The sky of the Black Mist Jungle gradually became distorted, a strange violet halo spreading through the clouds, diffusing like ink in clear water.
In the distance, alarms rang out from the central area of the School, where members of the Law Enforcement Team quickly assembled in various regions, trying to control the expanding chaos.
Ron, Hayek, and Yuni walked swiftly through the corridors, heading directly towards the Bloodline Altar.
The air was filled with a corrosive smell that made people uncomfortable, a clear sign of Abyssal energy leakage.
"The situation is worse than expected."
Hayek frowned, his expression serious:
"The collapse of the seal is already affecting the School’s Magic Barrier. If not controlled soon, the entire Black Mist Jungle will be contaminated by the Abyss."
Yuni nodded, her violet eyes gleaming with worry:
"Apprentices have reported finding many distorted creatures in the East District. Clearly, small-scale spatial tears are beginning to appear in weak spots of the barrier."
"Do we need to evacuate the apprentices?" Ron asked calmly, his gaze sweeping over the panicking low-level apprentices along the way.
"That’s already in progress."
Hayek replied: "Maxim is prioritizing moving ordinary apprentices to safe areas, but Advanced Apprentices and Candidate Wizard sequence members need to stay and assist in controlling the situation."
The three soon arrived outside the control node of the Bloodline Altar.
The situation here was more severe than imagined—the ground already had several deep cracks, with violet-black energy oozing out, thick and corrosive like pus.
The air was filled with a nauseating stench, like a mix of rotting flesh and metal.
Even more unsettling was the distortion starting among the surrounding plants.
Originally normal shrubs gradually twisted and deformed, their leaves turning into spikes, while their roots writhed like tentacles.
"Abyssal plant aberration." Ron immediately recognized the phenomenon:
"The contamination has already begun to affect the ecosystem."
"It’s becoming more like a small abyss."
Yuni sighed softly, worry flashed in her eyes, for she also bore a Soul Contract: "This area might never return to its original state."
The three carefully passed through the already twisting corridor, arriving at the control node of the Bloodline Altar.
This was Ron’s first time truly seeing the control node up close, different from the internal space environment he had seen during testing.
The energy flow here was more chaotic, the spatial twisting more severe, the entire area was cloaked in a layer of translucent violet mist.
The central stone platform had completely shattered, leaving only scattered remnants.
Of the twelve crystal pillars, nine had collapsed entirely, leaving three still barely standing.
At the base of those remaining pillars lay a figure covered in blood—Soron.
His chest had a huge hollow, a red crystal flickering inside it.
The rhythm of that crystal’s pulse was very similar to a heartbeat, but obviously unstable, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.
His skin showed an unnatural gray-white color, as if already nearing the brink of death, but his eyes were still open, albeit vacant.
Yuni quickly checked Soron’s condition, then shook her head:
"The situation is worse than we imagined. ’Tear of the Heart’ is failing, unable to sustain his vital signs. Furthermore, the Abyssal contamination has seeped into his blood and soul, eroding his spiritual world."
Hayek’s expression was grave: "Can we transfer him back to the School’s medical area?"
Yuni frowned deeply, shaking her head again:
"The risk is too high, his current state can’t withstand the shock of any Teleportation Magic. Moreover, this level of Abyssal contamination, ordinary treatments are completely ineffective."
Ron stepped forward: "Let me try."
Hayek and Yuni exchanged a glance, then silently stepped aside.
The opponent had already proven himself with his expertise in Magic Potion Making and Bloodline Modulation. If anyone could help Soron in this situation, it would only be Ron.
Ron walked to Soron’s side, crouched down, and began to carefully examine his condition.
He first used "Extraordinary Recognition" to observe Soron’s vital signs and energy flow.
The contents displayed by [Extraordinary Recognition] were worrying:
[Soron (Morning Star Level Mage)
Status: Dying (Life Energy loss 60%, Spiritual pollution 42%)
Core issues:
1. Heart missing, "Tear of the Heart" temporary replacement effect weakening
2. Abyssal contamination eroding vascular system and spiritual world
3. Magic power flow severely chaotic, core Energy Node damaged]
Ron’s brows furrowed slightly, he pondered for a moment then looked up at the two wizards: "The situation is indeed difficult, but there’s still a glimmer of hope."
He took a deep breath, then began to analyze in detail:
"First, we must address the three core issues—stabilize life, clear contamination, repair energy system. This requires combining techniques from Magic Potion, Alchemy, and Bloodline Modulation."
"But we lack time and resources." Yuni’s expression was serious: "Even the most basic Purification Potion takes hours of refining."
Ron gave a slight confident smile: "That’s where my advantage lies."
He quickly retrieved several small bottles from his Storage Bag, containing the basic materials of magic potions he carried with him for emergencies.
He also activated his "Radiation Field" ability, a subtle energy field spread outward centered on him, enveloping Soron’s body.
This energy field appeared as a clear blue-white, pure as a spring, contrasting sharply with the surrounding purple-black Abyssal energy.
"It seems my Radiation Field is more special than that of ordinary Morning Star Mages, able to temporarily isolate external contamination, gaining more operation time."