Divine Beast Creator

Chapter 1862 - 1863: Paradise in the Clouds

If the first two areas are in real space, then the third docking area is somewhat special. On the cotton-like clouds, a large number of strange clouds are bouncing around, and occasionally a breeze stirs the small windmills on the ground and blows those bouncing clouds away.

Aside from the cloudy ground, the sky in this area is also filled with large cloud clusters. Between the cloud layer and the clusters, small floating clouds act as staircase steps. However, these small clouds don’t seem fixed in place, as occasionally a small cloud is blown away by the wind.

After the wind subsides, those displaced small clouds strive to drift back to their original positions, but they move slowly so that the cloud staircases have many missing parts.

Just stepping out of the cabin, the elastic cloud layer almost made Xiao Ji fall. It never expected that the ground here would be so peculiar.

"Hmm, is this place supposed to require climbing to the highest point?"

Lightly tapping his chin with his index finger, Feng Yuan looked at the uneven cloud layers with an inexplicable expression, and Veronia shook her head and said,

"Not so; this should be Cloud Paradise. However, the creatures that should originally appear in Cloud Paradise seem absent. According to the original plot, Cloud Paradise is the habitat of cloud creatures. The storm cloud expelled from Paradise in the Clouds always tries to destroy this paradise. I hope we won’t encounter that thing."

"Original plot?"

Feng Yuan was stunned, looking at Veronia. The previous two areas had nothing to do with the Tashimar Fantasy Circus series, but suddenly, this one sprang up with the plot from the original?

Thinking it over, Veronia said uncertainly,

"It’s hard to say. The storm cloud is considered the final antagonist in the Paradise in the Clouds arc. Moreover, Paradise in the Clouds is actually derived from Omeilia-Tamotal’s folklore. Because the climate there is changeable, storm clouds often merge with normal clouds without rain to become rain clouds. I’m not entirely sure which story this place comes from."

There’s no way around it; the Tashimar Fantasy Circus series itself also integrates many folklore tales from the Omeilia Region. Without particularly obvious features, it’s really hard to say which this place is based on.

"Forget it; there’s no point in being caught up in this matter. But will the storm cloud really not appear?"

Glancing at this Paradise in the Clouds, Feng Yuan muttered inexplicably. So many things, if devoured by a black storm cloud, would surely give an amazing visual effect, right?

Wait! I shouldn’t think like that! If it turns out to be true, it would be troublesome for us.

Not to mention whether or not we can eliminate the storm cloud, since its origin in the real world is merely due to special energy disturbances in some areas, causing wind-attribute energy to converge into a unique non-ultimate-move storm. The storm cloud appears as a cloud but is actually a wind-attribute energy conglomerate, which is why it lacks precipitation ability.

However, this is the situation in the real world. Feng Yuan dared not assume this place generates storm clouds according to the real world. If that thing is set to move around, cast skills as a boss, it would be troublesome. Outright breaking the rules to destroy isn’t impossible, but doing so could potentially reduce the area’s stability.

Feng Yuan even suspected that if it were really so, its destruction could cause the collapse of the entire area.

Thinking it through, Feng Yuan shook his head. That thing hasn’t appeared yet, and rather than worrying about it, it’s better to consider how to deal with the mechanisms here. Although there are no instructions, just looking at those layers of clouds, he can guess that it’s about climbing up. As for whether reaching the top is the goal or something else, it’s hard to say.

"So, how about we split up and act independently? The spatial stability in this area seems decent, so there shouldn’t be incidents of sudden transfer of individuals."

Turning to Yang Hongzhi, Feng Yuan asked. Though it might be about climbing to the highest point, there are many platforms on the first segment here, and he’s not sure if those platforms are completely useless.

Najia thought for a moment and said,

"The area isn’t particularly large. If something happens, support could be timely. Splitting up might be viable."

"Then I’ll head this way."

