Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2878: Raven

Roaring wind swept across the outskirts of Terra City while the earth below trembled as though responding to a distant earthquake. Violent currents twisted through the sky, bending the clouds into spiraling formations as cosmic energy gathered from every direction toward a single figure suspended high above the ground.

Emery floated in the center of the storm.

For nearly two years he had secluded himself in relentless cultivation, refining the Beast Emperor’s inheritance while pushing his own limits further than ever before. The knowledge he had accumulated during that time now surged through his body like a raging river, demanding release.

His Dao of Heaven and Earth ignited.

Cosmic energy descended from the sky in shimmering currents, enveloping his body. Streams of celestial essence flowed through his meridians, strengthening both body and soul while stabilizing the turbulent forces that had long existed within him.

Deep inside his domain, two primordial powers stirred.

Khaos.

Elysian.

In the past, these two forces had clashed violently whenever Emery attempted to draw upon them together, each attempting to dominate the other. Yet the years of meditation and training had slowly changed that fragile balance. Now the two energies no longer fought for supremacy.

Darkness and light rotated within his inner world like twin celestial bodies.

Opposites, yet perfectly aligned.

The pressure around him intensified as the storm expanded outward, shaking the surrounding plains and sending gusts of wind racing across the landscape. Hours passed while Emery remained suspended in the sky, his aura expanding and contracting with every cycle of cosmic energy that entered his body.

Then, at last, he felt it.

The Second Layer of his Second Cosmos Realm finally reformed.

The moment the layer stabilized, cosmic power flooded through his entire body like a surging tide. His bones strengthened, his muscles refined, and his soul expanded under the pressure of the universe’s essence. For a brief moment he felt as though he had become part of the cosmos itself, standing between heaven and earth as the storm gradually began to calm.

The winds slowly faded.

The trembling earth returned to stillness.

Emery opened his eyes.

With this recovery, nearly half of the injuries he had suffered during the battle with the Astiel faction had finally healed.

But he knew the process was far from complete.

Only one step remained.

The third layer of the Second Cosmos Realm.

Based on everything he had experienced during the past two years, Emery estimated that reaching that final stage would take at least five more years of cultivation.

Unfortunately, time was something he could not afford.

The coming duel challenge issued by the Astiel.

Although Emery had confidence in facing their Storm Lord, the intelligence gathered about the Astiel hierarchy painted a troubling picture. The difference between their Second Elder and First Elder was enormous. The Sky Lord was said to stood at the very peak of the Third Cosmos Realm.

Against such a figure, even Emery’s current strength might not be enough.

Breaking through to the Third Cosmos Realm before that confrontation could very well be the solution

The thought made him release a long breath.

Even after mastering the Beast Emperor’s powerful Tier-8 technique, the enlightenment he had hoped for had still not appeared. The mysterious Law of Origin, which he believed would allow him to advance further, remained just beyond his reach.

After a moment of silent contemplation, Emery opened a spatial gate and stepped through it, returning to Terra City.

Moments after, Rosia arrived, she brought two people with her.

The first was a middle-aged formation master who specialized in talisman crafting. His robe was embroidered with intricate runic threads, and his calm, analytical gaze suggested decades of experience studying ancient magical inscriptions. The second visitor was a grand magus from Zodiac City, a spirit master known among the halfblood community.

Both had been invited for a single reason.

To examine the Eye of Raven talisman.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Emery said as he welcomed them into the chamber.

Rosia stood beside him while Emery carefully opened a wooden box and revealed the talisman resting inside. The formation master leaned forward first, studying the object with a professional calm as his fingers hovered above the ancient markings carved across its surface.

"This is quite an old talisman," the man began thoughtfully after a few moments. "At least two thousand years old, perhaps even older. The structure is built around fragments taken from a divine beast aligned with the darkness element. It is a unique design, but not entirely unusual for relics from that era."

He continued tracing the runic patterns until his eyes suddenly narrowed.

"...Wait."

His hand stopped at the bottom of the talisman where several darker markings could be seen mixed among the older inscriptions.

"What is this blood marking?"

