Two Pendants

Deep within the dungeon.

The intense light enveloping Bai Xuan finally began to fade.

He slowly opened his eyes. The stone slabs beneath his feet were gone, replaced by soft, damp soil.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of vegetation, completely different from the musty, rotten odor common in the dungeon.

He looked up. Above him was not the ceiling of a mine tunnel, but a sky glowing with a soft light.

It was the result of glowing ores embedded in the ceiling combined with magic, producing a warm, gentle light reminiscent of an overcast afternoon.

Before he could take in his surroundings, an invisible pressure suddenly rushed at him from all directions.

Bai Xuan's body sank slightly, and his breath caught for a brief moment.

He instinctively tensed his muscles to steady his posture, carefully feeling the nature of this pressure.

It was different from gravity; it felt more like an invisible binding, squeezing his skin and bones, and even causing his internal organs to contract slightly.

Bai Xuan frowned. If lower-level adventurers or ordinary people entered this place, they would probably be pinned to the ground the moment they stepped in.

He turned to look at Phoebe beside him. Her silver ponytail hung over her shoulder, and her gold-red eyes gazed into the distance, her expression entirely calm.

She seemed long accustomed to this pressure, completely unaffected by it.

A sudden realization struck Bai Xuan. Phoebe was only Level 3, yet her passive skill 【Strength Enhancement】 had reached Level 3.

This was likely not just due to her talent and bloodline, but also closely related to this environment.

Growing up under such pressure, her body had long been honed to be dozens of times tougher than an ordinary person's.

He rolled his shoulders, gradually adapting to the oppressive feeling, and began to scan his surroundings.

This place was incredibly vast, stretching beyond the horizon, with low shrubbery in the distance.

Nearby, a clear stream trickled, its water shimmering with fine ripples under the soft light.

A small vegetable patch had been cultivated beside the stream, growing a few dark green plants of a peculiar shape that Bai Xuan had never seen before.

Behind the vegetable patch stood several stone houses, their walls built from solid blocks of rock.

The grayish-white stones gave off a warm luster. Though the thatched roofs had collapsed in a few places, they were mostly intact.

Bai Xuan looked back at Phoebe. She was staring at the stone houses, her eyes tinged with a faint sadness.

“Is this... your home?” Bai Xuan's voice carried a hint of uncertainty.

Phoebe nodded gently and stepped forward toward the stone houses. Bai Xuan followed her silently.

Stopping at the entrance of one of the stone houses, Phoebe gently pushed open the half-closed wooden door.

The interior was dimly lit, but the furnishings were clear: a stone bed, a stone table, and a stone chair.

A simple clay bowl sat on the table, and a dusty gray cloak hung on the wall.

Phoebe did not enter. She simply stood at the doorway in silence for a moment before turning to walk around to the back of the house.

Bai Xuan followed close behind. Rounding the corner, a stone monument came into view.

The monument was not tall, barely reaching Phoebe's waist. It was carved from a single block of black rock, its surface polished smooth and fine.

On it was carved a line of text—not the common tongue of the continent, but the ancient script of the Glayde Empire.

Bai Xuan did not recognize the characters.

Phoebe stopped in front of the monument and slowly knelt down. Placing her hands on her knees, she lowered her head and closed her eyes, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Standing behind her, Bai Xuan did not disturb her. He simply planted his staff into the ground and bowed slowly to show his respect.

After a long while, Phoebe slowly stood up and turned to look at Bai Xuan. Her eyes were slightly red and glistening with unshed tears.

She held out her hand, palm facing up, and looked at Bai Xuan.

Bai Xuan took out the Silver-Wrapped Crystal Covenant Pendant and gently placed it in her palm.

Phoebe gripped the pendant tightly, turned to walk in another direction, and Bai Xuan silently followed.

The two crossed the vegetable patch, stepped over the stream, and entered a path flanked by shrubs and dwarf trees.

The path was short, ending at an intact altar.

Unlike the ruined and weathered remains on the eighth floor, this altar was completely undamaged, exuding an ancient and sacred aura.

The altar was circular, about twenty feet in diameter, constructed from grayish-white stones. Every single stone was carved with intricate runes.

A stone pillar stood in the center of the altar, with a slot at the top that matched the dimensions of the Silver-Wrapped Crystal Covenant Pendant perfectly.

The air around the altar was heavier than elsewhere. An invisible pressure bore down, making Bai Xuan's shoulders sink slightly.

Phoebe stepped onto the altar and gently slotted the Silver-Wrapped Crystal Covenant Pendant into the indentation at the top of the stone pillar.

The moment the pendant clicked into place, the altar instantly lit up. Runes were activated one after another, and light spilled from the stone crevices, washing over the entire altar like flowing water.

The golden patterns on Phoebe's arm also shone to their limit, extending from her shoulder to her fingertips, turning her entire arm into a flowing river of light.

She walked to the center of the altar and closed her eyes, slowly spreading her arms. Her long silver hair drifted upward as if defying gravity.

Her body slowly rose, her feet leaving the ground as she hovered in midair.

Golden, silver, and a trace of dark red light poured continuously from her body, enveloping the entire altar.

Standing below the altar, Bai Xuan gripped his staff and watched her in silence, making no move to disturb her.

The light persisted for a long time before finally beginning to recede.

Phoebe's body slowly descended, her feet landing steadily on the altar. The light retracted into her body and vanished.

She stood in place, her silver hair draped over her shoulders, her breathing steady. Yet Bai Xuan could clearly sense a change in her.

Whether it was a more upright posture or a firmer look in her eyes, there was an indescribable quality about her now.

Bai Xuan quickly pulled up his status panel, his gaze landing on Phoebe's details:

【Phoebe Xi】

【Class: Sentiment-Forged Weapon Lv.3 (0%)】

【Race: Glay Royalty】

【HP: 370/370】

【MP: 110/140】

【Trait: Emotional Resonance】

【Potential: 5-Star (Skycrown)】

【Skill: Flaw Strike: Converts emotion into power, dealing high damage to the target. The stronger the emotion, the higher the damage.】

Bai Xuan stared at the panel for a moment, then closed it and looked up at Phoebe.

Now, there was a spark of light in her eyes, warmer than before, though she still maintained her usual quiet demeanor.

The light of the altar gradually faded, the runes dimming one by one, and the oppressive feeling in the air dissipated.

Bai Xuan noticed that the patterns on the Silver-Wrapped Crystal Covenant Pendant inside the stone pillar's slot were brighter than before, as if completely awakened by the ceremony.

Just as he was about to step onto the altar and retrieve the pendant, Phoebe suddenly raised her hand, palm up.

Quietly resting in her palm was another Silver-Wrapped Crystal Covenant Pendant.

This pendant was smaller and more delicate than the original, its surface carved with entirely different patterns.

It had condensed from the light of the altar while she was floating in midair.

“Two?” Bai Xuan stared in surprise, quickly stepping onto the altar to retrieve the original pendant from the slot.

Placing the two pendants side by side, one was large and the other small. Though their patterns differed, their material, luster, and aura were completely identical.

The larger one was simple and heavy, while the smaller one was exquisite and delicate.