Chapter 1242 Ouija Multi-Pattern Cipher Key <TOC> Chapter 1244 The Return Journey
Translator: SumTLMan
Tucked within a network of mountains lies the Elsa Underground Stronghold City.
At first glance, it may seem like a regular canyon from the outside, but beneath the earth’s crust, it conceals an underground fortress of colossal proportions.
Angel had assumed a journey into the subterranean fortress was on the agenda, but before even reaching the canyon, a figure leaped upward from the chasm below, landing squarely in the path of the Gondola.
The newcomer was a small, old man whose white eyebrows trailed down to his chest. His beard, tied in a bow, was neatly curled. He was clad in a blue-black wizard’s robe, donned a wizard’s hat embellished with orchids, and exuded an eccentric charm.
With a chuckle, he addressed the occupants of the Gondola, “Angel, your Gondola is rather conspicuous. I noticed it instantly from down below.”
As he spoke, the peculiar old man stepped onto the Gondola and plonked down beside Angel.
Angel gave him a sidelong glance. The man was Canter, absent for many days, yet his demeanor was as distinctive as ever. Although his bow-tied beard was quite the spectacle — undeniably flamboyant in his old age!
“Lord Canter.” Angel, resisting the urge to make a snide comment, greeted him with reverence.
“Ah, good to see you’re doing well, Angel. Otherwise, I would have had the unfortunate duty of carrying the death notice back to Cherie,” Canter said, patting Angel’s shoulder, all the while wearing an inscrutable grin.
Angel’s face remained stoic, a corner of his mouth twitching involuntarily, “…” What does his well-being have to do with Cherie?!
Canter’s verbal torrent showed no signs of abating. After his non-stop chatter, it was Sanders who eventually grew tired and said to Angel, “Ignore him. Let’s continue flying southeast.”
Angel: “So, are we still heading to the Elsa Underground Stronghold City?”
“Since we have received Canter’s intel, there’s no need to linger here. The energy patterns of this space aren’t very stable. Heading southeast, there’s a sunken mountain range where the spatial stability is relatively higher. It’s safer to use the Fragment Ephemera there,” Sanders responded.
Nodding in agreement, Angel expertly guided the Gondola towards the direction of the sunken mountain range.
Meanwhile, Canter’s chatter began to taper off, his gaze settling on a small compartment at the tail end of the Gondola. As he spotted Popoca, cloaked in his robes within, a flash of curiosity lit his eyes.
An unspoken question hung in the air, only to be silenced by a warning look from Sanders. Canter swallowed back his words before they could spill.
And so, not only Popoca’s presence but also the recent events concerning Angel went unquestioned. It appeared that Sanders had forewarned Canter, and thus, he did not pry further, resorting to chatting about mundane matters that lacked any substantial insight.
For instance, his keen interest in Monument Valley.
“I’ve cleared Monument Valley. Have you thought about making a sequel, Angel?”
Before Angel could respond, Sanders let out a derisive chuckle, “You have any idea how you managed to clear it?”
Canter countered, “Well, I cleared it nevertheless.”
Angel, rendered speechless, knew the credit for Canter’s achievement belonged to Popoca, who was still aboard the Gondola. It was rather audacious of Canter to claim that victory for himself…
“For now, I haven’t considered it,” Angel finally replied.
“Well, I’ve considered it for you. Remember to make it when we return,” Canter retorted, grinning from ear to ear.
Angel could only think, ‘Does your opinion matter? Are you the one making it, or am I?’
“Oh, and there’s one more thing you can’t forget — how’s the Softworm Mother doing? Under the pressure of the Dreamweaver Ant, has it laid any special eggs?” Canter inquired, changing the subject abruptly.
When it came to the topic of Softworms, Angel’s demeanor took on a dash more seriousness. His upcoming journey to the Tidal Realm demanded that he spent substantial time observing these creatures. Under the threat of external forces, the Softworms had recently suspended the propagation of their helper counterparts, birthing predominantly combative eggs, yet no extraordinary specimens had emerged thus far.
Upon hearing Angel’s account, Canter took a moment to ponder. “It seems we are missing a piece of the puzzle in certain aspects. How about we heighten their stress a bit more, allowing the Dreamweaver Ant to encounter the Worm Mother at close range? In the face of life-or-death pressure, the Worm Mother might secrete a novel substance, resulting in exceptional eggs.”
Canter’s proposal was daring indeed, but Angel feared that pushing too hard might eventually backfire.
The Worm Mother could become frightened, potentially causing its reproductive instinct to vanish altogether – a scenario not uncommon in the biological world.
At this juncture, Sanders, who had remained silent, suddenly interjected, “Let’s not rush into any hasty actions. When we return, I’ll try to find Nisi. He once visited the ruins of the ‘Heart of the Swarm’ research institute. Perhaps he might have some relevant information.”
Angel nodded in agreement. The Worm Mother was a highly treasured entity. For all they knew, Angel’s might be the only artificially bred specimen left, necessitating a cautious approach.
After the matter was settled, Sanders ceased to speak. It was only Canter who continued his chatter incessantly. Even without any response, he showed no sign of awkwardness, appearing to revel in his own discourse.
…
As they were about to reach the Sunken Mountain Range, an odd event occurred.
