Chapter 1267 Reunion with Baroque <TOC> Chapter 1269 Glen's Idol
Translator: SumTLMan
In the refined parlance of philosophers, the dialogue between the Baroque mentor and his pupil was a symphony now beyond Angel’s earshot. He had embarked on the Gondola, and it had gently departed from Sky Tower. Even if Angel had overheard, he likely wouldn’t have been swayed by sentiments. After all, in the tapestry of past events, Baroque had once conspired against him. Though their enmity hadn’t yet ripened to a deadly vendetta, it wasn’t something that could be washed away with mere words.
Inside the Gondola, silence reigned supreme.
David had intended to probe Angel about the earlier elderly figure with the braided beard. But reading Angel’s visage — which seemed like a closed book — he chose to stay his tongue.
The shroud of silence persisted until their exit from the Gondola.
Feeling the weight of this unspoken tension, David decided to pierce the veil of silence. “By the way,” he began, as if recalling a distant memory, “Shalem has returned recently.”
A jolt of surprise passed through Angel’s eyes, like the sudden flare of a lighthouse in the dark. “Shalem is back?” His voice wavered, carrying a hint of joy, “Has he truly returned?”
Having his hopes validated, Angel, with a touch of hesitation, inquired further, “Is he… is he alright?”
It had been years since Shalem ventured out for the integration of the Deep Blue Bloodline. Nausica, at least, would send letters during her travels. But Shalem, he seemed to have vanished into the mists of time.
In the stillness of midnight musings, Angel had often feared the worst for Shalem. Though he recoiled from the thought, the Deep Blue Bloodline was an enigma. No one truly understood the perils of integrating it. Even formal wizards, despite their profound knowledge, seldom dared to merge with such an arcane bloodline.
Shalem, then a mere apprentice, had made this audacious choice. While none amongst their circle voiced it, they all knew — Shalem was treading on thin ice, and the odds were stacked against him.
Hearing now of Shalem’s return, Angel was overjoyed. Yet, intertwined with that joy was a palpable undercurrent of anxiety.
David, observing Angel’s reaction, exhaled deeply, shaking his head, and chose the eloquence of silence.
A cold dread seized Angel’s heart. Has Shalem truly failed? While failure in such endeavors didn’t spell certain doom, the aftermath was seldom pleasant. But then, noticing a peculiar look on David’s face, Angel felt a discordant note in the narrative.
“Lord Pat,” interrupted Baruba, cutting through the tension, “Shalem is doing fine. He inquired about you upon his recent return to the city.”
A cascade of relief washed over Angel, “So, Shalem is unharmed? He successfully integrated the bloodline?”
Baruba nodded in agreement, “It appears he has succeeded. I sense his vitality is far more robust than before. Yet, he still doesn’t match up to you.”
Upon learning that Shalem was unscathed and successfully integrated with his bloodline, Angel sighed in relief and rejoiced for him.
However, after Baruba’s remark, David playfully shoved him, “I was just jesting! You always rain on my parade. Remember, I’m your boss!”
Chuckling at Baruba, David then turned to Angel, “Baruba’s right. Shalem did succeed.”
As David spoke, a glint of envy flashed in his eyes, “Not only did he successfully merge with the Deep Blue Bloodline, but he also awakened the Sage Body. Although, by Shalem’s own admission, this form is incomplete. Still, it’s sufficiently advanced for spiritual initiation. Upon his return, it caused quite the stir. Rumor has it that Book Ancestor personally invited him to High Cloud Library.”
Angel was aware that Shalem was held in high regard by Book Ancestor. The aspiration for the Sage Body was sparked in him by Book Ancestor himself. It’s said that only by becoming the Sage Body can one imbue life into all things.
“You mentioned spiritual initiation?” Angel suddenly recalled something, “Has he awakened the spirit within his thick-covered book?”
David nodded, and while mentioning this, both admiration and envy were evident in his eyes and tone, “Indeed. Surprisingly, once that thick-covered book awakened its spirit, it revealed numerous capabilities…”
David lavished Shalem with praise, but when faced with Angel’s curiosity for specifics, he clamped up, “You’ll find out when you meet Shalem. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.”
Angel pondered for a moment and conceded that meeting Shalem would indeed reveal the truth.
But as Angel was lost in thought, David chimed in, “Oh, I forgot to mention, Shalem left the Savage Grottoes last week. I reckon he won’t be back anytime soon.”
Angel was taken aback, “…”
Later, within the confines of Promi Alchemy Shop.
The main entrance was tightly shut. According to David, everyone was recently enamored with the Novastar Competition. Having not crafted weapons for a while and with no customers visiting, he figured it might as well remain closed.
In the cramped shop, a lone candle illuminated a table cluttered with various items. Angel and David sat facing each other, while Baruba, using the candle’s glow, organized the merchandise in the cabinet.
Through deep conversation with David, Angel finally pieced together Shalem’s whereabouts.
It was related to the Novastar Competition. Shalem had ventured to Sky Mechanical City. Bypassing Sky Tower, he was intent on challenging levels 1 to 30 of Infinite Battle Tower.
That is to say, Shalem intends to secure this Novastar Qualification.
Shalem proceeded to elucidate the notion of the Novastar Competition and its associated qualification. At first, Angel mistook it for another trap similar to the previous Purification Garden. However, as Shalem’s explanation unfolded, Angel realized it was distinct.
After the incident at the Purification Garden, even though major organizations had signed agreements with Sky Mechanical City, whispers and murmurs continued unabated. The famed Sky Tower across regions suffered a sudden downturn. Notably, the underground market’s Sky Tower experienced a stagnant period of nearly half a year without hosting a single high-profile competition.
