novelraw Chapter 326: The Relic of the Ice Witch
Chapter 326: The Relic of the Ice Witch
"Witch and Hunter, I've heard of your names. Let me introduce myself again - Shapeshifter, captain of the Ice Demon Pirates, solver of the Ice Witch's secrets! Palu!"
"Witch, and Hunter! To uncover the secrets in our hearts, I've been waiting for your response for countless nights on this endless sea!"
Palu extended his hand, shaking Chen Qi's hand with passion.
Chen Qi also reached out, and the two shook hands politely.
In that instant, Chen Qi could feel Palu's powerful, chaotic spiritual energy field!
His spiritual energy field was like a huge lump of clay, sometimes like a massive mountain, sometimes like a tiny trickle.
This was the state after a Dice affinity practitioner's Spiritual Core sublimated - under specific conditions, they could control their own spiritual energy field to achieve various disguises and powerful techniques.
However, as a cost, their spiritual energy field in normal state would be extremely chaotic.
And this spiritual energy field saturated with Dice affinity aura indicated two things: first, he might have recently performed a special 'Release'; second, based on Spiritual Core alone, Palu was already approaching the peak of fourth-tier legend.
Typically, the fourth-tier legend was a long stage, and in many ordinary eras, this was also the final destination for numerous heroes.Even in Beiguo's royal capital, legends were figures at the family elder level.
But in chaotic times, this was the first step toward godhood.
Chen Qi recalled knowledge about legends.
Within the legend rank, the three most important aspects were Spiritual Core sublimation, Domain Release, and Arrival.
Spiritual Core sublimation was similar to meditation methods when embarking on the transcendent path - it required reshaping one's Spiritual Core through some method, transforming it from pure spiritual energy into a completely new power.
Complete Domain Release and Arrival were techniques within the legend rank - whether one mastered these two techniques determined a legend's strength!
A legend who hadn't mastered Domain Release was absolutely no match for one who had.
The Flower Witch relics Fen possessed allowed her to master life domain techniques.
However, given Fen's current strength, she still needed considerable effort to step into 'Domain'.
Chen Qi thought about it - he had also digested the Sword of the Lake and possessed the Deep Sea Tentacle Compression Sphere.
Both these items could serve as materials for 'Domain'.
However, the power he currently mastered was far from meeting the requirements for a legend's 'Domain'.
The fourth-tier legend Domain was a powerful force that could alter reality and establish rules.
At this moment, Fen asked curiously:
"What was that giant ship just now?"
Fen could sense that Palu was a legend far stronger than them, yet Palu, as a legendary captain, had been chased like a stray dog by that giant ship.
Captain Palu of the Ice Demon Pirates remained silent for a moment before saying gravely:
"The Black Blade Ship, belonging to the Black Blood Empire, under Black Prison, leader of the Black Blood Empire's Seventh Navy Fleet - Blood General."
Hearing this, both Fen and Burry froze for a moment.
"Black Prison..."
Fen had heard from her teacher that when the pale sky was born, thirteen ancient transcendent organizations already existed.
They were once the thirteen largest hunter organizations during the Lightless Era, ruling the entire age. As the war ended and the pale sky rose, these hunter organizations became the foundation for nations.
In each major country, depending on the Affinity they controlled, they mastered different transcendent organizations.
Beiguo's Merchant Consortium and Artisans, Goldenfinch Kingdom's Garden, White Tower Federation's White Tower Library...
These organizations had ruled their respective countries for thousands of years. Over this long era, these ancient transcendent organizations had undergone tremendous changes.
Some of these organizations were the king's blade, while others held power even above the king.
Some were extremely large, even bloated - like Beiguo's Merchant Consortium and Artisans Alliance. The upper echelons of major companies like Steam Hand Workshop and Beiguo Grand Bank all belonged to these two major organizations.
Some had become extremely small in scale - like the White Tower Federation's Lighthouse, which reportedly had fewer than a hundred members total.
Others had almost disappeared from this world, their names even forgotten - like transcendent organizations of Phantom Affinity and Dice Affinity.
Besides these, there were some that had changed very little from a thousand years ago, advocating elitism and absolute strength.
The Black Blood Empire's Black Prison, representing 'Blade' Affinity, was such a mad Blade affinity organization.
It advocated 'combat', believing only the strong can command the strong, following ancient martial rules.
Only those who achieved great military exploits on the battlefield and gained the Valkyrie's favor could earn Black Prison's recognition.
Those recognized must also choose a 'Black Prison Hunter' on the Valkyrie's battlefield and defeat them to become a member of the Black Prison Hunters.
Chen Qi rubbed his chin. Although he had just advanced to legend, he could actually consider matters of Sainthood.
The Path to Sainthood, while difficult to find in the eyes of ordinary people, did indeed exist.
Without major opportunities, there were typically only three ways to become a Saint.
First, find one of these thirteen organizations or their major subordinate organizations, achieve unimaginable merits, join them, and complete missions.
Second, find an ancient super-powerful family, marry into it, sign various contracts, go to the borderlands to resist monsters from beyond this world. If one survived four years at the frontier without dying and successfully returned, they could queue for the scarce 'Saint' slots within the great family.
Third, obtain the highest S-rank evaluation in a maximum mutation rate A-tier dimensional rift, with a small probability of dropping incomplete Saint profession cards - though this probability was extremely tiny.
Chen Qi pondered for a moment.
Compared to these three methods, collecting Witch relics, finding the legendary Ice Witch, and opening the Witch's Coffin was already a quite reliable approach.
Of course, this actually depended on the 'Ice Witch's' attitude.
After all, according to legend, the Ice Witch's favorite prey was humans and monsters like him who possessed Deep Sea Affinity.
For Fen's sake, the Ice Witch probably wouldn't attack me, right? Chen Qi's eyes flashed with desire as he continued asking Palu:
"What happened between you and Blood General?"
Chen Qi vaguely remembered that the Black Blood Empire's Black Blade Ship was a hidden ally of the Blackfin Crew.
It was their hidden trump card against Beiguo's nobility.
And just now, this hidden trump card had appeared in the Witch Sea, leaving them as survivors!
If not for the pale sky's light, that giant ship would never have easily stopped its pursuit.
Facing Chen Qi's question, Palu paused.
Out of caution, he asked:
"Miss Flower Witch, there are no other outsiders nearby, right?"
Fen glanced at the water spirits huddled in the corner and nodded:
"Confirmed."
Palu paced back and forth, beginning to narrate their journey:
"After the previous 'Blade Witch ruins' incident, we realized that with the arrival of the Dimensional Tide, many Witch ruins would reappear in this sea."
"Thus, our Ice Demon Pirates began searching for Witch ruins. Finally, with the help of a friend, we found clues to the Lamp Witch ruins..."
Clues to the Lamp Witch? Chen Qi's eyes flashed with confusion.
The Ice Demon Pirates' motivation for this operation was actually connected to their actions with the Blood Blade Pirates.
Moreover, the ruins they were searching for were actually the Lamp Witch ruins he had never heard of!
Palu continued:
"According to our clues, the Lamp Witch ruins are located in the middle layer of the Fog Sea. We kept going deeper and deeper into those lost ruins, slaying countless monsters."
"But as a result, many crew members contracted special curses. My vice-captain Jin Li's soul was branded with the Lamp's mark, afflicted by the Lamp's curse."
Lamp's curse, quite troublesome... Chen Qi adopted a listening expression.
Palu continued:
"However, ultimately, we successfully found two crucial items."
"First, the Ice Witch's relic."
"Huh? The Ice Witch's relic!"
Chen Qi's eyes lit up.
Weren't they exploring the Lamp Witch's tomb?
Palu explained:
"We found it strange too, but the fact remains - inside the Lamp Witch's coffin lay the Ice Witch's relic, that legendary item said to be able to freeze time..."
Fen immediately showed curiosity, wanting to examine her teacher's Witch relic.
However, Palu didn't take out the desired item but sighed mournfully:
"Our crew was severely injured. When we emerged from the ruins, we encountered the Black Blade Ship. Ultimately, the Ice Witch relic fell into the Black Blade Ship's hands..."
"But as compensation, we managed to seize the Dice Witch's relic from them."
As he spoke, Palu took out a small six-sided die, each face showing six.
Trading the Ice Witch's relic for the Dice Witch's relic... quite a loss... Chen Qi thought silently.
Legend said the Dice Witch was an unrestrained, hard-drinking gambling addict, a complete madwoman.
She was once the daughter of a great family who unfortunately joined a gambler organization at Beiguo Royal University, gambling her way to legendary advancement resources. From then on, she became obsessed with getting something for nothing, wanting to obtain everything through gambling.
She continuously engaged in various crazy gambling games.
Through countless mad actions, she lost her family, friends, power, and the entire massive family supporting her through gambling.
Born wealthy, she ultimately lost everything, leaving only a withered, aged, and turbid soul.
Finally, under the Ice Witch's guidance, the Dice Witch lost a bet against the Lamp believers, and her soul returned to the Lamp Bearer Apostles of the Witch Sea.
