"Found it!"

"Oh?"

"Reporting to the Honorable Seat, we've discovered a stable parallel world! Fifteen meters below the surface, it's an undeveloped forest mostly composed of coniferous trees, with no signs of civilization, no dangerous creatures found, but there is a presence of water sources and wildlife!"

"Abandon it."

On the fifteenth level of the Silent Spiral, the Mercury Wooden Horse lazily lay on a cold-toned plush carpet, beside a grey wolf over two hundred kilograms in weight, dressed in a simple bathrobe, as if she were on vacation. A girl wearing cat-themed pajamas curled up in her lap, eyes closed, enjoying sweet sleep. She gently stroked the girl's tender cheek with the back of her finger, as if handling a piece of art.

Around her, mages clad in black feathered garments were busy at work. Most of them were occupied with creating Sky Gates and scouting the situations behind them. Sky Gates could lead anywhere one could not imagine: magma, underground, high above, deep seas, or even the Void Turbulence, and without a perfect defensive mechanism, opening a Sky Gate was akin to greeting the Death God.

"Remember two conditions: civilization must be observed, and it must be in a lawless region where civilization's governance is weak. Ideally, places like sewers and underground facilities; next best are slum areas, with forested outskirts and beaches being the least favorable," the Mercury Wooden Horse stated. "If these conditions are not met, there's no need to report to me."

She extended two fingers, lifting a glass to gently swirl and downed the chilled lemon crow blood wine in one go, letting out a soft belch.

"Honorable Seat, the probability is truly too low," said the cold-faced young mage in black feathers. "Although we have the Miracle 'Endurance,' which can continually increase the usage times of Sky Gate Technique Spirits, each endurance costs considerable magic power, and this Miracle is of Holy Sanctuary Level, only the four of us can use it… Out of hundreds of experiment records, there have only been two instances of a safe Sky Gate. Meeting both conditions would probably require thousands of tests."

"We still have time," Mercury Wooden Horse calmly replied. "Don't forget, we are not on the run, but strategically relocating. The work of the Four Pillars God Sect shall continue as we reach a new nation. If we end up in a primitive world, even the Gods of Four Pillars would abandon us. To please the supreme Gods of Four Pillars, we must continually pull civilization into the abyss."

"Praise the four pillars that sustain the world; grant us happiness and peace," everyone chanted in unison.

"Honorable Seat," a youthful and cute boy in a black feathered cloak asked, "since we're going to the New World, why not bring Mr. Oleva along? Mr. Oleva was already a Legendary Mage ten years ago, undoubtedly the first in Senluo!"

"Of course, I wish for Oleva to continue following me," Mercury Wooden Horse said as she placed the wine glass down, and the cold-faced young mage immediately poured her more wine. "But he is already... of no use."

"While pursuing the Thousand Wishes Inheritance, his soul was repeatedly injured on Ruby Mountain. Despite exhausting endless resources, I could only temporarily sustain his life, though his consciousness has entirely shattered, indistinguishable from death, and I am powerless regarding this."

"The Honorable Seat's compassion for subordinates is most merciful and kind," the crowd praised.

"Out there, without me diverting attention to sustain him, he wouldn't even be capable of action," Mercury Wooden Horse said. "I brought him down not to station him in the Silent Spiral, but to prevent others from discovering that Oleva is as fleeting as a candle in the wind."

"Unexpectedly, the Silver Lamp Society used a War Great Skill to initiate a trial; even more astonishing, Oleva somehow generated new consciousness during the war trial."

Another sunny boy in black feathers asked curiously, "Since Mr. Oleva has a new consciousness, why not bring him down?"

"Because he is no longer considered human," Mercury Wooden Horse stated. "The Four Pillars God Sect does not need non-human believers, and moreover..."

