CHAPTER 286: FAMILIAR BEAST HEADS

First dark mist layer, in the glacial world, there was no sun, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t tell night from day.

When the gray-white sky got completely stained with pitch-black color, night fell.

But night was short, taking up only a quarter of the full day.

At the darkest moment, when spiritual energy went crazy throughout the day, monsters were more active than ever with beast roars echoing across the ice plains.

The Psionics at Origin Ice Fortress and Mirror Lake Fortress slept like babies, protected by powerful Black Knights on the perimeter.

However, they had no clue that the Black Knights’ master, Carlos Valois, had ditched the first dark mist layer at this time...

...

"Time’s up!"

In the Material Realm, within a certain valley, a complex passage ritual circle started lighting up.

Thousands of stones carved with weird symbols were arranged in super regular patterns, forming circular passage markings.

At the circle’s center, Carlos looked serious, hands placed at his chest. When the blood moon in the sky hit its peak, he started whispering:

"&&&&##&&#"

Wind stirred within the windless circle as strange power emerged. The markings on the stones glowed with spooky light, then started melting one by one as streams of brown energy showed up...

At the same time, the surrounding moonlight went through weird changes, like it was getting continuously devoured by the ritual circle. It twisted together with the earth-brown energy, gradually forming a familiar reddish-brown portal.

As Carlos’s chanting sped up, the reddish-brown portal condensed faster. Earth-brown and blood-red patterns on the portal kept twisting and changing, like they’d never stop.

When the whispers ended and the reddish-brown portal finished forming, Carlos got emotional:

"The second time."

He put his hand on the portal. Instantly, an irresistible suction swallowed him whole...

After a disorienting spin, when Carlos opened his eyes, familiar scenery met his gaze.

The imposing pyramid crouched like a giant beast, solemn and dignified.

The Ersbah pyramid merit exchange looked exactly the same as before.

On its four faces, various shield carvings constantly radiated heavy oppressive vibes, untouched by time’s passage.

"Hmm?"

While scanning around, Carlos’s pupils suddenly tightened:

In the distance, a black dot showed up really conspicuously in his field of vision.

Spreading his feathered serpent wings, he quickly swept through the low altitude and flew over.

"Signs of human activity."

Carlos frowned. In front of the sand house, some blackened charcoal pieces were scattered around. He picked up a piece and squeezed it several times.

"Alchemical components?"

At this point in time, besides himself, who else knew how to get into the ruins?

Wait... maybe the super life form inside the exchange had actively dragged someone in.

Calculating the time, since his break-in had woken up the super life form to complete exchanges, it had definitely detected the Ersbah United Kingdom’s destruction and pulling people into the ruins made sense.

Thinking this, Carlos felt more urgency.

If someone figured out how to use Ersbah ancient gold coins, his collection would face serious risks.

After leaving, he’d have his sister speed up collection.

Carlos made this call in a short time.

However, that super life form was just pulling people in for training. Successfully growing someone from beginning apprentice to council member wasn’t a walk in the park.

Short-term, his temporary council member authority stayed at the highest level.

Setting this aside for now, Carlos got back to his trip’s purpose—exchanging for a second shield set.

His feathered serpent wings beat slightly as Carlos quickly flew to the underground entrance he’d dug out last time, following his memory.

"Where’s the entrance?"

For some reason, the opening had been sealed up with sand again.

So he waved his hand, summoning several Silver Sword Orchid Guards who immediately started digging at his command.

About four hours later, the entrance was reopened.

As before, the Skeleton Guards explored first. Finding nothing weird, Carlos jumped down and entered the underground passage.

Fluorescent stone illumination showed blurred murals on the walls, faintly radiating the old era’s massive feeling.

Though he’d walked this once before, Carlos stayed careful, sending guards ahead to scout.

The path was the same as last time with no traps encountered, all the way to the underground passage’s end: the iron shield portal.

Tiger-lion beast heads were carved left and right, lifelike, with two curved fangs growing downward from their mouths.

"Asleep again."

Carlos found nothing strange. Without disturbance, this type of alchemical life form would quickly crash into slumber. Now it was time to wake them up again.

At Carlos’s thought, two guards stepped forward, each responsible for one beast head, grabbing their fangs and pulling upward hard.

"Click!"

Two crisp rotation sounds rang out as the tiger-lion beast heads slowly opened their eyes.

The left portal’s beast head yawned repeatedly:

"Right, feels like we didn’t sleep long. So damn sleepy~"

The right portal’s beast head responded:

"Left, we really didn’t sleep long."

Their casual chat completely ignored Carlos who’d woken them up, making him clear his throat as a reminder:

"You two, long time no see."

The two beast heads’ golden vertical pupils turned over. The left beast head said, confused:

"Human, you look kinda familiar?"

The right beast head scanned once and said:

"Human, it’s you again?"

Carlos didn’t continue small talk but looked serious, speaking in weird tones:

"o/|]oo"

The next second, the chatting beast heads immediately switched to work mode with mechanical sounds:

"Please state United Kingdom year 16, period 43 encryption terminology!"

"oo!|"

"Please state United Kingdom year 71, period 22 encryption terminology!"

"oIIooIo"

"Verification successful! Verification successful!" x2

The two tiger-lion beast heads slowly pulled back as the iron shield portal opened!

"Thanks, you two!"

After expressing gratitude, Carlos entered surrounded by Skeleton Guards.

After Carlos entered, the iron shield portal closed again as the two tiger-lion beast heads reappeared.

"Left, where did we count to last time?"

"159432."

"159435."

"159439"

"..."

In the empty passage, the familiar voices of the two beast heads echoed again...

...

Passing through the iron shield portal, endless stone steps appeared. Carlos looked around briefly, beat his wings, and flew directly along the steps...

Several hours later, at the steps’ summit, a five-meter-tall golden light sphere radiated extremely brilliant light like a small sun, lighting up the entire pyramid interior bright as day.

The Merit Exchange Orb seemed more active than last time, though Carlos couldn’t say why.

Dismissing random thoughts, Carlos removed his gauntlet and slowly pressed his perfect, flawless right hand against the Merit Exchange Orb’s surface.

"Boom!"

Mental connection successful. A familiar mechanical voice rang out:

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