Chapter 567: 45. The Refuge of the Spirit Realm
In the conference hall of the Frost Parasol Tree, as Captain Alagina and her party exited the room, the only ones remaining were Valentina and several leaders from the six races, excluding Tribe Leader Dar.
Valentina quietly watched the royal sword of the Phoenix King lying on the vast throne in front of her, feeling as if it was subtly calling to her. Unable to help herself, she reached out with her hand, wanting to grasp the hilt of the sword.
Unlike the dagger of the Moon Princess or the sword of the Ice Prince, which had more compact shapes, the Phoenix King’s sword appeared more formal, resembling a ceremonial weapon. However, the chill that constantly radiated from it easily dispelled any notion of it being merely a decorative item.
“That Alagina clearly doesn’t like our Great Phoenix. For the women of Sardinia, this is simply akin to a husband-snatching vendetta; it’s going to be hard to resolve. Today, she can put up with us because she needs something from us, but once she has the power, will she still endure us? Besides, the husband of the Great Phoenix also…”
The Cangniao Tribe’s Hamlia had always disliked Alagina, and now that the latter had just left the room, she impatiently said to Valentina. At the same time, her eyes subtly darted towards the large Slime Balyen sitting behind her, dissatisfied with his previous attempts to speak up for Alagina.
Balyen couldn’t be bothered to respond to her. Darliwu cleared his throat and quickly interrupted Hamlia’s impending words while looking at Valentina’s silhouette.
“Ahem. Miss Valentina, it’s good to see you again. When Sister Ilos came just now, we were planning to visit you, but we didn’t expect you to come up here first.”
Hearing Darliwu’s words from behind, Valentina’s hand, which was reaching for the Phoenix King’s sword, paused slightly. She turned to face the leaders of the six races and noticed their expressions varied.
Although Darliwu was a Troll, he was more insightful than he appeared. He might have known that Valentina’s husband was missing and presumed dead, so when Valentina came in to confront Alagina as a wife demanding validation, his answer came across as hesitant.
It seemed he feared this matter would dampen the newly awakened Phoenix’s spirits, driving her to recklessly abandon the Parasol Tree and the six races to search for Fisher, which was something the six races desperately wanted to avoid. Yet, the other parties appeared to be speaking without regard for this issue.
Hamlia was understandable; everyone knew she was a bit dim. But what about Balyen? Darliwu couldn’t fathom if he had simply aged too much, leading to mental decline?
It’s worth noting that for several thousand years since the fall of the Phoenixes, the six races had maintained their loyalty and honor towards the Phoenixes and hoped for the day they would return to lead the six races back to the Northern Region. This was also the reason they contributed their marks four and a half years ago to aid Fisher and Valentina.
Over these past four and a half years, they had pulled the remaining bloodlines of the six races, which had barely survived through the years, towards the Parasol Tree while worrying that this last remaining Phoenix would evade her responsibilities.
After all, to be strictly honest, the leaders of the six races knew Valentina had only recently become a Phoenix; this didn’t mean she was no longer “Valentina” as an individual.
She lacked the guidance of a Phoenix, living in the predatory environment of the Turan Family, and was only a newly awakened Phoenix.
What if she came to the Parasol Tree solely to heal her legs, at most helping the six races expel the curse?
If she completely disregarded the restoration of the Parasol Tree and only sought to escape the Northern Region and the Turan Family, then all the hopes of the six races and their assistance would come to nothing.
But upon seeing Darliwu’s hesitation and Hamlia’s real-time realization that she might have misspoken, Valentina couldn’t help but smile wryly and said,
“Everyone, you don’t have to worry that I will abandon the Parasol Tree. Although I only became a Phoenix later, I have met the Moon Princess, received her teachings, and it is thanks to the contributions of all of your ancestors that I have today. I am a Phoenix; the Parasol Tree is now my homeland, and you are all friends with whom I have made a pact.”
“I apologize, Miss Valentina, but we must verify this matter. After all, that woman… I mean Heidi Lin. Please don’t take offense; we should speak frankly. To be honest, she has had some opinions about us over the years; she might think we, like the Turan Family, are merely using you to achieve our own goals. Rather than staying at the Parasol Tree to lead us back to our previous lives, she would prefer that you seek your own life and freedom.”
Darliwu made a face, glancing at the Snow Fox Tribe Leader Dar who was walking in from outside.
“For this, Kokoliah has argued with her more than once. Now, she even had Sister Ilos tell you about Mr. Fisher’s disappearance right after you woke up. We genuinely worry that you might make the wrong decision to leave the Frost Parasol Tree.
“Miss Valentina, you have been asleep for a long time and may not know how the world has changed. The Nali is at its peak, and its influence spreads like tentacles across various countries and continents, including the Northern Region. For the Turan Family, a revived Phoenix in such a deeply rooted belief area is a thorn in their side, especially given your past grievances with the Turan Family.