She glanced towards everyone, snapping her fingers to signal everyone to raise their glasses. "Indeed, Oleva is the first mage of Senluo, the strongest Legendary in Wasteland, but I anticipate much more from my Black Feather Guard, which I personally assembled, than from Oleva. With you alongside me to challenge the New World, what should I fear lacking Oleva?"

"Let's drink together," she raised her glass.

"Together!" The Black Feather Guard was incited with passion, downing the crow blood wine as they longed to mark territories for the Mercury Wooden Horse with their hot blood!

"Nonetheless, losing Mr. Oleva is truly a pity," a bespectacled young mage in black feathers lamented. "Water magic is not known for its combat capabilities, yet Mr. Oleva garnered a reputation as the 'Pope Annihilator,' and the Holy Sanctuary Mages of the Qinri Alliance would instantly retreat upon encountering him. Only those of the same Legendary rank posed a threat to him. One could see the prestige of 'Frost Cold Annihilator.'"

The crowd couldn't help but nod, and the Mercury Wooden Horse smiled, "Now, with him stationed on the tenth level, synergizing with the war trial mechanism, nobody can surpass his winter, utilizing him to his full potential, devoting every effort."

She said, "With him guarding, we have no need to worry about the Qinri Alliance… or any other pursuers, we can safely find the Sky Gate leading to the New World."

"Found it!"

Suddenly, a black-feathered mage exclaimed excitedly, "Outside of the Sky Gate passage is a forested outskirts, but there are traces of a highway in the distance!"

The Mercury Wooden Horse's pupils contracted but she maintained composure, "Keep the Sky Gate passage open and send someone in for further reconnaissance. Charlin, you did well."

The black-feathered mage's blood raced, not expecting the Mercury Wooden Horse to remember him—a mere One-winged Mage. "I am willing to serve the Honorable Seat unto death!"

"Unfortunately, I don't have anything to reward you with at this moment, hmm…" Mercury Wooden Horse glanced aside, realizing the wine was finished. The cold-faced young mage immediately attempted to retrieve more, but stopped at her signal. She grabbed two wine glasses and went to the cask to pour wine herself, "I hope you don't mind the crow blood wine being a bit beneath your rank."

"Honorable Seat," Charlin hastily approached, not daring to interrupt the Mercury Wooden Horse, taking the wine glass, choking with emotion.

"Together," Mercury Wooden Horse lightly clinked her glass against his, leaving other black-feathered mages envious. Charlin flushed, feeling an immense honor, "Together!"

The Mercury Wooden Horse revealed a faint smile at the corners of her mouth, lifting her head to down the crow blood wine in one go—

Crack!

The wine cask shattered explosively, heralding a grand show of blood rain! Amidst the droplet-laden sweet blood wine, an unnoticed matte blade sliced through the air, the sound trailing a step behind it, compressing escaping air into an explosive cloud burst before the blade!

Since the day the Ya Sha Jin sect became ruins, since the night he was forced to kill his comrades, Black Crow awaited this strike.

He dreamed of this strike with eyes closed,

Fantasized about this strike with eyes open,

Firmed his grip practicing this strike,

Loosened his hold contemplating this strike.

Every piece of bread he ate was to swing this strike with power,

Every drop of water he drank to swing precisely.

He was not a mage, he couldn't read, couldn't use magic; he had nothing, but this strike.

Therefore, use this strike.

To conclude everything.

Even as the Mercury Wooden Horse maintained her posture of drinking, her pupils began to turn, having realized the danger. A Holy Sanctuary Mage only needed a thought to—

Crack!

With a sonic boom ripple of vengeance etched through the blood rain, the beautiful head of the Mercury Wooden Horse flew skyward!

Black Crow stepped forward, crushing the cask's wood fragments underfoot, lightly flicking the blade which sliced the remains of the headless body into dozens of pieces in an instant!

The other mages barely had time to react, dumbstruck by the Black Crow amidst the blood and wine rain. He wore a menacing crow mask, draped in a black feathered cloak, akin to a vengeful ghost crawling from Hell.

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