Translator: SumTLMan
An unfathomable Abyss, bathed in obscurity.
A massive, profound shadow unexpectedly streaks across the void, hurtling towards an unknown direction at breakneck speed.
After an indeterminable duration, the shadow eventually reaches its destination——Touch of the Abyss.
The Touch of the Abyss is a place dreaded by all abyssal creatures, for it is the region in the Abyss where the spatial laws are the most unstable. Space-time rifts can appear anytime, and there is always a substantial chance that you might be alive one moment and torn in half by a space-time rift the next.
Upon arriving at the Touch of the Abyss, the shadow heaves a sigh.
A sense of relief and joy is subtly carried within the echoing sigh, but it quickly morphs into emotions of rage and ferocity.
The shadow’s emotions are capricious and extreme.
This shadow is none other than the Flameless Lord, who managed to escape her own territory surreptitiously.
Her joy stems from her successful escape without the other Demon Gods learning that the True Spirit that had fallen was its own. The Touch of the Abyss is perilous, but with the Flameless Lord’s True Form, she can withstand the space-time rifts. However, the Flameless Lord knew well that if she had stayed within her domain, the greedy Demon Gods would undoubtedly take advantage of the fallen True Spirit and launch a surprise attack.
After all, losing her True Spirit meant a significant reduction in her power, even though her rank remained unchanged. The Demon Gods coveting his position would definitely take some action.
As long as she could bide some time and distract the other Demon Gods from focusing on her, the Flameless Lord would have a chance to temporarily retreat from the Wasteland Plane to some unformed minor worlds to avoid the storm.
However, the rage following her joy originates from the Flameless Lord’s consideration of her own situation.
Not too long ago, she was an unsurpassed deity. But now, she had fallen from the divine pedestal to dust, her power halved. This stark contrast makes it hard for the Flameless Lord to accept the drastic reversal of fortune.
Already in a miserable state, the Flameless Lord had to hide in the dangerous Touch of the Abyss to avoid being conspired against by other Demon Gods. She even had to sever contact with her myriad believers temporarily… because their faith could reveal her location.
In essence, she has almost lost all of her eyes and ears, and can only struggle to survive in the perilous and dark Touch of the Abyss. How could she not be enraged?
Moreover, the fall of her True Spirit is not only a setback to her power but also a nearly catastrophic blow to her proud confidence.
“It’s all because of you! You caused all of this!” A pair of gigantic, dark green eyes suddenly filled with bloodshot veins. An angry scream echoed through the darkness of the Touch of the Abyss.
The Flameless Lord thought of the one who killed her True Spirit, and feelings of resentment continuously welled up in her heart.
But suddenly, the Flameless Lord hesitated.
Although she didn’t know how her True Spirit was specifically killed, she could sense that the perpetrator killed herr in a flash. And prior to this, the perpetrator had also killed its Demon God Avatar in a split second.
Instantaneous death!
Such velocity, something even a Supreme Demon God would struggle to achieve!
“Miracle, it must be a miraculous entity!” The Flameless Lord thought, unable to hide her resentment, yet her eyes filled with a touch of fear.
The Flameless Lord knew very well that if that entity were to appear before it again, it would probably be incapable of putting up the slightest resistance.
Because it is a chasm of power levels, an insurmountable abyss!
After a whirlwind of emotions, the Flameless Lord let out a deep sigh, and a silhouette emerged in her mind.
Her present predicament was all due to this person.
She finally understood why the Cruel Scholar had merely left a relic on him in secret, but had not dared to mark him. Perhaps, it was because the Cruel Scholar already knew that there was something unusual about that person.
She remembered that person seemed to be named “Angel.”
The Flameless Lord murmured this name softly in her heart, her eyes becoming increasingly filled with hatred and rage.
…
In the void of the surface layer of the Abyss, a group of humans was flying towards Sky Island.
This group of humans were the wizards led by Mengke.
The mission had been interrupted halfway through, resulting in their failure. Mengke’s depression loomed over the entire team.
Moreover, too many wizards had died this time without any gain! It can be said that this was the most severe loss since Mengke became a true knowledge wizard. Not only was it a personal setback, but the reputation of the Frost Moon Alliance also took a massive hit.
Although they successfully escaped, this was not what Mengke wanted at all.
The image of the detestable alien creature that dragged Olucia into the passage at the last moment flashed through Mengke’s mind, and he could not hold back his resentment. They were so close! He didn’t fail at the hands of the Great Demon, nor at the hands of the Lord, but instead in the hands of another human!
How could he feel anything but agony?
Because of Mengke’s resentment, the atmosphere during the entire return journey was extremely heavy.
However, since the “floating iceberg” had been evaporated in La Sutherland before, they each used their own flying devices to return. Some flying vehicles were fully enclosed, so they didn’t have to bear the external pressure.
For instance, in a huge steam-powered globe house, the atmosphere was relatively relaxed.
The owner of this steam-powered globe house was a witch from Night Whisper Forest. As a novice witch from Night Whisper Forest, she followed Rivetta this time and basically ended up as a spectator who didn’t contribute anything.
