Chapter 2266 Questions and Answers <TOC> Chapter 2268 The Snake Gazing at the Stars
Translator: SumTLMan
With Parlysania leading the way, they moved unobstructed through the mist.
They traveled until the end of the mist.
“Ahead lies the core area of the Lost Forest.”
Following Parlysania’s words, Angel looked forward.
The core area of the Lost Forest was a circular forest centered around a hillock. Unlike the dense fog elsewhere, this circular forest was enveloped in a thin mist formed by nature aura, evenly distributed among the trees.
The setting sun’s rays, filtering through the mist, cast a soft golden hue over the forest.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, playing a symphony of twilight’s hymn.
Witnessing this scene, Angel was quite astonished; he had not anticipated that after traversing the gloomy, ancient foggy woods, they would arrive at a place that seemed like a paradise on earth.
As Angel was mesmerized by the scene before him, Parlysania too gazed at the forest bathed in the glow of dusk, its expression complex, filled with anticipation and surprise, but also fear and concern.
These mixed emotions eventually deepened.
Then, Parlysania tentatively raised its tendrils, attempting to touch the long-missed sunlight ahead.
But as its tendrils pierced through the mist and entered the circular forest, a terrifying pressure swiftly overwhelmed it. Even Parlysania, who had once lived here, was so startled by this pressure that it quickly retracted its tendrils.
“The presence of Highness has grown stronger.” The oppressive feeling from the tendrils seemed to imprint on its soul; even after retracting its tendrils, its body couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
Three hundred years ago, although Parlysania had retreated from the core of the Lost Forest, it was merely unable to reside there for long. If it had persisted, moving freely within the core was not impossible.
However, now, the pressure had escalated beyond what it was three hundred years ago. Under such pressure, not to mention moving freely in the core area, even stepping into it had become a luxury.
Parlysania turned to look at Angel, its tone questioning: “Are you sure you can take me in?”
Angel had noticed Parlysania’s attempt to extend its tendrils earlier. Although he could not empathize, the fact that Parlysania was still trembling indicated the terror of the pressure inside.
Previously, to coax Parlysania, Angel had been very confident. But now, facing such terrifying pressure, even he was somewhat uncertain.
He had previously used the triangular spatial energy locating method to speculate that the core of the Lost Forest’s pressure might reach the peak of the second level of true knowledge, at most the beginning of the third level of true knowledge, roughly equivalent to or slightly higher than the pressure exerted by Mentor Sanders.
But it seemed he had underestimated it.
Parlysania’s strength was estimated to be at the peak of the first level of true knowledge. According to basic energy laws, it should not have retreated so quickly even in the face of the pressure from a third level true knowledge wizard.
But the reality was before them.
The pressure at the core of the Lost Forest might have far exceeded the initial stage of the third level of true knowledge.
This also indirectly indicated that Nemeti’s strength… might be unfathomably deep.
“Hmm?” Parlysania, seeing Angel silent for a long time, made a sound of confusion.
Angel was not calm inside, but facing Parlysania’s questioning, he still pretended as if nothing was amiss: “Don’t worry.”
Upon hearing this response, Parlysania breathed a sigh of relief. However, Angel added, “If I can’t do it, then we’ll just retreat. That would also fulfill your wish.”
Parlysania sharply turned its head, “That’s not what you said earlier.”
While still in disbelief at Angel’s audacious reply, Angel took a step forward: “I’ll give it a try.”
At this point, Parlysania couldn’t possibly stop Angel. It let him proceed, walking through the mist and into the core area.
Although Angel appeared relaxed, he had actually activated all his defensive powers to their limits. Eremy also quietly emerged from the shadows, activating a special barrier to protect Angel from all sides.
The moment Angel stepped out of the mist and into the illuminated area, a terrifying pressure descended as expected.
This pressure was different from what Angel had experienced in the mist. In the mist, although the pressure increased as Angel ventured deeper, this increase was gradual, not instantaneous.
However, the pressure at the core of the Lost Forest was entirely different. It surged dramatically, similar to advancing from an apprentice to a formal wizard, a fundamental qualitative change.
Even with Eremy’s full protection, Angel felt an unprecedented oppressive pressure, as if facing not just pressure but an entire mountain range suspended overhead. Compared to such immense pressure, an individual seemed utterly insignificant.
Angel was certain that without Eremy’s barrier, he would have already been injured and fallen. And although Eremy’s barrier couldn’t completely block the pressure, Angel still bore a part of it. Despite the reduced pressure still being terrifying, it wasn’t enough to make him falter.
However, Angel also sensed that even Eremy couldn’t sustain this pressure for too long. The energy Eremy used to warn him was weakening, and the barrier could only be maintained for another three to five minutes, without the ability to expand.
This meant that even with Eremy’s full effort, the barrier was only sufficient to protect Angel alone, unable to extend its protection to Parlysania.
Since Angel had promised to enter the core of the Lost Forest with Parlysania, he wouldn’t break his promise.
Faced with such pressure, Angel actually had another way to cope.
——His right eye’s “domain”!
During his numerous battles with Mentor Sanders, Sanders often activated pressure to disrupt Angel, with precise interference each time. Later, Angel activated the green runes in his right eye, and under the domain’s effect, he could completely ignore Sanders’s pressure.
At that time, Angel knew that the domain could block pressure.
Later, at the banquet in the Star Pool ruins, before the spotted puppy arrived, Angel also used his right eye’s domain to alleviate the pressure from Boil Gentleman.
Therefore, Angel believed the domain should be useful.
However, Angel couldn’t be sure of the domain’s limit in resisting pressure.
