Chapter 142: Chaos Ether, Purple Crystal Cluster
A quick glance at Cecilia’s surroundings would have revealed that hers wasn’t the only giant wolf corpse in this part of the forest.
Scattered among the chaotic bushes were the remains of seven or eight more of its kind.
Lance had taken care of all of them while clearing a path just moments ago.
[Illustrated Guide: Demon - Giant Wolf]
[Current Research Progress: Level 1 (11/20)]
"Excellent work. Your timing on the cast was perfect."
Lance’s steady voice came from behind her.
Hearing his words of affirmation and praise, Cecilia felt the gloomy clouds of tension in her heart instantly scatter.
Her spirits couldn’t help but soar.
The pointed ears hidden beneath her silver hair twitched uncontrollably a couple of times.
A pleasant, tingling sensation spread from the base of her ears.
The next moment, the maiden turned and trotted over to Lance. She expertly held out a fair hand, wanting to share their special celebratory high-five.
It was only under the legitimate pretext of this celebration that, here in the forest where no one could see, she could slightly alleviate the intense desire welling up from deep within her Half-Elf body to have intimate contact with him.
CLAP.
Their two palms met in midair with a crisp sound.
The instant their skin made contact, Cecilia felt a brief, electric tingle jolt the back of her neck.
The pleasure shot straight to her nerves, and she almost closed her eyes in comfort.
Fortunately, however, the physical stimulation today was far milder than the intense, uncontrollable reaction from the night before last.
She could just barely maintain a calm expression.
After the battle, the two continued onward, following the directions on the map.
Any sporadic Demons they encountered along the way were easily dispatched through Lance and Cecilia’s impeccable teamwork.
It was no exaggeration to say that in the outer regions of Copper Creek Forest, there were basically no Monster Groups left that could pose a substantial threat to this hardcore duo.
Just as they successfully crossed the last dense pine forest, treading on a carpet of fallen leaves, the view before them suddenly opened up.
The scene that unfolded before her made Cecilia, who was completely unprepared, stop dead in her tracks in shock.
Looking at the scene, Lance couldn’t help but marvel internally.
’So this is the place that Shield Guard Toby mentioned yesterday, the best spot to bring a girl to confess your feelings. I truly hadn’t expected to find such an unrealistically beautiful, hidden paradise deep within this dangerous forest.’
Stretched out before them was a small, gently sloping hill.
Here, a spectacular sea of flowers bloomed, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Vast swathes of purple wild iris swayed gracefully in the gentle breeze.
The edges were dotted with clusters of pale yellow evening primrose, which gave off waves of delicate fragrance.
And then there were the bluebells, like tiny blue chimes, looking exceptionally delicate and vibrant in the sunlight.
Flowers and plants of every color grew wild and untamed on this slope, far from civilization.
Swarms of colorful butterflies danced among the blossoms, and the crisp chirping of birds could occasionally be heard from distant treetops.
There was no bloodshed here, no fighting.
Everything was as beautiful as a dreamscape that could only exist in a fairy tale.
"It’s so beautiful!"
Cecilia clasped her hands to her chest, her red eyes reflecting the endless expanse of flowers as she breathed a heartfelt sigh of admiration.
"Yeah, it really is a rare and wonderful place."
Gazing at the sea of flowers, Lance reached back and unslung the pack from his back.
He fished a transparent Imprint Crystal out of a wide pocket.
Faced with such breathtaking natural beauty, even Lance couldn’t resist the urge to capture the moment.
He raised the crystal, adjusting the angle. Soon, with a faint hum, the brilliant sea of flowers, the Half-Elf Maiden standing amidst them with a look of pure delight, and the black-haired youth beside her smiling and holding the crystal—all of it was perfectly frozen within the thin, crystalline sliver.
After a brief moment of wonder, they didn’t forget their true purpose for coming to this dangerous forest today.
Cecilia quickly put aside her playful mood.
She closed her eyes and began to channel the Magic Power within her, using the specialized Detection Spell she learned at Violet Academy to perceive any abnormal fluctuations in the area.
Before long, she successfully located the source of the Magic Power radiation within the splendid sea of flowers.
The object was hidden beneath a gentle, earthen slope.
When the two of them drew closer to observe, they found the sight before them was a perfect match for the illustrations in their academy textbooks.
It was a dark purple Crystal Cluster, existing in a state that was half-mineral, half-organic.
Its surface wasn’t smooth; it was covered in a complex network resembling human blood vessels.
Even more bizarrely, the Crystal Cluster was not stationary.
The interior of the crystal was filled with rampaging Chaos Ether, and the purple Energy pulsed slowly—expanding and contracting within the crystalline shell at a rhythm like a living heartbeat.
These points of Magic Power radiation all actually originated from the Underground City.
When the will of the Underground City fluctuated violently, the frenzied Chaos Ether would surge upward along natural ley lines, eventually forming these dangerous Energy nodes on the forest’s surface.
These nodes, acting as extensions of the chaotic will of Divine Zelos, constantly emitted a special kind of radiation into their surroundings.
Ordinary people couldn’t feel this radiation, but any Demons in the forest exposed to these fluctuations for a prolonged period would be driven into a frenzy, causing their overall aggression to skyrocket.
Fortunately, these nodes were all still in the Basic stage, having only just broken through the ground.
If a professional Caster wasn’t arranged to deal with them in time, the long-term effects of the crystals on the surrounding wildlife could trigger a terrible disaster, like a Demon siege on a city.
To handle these nodes safely, one must never use brute force to shatter them directly.
A strong physical impact would instantly trigger a Magic Power Suicide Bombing, with unimaginable consequences.
This is where a professionally trained Caster like Cecilia was needed, to use their Spiritual Power to probe inside and slowly untangle the chaotic Chaos Ether within.
Restoring the rampaging Energy to an orderly state was like patiently untangling a messy ball of yarn—a delicate and extremely draining task.
"Lance, I’ve found the target."
Cecilia turned her head and called out softly to Lance, who was surveying the terrain nearby.
"I’m going to start untangling the Chaos Ether inside now, then."
At that moment, Lance was at the edge of the flower sea, looking for a safe spot to set up a rain tarp and lay out their sleeping pads.
Hearing the maiden’s call, Lance turned and gave her an affirmative response.
"Alright. You focus on your work. I’ll handle security."
With Lance’s assurance, Cecilia took a deep breath and began to concentrate, guiding her Magic Power thread by thread into the dark Purple Crystal Cluster.
Meanwhile, Lance finally found the perfect campsite between two sturdy trees—a spot with a wide field of view that was sheltered from the wind.
He deftly pulled the wind ropes taut, setting up the large oilcloth to form a sturdy, semi-open shelter, then laid their two sleeping pads side-by-side on the dry grass.
During the several hours that Cecilia was absorbed in her work, a few unlucky Low Level Demons and wandering Gnolls were inevitably drawn by the presence of humans.
However, they never even made it within ten meters of the slope before Lance, standing guard on the perimeter, dispatched them cleanly with his sword.
[Illustrated Guide: Demon - Gnoll]
[Current Research Progress: Level 3 (2/100)]
The sun slowly sank in the sky, and the light in the forest began to dim.
By the time Lance had started a warm, orange campfire in front of their camp using dry branches, Cecilia, who had been working continuously for a long time, finally stopped her Drainage Spell and let out a long sigh of relief.