Chapter 309 307-Fernard’s Stroke of Luck
The forest was in complete disarray; countless trees turned to withered wood, and herds of animals banded together, attempting to flee.
Phito Valley had utterly transformed into a purgatory.
No living creature wished to linger here any longer.
Ethan's eyes twinkled with amusement, his heart filled with exhilaration.
It had been a long while since he had encountered such a formidable opponent.
In terms of Electro Magic alone, the cloaked figure and Ethan were closely matched.
Neither could gain the upper hand over the other.
Ethan, swift as a bolt of lightning, separated from the cloaked figure, his hands crackling with electric energy.
The cloaked figure was also panting heavily, their chest heaving with effort.
Beneath the cloak, their face bore a look of solemnity and astonishment.
"Who are you?" the cloaked figure asked once again.
"You first."
The cloaked figure pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "Xavier, the chief Electro Magus of the Magus Guild in the Azure Empire."
Ethan's eyebrows lifted slightly, his mind swirling with confusion.
What was a Magus from the Azure Empire doing all the way in Phito Valley?
Phito Valley was a considerable distance from the Azure Empire.
For Xavier to make the journey here, it was no easy feat.
"It's your turn now," Xavier's words snapped Ethan out of his thoughts.
Seeing Xavier's candor, Ethan felt no need to conceal his identity.
"Ethan."
Xavier furrowed his brows, racking his brains for this name.
Regrettably, he had never heard of it before.
Just as Xavier was about to say something else, Ethan didn't give him the chance.
"Our battle isn't over yet. Let's continue," Ethan said, leaving these words behind as he stepped onto a bolt of thunder and charged towards Xavier once again.
Xavier's eyes widened as magical energy surged within him.
Ethan did the same.
As they collided, a colossal pillar of thunder emerged around them.
In between the black and white, the entire Phito Valley was illuminated.
It was as if, between heaven and earth, there was nothing but this pillar of thunder.
"Boom--"
A violent wave of energy exploded, sending Xavier and Ethan flying in opposite directions.
Ethan, touching his chest, suppressed the surging blood within him.
Xavier's condition was even more wretched; his robe was shredded by the thunder, and even his cloak was torn from his neck, revealing his entire face.
Xavier bore the characteristic features of someone from the Azure Empire, with his navy-blue hair and profound facial features.
However, at this moment, he looked somewhat disheveled.
The blood trickling from the corner of his mouth made Xavier realize that the man before him was a formidable adversary.
If Ethan knew what Xavier was thinking, he would surely burst into laughter.
Xavier managed to fight Ethan to a draw mainly because Ethan had held back, using only the Power of Thunder.
If he had mixed in some other elements, such as fire or frost…
Xavier would have been lying on the ground defeated from the very first attack.
Understanding his current physical state and seeing that Ethan still had energy to spare, Xavier left a parting word:
"Ethan, your strength is formidable. I was in the wrong today. Let's have a rematch when there's a chance in the future."
As his words fell, Xavier flicked his wand, transforming into thunder and disappearing.
Ethan did not give chase; he stood still, watching Xavier vanish from sight.
Daphne, tilting her head, looked at Ethan. "Aren't you going to chase him?"
Ethan shook his head and replied, "No need. He's quite strong; catching up to him wouldn't be easy."
Daphne asked again, puzzled, "But, won't he pose a threat to us? You're letting the tiger return to the mountain…"
Ethan chuckled softly and patted Daphne's head, "Don't worry, it's fine."
Ethan actually felt grateful towards Xavier.
Thanks to Xavier's sudden appearance, Daphne surprisingly stopped dwelling on the matters related to Phito.
Ethan left with Daphne, and as she stepped out of the valley, she looked around in confusion.
"Where are we going?" Daphne asked.
"Home. I'll introduce you to some new friends."
...
In an unknown forest, Fernard raced furiously into the thick of the woods, his heart filled with rage.
The scars on his face told a tale of recent hardship.
Glancing back, he saw a figure in samurai attire relentlessly pursuing him.
Spitting disdainfully, Fernard grumbled impatiently, "Damn persistent like a plague, so damn annoying. It's just a jade pendant, not something extraordinary."
Fernard felt his life was utterly miserable.
Ever since the assault on Flame City, his once delightful life had been shattered, and everything had started going downhill.
He was hunted by the powerhouses of Sourcewater City, and along the way, he encountered all sorts of troubles, troubles that he had never faced before.
