Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2668: Chapter 2669: Danger Perception

After the Black Earl entered the Hanging Jail Stairway, the door at the base of the Peeing Boy statue did not close, and even their Mind Ribbon was not severed.

"Did he do this on purpose?" Dox asked through the Mind Ribbon.

The Sage could have completely closed off the Hanging Jail Stairway from the outside, but he didn’t do so. Instead, he left a special communication channel open, which definitely wasn’t normal behavior in Dox’s eyes.

Angel didn’t speak; he merely glanced at the Sage, only to find the Sage looking back at him, the corners of his mouth curled up, the eye at his brow narrowed to a slit.

Upon realizing Angel had caught his gaze, the Sage showed no hint of embarrassment, lightly nodding at Angel. Then, right in front of Angel, he slowly took out a triangular-framed set of glasses.

The glasses had golden rims, with each of the side frames dangling a golden chain.

If not for the third eye lens, this would be a perfectly normal look. But now it seemed somewhat bizarre... or perhaps even endearingly cute paired with the Sage’s youthful human appearance?

As Angel silently ridiculed in his heart, a sudden sensation of being completely seen through emerged.

Angel was shocked inside, and ignoring the risk of exposure, he decisively enveloped himself with the Power of Nightmare Illusion.

Under the cover of the Nightmare Illusion, the feeling of being seen through gradually dissipated.

After confirming there were no other danger signs, Angel finally raised his head to look at the Sage opposite him.

Undoubtedly, this was the Sage’s doing.

The Sage had no intention of denying it, cheerfully saying, "The secrets you carry are quite intriguing... Are you truly a descendant of Noah?"

Angel did not respond, but instead gazed coldly at the Sage, as if questioning the significance of the Sage’s actions with his eyes.

Seeing Angel’s wary expression, the Sage understood that if he made another move, Angel would likely flee immediately.

The Sage did not want that to happen, not yet, at least.

Considering this, the Sage made a rare explanation: "Why so cautious of me? If I truly intended to act, I could have done so before further reinforcing the Earth Ring Wall; there’s no need to wait until now. Even now, breaking through the Earth Ring Wall wouldn’t be difficult for me."

"Is that so?" Angel murmured softly, then gently shifted his position under the Sage’s gaze.

Where he had stood before, there were now dozens of intricately carved Magic Rune Scrolls existing in a floating manner, appearing unconnected yet each dancing individually, but connected by an invisible energy chain.

Once the energy chain is triggered, all these Magic Rune Scrolls would activate instantly.

Although the Sage didn’t know the types of these Magic Rune Scrolls, judging from their appearance, they were undoubtedly intermediate level or higher, each immensely valuable! Moreover, among these Magic Rune Scrolls, there was one with a particularly unique aura.

This Magic Rune Scroll wasn’t in flight, merely hovering quietly. Yet, its immense energy fluctuation was impossible to conceal.

This was absolutely a high-order Magic Rune Scroll, with energy dense and warm, highly likely of the defensive variety.

With so many Magic Rune Scrolls linked together, plus the high-order scroll at the center and the Earth Ring Wall left outside by the Black Earl, they could easily open and close the Plane Corridor once fully activated.

Angel was clearly showing the Sage that if they truly wanted to leave, the Sage wouldn’t be able to stop them.

Seeing Angel lay out such a large array of Magic Rune Scrolls, the Sage felt no other thoughts but awe at Angel’s abundant resources, as the Sage had no intention of using force against Angel and his company here.

More than the Magic Rune Scrolls, what the Sage valued was the item hidden within the mass of Magic Rune Scrolls—

External Array Disk.

Previously, when the Sage mentioned easily breaching the stacked eight layers of the Earth Ring Wall, he wasn’t referring to using his own power, but rather manipulating the Magical Energy Array to oppose the Earth Ring Wall.

Although it seemed slightly rogue, this was actually the fundamental reason behind the Sage’s confidence.

Yet, upon Angel revealing the swirling Magic Rune Scrolls, the Sage discovered that he could no longer control the Magical Energy Array that covered portions of the Earth Ring Wall.

