Chapter 943 Recent Developments of a Close Friend <TOC> Chapter 945 A Change of Attitude
Next page password is bold portion: BePhEz@Net0
Translator: SumTLMan
High Cloud Tower resides at the pinnacle of the Eternal Tree. From any corner of the Mirror World, one can glimpse the shadow of this tower. To all apprentice wizards, it is akin to a belief, a guiding beacon shining through the darkness when they find themselves lost.
This marks Angel’s maiden voyage to High Cloud Tower, a sacred entity in the hearts of all apprentices. Inevitably, he felt a twinge of nervous anticipation.
Observing the imposing tower body, suffused with a vast and primeval aura, Angel couldn’t help but speculate—how would the interior architecture appear?
Would it be as extravagant and meticulous as Sanders’ Manor? Or rather, would it radiate an aura of aged wisdom and dignity, like the external towers?
While Angel was lost in thought, several pigeons perched on the tower’s ledge suddenly took flight, weaving their way through the veiling mist.
The path of these birds seemed to follow a preordained trajectory. Initially, Angel was merely casting an idle glance. However, the unusual flight path of these pigeons piqued his interest. Upon closer inspection, he discerned that the pigeons seemed to adhere to zones of weaker energy. Following their passage, an odd implication gradually sank down from High Cloud Tower…
The trajectory intrigued Angel, appearing profoundly mysterious and oddly familiar.
Unable to resist, Angel fell into contemplation.
At the same time, inside the tower, Rhine Mute, who had been in a state of meditation with closed eyes, suddenly opened them, his gaze directed towards where Angel stood.
“Indeed, he is talented, noticing the transmission trajectory at first glance,” Rhine murmured under his breath.
After a considerable while, a soft rustling sound reached Angel’s ear. Looking up, he noticed that at some point, the grand doors of High Cloud Tower had been opened.
Initially engrossed in pondering the peculiar trajectory, he was now compelled to divert his attention. The person he was about to meet was the real powerhouse of the Savage Grottoes. If he appeared discourteous due to his distraction, he would indeed be digging his own grave.
With this thought, Angel promptly curbed his unnecessary speculations and ventured into the looming darkness of the open doors.
As soon as he crossed the threshold, an unusual ambiance enveloped him.
—Grave and solemn.
Despite being an ordinary corridor, an aura of tranquil serenity pervaded the space, compelling Angel to subconsciously soften his footsteps, reducing the sound to near silence.
Positioned at the nucleus of the tower, Angel could perceive its core hollowed out, enabling a view of the topmost windows even from the base. Flecks of sunlight cascaded onto the central pool at the foundation, generating a shimmering sheen upon the water’s surface.
The pool contained not a ripple, its stillness echoing tranquillity. Nestled in the heart of the pool stood an enigmatic statue—a divine figure seemingly suspended in ether. Although his face remained obscured, a palpable aura of serene silence emanated from him. Adjacent to this silent deity hovered peculiar worlds, bearing nothing more than mouths adorned with fiery red lips, evoking an expression—cacophony.
Silence and cacophony—a striking contrast, yet harmoniously balanced within a singular sculpture. Much like shadow and light, paradoxically contradicting, yet coexisting.
The peculiarity of the statue lay not just in its nebulous countenance. Although Angel couldn’t decipher its eyes, he felt an inexorable gaze piercing through the void, studying him in quiet scrutiny. This invisible scrutiny felt as though it was permeating through his entire being, infiltrating his physical form and seeping into his thoughts.
In this moment, a subtle radiance flickered within a teardrop residing on the tail of Angel’s shoulder clasp.
With this gentle shimmer, the Blood Night Sanctuary encased within the teardrop began to wield its magic.
A sensation of lightness enveloped Angel, slowly encapsulating his entirety. Subsequently, the overwhelming feeling of being scrutinized ebbed away like a retreating tide.
Angel dared not fixate his gaze upon the statue any further.
The statue had somehow triggered the Blood Night Sanctuary, solidifying the sensation of being watched. He dared not examine this eerie statue again. Despite having the protection of the Blood Night Sanctuary to shield from prying eyes, it did not guarantee absolute safety.
“This is the Silent Deity, a school of prophetic faith.”
A message was directly conveyed into Angel’s mind.
Startled and slightly dubious, Angel was about to inquire about the source of the message when he realized the silent aura’s influence had rendered him speechless.
“Within the Silent Deity’s domain, you will be unable to speak. Come, ascend to the top floor, I will await your arrival here.”
After the message concluded, Angel received no further information. However, he heard a creaking noise, like a door in the tower being opened…
Angel deduced that the person who had communicated with him must be Lord Rhine. Therefore, he felt a sense of assurance and started to ascend the winding staircase along the edge, step by step, heading towards the tower’s pinnacle.
As Angel ascended to the apex, his gaze glided downward over the parapet to the still visible pool and statue on the ground level. However, the view from this high vantage point cast a strange spell—the pool was no longer filled with water but seemed to morph into a water screen. Even more extraordinary was the appearance of Angel’s reflection within this water screen.
Yet, the figure reflected wasn’t the current Angel.
It began as an image of him in his tender childhood years, abruptly shifting to his adolescent self, and finally freezing into his current youthful visage.
But the phantom of his past selves only shimmered momentarily before being shrouded by a ray of blood-red light. This sanguine glow obscured the water screen as though resisting further intrusion, and eventually, as the bloody hue faded, the water screen reverted to its mundane state as a mere pool.
