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A strange sense of intimacy lingered in his heart, like an invisible barrier that not only blocked his sight but also blurred his sense of exact distance.
After seven or eight seconds of silence, Cavendish sighed and lowered his head to look at the mushrooms growing on the rotten flesh and blood.
Some were pure white and plump, seemingly ready to spray liquid with a touch, while others were black-based, inlaid with blood-red filaments and fatty patterns.
These things were dense, covering different parts of the Monster's corpse, carrying a strange and alluring beauty.
Raising his right hand, a bonfire immediately appeared. Different types of mushrooms floated autonomously above the flames, and as drops of oil fell, they sizzled in the fire, making the light more prominent and releasing an enticing, peculiar fragrance.
Cavendish sat leisurely by the bonfire but did not eat. For him, food was still a necessity, but he could already achieve a certain degree of fasting. Moreover, these foods were not for himself.
"They are called mushrooms, and they come in different varieties. If you wish, you can eat them yourselves."
"But you cannot touch the entirely black ones, and they must be cooked thoroughly before consumption, otherwise, you will suffer a terrible curse."
He spoke in Jotun, which was the most widely used language in the Second or Third Epoch. Hermes only truly became popular after humans replaced many Beyonder races.
His words fell, but there was no reaction until Cavendish looked up at the distorted forest not far away, and then several human-like beings cautiously emerged.
They were wrapped in animal skins or simple clothes of unknown original material. Illuminated by a few lanterns, their expressions were all very solemn.
On their faces, some had dozens of fleshy lumps, some had two eyes almost squeezed together, and some had no noses at all, with black holes in that position.
Looking at these slightly deformed beings, the strongest of whom was only at Sequence 5, Cavendish was not surprised. With his Sequence 3 status and Seer's spiritual intuition, even though he was greatly weakened in this dreadful place, sensing a group of small fellows who weren't even Demigods was as easy as pie.
What excited him more was that this was the first time he had seen humans who were not so insane, only slightly deformed, since he left the puppet city of "God of Wishes" Kotar.
Recalling the information about the Forsaken Land of the Gods in his mind, and the faintly visible grey-white barrier not far away, a term emerged in Cavendish's mind: "Moon City!"
Unlike Cavendish's excitement, the leader of the Moon City exploration team, Elder Bruce, had fine beads of sweat on his forehead, and his heart was incomparably complex.
He was a Sequence 5 Gatekeeper of the Death Pathway. The original exploration team's highest rank was only a Sequence 7 team leader, like A'dal behind him.
But some time ago, after the Crimson Moon, which was only recorded in ancient texts, appeared in the dark sky that had lasted for thousands of years, High Priest Nim and the Moon City Elder Council decided to increase exploration and seek a turning point.
Although Moon City had not stopped seeking ways to escape their current predicament over the past two or three millennia, they had sent out one exploration team after another into the depths of Darkness.
Some returned after severe setbacks, gaining nothing, while others were never heard from again, simply vanishing into the boundless Darkness.
The cost of generations of accumulated toxins and madness in Moon City was far more than just a decrease in average lifespan; the accumulated toxins and madness could also be inherited by descendants, leading to the appearance of deformities.
Their lives would be even shorter, and they would be more prone to losing control and mutating. Perhaps within two or three generations, the residents of Moon City might lose control before their bodies fully matured or before they could conceive a new generation.
In that case, even without external attacks, Moon City would rapidly perish, leaving only stone buildings and wall paintings as proof of their past existence.
This was also the fundamental reason why the High Priest ultimately decided, after the appearance of the Crimson Moon, to personally lead the elders on an adventurous exploration further afield; rather than dying in agony, it was better to take a gamble.
And now, such an adventure seemed to have yielded incredible results; he had seen an outsider!
Two or three thousand years had passed, and finally, other people had set foot on this land.
This abandoned world was no longer just theirs.
But as to who could traverse the endless Darkness and reach this place, Bruce had no experience and no way to guess. The only thing he could confirm was that this being, who appeared to be human, was exceptionally terrifying.
All the soul bodies, undead, and natural spirits within his "Underworld" had fallen into a deathly silence, no longer restless as before, not even when facing the High Priest, who had been a Sequence 4 Nighthawk of the Sleepless Pathway for a long time.
