《Game Transmigration: Saving the World Again 1000 Years Later》 Chapter 1 ?Chapter 1: End 4 Translator: CKtalon I guess it¡¯s almost time. Zhou Mu drew across the seemingly endless list of completed missions and muttered. More than 200 main missions, more than 2,000 side missions, more than 1,000 hidden environments, and all the achievements had been collected¡­ It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that he had completed all the game content that the developers of the VRRPG (Virtual Reality Role Playing Game)-Doomsday Watchers-had designed. Platinuming a game couldn¡¯t get any better. 5 As Zhou Mu flipped through the game¡¯s records, he sighed at how much effort he had put into this game. Man, did I spend more than 13,000 hours on this game? This is a little exaggerated for a single-player game. Is there a second person in the world who has thrown more than 10,000 hours into the game? 44 Zhou Mu was surprised by the time he spent via the record breakdown. Zhou Mu had always believed that he wasn¡¯t really living as a human during the ten-plus hours he toiled at his company. If he made this the measure of choice and deducted the time he spent sleeping every day, he was akin to a person living in the sword and magical world of Doomsday Watchers than in the real world. However, all good things had to come to an end. It was finally time to say goodbye to this world. With this in mind, Zhou Mu, who felt his heart gradually grow heavy, waved his hand and closed the statistics interface. It wasn¡¯t that he was tired of this game-compared to the real world where he had to face all kinds of pressure every day, he found serenity from just looking at the scenery in the game¡¯s Vic Continent. If possible, he really hoped that he could continue living this other life in-game. However, the pressure of reality was ever-present. Having crossed the 30-year-old threshold, Zhou Mu could already sense the invisible shackles gradually tightening: the shocking results of his physical examination, the pressure from his mortgage and car loans, the rumors in the company about retrenching older employees, and so on¡­ He had to sacrifice sleep to squeeze out an hour or two for gaming. Meanwhile, his body-which hadn¡¯t been in the pinkest of health for a long time-had already begun to issue constant alarms. In the past half a year, he had fainted twice without any warning. His doctor and boss had seriously talked to him more than once. Suffering a sudden death or being retrenched weren¡¯t outcomes he wanted. After weighing the pros and cons, it was time to quit. 3 Zhou Mu looked up and surveyed his surroundings. At this moment, he was sitting at a huge obsidian round table in the middle of a magnificent hall that was like a pantheon in Rome. This was the round table hall in the Twilight Fortress. Twilight Fortress was the headquarters of the Doomsday Watchers, a salvation army that wasn¡¯t restricted by borders. It was the closest place to home for players, and it was also the first stronghold the players arrived at in the main storyline. Before leaving completely, Zhou Mu planned on giving himself a ceremonial farewell. Choosing this place to end it all could be said to be of extraordinary significance. It was both the beginning and the end. Zhou Mu sat for a while longer when he heard chaotic footsteps outside. Then, the heavy adamantine door was pushed open, and the entire round table hall was divided into two by the light coming from the outside. The 12 men and women of different races entered one after another with the light as a backdrop and sat at the round table. Players could directly recruit 12 core NPCs to take up the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ 13 Judges and, together, they would save the world with the protagonist based on the plot. Zhou Mu swept his gaze across everyone present. Of course, not all of them were humans. There were also companions from other races. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the foolish things he had done in the past. Back then, to achieve a ¡®perfect clear,¡¯ he basically had to reload dozens of times to farm satisfactory basic stats and characteristics for the NPCs to be recruited to be his Judge. 1 Moreover, he would choose the perk that suited them best to have synergy between their equipment. It could be said that every Judge¡¯s character build was better than what most ordinary gamers of Doomsday Watchers had. ¡°Presiding Judge William Kane, what gives us the pleasure of being summoned here?¡± 1 Perhaps the system had determined that Zhou Mu hadn¡¯t spoken for too long, so a character in pitch-black armor and carrying a huge sword that was as thick as a door spoke. William Kane was the name of Zhou Mu¡¯s character in this save. Zhou Mu came back to his senses and cleared his throat. ¡°That¡¯s right, Blake Saba. I summoned all the Judges here today because I have something important to announce.¡± As Zhou Mu spoke, he took a deep breath and spread his arms. ¡°I¡¯m about to leave you-forever.¡± 3 With that said, all the NPCs at the round table revealed looks of disbelief, panic, and even fear. The production company of Doomsday Watchers assigned extremely powerful AI programs for important NPCs in the game. As long as they didn¡¯t talk about things that went beyond the game¡¯s framework, their conversation and reaction were very close to that of a real person. Of course, this was essentially just a chat program. Zhou Mu also knew that he was being silly bidding farewell to these NPCs. ¡°William, my friend, are you saying that you want to leave the Vic Continent and adventure elsewhere?¡± A scaly man with horns on his head and a thick tail on his back asked in a gruff voice. No, Dowa King. I¡¯m not just leaving this continent, but this entire world. 1 With that said, there was another commotion. ¡°Are you saying that you plan on leaving Currere and heading to the Moon Realm to head to the domain ruled by those Void Sovereigns? In that case, I ask to be part of your noble party.¡± A humanoid wrapped in a cloak that constantly emitted ominous black mist asked in a singing tone. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about Currere or the Moon Realm. I¡¯m talking about the entire world-everything. It reaches far beyond the present, the Moon Realm, the Light Realm, or the furthest border you can imagine. Only I can walk this path. I can only take my fond memories of you, nothing more.¡± An elven girl wearing light leather armor and carrying a transparent bow and arrow on her back asked, ¡°Lord Kane, can you tell us why you have decided to leave?¡± ¡°Because I have no choice. I do wish I could accompany all of you forever. But far away, some existences are graver than the Seven Calamities and the Void Sovereigns that require me to fight them.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Reality.¡± 12 The room fell silent. Every Judge seemed to be thinking hard about what Zhou Mu meant by ¡®reality.¡¯ Of course, Zhou Mu knew that it was impossible. It was just that the system had detected a conversation that went beyond the game¡¯s framework; in turn, it made the NPCs act as if they were in thought. They would then immediately change the topic. ¡°Then¡­¡± The youngest-looking youth among the 12 spoke. He wore a cloak woven from black feathers and had amber eyes that resembled those of a ferocious bird. ¡°Will you be returning?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Coles, I¡¯m not sure, but if that day really comes, I hope to see all of you again. I¡¯ll look forward to the day we reunite.¡± As Zhou Mu spoke, he pressed his hands on the obsidian round table and stood up. The other 12 people in front of the round table stood up with him. He looked at his companions in a daze. If only this world were real¡­ ¡°Then, I hereby announce the disbandment of the 13 judges. We have brought a thousand years of peace to this world by defeating the Calamities and expelling the Void Sovereign. It¡¯s high time to seek out your own happiness. This is my last order-Everyone, do as you wish!¡± What an idiotic speech¡­ 2 They were clearly just programs stored in the computer, and as long as he went offline, they would freeze at this moment forever. Yet, he still shamelessly said to them that he wanted them to pursue their own happiness. The thing about ¡®the day we reunite¡¯ was even more impossible. He had already sold his gaming pod on an online platform. Tomorrow, he would pack it up and send it out. Reuniting was impossible. When Zhou Mu thought of this, he bowed to everyone and silently activated the nexus on the obsidian round table. Teleportation After a brief loading interface, Zhou Mu arrived in an alternate space filled with stars. This was his Treasure Hall. He had too many rare items in his collection. Having a hoarder mentality, not only would he obtain things through the game¡¯s progression, but he could even produce useless assets that the developers ultimately didn¡¯t put into the game through the console. 5 If it was only for display, the entire Twilight Fortress wouldn¡¯t be enough to hold half of his collection as a treasure hall. Therefore, he created such an alternate space through the game console that was specially used to store his vast collection. Every star in this boundless cosmos was a rare item wrapped in a spacetime bubble. Zhou Mu looked up at the stars in the sky. ¡°Then, farewell!¡± He took a deep breath and pulled up the game menu before pressing the ¡®Exit Game¡¯ button. His vision instantly turned pitch-black. A notification alert would indicate that he had successfully logged off, returning him to the real world. Zhou Mu silently counted his breaths and waited for the chime. For some reason, his subtle and mixed feelings became extremely calm. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com ¡­ 3 Yet, the offline indication chime didn¡¯t ring even minutes later. 3 18 Chapter 2 ? Chapter 2: Beginning Translator: CKtalon Is it stuck? 1 Sensing that something was amiss, Zhou Mu tried pulling out the game menu, but he failed. ¡°Game pod, log off.¡± Nothing. ¡°Game pod, force disconnection!¡± There was still no reaction. A trace of fear surfaced from his heart. He had read an urban legend on a forum that someone had died in a game pod due to a malfunction. He had always written it off as a joke. After all, the VR game pod wasn¡¯t connected to the back of his head. There shouldn¡¯t be anything that sounded too sci-fi like being trapped in a game pod. But when he realized that he couldn¡¯t log off normally, he couldn¡¯t help but let his imagination run wild. ¡°Game pod, forceful eject! Contact customer service!¡± As Zhou Mu shouted all kinds of emergency orders, he raised his hand and planned on ripping off the VR helmet on his head. However, he was stunned the next second. What his hand touched wasn¡¯t the helmet but his face. Before he could figure out what this meant, Zhou Mu¡¯s vision suddenly lit up again. In front of him was a starry scene-he had returned to the treasure hall he was in before going offline. What¡¯s going on¡­ Zhou Mu tried touching his face. At this moment, he wasn¡¯t wearing a VR Helmet. He then touched the spot on his neck where the zipper of his sensor suit should¡¯ve been, but he could only touch his Adam¡¯s apple. This meant that he wasn¡¯t wearing a Force Transmission suit or a VR Helmet that could simulate his five senses. However, he still saw the scene of stars filling the Treasure Hall. It even looked clearer than before. It was as clear as the real world. An extremely ridiculous possibility surfaced in Zhou Mu¡¯s heart, causing his heart to race. Then, I¡¯ll test it¡­ Zhou Mu gulped. Teleportation There was no game UI interface or character interface, but when Zhou Mu thought of using Teleportation, a gorgeous and complicated nexus automatically appeared in front of him. Then, many specks of light that symbolized ¡®coordinates¡¯ appeared in his mind. In Doomsday Watchers, Teleportation was equivalent to a ¡®quick travel¡¯ function. Therefore, to teleport to a certain location, players had to first visit the location and unlock the ¡®coordinates¡¯ there. Zhou Mu tried choosing the coordinates that symbolized the round table. As the nexus flashed, he appeared in the seat where he had bid farewell to the Judges. Even the ¡®loading¡¯ interface during Teleportation in the past no longer existed. He looked at his hands in disbelief, finding it unbelievable that everything in front of him was real. So, did I¡­ transmigrate? No game in the world could complete a player¡¯s instructions with a thought. If he hadn¡¯t gone crazy from the pressure of work, there was only one possibility-he had transmigrated to the world of Doomsday Watchers. It was difficult to say what complicated changes Zhou Mu¡¯s emotions had undergone after he realized that he had transmigrated, but one thing was certain-he definitely didn¡¯t have the intention of returning. Zhou Mu didn¡¯t have any attachment to the real world, especially after his parents passed away a few years ago. Compared to the company and his extended family, having just lived on in reality thanks to inertia, he often felt that the world in Doomsday Watchers was a reality that belonged to him alone. Now that he had really come to this world, he naturally felt uneasy and terrified. After all, this was a world where magic and gods truly existed-a world filled with danger. However¡­ Zhou Mu focused slightly. The plethora of magic he had learned in-game naturally appeared in his mind. He felt that as long as he was willing, he could use such powers at any time, just like when he used Teleportation. 2 For a moment, he trembled from excitement. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that as a product of his Perfect Clear goal, the character named William Kane in this save was inexplicably powerful based on the game¡¯s framework and background story. In the game, other than some Bosses that required special conditions to defeat, he was confident in taking down even the strongest hidden Boss publicly accepted on the player forum-Incarnation of Nothingness. Zhou Mu took a deep breath and calmed down slightly. He needed to calm down now¡­ Since he had transmigrated and become the perfect-clear account of William Kane, he had to confirm the level of his strength and see how the mechanisms of his various abilities were different from in-game. Then, he had to find his former companions¡­ But speaking of which, why has the round table hall appear to be in ruins? After making up his mind, Zhou Mu noticed that something was amiss. He looked around. For some reason, the previously gorgeous and magnificent round table looked like it had been abandoned for a long time. It was covered in a thick layer of dust. The murals on the dome had faded to an unrecognizable level. The Holy Spirit statue on the wall had been weathered into a beehive-like irregularity, and the flags hanging had long been reduced to dust. In the entire round table hall, only the obsidian round table and the heavy adamantine door remained intact. How long has it been? I left only a few minutes ago. None of this makes sense¡­ Zhou Mu muttered in confusion before shaking his head. He had already transmigrated, so how could there be any logic? Perhaps he had transmigrated to an era many years later. 6 With this in mind, the uneasiness in his heart increased. If he hadn¡¯t transmigrated to an era where the game plot happened, much of the information he knew would¡¯ve lost its usefulness. More importantly, he didn¡¯t know if his companions could be found again. 2 In short, he had to find someone to ask about the situation. At the very least, he had to figure out the era he was in. Life Detection Upon having this thought, Zhou Mu activated a support spell. Invisible ripples spread out from him, and soon, the entire Twilight Fortress was within his casting range. Any creature¡¯s outline would be outlined by light-green lines after being touched by the invisible ripples, allowing Zhou Mu to see them even through obstacles. Unlike in-game where one could only detect humans or other medium-sized creatures, even small lifeforms like rats and insects were outlined here. 2 Was this in line with the description of the skill in-game? Detection of all life auras in a large area. Zhou Mu suspected that creatures like bacteria had also been detected, but he couldn¡¯t see them. 5 Zhou Mu stood up in thought. Lightning flashed on his right hand, and a deep spatial rift opened. His hand reached in and pulled out a staff that was completely made of Frost. The tip of the staff was embedded with a blood-red magic sphere, and streams of light extended from the magic sphere to cover the entire staff like a spiderweb. Withering Cold was the magical medium he used the most in-game not because it was strong, but mainly because it looked very cool. The reason why Zhou Mu took out his magical medium was also very simple. He had seen the outlines of three human figures in the range of Life Detection. But other than one human figure on the ground that looked no different from a human, the other two had limbs that were too long for humans and huge heads. That distinct appearance reminded him of a monster in-game. Subdemon¡­? It¡¯s actually inside the Twilight Fortress¡­ Although Zhou Mu didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, Twilight Fortress was originally built to fend off demonic creatures from the Moon Realm. No demonic creature should be able to stroll around and retreat unscathed here. Zhou Mu rubbed the magical medium in his hand and thought to himself. This was the only thing that shouldn¡¯t have changed no matter how much time had passed. 7 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 3 ? Chapter 3: Liliana 1 Translator: CKtalon Liliana von Bergman lay on the dusty ground and stared blankly at the bats dancing in the air. 3 As a student of Offa University¡¯s archaeology department in the Blackwater Province, she would definitely have danced excitedly in this hall if she had come here in a more dignified manner. It was difficult to imagine how much missing documentary information could be excavated from a well-preserved relic from the Kos dynasty. If she could reveal the discoveries here to the academic world, she might even be guaranteed a spot as an associate professor in the university¡¯s archaeology department. 1 However, her mentality was completely different having been brought into the ruins to be stockpiled as food by the Subdemons. Two Subdemons with abnormally long limbs and huge heads were chewing on meat (she tried her best not to think about what meat it was) in large mouthfuls as they smacked their lips while chatting about what to do with her next. ¡°So when can we start eating this woman?¡± ¡°Is eating all that¡¯s on your mind? There¡¯s only one left. There will be none left once we finish her. We still have to stay here for some time.¡± ¡°Then, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to try a few mouthfuls as long as it¡¯s not fatal, right?¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? The first bite will always be dedicated to the Lady of Starvation, Camilla. Can it still be used as a sacrifice after being bitten by you?¡± 3 ¡°We can¡¯t keep a living person by our side, right? What if we encounter some danger and don¡¯t have the time to pay attention to her, allowing her to escape? Wouldn¡¯t that leak our arrangements here?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ That makes sense. Then, turn her into rations like before. Having a living person by our side is indeed a latent risk. Draw the runes for the ritual first.¡± The conversation between the Subdemons threw Liliana into despair. She was under a paralysis spell. Even if she wanted to beg for mercy, she would be tongue-tied and unable to speak. In this situation, she couldn¡¯t do anything other than silently pray to the Seven Holy Spirits for a miracle to happen. One of the Subdemons appeared in Liliana¡¯s line of sight. Its skin seemed to be covered in mold, and there were signs of rot and festering everywhere. It opened its mouth that covered half its face and extended its long forked tongue to lick her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ Your soul will soon reach the Moon Realm and reunite with your friends. There, you can ask them if they suffered before they died and compare notes.¡± 3 The Subdemon held a ceremonial serrated dagger and pointed at the bones on the ground while speaking in a teasing manner. They were her companions who came exploring this ruin with her. Not long after they stepped into this ruin, they were attacked and killed by these two Subdemons. 1 Daddy, Mommy¡­ Help me¡­ 4 Looking at the dagger that was gradually approaching her, Liliana closed her eyes in despair. Tap, tap, tap¡­ It was also at this moment that light but very clear footsteps sounded from the corridor outside the front door. The hall immediately fell silent. Liliana opened her eyes in confusion. At this moment, the dagger-wielding Subdemon was half-kneeling beside her, exchanging looks with the Subdemon who was drawing something on the ground with a piece of charcoal. It placed its slender fingers beside its orifice that could hardly be called a mouth and made a shushing motion. Then, it gently stabbed the dagger back into its belt and slowly pulled out a short sword smeared with green venom. As for the other Subdemon, it gently placed the charcoal pencil on the ground and incanted something softly. A ball of flames quickly gathered on its palm and quickly turned into a spinning fireball. The footsteps approached. The two Subdemons stared at the corner extending out the door and held their breaths. Liliana tried her best to make some noise to alert the person outside, but unfortunately, the effects of the paralysis spell were still obvious. She couldn¡¯t even move a finger. With the sound of footsteps approaching the corner of the door, the casting Subdemon raised his hand, and the spinning fireball in his hand quickly shot out. Bang! An intense flare flashed, and the massive explosion seemed to shake the entire hall. The sliver of hope that Liliana had for escape was extinguished. The two Subdemons looked at the surging flames outside the door and relaxed slightly. This was the end of common sense that had shaped Liliana¡¯s 16 living years. From her point of view, what happened next could only be described as unbelievable. Without any warning, a silver-white nexus appeared under the feet of the two Subdemons. A powerful whirlwind instantly swept up the dust in the room and threw the two Subdemons into the air. It was also the moment they floated in the air that two sharp ice thorns extended diagonally from the originally empty ground, accurately piercing through the two airborne Subdemons. All of this happened so suddenly that Liliana only realized what had happened when the two Subdemon corpses began to turn into black salt crystals and dissipate. Heavy footsteps sounded from the opposite direction of the explosion. She turned her eyeballs and looked over. Then, she saw the person. A man who seemed to have walked out of a legend emitted an aura of ice and blood. His face had signs of the elements, and his expression was a little gloomy. His grayish-white hair was disheveled, and his eyes flickered with silver light due to the abundant magic. His cheeks were slightly sunken, and his beard was more like a stubble. His skin was as pale as if it was covered in a layer of frost. 7 He wore pitch-black bone armor, and the armor¡¯s shape was distorting and twisting like fire. Sharp bone spurs extended from his wrists and elbows as if they were growing on that person¡¯s body. The entire armor ¡®breathed¡¯ as if it were alive. Countless runes and totems were carved on the armor, and they alternated with ice-blue and blood-red light. These light beams finally converged on a fist-sized black crystal in the center of the bone armor. 2 He held a staff made of pure frost in his hand, and a blood-red orb was embedded at the tip. Fire, lightning, and frost lingered around the blood-colored orb-they were three powerful spells that had been incanted but hadn¡¯t been activated. Just looking at the magic power contained in them seemingly froze her soul. The person first looked around before slowly walking to a spot three steps away from Liliana. ¡°Are the two¡­ the only ones?¡± the person stared into her eyes and asked. His voice was low and hoarse, carrying an indescribable authority. Perhaps it was because she was too shocked, but Liliana didn¡¯t understand what the other party meant for a moment. She only asked in a daze, ¡°What two?¡± After speaking, Liliana realized that she could speak normally. At some point, the paralysis spell she had been under had been dispelled. ¡°Are they the only two Subdemons here?¡± The person repeated his question. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s only the two of them!¡± Liliana hurriedly replied. The person looked around the hall again and said to her, ¡°I¡¯ve already dispelled the paralysis spell on you. Try and see if you can stand up on your own.¡± Liliana moved her limbs that were almost numb and tried to stand up, but she couldn¡¯t muster any strength. Before she could speak, a green light flashed, and Liliana felt her limbs slowly begin to recover their strength. ¡°Thank¡­ Thank you¡­¡± The person only waved his hand and walked closer to ask. ¡°There are some things I need to confirm first. What day and age is it?¡± ¡°T-Twilight Moon 24, or 25? I¡¯ve been under the paralysis spell for the past few days, so I¡¯m not sure how many days have passed.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m asking what year it is.¡± This question made Liliana¡¯s heart palpitate, and she wondered if this person was a heretical mage who had lived here in seclusion for so long that he had lost track of time. Yes, this was the only possibility. Otherwise, how could such a powerful mage be willing to lower himself into living in such a remote ruin? The more Liliana thought about it, the more certain she became. Then, she couldn¡¯t help but be struck by fear. She had heard that heretical mages couldn¡¯t use the magic power of the Astral World because they had betrayed the Astral Laws. Therefore, they extracted and tortured the souls of others, using the pain and despair of their souls as fuel for their spells. Looking at the other party¡¯s eyes that emitted silver light due to the abundance of magic, Liliana lowered her head and avoided his gaze. She stared at her boots and answered hesitantly, ¡°Platinum Calendar, 1886¡­¡± ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Perhaps it was her imagination, but Liliana seemed to hear the mage gasp. But when she looked up again, the person still had the same gloomy expression. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this first¡­ Do you know where those two Subdemons come from?¡± Liliana replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ They only attacked us after my archeological team entered this ruin, but a few days ago, when we were still in the Grief Mountains, the team¡¯s scouts mentioned that something was following us, but we thought it was a beast like a Direwolf¡­¡± With that said, her voice became softer and softer. The man suspected to be a heretical mage nodded thoughtfully after hearing her description. ¡°I roughly get it. Sorry, I need to know. Is anyone else on your archaeological team still alive?¡± This question made Liliana¡¯s heart sink as memories of the attack on her team surfaced in her mind. ¡­ ¡°I hear something upstairs.¡± ¡°Where did they come from?¡± ¡°Will, protect the lady and leave first!¡± ¡°By the Holy Spirit, that was a Lv. 3 spell!¡± ¡°They can see us. Light the torches!¡± ¡°Run!¡± ¡°No, please¡­¡± ¡°Lily, save me¡­ It¡¯s eating me¡­¡± ¡­ Everyone¡¯s voice in the archeological team seemed to echo in her ears. Liliana bit her lip and took a long time to squeeze out two words. ¡°No.¡± The emotions she had temporarily suppressed from fear and shock erupted. She covered her face with her hands, and tears kept streaming through her fingers. ¡°They¡¯re all dead¡­ They were all eaten¡­¡± After a long time, when she was done venting her emotions, the person placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s solve the problem at its root first.¡± 5 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 4 ? Chapter 4: It¡¯s Been a Thousand Years Translator: CKtalon Platinum Calendar, 1886¡­ The moment he heard the year, Zhou Mu couldn¡¯t help but gasp. He clearly remembered that the ending of Doomsday Watchers was in the 878th year of the Platinum Calendar. In other words, he had transmigrated 1,008 years into the future! A thousand years was enough for humans to evolve from cold arms to strategic arms for the practice of deterrence in the real world. 1 How much can a world change in a thousand years? How many of my companions are still alive? Do the traces I left behind still exist? What has this world become? And my strength¡­ Even if he was invincible across the continent a thousand years ago¡­ what level was he at now? 1 When Zhou Mu thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help but turn his gaze to Withering Cold in his hand. At the very least, he won his first battle after transmigrating very easily. It was so easy that it exceeded his best expectations. As the first battle he encountered after transmigrating, Zhou Mu made ample preparations. He first used two support spells-Feather Fall and Echo. While hiding his footsteps, he created fake footsteps in another direction to draw the enemy¡¯s attention. Then, he used the air and restraint combo-Float and Glacier Spike. This set of Crowd Control techniques nailed the two Subdemons as though they were practice targets. He even planned on carrying out the finishing touches with three single-target damage spells with different stats-Wind Impact, Spear Flame Purification, and Void Thunderstorm. 2 In the end, just the damage from Glacier Spike killed the other party. In-game, the two Subdemons were at most level 30. In the end, it seemed like he was a little too cautious. But the problem was, could two Subdemons really represent the entire level of this world a thousand years later? 1 He had to find more qualified experimental subjects to make the determination. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Just as Zhou Mu was in thought, the girl named Liliana behind him suddenly asked. They had already walked out of Twilight Fortress. It was almost noon, and the dazzling sunlight coated the ancient fortress with a layer of gold. 1 The corrosion of a thousand years had left this once indestructible fortress in ruins. Nearly a third of the building had collapsed into ruins, and lush vines had crawled up the building walls. From afar, it was impossible to tell the difference between the surrounding forest and the fortress. He never expected the fortress that once commanded the allied forces across the continent to launch an expedition to the Moon Realm to be in such an abandoned state¡­ ¡°Go deep into the Grief Mountains. There¡¯s a place called the Scar of Sorrow. The two Subdemons from before probably escaped from there. I have to eliminate the source,¡± Zhou Mu looked back at Twilight Fortress with regret as he replied. ¡°What¡¯s the source?¡± Liliana asked. ¡°Lunar Monster,¡± Zhou Mu replied succinctly. ¡°What¡¯s a Lunar Monster?¡± Zhou Mu-who was originally a little distracted-looked at Liliana in surprise. In an era 1,000 years later, does she not even know what a Lunar Monster was? As the largest antagonist faction in Doomsday Watchers, an existence that had almost destroyed the world, Zhou Mu wasn¡¯t sure if this was good news or bad news. ¡°Then, you should at least know what the Moon Realm is, right?¡± Liliana nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve learned from Introduction to Theology that the Moon Realm is an illusory reflection created by the Void Sovereigns because they are jealous of the beauty of the Holy Spirits¡¯ creation and want to imitate it. They block most of the light at night, turning it into a void that fills the stars and a demon realm that hangs high in the sky¡­ But these should just be myths and legends.¡± Zhou Mu sighed. ¡°No, that¡¯s too general. In fact, that¡¯s not the case at all. The Moon Realm is essentially an upper plane that reflects thoughts. It¡¯s filled with all kinds of monsters born from extreme emotions and thoughts, and the so-called Void Sovereigns are the strongest existences among those monsters.¡± 2 Zhou Mu ignored Liliana¡¯s blank expression and continued. ¡°As for Subdemons, they are fragments peeled off from the main bodies of powerful Lunar Monsters. It¡¯s precisely because of this that they definitely won¡¯t appear alone. Lunar Monsters are void existences to begin with, and they need to be anchored by obsession in Currere to obtain a form from the void. It¡¯s even more so for Subdemons that are fragments of Lunar Monsters.¡± 1 Zhou Mu recalled the game¡¯s lore. ¡°Therefore, powerful Lunar Monsters are definitely present wherever Subdemons appear. Moreover, the more Subdemons there are, the stronger the Lunar Monster will be, being their main body.¡± Zhou Mu stopped and waited for the other party to digest the information. After a while, Liliana asked, ¡°Then, why are you so sure that it will be in that place called the Scar of Sorrow?¡± ¡°This is because it¡¯s very difficult for Lunar Monsters to reach Currere. They have to find a weak spot between Currere and the Moon Realm. The Scar of Sorrow is one of the weakest spots between Currere and the Moon Realm on the Vic Continent. Therefore, as long as they are summoned on the right day and through the right ritual, they can be successfully summoned. A few days ago was the perfect date.¡± ¡°A few days ago?¡± Liliana asked curiously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that today is the 24th or 25th of Twilight Moon?¡± Liliana nodded. ¡°22nd of the Twilight Moon is one of the Moon Realm Void Sovereigns. It¡¯s the summoning day for the Lady of Starvation, Camilla. This is the only day in a year when She can project her strength into Currere.¡± Zhou Mu looked at Liliana and continued in a meaningful tone, ¡°Lady of Starvation is a generous Void Sovereign. On her summoning day, as long as someone offers enough sacrifices, they will basically receive a response.¡± Liliana quickly understood what the other party meant. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ Someone wanted to kill my archeological team by summoning a Lunar Monster? Why?¡± Zhou Mu waved his hand. ¡°I can only say that it¡¯s a possibility, or perhaps it just happened. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that they weren¡¯t summoned from the Scar of Sorrow but came from somewhere else for other reasons.¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen¡­¡± Zhou Mu¡¯s words reminded Liliana of the many times she had heard Subdemons mention the name of the Lady of Starvation. But why? She only came here to finish her semester project. Who could she have provoked? ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Along the way, Liliana pondered over this question until Zhou Mu suddenly stopped. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± Zhou Mu turned around and gestured for Liliana to keep quiet. ¡°It looks like we aren¡¯t the first here.¡± 4 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 5 ? Chapter 5: Genius and Stumbling Demon Translator: CKtalon The altar consecrated the statue of the Lady of Starvation, Camilla. It was a sickly female statue made of colorful fungi. From afar, it looked like a rotten tumor or something else that made one uncomfortable. 1 However, if one took a closer look, one could sense a certain sinister beauty in it. ¡°I lost contact with two pieces of debris in that ruin.¡± The demon sitting under the altar and staring at the goddess statue suddenly spoke. It was a fat monster that resembled a mountain of flesh. It held a rusty dagger in its hand, and its head had twisted horns like dry branches. It was very tall, and it was much taller than ordinary male adults while still sitting. It was deformed, and its entire body was covered in strange sarcomas. Its skin was covered in festering and rotten marks. ¡°Do you want to take a look?¡± The person who replied was a man in a gray cloak. He sat on the other side of the altar and held a lead-colored staff. His figure could be considered muscular, but he looked very thin when compared to the demon beside him. ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. The best time for the anchoring ceremony is soon upon us. As long as this body¡¯s contract is completely anchored in the depths of your soul, my range of movement won¡¯t be limited by this altar. When that happens, whether this place is discovered by the others won¡¯t affect our subsequent actions,¡± the monster with the rusty dagger replied in a dull voice. ¡°When the time comes, I can even use the people from the town at the foot of the mountain as a sacrifice before I leave.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too ostentatious, Psoriasis,¡± the gray-robed man warned. 2 ¡°Even if the churches in Blackwater Province are significantly weaker than the other places in the empire, causing too much commotion will still attract the Seal Temple¡¯s investigation. When that happens, it will affect our master¡¯s plan. Nobody benefits from it.¡± ¡°Speaking of ostentatious¡­¡± Perhaps dissatisfied with the other party¡¯s attitude, the monster named Psoriasis narrowed its eyes. ¡°That can¡¯t be more ostentatious than selling the ruins map of the Grief Mountains to the Offa University students, right? Although the ritual requires fresh sacrifices, aren¡¯t you afraid that the parents of one of the missing will hire a high-level adventurer team to search the mountains? Let me remind you we tricked students from a noble institute of higher learning in the name of archaeology for them to be our sacrifices? Or are you still brooding over your expulsion from Offa University back then, David Obis?¡± The gray-robed man named David Obis only replied emotionlessly to the demon¡¯s provocation, ¡°Most of the archeology students study healing and Shadowraze spells, which are more compatible with the sacrificial blood you need. Moreover, they are stupider, easier to deceive, and easier to deal with than an adventurer team. That¡¯s all.¡± Psoriasis grinned and was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed. ¡°The barrier I set up outside the Scar of Sorrow has been destroyed?¡± ¡°Really?¡± David¡¯s expression changed slightly. Psoriasis closed his eyes and sensed it before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was cracked from a single point, and it¡¯s collapsing now.¡± ¡°Is the destruction of the barrier coming from that ruin?¡± David asked in a deep voice. ¡°Yes, but the method the other party used is very primitive. He didn¡¯t use a cracking method and instead used pure magical power to destroy it.¡± Hearing this, David¡¯s solemn expression eased a little. Using a mana stream to destroy the barrier meant that the other party was most likely a newbie-either because he didn¡¯t know how to conserve his precious mana or because he didn¡¯t know how to destroy the barrier. 5 Was it a lost explorer? Or was it another archaeological team that fell for their ruse? However, no matter who it was, he wasn¡¯t letting down his guard. He had been preparing for this ceremony for over a year. He couldn¡¯t treat any seemingly trivial latent risks carelessly. ¡°Then, let¡¯s not wait for the ceremony¡¯s prime time. Let¡¯s begin the anchoring. Don¡¯t complicate matters.¡± Psoriasis nodded its fat head in agreement. Then, it stood up and chanted an obscure Moon Realm incantation. Power spread as Psoriasis chanted the incantation. The trees around the altar were snapped by an invisible force, scattering broken branches and leaves all over the ground. But if one observed carefully, one would discover that the brightly-colored bacteria on the broken branches and leaves began to spread constantly. Thin strands of bacteria kept extending, and the area around the sickly life became extremely vibrant. ¡­ 3 Zhou Mu-who was observing the altar-felt someone tug at him. He turned his head and saw Liliana looking at him with a pale face. ¡°Let¡¯s leave first before they discover us.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Zhou Mu asked in confusion. ¡°I know who that gray-robed person is. He¡¯s not someone I can deal with alone. Let¡¯s go down the mountain and get help from the Church.¡± 1 ¡°So who¡¯s that person?¡± Zhou Mu was a little intrigued. ¡°David Obis was once a student of Blackwater Province¡¯s Offa University. At the age of 18, he obtained the title of Lv. 7 in both the Summoning and Shadowraze fields. He was known as the genius at Offa University who had the highest chance of reaching the Master domain or even the Legendary domain in the past 50 years.¡± ¡°Is he considered your senior?¡± Liliana shook her head vigorously. ¡°He was expelled from the university two years ago on suspicion of studying forbidden spells. Back then, the university contacted the Holy Spirits Church and imprisoned him as a heretical mage. He eventually fought the executors who were deployed to arrest him. Half of the dormitory building was blasted to ruins, and the entire team of elite executors failed to retain him.¡± The executors were mage assassins trained by the Holy Spirits Church to deal with mage threats. To be able to fight an entire team of executors and escape, his strength was obvious. ¡°It¡¯s said that the church sent people to search his house afterward. They found a large number of human organs used for primitive rituals in the basement, as well as the bones of many deformed monsters.¡± At this point, Liliana was almost begging Zhou Mu. ¡°Ignoring the Lunar Monster beside him, a heretical mage with at least Lv. 7 strength isn¡¯t an existence that we can deal with alone.¡± 3 Liliana¡¯s tone revealed sincerity, and Zhou Mu fell into thought over her words. Zhou Mu didn¡¯t know what strength Lv. 7 was. Doomsday Watchers never had ratings for mages; it was probably a standard created by someone or an organization in the 1,000 years he was away. However, the Master and Legendary domains Liliana mentioned were indeed useful as a reference for evaluating a spell¡¯s strength in-game: Apprentice, Expert, Master, Legend, Divine Realm. Every spell had a word that indicated its rarity. Although rarity didn¡¯t imply greater strength for a game, this was the intention of the game¡¯s planning team. Not doing so was a problem for the game mechanics balancing team. If this was the analysis, the implication of having a chance of reaching Master was that one could use Expert-level spells. But could this be considered a genius? Therefore, compared to the gray-robed man whom Liliana treated as a formidable enemy, Zhou Mu¡¯s attention was more focused on the Lunar Monster who was chanting. From the other party¡¯s appearance, he could be considered an old acquaintance. Stumbling Demon. Zhou Mu had a deep impression of this monster. He remembered how much of a pain this fellow was the time he raided the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Moon Realm dungeon, Lake of Entropy. 1 Stumbling Demon was about Lv. 60-80. Its design completely ignored the might of physical and magical attacks and focused on stacking its HP and HP Regeneration speed. Of course, if it was only a tank with low attack and high defense; that wasn¡¯t the reason Zhou Mu would call it a pain. The most disgusting thing about the Stumbling Demon was that it would obtain a halo that constantly caused abnormal statuses after being injured. The more HP it lost, the stronger the halo¡¯s effect. It wasn¡¯t a threat, but it was fully capable of disgusting the player. Every time he encountered a large-scale encounter, any Stumbling Demon mixed into the enemy¡¯s lineup as a tank would significantly increase the battle¡¯s difficulty. But then again, if it was only summoned alone, the Stumbling Demon would only be a wooden stake used to measure the damage. A wooden stake used to test the damage dealt was what Zhou Mu needed the most. With this in mind, he pushed away the tree branches in front of him and walked out. Behind him, Liliana exclaimed in surprise at his actions. As for the Stumbling Demon and the gray-robed man named David, they looked over at the same time. ¡°You¡­¡± The man¡¯s sudden actions threw Liliana¡¯s mind into chaos. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t figure out if she should run or blame the man for his suicidal behavior. However, Zhou Mu turned around and patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Didn¡¯t I say that we should solve the source of the problem first?¡± 2 His words reminded Liliana of her archeological team and the people who had risked their lives to cover her escape. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡± As Zhou Mu spoke, he removed an ancient Sunbird pendant from his neck and placed it in Liliana¡¯s hand. ¡°The air here will turn nasty in a while. Put this on.¡± Liliana subconsciously took the ancient pendant. The moment it came into contact with her skin, a warm current began to surge through her blood. An enchanted pendant? However, she had never heard of an enchanted pendant that had such an obvious effect without wearing it. By the time she came to her senses, the person was about 20 steps away from the altar. David Obis held his lead-colored staff and stood up. He looked back at Psoriasis, who was about to complete the ritual, and then at the white-haired, silver-eyed man. ¡°Nice to meet you, unknown magic chanter,¡± he said very politely. ¡°Nice to meet you. The genius from that university and the Stumbling Demon behind you.¡± 3 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 6 ? Chapter 6: Spider Silk Translator: CKtalon David Obis frowned when he heard that. It wasn¡¯t due to the disdain in the other party¡¯s words, but because he had accurately described the Lunar Monster¡¯s species behind him. 800 years ago, Great Sage Yeats established the Astral Laws and divided magic into 9 levels and 13 series according to the distribution of the stars, completely reshaping the magic foundations of Vic. 1 Moon Realm spells that had always been in a gray area were excluded from the new system and became equivalent to a taboo. 800 years later, the Astral Laws system remained as firm as bedrock. The prohibition against Moon Realm magic had never been loosened. Across the continent, other than the ascetics sitting in Demon Burial and the living dead in the Obliteration Tower who were specially allowed to study the taboos from the Moon Realm, anyone who privately studied Moon Realm magic would be considered a heretic. This was the reason why he was expelled from Offa University back then. He was no exception even though he was the number one genius in Offa University¡¯s past 50 years. The person in front of him could tell the species of Psoriasis at a glance, which meant that he knew a little about Moon Realm magic. Therefore, was he also a heretical mage? Thoughts ran through David¡¯s mind before he probed, ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not sure what my name means to this era, so I don¡¯t plan on revealing my name for the time being. Please forgive me.¡± 5 What do you mean? What did he mean by ¡°not sure what my name means to this era?¡± Did his name hold significance in this era? Although the other party¡¯s random answer left him at a loss, he originally asked for a name to give the other party the impression that he was willing to communicate. Since he couldn¡¯t figure it out, he might as well continue the conversation. ¡°Then, Mr. Unknown, I have a suggestion. If you leave and pretend as though you didn¡¯t see anything, I guarantee that I won¡¯t hurt you and the lady hiding behind you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The other party didn¡¯t look at him but at Psoriasis, who was going through the anchoring ritual. ¡°You and I are both so-called heretics who have betrayed the Astral Laws. Since we¡¯re the same, it¡¯s naturally better to be friends than enemies.¡± With that said, he fixated his gaze on the other party¡¯s expression, hoping to figure out something. He wasn¡¯t afraid of fighting the person in front of him. Even if Psoriasis couldn¡¯t attack yet, dealing with a mage who needed to rely on magical power to break through the barrier wasn¡¯t even a problem for him. However, Psoriasis had yet to complete the anchoring ritual. Its only connection to Currere was the statue of the Lady of Starvation. If the other party was really a heretical mage who had a certain understanding of Lunar Monsters, his attacking the statue and severing the connection between Psoriasis and Currere would put all his efforts over the past year in vain. Therefore, although David didn¡¯t plan on sparing the lives of these two, he had to act generous. It wouldn¡¯t be too late to kill these two after the ritual was over. After hearing his explanation, the person didn¡¯t say anything other than muttering the Astral Laws in a puzzled tone. He didn¡¯t even look away from the anchoring ceremony. ¡°Sir? Do you accept?¡± David couldn¡¯t help but feel a little anxious when he saw that the other party had been paying attention to the ritual and ignoring him, so he asked again. This time, his voice carried a slightly threatening tone. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The other party finally turned his gaze to him. ¡°Both of you will die today.¡± For a moment, David thought that the other party had guessed his plan and said this to expose the proposal he didn¡¯t plan on fulfilling. However, he quickly saw from the other party¡¯s eyes that the person was only expressing his intentions. The other party also didn¡¯t plan on letting him off. A comical feeling surged into his heart before turning into an unconcealable smile. ¡°Hahahahaha¡­ A gutsy one you are.¡± He laughed as he looked at the person, unable to hide his killing intent. ¡°It puzzles me. Why aren¡¯t you willing to let yourself live longer? Why are you in such a hurry to die?¡± As David spoke, he slowly pointed the lead-colored staff in his hand at the person in front of him and then at the woman behind him. ¡°Is it because of the lady behind you? Is she a survivor of the archaeological team from before? Or is it because you¡¯re too confident and think that just killing one or two Subdemons and breaking through the barrier outside will¡­¡± ¡°What barrier?¡± The other party suddenly asked, his voice filled with confusion. ¡°The barrier you broke open with your mana stream before you came here. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± David sounded puzzled. ¡°Was there such a thing?¡± The other party¡¯s expression was filled with confusion, and he didn¡¯t look like he was lying. This made David truly wary. Could it be that he wasn¡¯t the one who destroyed the barrier outside the Scar of Sorrow? Was it someone else? Was that person hiding nearby? Could this clown in front of him just be bait? David asked as he looked around warily, ¡°A barrier-the Wall of Shadows-was set up outside. If it wasn¡¯t cracked by you, how did you find your way in?¡± After hearing his question, the other party finally revealed an enlightened expression. ¡°Oh, that thing¡­ For anyone below Lv. 80, that thing¡­ Ahem, it doesn¡¯t affect anyone above a certain level of strength. I probably didn¡¯t notice and walked in. As for cracking it, it¡¯s probably thanks to the enchantment on my armor that automatically cracked the barrier.¡± David couldn¡¯t digest the information in his words. What was the meaning of this? The barrier that could block magic chanters below Lv. 5 was cracked without him noticing? 1 It sounded as simple as accidentally bumping into spiderwebs and destroying them while out. 1 A bluff¡­ It was definitely a bluff. David thought, but for some reason, he felt a chill down his spine. An extremely ridiculous thought appeared in his mind. The other party was very strong, far stronger than him. However, this should be impossible. He looked back at Psoriasis¡¯s ritual that was coming to an end. In the ether domain, he could clearly sense a pale and dirty comet plummeting into the depths of his soul. This Stumbling Demon from the Moon Realm was about to appear in Currere through his soul anchor. He had to buy some more time. But this time, it wasn¡¯t because he was worried that the other party would destroy the altar and ruin his year of hard work. Instead, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could kill this unknown magic chanter in front of him alone. He needed to wait for Psoriasis¡¯s ritual to be completed before teaming up. As a spawn of the Lady of Starvation, if the Stumbling Demon could successfully descend into Currere, even powerhouses at the Master domain would have to avoid them. With this in mind, David planned on buying time through a conversation. ¡°Then, I want to ask again why you¡¯re here to be our enemy. It¡¯s because¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re stalling.¡± The white-haired, silver-eyed magic chanter interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to buy time for the Stumbling Demon¡¯s anchoring ritual to be completed. I¡¯m also waiting for it to be completed.¡± 1 The other party¡¯s words made David subconsciously take a step back. ¡°Without an anchor in the demon summoner¡¯s soul, it can only rely on that disgusting statue to appear. However, the commotion on my side might be a little loud later. If I accidentally shatter that statue, that Stumbling Demon will have to obediently scram back to the Moon Realm.¡± This wasn¡¯t good. The man who wasn¡¯t willing to reveal his name said, ¡°As for why you asked me why I¡¯m your enemy, although I know you only want to buy time, I think it¡¯s fine to give you an answer.¡± David couldn¡¯t help but swallow when he saw the other party staring at him. ¡°Because you¡¯re a Demon Summoner and it¡¯s a Lunar Monster. The ruin not far away is the Twilight Fortress. Using that as a reason is sufficient.¡± When the other party finished speaking, the pale and filthy comet in the ether domain happened to completely sink into the depths of David¡¯s soul. Violent magic powers began to surge in his blood. A strange feeling of mycelium growing in his body began to surface. 1 The anchoring ceremony was completed. Psoriasis roared behind David, and the rusty dagger in his hand quickly became covered in dark-green patterns. The distorted blobs of flesh on its body also began to proliferate and separate. When they fell to the ground, they squirmed and morphed. Long limbs and a huge head grew out of them, and finally, they turned into newborn Subdemons. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Psoriasis walked forward and held the dagger that emitted a decaying aura. He looked down at the magic chanter and said in a deep voice, ¡°Shameless worm, tell me, how do you wish to die?¡± 4 4 Chapter 7 ? Chapter 7: Test Translator: CKtalon The Stumbling Demon that spoke didn¡¯t attack directly. The first to charge over were the Subdemons that had just taken form. There were a total of seven Subdemons, and their bodies were still covered in pus. Two of them stood still and chanted spells, while the other five crouched on the ground and pounced at Zhou Mu like hounds. Then, the first thing to be tested¡­ He tapped the ground with Withering Cold, and a pure ring of fire quickly spread from the spot he struck. In the blink of an eye, it swallowed the five approaching Subdemons. Purification Ring of Fire A hot wind blew past his hair, and the five Subdemons were charred. Zhou Mu silently calculated the differences between reality and the game. Purification Ring of Fire was an Apprentice-level spell. The description was ¡®Release a clean ring of flames to incinerate the Unholy.¡¯ In fact, the damage was very light, but because it had the effect of removing frosted and cursed status, it was often used as purification in-game. A newborn Subdemon was about Lv. 25, and the spell-casting medium he used was Withering Cold. As an ice-elemental divine staff, its might would be reduced by 50% when using fire-elemental spells. This way, if it were in-game, the Purification Ring of Fire wouldn¡¯t be able to instantly kill five Subdemons like before. Therefore, the true performance of a spell is closer to the game¡¯s description of the skills than the mathematical formulations based on the game¡¯s values? Zhou Mu thought as he watched the Subdemons turn into black salt crystals and dissipate. The two surviving Subdemons finished chanting their spells at that very moment. Two soccer ball-sized fireballs whistled toward him with flames trailing behind them. Bang! ¡°Hiss¡­¡± A spear-shaped beam intercepted one of the fireballs, and the latter exploded in midair like a flower. The spear of light didn¡¯t slow down after detonating the fireball and struck a casting Subdemon. After a silent but dazzling flash, it was reduced to ashes. As for the other fireball, when it flew about two meters away from Zhou Mu, it was swallowed by a sudden gust of cold air and silently extinguished like a cigarette butt thrown into an ice lake. Holy Spear Thrust, Frozen Wasteland Yes, spells with trajectories and collision boxes can be intercepted. Be it detonating them in advance or using a Halo Effect to cancel them out, this is different from in-game.¡± It was different, but it was more in line with his intuition. Seeing the fireball he threw extinguish the moment it came close, the last Subdemon on the field was stunned. Before it could chant another spell, a sharp icicle stabbed into its throat. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you guys coming?¡± Seeing the Stumbling Demon and the gray-robed mage stand still, Zhou Mu walked over and asked. Circling him, an area of 20 meters was enveloped by a Frost Storm. Frost constantly formed on the ground, and the air was filled with flying ice shards. David looked at the man and asked Psoriasis who was connected to his soul through his consciousness. ¡°What do you say? To be able to use Frozen Wasteland, his Frost spells have at least reached Lv. 6. Are you confident in defeating him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Provide support from behind. The damage from the Frozen Wasteland spell can better activate the Lady of Starvation¡¯s blessing for me.¡± With that said, it moved its fat body and charged at Zhou Mu. The rusty dagger in its hand emitted a sparkling green light. Looking at the Stumbling Demon charging at him like a dump truck, Zhou Mu mentally compared it to the game. This Stumbling Demon¡¯s movements are much faster than the slow-motion module in-game, but¡­ Zhou Mu dodged to the side, avoiding the other party¡¯s head-on collision. His reaction and speed were on a completely different level from his actual self. The gamers were ordinary humans after all. It was impossible for the game developer to really let them operate a character whose various values far exceeded that of ordinary people. For the sake of gaming, some stats could only be reflected in data and compromised in terms of actual performance. For example, Agility would only increase Critical Hit and Dodge. It wouldn¡¯t really increase the player¡¯s reaction speed. But when the game became reality, this data would be reflected in his physique. But in contrast, be it Critical Hit or Dodge, he had to rely on himself. It was impossible for a ¡®miss¡¯ to happen in-game because of a high Dodge value. Then, for the next test. The Stumbling Demon stopped in its tracks, turned around, and swung its dagger at Zhou Mu¡¯s head. Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! This seemingly mighty strike was blocked by Zhou Mu¡¯s raised vambrace. The collision of the saber and armor didn¡¯t produce a clanging sound like metal colliding. Instead, it was more like the sound of a blunt saber shattering on a frozen lake. Psoriasis felt as if it had chopped something into pieces. It grinned hideously and was about to say something, but when it saw the situation clearly, it said something that could probably enter the top three of the classic cameo lines: ¡°Wh¡­ What?¡± The spot it had just struck was covered in a layer of frost that flickered with white runes, and the rusty dagger was stuck in that layer of frost, unable to advance an inch. White Frost Master-level Frost-type Defense spells lasted for three minutes after being used. Every 15 seconds, the caster would be stacked with an additional layer of blocks, and every layer could reduce 75% of the damage received from the next physical attack. Stumbling Demon¡¯s offensive strength wasn¡¯t high to begin with, and being weakened by the defense of White Frost and the armor, this seemingly terrifying strike didn¡¯t even make Zhou Mu tremble. Then, there won¡¯t be a problem with physical defense. An attack of this level won¡¯t cause a Crowd Control effect like slowing down and dizziness. He took note of the test results. Whoosh! A pitch-black energy arrow broke through the Frost Storm circling Zhou Mu and struck his left shoulder. Intense Shadow energy exploded on his shoulder pad. David held his lead-colored staff and stared at Zhou Mu nervously, waiting for the other party to collapse under the effects of the curse after being struck by the Shadow Arrow. However, the other party only casually turned his head to look at him. Then, he waved his hand and deflected Psoriasis¡¯s blade, touching the spot where he had just been struck. ¡°Shadow Arrow, huh? It¡¯s an Expert-level Shadow spell. When there¡¯s no corresponding countermeasure, it will indeed cause some light damage.¡± Zhou Mu recalled how he felt when he was struck by the Shadow Arrow. It was probably the impact of being hit by a small stone thrown by a naughty child and the tingling pain that was difficult to detect without carefully sensing it. Although there¡¯s no more HP bar, that strike should¡¯ve deducted some HP, right? Yes, it would probably be in the single digits in-game. David looked at the man in horror. If it was only because he felt uneasy that he had killed all seven Subdemons in one strike, then what was happening now was completely beyond his understanding. Why could he still stand there as if nothing had happened after suffering a strike from Psoriasis and receiving a Shadow Arrow? What level was the other party at? Master? Or was it the Legendary domain? Realizing that the other party was staring at him, David had the urge to escape immediately. ¡°Thank you. I have the results I need to know from the spell defense test.¡± He thanked him sincerely. What¡­ did he mean? ¡°Then, it¡¯s time for the test of spell damage. In order not to affect you¡­¡± Before David could figure out what the person meant, a black shadow flashed past the other party¡¯s staff, and he stopped thinking. Shadow Cage A spinning illusory ring blade passed through David¡¯s body and wrapped him in the center of the ring blade. Then, pitch-black darkness erupted from it, wrapping his entire body into a pitch-black gem that floated in the air while emitting a chill. 3 Chapter 8 ? Chapter 8: Keeping One¡¯s Promise Translator: CKtalon ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just kill my contractor?¡± Psoriasis looked at the man in front of him and asked. It was exposed to the range of the Frozen Wasteland, and its body was covered in a thin layer of frost. The fine ice shards dancing in the storm constantly sliced open gashes in its flesh, but it ignored them completely. ¡°If he¡¯s killed, your anchor to Currere will be gone. Didn¡¯t I say so? I don¡¯t want you to return to the Moon Realm early.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Zhou Mu smiled and waved Withering Cold in his hand. With a flash of lightning, a shadowy portal opened, and an ice crystal giant comparable to the Stumbling Demon lumbered out. Frost Soul ¡°Because I still have some things to test. Moreover, I¡¯ve said it before¡­¡± Zhou Mu didn¡¯t continue. He only waved his hand to get the Frost Soul to step forward, and the tall ice crystal giant swung its heavy fist at Psoriasis. Bang! Stumbling Demon didn¡¯t dodge or parry, allowing the other party¡¯s fist to smash into him. At the same time, he brandished his rusty dagger and struck the Frost Soul. Crack! Both parties attacked without any regard for defense, but the Soul¡¯s seemingly heavy fist didn¡¯t even make Psoriasis tremble. Instead, its rusty blade sliced off a large chunk of ice from the other party. Psoriasis grinned hideously, and the green light on its rusty dagger shone brightly as it fought the Soul. Alright, let¡¯s begin with Apprentice-level damage spells. Zhou Mu gently tapped the Withering Cold and began a new round of tests. The Stumbling Demon and the Frost Soul were like two tumblers. They punched and stabbed each other with great vigor, but as tank characters with thick skin, the outcome of the battle couldn¡¯t be determined quickly just based on their damage output. Another strike shattered a large piece of ice. Before Psoriasis could retract his dagger, several whistling wind blades struck its body, instantly slicing open several bone-deep gashes. Very good, continue¡­ The magic chanter finally began to use offensive spells. Not only did Psoriasis not panic, but it also felt delighted. The gnarly wound caused by the wind blade began to wriggle, and dense mycelium appeared on both sides of the wound. Most of it connected to each other to heal the wound, and some of the mycelium extended out of his body. The wound healed at a visible speed while the mycelium that extended out of its body grew and expanded. Then, it silently exploded and spewed out colorful spore clouds. The brightly-colored malady lingered around Psoriasis as a spore cloud, and the Frost Soul-which had been exchanging blows with it-began to slow down. Another strike landed on the Soul, but this time, it didn¡¯t just shatter more ice. Several cracks extended from the spot where Psoriasis struck, and then they cracked like a spiderweb. The Frost Soul was reduced to pieces from the strike. Bright fungi crawled between the shards. The Lady of Starvation¡¯s blessing. Using flesh and blood as bait gave birth to a corrupted newborn. After shattering the Frost Soul, Psoriasis planned on turning around and finishing off the magic chanter. Unexpectedly, the moment it turned around, a ball of dazzling lightning struck it. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Psoriasis shook its head. Its chest was charred by the lightning, but at the same time, the abnormally lush lifeform began to squirm again. Thicker spore clouds filled its surroundings and spread further. Not far away, a Frost Soul that was taller than before strode over. There¡¯s more? Psoriasis spat out a mouthful of dark-green saliva on the ground and charged forward with its dagger. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see how long you can last.¡± ¡­ Liliana couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. Summoning, Storm, Lightning, Fire, Frost, Shadow, Undead, Life, Illusion¡­ She numbly counted how many types of spells that person had used. The Astral Laws stipulated that everyone could only study three spells at most, but it was like a joke to him. Even if he was a heretical mage, he shouldn¡¯t be able to use spells of so many types¡­ It had to be known that even the heretic who started the Withering Catastrophe 50 years ago had only studied five spell systems. Moreover, that wasn¡¯t all¡­ Liliana studied at Blackwater Province¡¯s Offa University. Although her talent was mediocre and she was only at the level of an Apprentice, she was in the most authoritative mage school in Blackwater Province. She had extremely solid theoretical knowledge. It could be said that she knew the theories and effects of common spells among the 9 levels and 13 series stipulated in the Astral Laws. However, she had never seen or heard of at least two-thirds of the dozen spells that person had used. That wasn¡¯t all; the effects of those spells were also unimaginable, directly challenging her understanding of the essence of magic. ¡°From the mana fluctuations, the illusory blade that extended from his staff looks like an Illusion spell¡­¡± She murmured to herself. Since it was an Illusion spell, why could it chop off the arm of the Lunar Monster? Was her understanding of Illusion spells fundamentally wrong? The battle continued as more and more spells she didn¡¯t understand were cast from that person¡¯s hands. As the monster¡¯s injuries gradually deepened, the mist emitted from its body became thicker, and the range spread further and further. Be it the birds perched on the branches, the squirrels crawling in the forest, or the insects in the soil, any lifeform that came into contact with the mist began to twitch and tumble. Soon, they struggled to their deaths. On their corpses, dense mycelium grew out of every aperture before continuing to expand and explode, releasing new mist. Liliana saw it clearly. Just as she was about to escape the range of the mist in horror, the Sunbird pendant that the person had wanted her to wear lit up slightly, and a faint golden barrier appeared around her. The mist instantly dissipated after coming into contact with the barrier, leaving behind a stench that resembled burning feathers. Liliana subconsciously touched the ancient pendant on her chest and looked up at the battlefield not far away. Over there, the colorful mist was so thick that one couldn¡¯t see what was happening inside. Only the constant sounds of combat and the occasional flashes of spells proved that the battle was still ongoing. ¡­ Psoriasis roared and shattered an unknown number of Frost Souls before looking at the magic chanter. This time, the other party finally didn¡¯t summon a new Frost Soul. There was no intact spot on Psoriasis¡¯s body, but under the Lady of Starvation¡¯s blessing, all its injuries quickly healed. Even the hand that was previously severed gradually grew out a deformed limb that was purely made of mycelium. More and more mycelium extended out of its body, and endless spore mist spewed out like ignited smoke. Psoriasis slowly approached the person. The other party didn¡¯t summon a new meat shield or use any spells to attack. He just stood there quietly. It was probably because his mana was depleted, so its victory was at hand. A magic chanter was considered defeated when they ran out of mana. To be honest, this battle was harrowing. There were a few times when it was just short of being completely exiled by the magic chanter. Fortunately, the other party happened to stop attacking a few times and missed the opportunity to kill it. It was also thanks to him that the Lady of Starvation¡¯s blessing was maximized through its constant injuries and rebirth. Innumerable curses surged out of its wounds, turning the surroundings into a true land of death. ¡°I have to say, I¡¯m quite impressed with you. As a mortal, your flesh and blood haven¡¯t been devoured by such a dense curse.¡± Psoriasis stopped three steps away from the magic chanter and thought about the angle to chop off his head. The other party remained standing still. ¡°Why? You¡¯re not summoning those puppets that¡¯s all show but no bite anymore?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± The other party replied calmly, and his voice was much hoarser than before. ¡°There¡¯s no need?¡± ¡°Everything that can be verified through you has been done.¡± Psoriasis sneered and prepared to walk over and chop off his stubborn head, but just as it tried to take a step, it discovered that it couldn¡¯t lift its foot at all. It lowered its head, and a dark quagmire appeared under its feet. Countless pale hands reached out and grabbed it, constantly pulling it in. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask why I didn¡¯t just kill your contractor and get you to scram back to the Moon Realm?¡± Just as Psoriasis was struggling to break free, the white-haired, silver-eyed magic chanter walked in front of it and looked down at Psoriasis, who had half its body pulled into the dark quagmire. ¡°I¡¯ve already told your contractor, and I¡¯ll tell you again-both of you will die today.¡± 5 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 9 ? Chapter 9: Judge Translator: CKtalon ¡°Die?¡± How arrogant. Psoriasis-who only had his head left outside the dark quagmire-sneered sarcastically. That¡¯s right. Being completely controlled by this evil spell, it could only be at the mercy of others. Its body that had descended into Currere would indeed be destroyed by this magic chanter. From a mortal¡¯s point of view, it was indeed about to die. However¡­ ¡°Hero, bring it on. Try killing me.¡± Psoriasis laughed maniacally at the magic chanter. ¡°Use your weapon, your magic, your intelligence, courage, will, or something else to kill me.¡± Although it was still enduring the pain of being bitten by millions of hungry Undead, it couldn¡¯t hide its delight. ¡°Kill me like a fool destroying a reflection in the mirror; kill me like a lunatic shattering the moon in the water. There¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony; tear apart my shadow in this world in vain. If it¡¯s not enjoyable enough, go ahead and torture me before killing me,¡± Psoriasis said ferociously. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll come back again and again with hatred for you and experience from my previous failures. I have infinite time and countless opportunities. So what if you prevail now? You can¡¯t keep winning, mortal.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a very widespread story in the Moon Realm. I believe you¡¯ve heard of it.¡± After the other party finished speaking, Zhou Mu slowly spoke. ¡°A long time ago, there was a most cunning and arrogant swindler in this world. He boldly made a bet with the 13 Moon Realm Void Sovereigns and won 12 consecutive bets. And every time he won a round, he requested the Void Sovereign to forge a weapon that could injure Them.¡± As Zhou Mu spoke, he opened a deep spatial rift and reached in to search for something. ¡°But in the last bet, he lost, and his soul was eventually split by the Void Sovereigns. This story is often used to warn mortals not to bet with demons, but I think that that person is a great warrior. This is because he left 12 weapons in the world that can injure the Void Sovereigns¡¯ essence.¡± Under Psoriasis¡¯s uneasy gaze, he drew a simple straight sword from the spatial rift. It was a normal sword that nobody would pick up even if it was dropped downtown. The workmanship was so crude that it was like the work of the son of an old blacksmith in a neighboring village during his first forging tutorial. ¡°Later on, someone traveled the entire continent to collect these 12 weapons and gave them to his companions. He established an organization specially used to suppress the monsters that couldn¡¯t be killed. Perhaps you¡¯ve heard of it? That organization is known as the 13 Judges, and those who hold those weapons are known as¡­¡± As Zhou Mu spoke, he pointed his ordinary straight sword at Psoriasis¡¯s throat. ¡°Judge.¡± When it sensed the power contained in the straight sword that could completely kill it, Psoriasis felt an unfamiliar emotion for the first time-fear. ¡°Wait¡­ Wait a minute, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Looking at the sword at his throat, Psoriasis was about to say something in horror, but Zhou Mu ignored him and stabbed in. There were no gorgeous special effects or deafening sounds. The Stumbling Demon died silently. The corpse didn¡¯t turn into black salt crystals and dissipate. Instead, it was gradually swallowed by the mire and disappeared. He died as easily and straightforwardly as a mortal. ¡­ A towering flaming vortex rose from the colorful spore cloud, incinerating the cursed mist in less than ten seconds. Purgatory Storm A Lv. 8 Fire spell. If she had seen the casting of this spell a few days ago, Liliana would¡¯ve definitely cried out in excitement. However, she didn¡¯t show any emotion other than numbness when she saw a Lv. 8 spell. She had seen more Lv. 8 spells today than in her entire life. The man who had shattered her worldview countless times today stood on the devastated, scorched earth and stared at the huge pitch-black gem floating in midair. ¡°Come over. It¡¯s safe now.¡± The other party¡¯s voice sounded, and Liliana obediently walked over. The air was filled with the stench of burning feathers, and she felt the residual heat of the flames with every step she took. Liliana asked as she walked. ¡°What about that monster?¡± ¡°Dead.¡± The person replied hoarsely, his gaze still fixed on the black gem. ¡°Is David Obis imprisoned here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I still have some questions¡­ Cough, cough, cough, cough¡­ F*ck¡­ Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Before that person could finish speaking, he suddenly coughed violently. Liliana watched nervously as the person suddenly coughed until he was out of breath. Sometime after he calmed down, she asked hesitantly, ¡°Are you alright¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. I just choked on the mist. I¡¯ll be fine in a while.¡± Was it only a choke¡­ The scene of birds and insects being devoured by the mycelium appeared in Liliana¡¯s mind. If it weren¡¯t for that person¡¯s Sunbird pendant, she would¡¯ve long died in the terrifying mist. Recalling that the other party¡¯s pendant was still on her, she hurriedly took it off and prepared to return it to him, but the person only waved his hand, indicating for her to keep it. ¡°Really? Such a precious thing¡­¡± ¡°I might need your help in the future, so treat this as payment. Moreover, this is a replica I made while mimicking the Phoenix Pendant¡¯s enchantment. It¡¯s nothing precious.¡± He enchanted it himself¡­ Liliana¡¯s mind went numb from the other party¡¯s words. Zhou Mu ignored the stunned Liliana behind him and took a few steps back. He then raised his staff and removed the effects of Shadow Cage. The huge pitch-black gem floating in the air turned into a shadow and dissipated, and the genius mage named David fell to the ground from midair. His concept of time seemed to be stuck at the moment before he was imprisoned. The moment he landed, he held the staff in his hand tightly and pointed it at Zhou Mu and Liliana. However, he quickly realized that the battle was over. ¡°Where did my contracted demon go?¡± Perhaps because he couldn¡¯t sense the Stumbling Demon that was connected to his soul, David asked directly when he saw that the two people not far away had no intention of attacking. ¡°Since you can¡¯t sense it, it¡¯s naturally dead.¡± Zhou Mu replied matter-of-factly. Lunar Monsters were immortal. Even if their bodies in Currere were destroyed, it was like the shattering of a mirror¡¯s reflection, banishing them back to the Moon Realm. It wouldn¡¯t injure the monster at all. However, David wasn¡¯t in the mood to correct the other party¡¯s choice of words. ¡°You defeated it?¡± The other party nodded. With a clang, he threw the lead-colored staff to the ground. ¡°I surrender,¡± David said decisively. ¡°I thought you would struggle.¡± ¡°To be able to banish the Stumbling Demon alone, I have no chance of winning.¡± Zhou Mu nodded, and a silver thread extended from the top of Withering Cold, binding the other party tightly. ¡°So what will happen to me? Will I be handed over to the Church or¡­¡± ¡°Answer my question first.¡± Zhou Mu walked in front of David and unfolded a parchment map for him. ¡°You deliberately spread this treasure map of the Southern Grief Mountains through the black market, right?¡± Liliana¡¯s heart tightened when she heard this question. When they were still at Twilight Fortress, the mysterious mage had asked her in detail how she had found this ruin. After she told him how she had spent a lot of money to buy this treasure map from a mysterious vendor in the Nordland underground black market, the person took the map from her. In that case, this map, this ruin¡­ Could it be a trap from the beginning? Was it all her fault? Did her two classmates and the adventurer team she hired die because of her? ¡°Yes,¡± David replied. ¡°I spread the map on the black market in Nordland to attract rash adventurers or archeological teams. Be it the communication ceremony for the Lady of Starvation or the anchoring ceremony for the Lunar Monster, they all require¡­¡± Liliana felt as if she had fallen into an ice cavern. ¡°All of them require a blood sacrifice. I know that; you don¡¯t have to tell me. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡± Zhou Mu bent down slightly so that his gaze was level with his. ¡°I specially took note of it when I came over. Many of the places marked on this map are different from reality. For example, these forests on the map have disappeared. The largest pass is blocked by a landslide, and these rivers have already dried up.¡± Zhou Mu pointed at the locations he had described on the map and said to him. ¡°Do you know why?¡± Although it was a question, the other party didn¡¯t sound like he was asking him at all. David shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s very simple because this map is the Southern Grief Mountains from a thousand years ago.¡± Something in the man¡¯s eyes made the hair on David¡¯s back stand on end. ¡°Where did you get this map?¡± 2 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 10 ? Chapter 10: Name Translator: CKtalon Zhou Mu was all too familiar with the map¡¯s style. Although it only depicted a small portion of the Southern Grief Mountains, the layout of this map was identical to when Zhou Mu opened up the map in-game. It was impossible for such a coincidence to happen. In other words, it was very likely that there were clues about his old acquaintances behind this map. He just didn¡¯t know if the other party was a friend or foe. Of course, from the fact that the other party had handed the map to a demon summoner, the probability of an enemy was higher. But no matter what, he couldn¡¯t give up this clue. Zhou Mu stared at the person and tried his best to sound intimidating. ¡°Where did you get this map?¡± Silence. ¡°Do you not want to say it or can¡¯t?¡± Silence again. ¡°So you can¡¯t say?¡± Looking at the silent David, Zhou Mu continued asking. David gritted his teeth and replied, ¡°I can tell you anything other than the origins of this map.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in anything else. This is all I want to know.¡± ¡°Then kill me.¡± The other party¡¯s answer surprised him somewhat. Since he had surrendered so decisively, he definitely wasn¡¯t the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t fear death. To make the other party choose to die so calmly, it probably wasn¡¯t because of greed or loyalty. It should be fear. After all, death wasn¡¯t the worst ending in this world. ¡°I know there are methods that can punish a person¡¯s soul when they reveal certain secrets, but coincidentally, I also have some methods that can torture your soul the same way¡­¡± ¡°You have no idea¡­¡± David interrupted Zhou Mu¡¯s threat. ¡°You don¡¯t know what it means to have your soul tortured, and you don¡¯t know what true horror is. You can rely on your strength that¡¯s enough to banish a Stumbling Demon to threaten me, but don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll be afraid. I assure you that this bit of strength of yours is nothing compared to that lord.¡± ¡°Very good, there¡¯s finally some progress. Tell me who the lord you¡¯re talking about is, and I promise to give you a quick death.¡± The other party immediately shut up. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t do anything to you as long as you stay mum? If you have such thoughts, I advise you to abandon them.¡± Zhou Mu waited for a few more seconds. When he saw that the other party still appeared unafraid of death, he could only sigh helplessly. ¡°Alright, this is your own doing. To be honest, even if you do deserve death, I didn¡¯t want to do this.¡± With that said, he turned around and looked behind. ¡°Liliana.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± Liliana replied as if she had snapped awake from a dream. Zhou Mu couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw the girl¡¯s dejected expression. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Liliana¡¯s eyes turned red as she choked. ¡°But how am I to tell their families this terrible news? How should I explain why I was the only one who survived? How should I face them? I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Zhou Mu picked up the lead-colored staff that had been thrown away from the ground and handed it to the trembling girl. ¡°Tell them that the culprit is dead.¡± Liliana looked up at him in surprise. ¡°This is also the only thing you can do to bring some comfort to the families of the deceased. The rest can only be left to time.¡± With that said, a pitch-black energy beam shot out from Withering Cold and struck David, who was tied to the side. He looked up and collapsed. Zhou Mu walked over and half-knelt in front of the lifeless corpse. He released Withering Cold, but the staff didn¡¯t fall to the ground. Instead, it floated beside him as if it were alive. His right hand was covered in a hazy black shadow as he reached into David¡¯s corpse-his hand penetrated the corpse like an illusory ghost and pulled out an equally illusory humanoid outline. It was the soul of David Obis. He looked a little puzzled until he saw his corpse lying on the ground and seemed to understand what had happened. ¡°Where did that map come from?¡± Zhou Mu didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he used his will to produce a soul voice. He used his will to control the will of others. Master-level Necromancy spell, Commandeering of the Dead. The expression on David¡¯s face changed from confusion to a daze, and then to endless affliction. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the lord you were talking about? Where is he?¡± Seeing that the other party still didn¡¯t answer, Zhou Mu estimated how much the other party¡¯s soul could withstand and used Commandeering of the Dead again. The other party¡¯s soul began to tremble violently under Zhou Mu¡¯s command, and it looked like he could barely maintain his human form. A few seconds later, he gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words with difficulty and slowness. ¡°Father¡­ Father of the Crows, Thorn City¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence because three scratches suddenly appeared on his soul the moment he said the first word. With every word he said, the scratch deepened. When he said the name Thorn City, the claw mark tore his soul to pieces. Looking at the tiny specks of light that filled the sky when his soul dissipated, Zhou Mu fell silent. This was the first time he had seen a spell that had never appeared in-game. He didn¡¯t even know how to stop it. Father of the Crows¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of it¡­ Moreover, Thorn City? Thorn City reminded Zhou Mu of something more pressing. That was to repair the now-ruined Twilight Fortress. 1 No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let the place that carried so many memories remain in its abandoned state. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to restore the Twilight Fortress to its original state. The exquisite defense systems and functional designs in the Twilight Fortress were the culmination of the efforts of the strongest craftsmen and enchanters on the continent back then. Zhou Mu even doubted if he could replicate all the functions of the Twilight Fortress now that a thousand years had passed. Even if he had to settle for the next best thing and only wanted to repair the outer framework, it wouldn¡¯t be a trivial project. Problems pertaining to ordinary construction materials and labor were fine; he could just spend more time and effort summoning Elemental Souls to do manual labor. However, the troublesome thing was that because it hadn¡¯t been maintained for years, the Demon Sealing runes buried in the structure had been deactivated. He had to build the entire fortress¡¯s rune system from scratch. This was a very important job, and it had to begin together when rebuilding the main body of the fortress. It was equivalent to taking the best possible route before a house was renovated. Otherwise, even if it was repaired, the Twilight Fortress would only be a stone fortress that dazzled on the surface. It wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the invasion of the Lunar Monsters. Relaying the Demon Sealing rune system required a large amount of Elementium Silver-a Demon Sealing Metal that had a strong affinity for all types of spells. Although his Treasure Hall had some reserves of Elementium Silver, they were only stored as specimens. They couldn¡¯t meet the needs of rebuilding the entire Twilight Fortress. The largest Elementium Silver mine and refinery on the continent was in Thorn City a thousand years ago. With this and the fact that he had to investigate the mysterious Father of the Crows, it looked like it was indeed necessary for him to make a trip to Thorn City. Zhou Mu grabbed Withering Cold that was floating to the side again and turned to ask Liliana, ¡°I remember you saying that you studied at Offa University in Blackwater Swamp, right?¡± Liliana had never studied Undead spells, so from her point of view, the scene of Zhou Mu interrogating David¡¯s soul was just him walking to the corpse and squatting down. Then, he held something in his hand and stood up before spacing out. She nodded and then corrected him. ¡°It¡¯s not Blackwater Swamp, but Blackwater Province. Blackwater Swamp was its name from a long time ago.¡± The other party didn¡¯t say anything to her on this topic and continued asking, ¡°Is the headquarters of Offa University still in Thorn City?¡± What does he mean by ¡®still in¡¯? Hasn¡¯t it been in Thorn City since more than a thousand years ago? Suppressing her doubts about the other party¡¯s strange question, Liliana replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. It has always been in Thorn City.¡± ¡°How about this? Aren¡¯t you going back to school after this matter is over? I happen to have something to do in Thorn City. Since it¡¯s on the way, how about I hire you as a guide? As for the remuneration, I¡¯ll pay with the pendant from before. What do you think of this deal?¡± How was this deal? As a guide, this deal was a windfall! Although Liliana wasn¡¯t an Enchantment Expert, such an enchanted item was definitely one of the highest-grade items in the university¡¯s collection. It could probably be sold for more than 10,000 gold riels at an auction. In comparison, hiring a guide to Thorn City only cost about ten gold riels. But the problem was that the other party was a heretical mage who had betrayed the Astral Laws. No matter which city he went to, he would be wanted by the Church and the local Overlords as long as he was discovered. 1 Of course, she had no doubt that this man with unfathomable strength could easily escape, but when that happened, she would be in trouble as his guide. Moreover, more importantly, she didn¡¯t know anything about this person other than the fact that he was ridiculously strong. This wasn¡¯t a deal that could put her at ease. However¡­ The other party had saved her life and even avenged her. No matter what, she had to repay this favor. ¡­ 4 The girl named Liliana hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. ¡°Alright, you have my word. But before that, I need to know your name.¡± ¡°Name, huh¡­¡± Right, what should I call myself? Only then did he carefully consider this question. Zhou Mu? This was a name he used in his previous life when living in the concrete jungle. But now that I¡¯m in this world, do I still need to use this name? He was silent for a long time until the girl began to panic. ¡°William Kane.¡± He spoke as if he was announcing something, naming the character he had played in his alternate life. The name that once resounded across the continent. