In the Summoning Hall, as the divine inscriptions around Shi Feng completely faded away, the Silver Holy Dragon Elbrak suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the Shi Feng who had appeared before him with boundless astonishment.
"You… succeeded?"
Though Elbrak had already confirmed that Shi Feng had passed the trial the moment he laid eyes on him.
Because the Shi Feng standing before him now was entirely different from before.
Though his level hadn't increased at all, the mana radiating from his body was worlds apart from what it had been. Not only did the mana blend seamlessly with the ambient mana around him, but its very intensity had undergone a qualitative transformation — the kind of transformation that could only be achieved by passing the trial and attaining such mastery and power over one's mana.
Yet Elbrak still found it hard to believe.
In his estimation, for Shi Feng to succeed on his third attempt would have been impressive enough.
But to succeed on the very first attempt…
"Mm, I succeeded by sheer luck." Shi Feng nodded.
If it hadn't been for his good fortune — breaking through to the fifth tier in mental strength at the last possible moment and receiving the World's Blessing to reconstruct his mental sea — passing the trial would have been nothing but a pipe dream.
"Nonsense. There is no luck in passing the trial — it was entirely your own strength." Elbrak shook his head slightly. "Then, as agreed, from this moment forward, you are the contractor recognized by me, Elbrak."
The moment Elbrak finished speaking, Shi Feng felt a sudden searing heat on his arm.
At some point, a silver-white dragon crest seal had appeared on his left forearm, and the emotionless voice of the system echoed in his mind.
System: Congratulations, Player. You have completed the second chain of the Epic quest "Void Cage." You have earned the recognition of the Silver Holy Dragon Elbrak, becoming a true Dragon Contractor with the power to summon the Silver Holy Dragon Elbrak to fight at your side at any time. Rewards: 30 Free Inheritance Points, level increased by one.
Instantly, Shi Feng's level jumped from 150 straight to 151, and his Free Inheritance Points increased by a full thirty.
"If you ever run into trouble in the future, you can summon me at any time," Elbrak said slowly. "With the contract seal in place, I can teleport over immediately. But do be careful — the contract seal's power has its limits. There are certain special things it cannot detect. And the Divine Realm is not quite what it used to be. You've grown considerably, yes, but if you act too recklessly out there, you could still find yourself in a hopeless situation — or worse, have your soul completely annihilated."
"Not quite what it used to be? Has the World Corridor opened already?" Shi Feng's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
For Elbrak — a Silver Holy Dragon capable of surpassing ordinary fifth-tier Class holders — to feel the need to warn him this thoroughly meant that something enormous must have changed in the Divine Realm. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for the warning.
"That's correct. The World Corridor has fully opened. The beings from the other world have now completely invaded this one. Even some of the rules governing the Divine Realm have changed — you'll see for yourself the moment you step outside." Elbrak nodded, pointing toward the gate that had been completely sealed by the magic array. "If you encounter trouble, summon me immediately."
"Thank you for the warning, Holy Dragon. I'll be careful."
Shi Feng nodded, a new wariness settling in his heart. He then left the Summoning Hall, while Elbrak lay back down and drifted into a deep sleep.
When Shi Feng emerged from the Summoning Hall and stepped outside, he froze.
"The mana density!"
The concentration of mana within Starfall Fortress was more than double what it had been before he'd entered the trial — it had become so dense that it was nearly approaching a mist-like state.
Such rich mana was something that, apart from Zero Wing City, no player settlement could rival. Not even Stone Forest City came close; only the Free Inn in Stone Forest City could compare.
Beyond the sheer mana density, the affinity for magical elements and the underlying operational rules of magic had also become far more apparent — it was almost like a diluted version of the ancient Divine Realm.
Yet compared to the changes in the mana environment, the changes to Starfall Fortress itself were even more staggering.
The foot traffic in Starfall Fortress had already been remarkable before he left, but compared to now, it was practically insignificant. The population had more than tripled, and he could even spot the occasional fourth-tier expert strolling down the streets.
Just from a casual sweep of the entire fortress, he counted over seventy fourth-tier experts. The number was simply terrifying.
But that wasn't even the most astonishing part.
Compared to the interior, the area outside Starfall Fortress was an ocean of people. The queues stretched on as far as the eye could see, and a rough estimate put the number of people waiting at over a million…
And these weren't ordinary players either. The weakest among them were third-tier Class holders, each at level 135 or above. Even fourth-tier Class holders could be seen among the crowds.