Chapter 359: She Has Always Been Guarding You (4K Revised)

The so-called growth.

Is a very broad and profound concept.

Sometimes slow.

Sometimes rapid.

It is linked to time, turning into a small boat on a perpetual river, spinning lightly as it passes through one repeating turbulent vortex after another.

At first, one feels panicked and lost, drenched by the surging waters of time.

Once the emotions settle.

And one can turn a blind eye to the appearing vortexes.

Or even handle them calmly.

Growth, in fact, has already been completed.

That movement is so silent that even the person involved can hardly perceive their own growth.

“Sevia, is there anything else that needs to be handled? This departure is a final farewell; there won't be a chance to return here in the future.”

“No, Lord Wizard.”

Leaving the hill.

On the way back to the Tower of Salvation.

Sevia shook her head slightly; she had already visited the manor, mourned her parents, and imprinted the scenery of the Claufeel Territory into her heart.

There was nothing left to deal with.

However, at this moment.

Xu Xi said something the Hero didn't expect.

“But I remember, you still have a friend.”

“Eh…?”

A friend?

The Hero froze for a moment.

The oncoming wind lifted her light platinum-blonde hair, revealing emerald eyes that were first filled with surprised confusion, then widened in disbelief.

“H-How do you still remember?!”

The Hero suddenly felt that having her body restored wasn't entirely a good thing.

Her hands covered her cheeks.

Trying as much as possible to hide that overly shy, burning redness.

Ahhh…

Sevia Claufeel was dead.

Dead from social embarrassment.

Such a scene was amusing, devoid of the bleakness and melancholy of a typical farewell.

That depth of sadness was too heavy.

It didn't suit the Hero.

“Let's go, Sevia,” Xu Xi led the shy Hero, and halfway through, he looked back at the two tombstones on the hilltop.

The inscriptions on the stones were severely worn.

Blurred and indistinct.

Hard to decipher.

As the Hero left, loose fragments fell from the corners, as if they had suffered an instant of weathering, turning into the finest powder.

Swept up by the wind, they drifted toward an unknown distance.

…

[You accompanied Sevia to her hometown for a final farewell]

[Those were the important memories]

[That the Hero had cherished through countless days and nights]

[Departed family, childhood memories, familiar lands… with your company, the Hero bid farewell to each one, leaving the past behind and stepping toward tomorrow]

[The Hero is so strong]

[Even without your comfort, she could endure everything in silence]

[But you chose to speak up, diluting that silent sorrow]

…

[After returning to the Tower of Salvation]

[Sensing the urgency of time, the speed at which you hunted the undead increased]

[Anyone could see your haste]

[You cast the Fourth-Ring Wizardry: Thunderfire Storm]

[You cast the Fourth-Ring Wizardry: Earth Swamp Entrapment]

[You cast the Fourth-Ring Wizardry: Comet Summoning]

[Your power is unmatched]

[In the current Wizard World, you are undoubtedly the strongest; with the help of the Tower of Salvation and Sevia, the number of Soul Fires you possess is staggering]

[They became the Foundation of your progress]

[Nourishing your Soul at every moment]

[The Law of Luck favored you once again, and you successfully found the dawn of Breakthrough for a Fifth-Ring Wizard]

Facing death.

Is not an unacceptable thing.

The process of waiting is more agonizing than death itself.

For Sevia's safe departure and for the safety of the people on the tower, Xu Xi turned into a machine that never stopped, all to increase the slight chance of escape.

That pressure was too suffocating.

Gripping the throat of fate tightly.

Fortunately.

In the fifty-second year of the simulation, Xu Xi was 69 years old, and his strength reached a new level of progress.

This good news diluted the urgency of the crisis to some extent.

“The promotion condition for a Fifth-Ring Wizard is to converge and condense one's own spellcasting path.”

“All knowledge.”

“All of the past.”

“Breaking free from the shackles of the original world to create one's own worldview.”

“In simple terms, it's about walking one's own path.”

“This point is more or less involved in all major supernatural systems, but it's not as direct and obscure as the Wizard system.”

At the top of the Tower of Salvation.

Inside Xu Xi's private cultivation room.

Xu Xi lightly flicked his robes, and his gentle, silent Soul Power ignited the Void Realm, bursting into blooms of dim gray mist flowers.

Then.

The flowers dissipated, turning into blue smoke, and regrouped into other things.

Those were the Wizard Domains that Xu Xi had mastered and touched upon during the long years:

Potions, Magic Tools, Elements, Transformation, Curses, Bloodline, Summoning…

At a glance.

