Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
The massive Flying Eagle Beast landed, carrying Saint Kali, draped in her green vine cloak, to the camp.
Her wood-elemental Perception immediately sensed the overwhelming vitality emanating from the majestic, silent Platinum Colossus, its golden crown gleaming atop its head. Both she and Yan Le stared fixedly at the towering figure, their expressions mirroring each other's awe.
Boundless and profound, the life force radiating from the Colossus far surpassed that of any Saint. It was an immeasurable expanse, beyond the reach of ordinary mortals, a force to be revered.
"An angel?" The thought flickered through their minds. They exchanged startled glances, their faces etched with astonishment and disbelief.
How long had it been since a true angel had graced the Serpent Spirit Continent? Especially in the Holy City, where none had ascended to such heights since its founding pioneers.
Even Adams, widely regarded as the most talented prodigy of the past millennia, had only reached the Pseudo-Angel realm.
It was as if some invisible shackle bound the very laws of heaven and earth, suppressing their natural order.
"Lord Feng Chen," Kali said, forcing down her shock and suspicion, "would you consider visiting the Holy City?"
Chen Feng raised an eyebrow slightly. This wasn't the first such invitation he'd received. In the past, caution had always prevailed, leading him to decline.
But now...
He scanned the wariness and awe in their eyes, then glanced toward the distant, magnificent Holy City. After a moment's contemplation, Chen Feng nodded.
Chen Feng reassured himself that he no longer needed to fear ambushes. His Holy Shield Colossus, combined with his Azure Armor State, was more than capable of handling most situations.
"Very well," he agreed, nodding. The Holy Shield Colossus vibrated its stone wings.
Man and machine swiftly ascended into the air, following Kali and her companions toward the Holy City.
A multitude of gazes watched their departure. Molly's eyes sparkled with excitement, sensing a shift in the Legion Commanders' attitude. She dared not speculate further, finding the possibility almost too incredible to imagine.
Chen Feng remained unfazed, calmly observing the majestic Holy City, built against the mountainside, as it drew closer.
A wide waterfall cascaded down its slopes, merging into a moat tens of meters wide that encircled the city. The turbulent waters roared ceaselessly beneath a massive stone suspension bridge, its construction exuding unmatched solidity.
Chen Feng's gaze lingered on the inscriptions carved into the White Ash City Wall before noticing the Blue Light Barrier enveloping the Holy City. It appeared as if some special mechanism had activated the inscriptions, unleashing this formidable protective force.
"A Seventh-Tier Barrier?" Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, wondering if it was merely his imagination. He vaguely sensed that the barrier's power fluctuations possessed a unique, yet strangely familiar, resonance—a blend of Earth's Magnetic Field Light Shield and the spiritual radiance of a Serpent Spirit Barrier.
Hum!
At that very moment...
As if sensing their approach, the Blue Light Barrier gradually faded, revealing a passage for descent.
The Flying Eagle spread its wings, and the Stone Statue soared downward.
Warriors of the Falcon Corps, clad in silver armor atop the White Ash City Wall, gazed up in awe.
Chen Feng looked down, taking in the vast interior of the Holy City. It was a majestic urban complex carved from a towering mountain.
Layer upon layer of stone buildings rose, their square forms clustered tightly together in orderly rows.
Polished rock slabs paved the streets, creating a landscape dominated by white ash and pale brown hues, punctuated by scattered green trees thriving at intersections.
The city bustled with activity. Women and children mended clothes, while children played in the streets. Men and women went about their daily lives.
Ox carts and horse-drawn carriages trundled past. Young warriors, their shifts ended, shed their armor and returned home along the stone-paved roads.
Some sipped strong liquor, while others helped their wives hang laundry or cleaned their armor.
A gentle breeze rippled through the city, causing the simple linen robes worn by its residents to billow in the wind.
Many Holy City residents noticed the commotion and looked up. Chen Feng, perched on the Colossus's shoulder, shifted his gaze. Kali spoke softly:
"Most of them are native to the Holy City."
"Their ancestors have lived here since ancient times—for millennia."
"A small number of residents migrated south, most of whom have family members serving as warriors."
Chen Feng nodded at the simple explanation, refraining from commenting on the Holy City's residential customs.
