are purely exceptional cases.

Roger discovered it.

In Lakeside Village.

Everyone became very restrained in their actions.

Some people are making the most of their time to cultivate themselves.

Some people, like Roger, wander around, trying to find any treasures they might have missed.

At least on the surface.

Everyone avoided offending each other.

Days passed by.

Before we knew it, it was the evening of September 29th.

In the narrow but clean bungalow.

Roger quietly watched the moonlight streaming in through the window—

The moonlight is exceptionally bright tonight.

But a sense of unease arose in his heart.

Outside the house.

Faint human voices could be heard.

Those were the whispers of other psychics.

During the daytime.

Roger had already counted them.

All 36 people have arrived.

Everything depends on the legendary Butler Motto, revealing the mystery tomorrow.

Logically speaking...

He should be conserving his energy right now.

But I don't know why.

He just couldn't sleep.

Deep in his heart.

I even have an urge to "ascend to the heavens"!

"Have you been suppressing your feelings for too long...?"

I sat on the edge of the bed.

Roger couldn't help but give a wry smile.

His inspiration actually far exceeded the level of Psychic Art.

Over the past four years.

Roger delayed his second Ascension in order to farm the Mount Meru Hound, Jumping Mushroom, and Rust Sword Ghost.

However, his inspiration had already progressed from the initial two stars to the three-star perfection upon entering the village.

When I was reading "Moonlight Tile" before.

His inspiration simply broke through the 4-star mark by accident!

That's good now.

The urge to ascend to a higher spiritual level was completely uncontrollable.

Roger could sense it.

It was as if a powerful suction force was Kiting him toward the Spirit World Cliff!

This is the current situation.

Clearly, they cannot participate in the 'game' mentioned by Sven!

"The only option left is to risk ascending to a higher spirit level..."

He pondered for a moment.

Roger no longer hesitated.

He placed the "Psychic Soap" that Cindy had transformed into on the bedside table and instructed her:

"I need to undergo an Spirit Ascension Ritual."

"If someone comes in."

"Just be flexible and adaptable, understand?"

Cindy nodded nervously.

At present.

Roger focused his mind.

The mouse-thread grass burned, producing wisps of gray smoke that lingered in the moonlight.

No other Spirit Medium is needed.

This moment.

Roger stepped directly onto the Ascension Plank Road!...

Hint: You have discovered the Time Stairway.

"Time Stairway: A mysterious walkway created by the Ancient One Vilan, which broke at the seventh step. Currently, it is climbable."

"Um?"

See here.

Roger was slightly taken aback.

Open your eyes.

What appeared before him was a brand new boardwalk.

Compared to the plank roads of the Blade Sect.

The shape of this walkway is even more beautiful.

Its winding ascent up the Spirit World Cliff resembles a coiled dragon lying dormant on the ground.

It's a pity.

At the limit visible to Roger's naked eye.

A place where the seven-colored light is obscured.

A terrible crack appeared on this walkway!

But Roger noticed.

Above the crack.

The remaining part of the plank road is still winding upwards.

Ultimately, it stretched towards the unknown depths of the Spirit World Cliff.

"Blue Will is wrong!"

Roger felt a chill run down his spine.

"The Sixth Stack Road cannot be said to have been destroyed, only that a section of it was broken!"

"The law governing this walkway is called Time, which is clearly not in the same style as Dao Chunshuang's Furnace Breath. It is highly likely that it is the work of Vilan..."

Thinking this way.

Another simple and unadorned road appeared before his eyes once again.

That was the "Blade Master Plank Road" he had originally walked along.

If you choose the path of the knife.

He will start directly from the third platform.

But if we choose to travel the path of time...

He would have to start all over again.

For Roger.

This wasn't a difficult choice—the path of the Blade Sect was easy to follow, but Master Vilan's path was new, so why not give it a try? He immediately stepped onto the "Time Stairway"! He had only taken a few steps...

Roger immediately noticed the difference between this plank road and the Blade Master Plank Road.

On the path of the sword.

The psychic's movements are protected by the stack master.

Strong winds, noise, white light, foreign objects...

These effects will be greatly weakened.

But on the Time Stairway.

Aside from the solid ground beneath their feet, everything else the psychic must face on their own! This might be the difference between Vilan and the Five Plank Road Masters!

On the Spirit World Cliff.

Roger had just stepped onto the second platform after going through countless hardships.

A sudden gust of wind blew through my body, chilling me to the bone!

He hurriedly took a large step back.

He managed to find a sheltered spot in the hollow and escape the raging wind that was powerful enough to destroy his spirit body! But at this point...

He also lost the strength to continue moving forward!

Looking up at the remaining plank road above.

Roger's vigilance intensified.

He was having such difficulty even taking a few steps on the plank road.

How powerful are the pioneers of this plank road in this world?

It seems that this applies to any world.

Vilan is a formidable rival! This thought struck me.

Roger cautiously ended his Ascended state.

On the data panel.

"Spirit Ascension Ritual: You walked 14 steps on the Time Stairway"

You have gained 14 Time Psychic Points;

Your Psychic Art: Time has been upgraded to Tier I.

"In the Present World Panel settlement, should I convert the Psychic Art: Time into a Rank? Ranks that can be converted include, but are not limited to, the following options:"

1. History Authority Rank 2. Time Authority Rank 3. Space Authority Rank 4. Universe Authority Rank ..."

Faced with these choices.

Roger hesitated for a moment.

Then a decision was made quickly.

"Transformation successful. Your Time Authority Rank +0.01. You have gained a random feat from the Time Authority Rank - Time Stop."

"Time Stop: You can freeze time within a 100-meter radius around you for 0.2 seconds."

"Limit: 10 times per day / each time lifespan deduction = number of creatures affected by time stop * time stop * 100"

Note: Stolen time must be paid back sooner or later.

"It has been detected that ' Time Stop ' is a feat acquired from ' Legacy of Time '. Therefore, this feat ignores the sealing effect and is directly incorporated into ' Psychic Art: Time'..."

"Hmm?"

"What can you do in just 0.2 seconds?"

Roger began to think about it seriously.

However, it didn't take long.

A soft sigh suddenly reached his ears.

Immediately afterwards.

Then a solemn voice rang out:

"I've finally waited for you."

"I am a great Ancient One, on par with the Five Plank Road Masters. I once single-handedly carved out a new world on the Spirit World Cliff..."

You may have heard of my name—

"That's right."

"I am the legendary Ancient One: Vilan!"

"I have slumbered in endless darkness until now, only to awaken for you!"

"Because you are the heir I have been waiting for."

"A young psychic..."

"Would you like to become my disciple?"