The Soul tide surged and rolled, creating layers of extraordinary phenomena.

What Xu Xi had to do.

Was to choose the Domain that best suited him as the Foundation for his Fifth-Ring spellcasting worldview.

“As expected, none of these quite suit my heart,” Xu Xi held his Magic Wand, shook his head, and dispersed all the Soul illusions.

He had once been in the Magic World.

Becoming a pseudo-omnipotent Elemental Mage that even gods could not reach.

But in this simulation, Xu Xi did not have the element mastery trait; even if he deliberately chose elements, he wouldn't achieve anything particularly stunning.

“In fact, my Fifth-Ring path was decided as soon as the simulation began.”

“Life and Death Intertwined, and Soul Collector.”

“Combining the three major Domains of life, death, and Soul.”

The Soul tide rose again.

The whispering waves gathered Xu Xi's knowledge and his observations of the world.

Those intangible things turned into tangible existences.

Floating around Xu Xi.

Ever-changing and turbulent, they possessed both the profound mystery of the Reincarnation of life and death, and the ethereal mystery of the Soul.

Every slap of the waves, every collision, would stir up brand-new spray.

Those sprays were so solid that they paved a brand-new road for Xu Xi.

“In a sense, I should also thank the death of the Wizard World…”

“For me, who possesses Life and Death Intertwined, facing the death of a world is a shortcut for rapid accumulation and transformation.”

“I have walked on thin ice all my life…”

“Fifth-Ring Realm, Breakthrough in an instant!”

Condense, compress, expand.

Extending to the infinite depths of the Soul.

Xu Xi's spellcasting path was born, carrying his truths and knowledge, independent and separate from the world.

Bang!

Bang! Bang!

An indescribable, massive pressure shattered the objects in the cultivation room.

Space itself was like a disintegrating mirror.

Cracking with a large number of tiny lines.

“As expected, compared to the Fourth-Ring period, a Fifth-Ring Wizard's ability to interfere with space is significantly stronger.”

“This way, the success rate of the plan to leave the Wizard World has greatly increased.”

Xu Xi pressed his palm down lightly.

The restless space returned to its original state.

Quiet, silent.

After the smooth promotion ended, the cultivation room returned to its usual silence.

Xu Xi pushed open the door; he didn't plan to rest, wanting to use the limited time to continue improving the performance of the Wizard Tower.

“Lord Wizard?”

The half-opened door seemed to have hit something.

In the deep darkness, a figure sitting by the door stood up hurriedly.

The night was so heavy.

Gloomy and silent.

Like a light yet broad curtain, it covered the entire world in lightless dimness.

Only when the Hero stood up from the ground did Xu Xi see her presence.

Joy.

Happiness.

Upon seeing Xu Xi come out.

The Hero's face showed a very easy-to-understand expression.

“Sevia, why are you here?” Xu Xi reached out to help the Hero steady herself, asking in confusion.

For this promotion and Breakthrough.

Xu Xi hadn't asked the girl to wait at the door.

Instead, he had used the Flesh and Blood Regeneration spell to give her some time off, so she could enjoy a final bit of peace and quiet before leaving the world.

But Sevia didn't seem to think that way.

Her sun-like platinum-blonde hair was hidden in absolute blackness, leaving only her emerald eyes brightened by the light from the doorway.

“Lord Wizard, I am guarding your safety.”

Sevia replied.

She hadn't taken off her armor, changed into a dress, or rested elsewhere in the tower.

Instead, in her living form, she wore her armor and held her sword.

Sitting and guarding the door of the cultivation room.

Alert for any factor that might disturb Xu Xi.

“…”

“Didn't I say you should go do some things you want to do?”

Xu Xi set off, walking toward the Tower Spirit Center.

Sevia followed by his side, inseparable.

She was very quiet.

Her steps had a silent elegance.

And she was also very serious.

Her gaze constantly scanned the surroundings, ready to draw her sword at any moment to protect Xu Xi's safety.

“Lord Wizard, I have followed your orders.”

“To me, guarding your safety is the most important thing.”

“Because…”

“I am your knight.”

The Hero's soft voice echoed in the quiet corridor.

Such an answer.

Xu Xi had heard it once before.

That was eighteen years ago, when he had just mastered the Flesh and Blood Regeneration spell.

Xu Xi wanted the Hero, whose body was restored, to do more meaningful things, but the Hero always spent that precious hour by Xu Xi's side.

Just like today.

Unchanged.

Xu Xi stopped and looked at the simulated moonlight on the right side of the corridor.

