Black Hearted Mage

Chapter 163 Secret Passage

"In the legend of our ancestors, he finally walked into a radiant and dazzling magic door. All the stories about our ancestors ended here!" Trum said in amazement, as if he had witnessed the shocking scene with his own eyes.

Upon hearing this, Kaisas, who was standing nearby, nodded slightly and responded, "Old Trum, as far as I know, that light gate is a plane portal. Your ancestor is not dead. He is very likely in the Demon Realm or the Abyss Plane!"

Caesar explained all this patiently, and the reason why he could say this with such confidence was mostly due to the careful teaching and instruction of the knowledgeable elf elder, Old Ethan.

Magicians have the ability to open short-distance portals, but only those archmages with extraordinary skills and profound attainments have the ability to construct short-distance portals. After all, among all the various magical elements, only arcane energy has spatial properties.

At this moment, Melissa, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly interrupted. A puzzled look crossed her face as she eagerly asked, "Caesars, how did the ancestor's statue suddenly become brand new? This is truly unbelievable!"

In response to Melissa's question, Caesars smiled and replied calmly, "It's not that the statue has become brand new. In fact, it's a masterpiece of alchemical craftsmanship! When it was first constructed, several layers were carefully designed. When the surface layer gradually weathered and became mottled and old due to the erosion of time, it was simply necessary to use a specific method to make the outer layer of the statue naturally fall off, thus revealing the brand new layer hidden within!"

After listening to Caesar's detailed and lucid explanation, Melissa nodded in sudden enlightenment, indicating that she now fully understood the mystery. Meanwhile, Trum, standing next to her, also had a sudden realization, his face filled with admiration.

In order to solemnly celebrate the exciting news that the ancestor's statue had become intact again and that the ancestor was still alive, the ogre tribe, whose food reserves were already insufficient, held a grand celebration without hesitation - a bonfire banquet.

On this special night, the ogres indulged their appetites without restraint and enjoyed the feast to their heart's content. They devoured the tribe's remaining liquor like a whirlwind, as if they wanted to integrate all their long-suppressed emotions and hopes for the future into this carnival.

Amidst the clamor and noise, Caesars spent an extremely long and unbearable night surrounded by the thunderous snoring. Although he tried hard to fall asleep, the deafening snoring kept lingering in his ears, making it difficult for him to sleep.

As the eastern sky began to turn pale, still twilight, Caesars, exhausted by the constant noise, finally emerged from his tent. His face was weary, and he secretly regretted pitching his tent next to the statue the previous night. The small, golden-eyed black demon snake also staggered out, having similarly been surrounded by the noise all night.

What surprised Caesar was that although these ogres had spacious caves to live in, hundreds of them slept next to the statues, as if this could allow them to feel the blessing and power of their ancestors.

"Saint Paul, I think we should hurry back to the crater. It's impossible to sleep well here!" Caesars muttered to himself while swiftly packing up his tent made of hard leather.

Just as Caesars had packed up his things, the tall, somewhat overweight Locke came over. He was cleaning up yesterday's leftovers and packing up the big pot and other things.

"Locke, tell Melissa that I'm going home first. I've been out for a long time this time!" Caesars said to Locke.

"Brother Caesars, are you leaving now?"

"Well, summer is coming soon, I have to go back quickly!"

"Brother Caesars, give me two more cheese cakes. I'll trade them for the cheese from the tribe!"

"No, no, I'll give you some cheese cakes, and you can keep the cheese from your tribe for yourself!"

Hearing about the ogre tribe's cheese, Kaisus felt a sick feeling in his stomach. The milk of the wild bulls was already very strong in the smell of rancidity, and when it was made into cheese, the smell was even stronger. The smell of that indescribable smell made Kaisus lose all appetite.

Six or seven cheese cakes were placed on the ground, each weighing about thirty pounds. They were produced by the Safin family in the Gravel Kingdom.

"Locke, I'm leaving first!"

"Brother Caesars, how about I give you a ride?"

"no, I'm fine!"

With firm and powerful steps, Caesars walked towards the outside of the valley like a gust of wind. Ogres have astonishing appetites. If he didn't leave quickly, he would probably run out of food in just a few days.

This time, Caesars decided to embark on the ancient secret path. This path would lead through the remaining cliffs of the mountain range and ultimately into the vast, boundless Endless Forest. He planned to follow the edge of the Endless Forest to the crater. He chose this route not simply for the thrill or adventure, but because along the way, he could gather extremely rare and precious herbs. These herbs were extremely valuable in the market, far more sought after than magic crystals or gold coins.

From the towering, perpetually snow-capped Icecrown Mountains to the precipitous, steep, and craggy Cliff Mountains, the distance between them stretched eight or nine thousand miles. When Kaesus finally emerged from the valley where the ogre tribe lay, the warm, welcoming sunlight finally fell upon him. The valley acted as a natural barrier, effectively shielding him from the bitter cold winds from the north, but at the same time, it also blocked out the morning sun.

Thankfully, it was spring, the earth reviving and green. The grass wasn't lush yet, only about half a foot tall. If we had waited a few more days, and the grass had grown wildly, walking across this vast plateau would have been difficult.

Traveling over a thousand miles south from the Icecap Mountains, a vast expanse of incredibly flat grasslands unfolded before us. This vast expanse of land stretched like a giant green carpet to the horizon.

Caesars had been walking alone across the high grasslands for seven or eight days. During this long and lonely journey, he occasionally encountered wild bulls. These wild bulls were enormous and powerful, but their tempers were also extremely violent. Without careful feeding and domestication from a young age, taming them would be almost impossible.

