Book 3: Chapter 326: Nightmare Carriage

Carmilla brought Sylutia first into the royal palace to inform Catella of their conjectures about this incident. Upon learning that this was not a simple poisoning but a new round of plague, Catella became especially serious.

"If that is the case, then I will entrust Ya and Carmilla to handle this first. I will later dispatch the Blood Rose Knight Order to seal off and isolate the entire Mandra's territory. Additionally, a team of physicians will follow to provide support."

Once arrangements were made, Sylutia and Carmilla immediately set off. The two cast the spell of Woven Wings, then soared into the sky, continuously accelerating until they became two shooting stars in the heavens, vanishing from sight.

An hour later, the two descended from high altitude and entered the urban district of Mandra's territory.

Soon Carmilla summoned all the Blood Clan nobles in the city, ordering them to immediately mobilize their people to seal off the city, and to inform the surrounding towns to do the same, with no entry or exit of personnel permitted for several days.

"Princess Carmilla, what is the reason for this?" Some were rather puzzled, even suspecting this was some kind of coup.

"This is the Queen's decree. As for why, it is because this is not a poisoning incident. It is very likely a new round of plague, and one that even we Blood Clan cannot immune ourselves against." Carmilla's words of notification left many astonished.

After seeing the stamped decree that Carmilla produced, the crowd no longer doubted and immediately began to act.

By this time, Sylutia had already arrived at the city district's hospital. After briefly informing the hospital staff, she appeared in the infirmary to examine the "poisoned" patients' conditions.

These patients lay on their sickbeds, bodies emaciated, expressions numb. Some had blood-red eyes, constantly shouting that they were hungry, yet their voices were exceptionally weak.

Slightly recalling the scenes she had once experienced in Hidden Grove, Sylutia blinked her eyes, and a faint radiance surfaced within them as she discerned and sensed the others' conditions.

Before long, a familiar feeling rose in her heart. That was right, this was the Gray Sludge plague she had once seen in Hidden Grove.

She left the infirmary and found the hospital staff to request a quiet room, then took out the prepared experimental instruments and pharmaceutical tools, and began mixing a potion.

First was the Revealing Powder that could detect the Gray Sludge plague. Making this was relatively easy. She spent less than an hour to produce a large bottle of it.

After obtaining the powder, Sylutia instructed the hospital staff to quarantine and isolate these poisoned and afflicted people together, with others forbidden from casual contact.

"However, I suspect most of you have also been infected, it is just that no symptoms have appeared yet." Sylutia's words left the present Blood Clan physicians somewhat unconvinced, because the Blood Clan were exceptionally sensitive to their own conditions. If anything were wrong, they would certainly be able to sense it.

"Under normal circumstances, that would indeed be the case. But this is not an ordinary plague virus. The other side is a plague mutated from Fungal Threads." Sylutia shook her head slightly.

"Fungal Threads, how is that possible?" The several Blood Clan physicians here found it hard to believe.

As the most ancient Aspect, Fungal Threads had nearly drowned in the dust of history, long since having become legend. And now there were actually related organisms existing in the world, and they had even mutated and developed into a plague?

Seeing their disbelief, Sylutia took out the Revelation Powder targeted at the Gray Sludge plague and sprinkled it across the hospital room and floor. In some places, a silver-blue reaction immediately appeared.

"Observe and analyze these fluorescent spots with precision instruments, and you will discover something."

In the time that followed, these physicians brought out various instruments and cast secret arts to analyze. Slowly, they discovered that what Sylutia said was indeed correct. This was not ordinary food poisoning, but an outbreak of an entirely new plague.

They had heard much over the past half year about the tragic state of the human world's Mage Alliance, but when the plague truly broke out in Blood Clan territory, right beside themselves, they still felt a sense of dazed disbelief.

After that, this silver-haired girl's orders all received tremendous attention. They complied one after another, having the hospital take the powder and sprinkle it throughout the hospital to check the plague's distribution and infection situation, then dividing different zones and isolating them from one another.

