by Zhuang Bifan
"Master Felic, are you trying to say that an ancient evil dragon has really been imprisoned under Cage Island?" Lin Li's words made Elvis and the others a little surprised. After all, in the opinion of ordinary people, legends were unreliable.
"Be it an ancient evil dragon or anything, Cage Island has existed in the Breezy Plains for a long time. No one can deduce exactly how long it has been since its appearance, and it seems that it has existed before the Dark Age. Since that thing on Cage Island can exist for such a long period of time, it definitely isn't simple. Maybe it's a powerful existence that's at the peak of the Sanctuary-realm. Once that thing breaks free, I'm afraid that the entire Breezy Plains will be destroyed." Lin Li did not give them a definite answer, and merely analyzed things based on the current situation.
In fact, what Lin Li said was almost the same as the reasons that Cantory had used to persuade the representatives of the various forces previously. Although Elvis and the others did not believe Cantory, because he represented the Gilded Kingdom, they could not ignore Lin Li's words.
Hence, after hearing Lin Li's words, Elvis and the others did not doubt their validity. Their expressions immediately changed. What truly shocked them was not the idea of the Breezy Plains possibly being destroyed, but the words "peak of the Sanctuary-realm".
Different people had different ideas about destruction. For ordinary people, destruction might be a horrible disaster, but for Elvis and others who belonged to ancient forces with rich heritages, it was probably considered nothing. For instance, when the Retribution Knight Rodhart ravaged the Breezy Plains, the Mithril Alliance and other forces persevered even though nearly half of the population of the Breezy Plains perished.
However, when Lin Li mentioned the peak of the Sanctuary-realm, they thought of a synonym for it, which was a 'demigod', appeared in their minds. It meant something only half a step away from becoming a true god. If the unknown existence trapped on the Cage Island really had the terrifying strength of the peak of the Sanctuary-realm, not only would the Breezy Plains be destroyed, the factions would definitely face a huge destruction too. That was a true annihilation, and even Elvis and the other pseudo-Sanctuary powerhouses probably wouldn't be able to save their own lives.
"The peak of the Sanctuary-realm!" Elvis and the others swallowed their saliva and looked at Lin Li, their faces as pale as a sheet. It seemed that they were hoping that Lin Li was only joking about what he had just said.
However, Lin Li did not let them have their wishes fulfilled. Instead, he continued, "You should know that nothing in this world is immortal, let alone a seal that traps such a powerful existence. The people of the Gilded Kingdom should have only touched the seal in advance to trigger the awakening of the existence that's been imprisoned. Besides, this is an opportunity for us. Otherwise, when that thing comes out of Cage Island, we will no longer have an opportunity."
"In that case, we really can't just stand by and watch. If we really let that thing escape, we will be doomed. The people of the Gilded Kingdom can flee back to the sea, but we, the forces of the Breezy Plains, will be in trouble." Elvis and the others were obviously all persuaded by Lin Li's words.
"Yes. It may seem like we are helping the Gilded Kingdom now, but from another perspective, the Gilded Kingdom is actually helping us suppress that unknown existence. Hence, we are actually in the same boat as the Gilded Kingdom in this regard." Lin Li's idea was rather simple: the enemy of an enemy was a friend. Regardless of the relationship between the Gilded Kingdom and the Tower of Dusk, they at least shared a common goal in this matter regarding Cage Island.
However, Lin Li did not tell Elvis and the others everything, and he actually left out an important point—he found the aura of Cage Island very familiar. That was the reason that he was sure that the legend about Cage Island was not fabricated. He had a hunch that the ancient dragon hidden below the seal was one he knew.
After Lin Li talked to Elvis and others, the hidden powerhouses of various forces also arrived in Rafa City one after another. Some of them had not appeared for hundreds to thousands of years, and the outsiders even thought that they had already died countless years ago. They didn't expect all of them to come out this time.
