Bai Xuan gestured for Phoebe to hide in the shadows first and stay still.
Meanwhile, he silently counted, repeatedly confirming the intervals between the patrol's movements.
Each time the patrol walked from the left side to the right, there was a considerable gap in between, which would be more than enough time for them to make their move.
After double-checking for three or four rounds, he finally determined that this plan was feasible.
Bai Xuan slowly pulled out two daggers. One was the one Phoebe had given him, its blade still retaining a faint, residual warmth from the forge.
The other was an ordinary dagger he had kept in his Space Ring.
He planned to plunge these two daggers into the mortar joints of the wall to pull himself up.
The bricks of the wall were extremely hard, and an ordinary dagger might struggle to support their weight.
But since he possessed ample strength, forcing them into the cracks shouldn't be an issue. As for the wear and tear on the blades, he couldn't afford to worry about that right now.
He turned his head and lowered his voice to whisper to Phoebe.
“Hold onto my neck. Not too tight, but don't let go either. Secure the axe on your back, and make absolutely sure it doesn't fall.”
Phoebe nodded silently, reaching back to tighten the straps of the giant axe on her back once more.
She then extended her slender yet strong arms and gently wrapped them around Bai Xuan's neck.
Bai Xuan adjusted his center of gravity, keeping a close eye on the patrol's movements.
Not until the footsteps of the patrol gradually faded into the distance and the torchlight just swept around the corner of the wall did he act.
He immediately whispered, “Let's go,” and, keeping his posture low, swiftly rushed toward the base of the wall with Phoebe.
Arriving beneath the wall, Bai Xuan gripped a dagger in each hand. Lining them up with the joints between the bricks, he thrust them in with a sudden burst of power.
With a sharp sound, more than half of the blades sank firmly into the wall.
Using the daggers for support, he climbed upward, pulling one out and plunging it into a higher crack, repeating the process in an alternating, agile, and cautious rhythm.
Phoebe clung tightly to his back, completely motionless, with only her faint breath brushing gently against his neck, bringing a peculiar sensation.
The night was exceptionally quiet, making the sound of the daggers sinking into the brick joints ring out with startling clarity.
With every movement, Bai Xuan would pause to listen intently to his surroundings, only continuing upward after confirming there was no anomaly.
Fortunately, there was only the distant chirping of insects around them, without any sound of guards.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, but he did not dare slacken his focus even slightly.
Upon reaching the top of the wall, Bai Xuan first carefully poked his head out, scanning both sides of the rampart.
Confirming there were no patrols and only the distant torchlight swaying slowly, he quickly vaulted onto the top of the wall.
Once they were up, the two of them immediately kept their bodies low, hiding in the shadows of the battlements to avoid the glare of the torches.
Bai Xuan glanced down.
The ground outside the wall was a bit lower than the inside, shrouded in pitch-black darkness that obscured the terrain.
But at least everything was going smoothly for now, and he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
He looked back once more at the silhouette of Blackcreek Town. The moonlight was mostly obscured by the clouds, and the entire town lay silently in the dark.
A strange feeling inexplicably welled up in his heart, as if something were secretly watching them from behind that stone wall.
But with time being so tight, he had no opportunity to ponder it further.
Bai Xuan led Phoebe over the battlements to the other side of the wall.
He whispered, “We're going down,” and inserted his daggers into the cracks of the outer wall first.
Then, carrying Phoebe on his back, he slowly climbed down just as he had come up, alternating his grip on the two daggers to support his weight.
Phoebe remained pressed against his back, her breathing soft, making the sensation on his neck even more pronounced.
When they were only two or three meters from the ground, the tension in Bai Xuan's heart eased slightly.
He exerted a bit of force and leapt down with Phoebe.
Yet, the exact moment his feet were about to touch the ground, several pitch-black shapes suddenly surged from the earth.
They resembled both flowing shadows and viscous liquid.
They crept silently along the ground, rapidly spreading toward the spot where he was about to land.
Catching it in his peripheral vision just in time, Bai Xuan felt a jolt of alarm.
He immediately kicked off the wall with force, holding Phoebe tight as he swiftly flipped through the air to dodge.
Those black shadows were incredibly fast, pursuing them relentlessly, writhing and spreading across the ground as if they possessed lives of their own.
Bai Xuan attempted to shake off the pursuit while mid-air.
But after chasing for only two seconds and seeing they couldn't catch him, the shadows suddenly expanded, transforming into a massive, translucent cage.
It then descended straight from above, completely enveloping an area of over two hundred square meters.
Landing firmly on the ground, Bai Xuan immediately shielded Phoebe behind him and swiftly scanned his surroundings.
A dim light flowed slowly along the edges of the cage, radiating a bizarre vitality.
He understood in an instant that he and Phoebe were trapped.
Moreover, he had never seen this kind of magic before and had no idea how to break it.
