Chapter 725 A Sudden Change of Wind <TOC> Chapter 727 The Final Price
Previous page password is bold portion: Dr+qOnahO9u
Translator: SumTLMan
All the beautiful things of the world appear in the old man’s eyes.
Majestic, continuous snow-capped peaks, shimmering with brilliance under the sunlight that seems to be frozen in time.
The gentle breeze over the ocean, several small fishing boats bobbing along the coast, seemingly telling some unknown stories.
And the mysterious seagulls, dancing in the sky above the blurry frolicking mermaids…
The endless forests, vast grasslands, and the boundless sky are all captured in a single glance.
This is an incredible illusion realm, and within it, a strong, peculiar aura envelops everyone.
“It’s like a spell that freezes time, filled with stories of time rewinding, and it expands the imagination endlessly. This music box is magical!” Witch Tong marvels, experiencing such delight for the first time, wishing she could purchase it immediately. However, she only has a little over five thousand magic crystals, not even enough to compete.
“No wonder Lord Rhine was full of praise. It’s indeed possible for Gloria to have her sudden enlightenment in such an alchemy illusion realm!” Liana reveals her sudden understanding.
“You mean Gloria created her spells because of the alchemy illusion realm?” Witch Tong is surprised.
Liana nods, “Not entirely, but Gloria’s accumulation reached its peak, yet she couldn’t find the key to breakthrough. This alchemy illusion realm has achieved that for her.”
After listening, a glint appears in Witch Tong’s eyes, “Do you know the creator, Angel?”
“How could I not?” Liana smiles bitterly, “He’s actually the new disciple taken in by the Phantom Master, a talented and terrifying young fellow.”
Witch Tong falls silent, recalling the personal identification that had appeared at the bottom of the music box earlier, whispering, “Angel, huh?”
Not only Liana but almost all the wizards from the Savage Grottoes present have deduced the reason for Gloria’s creation of her spells. Indeed, such an incredible atmosphere could have a profound impact, making sudden enlightenment possible.
Chilledin gazes at the illusion realm, his eyes shining even more brightly, “I must have it, I must!”
At this moment, deep astonishment appears in Sumesh’s eyes as well.
As an orthodox illusion wizard of the Phantom lineage, he had naturally visited the Nightmare Plane, knew the Nightmare Illusion Spell, and even combined both to create the Nightmare Domain. Yet, he could not achieve the incorporation of the Nightmare Plane’s sensations within his illusions.
When the illusion realm appeared, Sumesh even thought for a moment that Angel had incorporated an actual Nightmare Domain into the music box. Only the Nightmare Domain could give such a feeling of the Nightmare Plane.
However, after careful observation, he realized that the illusion realm only incorporated the feeling the Nightmare Plane gave, not the genuine aura of the Nightmare Plane. This made Sumesh dismiss his previous conjecture.
Nevertheless, Sumesh was still in awe of this illusion. Even he couldn’t accomplish what Angel, whom he had only caught a glimpse of, could. Not only was the illusion almost as realistic as the ‘True Illusion Spell,’ but the added feeling of the Nightmare Plane was nothing short of a stroke of genius!
At this moment, the melody enters the refrain for the third time, and those who understand music theory are well aware that this refrain is the theme of the entire piece. The third appearance signifies that the music is approaching its finale.
A minute later, the blind old man in the illusion closed his eyes contentedly, and the wondrous illusion in his eyes disappeared with it.
Everyone present couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. They were still in shock and hadn’t had time to study the peculiar illusion before it vanished. It seemed the only way to continue researching it was to purchase the music box.
As a result, those with money began to prepare eagerly, while those without funds shook their heads, their faces showing disappointment.
The music hadn’t yet finished, and the illusion hadn’t entirely disappeared.
After fulfilling his wish, the old man closed his eyes and departed from the world. The dancing girl, spinning in circles, stopped as well, a crystal-clear tear falling from her eye. At this moment, the music began to subtly change. Although the melody still felt lively and splendid, a faint hint of melancholy could be detected.
A profound silence, accompanied by a faint sense of sorrow, pervaded the scene.
“What incredible emotional control!” Suddenly, a wizard blurted out this sentence, like a thunderbolt from the sky, striking the nerves of everyone present.
“Yes, even I was almost engulfed by these emotions,” another wizard agreed.
The conversation between the two wizards allowed the entranced apprentices to come to their senses, their eyes filled with horror. This illusion had captivated them to the point where they lost themselves. If it weren’t for the wizards’ reminder, would they have completely lost control of their minds?
Seeing the astonished apprentices below, Sumesh shook his head, “It indeed is an impressive spell, all the previous buildup, culminating in the final sublime moment. It appears to utilize a heart-illusion spell, but that’s not the case. The creator merely used the story within the illusion to subtly guide your emotions. Once you’re aware of it, it has no effect.”
Sumesh’s words were correct, but Leon had a different opinion. “I agree with Sumesh, but I must disagree on one point. If used solely for appreciating music, the emotional manipulation is perfectly executed. I think it’s just a genuine emotional expression.”
