Chapter 2814: Chapter 2815: Keep Moving Forward

When everyone gathered again at the Hall of Wisdom, it was an hour later.

Dox’s expression carried a hint of secret joy, his mouth occasionally curled up, but each time he did, he worried about being noticed, quickly putting on a stern attitude.

From this, it seems that the "treasure" Dox obtained from the Wise Sovereign must have satisfied him greatly.

Vay and Kaier, on the other hand, were openly joyful. They had read many books in the study, many of which were not available outside, or rather, books they wouldn’t have access to at their level. These were extremely valuable pieces of knowledge, and even though they only had an hour to read, the Wise Sovereign did not prohibit them from using the Photostone or Reading Art cheat methods.

Therefore, their gains were substantial, and even if the trip to the Qingkong Poetry Room yielded nothing, their visit here was definitely worthwhile.

Black Earl and Angel remained as calm as usual, without showing any emotion. But in the eyes of others, their private conversation with the Wise Sovereign must have resulted in better gains.

"All I can do, all I can say I’ve told you. If you have no further questions, just keep moving forward. Of course, if you wish to rest, you can do so here for a while. However, the longer you stay, the more time the Goddess has to prepare. So, it’s up to you to balance things out."

As the Wise Sovereign spoke, he waved his hand, and the door to the other side of the passage instantly opened.

Looking into the depths from the hall, all they could see was darkness, nothing visible, with only a cold wind blowing.

The group discussed within the Mind Ribbon and finally decided: to press on now.

However, before leaving the Hall of Wisdom, Angel painstakingly asked Kaier and Vay again about their intentions, questioning whether they planned to continue.

In Angel’s view, Kaier and Vay could actually stay at the Hall of Wisdom. At least there, they were safe and sound.

But ahead... the path always remains uncertain.

No one can guarantee their safety.

Even though Angel had trump cards, Kaier and Vay were ultimately just apprentices; if they truly encountered danger, Angel couldn’t guarantee their survival before playing all his cards.

Facing Angel’s inquiry, Kaier replied without hesitation: "I won’t give up."

Even though Laplace told Kaier this place was not his destination, Kaier still wanted to continue on. He wanted to prove that his passion for historical relics was not just due to residual soul influence but also his genuine inner love.

To outsiders, Kaier’s choice seemed stubborn.

But they refrained from saying more, especially since Kaier proceeded forward under the guise of proving his inner truth; thus, they couldn’t impede him.

Perhaps this was an obstacle or a mental block within Kaier’s heart that, if not crossed personally, could lead to Kaier being forgotten. Hence, no matter how perilous the path ahead, Kaier wouldn’t give up.

Vay’s response echoed Kaier’s, expressing the same intent to continue.

Vay was a descendant of the Noah Clan. If he didn’t dare visit his ancestor’s place, his future path would likely lack courage too.

Trying to catch up with Dox would be even more impossible.

Though Vay was decisive when making his decision, afterward, he began to worry.

The next moment, Vay’s actions amazed everyone.

Vay walked up to Dox, grabbed his sleeve, and seriously asked, "Do you feel any sorrow or pain now? Feel like the sky is falling on you?"

Dox was a bit puzzled, unclear about Vay’s meaning, but he answered truthfully: "No."

Upon hearing Dox’s response, Vay breathed a sigh of relief: "That’s good, I should be safe."

With Vay’s words, the group realized that Vay was using Dox as a "danger detector." Dox had strong inspiration, and since Dox didn’t feel sad, Vay felt assured of his safety.

Dox paused for a moment, then understood Vay’s meaning, and he couldn’t help but say, "Why do you think I would feel sad? I tell you, even if you drop dead here, I wouldn’t feel a bit of sadness. Using me as your test object, it won’t be effective!"

Dox expressed righteously his lack of concern for Vay’s well-being.

Yet, Vay acted as if he hadn’t heard.

Vay knew Dox too well; this guy was just a "mouth says no, but body says yes" type.

Back when they adventured together, there was a time when Dox thought Vay had died and was dejected for half a year. This alone proves the point.

Moreover, Vay had saved Dox many times, providing a genuine lifesaving relationship. Given Dox’s personality, if Vay died before repaying the favor, it would definitely become a lingering regret for Dox.

