Chapter 691: Death Passage

Inside the Chief Palace's treasury, Leon fully utilized the Archive to generate copies of every primordial book and scroll he got his hands on. 

Due to time limitations, Leon did not even catch a glimpse of the names before quickly moving onto the next book or scroll. 

As the three ladies saw Leon like this, they all raised their brows in wonder. 

Darlene flipped open a scroll, but she could not understand a single character. Everything was just gibberish to her. 

Perhaps, this was also why her hubby was just simply touching each book and scroll before moving on. Maybe he was hoping he could find one that could be understood. 

However, Darlene quickly recalled that this should not be the case. 

As such, she could only leave the matter as is and not think too much into it. Her hubby must have his own methods of reading that she does not know about.

Just as Darlene gave up and placed the scroll down, she noticed that Duna and Aria were both perusing their books seriously. 

She was immediately surprised that Duna and Aria were also well-learned in the runic language. 

Not wanting to look bad in front of these two, Darlene quickly picked the scroll back up and pretended she was reading it seriously. 

Sometime later, Leon finished copying everything into the Archive before he noticed the solemn mood surrounding the three ladies, causing him to be taken aback immediately.

Leon was slowly drawn to Aria's side before he peeked at what she was reading. 

"Do you understand all this?" Leon asked with surprise. 

Aria did not answer. 

However, Leon quickly noticed her ears turning bright red as a result of being greatly embarrassed, allowing him to immediately understand that the answer was no. 

"Why are you pretending to read if you can't understand?" Leon asked, taken aback. 

Aria's face flushed even further before Duna snickered, "Dare to compete with me? You're not even on my level." 

"That means you can read, right?" Leon turned to Duna and asked.

"Uh…" Duna was immediately tongue-tied before she responded untruthfully, "Of course, I can… a little."

Leon's lips twitched. 

There was no need for him to ask Darlene. 

Being the least confident of the three, she was most likely swept into their little game of who can read better. 

"You are all… so silly," Leon smiled wryly while look at the three.

Aria and Darlene blushed awkwardly while Duna turned her head to hide her expression with a soft snort.

Creak…

The treasury door was shortly opened before the previous warrior returned and informed them politely, "Young Master Leonhardt, the Battle Masters are gathering at the southern gate and preparing to leave shortly." 

"Oh?" Leon raised an eyebrow in surprise before he said, "If I'm not wrong, it hasn't been half an hour yet, right? So it should still be pretty early." 

"You're not wrong, Young Master Leonhardt," the warrior nodded before saying, "However, the Battle Masters are rushing to reach the opening location ahead of time. It seems like the phenomenon in the southern skies are making them feel a hint of urgency." 

"I see. I will leave shortly," Leon nodded and turned to the three ladies, "You heard the guy. It's time to go."

"Mm." 

The three ladies nodded.

…

…

…

Sometime later, Leon and the three ladies, Aria, Duna, and Darlene, reached the tribe's southern gate.

However, the group of Battle Masters had already departed for the Death Passage that lies inside the gorge of Darkness Mountain. 

Even so, Leon's group only took a short time to catch up to the Battle Master's group after hastening their pace.

In the southern skies ahead of them, the gathering dark clouds swirled like a super tornado, descending from the heavens to connect with the earth. 

It was extremely massive of epic proportions. 

If a naturally-formed tornado had reached such enormous size, the wind pressure generated from it would have achieved a level capable of tearing apart everything in its path. 

Even Paragons could be ripped to shreds. 

Alas, the enormous swirling dark clouds were formed unnaturally through a mysterious power or activation of a grand formation, unknown to Leon

As such, he was uncertain whether it would possess the same destructive might of a naturally formed super tornado of its size.

If it did, how were they meant to get close, let alone enter the secret realm?

"Do we have to be inside the swirl before the dark clouds touch the ground? Is that why the Battle Masters are in a rush to reach the opening location?" Leon narrowed his eyes in thought.

As the group approached the gorge of Darkness Mountain, the surroundings darkened, and the view of the southern skies was obstructed.

After entering the vicinity of the Darkness Mountain alone, the density in Darkness Profound Energy surged by twofold. 

Pi…pi…pi…

Two rows of lamps suddenly burst with crimson flames, expelling the darkness in the immediate vicinity like the receding tides and illuminated a clear path to the Death Passage ahead. 

The shadows danced like living souls of demons and humans existed within them at the flickering of the flames. 

Numerous buildings were seen, followed by a tall black wall that loomed over them all—the very wall that guards the Infertile Plains against the demon's invasion. 

"So, this is the Death Passage?" Leon softly muttered among the curious crowd of Battle Masters trekking towards the Death Passage. 

Suddenly, Leon was tapped on the shoulders before the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman chuckled friendly, "Glad to see you made it, Young Master Leonhardt. I was beginning to think that you weren't coming." 

"There were some delays," Leon smiled wryly and said, "But what's important is that I'm here, right?" 

"Right," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman nodded before asking curiously, "But did Young Master Leonhardt find what you were looking for from among the stash of primordial books and scrolls in the treasury?"

"I hope so," Leon answered vaguely. 

He had yet to look through the new stash in the Archive.

Nevertheless, the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman was taken aback by his response before he said, "You hope so…? Did you not go for a look, Young Master Leonhardt?"