Director Tim Air looked at Shion Lan lying on the ground closing his eyes losing his consciousness. Solan Neumann was extremely worried about him, supporting him in her arms, but he did not respond at all. Those outside were able to see what was happening as the blood mist partially cleared. "Finally! We're done!"
"It's defeated! Let's get Shion out of here!"
They could no longer find the Blood Spirit, so they attempted to enter, but an invisible barrier repelled them.
Kin Light said, "What is it this time?! Didn't he defeat that spirit?!"
Moon Sorceress Lily replied, "Since the barrier is still there, then no one has been defeated yet. And Shion Lan is lying on the ground, so I believe the Blood Spirit has possessed him."
"What?!"
Everyone felt that this was the most likely explanation but still they were shocked. Some were worried; others simply wanted it to end quickly.
Tim Ayr closed his eyes as he sat beside Shion and decided to extend his consciousness into Shion's body. However, he sensed a terrifying presence lurking inside. The director did not dare delve further. He withdrew his consciousness and thought to himself,
'That person is also interested in Shion. What has been happening lately? The Radiant Star that no one knows about, Shion Lan who developed at an unprecedented speed, his changing personality, and now someone terrifying enough to deter me…'
He glanced at Shion's unconscious face. He looked as though he were peacefully asleep, unaffected by the Blood Spirit.
He continued in his thoughts,
'I feel that many mysteries will be revealed through him.'
Although Solan was only a spirit, she was so sorrowful that those outside felt as if they could see her tears.
Polter returned, bowing apologetically.
"My apologies, my lady! The Blood Spirit passed through me and reached him."
Solan did not respond. She clung to Shion and immediately activated her power.
"(Pure Spirit)!"
She gathered all her strength and poured it into Shion's body, reaching the depths of his soul—but she received no response. She cast the spell repeatedly, yet there was absolutely no reaction. Her presence itself began to fade.
"(Pure Spirit)!"
"(Pure Spirit)!"
"(Pure Spirit)!"
"My lady! Please stop!"
She did not listen to anyone.
"Stop now."
Director Tim Ayr restrained her with his own time magic. She became unable to move, as though time itself had frozen.
"This boy will not die so easily," the director said, meeting everyone's gaze.
However the most of them didn't believe but he didn't care. Closing his eyes, he began making preparations in his mind in case anything happened with the Blood Spirit.
...
"Damn you both!"
Within the Vein Domain, Shi Yun Lan stood before two bodies lying on the ground. One was a woman who appeared innocent and gentle, yet the scent of blood emanated from her mixed with fading ominous aura meaning it was being purified. The other was a man whom Shi Yun Lan felt disgust toward. The man's face was pressed against the ground. Shi Yun Lan kicked him, turning him onto his back. His features resembled Shi Yun Lan and Shion Lan—but slightly different.
He kicked him again to wake him, but there was no response.
"This bastard!"
Shi Yun Lan examined him closely, placed his hand on the man's forehead, and closed his eyes to connect with him.
"… … … …!!"
He quickly withdrew his hand, shock evident on his face—then he began laughing.
"Hahahahaha! I never expected that boy would manage to suppress that brat! Shiu Won Lan! You will die today—not by my hand, but by the true heir of the star legacy!"
Shion Lan paced around, thinking aloud looking at that woman.
"Should I kill that woman or not?! Kill or not? Kill or not? Ah, found it!"
He walked over, placed a finger on the woman's head, and injected his energy into her.
"Now, let us bring this play to its curtain call!"
He looked again at Shiu Won Lan's body and thought,
'I never expected Shion to use the seal I placed on Shiu Won Lan that time as a defensive barrier—and now he's trying to slip free from it and use it as well! That boy, Shion Lan, is truly astonishing!'
As he saw Shiu Won Lan's face tries to change and get back to its normal, Shi Yun Lan said with joy,
"This will be interesting!"
...
Shion Lan's body trembled in Solan Neumann's arms. She looked at him desperately, trying to help. Tim Ayr approached as well and but he thought for a fleeting moment,
'Did he just smile? But I don't sense that Blood Spirit or him… Could it be—?!'
Suddenly, the director felt a deadly threat and quickly retreated pulling Solan as well. An attack grazed his face, cutting him.
"My lady—!"
Polter couldn't finish his words before collapsing. He returned to Solan to rest and recover.
That person raised the Spirit Sword that dropped off from Polter with a wide grin.
"A material of Transcendent Level. I suppose it suits me."
Outside, everyone stared in shock at the figure who had moved at lightning speed—injuring the director and destroying Polter in moments.
"What is happening?" Glass Sano asked in disbelief.
Yossi Sano spoke uneasily, "I believe that is the guardian spirit of that boy's inheritance." Making him shocked and he asked, "Doesn't Shion have an incomplete inheritance?! How is there a a guardian spirit now?!"
