by Zhuang Bifan
Yet, after reminiscing back and forth, his head was about to burst and still he could not think what went wrong. He lay on the bed, tossing and turning all the way till the sky started to light up before he finally gave in to the exhaustion and fell asleep.
Who knew that in the early hours of the next morning, he got called by Andoine to go into the pharmaceutical lab before he could even open his eyes. He did not know what medicine this old man took to be so excited early in the morning. When Lin Li walked through the door, he immediately saw him busy recording; the crucible was boiling. Before he even got close, there was thick scent of the peacebloom's sap permeating and there was a goblet full of sky-blue-colored liquid at the side. Lin Li took a sniff before he realized that this old man was actually concocting the Awakening Potion!
"How's it, this bottle of Awakening Potion of mine isn't too shabby, right?" Andoine raised his head amidst the white fog. He was so pleased with himself it simply could not be concealed.
"Yes, it's not bad." Lin Li nodded. His gaze shifted for a bit and landed on the bunch of glass shards at back of Andoine. "Of course, if you didn't shatter so many goblets, it would be better."
"…" Andoine's complacent expression immediately froze. However, luckily the old man was thick-skinned enough. Other than letting out an embarrassed laughter, he did not feel any shame at all.
"Could it be that you called me over so early just to let me see this bottle of Awakening Potion?"
"Oh, yes…" After being reminded by Lin Li, Andoine then remembered the business on hand. "There's a small favor I would like to ask of you."
"What is it?"
"This morning, I realized that my Teleportation Portal broke. I am looking for someone to help me find out what's wrong with it."
"You really think too highly of me…" Lin Li pouted his lips and thought, Your Teleportation Portal really broke down at the right time. When I'm not here, nothing happens. When I'm here, it would have issues. Does it mean that other that I am always causing trouble, I am also cursed such that even your Teleportation Portal was jinxed?
"You see, I am also very old. Things like chores… are you that impolite to make me do it myself?"
"Forget it, forget it. I'll just go. When do I leave?"
"The faster, the better." Andoine brought Lin Li down to the bas.e.m.e.nt while speaking.
A place like bas.e.m.e.nt had never been well-liked by anyone. Usually, the bas.e.m.e.nt of a Guild of Magic was meant for keeping all sorts of criminals. For example, in the Emerald Tower and Alanna's Guild of Magic, the environment inside the bas.e.m.e.nt was dark and moist. While walking inside, all sorts of painful groans could be heard.
However, Andoine's bas.e.m.e.nt opened up Lin Li's eyes. It was dry and cool, unlike a prison. The two Illuminating Spells fixed at the top were radiating a gentle yet bright light, illuminating the whole room.
In the center of the bas.e.m.e.nt, there was a large portal. The dark red structure could be described as something of extreme complexity. Even with Lin Li's knowledge of magic, reading it proved to be somewhat difficult. Some of the magical materials used could only be said to be luxurious. There were large amounts of Air Spirit Crystals and Seven Degrees Adamantine as well as all sorts of colored magical gemstones. Lin Li roughly estimated that the price of just this portal would be millions of gold coins.
"The portal you're looking at now was made by the Supreme Council personally. There is only a total of twenty-five such portals in the Felan Kingdom. The other twenty-four are controlled by all of the large Guild of Magics. As for the exit of the portal, it's a secret only known by the Guild's President. Oh, yes, my portal is a bit more special. Its exit is in a forest in the Dragon Roosting Plateau."
"What has it got to do with me?"
"You'll know in a bit…" Andoine's laughter was somewhat mysterious.
"Tell me, Master, what are you asking me to do?"
"It's simple. Later, when you've been teleported by this Teleportation Portal, find out what went wrong at the exit. I think that with your knowledge of magic, reading it should not be much of a problem, right?"
"Ok." Lin Li nodded his head, and was about to stand on the Teleportation Portal.
"What are you rushing for…" Andoine pulled him back. "Do you know what I am talking about? The position of the exit is at the Dragon Roosting Plateau. You did not even prepare and you just hurriedly went over. Aren't you afraid that you will run into trouble?"
