The Augur Complex parent pattern within the tree indeed corresponds with the Augur Complex Key he holds. His judgment was correct: the treasure Feng supposedly left should be within this big tree.
Since the treasure is here, Angel believes the way to leave the world within the painting is also likely hidden within the tree.
Pondering briefly, Angel set up a Defense Spell around him, instructed Earl Mi to stay alert, and then retrieved the true Augur Complex Key from the bracelet space.
As the key was placed in his hand, it, which had always appeared dull, began to emit a faint red glow.
The glowing is the child pattern.
The parent pattern corresponding to the child pattern, which is the big tree, also awakened from deathly stillness at this moment, starting to shimmer with faint light corresponding to the child pattern, seemingly calling for the child pattern’s return.
Angel did not hesitate, directly pressing the long key in his hand onto the trunk of the big tree.
In an instant, the red light blazed strongly.
Under the flickering red light, the tree seemed to be chopped down from the top, splitting right from the center. As the crack appeared, stronger light burst out from within.
This light seemed to possess certain rule traits, Angel couldn’t see through it, and the more he observed, the more tired his eyes felt. He could only slightly turn his head to avoid directly looking at the light.
Because Angel turned his head, he witnessed an unbelievable scene.
The red light emerging from within the tree shot directly into the sky. In the previously solitary moonlit night sky, miraculous changes appeared. Twinkling starlit stars transitioned from dim to bright, covering the sky in an instant.
It’s as if an invisible brush dipped in starlight paint and gracefully swung, instantly scattering a glorious galaxy on the nightfall canvas.
This starlit sky is identical to the one Angel saw in the painting on the stone platform.
Seeing the star-filled sky, Angel suddenly thought of another matter: "Since the starlit sky has appeared, might the figure in the painting also appear?"
Just as Angel raised this thought, he suddenly felt a gaze seemed to fall upon him.
Due to previous continual observation by the Void Traveler, Angel is very sensitive to gazes. The moment the gaze fell on him, a black-red glow flickered beneath his feet, instantly retreating tens of meters, the glow of the Defense Spell shimmering around him, while Earl Mi slowly poked his head out from the shadow beneath his feet.
Angel fixed his gaze tightly in the direction of the tree.
The red glow there still flashed, making it impossible to see clearly, but Angel was certain the gaze resting on him was within that red glow, and... even now, that gaze had not left.
The red glow persisted for about a dozen seconds.
When the red glow gradually subsided, Angel finally saw the scene within the red glow.
The tree, which had split from the middle, had completely healed, once again forming a complete tree. The ground did not have the "treasure" Angel imagined; the only difference from before was the addition of a person in front of the tree.
It was a tall man draped in a starry cloak. Though the cloak obscured the upper half of his face, from just the lower half, one could determine he’s a young man, at least outwardly young in appearance.
"Who are you?" Angel stared intently at the man.
The cloaked man curved a smile at the corner of his mouth, not immediately replying to Angel but instead speaking to himself: "You followed his footsteps to come here? I didn’t expect, you would be so young... hmm, even somewhat juvenile. I suddenly doubt the judgment of the Book of Kael."
Angel: "The ’he’ you speak of, are you referring to Miraphiel. Feng?"
The cloaked man still didn’t respond; instead, he moved his gaze from Angel to Earl Mi: "Oh, it’s a Demon People from the Panic Realm? Awakened Demon People are notoriously brutal and bloodthirsty, not retreating even when facing formidable enemies. Such war machines could absolutely never obey humans."
"How did you make him obey your commands? Is it that thing on his chest? Let me see what it is." After speaking, the cloaked man shifted his sight to Earl Mi’s chest, after a while: "Tsk tsk, it’s truly marvelous. There appears to be a force inside that makes me feel fear, even submission. What is it? Can you tell me?"
The cloaked man directed his gaze back at Angel, as he could tell that the Awakened Demon People was protecting Angel, so Angel, who controls the Awakened Demon People, should know what that bizarre tendril is.
After a moment of silence, Angel slowly replied: "The Seed of Distortion, a proud creation of a gentleman. What’s inside, I don’t really know, just a token of friendship from that gentleman."
The cloaked man did not mind whether Angel hid anything, nodded, and said: "I see. If my old buddy Rekton knew of such a thing, he’d probably go crazy... you see, he once spent decades researching Awakened Demon People and rushed to the Panic Realm, unfortunately, he stayed for less than two years and fled, driven away."
Angel didn’t know who the Rekton the cloaked man spoke of was, and just listened silently.
"Even if not Rekton, my true body would likely be interested in this thing too, after all, there are things within it that even make me feel fear." The cloaked man sighed softly: "Unfortunately, my true body isn’t here, and I can’t share the information with it, sigh..."
"True body?" Angel suspiciously looked at the cloaked man: "Who exactly are you?"
This time, the cloaked man didn’t avoid the topic and instead spoke rather flippantly: "Don’t young people nowadays understand manners? When asking someone else’s name, don’t they know to start by introducing themselves?"
Without waiting for Angel to reply, the cloaked man changed his tone: "But, since you followed his footsteps to come here, you deserve my respect. So, this time I can introduce myself first."
As he finished speaking, the cloaked man extended white and slender fingers to remove his cloak’s hood, revealing his true face.
Underneath the short dark curls, was a fair and handsome face. Just from looks, he is the type favored by noblewomen: thin, young, and still quite handsome.
Additionally, in the backlight of the starlit sky, he exuded a bit more of a mysterious aura.
Those hungry noblewomen, probably would go crazy for him.
As Angel silently criticized in his mind, the cloaked man made a one-handed chest salute, elegantly saying: "Although it’s our first meeting, it’s an honor to see you coming here. Let me introduce myself, I am... Miraphiel. Feng."