Chapter 117: Chapter 117: A Marriage Alliance
Soon, the scene shifted to where Olivia was.
It had been twenty years since Ethan had last seen Olivia.
Seeing her again, Ethan felt a pang of heartache. The woman was 68, merely mortal, inevitably nearing her end.
She aged more easily than most elderly women, her sparse white hair like dry grass, her body skeletal, her skin so loose it seemed it might fall off her body.
Sitting in a wheelchair, her breath was faint, only her cloudy eyes looking up at the sky in the courtyard.
Ethan sent her a 'Forebearer's Warmth'.
Feeling the sudden surge of psychic power within her, Olivia, like a withered plant rekindled with life, spoke in a hoarse and weak voice, yet could not hide her excitement, "Forebearer... cough, cough, cough, after so many years, Olivia... feels your presence again."
Just speaking a little made Olivia cough incessantly. An AI Bionic Robot sent by the family was wiping the blood from the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief. Despite her disheveled state, she was still smiling, "Forebearer, don't worry, my child, the path of literature shall be fulfilled!"
Hearing this, Ethan still didn't look relieved.
He knew Olivia well; she had always been like this. Even when sending messages home, she would say she was fine, but no one believed her. Olivia was the type who silently endured, not wanting her family to bear the burden of her suffering.
Even if she fell and bled profusely, she would message home, telling her family she was well, had eaten well, letting her family breathe a sigh of relief, but perhaps it was all just her own fabrication.
"The family matters, my child already knows."
Olivia's smile faded, perhaps the years had made her see many things more clearly. There was no trace of sadness in her eyes, only a cold sharpness, "Dawn is already investigating. Now that your child has some power, perhaps we can find some clues."
"My child has also seen that someone wants to destroy my Blackwood. Let them see whose path is higher!"
"A thousand of Dawn's intelligence agents are already gathering in the Golden Battle Forest."
Ethan nodded slightly and drew the characters for 'be well' in front of Olivia with a plaque.
...
Over at Marcus's side, Ethan had also checked in, but ultimately Blackwood didn't send Marcus any messages.
The guy was in seclusion, with the Nine Nether Daoist aiding him in forging the Heavenly Pill, so Ethan didn't disturb him.
Soon, the scene shifted to the Thunderfire Demon Cave.
Time hadn't left any marks on Amelia's face. Everyone in Blackwood was slowly changing, except for Amelia, who remained just as she had been years ago.
She only showed spirit when concocting medicines, saving people, gardening, or interacting with her family. It was night at that moment.
Amelia sat deep within the Thunderfire Demon Cave, right where the heavenly thunder and earth fire were located.
Lava flowed, and thunder, coming from nowhere, pierced through the soil and struck the molten rock, turning the entire river of magma into a spectacle of flashing lightning.
Beneath the waterfall-like flow of magma, the Blackwood's temple guardian beast, the Purple Thunder Solar Python, was shedding its skin!
The newly shed body was pitch black, and its head began to change, sprouting two slightly soft reversed horns, with long, lightning-fire flickering tendrils at the corners of its mouth.
Especially notable was its back, which, though serpentine, had grown armor resembling that of a crocodile's back. Soon, it would transform into a dragon.
Ethan sent Amelia a burst of warmth, and the girl instantly tensed up, pulling out a Forebearer cards, spinning around joyfully on the spot, "The Forebearer has finally shown his supernatural abilities, Amelia can listen to the ancient ancestral melodies again!"
It took a while for Amelia to calm down.
"Don't worry, Forebearer, although Uncle Old Pig at home isn't very familiar with Amelia, I know the children all consider him family. Forebearer coming to see the child proves that Forebearer also regards him as family, and so he is family to the child too."
"The demonically possessed have many tricks, and the child has already ordered them to investigate. The Demon Subduing Sect has an observatory with six skilled old Daoists who can also trace the slightest clues."
After saying this, Amelia knelt expectantly in front of the Forebearer cards, hands pressed together under her chin, her dirty little face staring at the cards, full of hope.
Ethan sent her another burst of warmth.
Amelia suddenly got up, bouncing around.
Ethan, rubbing his face helplessly, thought to himself... this guy... she's 76 years old. She doesn't look at all like a demon cult's holy maiden or elder.
Back at the Blackwood residence, they had summoned all the external forces under their control to investigate the matter.
Among them, Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion, with whom Blackwood had forged the deepest ties, was also present, with Dennis himself attending.
Over the years, it was unclear just how much trust Blackwood and Dennis had built. Nathan and his wife even took this old friend to the tomb of the Boar Monarch Pete.
"Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion is one of the top intelligence agencies in Jubilee County. I think with my clairvoyance, we might uncover something," Dennis said, exhaling deeply and hesitating for a moment. "But Mr. Nathan, are you sure you want to continue this investigation?"
Upon hearing this, Nathan frowned. "What do you mean, Mr. Dennis?"
"It's not that I want to stop Blackwood from seeking revenge," Dennis sighed. "Actually, when I received the message, I had my suspicions. And I figured out that it wouldn't be hard to investigate further."
"Over the years, although Blackwood doesn't have the heritage of a Developing Skill family,Silverwood County has gradually recognized your dominion as the overlord of Blackwood. After all, those who have opposed you have all disappeared from this world."
"Though it hasn't been rumored, after many years of investigation by various forces, anyone with a bit of sense could guess that the Silver Iron Forest is your Blackwood's backbone, not my Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion. Honestly, although we're close, Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion is also a power in its own right and can't possibly handle so many things for Blackwood."
"Do you think it's normal that now the Silver Iron Forest Boar Monarch Pete is dead, and your trump card is gone?"
Nathan wasn't surprised; he had thought of this too but remained silent. He knew all too well that Dennis could never fully understand the deep bond between Blackwood and the Boar Monarch Pete.
Seeing Nathan's lack of response, Dennis continued, "Then Mr. Dennis, you need to think carefully. After the investigation, Blackwood might face a power or person with the capability to kill someone with mid-stage Developing Skill Psychic powers."
"And the troubles you face might increase. After all, I've also heard the intelligence that the wounds on the Boar Monarch Pete were deliberately inflicted. Otherwise, wouldn't it have been easier for the enemy to destroy the body and erase all traces? Every item on the Boar Monarch Pete is a treasure."
"That means, this powerful opponent deliberately left clues, not valuing the body of the Boar Monarch Pete, just waiting for Blackwood to react angrily, with schemes and plots within."
"Have you, Blackwood, really thought about entering this game?"
Nathan still did not respond.
But as the cold night wind blew, Dennis, looking at Nathan's firm silhouette and clenched fists, understood Nathan's decision.
Bathed in moonlight, the thirty-meter-tall tree at Blackwood shone a bloody red, reflecting the remnants of the moonlight.
Dennis could only chuckle bitterly, "I do envy the courage and decisiveness of you people from Blackwood."
He calculated with his fingers.
Suddenly, with interest, he said to Nathan, "Mr. Nathan, Sister Luna, now that Blackwood is in imminent danger, my Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion is not cowardly either. "
"I have a female disciple, my adopted daughter, who is exceptionally talented and in the prime of her youth. I wonder if your Blackwood would consider forming a marriage alliance with my Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion?"