<h4>Chapter 402: Pursuit</h4>
<strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion
The hedgehog was merely a puppet, but in the instant that its eyes flicked open, Merlin could clearly feel a boundless surge of Fire Element fluctuations.
This meant that the powers of this puppet were rather terrifying. After all, during the Spell Casters’ most glorious era, even a puppet would be a formidable presence.
There were even puppets which went against the natural order and were evenly matched with Great Wizards! However, those type of puppets had long vanished, and no one was able to obtain such a fearsome puppet anymore.
The full abilities of the hedgehog puppet before his eyes were only equivalent to a Sixth-level Spell Caster.
“Wizard Merlin, be careful. This hedgehog puppet is powerful indeed!”
The me sprite softly warned Merlin once again, for it had an unparalleled familiarity with the hedgehog puppet. The me sprite hoped that Merlin wouldplete this obstacle and obtain the treasures for the cultivation of Fiery Copse so that it would be set free, but it was unable tomand this puppet. Therefore, it was powerless, and could only silently pray for Merlin’s sess.
“Whoosh.”
After it opened its eyes, the hedgehog puppet did not seem to slow down at all, rushing toward Merlin without warning. It was so fast that even Merlin was a little taken aback.
Nevertheless, no matter how fast the hedgehog puppet was, it could notpete with Merlin’s sh Wind.
“Swoosh.”
Merlin’s figure immediately appeared behind the hedgehog puppet, after which he mmed down with one hand.
“Boom!”
Endless raging mes turned into a sea of fire which covered the hedgehog puppet. These mes contained the power of Fiery Copse, and its might was extremely frightening.
Furthermore, this was the Fourth-level spell Incinerating Fire. Everything the spell encountered was reduced to ashes. This hedgehog puppet, even if it was transfigured from an extremely extraordinary material, had no way of withstanding the full explosive strength of Merlin’s Incinerating Fire which was merged with Fiery Copse. It became ashes in the ze.
“It’s defeated?”
After the mes had gradually died out, the me sprite’s mouth was agape as if it found it hard to believe. The powerful hedgehog puppet was reduced to ashes with barely a whimper?
However, after having seen Merlin’s Incinerating Fire and Fiery Copse which wasbined into the spell, the me sprite sensed that its own Fire Element seemed to be stirring.
“What a powerful spell! Even the hedgehog puppet could not defend against a single attack!”
Upon seeing that Merlin had defeated the hedgehog puppet, the me sprite was astounded but it still smiled and said, “Wizard Merlin, you’ve defeated the hedgehog puppet so you may enter the stone room to cultivate the second form of Fiery Copse!”
Merlin looked at the room and nodded, following which he came before the stone room.
“Rumble.”
After the hedgehog puppet had died, the stone door slowly opened, revealing a cramped room behind. Nheless, this small room was filled with precious treasures.
They were all Fire-type treasures. They were different in some aspects from when Merlin had cultivated the first form of Fiery Copse back then, but mostly they just had a stronger effect.
Cultivating Fiery Copse using these treasures would allow one to achieve the second form of Fiery Copse quickly!
After looking through some of these treasures, Merlin bobbed his head. “Yes, I’ll be able to cultivate the second form of Fiery Copse now, but I might need some time.”
Merlin looked at the me sprite as he spoke calmly.
The me sprite nodded. It knew very well about Fiery Copse. Cultivation would take a long time. Even putting aside the rest of the process, the assimtion of the treasures alone would take no small amount of time.
Therefore, Merlin shut the stone doors, and patiently cultivated the second form of Fiery Copse by himself in the stone room. The me sprite waited outside, and would immediately know if anything happened.
In particr, the me sprite’s eyes revealed its extraordinary longing. It had been trapped in the ancient monument for far too long. Now that it finally had a rare chance to escape, naturally, it would be filled with desire.
One day, two days, three days...
In the blink of an eye, five days had gone by. However, in the stone room, Merlin seemed not to have moved at all. It was extremely quiet in the room, and there was not a single sound.
“What happened? Has the cultivation failed?”
The me sprite was getting rather anxious. It had been five days but there was not the slightest movement in the stone room.
