Chapter 1269 Glen's Idol <TOC> Chapter 1271 Family Surname
Translator: SumTLMan
“Mentor, could you cast a discerning eye on this for me?”
Sander’s gaze turned attentive.
Angel extended his hand, his slender fingers gently touching the tabletop. Following this gesture, a delicate ripple emerged and radiated from his fingertip.
As the ripple dispersed, a piece of parchment slowly materialized beneath his fingers.
Sanders accepted it, the soft, paper-thin parchment settling into his palm, carrying with it a peculiar, icy sensation.
“Star… Frost,” Sanders murmured, enunciating the only two words on the parchment with a reverential and cautious tone.
A glint passed through Sanders’s eyes, as if a realization dawned upon him.
He flipped his hand, allowing the back of it to lightly graze the surface of the parchment. A faint luminance emerged, unveiling intricate and graceful patterns that stretched out from the words “Star Frost.”
This peculiar pattern was dotted with pale luminescent specks, reminiscent of frost glistening under the first rays of the sun after a midwinter’s snow.
Cold yet captivating.
“This is a wizard code,” Sanders remarked, eyeing the pattern before raising his gaze to meet Angel’s. “From whence did you procure this parchment?”
“It was given to me by Vaudeurs Lord, said to be a relic of the ‘Sin City Wanderer’ Puccio,” Angel briefly recounted the tale.
Upon hearing the parchment’s origin from Puccio, Sanders raised an eyebrow in intrigue.
“What do you believe this represents?”
Angel pondered for a moment, “Speaking of Star Frost, it brings to mind numerous associations — the Star Frost Elixir, Star Frost Spell, Star Frost magical materials… and the list goes on. However, when I think of the ‘Star Frost’ most intimately associated with the Frost Moon Alliance, only one thing comes to mind.”
“The Star Frost Mediation Method!”
Sanders gave a subtle nod, saying, “If this relic belongs to Puccio, then this parchment might indeed be the renowned Star Frost Meditation Method. However, to ascertain its authenticity, we’ll need to decode the code on it.”
“While I’ve dabbled in the art of wizardly cryptography, I can’t claim to be an expert. I might not be able to break this code. Nevertheless, I know someone who might.”
…
After a short while, Angel and Sanders arrived at the Flowing Source.
Not long after entering, a clanging noise resonated, originating from a distance. However, it rapidly approached, growing louder and closer at an alarming speed.
As the noise was almost beside them, Angel lifted his gaze.
From over the hill, a shadow suddenly leaped forth, like a jumping spider. With tremendous momentum, it soared into the sky, merging with the clouds. Accompanied by the rush of the wind and a sound reminiscent of a train’s whistle, the shadow plummeted heavily before them, raising a dust storm of grass and foliage.
Before them stood a multilevel iron-clad house on stilts, its exterior patched repeatedly. The clanging sound was the result of these patches striking the metal. A chimney protruded from its roof, emitting wisps of blue smoke.
This was Iron Armor Fortress.
Iron Armor Fortress halted in front of them, its door opened to reveal a descending ladder.
“Let’s go. When it comes to the mastery of wizardly cryptography, besides Book Ancestor, Iron Armor Granny is the paramount choice,” Sanders said, taking the lead.
Book Ancestor rarely entertained outsiders, making Iron Armor Granny the only logical alternative for decoding the parchment.
Inside Iron Armor Fortress, harmonious music wafted through the rooms. The silver-haired Iron Armor Granny, cradling a steaming cup of tea, sat amidst an intricate blend of steam machinery and flourishing plants.
“Ah, Angel, it’s been a while! Come, take a seat,” Iron Armor Granny greeted warmly, her eyes twinkling in amusement. After acknowledging Angel, she turned to Sanders, “And you’ve come as well?”
“It’s been some time, Granny. Thought I’d pay a visit,” Sanders replied.
“If these words were from Angel,” Iron Armor Granny spoke with a hint of reproach, “I might have believed. But as for you… just like Sumesh and the rest, I doubt you’d visit me without reason.”
Having said this, she turned her gaze to Angel. “Promise me you won’t follow their ways.”
With a sincere nod, Angel replied without hesitation, “I certainly won’t.”
A radiant smile bloomed on Iron Armor Granny’s face as she personally poured a cup of hot tea for Angel.
As Sanders took a seat, a teacup and teapot were placed before him. But unlike her attentiveness to Angel, Iron Armor Granny didn’t so much as move. Two starkly different receptions.
Without showing emotion, Sanders poured himself some tea.
After taking a sip, Iron Armor Granny’s eyes swept over the two, pausing momentarily.
Eventually, her gaze settled on Sanders, “Speak, why have you come to seek me?”
Sanders gestured for Angel to present a piece of parchment. Only after she accepted it did Sanders divulge the purpose of their visit.
“Deciphering a code,” she mused, running her fingers over the parchment. “This is a classic dual-natured code with a self-destruction mechanism. It shouldn’t be too challenging.”
