Above The Sky
Chapter 594 - 594 563 Death of the Fae 33

594: Chapter 563: Death of the Fae (3/3) 594: Chapter 563: Death of the Fae (3/3) As Hua’an and Tres used rather physical means to open the door of the biological Spirit Energy laboratory in the northern sewers of Azure City,

the first thing they felt was an icy chill so cold it seemed almost to come from a forest.

Fairy Miss lifted her head, looking towards the dark underground lab hall.

The seemingly vast space somehow imparted a claustrophobic sensation.

Especially within the range of Fairy Perception, inscriptions of ‘prohibition,’ ‘closure,’ and ‘fortification’ could be found throughout the lab; it was also saturated with the stench of suffering and despair.

Countless Humans, beasts, and Magical Beasts had endured torture here before dying.

It made all life, whether Fae or Humans, instinctively feel a shiver of fear…or rather, one might say.

A chill of death climbed up the spine.

“How many people have died in this place…”

Hua’an shivered, hugging the nearby Frost Butterfly and complaining, “It’s even colder than my Frost Butterfly!”

“Holy smokes, is this a slaughterhouse?”

On the other hand, Tres subconsciously assumed a combat stance.

Clutching the hilt of the sword at his waist, he frowned deeply: “I’d believe it if you told me this place is a nest for Phantoms.”

But just as everyone remained on guard, in the corridor not far away,

two silvery blue points of light lit up, accompanied by the steady sound of footsteps, dispersing all the ominous atmosphere.

“They’re here.”

Ian approached slowly, sheathing his Iron Pattern Sword with an air of composure, and greeted all his teammates with a smile: “The cleanup is almost complete, and they even conveniently organized the data for us—we can just take the data and leave.”

“That’s good,” said Tres, who, upon seeing the box of data in Ian’s hands, nodded without hesitation, ready to declare the mission over and leave.

Clearly, Ian’s solo mission must have been connected to Michael’s task.

And now that the mission was complete, it was time for them to leave.

As for the content of the mission…

Tres may have preferred not to think too hard, yet he was at the Second Energy Level, and had a soul; he wouldn’t make such a foolish mistake—not even with a million guts would he dare to ask or even contemplate these matters.

Ignorance is not an error, getting it yet not getting it, right?

“Eh?”

However, Hua’an furrowed her brows, her expression dubious as she hugged the Frost Butterfly and circled Ian.

Only then, when the boy seemed somewhat troubled, did she ask, “You don’t want us to go inside…

indeed, have you found something you want to hide from us?”

“No…

you want to hide it from me and Morphia, even from the Frost Butterfly!”

Fairy Miss, relying on her instincts, declared confidently: “This matter concerns us Fae!”

“…Indeed.”

Ian hesitated, but after a moment of silence, he sighed and admitted, “Alright, Hua’an, come with me alone with Morphia…

but don’t bring the Frost Butterfly.”

Frost Butterfly: “0⌒0?”

Although somewhat unhappy, Frost Butterfly was still obedient and willing to listen.

Like Tres, she watched as Ian led the two Fae, Hua’an and Morphia, into the depths of the lab.

“What in the world is so important that you have to call me over?”

Morphia, having just finished writing a report, was a bit confused.

The Wind Fairy Miss didn’t even know that the team had already fought several encounters, as with Hua’an and Tres, and an entire exceptionally capable Patrol Knight Squad around, they hadn’t encountered anything that could trouble her.

But they also knew Ian wouldn’t act as an enigma or specially call on them without good reason.

Upon reaching the depths of the laboratory, Hua’an and Morphia understood why Ian insisted Frost Butterfly, the Little Fairy, shouldn’t come.

Because…

Laid out in the depths of the lab were the ‘corpses’ of several Fae.

Theoretically, Fae, as Spirit Energy creatures, should not have ‘corpses.’ However, similar to how Fae might even sell their remains, the material shells are essentially their bodies after death.

But a carapace contaminated by a Fairy’s death energy is different from one shed voluntarily by a Fae.

The former’s Origin Quality imparts a ‘disgust’ to all Fae, and as this feeling spreads, all Fae would come to understand that these materials for ascension and Magic Potion were obtained through the killing of a Fairy.

At that point, the consequences would not be pleasant.

It can even be said…

those responsible would witness one of the darkest scenes in Terra.

Fae may lack caution and often appear cute and endearing, but this does not mean they are a ‘harmless and kind-hearted’ race as a whole.

On the contrary, the very reason nations treat the Fae of Falling Star City with such decorum, even allowing them to establish the Fairy Homeland within their territories…

was fought for!

Although the final outcome was a stalemate, everyone knows that to offend these seemingly fragile beings comes with consequences beyond what the ordinary person could withstand.

Yet, in the underground lab of Azure City, Ian led Hua’an and Morphia to witness this row of ‘corpses.’

“Chenyao!

And Huan Lan?!”

Upon seeing the appearance of the two leading Fae, Hua’an was taken aback for a moment before quickly approaching to observe, “They…

they’re really dead!

And judging by the traces of Spirit Substance, their souls haven’t fully detached!”

“This is bad, after they reincarnate, they’re bound to lose a lot of memories…

They might not even remember me…”

“Huan Lan…”

Morphia also widened her eyes, placing a hand over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes and large droplets sliding down her cheeks, but soon her expression turned cold and icy, “Damn it…”

A swirl of pitch-black winds wrapped around the seemingly gentle Fae scholar, churning rapidly, and even the alloy table turned to fine powder under her power in an instant.