Previously, whenever he ventured out, he would return loaded with riches and without any obstructions.
But this time, his escape was filled with problems that gave him a headache.
Take this incident, for example. Fernard had simply found a jade pendant in the wilderness.
The pendant was gorgeous, hexagonal, with flowing light on its surface, almost as if it were made of liquid.
The moment Fernard held it in his hands, he knew it was something precious.
Without giving it much thought, he tucked it into his bosom.
Fernard had grown accustomed to good fortune; from the moment he arrived in this world, his luck had been incredibly good.
On bad days, he would only find gold coins on the ground.
On good days, he could find various magic potions and even some significant alchemy materials.
Every few months, he would find herbs to break through to the next realm, and his progress was smooth sailing.
Having found these treasures, Fernard was initially anxious, but as he found more and more, he started to believe that this might be a blessing from the deity.
Therefore, Fernard believed that this time would be no different; the jade pendant must be a divine gift as well.
As for its use, he would need to study it carefully.
Unexpectedly, however, he soon found himself being pursued.
It was the samurai trailing him. From him, Fernard learned that the pendant had been discarded by the samurai.
However, Fernard had always adhered to one principle: finders, keepers.
So, even though he was being pursued by the samurai, he was unwilling to hand over the pendant.
He had tried to fight the samurai, but the man was too strong.
If not for his Feathered Boots of the Flying Beast, Fernard would have been caught long ago.
The Feathered Boots of the Flying Beast, an epic-level piece of footwear, possessed extraordinary abilities.
It could increase the wearer's speed by 40%, a truly miraculous effect.
It was considered one of the most formidable pieces of equipment just below the divine artifacts.
With the Feathered Boots on, Fernard was incredibly fast.
He weaved through the jungle, and though the samurai was unrelenting, he was clearly hindered upon entering the forest.
Seeing the distance between them grow, Fernard's face twisted into a cold smirk, "Catch me? Maybe in your next life."
A flash of inspiration struck Fernard, transforming his cold smirk into a radiant smile.
This familiar sensation had returned.
Every time he was about to find something good, he would feel this blessed intuition.
It was a marvelous feeling, and Fernard knew that his good fortune was about to strike again.
Changing his direction, he sped off once more.
Soon after, with a heart full of eager anticipation, Fernard stopped before a stone wall.
Fernard, leading the samurai in circles around the area, discovered that his sense of anticipation grew strongest in front of this particular stone wall.
He observed the ancient wall, no taller than a man, and frowned slightly.
He knew there must be something valuable here, but how to access it?
Suddenly, the jade pendant at his chest took flight, attaching itself to the wall and radiating a strong light.
Fernard instinctively covered his eyes.
The pendant, now glowing, illuminated the entire stone wall.
The wall seemed to undergo a transformation, as its blemishes and stones began to melt away, revealing a jade-like interior.
Seeing the dense patterns on the wall, Fernard felt his mouth water.
There was no doubt in his mind; this had to be something extraordinary.
Licking his lips, he placed his hand upon the stone.
The wall offered a touch as smooth and cool as jade, and then, as if awakening, it seemed to come to life.
Fernard's pupils dilated, certain now that the wall had indeed awakened.
The intricate patterns on the wall pulsed as if breathing, sketching out images upon its surface.
The wall, now like a projector, cast images of ancient times upon the sky.
Gazing at the cinematic scenes playing out before him, Fernard's mouth hung open in awe.
In the sky, dark clouds gathered densely, accompanied by the clash of thunder and lightning, as numerous deities engaged in fierce combat.
Adorned in golden armor and wielding divine artifacts, they radiated formidable auras.
The God of Fire brandished roaring flames, the God of Gale wielded furious whirlwinds, the God of Mountain rent the earth asunder, the God of Sea stirred up gigantic waves, and the God of Thunder unleashed devastating lightning...
There were even other deities, unknown to Fernard.
Their powers intertwined, filling the air with a thick aura of mystical energy.
Everything seemed so real that the intense pressure nearly crushed Fernard's body.
Swallowing nervously, he thought, "I haven't unleashed the deities, have I? Could this be a forbidden land of the deities?"
For the first time, Fernard felt an urge to flee, but the changing scenes in the sky captured his attention once again.
"No, my instincts can't be deceiving me. This stone wall surely conceals an incredible secret."
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