Ron solemnly accepted the rune stone, which emitted a warm glow in his hand.
"I will use it cautiously, professor."
"Also..." Uther’s eyes showed a look of anticipation:
"The potential shown by your simulation device truly exceeded my expectations. Being able to perfectly recreate Great Wizard-level combat memories, this technology..."
He paused for a moment, his voice becoming more solemn:
"If you can organize this technology into an academic paper, and if the quality is sufficient, I will personally recommend it to the Crystal Tower’s core journal, Deconstruction."
Ron nodded, this was precisely the goal he planned to accomplish when he returned to the Central Lands:
"After returning from the abyss, I’ll immediately proceed to finalize the paper."
"Then, you can now begin preparing for the abyss exploration."
Uther gave a final reminder:
"Remember everything we discussed today. Stay vigilant, but also be bold in seizing opportunities. Some gains can only be achieved in the most dangerous places."
Ron nodded in understanding. He felt both nervous and excited about the upcoming abyss exploration.
According to his own divination results, encountering the "Eye of the Abyss" Nari was nearly a certain event.
The ancient entity overly protective of the "child" was sure to personally check who was approaching its "precious."
But this was also an opportunity...
"It’s indeed getting late."
Ron packed all the necessary equipment and paid his final respects to Uther:
"After the exploration, I need to return to the Central Lands to continue teaching the students."
"Go ahead, young man."
Uther nodded warmly, "May the stars illuminate your path forward."
.........
At dusk on the western frontier, three differently colored suns hung in the sky.
The orange-red main star was slowly sinking below the horizon.
Meanwhile, two smaller companion stars still hung high in the sky, casting interwoven shadows and light upon the desolate land.
Here, there were only endless red-brown mountain ranges and occasional ancient towers that flickered with magic power.
The air was filled with a sense of the weight of time, as if every gust of wind carried fragments of a thousand years of history.
The Astrological Sanctuary was settled deep within this forgotten land.
It was a cluster of unremarkable stone buildings, but upon closer observation, it was evident that every stone followed extremely precise celestial patterns in its arrangement.
Viewed from above, the entire complex unfolded into a complex constellation pattern.
It was the Observer’s Eye, a mythical symbol said to penetrate all mysteries.
In the highest tower of the sanctuary, a special room was completely isolated from all outside light sources.
There were no magic crystal lamps, no candles, and even starlight was completely blocked by the thick obsidian walls.
In this absolute darkness, a slender figure in a white dress sat quietly in front of the divination platform.
She was Chloe Star Voice, the most brilliant genius of the Astrology Association in centuries.
The white silk gown appeared like moonlight in the darkness.
What attracted the most attention was the black silk wrapped around half of her face.
It was an ancient sealing ritual.
Chloe’s eyes emitted a starlight-like silver glow at birth, capable of seeing through the surface of matter, into the truths hidden beneath.
But such a talent was too heavy for a young mind.
The terrifying visions that continually came into view nearly drove her to madness in her youth.
The elders of the Astrology Association had to cover her eyes with specially made sealing silk, allowing her to grow up normally.
Deprived of sight, she began trying to use her spiritual perception ability to observe the outside world.
Becoming an Official Wizard, Chloe acquired the Meditation Technique trait.
Able to "see" possible future branches, perceive subtle changes in fate, and even foresee significant events occurring thousands of miles away.
At this moment, her slender fingers gently caressed the star disc before her, feeling the subtle pulsation coming from it.
The surface of the star disc was covered in vein-like patterns.
Whenever a divination took place, these patterns glowed faintly, sketching the trajectory of fate in the darkness.
"It’s that feeling again..."
Chloe’s voice was very light, but the unease contained in it was clearly perceptible.
For the past week, she had sensed a strong warning coming from the southeast, a feeling akin to a massive crisis brewing.
But whenever she tried to probe deeper, she was invariably thwarted by some invisible force.
This situation was exceptionally rare in the career of the blind prophetess.
Her fingers began moving slowly over the star disc, activating the dormant power within it according to an ancient divination ceremony.
As the ritual proceeded, the star disc began to emit a gentle silver glow, and the patterns moved like living things, rearranging into different designs.
In Chloe’s perception, countless fragments of possible futures began to emerge:
In the darkness of the abyss, some ancient malevolence was awakening;
Under the blood-red sky, countless distorted figures danced maniacally;
The back of a young man, surrounded by energy radiance like a galaxy, but his features remained always unclear...
"Ron Ralph..."
Chloe softly uttered the name, her brow slightly furrowing.
In recent months, the frequency of this name appearing in her observations had increased.
Sometimes he appeared in the stance of a victor, sometimes in the form of a destroyer, as if his very existence was key to the crossroads of fate.
Stranger still, whenever she tried to delve deeper into observing this person, she encountered intense resistance.
It felt as if some will beyond all else was deliberately protecting him, preventing any external intrusion from reaching his core.
This phenomenon only occurred in the face of truly significant fate nodes.
Just as she was about to embark on a deeper exploration, the door to the divination room was gently pushed open.
An aged yet still commanding voice spoke in: "Little Chloe, still working on the previous prophecy?"
The visitor was the current Grand Elder of the Astrology Association, Astraea Night Song.
This gray-haired woman, appearing about sixty years old, wore a deep blue robe embroidered with constellation patterns.
Each step was accompanied by faint bell chimes, the sound of miniature astrological instruments sewn into the hem of her robe gently ringing.
Astraea had raised Chloe from a young age, being both her master and a mother-like figure.
Yet at this moment, the eyes of the kind elder were filled with evident concern.
"Grandma Leia..."
Chloe said somewhat anxiously, "I’ve sensed a very strong premonition of crisis, and..."
She paused, her voice growing even more grave:
"My prophetic ability is being interfered with, some crucial information is being deliberately hidden."
Astraea slowly moved to the divination platform; with her seasoned experience, she instantly noticed the unusual patterning on the star disc.
As the most senior elder of the Astrology Association, she had witnessed many strange phenomena, yet the present situation still left her uneasy.
Her hand gently caressed the edge of the star disc, sensing the residual abnormal energy fluctuations within:
"Little Chloe, what exactly were you trying to predict?"
"Abyssal Observation Station..."
Chloe’s voice became even softer, as if cautious not to disturb any entity that ought not to be disturbed:
"I sensed that something terrible would happen there, and it was related to the young wizard named Ron Ralph."
Upon hearing this name, Astraea’s expression underwent a subtle change.
"Ron Ralph..."
She repeated the name, complex emotions flitting through her violet eyes:
"My child, do you know why I pay such close attention to this young man?"