The room was simply furnished; besides a few storage cabinets fixed to the walls and a small experimental table, the most conspicuous feature was the central area purposely left empty, engraved with rudimentary runes for stabilizing and channeling energy.

Duke’s thought activated the Coordinates Earring, triggering the coordinates to the Oracle Plane.

The surrounding space began to distort, rippling like the surface of water. A vortex of interwoven silver and pale gold engulfed Duke’s figure completely, then contracted sharply until it vanished without a trace, leaving only faint ripples slowly calming in the air.

In the next moment, Duke was engulfed in an entirely different sensation.

The first assault was the change in temperature; the warm, humid air of the Flower Sea Plane was instantly replaced by a crisp night air that carried a trace of coolness.

Next came the light; the constant illumination from the soft crystal vanished, replaced by a stream of cool silver moonlight pouring through a small window, sketching the faint outlines of the room’s simple furniture in the darkness.

Lastly, there was the scent; the sweet and rich fragrance of countless flowers disappeared, leaving the air filled with the faint aroma of aged wood, dry herbs, and a slightly diluted mix of Energy Particles unique to the Oracle Plane.

All was silent, except for the distant murmur of the city’s faint nocturnal breath and the nearby chirping of crickets from within the cracks in the walls.

Duke stood steadily at the center of the room, quickly quelling the last trace of spatial disturbance from his transit, and suppressed his own presence as much as possible.

He opened his eyes; his deep brown pupils gradually adjusted to the darkness.

This was precisely his temporary base in Azure Vault City, a small room at the back of the Star Embers Potion Shop.

By moonlight, he could see that everything in the room was almost exactly the same as it was when he left last time.

A simple wooden bed, a work table against the wall, a shelf holding basic tools, even the unlit oil lamp on the table was in the same position.

Everything was covered with a thin layer of dust, indicating it had been vacant for some time.

The window was shut tight, although the window paper had aged, allowing moonlight to filter through.

The room remained silent, without any guards present at night.

He did not immediately light the lamp but instead moved soundlessly like a shadow to the door, listening intently.

The backyard was utterly peaceful, and the direction of the Potion Shop at the front was equally silent.

He cautiously cracked open the door, allowing a cool night breeze to flow inside.

The backyard was immaculate, a sign that Robert had arranged for someone to maintain it regularly.

Like a ghost, Duke slipped out of the small room, his gaze quickly scanning the courtyard. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The positions of some clutter stacked in the corner remained unchanged, and the ground bore no fresh signs of frequent footsteps. His attention turned toward the back door leading to the front shop.

He gently pushed open the back door and entered the rear of the shop.

On the shelves were some crystal bottles containing various colored liquids, each bearing a crude label.

Duke picked up a bottle, brought it close to his nose, and sniffed, then examined its color and sediment by moonlight.

"Substandard Healing Potion... quality is rough, magic power conduction is poor, impurities are high." He made an instant assessment.

This was clearly the work of players or other low-level alchemists, placed here by Robert or someone on his behalf to maintain normal business operations.

The genuine high-quality potions of Star Embers had ceased supply with his departure.

The shop was also devoid of people, showing no signs of disturbance or search.

He moved to the window facing the street, peering through a gap to outside.

The night of Azure Vault City unfolded before him, its streets paved with massive stones, glistening coldly under the moonlight.

On both sides stood silent, robust stone buildings, the towering silhouettes of towers piercing the starry sky.

The entire city was draped in a profound tranquility, broken only occasionally by faint sounds possibly made by night patrol guards or late-returning coachmen.

No bright lights, no noisy clamor, a stark contrast to the bustling cities of the Wizard Plane.

"Indeed, very quiet," Duke mused internally.

At least on the surface, Azure Vault City showed no significant unrest despite the revival of the Ashen Mountain ruins.

The overt forces of the Four Gods Sect and the Light Sect seemed to maintain everyday order.

But beneath this calm, according to Dali’s intelligence, the Four Gods Sect had already dispatched personnel to the ruins area.

The next morning.

Even before the Star Embers Potion Shop opened, a knock lightly sounded on the wooden door, the rhythm carrying a specific pattern.

Duke willed the door latch silently open.

Robert’s tall figure slipped inside, promptly kneeling on one knee reverently: "Lord Duke!"

Unlike his reality-bound self, limited by Mercury’s barren environment and only able to ascend slowly as a High-tier Knight Attendant, here in the Oracle Plane, his aura was notably stronger, bearing the compactness characteristic of an official Extraordinary.

Here, he was a Level 1 Initial-stage Knight.

Although this power couldn’t be taken back to Mercury, it was indeed a significant aid for actions in this realm.

"Rise, tell me about the ruins," Duke gestured to a nearby wooden stool, indicating for him to sit and talk.

Robert sat as bid, leaning slightly forward with a serious expression: "My Lord, the activity over at the ruins is getting bigger."

He swiftly got into the details, "About five days ago, the chaotic energy field surrounding the ruins stabilized, forming a translucent, pale golden membrane. This membrane does not block physical passage but significantly weakens non-Light Attribute energy and exerts continuous purification and repulsion on those who enter."