When almost everyone had arrived, the people once again gathered in the conference hall. Among them, more than 10 of them were pseudo-Sanctuary powerhouses, and there were only 20-30 Legendary powerhouses left. Although the number of people had decreased greatly, not every force had a competent powerhouse. However, it caused the conference hall to be filled with an unprecedented frightening aura.
Even Cantory, who had always been arrogant, couldn't help but be secretly surprised when he saw the forces bringing out their manpower all of a sudden. Of course, the surprise only lasted for a moment, and Cantory knew that the Breezy Plains was like a grain of rice. Although there were many powerhouses, they would not be able to contend with the Gilded Kingdom unless they united.
"Okay, Envoy Cantory, those who should come have already arrived. You ought to give us a detailed introduction too." Although Lin Li was casually sitting on a seat in the conference hall, it made them feel that the powerhouses present vaguely saw him as their leader.
Looking at the various powerhouses who were seated, Cantory knew that he had reached the last stage of his mission. As long as the information he gave was satisfactory to them, he would succeed in obtaining help. However, he was not a clueless brat, and naturally wouldn't reveal to them all the information that he knew.
"I know that there has always been a legend about Cage Island in the Breezy Plains. Besides, I'm going to tell you now that a legend is not just a legend," Cantory said after weighing the pros and cons.
Cantory's words had undoubtedly verified Lin Li's previous speculation, and caused their faces to turn slightly pale. The crowd, including those who had been in the Sanctuary-realm for numerous years, couldn't help but feel a pang of fear when they thought that they had actually been neighbors with a terrifying existence that was a demigod.
However, not everyone believed Cantory. After all, only a few people such as Elvis had heard Lin Li's previous conjectures, and they finally believed that it was true after tallying both statements. Most of them naturally didn't believe it, since it was their first time hearing of it.
Hence, after being shocked for a while, someone immediately came forth to question Cantory. He said, "I don't want to call this a warning, but Cage Island is in the Breezy Plains, and has existed for numerous years. We all know how bizarre it is, but we have never confirmed the legend that the ancient dragon trapped on the island is purely a legend. The Gilded Kingdom is far away. Could it be that they know more about the Cage Island than we do?"
The arrogant Cantory's face immediately turned sullen after having his conjecture being doubted. However, thinking that this group of people in front of him would be the key to helping the Gilded Kingdom retreat unscathed, he had no choice but to suppress his feelings. He then explained to everyone, "It's coincidental that we could grasp the situation of Cage Island. This dates back to the beginning of the Gilded Kingdom."
The Gilded Kingdom was established before the Dark Age by a group of people who had traveled all the way from Anril. Back then, the one who led them overseas to build their home on the seaside island was Sabur who was known as a Great Sage.
Legend had it that Sabur was once a noble leader of a place called Toron Kingdom in the southern coastal region of the Felan Kingdom. Actually, he had already seen the change of the situation in Anril a long time ago. He knew that the High Elves would become the rulers of the continent one day. In fact, he could even foresee the High Elves subjecting the various forces that they dominated to cruel means.
Hence, Sabur led his citizens who were willing to follow him to create dozens of gigantic battlesh.i.p.s to avoid the impending battle. Of course, it was not that easy to brave the Endless Ocean, and their journey was not always smooth sailing, either. If not for Sabur's foresight, the dozens
of battlesh.i.p.s would've been either overturned in the storm or ripped apart by the massive beasts.
Even then, when Sabur's fleet reached the first island that was suitable for survival and development, half of the fleet had already sunk to the bottom of the Endless Ocean, and those who were fortunate enough to have survived began to build their own homes on the island under Sabur's lead. During the construction, Sabur also led the fleet back and forth between the island and the mainland countless times to transport a large number of people to the island.
Hence, during the Dark Age, there were two places on the mainland that people were most eager to visit: one was the Rotterdam Kingdom which had gentler administration, while the other was the Gilded Kingdom, which was known as a pure land.
