Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 868 - 132 Philarx’s Gift

Chapter 868: Chapter 132 Philarx’s Gift

"You should have already guessed where their nest is — in the Forest of Death," said Philarx as he fiddled with the armrest of his chair, his eyes fixated on the swirling mist rising from his teacup, contemplating. "It’s in that part of the Forest of Death that almost no one has ever ventured into. Remember the legendary eerie peak at the core? That’s the place of the Divine Descent. Their nest is less than ten kilometers south of that mountain. Thanks to the presence of the god of death’s Divine Power, the surrounding vegetation can’t encroach on the structures. However, finding it is truly difficult. The forest around it is tall and dense, completely shielding the temple from view. In fact, it’s so well concealed that even trying to find it from the air is challenging; the coverage is simply too dense."

"How do you know this so well?" Pannis asked in surprise. "Have you been there?"

"Of course, that question is meaningless," Philarx said with a cold snicker. "How else could I know so much if I hadn’t been there?"

"But how could they possibly allow you into their nest?" Pannis pressed. "Aren’t they worried that you might expose their location? If their nest were exposed, the blow to them would likely be fatal."

"Because we are allies, that’s just their way of showing sincerity," Philarx said with an icy smile, as if it were obvious. "After so many years of pleasant cooperation, and since they have already bound themselves to me in the name of a deity, if they didn’t even let me know where their headquarters was, how could they expect my trust? Heh, they also knew that I could never turn back, so telling me posed a minimal risk for them. So, a little over a year ago, when I requested to visit their temple, they agreed not long after, almost without hesitation."

"Heh, and now you’re telling me their location without hesitation," Pannis said with a rueful smile. "But you’re right; whether you tell me or not doesn’t really make a difference anymore."

"At this point, it truly doesn’t make a difference," Philarx sighed. "I suppose you’ve also prepared yourself mentally. This meeting today is likely our last, and the ultimate outcome can only go two ways. For me, telling you this doesn’t make much of a difference regardless of the outcome. But for you, knowing makes a fundamental difference. So, do you like this parting gift?"

Pannis looked downward, lifting his teacup to obscure his expression and remained silent for a while before regaining composure and speaking calmly, "It’s quite a fine gift; I like it very much. But unfortunately, I haven’t prepared a gift in return."

"No, no, no, you’re mistaken, my friend," Philarx shook his head. "You don’t need to prepare a return gift for this, because this is a compensation for you. Heh, you don’t understand? Of course, you wouldn’t yet, but before long you’ll understand why I say this. I’m very curious to see your expression then. Anyway, don’t worry about returning the favor; this is what you deserve."

"Well, I hope I won’t have to wait too long to find out the reason," Pannis sighed deeply. "You said their temple is at the place of Divine Descent, the core area of the Forest of Death, which is the most dangerous part. How did you get in there? And how do they go in and out? When Flare and I were researching it, we guessed they were coming from the Blood Drenched Beast Path by following Soul Lost Road to the Lake of Termination and the Burial Grounds. As they have Undead traits, they should be immune to the soul attacks there. But if you could also get in easily, I suppose we need to reevaluate our guess."

"I remember the Mage Guild announced that you encountered Zack and Mara in the Crying Cave, didn’t you find it odd how they could move in and out of there freely?" Philarx countered. "The magical creatures in the Crying Cave not only harbor hatred for the living; they also need to feed. Even if those two concealed their living scent with potions, they could hardly escape the hunting magical creatures, right?"

"You’re right; I almost forgot," Pannis slapped his forehead. "Do you have a way to disguise yourself as something non-living? No, playing dead wouldn’t work either. Do you have a way to make yourself seem non-existent?"

"It’s not me who has the way; it’s them," Philarx shook his head. "They have a secret art that allows living beings to deceive a magical beast’s senses. Unless they see you directly, they’ll mistake you for a rock, a withered tree. Even if they see you directly, if the distance isn’t close enough, it doesn’t matter; only very close encounters pose a problem, but then, who would be foolish enough to have close encounters with a magical beast in the Forest of Death? Anyone who does seems to end up dead."

"That’s too bad," Pannis sighed, a note of resignation in his voice. "With such a method, just being a bit careful, a couple of experienced Demigods could theoretically explore the core of the Forest of Death relatively safely, rendering the natural barriers of the moribund useless."

"I’m also curious about this method," Philarx’s cold lips curled into a mysterious smile. "Over the past year, apart from studying the final challenge, I’ve also spent time during breaks delving into their secret art. Although I haven’t truly grasped the principle of how their art works, based on that idea, I’ve made some progress — about twenty to thirty potions. The effects aren’t as strong as their secret art; if you drink one, magical beasts outside of their visual perception will ignore your presence, but you still appear visible if seen directly."

"That’s still quite impressive," Pannis admired. "As long as you disguise yourself well and are a bit cautious, it can reduce a lot of risks."

"But it has a duration," Philarx noted, somewhat dissatisfied. "A bottle lasts at most two hours. The effect isn’t very strong, and the process to make it is very complex, consuming a lot of precious materials. Moreover, each bottle requires a Demigod Rank Mage to put full effort into its creation. I’ve spent more than a year and only managed to produce this many bottles. Consider these as your second compensation."

"What exactly are you compensating for?" Pannis couldn’t help but ask. "And where are the items?"

"Heh heh, that’s a secret," Philarx’s face wore a cold, eerie smile. "You’ll find out in time." (The story continues. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote, subscribe monthly at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)