It was as if the Magical Energy Array there had vanished into thin air. This sensation was identical to that of the place belonging to the Goddess.

The area left by Augustine was arranged by Margaret. Margaret enabled that area to be immune to the control of the Magical Energy Array by using a rare demonic material—Perennial Crystal—to craft the External Array Disk.

The illusionist Wizard opposite had clearly employed a similar principle, temporarily sealing off the Magical Energy Array in their location.

Even if the array plate’s quality couldn’t match the Perennial Crystal, being able to achieve this temporarily already conveyed a message:

This illusionist Wizard must be proficient in Runeology!

The Underground Aqueduct’s Magical Energy Array is vast and complex, with energy conduits interwoven, variables arising and dying at all times; instantly carving out a free space in such a massive array is quite an accomplishment.

With skill, wealth, unique illusions, and such advanced Runeology prowess at a young age.

Summarizing these details, the Sage could almost outline Angel’s approximate background.

Unlikely a Wandering Wizard, nor from an ordinary Wizard Family. Highly possibly cultivated meticulously within a large Witcher Organization, or nurtured intensively by a top-tier Wizard Family into a supernova.

Regrettably for the Sage, he seldom pays attention to the young generation of Wizards in the Southern Domain; otherwise, with these details alone, he might have directly pinpointed Angel’s true identity.

Though unable to confirm his identity, the probability of Angel being a member of the Noah Clan first declined in the Sage’s mind.

Although the Noah Clan is currently a top-class Wizard Family, renowned for the Power of Earth and maintaining single-element transmission, is it possible for them to train a talent from the Illusion Series with full force? This seems odd.

If Angel hailed from Noah Clan but wasn’t exceptionally prominent, then it could be understood for the Illusion Series.

But observing Angel now as exceptionally excellent from all perspectives, could the Noah Clan really nurture such non-earth elemental talents? It’s not questioning, but a matter of foundation.

Even though the Sage suspected Angel’s identity quite strongly, he also dared not deny it outright. For Angel was basically confirmed as the core, or leader, of this small team.

The place they were visiting was Augustine’s Legacy, logically, the leader should indeed be a member of the Noah Clan.

Due to this, the Sage hesitated to fully define Angel’s identity.

"I just felt something unusual about you, so I took a look. Why be so tense?" The Sage looked at Angel, whose face was stern, and said with a smile.

"So, what did the Wise Sovereign notice that’s unusual?" Angel replied blandly.

The Sage: "There are many anomalies on you, but they are not the reason I observed you. It is that, which I find most unusual."

The Sage was pointing at Angel’s shadow.

"A demon from the Panic Realm," the Sage commented with interest, "I didn’t expect someone to be able to tame such a creature. How did you manage it?"

Angel remained silent.

The Sage said, "You don’t have to answer, but since I’ve discovered him, you should understand my meaning... he cannot be taken into the Hanging Jail Stairway with you."

The Sage had previously mentioned that at most two people could enter at a time, and one of them must be a weaker apprentice. This way, they could avoid frightening the timid Wood Spirit.

And the demon lurking in Angel’s shadow had power almost comparable to the previous one, the ’Nose’.

Therefore, if Angel wanted to go in, the demon had to stay outside.

Angel also didn’t argue, although he thought that the Wood Spirit might not necessarily perceive Earl Mi, since the Sage had established the rule, leaving Earl Mi outside was fine.

After all, when Angel really intended to enter the Hanging Jail Stairway, he would come out quickly. He would not linger inside too long; once he ensured the aura would not attract Sanders, he would exit immediately.

Seeing Angel consent silently, the Sage did not say more and turned his gaze away.

Meanwhile, his glasses kept flickering with light.

Angel could clearly feel that the three-framed glasses the Sage wore were interacting with the surrounding Magical Energy Array. This interaction directly passed through the door of the Hanging Jail Stairway.

That is to say, if nothing unexpected happens, the Sage was currently observing the Inside of the Hanging Jail Stairway.

...

"Gold, can you hear me?"

While Angel was observing the changes in the surrounding Magical Energy Array, a stream of information flowed into the Mind Ribbon.

