by Zhuang Bifan
"What on earth did he find? He actually lived with the dwarf tribe for more than 20 years. Surely he's not planning to live in seclusion there, is he?" Lin Li became more curious about Davos' discovery because it actually made him, an authoritative archaeologist, stay there for 20 years.
"He said in the letter that he seemed to have found clues related to the Pantheon, but due to his limitations, he couldn't explore further, so he thought about me, the librarian who does nothing in the library." Basel did not hide anything from Lin Li, and simply mentioned the content of the letter.
The Pantheon was known to everyone in the world of Anril, but almost no one knew the true situation of the Pantheon. There were only various legends that could not be verified. Among the many legends, there was a saying that the Titans had called the Pantheon their home in the prehistoric times. Lin Li had heard about that saying from Sendros and Borg from the Dark Blade.
It was said that the ancient wyrms and the Titans had fought endlessly during the prehistoric times. The ancient wyrms were led by the Guardians Council that was composed of five Dragon Aspects, while the Titans were led by the Pantheon. When exploring the ruins of the Haiga Mountain Range, the members of the Dark Blade believed that the ruins were related to the Pantheon, but it turned out that it was actually a Sky Castle.
According to Sendros, the Pantheon was the resting place of the spirits of deceased Titans, and it was said that they were drifting in the endless chaos of time and space such that even the gods couldn't find them. However, that legend could not be proved, either. Except for the Immortal King who had disappeared and Geresco, no one had the ability to explore the chaos of time and space, let alone find the legendary Pantheon.
Lin Li once slipped into the Endless Labyrinth in the Sky Castle, where he watched the entire evolution of the world of Anril and entered a massive palace. The palace was so large that he was just like an insignificant ant when he was in there. Based on the size of the palace, he once thought that it should be the legendary Pantheon, but there was nothing in the palace that could prove his conjecture. It would be impossible to get an accurate answer.
In any case, although no one knew what the Pantheon was like, the people were all very sure of the existence of that place. The Pantheon had been mentioned frequently in numerous historical materials that circulated in Anril. The Pantheon had also appeared in the history recorded by the High Elves, but there wasn't a detailed description of it.
"The Pantheon?" Lin Li was not too surprised when he heard the name, but he showed some apprehension. The Pantheon was a mysterious existence which countless powerful figures in history had tried to find. They had searched almost all the places they could search in Anril, but no one succeeded. Although Davos was an academic master and an expert archaeologist, his personal strength was limited, and he could not delve too deep into areas that were too dangerous. It was probably very difficult for anyone to set foot in that area.
Seeing that there was apprehension on Lin Li's face, Basel smiled, and said, "It seems that you have also thought about it. Although Davos has learned magic from me, his abilities are still very limited. Hence, when I saw that the Pantheon was mentioned in the letter, I was also very skeptical. After I found him in the dwarf tribe, I made some preparations, and set off from Danmorough under his lead. We went all the way to the north, and made it to the depths of the Arctic snowfield, where I finally saw an ancient ruin he found."
"There… really is one?" Lin Li couldn't help but get a great shock. The depths of the Arctic snowfield were definitely a forbidden zone for living beings, let alone humans. Even the wyrms wouldn't dare to set foot there, except the ancient Iceblast Wyrm.
The freezing temperatures were one reason. Another reason was the terrible hurricanes that often occurred there. Even large ice blocks would be trapped, and the power was strong enough to smash wyrms as well.
"Yes, but it wasn't the Pantheon. It was a ruin of the High Elves," Basel answered with a nod.
"This…" Lin Li was a little speechless. The appearance of the ruins of the High Elves was probably even more incredible than the Pantheon. However, Lin Li thought of the collaboration between him and Hoffman of the Glittergold Trade Union. Since there might be the High Elves' relics in the huge canyon of Gargas, Basel's and Davos' discovery might not be that puzzling.
