Chapter 996 (1/2)

Chapter 996: The advantage is significant.

Guided by the deconstruction results, Noland Lee formulated his plan to venture towards the City of Exiles on the spot.

During this time, Nolin cleared all traces of the ceremony from the site and packed up all the Mole Man skeletons.

In total, there were four thousand Mole Man skeletons, half of which Noland Lee had used in the previous ceremony.

The remaining two thousand skeletons would be carried with him, so he could perform the “Bone Seeker Ritual” at any time.

These were ready-made bone materials, and Noland Lee would not waste them.

Once Nolin had cleaned up the site, Noland Lee had his plan to the City of Exiles drafted.

He put away the Mechanos, summoned the Rock Spirit, and retraced his steps back to ground level.

It was now two points past midnight.

The moon, haloed with radiance, hung high in the sky, surrounded by a starry host.

Noland Lee traveled overnight to the central area of Thousand Peak Ridge, stopping in an uninhabited valley.

After sending Denise Green a message of safety via “Mind Induction” and meditating briefly for spiritual recovery,

he summoned the Rock Spirit again and ventured downwards before the sun began to rise.

Going underground before the Rock Spirit were fifty Ground Drilling Mechanisms controlled by Nolin.

Together, these Mechanism dug straight down, quickly reaching a special zone 5,000 meters underground.

The geological structure of this world was peculiar, with no increase in heat as one descended; instead, it became more intimidating and colder.

At 5,000 meters underground, near the ceiling of the Dark Zone, there was a “Slate Layer” with a thickness of over a hundred meters.

The hardness of the Slate Layer was astounding, impervious to ordinary drill bits and also resistant to energy.

This layer, posing great difficulty in cutting through and lying atop the entire Dark Zone, acted as a natural barrier separating the 5,000 meters aboveground from the 5,000 meters below.

The Wizards did not know how it had formed.

Over the years, the Wizard Advancement Association had merely researched methods to penetrate it.

These methods were written into textbooks, now providing guidance for Noland Lee.

One of the quicker methods was to use a high-level Earth Rock Magic specifically designed for the Slate Layer—”Slate Layer Crossing Technique.”

Noland Lee did not know this magic spell.

But he was wealthy.

He activated his psychic sense to contact Selena, having her discreetly purchase several magic scrolls from the Magic Items Exchange in the Ulnas Circle.

Each “Slate Layer Traveling Spell Scroll” was priced at 1.5 million gold coins, containing 5 million points of Rock and Soil Energy, just enough for one-way travel through the Slate Layer.

Noland Lee was extravagant and bought six scrolls at once.

After receiving the magic scrolls sent by Selena, he didn’t hesitate to dismiss the Rock Spirit, tore open one of the scrolls, and slapped it onto himself.