Chapter 405: Spiritual Guardian

Priam remained in that void, silently analyzing the knowledge he had just acquired. When he least expected it, the space around him suddenly began to ripple violently.

The 30 days were over.

In a matter of seconds, he was ripped away from that place. As soon as the surrounding dimension stabilized, Priam found himself standing on the surface of a small moon orbiting the Celestial Event’s planet.

Nine other figures appeared beside him at the exact same time.

All nine had excited looks in their eyes. Priam was certain they had obtained incredible rewards from the places they had been sent to.

*Buzz!*

Suddenly, a flying vessel appeared in the sky, hovering above them. On board were all the little over 2,000 outer disciples who had been approved for the inner sect.

"Boss, let’s head to the inner academy to check in!" one of the soldiers exclaimed, overflowing with excitement.

"Let’s go. I heard the competition is even more intense in the inner sect, right? We’re going to have a lot of fun there," Priam replied, jumping aboard the vessel along with the other nine.

...

The group traveled directly toward the sect’s central planet. Its name was straightforward and imposing: Ironweald Planet.

They followed a safe route until they reached an apparently deserted region in the void of space.

At that point, all the disciples took their badges out of their spatial rings. The next second, a subtle energy permeated each of their bodies, rigorously verifying their identities.

Only a few seconds later, the space in front of them split open, unfolding like a window into another world.

The flying ship passed through the rift.

A radiant sphere of light, shining like a sun, appeared before the vessel.

"The inner sect is right ahead!"

The disciples roared with excitement. This was the goal they had devoted their lives to — a distant dream that many had been certain they would never reach. But now... they were finally entering it!

As he gazed at that sphere of light, Priam immediately realized that it was a monumental formation. From what he had heard from Dandara, the inner sect was the core of a magical domain created by the Sovereign Goddess herself in the past.

The space inside it had been expanded and stretched. The entire inner region housed countless suns and planets, resembling an entire galaxy.

An enormous Aether Convergence Formation made the energy density there almost ten times higher than in the outer divine plane, while also making it astronomically easier to absorb Creation Essence.

The inner sect’s elite disciples enjoyed colossal privileges, with benefits thousands of times greater than those of the outer disciples. A Sage in that environment could evolve hundreds of times faster.

However, the sect would only invest mountains of resources into someone’s training if that person proved themselves worthy of becoming part of the elite. Once someone reached the status of an inner disciple, resources would begin flowing in almost unlimited abundance.

It could be said that, in the outer sect, the monthly allowances were merely the bare minimum needed for survival. For anyone who wanted to climb to the top quickly, that was nowhere near enough.

In the inner sect, however, treasures and resources so rare that no amount of money in the world could buy them were provided freely, simply because there was no one who sold them.

At that moment, the flying ship passed through the barrier of light, and the runes carved into its hull lit up.

The vessel was automatically guided toward Ironweald Planet, where they were supposed to report.

A few minutes later, a vibrant, life-filled planet emerged before them. It had vast oceans and colossal forests existing in perfect balance. The scenery vaguely reminded Priam of Earth, but what lay before him looked like an enlarged version of Earth, magnified twentyfold.

They slowly entered the atmosphere.

Before long, the scenery changed. They were flying over an ancient forest whose treetops stretched beyond the clouds, creating a true natural painting across the sky.

"So beautiful... It’s practically paradise," Dandara sighed, completely mesmerized.

’Paradise...’ A faint, crooked smile appeared on Priam’s face.

When he had awakened his memories in this world, he used to think of the Mage World as a realm of wonders. He imagined that there were paradises where the inhabitants lived like gods and immortals, without worries, immune to aging and death.

However, after living long enough, he discovered that nothing like that existed. This entire world was infinitely more cruel and brutal than the simple life on Earth. Every place was soaked in blood, and nowhere remained peaceful for long.

"!"

Suddenly, a group of winged figures shot out from among the clouds, leaving a golden trail behind them.

"MY GOD!" someone shouted in pure shock aboard the flying vessel.

"They’re Spiritual Guardian Pixies!" another person shouted in disbelief.

Priam watched the distant flock with interest. It was a group consisting of a hundred humanoid figures, each one possessing two pairs of bright, gleaming white wings.

They crossed the sky in perfectly synchronized flight. Under the sunlight bathing the endless blue sky, they revealed themselves as a group of women with angelic beauty, delicate facial features, clear blue eyes, and golden hair that shone like the sun.

Contrasting with that divine aura, their slender bodies were covered in rustic, feline-like fur in earthy tones, covering their breasts, legs, and arms, while sharp claws extended from their extremities and small furry tails swayed behind them. What stood out the most, however, were their four wings, composed of white and golden feathers, which beat gracefully and radiated a purifying light.

After observing the flock, Priam turned toward Dandara beside him.

She was just as excited by the sight and immediately began to explain.

They were a Beast race. Yes, they were beasts, despite their clearly humanoid appearance.

