Chapter 404: The Thousand Miles Snow Cave
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Countless thoughts flashed across Merlin’s mind. He was still carefully digesting the information he had just learned.
After a long moment, Merlin cast a glance at the two Spell Casters and slowly said, “The Spell Casters of Subzero Snowfield are all lone wolves and can further combine their attacks to trap the flame sprite. What did you do it for?”
Merlin was interested in their technique of a combined attack.
The faces of the two Spell Casters s.h.i.+fted slightly, but they still clenched their jaws and replied, “We exchanged for our combined spell attack from other Spell Casters after paying a certain price. In fact, it’s an a.s.sembled casting tool. Each one of us holds a component, and we cast our spells through this casting tool. Thus, our power is magnified!
“As for why we did it? It was all because the second volume of the Neverending Book has been discovered. Rumor has it that it was obtained by a Fourth-level Spell Caster Nelson through chance, and he’s now in hiding within an approximate range of a thousand miles in this location. Many Spell Casters are already looking for him.”
Merlin’s outward expression did not change at all but he was actually surprised. a.s.sembled casting tools were extremely rare. Nevertheless, this was not to say that they did not exist.
It was just that an a.s.sembled casting tool as powerful as the Bell s.p.a.ce was far too rare. Furthermore, most a.s.sembled casting tools functioned just as how these Spell Casters had used them. Through a.s.sembled casting tools, many Spell Casters were able to unite their strength, fighting above their own level!
Still, what Merlin was most interested in was not the casting tool of course, but the second volume of the Neverending Book that the two Spell Casters had mentioned.
Within Merlin’s ring was the first volume of the Neverending Book. Merlin still remembered that there was some information regarding the second and third volume of the Neverending Book in the first volume.
According to the information in the first volume of the Neverending Book, the second volume should be on the sh.o.r.es of the Death Sea. However, Subzero Snowfield was a vast distance away from the Death Sea. How could the second volume appear here?
“It looks like the actual hiding place of the second volume of the Neverending Book is not in the Death Sea! The location given was likely a wrong one to deliberately mislead future generations.”
Merlin gradually discerned that not all Spell Casters were so “generous” to pa.s.s down an inheritance to other Spell Casters willingly.
Some remarkable Wizards even had a twisted sense of humor, intentionally marking out some spells or Pandora Demon Ability or something else to be in a secret place to mislead future Spell Casters.
It was very likely that the first volume of the Neverending Book which Merlin had obtained was just like this. He was misled by the true creator of the Neverending Book, and details such as the location marked within the book were all false information.
“By collecting all three volumes of the Neverending Book, there’s a high chance of obtaining a Flame Maxim. This should be a true fact for that remarkable Wizard must have left behind a Maxim. However, its precise location is falsely given!”
Merlin was determined to obtain the second volume of the Neverending Book! As long as he could gather the three volumes, he would be able to find some clue regarding the Maxim.
From Merlin’s perspective, the thing which he now lacked the most was a Maxim. Perhaps others would not have much use for a Maxim even after obtaining it, only pa.s.sively “enjoying” some benefits of the Maxim. However, for Merlin, he was able to derive new spells.
“Tell me, where’s Nelson?”
Merlin glared at the two Spell Casters icily. He did not believe that these two Spell Casters would know nothing about Nelson for that would go against common sense. So many Spell Casters joining forces for the time being, merely for the sake of carrying out a search?
Therefore, the largest possibility was that these Spell Casters had received some information about Nelson, which was why they dared to a.s.semble so many Spell Casters and headed out to look for him.
Looking at Merlin’s cold stare, the two Spell Casters knew that they had no way of hiding the truth. Initially, they had decided that if Merlin released them, they might still try their luck and give it a shot. Perhaps they might really come upon Nelson within a certain region.
It was only a shame that they could not deceive Merlin at all.
“Sir Wizard, if only you let us go, we’ll tell you everything we know about Nelson!”
One of the Spell Casters gnashed his teeth and spoke in a low voice.
“Slash.”
As soon as that Spell Caster spoke, Merlin raised one hand. A stream of Darkness Element turned into a sword and pierced straight into the throat of that Spell Caster. Blood flowed over the ground, emitting a pungent, grisly stench.
Seeing the violent death of his companion and Merlin’s decisiveness, the remaining Spell Caster no longer dared to bring up any conditions, and hurriedly said, “Nelson is hiding in the Thousand Miles Snow Cave. Many Spell Casters had rushed there. As we were slightly late in receiving the information, we’re only going there now to try our luck.”
“The Thousand Miles Snow Cave?”
Merlin nodded thoughtfully, following which the Runic Heartprint on his forehead rapidly set out a Binding Runic Magic Circle which immediately restricted the remaining Spell Caster.
“I’m not familiar with Subzero Snowfield, so you would have to lead the way to the Thousand Miles Snow Cave!”
Even though Merlin’s tone was very level, the Spell Caster did not dare disobey, much less voice out any sort of opinion. He could only pray that Merlin would let him go upon reaching the Thousand Miles Snow Cave.