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com ¡°My name is William Kane.¡± 4 1 Chapter 11 ? Chapter 11: In My Name Translator: CKtalon When he said his name, William seriously observed Liliana¡¯s expression, hoping to get a read. In fact, this was one of the reasons why he decided to say his name. More than a thousand years ago, William Kane¡¯s name was definitely famous throughout the continent. Everyone knew him. Establishing the Doomsday Watcher, sealing the Seven Calamities, repelling the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion three times, calming the Tide of Undead on the day of the Rotten Moon, defeating the Damon Continent¡¯s expeditionary army, rebuilding the Mage Guild, dismantling the nobles¡¯ magic monopoly, establishing the Adventurer Association, simplifying the design of the enchantment table, and optimizing the alchemy and spell systems¡­ It could be said that he had done more than 20 things that could be written into history books just by his changes to the entire continent¡¯s structure. Even if more than a thousand years had passed, and history had become a legend, his name ought to still be circulating on this continent. As expected, Liliana¡¯s face revealed a mixed expression of confusion and doubt. If someone claimed to be George Washington in front of him one day, he would probably wear the same expression. ¡°William Kane?¡± ¡°In the flesh.¡± ¡°Is it the William Kane I know?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no second famous William Kane in the past 1,000 years, then that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Are you saying that you¡¯re the William Kane from a thousand years ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t just share the same name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just the same name.¡± Liliana clasped her forehead as if she wanted to slow down her train of thought. ¡°The one that sealed the Seven Calamities?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The one who repelled the Damon Continent¡¯s expeditionary army?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The one representing the Seven Holy Spirits and the 13 Void Sovereigns who signed the Double Moon Agreement at Gray Castle?¡± ¡°Yes, although I think the three Moon Realm counter-attacks before that should be mentioned first.¡± ¡°What Moon Realm counterattacks?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ This story hasn¡¯t been passed down?¡± ¡°Were you the founding emperor, Terra I, who reincarnated into the Riel family 800 years ago and was born wearing a Bronze crown? The one who rode a dragon while unifying the Vic Continent and establishing the Riel Empire?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The one that, later on, became the eighth hidden Holy Spirit after his death because of his achievements. The one worshiped by the Kane Church in later generations?¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± This matter seemed to be gradually becoming ridiculous. Someone had unified the continent in his name in the past thousand years? He had even been worshiped as the eighth Holy Spirit? What was going on? ¡°What did you say about unifying Vic and becoming the eighth Holy Spirit?¡± Liliana stopped when she heard that and looked suspiciously at the man who claimed to be William Kane. ¡°If you¡¯re William Kane, these are all things you¡¯ve done yourself.¡± ¡°I was indeed the one who did those things before you mentioned reincarnation.¡± ¡°What about the matters after the reincarnation to be the empire¡¯s founding emperor?¡± ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not like Terra I, who claims to be the reincarnation of Hero Kane?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reincarnation, just me. I¡¯m not dead, so how can I reincarnate?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s impossible for a person to live for more than a thousand years.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s not easy to explain this to you. You can roughly think of it as me sleeping for a thousand years for some reason and only waking up now¡­¡± These words sounded lame even as a lie. When William said it himself, he felt like he was saying ¡°I¡¯m George Washington. Send me money.¡± As expected, the other party shook her head in disbelief. ¡°No, no, no. That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone sleeping for a thousand years¡­¡± ¡°You even believed in the nonsense of being born wearing a Bronze crown. Why can¡¯t you believe that I was only asleep for a thousand years?¡± ¡°Terra I¡¯s reincarnation as the hero, Kane, was recognized by the Holy Spirits Church.¡± ¡°Then can there be one such possibility-the Holy Spirits Church deliberately admitted it for other reasons?¡± ¡°How is that possible? How can the Holy Spirits Church do such a thing?¡± William curled his lips, thinking that the answer wasn¡¯t clear-cut. During the second Moon Realm crisis, the infiltration of the Void Sovereigns started from within the Holy Spirits Church. However, it was obvious that she wouldn¡¯t believe him even if he told her now, so he coughed lightly and said, ¡°You asked me for my name, so I told you mine. As for whether you believe me or not, it¡¯s up to you. I won¡¯t produce any evidence to prove it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Liliana originally thought that what would happen next would be what this self-proclaimed William Kane would use as a keepsake to prove his identity to her. Similar things had happened many times in history-a person in a remote area suddenly claimed to have received divine inspiration and awakened his memories as a hero in a previous life. Then, he dug out some weapon or something from somewhere, claiming it was a keepsake. When the call to arms was made, they declared themselves emperor while raising a rebel army to overthrow the local overlord in the name of continuing the fight until the decadent empire was overthrown. Of course, most of these ended with them being wiped out by the army sent by the royal family shortly after. Perhaps it was because such things happened too often, but the Eighth Order of the Holy Spirits Church later established a special enforcer force to hunt down the fake prophets. Although Liliana had never heard of a prophet who claimed to be William Kane, she felt that their modus operandi would be similar. Yet, the other party didn¡¯t seem to care if she believed him or not. He made it seem like he was just making an announcement and left it at that. Didn¡¯t he know that declaring himself a prophet was a crime that was 100 times more serious than being a heretic? If word got out, he would be wanted by the Church and the royal family and would never be able to live in peace. Oh right, if he had just woken up after sleeping for 1,000 years, he really shouldn¡¯t have known, be it for real or for show. After all, he didn¡¯t even claim to be a prophet; he directly declared himself Holy Spirit Kane. He was the first person who dared to make such a claim as far as Liliana knew. She originally thought that she had suffered enough shock today, but she never expected this person to continue shocking her from such a novel angle. Moreover, she seemed to have agreed to be his guide¡­ Fake prophets¡¯ henchmen shared their sins. Recalling the rules she had once seen in the Church-one she believed she would never violate-Liliana felt cold sweat trickle down her back. ¡°Um¡­ Mr. William?¡± As if afraid of being heard by the church¡¯s spies, Liliana whispered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Um, let¡¯s not talk about whether you¡¯re really William Kane for the time being. But on the way to Thorn City, can you not mention your identity to anyone? Especially not to the Church or the Empire¡¯s officials.¡± ¡°Will there be trouble?¡± ¡°Plenty.¡± The other party fell silent for a moment. ¡°I understand. When the time comes, you can call me William. Master William wouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± After all, William was a very common name. Liliana nodded and mustered her courage to continue suggesting. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s not just on the way to Thorn City. If you¡¯re really William Kane, I suggest that you be like Terra I and obtain the recognition of the Holy Spirits at the Holy Spirits Church before¡­¡± ¡°My identity needs to be recognized by the Holy Spirits Church?¡± William shook his head, and Liliana immediately shut up. ¡°However, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Be it the Holy Spirits Church or the Riel Empire, I¡¯ll visit those who acted in my name sooner or later.¡± 6 Chapter 12 ? Chapter 12: Riel Empire Translator: CKtalon To Liliana¡¯s surprise, the man who claimed to be William Kane was surprisingly quiet along the way. Other than asking her a bunch of historical questions on the first day, he either closed his eyes in thought along the way or took out an ancient book from somewhere to read. Other than any necessary communications, he almost didn¡¯t take the initiative to talk to her. Liliana had wanted to ask him in detail a few times, such as whether he was really William Kane or what he planned to do in Thorn City. However, she ultimately couldn¡¯t muster the courage. Regardless of the authenticity of the other party¡¯s identity, and regardless of what the other party planned to do in Thorn City, it wasn¡¯t something a mere Apprentice mage like her could interfere with. Knowing too much wasn¡¯t a good thing. It was best to pretend not to know anything. The only thing to be gratified about was that the other party had listened to her suggestion and changed his outfit before setting off. He had switched his exaggerated dragon bone armor for a simple and elegant mage robe, and the magical medium in his hand had changed from an ice staff she had never heard of to a simple yew staff. Although she could tell that these things weren¡¯t cheap, they looked much more low-key. Of course, in fact, they were still especially eye-catching along the way. It wasn¡¯t because of anything else but their ride. After retrieving the identity tokens and remains of the archaeological team members in the Grief Mountains, Liliana found the carriage they had taken with William¡¯s help. Unfortunately, the horse tied to the side was already dead. After firmly rejecting the other party¡¯s suggestion of summoning a griffin, Liliana ultimately didn¡¯t refuse his decision to pull up two zombie horses to draw the carriage. As a result, they were stopped and interrogated at every checkpoint they passed along the way. There was nothing they could do about it. Although Blackwater Province¡¯s attitude toward Undead magic wasn¡¯t like Platinum Province or Emerald Province¡¯s, where they viewed Unholy doctrine as prohibited from public dissemination, they ultimately didn¡¯t advocate it. Even in Blackwater Province¡¯s Offa University, the mage tower that symbolized the Undead faculty was buried deep underground and rarely showcased in public. When they were stopped by the guards at the first checkpoint, she was extremely nervous, afraid that the person beside her would call himself William Kane and make shocking remarks. However, he only calmly gave an alias. Then, he handed over the book he had been flipping through as a document to the guard for inspection. After the guards carefully read the book, they solemnly returned it to William and allowed them passage. Before the guards left, they even reminded them that it was illegal to summon undead creatures that were five kilometers from a city. It was best to buy two living horses in the next town. It wasn¡¯t until he used the same book to pass the third checkpoint that Liliana finally couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity and asked how he did it. What did he do to the book? ¡°It has nothing to do with the book. I just used an Illusion spell, Human Befuddlement. In fact, no matter what I hand them, they would think that they were reading legal documents.¡± William answered without looking up from his book. Illusion spell? As a practitioner of illusion magic, she had never heard of such a use. ¡°Illusion spells can be said to be the most profound spells among all the spells. This usage can only be considered a parlor trick.¡± This was the other party¡¯s answer to her sincere praise. She couldn¡¯t understand how profound the Illusion field was. In any case, the Illusion field was ranked last among the 13 spell types in Blackwater Province¡¯s Offa University. ¡°Right. After all, the spells you¡¯re learning now are severely neutered versions. Any advanced application will be labeled as heresy.¡± William sighed with emotion at her puzzlement. ¡­ When William first discovered that Twilight Fortress had been reduced to ruins, he vaguely felt that something was amiss. The headquarters of the Doomsday Watchers was the strongest and last fortress in the continent standing against the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion. Twilight Fortress should be irreplaceable in terms of memorial value and strategic value. Even if more than 1,000 years had passed, and history had turned into legends and legends into myths, it shouldn¡¯t have been left forgotten. Moreover, as a magic chanter, Liliana actually didn¡¯t know what a Lunar Monster was, which intensified his uneasiness. And after he roughly understood what had happened in the past thousand years from Liliana, he roughly understood his current situation-and felt deep disappointment. To put it simply, there had only been two major events in the past thousand years. Someone had used his reincarnation as a pretext to unify the continent and had used the Astral Laws to completely monopolize magic. Regarding the former-after William Kane suddenly disappeared a thousand years ago, every country on the continent wanted to bring the Doomsday Watchers-a transcendent but borderless military organization-into their sphere of influence. But because of the lack of pressure from external enemies, this attempt at control quickly turned into a violent military conflict between countries. During this period, the Doomsday Watchers-which lacked a leader-finally fractured, starting an era of chaos lasting more than 100 years. More than 800 years ago, a Stormland noble named Terra Riel claimed to be the reincarnation of William Kane. It was said that he was born wearing a Bronze crown that symbolized supremacy. At the age of 15, he went to the Dragon Bone Islands in the extreme north alone and signed a contract with a dragon. At his coming-of-age ceremony at the age of 20, the local Holy Spirits Church claimed to have received an oracle from the Seven Holy Spirits, acknowledging Terra Riel as the reincarnation of Hero Kane. He would end this chaotic era and join Them after completing the unification. Under the joint witness of the dragon and the Holy Spirits Church, the entire Stormland bowed to him. The local citizens shouted that he was Orayal, meaning Overlord of the firmament. Then, he led his troops from Stormland and headed south, launching what later generations called the Unification War. After 15 years of prolonged war, he finally ended the chaotic era after the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ fracture and unified Vic Continent, establishing the current Riel Empire. Terra Riel¡¯s rule lasted for another 80 years. After his death, he was consecrated as the eighth Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirits Church. Of course, these statements were all learned from Liliana¡¯s history books. William believed that other than the fact that he had eventually unified the continent, everything else about his legendary nature was probably nonsense. For one thing, the Bronze crown that symbolized the supreme royal authority was definitely a replica. This was because the true Bronze crown was still in his Treasure Hall. 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 13 ? Chapter 13: Astral Laws Translator: CKtalon ¡°Why do you say that the spells we learn are all heavily neutered versions?¡± Liliana asked indignantly on the way. ¡°Because according to what you said previously, the current magical foundation is built on Astral Laws, right? Then, as long as that¡¯s the case, learners like you are destined not to come into contact with truly complete magic.¡± ¡°Why? As someone who claims to have slept for more than a thousand years, can you understand how Astral Laws work?¡± ¡°I can,¡± William gazed at Liliana and replied. ¡°Because the prototype of Astral Laws-the Astral Circuit-was a concept I came up with with a few friends from the Mage Guild back then,¡± he replied calmly. The other party¡¯s casual answer caused upheavals in Liliana¡¯s heart. Impossible. This was the thought that came to her mind. 1 ¡°The establishment of Astral Laws was a magnum opus that took nearly 50 years to complete after Terra I¡¯s Palace Mage, Great Sage Yeats, promoted it 800 years ago. It¡¯s more than 200 years away from when you were active,¡± Liliana said in disbelief. ¡°The basic theory was proposed in my era, but the Vic Continent didn¡¯t have adequate conditions for this project back then,¡± William replied. ¡°The original concept of the Astral Circuit was to build many Astral Lighthouses across the continent by mimicking the distribution of the astrological constellations. It guided the magical power of the Astral World into a magical network that covered the entire Vic Continent, allowing everyone on the continent to resonate with it through their own astrological constellations. Ordinary people who originally didn¡¯t have any magical affinity could also sense the magical power.¡± William looked at Liliana expressionlessly, causing the latter to panic. ¡°Do you understand? It¡¯s to allow ordinary people without magical affinity to sense magic, not for people like you who have a magical affinity to only learn the spells specified in the constellations. You even call those who don¡¯t do so heretics.¡± William still remembered that in the last chapter of the Mage Guild¡¯s quests, ¡®Magic Dawn,¡¯ he chose to publicize all information about the Astral Circuit. He hoped that future generations could complete this magnum opus, making magic no longer a privilege for the lucky few and completely breaking the continent¡¯s monopoly on magic. 2 Yet, this was how they fulfilled his expectations in the past thousand years? ¡°Even so¡­ Astral Laws still greatly reduce the threshold for learning magic. It directly establishes a magical power pathway from the Astral World to an individual¡¯s ether through the constellations, replacing the long and cumbersome meditation process during classical magic training, allowing all mages to spend more time studying the essence of magic¡­¡± Liliana recited the contents of Introduction to Modern Magic, but her tone was lacking in confidence. ¡°Your so-called study of the essence of magic¡­¡± William sneered and raised his hand, drawing an illusory raven on his palm. ¡°It¡¯s to divide magic into nine levels and then when you¡¯re done, the spells you¡¯ve grasped are only at the Legendary domain?¡± The raven in his hand quickly changed from virtual to reality. Then, it leaped up from William¡¯s hand with a caw and flew around Liliana¡¯s head twice before landing steadily on her shoulder. ¡°This, this, this, this¡­ This is an illusion?¡± Liliana stammered as she felt weight over her shoulder. William nodded. ¡°But it clearly exists.¡± As Liliana spoke, she reached out and stroked the glossy feathers of the raven on her shoulder. It felt exactly the same as the raven feathers she had used in alchemy class. ¡°Divine Realm Illusion spell, True Shadow.¡± As William spoke, he snapped his fingers, and the raven on her shoulder instantly disappeared without a trace as if it had never existed. ¡°This raven is only the simplest demonstration. With my ability, I can even conjure a dragon to fight for five minutes¡­ So, can you understand why Illusion is the most profound spell type?¡± William continued speaking to the dumbfounded Liliana. ¡°When Illusions reach the Divine Realm, one can replace reality with illusions. From this point of view, one can even believe that all spells in the world are variations of illusions. After all, the essence of magic is to replace reality with the illusionary ideas of the caster. Therefore, what are you studying now? Are you trapped in the 9 levels and 13 spell types defined by the Astral Laws during your exploration of the essence of magic?¡± 2 Liliana replied softly, ¡°We have learned how to construct spell models and control the rhythm of magic chanting¡­¡± ¡°Do you understand now? The magic you¡¯re learning now is based on anything. You¡¯ve focused all your energy on how to curry favor with that system. You haven¡¯t thought about the essence of magic at all, and¡­¡± As William spoke, he closed his eyes. ¡°Moreover, your lifeline is even in the hands of the system¡¯s operators. They just need to adjust this system one day to mute all your magic. Through this method, they can completely monopolize an uncontrollable power like magic in their hands.¡± His words reminded Liliana of the rumor: heretical mages who betray the Astral Laws will not be able to obtain magic power from the Astral World. William opened his eyes and asked her, ¡°Can people without magical affinity use magic now?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s impossible¡­¡± ¡°Then, there¡¯s no need for this system to exist,¡± William said casually. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll personally destroy it.¡± 1 ¡­ 5 When they were about to reach Thorn City, William dispelled the two zombie horses that had brought them here. The zombie horse, whose Soul Fire was about to burn out, turned to ashes the moment it was dispelled. William carefully gathered the ashes and buried them underground. ¡°After a corpse raised by an Undead spell serves its purpose, its remains have to be buried, returning it to Currere. Only then can the balance between life and death be maintained.¡± William explained, probably sensing Liliana¡¯s puzzled gaze. ¡°Otherwise, the undead that can¡¯t be naturally decomposed will become uncontrollable cadavers. That¡¯s the domain of the Lady of Starvation, Camilla, and it will potentially strengthen Her.¡± Liliana nodded, not fully understanding. During this period of time, she was already used to this person speaking of theories she had never heard of with a matter-of-fact expression. The two of them walked along a gravel path. Along the way, William remained silent as if he was thinking about something. As for Liliana, she silently prayed to the Seven Holy Spirits, praying that this person wouldn¡¯t do anything as out of line as his words in Thorn City. It wasn¡¯t until they could see the city gates of Thorn City in the distance that William finally broke the silence. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± 4 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 14 ? Chapter 14: Thorn City Translator: CKtalon Thorn City. The number one city in Blackwater Province, once the capital of the Blackwater Kingdom. Located at the intersection of the Cyber River and the Kavran River, it was the second-largest port city in Blackwater Province. There was an endless stream of merchant ships traveling between Platinum Province and Blackwater Province every day. Not only was Thorn City developed in the shipping industry, but it also had the best Elementium Silver mineral vein on the continent. Selling refined Elementium Silver to mages all over the continent every year could accumulate a huge amount of wealth for the city¡¯s ruler. The various geographical advantages created Thorn City¡¯s prosperity, but it was also because of this unique advantage that the scheming and war that had enveloped this city for thousands of years had never ceased. Therefore, some people called this city the ¡®City of Silver and Blood.¡¯ On the city wall, a flag patterned with a dragon and a golden rose fluttered. The former was the symbol of the Riel Empire, and the latter was the emblem of the current ruler of Thorn City, Duke Simon. When they entered, William and Liliana were stopped by the guards. Liliana originally thought that they would undergo routine interrogation such as their identities and was about to produce her papers when she unexpectedly saw the other party take out a bounty notice with a man¡¯s portrait printed on it. ¡°Duke Simon has personally issued a bounty. The thug, Cass Durant, is the former chief of the Bramble Mercenaries. He has already killed 27 innocent citizens. Please inform the nearest guard immediately if you see this person.¡± the black-armored Bramble Guard said to them seriously. ¡°Killed 27 innocent citizens¡­¡± Along the way, Liliana was secretly dumbfounded, but William didn¡¯t pay much attention to the bounties. Instead, he took in the city sights. Thorn City had changed drastically from William¡¯s memories. The entire city had been widened, and the former moat had become an inland river for transporting goods in the city. The originally curved city wall had also been changed to look like the fort he had seen in a documentary. Of course, the Rose Palace built at the highest point of the city didn¡¯t change much. It was just that some of the city walls were dyed with a layer of green moss by time¡¯s corrosion. The greatest difference from William¡¯s memory was that not far from the Rose Palace, a tower in the style of elven architecture had been erected. The entire tower was built of chalk, and the body of the tower was inlaid with a constellation pattern outlined by Elementium Silver. The top of the tower flickered with deep magical light. Liliana introduced when she saw William staring at the tower, ¡°There are a total of 24 Astral Lighthouses on the continent. They will light up alternately according to the location of the constellations based on the seasons, ensuring that 13 lighthouses are in operation at any time to maximize the flow of Astral World magic into Currere. This is also the foundation for the operation of Astral Laws.¡± With that said, she seemed to have thought of something and immediately asked, ¡°Wait a minute¡­ You said that you were coming to Thorn City to do something, right? I didn¡¯t ask you what you were here to do. You¡¯re not really going to demolish this Astral Lighthouse, are you?¡± The other party finally retracted his gaze from the lighthouse and looked at Liliana. ¡°No, it¡¯s not the time yet. I¡¯m only here to investigate something and buy some Elementium Silver.¡± Although Liliana was very concerned about the fact that ¡®it¡¯s not the time yet,¡¯ she suddenly became interested when she heard that he planned on buying Elementium Silver. ¡°Elementium Silver? My friend has the means. Do you want me to help do the introductions? How much do you want to buy? I can give you a discount if you buy more than 500 grams in one go.¡± ¡°About 15 tonnes.¡± The expression on Liliana¡¯s face froze. ¡°Do you know how much Elementium Silver costs on the market these days?¡± ¡°I still have some money,¡± William said casually. In the game, gold coins didn¡¯t count toward the weight of his backpack, so the money he earned remained with him. As the number of places he needed money for in the later stages of the game decreased, and the remuneration he received from Quests increased, the number of gold coins he had accrued prior to quitting seemed to have exceeded eight digits. After he transmigrated, the four-dimensional backpack in the game became a portable space. As long as he used the Spatial Rift, he could open it and retrieve something from it. According to his estimation, if he took out all the gold coins in his backpack, they would probably be enough to cover a few football fields. It was also at this moment that William suddenly realized a problem he had ignored previously. Could the gold coins from 1,000 years ago still be used? ¡­ Liliana looked at the gold coin he took out and fell silent for a long time before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m starting to believe that you just woke up from a thousand-year slumber¡­ Don¡¯t you know that banknotes are used in the Empire these days?¡± ¡°Banknotes?¡± William looked at the bright golden banknote that Liliana had taken out with a strange expression. There was a denomination, a serial number, and the dragon emblem of the Riel Empire on it. There was even a watermark that could be verified through refraction. He looked at the banknote and then at the medieval-styled city. ¡°Why are you guys able to develop so quickly only in this aspect?¡± As for Liliana, she fiddled with the gold coin she had taken from William. As an archeology student, she could tell at a glance that this was the official currency of the Kos Empire from a thousand years ago. In that era when the gold standard was practiced, such gold coins were circulated across the continent. ¡°But as a coin from more than a thousand years old, it looks too new. There are no signs of wear and tear.¡± ¡°In other words, it¡¯s not easy to offload them on the black market?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to sell it as a cultural relic. It will be suspected of fraud.¡± Liliana said, ¡°Moreover, the sudden influx of hundreds of thousands of 1,000-year-old currencies on the market will draw too much attention.¡± William added as if he was talking to himself, ¡°Then, what if I melt the gold coins into gold? How much is the price of gold?¡± Liliana looked at him as if he were a prodigal son. ¡°It¡¯s one to five, and each gold riel is worth five grams of gold. However, it¡¯s a waste to sell cultural relics as gold.¡± ¡°Since we can¡¯t use it anyway, it¡¯s better to make use of the trash¡­ Oh right, where do you plan on going next? Back to Offa University?¡± With that said, Liliana¡¯s mood sank again. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Adventurer Association to return those people¡¯s identity tokens before¡­¡± At this point, she realized what William meant. ¡°You don¡¯t need me to continue being a guide?¡± William nodded. ¡°Be it going to the black market or elsewhere, it¡¯s not suitable for you to follow me. Let¡¯s part ways here for the time being. I¡¯ll visit Offa University when I have the time. See you then.¡± As he spoke, he turned to leave when Liliana stopped him from behind. ¡°Wait, Mr. William¡­¡± Liliana didn¡¯t know how to voice her question when she saw the other party turn around. ¡°I guess you¡¯re asking if I can tell anyone about you?¡± William looked at her and said. ¡°I personally don¡¯t recommend you say anything.¡± ¡°In order not to expose your identity?¡± Liliana asked. ¡°For your own safety.¡± 4 Chapter 15 ? Chapter 15: Dogtooth Tavern Translator: CKtalon Every city probably had places like Dogtooth Tavern. Not only was the renovation done in poor taste, but the alcohol was also surprisingly expensive. Moreover, the bartender would never deliver the items to the table on time. Here, there wouldn¡¯t be drunkards who started singing in their stupors, bards who told the same story all the time, or maidservants who came to clean the table every ten minutes. However, there was an endless stream of customers every day. This was because the main thing sold here wasn¡¯t hangovers or entertainment, but a place where one could hide their identity, be well-informed, and have a safe conversation. Dog teeth tied to the oak door swayed as a gray-haired man with silver eyes pushed open the door and walked in. The entire tavern fell silent for a moment when he entered. Most of the guests here didn¡¯t like to show their faces. Even if they didn¡¯t hide their faces, they would choose to dress in a low-key manner. As for this person, he wore a white mage robe and held a yew staff as if he didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of hiding his identity. Those who were qualified to learn magic was either rich or noble. People of that caliber typically wouldn¡¯t stoop to coming to such a lowly place. Therefore, many customers cast curious looks at the fellow dressed as a mage. Of course, most of them only glanced at him. Only three pairs of eyes followed him from the moment he entered. One was a thin and tall bartender sitting beside the bar counter. Before this person entered, he had been looking around the tavern as if he was searching for something. The other was a tall man sitting alone in a corner drinking alcohol. He wore an old cloak filled with holes, and his face was hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to see his face. There were five or six empty wine bottles on the table, and he looked like the only person who came here to drink. The last one was the tavern owner. He silently watched the person dressed as a mage walk straight to the bar and sit opposite him, placing his hands together on the bar. ¡°A cup of thorny mead,¡± the person said in a hoarse voice. The boss glanced at him and wondered if this was another scion who was here to seek excitement. ¡°One silver erin.¡± Silver erin was the middle-tier currency denomination-20 silver erin equaled 1 gold riel. ¡°It¡¯s quite expensive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s market price.¡± The person spread out his hands and spun a gold coin on the bar. The shape of the gold coin was irregular as if it had been smelted. ¡°Count the extra as a tip.¡± The gold coin spun faster and faster. The boss quietly pressed it under his hand and swiped it under the bar counter. Then, he asked with a calm expression, ¡°Want anything else?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the best person to buy a large amount of Elementium Silver from here?¡± ¡°If you are asking for the best seller, it¡¯s naturally Duke Simon¡¯s family. The Elementium Silver Chamber of Commerce his son is in charge of accepts orders from all registered mages. There won¡¯t be a premium due to the standard market prices.¡± ¡°But the Chamber of Commerce won¡¯t accept a direct trade with gold.¡± The boss sized up the person and said, ¡°Then, there are fewer formal channels to choose from. Or rather, to put it bluntly, there are basically none.¡± ¡°What about less formal channels?¡± The boss said as he took out a bottle of thorny mead from the wine cabinet and poured it into a glass. ¡°Then, you have to accept a premium that¡¯s over 40% higher than the market price. Besides, you can¡¯t guarantee that they¡¯re willing to do this business. After all, such channels usually source from thieves. They usually don¡¯t trust outsiders who suddenly appear.¡± In principle, all the Elementium Silver trade in Thorn City belonged to the Duke family. Since it was private property, it naturally wouldn¡¯t allow the existence of thieves. But in fact, because the Riel Empire¡¯s royal family collected a 30% Elementium Silver trade tax every year, it was much easier to squeeze profit out of the thieves than the difficult royal envoys. Therefore, in the decades when Duke Simon ruled Thorn City, he turned a blind eye to the miners and the underground black market for Elementium Silver. But then again, that was illegal business after all. Nobody was willing to work with unknown people. ¡°I¡¯m willing to show my sincerity.¡± As he spoke, he placed another five molten gold coins on the bar. The boss hesitated for a moment before finally accepting the five gold coins. ¡°I have three channels, but the exact number depends on how much you need. If it¡¯s a sizable amount, the premium can be lower. How much do you want to buy?¡± ¡°About 15 tonnes.¡± Even though he had been managing Dogtooth Tavern for more than 30 years and was considered knowledgeable, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp when he heard the other party¡¯s number. ¡°15 tonnes of ores?¡± ¡°15 tonnes of refined metal ingots.¡± The boss looked at the well-dressed mage as if he was crazy. ¡°Are you here to treat me as a fool with your money?¡± ¡°No, why do you think so?¡± The other party¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t look like he was joking. ¡°Do you have no concept of the production of Elementium Silver at all? Other than Duke Simon¡­ No, I dare say that Duke Simon can¡¯t produce 15 tonnes of refined Elementium Silver at once. 15 tonnes is about half a year¡¯s production in Thorn City. What do you need so much for? To build a house?¡± ¡°Something like that¡­¡± the person spoke vaguely before muttering softly. ¡°So the production is that small?¡± Then, he finished the mead in his cup in one gulp and said, ¡°Bring me to those three channels. I¡¯ll buy as much as I can. I¡¯ll think of another solution if I can¡¯t gather enough.¡± The boss stared at him for a long time and confirmed that the other party wasn¡¯t pulling his leg. Finally, he said to the thin man beside the bar counter. ¡°Wilson, bring this gentleman to the miners first. Tell them that I introduced him.¡± The thin man-who had been staring at that person-stood up. He straightened his neck and smiled brightly at the customer. ¡°Follow me. How should I address you, sir?¡± ¡°Just call me William.¡± ¡­ The man named Wilson chatted about the mines and taverns along the way, but William didn¡¯t listen seriously. Indeed, there was a huge difference between the game and reality. Back when he bought Elementium Silver or other precious metals and minerals, there were never any annual production limits. As long as he had enough money, he could buy as much as he wanted. William thought. Now, he was facing the predicament of having enough money but not being able to buy so many ores. It was even debatable that there was enough money. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy to circulate gold coins from 1,000 years ago. ¡°Here we are.¡± Wilson¡¯s voice brought William back to his senses. At this moment, they arrived outside a hidden and remote mine. There were simple wooden frames at the entrance, and a few dilapidated mining carts were parked outside. The mine was pitch-black, and there were no mine lamps or other items for illumination. Only a thin layer of moonlight revealed the entrance. ¡°Enter from here? You¡¯re not going to tell me that they usually do business in the mines, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Wilson spoke anxiously. ¡°Walk in from here and you¡¯ll reach Thorn City¡¯s largest unofficial Elementium Silver supplier-the territory of the Miners Brotherhood.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go in if I were you.¡± A voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. William turned his head, and a tall man whose face couldn¡¯t be seen stood behind them like an iron tower. He wore a tattered black cloak and held a heavy black iron sword. The moon was bright tonight, but his sword didn¡¯t reflect any of it. 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 16 ? Chapter 16: Black Swordsman Translator: CKtalon William had seen this man at Dogtooth Tavern. He had sat alone, drinking in a corner of the tavern. He seemed to be the only person who went there to drink. Moreover, this person had been staring at him since he entered. Was it because greed had gotten over him? Was it because he acted wealthy in the tavern that resulted in him being targeted and followed by the greedy? However, wouldn¡¯t it be too exaggerated to rob with a door-sized sword? Moreover, such an alternate world plot development was too clich¨¦. As his thoughts raced, William still asked with a relaxed expression, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°The Miners Brotherhood¡¯s territory hasn¡¯t been here for a long time. This is only an abandoned mine,¡± the person replied. William looked at the thin man named Wilson beside him in surprise. The other party was staring at the mysterious swordsman, and his entire body was trembling in fear. ¡°What¡¯s in the mine?¡± William asked Wilson. ¡°Nothing.¡± The one who answered him was the swordsman holding the black iron sword. He slowly walked forward and spoke as he walked. ¡°The mine has been blocked, and the person beside you led two people into this empty mine today. Only he walked out in the end.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very lucky.¡± He stopped about ten steps away and spoke to William. ¡°You didn¡¯t become the third person today.¡± With that said, he lifted the cloak that obstructed his movement, bent down, held his sword with both hands, and charged forward. The distance of ten steps shortened in an instant, and the exaggerated black iron sword in his hand swung out the moment he charged over, swinging it at Wilson¡¯s neck. Logically speaking, Wilson¡¯s head should¡¯ve been sent flying more than ten meters like a rubber ball under this heavy strike, but¡­ Clang! The sound of metal colliding rang out, and Wilson was sent flying seven to eight meters away. He rolled a few times before coming to a stop, raising a cloud of slag and dust. However, his head remained on his neck. He-or rather, it twitched on the ground and got up. Its eyes rolled back, and saliva flowed from the corner of its mouth. Its entire body trembled at an extremely exaggerated speed as if something was hiding under its skin. Its left hand-which had blocked the strike-was bent at a strange angle. Cracks that resembled shattered porcelain extended from it, and a sticky dark-green liquid slowly flowed out. ¡°Who are you?¡± The thing that was once called Wilson asked in a terrified voice. ¡°The person who will send you on your way.¡± With that said, the black swordsman charged forward and swung his sword again. The monster¡¯s shattered left arm failed to block the heavy sword. Its arm and head were sliced off by the black swordsman, and it flew into the mine far away. The two strikes resolved the problem, but the black swordsman didn¡¯t stop. He threw the sword to the ground, then drew a sharp dagger from his belt and stabbed it at the severed neck of the decapitated corpse. A palm-sized spider with a distorted human face on its back was pinned to the ground the moment it crawled out. The face let out a miserable scream. ¡°Wait, wait, wait. I can give you anything you want. Do you want treasure, strength, or something else? As long as you let me go, I can satisfy you with anything¡­¡± The human face on the spider¡¯s back actually spoke the human language as it constantly begged. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your kind say the same thing to my companion.¡± The black swordsman scoffed. ¡°Then, my companion died from that instant of hesitation. Of course, you don¡¯t have to be too nervous. There¡¯s something I really need to obtain from you,¡± the black swordsman pressed his dagger tightly and said coldly. ¡°I promise to give you whatever you want,¡± the human face on the spider said sincerely. ¡°Revenge.¡± The black swordsman pulled the dagger and sliced the human-faced spider in half. William watched silently from the side until the black swordsman wiped the dagger on his cloak and inserted it back into his belt. Only then did he silently walk over and squat beside the corpse to observe. The human-faced spider that had been sliced in half gradually turned into black salt crystals and dissipated, as did the headless corpse¡¯s stump. However, the other parts of the corpse remained intact without any signs of dissipation. ¡°See that? That¡¯s what¡¯s hiding under the skin. God knows how many more there are in this city.¡± The man didn¡¯t look at William as he picked up the black sword. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, wait here for the guards to come. If you don¡¯t want to cause trouble, pretend that nothing happened and leave. Nobody will track you down.¡± ¡°Did all 27 people die like this?¡± William suddenly asked. The black swordsman was stunned for a moment when he heard that. Then, he pulled off his hood and revealed a weathered face. This person was indeed the wanted criminal, Cass Durant, whom he had seen on the bounty. He was the former chief of the Bramble Mercenaries and was accused of killing 27 innocent citizens. Of course, when the guards discovered Wilson¡¯s corpse, this number would change to 28. ¡°Nobody will believe it unless they see it with their own eyes.¡± He watched the human-faced spider gradually turn into black salt crystals and dissipate the corpse as he spoke coldly. ¡°Without stuffing living spiders down their throats, they will never believe that a foul threat beyond their understanding has appeared in this world.¡± After complaining, Cass said to William, who was standing up. ¡°Leave. It¡¯s fine if you want to collect the bounty from the guards, but it¡¯s best to pretend that nothing happened.¡± With that said, he fixed the sword to his back, put on his cloak again, and turned to leave. ¡°Oh right, I heard your conversation with the tavern owner. I have a suggestion-don¡¯t participate in any business related to Elementium Silver for the time being. Otherwise, you might not be so lucky next time.¡± Before leaving, he turned around and said to William. ¡°Why?¡± William asked. ¡°This monster originally came from the Silverstream Mine. So far, the 28 infected people I killed are related to that mine.¡± ¡°Then, do you know what this monster is?¡± Cass shook his head. ¡°I only know that they first appeared in that mine. I¡¯ve ¡®visited¡¯ a few scholars previously, but they can¡¯t find monsters with such characteristics in the latest Empire¡¯s Transcendent Creatures.¡± William knew such a monster. Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon was a spawn of the Void Sovereign Whispering Empress. It was a demon from the Moon Domain¡¯s Silk Nest. It would parasitize the host¡¯s throat and slowly transform the host into a Lunar Monster. Although the combat strength of the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons was weak, they had extremely strong penetrative abilities. They usually lurked in human society and developed into a Void Sovereign¡¯s worship organization, spreading panic and unease to create conditions for a subsequent large-scale invasion. If the appearance of the Stumbling Demon could be explained as a coincidence because it was close to the day of the Lady of Starvation¡¯s summoning, William didn¡¯t dare make such an optimistic guess after seeing the Whispering Empress¡¯s scouts appear. At the same time, he didn¡¯t dare imagine what kind of miserable state the entire Vic Continent would be in if they suffered another full-scale Moon Realm invasion when all they had were Master-level spells. ¡°Then, what are you planning to do next?¡± With this in mind, William asked Cass. ¡°Investigate their origins and kill them all,¡± Cass said without looking back. The tone of his voice reminded William of a former companion of his. The fourth of the 13 Judges was the Black Swordsman, Blake Saba. He also had the image of a tall and taciturn tough man. He also used an exaggerated huge sword that was like a door, and he also fought alone for revenge. ¡°Are you planning on solving all the problems yourself?¡± William subconsciously recited the lines he had used to recruit Blake Saba. Cass didn¡¯t answer, just like the person back then. William smiled and shook his head. A sharp sound tore through the air. Just as something was about to hit Cass¡¯s head, he caught it with a backhand. He opened his palm-it was a Demon Sealing rune that flowed with lightning. ¡°Perhaps you only believe in yourself, but if you feel that you need help one day, crush it.¡± Cass turned his head, but the gray-haired, silver-eyed mage had disappeared. 2 Chapter 17 ? Chapter 17: Faerie Translator: CKtalon ¡°The form of these runes is too ancient. I can¡¯t understand their specific uses. The only thing I can confirm is that a lightning spell above Lv. 7 is stored inside.¡± The palm-sized girl flapped her dragonfly-like wings and hovered in midair. Sparkling scale dust constantly fell from her body. As she spoke, she supported her face with one hand and stroked the lightning flowing on the Demon Sealing rune with the other. ¡°Didn¡¯t you claim to be an old faerie who has lived for more than 200 years? Even you find it ancient?¡± Cass asked in confusion. With a whoosh, the faerie flew in front of Cass and shouted angrily with her arms akimbo. ¡°I¡¯ve said it countless times: you¡¯re not allowed to call me an old faerie, nor are you allowed to talk about age. It¡¯s taboo to talk about age in front of girls, understand? A taboo!¡± She is already more than 200 years old, but she still calls herself a girl? I really don¡¯t understand these long-lived species¡¯ concept of time. Cass turned his head slightly. ¡°You were the one who first revealed your age. I didn¡¯t even ask.¡± ¡°It was an emergency back then, alright?! Moreover, you still have the cheek to say that. If I hadn¡¯t clarified my identity to you back then, you would¡¯ve probably killed me as a monster. I was saving you back then.¡± At this point, she became even angrier. She flew to Cass¡¯s head and tugged his hair with all her might. ¡°After I killed several spider monsters with human faces and ran out, a woman with dragonfly wings suddenly flew out and sang above my head. What do you think ran through my head? Moreover, are all you faeries so weak that you were almost killed by a mortal like me who doesn¡¯t even know magic?¡± As Cass spoke, he gently nudged her off his head. The faerie charged at Cass¡¯s hair a few more times, but she was deterred by the other party¡¯s hand. Finally, she could only sit on Cass¡¯s shoulder helplessly and speak in a very indignant voice. ¡°That¡¯s because you humans focus all your energy on studying magic on how to kill more efficiently. Our race has never been good at combat, much less considering the use of magic to fight.¡± ¡°But if one isn¡¯t good at combat, they can only be at the mercy of others. This is an ironclad rule of this world,¡± Cass said seriously. ¡°But weren¡¯t you still saved by me? Do you really think you can just rely on fighting?¡± The faerie rolled her eyes. The faerie sitting on Cass¡¯s shoulder was called Liz, and she was the companion he had encountered in the Silverstream Mine. Back then, he had just fought his way through the monsters in the Silverstream Mine. As the last survivor of the Bramble Mercenaries, the seriously injured Cass relied on his will to reach the cave entrance alive, but he eventually fainted from excessive bleeding. Cass imagined that he was doomed before he lost consciousness, but in his daze, he heard an ethereal song. Then, he felt something warm land on his face; it gave him a sense of warmth. When he opened his eyes, he saw a palm-sized girl flapping her dragonfly-like wings as she hovered above his head. As she sang, she scattered innumerable glittering scale powder on his face. Without thinking, Cass grabbed her and used all his strength to pull out the dagger, preparing to stab her. ¡°Wait¡­ wait! Human, let go. Don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯m only 200 years old. I¡¯m still very young¡­¡± In the end, it wasn¡¯t the other party¡¯s pleas that made him put down the dagger, but his stamina. After Liz stopped singing, the little strength he had recovered immediately vanished, causing him to faint again. When he woke up again, he was in a forest not far from Thorn City. The faerie who had saved him hid on a tall tree and looked at him warily. Cass had seen faeries in the orphanage¡¯s comics when he was a child. It was said that they were beautiful and cunning existences that could lure curious children into disappearing into the depths of the forest¡¯s mist. However, after Cass came into actual contact with them, he discovered that they were actually very conflicted creatures. They yearned for the rich life of humans, but they were also afraid of their capriciousness. They had always been in a state where they wanted to come into contact with humans but were also afraid of them. Of course, he didn¡¯t know if all the faeries were like this. After all, he had only seen Liz. ¡°Speaking of which, are you sure that the mysterious mage disappeared in the blink of an eye?¡± Liz suddenly asked. ¡°Yeah, it only took a second or two.¡± Liz swung her tiny feet and deliberately kept hitting Cass¡¯s shoulder with her heel. ¡°Then, he probably used Teleportation. In that case, since a lightning spell is sealed in the Demon Sealing rune, it¡¯s very likely that this spell is also related to Teleportation.¡± ¡°Why are lightning-type spells related to Teleportation?¡± Cass asked in confusion. ¡°You don¡¯t even know this basic level of magical knowledge? Lightning is essentially a spatial rift, so be it summoning magic or Teleportation, there will be lightning flashing when opening the portal.¡± Cass nodded thoughtfully before asking, ¡°Then, what do you think that mage meant? Why did he give me this Demon Sealing rune?¡± ¡°He probably couldn¡¯t stand it anymore-just like why I stay by your side,¡± Liz said angrily. ¡°You can actually return. Although I don¡¯t have the eyes of faeries and can¡¯t see through the disguise of those monsters at a glance, I can find some given time¡­¡± Cass hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°And watch you die? Please, I spent a lot of effort to save you. Can¡¯t you live to the end of your life in peace and let me recover my scale powder?¡± Scale powder was equivalent to an extension of one¡¯s life force. They could connect this life force to other lifeforms, but only when the lifeform who had accepted her scale powder died of old age could the scale powder be completely retracted. If that lifeform died from other accidents, about half of the scale powder would be expended in their struggle before death. Typically, they would only sprinkle scale powder on flowers that didn¡¯t have long lifespans. Many people saw bright flowers blooming out of season, and most of them were done by the faerie. Regardless, they rarely used their life force to save humans who were constantly embroiled in conflict. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful that you saved me,¡± Cass said. ¡°I¡¯m not grateful for you saving my life, but for giving me a chance to seek revenge.¡± Liz looked at the man¡¯s expression and hesitated. ¡°I know that my life isn¡¯t mine now, but something you lent me. Therefore, I promise you that I will definitely do my best to stay alive.¡± As Cass spoke, he put the Demon Sealing rune into his pocket. ¡°But my former comrades died in that mine, and their bodies were occupied by monsters from who knows where. It¡¯s impossible for me to remain indifferent and live the life of an ordinary person while knowing this. Therefore, I won¡¯t stop fighting until I¡¯ve finished off the mastermind behind the entire matter.¡± He paused and looked at Liz as he continued. ¡°But this is yours after all. If you don¡¯t want to take the risk, please take away your scale powder now. Although this will consume some energy, it¡¯s much less than dying on my path of revenge, right?¡± Liz watched Cass in silence for a long time before speaking fiercely, ¡°How annoying. When this is over, you¡¯ll be a slave in my garden for the rest of your life.¡± With that said, she flew out angrily. 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 18 ? Chapter 18: Miners Translator: CKtalon The Silverstream Mine was the largest mine in Thorn City. About 40% of the Elementium Silver ores were produced here every year. It was precisely because of this that Thorn City¡¯s largest Elementium Silver refinery was built nearby. Of course, this mine and refinery were a part of Duke Simon¡¯s massive industrial business. William checked the Cass Durant bounty issued by Duke Simon. Half of the people who died at his hands were Silverstream Mine miners, and the rest were more or less related to the Elementium Silver industry pertaining to this mine. According to his experience in the game, this place would probably be filled with holes when a Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon was sighted. However, he didn¡¯t quite understand why everything was tied to a mine. Every Void Sovereign corresponded to a concept or phenomenon. For example, the Lady of Starvation symbolized a pathological cycle of life and death, the wrongly distorted food chain, and an irreversible consumption of one¡¯s self. Therefore, the Lady of Starvation¡¯s spawns were often associated with concepts like corruption, festering, infestation, and the undead. Similarly, they only enjoyed appearing in areas with such elements. As for the Whispering Empress, she symbolized conspiracy, betrayal, trickery, and murder. As a spawn of the Whispering Empress, the places where the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons loved to appear should be filled with schemes and plots, such as the complicated courtrooms or the nobles who engaged in intense power struggles. No matter what, they shouldn¡¯t be related to the miners. 3 William felt the need to figure out what they were parasitizing so many miners for. ¡­ 3 ¡°Brute Cole.¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Sigmonds Carter.¡± ¡°Here!¡± The supervisor with an iron whip at his waist held the roster and named them one by one. A row of dusty miners in sloppy overalls stood in a neat line on the flat ground in front of the mine. At everyone¡¯s feet were ropes, crane mouth shovels, and mineral lamps. When their names were called out by the supervisor, they did their best to answer loudly and then stand as straight as possible without making eye contact with the person. ¡°Colt Brand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± 5 The silence made everyone turn their gaze to the end of the line. A child who looked to be 15 or 16 years old stood there drowsily in overalls that were too wide for him. His head was lowered, and he looked like he was about to fall asleep standing. The supervisor slowly walked in front of the child as if he was intrigued. He picked up the iron whip hanging at his waist and gently lifted the child¡¯s chin with the iron whip¡¯s grip. The cold touch jolted the child awake. He looked at the smiling supervisor in front of him in a daze and then seemed to realize something. ¡°Ah, here!¡± He immediately straightened his body and replied loudly. He didn¡¯t take a breath after saying that. The supervisor retracted the iron whip in his hand and asked softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, chill! I remember that you were the miner who reported for duty the day before yesterday, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir! I¡¯m here to take over my father¡¯s position as Hilton Brand!¡± the child replied loudly. The supervisor nodded and spoke with a smile. ¡°Oh, Hilton¡­ Your father is an outstanding team leader here. The team he leads is on average more than 20% more efficient than the other teams every time they mine. With him around, it saves me a lot of effort.¡± The child wanted to smile when he heard the supervisor¡¯s words, but the latter half of the supervisor¡¯s words froze his smile. ¡°But has your father never told you about the punishment for dozing off at the morning assembly?¡± The next second, an iron whip struck his left thigh, slicing open his work uniform, and leaving a two-foot-long, half-finger-deep gash on his leg. 1 ¡°You have to be whipped three times for dozing off at work. If you cry out when being whipped, you get two more lashes.¡± The supervisor¡¯s genial smile completely disappeared as he spoke with a cold expression. The child gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t say a word as he stared at the supervisor. ¡°Not happy?¡± ¡°No, sir!¡± he gritted his teeth and said. ¡°If you aren¡¯t happy, you can scram back now and wheedle to your crippled and blind father. Wait till the day you can¡¯t pay the city maintenance tax before being chased out of Thorn City to become a serf. If you still want to remain here, turn around immediately and get another two strokes.¡± The youth named Colt silently turned around. A middle-aged man with a thick beard standing beside him suddenly spoke. ¡°Sir, this child, Colt, has only been here for two days. He¡¯s still not used to the working pace of the Silverstream Mine. He¡¯ll get used to it in two days. If he suffers two more lashes from you today, it will probably be difficult for him to go down the mine.¡± The supervisor glanced at him before saying, ¡°So, you want to be Mr. Nice Guy, eh? How about you take these two strokes for him?¡± The person immediately lowered his head and stopped talking. The supervisor sneered and weighed the iron whip in his hand. Just as he was about to swing it at the other party¡¯s back, a tall man in the middle of the team spoke. ¡°This child can¡¯t take the two hits. I¡¯ll take it for him.¡± The supervisor stopped. ¡°Mr. Nice Guy, Sigmonds. Why? Do you want to stand up for others again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I owe his father a favor. It¡¯s not just me; everyone here owes his father a favor. If it weren¡¯t for his father holding on to the brace with all his might, we would¡¯ve died inside when Mine Path #7 collapsed,¡± the tall man named Sigmonds said calmly. ¡°Yeah, if it weren¡¯t for his father, we would¡¯ve been buried.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how his father broke his leg.¡± ¡°Sir, let me take this whip on behalf of this child.¡± Upon hearing his words, the other miners began to speak up. A few bold ones even stood up and expressed their desire to receive punishment on behalf of the child. ¡°Shut up!¡± As the discussion in the team became louder and louder, the supervisor-who was about to lose control of the situation-roared loudly, drowning out everyone¡¯s voices. There was a hint of thunder in his roar, and the surrounding air blinked with a few thin bolts of lightning. The miner team instantly fell silent. This supervisor was actually a magic chanter. He looked at Sigmonds with a livid expression. After a while, he turned to the child and said, ¡°Colt, in order not to affect today¡¯s progress, you will follow the mining team to the mine today, but you will continue receiving punishment when you return tonight. Come with me, Sigmonds. If any instance of you inciting the miners to question the Duke¡¯s authority happens again, get lost.¡± With that said, he hung the iron whip back at his waist, shook out the name roster, and continued calling out the remaining names. ¡°Huh?¡± When the supervisor finished counting everyone on the list, he discovered that another person had appeared at the back of the team. He walked in front of the person. Although that person wore the same uniform as the surrounding miners, his bearing was worlds apart from the people beside him. Perhaps it was because his figure wasn¡¯t that muscular, or perhaps it was because he didn¡¯t look dusty. Perhaps it was because his gray hair and silver eyes didn¡¯t match the people around him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you on the list?¡± ¡°I was transferred over yesterday.¡± The supervisor reminded him unhappily, ¡°I was transferred over yesterday, sir.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me sir.¡± 8 With that said, everyone held their breaths. 2 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 19 ? Chapter 19: Silverstream Mine Translator: CKtalon Compared to the previous, indecisive duke of Thorn City, Duke Simon was much tougher when it came to matters of personal interest. Sometimes, he even didn¡¯t hesitate to have friction with the royal family of the Riel Empire. For example, the ownership of the Silverstream Mine. Legally speaking, ever since Terra I conquered the Blackwater Kingdom and changed it to the Blackwater Province, the few larger Elementium Silver mines with the Silverstream Mine being the leading mine should¡¯ve been considered the royal family¡¯s assets. The city lord of Thorn City was only managing them on their behalf. However, the first thing Simon did after taking over as Duke of Thorn was to remove all the factions the royal family had planted in the Silverstream Mine, making it Duke Simon¡¯s private property. The royal family could only collect a trade tax on Elementium Silver exports every year. This matter had once caused the citizens of Thorn City to feel insecure. They were afraid that he knew no fear being young, Duke Simon would publicly oppose the royal family and stir up war on this cursed land again. But strangely, the royal family chose to compromise. They eventually signed a trade agreement that prioritized providing high-quality Elementium Silver ingots to the Imperial Battle Mage Academy and the Astral Council. The security in the Silverstream Mine were elite Bramble Guards. The miners were hired from locals without any background, and even the supervisor was assigned to his Palace Mages. To the duke, this industry was indeed firmly in his hands, but to the supervisors, they inevitably had a lot of complaints about being a supervisor in the mines despite being a magic chanter. This was especially so for the supervisor who was being provoked by the new miner in front of him. As a magic chanter with the title of Expert, he should¡¯ve been the attention of many in the palace or continued his research at the academy. He was sent to this mine to manage a group of dirty commoners because of a mistake in his political leanings. Nobody would have a good temper here. Therefore, the first rule he set here was that anyone who addressed him had to add ¡®sir.¡¯ Although it was difficult for him to acquire any sense of superiority from these miners, it could at least slightly alleviate the humiliation of being deployed here. As for the new transferred miner in front of him, he actually dared to joke with his rule. Everyone looked at the bold rookie. The supervisor didn¡¯t flare up immediately and said with a gloomy expression, ¡°Show me your transfer order.¡± Every miner who came to the Silverstream Mine would have their identity strictly reviewed by the Elementium Silver Chamber of Commerce. This prevented the possibility of other factions planting spies in the Elementium Silver mines. Even if they were transferred from other mines, they needed a transfer order with a rose seal. William took out a folded transfer order from his pocket. It was an empty piece of blank paper. It wasn¡¯t right to call it blank paper. The moment the supervisor opened it, dense words appeared on the paper, but they only appeared for an instant before disappearing. The supervisor¡¯s eyes also fell into a daze for a few seconds. When he came back to his senses, he folded the paper again as if nothing had happened and handed it back to William. ¡°Join the team first. We¡¯ll talk about your rebuttal when you return,¡± the supervisor said calmly. The surrounding miners looked at the supervisor in disbelief. When he turned his gaze over, they quickly lowered their heads. When did he become so good-tempered? ¡­ 5 He never expected that even the supervisor here was a magic chanter. Thankfully, he had prepared the Legendary spell, Seal of Confusion, in advance and not the Expert spell, Human Befuddlement. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been fooled. In the game, these two skills were only illusion-type skills. The effect was to make the enemy temporarily ignore him while he was in stealth. The only difference was that the former was effective on intellectual creatures below Lv. 50, while the latter could only be effective on humans below Lv. 20. But after transmigrating, William discovered that these two illusion skills were as described. They could confuse the thoughts of the target to a certain extent, but of course, it was only for an instant. They couldn¡¯t be controlled. However, it wasn¡¯t a problem for him to enter the mine. Rows of magic crystal lamps lit up the mine, and the miners entered one after another, putting on their personal gear in front of the elevator. William imitated the actions of the others and tied the rope to his body, but he did it messily. It took him a long time to tie it up. At this moment, the tall man named Sigmonds walked over. ¡°This goes from under before the knot is tied¡­¡± He patiently instructed William on how to wear the equipment needed to head down the well. ¡°The mining equipment in the mines in Thorn City should be about the same. Is this your first time in a mine?¡± After helping William put on his equipment, he asked casually. ¡°Yes, this is my first time in a mine. Can you explain the situation here?¡± Sigmonds looked at the man in front of him in surprise. Although he was only probing, he never expected him to have never entered a mine. It was unprecedented. How was it possible for a person who had never entered a mine to enter the Silverstream Mine? Even his old friend¡¯s child, Colt, was taught the ropes for a period of time before he truly started mining. Coupled with the supervisor¡¯s strange attitude after seeing the transfer order, Sigmonds couldn¡¯t help but suspect the identity of the person in front of him. It was rumored that Duke Simon had disguised himself as a miner and went to many mines to carry out an investigation before he ascended the throne. Of course, his goal wasn¡¯t to investigate the situation among the miners but to figure out the exact operations of the entire Elementium Silver industry so as to pave the way for him to completely regain its control. Then, who was this person who didn¡¯t look like a miner at all? With this in mind, Sigmonds shook his head inwardly. No matter who he was, he probably wouldn¡¯t effect any changes for them. 1 The battle between the Duke of Thorn and the Riel royal family 20 years ago seemed to have changed the situation in the entire Blackwater Province and affected the fate of countless nobles and bureaucrats. However, to the miners, it was just a change of slave owners. Even after the duke completely took power and sent the Bramble Guards and Palace Mages to be their managers, their lives seemed only to deteriorate. ¡°Are we going down from here?¡± William looked at the bottomless mine and asked. Sigmonds came back to his senses and replied, ¡°Yes, but we have to wait for the elevator. The superficial mineral veins have been dug clean, and we have to go deeper underground to find them.¡± As he spoke, a five-square-meter elevator that looked like an iron cage was raised. ¡°Like before, groups of ten will descend to Mine Path #9. Remember to turn on the magic crystal lamps only after you¡¯re down there to conserve energy. Each group will bring a cage of golden-tailed birds. If you find anything amiss with the birds, come up immediately.¡± After speaking to the crowd, Sigmonds spoke to William and the child named Colt. ¡°The two of you will follow me to the mine in Group 1.¡± The two nodded. With the sound of gears turning, the elevator slowly descended. ¡°You have to remember¡­¡± On the way down, Sigmonds suddenly spoke. ¡°Remember to soften your attitude in front of the supervisor when you return tonight. Although I don¡¯t know why he didn¡¯t flare up, he¡¯s quite a vengeful person. Don¡¯t anger him.¡± William smiled and asked a question that had nothing to do with the previous topic. ¡°I heard that the Silverstream Mine was temporarily sealed off not long ago. Do you know the reason?¡± ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t talk about this here.¡± 5 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 20 ? Chapter 20: Skull Temple Translator: CKtalon Sigmonds looked around nervously, but unfortunately, there were no lights on the way down, so he couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. ¡°Don¡¯t mention that here,¡± he whispered to William. ¡°Why?¡± William lowered his voice upon hearing that. The other party fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. Don¡¯t talk about it now.¡± After a few minutes, the gears clicked, and the elevator stopped. Ten orange beams of light lit up from the hands of the ten miners on the elevator, illuminating the originally dark mine. The main tunnel of Mine Path #9 looked wide enough for three trains to travel side by side, and the main tunnel was like a tree branch that split into many branches. Every intersection had a simple sign. There were spots on the stone walls of the mine that shimmered with faint silver light under the illumination of the mine lamps-ores that contained Elementium Silver. ¡°We¡¯ll be in charge of Path #3 today. Everyone, pay attention to the light and darkness of your magic crystal lamps. Don¡¯t go too deep inside alone. If the lights go out, retrace your steps. If you get lost, remember to shout for help. You have to keep an eye on the golden-tailed birds. Once anything amiss happens, inform everyone to gather here immediately.¡± Before walking out of the elevator, Sigmonds reminded everyone. Everyone sporadically answered him and walked into the distance. Sigmonds watched everyone leave before speaking to Colt, who he had been holding. ¡°Your leg is injured, so don¡¯t work too hard. Come in with me. I¡¯ll help you complete your work quota for today.¡± Colt shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need, Uncle Sigmonds. I only injured my leg, and it¡¯s only a superficial wound. It won¡¯t affect me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Come with us to the depths of the mine today. You¡¯re coming too.¡± He patted the youth¡¯s head and turned to speak to William. ¡°Don¡¯t mention this in front of those people. Many of their friends died in that accident.¡± ¡°Accident? The accident where Mine Path #7 collapsed?¡± William asked straightforwardly. ¡°That was a nightmare. In my opinion, the entire Silverstream Mine should have been sealed off before the reason is determined,¡± Sigmonds replied. ¡°About two months ago, we dug up a boneyard in Mine #7.¡± ¡°Boneyard?¡± ¡°In the beginning, someone claimed to have seen ghosts in the mine. In fact, this kind of thing isn¡¯t rare. After all, people die in the mines yearly due to all kinds of accidents. The corpses that die below can¡¯t be buried in Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, so ghosts often appear. Everyone gets used to it after a few times. Moreover, the Church sends clergymen down twice a year to organize large-scale blessings¡­ We¡¯re getting off-topic. In short, someone witnessed ghosts appear several times in a certain spot in Mine #7.¡± In this world where magic and gods truly existed, mortals had several directions for their souls after death. Most people would definitely return to the Wheel of the World to have their memories wiped out before reincarnating. If one were a Saint or fulfilled the conditions of some gods, such as dying in an honorable battle, it was also possible for them to enter the divine kingdom of the deity they believed in and obtain eternal life. Of course, if one signed a contract with some Void Sovereign or was targeted by the Void Sovereign because of certain characteristics, their soul might also be snatched away from them to the Moon Realm. As for leaving a ghost behind after death, it was a special state. When a person was blessed or cursed, or because their obsession was too strong, their soul might leave a specter in Currere after death. Since it was a specter, the ghost was only a shadow of the past. All they could do was repeat what they had said and done in the past. Other than being able to be used as extremely credible evidence in court, it basically couldn¡¯t have any substantial impact on the present. They couldn¡¯t even stay in Currere for long without the help of magic to stabilize their existence. 1 ¡°You¡¯re saying that those ghosts were dressed like they were in the Blackwater Kingdom?¡± William asked in surprise. According to the lore history Liliana had given him, the Riel Empire had conquered the Blackwater Kingdom about 800 years ago. In other words, those ghosts had existed for at least 800 years. For a ghost to exist for more than 800 years, it had to be something that contained powerful magic as a medium. ¡°Yes, in the beginning, we thought that the ghosts were the resentment of the miners who died in the mine. Later on, we discovered that they were dressed like ancient people. They were a little similar to the traditional clothes worn by people during the Blackwater Kingdom¡¯s New Year Festival every year.¡± Sigmonds continued, ¡°Although we reported it to the higher-ups, it didn¡¯t seem to attract much attention. Later on, we tried to excavate in the direction where the ghosts appeared. Finally, after excavating a layer of shale, we discovered a huge burial ground. Tens of thousands of fossilized skulls piled up into a temple, and the ghosts we saw previously were worshiping something.¡± 1 When Sigmonds thought of this, his expression turned adrift as he fell into his memories. ¡°A few of us were bold enough to enter, but I failed to persuade them. The ghosts ignored them at first, but when he approached the skull temple, all the ghosts crashed into it. An earthquake happened in Mine Path #7, and the few of them were instantly drowned by countless skulls.¡± As he spoke, he ruffled Colt¡¯s hair. ¡°The aftershocks of the earthquake caused the collapse of Mine Path #7. The rest of us were able to escape thanks to Colt¡¯s father lifting the broken support frame. For this, one of his legs was crushed, and one of his eyes was blinded by the flying shrapnel. Your father saved all of us, Colt.¡± ¡°Therefore, that place was subsequently sealed off?¡± William asked. Sigmonds nodded. ¡°Later on, the duke sealed off the entire Silverstream Mine for a month and sent people to investigate. It¡¯s said that after losing a Bramble Guard team, the duke sent three batches of adventurers to explore. The first two batches didn¡¯t return, and the third batch was the most famous Bramble Mercenaries in Thorn City. Only Chief Cass Durant came out alive. Of course, you should¡¯ve heard of what happened after that, right? He became a lunatic who killed others without a whim.¡± William recalled the warning Cass had left him when they met. The Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon that first appeared in the Silverstream Mine- ¡°The duke ultimately ordered the closure of Mine Path #7 and started the mining of Mine Path #9, which he previously found more difficult to mine. This is probably what happened. Now, can I ask you a question?¡± Sigmonds stopped in his tracks and looked at William. ¡°What¡¯s your true identity?¡± 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 21 ? Chapter 21: Mine Path #7 Translator: CKtalon William smiled and didn¡¯t answer Sigmonds¡¯s question. Instead, he asked him something completely unrelated. ¡°What do you think of your life now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sigmonds asked warily. If he was only suspicious previously, he was almost certain that the person in front of him wasn¡¯t a miner who had been transferred over. He had asked about the mine¡¯s blockade and asked about his situation in life. Even an idiot could tell that something was amiss. Could it be a spy sent by the duke? Or a spy from the royal family? From the other party¡¯s constant questions about the mine being sealed not long ago, the latter seemed more likely. Back then, the duke had relied on inciting the miners to riot to gain actual ownership of the Silverstream Mine from the royal family. Now, did the royal family want to use the excuse of the recent accident to give him a taste of his own medicine? ¡°Or perhaps I should ask you more directly, are you willing to continue living like this?¡± Seeing that Sigmonds didn¡¯t seem to plan on answering, William continued asking. These words convinced Sigmonds that the other party was from the royal family. ¡°As long as I live on without being embroiled in some inexplicable dispute or dying for no reason,¡± Sigmonds replied. Although he hadn¡¯t experienced the Silverstream Mine riot 20 years ago, he had heard from an old miner who had experienced it and understood how tragic it was. Back then, those miners were the vanguard. After making a huge sacrifice to help the duke regain ownership of the mine, the duke broke his original promise and exploited them even more. Never trust the promises made by those in power. 2 The old miner who had taught him had once said this to him before he died in a mining accident. ¡°Only by surviving can we live. If you want us to risk our lives for a promise that we don¡¯t know if you can keep in the future, I advise you not to ask further. We¡¯re only here to earn a living and don¡¯t want to cause ourselves too much trouble.¡± Sigmonds continued. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that the supervisor outside calls you a ¡®Mr. Nice Guy.¡¯ Did you become the person in charge here by not causing trouble or suffering punishment in the stead of others?¡± William looked at him and spoke in a mocking tone. ¡°There¡¯s no need to goad me. I won¡¯t fall for it.¡± At this moment, they were walking along the tunnel. The sound of shovels and ores constantly sounded from ahead. As Sigmonds spoke, he took off the shovel hanging at his waist. ¡°Times have changed, and it¡¯s completely different from 20 years ago. Back then, the people here could rely on shovels and explosives to attack the supervisors and guards here and rely on their own strength to seal off this mine, but what about now?¡± Sigmonds pointed above his head. ¡°The duke relied on this to earn his wealth back then. Do you think he will let this happen again? You saw it when you came in previously. The guards here are elite Bramble Guards, and the supervisor is a magic chanter with the title of Expert. What do you expect us to do? To throw our lives away?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t asking about that,¡± William replied. ¡°From the beginning to the end, I¡¯ve been asking you if you can accept the current situation.¡± Sigmonds fell silent. He only spoke after taking a few more turns in the tunnel. ¡°You asked me if I could accept it. We are ordered around like dogs, and we are whipped because we didn¡¯t add the word ¡®sir.¡¯ If we die inside, our corpses can¡¯t even be buried in the cemetery to rest in peace. Of course, I can¡¯t f*cking accept it, but so what? Can this f*cking reality change?¡± His tone was very calm. The other party¡¯s next words almost choked him. ¡°If the entire Silverstream Mine is handed over to you to manage, are you confident that you can manage it well?¡± 2 ¡°What?¡± Sigmonds felt that he must¡¯ve heard wrongly. ¡°I said, would you feel fine if I handed the entire mine to you?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°This is because you don¡¯t have the experience of managing an Elementium Silver refinery.¡± William gave a matter-of-fact answer, but it was obvious that that wasn¡¯t what he wanted to ask. ¡°So you¡¯re really from the royal family¡¯s faction and want to incite the miners to riot again?¡± Sigmonds made it clear. ¡°I just want the ownership of this mine. There¡¯s no need for you to riot. I¡¯m asking this because I need someone capable to help me manage this place,¡± William said calmly. ¡°Is this what your superiors want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any superiors. This is my will.¡± Sigmonds was stunned for a long time before asking, ¡°Therefore, we¡¯ll return to the previous question. Who are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not time for me to say my real name, but you can call me Presiding Judge.¡± 1 ¡°Then, Your Excellency, may I ask what gives you the confidence to make the duke hand over this mine and even the Elementium Silver refinery to you?¡± Now, Sigmonds began to wonder if the person in front of him who claimed to be Presiding Judge was a lunatic. ¡°You¡¯ve all been duped,¡± the person suddenly said. ¡°How?¡± Sigmonds asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Mine #7 was sealed off because of the excavation of a skull temple from the Blackwater Kingdom two months ago?¡± As William spoke, he raised his voice so that the sound of those digging could still hear clearly. ¡°Therefore, we¡¯re excavating Mine Path #9. Is there anything wrong?¡± At this moment, they happened to turn a corner and walk into a wide area. William looked at everything in front of him and said coldly, ¡°But when I came in, I clearly saw the sign saying Mine Path #7.¡± 2 At this moment, they were outside an open hall. All the miners who had gathered outside had entered the hall from different forks. Everyone¡¯s eyes were lifeless as they mechanically excavated the rock walls. In the middle of the hall were countless fossilized skulls. More than ten phosphorescent spirits floated in the air, and glowing threads extended from their bodies to connect to the heads of every miner. Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! The sound of a shovel hitting the rock wall kept echoing. Sigmonds first looked at the strange scene in front of him with a matter-of-fact expression before looking strangely at William beside him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Mine Path #9? Is there anything wrong?¡± Pfft¡­ An ordinary straight sword had appeared in William¡¯s hand at some point. Before Sigmonds could react, the sword sank deep into the throat of the youth named Colt he had been holding. ¡°You¡­¡± Everything happened too quickly. For a moment, Sigmonds didn¡¯t even know if he should rush over and fight the man to the death or try to save the youth first. ¡°You don¡¯t even know that you were sold to a Lunar Monster.¡± With that said, William drew his straight sword, and Colt collapsed. 2 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 22 ? Chapter 22: Moon Realm Worship Translator: CKtalon ¡°You¡­¡± Sigmonds pointed at the person in front of him with a trembling finger and opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t die,¡± William-who had drawn his sword-said calmly. As if to verify his words, the youth named Colt coughed. ¡°How did he¡­¡± The remaining half of Sigmonds¡¯s sentence was blocked by the straight sword that had stabbed into his throat. The person who called himself the Presiding Judge looked down at him, and a faint silver light seeped out of his eyes. A magic chanter¡­ This person is a magic chanter. It was a strange feeling to have an iron sword deep inside his throat. Sigmonds found it difficult to breathe, and the smell of blood spread in his mouth. What happened? Chi¡­ The sword was pulled out of his throat. He subconsciously touched his throat, but he realized that there was no blood on his hand. A strange feeling of something crawling deep in his throat surged. Intense nausea made him kneel on the ground and vomit with both hands on the ground. Mixed with saliva, gastric juices, and blood, a palm-sized spider spat out from his mouth. The moment it fell to the ground, it curled up into a ball and trembled slightly. Soon, it stopped struggling. Colt-who had fallen to the ground beside him-was also coughing violently. Sigmonds turned to look at him. Amidst the youth¡¯s panting cough, a curled-up spider was also coughed out. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Look at where you are now,¡± William said. Sigmonds looked up and saw everything not far away. In his memory, this should be the narrow passageway in Mine Path #9. But now, he was at the door of a hall. A small mountain of skulls stood in the middle of the hall, and more than ten glowing spirits floated in the air. The tapping of the shovels had stopped at some point, and dozens of miners stopped what they were doing and looked at the three of them. 1 And in front of the mountain of skulls were three goddess statues that emitted an indescribably foul aura. One was a statue of a voluptuous girl with a beautiful face, but her skin was festering; one was a statue of an empress wrapped in a tattered black robe with eight spider legs on her back and a silver crown on her head, and the last was a statue of a dancer covered in a layer of alluring gauze. Half of her face was that of a wrinkled elder, and the other half was that of a young and beautiful girl. ¡°Mine Path #7? That ruin? How is this possible? I remember I was clearly in #9¡­¡± Sigmonds muttered to himself before his gaze landed on the spider he had spat out. ¡°Because of this?¡± ¡°The Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon will occupy a place filled with conspiracies. Once it parasitizes a person¡¯s body, it can distort their understanding,¡± William replied. ¡°In addition, you should be glad that you haven¡¯t been parasitized for too long. They haven¡¯t built a nest in your body. Otherwise, even Judgment 2 wouldn¡¯t be able to save you.¡± As he spoke, he swung the straight sword in his hand, leaving a line of dark-green liquid on the ground. Judgment 2 was probably referring to the name of the weapon in his hand. What a strange name. ¡°What¡­ are they?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said that they are Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons-a type of Lunar Monster. Have you heard of it?¡± Sigmonds shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I didn¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t know what a Lunar Monster was, but after seeing this temple, I have some idea.¡± As William spoke, he took out a magical medium from the spatial rift. Why were all the other deeds related to William Kane and the Doomsday Watchers passed down-be it sealing the Seven Calamities, repelling the expeditionary army of the Damon Continent, or purifying the Tide of the Undead which wreaked havoc across the continent circulated to this day? 1 But why didn¡¯t anyone know about his greatest achievements-leading the Doomsday Watchers to repel the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion three times? Even people these days didn¡¯t know what a Lunar Monster was. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ The Lady of Starvation, the Whispering Empress, and the Lord of Nightmare. These three are the Void Sovereign¡¯s faith that once wreaked havoc in the Blackwater Kingdom. Their former temples should¡¯ve been overturned by the Doomsday Watchers. Their former faith should¡¯ve been wiped out, but they¡¯ve been unearthed again and are now being worshiped.¡± The man who claimed to be the Presiding Judge seemed to sigh with emotion. His eyes seemed to be recalling something very distant. Doomsday Watchers? Sigmonds used to work in a tavern when he was a child, and he often heard bards singing epics of valor from ancient times. Therefore, he had naturally heard of the Doomsday Watchers, the name of the group of heroes who had saved the Vic Continent many times. But what did they have to do with all of this? In the hall, the dozen or so spirit bodies landed one after another. They roughly maintained a human form, but wailing human faces constantly appeared on their bodies. The dozens of miners held their shovels and surrounded them warily. ¡°Hey, are they also controlled by those spiders? Also, what are those ghostly things? Will they attack us?¡± Sigmonds helped Colt up and kept retreating as he asked. ¡°You might not believe me, but the Moon Realm actually doesn¡¯t want to destroy Currere.¡± The person went forward and said something baffling. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sigmonds asked in confusion. ¡°The Moon Realm is the reflection of thoughts. They exist thanks to Currere. In other words, if all intellectual creatures in Currere are wiped out, they will also be destroyed. Therefore, what they pursue isn¡¯t simply destruction, but expanding the influence of their domain among mortals. For example, the Lady of Starvation will hope that there will be more hunger and abnormal rot in this world. Another example is the Whispering Empress¡¯s wish for mortals to have more schemes, betrayals, and assassinations.¡± William tapped the staff in his hand gently. ¡°Other than a few natural destructive freaks who symbolize destruction, most of the rulers of the Moon Realm-the Void Sovereigns-don¡¯t like to personally participate in the conquest of Currere. They prefer to secretly manipulate other mortals to strengthen their domains. For example, the former Blackwater Kingdom was famous for scheming and assassinations and the study of necromancy spells back then. The root cause is the faith of the Lady of Starvation and the Whispering Empress that flourished back then.