Chapter 287: Fairyland

Chapter 287: Fairyland

Thunderous applause erupted after the performance.

The dancers gracefully bowed in gratitude, then closed with a stunning elemental technique. Several of them raised their hands simultaneously, weaving the four fundamental elements into a perfect Rainbow Ring. Every inch of the ring shimmered with Lance’s signature iridescent glow, a tribute to the great bloodline formulation master.

After leaving the elemental performance area, the group continued wandering through the festive ocean of revelers. Eve’s eyes were practically spinning in their sockets—every new sight drew her attention like a moth to flame.

Luo En noticed that as time passed, Princess Lise of the Crown Clan gradually shed her initial stiffness. In its place emerged a liveliness more appropriate for her actual age.

"Mentor, look over there!" Lise suddenly pointed to a distant archway made entirely of shimmering crystal. "That’s the ‘Phantasm Garden’—one of the most popular attractions during the Lance Festival!"

Luo En followed her gesture with his gaze. The structure was indeed wondrous. The archway was surrounded by glowing plants, each emitting subtle spirit fluctuations that influenced visitors’ perceptions and emotions. The entire area was enclosed by a semi-transparent Mana Dome, completely quarantining the environment inside from the outside world to preserve its unique conditions.

"They say the plants inside the Phantasm Garden are special varieties from ‘Fairyland,’ gifted by the Phantom King in memory of an old friend", He Man explained, his voice brimming with scholarly enthusiasm. "These plants release a unique hallucinogenic aura, making each visitor see different visions—usually scenes representing their deepest desires or fears buried in subconsciousness."

"Fairyland", as recorded in ancient texts, was the domain conquered and ruled by the legendary female Lich King known as the Phantom King. It preserved numerous mythical beasts from the Age of Gods. Though gender became irrelevant at the Archmage level, the Phantom King’s beauty was celebrated in countless ancient poems as "a dream never meant to exist in this world." Legend claimed that anyone who gazed upon her true visage would fall into an eternal dream they could never awaken from.

"This project sounds fascinating", Eve said, her violet eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Shall we give it a try?"

Luo En pondered briefly before nodding. "Since it’s a festival, indulging in an experience like this is harmless." To him, this plant-induced hallucination held both recreational value and research potential. Understanding how these plants manipulated perception might offer new insights into spiritual energy studies.

The group joined the queue entering the garden. At the entrance, a weary-looking gardener handed each of them a small "Guidance Bloom" flower glowing with soft blue light, shaped like a miniature water lily.

"Please hold onto this ‘Mind Anchor,’ gentlemen", the gardener explained, his voice heavy with fatigue from the holiday crowds. "It provides a stable anchor point in the illusion, preventing total loss of consciousness. If you feel uncomfortable, simply crush the petals—the mana will immediately interrupt the hallucination connection and return you to reality."

As they stepped into the garden, the surroundings began transforming instantly. The original plants and pathways blurred like ripples on water, then recondensed into entirely new scenes. Each vision was deeply personal, shaped by the visitor’s innermost desires.

Before Luo En unfolded an infinite starry expanse—not viewed from earth upward, but as if he floated at the universe’s center, surrounded by radiant constellations. Each star was vastly larger and clearer than those seen in reality, revealing their essential forms. He could see mana flows within the celestial bodies, feeling their radiating power fluctuations. Most wondrously, the stars seemed alive—no longer distant celestial bodies, but conscious mana entities. When he reached out, he felt he could directly touch their ancient light.

【The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Mastery) - Experience Points + 1】

The constellations in this illusion felt far more intimate than their real counterparts, deepening Luo En’s understanding of his meditation technique. He clearly sensed each star possessed unique "personality" and "preference", like creatures with different temperaments requiring distinct communication methods.

Eve saw an expansive crystal forest. Each tree was an exquisite artwork, its trunk formed from translucent crystal with multicolored mana streams flowing inside. The leaves, carved from solidified moonlight, tinkled like wind chimes in the breeze. Within this forest, a young white deer bounded freely, unburdened by mana corruption’s pain or the Crown Clan’s responsibilities—only pure, unrestrained joy.

