Chapter Twenty-Two: Preparations

With the peculiar item Bailey had given him in hand, Gong Hao returned to his small cabin.
He began to pack his things.
If the plan failed, he would have to flee at once, though under such circumstances, the chances of escape were exceedingly slim.
There wasn't much he could carry; there had never been many possessions of his own within this castle.
Or... perhaps there was one more thing?
Gong Hao’s gaze lingered on a flowerpot he had moved into his own room.
It held an ordinary plant, but no one knew that within its soil, a cocoon was slowly gathering strength.
It had been half a year since the creature pupated, yet no sign of transformation had shown.
Gong Hao decided to take this strange cocoon with him.
He was truly curious to see what sort of power a magical beast might possess after enduring two states of dormancy.
He carefully extracted the cocoon, wrapped it in cloth, and placed it close to his body, feeling the warmth emanating from within, life stirring inside.
It felt as though a caterpillar was crawling across his chest.
Having done all this, Gong Hao made his way toward the lake.
“Lord Lancelot, would you care to try my newly invented dish?”
“Grell, you never fail to surprise me,” Lancelot replied with a smile.
“However, this dish requires some special ingredients. Its taste is exquisite, but there are a few not-so-pleasant side effects.”
“What kind of side effects? It’s not poisonous, I hope?”
“Of course not, my lord. It merely causes a slight dizziness, as it requires the juice of intoxicating grass as a seasoning.”
“That’s the spice that can substitute for herb sauce?”
“Yes.”
“I heard your little princess used it once, and she was drunk that very night.”
“Um... my lord, she’s not my princess.”
“Oh, blushing?” Lancelot laughed. “Very well, I’d just like to see how potent the spice is—if it once floored a young beauty.”
“It might utterly captivate you, my lord, making you abandon your training and become a drunken gourmand forever.”
“That sounds dreadful. Grell, have you noticed you’re becoming less respectful to me lately?”
Gong Hao chuckled, “On the contrary, I’ve never respected you more than I do now.”
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Dusk slowly settled.
Watching Lancelot drift into sleep, Gong Hao felt a deep calm.
He had used little of the intoxicating grass juice, but it was all concentrated essence; not even Lancelot’s constitution could resist such potent intoxication, and he wondered why the grass’s effect was so strong—a mere drop was enough to make him drowsy.
Though he could have used battle energy to forcibly resist the drunkenness, it would have been pointless, stripping the dish of its intended charm.
For Gong Hao, to drug a Sky Warrior was no easy feat; the best method was to let him fall asleep willingly.
Leaving the cabin, Gong Hao walked toward the castle.
By now, servants from all regions had returned to their rooms, only the caged beasts lazily staring at the sky, longing for freedom.
In Area 9, the saber-toothed beast seemed to have caught Gong Hao’s scent and let out a low growl.
Gong Hao quickly raised a finger, “Shh, Fang, keep quiet.”
This odd gesture puzzled the beast.
Gong Hao gave the creature a gentle smile. “I bet you’d very much like to be free again, wouldn’t you?”
The saber-toothed beast stared at Gong Hao, its gaze filled with confusion.
What was this golden-haired boy up to today? It couldn’t fathom.
“Don’t worry,” Gong Hao said, “you’ll be free very soon.”
He approached the replaced crystal.
Gong Hao quietly took out a vial, dropping a single drop onto the crystal. Instantly, it emitted a brilliant light, causing the entire magical cage to tremble.
He whispered, “This is a magic activation potion. It can draw forth all latent magical energy from a person’s body, but leaves them extremely weak afterward. Used on a crystal, it will rapidly consume its energy. Fang, the cage’s defensive power will greatly increase, tightening your restraints—it may be uncomfortable. But don’t worry, it’s only temporary. When the crystal’s energy is spent…”
Gong Hao smiled, “You’ll be free.”
So he said.
Waving to the beast, he turned and left.
Having completed his preparations within the castle, Gong Hao wasted no time and ran swiftly toward the valley.
This was his second attempt to enter the valley since arriving on Purgatory Island.
Compared to last time, he was better prepared and stronger.
Lancelot had no idea that Gong Hao, though perhaps lacking in battle energy cultivation, had, through technique and diligent study, nearly reached the level of a second-grade warrior. He could sense his battle energy poised for another breakthrough.
According to Lancelot, arduous training could quickly elevate one to a junior warrior, and after some combat, one could soon advance to grade two. But going higher became far more difficult. Gong Hao had nearly reached grade two in just a year—a rather swift ascent, due to his own efforts, guidance from a master, and perhaps a touch of talent.
He had never forgotten the route through the fourteen branching paths to the valley. Cloaked in darkness, he reached the final fork, activated his battle energy, and easily bypassed the sound trap.
The magical lamps still flickered. Once inside the valley, Gong Hao calmed himself, hiding in the shadows and listening to the wind. The wind spirits carried terrified cries from within the valley to his ears.
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“Ah!”
A shrill, agonized scream echoed through the valley.
“Please, my lord! Have mercy!” The pleas rose and fell.
Fink trembled, nearly collapsing to the ground, never having imagined he would witness such a scene.
One by one, his companions were brought to this forbidden valley, stripped of their clothes, and bound to pillars as though they were pigs awaiting slaughter, forced to watch as their tormentors had their way.
An apprentice drove sharp needles into their bodies, each needle attached to a mysterious thread.
Pierre recited arcane incantations, the threads leaping and tearing bloody lines across the boys’ bodies. Several apprentices smeared prepared magical materials along their wounds, painted and etched magical patterns into their flesh, finally composing a miniature magic array.
The arrays glowed eerily, the special materials shimmered a ghostly green in the dark.
These materials had various effects; some caused immense pain upon contact with skin. The young servants could not endure it, their screams echoing through the valley, turning it in an inst