The me sprite longed to enter the stone room and take a look, but Wizard Dond had arranged everything in its ce from the start, and the me sprite had no way of entering the stone room.
Just as the me sprite was bing fretful and restless, the entire stone room began to tremble violently. At the same time, wisps of pale white mes emerged, burning from the cracks of the stone room.
“Pale white mes – this is the second form of Fiery Copse!”
The me sprite was overjoyed. It was familiar with Fiery Copse. The first form was white mes whereas the second form consisted of pale white mes.
As for the third form of Fiery Copse, it would be translucent. Therefore, seeing that pale white mes had appeared within the stone room, one could roughly determine that Merlin had seeded in his cultivation.
“Rumble.”
Indeed, Merlin’s figure appeared before the me sprite after the stone doors were opened. Although Merlin’splexion seemed to be somewhat drained, his eyes burned fervently, and he looked ecstatic.
“Is it a sess?”
As soon as the me sprite saw Merlin, it could not wait to ask.
“It’s a sess!”
A smile tugged at the corner of Merlin’s mouth. Following that, he lightly stretched out a hand. His fingers were entwined with pale white me – it was the second form of Fiery Copse.
“You’ve seeded indeed. Now we can head to the me-shaped statue. Using the second form of your Fiery Copse, activate the passage to leave the ancient monument!”
The me sprite’s voice revealed its irrepressible excitement.
Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly yet he did not follow the me sprite’s orders. Instead, he asked the me sprite, “I wonder how would I cultivate the third form of Fiery Copse?”
“The third form? Wizard Dond did not speak of this back then but he had only mentioned that one could use the second form of Fiery Copse to ess a secret ce within the me-shaped statue. The third form of Fiery Copse is hidden there.”
Upon hearing what the me sprite had said, Merlin pondered the matter for a long moment. He had not received any clues regarding the third form of Fiery Copse, and merely knew that he would still have to cultivate the third form in the ancient monument. In other words, the ancient monument might still contain treasures for the cultivation of the third form of Fiery Copse.
“Let’s go to the me-shaped statue and we’ll find out.”
The me sprite could wait no longer and urged Merlin repeatedly.
After a long moment of consideration, Merlin did not have a better n. His understanding of the ancient monument could never surpass the me sprite’s. Thus, he followed behind the me sprite as they hurriedly walked toward the me-shaped statue.
Before the me-shaped statue, Merlin stood quietly. The me sprite hovered beside him.
“Channel the full mes of the second form of Fiery Copse into the me-shaped statue to open the passage and to obtain the third form of Fiery Copse. If you don’t believe me, here’s a Runic Magic Circle which was left behind by Wizard Dond back then.”
The me sprite’s words caused Merlin to look at the me-shaped statue. There were a few mysterious runes, which true enough, mentioned that the third form of Fiery Copse was linked to the me-shaped statue.
Although he still harbored some suspicions, Merlin did not overthink it and began to extend his fair palm. Immediately, pale white mes surged out rapidly from his palm.
The mes burned furiously, containing terrifying might in every wisp. If it wasbined with Incinerating Fire, its power would be even more fearsome and would beparable to the peak of the Seventh-level.
However, even such petrifying mes could not induce any changes in the me-shaped statue as they burned steadily. This showed that the statue was made of a substantial material.
After a moment, a change finally urred to the me-shaped statue. Mysterious runes began to emerge quickly, corresponding with the runes on the me sprite’s body.
“Crack.”
Finally, the runes on the me sprite’s body disappeared. It began to bellow withughter, and its voice was even shaky. Anyone could see that the me sprite was excited.
“Haha, I’ve finally escaped. I can leave this d*mn ce!”
The ze on the me sprite’s body red up countless times over in an instant and it became a me Being which was the same size as Merlin. Its body was suspended in mid-air, which was a strange sight.
Merlin had always felt that something was wrong about the me sprite, but he did not know what it was. In the moment the me-shaped statue shattered, a beam of light shot toward Merlin.
This was a narrow beam of firelight whichbined with Merlin’s mes. In that instant, a message materialized in Merlin’s mind.
It was this message that caused Merlin’s face to change greatly as he turned his gaze toward the me sprite.
“You need the me sprite to cultivate the third form of Fiery Copse!”
