Chapter 142: The Enigmatic Hut in the Snowfield

Bai Yu’s wings beat, instantly carrying Ellie Roth Charlotte skyward.

The snowfield beneath Bai Yu’s gaze quickly shrank, and the full majesty of the mountain ranges unfolded before her eyes.

“From this vantage, the scenery is quite breathtaking.”

Flying through the sky, Bai Yu’s mood indeed brightened considerably. Feeling the fierce wind whistle past, she almost felt she could fall asleep amidst the sky.

‘But that was certainly out of the question; crashing into a mountain would be disastrous.’

Held in Bai Yu’s embrace, Ellie Roth Charlotte was equally astonished by the potent effect of Bai Yu’s arcanist skill. ‘Could flying with such efficacy truly consume so little spiritual power?’

Ellie Roth Charlotte found her formidable rival increasingly unfathomable. Not only could Bai Yu induce such inexplicable states in her, but she also wielded such powerful arcanist skills.

Unaware of Ellie Roth Charlotte’s inner thoughts, Bai Yu, having grown accustomed to the sensation of flight, resolved to accelerate.

“I’m going to accelerate.”

Bai Yu warned Ellie Roth Charlotte, prompting her to brace herself.

Ellie Roth Charlotte nodded. She hadn’t anticipated Bai Yu’s speed could reach such terrifying heights.

Yet, in a mere second, Bai Yu’s speed shattered the sound barrier. The terrifying acceleration subjected both Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte to immense strain. A regular person would have been instantly crushed into a pulp, yet Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte remained utterly unharmed.

It merely startled Ellie Roth Charlotte, akin to a roller coaster ride.

“Hey, why are you flying so fast!”

Ellie Roth Charlotte exclaimed, a hint of anger in her voice, her words almost lost to the howling wind.

“I told you I was going to fly fast, and I warned you to prepare.”

Bai Yu rolled her eyes, finding it Ellie Roth Charlotte’s own fault for not listening.

Ellie Roth Charlotte fell silent, having truly underestimated the terrifying speed Bai Yu could achieve. Even if she employed every speed-enhancing arcanist skill on flat ground, she couldn’t hope to match Bai Yu’s velocity.

After all, speed wasn’t her primary advantage; Ellie Roth Charlotte excelled at direct confrontations. Consequently, her abilities were well-rounded, and any deficiencies were more than compensated by the arcanist skills embedded in her Curse Seal Blade.

Not to mention, her eyes were her greatest asset, their abilities to discern and alter rendering all her attacks unpredictable. A faint gleam flickered in Ellie Roth Charlotte’s grey eyes, vastly expanding her field of vision. By modifying the structure of her eyes, she could perceive a far greater expanse than before. The ability to subtly alter details of her own body was also one of her right eye’s functions.

While this function was considerably secondary to her ability to modify arcanist skills, it proved exceptionally crucial in certain situations. Just as now, combining the altitude with Ellie Roth Charlotte’s enhanced vision allowed her to meticulously observe every detail on the ground.

The sky continued to darken, making flight increasingly challenging for Bai Yu. Just as Bai Yu pondered whether to halt and rest for the night, Ellie Roth Charlotte suddenly spoke.

“Someone’s there!”

Ellie Roth Charlotte exclaimed excitedly, startling Bai Yu and nearly causing her to drop Ellie Roth Charlotte. Bai Yu had initially intended to chide Ellie Roth Charlotte, but the mention of another person instantly invigorated her.

Bai Yu slowly descended, her gaze following the direction Ellie Roth Charlotte pointed. Against the dim sky, Bai Yu spotted a dark speck upon the snow-covered ground.

It was, surprisingly, a small wooden hut. An elderly person, bundled in an exceptionally heavy coat that obscured their gender, sat before it.

This discovery utterly astonished Bai Yu; that someone could reside in such a desolate place. ‘Could this truly be possible? Where would they obtain their provisions? There were no discernible roads for supplies to be transported.’ Under a cloud of suspicion, the hut and the elderly inhabitant appeared exceedingly eerie.

‘What should we do? Should we go down and investigate?’

Bai Yu pondered ceaselessly. Even if they chose not to approach, continuing their flight through the night was impossible. Who knew what creatures from the previous era might still lurk? ‘Prudence ensures longevity,’ and it would be wise to recover their stamina and spiritual power, even though Bai Yu’s own consumption was minimal.

After a brief discussion with Ellie Roth Charlotte, they ultimately decided to seek answers.

“I possess the ability to discern an opponent’s tier, provided they don’t vastly outrank me.”

Ellie Roth Charlotte revealed a portion of her eye’s capabilities to Bai Yu, a gesture indicative of profound trust, as divulging one’s abilities could become a significant disadvantage in combat. Despite previously declaring Bai Yu her rival, Ellie Roth Charlotte still shared such critical information.

Bai Yu accepted without reservation, nodding. She chose to trust Ellie Roth Charlotte’s judgment.

Bai Yu guided her wings to land not far from the hut. The elderly person seated before it seemed entirely oblivious to their presence, simply staring fixedly at the ground.

Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte exchanged a glance, then proceeded directly towards the hut.

“Can you discern their tier?”

Ellie Roth Charlotte nodded.

“They don’t exhibit the typical spiritual fluctuations of an ordinary Arcanist, but based on the intensity of their spiritual aura, they’re likely at most Tier 4.”

Ellie Roth Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief. Such an opponent was one she could easily overpower. Even against rivals of equal tier, Ellie Roth Charlotte had never suffered defeat. She was, in essence, peerless among her tier.

Yet, a flicker of uncertainty now touched Ellie Roth Charlotte. She glanced at Bai Yu beside her; she had never witnessed her rival truly fight, leaving Bai Yu’s true strength an enigma.

‘That’s good, then.’

Bai Yu exhaled in relief. She had been worried the figure might be a monster disguised as a human, lurking to prey on unsuspecting passersby. Such fears weren’t unfounded; after all, anything could have survived from the previous era. She had already encountered the sea monster, an entity that was by no means a normal creature, possessing a myriad of bizarre abilities.

Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte slowly approached the hut. The elderly figure remained motionless, like a statue. Bai Yu still couldn’t discern their face, only drawing closer step by step.

When they were merely a dozen meters from the hut, the elderly figure suddenly spoke. The voice was incredibly hoarse, like that of a desiccated corpse, yet it was just discernible as an old woman’s, though profoundly raspy.

“Guilty ones, who tread upon this cage, death is your only end…”

The old woman’s raspy voice continued, causing both Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte to pause, bewildered. ‘Guilty ones? A cage? What was this person talking about?’ Bai Yu was truly speechless. ‘Another riddler, seriously?’