Feeling a little uneasy, if he hadn't known that fleeing from such a being was a meaningless act that would only provoke him, Bruce would have definitely returned to Moon City first to find the High Priest before making any plans.
Looking at Cavendish, who was calm and unaffected by the eternal night, and smelling the enticing fragrance, Bruce cautiously but respectfully spoke:
"Who are you? And where do you come from?"
Cavendish's gaze swept over their faces, and he said gently, his tone unchanged:
"I am a Scribe of history, and also an explorer, from beyond the Cursed Land."
Upon hearing this answer, all members of the exploration team were in a daze, suspecting that they might have been too hopeful and were experiencing hallucinations.
Bruce, the strongest and most experienced, was the first to calm down and asked with a complex feeling:
"How many normal people are there outside that Cursed Land?"
Cavendish glanced at him, and with a hint of pity in his voice, replied:
"They are basically normal people. They don't have to constantly worry about Monster attacks, they don't have to fear being in Darkness, they can see the Sun every day when they wake up, their food is sufficiently normal every day, and the Crimson Moon rises every night."
Crimson Moon… Bruce heard this term, his expression changed somewhat, and some of the exploration team members behind him opened their mouths but didn't know what to ask.
Some wanted to bring this mysterious person, who claimed to be from outside the land abandoned by the Lord, back to Moon City to inform the High Priest and everyone, but they were also afraid of attracting danger.
Throughout this process, they never let down their guard or vigilance, even with the irresistible fragrance wafting in the air.
Looking at their wary or bewildered expressions, Cavendish thought for a moment, then reached out his right hand, making a few grasping motions in the air, and conjured the historical projection of the "Staff of the Sun."
Pure, bright, and warm light burst forth, dispelling the surrounding Darkness and shining upon these ancient survivors.
Their combat experience made them instinctively try to defend, but the comfort derived from their instincts made them stop their actions halfway.
That kind of light, that kind of warmth, was absolutely incomparable to a bonfire!
This made them vaguely recall the deities described in ancient texts and by the High Priest—deities who emitted infinite light and brought infinite warmth.
Under the illumination of the clear light, wisps of illusory black gas, twisting and struggling as if they had a life of their own, steamed up from Bruce and the others, rapidly dissipating.
The members of the Moon City exploration team felt their bodies lighten, and the suppression within their souls vanished.
Recovering from that comfortable and warm sensation, Bruce looked up with some horror, only to find that the outsider was pointing towards the grey-white barrier in the distance:
"Since we have met, I would like to trouble you all to come with me to take a look there."
-----------------
In the grand hall of the ancient castle in "Moon Kingdom," Aaron watched Pallez Zoroast make a promise in the form of an oath in front of the other four Angels, then slowly spoke:
"Since you all have reached an agreement, I will not beat around the bush."
"I presume everyone is familiar with the Solomon Empire. Its survivors, carrying the last Solomon treasures, concealed themselves in the Fog Sea, entering the legendary 'Lost City of Newins'."
"I have found that descendant of the Solomon Empire. By certain means, I can pinpoint its exact location in the Fog Sea, so I might need the assistance of a Sanguine Duke next week."
"Purple Moon" Liana glanced at Pallez Zoroast, whose expression was somewhat complex, then chuckled:
"Even not including the Elf Queen you mentioned before, you have quite a few Angels by your side. In such a situation, you still need our help. Is it because there are too many treasures there, and you can't take them all?"
Aaron coughed lightly, then added:
"Of course not. The intelligence I received indicates that 'Lost City of Newins' should be a remnant of an Outer Deity civilization, but its exact nature is unknown."
"However, that place belongs to the Fog Sea, and the entrance to the Abyss is likely nearby. When I sent Cavendish to the Forsaken Land of the Gods via the Abyss earlier, I might have angered that Dark Side of the Universe."
"If the exploration of 'Lost City of Newins' causes too much commotion, it might attract the attention of that being. If He senses my aura because of this, I cannot predict what He might do."
At that time, the Dark Side of the Universe had madly infiltrated its power, even pursuing them to the Forsaken Land of the Gods. This was not merely about being angered.
Whether it was the Mother Tree of Desire behind the Dark Side of the Universe sensing the aura of the Nation of Disorder, or Farbauti wanting to use this to escape the Outer God's corruption, the final result was the same:
"That being within the Abyss is extremely interested in me, and indeed, all creatures carrying the aura of the Nation of Disorder."
