Chapter 459 457-The Tranquil Shadow Moon Lake
After successfully awakening from her slumber, the High Priest of the Shadow Clan, Sherry, immediately busied herself with addressing the myriad of dire situations facing the clan.
Throughout this process, Ethan provided her with considerable assistance.
However, his greater desire was to quickly resolve the troubles within the Shadow Clan.
Ethan had already spent far too much time in the Shadow Clan's territory and was eager to deal with the current predicaments swiftly so he could continue his journey elsewhere.
After all, the defeat of the God of Curses was only temporary, and it was inevitable that the deity would continue to target Ethan.
Without gaining more substantial power, Ethan knew that victory in a subsequent battle with the God of Curses was far from assured.
It took Ethan about a week to neutralize all the potential threats surrounding the Shadow Clan.
Finally, the time came for him to bid farewell to the lands of the Shadow Clan and, of course, to Sherry as well.
On the eve of his departure from the Shadow Clan's territory, Sherry sought him out, wishing for a meaningful conversation.
The two of them sat together on an open piece of land at the edge of the Shadow Clan's territory, under a massive blood moon that hung in the sky, casting a crimson veil over the entire landscape.
"Are you truly set on departing right away?"
Sherry's voice carried a hint of concern, laced with the wisdom of the Shadow clan she belonged to.
"I believe you should consider preparing here, in our lands, for a longer period. The dangers you'll face will undoubtedly escalate as you venture further. Our Shadow clan's territory is the last bastion of safety."
"Beyond here, you'll be stepping into the Frost Domain. There, the adversaries you'll encounter are far more savage. If you could stay within our lands a while longer, we could equip you with additional supplies essential for the cold of the Frost Domain. You'll definitely need these in the journey ahead."
Sherry's suggestion was, without a doubt, for Ethan's benefit.
Their friendship was deep and unwavering, born of shared experiences and mutual respect.
She hoped fervently that Ethan would navigate the challenges ahead without significant peril.
However, Ethan was resolute, his mind already made up, unlikely to sway under the weight of Sherry's well-meaning advice.
"I appreciate your concern, but I don't need any more supplies from the Shadow clan," Ethan responded with quiet confidence.
"The resources I have now are sufficient to take me to—and through—the Frost Domain. I have friends there too, allies who will assist me in overcoming any danger that presents itself."
"Of course, I am grateful for all the help your clan has provided. As you rightly said, once I leave the Shadow clan's territory, the ease and safety I've known here will be behind me."
Ethan's words were a mirror to his soul, reflecting his true intentions.
Despite facing a series of threats within the Shadow clan's territory and the persistent antagonism from Dart, he had not encountered any overwhelming danger.
Even Dart, with the aid of the cursed ones, failed to defeat him.
Ethan's resolve was now as solid as the ancient rocks of their land.
Sherry could hear the unwavering determination in his voice, understanding that further persuasion was futile.
She nodded slowly and said, "If that is your decision, then set forth immediately.
You shall have my prayers."
Thus, Sherry and Ethan spent their last evening together in silent companionship, gazing at the moon that hung like a silver sentinel in the sky, words unspoken between them.
The following morning, Ethan, having gathered all his belongings, left without a formal goodbye.
Both understood that farewells would only serve to squander precious moments and stir unwanted emotions.
Ethan walked away from the Shadow clan's territory without a backward glance.
But soon after his departure, at the edge of the territory, Sherry's figure appeared.
A sense of reluctant farewell hung heavily in her heart.
In her eyes, Ethan represented an epitome of perfection rarely seen.
The thought of possibly never encountering someone as exemplary as Ethan again, should he choose not to return, filled her with a profound sense of loss.
"I hope you will return! No! I am certain you will return!"
Sherry muttered to herself, staring in the direction of Ethan's departure.
Unaware of Sherry's words or actions, Ethan continued on his journey.
Having left the territory of the Shadow Clan, he followed the main road and soon arrived at Shadow Moon Lake.
Now, Shadow Moon Lake was much calmer than before.
After all, the Shadow Elves had departed, ensuring no further anomalies would occur at the lake.
Ethan thought it wise to pause and admire the serene beauty of Shadow Moon Lake before continuing on his journey.
Just then, a very familiar voice sounded behind him.
"I knew you would choose to leave the Shadow Clan's lands. My thoughts align with yours; I believe the people of the Shadow Clan are more a hindrance than a help."
The Shadow Elf appeared behind Ethan.
He had said he was leaving but hadn't gone far, believing he could collaborate with Ethan in the future.
Ethan did not engage further with the Shadow Elf's line of thought.
Instead, he simply asked, "Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to return to the realm of the God of Shadow with your companions?"
"I would think that returning to the domain of the God of Shadow would strengthen your Power of Shadow. Perhaps the God of Shadow might even bestow upon you greater blessings."
The Shadow Elf did not deny this, for indeed, returning to the realm of the God of Shadow would grant him more Power of Shadow.
However, in his view, additional Power of Shadow seemed superfluous.
"I no longer need an abundance of Power of Shadow. What I yearn for is to experience the world beyond. That's why I wish to continue adventuring with you."
"I can be a great asset to you; after all, I possess the ability to foresee the future and traverse time into the Chronicle Mist. These unique and extraordinary abilities of mine could provide immense help to you."
"Don't you wish to foresee the future? Aren't you curious to know what dangers lie ahead?"
Faced with the Shadow Elf's proposal, Ethan didn't immediately agree.
He was still very conflicted.
Indeed, as the Shadow Elf had said, his remarkable abilities could be of great assistance to Ethan.
However, Ethan believed that the future was unpredictable and that it was something to be shaped by one's own efforts.
After pondering for a while, Ethan directly asked the Shadow Elf, "Can you truly foresee the future? Then, can you tell me where I will be a year from now?"
The Shadow Elf fell silent, seeming somewhat hesitant.
Perhaps he couldn't foresee that far into the future, Ethan thought to himself.
"I can indeed foresee where you might be a year from now, but I'm not certain what unusual circumstances you might encounter as a result," the Shadow Elf replied, casting a hint of doubt in Ethan's mind.
In Ethan's view, wasn't it the Shadow Elf who was foreseeing the future? So why would it be Ethan who might face abnormal situations?
Noticing the puzzled expression on Ethan's face, the Shadow Elf quickly offered an explanation.
"Indeed, it is I who foresees the future, but what I foresee is your future. The essence of my ability to foresee the future actually involves using the Power of Shadow to pray to the God of Shadow."
"The God of Shadow can use his mighty Power of Shadow to glimpse into the future. However, the future he predicts is not always accurate; it could be wrong. Moreover, every time he foresees the future, the future tends to shift. And it's these shifts in the future that will happen to you."
Ethan listened quietly to the Shadow Elf's explanation, then nodded and said, "I believe you are indeed a very honest person. You didn't choose to lie to me, to make me believe that your extraordinary abilities would have no impact on me."
"Given that, let's join forces and move forward together. I feel that by working together, we can certainly overcome many dangers and successfully explore unknown territories."
The Shadow Elf was naturally overjoyed at Ethan's response.
He hadn't expected Ethan to actually agree to explore unknown regions with him.
"So, where shall we head to next?" the Shadow Elf asked with excitement.
"We're going to the Frost Domain! I want to meet the legendary White King," Ethan replied, gazing into the distance.
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