Oran had finally completed the initial construction of his alchemical tower.

The alchemical tower did not look particularly grand at first glance. It was built around a metal framework less than ten meters tall, crafted from the renowned Elena’s Magic Gold, a material from the previous era’s Demon Abyss Kingdom.

This metal framework was combined and cast with a white clay known as Demon Spirit Soil, a unique product of the Jar Demon Spirits. While often described as a byproduct, some might bluntly call it excrement.

Despite its origin, this precious material was so rare that outsiders could not acquire it, even if they fought for it.

Under the extraordinary spirit flames of numerous flame Demon Spirits, the two materials were fired and shaped, transforming into a bright white structure.

The result was a three-story white lighthouse crowned with a metal spire, standing just over ten meters tall.

The exterior of the alchemical tower was smooth and delicate, giving it the appearance of fine ceramic.

With the assistance of the Demon Spirits in the Abyss Royal City, Oran constructed his alchemical tower. Elena’s Magic Gold, known for its extraordinary properties, served as a key material, while Demon Spirit Soil proved to be an ideal carrier for ritual arrays.

The Demon Spirits had gone even further, installing glass windows, laying pure white floor tiles, and adding various exquisite decorations. Each of these additions was a miraculous creation in its own right.

Only in a place like the Abyss Royal City could so many extraordinary materials and miraculous items be gathered for Oran’s project.

Naturally, Oran had paid a steep price for this. He offered his entire fortune as compensation, parting with nearly all the artifacts he had crafted over the years, both large and small.

He kept only two of his flying carpets and even issued IOUs to some Demon Spirits, ensuring he would be working off his debts for quite some time.

“It’s a success! A great success!” cheered the Demon Spirits outside, many proudly holding various alchemical artifacts in their hands.

“See that spire up there? I made it! Doesn’t it have a touch of artistic brilliance?” exclaimed one of the flame Demon Spirits as a group of them gathered, their large, glass dome-like heads bumping into each other with a series of loud thuds.

“We refined the magic gold!” called out several puppet Demon Spirits perched high above, their voices filled with pride.

“And we pulled up the tower body,” added a jar-like Demon Spirit, its voice muffled but satisfied.

Oran expressed his gratitude to all the Demon Spirits as he stepped into the alchemical tower.

The silver flower pinned to his chest rotated on its own and spoke softly to Oran.

Gamel glanced around with curiosity, taking in every detail of the interior. “Master Oran, your alchemical tower is finally complete!” he exclaimed.

According to the blueprint, the first layer was intended to be a compact alchemical workshop. The second layer was planned as a storage area, while the third layer was designated as the Tower Spirit control level.

At present, the alchemical workshop had not been set up. The storage level’s defenses were entirely absent, leaving it vulnerable.

The Tower Spirit control level remained incomplete as well, with no Tower Spirit yet fused to it.

The alchemical tower was also designed with offensive capabilities, but these had not been inscribed or implemented yet.

“Gamel, this tower is far from finished,” Oran remarked. “There is still so much to do. Honestly, it might never truly be complete.”

Gamel tilted his head curiously. “Why is that, Master Oran?”

Oran smiled, his gaze thoughtful. “Because this tower isn’t just a structure. It is an alchemical life form. Like us, it has the potential to grow, to evolve, and to improve itself endlessly.”

Oran and Gamel gathered on the highest third layer, carefully taking out the mature Cup of Desire and placing it in the pool at the center of the Tower Spirit control level.

“Tower Spirit, this is your body!” Oran declared.

As the Cup of Desire settled into the pool, its roots began to spread outward, intertwining with the magic gold and connecting to the ritual arrays embedded within the alchemical tower.

The entire structure seemed to stir with life, radiating powerful energy waves.

Oran stood still, watching as the ritual array beneath his feet activated. The three-story alchemical tower was awakening, and the Tower Spirit was beginning to adapt to its new form.

