Chapter 352: The Mirage Returns

Chapter 352: The Mirage Returns

"Today has been incredibly fruitful... on multiple levels."

The class advancement of Astrologer brought not just attribute enhancements, but a fundamental shift in perspective.

Now, he could observe the world from a higher-dimensional vantage point, perceiving the deep underlying laws hidden beneath surface appearances.

Yet memories of timeline corrections and civilization destruction still pressed upon him like an unshakable weight.

"Anomaly Hunter..."

He repeated the term inwardly, his eyes darkening with contemplation.

If the mage civilization truly existed under some form of monitoring, then every decision carried unprecedented gravity.

Cassandra's path of conquest, Uther's conservative strategies, and his own untested direction...

Luo En walked through the corridor with heavy steps.

The terrifying knowledge of civilization's destruction and timeline resets burdened his spirit like never before.

Each footstep felt unnaturally light, as if walking on clouds, while cold images of Anomaly Hunters "correcting" civilizations lingered at the edge of his thoughts.

The Workshop doors slid open automatically as he approached, bathing his pale face in the warm glow of Mana Crystal Lamps.

Daire leaned against the crystal pool, her silver hair flowing like moonlight in the lamplight.

Her keen siren bloodline granted her acute emotional perception, allowing her to sense the bone-deep exhaustion radiating from her master.

This wasn't ordinary fatigue, but something far deeper.

As if his soul had been scrutinized by some colossal entity, leaving scars that refused to heal.

"Master..." Her voice was soft, golden eyes filled with concern.

She wanted to stand, but hesitated—worried her overt concern might discomfort him.

Since her Bloodline Awakening, her understanding of their relationship had grown complex.

That vague, aching emotion surged within her like tides, yet she lacked the words to express it.

"You look exhausted. Maybe tonight..." Her voice trailed off, barely above a whisper, unsure how to continue.

"I'm fine." His reply remained terse, though exhaustion seeped through his words.

He moved toward his workbench, instinctively reaching for research tools, but found himself unable to focus.

Terrifying visions from the information dimension still flashed in his mind:

The mechanical civilization's systemic collapse. The virtual civilization's server implosion. The mage world corrupted by Abyssal contamination...

Ai Lan drifted from the Workshop's depths, her green vines trembling.

As a tree spirit, her perception of life mana was direct and visceral.

Through her eyes, Luo En's life aura had dimmed significantly, as if something had drained vast quantities of his essence.

"Master, your life fluctuation..." She spoke with growing concern. "It's like you've endured some profoundly draining experience."

She recalled those nights in Black Mist Jungle when he'd emerge from research sessions exhausted, though never this severely.

Daire and Ai Lan exchanged glances, both seeing identical worry reflected in each other's eyes.

Though their time with Luo En varied in length, both sensed his recent transformation.

It was subtle—not mere fatigue or stress—but a deeper, pervasive weight.

As if some intangible burden pressed upon him, preventing true relaxation.

"Master."

Ai Lan's voice grew gentler, like spring breezes rustling new leaves:

"You've worked nonstop for over ten hours. Even the most resilient mage needs rest to replenish spiritual energy."

Her vines swayed gently, releasing the forest's signature fragrance into the air:

"Tonight, allow me to prepare a restful environment for you. Not the false rest of meditating while processing research data."

Daire understood immediately, rising slowly:

"Let me sing you a lullaby. It's an ancient siren song passed down through our Sea Demon lineage for millennia."

The girl's natural siren charm filled the air, yet now it carried no seduction—only pure care:

"It will soothe even the most agitated spirit fluctuations, granting you true rest."

Luo En observed the genuine concern in his companions' eyes.

Having such caring presences by his side provided unexpected comfort under these circumstances.

"...Thank you both."

The dark-haired youth finally nodded, his voice unusually weary:

"I do need proper rest for once."

He habitually shouldered burdens alone, but this exhaustion had exceeded his will's capacity to endure.

——————

Settling into the Sleep Pod, Luo En activated its functions.

