The better space tents can provide five to six times the space, and the higher-tier ones can even provide ten times the capacity, complete with all the amenities, including gardens and swimming pools, almost like a personal estate.
Of course, the price is staggering, even enough to make Ronan gasp.
In the end, Ronan chose a mid-tier space tent, which was priced reasonably, costing him only five hundred high-grade magic stones.
After the trade, the level-one wizard selling the tent handed Ronan a communication stone, politely stating that if any issues arose with the tent during the competition, they could handle repairs.
There are many such "wizard merchants" around the Fairy City Ruins, wearing the same gray-green robes, with a beautiful emblem of a staff, book, and key surrounded by coins on their chest. These people belong to an organization called the "Hamet Merchants' Guild," and the guild has set up a large trading market at the junction between the outer and middle layers of the ruins. Their magical methods are quite impressive.
After buying the space tent, Ronan walked through the crowd towards the inner layers of the ruins.
The area surrounding the Fairy City Ruins is entirely filled with people, divided into three distinct zones based on strength. The innermost zone is reserved for level-three wizards, the middle zone for level-two wizards, and the outermost zone is packed with the largest number of level-one official wizards.
As expected, with so many people, conflicts are inevitable.
On the short distance from the outer zone to the middle zone, Ronan personally witnessed more than five instances of conflicts. However, the involved parties were relatively restrained, and most stopped after exchanging a few spells. If the conflict couldn't be contained, it was moved to the very outskirts for resolution.
The main feature of this gathering is its chaotic yet orderly nature.
With over ten thousand level-one and above official wizards in one place, Ronan could feel the immense energy in the air as countless free-floating magical particles were drawn by the wizards' mental powers, creating visible, colorful streams of light, truly a mesmerizing sight.
Using the **True Sight** ability, Ronan felt like he was standing amidst a vast and brilliant galaxy, with each glowing speck representing a level-one official wizard. The deeper he looked, the more distinct and radiant the level-three wizards appeared, like moons in the sky.
"Whoosh—"
Ronan entered the middle zone for level-two wizards, choosing a relatively spacious and flat area near the outskirts to set up his space tent.
As he was setting it up, several figures from tents around twenty meters away peeked out.
Ronan calmly released the mental energy of a late-stage level-two wizard. Most of the onlookers quickly withdrew, recognizing his qualification to settle in the area. However, a few individuals stepped out from their tents and approached him, seemingly with the intent to strike up a conversation.
Ronan didn't give them a chance, finishing setting up the tent before immediately entering it. At this stage, he didn't have the interest to waste time with meaningless social interactions.
The space tent, costing five hundred high-grade magic stones, provided about forty-five square meters of space. Though small, it was well-equipped, featuring essential rooms like a bedroom and a bathroom, with even a small guest room and meditation space. It had everything one would need for daily life, including water and food.
The tent had great soundproofing, blocking out most of the outside noise, though it wasn't completely isolated from the surroundings. It also had some defensive and warning functions.
Space tents differ from typical storage space items in that they are not entirely independent private spaces. Considering ventilation and emergency escape in case of external attacks, the internal structure is relatively fragile. As explained by the selling wizard from the Hamet Merchants' Guild, even a level-one wizard can tear open the tent if necessary to escape.
Ronan had to admit that the creators of this magical tool had thought of everything.
After washing up, Ronan retrieved a few communication stones from his space ring, sending messages to Cossty and Bannigo, informing them that he had arrived at the Fairy City Ruins.
He then checked his previous messages. Neither Orrion nor Grace had replied, but there was a new message from the silver-haired witch of the Life Court, sent through the communication stone.
The message extended an invitation to him from the Life Court.
Though Ronan was curious about the Life Court and its power, the message didn't specify the current location of their people. Ronan, even if he wanted to meet them, wouldn't know where they were. Most likely, they were somewhere in the innermost zone, but no one could enter the level-three wizards' area without receiving special treatment.
