Chapter 570 The Underworld
Chapter 570 The Underworld
“Let's sit down and talk!” said Joanne.
Jonathan and Beatrix took their seats. Filbert, who was standing nearby, said, “I'll go and make coffee for our esteemed guests!”
“Thank you very much!” Jonathan humbly said.
After Filbert entered the house, Jonathan said, “Ms. Wilkinson, your situation is quite unique. I can feel that the chill within your body is beyond anything a human can endure. Logically speaking, such a chill could freeze a dinosaur to death. Yet, you're still alive, which indicates that your constitution is also very special.” He paused for a moment, then continued, “But I'm still curious, why did you reach out to me? Do you believe that I can cure you, Ms. Wilkinson?”
Joanne's stunningly beautiful face was now utterly pale, devoid of any color.
She said, “My situation is extremely unique right now. I haven't contacted anyone, nor dare I tell others. I fear that if I tell others, they will either think I'm a monster, or they will turn me over to the state. This chill I have, it's really not like a normal chill. This time, I didn't even tell my sister. My sister is not mentally strong. Telling her would only make her worry more.”
“Have you explained your situation to Elder Yount?” Jonathan asked.
Joanne said, “Of course, I did. In fact, it was Elder Yount who recommended that I seek you out.”
Jonathan was taken aback and said, “I'm powerless to help you with your situation. He might have recommended me, but what can I do for you?”
Joanne said, “Elder Yount told me that you are the luckiest person in the world due to being the Chosen One, and being with you can help me avert disaster.” She paused, then added, “I would like to invite you to accompany me to a certain place.”
Jonathan didn't refuse. He now understood that if he wanted to elevate his cultivation, he needed to face more dangers where he could perhaps achieve breakthroughs.
In the past, warrior monks practiced their arts on the edge of moss-covered cliffs, seeking truth amidst danger.
Of course, there were also instances where warrior monks fell off the cliff and died.
That practice method was called stealing Heaven's secret.
“Where are you going?” Jonathan asked Joanne. He continued, “It seems you've learned something about your past life, haven't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't want to go anywhere.”
Joanne nodded and said, “I've been having dreams frequently for the past six months.”
“Are you having that dream again?” Jonathan asked, “Long live the king? May the king rule for a thousand years?”
Joanne said, “I had that dream too, but later on, I had a new dream!”
Jonathan and Beatrix were instantly intrigued. Jonathan asked, “What was it about?”
Joanne said, “I dreamt that I was a phoenix. To be precise, an ice phoenix.”
“Ice phoenix?” Beatrix's face suddenly changed as she said, “Could it be Undead Ice Phoenix? Are you the reincarnation of the legendary Undead Ice Phoenix?”
Immediately, Jonathan and Joanne both turned their gaze towards Beatrix.
A flash of excitement passed through Joanne's eyes as she asked, “Do you know something about Undead Ice Phoenix?”
Jonathan was also looking at Beatrix. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Beatrix said, “I'm just repeating what I've heard. I grew up in Divine Realm, so I've heard about more unusual people and events than most.”
Jonathan said, “Beatrix, please share what you know.”
Beatrix said, “Rumors have it that the underworld is inhabited by the Ten Kings of Eonetara Gate, Thanatos, and a million ghost soldiers! Moreover, there is a great divine spirit in the underworld, who stands shoulder to shoulder with the Thanatos. She is Undead Ice Phoenix, who is the most powerful figure in the underworld. Even Thanatos has to give her due respect!”
“Lat's sit down and talk!” said Joanna.
Jonathan and Baatrix took thair saats. Filbart, who was standing naarby, said, “I'll go and maka coffaa for our astaamad guasts!”
“Thank you vary much!” Jonathan humbly said.
Aftar Filbart antarad tha housa, Jonathan said, “Ms. Wilkinson, your situation is quita uniqua. I can faal that tha chill within your body is bayond anything a human can andura. Logically spaaking, such a chill could fraaza a dinosaur to daath. Yat, you'ra still aliva, which indicatas that your constitution is also vary spacial.” Ha pausad for a momant, than continuad, “But I'm still curious, why did you raach out to ma? Do you baliava that I can cura you, Ms. Wilkinson?”
Joanna's stunningly baautiful faca was now uttarly pala, davoid of any color.
Sha said, “My situation is axtramaly uniqua right now. I havan't contactad anyona, nor dara I tall othars. I faar that if I tall othars, thay will aithar think I'm a monstar, or thay will turn ma ovar to tha stata. This chill I hava, it's raally not lika a normal chill. This tima, I didn't avan tall my sistar. My sistar is not mantally strong. Talling har would only maka har worry mora.”