¡± In fact, it wasn¡¯t just the Blackwater Kingdom. Back then, all the nobles in the Vic Continent secretly idolized the Moon Realm, and all kinds of cruel black magic rituals appeared endlessly in upper-class society. The rulers might even deliberately wage war or artificially create a famine just to please the Void Sovereign they believed in and seek their favor. Using the suffering of his citizens in exchange for strength and the stability of his rule was much easier than working hard to become an outstanding ruler. Back then, the main plot of the early and mid stages of Doomsday Watchers was for the protagonist¡¯s team to travel between the seven kingdoms on the continent and expose the Moon Realm believers hiding among the high-ranking figures for public judgment. The names of the 13 judges gradually became famous until the last day before the game¡¯s plot ended. Therefore, all the factions that the Moon Realm worshiped on the Vic Continent were uprooted by them. And through the signing of the Gray Castle Agreement, the Void Sovereigns promised not to take the initiative to spread their faith in Currere. And a thousand years later, William saw such a scene in front of him- statues of three Void Sovereigns hidden deep in the mine, the miners parasitized by Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons, and the Nightmare Evil Spirits summoned from the vengeful spirits of the innocent dead. All of this told him that the Moon Realm faith had risen again a thousand years later. Why was it that only his achievements in repelling and sealing the Moon Realm were wiped from history? This was the answer. ¡°At the end of the day, we are back at square one¡­¡± William let out a long sigh and raised the magical medium in his hand. Lightning flashed over it. ¡°Then, won¡¯t I have to clear the levels again?¡± 4 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 23 ? Chapter 23: I¡¯ll Kill You Translator: CKtalon The magical medium struck the ground, and a crisscrossing net of lightning spread along the ground. Everyone who came into contact with the lightning kneeled on the ground as if they had suffered immense affliction. As for the evil spirit floating in midair, it was pulled to the ground by lightning. The lightning restrained everyone from moving. William slowly walked forward with the weapon in his hand, Judgment 2. ¡°Some people have been parasitized for too long. A portion of their body has been modified into the structure of a Lunar Monster. I can¡¯t guarantee that everyone can be saved, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Halfway there, William turned around and spoke to the two people behind him as if he had recalled something. There were a total of 12 Judgment arms, and all of them were personally forged by the Void Sovereigns. Every one of them had a special effect on Lunar Monsters, and the Lunar Monsters it killed weren¡¯t banished to the Moon Realm but left truly dead. However, because they were essentially Moon Realm in nature, these weapons couldn¡¯t injure the Currere living beings. William had also relied on the nature of the Judgment arm to pierce through Sigmonds and Colt¡¯s throats, killing the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons in their throats without injuring them. William never expected his turning back to save the two of them. 3 A bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket attacked the two people behind him. William hurriedly waved his magical medium, and a thick Frost Barrier instantly condensed, blocking the backs of Sigmonds and Colt. In an instant, dazzling silver lightning erupted, illuminating the entire Skull Temple as if it were daytime. The Frost Barrier was shattered by the lightning, but its might was completely negated. The Frost fragments condensed from magic quickly dissipated into white mist. William waved the magical medium in his hand, and a weak wind blew away the mist. A person walked in from the tunnel behind. He wore an evil robe, had an iron whip at his waist, and held a twisted black staff. 3 This person was the supervisor from before. ¡°I was almost fooled by you. What Illusion spell did that piece of paper use that even an Expert-level magic chanter like me was fooled?¡± With that said, the person looked around the hall. He first confirmed that the three Void Sovereign statues in the middle of the hall were intact, then looked at the miners and evil spirits imprisoned on the ground by the lightning net. Then, he casually swept his gaze across the pale Sigmonds and Colt. Finally, he looked at William-who had blocked his strike-with a slightly solemn expression. ¡°A Lv. 7 lightning spell, Mute Trap, and a Lv. 6 Frost spell, Ice Barrier. Coupled with an unknown illusion that can have an effect on me, are you an Expert Sage from the Astrology Constellations? Are you a spy sent by the royal family or an executor of the Holy Spirits Church?¡± William shook his head and was about to speak when the other party nodded slightly at him. ¡°Regardless of whether you¡¯re a spy sent by the royal family or an enforcer sent by the Holy Spirits Church since you¡¯ve seen the situation here, there are only two choices for you.¡± As he spoke, he extended two fingers. ¡°First, try walking out of the mine tunnel behind me. Then, you will die in this mine due to the mine tunnel¡¯s collapse. Nobody will find out the truth behind your death. Second, turn around and make a secret oath to the three goddesses before leaving as if nothing had happened. This way, you will most likely be able to see the sunlight outside.¡± ¡°Someone else who made me make such a choice last time has been dead for more than 7 days,¡± William replied. The supervisor¡¯s lips twitched. Although he didn¡¯t understand what he meant, the rejection in the other party¡¯s tone was very obvious. ¡°Moreover, if you really wanted to let me go, you wouldn¡¯t have silently used a killer move at the level of Dragon Lightning Spear, right?¡± As expected, his thoughts had been seen through¡­ The supervisor sighed subtly. After he placed the newcomer in the mine, he felt that something was amiss. He kept feeling that there was something wrong with the transfer order he had just seen, but he couldn¡¯t recall what was wrong. To be precise, he couldn¡¯t even remember what was written on the transfer order afterward. The feeling of his mind being out of touch with reality was very similar to the experience he had when he was under the Illusion spell-Calm. What happened in front of him clearly infuriated him, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. After sensing that he was in the right state, he immediately changed into a set of combat equipment and went down to the secret Mine Path #7 to investigate. If the church or the royal family discovered that Duke Simon was secretly holding a Moon Realm worship ceremony in the mine, this matter would blow up. In the end, he happened to see the other party eliminate the arachne in Sigmonds and Colt¡¯s bodies. His heart turned cold. Thankfully, he could make up for it. He just needed to burn him and the two people who had escaped the arachne¡¯s control to ashes. Taking advantage of the fact that the three of them weren¡¯t paying attention to him, he released a Lv. 7 lightning spell, Dragon Lightning Spear. The other party happened to turn his head and release a Frost-type spell at an incomprehensible speed to block the strike. From the strength the other party displayed at that moment, he believed that he didn¡¯t have the confidence to defeat him. When the other party rejected his suggestion to negotiate, he fell into complete panic. He originally thought that he could suppress this matter. As long as he swore to the three goddesses, he would be able to make up for his mistake when he explained his dereliction of duty to the duke and wouldn¡¯t be sent further away. From the looks of it, there was nothing he could do about it. He could only create an accident here and destroy all the evidence. ¡°So, are you really going to reject my suggestion? Let me first make it clear-if you accept my suggestion, only the two people who escaped need to die. The other miners will only be brainwashed with altered memories and completely forget everything that happened today. But if you resist stubbornly, all the miners in this hall will be buried with you. Are you sure you want these innocent people to die because of you?¡± The supervisor tried one last time to persuade him and took out a Demon Sealing rune made of Elementium Silver from his robe. As long as he crushed this rune, he could inform his colleagues in the Rose Palace¡¯s Battle Mage Hall to provide reinforcements. At the same time, doing so would ruin his future with the duke. However, the other party only shook his head gently. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. Only one person here will die today.¡± As the other party spoke, he pointed his staff at him. ¡°That¡¯s you.¡± He didn¡¯t care too much about the other party¡¯s harsh words. Instead, he crushed the rune in his hand with a heavy heart. A Teleportation nexus had long been planted in this hall. Reinforcements would arrive in seconds. He partially felt heavy-hearted about his future and partially felt confident about killing the person in front of him. The two of them stared at each other for about a minute. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com The reinforcements didn¡¯t arrive. 2 0 Chapter 24 ? Chapter 24: Three Sovereigns Translator: CKtalon ¡°Why is this¡­¡± The supervisor looked around. The lightning he had imagined from Teleportation didn¡¯t appear. ¡°Finding it strange?¡± William asked. Without waiting for the other party to answer, William appeared beside the supervisor the next moment. He gently placed a hand on the other party¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? You¡¯re the only one who will die here today. There¡¯s no need for you to get a few more people to send themselves to their deaths.¡± Why? When? How? Cold sweat instantly trickled down the supervisor¡¯s forehead as he stammered. ¡°You¡­ Wait a moment. I¡¯m Duke Simon¡¯s Palace Mage. If I die, the duke will quickly find out. When that happens, you will be on the wrong end of Thorn City¡­¡± ¡°Oh, so?¡± Before he could say anything else, the lightning in the hand on his shoulder pulsed. With a plop, his knees went limp and he kneeled on the ground. The lightning made him lose consciousness. ¡°Are you¡­ crazy? This is a Palace Mage sent by the duke!¡± Sigmonds finally came to his senses when he saw the person who called himself the Presiding Judge lay the supervisor on the ground. The other party¡¯s subsequent actions made his scalp tingle. A sharp icicle appeared in that person¡¯s hand and trembled slightly at the supervisor¡¯s neck. Too many things had happened in the mine today that exceeded his understanding. Be it this Skull Temple, the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon in his throat, or the alterations to what he knew over the past two months. Previously, his mind had been in a buzzing state. Perhaps it was because those things were too distant from what he usually came into contact with, but even seeing them with his own eyes felt visceral. But when he saw that the Presiding Judge was planning on killing the duke¡¯s Palace Mage, he finally found something he could understand and came back to his senses. He knew very well what it meant to kill a registered mage, especially a palace-registered mage. William turned his head and glanced at Sigmonds. The icicle in his hand didn¡¯t stop and stabbed through the supervisor¡¯s throat. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± the person asked. Looking at the supervisor who was no longer breathing, Sigmonds trembled and took a deep breath. ¡°Every registered mage has a recording spell named ¡®Resound.¡¯ That spell is connected to the Astral Lighthouse, and it will record the last scene he saw before his death. Duke Simon has the authority to check the records in the Astral Lighthouse. He will soon know that you killed a Palace Mage. When that happens, you will be wanted in the entire Blackwater Province.¡± A magic chanter was an extremely precious existence in this era. Due to the number of Astral Lighthouses and the density of the ether circuits built in the Astral World, the total amount of magic power Astral Laws could guide into Currere from the Astral World was very limited. Therefore, the number of registered mages who could use that magic power was also very limited. According to the public data of the Platinum Ring Alliance, the entire Astral Laws system could only maintain the existence of about 20,000 mages at the same time, and there were only about 12,000 legally registered mages on the Vic Continent. Compared to the population of Vic Continent, those people could be considered one in a million elites. Bloodline, resources, talent, and diligence-only people with multiple characteristics or even all four could become a true mage. It was precisely because mages were so precious and rare that the laws of the Empire clearly stipulated that killing registered mages was an absolutely unforgivable capital crime. Typically, the person who could kill a mage was often another mage. Therefore, there was an entire chapter in the Astral Laws about reducing the instances of mages killing one another: for example, it strictly stipulated the appropriate situation and combat rules for mages¡¯ battles to minimize the number of casualties in a duel between mages. For example, when registering as a mage at the Astral Lighthouse, the Awakening mentor would set up a spell named ¡®Resound¡¯ in every mage¡¯s ether domain. Firstly, it made those who wanted to murder a mage think twice. Secondly, even if a mage was killed, the local law enforcement department could determine the murderer¡¯s identity based on the last scene they saw before their death. ¡°Interesting, but this isn¡¯t knowledge a miner should know, right?¡± After hearing his explanation, the other party didn¡¯t seem very worried about accepting his fate of being wanted. Instead, he was a little curious as to why he knew so much about magic chanters. ¡°Where did you learn about the technique, Resound?¡± Sigmonds saw that the other party didn¡¯t panic at all and hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°I once had a magical affinity. I even attended the preparatory class at Offa University.¡± ¡°What does ¡®once¡¯ mean? I¡¯ve never heard of magical talent disappearing.¡± Sigmonds smiled sadly when he heard that. ¡°Of course, it didn¡¯t disappear. It was bought.¡± ¡°Bought?¡± William¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it happened either. My mother was seriously ill back then, but going to the Church for treatment required a huge donation. A masked mysterious person approached me and asked if I was willing to sell my magical talent to him.¡± Sigmonds fell into his memories as he spoke. ¡°Because I was in urgent need of money, I agreed to it. He took out a transfer contract and got me to sign it with blood. Then, he used a serrated dagger to carve a mirror image of my constellation on my chest. He gave me ten gold riels afterward. From that day onward, my perception of magic became worse and worse. About a year later, I couldn¡¯t sense the existence of any magic even in the Astral Lighthouse. It was also at that time that I was dissuaded by Offa University to continue and came here after many transfers.¡± As the other party recounted his past, William used the spell, Magic Detection, to briefly detect Sigmond¡¯s mana fluctuations. Ordinary people¡¯s ether domains formed a human-shaped outline that wrapped around their bodies like mist, while the ether domains of magic chanters focused on the brain or heart before flowing with magic power to circulate in their bodies. However, Sigmond¡¯s ether domain consisted of a few stars on his chest that formed an inverted constellation map. Magic constantly dissipated from it. His perception of the astrological constellations was grafted to others, causing him to be unable to accumulate more magic power in the ether domain. It was like a constantly leaking bucket. In theory, if he relied on meditation to construct his own circuit in the ether domain and didn¡¯t rely on his fate to resonate with the Astral Laws, he could still recover his magical talent. However, he would completely lose his talent in the few spells in the fate constellation. Of course, this would also make him a so-called heretical mage. ¡°What happened later?¡± With this in mind, William continued asking. ¡°What later?¡± Sigmonds asked curiously. ¡°What happened to your mother? Was she saved?¡± Sigmonds lowered his head when he heard this question. ¡°No. Back then, one of the patients sent in had bloodsucker fever. The Priest didn¡¯t notice in time or carry out the quarantines, and that night, the patient acted up and killed all the patients. He ran away after completing the vampire¡¯s advancement ceremony.¡± ¡°Have you ever regretted it?¡± William looked into Sigmonds¡¯s eyes and asked. ¡°What regret? Regret saving my mother?¡± ¡°Regretting giving up the chance to become a magic chanter,¡± Sigmonds looked into William¡¯s eyes seriously and said. ¡°I do regret not having the chance to become a magic chanter, but it¡¯s not for any other reason. It¡¯s because I¡¯ve forever lost the chance to kill that vampire with my own hands.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± William nodded, then patted the other party on the shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s good?¡± William suddenly changed the topic and looked at the supervisor he had killed. ¡°Weren¡¯t you very curious about why I dared to kill this Palace Mage? To be honest, I didn¡¯t know about that spell named ¡®Resound¡¯ before you told me about it.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± ¡°Of course, even if I knew about this, I would still have killed him. This is because if I don¡¯t kill him, the thing hiding in his body won¡¯t be exposed.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± A stream of flames shot out from William¡¯s magical medium. Just as the nearly white flames were about to touch the supervisor¡¯s corpse, a black miasma suddenly spread out, dissipating the flames. The supervisor¡¯s originally silent corpse staggered to its feet like a marionette. ¡°So you¡¯ve already sensed it? How boring. I originally planned on letting my children empty out everyone here after you left.¡± A hoarse voice sounded from the supervisor¡¯s penetrated throat. Then, the corpse began to convulse and morph. It was as if something was treating the corpse as a cocoon that was about to hatch. With a heart-palpitating sound of flesh tearing, a Lunar Monster with a lithe upper body and eight spider legs tore out of the corpse. A thick miasma spread around her, covering her private areas. The Whispering Empress¡¯s spawn-Webweaver. ¡°Then, when you return, you will see them waiting for you calmly. Before you can heave a sigh of relief, everyone will suddenly shatter into pieces. When that happens, I guess your expression will definitely be very interesting, am I right?¡± ¡°When I saw the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon, I knew that there were definitely Webweavers. They are like Subdemons to Stumbling Demons-they are all fragments of the power of powerful Lunar Monsters,¡± William replied calmly. The Webweaver stretched its limbs, and the thick miasma condensed into a barbed spear in her hand. ¡°Gosh, I never expected someone to know the characteristics of a Webweaver. I originally thought that all information related to the Webweaver race had been destroyed after the Astral Laws were promulgated.¡± ¡°Was that supervisor your contractor?¡± William asked. The beautiful Webweaver chuckled. ¡°Do you think that if he were, you would only need to destroy the statue of my master behind you to banish me back to the Moon Realm? I¡¯m sorry to tell you that he isn¡¯t. My true contractor only wanted me to possess him as the last insurance to protect this temple.¡± Sigmonds felt a chill down his spine when he heard this. The evil being in front of him was actually summoned by Duke Simon, so everyone here today was doomed. Duke Simon wouldn¡¯t allow the secrets here to be exposed no matter what. ¡°There¡¯s probably something wrong with Duke Simon¡¯s head to sign a contract with the Whispering Empress, who symbolizes conspiracy and betrayal.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t escape despite seeing a high-level Moon Realm spirit. I think there¡¯s something wrong with your brain.¡± William smiled and didn¡¯t before continuing. Therefore, what¡¯s Duke Simon¡¯s goal in digging up this temple? Since he dares to sacrifice to the three Void Sovereigns at the same time, I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s just digging up more Elementium Silver. The Webweaver strolled around William. When she heard this question, she stopped and blocked the three goddess statues behind her. ¡°Are you trying to get information out of me?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, you can choose to fight first.¡± As William spoke, the magical medium in his hand lit up. ¡°Hehehe, you¡¯re really interesting. I¡¯m a little curious about who you are now. The Paladins from the Demon Burial Machinery are all crazy, and the Demon Hunters from the Obliteration Tower don¡¯t even have personalities. There are only two organizations that have access to Moon Realm knowledge, but you don¡¯t look like one. Could it be that you¡¯re also a Moon Realm contractor?¡± As it spoke, it smiled charmingly at William. ¡°Well, I swore never to reveal my contractor¡¯s goals. Therefore, although I want to tell you the full extent of my great undertaking and admire your terrified and despairing expression, it¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t do it at all.¡± So is that really the case? William sighed slightly. He felt that the situation was much worse than he had imagined. Since there were three Void Sovereign statues here, it meant that Duke Simon definitely didn¡¯t just sign a contract with the Whispering Empress. Although he wasn¡¯t too sure what the so-called ¡®great undertaking¡¯ he needed to complete by signing a contract with the three Void Sovereigns was, William had seen what the three of them could do together in-game. The three troublesome and petty goddesses had once joined forces to sink an island that housed hundreds of thousands of people to the bottom of the sea because they weren¡¯t willing to publicly believe in ¡®Them.¡¯ ¡°Therefore, dear, can you tell me which organization you belong to? Is it Demon Burial, Obliteration Tower, or another Moon Realm parish?¡± the Webweaver stroked the spear and asked him. ¡°Is there a possibility that I¡¯m actually a member of the Doomsday Watchers?¡± The Webweaver chuckled. ¡°Hahahahahaha, you are a funny one. Doomsday Watcher? This happened 800 to 900 years ago, right? Have you heard too many bard stories?¡± William raised the sword in his other hand-Judgment 2-a weapon that could truly eliminate Lunar Monsters. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be direct. I¡¯m a Doomsday Watcher and a member of the 13 judges.¡± 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 25 ? Chapter 25: Webweaver and Chess Game Translator: CKtalon The Whispering Empress¡¯s Moon Realm domain was called the Nest of Threads. Legend had it that every mortal¡¯s conspiracy in Currere would turn into threads there before finally converging into an endless spiderweb. The Whispering Empress entrenched herself in the center of the spiderweb, and all the threads gathered in Her hand. She felt the trembling of all the conspiracies in this world, and then ordered the Webweavers to constantly weave this net of conspiracies, allowing the conspiracies to all change according to Her will. In the game, the Whispering Empress and her spawn always left riddles everywhere in an unfathomable manner as if everything was in their control. And when they did things, they liked to constantly introduce endless twists. All kinds of exquisite plans were interlinked, and they were as complicated and precise as the Rube Goldberg machinery. Moreover, they were gratuitous and useless. However, what made the Whispering Empress even more famous was that Her seemingly perfect plans often collapsed at the last step due to a fatal mistake. Therefore, many players on the game forum mused that the Whispering Empress was the perfect example of having ¡®a plan work from beginning to end, only to crash and burn at the last step.¡¯ Of course, according to the Whispering Empress herself, She only cared about the complicated process of plotting. She didn¡¯t care too much about whether the conspiracy could be completed. It could be considered an exemplary model that only cared about the plowing and not the harvest. However, William felt that She was saying this purely to save Her reputation. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why She would fly into a rage out of humiliation every time Her plan was ruined. She would directly send more spawn to the battlefield, and sometimes, She would even personally take action. The Webweaver in front of William didn¡¯t have the strange joy it usually felt when speaking in riddles. Although it still had a polite smile on its face, from the fact that it was willing to stand up to him with its true body, he estimated that the other party¡¯s mind was on the precipice of collapse. After all, his appearance was definitely beyond the other party¡¯s expectations. ¡°Member of the 13 Judges?¡± The Webweaver¡¯s expression turned slightly solemn when it heard William¡¯s words. It wasn¡¯t strange for one to claim to be a member of the Doomsday Watchers. After all, their deeds back then had long sublimated to legend. Many organizations on the continent, including some empires¡¯ official organizations, would claim to be legacies of the Doomsday Watchers. However, being able to name the 13 Judges that had long disappeared from history meant something completely different. That was an existence that the 13 Moon Realm Void Sovereigns had once joined forces to wipe out Currere-even its most important quest on its trip here was to¡­ It immediately asked when it thought of this. ¡°Where did you hear this name?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? I¡¯m a member of the 13 Judges.¡± Liar¡­ 1 As the Webweaver that weaved a net of conspiracies for the Whispering Empress day and night, it had long understood the final outcome of the 13 audacious ones. Be it them or the heirs who were struggling to survive, it was impossible for them to come to this remote Thorn City. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± The Webweaver smiled after saying that. In the next second, it charged at the other party without any warning. It was as fast as an afterimage. When it was less than three meters away from the other party, it suddenly leaped up and stabbed at his head from above. Clang! William swung Judgment 2 to block the strike. At the same time, he released the Flame Spear he had channeled on the magical medium. The leaping Webweaver had no spot to gain leverage, so it was impossible for it to dodge the Flame Spear. However, under the reflection of the Flame Spear, its bewitching face revealed an expression that said: ¡°You¡¯ve been tricked.¡± Its lower body¡¯s slender and powerful spider legs tapped gently, and the spider silk intertwined in the air emitted a faint glow in the flames. The Webweaver stepped on a spiderweb that had been woven at some point in time and dodged William¡¯s Flame Spear. Then, it flipped over and circled to a blind spot in William¡¯s line of sight. There wasn¡¯t enough time for the Webweaver to turn around. The miasma condensed into a pitch-black dagger in its other hand before it did a backhand stab. Although it couldn¡¯t confirm with its eyes, the dagger still stabbed accurately at William¡¯s neck. The feeling of a successful stab came to its hand, but before it could savor it, an intense pain came from its back. ¡°Ah!¡± The Webweaver turned around in surprise and couldn¡¯t help but widen its eyes. A spatial door shimmering with lightning appeared in front of the man¡¯s neck. Its dagger didn¡¯t stab into his neck but into the spatial door. The Webweaver looked at the spot where the pain in its back came from. That person¡¯s magical medium was also pointed there, and another spatial door was opened. Its stab had gone through the spatial door, right back at itself. 4 Before it could get angry, the magical medium in that person¡¯s hand blinked again, and another Flame Spear was ready. The Webweaver immediately distanced itself before the spell took form. Before it could run a few meters, the Flame Spear whistled at its back. It stepped on the threads and raised a huge net to block the Flame Spear. Although the threads only blocked for less than 0.1 seconds before being incinerated, it gave it some time to react and dodge the strike. William looked at the other party¡¯s fleeing back and wasn¡¯t in a hurry to continue casting spells. Instead, he recalled the speed and strength of the other party¡¯s previous attacks. The Webweaver was an assassin-type Elite monster that was best at speed and attacking in-game. In terms of speed and attack power, it was much faster than the Stumbling Demon he had encountered previously. Even if he wanted to keep up with the other party¡¯s attack speed, he needed to be 70% to 80% focused. 1 Therefore, he secretly equipped himself with many Defense spells from the beginning-Mirror Folding, White Frost, Dragon Skin, Black Iron Body, and so on. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the time to change into a set of equipment with high defense. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you finish the chat before fighting? You give off the impression of being very rude, understand?¡± After seeing that the Webweaver had distanced itself sufficiently, he spoke. His tone was so relaxed that it was as if the other party hadn¡¯t suddenly attacked him. ¡°You¡­¡± The wound on the Webweaver¡¯s back was slowly healing, but the Soul Erosion curse carried by the dagger had an effect on it. The pain of being bitten by many spiders constantly spread from the wound, causing it to grit its teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. If you¡¯re willing to tell me your goal for coming to Thorn City now and explain what those three Void Sovereigns are up to, I¡¯ll only exile you back to the Moon Realm.¡± As William spoke, he pointed Judgment 2 at the ground. ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to say it, say goodbye to your eternal life.¡± Only then did the Webweaver notice the ordinary-looking straight sword in his hand. Then, it looked in the direction the sword was pointing at-the corpses of the two Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons. That¡¯s right, corpses. After all, when the Lunar Monsters died in Currere, they should¡¯ve turned into black salt crystals and dissipated. How could their corpses be left behind? Unless¡­ Judgment gear? What kind of joke was this? How could there be such a coincidence? Two Judgment gear appeared in the small city of Thorn? Could this person really be a member of the 13 Judges? But which Judge¡¯s heir could he be? Or could he be a Judge himself? Could it be that he came to Thorn City for another set of Judgment gear? However, the Whispering Empress had spent a lot of effort adjusting and weaving the entire net of conspiracies, ensuring that no variables could appear in this city. Looking at the sword in the other party¡¯s hand that could truly kill it, the Webweaver gritted its teeth and made a decision. It would first use half-truths to calm the other party down before taking the opportunity to escape. Even if it had to commit suicide, he had to return to the Moon Realm and inform the empress of the appearance of a new set of Judgment gear. As long as it told Her this information, the Whispering Empress would forgive it even if it had violated the confidentiality oath. Having made up its mind, the Webweaver spoke. ¡°We are here because¡­¡± Unfortunately, before it could finish speaking, a bright silver nexus appeared under its feet, and a powerful whirlwind appeared out of thin air and blew it into the air. At the same time, four glacier spikes stabbed out from all directions, pinning it in midair and preventing it from moving. ¡°You¡­¡± It looked at William in panic. At this moment, seven or eight nexus of different colors appeared around him. ¡°Wait¡­ Wait!¡± Wind Blade, Thunderstorm, Fire, Ice Spike¡­ Seven or eight spells with different elements smashed into the Webweaver, causing it to explode. ¡°W-why?¡± On its deathbed, the Webweaver looked at the magic chanter walking in front of it and asked in confusion and indignation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that as long as I told you¡­¡± ¡°Trusting a Lunar Monster that symbolizes conspiracy and betrayal to tell me the truth? Do you think I¡¯m that stupid?¡± With that said, William stabbed the dying Webweaver. ¡°Can¡¯t I just ask your contractor about your goal?¡± The glacier spike turned into mana and dissipated, causing the Webweaver¡¯s corpse to collapse. William looked back at the completely stunned Sigmonds and Colt. ¡°I want to hire you and those miners to help me dig up a fortress. I¡¯ll pay you enough. Are you willing?¡± ¡­ 4 In the reception hall of Rose Palace. Duke Simon was playing a game of chess-King and Rebel-with a middle-aged man. He held ¡®King¡¯ while the other party held ¡®Invader.¡¯ ¡°Are you giving up the castle just like that?¡± The man removed the pawn chess pieces from the castle and replaced them with defectors. ¡°But your refugees were cut off by my knights.¡± Duke Simon calmly pushed the knight two steps forward and blocked the other party¡¯s refugee. ¡°This way, even if your traitors occupy the castle, it will only be an isolated city. My Forbidden Guard will be able to snatch it back in the next round.¡± The middle-aged man shook his head when he saw this. ¡°It was a dangerous move.¡± ¡°Sometimes, we have to take risks,¡± Duke Simon replied. ¡°Like now?¡± Duke Simon put down the chess piece in his hand and asked the person, ¡°Do you know why I always choose ¡®King¡¯ every time I play chess?¡± The middle-aged man replied, ¡°Because you¡¯re the king?¡± ¡°As there are always winners and losers in this world, I hope to stand on the side of the successful and accept the challenges of others from the perspective of a king,¡± the duke replied. ¡°You¡¯re already a king, the king of Blackwater Province,¡± the middle-aged man reminded. ¡°A king with a collar?¡± Duke Simon shook his head and continued, ¡°I won¡¯t stop until I get back the authority of the Blackwater Kingdom.¡± The middle-aged man sighed and stopped discussing this with him. He looked at the situation on the chessboard and thought for a long time. In the end, he could only shake his head helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve already lost this match. Duke, please allow me to take my leave.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment. Vincent, you can¡¯t be here today just to lose a game of chess to me, right?¡± Vincent von Bergman was a Master-level Sage from the Astrology Constellations and the Chief Palace Mage of the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall. He had been assisting Duke Simon before he ascended the throne and was his most trusted advisor. ¡°Your Highness, you understand what I want to ask. I also understand your answer through that game of chess,¡± Vincent lowered his head and said. ¡°Still harping on the Holy Sepulchre?¡± ¡°You and I have been to the depths of the Holy Sepulchre together and have seen the warnings above. You should know that that¡¯s not a power we can use.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s our only chance. Vincent, when did the warrior who once dared to fight the Empire¡¯s Platinum Ring become so¡­ cautious?¡± ¡°Retaking the Elementium Silver industry and using the Holy Sepulchre¡¯s legacy are two completely different things.¡± Vincent took a deep breath. ¡°You should remember that to stop that existence from awakening, the corpses of two Judges were buried there.¡± 4 ¡°Then, you should also remember that it¡¯s written on the Holy Sepulchre that the remnant will of that person is about to be obliterated. Why do you think I waited 20 years to carry out this plan?¡± ¡°Your Highness, please allow me to take my leave.¡± At this point, Vincent didn¡¯t say anything else. Instead, he bade farewell and turned to leave. He was halfway there when the duke suddenly asked, ¡°Is your daughter alright? I heard that she almost lost her life on an archeological expedition.¡± Vincent paused slightly. ¡°She has already returned to Offa University after her confinement. Previously, I transferred her away from the archeology department. She can forget about coming into contact with ancient tombs and ruins for the rest of her life.¡± ¡°Have you found the mage who saved her?¡± the duke asked. ¡°No, she hasn¡¯t been willing to say who he is, but that child has always been soft-hearted. I suspect that person is a heretical mage.¡± Speaking of his daughter, Vincent¡¯s usually serious voice became less tense. The duke nodded and sighed slowly. ¡°Sigh, Vincent, so all of this is because of your daughter?¡± Vincent didn¡¯t say another word and left the Rose Palace without looking back. 2 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 26 ? Chapter 26: Nightmare Maid Translator: CKtalon ¡°Do you think he noticed anything?¡± After Palace Mage Vincent left, Duke Simon stared at the remains of the chess game in a daze. An indistinguishable voice suddenly echoed in an empty seat. ¡°If he didn¡¯t sense anything, he wouldn¡¯t be Vincent, the Sage of Scorching Scars, who¡¯s known as the number one person below Legendary. Moreover, isn¡¯t this part of the plan?¡± the duke replied and turned around to put away the chessboard, but a hand stopped him. 1 A layer of dreamlike mist swirled around his hand. Its appearance constantly changed under the dense luster. Sometimes, it was as fair as a girl, and sometimes, it was as withered as an elderly. Duke Simon looked up. The owner of the arm was also wrapped in a thin layer of mist. Its appearance dynamically changed between ages as the mist swirled. The spawn of the Void Sovereign¡¯s Lord of Nightmare, Nightmare Maid. It was also one of the Moon Realm spirits who had signed a blood contract with him. ¡°He¡¯ll investigate the Holy Sepulchre himself. I know his personality,¡± Duke Simon said. ¡°I originally thought that you would think differently in light of the times you spent together. After all, he has assisted you for 24 years.¡± ¡°He¡¯s already old. He¡¯s only an old father who worries for his daughter. He¡¯s no longer the warrior who once dared to question the Astral Laws and resist the Empire¡¯s tyranny.¡± A faint smile appeared on the Nightmare Maid¡¯s face when she heard that. ¡°But you still worked hard to make him a warrior, right? Otherwise, how did that Stumbling Demon¡¯s contract medium land in David Obis¡¯s hands?¡± Duke Simon sighed speechlessly. The Nightmare Maid chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite curious. If the heretical mage that came out of nowhere hadn¡¯t stirred up trouble and Master Vincent really became a warrior again because of his daughter¡¯s tragic death, where are you going to find another magic chanter close to the Legendary domain to replace him as fuel for the King and Rebel Ritual?¡± Duke Simon didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he turned his head and looked through the window at the Astral Lighthouse. The Nightmare Maid first looked at the lighthouse in surprise before laughing uncontrollably. Its image rapidly changed with the laughter. ¡°Hahahahaha, that¡¯s really interesting. You actually planned on using the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s lampkeeper as fuel for the ritual. It¡¯s not only the Empire¡¯s royal family, but you even treat the Astral Council-which runs the Astral Laws-as an enemy? Looks like I have to sincerely thank that unknown heretical mage for saving his daughter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± Duke Simon replied. ¡°Once the plan goes into motion, it¡¯s only a matter of time before I fall out with the Astral Council. If the Blackwater Province wants true independence and wants to restore the glory of the Blackwater Kingdom back then, it doesn¡¯t just have to be independent in a secular sense. It also has to completely escape the Empire¡¯s control at the extraordinary and faith levels.¡± More than 800 years ago, the reincarnation of the great hero William Kane, Terra I, conquered the entire Vic Continent militarily and established the Riel Empire. There were countless factions that dared to challenge the Empire¡¯s authority. There were indeed examples of independent success in history. However, these factions only lasted for a short period of time before helplessly returning to the Empire¡¯s territory a few years later. The reason was that the secular regime was only a part of the Riel Empire. This behemoth called the Empire was simultaneously formed by the royal family, the Astral Council, and the Holy Spirits Church. These three pillars symbolized the secular, extraordinary, and faith. Duke Simon understood that if he wanted to fulfill the family¡¯s 800-year-old wish, he had to rebuild his three pillars. The heritage of the Holy Sepulchre was his only hope. ¡°After the ritual is successful and I control that army, I will reproduce the faith of the three goddesses in the Blackwater Kingdom and open up the Moon Realm¡¯s contract magic to replace the Astral Laws as the new magic foundation.¡± The Nightmare Maid didn¡¯t answer the duke. Instead, she gently pushed the piece that symbolized the sage away. ¡°King and Rebel; the rebel army can only become the new king after committing regicide. If you want to inherit the inheritance of the Blackwater King, you have to truly act as a rebel. How¡¯s the preparation at the Silverstream Mine?¡± Duke Simon smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll leave everything there to the Webweaver. It¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, the duke stopped. His expression changed drastically as he muttered to himself, ¡°How did this happen¡­¡± The Nightmare Maid asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The Webweaver just disappeared from my ether domain.¡± Before he could continue, the door to the reception hall was suddenly pushed open. ¡°Your Grace, the Astral Lighthouse has sent an urgent report. The Mage Hall¡¯s Resound spell was activated. It¡¯s the one you sent to the Silverstream Mine¡­¡± A herald rushed in and saw the Nightmare Maid who was constantly changing her form sitting beside him. ¡°Sir¡­ Sir, this is?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± The Nightmare Maid hooked her finger at the young herald, and the person walked towards it uncontrollably. ¡°Tell me, what did you see?¡± In the herald¡¯s eyes, the image of the woman shrouded in mist kept changing. Sometimes, she was young and beautiful, and at other times, she was old and ugly. Finally, her image changed to that of a noblewoman he liked. ¡°I see¡­¡± the herald held its hand and said in a daze. The next moment, the woman turned into a terrifying rotting corpse. It pulled the other party into its arms, opened its venomous mouth, and kissed him. With a smack, the herald turned into a pile of foam and disappeared, leaving behind clothes on the ground. After doing all of this, the Nightmare Maid bent down, picked up the person¡¯s clothes, and threw them into the fireplace. ¡°Mind if I do this without your permission?¡± ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to talk about this. How can the Webweaver suddenly¡­¡± the duke said anxiously. ¡°How about letting me take a look?¡± The Nightmare Maid flipped the herald¡¯s clothes with a fire poker and asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s already troublesome enough for a Moon Realm spirit to appear in the Silverstream Mine. I don¡¯t know who did it now. If it¡¯s a spy from the Church or the royal family, I must not make myself any more suspicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m different from that woman who only knows how to play tricks behind people¡¯s backs and who shows all her flaws when her schemes are exposed. No one will be able to see through my disguise.¡± Duke Simon pondered for a moment before ultimately shaking his head. ¡°No matter what, the other party has the strength to defeat the Webweaver. It¡¯s too risky for you to go. Control the King Slayer first. I have to ensure that the ritual can proceed as usual even in the worst case.¡± ¡°Then who do you plan on sending to the mine?¡± The duke frowned and thought for a while before saying, ¡°Follow the plan of the Silverstream Mine riots and send three squadrons of Bramble Guards and five Battle Mages to quell the riot. Master Vincent will lead the team.¡± With that said, Duke Simon sighed. ¡°Old friend, this is the last chance I¡¯ll give you.¡± 0 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 27 ? Chapter 27: Mason Order Translator: CKtalon ¡°Those people said they didn¡¯t want to go with you.¡± Sigmonds said to the person who called himself the Presiding Judge uneasily, ¡°Why? Are you dissatisfied with the remuneration I¡¯m offering?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Or do they not believe what I said is true?¡± ¡°How is that possible? They saw the monster¡¯s corpse.¡± After William killed the Webweaver, the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons in the miners¡¯ bodies were vomited out by them. A few miners with severely parasitic limbs had been modified into Lunar Monsters, and their modified limbs turned into black salt crystals and dissipated with the Webweaver¡¯s death. Fortunately, no one died from this. The few people with the deepest parasitism only became disabled. 2 The huge disparity between what they knew over the past two months and the current situation threw them into chaos. Many people couldn¡¯t calm down enough to understand anything until William released Wide Domain Serenity, allowing them to calm down. After a simple explanation, William arranged for Sigmonds and Colt to comfort the miners while he wiped out the imprisoned wraiths. Then, he walked to the small mountain of skulls for an inspection. He was very familiar with the way this skull was stacked into a temple. Back then, before he completely eliminated Moon Realm worship in the Blackwater Kingdom, this skull temple could be considered a semi-public Moon Realm worship altar. In the past, faith in the three Moon Realm goddesses was widespread in the Blackwater Kingdom. Many of the customs and habits that had been passed down to this day were also formed at that time. For example, burial and ancestral worship. This was because true necromancy spells existed in this world. To prevent zombies, ghosts, or water ghosts from wreaking havoc, cremation was popularized among the various races in the Vic Continent a long time ago. Only the Blackwater Swamp insisted on burials to this day. This was because the people here firmly believed that cremating the corpses of the dead would dissipate the souls of their ancestors and prevent them from communicating with them. Even though the Doomsday Watchers later exposed that this custom was largely a plot by the Lady of Starvation to expand her domain, and many of the so-called ancestral soul manifestations were just a disguise the Whispering Empress used to weave a web of conspiracies, most of the ancestral dreams were also a means for the Lord of Nightmare to use dreams to absorb the intense emotions of mortals. However, the practice that had lasted for a thousand years couldn¡¯t be changed so easily. Previously, when William was strolling around Thorn City, he realized that although the Holy Spirits Church could provide a full package of cremation and requiem ceremonies, most local residents would still choose to bury the dead in the graveyard outside the city. The temple made of skulls in front of him was a manifestation. Back when a natural disaster or war happened in the Blackwater Kingdom when a large number died without having the time to be buried, they would choose to bury only the heads and cremate the bodies to prevent an epidemic. As for a place like this where skulls were piled up, it was easy for the Moon Realm parish to use it for rituals. But why did it appear under the Silverstream Mine? More importantly, what was its goal here? William walked to the statue of the three goddesses, wanting to find some clues there. At this moment, Sigmonds walked over and told him that some miners weren¡¯t willing to accept his hiring conditions-excavating the ruins at three times the market price. ¡°Then why? I don¡¯t think they have the right to refuse.¡± William¡¯s words made Sigmonds¡¯s expression change slightly. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Presiding Judge, everyone here is very grateful to you for saving them. They all believe that you¡¯re a benevolent person¡­¡± William turned his head when he heard that. ¡°Do you mean that you think I¡¯m using kindness to hold them hostage, or that I¡¯m threatening them with strength?¡± ¡°Definitely not. Moreover, about half of the miners, including me, are willing to accept your commission, but the rest¡­¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± William sighed. ¡°They don¡¯t dare to follow me because they¡¯re worried that having killed a Palace Mage, I have completely angered Duke Simon, right?¡± Sigmonds nodded slightly. ¡°As long as one remains in the Blackwater Province, nobody will dare to disobey Duke Simon. Even if he deceived us and cast that unknown spell, he¡¯s still an overlord with the power to decide life and death¡­ Those people believe that leaving with you, the person who killed the Duke¡¯s Palace Mage, is a completely different matter.¡± ¡°Do you know why I said they don¡¯t have the right to refuse?¡± Sigmonds shook his head. William sighed softly. ¡°They won¡¯t survive if they don¡¯t follow me.¡± As he spoke, he looked at the miners who weren¡¯t willing to be hired by him. They gathered together and discussed amidst whispers. When they saw William look at them, they lowered their heads and bowed with fawning smiles. He shook his head deep down. ¡°It¡¯s easy to remove the shackles in the body, but it¡¯s impossible to remove the shackles buried in the soul.¡± William sighed and looked at Sigmonds. ¡°What about the rest who are willing?¡± ¡°Including those who are already injured and those who are willing to go to other provinces to make a living after this business.¡± ¡°What about you? Are you also planning to earn a living in other provinces after this business?¡± Sigmonds shook his head. ¡°Presiding Judge, I heard you claim to be a Doomsday Watcher, one of the 13 Judges. Although I don¡¯t know what the 13 Judges mean, from the monster¡¯s reaction and the strength you displayed, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something trivial.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°This might be my only chance.¡± ¡°A chance to make a name for yourself?¡± ¡°A chance for revenge.¡± Sigmonds enunciated each word. Then, he gritted his teeth and continued, ¡°And a chance to embark on the path of magic again.¡± William nodded, then took out six azure gems from his pocket. ¡°Many years ago, the Doomsday Watchers had a branch that specialized in forging weapons and building fortresses. It gathered the most outstanding architects, blacksmiths, enchanters, and alchemists on the continent. The fortress ruins you¡¯re going to excavate next were also made by them.¡± With that said, William threw the six gems into the air. They floated in midair, and sparking lightning connected them into a hexagon, outlining a rippling portal. ¡°This branch¡¯s name is the Mason Order. I¡¯ve asked around previously. This organization was disbanded by the Empire after Terra¡¯s conquest and no longer exists.¡± Seeing a portal suddenly open, the miners not far away exclaimed. As for Sigmonds, he couldn¡¯t help but fall into a daze as he looked at the dilapidated and ancient fortress on the other side of the portal. ¡°Signmonds, bring those who are willing to go through this door.¡± William said to the stunned Sigmonds. Without waiting for him to answer, he raised his voice and spoke in an extremely solemn tone, ¡°However, as long as you pass through this door, it means that the contract between us is signed.¡± 0 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 28 ? Chapter 28: Plan Translator: CKtalon ¡°Contract?¡± Sigmonds asked. For some reason, he felt his voice tremble. ¡°I want to rebuild the Doomsday Watchers, so the Mason Order as the logistics department naturally has to be rebuilt. I¡¯ll give you a month. If you can lead these people to completely excavate the Twilight Fortress in a month, it will prove your value. When the time comes, I¡¯ll personally confer you the title of mason-in-waiting.¡± Rebuilding the Doomsday Watchers? Who in the entire Vic Continent had the right to say this? Sigmonds didn¡¯t dare think too deeply, but a certain possibility made him tremble. Although he didn¡¯t know what kind of organization the Mason Order was, nor did he know what title ¡®mason-in-waiting¡¯ was, he knew that crossing this portal today was probably the greatest choice in his life. But was there a need to choose? He strode through the portal. The moment he crossed over, Sigmonds felt a slight prickling sensation that made his hair stand on end, but it was fleeting. Then, unlike the turbid and dull environment under the mine, a gust of fresh air assaulted his face. He found himself at a mountain pass. The dilapidated and majestic fortress stood not far away. He turned around and waved at the crowd on the other side of the portal, indicating that he was fine. When the other miners saw this, they also walked through. However, the Presiding Judge stood on the other end and didn¡¯t budge. After a while, when everyone walked over, he raised the magic medium in his hand, and deep darkness passed through the portal and landed in the empty space in front of the crowd. Three pitch-black nexuses appeared in the open space, and three tall knights rose from the nexuses. They were wrapped in heavy armor. One held a huge sword, one held a halberd, and the other held a huge ax. They stood still like statues and emitted a faint red light under their visors. Terror erupted from the crowd when they saw the three knights who suddenly appeared. Legendary summoning spell, Netherworld Knight. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid!¡± the Presiding Judge said. ¡°They are my servants. They will be your guards for the foreseeable future. If you encounter enemies, they will risk their lives to protect you.¡± The Presiding Judge¡¯s voice sounded through the portal. Then, he threw something at Sigmonds. Sigmonds caught it. It was a bundle packed to the brim. ¡°Paranor-Elven compressed food; one slice can last you three days. This is probably enough for all of you to eat for a week. I will subsequently open a special portal to transport supplies to you.¡± Sigmonds opened the package, revealing several exquisite boxes of food. He had heard of Paranor. It was a high-end luxury item for the Forest Elves of Emerald Province. It was even included in the tributes to the royal family every year. It was said that its flavor and taste would change according to the consumer¡¯s mood on the day. 2 This was truly noble food. Even a small piece of Paranor could be sold for dozens of gold riel in the Thorn City black market. If these boxes of Paranor were real, the value of these things was enough to hire them for ten years. Sigmonds weighed the box in his hand and only had one thought. He had made the right choice. ¡°If there¡¯s anything else you need, bring it up now.¡± The Presiding Judge on the other end of the portal said. ¡­ After William closed the Teleportation door, he turned around and looked at the remaining miners. ¡°It¡¯s not too late if you want to join.¡± In fact, if he only wanted to excavate ruins, there was no need for him to hire these miners. He only needed to spend more effort and time summoning various Elemental Souls to complete all of this. More efficient, fewer resources invested, and safer. However, he couldn¡¯t always do everything alone. Before coming to the Silverstream Mine, he had experienced three days of life in Thorn City. What he had seen in Thorn City over the past three days forced him to admit that he wouldn¡¯t be able to use his William Kane identity for a long time. He had actually vaguely sensed this after learning that he had transmigrated a thousand years to the future, but he subconsciously refused to admit it. As the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ leader, the Presiding Judge of the 13 Judges, the commander-in-chief of the Salvation Coalition, the Moon Realm¡¯s Calamity, the Sealer of the Seven Calamities, the Magic Revolutionary, the Holy Spirit Guardian, the honorary lord of the seven secular kingdoms¡­ I actually have to carry things out while concealing my identity? It had to be known that back then, the emperor of the Kos Empire had to lower his head and bow in respect when he saw him. Even the Void Sovereign¡¯s incarnation called him the greatest obstacle to conquering the Vic Continent. It was precisely because of this mentality that he didn¡¯t think for long before announcing his name when Liliana asked for his name. Now that he thought about it, he had indeed been too hasty back then. He had only received a one-sided story from Liliana. It wasn¡¯t until he strolled around Thorn City for three days that he truly felt the weight of the name ¡®William Kane.¡¯ From the scriptures preached by the Priests in the Holy Spirits Church and the religious paintings on the stained glass of the churches to the witnesses to the blessings on the doors, and the words the commoners used when they swore, he would hear or see his name almost every few steps he took in Thorn City. It was also because of this that when this name became a symbol, a custom, or even a belief, it had nothing to do with William Kane himself. As long as someone acted under his name, they would reinterpret the meaning of his name again according to their understanding. In the past thousand years, there had never been a lack of people committing deeds under his name: the founding emperor who claimed to be his reincarnation; countless failed rebels who claimed to be his reincarnation; the various sects of the Holy Spirits Church who had never stopped arguing after his name was promoted to Holy Spirit; the bards who continued to embellish they multi-hand legends; and the countless living beings who grew up listening to those legends and treated him as a form of sustenance. The name William Kane could represent everything now, but it couldn¡¯t represent him. Similarly, he couldn¡¯t regain his former identity and authority through this name. Even though the Church was promoting its teachings in his name, and even the Empire¡¯s royal family had to claim that they had his bloodline to reflect the legitimacy of their rule, But that had nothing to do with him. If the royal family and the Church really knew that he had returned, the first thing they would do wouldn¡¯t be to offer him the crown and scepter, but to kill him at all costs. What they wanted was the name itself, not a living person. William believed that he was very strong, but it wasn¡¯t enough to rely on pure strength to regain his original identity. There were ultimately limits to one¡¯s strength. He needed new followers. He needed a faction to support him. He needed to rebuild the Doomsday Watchers from scratch. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Taking in the dozens of miners and taking over the entire Silverstream Mine, controlling the entire Elementium Silver industry, and even the entire Thorn City was only the first step in his plan. 1 2 Chapter 29 ? Chapter 29: King and Rebel Conversion Translator: CKtalon Just as William thought, the miners rejected his suggestion. They were terrified and humble, but their attitude was firm. After repeated reminders failed to change their opinion, William felt that he had done his best. There were some things that couldn¡¯t be persuaded. Relying on force would only leave latent risks for him. ¡°But why are you here too?¡± William turned to look at the youth named Colt and asked in confusion. The youth who had been whipped by the supervisor because he was dozing off stayed beside William. He didn¡¯t pass through the portal to the Grief Mountains, nor did he return to the surface with the remaining miners. ¡°My father needs someone to take care of him. He can¡¯t leave Thorn City yet,¡± Colt replied. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go up with them?¡± William pointed to the path that led to the mine elevator. ¡°It¡¯s safer to stay by your side.¡± ¡°A wise choice.¡± As William spoke, he walked to the statue of the three goddesses. ¡°But I don¡¯t have time to send you home. When the time comes, you can think of a way to bring your father out of Thorn City after you leave the mine safely.¡± As he spoke, he carefully examined the three goddesses¡¯ statues and confirmed that they had no other special uses other than being the initial anchor point for summoning Lunar Monsters. After casually smashing the statue, he simply checked the skull temple behind it. Inspecting this was just a precaution. This skull temple was essentially a magic furnace that used the souls of the dead as fuel. Its function was basically to provide fuel for large-scale rituals. Indeed, there were no clues there. Then, the only thing left was that the place the miners had excavated on the rock wall might be the true body of this ritual. William walked in front of the rock wall and stroked the marks left behind by the excavation. As he had expected, the controlled miners had previously chiseled out a pattern along the Elementium Silver mine. Elementium Silver was a metal medium with an extremely strong affinity for magic. Even raw ores that hadn¡¯t been mined and refined had the properties of sealing magic in them. William pressed his hands on the mineral vein and used the entire mineral vein as a casting medium to cast Illumination. A faint silver light lit up along the Elementium Silver mine¡¯s rock walls. An incomplete complicated painting gradually circled the hall. It was a pattern of a dragon and a snake biting each other¡¯s tails and constantly devouring each other. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Colt circled the glowing pattern as if he couldn¡¯t believe that they had dug up something like this. William was stunned when he saw this pattern. After a while, he said solemnly, ¡°King and Rebel ritual. So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± In the game¡¯s lore, other than the ritual used to communicate with the Moon Realm, all the other ceremonial magic was essentially a method to influence the present by imitating the myths and legends of the past. 1 The King and Rebel ritual was a typical example. This ritual was first taken from a famous myth in the primitive beliefs of the Blackwater Swamp-King and Rebel Conversion. This story was close to a fable: The God King of Heaven and Earth was very cruel. Under His rule, people were plunged into misery and suffering, and the souls of the dead were so many that they almost filled the entire Underworld. Death of the Underworld rose up as a rebel because he was dissatisfied with the God King¡¯s tyranny. After Death killed the God King through various trials, he was crowned as the new God King and imprisoned the soul of the old God King in the Underworld, making Him the new Death. Later on, the new God King became intoxicated by power and gradually became tyrannous. As for the imprisoned new Death, he gradually became virtuous because of the companionship of the souls. Therefore, the king and the rebel swapped positions and thus, a new cycle ensued. The snake that represented Death and the dragon that represented the God King devoured each other and turned into each other. This was what the people of the Blackwater Swamp in ancient times understood about reincarnation. The so-called King and Rebel ritual was to recreate the key nodes in this story through imitation. Coupled with all kinds of cumbersome preparations and a huge amount of magic power as fuel, if one successfully resonated with the previous myths and legends, one could obtain the corresponding power and authority in the myths. ¡°What¡¯s the King and Rebel ritual?¡± Colt asked. ¡°To put it simply, a ritual that allows one to step into the Divine Realm.¡± After giving a response, William thought of a key question. In Thorn City, where was Duke Simon going to find a king with a higher status than him to be overthrown with him as a rebel? ¡­ On the elevator, the miners who had rejected the mysterious magic chanter fell into a subtle silence. After a while, one of them finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and spoke. ¡°I say, why don¡¯t we go down and find that person now?¡± ¡°Are you mad? Do you think a magic chanter can protect you if you leave with him? This is Thorn City, Duke Simon¡¯s Thorn City. No matter how strong he is, how many can he defeat?¡± another person immediately retorted. ¡°But the duke cast something on us¡­¡± ¡°Then let me ask you, are you dead? Is anyone here dead?¡± ¡°But if the magic chanter hadn¡¯t killed that monster and made them stop parasitizing us, perhaps in the future¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what he said.¡± The person interrupted him and continued, ¡°Moreover, you said that it¡¯s only ¡®perhaps,¡¯ right? But if we leave with the person who ruined the duke¡¯s plans and excavate that fortress, we will definitely die. Do you understand?¡± A few miners nodded when they heard his words. Duke Simon¡¯s authority in Thorn City was absolute, and no one doubted it. ¡°Then, when we encounter the duke¡¯s men later, what should we say about what happened below?¡± someone asked. ¡°Just as we discussed previously, we tell the truth about what happened before we fainted. As for what happened after that, we said that we don¡¯t remember anything after waking up.¡± The miner who spoke earlier replied, ¡°The more you say, the more mistakes you make. Say that you don¡¯t remember anything, and they can¡¯t verify it.¡± Everyone nodded to themselves. About five minutes later, they followed the guidance of the magic crystal lamps and walked out of the Silverstream Mine. What awaited them outside was a black mass of Bramble Guards. Seeing them walk out, the two front rows of Black Armored Guards drew their swords with a clang. All the miners raised their hands and stopped. After seeing who was leading the team, everyone couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Vincent von Bergman. He was the Chief Battle Mage of the palace and known as the number one person below Legendary. It was said that he had once challenged three inner circle members of the Platinum Ring to a mage duel in a row and defeated the three famous Battle Mages one by one. Later, he even used lightning to carve incurable scorch marks on each of their faces as humiliation. As a result, he obtained the title of Sage of Scorching Scars. For a moment, everyone was stunned in their spots. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com They never expected the matter in the mine to be so serious that it actually alarmed someone of this importance to deal with it. 1 1 Chapter 30 ? Chapter 30: Execution and Surveillance Translator: CKtalon Vincent and an adjutant beside him walked in front of the miners. Electricity flashed in the air around him, and an indescribable pressure made everyone who faced him involuntarily lower their heads. Some of their knees went limp and they almost knelt. ¡°Where¡¯s the person who killed the supervisor?¡± Vincent went straight to the point and asked in a very calm voice. The leader replied in fear, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s in the mines.¡± ¡°Are all of you here?¡± ¡°About half of them aren¡¯t around¡­¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°That magic chanter opened a portal and let them escape.¡± At this moment, under the powerful pressure of this Master magic chanter, these miners forgot all the strategies they had discussed before speaking. Basically, they answered whatever the other party asked. Vincent pondered for a moment before speaking to the adjutant beside him. ¡°Lock them up in the dungeon.¡± However, the adjutant shook his head. ¡°Before we came, the duke instructed that Bramble regulations are to be enforced here according to the mine riot plans.¡± Vincent looked at the adjutant and said without changing his tone, ¡°Do as I say. Take them to the Rose Palace¡¯s dungeons and lock them up. I¡¯ll talk to the duke.¡± The adjutant hesitated for a long time before finally lowering his head slightly and replying, ¡°Yes, by your orders.¡± Then, he looked up and asked, ¡°Then what should we do with the heretical mage in the mines?¡± A deep rift that flickered with lightning opened beside Vincent¡¯s hand. He took out an ebony staff embedded with a blue gem. ¡°I¡¯ll go down alone,¡± he held his staff and said. ¡°Why?¡± the adjutant asked in surprise. ¡°These miners just said that the other party activated a portal to let the remaining people escape. If too many people go down and make the other party find it difficult to resist, he can just activate a portal again and escape. Moreover, the mine is narrow, so it¡¯s not suitable for the Bramble Guards to form a formation. Having too many people will only be a burden.¡± As he spoke, the blue gem on the staff lit up, and circles of ripples that stirred space spread out. The adjutant glanced at the ebony staff in envy. He and Vincent were both Sages of Astrology Constellations. The magical medium made of Void Crystal in Vincent¡¯s hand was definitely something that all mages who focused on lightning spells dreamed of. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll contact you immediately through spatial spells.¡± Vincent said this and walked deeper into the mine without looking back. The adjutant bowed slightly at his back. ¡°Good luck.¡± When his back completely disappeared into the depths of the mine, the adjutant-who had been humble-suddenly straightened his back and revealed a mocking and regretful expression. However, this expression disappeared in an instant. He turned around and called for a mage whose robe was embroidered with a golden rose badge. ¡°Go back and inform the Duke that Master Vincent¡¯s choice is as he predicted.¡± The person nodded and looked at the miners surrounded by the Bramble Guards. ¡°Then, what about these people? So we escort them to the dungeon as per Master Vincent¡¯s instructions?¡± The adjutant smiled and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Then, he raised his voice. ¡°Carry out the Blackthorn regulations.¡± His voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for the black-armored guards to hear. Then, screams and blood splattered endlessly. 1 ¡­ ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve always wanted to ask why you appeared in the Silverstream Mine that day.¡± Cass wore a black cloak and stood in an alley opposite an enchantment shop. His face was hidden under the hood of the cloak, and he unhooked the huge sword that was as exaggerated as a door and leaned against the wall beside him. He was drinking a bottle of berry wine to ward off the cold while staring at the enchantment shop not far away. The faerie named Liz sat on his shoulder and played with the stray threads on the cloak in boredom. Upon hearing Cass¡¯s question, she slowed down. He had previously learned from his interactions with Liz that faeries were extraordinary creatures that needed to live on ambiguity and mystery. Mist, forest, dawn, dusk, dreams¡­ They could only be replenished by magic in places with ambiguous elements. Correspondingly, faeries hated places with specific rules. They definitely wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to approach a mine like the Silverstream Mine that was close to the embryonic form of a company. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not sure either. I remember falling asleep in the forest that day. When I woke up, I realized that there was mist. Then, as I flew, I found myself at the Silverstream Mine. Sigh, speaking of which, was there mist in the mine that day?¡± As Liz spoke, she picked up the bow she had tied out with the thread and looked disgusted. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice it after I entered the mine with my teammates, but doesn¡¯t mist happen in mines? Or did someone deliberately arrange it?¡± Cass asked with a frown, but Liz didn¡¯t answer his question. Instead, she continued tussling with the bow. Cass sighed softly. This seemed to be the case with faeries. They were born out of ambiguity, so they weren¡¯t interested in anything that needed logical analysis. Everything they did naturally depended on their mood. Whether they could use magic or not and the effects they produced would change according to their mood. The door of the enchantment shop opened from the inside, and a man and woman walked out. The two of them were wearing Offa University¡¯s uniforms. The woman was about 16 or 17 years old. She was looking at the ancient pendant in her hand in confusion, and the man was in his twenties. He lowered his head and said something to her with a warm smile. Cass, who originally wanted to ask more, gently patted Liz¡¯s head. Liz came back to her senses and put down the bow. Her eyes lit up with a faint purple light. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that man. I saw the aura of parasitism on his body previously.¡± She pointed at the smiling young man. ¡°It¡¯s really a magic chanter this time. What about the woman beside him?¡± ¡°There are no signs of parasitism, but it looks like the two of them are classmates? I suggest you wait for the two of them to separate before going over. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to explain yourself,¡± Liz suggested. ¡°If I don¡¯t follow her, that woman will probably be parasitized tonight.¡± As Cass spoke, he tied the huge sword to his back again. ¡°As usual, return to that wooden hut and wait for me.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Liz suddenly flew in front of Cass and stopped the man. ¡°The host this time is a magic chanter. I can save you if something happens.¡± Cass fell silent for a moment. Seeing that the two of them were about to leave, he nodded gently. 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 31 ? Chapter 31: Pendant and Ambush Translator: CKtalon This is already the sixth enchantment shop, Liliana thought. Due to the development of the Elementium Silver industry, Thorn City could be said to be the most prosperous city in the entire Vic Continent other than the Empire¡¯s capital, Platinum City, and Offa Capital¡¯s Ring City. However, even though she visited six famous enchantment shops in a row, she still couldn¡¯t figure out the origins of the ancient Sunbird pendant. Even the owner of the old enchantment shop that claimed to have a 200-year history ransacked the basement for half a day before finding some fragmented clues from a moldy ancient book. ¡°P¡­ Phoenix, the Twilight Kingdom, which is also the Immortal Bird of the current ancient faith in Quicksand Province, symbolizes the sun and the sky,¡± the shopkeeper pointed at the awkward ancient text on the book and said to her. ¡°I can only confirm that the appearance of this pendant should be the faith totem of the ancient Twilight Kingdom. As for the runes and enchantments engraved on it, I don¡¯t understand them at all. However, I can confirm that the enchantment circuit on it doesn¡¯t work using the same principles as the current enchantment system. It¡¯s even incompatible with the charging interface.¡± The shop owner hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice and asking her, ¡°Where did you get this pendant? I even suspect that it relies on a human soul to recharge¡­¡± There were usually only three ways for magic chanters to obtain magic power in Currere: the Astral World, the Moon Realm, and the soul itself. After the Astral Laws were established, the Astral World became the only legal way for magic chanters to obtain magic power. Any mage who used the Moon Realm and the soul as a channel for magic power was considered a heretic. If the shop owner hadn¡¯t seen the two people entering the shop wearing Offa University¡¯s uniforms, he would have informed the Church to arrest the heretics immediately. ¡­ Having failed to gain anything from the sixth enchantment shop, Liliana decided to try her luck at another enchantment shop. However, her senior, Rod Wilson, gave her another suggestion. ¡°Liliana, since the shop owner said that this pendant might need a human soul to replenish its magic power, should we go to some less formal places and ask? Perhaps the people there know more.¡± After Liliana was released from her confinement at home, she found her friend from Offa University¡¯s Enchantment Department and hoped that he could help appraise the pendant given to her by the person who called himself William Kane. However, after fiddling for a while, other than using up all the magic power stored in the pendant, he didn¡¯t obtain any useful information. He didn¡¯t even know how to recharge it. Fortunately, Rod Wilson¡¯s family was in the Elementium Silver refinery industry, so he was very familiar with the layout of Thorn City¡¯s enchantment shops. Therefore, he offered to bring Liliana to a few enchantment shops that could provide high-quality appraisal services. After six consecutive failures, he came up with a new suggestion. ¡°The black market?¡± Liliana frowned when she heard her senior¡¯s words. If it were a few weeks ago, she would definitely be looking forward to that place. However, after experiencing the series of events from before, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of the black market. However, if she wanted to figure out the true identity of the magic chanter who called himself William Kane alone, it seemed that this was the only clue she could investigate. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡­ Their footsteps echoed in a damp tunnel. Occasionally, the sound of bats flapping their wings and rats scampering could be heard from the corner. Rod held a lit magical medium and led the way, with Liliana following closely behind. According to Rod, this black market was established deep in the tunnels of Thorn City. That used to be the gathering place of the Thieves¡¯ Guild, but after Duke Simon took office, in order to combat the smuggling of Elementium Silver, he eliminated all the factions of the Thieves¡¯ Guild from the Blackwater Province. ¡°Then, Thorn City¡¯s Elementium Silver smuggling channels are almost monopolized by the duke himself,¡± Rod spoke as he walked. The tunnel was deep and winding, but it was eerily quiet. Perhaps because she was a little afraid, Liliana-who originally wasn¡¯t interested in such topics-raised her voice and asked, ¡°Since the entire Thorn City¡¯s Elementium Silver industry belongs to the Duke, why smuggle it yourself?¡± ¡°This is because the smuggled Elementium Silver doesn¡¯t need to pay the Empire¡¯s trade taxes.¡± Rod turned around and smiled at her. Perhaps it was because the tunnel was dim, but his genial smile which looked no different from before made Liliana¡¯s heart tingle. ¡°The Elementium Silver on the black market has a very high premium. As for the mining thieves, they bribe the law enforcers of Thorn City for the duration of the mining. The duke also takes another cut during their exports. Overall, smuggling earns about the same through official channels. Furthermore, all of this is under the Duke¡¯s control. There¡¯s no need to heed the royal family.¡± Liliana nodded as if she understood. After walking in the maze-like tunnels for a few minutes, Liliana thought of something and asked, ¡°Rod, I remember that your family is also in the Elementium Silver refinement business, right? Then, will this smuggling affect your family?¡± ¡°Be it smuggling or formal channels, it¡¯s actually to ensure the duke¡¯s interests. Do you know which mine provides the Wilson family with raw ores?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Silverstream Mine.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m not too sure. Is there anything special about this mine?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; he just needs to be the only person to know.¡± As Rod spoke, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Liliana almost bumped into his back. At this moment, they arrived at a slightly wider fork in the tunnel. ¡°Rod, what do you mean?¡± Liliana hurriedly asked in panic when the other party suddenly stopped. Rod turned his head 180 degrees and said to her face-to-face, ¡°The person who has been following us since the beginning-no, should I say two people?¡± As he spoke, he still had a warm smile on his face. Liliana finally understood why she felt her hair stand on end when she saw his expression. Rod, or rather, the thing that looked like Rod, had a frozen smile on its face as if something was talking while donning Rod¡¯s skin. Liliana wasn¡¯t sure if she screamed. She only knew that when she woke up, she was already sitting on the dirty ground. Between her and Rod was a tall man wearing a black cloak and holding a door-like sword. This person had apparently saved her. ¡°Were you hinting that the monsters below the Silverstream Mine are related to the duke?¡± the man asked, trying to conceal the rage in him. As for ¡®Rod,¡¯ he only laughed and said, ¡°Hello, Cass Durant, and that little pet of yours. It was our dereliction of duty to let you escape previously, but we won¡¯t give you a chance this time.¡± ¡°We?¡± Cass warily glanced around. Seven or eight skeletons in half armor and wrapped in mist walked out of a few forks in the tunnel. The weapons in their hands constantly changed color as the mist swirled. ¡°I promise that you will be reunited with your friends.¡± 2 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 32 ? Chapter 32: Faerie Mist Translator: CKtalon Cass Durant¡­ Liliana had heard of this name a few days ago when she returned to Thorn City. For some reason, the former chief of the Bramble Mercenaries had become a lunatic who killed innocent citizens indiscriminately. In just two months, he had killed 28 people and was currently wanted in the entire Blackwater Province. Liliana looked past the black swordsman and at Rod, whose head had turned 180 degrees. Was this the truth? Was the black swordsman hunting monsters disguised as humans? ¡°Can you stand?¡± Cass asked anxiously as he glanced at Liliana-who was sitting on the ground-from the corner of his eye. The monster in front of him was on a completely different level from the opponents he had killed previously. Coupled with the seven or eight skeletons wearing half armor and shrouded in mist, he couldn¡¯t divert his attention at all. Liliana stood up using the wall for support. Only then did she realize that her shoulder had been sliced open, and blood was flowing non-stop. ¡°No problem¡­¡± Liliana held her wound and said through gritted teeth. Then, she chanted a healing spell, and a green light emitted from her palm healed the wound slowly. ¡°What a pity¡­¡± The monster turned its stiff neck when it saw this. ¡°If only you had hesitated for a moment. In that case, my lovely junior¡¯s neck would have been snapped like a pole. What a pity. I still want to take that Kos Dynasty pendant back and study it.¡± ¡°You knew I was following you?¡± Cass asked. ¡°Ever since that pet of yours followed me all the way yesterday, I knew that you would come looking for me in the next two days.¡± The monster sneered. ¡°Could it be that you took the initiative to take me to the enchantment shops and then the underground black market to lure him out¡­¡± Liliana, who had stopped the bleeding, asked while enduring the pain. ¡°Ah, that was just by chance. After all, I really want to figure out the origins of this pendant. After all, the enchantment on it is a defensive barrier specially targeted at Moon Realm spirits.¡± The monster kept its face facing them while slowly turning its body around. ¡°You¡¯re a Lunar Monster?¡± Liliana¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Lunar Monster, what a nostalgic term. Who taught you this? The owner of this pendant?¡± As the monster spoke, his face still had a stiff and warm smile. Liliana¡¯s heart sank. She had seen how powerful the Lunar Monster named Stumbling Demon was. Even if this monster in Rod¡¯s skin was a few levels weaker, it wasn¡¯t an existence she could resist. ¡°Do you know what they are?¡± the black swordsman in front of her suddenly asked. ¡°I know a little. I¡¯ve¡­ heard a heretical mage mention it before,¡± Liliana replied hesitantly. ¡°Run,¡± the black swordsman ordered. ¡°Liz, use Faerie Mist to bring her out to the usual place. She knows clues about these monsters.¡± Before Liliana could ask who Liz was, a palm-sized girl with dragonfly wings on her back flew out of the black swordsman¡¯s chest pocket. She flew to Cass¡¯s head and tugged at his ear. ¡°Faerie Mist can only bring one person out, so cut the big talk. Don¡¯t try to act cool by covering the retreat. If you want to run, run together.¡± ¡°There¡¯s too many. I can¡¯t protect her here.¡± Cass looked at the seven or eight half-armored skeletons that were gradually approaching and hastily said, ¡°Take her first. I¡¯ll knock them all down here before returning.¡± Before he could finish speaking, the three skeletons closest to him had already rushed forward. As the tunnel was narrow, Cass couldn¡¯t swing the door-like sword in his hand to his heart¡¯s content. Therefore, he held the sword horizontally in front of him as a shield, blocking the two skeletons¡¯ thrusts. Then, he leveraged the sword as a pivot before flying up and kicking the third skeleton to the wall. With a whoosh, the skeleton scattered into bones on the ground. ¡°Go!¡± Cass took this opportunity to turn around and shout at the two of them. With that said, he raised his huge sword and swung it at the next skeleton. Liz watched Cass rush out and cursed him for being an idiot before flying in front of Liliana. ¡°I¡¯m taking you out. Remember not to speak during this process, and don¡¯t try to think about what happened. In fact, don¡¯t think about anything. Just empty your mind. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be thrown out of the mist.¡± Looking at the faerie in front of her whom she had only seen in textbooks, Liliana subconsciously nodded, but Liz still seemed a little worried. ¡°Why don¡¯t I let you sleep first? Nothing will go wrong that way.¡± ¡°Ah? Wait a minute¡­¡± Before Liliana could finish speaking, Liz suddenly flapped her wings, and some purple and black scale powder scattered over her face. Then, irresistible drowsiness surged into her heart, and she fell asleep in seconds. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m in a bad mood now. You¡¯ll probably have nightmares later, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± With that said, Liz flew into the air and danced as if no one was around. As she danced, a mist emitted from her. This mist resembled the mist from the fields in the morning or the forest at night, giving off a dubious feeling. When the mist was thick enough to envelop the two of them, Liz stopped and grabbed Liliana¡¯s hand. The human and fairy gradually became ethereal and dreamy in the mist as if they would disappear at any moment. With a last gust of wind, the two of them disappeared into the dubious fog. Faerie Mist was the only displacement spell that didn¡¯t require the use of lightning spells to tear through space and perform Teleportation. The faeries could temporarily vanish from the world by blurring their existence in the mist, and then use dubious memories to reappear in Currere. This was also the reason why many rural legends said that children who ran into the forest¡¯s mist would be captured by the faeries. In fact, many children were only lost in the dubious mist created by the faeries and forgot their existence. It might only be a fleeting moment for them, but by the time they regained their memories, it might be dozens or hundreds of years later. ¡­ After shattering the last skeleton, Cass raised the sword in his hand and pointed it at the monster. ¡°Quite impressive. No wonder you could send so many of my compatriots back to the Moon Realm,¡± the monster praised sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s your turn to die next.¡± ¡°Die? We won¡¯t die. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± With that said, its hand bent into a few sections like an arthropod. Its palm bloomed like a flower of flesh and blood, and a sharp chitin bone blade extended from its wrist. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s indeed quite troublesome to have our bodies destroyed in Currere. After all, the contract over Currere¡¯s seal hasn¡¯t expired yet. We can only come here through loopholes. A single banishment might mean decades before we can come here again.¡± Cass ignored the other party¡¯s deliberate stalling and charged forward to slash at its head. Clang! The monster crossed its arms and blocked the strike with its bone blades. Its face revealed a pleasant smile under the shadow of the huge sword. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. It¡¯s still early.¡± As it spoke, it thrust its hands up, forcing Cass to take three steps back. Then, its entire body began to expand. With the sound of flesh tearing, the human skin covering its true face fell off. A moment later, a monster about the height of two people with six sharp spider spears on its back stood in front of Cass. Its entire body was covered in a shiny chitin shell, and it had compound eyes and a proboscis. It spread its arms as if it was making a declaration. ¡°Now, Bramble¡¯s last swordsman, it¡¯s time for your long hunt to end.¡± As for Cass, he assumed a charging posture. ¡°It won¡¯t end until I kill all of you bastards.¡± ¡°Kill us all?¡± Although it no longer had a human face after ripping it off, Cass could tell that the monster¡¯s expression was a mocking smile. Crack, crack, crack¡­ The skeletons that had been shattered by Cass reassembled as if time had reversed. Around Cass, the skeletons shrouded in mist stood up one after another. He was surrounded in the middle. ¡°This was the real trap meant for you.