“There are two approaches,” she continued. “One is a meticulous unravelling, which might take two or three months. The other is a brute force method, shattering the wizard code directly. I can do that now. The downside, though, is that the parchment would soon disintegrate. Yet, I can assure that you’d have a few moments to see its content before that happens.”
Sanders remained silent, leaving the decision to Angel.
Angel found himself in contemplation. Each method had its pros and cons. The allure of the brute force method was its speed. A more methodical approach, though slower, had no disadvantages.
Which path to choose?
After pondering for a moment, Angel decided on the brute force method.
Its downsides were many, but the sheer speed was the crux. After all, waiting in the Savage Grottoes for months was out of the question. Moreover, with a wizard’s capability, even a fleeting glimpse would be sufficient to capture the content. Thus, the preservation of the parchment became inconsequential.
Concerning Angel’s choice, Iron Armor Granny didn’t utter a word of assessment, only gleefully remarked, “If it’s about brute force decryption, then it’s elementary.”
When Iron Armor Granny spoke of ‘elementary,’ it truly was straightforward.
A scarlet gleam flitted from her hand, pressing directly onto the parchment. Upon contact, the red shimmer transformed into a flame, igniting along the intricate runes etched on the parchment.
In an instant, the parchment’s runes were consumed by the fire.
Once the patterns had vanished entirely, Iron Armor Granny stated, “The code’s been cracked, but the parchment will disintegrate in two seconds.”
Barely moments after her voice trailed off, the parchment evaporated into a wisp of blue smoke and vanished.
However, before the parchment’s disappearance, Angel had already documented it. Instantaneous memory was beyond his capacity, but he could capture its image using a communicator.
Angel began perusing the recorded imagery on his communicator.
Upon witnessing the text within the image, a spark ignited in Angel’s eyes: Indeed, it’s a mediation method! And a wholly unblemished version at that!
Though Sanders hadn’t captured an image, a mere glance confirmed it was undoubtedly a mediation method.
A base mediation method worth nine points would astonish countless onlookers in the outside world. Yet, within Iron Armor Fortress, not a soul exhibited surprise.
Sanders was indifferent because, having previously encountered the —Singularity Scattering Meditation Method—, a mere nine-point value seemed trivial in comparison.
Iron Armor Granny remained unaffected. Having weathered numerous storms throughout her life, if a mere meditation method could sway her heart, she would deem her life spent in vain.
Although she exhibited no particular curiosity towards the meditation method, Iron Armor Granny discerned that this method likely hailed from the Abyss, probably belonging to one of the wizards Angel had previously mentioned — those who fell in La Sutherland.
Acquiring it was one thing, but the fact that Angel managed to extract this guidance method from Lord Mengke indeed left her slightly taken aback.
Having confirmed that it was indeed the —Star Frost Mediation Method—, Angel let out a sigh of relief and expressed his gratitude to Iron Armor Granny. He initially intended to offer a gift in appreciation, but she declined, merely saying, “If you have the time, come and keep this old woman company with some conversation; that will be more than enough.”
Naturally, Angel nodded in agreement.
In the time that followed, Angel discussed with Iron Armor Granny about the events that transpired in the Abyss, and he also thanked her for previously giving him the “Water of Salvation.”
After the pleasantries, they prepared to part ways.
Before departing from Iron Armor Fortress, Iron Armor Granny handed Angel a certificate.
On one side of this certificate card, it read “Flowing Source,” and on the other, there was a number: 13.
Ironclad Matron remarked, “This is the ownership certificate for the 13th Alternate Dimension Laboratory. As long as you live, the 13th lab is yours to use forever. This means your previous rental card is now redundant.”
Angel paused for a moment. He recalled that only formal wizards were entitled to own an Alternate Dimension Laboratory, wasn’t it?
“Traditionally, indeed, only a formal wizard could claim ownership of such a lab. But there’s a difference between customary practices and exceptions. Once Lord Rhine singled you out to join the inner circle, you became that exception.”
The Alternate Dimension Laboratory was a privilege the Savage Grottoes bestowed upon formal wizards. It’s worth noting that many formal wizards aren’t even core members. Since Angel had risen to this inner sanctum, and moreover, as an alchemist, it was only fitting that a well-equipped alchemy lab be entrusted to him.
Angel hadn’t expected that after a trip to the Flowing Source, he would be met with such generous gifts.
Even as he left, he felt a bit dazed.
…
On their return journey to Phantom Island, Sanders brought up the —Star Frost Mediation Method—.
“Although the —Star Frost Mediation Method— is not amongst the cream of the crop of specialized guidance methods, it remains a treasured guidance method of the Frost Moon Alliance. If you pass it on for others to practice, tread with utmost caution; don’t let them betray the existence of this guidance method, lest you unleash a Pandora’s box of troubles.”
Angel nodded subtly in acknowledgment, the gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on him.
Meditation methods touch upon the core concerns of a wizard organization, and such matters should never be taken lightly.
However, as a rule of thumb, unless one intrudes upon another’s mental space, which meditation method one practices remains inscrutable from an outsider’s view.
And that’s precisely why Angel had the confidence to entrust this meditation method to his brother, Leon.