CA - Chapter 159
Chapter 159
The forbidden ground of the Witch City, rumored to be the location of the Dark God's palace. A winding river served as a dividing line, clearly separating the white, mist-shrouded Witch City from the gloomy, dark forbidden ground.
Heavy black clouds hung in the sky, with a crimson moon suspended high above the forbidden ground. Red lights occasionally flickered in the darkness, like the eyes of a demon opening to stare at any intruder who dared to enter.
Although people always associated the Dark God with death and cold-bloodedness, the few scattered records passed down through the continent suggested that she was actually a being who valued pleasure even more than the Light Goddess. The luxury of her palace was in no way inferior to the Temple of Light.
What could be seen in the forbidden ground was merely the tip of the iceberg; most of the Dark God's temple was submerged underground.
Noah knew Erin had a stubborn personality, so she didn't bother wasting time trying to persuade her. Once three days had passed, she directly ordered skeletons to bind Erin and bring her to the entrance of the forbidden ground.
An unknown number of Dark Domains cast by red-robed witches shrouded the Witch City. Erin felt her limbs grow heavy, making it impossible to resist, let alone escape.
She wanted to rely on Little Fur Ball transforming to break out, but to her disappointment, Little Fur Ball seemed to enjoy this environment. It remained fast asleep, rarely waking up.
The Garcia Family had a total of twenty-three red-robed witches. When facing the forbidden ground, their expressions were reverent, yet their eyes held a hint of fanatical excitement.
Erin was restrained by the skeletons, unable to move. The group of red-robed witches exerted immense pressure on her. Her expression was panicked, and she subconsciously searched for Vera's figure among them.
Vera was standing in the ranks of the white-robed witches behind the red-robed ones. Like the witches around her, she stared at the forbidden ground with a reverent and excited gaze, showing no trace of the struggling, pained look she had worn in front of Erin that day.
Erin's heart sank. She lowered her eyes uneasily, her hand hidden in her sleeve tightly gripping Little Fur Ball's paw.
The forbidden ground was protected by a barrier. They could see the scenery on the other side but couldn't actually step into it. Noah withdrew her gaze from the forbidden ground and removed the hood of her red robe, letting her long brown hair fall down her back. "Only you can touch the barrier to the forbidden ground, Erin."
She turned to look at Erin, a slight smile on her lips as she said gently, "Don't be afraid. You just need to take me inside. After we come out, I'll have someone escort you out of the Witch City."
The skeleton carried Erin a few steps closer to Noah. Erin struggled to get down but failed. She glared at Noah and, without a moment's hesitation, refused directly, "I won't take you in."
Noah shook her head with a hint of helplessness. She took a black stone from her Space Gem and tossed it to Erin, saying calmly, "Here, this is yours."
The skeleton caught the stone and presented it to Erin. Erin stared at the familiar stone, stunned for a moment, then looked at Noah with surprise and confusion. This black stone was the Dark Key she had given to Vera.
This…
Erin clutched the Dark Key, confirming that it was indeed the stone she had originally obtained. All sorts of thoughts flashed through her mind. She stared suspiciously at Noah, not understanding the meaning behind her actions.
Getting the Dark Key back only made her feel more uneasy.
Noah had no intention of explaining anything to Erin. While Erin was dazed looking at the Dark Key, she ordered the skeleton to carry her toward the forbidden ground.
By the time Erin came to her senses, she was already before the barrier. Unable to break free from the skeleton, she could only watch as she was forced to touch it. A gentle breeze lifted Erin into the forbidden ground. The skeleton beneath her turned to dust the moment it touched the barrier.
After the barrier sent Erin into the forbidden ground, a crack appeared on its surface. Noah and two red-robed witches were enveloped in a black mist and sent through before the crack could close.
The Black Witches who had been quietly watching Noah and the others enter the forbidden ground all showed ecstatic expressions. Their unsettling laughter merged with the howling wind, creating a strange and terrifying sound.
Not far from the forbidden ground, atop a ghastly white bone bridge, stood Glanna, toying with a bone staff in her hand. Her gray eyes would occasionally lift to glance at the forbidden ground and the red-robed witches guarding it. Her expression was dark, her eyes flickering as if lost in thought.
A red-robed witch walked onto the bone bridge and whispered a few words in Glanna's ear. Glanna raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "To think someone would dare to barge into the Witch City to die."
"This is a good chance for me to see who has been protecting Erin all these years."
After Erin escaped from the Witch City, Glanna had sent out many witches to find her, even going out to search herself. But Erin had vanished as if she had evaporated into thin air, leaving not a single trace.
From that moment, Glanna knew someone was protecting Erin in secret.
She had thought Erin was completely under her control, so she had allowed Vera to let Erin go, watching as she was hunted by the Holy See, intending to use it to further destroy the useless kindness in her heart.
However, Erin had suddenly disappeared right under her nose.
A witch who had spent her entire life in the Witch City without any contact with the outside world had been rescued while suffering a mental breakdown and severe injuries. Moreover, the rescuer had deliberately erased all clues, leaving her with no way to track them.