If it could resist the pressure of the Lost Forest, that would be ideal. If not completely, it should at least alleviate some of it. Then, letting Eremy activate the barrier again should make things easier… The worst-case scenario would be if it couldn’t resist at all. In that case, Angel would have to give up and wait until the Savage Grottoes was established in the Tidal Realm before seeking redemption.
As Angel thought this, the dense green runes hidden deep in his pupil were already activated by him.
The dense, lively green runes danced joyfully around his right eye.
In just a moment, Angel’s right eye began to emit a faint green light. With the emergence of the green light, the domain that Angel had been cultivating for some time was finally activated.
After the activation of the domain, Angel immediately felt the oppressive pressure, which had been weakened by Eremy’s barrier, vanish without a trace.
“Effective.” Angel was pleased in his heart and slightly expanded the invisible range of his domain.
By then, the range of the domain had already surpassed the protective barrier opened by Eremy.
After doing all this, Angel secretly contacted Eremy to inquire about his current situation.
Eremy’s feedback was concise and clear: the oppressive pressure it was subjected to had disappeared.
This meant that the domain had fully taken on the oppression and completely blocked the negative effects of the oppression from the outside.
At this moment, Angel finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He concealed the slight fluctuations in his expression due to emotional turbulence, turned his head back, and with an air as if nothing had happened, said to Parlysania, “Let’s go.”
…
Minutes later, Parlysania walked under the familiar sunlight, still somewhat in a daze.
How did this human do it? Parlysania was sure that they were Stepping into the Depths of the Forest, yet he felt no oppression at all.
It was as if the oppression itself did not exist.
He couldn’t help but look back at Angel.
Angel looked no different from before, and Parlysania did not sense any elemental energy fluctuations around him. The only change was that Angel’s right eye seemed to be shining with a faint green light.
Parlysania wanted to observe the green light closely, but when he looked directly into Angel’s right eye, a feeling of palpitations made him involuntarily look away.
Parlysania didn’t know why he felt palpitations, but he vaguely understood that Angel’s right eye must be the means to resist the oppression.
That kind of power was like… a taboo.
Parlysania dared not think further, nor did he dare to ask more, only keeping quiet.
They continued along the outskirts of the misty forest for a few more minutes until Angel broke the silence, “Is that where Highness Nemeti is in seclusion?”
Parlysania followed the direction Angel was pointing to, which was indeed the only high ground in this forest.
——The hillock.
Parlysania was stunned for a moment, “How… how do you know?”
Before Angel could speak, Toby, who had transformed back into a seabird, couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Parlysania and made a chirping sound.
Parlysania asked, “What is it saying?”
Angel couldn’t very well say that Toby was calling you a fool. So, Angel didn’t explain Toby’s words but pretended not to hear him and answered the first question.
Angel said, “Because you’ve been leading us around the edge of the forest. Isn’t it obvious that there’s something in the center?”
And at the center of the circular forest was the hillock. Thus, Angel speculated that Nemeti must be in seclusion near the hillock.
Parlysania, having its thoughts exposed by Angel, became somewhat flustered, worried that Angel, knowing the location of Nemeti’s seclusion, would head towards the hillock.
Parlysania hurriedly said, “You promised me before, wherever I go, you will follow.”
Seeing Parlysania’s uneasy expression, Angel shrugged and said, “I didn’t say we were going to the hillock. We can just wander around here or even stay put.”
Since Angel had said so, Parlysania didn’t continue to aimlessly circle around but chose to stop near a flat large rock.
“Then we’ll wait here. If Highness Nemeti is still conscious and willing to see you, she will naturally show herself,” Parlysania paused before adding, “If Highness does not appear, then we will leave. The deadline… the deadline…”
Angel replied, “The deadline is before midnight. Under this kind of pressure, that’s all I can maintain.”
Parlysania nodded.
As time ticked by, the twilight grew darker, and in the sky, still tinged with the last light, stars began to emerge.
During this time, they did not speak. Angel meditated quietly, while Parlysania watched him closely, fearing that Angel might make some small move to awaken Nemeti, who was in seclusion.
This overt surveillance lasted until night was about to fall.
Finally, Angel, who had been meditating, opened his eyes and stretched, taking out a cup that emitted a chilling cold from his space.
Parlysania’s brow furrowed instantly, “What are you doing? Don’t forget what you promised me.”
Angel replied, “Just as plants need water, humans cannot do without it.”
Saying this, Angel waved his fingertip, and a water conjuring spell condensed, filling the transparent cup with a thin stream of water.
Angel drank it all in one gulp and then placed the cup beside him.
Parlysania glanced at Angel, ensuring he wasn’t making any other moves, and then relaxed.
“If Highness Nemeti truly has left her consciousness in the outside world, she would have sensed it when you entered the core area. Since Highness has not appeared by now, either she does not wish to see you, or you were wrong, and Highness has not left any consciousness behind,” Parlysania said. “So, I advise you to leave.”
Because Angel had been quite rule-abiding along the way, Parlysania’s tone was noticeably gentler.
However, Angel nonchalantly said, “Didn’t we agree to wait until midnight? It’s not completely dark yet. Let’s wait a bit longer; maybe she will come soon?”
Parlysania was about to say “impossible,” but before it could speak, a rustling sound came from afar.
“That sound…” Parlysania turned its head sharply, its gaze fixed on the dense forest.
No change was visible in the depths of the forest, but the rustling sound continued to come through.
Moreover, as time went on, the rustling grew louder, as if something was already surrounding them.
When a cold breeze blew, Parlysania felt a brightness from afar.
An elegant figure slowly emerged from the depths of the forest.
What kind of figure was it?
It emitted a faint green light.
It swayed its slender body.
Every move it made was accompanied by the sound of rustling sand.
And with the appearance of this figure, a soft green light began to bloom around…
Chapter 2266 Questions and Answers <TOC> Chapter 2268 The Snake Gazing at the Stars