This was the message left in Merlin’s mind. That trace of me was obviously left behind by Wizard Dond, only for some unknown reason, it was contained in the me-shaped statue.
In fact, Merlin had already faintly guessed that this was all orchestrated by the me sprite. It only wanted to leave the ancient monument so it had been deceiving Merlin from the start.
It was true that the cultivation method of the third form of Fiery Copse was hidden in the me-shaped statue. However, the me sprite knew what it was long ago. Namely, the me sprite itself was the price that needed to be paid for the cultivation.
In order to escape its bonds, the me sprite slipped the message regarding the third form of Fiery Copse left behind by Wizard Dond into the me-shaped statue. The me-shaped statue was also the ce where the me sprite was trapped. Once it was shattered, the me sprite would be set free.
This time, Merlin had been duped. In the instant that he broke open the me-shaped statue, the me sprite had already opened the passage and rushed outside at its greatest speed.
By the time Merlin learned of the message left behind by Wizard Dond, it was toote. The me sprite had already escaped from the ancient monument.
“Trying to escape? I’m afraid it’s not that easy!”
Merlin was in a rage. He did not expect that the me sprite would make a fool of him. In order to cultivate the third form of Fiery Copse, what he needed was the me sprite.
It was clear that the me sprite had been captured by Wizard Dond on purpose and left behind for future Spell Casters to cultivate the third form of Fiery Copse.
It was just that the me sprite had somehow learned of Wizard Dond’s n and made meticulous preparations. Ultimately, Merlin had fallen for its trick, unwittingly releasing the me sprite.
“Swish.”
Merlin’s figure quickly flew through the passage as he gave chase. In terms of speed, he would not lose to anyone. As long as he could still sense the me sprite’s presence, he did not need to worry about losing track of it.
However, the me sprite was also unbelievably fast. As soon as Merlin had rushed out of the ancient monument, he saw that the me sprite had flown into the air, fleeing into the distance at top speed.
“Rainbow Wind!”
Merlin narrowed his eyes as his body gradually floated into the air as well, following which he transformed into a rainbow beam, chasing after the me sprite into the distance.
One was in front, one was behind. The two figures had incredible speed. Merlin was able to lock onto the me sprite’s force. No matter where it fled, it could not escape Merlin’s pursuit.
“Go on and run. I’ll see how far you can run!”
Merlin was furious. The me sprite was key to cultivating the third form of Fiery Copse. Once it was gone, it would be impossible for Merlin to cultivate it.
Having been fooled by the me sprite, Merlin was iparably sullen. He did not say a word, only chasing after the me sprite silently.
“This isn’t good. If we keep on flying like this, I’ll be caught in the end!”
The me sprite nced behind toward Merlin, full of agitation. It had initially thought that after a hard-won escape from the binds of the ancient monument, it could live its life in leisure, resuming its free life once again.
It had now sessfully escaped from the binds of the ancient monument and had even left the ancient monument. Nevertheless, it could not obtain true freedom and liberty. Merlin’s presence bitterly chasing from behind was enough to make the me sprite experience a tremendous amount of pressure.
However, the me sprite could do nothing else but escape, regardless of everything. As for battling against Merlin and chasing him away, the me sprite had not considered it at all.
Although the me sprite had great capabilities indeed, it was stillcking much inparison to Merlin, especially since Merlin had merged Fiery Copse with Incinerating Fire. Among Fire-type spells, there were very few who had a more powerful spell than Merlin’s Fire-type spell.
The me sprite did not even know that there was also a me Maxim in Merlin’s Awareness. Overall, Fire-type spells were unlikely to harm Merlin.
The me sprite no longer seemed to care in which direction it was going. It aimlessly picked a direction and escaped wildly while Merlin followed behind stubbornly. Without realizing it, the me sprite and Merlin had lost track of where they were flying to.
Suddenly, a team of Spell Casters dressed in strange clothing appeared in the sky before them. Upon seeing the me sprite, the Spell Casters were slightly shocked.
However, thereafter, one of them seemed to recognize that it was a me sprite, something precious that one could only encounter by luck and not effort. Therefore, this strange group of Spell Casters instantly got into a peculiar formation, spreading out toward the me sprite.