Basel didn't know about Lin Li's cooperation with Hoffman, and thus thought that Lin Li definitely did not believe the things he said. As such, he explained, "I know the High Elves have always detested cold environments, and they almost never set foot in the extreme north according to history. It's actually normal for you not to believe it. When I saw the ruins, I couldn't believe my eyes, either, but as we got deeper, we found some sculptures that were made in the style of the High Elves. I also saw some totems of theirs. Those findings made me more sure of the speculations."
"It's not that I don't believe you, but this piece of news is just really surprising." Although Lin Li had not had much contact with Basel, he knew that Basel was known as a knowledgeable person in the Breezy Plains. Besides, Davos was also a rather authoritative archaeological expert. It was almost impossible for it to be a misunderstanding. Davos probably thought that the ruins were the Pantheon because he couldn't explore deeper due to his limitations in strength. He naturally did not expect that the High Elves would appear in such a cold and harsh environment.
"It's a pity that Davos and I still seem to be too weak in power to go too deep into the ruins to explore. However, we found some broken pieces of paper at the entrance, and some were with magic runes." While speaking, Basel took out some things and placed them on the table.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/another-world%E2%80%99s-versatile-crafting-master_11275087605321405/the-ruins-on-the-arctic-snowfield_47995769722044048 for visiting.
"Were these found in the ruins?" Lin Li shifted his gaze onto the paper, only to see that there were various alchemy formulas written on them. However, there were too many missing parts, so it was impossible to see what formulas they were. There were also some pieces of paper with various magic symbols painted on them, together with some High Elves Print.
"Yes, those were all that we found. Unfortunately, they're not enough for us to learn more about the ruins. Look at the text on this piece of paper." Basel pointed at a broken piece of paper and made Lin Li look at the print. He then said in a puzzled tone, "A huge gully is mentioned here. Could it be the Immortal King…"
The Immortal King! Lin Li could not help but be cautious when he saw those words. The Immortal King was a god-like existence and an unparalleled powerhouse who killed the Dragon of Destruction. Everything that was related to the Immortal King could not be taken lightly.
Basel asked Lin Li to look at the things he had collected while he leaned back in his chair. He seemed to be deep in thought, and his eyes were a little glassy. He muttered, "What could that huge gully be…"
After Lin Li saw those things, he didn't manage to find any special clues, but when he heard Basel talking to himself, he suddenly got an idea, and he wondered, Could the huge gully mentioned on that piece of paper refer to the huge canyon of Gargas? At the thought of it, he said, "Master Basel, I do have some idea about that huge gully."
"Yeah, what exactly is it!?" Basel muttered. Then, all of a sudden, he realized what Lin Li was talking about. He quickly looked at Lin Li in disbelief, and asked, "What did you say just now? Do you know what this huge gully is?"
Lin Li understood the reason for Basel's reaction. If it were someone else, they would definitely be conflicted after spending almost two years dwelling on that issue. Hence, he said, "Master Basel, I went to the Glittergold Trade Union a few days ago, and Master Hoffman spoke to me about something…" He then told Basel briefly about the cooperation between him and Hoffman. He also mentioned his conjecture abo
ut the huge gully being the huge canyon of Gargas.
Listening to Lin Li's words, Basel's eyes gradually lit up, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Is it really it?"
"Master Basel, we've already agreed to explore the huge canyon of Gargas together with Hoffman. It just so happens that you've come back this time. Why don't you join us in exploring the ruins?" Seeing that Basel was a little tempted, Lin Li decided to let him join them.
"This… doesn't seem to be appropriate." Although Basel had previously agreed to join the Tower of Dusk and serve as the Chief Judge of the Tower of Dusk, he had yet to report his current identity to the Supreme Council. Hence, strictly speaking, he was not considered part of the Tower of Dusk, which made him somewhat hesitant.
Lin Li guessed what Basel was worried about; hence, he smilingly said, "Haha, Master Basel, you think too much. Since you have agreed to join the Tower of Dusk, it wouldn't matter if you report it or not. I believe you."
"Okay, I'll proceed with your arrangements then, President." Basel's good mood made him respond to Lin Li jokingly.