Considering all of this, Ronan decided to ignore the invitation. He didn't even bother replying.
Just as he was about to put the communication stone down, he noticed that someone had triggered the space tent's entrance restrictions.
Ronan initially thought it was the same few wizards from earlier who wanted to strike up a conversation, but when he scanned the area with his mental energy, he found that it was the silver-haired witch from the Life Court.
Recognizing her, Ronan's eyes flickered for a moment. After some hesitation, he decided to step out and meet her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again," the silver-haired witch said, standing about five meters from the entrance of Ronan's tent.
Ronan looked at her calmly and asked, "How did you find me?"
He had only settled in the tent less than five minutes ago, and yet someone from the Life Court had already found him.
"This area is actually not that large, and we have prophetic guidance," the silver-haired witch answered.
Ronan frowned slightly. Even though the silver-haired witch of the Life Court showed him respect in every interaction, she still exhibited an unspoken air of superiority. But considering that she was a level-three wizard, and the Life Court was a powerful faction from the central region, her attitude was probably understandable.
'Perhaps I should practice that divination spell I learned in the Mechanical Heart,' Ronan thought but didn't respond.
After a brief pause, he followed the silver-haired witch, who led him deeper into the ruins.
As he expected, she guided him straight to the innermost zone.
With the silver-haired witch leading the way, Ronan wasn't subjected to the kind of reception that the level-three wizard on the giant yellow bat had faced. But as a level-two wizard, walking into the area for level-three wizards, while accompanied by a representative of the Life Court, he couldn't avoid attracting mental energy probes from many of the other wizards around him.
It felt as though invisible eyes were constantly observing him.
They eventually reached a beautiful meadow, one that, despite the autumn season and the yellowing grass in the surrounding plains, seemed lush and vibrant, as though it were spring.
Ronan could sense a strange energy around the area, something akin to an ancient and mystical magic circle. This magic circle seemed to be drawing energy particles from the sky, as though it were accumulating power, and the whole magic circle seemed to be "awakening."
The Life Court's living quarters were located on the edge of this magic circle, and they weren't typical tents, but rather a few small houses with unique designs. Each of these houses had level-three wizards in moon-white robes standing guard in front.
The silver-haired witch stopped in front of the largest and most beautiful house and said, "Princess Selena is inside, waiting for you."
Ronan nodded, pushing open the door and entering.
As soon as he stepped inside, the surroundings shifted, and he found himself in an enormous, majestic palace. Sixteen platinum-colored metal pillars supported the entire hall, and the ceiling, adorned with paintings of the sun, moon, stars, forests, and rivers, radiated a beam of celestial light downwards. The floor beneath his feet was made of beautiful, translucent white crystal tiles.
At the far end of the hall was a red long table, and beyond that, a set of ten steps led up to a gold-trimmed dais where a golden-haired woman stood, quietly watching him.
Ronan stopped in his tracks, squinting his eyes, and scrutinized the rumored Life Court Princess Selena.
She was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, with golden hair like the dawn and lake-green eyes. Her skin was as smooth and flawless as fine porcelain, and she exuded an aura of noble elegance. Every movement she made felt like it was wrapped in an irresistible aura that made anyone in her presence feel compelled to bow their head.
Among all the people Ronan had met, Cossty, the seventh-circle master of the Silver Circle, was the most noble in temperament, but even she seemed a fraction of what Selena projected.
Standing in the light, Selena seemed to emanate an aura of sanctity and nobility that made her appear untouchable, untarnishable. She looked at Ronan with a calm expression.
"Aren't you going to sit?" Selena's voice reached across the hall, a cold and pleasant sound like the clinking of ice.
"No need," Ronan shook his head, feeling somewhat uneasy. The sheer force of her presence made him feel suppressed, and it was hard to stand there without feeling diminished.
Selena didn't press the issue, but instead spoke directly, "Thank you for everything you've done for Grace. State your request, and I will do my best to fulfill it."
