Chapter 423 The Gemstone Halo Was the Key
Eugene was still feeling kinda uneasy. But Richard, as usual, didn't hold back.
"If you wanna get your butt kicked, go ahead and follow her," Richard said, leaning back in his chair.
Arnold jumped in, "Don't sweat it, Eugene. Elizabeth's way more capable than all of us put together. She doesn't need us screwing things up."
Kevin added, "Yeah, dude. If you follow her, she'll definitely beat you up, and you'll just make her hate you more." Everyone knew that when Elizabeth said she was gonna fight, she meant business.
Eugene went quiet. He thought it over and agreed, so he slumped back down, feeling bummed out. The group kept playing cards, planning to wait for Elizabeth to get back before taking turns to rest.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Elizabeth had reached the cliff marked on her map. She pulled out the Gemstone Halo from around her neck and, with a deep breath, channeled her energy into it. The Gemstone Halo lit up with a magical silver glow, stretching from her feet to the cliff's edge and then down it, revealing a hidden path.
Without a second thought, Elizabeth grabbed her climbing gear from her backpack and started her descent, following the silver light. The climb was tough, taking over ten minutes until the silver light formed intricate patterns like those on her Halo, pointing to a cave halfway down the cliff. She quickly slipped inside, lighting her way with a flashlight.
Deep in the cave, Elizabeth found another inner cave, blocked by an invisible force and a protective formation. She wasn't surprised. Placing the Gemstone Halo at the center of the formation, she felt its power weaken and the barrier lift, letting her in. So, the Gemstone Halo was the key.
The cave looked untouched by humans; only the Gemstone Halo could break its barrier. She turned a corner and was greeted by a stunning sight: lush plants, vibrant flowers, and a pristine stream, with air so pure it felt otherworldly. For a diviner, this place was a goldmine of natural energy.
With one hand holding the Gemstone Halo and the other gripping the Rune stones, Elizabeth ventured deeper, following her instincts and a faint life force.
She reached an open area by the stream and froze. Two massive creatures lay on the ground: a huge eagle and an even bigger serpent—the legendary Aether Serpent, its ruby-red body shining in the light with a pair of red translucent wings. The serpent was coiled around the eagle, both clearly having fought to the death. The eagle was dead, and the serpent was badly wounded.
The Aether Serpent's cold eyes met Elizabeth's, ready to strike with its last breath. But when Elizabeth raised the Gemstone Halo, the serpent's hostility turned into a sorrowful cry. With great effort, the serpent revealed a hidden egg from nearby bushes, gesturing with its battered tail for Elizabeth to take it.
Elizabeth cradled the egg gently. "You want me to take care of your child?" she asked softly. The serpent nodded, its relief clear. With its remaining strength, the serpent pointed in a direction before collapsing, its life finally fading away.
Elizabeth held the egg and took a closer look. She realized the dead Aether Serpent had the same vibe as this place, while the huge eagle had an aura from the outside world. It must've barged in, found the spot perfect, and tried to take over.
After a fierce battle with the Aether Serpent, the eagle got strangled to death. But in its final counterattack, it also managed to kill the Aether Serpent.
Elizabeth could sense that this Aether Serpent had some connection with Wayne's ancestors. So, it didn't harm her in the end and asked her to take care of its kid.
First, she drew a Spellscroll and placed it on the Aether Serpent, then sat cross-legged and started chanting a blessing spell. After finishing, she cremated the Aether Serpent's body and scattered the ashes in the stream.
Then she carried the egg and headed in the direction the Aether Serpent had pointed. She found a large snake nest and was surprised to see piles of energy stones beneath it. These were the same stones Raymond had given her before. Such treasures, which divination masters would fight over outside, were just lying around in heaps.
No wonder the Aether Serpent's aura was so strong. If it hadn't been weakened after giving birth, the eagle wouldn't have stood a chance.
Earlier, the Aether Serpent had pointed this way and used its last bit of energy to open the barrier. It must've wanted her to take these energy stones.
Elizabeth had come prepared with a backpack. She filled it with energy stones, leaving the rest. Then she found a piece of animal hide at the bottom of the nest.
She picked it up and saw it was a letter from Wayne's ancestor. He wrote that he had accidentally come to this mountain and saved an Aether Serpent, forming a bond with it. This was a great place for training, and the Aether Serpent agreed to let his descendants come here to train. He carved a Gemstone Halo in the likeness of the Aether Serpent and told it that whoever came with the Gemstone Halo should be allowed to stay and train.
He didn't stay because he missed his family. Then he set up a formation at the inner cave, only allowing those with the Gemstone Halo to break the formation and enter. Animals weren't restricted, so the Aether Serpent could come and go freely. He also made an agreement with the Aether Serpent not to harm humans.
No wonder the Gemstone Halo had the Aether Serpent's pattern carved on it. And the Aether Serpent's attitude changed instantly upon seeing the Gemstone Halo.
The legendary "Mountain God" must've been the Aether Serpent, protecting the animals in the mountain.
Elizabeth was already a high-level diviner and needed more enlightenment and enhancement with energy stones, so this place was of limited help to her. And she had many things to do, not wanting to live here alone.
She walked around with the egg again and found some very old medicinal herbs. She carved a wooden box, dug up an herb, and placed it inside, attaching a Spellscroll to preserve its potency. Using the same method, she dug up other useful herbs and placed them in additional boxes. She tied the boxes together with vines and carried them with her backpack.
Then she left and restored the previous formation, so the Gemstone Halo would still be the key to entering.
Just as she finished, she suddenly noticed that the egg in her arms had hatched.
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