Chapter 1172: Section 1173 Aoluxiya’s Choice
The every move of the night tavern master was being watched by everyone present.
So, the moment the night tavern master looked towards Angel, catching that pause, was also noticed by them.
“Lord Monty, it seems that what Angel said before indeed had omissions. He and this night tavern master definitely have hidden matters they haven’t disclosed.” The speaker was a wizard from the Gravity Forest, who immediately commented upon noticing that scene.
Upon hearing these words, Rivetta sneered, “How come you speak as if all of our information must come from Angel?”
“You must remember that Angel is but an Apprentice, and you, I, and indeed, everyone on the floating ice are stronger than Angel.”
Rivetta’s words made people feel embarrassed, but upon reflection, it was true that Aoluxiya’s arrival in Lassudral was too abrupt; nobody anticipated it, which made their intelligence gathering even less effective than that of an Angel.
Now they were relying on the information obtained by Angel, and yet they were blaming others for concealing things.
Considering the speaker was from the wizards of Gravity, everyone knew their intention was nothing more than trying to sow discord in front of Lord Monty.
For a moment, their gazes towards the people from Gravity Forest carried contempt.
“The information provided by Angel has been useful to us. As for some irrelevant information, whether he shares it or not, what does it matter?” Kanter spoke indifferently. He was also somewhat surprised about why the night tavern master took a momentary pause upon seeing Angel, but this was merely the relationship between Angel and the night tavern master, and it had no significant impact on the current situation.
Kanter said this, but his eyes glanced at Sanders beside him. Since Sanders had spent considerable time with Angel on the first floor, it was likely that Sanders knew something about the matter between Angel and the night tavern master.
Sanders, however, did not respond, simply curling his lips, “Angel is not far away. If you’re curious about what he hasn’t shared, why not ask him yourself?”
Monty glanced at Sanders, then at the expressions of the others around him, especially stealing a glance at Nereus, before he spoke lightly, “Kanter is right, this matter is irrelevant to the current situation, all we need to do is watch how things unfold.”
Monty’s conversation went unheard by Angel, but Fafnir, using the breeze, listened to every word clearly.
Fafnir’s face bore a hint of sarcasm. After pondering for a moment, he summoned a light breeze, whispering, and hovering around Angel’s ear. The previous conversation of the humans thus entered Angel’s hearing.
After listening, Angel hadn’t expected that the night tavern master’s inconsequential pause would spark such discussion among the wizards.
“I merely asked the night tavern master for a favor, if there are other connections to speak of…” Angel shook his head; his level was not even close to that of the night tavern master, how could there possibly be other connections? Moreover, he had already shared everything last time, including the night tavern master’s connection with Feng.
The only thing he hadn’t mentioned was the relationship between Feng and Odeclass, as well as Feng’s influence on the night tavern master.
Therefore, Angel was actually quite curious about that pause from the night tavern master previously.
Angel didn’t dwell on it too deeply, he privately thought that perhaps, the night tavern master’s intention was very straightforward. Seeing him and pausing for a moment might just signify some surprise – despite the dangerous and challenging situation in Lassudral, he was actually still alive?
No matter how humans or demons speculated, the true answer could only come from the night tavern master himself.
And now, the night tavern master was not focusing on Angel but was exchanging gazes with Aoluxiya at his side.
It seemed as though there was an invisible signal passing back and forth between the eyes of the night and Aoluxiya.
After a while, Aoluxiya nodded slightly, seemingly reaching an agreement, and the night tavern master slowly bowed his head, no longer paying attention to it. At the same time, though, that striking purple strand of Primeval Flame in the night tavern master’s hair somehow drifted down and gently landed in Aoluxiya’s hand.
Komodo, witnessing this scene, bulged his eyes outwards, his lids nearly splitting, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing. His hands trembled, showing his inner turmoil, yet he dared not approach the night tavern master.
From afar, Monty’s expression also looked unpleasant. From the previous exchange of glances between Aoluxiya and the night tavern master, along with the descent of the Primeval Flame, it was clear there was some connection between them. Monty had originally planned to capture Aoluxiya after the night tavern master left, thereby obtaining not only Aoluxiya but also the Primeval Flame.
But if the night tavern master had a private relationship with Aoluxiya, would he become discontented if Monty made a move on Aoluxiya?
Or perhaps, the night tavern master had already developed a bias against humans?
Monty felt somewhat uneasy.
“Thank you, night tavern master.” After receiving the purple Primeval Flame, Aoluxiya thanked the night tavern master in the melodically rhythmic Demon Language.
“I have fulfilled what was promised before. After this, your gains and losses are of no concern to me.”
For Angel, when the night spoke, its tone was as low and cold as before, but there seemed to be something different – an added authority, as if every word it uttered followed the trajectory of some Law, a fate decreed by the heavens.
