Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Comfortable, tranquil, and with a captivating sense of satisfaction from the abundance of magic. If this were a martial arts novel, it would undoubtedly be a treasure trove for cultivation, and the output point of the magic network node.

After a brief moment of enjoyment, Lyle began searching for his goal: the teardrop-shaped gem of chaotic magic, the Condensed Heart.

Then Lyle discovered that he was unable to move.

It wasn't that his body was bound and unable to move, but rather that he was in a state similar to weightlessness, as if gravity had skipped class and wasn't doing what it was supposed to do. There was nothing around him to touch, and Lyle just stood there in the air, waving his arms and legs haphazardly without moving an inch, at most slowly spinning in place.

It's like the feeling of being lost in space and becoming space debris in a science fiction movie.

Fortunately, Lyle isn't the only one with this kind of trash.

Looking at the other contestants around him who were just as panicked as he was, Lyle suppressed the despair in his heart.

The stepping stone has arrived.

Nia's tentacles stretched wildly in the environment, and Lyle quickly grabbed the other contestants. Now was the opportunity to test whether Newton's Third Law held true in this spacetime. No problem, I'm a necromancer, making Newton turn in his grave is a piece of cake.

Forces are reciprocal, and by waving at the other competitors, Lyle quickly completed the movement, albeit slowly.

Moreover, Lyle noticed something unusual.

William was swimming rapidly in this weightless environment, as agile as a fish.

Lyle released his tool and began to observe the surrounding aura. As expected of William, a magical genius, he must have discovered the rules of this space. Magic isn't just about outer space; there must be a way to move quickly like William.

Nia's clutches lunged at William.

But William is slippery now, and Nia can't catch him at all.

"Hahaha, Lyle, I'm going first!" With those arrogant words, William fled out of Nia's reach.

Lyle didn't catch William, but he still got something out of it.

The tentacles found tiny traces in the area where William had moved.

The imprint of spiritual power, also known as the power of the soul.

Lyle understood; this magical space was constructed to mimic the location of the Soul Land. Mental power, an essential ability for spellcasters, was the only means of movement.

Soul studies? I'm really bad at soul studies.

Lyle pinched his chin; in zero gravity, any position felt just as comfortable as lying down.

How could I possibly control the power of the soul, since even the Soul Scream requires Nia to unleash it?

Lyle narrowed his eyes, his mind wandering to something else.

No, spiritual studies are not my weakness, nor are they Lyle's weakness.

With his eyes closed, Lyle's breathing gradually became long and even in the gentle, milky-white light.

The next moment, clumps of black ink-like substance emerged from Lyle's body, and the flowing malice turned into a hazy shadow on his back.

The dark figure let out a sinister laugh and began to glide, carrying the blindfolded Lyle.

Chapter 426 Falling

The only shadow in the light was as conspicuous and repulsive as an ink spot on a white cloth.

Those contestants who observed the shadow chose to remain silent and ignore it. Both Lyle's identity as Andre and the terrifying illusion woven in hell were chilling.

The subtle alienation of the surrounding crowd went unnoticed by Lyle. He closed his eyes, feeling the shadowy figures hidden in his mind crawling through the world. Those dark, demonic claws were both real and illusory; Lyle couldn't be sure if they were truly real, or just illusions woven in his mind, a mere delusion. Regardless of whether these shadows existed in the real world, the power of the soul was indeed guiding him forward.

"If this place is truly modeled after the Land of Souls..." then it has no boundaries, because the Land of Souls is the imaginary world constructed from the endless thoughts of billions of living beings.

"We cannot rely on brute force; we must find the key."

Lyle began searching for clues hidden within the magic, for those simple messages. It must be said that the magic and radio waves of this world have many similarities, or rather, the basic energies that construct the world share some commonalities.

Lyle's meticulous research did indeed pay off.

In a hidden spacetime rift, Lyle found an unusual magical aura, one that did not belong to these contestants. The feeling it evoked was much more refined and pure.

Lyle, overjoyed, carefully used his soul power to draw out the delicate fragment of magic, and then he saw it...

"What are the four basic elements? Please answer."

"..." In the magical model that was being built like an artwork, there was such a garbage question.

"Earth, water, fire, air." As Lyle imprinted his answer on the model, his eyelids twitched; he had a bad feeling.

The magic model was deforming, rotating like a flower, revealing the information hidden beneath the question.

"76.85.15, 32.54.63."

"..." Two strings of inexplicable numbers appeared. Inspired by an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, Lyle intuitively recognized this as a spatial coordinate system. The first number represented the location of this mana model, and the next coordinate was what he wanted.

"What's the reference point? Where is the origin of the coordinate system?"

Lyle looked around and finally spotted the thing.

A milky-white halo of starlight surrounded it; it was the only thing that stood out. Lyle couldn't find a reason why he wasn't the origin of the coordinate system.

Having obtained what he wanted, Lyle estimated his target area and moved forward.

Although things are progressing well so far, his ominous premonition is growing stronger.

Finally, he found the next hidden crevice.

Lyle silently opened it, silently took out the mana model inside, and silently looked at the question inside.

"Please answer, what are the three career paths for arcane mages?"

"..."

Lyle realized perfectly well—this was a magic quiz test! And a nested puzzle at that! Are you kidding me?! We're in the middle of a celebration, and now, at the very last moment of the flying competition, we're being given a magic quiz?! Does the person who set this test have any conscience?! How are we supposed to have fun like this?!

