Chapter 2586 Passage <TOC> Chapter 2588 Transfer Station
Translator: SumTLMan
It’s called a black portal, but it truly is a pitch-black passage.
The passage walls are primarily constructed of brick and stone, a material different from the exterior’s Starshine Stone, these are precious Limesi Stones. This stone can be crafted into formation disks capable of holding most mid-rank magic formations and some simple high-rank ones.
Materials capable of holding high-rank magic formations, whether beast skin paper, stone, or magic materials, are incredibly expensive. And here, the walls are entirely made of Limesi Stone.
Angel could tell the difference in the materials, and so could others.
Aside from the Black Count and Angel, everyone had a covetous thought but was too embarrassed to voice it, except for Daus, who didn’t care about shame and straightforwardly suggested: “Why don’t you all go ahead, and I’ll dig up a few stones before catching up?”
After Daus made his suggestion, Kael and Vai were tempted.
However, before they could speak, Angel casually said: “If you want to face the backlash from the magic formation, then dig. But, you’ll have to wait until we’ve reached the exit. I don’t want to accompany your burial.”
“Is there a magic formation hidden here?” Daus wondered aloud.
“What else? Would they use Limesi Stone on the passage just to show off their wealth?” Angel responded, somewhat exasperated.
The runes in the passage, like those on the Starshine Stones outside, have slowly become concealed within the stones over the years. Therefore, they are not visible.
But the passage runes are even more complex than those outside. Otherwise, they wouldn’t use Limesi Stone as the main material.
The magic formations associated with these runes need to interact, intertwine, and deceive the entire underground labyrinth’s vast magic formation while maintaining a dynamic balance to ensure the safety of this passage.
Prying open even one stone here could potentially cause a catastrophic collapse.
Moreover, since these Limesi Stones have been inscribed with runes, even if reused, they cannot achieve the highest quality and are not very valuable anymore.
It’s not worth causing a major magic formation backlash for a small benefit. A regular backlash might just affect a minor external magic formation, but if it involves the labyrinth’s vast formation, the consequences would be significant.
After hearing Angel’s explanation, the two apprentices felt relieved that they hadn’t spoken, while Daus shamelessly said: “Ah, that’s a pity. How about when we come back, we pry a few stones? By then, even if there’s turmoil, it won’t matter.”
Angel replied: “If the turmoil affects the entire Garden Labyrinth, there will be more collapses than now, and who knows how many adventure groups it will kill. You can do it, but you’ll have to bear all the consequences.”
Angel mentioned the adventure groups, but it would also impact the Traveling Merchants and Bylron family backing them.
Even though the Bylron family isn’t a behemoth, dealing with someone like Daus wouldn’t be a problem for them.
As for the possibility that they wouldn’t discover Daus was responsible? Impossible. Once it was actually done, the magnitude of the deaths would be so significant that even the birth of a mortal’s soul could serve as a medium, allowing a prophecy wizard to pinpoint the true culprit behind the scenes.
Unless Daus possessed an item like Angel’s Blood Night Sanctuary, which could shield him from prophecy wizards’ scrutiny. However, such items are exceedingly rare, not even guaranteed to be seen at major auctions in extraordinary cities. The likelihood of Daus having one was very low.
Daus clearly understood what Angel meant; he wasn’t afraid of facing a single wizard from the Bylron family, but if the entire family worked together with a prophecy wizard against him, then he might be in trouble.
To do this for a few stones of insignificant value clearly wasn’t worth it.
“Disappointing… I thought I could gain some profit as soon as I entered. It turned out to be just a dream,” sighed Daus.
Angel glanced at Daus: “Maybe there’s something better in the underground labyrinth.”
Daus: “I think, after so many years of being swept through, there surely isn’t much good left below. If there is, it’s probably in a very dangerous place. At most, the materials from those monsters might be considered valuable, but you told us not to disturb the monsters… Ah, it seems I probably won’t get anything good this trip.”
Angel and the Black Count exchanged a knowing look, silently noting Daus’ words, which, based on past experiences, should have a spiritual perception boost.
“Material gains do not compare to spiritual richness,” Angel casually remarked, seemingly offering a platitude but actually reminding Daus not to forget why he came this time.
Let spiritual perception break through, becoming an innate talent.
In fact, Daus was just one step away from this breakthrough. Once achieved, no material gain could compare to such “spiritual richness.”
