“Damn it, Lord Argos, should we continue chasing them?” the black-robed man spat furiously, after he witnessed the Mother Empress and Yang Ling disappear into the thick white fog. He had been unable to stop them in time. The giant sword in his hand radiated red light as its remarkable sword aura creaked in the wind.

“There’s no need to. That young man got hit by Lord Argos’s Chilly Ice Spear; he’ll freeze to death soon. As for that female worm, she might have managed to force her way into this area, but it won’t be so easy for her to escape. We can slice her into pieces later!” A different black-robed man, who was wielding two blades smiled, coldly. He was extremely confident in the abilities of the black-robed man guarding the area at the end of the road. Throughout the millennia, every human or Magical Beast that had been hit by the Chilly Ice Spear had frozen to death. Yang Ling would not be an exception.

“That’s right, we can just stand guard outside. The Magical Spell Formations left behind by the Ancient Wizards are ever-changing and unfathomable, making even the outer periphery of the white fog extremely dangerous. That worm will only be able to fly around the outer perimeter. Those who wish to die can continue chasing after them. But I will not invite my own death!” The man shook his head. He did not dare to charge into the fog, even though he was incredibly powerful.

Long ago, the Ancient Wizards had built the Skyreach Tower at the peak of the mountain, and they’d set up multiple restrictions and layered them with countless Illusory Formations and Killing Formations. No one would be able to barge into the area. After the battle at the Graveyard of Deities and Demons, many powerful fighters had tried to get into the Skyreach Tower to see if there were any treasures there, but none of them made it out. It was rumored that even an almighty Creator would not be able to enter the area uninvited. It was for this reason that they had to mobilize the elites from various major factions to guard the area together, forbidding anyone from entering or exiting this place.

…

After deliberating for a moment, Argos and the black-robed men mobilized the rest of their forces and set up multiple ambushes at the peak of the mountain. It would be better if the Mother Empress was slain by the restrictions set up by the Ancient Wizards, but even if she was fortunate enough to fly out alive, she would not be able to escape their ambushes.

Roar…

Just as the black-robed men began to mobilize their manpower, the Mother Empress flew past the thick white fog with Yang Ling on her back, finally stopping on an empty plot of land. She looked around and soon found a few sparkling crystals. She swallowed two of the crystals and placed the rest in front of Yang Ling, then cried out excitedly.

“We traveled such a long distance just for these crystals?” Yang Ling activated his Wizard Core and clenched his teeth as he tried his best to suppress the ice-cold black gas. He doubtfully picked up a crystal, looking at the excited Mother Empress.

The crystals that the Mother Empress had found did not have a uniform shape. Some of them were bigger than a fist, while others were about the size of a thumb. They were shiny all over and were cold to the touch. They harbored a large amount of pure energy, even more than the Moon Soul Stones Yang Ling had found in the Demon Palace. It seemed as though these crystals were extremely valuable treasures.

What pure energy!

Yang Ling had no further doubts once he sensed the magnificent energy within the crystals. He sat down on the ground and recited the Wizard Mantra as he rapidly absorbed the energy within the crystals. Soon, the Wizard Power in his body became richer and richer. He managed to further suppress the black gas that had seeped into his body and force it out bit by bit. Even better, his Wizard Power and Mental Energy began to improve rapidly.

One, two…

Yang Ling’s mind was clear as he freely absorbed the energy within the crystals the Mother Empress had found. The Wizard Power and Mental Energy in his body were growing. Meanwhile, the black gas in his body was being forced out a little at a time, and his damaged Wizard Core began to show further signs of recovery. Under the effects of the Body Honing Wizard Mantra, every bone and cell in his body hungrily devoured the energy, and every inch of his flesh was further strengthened.

Whoosh…

Some time later, Yang Ling absorbed the energy from the last piece of crystal and slowly opened his eyes. Looking into his body, he saw that his severely damaged Wizard Core had fully recovered, and his Physical Protection Wizard Power had become twice as powerful. The Soul Crystal in his brain also pulsed with thicker Crystal Mist. His abilities had improved greatly, pushing him one step closer to peak Soul Wizard.

“Aah, a Soul Restriction?”

Yang Ling examined his surroundings closely. He noticed an alarming scene and let out a cry. At the peak of the mountain, the Skyreach Tower pierced through the clouds, and nearby the tower stood a symbol-covered stele. They were not far away from it, but the area was layered with heavy restrictions. Illusory Formations, Gravity Restrictions, Soul Restrictions…all layered on top of each other. The Mother Empress did not dare to get closer to the area. Even though she’d caught a glimpse of several sparkling crystals, she was only able to fly around the outer perimeter.

Just what was going on?

Yang Ling rapidly searched the memories of the Mother Empress in his confusion and soon gained a partial understanding of the situation.

As it turned out, the Mother Empress had arrived near the Skyreach Tower after she came to the Chaos Dimension from the Graveyard of Deities and Demons. She’d sensed the existence of these crystals with the special abilities she possessed.