In the Silver Royal City, a middle-aged man chuckled coldly, "Don't blame me, I've also endured all of this, the painful transmission... The transmission of knowledge is a very sacred act."

Lyle was devastated. Although the questions weren't particularly difficult to cater to a wider audience, Lyle had never imagined he'd have to do problems in the City of Hesitation. Even Andrei hadn't done it this way; Andrei preferred using experiments and experimental accidents to solidify knowledge.

Lyle, unsure how much longer he would have to work on the problems and how vast the sea of ​​questions lay ahead, felt a deep sense of dread. Meanwhile, William's wails echoed from a distant, unseen place.

Lyle took a deep breath and made up his mind.

I'm going to cheat! I'm going to skip the exam!

Lyle stood before the milky white halo.

Since this is the origin of the coordinate system, it means that this is the originally set center.

The power of the evil god can corrupt any matter or energy it touches, including magic. Lyle took out a piece of Nia's flesh, and after kneading it with the Claw of Vilimlo, the flesh that had absorbed magic and grown had generated ample corrupting power.

Now, Lyle intends to use the plague to spread this corrupted flesh and blood, radiating the power of corruption throughout the entire space, crushing all hidden magical mechanisms, violently dismantling the examination hall, and directly seizing the exam answers.

"Then let's start from the beginning."

Lyle sneered and reached for the milky white halo with his bone claws, which were wrapped in dangerous flesh.

The magic along the way lost its beautiful structure and turned into a chaotic force similar to primordial nature, even worse than the forces of primordial nature.

Lyle's destruction of the magic space began, and then ended in the next second.

Lyle withdrew the bone claw that had seized the origin of the corruption, and parted the writhing, wailing black flesh on the surface to reveal a teardrop-shaped stone.

The core of condensation lies within the halo of light at the origin.

"Is it both a beginning and an end?" Lyle's cheeks twitched. It was hard to imagine the twisted expressions on the faces of those students who were diligently answering questions, their scalps tingling from the various coordinate systems, using the origin to find their way. They would pass the origin again and again, only to finally discover that the Heart of Condensation was right there within the origin.

The more twisted his thoughts were, the happier Lyle felt at that moment.

Sneaking out is truly one of life's greatest pleasures.

The teardrop stone is the size of a normal cantaloupe. Unlike the magic Lyle usually comes into contact with, its silvery-blue surface will cause a stinging sensation to the skin just by touching it, similar to a continuous electric shock.

Perhaps due to the chaotic magic, which was like impurities, the compatibility between the corrupted flesh and the solidified heart was very high, and the tendrils covering the surface of the precious jade were quite active.

"I've obtained the Heart of Condensation, does that mean I've won?"

Lyle looked around. The original point, contaminated by the corrupted flesh, had turned purplish-black. The halo that served as a disguise had long since turned into some disordered magical debris. However, the structure of the entire space had not broken, and the Heart of Condensation was clearly not its core.

To leave this strange space, we must find another way out.

Lyle remembered Beatrice's words.

"Look down."

The entire space is inside the Arcane Eye, and should be spherical, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Although magical spaces should automatically adjust the relative positions of those within to achieve an endless expanse, the situation might be slightly different now that Lyle possesses the Heart of Condensation.

Lyle began to move downwards, and the solidified heart, encased in flesh and blood, shimmered in a place where Lyle could not see it.

Lyle did indeed touch the boundary of the space, and before Lyle could react, the entire space had already changed, even before he could tell whether the sensation was closer to plaster or rubber.

Space has shattered.

The light that had been blocking his view had completely disappeared, and the purple mist of the Arcane Eye could no longer obstruct Lyle's eyes.

The arcane bomb-like devices on the central white tower shattered, scattering countless beautiful and dazzling fireworks into the sky. And right below the tower, beneath Lyle, various races were raising their hands and cheering amidst the fireworks.

Let us cheer for the victor who has captured the Heart of Unity.

Every citizen, regardless of race, wore a joyful smile, stretching their arms out to the sky as if to give a hug.

Lyle had once felt that he was worlds apart from these lovely citizens, even from Andrei's lich; he was a unique individual, an outcast. But now, stretching out his hand towards the dense crowd below, looking at the smile peeking through his fingers, Lyle felt truly integrated into this world.

He could feel that he had begun to integrate into their society, accept them, and get closer to them.

...He was really getting closer, because gravity had recaptured him. Lyle began to fall from the very top of the City of Wanderers.

Faced with those smiling faces, Lyle felt a terrifying sense of falling and screamed wildly.

"Aa ...

Chapter 427 The Final Carnival

A bird with broken wings falls from the sky, its final, mournful cry during its life's countdown so poignant.

I apologize, but Lyle's screams are more like the struggles of a domestic pig being slaughtered, utterly devoid of any beauty. However, the wild flailing of his limbs in the air, his panicked and desperate expression, and the screams that still reverberated through the sky despite the raging wind, still revealed to us the most ordinary and simple love for life. This is somewhat similar to the mournful cry of the cuckoo.

Nia's cheers mingled with Lyle's, drowning out all other sounds. She happily stretched out her entire body, weaving a curtain that trembled in the gale. No one spoke ill of her; Nia truly felt the joy of falling. The whirlwind caressed her body like a tickle, not missing a single tentacle, every sucker, even the narrowest gaps in the grid-like tentacles.