by Zhuang Bifan
Everyone knew that the Power of Light had the ability to purify all evil and filth, and the so-called purification was actually annihilation where the enemy's body and soul were burned together with Holy Light. However, the Blessing of Holy Light magic array had the ability to turn evil beings into the devotees of Holy Light.
In Lin Li's opinion, that ability was actually just the same as giving the Death Knights Divine Power. However, compared to giving the Death Knights Divine Power, the Blessing of Holy Light was much stronger and faster. Once the Holy Light shone at someone, they would turn into a part of the caster's team.
If a group of enemies invaded the Sky Castle and the Blessing of Holy Light mageweath array was suddenly triggered, the enemies that were originally menacing would suddenly burst into tears under the baptism of Holy Light. Not only would it cause the power of the Sky Castle to increase, it would also be a big blow to the enemy.
To the people of the Brilliance Shrine, the Blessing of Holy Light mageweath array had always existed only in legends. The successive popes and prophets of the Brilliance Shrine had all tried to recreate the mageweath array, but none of them had succeeded. Otherwise, Anril would have probably become the diocese of the Brilliance Shrine long ago.
Hence, even Archbishop Martin, who was already a bit numb, became excited immediately after seeing the Blessing of Holy Light mageweath array. He wished he could dig it up and bring it away. Unfortunately, Archbishop Martin was well aware that if it were in the past, he probably would have been able to do it, but the Sky Castle already belonged to Lin Li now.
It seemed that when he returned, he had to rack his brains to think of a way to make Master Felic join the Brilliance Shrine! Archbishop Martin secretly made up his mind.
In Archbishop Martin's heart, Lin Li was probably just as important to the Brilliance Shrine as Pope Rosario was. Lin Li had Holy Light, which could directly enhance the strength of the followers of Holy Light. If the Brilliance Shrine could get Lin Li's help, there would definitely be a huge increase in the overall strength of the Brilliance Shrine, which was something that even Pope Rosario could not bring about.
Chapter 1004 - Bottom
Without the hindrance of the magic traps and magic gears, Lin Li managed to quickly lead the expedition team through the Sky Castle. Of course, as the tour progressed, Archbishop Martin, Donald and the others went from feeling envious to being jealous, and eventually numb. They simply could not imagine how powerful the Tower of Dusk would become and how high their status would rise with Lin Li's acquisition of such a Sky Castle.
Archbishop Martin and Donald were ready to take their leave, but Lin Li did not respond immediately to their bidding of farewell. Instead, he seemed to have slipped deep in thought.
It turned out that while Lin Li was showing them around, he had also been observing the entire Sky Castle with his mental strength to explore places that were invisible to the outside world. However, Lin Li suddenly discovered just now that his mental strength seemed to have been hindered by a force somewhere in the Sky Castle.
Lin Li was now the master of the Sky Castle, and there should not have been any secrets that were kept from him at all. Besides, the place where his mental strength had been blocked did not comply to him, the master, at all. Clearly, that power had a higher authority than his.
Lin Li gained control of the Sky Castle through the control crystal, and if there was someone who had higher authority than him, it would probably be the Immortal King who had built the Sky Castle. That made him feel extremely nervous. Even though there had been various signs along the way that showed that the Immortal King had some kind of unknown connection with him, no one could be certain if the connection was good or not.
Although Lin Li had had some indirect contact with the Immortal King, he still could not figure out the Immortal King's attitude towards him. Did he treat Lin Li as a successor or a pawn? Or did he simply see Lin Li as a toy for easing his boredom?
Lin Li did not acquire the Tower of Dusk with the intention of making it a lodging for himself and the members of the Tower of Dusk. Instead, he wanted it to be a powerful weapon that he could use when sealing the great spacetime rift. Hence, to him, it was not a good thing to have no control over such an existence. It was just like a ticking time bomb that would blow him to pieces at any time.
