Chapter 3160

The information provided by the black market still sounds very vague, but Xia De felt that it was still necessary for him to investigate:

"That very prestigious mid-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi is..."

The man behind the counter nodded:

"I can help you contact an insider. That intelligence is definitely true, but how true it is specifically, you need to judge for yourself; we are just brokers."

"No problem. Then what is the third influential major event that has happened recently?"

"This matter is not dangerous. Although Time-Wheel City is the largest city on Fatumonster Island, it is not the only settlement on the island. Scattered fishing villages and towns are distributed in the coastal areas of the island, and at the foot of the snowy mountain, the true original inhabitants of this island still live."

Xia De knew this:

"Those tribal people with relatively primitive lifestyles?"

"Yes. Although they are also gradually coming into contact with the lifestyle of the Steam Era, they still retain relatively traditional villages and customs. The Year-End Festival has just passed, and the 'All-Souls Festival' of the tribal people at the foot of the snowy mountain is coming soon. Of course, it can also be called the 'All-Souls Ceremony'."

Xia De had never heard of this festival:

"Tell me specifically, what is this festival for?"

"The local indigenous people are called 'Fatumonster people', or 'Fatu people' for short. Traditional Fatu tribes believe that Fatumonster Snow Mountain is sacred, and all things on the mountain have spirituality.

So every year during the All-Souls Ceremony of the 'Month of Birth', they will perform sacrifices to the snow mountain. The general process is to light fires at the foot of the snow mountain to hold a grand celebration, and finally arrange for young people to send the fire to the summit. In recent decades, this has developed into a fairly famous local tourism project, and the nobles of the principality are very fond of this kind of primitive and strange stuff."

The man introduced it listlessly. A big client like Xia De, who spends hundreds of crowns at a time, is worth his extra effort:

"Every Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi who comes here for the first time will hear us talk about this. I even feel like I've become a tour guide.

In short, perhaps because the sacrificial ritual itself is an unknown ritual passed down from ancient times, every few days during the 'All-Souls Ceremony', the elemental tides on this island become quite strange.

Although it won't have a significant impact on spell effects, for outsiders, it will definitely be a shock."

Xia De was a bit puzzled:

"Even if the local Church is tolerant of the management of Ring Mages, the Orthodox Church should not allow such a primitive sacrificial ritual that can affect an entire region to continue, right?

If this were in a primitive forest far from civilization or a remote island, the Church would likely not care, but this is the Principality of Lagson. Even if the rituals of traditional tribal people are not banned, the Church should take the initiative to limit their scale of influence."

And the locals all know about this:

"Because that ritual itself can really make Fatumonster Island have favorable weather, and reduce natural disasters such as tsunamis, storms, and earthquakes. The Fatu tribal people at the foot of the snow mountain are the true original masters here. Since the ritual is good for this island and has continued for thousands of years without interruption, the Church will not take the unknown risk of interrupting it."

The process of the "All-Souls Festival" itself sounds simple, but it is actually very complex. However, for non-tribal people like the Outsider, they can only participate in the celebrations of the first few nights of the festival, and the activities that take place on the snow mountain afterward can only be attended by the Fatu people themselves.

The date of the "All-Souls Festival" is not fixed every year, but it is certain to take place before the end of the Month of Birth. The specific date is decided by the "priests" of each tribe. Most of those old priests have certain supernatural abilities. Although they are also Ring Mages, their spellcasting methods are quite primitive.

As for the secrets of the Fatu priests, that is not something city dwellers know.

Although Fatumonster City is not far from the foot of the snow mountain, local Ring Mages rarely approach that snow mountain. Before helping Xia De find the insider who might know the mid-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi who had contact with the Magic Sword, the man behind the counter warned him very seriously:

"Fatumonster Snow Mountain is the holy mountain of this island. Do not climb it unless necessary. Although that mountain has no obvious dangers, almost everyone who desecrates it will meet with misfortune."

"Since that's the case, the local Association of Prophets is still planning to hold the Great City Player finals on the summit?"

"Prophets naturally have their own ways... and the Association spent a lot of money to clear the channels with the tribal people. If the local area can really obtain the hosting rights, those tribal people will be responsible for arranging a suitable path for climbing the mountain."

Whether the danger of the snow mountain is a local superstition or something else, even the Ring Mages who live here do not know.