The formation master leaned closer, his previous composure slowly giving way to genuine surprise. For a moment he remained silent, examining the symbols repeatedly before finally speaking again with a tone of unexpected respect.

"The final marking on the bottom was not carved by a craftsman," he said slowly. "It is not artificial. Something... whatever it was, it came from the creature sealed inside this talisman."

After the initial assessment, the spirit master from Zodiac City stepped forward.

He was a one-cosmos bird halfblood, known for his expertise in controlling both living and spiritual avian creatures through the enslavement path. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto the talisman as curiosity flickered across his face.

"Summon it," he said calmly. "Let me see the spirit."

The formation master nodded and began activating the talisman.

It took a moment of careful effort before the seal finally responded. Dark energy pulsed outward from the talisman as a faint shadow began to gather above it. Slowly, a creature started to rise from within the artifact.

At first it appeared as nothing more than a swirl of smoke.

Then the shape became clearer.

A raven.

But not an ordinary one.

The creature’s body seemed to be formed from layers of living shadow, while streams of dark crimson energy flowed beneath its feathers like veins of liquid blood. Its wings spread wide as it emerged from the talisman, each movement leaving faint trails of black mist in the air. Its eyes glowed with an eerie scarlet light that made the entire room feel colder.

Emery immediately noticed the difference.

This creature was far larger than the raven Chumo had once summoned. The presence surrounding it felt heavier, darker, and the crimson energy flowing within its body reminded him of another incident entirely.

The encounter with Lodos and the Blood Tome.

"...Blood magic," Emery muttered quietly.

The spirit master, however, reacted very differently.

Instead of concern, his expression lit up with excitement.

"This... this is a Blood Raven!" he exclaimed.

At the same moment, a stream of information appeared in Emery’s mind through the VIA library system.

[Blood Raven]

[Classification: Nightmare Creature]

Blood Ravens were extremely rare creature believed to be born in places where unimaginable bloodshed had occurred. When thousands—or even millions—of lives were lost in violent conflict, the lingering resentment of the dead could mix with corrupted spiritual energy and darkness. Under extremely rare circumstances, that terrifying mixture would condense into a living entity.

A Blood Raven.

These creatures were often described in ancient texts as omens of catastrophe, appearing only in battlefields soaked in centuries of blood.

In their complete form, a fully awakened Blood Raven could evolve into a nightmare entity capable of rivaling god-level dragons.

Unfortunately, the spirit before them was incomplete.

Only a fragmented soul remained.

"If this were a complete soul," the spirit master said with visible fascination, "it could eventually become an extraordinarily powerful being."

He then turned toward Emery.

"The mutation increased its grade," he explained. "That is why it cannot bond with it just anyone anymore. Its evolution changed the compatibility requirement. It now demands a Grand Magus who possesses a strong affinity with darkness."

Even as a fragmented soul, the Blood Raven possessed tremendous potential.

"If refined properly," the formation master added quickly, his eyes shining with interest, "this could become an exceptional material for artifact creation. It could also be attached to powerful techniques or spells to enhance their destructive nature."

Both men stared at the spirit creature hovering above the talisman.

Then the formation master spoke again.

"I will buy it."

"Three hundred million spirit stones."

He paused briefly before immediately raising his offer.

"No... five hundred million."

The spirit master glanced at him with mild annoyance. Emery’s reputation within halfblood community compelled him to speak the truth.

"This creature could become the core component of a Tier-8 spell. In that case its value could easily exceed one billion spirit stones. If properly cultivated, it might even become priceless."

The formation master frowned, clearly unhappy that the true value had been revealed so easily.

Emery, however, paid little attention to their bidding.

His gaze remained fixed on the Blood Raven hovering in the air.

Selling it had never once crossed his mind.

This spirit creature was the final legacy left behind by his dear friend.

After a moment of silence, Emery gently closed the wooden box and sealed the talisman once again.

"I’m not selling it, thank you for coming"

Both visitors fell quiet.

Emery looked at the box for another moment before making his decision.

Instead of letting the talisman become someone else’s treasure—or turning it into nothing more than crafting material—he would refine the spirit creature for himself.

That way, Chumo’s legacy would not disappear. It would continue to exist through him.