Chapter 224: Valuable Cave
Chapter 224: Valuable Cave
The cave was anything but narrow. In fact, it was so spacious that a giant dragon could pass through without any obstacles.
As Ronin walked and observed, he noticed that the cave walls were remarkably regular, as if they had been meticulously polished. Lighting devices were installed along these walls. The purple-red light visible from outside the cave at night emanated from these devices.
"Magic crystal lamp?" Ronin murmured.
Luo Ning removed one of the lighting devices from the wall. Its design differed from the magic crystal lamps in Wushan Castle. Curious, he wondered what might be inside it.
"These lamps need recharging. I've often seen people take them down and inject energy, which makes them light up again," Carlos explained, recounting his observations. "Over the years, I can't even recall how many times Natalia and the others have done this."
A charging device?
Ronin's eyes lit up. "Elron, take two of them for study," he instructed.
"Yes, sir!" Elron replied, though he didn't quite understand Carlos's explanation. Nonetheless, he was curious about the lights and, following Ronin's command, he took one down.
In Wushan Castle, rechargeable magic crystal lamps were a rarity, far more expensive and advanced than ordinary ones. Luo Ning had never encountered this technology but was eager to explore it when time allowed.
While research like this was costlier than Elron crafting magic potions, some high-level magicians, driven by their obsession, faced bankruptcy pursuing such knowledge.
Mastering a technology—or even a resource—was a form of capital. If needed one day, one wouldn't have to scramble for information or seek outside help.
The trio, accompanied by the dragon, paused briefly before continuing their exploration.
The cave featured corridors, halls, and even darkened rooms—resembling a castle built into the mountains.
The only drawback was the poor air circulation; the atmosphere was stifling and foul-smelling.
"Master, this is the altar that controls me," Carlos announced as they turned a corner into another spacious room.
A circular altar stood at the center, intricately carved with complex patterns. With his experience, Ronin recognized it as a high-end magic array.
Focusing his mental powers, Ronin felt a tingling sensation in his mind.
"How did Natalia do it?" he queried.
Carlos pointed to a palm print on the altar. "She activates the magic circle by injecting energy here."
Intrigued, Luo Ning attempted to channel his fighting spirit into the palm print, but the magic circle remained inert.
He then tried infusing magic power, but to no avail.
"Elron, your turn."
The light magician mimicked Ronin's actions, but a force repelled his hand.
"My Lord, it seems to reject me," Elron noted.
Ronin was taken aback. Neither fighting spirit nor magic triggered any reaction, except for Elron's rejection. It suggested that activating this magic circle required a unique, extraordinary energy.
"Natalia uses a dark energy," Carlos interjected, confirming Ronin's suspicions.
Dark energy? Ronin frowned. He recalled Lu Lansi, who also harbored a dark energy in his body, its corrosive Soul Devouring Surge bearing similarities to Natalia's methods.
The parallels were clear, but Ronin wondered about a possible connection between these energies.
"Master, this is their food transport passage," Carlos said, leading them to a narrow door.
The two men and Elron descended the steps, arriving at a pool about seven or eight meters in diameter and three or four meters deep. The pool's walls were perforated with round holes, likely for drainage. But what captured their attention was another magic circle at the bottom.
"Sir, this magic circle is different from the one above," Luo Ning observed, spotting a palm-shaped "switch" on a nearby table.
Elron volunteered, "I'll try this one."
This time, the device didn't repel him.
When Elron infused light magic, the magic circle activated, emitting a buzzing sound and a surge of colorful light that plunged the room into chaos.
As curiosity, nervousness, and caution mingled, a pool of sea water appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
The light faded, and the magic circle cooled down.
Luo Ning, stunned, pondered whether this was a summoning or a teleportation. The water drained through the holes, leaving behind a scattering of fish and other marine life frantically trying to escape their fate.
"This must be teleportation," Ronin concluded, hypothesizing that there was likely a corresponding teleportation array at the other end, possibly located on the seabed.
The extravagance of using such advanced magic for fishing was astounding and, frankly, unbelievable.
"Elron, we should..." Ronin turned, noticing Elron leaning wearily against the wall.
"What's wrong?" Luo Ning rushed over.
"I'm just drained," Elron reassured, waving off concern. "Activating the magic circle took a lot of my magic power and mental energy. Luckily, I had just refreshed some of it; otherwise, I'd be completely exhausted."
Relieved there were no side effects, Luo Ning suggested, "Just rest here for a while."
He then jumped into the pool, collecting the catch into his space ring.
The haul was modest, barely filling one cubic meter.
No wonder Carlos mentioned frequent hunger. Such a method of fishing demanded exceptional strength. Even with Natalia and others exerting themselves, they could manage only a few catches a day.
Ronin gazed at the reactivated magic circle, its value undeniable.
"Teleportation should be considered space magic, right?" he mused, thinking of the seven attributes represented by the gods—earth, wind, water, fire, thunder, light, and darkness.
Luo Ning had yet to encounter a space magician.
---------
Hey guys, VerseX here :)
If you want to support me and the work that I am doing, you can support me on pâtreon. It costs 1 dollar a month, and you get six early-access chapters. I know that it isn't much of an advantage, but I would love your support.
Thank you for enjoying my translation and enjoy.
The link to my pâtreon is: https://www.pâtreon.com/VerseX
You just have to change the â to a