“Although your statement seems perfunctory, I oddly agree with it,” Daus laughed heartily, never wondering why he felt oddly in agreement.
This was probably… the last confusion before his spiritual perception breakthrough.
Even Kael and Vai had already vaguely noticed some situations, but Daus was still caught in his confusion.
This is the so-called “insiders are the most deluded, while bystanders see the clearest.”
No one reminded Daus because doing so might not help him break through the confusion and could even lead to greater confusion. What Daus could do was to awaken and break through on his own.
From his own feedback on spiritual perception, this trip to the ruins could unexpectedly become the very opportunity needed for his final step.
…
Previously, they thought this black portal wouldn’t be very long, but once they actually started traversing it, they realized it was twisted and winding, spiraling upwards at times and then plunging vertically, making the journey quite lengthy.
Surrounded by pitch darkness, they dared not use magic recklessly for fear of triggering a backlash. Thus, they relied solely on their feet to measure out the distance, walking for a full ten minutes before finally seeing the end of the black passage.
The end of the black passage was not the bright exit they imagined but a magic formation used for concealment.
There are two ways to break a formation if the magic formation isn’t very advanced. The first method involves overpowering it directly with a higher level rune; the second uses the master control rune of the underground church to temporarily bind the magic formation.
Clearly, the followers of the Demon God used the second method.
Angel can use both methods, but he chose the second. The first method would break the formation——destructively deciphering the formation, while the second method doesn’t damage the magic formation, only temporarily disabling it.
Angel, being a pragmatist, sees no need to show off his rune level unnecessarily.
He easily bound the magic formation, and a “door” appeared before them.
At first glance, it was a “door,” but when Angel touched it, he immediately realized it was actually a large object blocking the entrance.
It was quite heavy; Angel used his arm enhanced by the projection bloodline and could only barely push it… This so-called barely pushing meant that Angel felt he moved it slightly, but to others, it appeared immobile.
“What bloodline have you integrated with? Such a minor strength enhancement? And, it still looks like a human arm?” Daus couldn’t hide his curiosity about Angel’s strenuous efforts: “Could it be a merfolk’s bloodline? Or some other humanoid bloodline… None of those? Did you integrate a wizard’s bloodline?”
Angel: “Why don’t you guess that I haven’t integrated any bloodline?”
“That’s impossible.” Daus shook his head vigorously. It’s nearly impossible for someone who is a formal wizard not to have integrated a bloodline.
“You think it’s impossible, then just choose any answer you believe in. Here, you take over, mighty Red Sword Wizard.”
Angel didn’t bother to explain further; the projection bloodline was his secret.
Though it didn’t seem very effective at the moment, it was the most suitable for him, especially for manipulating the green rune most conveniently.
Daus muttered a few words and stepped forward to start pushing the obstructing object.
It must be said, this object was extremely heavy, and it also had the function of dampening extraordinary powers; probably only a bloodline wizard like Daus could push it with brute strength.
While Angel watched Daus pushing the object, he heard the voice of the Black Count in his mind: “Did you really not activate your bloodline just now?”
Angel replied unflinchingly: “Is the lord also curious about this?”
The Black Count didn’t respond.
Angel continued: “Since the lord is curious, I’ll give you an answer: I activated my bloodline, but unfortunately, it’s not a strength enhancement. It enhances other aspects.”
Unnoticed, a faint mist enveloped Angel, obscuring his expressions and blocking the casting of truth spells.
To discern the truth from falsehood, only the Black Count’s own intuition could be relied upon.
“Is this true?”
“If the lord believes it to be true, then it is true,” Angel replied lightly.
“It seems it is true,” the Black Count responded with certainty this time.
Angel silently sighed inwardly, attempting to feign ignorance to provoke a reaction, but it seemed to have little effect in front of the Black Count.
The Black Count, as one of the top wizards of the Southern Region, could discern truth from falsehood not through any magic, but merely through the analysis of spoken words.
This was the difference in experience and perspective.
The truth being guessed didn’t bother Angel; after all, the Black Count could not have guessed it was a projection bloodline. Thus, Angel just smiled and did not respond further to the Black Count.
The Black Count quietly observed Angel’s right arm, which was covered with a glove, wondering what lay beneath.
