Dragon Tribulation of All Realms

Chapter 160·Z
That's a woman.

It was a blooming flower.

Crimson, pure white. Yet filled with a silent, chilling aura—she stood there, her face shrouded in the shadow of her cloak. The previous biting coldness had faded silently. She took a step back, saying nothing.

—There is a flower in full bloom. It has white petals and red stamens.

The thought silently surfaced in Wu Chen's mind. He had indeed seen an illusion, a flower blooming right before him.

"Feel sorry."

He nodded to the woman, and she returned his bow. They each took a step back, yet remained warily watching each other.

Wu Chen realized something.

According to Hera Morley, after her journey through the world of the Undead Lords, she had completed a soul ascension known as the archetype of the souls. In other words, she was now qualified to touch upon the path of the Archmage in terms of soul strength.

A powerful soul brings powerful perception.

With heightened perception, they discovered things they shouldn't have.

That unfamiliar woman was supposed to be an invisible breeze, a shadowy figure; she should have passed through this alley like a phantom, attracting no attention. However, despite his soul's strength and magical power not matching his limits, he had unfortunately caught a glimpse of her form here.

No calamity.

But there's nothing you can do once you've crashed into it.

Wu Chen wasn't sure if the woman in front of him was the protagonist of the Dark Brotherhood, which only made him more wary of her than usual.

—Can we just grit our teeth and get through this?

Her foot lifted slightly. A faint, stinging sensation simultaneously erupted silently from different places—her eyes, ears, mouth, nose, neck, chest, ribs, and back. These were all clear warnings of a deadly danger; perhaps in the next moment, her opponent would swing a hidden short sword or dagger.

—I guess my senior gave me a buff.

A silent light shone in my mind. The vigilance I had been feeling eased at that moment because I had found something to rely on.

The problem is not big.

Let's just treat this as a misunderstanding.

"Hello, I'm Duster from the academy. How can I help you?" He silently lowered his raised foot. Words were more valuable than actions at that moment. And the faint stinging sensation that had lingered around him vanished without a trace.

Although the woman did not answer.

She said nothing, but took another step back—her physical outline blurred and faded rapidly under Wu Chen's direct gaze, and even her presence seemed to plummet within a single breath.

This might be called stealth in person.

Wu Chen nodded, refraining from any further rash actions. He merely blinked, and the strange woman's figure vanished without a trace in an instant.

"What should I call you? Let's be friends!" Wu Chen called out, still able to sense something lurking nearby. The entity was neither too close nor too far, and maintained its attention on him.

He received no reply.

The woman said nothing—he couldn't hear her breathing, nor feel her heartbeat. That faint presence gradually faded and disappeared in his perception of the alley.

she left.

And just three seconds after Wu Chen confirmed that she had left—

'click--'

A soft sound.

From where the woman had been standing, a piece of stone dust fell from the wall of the alley.

It was a mark, a letter. Of course, it could also be a code.

It was a 'Z' pattern. The 'Z' appeared for only a fleeting moment. Soon, more stone chips began to fall from the wall. Until all traces were reduced to worthless debris.

Wu Chen breathed a silent sigh of relief.

He stared at the collapsed rock formation for two seconds. Staying there was no longer necessary, so he lifted his foot and walked forward.

........................

Wu Chen walked through the alley.

The air was as fresh and cool as ever, and the clamor of the Windhelm city's residents gradually rose from the other side of the alley. There were no screams, no shouts, no city guards jogging over to stand watch, and no powerful wizards or warriors patrolling or sweeping through the streets.

No one died.

There was no smell of blood in the air.

The small animals in Windhelm, even the cats and dogs with their keen sense of smell, didn't bark or cry out in alarm. Even a small black cat walked past Witchdust's feet and meowed softly.

Wu Chen took out some dried food he had brought with him during his previous journey from his pocket. He peeled off a small piece and tried to feed it, but only received a disdainful look from the kitten—he shook his head and continued walking. He asked for directions twice more along the way, and finally, the place he was looking for appeared in front of him.

The Standalone Watchers' stronghold was a secluded courtyard resembling a small fortress. Several watchers dressed in chain-woven robes stood guard there, and he then showed them the amulet he had been given.

"I'm Toran's friend. Is Toran there?"

The watchmen at the door examined the activated amulet, their tone becoming warmer and their movements more relaxed. They had clearly heard about Wu Chen from Toran and knew that Wu Chen had once helped the watchmen.

“Toran mentioned you to us, Master Dust. You are a friend of the Vigilant, and we will do our best to meet your needs. However, Toran is not here right now—he has some things to attend to, and it may be another day or two before you see him.”

"Is it related to demons? Vampires?"

"Yes, an urgent request from the Palace of Kings. They say it's related to yesterday's attack... You were probably involved in that battle too, Dust Toran mentioned it."

"Those white monsters?"

"Yes, those white, ghoul-like monsters that can also create weapons from ice. They appeared out of nowhere on several streets in Windhelm. Quite a few people died, but it's said that the losses at the watchtower were the greatest. That's why Toran joined the operation. Otherwise, he should have rested for at least a day before getting out of bed."

A high-ranking warrior was wounded. Wu Chen knew that warrior; he was Brunwuff, who would replace Ulfric as the new lord of Windhelm after the Empire's conquest of Windhelm. This meant that he had a powerful force behind him. And this, perhaps, was the reason for the intense conflict between the court wizards and the court steward.

Military, domestic affairs, academia.

The three pillars should check and balance each other. But once the balance is lost, it will naturally lead to a series of chain reactions.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Wu Chen nodded and asked.

“We’re managing for now,” the vigilant waved his hand. “Alright, let’s talk about that later. Friend, what can we do for you?”

"I need to collect some alchemical materials. Mainly Jiaziwan grapes and refined moon sugar."

"You're not thinking of refining Skomar, are you, friend?" The Watcher chuckled and waved his hand. "Don't be nervous, it's just a joke. I can smell the Red Mountain Flower on you—Jiaziwan grapes, refined Moon Sugar. These are all alchemical materials used to refine magic. Hmm, if our alchemists had the time right now, they should be able to gather these materials easily."

"No stock available?"

"Yes, but only a portion. Only our alchemists know where the refined moon sugar is stored. However, we can help with the problem of the Jiaziwan grapes."

He mentioned alchemists twice. This was an obvious hint. And when a sufficient amount of Jiaziwan grapes were placed before Wu Chen, Wu Chen would naturally reciprocate.

"That alchemist...is he in Windhelm?"

“He’s here.” The Watcher gave a subtle, even slightly awkward smile. “However, well… you know, alchemists often have some peculiar personal quirks.”

"He enjoys fishing, but his fishing skills... aren't very good."

"Perhaps you could go to the dock area and give him a heads-up?"

(End of this chapter)