Anbaixiu flew onward, stopping multiple times along the way to repair his mecha.
He finally concluded that the machine's current design was utterly unsuitable for long-distance flight. No matter how many times he repaired it, it would break down again after the very next burst of speed. Having covered over a thousand kilometers, he had no choice but to slow down; his spare parts were nearly exhausted, and another breakdown would leave him unable to fix it.
"Sure enough, the movies from my past life were all nonsense. The human shape isn't suited for supersonic flight at all. I'll have to overhaul it when I get back."
Even though the mecha's form was flawed, the jetpack had proved surprisingly stable.
Anbaixiu had originally expected it to malfunction after five hundred kilometers, but after more than a thousand, it remained perfectly intact. Instead, it was the flaming wraith that had grown exhausted to the point of transparency, unable to hold the outer armor steady, looking as though it might fall apart at any second.
With two or three hundred kilometers left to the Silvermoon High Court, Anbaixiu dared not fly at supersonic speeds anymore. It was better to drift along slowly using Fly.
Yet after experiencing supersonic flight, traveling at sixty or seventy kilometers an hour with a basic flight spell felt as slow as a crawling tortoise—truly agonizing.
As he drifted lazily through the sky, Anbaixiu retrieved the Necrotic Codex.
Opening it, he found that several people had sent him private messages.
[Rose of Decay: I can't get away recently, so I'm having Melina come over to receive the divine portfolio. Aren't you home? Melina said she teleported over and only saw a human slave.]
Anbaixiu gave a start. Could she have run into Harvey? He was genuinely worried Melina might kill him. Undead sometimes needed no reason to slaughter the living; it was pure resentment borne of death toward life, a fundamental part of an undead's nature.
He hastily replied: [Have Melina head toward the Silvermoon High Court. I'm handling some business here. Remind her under no circumstances to kill anyone on my territory.]
[Rose of Decay: Don't worry. I already warned her before she left. I know you're especially fond of living beauties. Next time, I'll send you a few drow elves.]
Anbaixiu thought to himself, *Where on earth did that rumor come from? What would a lich want with beautiful women? Turn them into mummies?*
Never mind. As long as she didn't harm Harvey, it was fine. Anbaixiu already had more than enough infamy attached to his name; he couldn't be bothered to explain every little thing.
After replying to the Rose of Decay, Anbaixiu opened the second message.
This one came from Headless Bro.
[Crown of the Headless Horseman: Brother, you aren't home! Where did you run off to?]
Anbaixiu was speechless. Neither of them had said they would leave right away. The Rose of Decay had claimed she would need a few days, and Gareth had said he needed the dragons to prepare gifts or something.
How was it that the moment he stepped out the door, this bunch teleported over together?
Couldn't they have given him a heads-up first?
Resigned, Anbaixiu replied to Gareth: [I'm currently on my way to the Silvermoon High Court. Head over this way to meet me. If you teleport, don't jump directly into the court itself, or the elves might mistake you for invaders. Let's meet at Yun Town on the border. Outsiders are allowed entry there.]
Although the elves were isolationists, they had not cut off all communication with the outside world. After all, they produced magical materials; a total lockdown would have made life unbearable for neighboring kingdoms.
Yun Town was the Silvermoon High Court's sole window to the outside, and the only place foreigners were permitted to enter.
Since Anbaixiu could not use teleportation at the moment, he had to meet his companions there. Otherwise, he could have jumped straight to Catherine's side, asked her to grant teleportation clearance, and received Melina and Gareth directly inside the royal palace without issue.
He couldn't help thinking, *Going through all this trouble to deliver goods, I have to sell them for a great price this time. Ideally, I'll join the elven pantheon outright. Then I won't have to fear Shar stirring up trouble. Let's see them dare lay a hand on the Elven God-King—he'd slap them dead with a single blow!*
Even the Lord of the Dawn was not necessarily a match for Corellon, the supreme elven deity. As long as he joined the elven pantheon, he would have nothing to fear from the retribution of the Four Evil Goddesses.
While Anbaixiu continued his flight toward the Silvermoon High Court, less than two hundred kilometers behind him, a youthful figure blinked repeatedly along the ground.
It was Alan. Tracking the lingering aura of death left in Anbaixiu's wake, he had somehow managed to close the distance.