Angel looked quizzically at Dox and said in the Mind Ribbon, "I’m right next to you, how could I not hear you?"

Dox let out a long breath of relief when he heard Angel’s voice. "I’ve been talking for a long time without anyone responding; I thought maybe you all couldn’t hear me."

Angel: "I heard, I just didn’t want to respond. It’s obvious."

Dox asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Angel: "Since you know ’Black’ hasn’t spoken up till now, don’t you find it odd?"

Dox: "I don’t find it odd. Usually, Black doesn’t talk to me much."

Angel looked at Dox with a face of helplessness: "Usually is usual, but now is special. Black is inside looking for the Wood Spirit, whether he has clues or not, he should at least say something. But he hasn’t spoken, so there can only be one answer."

Dox still didn’t understand, "Only one answer? Which one?"

Angel rubbed his temples, suddenly not wanting to speak anymore.

At this moment, the voice of the Black Earl finally came through: "I’ve searched almost all of the first layer, nothing found."

After a pause, the Black Earl continued, "Wise Sovereign, the second layer has already been shattered to this extent; doesn’t the Wood Spirit fear being torn apart by the power of space?"

Dox looked puzzled: "Wise Sovereign? Black, what are you talking about?"

While Dox was feeling strange, a foreign stream of information entered the Mind Ribbon: "Ah, I originally thought I hadn’t been discovered. Didn’t expect one to have deduced it from the onset, while another directly monitored his Mind Ribbon. Miscalculation..."

Hearing the voice transmitting through the Mind Ribbon, Dox suddenly realized and finally understood what Angel meant earlier by: There’s only one answer.

The Mind Ribbon had been spied on by the Sage!

Dox’s expression became complex, with both annoyance and grievance. Annoyed because Angel had deduced it from the start, and Black Earl had directly sensed it, while he kept murmuring like a fool in the Mind Ribbon. Fortunately, they had used code names before, otherwise, their identities might have been exposed.

And the grievance was... Black Earl had clearly stated before, that he would cut off the Mind Ribbon the moment he sensed it being spied upon.

So why not now?

Of course, this was just a small complaint within Dox’s mind. He also understood why Black Earl chose not to disconnect the Mind Ribbon.

Though being spied upon by the Wise Sovereign, they could indeed still learn about Black Earl’s progress in real-time through the Mind Ribbon.

Weighing the two, Black Earl decided not to cut off the Mind Ribbon. Being eavesdropped on is irrelevant, as long as they could pass on useful information, preparing them in advance was beneficial. Furthermore, Black Earl could reciprocate by using the Mind Ribbon to understand if they were safe.

"The Wise Sovereign is quite lenient for not cutting off internal and external communication. Letting him eavesdrop, why not." Black Earl remarked lightly, seemingly siding with the Sage, but his words were dripping with sarcasm.

The Sage paid no attention to Black Earl’s mockery, as if he hadn’t heard it, and instead addressed Black Earl’s previous inquiry: "You mean the second layer, right? The situation there hasn’t deteriorated to the point of being uninhabitable. If it truly becomes unbearable, there’s no need for me to prompt; my student would leave on his own."

Black Earl pondered for a moment: "Do you mean the Wood Spirit has some danger perception ability?"

"I can’t be sure whether it has danger perception or not. But every time I try to investigate inside the Hanging Jail Stairway, even without entering, it senses something amiss first." The Wise Sovereign seemed very approachable, answering every question in detail.

"Either it’s very sensitive to changes in the magical energy within the array or it has a premonition of danger, just these two possibilities." Angel paused and asked, "Have you taught the Wood Spirit Runeology, Wise Sovereign?"

"No, what I taught was mainly to make it more aware of this world. If it requested to learn something, I would teach it. Sadly, it seems very afraid of me, and the only things it proactively asked to learn were how to protect itself and escape." The Sage sighed a little.

"Then the Wood Spirit might truly have some kind of danger premonition ability... but judging from what it learned, this aligns with what Miss Cicia described about it," thought Angel quietly: timid and cowardly.

Such a peculiar Wood Spirit, putting all its talent into self-preservation, seems quite reasonable?