The girl’s face showed a moved expression, yet there was also hesitation. She lowered her head and looked downwards.
On the floor below, a pair of dust elves resembling a middle-aged couple gazed at her with complex expressions, gently waving to her.
With courage mustered, the girl nodded vigorously toward the young man in the mirror.
The latter smiled, stretched out a finger, and gently caressed the girl’s head. She obediently moved closer to him, and then transformed into a wisp of smoke, hiding into the folds of his Magic Robe’s collar.
After completing all this, the young man turned around.
He raised his hand, and the silver half-body mirror behind him melted like water, flowing seamlessly into his sleeve without a trace left behind.
"Without realizing it, it has already been three years..."
Ronan murmured softly.
He cast his gaze around, those silent books arrayed on the shelves seemed to be silently bidding him farewell.
Over these three years, he had browsed almost every book here. The outstanding memory capacity brought by his brain’s development allowed him to effortlessly recall every page’s content in each book on the shelves.
From nearly eighteen years old when he entered this place, he has now grown into a twenty-one-year-old young man.
At times, the three years felt quite lengthy.
But now, looking back, it seemed as though it was merely the blink of an eye... The reflection in the mirror had completely changed.
A silver-white space vortex appeared silently in the air before him.
Ronan’s eyes flickered. He was now extremely sensitive to any space-related energy fluctuations.
Once calm, Ronan gently patted the collar of his Magic Robe, and then slowly entered the vortex amid the farewell of a large group of dust elves.
Behind him on the wooden floor, the pair of dust elves resembling a middle-aged couple were waving and wiping away tears as they watched him leave.
When Ronan emerged from the vortex, he did not find himself in the dim corridor where he had entered three years ago but was instead in mid-air.
The Arrogant Sun hung in the cloudless sky, casting down its golden radiance, beneath his feet was a quietly rotating giant metallic ring.
Ronan squinted his eyes, making a simple gesture to shield them, waiting for his pupils to adjust to the external light. After lowering his hand, he clearly saw the figure standing under the Arrogant Sun, facing him.
Just as she was three years ago.
Time had left no trace on Kosti.
She was still breathtakingly beautiful, with the innocence of a young girl and the elegance of a noblewoman, as well as the dignity and composure of a top witch of the Mist.
She opened her arms to Ronan and softly said, "Welcome out of retreat... Damien."
Atop the Seventh Magic Rings Tower.
Ronan stood before the huge crystal floor-to-ceiling window, while Borbi, transformed into a colorful parrot, fluttered noisily above his head.
Despite having met Ronan just seven days prior, and even being the one who informed him that he could leave, Borbi now seemed as excited as if he really hadn’t seen him in three years.
Ronan looked down upon the entire Magic Ring, seeing on the western side of the seven Silver-white Towers that there was an additional huge metallic base where numerous wizards in Magic Ring robes were bustling about.
"The Magic Ring is preparing to build the Eighth Tower..."
Kosti walked up beside Ronan and explained faintly, "A lot has happened during the three years of your intense training.
The Thorny Palace no longer exists; we the Magic Ring have admitted a Peak Level 3 Wizard who was formerly of the Thorny Palace, with the intention of making her the Eighth Ring Master. The decision passed just two months ago...
Oh right, you should have seen that person before, she was the lead wizard from the Thorny Palace during the opening of the Core Secret Realm of the Mirror Court... "
Ronan blinked, Kosti’s words evoked a memory.
An image of a beautiful Female wizard with plant-like hair full of vine leaves and flowers emerged in his mind.
He didn’t realize that in the blink of an eye, she had become a member of the Magic Ring.
"How much do you lack to reach Peak Level 3 Strength?"
Kosti suddenly started another topic out of the blue, inquiring Ronan.
Ronan shook his head.
He knew why Kosti was asking this.
He thought for a moment and then asked, "How much time is left until the start of the Southern Wizard Genius Gathering?"