Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 119: Royal City, Night Di

"There's only one cat left? The one downstairs?" Cheng Lang asked suspiciously.

"That's right, respected captain, please return the crown to it as soon as possible. This matter is very urgent and critical." The magic mirror urged hurriedly.

"You stay here"

As Cheng Lang spoke, he turned around and ran downstairs. He once again chose to believe in the magic mirror.

"Mr. Magic Mirror, do you want to explain now?" Yun Ji asked without waiting for Cheng Lang's back to disappear from her sight.

"Wait a minute, I'll explain it in detail when our captain comes back."

The magic mirror replied absentmindedly, "Also, protect His Highness Yunlan and the wooden box that Shenba is carrying. That may be our greatest gain on this trip."

Upon hearing this, Shenba immediately drew out his broken sickle, turned around warily and looked out the window, then confidently left his back to Yun Ji.

Seeing this, Yun Lan also drew out the rapier he had picked up and followed suit, but he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Mr. Magic Mirror, is there anything else we can find that's worth our attention?"

"Of course, the big bell above my head." The magic mirror said, "This bell must be taken away."

"Does it have any special use?" Yafuso asked.

"I'll explain when the captain comes back."

The magic mirror said, "Listen to me now. There are some things you need to do later. This is related to whether our captain can survive."

Upon hearing this, Yun Ji and the other three quieted down one after another, and listened attentively to the arrangements of the magic mirror.

At the same time, Cheng Lang also ran back to the side of the mummy, swung the whip and accurately wrapped it around the crown. Then, after running down a few laps, he shook it hard and threw it to the big cat, which was still scratching with its claws, even wearing them out.

Isn't this some ferocious beast cub? How could it be so weak? Even its claws could be worn through?

The moment this thought arose in Cheng Lang's mind, the dazzling golden crown also flew towards the big cat under the swing of the whip.

"bass!"

At a certain moment, the claw stopped scratching, and the crescent-shaped claws accurately hooked the crown flying towards it.

Under the watchful eyes of Cheng Lang, who was holding a whip, the claw hooked on the crown slowly retracted to the other side of the small door.

Thanks to the reflection of the remaining fruit wine on the floor outside the small door, Cheng Lang could clearly see that the big cat deftly shook the crown hooked in its claws into the air, then stretched its head slightly and accurately caught the crown.

He could even clearly see that the golden earring on the big cat's right ear had a thin, glowing chain that swung out and hooked onto the edge of the crown.

"Woo-ah!"

Along with the low roar, Cheng Lang's eyes widened. With the help of the reflection, he could clearly see that the big black cat had become smaller!
Before he could react, a ball of furry black hair rushed into the tower and accurately grabbed the tip of the whip in Cheng Lang's hand.

“Meow~~~!”

Seeing Cheng Lang looking down at him, the kitten, which was no bigger than a shoe and had a small crown on its head, the edge of which was connected to the gold earring on its right ear with a golden chain, stuck its butt out, raised its tail, arched its body, and tried to make a childish roar?

"Forehead"

Before Cheng Lang could decide whether to say hello to the other party, the little guy shook his shiny black hair vigorously, and then shook off the fruit wine on his limbs. Then he jumped onto Cheng Lang's shoulder and licked his cheek with his moist, grass-scented, and densely thorny tongue.

At that moment, Cheng Lang not only got goose bumps, but he also froze completely, not daring to move at all - the sharp claws of the little guy on his shoulder had penetrated his skin and hooked onto his neck blood vessels!
"My name is Ye Di"

Just as Cheng Lang was about to swing the whip, a childish yet extremely arrogant voice rang out from deep within his ears, "You ugly hairless rat that walks on two legs, why are you throwing the crown to me?"

"An ugly, hairless rat on two legs?"

Cheng Lang reacted briefly, then rolled his eyes and said, "Someone told me to give you the crown as soon as possible, and said it was very important."

“It’s really important.”

The black cat who called himself Ye Di retracted the sharp claws that had already dug into his flesh and hooked onto Cheng Lang's blood vessels, squatted on his shoulder, licked his claws and explained, "Without this crown, I can't stay sane, and the closer I get to this tower, the closer I become to the instincts of a wild beast.

All the undead downstairs are waiting for me to transform completely into a beast, hoping I will tear open this cage and let them escape."

