Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2298: Chapter 2299: Invitation

"Leaving so soon?" Angel looked at Wang Wang.

After Wang Wang left the bracelet, it learned that the Spatial Tempest had disappeared. With a sigh of relief, it immediately requested to leave.

Wang Wang hesitated a bit but ultimately confirmed, "Yes, I have other matters to attend to."

"I heard that your kind usually travel aimlessly in the Void. It seems that this isn’t entirely true?" Angel emphasized the words "aimlessly" slightly.

Wang Wang thought for a moment and said, "The majority of my kin travel for survival. But I am different. I have other things to do."

"What things?"

Angel was very curious about the Void Traveler and had even considered writing a main thesis on them, which is why he was so interested in Wang Wang’s movements.

However, Wang Wang remained silent and unwilling to answer.

"Alright, if you don’t want to say, that’s fine." Angel didn’t press further. After all, Wang Wang was the "envoy" sent by the Dalmatian.

"Are you really not going to stay a bit longer?"

Wang Wang tilted its soft "head," looking at Angel, seemingly puzzled as to why Angel would show an intention to keep it around.

The reason Angel was so reluctant was entirely because he had witnessed Wang Wang’s abilities to traverse the Void. That strange passage gave him the illusion that he might get closer to touching the secrets of the Eye of the Sky. He wanted to study this ability deeper, but currently, only Wang Wang could use it.

"I’m just very curious about some abilities of the Void Traveler." Angel said vaguely.

"It can satisfy your curiosity." Wang Wang pointed to a pale purple Void Traveler not far away, the one it intended to leave by Angel’s side.

Angel glanced at that Void Traveler and nodded, "Alright. If I have any questions about the Void Traveler’s abilities in the future, can you clarify them for me through the network?"

Wang Wang thought for a while, "Sure."

With Wang Wang speaking to this extent, Angel didn’t forcefully try to keep it. He nodded at it, "Alright then, I hope you can accomplish what you need to do soon, and I hope we can meet again."

With Angel’s nod of approval, Wang Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief. It came with the Dalmatian’s orders; the Dalmatian told it not to go against Angel. If Angel really forced it to stay, it could only comply.

Fortunately, Angel was much more agreeable than the Dalmatian.

As a result, Wang Wang’s impression of Angel improved somewhat.

However, despite having a slight fondness for Angel, to be safe, Wang Wang turned to leave without hesitation. It didn’t even say goodbye and disappeared into the depths of the Void with its kin.

Angel watched the spot where Wang Wang vanished and sighed softly. That peculiar passage would be researched in the future when the opportunity arose. Before that, he still needed to cultivate a good relationship with Wang Wang through the Void network. Then, when making requests, there could be a certain emotional foundation.

How to maintain the relationship? Besides occasionally making contact through the Void network, there’s also... Angel looked at the stone platform where only one Void Traveler was left.

Although it was the "messenger tool" designated by Wang Wang and was much braver than ordinary Void Travelers, it couldn’t help but shrink back when Angel’s gaze swept over it.

"Let’s start by making it no longer afraid of me." Angel thought to himself as he walked up to its side.

Looking at the clearly trembling body of this Void Traveler, Angel thought for a moment and decided not to scare it. He placed it into the bracelet space to stay quietly for a while.

After putting the Void Traveler into the bracelet, Angel looked through the Energy Perspective and found that it indeed wasn’t as scared as it was outside, which put him at ease.

Next, let it adapt gradually.

However, Angel wasn’t planning on having it adapt to the bracelet space’s environment, but rather to him as a person. So he thought and set up an Illusionary Realm within the bracelet.

Currently, there was nothing in the Illusionary Realm. When the Void Traveler’s emotions calmed a bit, Angel would use Illusion Nodes to form his own image.

Via an Illusionary Avatar, he would let the Void Traveler gradually get used to being around him.

After completing all this, Angel turned around to look at Nami Midori standing aside, "Shall we go?"

Nami Midori nodded and flew towards the Void with Angel, unimpeded by the Tidal World’s pressure nor the Spatial Tempest.

On this return journey, Angel noticed that Nami Midori had already unlocked the sprout left by Feng.

Originally, Nami Midori said she would return to the Lost Forest before checking it, but from the current situation, it was clear Nami Midori was a bit impatient.