They encountered a bird blocking their path. This bizarre red-scaled bird was gigantic yet emaciated as if starved. Flapping its withered wings, it conjured up boundless gales with each stroke.
Canter’s eyes sparkled, mumbling under his breath, “We’re in luck! To think we’d encounter a wizard-level magical creature on our way back!”
Simultaneously, it seemed as if Canter was about to initiate a confrontation.
However, just as Canter was preparing to soar into action, Sanders put a stop to his momentum. For, on the back of the giant bird, a figure had suddenly materialized.
As they recognized who the silhouette was, Sanders didn’t need to voice any commands, Canter himself froze on the spot.
The reactions of Sanders and Canter left Angel feeling utterly baffled, wondering if they were acquainted with this apparition.
Upon closer inspection, Angel noticed that the figure was a female demon enveloped in pale, aqua-colored scales. Although her scales were densely layered, they displayed a gradient hue, her figure was strikingly elegant and proud, and her visage quite beguiling. Especially the pattern on her forehead evoked an enigmatic charm. The round and lustrous curves of her posterior extended into a dark tail tipped with a bluish-white hue… In Angel’s aesthetic judgment, she was a harmonious whole, the most alluring female demon he had ever seen, second only to a succubus.
“Banguka, why have you stopped?” An enchanting demon’s voice flowed from the female demon. However, the target of her words wasn’t them, but the bird beneath her.
“Roar——” The bird issued a peculiar roar, facing directly towards the Gondola.
It was then that the female demon shifted her gaze towards them: “Has the Wasteland Plane already been eroded by humans to such an extent… Truly living up to its barren name.”
Following her sarcastic remark, she addressed the bird at her feet: “If you wish to act, be swift.”
As her words fell, the eyes of the massive bird instantly lit up, and countless floating nascent cyclones emerged around it.
Evidently, it was a formidable wind-element creature!
Upon seeing the bird about to act, Sanders and Canter, who had been still as statues, exchanged a glance, as if weighing their options.
Be it the bird, or the female demon, from a power perspective, Sanders didn’t regard them with any fear. However, the identity of this female demon… posed certain questions for Sanders.
But since they were about to act, Sanders wouldn’t back down due to any apprehension.
However, just as Sanders was preparing for a head-on battle, the female demon seemed to have noticed something: “Banguka, hold on.”
The nascent hurricane formation, at her beckoning, abruptly came to a halt.
The bird known as Banguka squawked plaintively but failed to attract the female demon’s attention. Her gaze was fully focused on Angel at this moment.
Angel had no idea why she suddenly turned her gaze towards him. Being under her scrutiny for such a prolonged period was making him feel incredibly uneasy.
Upon witnessing this, Sanders felt a pang of perplexity: could it be that Angel had become the focus of that entity’s attention?
As Sanders grappled with his confusion, the female demon finally broke her silence. However, the target of her words was Angel: “From where did you acquire this Aura of Death?”
Aura of Death? Both Sanders and Canter stared at Angel in bewilderment. They hadn’t detected any unusual aura from him. What could this Aura of Death possibly signify?
Angel was initially taken aback, failing to grasp the question. After a while, he seemed to have made a connection.
Suddenly, a black feather materialized in his hand.
Upon seeing this feather, the female demon’s pupils contracted as she swiftly closed in on Angel.
However, just as she was about to reach Angel, Sanders reached out his hand and unleashed a ferocious burst of energy. Not only did he block her path, but he also sent her flying tens of meters away.
Seeing the female demon sent flying, Banguka’s eyes flashed with a bloody gleam, and a terrifying heat wave gushed out from its nostrils!
“Banguka, don’t intervene.” The magnetic demon managed to rise back to her feet. She glanced at Sanders with a hint of trepidation, surprised by the formidable strength of this human.
However, after casting a glance at Sanders, her gaze once again fell on Angel.
“Human, how did you come to possess that black feather?”
Angel replied, “It was a gift from someone.”
The female demon maintained an impassive expression, muttering in a low voice, “His feathers are not corporeal, so they cannot fall off on their own. This seems to be the only explanation… But why would you give a feather to a human?”
The murmurings of the female demon went unanswered by Angel. He wouldn’t provide an explanation unprompted.
But listening to her tone, did she possibly know Kurland?
“Human, what do you think about making a trade with me? Give me the black feather, and I will give you…”
Before the female demon could finish, Angel stowed away the black feather with a speed that was as swift as a thunderclap, leaving no chance for objections. He could not afford to have this item taken from him; it was an essential tool to fulfill his agreement with Vaudeurs Lord.
Upon seeing this, the corners of the female demon’s mouth twitched.
It was a while before the female demon said, “Never mind, since it was a gift to you from him, there must be a reason. Today, for his sake, I won’t make a fuss with you.”
As she spoke, the female demon lightly stepped onto the skull of the Spotted Bone Bird, directing it to fly in a different direction. Despite its reluctance, the bird acquiesced with a nod and departed.
Until The Peculiar Demon and bird duo had flown away, Angel still wore a perplexed expression.
This event was too strange, their arrival and departure equally bizarre.
What was their origin?
However, compared to Angel’s puzzlement, Sanders and Canter were even more curious. What was the origin of the black feather in Angel’s hand?
Chapter 1242 Ouija Multi-Pattern Cipher Key <TOC> Chapter 1244 The Return Journey