Lily looked at him, "Sealing and imprisoning the guardian spirit of an inheritance means that inheritance was complete, but—"
Kin Light continued, "—but extremely corrupted. To prevent such a powerful art from being used for evil, the spirit is sealed."
Within the scroll's domain, Shion Lan's form changed. His body grew slightly taller. His hair lengthened and was tied into a tail at the back. His clothes became traditional by the spiritual power. His beautiful features were accompanied by cold silver eyes that regarded everyone as insignificant.
He looked around, frowning, unable to understand the figures before him.
"Who are you?" Director Tim Air asked while preparing spells.
The man replied, "What is this place?"
The director frowned. "Shouldn't you introduce yourself first? Or did no one teach you manners?"
The man looked at him coldly. "Even the strongest master in the world—I rebelled against him. What could a mere Transcendent Level like you possibly do?"
Everyone narrowed their eyes.
"Transcendent Level? Do you mean the Ninth Level?" the director asked.
Suspicion appeared on the man's face. "A man your age doesn't even know the name of the level? Where in the world did you appear from? A cave?!"
"Ostiferos Kingdom, west of the continent."
The man placed a hand on his forehead, trying to recall such a place, but shook his head.
"I've never heard about such a place. When was this kingdom founded?"
The director felt suspicion rising, 'Could he have existed before its founding?!' but he answered anyway,
"Over five hundred years ago."
Shock crossed the man's face before anger.
"Damn that bastard!"
He raised the Spirit Sword and held the lantern.
"From this day forward, I am the Black Star Shiu Won Lan! I will rule this continent!"
Everyone stared—then burst into laughter.
"Arrogant brat!"
"Your pride has gone too far!"
"Let's capture him first!"
As they prepared to seize him, Shiu Won Lan smirked and activated the lantern.
"I suppose I should use that foolish woman now."
The lantern glowed blood-red.
Solan gasped. "Th-that… He sealed the Blood Spirit inside the lantern!"
The director raised his hand to cast spells, but Shiu Won Lan waved his hand.
"Though you are old, you are still Transcendent Level, so…"
The scroll trembled under his control and expelled the director from its domain shocking everyone and announced,
"I am someone none dared oppose. Kings, emperors—even Transcendents—were crushed beneath my feet. None were worthy of my time!"
He raised the Spirit Lantern and opened the scroll, gathering power.
"If these are spirit weapons, then I can reclaim my strength for a moment."
The stars in the night sky gathered and turned black in everyone's eyes. The lantern's red glow also turned black. He absorbed the power.
Solan trembled away from him.
"First circle… second… third… fourth… fifth… sixth… seventh?!"
The director sensed it and warned everyone.
"He has become a Seven-Circle Mage! Be alert!"
The laughter stopped.
Miral Flair and Brad Sano stepped forward.
"This person is unreasonable. We'll handle this. You all fall back."
Brad spoke firmly. Miral glanced at Solan inside the domain, feeling helpless, then gripped his sword.
Shiu Won Lan's silver eyes glowed coldly.
"Fall back? Unfortunately, my victory is built upon everyone's corpses."
He drew out a shattered, defeated spirit from the lantern.
Solan recognized it—it was the Blood Spirit she had fought earlier. It was far weaker than before.
'Spirits without stars or circles to sustain them will die… Could it be—?'
"Lady Solan!" the spirit cried in terror interrupting Solan's thoughts "My name is Bloom! Please accept me!"
Solan hesitated, 'Normally I would purify her immediately… but I no longer sense that ominous stench.'
Bloom was fading.
Solan raised her hands and chanted quickly:
"(Spirit Magic: Tamed Spirit)!"
A thin thread appeared, linking Solan to Bloom. Bloom was drawn into Solan, binding with her in the spirit world.
Shiu Won Lan saw this. When his gaze fell upon Solan, he felt an unfamiliar calm and clear.
'I have never seen anything like her in my life. Now I want her.'
As she sensed his intentions, she slipped out of his domain.
He sneered. "Little girl! Do you think you can escape me?!"
He raised his hand. The scroll glowed.
"(Personal Domain: Rivers of Stars)!"
The area transformed into flowing stellar pathways like rivers, surrounding everyone—including those outside who had prepared to escape preventing them.
The director murmured, "(Personal Domain: Clock Hands)" but concealed it as a trump card.
Shiu Won Lan attempted to seize Solan, but she avoided him and exited the domain easily.
Shiu Won Lan was stunned.
Solan spoke calmly,
"Though these are stars, the scroll originally belonged to spirits. I can control it slightly as well. You have Shion. I have Bloom. We can both influence it. So how about we play a little?"
Shiu Won Lan smiled cruelly.
"That spirit you saved was supposed to perish—but no matter. I intend to deal with all of you anyway!"
The scroll, lantern, and sword were largely under his control. Solan's control was weak.
A tense silence filled the air.
Then Shi Yun Lan's voice echoed in the director's mind:
"I told you before I would show you something interesting—but not yet."
The director frowned.
"I'll compensate you. Look at that arrogant fool now."