Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2642: Chapter 2643: Ring of the Wood Spirit

Cicia: "Okay, not only can I let you see it, but if you want, I can give it to you directly."

Angel looked at Cicia warily: "What price do I need to pay?"

"You’ve already paid the price, so there’s no need."

Angel: "What do you mean?"

Cicia impatiently explained, "To pass through here, according to the rules, each person must give me a treasure. I accepted two meaningful coins from you, which can count as two treasures. By rights, the little guy could also pass through with you."

"But if you want to exchange one of the coins for something left here by the Wood Spirit, I can give it to you through a trade, but then only you can pass through. The little guy outside will have to stay here or use some other precious item to get a ticket through."

"So I said your price has already been paid." Cicia paused, "Also, don’t think I can give it to you for free. It’s the rule, and I cannot defy it."

"I understand, the teammate who came in earlier didn’t mean to offer ten Magic Crystals. He was just testing the ticket’s threshold. When it’s time to pay, he definitely can pay without me footing the bill." Angel paused, "However, I’m curious, Miss Cicia’s box, under the constraint of rules, does it only serve the ticket function?"

"The rules I mentioned were set by the Warden, not the rules of Cicia’s Box."

Cicia gave Angel a sidelong glance, "As for what my box does, the changes in your sensory perception and the other-dimensional space you’re experiencing now are all abilities of Cicia’s Box. But these are just its basic capabilities. Its main function..."

At the crucial moment, Angel couldn’t help but perk up his ears and lean in to listen closely.

But after keeping him in suspense, Cicia did not reveal the answer, instead saying, "I don’t want to say."

Angel: "..."

Cicia: "If one day I can leave this damn place, then I might tell you its true purpose."

Angel gave a polite smile, but inside, he was speechless. What Cicia hinted at was her desire to leave here, which, aside from "revival after despair," or Naraku City’s rejuvenation, seemed impossible.

And could Naraku City really be rebuilt? Angel didn’t have much hope; Naraku City is now supported only by a few old monsters, whose strength might not be that great. Even if Naraku City could be rebuilt, the eventual beneficiaries probably wouldn’t be them.

"Then I’ll look forward to that day." Even though Angel considered it unlikely, he still expressed eager anticipation on the surface.

"Hmph, perfunctory."

Cicia snorted a few times, shifting the topic away. She casually beckoned, and a coin appeared in her palm.

This coin was precisely the Demon Gold Coin given to Cicia by Angel.

Cicia sniffed the coin lightly, "This Demon Gold Coin has been handled many times and stained with demon blood, but when it came to your hands, it became clean. It’s mixed with your surprise, and you personally imbued it with new significance, so it wasn’t used for exchange but kept close to you, increasing its value in your heart. Until you finally gave it up to me."

Angel was unsurprised that Cicia could perceive the "meaning" in items; she’d mentioned earlier that these meaningful treasures brought a touch of solace to her lonely world, revealing she had the ability to sense the meaning in such treasures.

In a way, it has some connection with prophecy. Cicia, being a Baiyuanian, naturally has some prophetic talent, and even as a box, this inspiration should still come in handy.

Cicia: "The time is too short for me to perceive what significance you imbued it with, but it’s already very precious."

Angel: "I didn’t imbue it with significance; it existed the moment it came into my hands. Because this was the first Demon Gold Coin I earned through legitimate means from a demon."

Cicia: "So, it holds... commemorative significance."

Angel nodded indifferently.

Cicia played with the Demon Gold Coin for a moment and tossed it gently, sending it into the Dark Mist.

As the Demon Gold Coin entered the Dark Mist, a metallic object fell from the mist and landed in Cicia’s hand.

Because it came too suddenly, Angel couldn’t see it clearly, but he vaguely felt the color was familiar.

When Cicia opened her palm, Angel’s pupils slightly contracted.

Now it wasn’t just the color that seemed familiar; even the appearance was familiar.

It was a silver-white ring, identical in shape to the Silver Ring first discovered by Speedy, but this one was larger and had a long emerald root-leaf pattern etched on it, making it look more exquisite.

"This is..." Angel looked at Cicia in confusion.

Cicia casually tossed the silver-white ring to Angel, "This is what I took from the Wood Spirit. It whined for half a day, claiming how precious it is... Did it really think my appraisal ability was just for show? This thing isn’t worth anything, and it doesn’t have any meaning attached."