Who on the continent would willingly save a Black Witch?
Glanna's curiosity had been piqued and had lasted to this day. Erin was a "strange" Black Witch, one she had personally "created." Uncovering the secrets she held excited Glanna.
"Let them in," Glanna said softly, her red lips curling into a smile. "I want to give them some gifts to thank them for taking care of my daughter."
At the entrance to the Witch City, Tang Qiu, Rona, and the others used the cover of a hillside to observe the situation ahead. That their identities were exposed was an unspoken truth, so Rona no longer dwelled on it. Besides, whether as a Bishop of the Holy See or a member of the Royal Wolf clan, Tang Qiu was a powerful ally.
It was unrealistic for their group of more than ten people to sneak into the Witch City without alerting the Black Witches. Of all the races on the continent, the Black Witches had the strongest reconnaissance abilities because they had numerous "eyes."
"Abel, you and Grace will stay outside and attack with light magic to draw the Black Witches' attention. We'll use that opportunity to sneak in." Rona had observed the terrain and formulated a preliminary plan. "I'll leave some guards for you. Don't be afraid." She directed this last part mainly at Abel.
Abel was startled by her plan. His face was full of disbelief, and even his voice changed as he said, "You want two... delicate clerics to stay outside and draw their attention?"
Rona crossed her arms, clicked her tongue, and said impatiently, "Didn't I say I'd leave guards to protect you?"
"But still..." Abel saw Rona frown and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. He looked at Tang Qiu, hoping she would refuse Rona's suggestion.
Sensing Abel's gaze, Tang Qiu raised a hand to touch her nose. She smiled and nodded at Rona's proposal. "Alright."
Abel stared at her blankly and muttered under his breath, "Since when were people from the Holy See so unafraid of death?"
With the plan set, Tang Qiu and Abel each found a safe spot to prepare their light magic. Rona walked over to Abel, rubbed her hands together, and brightly colored little mushrooms fell from her palms to the ground. Upon touching the soil, the mushrooms began to expand, their caps opening up to instantly surround Abel.
"If you encounter danger, hug them. They'll teleport you away." After carefully instructing Abel, Rona turned and walked toward Tang Qiu.
Although she knew Tang Qiu's strength, Rona still left her some mushroom guards.
Tang Qiu and Abel, one to the south and one to the north, began chanting their spells simultaneously. Although Abel didn't seem very reliable, his skill with light magic was surprisingly high, even better than Tang Qiu had imagined.
Like Tang Qiu's, the white light he condensed was already tinged with gold.
Tang Qiu was surprised by Abel's strength, and Abel was equally shocked by Tang Qiu's level of magic. As far as he knew, the Bishop of the Gosse Church had only recently taken office. How could her power already be so formidable?
Was this another genius like Archbishop Reese?
He had practiced for decades to achieve his current level of proficiency in light magic.
The light magic, laced with golden radiance, flew toward the Witch City like a meteor shower. The white mist was forcibly dispersed, and the black crows in the trees and the patrolling skeletons were reduced to ash without making a sound.
The flames of light, carried by the wind, instantly engulfed dozens of miles of the Witch City, leaving only ashes in their wake. This continued until a few streaks of red light appeared around the flames, and the white mist transformed into a giant beast that angrily swatted at the fire with its claws.
Half-Human Monsters emerged from the mist, dodging the incoming white light as they charged toward Tang Qiu and Abel.
Rona's group consisted of dark creatures who wielded the power of darkness, so they were also wary of the light flames. Fortunately, Tang Qiu and Abel knew this and had intentionally left a path open for them.
Not many Black Witches appeared. Rona, Thor, and the others exchanged a look, then darted into the white mist, using the chaos to enter the Witch City.
The Anderson Family guarded the entrance to the Witch City due to their geographical location. Glanna had specifically ordered them to "go easy," so not many red-robed witches appeared. After blocking the invading light flames, they voluntarily ceased their attacks.
They only summoned monsters to attack Tang Qiu and Abel.
With the Black Witches not taking it seriously, the pressure on Tang Qiu and Abel was much less than expected. The latter was happy about this, but the former frowned.
The Black Witches' reaction was strange.
Tang Qiu stopped chanting her spell. She caressed her staff with her fingers, lowering her eyes in thought for a moment. Then, she put the staff away, raised her hand to pull on her hood, and left the protection of the mushroom umbrella, walking straight toward the entrance of the Witch City.
A monster spotted her and brought its massive fist down on her head, but she dodged it nimbly. With a flash, Tang Qiu entered the white mist, and her figure quickly disappeared.
The sudden disappearance of light magic from Tang Qiu's side caught Abel's attention. He spared a glance and was astonished to find that the blonde bishop was no longer under the mushroom umbrella.
Where did she go?
Abel scanned the surroundings but couldn't see Tang Qiu anywhere. Even if she were entangled with a monster, she shouldn't have just vanished. He frowned, his heart filled with confusion.
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