Angel didn’t disturb Nami Midori, instead taking on the role of guide, leading Nami Midori back to the Void coordinate leading to the top of the Vine Tower.

Passing through the painted passage, when returning to the Vine House, Angel found that Nami Midori had already put down the sprout. It seemed she had read Feng’s message.

Angel wanted to ask Nami Midori what Feng had said, but before he could speak, he saw Nami Midori deep in thought, leaving the Vine House.

Opening the door and looking out, Angel saw that although Nami Midori had left the Vine House, she didn’t leave the Vine Tower but instead meandered to the top, gazing at the sparse starlit sky of the early morning, quietly pondering something.

Angel thought for a moment and decided not to disturb her.

Perhaps Feng had left some key information for Nami Midori to break through a barrier, and now she was digesting it. It wouldn’t be good if his interruption broke her train of thought.

Angel carefully closed the door of the Vine House and then released Toby, exchanged a few words with him, and prepared to head to the Wilderness of Dreams.

Sanders had arranged for Sumishe to bear the Authority today, and to avoid missing the time, Angel intended to prepare in advance.

As he prepared to Enter Dream, Angel’s peripheral vision caught sight of the painting hanging on the wall of the Vine House.

In the painting, Nami Midori was gazing at the starry sky.

Looking at the painting Feng had done for Nami Midori, Angel remembered the "Conversations Among Friends" that Feng had gifted him before.

He took out the "Conversations Among Friends" and placed it on the table. Gazing at the perfectly framed oil painting, Angel pondered for a moment and once again sensed the energy within the painting.

Although the energy fluctuations were not strong, they were subtle and advanced.

With Angel’s current strength, he could not fully understand what this energy signified.

Precisely because he wasn’t clear about the intentions behind this energy, Angel actually harbored some caution towards the painting itself.

He didn’t fully trust Feng.

Or rather, Angel maintained a level of caution towards everyone, especially since Feng was someone he had just met.

Feng told Angel that if he encountered difficulties, he could hand this painting over to the Turing Rubik’s Cube, and they would assist him. As for whether Feng’s words were true, Angel wasn’t sure. But he was certain that there must be some hidden message within the painting, recognizable to the Turing Rubik’s Cube wizards.

However, what Angel was most concerned about wasn’t this, but... the name of the painting.

Feng had said this painting’s name wasn’t meant for Angel, but for his True Body. Does this mean that Feng actually left a hidden message on the painting for his True Body?

What could this secret message be? Is it really as Feng said, just to maintain friendship with his true self, or is there something in it that could harm Angel?

Unable to decipher the information contained in the energy, Angel cannot fully trust Feng’s words.

Perhaps Feng wouldn’t lie about "the game set up by the Book of Kael," but this painting clearly falls outside the scope of that "game." Who knows if Feng has any hidden tricks?

To avoid such a scenario, Angel decided that as long as the situation was unclear and the energy could not be decoded, he would refrain from taking out this painting, especially not to show it to the "Turing Rubik’s Cube" or Feng’s true self.

With this in mind, Angel reached out and gently placed his finger on the frame of the painting.

The green pattern in his right eye surged and slowly leaped out of the socket, eventually enveloping the entire painting.

Soon, the green pattern extinguished, and the painting seemed unchanged, but only Angel knew that an invisible domain field now concealed it.

The energy in the painting was very high-level, and Angel was completely unfamiliar with it, worried that the energy itself might leak information externally. So, just in case, using the more arcane power of the green pattern, he directly concealed and contained the energy within the painting.

As long as the painting was not far from him, the domain field would continue to exist.

After setting the domain field, Angel prepared to put the painting away.

At that moment, Angel heard the vine door being pushed open.

Angel turned to see Nami Midori, with her golden eyes and green scales, slowly walking in.

Upon entering the Vine House, the first thing Nami Midori saw was the painting on the table that Angel had not yet put away.

Seeing Nami Midori’s gaze fall on the painting behind him, Angel thought for a moment and simply stepped aside, allowing Nami Midori to view the painting openly.

Angel didn’t mind Nami Midori seeing this painting, because she certainly wasn’t someone from the Turing Rubik’s Cube, nor did she know where Feng’s true self was.

Also, the energy within the painting was concealed, so it didn’t matter even if she looked at it.

"Is this... painted by Mr. Feng?"

Angel nodded.