After complaining for a while, Cicia added, "However, if you really have a Prophet, you can use it to find the Wood Spirit’s traces without issue."

"Alright, I’ve exchanged your Demon Gold Coin for this item from the Wood Spirit. Although there’s a disparity in value, since you need it, it’s considered a fair trade."

"Do you have any other questions? Or, if you want to trade for some other items, you may." Cicia spoke while extending her pale, slender hand, brushing the mist lightly. Within the mist, an array of items appeared, possessing various shapes, some large and some small...

"I have quite a few items with significant backgrounds and stories here that I’m tired of. If you have other meaningful items, you can trade with me."

Angel didn’t respond but furrowed his brow, clutching the silver ring tightly as several seemingly related clues flashed through his mind, causing his eyes to change subtly.

"What’s wrong?" Cicia asked Angel suspiciously.

"Nothing, just didn’t expect the Wood Spirit to possess something so exquisite." Angel placed the silver ring in his pocket, acting naturally.

"Exquisite? Your aesthetic standards are a bit questionable... But compared to the Wood Spirit’s bare appearance, this sole ornament can be considered exquisite." After saying this, Cicia gestured at the indistinct items above in the mist and addressed Angel, "So, what do you think?"

Angel: "...Are you acting as a middleman? The perceived meaning equals the so-called price difference?"

Cicia: "You can interpret it that way if you want. Do you want to trade?"

Angel pondered briefly, thinking it wouldn’t hurt to trade for a few significant items, "Can you show me which items I can see?"

Cicia waved her hand, causing the outlines of the items in the mist to slowly vanish, "That won’t work; it has to be random. Since the Wood Spirit’s items are ordinary, I can control its usage, but the other items, they aren’t ordinary."

Angel: "Then forget it."

Angel didn’t trust anything random. Cicia’s randomness was certainly her choice of what she wanted to give you, based on her mood.

In gaming terms from the Holographic Tablet, Angel’s affinity with Cicia wasn’t high, so the randomness she offered would definitely be the worst.

If it were a living Baiyuanian, such as Dororo, Cicia’s randomness would surely select the highest-spec treatment.

So, Angel won’t fall for this trick.

"Are you sure you don’t want to trade? Among these items, there’s not only the treasure I want, but some that the former Warden of the Hanging Jail Stairway sought desperately. If you’re lucky, you might get a treasure even the Warden was eager to acquire~" Cicia said with a tempting tone.

Angel: "I believe Miss Cicia certainly has some amazing treasures in her hand, but unfortunately, my luck with your ’lottery’ today is probably not great."

Cicia squinted: "Are you implying that I might manipulate things behind the scenes?"

Angel: "Of course, I didn’t mean that. I’m simply saying that ’today’ my luck isn’t very good. Next time we meet, I’ll bring a lucky charm to change my luck, believing that the odds of winning will be much better."

Angel’s so-called lucky charm is undoubtedly Dororo. With Dororo around, not to mention Cicia’s attitude, just Dororo’s ability alone can guarantee Angel won’t lose.

Cicia didn’t really understand what Angel was thinking, just looked at Angel with suspicion, then waved her hand: "If you don’t want to trade, forget it. Speaking of which, describing it as a ’lottery’ is quite fitting. Maybe I can start offering such lottery services in the future."

As Cicia spoke, she happily calculated in her mind. Angel reminded her that if someone wants to pass through here someday, she can absolutely use items with little meaning and average value as "prizes" to exchange for other treasures. Under the guise of a "lottery", it’s simply perfect!

"It’s a pity that not many people are likely to come to me... Alas." Cicia sighed, thinking she’d take advantage of whoever does come.

"That’s not necessarily true, the Merchant Organization has been following us closely, they might come soon. By then, Miss Cicia can feel free to let them draw the lottery until they’re satisfied."

When a normal person hears this, the idea of ’draw until satisfied’ surely means letting consumers draw until they’re satisfied.

But at this moment, Angel and Cicia’s minds were in sync, interpreting it as: trying to make the Merchant Organization draw until Cicia is satisfied.

Although Angel currently doesn’t have any significant aversion to the Merchant Organization, he wouldn’t refuse to create a little obstacle for them. Besides, he’s just bringing it up, the real trickster is Cicia.

Moreover, perhaps they themselves are happy to be tricked. Cicia surely has a lot of good stuff here, and when bait is put out before fishing, who profits and who loses is hard to say in the end.