"Is this… freedom?" Eve whispered, her amethyst eyes brimming with tears—parting regret mingled with hope.

When they exited the Phantasm Garden, each person wore a different expression. Some looked wistful, others exhilarated, and a few teared-eyed. This experience served both as entertainment and a journey into their deepest selves.

"What did you see?" Albert asked eagerly.

"I saw an endless library", He Man answered softly, blinking as if reluctant to wake. "Each book whispered higher occult knowledge to me."

"I saw my homeland", Lu Xi Ya added, her voice laced with nostalgia. "Those crimson plains and strange creatures I haven’t visited in three or four years."

"I saw endless stars", Luo En replied briefly, offering no further details. That revelation was his alone to cherish.

Eve smiled, her amethyst eyes misting with mystery. "I saw freedom."

Those simple words conveyed the black-haired princess’s boundless yearning.

Suddenly, the distant clock tower struck seven, announcing nightfall. The entire Dawnport city lit up—not with ordinary flames or mana lamps, but countless tiny manastar specks resembling fallen celestial fragments, draping the city in a dreamlike silvery veil.

"It’s about to begin!" He Man suddenly pointed excitedly toward the Lance Plaza. "‘The Feast of Light’—the grand finale of the Lance Festival!"

Following his gesture, Luo En saw the plaza already packed with crowds. A special performance area at the center had been quarantined by a mana formation. Dozens of mages in colorful robes made final preparations within.

"We need to find a good viewing spot fast!" Lu Xi Ya urged, her eyes shining. "This year’s scale is even grander than previous years—rumor says all performers are senior modifiers!"

Infectious excitement surged through Eve. Her colossus automaton nurse gently lifted the girl with mobility difficulties, joining the others in rushing forward.

Navigating streets, they reached the Lance Plaza. When the crowd recognized Eve’s identity, an instinctive path opened, guiding them to the front-row viewing area. Luo En noticed the two automaton nurses maintaining high alertness, their manacores actively scanning for threats.

A long horn blast silenced the plaza. All gazes turned toward the performance area. With a blinding flash of white light, the spectacle began.

Dozens of radiant light pillars erupted around the plaza, each representing a distinct mana type. They converged high above the center, forming a colossal mana vortex resembling a mysterious eye slowly opening. The vortex expanded into a massive halo hundreds of meters across, its swirling mana shifting into countless intricate patterns and runes—each bearing profound significance. Some depicted Lance’s early experimental records, others his famous theoretical formulas, and still others outlined the myriad creatures he’d created.

"That’s Lance’s life story", Eve murmured. "Legend claims he created over three thousand unique biological variants, revolutionizing bloodline studies’ foundational theories and practices."

"Look at that!" Lu Xi Ya gasped, pointing at a specific emblem within the halo—the "Three Cycle" symbol. Three serpents biting each other’s tails represented the eternal cycle theory of mana, matter, and soul. This theory posited all existence forms endlessly cycled: mana transformed into matter, matter nurtured soul, soul guided mana. It was one of bloodline formulation’s core pillars, now serving as the discipline’s symbolic knowledge imprint.

The halo continued displaying various patterns, each drawing gasps of wonder from the audience. Finally, the halo contracted, mana condensing into a lifelike human projection—Lance himself.

The projection towered nearly a hundred meters high, composed entirely of mana essence, yet astonishingly detailed.

That solemn face, those profound, abyss-like eyes radiating eternal thirst for knowledge—

even the iconic Record crystal pen he always carried in hand had been perfectly recreated.

"In the pursuit of knowledge, never fear failure."

The projection spoke, its voice echoing across the plaza:

"Every failure is the cornerstone of success. Every mistake is a step toward truth. Only through eternal questing can we illuminate the dark wilderness of ignorance."

These were Lance's most famous words, revered as gospel by countless scholars.

In his final days, despite being cursed by a deadly hex, he persisted in daily experiments and records.

Finally, before complete dissolution, he completed his most important work—"The Treatise on Bloodline(End of Chapter)

Chapter end