“And the ancestors of those present once pledged allegiance to your ancestors; we have not forgotten this oath. In the future, we will become your most loyal subordinates, becoming your eyes and hands in efforts to restore the glory of the Parasol Tree. Of course, we will do our best to meet any demands you have. From four and a half years ago until now, we have made considerable plans against the Turan Family. Balyen’s Slimes have never given up searching for the missing Mr. Fisher.”
Valentina nodded and gently spoke,
“I apologize on behalf of Heidi Lin. I grew up relying on her within the Turan Family; only we know the sweetness and bitterness of that relationship. She means no harm; she’s just worried I might fall into another pit like the Turan Family. You don’t have to worry about this; I have my own beliefs and will not easily change just because of others, nor will I succumb to despair due to my husband’s disappearance. I always believe he is still alive. He is powerful and wouldn’t fall so easily. So, I ask Balyen to keep an eye out for him while I stay in the Parasol Tree, searching for his whereabouts at all costs.”
Balyen nodded slightly while sucking on his pacifier, indicating his agreement.
Upon hearing Valentina’s determined response, the expressions of the leaders present finally relaxed. Their original worries were completely dispelled; after all, their time spent with this former young lady of the Turan Family had been too short, and they did not know her true character.
However, it seemed that in just this short time, the young girl standing before that massive throne had already exhibited a certain aura reminiscent of the ancient Phoenixes.
“Well, next, Tribe Leader Darliwu, I would like to know the current situation—the condition of the Parasol Tree, the Turan Family, the Northern Region, and the Nali you mentioned earlier.”
Next, Darliwu began to outline the current situation of the Parasol Tree to Valentina.
Currently, the Parasol Tree housed four hundred sixty-seven pureblood Trolls, three hundred twenty Slimes both internally and externally, five hundred eighty Cangniaos, seven hundred Snow Foxes, six hundred twelve Cloud Cats, one Moon Rabbit, and one human, totaling two thousand six hundred eighty-nine.
This number was actually within Valentina’s expectations—not too many and not too few, and according to Darliwu, the attitudes of the nations in the Northern Region towards the Parasol Tree, apart from the Sardinian Kingdom and the Turan Family, were quite ambiguous.
After all, aside from those two families, the other small countries were either poor or suffering. Clearly, the lives of those wedged between the Turan Family and the Sardinian Kingdom were not easy. The Northern Region was small, and almost all natural resources were monopolized by the two major powers, leaving the smaller nations quite displeased. Those slightly larger had taken a neutral stance and were not very firm in their positions.
However, the Parasol Tree had a natural advantage with the Northern nations: most of the residents believed in the Frost Phoenix.
The fact that there really was a Phoenix at the Parasol Tree was something none of the nations had anticipated.
Even for the Sardinian Kingdom, believing in the Frost Phoenix had traditionally brought nothing but benefits. First and foremost, there was historical-cultural context, which was hard to change. Secondly, having a common faith and a shared goal was advantageous for a feudal state like Sardinia, facilitating unity and strengthening ties among the nations; what’s not to like?
Who would have thought that, after believing for thousands of years, no Phoenix had appeared until a real one suddenly emerged from a stone in recent years?
This had a tremendous impact on the Northern Region, akin to heralding the return of the Mother in the Western Continent, which was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Hence, for the Parasol Tree, not all of the Northern nations were enemies; there were many forces that could be courted and brought into their fold. Perhaps now the only true power they had to contend with was the Turan Family itself.
And when it came to the Turan Family, one could not overlook the formidable entity, Nali, standing behind them now.
“For many years, the Turan Family has been collaborating with Nali from the Western Continent. Not only them, but the Black Chieftain of the Storm Sea, the Green Dragon Court of the Southern Continent, and various smaller nations in the Eastern part of the Western Continent have also developed close ties with Nali to varying degrees. They have mastered a type of war machine called ‘Mechanism,’ which is much more potent than anything the Turan Family previously had. I’ve heard it comes from the Storm Sea. Over the years, they have made significant progress in magic and mechanisms, greatly advancing their warfare capabilities, so much so that even the Red Dragon Court in the Southern Continent has been beaten back to a corner.”
“Red Dragon Court.”
Valentina pondered over the term Darliwu used, feeling an instinctive urge to latch onto this particular word, which drew her attention.
At that moment, the surprised voice of the Duke of Peach echoed in her ears.
“Hmm, I didn’t expect the Dragon Court to still exist. Is it perhaps due to the protection of Fei? It must be said that it’s quite ironic; the legitimate mythical beings have all perished, yet that group of mixed-blooded subpar beings have managed to survive.”