Their conversation allowed the others to understand the key point. If it required a long buildup to guide emotional release, they wouldn’t worry about losing control of their minds.
Moreover, they tended to lean more towards Leon’s explanation. After all, it required people to sincerely immerse themselves in the story for the effect to occur. When used in music appreciation, it indeed had significant value.
Ultimately, this was still a music box, not a weapon for combat. Music was the essence.
With this realization, everyone was able to enjoy the illusion’s final moments with peace of mind—
The girl began to dance again, slowly spinning like a ballerina. The surrounding illusion transformed once more as she twirled, returning to the initial forest scene. The figure she had been conversing with in the forest was no longer blurry, and it turned out to be the wizard who had helped the old man witness the extraordinary illusion.
At this moment, everyone understood that the story was, in fact, an inserted narrative.
The two continued conversing, and finally, the girl nodded at the wizard. In front of everyone’s eyes, she transformed into a dazzling burst of bubbles.
The ending was somewhat unexpected — why did the girl turn into bubbles? Was it because of the agreement with the wizard? Was it to grant the old man a fleeting moment of brightness at the cost of her own life? Or was it simply an artistic elevation that resonated with the music?
No one knew for sure, as a thousand people might have a thousand different answers — such is the charm of art.
After the music ended, Silon closed the music box.
He stood on the stage without speaking for a long time, and the audience did not urge him to continue, as they were still savoring the incredible musical journey.
Silon looked at the scene, with mixed feelings about the miraculous nature of the musical illusion, while secretly cursing his own superior.
Shalom had done a foolish thing, all for the sake of his pride that he couldn’t let go. Without understanding the truth, he tried to save face, only to end up pointing his finger at the original creator and getting caught in the act, which backfired.
As Silon was still sighing to himself, Leon spoke again, “I am now confident that this music box was indeed crafted by the creator of that On Cloud 6, and his skill has improved even more. He is definitely not a plagiarist. Can anyone else plagiarize the illusion seen in the old man’s eyes?”
Leon’s words received the agreement of the audience. The intriguing and unique illusion was a signature representation that would be difficult for others to imitate.
Leon continued, “At first, I didn’t know who the craftsman was, but now I know his name is Angel. I’ve also taken note of his personal symbol. He is an alchemist worth remembering.”
“Who exactly is Angel?” The audience was eager to know more about the creator of the music box, as it was astonishing to them.
Since there were many apprentices from the Savage Grottoes present, Angel’s identity was quickly revealed, once again causing surprise among the crowd.
“It turns out he’s a disciple of Phantom Master. No wonder his illusion spell is so unique.” Everyone nodded in understanding, and they all remembered Angel’s name. It was not only because of Phantom Lord Sanders, but also because Angel truly had the talent.
Meanwhile, on the third floor, Shalom had also received information about Angel.
Shalom’s face turned completely dark, emanating a cold aura that seemed almost tangible. Even his usually close witch lovers didn’t dare to approach him.
“What did you say? Angel is hailed as a rising star in the alchemy circle?! He has even touched upon the mysterious realm before? You’re only telling me this information now?!” Shalom yelled in anger, kicking the trembling staff member who was kneeling on the floor.
Upon witnessing the illusion created by the music, Shalom realized that he had made a grave mistake this time.
The Illusion Music Box was simply incomparable to the musical illusion!
If he had known the music box was so extraordinary, and if he had known of Angel’s abilities, he wouldn’t have made such humiliating decisions and even offended a promising alchemist!
At this moment, Shalom completely forgot Silon’s initial earnest warning and even voluntarily changed the reserve price. It was all due to his own obstinacy that led to this outcome.
“Fortunately, Angel didn’t come this time, so there’s still a chance to mend the relationship,” Shalom muttered as he stood up and walked out.
“Where are you going, my lord?” his abandoned companion called out with affection.
“Do I have any face left to stay here? To wait for their ridicule?” Shalom roared and slammed the door as he left.
The third-floor incident was unknown to the auction-goers, and even if they knew, they would probably scoff. If one brought misfortune upon themselves, they deserved the consequences.
Meanwhile, as everyone was discussing Angel’s identity, Jailall in VIP room No. 7 was deep in thought with a solemn expression.
“Angel? Sanders’ new apprentice? Could it be the one I met at the Barbie Restaurant?” Jailall furrowed his brow as the image of a child surfaced in his mind.
Could it really be him?
Jailall was naturally aware of the rising star in the alchemy circle and knew that he was Sanders’ apprentice. But he had never connected Angel to the person he met at the Barbie Restaurant, as the latter was too young. However, upon hearing the discussion below, Jailall realized that he had been mistaken all along.
A once powerless youth had grown to such an extent?
Jailall’s lips curled into a smirk, “This is getting interesting.”
Chapter 725 A Sudden Change of Wind <TOC> Chapter 727 The Final Price