"Grace is my friend. I never intended to expect anything in return," Ronan replied.
"It's not only because of Grace," Selena said, as if anticipating Ronan's refusal. "I'm also very interested in you."
"Hmm?"
Ronan paused, unconsciously touching his cheek.
Noticing his small gesture, Selena commented, "What I mean is, I'm inviting you to join the Life Court."
"Join the Life Court?!"
Ronan lowered his hand slowly, his eyes flickering with a hint of light.
"You come from the Silver Circle," Selena said calmly. "The Silver Circle is part of the central region's All-Purpose Circle, as you should know. Coincidentally, the All-Purpose Circle is one of the pillars of our Marla Empire, and the Life Court has always maintained good relations with the wizards there. If you come with me to the central region, I can personally recommend you to enter the All-Purpose Circle, at least as a core member."
Ronan remained silent, lowering his head in thought. Selena simply watched him quietly.
After a while, Ronan looked up and spoke thoughtfully, "Is this because of Grace?"
This question felt redundant, but when Ronan mentioned Grace again, Selena nodded.
"You're a smart man," she said. "Grace is very important to me, and this importance is something you cannot understand. You are also very important to Grace. She is lonely. I'm sure you understand what I mean."
"I understand," Ronan nodded. "Grace is responsible for accompanying you, and I am responsible for accompanying Grace, right?"
Selena seemed to sense something uncomfortable in Ronan's words, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. She furrowed her brows but replied evenly, "You can understand it like that for now, but in reality, it's not as cold-hearted as you think. I can arrange for you and Grace to become a couple and at least guarantee you both can advance together to Dawn. Your talents are good, and if you fully develop your potential, you can go very far. But if you stay in the South, everything will be limited."
"If you have the ambition to reach Dawn before you turn a hundred, with your current strength, status, and background, it's almost an impossible goal. Once you leave the mist and reach Dawn, the most crucial step is the purification of your spiritual and soul power, and this is where countless brilliant third-tier wizards have been stuck. It's not that they're not outstanding, but they lack the right inheritance."
With that, Selena extended her right hand, and a gentle white light appeared between her slender fingers. Within that light, Ronan could see a floating rune stone.
"And here, I have such an inheritance."
She paused before continuing. "Breaking through the mist, achieving Dawn, and nurturing the primordial spirit—every stage you will go through in the future will require this secret method to purify your spiritual and soul powers."
"Doesn't the All-Purpose Circle have something similar?" Ronan suddenly interrupted her.
"Of course, the All-Purpose Circle has such methods," Selena glanced at Ronan and replied indifferently, "But they require you to pay a much higher price, and you must prove your worth more effortfully. Ultimately, the secret methods they provide may not even compare to what I have here."
"This is a decision about your future. I can clearly tell you that after Dawn, the strength of a wizard largely depends on the level of their primordial spirit. The level of the primordial spirit determines your upward potential, and the quality of your spiritual and soul powers determines the quality of your primordial spirit. Perhaps advancing from level three to four won't stop you, but after level four, you'll realize that without something else, every step becomes incredibly difficult."
Ronan fell silent as he considered Selena's words.
The grand hall fell silent for a brief moment, and everything seemed to freeze, except for the floating dust particles shimmering under the central beam of light.
After a while, Ronan spoke again.
"I've made up my mind."
Selena's eyes revealed a faint trace of satisfaction.
An hour later, Ronan left the beautiful white house.
His expression was calm, his face showing no signs of emotion, just as it had been when he entered.
But just as he was walking out of the house, someone stopped him.
"If you think that getting close to Grace will earn Selena's favor, you're just dreaming," sneered a young wizard in moon-white robes, his face full of cold mockery.
"Oh?" Ronan stopped and looked at him, his face still calm as he replied, "Then I'll leave this opportunity to you."
The young wizard, Donny, froze for a moment. After half a breath, his handsome face twisted in frustration, as though Ronan had touched a nerve.