However, Valentina didn’t have time to reply to the Duke’s words when Balyen, who had been silently sitting in the back, suddenly spoke up.
“Valentina, you must not underestimate Nali. It’s not just because of their current military might; it’s because there’s something… peculiar about this nation.”
“Peculiar? What do you mean, Tribe Leader Balyen?”
“My Slimes have infiltrated many factions without a hitch. The Sardinian Kingdom and the Turan Family were initially accessible to me, but in recent years, that hasn’t been the case. I have lost several clan members within Nali, of course, they still maintain their original masqueraded identities when they leave this world. Overdose, sudden strokes, cardiac arrest… The battlefield in the Southern Continent is even more treacherous; my people have simply vanished without a trace and are probably no longer alive.”
Balyen cracked his fingers and proceeded to explain the situation in the Southern Continent to Valentina.
“Ever since Nali formed the Human Allied Forces to combat the puppet regime of the Green Dragon Court against the Red Dragon Court, I’ve had clan members placed among various factions. However, the members within Green Dragon Court and Nali’s army are disappearing the fastest, and our members within the Red Dragon Court have fallen in battle during the war; this much I can confirm. So, the likelihood is that Nali has some means of detecting my people’s disguises or their living presence, leading to our current lack of knowledge about the situation in the Southern Continent and Nali.”
“Is it possible that it’s because of the Mechanism you just mentioned that the Slimes’ disguises were discovered?”
Valentina stroked her chin, suspecting as much.
“Possibly, but we cannot be certain yet. We have the Mechanism from the Turan Family, but based on our intel, the Mechanisms they use and those employed by Nali seem to be entirely different. Nali’s Mechanisms come from the Storm Sea, which is the same place that the Sardinian ship captain comes from. Coincidentally, they have brought us some valuable samples of their Mechanism, and besides, one of the crew members is Elizabeth’s younger sister, who could be an extremely significant asset to us.
“And most importantly, we need to unravel the mysteries behind the Nali Mechanisms. We cannot simply limit ourselves to contending with the Turan Family. I have a premonition that Nali will become incredibly formidable in the future. The contents that the Sardinian ship captain brought must inevitably contain something of great value to me.”
Valentina pondered for a moment, listening to Balyen’s words lost in thought. At least now, she had a preliminary understanding of the current situation.
She began to gradually realize what sort of dilemma she was facing.
Terrifying chaotic invasions, Fisher’s disappearance, Nali’s mysterious rise, and the flames of war in the Southern Continent.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she reopened them, her gaze was filled with determination.
“I understand.”
Valentina softly spoke, then slowly extended her hand to grasp the hilt of the Phoenix King’s sword that lay quietly in the throne, and the moment her fingers made contact, an indescribable feeling surged through her skin and penetrated her soul, causing the turquoise fur on her body to shimmer with brilliance.
“Buzz Buzz Buzz.”
The jubilant sound of the sword reminded Valentina that this sword had been effortlessly grasped by her.
She was the last pure Phoenix; she was merely a Phoenix.
“By the way, Miss Valentina, there’s something I don’t know if I should mention.”
Just as Valentina was examining the Phoenix King’s sword, the Slime Tribe Leader Balyen abruptly spoke up from behind her again.
“What is it?”
Valentina turned to look at Balyen, who seemed hesitant while clutching his pacifier and heard him continue,
“Although my clan members in the Southern Continent have mysteriously disappeared in recent years, it doesn’t mean I have completely lost all contact or information. Just a short while ago, I received a bit of… well, I’m not too sure about it. It’s regarding Mr. Fisher.”
“About… Fisher? What news?”
Valentina’s expression slightly changed, and she quickly pressed for an answer, her curiosity getting the better of her, even as her hair almost instinctively perked up, piqued by the information.
Balyen hesitated for a moment before removing the pacifier from his mouth and then questioning Valentina in return,
“Miss Valentina, have you heard of a merchant named Keken from the Nali Beichui Family?”
“Keken? I… have never heard of him.”
“He is a graduate of the Nali Royal Academy, a contemporary and junior of Mr. Fisher. Coincidentally, he has had experience doing business in the Southern Continent for quite some time. Also coincidentally, he managed to avoid the Dragon Queen’s northern expedition and returned to Saint Nali; and it’s just as coincidentally, he has recently been conducting business in the Green Dragon Court. Of course, we also have some… business dealings with him.
“He says he has acquired a trace of someone who might be Mr. Fisher, right there in the Green Dragon Court in the Southern Continent.”
Inside Alagina’s room, at this moment, the door was closed. Alagina was checking the equipment and items at hand while asking the small floating ball beside her,
“Little David, can you… ensure you can instantly teleport me back if I encounter anything amiss once I get there?”
“Of course, esteemed Holy Spawn.”
“I am not a… Holy Spawn.”