Although the battle commenced with a grand display, it dwindled to a hasty retreat. Yet, the witch named Tong, far from being crestfallen, broadened her horizons due to the roller-coaster of experiences.
Now, she found herself perched at the bar counter within the steam-powered globe house, sharing hushed whispers with Rivetta, her confidante across the counter, exchanging tales of their journey.
Thanks to the decorous presence of wine, the steam-powered globe house resonated with an ambiance lighter than the world outside.
Rivetta delicately sipped the ruby wine, her cheeks flushed in response, and with the courage born from the wine, she cast a sideways glance at two figures by the window, asking Tong, “Why did you decide to bring them along?”
Her question drew the attention of a stooped figure by the window.
Beneath the soft glow of the candle on the bar counter, the bent little old man was clearly visible. His white eyebrows hung down to his chest, and he wore a characteristic wizard hat embroidered with black orchids.
Indeed, it was Canter from the House of Lilith, known as ‘Like the Night’.
With a smile playing on his lips, Canter nodded in Tong’s direction.
Tong reciprocated with a courteous smile, though her gaze inevitably wandered towards the figure beside Canter.
The man in the black suit loomed significantly taller, silhouetted by his attire.
Suddenly, Tong’s vision was filled with five swirling fingers. Startled, she realized that Rivetta was eyeing her with keen interest.
“I think I understand why you invited them to the steam-powered globe house.”
Rivetta teased, causing a blush to bloom on Tong’s face. She quickly dismissed the insinuation, “You’ve got it wrong. I invited Lord Like the Night and Phantom Master in because of my good relationship with Liana, nothing more.”
Liana of the ‘Rose Crown’, a first-class witch from the Savage Grottoes, was a master perfumer and adept at the study of alchemical potions.
“And what do your good terms with Liana have to do with them?” Rivetta probed further.
“I’ve heard a lot about Phantom Master from Liana. That is, I greatly… admire Phantom Master.” Tong stole a glance at Sanders standing beside Canter, but alas, Sanders didn’t return her gaze.
“I don’t believe it’s just admiration,” Rivetta shrugged, a playful sparkle in her eyes. Although she found Sanders somewhat intimidating, she couldn’t deny his mature and handsome appearance, coupled with his formidable powers, made him the heartthrob of many witches.
Sanders often found mention in the witches’ tea parties or perfume gatherings, always ranking among the most talked-about male wizards.
Remembering that the next tea party was being hosted by Liana, Rivetta paused. She imagined the flock of witches congregating at the Savage Grottoes and Sanders inevitably becoming the center of attention.
“There’s nothing else! It’s really just admiration!” Tong asserted, her voice dropping to a whisper towards the end.
Rivetta decided to let it be, knowing that Tong had just recently been promoted to a formal witch and was still quite bashful. Probing further might lead to awkwardness.
Rivetta pivoted the conversation, idly flipping through the pages of the notebook in her hand. This tome was filled with important notes they had recorded along the way, and one name, in particular, appeared with striking frequency.
“Speaking of it, the apprentice of Lord Phantom Master truly stole the show this time,” Rivetta reflected. “From the beginning of our records, his name has been persistently brought up, always at the core of significant developments.”
With a casual flip, Rivetta came across a prior note she had made: ‘…the evidence thus indicates that Angel was the mysterious shop owner who stirred up the situation in La Sutherland.’
Agreeing with the topic, Witch Tong also chimed in, “Indeed, that’s the case.”
Although Angel seemed to be part of the “spectator crowd” just like her, nearly all significant events that took place in La Sutherland could not circumvent him. More so, a multitude of important issues were provided by Angel to Mengke.
“Every incident here could elevate his reputation to an unprecedented height,” Rivetta was well aware that even if —City Firefly’s Night Whisper— refrained from intentional reporting, Angel’s fame would rise from the word-of-mouth promotion by the surviving wizards alone.
“Yes, the only regret is that he, unfortunately, might have already…” Although Witch Tong only stated half of the sentence, everyone understood her implication.
Being dragged into the void by that creature, it’s estimated there was little hope left for survival.
This wasn’t only the sentiment of Witch Tong and Rivetta. Canter was equally aware. The chances for Angel’s survival had been reduced significantly. After all, regardless of whether Angel encountered Popoca or the pursuing demon, survival would be an uphill battle.
It was a shame, originally Canter had the idea of pairing Angel with Cherie…
As Canter lamented inwardly, a deep and hoarse voice suddenly permeated the ears of everyone present.
“Angel is not dead.”
This voice drew the gaze of everyone.
Rivetta looked towards the window, a glimmer of keenness flashing in her eyes: “Lord Phantom Master, why do you say so?”
The one who had just spoken was Sanders.
Sanders was silently gazing at the transparent glass window. Outside was the dark void, and faint reflections from within the room mirrored on the windowpane.
After a long pause, Sanders finally said, “I can sense it. He’s not dead.”