by Zhuang Bifan
Hearing that Lin Li wanted to leave, Archbishop Martin and the others were secretly relieved because they finally did not have to take risks anymore! The Nether Storm was already terrifying enough, and none of them expected to see Geresco's incarnation there. If they went further up, God knew if they might encounter some terrifying creature.
However, at the thought of the Nether Storm, Archbishop Martin and Donald immediately tensed up again. When they arrived, they were almost s.u.c.k.e.d into the Nether Storm. How could they take another risk on the way back? Besides, they also remembered clearly that when they entered, the surrounding Nether Storms gathered, and if they were to leave by the main door, they would be courting death, and not just taking a risk.
"Master Felic, how are we going to go back?" Archbishop Martin and Donald asked Lin Li at the same time.
Looking at the two of them who looked extremely worried, Lin Li smiled, and said, "Of course we'll return the same way we came here."
Lin Li was not scaring the two old men. In fact, other than returning the same way that they came, there was really no other good solution. However, through the battle with Geresco's incarnation, Lin Li had already gained a deeper understanding and greater control of his Domain World. It wasn't impossible to protect them in the Nether Storm.
Besides, Lin Li had left the Demon Gordon in the cannon room of the Dragon Cannon, and was ready to use the Dragon Cannon to alleviate some of the pressure on his side at any time.
However, Archbishop Martin and Donald did not know of the great benefits that Lin Li had obtained from Geresco's incarnation. They only knew that the Nether Storm could devour even a Sanctuary powerhouse. However, despite feeling terrified, the two were still thinking of ways to return. Basically, it was impossible. After hesitating again and again, they had no choice but to resign to fate.
Of course, they had no choice but to accept it. Lin Li wasn't discussing it with them in the first place anyway. It was not up to them to decide whether to leave or not. It would be good enough if Lin Li greeted them. Seeing that the two of them had nothing important to say anymore, he opened his Domain World, and moved everyone inside his domain.
Outside the tower, the huge Nether Storm that had converged had long since drifted away because it had lost Lin Li and the others who were its target. Hence, when Lin Li brought them out, nothing too shocking happened. However, due to their appearance, the Nether Storm that was floating nearby quickly changed its initial trajectory, and swarmed towards them as if it was a shark that had smelled blood.
In the past, Lin Li would not be confident about escaping the Nether Storm. After all, there were no Dragon Cannons that he could use to attract the Nether Storm here. However, after being trained by Geresco's incarnation, Lin Li changed drastically within a short period of time.
Lin Li was still at the peak of level-26, and the mana that he had did not increase during this period of time at all. However, his capability was far beyond that of the past. He had turned all the experience and combat skills that he gained from the Book of Eternity, the control crystal of the Sky Castle, and the Tyrant Balak's magical crystal into something of his own.
Despite seeing the Nether Storms that were surging towards him, Lin Li did not panic, and it was as if he did not see them at all. He wrapped the rest in the Domain World, and flew towards the Nether Storms on his own. However, that gave Archbishop Martin and Donald a great shock while they were in the Domain World because they could completely tell that at Lin Li's speed, he would not be able to break away from the Nether Storms.
However, at this moment, violent explosions suddenly occurred one after another in the center of the Nether Storms that were far away. The power of the Nether Storms was not inferior to the Dragon Cannons at all. With the appearance of the huge explosion, the Nether Storms that were initially surging towards Lin Li hysterically clearly stopped for a moment, though they did not immediately change their direction. It was as if they were hesitating because of a temptation.
The sudden change gave Archbishop Martin and Donald a huge fright. Although they were only at the peak of the Legendary-level, they had never had the experience of exploring a Nether Storm. However, they knew that the Nether Storm would not explode on its own. Hence, the explosion immediately made them think of Lin Li, which was also the thing that made them feel shocked and puzzled.
