The following morning, the first light of dawn spread across the horizon. At the foot of Mount Aethermoor, near the southeastern entrance to the Elderwood Path, a long flight of ancient stone steps yawned open like the gaping maw of some colossal beast.
Nearly 100 members of the official expedition team stood at attention, their presence sharp and focused. Leading them were Scarlet and Adam. Scarlet wore crimson battle gear beneath silver armor. She gripped her spear tightly, her stance radiating fierce resolve.
Adam wore dark blue expedition gear with a longsword at his waist. Formation flags were strapped to his back. His scholarly composure was tempered by unmistakable readiness.
Grace had come personally to see them off, with Dustin standing beside her. Looking at the team assembled and ready to depart, she spoke solemnly.
“Everyone, the road ahead is dangerous.
I’ll be waiting here for your safe return.
Remember, your safety comes first.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” the team answered in unison, their voices echoing off the mountainside. Scarlet and Adam offered one final, formal salute to Grace and Dustin. Then, the siblings turned toward the stone steps that stretched endlessly upward.
“Move out.”
The group began their ascent of Mount Aethermoor. Almost at the same time, sharp whistling sounds rose from other directions. Figures and streaks of light converged from all sides, like countless streams flowing together, drawn toward the colossal peak as it awakened once more after 3000 years of silence.
Dustin watched until the group disappeared around a bend in the misty mountain path. He stood there for a long moment. He’d done what he could for now.
The road ahead was theirs to navigate. Grace came to stand beside him. “How far do you think they’ll make it?” she asked.
He gazed at the summit hidden above the clouds and replied, “Mount Aethermoor tests each person differently. Scarlet is fierce and courageous, while Adam is steady and strategic. Together, they complement each other well.
“As long as they don’t get greedy or reckless and proceed carefully, they should gain something from this. As for how far they’ll go… That depends on their luck and destiny.”
The expedition advanced along the Elderwood Path of Mount Aethermoor. At first, the mountain trail was still manageable. The ever-present pressure that forbade flight weighed on them from the outset, making each step heavier than on level ground.
Grayish-brown rock surrounded them in dead silence. Even the spiritual energy saturating the air felt dense and oppressive.
After about an hour of travel, the terrain began to steepen. The stone steps cracked and shifted underfoot, forcing them to rely on both hands and feet as they climbed. A faint mist soon spread along the path, carrying a strange, sweet, metallic scent.
This was the Bone-Eroding Miasma recorded in the expedition information. The miasma not only obscured vision but also steadily drained their protective spiritual energy and numbed their senses. “Put on your miasma-warding charm and circulate your internal energy to resist it. Pick up the pace through this area,” Adam ordered calmly.
At the same time, he flicked his hand, sending several clarity charms that dispersed some of the thick fog ahead.
Leading the team, Scarlet swiped her spear through the air. Crimson arcs of flame scattered the encroaching miasma and drove away several brightly colored venomous snakes lurking within the fog.
The group followed close behind, advancing quickly.
Suddenly, a piercing shriek echoed from deep within the miasma. Several dark shapes lunged out. It was the miasma-corrupted demon beasts called Rotbone Apes.
Their bodies were covered in festering wounds that reeked of decay. Their claws and fangs dripped with deadly poison, and they moved with inhuman speed.
“Form ranks! Shields up!”
Scarlet’s sharp command rang out as her Wildfire Spear transformed into a cloud of flame, tearing apart the two Rotbone Apes charging at the front. The elite soldiers of the Sovereign Aegis quickly formed their battle formation.
Blade light, sword shadows, and spellfire lit up the area as they clashed with the swarming demon beasts. The battle was brutal. Team members kept getting scratched by poisoned claws or inhaling miasma while fighting, their faces turning black as they collapsed.
The field medics worked alongside Adam, quickly treating wounds and purging poison. Scarlet fought like the Goddess of War. Her spear lashed forward in sweeping arcs, cutting down everything in her path as she held the line at the front of the formation.
After a grueling battle, they finally drove off the pack of Rotbone Apes. A quick count revealed three seriously wounded, who had to be carried by their comrades, and five more with minor injuries. The lingering miasma poison would take time to purge, and the team’s morale suffered as a result.
“Rest here for 15 minutes. Treat the wounded and recover your strength,” Adam ordered while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings.
Near a crack in the rocks, he found half of a rusted sword and several dim celestial stones, likely left behind by previous climbers. The spiritual energy within them had almost completely faded, leaving them of little value.
After resting, the group continued upward. Once they passed through the Bone-Eroding Miasma zone, the view opened up before them.
They found themselves in a relatively flat valley covered with crystal clusters of various sizes and colors. Sunlight filtered through the thin clouds above, refracting off the crystals in mesmerizing, dreamlike halos of light.
“Be careful. This might be a natural formation of the Prismatic Illusion,” Adam warned, having read about similar phenomena before.
“These crystals refract light and spiritual energy, creating sensory illusions that can even trigger inner demons.”
Before he finished speaking, some members of the group had already grown dazed, mumbling to empty air, either crying or laughing. The light and shadows around them began to twist, conjuring visions of clear paths, treasure glows, and even apparitions of deceased loved ones.
Scarlet’s eyes sharpened. She struck her spear against the ground and shouted, ” Hold fast to your hearts. They’re all illusions.”
With her high cultivation and strong will, she was less affected by the illusions. Adam immediately pulled out the Obscura that Dustin had given him and channeled spiritual energy into it.
The dull mirror surface rippled with a hazy bronze glow that spread outward, enveloping over a dozen nearby team members. Those covered by the light quickly recovered from their confusion, their eyes clearing
“It works,” Adam said with relief, directing the team members carrying Obscura to spread out and expand their protective range.
However, the illusions weren’t the only danger. From within those beautiful crystal clusters, sharp luminous blades would occasionally shoot out without warning, or a blinding flash would explode.
Under the dual threat of illusions and physical attacks, the team struggled forward. People were constantly getting cut by luminous blades or stepping into hidden crevices while dodging illusions.
Just as the group reached the center of the valley, an unexpected change occurred.
The largest crystal clusters suddenly burst into blinding light. The beams wove together in the air, forming a translucent giant wielding an energy blade.
The giant roared silently and swung its blade toward the team. Even before the strike landed, the sword aura alone made their skin prickle.
“It’s a phantasmal spirit condensed by the formation. Its strength is close to the Core-Forged realm,” Adam said, his expression tightening. “We cannot confront it head-on. Spread out and look for the formation’s core or a weak point.”
But Scarlet showed no fear. A fierce, predatory light ignited in her eyes as she leveled her spear.
“I’ll handle it,” she said.
