Pillar of Yita

”It has been fourteen years since the Battle of Bain.”

”Has it really been that long?” A voice filled with a sense of irony came from the other end of the dungeon, shrouded in darkness. After a pause, the voice asked again, ”Your name is Ade?”

It seemed that the person had been eavesdropping on their conversation since Affia entered earlier. Fang Hong raised an eyebrow, worried that the person may have seen Tata and Nini since they revealed themselves upon returning. But the person did not seem to need an answer, as he muttered to himself:

”The same name as the Great Alchemist.”

”Quite normal...”

”After all, the technology he left behind brought endless possibilities.”

”But it’s useless.”

”Yes, useless.”

He added affirmatively, as though having a conversation with himself. Fang Hong realized that this person seemed to have some mental issues, but anyone shut away in a place like this for so long would likely have some problems.

After mumbling mysteriously for a few sentences, the person seemed to come to his senses and asked:

”Do you want to leave this place?”

Fang Hong glanced at his Magic Guided Reactor, uncertain whether to trust this somewhat neurotic character. But after thinking it over, he decided it was better to trust him than not. If the person was lying, he would only waste a bit of time, but if he was telling the truth and the Arcanists swarmed in, how would he explain his Magic Guided Reactor, Control Gloves, and Information Crystal?

In this weather, where sandstorms ran rampant, the time was irrelevant. Even if he rescued other people, they would have to wait until the sandstorm had subsided to leave and contact the Grand Princess.

Thinking about this, he calmed himself and replied:

”Yes.”

”But the Arcanists excel at peeping into the future and uncovering secrets. They have set up a tight surveillance spell throughout the castle, and the dense nodes will monitor every abnormal magic flow,” said the voice, now sounding rational again: ”As soon as you activate your Magic Guided Reactor, they will perceive it and swarm in—”

Fang Hong paused, immediately sensing a problem in what the person said. Background magic interference was omnipresent, and the leaked magic power from the reactor’s activation was nothing more than a typical magic fluctuation in nature. How could the Arcanists distinguish the noise created by background magic disturbance from actual spellcasting?

He raised this question in a low voice, and the voice in the darkness chuckled disdainfully: ”Of course not that way. Has no one told you that background magic interference consists of mixed multi-color magic, and distinct single-color elemental magic stands out in this background like a beacon in the darkness? Or can you use multi-color magic?”

”I see.”

”You’ve understood, but this doesn’t really matter. If you want to avoid their eyes, I can teach you a method—wait, what are you doing?” The voice suddenly became surprised and elevated, exclaiming.

”Nothing.”

Fang Hong’s voice was evidently calm as he clicked to start his Magic Guided Reactor. A beam of Silver Fire ignited inside the reactor, like starlight initial ignition in the dark, surged out, illuminating the surroundings. The cool light reflected against the side of the young man’s face, revealing just a shallow profile, yet displaying calmness. Fang Hong raised a hand, pressing against the crystal on his chest, and a beam of deep blue light shot forward, forming a grid from top to bottom, weaving a construct with platinum shimmer — the Energy Angel.

The Construct Swordsman stepped forward, and with precision, it slashed the manacle on his hand, a clang echoed as the manacle and chain fell to the ground. Fang Hong rubbed his sore wrist and followed suit to unlock the manacle on his feet. Only then did he straighten up, walked to the door, and with a flash of the sword, the lock fell in response—

Fang Hong pushed open the door, brushed the dust off his body with his hand, then looked up and smiled:

”Thanks for the enlightenment.”

”You—”

The mottled multi-color magic filled every corner of this world.

But amid these elemental magic, there also exists another class of same-kind magic, even more substantial in number.

Non-Attribute Magic.

Both perpetually rise and fall like the tides, together forming Eteliria’s background magic interference.

Knowing the Arcanists’ magic detection method, Fang Hong naturally feared nothing more. He certainly wouldn’t use multi-color magic—nor could anyone—but he could use colorless magic. Among the many Combat Artisans in this world, perhaps he was the only one.

Of course, these words he wouldn’t disclose to the person. After he opened the door, he wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Instead, he walked toward the depths of the dungeon, heading toward the direction of the voice in the darkness.

He slowly walked to that cell door and saw the person inside: the person had long grey-white hair, a thick beard that reached the ground, and long eyebrows hid a pair of dull eyes. His tattered clothes and a heavy iron chain locked him to the ground, making him appear hunched and weary.

But his youth surprised Fang Hong; by the voice, he thought he was an old man near the end of his life, but upon closer inspection, it seemed otherwise. He looked like he was only forty or fifty years old. On the stone wall’s iron seat plugged an extinguished Light Crystal. Fang Hong took it out, infused it with magic power, and illuminated a beam of faint light.

The sudden light made the person instinctively shrink back, looking at Fang Hong with some alertness. Fang Hong confirmed his idea: this person was at most only forty or fifty years old; it was clear from his face, just prematurely aged, his hair already entirely grey-white, resembling the color of ashes.