Liam exhaled sharply, his body slowly adjusting to the restored sense of reality. The crushing weight of the void had receded, replaced by the stabilizing presence of the platform's barrier. He clenched his fists, testing his control over his own body. It was intact. He was intact.
He steadied himself and looked around in a hurry to not miss anything, except there was nothing to see. The rock was hurtling forward in a world of complete darkness. He was still able to see within the platform thanks to a similar red glow like the one that came from the crimson sands but beyond the platform, there was nothing. There was absolutely nothing.
Liam let out a sigh. What now? Was it a mistake getting on this rock?
He was curious at first but slowly as he continued to sit on the rock without any end in sight, doubts started creeping inside his mind. What if he continued for eternity? What if he was permanently stuck here?
The image of his sister, Luna, Shen Yue, and Alex flashed past his mind. Rey, Madan, and everyone in the guild. Was that the last time he had seen them?
The thought made his jaw clench. He had taken risks before, countless times, but this was different. This was isolation. This was the unknown stretching endlessly in every direction.
Liam exhaled sharply, shaking his head. No. He refused to entertain that possibility. There had to be an end to this. A purpose. This was a system event, not a death sentence. If he had been transported here, there had to be a path forward.
His fingers twitched as he reached out with his mana sense, probing the barrier, the rock, the very air around him. Nothing. No fluctuations, no hidden mechanisms, no energy signatures beyond what was already sustaining the platform.
Liam scowled. Maybe this was some kind of test of mental fortitude. He had faced trials before. He had fought monsters that could tear through steel, enemies who wielded power beyond comprehension. But this? This was silence. This was isolation. And in a way, it was worse.
Liam sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. If this was a test of the mind, then struggling against it wouldn't help. He needed to adapt. He steadied his breathing, letting his mana circulate through his body, sinking deeper into himself. Since he had time he might as well do some training.
Leaving a sliver of consciousness to survey the surroundings, Liam focused on his many dao seeds and the several paths he was trying to walk. He sank into meditation, allowing his breathing to slow, and his thoughts to clear. If time was his only resource right now, he would use it wisely.
Time quietly slipped by without any end in sight. Liam did not panic. He did not let his mind wander to dark places. He patiently continued to meditate.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity he opened his eyes to take a small break. He made a small progress in one of his dao seeds and was hoping to combine it with something else.
He calmly let out a sigh as he caught sight of the nothingness all around him. Maybe at first it was unsettling but he would be lying if he did not admit that there was a sort of calmness when looking at such nothingness.
Liam took a deep breath, letting the stillness settle into him. The nothingness stretched infinitely in every direction, yet instead of the oppressive suffocation he had first felt, there was a strange serenity to it now.
Here, there were no distractions, no battles, no enemies lurking in the shadows. Just him, his thoughts, and the endless void.
He flexed his fingers, rolling his shoulders as he considered his next steps. He cracked his neck and turned to his side when suddenly a blinding light appeared on the side of the barrier.
Liam's eyes widened in shock and he was about to employ every trick he had in his sleeve when everything came to an abrupt halt all on its own. The blinding glow vanished and the rock platform seemed as stable as it had been.
But now there was a man in front of him.
A middle-aged man with thick bushy brows.
Liam's body tensed instantly. The man had appeared out of nowhere. Not teleported, not materialized with a ripple of energy—just… manifested in the blink of an eye.
That alone told Liam enough. This wasn't an ordinary person.
The middle-aged man stood there, arms crossed, his thick, bushy brows furrowed as if in deep thought. His robes were simple but carried a strange weight to them like they had been woven from something more than mere cloth. His eyes, sharp and piercing, studied Liam with an intensity that sent a strange pressure through the air.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, the man sighed, rubbing his temple as if dealing with a headache.
"Tch. Another one." His voice was deep, filled with annoyance, but not directed at Liam—more like the situation itself. His gaze lingered on Liam, scrutinizing every inch of him before he shook his head. "Hah… Figures."
Liam remained silent, his mind racing. Who was this man? Why was he here? And more importantly—was he an enemy?
Sensing Liam's caution, the man waved a dismissive hand. "Calm down, kid. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have bothered showing up."
Seeing Liam remain on guard, the man snorted. "Smart." He turned away slightly, peering into the abyss surrounding them. His thick brows furrowed deeper. "Damn system... always sending people here unprepared."
Liam's eyes flickered. System? So this man knew about the event?
Finally, Liam spoke, his voice measured. "Who are you?"
The man gave him a sidelong glance. "Hmph. That's the real question, isn't it?" He smirked slightly. "You can call me… hmm. Actually, let's keep it simple. Just call me 'senior.'"
Liam froze. That was vague as hell. What the hell did he mean?
"Come on. Don't tell me. The eighth-generation soulmancer can't even recognize a soul clone when it's standing right in front of him? Are you that weak?"