After entering the Northern Realm, the caravan traveled slowly along the winding mountain roads in magic-powered cars.
As night fell, the convoy stopped in an open grassy area, preparing to camp there for the night.
The night sky, black as ink, permeated the valley, and starlight flickered faintly behind thick clouds.
A bonfire crackled on the bare rock, casting long shadows of five young figures onto the frosted grass.
Ezreal poked the fire with a branch, sending sparks like fireflies into the air, illuminating his serene profile—his goggles already pushed up to his forehead, a few strands of his golden hair stirred by the night breeze.
"Levy-chan—" Lucy, wrapped in a fluffy ferret shawl, scooted closer to the blue-haired girl, her hazel eyes reflecting the firelight, "Your magic book is glowing! Is your storybook almost finished?"
Levy's thick storybook on her lap was glowing with a rainbow aura. Hearing Lucy, she adjusted her round-rimmed glasses, her fingertips holding a golden pen, materialized by Solid Script Magic, tracing faint golden lines on the pages: "Not yet, but it's close."
As the pen moved, one profound ancient character after another appeared in the magic book.
Each character was written with great effort, and the magical energy consumption was significant, but Levy's face showed only seriousness, besides the sweat.
Catching a glimpse of Lucy's expectant gaze, Levy's pen paused, then lightly tapped the character she had just finished writing.
Suddenly, a fiery glow erupted on the rainbow-colored pages, and the ethereal image of a crimson fireball appeared. The air temperature rapidly rose, and a wisp of flame slowly drifted out of the fireball, landing in the surrounding bonfire.
The flickering, burning bonfire immediately intensified, its light illuminating everyone's faces.
"I'm trying to make every detail of the story as comprehensive as possible, so that when the story is complete, the power I wield from it will be strong enough."
Levy, with her other hand free, gently beckoned, and the illusory fireball flew into her hand.
She playfully tossed the fireball in her hand a couple of times, then nodded in satisfaction. With a gentle toss, the fireball automatically flew back into the book's pages.
Lucy's eyes widened, the dancing bonfire reflected in her hazel pupils, her face filled with awe: "That's amazing, Levy-chan!"
"Well..." Levy waved her hand, a little shy, "It's not that big a deal, really..."
A sudden "crunch" sounded as Droy munched on salt-baked pine nuts.
"You guys need to praise the genius botanist!" The bean sprout-headed young man sat cross-legged on the other side of the fire, pulling out a snow-white seed from his bulging snack bag: "My Ice Flower has been successfully improved too!"
He proudly shook the seed, its snowflake patterns on the surface reflecting an icy crystal-like sheen under the firelight.
"I am definitely a genius of plant magic! This is a special plant that can release ice balls!"
Jet pounced from behind and wrapped his arm around Droy's neck, the silver chains on his denim jacket clanking: "Bean sprout's potted plants are too boring, if you ask me—"
He conjured a vibrant green potion with a flourish, suspicious bubbles churning in the glass tube, "This is a man's romance! Lizard Regeneration Potion 3.0, drink it and even a broken bone will heal in three minutes!"
Lucy pointed at the bubbling green potion, mercilessly retorting, "That looks more like poison..."
Jet unscrewed the test tube, and a faint green gas flew into the air, emitting a smell of rotten eggs. Jet, however, took a deep, intoxicated breath, then screwed the test tube back on, "You truly lack appreciation, this is my masterpiece."
"Ugh..." Droy covered his mouth and nose, scooting back half a step, "Last time you tricked me into trying that strawberry-flavored recovery potion, and I threw up for three hours."
"This time it's mint-flavored!" Jet shook the test tube, the green liquid glinting eerily in the firelight. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes expectant, "Anyone want to be the first brave test subject? I've improved the formula this time, and the taste is much better, well, probably..."
"Jet," Ezreal suddenly spoke, pointing at the potion, "your test tube cap isn't screwed on tight."
"Ah!" Jet fumbled to screw the cap on tightly, almost dropping the test tube into the fire.
Seeing this, Lucy let out a giggle, her exhaled white mist dissipating in the cold wind.
Just then, the Southern Cross silver key at Lucy's waist suddenly glowed with silver light, and a silver cross-shaped magic circle slowly unfolded before her.
The figure of Crux of the Southern Cross constellation emerged from the magic circle, his silver-white cross-shaped body glowing with a soft halo under the moonlight, a kind smile on his face.
"Young people's gatherings are always full of vitality. Good evening, everyone."
"Grandpa Cru!" Lucy stood up in surprise, her eyes full of joy, "Why did you suddenly appear?"
"Cru?" Jet was shocked.
"Grandpa?" Droy's eyes widened.
Jet scrutinized Crux from head to toe, utterly astonished, "So Lucy's family elder is so unique. As expected of a four-hundred-year-old Mage family."
Droy looked at Crux, whose main form was a silver cross, with his arms and legs seemingly threaded through it, "It must hurt to wear clothes like that. As expected, even rich people don't have it easy!"
Lucy was taken aback, "What in the world are you two marveling about?!"
Crux was also bewildered, his usually squinted eyes widening a bit.
Ezreal stood up and punched Jet on the head, then bowed apologetically to Crux, "I apologize, that was rude."
Levy, with a dark expression, closed her storybook and swung it, sending Droy flying, "This is clearly a Celestial Spirit!"
Jet, rubbing his head, suddenly realized, "So it's a Celestial Spirit?"
Levy swung her storybook again, knocking Jet to the ground, "Die!"
"Ha, haha, it's alright..." Crux chuckled, stroking his beard, "These two seem to be, well... honest children..."
Usually, when someone praises a person as 'honest,' it means... there's really nothing else to praise!!!
"Ahem... ahem!" Crux coughed twice, quickly stating the reason for his sudden appearance, "Little Lucy, the guidance of the stars has become clearer."
Crux floated in the air, his gaze gently sweeping over everyone: "Little Lucy, the horologium key is nearby."
Lucy, who had already made some conjectures, immediately became excited, "Can you pinpoint the location, Grandpa Cru?"
Crux nodded, waving his hand to cast a shower of silver starlight.
The starlight condensed in the air, gradually revealing a blurry outline.
Surrounded by the starlight, the outline slowly became clearer, revealing a beautiful, ice-blue circular lake.
This circular lake was like a giant sapphire that had suddenly appeared in the night sky, exuding a captivating and mysterious aura.
Looking at the lake's surface, it was as calm as a highly polished mirror.
There wasn't a single ripple, as if time itself had stopped on its surface.
The lake's surface reflected the starlight from the night sky, those stars shimmering like diamonds embedded in the lake, radiating brilliant light.
And the area around the lake was covered by a thick layer of ice and snow.
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