Chapter 855 - Attack Of The Undead Creatures
Although Basel had been working as a librarian in Doland Library, he was rather prestigious in the hearts of the mages of the Breezy Plains. Most of the mages who had received his guidance regarded him as their teacher. That was great news to Lin Li and the mages of the Tower of Dusk.
A few days after Basel returned, Lin Li received a letter from Hoffman, which stated that the Glittergold Trade Union's team of adventurers was ready to set off from Lafalia City. It was also stated in the letter that the meeting point agreed upon was near the huge canyon of Gargas, so there would be no need for the people of the Tower of Dusk to meet them at Lafalia City.
Knowing they might be exploring the ruins of the High Elven royal family, Lin Li took the consideration of the team's strength seriously when deciding on the members. The first two members of the team were the Legendary-level Undead servants Ujfalusi and Norfeller, followed by Connoris who had the perfect body and Angelano who had the Alchemy Colossus. Basel who had just returned, Alan who had just stepped into the Legendary-realm, and a team of mages composed of hundreds of Archmages were also part of the team. This time, Lin Li decided to bring all the Legendary-level members that he could. It was almost like he was going all out.
Lin Li was not worried about the safety of the Tower of Dusk. After hearing the words of the Ashen Warlock, the large and small forces of the Breezy Plains did not dare to blatantly lay a finger on the Tower of Dusk. Hence, there was no need to leave behind too much manpower for guarding the place. Besides, even if someone was harboring ill intentions about the Tower of Dusk, they wouldn't be able to escape alive, because they would be attacked by the Magical Crystal Cannons, All-Kill Arrays, and the powerful Eternal Furnace that was on top of the Tower of Dusk.
The expedition team from the Tower of Dusk set off for the huge canyon of Gargas. Along the way, they managed to frighten those who paid attention to the Tower of Dusk, especially the ones who had offended them. They were all terrified, and thought that the Tower of Dusk was planning to settle scores with them. The Mithril Alliance kept their guard up even more, and stayed alert after receiving the news. The members of the headquarters of each of the five major families were panic-stricken, and began to prepare for the future.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/another-world%E2%80%99s-versatile-crafting-master_11275087605321405/attack-of-the-undead-creatures_47995769990479505 for visiting.
Yes, the Ashen Warlock did say that no one was allowed to break the existing peace, but that would depend on who the people in question were. Judging from the situation of the gathering in Gran Town, it was obvious that the Ashen Warlock valued the President of the Tower of Dusk, and they might have reached an agreement during the secret conversation that they had in the Tower of Ashes.
However, Lin Li did not care about what those forces were thinking about or getting up to. The expedition team went all the way north, and soon arrived at the northern boundary of the Breezy Plains, where they entered Lockdamer and headed towards the location that they had agreed upon with Hoffman.
A few days later, the team from the Tower of Dusk arrived in the vicinity of the huge canyon of Gargas, where they joined the team from the Glittergold Trade Union, which had already set up a camp.
Hoffman, who had received the news, led several senior officials from the Glittergold Trade Union out of the camp. After meeting with Lin Li and the rest, Hoffman immediately noticed Basel, who was beside Lin Li, and got a great shock. Although Basel had been living in seclusion in Doland Library, he was prestigious amongst the mages, and Hoffman, the President of the Glittergold Trade Union, definitely knew who he was.
Hoffman didn't even bother to say hello to Lin Li, and instead asked Basel in shock, "Master Basel, you…"
Basel smiled, and said, "I… have joined the Tower of Dusk."
Upon hearing this, Hoffman was even more shocked. He turned to look at Lin Li inquisitively.
Lin Li had long predicted that Hoffman would be shocked. Hence, he explained, "Master Basel has agreed to serve as the chief judge of the Tower of Dusk, but we haven't held an inauguration ceremony yet because of this expedition."
In a Guild of Magic, the chief judge played an extremely important role, and his authority would not be below that of the leader. Any matter related to the safety of the guild would be handled by the chief judge, who'd have full authority. Sometimes, he might even override the power of the President of the guild. It would be no exaggeration to say that to some extent, the chief judge was akin to another President of the guild. Hence, unlike other members of the guild, the chief judge would have to go through a very formal inauguration ceremony.
