Chapter 65: The Lost City
Moving such a big house? That's simply not possible.
Hua Mi reckoned it was set up using magic similar to the magic box, capable of shrinking for easy transportation. But this house was obviously much more advanced than a magic box.
"Carrying a house around, is the master a snail?" Hua Mi chuckled at the thought, wondering if maybe she could ask for help in improving the magic box.
Currently, the box was a bit inconvenient. To let the bees out, you had to find a space first.
However, the master had already acquired the desired unicorn horn powder and had no bargaining chips left.
With her status, asking for help might require some effort to establish a good relationship.
Hua Mi received the homeowner's permission and entered the interior.
The interior architecture harmonized perfectly with the exterior—a platinum color scheme, vibrant yet elegant, with a simple yet exquisite layout.
"Practical and beautiful, perfectly integrated. Truly the work of a master," she murmured as she made her way to the second-floor study. Upon entering, the scenery changed drastically.
So many books.
Compared to the outside, the study was plain, except for the abundance of books.
There were many on the shelves, even more piled on the floor. Anyone unaware might think this was the dwelling of a knowledgeable old sage.
Besides books, the table hosted an array of peculiar tools. Despite the variety, everything was neatly arranged, avoiding any sense of disorder.
The owner of the house, Alyss, stood in the center of the study, dressed in a snow-white gown, extending her hand toward Hua Mi and Xiao Lv at the door. "Welcome, my guests," she said, displaying both politeness and a hint of arrogance.
It seemed like a welcoming gesture mixed with a sense of condescension.
Elves always seemed a bit uptight.
"Wow, your house is so beautiful! I love it!" Xiao Lv exclaimed, flying forward and showering praises generously. "You have such great taste!"
"Thank you," Alyss responded. She seemed immune to such compliments, having likely heard them before. She politely acknowledged the praise.
"If only I could have you design our house," Xiao Lv persisted, seemingly disappointed by Alyss's cool response, continuing with more flattery.
Hua Mi thought to herself, "It's not easy dealing with these little guys."
Buying them a Barbie doll-style villa and letting them move in would be no less sophisticated than the craftsmanship of the elven master.
After a few exchanges, Alyss' gaze settled on Hua Mi at the door, indicating a shift to the main topic.
Taking a few steps forward, Hua Mi glanced at the bookshelves. Most spines were in an unreadable script, probably Elvish, but she spotted a few written in a common human language.
It was evident this architectural master had a wide range of interests.
"These books…"
"Have you heard of the Lost City?" Both spoke simultaneously, but Alyss was faster.
She seemed to have no intention of small talk, diving straight into the main topic.
Hua Mi paused, trying to recall. The Lost City... Wasn't that mentioned in the alchemy notes? She shook her head.
"It was a city built by Huon over a thousand years ago, leaving a significant mark in architectural history," Alyss explained, gesturing toward a wall adorned with sketches of spired building designs, mostly incomplete drafts.
"Huon was a natural master of craftsmanship and architecture. The Lost City represented the pinnacle of architectural skill at that time. Sadly, it fell during the second Abyssal invasion, lost in the cracks between planes."
"We can only glimpse fragments of that legendary city through scattered records. It's been every architect's dream to find it."
"You found it?" Hua Mi knew Alyss wouldn't bring this up without reason. If she mentioned it, there had to be a way to the Lost City, or at least some related clues.
"Indeed." Alyss nodded, a rare smile on her face. "I've searched for centuries and finally found a path to the Lost City."
She looked like she was at least a few hundred years old. Despite knowing elves lived much longer than humans, it still felt odd seeing someone with this Lolita appearance.
Small in form but incredibly sharp in mind, the only thing she pursued was the Lost City.
Hua Mi couldn't fathom how one could enter such a city. This was beyond his Earthly knowledge.
According to Alyss, the Lost City slipped into the crevices between planes during the second Abyssal invasion.
That's between different dimensions, not mountains or rivers. He grasped the concept of planes but couldn't fathom what existed between them.
How do you even get in there? That was the baffling part.
Snap—Alyss snapped her fingers.
The fireplace behind the desk burst into flames with a whoosh.
"Simply put, it's through fire."
"Through fire?" Hua Mi stared at the blazing flames, not understanding her intent. Did she want them to burn themselves?
"Huon's race had a clear belief system, naturally attuned to fire elements, able to sense the fire elemental plane. They firmly believed a deity, the Fire Mother, guided them within the fire elemental plane."
"For this reason, they ignited a 'fire seed' in the Lost City, maintaining their connection with the Fire Mother."
"This inadvertently left us a shortcut. In short, using the fire elemental plane as a transit station, avoiding the chaotic flow in the crevices, we can directly enter the Lost City."
"This method was proposed by scholars but wasn't taken seriously due to its complexity. Recently, I've pinpointed the shortcut to the Lost City. All that's left is constructing the teleportation magic array and entering that pathway."
"..." Though unable to grasp her words fully, Hua Mi felt a sense of danger.
Yet, Alyss gave the impression of reliability and prudence. She had enough wisdom not to take reckless risks.
A thought struck him, "So, the unicorn horn powder is for…"
"Yes, everything is for reaching the Lost City."
Hua Mi was still puzzled about why she'd called him. Was it really just for lacking enough powder?
That was manageable; a simple exchange would do. But her tone hinted otherwise.
"Could it be she wants me to team up and go with her..."
"You know, I'm an architect, not skilled in combat." Alyss calmly stated, "While I long for the Lost City, I don't intend to wager my life there. If there's an excellent alchemist accompanying me, this journey would be much easier."
"...," Hua Mi agreed. However, there was no way he'd agree.
This was like suddenly receiving a call from Musk to hop on a spaceship to Mars.
Would you agree?
Absolutely not.
"Considering your reputation, surely in Emerald City, you'd have plenty of volunteers. Why come to a... wild alchemist like me?"
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