The thick white fog was the screen that surrounded the Skyreach Tower; it was also the outer limit of the restrictions. The fog was imbued with several layers of ever-changing, unfathomable Illusory Formations. The warriors who guarded the Skyreach Tower feared the reputation of the Ancient Wizards, and they did not dare to barge into the area. However, the bold and meticulous Mother Empress had used her exceptional speed, her ability to restrain her aura and avoid detection, and her astute senses to make her way through the fog and past the outer perimeter of the Illusory Formations. She had then successfully picked up the crystals, which harbored large amounts of energy, and quickly recovered from her injuries.

After saving Yang Ling with her vital energy at the cave, the Mother Empress had naturally remembered these crystals. When she saw Yang Ling’s severe injuries, she’d decided to bring Yang Ling here. She had only wanted Yang Ling to recover rapidly from his injuries, but had coincidentally she had helped Yang Ling find the fabled Skyreach Tower.

“This is heaven’s will! There is indeed always a way out!” Yang Ling took out the Great Wizard Altar after giving the Mother Empress’s head a friendly pat, then formed a Wizard Seal as he sat down to observe the restrictions around the Skyreach Tower. He carefully studied the intricacies of the restrictions.

All restrictions, no matter how complicated they were, were always derived from a few basic restrictions. The restrictions around the Skyreach Tower were incredibly complicated and impossible to dispel quickly. Yang Ling decided to break down the layers of restrictions, then slowly learn about them by following the explanation on the stele of the Wizard’s Pagoda.

The Skyreach Tower was layered with many restrictions, and no one would be able to return after he charged into it. Even unparalleled fighters with insurmountable abilities would not be able to enter the Skyreach Tower by force. However, this only held for an ordinary person. For a person who has received the Legacy of the Wizard Pagoda, such as Yang Ling, there was no need to barge into the tower. With enough time and perceptive ability, Yang Ling would be able to dispel the restrictions. It was just a matter of time.

Yang Ling broke down the restrictions, then recreated them, then broke them down and recreated them once again. He made deduction after deduction about them, and slowly began to understand them…

A dozen days later, as the Mother Empress was pacing around the Great Wizard Altar out of boredom, the motionless Yang Ling suddenly flew into the air, forming constantly-shifting Wizard Seals as he recited multiple Wizard Mantras. His figure flickered, and in an instant, he arrived at the peak, right in front of the door to the Skyreach Tower.

“Skyreach Wizard Mantra!”

Yang Ling trembled when he saw the stele in front of the Skyreach Tower up close. The small words that had been carved on the stele were not symbols, but a passage, recording a complicated and obscure Wizard Mantra. An image of a humanoid figure with the tail of a snake was carved on the rear of the stele. The figure had seven strange scaly hands growing out of its back, with a pair of hands in front holding two pitch-black Teng Serpents. It had long hair that reached its back and covered most of its face, which made it look incredibly eerie.

“Skyreach Wizard Mantra…control the universe…the unparalleled Wizard Mantra of a Great Soul Wizard. Those who succeed will become a Skyreach Wizard Venerable. who stands above the Grand Wizards and is the leader of all of the Great Wizards in this world…” Yang Ling found a summarized explanation at the end of the Skyreach Wizard Mantra. He grew even more shocked and excited.

The Twelve Grand Wizards represented the peak that countless Great Wizards were unable to reach their entire lives. They were the unparalleled fighters from the era of the Ancient Flood, who were said to be able to change the universe. Just how powerful of a being was a Skyreach Wizard Venerable, who stood above the Twelve Grand Wizards and commanded all of the Great Wizards in the world!

“Lord of the City Amongst the Clouds, just you wait!”

Yang Ling clenched his jaw as he thought about the motionless Yuna lying in the Crystal Coffin and the powerful Lord of the City Amongst the Clouds. He sat down in front of the stele without hesitation. He closed his eyes and slowly ran his fingers over the complicated Skyreach Wizard Mantra. He used his soul and sensed the unbridled power harbored within the tiny words.

With his mind clear, Yang Ling subconsciously recited every ancient word he touched in a loud voice. His bright voice pierced through the clouds. With every word he recited, an image appeared on the colossal Skyreach Tower. With every word he recited, the door of the Skyreach Tower, which had been shut for millennia, opened an inch. With every word he recited, an obscure ripple of energy appeared in the air. In fact, the entire peak shook as if an earthquake had passed through. Roars of colossal beasts spread far and wide…

The Spiritual Energy that the Skyreach Tower had been gathering for millions of years turned into tangible silver beams and seeped into Yang Ling’s body through every inch of his skin. The stele, which harbored the will of the Ancient Wizards, released an incredible pulse of energy that cleansed the Soul Crystal in Yang Ling’s brain…

Yang Ling could feel that the Wizard Core in his body and Soul Crystal in his brain had expanded dramatically after he absorbed the unbridled energy. Every inch of his flesh felt strong and hard as granite mountains. His body became hotter and hotter, as if he was sitting by the mouth of a volcano. His silk clothing turned to ash. Blood seeped out of every pore. His entire body seemed as though it was about to explode!

Buzz…

Just as Yang Ling was about to crumble, the Wizard Core and Soul Crystal exploded violently, turning into dust. Then, his magnificent Wizard Power and Mental Energy fused together, turning into starlight as they settled in his veins and seeped into every cell in his body…

Yang Ling’s body and soul had experienced a revolutionary change as a result of the insurmountable pressure!