CHAPTER 700: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF RAVEN

Sorcerer’s Handbook

Crunch, crunch.

Several Green Beasts, enjoying the crispy sensation of bones, suddenly looked up and scattered in all directions.

In the distance, a massive Green Beast raised its head, its eyes glowing like green flames, a deadly trap enticing anyone to approach. It was unmistakably a Deep Sea Level Green Beast! Yet, it quickly shut its eyes, fearing attention, and stealthily slipped away.

Before long, a group of sorcerers traversed the battlefield of corpses, arriving at a wind-shielded spot by a mountain wall. They hammered stakes into the ground, erected a large tent, laid down mats and moisture-proof cloth, and crawled inside. After days of camping, they had learned how to make their outdoor stay comfortable.

Chikara took out a portable stove and used a fire spirit to provide the flame, beginning to prepare supper. As a Fire sorcerer and a slave, he naturally took on the role of cook.

Only they dared to cook supper in the night. Green Beasts in the distance smelled the aroma, their eyes turning even greener, but they wouldn’t dare approach within a hundred meters of the tent.

“What’s for dinner tonight?”

“Spicy Lala Fatty.”

“No way, my mouth is watering already. Is there anything to tide me over?”

At that moment, a bottle of liquor was handed to Ashe.

Ashe took a sip and glanced at Raven in surprise. “You actually took someone else’s booze? Tamashi warriors, the Judge might think your reflection isn’t quite up to par…”

“It’s from the Four Pillars cult followers,” Raven replied. “Taking their stuff is executing justice.”

“So, what’s next?” Harvey trimmed his nails, placing them into Alice’s lunchbox. “The Four Pillars Cult surrounding us is one thing, but the Silent Spiral has their main combat forces inside. We can’t possibly get in.”

“It feels like Senlo has turned against us,” Ashe said, frustrated. “When we don’t plan to go to the Silent Spiral, no one pays attention to it. But as soon as we decide to go, the entire continent starts fighting over it!”

It had been a full month since they left Black Robe Town.

Originally, the journey was supposed to take only a dozen days, but the advancing battle lines consistently stayed half a step ahead, forcing them to spend twice the time on the road.

Wherever they went, the battle lines followed, as if they were the ones inciting the war.

The main reason, of course, had nothing to do with them but stemmed from a suddenly erupted rumor: if the Four Pillars Cult occupied the Silent Spiral, they could summon the phantom of the Four Pillars and crush the resistance of the Qinyi Alliance!

The Silent Spiral had always been within the Qinyi Alliance’s territory. After the rumor spread, the Four Pillars Cult indeed launched a fierce assault towards the Silent Spiral. Regardless of whether the rumor was true, the Silent Spiral, as the most crucial Trial Sanctuary for all cults, was shared by all, even the Tribulation Fire Chapel had the right to use it. Naturally, the Qinyi Alliance couldn’t let the Sanctuary fall into the hands of the Four Pillars Cult.

Both sides engaged in a tug-of-war around the Silent Spiral, turning the surrounding areas into a War Zone.

Ashe and his group, not belonging to any side, naturally faced attacks from both.

The mixed attacks were bad enough, but the War Zone was also littered with traps and mines. Ashe, Igor, Harvey, and Chikara, all sanctuary sorcerers, were thoroughly disgusted, not to mention Raven and Gwen, who lacked instant defensive capabilities.

They had hoped to sneak into the Silent Spiral amidst the chaos, but arrived a step too late; the Four Pillars Cult had already taken control of the Silent Spiral.

Worse still, there was already a legendary sorcerer inside.

A legendary sorcerer who had dominated the wasteland for years!

Of course, even a legendary sorcerer can’t easily crush sanctuary sorcerers. If the latter can’t win, they can at least escape, right? Sanctuary isn’t just for show.

However, Ashe and his companions entering the Silent Spiral isn’t a matter of reaching the destination and calling it a day. They need to conduct continuous experiments, which might take several days or even half a month to refresh the Void Gate passage leading to Gospel.

Playing hide-and-seek under the nose of a legendary sorcerer for ten days? Even the most reckless Harvey wouldn’t entertain such thoughts.

“Let’s wait.”

Raven’s distorted voice echoed inside the tent. “We’ll wait until the Four Pillars Cult withdraws from the Silent Spiral before we go in. There’s no need to cross paths with them.”

