Pillar of Yita

He couldn’t help but focus, but when he heard the question, he subconsciously shook his head. Even Kalatu and Tang De didn’t know the exact origin of the ’Pale Glory’, so how could he know?

Yet, he couldn’t help but look at the two more curiously. Were they implying that they knew this?

Delan’s gaze turned to the fragments on the table, which glowed faintly. That gaze seemed to explain everything.

”Emerald Star...?”

Fang Hong was startled; no wonder he found the faint glow of the Emerald Star somewhat familiar.

But what was that subtle feeling of rejection?

Was it because similar powers repelled each other?

But what exactly was the Emerald Star, that the Alchemists not only used it to create the Artificial Dragon Soul, but why did it contain forces akin to Pale Glory?

”They are called Emerald Stars,” at this time, the middle-aged man suddenly spoke: ”They suddenly appeared seven centuries ago, but there is no record of them in prior history. The elves used them to forge the gemstone on the Hailin Crown, the blade of the Morning Light Holy Sword, the Core Crystal of the Hand of Truth, and the body of the Eternal Emblem.”

”The Pale Glory from the four Holy Relics almost entirely originates from these,” he turned back and asked lightly: ”Do you know why?”

Why?

”Think carefully,” Delan said: ”Why is it called the Verdant Star, and through what means did the elves obtain it—”

Fang Hong suddenly paused slightly.

A shockingly powerful thought flashed through his mind.

Not only him, but even Luo Yu behind him was suddenly stunned. Besides Xiangzi, the two simultaneously spoke that name with slightly dry voices.

Star of Calamity, Verdant.

Source of the Dark Giant Dragon’s power.

Nikopolas’s yearning and fear for Pale Glory was like lightning, striking through Fang Hong’s heart.

...

”When the Star of Calamity fell to the world, it broke into four or five pieces. Most of them sank with Aithelin beneath the Abyssal Sea.”

”But there was still a fragment that fell deep into the Istania desert, its power creating a Phantom Realm there, and thus the origin of the Phantom Sea.”

Delan narrated smoothly: ”The Queen’s family discovered that place long ago and regarded it as a treasure trove, keeping its secret safe.”

”The information on the slates tells us that it’s not the Holy Relic itself, but the power of Pale Glory within the Holy Relic that’s key to opening the Third World. The Queen and His Majesty had already promised to one day uncover the mystery of the Third World—Istania has no Holy Relic, but the fragment within the Phantom Sea is the crux of it all—”

”To fulfill that dream, the Queen entrusted her family’s secret to today’s King of Sand, her lover. Since then, the Garden of Illusions became shared between the Royal Household and the Queen’s family, and instead of dividing the two families, their relationship grew even closer due to the Queen’s passing.”

”So, do you understand, young man?”

”It is a covenant between a king and his lover; the Emerald Star within the Phantom Sea is his final support.”

”...The Blind Followers also covet the immense Emerald Star fragment, hoping to create a monster stronger than Demi-God Mephisto, to serve as the vessel for Blind God Dika to return to this world.”

”And His Majesty, of course, is well aware of this. He plans to use the final treasure left by his beloved woman to draw out every hidden hand from the shadows. It’s his final battle. He has safely guided Istania through ten years, smoothly passing the throne to a qualified heir.”

”Now, he wants to clear the hidden darkness from this land, preserving a longer future for his heir and this ancient kingdom.”

”This desert kingdom may eventually disappear, but at least not now, not at this moment. This is his promise to the one he holds dear, the fulfillment of a covenant.”

Fang Hong was momentarily stunned upon hearing this; he never expected the truth to be like this.

”And the Princess?”

”His Majesty does not wish his children to get involved, and having faced the dark believers, you should know what kind of people they are, correct?”

”The King of Sand is naive,” Fang Hong shook his head: ”Some things cannot be resolved simply by wishing. I haven’t dealt much with the Blind Followers, but judging by the dark believers of the Giant Dragon, these people should be of the same sort. The King wants to resolve everything within the Phantom Sea, but I fear the reality may not be as he wishes.”

He subconsciously thought about the traitor the Princess had repeatedly mentioned.

Who leaked the information in Tansnier?

If the spy is not one of the King of Sand Barbaltan’s eyes.

Then to whom does he belong?

The answers to choose from might be limited.

Delan and the middle-aged man exchanged a look.

”This is precisely why we sought you,” Delan responded: ”Ade, I remember that’s your name, we hope you can stop His Majesty.”

”Stop...”

Fang Hong hesitated; how could he, with such humble abilities, stop a king’s actions? The King of Sand Barbaltan has spent ten years preparing for this plan; he wouldn’t abandon it over one word from Fang Hong. Besides, although Fang Hong thinks the plan has some wishful thinking, perhaps Barbaltan has other arrangements.