Editor:Â EndlessFantasy Translation
He blinked open his eyes and saw the goateed old man smiling down at him.
Confusion gripped Braydon Neal as he realized he was lying on a bed.
Rubbing his swollen head, he queried, âHow long was I out?â
âThree years,â came the matter-of-fact reply from the artifact spirit.
Braydonâs face paled at the revelation.
Three years?
That couldnât be right!
If that much time had passed, the aborigines would have already overrun the outside world.
âDonât fret,â reassured the artifact spirit. âThree years in Star Tower equates to just 3.6 months in the outside world.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Relieved, Braydon let out a breath he didnât realize heâd been holding.
There was still time.
With that comfort, he closed his eyes and began to sift through the complex memories flooding his mind.
Among the inherited memories bestowed upon him by the towerâs owner were 108 secret techniques, all centered around the manipulation of time and space.
Additionally, during his three-year coma, two of his 3,000 imperial paths had ascended to the ninth levelâthe enigmatic and challenging space and time paths.
âRise and shine, Braydon Neal,â urged the old artifact spirit. âAs the bearer of Masterâs soul seal, you are now the master of Star Tower. And thereâs something Master left for you.â
Following the artifact spirit, Braydon made his way to a hidden chamber.
In the secluded chamber, a coffin floated in the emptiness of space.
Earlier, Braydon had glimpsed the corpse of a king, but now he realized it was merely an outer space disciple.
Within the chamber, the coffin lay, its contents hidden from view.
Adjacent to it rested a table bearing an ancient ringâa storage ring.
This ring held many relics from the towerâs former master, preserved for future use.
âThe contents are for your benefit, but I canât bestow them all upon you,â explained the artifact spirit. âMasterâs collection is invaluable. If you flaunt it, youâll attract unwanted attention from other experts, risking your safety.â
Understanding the principle of discretion, Braydon nodded in agreement.
He recognized the tremendous gift heâd received from the towerâs owner and felt no entitlement.
Leaving a trace of mental power from his spiritual aperture on the storage ring, Braydon was astonished by what he discovered.
The space within the ring was vast, akin to the expanse of a ruinâan unparalleled storage capacity.
The ring held a bounty of resources: materials for artifact forging, ingredients for pill refining, and an array of artifactsâall suited to Braydonâs current needs.
âI recommend utilizing the Void Armor, Shadow Flying Dagger, and Purple Gold Boots,â advised the artifact spirit.
âThe Void Armor might not be the most precious, but itâs invaluable for your safety in the outside world. Even divine weapons wonât leave a scratch on it. It can diminish a divineâs power by 90%.
âThe Shadow Flying Dagger, when paired with the spatial secret technique you inherited from Master, can traverse space like a specter. Itâs sure to strike fear into your enemiesâ hearts.
âAs for the Purple Gold Boots, theyâll triple your speed. Itâs akin to having wings on your feet.â
â¦
The artifact spirit acted as a mentor, elucidating each itemâs purpose to Braydon.
Once everything was explained, the artifact spirit expressed a condition.
âBraydon, I canât pledge my allegiance to you just yet. Iâll only truly serve you after youâve inherited my masterâs core legacy,â it said with gravity.
Braydon respected the artifact spiritâs stance, feeling content with their rapport.
âAre you heading out now?â inquired the artifact spirit.
âTo hunt and to kill!â declared Braydon, his gaze resolute.
With a swift motion, Braydon exited Star Tower and returned to the small mountain outside.
The tower shrank to the size of a thumb, hovering above the spirit river within Braydonâs spiritual aperture.
âBraydon, both Star Tower and I reside within your spiritual aperture,â the artifact spirit informed him.
âUnderstood!â acknowledged Braydon, ready to take flight.
But as he ascended, a bolt of lightning struck him squarely on the head, leaving him dumbfounded.
Confusion clouded his features.
Being struck by lightning just outside the door seemed excessive to him!
Even the heavens seemed to be picking on him!
In the past, he might have thrown a fit and challenged the heavens, but not now.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, heralding a thunderstorm.
The lightning bolts struck with relentless force, raining down for a full three hours.
Braydon staggered and limped, only regaining his senses after a lengthy period of recovery.
âWhatâs happening?â Braydon inquired, seeking clarity.
âItâs normal for lightning to strike when youâre at this level. Youâll get used to it; itâll happen again,â came the nonchalant response from the artifact spirit.
Braydon had to come to terms with this new reality.
Once he understood the reason behind the lightning strikes, his mood soured.
He decided to seek out Rayha Qhobela and the others.
It had been months since they last met, and it was time for a reunion and perhaps a scuffle.
From that moment on, Braydon was either fighting or preparing for a fight.
With determination, he soared into the sky, propelled by the formidable speed granted by the Purple Gold Boots, which tripled his velocity.
His hand extended, summoning nine silver flying daggersâShadow Flying Daggers.
Crafted from dimensional stones, the same material used in forging storage rings, these daggers were incredibly resilient and adept at traversing space.
Each blade was as delicate as a cicadaâs wing.
Braydon effortlessly controlled the nine flying daggers, feeling as if they were an extension of his own mental power.
Their speed surpassed even his own movement.
These were the fundamental skills the artifact spirit had imparted to him.
The 16th ancient city lay in ruins, its destruction leaving only a solitary bronze door standing.
Nearly five months had elapsed, during which one-third of the door had corroded away, offering a glimpse of the outside world beyond.
Dozens of divine realm beings maintained constant vigilance, their gaze fixed on the world beyond the door.
âI can sense the outside world already,â remarked Benka. âThe complete cycle of day and night, the vast starry skyâitâs enthralling!â
âMy roots attempted to breach the gap, only to be thwarted by this cursed bronze door!â lamented a willow tree, its voice filled with frustration.
The doorâs runes obliterated any attempts to escape.
All present understood the predicament: without destroying the entire bronze door, escape was impossible.
Benka sighed. âI wonder who concocted that corrosive liquid capable of eating through the door.â
His gaze fell on the thousand-meter ape, the likely source of the substance, but the creature remained silent, offering no explanation.
Suddenly, a warning cry rang out, and Braydon launched an ambush with the Shadow Flying Daggers leading the charge.
Having honed his attack skills, he was ready to take on the group of adversaries who had previously outnumbered him five to one.