¡± 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 33 ? Chapter 33: Judgment Bloodline Translator: CKtalon Cass dodged the first wave of attacks at the cost of three wounds on his body. Years of combat experience allowed him to avoid being injured in his vital spots. Although the three deep wounds bled profusely, it didn¡¯t affect his combat strength for a short period of time. He quickly distanced himself from the skeletons. Although the narrow terrain in the tunnel prevented him from fully unleashing the advantage of the huge sword in his hand, it also prevented him from facing more than two enemies at a time. Although the skeletons shrouded in mist looked strange, they weren¡¯t a match for him. Cass suspected that even if he didn¡¯t swing them with all his might, the weight of the black iron sword alone was enough to shatter them to pieces. The troublesome thing was that despite scattering them, they would reassemble and continue attacking him persistently. Perhaps it was better to say that their fragile and unstable bone joints made the power of every attack easily negated as if he had punched a puff of smoke. Under such circumstances, he could only scatter the enemies; he couldn¡¯t reduce them to bone powder that couldn¡¯t be pieced back. If this continued, his stamina would sooner or later be exhausted by these unkillable skeletons. With this in mind, Cass took a deep breath and looked at the half-human, half-spider monster. It was better to ignore those brainless monsters and kill the fellow who was enjoying its front-row seats. Cass judged the situation. He didn¡¯t believe that the monster¡¯s head could be pieced back together. After visually estimating the width of the passageway, Cass swung his huge sword to the greatest extent without flicking his blade. The skeletons blocking him from the spider monster were minced into pieces. He directly leaped across the fragments that had begun to reassemble and rushed forward to fight the spider monster. Sparks constantly flew from the collision of the chitin bone blades and the black iron sword in the dim tunnel. Chinks sounded incessantly. Occasionally, there would be the crisp sound of bones cracking and muffled groans. Clang! Another collision caused Cass¡¯s breathing to become a little chaotic. He couldn¡¯t help but take half a step back, and his palm felt numb from the impact while gripping the hilt. However, before he could catch his breath, the two mist-covered skeletons behind him reconstituted their bodies and attacked him. The narrow space in the tunnel prevented him from directly splitting the two skeletons in half. He could only half-turn around helplessly and use his sword as a shield to block the other party¡¯s attack. Then, he raised his huge sword and stabbed forward, pinning the two skeletons to the wall and shattering them into bones. However, before he could pull out his sword, the mist stirred, and the shattered skeletons began to tremble slightly. Under the guidance of a certain force, they were about to reassemble. ¡°Are you done?¡± Cass, who was surrounded by enemies, steeled his heart and twisted the hilt of his sword. He no longer attempted to conserve strength. With a soft crack, the mechanism on the hilt lodged, and the Demon Sealing runes buried in the hilt were activated, releasing the magic power sealed inside. Crimson fire runes swarmed over the sword, and the entire black iron sword turned red like a branding iron. The temperature in the tunnel rose rapidly, and the shattered bones on the ground were burned into flying ashes in a few breaths. Level 6 Fire spell, Breaking Dawn. When he was in the Bramble Mercenaries, he spent a lot of money to get an enchanter to engrave the trump card in this weapon. Cass wasn¡¯t a magic chanter to begin with, and because he was wanted, he couldn¡¯t recharge the magic power in the Demon Sealing rune after it was depleted. Therefore, this enchantment could be said to be a trump card that could only be used once. ¡°Enchanted runes?¡± The half-human, half-spider monster looked at the flaming sword in Cass¡¯s hand, and for the first time, his voice carried a hint of seriousness. ¡°But you¡¯re not a Spellblade. How long can you rely on the magic power in this sword? Two minutes, one minute?¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough to kill you.¡± The flames of the huge sword formed a curtain of fire that attacked it. Even the monster didn¡¯t dare take this powerful strike head-on. The six spider spears on its back stabbed into the stone wall as it crawled higher. However, Cass didn¡¯t give it a chance to climb up. The flames on his sword transformed into a crescent-shaped flying blade as he brandished it, severing the three spider spears on its left. With a crack, it slid down the wall a few meters and barely managed to stabilize itself with the other half of the spider spear, but this distance was enough for Cass to deliver a strike. Seeing the crimson sword slash over, it raised its bone blade to receive it. This time, the chitin bone blade was sliced open like butter. Under the terrifying heat, the sound of cracking came from its appendage-like hands, and an unpleasant charred smell filled the air. Seeing that Cass was about to chop off its head, the monster suddenly shouted, ¡°Mist Nightmare, if you don¡¯t make a move, the two of us will return to the Moon Realm together!¡± With a snick, Cass felt something pierce his body from behind. A strange slippery feeling came from his abdominal cavity. He lowered his head and found that a hand filled with mist had penetrated his stomach. It was the mist on those skeletons¡­ Cass thought as the taste of blood rose in his throat. He turned around. The skeletons from before had scattered and piled up on the ground. The mist that originally enveloped them gathered, forming a blurry humanoid behind him. No wonder they could resurrect infinitely¡­ That layer of mist was the main body of those monsters. Skeletons were just puppets under its control. Cass swallowed the blood in his throat. It was too late to turn around. He planned on beheading the monster in front of him while the enchantment effect was still active. But it was already too late. The other party¡¯s severed limb struck his wrist. Coupled with his severely injured abdomen, Cass¡¯s hands lost all strength, and the huge sword fell to the ground with a clang. Without his will, the enchanted runes on the sword instantly extinguished, and the black iron sword quickly turned cold. The hand that had pierced him retracted, and Cass¡¯s knees buckled as he knelt down. He placed his hands on the ground and panted heavily. ¡°Did you have to wait until now to attack?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you could deal with him alone?¡± ¡°The information you gave didn¡¯t say that his weapon is sealed with a fire spell specially used to counter demons.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him use it. How would I know?¡± ¡°Forget it¡­ Have you found the two who escaped?¡± ¡°I marked that woman¡¯s dream. I¡¯ve already gotten my subordinates to go over.¡± The two voices seemed to come from afar. Cass-who was gradually losing consciousness-understood their conversation with difficulty. He felt that he couldn¡¯t collapse now. He struggled to reach out for the huge sword that had fallen to the ground, but the sword was already too heavy for him. Something slipped out of his chest pocket in his efforts. It was a Demon Sealing rune that flickered with lightning. ¡°If you feel like you need help one day, crush it.¡± He recalled the words of the gray-haired and silver-eyed mysterious magic chanter. He reached out and pressed down on the Demon Sealing rune. However, before he could crush it, a sharp sound tore through the air. Whoosh! A silver arrow pierced the spider monster¡¯s neck. Before Cass could react to what was happening, the sound of a few more arrows tearing through the air reached his ears. Compound eyes, proboscis, joints, neck, heart¡­ Every silver arrow accurately nailed the monster¡¯s vitals. It didn¡¯t even leave a word before turning into black salt crystals and dissipating. Cass turned his head. Not far away was a tall blond woman wearing a triangular hat and light leather armor. At this moment, she was half-kneeling on the ground as she aimed an exquisite repeating crossbow in his direction. Seeing that the spider monster had already begun to dissipate, the woman turned to shoot at the blurry mist humanoid. However, the arrow only penetrated the wall behind it and didn¡¯t cause any effective damage. Upon seeing this, the blond woman decisively threw down the repeating crossbow, drew the silver rapier she wore at her waist, and rushed over in her long leather boots. The misty humanoid transformed its hands into two sharp short swords as it charged forward. ¡°What are you¡­¡± The woman ignored the misty figure¡¯s words and elegantly dodged the other party¡¯s attack like a swan. Then, she slashed with her sword, leaving a faint silver trajectory with the rapier. The moment the human-shaped mist touched the silver light, it dissipated like the morning fog seeing sunlight. With just one strike, the misty humanoid disappeared without a trace. The blond woman nimbly retracted her sword and extended her hand to Cass. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Cass asked hoarsely. He had never seen such a person if his memories hadn¡¯t failed him. ¡°Who I am isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is your identity.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was very cold and straightforward. ¡°Identity? Do you mean as a mercenary or a wanted criminal, or a person who is about to die?¡± Cass forced a laugh. The woman shook her head, her expression unchanged like a puppet. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time, Cass Durant, the last bloodline of Blake Saba.¡± Cass asked with blood in his mouth, ¡°Whose bloodline?¡± ¡°Blake Saba, fourth of the 13 Judges-Bloodline of the Black Swordsman.¡± 4 Chapter 34 ? Chapter 34: Sage of Scorching Scars Translator: CKtalon The dim light, the turbid air, and the quiet environment where only his footsteps could be heard¡­ Every time he came to the mine, Vincent would recall something from a long time ago. ¡°Look at them, Vincent. Take a good look at them.¡± At that time, Simon Walde, who hadn¡¯t become the Duke of Thorn, stood on a high spot and pointed at the miners working below as he spoke to him, who was still an Expert mage back then. ¡°They toil in the dark mines for more than ten hours a day with no safety measures. What can such hard work be exchanged for? Is it only enough for a living, one that plagues them with illnesses?¡± Simon¡¯s eyes seemed to be burning with fire. ¡°As they breathe the air in the mine, most of the miners who have worked here for more than 20 years will suffer from Silver Lung Disease because they inhale too much Elementium Silver dust. It¡¯s said that their chests will feel as if they¡¯re burning painfully every time they breathe. But guess what they call this?¡± There was no trace of a smile on Simon¡¯s face. ¡°Inheritance. This is because after they die, their family members can sell the lungs to the black market¡¯s alchemists at a high price. They can extract crystallized Elementium Silver from them. Even so, the Thieves¡¯ Guild that controls the black market still takes a considerable commission. What¡¯s their mantra? There¡¯s a moral code among thieves?¡± With that said, Simon Walde covered his face and laughed maniacally. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Vincent waited until Simon was out of breath from laughing until he started a fit of coughs before slowly asking, ¡°Help me.¡± Simon suddenly calmed down and extended his hand to Vincent. ¡°Help me become the next Duke of Thorn; help me regain the Elementium Silver industry from the Empire, and help me make the Blackwater Province eternally free from the restraints of the royal family, the Astral Council, and the Church.¡± Even today, he didn¡¯t regret his decision that day. He cursed the duke¡¯s heir, barged into the Holy Sepulchre where his ancestors rested to seek strength, expelled the Empire¡¯s envoy, and fought a Platinum Ring Battle Mage¡­ Even though he violated the Astral Laws because of this, causing him to never advance to the Legendary domain in his life, and even though his methods were too tyrannical, causing his wife to be assassinated by the Conservatives, he never regretted it at all. ¡°All of this is a necessary sacrifice.¡± The man sitting on the Thorn throne who was becoming colder and colder had said this to him. He took back the Elementium Silver industry, but he squeezed the miners even harder than the Empire. He expelled the Thieves¡¯ Guild, but he created an even crueler underground black market. In order to fulfill his ideals, he had almost gone in the opposite direction of his former ideals. In order to resist the Empire, he had to firmly hold power in his hands and squeeze out the last bit of power in Blackwater Province. But compared to the Empire¡¯s 800-year heritage, that strength was still insufficient¡­ He could understand Vincent. However, even he began to wonder if the price he had to pay for that dream was too heavy. Holy Sepulchre¡­ If the duke really wanted to master the power of the Holy Sepulchre and awaken the millions of corpses buried in the cemetery for thousands of years as his army¡­ Would it really be an ideal country to rule? A country filled with the dead? More importantly, how could he guarantee that he could truly control that power? The Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead a thousand years ago was the Blackwater King¡¯s failed attempt back then. The final outcome was a natural disaster that could have destroyed the entire Blackwater Kingdom. If not for the Doomsday Watchers at their peak and the hero William Kane killing the out-of-control Blackwater King at the critical moment, the entire Blackwater Province would probably be a silent Kingdom of the Dead. Vincent thought about it and turned the last corner. Then, his vision cleared up. It was an overly wide hall compared to the narrow mine from before. There was a small skull mountain in the middle of the hall. There was a pattern of a dragon and snake devouring each other on the rock walls around the hall, emitting a faint silver light. However, his gaze was completely drawn to the gray-haired, silver-eyed man in front of the skull temple. ¡°Hello.¡± The person wore a miner¡¯s uniform and held a purple-robed wooden magical medium. Beside him stood a thin youth. The person greeted him politely when he saw him walk in. Vincent couldn¡¯t tell the level of the person in front of him. As a magic chanter whose mental strength had been tempered to the threshold of the Legendary stage and yet not seen through the other party¡¯s level, this was enough to determine the other party¡¯s level. Peak Master? Or Legendary? But as a heretical mage who can¡¯t obtain magic power from the Astral Laws, where can he obtain enough magic fuel to maintain his level? As his thoughts raced, Vincent asked, ¡°Were you the one who killed the supervisor and took away the other half of the miners?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the other party nodded and replied without any hesitation. ¡°Then, you didn¡¯t choose to leave with them. Can I take it that you¡¯re provoking the entire Thorn City?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°Then, can I take it that you¡¯re provoking the entire Vic Continent by setting up a shrine worshiping the Moon Realm here?¡± The other party knew about the Moon Realm, so his magic power fuel came from a Moon Realm contract? According to the information revealed by the other party¡¯s words, Vincent adjusted his countermeasures in his heart. ¡°The three Moon Goddesses have always been the faith of the Blackwater Swamp. She¡¯s even older than the Seven Holy Spirits,¡± he replied. ¡°So those miners willingly let the Soul-Ingesting Spider Demon parasitize their bodies?¡± As the person spoke, he pointed his purple yew staff at the Webweaver¡¯s corpse in a corner. Only then did Vincent notice the dead Webweaver¡¯s corpse. Corpse? Why would a Moon Realm spirit leave behind a corpse after death? Something incomprehensible had happened. ¡°Why did it¡­¡± ¡°Leave a body behind?¡± the person responded expressionlessly. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because it¡¯s already dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Vincent blurted out. Lunar Monsters were essentially a thought-a concept or something metaphysical. It was impossible to kill them with magic and swords. ¡°But as you can see, this has already happened. Let¡¯s not talk about this first. You¡¯re a little stronger than the people I¡¯ve seen before. Even among the people I know, you can be considered third-rate. I believe you have some status in this city, right?¡± ¡°My name is Vincent. Do you understand now?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Vincent fell silent. Did the other party not even know who he was? Then, how did he turn the Silverstream Mine upside down alone? Vincent wasn¡¯t someone who cared about his reputation. Be it the titles of the number one person below the Legendary stage or Sage of Scorching Scars, they were all given by the nosy. However, he wasn¡¯t against those titles. Many times, a resounding title was much easier than teaching a fool a lesson. But the person in front of him¡­ ¡°Vincent von Bergman, Duke Simon¡¯s Chief Palace Mage,¡± he added. This time, a change in expression finally appeared on the other party¡¯s face. ¡°That last name¡­ Who¡¯s Liliana to you?¡± 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 35 ? Chapter 35: Divine Realm Translator: CKtalon ¡°¡­Who¡¯s Liliana to you?¡± In fact, William already had a rough answer before he asked this question. However, he still wanted to hear the person in front of him say it personally. The other party fell silent for a moment, and the expression on his face kept changing. Finally, he replied, ¡°She¡¯s my daughter¡­ Where did you learn this name?¡± As expected¡­ William couldn¡¯t help but have the urge to laugh when he sensed the vigilance in the other party¡¯s words. He said to the middle-aged man who called himself the Chief Palace Mage and claimed that the Three Moon Goddesses was an ancient belief of the Blackwater Swamp. ¡°Then, are you aware that your daughter was almost eaten by the spawn of the Three Moon Goddesses about a week ago? What were you doing back then? Worshiping the statue of the Lady of Starvation in this mine?¡± ¡°I was searching for her back then. I didn¡¯t know that she had encountered a newborn goddess¡¯s dependent.¡± Vincent was silent for a moment before answering. The newborn goddess was the Lady of Starvation in the Moon Realm worship of the ancient Blackwater Kingdom. Similarly, the Whispering Empress and the Lord of Nightmare were respectively called the Goddess of Transformation and the Goddess of Art. ¡°In that case, you know that the Lady of Starvation¡¯s spawn eats humans?¡± William asked. He waited for a while and continued when Vincent didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Then, you treated Them as your faith and worshiped a man-eating deity?¡± Vincent shook his head at William¡¯s words. ¡°Strength is strength. How to use it is only related to the user¡¯s will. The same power can be used to kill or save people. My daughter is in danger because that magic chanter wanted to kill her, and that¡¯s not the will of the newborn goddess.¡± This familiar explanation again. William had the urge to facepalm. 1 In-game, every time he questioned Moon Realm worshipers who could still communicate normally, they always gave the same answer. He didn¡¯t expect them to remain the same more than a thousand years later. Their gods weren¡¯t in the wrong, but the believers who had chanted the wrong scriptures and abused Their powers. William scoffed at this. ¡°There are many ways to obtain strength,¡± he said. ¡°Be it tempering one¡¯s skills, practicing magic, or establishing a faction, these powers belong to yourself after obtaining them. No one can snatch them from your hands. However, the powers obtained from trading with the Moon Realm aren¡¯t like this.¡± As William spoke, he looked at the corpse of the Webweaver. ¡°No matter how powerful or convenient that power is, the power from the Moon Realm is something the Void Sovereigns lend out. Those things will never belong to you. Furthermore, one day, they¡¯ll make you spit them out with interest.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t come here to destroy the altar and take away the miners just to give me a lesson in faith, right?¡± Vincent interrupted William¡¯s preaching and continued. ¡°You¡¯re the heretical mage who saved my daughter in the Grief Mountains, right? I asked her about your identity and whereabouts, but she refused to say anything. She only said that you¡¯re a wandering heretical mage and didn¡¯t want to cause too much trouble.¡± As he spoke, the corners of his mouth twitched as he looked at the ruined temple. ¡°She probably didn¡¯t expect you to cause such trouble here¡­ However, no matter what your goal is, please accept my gratitude for saving my daughter.¡± As Vincent spoke, he bowed to him solemnly. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to leave here, I guarantee on my reputation that no one will fault you¡­ Although that¡¯s what I would like to say, your choice of staying despite being able to use Teleportation means that you have something to discuss with us, right?¡± William nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I need to confirm if your status in this city is worth talking to,¡± Vincent replied bluntly. ¡°Tell me what you want.¡± William looked at the picture of the dragon and snake devouring each other and replied, ¡°Put what I want aside for now. Let me tell you what you want first.¡± William stared into Vincent¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°You want the Blackwater Swamp to become independent from the Riel Empire.¡± Upon hearing the other party¡¯s words, Vincent said with a calm expression, ¡°Only a lunatic would have such thoughts.¡± William shook his head and pointed at the rock wall. ¡°Do you know what this pattern on the rock wall represents?¡± Vincent looked at the pattern on the rock wall that was gradually dimming and replied, ¡°The Bronze Age¡¯s primitive faith totem in the Blackwater Swamp, the Dragon God Oka who symbolizes royalty, and the Snake God Vera who symbolizes death. This painting of tail devouring shows that They are undergoing an eternal battle.¡± Vincent paused and continued, ¡°However, these myths have been proven to be partly the truth of real myths since the creation model of the Seven Holy Spirits was proposed. No one will believe this now, so why are you asking me this?¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to continue your act in front of me?¡± William asked. Vincent hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. ¡°The King and Rebel ritual allows the executor to obtain the power of legends by reproducing the mirror image of an ancient myth¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be straightforward. This ritual isn¡¯t enough to free you from the Empire¡¯s control. The strength of ceremonial magic is closely related to the extent to which the executor restores the myths. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t I be able to obtain the mighty power of the mythical God King if I joined an underground gang and killed the gang leader, the ¡®king,¡¯ as a ¡®rebel¡¯? The world isn¡¯t that simple. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the power of the legendary God King. Even if you want a person to directly step into the Divine Realm, the materials for your ritual might require the assassination of the current emperor to satisfy the conditions of the ritual.¡± And if he could publicly kill the emperor of the empire, why would he need a King and Rebel ritual to obtain strength? ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Vincent frowned and asked. ¡°I can help you become independent from the Empire, but I need you to give me the corresponding remuneration.¡± ¡°You? What makes you say so?¡± ¡°With this.¡± As William spoke, he slammed the magical medium in his hand on the ground. An extremely complicated blue clock pattern unfolded around it, encompassing the entire temple hall. It was as if a bell was chiming from afar. Vincent felt a ridiculously powerful magical power infuse into the clock pattern through the yew magical medium before spreading to every corner of the hall. Then, the pattern disappeared, and the surroundings returned to normal. However, Vincent felt that a great spell that might require several magic choirs to cast had taken effect. He observed his surroundings, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any special changes. ¡°What did you just do?¡± Vincent asked solemnly. The other party didn¡¯t answer him. Instead, he bent down and picked up a handful of slag before scattering it into the sky. The slag stopped in midair. Time stopped. Frost-type Divine Realm spell, Zero Entropy. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com The magic chanter in front of him had already reached the Divine Realm! 4 2 Chapter 36 ? Chapter 36: Everything Translator: CKtalon What was magic? According to the theory of the Tacma Church, the founder of the classical magic system, and the creation model of the Seven Holy Spirits built by the first crown in the first year of the Platinum Calendar, magic was a transformation from unresolved possibilities to confirmed facts. The material world in Currere was a confirmed reality, so ores were ores, steel was steel, and swords were swords. If one wanted to turn ores into swords, one had to burn and smelt them into steel. Then, they had to forge steel into swords-not one step could be missed. However, for magic chanters, they could skip all the steps: a mage proficient in transformation could transform ores into swords, and a powerful Illusion mage could even draw a sword from the void. This was because in the eyes of a true magic chanter, be it ores, steel, or swords, these observable substances were only embellishments. Their essence was solidified magic power. Everything is magic-this was the core of the Tacma Church¡¯s theory. At the same time, it was the cornerstone of modern magical theory. Everything, including the operation of the Astral Laws, had to follow this ironclad rule. In the Tacma Church¡¯s framework, the original world was a place with only light, and light was endless magic that contained infinite possibilities. In a huge event called Creation, a portion of magic power left the Realm of Light and sank and solidified, turning into this solid and certain physical world. This concept inspired Proteus to propose a model of the creation of the Seven Holy Spirits, ultimately creating the Holy Spirits Church that unified the entire Vic Continent¡¯s mythological system. Of course, this was all in the future. Matter was solidified magic, or it could be said to be the magic of death. Therefore, magic chanters couldn¡¯t use them to change reality. At most, they could only use them as a medium. All the magic chanters could use were active magic power from the Realm of Light that had never participated in the creation of Currere. They used the Astral World, the Moon Realm, and everyone¡¯s souls to flow into the world, turning them into the constantly changing power of the physical world. Otherwise, all of Currere would be a rigid specimen. Therefore, when magic chanters used magic, even if it was only a level-1 trick, it was essentially a miniature genesis. The magic chanters were like the Seven Holy Spirits of Creation. They guided the magic power of the Light Realm to Currere and used the concept in their minds to transform the infinite possibilities of magic power into solid reality. From this perspective, there wasn¡¯t much difference among magic chanters. After all, what they did was use magic to reconstruct reality. The things that truly divided their strength were easier. The scale and depth of power. Scale was very easy to understand. It was obvious at a glance who was stronger between a mage who could only blow leaves and a mage who could stir up a storm. Vincent had seen many people constantly study and explore the scale of magic. Even the current Astral Council regarded the scale of strength as the most important quantitative standard for mages. 1 However, after reaching Vincent¡¯s level and status, he gradually understood that the true standard to determine the strength of a magic chanter should be the depth of their strength. True magic should be a miracle, not a tool. It was very simple to light a branch. Even mortals without magic could rely on drilling wood to light it up. It was not a big deal even if an entire forest was burned to ashes. Even without using magic, just letting a spark land on a withered branch at the right time could do the same deed. Anyone could do it. This was because wood burning was a part of Currere¡¯s laws. Using magic only compressed the preparations needed to light them. The depth of strength was the level that magic had come into contact with the rules of Currere. Ignition of the forest didn¡¯t reflect this. Letting steel, rocks, or even water or frost burn, creating miracles that couldn¡¯t have happened, was the embodiment of the depth of strength. Stopping time involved the deepest and most basic rules of Currere. Among all the Creation Gods, time was always the first thing to appear. Or rather, the concept of ¡®sequence¡¯ originated from the appearance of time. 1 Changing time was a miracle that only magic chanters who had reached the Divine Realm could complete. However¡­ ¡°How is this possible?¡± Vincent asked. His tone was more indignant than puzzled. ¡°How can anyone step into the Divine Realm under the tyranny of the Astral Laws?¡± Now, even if he wanted to advance to the Legendary stage, he had to obtain the approval of two-thirds of the Astral Council members. Those spots had basically been monopolized by the royal family and other noble families. This was also an important reason why he followed Duke Simon and sought the independence of the Blackwater Province. He was even willing to indulge his colleagues¡¯ Moon Realm beliefs. As long as the Astral Laws continued hanging above every magic chanter¡¯s head, one had to obtain the Astral Council¡¯s approval to open up the path to the Astral World for advancement. Without the authority to enter the Astral World, one would be like Vincent. Even if one¡¯s mental strength had long crossed the threshold of the Legendary stage, one would not be able to obtain enough magic power to support the scale and depth of their strength. They would only have the title of the number one person below the Legendary stage. If he wanted to bypass the Astral Laws to obtain enough strength without killing the innocent and using a large number of souls as his magical power fuel, he could only do it through the Moon Realm or ritual magic. If this was the case at the Legendary level, there was no need to mention the legendary Divine Realm. It was said that because the amount of magic power required by Divine Realm magic chanters was too large, the magic power pathways built in the Astral World might be consumed because they couldn¡¯t withstand their power. Therefore, there were less than five Divine Realm magic chanters in the entire Empire. Moreover, they had to suppress their realm to the Legendary level all year round to avoid destroying the Astral Laws. Here was this man in front of him, whom he had never seen before, casually using a Divine Realm-level spell. This was unacceptable to him. The person said, ¡°This power is more reliable than trading with the Void Sovereigns and going through an incomplete King and Rebel ritual, right?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Vincent asked in a deep voice. The other party¡¯s words were filled with disdain for the Moon Realm. Unless this attitude was fake, it was impossible for his strength to come from the Moon Realm. If he wanted to reach the Divine Realm by extracting the souls of mortals, he had to imprison at least half of Thorn City¡¯s population¡¯s souls as a source of magic power. Therefore, the man¡¯s magic power could only come from the Astral World. However, he wasn¡¯t restricted by the Astral Laws. How was this possible? Unless he was a magic chanter who had reached the Divine Realm before the Astral Laws were established. Vincent shook his head in his heart. No mortal could live for so long. 1 ¡°You can call me Presiding Judge. If you agree to my conditions, I¡¯ll be the person who can fulfill your long-cherished wish,¡± the person said. The slag that stopped in midair landed with a faint rustling sound. Vincent asked, ¡°Then what are your conditions? What do you want?¡± ¡°What I want is¡­¡± As the other party spoke, he opened his hand before clasping it tightly. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com ¡°Everything.¡± 4 4 Chapter 37 ? Chapter 37: Puppet Translator: CKtalon The game, Doomsday Watchers, had a total of four endings. The best outcome was the full moon ending. After the heroes of the Doomsday Watchers sealed the Moon Realm crack, they undonned their armor and returned to the fields, becoming legends. William¡¯s transmigration followed on from this perfect ending save. The normal ending was the new moon ending. Although the protagonist had repelled the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion, the largest crack couldn¡¯t be closed. The Doomsday Watchers activated the Eternal Watch at Twilight Fortress. Then, it was the ending of the waning moon. The protagonist sacrificed his soul and transformed into the incarnation of the Seven Holy Spirits, returning the three Void Sovereigns-who had already stepped into Currere-to the Moon Realm. However, after the protagonist sacrificed himself, the next invasion was already brewing in the Moon Realm. The darkest ending was the eclipse ending. The protagonist betrayed the Doomsday Watchers and turned into the 14th Void Sovereign. Together with the other Void Sovereigns, he used Currere as his chessboard to control mortals¡¯ fates. William was dissatisfied with every outcome, especially the last one. If it weren¡¯t for the sake of collecting all the achievements, he wouldn¡¯t have touched that outcome. The reason was very simple. The Void Sovereigns who addressed others as mortals in-game and casually played with the fates of others were disgusting. As for the game developers, they didn¡¯t design an outcome that allowed the gamers to charge into the Moon Realm and chop off the heads of those Void Sovereigns. In fact, the Void Sovereigns didn¡¯t even show Their health bars in-game. The protagonist could only fight Their incarnations. William didn¡¯t know if he would have a chance to beat up the Void Sovereigns if this game released a sequel. But since he had transmigrated here and wasn¡¯t suppressed by the developer¡¯s plot framework, he had a chance to make up for that regret. It was just like an extremely controversial game from the beginning of the century. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that there wasn¡¯t such an option in-game, he would definitely have personally killed the enemy, who had blown up his adoptive father¡¯s head, with a golf club instead of choosing to forgive her. 4 Of course, dealing with the Moon Realm was a war, not a simple RPG adventure. Therefore, he had to seize power first. ¡°Everything? What does everything include?¡± Vincent asked solemnly. ¡°What is included doesn¡¯t matter,¡± William said. ¡°Everything is everything. This mine, the entire Elementium Silver industry, Thorn City, Blackwater Province, and most importantly-the people under your rule.¡± ¡°You want to be the king of Blackwater Province?¡± ¡°I will choose a more suitable person to be the king of Blackwater Province, but that person won¡¯t be me.¡± If anyone else said this, Vincent would only treat them as lunatics. However, if a magic chanter who had reached the Divine Realm said this, it was spoken with a completely different weight. Many people said that at least half of the reason why Duke Simon could sit firmly on the Thorn throne despite his tyrannical rule was that he had a trump card-the number one person under the Legendary stage was loyal to him. Vincent didn¡¯t completely agree with this, but he had to admit that his existence gave Duke Simon a lot more confidence when making radical changes. If Duke Simon¡¯s political enemies had a magic chanter of the same strength as him, the balance would definitely have been broken. And this was only at the peak of the Master domain. What about the Legendary domain? What about the Divine Realm? Vincent had no doubt that the person in front of him had the ability to turn the entire Thorn City upside down, so he didn¡¯t question it and said directly, ¡°You choose a king and make that person a puppet you control? Sir, we seek independence from the Empire to prevent our fate from being controlled by others.¡± ¡°Therefore, you chose to let your fate be controlled by the Void Sovereigns? That¡¯s really a good choice.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t deny that the new ruler will become your puppet?¡± ¡°That person will agree with my philosophy and won¡¯t have a relationship with the Moon Realm. If you think this is my puppet, I have nothing to say.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your philosophy?¡± Vincent stared into William¡¯s eyes and asked. The other party pondered for a moment before answering. ¡°Humans will never have their fates controlled by deities.¡± The words he had said previously weren¡¯t even half as arrogant as this sentence. For a moment, Vincent didn¡¯t know how to reply to him. Vincent muttered after a long time, ¡°This is impossible¡­ Even someone as powerful as William Kane couldn¡¯t sever the connection between the Moon Realm and Currere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he didn¡¯t have that condition previously, but he does now.¡± The person didn¡¯t elaborate on the specific conditions and continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯m willing to tell you all this because I know your daughter and she more or less helped me previously.¡± Vincent couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache when he heard William¡¯s words. You¡¯ve done well, Liliana. Vincent thought. However, what right did an Apprentice-level magic chanter like her have to help a mage from the Divine Realm? William ignored the other party¡¯s strange expression and continued. ¡°On the other hand, it¡¯s because I¡¯ve noticed that you don¡¯t have the aura of the Moon Realm on you since you came in. Therefore, although you claim to be a believer of the Moon Realm, you haven¡¯t really made a deal with the Moon Realm so far, right?¡± Vincent nodded slowly. Using the ancient faith of the three goddesses to replace the Seven Holy Spirits was the Duke¡¯s plan. In fact, he had been against it from the beginning. As for the reason, it was just as he had said. Handing their fate from the Empire to the Void Sovereign might not be the right choice. However, they were both controlled by others. The gods might not be merciful, but the price of mortal greed was greater than the gods. After retrieving the Elementium Silver industry, the Empire tightened its taxes on Blackwater Province year after year, increasing its support for adversarial families, reducing the allocation of spots for the Blackwater Province¡¯s magic chanters, and mobilizing many legions at the border between Blackwater Province and Platinum Province for various reasons. These practical pressures couldn¡¯t be ignored. In addition, the Holy Sepulchre, which Duke Simon used as his final trump card, needed the help of the three goddesses to awaken the power there. Therefore, even from the most pragmatic point of view, replacing the Seven Holy Spirits with the three goddesses¡¯ faith was imperative. Just like many other choices, these were necessary sacrifices. However, Vincent only believed in his strength. Therefore, he had never chosen to embrace the power of the Moon Realm like his fellow mages. Even though the duke had found him a powerful Moon Realm spirit that could allow him to break through the limits of the Legendary stage, he chose to give up that opportunity. On this point, he held the same opinion as the mysterious magic chanter in front of him. He just couldn¡¯t agree because of his standpoint. Strength is yours. Others will never be able to snatch it away. Power borrowed from elsewhere ultimately doesn¡¯t belong to me. ¡°So what do you mean?¡± Vincent asked when he thought of this. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that becoming the king of Blackwater Province with my help would only make you my puppet?¡± William smiled and said, ¡°Then, if you have enough faith in your will, you can be this puppet. What do you think?¡± 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 38 ? Chapter 38: Judgment 4 Translator: CKtalon When Cass woke up, he found himself lying in a simple tavern guest room. The air was filled with the faint smell of herbs. He shuddered and wanted to sit up, but a cold hand pressed down on his chest and pressed him back onto the bed with a force that didn¡¯t match her slenderness. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Your wound hasn¡¯t been treated.¡± A cold female voice sounded. Cass turned his head. Sitting beside the bed was the blond woman. She wore a triangular hat with white feathers and tight leather armor that allowed her to move easily. At that moment, she was focused on applying some green ointment to his abdomen. This person was the woman who had saved him from the mist monster. Cass noticed that there was an upward coarse, acute-angled horn symbol on the chest of the other party¡¯s leather armor that consisted of two rough straight lines. Cass recognized this symbol. It was the symbol of the Eighth Order of the Holy Spirits Church. The symbol of the Holy Spirits Church was a heptagram. Every corner symbolized a Holy Spirit worshiped by the Church, representing Father, Mother, Elder, Lady, Youth, Child, and the Dead. However, the eighth Holy Spirit, Hermit, wasn¡¯t included in this symbol. Back then, after Terra I completed his great undertaking of unifying the Vic Continent and ascended to the eighth Holy Spirit as a mortal, the Holy Spirits Church had debated for more than half a century about how the additional eighth Holy Spirit should belong to the Holy Spirit canon. Some people believed that the eighth Holy Spirit wasn¡¯t included in the creation model proposed by the first crown. Terra I was only another prophet. Some people also believed that the creation model of the seven Holy Spirits wasn¡¯t perfect and needed a Holy Spirit that had been elevated from a mortal to make up for the last missing piece. Finally, in the 8th Amnesty Decree issued by the 66th Holy Spirit Pope, the pious Palatu, it was clarified that the 8th Holy Spirit, Hermit, existed as a hidden Holy Spirit and couldn¡¯t be mentioned at the public mass of the Seven Holy Spirits. Its symbol wasn¡¯t included in the seven-pointed star symbol of the Holy Spirits Church, but changed to a separate acute-angled horn as a symbol. From then on, the Eighth Order became semi-independent from the Holy Spirits Church. Compared to the Holy Spirits Church, it was closer to the Empire¡¯s royal family. 2 ¡°Are you from the Church?¡± Cass asked. ¡°Mm,¡± the other party grunted as a reply. ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡± ¡°Nizemar,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Did you save me?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Cass recalled the scene before he lost consciousness. Back then, he could see his internal organs through the wound that had penetrated his abdominal cavity. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to still be alive?¡± He originally thought that he was doomed. ¡°No, you¡¯re actually dead.¡± Nizemar said calmly, her tone terrifyingly calm. Cass subconsciously reached under his nose to confirm that he wasn¡¯t breathing. After Cass confirmed that he was still breathing normally, Nizemar slowly continued, ¡°However, the life link between that faerie and you saved you. The Life Scale Powder maintained your life, and I happen to be a healer. I¡¯ve already stabilized that fatal wound with Hands of Healing, but it will probably take some time for you to fully recover.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish your sentence at once¡­¡± Cass helplessly lowered his hand. Nizemar continued expressionlessly, ¡°However, you can rest assured. Even if you really die, I¡¯ll immediately apply to the local Holy Spirits Church to use Resuscitation to revive you.¡± Resuscitation was a Lv. 9 life spell that was nearly Legendary. Moreover, it could only be used by the clergy of the Holy Spirits Church with the help of the shrine of the Seven Holy Spirits. The effect of this spell was to revive a person whose corpse was intact and had died for less than six hours. Of course, the resurrection didn¡¯t come without a price. The essence of this spell was for the caster to transfer their life force to the dead. If not for a few magic chanters using this spell together, it would basically be a life for a life. According to what Cass knew, the Holy Spirits Church had always been in decline in Blackwater Province. He estimated that only the bishop of Saint Dewey Cathedral in Thorn City could use this spell. Using the life of a bishop in exchange for the life of a wanted criminal? How was that possible? Cass was amused by the other party¡¯s words. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± As Nizemar spoke, she tore off a bandage with her white teeth. Cass shook his head and said, ¡°Now, more than half of the city wants me dead, and you¡¯re telling me that the high and mighty bishop is willing to sacrifice his life to save me. Would you believe it if you were in my shoes?¡± Nizemar replied, ¡°If you¡¯re only a wanted criminal, then there¡¯s indeed no value in doing so. But compared to the wanted criminals in Thorn City, you have a more important identity.¡± The other party¡¯s words reminded Cass of the episode before he fainted. ¡°Judge¡­ The last bloodline of the Black Swordsman, Blake Saba?¡± He extracted a few keywords from his scattered memories and asked in confusion, ¡°What exactly is that?¡± ¡°You should know about the Doomsday Watchers and William Kane, right?¡± Cass nodded. There probably weren¡¯t many people in the world who didn¡¯t know. ¡°Other than creating the Doomsday Watchers, William Kane also created another organization called the Judges. Or rather, the original Doomsday Watchers was only a peripheral organization of the Judges¡± As she spoke, she bandaged Cass¡¯s wound. ¡°There are a total of 13 Judges, including William Kane. Of course, that includes your ancestor, Blake Saba. All of them are heroes whose skills had reached the Divine Realm. His original goal in creating the Judges was to resist¡­¡± As she spoke, she suddenly stopped and asked Cass, ¡°Do you know what those monsters that almost killed you were?¡± Cass, who was about to complain that the other party had stopped mid-sentence, instantly turned solemn when he heard this question. He replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I only know that they¡¯re a little similar to magical creatures summoned by summoning spells, but they¡¯re different from puppets that only listen to the summoner. They have very high intelligence. In addition, they will turn into black salt crystals and dissipate after death without leaving any traces¡­ Do you know what they are?¡± ¡°Lunar Monsters.¡± Nizemar first said their names before explaining, ¡°To put it simply, the Moon Realm is a magical plane. There are things called Lunar Monsters living inside. They are usually manifestations of certain concepts: such as conspiracy, rot, destruction, temptation, and so on. Due to their nature, they are very willing to come to Currere to practice their ideals. In fact, a thousand years ago, they almost dragged the entire Vic Continent to the brink of destruction, but¡­¡± Cass finished her sentence. ¡°But William Kane and the Judges he established defeated them?¡± Nizemar nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t any of the legendary stories about William Kane mention anything about the Judges?¡± Cass asked. ¡°There are many reasons and they¡¯re very complicated. However, one of the most important ones is to prevent more people from coming into contact with knowledge related to the Moon Realm and prevent the tragedy from happening again. You have to know that because of the World Shell, those Lunar Monsters usually can¡¯t take the initiative to appear in Currere unless¡­¡± 1 ¡°Unless someone summons them from this side,¡± Cass said in a deep voice. Although he wasn¡¯t a magic chanter, he still knew some general principles of magic-for example, if he wanted to summon things that didn¡¯t exist in Currere, he had to use human will as a beacon as guidance. Nizemar nodded. Someone had summoned the Lunar Monsters who had killed his friends. ¡°Then do you know who summoned them?¡± Cass asked anxiously. This time, Nizemar smiled for the first time. A mocking smile. ¡°Do you really want to know? I can tell you the answer now.¡± For the first time, there was a briskness in her voice. ¡°Someone I can¡¯t touch, right?¡± Cass fell silent for a moment before asking. ¡°If you don¡¯t choose to cooperate with us, that¡¯ll be someone you¡¯ll never be able to reach.¡± Nizemar¡¯s voice returned to its previous coldness. Cass asked, ¡°What do I need to help you?¡± Nizemar replied, ¡°Simple. You need to help us retrieve a sword from the underground Holy Sepulchre of Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, a sword that only you can pull out.¡± 5 ¡°A sword?¡± Cass asked in confusion. ¡°Yes, a sword. That sword¡¯s name is Judgment 4.¡± 0 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 39 ? Chapter 39: Reason and Sleep Translator: CKtalon ¡°Judgment 4? Is there another sword called Judgment 3?¡± Upon hearing the name that didn¡¯t sound like a weapon, Cass asked half-jokingly, Unexpectedly, Nizemar nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, and there¡¯s not just Judgment 4 and Judgment 3. There are a total of 12 Judgment weapons, from Judgment 1 to Judgment 12. Holding them is a symbol of a Judge¡¯s status, and your ancestor, Blake Saba, was the holder of Judgment 4.¡± Logically speaking, Cass should feel honored. However, he really didn¡¯t feel anything for his ancestor from more than a thousand years ago. Even if that person was really a hero whose skills had reached the Divine Realm like this woman said, it didn¡¯t affect Cass¡¯s being wanted throughout the city. Therefore, he directly asked, ¡°So is there anything special about that sword called Judgment 4?¡± As Nizemar bandaged him, she said, ¡°Do you remember how many Lunar Monsters you killed?¡± Upon hearing her suddenly ask this question out of the blue, Cass replied, ¡°It¡¯s written all over the wanted posters on the streets and alleys. A total of 28.¡± However, she only shook her head and said, ¡°Unfortunately, the real answer is zero.¡± Cass asked in confusion, ¡°Why? I¡¯m very sure that I killed every Lunar Monster in the hosts¡¯ bodies.¡± At this moment, Nizemar was holding Cass¡¯s waist with her cold hand before tying the bandages around his back. After doing this, she said calmly, ¡°But they ultimately turned into black salt crystals and dissipated, right? This means that they were only banished back to the Moon Realm. Their essence won¡¯t be affected at all. In the future, as long as there¡¯s a chance, they can cross through the World Shell countless times to enter Currere. Therefore, you haven¡¯t really killed any Lunar Monsters.¡± Nizemar¡¯s words swayed Cass¡¯s heart. For so many days, his obsession with revenge had been driving him forward. But if the truth was as she said, and he was facing a group of monsters that he could never truly kill, wouldn¡¯t his persistence be meaningless? However, Cass quickly calmed down. He took a few deep breaths and asked, ¡°So what does what you¡¯re saying have to do with the sword named Judgment 4?¡± Nizemar happened to finish tying the bandage at this moment. She picked up a handkerchief that was folded at the side and wiped the blood and sweat on her hand before saying calmly, ¡°Mortal weapons and magic can¡¯t really kill Lunar Monsters, but Judgment weapons are one of the few weapons that can completely kill them.¡± With that said, she put down her handkerchief and got up to leave. Cass stopped her. ¡°Wait, you haven¡¯t told me who summoned those Lunar Monsters.¡± Nizemar looked down at him and asked, ¡°I can tell you, but have you considered accepting that answer?¡± Cass nodded slowly. ¡°Tell me who it is.¡± Nizemar¡¯s lips moved as she said a name he couldn¡¯t believe. Simon Walde, the Guardian of the Blackwater Province and the current Duke of Thorns. This name stunned Cass for a long time. He had thought that it might be a noble, archmage, or someone of high status in Thorn City. However, he never expected that the man who ruled the entire Blackwater Province would be the tyrant who had ruled Thorn City with an iron fist for more than 20 years. Perhaps I should have known¡­ Cass thought. In the beginning, their mercenary group was hired by Duke Simon¡¯s faction to investigate the strange sounds the miners heard in the Silverstream Mine. Then, his teammates encountered those monsters and were sacrificed. If he hadn¡¯t met Liz by chance, he would probably have died inside. Then, with Liz¡¯s help, he infiltrated the Silverstream Mine again and found the parasitized miner, hoping to find out the truth. However, he was attacked by the other party, and had no choice but to kill him. Less than a day later, he was wanted by the entire city. Previously, he only suspected that a higher-up had been parasitized by that monster, but after understanding the form of the Lunar Monster, everything made sense. After a long time, Cass asked, ¡°Why did he summon those Lunar Monsters?¡± Nizemar replied, ¡°We¡¯re also investigating the exact reason. The most likely guess is that Duke Simon might want to summon a Void Sovereign to Currere to achieve his goals.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Void Sovereign?¡± Cass asked. ¡°The pinnacle of Lunar Monsters; they require an entire Lunar Domain to explain their concepts. Just a whisper from Them can incite the suspicion and betrayal of the crowd. Just a roar can stir up war and storms. Just a thought can determine the fate of mortals.¡± Cass felt like he was listening to a myth. ¡°Can the duke succeed?¡± ¡°Very likely.¡± ¡°What happens if he succeeds?¡± ¡°What happens depends on which Void Sovereign he summons, but the final outcome should be suffering.¡± ¡°Is there a way to stop him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We need an outstanding swordsman and a sword that can completely kill a Lunar Monster. This is also the reason why we¡¯re looking for you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Cass pointed at his nose and said in amusement, ¡°Why? Just because I can pull out that sword?¡± ¡°The sword is very important, but what¡¯s more important is the person wielding the sword. You¡¯re one of the few people in this city who still has the spirit to resist.¡± ¡°If it can be done with spirit alone, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be so many tragedies in this world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re facing the difficulties of Currere. Against existences at the Moon Realm, your will is truly the most important weapon. Rest well. We¡¯ll come to you soon.¡± With that said, Nizemar turned around and left. When she reached the door, Cass, who suddenly thought of something pressing, stopped her again. This time, he sat up from the bed and shouted, ¡°Wait, can you bring me out of the city now? There¡¯s a small wooden hut in the middle of the Black Pine Forest. My friend is still¡­¡± Nizemar didn¡¯t reply or stop. Instead, she struck the large vase at the door before leaving, closed the door, and left. Just as Cass was about to get off the bed and chase after her, Liz flew out of the vase with an unhappy expression. Cass gaped at her. ¡°You¡­¡± Watching Liz fly to his bed with a gloomy expression, Cass didn¡¯t seem to know how to say anything other than ¡°you.¡± ¡°Take her first. I¡¯ll knock them all down here before returning.¡± Liz imitated Cass¡¯s line from the tunnel in an exaggerated tone. Then, she spread her arms with a dark expression and slapped Cass¡¯s cheeks with both hands. ¡°Liar!¡± Cass looked away guiltily. His life was essentially lent to him by Liz, but he had been taking risks. Although he didn¡¯t know how much Life Scale Powder Liz had consumed to maintain his life force when he was severely injured, the faerie¡¯s face was a little paler than before. ¡°How did you get here? Didn¡¯t you agree to wait for me at that wooden hut?¡± Cass changed the topic. Unexpectedly, these words completely stirred the little faerie¡¯s emotions. She rubbed Cass¡¯s face with both hands and said, ¡°How dare you mention my cabin? After I brought the girl through the Faerie Mist, a few monsters somewhat like dreams and mist quickly followed me. I protected the unconscious girl while dealing with them and was almost eaten. Furthermore, the garden that I had painstakingly built was destroyed by them!¡± ¡°What happened then?¡± Cass didn¡¯t push her away as usual and continued asking. His voice also sounded comical because the other party kept tugging at his cheek. ¡°Later? Later on, if not for the big sister with the crossbow rushing over, that girl and I would have died there!¡± Big sister? Upon hearing this word, Cass¡¯s expression turned strange. Wasn¡¯t this faerie in front of him 200 years old? An intense pain suddenly came from his cheek. Liz yanked his face. ¡°Don¡¯t start thinking of impolite things. She looks older than me, so I have to call her big sister!¡± But I haven¡¯t said anything¡­ Cass thought helplessly, but at the realization that whatever he said would only serve to make her angrier, he ultimately chose to shut up and let her yank his face. After the other party calmed down a little, Cass asked curiously, ¡°So why did you hide in that vase just now?¡± ¡°I just wanted to see your reaction. I wanted to see how long it would take you to remember that your master might still be waiting for you alone in that wooden hut.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Cass asked in disbelief. ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t this reason enough?¡± Liz sat cross-legged in midair, looking furious. ¡°In the end, you only thought of me when that big sister was about to leave. Why? Have you forgotten who your master is because of the blond beauty? What should I say? If I hadn¡¯t been saved, wouldn¡¯t you be collecting my corpse by the time you recall?¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any collecting of corpses. If you die, I will die immediately-we are connected in life,¡± Cass said without thinking. Liz gritted her teeth and flew up to punch Cass in the chest, causing him to cough repeatedly-he was still wounded. 1 Cass coughed for a while before asking as though he had thought of something, ¡°By the way, where¡¯s the Offa University student we saved?¡± Liz, who had an arrogant expression, suddenly became embarrassed. ¡°Uh¡­ About that¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is she still alive?¡± Liz immediately nodded, but she still looked embarrassed. ¡°She¡¯s still alive, but¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Cass asked suspiciously. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I worried that she wouldn¡¯t let go of her thoughts and cause the Teleportation to fail when I used Faerie Mist? Therefore, I let her sleep first.¡± Cass nodded. This was something she often did before he got used to the Teleportation of Faerie Mist. ¡°And for some reason¡­ she doesn¡¯t seem to be waking up now¡­¡± 1 Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 40 ? Chapter 40: Nightmare Swamp Translator: CKtalon The girl lay on a simple wooden bed, her forehead covered in sweat. Her expression kept twisting and changing as if she was deep in a nightmare. Cass tried tugging at her arm, but the other party didn¡¯t react at all. He turned to look at Liz, who was flying in midair. ¡°It¡¯s not usually like this,¡± Liz said innocently. With that said, she made a tossing motion, and a handful of dust that shone with a golden luster landed on the girl¡¯s face. Instantly, the tense muscles on the girl¡¯s face relaxed a little, and her eyelids began to tremble slightly as if she was about to wake up. However, this situation lasted less than ten seconds. As the dust gradually dissipated, she returned to her previous state. ¡°Generally speaking, she should be awake by now.¡± Liz looked at Cass with an expression that said: ¡°This definitely isn¡¯t my problem.¡± She wore this expression every time she caused trouble. Cass sighed and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to wake her up using tougher means? She looks like she¡¯s just having a nightmare.¡± Before Liz could answer, a familiar voice came from outside the door. ¡°It¡¯s useless. Her soul is in the Nightmare Swamp now. That¡¯s the Moon Realm of the Lord of Nightmare. Ordinary methods can¡¯t wake her up.¡± Cass turned his head and saw Nizemar standing at the door. She had changed into her previous outfit. She had an exquisite repeating crossbow on her back and a silver rapier at her waist. ¡°You said you would come to me soon. It¡¯s so soon?¡± Cass asked curiously when he saw her. ¡°I just received new information that the duke is about to take action, so I came to look for you.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she walked to the bed and placed her hand on the girl¡¯s forehead. After a while, she said, ¡°A faerie¡¯s Dream Dust will change the effects of the dream according to the user¡¯s emotions. The faerie from before had too much going through her emotionally when she fell asleep, causing her to fall into a nightmare.¡± Cass nodded and said, ¡°I know that. I¡¯ve experienced it a few times before. It wasn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not to the point of not waking up, right?¡± Cass ignored Liz¡¯s protest and asked. ¡°Generally speaking, that¡¯s the case, but in the tunnel earlier, you happened to encounter the spawn of the Lord of Nightmare. It connected this child¡¯s nightmare to the Nightmare Swamp through its authority.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she took out a letter and quill from her bag and sat at the side to write something. ¡°Who¡¯s the Lord of Nightmare?¡± Cass asked. ¡°One of the Void Sovereigns-in charge of nightmares, illusions, and mist, which can turn the normal into abnormalities. The Nightmare Swamp is Her domain, and it¡¯s connected to every mortal¡¯s nightmare. The Lunar Monster that almost killed you previously is a spawn called the Mist Nightmare under Her command. They can revive inanimate humanoid objects through possession,¡± Nizemar answered as she wrote. Her words reminded Cass of the puncture wound in his abdomen and the skeletons he couldn¡¯t kill. ¡°Is the Lord of Nightmare the Void Sovereign Duke Simon wants to summon to Currere?¡± Cass frowned and asked. ¡°Not necessarily, but it¡¯s indeed one of the possible options. The ancient Blackwater Kingdom had a long history of believing in the three Moon Realm goddesses, and the Lord of Nightmare was one of them.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she stopped writing and placed the letter into the envelope. Then, she got up and took a candle from the candlestick beside him. She dripped wax and sealed the envelope before saying to Cass, ¡°Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s not much time left.¡± Cass pointed at the girl lying on the bed and asked, ¡°Then what about her? If her soul is still trapped in the Moon Realm as you said, we can¡¯t just leave her here, right?¡± Nizemar waved the envelope in her hand. ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about her. Send this letter to her father. Someone will naturally deal with all of this soon.¡± Cass asked in confusion, ¡°Why? Who is she?¡± Nizemar said as she walked, ¡°Her name is Liliana von Bergman. You should understand when you hear this last name, right?¡± ¡­ It should have been almost 20 minutes¡­ Vincent¡¯s adjutant waited at the entrance of the Silverstream Mine in boredom. The pile of miner corpses had already been dragged away by the Bramble Guards. He believed that his contract partner could definitely make good use of the corpses. With this in mind, he couldn¡¯t help but smile in delight. This way, after completing the second contract, the gift from the Moon Realm would rise another level. He could even attempt to touch the realm he originally had no hope of reaching in his life. Now, studying Moon Realm magic was basically an open secret in the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall. Only a few pedantic people still guarded the ancient Astral Laws. Most of these incompetent people who were afraid of change ended up being gradually pushed out of the center of power. Of course, a very small number of people who planned on exposing this to the Church suddenly disappeared without a word. No one could betray the Whispering Empress. However, he couldn¡¯t figure out why Vincent, who should be more against the Astral Laws than anyone else, was unwilling to join them. It was said that the duke had prepared the most compatible contract for Vincent back then. As long as he signed it, he could step into the realm that had left him out for 15 years. Could anyone really resist this temptation? But that¡¯s good too, the adjutant thought. Before coming here to ¡°suppress the riots,¡± the duke had specially instructed him to strictly enforce the Black Thorn regulations. Anyone who might leak information about the Moon Realm had to be silenced. Most importantly, the duke even told him meaningfully at the end that if his old friend Vincent became senile, he had to give the order on his behalf. Would the Sage of Scorching Scars become senile? The adjutant naturally understood what the duke meant. Giving him the actual command of the mission to suppress the Silverstream Mine was also him taking a position. Although Vincent was still undoubtedly the number one person below Legendary, with the arrival of the new age, it was high time the powerhouses of the old age retired. Especially those from the old age who weren¡¯t willing to embrace the future powerhouses. Under the protection of the three goddesses, even Divine Realm-level magic chanters would probably appear in the future Blackwater Kingdom. Therefore, the duke must not be disappointed by the suppression mission. Just as he was thinking about the beautiful future, heavy footsteps gradually became clear from the darkness. He shuddered and looked over. Vincent von Bergman walked out of the pitch-black mine with a tired expression. He immediately smiled and went forward. ¡°Lord Vincent, how¡¯s the situation below the mine? Where¡¯s that heretical mage?¡± ¡°He got away,¡± Vincent replied without any emotion in his tone. The expression on the adjutant¡¯s face froze. ¡°He got away?¡± ¡°Yes, the other party¡¯s attainments in lightning spells are very high. I couldn¡¯t stop him from opening the portal and leaving.¡± ¡°But how could you let him run¡­¡± The adjutant couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions and blurted out a few words. Then, he immediately realized what he had said. He lowered his head and lowered his voice to make it sound as humble as possible. ¡°What I mean is that since the other party is a heretical mage, it¡¯s impossible for him to be stronger than you, right?¡± Vincent shook his head, but he didn¡¯t answer his question. Instead, he said to the Bramble Guards behind him, ¡°Go down and tidy up the venue below. This altar can¡¯t be used anymore. Everything has to be destroyed.¡± Seeing the black-armored guards accept the orders and walk into the mine in unison, Vincent turned to look at his adjutant and said, ¡°Return to the Rose Palace with me first. I have something to tell Simon.¡± The adjutant gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Lord Vincent, with all due respect, I¡¯m afraid that the duke will be very¡­ unhappy for you to let the heretical mage escape at this critical juncture of the duke¡¯s plan. Can you track the Teleportation coordinates of that heretical mage? I can go with you to capture him.¡± Vincent subconsciously smiled bitterly when he heard that. ¡°You, me, and the remaining Battle Mages can¡¯t do anything to that person. More importantly, compared to what he¡¯s going to do next, the destruction of the altar in this mine isn¡¯t a big deal.¡± The adjutant looked at the peak Master magic chanter in front of him in disbelief. ¡°Who is that heretical mage?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 41 ?41 Tower Guardian Colt listened to the conversation between Vincent and William as beads of perspiration dripped down his forehead. He kept questioning himself if his choice of staying was right. Although he didn¡¯t understand much of their conversation, he could understand what William was saying about Vincent becoming the new ruler of the Blackwater Province. He didn¡¯t just understand it; he was horrified by what he heard. Could the Blackwater Province¡¯s Duke of Thorn be replaced just like that? What was even more terrifying was that when the two of them were talking about this topic, they didn¡¯t argue about the possibility. Instead, the discussion about whether they were willing or not and what meaning it had. ¡°I refuse¡­¡± Vincent finally said. With that said, he raised the magical medium in his hand and assumed a combat pose. William looked at the lightning on Vincent¡¯s magical medium and assessed it inwardly. The other party was probably at the level of a random high-level mage from the Mage Guild in the late stages of the game. Of course, he might have some trump cards, but in short, the battle would be over in seconds. Therefore, he reminded him, ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? You should know that you don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Vincent knew that it was the truth. The other party could have treated him as target practice when he previously used Zero Entropy, giving him countless opportunities to kill him while time was stopped. However, he retorted with a question, ¡°I¡¯m aware, but will you be kind enough to let me off alive after my rejection?¡± ¡°You can leave and take your time to think about it when you get back. There¡¯s no hurry. I have plenty of patience,¡± William replied casually. Vincent asked suspiciously, ¡°Then, aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll tell Duke Simon of your intentions?¡± William shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± Looking at Vincent¡¯s puzzled expression, he continued, ¡°First of all, what I just said isn¡¯t an attempt, but a fact that¡¯s destined to happen. Secondly, I don¡¯t care if you or anyone else ultimately takes over. You are my choice simply because I think it¡¯s more convenient; it might stabilize the situation faster and reduce the number of innocent casualties. That¡¯s all.¡± William paused and continued, ¡°Of course, if there¡¯s any other reason, it might be because your daughter is a kind person. I¡¯ll feel a little bad killing her father.¡± ¡°Liliana¡­¡± Vincent hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. ¡°But!¡± However, William raised his voice slightly and interrupted Vincent. ¡°But, my patience will remain until you attack me. I¡¯m not magnanimous enough to let go of someone who tries to kill me. By the same logic, unless I find a better candidate than you, my suggestion that you control Thorn City will last until you stand opposite me.¡± When the time comes, I won¡¯t be so merciful. Vincent understood the meaning in the other party¡¯s eyes. Therefore, the lightning on the magical medium dimmed. He bowed slightly to William in greeting before slowly turning around and leaving. ¡°I know there are some things you might find difficult to accept for the time being, but I hope you think through it carefully. Between a country controlled by the three Moon Realm goddesses and a country where humans don¡¯t need gods, which is more in line with your expectations for the future?¡± William said to his departing back. Looking at Vincent¡¯s gradually disappearing figure in the mine tunnel, the sweating Colt tugged at William¡¯s sleeve and carefully asked, ¡°Are you letting him leave just like that? He rejected your suggestion¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to be wary if he had agreed immediately.¡± As William spoke, he snapped his fingers at the Webweaver¡¯s corpse at the side of the hall. A deep spatial rift opened, and a few bandaged hands reached out and carried the corpse in. ¡°Why?¡± Colt looked nervously at the huge hand that stretched out of the spatial rift and asked. ¡°People who yearn for power often shouldn¡¯t obtain it. People like him who have no ambition to rule are better choices.¡± Colt nodded, having somewhat understood the theory. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± William placed his hand on Colt¡¯s body. With a flash of lightning, the two of them disappeared from the hall as if they had never existed. ¡­ According to the Seven Holy Spirits¡¯ theory of the creation model, air was the basic Elemental that formed the soul. It was the breath transformed from the Holy Spirit, Mother, and it was the lightest part of creation. Therefore, high-level storm spells were often related to the soul, and the most effective way to distinguish between living creatures and the undead was to observe if a target was breathing. In short, the air in this world was completely different from the world William came from. ¡°But why does it smell like ionized ozone?¡± There was a brief flash of lightning, and William and Colt appeared out of thin air in an ornate hotel room. As soon as they landed, William complained. ¡°What¡¯s ozone?¡± Colt repeated the strange and awkward pronunciation and asked curiously. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± William covered his nose and opened the window. Colt nodded and looked around before asking, ¡°Where are we?¡± The rose-scented breeze blew away the faint stench. William looked out the window and replied absent-mindedly, ¡°The Stallion Hotel. I¡¯ve been staying here. By the way, is this far from your house?¡± Colt looked at the Platinum City-style chalkstone building outside and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here.¡± This was an uptown area near the Rose Palace. The guards wouldn¡¯t even let him pass when they saw his clothes. ¡°Then do you know the way back?¡± William turned his head and asked. ¡°I do.¡± Colt nodded. William walked over and took out a bottle of green potion and an ancient sheepskin scroll from his robe before handing them to him. ¡°Go home and give this bottle of potion to your father. Although it can¡¯t treat his broken leg, it won¡¯t be a problem recovering his blind eyes. Then, explain to him what happened in the mine. As long as you tear open this scroll, it will teleport you to Sigmonds. Do you understand?¡± Colt took the potion and scroll and nodded seriously. Then, he asked in confusion, ¡°What about you? Presiding Judge, where are you going next?¡± William turned to look at the gorgeous and magnificent Astral Lighthouse outside the window and at the deep magical light on the top of the tower. ¡°I plan on taking a look there,¡± William replied. Colt also looked at the lighthouse before immediately looking away. When he was young, many elders had warned him not to stare at the blinking lights. Otherwise, his soul would be sucked in. ¡°Just taking a look?¡± Colt asked hesitantly. William replied very casually, ¡°I¡¯m just going to take a look. I want to see what changes were made to the previous design.¡± ¡­ Astral Lighthouse, Astral Observation Room. Nine dark red gems were connected into the shape of a sickle by Elementium Silver. This was the arranged star map of the Stranger Constellation. The Stranger Constellation symbolized death, wanderers, and endless wandering. They facilitated the study of the three spells-Necromancy, Shadowraze, and Storm. A gray-haired old man with a withered face sat quietly in front of a star map, and his surroundings were filled with an ominous aura. The three dim phantoms constantly gathered into a human form beside him, but they dissipated the moment they were about to take human form. It was like some kind of practice. After a long time, the three phantoms exploded, turning into pitch-black shadows that fused into the old man¡¯s shadow. He slowly opened his eyes and said, ¡°Are you here to destroy the Resound records again?¡± Outside the Astral Observatory, a dignified middle-aged man stood. This person was the overlord of Thorn City, Simon Walde. He looked at the elder and nodded. ¡°After all, it¡¯s something that happened below the Silverstream Mine. It might be troublesome if the Church finds out.¡± The old man sneered and said, ¡°It might have been someone sent by the Church. I heard that the Eighth Order has already noticed the problem here.¡± Duke Simon shook his head. ¡°As long as the Demon Burial doesn¡¯t send someone over, the matter hasn¡¯t spiraled out of control. Our cooperation can continue. The Eighth Order only covets the sword in the Holy Sepulchre as usual. The reason is secondary.¡± The old man¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he said, ¡°But I heard that the Eighth Order sent a strong person over. He seems to be the young man who stood out in Dragon Breath Province a while ago?¡± Duke Simon revealed a meaningful smile and said, ¡°The Silver Blood Daughter, Nizemar. Heh, her nickname is quite compatible with this city. But it¡¯s fine. My people are keeping a close eye on her. Moreover, the support the local church can provide her is limited. She can¡¯t do anything.¡± The elder seemed to ease up a little when he heard that. He closed his eyes again and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to come personally if it¡¯s just the deletion of the Resound record. Tell me, what else do you want?¡± Simon said, ¡°I¡¯m just here to inform you that the preparation for the Eternal Gift is only a step away from completion. Our cooperation will soon come to a successful end. When the time comes, you-as a Legendary-will still be the next tower guardian of Stranger Tower.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 42 ? 42 Eternal Gift The Eternal Gift was the ancient secret ritual of the Blackwater Kingdom. It needed to construct a miniature Netherworld through extremely rich necromancy magic power to have the executor of the secret ritual and the remnant soul imprint on the ancestor¡¯s corpse resonate. Spellcasters could either gather those soul imprints to strengthen their Spirit or summon the corpses to rise and become their slaves. Of course, as the price of controlling this powerful force, the former might suffer the latent risk of ending up with schizophrenia, and the latter might lose control of the corpses because they failed to control their ancestor¡¯s will. Back when Great Sage Yeats was compiling the Astral Laws, the Undead mages from the Rotten Moon Church in the Blackwater Province hoped to compile the Eternal Gift into the catalog of Undead magic. However, they were ultimately excluded by the first Astral Council because this spell contained too much Moon Realm worship. Logically speaking, all records of this secret ritual should have been destroyed during the era when the Astral Laws were promoted via the Great Book Burning campaign. However, one day, Duke Simon brought an ancient copy to the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s guardian. Duke Simon offered to help the old man, who had been stuck on the precipice of the Legendary stage for many years, enter the Legendary stage by using Moon Realm magic to recreate the Eternal Gift. ¡°The preparations for the Eternal Gift are almost complete?¡± The elder opened his eyes again when he heard Simon¡¯s words. He stared at Duke Simon and asked suspiciously, ¡°Is it that fast? Shouldn¡¯t the magical power from the Astral World enter Currere along this Astral Lighthouse after the correct celestial cycle is in place? Only then can a magical environment that meets the requirements of the Eternal Gift appear?¡± Duke Simon shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s too slow. I¡¯ve done the math; the next correct celestial cycle will be this year¡¯s Frost Moon. It will introduce too many variables in between.¡± The old man sneered and said, ¡°Are there too many variables, or have you blown your cover?¡± Simon replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that the Church won¡¯t discover anything here. Their actions have always been under my control, including the movements of the woman sent by the Eighth Order.¡± The elder-who was familiar with the efficiency of Thorn City¡¯s intelligence system-involuntarily nodded. Then, he asked in confusion, ¡°Then, what other variables are you worried about?¡± ¡°These so-called variables refer to something that can¡¯t be predicted.¡± Simon sighed and continued, ¡°You¡¯ve seen the records left behind by the Resound spell, right?¡± The old man nodded. He had seen the records of the gray-haired, silver-eyed magic chanter killing the supervisor sent to the Silverstream Mine by the Duke several times after receiving the news. Be it the rapid release of Ice Barrier to block the supervisor¡¯s Dragon Lightning Spear or the unknown teleportation spell, they left a deep impression on him. He estimated that if he encountered that person outside the range of this Astral Lighthouse, the chance of victory was 50-50. In Thorn City, only Sage of Scorching Scars, Vincent, could certainly suppress that person. Of course, if he could use the power of this Astral Lighthouse to fight, that would be another matter. ¡°I have. Why?¡± the old man asked. ¡°That mage who¡¯s very likely at the Master level seems to have appeared out of thin air. My subordinates can¡¯t find any clues about his origins,¡± Simon said in frustration. In this era, be it a formal registration or a heretic, it was very difficult for a powerful magic chanter to hide his identity, let alone find any clues to his identity. Becoming a magic chanter required a large amount of resources, and it was impossible for there to be no traces of the use of those resources. It was no wonder he was so anxious. Threats from the unknown were always the most terrifying. ¡°But even if you plan on holding the Eternal Gift immediately, how do you plan on resolving the necessary condition that is mana density?¡± the old man asked. ¡°Holy Sepulchre. I plan on holding the Eternal Gift in the Holy Sepulchre.¡± Duke Simon¡¯s answer widened the old man¡¯s eyes. The Holy Sepulchre was located under Thorn City¡¯s graveyard. Or rather, Thorn City¡¯s graveyard was built above the Holy Sepulchre. It was the holy land worshiped by generations of the ancient Blackwater Kingdom, and it was also the worship source of the Blackwater Swamp¡¯s ancestors and the dead. In addition, it likely had the richest undead magic on the Vic Continent. After all, it was impossible to find a place with so many intact corpses elsewhere. But to any magic chanter who was familiar with history, it had a different identity. The location of the Rotten Moon Tide more than a thousand years ago. The Tide of Undead that had once swept through the entire continent. Some people had once guessed that the source of the disaster was a failed Eternal Gift. ¡°No, no, no. This is crazy.¡± With this in mind, the old man shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Moreover, ignoring the risk of holding a secret ritual there, as tower guardian, I can¡¯t leave the Astral Lighthouse. Regarding this, Simon said very easily, ¡°If it¡¯s only half a day, can¡¯t you get a magic chanter at the same level as you to replace you? I think Vincent will be very willing to help.¡± The elder fell silent. He thought for a while before saying, ¡°But it¡¯s still too dangerous to hold this ritual in the Holy Sepulchre. Moreover, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know why Judgment 4, the weapon coveted by the Eighth parish, was left in the Holy Sepulchre?¡± Simon naturally knew what he was referring to. He had been to the Holy Sepulchre more than 20 years ago and learned about the unknown history from the inscriptions in the Holy Sepulchre. It was ten years after William Kane left when an era of war ensued among the seven kingdoms on the continent. The Blackwater royal family, which was at a military disadvantage, made a crazy decision-to awaken the wraith of the old king that had once triggered the Rotten Moon Tide and summon the dead to be used as soldiers. And this plan naturally failed. Among the fractured Judges, only two people provided a timely response to the Blackwater Kingdom¡¯s request for help in time-the fourth Judge, Black Swordsman Blake, and the last Judge, Jackdaw Coles. To prevent the Rotten Moon wraith from breaking through the seal, the two Legendary Judges died there. Before dying, Blake used his last breath to seal the wraith under the Holy Sepulchre. Judgment 4 became his tombstone. Other than a stone plaque set up by the Judges who arrived later for their former friends, this story was not recorded in history books. ¡°But more than a thousand years have passed. No matter how strong the wraith is, it should have dissipated,¡± Simon replied. However, the old man still shook his head. ¡°Anything except this. I¡¯m able to turn a blind eye to those people in your Mage Hall studying Moon Realm magic¡­¡± ¡°You turned a blind eye because you want to become a member of the Astral Council, and I¡¯m the only person who¡¯s willing and can help you advance to the Legendary domain.¡± Simon cut off the old man. ¡°I¡¯m not negotiating with you. As I¡¯ve said, I¡¯m informing you of your only chance to advance to Legendary.¡± ¡­ When Simon was going down the tower, a hazy and constantly changing star in his ether domain suddenly sent him news. ¡°My arrangements are almost done. As long as the actor appears, the ritual can begin at any time.¡± It was the Nightmare Maid speaking to him through an anchor in his soul. ¡°Me too. Unfortunately, that old coward cherishes his life too much. He only agreed to come out of his turtle shell under my threats,¡± Simon replied. ¡°So you ultimately plan on making that tower guardian the fuel for the ritual and not Vincent?¡± the Nightmare Maid asked through the ether domain. ¡°You saw that old fellow¡¯s character as well. Other than his bloodline, he¡¯s useless. He consumed countless resources but couldn¡¯t advance to Legendary because of his lack of mental strength tempering. Give the same resources to Vincent and he¡¯s probably already on the cusp of breaking through to the Divine Realm. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to say which one of them is more valuable.¡± When Simon went downstairs, he transmitted his thoughts to the Nightmare Maid through the ether domain. During this period, he accidentally bumped into a mage wearing a simple robe and a hood. ¡°Sorry,¡± the person apologized politely in a hoarse voice and made way for him. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Simon didn¡¯t mind too much. He didn¡¯t even look at the person and walked down the stairs. At this moment, a new message from the Nightmare Maid in the ether domain arrived. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t the value of the person, but that using him as fuel is equivalent to declaring war on the Astral Council.¡± ¡°Then so be it. I did all this to overturn those rules-at least in the Blackwater Swamp. If the world is ruled by such mediocre people, this world will only be pathetic,¡± Simon replied. After turning the corner of the last staircase, he finally arrived at the bottom of the lighthouse. He looked at the sunlight outside the door and felt unprecedentedly relaxed. ¡°A new era is about to begin,¡± he said. On the stairs of the lighthouse, the magic chanter who had accidentally bumped into Simon stopped in his tracks. He looked at the runes embedded in the wall and slowly lowered his hood, revealing grayish-white hair. He stroked the familiar runes and muttered, ¡°Things from the old era really never disappear¡­¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 43 ? 43 Rifts and Cracks In the era when the Doomsday Watchers were active, the Mage Guild reached its peak under William¡¯s management. The most outstanding magic researchers on the continent of the time gathered and jointly proposed the Astral Circuit. After the ¡°Magic Dawn¡± mission was completed, William, who had publicized the Astral Circuit technology, had been looking forward to the game¡¯s sequel. Would it be a world where magic and steam combined? However, things didn¡¯t go as planned. At least a thousand years later, this world still looked like it had medieval productivity. However, later generations realized the Astral Circuit. This made William very curious about how they solved those technical problems. The greatest technical difficulty of the Astral Circuit wasn¡¯t building the Astral Lighthouse or even building a magic network that covered the continent. These were all secular problems that could be done as long as a ruler dared to invest resources. The true difficulty was finding many paths that could bypass the Moon Realm and connect Currere to the Astral World. In this world, stars weren¡¯t true celestial bodies, but holes. They penetrated the Moon Realm that symbolized nothingness and allowed Creatons from the Astral World to pass through themselves. Those Creatons turned into starlight after being filtered by the World Shell. In William¡¯s era, due to the drastic changes in the Moon Realm, even the greatest Astral Constellation Master in the world couldn¡¯t accurately predict the direction of the stars. Without a stable prediction, it was impossible to draw a star map, and it was impossible to build a natural astral circuit. According to his calculations, it would take at least 500 years for the Moon Realm to gradually calm down. However, he learned from Liliana that the Astral Laws had been established slightly over 200 years after he left. Then, how did they bypass the unstable Moon Realm and head to the Astral World to build a circuit? The answer was that they hadn¡¯t bypassed the Moon Realm at all. When William saw the dense spatial stabilization runes engraved on the tower, his heart fell. When he saw the huge Moon Realm rift on the top of the tower through the spell, Moon Realm Detection, he almost blew a gasket. The designer of the Astral Laws didn¡¯t choose to bypass the unpredictable Moon Realm. Instead, he simply and crudely chiseled open the World Shell and passed through the Moon Realm to build the Astral Circuit. The Scar of Sorrow suppressed by the Twilight Fortress used to be the largest Moon Realm rift in Currere. That was the opening to the World Shell, and it was also the largest portal for the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion of Vic Continent back then. As for the rift at the top of the Astral Lighthouse, although it wasn¡¯t as large as the Scar of Sorrow, once a Void Sovereign wanted to do something through it, it would cause catastrophic consequences. Back then, after the Doomsday Watcher repelled the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion, it took a lot of effort to seal the wound. Even so, the Scar of Sorrow was still the World Shell¡¯s weak point to this day. The Stumbling Demon summoned there proved this. And they dug open the World Shell themselves just to monopolize the Astral World¡¯s magic power source? William still remembered that Liliana had said that there were a total of 24 Astral Lighthouses on the continent. If the Moon Realm rift here wasn¡¯t an exception, then there were 24 Moon Realm rifts evenly distributed on the Vic Continent. This news was too shocking. William did a simple calculation. If the Moon Realm planned on invading, the scale and strength would be more than twice as large as 1,000 years ago. Considering that the rifts covered the entire continent, the trouble would be at least ten times greater. ¡°What did you guys do after I left¡­¡± William stared at the rift and sighed. His hand that was stroking the runes on the tower trembled slightly. He could sense that the spatial runes used to prevent Lunar Monsters from entering Currere were very powerful. Ordinary Lunar Monsters couldn¡¯t even approach this place. However, these rune barriers were only superficial decorations to the Void Sovereigns. They didn¡¯t destroy them purely because They didn¡¯t want to do so for the time being. Wasn¡¯t any of the Judges going to stop those bastards from doing so? Alright, the Astral Laws were formulated more than 200 years after he left. Many of his Judgment companions probably weren¡¯t around then, but among the 13 Judges, other than mortals, there were still many long-lived ones. Dowa King of the Dragons, Coles Jackdaw of the Crowmen, Remides Shadowmoon of the High Elves, and Koos, whose body was already immortal¡­ If nothing unexpected happened, their lifespans were definitely enough to live to this day. Didn¡¯t they try to stop these things, or did they try and fail? No matter what, there must be a deeper reason behind the establishment of the Riel Empire 800 years ago. The only thing worth rejoicing about now was that the size of the Moon Realm rift wasn¡¯t enough for a Void Sovereign¡¯s main body to pass through. Even Their incarnations couldn¡¯t squeeze in. As long as it was something that had a health bar, he could defeat it. With this in mind, William retracted his gaze from the crack and continued climbing up the stairs of the lighthouse. He pondered as he walked. This Astral Lighthouse had been in operation for nearly 800 years. During this period, no Lunar Monsters had invaded the Vic Continent-at the very least, he hadn¡¯t seen any similar records in the historical documents he had read over the past few days. Just as he had thought, the fact that the Void Sovereigns didn¡¯t use these rifts only meant that They didn¡¯t want to do so for the time being. However, this didn¡¯t mean that They weren¡¯t plotting something. Instead, They had been making preparations for more than 800 years. An unknown threat was the most terrifying threat. Then, what were They up to? William, who was walking in the shadows, turned his body to avoid the patrol route of a Fire Soul. After entering the middle level of the lighthouse, the security measures and spell traps along the way began to increase. The patrolling security guards also changed from guards to various Elemental Souls. Helpless, William changed his Illusion-type Stealth to Shadow-type Stealth. Of course, if he was still discovered like this, he could only try Peerless-type Stealth. Hopefully, that wouldn¡¯t happen. ¡­ After Duke Simon returned to the Rose Palace, he found out that Vincent had been waiting for him in the conference hall. Seeing Simon enter, Vincent requested the adjutant who had returned with him out to leave and lock the door on his way out. At the same time, he used the magical medium in his hand to knock on the door. Blue lightning spread along the magical medium to the four walls of the room. All sound in the room was blocked, and no one outside could hear their conversation. This was a lightning-element magic power usage technique he had figured out-to block sound by causing light spatial ripples. This technique wasn¡¯t included in the spell catalog of the Astral Laws, so it was considered a heretical act in a sense. However, the two people in the room didn¡¯t care about this. ¡°I can take it that you¡¯re trying to assassinate me.