Above The Sky
Chapter 251 - 251 239 The Blood of the Innocent 13

251: Chapter 239: The Blood of the Innocent (1/3) 251: Chapter 239: The Blood of the Innocent (1/3) “You’re a bit stronger than I imagined.

I thought you were just a foolish young master from a wealthy family, but it turns out you have some backbone.”

Seeing Yisen Gard catch up to him, Ian sincerely commented, “Don’t feel too guilty.

This parasite is very unusual; I even suspect it might be a type of Spirit Energy creature—otherwise, how could it take over the human body so quickly…

It’s less like taking over the nerves and more like some kind of Phantom possession.”

Spirit Energy creatures do exist on the Terra Continent, although they are rare but not mysterious.

Just like the Fae and Phantoms, they are special Spirit Energy creatures—there’s no need to elaborate on the Fae.

When a person with Spirit Energy talent dies amidst intense emotional turmoil that could awaken them, they might disturb the surrounding Spirit Energy Field and become a Phantom lingering in a specific area, wandering in special places.

Besides, there are certain unique creatures, such as in the Great Redwood Forest, which can naturally communicate with others of its kind through the Natural Spiritual Energy Field and consequently form a collective Spirit Energy entity like the ‘Will of the Forest Sea.’

Earlier, while eliminating the diseased tissue for Master Gossay, Ian had considered this possibility…

Indeed, if the Brain-Eating Parasite had an intricate connection with the Natives, and the method of the Natives merging with the Totem Master was a kind of alternative parasitism, might the Will of the Forest Sea have another form of manifestation within the ruins?

For instance, some kind of collective consciousness of parasites?

It’s more like when the Natives tamed wild beasts into war beasts, and even mass-tamed Elephant Warriors with their technology—was it really that easy for such knowledge to fade into obscurity, or was it something more than mere ‘craftsmanship,’ perhaps a special kind of ‘Bloodline’?

With such doubts and speculations, Ian carried Master Gossay on his back, moving with light steps.

Although there was a strange, steel-like touch in the chest and abdomen of the old man behind him, and he was much heavier than an ordinary old man, for Ian, it was like carrying a piece of wood.

“…It’s not guilt.”

Following Ian closely and after a moment of silence, Yisen Gard said in a somewhat deep voice, “These fishers, merchants, they didn’t do anything, yet they were affected by the internal strife of our Ellen Family, which led them to fall into this place and die from parasite infestation.”

“I’m not guilty, I’m just… I’m just angry.”

Clenching his fists, Ian heard for the first time that Yisen Gard, who had always seemed a bit foolish and even somewhat optimistic, could have such indignant, such sorrowful emotions.

And Yisen’s words continued, “They did nothing wrong, they were just caught up in the intrigue surrounding me and died like this…

They didn’t want this!

They are innocent…”

“You’re sympathizing with yourself,” Ian nodded, interrupting Yisen’s indignant statement.

“Because essentially, these people are just like you.”

He earnestly said, “You are also innocent and didn’t do anything wrong, yet you were still caught up in the conspiracy.”

The only difference between you and them is that you’re not dead yet.”

This statement made the blonde young man fall silent, lost in thought.

Quite some time later, when Ian chose a cave fork for the fourth time and entered without hesitation, Yisen suddenly realized and murmured to himself, “Yeah…”

“I’m still alive… I need to figure out why… I must uncover the truth!”

“If you truly empathize with those ordinary people, if you are really angry about the death of the innocent,”

The white-haired young man poured cold water again, “don’t get too worked up right now.

We’re still in a dangerous situation; let’s talk about these things after we get out.”

“Whether it’s the truth, outrage, self-reproach, or guilt, only those who survive can seek and bear them.”

“Yeah.” This time Yisen truly calmed down, even managing to smile again: “I understand what you mean, Ian.

Thanks for your comfort.”

In fact, Ian wasn’t trying to comfort him; he was just being objectively honest—speaking the truth was good for everyone at this time.

Besides, he was also fully utilizing his Foresight View, observing the changes in the mist on Yisen’s body and deciding how he should move through the corridors.

—A place where they could temporarily hide and shake off the pursuers from the Fiery Flame Land.

Even though the conditions were demanding, the Foresight View faithfully played its role, and Ian sped along, leading Yisen and Gossay on the ‘correct’ path without a trace of hesitation.

“By the way, Ian, I hope you don’t mind me asking,”

Feeling a bit of his spirit return, Yisen Gard now had the time and recollection to think back on the previous battle.

He wasn’t surprised by Ian’s combat strength, as he had known for a while that his peer was indeed much stronger than him in this regard.

