After waiting for a while, there was still no response.
Angel spoke again: "Are you really not coming out?"
Angel started to coax, saying things like "If you don’t come out, I’m leaving," "I’m going to start counting down," "3, 2, 1... I’ll count down once more, the last time."
But no matter what he said, the "countdown" repeated several times, and the surroundings remained silent.
Angel sighed and murmured softly: "What a pity, didn’t trick it out."
Then he turned his head, looked at everyone: "Let’s go, we’ll continue."
After speaking, Angel turned around without hesitation and continued walking forward.
Watching Angel’s back, everyone exchanged perplexed glances.
"Has the lord discovered the Wood Spirit?" Vay asked somewhat puzzled.
"Didn’t he say it himself, didn’t trick it out, right, so it must be..." Dox said with certainty, but thoughts of Angel’s deeds in Princess Town came to mind. Such a crafty person might turn truth into lies.
Moreover, Angel rarely did meaningless actions along the way. If what he did was just an act, wasn’t that commotion a bit much?
Thinking of this, Dox withdrew his confident words and changed his phrasing: "It should be false, probably."
Vay thought for a moment and turned his gaze to Kaier.
Though they seemed to be in the Hanging Jail Stairway, it was actually an illusion created by Angel. Even if the Wood Spirit really appeared, as long as Angel didn’t change the Illusionary Realm, they wouldn’t be able to see the Wood Spirit. Of course, the Wood Spirit couldn’t see them either.
The only one present who entered the Hanging Jail Stairway with Angel was Kaier. So, if they wanted to know the situation on the scene, apart from Angel himself saying, Kaier was the best source.
However, Kaier was also a bit bewildered at this moment.
Seeing Vay look at him, Kaier also looked confused and said: "I didn’t see anything; is the Wood Spirit really here?"
Kaier also had no definite information, and among those present only the Wise Sovereign knew the inside story. But Vay dared not ask the Wise Sovereign, so he surreptitiously signaled Dox with his eyes, implying he should ask.
But before Dox could respond to his "hint," the Black Earl’s voice came from beside them: "If it’s real, he will find a way to lure out the Wood Spirit; if it’s false, there’s no need to discuss further. Just continue watching, and you’ll know."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Black Earl was the first to leave, following Angel’s steps, stepping into the eerie depths.
Since the Black Earl said so, the others naturally complied and followed along.
The Wise Sovereign was the last to leave. He stared into the dark void, eyes filled with doubt. He really believed Angel earlier, because Angel’s expression and demeanor at the time didn’t look like he was acting.
But later, Angel’s sentence "didn’t trick it out" confused him.
Yes, even the Wise Sovereign was trapped by the same problem as Vay.
Though he could perceive the situation within the Hanging Jail Stairway through the Magical Energy Array, his special student—the Wood Spirit—had a concealment talent higher than anyone imagined. Without personally entering to look, even the Sage couldn’t confirm the Wood Spirit’s location.
So whether Angel was performing or really discovered the Wood Spirit and was calling it out, the Wise Sovereign couldn’t be sure either. Yet, in his eyes, Angel didn’t seem to be lying.
But the other party so decisively abandoned and left, which made the Wise Sovereign puzzled as well.
However, what confused the Wise Sovereign more wasn’t whether the words were true or false, but Angel himself.
"Eccentric behavior, holding secrets, possessing abilities and skills... and not yet over forty years old." The Wise Sovereign silently recited these labels in his heart. What is the purpose of such a person coming here?
In his heart, Angel could even be described as a "variable."
According to his script, this group would certainly enter the Ruins, but they would anger the Goddess, and end up fleeing in panic. Then, the Wise Sovereign would save them, of course, excluding the suspicious person.
Then, by the grace of saving them, he would learn from them the internal situation of the Ruins and probe out the secret of the Goddess.
As for what comes after, the Wise Sovereign didn’t care. He could kill them or erase their memories of coming here and let them go. After all, the Noah Clan is now a powerful family. If they discover the secrets here and attract their attention, their sheer size and network would be enough for the dormant Naraku City to handle.
To avoid trouble, the Wise Sovereign wouldn’t let the situation here spread out. So, killing or erasing memories were both options. The specific choice would depend on the current situation and the group’s attitude.
However, this was the Wise Sovereign’s previously set script flow, and now he hesitated a bit.
The reason for everything lies with Angel.
Angel is definitely not a descendant of the Noah, but the energy he possesses behind him is definitely not simple, and it may even surpass the Noah Clan.
Such a person coming here is strange in itself. More strangely, every move he made was placed in ways the Wise Sovereign couldn’t foresee.
This is a variable, a variable that could drastically change the outcome.
But such a variable isn’t necessarily bad.
According to the Wise Sovereign’s previous beliefs, even if the variable wasn’t bad, he would eliminate it. A variable is a variable. If it disrupts his planned flow, even with unexpected benefits, it can’t be allowed.
But millennia of adherence made the Wise Sovereign’s ideas start to change.
Sticking to the rules is for stability, but to spark the inspiration of innovation, what is needed isn’t stability, but change.
He maintained this stability for millennia without any gains. Naraku not only saw no hope of revival but was gradually declining.
He can wait millennia, but can’t wait for another millennia. It’s not about lack of patience, but life’s journey nearing its end.
So, he needs change. Only with change, perhaps, can the declining status be altered.
He wants to probe the truth of the Ruins, to uncover the secret of the Goddess, also in hopes of change.
But the change he seeks still hasn’t departed from his script. Because the millennia-old pursuit of stability has rooted deep in his heart, his change seems more like: seeking change within stability.
But can such a change really achieve his expectations?
Perhaps, it is time to consider a more radical "change."