Heroes Always Arrive Just in Time

After parting with Yixuan, Griseo followed the mountain path toward Chenghui Plateau.

Morning light filtered through the layered canopy, scattering flecks of gold across the path. Birdsong drifted from the woods now and then, clear and distant. Griseo had planned to slow down and enjoy the scenery.

But after she had walked for a while, a warning struck her: the protective marks she had left on Wise and Belle had sounded an alarm.

It was no ordinary warning. The marks only activated when their bearers faced a lethal threat, and she sensed the aura of an Authority.

Griseo did not hesitate. She channeled her Ether Energy, and a purple rift began to form.

Teleporting through space in the real world cost far more energy than it did inside a Hollow, but Griseo did not care. She had no idea how urgent the situation was.

Golden light spread across the mountainside as the spatial rift finished forming. Griseo took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The next instant, the golden light contracted sharply and vanished.

Only a few startled birds remained, crying out in alarm among the trees.

Lemnian Hollow, Xiqiu, Reverie Town.

Wise, Mato, and Lucia had entered a new region of Lemnian Hollow to search for another Huiling Stone deposit. Instead, they had wandered into a strange town.

The three had agreed to split up and investigate. Wise had not expected trouble to find him so quickly!

At some point, the concentration of Corruptive Breath in the town had surged. The Ether Energy filling the air climbed in an instant to a terrifying level.

"Mato? Lucia!"

Wise raced through the empty streets, calling for his companions. The only answer was the steady thud of footsteps.

"What's that sound?"

He looked toward it—and froze.

In the shadows of an