Chapter 138 — The Grey Stone Desert "You've got to be kidding me… ah…"
The big man started with a vicious grin, but suddenly let out a miserable scream.
The surrounding Wizards gasped in shock, as though they had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.
Before their eyes, the big man's abdomen began to swell at a slow, deliberate pace, forming a pronounced bulge.
Thinking back to what
Watching the big man sprint back toward the tent, wailing like a ghost, while frantically pouring potion after potion into his mouth, everyone present couldn't help but crack a smile…
After resting for the night, the group—who had been treated to quite a spectacle—resumed their journey.
The big man had fully recovered as well, though his complexion was still terrible.
For Wizards, whether it was an abortion or a direct abdominal incision, it was merely a minor procedure that a single person could handle.
The Brownstone Singer's particular effect might be truly terrifying for ordinary folk, but for Wizards, it was more of a practical joke than anything else.
"The terrain of the Magreli Grand Canyon has made this place a haven for many strange creatures. Many species said to be on the verge of extinction in legend can still be found here…"
Riding atop his Liban dire wolf, Leylin gazed at the surroundings as the landscape shifted once more into a grey-white stone forest, pondering silently to himself.
If not for the Grand Canyon's complex and ever-changing terrain, combined with the fact that it was engulfed by terrifying sandstorms for most of the year, this place would have long since become a resource outpost for Wizards.
As time gradually passed, the grey stone forest around Leylin and his party grew shorter and shorter, until eventually the surroundings stretched out in every direction—an endless expanse of small, fragmented stones, like a desert.
"The Grey Stone Desert. We've now entered the standard route, so for the next ten days or so, we can relax a little. But after that comes the terrifying Golden Desert—the gathering place of the Gelie Vultures. Everyone, keep your Spiritual Power at the ready. Prepare yourselves for the battle ahead…"
The old group leader, mounted on a Liban dire wolf with several white whiskers sprouting from its face, kept shouting out orders.
"The Grey Stone Desert? Chip, pull up the map!" Leylin dipped his head slightly, and only he could see the projection as it materialized before him.
On a simplified map, several of the Grand Canyon's danger zones were roughly marked, and a twisted green route ran through the center, stretching from one end of the map all the way to the other.
The Grey Vulture nesting grounds, marked in conspicuous red, lay directly on the green route's path — there was no way around them.
On either side of the route, there were extremely dangerous zones marked in scarlet with the words "No Passage."
This meant that taking a detour was out of the question.
If Leylin and the others wanted to cross the Magreda Grand Canyon safely, their only option was to drive away the Gridle Vultures blocking the route.
"Grey Stone Desert!"
Leylin located the Grey Stone Desert on the blue map — a vast grey expanse.
Beside it, a note in small text read: "Grey Stone Desert! Explored — danger level extremely low, no high-energy organism activity detected..."
Clearly, this route was the optimal path that Wizards on both sides of the Magreda Grand Canyon had spent countless resources to chart, carrying the least risk along the way.
Sure enough, the moment they entered the Grey Stone Desert, Leylin felt the Liban dire wolf beneath him relax its muscles slightly, its fur loosening as it settled into a more restful state.
"The energy concentration here is very low — it seems like there are gaps in the air that let energy dissipate directly!"
Leylin snapped his fingers, and only a tiny flame ignited on his hand, trembling in the breeze as though it might go out at any moment.
If he had been anywhere else, that flame would have been at least several times more vigorous, with a power output exceeding one degree.
"Chip, detect the flame's power!"
*Ding!* "Target data analysis in progress... Detection complete. Flame power: 0.4238 degrees!" The Chip's feedback was nearly instantaneous.
"Just as I thought — the lower energy concentration in the air means even casting spells requires more effort than usual..."
Wizards and various arcane creatures alike relied on the energy particles in the air to perform all manner of wondrous and dazzling spells. Once the energy concentration in the air dropped, the power of every spell would noticeably decline.
Moreover, any organism living in such an environment over a long period would inevitably undergo a process of degeneration.
For those sentient magical creatures, this was naturally something they despised.
"This Grey Stone Desert looks very much like the Erl Dissipation phenomenon described in the Book of the Great Serpent — the aftermath of a battle between high-ranking Wizards!"
Leylin was now beginning to believe that the Magreda Grand Canyon had indeed been formed by the legendary clash of two supreme Wizards.
However, the Erl Dissipation phenomenon in the Grey Stone Desert was actually a boon for travelers like them.
At the very least, they didn't have to worry about various strange species attacking along the way, and could take a short rest to conserve their strength.
This peaceful life lasted for a full fifteen days.