"Can I not be anxious…" Lin Li pouted his lips and thought, Isn't this bullsh*t. Who was the one that told me that breaking through to the Archmage realm so quickly isn't normal? Who was the one that told me I could run into big trouble? Why don't you try it yourself. Let's see if you would be more anxious than me if you knew that breaking through to the Legendary Realm isn't normal and that you would run into trouble…
"The Dragon Roosting Plateau isn't simple. You'd better prepare yourself and bring along sufficient necessities. Don't skimp on whatever scrolls or potions. I don't wish to see my disciple die because of such a small matter."
"I know, I know…" After being nagged at by Andoine, Lin Li remembered something. The scrolls or potions would not be needed after all—the Ring of Endless Storm had them all. There was something that required Andoine's action, though. Lin Li searched around in the Ring of Endless Storm and took out the Dragon's Eye that had been kept there for a while. "Oh, yes. Master, do you still remember this?"
"Yes."
"How about doing me a small favor? I want to socket it into the magic staff, but, unfortunately, I never had the required materials on hand. Could you help me think of a way? I don't have any requirements for the materials, just normal ones would do. It would best if it had better magical conductivity…"
"No problem." This time, Andoine was very agreeable. "Leave the gem here first. When I'm back, I will definitely make you a good magic staff."
"Ok. Then I'll take my leave first." After Lin Li finished speaking, he did not continue to listen to Andoine's nagging. He just stepped on the Teleportation Portal and released a trace of mana, which instantly activated the magical crystals on the Teleportation Portal.
Instantly, there was an incomparable strength pulling him in. It was like his whole body was being torn into countless fragments. There was seemingly a ray of light from afar that was getting brighter and brighter. Furthermore, it was closing in on him with extreme speed.
"BOOM!"
At the instant when he met with that ray of light, Lin Li seemed to have heard a loud sound traveling over. After which, it was as if his surroundings had turned upside down and underwent a change. The nagging Andoine had disappeared. The dry and bright bas.e.m.e.nt had disappeared. The dark red teleportation portal had also disappeared.
In their place was a bunch of dark clouds. It was like the weather before a storm. The humidity and warm temperature were choking. The earth under his feet was muddy, and stepping on it felt like stepping on a swamp. Just a little carelessness would cause him to sink in. The surroundings had a monstrous dark brown color, be it the earth, the skies, or the trees.
This place should be a forest, but it was just that it was more ghastly and gloomy than any of the forests that Lin Li had seen before.
"Weird…" After sizing up his surroundings, Lin Li could not help but show a trace of doubt on his face. Logically speaking, he came here through the Teleportation Portal, so the place he was at now should be the exit of the Teleportation Portal.
But look at this area—was there a trace of the Teleportation Portal anywhere? Lin Li tried releasing a Detection Spell, but he could not detect any magical waves. Everything seemed to have died in this area. Even the towering trees did not have any scent of life.
This feeling caused Lin Li to have a foreboding premonition.
"Damn, why did you come to the Dragon Roosting Plateau?" It was at this moment that Connoris' exasperated cry traveled across Lin Li's mind.
Lin Li heart tingled. He probed, "W
hat's up, Great Soul Trader. You are familiar with this place?"
"Duh…"
"That's great." After hearing this, Lin Li's mood was lifted. "Great Soul Trader, why don't we make a deal?"
"What deal?"
"I'll be responsible for letting you out and you will be responsible for guiding me. What do you think?"
"I don't think so!" Connoris' voice seemed to be full of contempt. "Don't you forget that you've promised that you will release me by today. This is what you ought to do. By what virtue do you use that to make a deal with me? Do you think that the Great Soul Trader is easy to deceive?"
"Is it…" Lin Li rubbed his chin, and, with malicious intentions, asked, "Then have you heard of something called breaking a promise?"
"What do you want…" Connoris was immediately alarmed.
"Nothing, it's just that my memory recently isn't too good. If you don't remind me, I think I might forget about letting you out. Surely you don't want to see this happen, right?"