“Tower Spirit, activate the barrier,” Oran instructed.

The ritual array came to life, and a shimmering light barrier surrounded the entire alchemical tower.

He then added, “Tower Spirit, organize and clean.”

A gentle force swept through the tower, tidying everything inside. The remnants of the crafting process, including dust and debris, were carried out through the doors and windows.

Gamel, still marveling at the tower, asked, “Master Oran, what else can this tower do?”

Oran smiled and replied, “This isn’t just an alchemical tower, Gamel. It is also a Tower Spirit workshop.”

Gamel tilted his head, intrigued. “A Tower Spirit workshop? What will you use it to create?”

Oran’s smile widened as he explained, “This Tower Spirit was born from my fascination with their mysteries. Its purpose is to help our civilization thrive and, one day, construct our own Tower of Heaven. To do that, it must create new Tower Spirits.”

Gamel’s eyes widened in surprise. “Create Tower Spirits? Really?”

Oran nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, that’s the idea. But the alchemical workshop on the first floor isn’t set up yet. I still need to figure out how to create new Tower Spirits and how to best use them. That’s why this alchemical tower is far from complete.”

In Oran’s vision, this was only the beginning. The alchemical tower was the first of many.

He envisioned a future with a second, a third, and eventually countless alchemical towers. His goal was to enable these towers to replicate and bring to life the mysteries of Tower Spirits, fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of the past.

As Oran shared his vision, Gamel suddenly asked, “Master Oran, the tower is so large. How will you take it with you?”

Oran smiled confidently. “This tower is only ten meters tall. I can just carry it with me.”

Gamel blinked in surprise. “But Master Oran, it’s a ten-meter-tall tower. How could you possibly carry it across the desert?”

Oran chuckled, raising his bracelet. “That’s the beauty of it. My storage artifact has just enough space to fit it perfectly.”

Someone like Gamel, who had never even owned a storage artifact, could hardly comprehend Oran’s extravagance.

In Thunder City, even the wealthiest and most influential individuals had storage artifacts with compartments no larger than an ordinary package. Every bit of space in those artifacts had to be carefully planned and used only when absolutely necessary.

These storage artifacts were invaluable, often serving as the inheritance of an Ability User family and playing a critical role in pivotal moments.

Yet here was Oran, casually mentioning that he would fit a ten-meter-tall tower into his storage artifact.

In the following days, Oran worked tirelessly to improve and organize his alchemical tower.

He emptied the contents of his various storage artifacts, carefully arranging them throughout the tower. What was once an empty structure gradually transformed into a lively and functional space, complete with tables, bookshelves, and an assortment of alchemical equipment.

One day, Oran invited Ray to visit his alchemical tower.

Ray sat by the window, gazing outside as he spoke.

“Everyone really likes your flying carpets. They’re even more popular than my aircraft!”

For the past few days, Demon Spirits could be seen riding flying carpets and zipping wildly through the sky, but Ray’s own aircraft had remained grounded.

Oran had recently consulted many books. He had also analyzed a great deal of information from Ray’s last flight into the Storm Sea.

“Ray, I came across something fascinating,” Oran began. “Take a look at this.”

“You know all those theories about how the Avel people left Ruhe Beast Island? Well, I think one of them makes the most sense. It suggests that, during their time, the Black Storm surrounding the island mysteriously dissipated. This book has some records and speculations about it.”

Oran placed a sea chart on the table, pointing to a specific spot as he continued.

“Here, Ray, this is the sea area as it was a few decades ago.”

He picked up a pen, drew a line on the chart, and then pointed to another spot further out.

“And this is where you reached last time. But the thing is, this area shouldn’t look like what you described. Back then, it was completely covered by the Black Storm. Yet when you flew there, the storm was gone. Do you see what I mean?”

Oran did not wait for Ray to respond, his voice growing more animated as he continued.

“This means the Black Storm that has been surrounding Ruhe Beast Island is starting to fade.”

