Chapter 238: Cinder Woods
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Its more serious than you think…” Connoris voice was as if gloating at Lin Li’s misfortune. After speaking, he even sighed with intoxication. “Ah, the smell of freedom is really refreshing…”
“…” Lin Li almost sat on the ground. “Please, can you be more aware that you are a hammer. A hammer still wants to talk about air. Just continue to obediently strike iron…”
“If you are were to be trapped inside a dark space for days, not knowing when you will be released or how long you will be trapped for, then you will understand how I feel!” When Connoris spoke of this, his voice was filled with rage.
“Ok, ok, as long as you obediently give me less trouble, I will try my best to let you stay outside…”
“Really?” Connoris became very excited after hearing that.
“Cut the bullshit!”
“Oh, yes, why did you come here?” Connoris was not excited for too long before he suddenly thought of a question. “I remember that at the Eternal Furnace, you said you were going back to Alanna…”
“I went back already, but it’s just that I was unlucky. Somebody’s Teleportation Portal broke down and he asked me to take a look. As for what was the issue, who knows—I already ran into trouble before I could find out. Take a look at this area, how does it look like a Teleportation Portal exit?” When Lin Li said this, he became furious. This old man, Andoine, was really too irresponsible. He’d only said that the Teleportation Portal was broken, but did not say how broken it was. It made Lin Li think that it was a small issue; he had not imagined that once he came out from the Teleportation Portal, he could not even find the exit…
“Who is it that’s so harsh that made you come to the Cinder Woods to check on the Teleportation Portal?”
“My teacher, what’s up?”
“You, you, you… You must owe him a lot of money!” Connoris stared in bewilderment. Even when he spoke, he was stuttering. “It’s over. This time, you and I are in big trouble!”
“Just what is going on?”
“Do you know where is this place? This is the Cinder Woods of the Dragon Roosting Plateau!” Connoris almost shouted out the last sentence.
“Damn…” Once that sentence was said, even Lin Li had a shock. Even though he was not from Anril, he had still heard of the name “Cinder Woods”. Early on at the Sunset Mountains, Andoine had told him that Anril had ten places where the magical beasts were the most ferocious. Even if a legendary powerhouse were to go there, surviving would depend on luck.
One of those places was Sunset Mountains. Once the darkness set in, even somebody like Andoine would have no choice but to run.
It was very unfortunate that the Cinder Woods was one of those places as well.
Furthermore, the Cinder Woods was more dangerous for a mage than the Sunset Mountains. It was because it had another name: the Magic’s Grave.
As to why the Cinder Woods was so dangerous, it was not because there were high-level magical beasts roaming there, but because this dark forest had been completely covered by some sort of power. Under the influence of this power, a mage’s strength would be weakened by the highest degree. A legendary-level mage would most likely only be able to exert the power of an Archmage, and an Archmage would become a Magic Shooter that couldn’t even use the Levitation Spell.
According to Andoine’s acknowledgment, he had suffered a lot back then.
Back then, Andoine had just broken through to the Legendary Realm and flew past the Cinder Woods in coquettish manner using the Power of Flight. After that, he met with the terrifying power. A legendary-mage instantly became an Archmage. If it was not because the old man was quick-witted and released a Levitation Spell, he would fall and end up with half of his body paralyzed.
After many years, when he told Lin Li about this, his face still showed lingering fear.
“That place really is scary, it immediately made me drop to level-sixteen. It’s worse than being afflicted by the Mark of Decline!”
Lin Li hastily recited the incantation of the Levitation Spell after thinking about this.
Indeed…
After reciting the Levitation Spell’s incantation, nothing had happened. In the past, once his voice descended, he would immediately be surrounded by air magical element. It seemed to have disappeared today. He could not feel any flotation.
“F*ck…” This time, Lin Li thought of banging against the wall. This bleak forest was already very dangerous, and now his magic strength had weakened dramatically. If he were to encounter a powerful magical beast, wouldn’t he be unable to fight back even if he wanted to?
Lin Li did not give up, and tried a few more spells consecutively.
Luckily, other than the Levitation Spell, most of the other spells could be used. Lin Li finally could be more relaxed. At least he was not as unlucky as Andoine, dropping four levels immediately. Based on the current situation, he’d only dropped by a single level. For Lin Li, the loss of one level was acceptable.
After all, he had only just broken through to the Archmage realm. He did not have the time to master many of the level-fifteen spells, and there were many more powerful spells that could only be mastered at level-sixteen, like Flame Shield. It might seem very scary to become a Magic Shooter from an Archmage, but for Lin Li, he’d only lost access to a Levitation Spell.