After snapping back to his senses, Lin Li apologetically said to Archbishop Martin and the others, "I'm sorry, when I arrived, I realized that there's a place that I have to explore and check. I will not see you off, then."
Archbishop Martin had planned to talk to Lin Li about the latter visiting the Brilliance Shrine again, but an idea suddenly popped up in his mind, and he said, "Master Felic, you're standing on ceremony with me. Do you need our help with anything? If you don't mind us being in the way, why don't we accompany you?"
Archbishop Martin's idea was very simple. He just wanted to seize every opportunity to get closer to Lin Li. Even though he would have to pay a price, it would definitely be worth it if he could obtain some benefits from Lin Li.
Before Lin Li could even answer, Donald immediately interjected when he heard Archbishop Martin's words. "Yeah, Master Felic, thank you for taking care of us throughout the journey this time. If there's anything we can help you with, please let us know."
Donald did not expect to get anything from Lin Li; he just hoped that Lin Li wouldn't mind the previous conflicts that they had, and that he wouldn't suddenly attack the Rotterdam Kingdom with the Sky Castle.
They're actually so eager to vie with each other to be my cannon fodder? Lin Li was slightly stunned. When he saw how sincere Archbishop Martin and Donald were, he felt that it would be inappropriate to turn them down. Hence, he nodded, and said, "Alright then, let's go take a look together."
Lin Li once again brought the members of the two forces back to the center of the Sky Castle, but after using his mental strength to observe for a while, he discovered that the place where his mental strength had been blocked was not actually inside the Sky Castle, but rather at the bottom. Moreover, there was no passage in the Sky Castle that could lead to that mysterious spot.
They were faced with yet another issue. There was an endless void outside the Sky Castle, and the Nether Storm was continuously brewing outside the canopy. If they were to leave the protection of the canopy and go to the bottom of the Sky Castle, they would be facing a huge risk. Even a true Sanctuary powerhouse like Lin Li would not be able to last long in the void, let alone ordinary people. If they encountered the Nether Storm, they would face the danger of falling.
Although Lin Li was wearing a Space Robe, and could move across short distances, he dared not use it in the void unless he had the strength of the Immortal King. Otherwise, he might accidentally fall into the Nether Storm, and that would be courting death.
When they heard this, Archbishop Martin and Donald immediately got caught in a dilemma. They were Legendary powerhouses, but in the face of the Nether Storm, they were no different from ants. Even without the Nether Storm, they would only be able to stay in the void for a few seconds at most, and every second meant great danger.
"Well, why did the High Elves build buildings down there? Besides, there isn't any passage to get there, either." Archbishop Martin was feeling somewhat regretful. He had taken the initiative to offer his help, but he had not expected such an outcome. If things went awry, he might even end up losing his life too.
Donald, on the other hand, was just saying those words superficially, and did not actually plan to put in any effort at all. He mainly wanted to see if there were any hidden treasures. After hearing that Lin Li wanted to go to that place through the endless void, he immediately wanted to back out.
It would have been alright to back out if he hadn't offered to help. However, he had offered his help, and if he went back on his word, he would really offend Lin Li. After being conflicted for a while, Donald said, "Master Felic, since that building is built at the bottom of the Sky Castle,
it probably doesn't have an important function. Why don't we go take a look another time after you've brought the Sky Castle back to Anril?"
Although Donald was just making excuses, his words actually made sense. They were now being surrounded by the endless void, and it would naturally be dangerous to go to the bottom of the Sky Castle. However, if Lin Li were to move the Sky Castle back to Anril, there would be no need to worry about the Nether Storm. By then, even an ordinary Archmage would probably be able to fly over and check using the Levitation Spell.
However, Lin Li had thought about many other issues. Although it was true that he wouldn't have to worry about the Nether Storm if he moved the Sky Castle back to Anril, he couldn't help but be worried about what exactly was hidden in that place. If an existence like Osric was brought to Anril, for example, it would bring about a huge disaster to Anril.
