Three days had passed since Mount Aethermoor appeared. The mountain’s growth had finally stopped.
By now, roughly half of what had been the bustling city of Oakvale lay buried beneath the mountain’s massive foundation and sprawling foothills.
What remained in the emptied city were official forces handling cleanup and security.
Martial artists who hadn’t evacuated in time or refused to leave had also gathered there, alongside daring adventurers seeking fortune and cultivators from every corner of the world, many accompanied by followers. Each group was marked by distinct energy waves.
Inside a makeshift official camp at the foot of Mount Aethermoor, Dustin stood on a nearby rise. He gazed at the towering mountain before him, its immense presence rising into the sky and carrying a boundless sense of desolation that left him deeply contemplative.
Earlier, he’d personally seen Natasha off on a train bound for safer territory. She’d wanted to stay behind, but after joint persuasion from him and Grace, she realized that the dangers here had far surpassed any commercial risk.
Ultimately, Natasha agreed to leave temporarily, holding back tears as she warned him to be careful.
“Mr. Rhys, please report to the command tent,” said an officer wearing the Sovereign Aegis uniform.
Dustin nodded and entered the largest tent. Inside, Grace was studying intelligence reports and maps spread across a table, surrounded by several key advisors and cultivator consultants.
She was dressed in practical, rugged traveling leathers. Though her eyes remained sharp, they were rimmed with the exhaustion of several sleepless nights and a deep, underlying dread she couldn’t entirely hide.
Before her lay fragmentary terrain maps of Mount Aethermoor and ancient journals with every scrap of information they’d managed to compile.
“Dustin, you came at the right moment.”
Seeing him enter, Grace quickly had someone bring him a seat.
“The Jornells, the Quintons, the Frosts, and several other hidden families have all mobilized their elite forces to different areas at the mountain’s base. Independent cultivators are pouring in. The ascent is inevitable now. What should be our next step?”
“Mount Aethermoor offers both opportunity and mortal danger,” he replied. “Only those with extraordinary willpower and fortune can succeed there. The palace’s forces shouldn’t and can’t commit everything to this gamble.
“But abandoning it entirely isn’t wise either. We should send elite scout teams. Their goal shouldn’t be reaching the summit or seizing treasures, but gathering intelligence, training personnel, and collecting resources along the way while securing our position at the base.”
Grace nodded. That was exactly what she had been thinking
“As for the selection of personnel… Scarlet and Adam have volunteered for the lead multiple times. They’ve both reached peak -stage Adept level, have extensive combat experience, and their loyalty is beyond question.
“I’m thinking of having them lead the team, supported by handpicked experts from the Sovereign Aegis and the royal retainers.”
“The Spanners’ twins are excellent choices, “Dustin said thoughtfully. “But Mount Aethermoor’s dangers are unpredictable. Their strength may not be enough.’
“We do what we can and accept what fate brings. I’ve already distributed every protective charm, rune, and tablet from the treasury that could help. I hope it will keep them safe,” Grace said with a sigh.
He nodded slightly, then stood up.
“Though I can’t use my power right now, I still have a couple of old items that might help them. I’ll go look for them.”
In a corner of the official camp at the southeastern foot of the mountain, Scarlet was polishing her signature crimson spear, Wildfire. Cold light rippled along the spearhead, reflecting off her striking, determined face.
Nearby, Adam was focused on adjusting a set of formation flags. The siblings had both changed into specially made climbing gear with light armor over it, ready to depart.
“Do you think Dustin will come see us off?
“Scarlet asked softly, her rhythmic polishing slowing to a halt. Adam glanced up at his sister, clearly understanding what she meant.
“He values loyalty above all else,” he said gently. “He’ll be here. But Scarlet-”
“I know,” she cut him off with a smile that carried both self-mockery and acceptance “I see him as a brother, and he sees me as a sister. That’s fine. At least… I can still stand beside him, right?”
Just as she finished speaking, the tent flap lifted, and Dustin appeared in the doorway.
“Dustin?”
Scarlet’s eyes lit up as she jumped to her feet, then she felt self-conscious and blushed slightly.
“Hey, buddy.” Adam rose to greet him as well. Dustin entered the tent, his gaze sweeping over them both. Without a word, he pulled two items from his bag.
One was a thumb-sized, dark red shuttle-shaped pendant. It was neither made of metal nor stone, but it was covered in intricate cloud patterns and strung on an unknown black cord. The other was a palm -sized bronze mirror with slightly damaged edges and a dull, tarnished surface.
Dustin handed the items to them separately.
“This journey will be dangerous. Take these with you. In a critical moment, they might save your lives,” he said. Scarlet accepted the dark red pendant. It felt slightly warm in her hand, and she sensed a strange spatial fluctuation within it.
“What is this?” she asked.
“It’s called the Cinnabar Void-Shuttle. It’s not an offensive or defensive treasure,” Dustin explained.
“If you encounter absolute danger you cannot resist, crush this shuttle. It will trigger a single short-range random spatial teleportation
“But you can’t control where it sends you. You might escape danger, or you might land in another perilous place. And it only works once. Don’t use it unless you have absolutely no other choice.”
Scarlet gripped the pendant tightly, feeling the concern in his words, and nodded firmly.
“Got it,” she replied. Adam took the ancient bronze mirror. It felt cold and heavy in his hand. The surface was cloudy and couldn’t reflect a clear image.
“Dustin, this mirror…”
Dustin explained, “This mirror is called Obscura. I obtained it by chance. It can’t actively attack or defend, but if you encounter illusions, maze formations, or spiritual attacks, hang it at your chest and channel spiritual energy into it.
“It will generate a layer of Obscura radiance that protects your mind and reveals falsehoods. It’s also effective against certain sinister ghostly techniques. However, the mirror itself is fragile, so handle it carefully.”
Adam’s expression grew solemn as he carefully put the mirror away. “Thanks, bud.”
Dustin looked at the Spanners siblings, who were about to enter a place where life and death were uncertain. His own emotions stirred.
He patted Adam on the shoulder, then looked at Scarlet and said warmly, “No opportunity is worth more than your life. Mount Aethermoor’s trials test the heart and affinity. They can’t be forced. You should focus on keeping yourselves safe and returning alive.”
“Got it.” Scarlet nodded vigorously. Looking at Dustin, her eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, but in the end, she only said, “Dustin, you take care too. When we get back, the drinks are on us.”