Phoebe silently unstrapped the Rock-Crushing Mountain from her back and ripped away the cloth wrapped around it.
She gripped the handle with both hands, the blade of the axe pointing diagonally toward the ground.
Her hood slipped off, letting her silver hair cascade over her shoulders, gleaming faintly in the dim light of the cage.
Phoebe's expression remained as calm and tranquil as ever, yet purple arcs of electricity flickered subtly across the axe's body, exuding a sharp, fierce aura.
Just then, a figure slowly stepped out from the shadows.
Gold-rimmed glasses, a mage's robe, and several small glass vials hanging from his waist.
It was none other than the Deputy Captain of the Silver Heart Adventure Team, Ronid.
Bai Xuan's mind raced, filled with deep confusion.
How could it be him?
He had previously guessed that those blocking his path might be guards, elite forces left behind by the Cross family, or even Zane himself, but he had never expected it to be Ronid.
There was no enmity between him and Ronid; they had only met once outside Blackcreek Town.
Could this guy be working for the Cross family as well?
Ronid walked to the edge of the cage, his lenses reflecting the light of the distant torches, obscuring the expression in his eyes.
When he spoke, his tone carried a hint of a smile, as if he were greeting an old friend.
“You're quite difficult to catch. What are you doing sneaking around in the middle of the night?”
“And carrying a little girl with you, no less?”
He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over Bai Xuan and Phoebe, before continuing.
“By the way, didn't we happen to cross paths on the road in the slums earlier? Have you been staying in the slums this whole time?”
“Those missing children... you wouldn't happen to be the one who kidnapped them, would you?”
As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Phoebe for a brief moment.
The eyes behind his lenses gleamed slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing unconsciously as a surge of desire welled up, nearly spilling from his gaze.
But he forcibly suppressed it, maintaining a gentle expression on his face.
Bai Xuan shielded Phoebe even closer, reaching out to press down on her hand gripping the axe, signaling her with his eyes not to act rashly and to stand down for now.
He habitually extended his mental power to scan the area, and no other markers appeared on his panel.
There were only the three of them around.
And the information displayed on Ronid's status panel was almost identical to when they first met—still incredibly twisted.
Bai Xuan pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, his tone flat but dripping with sarcasm.
“There are only the three of us here, yet you're quite skilled at pinning false charges on others.”
“Though I am curious, how did you recognize me? And even set up an ambush here?”
“We've only met once before, and yet you targeted me? Is your brain not fully developed?”
Ronid's mouth twitched violently, the gaze behind his lenses instantly turning cold as the refined facade on his face began to crack.
“Every time I see you, you always have such exquisite specimens by your side,” he whispered, his tone wrapped in a cold, sinister excitement.
“What kind of alluring secret do you possess? I am truly curious.”
Bai Xuan frowned, his voice full of disdain.
“That's it? This face of mine is the secret. It's a gift from the Goddess, something you could never hope to copy.”
With that, Bai Xuan wiped his face, revealing his extraordinary features.
He grumbled inwardly. To think this guy had targeted him simply out of such twisted jealousy and desire.
This man's mind was truly unhinged.
Previously, at the dungeon entrance, the way Ronid looked at Amelia had been highly suspicious.
And now, he was actually targeting Phoebe as well.
Ronid ignored his words entirely, continuing on his own.
“Heh, hand over your secrets, and give me the girl behind you. If you do, I might consider letting you leave.” He paused, his tone carrying a hint of smugness.
“Don't bother trying to run. This area has been completely sealed off by my Shadow Shroud. I expended a considerable amount of mana just to catch you, so you can consider yourself somewhat capable.”
Bai Xuan couldn't be bothered to waste words with him. He could tell that Ronid was constantly on his guard.
If he made a reckless surprise attack, it would inevitably cause a commotion and draw the garrison from Blackcreek Town.
Since he couldn't extract any useful information, there was no point in wasting time with him. It was best to leave as quickly as possible.
He then retrieved the Staff of Guidance, walked quickly to the edge of the black dome, and gently tapped it with the tip of the staff.
The dome was a translucent dark color, its surface rippling with tiny waves like a pool of polluted lake water.
Bai Xuan tried applying a bit of force, finding that while the dome possessed some resilience, it wasn't exceptionally sturdy.
Seeing Bai Xuan summon a staff out of thin air, Ronid was momentarily taken aback.
Then, a greedy light instantly flared in his eyes.
A Space Ring! He actually possessed a Space Ring. There were bound to be even more treasures hidden inside it.
“Don't waste your energy,” Ronid sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.
“You think you can break my Shadow Shroud? Hand over the secrets and the girl while I still have some patience, and I might just spare your life.”
Bai Xuan didn't even spare him a glance, directly raising his staff and slowly channeling mana into it.
The tip of the staff gradually glowed with a golden light.