“Oh, that’s fine; it’s merely the default term set by my creator. You can change it whenever you want or use other default titles, like Subhuman Girl Enthusiast, Little Baby, or Dear.”
“Just call me Alagina; that’s my name.”
“Alright, Alagina.”
Alagina took a deep breath and glanced around at the only remaining mechanism. This was her only bargaining chip in her current subservient situation.
She needed to become stronger, which required taking risks.
She couldn’t be certain if she was making the right choice to trust a mechanism that had only just awakened, but being betrayed by allies, hunted by Nali, and stepped on by husband-snatchers—all of these circumstances had made the originally easy-going Alagina feel a clear discomfort for the first time.
She did not hold resentment towards Valentina; in fact, she felt grateful that this Phoenix was currently sheltering them.
She was merely yearning for a method, and she had already experienced the wonders of the Storm Sea mechanism before. Furthermore, a talking mechanism like Little David that could take her to a mysterious location was something she had never even heard of. Perhaps even Nali didn’t possess such a precious item.
She had to seize this opportunity!
So, in the next moment, Alagina said,
“Teleport now, Little David.”
“Okay, starting the teleportation. Protective measures have been added to your body to ensure adaptation to the environment of the refuge in the Spirit Realm. Attempting to link with the refuge… link failed; teleporting directly.”
“Buzz Buzz Buzz!”
In the next second, the small ball before her erupted with light as bright as the sun, dazzling and easily enveloping her, transforming her into a beam of light as she instantly entered the crevice in an astonishing manner.
“Haha.”
Alagina gasped for breath, enveloped in spiritual brilliance, savoring the feeling of weightlessness as the moment she entered the crevice, she surged through various brilliant subconsciousness, charging toward the outer side of the world, deep into its core.
She couldn’t examine her surroundings and could only allow the light to carry her through, breaking through some barrier until she entered a wonderland.
In the next moment, her surroundings suddenly became tangible, and she found herself appearing out of nowhere in a place.
An extremely vast, eerily silent, and exceptionally dark space.
“We have arrived, Alagina. Please rate Little David’s service this time!”
“Wait, is this the refuge of the angels?”
All around was darkness and silence; Alagina had not gone missing but was taking in her surroundings based on the light emitted by Little David beside her. But since the area was too vast and dark, the light that seemed so bright just moments ago became feeble now, illuminating only a small area around her.
“Clop clop clop.”
Alagina stepped on some sculpted stone bricks, with exquisitely carved patterns—a type of design she had never seen before. No, she seemed to have seen this pattern before… back in the Storm Sea?
“Exactly! Huh, that’s strange. Why is it so dark and quiet here? According to my private database, this should be the docking port of the refuge, the place where Holy Spawn would have been relocated. I’ll scan the surroundings, hold on, Alagina.”
Little David turned its spherical body inquisitively and emitted soft glimmers, quickly revealing everything before her from the darkness as if illuminating various outline objects wrapped in phosphorescence.
It was chaotic here, scattered with all sorts of items, yet there were no corpses present. The area was sealed off by stone bricks, with debris from the ceiling littering the ground. From the cracks in the broken ceiling, beams of strange light spilling down, resembling starlight, caught Alagina’s attention.
She looked upwards, intending to see beyond the ceiling, or rather, the scenery of the Spirit Realm. But as she raised her head, catching a glimpse of faint crimson mist, a cold, sharp mechanical voice suddenly echoed behind her, interrupting her movement.
“A kind reminder from David: If you don’t want to die, please do not look up at the scenes outside the refuge.”
“…David?”
Alagina paused slightly, immediately stopping her movement and turning her head cautiously toward the source of the voice.
In the darkness, illuminated by Little David and the starlight leaking through the ceiling’s gap, Alagina vaguely noticed a figure floating mid-air, glimmering with bright blue light, identical to the glow emanating from Little David.
As Alagina observed with a mix of nervousness and caution, the shadow slowly became clearer in the encompassing darkness ahead.
It turned out to be a presence resembling a young male, not too tall, with long, curly red hair, a handsome face resembling a rare piece of art, indistinguishable between male and female, or perhaps such an entity should not possess a gender at all?
However, what truly captivated Alagina’s attention was the tattered or flawed areas of his body—a mechanical being with skin that had cracked like porcelain, exposing intricate and orderly components and circuitry beneath.
This made Alagina unwillingly accept one fact: the entity before her was essentially a mechanism, not a living being.
“Yes, that was the name my dad and mom gave me: David. What about you, visitor? What name did your dad and mom give you?”
The “mechanism” spoke with a mechanical voice while sparks of blue light flickered from its insides, indicating that it had aged and was in a precarious state.
Even so, it presented itself like a miracle that should not exist in the world, showcasing the legend of a certain civilization to Alagina.