Sky Tower were grappling with a crisis of trust. To navigate through this turbulence, Sky Mechanical City inaugurated the Novastar Competition.
This was designed as a form of compensation to the apprentice wizards of various organizations, in a bid to salvage the tarnished reputation of Sky Tower. Those who secured the Novastar Qualification were granted access to Infinite Corridor — a privilege that would persist for a century.
Historically, Infinite Corridor remained elusive to outsiders. Thus, Sky Mechanical City truly had made a significant investment this time around.
Moreover, if the city played tricks similar to the previous Purification Garden debacle, it would be akin to throwing its reputation to the winds, possibly tarnishing its name indefinitely. Given the stakes, it was likely that their intentions were genuine this time.
“The reward is a century-long access to Infinite Corridor. An offer that even formal wizards, let alone those of true knowledge, would find hard to resist. Hence, the fervor surrounding this Novastar Competition,” voiced Davey, recalling insider details shared by Liana: “Sky Mechanical City does have its strategy for the competition. It’s open only to apprentice wizards, barring formal wizards. Meaning, even if a apprentice wins the Novastar Qualification, their capacity to explore Infinite Corridor remains limited.”
“Even if they ascend to the rank of a formal wizard within that century, they’d only meander within the first 500 levels of Infinite Corridor. The profound depths remain elusive unless one advances from a apprentice to a wizard of true knowledge within the century. All in all, by granting these Novastars access to Infinite Corridor, Sky Mechanical City hasn’t made a loss.”
“Nevertheless, for us apprentices, it’s still a significant leap.”
Angel nodded in understanding. Infinite Corridor was indeed a strategic marvel. While Sky Mechanical City had its machinations, its audacious move was commendable.
It’s no wonder that upon returning to the Savage Grottoes, Shalem hastened to Sky Mechanical City without further ado. Angel reckoned that he, too, would have made the same choice in Shalem’s shoes.
However, Angel had an additional avenue. He possessed an access card to the Research Institute. Previously, during a conversation with Bismarck and Sabo, Sabo mentioned he was challenging Infinite Corridor. He also informed Angel that having an access card to the Research Institute was almost equivalent to being an honorary researcher of Sky Mechanical City, entitled to numerous perks, even access to the Myriad Demon Abyss.
Of course, the assumption is that he can genuinely create something innovative.
“I understand Shalem’s interests, but what about you? Since when have you taken an interest in combat?” Angel cast a questioning glance at David, emphasizing the function of Infinite Corridor, which was essentially an unending series of battles, layer upon layer. Rumors had it that there were tens of thousands of levels, making it a veritable “Infinite Battle Tower”. For now, only about two thousand levels have been breached.
David, being a devoted alchemist, had never shown any penchant for combat, or so Angel believed.
David sighed deeply, “I didn’t particularly want to come either. But my mentor insisted. If I don’t secure the Novastar Qualifications, she won’t instruct me in the arts of alchemy for a considerable time.”
With an exaggeratedly forlorn expression, David snatched a glass of water and gulped it down with the gusto one might reserve for strong liquor.
Angel, after a moment of reflection, said, “Looking back, Lady Liana probably has your best interests at heart. If you wish to establish a footing in the Wizarding World, you must possess adequate combat skills. Given that you rarely venture out and seldom engage in combat, Infinite Corridor might be the optimal means to bolster your power. Moreover, the corridor resides in Sky Mechanical City, the pinnacle of alchemical advancements in the Southern Region. I suspect Lady Liana might be aiming to have you pursue extended studies there.”
Numerous locales offer advanced studies. For instance, prophecy wizards opt for the Crown Star Church, gourmet wizards prefer the Candy House, and alchemists, naturally, gravitate towards Sky Mechanical City.
Upon hearing this, David appeared somewhat dazed. “It does seem that way. Perhaps, I’ll need to give it more thorough consideration.”
Later, David elaborated on some matters related to Shalem. Only then did Angel learn that the two new talents he’d previously seen at Tree Spirit Hall — Merlin and Arthur — were actually brought in by Shalem.
This means the extraordinary individual who Merlin incessantly thanked for their rescue was none other than Shalem. What a twist of fate!
Aside from Shalem, David also mentioned Nausica.
Speaking of which, Angel had originally intended to inquire about Nausica. Now that David had broached the subject, it spared Angel the need for further probing.
“Nausica hasn’t penned a letter of late, but a bird whispered in my ear through Coral not long ago. She had a brief tête-à-tête with Nausica, sharing snippets of current affairs. Though Coral held her cards close to her chest, a sixth sense tells me Nausica is in good spirits.”
“Furthermore, Coral dropped a rather intriguing tidbit: Nausica showed a keen interest in the Novastar Competition.”
As David’s voice trailed off, Angel found himself in a pensive mood. Could Nausica’s inquiry about the Novastar Competition imply her intention to compete?
The odds certainly tilt in that direction, perhaps even more so than Shalem’s participation. Nausica, with her bloodline intertwined with combat, has an insatiable thirst for battle. If she secures an invite to Infinite Corridor, a battleground with a myriad of fighting styles, she’d hardly give it a miss.
Shalem’s footsteps echo in Sky Mechanical City, and now, it seems Nausica might be gearing up for the Novastar showdown. And with David eyeing the pinnacle of the underground marketplace’s Sky Tower, it’s only a matter of time before he joins the fray.
Given that many of his close-knit circle might be headed in the same direction, Angel mulled over the idea for a moment. If the sands of time were on his side, and pressing matters — like Jon’s ailment and Toby’s looming crisis… were resolved, he might very well chart a course for Sky Mechanical City.
Besides, having held onto the Research Institute’s access card for so long, it might finally be time to venture within.
Chapter 1267 Reunion with Baroque <TOC> Chapter 1269 Glen's Idol