【Arcing Strike】 was already primed and ready.
At the same time, he also pushed Spirit-Weight Equilibrium to its absolute limit.
Ronid continued to sneer from the side, completely disregarding Bai Xuan's actions.
In the next second, Bai Xuan swung the staff down with tremendous force.
“Bang!”
The black dome instantly shattered like glass, its fragments turning into black mist and dispersing into the air as they hit the ground.
The sound of the impact wasn't loud, but the resulting shockwave still forced Ronid to take an involuntary step back.
The smile on his face froze instantly, replaced by a look of utter disbelief.
This Shadow Shroud had cost him nearly half of his mana; he knew its strength better than anyone.
Unless there was an immense disparity in their strength, it should have been absolutely impossible to break so easily.
Yet, the guy before him had shattered it with a single strike of his staff...
“Impossible... This is impossible...” Ronid muttered to himself, his voice filled with bewilderment and shock.
Bai Xuan didn't give him any time to react. He scooped Phoebe up by her waist with one arm.
Then, he turned and sprinted off into the distance.
Phoebe held her axe tightly, making no attempt to struggle, simply burying her face gently into the crook of his shoulder.
It took Ronid a moment to snap out of his daze, but by then, Bai Xuan had already run a considerable distance away.
Suppressing the shock and stray thoughts in his heart, he suddenly raised his staff and shook it hard.
A black ripple instantly spread outward, and immediately after, a long, deep call of a deer echoed from the depths of the forest.
A completely pitch-black deer leapt out in response, its eyes glowing a deep crimson.
Its body was a size larger than an ordinary deer, and a pair of twisted, menacing antlers grew upon its head.
Ronid deftly mounted the deer, quickly chanting an incantation.
The crystal at the tip of his staff instantly emitted a dense, dark light.
Upon hitting the ground, the dark light rapidly stretched into a long shadow.
The silhouette was strikingly similar to Bai Xuan's shadow.
The dark shadow clung to the ground, swiftly pursuing the direction of Bai Xuan's escape.
“Pursue!” Ronid barked. The black deer's hooves left the ground as it galloped rapidly in Bai Xuan's direction.
He stared intently at Bai Xuan's retreating back, sneering in his heart.
Though he didn't know what method this Healer had used to break his dome, judging by how the man was solely focused on running, he had likely used a one-time item or consumed a massive amount of mana.
This time, he wouldn't waste any more words. Once he caught up, it would be the man's death!
Bai Xuan glanced back, seeing the dark shadow on the ground rapidly closing the distance.
Further back, Ronid was also in hot pursuit, riding that massive black deer.
Bai Xuan continued to sprint with all his might.
Only when he looked back and saw that the scattered lights of Blackcreek Town had shrunk into a blurry cluster of dim yellow specks did he finally slow his pace.
Slightly out of breath, he gently set Phoebe down.
Then, turning around, he gazed with a solemn expression toward the direction they had come from.
Approaching rapidly from behind, Ronid immediately curled his lips into a freezing sneer upon seeing Bai Xuan stop.
“Why aren't you running anymore?” he mocked loudly, his voice filled with contempt.
“Did you run out of mana, or did that crappy item of yours fail? Being able to run this far is already a miracle for you.”
The moment his words fell, a dark shadow rapidly closed in along the ground, moving so fast it was almost a blur.
Bai Xuan looked down, finding that the shadow had already crept silently right up to his feet.
He frowned slightly. Upon closer inspection, the silhouette of the shadow was identical to his own.
“A Shadow Mage...” Everything suddenly clicked in Bai Xuan's mind.
“I see. This person's magic can not only manipulate shadows but even mimic the form of his target.”
The other party must have recognized him through his shadow, which was why he had pursued and intercepted them. Such a sinister and underhanded ability was truly repulsive.
Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Xuan raised the Staff of Guidance, a dazzling golden light instantly coalescing at its tip.
Immediately after, a Redemption Strike was slammed fiercely into the ground.
“Boom!”
Dirt and grass clippings splattered in all directions, and the golden radiance slammed violently into the dark shadow.
The shadow writhed violently as if scorched by a raging fire, emitting a harsh, sizzling sound.
Ultimately, it was smashed into pieces, splattering like a heap of mud.
In the distance, Ronid's body shuddered violently. A trace of blood instantly seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his face turned deathly pale.
That shadow was closely linked to his mana. The moment the shadow was destroyed, the magical backlash surged back, inflicting a moderate injury upon him.
He raised his hand to wipe away the blood, the greed in his eyes fading to leave only bone-chilling intent to kill.
The black deer carried him swiftly to the front. Ronid did not dismount, merely staring down at Bai Xuan from his high vantage point.
Without a single redundant word, he directly raised his staff and began to chant an incantation in a low voice.
Phoebe did not wait for Bai Xuan to signal her; she had already reacted.
Rate on N.U.