Along the way, there was nothing more than some harsh weather at most, which posed no significant threat to a well-prepared
On the evening before they were due to exit the Grey Stone Desert, the old man serving as their leader and Lancer gathered all six Wizards together.
"Starting tomorrow, we'll be leaving the Grey Stone Desert and entering the Golden Desert!"
The old man's face flickered in the firelight, his eyes gleaming brightly beneath a face covered in wrinkles.
"At the center of the Golden Desert, Supply Point Number Three on our mandatory route has been occupied by a flock of detestable Goblin Vultures. That's mostly why we formed this party! Now, it's time to make the final decision!"
The old man swept his gaze around the group. "Do we go with the original plan and kill the Vulture King? Or simply drive it away?"
"What's there to even ask about? Of course we kill it!" The burly Wizard who had been torried by the Brownstone Singer earlier was the first to step forward.
"The materials on the Vulture King alone can fetch tens of thousands of Magic Stones, and on top of that, the tavern owners on both sides will offer an additional bounty. Could there be anything better than that?"
What he was referring to was a temporary quest the Broken Axe Tavern had given the party through the bartender — kill the Goblin Vulture King, and absolutely do not let it leave alive!
Upon completion, not only would all the materials on the Vulture King belong to the party members, but both taverns would also pay a generous bounty in Magic Stones.
The presence of this vulture flock had already caused severe disruptions to freight shipments on both sides, and it seemed their patience had finally run out.
Moreover, Goblin Vultures were an extremely vindictive species. If they failed to kill the Vulture King, it would rally even more of its kind in the time to come, hunting down any Wizard it could find.
Leylin's temporary party had briefly discussed the matter right there in the tavern and had already agreed to the bartender's proposal.
After all, Wizards were always short on resources, and they couldn't afford to let any opportunity to stockpile slip by!
Now the old man was merely raising the point for one final confirmation.
"Of course!" "Wasn't it already decided?"
The burly Wizard's words drew a wave of agreement, and Leylin also gave a slight nod. As long as it was worthwhile, he had no objection to tagging along for a quick job and picking up some Magic Stones.
"Good!" The leader's smile scrunched all the wrinkles on his face together, like a chrysanthemum.
Seeing him like this, Leylin guessed that the vulture king had some material on it that the old man desperately needed—otherwise he wouldn't be this enthusiastic.
"Good! Then let me make the assignments. Bald-headed vultures are extremely cunning, and their flight capabilities are particularly troublesome. Who among you knows a first-grade flight wizardry..."
The leader began laying out the plan.
Since Leylin was rather quiet and hadn't volunteered any special skills, he ended up with the role of auxiliary attacker.
The old man's arrangements were fairly equitable. Following the principle of greater contribution for greater reward, he assigned each Wizard tasks within their capabilities and drew up a detailed plan.
However, within the plan, the main attacker and the intercepting flight Wizard were given priority privileges when selecting loot.
The old man had just demonstrated an extraordinary flight wizardry.
For first-grade Wizards, flight was still a relatively rare ability. Not only were first-grade wizardries specifically designed for flight extremely scarce, but they were also highly impractical.
Unless, like Bossein before, one managed to acquire a few Magical Items that could aid in flight.
But for a first-grade Wizard, only mid-grade Magical Items were truly useful. The liquefied metal sphere "Silver Gleam" that Bossein had held earlier, for instance—while it was quite handy at the apprentice level, in a formal Wizard's eyes its power was too low, its abilities too weak, and most critically, its speed fell far short of the mark. Using it to assist with flight was nothing short of a joke!
Wizards who could master a first-grade flight wizardry like the leader were still quite rare.
When translucent, pale cyan wings sprouted from behind the old man's back and he shot skyward, Leylin keenly sensed a fluctuation of wind energy particles. It seemed the leader was a Wizard who specialized in wind-type energy particles.
"Based on the energy particles dispersed by the target just now, estimated target spiritual elementalization attribute selection: wind-type energy particles, progress 15%."
A faint flash of blue flickered through Leylin's eyes.
The Chip could now, based on the energy fluctuations unintentionally dispersed by a formal Wizard, roughly determine their information.
But to obtain the most accurate data, one still had to breach the opponent's protective Field.
Unless facing a mortal enemy, Leylin would absolutely never do such a thing.
Before a first-grade Wizard's innate Field was shattered, if Leylin used the Chip to forcibly break through the opponent's defenses, it would be tantamount to Leylin personally stripping the other party naked—it would provoke extreme hatred. Leylin had no intention of making enemies everywhere.
Perhaps, after the Chip's next upgrade, it would be able to silently penetrate a Wizard's innate Field protection?
Leylin’s mind kept calculating, and a faint look of yearning appeared on his face.