Chapter 1128: Morning Star Manor (Part 2)

Chapter 1128: Chapter 906: Morning Star Manor (Part 2)

A few of the shadowy figures nearest to them suddenly accelerated in the mist, frantically reaching out their arms to pounce on them.

Duke felt one of the fingers brush against the corner of his robe, and that piece of clothing instantly became stiff and brittle in the deathly air, like old fabric left out for years.

The next second, silver-blue light completely engulfed the two of them.

In the last moment, he only saw densely packed shadowy figures surging from all directions in the gray mist, as if attempting to swallow the last bit of vitality in this labyrinth, and then everything vanished with a thunderous silence.

…

Stepping out of the teleportation light, Duke and Vera simultaneously tensed their bodies.

Duke’s right hand was already slightly raised, surrounded by swirling yellow sand.

In Vera’s palm floated two half-bloomed thorn flowers, their petals lightly trembling in the air, ready to explode at any moment, and then both of them suddenly understood the scene before them.

They stood on a wide path covered in fine white sand.

The sky was a very light blue, as if washed with milk, with a few wispy clouds hanging high and distant.

On either side of the path lay meticulously trimmed green lawns like velvet carpets, with a few elegantly shaped silver leaf trees growing at random.

Sunlight filtered through the tree canopies, falling in soft patches of light.

In the distance, a massive gray-white stone manor rested atop a gentle slope, with pointed rooftops, arched windows, and evergreen ivy, like a house straight out of an ancient fairy tale.

And right at the entrance of the path, on either side, an elf court orchestra clad in pale gold and ivory attire was playing.

The harp and flute combined into a melody both melodious and languorous, swirling softly in the air, as though welcoming each guest from afar.

“Welcome to Morning Star Manor,” an elf approached.

He wore a tailored dark green suit adorned with a silver star-shaped brooch on his chest, his light golden hair tied with a fine ribbon at the back.

The elf smiled just right, neither distant nor overly enthusiastic, and bowed to Duke and Vera, “Combat of any form is strictly prohibited on the fourth level, please adhere to this regulation. Morning Star Manor will provide suitable attire for each guest if you do not have your own.

Later, an auction will be held here, where only points transactions are accepted. Any points spent at the auction will not affect your final ranking on the Path of Divine Revelation. You may rest in your rooms first, and someone will notify you before the auction begins.”

He raised his hand, and two elf attendants dressed in equally elegant attire approached, bowing slightly, indicating for Duke and Vera to follow them to their accommodations.

The orchestra on either side of the path continued to play, with a faint floral fragrance wafting through the air, like a mixture of roses and lemon leaves, along with a hint of warmth from the sun hitting the stone walls.

Vera turned her head to glance at the orchestra, her expression still cool, but her lips relaxed a bit involuntarily.

She hadn’t seen such tranquil, gentle light in a long time.

Duke remained silent, simply following the guidance of the elf attendants toward the manor.

His spiritual power habits kicked in, scanning the lawn, path, tree shadows, but found nothing.

There were no ambushes detected, no sense of malice, and no signs of battle.

The fourth level seemed like a place completely unrelated to the Path of Divine Revelation, the only similarity being that the Divine Revelation Mark on his hand quietly glowed.

Retracting his senses, he looked up toward the manor gates that were slowly opening before them.

Behind the gate was a grand marble hall that instinctively made one hold their breath, its surface reflecting the warm yellow light of the crystal chandelier.

The floor was laid with whole slabs of milky white marble, the natural stone patterns resembling clouds, and illuminated by the three-level high crystal chandelier overhead, making it translucent and bright.

Thousands of polished crystal shards slowly rotated on the chandelier, cutting the warm yellow candlelight into countless tiny light spots, scattering them on the walls and floor, as if someone had sprinkled a handful of stars in the air.

The hall’s sides were flanked by a row of tall columns wrapped in gold-painted vines, each leaf’s texture clear as if freshly picked from the garden.

Two elf maidens were already waiting inside the door.

They wore identical pale gold long skirts, their hems trailing just slightly on the ground, but making no sound, as if they walked on the wind.

One of the maidens slightly curtseyed to Duke and Vera, her voice gently matched, “Esteemed guests, please follow me.”

The interior of the manor was far larger than it appeared outside. Passing through the hall led to an extremely long corridor, its walls lined with oil paintings at intervals, depicting elves with an isolated elegance in attire and expression.

Every few steps, a lamp shaped like a flower bud was embedded into the wall, its frosted glass shade emitting soft, warm light.

The carpet in the corridor was deep blue, thick enough to make footsteps feel light and airy, as if walking on twilight.

The air carried a faint scent, like freshly baked bread mixed with dried herbs, and upon closer inspection, there was a bit of the paper and ink smell of an old study.

After two turns, the corridor suddenly widened.

Enclosed by surrounding buildings was a central courtyard garden, but not an ordinary one.

The elves used a technique Duke had never seen before, making a thin silver water curtain float above the entire courtyard.

The water curtain descended from a height, splitting into countless streams midair, like thousands of silver snakes swimming, ultimately converging into a shallow pool below without any barriers.

The sound of water was extremely light, like someone turning the pages of a book in the distance.

On both sides of the water curtain were large patches of bluebell flowers and some luminescent fern-like plants, their light a serene blue, like a small piece of night sky moved indoors.

“Your rooms are at the west and east ends of the corridor,” the maiden leading them turned her head, her voice smooth with elf-like grace, “As per the manor’s rule, male and female guests’ lodgings are somewhat separate. Rest assured, both side rooms are the same in standards, each with a private lounge, study, bathroom, and meditation room.”

First, they arrived at Vera’s room, the door a pale gold with a silver-thread embroidery of a towering tree, its roots engraved with tiny elf script.

Upon opening, the room was so spacious Duke raised his eyebrows slightly.

Heavy tapestry curtains partially veiled the floor-to-ceiling windows, outside which lay the silver water curtain courtyard.

The bed was twice the size of an ordinary guest room bed, spread with snow-white silk bedding, its headboard carved with astonishing intricacy.

On the other side of the room was a row of bookshelves filled with exquisitely bound books, beside which stood a large desk covered in dark green velvet.

The maiden tugged a cord by the wall, and a cluster of soft, smokeless flames flared up in the fireplace, like a handful of sunset packed within.

Vera walked in, stood by the window for a moment, then turned to Duke and said, “Even more extravagant than I imagined.”

Duke chuckled, “Better than the safe house in the gray mist.”

Guided by the maiden once more, Duke traversed the corridor, ascending a staircase covered in gold-brown carpet, reaching the room at the east end.

His room was even larger than Vera’s, with a small semicircular viewing balcony.

Outside the balcony were undulating lawns and, in the distance, a very narrow stream, shimmering like silver shards under the sun.

The room’s furniture carried a layer of warm sheen, as if carved from a single ancient tree, giving off a very faint resin fragrance.

In the bathroom, a pool of steaming hot water was already prepared, its surface scattered with a few unknown pale purple petals, the steam gently swirling under the frosted glass lamp.

The maiden concluded with a bow, “Someone will deliver attire before the banquet, please rest for now. If you need anything, just ring the silver bell by the bed.”

She finished speaking quietly, retreating without a sound, the door closing behind her without making a noise.

Duke stood in the room for a long time, until the sunlight outside turned from pale gold to deeper honey hues.

He was even uncertain if he had truly left the gray mist-filled labyrinth.

The Divine Revelation Mark was still on his hand, his points intact.

Suddenly moving from the tension and danger of the third level to here had him somewhat uneasy.

He walked to the balcony, placing his hands on the carved stone railing, and let out a long breath.