In the cold and dry cave, Merlin crouched over the skeletons. The skeletons were scattered across the floor, covered in rotten robes.

It seemed that these people had been dead for a long time. In Abyss Fort, only Spell Casters who wished to cultivate Darkness Heart could enter the Darkness Void.

It was easy to assume that these skeletons were Spell Casters sent by Abyss Fort to cultivate Darkness Heart, but they had failed and were forever lost in Darkness Void.

"Crash!"

Merlin touched one of the skeletons and it broke in an instant. They could have been here for a long time and had become fragile.

Merlin walked further and noticed the vast number of skeletons. Some were from a few decades ago, and some were a few centuries old.

Merlin inspected them again. He searched for rings left by the skeletons but could not find one.

No one would enter Darkness Void unless they intended to cultivate Darkness Heart. Merlin looked through the skeletons in hopes of finding a "small treasure". After all, there were so many Spell Casters before him – their rings would contain enormous wealth.

However, it seemed that they had already been extorted and there were no rings left. It was most likely that the rings could have been taken by other Spell Casters who had mastered Darkness Void and successfully cultivated Darkness Heart.

Most Spell Casters who were successful in cultivating Darkness Heart could have extorted all the rings and treasures of the skeletons in Darkness Void.

Merlin laughed to himself. How could he be in such a great situation but still be rewarded with such ill-gotten wealth?

Although Merlin could not find a ring among the skeletons, he had noticed Molta inscriptions on some of the skeletons. He was curious and dusted off the bones to read the inscriptions.

"It has been six days. I've lasted six days and finally mastered the illusion. However, my Clarity Stone has been exhausted. Now, I need to make a choice. Do I continue to wait for the seventh day or do I choose to cultivate the third form of Darkness Heart?

"It was such a tough choice. After three days in Darkness Void, I can cultivate the first form of Darkness Heart. Within days four to six, I can cultivate the second form of Darkness Heart. I've already cultivated the second form, but I can't have any regrets. The difference between the second form and the third form is too big!

"However, I want to become the first prodigy in Abyss Fort to successfully cultivate the third form of Darkness Heart. I just have to resist the seventh day, and I'll be able to cultivate the third form!"

The Molta inscriptions stopped there. The author of the inscriptions had turned into bones. It was clear that he did not make it to the final day.

Merlin finished reading the text and frowned slightly. The inscriptions revealed a lot of information that was very useful to him.

"According to the description in this text, the illusions of Darkness Void can be divided into three stages. The first three days correspond to the first form of Darkness Heart. If this is true, the illusions of the first form of Darkness Heart will not be different from the illusions of Darkness Void from the first three days. If you get through the first three days, you can easily cultivate the first form of Darkness Heart.

"During days four to six, the strength of the illusions will increase and corresponds to the second form of Darkness Heart. The seventh day correlates to the third form!"

Merlin finally understood the huge difference in Darkness Void. It was not surprising that Wizard Hobbes had mentioned if Merlin did not leave Darkness Void in seven days, it would bode ill rather than well.

The seventh day represented the strongest illusion of Darkness Void. The vain Spell Caster from Abyss Fort who had etched the inscriptions wanted to become the first prodigy of Abyss Fort.

However, even a prodigy as such could not last the seventh day in Darkness Void to cultivate the third form of Darkness Heart. Instead, the prodigy was forever lost in Darkness Void.

Many thoughts ran through Merlin's mind. However, he had been in Darkness Void for some time, and after five days, he was still able to break through the illusions. He would be able to cultivate the second form of Darkness Heart with ease.

However, as the inscription had said, the difference between the second and third form of Darkness Heart was too big. With little thought, the author still wanted to cultivate the third form.

On the seventh day in Darkness Void, the illusions strength would increase exponentially. The Spell Caster prodigy who etched the inscriptions was not able to withstand the illusions of the seventh day and ended up lost in Darkness Void, only to become bones.

"I still have the Clarity Stone. If I can't last any longer, I'll use it!"

Merlin deliberated for a moment and finally made a decision. He was prepared to wait patiently in Darkness Void for the seventh day. If the illusions of the seventh day were too strong and he could no longer resist them, he would use the Clarity Stone.

The Clarity Stone had shrunk to more than half the original size and only a small portion was left. The reason it had not been completely exhausted was that Merlin was able to break through the illusions with his determination and faith.