That light was a bit weak but very pure white, and because of the angle, it created a corridor landscape that was half bright and half dark.

Xu Xi walked on the dark side.

Sevia walked on the bright side.

Her flowing golden hair was tinged with bright, clear white.

Xu Xi spoke softly: “Sevia, in fact, besides guarding me, you have many other things you can do.”

“But I am a knight who belongs only to you.”

A knight's kindness can belong to many people.

But a knight's loyalty belongs only to one.

This is a privilege.

A privilege belonging exclusively to Xu Xi.

In a silent and lonely world, only Xu Xi would reach out to the Hero, willing to communicate with her, letting that pale skeleton body have the warmth of a human.

Sevia didn't know how to express that emotion.

She only knew.

She wanted to help Xu Xi, wanted to guard Xu Xi, and wanted to experience more time with Xu Xi.

“Lord Wizard, I…”

Under the moonlight.

The girl's expression was slightly uneasy: “Am I causing you trouble?”

It was indeed a bit troublesome; Xu Xi hoped the Hero could have a more independent and bright future.

But facing that uneasy face.

The critical words simply wouldn't come out: “No, having such a beautiful guardian knight like Sevia makes me very happy.”

“B-Beautiful?!”

The night hid almost all colors.

But it couldn't hide the girl's blush.

Looking at the flustered Sevia, Xu Xi couldn't help but wonder if this Hero was too innocent.

It seemed that in the future, he should pay more attention to his choice of words in front of Sevia.

No.

There was no more 'future'.

Xu Xi called up the simulator panel, looking at the flashing Soul Collector trait, falling into a plan known only to him.

…

[You successfully promoted to a Fifth-Ring Wizard]

[Converging the past, condensing your path, and opening a unique worldview]

[Even in the Wizard World of a thousand years ago]

[You would be a Great Wizard recorded in the Magic Tool Book; from now on, the Wizard civilization would remember your name]

[But in this apocalyptic period on the brink of extinction, only the people in the Tower of Salvation know this good news]

…

[You planned the time for cross-plane travel]

[And informed everyone in the tower]

[This is a grand escape, a desperate self-rescue toward life]

[People feel fear, but even more, they express their gratitude to you, because without you, they wouldn't even have a chance to save themselves]

[You stand at the top of the tower, overlooking the tower body that has grown increasingly massive over the decades]

[Looking at the mutant necromantic mushrooms and mutant sha se fruits you cultivated]

[You feel that time has passed in the blink of an eye]

[Once, you woke up in a mass grave, thinking only of studying death]

[And now, you have become the savior in everyone's eyes, the "Lord" leading them to tomorrow]

[You smiled]

[Feeling that the title of "Lord" was somewhat strange]

“You should rest.”

One week before the cross-plane travel.

Sevia brought hot tea, looking at Xu Xi with concern in her eyes.

To ensure a smooth transition between planes.

In the remaining few days.

Xu Xi inspected the Wizard Tower every day.

It was an incredibly massive workload, beyond an ordinary person's imagination; even a Fifth-Ring Wizard could not complete it quickly.

“It's fine, Sevia, I'm in good condition.”

Xu Xi responded to the girl's concern with a smile.

But between his brows.

He couldn't hide his exhaustion.

…

[The appointed day arrived, and you prepared to leave the Wizard World]

The Wizard World still maintained its deathly silence.

The black sun and the blood moon.

Undead and ghosts.

Other than getting closer to the Endless Netherworld, there wasn't the slightest change.

But Xu Xi knew this calm was just a false facade; if they waited for real changes to appear before leaving, it would be too late.

“Sevia, is everyone ready?”

“Yes!”

Having received final confirmation, Xu Xi no longer hesitated and fully activated the Tower of Salvation.

Soul Fire Reactor, activated.

Levitation Spell, activated.

Propulsion Spell, activated.

Cross-plane Anchoring, activated.

Wizardry Offense and Defense Platform, activated.

With Xu Xi, the Fifth-Ring Wizard, as the core, powerful Soul Power reached deep into space, creating wave-like ripples.

Crack—

Crack—

An incredible scene appeared.

The colossal floating Wizard Tower, as huge as a mountain and blotting out the sun, rose with brilliant, deep-blue Soul Fire, burning so hot it scorched through the spatial barriers, causing them to shatter one after another.

“That Lord is exerting his power!”

“That Lord truly is the greatest god!”

Inside the tower, people were terrified yet reverent, their eyes wide as they watched this miracle-like scene.

The Tower of Salvation began to break away from the Wizard World.

(Found that the second chapter wasn't posted, so I merged them together)