"An ignorant fool!" Donny's body suddenly erupted with the powerful mental energy wave of a level-three wizard. The air around him seemed to be emptied in an instant, and Ronan stood there as his hair and robe were lifted by the wind.
"Donny!" A sharp command rang out from a distance, and Donny's mental energy immediately wavered, slowly retracting.
He shot Ronan a deep, silent glare and quietly walked away.
Ronan turned around, meeting the calm gaze of the silver-haired witch. He gave a slight nod, not waiting for her response, and continued walking forward, disappearing around a distant hill.
The silver-haired witch watched him go until his figure was no longer visible. She opened the door and entered the small house.
Once again, the majestic palace. Selena, the noble princess, stood at the top of the stairs, focused on her right hand, which was surrounded by a golden glow.
"Princess."
The silver-haired witch respectfully saluted Selena. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke softly, "That Southern wizard… rejected our offer?"
"Yes," Selena replied softly, her porcelain-like face showing no change.
"His soul age hasn't exceeded thirty, and he's about to advance to level three. His foundation is quite solid, and the techniques he mastered can even withstand a casual strike from Moriel. With such talent, he may not stand out in the central region, but in the South, he's certainly among the best. It's normal for him to be proud."
"He rejected the chance to join us in the central region and the All-Purpose Circle, and instead, chose to take something from me, leaving us with nothing."
The silver-haired witch shook her head and sighed, "Such foolishness."
"It's not foolish," Selena shook her head. "Compared to those who, after learning our secrets, come to flatter us, his rejection makes me happier."
"That's because his vision is too narrow, like a frog at the bottom of a well gazing up at the bright moon. Those closer to the well's edge are more aware of the vastness beyond. He has no idea what he's turned down."
The silver-haired witch didn't respond, but instead asked, "What about Grace?"
"Grace is fine, Your Highness," the silver-haired witch answered, before adding, "But now that he's refused us, what about Grace?"
"It doesn't matter," Selena replied calmly. "When we return to the central region, I will make sure to arrange a better future for Grace."
With that, the two women moved on to other topics.
To both Selena and the silver-haired witch, Ronan's appearance and departure were hardly significant. Perhaps he wouldn't even leave a ripple behind. From now on, there would be no further interaction.
They had offered him a chance, and his refusal was his own decision. Any regret would have to be borne by him.
But just as the two women continued talking about other matters, at a certain moment, Selena's expression suddenly changed.
A complex and mysterious golden symbol appeared on her forehead, and dense golden threads surged from her body along with a burst of white light.
In an instant, she seemed to be draped in an incredibly fine and majestic suit of armor, transforming into a legendary warrior witch, breaking through the roof of the hall with great force.
"Boom!"
The energy from her sudden appearance collided violently with a red staff, which had been spinning at high speed and burning with flames.
The resulting energy wave startled the surrounding level-three wizards, who quickly began to rise into the air.
"It's Moriel…"
Ronan stood atop a high hill near the middle zone, shielding his eyes with his hand as he watched the eruption of battle in the Life Court's territory.
He recognized the signature red lotus staff of Moriel, the Ashen Sorceress.
Moriel, like Selena, hailed from the central region. And she and Selena were sworn enemies.
Ronan wasn't surprised to see Moriel at the Fairy City Ruins, but he was taken aback by how she immediately launched an attack on the Life Court without hesitation.
"Looks like her background is just as powerful. She's not afraid of the Life Court."
After all, most wizards would never dare to challenge the territory of a powerful wizard empire, especially not one as vast as the Life Court.
If the earlier confrontation with the yellow giant bat rider could be compared to a small stone thrown into a muddy pond, creating little ripples, then the battle be
tween Moriel and Selena was akin to a giant rock being thrown in, sending shockwaves through the entire pond.
The battle between the two women lasted an entire day and night, drawing the attention of most wizards in the Fairy City Ruins.
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