All beings that heard the words of the night felt a compelling desire deep within to kneel.
Even the human wizards felt this urge.
“The authority of the Monarch of Fire,” Fafnir murmured softly, “His words are, in themselves, edicts.”
After the night tavern master had spoken, there was no further speech. Yet these words let Komodo, Monty, and all those who coveted the Primeval Flame put down their anxious hearts at that moment.
The intent of the Night Innkeeper was quite clear: it had drawn a line with Aoluxiya, indicating that from that point on, whatever happened to the Primeval Flame had nothing to do with it!
This meant that Komodo still had a chance at the Primeval Flame! Monty’s plan would not be called off because of the Night Innkeeper’s obstruction!
The thoughts of everyone present were reinvigorated.
Still, they didn’t dare to approach just yet, since Aoluxiya was still by the Night Innkeeper’s side. To act now, even if the Night Innkeeper didn’t care about Aoluxiya’s fate or loss, such an action would be an offense to the Night Innkeeper.
Any being that offended a Demon Lord would not end well.
Aoluxiya understood the thoughts of the others as well; it knew this was its only chance. If it waited for the Night Innkeeper to completely step out of the picture, it would then have to face both Komodo and humans, while trying to preserve both the Primeval Flame and itself—a daunting task.
With that thought, a resolved flash passed through Aoluxiya’s eyes.
One could see Aoluxiya slowly bringing together the Primeval Flames it was twisting in each hand. As the white and purple Primeval Flames neared each other, a strange Transmutation began to take place in secret.
“Lord Aoluxiya, do you intend to open the Fire Relics now?” Tandin, seeing Aoluxiya’s movements, voiced his astonishment.
“I must know where the road lies,” Aoluxiya replied indifferently.
“But, Lord, once you Fuse with the Fire Relics and open them with the Primeval Flame, you will become completely…” undefended.
Tandin’s unspoken words were clearly understood by Aoluxiya. Once it used the Primeval Flame to open the Fire Relics, all its thoughts and consciousness would be immersed in the bygone times hidden within the Fire Relics, and it would have no capacity to attend to anything else.
At that point, not just Monty and Komodo, but even a common fire-handling little demon would be an unstoppable threat.
Aoluxiya: “I know, but now is my best opportunity.”
Tandin frowned, “The assistance of Nitotipu and Yadasai has already made one thing clear, Lord Galal might have already arrived. Wouldn’t it be better to wait for Lord Galal to come before Fusing?”
Aoluxiya’s eyes lowered, “After its arrival, the situation might get even worse than it is now.”
Aoluxiya was very aware that although the Lord of the Flameless hadn’t obstructed its path, from its standpoint, it definitely wouldn’t want Aoluxiya to find another way.
“But…”
“No need to worry, I will leave behind a shred of intent. If there’s danger, I’ll Unseal the True Spirit and the true name.”
Tandin sighed, “Very well, I hope you awaken as soon as possible, Lord.”
Aoluxiya nodded without saying more. The only way to wake from the bygone times was to find the road leading to the City of the Lost, Asgard, within that lost world.
That was Aoluxiya’s goal as well.
But as to when it could find it, Aoluxiya had no certainty—it all depended on whether it was lucky.
Regarding the imminent danger at hand, Aoluxiya was somewhat confident that once it had activated the True Spirit and true name, it would hold for a while. By then, even if Lord Galal arrived, it would be too late to stop what had started.
With that thought, Aoluxiya’s movements quickened.
As the two strands of Primeval Flame slowly intertwined, a light flashed on Aoluxiya’s forehead, seemingly a mark.
Yet no one present recognized that mark.
However, the wizards who had been to the Land of Rest, including Sinafa, Sanders, and others, felt a vague sense of familiarity—as if that mark did not exist in the present but in the distant past, buried in the annals of history and the bygone times.
“What is it doing, Fusing the Primeval Flames? Should we stop it?” a wizard asked.
No one responded, for even if they said to stop it, no one dared to step forward at this moment.”
Komodo also held back for now, aware that the Primeval Flame was certainly not so easily exhausted. Waiting for the Night Innkeeper to leave before contesting for it was not too late.
At the tower’s apex, a burst of light flashed.
Suddenly, Aoluxiya rose into the air, the intertwined purple and white Primeval Flames swirling around it, and as they circled, that odd mark on Aoluxiya’s forehead emanated a strange vibration.
Following that vibration, Aoluxiya slowly closed its eyes.
And so Aoluxiya floated mid-air with closed eyes, looking as though it were asleep, with a peaceful expression.
The Night, which had already emerged halfway from the vortex, also noticed Aoluxiya’s choice and showed no surprise, merely sighing softly beneath its helmet.