If they could attract the Nether Storm by casting a magic spell, the Endless Void would no longer be as dangerous as it was said to be in legends. The Nether Storm was not a dog, and the magic spells cast by the mages were not Frisbees, either. The mages would cause more intense magical waves when casting magic, and the explosion of the magic would leave behind magical waves too. Hence, the idea of attracting the Nether Storms which were extremely s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to magical waves by just casting a few magic spells was simply far-fetched.
However, Lin Li had now seen through that common sense. Hence, before the magic spells in the middle of the Nether Storm were detonated, almost no one noticed when he cast the magic spells as he was just like an assassin shooting an arrow in the dark.
Such a casting method was definitely meant for those that were hiding in the dark, and for testing how many people could evade the sudden attacks when being caught off guard by a sudden magic spell that exploded on them. In comparison, Osric's subordinate who was a Mage-Assassin was simply impressive. He was just a Mage who was also an Assassin, while Lin Li's casting method was truly an assassination magic spell.
In reality, the casting method that Lin Li used was a technique that he had learned from the battles with Geresco's incarnation. During the first battle that they had after they met, the mana hand of Geresco's incarnation invaded Lin Li's Domain World and grasped Lin Li, catching him off guard.
In the Domain World that Lin Li had created, he was just like the supreme deity who ruled over everything, and was aware of all the changes in the Domain World. However, Geresco's incarnation could fool Lin Li's perception and cast the magic spell in his Domain World. That was much more profound than Lin Li's current methods.
Lin Li probably still needed more training and tenacity to reach the level of Geresco's incarnation. However, he had already been studying the Book of Eternity for a long time, and had inherited the experience of many powerhouses. Hence, after some pointers from Geresco, it was not difficult for him to reach such a level. After all, there was no Domain World in the Nether Storm.
Although the Nether Storm only paused for a moment, that was enough for Lin Li. Using that opportunity, Lin Li's flying speed immediately increased to the maximum, leaving behind a light shadow that flew up to the Sky Castle like a comet.
At the same time, the Demon Gordon who had been left in the chamber once again activated a Dragon Cannon, and launched a giant fireball into the void. It attracted the Nether Storm around the launcher before spreading in other directions.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Li's body penetrated the firing port, and landed in the chamber of the Dragon Cannons. The Domain World was abruptly put away, and everyone was released.
It's finally safe! Archbishop Martin and Donald finally heaved long sighs of relief. Although they could still feel their hearts pounding rapidly and everything seemed to have been simple, it was truly thrilling for them, and it was much more exciting than all the previous battles.
"Master Felic, if there is nothing else, I think we should also take our leave. I hope you will visit the Brilliance Shrine when you have the time," said Archbishop Martin, who had recovered from the shock. He immediately bade Lin Li farewell for fear that his heart would explode if anything more were to happen.
Donald similarly dared not stay behind any longer. Although it was a good thing to get close to the Tower of Dusk, it would not be worth it if he had to sacrifice his life too. The entire Sky Castle now belonged to the Tower of Dusk, and even if he risked his life to join the exploration, he might not necessarily obtain a valuable item for himself.
Upon hearing that t
hey were going to leave, Lin Li seemed to have suddenly thought of something as he patted his head and smiled awkwardly. "I'm really sorry, but you guys can't leave yet."
Upon hearing his words, Archbishop Martin's and Donald's heart immediately tensed up, and their faces grew sullen. Actually, they had always been a little worried and afraid that Lin Li would go back on his word, and make them surrender what they had gained during the exploration. After all, to them, the High Elven queen's crown and the Immortal King's alchemy notes were all extremely valuable.
Hence, when Lin Li said that they could not leave yet, Archbishop Martin and Donald deciphered his words differently, and thought that Lin Li wanted them to surrender the items before leaving.
"Master Felic, what do you mean?" Archbishop Martin was well aware that he was in no place to negotiate with a Sanctuary powerhouse. It would be easier if he were facing Pope Rosario. However, he was unwilling to give those items away. After all, his team had suffered great losses this time. If they did not get anything at all, wouldn't he be a sinner?
