Chapter 515 - 513: The Tower of Descent’s Operation

Trouble arises with a Tier Four Mage.

Hilia observed carefully, without taking action immediately.

The Essence of the Dark Dream was effective against a Tier Four, but not significantly.

Unless the target was completely relaxed, they could easily detect the Essence’s anomaly and respond to it.

This otherwise unfailing potion seemed ineffective today.

If the Essence of the Dark Dream didn’t work, rescuing the mercenaries would be impossible.

Otherwise, if a battle broke out, many would surely die.

Hilia had no desire for senseless killing.

"Perhaps I should just give up."

Hilia pondered deeply.

Just as she was about to give up, a commotion suddenly arose within the camp.

Everyone seemed to be in chaos.

Amidst the noises, Hilia faintly heard voices from inside.

"The witch has taken action, everyone stay alert!"

"Quickly, quickly, activate the array immediately!"

"Find the witch’s trace!"

"..."

The sudden commotion startled Hilia for a moment, then she narrowed her eyes.

"A witch? The Tower of Descent?"

She could confirm she had done nothing, yet the camp was suddenly in turmoil.

The situation meant either she was discovered or a witch from the Tower of Descent truly appeared.

"Speaking of the mercenaries seen during the day, they indeed seemed suspicious, as if intentionally getting themselves captured by the guards."

Hilia deliberated for a moment, refraining from acting rashly, and instead using the Mage’s Hand to scan the camp.

However, once they activated the array, her scanning could no longer penetrate.

"Then, I should obtain control of the array first, and in the meantime, see what that ’witch’ is up to."

With this thought, Hilia calmed her mind, using her disguise to slowly infiltrate the camp’s array.

This array, compared to others she had infiltrated before, wasn’t very difficult.

Though it was only on par with various cultist strongholds.

As she quietly infiltrated the array, the camp mobilized, forming numerous small squads led by Tier Three Mages to patrol around.

The Tier Four Mage also rose into the sky, surveying everything below, capturing all scenes.

Soon, the situation changed.

The noisy teams, after a round of patrol, found no trace of the witch and then... started arguing.

"It’s all your fault, if you hadn’t made such a fuss, we would have found the witch by now."

"Wasn’t it your lousy command? If you hadn’t shouted first and alarmed the witch, we wouldn’t have failed to find her."

"Sir ordered us to act quietly, and look, is this quiet action?"

"What? Wanna duel?"

"Come on, who’s afraid of whom?"

"..."

The Tier Four Mage in the sky frowned and immediately descended.

"What’s going on with you?"

With a slight motion, he took out a small bottle of potion and smashed it.

In the next moment, the previously agitated and quarreling people immediately snapped out of it. Realizing what they had been doing, though thinking it normal, they couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.

"It was the witch’s emotional potion."

The Tier Four Mage furrowed his brows, "Retreat, return to the camp, we need the array to resist the witch’s potion."

"Hehehe, now that you’re out, you think I’d let you leave?"

A voice suddenly echoed.

The Tier Four Mage’s expression changed instantly, and he immediately shielded everyone, as intense magic power surged from him and his magic puppet, conjuring layers of defensive magic.

However, it was of no use.

Behind him, those he protected started bleeding from their orifices, slowly collapsing.

From the shadows, Hilia’s heart skipped a beat.

At this moment, she felt a faint spiritual power enveloping her.

"This potion has a strong lethality on lower-tier mages, you can’t withstand it, so there’s no need to worry."

Rose’s voice emerged.

Hilia breathed a sigh of relief.

Although "you can’t withstand it, so there’s no need to worry" sounded a bit strange.

"Can this potion instantly kill lower-tier mages?" Hilia asked in shock.

"Of course not, only when completely eroded does this happen, meaning they were already poisoned long ago."

"I see."

Hilia realized.

Thankfully, it’s not an instant kill.

If it were, the Tower of Descent’s lethality would be terrifying.

"When they were in chaos earlier, that’s when they were poisoned. The onset is 10 minutes, if not cured within ten minutes, it’s over, instantaneous death."

Rose said calmly.

Hilia frowned, looking toward the situation over there.

The Tower of Descent’s poison...

Indeed, it was a cult, everything aimed to kill, utterly detestable.

Meanwhile, the official Tier Four Mage of the Blue Dragon Empire had already tracked the witch.

The witch attempted to act mysterious.

But unfortunately, though her potion crafting was exceptional, it didn’t mean her concealments were as well.

Exposing her voice, she was quickly found, and combat was inevitable.

Simultaneously, guards from other directions gradually converged toward this spot.

Hilia noticed several squads rushing over, but due to the fear of the witch’s combat style, they dared not approach.

"So many came to watch a Tier Four battle, it seems they really aren’t afraid of death."

Observing the poisonous outbreaks on the battlefield, Hilia felt a bit anxious.

Yet—

"Now’s a great opportunity!"

Hilia’s spiritual power flickered, accompanied by a subtle sound unnoticed by anyone, signifying she had successfully breached the array’s defenses and gained control over it.

Taking advantage of the chaos, she ran toward the direction of the fight, passed through the array, and stealthily headed to the building holding the mercenaries.

Halfway there, she paused.

She sensed under the array’s detection, there was a group of sneaky people already at the place where the mercenaries were held, working on breaking the seal of the cell.

Shortly, the seal was undone, and all the mercenaries were released.

Hilia carefully sensed, noticing the highest in this group was a Tier Three Mage, all exuding a polluting aura.

Undoubtedly cultists from the Tower of Descent.

Hilia blinked: "Is the Tower of Descent really so kind as to rescue mercenaries?"

She felt it surely wasn’t that simple.

Once freed, the mercenaries joyfully rushed out, then stormed the building storing supplies, breaking in to find their equipment and many resources.

Their actions quickly alerted the camp’s guards, and several squads charged over, engaging them.

At the same time, the cultists who freed the mercenaries discreetly departed.

Outside the camp, on the other side of the Tier Four battle, the cultists smoothly exited, smiling.

"The first step of the plan is complete, next..."

"What next?"

A voice suddenly emerged.

All the cultists’ expressions changed as they looked at the girl who had suddenly appeared before them.

"You’re not a guard, who are you?"

Hilia took out her magic staff: "Who I am doesn’t matter. Though I am curious about your plans, you are cultists, let’s deal with you first, then we can discuss other matters."

With that, the light of the Purification Skill enveloped them all.