Pillar of Yita

”... We trudged through the Moisture Forest to the south of Egon.”

”... The forest there is filled with towering ancient trees, their vast roots plunging directly into the shallow wetlands. The aerial roots are dense and tangled, blocking out the daylight...”

”... The Dwarf Holuoke spotted a dense reed thicket and said there might be some high ground suitable for camping.”

Gita propped up the book in her hands, which floated about an inch or two above her left palm, spread open. It was large, perhaps requiring the embrace of Miss Natural Historian’s both hands to close it. But at that moment, she lifted it effortlessly.

The book had brass covers with a keyhole at the center, encircled by five leaf-shaped gemstones: a deep blue Lapis Lazuli, a blood-red Crimson Agate, a verdant Peridot, a colorless Tearstone, and right above the keyhole, a golden Opal Crystal.

Vines from plants grew along the gemstones on the cover, spreading across it and producing copper flowers and leaves, beneath which lay the gears, Ether Conduits, and other mechanical components for opening the book—

The golden Opal Crystal bore a line of strange runes, but to this day, no one could discern their meaning—except the book’s owner.

She described softly.

The ground in front of her bulged upwards, the cracked slates exposing the soil beneath, from which tiny green sprouts emerged. In an instant, the sprouts shot out branches and leaves, swiftly growing tall.

In just a few seconds, they surpassed the height of Miss Natural Historian.

They grew larger and thicker, their outer layer turning woody, maturing into towering ancient trees with lateral branches sprouting leaves that shimmered with green vitality and hung dense aerial roots. Below, scrub grew from the soil, forming reed thickets deep and impenetrable, while a pelting rain began abruptly over the workshop roof, clouds gathering thickly above.

Yet the rain stayed confined within an area of roughly ten by ten meters, forming a pond that didn’t spill over at all, like a miraculous spectacle.

Within ten breaths, a dense aquatic jungle had sprouted within the modest workshop space.

Mr. Greyrock edged his vast body slowly, chewing on Crystal Shards in his mouth—like the Rock Shark, Burden Beasts from Grey Ridge could also feed on rare Crystals rich with Ether Magic Power, the only nourishment powerful enough to sustain their immense size—and watched the sudden emergence of the dense forest with curiosity.

It disliked water, and the forest reminded it of an adventurous time in Traveler’s Swamp, causing it to instinctively step aside.

The workshop’s owner, Mr. Luoos, was exuberantly gesturing on the walkway: ”Be careful, don’t damage my workshop!”

Tianlan waved at him, ”Don’t worry, Mr. Luoos, these are just Illusions.”

Luoos of course understood this, otherwise he wouldn’t have allowed these Guests to run amok in his workshop; moreover, Fang Hong, Luo Yu, and the others had been very respectful before, not to mention prompt with their rent.

Such quality guests were hard to come by these days.

Still, he couldn’t help but worry about the aquatic jungle, muttering a few words and shaking his head—the Chosen brought business prosperity, but on the other hand, the differences between them were too great, always unsettling.

Luo Yu had just shifted his gaze from that direction, holding his Magic Guided Wand, and feeling the atmosphere within the rainforest before saying, ”The concentration of Water Elements around us is increasing—”

Atira touched the tree trunks of the towering ancient trees, her palm seemingly responding with a real coarse touch, making everything feel like it wasn’t a product of fabrication.

Tianlan, Lady Papamo, and the trio from Xiangzi approached the aquatic jungle, with Tianlan sneaking a push on the Papalarians from behind. Lady Papamo stumbled with an ”Aiyo” into the pond ahead, her head making a solid thump against a tree root.

She climbed out of the thicket like a drowned rat, glaring and turning to find who had sabotaged her. But Tianlan had already positioned herself behind Xiangzi, pretending to be engrossed in examining a tree root.

The Papalar’s gaze therefore landed first on the latter.

”What are you doing!?”

”It wasn’t me,” Xiangzi replied.

”I know, you’re definitely getting back at me for losing last time.”

”I won last time,” Xiangzi countered.

The two bickered and quarreled incessantly.

Yet, oddly enough, the moment Lady Papamo stepped out of the range of the Illusion, her clothes dried instantly, and if not for the bruise on her forehead, what had just transpired would seem as if it never happened.

The Parer paused, curiously inspecting herself and both hands.

Atira too spoke up, ”I can also feel the rich Life Force emanating from these plants, almost indistinguishable from what we experienced in Traveler’s Swamp.”

Though they were well aware of the Natural Historian’s projection abilities, which were more than mere illusions, they couldn’t help but marvel—after all, this was one of the most magical products of Alchemy from the previous era.

A real Magic Guided Book is so rare nowadays that many never see more than its name in their entire lives, let alone witness a Natural Historian’s Spell workings.

”This is truly amazing,” the little girl who had pranked the Papalar was still oblivious, clapping her hands as she emerged, asking curiously, ”Gita, how long can you maintain it?”