As for Donald, he seemed even more conflicted, and there seemed to be some fear in his expression too. In his opinion, the Brilliance Shrine was at least on good terms with the Tower of Dusk, and could perhaps negotiate with Lin Li. However, he had offended the Tower of Dusk several times before. Although he had tried to make up for it later, his effort had been one-sided, and Lin Li, the President of the Tower of Dusk, did not seem to accept it at all.
Hence, in Donald's opinion, Lin Li probably meant that he wanted to settle scores with him on top of making him give up the alchemy notes. The people from the Rotterdam Kingdom might not be able to return, either.
However, just as Archbishop Martin and Donald were letting their imagination run wild, Lin Li did not seem to have noticed anything. While taking them away, Lin Li said, "Actually, it's nothing much. Due to some changes in the control of the Sky Castle, the original Teleportation Portal has already stopped functioning, so you won't be able to return using the Teleportation Portal."
Actually, the idea was very simple. It was akin to the change in the lock of the door of a house when there was a change in owner. Since Lin Li was the new owner of the Sky Castle, he had to readjust the Teleportation Portals. Otherwise, no one would be able to go to the Sky Castle. It was not a public park anyway.
"This…"
So that's it? Archbishop Martin and Donald couldn't help but look at each other. There was a drastic change in their mood. They had been worried for a long time, and even their backs were drenched in cold sweat, but in the end, they had just been worrying for nothing.
"S-so that's what happened!" Archbishop Martin smiled awkwardly, and wiped the cold sweat off his head. Of course, he complained about Lin Li deep down. Don't be so vague with your words, okay? You'll really scare us to death!
"Yeah, what did you guys think?" Lin Li did not expect a casual remark of his to scare them out of their wits. Hence, he was confused about their reaction.
"Yes, what we mean is that if the Teleportation Portal can't be used anymore, how are we going to go back?" Archbishop Martin was naturally embarrassed to say that he was frightened, but the question he asked was indeed an issue that they had to be concerned about. The Sky Castle was now in the Endless Void, and the Teleportation Portal was the only thing that connected to Anril. If the Teleportation Portal could no longer be used, it would be troublesome for them to go back.
However, Lin Li smiled, and unconcernedly said, "It's simple. I have to drive the Sky Castle to Anril, so I can give you guys a lift."
"Sure, thank you, Master Felic!" Archbishop Martin and Donald were thanking Lin Li politely on the surface, but deep down, they were incredibly astonished. They knew that Lin Li had obtained the Sky Castle, but owning it and controlling it were different concepts. Being able to manipulate the Sky Castle and move it to Anril meant that Lin Li could already exert a large portion of the power of that combat weapon.
Thinking about the fact that the Sky Castle was about to appear above Anril, Archbishop Martin and Donald couldn't help but slip into a trance. They could imagine the shock that the Sky Castle would bring to Anril when it appeared.
The Tower of Dusk, which owned the Sky Castle, would definitely become a strong force that ruled over the world. Even the powerful kingdoms would probably have to look up to the Tower of Dusk as no kingdom would have the courage to become an enemy of the Tower of Dusk that owned the Sky Castle.
Chapter 1011 - Changes
Lin Li did not say much to Archbishop Martin and the others. Instead, he brought them to the top floor of the Central Tower. The large control crystal on the control panel was emitting a bright light. Lin Li went straight to the control panel, and communicated with the control crystal through Mind Control. According to the experience he had received long ago, he gave the Sky Castle the command to activate.
With the command, the entire Sky Castle suddenly vibrated slightly, and the wall around that floor also became transparent. It looked as if it had completely disappeared, exposing the view outside. It made the people on that floor feel as if they were outside the tower. In fact, the continuously emerging Nether Storms could be seen clearly too.
At the same time, they could also see that buildings and streets below the Sky Castle's tower were lighting up layer by layer, forming a huge and complex array. The 36 Magic Towers seemed to have also become shining lamp posts that were emitting dazzling rays of light, appearing as if small suns had gathered at the top of the tower.