A spark of understanding flickered in Angel’s eyes.
Ignoring the projections of his various life stages, he couldn’t ignore the connection between the blood-red light and the Blood Night Sanctuary.
So…had the statue attempted to pry into his past through the water screen, only to be blocked by the Blood Night Sanctuary?
This supposition was too close to the truth to be ignored.
“Enter, if you have any questions, I will answer them,” The previous message echoed once more.
As if roused from a trance, Angel turned around to find an open door behind him.
He hesitated briefly before stepping through.
Upon entering, his gaze landed on Rhine Mute, who was seated in front of a colossal crystal ball.
The room was spacious, littered with crystal balls in every corner. As Angel moved forward, he felt a disconcerting sense that each ball reflected his slightly distorted reflection.
He’d heard of Rhine’s peculiar fondness for crystal balls. Now, seeing it firsthand, he could confirm the truth of the rumor.
Mirror Lady once suggested to Angel that if he ever met Rhine, he should advise him to modernize his communications device from the outdated crystal ball model, a style that hadn’t changed for a millennium, and to keep pace with the trends in Mechanical City.
Mirror Lady had made the suggestion lightly, but Angel wouldn’t dare utter it. The sheer number of crystal balls in this room spoke volumes about Rhine’s obsession with them—an obsession is not easily challenged. Placing himself in Rhine’s shoes, Angel understood that any affront to his passion might kindle anger.
“Have a seat here,” Rhine’s attire was immaculate, each of his movements exuding an air of elegance.
With a modicum of trepidation, Angel acceded to Rhine’s request, situating himself opposite the old man. Betwixt the two of them, the centerpiece of the scene was a colossal crystal ball, spanning at least a meter in diameter.
“From your expression earlier, it seems the scene within the pool intrigued you. Why not voice your thoughts?” Rhine’s invitation came across gently.
Only then did Angel realize that the cocoon of silence that had enshrouded him was gradually ebbing away.
Lifting his gaze to meet Rhine’s, he perceived the man as nothing more than an average elderly noble, devoid of intimidation or commanding presence. Yet, an unsettling tension gnawed at him. It was akin to beholding a seemingly unremarkable rock amid the ocean. From the surface, it appears inconspicuous. But delve beneath the waves and one would realize it’s a towering underwater peak, its apex gracing the ocean’s surface, roots buried in the abyss.
Amidst this torrent of contemplation, Angel managed to suppress his baseless apprehension before finally finding his voice.
“Lord… what were those visions we just witnessed?”
A soft laugh emanated from Rhine, placating Angel’s unease before he began, “Those were the responses of the Silent Deity. Initially, I wanted to utilize the power of the Silent Deity to gauge your potential. However, there seems to be something on you that has obstructed the Deity’s gaze.”
As he finished, Rhine’s gaze noticeably drifted towards the golden shoulder seal adorning Angel’s right shoulder.
At the end of this seal, a tear-shaped crystal was affixed, seemingly flashing a faint red light from within.
“Is this an alchemical item capable of blocking surveillance?” Rhine refrained from hastily investigating the tear with his mental abilities.
Angel paused for a moment before nodding in affirmation.
The Blood Night Sanctuary was designed to shield against divination, though declaring that it blocks surveillance wouldn’t be entirely incorrect, just slightly lacking in detail.
The revelation that Angel possessed an alchemical item capable of blocking surveillance did not appear to astonish Rhine. However, if he were to learn that the Blood Night Sanctuary could shield against divination, maintaining such composure would indeed be a challenging feat.
Rhine did not dwell on the Blood Night Sanctuary, instead he gently offered, “Nevertheless, even without resorting to the Silent Deity’s probing, your potential has already been acknowledged by the public.”
“Truth be told, I summoned you here to personally get a measure of the man who’s caused quite a stir within the Southern Alchemy World.” There was a pause in Rhine’s speech before he continued, “Don’t be formal, I simply wish to engage in a casual conversation.”
Just a casual conversation? Angel was skeptical that Rhine would have the luxury of time for idle banter.
However, given Rhine’s preface, Angel played along by giving a slight nod of acquiescence. Conveniently, he was also interested in gleaning some news from Rhine.
Rhine interjected, “By the way, I saw you earlier observing the pigeons outside the tower. Did you notice anything peculiar?”
Angel was taken aback. He had anticipated a multitude of inquiries from Rhine, presuming the first question would be about alchemy. To his surprise, the conversation veered towards the unexpected topic of pigeons.
Angel’s thoughts whirled in a rapid attempt to fathom Rhine’s intentions.
Regrettably, under circumstances where information and context were not symmetrical, no amount of speculation would suffice. Deciding not to overthink, Angel contemplated his words and opted to respond according to his own thoughts.
“Initially, I didn’t pay much attention to it, but soon, I sensed something amiss and observed more closely. I discovered the doves were following a peculiar flight pattern, one that struck me as both strange and vaguely familiar…”
As Angel spoke, he was simultaneously recalling that peculiar Flight Trajectory.
Previously, his focus was derailed while he was outside the tower and didn’t delve too deeply into it. But now, provided an opportunity by Rhine to sift through his thoughts, he found the fog of confusion gradually lifting as he narrated his observations.
Chapter 943 Recent Developments of a Close Friend <TOC> Chapter 945 A Change of Attitude