Chapter 644: Rules and Encounters of the Labyrinth

【Detected environmental rules of the 'Unknown Labyrinth':】

【Chaos: Every time it opens, the positions of buildings within the labyrinth reset.】

【Corridor: No matter which direction you walk, you will eventually be drawn toward the center.】

【Mist: Greatly reduces perception, magical sensing, magical vision, night vision, and other spiritual effects.】

【Pleasing: Collect three tokens and offer them at the altar to end the labyrinth.】

【Erosion: Prolonged stillness triggers a 'Memory Erosion' effect, requiring a Will check.】

【Unknown 1: Not yet triggered.】

【Unknown 2: Not yet triggered.】

【Attention!】

【Some of the above labyrinth environmental rules are not physical punishments; 'Extra-Spatial Tendency' cannot exempt you.】

Night, forest.

A pale white moon hung above the forest, its pitted surface like rotting sores, making the pale moon resemble a decaying eye.

Blackened bare branches stabbed toward the sky, twisted and unnatural.

Thick mist seeped from the humus, creeping slowly along tree roots.

A thick, cloying scent of damp vegetation and water vapor struck the nose first.

“Forest.”

Luo De opened his eyes and looked up at the pale moon.

The entire grove was soaked in moonlight, glowing a dead-fish-gray.

“Pale Corridor.”

The star elf Haili snapped a twig beneath her foot and named the labyrinth.

“The entire labyrinth exists within a special spatial structure; no matter where we walk, we will eventually be drawn toward the central altar.”

She did not know Luo De possessed the skill 【Extra-Spatial Tendency】 that revealed environmental rules, and spoke softly.

“Have you been here before?”

“Five years ago, I entered once and failed miserably.”

Haili smiled bitterly. “This time, the Star Association’s trial was supposed to begin in April, but after Master Mistral’s ascension, the entire continent was covered by the Mana Weave canopy, and the labyrinth became unstable—it’s been adjusted until now, mid-May.”

After leaving the restaurant, they held hands in the museum’s back garden until the trial began.

The entrance passage separated each trial candidate, perhaps to preserve the mystery of each participant’s approach.

Yet the entrance was still guarded by Star Association personnel.

They saw Haili bringing a human as her vanguard and couldn’t help but look confused and disdainful.

“This labyrinth seems rather quiet and eerie.”

“It used to be fine, but now it’s definitely off—the moon’s turned pale white.”

Haili grinned proudly. “But the central zone is a shattered temple ruin, ancient beyond measure—possibly from the First Era. You might even find traces of our star elf activity from that time. If you have an interest in archaeology, you should take a good look.”

“.”

Luo De did not take her bait.

Star elves had strong confidence and pride, always seizing chances to lecture you on their hollow history.

He immediately switched topics: “We should move. Staying still too long, this mist may invade the body.”

“Oh? How do you know that?”

“I guessed.”

“Then your guess is quite good. By the way, I suggest we maintain contact during non-combat moments to avoid issues with the Combat Mark.”

She extended her small hand, utterly unembarrassed, not a trace of the star elf’s usual glowing shyness.

As if it were purely for the trial.

Luo De didn’t care—he grabbed it.

Walking beside the star elf lady, his thumb rubbed her palm unconsciously.

“You’re using such a troublesome enslavement? I don’t mind, but you’re a girl—”

“This magical item is a bit troublesome, but when we’re within two hundred meters, the longer we stay connected, the stronger the boost becomes. I’m doing this for the trial.”

“I see. How old are you again? Married yet?”

“I’ve never even had a boyfriend, Luo De. Not asking a lady’s age is basic etiquette.”

Haili frowned and pinched his palm playfully.

And as she felt the pounding of his heartbeat.

Her own heart leapt inside.

Holding hands! Dangerous environment!

This was exactly what romantic adventure stories called—transmuting tension and excitement into attraction toward someone nearby!

Solid.

Luo De, Luo De, you’re done. I’m definitely taking you.

“You’re nervous? Is your heart beating too fast? Calm down, or it’ll affect your spell focus.”

Luo De frowned.

Haili froze. “No, no, no—it’s not your heart beating, is it?”

She pressed her staff hand against her chest—and went rigid.

Thump-thump-thump!

What’s happening??

Why is it beating so fast??

Although this is my first time holding a boy’s hand, my first time adventuring with a man, and although this guy really is handsome, although although—

Thump-thump-thump!!

No, I’m just nervous! That’s all it is! Definitely!

Thump-thump-thump!!!

The wildly pounding heartbeat did not seem to come from the star elf lady’s body.

Luo De suddenly froze.

He yanked the star elf lady, whose face flickered with shock, into his arms and blasted backward.

“Boom—!!!”

A dust storm erupted, soil, leaves, and stones flying everywhere.

A thick dragon claw, covered in cobalt-blue scales, smashed into the spot where they had stood—ground instantly cracked, spiderweb fractures spreading meters wide.

“Roar—!”

A deafening dragon roar shook the forest, the air humming with static.

In the azure mist, a pair of amber vertical pupils flared like lightning in storm clouds, locking onto the two.

“A blue dragon? You star elves really have connections—managed to get a blue dragon as vanguard.”

Luo De stabilized his stance. Inside his arms, Haili’s face had paled. She pulled away, embarrassed and furious, summoning a bright magical shield that wrapped her entire body.

“Hahahaha—”

Above them, a mocking laugh rang out as the mist parted, revealing the dragon’s full form—

Towering like a mountain, its long neck arched like a bow, each scale gleaming with cold metallic luster under the chilling moonlight.

Its massive wings half-spread, lightning-like patterns glowing faintly on the membranes, dorsal spines shimmering blue with gathered lightning.

And atop its head—

Stood a male star elf of average build.

“I thought Maedlin was joking with me, but you actually brought a human as vanguard? Haili, what on earth were you thinking?!”

Haili gritted her teeth, face dark with annoyance.

An expression she’d never shown even to Maedlin.

Luo De asked curiously: “Who is this? Do you have a grudge?”

“Boival, captain of the fifth squad of the Security Division—he took the token from me five years ago and injured me!”

“Then we can’t let this slide.”

Luo De smiled.

Haili worried—he wouldn’t use weapons to reveal his identity. “Will it be okay? I can weaken the scale’s glass transformation.”

“No problem. I recall blue dragons have low cold resistance, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Good.”

Luo De turned forward.

The soil and leaf-covered ground beneath his feet instantly froze, a layer of pale frost spreading like ripples.

Ice spread, cold vapor rose, water vapor in the air crystallized into tiny ice shards, refracting sharp glints under the moonlight.

With every step, a 【Crying Ice Tree】 rose from the ground.

Haili stared in astonishment.

She murmured: “Stronger again? So fast? Are you even human?”

In an instant.

Luo De’s very existence was like the arrival of bitter winter.

The land, the withered trees, all things fell silent and slow, yet inexorably swept over by spreading frost.

A vast and majestic ice domain.

【Judian’s Ice Blade Domain +13】.

(End of Chapter)