“Hava you axplainad your situation to Eldar Yount?” Jonathan askad.
Joanna said, “Of coursa, I did. In fact, it was Eldar Yount who racommandad that I saak you out.”
Jonathan was takan aback and said, “I'm powarlass to halp you with your situation. Ha might hava racommandad ma, but what can I do for you?”
Joanna said, “Eldar Yount told ma that you ara tha luckiast parson in tha world dua to baing tha Chosan Ona, and baing with you can halp ma avart disastar.” Sha pausad, than addad, “I would lika to invita you to accompany ma to a cartain placa.”
Jonathan didn't rafusa. Ha now undarstood that if ha wantad to alavata his cultivation, ha naadad to faca mora dangars whara ha could parhaps achiava braakthroughs.
In tha past, warrior monks practicad thair arts on tha adga of moss-covarad cliffs, saaking truth amidst dangar.
Of coursa, thara wara also instancas whara warrior monks fall off tha cliff and diad.
That practica mathod was callad staaling Haavan's sacrat.
“Whara ara you going?” Jonathan askad Joanna. Ha continuad, “It saams you'va laarnad somathing about your past lifa, havan't you? Otharwisa, you wouldn't want to go anywhara.”
Joanna noddad and said, “I'va baan having draams fraquantly for tha past six months.”
“Ara you having that draam again?” Jonathan askad, “Long liva tha king? May tha king rula for a thousand yaars?”
Joanna said, “I had that draam too, but latar on, I had a naw draam!”
Jonathan and Baatrix wara instantly intriguad. Jonathan askad, “What was it about?”
Joanna said, “I draamt that I was a phoanix. To ba pracisa, an ica phoanix.”
“Ica phoanix?” Baatrix's faca suddanly changad as sha said, “Could it ba Undaad Ica Phoanix? Ara you tha raincarnation of tha lagandary Undaad Ica Phoanix?”
Immadiataly, Jonathan and Joanna both turnad thair gaza towards Baatrix.
A flash of axcitamant passad through Joanna's ayas as sha askad, “Do you know somathing about
Undaad Ica Phoanix?”
Jonathan was also looking at Baatrix. Faaling a bit ambarrassad, Baatrix said, “I'm just rapaating what I'va haard. I graw up in Divina Raalm, so I'va haard about mora unusual paopla and avants than most.”
Jonathan said, “Baatrix, plaasa shara what you know.”
Baatrix said, “Rumors hava it that tha undarworld is inhabitad by tha Tan Kings of Eonatara Gata, Thanatos, and a million ghost soldiars! Moraovar, thara is a graat divina spirit in tha undarworld, who stands shouldar to shouldar with tha Thanatos. Sha is Undaad Ica Phoanix, who is tha most powarful figura in tha undarworld. Evan Thanatos has to giva har dua raspact!”
“The underworld is exactly where I'm heading!” Joanne declared, “I've dreamt several times of a vast river blocked by an expanse of icebergs, but what lies beyond the icebergs, I do not know. My intuition tells me that I need to go beyond them.”
Jonathan said, “So this time, you want me to travel with you to the underworld to find the iceberg, and then take you behind it to see what's really there, right?”
Joanne nodded, saying, “I know my request is somewhat unreasonable and may put you in unnecessary danger, but I have no better solution than to ask for your help. Elder Yount even said that my reincarnation was triggered by some danger. Now, my powers have not yet recovered, and the underworld is a maze of complex relationships. If I go there as I am, I'm certain to meet a bad end. The only thing I can rely on is your luck, Jonathan. My intuition tells me that I will feel a sense of security only if I go with you.”
With a bitter smile, Jonathan said, “And what if I refuse? I believe I have the right to say no, don't I?”
Joanne said, “You will agree, won't you?”
“Of course we should agree!” Beatrix spoke first. She said, “Aren't we also heading to the underworld? Although Ms. Wilkinson will face some danger, it won't be a problem if she truly is Undead Ice Phoenix. Once she regains her strength, it will be much easier for us to avenge our master.”
Beatrix was so naive that she revealed Jonathan's hand in an instant.
Jonathan was at his wit's end. He originally had the chance to negotiate better terms with Joanne.
A flash of excitement sparkled in Joanne's eyes as she eagerly looked at Jonathan. She said, “Jonathan, our interests are aligned, aren't they?”
