Chapter 713 - 499: Time-Stopping Sand and the Arrival of a New Legendary Mage

Chapter 713: Chapter 499: Time-Stopping Sand and the Arrival of a New Legendary Mage

The night had receded, but daylight had yet to break.

When Raylo returned to Black Stone City, the entire city was still steeped in the deepest silence of pre-dawn.

The distant horizon was like a canvas soaked in ink. Along the edge of its deepest black, a very fine, faint line of light was barely visible.

The band of light was faint, but it heralded the coming of day.

Raylo didn’t disturb anyone. He walked alone through the empty corridors and pushed open the heavy oak door.

From the Jade Swamp to the Frozen North, the days of constant travel and a series of major battles had left even his current physique feeling a deep weariness.

But his mind remained in a state of high focus.

He closed his eyes, not to rest, but to review his recent gains.

As of today, he had collected nearly all the Treasures from the intelligence reports that came from the spatial anomaly sweeping the Black Stone Mountain Range. He had only missed out on one or two due to faulty information or someone else getting there first.

With a mere thought,

Two Treasures appeared quietly in the very center of the desk before him.

On the left was a small Crystal Bottle.

Inside the Crystal Bottle were five golden grains of sand. Each grain was minuscule, yet they all radiated an eternal, immortal luster.

This was the Time-Stopping Sand.

According to legend, this was a wondrous object formed over hundreds of millions of years on the bed of the River of Time.

Each grain of sand contained a trace of the solidified Law of Time.

Raylo reached out and lightly touched the cold outer wall of the vial.

The instant his fingertip made contact, he clearly felt the flow of time in that small area seem to lag with extreme subtlety.

The sensation was bizarre, as if an imperceptible rift had formed between his perception and the real world.

He quickly withdrew his hand, and the sensation vanished along with it.

’What a wondrous Law of Time.’

’The value of this thing is immeasurable.’

But how to use it, how to control this Power that even Divine Spirits feared, was a massive challenge.

Raylo’s gaze shifted from the Time-Stopping Sand to the object on the right.

It was a broken weapon.

Or rather, the remains of a spear.

Only the shaft, extending about a meter down from the tip, remained. The break was as smooth as a mirror, as if severed in a single blow by something unimaginably sharp.

The spear shaft was broad and heavy, its color a deep black that seemed to absorb all light.

The broken Divine Weapon, Wailing.

With a thought, he stored the Time-Stopping Sand and the broken Wailing in his Spatial Bag.

Outside the window, the line of light had grown more distinct, painting the eastern clouds a brilliant shade of orange-red.

Dawn was breaking.

Raylo did not go to rest.

He stood up and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at Black Stone City as it gradually awakened in the morning light.

Early risers and patrolling guards began to appear on the wide streets.

The entire city was like a slumbering Giant Beast, slowly stretching its body and radiating a vibrant energy.

A new day had begun.

Raylo went to the dining hall.

The long dining table was already laden with a sumptuous breakfast.

Wheat bread, baked to a golden crisp, gave off a rich aroma. Sizzling meat patties in a skillet had tantalizingly seared edges. Freshly squeezed milk steamed gently in a silver pitcher.

When Raylo entered the dining hall, Avril was already sitting at the table.

Today she wore a light blue casual dress. Her soft, golden hair was draped loosely over her shoulders, making her look less like the capable Mage she usually was and more languid and gentle.

She was sipping her milk. When she saw Raylo enter, her azure eyes curved into beautiful crescents.

"You’re here."

Her voice was a little hoarse, as if she had just woken up.

"Yeah."

Raylo walked over, gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Up so early?"

"Not really. It was them."

Avril pouted helplessly.

Raylo followed her gaze and saw several little guys at the other end of the table, each occupying a huge plate and waging a silent "war."

Coal Ball was the most boisterous eater, having practically buried its entire head in a plate full of meat patties, a contented purr rumbling in its throat.

Lightning, meanwhile, was wrestling with a roasted leg of lamb larger than its own body, pinning it down with both front paws and tearing at it bite by bite.

Moonlight was the most refined eater of the three, but it was still clutching a roasted goose and refusing to let go.

Looking at these three rascals, Raylo couldn’t help but smile.

He pulled out a chair, sat down beside Avril, and picked up a slice of bread, spreading a thick layer of jam on it.

The two of them chatted idly while eating breakfast.

The sunlight was perfect, and the atmosphere was warm and peaceful.

To Raylo, such ordinary moments of daily life now felt exceptionally precious.

After breakfast, Avril went to Meditate and continue her Magic training.

As for the three little ones with their bellies stuffed round, Moonlight led them outside to run wild.

Soon, Raylo was the only one left in the vast dining hall.

He picked up his still-steaming cup of black tea and was about to head back to his study to deal with the backlog of his domain’s affairs.

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door.