Having said that, Ye Di pressed Cheng Lang's face with his pink, saliva-stained paws. "Two-legged, ugly, hairless rat, if you had stayed awake a little longer, those undead would have been free. By then, you and your companions would have either been torn to pieces and eaten by me, or turned into idiots by those undead."

"so now."

"Now you will only be eaten by me," Ye Di said proudly, "it will be your honor."

"Look! There's a ball of light appearing there!" Cheng Lang suddenly pointed to the small door at the stairs.

"Where?! Where?!"

Ye Di subconsciously looked towards the small door at the end of the stairs. At the same time, Cheng Lang also pointed the mirror on his wrist towards the stairs. The magic mirror, receiving the hint, tacitly shot out a beam of dazzling sunlight.

"aim--!"

Ye Di's petite body reacted before her brain did and she pounced forward directly. Cheng Lang also began to retreat while shaking the mirror, and at the same time he looked nervously at the stupid cat that was trying hard to hold down the light spot with its two claws spread out.

"Ugly hairless rat with two legs! How dare you tease the great! Don't run! Don't run! I've got you!"

Before Ye Di could finish his harsh words, he began to climb walls and run after the light spot, and Cheng Lang was also retreating step by step.

Fortunately, before he could turn a circle on the spiral staircase, Yun Ji had already run down and smashed the two mirrors she brought against the wall, breaking them into countless pieces.

Before these fragments even hit the ground, they began to flicker in the dazzling sunlight, so much so that Cheng Lang mistakenly believed that he had returned to a distant entertainment venue called a "nightclub."

Compared to his trance, Yun Ji reacted very quickly and urged him to run up quickly. Behind them, the little cat wearing a crown, Ye Di, was running back and forth like a madman, trying in vain between the spots of light that appeared and disappeared one after another.

"An ugly, hairless rat with two legs! I want to take aim! Meow meow meow!"

The threat that emanated from the bottom of the tower echoed repeatedly all the way back, but Cheng Lang saw Yun Lan waiting for him in front, and Yafuso holding two other small mirrors in her hands.

"Snapped!"

The moment Yafuso saw the two of them, she threw the two mirrors in her hands behind them. Yunlan immediately made a large number of thorns grow on the surrounding walls and floors, completely blocking the backs of the two of them.

But Cheng Lang understood, and everyone understood, that this little trick probably wouldn't be able to stop that terrifying little kitten at all!
"Run!"

Cheng Lang urged and ran to the top of the tower with the two people who came to support him.

At this time, Shenba had already raised his sickle as a bell hammer and aimed at the big bell hanging above his head. After seeing the four of them running out, he immediately smashed it hard!
"Ring the bell!" the magic mirror urged anxiously, "Ring it! Ring it quickly! Don't stop!" "Dong!"

Yun Ji also drew her dagger and attacked immediately after Yun Lan, who was holding a rapier. Following closely behind, Yafuso also drew the large scissors from her waist, holding them backwards, and smashed the handles forward on tiptoe.

As for Cheng Lang, his whip was useless at this time, so he simply pulled out a flintlock rifle that he had lost to Shenba from behind Yun Ji's waist, grasped the barrel, and hit her with the handle of the rifle.

For a moment, the chaotic and almost deafening sound of the bells hardly stopped.

Amid the chaotic sound of the bells, they could faintly hear a few cats meowing like a nest of raging cats coming from the tower.

But then, on the surface under the tree canopy, the two huge stone men suddenly collapsed, the ground began to tremble, and cracks appeared on the surface!
That’s not all. Next, undead souls surged out of the tower one after another, crashing into the interior of the clock while screaming in terror!
"Quick! Attack those surrounding trees!"

The magic mirror shouted in the sound of the bell, "Those trees are very fragile! They will die with just the slightest attack!"

"I'll go right away!"

As Shenba spoke, he was already waving his sickle and preparing to jump.

"I'll do it!"

As Yun Ji spoke, she had already bitten the feather pendant hanging around her neck. She could use the wings given by the Night Raven Messenger to glide over from here at a much faster speed.

However, there are options here that are faster than hers.

"I'll do it!"

As Yafuso spoke, an exaggerated spider bow appeared in her hand! And with her other hand, she also took out a wooden arrow.

"Whoosh!"

