Pillar of Yita

”At this juncture, it’s best not to stir up too many disputes. Especially considering the relationship between the Master of Death and that lady, which I’ve heard isn’t harmonious.”

Ye Hua’s voice sounded once again.

”I understand, Holy Chooser. This matter does not concern you, and we don’t need your reminders.” The middle-aged Arcanist replied in a stiff tone, yet there was a hint of concession in his words. Seeing this, Ye Hua just smiled slightly, knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. Once he realized his prompt had worked, he decided not to press further.

The middle-aged Arcanist summoned a guard, whispering a few words. The guard understood, and conducted a quick inspection of the Holy Sanctuary’s convoy with the others, then moved on to the next team. The middle-aged Arcanist impatiently waved his hand, signaling them to pass.

Amidst a pile of boxes, Fang Hong felt the Wingless Dragon move again, realizing he had passed the check. Relieved, he couldn’t help but grow more curious about Ye Hua’s identity and purpose here.

Why did he speak up without reason?

A whim?

The natives might still be unaware, but a Ten King would never be so idle. Did the other party know there was a problem with the convoy? His heart suddenly froze as he recalled those few arrows from a few nights ago.

The arrows that pierced through the dust storm were swift and accurate beyond normal Ranger capability, even surpassing the skills of Qin Zhi, whom he met at the Elf Ruins. But for a Ten King, it was trivial. Thus, Ye Hua had already seen him that night, and perhaps was aiding him now?

Though Fang Hong still couldn’t understand how the other knew he was in this convoy.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t go down to inquire face-to-face, and the Communication Crystal was unusable, leaving him a bit frustrated.

Yet, as the Biergo Wingless Dragon’s heavy steps continued with gentle rises and falls, after a while, Fang Hong realized he was gradually leaving Bain’s territory. The soft sand below—the clear evidence, with the beast’s uneven strides—he could still distinguish.

As the city’s noise faded, he heard the low hum of wind over the dunes—the dust storm hadn’t fully dissipated. In the sealed environment, the sounds became unmistakably clear, bringing a unique meaning, gradually calming his mind.

It was a somewhat distant, faint sense of peace.

In the silence, his thoughts drifted to unpredictable directions.

Including the safety of those on the Dawood.

What were Miss Hilveld and the others doing at the moment?

What secrets lay between the Princess, the King of Sand, and the two Affia?

Even their encounter at Bain Fortress with that strange prisoner appeared again in his mind.

He also thought of his conversation with Mayer Hill, and even the things Kalatu, Tang De, and Sir Diket spoke of long ago, as well as his experiences at Idus and Fanric. The Star Moon Council, Elfendo Spire, Artisan Association, Lizard People, Colin Royal Family, Scepter Coast, Saint Hugon Corner, and even the IDs of R and Shana, all these names flooded his mind.

Like fragments, vague and elusive, yet unable to grasp a clear thread.

After pondering for a while, suddenly a wave of fatigue hit his eyelids. He hadn’t rested much these days, Bain City was tense, even though he found some safety at the Marlan Temple, he couldn’t relax enough for a sound sleep. With sleepiness overwhelming him now, he couldn’t resist and fell into a deep slumber.

...

The journey from Bain to Quistack was lengthy, but took only three days and nights.

By the midpoint of the journey, Fang Hong no longer needed to stay in the cramped spaces, able to come out for some air. The Knight guarding the convoy respectfully gave him a spot on the Biergo Wingless Dragon’s back, allowing him not to walk through knee-deep sand like the others.

Thus, for Fang Hong, this journey wasn’t particularly harsh; at most, the sandstorm was somewhat unbearable. Midway, they passed an oasis called Quinn’s Moon, aside from this unique scenery, it was a monotonous expanse of yellow sand throughout.

Though the desert had unique features, especially the Silver Sand Sea at night, praised by poets for millennia. But for Fang Hong, after repeated encounters, he grew bored, and observing from the Wingless Dragon’s back was less pleasant than viewing from Mr. Greyrock’s platform.

Thus, once the initial novelty passed, Fang Hong quickly sought out tasks of his own.

Primarily, he focused on studying the technology given by Delan—known as Delan’s Magic Recovery.

This technology required twelve Basic Skills, along with six Intermediate Skills as prerequisites. Among the six Intermediate Skills, he already satisfied the Enhanced Component from the start, and the two Ritual Rail Society Skills—’Ritual Rail Society Plugin’ and ’Ritual Rail Society Doctrine’, he had gained experience from the battle at Fanric, nearly mastering them.

Originating from Osh, the ’Ritual Rail Society’ is a crucial branch for Alchemists, hence these still belong to the mainstream skill tree of Alchemists.