What mainly piqued his curiosity was the skill Ian displayed: “It seemed like you used ‘Water Blade’?”

“Is that the inscription effect of the Seaborn Longsword belonging to Green Tide?

Did you encounter him?

Is he… alright?”

Green Tide is the alias of the Seaborn Wave Scout, whose Seaborn Longsword Ian had replicated with a Silver Chip, crafting an elite inscribed longsword.

Yisen particularly enjoyed the adventure stories and mercenary experiences that Green Tide shared—although Green Tide had been recruited by the Platinum Iridium Workshop, he needed a lot of money for his child to become a Sublimator, necessitating continuous missions, which is why he often took on external jobs.

“No, I just remember the inscriptions well, so I used the Origin Quality within my own body to temporarily replicate it.”

After he finished speaking, Ian noticed that Yisen Gard’s eyes were wide open with a shocked expression.

He knew how outrageous his actions were.

Indeed, inscriptions are the foundation of various sublimation skills.

Many sublimators’ special abilities stem from Origin Quality inscribing some unique inscription structures in their bones and flesh and blood.

But to temporarily arrange Origin Quality into inscription imprints by memory to stimulate them?

It’s as incredible as someone being able to recite a book backwards!

However, these were trivial matters, after all, he was a genius.

Although it seemed inconceivable, it wasn’t impossible, so Ian just smiled and said, “Honestly, I’ve had a photographic memory since I was young, I can remember first-level inscriptions at a glance.”

“No wonder…

no wonder those inscription masters say their standards for accepting disciples are impossible for normal people to meet.”

The golden-haired youth looked at Ian with reverence; he clearly misunderstood something.

Soon, he had no time to be curious.

Because Ian took him through twists and turns, arriving at an underground river.

“…Are we really going in?

This is an underground dark river deep beneath the surface, a slight mistake could lead us to be lost forever!”

Looking at the pitch-black waterway and injecting himself and the old man with underwater breathing agents, although Yisen Gard knew this was the only choice, he still swallowed hard.

He had a lot of confidence in Ian, but he was still afraid: “Are you sure we won’t get lost?”

“Don’t worry, didn’t I tell you,”

While speaking, Ian reached out and pulled Yisen Gard into the water: “I have a photographic memory.”

Yisen Gard knew how to swim, but the turbulent undercurrents near the remnants of the pre-ancient civilization were clearly out of his depth—he could only cling tightly to Ian’s arm, trying his best not to be washed away.

Within a few breaths’ time, Ian, using the Fairy Wings, glided through a straight stretch of the river and entered an even larger subterranean cavity.

The cavity had filled up with water, and under the scan of the silver core chip, it proved to be a gigantic pool of water about three to four hundred meters in length and width, and more than seventy meters deep.

The water temperature here was far lower than other places, nearly reaching zero degrees, yet at the bottom of the pool, some peculiar moss-shaped fungi and algae were still growing.

At the bottom of this icy pool of algae, there was a triangular exit.

Ian followed the current into this crack, somewhat surprised to find that there was an artificially straightened water channel ahead.

——As I thought, I found it strange earlier, would an underground waterway be this straight normally?

——Could it be that this place is also within the bounds of the pre-ancient civilization remnants, and this site is a large reservoir?

With such doubts, along the straight water channel, Ian quickly brought Master Gossay and Yisen to the end of this waterway—a huge cavern shrouded by undulating, dim fluorescent light.

The water flowing out of the waterway connected to the pool of water in this place, continuously inputting fresh water.

The temperature in the cavern was very low, and it was exceptionally humid, the air filled with a strange fragrance.

Not far from the place where they came out of the water, Ian led the two onto the shore, then observed the surroundings.

“Cough cough…” Amidst the golden-haired youth’s coughing, Ian suddenly raised his hand, signaling for him to be silent.

The young man frowned and looked towards a corner of the nearby cave.

In the darkness, something quite large seemed to be slowly wriggling, moving closer to them.

“Be careful,” he said, gripping the longsword at his waist.

“Prepare to fight, there is a native creature here.”

Yisen Gard was startled and had no time to check on Master Gossay; he quickly got up, holding a small knife with both hands, ready to join Ian in vigilance and battle.

And just as Ian spoke, the rustling movement in the corner of the cave abruptly stopped.

Then, a shadow emerged from the corner.

It was a giant mushroom as tall as a man!

Of course, a giant mushroom wouldn’t move on its own.

It definitely had legs.

Both Ian and Yisen Gard looked toward the underside of the giant mushroom, and simultaneously, they were taken aback.

“Swamp Crocodile Dragon?”