Purified air began circulating. Protective Runes flared to life. The spirit stabilization field activated with a soft hum.

As he lay back, Daire's lullaby began.

An ancient seafolk melody rose like ocean tides, each note imbued with soul-calming power.

Her song mirrored moonlight on water, a mother's hand brushing an infant's brow—tapping into Species Memory's deepest tenderness:

"...Let weary souls return to tranquil harbors..."

The lyrics were in ancient siren tongue, yet their emotion transcended language, directly soothing the listener's spirit.

Simultaneously, Ai Lan ignited specially prepared calming incense.

Crafted from medicinal herbs infused with her own life essence, it radiated forest fragrances.

The air shimmered with soft green light—each speck a concentration of her life force, capable of stabilizing even the most turbulent spirit fluctuations.

"Forest's slumber song, ancient tree's dreams... May all disturbances find peace..."

Ai Lan whispered ancient spirit incantations, her verdant vines swaying like invisible dreamcatchers weaving around Luo En.

Feeling his companions' care, warmth surged in Luo En's chest.

Daire's song embraced him like the ocean. Ai Lan's aroma sheltered him like the forest.

Two distinct powers fused seamlessly, creating unprecedented security.

The terrifying visions from higher-dimensional knowledge gradually receded before this gentle force.

His breathing deepened into steady rhythms. The tension binding his spirit slowly unraveled.

Once they confirmed their master slept, Daire and Ai Lan exchanged a look, seeing equal parts worry in each other's eyes.

"Mother Ai Lan..." The siren girl's voice trembled slightly:

"Has Master... taken on something unbearably heavy?"

Her maturing mind increasingly sensed the immense pressure within him.

Not an external threat, but a deeper, heavier responsibility.

"I've felt it too."

Ai Lan's vines gently brushed Daire's silver hair, her voice filled with heart-piercing concern:

"Since arriving in the Central Lands, Master has changed. His strength, status, and knowledge grow, yet this sense of urgency..."

She paused, verdant eyes flashing worry:

"As if something terrifying chases constantly. He dares not pause, as if stopping would let an irresistible force catch him."

Daire nodded, golden eyes distant:

"I miss our Black Mist Jungle days. Dangerous though they were, Master could still relax occasionally.

He'd chat with us, care about our growth, smile when research succeeded."

Her voice softened further:

"Now he always thinks about problems we can't comprehend. His eyes... always carry that shadow of worry."

"If only Lily were here too..."

Daire whispered wistfully, her voice tinged with loneliness.

"She could make Master show that... gentle expression. That completely relaxed, genuine smile."

At the mention of this name, Ai Lan's vines trembled slightly.

Of course she remembered the fiery intensity and longing in that girl's eyes when she looked at Luo En, just as she remembered the earnest expectations Luo En occasionally directed toward her.

Both fell silent. They understood that Luo En was shouldering burdens they could never comprehend.

And all they could do was offer this simple, pure care whenever he needed it.

Daire gazed at his dormant features, her heart twisting with worry.

Bloodline Awakening brought more than just power enhancement—it also brought emotional maturity.

She could now clearly recognize her own feelings toward Master.

Something far more complex than mere dependence or gratitude...

Yet she also understood—those feelings might never be reciprocated.

Not because Master was cold, but because the weight he bore left no room for the emotional entanglements between ordinary people.

"At least..." Daire whispered inwardly.

"At least I can still stay by his side, offering this insignificant help."

She continued humming the lullaby, its melody as gentle as ocean waves, wrapping Luo En's consciousness in profound tranquility.

...

As Luo En approached deep sleep, that familiar Clarity-induced dream sensation returned.

The last image before sleep began to twist and morph like melting wax.

Metallic walls softened into liquid, rune circuits twisted wildly like living serpents struggling to break free.

The very air thickened—each breath felt like swallowing some living liquid.

"Here we go again..."

Luo En felt no panic, maintaining the calm observational stance of a scholar.

As a mage who'd experienced countless anomalies, he'd learned to analyze even supernatural phenomena rationally.

This passive pull into dreamspace clearly originated from that existence far beyond his current level.