"For the prior period, you will need a certain amount of time to mix the potion that removes the plague." Before taking her leave, Sylutia retreated into the hospital's pharmaceutical laboratory, took out the Purple Jellyfish Mushroom cultivated in the manor, and finished mixing the potion.

During this time, Silius came by once more after finishing her arrangements. Seeing the sign hung on the door and the guard nearby informing her, she did not disturb them, but continued arranging personnel to carry out epidemic prevention measures in the urban district.

Two days later, the first batch of potions was completed, used on those patients with severe conditions, greatly alleviating their symptoms of hunger and frailty.

Over the previous two days, Sylutia had produced another batch, totaling approximately 1,200 doses of potion. But facing the continuously increasing number of infected and afflicted, it was still a drop in the bucket.

During those two days, Catella's territory had already been completely sealed off, but the situation was not optimistic, because surrounding areas had already begun to show scattered infected individuals.

Before that night's "food poisoning" incident occurred, because no one knew it was a new plague, no one had paid attention or noticed at the time. By the time Sylutia heard the news from Silius, several days had already passed. And Catella's territory was the Blood Clan's primary channel for external trade, with complex flows of people coming and going. Now it was already very difficult to trace just how many people carried this plague virus.

"It seems that relying on my strength alone will not be enough to resolve this." Sylutia spoke to the two sisters Catella and Carmilla.

"I do not know if there is enough time. Because Hidden Grove once experienced an outbreak of this kind of plague, I believe they must have a certain stockpile of potions. If we send people to obtain them from there, the speed would be much faster."

"The current priority is to control the epidemic as much as possible and avoid its expansion. Otherwise, the speed of potion production will far from keep up with the number of infected." Sylutia recalled the situation when she had resolved the Gray Sludge plague.

Looking back now, they had truly been very fortunate. The outbreak had occurred at a remote outpost in the Darkmist Mountains, far from crowds. And those capable of carrying out missions there were basically all Transcendents, whose physical constitutions and resistance were stronger than ordinary people.

"Dispatch personnel to get medicine from the Hidden Grove Alliance..." Catella pondered.

"We Blood Clan and the southern Hidden Grove Alliance are too far apart. There has basically been no contact between us before. I am afraid this time we will still need Ya to serve as an envoy to negotiate."

After hearing Catella's words, Sylutia thought for a moment and nodded slightly.

It seemed that indeed only she could undertake this task. After all, she alone here had close ties with Hidden Grove and knew quite a few high-ranking personnel. Secondly, she had decent connections over in the Darkmist Mountains. And for producing the potion, the required Purple Jellyfish Mushroom, currently in Hidden Grove, only had a cultivation base there, one she had left behind years ago.

After clarifying the situation, Sylutia left behind part of the Purple Jellyfish Mushroom used for making potions and the potion formula, handing them to the Blood Clan physicians. Then she set off on her journey toward the distant southern Hidden Grove Alliance.

"Wait a moment." Seeing Sylutia preparing to leave, Catella called out to stop her.

"You are not thinking of just flying back like that, are you." She looked the young girl up and down.

"This, is something wrong with that? Actually, I fly quite fast." Sylutia tilted her head. Even a Blood Clan member of the same tier would not be able to catch up to her.

"I do not know whether you fly fast or not. But from north of the Ice Sea to southern Hidden Grove, such a distance, if you fly the entire way, it will exhaust you to collapse." Catella shook her head, then looked toward her sister at the side.

"Carmilla, take that Nightmare Carriage and go with Ti Ya."

"That carriage, I remember we even played with it together as children. Later I have no idea where it went." Carmilla reminisced.

"It is very normal that you could not find it, because I hid it away." Catella wore an expression of perfect matter-of-factness, which left Carmilla rather annoyed.

"You have been like this since childhood. Any fun toy, you would take and hide away yourself, not giving it to me."

"Of course. You always break them from playing, it is truly too wasteful." Catella shook her head, answering without the slightest guilt.

