Chapter 458 - 456: Deep Sea Crisis
The next day, Hilia returned to the Golden Apple Stone Forest under the heavy protection of three Tier Six Mages.
She placed the magic puppet down, and then Rose controlled her magic puppet to activate the array, stirring the pollution that had been buried underground for 500 years so that it erupted and joined the swiftly rotating contamination.
The originally thin gray fog thickened once more.
"We need to stir it once a day; it’s estimated to take another three days to drain most of the pollution. Afterward, the remaining pollution can disperse into the air without causing any issues."
Melina and the other two nodded.
Today, even the Holy Master was alarmed and specially came to take a look.
However, unlike the idle Blake, he had many matters to attend to, so after one glance, he left.
Before leaving, he specifically instructed Melina and the others to protect Hilia, warning them they would be held accountable if anything happened to her.
Melina and the others nodded seriously, not daring to be slack.
What Hilia was doing now was a feat that could go down in history.
As time passed, the pollution gradually disappeared, and Shuoen was the most excited.
Especially on the last day, when he saw the gray fog over the Golden Apple Stone Forest thinning significantly and gradually vanishing, he was so moved that he cried tears of joy.
"How many years has it been? I didn’t expect that I would witness this moment. Teacher, did you see it? The chaotic pollution you saw as your lifelong enemy has been resolved right before my eyes!"
He suddenly looked at Hilia, seriously saying, "Hilia, I, Shuoen, represent past sages to thank you."
The successive bishops who studied the chaotic pollution of the Golden Apple Stone Forest were called sages and predecessors.
Hilia waved her hand, "Grandpa Shuoen, you’re too kind. I am the future Holy Daughter; this is what I should do. If thanks are to be given, thank the Gods. Without their revelation, I couldn’t have done this."
Though this God didn’t require faith and wasn’t among the Pantheon revered by the Holy Court.
Hilia thought.
She earnestly spoke in her mind, "Thank you, Lord Rose."
Rose was indifferent, "I came only for the Golden Apple; dealing with the pollution was just incidental."
After pausing, he continued, "There is something you should inform them about: the pollution from the Golden Apple Stone Forest returning to the Abyss will cause changes in the Abyss scenario, including, but not limited to, stronger demon combat abilities, demons advancing more easily, and demons surpassing human limits."
"Alright."
Hilia nodded and then conveyed Rose’s words to Melina and the others.
Melina and Blake exchanged glances, with Blake saying, "Although this will create problems, the situation in the Golden Apple Stone Forest poses a greater threat to us than the Abyss at the moment."
The array at the Golden Apple Stone Forest was set up five hundred years ago; they were entirely unaware of its status and didn’t know when it might break down.
When that happens, a complete outbreak of pollution will surely engulf the entire world.
Shuoen expressed his feelings most deeply: "Blake is right. I’ve studied the Golden Apple Stone Forest for decades and understand its situation. The pollution here increases over time, not to mention the part buried underground. During its operation, it absorbs pollution from both the sea and land directions, growing larger."
Hilia curiously asked, "Does Grandpa Shuoen understand the deep sea pollution?"
Shuoen replied: "I only know a little; the pollution levels in the deep sea are ten times...no, possibly a hundred times more terrifying than in the Golden Apple Stone Forest, but..."
He shook his head with a bitter smile, "The deep sea is too dangerous. The three great ocean areas contain a massive number of demons, which were driven from the land during the Era of Calamity and hidden in the deep sea. Even Tier Six Mages dare not venture deep easily."
Hilia responded, "If the ocean pollution were to erupt, it would be far more dangerous than the Golden Apple Stone Forest..."
Shuoen nodded, "Certainly, if the deep sea pollution were to sweep across the land, it might trigger a second Era of Calamity."
Blake laughed, "Why worry about all that? The pollution here is taken care of, allowing us to approach the deep sea to investigate without the impact of land pollution. It depends on whether the old man wants to go."
Shuoen snorted, "Do you even need to say it?"
Hilia couldn’t help but ask Rose mentally, "Lord Rose, do you know the situation in the deep sea?"
Rose replied, "The deep sea is completely covered by pollution, isolating the entire Starfall Continent. You should consider whether the Pantheon confines the deep sea pollution or protects the Starfall Continent from being invaded by it; there’s quite a difference between the two."
"This..."
To Hilia, this seemed too far away.
Rose chuckled lightly and said, "Don’t overthink it. Even if the deep sea’s pollution invades, it would only resemble the Era of Calamity from five hundred years ago. That era has passed, so why fear its return?"
Hilia said, "I am afraid."
All kinds of books and minstrels’ tales about the Era of Calamity were very terrifying.
The disaster that demolished a flourishing era, how could one not fear it?
Hilia didn’t want to see the calamity arrive.
That would be too awful.
Rose said indifferently, "If you’re afraid, then quickly enhance your abilities and help me break the seal."
"Fine."
Given Rose’s consistently strong performance, Hilia’s worries gradually faded.
Only now did she start having the idea to rescue Rose.
It couldn’t be that everything along this journey was just to break the seal and pretend to save the world, right?
Hilia couldn’t help but wonder.
As soon as this thought emerged, she felt a sharp pain in her spiritual power as Rose knocked her mentally.
"What nonsense are you thinking? If that were the case, you’d be at Tier Six now, not Tier Three."
"Tier Six, how could that be..."
"The Deep Sea Mutual Aid Association can bring forth a Tier Four or even Tier Five Mage in a short time; why would you think I couldn’t?"
Rose smiled slightly, "If I wanted, I could turn the array you’ve set up into one that extracts all demonic qi pollution from the Golden Apple Stone Forest and infuses it into your body, forcibly bringing you up to Tier Seven, then going through the Abyss Gate straight to my location in the Endless Abyss.
Although it might not necessarily break the seal, it could let me see what the outside of the seal looks like, almost as good as having broken it."
Hilia curiously asked, "Then why doesn’t Lord Rose do that?"
Could it be...
Hilia was struck by a bold thought, her heart racing.
Rose replied irritably, "Stop thinking nonsense. Get on with it, recall the magic puppet; I’ve brought the golden apple."
"Oh, okay."
Watching Hilia clumsily controlling the magic puppet, Rose couldn’t help but shake his head.
His spectral image emerged alongside, gazing toward the direction of the deep sea, lost in contemplation.