¡± Simon teased. He was probably a little relaxed now that the preparations for the ritual were complete. However, seeing Vincent¡¯s serious expression, Simon restrained his smile and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you not deal with the Silverstream Mine?¡± Vincent shook his head and said, ¡°There¡¯s still something that hasn¡¯t been blocked.¡± As he spoke, he pointed the magical medium in his hand at Simon¡¯s forehead. A weak bolt of lightning was connected between the magical medium and Simon¡¯s glabella. In Simon¡¯s ether domain, his connection with the spirit of the Three Moon Realm was temporarily severed. Simon turned nervous. He looked around furtively and asked, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± ¡°I want to tell you what I just encountered under the Silverstream Mine, but I can¡¯t let others know about this. This includes the few-month-old Moon Realm spirit who signed a contract with you,¡± Vincent quickly explained. ¡°What happened? Could that person really be Demon Burial¡¯s Paladin?¡± Simon asked suspiciously. ¡°No, it¡¯s much scarier than that. Listen to me first. Before I finish speaking, don¡¯t refute me like a rational normal person.¡± Then, Vincent began to talk about how he had encountered the magic chanter who called himself the Presiding Judge after descending to the mine. He spoke quickly, but his logic was very clear, and his words didn¡¯t carry any emotion. In the beginning, Simon had planned on interrupting Vincent a few times to get the details, but Vincent spoke too quickly and didn¡¯t give him a chance to interrupt. When Simon heard that the magic chanter had used Divine Realm Frost magic, his expression turned solemn. When he heard that the magic chanter wanted Vincent to become the new ruler of the Blackwater Province, Simon fell completely silent. ¡°¡­In the end, he didn¡¯t attack me when I turned around and left. I immediately rushed here after leaving the mine and learned from the butler that you had gone to the Astral Lighthouse and would be back soon. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been waiting here for you to return.¡± Vincent finally said. Then, he looked into Simon¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°What should we do next?¡± Simon looked at him in silence. After a while, he slowly said, ¡°What about you? What do you think?¡± Vincent analyzed and said, ¡°First, we need to figure out the identity of that magic chanter. It¡¯s impossible for a magic chanter who can reach the Divine Realm under the Astral Laws to choose to help the Blackwater Province become independent. And if he¡¯s a heretical mage, he cannot reach that realm silently¡­¡± Fifty years ago, a heretical mage who had reached the Divine Realm appeared in Shattered Tooth Province. To satisfy his huge magic power consumption, he spread a withering plague in Shattered Tooth Province. It was a disease that could wither the body and soul after being infected. All the infected would gradually burn their souls to become the source of his magic power. This chaos called the Withering Calamity was ultimately resolved by the Demon Burial and the Platinum Ring. The method was to slaughter everyone infected with the Withering Plague and cut off the magical power source of the Divine Realm heretical mage. From this example, it could be seen that if he relied on burning his soul as a source of magic power, the commotion when reaching the Divine Realm would undoubtedly be disastrous. ¡°¡­And he said that his goal is to escape the control of the gods, so it¡¯s unlikely that he reached the Divine Realm through the Moon Realm. Then, there are only two possibilities: First, he¡¯s a powerhouse who reached the Divine Realm before the Astral Laws appeared. For example, we once saw the Judges under the stone plaque in the Holy Sepulchre. This corresponds to him calling himself the Presiding Judge.¡± Vincent continued analyzing, ¡°As for the second possibility, it¡¯s even crazier. He might be a prophet like Terra I. If that¡¯s the case, everything makes sense. This is because the descent of a Holy Spirit definitely won¡¯t be restricted by the Astral Laws¡­ Duke Simon listened to Vincent¡¯s endless analysis. After a long time, he said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡± Vincent stopped and looked at Duke Simon in confusion. Duke Simon looked into Vincent¡¯s eyes and deliberated before saying, ¡°What do you think of what he said about hoping that you would become the new ruler of the Blackwater Province?¡± Vincent looked incredulous. He never expected Simon to ask this question. ¡°Simon Walde. I hope I can still call you that.¡± Vincent also stared into the other party¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Ignoring my servitude to you as a mage consultant for 24 years, if I had¡­ even the slightest intention of replacing you, do you think I would have told you everything about this? Or have you long forgotten your original intention of fighting for independence for the Blackwater Province? Have you become a monster that only knows about seizing power?¡± After Vincent finished speaking, the two of them looked at each other in silence for a long time. Finally, Duke Simon broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vincent. My current position doesn¡¯t allow me to miss out on any threats¡­¡± Vincent said, ¡°But you can always trust me.¡± Duke Simon asked, ¡°Then what do you plan on doing next?¡± Vincent replied, ¡°Confirm that person¡¯s identity first. If he¡¯s a prophet or a Judge, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible to cooperate with him. The conditions he proposes aren¡¯t worse than the three goddesses. When the time comes, as long as you swear to him that you will give up on cooperation with the Moon Realm, he will agree to let you¡­¡± This was also why Vincent wanted to block Duke Simon¡¯s connection with the spirit of the Moon Realm. But before he could finish speaking, Duke Simon interrupted him. ¡°No.¡± Duke Simon¡¯s expression returned to that of superciliousness. ¡°No, there¡¯s no turning back. Be it the King and Rebel Conversion or the Eternal Gift, all the rituals are ready. Go to the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s Astral Observatory later and replace that old turtle as the tower guardian for half a day,¡± Duke Simon said to Vincent in a commanding tone. ¡°After the ritual on my side is completed, there should be a few days before the Astral Council closes the Stranger Tower. When the time comes, use the authority of the tower to break through to that realm. After that, you, I, and the Blackwater Kingdom will announce our new life to this world.¡± Vincent looked at Duke Simon, who was gradually becoming fanatical, with a wooden expression. He felt like he was looking at a stranger. ¡°The preparations for the ritual have been completed? When did that happen?¡± Duke Simon didn¡¯t answer Vincent¡¯s question. ¡°What about the Divine Realm magic chanter? How are you going to deal with him?¡± Vincent continued asking. ¡°When everything is settled, even a Divine Realm mage can¡¯t threaten the new Blackwater Kingdom,¡± Duke Simon replied. ¡°Otherwise, why would I have the confidence to gain independence from the Riel Empire?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 44 ? 44 Letter Going back to the Walde family¡¯s lineage, its ancestors could be traced back to the ancient King of Blackwater who triggered the Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead 1,000 years ago. Be it the King and Rebel or the Eternal Gift rituals, they were all legacies secretly handed down by the Walde family over the years, so that they could restore the former glory of the Blackwater Kingdom one day. It relied on the King and Rebel ritual to obtain the authority and strength of the ancient mythical God King, Oka, and then on the Eternal Gift to create an immortal army of the dead that didn¡¯t rest while being absolutely loyal. This was the plan Simon had proposed to Vincent in the Silverstream Mine more than 20 years ago to build the foundation of the new Blackwater Kingdom. This plan was supposed to be executed back then, but Simon and Vincent found seven seals that sealed the Rotten Moon wraith when they went to the deepest depths of the Holy Sepulchre. From the stone plaque in front of the seal, they learned the history of the two Judges, the Black Swordsman and Jackdaw, who died there a thousand years ago to seal the Walde ancestor¡¯s wraith. The last sentence of the plaque warned future generations that the seal here couldn¡¯t be released for a thousand years. Otherwise, no one would be able to control that power. Sensing the powerful power in the seal, the two of them chose to leave and decided to make plans. Today, the deadline described on the stone plaque was here¡­ ¡°So, help me like you used to, okay?¡± Duke Simon requested Vincent. Vincent reminded, ¡°But can it succeed? The King and Rebel ritual setup under the Silverstream Mine has been discovered. The Presiding Judge will likely come and destroy it halfway through the ritual.¡± Regarding this, Duke Simon said confidently, ¡°The ritual arrangements under the Silverstream Mine are only secondhand preparations. Now that I¡¯ve been discovered, it can be used as a smokescreen. I¡¯ve already prepared the location of the ritual.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Vincent asked in confusion. He had never heard of a second ritual being prepared. ¡°In the deepest part of the Holy Sepulchre, in the chamber with seven seals,¡± Duke Simon replied frankly. That was also the location where the Eternal Gift was planned. ¡°Could it be that you plan on holding the Eternal Gift and the King and Rebel ritual together?¡± Vincent asked in disbelief. Even a mage apprentice knew that because magic of different natures would interfere and convert between each other, powerful spells of a certain scale couldn¡¯t be carried out together. However, Duke Simon nodded and replied, ¡°Once the Eternal Gift begins, magic power will gather from the millions of corpses in Thorn City¡¯s graveyard and resonate to form a miniature Netherworld. This way, even without the Skull Temple¡¯s energy supply, the magic power fuel needed to complete the King and Rebel ritual will be sufficient. Believe me, I¡¯ve made all the preparations.¡± ¡°Then, how are you going to balance the conflict between the two powerful spells? The rituals are held in the same tomb,¡± Vincent asked. ¡°There¡¯s a way. With the help of the three goddesses, the magical power of King and Rebel¡¯s ritual magic can be adjusted to a level similar to the Eternal Gift¡­¡± As Simon spoke, he slowly pushed away the magical medium that had been blocking his connection with the Moon Realm spirit. ¡°Are there any other questions?¡± Vincent fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Then who¡¯s the sacrifice for the King and Rebel ritual? Is it the cripple you¡¯ve been raising in the dungeon?¡± Ten years ago, Duke Simon had secretly brought an unknown illegitimate son of the Empire¡¯s royal family to the Rose Palace¡¯s dungeon. Back then, Vincent had thought that Simon planned on using this illegitimate son as a wedge for the complicated royal faction struggles in the Platinum Palace. However, over the years, other than raising the child in the dungeon, Duke Simon had never done anything else. He didn¡¯t nurture him as an heir, nor did he use him to secretly contact the royal family. It was a long time before Vincent realized that this child with the bloodline of the Empire¡¯s royal family could barely satisfy the requirements of the King and Rebel ritual offerings because he had a very small chance of inheriting the Empire¡¯s throne. However, just as the Presiding Judge had said, ritual magic focused on the reproduction of myths. How much effect could an illegitimate son who only had a slight chance of becoming the Empire¡¯s emperor play the legendary God King? ¡°He¡¯s part of the ritual.¡± Simon gave a curt answer; he didn¡¯t explain further. Seeing his confident expression, Vincent hesitated for a moment before finally nodding slowly. ¡°So, what part do I play in all of this?¡± ¡°Time is tight now. We have to complete the ritual before the Divine Realm mage reacts. Go to the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s Astral Observatory now and ignore everything else that ensues. All the rituals will be completed tonight. After that, I¡¯ll tell you how the guardian opens the Astral Lighthouse. You have to advance to Legendary before the Astral Council reacts. It¡¯s that simple.¡± ¡°In other words, I don¡¯t need to do anything other than be used as a hostage?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t do this, that old turtle won¡¯t dare to go to the Holy Sepulchre. He won¡¯t have a chance to react once the ritual begins, so you just have to wait there for my news,¡± Duke Simon replied. Every Astral Lighthouse needed a Legendary or at least a magic chanter close to a Legendary to be the tower guardian and be in charge of managing the local magical power network. The authority of the tower guardian was granted by the Astral Council and was adjusted every five years. As the Astral Observatory at the top of the tower led straight to the Astral World, it was the best holy land for magic chanters to edify their powers. The Astral Council would also specially transfer magic chanters close to the Legendary domain to be the tower guardians to help them break through to Legendary. The tower guardian was allowed to temporarily leave the Astral Observatory during emergencies, but he had to find someone of the same realm to hold down the fort in his place. If a non-authorized personnel entered the Astral Observatory to manage the magic network in his place, that person¡¯s life and death were at the tower guardian¡¯s whim. Vincent looked at Duke Simon and fell silent for a long time before finally nodding. It was very dangerous, but he had done countless more dangerous things in the past 20 years. ¡°But this time, I have a condition,¡± Vincent said. In Duke Simon¡¯s impression, this was the first time he was raising conditions, but Simon still nodded and said, ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll agree to anything possible.¡± ¡°Protect my daughter, Liliana, before this chaos ends.¡± Duke Simon looked into Vincent¡¯s eyes and replied solemnly, ¡°You have my word.¡± ¡­ As he watched Vincent leave, the star that symbolized the Nightmare Maid in Simon¡¯s ether domain asked him, ¡°Since you¡¯ve promised him, why didn¡¯t you give him that letter? Then, tell him that his daughter¡¯s soul has fallen into the Nightmare Swamp?¡± Simon shook his head. ¡°If he knows about this, do you think he would still go to the Astral Lighthouse as I planned?¡± ¡°So you lied to him? How heartless. Not long ago, you clearly said that his value far exceeded others.¡± The Nightmare Maid¡¯s laughter sounded. ¡°It was your subordinate who pulled his daughter¡¯s soul into the Nightmare Swamp. Did you do this on purpose?¡± ¡°How is that possible? It was just a coincidence¡­ Moreover, didn¡¯t you say that as long as his daughter isn¡¯t around, he will become a warrior again? I¡¯m helping you recover your former warrior.¡± Simon closed his eyes when he heard that. After a long time, he said, ¡°There¡¯s no need¡­ The Blackwater Kingdom doesn¡¯t need warriors like him in the future.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 45 ? 45 In the Archives In the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s archives, two pitch-black gems the size of half a person floated in midair, emitting a faint chill. Although William had been hiding in the shadows with Walking Shadow, he got into trouble when he entered the archives. He never expected the guardian to be a Shadow Soul. As he strolled along the shadows cast by the rows of bookshelves, he bumped into two pitch-black shadows who were patrolling in the shadows around the corner. The two pitch-black, deformed figures and the shadowy William looked at each other for a few seconds. In a daze, William felt as if a green exclamation mark had jumped out of his head. Before the two Shadow Souls sounded the alarm, he threw out two spinning illusory ring blades to imprison them. Fortunately, I reacted quickly. William wiped the nonexistent sweat on his forehead and muttered to himself. Otherwise, he needed to use Peerless Stealth. If he hadn¡¯t discovered that this Astral Lighthouse was essentially a Moon Realm rift, he might not have felt any psychological pressure when he turned peerless here. It didn¡¯t matter if the tower was destroyed if they fought. In any case, he had long made up his mind to uproot all the Astral Lighthouses on the continent. It didn¡¯t matter if it happened sooner or later. However, even he couldn¡¯t estimate what would happen if he destroyed the tower without making any preparations. Perhaps he would find the Moon Realm portal slapping him in the face? Thankfully, the spell-Shadow Cage-that imprisoned the two Shadow Souls lasted long enough. It probably wouldn¡¯t remove itself even after he finished viewing the entire tower. After applying another layer of illusion disguise over the Shadow Cage, William walked to the next row of archive racks and checked. Most of the files here contained the personal information of registered mages. These things were very valuable after he took over Thorn City, but they were of no help to him now. As he walked, he flipped through them. This took him about ten minutes before he finally arrived at the last row of the archive shelves. ¡°Regarding the activity distribution of the Moon Realm parishes and underground organizations in the Blackwater Province?¡± William read the annotations on the archive shelf and became intrigued. He reached out and prepared to pull out the documents to take a look. However, a floating magic halo blocked his hand. ¡°Eh?¡± William was slightly surprised. He was still in the illusory state of Walking Shadow. Ordinary defensive barriers shouldn¡¯t be able to stop him. Moreover, it was a relatively high-level defensive barrier? William took out an appraisal scroll from his spatial rift and pasted it in front of the archive shelf. As the scroll burst into a faint blue flame before turning to ashes, a message appeared in his mind. ¡°It has a self-destruct function?¡± According to the information from the appraisal scroll, if he cracked the barrier by force, it would incinerate the files within. This was a spell that didn¡¯t exist in his era. It was probably developed later due to the need for confidentiality. This troubled William. Dissecting the barrier spell required time and equipment. He couldn¡¯t undo the spell quickly. ¡°If only Sibylla were here at this time.¡± Looking at the unfamiliar magical barrier in front of him, William suddenly missed his companion Judge. Sibylla Norn was the greatest astrologer of that era. She had the Eye of God bestowed by the Holy Spirit, the Lady, and could understand the composition of all enchantments and barrier spells at a glance. It was also because of this ability that she was the strongest enchanter and barrier master of that era. It was said that in her eyes, the entire world was a painting woven from pure magic. She only needed to slightly adjust the direction of the magical fabric to turn a spell on its head. William also saved a large sum of money from buying appraisal scrolls in the early stages of the game thanks to her. The appraisal scrolls extracted in the later stages of the game were at 99+ in his backpack all year round. To ensure she had both the Eye of God and Legendary Craftsman, William reloaded his save more than 200 times. He turned delirious from all the reloading to the point of not caring much when he eventually got the negative status of Alcoholism alongside his goal. It was normal for an Astrologer and Enchanter to drink more alcohol. That was what William thought back then. It was only when he asked her to enchant his equipment and her accidentally adding the wrong stats because she was drunk that William realized that he had been too hasty. A Vampire-only weapon with the Exorcism attribute, a desert set that allowed one to breathe underwater, assassination daggers with explosive runes, and stealth sets that automatically activated Fire Cloak. William seriously suspected that she was a demon who wanted to tease the user. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh now that he recalled all the shenanigans. He wondered if she was¡­ William came back to his senses. It was already a thousand years later. To mortals who seldom lived past a hundred years, she should be long gone. A sudden feeling of loss filled his chest. He wondered what her outcome was. Did she fulfill her goal of opening a tavern in the Storm Kingdom¡¯s Myriad Feet City after retirement and fill her wine cellar with different spirits from all over the Vic Continent? When he was done with the matters in Blackwater Province, he planned on visiting Myriad Feet City to take a look. After making this decision, William turned his attention to the archive shelf. He sighed. It seemed like he could only use some clumsy methods. William snapped his fingers, and a deep spatial rift opened above the archive shelf. A few bandaged hands and spider legs reached out and lifted the entire shelf. He would slowly study it later. Legendary summoning spell, Gluttony Realm Demon. This spatial rift was a summoned creature to begin with. The hands that reached out were its organ for hunting, and it would gradually change according to the prey it swallowed. Of course, things like shelves were indigestible. To the Gluttony Realm Demon, this was probably as uncomfortable as eating a rock. It can¡¯t be helped. Opening a large spatial door causes too much commotion. Just be a temporary storage space for the time being. Sorry for being hard on you. I¡¯ll treat you to Lunar Monsters next time¡­ William steeled his heart and ignored the cry of the summoned creature in the ether domain before leaving the archives. He had spent too much time inside. It¡¯s time to take a look at the Astral Observatory at the top of the tower, William thought. He continued up the stairs and dodged a few batches of Elemental Souls and moving armor. After circling a few traps and barriers, William finally arrived at the door of the Astral Observatory. It was also at this moment that a weak star fragment extinguished in the sky full of stars in William¡¯s ether domain. ¡°Huh?¡± William would add the Mark spell to all the enchanted items he made to prevent himself from failing to find his items one day. Which enchantment tool he made was destroyed? With this in mind, William quickly checked what the missing star fragments were. Then, his expression turned serious. The missing star fragments represented the Phoenix pendant he had given Liliana. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 46 ? 46 Invitation The Eighth Order was also known as the Hermit Order or the Kane Order. As the Eighth Holy Spirit was the only Holy Spirit that had been promoted from a mortal, the Eighth Order paid more attention to the union of secularism and faith than the other parishes of the Holy Spirits Church. It emphasized the unity of the mortal and holiness. As for the Eighth Order, it was divided into two factions-Divine Grace and Holy Seminary. The former emphasized the sanctity of the Eighth Holy Spirit and advocated for the Eighth Order to completely integrate into the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s system. At the very least, they didn¡¯t have to carry the title of hidden Holy Spirit. As for the latter, the Holy Seminary paid more attention to the mortality of the eighth Holy Spirit. The practitioners of the Holy Seminary would search the continent for the holy relics Kane had left behind when he still walked the mortal world. They would imitate his past deeds and work on providing relief, hoping to close the distance between their souls and the Holy Spirit. ¡°In that case, are you a Holy Seminary nun?¡± On the way to Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, Nizemar suddenly introduced Cass to the composition of the Eighth Order for no reason. Cass asked curiously after hearing that. The reason why he felt this way was very simple. Judgment 4-apart from being a powerful weapon against the Moon Realm and capable of stopping the duke¡¯s crazy plan-was closely related to Holy Spirit Kane when he was alive, so the Eighth Order was willing to pay such a huge price to obtain such a holy relic. Pursuing holy relics was undoubtedly the Holy Seminary¡¯s style. Nizemar nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a Holy Seminary nun. I¡¯m mainly in charge of the recovery of holy relics.¡± Cass continued asking, ¡°Then, why are you suddenly telling me this? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s to introduce me to the Eighth Order?¡± Nizemar frankly replied to Cass¡¯s question, ¡°As a descendant of the Black Swordsman, you¡¯re the only person who can pull out Judgment 4. Your soul is also the most compatible with that weapon. Therefore, after this matter is resolved, I hope you can consider converting to the Eighth Order and joining the Holy Seminary.¡± Before Cass could say anything, Liz-who had been sitting on his shoulder and listening to their conversation-couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°What? No, no, no¡­¡± Liz flew between Cass and Nizemar and crossed her arms at the blond woman. ¡°He¡¯s a servant I saved with great difficulty. Previously, he promised to take care of my garden until he died. How can I let him serve a Holy Spirit in some church? That¡¯s not going to happen!¡± Nizemar glanced at Liz, who was flying in midair, before turning her gaze to Cass and continuing, ¡°If you choose to convert to Kane, the parish will first guarantee that you¡¯ll be cleared of any injustice. Then, we¡¯ll help you awaken your magic talent. Although you probably don¡¯t have the talent to become a magic chanter, it¡¯s not a problem for you to become a magic swordsman.¡± Apart from having an affinity for magic, becoming a magic chanter also required a certain level of mental talent, allowing the caster to construct precise spell models in their ether domain. However, to people who lacked mental talent, it didn¡¯t mean that they had no fate with magic. They could settle for the next best thing by relying on items engraved with spell models to release specific spells with their limited mana. The class that used mana like this was a Spellblade. This was similar to Cass activating the fire spell enchanted on his sword, Breaking Dawn, but it was fundamentally different. As Cass wasn¡¯t a Spellblade, he could only use the magic power stored in his sword for combat. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t accurately control the consumption of mana when using it. All he could do was expend his mana. If he were a true Spellblade, that battle would probably have ended long ago. Compared to magic chanters, the threshold for Spellblades seemed to be much lower, but, in terms of numbers, the number of Spellblades on the continent was the same as that of magic chanters. It might even be slightly fewer. Not only that, but most of the Spellblades served in the army or were descendants of nobles. Commoners only accounted for an extremely small portion of Spellblades. The reason was very simple. Most magic chanters were scholars, and only a small number would become Battle Mages who specialized in combat. Spellblades were without exception born for killing. Therefore, the Empire¡¯s officials allowed a certain number of magic chanters to be maintained among the commoners, but they prohibited a large number of Spellblades to appear amongst them. Cass knew very well that no matter how much he improved in martial arts, it would only be a slight improvement. If he wanted to continue becoming stronger, Spellblade was his only chance. However, ordinary people had virtually no way of becoming a Spellblade. The condition he was offered was an irresistible temptation to any warrior, but¡­ ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve never been very pious towards the Holy Spirits Church. Moreover, I¡¯m not very interested in a life of serving the Church.¡± Cass lowered his head slightly, his tone apologetic. Liz, who was originally furious, turned around in surprise. She quickly flew to Cass¡¯s side and calmed down. Then, she patted Cass¡¯s shoulder and said in the tone of an elderly, ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be so heartless. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tone it down when you¡¯re tidying up the garden in the future.¡± It seems like you¡¯ve always been the one harping about me being your slave to help tidy up the garden. I¡¯ve never agreed¡­ Cass thought, but he held back from saying it out loud. Nizemar looked as if she had expected his answer. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. Your life is completely maintained by this faerie¡¯s Life Scale Powder. In a sense, you¡¯re dead, and you¡¯re only relying on her life force to drive it. You¡¯re worried that if you join the Eighth Order, you¡¯ll be risking her life force?¡± Cass remained silent in response. She was right. If it weren¡¯t for the sake of taking revenge on those people, he wouldn¡¯t have been so thick-skinned as to risk his life with the innocent faerie¡¯s life force. And after his revenge, there was even less reason for him to do so. Nizemar continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You may not wish to use her life force, but we too don¡¯t wish for the descendant of a Judge-the holder of Judgment 4-to have their lives bound to a faerie. As long as you¡¯re willing to convert, the Eighth Order will contact seven bishops to use Resuscitation to make up for your missing life force. When that happens, this faerie can completely retrieve her scale powder.¡± After providing this proposal, even Liz couldn¡¯t find a reason to object. She could retrieve her Life Scale Powder, Cass could embark on the path of a Spellblade, and the Eighth Order would have found a descendant who could use Judgment 4. Everyone got what they wanted. The two of them and the faerie silently walked along the stone path for a long distance. Only when they were about to reach their destination did Cass say, ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± However, Nizemar interrupted him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to make a decision now. Think about it carefully.¡± As she spoke, the corners of her mouth curled up into an expression that could probably be called a smile. ¡°After all, it¡¯s hard to say if we can return alive.¡± Under the cold moonlight, the city wall of the graveyard not far away cast a strange shadow. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 47 ? 47 Graveyard The graveyard was north of Thorn City. If it was based on scale, it was more like a satellite city than a cemetery. Towering walls surrounded the entire cemetery. Spaced twenty meters apart on the walls were Placating the Undead and Life Barrier spell runes engraved by the Holy Spirits Church and the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall. Fortunately, Thorn City produced abundant Elementium Silver. If it were any other major city on the continent, even the Empire¡¯s capital, Platinum City, and the famously wealthy Tulle City wouldn¡¯t be able to afford such extravagance. As the Blackwater Swamp believed in ancestor worship, people firmly believed that the souls of the dead needed their bones to exist. Therefore, most of the dead in Thorn City had been sent to this graveyard for burial for millennia. The corpses had accumulated over the years, and the number of dead buried inside had probably reached an incalculable number. The large number of corpses posed an extreme danger to this world where necromancy existed. Therefore, the graveyard was usually closed and heavily guarded, prohibiting outsiders from entering. Only on the Soul Return Festival on the 4th of the Rain Moon and the 15th of the Fog Moon would the gravekeepers here open the gates and allow residents to enter the cemetery to pay respects to their ancestors. ¡°The Holy Sepulchre you mentioned is built under the graveyard?¡± Cass looked at the towering city wall and asked. ¡°It should be said that the cemetery is built above the Holy Sepulchre. The Holy Sepulchre¡¯s history is much older than the graveyard. It existed long before the Bronze Age.¡± As Nizemar replied, she untied a bundle of ropes from her waist. ¡°Back then, the Blackwater people believed that the catacomb was the entrance to the Netherworld, the place where Vera-or Death-was reborn. Therefore, the ruler of that time chose this place as a graveyard, hoping that he could be reborn after death. It was also at that time that the idea of the living serving the dead appeared. Later on, it gradually evolved into the ancestral worship custom unique to the Blackwater Province.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she threw the grappling rope up. After tugging at the rope a few times to test its sturdiness, she turned around and said to Cass, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll climb up and take a look. I¡¯ll signal you to follow me when there¡¯s no problem.¡± With that said, she nimbly climbed up the rope like a cat. Although the other party was wearing light leather armor, she was a lady after all. Cass found it embarrassing to stand below and stare at her. Therefore, he turned to look at Liz, who had been sitting on his shoulder sulking. ¡°Uh¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cass asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± Seeing Cass turn his head, Liz immediately turned her head away and snorted with her nose raised. Cass guessed that she was still angry about what had happened, so he deliberated and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t her suggestion quite good? If you can retrieve your Life Scale Powder early, there¡¯s no need for you to be on tenterhooks every day about what happens to me. Of course, as for compensation¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I want compensation or something from you?!¡± Liz suddenly turned around and grabbed Cass¡¯s ear. Cass felt as if his ears had been twisted twice by her. ¡°Do you want to be a Spellblade that badly? Do you want to continue fighting elsewhere so badly? Didn¡¯t you say that you would retire after getting your vengeance? Can¡¯t you think of yourself more?¡± Liz pinched Cass¡¯s ear and said with a flushed face. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t know what else I can do other than fight.¡± Cass fell silent for a moment before answering. His words deflated Liz. She let go of Cass¡¯s ear, propped up her hands, and looked up at Cass¡¯s face in disappointment. ¡°Then, have you never considered helping me tend my garden?¡± Cass was just about to answer when Nizemar¡¯s voice sounded from the city wall. ¡°It¡¯s safe. You can come up now.¡± ¡­ While climbing the rope, Cass felt another burst of pain from the wound in his abdomen. When he reached the city wall, he lifted his clothes and checked. A faint blood mark seeped out of the bandage. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. It¡¯s normal for the wound to open up while climbing before it¡¯s healed.¡± Cass said helplessly when he saw Nizemar and Liz look over. ¡°There¡¯s no time to wait for you to completely recover. My informant in the Rose Palace told me that the duke¡¯s big move is in the next few days. We have to get Judgment 4 as soon as possible to have a chance of winning,¡± Nizemar replied. Liz sighed silently when she saw this. Sparkling scale powder began to appear around her wings again. ¡°Hey, faerie over there, don¡¯t do that again.¡± But before she could scatter the scale powder at Cass, Nizemar stopped her. ¡°Although a faerie¡¯s vitality is much stronger than a human¡¯s, you shouldn¡¯t waste it like this.¡± As Nizemar spoke, her hand lit up with a faint green light. ¡°You¡¯ve saved him from the brink of death twice. That isn¡¯t trivial even for a faerie.¡± With that said, she pressed her hand on the wound at Cass¡¯s abdomen. Hand of Healing, Expert-level life magic. Although it only temporarily stopped the bleeding from Cass¡¯s ruptured wound, it still made him feel much better. After doing all of this, Nizemar turned to look at Liz and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have much life force left. Don¡¯t waste it in such a place.¡± ¡°Who¡­ Who¡¯s wasting it on him? I¡¯m just afraid that his wound will be too deep and he will suddenly die. When that happens, I won¡¯t be able to recover all my scale powder.¡± Liz raised her voice. ¡°Shh¡­¡± Cass gestured for her to keep quiet. A team called the Gravekeepers was perpetually stationed near the graveyard to prevent large-scale reanimations. It wouldn¡¯t be good if they discovered them and treated them as necromancers who had snuck in to steal corpses. Liz covered her mouth in acknowledgment. Looking at the temple in the middle of the graveyard, Cass whispered, ¡°Are you sure that weapon is under that temple?¡± Nizemar nodded and replied, ¡°I¡¯m very sure. We learned of Judgment 4¡¯s whereabouts ten years ago. Furthermore, we proposed to Duke Simon back then, but he found all kinds of reasons to reject us.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she straightened the triangular hat on her head. The white feathers on the hat swayed slightly under the night wind. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that his relationship with the Empire¡¯s royal family deteriorated rapidly and that a few batches of intelligence personnel sent by the royal family were assassinated by magic chanters suspected of using Moon Realm power, we might have continued the back and forth with him¡­¡± As she spoke, she walked down the wall¡¯s stairs with Cass and Liz following behind her. Endless tombstones stood erected in the graveyard, one after another. The dead here were laid so densely that the living didn¡¯t even have a place to rest their feet. They could only step on tombstones for advancement. Cass accidentally cracked another tombstone loudly and couldn¡¯t help but complain. ¡°Speaking of which, can¡¯t we take the main road? Must we step on the heads of the dead here¡­¡± He was a local of the Blackwater Province, so he found it disturbing to disrupt the dead¡¯s peace. ¡°There will be a guard patrol on the road at night. It will be troublesome if we¡¯re discovered,¡± Nizemar, who was walking in front, replied without turning her head. Compared to Cass¡¯s tall and burly figure and the heavy weapon on his back, Nizemar leaped up and down nimbly like a cat on many graves. She was so agile that it was as if she was strolling at home. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t see any light on the main road over there. They won¡¯t patrol without lights, right?¡± Cass looked in the direction of the road and asked. Upon hearing that, Nizemar stopped on a cross-shaped tombstone and turned to look over. ¡°Moreover, not only is there no light on the main road, but there¡¯s also no light from the camp at the entrance. Do they switch off the lights at this hour?¡± Cass pointed at the entrance of the graveyard. At this moment, they were very close to the temple in the middle of the graveyard. ¡°It¡¯s a little strange, but there¡¯s no time to care. Let¡¯s¡­¡± It was also at this moment that a black blast quickly spread from the temple to every corner of the graveyard. However, other than a gust of wind that wasn¡¯t too strong or weak, the fluctuation didn¡¯t affect the three of them at all. ¡°What was that? I sensed a magical power within, but why didn¡¯t it affect us at all?¡± Liz asked in shock. As for Nizemar, she looked at the temple in the middle of the graveyard with a serious expression and said, ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Unfortunately, before she could finish speaking, the ground began to tremble violently. An earthquake? This was the first thought that came to Cass¡¯s mind, but cruel reality told him that the ground¡¯s tremors weren¡¯t as simple as an earthquake. It was much more terrifying than an earthquake. The tombstone under Nizemar¡¯s feet suddenly shattered, and a half-rotted arm grabbed her leg. At the same time, hundreds of millions of incomplete or complete, rotting, or bone-white hands tore through their coffins and soil in the graveyard, reaching out from the ground. It stretched as far as the eye could see. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 48 ? 48 An Exhaustive Plan Astral Lighthouse, Astral Observatory. In front of Vincent was the Stranger constellation that was connected to the Astral Circuit. Surging magic power was guided into the vast magic network from here and then resonated through the constellations into the ether domain of every registered magic chanter. As long as he obtained the authority to use this constellation, he could bypass the Astral Laws and establish a connection with the Astral World, advancing to the Legendary domain-a domain that had kept him out for more than ten years. This was a promise Duke Simon had given him. However¡­ Vincent sighed slightly. He didn¡¯t believe that Duke Simon¡¯s plan would succeed. Or rather, even if Duke Simon¡¯s plan succeeded, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be the bright future they had imagined more than 20 years ago. After being enlightened by the magic chanter named Presiding Judge, Vincent increasingly realized that his previous worries weren¡¯t unnecessary. How different would the fate of the Blackwater Province ultimately be, whether it was controlled by the Empire or the Void Sovereigns? Moreover¡­ Vincent recalled the Divine Realm magic chanter and his expression of having everything under control, as well as his confidence in letting him go after stating his request. Was Duke Simon¡¯s plan as foolproof as he said? Or was every step within that person¡¯s expectations? With this in mind, Vincent discovered the problem that had eluded him. Why did that person choose to appear in the Silverstream Mine? Why did he let me off so easily? The Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall and the Bramble Guards¡¯ headquarters were two places where problems were more likely to arise because there were too many people. However, the first time he appeared was in the Silverstream Mine. It had to be known that the Silverstream Mine had always been handed over to the Moon Realm spirits to handle. Even the miners had been controlled via specially implanted Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons. Other than the supervisor sent over, even the people from the Mage Hall didn¡¯t know what was below. And he chose to appear in such a place. What was even more inexplicable was that not only did the magic chanter not leave after killing the presiding Moon Realm spirit, but he also calmly stayed where he was and specially created a chance to talk to him alone. If he hadn¡¯t long understood the duke¡¯s plan, how could a Divine Realm magic chanter like him lower himself to change into a miner¡¯s outfit and infiltrate the Silverstream Mine alone? It couldn¡¯t be that he came because he lacked Elementium Silver, right? Therefore, what was the other party¡¯s true goal in letting him go? A thought flashed through his mind like lightning. ¡°¡­ Could it be that he already expected me to tell the duke what happened in the Silverstream Mine?!¡± Upon having this realization, Vincent broke out in cold sweat. If that was the case, everything made sense. This was a trap the other party had planned from the beginning. Duke Simon planned on simultaneously holding the King and Rebel ritual and the Eternal Gift at the Holy Sepulchre. He did a perfect job of keeping it a secret. Even Vincent, the Chief Palace Mage, didn¡¯t know. Needless to say, the Moon Realm spirit had been secretly in charge of the preparations. After the magic chanter destroyed the ceremonial temple under the Silverstream Mine, he expected that the duke might have a backup plan, but he didn¡¯t know where it was. Therefore, he deliberately triggered the duke¡¯s sense of danger, making him choose to take the risk and begin the ritual. With this in mind, Vincent immediately stood up and walked to the Astral Observatory¡¯s door. The duke¡¯s intentions had been exposed. He had to inform him quickly¡­ Vincent pulled open the door to the Astral Observatory. Then, he was stunned. The Divine Realm mage who called himself the Presiding Judge stood at the entrance of the Astral Observatory with a serious expression. His being here was within the other party¡¯s expectations¡­ Vincent thought in despair as he looked at the person in front of him. ¡°You already know?¡± There were thousands of words in his mind, but they only turned into these words of admiration. It was too late. It was all too late. Vincent turned around dejectedly and walked back to the Astral Observatory. His entire body went limp as he sat in front of the Stranger Constellation. As for William¡­ He looked at Vincent, who had suddenly become dispirited for some reason, and swallowed the words ¡°why are you here?¡± After a moment of silence, he slowly walked into the Astral Observatory and closed the door with his elbow. Then, while paying attention to the surroundings for any ambushes, he walked to a spot not far in front of Vincent. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Although William didn¡¯t know what the other party meant, he pretended to be relaxed and sighed as an opening remark. However, the other party only replied dejectedly, ¡°Coincidence? We walked right into your scheme. How is it a coincidence?¡± My scheme? William was puzzled hearing what Vincent said. What did I do? However, although he didn¡¯t understand what the other party meant, he continued acting profoundly and spouted nonsense, ¡°It might not all be part of my scheme, but sometimes, that is how fate is-place everyone in the right time and place, and everything will happen naturally.¡± However, Vincent only chuckled bitterly at his words. ¡°Comparing your scheme to fate? Heh, there¡¯s probably no one in this world more arrogant than you.¡± The muscles on William¡¯s face twitched unconsciously. Fortunately, Vincent was immersed in his decadence and didn¡¯t notice. It was really difficult to hold it in¡­ Just as William was thinking about how to get information out of the other party, the other party spoke first. ¡°Then, do it.¡± He stood up and spread his arms, spreading his fingers. He indicated that he didn¡¯t have a magical medium in his hand and had exposed his body to the greatest extent. This was the posture of a magic chanter showing that he was willing to die. William looked at his fearless expression and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Why should I kill you?¡± Vincent smiled in melancholy and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that as long as I choose to stand opposite you, you will not be merciful?¡± William nodded and hesitated for a moment. Then, he gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°So you still chose to stand opposite me? Even though you already know that everything you do is under my control?¡± As he spoke, William secretly added the status of Cold Bloodline to himself so that his burning face wouldn¡¯t be so obvious. As for Vincent, he felt a suffocating cold aura of death emanating from the other party. It looked like the Divine Realm mage was planning on attacking. Therefore, he looked up at the sky, closed his eyes, and whispered, ¡°Yes, even if you already know that the ceremonial venue is in the Holy Sepulchre, even if I know that we have no chance of winning, I still choose to stand opposite you.¡± Bingo! He finally understood what was going on! Although he didn¡¯t know what the other party had misunderstood, it was good that he had said it himself. William excitedly reached into his pocket and snapped his fingers. However, he immediately realized what the other party meant. Holy Sepulchre? Isn¡¯t that the place that triggered the Rotten Moon Tide? So that duke planned on doing this? Creating an undead calamity? William suddenly felt a headache. If millions of undead were let out of their cages, it would be tiring killing them. He didn¡¯t know if his strategic spells could clear the area on a large scale. It wouldn¡¯t be anything like in-game where he performed extremely poorly because of his computer hardware¡¯s lacking performance, right? Thoughts raced through his mind. Then, he looked at Vincent, who was standing there silently waiting for death, and picked up the magical medium, planning to give the other party a quick death. But before that, William asked curiously, ¡°I¡¯m a little curious. Why are you willing to die instead of considering my suggestion? The conditions I offer aren¡¯t bad, right?¡± Vincent calmly replied, ¡°Because I¡¯ve long sworn that I¡¯ll only be loyal to Simon Walde.¡± Uh¡­ William felt that he had been flirting with the blind when he tried to recruit him. ¡°But I see that you¡¯re also a person with ideas. Have you thought about whether Simon is a monarch worthy of your loyalty?¡± William continued asking. Vincent fell silent. Silence at this moment could be considered a response. ¡°Then, why are you still¡­¡± Vincent interrupted William before he could finish speaking. ¡°He will keep his word, so I will naturally keep mine.¡± ¡°What did he promise?¡± William asked curiously. ¡°He promised to protect my daughter, Liliana,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°Huh?¡± Upon hearing this, William extinguished the instant death spell on the magical medium. ¡°Your daughter might already be dead.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 49 ? 49 Loyalty William¡¯s words made Vincent widen his eyes abruptly. He looked at the man in front of him with a ferocious expression. His hands reached into a spatial rift and pulled out an ebony magical medium. Instantly, the medium lit up with dazzling lightning. ¡°What did you do to my daughter?!¡± At this moment, Vincent, who was in the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s Astral Observatory and had received preliminary authorization from the tower guardian, could mobilize magic power at the Legendary level. His mind had long exceeded the Master level and was even stronger than many magic chanters who had just reached Legendary. With the augmentation of the Astral Lighthouse, Vincent could be considered a middle-level existence even among Legendary magic chanters. As Vincent brandished his magical medium, purplish-black dragon-shaped lightning gradually circled in the air and took shape. Crackling air explosions constantly exploded beside the lightning dragon, and the various decorations in the Astral Observatory were also sent floating in the air by the violent spatial fluctuations caused by the lightning. William frowned and looked at the powerful lightning in front of him. He tapped the magical medium in his hand and said, ¡°Calm down.¡± As he had cast Cold Bloodline buff on himself, William used a Frost-type control spell while the buff was still active. Mute Impact A dense, cone-shaped Frost aura blew out of the magical medium and deluged the nearby Vincent. Vincent¡¯s waving of the magical medium instantly froze. When the Frost aura dissipated, every joint on his body was covered in thick frost, and his feet were firmly rooted to the ground by the frost. He was like a puppet whose joints had been welded shut. William walked to his side, raised the magical medium in his hand, and knocked on the head of the lightning dragon that was about to take shape. A dazzling light exploded, and the lightning dragon turned into countless specks of light and dissipated. ¡°Have you calmed down?¡± William looked at Vincent, who was about to turn into an ice sculpture, and asked. However, from the other party¡¯s constant struggle and the murderous expression on his face, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°Why don¡¯t you listen to what others have to say¡­¡± William grumbled and continued, ¡°I¡¯m only saying that she might be dead, but I can¡¯t be sure of the current situation. But I might be the only person who knows her whereabouts. Are you sure you still want to attack me?¡± Vincent stopped struggling. He looked at William with bloodshot eyes and shouted, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s wrong with her now?!¡± He seemed to lose his comprehension of human language when it came to matters related to his daughter. William sighed silently. Poor parents. There was no need for him to pick a quarrel with a father. Therefore, he said, ¡°I already said that I don¡¯t know¡­ However, I still know where she might be now. Furthermore, I can bring you there. However, the prerequisite is that you have to calm down. Otherwise, the probability of Liliana surviving will decrease if you delay for another second. Think about it.¡± William waited for five seconds and saw the other party¡¯s expression gradually soften in intensity. Finally, rationality appeared in his eyes again. He raised his staff and said, ¡°I¡¯ll remove your shackles next, but if you attack me again, I won¡¯t show mercy.¡± As he spoke, he removed Mute Impact. The condensed frost instantly turned into magic power and disappeared. Vincent knelt on the ground due to his frosted joints. However, he immediately struggled to stand up on all fours. ¡°Where is she now? Bring me to her quickly!¡± Vincent staggered to his feet and immediately said to William. ¡°Shut up¡­¡± William recalled the location where the Phoenix pendant¡¯s Mark disappeared in his ether domain and said impatiently. About ten seconds later, he said to Vincent, ¡°I roughly know where she is. Wait a moment.¡± As he spoke, he took out six azure gems from his pocket and threw them into the air. Blinking lightning connected them to form a portal. Flowing light fluctuated over the portal, gradually revealing a simple guest room. Liliana was lying motionless on a wooden bed. Before William could say anything, Vincent passed through the portal and rushed over. How is he not worried that there¡¯s danger? William thought. Because portals were extremely vulnerable to interference, most mages would often be extremely cautious when using a portal, especially one opened by others. There were countless instances of being killed by an explosion while passing through a portal. William didn¡¯t say anything and followed behind him. On the other end of the portal, Vincent half-knelt in front of the wooden bed and carried Liliana while trembling. At this moment, Liliana¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, and her expression was constantly twisting. Upon hearing William walk over, Vincent turned his head and asked him, ¡°What happened to her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s having a nightmare,¡± William answered matter-of-factly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t wake up no matter how I call out to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very nasty nightmare,¡± William replied. ¡°It might be a high-level illusion, or it might be a curse. Of course, it¡¯s also possible¡­¡± As William spoke, he walked to the bed and pressed his hand on the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°What else is possible?¡± Vincent asked anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s also possible that her soul was pulled to the Moon Realm by a goddess you plan to believe in.¡± Withdrawing his hand, William said to Vincent with a cold expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you that it¡¯s the worst possibility.¡± ¡°Lord of Nightmare, Zamara? Liliana¡¯s soul was pulled to the Nightmare Swamp?¡± Vincent asked with a pale face. William nodded. ¡°How¡­ How did this happen¡­¡± Vincent muttered to himself in a daze. However, William said coldly, ¡°First, her archeological team was attacked by the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Stumbling Demon, and now, her soul has been pulled into the Moon Realm of the Lord of Nightmare. Do you have to wait until she¡¯s schemed against by the Whispering Empress again before you can guess why?¡± Vincent looked at William and said with a blank expression, ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve never betrayed him. He also knows¡­¡± His voice became softer and softer as he spoke. Then, he hugged Liliana tightly and gradually fell silent. William stood at the side and waited patiently. After a while, Vincent turned his head expressionlessly and said to him, ¡°Can my daughter be saved?¡± William nodded. ¡°Save her,¡± Vincent said. William didn¡¯t agree immediately. Instead, he waited for him to continue. Vincent hugged Liliana and continued, ¡°I swear to all the gods in the world that as long as you save my daughter, I shall pledge my loyalty to you. From now on, every wisp of my soul, every drop of blood, every bone, every piece of flesh, and every thought will fight for you until death.¡± With that said, he gently put Liliana down and walked in front of William, preparing to kneel with a solemn expression. However, an invisible force held him up and stopped him. Vincent looked at the weather-beaten man in front of him in confusion. At this moment, he was pointing at the magical medium at his knees. ¡°What oath to all the gods in the world¡­ Didn¡¯t I tell you? My goal is to eternally liberate the fate of humanity from the gods.¡± As he spoke, William smiled faintly. ¡°Moreover, remember one thing¡­ You¡¯re not allowed to kneel!¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 50 ? 50 Undead Tide The tombstone under Nizemar¡¯s feet suddenly shattered, and a rotted arm grabbed her calf. Just as she was about to lose her balance and fall to the ground, the woman¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up with a faint silver light. A silver nexus appeared below her before a powerful cyclone lifted her into the air. Floating in midair, Nizemar kicked off the hand that was trying to firm its grip on her calf before landing lightly. The moment she landed, she pulled out the rapier at her waist and stabbed at the newly awakened dead under the tombstone at lightning speed. A stream of light traveled across the rapier, and silver flames that resembled mist instantly ignited. The dead struggled and turned to dust. She eliminated one of the dead. However, millions of the dead were awakening¡­ The ground continued trembling. The sound of soil cracking continuously rumbled. People who should have been dead long ago woke up as their incomplete Soul Fires were ignited by some force and eventually gathered into an unstoppable tide of the dead. Cass had already removed the black iron sword from his back and destroyed the dead that approached them. However, more of the dead replaced the fallen ones. Even the corpses that had been knocked down would slowly and firmly approach them with their broken bodies until they were reduced to immobile blocks. This is terrible¡­ Cass thought. In the distance, under the cold moonlight, more awakened undead swarmed over them like a wave. At this moment, it was as if they had fallen into a swamp and were slowly dragged into the abyss of death. With another heavy swing, the black iron sword beheaded three skeletons and a zombie, but this strike was blocked by a Bronze halberd. An undead warrior wearing bronze armor from the ancient Blackwater Kingdom appeared among the zombies. It looked as tall as Cass, and its eyes burned with intense Soul Fire. The halberd in its hand was covered in rust as it crossed Cass¡¯s huge sword. Its movements weren¡¯t as stiff and rigid as the surrounding undead. Instead, it was as agile as when it was alive. After blocking Cass¡¯s strike, it immediately raised the halberd in its hand and stabbed at Cass¡¯s throat with the advantage of the weapon¡¯s long range. Although the other party¡¯s movements were as quick as a venomous snake, Cass¡¯s years of combat intuition allowed him to narrowly dodge the thrust. The halberd only left a shallow wound on his neck. Taking advantage of the other party¡¯s missed strike, he dragged his huge sword and charged at the undead warrior, slashing at the other party¡¯s left rib. However, with a clang, fine green snake-shaped runes suddenly lit up over the bronze armor. Cass felt as if his strike had struck a thick wall, and the intense recoil forced him to take two steps back. Enchanted armor? This person was a military noble when he was alive? Cass adjusted his breathing and carefully observed the weak connections between the other party¡¯s armor. After making a mental calculation, he immediately raised the sword in his hand and charged forward again. After five to six clashes, Cass found the other party¡¯s weakness and closed in. His sword passed through the gap between the other party¡¯s helmet and neck guard and cleanly severed the other party¡¯s neck. But before Cass could catch his breath, he looked up and saw about 20 undead warriors in bronze armor neatly lined up not far away. From the looks of it, there¡¯s a tomb of an ancient Blackwater Kingdom¡¯s military noble nearby. The corners of Cass¡¯s mouth twitched as he thought. It will be over if they get close¡­ ¡°Nizemar! Do you have a way out of here?¡± Cass stared at the horde of undead warriors and roared. The roars of the undead tearing out of the earth continued. He could only shout with all his might to drown out the sound. Nizemar shouted a few seconds later, ¡°I have a way to escape the undead and give us some distance from them, but we¡¯re too far from the walls. That distance isn¡¯t enough for us to escape!¡± Upon hearing this, Cass immediately said to the afloat Liz, ¡°Liz! Is there anywhere nearby to go?!¡± Liz immediately flapped her wings and flew higher to look around. Then, she flew back to Cass¡¯s side with a whoosh and hurriedly pointed at the Holy Sepulchre temple in the middle of the graveyard. ¡°There! There¡¯s a circle of black light there. The undead will turn around and leave when they approach that light!¡± Cass hesitated when he heard this answer. The thing that awakened the entire graveyard¡¯s undead was definitely something in the Holy Sepulchre. Even a fool could tell. If he entered, it would probably be even more dangerous than here. However¡­ Looking at the horde of undead warriors gradually approaching them, Cass shouted at Nizemar, who was fighting behind him, ¡°The temple in the middle of the graveyard! The undead can¡¯t enter, so we can take a breather over there!¡± Staying here would ultimately result in death. It was better to enter the temple and see who the culprit was. At the very least, he could die in peace. Two seconds later, Nizemar¡¯s ¡°okay,¡± sounded from behind. Then, a silver nexus appeared under Cass¡¯s feet. Before he could react, a powerful whirlwind lifted him into the air. Lv. 3 Storm spell, Float. ¡°Stand up and jump over one by one.¡± Nizemar-who had also floated in midair-said to Cass, ¡°What do you mean by jumping one by one¡­¡± Cass knew the answer before he finished asking. From their current location to the temple in the middle, more than ten silver nexus instantly lit up. Then, more than ten floating cyclones rose. Many of the cyclones had thrown up the undead as they flailed their limbs in midair. Was this the method she mentioned-to put some distance between them? Cass looked at the dozen or so nexus and didn¡¯t know what to say. As for Nizemar, she said to him, ¡°Be careful. One wrong jump and you¡¯re dead.¡± As she spoke, she suddenly smiled at herself. Then, she held the rapier and jumped toward the nearest floating cyclone. This woman only seems to smile sincerely when discussing dangerous topics. Cass thought as he watched the other party¡¯s nimble back. A slight pain came from his left hand. He looked down. Liz was staring at him while pinching his finger. ¡°What are you thinking? Hurry up and jump over. This spell won¡¯t last long!¡± Liz reminded him, her tone filled with displeasure. Cass hurriedly nodded before leaping. Compared to Nizemar, he clumsily jumped onto the next floating cyclone. It¡¯s easier than I thought, Cass thought to himself after stabilizing himself before immediately jumping to the next cyclone. The two of them jumped past the dozen or so cyclones one after another. Finally, before the spell disappeared, they jumped into the black circle of light in the middle temple and arrived at an area that the Undead Tide temporarily couldn¡¯t reach. However, the duo didn¡¯t let down their guard at all. The moment they landed, they gripped their weapons tightly and looked around warily. ¡°Why did those undead¡­¡± Cass-who had observed for a while and realized that there were no ambushes around-asked. ¡°Why did they revive?¡± Nizemar interrupted his question. ¡°You¡¯re a Blackwater native. You should know the history of the Rotten Moon Tide better than me.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 51 ? 51 Beginning the Ritual Graveyard, Holy Sepulchre Temple. Cass and Nizemar followed the ancient granite steps that circled deep into the underground Holy Sepulchre. ¡°This place has always been sealed off. It will only be opened at the appointment ceremony when the Duke of Thorn takes office. The new Duke of Thorn will go deep into the Holy Sepulchre to pay respects to the ancestors and obtain their protection,¡± Cass said as he walked. He walked ahead. The Magic Crystal Lamp hanging at his waist illuminated the steps forward. ¡°In other words, only the Duke of Thorn has the authority to open this place, right?¡± Nizemar-who was following behind Cass with a repeating crossbow in her hand-asked, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but considering that the Rose Palace is basically in charge of Thorn City¡¯s sacrificial activities, the key to opening the Holy Sepulchre is probably personally controlled by the duke¡­ In that case¡­¡± As Cass spoke, he fell into thought. Was the terrifying number of undead in the graveyard outside the temple really Duke Simon¡¯s doing? Was he like the crazy King of Blackwater a thousand years ago, hoping to control an undying army? This was simply madness. With this in mind, Cass asked in puzzlement, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the duke planned on summoning the Void Sovereigns? Why has it become the Rotten Moon Tide now?¡± Regarding this, Nizemar seemed puzzled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. An Eighth Order informant in the Rose Palace told me that the duke might try to communicate with the Moon Realm¡¯s Void Sovereigns soon. That¡¯s why I came to the Holy Sepulchre in a hurry. I hope that by pulling out Judgment 4, it can be our trump card, but I never expected to encounter such a situation here¡­¡± Faced with Nizemar¡¯s doubts, Cass thought for a moment and said, ¡°Could it be that the informant you arranged in the Rose Palace was discovered or has betrayed you? That¡¯s why the duke deliberately tricked us into this graveyard¡­¡± Before Cass could finish speaking, he felt the stupidity of his logic. First of all, it had been a while since the Rose Palace¡¯s informant had given Nizemar the information. The duke could not conjure such a coincidence to have them surrounded by the Rotten Moon Tide the moment they arrived at the graveyard. Secondly, and most importantly, if the duke had grasped the power of the Rotten Moon Tide, there was no need for him to come up with such a scheme of luring them to the graveyard to kill them unless he was some classic tragedy enthusiast and wanted some drama. And if he failed to grasp the power of the Rotten Moon Tide, everyone would die together, so there was no need for him to do so. ¡°In other words¡­¡± Cass muttered. ¡°In other words, we might have really barged in by mistake. The duke might not even have noticed our existence!¡± Cass¡¯s tone even revealed a hint of excitement. He turned to look at Nizemar and said, ¡°Since it¡¯s all by chance, there¡¯s still hope. We still have a chance to stop this disaster here.¡± Fate¡¯s perfect arrangement led them to the ritual venue. They would have missed this opportunity to stop Duke Simon¡¯s crazy ritual if they had been early or late by a day. Regarding this, Nizemar only nodded slowly with a tense expression. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡­ After descending countless granite steps, the group finally arrived at the deepest depths of the Holy Sepulchre-the Tomb of Gods. In the ancient legends of the Blackwater Kingdom, this was the place closest to the Netherworld. Legend had it that Death-Vera-who had a snake as a totem, had been reborn here. However, without the halo of myths and legends, this tomb was only an underground tomb built over a natural karst cave. The entire hall was gorgeously decorated and solemn. The first thing Cass saw when he walked in was 40 to 50 sarcophaguses of varying sizes and styles. Every sarcophagus buried a member of the ancient Blackwater Kingdom¡¯s royal family. In the center of the hall was a huge sarcophagus surrounded by seven concentric circles. There were two things in front of the sarcophagus, which didn¡¯t match the style of the entire tomb. An ancient black stone plaque and a pitch-black and heavy knight¡¯s sword. The moment Nizemar saw the knight¡¯s sword, she immediately patted Cass¡¯s shoulder and whispered to him, ¡°Look, right there. That sword is Judgment 4.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Judgment 4?¡± From Cass¡¯s point of view, the weapon named Judgment 4 looked like an ordinary knight¡¯s sword no matter how he looked at it. It didn¡¯t have any gorgeous decorations or the powerful strength emitted by an enchanted weapon. It was nothing like the divine weapon she had described. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the one?¡± Cass asked suspiciously. Nizemar nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very sure it¡¯s that.¡± Alright, perhaps all true divine weapons look like this. Cass thought before asking, ¡°Then, the next question is, how can we approach it to obtain the sword?¡± At this moment, near Judgment 4 in the middle of the tomb, a huge fat monster with festering, swollen, and twisted horns sat there with its eyes closed. It held a rusty dagger. Above its head, countless floating spirits held an old man in a mage robe in midair. Surging magic power was stripped from his body before accumulating into a black ball that floated beside him and trembled slightly. ¡°Simon, you son of a b*tch, how dare you lie to me?! You aren¡¯t using the Eternal Gift to strengthen your mind at all. You planned on using it to awaken the undead in the graveyard. You plan on recreating the Rotten Moon Tide!¡± The thin old man roared hysterically at the middle-aged man standing on the central sarcophagus in gorgeous and complicated clothes. The person being shouted at was none other than Duke Simon. Duke Simon only nodded calmly and said, ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re the firewood that shall activate the rituals. Do you feel honored?¡± With that said, Duke Simon made a grasping motion at the elder floating in the sky. In an instant, the black ball floating beside him exploded with a bang, turning into a pitch-black blast that quickly spread out. So that¡¯s how it is¡­Cass thought. So this was how the black blast that awakened the undead came about¡­ After the black ball exploded, the elder instantly shrunk, and blood constantly flowed out of the holes in his head. His head dropped and he stopped struggling. It was also at this moment that the big monster-who had been sitting at the side with its eyes closed-suddenly said, ¡°Contractor, all the elements are in place. You may begin the ritual.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 52 ? 52 Opening ¡°Contractor, all the elements are in place. You may begin the ritual.¡± Hearing the voice of the Stumbling Demon that was his third contract spirit, Simon looked at the dying tower guardian and nodded. Had it finally come to this? Was this finally the moment after so many years of preparation? Simon¡¯s hand trembled slightly. Although there were some twists and turns, the plan was finally on track. Soon, his dream of more than 20 years would be realized, and the Walde family¡¯s 1,000-year-old wish would be fulfilled. It was completed through his hands. Under Simon¡¯s will, mana was stripped off the tower guardian¡¯s body for the last time and gradually turned into a black sphere that floated in the air. Simon raised his hand and clenched it in the direction of the black sphere. ¡°Simon¡­ Are you mad? So what if you complete the ritual? Do you have the power to control that many undead? Back then, the King of Blackwater, who had already reached the Divine Realm, was driven crazy by the will of the countless undead. Can you do it¡­¡± Sensing that his death was imminent, the tower guardian roared at Simon in despair. But Simon didn¡¯t wait for him to finish speaking and suddenly made a grasping motion. This action was the last trigger to activate the Eternal Gift. The black ball exploded with a bang, turning into a third blast that spread out. ¡°No matter what happens to me in the end, that¡¯s not something a firewood like you should care about,¡± Simon said coldly. The firestarter for the ritual was completed. With three rhythmic strikes of the soul and magic, the remaining soul imprints in all the corpses in the graveyard resonated strongly with the tower guardian¡¯s ether domain. Or rather, the two gradually fused. According to the tower guardian¡¯s calculations, he only needed to resonate with about 3,000 soul imprints for the Eternal Gift to raise his mind to Legendary. However, Simon directly included all the corpses in the graveyard into the range of resonance, instantly raising the scale of the tower guardian¡¯s mind to an unimaginable level. Of course, as a price, the wails of millions of dead echoed in his ether domain at the same time. If he could hold on and not be driven crazy, the scale of his strength would step from the peak of Master to the peak of the Divine Realm through this secret ritual. However, it was obvious that he couldn¡¯t hold on. In less than a second, the personality of the tower guardian was wiped clean into a piece of white paper by the wave of resentment from more than ten million undead. Only a mere husk was left floating in the air. This was what Duke Simon wanted-a potent magical power conduit that connected the Astral World to Currere. A huge amount of undead mana flowed endlessly from the Astral World into the tower guardian¡¯s ether domain before being transmitted to every undead through the soul imprint that resonated with him. In the graveyard, the eyes of every undead began to burn with blazing Soul Fire. Their movements began to become fluid and their strength began to increase. The bone fragments that Cass and Nizemar had shattered and knocked down began to splice back together under the tremendous amount of magic. They were tireless and immortal. This was the Rotten Moon Undead Tide that had almost destroyed the entire Blackwater Kingdom and wreaked havoc on more than half of the Vic Continent. Simon looked at the tower guardian floating in the air with a fanatical expression. At this moment, the tower guardian was the crown that could control this army of the dead! Unfortunately, Simon couldn¡¯t seize this crown for the time being. Just as the tower guardian had said before he died, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to control the wills of tens of millions of the undead. He needed the power to reach the Divine Realm. ¡°Grayrash. It¡¯s about time.¡± Simon turned around and said to the Stumbling Demon named Grayrash. The fat and sickly-looking Grayrash said in a slow and deep tone, ¡°All the offerings are ready. The King and Rebel ritual will begin soon.¡± As it spoke, it waved the rusty knife in its hand, and a thick necromantic magic power in the air began to flow with its movements. All ceremonial magic that mirrored myths and legends required a huge amount of mana to reproduce the magical power environment of the mythological era. The skull temple in the Silverstream Mine was the mana furnace that supplied the entire ritual. However, there was no need for those things in this tomb. Under the effect of the Eternal Gift, an endless stream of mana was flowing through the crown. The concentration of mana in the entire tomb was as dense as the legendary Netherworld. The magic environment needed for the ritual was also prepared. As a spawn of the Lady of Starvation, it was as easy for the Stumbling Demon to guide Undead magic as breathing. A huge amount of mana flowed into the pattern embedded with Elementium Silver on the four walls of the tomb as Grayrash moved. A complete image of a dragon and snake devouring each other appeared, outlined by pitch-black mana. The dragon represented the Sky God King, Oka, and the snake represented the Death of the Underworld, Vera. In the ancient philosophy of the Blackwater Swamp, things would always switch into their opposites. Just like the God King and Death in the story, They eternally devoured each other and turned the other into Him. The essence of the King and Rebel ritual was to complete the transformation by recreating the deeds of this myth. Becoming king by committing regicide. Becoming god by committing deicide. At this moment, Duke Simon, who sought the independence of the Blackwater Province, was undoubtedly a true rebel. What about the king he was about to overthrow? The door to the side hall opened, and more than ten skinny subdemons with abnormally long limbs and huge heads walked out. The four subdemons in the lead were struggling to carry a gorgeous throne, and sitting on the throne, or rather, tied up, was a gray-haired youth. The youth wore a purple royal robe. His entire body shone with lightning, but he wore a blank expression. The hands and shoulders of the subdemons carrying the throne were charred and smoking from the flashing lightning, but they still gritted their teeth and steadily carried the throne to the sarcophagus before slowly putting it down. Simon jumped down from the sarcophagus and walked to the throne with a solemn expression. The gray-haired youth looked up at Simon in confusion. ¡°Is today the day I¡¯m crowned king?¡± the youth asked carefully. Ever since he could remember, the man in front of him had always promised him that he would one day bring him out of the dungeon and crown him king. Although he didn¡¯t understand what it meant to be crowned king, he still looked forward to the day he could walk out of the cramped dungeon. Simon nodded and raised his hand. The subdemon beside him lowered his head and held up an ancient bronze headband. It was a bronze crown that represented the supreme authority of the Riel Empire¡¯s emperor. Or rather, the material and shape were identical to the bronze crown worn by Empress Erin. It was said that the true bronze crown contained the soul fragments of the previous emperors of the Riel Empire. This allowed every emperor of the Empire in the past 800 years to be guided by the wisdom of their ancestors. This was something Simon couldn¡¯t do with the replica in his hand. However, it was enough to complete the ritual. Simon picked up the replica with both hands and slowly moved it through the lightning around the youth¡¯s body before crowning him. During this period, his body was electrocuted with countless scorch marks, but he didn¡¯t care at all. In Blackwater mythology, Death had been injured by the God King many times during his rebellion. Simon¡¯s wounds were also a part of restoring the myth. If just having the bloodline of the Riel royal family wasn¡¯t enough to symbolize a powerful king, he would continue to give this sacrifice the characteristics of God King Oka. The Holy Spirits Church in later generations had already confirmed that the God King of the ancient Blackwater myths, Oka, was the same as the Father worshiped in the various faiths on the Vic Continent before the Platinum Calendar. He was just one of the many faces of the Father Holy Spirit, and symbolized concepts like the sky, lightning, power, and fate. Therefore, he got Vincent to teach this child only lightning-element spells since he was young. He also spent a lot of money to hire a Demon Assassin from Emerald Province to tattoo the child with a rune that provided affinity with lightning magic. The seemingly powerful lightning beside this youth was another key node for him to act as God King Oka. Simon silently drew the sword at his waist. All the preparations for the early stages of the King and Rebel ritual were only to pave the way for this last step-the rebel stabbing his sword into the king¡¯s heart and completing the final transformation. The youth looked at the sword in Simon¡¯s hand and asked curiously, ¡°Is this considered the completion of the coronation? Can I go out and see the outside world now?¡± Simon nodded and said, ¡°The coronation has been completed. I¡¯ll take you to see the outside world.¡± With that said, he stabbed the youth¡¯s chest. ¡­ Dazzling lightning erupted from the center of the chamber. Cass and Nizemar-who were alternating between sarcophaguses as cover-slowly approached the center of the chamber while covering their eyes at the same time. After Duke Simon stabbed the youth in the chest, the dragon-snake patterns around him suddenly lit up. Countless bolts of lightning were transmitted from the youth¡¯s body to Simon¡¯s, and a powerful and dignified aura began to appear around him. Cass and Nizemar immediately hid behind a sarcophagus and discussed their next countermeasures. ¡°What was that?¡± Cass asked softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It looks like some ritual magic,¡± Nizemar picked up the repeating crossbow and replied. ¡°What should we do next?¡± Cass continued asking. Nizemar replied decisively, ¡°No matter what Duke Simon is doing, we have to stop him before he completes it.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she adjusted the bolt on the repeating crossbow in her hand and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll use Storm Gain to increase the power of the next bolt and shoot through the duke¡¯s head.¡± ¡°What about that big guy?¡± Cass was referring to the Stumbling Demon guarding Duke Simon. It was standing in front of Duke Simon like a mountain of flesh. ¡°Draw it away,¡± Nizemar replied before looking at Cass and adding, ¡°Then, pull out Judgment 4 and kill it. That monster is a Lunar Monster. Only that weapon can truly kill it.¡± Cass nodded and continued asking, ¡°Then, what should we do with the little monsters beside it? There are a lot of them, so it might not be easy to deal with¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make them sleep,¡± Liz flew to Cass¡¯s side and said. Cass turned to look at her and said hesitantly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just hide here¡­¡± ¡°No, this is the last battle anyway, right? Don¡¯t underestimate the true strength of a faerie.¡± Liz gave Cass a serious look. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Cass finally nodded and agreed. It wasn¡¯t that he believed it a better choice, but he knew that even if he didn¡¯t agree to Liz¡¯s request, she would rush out herself. Seeing that they were done discussing, Nizemar extended three fingers to indicate the time. Three¡­ Cass gripped the black iron sword in his hand tightly. Two¡­ Liz lay on Cass¡¯s shoulder and grabbed his clothes tightly. One¡­ Cass twisted the runic mechanism on the hilt. The Breaking Dawn spell that had been sealed in the huge sword had already been replenished by Nizemar. This was the last battle. He had to give it his all from the beginning. Zero¡­ Cass flipped over and charged out. The Stumbling Demon, Grayrash, guarding Duke Simon, looked at the swordsman charging at him with a flaming sword and revealed a cruel smile. It didn¡¯t move. Instead, it raised its rusty dagger and pointed it at Cass. The dozen or so subdemons surrounding it charged at him. The first subdemon-who was a little disjointed from charging too quickly-was sliced into two by Cass. The scorching flames on the huge sword burned the two corpses to ashes before they could land. However, more subdemons followed behind it. Cass suddenly felt a sweet scent on his shoulder. Liz puffed up her cheeks, cupped her hands, and blew at the subdemons. Purple-black dust immediately spread in front of them. All the subdemons who smelled the dust instantly stopped charging and stood in place in confusion. Then, they collapsed to the ground. The spell faeries were born with-Sleeping Powder. Cass dragged his blade across the ground. As he charged forward, he burned the fallen subdemons to ashes. Who knew when they would wake up? It was better to kill them while they were down. However, the Stumbling Demon still stood rooted to the ground, as if it didn¡¯t care that its subordinates were dead. After Cass finished off the sleeping subdemons, he stood in front of the Stumbling Demon. ¡°You made a mistake coming here, mortal.¡± Grayrash spoke to Cass patiently like an elder. ¡°I should be the one saying this to you.¡± With that said, Cass slashed at the other party¡¯s fat head. Clang! Grayrash casually waved the rusty dagger in its hand to block it. ¡°Do you believe that nothing will amount from your attacks even if I stand here and let you slash me for ten minutes? Instead, you¡¯ll die here,¡± Grayrash said slowly. However, this was the opportunity Cass wanted. He pressed the runes on the hilt, and the flames on the black iron sword instantly spread throughout Grayrash¡¯s body along the knife. Taking advantage of the fact that the other party¡¯s vision was blocked by the flames, he bypassed the Stumbling Demon in front of him and ran in front of Judgment 4. After Grayrash extinguished the flames on its body, it saw the other party arrive beside Judgment 4. It turned pale with fright and charged over with its knife. As the Stumbling Demon left the duke¡¯s side, Nizemar, who was lying prone on a sarcophagus and aiming at the duke, activated Storm Gain. With a sharp whistle, an extremely powerful storm condensed on the repeating crossbow in her hand. Whoosh! A bright silver bolt stirred up a whirlwind and shot at the duke¡¯s defenseless head. Then¡­ The duke raised his hand and caught the bolt. Nizemar looked at the bolt in the duke¡¯s hand, whose tail was still trembling slightly, stunned. The duke looked at her and smiled as if he had seen a good friend he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Then, he raised his hand and pointed at her. The next second, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket shot out from the duke¡¯s hand, electrocuting and charring Nizemar. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 53 ? 53 Changes in the Moon Realm ¡°How are you going to save her?¡± Vincent asked anxiously. William looked down at Liliana, who was tortured by the Nightmare to the point of moaning in pain from time to time, and replied, ¡°I know a total of three methods of awakening the souls in the Nightmare Swamp and bring them back to Currere.¡± ¡°Three?¡± Vincent sounded pleasantly surprised. ¡°One is to use Lion¡¯s Heart on her to let her break free from the Nightmare on her own, and the other is to slowly guide her soul back to Currere with Soul Guidance. However, these two methods take too long. There are pressing matters at the Holy Sepulchre, and we can¡¯t spare so much time now. As for the last method, we need to find the Lunar Monster who pulled her soul into the Nightmare Swamp, so¡­¡± ¡°So?¡± Vincent asked nervously. William took out a Soul Storage Crystal and said, ¡°I plan on going straight to the Moon Realm and bringing her soul back.¡± William remembered that in the game, he had done a quest to save all the villagers who were dragged into the Nightmare Swamp. If he were to guide each and every soul-hundreds of them-that quest would probably have made him blow a gasket. However, it happened when the Moon Realm invaded the Vic Continent on a large scale. All kinds of Moon Realm portals attached to the Moon Realm rifts were everywhere, so he went to the Moon Realm and came to the Nightmare Swamp. He then brought back all the villagers¡¯ souls in one swoop. Of course, it was later learned on the forum that the village was a place that the developers specially created for players to grind their proficiency of Illusion and Necromancy spells, but that was all in the afterword. ¡°Head straight to the Moon Realm?¡± Vincent looked at William in confusion and asked, ¡°Then how do you get there?¡± The World Shell¡¯s obstruction of the Moon Realm and Currere worked both ways. Unless a practitioner of Moon Realm magic opened a channel through a contract with a Lunar Monster or found a stable Moon Realm rift, living beings in Currere couldn¡¯t enter the Moon Realm either. As for these two methods, the former was impossible from the other party¡¯s attitude toward the Moon Realm. As for the latter, how could a stable Moon Realm rift be so easy to find? Upon hearing Vincent¡¯s words, William turned around and looked at the portal that led to the Astral Observatory. His eyes were filled with helplessness and self-deprecation. ¡°Isn¡¯t that it?