So, Vay didn’t care at all about Dox’s solemn statement, treating it as mere background noise.

...

After choosing to continue, the group wasted no time and bid farewell to the Wise Sovereign, heading toward the next passage.

The Wise Sovereign didn’t say anything emotional or hopeful; he merely quietly watched the group disappear into the depths of the passage.

He had said all he needed to say, and in the future, he would do what needed to be done. Now it was up to them to find a way to succeed.

Black Earl was undoubtedly capable of getting out; even if the avatar died, the main body would come. But collaborating with Black Earl was merely the Wise Sovereign’s backup plan; what he truly valued was Angel, that piece full of unpredictability.

Perhaps only Angel could stir new waves in this stagnant game.

"Wise Sovereign, I just received news from my mother, Her Excellency Goddess may have laid a trap ahead." Suddenly, a voice entered Black Earl’s ear.

Following the sound, a dark hole appeared on the wall.

"Ah, it’s Two Treasures."

One-eyed Two Treasures: "Wise Sovereign, should we notify them?"

The Wise Sovereign shook his head: "No need. The Goddess will do everything possible to stop their advance. They know this, so they must be prepared for the danger ahead. Informing them or not makes no difference."

"Moreover, I have an agreement with the Goddess; unless absolutely necessary, I won’t manipulate the Magical Energy Array near the Qingkong Poetry Room. If you go, it may make the Goddess suspect that I’ve broken the agreement."

"Now is not the time."

As for when the right time would come? Naturally, it would be when Angel and the others successfully leave the Qingkong Poetry Room, then the Wise Sovereign would actively intervene.

Although the Wise Sovereign did not intend to intervene now, he quietly walked into the depths of the hall—to what he referred to as the bedroom.

Indeed, from its function, this was the Wise Sovereign’s bedroom when he reverted to his original form.

But it wasn’t just a bedroom; it housed a secret chamber containing a core node of the Underground Aqueduct’s Magical Energy Array.

Originally, there was no core node here. But after the Naraku incident, the remaining Dominators gathered their strength and moved the core node of the Magical Energy Array to the Wise Sovereign’s hall.

Because the Wise Sovereign had the longest lifespan and would be the only Dominator to remain conscious in the future.

After completing all this, the other Dominators fell into slumber, waiting for Naraku’s glory to be restored.

As for the Wise Sovereign, he has guarded this core node for ten thousand years.

The Wise Sovereign is currently unable to control the core node of the Magical Energy Array to assist Angel. However, the True Words Tome records their scent, and the Wise Sovereign can use the scent combined with the Magical Energy Array to sense their status and approximate location.

If Angel and the others encounter a fatal attack before reaching the Qingkong Poetry Room, the Wise Sovereign will still step in to help.

Whether it is Angel or the Black Earl, the benefits of helping them far outweigh the gains of leaving them to die.

...

At this moment, the group leaving the Hall of Wisdom returned to the pitch-black passage.

One second they were in the warm and comfortable Hall of Wisdom, and the next they were in a cold and endless passage, leaving everyone with a sense of temporal confusion.

"Well, luckily this passage is dark, but at least there’s no foul smell," Dox muttered.

Everyone agreed. During their journey to the Hall of Wisdom, they could smell a faint stench along the way, especially at the crossroads where one intersection reeked to an extreme degree.

If they hadn’t run fast enough back then, they might have fainted on the spot.

Now, this passage is also pitch black, but there’s no stench, meaning this path doesn’t lead to the sewers.

This experience is especially good for them, particularly for the Black Earl.

Dox’s comment broke the silence, warming the atmosphere that threatened to cool due to the uncertain road ahead.

Dox glanced around and finally focused on Angel: "What did you talk about with the Wise Sovereign alone? Did he give you anything good?"

Angel glanced at Dox without speaking.

Back in the hall, he had sensed Dox’s curiosity about his and the Black Earl’s conversation, seeming to think they had received something valuable, but never had the chance to ask.

Now, just after leaving the Hall of Wisdom, Dox couldn’t hold back. He dared not ask the Black Earl but felt confident enough to probe Angel.

"Come on, there’s nothing you can’t talk about," Dox attempted to shoulder Angel in a friendly manner, but Angel sped up to avoid Dox’s grasp.

