Damien already felt that the ethereal energy in the atmosphere here was pretty dense compared to the Rising Sun Continent, making him realize why he felt the place so soothing and relaxing when he came here.
Even by now, he was already feeling that his ethereal energy reserves had rejuvenated by a large amount just by spending a few minutes in this place.
Elor answered his question, "This island is known as a pocket land. It was supposedly once part of the world outside before it became cursed. But this piece of land got separated from the mainland due to the people from that world somehow, and my earliest ancestors, the one who was the ancestor of the Zirian Emperor as well, had two other secret keys that would gain him access to two pocket lands. Since he was the leader of the survivors, the others had no idea that he had these extra keys. But he had no reason to tell them since these pocket lands were something he created for his own emergency purposes. So until the need came, he decided to keep these keys with himself, and after he died, he passed them down to his descendants till the founder of the Zirian Empire inherited it. And as it passed down the imperial family, I finally got these two keys, one of which I gave to Irene."
"Oh…" Damien now understood where the others would have gone, especially Shania and Blake. He felt that Irene must have transported them to the other pocket land while she transported him, Reva, and herself here.
Still, he couldn't understand when Irene got the chance to use this 'key' especially when she was hurt and unconscious the whole time.
"This 'key'...is it like a real physical key?" Damien curiously asked.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Elor softly chuckled as he shook his head and said, "Of course, not. As I said before, it was impossible for someone to 'steal' these 'keys'. For example, the 'key' I possess is nothing other than my own blood essence. And since Irene was unconscious when you came here, I suppose she must have used my blood essence on the teleportation formation beforehand. Otherwise, she, Reva, and you would have teleported to the pocket land I gave her."
"Then that must be where the others are…" Damien guessed that Irene used her own blood essence on the other teleportation formations, which teleported Shania and the other experts to the other pocket land.
"There were others who were supposed to come with you?" Elor asked expectantly, hoping that all of them escaped.
"Yes. We first escorted all the non-cultivators first while the Forsaken experts stayed behind and then got teleported at the same time as us. But as for the other Forsaken bases…I am afraid…"
"They are gone…" Elor said with a pained expression as he looked at the horizon through the windows. He knew if Yohr died, then the fail-safe would get activated, which would destroy all the Forsaken bases.
It was even a miracle that the base Irene was in didn't get destroyed, and he knew the reason was because of the intervention of the valiant boy standing before him. Otherwise, he would have forever lost his wife and granddaughter.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})So he looked at Damien with eyes filled with gratitude as he slightly bowed and said, "Boy, accept this old man's gratitude for saving my people even though your blood is different from us."
"Senior, please. There is no need for all this to a junior like me. In fact, if Reva knew about this, I wouldn't know how to face her," Damien awkwardly said as he quickly pulled Elor up, though he could understand how thankful he was feeling right now.
He knew that the only reason this old man was still clinging to his life was mainly for his wife and granddaughter.
Elor felt that something was strange when Damien mentioned Reva's name and looked at him with a doubtful expression as he asked, "You…Are you in love with my granddaughter?"
'This old man is too sharp! Or am I that obvious?' Damien grimaced inwardly, realizing that he must have accidentally given away too many details.
Damien didn't know Elor would react, so he scratched his cheek and said stiffly, "Actually...we are in love with each other."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Elor's jaw became slacked as he looked at Damien with quivering eyes, making Damien wonder if this guy got pissed off because he was dating his granddaughter.
Just to be safe, Damien immediately gave a 90-degree bow and solemnly said, "Senior, even if I am not of Zirian blood nor belonging to any royalty, my feelings for Reva are true and sincere. I would never let her suffer any unhappiness while she is with me. I hope senior will give me the chance to prove it."
Damien maintained his bow, but only silence prevailed as moments passed, making him wonder if he pissed off Elor or something with his direct words.
But suddenly, he felt Elor grabbing his shoulder, making him hold his breath in anticipation of what he was going to say.
"Boy…" Elor raised Damien's body as he suddenly gave him a warm hug, making Damien feel surprised to suddenly get a hug from him.
Elor patted Damien's back with a soft smile as he said, "You have made this old man happy for the first time in centuries. I never thought a day like this would come when the future of my family isn't filled with darkness and sadness. The moment Reva was born, I bitterly prayed that she somehow live a happy life and did not meet the same fate as her mother. But as years passed, I felt that my prayers were no different than a hopeless dream seeing how Reva was living in a prison like her mother lived in as well. I was literally this close to having my heart and mind shatter with guilt and pain for being too powerless to help the people I love."
"However, today, I feel like my heart and mind have never felt so much peace in centuries, especially seeing my wife and granddaughter safe here.. And all this would not have been possible if it were not for you, boy. You were the one who took Reva out from her prison, and in this world, there could be no one else that deserves her hand other than you!"
