Chapter 807: Epic Battle

Leaving the waterfall cave.

While riding Leo, Liszt had already decided on the name for this mountain—Vortex Mountain. Within Vortex Mountain lay Whirlpool Cave, and outside Whirlpool Cave was the great Whirlpool Waterfall.

Below the waterfall was Whirlpool Pond, from which water flowed outward into Whirlpool Creek. The creek gradually widened into Whirlpool River. Following the river from the air, Liszt eventually found a flat valley area, which he named Ember Plain. Ember Plain was only a kilometer away from the crash site of the *Discovery*.

"Cross, Glanny, from now on, you must immediately relocate the camp and establish a new base at Ember Plain. In the future, this base will serve as our stronghold for gradually exploring this unknown land. It won’t be long before the great Magic Teleportation Circle becomes a vital transportation route, and this place will soon grow into a new city!"

The name of the city had also been decided by Liszt—Ember City.

This was the starting point of the Fire Nation, where the first spark would rise. The land was abundant with fuel, and once the fire ignited, it would be impossible to extinguish.

"As you command, Your Highness!"

Cross Shaji immediately led his team to begin felling trees and clearing a path to Ember Plain. With the Fire Dragon’s aura radiating in the area, all magical beasts had fled in fear. For a short time, within a radius of over ten kilometers, there should be no threats, allowing them to work in peace.

However, after only a short while of chopping, Liszt grew impatient with their slow progress.

"Everyone, step aside!"

Dismissing the workers, he directly communicated with Leo, who was basking in the sun, using the Dragon Heart Code: "Come over and burn a path with your flames."

"Magical herbs," Leo lazily lifted an eyelid, shamelessly extorting him.

It seemed he would have to suppress this greedy impulse again.

Reluctantly agreeing to Leo’s demand, the Fire Drake immediately perked up and, following Liszt’s instructions, unleashed its dragon breath.

The flames reached temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees, instantly reducing the trees to vapor. As it flew over the forest, spewing flames, a wide, charred path seven to eight meters wide was revealed. Then, it proceeded to scorch the entire Ember Plain with its breath, clearing the area for camp construction.

Of course, Liszt had already used the Dragon Eye Trajectory to scout the area beforehand, confirming there were no magical herbs or spirit bugs here.

There was no remorse for the destruction, nor any fear of a forest fire. Wherever Leo’s body passed, it absorbed all flames into itself, preventing any fire from spreading under its control. As a Fire Dragon embodying the power of flames, manipulating fire was an innate talent.

Just as he finished overseeing the camp’s setup, Glanny, who was operating the Magic Web, reported, "Your Highness, the great Acheronides is preparing to personally cross the great Magic Teleportation Circle."

"Understood. Tell her to proceed without worry. I’ll be waiting for her at the entrance of Whirlpool Cave."

The great whirlpool posed a significant threat to ordinary people, but to those with strong abilities, it was not much of a danger. As long as one avoided being shredded by the whirlpool or falling to their death from a great height, survival was almost certain. As long as Acheronides activated her Water Wave Shield, it would be akin to invincibility—she certainly wouldn’t die from a fall.

As for being torn apart by the whirlpool, that was even more impossible. She was a sea spirit, born with the ability to control water.

Once everything was prepared, the Magic Web soon relayed the message that Acheronides had stepped onto a seashell and charged toward the great whirlpool.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, Liszt suddenly noticed a cocoon-shaped light sphere flash into existence near the whirlpool’s entrance. Through the Dragon Eye Trajectory, he could see traces of the Magic Web and the torn opening in it—the very spot where the Magic Teleportation Circle had ripped through the web.

Just as he was about to rush over and catch the cocoon-shaped light sphere, embracing Acheronides—

The waterfall’s flow suddenly erupted into a towering water vortex, encircling the light sphere. The water stretched taut, forcefully pulling the sphere back from the cave entrance.

Then—

The cocoon of light dissipated, revealing Acheronides standing steadily on her seashell, which floated effortlessly atop the water vortex. The little mermaid’s face, as lovely as a young girl’s, broke into a delighted smile. "Brother, Acheronides has successfully traversed the Magic Teleportation Circle."

"Mm, excellent." Liszt urged Leo to fly over, lifting Acheronides from the water vortex and settling her into his arms before soaring into the sky. "First, I’ll show you this beautiful new world. And we can exchange our insights about traversing the Magic Teleportation Circle."

Acheronides’ petite frame, wrapped in her mage’s cloak, was light as a feather, reminding Liszt of the idiom "delicate as a feather."

Yet who could have guessed that within this delicate body lay devastating arcane power?

The two rode together on a dragon, circling around the Whirlpool Mountain and admiring the magnificent landscape. At the same time, they continuously discussed the connection between the Magic Web and the Magic Teleportation Circle. Although Acheronides' Magic Eye could not see the void-shrouded wormhole space of the Magic Web, as an Archmage, she could clearly sense its presence.

Through Liszt's detailed explanations, her understanding of the Magic Teleportation Circle deepened.

"Brother, if my calculations are correct, I roughly understand the formation principle of the Magic Teleportation Circle. It's essentially the same as the space ring on my finger," she said, raising her slender hand adorned with the space ring Liszt had gifted her.

"I also noticed the similarity in sensation between the two, but I didn't grasp their fundamental sameness. The gem space seems self-contained, while the Magic Teleportation Circle seems to traverse the Magic Web."

"That's because the gem space is an amplified 'node,' inherently integrated into the Magic Web and recognized as part of it. The Magic Teleportation Circle, however, links two nodes, rupturing the Magic Web's field stability and constantly fighting its resistance."

The theory made Liszt's head spin—he was more concerned with the outcome. "So, is it difficult to create a Magic Teleportation Circle in practice?"

"Incredibly difficult."

"Really? How difficult?"

"First, you must locate a vulnerable spot in the Magic Web to tear it open and connect the nodes. Second, the Magic array must be strong enough to sustain the node linkage. Finally, stabilizing the connection and expanding it into a passage is even more challenging."

Acheronides took a deep breath, her chest rising beneath her enchanted cloak. "Though I see no signs of human craftsmanship, I still believe this Magic array was the work of Archmages of antiquity... at least, they discovered and expanded it into the current Magic Teleportation Circle."

"Archmages of antiquity, you say? Then it's likely this island was once visited by humans?"

"Yes."

Magic teleportation, Archmages of antiquity, the Magic Web's decay... the invisible dragon, Fire Dragon, Jade Dragon, Milon Mind Fruit... the smoke dragon, the Sun-Child's fallen sky-ship... and the weapon or claw that severed the Jade Dragon's hind leg.

Liszt pieced together these scattered clues and suddenly realized the only plausible reason they could converge: war!

Perhaps in ancient times, possibly during the late Moon Empire, a cataclysmic battle tore across the jade seas... Dragons roared as they plummeted into the sea, blinding arcs of magic pierced through the Magic Web to form teleportation circles, and even the smoke dragon, master of fate, ultimately met its demise.

Only a shard of fate's seed escaped, waiting to sprout.

Until one day, as a young boy stumbled through his growth, never expecting it to flourish in the hands of another traveler.

Liszt stroked his chin. "Not sure if that's how it happened, but the picture in my head has weight."