Locals have heard such legends since childhood and thus feel awe. Outsiders, of course, will not rashly violate taboos in unfamiliar areas. Coupled with the fact that the vast snow mountain has no value for exploration, and the Five Gods Church also vaguely intends to protect that mountain, so for so many years, even if major events have occurred locally, they have almost never affected that mountain.

Xia De then became curious:

"If the snow mountain really has peculiar features, then why are the Great Witches of Space who have settled and built towers on the snow mountain, and even divided independent spaces, perfectly fine?"

It would take some time for the information provider to arrive, so Xia De sat down at the table in the center of the area for the time being.

Although Sylvia's teacher died accidentally due to an experiment, the witches before her did not meet with misfortune in every generation. Xia De then guessed that either the power the witches inherited from the Ancient Gods was enough to resist the so-called "curse" of the snow mountain, or the snow mountain was actually not as magical as the local legends say.

【Is there another possibility?】

"She" asked with a smile.

"There is another possibility: the witch who originally moved this high tower from elsewhere to the snow mountain had long ago found a way to protect herself and her successors from the influence of the snow mountain... I'll ask Sylvia later."

The information provider who arrived later was a mid-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi wearing a clown mask who called himself "Mr. Mortis." After agreeing on the price with Xia De, he revealed the information worth 3 crowns:

"I'll warn you first: I have already sold this news many times. I even suspect that the Church has sent people to contact my intelligence, but to this day, no one knows what the so-called 'Magic Sword' situation is."

After confirming that Xia De would not regret it, he continued:

"Although there are more Ring Mages here than in other places, there are not many who are proficient in potionology like the mid-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi I mentioned. After all, Ring Mages who have accomplishments in potions and alchemy are either exceptionally talented or backed by powerful forces, and the former mostly belong to the latter.

The gentleman who came into contact with the 'Magic Sword' came here alone more than twenty years ago, and no one knows his original identity or background. He runs a business at the docks selling potions and marine materials. The potions are made by himself, and most of the materials are sold as a broker for people who don't like to show their faces.

That gentleman was seriously injured when he was attacked before the Year-End Festival, and the black market he runs is currently closed. He was annoyed by those who wanted to find out the situation while he was recovering from his injuries, so he hasn't shown his face since the festival ended."

Xia De tapped the table:

"I think information worth 3 crowns should have a follow-up, right?"

Mr. "Mortis," wearing the clown mask, nodded immediately:

"Of course. I know the gentleman's usual activity area, and you can try your luck in those places. Of course, I also know the location where he was attacked. Many people know this information, so I'll give it to you for free."

"You are so familiar with him; are you his friend?"

"Hmm... you could say that, but you could also say we are acquaintances with a relatively good relationship."

"Since the relationship is good, you are still selling his information here?"

Laughter came from behind that clown mask:

"I didn't betray him; I just told you where he might be. What's more, he hasn't appeared since the Year-End Festival. He might be hiding, but he might also have encountered an accident. If someone can really find him, whether this is harming him or helping him, no one can say for sure.

Destiny is like a coin with two sides; no one knows the result before it lands."

Xia De nodded, highly suspicious that the other party was selling this information, actually wanting someone to help find the missing friend.

He was just about to ask for more specific details when "Mr. Mortis" asked again:

"May I ask, are you a high-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi?"

"I suppose so, but I'm not a very powerful guy. Why, can your perception determine my strength?"

The head behind the clown mask shook, denying Xia De's guess:

"Of course not, but this matter already involves a dangerous relic, and now there is a mid-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi who was injured because of that relic and is still seriously injured despite being proficient in potionology. And you, an Outsider speaking standard Wilandale-accented Karsinrik, are not asking me about the possible danger level of the relic first, but are continuing to pursue clues to continue the investigation.

After talking to you for a few sentences, I can conclude that you are not the kind of fool who rushes into dangerous events out of curiosity.

So either you are very confident in your own strength, believing that the level of trouble revealed by this matter is still within the range you can handle; or you came to this island for the Magic Sword, and no matter how dangerous this matter is, you must continue to investigate."

This "Mr. Mortis" is clearly a smart man, and Xia De doesn't mind dealing with smart people:

"Then if I admit that I am a high-level Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi from out of town, and only want to understand what the Magic Sword is out of curiosity, what do you want? Entrust me to investigate the whereabouts of your missing friend while investigating the Magic Sword?"

PS: March, extra update at the beginning of the month, please vote!

(End of chapter)