Uther’s void phantom projection sat behind the desk made of living bones.
Silver light slowly flowed around him, like the afterglow of an ancient galaxy.
Ron sat opposite, gently stroking the magic sword he had just fused.
"Your gains this time are far greater than I expected."
Uther’s voice was deep, like ancient well water, carrying the sediment of ages:
"Not only did you achieve the perfect fusion of Soul Steel and Master Sword,
but the change in your aura tells me you’ve encountered some... very special beings."
The old professor’s silver eyes carefully scrutinized Ron.
That gaze seemed to see through to every secret deep within his soul.
Ron nodded, neither denying nor explaining in detail:
"Indeed, I encountered some... unforeseen situations. But overall, the gains outweighed the risks."
"A wise answer."
Uther nodded with satisfaction, the silver light around the phantom became gentler:
"In abyss exploration, knowing what to say and what not to say is an important survival skill in itself."
He looked out the window at the twisted abyss scenery, his voice growing even deeper:
"Child, do you know? Before the Great Abyss appeared, it was much more difficult for us wizards to achieve void phantom condensation."
Ron’s attention immediately focused, activating the "Hermit’s Knowledge" to capture any valuable information that might follow.
He knew that opportunities to gain such deep knowledge were extremely rare.
"Do you know when the Abyss appeared?"
Uther’s question seemed simple, but Ron could feel the profound meaning it held.
"Early in the Second Era, during the time of the Great Rift." He answered, which is what most historical texts recorded.
"Indeed, what I’m going to tell you today is related to the Great Rift..."
Uther’s phantom began weaving a complex timeline chart in the air:
"Before the Great Rift, the ’Barbaric Era’ ancient mages found void phantom condensation much more difficult than now."
The chart displayed various attempts by ancient mages to condense void phantoms.
In those blurry images, Ron saw ancient mages meditating alone in the wilderness of the Otherworld;
he saw warriors fighting unknown creatures in dangerous caves;
and those mad scholars who transformed themselves in extreme environments.
"Back then, we could only fumble along in various otherworlds."
Uther’s voice carried the vicissitudes of history:
"Some went to the Fire Element plane, forging the basic structure of void phantoms in lava;
some delved into the realm of snow giants, condensing spiritual crystals at absolute zero;
others chose time turbulence, seeking inspiration in chaotic time fragments."
"What was the mortality rate?" Ron asked, deeply interested in this hidden history.
"Less than one in ten." Uther calmly gave out a shocking number:
"And even if void phantom condensation succeeded, the quality was uneven.
The majority of phantoms bore obvious environmental marks, limiting their subsequent development potential."
The chart continued to display the brutal truths of that era.
Countless geniuses turned to ashes in the extreme environments of otherworlds, only a very few lucky ones managed to ascend to become Great Wizards.
"But the Great Rift changed everything."
Uther’s tone became more solemn, as the surrounding light began to flicker:
"It was a deliberately created... special place."
This statement caused Ron’s brow to furrow slightly.
"Deliberately created? You mean..."
"The appearance of the Abyss is not a natural phenomenon."
Uther directly revealed this shocking truth:
"It was a rehearsal site created by some high power beings to nurture... an invading otherworld army."
After this sentence, the air fell into a deathly silence.
The Abyss was not a naturally formed dangerous area, but some kind of... training camp?
"High power beings?" he cautiously asked.
"Beings on a higher level than the Witch King."
Uther’s reply was vague and cautious, evidently this topic touched upon some forbidden domains:
"Their goals and motivations are not something our level can comprehend.
But the result is clear... the Abyss has provided us with an unprecedented growth environment."
The phantom waved to display more details:
"Each floor of the Abyss simulates a different type of otherworld environment.
The first and second floors with the Bloody Shallow correspond to the chaotic world where wars are frequent;
The Third Floor’s Black Sand Wilderness simulates a resource-scarce desolate plane;
The Fourth Floor’s Twisted Jungle recreates an out-of-control ecology of excessive proliferation..."
"And deeper levels..."
Uther’s voice grew more mysterious:
"Reputedly, they simulate some extreme environments we can’t even imagine.
Worlds where time flows backward, spaces where causality is reversed, even chaotic dimensions where the laws of physics are completely rewritten."
Ron’s heart surged with excitement, this macro perspective elevated his understanding of the Abyss to a whole new level.
"Then... the relationship between void phantom condensation and the Abyss?"
"Inseparable."
Uther’s response was unequivocal:
"The essence of void phantoms is a highly condensed magic power structure.
To achieve sufficient condensation, long-term compression, and refinement in extreme environments are necessary."
He paused, complex light flashing in his eyes:
"And what the Abyss offers is not just the environment, but also... time."
"Time?"
"The deeper the Abyss, the faster the time flow compared to the Main World."
Uther explained, while displaying a complex time flow comparison chart: