Chapter 2270: Chapter 2271: The Swallowed Treasure

Not only that, the Spatial Tempest continued to spread for several hours until it reached a certain limit and then retreated slowly like the tide.

But the retreat was not a disappearance; it just returned to the basic state of the Spatial Tempest, lurking and waiting for the next eruption.

"What is going on?" Angel looked at the distant Spatial Tempest that had not disappeared with confusion, feeling as if it were a living entity breathing, the Spatial Tempest rising and falling with each breath.

"I don’t know either. Ever since Mr. Feng left, the Spatial Tempest appeared not long after. It constantly manifests the phenomenon of rise and fall, and the passage in the painting happens to be within the range when the disaster spreads, so you have to calculate the timing to enter here," Nami Midori said.

Angel frowned slightly.

From what he had just observed about the rise and fall, combined with what Nami Midori previously mentioned in the Vine House about waiting, Angel had basically guessed that the Spatial Tempest had a pattern of rhythmic undulations.

The undulation was indeed strange, but what made him even more suspicious was—

"The Spatial Tempest appeared not long after Mr. Feng left? Are you saying the Spatial Tempest here has lasted for six hundred years?"

Nami Midori: "To be precise, it’s been over four hundred years. The Spatial Tempest appeared about a hundred years after Mr. Feng left."

Angel was silent for a moment, feeling powerless about the Elemental Creatures’ concept of time. "Not long after leaving" meant more than a hundred years in the eyes of Elemental Creatures.

Apart from this, simply discussing the phenomenon, Angel had never heard of such an occurrence before.

The Spatial Tempest in the Void is indeed a common disaster, but according to the records he had seen, Spatial Tempests are not a persistent type of disaster.

There are countless causes for a Spatial Tempest; a random stirring of dust might ignite a Spatial Tempest in a few months or years. However, the internal energy of a Spatial Tempest exhausts quickly, leading to its rapid disappearance, and though space in the Void is sometimes unstable, there exists a law-like regularity that self-repairs as space collapses and slowly heals under this regularity.

In other words, for Spatial Tempests to rage, they not only need to consume internal energy but must also contend with certain external regularities. Therefore, generally, they do not persist for long.

Even in treacherous spaces where Spatial Tempests appear periodically, they are intermittent rather than continuous.

The longest Spatial Tempest likely doesn’t last for years.

But the Spatial Tempest before him had astonishingly persisted for over four hundred years.

This had already exceeded Angel’s understanding.

So, upon first hearing this, Angel speculated that it might be a manmade disaster. Because only through human intervention could such abundant and continuously linked energy be provided for a Spatial Tempest.

Previous mentions of "after Feng left, the Spatial Tempest descended not long after" led Angel to assume Feng was involved. But upon learning that the Spatial Tempest appeared a hundred years after Feng left, Angel became puzzled.

If Feng had indeed orchestrated it, he certainly wouldn’t have waited a century before unleashing the Spatial Tempest.

Or did Feng set up a persistent Spatial Tempest chain a hundred years later?

Angel had many doubts about the Spatial Tempest before him, but now it was difficult to find answers. The Void left no traces for him to pursue.

Therefore, he could only temporarily set it aside.

"Since this is the Void corresponding to the world’s center, does it mean Mr. Feng’s treasure is here?" Angel surveyed his surroundings, and the feedback from perception, apart from the boundless Void, revealed only the Spatial Tempest not far away.

The so-called treasure had no trace.

Angel looked toward Nami Midori and found that she was staring silently with her golden glowing eyes at the Spatial Tempest in the distance, which was continually contracting.

Angel felt a pang: "The treasure couldn’t possibly be..."

Nami Midori slowly spoke: "You guessed right; the treasure is within the Spatial Tempest."

Angel: ???

Back in the Vine House, when Angel heard about the Spatial Tempest behind the painting’s passage, an unsettling feeling arose.

The more you worry, the more likely you are to encounter it unexpectedly.

Now, that unease had truly become reality.

"What exactly is the situation? Can you elaborate, Your Excellency?" Angel couldn’t help but ask.

Nami Midori didn’t conceal anything and divulged the whole situation.

In simple terms, the treasure was placed within the Void. Owing to a promise with Feng, Nami Midori never approached the Treasure Land, simply leaving a Floating Flower in this Void to observe if any Void Creatures mistakenly entered, to prevent the treasure from being destroyed.

The Void is boundless, making it difficult to encounter Void Creatures. Over the years, Nami Midori hadn’t detected the presence of any Void Creatures, but though Void Creatures didn’t appear, a Void disaster did.

Four hundred years ago, while Nami Midori was in seclusion, the Floating Flower suddenly showed abnormal movements. Assuming a Void Creature had appeared, Nami Midori hurried into the Void.

Subsequently, it witnessed with its own eyes the Treasure Land being surrounded by the Spatial Tempest.

With the Spatial Tempest continually spreading, Nami Midori had no choice but to retreat.

It thought the Spatial Tempest wouldn’t last long and intended to check on the Treasure Land after the Spatial Tempest dissipated to see if it was affected. But to its surprise, from that day on, the Spatial Tempest became a permanent fixture there, never leaving again.

Angel: "You just mentioned that the Treasure Land is merely surrounded by the Spatial Tempest? Was the treasure not obliterated?"

Nami Midori: "When the Spatial Tempest first appeared, it indeed didn’t encroach upon the Treasure Land. However, with the Spatial Tempest spreading rapidly, the later situation remains unknown to me."

Angel: "Is it impossible to observe the Treasure Land from here?"

Nami Midori nodded: "The Treasure Land is far from here, positioned at the core of the Spatial Tempest. Even if the Spatial Tempest contracts to its extreme, it’s still impossible to observe the situation of the Treasure Land. So whether the treasure was obliterated or still exists is hard to say."

Although Nami Midori said as much, Angel was determined to circle around the Spatial Tempest for observation. If the Treasure Land still existed, there was at least a glimmer of hope; if it was destroyed, there was no need to waste time here.

Thus, Angel began to circle the periphery of the Spatial Tempest.

Upon completing the circuit, Angel confirmed the truth in Nami Midori’s words. He had ridden on Toby, transformed into a Gryphon, and circled the Spatial Tempest.

Even with Toby’s speed, completing a full circuit around the Spatial Tempest took an entire day.

This alone explained the enormous area covered by the Spatial Tempest.

Attempting to observe the situation of the Treasure Land from the periphery was utterly impossible.

Angel returned to Nami Midori’s side, full of regret.

"Is there a way to enter the Spatial Tempest, Your Excellency?" Although Angel didn’t hold much hope, he couldn’t resist asking.

Nami Midori gave Angel a sidelong glance and replied irritably, "What do you think?"

The simplest disaster in the Void is not something one can easily deal with. At least Angel has never heard of anyone entering a Spatial Tempest and surviving.

He can’t do it himself, and Nami Midori’s rhetorical question suggests she can’t either.

The situation with the treasure is now unknown, and with the inability to enter the Spatial Tempest, the matter suddenly hits a deadlock.

At this moment, Nami Midori said, "Perhaps, after I break through the bottleneck, I can enter the Spatial Tempest."

Nami Midori’s words left Angel in a brief daze.

His attention shifted from the Spatial Tempest, and he once again thought of Feng.

The current situation seems to be the worst-case scenario. However, since Feng wrote the Chapter of fate through the Book of Kael, crafting a game that includes the Abyss, the Wizards’ Realm, and the Tidal World, did he not foresee a Spatial Tempest here?

Previously, he speculated that the Spatial Tempest might have nothing to do with Feng, because he didn’t know that the Treasure Land was also engulfed in the Spatial Tempest. Since the treasure is within the Spatial Tempest, it may indeed be related to Feng’s plan.

If Feng really foresaw all this, and the Spatial Tempest is part of the game he set up, then two certainties can be deduced.

The first certainty: the Treasure Land must be safe.

Frost Iser and Nami Midori both mentioned that Feng was very reluctant when leaving the treasure; it’s clearly very precious. Feng wouldn’t create a situation where the treasure is consumed by the Spatial Tempest. Unless Feng was acting from the moment he put down the treasure, but this doesn’t align with Feng’s personality. Feng has his quirks, but he’s reliable and leaves room for maneuver.

The second certainty: there must be a solution for the current Spatial Tempest.

Under the premise of the first certainty, if the Spatial Tempest is unsolvable, then creating such a large setup is unnecessary.

So, what exactly is the "solution" to the Spatial Tempest?

Feng once told Nami Midori that Angel is the opportunity for her breakthrough. If this is considered part of the setup, then what Nami Midori said might really be possible.

Nami Midori is the key to breaking the game.

Once Nami Midori achieves a legendary breakthrough, she can enter the Treasure Land.

If this speculation is true, then after much contemplation, the matter returns to the initial question: How to help Nami Midori break through?

No matter if the Spatial Tempest was within Feng’s expectations or whether it ultimately has a solution, at least Angel can be certain that he cannot obtain the treasure temporarily.

Thus, filled with regret and deep resentment toward Feng, Angel and Nami Midori waited for the Spatial Tempest to wane and returned to the Vine House from the fixed coordinates.

Upon returning to the Vine House, Nami Midori asked Angel, "What are you planning to do next?"

Angel: "Mr. Feng probably wouldn’t set up an unsolvable game. If the Spatial Tempest is part of his plan, there should be a solution. I want to stay here for a while; may I have your permission?"

Nami Midori nodded, "You may."

Nami Midori had also come to an understanding; since Angel is the opportunity for her breakthrough, she should observe him. Although she still feels some reluctance, a breakthrough is a mystical thing. Angel might be the opportunity, but he can’t help her break through; she must rely on herself.

After speaking, Nami Midori left, leaving behind a vibrant blue ethereal flower outside the Vine House. If Angel needed to contact her, he could do so through the ethereal flower.

After Nami Midori left, Angel quietly stared at a portrait, lost in thought.

...

Outside the Lost Forest.

In the dim forest, Leaf Groot, Lobal, and Speedy were quietly discussing some topics. Cubic flew to the top of a big tree, hiding among the dense leaves, seemingly resting.

Only Dangross stood before the Mist of the Lost Forest, continuously peering inside.

"Mr. Pat has been inside for almost two days now; he won’t be in trouble, will he?"

While Dangross was thinking this, Leaf Groot suddenly came up behind him.

"Aren’t you going to admit you’re worried?" Leaf Groot said with a cunning smile.

Dangross bristled as usual, "I’ve said many times, I’m worried about Master Toby!"

Leaf Groot cast a deep look at Dangross, "I didn’t say you were worried about Mr. Pat, so why are you reacting so strongly?"

Dangross choked on his words, hummed, and turned his hand aside, "I can’t be bothered with you."

After a moment of silence, seeing that Leaf Groot hadn’t moved away, Dangross couldn’t help but ask, "There shouldn’t be any problems inside, right? Will Lord Nami Midori dislike the Alien Clan?"

Leaf Groot chuckled, "I don’t know what the situation is inside. However, Lord Nami Midori shouldn’t dislike the Alien Clan. He doesn’t seem to have any prejudice against humans."

Upon hearing this, Dangross let out a small sigh of relief. However, while sighing, he noticed Leaf Groot looking at him. Hastily, he murmured to himself, "Then Master Toby shouldn’t be in any trouble."

Leaf Groot heard Dangross’s words, smiled slightly, and said nothing.

At this moment, Cubic, resting on the treetop, suddenly said, "The Mist in the depths of the Lost Forest seems to be clearing."

As Cubic’s words fell, all the Elemental Creatures turned their gaze to the distance.

Cubic, Lobal, and Speedy were all wind-type creatures, capable of flying high and observing. Leaf Groot’s stature was tall, enabling him to see far away; only Dangross, a small hand, could see very little.

In Dangross’s anxiousness, Leaf Groot extended a branch toward him, gesturing for him to climb aboard.

Dangross hesitated for a moment but ultimately climbed onto Leaf Groot, reaching the treetop, gazing into the distance.

Cubic wasn’t lying; the Mist deep in the Lost Forest truly began to thin.

As the Mist lightened, a towering vine slowly emerged in their view.

"Lord Leaf, what’s with that vine? Why is it so tall, like it’s piercing into the clouds?" Dangross asked curiously.

But before Leaf Groot could answer, a cool voice emanated from within the Lost Forest.

"That is the Vine Tower."

At the moment the voice arrived, Leaf Groot froze: The voice... it sounds so familiar...

Leaf Groot turned slowly, looking toward the depths of the Lost Forest.

Amidst the thinning Mist, a lush green snake elegantly exposed its form among blooming flowers.

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