Chapter 378

One hour later, the three returned again to the vicinity of Tulip Manor.

Adela suddenly spoke.

"Your Majesty Luosen, I need to speak with you in private; the content must not be heard by the Brotherhood. We need to set up a sufficiently strong spacetime magic array in a hidden place."

She immediately added: "It would be best if it were underground."

Upon hearing this, Luosen's heart stirred slightly.

"The manor has an underground wine cellar; would that work?"

He wasn't worried that this remark would leak the vision he had seen; at least not for now.

Because the characteristic of spacetime visions is that, around the observer's body, within the line of sight, one sees what might happen in the future at this place.

Since they are not currently in the underground wine cellar, Adela could naturally not see the corresponding vision.

Turning to look at Adela, she was elegant, graceful, and exuded a cool aura, like a white orchid blooming in an empty valley.

Luosen's mind suddenly heated up.

For some hidden purposes, he quietly maintained his own 'Undercurrent Surge Technique' to minimize interference with the threads of time as much as possible.

That way, even if the other party reached the cellar, they would not notice anything abnormal.

Indeed, Adela's face, as smooth as white jade, showed no abnormal expression.

"Yes."

Then she turned to Patenuoluosi: "Sister, you guard outside the wine cellar door."

"Yes, sister."

Patenuoluosi agreed, but seemed somewhat reluctant.

After entering the manor, Luosen first reported his safety to Tilalilin, then immediately went with Adela into the underground wine cellar.

Ga—zi~

The wine cellar door closed.

Pa—da~

Luosen snapped his fingers, triggering several light spells that emitted a warm, soft glow, and he fixed each one onto the surrounding lamp stands.

The underground wine cellar, which had been gloomy and eerie under the flickering candlelight, instantly became brightly lit.

Adela raised her eyebrows: "Your Majesty, my sister told me you could use ordinary magic, and I still couldn't believe it."

"I'm very curious—how did you manage that?"

She had been stuck in this damned half-plane for who knows how many years, tightly bound by the plane's laws, and despite racking her brains she could only develop a few auxiliary spacetime spells.

Yet she never expected that Luosen would break free of those bonds as soon as he arrived, leaving her feeling both astonished and envious, even a bit jealous.

After coming to this world, she has longed every day for a beautiful world where she can cast spells freely.

Luosen stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a wine barrel, his gaze covertly sizing up Adela's attire.

Her face was as white as jade, her black hair tied back into a neat ponytail, she wore a conservative sky‑blue long dress on the outside and a similar‑looking pure white undershirt underneath.

Looking at her, she didn't seem like a spacetime powerhouse but rather like a pure, innocent family tutor.

Luosen knew her soul was very strong, so he merely glanced at her briefly before withdrawing his gaze.

"Miss Adela, I can certainly tell you the trick, but I am a merchant."

Adela frowned slightly: "You are clearly the emperor of the empire."

"No one has ever stipulated that a merchant cannot be an emperor, right?"

After spouting that fallacy, Luosen laughed: "All right, you wanted to have a private talk with me, didn't you? Shouldn't we set things up properly then?"

This is the proper business.

Adela's expression turned solemn; she took out from her satchel some peculiarly shaped, specially material magical implements, placing them respectively on the floor and on the surrounding walls.

After setting them up, she stood in the middle of the implements and began to cast her spacetime spell.

As the spell progressed, Luosen felt a faint 'white gauze' spreading out in all directions.

When the 'white gauze' brushed past his body, Luosen clearly felt a slight pulling force.

After about ten or so seconds, the 'white gauze', using each implement as a fulcrum, constructed a relatively sealed temporal barrier around Luosen and Adela's bodies.

Having done all that, Adela's face turned somewhat pale, and she had to sit on a wine barrel to rest.

That movement made Luosen's heart twitch slightly: "What a coincidence—it's exactly the wine barrel shown in the illusion."

After patiently waiting for Adela's complexion to return to normal, Luosen then spoke: "Madam, can we talk now?"

Adela smoothed a stray lock of hair at her temple: "Your Majesty, through long exploration I have learned of two secret passages."

"One of them leads to the Dawn Palace of Oletess Safennuosi."

Luosen's heart gave a slight jolt, and all his fleeting thoughts vanished completely.

"That's great news!"

