The reason for Sterl's astonishment was that he recognized the old man. He was the scout player from the Demigod Guild. He should have been a young man, so why did he look so aged now? The appearance of players could change, and the rate of change depended on their lifespan limits.
For instance, the average lifespan limit for third-class players varied among different races, typically ranging from three to four hundred years. A player who lived beyond 300 years would start to show signs of aging.
However, the scout from the Demigod Guild was definitely a young man, and yet he now appeared as if he were three or four hundred years old. What was going on??
Sterl thought for a moment and directly asked, "Lovic? Is that you?"
"I'm a new member of the [Sky Thunder] Guild, here in Lorik Harbor on a mission. The members of my guild asked me to look for you while I was at it."
"How did you end up like this?"
Sterl had confirmed that once inside the instance, all communication with the outside world was cut off. Lovic couldn't possibly know that the guild was gone.
Sterl was just making things up.
However, after hearing this, Lovic displayed a very strange expression.
"Lovic, who is that?"
"That name sounds familiar. I think I did join some guild, but that was back in my youth."
"No, wait. It should have been before I entered this instance. I've been wanting to go back all this time."
"Where was I trying to go back to?"
"Where did you hear all this?"
"No, no..."
At first, the old man remained relatively calm, but soon veins began to bulge on his forehead. He clutched his head, looking in pain.
"I'm still young..."
"How could I have fallen to this state?"
"No! I won't accept this. I won't accept it."
In the end...
Bang!
With a clear sound, Lovic exploded into a mist of blood, which then transformed into several tadpole-like larvae that slowly gathered.
Ultimately, they were forcibly reformed into Lovic.
And at that very moment, Sterl's Star Insight activated.
[Larvae]
[Description: The most basic element that constitutes dreams; the power of all living beings serves as food for the larvae, and the larvae are everything within this dream.]
Sterl "..."
At this moment, he looked at the revived Lovic—
Lovic was no different from before, except he seemed a bit older and had calmed down, as if he had forgotten the earlier conversation.
Sterl frowned slightly.
He felt that this instance was a bit sinister. Initially, he thought the people in front of him were players, but now it seemed uncertain whether they were real humans or monsters.
However, Sterl kept his mouth shut for the time being, while the young girl who had been by his side approached with a bright smile.
However...
As if to prove the girl's words, a sudden surge of movement occurred ahead.
Lovic suddenly called out in panic, "It's the swarm! The swarm is coming again!"
"It's coming again! I don't want to die; I don't want to be torn apart."
"Help! I don't want to be eaten!"
...
In an instant, everyone was wailing.
Although death could be avoided, the pain was very real. Many people rushed to Sterl's side, pleading, "Warrior, aren't you here to conquer the instance?"
"Protect us; it's a simple task! We beg you!"
Sterl hesitated for just a few seconds before nodding in agreement, "No problem, just stay behind me."
Even though he had already sensed that something was off with the instance, he figured that the only one suffering was the Bionic Tear. Once they cleared the instance, it would reset, and any infection would be gone. Besides, Sterl had heard that time inside the instance flowed at a ratio of one year to one day in the outside world, so there was no need to rush.
"Wait! One year to one day??"
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind, and he sat cross-legged to begin cultivating.
However...
After cultivating, Sterl found himself seemingly stuck, unable to make any progress in his insights.
But soon...
A spark of incredible realization ignited in his eyes.
"This feeling is... the power of time!"
Sterl realized that he had caught hold of a vague and indescribable force—a Law Power categorized in the Hall of Valor as a mere conjecture—Time Law!
Wait a minute...
Sterl sensed that he was dimly grasping a transitional state from demigod to deity. It was more like an incomplete form of time divine authority!
A wave of enlightenment washed over him.
Time...
This incredibly high-level power did not exist as a typical Law Power. Even its most superficial aspects would involve divine realms. Furthermore, the time power in Dream of Lalaye was severely fragmented, seemingly stretched to a ratio of one year to one day.
But within that time, it could only be wasted; any effects of cultivation or training could not be retained.
Read today at mvl _emp _y,r.
"So the first manifestation of the power of time is sensory deception—an illusion of time flow."
Sterl's vision grew increasingly bright.
Despite often talking about "points" and "points," he actually possessed exceptional talent, bolstered by the Arcane soul.
Time power.
It was something that couldn't be grasped or seen in ordinary circumstances.
But now, Sterl was on the brink of touching a boundary, and that boundary was enough to expand to the entirety of—
The power of time!