Glancing around, Veronia casually pointed in one direction and said. After the three split up, Feng Yuan found a cloud layer with intact steps and began climbing via the cloud staircase, watching Xiao Ji trying hard to hop. Feng Yuan, amused, picked it up and held it in his arms, saying,

"I’ll carry you."

These steps are indeed peculiar. Feng Yuan tried; in this place, a strong force suppresses him, severely limiting his jumping height. As a result, it became difficult for Xiao Ji to ascend the steps because, with such height restrictions on jumps, its short legs struggled to cross each step.

As for flying? This area forbids it; Xiao Ji simply can’t fly.

Curled up in Feng Yuan’s arms, Xiao Ji looked at the clouds resentfully. If it weren’t for the suppression here, it wouldn’t be dragging Feng Yuan down!

The first layer isn’t high, so Feng Yuan quickly reached it holding Xiao Ji. But from below, there should be stairs that continue upward. Upon reaching the platform, he found that the stairs were missing some parts.

Without restrictions, Feng Yuan could forcibly cross the gaps and continue upward. However, here, the force suppresses his jump height, and the stone platform in the center hinted something to him.

"Finding keys to unlock the route to the next platform? Tsk, could it be that there’s only one path in the end?"

Muttering, Feng Yuan stood at the platform’s edge, scanning his surroundings. The stone platform’s center had a specially shaped groove, and without any instruction, he knew he’d have to find a key shaped like the groove on other platforms to unlock the route ahead.

Hesitating, Feng Yuan didn’t jump down directly. Though he could forcibly break through the no-fly restriction, he wasn’t sure if doing so would lower spatial stability.

"Will you wait here or...?"

Glancing at Xiao Ji, Feng Yuan asked. Seeing the other looking at him cluelessly, he said with resignation,

"Now I need to go down to other platforms to find the key here. Don’t worry; we’ll definitely have to come back. So, will you wait for me here?"

Xiao Ji paused, giving Feng Yuan a conflicted look. After a moment’s hesitation, it transformed into its Eggshell Chicken form and hopped onto Feng Yuan’s head. Staying here was definitely not an option it wanted, but remaining in eagle form and being carried by Feng Yuan also felt inappropriate.

Unlike the Eggshell Chicken form, the eagle form wasn’t as easy to hold and differed greatly in weight. As for the Eggshell Chicken form being unable to fight? Xiao Ji felt it could endure for now.

Seeing Xiao Ji make a choice, Feng Yuan said nothing further. With so many platforms around, even not knowing if there’s a time limit, he had to speed up.

Some of these cloud platforms required unlocking several times to get the key at the route’s end. The distribution of those keys wasn’t very regular. Sometimes, Feng Yuan found keys for the direction Veronia was responsible for, while other times, Yang Hongzhi obtained keys for Feng Yuan’s direction.

Ultimately, they agreed to temporarily place unknown keys in the center. For the stone platform groove shapes they’d seen, they could remember without worrying about decreased efficiency.

As Feng Yuan suspected, the platforms were pyramid-shaped overall, with fewer routes as they ascended. Though it was more strenuous to go up and down, under collective efforts, their efficiency increased as they climbed higher.

As they neared the top, the surroundings changed to a sky awash with sunset glow, making the originally bright Paradise in the Clouds seem like twilight was approaching.

"I just have a feeling that thing will appear."

By now, Feng Yuan’s group had gathered together. All routes converged there, leading upward. Feng Yuan used the key in his hand to open the ascending stairs, gazing at the sunset-bathed space, and couldn’t help but sigh.

Veronia shot a glance at Feng Yuan, saying exasperatedly,

"Aren’t you afraid that after you say this, the mastermind will actually send a storm cloud your way?"

"Heh heh~ there’s nothing to be done if that’s the case. But the destination is right in front of us. Tsk, it really seems to be..."

Looking at the highest cloud layer, Feng Yuan said with a peculiar expression. There’s no way around it; that pitch-black cloud layer inevitably led him to think more.