The Radiant Temple stood atop the sacred mountain at the center of the continent. Its white marble buildings shimmered with a holy halo in the sunlight, and the golden cross on its roof refracted pale golden light, completely dispersing the surrounding evil energy. As Loran, the two qilin, and the icefield wolf followed Elder White into the temple, dense light elements greeted them. Like warm streams, these elements gently enveloped them, easing their exhaustion after battle.
The temple's interior was even more solemn than they had imagined-statues of past Radiant Envoys lined both sides of the long corridor, holding glowing staves, their eyes seeming to contain wisdom that could see through everything. Inside the "Hall of Holy Healing" at the corridor's end, a pale golden Holy Spring gave off wisps of white mist. Tiny particles of light floated on its surface, making it an exceptional resource for healing and cultivation.
"The Holy Spring's power of light can purify the evil energy remaining in your bodies and nourish the sources of your power." Elder White pointed at the Holy Spring, his eyes full of affection. "Young friend Loran, you've just comprehended the Fusion of Ice and Fire Essences. This is the perfect chance to use the Holy Spring to consolidate your fifth-tier strength. The two qilin can also use it to restore their qilin power, and perhaps even break through their current realms."
Loran walked to the Holy Spring and lightly touched the water with his fingertips. A warm power instantly spread throughout his body, rapidly purifying the evil poison left from his earlier battle with the pope. The unstable two-colored core in his dantian also settled. Lei Lin and Snow Spirit Qilin could no longer contain themselves and leaped into the spring-crimson flames and pale blue cold interwove with the light elements in the Holy Spring, forming three-colored ribbons of light that slowly flowed across its surface.
The icefield wolf jumped into the spring after them. Pale golden particles of light clung to its fur, and the wounds scorched by evil energy healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Even its eyes took on a faint golden glow; it was clearly absorbing the Holy Spring's power as well.
Loran sat cross-legged beside the spring and immersed both hands in its waters. Light elements flowed into his body through his fingertips and fused with the ice-fire core in his dantian. The gold and silver radiance, which had previously undergone only an initial fusion, now grew more condensed. A pale golden halo appeared on the core's surface, and his early fifth-tier aura gradually stabilized, even showing faint signs of breaking through to the middle fifth tier.
"Hmm? Your dual-power source can actually fuse with light elements?" A trace of delighted surprise flashed through Elder White's eyes. "That's a talent rarely seen in a thousand years! Ordinary dual-power cultivators can control at most two powers, yet you can accommodate light elements. In the future, you might even comprehend the 'Three-Element Source'!"
An idea stirred in Loran's mind, and he tried channeling light elements into his knight's sword. The blade instantly shone with three interwoven colors: gold, silver, and pale gold. The power within its radiance was stronger than before, and it could even leave faint trails of light in the air. "Is this... the power of three elements?" He swung his sword at a nearby stone pillar. As the blade swept past, the pillar did not break. Instead, the three-colored light enveloped it, instantly purifying the impurities on its surface and making it harder-this was a new ability, "Purification Slash," which could not only attack but also purify evil power and impurities.
Meanwhile, the two qilin in the Holy Spring made new breakthroughs as well. Light elements merged into Lei Lin's crimson flames, turning them golden-red. It flapped its fiery wings, sending a golden-red fire feather shooting into the air. When the feather landed, it did not scorch the ground. Instead, it bloomed into a flower of radiant flame, the light on its petals dispersing the surrounding evil energy. "I've comprehended 'Radiant Fire Feather'! It can purify evil things and empower my companions!" Lei Lin's voice was filled with excitement.
Snow Spirit Qilin's pale blue cold also combined with the light elements, turning lustrous white. It breathed a mouthful of cold into the air, which condensed into an ice-crystal dove. The dove spread its wings and flew out of the hall. Wherever it passed, the evil dust in the air froze completely and drifted down as glittering fragments. "My 'Radiant Ice Dove' can scout enemy movements and carry messages imbued with the power of light without being intercepted by evil power." Snow Spirit Qilin's voice remained cool, but it held a touch of lightness.
The icefield wolf had changed considerably as well. Its fur grew even whiter, and pale golden light shimmered at the ends of its limbs. When it ran, it left faint footprints of light on the ground, and its speed had doubled. It bounded over to Loran and rubbed its head against his hand. Its golden eyes brimmed with intelligence; clearly, its wisdom had also improved.
Three days later, Loran successfully consolidated his Early Fifth Stage strength, while the two qilin broke through to the middle fifth tier. The icefield wolf had even reached the Peak of the Fourth Rank. When they emerged from the Hall of Holy Healing, Elder White stood outside, holding a secret letter with a grave expression.
"Young friend Loran, something has happened." Elder White handed the secret letter to Loran. "Our informant sent word that after fleeing Bone Valley, the Bone-Eroding Cult's pope went to the 'Bone Abyss' in the western continent. It's a weak point between the Evil Bone Plane and our continent, and a 'Nether Bone Dragon' that has slept for ten thousand years lies hidden there. The pope wants to form a contract with the bone dragon and use its power to repair his evil core, perhaps even break through to the Deity Level!"
Loran took the secret letter. A hand-drawn map was attached, marking the location of the Bone Abyss. Beside it was a line of small writing: "The Nether Bone Dragon requires seven days to awaken. The pope has begun setting up a 'Blood Bone Sacrificial Formation' and needs the blood of a thousand living people to awaken the bone dragon."