“Exactly,” Igor nodded in agreement. “We’ve already been in Senlo for three months, so staying another month doesn’t matter. Since we have a definite way to return home, there’s no need to stir up trouble. Most importantly, we can afford to wait.”

Ashe nodded silently.

Indeed, his enmity with the Four Pillars Cult runs deep, and he would gladly disrupt their plans. But to jeopardize his chance to return home for that would be foolish.

Moreover, they can’t defeat the Four Pillars Cult.

Once their spellcasting skills are perfected, they can return to Senlo and deal with the Four Pillars Cult. But for now, safely returning to Gospel is the priority, and everything else must take a back seat.

If they were to force their way into the Silent Spiral now and get caught in danger, Ashe is sure the sword Princess would have the Witch tie him up, then slap his face while calling him a Little Trumpet.

Everyone understands the logic, but there’s a small matter that’s quite unsettling.

“Ashe,” Igor suddenly spoke up, “Did you just finish that?”

“Huh?” Ashe looked at the empty bottle in his hand. “It tasted pretty good, the more I drank, the better it got. Before I knew it…”

“Do you like it?” Raven said calmly. “That’s a specialty of the Raven Annihilation, Crow’s Blood Wine.”

He paused. “Made from corpses.”

Ashe: “…”

Harvey’s eyes lit up, but he was also a bit disappointed, silently giving Ashe a thumbs up.

“The Raven Annihilation Cult possesses a gray fox heritage, which we call the ‘Blood Fountain.’ The Blood Fountain can’t be replenished by any other means; only by throwing corpses into it will new wine emerge. The cult leader discovered that tossing the corpses of evildoers in yields more blood wine, and of higher quality, providing refreshment, enhancing insight, and speeding up spellforce recovery.”

“Aside from personal use, Crow’s Blood Wine is also sold, serving as the main economic source for the Raven Annihilation Cult.”

“That’s why we call ourselves Ravens,” Raven glanced around. “Ravens are naturally scavengers, and we survive by devouring the corpses of evildoers.”

“In reality, it has nothing to do with being an evildoer,” Igor said, lacking any tact. “Only sorcerers have the ability to commit such acts. If you throw a sorcerer’s corpse in, it’ll produce blood wine.”

Raven remained indifferent and continued, “The Raven Annihilation Cult doesn’t have much in the way of gourmet food; Crow’s Blood Wine is the best party drink we can find. Every gathering consumes dozens of barrels of Crow’s Blood Wine, and sometimes they even toss the corpses of villains directly into the mix to brew fresh blood wine-many find the new brew more exhilarating.”

Though it sounded a bit grotesque, it perfectly matched the style of the Raven Annihilation Cult. Ashe glanced at the empty bottle in his hand and sheepishly said, “Sorry… I drank all your wine.”

“No worries,” Raven replied. “Everyone in the Raven Annihilation Cult is addicted to Crow’s Blood Wine, except me.”

No one noticed the peculiar expression that crossed Igor’s face upon hearing this.

“Midnight snack is ready!” Chikara announced, opening the pressure cooker and distributing plates to everyone, leaving the rest in the pot for the orc.

“So, are we setting up camp nearby?” Ashe asked.

“We could retreat to the town,” Gwen suggested. “Wait until everything is over before heading to the Silent Spiral.”

“No way,” Harvey countered. “If the Qinyi Alliance takes over the Silent Spiral, it’ll be a hassle for us to get in. The chaotic window period after the Four Pillars Cult leaves is our best chance to sneak in.”

“Then we need to find a good spot nearby to camp and observe,” Ashe said, turning to Raven. “Tamashi, during this time…”

“I won’t be hunting the Four Pillars Cult,” Raven stated clearly. “I’ve realized it’s a pointless endeavor. As long as Tanomoo lives, the followers of the Four Pillars will only increase. I might kill one, but she’ll recruit two more. Only by eliminating Tanomoo can we solve the problem.”

“But ever since I nearly assassinated her, Tanomoo has been extremely cautious, always directing the Four Pillars Cult through proxies while her originals indulge in unknown places. Any sign of trouble, and she’ll summon powerful protectors immediately.”

“Unless I know Tanomoo’s exact location, I won’t act rashly.”

Ashe breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

The next day, Raven was gone.