He pressed his hand firmly on the sea chart, looking at Ray with a spark of excitement in his eyes.

“Ray, what happened once before could happen again. The gate to the world beyond Ruhe Beast Island might open once more. The miracle we have been waiting for, the one the Avel people experienced, could happen again in our time.”

It was clear that Oran was excited, as this concerned not just Ray’s journey but the entire future of Ruhe Beast Island.

If the gate to the outside world opened, it would mean that everyone could leave Ruhe Beast Island and explore a much larger world.

Although Oran did not understand why the Black Storm had started to dissipate, either in the past or now, it did not dampen his anticipation.

However, to Oran’s surprise, Ray showed no excitement at all.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Ray raised his head, scratched it, and said somewhat embarrassedly, “Because I’ve decided I’m not leaving the Abyss Royal City.”

Oran was stunned. “That is not like you, Ray. Has something happened?”

Ray fell silent for a moment, his gaze distant. “I guess I realized something, Oran. What I have been chasing all this time… it might not be what I truly want.”

“All those yearnings, all those expectations, they feel like illusions now. Like bubbles that pop the moment you reach for them.”

“I think I forgot why I started. I lost sight of my ideals, my goals. All that was left was this impulse to chase dreams, to keep flying higher and farther.”

He shook his head slightly. “I kept flying toward the sky, again and again, but I never really knew what I was looking for. Maybe what I was searching for was already here.”

“The dreams I had back then have already come true. But I was still stuck in the past, chasing something that no longer exists.”

He hesitated, then added, “I don’t even know anymore if I’m the Ray who believed in his dreams or just a shadow of who I used to be, clinging to yesterday.”

“Is that all?” Oran asked softly.

Ray lifted his gaze. “Isn’t that enough?”

Oran offered a gentle smile. “When past dreams are fulfilled, it is a moment worth celebrating. Ray, you ought to rejoice. When one dream is achieved, you can pursue the next. We are called intelligent beings because we possess desires that are unending and aspirations that never fade.”

Ray turned his head, leaning against the window.

A longing filled his eyes as he gazed at the blue sky, the distant lands, and the sun resting on the horizon.

“But I still want to go to faraway places. I still want to fly. Yet I can’t tell if these are my true desires or just illusions,” he murmured.

As he spoke, something slipped out from his collar.

It was a compass.

Oran’s attention was immediately drawn to the item, sensing a fluctuation that did not belong to Wisdom Authority.

“A Miracle Tool?”

In this world, the most common items were Divine Artifacts. Alchemical Artifacts were simply Divine Artifacts crafted by alchemists. Alchemy was just the method of creation, while Divine Artifacts were their true name.

Miracle Tools and Life Artifacts, on the other hand, were extremely rare.

Oran was able to recognize it because he had one within his own body, the Miracle Tool known as Oran’s Wooden Heart.

This artifact had been left inside him by the Storage Nymph Saint Raphael and had once saved his life.

Ray held up the compass. “This is Lady Elena’s treasure,” he said.

Turning to Oran, he added, “She called it ‘More Than Just a Compass.’ I’m not sure why She gave it to me. Maybe She thought I might lose my way up in the sky. Either way, it helped me find my way back from the Black Storm.”

The mention of the God of Demon Spirits made Oran recall his own awe before her. He realized then that an item from Elena could be nothing less than a Miracle Tool.

Oran looked at Ray and said, “For Lady Elena to entrust you with her Miracle Tool shows how much she values you, Ray.”

Ray’s face lit up with joy. “Lady Elena told me I am Her student. She also said I am the one who will carry on Her legacy and ideals.”

He paused for a moment, then repeated with pride, “That’s right! I am Lady Elena’s inheritor, the one who will uphold Her ideals!”

Oran looked at Ray, listening to his words.

He seemed to grasp something, recalling ancient secrets he had once learned. A sudden realization sent a chill down his spine.