Shelley’s Trust, Thorne Advances to Spiritual Lake!

After confirming Blake's departure, Thorne released Shelley and relayed Blake's purpose to her.

Shelley was equally perplexed.

"By doing this, won't the whole continent know someone stole their Life Stone?" she asked.

"Exactly. The desert's about to get lively. The Life Stone's allure—even the elves can't deter everyone on the continent," Thorne replied.

But that wasn't what baffled him most. Blake had met Shelley before, knew her ties to Thorne, and many elves had seen her face during this chase. Blake must know she was the thief.

Didn't that mean the elves already suspected—or were certain—Thorne held the Life Stone?

Yet they still hunted Shelley openly and sought his help.

"The elves are toying with the world—and treating me like meat on a chopping block," Thorne muttered.

Realizing this, their actions made sense. He even suspected the Elf King himself gave Shelley the Life Stone.

Perhaps a power coveted it—likely the Light Temple, forcing the elves into this convoluted ruse to avoid direct confrontation.

Sharing his theory with Shelley, she was stunned.

"Don't tell me you didn't consider the trouble this would bring me when you went to steal it," Thorne said, his tone sharp. Her reckless act now thrust him into a major conflict with the elves.

Shelley knelt, apologizing. "I'm sorry, my lord. I knew it might trouble you, but it's my only chance to save my master—I had to try."

"Hmph, that's no excuse for dragging me into this. How will you atone?"

Trembling, Shelley knelt in fear. It was her fault, but she'd had no choice.

"I'll accept any punishment, my lord. Even my life—but please let me first take the Life Stone to my master."

"Naive and laughable. By the time you save him, the elves might've destroyed me. What use is your life to me?"

Shelley fell silent, head bowed.

"Serve me for twenty years, and I'll release you. To prevent escape, leave the Life Stone with me," Thorne proposed.

Shelley's origins were mysterious, her strength and potential solid. With few capable hands, she was a good fit.

Her blunder warranted twenty years' service to offset the damage.

Shelley hesitated. Trading freedom to serve a possibly ancient entity was unappealing, but her actions had endangered Thorne, and her life hung in his grasp.

"I can't die. For my master, I must live. Twenty years—then I can save him."

"I agree. Please honor your promise—release me after twenty years and return the Life Stone," she said, left with no choice but to trust him.

"Rest assured. Hand it over now."

Resigned, Shelley tossed a green gem to Thorne.

As it hit the lake, the system chimed.

"Drip, Life Stone detected. Host has two options."

"Refine it: System space can permanently store living beings."

"Embed it: System space can store living beings for three days."

"Refine it," Thorne chose.

He wouldn't keep promises. The elves already pegged Shelley as his ally and assumed he had the stone—might as well make their suspicions reality.

"Drip, refining successful. System space expanded, can now permanently store living beings."

Thorne sensed the space—over 100 square meters, devoid of energy, unfit for cultivation.

Oblivious, Shelley knelt by the lake. Had she known he'd refined it, she might've fought to the death.

For now, Thorne had no use for her. He summoned a Huang Tribesman to take her to Tylen in the canyon, instructing him to intensify beast training and stay hidden—a big battle loomed.

Thorne had long planned for the elves as hypothetical foes.

He'd finished refining spiritual water days ago but delayed upgrading due to underground matters. Now was the time.

"System, upgrade me to Spiritual Lake."

"Drip, upgrading. Please wait."

The lake, halved before, appeared calm outwardly but underwent a wondrous shift. Spiritual energy from the heavens poured in, refining the water. Already rich with spirit, it now brimmed with vitality.

To outsiders, it remained an unremarkable lake, less grand than Mid-Continent's famed ones. But with a thought, Thorne could infuse it with spirit, making it a Lake of Spiritual Power.

The upgraded lake gained superb concealment—Thorne could reshape it at will.

Months of refining had deepened his mastery over its structure, enabling this flexibility.

Its size restored, spiritual density undiluted, the fish and shrimp within felt it. Some fainted from the richness; hardier ones began transforming subtly.

A boom thundered from the sky. Torrential rain fell, turning to spiritual water in the lake, sparking a growth frenzy among shore creatures.

"Drip, congratulations, host, on successful upgrade."