“Stay focused and take them down!” Grace shouted. Her dagger gleamed with a cold light, and a stream of sword aura slashed at a charging gray shadow.
The attack made the wraith waver and thin out, its form growing fainter. It let out a piercing shriek but didn’t vanish. Instead, it surged forward with renewed fury.
The other guards weren’t faring any better. Their sword aura proved pathetically ineffective against these mist-wraiths. It took multiple strikes to break apart a single one.
However, the wraith’s attacks were deadly. They could easily penetrate the guards’ protective armor energy. The moment one made contact, a deep, soul-chilling cold set in, and the victim’s life essence began to drain away at an alarming rate.
One guard’s attention slipped for just a second. A wraith grazed his arm, and his limb instantly turned pale gray and shriveled, as if every bit of moisture and vitality had been sucked dry. He groaned in pain and staggered backward, face pale as death.
“We can’t keep this up. Our attacks are ineffective against them,” the guard captain shouted in frustration.
Within moments, two more guards were injured by the mist-wraiths and forced out of the fight. Seeing that, Dustin realized he could no longer stand by and watch.
These wraiths were highly resistant to both physical and pure energy strikes. But they instinctively feared higher-tier powers, especially those imbued with pure, radiant energy or cleansing force.
He formed a sword finger, and a brilliant golden light flared at its tip. It wasn’t hot, yet it radiated an immense, pure energy, overwhelming and cleansing, as if it could sweep away all evil in its path.
“Blazing Point!” he roared, thrusting his finger forward. The beam of golden light shot into the densest cluster of wraiths. It was like throwing boiling water onto snow. Wherever the golden light passed, the contorted gray forms let out agonizingly sharp wails before instantly dissolving and vaporizing, as if melted away by sunlight.
The oppressive, cold mist itself seemed to recoil and thin under the power of that single attack. The surviving wraiths hissed in terror, retreating into the dense fog and dared not approach them anymore.
Everyone who witnessed Dustin’s effortless yet devastating attack was left in stunned awe. His abilities were truly beyond their comprehension.
“Mr. Rhys, thank you for saving our lives,” the group expressed their gratitude in unison. Without him, they would have been wiped out in that sinister fog.
Dustin waved it off, though his expression was still tense.
“Those were just minor nuisances that got disturbed. The source of the mist and far stronger entities haven’t shown themselves yet. We shouldn’t linger here and must find a way out quickly.”
He looked toward the deeper parts of the mist, where the fluctuations of energy were even more chaotic and powerful. Somewhere beyond it, he could faintly sense a purer, more immense flow of water energy calling to him.
“Follow me. I think this is the right direction,” Dustin said, taking the lead toward the source of the water energy. The group didn’t dare hesitate. Despite their exhaustion and fear, they followed closely behind.
After passing through the spiritual energy-draining fog, it felt as if they’d crossed an unseen boundary. The view ahead opened wide, starkly different from the dead silence of the ancient battlefield and oppressive gloom of the fog.
For a moment, everyone stood still, dazed by what looked almost like a paradise.
The valley stretched between the mountains, lush and bright. Waterfalls poured down the cliffs like ribbons of silver, their clear tones echoing through the air.
Rare plants and exotic flowers of every color bloomed along the banks, filling the breeze with a faint, soothing scent. The air itself shimmered with gentle spiritual energy, easing the exhaustion in their bodies and slowly replenishing the spiritual energy depleted in the fog.
The most captivating sight was the complex of elegant and exquisite pavilions and towers in the center of the valley. They weren’t gilded or grand, but built from pale stone and faintly glowing wood that seemed alive with light.
With their upturned eaves, layered brackets, and carved beams, they blended perfectly with the surrounding landscape, as if formed by nature itself. Mist curled between the buildings, and glimpses of cranes in flight and wandering spirit deer could be seen.
Ethereal, enchanting music, seemingly coming from nowhere, drifted through the air. It was soothing and uplifting, capable of washing away the weariness deep in one’s soul.
“Is… Is this Aether Garden? A real paradise? “Judith asked, her eyes wide with uncontainable joy. The previous fear and exhaustion seemed swept away by the serene and beautiful sight before her.
Even the battle-worn guards relaxed their tense postures, their weathered faces now filled with awe and longing. Grace mulled, “In a paradise like this, there must be an elixir that can bring the dying back to life.”
She felt her heart surge with emotion. Her breath quickened as she stared at the pavilions and towers ahead, her eyes bright with hope.
She could almost see a pearl-sized pill radiating with seven shimmering hues, floating at the heart of the crystal palace, as if waiting just for her. Valon took the elixir of immortality, and his severe illness was completely cured.
The warm scene of the father and daughter reunion felt so close and real.
“We finally found it…” she murmured, her foot lifting to step forward without a thought.
“Hold on.”
A calm, clear voice cut through her trance like a splash of cold water, dousing the frantic hope burning in Grace’s chest.
Dustin’s hand rested lightly on her shoulder. A cool, steadying energy flowed into her, pulling her back from the edge and clearing her mind.