This is their way of life, he thought. As an outsider unfamiliar with their customs, it's not my place to criticize.
He shifted his gaze forward.
The stone structures of the Holy City grew sparser as they ascended, resembling the tiered layers of a pyramid.
At the summit, only a magnificent palace constructed from massive, rectangular stone blocks was visible.
Several colossal trees, each requiring seven or eight people to encircle their trunks, surrounded the palace. Elite warriors from the Three Legions, armed with spears and swords, patrolled the grounds or stood guard on the palace's grand staircase, resembling a heavily armed royal guard. Flickering candlelight illuminated the palace's flanks, casting a warm glow.
Giant Flying Eagles circled above the palace, while elite warriors scanned the surrounding landscape from their backs, their vantage points allowing them to observe the entire Holy City and its environs, maintaining constant vigilance and relaying intelligence.
Beyond this impressive display of defense, a slender figure clad in golden armor stood on a flat cliff face before the palace, a golden sword at their waist. Long golden hair cascaded down their back, and their calm, rational gaze held a hint of curiosity but betrayed little shock.
Their eyes met, and Chen Feng's Perception subtly stirred, a hint of surprise flickering through his mind.
Pseudo-Angel.
It seems he's also imbued with some of the Holy City's power.
The thought flashed through his mind as the Colossus descended.
Leveraging his Perception Talent, Chen Feng immediately sensed a subtle difference in Adams' aura. Though Adams appeared calm, invisible strands of power swirled around him, as if merging his very being with the fabric of the Holy City's realm.
A realization struck Chen Feng. He marveled at the Holy City's profound foundations and sophisticated methods, while simultaneously discerning their intentions. Perhaps this display of power served as a subtle warning, discouraging him from acting rashly.
"Lord Feng Chen," Adams said, shifting his gaze from the Holy Shield Colossus to meet Chen Feng's eyes, his tone respectful and composed. "It has been some time."
Their eyes locked, a silent agreement not to expose each other's unspoken thoughts.
"Please, proceed," Adams gestured invitingly, and Chen Feng nodded in acknowledgment.
The group entered the palace. At the far end of the grand hall, Chen Feng spotted the golden throne. Countless candles blazed around it, yet the radiant light revealed the throne empty and unoccupied.
"His Highness is currently unwell and remains in slumber," Adams explained. "We trust you will not take offense, Lord Feng Chen."
Adams offered an explanation, and Chen Feng was taken aback. He then recalled the diary he had seen in the Qinggang City Dreamscape:
The Curse of the Golden Bloodline
And there was the Holy Sword, perfectly restored by Alonco.
Curiosity piqued, Chen Feng subtly expanded his Perception, but quickly sensed something was amiss.
"It's being suppressed?"
The palace stones seemed to be infused with an extraordinarily special material that restricted his Perception range.
Suddenly, a sense of familiarity washed over him. Chen Feng examined the patterns on the palace's stone walls more closely. His eyes narrowed as he recognized their striking resemblance to the stone walls inside the Inverted Pyramid he had explored in the Cloud Dream Forest.
"Lord Feng Chen?" Adams asked, noticing Chen Feng's momentary distraction.
The group had already reached the courtyard leading to the main hall, where several solemn white-gray stone seats were arranged.
"It's nothing," Chen Feng replied, suppressing his inner turmoil and choosing his words deliberately. "I just find this palace strangely familiar."
A glint flickered in his eyes. He was genuinely surprised by the familiarity of the palace stones and wanted to gauge the others' reactions.
"Oh?"
As expected, Adams and Kali exchanged glances, their expressions stiffening with surprise.
"May I ask where you have seen such a place before, Lord Feng Chen?" Adams inquired solemnly, gesturing for Chen Feng to sit. A member of the Legion approached, bringing them clear spring water and fresh fruit.
"I've seen similar structures in my world," Chen Feng remarked. "The building materials are quite similar to those of this palace."
Adams and Kali fell silent. Chen Feng wondered if they would ask about his world or avoid the topic altogether to maintain their secrecy.
Instead, Adams spoke, his tone complex and surprising Chen Feng. "It seems your world also inherited legacies from the Ancient Taiduo Empire."
Adams was clearly probing, but his words confirmed Chen Feng's suspicion: could the Holy City truly be a relic of the Ancient Taiduo Empire?