"Indeed it's not bad, but we've also heard that the Dawn Palace is garrisoned with an astonishing number of powerful beings and terrifying combat puppets."

"Given my strength and my knowledge of the palace, there's absolutely no way to reach that timid emperor's side, let alone subdue him."

Luosen understood: "I'm afraid I don't have that ability either, after all I can only cast a few minor spells."

"Moreover, the magical field inside the Dawn Palace is probably very strong."

Adela immediately shook her head: "As far as I know, it's not strong at all—it's exactly the same as in the half‑plane. Your ordinary magic will still be highly effective."

"So I hope Your Majesty will join us in infiltrating the Dawn Palace and help us breach its defensive perimeter."

"That sounds interesting."

Luosen neither agreed nor disagreed, nodding slightly, then asked: "And what about the second secret passage?"

"The second secret passage leads to the Nightmare Abyss."

"This information is even more valuable, but it's of no use to Luosen at present."

With his current power, entering the 23‑Ring Abyss is tantamount to courting death.

But it still has to be done.

Because we must uncover why the empire fell, and the Eternal Eye Laboratory was originally built in the Nightmare Abyss.

Returning to the present situation, Luosen shrugged: "Given the current circumstances, finding that cowardly emperor should be the only way to escape this sub‑plane."

"Exactly. So, you agree to take the risk?"

Luosen began setting conditions: "Of course I agree. But my current power is too weak, mainly because my soul is weak; I need to strengthen my soul."

Adela immediately nodded in agreement.

"I possess a 21‑Ring soul and will do my utmost to help Your Majesty boost your soul power. But to be honest, it's extremely difficult, especially in this weak‑ring sub‑plane where the difficulty is even higher."

"I'm afraid, Your Majesty, it will take at least three years to gain a single Ring, and the higher the Ring count, the slower the progress."

"I personally don't mind waiting a few more years, but can your empire survive while you're gone that long?"

Luosen laughed: "A hundred years won't cause any major problems."

In the outside world that corresponds to one month, he now has a puppet stationed in the empire; although his control isn't as strong as before, a month is completely fine.

Adela shook her head repeatedly: "A hundred years is too long; there may be upheavals, at most ten years."

"Ten years should be enough for Your Majesty to attain a 14‑Ring soul. We can also use that period to carefully cultivate mortal forces, and without alerting Olathe's vigilance, quietly approach the secret passage entrance."

Luosen seemed confused: "Cultivating mortal forces?"

Adela explained in detail: "Your Majesty, I must say, during this time you're too high‑profile. It will attract a lot of unforeseen trouble."

"In this sub‑plane, every abyssal strongman has a reputation, yet no one knows where we truly hide or how many identities we have." "For example, I, the world only knows as the Life‑Girl Adela, few know I am the leader of the Wizards' Guild, and even fewer know I am a high noble of the Frost‑Pride Kingdom."

Luosen grew interested: "Which specific high noble are you referring to?"

Adela gave a faint smile: "Your Majesty, I will arrange for you to gradually draw closer to the Frost‑Pride Kingdom's royal family, and in the process you will naturally learn my identity."

"Alright."

That concluded the main business, and Adela returned to her original confusion.

"Then, Your Majesty, I'd like to know the technique you can use with ordinary spells."

"If I can obtain this technique, the power of my Wizards' Guild will grow tremendously."

"Therefore, I am willing to pay a hefty price for it."

This counts as Luosen's major trump card.

He can currently unleash a super‑massive spell of up to 6‑Ring peak intensity.

If he can ascend to a 13‑Divine Body, he should reach 8 Rings; at 14 Rings, he could recreate legendary power.

And the reason he can reach this level is ninety‑nine percent thanks to Laifu's assistance.

Relying on himself alone, he could at most cast a 2‑Ring spell, and the casting speed would be very slow, possibly exceeding ten seconds.

Everyone knows that casting speed is closely tied to combat value; spells taking over ten seconds are purely supportive.

In other words, even if he shares the method, others can't reach his level and thus can't threaten him.

Considering he needs Adela's help to gain greater power, it's natural he must give her something in return.

Therefore, he can share, even share without reservation.

After deliberation, Luosen said: "Miss Adela, whether inside or outside the sub‑plane, we are allies."

"I can tell you all the secrets, but there's a price, of course."