In fact, this wasn’t anything unusual — in the past, there had even been opposite cases, with humanoid races evolving into beast-like forms. Orcs and Ogres were examples, but there were even more prominent cases.

Although it was rare for beasts to evolve into something more humanoid, it was still a possibility.

Those creatures, known as Spiritual Guardian Pixies, were an auspicious Beast race. The Sovereign Goddess herself had encountered them in the past and decided to protect them, taking them into the sect for a greater purpose.

According to the sect’s most sacred laws, no one was allowed to harm them in any way. Not even the Sect Leader had the authority to order them around, allowing them to live freely and do whatever they wanted within the inner sect.

There was even an old tale about the daughter of a former Sect Leader who, out of pure curiosity, chased after and bothered a Pixie.

When the creatures, annoyed, asked to be left alone, the arrogant young woman ignored the warning, believing her father would protect her from any consequences.

As a result, the sect’s Absolute Inscription was activated and marked her instantly. She was expelled without hesitation and permanently forbidden from setting foot in the inner sect again.

After that incident, people became even more cautious around the Pixies, limiting themselves to observing them from a distance.

According to ancient tales — whose truth no one could confirm for certain — this race possessed unique characteristics. They were noble and sacred beings who neither consumed other creatures nor ever took a life. They sustained themselves purely on the natural energies of the forests, absorbing them directly from the air.

Legend had it that wherever this race passed, the land would transform into a blessed and auspicious place.

On the other hand, Pixies didn’t like living near humanoids. It was said that the bloody and brutal nature of mortals drove them away. If someone decided to settle nearby, they would simply abandon the area.

And once a Pixie left, the auspicious land would wither until it became dead soil. Although it was an unverified myth, most people firmly believed it.

Members of the inner sect rarely had the chance to see these creatures, which sometimes appeared only once every few years or even decades. Because of that, encountering them was considered a sign of immense good luck.

Upon noticing the flock approaching, Dandara slowed down and hurriedly stopped the flying ship. After all, one of the inner sect’s highest rules was to never disturb these creatures.

The Pixies flew over the vessel.

Everyone on the ship was ecstatic at the sight. They were such breathtaking forms of life that their beauty was almost suffocating, radiating a natural aura completely different from anything they had ever experienced in their lives.

While everyone waited for the flock to pass so they could continue on their way, the Pixies suddenly turned around and flew back toward the ship.

"My God, they’re coming back! We’re actually getting to see them this close!" some of the passengers exclaimed in shock. Even those who had been born in the inner sect had only ever known these sacred beasts through stories.

Normally, Pixies hated the aura of humanoids and would hide far away at the slightest sign of someone’s presence. Even someone’s natural aura could contaminate their pure auras and thus be considered a disturbance. The rule was simple: If you see one, stay still or move as far away as possible.

Now, seeing an entire flock approach this closely was unbelievable.

Priam silently observed the beautiful figures. Without a doubt, they were the most magnificent forms of life he had ever seen — not just because of their physical appearance. They looked like humanoid women and were actually quite beautiful, but they couldn’t compare to Dandara, for example. What made them truly extraordinary was their pure and immaculate aura.

The group consisted of somewhere between ninety and one hundred and ten individuals. They weren’t very large; most of them were no more than one meter and sixty centimeters tall.

They began circling around the flying ship, leaving everyone perplexed. What was going on?

"Nobody move! Or you’ll contaminate the Pixies’ aura!" an authoritative voice suddenly echoed from outside the vessel.

They were supervisors shouting from a distance. Clearly, everything in this area was under constant surveillance — not because of the disciples, but to ensure the Pixies’ absolute safety.

The creatures continued circling around the ship, puzzling even the supervisors, who couldn’t understand the reason behind this unusual behavior.

If the Pixies were frightened or injured, both Priam and the guards would be in serious trouble.

However, they simply continued flying in circles around the vessel, refusing to leave.

"Open the door," Priam ordered.

"B-but..." Dandara murmured, stunned, but nodded a moment later.

"You bastard, didn’t you hear me?! Don’t open the door, or..." the voice from outside roared furiously.

Priam didn’t care in the slightest. He repeated the order firmly, and Dandara opened the passage. Then, he stepped outside.

"You’re asking for death!"

The voice was overflowing with killing intent. Priam continued ignoring the warning. He calmly walked to the top of the flying ship. The moment he appeared, the Pixies changed direction and began flying straight toward him.

Suddenly, one of them approached. She was small, appearing to be around sixteen years old by humanoid standards — although, being a beast, she could have been only a year old and simply grown rapidly through the use of resources.

"Big bro, I like you," the Pixie said, displaying blue eyes as translucent as crystals, completely free of any impurity. "Can you take me outside to play?"

She finished speaking and gave him a meaningful smile.

At that moment, Priam felt a cold sweat run down his spine.

’Fuck! Am I being courted?!’