Angel paid no heed to the Black Count’s gaze. He was only now becoming aware of his own restraint concerning his right arm. Other high-level transcendents would typically glance at his right arm first, like the master of Ice Valley, Odeklaes, he encountered in the Abyss, the Resurrection Witch, Balalaika, from the Resting Ground, and the Abyssal Wind Dragon, Fafnir, all of whom first looked at his right arm.
Suddenly remembering these “friends” from the Abyss, he wondered what their current state was? Whether they could still coexist peacefully upon meeting again?
Angel shook his head, dismissing these thoughts, and turned his attention to Daus.
He was originally curious about what bloodline Daus might possess.
Rumored to possess a speed rivaling spatial displacement and the power to sever mountains and rivers, Daus, from the description, excluding the exaggerations and innate bloodline enhancements, likely had the bloodline of a giant.
Perhaps even a Void Giant, given that speed is typically a giant’s weakness, except for a Void Giant.
But Angel had underestimated Daus.
Daus had not activated any bloodline; merely his arm bulged with veins, pushing away the object at the exit bit by bit.
As the object was moved aside, the scene behind it was revealed.
A rather clean, cramped room.
After scouting the corridor to ensure there were no dangers, everyone entered in single file.
The room was immaculately clean, entirely pristine white without any dirt, save for the object itself. The object was a normal stone cabinet connected to the wall.
Why was such an ordinary stone cabinet so difficult to move? Because it was integrated with the room, and the room was connected to the entire underground labyrinth’s magic formation. They couldn’t even penetrate the room’s walls with their mental powers. With the enhancement from the magic formation, it was normal for the stone cabinet to be difficult to move.
Although the room had no other furniture, it still had passages.
However, it was not a downward passage but a staircase ascending along the wall.
“Since there’s no downward staircase, could this possibly be a basement? Or perhaps, the exit is actually at the top?” Thinking this, Angel proceeded up the stairs.
The others followed suit.
Only Daus was left there, rifling through the stone cabinet, unfortunately finding nothing. However, there was some dust at the bottom of the cabinet, suggesting that there had once been something inside, but as time passed, those things had turned to dust.
Unrewarded, Daus sighed and pushed the stone cabinet back to its original place.
He had already concluded that the Traveling Merchants organization would surely catch up. Although Angel forbade setting traps, since he had moved the cabinet, why should he make it easy for those who followed? Thus, being rather petty, Daus pushed the cabinet back again.
Then, Daus dusted off his palms, dispelling the residual pheromones around him, and ascended the staircase.
Upon reaching the upper level, the first thing they saw was a corridor, with everyone now standing by a window looking outside.
Daus thought he had found some crucial clue and moved forward to look, only to see nothing remarkable outside, just a small alley. The opposite wall was somewhat mottled but undamaged.
“Any discoveries?” Daus asked, unable to discern anything.
Angel glanced at Daus and responded to his question. By now, if Daus asked something that wasn’t nonsensical, he would answer it, thinking that perhaps a casual remark from Daus might spark some inspiration.
“Two discoveries. First, do you see where my finger is pointing? There’s a bit of green liquid at the base of that wall. Although my mental power can’t penetrate the window, judging by the appearance of that liquid, it’s likely some kind of monster’s bodily fluid. And it’s fresh.”
This also meant that there likely were monsters nearby.
“Second, the wall across is mottled but essentially intact, and one can faintly make out some energy conduits.”
Daus: “What does this tell us?”
Angel: “It tells us that we’ve circumnavigated the superficial layer of the underground labyrinth and entered its True Depths.”
Because the superficial layer has very few magic formations and most places have collapsed over time. The deeper layers are protected by massive magic formations, and the buildings here are made of extraordinary materials, which is why they’ve stood for thousands of years.
“The true depths… What awaits us here?” Kael said, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll run into a whole horde of monsters as soon as we go out,” Daus said, spouting nonsense in an attempt to dampen Kael’s adventurous spirit.
Whether Kael listened was another matter.
Angel and the Black Count did take it seriously; Angel, who had been relaxed, now tensed up.
Everyone else’s words might be ignored, but Daus’ words, even in jest, had to be taken seriously.
If there really was a horde of monsters, it was best to be cautious. Although the deeper layers of the underground labyrinth had been cleared by people years ago, much time had passed, and monsters could have grown.
Who knew if they might bump into a monster of a formal wizard’s level as soon as they stepped outside?