Meanwhile in the Observatory's monitoring center, Uther's Phantom Husk projection suddenly materialized before the complex array of surveillance screens.

Silver light wove between densely packed monitors, each displaying different sectors inside the Observatory.

When the Phantom Husk swept over Luo En's rest area, the old professor keenly detected anomalies.

"This spiritual fluctuation..."

Uther's Phantom Husk trembled slightly, silvery eyes narrowing in vigilance.

This was mana disturbance from an extremely high-dimensional source, carrying distinct cross-dimensional characteristics.

In his thousands of years of life, he'd only experienced this kind of Oppression Sensation when confronting certain high-ranking entities.

He began preparing to activate the Observatory's emergency intervention system, ready to sever any potential external connections.

But in the next instant, a mysterious message flowed like water into the depths of his consciousness.

Not sound, not image—pure information directly acting upon the soul.

The old professor's expression shifted from vigilance to surprise, then realization.

"I see..."

Uther murmured softly, his Phantom Husk trembling slightly.

"It seems some existences hold even deeper interest in this boy than I imagined."

He slowly withdrew the intervention protocols he'd prepared, choosing instead to observe developments.

In his long life, few things warranted such caution.

But regarding the source of this message... even an Archmage like himself needed to show proper respect.

...

Meanwhile, Luo En's consciousness was once again pulled into that familiar yet sinister space.

But this experience felt completely different from before.

Fairyland's signature floating islands appeared ghostlike, like watching a distant drama through thick fog.

The once-clear bizarre landscapes grew indistinct, as if filtered through interference.

Those breathing skin islands now showed only faint outlines.

The once-vibrant rainbow lights had dulled to mere smudges of color.

Even the air's unsettling vitality had been replaced by heavy oppression.

"Young... seeker..."

Phantom King's voice crackled through, like a poor signal.

"Your progress... is truly... impressive..."

The voice still carried its timeless majesty, though clearly more strained than before.

Each syllable seemed to struggle against interference before reaching Luo En's consciousness.

"Apologies... Abyss Observatory's... unique environment... is interfering with my projection..."

Phantom King's form flickered between clarity and distortion, like reflections in a broken mirror.

"The Phantom Husk anchoring network... and Crystal Spire's... monitoring arrays... are suppressing external... spiritual projections..."

Luo En focused intently, trying to catch every word:

"Is there something important you wish to tell me?"

For Phantom King's level to risk contact despite Observatory defenses, this communication must hold immense significance.

"Your virtual world research... I've been following..."

Phantom King's form condensed with effort, the surrounding space displaying faint images.

It showed Luo En's laboratory—his Adaptability Chaos simulation device running, complex neural networks flickering with life.

"If you could publish in... core journals... it might bring unexpected gains..."

This suggestion raised Luo En's eyebrows.

With his current research, publishing in top-tier journals was indeed possible.

But Phantom King mentioning this specifically hinted at deeper motives.

"You mean... gaining resources through academic reputation?"

"Not just that..."

Phantom King's voice carried hidden meaning.

"A true mage always expands influence through knowledge. When enough people accept your theory... it becomes part of your power..."

The surroundings shifted:

Countless laboratories appeared, mages conducting research and writing treatises.

Each success reinforced the original theory's "authenticity."

This wasn't mere technical dissemination—it was a deeper reality-shaping process.

"Knowledge changes reality..."

Luo En murmured thoughtfully.

"When sufficient people recognize and practice a theory, it attracts higher-dimensional power."

"Precisely. And your current research stands at such a critical threshold..."

Though the connection flickered, Phantom King's next message sent Luo En's heart racing:

"Lance's true bloodline research lineage... I can give it to you..."

The space suddenly displayed a vast library scene.

Innumerable ancient archival records floated in midair, each exuding dangerous allure.

One entire bookshelf bore Lance Hewitt's unmistakable repeating mark.

"Also... my own secret arts... reality-fantasy conversion... Contract reversal..."

More bookshelves appeared, holding scrolls that radiated extreme danger.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end