"…" Connoris almost died from anger.
"How's it, do you want to be the guide?"
After being silent for a short while, Connoris seemed to have gritted his teeth, and spat out, "Yes!"
"That's good, you really are a great trader…" Lin Li satisfyingly laughed. He opened the Ring of Endless Storm and released Connoris. "Ok, Connoris. Now can you tell me where is this place?"
"Let me see…" Connoris dawdled around for a while before suddenly spouting, "Damn, you are about to be in big trouble soon!"
"Is it that serious…?"
Chapter 238 - Cinder Woods
"Its more serious than you think…" Connoris voice was as if gloating at Lin Li's misfortune. After speaking, he even sighed with intoxication. "Ah, the smell of freedom is really refreshing…"
"…" Lin Li almost sat on the ground. "Please, can you be more aware that you are a hammer. A hammer still wants to talk about air. Just continue to obediently strike iron…"
"If you are were to be trapped inside a dark space for days, not knowing when you will be released or how long you will be trapped for, then you will understand how I feel!" When Connoris spoke of this, his voice was filled with rage.
"Ok, ok, as long as you obediently give me less trouble, I will try my best to let you stay outside…"
"Really?" Connoris became very excited after hearing that.
"Cut the bullshit!"
"Oh, yes, why did you come here?" Connoris was not excited for too long before he suddenly thought of a question. "I remember that at the Eternal Furnace, you said you were going back to Alanna…"
"I went back already, but it's just that I was unlucky. Somebody's Teleportation Portal broke down and he asked me to take a look. As for what was the issue, who knows—I already ran into trouble before I could find out. Take a look at this area, how does it look like a Teleportation Portal exit?" When Lin Li said this, he became furious. This old man, Andoine, was really too irresponsible. He'd only said that the Teleportation Portal was broken, but did not say how broken it was. It made Lin Li think that it was a small issue; he had not imagined that once he came out from the Teleportation Portal, he could not even find the exit…
"Who is it that's so harsh that made you come to the Cinder Woods to check on the Teleportation Portal?"
"My teacher, what's up?"
"You, you, you… You must owe him a lot of money!" Connoris stared in bewilderment. Even when he spoke, he was stuttering. "It's over. This time, you and I are in big trouble!"
"Just what is going on?"
"Do you know where is this place? This is the Cinder Woods of the Dragon Roosting Plateau!" Connoris almost shouted out the last sentence.
"Damn…" Once that sentence was said, even Lin Li had a shock. Even though he was not from Anril, he had still heard of the name "Cinder Woods". Early on at the Sunset Mountains, Andoine had told him that Anril had ten places where the magical beasts were the most ferocious. Even if a legendary powerhouse were to go there, surviving would depend on luck.
One of those places was Sunset Mountains. Once the darkness set in, even somebody like Andoine would have no choice but to run.
It was very unfortunate that the Cinder Woods was one of those places as well.
Furthermore, the Cinder Woods was more dangerous for a mage than the Sunset Mountains. It was because it had another name: the Magic's Grave.
As to why the Cinder Woods was so dangerous, it was not because there were high-level magical beasts roaming there, but because this dark forest had been completely covered by some sort of power. Under the influence of this power, a mage's strength would be weakened by the highest degree. A legendary-level mage would most likely only be able to exert the power of an Archmage, and an Archmage would become a Magic Shooter that couldn't even use the Levitation Spell.
According to Andoine's acknowledgment, he had suffered a lot back then.
Back then, Andoine had just broken through to the Legendary Realm and flew past the Cinder Woods in coquettish manner using the Power of Flight. After that, he met with the terrifying power. A legendary-mage instantly became an Archmage. If it was not because the old man was quick-witted and released a Levitation Spell, he would fall and end up with half of his body paralyzed.
After many years, when he told Lin Li about this, his face still showed lingering fear.
"That place really is scary, it immediately made me drop to level-sixteen. It's worse than being afflicted by the Mark of Decline!"
Lin Li hastily recited the incantation of the Levitation Spell after thinking about this.