Following that, Merlin directed his gaze at the flame sprite which was suppressed by the Runic Magic Circle. This was the flame sprite mentioned in the message left behind by Wizard Dowland, an essential part of cultivating the third form of Fiery Collapse.
“Flame sprite, why did you escape?”
The flame sprite laughed gleefully. “If I don’t escape, then should I have waited for you to use me in the future for the cultivation of the third form of Fiery Collapse?”
It looked like the flame sprite had known Wizard Downland’s arrangement, which was why it schemed to escape. If it was not for Merlin, it would have already successfully escaped the ancient monument.
Nonetheless, Merlin did not plan to refine the flame sprite immediately. He would have to wait until he became a Seventh-level Spell Caster to do so. Only after he was able to fulfill the conditions of cultivating the third form of Fiery Collapse would he refine the flame sprite.
“Confine!”
Merlin cried out hoa.r.s.ely. Instantly, the Runic Magic Circle rapidly shrank, transforming into a mysterious cloak which was glowing with light and runes as it fitted snugly around the flame sprite.
Under the suppression of the Runic Magic Circle, the flame sprite was stored away by Merlin.
“Whoosh…”
Merlin immediately grabbed the last remaining Spell Caster. His body flickered with vigorous Wind Elemental fluctuations, and the air whistled as he flew forward.
…
The spotless snow blanketed the entire canyon, but at the top of the canyon, there were many Spell Casters who had gathered. These Spell Casters were all looking at the towering peak opposite the canyon.
On the peak, there were uncountable large and small cave entrances. In particular, the pa.s.sages within the caves snaked into different directions, making it hard to find any one person.
“That fellow Nelson had entered the Thousand Miles Snow Cave for what — five days by now? Yet there’s not been a single sign of him.”
“The Thousand Miles Snow Cave lives up to its name indeed. The crisscrossed cave entrances in addition to the wandering pa.s.sages — once one enters the Thousand Miles Snow Cave, it’s equivalent to gaining countless opportunities. It was not surprising that Nelson would flee into the Thousand Miles Snow Cave.”
“It’s just that we don’t know who would be able to smoke Nelson out… Also, as more time pa.s.ses, there are more and more powerful Spell Casters here.”
Before the Thousand Miles Snow Cave, there were many Spell Casters who remained motionless as their gazes shone with a strange fervor, fixing onto the caves opposite them.
“Thud!”
Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky and landed heavily onto the ground, almost causing the entire surface to quake. The other Spell Casters were dumbstruck.
“How alarming. Who is this?”
Countless gazes instantly gathered on the figure who had landed from the sky. The figure gradually became clear. It was a bald, middle-aged Spell Caster with no eyebrows. There was also a vicious scar where his left brow would be, and he looked very fiendish.
The bald Spell Caster eyed the Thousand Miles Snow Cave, following which he smiled and nodded. “Good, it looks like I’m not too late. Let me try and see if I can force Nelson to come out?”
With that, the bald Spell Caster drew in a sudden, deep breath, following which he opened his mouth and unleashed a roar.
“Nelson, show yourself!”
“Rumble.”
No one had predicted that the bald man’s voice would be so loud. The opposite Thousand Miles Snow Cave, which was also a mountain, was initially piled high with a thick cover of snow.
However, after the bald Spell Caster had unleashed his yell, the snow on the peak gradually began to collapse, following which it tumbled with a rumble down the peak.
This was an avalanche, the mention of which would turn anyone pale!
“Wretched fellow, who is this bald Spell Caster? He actually caused an avalanche?”
“Does he have a death wish? Once the thick layer of snow burst out into a ma.s.sive avalanche, even a Seventh-level Spell Caster who had not made thorough preparations would be buried in the avalanche.”
Therefore, all the Spell Casters gnashed their teeth in resentment toward the bald Wizard. Nevertheless, his ferocious appearance in addition to the indistinct force of a Seventh-level Spell Caster that he emitted, was one of the reasons why the surrounding Spell Casters did not dare to act recklessly.
The bald Wizard seemed oblivious that he had aroused the anger of the crowd and continued doing as he liked. He opened his mouth and intense Wind Elemental fluctuations appeared around his body. He wanted to try screaming his throat out again.
“If you dare to make a single peep, you’ll die!”
Suddenly, a black-robed Spell Caster walked out from the crowd, a wide hood hiding his face, making him appear enigmatic. The previous warning was delivered by this black-robed Wizard who could not bear the unbridled “roaring” of the bald Spell Caster any longer. Otherwise, if a giant avalanche was induced, everyone could forget about entering the Thousand Miles Snow Cave.
“Heh heh, many have said this to me but I’m still here well and alive!”
The bald Wizard merely cast a glance at the black-robed Spell Caster, and paid him no mind, and roared again. Moreover, this time, his voice was even louder than before. Perhaps he might really force Nelson to come out but an avalanche might have already buried them all even before Nelson could show his face.
“It’s your death!”
The black-robed Wizard’s voice simmered with rage, after which his figure flashed and appeared before the bald Wizard in an instant. He opened his palm and slammed it forward in one vicious stroke.
One could even catch a glimpse of a strange, blood-red eye, blinking unceasingly in his palm…