As he spoke, Luosen's gaze slid down along her body's curve: "You certainly understand me; you must already know what I want."

Adela, of course, knew, her white‑jade cheeks instantly flushed red and a hint of anger appeared: "Your Majesty, please restrain yourself!"

Luosen shrugged: "I'm not forcing you; if the lady doesn't wish to exchange, that's fine."

Adela furrowed her brows: "Luosen, must it be this way?"

Luosen nodded: "Miss, you certainly know that beyond the sub‑plane, I am very fond of you."

"That's not me, just my projection!"

"At least it's part of you, isn't it?"

Adela had no reply, because Luosen was right.

After several deep breaths, she finally made up her mind, turned, and with both hands on a wine barrel said: "Just this once!"

Luosen's mind was alert, but he grinned outwardly and stepped forward: "Thank you, miss; as repayment I will tell you the technique without reservation."

As he spoke, he smoothly sheathed his long sword.

"Miss, you actually prepared in advance."

Otherwise the hidden dragon wouldn't have entered the abyss so easily.

Adela gritted her teeth: "Shut up, you bastard!"

Luosen sensed that Adela's true self was far more restrained than her projection; fearing to fully provoke her, he fell silent and busied himself.

"Don't let my sister find out about this."

"I will never tell, but I doubt I can hide it."

"You're a real bastard!" Adela cursed again.

Luosen chuckled: "Well said, miss; I truly am a bastard, but you don't dislike bastards that much, do you?"

Otherwise the flood wouldn't have spread so wildly.

Adela's angry expression remained: "When I get out of this sub‑plane, you won't be my opponent; I will take fierce revenge on you!"

"The divine realm no longer exists in this world; after you leave, you can't even maintain a 21‑Ring soul, still not as strong as me."

Adela examined it closely and was instantly disappointed: "Is it really that hard?"

After a while, Luosen, as promised, shared all the casting techniques with Adela.

Adela examined it closely and was instantly disappointed: "Is it really that hard?"

Luosen sat on the wine barrel, pulled A Dailā into his arms, gently smoothing her disheveled hair: "If it's not difficult, then wouldn't the whole world be able to?"

A Dailā no longer resisted Luosen's closeness: "You didn't lie to me?"

Luosen directly had Laifu start casting; in order for A Dailā to see his casting motions clearly, he deliberately demonstrated the effects at different casting speeds.

A normal Light Brightness technique, from 10 seconds, 8 seconds, continuously accelerating to 0.1 seconds.

"Dear, see, this is how I do it."

"I think, with the aid of the Time Torrent technique, achieving a 2‑second cast is not difficult."

A 2‑second cast already has decent combat value; of course, because it requires dual‑line casting, the difficulty is even higher.

"Don't call me dear."

A Dailā mildly scolded, but her face was already full of astonishment.

"Your Majesty, how long did you practice to achieve this casting feat?"

"Not long; I think this isn't very hard."

"."

Luosen's every casting motion was crystal clear, the iron‑like fact right before her eyes, A Dailā was completely convinced.

"No wonder my soul projection is so obedient to Your Majesty; you truly are an unparalleled magical prodigy, Your Majesty. What are you doing, we agreed it would be just once!"

Luosen smiled lightly: "Miss, how about this gift?"

As he spoke, he produced 10 grams of solar essence.

A Dailā furrowed her brows: "Do you treat me like a prostitute?"

Though she said that, A Dailā still accepted the extremely practical gift, because Luosen's speed was so fast that in the blink of an eye he had already obtained what he wanted; not taking it from her would be a loss.

"No, I greatly admire you, Miss; I wish I could be with you every day."

This was sincere; he truly adored her.

A Dailā's expression instantly softened a lot: "Ah—Your Majesty, I don't know how to address you."

After another storm, A Dailā whispered softly: "Your Majesty, from now on, your reputation can spread, but people must hide."

"I understand."

"If you wait patiently for a while, a great person will come looking for you."

"Also this scroll, which records a cultivation secret technique; if you practice according to it, your soul will continuously strengthen."

"I have noted it."

"Dear, when shall we meet next time?"

"There is no next time. Ah—how am I supposed to address you…"

A Dailā wore a helpless expression, but still let slip a word.

"Next time, depending on my mood, only I will seek you; you cannot come to me."

"As you command, madam."

(End of chapter)