"A thousand living people..." Loran's gaze instantly turned cold. For the sake of power, the pope would even slaughter innocents. "We must head to the Bone Abyss immediately and stop him!"
"But the evil power in the Bone Abyss is extremely strong, and the Nether Bone Dragon is a Peak of the Fifth Rank magical beast. Even with your breakthroughs, you and the two qilin might not be its match." Elder White frowned. "Besides, the pope will certainly set traps and wait for us to walk right into them."
Just then, crisp footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a young elven woman in green robes approached at a brisk pace. She had pointed ears and emerald eyes like lakes in a forest. She held an emerald-inlaid staff, and two Elf Clan warriors followed behind her.
"Elder White, Lord Loran, I am Liya of the Elf Clan. I've come to offer support on our chief's orders." Liya bowed slightly to the two men, her tone respectful. "After learning of the pope's plot, our chief specifically sent me with 'Dew of Life' and a 'Nature Barrier Scroll.' The Dew of Life can rapidly heal injuries, while the nature barrier can resist the erosion of evil power and suppress the Nether Bone Dragon's dark attribute."
Joy stirred in Loran's heart. The Elf Clan's power of nature inherently countered evil power, and with their support, their chances of stopping the pope had improved further. "Thank you, Miss Liya. Please thank the elven chief for me as well."
Liya smiled and shook her head. "There's no need for courtesy, Lord Loran. The pope's plot threatens the safety of the entire continent. Naturally, the Elf Clan won't stand by and do nothing. Besides..." She looked at Lei Lin and Snow Spirit Qilin, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "This is my first time seeing living qilin. Ancient texts say that qilin are guardians of the power of nature. I never imagined I would see them with my own eyes today."
Lei Lin flapped its fiery wings at Liya in a friendly gesture, tracing a gentle arc of golden-red flame through the air. Snow Spirit Qilin also gave a slight nod, and its lustrous white cold condensed into an ice-crystal flower that floated into Liya's hands. Liya accepted it with a delighted smile. "Thank you for your gift, Lord Snow Spirit Qilin. The power of nature within this ice-crystal flower is even purer than that of our Elf Clan."
Watching the scene before him, a trace of relief flashed through Elder White's eyes. "It seems the continent's righteous forces have begun to unite. This is the key to fighting the pope. Young friend Loran, I'll send three of the temple's Saint-level knights with you to the Bone Abyss, and give you a 'Radiant Teleportation Scroll.' If you encounter danger, it can teleport you straight back to the temple."
Loran accepted the Radiant Teleportation Scroll, his heart filled with gratitude. He looked at the two qilin and the icefield wolf beside him, then at Liya and the Saint-level knights who would accompany them, and took a deep breath. "Then we'll set out for the Bone Abyss first thing tomorrow morning. If the pope wants to awaken the Nether Bone Dragon, we'll destroy his Blood Bone Sacrificial Formation. If he wants to break through to the Deity Level, we'll crush his plot completely!"
That night, Loran stood atop the temple's watchtower, gazing at the distant starry sky. Lei Lin and Snow Spirit Qilin came to his side. Golden-red flames and lustrous white cold interwove around him, forming a warm barrier. "Loran, are you worried about Fallen Maple Territory?" Lei Lin asked with concern.
Loran nodded. He remembered Old Byrne saying earlier that all was well in Fallen Maple Territory, but he still felt some concern. "Uncle Byrne is getting old, yet he still has to watch over Fallen Maple Territory. I'm afraid..."
"Don't worry," Snow Spirit Qilin said softly. "I've already sent the old steward a message with Radiant Ice Dove. He said Fallen Maple Territory's guards have replenished their forces, and the royal capital has also sent an army to garrison there. There won't be any danger."
Loran breathed a sigh of relief and gave a small smile. "It's so good to have you here."
The icefield wolf also jumped to his side and rubbed its head against his leg, its golden eyes full of trust. Standing a short distance away, Liya watched their interaction with a gentle smile-she could sense an unbreakable bond between this human, the two qilin, and the wolf, and perhaps that bond was the key to defeating the pope.
At dawn the next morning, as the sky was barely growing light, Loran's party set out for the Bone Abyss. The Radiant Temple's Saint-level knights rode snow-white "radiant warhorses," Liya rode an emerald-green "Deer of Wind," and Loran traveled alongside the two qilin and the icefield wolf. Their figures gradually receded in the morning light as they headed toward the dangerous lands in the western continent.
Meanwhile, in the Bone Abyss, the Bone-Eroding Pope stood before an enormous bone cavern. Inside, a bone dragon dozens of meters long lay sleeping in black water dense with evil power. Its bones gleamed with a dark, ghostly light, and countless evil souls coiled around its horns. The pope held a new bone staff, its head set with a deep blue "Abyssal Evil Crystal." He gazed at the bone dragon, his eyes filled with greed. "Nether Bone Dragon, in seven days, you will help me break through to the divine rank. The entire continent will grovel at our feet!"
Outside the bone cavern, hundreds of black-robed figures held over a thousand civilians captive. Their faces were filled with terror, but evil power bound them, leaving them unable to resist. The runes of the Blood Bone Sacrificial Formation had already been carved. All that remained was to wait seven days and use their blood to awaken the bone dragon.
A new battle that would determine the continent's survival was about to begin in the Bone Abyss. And Loran's party was racing toward that battle.