¡± William sighed and said. ¡°What do you mean¡­ Wait, are you saying¡­¡± Vincent immediately understood what the other party meant, but he found it difficult to accept. Can it be that the Astral Lighthouse is essentially a Moon Realm rift? But how is this possible? If that were the case, what are all the magic chanters under the Astral Laws? Not only is their lifeline in the hands of the Astral Council, but it is also in the hands of the Moon Realm¡¯s Void Sovereigns? What is the original goal of the Astral Laws? Vincent didn¡¯t dare to think further¡­ William ignored the shocked Vincent. Instead, he walked to the wooden bed, picked up Liliana, who was still in the Nightmare, and walked towards the portal. Only then did Vincent speak to William as if he had woken up from a dream. ¡°Wait¡­ Wait a minute. The magical fluctuations at the Astral Observatory are too strong. Will you explode from the interference if you pass through the portal like this¡­¡± So now you realize that it¡¯s dangerous to use a portal when there are magical fluctuations? I didn¡¯t even have the chance to remind you just now, so why did you pass through the portal? William rolled his eyes slightly and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The medium for me to open the portal is Void Crystal. As long as I don¡¯t use lightning spells above the Master level to bombard the portal, there¡¯s basically no danger.¡± Void Crystal? Vincent didn¡¯t pay much attention to the appearance of the medium used to open the portal in his haste to save his daughter. It was only at this moment did he realize what it was. The six azure-blue gems were slightly smaller than chicken eggs. They constantly stirred spatial ripples as they floated. He subconsciously glanced at the blue gem embedded in the ebony staff in his hand that emitted the same spatial ripples. It was the same as the six gems-his was just much smaller. It¡¯s really a Void Crystal¡­ Vincent was speechless. In the Dragonspine Mountains of Storm Province, there would occasionally be an extreme weather phenomenon called thunderstorms. Thunderstorms didn¡¯t refer to ordinary thunderstorms, but lightning that fell like rain and blasted everything within a few kilometers into a charred land. After the thunderstorm phenomenon ended, if someone was willing to risk their life to head there in a timely fashion and was lucky enough, they might be able to find a small amount of blue dust called Void Salt before it dissipated. Void Salt was essentially congealed lightning. It was the spark that the Father Holy Spirit sent flying from the sky. It was also a top alchemy material. Basically, all lightning-element rituals needed such materials. As for the Void Crystal, it was a product of refining a large amount of Void Salt. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that it was priceless. It was the spell medium that all magic chanters who focused on lightning spells dreamed of the most. Its affinity for lightning magic had reached an unimaginable level. Even an ordinary person without any magical power talent could cause quite a bit of lightning phenomenon just by throwing out Void Crystals. The Void Crystal embedded in Vincent¡¯s magical medium was about the size of a pigeon egg, but this could already be considered the best lightning-type medium. This staff was a thank-you gift from Duke Simon five years ago after he negotiated a huge trade and export agreement with the Duke of the Storm Province. Now, the person in front of him took out six egg-sized Void Crystals and used them as a casting medium for the portal? Calling this a waste was not enough to describe the other party¡¯s actions! ¡°What are you waiting for? Come over quickly.¡± After William passed through the portal and returned to the Astral Observatory, he turned around and shouted at Vincent, who was still in a daze. Vincent came back to his senses and immediately walked over. He happened to see the other party squat down and lay Liliana on the ground. Seeing that he was already here, the other party waved his hand and dispelled the portal. The six Void Crystals flew back into his pocket. ¡°Is there anything you need me to do?¡± Vincent forced his gaze away and asked. William pulled a few strands of hair off Liliana¡¯s head and replied, ¡°Just guard her body here. I¡¯m just snatching a soul from the Nightmare Swamp. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± As he spoke, he wrapped the strands of hair around his fingers and got up. He walked to the Stranger Constellation map and pressed his hand on it. Vincent asked worriedly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being hated by Her when you go straight to the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s domain to snatch a soul?¡± As the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara wouldn¡¯t find it a violation of Her philosophy of ¡®reality is a lucid nightmare, and nightmares are a confused Currere¡¯ if a soul pulled into the Nightmare Swamp woke up independently. However, it was another matter if an outsider rushed in to snatch a soul. That would make the Void Sovereign feel that Her authority was being challenged. The Lord of Nightmare was an extremely petty existence even among the Void Sovereigns. Therefore, Vincent posed the question uneasily. However, William only smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve offended that b*tch anyway. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the star map William was holding emitted a red and black light. He was instantly sucked in. ¡­ The moon was a mirror that reflected the sun¡¯s light. The Moon Realm was also a mirror. It hung high in the sky, reflecting all the thoughts of Currere. Every laugh, every scream, every trace of guilt, every tinge of anger¡­ All their thoughts would interweave and echo in this domain before magnifying into an endless storm that swept in all directions before finally filling the emptiness in the sky. Amidst this strange change, powers of the same nature gradually gathered, forming countless Moon Realm domains that represented different concepts. Among them, a total of 13 Moon Realm domains formed independent countries. This was because the concept that formed them was so deep and entrenched that it was enough to make the power gathered from the overlapping echoes powerful enough to shake Currere itself-the source of their voices. And that was the domain of the 13 Void Sovereigns. After stepping into the rift between Currere and the Moon Realm, William felt an unprecedented pull. Everything his physical senses sensed kept changing. Compared to Currere that turned into a stable reality upon landing, all the physical laws in the Moon Realm were pale lies. It was even to the extent that the things here didn¡¯t have a fixed form. William was a human who lived in the material world after all. Even though his willpower was at maximum, he couldn¡¯t adapt to the rapidly changing environment. He had been to the Moon Realm many times in-game, but the experience was completely different from this time. The method the developers used to let players experience the Moon Realm¡¯s change was basically to first play a video that could make a light-sensitive epileptic die on the spot, then play an audio that was enough for people to have nightmares for days. William felt the crazy changes in the Moon Realm. It was more than a hundred times more exaggerated than the presentation in-game. But soon, all forms began to stabilize in William¡¯s eyes, turning into orderly objects. It wasn¡¯t that the Moon Realm had been fixed, but that William¡¯s will had been fixed. In the Moon Realm, the body was only an accessory. Only will was eternal. In other words, in the Moon Realm, any construct he believed to be the truth would appear that way to him. Although this ¡°self-belief¡± could only roughly affect his understanding of another party¡¯s appearance and couldn¡¯t truly change the other party¡¯s scale and depth, at the very least, it allowed him to act normally just like in Currere. William was floating under a stirring storm. Beside him, a huge pipe made of pure magic passed through the storm and led to a dark red star in the distance. This was the magic power circuit that connected Thorn City¡¯s Astral Lighthouse in Currere to the Stranger Astral World. This place was actually no man¡¯s land in the Moon Realm-it had yet to be under the rule of any Void Sovereign. William was surprised. He originally thought that a Void Sovereign would definitely incorporate the World Shell into ¡®Their¡¯ domain after a magic power circuit that led from the Moon Realm to the Astral World was opened. After all, that was the best way to invade Currere. He didn¡¯t expect it to be built in a neutral area. Why didn¡¯t the Void Sovereign come over to snatch this excellent place? William still remembered the two Void Sovereigns-the King of Deathblood and the Ruin Demon God-who symbolized annihilation and destruction back then. To fight for control over the Moon Realm rift in the Scar of Sorrow, they beat each other¡¯s brains out in the Moon Realm. Back then, he took advantage of the fact that the two of them were mutually injured to lead the Doomsday Watchers in their counterattack and push back the battle line. But why didn¡¯t they compete now that there was a Moon Realm rift? William thought for a while but couldn¡¯t figure it out. He could only give up. After all, he lacked key information. Moreover, his goal for this trip wasn¡¯t to investigate. Therefore, William left a Teleportation nexus near the rift and flew up. In the Moon Realm, one could fly as long as one¡¯s willpower was strong enough and one firmly believed that one could fly. They didn¡¯t even need to use magic. With William¡¯s willpower, it wouldn¡¯t be too troublesome for him to establish his domain in the Moon Realm, let alone fly or teleport. Of course, the troublesome thing was that the Void Sovereigns would come looking for him later. The Moon Realm¡¯s sky was extremely lively. There were ownerless scattered spirit bodies everywhere, and many of them couldn¡¯t even take form. William ignored them and continued flying higher. He passed through the network woven from prophecies, leaped over all kinds of advice, pushed away the pain that had frozen into wax in front of him, then fanned away a few balls of burning anger that wanted to attack him. Finally, he transcended everything and flew to the highest point of the Moon Realm. Of course, the Moon Realm didn¡¯t have a concept of the highest point. William had only arrived at a place where he could see the overall terrain of the Moon Realm. There, he saw the 13 countries. Among them were ruins with ashes fluttering, a lifeless cemetery, a constantly surging lake, and a furnace filled with flames. Compared to a thousand years ago, the domains of the 13 countries were larger, and the power contained in them was greater. Even from afar, William could sense the terrifying aura. How did this happen? They weren¡¯t as powerful a thousand years ago when they invaded Currere, William thought. However, this question only lasted for a few seconds in his mind. It was meaningless to come up with random guesses without enough information. The most important thing now was to save Liliana. Therefore, William¡¯s gaze locked onto a misty swamp. Then, he relaxed his mind and fell in that direction, allowing himself to plunge into the misty swamp. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 54 ? 54 Nizemar Although it was called a swamp, William felt that this place was more like an island pieced together by countless strange images after entering Zamara¡¯s Moon Realm. At the very least, it was more like an island in his eyes. Dream murmurings and screams howled in the mist. Countless terrified and distorted faces appeared and disappeared as countless illusory hands flailed and struggled. As William fell, he adjusted his landing point and quickly traversed the nightmare mist that drove mortals crazy. Finally, he landed steadily in an empty clearing in the forest. This was a forest made of countless strangely-shaped withered trees. The ground was muddy and sticky, and a faint mist curled up around it. Lightning flashed across the pitch-black sky from time to time, and every time lightning flashed, it illuminated the forest differently. The strange-looking withered trees would turn into thin humanoids with twisted limbs, and the muddy and sticky ground would become blurry flesh and blood that covered the ground. As for the mist, it would turn into a ferocious wraith. A fat and sickly crow flapped its wings and came to a withered branch beside William. It raised its head and spread its wings. It opened its beak and spoke in a baby-like voice, ¡°Ah~ Traveler from Currere who didn¡¯t intend to enter the Moon Realm. Welcome to the Nightmare¡­ Caw!¡± As he lacked a guide, William shook his palm at the crow and grabbed it with an invisible hand. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Cut the crap and lead the way!¡± With that said, a soul fire began to burn the fat crow¡¯s body. The pain that reached the depths of its soul tortured it until it wailed. After burning it for about ten seconds and sensing that the other party¡¯s struggles began to weaken, William stopped. ¡°Lead¡­ lead the way where?¡± the crow said, shaken after coming back to its senses. William untied a strand of Liliana¡¯s hair wrapped around his finger and summoned a breeze to send it to the crow. ¡°The owner of this hair.¡± The crow raised its wings and touched its hair before its turbid eyes rolled. ¡°Ah¡­ She¡¯s in that tree¡­¡± the crow said. However, before it could finish speaking, another wave of Soul Fire ignited over its body. ¡°Just lead the way. Cut the crap.¡± Only when the crow wailed and nodded vigorously did William extinguish the flames. ¡°Also, don¡¯t try any tricks. This is the Moon Realm, not Currere. I don¡¯t even need to hold a sword to make your existence completely disappear,¡± William warned. Seeing that the other party continued nodding desperately to indicate that it understood, William released his grip. The crow flapped its wings and flew forward unsteadily. William followed closely behind it. ¡°You can fly as fast as you can. I can keep up.¡± Before it flew far, William spoke from behind it. The crow immediately nodded when it heard that. Then, it turned into a whirlwind made of pitch-black feathers and rushed toward the forest. A whirlwind swept up beside William as he flew behind it. Speaking of which, does the Lord of Nightmare have a crow-like spawn under Her command now? William muttered to himself on the way. Although there were countless types of Lunar Monsters, there were very few that possessed intelligence. In every Void Sovereign¡¯s Lunar Domain, only the different spawns of the particular sovereign could reach that level. Every Void Sovereign had a set of aesthetic standards for their spawn, or rather, Their spawn would carry some of Their characteristics. For example, the Whispering Empress always had to make things difficult for spiders, while the Lady of Starvation¡¯s spawn had to carry some festering and fungi. In William¡¯s memory, the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, was a pathological particle special effects enthusiast. Regardless of the strength and appearance of Her spawn, there had to be a constantly changing mist around them to increase their mystery and dreaminess. It was also because of this that the Nightmare Swamp was also called the Frame-Drop Swamp, and the Lord of Nightmare was also known as the Lord of Lag. But why did She start creating spawns that looked like crows? ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The crow¡¯s voice interrupted William¡¯s train of thought. The whirlwind of crow feathers reassembled into the crow¡¯s form. It raised its wings and pointed at the only flourishing tree in a withered forest not far away. William hovered in midair and looked at the lush tree. About seven or eight Mist Nightmares floated there to harvest fruits. The drooping fruits on the tree had terrified human faces. When they were plucked by the Mist Nightmare, they let out an ear-piercing scream. This tree was a node used by the Nightmare Swamp to connect to Currere. It was called Night Locust. Its roots penetrated the Nightmare Swamp¡¯s domain all the way and reached out to Currere, reaching into the nightmares of the mortals in the Currere. With the fear of mortals as nutrients, it produced fruits that could nourish and strengthen the power of the Nightmare Swamp. William saw Liliana tied to a tree trunk by vines. She was in a translucent soul form as she kept struggling to break free. Seeing this, William prepared to go over, but the crow suddenly flew to his side and asked, ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t see the Mist Nightmares on the trees? There are seven or eight of them! Besides, this place is very close to Zamara¡¯s bedroom. You won¡¯t be able to leave if you make a commotion and get discovered.¡± The crow¡¯s words made William stop. He looked at it curiously and asked, ¡°From the tone of your voice, you aren¡¯t a spawn of the Lord of Nightmare?¡± The fat crow flapped its wings and replied, ¡°This body serves a Moon Realm Overlord. I only came to the Nightmare Swamp as a messenger.¡± So that¡¯s the case. No wonder it doesn¡¯t have any particle effects¡­ William was enlightened. In the Moon Realm, the 13 Void Sovereigns were undoubtedly the strongest. Their existence had already sublimated to the level of eternal indestructibility, and they could greatly affect the Currere. However, other than the Void Sovereigns, there were still some existences in the Moon Realm who were much weaker than the Void Sovereigns, but they were still very powerful. They ruled over some smaller Moon Realm domains and called themselves Moon Realm Overlords. Of course, as they couldn¡¯t affect Currere and could only move around in the Moon Realm, little was known of them. Before he planned on burning the crow to ashes, William casually asked, ¡°Then who¡¯s your master?¡± The other party¡¯s answer saved its life. ¡°An ally of the Lord of Nightmare, Ms. Zamara, the Summoner of the Storm, and Clairvoyant Prophet-Father of the Crows.¡± William turned his head abruptly. Father of the Crows? The original owner of the map of the Grief Mountains from a thousand years ago? A birdcage made of shadows outlined itself around the crow and instantly imprisoned it. ¡°Caw? What¡¯s going on?¡± The crow was stunned for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Congratulations, you don¡¯t have to die for the time being. Come back to Currere with me. I have something to ask you later.¡± As William spoke, he picked up the cage and flew towards Liliana. The seven or eight Mist Nightmares couldn¡¯t help but look delighted when they saw a mortal. They put down the fruit baskets in their hands and flew towards William. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, didn¡¯t I just say¡­¡± The crow stopped mid-sentence when it saw the person snap his fingers, producing a spatial rift that constantly flashed between the Mist Nightmares. Then, the Mist Nightmares were instantly pulled in by something that extended out. They didn¡¯t even have the chance to scream. They were wiped clean in a few seconds. Therefore, it shut up completely. William landed with the birdcage and quickly came to Liliana. ¡°I realize now that you are either being saved or on the way to being saved recently.¡± William looked at the disheveled girl in front of him and teased her. ¡°William Kane?¡± Liliana looked at the person in front of her in disbelief before closing her eyes and shouting, ¡°You can¡¯t fool me. It¡¯s an illusion. It¡¯s all an illusion!¡± She had been pulled to this nightmarish place for some time. During this period, wandering knights or mages would suddenly appear to help her break free and escape, but those ¡°kind people¡± would take off their disguises every time she was about to escape and turn into a gnarly monster before devouring her. Then, she would awaken again and realize that she was back where she was. It was like the cycle of an endless nightmare that she could never wake up from. ¡°Oh, you still seem to be in a good mental state. It looks like his soul hasn¡¯t shown any signs of collapse.¡± William nodded slightly. Every soul pulled into the Nightmare Swamp would have their emotions of ¡°fear¡± squeezed out by the Lunar Monsters until the victim¡¯s soul fell into numbness and gradually disintegrated. Liliana seemed to be in a good state. ¡°Whatever you say. I won¡¯t fall for it anyway. If you want to kill me, kill me now. I¡¯ll wake up here anyway, right?¡± Liliana said loudly with an expression that said, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen through your trick.¡± ¡°Your dad, Vincent, asked me to pick you up.¡± As William spoke, he took out the Soul Storage Crystal. ¡°My dad¡­¡± Liliana¡¯s voice softened when she heard that. She lowered her head and muttered to herself, ¡°That person isn¡¯t my dad. I don¡¯t have a father¡­¡± What do you mean? Is the father-daughter conflict so intense? William was a little stunned, but he couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask about their family matters. He walked over and tore off the vines that bound her before throwing the Soul Storage Crystal to her. ¡°Hide in for the time being. Then, I¡¯ll bring you out of here.¡± As an Offa University student, Liliana could still recognize the Soul Storage Crystal. This was an alchemy material most commonly used by necromancers. It could directly capture the souls of non-intelligent creatures or seal the souls of willing intelligent creatures. Of course, the so-called willingness only required the other party to ¡°agree.¡± As for how to get the other party to agree, that was one of the important reasons why necromancers were disliked everywhere on the continent. Liliana¡¯s soul squatted down and stroked the crystal. When she saw her spirit being slightly stretched nearby, she looked at William in surprise and said, ¡°Are you real? Are you really here to save me?¡± Even though her various senses in the Nightmare Swamp would be deceived, the feeling of her soul being gradually pulled into the crystal couldn¡¯t be more genuine. ¡°Now that you know, go in quickly. Stop wasting time. I still have pressing matters to do,¡± William replied helplessly. Liliana hurriedly nodded. She turned into a stream of light and entered the Soul Storage Crystal. William picked up the crystal that emitted a faint white light and planned to leave. However, he stopped in his tracks. Only then did he notice the outline of a woman on the tree trunk of the Night Locust in front of him, as if a woman was buried under the bark. Apart from being a node that absorbed the power of nightmares from Currere, the Night Locust was also a medium that could send power to Currere. Lunar Monsters that had already descended into Currere could obtain the support of the Nightmare Swamp through the Night Locust. ¡°Since Liliana was pulled here, this tree corresponds to Thorn City, right?¡± William looked at the outline of the woman on the tree trunk and muttered to himself. Then, he waved the magical medium in his hand. A sharp blade flashed and peeled off the entire tree bark. A naked woman rolled out of the tree. She wasn¡¯t a soul. She had entered the Moon Realm as a real person like William. ¡­ ¡°Cass¡­ Hurry up and¡­ pull out that sword!¡± After being struck by the lightning, Nizemar left Cass this sentence before she died. Cass didn¡¯t dare turn his head to look at Nizemar¡¯s death. Or rather, he didn¡¯t even dare to look away. The fat festering monster had already retreated to the side, and Duke Simon, who had pulled his sword out of the youth¡¯s chest, slowly turned to him. Duke Simon¡¯s entire body was wrapped in lightning, and his eyes were a blank blue. A crown made of pure lightning appeared above his head. Then, he floated in midair and looked down at Cass. Why is this happening¡­ Cass thought. Before coming, Nizemar had told him that Duke Simon was only an ordinary person and didn¡¯t even have magical power talent. But why did he suddenly obtain the powerful strength that only legendary heroes had? Was it because of the ritual from before? Stabbing the youth¡¯s chest with a sword? ¡°Liz, leave this place. It¡¯s not convenient for me to fight with you by my side.¡± Noticing that the other party¡¯s attention was on him, Cass whispered to Liz, who was slumped over his shoulder. Liz turned around and looked at Nizemar, who was emitting green smoke. Then, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°We leave together. Don¡¯t think of lying to me with those words.¡± Cass smiled bitterly and said, ¡°In this situation, it¡¯s fine as long as one of us can escape. Moreover, if you¡¯re accidentally injured in combat, I will immediately die since I¡¯m connected to you. Being by my side will only become a huge weakness for me. If you run, the probability of me surviving alone is higher.¡± Even though it¡¯s also close to zero. Cass added inwardly. Liz fell silent for a few seconds before biting his shoulder fiercely. ¡°Stay alive, idiot!¡± After leaving a bite mark on Cass¡¯s shoulder that wasn¡¯t deep or shallow, she flapped her wings and flew to the tomb¡¯s door. Simon watched them in his levitating state. He didn¡¯t stop Liz when she flew away. He only shook his head slightly and said, ¡°I imagined that you would leave Thorn City after becoming wanted. I didn¡¯t expect you to have the guts to come here.¡± His voice exploded in Cass¡¯s ears like thunder. After confirming that Liz had left, Cass held the pitch-black knight¡¯s sword named Judgment 4. ¡°Why? Just for revenge? Or for some other reason?¡± Simon asked in a cadence. Cass fell silent. He exerted strength in his wrist, but he didn¡¯t seem to be able to pull the sword out at all. ¡°It¡¯s useless. You cannot pull out this divine weapon of Judgment.¡± Simon slowly floated to Cass and said, ¡°This sword¡¯s name is Judgment 4, and it came from the Whispering Empress. She, who originally wielded the power of conspiracy and betrayal, specially forged a blade that symbolizes loyalty and honor to correspond to Her essence.¡± Lightning circled Simon as he gently landed not far from Cass and continued, ¡°Do you understand? This sword is absolutely loyal. If you want to obtain the recognition of this sword, you have to have the bloodline of that Black Swordsman and have the courage and determination to prove that you¡¯re worthy of this sword.¡± Upon hearing this, Cass froze and muttered with lifeless eyes, ¡°Only the descendant of the Black Swordsman can pull out this sword?¡± Simon nodded and slowly walked towards Cass. As he walked, he said, ¡°Therefore, it¡¯s still the same question. Why? After you were lucky enough to be saved by that faerie, why didn¡¯t you choose to leave Thorn City? You¡¯re essentially a dead person now. You rely on sharing another person¡¯s life to survive. What can you do with your crippled body?¡± As Simon spoke, he walked in front of Cass and stood still. Boundless mana flowed into the dragon-snake pattern on the chamber wall, and lightning exploded around Duke Simon. He spread his arms exaggeratedly and said to Cass, ¡°Tell me, why did you do this? Why do you resist the will of the new Blackwater King in vain?¡± Cass had been waiting for this opportunity. He effortlessly pulled out the pitch-black knight¡¯s sword and stabbed Duke Simon¡¯s defenseless chest at lightning speed. Cass found that he could easily pull it out from the moment he held the sword. However, from Duke Simon¡¯s performance of killing Nizemar with a bolt of lightning, he deeply understood that he could not defeat this opponent even if he drew the sword. Therefore, he could only take a gamble. He could only pretend that he didn¡¯t know the conditions to draw his sword and pretend that he couldn¡¯t. He wanted to see if the other party would lower his guard and walk over before finding an opportunity to strike. Duke Simon was even more arrogant and stupid than he had imagined. He dared to walk to where his sword could reach without putting up any defense. Moreover, he spread his arms, exposing his defenseless chest. Then, he naturally wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡°I¡¯m a descendant of the Black Swordsman, and the reason I want to kill you is very simple. It¡¯s both for revenge and to completely bury an inhumane tyrant like you!¡± Cass almost roared after stabbing the other party in the heart. ¡°Die!¡± Cass plunged the sword deeper. ¡­ The Stranger star chart erupted with red and black light again. William walked out of the star map. Compared to when he entered, he returned with a full load. He held a birdcage formed by shadows in his left hand and carried a woman wrapped in a gorgeous blanket on his shoulder with his right. Vincent hurriedly went forward when William returned. ¡°How is it?¡± he asked nervously. William nodded to indicate that there was no problem. He first put down the cage and placed the woman on his shoulder on the ground like Liliana. Then, he took out the Soul Storage Crystal from his pocket and threw it to Vincent. ¡°Your daughter¡¯s soul is inside. You know how to wake her up, right?¡± William asked. Vincent nodded and looked at the woman wrapped in a blanket. ¡°Who is this?¡± William shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I just saved her since she was in the Nightmare Swamp.¡± As he spoke, he pulled open the blanket that covered the other party¡¯s face slightly, revealing her face. Vincent was stunned when he saw the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Why is it her?¡± Vincent uttered in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you know her?¡± William asked. The other party nodded and continued in confusion, ¡°But why is she in the Moon Realm? Wasn¡¯t she always in Thorn City?¡± ¡°Who is she?¡± William asked in confusion. Vincent replied, ¡°A nun of the Eighth Order¡¯s Holy Seminary, and is known as the Silver Blood Daughter and fanatical believer of Kane. She¡¯s the youngest holy relic hunter-Nizemar.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 55 ? 55 The Truth Behind the Ritual Duke Simon, whose heart had been pierced, suddenly took a step forward and tightly strangled Cass. The terrifying lightning on his body was transmitted to the swordsman through Judgment 4. Cass wanted to break free, but he was restrained by a powerful force and couldn¡¯t move at all. All he could do was watch the lightning spread throughout his body along the knight¡¯s sword. ¡°Congratulations, Cass Durant, the last bloodline of the Black Swordsman. Congratulations on successfully defeating the tyrant living high above and stabbing his heart¡­¡± Duke Simon whispered into Cass¡¯s ear. At this moment, his voice no longer carried the might of thunder from the high heavens. Instead, it became extremely illusory and ethereal, like the whisper of a dying person. Then, intense pain came from Cass¡¯s body. The lightning that clung to his entire body began to gather into countless fine rune patterns that were imprinted on his skin and fused into his flesh. A feeling that even his soul was dyed by lightning surged into his heart. Upon seeing this, Simon said excitedly, ¡°Congratulations, you will be crowned the new God King of the Sky, Oka, and wield the authority of lightning!¡± Duke Simon then took off the crown made of lightning and solemnly placed it on Cass¡¯s head. With this action, the lightning all over his body began to surge toward Cass. When all the lightning on Duke Simon¡¯s body fused with Cass¡¯s body, he pushed the exhausted Cass onto the throne and pulled out Judgment 4, which was in his chest. There wasn¡¯t a drop of blood on the pitch-black knight¡¯s sword. The dragon-snake patterns around the tomb became even more saturated. The rich Undead magic power that filled the space was attracted to the King and Rebel¡¯s devouring nexus before gathering on Duke Simon, who was in the middle of the ritual. The phantom of a huge snake began to appear behind Simon, and fine snake scales began to appear on his skin. A pitch-black aura spread around him as he looked at Cass on the throne and said fanatically, ¡°As for me, Simon Walde, as the tyrant you defeated, I will fall into the Netherworld and become the new Death of the Underworld, Vera!¡± They were in the Tomb of Gods, the entrance to the Netherworld in the ancient Blackwater myths. Under the effect of the Eternal Gift constantly guiding the Undead mana from the Astral World, this place had almost completely turned into a miniature Netherworld. In other words, all the conditions for Death Vera¡¯s rebirth were met. This was the true plan, the truth behind the King and Rebel ritual! The authority over the sky and lightning wasn¡¯t what he sought because an incomplete God King¡¯s power was far from enough to establish the Blackwater Kingdom. Therefore, Simon didn¡¯t seek the authority of God King Oka, but the authority of Death that could allow him to control the Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead. For this, he had planned for more than 20 years. The King and Rebel ritual was like its original ancient myth. It had always been a two-way transformation. The king and the rebel, the God King and Death, one killed and devoured the other to turn into the other. This wasn¡¯t only about the rebel killing the king to become the king; there was also the part where the old king was killed and reduced to become the next rebel. However, because the trigger of the King and Rebel ritual was when the rebel stabbed their sword into the king¡¯s heart and wasn¡¯t allowed to use any spells to cheat during this process, no one had ever tried the other angle of King and Rebel Conversion. After all, no mortal could survive being stabbed in the heart without taking any precautions. After Simon prayed to the Moon Realm and sought the Void Sovereign¡¯s wisdom, the Whispering Empress, Beatrice, replied to him and pointed out a feasible path for him. Sealed under Thorn City¡¯s ancient Holy Sepulchre is a sword. It can stab deep into your heart but not injure you at all. Behind the curtain, a woman in a black muslin dress and six arms sat in front of a textile machine. She told Simon in a whisper that reached the depths of his soul how to bypass the restrictions of the King and Rebel ritual. As for Simon, he crawled on the spiderweb-covered ground and asked in a humble tone, ¡°Your Majesty, what kind of gratitude do I need to offer you to repay your gift today?¡± Bring me that sword. From then on, Simon spent more than ten years and used countless resources before finally finding the descendant of the Black Swordsman and secretly nurturing him to become the leader of the Bramble Mercenaries. To bring Cass closer to the status of the Death rebel, Duke Simon planned on letting the Bramble Mercenaries he led enter the Silverstream Mine. He wanted his comrades to be killed one by one in front of him, filling his heart with hatred for the mastermind behind this matter. All of this was to guide his state of mind and emotions closer to the evil Death in Blackwater mythology, Vera, who risked everything to overthrow the tyrant. Of course, there was also the most important step-to make him a true member of the dead. Through the dream mist created by the Nightmare Maid, Simon designed and guided a kind and innocent little faerie to find the dying Cass. Just as he had expected, the faerie named Liz used Life Scale Powder to connect their lives. Cass became a dead person who relied on the vitality of another. Simon planned on getting his Stumbling Demon to pull Cass up as a zombie, but this would make the final rebirth stage of the ritual extremely troublesome. Therefore, he only got Grayrash to hide to the side as a backup plan. The last step was to let them ¡°coincidentally¡± arrive at the venue of the King and Rebel ritual¡­ ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie there any further, right?¡± Duke Simon turned around and said to ¡®Nizemar,¡¯ who had been charred by his lightning. ¡°Gosh~ You were too heavy-handed. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll be expelled back to the Moon Realm by you?¡± Under Cass¡¯s shocked gaze, the charred humanoid that had collapsed on the sarcophagus stood up complaining. As she¡­ No, as it stood up, charred fragments constantly peeled off its body, and disgusting pus-yellow liquid slowly flowed down the cracked parts. ¡°A poor act won¡¯t give him too much pressure. Moreover, with Night Locust¡¯s support, this won¡¯t cause you any serious damage, right?¡± Simon, whose eyes were already pitch-black, replied. ¡°But it hurts¡­¡± The charred object continued to complain. Its voice wasn¡¯t as cold as before, but one couldn¡¯t tell its age from the voice. ¡°You¡­ Why¡­¡± Upon seeing this scene, Cass was at a loss for words. The thing that once looked like Nizemar walked in Duke Simon¡¯s direction, scattering charred fragments and a trail of pus-yellow liquid along the way. After walking to Duke Simon¡¯s side, it turned its head which had the outline of a skeleton, and smiled at Cass. The withered eyeballs in its eyes fell out with a plop. ¡°I have to say, the adventure I took with you was really interesting. I finally understand why Our Lord insisted on spreading Her gospel in Currere.¡± It happily said, ¡°Because this reality is a true nightmare.¡± With that said, it grinned with its torn mouth. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 56 ? 56 Witness and Answer ¡°Nightmare¡­ So you¡¯re the one I mentioned before¡­¡± Cass asked with heavy breathing. ¡°That¡¯s right. A spawn of the Lord of Nightmare and a maid who serves Ms. Zamara.¡± The other party smiled and nodded in reply. ¡°Therefore, Liliana¡¯s soul is also¡­¡± ¡°I was the one who pulled her into the Nightmare Swamp. I originally planned on helping my contractor, but he didn¡¯t seem to appreciate it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do such a thing, let alone tell him such nonsense¡­¡± Simon suddenly spoke. The illusory snake shadow stuck out its tongue at the Nightmare Maid from behind. The Nightmare Maid immediately nodded. Perhaps because its movements were too wide, its already unstable head rolled off its neck. ¡°Sigh, there¡¯s too much damage to this mimic body¡­¡± After a moment of silence, the head on the ground said helplessly. Perhaps in response to its words, something cracked, and the charred body quickly turned into a black mist and began to dissipate. A woman enveloped in a dreamy mist that constantly changed her appearance appeared where the charred body had dissipated. The Nightmare Maid-who had returned to its original form-exclaimed strangely before looking up at the tomb¡¯s ceiling. ¡°The connection with the Night Locust has been severed. Has that woman broken free?¡± The perfect mimic of the Nightmare Maid required the main body of the disguised target to be imprisoned in the Nightmare Swamp, creating a dream that synchronized with reality for the other party. Only then could the true reaction and details of the mimic be perfectly restored, allowing for an impersonation that no one could see through. However, since it didn¡¯t take the initiative to remove its mimic state but returned to its original form, it could only mean that something had happened to its main body in the Nightmare Swamp. Duke Simon said, ¡°It¡¯s time to begin the last part of the ritual. Hurry up if you want to receive your remuneration.¡± The Nightmare Maid nodded and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve done all the preparations. That little faerie was captured by my subordinates the moment she left the tomb.¡± Before it could finish speaking, a bolt of lightning attacked it. At the same time, Duke Simon, who was standing beside the Nightmare Maid, attacked. The huge snake phantom behind him suddenly swung its tail, tilting the bolt of lightning in another direction. With a bang, the lightning struck a sarcophagus at the side. Not only was the sarcophagus instantly shattered, but it also blasted a considerable hole in the granite platform. Even though they were a few meters apart, the powerful blast still forced the Nightmare Maid to take two to three steps back. After stabilizing its footing, it looked in the direction of the lightning. Cass stood up from the throne. At this moment, he held Judgment 4. His entire body flickered with silver lightning, and his eyes shone with a dazzling light. ¡°Who did you say was captured?!¡± Cass¡¯s voice was the same as Duke Simon from before. It was like thunder from the high heavens. After hearing their conversation, Cass held his sword and instantly entered a combat state. Instantly, the lightning runes on his skin lit up, and a violent, peerless, and surging power surged from the depths of his soul. Under his guidance, it wrapped around the sword in his hand. He swung his sword through the air, and a bolt of lightning struck along the sword. The King and Rebel ritual worked both ways. Since he had ¡°stabbed¡± God King Oka, he was naturally the new owner of that power. Of course, Cass himself didn¡¯t know what was going on with this sudden surge of power. However, since he had a sword in his hand, there was no need to say what he should do as a swordsman. Duke Simon didn¡¯t panic at all when he saw Cass stand up aggressively. He even teased the Nightmare Maid, ¡°How is it? The other party is probably at the peak of Legendary but not the Divine Realm. Do you want to give it a try?¡± As for the Nightmare Maid, it flew back more than ten meters and said anxiously, ¡°He has Judgment equipment now. Don¡¯t make me fight him head-on.¡± Simon then turned his head to the Stumbling Demon, Grayrash, who hurriedly shook its head. Perhaps because everything was going according to plan, Simon was very relaxed. Cass¡¯s current state was probably similar to when he obtained the God King¡¯s authority. As he had restored the mirror image of the King and Rebel during the second ritual, his current level far exceeded the other party¡¯s. Moreover¡­ ¡°I, Simon Walde, the new king of the Blackwater Kingdom, the commander of the Rotten Moon Tide, and also a loyal servant of the three Moon Realm goddesses, humbly pray for the three goddesses to bear witness here.¡± Seeing that everything was in place, Simon pressed his hand to his chest and slowly bent down to shout. The complicated pattern engraved on the ceiling of the tomb lit up, and deep darkness quickly spread out. In less than a few seconds, the entire tomb¡¯s dome was replaced by a night sky where no starlight could be seen. A bright moon hung in the middle. Cass charged at Simon with Judgment 4 which flickered with lightning, but he was stopped before he could take five steps under the night sky. A few strands of spider silk appeared on Cass¡¯s hands and feet as he was lifted into the air like a puppet. ¡°The Weaver of Fate, the Goddess of Change, Beatrice!¡± Looking up along the spider silk, a huge spider phantom appeared in the night sky. She occupied about a third of the night sky. ¡°The Guardian of Cycles, the Goddess of Rebirth, Camilla!¡± A butterfly phantom with incomplete wings appeared. Countless flies circled Her, and the sound of countless flapping wings gathered into a symphony that made one¡¯s scalp tingle. The butterfly phantom also occupied a third of the night sky. ¡°Gifter of Inspiration, Goddess of Art, Zamara!¡± The last third of the night sky was enveloped by a constantly changing fog, and a pair of dazzling eyes slowly opened in the fog. Three dignified voices drowned out all the noise in the minds of every existence present. We shall bear witness. With that said, Cass-who was controlled by the spider silk-sat back on the throne like a puppet. A mist enveloped him, and rotten vines tore through the tiles and extended to his entire body, firmly binding him to the throne. Simon bent down and said, ¡°Sovereigns, please bear witness to the final stage of the King and Rebel Conversion and the rebirth of the God King and the solitude of Death.¡± The end of the King and Rebel Conversion myth was witnessed by the gods. Death, who was originally the dead, was reborn as a God King, and the God King, who originally lived high in the sky, became Death. This was a state that none of the King and Rebel rituals in the past had restored. However, under the witness of the three Moon Realm Void Sovereigns, Duke Simon-no, the new King of Blackwater-was going to push this ritual to an unprecedented level! The tomb door opened, and a floating Mist Nightmare imprisoned Liz as it moved to the throne. ¡°C-Cass? What¡­ What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡± Liz looked at the man imprisoned on the throne and couldn¡¯t help but ask in panic. Under normal circumstances, Cass might have been in the mood to mock the other party for not reading the situation and reply with something like ¡°Do I look fine?¡± However, other than panic, he didn¡¯t have any other emotions. He kept exerting strength in his hands to break free, but they were drained under the vines. The Nightmare Maid-who had been hiding far away-came over. It grabbed Liz from the Mist Nightmare and came in front of Cass. Cass couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong sense of unease when he saw it approach. He shouted at the Nightmare Maid who had disguised itself as Nizemar, ¡°You just needed me to help you complete that ritual, right?! I¡¯m a descendant of that Black Swordsman. It has nothing to do with her. Let her go!¡± However, the Nightmare Maid only chuckled mockingly at him. Its smile was 70 to 80% similar to Nizemar¡¯s. It said to Liz, ¡°Do you still remember me telling you that you didn¡¯t have much life force left? Don¡¯t waste it in such a place?¡± Liz looked at the constantly changing Lunar Monster in front of her in confusion. From her expression, she was probably still wondering why it had mentioned what Nizemar had said to her. However, Cass instantly understood what the other party was up to. He struggled with all his might, and lightning runes appeared on his skin again, but the mist surrounding him only circulated slightly before dissipating the lightning. ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t do this¡­ Please! None of this has anything to do with her¡­¡± The Nightmare Maid smiled and released its grip. Liz quickly flew in front of Cass¡¯s throne, but a transparent barrier separated them. ¡°Run, run!¡± Cass shouted at the faerie in front of him. Liz didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she hurriedly slammed into the transparent barrier. Cass opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he suddenly felt an abundance of life begin to enter his body through the invisible link between the two of them. His heart sank. Liz stopped what she was doing and looked at her hands. Golden scale powder kept peeling off her body uncontrollably before disappearing into the void. ¡°I see¡­¡± Liz looked at Cass at the other end of the barrier in realization before smiling at him. She turned to look at the Nightmare Maid and said softly, ¡°If you wanted me to save him, you didn¡¯t need to go through so much trouble.¡± With that said, she looked at Cass again and asked with a smile, ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer? Have you considered helping me take care of the garden?¡± Cass choked. He looked at Liz, who constantly had golden dust peeling off and whose face was aging, and slowly said, ¡°Then, are you willing to hear the truth?¡± Liz¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Please, I¡¯m about to die! Even if you¡¯re unwilling, can¡¯t you lie to me?¡± Cass forced himself to smile and say, ¡°The truth is that I¡¯ve always planned on helping you tidy up the garden after all of this is over.¡± ¡°Really?! Are you telling the truth?!¡± Liz, whose face was as shriveled as a skeleton, shouted with light in her eyes. She even planned on flying up to celebrate as usual. Unfortunately, she was already too weak. She didn¡¯t fly for more than a few seconds before landing shakily on the ground. ¡°What a pity¡­¡± Liz sighed and said with a self-deprecating smile, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that much of a pity? After all, I was the one who should have witnessed your white-haired death and regretted it for the rest of my life. Now, it¡¯s the other way around. This might be a unique and wondrous experience among faeries¡­ Cough, cough¡­¡± After coughing weakly a few times, she smiled at Cass and said her final words, ¡°However, don¡¯t regret it for too long. After all, we faeries are very open-minded about life and death¡­¡± With that said, the old faerie slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep¡­ Sensing the last trace of life force flowing into his body, Cass looked at the delighted Nightmare Maid and slowly asked, ¡°Actually, even if Liz isn¡¯t here, you can transfer her life force to me through our life connection, right?¡± His life connection with Liz was invisible and wasn¡¯t restricted by distance. The Nightmare Maid took a deep breath and revealed a deeply intoxicated expression. Then, it replied, ¡°Yes, actually, it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s here or not.¡± ¡°Then why did you bring her here?¡± Cass asked calmly. The Nightmare Maid replied happily, ¡°Because this is the remuneration I negotiated with the duke from the beginning. Do you know what¡¯s the most important thing to a Nightmare?¡± Cass didn¡¯t say a word. The Nightmare Maid replied, ¡°Helplessness¡­ A feeling of helplessness that you can¡¯t change a thing. This strong feeling is strong sustenance to us.¡± After a moment of silence, Cass suddenly roared in anger. The Nightmare Maid looked at the collapsed man in front of it and saw the veins on his right hand that was tied to the throne bulge as he tried in vain to break free from the Void Sovereign¡¯s restraints. A satisfied smile appeared on its face. This smile stopped when the other party broke his right hand free. Is this person crazy? It thought. Then, the Nightmare Maid saw the other party reach into his pocket with his freed right hand and shakily take something out-a Demon Sealing rune that flickered with lightning. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 57 ? 57 Price and Calamity Simon felt his body gradually shrivel up and become lifeless. However, at the same time, his soul rapidly underwent a metamorphosis under the effect of the Conversion ritual, moving steadily toward eternal immortality. This was the solitude of Death which corresponded to the resurrection of the God King. It was said that all kinds of Lich conversion spells developed by future generations were originally inspired by it. The light on the dragon-snake devouring pattern gradually dimmed, and the Undead mana that filled the entire tomb gradually thinned. This was even while the Eternal Gift was still constantly channeling a huge amount of magic power from the Astral World. Massive amounts of mana converged into his ether domain through the ritual, resonating with the mythological prototype of this land of the past. According to the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s theory, this was resonating with the profile of the seventh Holy Spirit, the Dead. Imitation, resonance, similarity, and finally becoming. This was all ceremonial magic. It was almost over. Sensing that the King and Rebel ritual was about to be completed, Simon-who was intoxicated by strength-raised his hand and clenched it at the tower guardian who had been floating in midair. Or rather, the true Blackwater Crown that could command ten million Undead. Not long ago, he was still a mortal. He couldn¡¯t even touch that power. But now, he could seize that power. Once he held it tightly in his hand, even the ancestor from a thousand years ago, the King of Blackwater who had once triggered the Rotten Moon Undead Tide that spread across the continent, would only be a pathetic failure in front of him. He would complete the great undertaking that his ancestor hadn¡¯t completed. However, before that¡­ Simon slowly lowered his hand and first looked back at the Judge¡¯s descendant who was struggling to say goodbye to the faerie before shifting his gaze back to the night sky above the dome. The phantoms of the three Moon Realm goddesses were already watching him. All effects have been determined. All causes need to be paid. The three voices suppressed the roars of countless Undead and reached the depths of Simon¡¯s soul. The immense pressure made him kneel even though he had already reached the Divine Realm. In ancient times, people often called Moon Realm magic ¡®contract magic¡¯ because all powers originating from the Moon Realm were essentially a transaction, and a transaction ultimately needed a price. 20 years ago, he took over the Blackwater Province which had become the royal family¡¯s backyard from his weak father as a mortal. At this moment, he already held the authority of Death and had reached the Divine Realm. He stood at the peak of ruling the new Blackwater Kingdom. All of this couldn¡¯t be done without the generous help of these three Moon Realm goddesses. Now, it was time for Them to demand a price. ¡°According to the contract, the new Blackwater Kingdom will have the three goddesses as its only legal faith. Every church of the Holy Spirits Church will be demolished, and every page of scripture will be burned. Every missionary will be expelled,¡± Simon said humbly. Silence¡­ ¡°According to the contract, the operation of the Astral Laws in the Blackwater Kingdom will be abolished. The Stranger Lighthouse in Thorn City and the Viper Lighthouse in Blacklight City will be shut down. Moon Realm magic based on the three goddesses will be made public to everyone to spread the gospel of the goddesses.¡± Continued silence¡­ ¡°According to the contract, I will offer an offering to every lord,¡± Simon, who was kneeling on the ground, finally said. This time, there was movement in the night sky. The Whispering Empress, Beatrice, was the first to speak. One sword. The pitch-black knight¡¯s sword, Judgment 4, that had fallen to the side of Cass¡¯s throne made a sound as a few spider silks tugged at it. Then, it was the voice of the Lord of Nightmare. One Soul Fragment. The huge sarcophagus in the middle of the tomb that was surrounded by seven concentric circles cracked open, and mist spread in. Then, pitch-black crow feathers protruded from it. Finally, it was the Lady of Starvation¡¯s answer. One seed. Rotting vines crept up the sarcophagus and reached into the cracks, sweeping out a spotless white seed. Seeing this, Simon finally heaved a sigh of relief. Although he didn¡¯t know what Their goal was in obtaining these things, fortunately, They didn¡¯t ask for more. Before he could express his gratitude, Cass¡¯s sudden roar drew Simon¡¯s attention. The man who looked crazy was twisting his arm bit by bit so that one hand could break free. But was it meaningful in any way? So what if he was unrestrained? With this in mind, Simon looked at Cass with pity. To be honest, he didn¡¯t hate this man whose fate had always been under his control. Instead, he admired the other party¡¯s courage and hardiness. If he had been more selfish, cowardly, or hesitant about some choices, this plan probably wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly. That way, he would need to spend more effort to make arrangements to reach his present state. Unfortunately, Cass was a true warrior. Sometimes, Simon even felt that if it weren¡¯t for the other party¡¯s background that destined him to become a sacrifice for this King and Rebel ritual, this straightforward swordsman might be a subordinate worthy of his recruitment and nurturing. What a pity¡­ Therefore, when Cass shakily pinched out a Demon Sealing rune from his pocket with his freed hand, Simon only revealed a regretful expression and didn¡¯t do anything to stop him. How pitiful. Even in this state, he is still making meaningless struggles, Simon thought. What could a Demon Sealing rune that sealed a Lv. 7 spell at best do? The Nightmare Maid stood at the side and watched with interest without any intention of stopping him. As his freed hand didn¡¯t have the strength to crush it, Cass placed the Demon Sealing rune into his mouth and chewed it. Intense lightning shot out of his mouth before penetrating the sealed mist, opening a distorted space formed by lightning about three meters in front of him. Spatial beacon? Simon looked at the distorted space in confusion. He originally thought that it would be an offensive spell, but it was only a support spell that lit up some teleportation coordinates. But what could this do? At the same time, the sword, feather, and seed-these three items for the contract¡¯s remuneration-were gradually approaching the night sky projected on the tomb¡¯s dome under the guidance of the three Void Sovereigns. However, the moment the distorted space appeared, They stopped in their tracks at the same time. The three Void Sovereigns suddenly cast Their gaze over. The distorted space exploded, and hissing lightning splattered everywhere like snakes. The impact of the spatial rift stirred up dust. When the dust dissipated, a gray-haired man with silver eyes and a slightly weathered face appeared. He wore bone armor that was distorted like fire. Countless rune totems were engraved on it, and ice-blue and blood-red light flowed over it before finally gathering on a fist-sized black crystal in the center of the armor. He held a staff made of pure frost in his hand, and a blood-red orb was embedded at the tip. The moment this person stood still, he didn¡¯t look at Cass, who was using the Demon Sealing runes to send the teleportation beacon, or the Nightmare Maid standing beside him. He didn¡¯t even look at Simon Walde-who had already grasped the authority of Death-not far away. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet some old acquaintances the moment I arrived.¡± William Kane looked up at the three Void Sovereigns in the night sky and sighed with emotion. In the next moment, other than William, the voices of the three Void Sovereigns sounded in everyone¡¯s minds. They were no longer as supercilious and emotionless as before as if They were looking down on ants. Instead, it was a voice mixed with intense emotions like hatred, confusion, and anger. One word. They only said one word. Or rather, a title. In the Moon Realm, many powerful and ancient Lunar Monsters, including the Void Sovereign, were unwilling to mention that person¡¯s name. When They were discussing a topic regarding that person in a way that couldn¡¯t be avoided, They would use this title to refer to him. Calamity. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 58 ? 58 Disperse About five minutes ago, William set off in a hurry after preparing Vincent for the Rotten Moon Undead Tide. After flying over the dense Undead Tide that made his scalp tingle, William arrived above the Holy Sepulchre temple in the middle of the graveyard. According to Vincent, the core of the ritual was in the Holy Sepulchre below. Just as he was wondering if he should walk in or tear down this temple to see if there were any ambushes before entering, a spatial coordinate suddenly appeared in his ether domain. The trigger was the Demon Sealing rune he had given to the wanted criminal that caught his eye. Coincidentally, the coordinates indicated that it was under the temple. Is that fellow involved in this matter as well? William muttered and teleported over using the coordinates. The next second, he arrived at a place that wasn¡¯t a tomb or an altar. The lowest level of the Holy Sepulchre, the Tomb of Gods. At this moment, the tomb¡¯s dome had manifested a night sky. Looking up, one could see the phantoms of the three Void Sovereigns. Calamity. Then, William heard this form of address. The Moon Realm¡¯s Calamity. This was a high-level achievement that could only be obtained after players completely killed enough high-level Lunar Monsters and defeated more than three Void Sovereigns¡¯ incarnations in Currere. Players with this achievement could obtain a permanent buff that increased damage to Lunar Monsters by 5%. Moreover, from then on, all Lunar Monsters, including the Void Sovereigns, would use the word ¡®Calamity¡¯ to refer to the player. To be honest, he liked this form of address. Needless to say, the three phantoms were the masterminds behind the entire matter-the three goddesses who had never forgotten the Blackwater Swamp. After confirming this, William naturally turned his gaze to the three items gradually flying toward the night sky. Other than the slightly illusory crow feather that he couldn¡¯t identify, he recognized the other two items at a glance. Judgment 4 and¡­ William¡¯s pupils constricted. For a moment, his hair stood on end. Why is that thing here?! If it wasn¡¯t strange for Judgment 4 to appear here after a thousand years, this thing shouldn¡¯t have appeared in this world¡­ William raised Withering Cold with a dark expression. A dark blue nexus that covered the entire dome appeared in midair. In an instant, the temperature in the entire tomb dropped below freezing. Calamity, the era of the Judges has passed. The voices of the three Moon Realm goddesses echoed in William¡¯s mind. Then, invisible spider silk strangled his armor. Rotten vines crawled up his calves, and dreamy mist enveloped him. The three Void Sovereigns crossed the barrier between the Moon Realm and Currere and tried to imprison William. However, the blood-red runes on his armor suddenly lit up, and a flame reeking with the smell of blood burned around him. The invisible spider silk instantly snapped, and the rotten vines were instantly burned to ashes. The mist that enveloped him also disappeared without a trace like dew that had seen the morning sun. The methods They had used to imprison Cass couldn¡¯t even last two seconds on him. However, William knew that the other party was only doing this to buy time. The three items flew toward the dome¡¯s night sky at an even faster speed. Since the other party was in a hurry to snatch those things, he couldn¡¯t let Them succeed. Putting everything else aside, Judgment 4 was a vital weapon that could resist the Whispering Empress. If the other party took it back, he would probably be at a grave disadvantage when facing the Whispering Empress in the future. William spun Withering Cold in his hand, and the expanding dark blue nexus began to spin. Calamity, how dare you! The Whispering Empress¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. But William didn¡¯t care. If these three Void Sovereigns were incarnations here today, he-who wasn¡¯t prepared-might temporarily avoid them and return to the Twilight Fortress¡¯s Treasure Hall with equipment that specifically countered Them. However, if it were only three projections, there was no need to stand on ceremony with the other party. A violent snowstorm took shape from the spinning nexus, and it grew larger and larger. Sharp snowflakes danced everywhere in the tomb, and they became even stronger in the sky. In seconds, it shattered the fake night sky. The moment the night sky shattered, the phantoms left behind by the three Void Sovereigns gradually dissipated because they couldn¡¯t maintain Their existence. This wasn¡¯t the Moon Realm rift, and today wasn¡¯t their day of summoning. Relying on a Moon Realm nexus to communicate, the power the Moon Realm Void Sovereigns could project into Currere was extremely limited. Calamity, we now know of your return. Before They disappeared, They only had time to leave behind these harsh words. The fake night sky returned to the appearance of the tomb¡¯s dome. A layer of the Moon Realm communication nexus that was originally engraved on it was completely shaved off by the countless blade-like ice and snow. As for the three items the Void Sovereigns originally wanted to retrieve, they fell because they lost their pull. However, just as they were about to land, a spatial rift opened, and mist extended. The Gluttony Realm Demon swallowed them. ¡°Thanks.¡± William said to the Gluttony Realm Demon that was wailing in dissatisfaction. Only then did he turn his head and turn his attention to Simon. Simon also looked at the magic chanter who appeared out of thin air in front of him in confusion. What the other party had just done challenged his understanding of the world. He dared to snatch something from the Void Sovereigns? Moreover, he snatched the sacrifices he offered to Them? He hadn¡¯t attacked previously because he was waiting to see if the three goddesses could slap this ignorant troublemaker to death. At the end of the day, the other party scattered the three goddesses¡¯ phantoms? Even if the other party had discovered the Moon Realm communication nexus on the dome, wasn¡¯t he too bold to offend three Void Sovereigns at the same time? ¡°Do you know what you just did?¡± As Simon spoke, pitch-black runes began to appear all over his body. The phantom of the huge snake gradually condensed behind him. He had offered sacrifices to the three goddesses. If this person escaped with the sacrifices today, he would be lucky not to be plotted against by the three goddesses, much less continue being in Their favor. Therefore, he had to use the blood of the disruptor in front of him today to wash away the humiliation he had caused the three goddesses at today¡¯s ritual. The power of the Undead at the peak of the Divine Realm began to surface. Simon was confident in taking down this person. However, there was something that kept bothering him. What did the three goddesses suddenly mean by ¡®Calamity¡¯? Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 59 ? 59 Authority and Magic Simon recognized the magic chanter in front of him who had suddenly barged into the ritual. Or at least, he had seen him before. He had seen it in the image sent back by Resound. Although he had changed into pitch-black bone armor and held a magical medium that contained a powerful Frost aura, he recognized at a glance that the person in front of him was the mage who had infiltrated the Silverstream Mine and killed the Webweaver. According to Vincent, this person was a Divine Realm magic chanter. The Divine Realm was also known as a Demigod in the Bronze Age. Anyone who stepped into this realm had completed the sublimation of the soul and was an existence who could wield legendary power in Currere. But even so, Simon didn¡¯t panic at all when facing an opponent at such a realm. This was because even though the two of them were at the same realm, the path they took to reach this realm was fundamentally different. Although he didn¡¯t know how the other party bypassed the Astral Laws to establish a connection with the Astral World, as long as he was a magic chanter, all his strength came from the knowledge he had accumulated, the spell models he had studied, and his understanding of the Currere laws. The scale of strength and the depth of rules were concepts Vincent loved mentioning. However, Simon, who had grasped the authority of Death Vera through the King and Rebel Conversion ritual, was strength and the rules himself. He didn¡¯t need to guide magic power from the Astral World, nor did he need to build a spell model in the ether domain. Power related to Death could be realized through a single motion, look, or thought. This was the power of authority, and it was also the earliest form of extraordinary power in Currere. In the distant Bronze Age, all superhumans were holders of authority. Back then, the rulers of the Vic Continent were Divine Realm powerhouses who had reached this realm through their respective mythical rituals. That era was also known as the Demigod Age. It wasn¡¯t until the Tacma Church, the magic pioneer, analyzed the primitive witchcraft rituals and built a classical magic system that the first batch of magic chanters appeared. A thousand years ago, under the leadership of William Kane, the Mage Guild simplified the complicated spell models and categorized magic into over ten major categories. Only then did magic become universal across the continent. Of course, the introduction of the Astral Laws further simplified the process of circulating magic power from the Astral World to Currere. However, there was no doubt that when the controller of a power faced this power itself, there was no need to discuss who was stronger. Simon raised his hand slightly, and a thick death miasma emitted from his sleeve. It transformed into a venomous snake and clung to every sarcophagus in the tomb. Then, it transformed into miasma again and crawled through the cracks in the sarcophagus. ¡°Hand over the three sacrifices to the goddess. I can give you a dignified death, but if you¡­¡± Simon said to William in an illusory voice. William shook his head silently and revealed a delicate expression. ¡°As long as you¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡± So these guys only know this sentence, right? How many times has it been? On Withering Cold, a ball of frost quickly gathered into a crystalline spear. Then, it silently flew out and stabbed at the garrulous Simon. The huge snake phantom behind Simon instantly moved. Its thick tail suddenly snapped at the middle of the ice spear. Its movements were many times faster than the ice spear, and its aura was even more terrifying. However, just as its tail was about to touch the ice spear and snap it in half, it suddenly stopped. It wasn¡¯t blocked by any force, nor was it repelled by anything. It stopped literally. This was because time near the Frost Spear froze. Divine Realm Frost spell, Announcement There was no way to dodge or avoid it. After throwing it, one could only take the Frost Spear head-on. Just like how lightning spells essentially controlled spatial rifts, frost spells essentially controlled the condensation of invisible objects. The epitome of frost spells was to solidify magic power into a stable substance because everything in Currere was a product of the solidification of magic power when the Holy Spirits created the world. As for an even higher level, it froze the first result of creation-time. Only by reaching the Divine Realm could one do this. Of course, in-game, the effects of this spell were only a Frost Spear that couldn¡¯t be dodged and dealt damage. Moreover, because the damage was too low, in the later stages of the game when powerful beings fought, it was useless. It didn¡¯t deserve its Divine Realm label. It was purely just to make up the numbers. The Frost Spear stabbed into Simon¡¯s heart unobstructed and sent him flying five to six meters back, pinning him to a marble pillar that was as thick as a person¡¯s arm span. After the attack took effect, the Frost Spear automatically reduced to magic power and dissipated. Simon leaned against the pillar and got up with difficulty. His right hand covered his chest which had a huge hole pierced through it and coughed twice. Not a drop of blood flowed out. If he were only a mortal, he would have been dead. However, at this moment, he-who had already become Death Vera-didn¡¯t care about this minor damage at all because this body was only a shell. Even with his heart shattered and his brain damaged-even if his body was minced, it wouldn¡¯t cause any damage to his essence. This was also an important difference between powerhouses who had obtained authority via mirroring rituals and magic chanters of the same level. No matter how strong a magic chanter was, their bodies would always be their weakness. Moreover¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll take that strike as your answer. What a pity¡­ Don¡¯t you know where you are now?¡± As Simon finished his sentence, all the sarcophaguses that had been penetrated by the death miasma began to tremble slightly. William stood on the spot and silently buffed himself while observing the other party¡¯s subsequent actions. The most important thing in PVE was to attack after identifying the other party¡¯s move. Simon stood up again and spread his arms. The snake shadow gradually condensed and took form behind him. He said with a solemn expression, ¡°This is the Holy Sepulchre of the ancient Blackwater Kingdom. It¡¯s a transfer station where our ancestors ended the rule of the mortal world and headed to the Underworld to continue their unfinished wishes. It¡¯s the place where countless heroes and nobles sleep¡­ It¡¯s a sanctuary engraved with countless historical memories; yet, you dare challenge the authority of Death here?¡± The sarcophaguses were lifted one by one, and a rich necromancy aura emitted from them like thick smoke. Skeletons lifted the stone slabs over them and got up. They were either wearing gorgeous and tattered royal robes or ancient but sturdy armor. They held weapons stained by time. Every awakened undead was either a former noble and general of the Blackwater Swamp or a hero who had once left an illustrious name in history. The eyes of every corpse burned with intense Soul Fire that seemed to materialize. ¡°Stand up, my servants-Blackwater¡¯s First King, Blacklight General, Wanderer, Second Empress, King of Silverstream, Rat Slayer¡­ and my ancestor, the Rotten Moon Lich King! Make Currere¡¯s memories of the person in front of me disappear!¡± Simon ordered in a ghostly voice. ¡°Wait, what did you just say?¡± William, who originally didn¡¯t plan on talking nonsense with the other party, suddenly asked, ¡°Your servants? And that includes your ancestor?¡± William had an odd expression on his face. Simon didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he waved his sleeve, and the dozen or so corpses lunged over at the same time. ¡°How filial.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 60 ? 60 Memory William watched as more than ten sarcophaguses were opened at the same time, and more than ten high-level undead crawled out. Their bodies were wrapped in black miasma, and their eyes were burning with Soul Fire. William finally felt the same as when he was clearing a dungeon. This could be considered the first time he was encountering a standard enemy since transmigrating-a Divine Realm Authority holder who had perfectly mirrored the Blackwater Swamp¡¯s local myths. The undead wearing a broken crown and holding a ritual sword made of Elementium Silver was the first to charge over. Condensed undead magic spread across the expensive sword like a spiderweb, stirring the rich Undead magic in the air as it let out a roar. However, the strike was blocked in midair by a pitch-black halberd. Pitch-black nexuses that equaled the number of undead present appeared in the tomb simultaneously. Netherworld Knights-who were covered in heavy black armor and whose eyes emitted a faint red light-raised from the summoning nexuses and charged at the undead closest to them in unison. Do you think you¡¯re the only one who knows how to summon creatures? The Legendary Netherworld Knights fought the remains of the former heroes and nobles of the Blackwater Swamp. At the same time, dazzling lightning suddenly erupted not far behind William. Cass stood up and clenched his fist that emitted lightning before punching the Nightmare Maid, who was about to take advantage of the chaos to escape. When the Stumbling Demon saw this, it moved its fat body to support its Moon Realm ally. William only glanced at it and didn¡¯t intend to care about it. Since the swordsman named Cass was a sacrifice for the King and Rebel ritual, even if he wasn¡¯t the main body of the ritual, he should have been raised to the Legendary domain. A Stumbling Demon and a Nightmare Maid probably weren¡¯t a match for him. Of course, the biggest problem was how to reduce the massive latent danger of him becoming an Authority holder in the future and prevent him from evolving in the direction of disaster. However, this wasn¡¯t something to consider now. William lifted Withering Cold to freeze two dim black balls that contained a strong curse in midair. With a flash of lightning, he appeared in front of Simon. The huge snake behind Simon opened its mouth that was filled with the aura of death and bit at William¡¯s head. Then, its head was slammed crooked by William¡¯s backhand strike with his staff. This staff had more than ten ailments: Petrification, Shock, Evil Break, Enfeeble, Explosion, etc. In addition, William used the Power of Dragons to strengthen himself before striking. Therefore, as a colorful ball of light suddenly exploded on the snake¡¯s head, the huge snake that symbolized Death Vera¡¯s supreme authority had its flesh and scales splattered from the strike. Its skull exploded and its spine bent. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± The giant snake immediately collapsed to the ground with a bang before turning into a phantom again. The heavy damage suffered by the giant snake that was connected to Simon¡¯s soul also affected his head. It was as if he had been struck by an invisible boulder. His spine slanted at a dangerous angle, and a bone-deep wound appeared on his forehead. Back then, the fellow named Evelyn among the Judges loved to use this move. She called this crazy combat method of stacking buffs on a magical medium before giving the enemy a fierce blow on the head ¡°melee staff technique.¡± In the epilogue, after she retired from the Doomsday Watchers, she was hired to be the chief trainer of the Kos Empire¡¯s Battle Mage Academy. It was said that she had proposed this course to the academy many times, but it was unknown if she succeeded in the end. ¡°You¡­¡± Simon saw stars as he looked at William, who suddenly appeared in front of him. However, he only had time to say one word before the other party raised the magical medium in his hand and said to him, ¡°Since you claim to be Death, from now on, I¡¯ll only use Undead-type spells on you.¡± A quagmire that resembled an abyss appeared under Simon¡¯s feet. Countless pale hands reached out and crawled up his body, slowly pulling him into the abyss. Divine Realm Necromancy spell, Abyss of Oblivion. Regarding this, Simon calmly looked at the undead hands that extended from the abyss and commanded as Death, Halt! More pale hands crawled up; his orders were useless. He looked at the magic chanter in front of him in disbelief. From the moment Simon obtained the authority of Death, he could sense all the auras related to the dead on this land. Be it ghosts, corpses, spirits, wraiths, or indirectly related matters like the living¡¯s mourning and the curse of the dead, he could sense them and give them orders at will through his authority. Even the Undead magic that filled this space had to flow through his will. However, he couldn¡¯t sense the existence of the countless hands of the dead in the abyss under his feet at all. ¡°All the dead heed my orders. The power of magic is only a clumsy imitation of the authority of gods. How can there be the dead I can¡¯t sense!¡± he shouted in disbelief. ¡°Because you were wrong from the beginning. Tell me, what¡¯s the essence of Undead magic?¡± William looked at Simon, who was slowly sinking into the quagmire, and asked patiently like a teacher teaching a slow student. However, Simon only stared at the person in front of him, allowing an invisible connection to be established through their gazes. Then, he ordered, Return to Death A powerful soul attraction came from Simon¡¯s deep eyes that were like a bottomless abyss. He wanted to pull William¡¯s soul out of his body. ¡°Wrong!¡± Silver flashes instantly shot out of William¡¯s eyes. A violent soul storm followed the connection and struck Simon¡¯s ether domain, causing him to fall into temporary dizziness. ¡°Controlling the soul is the essence of Storm spells. Think about it again. What¡¯s the essence of Undead spells?¡± William asked patiently. Simon wasn¡¯t a magic chanter. Other than contract magic related to the Moon Realm and ceremonial magic closer to ancient sorcery, he didn¡¯t have a deeper understanding of the 13 types of magic under the Astral Laws than ordinary people. At most, he had heard Vincent mention them a few times. William waited for a while. When half of the other party¡¯s chest was pulled into the abyss, he gave the answer. ¡°Memories. Undead magic is essentially the control of memories.¡± ¡°Memories? How is that possible?¡± Simon, who originally thought that the other party was only insulting him before his death, couldn¡¯t help but ask suspiciously when he heard this answer. Even though he was a layman who knew nothing about systematic magic, he knew that all spells related to memory control were classified into Illusion-type spells. Undead magic controlled memories? What a joke! ¡°Corpses are the memories of the body, and ghosts are the memories of the soul. It¡¯s not your memories of the world, but the world¡¯s memories of you. The strength of an Undead mage depends on how many memories he can awaken from this land.¡± As William spoke, he looked around at the undead fighting the Netherworld Knights in the tomb and said, ¡°As the holder of Death Vera¡¯s authority, all you can awaken are these memories floating on the surface of the world. This is the limit of Vera¡¯s authority.¡± ¡°Then, who are the ones pulling me in¡­¡± Knowing that his death was imminent, Simon gradually entered a sense of relief and calm. He looked at the person in front of him and asked, ¡°Corpses turn to dust, and the ghosts dissipate into a breeze. This world is constantly in a cycle. Every wisp of air you breathe and every grain of sand that forms the ground are transformed from the former dead. Facing them, you only need to be patient to awaken their power.¡± The swamp under Simon¡¯s feet was an abyss formed by countless forgotten memories. ¡°Can I ask you one last question?¡± Just as the abyss reached his neck, Simon suddenly asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± The gray-haired, silver-eyed man looked at him and replied tersely, ¡°Presiding Judge, William Kane.¡± An impossible answer, an answer that probably no one would believe. But Simon believed it. He nodded. It was reasonable for him to lose if it was William Kane. Before he was completely pulled into the Abyss of Oblivion, the man inexplicably asked him one last question, ¡°Speaking of which, which memory do you want to engrave in the world the most?¡± The answer instantly surged into his mind. However, before he could answer, he completely fell into the abyss. ¡­ The moment the other party asked this question, the former Duke of Thorns of the Blackwater Province, the shortest reigning King of Blackwater, and the temporary wielder of Death Vera, gave an answer. To everyone who fell into the Abyss of Oblivion, time there was still. They would forever stay in the moment they sank. Therefore, the image in his mind forever paused on that fateful night. The night that made him make up his mind to completely embrace the power of the Moon Realm and the night that made him make up his mind to carry out the King and Rebel ritual and the Eternal Gift. That night, Vincent carried a girl covered in charred and burned marks back to the Rose Palace. He had just carried out a secret mission according to his orders-a disgraceful mission: destroy a noble family in Thorn City¡¯s palace that firmly supported the Empire¡¯s royal family. After seeing the girl in his arms, he got Vincent to leave the latent danger with him-if he really couldn¡¯t do it. He never forgot the way Vincent looked at him. In the end, he let Vincent leave with the child. He recalled that what Vincent said before he left that day had made him make up his mind. ¡°Simon¡­ How many more people do we have to kill to reach the future you mentioned?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 61 ? 61 Closing Up The Nightmare Maid-who had its neck strangled by the man surrounded by lightning-constantly glanced at the battle in the middle of the tomb. A battle between the Calamity and the false god. Why isn¡¯t my contractor dead yet¡­ This was the only thought in its mind. Unlike other Lunar Monsters, as the maid of the Lord of Nightmare, it often had the chance to meet the Void Sovereign who ruled the entire Nightmare Swamp. Therefore, it also happened to hear the name of the ¡®Calamity¡¯ from a thousand years ago in the conversation between the Lord of Nightmare and the demon generals under Her command and understood what kind of existence the other party was. Even Ms. Zamara-who had supreme power-was completely shattered and expelled by this man called Calamity when she conjured a Currere body like the Holy Spirits condensing magic. As long as he wasn¡¯t in the Moon Realm, even the Void Sovereigns couldn¡¯t do anything to him. Moreover, he held a Judgment weapon that could completely destroy Lunar Monsters. It could directly eliminate its essence through its husk. Die quickly, my contractor! Die quickly and let me return to the Moon Realm! Stop struggling! It was extremely anxious and wished it could shout. The Stumbling Demon, which had been struck a few meters away by a bolt of lightning, had just recovered. Its sickly and vigorous vitality constantly surged, causing it to shake its head and charge over persistently as if it was anxious to save its Moon Realm ally. Cass had no choice but to divert another portion of his attention to resist the Stumbling Demon. Can¡¯t this idiot let me die in peace? It was also at this moment that the connection between the Nightmare Maid and its contractor in the ether domain was suddenly severed. It looked in surprise at the center of the tomb. The short-lived false god had sunken into a silent abyss created by the Calamity, and his aura had completely disappeared. However, a few seconds later, it realized that the contract between them hadn¡¯t been broken. The Nightmare Maid, who was waiting for the Moon Realm to recall it, remained where it was. Its body showed no signs of turning into black salt crystals and dissipating. Why? The Nightmare Maid didn¡¯t have the time to think of the reason. It directly asked Cass, who was strangling it with its intact arm, in an extremely mocking tone, ¡°Hero, isn¡¯t the power obtained by sacrificing that faerie very powerful?¡± Slap! The Stumbling Demon was blasted back by a bucket-thick bolt of lightning again. Thorn-like charred patterns covered its entire body, and thick gray spore clouds began to spread around it. ¡°You¡¯ll soon experience for yourself whether I¡¯m strong or not, ant!¡± Cass said to the Nightmare Maid with a tyrannical and crazy expression. He didn¡¯t even realize that there was a huge problem with the way he addressed it. Looking at the dense lightning in the other party¡¯s hand that was about to liquefy, the Nightmare Maid smiled smugly. The other party was indeed affected by the cruel and tyrannical God King in Blackwater mythology, Oka. He would lose his mind with just a little provocation. However, just as the lightning-grasping fist was about to shatter its head, a Frost Barrier appeared out of thin air in front of the Nightmare Maid. An instant flash of brilliance appeared and frost fragments splattered everywhere. By the time it recovered its vision, the Calamity was already standing beside Cass. William frowned as he looked at the incomplete Authority holder. Just as he had been worried, Cass gradually had the tendency to be controlled by a mythical prototype. If he continued losing control, he might very well become a Disaster in the future. Back then, the Doomsday Watchers didn¡¯t only fight against threats from the Moon Realm. Those who abused ritual magic to advance to become Authority holders didn¡¯t know how to control themselves. In the end, they gradually lost control and became an uncontrollable natural disaster of a mythical phenomenon-a phenomenon called Disaster could be said to be the second greatest threat to the Vic Continent other than the Moon Realm. ¡°Calm down and remember who you are.¡± As William spoke, he struck Cass¡¯s head with his staff. A ball of light that was much gentler than when he struck the giant snake phantom shone on Cass¡¯s head, and he fell to the ground with a thud. The Nightmare Maid planned on taking this opportunity to escape, but before it could get up, a few shadow chains firmly pinned it to the ground. As for the Stumbling Demon, it suffered the same fate. ¡°Why? Why am I still in Currere when my contractor is dead?¡± the Nightmare Maid looked at William and asked loudly. ¡°Because he¡¯s not dead yet. Of course, he¡¯s not alive. He¡¯s just forgotten by the world.¡± As he spoke, William walked forward and bent down to help Cass up. At this moment, clarity had returned to the man¡¯s eyes. This was natural. William¡¯s staff had been augmented with Tranquility, Serenity, Ice Soul Heart, and many other spells to dispel abnormal mental states. As for why he used a staff and did not cast a spell, it could only be said that the feeling of hitting the snake¡¯s head from before was excellent. The feedback from the game was far less satisfying than in reality. William could understand how Evelyn felt back then. ¡°You have to learn to use this power in a restrained manner. Control it instead of letting it control you.¡± Looking at Cass, who was looking at him in confusion, William coughed lightly and said, ¡°Authority is different from magic. They have their own will and will constantly try to make you submit to their will. If you submit, it will be the rebirth of ancient myths and legends through your body.¡± Upon hearing the other party¡¯s words, Cass recalled his previous state. When the lightning flashed over his body, his chest was filled with anger, madness, a sick desire to control, and a sense of contempt for everyone as ants. It was as if he was a God King who looked down on all living beings from above the high heavens. Or rather, the God King temporarily controlled his body. ¡°But¡­ what is this?¡± Cass asked in lingering fear. ¡°Echo,¡± William replied. ¡°The echoes of some old trash which should have long been eliminated still can¡¯t forget the struggle to return the world to the orderly Mythical Era.¡± Cass looked at the magic chanter he had met once and had given him the life-saving Demon Sealing rune. He didn¡¯t know where to begin. Should he first thank the other party for saving him or ask for his identity? Before he could speak, the gray-haired, silver-eyed man spoke first. ¡°I know you have many questions now, but before that, you have more important things to do, right?¡± With that said, he pointed the Frost Staff in his hand at the Nightmare Maid who was firmly imprisoned by the shadow chains. ¡°Finish what you need to do first,¡± the person said. By the time Cass came to his senses, he had already arrived in front of the Lunar Monster. His hand flashed with lightning again. He felt the space beside his left hand tear open, and a spatial rift opened. A mist covering a pitch-black knight¡¯s sword he found familiar appeared beside his hand. Judgment 4. ¡°If you want revenge, use this.¡± The man¡¯s words came from behind. For some reason, Cass felt much calmer after being struck by the staff. He held the sword awkwardly with his left hand and coldly looked at one of the culprits who had destroyed everything he had. He raised his sword under the other party¡¯s horrified gaze. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me¡­¡± Faced with impending true death, the Nightmare Maid stammered as if it wanted to explain something. ¡°Tell me¡­¡± Before swinging his sword, Cass recalled the question the other party had asked him, so he planned on asking it the same thing. ¡°What¡¯s the most important thing for a Nightmare?