Of course, Lin Li was not a benevolent person, and he wouldn't care about the lives and deaths of irrelevant people. However, Lin Li couldn't help but be worried about the hidden existence that affected his control of the Sky Castle. Hence, if he brought the Sky Castle back to Anril, he would pave the way for someone else.
Therefore, although the endless void outside contained infinite dangers, Lin Li still hoped to resolve this unstable factor there and then. If it was really beyond his ability to resolve it, he would rather give up on the Sky Castle than be blown into pieces later.
"The two of you, I didn't expect it to be so dangerous there. Since your teams have already suffered major losses in this expedition, I think you'd better return. I'll come up with a solution for this matter on my own," Lin Li said to Archbishop Martin and Donald.
Although Lin Li said that, they dared not take it seriously; God knew if they would be targeted. Hence, Archbishop Martin and Donald, who had been a little hesitant, immediately righteously said, "Master Felic, it's wrong for you to say that. Thanks to your care and help along the way, we managed to find what we wanted. Now that you need help, how can we just leave now?"
Lin Li secretly laughed, and after saying a few polite words, he began thinking about how he could go down there. The simplest method was to walk to the edge of the Sky Castle and jump straight down. However, the simplest method meant that he would face the greatest risk. Even with Lin Li's current strength, it was impossible for him to go down into the area in the endless void. If he were to encounter a Nether Storm, he would definitely die.
Using his mental strength, Lin Li carefully explored the interior of the Sky Castle several times, and finally picked out a path. Although it would not lead straight to the bottom of the Sky Castle, he would be able to reach the spot that was the closest to it. As long as he walked out of that space, he just had to stay in the endless void for a few seconds to reach the bottom.
Of course, even then, it did not mean that there was no longer any risk. Even if he was fortunate enough not to encounter any Nether Storms, that environment was not something that ordinary Legendary powerhouses could stay long in. If one took that path, the candidates who could really go down with him would probably have to be at least at the peak of the Legendary-level, and they would also have to be protected by Lin Li.
However, Archbishop Martin and Donald had no objections to this solution. Their teams had already suffered huge losses, and it would be best to keep their members from taking risks again. They offered to stay only because they wanted to leave a good impression on Lin Li. They did not really want to lose their underlings.
Likewise, it was impossible for everyone from the Tower of Dusk to go down there. Hence, Lin Li chose Connoris and his two Undead servants, Ujfalusi and Norfeller, Of course, in reality, the power that Lin Li could bring was not just the three of them. For example, he could summon the tender Elemental Wyrm Xiao Hua, the Lord of Nightmares who had been kept in the Summoning Lamp, and the Lord Devourer, Garl. They were no weaker than the three he would be bringing out on the surface. Besides, they did not need Lin Li to protect them conscientiously.
Chapter 1005 - Loser
After making the necessary preparations, Lin Li brought his three men, Archbishop Martin, and Donald into the Sky Castle again. They walked along the decided route and went deeper into the Sky Castle.
There were no doors that seemed to lead to the outside world from the passageway inside the Sky Castle. After all, the chaotic environment outside would destroy the Sky Castle if it only relied on one door. Furthermore, it would be easy for enemies to sneak into the Sky Castle through the door if there were any outside the Void Channel.
However, the lack of doors would not be an issue. As the owner of the Sky Castle, Lin Li was extremely clear about every nook and cranny within the Sky Castle (excluding the area that his mental strength couldn't reach). The place they had reached was one of the rooms at the base of the Sky Castle. This room was used to store magical weapons like the Crystal Cannons. Hence, it also had one launch pad inside. Although it was just a launch pad, it definitely had no problems accommodating something the size of one man.
As it was the strongest battle fortress, there were many launch pads and magical weapons beneath the Sky Castle. The room which Lin Li brought the men to had a shelf of Dragon Cannons—a weapon that was created from the integration of Alchemy and Mageweaths. Unlike the Crystal Cannons that relied on compressed mana in their attacks, the Dragon Cannons combined the mana from the mana source with mageweaths and alchemy arrays in its attacks to create an even more powerful attack.