"Clearly you broke them from playing too. Besides, that was all childhood matters." Carmilla felt somewhat embarrassed in front of Sylutia and immediately retorted.

"Yes, yes, that carriage is placed on the underground second floor of the Golden Oak Palace. Open that stone door carved with twin trees, and you will see it."

"I understand." After hearing this, Carmilla then pulled Sylutia away.

The two passed through the complex palace corridors and long galleries, arriving at a secluded palace with fine scenery. Here stood a great tree, its leaves golden yellow, extremely beautiful.

"This great tree... is very special." Sylutia looked up at the golden oak that stood a full five stories tall. Its leaves were golden yellow, and the fallen leaves covering the ground were also golden, strikingly eye-catching upon the black soil.

Drawing closer, she sensed the life aura emanating from within the great tree, exceptionally deep and tranquil, as if ancient time itself had stagnated here.

"This is the Golden Oak that the last princess planted when she fled from the Third Continent to this side back then. It is said the seed came from the former Blood Dynasty court, a tribute gift from the Elves during the Seventh Epoch."

During the Seventh Epoch, the Blood Dynasty had once been incomparably prosperous. Even the Elves of the Second Continent had expressed their respect, sending many tribute gifts to foster good relations.

With her palm resting against the trunk, Sylutia carefully sensed the profound life spectrum within. Some Rhythms different from the present world gradually surfaced. Her eyes blinked, and the life force ability of the Ancient Scholar activated. With the aid of the composite power of Secret Word·Luminous Moon, fragments of past time and information emerged one by one, then continuously extended and pieced together.

Once you understand the mode of existence of life, you naturally also learn their abilities.

Tree Codex·Golden Oak (Third Tier·Verdant Nectar): After analyzing the Golden Oak, obtain insights and understanding.

Contained Progression Path: Tree Artisan.

Contained Abilities: Golden Oak Meditation Method, Sturdy Great Tree.

Contained Knowledge: Golden Oak cultivation method, ancient great tree ritual.

Just like that, several minutes later, Sylutia slowly came back to her senses, her eyes momentarily dazed. After undergoing the wash of the thousand-year fragment information contained within the tree, she felt as if a lifetime had passed.

Unfortunately, time was tight now. This was not the moment to improve these things. She could only organize and extract a small portion of the information. If she spent a few months resonating with and sensing this great tree, she should be able to organize a complete tome capable of reaching Fifth Tier.

While she was spaced out, Carmilla had already come out from beneath the palace. And at this moment, a luxurious and elegant black-red court carriage stopped on the grass.

"Ti Ya, the carriage is ready." Carmilla's call made the young girl turn around.

"All right, I am coming over." She glanced once more at the great tree, then walked over.

The carriage was indeed very beautiful, possessing the grandeur of the Blood Clan imperial family. But why did she not see any creature pulling the carriage?

She saw Carmilla open the carriage door and then take out a hidden box from within the compartment. Inside were four pieces of black crystal the size of fists.

Afterward, Carmilla chanted an Incantation, dripping her blood into the black crystals. A burst of dark otherworldly light flashed, and then a black-haired steed walked out.

Specter Nightmare Horse (Fifth Tier·Nightmare·Dead Embers)

A special spectral creature. It is said that after a Blood Prison Nightmare Horse dies, it is refined by a high-tier necromancer who fuses its soul with the power of Dead Embers and transforms it into a spectral creature through ritual. Its accompanying ability allows the rider or carriage to become weightless and light, achieving the effect of extremely rapid travel.

"Let us go." Afterward, Carmilla pulled Sylutia into the carriage, then started it up. With the aid of those four black crystals in her hand, she easily controlled these four powerful spectral creatures.

Soon the carriage became exceptionally light, suspending half a meter above the ground. Then, pulled by the four Nightmare Horses, it rapidly rose into the air, continuously climbing at an angle into the ten-thousand-meter-high sky.

Among the cloudsea, the carriage gradually accelerated, heading toward the southern part of the continent, its speed like that of a shooting star.