The other side—
Time goes back half an hour.
The Wise Sovereign has been observing Angel and the others’ movements through the core node of the Magical Energy Array.
However, what he can observe is only the general location of the group and the degree of energy reaction; he does not know specifically what has happened.
At the beginning, the Wise Sovereign was worried that Adanis would personally deal with Angel, but when Olao appeared, that possibility was eliminated.
However, the Wise Sovereign does not think that Adanis would stop so easily; she must have other means.
The reason the Wise Sovereign observes the Magical Energy Array is to ensure that Adanis’s methods do not exceed the limits that Angel and the others can handle. If there truly appears an unstoppable method, the Wise Sovereign will take over the Magical Energy Array to create a retreat for Angel and the others.
This is the Wise Sovereign’s promise to Angel and the others, and it is also the backup plan for himself.
The Barbarian Cave, the Noah Family—one is a top organization among the Witcher Organization, and the other is one of the strongest Wizard Families in the Southern Domain. Perhaps from them, one can obtain a glimmer of hope to save Naraku City?
Although the Wise Sovereign is very reluctant to rely on outsiders, what if the Goddess is right and Naraku really does not return?
The Wise Sovereign previously did not want to think about it because he still had hope. But his time is running out... reality must be faced, just as he hopes Angel becomes a variable that breaks this chaotic game of the Qingkong Poetry Room’s Underground Aqueduct, because he’s starting to prepare for the worst outcome, to face what he most unwillingly thinks about.
So, this time, whether Angel’s move disrupts the Qingkong Poetry Room as a variable or fails to change the status quo, forcing him to save people in the end, none of it is a loss for him.
These are his preparations, his preparations for the future.
The Wise Sovereign lowers his eyebrows and no longer thinks about these trivial and bothersome things, his eyes return to the Magical Energy Array.
Suddenly, the Wise Sovereign’s gaze sharpens.
From the energy display of the Magical Energy Array, an unusual fluctuation appeared in the Slow Hallway. At this time, Angel and the others had not yet reached the Slow Hallway.
This unusual fluctuation is undoubtedly a new trap set by Adanis.
"Indeed, she is still not willing to give up." The Wise Sovereign twirls the wisps of hair hanging by his ear with his fingers, mumbling to himself while contemplating the source of this unusual fluctuation.
A very strange energy fluctuation, with no familiar feeling, nor the void sense of a Mirror Domain creature. This is more akin to a living magical creature.
Yet, when did such a potent magical creature appear in the Underground Aqueduct?
In the perception of the Wise Sovereign, this unusual energy fluctuation is still in a dormant stage but is already capable of affecting the surrounding Magical Energy Array, indicating that if there’s a creature within, it certainly surpasses the Wizard Level.
The Official Wizard Level is merely the starting point for this unknown creature’s power, its exact strength is currently undeterminable by the Wise Sovereign. Only until it truly encounters Angel and the others in battle can it be determined.
However, from the current situation alone, Angel and the others may face a tough battle ahead.
It is possible that Angel and the others might be defeated in this confrontation.
If Angel and the others truly lose, then he should step in.
That’s what the Wise Sovereign thinks, but for now, he doesn’t need to take any action, merely watching Angel and the others inch closer to the Slow Hallway.
The speed of Angel and the others becomes slow, and they pause for quite a while, indicating that they have also noticed the anomaly.
"What will you do?" The Wise Sovereign murmurs quietly.
In the Wise Sovereign’s mind, Angel has few choices, only two possibilities: to outsmart or to confront directly.
However, being clever during such times is actually very hard to effectuate.
When roads intersect, only the brave win. Therefore, the Wise Sovereign guesses Angel would opt for direct confrontation. But in the process of confrontation, whom would he choose to face this unusual fluctuation?
Certainly not the two apprentices, and additionally, a wizard is needed to take care of the apprentices, ideally holding Plane Corridor casting materials, ready to retreat at any moment.
Thus the answer is basically clear, the one to confront directly is likely to be the Black Earl or himself? Or perhaps both of them together?
Soon, Angel and the others made a decision. The Wise Sovereign’s deduction was right; Angel and the Black Earl stepped forward to confront, leaving Dox as support.
Feeling the two approaching the area of unusual fluctuation more and more closely, the Wise Sovereign also becomes alert.
If Angel and the others indeed encounter a crisis, it also tests the Wise Sovereign; he must choose the right timing to take action, acting too fast or too slow is inappropriate.
Hence, observing the unusual values of energy fluctuation and analyzing them, to infer the current combat situation, is what the Wise Sovereign needs to do now.
But what the Wise Sovereign didn’t expect was that his high alert... didn’t play a role.
The value of the unusual fluctuations not only didn’t rise but instead, when Angel and others coincided with the location of the unusual fluctuation, the value actually weakened?!
This means there was no battle; rather it turned into a... cross encounter without conflict?
Because the unusual fluctuation actively retracted its external energy, and the remaining part gathered at the edges, allowing Angel and the Black Earl to pass through. Moreover, Dox and the two apprentices also followed.
The battle the Wise Sovereign anticipated never occurred.
Once Angel and company entered the Qingkong Poetry Room, and the Wise Sovereign lost the sense of their location, the unusual fluctuation simultaneously disappeared.
The Wise Sovereign is still in a daze now.
What is this unusual fluctuation exactly? Why wasn’t there a battle? Is this truly a trap set by Adanis?
Or did he misjudge from the start? Was this unusual fluctuation merely an intimidating trick?
The once wise and famous Sovereign is now scratching his head continually, a look of confusion on his face.
"Perhaps, ask Erbao?"
The Wise Sovereign couldn’t figure out what happened in the Slow Hallway. Plus, since Angel and company have entered the Qingkong Poetry Room, which is independent of the Magical Energy Array, unless they come out by themselves, he won’t know what happened inside, meaning he now has nothing to do, waiting for Angel and company to reappear is when he gets to play his part again.
Having some free time, the Wise Sovereign doesn’t idle, summons the monocular Erbao, intending to have it analyze what this "unusual fluctuation" actually is.