He had only succeeded because Anbaixiu had touched down every so often to carry out repairs, allowing Alan to stay on his trail.
Yet after pursuing him for so long, Alan was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
What was with this necromancer? Alan had been chasing him with continuous blinks, so how could the other party move so fast? Was the fellow riding a dragon or something?
If the trail had gone cold entirely, that would have been one thing, but whenever he was on the verge of giving up, he would catch the necromancer's scent once more. Alan had begun to suspect the man was baiting him on purpose, but upon reflection, that made no sense either. Who set a trap across one or two hundred kilometers? That would be leading an enemy in far too deep.
Alan grew increasingly uneasy, but he resolved to press on.
No matter what, the necromancer had killed people. Alan had to find him and bring justice for the dead. Even if the people of Ryan believed he had betrayed the Holy Light, he would practice justice in his own way.
He could feel the intervals between the lingering traces growing shorter. Even if the necromancer had a plot in store, it was about time for it to unfold.
This reminded Alan of the time he had charged that lich, only to tumble straight into the fiend's trap—the greatest humiliation of his life.
Then, when they met again in the desert, the lich had taught him another harsh lesson, showing him the true meaning of sinister cunning. Without killing a single soul, he had captured every paladin in the entire city.
Still, that second time had been slightly better; he hadn't been the only one disgraced, and sharing the humiliation had made it easier to bear.
*"But I'm different now."*
Alan was full of confidence. Back then, he had been weak, naive, and childish. Now, he had ascended to become a legend. Even if he ran into that lich again, he was certain he could teach him an unforgettable lesson.
Buoyed by this sheer force of will, Alan pushed on, drawing ever closer to Anbaixiu.
Anbaixiu had no idea an old acquaintance was hot on his heels. He lacked the ability to sense a paladin from two hundred kilometers away, but he could feel that his trouble had not yet dissipated.
*Should I try a divination? But if I do, will the Goddess of Fate roll her eyes at me?*
"Forget it. It's not like it's a fatal crisis anyway."
Anbaixiu decided to accept this small inconvenience arranged by fate. It was like a man putting up with a woman's occasional moodiness; losing your temper with her would only make things worse.
More importantly, the Goddess of Fate wasn't some pouting girlfriend—she was an imperious princess throwing a tantrum. If you truly provoked her, heads would roll.
Following his original plan, Anbaixiu flew toward Yun Town for several hours, until he finally caught sight of the beautiful settlement laid out like a blooming flower.
The elven race loved combining art with utility, just like their magical longbows. Though covered in elaborate cutouts that looked as if they might snap at a tug, they were far sturdier and more durable than the bows of any other kingdom.
Yun Town was no different. The elves had arranged its layout to resemble a flower in full bloom. From afar, it looked as though a magnificent blossom had sprouted straight from the earth, blending seamlessly into the surrounding wilderness as the land's most exquisite ornament.
Yet the city was not disorganized; every channel and pathway had been deliberately designed by elven hands.
Yun Town was an economic hub dedicated to foreign trade, packed with warehouses of diverse magical materials. The roads marked out by the elves appeared complex, but they facilitated logistical flow with absolute perfection. Transport carriages moved throughout the streets without a hint of congestion.
Anbaixiu had to admit the elves were impressive. Uniting art and utility was something few could manage; a single misstep would leave an entire city looking ostentatious yet useless, eventually abandoned to ruin.
Anbaixiu touched down and made his way smoothly into Yun Town.
Because this area was open to foreigners, the inspections were not overly strict. The district he entered lay on the town's perimeter, a place where traveling merchants from various nations gathered to negotiate deals.
Shortly after entering Yun Town, Anbaixiu faintly sensed the presence of Gareth and Melina. Tracking their aura, he soon spotted Gareth clad in full armor, alongside Melina, who was looking around inquisitively like an excited child.
The two had arrived long ago and had been waiting for Anbaixiu in the city for quite some time.
*Teleportation really is the best.*
Once again, he marveled that no one bothered researching supersonic flight. With teleportation arrays available, only a fool would travel by flying.
Anbaixiu walked up to them and said, "Come on, let's find a secluded spot to sit down and talk."
With so much at stake, he had no intention of discussing divine portfolios in the middle of a crowded thoroughfare.
Still, what kind of place in Yun Town could be considered private enough?
Chapter 286