Forsaken Land of the Gods… The four Angels, except Aaron and Alvin Gallows, simultaneously showed surprised expressions. Alvin Gallows concisely added:
"Cavendish was merely a Bizzaro Sorcerer when he was in slumber with me. After being awakened by Aaron, he was promoted to Scholar of Yore with his help."
The three Sanguine Dukes nodded with some understanding. During the Fourth Epoch, being opposed to the Antigonus family and the Zaratul family, They naturally understood what a Scholar of Yore meant.
Pallez Zoroast, however, immediately thought of the "Yesterday Once More" charm in his hand and confirmed with a solemn tone:
"You have a way to contact the Forsaken Land of the Gods and transmit items through it?"
Although it was a question, it was affirmative in tone. Aaron had no intention of concealing it and nodded frankly.
Aaron, who was about to make more promises to win over the Sanguine, suddenly heard the voice of "Purple Moon" Liana:
"We agree to your request, but I also have a request."
Aaron paused, then frowned slightly. A request that could be equivalent to the risk of acting in the heart of this ancient Sanguine would not be so simple. He did not agree immediately, but pondered before responding: "Please speak."
"Purple Moon" Liana glanced at "Full Moon" beside her before slowly speaking:
"The current 'Moon Kingdom' was jointly repaired and perfected by Auernia and the Night Emperor during the Fourth Epoch; it is not a standard embryonic Godhood."
"Although it has a longer and more stable existence, the price is that after Auernia's demise, at least one Duke must remain in 'Moon Kingdom' as the central hub to resist the will of that Variant King Kvastir from corrupting the ancestral land."
Seeing Aaron, who was somewhat understanding yet somewhat puzzled, He then added:
"During the Second Epoch, the Ancestor and the Variant King Kvastir, 'Destroyer Demonic Wolf' Flegrea, perished on the Eastern Continent, which is now the Forsaken Land of the Gods."
"After the Ancestor's demise, Auernia, in order to perpetuate the Sanguine, allied with the Elves. With the help of Soniathrym, she established the Sanguine's previous ancestral land, the Holy City 'Kamia,' at the Ancestor's place of demise!"
"The demise of the Ancestor and the other two Ancient Gods created the strangeness of that area. With the help of 'Moon Kingdom,' we successfully suppressed the lingering thoughts of the other two Ancient Gods."
"Using the Holy City 'Kamia' to influence the wills of the three Ancient Gods as a barrier for the Sanguine was the fundamental reason why the Sanguine did not collapse and decline like the Demonic Wolf at that time."
"But as a price, a part of 'Moon Kingdom' became the foundation of the Holy City 'Kamia,' so that 'Moon Kingdom' was gradually corrupted by Kvastir's lingering thoughts throughout the long period from the Second Epoch to the Great Cataclysm of the Third Epoch."
"The Great Cataclysm came without warning, and the part of the Godhood fragments integrated into the Holy City's foundation could not be instantly retrieved after evolving over a long period."
"You probably cannot imagine what the Eastern Continent encountered during the Great Cataclysm. If Auernia, who held a Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, had not been almost a King of Angels when controlling 'Moon Kingdom,' you probably wouldn't see us today."
"Although we eventually escaped the Forsaken Land of the Gods after the Great Cataclysm, the part of the Godhood fragments integrated into the Holy City 'Kamia' has never been retrieved."
Hearing this, Aaron already roughly guessed what this ancient Sanguine wanted to do, and after thinking for a moment, he asked:
"Where is the Holy City 'Kamia' in the Forsaken Land of the Gods?"
"If it's near the Giant Royal Court, I'm afraid I cannot help. That is the True Creator's Godhood, and the risk factor there is simply too high."
If it's Chernobyl, that's even more impossible… Aaron silently added in his mind, but he knew it was impossible.
After all, the Ancient Sun God would not tolerate the existence of such a city-state near His awakening place.
"Purple Moon" Liana's face immediately showed a wistful expression, as if she was lost in some distant memory, and she murmured in a dreamlike voice:
"That is at the westernmost end of the Eastern Continent, beyond the legendary Western Continent. There is an boundless expanse of grey-white mist there."
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