"Okay, we're going back," Lin Li said to everyone. A bright ray of light suddenly erupted from the control crystal on the control panel. At the same time, the light on top of the 36 Magic Towers outside darted into the sky above the Sky Castle, forming a huge vortex of light in the void above it.
When the vortex of light expanded to its maximum, the Sky Castle slowly rose under Lin Li's manipulation. First, the vortex reached the canopy in the outer layer, then the highest building, the Central Tower, and the 36 Magic Towers that entered the vortex of light.
As the Sky Castle entered the light vortex, the light vortex gradually shrunk into a Solar Sphere before gradually turning dimmer and disappearing in the void. Peace was finally restored.
At the same time that the Sky Castle entered the light vortex, lightning suddenly appeared in the clear skies above the wilderness of the Ledin Kingdom in Anril. There seemed to be a large gash in the blue sky that appeared because of a sudden and massive wave of energy. Overwhelmed with fear, people below lost the power to run, and had no choice but to look on in petrification, waiting for the arrival of disaster.
Soon, a mountain peak that seemed to have been overturned slowly moved out of the gash together with a strong aura of destruction. Even though everything was happening in the sky high above, the strong sense of oppression made the people below feel like they were on the verge of a breakdown. Everyone was forced to lie on the ground as they constantly prayed to all the gods they knew in their hearts.
Finally, the Sky Castle detached itself from the opening in the sky, after which the latter gradually closed up. Floating quietly in the sky, the massive Sky Castle cast a large shadow on the wilderness, but it did not fall straight down, unlike what everyone had been worried about.
The herdsmen and people from a caravan who were initially lying on the ground dared not look up at all, but after waiting for a long time, they saw the giant shadow moving slowly on the ground. They then mustered the courage and looked up at the sky, only to see that the upside-down peak was floating slowly in a certain direction.
"Oh my God, what is that thing? What power can make a mountain peak fly into the sky!?" The people below were extremely curious about the floating upside-down mountain peak while feeling thankful for having escaped.
"Oh dear, that's the direction of the Holy Mountain. Could it be that the peak is going to the Holy Mountain!?" After all, the people in the caravan were more knowledgeable, and immediately saw that the direction
that the mountain peak was drifting in was exactly the direction where the Holy Mountain of Light was located.
Almost everyone in the Ledin Kingdom was a devotee of the Brilliance Shrine. Seeing that the mountain peak was floating towards the Holy Mountain, a terrifying idea popped up in their minds. However, although the mountain peak looked as if it was drifting slowly, it was in fact extremely fast, and it was too late for them to catch up with it.
At this moment, Lin Li who had successfully driven the Sky Castle to Anril, did not seem happy at all. Instead, he frowned and seemed extremely worried.
"Master Felic, we've already returned safely. What are you still worried about?" Archbishop Martin noticed that Lin Li looked rather worried, and couldn't help but be confused. In his opinion, it was something worth rejoicing over. Even if Lin Li did not express uncontrollable joy, he should not seem so worried.
Lin Li was snapped out of his thoughts, and he glanced at Archbishop Martin. Still looking as worried as ever, he said, "If I sensed it correctly, there seems to have been extraordinary changes in Anril since we left."
After all, Lin Li was a Sanctuary powerhouse whose understanding of the world was far above that of those who were in the Legendary-realm. Hence, as soon as they returned from Anril, he immediately sensed the changes in the world. The structure of the world seemed to have become more unstable, while the density of the magical elements seemed to have increased hundreds of times.
"What? We seem to have only spent a month or so exploring the Sky Castle. How can there be so many changes?" Although Donald already knew that Lin Li was a true Sanctuary powerhouse, he still did not quite believe what Lin Li said.
Lin Li did not answer, and instead gave another command to the control crystal. He then closed up the canopy outside the Sky Castle. As the canopy closed, the Sky Castle was almost completely exposed to the environment of Anril, and a massive amount of magical elements surged in, almost forming a magic tide.