Nami Midori gazed at the scene in the painting, where Angel and Feng sat together under a large tree, both seated facing each other, smiling and chatting, with a backdrop of the distant night sky and a multitude of stars.

It looked extremely harmonious.

Nami Midori had been with Feng for many years and had never had such a harmonious scene as depicted in the painting.

The harmony Nami Midori referred to was not just about an amicable atmosphere but a sense of equality in status.

In the years spent with Feng, Nami Midori felt more like a student or a seeker of knowledge. Feng, on the other hand, was the embodiment of knowledge.

They were amicable in atmosphere, but not quite equal in communication. Although Nami Midori benefited in the end, as it was the one receiving, it didn’t mean it wished it to be that way.

Nami Midori actually longed for such equal interactions. Only in this way might Feng not look at it as a mischievous junior.

Nami Midori’s gaze gradually shifted to the corner of the painting, where it saw the name of the painting.

Close Friends, Night Talk.

Nami Midori’s eyes lingered on the simple and plain title of the painting, not moving away for a long time.

Its eyes and expression appeared calm, but its heart was stirred by the name of the painting.

Thinking of what Feng had said in the seedling message, Nami Midori seemed to understand why Feng valued Angel so much.

Close friends, really?

Nami Midori slowly looked away and softly said, "The painting is very good."

Angel thought Nami Midori would comment further or say something, but unexpectedly, she simply praised the picture itself.

Casually, Angel replied, "Lord Nami Midori, did you come to see me for something?"

Nami Midori replied indifferently, "I finished looking at the seedlings Mr. Feng left behind, which roughly talked about your situation and the future of the Tidal World."

Nami Midori briefly summarized the messages in the seedlings, where Feng described the current state of the Tidal World and its future possibilities.

Nami Midori also realized that due to the Tidal World’s long-term plundering of external elemental power, its openness was imminent, something even the Tidal World will could not stop.

Angel: "So, Lord Nami Midori, what plans do you have?"

Nami Midori: "I’ve thought about it for a long time. Although I don’t want to get involved in this matter, I was born in the Tidal World, and I have no choice."

"I plan to stay in the Tidal World to help you and your organization completely change the current situation, ushering in a new pattern for the Tidal World."

"This is, in fact, helping ourselves."

Previously, Nami Midori had voiced full support for the opening of the passage between the two worlds, but it was only verbal at the time. Now, Nami Midori’s proactive stance indicated a readiness not just to speak but to take real action.

With Nami Midori, currently the strongest in the Tidal World, siding with the Barbarian Cave, it’s obviously a good thing.

At least, by the time the real opening happens, the Barbarian Cave will already have some advantages.

"I’ll report this matter, and I believe the higher-ups of the Barbarian Cave will be very pleased to learn of your decision."

Nami Midori: "I trust you, and I hope the organization behind you won’t let me down either."

After finishing, Nami Midori prepared to turn and leave.

Watching Nami Midori’s back, Angel suddenly had an idea, "Why not visit the Barbarian Cave, my lord?"

Nami Midori paused, turned her head toward Angel, and asked, "Are you trying to recruit me on behalf of your organization?"

Recruit? Angel had some thoughts, but he couldn’t say that, nor could he bypass Lord Reine’s intentions and truly do it. Moreover, Lord Reine might not even agree to this since, after all, Nami Midori’s strength had reached a half-step Legend level. Even if its knowledge was insufficient, fundamentally, it had reached that level; such a top-tier powerhouse in the Southern Domain could become an unstable factor, even if recruited.

"I just thought you could first get to know the Barbarian Cave. Eventually, you will have to interact with people from the Wizards’ Realm, so why not first engage with wizards from the Barbarian Cave now?"

Nami Midori was moved. It trusted Angel, but it didn’t quite trust the Barbarian Cave since it didn’t understand it. Angel’s suggestion was worth considering, offering a chance to understand the Barbarian Cave’s situation and evaluate if this organization was worth investing in.

However, going directly to their stronghold wasn’t necessarily safe. The current situation in the Tidal World wasn’t fully clear yet.

"That might not be possible now; I won’t be leaving the Tidal World anytime soon," Nami Midori responded.

Angel understood Nami Midori’s concerns and smiled lightly, "You don’t have to leave the Tidal World, just stay in the Lost Forest, and you can still meet people from the Barbarian Cave."