Her Witch relic had long been sold to gambling dens.
The only function of this Witch relic was to improve luck, but each luck boost would be followed by random-sized misfortune.
The Ice Witch's relic, according to legend, was a Witch relic that could freeze time in an area - a legendary relic for opening 'time-based' Domains!
The Ice Witch was the foremost among numerous Witch relics! An unimaginably priceless treasure!
Fen blinked and asked:
"Can I take a look?"
"No problem."
Palu handed the die to Fen.
Fen examined it carefully in her hand - she could confirm this was indeed one of the thirteen Witch relics.
Currently, she possessed the Flower Witch and Blade Witch relics, Chen Qi had the Lamp Witch's relic, and Palu had the Dice Witch's relic.
Together, they possessed four Witch relics! They were only one Witch relic away from opening the Witch's Coffin and awakening her great teacher, the Ice Witch!
Fen swallowed hard, as if she could see the scene of her teacher's resurrection.
Palu retrieved the die and continued:
"Second, besides information about the Ice Witch relic, we also discovered special coordinates in the Lamp Witch ruins."
"Through our crew's archaeological findings, it's highly likely the coordinates of the Witch's Coffin - a tiny dimensional rift at five thousand meters depth in the deep sea!"
Palu grew more excited as he spoke!
As a follower of the Ice Witch, he too could witness the grand scene of the Ice Witch's arrival!
"The Witch's Coffin coordinates, five thousand meters, tiny dimensional rift..."
Fen was stunned.
Palu's coordinates were correct!
These were the coordinates her teacher had told her.
But these coordinates had been discovered so easily by outsiders.
However, the 'Witch's Coffin' was essentially an ancient ruin built by witches. It wasn't strange for clues about the Witch's Coffin to exist in various ruins.
Chen Qi noticed Fen's concern and added:
"Although this is just my speculation, as expected, the Blackfin Crew and Sea God Pirates both know the Witch's Coffin's location. However, without Witch relics, venturing five thousand meters into the deep sea is suicide."
Fen nodded - the coordinates weren't key; the five Witch relics were!
Captain Palu leaned against the ship's side, eyes full of excitement:
"With the coordinates, plus the Ice Witch's relic, plus the Witch relic held by the Sea God Pirates, and the relic Black Death Doctor stole from the navy!"
"As long as we ally with the Sea God Pirates, the Blackfin Crew is only one step away from opening the Witch's Coffin!"
Palu leaned against the ship, looking at the sky with a smile:
"Our time is running out! Therefore, you two, our Ice Demon Pirates sincerely hope to cooperate with you to open the Witch's Coffin together and awaken the legendary Ice Witch!"
"The Tide grows stronger - perhaps only the Ice Witch can resolve the disaster approaching the Witch Sea."
Only one relic missing... Fen swallowed hard, looking at Chen Qi.
Chen Qi looked at the tired yet excited Palu.
As one of the Four Great Pirates, Palu exuded a sense of powerlessness after experiencing the 'Lamp Witch ruins' in the Fog Sea and the Black Blade Ship's attack.
In Chen Qi's eyes, Palu was undoubtedly a trustworthy partner.
However, the only point confusing Chen Qi was Palu's true purpose for seeking the Ice Witch.
Besides pursuing the Path to Sainthood, Palu likely had another hidden motive for seeking the Ice Witch.
Chen Qi said:
"No problem, we'll cooperate. We'll search for Witch relics together. However, after finding one more Witch relic, you must tell me your true purpose for seeking the Ice Witch..."
"True purpose? So you've heard my story too, Black Hunter..."
Palu raised his head, looking meaningfully at Chen Qi, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly:
"This concerns the history of this Witch Sea. But no problem, I swear by the Sea Goddess - I'm willing to make this deal, and I'll absolutely be your loyal ally!"
Palu made an inviting gesture and continued:
"As allies, I'm willing to help you with anything. Besides, if our goal is finding Witch relics, I actually know the whereabouts of a Cup relic."
"???"
Chen Qi was shocked.
Palu continued:
"Rumor has it the Sea God Pirates lent their Cup relic to a doctor for researching a kind of black distorted blood..."
"That kind of distorted blood, once formed, could end the Witch Sea's war! Awaken the Great Whale's true power!"
Doctor, distorted blood... Chen Qi swallowed hard.
Palu snapped his fingers:
"The most important aspect of this intelligence - the one holding that Cup Witch's relic is just a weak doctor! A feeble doctor who couldn't withstand even one of our fingers!"