Lin Li got his team to set up a camp nearby while he led Basel and the others into the Glittergold Trade Union's camp. This time, the Glittergold Trade Union sent quite a few members, including the Legendary-mage Thomas, the Sword Sage Jerany, the Legendary-mage Elvan, and the pair of twin Legendary Assassins, Gia and Sike. In addition to those major shareholders, almost half of the mages of the Glittergold Trade Union were there. There were probably about 100-odd Archmages. Besides, there were also 100 Warriors who were above level-15, and were the elites of the Skyfire Knights. However, they did not bring their mounts due to the environment there.
The senior executives of the two parties sat in the tent of the Glittergold Trade Union, and Hoffman took out a map of the huge canyon of Gargas. However, the ill.u.s.tration was not complete, and it was obviously drawn by the previous expedition team.
However, it didn't take long for everyone to discuss the plan for the expedition inside the tent. All of a sudden, there was a loud noise outside the camp. A soldier barged into the tent, and said, "Mr. President, there are a lot of Undead creatures outside the camp."
Everyone couldn't help but be surprised. At this moment, it was still daytime, and ordinary low-level Undead creatures were not allowed to move under the sun. The appearance of a large number of Undead creatures was rather peculiar.
Sunlight was a natural form of Holy Light. Although its power was scattered, and thus it did not have powerful purification powers, it was rather deadly to low-level Undead creatures. Even in the gathering places of the Undead creatures, such as the Shadowglen and Scar of Death, there would be a dense layer of Death Energy fog that would shield them from the sun, while the low-level Undead creatures would fall into deep slumber underground during the day.
It was still sunny in the huge canyon of Gargas, where the sunlight was particularly dazzling under the reflection of the ice and snow, making it seem like the rays were stronger than usual. However, even under such circ.u.mstances, Lin Li, Hoffman, and the rest still managed to see a dense cl.u.s.ter of Undead creatures that were swarming in like a white tide
from a spot that was one or two kilometers away from the camp.
Upon sight of the Undead creatures that were swarming towards the camp, Lin Li and the others could not help but be shocked, because the Undead creatures were a little different from the ones they had seen before. That explained the sudden commotion in the camp.
The types of Undead creatures could be seen at first glance, and the one rushing to the front was still the Skeletal Warriors, which were the perpetual cannon fodder of the Undead creatures. However, the Skeletal Warriors were all covered with crystal clear ice, and seemed to be wearing crystal armor that glistened under the sunlight. The originally skinny Skeletal Warriors also appeared to be much stronger and more powerful due to the fact that they were covered in ice.
Another thing that caught the attention of Lin Li and the rest was the diversity of the Skeletal Warriors. Not all of them were formed from human bones. Some of them were shorter but thicker, which suggested that they should have been made out of dwarven bones, while some had horns or fangs, and were obviously related to beastmen. Behind those human, dwarven, and beastman Skeletal Warriors, there were giant skeletons, which were the skeletons of giants that were said to have the blood of Titans.
"Legend has it that this was once a battlefield where all races fought, and it seems to be true," Hoffman muttered to himself.
The huge canyon of Gargas was known to be an insurmountable moat, but it stretched for thousands of miles, and did not quite divide the entire continent in half. Although the Tower of Dusk and the Glittergold Trade Union did not meet at the end of the Grand Canyon, they were about 100 miles away. The terrain there made it easier for them to enter the canyon. It was said that the rebellion alliance formed by various major races had fought several battles with the High Elves because they wanted to rebel against the rule of the High Elves.
Perhaps the rebels, too, wanted to take advantage of the cold environment to affect the High Elves back then, but it turned out that they simply didn't enjoy cold temperatures. The outcome of the battle was imaginable. It was said that hundreds of thousands of rebels were buried under the white ice and snow there, and many of them were powerful figures of various races.