...

"Do you have any other questions you’d like to ask?"

Angel: "I have many questions I’d like to ask, but I’m not sure if Miss Cicia can solve them for me."

Next, Angel began asking grand questions: for instance, the truth behind Naraku City’s decline.

Gradually focusing on specifics: the role Baiyuanians play in Naraku City.

Finally asking more detailed questions: why did Cicia transform into a box? What are the experiments in Naraku City? How many Dominators remain in the Underground Labyrinth, and why don’t they stop outsiders from plundering Naraku City? What are they waiting for?

Angel’s questions touch on the oath in regard to guards like Zhou, and cannot be answered. And Cicia, although she can’t directly answer many questions, can make some hints.

However, Cicia’s hints can’t be explained; Angel has to understand them on his own.

Understanding these causeless hints is really difficult.

Angel keeps a calm facade, but inside he’s filled with questions: What does this mean? What does that mean? Is this a hint or is your skin itchy? When you tiptoed five times, was it a habit or a hint?

Most of the questions, Angel doesn’t understand what Cicia is hinting at.

He only vaguely draws a few conclusions: First, the decline of Naraku City is man-made, yet self-inflicted, and all Dominators and key figures know that the inevitable outcome is its decline.

Second, Baiyuanians do have some connection with Naraku City, primarily because there’s a significant figure in Naraku City who has deep ties with the Baiyuan race. It seems this person significantly pushed for the Baiyuanians’ inclusion.

This is also the only time Cicia verbally hinted: "Do you know when Baiyuanians were categorized as humans?"

Angel naturally knows the answer to this question. Ten thousand years ago, Baiyuanians were first categorized as humans, enjoying the same treatment as other humans, and could be called—humans.

Though it seems like just a change in title, it has significant implications. It means the Extreme Sect will no longer trouble them over ethnic issues and that they have the right to embrace Wizard Civilization.

From Cicia’s hint, the connection between Baiyuanians and Naraku City is due to a significant figure here, who pushed for Baiyuanians to be recognized as "humans." This amounts to a great favor, which deepened the ties between Baiyuanians and Naraku City.

Third, there are indeed some "Dominator" grade characters still present in the Underground Aqueduct, some are dormant, some are like Cicia, alone in Other-dimensional Space, and some, like the Wise Sovereign, roam the Underground Aqueduct, repairing the Magical Energy Array.

But Cicia doesn’t know exactly how many there are.

The reason they remain concealed and unseen is because, like Cicia, they are waiting for... the rebirth of spring from dead wood.

Angel roughly understands this much, with other insignificant matters temporarily sidelined. As for other questions, although Cicia hinted, Angel couldn’t fathom them, and could only skip them lightly.

"I’ve answered all the questions I could. Now it’s your turn, isn’t it? You promised you would let me see my kin; I hope you’re not tricking me." Cicia’s voice was calm, and unexpectedly cool, but it was this calm Cicia that gave Angel an unprecedented sense of pressure.

Angel: "I certainly won’t break my promise. Is Miss Cicia planning to see them now?"

"Yes, I want to see them now." Cicia said decisively; her previous graciousness toward Angel was merely for this moment.

Angel: "Alright, but Miss Cicia may have to wait a moment, as I need to make some preparations first."

Cicia: "How long do you need to prepare?"

Angel: "Within twenty minutes?"

Cicia initially thought it would take at least hours, or even days. She didn’t expect it to take just over twenty minutes.

Having endured thousands of years, Cicia can naturally wait twenty minutes.

"Alright, I’ll wait for you."

Angel: "Before I make preparations, Miss Cicia should not mind collecting some tolls from my companions during this time?"

Cicia: "Sure, but only if they have precious items. Don’t bring out things like Magic Crystals, they are of no use to me."

Angel: "Then please let me out, and I will discuss with my companions to allow them to trade with Miss Cicia one by one. As for me, once I’m prepared, I will return to meet with Miss Cicia."

Cicia frowned and said: "You mean you will let me see my kin from within the box?"

Angel: "We can meet outside if Miss Cicia prefers."

"No, no, if we can meet inside the box, let’s meet inside the box!" Cicia quickly waved her hand. She really thought before that she had to go out directly to see her kin, but if her mind leaves her shell, it becomes relatively fragile, increasing risk. If she can meet in the box, it is quite beneficial for her.

"See you later then."