The Invincible Full-Moon System

Chapter 1992: The Sundial Arch (2)

Rex knew that he would need to find a Warden.

Even though he didn’t know what a Warden was exactly, he assumed it was a similar entity to the Cluster Custodian, someone who inherited the pure power of a God. Due to that, he knew that finding one might be a little bit hard.

It was the reason why Rex said that they were only going to look around.

Said that they wouldn’t spend too long in the Sundial Arch.

Not to mention, he was quite sure that the realm hid countless booby traps that would hinder them from finding a Warden or finding anything within the Sundial Arch at all. But he wasn’t expecting to stumble into one so soon.

Swish—!

What the heck?

Rex wanted to look down, but he couldn’t.

Every part of his body was trapped in a statis hold that he couldn’t break with muscle alone.

Don’t move!

Rex sent a warning through telepathy, warning Davina and Lilliana from taking another step—lest they would be influenced by the same thing holding him in place. He didn’t know if he could break this hold, so he couldn’t risk them being trapped, too.

Behind, Davina and Lilliana remained rooted in their spots.

Even if Rex didn’t warn them, the two wouldn’t move anyway.

He might not have realized it yet, but every trace of color had already drained from his body.

All that remains is a lifeless grey.

It was visibly obvious that he was suspended in time.

”I didn’t even sense any energy...” Davina frowned.

”Me neither,” Lilliana added, sweeping her eyes around to see where the source of power—that gripped Rex came from, but she couldn’t find anything. She suspected it to be one of the crystals in the sky, but none seemed to glint weirdly. ”What exactly happened?”

It’s a formation. I’m guessing it covered the entire realm.

Rex’s senses were incredibly sharp.

Even without needing to ask the System about the Stasis Arch Formation, he could already tell what it does. He was too distracted by the surroundings earlier, but now that he was focused—he knew that the formation would gradually put someone into time stasis.

It’s not through distance, as his steps were uneven in length, and it’s also not through an invisible trap.

Before cracking the mystery, Rex tried something.

He summoned the Aegis of Moon Sentinel behind him, and channelled the Law of Misdirection.

A yellowish hue began to seethe across his body.

No matter what held him in place, be it immortal energy or something else, the Law of Misdirection would be able to push it away. Perhaps it would take time—but it would certainly be able to break him out of this time stasis.

Just as expected, sensations began to return to his body.

Rex unleashed his aura and the power that held him broke like glass, shattering into glinting fragments.

But as soon as he was about to turn, the same power held him again.

Fuck! How is it that quick? System!

”Maybe it’s tracking your steps?” Lilliana muttered aloud.

She took another step forward, and didn’t feel anything.

Rex was locked in time stasis after the first step, but she didn’t feel anything at the second. She frowned and made a few more steps forward—attempting to find out how exactly the formation was influencing them without any trace of energy.

It must be through the use of immortal energy.

But since it was a formation, even Lilliana should be able to sense something.

If she couldn’t sense anything, not even a premonition—then the formation must only be using a sliver of immortal energy. That was strange. Formations were meant to amplify, empowered versions of some existing abilities that would normally require hundreds, even thousands, working in unison to replicate.

Stop walking around! I can’t have you be trapped, too!

”What are you suggesting then? Are you going to stay there until our time is up?” Lilliana raised a sharp brow, silencing Rex. All he could do was wait for the System to finish, and he didn’t know how much time that was going to take. ”Besides, I’m not feeling anything at all.”

She then turned to Davina, still standing where she was from the start.

”Try walking too, Davina. See if you feel anything from the formation.”

”Me?”

”Don’t be a cat, sister. Come on.”

Davina hesitated at first.

But after taking the first step and feeling nothing, she became bolder and took a few more steps.

Like Lilliana, she also didn’t feel anything at all.

”What makes us different from him?” Davina crossed her arms and tapped on her chin. ”All I can think of is that he’s a man. But that didn’t make any sense since this is the Weaver of Time’s realm. He will not care about that kind of thing.”

”Oh!” Lilliana snapped her fingers. ”Age! We are much older than him.”

Davina’s eyes widened.

Considering that Rex was only in his twenties, even with the time he spent—in the Spirit Realm, while the two of them had lived for centuries, Lilliana’s guess made sense. That was the only explanation that could make sense of this formation that had struck him harder than it did to them.

Because he was simply too young to resist it.

Davina and Lilliana were more than ten times his age, so they were more resistant to the formation.

It might be a natural barrier to stop a rising power.

Age...? Then doesn’t that mean I’m stuck?

”No, not really.” Lilliana shook her head. ”Use your life energy; it might work on the formation.”

Life energy was something Spirits accumulated only through the passage of time—aging was the sole means, or so the Spirit Realm’s laws dictated. Perhaps life energy carried an age-property of its own— something that could help Rex resist the formation’s influence.

Rex focused his mind and began tapping into his life energy.

He summoned all three Soul Artifacts and coated his entire body with their energies.