The strength of the illusions had already increased by the fourth day, but Merlin still had faith and used it to break through the illusions without the need to use his Clarity Stone.

If other Spell Casters used the Clarity Stone frequently, it would have been completely depleted by the third day.

After he made his decision, Merlin's heart gradually calmed down. He returned to sit in his original position and waited patiently for the seventh day in Darkness Void to arrive!

…

"It's the seventh day, Wizard Leo, if Merlin doesn't come out today, I'm afraid that this will bode ill rather than well!"

Wizard Hobbes stared coldly into Darkness Void as a smile revealed itself from the corner of his lips. It was the seventh day; Wizard Hobbes and the others finally felt relieved.

The illusions on the seventh day in Darkness Void were the strongest. In the history of Abyss Fort, only a handful of Spell Casters could last that long, Merlin would not fare any different.

Even the Clarity Stone would be useless on the seventh day. A Spell Caster would have to depend on his own mental strength to see through the illusion and leave Darkness Void.

"The seventh day has not ended yet!"

Wizard Leo's expression was somber, his Darkness Eye constantly looking into Darkness Void.

…

"The seventh day is arriving and so is the illusion!"

Merlin's surrounding suddenly changed, and he was immediately back in a familiar room. It was the room he stayed at Wilson's Fort in Blackwater City.

"How interesting. I've returned to Blackwater City. This illusion is quite impressive!"

Merlin smiled and did not seem to care. He opened the main doors and found maidservant Lucia and Macy whispering to the butler in the hall downstairs.

Old Wilson was there too, along with Commander Prat, who had just finished training and was sweating profusely as he ordered a maidservant to prepare a bath. It was a warm and familiar setting – Merlin felt like he was back at Blackwater City.

"It's truly perfect, I can't find a single flaw. My faith seems to have been shaken… However, this is just an illusion. Even if I can't break through it, I'll use the Clarity Stone!"

Merlin tried to shut his eyes and use his strong faith, but as he opened them, he was still in the illusion. He knew that the strength of the illusions would increase drastically on the seventh day and it would not take a short time to see through it.

Thus, Merlin quickly took out the Clarity Stone from his ring and it let off a strange scent to clear Merlin's mind. Immediately, the illusion disappeared, and he was back in the cold and dry cave.

"I must have strong faith. I'll try the illusion once more and I'll be able to break through it!"

Merlin looked at the tiny Clarity Stone in his hand as he regained his faith. He put the Clarity Stone away and immersed himself in the illusion again.

Once, twice, thrice…

Merlin's Clarity Stone seemed to be depleting, but with every trial, he seemed more and more determined.

"At the end of the day, it's just an illusion. I must end this!"

Merlin smiled slightly as he took a deep breath and shut his eyes as he focused on his faith and powerful mental strength.

He opened his eyes, and the illusion had disappeared. He had finally made it to the seventh day in Darkness Void and broke through the illusion!

"The illusion on the seventh day was truly formidable, but I was able to break through and I can finally cultivate the third form of Darkness Heart!"

Merlin was able to withstand seven days in Darkness Void. Even if the illusion from the cultivation of Darkness Heart was strong, he was be able to cope.

Thus, he began to cultivate the third form of Darkness Heart.

One day, two days…

Merlin was able to break through every illusion from the third form of Darkness Heart. He could feel himself embodying the spirit from the dark night and he felt close and intimate with Darkness element.

Under the influence of Darkness Heart, the power of his Dark Mist and Dark Light Realm increased drastically.

"I should go."

Merlin stood up and prepared to leave Darkness Void, but as he was about to leave, he asked the Matrix, "Matrix, how many days have I been in Darkness Void?"

Merlin was under the impression that he had been in Darkness Void for nine days, and he was worried that Wizard Leo was still waiting outside.

"You've been in Darkness Void for seven days!"

"Seven days? That's not possible. I've spent two days cultivating Darkness Heart. How could it be seven days?"

Merlin heard the Matrix's answer and shifted slightly. He remembered very clearly that he broke through the illusion and spent two days cultivating Darkness Heart.

"The Matrix's records could not be wrong, but neither are my memories. Could it be…?"

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows, and suddenly a possibility that made him uneasy rushed through his mind.

"Could this still be an illusion?"

Merlin raised his head fiercely. He was still in the cold and dry cave, and everything seemed normal, but his forehead broke out in cold sweat.