The skills to create a magical weapon as complicated as the Dragon Cannons had since been lost in this era. One could only find shadows of the craftsmanship in the ancient legends. Hence, although Archbishop Martin and Donald had been numbed by the treasures in other rooms, they could not help but drool at the sight of the Dragon Cannons.
After the Sky Castle entered the Endless Void, the launch pad would cast a shield. It was akin to fixing window panes on a window frame to prevent the Nether Storm from destroying the interior of the Sky Castle. As the owner of the Sky Castle, Lin Li naturally had his way of lifting the shield to let himself and the others leave.
Lin Li observed the situation outside through the shield in front of the launch pad. A gust of Nether Storm swirled past his face, and made the firm shield tremble vigorously. Not to mention Archbishop Martin, even Lin Li could not help but shiver at the impact of the Nether Storm. He knew that its force was not something he could withstand.
Lin Li had brought everyone to the space closest to the bottom of the Sky Castle. It would only take them a few seconds to fly to the destination. However, as his mental strength was obstructed, Lin Li could not use it to assess the situation as comprehensively as he hoped. He even had to make preparations for a spontaneous retreat.
After all, Lin Li was unsure whether they could immediately enter the space even if they arrived at the destination. If they were unable to resolve the problems in a short time, it would definitely be a dangerous choice to stay in the Endless Void for long.
Lin Li initially planned to take his time to observe to look for patterns within the Nether Storm such as internals and directions. However, the Nether Storm was like a child who was not held back by anyone in the Endless Void. There might be a chance for it not to appear, and a chance for it to appear multiple times continuously within a few seconds. It seemed like there was no pattern at all.
Although he had decided that this place would allow him to travel to the bottom of the Sky Castle within the shortest amount of time, the sight of the irregular Nether Storms forced Lin Li to feel helpless deep inside.
Archbishop Martin and Donald were extremely clear about their capabilities. They were alright to participate in adventures, but not in giving their lives away. Yet, they were too ashamed to take back their promise of accompanying Lin Li there.
Hence, the sight of Lin Li's hesitation sparked joy within the hearts of Archbishop Martin and Donald. Of course, they were not daring enough to demand a retreat. They could only turn their wishes in the
form of suggestions to convince Lin Li to give up on the venture temporarily.
However, it was as though Lin Li was deaf to the suggestion of Archbishop Martin and Donald. His gaze was fixed outside the launch pad intently. He knew that it would mean trouble if they were to head out. Although he did not like the idea of playing with his own life, he felt that there would be a greater danger to the Tower of Dusk if he were to leave an unknown threat in the Sky Castle.
Archbishop Martin and Donald smiled awkwardly when they saw that Lin Li did not reply to them. They stopped giving him advice, and waited for Lin Li's reply in trepidation.
Lin Li did not let them wait too long.
"The rest of you please step back a little," instructed Lin Li as he turned to face the rest.
"Oh, a-alright!" stammered Archbishop Martin and Donald in joy. They turned to walk towards the door, but they stopped when they saw Connoris and the rest. It was then that they realized that Lin Li's command was to step back, and not retreat. Could this become a path of no return? Although both of them were deeply unwilling, they knew they had to stop.
Lin Li did not care about how Archbishop Martin and Donald were behaving. After all, their abilities as Legendary mages were too limited; their presence did not matter to him. He got up close to a Dragon Cannon, and pushed it to the mouth of the launch pad.
This sight confused Archbishop Martin and Donald. The Dragon Cannon had been painted as a formidable weapon in the legends with the claim that it could collapse a whole mountain. Yet, what would become of it in the Endless Void?
After pushing the Dragon Cannon to the mouth of the launch pad, Lin Li whipped out a firm World Domain that was made up of the seven pieces of the debris of the stars. He enclosed the whole room with the World Domain before using his mental strength to control the magical crystal to lift the shield at the launch pad.