Indeed…
After reciting the Levitation Spell's incantation, nothing had happened. In the past, once his voice descended, he would immediately be surrounded by air magical element. It seemed to have disappeared today. He could not feel any flotation.
"F*ck…" This time, Lin Li thought of banging against the wall. This bleak forest was already very dangerous, and now his magic strength had weakened dramatically. If he were to encounter a powerful magical beast, wouldn't he be unable to fight back even if he wanted to?
Lin Li did not give up, and tried a few more spells consecutively.
Luckily, other than the Levitation Spell, most of the other spells could be used. Lin Li finally could be more relaxed. At least he was not as unlucky as Andoine, dropping four levels immediately. Based on the current situation, he'd only dropped by a single level. For Lin Li, the loss of one level was acceptable.
After all, he had only just broken through to the Archmage realm. He did not have the time to master many of the level-fifteen spells, and there were many more powerful spells that could only be mastered at level-sixteen, like Flame Shield. It might seem very scary to become a Magic Shooter from an Archmage, but for Lin Li, he'd only lost access to a Levitation Spell.
"Luckily…" Lin Li wiped off the sweat; his mind was more stable now.
It was fine not to have the Levitation Spell. As long as he had the power of level-fourteen, with the addition of all sorts of potions and scrolls, normal magical beasts should not be an issue.
"Connoris, you got any suggestions?"
"Don't ask me. I'm just a hammer."
"…" Lin Li was so angry that he rolled his eyes, and thought, Now you remember that you are a hammer…
"Why don't we search around?" Seeing that the other party's expression was off, Connoris felt rather guilty, and carefully suggested, "After all, I am familiar with the routes in this forest. I remember that this place is not far from the Breezy Plains. If we can't find it, we can still go to Breezy Plains and then find a way back to Alanna…"
"Okay then, let's search around." Lin Li thought about it. Other than this, there was no other way. He instantly picked up Connoris and carried it on his back.
One had to admit that this image was rather weird.
He was wearing a black robe and holding the Winter Staff in his hand, yet he was carrying a hammer on his back. This was rather grotesque no matter how one loo
ked at it.
"This damned place…" Lin Li scolded while walking.
The environment there was indeed too abominable. Even if it was when he had just descended from the Sunset Mountains, he had never felt so tortured like today. There was not a single bit of ecological balance. The sky above his head seemed to have been dyed. The dark clouds did not dissipate, and the earth below his feet was muddy, slippery, and wet. A bit of carelessness would cause him to fall. The countless trees were dense, and every tree was almost identical. If it were not because of Connoris, the old horse which knew the way, Lin Li would have gotten lost long ago with his bad sense of direction.
On top of that…
Even this old horse, Connoris, was unreliable sometimes.
"Yes, yes, yes, I remember this place. Walking forward for less than two hundred meters, you will see a small wooden hut. I remember that should be the living quarters of a few hunters. If you are lucky, you can rest for a bit there and get some water to drink."
"Really?" Lin Li was tired and thirsty from walking. He immediately bucked up greatly after he heard that there was place to rest.
But when he reached that place, there was no small wooden hut…
Other than a stretch of thick and dense damned trees, there was nothing else!
"Ugh… I meant that 1300 years ago, there used to be a small wooden hut here…"
"Do you believe that I will put you back into the ring?" Lin Li almost fainted from anger. Was this as*hole purposely trying to oppose him? It brought up something from 1300 years ago; on top of that, Lin Li was so stupid that he believed it…
"What can I do. I was sealed in the hammer by Osric 1300 years ago. Have you seen a hammer running around by itself?"
"Shut up!"
Lin Li was really furious. Just when he was about to put this fella back into the ring, he suddenly heard a faint sound from the grass patch in front.
"There's movement!" Lin Li's heart tightened, and he hid behind a tree.
After that, he saw that a short and fat silhouette appearing from the trees with a wretched look. He ran forward hurriedly while sneakily looking back in an anxious manner. It was like he stole something and was afraid of getting caught by his master.