Sensing Chen Feng's reaction, Adams and Kali exchanged glances and nodded subtly. "Since you've guessed it, there's no need for secrecy," Adams said. "The Holy City is indeed an alchemical creation left behind by the Ancient Taiduo Empire. It possesses extraordinary power, capable of resisting the corrupting influence of Serpent Spirit Power."
"It is precisely this power that has allowed us to survive in isolation to this day."
As they spoke, Adams and Kali watched Chen Feng's expression closely. But Chen Feng remained perfectly calm, merely nodding slightly.
The Inverted Pyramid in the Cloud Dream Forest had never been fully explored. It could disrupt advanced technologies and even vanish into thin air. Such an advanced technological artifact clearly possessed extraordinary properties. If the Holy City shared the same origins, it was unlikely to be much different.
Moments later, as they spoke, a Holy City guard in silver armor approached, carrying a red wooden tray. On it rested three small white porcelain vials. Chen Feng's gaze flickered as he sensed the transparent liquid within. A faint milky-white glow swirled within, and the concentrated vitality of the substance filled the air with a refreshing fragrance. Though perhaps not as potent as the Life Source Liquid, it compensated with greater quantity. It was none other than the Sacred Spirit Essence he had long coveted.
"Lord Feng Chen, you fulfilled our agreement earlier but then departed abruptly," Kali said sincerely, a rare smile gracing her lips. "We've kept these three vials of Sacred Spirit Essence reserved for you. Please accept them."
Chen Feng scrutinized them both but didn't object to their proactive gesture of goodwill. He accepted the vials, prompting Adams to wave the guard away. Their eyes met.
"May I inquire whether you might be interested in continuing our trade?" Adams asked earnestly, his calm gaze steady and rational.
Sensing Adams's advanced cultivation through the Power of the Holy Sword, Chen Feng realized that each subsequent breakthrough would now be more arduous than before. This made the Sacred Spirit Essence, a substance capable of accelerating cultivation, all the more enticing.
"Oh?" Chen Feng replied, indifferent to the prospect of trading, as long as the compensation was sufficient.
The conversation about the Serpentfolk Army stretched on for quite some time.
The Serpentfolk Army was preparing to strike again, and the Five Great Tribes of the Northern Tribes had likely already arrived near Heaven's Fall Mountain, amassing their forces.
Furthermore, there were rumors of an angel's return and emerging signs of Angelic Power.
Therefore, the Holy City wished to request Chen Feng's assistance in gathering intelligence near Heaven's Fall Mountain, or even in the Northern Territories.
Naturally, they would be even more pleased if he were willing to eliminate Saints and destroy Serpentfolk Tribes.
In exchange, they offered a bottle of Sacred Spirit Essence and a replenishment of the Power of the Holy Sword upfront as an advance payment, demonstrating their respect for his strength.
Upon successful completion of the mission, they would provide additional compensation based on the value of the intelligence gathered and the number of Serpentfolk elites he eliminated.
"Agreed," Chen Feng replied, immediately receiving another bottle of Sacred Spirit Essence.
He had a favorable impression of the Holy City's Legion Commanders, finding them above resorting to unreasonable force or bullying.
Moreover, the Holy City, having stood for centuries and repeatedly repelled Serpentfolk invasions, undoubtedly possessed hidden capabilities.
Their Holy Sword and Barrier, for instance, demonstrated immense power, seemingly capable of countering angels.
"However..."
Chen Feng's gaze shifted suddenly. To the commanders' astonishment, he reached into the chestplate of his Black Armor and retrieved two Extraordinary Artifacts concealed within his Black Dream Space.
[Crimson Gloves]
[Silver Scimitar]
"These are unique items from my world, possessing certain rule-based powers, but they also come with a cost to use," Chen Feng explained candidly, though inwardly he felt a flicker of surprise.
He had initially worried that bringing these Extraordinary Artifacts, obtained from the Dead Crow Secret Realm, into the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm might cause their powers to malfunction.
However, according to the system panel, everything was functioning normally.
This only deepened his suspicions.
Could it be that the Dream Worlds accessed through secondary Dream Incursions truly shared some profound, intrinsic connection?
(End of the Chapter)
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