The Eternal Magic Array

"Time, like a river, can cleanse all sins. The Lord says that the end of life purifies the soul!" 

Dozens of holy light projectiles rained down, targeting an unusually tall, pitch-black cave demon hound. Its head bore faintly visible, menacing horns. Despite its sturdy hide, it could only endure the onslaught for a few seconds before letting out a low growl and collapsing. 

As expected, a reward! I spotted a faint, dark glow amidst the ashes and reached out with my mental energy, swiftly drawing the loot toward me. A Level-2 Demon Hound Summoning Stone—a relic capable of summoning a demon hound to fight for you for fifteen minutes, usable up to eight times per day.

"Useless junk!" I muttered, tossing it into my pocket before scanning for the next target. Wolf King and Hachii Jinfu looked at me enviously. They wanted to kill off unique-looking demon hounds too but lacked the mental powers to collect their spoils from afar.

Unable to contain himself, Wolf King asked, "Wang Lin, we're all teammates here—think you could help me pick up a few things?"

Smiling, I nodded. "No problem."

Before the words even left my mouth, Wolf King let out an excited whoop, his weapon firing with renewed vigor. It was no trouble to help, though if anything truly valuable appeared, I certainly wouldn't hesitate to claim it myself. 

On Demon Isle, the strong rule, and I have no fear of Wolf King or the others challenging me. The loot from these demon hounds was much better than what we'd found on those massive spiders. With our tasks nearly complete, we started sifting through the battlefield for treasures. Wolf King found three Level-1 relics, a decent haul, though they did little to enhance his fighting abilities. Hachii Jinfu was luckier, securing a Level-2 Summoning Stone from an unremarkable-looking demon hound.

Jack's marksmanship had also improved considerably since the beginning, though his choice of targets left him empty-handed. Lilis, no longer required to hunt demon hounds for training, focused on piloting the helicopter. Still, seeing us scoring loot made her curious. She turned to me and asked, "What treasures have you all picked up?"

With a sigh, I tossed her a summoning stone. "Here, nothing but useless trinkets."

Retracting my body from outside the helicopter, I noticed Snoke and his team on the flying carpet, blasting through a pack of demon hounds, eventually cornering and killing their leader. They circled, clearly spotting some sort of relic, yet vicious beasts leaping to bite at them prevented them from descending. Forced to leave, they retreated. I pointed toward the location and instructed Lilis, "Head over there!" 

Obedient as a lamb, Lilis adjusted course, and soon we hovered above the demon hound leader's corpse. My mental energy surged downward, pulverizing the remains and lifting a fist-sized object from the carnage. 

A slight mental touch revealed a spark of excitement within me—this time, it wasn't a blasted summoning stone. With a crisp snap, I grabbed the treasure, its emerald gleam hinting at its considerable worth.

By now, our group had nearly cleared out the uniquely powerful demon hounds, and continuing further would be a waste of time and energy. Satisfied with the spoils, I shouted at Lilis to take us out of there. "Our next target is the Marshland Dragon. Let's return to Demon Isle Grand Hotel for a break, restock, and prepare to continue our mission!" 

Over the roar of the helicopter, I practically had to shout the words. Wolf King gave a nod, stowing his weapon, shoulders relaxed in agreement. Jack and Hachii Jinfu, itching to leave, eagerly followed. Under Lilis's skilled hands, the Red Spider helicopter turned for home. 

Baths, food, a restful sleep. 

When I finally awoke, I spread out six alchemy array learning cards alongside the treasure from the demon hound leader, greedily admiring them. Pride filled my heart, especially over two of the cards in particular—one of which was truly priceless. 

The Fourth-Level Magic Card of the Eternal Array's Principle, the Eternal Magic Array, represents one of the most profound magics. Once cast, it endures for years, even decades. High-level Eternal Magic can permanently bind a magical effect to an object or a person, remaining in effect until the item is destroyed or the caster dies. It requires alchemical skill to learn.

As I activated it with my Platinum Glory, the card drained half of my reserve power. Fortunately, my nameless martial arts skill allowed me to restore my reserves, merging inner strength and mental power to generate new Platinum Glory. Without it, I'd barely manage to activate a second card.

The Fifth-Level Magic Card, Eternal Wing Technique, one of the Eternal Magic Arrays, can bind the life essence of any winged creature to an object or person, granting them wings to soar through the skies. 

It requires understanding of the Eternal Magic Array and alchemical expertise to master.