Pillar of Yita

Two palms in length, less than fifteen centimeters wide, with very few pages—just a thin volume—but preserved quite well, with no noticeable gaps along the edges, only the pages slightly curled and yellowed.

On the brittle pages, not even a cover page, only a blank page with the Queen’s elegant handwriting. Regrettably, the shorthand on it still remains undeciphered to this day.

”We know that notebook existed,” Ye Hua calmly replied, ”but don’t know where it ultimately ended up, though all key clues might be related to it.”

The notebook was with him.

But strictly speaking, it remained in Tansnier.

However, Fang Hong, of course, would not say this, and merely asked, ”Is there anything unusual about the notebook?”

”The Queen’s brother was named Gayaxi Alzuhjan Laziz. Does Ade recognize this name?”

Fang Hong had only recently heard of the name. ”He was the most outstanding explorer among the Istania people.”

Ye Hua gently nodded, ”The notebook should have transferred into the Queen’s hands through Gayaxi, but it’s yet unconfirmed whether it came directly from him. Unfortunately, by the time we discovered this fact, Mr. Gayaxi had long passed away, leaving no way to verify.”

”What exactly is in that notebook?” Fang Hong couldn’t help but ask softly.

”Holy Relic.”

Ye Hua’s answer was just two words.

”The notebook records the secret of the Holy Relic.”

”Holy Relic?” Fang Hong was taken aback but immediately understood: ”Great God Ye Hua, you mean...?”

”Yes, the Elf Relic—the notebook’s origin might be unknown, but it should record the secrets of the Elf Relic...Hailin Crown, Morning Light Holy Sword, Hand of Truth and Eternal Emblem...and the most precious treasure left behind by the Elves in legend—the Holy Grail.”

Without waiting for Fang Hong to speak, Ye Hua asked, ”Does Ade know, there’s news about the Bridge of Heaven.”

”What!?” Fang Hong was greatly startled.

The so-called Bridge of Heaven is the Continental Bridge, the door to the next world.

The Continental Bridges between the First World and the Second World had been rediscovered for over a century, so there couldn’t be any news regarding them. Any news would likely be about the Continental Bridge between the Second World and the Third World, the gateway to the Third World. He knew Sir Mawei, Hilveld’s father, went missing for this reason but wasn’t aware there were any such significant developments regarding the Bridge of Heaven.

Ye Hua looked at him, gently replying, ”No need to be agitated, it’s just some sporadic rumors.”

”After Sir Mawei’s fleet returned, the exploration wasn’t successful, and even Sir Mawei himself failed to return. However, the fleet brought back some crucial clues, one of which pointed towards the Gateway to the Third World—perhaps related to the Holy Relic.”

”What you see as the major guilds returning to the First World Eteliria is merely a facade. More importantly, the contention over the Holy Relic has, in secret, been in a white-hot state for quite some time.”

”You experienced last year’s Long Summer War, during which the Morning Dawn Star incident occurred, but you might still be unclear what that war was for...”

Fang Hong slightly opened his mouth.

This was not the first time he’d heard such words.

But he never thought this matter would eventually relate to Hilveld’s father. How could he possibly not know what the Long Summer War was about?

He couldn’t help but subconsciously press the back of his right hand.

That earnest conversation of old floated back to his mind once again:

”More and more major guilds are returning from the Second World to the First World; this is not a good sign, Ade...”

”You haven’t experienced the Battle of Bain thirteen years ago; you’ll understand then.”

Holy Relic Emblem—

Ye Hua did not perceive Fang Hong’s subtle inner reaction.

He simply continued, ”So no matter how the Super Competitive League suppresses it, as long as the alliance grows stronger, it will remain invincible. And once they gain such confidence, most of the people within the alliance will not support those who defy the ’Stargate Declaration.’ That’s something the Elfendo Council will surely notice too...”

”So... Is this the reason Great God Ye Hua came here?”

For that notebook.

”You could say that,” Ye Hua replied, ”Some did it to find the real culprit; others are driven by revenge, but we’re just trying to retrieve this notebook. For this reason, we share a common goal with King of Sand, Barbaltan, which is why we were able to form an alliance.”

”What about Barbaltan?”

Ye Hua shook his head.

”Perhaps he’s seeking the real culprit, or perhaps he’s driven by revenge. But the king has his own thoughts, which we cannot speculate.”

”However,” after a brief pause, his tone became somewhat solemn, ”Ade, the matter of the Holy Relic might not be as simple as you imagine...”

...

As Fang Hong walked out of the tavern, he felt a slight warmth emanating from the crystal in his chest.

He seemed to still be immersed in the earlier conversation, not immediately responding. But in an instant, an unexpected look of surprise arose on his face — before that, Miss Tata’s quiet prompt arrived first:

”Mr. Knight, the communication has been restored.”

Of course, Fang Hong had already noticed this.

He stood silently, taking out the jet-black crystal from his bosom as it flashed with a dark red glow. Yet, he didn’t connect immediately; instead, he was lost in thought, as the words spoken moments ago by the Ranger King echoed in his mind once again—

”After the Fenris incident, the accelerated decline of the Eteliria Continent has become known to all nations.”

”The search for the Third Continental Bridge has reached an unprecedented urgency...”

”Some even speculate that the Numelin Elves left Eteliria early because of this...”

”They may have already found the entrance to the Third World.”

”The Holy Relic might be the answer the Elves left for mortals...”

”Just what they mean, though, remains uncertain. But they might not simply be a legacy, something so simple...”

Fang Hong sighed silently, then picked up the Communication Crystal gently pressing it. A moment later, Tianlan’s urgent voice came through:

”Brother Ade, we’ve contacted Luo Yu and the others!”

...