Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1634 - 565: Divine Artifact

Rein advanced toward the dilapidated palace without the slightest delay.

Abruptly, a dark pitcher-like plant nearby unfurled its two razor-edged black leaves and savagely snapped at Rein's lower leg.

Yet, in that very moment, a steel spike burst from the soil ahead of time, stabbing into its gaping jaws and rapidly ripping it apart.

This minor interruption failed to disrupt Rein's stride at all. He kept moving ahead, at a steady and unhurried rhythm...

Still, Rein's eyes drifted a bit, since he spotted the black pitcher plant dissolving into faint trails of dark vapor, which lazily floated in the palace's direction.

"The Fiend Demon exerts a pull on evil qi to some extent."

"Much like the inherent link among manifestations created by various demonic energies," Rein reflected inwardly as he quietly observed the sight.

Various notions stirring within him, Rein pressed onward into the interior.

Throughout the path, corrupted flora influenced by the Fiend Demon assaulted him repeatedly, yet with his present strength, these nuisances offered no danger and barely impeded his progress.

Upon arriving at the palace entrance, the evil qi in front had coalesced into a subtle dark swirling barrier, suspended over the structure.

Rein felt sure that anyone short of epic rank entering this spot would swiftly transform under the thick evil qi's influence alone.

He peered through the shattered doors into the hall.

Within lay a vibrant swirling barrier, trapping Solson Gren as he rested inside it.

Hovering over the barrier, the peculiar device that Rein believed to be the Key of Time spun gently, emitting slender wisps of clear, graceful mist-like essence downward.

Even as the dark evil qi enveloped the final emperor, his eyelids remained shut in serene calm, a stark contrast to his earlier savage appearance.

Nevertheless, Rein scanned the area meticulously and failed to locate the Goblin Princess Amora Gren. It remained uncertain if her ethereal form had vanished or lurked elsewhere.

Yet, it probably had vanished.

After scrutinizing the scene for some time, Rein directed his focus to the Key of Time positioned above the head of the Goblin Last Emperor Solson Gren.

On this occasion, the Key of Time manifested as a tangible object rather than a mere vision, its base pointed like a blade while the top shaped into an empty circle.

At the circle's lowest point lingered a trace of luminous, gem-like grains.

Rein perceived that these minuscule crystalline bits held a mystical quality.

And it appeared these gem-like grains were exactly what bound Solson Gren—or more precisely, the Fiend Demon.

"...the count of crystal grains within looks a tad fewer than during Amora's initial emergence," Rein pondered deeply, drawing on his memory.

He shut his eyes once more, employing his vast spiritual force to probe carefully again.

"Sure enough, thirty-two crystal grains remain."

"If each signifies a day, that equates to just over a month."

"But isn't the Key of Time right here before me a physical item?"

"Then why did the Goblin Princess Amora instruct me to seek the authentic Key of Time?"

Rein furrowed his brow faintly, dwelling on the matter intently before shaking his head.

For the instant, he couldn't unravel it.

A short while later.

Apparently resolved on a course, Rein gazed once more at the Key of Time in front, his expression far more resolute. He stretched out his arm and gradually reached forward.

Prior to this, he had mulled over it extensively, harboring a persistent sense that the solution to all lay within the Key of Time directly ahead.

While vital for confining the Fiend Demon, this artifact proved even more essential for unveiling hidden truths.

Rein chose to make a gentle contact with it.

At Rein's tier, certain impulses or insights transcend mere fleeting fancies.

In truth, for a Full Moon Wizard, it's no overstatement to claim that numerous intuitions resemble prophecies, steered by instinct.

As Rein's fingertips brushed the 'Key of Time', his eyes abruptly flared wide!

A torrent of data flooded his consciousness, with visions flashing like a rapid sequence in Rein's thoughts...

...

After an extended period, Rein at last lifted his eyelids, brimming with astonishment, and whispered, "So that's how it is..."

In reality, this was no ancient fabled Divine Artifact 'Key of Time', but merely a fragment—a sub-key—of the genuine Divine Artifact 'Key of Time', holding just a portion of its true capabilities.

Still, it could revert the life of a single being or item to an earlier point in time.

"Does it meddle with time's rules on a minor level?" Rein inspected the Key of Time's sub-key with wonder.

Any item tied to time's laws deserved the title of Divine Artifact, sub-key or not.

One could easily envision the splendor of the actual Divine Artifact Key of Time!

That said, even a sub-key demanded a steep price for harnessing such might.

And that toll was far from trivial!

Beyond needing the user's robust spiritual power—at minimum that of a Full Moon Wizard—to sustain it, forming each Time Sand particle exacted a full day from the user's lifespan.

Moreover, the opponent's potency influenced the technique's success.

The mightier the foe, the greater the number of Time Sand particles required for equivalent results.

"Yet, even armed with such a Divine Artifact, defeating the Fiend Demon proves unattainable?" Rein contemplated yet another issue.