“Luckily…” Lin Li wiped off the sweat; his mind was more stable now.
It was fine not to have the Levitation Spell. As long as he had the power of level-fourteen, with the addition of all sorts of potions and scrolls, normal magical beasts should not be an issue.
“Connoris, you got any suggestions?”
“Don’t ask me. I’m just a hammer.”
“…” Lin Li was so angry that he rolled his eyes, and thought, Now you remember that you are a hammer…
“Why don’t we search around?” Seeing that the other party’s expression was off, Connoris felt rather guilty, and carefully suggested, “After all, I am familiar with the routes in this forest. I remember that this place is not far from the Breezy Plains. If we can’t find it, we can still go to Breezy Plains and then find a way back to Alanna…”
“Okay then, let’s search around.” Lin Li thought about it. Other than this, there was no other way. He instantly picked up Connoris and carried it on his back.
One had to admit that this image was rather weird.
He was wearing a black robe and holding the Winter Staff in his hand, yet he was carrying a hammer on his back. This was rather grotesque no matter how one looked at it.
“This damned place…” Lin Li scolded while walking.
The environment there was indeed too abominable. Even if it was when he had just descended from the Sunset Mountains, he had never felt so tortured like today. There was not a single bit of ecological balance. The sky above his head seemed to have been dyed. The dark clouds did not dissipate, and the earth below his feet was muddy, slippery, and wet. A bit of carelessness would cause him to fall. The countless trees were dense, and every tree was almost identical. If it were not because of Connoris, the old horse which knew the way, Lin Li would have gotten lost long ago with his bad sense of direction.
On top of that…
Even this old horse, Connoris, was unreliable sometimes.
“Yes, yes, yes, I remember this place. Walking forward for less than two hundred meters, you will see a small wooden hut. I remember that should be the living quarters of a few hunters. If you are lucky, you can rest for a bit there and get some water to drink.”
“Really?” Lin Li was tired and thirsty from walking. He immediately bucked up greatly after he heard that there was place to rest.
But when he reached that place, there was no small wooden hut…
Other than a stretch of thick and dense damned trees, there was nothing else!
“Ugh… I meant that 1300 years ago, there used to be a small wooden hut here…”
“Do you believe that I will put you back into the ring?” Lin Li almost fainted from anger. Was this as*hole purposely trying to oppose him? It brought up something from 1300 years ago; on top of that, Lin Li was so stupid that he believed it…
“What can I do. I was sealed in the hammer by Osric 1300 years ago. Have you seen a hammer running around by itself?”
“Shut up!”
Lin Li was really furious. Just when he was about to put this fella back into the ring, he suddenly heard a faint sound from the grass patch in front.
“There’s movement!” Lin Li’s heart tightened, and he hid behind a tree.
After that, he saw that a short and fat silhouette appearing from the trees with a wretched look. He ran forward hurriedly while sneakily looking back in an anxious manner. It was like he stole something and was afraid of getting caught by his master.
“F*ck!” Lin Li looked at that wretched fat face and immediately felt like a thunderbolt had blasted the top of his head.
This, this, this… Isn’t this Shaun the fatty!
The hell…
This time, Lin Li was completely dumbfounded!
After arriving at Andoine’s tower last night, Lin Li suddenly remembered something. He had ordered herbs worth tens of thousands of gold coins from Shaun the fatty, but he had been dragged away by Andoine once the banquet ended and he forgot to take the goods from this fella. He was not sure how that fatty was complaining about him…
Lin Li did not think that this fatty seemed to have grown wings overnight and flew straight into the Cinder Woods from Alanna. Moreover, he had a wretched look. Not sure if he had pilfered something again.
“Shaun!” Lin Li shouted from afar, and the fatty was immediately stunned.
“M-m-m… Mr Mage?” This time, Shaun was not any better off than Lin Li.
He distinctly remembered that this young mage was still at Alanna yesterday. Why was he here today? Could it be he was the same as Shaun?
Shaun subconsciously shook his head. Impossible, this is definitely impossible!
“Shaun, why did you come here?”
“This…” Once Shaun heard this, his complexion became really awkward. He mumbled “this” over and over for a long time, and he still could not say anything else.
“It’s nothing, I’m just casually asking.” Once Lin Li saw his expression, how could not know what secrets this fella was hiding? However, Lin Li was very understanding. How could anyone not have any secrets while living? Since Shaun was not willing to divulge it, Lin Li did not question further. He only laughed and changed the topic. “Oh, yes, why are you in such a panic? Are you selling juvenile magical beasts again?”
“No, no…” After being reminded by Lin Li of the past, Shaun’s fat face immediately turned red.