Wizard: Stronger through Marriage

Chapter 1174: Chapter 542: Spore Calamity (Part 2)

The environment became darker and more humid, and the sound of their footsteps mixed with their breaths seemed to be engulfed by an invisible pressure.

Each step needed to be taken cautiously to avoid triggering concealed traps or disturbing the fragile seals.

They listened attentively, only hearing the continuous mysterious whispers and rhythm akin to the ticking of time interwoven into a melody, with sporadic strange resonance reverberating in their minds, almost causing them to lose self-control. But vigilance made them bite their tongues without distraction, maintaining focus and direction.

At this moment, the two maintained rigor and mutual cooperation: David used his magic staff to lead the way and stabilize the domain, while Amy continuously expanded the zero-degree shield to strengthen the protective barrier against the increasingly erratic spatial disruptions.

Sweat intermingled on their foreheads, yet they showed no sign of retreat, as their firm and clear belief drove them: preventing the resurgence of a millennia-old catastrophe was their irrefutable responsibility; uncovering the most obscure secrets hidden behind the ruins was also the only path to seek hope and light for the future...

They stopped at the center of a massive natural dome chamber.

Here, high-dimensional energy crystals were arranged into a precise geometric structure, like constructing the core hub of an otherworldly gateway.

These brilliant crystals reflected a magnificent and mysterious aura that filled the entire dome, as if stars were scattered across the vast cosmos—grand and beautiful, yet still exuding a chilling and lethal sensation.

"They intensely disrupt the normal space-time order," David gazed at the flickering and rotating crystals, "If they are allowed to freely emit, the structure here will completely collapse, triggering a chain reaction sweeping through larger regions."

Amy nodded, "We must utilize our domain rules to counter these abnormal encodings while attempting to seal or convert them into a stable state."

The two cooperated seamlessly, each employing their most exquisite arcane skills, perfectly combining scorching blue flames with the absolute zero environment.

In this fantastically intertwined field, they manipulated elemental power, using flames to burn and dissolve obstacles of abnormal information, then freezing them with extreme cold to stabilize their state, gradually weakening the high-frequency oscillations—like a piano tuner carefully adjusting each string for precise and harmonious resonance, restoring order and balance to the other-dimensional symphony...

As the final elemental decree was cast, the high-dimensional energy gradually fell silent, and the spatial turbulence vanished without a trace.

The air returned to clean and clear, with fine sweat beads appearing on their foreheads, but unusual relieved smiles appeared on their faces.

A long and perilous exploration came to an end. They had successfully stabilized the critical node, gaining precious time and possibilities for the next phase of uncovering hidden secrets...

"This is a compilation of information left from millennia ago and a crucial clue for future destiny."

David’s voice was slightly hoarse but filled with resolve, "We must take this data back for analysis and prepare to face more complex and dangerous challenges ahead."

Amy gave a bitter smile, "I didn’t expect the ancient ice nest to still preserve such complete and active memory after thousands of years of solitude and waiting... It seems to warn us with its final whispers not to repeat mistakes nor abandon hope."

They exchanged smiles and nodded in understanding, committing all gathered information to memory before picking up their magic staffs, reorganizing protective runes, and planning future action paths from a new perspective.

Leaving the ancient ice nest, David and Amy embarked on their return journey. The sky remained gray-purple, twilight woven like a web, fresh snow on the ice plain still lingering, yet unable to conceal the pervasive lethal atmosphere of heaven and earth.

Their steps were steady and powerful, each marking a silent war drum on the hard frozen ground.

The north wind still howled, swirling around them with distant unknown cries for help and undercurrents.

"David, have you received any new signals?" Amy asked, turning her head, her silver-white armor reflecting a chilling light in the twilight, her gaze anxious and sharp.

David retuned the frequency of his mental link, meticulously capturing the information waves left by the Star Pupil Race.

Suddenly, a fragmented yet urgent and heavy distress signal broke through the void, a call filled with despair yet stubborn resilience.

"Star Pupil... requesting aid... rift invasion... crisis..."

"It’s the Star Pupil Race."

David’s brows furrowed—they both knew this ancient race had once been an extremely mysterious and powerful force in the polar region but disappeared mysteriously thousands of years ago, leaving behind countless legends and fragmented archives.

"They have encountered a catastrophic disaster."

The cold wind swept past, prompting them to quicken their pace toward the signal’s origin.

Gradually, they arrived at a small valley surrounded by fractured ice layers, an area covered in silver-gray spore-like fungal filaments—spores drift like mist in the air, each thread carrying corrosive and eroding power.

Suddenly, weak movements faintly echoed from the valley floor, like pained moans, seemingly mixed with low murmurs and whispers.

They held their breath and listened intently, soon discovering a fleeing team of the Star Pupil Race—six or seven survivors crouched among the shattered rocks, their faces twisted and eyes muddy, parts of their bodies covered by silver-gray spore parasites, seemingly acting as sources of living corrosion, continuously spreading infection outward.

"Quick! These spores have already infiltrated the bone marrow!" Amy exclaimed, raising her magic staff to try casting a zero-degree domain to freeze the spread, but the spores’ activity was exceptionally strong, instinctively resisting the freezing energy by swiftly repositioning.

David glanced resolutely, "Awaken the Frost Wolf Bloodline!" He shouted, summoning the ancient bloodline deep within his heart.

The Frost Wolf spirit encircled him like a shadow, instantaneously permeating with a layer of pale blue chill, enveloping the air around him and the survivors, rapidly suppressing the rampant spores’ activity.

His palm rested on an infected survivor’s shoulder, channeling Frost Wolf Spirit Power through bloodline resonance, the extreme cold piercing through the parasitic fungal filaments, freezing and neutralizing them, providing the infected a brief respite from complete devastation.

The survivors lifted their heads to gaze at this unexpected savior, their eyes reflecting tears of hope and pain intertwined.

A senior woman, trembling, said, "We are from the Observer’s advance team... The rift has penetrated to the edge of our world, countless teammates perished here, others are still fleeing..."

Another young man nodded, adding, "They use the silver-gray parasitic body as a medium, pervasive and rapidly evolving, we can no longer resist."

Amy crouched down, gently wiping some scabs off the woman’s cheek with her finger, "You say the rift penetrated? This means the enemy is infiltrating our dimension through spatial crevices?"

"That’s right," the senior woman’s gaze was firm, "The ’Shadow Seeker’ in the Observer’s advance team has breached multiple safeguarding barriers; they use space-time fluctuations to create illusions and traps, luring us into ambushes."

Upon hearing this, David contemplated silently.

He understood this signaled a more extensive and dangerous disaster approaching, and the battle was far from over.

"We must leave here immediately and relay this information back to headquarters, so more law controllers can prepare."

However, just as they were preparing to retreat, a deafening explosion resonated from outside the valley, with numerous silver-gray spores propelled by exploding dust, spreading like toxic clouds.

The sky suddenly dimmed, ominous shadows gradually consuming the previously clear vision.

The surviving team panicked and faltered, with some attempting to resist, but their rigid limbs and mindlessness clearly displayed the worsening effects of parasitic influence.

Amy swung her magic staff, forming an impregnable zero-degree shield, enveloping them, while David guided the Frost Wolf spirit to unleash its most potent icy attack, slashing the toxic mist and lurking tendrils with blazing cold edges.

After a brief clash, they finally broke free from the oppression, though the two were already greatly exhausted, not to mention those severely injured, some near immobile.