¡± The pitch-black knight¡¯s sword slashed down, and a head wrapped in mist rolled to the ground. The shadow chains binding it dissipated. As the mist on the Nightmare Maid dissipated, an old, thin, and ugly body collapsed to the ground, the illusion broken. It died like a mortal. Cass sighed. It¡¯s over¡­ This long journey is finally over¡­ Then, what is next for me? ¡­ This person can indeed use Judgment 4. When he saw Cass chop off the Nightmare Maid¡¯s head, a guess in William¡¯s heart was finally confirmed. Then, he felt a wave of melancholy. In that case, Blake is indeed dead¡­ Judgment 4 was created by the Whispering Empress, who symbolized conspiracy and betrayal. Its stats were opposite to Her domain which was loyalty, so this weapon only had one owner. Its ownership would be passed down to its previous owner¡¯s bloodline descendants after their death. Only after the direct bloodline descendants of its owner ceased would it return to an ownerless state. Although he didn¡¯t know if Cass was a descendant of Blake or a holder who appeared later, since he could use this weapon, it meant that Blake was indeed dead¡­ I should have accepted this long ago¡­ All mortals die. In this world, if one didn¡¯t sell their soul to the Moon Realm or choose to give up a portion of their personality and identity to become an Authority deity, most mortals¡¯ lifespans would be around a certain range even if they reached the Divine Realm. Even those who became the undead would gradually decay and dissipate over time. This was because the cycle of life and death was the most basic law of Currere. Moreover, the long years were too cruel to mortals¡¯ hearts. William sighed softly. He just didn¡¯t know if he had lived a happy life after he left. At this moment, Cass walked over with the knight¡¯s sword in his hand. He offered the sword to William with both hands and said, ¡°Thank you for everything¡­ Thank you. I¡¯ll return this to you.¡± William looked at the tall man holding the Judgment equipment with mixed emotions and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to return it to me. You¡¯re the owner of this sword now.¡± Cass didn¡¯t retract the sword. Instead, he looked at William and replied in a tired tone, ¡°I have no reason to hold a sword anymore.¡± This revenge trip of less than half a month seemed to have burned away all the meaning in his life. William shook his head and made the other party clasp the sword. ¡°This sword is the reason¡­ Welcome to the Doomsday Watchers.¡± William couldn¡¯t leave an Authority holder who had obtained the power of an incomplete God King, Oka, and the current master of Judgment 4 here. If the former was nurtured well, it would be a powerful combat strength that could unleash the power of the Divine Realm. The latter was an important force to resist the Moon Realm factions in the future. Of course, it was still too early to let him join as a new Judge, but it was time to explain his intentions and identity to the other party. ¡°Doomsday Watchers?¡± Legendary stories intertwined with current reality gave Cass an unrealistic feeling. Thankfully, he had experienced enough unbelievable things in reality today, so he didn¡¯t have any qualms about accepting this. ¡°Then, who are you?¡± Cass suddenly recalled a story he had heard from a bard when he was young about a famous legendary hero. The name of the hero that appeared along with the name of the legendary Doomsday Watchers. However, was that possible? That was more than a thousand years ago. ¡°The person who is here to complete some unfinished business a thousand years later,¡± William replied. ¡°William Kane?¡± Cass held his sword again and confirmed with a trembling voice. ¡°You just said that you no longer have a reason to hold a sword. Then, let me tell you that your revenge is far from over.¡± William didn¡¯t answer his question. Instead, he pointed at the Moon Realm communication nexus on the tomb¡¯s dome that he had destroyed. ¡°They have always been behind the curtain, messing with everything here, including your fate, Duke of Thorn¡¯s fate, and the fate of the entire Empire.¡± The crisis surrounding the Eternal Gift and King and Rebel ritual was essentially a trial for the three Void Sovereigns to come out of the shadows to take center stage. Of course, all of Them had plans in mind. For example, the Whispering Empress wanted to retrieve Judgment 4, which could cause damage to Her essence, or the Lord of Nightmare wanted to obtain that mysterious soul fragment, or¡­ Among the 13 Void Sovereigns, although the three Blackwater goddesses were very petty and prone to holding grudges, in comparison, They had an inclination to manipulate matters behind the scenes. They weren¡¯t that direct and violent. If They planned on taking center stage, who would be the next to stir? ¡°So you came back because¡­¡± ¡°To end this,¡± William replied. Then, he looked at the main body of the Eternal Gift floating in the air-the core of the Tide of the Undead that used to be the tower guardian. A scorching Flame Spear took shape over the staff. ¡°No! You can¡¯t do this!¡± The Stumbling Demon chained up by the shadow cried out. The Nightmare Maid¡¯s death had already let it know that it was doomed today, but when it saw that person plan on destroying the main body of the Eternal Gift, its intrinsic desire couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°You can keep him. With your ability, you can completely control the power of the Rotten Moon Undead Tide. There are millions of loyal servants¡­¡± the Stumbling Demon persuaded. ¡°Your master said the same thing to me when I killed the Rotten Moon Lich King in the past. Speaking of which, that was the first time I met Her.¡± As William spoke, he didn¡¯t look at the Stumbling Demon. The color of the Flame Spear on his Staff gradually turned white. ¡°My answer back then was, what¡¯s the use of that pile of skeletons? So that it can be used to strengthen Her power source in the Moon Realm?¡± The Flame Spear shot out, and the husk of the tower guardian turned to dust. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 62 ? 62 Aftermath of the Undead Everything seemed to be a repeat of the Rotten Moon Undead Tide from more than a thousand years ago, including its outcome. The main body of the Eternal Gift ritual was destroyed, and the infinite undead mana directed from the Astral World to Currere was severed. However, it ended too quickly. The crisis was resolved by unexpected factors when it was still in its infancy. Most of the corpses deep in the graveyard hadn¡¯t even been awakened. Some of them might only have trembled slightly before returning to their eternal solitude. But that doesn¡¯t mean the crisis is over. The undead who had been awakened and their Soul Fires ignited wouldn¡¯t remain in solitude. They would continue wandering aimlessly on this land until the lingering mana in their bodies was completely exhausted. Without the influence of external forces, this process could take at least a year and a half to at most ten years. As for the unrestrained dead, they would instinctively attack the living. Therefore, it could be expected that Thorn City¡¯s graveyard would become a dangerous forbidden land for a long time to come. Of course, that was assuming this matter was handed over to the Rose Palace for handling. The influence of the Holy Spirits Church in the Blackwater Province had fallen to rock bottom under Duke Simon¡¯s rule. Only two churches in Thorn City remained open. As for the Seventh Holy Spirit, the Funeral Church of the Dead, it had been closed under the duke¡¯s pressure more than ten years ago because it didn¡¯t conform to the Blackwater Province¡¯s ancestral worship traditions. It was difficult to gather 20 baptized Requiem Masters in Thorn City. It was useless to rely on them to comfort the awakened undead. Moreover, an even more pressing crisis was imminent. Although the graveyard¡¯s wall was sufficiently sturdy and the spells-Placating the Undead and Life Barrier-inscribed on it were worthy of the huge amount of Elementium Silver resources they had consumed, preventing the awakened undead from destroying the graveyard¡¯s walls, when a certain number of undead piled up above the high walls, it allowed them to crawl out of the graveyard. This ¡°certain number¡± was relative to the tens of millions of corpses in the graveyard. Therefore, to be precise, about 50,000 undead broke through the obstacles of the graveyard and instinctively headed for Thorn City, which had plenty of vitality not far away. Fifty thousand undead-they didn¡¯t know fatigue, ignored life and death, and yearned for the flesh and blood of the living. ¡°Get the scouts to leave the city and inform all the villages near Thorn City to pay attention to the scattered undead hordes. Then, get the Bramble Guards to increase the security of those villages.¡± ¡°Evacuate all the citizens in the mills, horse stables, and caravans outside the city along the way. Get them to retreat to Thorn City to avoid danger and get the Spellblade troops to ensure safe passage of the routes.¡± ¡°Have you contacted the Gravekeepers? No? Then, continue contacting them. They¡¯re equipped with Demon Sealing runes that can ward off the undead; they won¡¯t be wiped out so quickly. Once you¡¯ve contacted them, get them to place a spatial beacon.¡± ¡°Inform all Battle Mages in the Mage Hall to gather at the north gate in ten minutes. Yes, it¡¯s just informing them. There¡¯s no need for orders.¡± The clerk-who was constantly in charge of taking down the orders-interrupted Vincent, who was constantly issuing orders, with sweat all over his forehead. ¡°Master Vincent, shouldn¡¯t we wait for Duke Simon to return and discuss this with him? Especially regarding the mobilization of the Spellblade troops and the Bramble Guards, the duke has always been¡­¡± As Simon¡¯s chief consultant and the leader of the Mage Hall, Vincent could indeed temporarily exercise authority on Duke Simon¡¯s behalf in his absence. However, one couldn¡¯t help but feel that he was¡­ overstepping his boundaries by giving mobilization orders to the guards, the scouts, the Bramble Guards, the Spellblades, the Gravekeepers, and the Mage Hall at the same time. Although it was indeed an emergency, Thorn City¡¯s city defense facilities were very complete. There were only tens of thousands of brainless undead. As long as the suspension bridge was raised and the city gates were closed, it was enough to keep them out. And in a situation where there was no hope of entry despite a prolonged encirclement, they would naturally scatter to search for other living beings. In contrast, if he issued the orders according to Vincent¡¯s orders, he wouldn¡¯t be able to explain himself when Duke Simon returned. However, Vincent only glanced at him and said indifferently, ¡°You only need to take my orders. You will not be faulted because of this.¡± The lightning in the famous Sage of Scorching Scars¡¯s eyes made the clerk break out in cold sweat. He could only brace himself and nod. No one will fault me? Is that possible? Even if these orders are legitimate and the duke will agree to them later, how can the duke¡¯s orders be the same as the orders his subordinate is giving by bypassing him? This is bad¡­ When the duke returns, I¡¯ll probably be fired and sent to the mine to be a supervisor. But then again, where is Duke Simon? It¡¯s hell that he¡¯s nowhere to be found in Rose Palace at this juncture¡­ ¡°In addition, help me contact the bishop of St. Dewey Church and get him to¡­¡± Ignoring the conflicted expression on the other party¡¯s face, Vincent continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to inform me. I¡¯m already here.¡± A mellow voice sounded from outside the door. A middle-aged man walked in from outside the hall. He wore a gray burlap robe with a golden heptagram symbol on his chest. When he saw Vincent, he nodded slightly in greeting, and Vincent returned the greeting. ¡°Do you have any idea what¡¯s going on? The news I received said that the Undead Tide has broken out of the graveyard. This is akin to¡­¡± Without any pleasantries, the bishop went straight to the point. Vincent didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he waved his hand to signal the clerk to leave. After he walked away, he said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead.¡± ¡°So, where¡¯s Duke Simon?¡± The bishop¡¯s words were more like a confirmation than a question. ¡°He¡¯s already under the Holy Sepulchre, right?¡± A cold female voice sounded from the side. The bishop turned his head and saw a tall woman with golden hair walk out of the servant¡¯s room. She wore the clothes of a Rose Palace maid and had Kane¡¯s silver figurine hanging on her chest. Her expression was extremely cold. ¡°Nizemar? But how is this possible? Shouldn¡¯t you be¡­ What¡¯s with your outfit?¡± the bishop asked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s not me. I was locked up in the Nightmare Swamp a month ago. I¡¯ve been living in sticky nightmares recently. Urgh¡­ It was disgusting.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she gripped the Kane silver figurine on her chest. This seemed to be a habit of hers. The bishop¡¯s gaze turned to Vincent again. ¡°Someone saved her from the Nightmare Swamp. The one you were in contact with previously was a Lunar Monster in disguise,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°Who is it? Who can save people from the Moon Realm?¡± the bishop asked in confusion. After asking this question, Nizemar gripped the Kane figurine in her hand even harder. As for Vincent, he said in awe, ¡°A name you wouldn¡¯t believe.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 63 ? 63 Kane Horn ¡°Override the duke¡¯s troop mobilization and evacuate the residents along the graveyard to Thorn City. You have to take charge personally on the spot and let the citizens see you. You only need to inform the Battle Mages from the Mage Hall. However, remember to tabulate the people who didn¡¯t respond. They are most likely to be related to the Moon Realm, and it will be easier to clean up afterward¡­¡± Before the man left, he instructed Vincent in detail about what to do next. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long for me to resolve the matter, so the undead that eventually escapes won¡¯t end up spiring out of control. Instead, I can make good use of this matter to build goodwill for you and eliminate some obstacles¡­¡± Regarding this, he asked worriedly, ¡°Wait, what if the duke¡¯s ritual is already completed? He will be a¡­¡± ¡°A complete Authority holder? Ah, this isn¡¯t something you should worry about¡­ Right, take this first.¡± As he spoke, he took out an ancient horn engraved with a heptagram symbol from a spatial rift. Vincent looked at the horn in confusion as the other party explained to him, ¡°A wide-range Placating the Undead spell is sealed inside. It has also been blessed by the Seven Holy Spirits, allowing all the undead within a certain range to fall into complete solitude. If something happens that you can¡¯t resolve in time, use it.¡± The other party¡¯s description of the horn¡¯s effect reminded Vincent of some well-known stories in the Blackwater Province. It was one of the many legends about how the Rotten Moon Undead Tide was stopped a thousand years ago. Recalling that the man in front of him had previously called himself the Presiding Judge, an extremely ridiculous possibility surfaced in Vincent¡¯s heart. Then, he suppressed his excitement and asked, ¡°May I know the name of this horn?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± William fell silent for a moment. This was a reward he had obtained from a quest from the Holy Spirits Church-a horn that had received the blessings of the Seven Holy Spirits. He could choose to engrave a halo spell on it when obtaining it. After blowing it, it could temporarily release a halo effect that had quintupled expanded range. As he was about to advance the Rotten Moon Tide mission, he didn¡¯t think twice and chose the halo effect of Placating the Undead. Of course, it was indeed useless in hindsight. In short, players had to name the item after obtaining it. William kept his usual concise naming style and named the horn ¡®Kane Horn.¡¯ The fun in giving this name could be said to be the same as when he named the Judgment equipment. It was numbered from 1 to 12 according to the chronological order of obtaining it. ¡°Kane Horn,¡± William replied. This answer caused an uproar in Vincent¡¯s heart. The legendary Holy Spirit Horn that calmed the Undead Tide. A holy relic the Kane Church has been searching for eight centuries¡­ ¡°Then you are?¡± William nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the owner of this horn.¡± ¡°Re¡­ Really? Is that the real Kane Horn? You¡¯re the real Kane¡­¡± Another voice exclaimed before Vincent did. Nizemar, who had just woken up, happened to hear their last conversation. Ignoring her weak state, she stared fixedly at the ancient horn and tried to crawl out of the blanket wrapped around her naked body. Cough¡­ With a cast of a Sleep spell, Nizemar stopped and fell asleep. William coughed lightly and said, ¡°Bring her back to the Rose Palace and assign the missions. I¡¯ll go to the Holy Sepulchre first and we¡¯ll talk about the rest when I return. By the way, do you have anything else you want to say to Simon?¡± This question made Vincent fall silent for a moment. Finally, he said, ¡°No.¡± ¡­ Back to the present. Vincent, the bishop, and Nizemar stood on the city wall of Thorn City. A line of flames extended into the distance from the city gate. It was a road sign lit for the emergency evacuation of the residents around Thorn City. Under the escort of the black-armored guards, the scattered refugees gradually gathered into a congested crowd and slowly entered the city through the door under their feet. Not far away under the night sky, in the direction of the graveyard, an innumerable sea of dark-green Soul Fire was slowly but firmly approaching the city gate. Occasionally, some Soul Fires that burned brightly left the sea and rushed to the nearby refugees. Those who broke off were relatively high-level undead creatures that could no longer suppress their desire for the living. However, they would soon be sent back to their eternal slumber by the surrounding vigilant Spellblades. Was this what William meant by how things wouldn¡¯t spiral out of control? Vincent thought to himself as he looked at the undead tide that made his scalp tingle. However, considering that the legendary person had once calmed the Tide of the Undead that was dozens or hundreds of times larger than this, perhaps this was something still within his control. With this in mind, Vincent turned around and said to the Battle Mages behind him, ¡°After evacuating all the residents into the city, we¡¯ll carry out saturated magic attacks on the Undead Tide. Fire Master-level magic chanters will be in charge of the densest area.¡± Only about a third of the people in the Mage Hall responded to his notice. This ratio made Vincent very uneasy. ¡°Master Vincent, but just us alone isn¡¯t enough to eliminate so many undead. Look, that¡¯s one huge swath. There are tens of thousands¡­¡± ¡°Then, we have to eliminate them all here. Otherwise, when they disperse, the surrounding villages and towns will probably be plagued by the undead for years. Their gathering is our best chance,¡± Vincent said firmly. At the same time, the bishop standing beside him said, ¡°I think they will catch up to the residents at the back. Where are they from? Half Moon Mill?¡± As he spoke, amber light swirled in his eyes. Vincent also looked in that direction when he heard that, but because he didn¡¯t study Morphing spells, he couldn¡¯t use Eagle Eye to see what was happening so far away like the bishop. Behind Vincent, another Master Sage asked, ¡°Should we inform the Spellblades to cover their retreat? Or should we open a portal here and bring them over first?¡± Nizemar shook her head and stared at the Kane Horn in Vincent¡¯s hand. ¡°No, the Spellblades are too far away. With so many undead gathered, the rich Undead magic power will affect the stability of the portal, so¡­¡± She said with bright eyes, ¡°That¡¯s why I suggest trying that horn.¡± Vincent sighed slightly. Now, he even suspected that the bishop and Nizemar were putting on a show just to let him test the authenticity of this horn. After all, William Kane¡¯s return needed a powerful ¡°miracle¡± as evidence before anyone would believe him. Otherwise, he would be like the fake prophets from the past. However¡­ Vincent recalled what William had said to him before giving him this series of assignments. ¡°Next, you only have one mission, and that is to become a hero.¡± Could an executioner like him become a hero? Vincent smiled bitterly and used Teleportation. With a flash of lightning, he arrived in front of the Undead Tide. Dust flew, and the sound of bones colliding gathered into a tidal wave. Facing the endless Undead Tide in front of him, he raised the horn. A distant bugle call seemed to echo throughout the Blackwater Province. Not only did the undead in front of Vincent stop, but even the ones wandering in the graveyard stopped. On the city wall, Nizemar nervously held Kane¡¯s figurine and stared at the spot Vincent had teleported to. As the distant bugle call sounded, the Kane figurine in her hand suddenly trembled. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 64 ? 64 Epitaph Storm Province, Myriad Feet City, Kane Cathedral. Two holy spirit statues made of adamantine stood on both sides of the podium. One wore a bronze crown, held a gorgeous ceremonial sword in his right hand, and stroked a dragon crouched under him with his left hand. The other held a simple straight sword in his hand and was blowing an ancient horn. Unlike the other seven Holy Spirits who had all anthropomorphic symbols removed and were only allowed to use the Holy Brilliance patterns as symbols, the eighth Holy Spirit, Hermit, was allowed to be worshiped with a Holy Spirit statue. Due to this, the Eighth Order was often criticized by the Holy Spirits Church. Of course, such criticism typically stopped at the verbal level. After all, that was the Holy Spirit Kane who had walked the human world twice and left behind countless holy traces. No matter how much one prohibited idol worship, it was difficult to convince the masses. The Patriarch of the Eighth Order, Adrian, whose hair and beard were grizzled, sat on the podium. Behind him was the acute-angled holy emblem that symbolized the Eighth Holy Spirit. The silver holy emblem was colored by the surrounding candles¡¯ faint flame, and the air was filled with the rich smell of incense. Adrian closed his eyes and crossed his fingers as he patiently listened to his subordinates report the latest news to him. Most of it were trivial matters, be it the preparations for the annual sacrament for the Riel royal family or the religious donation collection arrangements for the different provinces-other than the unruly Blackwater Province. These were all matters that had long been planned. It didn¡¯t change much from year to year. However, since they were talking about the Blackwater Province¡­ ¡°¡­It¡¯s believed that the Silver Blood Daughter, Nizemar, has already reached a cooperation with the bishop of St. Dewey Church. Regarding the recovery of Judgment 4, it¡¯s possible¡­¡± the gray-robed deacon said worriedly. ¡°There¡¯s no problem,¡± Adrian said slowly. He knew what the other party was worried about. Once there were more than two things, there would be a distinction between closeness and indifference. Just like the two Holy Spirit statues behind him, they respectively symbolized the two descents of the Eighth Holy Spirit 1,000 years ago and 800 years ago. And within the parish, there had always been a long debate about which represented the essence of the Eighth Holy Spirit. After 800 years, the outcome of this debate was the appearance of the Divine Grace and Holy Seminary. As the Patriarch, the most important job for Adrian as head of the parish was to maintain the balance of power between the Divine Grace and Holy Seminary factions. The gray-robed deacon said worriedly, ¡°Nizemar¡¯s successful recovery of Judgment 8 from the Dragon Breath Province has already greatly increased the Holy Seminary¡¯s influence. If we let her leave the Blackwater Province again¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. The matter in the Blackwater Province won¡¯t succeed,¡± Adrian said in a confident tone. ¡°Why?¡± The gray-robed deacon asked in confusion. In his impression, the Patriarch rarely said anything with such certainty. Adrian opened his turbid eyes and looked at him. ¡°Do you know why the Holy Spirits Church, including the Eighth Order, has gradually withdrawn its forces from the Blackwater Province 14 years ago? Furthermore, it has withdrawn almost all of them in recent years?¡± The gray-robed deacon replied nervously when he heard the sensitive subject raised, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the current Duke of Thorn¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Adrian shook his head, closed his eyes, and continued, ¡°Simon Walde is just a cover. The real reason isn¡¯t that the Blackwater Province abandoned us, but that we abandoned it. Therefore, Nizemar is destined to be unable to do anything in the Blackwater Province. Alright, that¡¯s not something you should care about¡­ Is there anything else to report?¡± The confused gray-robed deacon immediately replied, ¡°The 17th search for the Kane Horn has also ended in failure. The Platinum Palace is quite displeased with our progress¡­¡± Before the gray-robed deacon could finish speaking, he stopped because a horn sounded from afar. It was continuous and long. He froze in place like a statue and could only stare in that direction in a daze, unable to make a sound. When Adrian heard this sound, he turned around in confusion and looked behind him. Then, he froze in place as well. The horn sounded from the statue that symbolized the descent of the Holy Spirit more than a thousand years ago. The adamantine statue was trembling slightly, and the long bugle call sounded throughout the church. As if his soul was trembling, the old man-who had been the Patriarch for more than 40 years-could only cry out in alarm, ¡°By the Holy Spirit¡­¡± However, before he could finish speaking, the horn suddenly stopped. Right on the heels of that, with a crack, a fine crack quickly extended all the way from the top of the Kane statue. The statue cracked? It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over Adrian¡¯s head. As the Patriarch of the Eighth Order, he naturally knew what this meant. This was a prophetic omen of trouble in the last chapter of Kane¡¯s New Testament. It meant that the Holy Spirit-who had once walked the mortal world twice-was about to descend to the mortal world. But why? The two of them stared at the crack in the statue for three minutes. During this period, no one dared to move or say anything. After a long time, Adrian lowered his voice and said to the deacon, ¡°Inform the Sealing Temple to help me prepare the teleportation nexus to Platinum Province.¡± ¡­ At this moment, all the Kane figurines on the Vic Continent that had been blessed by the Holy Spirits Church trembled slightly as Vincent blew the Kane Horn. Countless people stopped and watched the miracle. The trembling ended, and with a soft crack, a tiny crack appeared on all the blessed figurines on the continent. At this moment, after discovering that the figurines had cracked, countless cries, excitement, sorrow, ecstasy, anger, doubt, fear, doubt, and confusion sounded in every corner of the Vic Continent. Such majestic emotions echoed at the same time, even stirring ripples in the Moon Realm and disturbing the dreams of many high-level Moon Realm existences. Back to the center of the storm. Vincent had just blown the ancient horn in the face of the vast sea of undead. The sea formed by the swath of emerald-green Soul Fire reflected in their pupils instantly turned into bubbles and dissipated when he blew the lingering horn. The tens of thousands of undead in front of him instantly collapsed weakly like marionettes that had their strings cut. Only the crisp sound of bones colliding when they collapsed proved that they had been advancing a few seconds ago. Vincent stood rooted to the ground in a daze. After a long time, he looked at the horn in his hand in awe. ¡°Kane Horn, and Presiding Judge William Kane¡­¡± he muttered. For some reason, he suddenly recalled what that person had said the first time he met him-those extremely arrogant words he had heard back then. ¡°Release the fate of all mankind from the hands of the gods?¡± Even now, this sounded extremely arrogant. However, to Vincent, who had witnessed the miracle in front of him, that no longer seemed to be an unreachable goal. ¡­ ¡°He¡¯s real. At least that horn is real. No, he must be the real Kane who descended.¡± Nizemar held the silver, cracked Kane figurine and suppressed her excitement. She, who was usually extremely indifferent, was trembling uncontrollably. Her eyes had unknowingly been dyed with a faint layer of silver. The bishop frowned as he stared at the silver Kane figurine-or to be precise, the crack on the statue before saying, ¡°You should know what this means, right?¡± Regarding this, Nizemar only turned her head and replied in an almost fanatical tone, ¡°Of course, it means Judgment, a trial of all filth!¡± The fanaticism in the other party¡¯s tone and the silver light that suddenly burst out of his eyes made the bishop take half a step back. Just as the legends said, the Eighth Order¡¯s Holy Relic hunters were all fanatical radical believers. The bishop was secretly speechless. When the other party took the initiative to cooperate with him, he too had been advised by his subordinates to reduce contact with those lunatics. However, he wrote them off as exaggerated rumors when he found the other party¡¯s words and actions very normal. Thus, he agreed to the cooperation, but from the looks of it¡­ With this in mind, the bishop looked back at the receding Tide of the Undead in the distance. Although he was a conservative in the Church and only believed in the creation model of the Seven Holy Spirits and not the eighth Holy Spirit that allowed mortals to be sanctified, he had to admit that what was happening in front of him was an out-and-out miracle. So was the person who claimed to be William Kane real? If he was real, could the disaster prophesied to befall the church in the mortal world be true? ¡­ It wasn¡¯t just the 50,000 Undead who broke through the walls. Even the hundreds of thousands of awakened Undead in the graveyard returned to their solitude under the sound of the requiem horn. William, who was under the Holy Sepulchre, also heard the distant horn. Then, he sensed that the constant trembling outside suddenly disappeared. This shocked him. No way. That horn didn¡¯t have such an exaggerated effect in-game. It only increases the range of Placating the Undead halo by five times. It can at most affect an area of a kilometer. How can it send all the undead in the graveyard back to their solitude? William thought in confusion. Then, a possibility that made his head hurt surfaced in his mind. Could it be that the eighth Holy Spirit worshiped by later generations has really manifested? Strictly speaking, the Kane Horn wasn¡¯t a magical tool, but a holy relic. It was a product of special processing of the fragments of the Light Realm left behind by the Holy Spirits after the creation of the world, and it was the still-flowing Creatons themselves. He named this Holy Artifact in his name. Coupled with the fact that it resonated with the faith in Holy Spirit Kane over the centuries, he might have created something. With this in mind, William added another item to his list of things to do-confirm the status of the so-called Eighth Holy Spirit. Gods in this world weren¡¯t to be worshiped for no reason. Back then, the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s personality worship of the Seven Holy Spirits created the Seven Calamities, wreaking havoc across the continent and poisoning thousands of miles. If the mantra of ¡®once on shore one prays no more¡¯ came true, and he created the Eighth Calamity in his name, he wouldn¡¯t be the one smiling. Cass looked at the man in front of him who suddenly revealed an uncertain expression and asked anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± Cass¡¯s words pulled William back to his senses. He squatted down and gently picked up the corpse of the dead faerie. ¡°Nothing¡­ Let¡¯s continue. To extraordinary creatures like faeries who don¡¯t rely on natural reproduction, their death and rebirth are one. Every faerie will leave behind newborn seeds after death.¡± As he spoke, a faint golden flame ignited in his hand, and Liz¡¯s aged body instantly turned into golden dust that filled the sky. Cass¡¯s breathing quickened when he saw this scene. The fire in William¡¯s hand happened to extinguish at this moment. When the dust dissipated, a pearl-sized golden gem floated in his palm. Cass looked at the gem and asked nervously, ¡°This is?¡± ¡°The Dream Egg, or it¡¯s also known as the seed of a faerie. Place it in a bud that hasn¡¯t bloomed during the full moon, and a new faerie will be born when the flower blooms during the next full moon.¡± Seeing Cass¡¯s fervent gaze, William suddenly couldn¡¯t bear it. He hesitated for a moment before telling the truth. ¡°Of course, that isn¡¯t a resurrection, but the birth of a new faerie. Although the new faerie will inherit a portion of the former faerie¡¯s memories and personality¡­¡± That¡¯s not the Liz you know. William didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Typically, it took a very long time to condense the seeds of a faerie from their remains. But after William asked about how Cass came here, he decided to help speed up the process. If he only relied on vengeance as a driving force, it was very easy for him to take the wrong path. Once his heart collapsed, he would give the Lunar Monsters a chance. Therefore, the motivation to fight had to be something beautiful, something that he was willing to protect. Otherwise, fighting the Moon Realm would also become sustenance for the Moon Realm to become powerful. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Cass carefully took the golden gem from William and thanked him in a hoarse voice. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you somewhere later and train you to use this power until you can completely control it. Can you accept that?¡± As William spoke, he walked to the black stone plaque in front of the central sarcophagus. He had previously heard Cass¡¯s story that Judgment 4 had been pulled out from there. In that case, was Blake buried here back then? With a nervous heart, William blew away the thick dust covering the stone plaque. ¡­ Cass seemed to answer him from behind, but he couldn¡¯t hear him clearly. All his attention was attracted by the words on the stone plaque. The inscription was as follows: I wish to commemorate my fellow Judges: Coles Jackdaw, Blake Saba. They slept here forever to seal the Rotten Moon wraith. A warning to future generations: before the resentment dissipates, don¡¯t open the seal there for a thousand years. 24th Valley Moon, 899 Platinum Calendar What¡­ What kind of joke is this? After being stunned for a long time, William took a few furious steps to the sarcophagus. With their strength, why would the two of them need to sacrifice their lives to seal the Rotten Moon wraith? He pressed his hand on the sarcophagus and took a deep breath before opening the coffin. Other than a mess of crow feathers and a door-sized sword, there was nothing inside. It was an empty grave. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 65 ? 65 Epilogue: Interrogation The fat crow squeezed into the narrow cage surrounded by shadows was motionless as it had its eyes closed. After the person left, it tried all means but failed to break through the cage at all. Be it forcefully breaking out or turning into a whirlwind to escape, it was blocked by the restrictions on the cage no matter what it did. It finally had to admit that it had no choice. It chose to close its eyes helplessly and rest. At the very least, from the other party¡¯s previous words, its life wouldn¡¯t be in danger for the time being. Moreover, it was in Currere now. If it died, it would only return to the Moon Realm. After an unknown period, heavy footsteps woke it up. It opened its eyes and saw the terrifying man sitting in front of it. He held a staff made of pure frost and was looking at it coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll be doing the questions next. You are to answer them,¡± the other party said calmly, but under his calm appearance, the crow sensed that he was in a very, very bad mood. The crow opened its beak and was about to say something when emerald-green flames instantly spread to the cage. An intense pain tortured it until it couldn¡¯t help but let out a miserable cry. The fire was fleeting as if the other party was demonstrating what he was capable of. After it recovered, the person looked at it and asked the first question, ¡°Who¡¯s your master?¡± ¡°Father¡­ Father of the Crows, Summoner of the Storm, C¡­ Ah!¡± Before it could finish announcing its master¡¯s full title, the flames burned again. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. Its name, its real name.¡± Looking at the crow bathed in flames, the person continued calmly. ¡°True name¡­ How can I know my master¡¯s true name? Every Moon Realm spirit will protect their true name¡­¡± The crow shouted as the afflicting Soul Fire burned. The Moon Realm was an existence that reflected Currere. Every formed Moon Realm spirit naturally had its source in Currere, and their true names could be confirmed through this. When facing enemies who knew their true names, as long as their true names were spoken, the power of this Moon Realm spirit would be greatly weakened. It was said that the 12 Judgment equipment were each engraved with the true names of the 12 Void Sovereigns. This was also one of the reasons why the Judgment equipment could cause damage to the essence of their corresponding Void Sovereigns. The flames stopped and the crow continued intermittently, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just a¡­ messenger who was created not long ago. It¡¯s impossible for me to know my master¡¯s real name¡­¡± The person studied the crow for a while as if he was determining if it was lying. Finally, he continued asking, ¡°Alright, then. The second question is, what did you bring to the Nightmare Swamp as a messenger?¡± The crow looked at the looming flames on the cage and fell silent for a moment before answering honestly, ¡°A deal. A fragment of a dream in exchange for a fragment of a soul.¡± ¡°A fragment of a dream?¡± ¡°A fragment of Ms. Zamara¡¯s Nightmare Incarnation that was shattered a thousand years ago,¡± the crow replied. It looked at the looming flames around it and shuddered before continuing, ¡°As for the soul fragment, it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s this, right?¡± As the person spoke, he opened his palm, and an illusory crow¡¯s tail appeared in his hand. The crow subconsciously nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s this¡­ Huh?¡± It came to a realization. It was indeed this, but¡­ why was it in his hands? Shouldn¡¯t this have been retrieved by the Lord of Nightmare? Without waiting for it to ask the question in its heart, the person continued asking, ¡°Next question, whose soul fragment is it? Is it your master¡¯s?¡± The crow nodded and said, ¡°My master¡¯s soul was shattered into pieces in the distant past, causing it to only be able to fall into a prolonged slumber in the Moon Realm. Every time it wakes up temporarily, it will attempt to collect the fragments of the past.¡± ¡°Do you know when and who shattered its soul?¡± The crow shook its head and said, ¡°I¡¯m just a messenger created for the deal in the Nightmare Swamp. I don¡¯t know anything about my master other than the purpose of this trip.¡± With that said, it shrank its head, afraid that the fire would descend on its head again. ¡°I understand¡­¡± The person¡¯s expression kept changing, but he didn¡¯t continue torturing it. He only stood up after some thought and slowly walked out of the room. After the other party walked out of the door, he suddenly turned around and asked it, ¡°Speaking of which, have you seen your master?¡± The crow shook its head. ¡°My master sleeps deep in his quarters most of the time. Even if he occasionally wakes up, he will only give orders or make a prophecy to his crows.¡± The other party didn¡¯t say anything else. With the sound of a heavy iron door closing, the entire room fell into darkness again. ¡­ After returning to his room, William silently took out the two spoils of war he had snatched from the Void Sovereigns¡¯ phantoms and placed them on the table. An illusory crow feather and a seed emitting white light. He recalled the empty tomb from before, the sarcophagus covered in scattered crow feathers, and the iconic black sword, as well as the contents of the stone plaque. Could the owner of this soul fragment be the person he was thinking of? Was he still alive? What state was he in now? Moon Realm Overlord, Father of the Crows¡­ William recalled the demon summoner he interrogated at the Scar of Sorrow. The other party only said that title before his entire soul was torn apart. Even he couldn¡¯t stop the process. Coles¡­ Is this something you¡¯ll do? With this in mind, William turned his gaze to the seed emitting white light. If what had happened previously only made him feel heavy-hearted, the appearance of this seed made him extremely uneasy. Seed of Hope¡­ But why is it here? This was a seed that could only be condensed deep in the Moon Realm after gathering the hope of an era¡¯s salvation. Just holding it could greatly increase the morale of the surrounding comrades. Moreover, this seed was the only item in the game¡¯s plot that could revive someone without any prerequisites. However, this wasn¡¯t its greatest value. Looking at this thing that shouldn¡¯t have appeared here, William jogged through his memories and the save file that he had deleted after completion. The Seed of Hope was one of the prerequisites for achieving the eclipse ending and becoming the 14th Void Sovereign-King of Hope and Despair. End of Volume 1: Stranger at Home Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 66 ? 66 Senate Meeting 24th of the Morning Moon, Platinum Palace conference hall. Senator Albert, who was wearing a purple-gold noble robe, pushed open the silver door that was embossed with dragons and swords and walked into the hall. Instantly, the noisy conference hall fell silent. Everyone sitting around the long white marble table turned their gazes to him. He stopped in his spot awkwardly. A few seconds later, the person on the towering throne at the end of the long table spoke. ¡°You¡¯re late, Senator Albert.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ I originally thought it was¡­¡± Albert immediately lowered his head. ¡°But fortunately, it has only just begun. Take your seat.¡± That person¡¯s words relieved Albert. He hurried to his seat and sat down. Sitting on the right-hand side of the throne, the Empire¡¯s Prime Minister and Speaker of the Senate, York, flipped through the parchment dossier embossed with the Empire¡¯s Dragon Sword emblem and said, ¡°Then, the motion to alleviate the stench of the sewers caused by the city¡¯s Freshman Festival banquet by releasing ebony perfume has been passed. The next motion is proposed by the Emerald Province¡¯s ambassador, Garet Wolf.¡± Emerald Province¡¯s ambassador? At this time? A Forest Elf wearing clothes woven from wolf hide, whose skin was as rough as tree bark, and whose face was tattooed with a wolf¡¯s visage immediately stood up. He first bowed respectfully to the person on the throne before starting to talk about the wine supply in Emerald Province this fall. The female senator sitting beside Albert looked at the wild-looking elf and covered her nose. Then, she poked his shoulder and gestured for him to look to the side. On the other side of the long table wasn¡¯t just the Emerald Province¡¯s ambassador. Seven or eight fellows in strange clothes sat there. Most of them looked out of place. ¡°Storm Province, Cold Rock Province, Quicksand Province, Dragon Breath Province, and Shattered Tooth Province. Other than the Blackwater Province, only Ava State hasn¡¯t sent an envoy over. Of course, that undying old fart doesn¡¯t seem to have sent anyone over since the Empire was established.¡± The female senator leaned over and whispered to Albert. It isn¡¯t just the envoys from the various provinces¡­ Albert thought. Surveying the round table, there were several big shots present today. The Patriarch of the Eighth Order, the Astral Council¡¯s Deputy Speaker, the Platinum Ring¡¯s royal consultant, the general of the Second Legion, the chairman of the Royal Chamber of Commerce, the Empire¡¯s Chancellor¡­ It could be said that half of the political figures in the Empire¡¯s power center were here. This Senate meeting far exceeded the usual monthly meetings in scale. It didn¡¯t appear to be simply a schedule brought forward. With this in mind, Albert secretly regretted being late today. Being late in front of so many important figures was a huge blow to his future political career. However, in comparison, the Forest Elf ambassador from Emerald Province saying that he wanted to reduce the wine supply in front of so many high-ranking officials seemed even more inappropriate. ¡°¡­ Combined with the losses of the Wild Hunt during last year¡¯s Year of Death and Blood, and considering the changes in constellations this year, we are already in the Year of Starvation. At the beginning of the year, many places like Patu have already shown signs of large-scale blight. Emerald Province can¡¯t guarantee the Empire¡¯s wine supply like in previous years. I hope the Senate can temporarily reduce the supply requirements of wine by 30% this year. Our Holy Tree Duke guarantees that this portion will be made up next year. These are the motions proposed by Emerald Province. I hope everyone¡­¡± As he spoke, he looked around. None of the big shots at the long table responded. Everyone either looked indifferent or watched coldly. The entire venue was so quiet that it made him a little anxious. The elderly and hunched Speaker, York, didn¡¯t even announce that the motion had entered the voting stage. He only turned his gaze to the dressed Emerald Province ambassador and smiled warmly as he said in a voice filled with gusto, ¡°Can¡¯t you think of some other way? You have to know that most of the wine the Empire imports from Emerald Province every year isn¡¯t into the wine cellars of the nobles of Platinum City, but sold to the Damon Continent in the east across the White Sea. This is an important part of the Empire¡¯s annual foreign trade, and it¡¯s also an important part of the truce agreement with them. This matter can¡¯t be taken lightly.¡± The Emerald Province¡¯s ambassador gritted his teeth and said, ¡°The first wave of the blight epidemic this month has already caused swaths of the first batch of grape seedlings planted last year to wither. This is despite the Holy Tree Duke getting the Forest Priests to make protective preparations in advance. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under the influence of the blight, the production of grapes this year will decrease by at least 50%. Requesting a 30% reduction in supply is already a result of our best efforts.¡± Before Speaker York could reply, a young senator interrupted, ¡°That¡¯s because you cultivate too little land. Ravenwood in Emerald Province is clearly the land with the richest vibrancy across the Vic Continent, but you only use it for planting trees. In my opinion, if you chop off half of the trees in that forest, the additional land can at least triple the annual production of grapes. Would the Year of Starvation even be something to be afraid of?¡± ¡°Elaire, watch your words!¡± Speaker York hurriedly silenced the other party when he heard that. Albert couldn¡¯t help but hold his forehead, feeling that the other party was too rash. The Forest Elves didn¡¯t have the concept of death like other mortal races, but their bodies would gradually ¡®treeify¡¯ over time. Their skin would become as rough and hard as tree bark, and tree branches and leaves would grow out of their hair. Their reaction and movements would also reduce with time. After every Forest Elf reached a certain stage of treeification, they would enter the Holy Forest of Ravenwood and wander around until they turned into a tree, taking root among the rest of the forest. Therefore, to the Forest Elves, the trees in Ravenwood weren¡¯t just trees, but their brethren. Many of them might even be their parents and ancestors. Senator Elaire¡¯s suggestion of them cutting down half of the forest to plant grapes was no different from asking them to kill their brethren to make room for the Empire¡¯s farming. For a moment, the Emerald Province ambassador, Wolf, stared coldly at the rude senator and didn¡¯t say a word. The wolf tattoo on his face slowly opened its mouth, revealing its fangs as it let out a low growl. Its wolf head constantly squirmed as if it would break free from his skin at any moment. Just as the latter shrank back into his seat in fear and was about to explain with trembling lips, the Platinum Ring consultant sitting closest to the left-hand side of the throne said, ¡°Enough, Garet. You are before the Bronze crown.¡± His voice seemed to have some soul-shaking power, and the wolf growl instantly stopped. Garet also took a deep breath and calmed down. The wolf tattoo on his face returned to its original state as if all that had happened was an illusion. He lowered his head at the Platinum Ring consultant and said, ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t myself. I¡¯m willing to accept¡­¡± ¡°No, Senator Elaire was at fault. Mr. Ambassador, please forgive his ignorance of the Forest Elf tradition.¡± Speaker York continued as if he were a peacemaker, ¡°Elaire, stay behind alone after the meeting. You need to be taught some etiquette regarding the various races.¡± The person sitting on the throne tilted her head at Speaker York. Speaker York immediately understood. He smiled at the Emerald Province ambassador and said, ¡°However, Senator Elaire¡¯s jest has given me some inspiration. Mr. Ambassador, you can indeed try to increase the arable land used to grow grapes to offset the impact of the blight on production this year.¡± Garet was stunned for a moment before replying with an ugly expression, ¡°Mr. Speaker, Sir, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also suggesting that¡­¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± The speaker shook his head and said, ¡°For example, the land used to farm Green-faced Grass for Paranor and the Forest Elves¡¯ main grain berries and wheat fruits are suitable for planting grapes. You can convert about half of the land for grape farming. This will be enough to make up for the reduced production from the blight this year.¡± ¡°But, Mr. Speaker, Sir, what about the reduced production of food? The food stored in Emerald Province over the years can¡¯t make up for the loss of half¡­¡± After hearing this suggestion, Ambassador Garet replied with a troubled expression. ¡°That¡¯s simple. Use the money you earn from exporting wine to buy food from the Empire¡¯s Chamber of Commerce. Other than the Green-faced Grass that we can¡¯t provide, you can keep the relevant arable land. Our annual berry and wheat surplus is enough to supply half of Emerald Province¡¯s needs. We can guarantee that we can satisfy your food supply at a price 10% below market price,¡± the chairman of the Royal Chamber of Commerce suddenly said. Speaker York smiled and nodded when he heard that. ¡°That¡¯s great. Ambassador Garet, what do you think of this suggestion? ¡°Wh¡­¡± 10% below the market price meant that there would be a surplus if the money earned from wine exports was used to buy food. This condition sounded good, but Garet¡¯s intuition told him that this was in no way a good suggestion. However, he couldn¡¯t think of a reason for objecting. Just as he was hesitating about how to answer, the empress on the throne spoke. ¡°Convert 70% of the land planted with Green-faced Grass and 30% of the land used for berries to grapes. Paranor is a luxury good for the nobles and the royal family. It won¡¯t affect us much if we have less. The key is to ensure the rations of the people in Emerald Province and¡­¡± As the silver-haired, blood-red-eyed empress on the throne¡¯s clear voice sounded, everyone in the hall stopped whispering and looked at her. Although her thin body, which was slightly weak from years of illness, looked very incongruous on the towering throne, no one in the hall dared to slight the woman wearing the Bronze crown. Erin Riel, who was only 24 years old, was also the youngest empress in the history of the Riel Empire. As she had suffered from severe congenital asthma since she was young, Erin was sent to Holy Tree City in Emerald Province to recuperate when she was eight. She didn¡¯t return to the Platinum Palace until her coming-of-age ceremony. Less than two days after her return, the late emperor was severely injured by the Broken Sword Brotherhood. After that, she-who had never dabbled in politics and didn¡¯t have any factions in the Platinum Palace-succeeded at obtaining the support of the Platinum Ring and the Eighth Order in less than a year after returning to the palace. Not long after the late emperor passed away, she crushed her two brothers who had been in the palace for many years, and ascended the Dragon Sword throne. She was crowned with the Bronze crown and became the current Empress Erin. After her coronation, one of her brothers was exiled to Cold Rock Province in the extreme north to be the Ice Dragon Duke, and the other was arrested for treason against the throne. Then, she ignored everyone¡¯s pleas and personally ordered her brother to be hanged. It was also because she was so heartless to her blood relatives that many people secretly called her Ominous Erin or the Ominous Empress. Upon hearing Empress Erin¡¯s words, Ambassador Garet hurriedly lowered his head, not even daring to breathe. Empress Erin paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°¡­Then, I¡¯ll waive taxes on all lands that were converted to grape farming this year. Furthermore, the taxes for the next three years will be halved. Garet from Emerald Province, I believe such conditions should satisfy the Holy Tree Duke, am I right?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m eternally grateful,¡± Garet hurriedly replied. Exemption from any taxes for a year followed by three years of 50% taxes, in addition to the ability to purchase food from the Chamber of Commerce at a price 10% lower than the market price was much better than the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s request of reducing wine exports by 30%. Speaker York chuckled and said, ¡°Alright, then. The Emerald Province Ambassador¡¯s motion can be voted on now. Although I think it¡¯s about the same whether we vote or not¡­ Then, please raise your hands if you agree to this motion¡­¡± Senator Albert raised his hand hesitantly. Then, he looked around and realized that the motion had been unanimously approved. But was it really that easy? The blight didn¡¯t just affect the production of grapes. To him, taking the initiative to reduce the area of arable land for staple food in the Year of Starvation wasn¡¯t wise. In the previous Year of Starvation, he was still working under the Minister of Agriculture. He clearly remembered that even in Platinum Province, where agriculture was the most developed, it still resulted in a small-scale famine in the countryside. Would the Royal Chamber of Commerce really have that much food stockpiled as they had promised? Even if they did, would they really provide it to Emerald Province? I hope Emerald Province doesn¡¯t end up starving¡­ As Albert thought this, he suddenly realized that Empress Erin¡¯s gaze had been cast at him at some point. ¡°Senator Albert, do you have any objections?¡± ¡°Ah? No, no!¡± Faced with the empress¡¯s sudden question, he hurriedly replied, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. It was said that the empress had the talent to see through a person¡¯s thoughts at a glance. Usually, this seemed to be just a palace myth, but her actions did shock Albert. The empress didn¡¯t say anything else. Speaker York, who was sitting beside her, said, ¡°Since we¡¯re going to promote the conversion of the use of the arable land in the Emerald Province, I think the Empire still has to send envoys to supervise and give suggestions. Albert, I remember that you had experience being a secretary under the Minister of Agriculture, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes¡­¡± Albert¡¯s heart sank. He had been targeted. ¡°Then, how about you be the envoy to supervise the conversion of arable land in Emerald Province?¡± Speaker York suggested with a smile. Although he was inquiring, he didn¡¯t sound like he had any intention of negotiating. He lived up to his title of Smiling Lion. ¡°I¡­¡± Albert wanted to protest, but when he saw Speaker York¡¯s fake smile, he immediately deflated. ¡°I accept¡­¡± He tried his best to sound flattered. ¡°Alright, then the next motion will be proposed by the Platinum City Guards General.¡± ¡°We discovered three suspected Broken Sword Brotherhood strongholds in Platinum City. We hope¡­¡± Albert wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to the motions and reports proposed by the senators. He fell into a daze and only raised his hand mechanically with the female senator beside him. He kept wondering: why him? Was it because he was late? Or did he show a hesitant expression after the empress made that suggestion? No matter what, he had to bid farewell to the prosperity of Platinum City in the next few years and sleep in a tree hole with the barbaric elves wrapped in animal skins and drink tree sap. All he wanted to do now was for the meeting to end and go home to get himself drunk. Or perhaps he didn¡¯t need to drink it? After all, the thing he would have to deal with the most in the next few years was that damned wine. ¡°¡­Then, the next report will be reported by the Eighth Order¡¯s Patriarch, Adrian.¡± The old man with grizzled hair and beard stood up shakily. He didn¡¯t take out a dossier or any other document. Instead, he took off a silver Holy Spirit Kane figurine from his neck. A cracked figurine. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Everyone, what I¡¯m about to explain is the divinity manifestation of Holy Spirit Kane a week ago and the episcopate¡¯s interpretation of this manifestation.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 67 ? 67 Flag ¡°Regarding the manifestation of the Eighth Holy Spirit a week ago, it has been repeatedly confirmed by our episcopate. Its authenticity has been confirmed and recorded in the Church¡¯s history. It will be written in the Book of Silver in the future as a permanent record,¡± the aged Patriarch, Adrian, said. Upon hearing this, Albert perked up. He adjusted his sitting posture slightly and sat up straight. Albert¡¯s intuition told him that this matter was the highlight of the day. This included why the Senate meeting on the 30th of every month was held in advance, and why so many politicians and ambassadors from the Empire¡¯s provinces were present today. It was all because of this. ¡°According to records, this divinity manifestation is the 17th recorded since Terra I¡¯s ascension, but the range and extent of its influence can be said to be unprecedented. There are records of divinity manifestations in the entire Riel Empire. There¡¯s even news that there are signs of divinity from the Damon Continent, Ava State, and even the expedition from the Ruins of Orsis.¡± As the Patriarch spoke, he put the figurine back around his neck and continued, ¡°It can be said that this is the largest divinity manifestation since Terra I¡¯s ascension. Moreover, it is written in the Book of Revelations that it is a sign that the Holy Spirit¡¯s imminent wrath will descend¡­ It¡¯s a serious matter, so the episcopate¡¯s interpretation of the manifestation began a week ago. Now, we have a preliminary conclusion¡­¡± So that¡¯s how it is. Have you finally made up your mind to give this matter an official explanation? Albert wasn¡¯t that surprised. The matter of the figurines seemingly coming to life a week ago caused everyone in Platinum City to panic. It was said that the imperial guards were deployed in the middle of the night. Just the people who spread the rumor that judgment was imminent had filled an entire floor of the dungeons. The aftershocks had far-reaching effects. Platinum City was originally the origin of the Holy Spirits Church and the center of faith across the continent. The traditional Church itself vaguely suppressed the Eighth Order. Although the Eighth Order¡¯s church-Kane Riel Church-was allowed to be opened, in a sense, it was a symbol of the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s recognition of the Riel royal family¡¯s legitimacy. Therefore, this church was basically only dedicated to the Riel royal family¡¯s prayers and sacraments and was rarely opened to the public. After the figurine incident, the Kane Riel Church was surrounded by citizens almost every day. Countless people held cracked figurines and tried to enter the church, hoping to see if the adamantine statue in the church had cracked. Of course, even more ridiculous rumors were spreading. For example, the statue of the Holy Spirit would have tears in its eyes and spit out golden words that floated in the air, filling the name list of corrupt officials in Platinum City. Or, the statue would leave the base in the middle of the night and turn into a black-robed person on the street to ask about the Empire¡¯s current situation. Of course, most of these rumors came from the taverns and the mouths of the delirious drunk. Although they made it sound real, no one could produce evidence. Empress Erin immediately ordered the Platinum Ring to set up an expelling barrier in front of the church. Most people who came on a pilgrimage or wanted to investigate would be stimulated by the barrier to the point of tears the moment they approached. Then, they would be captured by the nearby guards and fined 20 gold riels on the spot. Then, all the taverns or other entertainment venues in Platinum City received relevant orders through their respective channels. They were strictly prohibited from discussing those rumors in public. With such a forceful crackdown, the Platinum City government at least temporarily suppressed this storm on the surface. However, it was only on the surface and temporarily. It was impossible to care how many people secretly wanted to use the Holy Spirit¡¯s manifestation to achieve their goals. If this matter continued and the rumors continued spreading, it would be exploited by people with ulterior motives, causing the situation to spiral out of control on a large scale. Relying on forceful suppression would ultimately have the opposite effect. What the Church and the Empire really needed to do now was to use this divinity manifestation as a guide and firmly seize the initiative to provide the framing of the incident. Rather than calling the manifestation of the Holy Spirit a flag, as long as the figurine didn¡¯t personally give its orders, the greatest right to interpretation lies with the Empire¡¯s officials. This thought suddenly appeared in Albert¡¯s mind. Therefore, what decision would they make by holding this flag high? ¡°¡­According to the time of the divinity manifestation, the final interpretation of the episcopate is that this is the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s anger at the land in Ava State for rejecting the Astral Laws, the glory of the Holy Spirits Church, and the land that doesn¡¯t have the slightest respect for the Riel Empire. It also issued an ultimatum for the date of their unconditional submission to the Empire.¡± With that said, everyone looked at Empress Erin. If this was the interpretation, this must be what that person wanted. Ava State generally referred to the archipelago southwest of the Vic Continent, which was the hometown of all elves. At the same time, it was the origin of the original mage organization, the Tacma Church. To put it further-it was the origin of the concept of magic. However, to the Riel Empire, this place had a more important historical significance. It was the only place where Terra I¡¯s great conquest failed in the unification war 800 years ago. 200 Empire warships sank into the storm of the Shattered Sea in the Battle of Wandering. Terra I almost died here. In the 800 years since the Riel Empire was established, a few emperors had tried their crusades against Ava State to complete the great undertaking that the founding emperor hadn¡¯t completed. However, they either retreated in the face of the unpredictable storm in the Shattered Sea or suffered a tragic failure after crossing the sea and losing more than half of their troops. To this day, Ava State relied on the natural dangers of the Shattered Sea to remain beyond the Empire¡¯s regime. They didn¡¯t abide by the Astral Laws, nor did they acknowledge the existence of the Eighth Holy Spirit and the Riel royal family¡¯s rule over the Vic Continent. They cultivated Tacma¡¯s classical magic system and advocated the most heretical ¡®Pan Magic Big Bang Creation Model¡¯, rejecting the Holy Spirits¡¯ teachings. Now, if one were to interpret the divinity manifestation in this direction¡­ The Patriarch sat down. Speaker York cleared his throat and said, ¡°Then, the next motion, which is also the last motion for today¡¯s Senate meeting, will be proposed by Empress Erin. I will read it on her behalf-there¡¯s a proposal for the preparatory preparations for the conquest of Ava State¡­¡± Just as everyone was attracted by the content of the proposal, Albert suddenly realized a problem. This is the last motion¡­ Why has there been nothing about what happened in the Blackwater Province some time ago at such a high-profile meeting today-be it the short-lived Undead Tide crisis that quickly subsided, Duke of Thorn¡¯s disappearance, the sudden death of the Stranger Lighthouse¡¯s tower guardian, or the Master magic chanter named Vincent¡¯s announcement that he would become the interim leader of the entire Blackwater Province-why hasn¡¯t anyone mentioned these things? Not a single word was mentioned. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 68 ? 68 First Citizen William realized that he didn¡¯t need to sleep the day after he transmigrated. His powerful mental strength made it very difficult for him to feel any mental fatigue. Even if he read historical documents intensively for a few days, the mental burden he felt was only to yawn a few times. The only time he felt a little tired was when he was testing the limits of his magic power. After renovating Offa University¡¯s underground training range dozens of times with all kinds of magic, he finally felt a little sleepy. However, all it took was a few minutes of meditation to shrug it off. Later on, he learned from Vincent and the others that after one¡¯s mental strength reached the Master level, the requirement for sleep could be replaced by meditation. Before he transmigrated, William was a night owl. It was only when his middle-aged body gradually couldn¡¯t take it that he gradually changed his sleep schedule. Now that he had such talent, why waste it? After completing the matters related to the ritual, William first dealt with the Rose Palace¡¯s administrative problems that were in a half-paralyzed state with Vincent for a few days, allowing the government to gradually return to normal. Vincent easily took over the rest. After all, Vincent had naturally taken over the leadership of the armed forces in Thorn City when the Undead Tide struck. In addition, he was the strongest magic chanter in Thorn City on the surface. After Duke Simon was declared ¡®missing,¡¯ it was natural for him, the chief consultant, to be the interim leader. Of course, this also involved the handling of Simon Walde¡¯s family. Mrs. Simon died of typhoid in her early years. The only descendant of the Waldes was Simon¡¯s son. He was previously in charge of Thorn City¡¯s Elementium Silver Chamber of Commerce. Before William went to the Holy Sepulchre, that person had instructed Vincent to remember to control him immediately after the Undead Tide subsided. William even personally went to the secret dungeon to interact with him. He confirmed that the other party was a good-for-nothing who knew nothing but drinking and fooling around with women. In the beginning, William found it strange that Simon, who had been plotting in secret for more than 20 years and could be considered an ambitious person, would raise such a textbook profligate son. However, he eventually came to a realization. From the moment Simon planned on obtaining the authority of Death Vera through the King and Rebel ritual, he hadn¡¯t considered having an heir at all. Instead of teaching his child how to rule that he wouldn¡¯t be able to use until his death, it was better to let him live a life of profligacy at the Elementium Silver Chamber of Commerce where he could collect money doing nothing. The ministers, who thought that he would definitely succeed the throne in the future as the Duke¡¯s only child and had kept currying favor with him, were the pitiful ones. William and Vincent had some disagreements regarding the handling of Walde¡¯s last bloodline. William felt that it was better to prevent future trouble, but Vincent hoped to give the other party a sum of money to make him disappear like his father and live incognito. In the end, William agreed to Vincent¡¯s plan. ¡°Thank you for your mercy. I originally thought that you would insist on this matter.¡± Vincent heaved a sigh of relief and made clear his confusion. How could he not know that William¡¯s method was the safest and least troublesome plan? However, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to wipe out the last bloodline of his old friend in this world. William shook his head and said, ¡°Mercy? No, I just suddenly understood. There are definitely many people in this palace who don¡¯t agree with your rule deep down, and as new policies are announced in the future, there will be even more of them. When the time comes, it will be too troublesome for them to pop out one after another. I definitely don¡¯t have the energy for them, so it¡¯s better to leave such a flag. When they pop out, we can resolve them once and for all.¡± There were no educational and management means in this world. There were basically only two ways to become a manager-bloodline or strength. Of course, most of the time, these two were the opposite of each other. Therefore, even though William found the management methods of the court nobles extremely inefficient, he had to admit that they were the batch of people with the most experience in management. At the very least, they were needed to maintain basic order. There were definitely many people with nefarious thoughts among them. It was a big problem to eliminate them all. Although William could work 24 hours a day, he didn¡¯t want to spend his time on such a high-investment, low-returns problem. Therefore, rather than taking the initiative to screen them, it was better to wait for them to pop out themselves. After hearing the other party¡¯s words, Vincent felt a cold sweat break out on his back. He hesitated and said, ¡°Then, if he¡¯s really willing to hide his identity¡­¡± ¡°Then, he can really live a peaceful life. Moreover, he definitely won¡¯t be killed by others.¡± As William spoke, he looked out of Thorn City at the gray-robed fatty who was gradually leaving on a black horse-as well as the Death Spirit who floated behind him; no one other than William could see it. As long as he wasn¡¯t surrounded by more than three Legendary magic chanters, his safety was basically guaranteed. With this in mind, William retracted his gaze from the Death Spirit holding an invisible sickle. Then, he looked at Vincent and said, ¡°However, I strongly doubt that he is capable of doing so, so I suggest you be mentally prepared. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you do it yourself.¡± As he spoke, he patted Vincent¡¯s shoulder in comfort and walked down the stairs of the city wall. Vincent fell silent. If what William said was true, he could only make that choice when push came to shove. But hopefully not¡­ Halfway down the stairs, William suddenly turned around and said to Vincent, who was deep in thought, ¡°By the way, since you¡¯ve already sent that person away, have you thought of a new title for yourself? You can¡¯t always give orders in the name of a chief consultant or regent, right? That will put you in an increasingly disadvantageous position in the future.¡± ¡°But you do not wish for me to declare myself as Duke of Thorn and have rejected the suggestion of crowning myself the King of Blackwater, I really can¡¯t think of a better title for the time being,¡± It was very easy to understand why he didn¡¯t want to inherit the title of Duke of Thorn. After all, this title was to be conferred by the Riel royal family that represented the Empire. However, this person was clearly a hero from the era of the Seven Kingdoms a thousand years ago, but for some reason, he seemed to hate titles like ¡®king.¡¯ ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s true. Let me think about it¡­¡± the other party replied. Then, the person stood on the stairs and thought for a while. During this period, Vincent vaguely heard him mutter a few words he didn¡¯t understand. After a while, he asked, ¡°You designate adults living in the city with registered household registration information citizens, right?¡± Vincent nodded. ¡°Then, how about the new title of First Citizen?¡± What a strange title. However, it seemed like¡­ this was a very suitable choice? It didn¡¯t seem like he was overstepping his boundaries or like he was borrowing someone else¡¯s power. Vincent carefully pondered over this title and found it suitable the more he thought about it. Be it the nobles in the Rose Palace or the hundreds of thousands of residents of Thorn City, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to accept. At the very least, it wouldn¡¯t cause a violent retaliation. If he crowned himself the King of Blackwater now, there would definitely be conflicts. If he couldn¡¯t quell them down quickly, it might even cause a civil war. ¡°Presiding Judge, I think this shouldn¡¯t be a problem. No, there probably isn¡¯t a better choice right now.¡± Upon hearing his words, the person suddenly revealed a smile as if his scheme had succeeded. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± The other party chuckled and turned to continue walking down the stairs. Vincent subconsciously asked, ¡°Sir, where do you plan on going next?¡± The other party replied, ¡°To the church, it¡¯s time to deal with the trouble I caused by casually lending out my things.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 69 ? 69 About Faith Thorn City had a total of eight churches of the Holy Spirits Church. This was the same configuration as most large cities. Every parish of the Eight Holy Spirits had one. The Holy Spirits Church wasn¡¯t just a place that was in charge of satisfying the people¡¯s faith needs. A considerable portion of the municipal functions was handled by the different churches of the Church. For example, the Funeral Church of the Seventh Holy Spirit, the Dead, was in charge of the requiem, cremation, sacrifice, and related work for the dead. As for where ghosts usually appeared or where an undead suddenly appeared in an ancient grave in the nearby countryside, it was usually handled by the Funeral Church¡¯s Requiem Soul Masters. Of course, they would also collect the corresponding fees. However, the situation in Thorn City was different. Duke Simon had expressed his determination to suppress the Holy Spirits Church almost from the moment he rejected the coronation of the bishop of the First Order during his nobility ceremony. In his more than 20 years of rule, he had driven almost all the factions of the Holy Spirits Church out of the Blackwater Province. To this day, only two churches in Thorn City were barely maintained. William headed to one of them, the Kane Church, which symbolized the Eighth Holy Spirit. William felt a headache when he thought of this name. Just as one could obtain the authority of Oka or Vera through the King and Rebel ritual, in theory, one could also obtain all the mythical Holy Spirits¡¯ authority other than the Void Sovereigns, through the corresponding mirroring rituals. Of course, the process of mirroring the level of a Holy Spirit was countless times more complicated than mirroring normal local myths. Moreover, the resources required were countless times more terrifying. The Holy Spirits Church had tried this in the past. For this reason, they basically squandered all the wealth the Church had accumulated since the first year of the Platinum Calendar. Later on, they even squeezed out every bit from the secular regime, ultimately causing the Church¡¯s influence to plummet, directly causing the end of the Platinum Calendar Era and the rise of the Seven Nations Era. Then, what was the outcome of paying such a huge price and washing so many resources down the drain? The answer was the appearance of the Seven Calamities. No one could maintain their human personality after being baptized by the prototype powers of creation. The main body of the ritual, the mortals whose brains had burgeoned from the vast Holy Spirit wills, vented their strength crazily. They instinctively wanted to transform the world into something that only symbolized their rules. Currere was built on the delicate balance of the various elementals, and having too much of one would turn harmful. As the power of the Holy Spirits directly affected the rules that built the world, in terms of pure destructive power, the disaster was even more serious than the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion. The Eighth Holy Spirit worship that had appeared in the past thousand years, especially the act of binding the target of worship to a specific individual, was more or less mirroring the actions of the Holy Spirit in William¡¯s eyes. It was the formulation of a myth¡¯s prototype before injecting motivation through personality faith. As well as the main body of the ritual that drove one crazy. At the very least, the holy signs triggered by the Kane Horn incident had proven that the Eighth Holy Spirit was currently active to a certain extent. It wasn¡¯t like the other seven Holy Spirits who had settled into the rules of Currere. As for this active sign, it was currently bound to him. At the very least, half of it was bound to him. He just didn¡¯t know what state Terra Riel was in. From the looks of it, this process could be said to be difficult to reverse. He could only slowly remove this latent danger in the future. However, as the Holy Spirits Church had very strict restrictions on the Eighth Order¡¯s preaching, it was still very far from reaching the calamity back then. However, more importantly, no living person could be the main body exercising the power of the Holy Spirit-if Terra Riel had died of old age as recorded in history. However, there was one now. William pushed open the spotless church door which was meticulously taken care of with a heavy heart. Oh, that woman can¡¯t be here, right¡­ William thought as he pushed open the door. ¡­ ¡°Praise the Hermit, praise the Holy Spirit, Kane. You are the head of the Holy Spirits. Father pioneers the law, Mother breathes life, Elder enlightens us with wisdom, Lady illuminates the heart, Youth provides rewards, Child brings growth, and the Dead promises rest¡­ As for you, the Hermit who stays behind the light of the seven Holy Spirits, you have given us spirituality¡­¡± Nizemar, who had changed into a linen robe, knelt in front of the cracked figurine and prayed softly. The footsteps behind her made her pause for a moment before she continued praying, ¡°You are an indestructible spirit in every living being¡¯s heart, a never-ending desire for freedom, and the first driving force of creation¡­ You are the most benevolent existence among the many Holy Spirits. You have once walked the mortal world twice to save Currere from damnation, and now, you are about to descend for the third time¡­¡± ¡°Alright, stop worshiping. I¡¯ve never been a Holy Spirit.¡± A sudden voice from behind made Nizemar stop. She stood up and looked at the person who called himself William Kane. The person continued to say to her, ¡°I should have already told you that I¡¯ve never been a Holy Spirit. That¡¯s just an identity imposed by later generations to conceal my incompetence.¡± Regarding this, Nizemar replied, ¡°But Holy Spirit Kane has walked the human world twice and saved the Vic Continent. There¡¯s no dispute about this.¡± ¡°I only remember it as once, and I¡¯m also a mortal, just like now.¡± ¡°Mortals aren¡¯t capable of such greatness.¡± ¡°They can, and I¡¯m living proof of it. You were the ones who used your ways to prove the opposite conclusion.¡± As he spoke, he walked to his figurine and carefully studied the artistic image that had evolved over a thousand years. Its appearance couldn¡¯t be said to be identical to his. It could only be said to have an unrelated face with a crack on it. Nizemar followed behind him silently. Some time ago, she had been in an exciting religious experience that could be considered psychedelic-confirming the appearance of the Kane Horn that the Church had been searching for centuries, witnessing an unholy conspiracy that was about to plague the land being stopped by the power of the Holy Spirit, and meeting a person who claimed to be William Kane. This could be said to be the most authentic pilgrimage for any believer. However, after coming into contact with this man who called himself William Kane and was suspected to be the Holy Spirit in the flesh, she began to suspect something. It wasn¡¯t that she doubted the authenticity of the Kane Horn, but that the man was the Holy Spirit in the flesh. This was because she couldn¡¯t figure out why the other party would completely deny his essence as the Eighth Holy Spirit while admitting his identity as William Kane. He tried his best to deny it even though the divinity manifestation was an ironclad fact. Anyone with basic common sense should know that the two were only different names for the same thing. It was impossible to separate them. This doubt had been planted ever since the other party returned from the Holy Sepulchre and she wanted to kneel to the person according to the Eighth Order¡¯s etiquette, but he stopped her with an invisible force. Therefore, she changed into the attire of an ascetic and came to this church to pray for solutions, hoping that the Holy Spirit could point her in the right direction. Unless he isn¡¯t the real William Kane. Looking at the other party¡¯s back, Nizemar thought. The other party was just a magic chanter who was lucky enough to obtain the Kane Horn and disguised himself as William Kane. It was just like the countless fake prophets the Eighth Order¡¯s Seal Temple captured every year. The other party wasn¡¯t willing to claim to be the Eighth Holy Spirit because he was afraid of being punished by the Holy Spirit after seeing it manifest. As soon as this thought appeared, all her doubts seemed to be instantly resolved. Then, a bold thought grew in her heart like weeds. She looked at the ancient horn hanging at the other party¡¯s waist and subconsciously touched the silver rapier at her waist. As long as she figured this out, her instincts as a relic hunter were triggered. ¡°I advise you to abandon that bold idea of yours.¡± the person facing the cracked figurine suddenly spoke. Nizemar instantly froze. Literally. William ignored the petrified believer for the time being. He walked forward and reached out to touch the statue before silently closing his eyes. Then, although it was very weak to him, William felt the Holy Spirit¡¯s blessing on him. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 70 ? 70 Medium Unlike the Void Sovereigns who existed in the Moon Realm, people couldn¡¯t sense where the Seven Holy Spirits were. In William¡¯s era, when Moon Realm faith was at its most rampant, Moon Realm believers often used this to prove that the faith of the Holy Spirits Church was fake. The Holy Spirits they believed in didn¡¯t exist. However, this saying wasn¡¯t accurate because, at the very least, the power of the Holy Spirits was real and would respond to the wishes of their believers. The most typical example was that touching the Holy Spirit Holy Emblem in the church could give one a buff that could last for a long time. This was called the Holy Spirit Blessing, and it was also one of the most direct pieces of evidence to prove the existence of the Holy Spirits. William received a weak strengthening buff by touching this unenchanted statue. This at least proved that the Eighth Holy Spirit existed and wasn¡¯t something fabricated by an Empire¡¯s royal family to flatter themselves. After dispelling himself, William walked over and touched another statue that symbolized Terra Riel. He also received a buff. As a medium, these two statues didn¡¯t seem to be any different. This was half-good news. At the very least, this personalized Eighth Holy Spirit faith wasn¡¯t only bound to him. Of course, from another perspective, half of the instability of the Eighth Holy Spirit was also in the hands of others. If he lost control and became the Eighth Calamity, it would be done in his name. With this in mind, the latent danger was quite huge. William recalled the definition of the Eighth Holy Spirit in-game-the first cause of creation, the invisible hand hidden behind the light of creation of the Seven Holy Spirits. From a structural point of view, the creation model of the Seven Holy Spirits was very perfect. From Father¡¯s first bolt of lightning shattering the complete Creatons in the Realm of Light, stripping away the unresolved possibilities and settling them into the original laws of time and space, the world experienced Mother¡¯s bestowal of life and soul. Elder defined logic and language, Lady gave love and hatred to the heart, and Youth balanced the price and reward of all things. Child provided the possibility of change, and eventually, everything settled into the memories of the ground in the hands of the Dead. A complete model. However, some scholars in the Holy Spirits Church had always been puzzled about why creation happened. In other words, why did these originally infinite Holy Spirits choose to leave the Realm of Light and sink into Currere? An extremely unpopular school proposed a hypothesis-there was a hidden Holy Spirit that wasn¡¯t recorded in any mythological prototype. He was the promoter of creation, and His boredom with eternity and infinity contributed to the birth of this complicated world. This was the only information William remembered about the Eighth Holy Spirit. If it weren¡¯t for the sake of completing all the quests and getting the achievement, he probably wouldn¡¯t have flipped through the manuscript of the Hidden Holy Spirit in a corner of a frustrated scholar¡¯s house and placed it in the Church¡¯s library¡­ Or was it because of the manuscript he returned that caused this mess? Who knew what else he had casually done back would end up causing huge trouble today? William originally wanted to test what would happen if he blew the Kane Horn, but after some thought, he decided not to. He caused such a huge commotion the last time he handed it to Vincent. Since he could already confirm the existence of the Eighth Holy Spirit, it would be interesting if he blew it, immediately completing the mirror ritual and transforming into the eighth Calamity. With this in mind, William dispelled the buff given to him by Terra Riel and walked back to the statue that symbolized him. He pressed the magical medium in his hand against the crack in the statue and activated a Master-level Morph spell, Holy Artifact Repair. A gentle white light flowed into the rift through the magical medium. As the light flashed, the crack disappeared a few seconds later. William put down the magical medium in his hand and touched the intact statue again. Does this count as me worshiping myself? William had the odd thought when he felt the blessing he had given himself again. Then, he looked at the solemn statue with an extraordinary heroic spirit between his brows. Just staring at it made one feel a sense of righteousness. He shook his head silently. He looked too righteous. This was far from the avatar he had created based on a popular game character who had stabbed his father to death back then. At least make it look like him¡­ Just as he was thinking this, a phenomenon happened. William felt that the Holy Spirit blessing he received this time instantly became an invisible connection. It was a connection with this statue. Then, the surface of the statue began to flow on its own like liquid. In less than ten seconds, the statue¡¯s appearance gradually stabilized. The statue held Judgment 2 in one hand without changing, but the horn in the other hand turned into Withering Cold. As for the horn, it hung at the statue¡¯s waist. As for its face, it turned into a man with slightly sunken cheeks and a slightly weathered appearance. In other words, it had changed into William¡¯s current appearance. Be it its appearance or dressing, they were identical. William silently watched what had happened in front of him. He didn¡¯t know what he should do. At this moment, cracking sounds came from behind him. Just as he was about to turn around and check what was going on, a higher perspective naturally appeared in his mind, allowing him to see everything behind him without turning his head. From that perspective, he saw himself standing in place, as well as Nizemar, who was desperately trying to resist the Petrification effect behind him, causing fragments to constantly peel off her joints. It was the perspective of the statue in front of him! Then, more connections began to form-the sounds in his ears, the breaths in the wind¡­ and most importantly-the fluctuations of magic. William felt that although he couldn¡¯t move the statue, he could use the statue as a medium to cast spells remotely through the invisible connection between them. It was also at this moment that William saw fine cracks begin to appear on Nizemar¡¯s joints as the petrification fragments that peeled off grew larger. If she continued moving under Petrification, Nizemar would probably snap her limbs. With a thought, magic power flowed into the stone Withering Cold through the invisible connection between him and the statue. Then, a faint gray aura dissipated from Nizemar¡¯s body before being sucked back by the magical medium in the statue¡¯s hand. The Petrification on Nizemar was removed with this statue as a medium. The cracks that appeared after being petrified instantly turned into ruptured wounds, and dark red blood immediately flowed out. However, she couldn¡¯t care less about the wounds on her body. She threw down the sword at her waist and knelt in front of William. This time, even William didn¡¯t stop her. Now that such a thing had happened, there was no way of explaining himself. It was better to explain it slowly in the future. However, before the other party began to recite the prayers of Kane¡¯s New Testament, William spoke, ¡°I have a quest for you. Bring all the Kane figurines you can find here before this time tomorrow.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 71 ? 