With the influx of people, the Great Sage Sabur began organizing some powerful people, and established a team to expand their living space to the surrounding islands. While discovering new lands, they discovered that the islands that were originally thought to have never been visited by anyone actually contained many relics left from the ancient times. The Gilded Kingdom's alchemy technology was obtained from several relics of goblins.
The information about Cage Island that they had was also obtained during the discovery of new islands. Sabur led the team to a place that seemed to contain Titan relics, and obtained a map that led to Cage Island in the Breezy Plains. At the same time, a doc.u.ment that was found along with the map allowed them to discover that what was sealed under Cage Island was none other than a powerful ancient evil dragon.
"Map? Envoy Cantory, I wonder if you can take out that map and let us take a look at it. After all, you were the one who said those things, and we can't tell if it's the truth. Hence, it'd be better if you can give us some evidence." The person who questioned Cantory just now suddenly interrupted Cantory, and requested to see that map. The rest immediately supported the notion.
If it was just an ancient evil dragon, would the Gilded Kingdom have to come all the way from overseas? Anyway, if the ancient evil dragon had really broken free from the seal, the Breezy Plains would be in danger, not the Gilded Kingdom. Hence, the people of the forces wanted to know the real agenda of the Gilded Kingdom. In that case, the map would be a great clue.
Why is it him again!? There was some anger in Cantory's gaze, and he looked in the direction where the voice came from. The person who spoke was actually just an elder who was at the peak of the Legendary-realm, and who came from an insignificant family. Usually, Cantory would not bother dealing with such people, but now he had to bear with it and suppress his anger.
"I'm sorry, but the original copy of this map is too precious, and is now being stored in the treasury of the royal family. I have the copy of the map. If you don't mind, you may have a look." As Cantory spoke, he took out a map that looked rather new from the space ring on his finger.
Chapter 1062 - Imprisoned Wyrm
The original meaning was completely different from that of the copy. Due to the fact that the original copy existed a long time ago, there were indelible traces left on it, so it was difficult to falsify it. However, it was different for the copy. Although it was said to be identical to the original one, it was easy to tamper with, and some of the original content could simply be omitted to alter the entire meaning.
Hence, after hearing that Cantory was just going to take out a copy of the map, the crowd was immediately displeased. Many of them thought, We're here to help the Gilded Kingdom. Putting aside your real agenda for coming to Cage Island, you even refuse to give us the original copy. You're not taking us seriously, huh?
It immediately became livelier in the entire conference hall again. The powerhouses of the various forces who were usually in seclusion began to criticize Cantory for his insincerity. Some of them even stood up and called their friends, all ready to leave.
Now, Cantory began to panic. Actually, he was telling the truth as the original map was indeed not in his hands, and certainly not in the treasure vault of the Gilded Kingdom. Instead, it was in the hands of Elder Zumar who was on Cage Island. He didn't expect the discussion, which was originally going well, to go awry because of a single map. He was already ready to go provide aid for Elder Zumar.
"President Felic…" In a moment of helplessness, Cantory had no choice but to turn to Lin Li for help. In his opinion, Lin Li was the only one who could suppress those people.
"Well, everyone, we'd better listen to what Envoy Cantory has to say." As expected, the crowd in the conference hall soon quieted down again after hearing Lin Li's calm words. Those who stood up to leave sat down again.
Although Lin Li had given Cantory an out, the latter was still furious about the scene as he secretly gritted his teeth in anger. He felt that Lin Li clearly could have stopped them right from the beginning, but he deliberately waited till now, all for the sake of making him embarrassed.
Of course, Cantory did not reveal any of his thoughts on his face. He knew that the key to getting aid still depended on the young president of the Tower of Dusk. Hence, he specially thanked Lin Li before saying to everyone else, "Please don't have any doubts about this. I can personally guarantee that the copy of this map has been exactly replicated from the original version without error."
"Forget it, you don't have to guarantee anything. There are some things that we are all aware of deep down. What I really want to know is, since you have the map and you know that there is an ancient evil dragon sealed under Cage Island, why do you have to overestimate your own abilities and try to provoke it? You caused us to be in so much trouble," someone gibed sarcastically again, seemingly complaining and venting his frustration after they returned to their respective seats.
