Kael and Amelia arrived together, while Ethan had already been waiting. Seeing the two of them holding hands as they approached, Ethan shrugged with a wry smile. "You two really are enviable, not even sparing a thought for a lone soul like me." Though his tone was teasing, there was a hint of playful bitterness in his words. Ethan's remark made Amelia blush, but she didn't pull her hand away from Kael's grasp. Zorath the Silent merely smiled at the scene, entirely unbothered. Youthful romance—of course he understood. "Let's go. It's only a few days' journey from here to the headquarters of the Sacred Council. We'll arrive soon enough!" Zorath the Silent said cheerfully. After his explanation, Kael learned that the Sacred Council's headquarters were located in the heart of the southern continent, within the Atlan Mountains. The three of them were now heading there. "A few days' journey?" Kael was puzzled. The distance between their current location and the Atlan Holy Mountain was easily tens of thousands of miles—how could they possibly arrive in just a few days? Just as Kael was wondering, Zorath the Silent chuckled and raised his hand. With a deep, resonant chant, he let out a roar akin to that of a magical beast. Moments later, an answering roar tore through the sky—one so powerful it carried an overwhelming pressure, as if emanating from some fearsome creature. "That's a dragon's roar—a dragon's!" Amelia realized, her eyes widening. Then, the light above Kael's head was abruptly blotted out as the sky darkened. "It's a wyvern," Ethan said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. A wyvern—a lesser dragon, but still a member of the draconic lineage. Born from the union of true dragons and other species, their bloodline was diluted, lacking the full might of pure dragons. Yet, they remained among the apex predators of the food chain. This was Kael's first time seeing a dragon in this world, even if it was only a wyvern. With a wingspan stretching dozens of meters, a colossal frame, and a terrifying aura radiating from its very presence, the creature left him in awe. The wyvern was a brilliant shade of blue, majestic and imposing. This blue wyvern was at least a rank-nine entity—Kael couldn't help but marvel at Zorath the Silent's extravagance.
"Haha, now you get to experience the privilege of riding a wyvern carriage—a luxury even most Sacred Council members rarely enjoy!" Zorath the Silent laughed heartily.
Within the Sacred Council, there was only one Grand Speaker, the current leader of the organization. Additionally, there were twelve Councilors, akin to elders, who held significant authority. Zorath the Silent was one of these twelve—and a truly influential one at that.
The four of them rode atop the wyvern carriage, the wind howling past their ears as they soared at an astonishing speed. The wyvern's back was incredibly broad, making the journey both smooth and comfortable.
At this breakneck pace, Kael estimated they would indeed reach the Atlan Mountains within a matter of days.
Five days later.
"We've arrived," Zorath the Silent announced, standing atop the wyvern carriage with a smile.
Kael looked down and saw they were hovering above a mountain pass. Beyond it lay the headquarters of the Sacred Council.
The wyvern carriage descended from the sky, and Zorath the Silent leapt down gracefully. Kael and the others followed closely behind.
As soon as he stepped off, Kael surveyed his surroundings—and froze in surprise. The mountain valley before them was an open wilderness, devoid of any visible guards or defenses. This is the Sacred Council's headquarters? How can there be no security at all?
But as he drew closer, realization struck. The entire forest was laced with magic arrays. A single misstep could trigger one, instantly alerting the Council and sealing their doom.
Every inch of this place is a death trap.
"As expected of the Sacred Council's headquarters. These magic arrays are masterfully crafted—I wonder who set them up…" Kael murmured in awe. Even with his current insight and the knowledge from The Book of Immortality, the complexity left him astounded.
"Come, let's proceed!" Zorath the Silent said cheerfully. Under his guidance, Kael and the others followed closely, carefully navigating the arrays until they safely entered the Atlan Mountains.
The scenery within the mountains was breathtaking—towering peaks, lush forests, and an otherworldly beauty. Once past the arrays, they stepped into what felt like an entirely separate realm.
"We're now at the mountain pass. The interior of the Atlan Mountains has been magically reconstructed into a unique spatial domain—this entire expanse serves as the Sacred Council's headquarters," Zorath the Silent explained, acting as their guide.
Kael's eyes widened. The interior was vast, pulsing with magical energies, its architecture forming a wondrous, labyrinthine space. It was a sight beyond imagination, leaving him utterly spellbound.
Inside the mountain, they soon encountered numerous mages and warriors. Upon closer observation, Kael noticed that each individual seemed extraordinarily powerful, their auras restrained to the point where their exact strength was indiscernible—yet it was clear none were ordinary. Many greeted Zorath the Silent with deference, and he acknowledged each with a nod.
"Kael, will you head straight to the Eternal Tower? By coincidence, it's customary for all newcomers to visit it first. There's something quite interesting there," Zorath the Silent said with a mysterious smile.
"We can go to the Eternal Tower too? I thought only Kael—after slaying Leif—was granted ten days to explore Orlando's Eternal Tower?" Ethan asked in surprise.
"Ah, you've misunderstood. The Eternal Tower has ten floors. What I'm suggesting is the first floor. The first three floors are open to the public—anyone can visit them. But beyond the third floor? Well, only Kael has that privilege now, with his ten-day access. Even I rarely get to enter those higher levels," Zorath the Silent explained with a chuckle.
So that was how it worked. The trio finally understood.
"I have some matters to attend to, so why don't you go ahead to the Eternal Tower? The attendants there will explain the rules. I'll catch up with you later—how does that sound?"Zorath the Silent proposed.
"Alright, let's check out the Eternal Tower first," Ethan and Amelia agreed eagerly. The legendary Orlando, revered as the God of Magic, was said to have been inseparable from Burgui the Sky Bastion, the mightiest warrior of his era. There might even be treasures within the tower that could benefit warriors.
The prospect filled all three with excitement.
Following Zorath the Silent's directions, they set off toward the Eternal Tower.
Meanwhile, Zorath the Silent watched their retreating figures with a faint smile.
"The Sacred Council's trial for newcomers… Heh. These three are among the continent's most exceptional talents—especially that little monster Kael. This should be quite entertaining!"
In truth, Zorath the Silent had no urgent business. He had deliberately steered them toward the Eternal Tower so he could observe them unnoticed.
Guided by his instructions, Kael and the others soon spotted a majestic magic tower towering in the distance.
"This is the Eternal Tower!"
The Eternal Tower stood before them, an obsidian monolith as dark as polished inkstone, its surface gleaming with an eerie luster. Unlike the Azure Cloud Tower of Kael's Yanhua Academy, this structure exuded an aura of profound mystery—one that even Kael found impossible to decipher at a glance.
"It's actually made of Black Jadeite..." Kael's eyes widened at the sheer extravagance. No wonder Orlando is hailed as the Star Legend—an entire magic tower crafted from Black Jadeite! Among the finest magical materials, Black Jadeite was priceless. The tower's value alone could likely purchase an entire kingdom.
I'll soon reach the eighth rank. According to continental law, I'll be eligible to construct my own magic tower. I should start gathering materials... Kael mused. A magic tower was indispensable for a mage—essentially a fortress of combat, amplifying their power manifold.
Shaking off his thoughts, Kael grinned. "Let's go in and see what this Eternal Tower is really like!"
Filled with curiosity and anticipation, the trio stepped inside—only to be met with a scene far removed from their expectations.
The interior was vast yet starkly empty, devoid of the grandeur Kael had imagined. A dozen or so youths, roughly their age, stood scattered about. Beside them, an elderly man dozed off on his feet, seemingly indifferent to their arrival.
"What's going on here?"