As the bow was drawn and the string was released, a wooden arrow flew accurately towards a big tree in the distance and accurately pierced the thick trunk!
"Rumble--"

Amidst the dull tremors, the cracks on the ground grew even bigger, and the big tree that was hit by the arrow was uprooted and pushed to the side in the tremors!
"Ring the bell! Everyone else ring the bell!" the magic mirror reminded hurriedly.

Upon hearing this, Shenba swung the sickle at the bell again. Yun Ji also spat out the feather pendant and continued to hit the bell with the dagger.

Amid the bell sounds that had become lively and even harsh again, Yafuso drew her bow and arrow again and again, hitting the lush trees in the distance again and again.

Finally, when she hit the last strange-looking tree nearby, the ground shook more and more violently, so violently that the people on the tower could hardly stand, forcing Cheng Lang to whip and tie everyone to a pillar.

It was during this tremor that everyone noticed that the tower was constantly rising. The castle that was originally hidden underground was breaking out of the ground layer by layer, and arrow towers, watchtowers and even stone walls were emerging one after another around it!

Gradually, they even saw the Valkyrie parked on the edge of the island!

Finally, as the last long bell rang, the huge castle complex finally stopped looking out.

This can indeed be called a castle complex. This building protected by high walls is much larger than the one they just explored. It can even be said that what they explored was just the building in the middle.

As for the city wall at the very edge of the building complex, that circle of walls almost enclosed the entire island! So much so that they could hardly see the Valkyrie outside the wall!

As far as the eye can see, there are continuous castles, independent windmills, even waterwheels by the stream and stone houses on the inner edge of the city wall, which are numerous but complete.

“This is it.”

“This is a kingdom that has died.”

The magic mirror sighed, “The kingdom perished before Poseidon, and it was exactly as the rumors said. The battle between the two land gods caused the entire continent in the Sea of ​​Despair to shatter.

This kingdom, with all its might, only managed to save this royal city. But the price was that the city sank into the ground, and all its inhabitants became undead.

"Is this what the undead spirit in the crystal ball told you?" Cheng Lang asked.

"That's right"

The magic mirror replied, “The consciousness of the undead in the crystal ball has disappeared, but he has retained his memory at a great cost.

This Mr. Morwen is the tutor of this royal city, responsible for teaching the prince and princess. He experienced the entire process of the Great Cataclysm, yes, that great change is called the Great Cataclysm.

"But what's the point?"

Yun Ji asked in confusion, "Burying the royal city deep inside and turning all the citizens into undead, this Soul Gathering Tower?!"

"Yes, the Spirit Gathering Tower."

The magic mirror sighed and said, "The difference is that it costs the lives and souls of all members of the royal family. With the Soul Gathering Tower as a guide, all the citizens can retain their memories and sanity after becoming undead."

After a brief pause, the magic mirror said, "For this, the parents of the young guardian beast, Yeti, also gave up their lives and souls."

"Did it succeed?" Yun Lan couldn't help but ask, unable to hide her shock.

“It succeeded, but it also failed.”

The magic mirror sighed, "For the first few hundred years, the citizens who had become undead continued to live their normal lives underground. Sunlight and moonlight provided them with the energy to continue living. Although they could not reproduce, they did not experience birth, aging, sickness, and death. Generally speaking, everyone was very happy."

"What happened next?" Yafuso couldn't help but ask.

"Then, the age of the sirens began."

The magic mirror sighed, "The sirens covered this island with fog. Without sunlight and moonlight, the undead on the island gradually grew weaker, and the sirens took advantage of the opportunity to invade and plunder the island's treasures.

Later, someone used mint trees that could psychedelically trap the soul to seal the seven towers of the royal city in an attempt to capture the undead.

But they failed. These undead fought back in a brutal way. They merged with everything in the royal city. Every brick, every table, chair, and bench was made of undead."

"Then what?" Cheng Lang asked.

"Then the guardian beast Ye Di awakened."

The magic mirror said, shining a beam of light at the stairs. "Lord Ye Di, we come with good intentions. The seal has been lifted. Is it time for you to show yourself?"

"My name is Ye Di, the 77th guardian beast of the royal city."

Following a self-introduction in a baby voice, a large cat wearing a crown and golden earrings walked out with a light gait.

He once again returned to his original size, and his voice became calm and majestic, but at the end of his black tail, a beautiful red bow had appeared at some point.

(End of this chapter)