Chapter 59: Shrouded by Mist

The next day, in the early morning.

Inside the domed classroom of the Sog Ruins Transcendent Academy.

Many students were whispering about the big explosion from yesterday.

Clearly, quite a few people already knew about it.

And some students had bought that day's daily newspaper.

Gunie had read that newspaper too.

A large portion of it was devoted to describing his own 'handiwork' from yesterday.

The editor who compiled that newspaper was obviously a 'clickbait artist' as well.

It started right off with 'Big Explosion! Is This an Omen of the Cultists of the Evil God Destroying the City of Sog Ruins?'

Cultists of the Evil God?

God damn cultists of the Evil God.

...

It was afternoon.

In the Ruins City of Sog, the Antucon District, where the wealthy and nobles lived, was separated from Duran Street by a single street—Thornbush Street.

Three travelers, clad in black robes with their faces tightly wrapped, quietly entered the house numbered 132.

After entering the house and descending into the underground chamber,

the three finally revealed their true appearances.

Thin, handsome faces, gradually tapering ears, and red ear tips.

These three were unmistakably Blood-Ear Elves.

One of them had a rather aged face, with graying hair at the temples.

"Lord Blood Mu, we have invited you here this time..." a middle-aged elf said in a low voice.

"A bunch of incompetents."

Before the middle-aged elf could finish, the old Blood-Ear Elf called Blood Mu had already begun to scold in a low voice, his tone soft but full of authority.

"For a thousand years, we have never found a way to activate the Holy Tree Seed."

"And now, we have finally found the source of that terrifying power that can activate the Holy Tree Seed."

"The Holy Tree Seed was actually snatched away right under our noses."

"You can't even protect the transport of the Holy Tree Seed, and you let the entire outpost be wiped out. Do you want these humans to follow the twisted passage and invade our ancestral lands?"

The two Blood-Ear Elves being scolded looked sheepish, not daring to breathe loudly.

"The one who made the move—whether for killing our people or stealing the Holy Tree Seed—must not be let off." Blood Mu said in a low voice.

"What about Virginio and Isaiah?"

"Lord Virginio and Lord Isaiah, upon learning that this outpost was destroyed and the Holy Tree Seed lost, came immediately to track the trail of the Holy Tree Seed."

"Lord Virginio arrived around two or three in the morning."

"But..."

The man paused, then continued.

"Lord Virginio's information-gathering ability failed to trace the perpetrator's trail."

"Failed to trace?" Blood Mu frowned.

"Lord Virginio's information perception—if any trace remains, it will surely be detected. How could it fail?"

The middle-aged Blood-Ear Elf pondered for a moment, then quickly explained.

"Lord Virginio did see the footprints left by the perpetrator."

"But as soon as he entered a small alley a few hundred meters away, the trail mysteriously vanished."

"Vanished?"

"Yes, clearly the enemy has some ability to disrupt tracking."

Hearing the middle-aged Blood-Ear Elf's account, Blood Mu sensed that the matter was not as simple as he had thought.

"What about Isaiah? Isaiah's secret tracking technique is quite formidable."

"Lord Isaiah's tracking technique... seems to have been ineffective."

"Ineffective? The enemy's interference is that strong?" Blood Mu now calmed his mind.

"As it appears, yes."

Blood Mu narrowed his eyes, pondering silently.

"This operation was highly secretive; even among our own people, very few knew of it."

"It seems it's time to conduct a purge within the clan of those capitulationist elements. Perhaps some of them have secretly defected to the Supernatural Association."

"They still believe in the naive joke of joining the Supernatural Association and becoming one of its members."

"Truly... foolish."

"Lord Blood Curtain, the one who made the move is no ordinary person, possibly even... from within the clan..." The middle-aged elf did not speak too explicitly.

"So, this time, we have asked you to step in."

"With your divination abilities, that enemy certainly cannot conceal the truth."

"Hmm!" Blood Mu's voice sounded through his nose.

The internal conflicts within the clan and the matter of the Holy Tree Seed were both of great importance.

At this moment, Blood Mu did not dwell too much on blaming these Blood Ear Elves.

First, retrieve the Holy Tree Seed, then talk.

This time, they, along with multiple races, accompanied "Lord Barbarian Saint" to the Sugg Ruins City.

Their goal was the "horrible object" from beyond the stars.

Once successful, not only this Sugg Ruins City, but the entire Northern Continent Empire's expansion into the northern mountain ranges and the extraction of resources would become history.

Warriors' war, the war of transcendents.

It was also survival—the survival of their transcendent wild races in the Transcendent Wasteland.

Immediately, Blood Mu began to make swift arrangements.

First, he used source power to construct a runic barrier, sealing off the entire house.

Then, he set up a divination ritual array.

Using the divination array, he could effectively repair the enemy's interference, or even bypass the enemy's interference entirely, directly finding the truest answer.

After the divination ritual array was constructed.

The clothing of the several slain Blood Ear Elves was placed inside the divination ritual array.

"The truth deep within the mist..."

"The guilty murderer..."

"You shall have nowhere to hide..."

As Blood Mu finished his incantation.

Within the array, light coalesced.

Blood Mu's consciousness probed over; within the light, the true face of the enemy would coalesce.

However, this time, what Blood Mu saw was a blur of gray-white mist.

As if a pair of invisible hands had covered his eyes.

...

In the afternoon, Gunei was let out of school early.

"With the graduation season at the end of the Daoist semester, the courses are becoming fewer and fewer."

"Some students have even applied for early graduation."

"I'm not in a hurry to graduate, after all, I still need to follow Tutor Olov to study rune analysis."

"With fewer courses, I'll have more time to brew potions."

"Once my potion alchemy chamber is completed, I can brew potions on a large scale and earn gold pounds."

"Brewing potions is only one aspect; more importantly, my own strength."

"Spellcaster—that is my foundation."

"Speaking of which, Father Cohen said he would take me to learn transcendent spells. I wonder what powerful spell it is. I'm quite looking forward to it."

...

A dozen minutes later, Gunei arrived near the entrance of Old Stone Street.

"Over here..."

A carriage parked by the roadside opened its door, and Old Cohen poked his head out.

Gunei quickly slipped into the carriage.

As soon as he entered the carriage, Gunei was taken aback.

"There's someone else?"

What met his eyes was a young man of eighteen or nineteen.

The most striking feature of this young man was his golden short hair, like gold itself.

His features were regular and somewhat ordinary, but the faint warm smile on his face, combined with that golden short hair, gave one a feeling of sunshine and warmth, like a gentle breeze.

"Golden hair." Gunei mused softly.

The carriage started slowly. The clatter of horse hooves and the collision of wheels against the bluestone pavement were rhythmic.

"This is Alex, a mid-level alchemist with considerable talent." Old Cohen introduced slowly.

"In the future, he will assist you in brewing potions."

"Currently, he is overseeing the construction of your potion alchemy chamber."

"If anything comes up, you can contact him."

"Hello, Lord Gunei." The golden-haired youth Alex nodded gently to Gunei.

"Hello, Lord Alex." Gunei did not neglect his manners.