For a moment, Ian could only see a small, dark face with two fierce purple lights flickering within.

The tangible killing intent seemed to surge out, condensing into waves.

——Apparently, Miss Morphia seems to be even stronger than Hua’an…

Fitting for an Imperial Scholar residing in the Imperial Capital.

“I didn’t want to talk about this in front of the Frost Butterfly.”

Ian said softly, “While I was clearing out the defensive forces in this laboratory, I detected a familiar Fae essence.

I was wondering if there were any Fae researchers involved, or if some Fae were imprisoned here…

But I didn’t expect to find…

bodies.”

“And, from the description, they seem to resemble Hua’an and Miss Morphia’s friends…”

“Yes, you’re right.

We couldn’t let Frost Butterfly see this; she’s still too young.”

Hua’an took several deep breaths to suppress her anger—the character and nature of a Fae were closely related, and she soon calmed down as steady as the earth itself: “Lanlei, Chenyao, and Huan Lan, I remember they went on a group expedition to the Seven Cities Alliance, they might have been captured on their way there.”

“I didn’t see Lanlei, so I’m not sure if he’s dead or in another laboratory…

But Avak…

No, how dare the Duke of Solin?

To kill Fae is bad enough, but to dare capture the spirits of the Fae for Spirit Energy experiments?!”

Upon saying this, Hua’an clenched her teeth in anger once again.

The death of a Fae’s body didn’t concern many, not even the Fae themselves.

They cared not whether they were killed or captured, which at most would result in a scolding from a Great Fairy passing by: ‘Why would you fight a Fae?

Oh, the Fae hit you first?

Then it’s fine.

Call me next time, I’ll join in the beating.’ And just like that, the matter would be settled.

But to dare toy with the spirits of the Fairy, that’s to completely kill or alter a Fae’s memory and cognition…

That is, in the truest sense, killing a Fae.

It would at least kill all of their social connections, forcing them to start from zero.

A Fae that reincarnates with an incomplete spirit will become a stranger to everyone.

For the living, their former friends and family, how is this any different from being dead?

Ian understood well, just as Hua’an had said, their friends had lost a part of their Fae spirits; even if their cores returned to the Domain of Void and were collected by the reincarnation system of Falling Star City…

Hua’an and Morphia’s friends were no more.

That is the true meaning of ‘reincarnation,’ without memories of the past life.

“They killed Huan Lan…”

And beside him, Miss Morphia was still under low pressure.

Although she too had quickly calmed down, knowing that getting angry was pointless and wouldn’t kill the enemy, her heart was still violently churning, “I need to return to Falling Star City, to request the Great Fairy Tutor known as ‘Dragon Slayer’ to punish Duke of Solin!”

“Whether he is still a noble of The Empire or not, he won’t escape!”

Having known Miss Morphia for a long time, Ian was also aware that the Wind Fairy named Huan Lan was not just a common friend shared with Hua’an, but was also Morphia’s confidante, or a brother in arms.

Regardless of whether they took the shape of a beautiful girl or boy, they had traveled together for an incredibly long time, studying and adventuring together, true friends in the real sense of the word.

For the Fae, who have basically no concept of procreation, a true friend is considered the highest level of relationship, far more reliable than human marriages.

At least since the Calamity of Heavenly Fall, not a single fae had betrayed a true friend.

But now…

even if the core of the Spirit of the Fairy escaped, having lost such a large part, Huan Lan could no longer remember her.

This was perhaps even worse than killing Morphia—judging by Morphia’s demeanor, she truly harbored a violent desire to kill.

However, just when the two fairy misses were extremely rarely rising in true anger, even considering going back to their homeland to ask a frighteningly named Great Fairy Tutor to punish Duke of Solin, Ian presented a different opinion.

“I think it might not be as bad as it seems.

Moreover, given the abnormalities of the Avak Domain, by the time you go out to invite the Great Tutor over, it will already be over, and perhaps even beyond repair.”

Recalling the clues he had gathered along the way and the information seen in the data box just now, Ian was beginning to understand why the duke’s laboratory was capturing fairies: “The purpose of the Avak Laboratory, it seems, is to mimic the structure of the Spirit of the Fairy to create a kind of Human Soul that can persist in the Domain of Void…

In other words, they are trying to replicate the Spirit of the Fairy.”

“But this is extremely difficult to succeed because the Fairy Nature is a direct derivative from the natural spirit, and humans are too far removed in the chain of relation.

Let’s set that aside for the moment; they definitely wouldn’t waste the Spirit of the Fairy, a material like that, by letting it dissipate.”

While saying this, Ian noticed that the shine had faded from the once bright eyes of Hua’an and Morphia, which had almost turned completely ‘dark,’ then lit up visibly, “Wait, Ian, are you saying…”

“Yes.”

Ian nodded slightly, his eyes reflecting the still-active blue and purple essences, and he said earnestly, “Since their goal is to create a lasting ‘Artificial Soul,’ they certainly wouldn’t let the soul of a fairy, even a fragmentary one, deteriorate and fade so quickly.”

“They must have preserved these Spirits of the Fairy in a more important place!”

This guess was also because Ian hadn’t found a storage room for the ‘souls’ behind Ruishe or other ‘Phantasms’ in the laboratory.

Even.

Ian thought to himself.

Whether it’s for controlling Phantasms, or for governance and management.

That place must have preserved all the natural and Artificial Souls within the Avak Domain.