"Since it’s a private conversation, it’s naturally not something to be shared," Angel said calmly.

Dox wasn’t discouraged and kept pestering: "Then talk about what you can share?"

Angel wanted to say there was nothing to share, but seeing Dox’s persistence, he thought he wouldn’t give up easily.

After a moment’s thought, Angel said: "Let’s not talk about me, what did you get from the Wise Sovereign?"

"Nothing much. What could I get, just some useless stuff..." Dox quickly changed the subject when mentioning his gains.

Angel: "The Sunlight Sanctuary belongs to me. In other words, what you obtained is actually..."

Dox hurriedly interrupted Angel: "How can that be the same? Haven’t I become your man?"

"Make yourself clear," Angel said, distancing himself from Dox dismissively.

Dox remained unfazed, shamelessly continuing: "Let’s not talk about anything else for now, haven’t I given up my most valuable freedom? That’s mine then."

Angel gave Dox a deep look. This guy previously shouted "freedom forever," but now for a bit of gain, he completely cast aside the so-called freedom.

However, this also signifies Dox formally stating willingness to work for Angel and Illusion Demon Island.

Considering this, Angel no longer inquired about Dox’s gains, saying indifferently: "I just discussed the Sweet Dream with the Wise Sovereign."

At that time, after discussing the Baiyuanians, experiments, and the Snake Cone issues, Angel focused on the Sweet Dream with the Wise Sovereign.

"Sweet Dream? You plan to negotiate Sweet Dream with the Wise Sovereign?" Dox asked in surprise.

Others also looked over.

Angel’s conversation with the Wise Sovereign surely covered more, but other topics were left unspoken, and they couldn’t force Angel to disclose them. Nonetheless, the topic Angel chose to share sparked curiosity.

"A Mysterious Object with positive amplification, do you think the Wise Sovereign would willingly part with it?" Angel replied crossly.

Unless Angel can help the Wise Sovereign rebuild Naraku’s glory, he doesn’t believe the Wise Sovereign would trade the Sweet Dream.

"So you’re discussing... doing research?" Dox asked.

Dox was right about the direction; Angel indeed planned to "research" the Sweet Dream. However, while others suspected Angel aimed at crafting a Mysterious Object for himself, it wasn’t the case.

Angel simply wanted to test if the Sweet Dream, another dream-related Mysterious Object, could connect to the Wilderness of Dreams.

Seeing Angel nod, Dox curiously asked: "What did the Wise Sovereign say?"

Angel: "He said to wait until I safely come out from Qingkong Poetry Room before discussing further."

While Angel phrased it this way, the Wise Sovereign has agreed to Angel’s request. It’s merely a loan, hardly significant for the Wise Sovereign. Yet, the Wise Sovereign also required Angel to detailedly describe the Qingkong Poetry Room’s conditions.

Thus, Angel wasn’t wrong in saying borrowing and researching the Sweet Dream would indeed wait until they left Qingkong Poetry Room.

"Besides that, was there anything else discussed?" Dox continued: "You don’t want to share publicly, maybe tell me privately, since we’re in the same boat now."

Angel: "There’s nothing else to disclose. Oh, I remember, the Wise Sovereign invited me to collaborate."

Dox: "Collaborate? What’s he thinking?"

Angel replied irritably: "How should I know what he’s thinking."

"Did you agree?"

Originally, Angel wanted to scold Dox for incessantly probing, but this time the tone was distinctly different, more solemn, like the Black Earl speaking.

Angel turned and indeed saw the Black Earl’s nose directed toward him.

Alright, it wasn’t merely similar; it was indeed the Black Earl asking.

Since it was the Black Earl asking, Angel dared not lose his temper, responding earnestly: "No, I don’t represent just myself. I’ve got Illusion Demon Island and the Barbarian Cave behind me, so I can’t agree. Also, the Wise Sovereign merely mentioned it without further insistence."

As Angel spoke, he looked toward the Black Earl: "Are you very concerned about this, Lord Black Earl?"

In his heart, Angel vaguely sensed why the Black Earl might ask, but couldn’t speak directly and gently probed instead.

Black Earl: "Because he also proposed the same collaboration to me."

"And I, agreed."

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