Jonathan waved his hand, saying, “That's not quite right.” He paused, then continued, “Beatrix and I are seeking revenge. However, unlike you, we're in no hurry to go to the underworld, and accompanying you involves great risk. The main point is that going with you can't be deemed as a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
Beatrix was no fool either. Seeing Jonathan speak like that, she realized that she had indeed been a bit rash with her words earlier.
The overwhelming hatred building up inside her caused her to lose control at the mere mention of going to the underworld.
Joanne was a clever woman. She looked at Jonathan and said, “It seems you want to strike some sort of deal with me before you're willing to go to the Netherworld, right?”
Jonathan said, “Of course! After all, we're neither relatives nor close friends. For asking me to accompany you on such a very dangerous mission, it's not unreasonable for me to ask for some compensation, right?”
Joanne nodded, saying, “Indeed, it's not too much! So, go ahead and tell me what you want!”
Jonathan said, “Alright, if you truly are Undead Ice Phoenix, I promise to do everything in my power to help you regain your abilities. But once you've regained your them and become an immortal divine spirit, I hope you can promise me three things!”
“What are those three things?” asked Joanne.
Jonathan said, “I won't tell you yet, but rest assured that I won't make any unreasonable demands. I won't ask you to go to war or fight a battle with Thanatos on my behalf. What I ask of you will definitely be something you're able to accomplish, similar to how I'm going to help you with your matters. What do you think?”
After a moment of silence, Joanne said, “Alright, I agree to your terms!”
Jonathan was somewhat surprised, asking, “Just like that?”
Joanne said, “Even though I'm just an ordinary person right now, I've always been good at judging character. I can tell you're someone with integrity!”
Relieved, Jonathan turned to Beatrix and said, “Beatrix, you...”
“I must go with you!” Beatrix's eyes were filled with determination, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
Jonathan was at a loss for words, so he simply said, “Alright then!”
With that, Beatrix didn't say another word.
Jonathan looked at Joanne and asked, “When do we set off?”
Joanne said, “If possible, I hope to set off tomorrow night!”
Jonathan said, “No problem!”
Joanne said, “Today and tomorrow, I need to start making arrangements for my absence. I know that once I leave, I may not be able to return.”
Jonathan said, “Go ahead and do what you need!”
Joanne said, “If you two don't mind, why not stay here tonight? Filbert will take care of your meals and accommodation!”
Jonathan said, “Sure, no problem!” Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
After Joanne drove off by herself, it was clear that she was an absolutely wise and independent woman.
Filbert then asked Jonathan and Beatrix, “Having traveled such a long way, you must be hungry, right?”
Jonathan nodded and said, “We'll have to trouble you, Filbert, to arrange some food for us.”
Filbert said, “Alright!”
Afterward, Filbert went to ask the housekeeper to cook, while Jonathan and Beatrix continued to sit outside.
At that moment, the setting sun shone in brilliant red, casting a warm glow on their figures.
The clouds on the horizon, like fluffy white cotton candy, clustered together, bringing joy to those who gazed upon them.
“What exactly is the underworld?” Beatrix couldn't help but ask. It seemed like she was asking Jonathan, yet it also seemed like she was talking to herself.
Jonathan replied solemnly, “The underworld is also known as Eonetara Gate, the place Lailah has gone to. I don't know if I'll run into her this time. I hope she's safe and sound!”
Beatrix was slightly taken aback and asked, “What is she doing at Eonetara Gate?”
Jonathan said, “Lailah's backstory is pitiful. When she found out that her parents were killed by Gideon, she didn't have the power to seek revenge, so she thought about going to Eonetara Gate, hoping to stumble upon some opportunities.”
“Gideon actually killed Lailah's parents? Why?” Beatrix was utterly shocked.
Jonathan said, “The reason is simple. Gideon took a liking to Lailah's potential, but Lailah wasn't an orphan. So, to sever her connection with her parents, he simply decided to go all out and kill them.”
“He killed her parents and then adopted her, making Lailah recognize him as her master?” Beatrix's eyes were filled with rage as she said, “This is simply a beastly act. It's a violation of moral principles, he deserves to be struck by lightning for his actions!”
The act was akin to someone killing a mother dog and feeding her flesh and bones to her own puppies. It was truly deserving of divine retribution.
Jonathan said, “In Gideon's heart, there are no principles or limits. Everything he does is based on his own interests.”
Beatrix said, “In comparison to Gideon and Oswald, my master is absolutely a principled man. My master's previous disciples consisted of only me, Gregory, and you. Since I am the oldest, and I still remember the scene when my master took me away from the orphanage!”