After Lin Li's words, the powerhouses of the forces stopped harping on the authenticity of the map. Anyway, in the previous communication with each other, they all understood that it was impossible for them to stay out of the matter. Besides, with Lin Li, a real Sanctuary powerhouse, around, they would not have to worry about the Gilded Kingdom creating any trouble.
However, no one would be happy to be implicated in such a troublesome matter. Usually, they would bear with the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e when facing the Gilded Kingdom as long as it did not harm their own interests. However, the Gilded Kingdom was the one in trouble and needed help now. Hence, they naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity to insult the Gilded Kingdom.
Of course, such complaints were not unreasonable. If the Gilded Kingdom did not know about the situation on Cage Island, the current situation would be understandable. However, the Gilded Kingdom had obtained a map from the ruins, and they clearly knew the ancient evil dragon with terrifying strength was sealed under Cage Island. So, why didn't they make any more preparations? The Gilded Kingdom and the Illuminati were extremely powerful, so they could have just sent a few more Sanctuary powerhouses over. Why would they have to ask for help?
This day was simply disastrous for Cantory, and it was the darkest day of his glorious life. Throughout his life, he had never been humiliated to such an extent. Faced with the taunts and mockery of the country bumpkins, he shivered furiously, but he dared not show a trace of anger on his face. He simply clenched his fists tightly inside his sleeves.
"We naturally have a reason for doing so. The Alchemy Array that is used to seal the ancient evil dragon is recorded on that map. It is mentioned that someone has to go to Cage Island to strengthen the seal using that Alchemy Array once every few thousand years. Otherwise, once the seal is loosened, the ancient dragon will immediately take the opportunity to escape. By then, a huge destructive disaster will strike the world. That's one of the important missions that the Gilded Kingdom entered Cage Island for."
Cantory sounded bitter at first, but everyone knew that those were just signs of him losing his temper slowly. However, he began to get smoother and smoother with his speech. He even sounded rather righteous, as if he had become an ally of justice. At last, Cantory stood up, slammed his hands against the table, and behaved right
eously. On the other hand, he was also trying to vent the anger within him.
To be frank, Cantory really seemed righteous, as if it was his duty to protect the world. Ordinary people might really believe him, and even get moved to tears. However, the old men in the conference hall each had at least hundreds of years of experience, and were true elites. How could they be deceived by Cantory?
Of course, in a certain sense, Cantory's words were not considered a lie, but he had reversed the dynamics of their relationship. The Gilded Kingdom had obtained the map and the method to seal the ancient evil dragon on Cage Island, which should be something they could rely on to explore Cage Island. However, they had perhaps made a mistake in their calculations, and caused things to spiral out of control, thus leaving them with no choice but to come out and ask for help from the various forces of the Breezy Plains. Otherwise, they could have just told the forces of the Breezy Plains about the situation right from the start. Why would he have to be so secretive?
On the other hand, Cantory was still being immersed in the ambiance and mood that he had created. Someone in the conference hall immediately clapped his hands and chuckled. "I really didn't expect the Gilded Kingdom to be so impartial and selfless. You guys actually came all the way here for the sake of the Breezy Plains and the safety of the world. You even hid it from us and went to Cage Island fearlessly to face all the dangers alone. We really feel ashamed."
If someone else had said that, Cantory would have been proud and pleased to hear it, but since it was said by someone in the Breezy Plains, he obviously knew that they were just mocking him. Fortunately, Cantory had vented some of his anger just now. Otherwise, he definitely would not be able to bear with it.
"President Felic, I've already stated clearly the reason for our action this time. What else do you need to know about giving aid to us on Cage Island?" Cantory understood that he would just be bringing himself trouble by dwelling on the other issues. There would be plenty of chances for him to settle scores in the future. The most urgent task now was to provide aid for Elder Zumar.
