High above the sky, a black dragon spread its massive wings, soaring across the heavens. Under its control, the power of flames rained down like a storm, ruthlessly bombarding the Lord of Nightshadow Fortress and the Master of the Bitterheart Sect.
Standing steadily atop the black dragon's back, the Black Dragon Witch, Aestry, single-handedly suppressed the two third-tier grand wizards.
The sky was shrouded in thick black smoke exuded by the dragon, forming a curtain that completely concealed the strange hues left behind by their earlier battle.
The fight had been raging for a long time. The faces of the Lord of Nightshadow Fortress and the Master of the Bitterheart Sect grew increasingly grim, their hearts heavy with frustration.
If this continued, they would be forced into a desperate situation by Aestry. Exchanging a glance, they prepared to once again unleash their life-burning secret magic.
This forbidden wizardry was a last resort, used only in dire circumstances. The cost was immense it consumed both life force and spirit in exchange for a fleeting chance at survival.
While they wouldn't truly die in this strange space and could even recover afterward, the pain they endured was amplified tenfold.
Each time they cast this spell, it felt as if thousands of blades were slicing through their flesh simultaneously, inflicting unbearable agony.
Over the past month of relentless pursuit and escape, they had already been forced to use this forbidden technique multiple times.
Although it allowed them to temporarily shake off Aestry and the black dragon, the excruciating pain upon recovery nearly drove them to the brink of collapse.
However, just as the two of them gritted their teeth, preparing to risk it all once again, Aestry suddenly ceased her attack.
Her amethyst-like eyes trembled slightly, and her gaze swiftly shifted in a certain direction.
"Go there!"
Aestry commanded coldly, steering the black dragon toward that direction without a second thought, completely ignoring the Lord of Nightshadow Fortress and the Master of the Bitterheart Sect.
Before leaving, however, she did not forget about the army of Nightshadow Fortress below.
The black dragon swooped down, its maw opening wide as searing flames poured out like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing the Nightshadow Fortress army, relieving the Furnace Army of their predicament.
"What is she doing?"
The Lord of Nightshadow Fortress and the Master of the Bitterheart Sect watched Aestry's departing figure with confusion in their eyes.
But before long, their expressions suddenly changed, their gazes freezing.
"What is that?"
They both sensed an aura that did not belong to this realm an aura carrying an inexplicable allure coming from the same direction where Aestry had just departed.
"What should we do? Should we follow?"
They exchanged glances, their hearts filled with hesitation.
Having finally escaped Aestry's relentless pursuit, they should have seized the opportunity to flee, but that mysterious aura was impossible to ignore.
What if it was the key to escaping this place?
Just then, another distinct aura appeared from a different direction.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Lord of Nightshadow Fortress and the Master of the Bitterheart Sect immediately chose to pursue the newly emerging aura instead.
Meanwhile, chaos engulfed the battlefield below. The Nightshadow Fortress army, devastated by the black dragon's flames, wailed in pain and despair.
Seeing their two third-tier grand wizards also leave, their faces were filled with terror and hopelessness, forcing them to flee in a panic.
On the other side of the battlefield, the Furnace Army was gradually recovering after the fight.
Pain still lingered on their faces, but as time passed, they slowly regained mobility.
"Head in that direction…"
The wizard Drey issued a solemn order.
He too had sensed the unnatural aura that stood out from the rest of the surroundings and swiftly made a decision.
The stronger one's abilities, the faster one could detect the presence of this strange aura.
By contrast, the wizard apprentices were utterly bewildered, unable to sense anything unusual. It wasn't until they had followed the army for some time that they began to realize something was amiss.
At that moment, Lynn was hiding deep within the forest, concealing his presence.
He watched in shock as the Black Dragon Witch, Aestry, flew over his hiding place atop the black dragon.
However, he quickly realized that Aestry did not stop, instead continuing straight past the forest, heading toward the distant horizon.
Not long after, the Furnace Army also advanced in the same direction.
Lynn held his breath, carefully suppressing his aura, making sure not to reveal even the slightest trace of his presence.
He silently watched as the Furnace Army passed one by one, even spotting his senior brother, Colin, among them.
Yet, he still chose to remain hidden, waiting until the last soldier had completely left.
Only after confirming that the Furnace Army had moved far away did Lynn slowly sit down, pressing his palm against the ground, and releasing the unique mental fluctuations of the Azure Sky Meditation Method.
The rhythm of this signal was subtle and elusive, perceptible only to those who had also practiced the Azure Sky Meditation Method.
Lynn was certain if Colin detected these familiar fluctuations, he would surely return to investigate.
Sure enough, before long, Lynn spotted Colin approaching his hiding spot with a puzzled expression.
"Strange... My senses can't be wrong... I felt the aura of Azure Sky just now..."
Colin muttered to himself, scanning his surroundings, his brows furrowed in confusion.
Just as he was lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"Colin, long time no see..."
Colin spun around sharply, only to see Lynn standing there silently.
But what shocked him even more was the figure standing behind Lynn an approximately two-meter-tall treant with a body of solid wood, exuding a rich aura of life.
"Lynn?! You've been here all along? When we counted the survivors in Green Island Forest, why didn't we find you…?"
Colin was visibly astonished, though his expression still carried traces of joy.
The excitement of reuniting after such a long time was evident on his face. Seeing that Lynn was alive and well, he clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mhm. Colin, can you tell me what happened?"
Lynn's gaze was steady as he asked.
Colin's expression was filled with uncertainty, but he nevertheless began recounting the events.
After the fall of Nightshadow Fortress, Colin had managed to escape. However, unlike Lynn and Sonya, he did not flee far from Green Island Forest.
Instead, he chose to delve deeper into the forest, hoping to use its complex terrain to evade pursuit and survive.
However, deep within the forest, he received a summons from the Furnace faction, leading him to regroup with Black Dragon Witch Aestry and other formal wizards.
But before they could plan their counterattack, something unexpected occurred.
Everyone in Green Island Forest including the Furnace Army suddenly fell into a strange state of unconsciousness.
It was a peculiar limbo between wakefulness and slumber, where time and space seemed to lose meaning, and reality blurred into uncertainty.
This state persisted for an unknown duration until one month ago when it was abruptly broken.
When they awoke, they found themselves in this unfamiliar realm.
Lynn listened intently to Colin's explanation, his eyes flashing with a hint of gravity.
After some thought, he finally reached a conclusion
This was no illusion.
Nor was he trapped in some false space.
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