For a good half a minute, he strained against the formation’s grip, trying to force it back. But all he was able to do was exhaust himself. Rex thrashed his own mind, seething with frustration. Being trapped in something this irritating was a special kind of torment.

It was the fact that he could exert the raw physical strength that frustrated him most.

Never once had he ever been placed in a situation like this.

I still can’t. Not enough.

”A perfect trap, then.” Davina shook her head slowly, realizing how much more troublesome—this trap was. ”The formation must be multiplying its effects on those who are younger, keeping any youngsters from even the notion of cheating it. I never expected the Weaver of Time to be this cunning.”

”Such a cutey~” Lilliana approached Rex—and stroked his back. ”In this realm, you’re as helpless as a baby.”

Wow, really? You’re playing around when I’m stuck like this? Are you being serious?

”What’s wrong with that? Sometimes I forget that you’re not even a quarter of my age.”

What’s fucking wrong with that? We have something to do here!

”Hey, boys like you shouldn’t curse. Bad boy!”

Okay... Just wait until I break out. I’m going to repay this a hundred times worse!

”Look at her sister, all grumpy and cute.” Lilliana laughed humorously. Rex’s face was frozen in time— but the aura coming from him was hot, which only made it funnier. ”We should bring him here often in the future, what do you think?”

”Stop teasing him and find a way to break him out,” Davina then pointed at Lilliana’s hand. ”And stop rubbing his back like that; I don’t like it.”

”Eugh... Everyone is so serious. I’m sure he could find a way to break free any second now.” Lilliana rolled her eyes and walked to the side, taking in the scenery that was somewhat beautiful. ”And besides, I already have a plan to help him.”

”You already have a plan?”

”Yes.”

”Then what is it?”

”I’m pretty sure the formation spent only a fraction of its energy to read the age of every entity—in this entire realm, which was why I can’t even sense anything. The rest of the energy was stored to empower this time-stopping thing.”

She paused, contemplating for a second, and then spoke again.

”The simplest way to measure age is through the soul. Appearance deceives. A soul cannot.”

”Then what?” Davina tilted her head in confusion. ”What are you suggesting?”

”What else?” Lilliana spun to face them—smiling with clarity. ”We only need to age Rex’s soul or, better yet, wrap it in an older protective layer. Something to fool the formation’s detection. The latter is easier than aging his soul. All we need are souls to harvest.”

Anything regarding the soul is extremely dangerous, as the soul is a delicate substance.

Davina frowned at the suggestion.

”Who can even do that? And how can we find souls in this desert?”

”I can.”

Lilliana pointed at her own face.

”Ever since transforming, I think I am more sensitive to souls. I’m really sure why.”

Because your bloodline holds a more profound connection to life—and death. Because its mutation was born from the devouring of souls.

Both sisters turned towards Rex.

A question appeared in their minds, as it was surprising for Rex to be able to inherit a bloodline like that when he had not even a trace of connection to souls. And more importantly, giving Lilliana that bloodline seemed deliberate.

”Rex...” Lilliana turned to face him. ”Did your insight reach even to this moment?”

For her to have this particular bloodline to deal with this particular realm seemed like a deliberate thing.

She began to question whether Rex already thought that far.

What? No, it’s a coincidence. I can’t control the bloodline you developed.

”Hmm...”

I’m not lying.

”Then it’s one hell of a coincidence.”

In any case, about six miles east, there are several creatures there. Strong. Very strong, actually.

Rex swept the area with the System and found them—several creatures, scattered and solitary despite being of the same species. No packs. No clusters. Each one kept to itself. The System’s rough estimate left no room for doubt that they were incredibly strong.

Docile, not hostile.

But anything would turn hostile if someone tried to take their souls, so it didn’t matter.

”What choice do we have?” Davina shrugged as she turned towards the east. ”We need to hunt it down.”

Since Rex would be stuck without souls, they might as well try taking down the creatures. It would be better if there was any other choice, but there wasn’t anything else. She was about to dash ahead, but a hand seized her wrist.

Lilliana stopped her.

”Rex, can you sense all of the creatures?”

”Yes. What’s wrong?”

”How many are there?”

”East, there are almost a hundred of them, but they are all separated.”

”A hundred, huh...”

Lilliana looked skyward and began counting something.

”Are you counting the crystals?” Davina asked, confused. ”Why?”

”Since this area is covered by the formation, I’m guessing this was a defensive layer. So—there would be many traps. I’m sure a God would anticipate that someone would have a way to manipulate souls,” Lilliana smiled inwardly when she found that there were a bit more than a hundred crystals above. ”And thus, set a trap for those who are overconfident.”

”Lilliana, I’m not following you.”

”I’m saying that the Weaver of Time must anticipate someone hunting down these creatures to harvest souls. So, their souls are stored elsewhere to avoid giving them away.”

”You mean...”

Davina looked skyward. Looked at the glinting crystals.

Crystals that she thought were nothing before other than decorations for the Sundial Arch.

”Yes,” Lilliana nodded as her eyes flashed with clarity. ”Seems like the crystals above are the creatures’ souls.”