After bidding farewell to the Beidi Plateau and continuing south, we entered the endless, rolling Beidi Steppes. This has been the home of the Beidi people for generations and a vital grazing ground for their cattle and sheep. Surprisingly, however, not a single horse was to be found on this vast grassland.

Looking up, you'll see the boundless blue sky above you, as clear as a gemstone; looking out, you'll see the endless green meadows beneath your feet, a scene that seems to make you forget all your worries and fatigue. Such magnificent scenery is truly rare in the world and cannot be compared to anywhere else.

After more than twenty days of arduous trekking, Caesars finally reached the edge of the Cliff Mountains. The peaks here towered into the clouds, their slopes steep and rugged, almost completely vertical. The mountain walls were as smooth as if cleaved by a giant axe, with not a single protrusion visible.

Standing at the foot of the mountain, Kaisas clutched the ancient map, carefully comparing it to the surrounding terrain, trying to find the correct direction. According to the information marked on the map, this place should have been the location of the Frost Crown. And the mysterious path leading to their destination was approximately four or five miles southwest.

"As long as we keep walking for another four or five miles, we should be reaching our destination soon!" Caesars secretly encouraged himself in his heart, and at the same time, he felt a little excited.

Caesars quickly stood up, grabbed his backpack and headed southwest. He checked his Frost Crown Badge, which was the only "key" to open the magic door of the secret passage.

Kaisas quickened his pace. Ahead lay a chaotic, rocky expanse, its ground uneven and strewn with rocks of varying sizes and shapes. Walking here was like dancing on a knife's edge, a single misstep could easily lead to a twisted ankle or even a fall. Despite the difficulties, Kaisas pressed forward with determination. After a strenuous half-hour trek, he finally reached a narrow, deep canyon nestled within the precipitous mountains.

At the end of the canyon, the towering cliffs, like an insurmountable wall, give people a strong sense of oppression. This is the majestic and majestic Jibi Mountain Range. It seems to be a huge barrier carved by nature with magical craftsmanship, blocking people's progress.

Panting, Caesars reached the cliff face and paused for a moment. Then, taking a deep breath, he gently placed his palm, imbued with powerful magical energy, against the seemingly smooth, seamless stone wall. Due to the passage of time and long disuse, the magical transmission device that once powered the cliff's mechanism had long since exhausted its energy source. Caesars would need to use his own profound magical power to activate and restart this ancient device.

As Caesars's magic continuously poured into the mountain wall, a low, steady mechanical sound gradually emerged from within. Then, the magical door, which had previously blended perfectly with the surrounding mountain wall, slowly opened outward, revealing a mysterious passage hidden behind. Seeing this, Caesars took a step forward without hesitation, quickly entering this unknown space.

After entering the passage, the front was pitch black. Caesars's sharp eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. He spotted an empty slot on the stone wall near the magic door. This magic slot was slightly larger than ordinary slots. Based on his initial judgment, it would require at least ten high-quality magic crystals to fill it with energy.

Without hesitation, Caesars immediately pulled out a dozen brilliantly glowing high-grade magic crystals from his space ring and carefully placed them one by one into the slots. As the last magic crystal settled securely into place, the previously dark passageway instantly became bright. Magic lamps embedded in the wall simultaneously emitted a soft yet bright light, illuminating the path ahead. Meanwhile, the newly opened magic door slowly closed.

Continuing deeper into the passage, Caesars noticed that every ten meters or so, he could see a beautifully shaped magic lamp, and every one or two hundred meters, there would be a heavy gate made of solid magic steel. These gates were tightly closed, as if guarding the secrets deep within the passage.

This claustrophobic passage made Kaisas feel a little oppressive, and he quickened his pace. As he approached, the magic steel gate would automatically open. After he passed through, the magic steel gate would slowly fall again, continuing to guard this secret passage.

Without the Frost Crown Badge, Caesars wouldn't be able to enter here, let alone open the magic door outside.

This passage seemed endless. The magic steel gate in front of it rose and fell again and again, giving people the feeling of being stagnant. This illusion tormented Kaisas for half an hour, and it finally ended with the opening of the last magic gate.

Beyond the magical door, the scene unfolded like a dreamlike painting. Looking out into the distance, towering trees stood proudly on all sides, like guardians of the forest. Beneath them, a vast expanse of lush green meadows stirred a yearning.

Caesars slowly walked out of the magic door and slowly descended the slope outside the door, each step seeming so light and steady. As he walked further and further away, the magic door behind him began to slowly close, and finally closed completely, the magic door and the stone wall merged perfectly into one.

Kaisas took a deep breath, savoring the refreshing scent of the endless forest. It seemed like no one had set foot here in ages. Looking around, the weeds were taller than a person. Fortunately, they weren't spread out everywhere, but rather clustered together, leaving him some space to move forward.

Kaisas opened his backpack, took out the small black snake, and casually dropped it on the ground. The little black snake had grown quite sturdy, almost as thick as a forearm, and probably weighed at least 10 to 20 kilograms. Carrying it on one's back for so long did indeed feel a bit heavy.

After preparing himself, Caesars donned his soft leather gloves and gripped the Staff of Death tightly. He glanced south and set off along the steep mountain range. The endless forests to the north were fraught with danger, and the slightest carelessness could lead to unexpected perils. Traveling here required constant vigilance, cautiously preparing for any unexpected situation.