71 Experiment Summary William looked at the 40-odd figurines of various sizes around him. After two days and one night of experimentation, he came to a preliminary conclusion. First of all, it had to be a Kane figurine that had been blessed by the Eighth Order before it could be used as a medium to extend his strength. Among the more than 40 different figurines collected, only the Great Sage figurine of the Kane Church, the silver figurine on Nizemar¡¯s pendant, and a small number of figurines that had also cracked from the divinity manifestation met this requirement. The other figurines made by civilians weren¡¯t capable of completing such feats. Even if he tried casting a figurine with the same material afterward, he still couldn¡¯t use it as a medium. According to Nizemar, the way these figurines were blessed had always been an internal secret of the Eighth Order¡¯s Sealing Temple. Even she-as a relic hunter-had no right to know the exact method. Considering the huge number of blessed figurines on the continent, William estimated that the key reason wasn¡¯t the materials but some special craftsmanship. Secondly, the cracked figurines couldn¡¯t be used as a medium for him to extend his strength. Or to put it another way, they seemed to have been ¡°inactivated,¡± and he had to use Holy Artifact Repair to activate them again. However, on the other hand, after William repaired the figurine, destroying it wouldn¡¯t affect its use as a medium unless he completely destroyed it. In that case, the so-called divinity manifestation some time ago was intriguing. Rather than calling it a divinity manifestation, it was more like a protection or self-destruct mechanism. Other than that, it didn¡¯t matter if the figurine looked like William himself as long as there were distinguishable characteristics. Be it the Kane Horn, Judgment 2, or the acute-angled holy emblem, it didn¡¯t matter as long as one could recognize whose figurine it was. It didn¡¯t matter even if it looked nothing like William. Finally, it was the specific activation steps and functions. Activating the figurine as a medium required William to personally touch it. Only after sensing the ¡°blessing¡± from the Eighth Holy Spirit could he establish a connection with the figurine. Once he established a connection, he could attempt to change the appearance of the figurine according to his will, but this change could only be done once. Moreover, it had to retain the characteristics of Holy Spirit Kane. William had tried turning a figurine into a mini version of the Kane Horn, and it didn¡¯t affect its use. Next were the functions he could achieve through this medium. There were two things he summarized. First, he could sense what was happening in real time around the medium. Second, he could use the connection with the statue to remotely cast spells. As for how much power it could carry, it was determined by the material and size of the figurine. The better the affinity of the material to magic and the larger the medium, the more power it could carry. The impact of the materials was greater than the impact of volume. For example, the figurine necklace in Nizemar¡¯s hand that was mixed with Elementium Silver could bear the pressure of William¡¯s Master-level spells. As for the stone statue in Kane Church, it began to tremble and crack violently when it served as a conduit of an Expert-level spell. Of course, this was under the premise that the figurines weren¡¯t damaged. If he overloaded it, he could probably use spells that were of a higher level than their capacity. For example, Nizemar¡¯s necklace was blasted to pieces after William used a Legendary spell. However, that spell was completely cast. William later promised to get her a figurine made of pure Elementium Silver after learning the blessing process. When the poor girl heard this, she fainted with excitement. The other thing was the distance. Distance didn¡¯t affect the medium¡¯s sensing function. During this period, William teleported back to the Grief Mountains. He could still achieve real-time surveillance around Thorn City¡¯s statue without incurring any delay. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the microscopic world of this world probably didn¡¯t pay attention to Planck, William would have sighed and said, ¡°Quantum entanglement.¡± Of course, he knew nothing about quantum mechanics. However, if he cast a spell, excessive distances would cause the magic power to decrease. This was expected. Once magic left the ether domain and entered Currere, it would quickly evaporate and escape back to the Astral World when not restricted by spells or barriers. However, through that invisible connection, magic could easily dissipate halfway. However, the distance between the Grief Mountains and Thorn City required more than ten times the amount of mana William needed for casting a spell. He didn¡¯t know if he could reduce the consumption of mana by placing figurines midway as a base station. In any case, he didn¡¯t have enough Holy Spirit figurines for experiments. Someone knocked on the door. William knew who it was when he heard the respectful knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he stood up and said. The door opened, and Nizemar-who was wearing a linen ascetic robe-walked in. She lowered her head and asked, ¡°Lord¡­ Lord Kane, you were looking for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally willing to change that awkward title,¡± William said in relief when he heard the other party address him normally. Ever since he discovered that the statue in Kane Church could be used as a remote casting medium, Nizemar-who was familiar with the Eighth Order¡¯s matters-had naturally become his assistant in all kinds of experiments. During this period, he also took this opportunity to intentionally or unintentionally explain to the other party the essence of the Holy Spirit faith, the calamity that personalized faith might bring about, and why he wasn¡¯t the Eighth Holy Spirit. Of course, William didn¡¯t expect the other party to completely accept his explanation. After all, even now, he had to admit that the Eighth Holy Spirit was related to him, even if it was a relationship forced by later generations. However, at the very least, he hoped that this fanatical believer would pay attention to his words and actions in the future and not do anything too eye-catching. He didn¡¯t expect the other party to seem to have accepted his words. Be it her form of address or attitude, they were much more normal than before. ¡°Since that¡¯s your will, there must be a reason,¡± Nizemar replied. She had indeed figured it out. This was actually a very simple logic-since the Holy Spirit had descended and said that He wasn¡¯t the Holy Spirit in the flesh, then He wasn¡¯t. The Holy Spirit was always right. If she felt that there was a contradiction, it was because of her shallowness as a mortal. ¡°My will? Ah, whatever¡­¡± William found the other party¡¯s words strange, but he didn¡¯t pursue the matter. Instead, he told her why he had summoned her. ¡°You previously said that the Sealing Temple is in charge of all the figurine blessings. Then, can you tell me where the nearest Sealing Temple is?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 72 ? 72 Magic Network and Calendar of Disasters Although the Blackwater Province was in the warm and humid south, the weather during the Morning Moon still carried a hint of winter. This was even more so for people who left home early in the morning. A palm-sized girl with dragonfly wings sat on the shoulder of a tall black-robed man carrying two swords on his back. She tightly grabbed the cloak draped over the other party¡¯s back and wrapped it around her body. She kept trembling and sneezing from time to time. After the other party sneezed for the umpteenth time, Cass finally couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity and asked, ¡°So faeries can catch a cold as well?¡± The other party rolled her eyes at him before pulling up his cloak as if nothing had happened and wiping her nose. ¡°There¡¯s only one kind of person in this world who doesn¡¯t catch a cold. Guess what it is?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Cass asked. She smiled smugly and was about to answer when the gray-haired magic chanter in a tattered brown robe ahead said, ¡°I never expected to hear such a saying here. Where did you learn that from?¡± ¡°I think I saw it in a children¡¯s comic strip I flipped through in the past¡­ Ah choo!¡± As she spoke, she sneezed again. ¡°A comic strip? Yes, that¡¯s very reasonable¡­ Cass, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. After a faerie is born, she will be vulnerable to the world for some time. They usually recover in a few months.¡± With that said, William turned to look at the worried Cass. ¡°Therefore, I wanted her to rest in the Twilight Fortress for some time, but she insisted on following me¡­¡± Cass said helplessly. ¡°Why? You¡¯re allowed to leave that stripped fortress and have fun, but I¡¯m not allowed to come out too?¡± She widened her golden eyes and interrupted Cass. His gaze and tone were identical. Cass replied with a headache, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯m out on a mission with the Presiding Judge, not to have fun¡­¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s actually no difference, right? However, isn¡¯t your description of the Twilight Fortress a little too much, Liz? That¡¯s dismantling the fortress¡¯s structure and laying down the basic Elementium Silver circuits. It will be further refurbished,¡± William said helplessly as he walked ahead. This was also the reason why he had brought Cass out. This was because the other party¡¯s training in the control of God King Oka had just begun. Previously, he had always gotten the other party to undergo simulation training in the Twilight Fortress¡¯s underground meditation chamber. If anything went out of control, he could suppress the impact using the remaining sealing spells inside. However, the entire Twilight Fortress was about to be renovated and new circuits were laid. The meditation room was temporarily out of commission. Therefore, William brought Cass along with him, planning on teaching him how to control his strength on the way. After all, the effect of learning and training in actual combat was far better than simulation training created through illusions. To his surprise, the newborn faerie insisted on following him. Cass couldn¡¯t dissuade her, so he asked William for his permission uneasily. Such trivial matters had never mattered to William. By the way, Cass originally planned on giving the newborn faerie a new name, but she insisted on calling herself Liz. William didn¡¯t know if this was attributed to the Golden Fog Rose he used from the Treasure Hall. William remembered that the better the flower medium the faeries used when they were reborn, the more memories they could retain from their previous life. Therefore, William flipped through the Treasure Hall and found the flowers that were said to have been used by demigods to hold divine marriage rituals in the Silver Age. As a result, other than the fact that her eyes had turned pure gold after her rebirth, this faerie¡¯s personality, looks, and even memories were almost identical to Liz¡¯s from before. Then, should he treat the other party as the same person under such circumstances? William felt that he should share the concept of the Ship of Theseus with Cass when he had the chance in the future. ¡°So who doesn¡¯t catch a cold?¡± ¡°Hehe, guess~¡± The human and faerie continued bickering behind him. William tactfully didn¡¯t disturb the two of them. ¡°Lord Kane.¡± Nizemar, who had been silent behind William all this time, suddenly spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± William breathed in the humid morning air and asked without turning his head. ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand. Why are you in a hurry to master figurine blessing¡­ Uh, what about craftsmanship? If you go straight to Platinum City or Myriad Feet City and use the figurines there to show your divinity, won¡¯t you be able to announce your return to the world faster?¡± Upon hearing this question, William sighed and replied, ¡°First of all, this idea of yours is still based on the premise that I¡¯m the Eighth Holy Spirit. But I¡¯m not. Believe me, I know what happens when a true Holy Spirit power is used.¡± As he spoke, William recalled his memories of using the incarnations of the Seven Holy Spirits to beat up the three Void Sovereigns in the waning moon ending. He continued, ¡°Then, and most importantly, if I do this, the figurine can only be used as a figurine in the future. The equation of me being equivalent to the Eighth Holy Spirit will be fixed in the hearts of the people.¡± ¡°But shouldn¡¯t a figurine be¡­¡± ¡°Something that can allow people to monitor the surroundings in real-time and can be used as a long-range casting medium, and I¡¯m only using it for preaching?¡± Looking at the confused expression on Nizemar¡¯s face, William pointed at the rice field by the roadside and planned to give her an example. Due to the Year of Starvation, blight spread in the rice fields. More than half of the rice seedlings were sickly gray, and some of them had already withered and collapsed weakly on the ground like dried corpses. ¡°According to the standards of the Astral Laws, you¡¯re a level-7 magic chanter who has studied life spells. Tell me, if I order you to be in charge of slowing the spread of the blight, how much arable land can you tend to?¡± Nizemar looked at the endless rice field and did some mental calculations before replying, ¡°If I¡¯m only responsible for cleansing the blight, considering the recurrence of the epidemic, it¡¯s about a few hundred acres.¡± Dispelling the Plague was considered the most basic life spell. With her level, especially when using this spell on plants, she only needed to consider if her mind would be able to withstand it. The consumption of mana was negligible. What mainly restricted her was transportation, or rather, space-she couldn¡¯t travel to so many places a day to purify the area. ¡°The annual production of a few hundred acres of arable land is at most enough to support a few hundred people, and Thorn City alone has hundreds of thousands of residents. Even if we send out all the magic chanters in the Blackwater Province who study life magic, it will only be a drop in the bucket in the face of the epidemic that has spread throughout the Blackwater Swamp.¡± As William spoke, the magical medium in his hand emitted a circle of green ripples. The sickly gray color on the rice seedlings melted like snow after coming into contact with the green ripples. As the ripples spread, a circle of green seedlings that seemed aqueous appeared where William¡¯s magical medium pointed. However, compared to the endless gray rice fields around them, they were as tiny as emeralds that had fallen on the beach. William continued, ¡°Spells have to rely on the perception of a magic chanter, and the range of spells has a limit. I can¡¯t cast spells on things I can¡¯t sense either. If I want to rely on magic to stop the spread of this plague, I have to cast spells on every acre of land like you. At best, I¡¯ll be more efficient than you. But if I can mass produce those figurines and place one on every field¡­ Do you understand the true use of those figurines now?¡± After discovering that the figurines could be used as a medium, William never thought of using them to show off his divinity or preach. To William, the figurines were sensors and casting nodes that could be used to extend his strength to the greatest extent. Moreover, that might not be all¡­ William thought as he looked at Nizemar¡¯s enlightened expression. If the essence represented by the Eighth Holy Spirit was really as the manuscript of the Hidden Holy Spirit said, and it was an indestructible spirituality in every living being¡¯s heart, since he could obtain a portion of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s authority because of the centuries of faith, it was enough to prove that this authority could be reconstructed by changing the faith. Faith was only a concept of common understanding. It didn¡¯t have to appear in the form of religion, nor did it have to be centered on a few believers. If he could change the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s faith format in the future and make everyone a node of this network, he might be able to bypass the current Astral Circuit form and create a magical network protocol that existed based on consensus. ¡°Lord Kane!¡± Nizemar¡¯s voice pulled William back to reality from his exciting imagination. ¡°What happened?¡± William asked curiously when he saw the other party¡¯s fervent gaze. ¡°The question I posed was too superficial. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so merciful as to be willing to use your figurines to provide relief for the suffering of the living beings in Currere. You¡¯re really¡­¡± Ahh¡­ William didn¡¯t listen to her gush her praises. He only resisted the urge to facepalm. The first obstacle he imagined was probably how to change the minds of people like her. Of course, it was still too early to consider such matters. The greatest use of the figurines was probably to extend his strength in the near, extended future. At the very least, he had to use it to resolve the blight that was spreading in Blackwater Province. ¡°Year of Starvation¡­¡± William gritted his teeth. He had only learned from Vincent not long ago that there was a so-called disaster calendar. Vincent had found William and said that he had sealed Duke Simon¡¯s secret warehouse hidden in the underground palace and asked him what to do with the supplies. After all, that batch of supplies was huge. Just the refined Elementium Silver alone weighed more than 50 tonnes. It was a strategic resource Simon had accumulated for more than 20 years. William finally recalled the reason why he came to Thorn City. He immediately planned on buying 15 tonnes of Elementium Silver. Vincent allocated 20 tonnes to William and said that he didn¡¯t need to fork out a single cent. ¡°That¡¯s not too nice¡­¡± William said embarrassedly as he watched the Rock and Earth Souls transport boxes of Elementium Silver ingots to the Twilight Fortress through a portal. Vincent shook his head and said, ¡°You saved this city and the entire Blackwater Swamp. This bit of Elementium Silver is far from enough as remuneration. Moreover¡­¡± Vincent sighed and said, ¡°Moreover, there¡¯s no point in the Rose Palace having so much money now. Under the Empire¡¯s request, the surrounding provinces have already severed their trade with us, and the Astral Council has completely stopped providing awakening services to the new mages in the Blackwater Province. With our current situation, we can¡¯t export or digest this Elementium Silver internally. It can only be piled up here. If you¡¯re in a hurry to use a large amount of Elementium Silver, it¡¯s better to leave it in your hands. At least they will still be of some use.¡± Finally, William accepted the sum of money under Vincent¡¯s strong insistence. ¡°After all, it¡¯s Thorn City¡¯s property. You¡¯ll compensate a portion of it to the miners when the time comes. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to help me hire some trustworthy enchanters to help process the Elementium Silver into the most basic Demon Sealing runes and magic circuits. By the way, did the Empire do anything other than sever trade and stop the mage¡¯s awakening?¡± William originally thought that the Empire would give him more pressure after such a big hooha. Vincent said solemnly, ¡°This is the Year of Starvation. Just the prohibition of trade is enough to cause us heavy losses. If we can¡¯t trade with Emerald Province, we will be suffering a serious food problem this year.¡± William had an uneasy guess when he heard this word. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Hold on, what Year of Starvation?¡± He learned from Vincent¡¯s subsequent answer that this was a periodic law obtained by the Empire¡¯s astrologers from observing the changes in the stars. There was a cycle every 13 years, and a related disaster might appear on the continent every year. The ruler needed to make the corresponding preparations to reduce the losses caused by the disaster. Year of Death and Blood, Year of Starvation, Year of Absurdity, Year of Mad Power, Year of Conspiracy¡­ War, famine, madness, ambition, chaos¡­ In this world, the changes in the stars could affect the trajectory of a person¡¯s fate. The constellations were a classic example. Children born under a specific constellation might have a special talent in certain aspects. In the game, players were required to choose their constellations when establishing a character. The corresponding constellation would increase the level of a skill. However, these years corresponded to the Void Sovereigns¡¯ domains! Vincent nodded at William¡¯s doubts and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a disaster chronology caused by the combined influence of the Astral World and the Moon Realm on Currere. It¡¯s said that in the past, the 13 Void Sovereigns would affect Currere together, but after the Astral Laws were formulated, only one Void Sovereign will take preside over the year.¡± So you guys think you¡¯ve had it easy, right? William almost blurted out. Back then, that situation only happened because of the Moon Realm rift. After the Moon Realm rift was sealed, the Void Sovereigns could only affect the Vic Continent on Their summoning days. How could there be a Moon Realm rift now¡­ William recalled what he had seen in Thorn City¡¯s Astral Lighthouse. Not only that, but there might also be 24 of them. William finally understood why the Moon Realm rift created by the Astral Lighthouse was in an ownerless area in the Moon Realm. This was because the Void Sovereigns didn¡¯t need to rely on snatching rifts to exert influence on the Vic Continent. Directly invading Currere was inefficient and wasteful. They only needed to wait for the year they presided over to stir up waves to strengthen their domain. This was also why he discovered that the 13 domains had become stronger than a thousand years ago when he observed from the Moon Realm¡¯s vantage point. How could it not be powerful after so many years of disasters? ¡°You said this is the Year of Starvation, right?¡± William asked slowly after hearing Vincent¡¯s reply. The other party nodded. ¡°Then, I want that b*tch on duty this year to lose everything.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 73 ? 73 Sealing Temple The oak door emitted a brass luster after being enhanced by metal-type spells. When hoes, woodcutters, axes, or other tools that weren¡¯t meant for killing knocked on the door, the heavy banging made the scalps of the survivors hiding in the hall tingle. Why was this happening? Should I have chosen to leave back then? Woolt thought to himself as he pressed the magical medium against the door and released Brass Door. However¡­ This is the Sealing Temple¡­ Why has the Holy Spirits Church given up on the Sealing Temple? With this in mind, Woolt realized that his thoughts had crossed the line. He shook his head fiercely and shook off those thoughts he shouldn¡¯t have. The Sealing Temple was an important component of the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s power, or rather, the most important component. Typically, every parish would have two to three branch halls. There were a total of about 30 branch halls distributed in every corner of the continent. The clergy of the Sealing Temple didn¡¯t need to be in charge of preaching, sacramental work, sacrifices, or purification. Their existence was semi-confidential. Most citizens didn¡¯t even know of the Sealing Temple¡¯s existence. As for the Sealing Temple¡¯s duty, it was to ensure that the Church¡¯s teachings weren¡¯t distorted. Of course, this was only what was made public. In essence, the Sealing Temple was a violent mechanism that was rooted in the Church¡¯s authority. It used a less benevolent method to maintain the Church¡¯s authority. In short, they were responsible for interrogating the spreaders of all kinds of heretical theories, collecting intelligence from all over the world, sealing and managing holy relics, and maintaining the large-scale teleportation nexuses. The overlords who held secular power didn¡¯t actually like such an armed force that didn¡¯t heed their orders. Therefore, other than cities like Platinum City or Myriad Feet City that served as the center of faith, most places¡¯ Sealing Temples were only allowed to be built in the countryside or small towns. They typically weren¡¯t too close to the core cities, but of course, they weren¡¯t too far away. For example, the Sealing Temple in charge of all the matters in the northern parish of the Blackwater Province was located in a town called Red Spring Town about 80 kilometers away from Thorn City, the political and economic center of the Blackwater Province. It was built underground under the cover of the Holy Spirits Church in the center of the town. The status it had was akin to an uncrowned king of the entire northern parish of the Blackwater Province. Any work the Holy Spirits Church wanted to carry out in the northern part of the Blackwater Province couldn¡¯t avoid them. It should have been like this¡­ But what was the problem? A loud bang sounded from outside the door. This time, the things outside seemed to have rolled over a very heavy thing before slamming it into the door. With this, even the door that had been reinforced cracked slightly. Millstone? Or something else? ¡°Roy, try activating the communication nexus again. It might just be a temporary malfunction.¡± Feeling the pressure gradually increase, Woolt turned his head and said to the woman who was sitting in a corner and bandaging her wound with a hand and teeth. A chunk of flesh had been ripped off by something. ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for two weeks. It doesn¡¯t take the Church two weeks to rebuild a communications nexus, right?¡± the woman named Roy with bloodless lips said weakly. Then, she gritted her teeth and tightened the bandage. After panting in pain a few times, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s useless. The Church has already given up on this land. Our last chance to leave was half a year ago. If you had chosen to do so back then¡­ Forget it, it¡¯s too late for such words. Instead of counting on the Church to send reinforcements, it¡¯s better to count on the few people who escaped to Thorn City to find the Sage of Scorching Scars to send reinforcements¡­¡± ¡°Try activating the communication nexus again. This time, use my authority to contact the Demon Burial.¡± Woolt ignored the other party¡¯s analysis. Instead, he took off a key with a heptagram relief around his neck and threw it to the woman named Roy. ¡°With such large-scale Lunar Monster activity and such a large-scale spread of heretical faith, it¡¯s impossible for the Holy Spirits Church to ignore it.¡± As Woolt spoke, he increased his mana output, and the brass color on the oak door became richer. The knocking outside the door became much more muffled. Roy took the key and sighed. Unlike Woolt, who had been adopted by the Church since he was young and had a firm faith, Roy had grown up in a slum and had only converted to the Holy Spirits Church to earn a living. She didn¡¯t have any faith in the Holy Spirit deep down, but she was aware about matters to be being used or abandoned. From her point of view, other than the hats they wore being higher, making them look more elegant when eating with knives and forks, there was no essential difference between the leaders of the Church and the hooligan leaders in the downtown area. When hooligan leaders fooled their goons to head to their deaths, they often talked about loyalty and dignity. As for the Church¡¯s higher-ups, they would talk about faith and dedication. Don¡¯t listen to what the other party promises you. Instead, watch what the other party is doing. This was Roy¡¯s standard of determining if a person was reliable. Therefore, in recent years, the Holy Spirits Church had constantly withdrawn the executors of this Sealing Temple, transferred the sealed holy relics, stopped the regular maintenance of defensive nexus, and transferred the imprisoned prisoners¡­ All of this made her very uneasy. This uneasiness reached its peak when the Platinum City Church appointed Woolt as the person-in-charge of the Sealing Temple. Indeed, Woolt¡¯s faith in the Holy Spirit was the most pious here. Perhaps the rest of the people combined weren¡¯t as pious as him. However, as the person-in-charge of the Holy Temple, piousness couldn¡¯t resolve problems, especially problems that needed more pragmatic methods¡­ ¡°The Holy See has explained that the previous arrangements were mainly because of financial problems. They want to prioritize transferring the resources here to the Platinum Province. We need to rely on the Church here to develop ourselves in the future.¡± This was what Woolt told her when he returned from the meeting in Platinum City. ¡°Rely on the Church¡¯s faction in the Blackwater Province that¡¯s already on shaky ground to develop the Sealing Temple? And they let you be in charge?¡± Roy almost laughed out loud. They were clearly leaving the Sealing Temple in the temporary hands of a fool who wouldn¡¯t complain just to keep the lights on. He had been completely abandoned by the Church as an abandoned pawn. That was what she thought back then. However, even she had misjudged the extent of this ¡°abandonment.¡± More than a month ago, the Eighth Order¡¯s relic hunter¡¯s visit reignited her confidence, but that woman didn¡¯t stir up any waves. Then, it was the news of the Undead Tide and the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s manifestation at Thorn City¡¯s graveyard more than two weeks ago. After Woolt reported the information to the Platinum City¡¯s Sealing Temple headquarters, the entire communication nexus lost its effectiveness the next day. Then, they found themselves in the current situation. The Church that worshiped the Lady of Starvation, the Bloated Church. Not long ago, that group of Moon Realm worshipers disguised themselves as merchants and sold bread that had been blessed by the Moon Realm to the residents of Red Spring Town under their noses. Last night, half of the town¡¯s residents turned into bloated walking corpses. Woolt commanded the few clergymen in the Sealing Temple to save a portion of the surviving residents and evacuate them, but this also exposed the temple hidden underground. Hundreds and thousands of walking corpses covered in gorgeous fungi came knocking on their door. All of them were trapped here. Using a key to open the iron door sealed with three magic barriers, Roy walked into the dungeon that smelled of mold. She didn¡¯t head to the communications nexus under Woolt¡¯s instructions; she wasn¡¯t going to waste her time trying to contact the Demon Burial or other Church departments. She wanted to live. Therefore, she came to the Sealing Temple where the heretics were imprisoned. Since the combat strength of the Sealing Temple wasn¡¯t enough, she would replenish it with the prisoners here, even though the prisoners here couldn¡¯t add much to their combat strength. Originally, most of the felons imprisoned here were heretical mages or Moon Realm worshipers, but in the past year, those prisoners had been transferred to other Sealing Temples to be imprisoned. Now, there was only one prisoner left in the entire dungeon. This person claimed to be a prophet and was the spokesperson chosen by a great existence. A few days ago, he had predicted what would happen today, but no one believed him back then. Roy took out a key and knocked on the cell door engraved with various sealing runes. ¡°Your prophecy has been verified. A crisis caused by wheat and corruption has befallen all of us. Why didn¡¯t you just make it clear that the Bloated Church planned on summoning undead walkers in this town? Did you have to speak in riddles with words like ¡®wheat ears devouring humans and sprouts growing from the living¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only in charge of relaying the prophecy. It¡¯s not my mission to interpret it. Moreover, prophecies are like this. Before the event happens, you have countless directions to interpret, and people will always choose the direction they want to believe in.¡± After hearing Roy¡¯s words, a man¡¯s voice sounded and he got closer and closer to the cell door. ¡°And after something unexpected happens, they will think deeply about the other possibilities of the prophecy. Then, they will come to a realization and begin to regret it. Ah, I didn¡¯t heed the prophecy¡¯s arrangements. I misunderstood the meaning of the prophecy¡­ People will only complain that they have misunderstood and won¡¯t blame the prophet.¡± A man with skin as pale as a drowned person appeared at the viewing window at the cell door. His cheeks were thin, and his black hair stuck to his forehead like it had been drenched in oil. ¡°¡­Forget it. I¡¯m not here to discuss your prophetic riddles. There is about a thousand bloated undead surrounding the Sealing Temple¡¯s door. It won¡¯t be long before they break in. Our combat strength is severely lacking. I read your file when flipping through it. You seem to be an Expert-level Viper magic chanter, so you should be proficient in Morph and Metal spells, right?¡± As Roy spoke, she observed the expression on the other party¡¯s face. Unfortunately, the other party¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. Roy continued, ¡°I need you to help reinforce the door and try your best to hold on until Thorn City discovers the problem here and sends reinforcements. Is that fine?¡± The man shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t see what benefits I can gain from helping you.¡± ¡°Then aren¡¯t you worried that that bloated undead will rush in and skin you alive?¡± Roy asked curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m different from ordinary people like you. I won¡¯t die before fulfilling my destiny,¡± the man who called himself a prophet replied. This again¡­ Roy thought helplessly. It was too tiring to communicate with these people who were suffocated by faith. It looked like she was the only person seriously thinking of a way to survive. ¡°Alright, alright. State your conditions quickly,¡± Roy asked; she couldn¡¯t care less now. ¡°I want freedom. Of course, you can¡¯t restrict me. In addition, I want to take something from your Holy Artifact Room,¡± the man said. ¡°The Holy Artifact Room? Almost everything inside has been moved. I can¡¯t guarantee that what you want is still inside,¡± Roy replied. ¡°No, what I want is definitely still inside,¡± the person said with certainty. ¡°Alright then¡­ I¡¯ve already warned you that it might not be there. I¡¯ll open the door and let you out now,¡± Roy said. The other party nodded. As she opened the door, she casually asked, ¡°You just said that you won¡¯t die before completing your destiny. What¡¯s your destiny?¡± The person replied solemnly, ¡°To help my Lord return whole.¡± As expected, another person whose brain is muddled by faith¡­ Roy thought before asking, ¡°So who¡¯s your Lord?¡± With a crack, the cell door opened, and the man crouched and walked out. He was surprisingly tall and his frame looked very large. However, perhaps because he had been in prison for too long, he was thin to the point of being skin and bones. His limbs were as slender as bamboo poles, and he looked like he could topple over from a gust of wind. ¡°I can¡¯t say His name because He is concealed. People who know His existence will be excommunicated once they say His name.¡± Looking at the other party¡¯s serious expression, Roy smiled and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that an exaggeration? I don¡¯t think even the Void Sovereigns are that arrogant, right?¡± The person shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s because the Void Sovereigns constantly want to expand their domains, so They are willing to let the world know of Their existence. As for my Lord, it¡¯s the opposite. Only a few people are destined to hear His mysteries. His existence is destined to be known by only a few¡­ However, it¡¯s fine to tell you that we call ourselves His believers. This is because we usually transform into ominous birds with pitch-black wings on the night of the storm. Therefore, we call ourselves¡­¡± ¡°Crows.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 74 ? 74 Fighting Like a Mortal Joshua held his sister, who wasn¡¯t even ten years old, and stumbled across the fields. There was an extremely hideous bite mark on his right arm, and blood soaked his entire sleeve. The bite mark was very irregular, and it didn¡¯t look like it was an injury made by a creature with sharp teeth like a wild beast. The two of them ran on the seedlings that had turned grayish-white from the blight, raising a wave of dissipating dust along the way. ¡°Brother, are you still bleeding¡­¡± his sister asked worriedly. Joshua had a chunk of flesh bitten off from his arm by the bloated undead that was covered in mycelium and mold about an hour ago while saving his sister from the monster that was no longer the blacksmith they knew. He took the opportunity to stab the red-hot soldering iron in the forging furnace into the monster¡¯s eye socket, igniting its head from the inside. It emitted a crackling sound like ferns burning. Then, he kicked over the furnace and ran out with his frightened sister while the fire spread. The town was filled with miserable screams and sticky moans. Countless bloated undead that was covered in mold and mycelium dragged their feet as they surrounded the surviving residents under the command of a group of strange people in brown-red robes and strange pointed hats. He held his breath and hid in the shadows with his sister. Taking advantage of the fact that the undead had been attracted to the Holy Spirits Church in the center of the town, he slipped out of the field through a tiny trail. ¡°It stopped some time ago. Save some strength and stop talking.¡± As Joshua spoke, he turned his head uneasily and looked at the wound on his right arm. Then, his heart sank. Mycelium that resembled white hair was slowly growing. The exposed flesh on his wound seemed to have turned into fertile soil to nourish them, and greenish-black mold began to spread on the intact skin around the wound. From the moment Joshua was bitten, he began to feel that something was amiss. The pain of being bitten only lasted for a short moment before turning into a strange itch. He felt as if something had spread through the wound into his flesh, taking root, and then growing. Gradually, a strange hunger arose. This made him involuntarily swallow his saliva when he spoke to his sister. Recalling the bloated undead that was covered in mycelium and mold, Joshua gritted his teeth and stopped in his tracks. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong? Is this place safe?¡± His sister, who had suddenly stopped, panted for a while. When her breathing stabilized, she asked curiously, ¡°No, I just suddenly remembered that there¡¯s a Bramble Guards sentry over there. There must be a military doctor there who can treat my wound.¡± As he spoke, he pointed at the other end of the field. The girl instantly beamed when she heard that. ¡°Great, let¡¯s head there now.¡± Joshua shook his head and said, ¡°No, we don¡¯t have time to waste now. We have to quickly go to Thorn City and inform the overlord of what happened in Red Spring Town.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± his sister asked anxiously. Thorn City was more than 70 to 80 kilometers away. It usually took them a while to travel by carriage when buying things in Thorn City. Joshua tried his best to make his expression natural and said, ¡°Therefore, the best solution now is for me to go to that sentry post to treat my wound while you go to Thorn City. This way, we won¡¯t be delayed.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Follow this path and you¡¯ll reach Thorn City. You should still remember the places we¡¯ve gone past before, right? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come looking for you immediately after my wound is treated. Just wait for me at the entrance of the shop where we usually buy iron ingots.¡± Joshua didn¡¯t give the girl a chance to think. He gently patted the girl¡¯s head with his intact hand and smiled at her. The girl hesitated for a long time before finally nodding. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Let¡¯s not delay any further.¡± With that said, Joshua turned around and ran to the other side of the field. His sister looked at his back and hesitated for a while before running along the road in the direction of Thorn City. There was naturally no Bramble Guards sentry in the direction Joshua was talking about. He stopped after running for about a kilometer. He only felt relieved when he turned around and saw that his sister had turned into a black dot on the road. Leaning against the weeds piled up on the ridge, he sat down and heaved a long sigh of relief. The itching sensation had spread throughout his right arm, and a small number of white mycelium had gradually bloomed into gorgeous bacteria crowns. Although he didn¡¯t know when he would become a disgusting undead like the townsfolk, he didn¡¯t know how to stop it. He only planned on having a good rest. Leaning against the soft pile of weeds, Joshua quickly fell asleep. After an unknown period, he was woken up by a sticky sound. ¡°I thought you would run further.¡± The person in a brownish-red robe and a strange pointed hat he had seen in the town stood in front of him. Seeing him wake up, the person grinned with festering sores all over his mouth and revealed a malicious smile. Joshua looked around. There were about 40 to 50 of the undead wandering around, and all the directions he could run in and had been blocked. However, even without these obstacles, there was no need for him to run. He had woken up to find his entire right arm completely festered, and countless fungi grew out of the festering scars. Layers of fungi covered his arm like a shell. However, strangely, he was still very lucid. ¡°How lucky. I never expected to find two hosts who can bear the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Rotten Blessings in such a small town.¡± Host? Him? Joshua thought uneasily. Although he didn¡¯t know what the Lady of Starvation or the Rotten Blessing were, since the other party had surrounded him with so many monsters but didn¡¯t kill him, he definitely wasn¡¯t trying to be merciful. Thankfully, he let his sister leave first. ¡°Come to me, blessed one.¡± With a buzzing that made Joshua¡¯s head spin, an armored man with wings on his back and maggots crawling in his eyes landed beside him. His entire body was wrapped in a constantly squirming sticky biomass armor. A complicated dark-green mark on the monster¡¯s chest constantly flickered as if it were alive. Just looking at the monster made Joshua feel nauseous. ¡°Isn¡¯t it very beautiful? You will also look perfect after receiving the blessing.¡± The person in the red-brown robe squatted beside him and looked at the soon-to-vomit Joshua excitedly. ¡°Abandon your mortal coils and embrace the power of the Moon Realm to completely sublimate your life. You might not be used to it at the beginning, but you will definitely understand how merciful this is in the future¡­¡± As the person spoke, he opened his palm, and an identical complicated dark-green mark appeared in midair. Under Joshua¡¯s shocked gaze, the mark slowly floated to his chest. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Feel this¡­¡± Chi¡­ It was destined that no one knew what he wanted Joshua to feel. This was because the remaining half of his sentence was forever stuck in his throat by a bright silver bolt. ¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of long-range support from here,¡± Nizemar said indifferently to Cass, who was behind her, as an arrow pierced the Bloated Church priest¡¯s throat. Upon hearing this, Cass revealed an extremely odd expression. After all, the last time he heard this voice say this, the other party was a Lunar Monster in Nizemar¡¯s skin. Not long after, it left him with an unforgettable nightmarish memory. Nizemar, who had no memory of this, continued, ¡°In an emergency, I¡¯ll use Storm Gain to increase the power of the next bolt to reinforce you. If¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I can resolve it.¡± Upon hearing those familiar words, Cass hurriedly interrupted her as he drew the sword on his back. Cass glanced at Liz, who was sitting on his shoulder. The faerie consciously jumped down and flew to William¡¯s side with an indignant expression. However, this was the only condition Cass had raised before agreeing to have Liz join him. She had to stay in the safest place when they encountered any battle. ¡°This can be considered as actual combat training. Remember to control the scale of strength to the Master domain.¡± William reminded him. William didn¡¯t plan on taking action. A group of bloated undead and a Blessed would be perfect for Cass to spar with. He could also take a look at the results of his training in the meditation room. Cass nodded and took a step forward with his sword. With a flash of lightning, he instantly appeared dozens of meters away. His movements looked like he was running, but every step he took allowed him to blink dozens of meters ahead. However, after taking seven to eight steps, he appeared beside Joshua. At this moment, the Blessed was raising the flaming saber in his hand and planning on severing the youth¡¯s neck when Judgment 4 in Cass¡¯s hand happened to tear through space and flash in front of the saber. With a clang, Judgment 4 blocked the strike. The Blessed turned its head to Cass, and only then did it seem to realize the other party¡¯s existence. The muscles in Cass¡¯s arm bulged, and thumb-thick lightning crawled up the sword like a snake. The spot where the weapons collided instantly exploded with a bolt of lightning, and the intense blast sent the Blessed flying. Joshua, who had his eyes closed under the blade, felt as if he had heard two claps of thunder. The first sound exploded in his ears, almost deafening him. As for the second sound, it seemed to come from afar with a rumbling echo. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and realized that the surroundings had changed for some reason. The tall swordsman who had blocked the strike was carrying him and turning around to explain something to a man in a brown robe. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord William. The situation was pressing. I didn¡¯t have the time to guide my strength according to your instructions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. A person¡¯s life is more important, but we have to try our best to avoid such situations in the future.¡± The swordsman nodded gratefully and put Joshua down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little fellow. It¡¯s safe now.¡± With that said, he held his sword and took a step, disappearing from where he was again, leaving behind an afterimage that flickered with lightning. Joshua looked in the direction the swordsman had run in and immediately saw the weed pile he had been leaning against a few hundred meters away. Therefore, the two thunderclaps he heard just now were one? That swordsman had instantly brought him here? Before Joshua could figure out how the other party did it, a familiar voice pulled him back to reality. ¡°Brother!¡± Joshua turned around, and his sister threw herself into his arms, her face covered in snot and tears. ¡°Sob¡­ I thought I would never see you again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m here¡­¡± Joshua comforted his sister as he patted her back with his uninjured hand. Nizemar subconsciously frowned when she saw this scene. After hesitating for a moment, she put down the repeating crossbow in her hand, got up, and walked to the siblings. This bit of long-range support from the crossbow wasn¡¯t even dispensable for the nearby battle. ¡°Stop hugging him. Your brother has a serious bloated infestation,¡± Nizemar said coldly. Then, she pulled the girl away from Joshua¡¯s arms. Then, she ignored the girl¡¯s glare and gently chanted an incantation. Her hand lit up with a faint green light from the Hand of Healing. ¡­ ¡°Using human actions to guide the power of authority is the most effective way to resist the mental influence of the mythical echo.¡± Cass flashed with every step as he recalled the words William had taught him during training. As the person grasping God King Oka¡¯s authority, Cass didn¡¯t need to go through the trouble of charging over to fight a monster head-on. He could even stand on the ridge and smite the other party to death with a glance. It was just like how he had instantly carried the youth to a safe spot. He could do such a short-distance blink with a thought. However, William prohibited him from doing so. ¡°To mortals, ideas have to be acted upon to become reality. Even magic chanters have to construct spells to guide magic power to complete miracles. If you¡¯re used to solving problems with a glance and a thought, your mind will subtly resonate with the God King of Blackwater mythology, Oka. You will eventually lose yourself in the authority and gradually lose your personality to transform into a Disaster.¡± ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Cass asked during training. ¡°Fight like a mortal. Fight the way you fought before you obtained the authority,¡± William replied. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Are you asking me to give up on using that power?¡± ¡°Of course not, but you can¡¯t treat this authority as a part of you. Instead, you should treat it as an external force, just like the sword in your hand and the armor on your body. You have to use your actions to guide the authority, not your thoughts. Only then can you truly tame this arrogant power.¡± Authority often required a large number of self-restrictions to ensure that the user didn¡¯t get lost. In the Golden Calendar, such superhumans were known as Pledgers. They would even swear an oath that could result in death to restrain their arrogance. Therefore, he needed to run before using his authority to shorten the process. It was also why he needed to wrap the sword in lightning before using it to meet the enemy. He could reach his goal with a thought. That was the domain of a god. That was too arrogant and boring. Only mortals would learn to take a long detour. With the last step, Cass appeared in front of the Blessed in a flash. Lightning coiled around Judgment 4 in his hand as he stabbed at the other party¡¯s throat. As for the other party, it opened its mouth, releasing countless flies, as if it had expected it. From afar, it looked like it had spewed out a thick black fog that buzzed. Cass was instantly drowned in the endless black fog. Not far away, Liz, who had been watching the battle, exclaimed. Then, she looked nervously at William. William sighed. ¡°Tsk, he still can¡¯t control it?¡± Just as he said that, a few silver lightning bolts vaguely appeared in the black fog of flies. Then, they became more and more dazzling until they reached a point that forced one to look away. The dancing flies were instantly reduced to dust by the dazzling lightning. Then, the Blessed turned into a charred skeleton as the lightning danced. The lightning extended into a dense lightning net and spread out. The dozens of bloated undead around him fell to the ground, charred. After the lightning net dissipated, Cass was left standing alone. All around him was scorched earth. The sword in his hand was stabbed into the ground. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 75 ? 75 Storm Contract The Joshua siblings looked at the scorched earth in shock. They knew that there were people in this world capable of magical powers. They had even seen them before. A few years ago, when there were bandits near Red Spring Town, the mayor had raised money to hire a magic chanter who could ignite flames out of thin air. After the bandits charged into the town, the magic chanter they had hired at a high price turned the invading bandits into charred corpses single-handedly. Joshua still remembered the deafening explosions and flames dancing everywhere that night, as well as the mess after the battle. However, compared to the scene he was seeing now, the ¡®monumental scene¡¯ he thought of back then was as laughable as a child playing house. ¡°Amazing. He¡¯s just like the hero of the Doomsday Watchers in the stories¡­¡± Joshua couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself. He didn¡¯t have a clear concept of magic, so he could only compare it to the legendary stories he had heard from the bards. William, who was standing behind him, curled his lips but didn¡¯t say anything. After the last mighty strike, Cass first stood rooted to the ground in confusion for a while before sighing and pulling out his sword before rushing back. He walked straight to William and didn¡¯t even notice the two children¡¯s fervent and adoring gazes. He apologized and said, ¡°Sorry, William. I subconsciously¡­¡± ¡°You failed that round. Your last strike has probably reached the strength of a Legendary, right? Do you feel that your mind has been affected?¡± Cass shook his head, indicating that he was fine. ¡°Then how do you usually address me?¡± William asked calmly. Cass¡¯s expression froze. ¡°No, Presiding Judge, I just¡­¡± Cass¡¯s expression kept changing. He originally planned on explaining himself, but he finally sighed and admitted it. ¡°Do you understand now? Sometimes, it¡¯s difficult for even you to realize the influence. Remember, before you completely control this power, you have to control the scale of the power. Obtaining any power comes at a price. Since you¡¯ve stepped into a realm that others might not be able to reach after decades of bitter cultivation, you have to face a backlash that others won¡¯t encounter.¡± William patted the other party¡¯s shoulder. People from the Bronze Age reminisced about the visages of myths and discovered shadows that could turn themselves into myths through ceremonial magic, starting the Demigod Age. People from the Golden Age learned to restrain their strength through oaths and subsequently entered the Hero Age. In the Platinum Calendar, mages and scholars further dismantled the mysteries of the authority in myths and created modern magical theory, entering the Mortal Age. It looked like the inheritance of strength was disappearing bit by bit, but in fact, people were slowly escaping the influence of the past and creating a path that belonged to them. At the same time, more and more mortals could come into contact with the mysteries of the world, and not all powers were in the hands of a few. Humans had also progressed step by step from the Bronze Age of the blood-thirsty tribes to the point where they could build an empire that spanned the entire continent. Of course, many things had been reverted in the past thousand years. With this in mind, William said to Cass, ¡°Let¡¯s go. According to them, that town has already been occupied by the Bloated Church. You still have a chance to practice in the future, but you have to get used to it quickly. It won¡¯t be a small matter like this.¡± William felt that he had to hurry up and make arrangements. Previously, they had ruined the three Void Sovereigns¡¯ decade-long plan in the Holy Sepulchre. With Their characters, revenge was a given. It had only been less than two weeks, but such a large Moon Realm parish had already appeared. The Bloated Church was Camilla¡¯s parish that would spread with hunger. People tortured by hunger could become forgetful and hungry under the Lady of Starvation¡¯s ¡°blessing.¡± Of course, the so-called symptoms meant them becoming bloated zombies that ate anything. This was only a prelude and a sign. Since it was the Lady of Starvation¡¯s turn this year, She would definitely increase Her efforts in the Blackwater Swamp. The worst William could do was make good use of the Moon Realm rift to invade. With the current military strength of the Blackwater Swamp, it would be an understatement to call it worrisome when facing an invasion¡­ It probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to withstand the small-scale invasion that happened thousand years ago. As for counting on the Empire¡¯s help¡­ After William found out about the so-called disaster chronology, he even felt that he had to prepare for the entire Empire¡¯s upper echelons to defect to the enemy. The most important thing now was to repair the Moon Realm anchoring function of the Twilight Fortress. He also had to quickly build a magic network based on the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s faith. Otherwise, even if he transformed into a fire rescue team and ran around 24 hours a day, he wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with the invasion of the entire Blackwater Swamp. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Sealing Temple first.¡± ¡­ Platinum Palace, the empress¡¯s bedroom. After reviewing another dossier, Erin, who felt a little tired, covered her mouth and coughed lightly. Perhaps it was because she was too thin from being sick all year round, even her cough sounded ethereal. At this moment, Erin¡¯s aura was far from the dignified Ominous Empress who usually sat on the throne wearing a Bronze crown. It was more like a woman her age. When the maidservant behind her heard the cough, she hurriedly picked up the coat hanging at the side and planned on draping it over the empress, but she raised her hand to stop her. ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Morning Moon weather hasn¡¯t warmed up. It¡¯s better to keep warm. After all, your body determines the well-being of the Empire¡¯s ten million citizens.¡± A deep voice sounded from behind. Erin turned her head and happened to see the Empire¡¯s Prime Minister, York, push open the door with a smile and walk in. She seemed to have expected the other party; she asked, ¡°Any news?¡± The other party nodded slightly. Upon seeing this, Erin first gestured for the maids behind her to leave. After they left, she slowly asked, ¡°What was the other party¡¯s answer?¡± ¡°She wants us to give it a try. She also wants to see if the storm in the Shattered Sea will really stop because of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s anger. It won¡¯t budge,¡± York replied. Erin nodded and said, ¡°I long expected such an answer. I¡¯ll immediately draft a decree to inform the Second Legion to continue making preparations.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, forgive me for being blunt. Isn¡¯t it a little rushed to decide on an attack of Ava State, especially if we can¡¯t calm the storm?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t delay any longer¡­¡± As Erin spoke, she stood up. ¡°If we can¡¯t control Ava State before the Valley Moon, do you know how many people will starve to death in Emerald Province to complete this year¡¯s wine trade agreement with the Damon Continent¡¯s tribal alliance?¡± As she spoke, she walked to the window and looked at the scenery outside Platinum Palace before continuing, ¡°As for the Shattered Sea storm, you don¡¯t have to worry. It will soon cease.¡± Regarding this, Prime Minister York asked in confusion, ¡°Why? It¡¯s said that the storm was an ancient contract signed by Ava State¡¯s Shadow Queen and a Moon Realm Overlord. As long as she remains in power, the storm in the Shattered Sea won¡¯t stop for a day.¡± Empress Erin didn¡¯t answer. York didn¡¯t plan on asking further after waiting for a moment because there was nothing else to report. He bowed and planned on leaving. However, before he left, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Your Majesty, if you really control Ava State, will the Blackwater Province also¡­¡± Erin cut him off. ¡°The Blackwater Province is different. It¡¯s a promised land chosen by the Astral Laws. We have no right to interfere.¡± With that said, she closed her eyes. ¡°Therefore, I can only hope that the Holy Spirits will bless the fate of the Blackwater Province.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 76 ? 76 Crow Feather Prophet and Holy Spirit Disc ¡°Roy, I gave you the key to activate the communication nexus. Why did you¡­¡± Woolt watched in shock as Roy brought out the prisoner from the dungeon. ¡°I want to live; I don¡¯t want to waste precious time doing meaningless things,¡± Roy replied coldly. The tall but thin pale man followed behind Roy. After hearing Woolt¡¯s words, he bent down and bowed politely to Woolt with a mocking smile. Woolt noticed a silver disk filled with complicated religious patterns under the person¡¯s arm. ¡°You removed the Holy Spirit Disc and gave it to him?¡± Woolt exclaimed in surprise and anger. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he still had to maintain Brass Door on the oak door, Woolt would have taken action to snatch the holy relic blessed by the Eighth Holy Spirit from the prisoner. ¡°Do you know what this means? You removed it and handed it to a heretical imprisoned in the dungeon. Do you know¡­¡± ¡°I only know that if this door is cracked open now, this thing will be nothing,¡± Roy said before turning to look at the prisoner. ¡°I¡¯ve given you what you wanted. It¡¯s your turn to fulfill your promise.¡± But the pale man shook his head when he heard Roy¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t help Woolt reinforce the door as Roy had expected. Instead, his eyes suddenly rolled back and he said, ¡°It¡¯s meaningless. That door won¡¯t last long.¡± With that said, the eyeball in his eye sockets rotated 180 degrees and flipped out a pair of pupils hidden behind the eyeball-a pair of round and deep amber pupils like a crow. Roy was so frightened by this sudden change that she took two steps back and gripped the sword at her waist tightly. ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t human?¡± Roy asked nervously. She had never heard of non-human races being imprisoned in this dungeon. ¡°What you should be concerned about now is that the door won¡¯t be able to hold on much longer,¡± the man who called himself the Prophet repeated patiently. Door? Roy subconsciously looked at the door. Bang! It was also at this moment that a muffled collision sounded from outside the door, as if a huge palm had slapped the door. Although it didn¡¯t shake the door, the impact was even heavier than before. The entire door trembled, scattering the dust on the door frame. Woolt didn¡¯t dare to be negligent and maximized his mana output. The brass color on the door was so rich that it almost materialized. Under the enhancement of Metal-type magic, the oak door seemed to have turned into a true brass door. Woolt held his breath and waited for the next strike. However, it didn¡¯t strike again. This was because the oak door had begun to decay. A few grayish-black mold spots first appeared on the spot where it had been struck. Then, the mold quickly spread across the door like ink dripping onto parchment before gradually growing into a gorgeous fungus. A fresh smell of putridness spread through the door. The wooden fibers on the door rotted under the corrosion of the constantly growing fungus, and the door disintegrated bit by bit. Woolt could sense that the door was gradually weakening. It was useless even if he constantly used mana to repair it. ¡°Duck.¡± A voice sounded from behind Woolt. Before he could react to what he was ducking, a fist covered in rotten sores and fungi punched through the already fragile door, causing wood fragments and sticky fungi to fly everywhere. Woolt, who took the punch straight on, only heard the sound of something shattering. Then, he felt his chest tighten. Everything in his line of sight began to fly backward, and the wind whistled in his ears. Finally, with a bang, he spat out a mouthful of black blood and stopped breathing. Outside the door, a tall and muscular giant covered in rotten sores and fungi shook his hand after sending the door and Woolt flying with a punch. Then, he bent down and entered the Sealing Temple. Countless tiny eyes squirmed on its head, and those eyes constantly appeared and exploded like bubbles before merging and separating. Just seeing this monster¡¯s strange and disgusting appearance made the survivors in the Holy Temple scream in despair. ¡°What a pity. I should have warned him a few seconds earlier.¡± Amidst countless screams, the pale man with crow eyes watched as Woolt¡¯s spine deformed into a V shape. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Roy looked at the monster and asked. This sentence wasn¡¯t so much a question; it was akin to an exclamation similar to ¡®By the Holy Spirit.¡¯ ¡°Lunar Monster, Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon.¡± However, the pale man answered her question seriously. ¡°A Lunar Monster that symbolizes the signs of corruption. Its eyes can see through everything in the vicinity where corruption is possible and can allow corruption to grow in advance. It¡¯s considered a high-level Lunar Monster under the Lady of Starvation. As for the other party¡¯s strength, if it¡¯s converted to the standard for evaluating magic chanters, it¡¯s probably between the beginner and intermediate Master levels?¡± He didn¡¯t seem worried at all when the monster crouched down and slowly walked in. He even had the mood to explain to Roy the other party¡¯s strength. Roy turned to look at the person and asked, ¡°So, can you deal with it?¡± She didn¡¯t choose to escape deeper into the temple like the surrounding survivors because she knew that it was a dead end below. Instead of running down and hiding in a dark corner while trembling and waiting for death, it was better to fight for a chance of survival here. Roy, who had never believed in fate, placed her last hope of survival on this inhuman ¡®prophet.¡¯ He had claimed that he wouldn¡¯t die before his destiny was fulfilled. And now, he could still speak unfazed in front of the Lunar Monster that could match a Master-level magic chanter. Presumably, the ¡®destiny¡¯ he was talking about wouldn¡¯t be having his spine shattered by a punch from this Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon, right? However, the other party shook his head and said, ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m only an ordinary Crow Feather Prophet now. Other than being able to temporarily see the future, my strength is only at the level of an Expert magic chanter. Against a muscular adversary like it, I¡¯ll probably be reduced to meat paste in a few rounds, right? Hahahaha.¡± His laughter finally turned into a strange cry. Roy asked in despair, ¡°So, is your destiny really to be beaten to death by this monster?¡± The person smiled and said, ¡°Do you know why I took out this Holy Spirit Disc?¡± The monster was less than ten meters away from them. With the other party¡¯s height, it meant only two to three steps. Before Roy could ask why, the person raised the disc high. A beam of light shot out from the disc and passed through the giant, the bloated undead staggering outside the door, and into the distance. ¡°I can¡¯t defeat it, but those who can are on their way here.¡± His eyes flickered slightly as countless fragments of the future appeared in his vision. Just as he finished speaking, a knight¡¯s sword wrapped in lightning flew along the ray of light. It flickered a few times in space before piercing through the Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon¡¯s body and stabbing out of its chest. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 77 ? 77 Substitute and Congratulations Under William¡¯s urging, Cass ran along the light. Along the way, he constantly calmed the anxiety in his heart and suppressed the tyranny that would overwhelm him if he wasn¡¯t careful. He imagined that he was still a mercenary of the Bramble Mercenaries and was only carrying out missions as usual. He passed through the bloated undead that surrounded the church like a ghost. After cleaving apart the barricade in front of him, he finally saw the source of the light. However, he realized that it might be too late to save the two people at the monster¡¯s feet-if he ran over normally. Unless¡­ An impatient sense of urgency swept across his back like an electric current. Bear with it¡­ What would he have done in the past? What would he have done in the past to save people the sword couldn¡¯t reach? In a flash, he threw the sword in his hand in the direction of the light. The spinning sword tip tore through space, drawing out lightning. This strike flickered and blinked many times in space, and in the blink of an eye, it pierced through the giant¡¯s back and sank deep into its body. Roar! Thorn-like lightning patterns instantly crawled up the giant¡¯s body, and the rotten sores and fungi growing on its body constantly collapsed like fragments under the flashes of lightning. It roared and turned around. Countless tiny eyes on its face looked past the damaged door at Cass. The strike he threw wasn¡¯t enough to kill the Lady of Starvation spawn who was famous for its tenacious vitality. After the lightning wrapped around the sword was exhausted, the porcelain-like wounds on its body immediately began to ooze with new corruption. Its fine flesh and blood constantly squirmed to repair the wound. Other than the wound caused by Judgment 4, there was no chance of self-healing from the wound that had destroyed the Moon Realm essence at a deeper level. However, the sword remained stuck in the other party. The monster roared and punched the ground, and a rotten aura seeped into it. Before Cass could react, the ground under his feet sank like a swamp. The black rot buried in the ground quickly spread along his calves and onto his body. Furthermore, with every inch it crawled up, a portion of it immediately condensed into a hard shell. In less than the time it took a breath, the rot stacked up and imprisoned him in place. As for the bloated undead that he had ignored during his haste to rush over, they surrounded him tightly after he was imprisoned. Upon seeing this, Cass silently took off the black iron sword on his back and twisted the mechanism on the hilt, causing the runes on it to clamp in place. The Presiding Judge had wiped away the spell named Breaking Dawn on the sword and helped him engrave a Fire-element rune spell on it. ¡°There are specialties in every field. My attainments in enchantment can¡¯t compare to Enchanter Sibylla of the Judges in the past. I can only say that it¡¯s still passably usable. However, I engraved this spell for you only to give you some inspiration. Remember to give it a try in actual combat if you have the chance next time. I¡¯ve fought authority holders from the Damon Continent in the past, and they left a deep impression on me regarding the development of authority. Now that I think of it, it seems to be a little similar to this spell, so give it a try¡­¡± This was what the Presiding Judge said when he returned the sword to him. The Presiding Judge didn¡¯t specify what he was to try. He only vaguely said that it was just a guess. The moment the spell was activated, a scorching heat came from the sword, and dancing sparks suddenly appeared in the surrounding air. Cass¡¯s surroundings turned into a fiery red flame, and the rotten outer shell that spread to his legs was instantly ignited and exploded. Then, all the bloated undead around him were ignited one by one, emitting a crackling sound. It was as if they had spontaneously combusted. Cass-who didn¡¯t know the specific effects of this spell-tried to swing his sword horizontally. In addition to the few bloated undead within the reach of the sword, dozens of bloated undead blocking him from the shattered door were sliced into two by the sword. Then, the halved bodies of the undead were ignited with the temple door. A flaming sword-shaped phantom swung out with his strike. He looked up. It wasn¡¯t just a sword phantom. At this moment, a three to four-meter-tall Fire Giant phantom appeared behind him. Its entire body was wrapped in molten dark-red armor, and bright red magma flowed through the cracks between its armor. The flaming sword phantom was held in its hand. With a strike, all the obstacles in front of him were purified by the flames. Was this the level of enchantment that was considered passably usable? Although he was mentally prepared, this powerful strength left Cass secretly speechless. The Presiding Judge¡¯s definition of ¡®usable¡¯ was probably far from that of ordinary people. Upon hearing the staggering footsteps of the undead behind him, Cass turned around and swung his sword. The Fire Giant phantom behind him also turned around and struck in unison. The undead behind him was also sliced in half by the sword. ¡°I see. Is this how it¡¯s used¡­¡± Seeing the Flame Giant phantom move in sync with him, Cass suddenly seemed to understand what the Presiding Judge meant. The festering monster had already crawled out of the temple. With every step it took, the rot in the ground grew crazily around it. Then, it crawled to its body and condensed layer by layer, finally forming an armor that resembled a blood scab. After two strikes, the little magic power in the huge sword was exhausted by this spell, and the Fire Giant phantom behind Cass gradually dissipated. He fixed the black iron heavy sword behind him again and beckoned with one hand. Judgment 4, which had stabbed into the Lunar Monster¡¯s chest, pierced out of its chest and flew back into his hand. This was Judgment 4¡¯s ability. As a sword that symbolized absolute loyalty, the sword could return to his hand at any time as long as its master required its services. According to the Presiding Judge, this was apparently called ¡®knights don¡¯t die bare-handed¡¯. The Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon-who had its chest penetrated-exploded with a roar mixed with pain and anger. The constantly squirming eyes on its head spun and gathered into a huge single eye. Then, its pupils dissipated into stars. Its single eye projected a lake that reflected countless stars. Images of the end of all things constantly appeared on the lake. A pale and slender hand suddenly reached out of the lake and picked up a rusty knight¡¯s sword. As for the Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon, it reached into its single eye and pulled out the sword. The moment the rusty sword appeared, a dark-red aura began to spread, and a pungent smell of rust spread over. The crackling flames on the surrounding bloated undead weakened after coming into contact with the dark-red aura. They struggled a few times before extinguishing, leaving behind dark-red embers. Even the flames that symbolized destruction weakened under the sword¡¯s aura. After pulling out the sword, the Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon roared at the sky. It first jogged slowly before gradually increasing its speed. It raised the knight¡¯s sword in its hand and stabbed at the abnormally tiny swordsman in front of it. The dark-red rusty aura surged out with the strike, as if it wanted to corrode his bones. However, the strike stopped when it was five to six meters away from the other party. A knight¡¯s sword that was four to five meters long and purely made of bright silver lightning blocked it out of thin air. Cass only stood on the spot and made a slashing motion. As he did so, the lightning sword that looked identical to Judgment 4 swung at the same time, stopping the other party. Behind Cass, a blurry phantom held the Sword of Lightning and did the same strike as him. Not far away, William looked at the phantom behind Cass and muttered in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the idea of a substitute to work?¡± ¡­ Roy looked at the man who had summoned a blurry phantom to fight the Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon and finally heaved a sigh of relief. The dark-red rusty aura constantly collided and entangled with the silver-white lightning, producing intense explosions from time to time and causing the ground to tremble. In her experience, the man had the upper hand. The monster was constantly retreating under the other party¡¯s continuous attacks. I survived¡­ With this in mind, Roy turned to look at the pale-skinned crow-eyed man beside her. She still didn¡¯t understand what was going on. How did that person summon such powerful reinforcements just by raising the Holy Spirit Disc? Was it because the Holy Spirits Church hadn¡¯t completely abandoned them? Or was it the reinforcements sent by Vincent from Thorn City, who claimed to be the First Citizen? From the clothes of the reinforcement and his skilled swordsmanship, the other party didn¡¯t seem to be a true magic chanter. Could it be a Spellblade? However, she had never heard of a Spellblade capable of such an attack. She planned on asking the prophet at the side about the situation, but when she turned her head, she realized that he wasn¡¯t looking at the intense battle not far away. His gaze crossed the battlefield where the dark-red aura was entangled with the bright silver lightning and looked at a few blurry figures in the distance. ¡°He¡¯s here. The destined savior, the person who brought us hope; he¡¯s back.¡± The prophet no longer had his calm expression from before. His entire body was trembling as he spoke in an excited tone. Roy curiously traced his gaze. Previously, she thought that those humanoids were just bloated undead wandering not far away, but when she narrowed her eyes and observed, she realized that they were normal people slowly walking over. The leader was a man in a tattered brown robe. He held the hands of two children, and behind him was a tall blond woman. Huh? Roy found the woman familiar. When they got closer, she realized why she found the other party very familiar. Wasn¡¯t that woman the Silver Blood Daughter, Nizemar, who had come to their Sealing Temple more than two months ago and asked them to cooperate by providing her with intelligence? Could this really be reinforcements sent by the Holy Spirits Church? Roy subconsciously looked at Woolt, whose spine had been spanned into an inverted V. Was she wrong? The Church didn¡¯t give up on them? Was the man wielding the magic sword one of the legendary Church¡¯s strongest trump cards, the Demon Burial? This might was indeed somewhat similar to the legendary Demon Burial Paladin. Before Roy could ask, the crow-eyed man beside her replied, ¡°No, they¡¯re not from the Holy Spirits Church.¡± He also looked at Woolt, who was no longer breathing, and shook his head regretfully. ¡°Poor Woolt. Even before his death, he refused to believe that he had been abandoned by the Holy Spirits Church. The Church won¡¯t come here to save you. They¡¯re cowardly and incompetent. They only dare to curl up in safety, cover their eyes, and convince themselves that the impending crisis doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Then who are they?¡± Roy asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that?¡± ¡°The destined savior?¡± Roy didn¡¯t find it a very convincing answer, especially since there was a relic hunter among them. ¡°Or let me put it another way. A name you¡¯ve definitely heard of-Doomsday Watchers,¡± the man said as if he was declaring something. Roy wasn¡¯t sure if the other party was joking with her, but if this was a joke, the other party lacked a sense of humor. ¡°You mean the one from a thousand years ago?¡± Roy probed. The person nodded. ¡°But didn¡¯t the Doomsday Watchers disband after the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s first ascension?¡± There was no record of William Kane¡¯s death in history. In the Riel Empire¡¯s official history books, the day William Kane disappeared was set as the first Ascension Day. The crow-eyed man laughed. ¡°Therefore, as long as he returns, the Doomsday Watchers will return.¡± Recalling the sudden divinity manifestation of the figurines not long ago, Roy seemed to have guessed whom the other party was referring to. Chi! Clang! Not far away, the sword made of lightning severed the hands of the Hundred-Eyed Rotten Demon, and the rusty knight¡¯s sword in its hand fell to the ground. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the phantom behind the Spellblade suddenly swung his sword and beheaded the monster. The moment the monster¡¯s head fell to the ground, the person dispelled the phantom behind him. Then, he blinked in front of the head and stabbed into the monster¡¯s eye. The monster stopped moving after letting out a dying roar. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ the Eighth Holy Spirit has descended?¡± Roy asked in disbelief as she watched the Spellblade cleanly finish the monster that would throw ordinary Master-level magic chanters into a bitter battle. The person didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he quietly watched the gray-haired man walk towards him. When the other party was less than five meters away from him, he knelt on one knee and held the Holy Spirit Disc up to him. ¡°According to the Crows¡¯ prophecy, I present the Holy Spirit Disc to congratulate you on your return and the return of Judgment. Presiding Judge, Your Excellency William Kane.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 78 ? 78 Crowmen and Silence ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± William looked at the person kneeling in front of him and asked. ¡°As a member of the Crows, I don¡¯t have a name. I can only call myself the Crow Feather Prophet.¡± William frowned slightly and continued asking, ¡°How did you know I would be here?¡± ¡°My lord predicted your return and ordered me to welcome you here as well as congratulate you,¡± the other party continued respectfully. This was the first human William met who knew his identity after transmigrating. Or rather¡­ someone inhuman? ¡°You¡¯re a Crowman?¡± William looked at his crow-like round and deep amber eyes and asked. ¡°Yes, Presiding Judge,¡± the other party maintained his previous posture and replied. ¡°But I remember that the Crowmen were killed in that purification a thousand years ago.¡± Crowmen weren¡¯t like humans or elves. They were intelligent creatures that originally existed in Currere. They were the product of a curse. It was said that the Crowmen first appeared in the 20th year of the Platinum Calendar not long after the creation model of the Seven Holy Spirits was proposed. Back then, there was a group of scholars who had set a grand goal of understanding the essence of the Moon Realm. They firmly believed that the Moon Realm wasn¡¯t a direct product of the creation of the Seven Holy Spirits, but a more complicated formation principle. Moreover, they believed that this path could bring them true eternal life. For this reason, they began a lot of research on the Moon Realm and went far enough down the rabbit hole. It was so far that it angered the three Void Sovereigns. The Whispering Empress, the Lord of the Dark Tide, and the Pale Poet. The three Void Sovereigns gave them eternal life. At the same time, They cursed them. The Whispering Empress made the threads of the conspiracy forever connect to their eyes. They could deduce countless cruel fragments of the future because of this, and the countless tragic possibilities would torment them forever. The Lord of the Dark Tide tore through their original souls and sewed blood and shadows on them, causing their emotions to constantly switch between bloodthirsty madness and depression. As for the Pale Poet, he gave them a physique that constantly brought bad luck to them and their surroundings as long as they existed in the world. From then on, misfortune and calamity would always accompany them. These three curses complemented each other. Extreme emotions made them anxious to change the terrifying future they saw, but the bad luck that surrounded them always pushed the future toward an even more miserable state. This cycle repeated. Despite obtaining eternal life, they had to endure eternal torture. Most of them broke down and degenerated into monsters before being killed. A small number learned how to control their minds and not be driven mad from the torment. They survived and even learned how to use the power of the curse for their use. These people were the Crowmen of the future, a hidden group that could see the future uncontrollably. They could use shadows, blood, and their rage as weapons and bring misfortune to their surroundings. They were considered bizarre and ominous symbols on the continent and were even categorized as Lunar Monsters. On the eve of the Moon Realm¡¯s first full-scale invasion a thousand years ago, the seven kingdoms, with the support of the Holy Spirits Church, launched a cleansing campaign across the continent against the Moon Realm curse to eliminate the latent dangers in Currere. The Crowmen were declared completely extinct in this purge. Except for one person¡­ ¡°Yes, Presiding Judge, but as you know, a Crowman escaped that purge,¡± the Crow Feather Prophet replied. William naturally knew. Coles Jackdaw, the last Judge, and the last Crowman. William did not doubt that Coles was the last Crowman in the true sense of the word. After all, he had the label ¡®The Last Crowman¡¯ on his character stats. ¡°Yes, but that person isn¡¯t you. What¡¯s your relationship with him?¡± William asked solemnly. Crowmen were unable to produce offspring. Their only legacy was that they could transfer their curse to another volunteer before they died. However, it could not be the Crowman in front of him. This was because if he could luckily survive Coles¡¯s powerful curse, his strength wouldn¡¯t be at this level. ¡°That lord scattered his curse and left behind his legacy. We are newborn Crowmen who have inherited his legacy,¡± the Crowman replied. William continued asking, ¡°So the person who predicted my arrival is Coles Jackdaw?¡± The person didn¡¯t reply and continued maintaining his respectful posture. The expression on his face seemed to be saying-I can¡¯t say. William noticed that the other party had mentioned the name Crows. William had some understanding of this secret organization. Previously, he had moved a large cabinet from the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s archives in Thorn City. As for the self-destruct restriction engraved on the cabinet, William returned to the Twilight Fortress and used the tools in the underground enchantment room to crack it after settling the matters in the Holy Sepulchre. Most of the documents were information about the many Churches engaging in Moon Realm worship north of the Blackwater Province-including the secret societies that secretly preached in the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall and Offa University. The details gave William a new understanding of the Astral Council¡¯s intelligence-gathering ability. According to Vincent, Duke Simon had a secret agreement with the tower guardian back then. All evidence of Moon Realm worship in the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall had to be destroyed. However, from the looks of it, that old fellow didn¡¯t keep his word. Instead, he kept a trump card. It was unknown if he was planning on using it when things turned sour in the future. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t expect Simon to not be a kind one. Perhaps he had expected it, but he didn¡¯t expect the other party to turn on him that quickly and be more ruthless. Therefore, he didn¡¯t manage to wait till the day this information could be used. The information contained a report about a Moon Realm worship organization-the Crows. It drew William¡¯s attention. This was because the word that appeared the most in that report was ¡°unknown.¡± Specific worship target: Unknown; goal of the activity: Unknown; Organization structure:Unknown; Group size: Unknown¡­ Other than confirming that the other party¡¯s worship target wasn¡¯t any Void Sovereign and that every member who joined had to swear an oath called Silence, there was no other valuable information in this document. As for the oath called Silence¡­ According to the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s records, they had once captured a peripheral member of the Crows and interrogated him to reveal the identity of the person they idolized. However, the other party said that he had already sworn an oath of Silence and couldn¡¯t say anything about his master. Out of solutions, the tower guardian personally used the Commandment of the Dead, hoping to dig out some information from the other party¡¯s dead spirit. The other party was torn to pieces by an unknown force after saying the name of Father of the Crows. It was the same situation as when William interrogated the Offa University traitor, David Obis. Saying his name would result in complete silence. Therefore, William looked at the silent Crowman and didn¡¯t continue asking. He thought for a few seconds before asking, ¡°So you can¡¯t say anything?¡± The person nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do the asking. Can you only nod or shake your head?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do either. This is the restriction on our activities in Currere. Any information about my master has to be kept silent.¡± The person shook his head. William felt a slight headache. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to obtain clues about the Judges, so why was he in this situation? Why was everything a riddle? Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 79 ? 79 Holy Spirit Disc Of course, although this was what William thought, he was basically certain that the Father of the Crows they worshiped was closely related to Coles. It might even be him. Moreover, the other party¡¯s current state definitely couldn¡¯t be considered fine. His soul was shattered, and his main body fell into a long slumber. This was all the information William had learned from the fat crow. Moon Realm Overlord, Father of the Crows. If William hadn¡¯t guessed in that direction after hearing this name for the first time, he had to consider that possibility after seeing the empty tomb in the Holy Sepulchre and snatching the crow-feather-shaped soul fragment from the Void Sovereign. Although it was very troublesome and Difficult to transform from a Currere existence to a Moon Realm existence, it wasn¡¯t impossible. Especially Coles, who was a Crowman. After all, half of his soul was a Moon Realm essence. Speaking of which, William had this consideration when he chose to recruit the Crowman as the last Judge. After all, there was only 12 Judgment equipment. It was better to find someone who couldn¡¯t hold Judgment equipment to take the last seat. As for Coles, it wasn¡¯t very difficult for him to give up on his body in Currere and slot into the Moon Realm to become a Moon Realm Overlord. But why? Becoming a Moon Realm Overlord meant giving up most of his free will. He could only leave behind the illusion of a fake personality. If the Father of the Crows was really Coles, why did he do this? With this in mind, William turned his gaze to the item called the Holy Spirit Disc in the Crow Feathered Prophet¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The Holy Spirit Disc is a holy relic used to connect the statue of the Eighth Holy Spirit to the Eighth Holy Spirit. It¡¯s also your goal for coming here,¡± the other party replied. William took the silver disc. This disc was about the size of a vinyl record, but it was much thicker. It was full metal and was hefty in his hand. The workmanship of the disc was very exquisite and gorgeous. The entire disc was evenly divided into 12 intervals like a clock. Every interval was engraved with a pattern with a rich religious aura. The content depicted on the pattern was the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s life. Or rather, the lives of William Kane and Terra Riel. Calming the Rotten Moon Tide, sealing the Seven Calamities, repelling the Damon Continent¡¯s invasion¡­ The dragon bowing its head, conquering the Vic Continent, and being crowned by the Seven Holy Spirits¡­ Every interval depicted a symbolic event in their history using complicated patterns. The moment he touched the disc, William saw several tiny silver threads extend from it. Most of them extended in the direction of Thorn City. Of the remaining two threads, one extended to Nizemar and the other to Cass. To be precise, it extended to the figurines they wore. When William saw that Nizemar and Cass¡¯s expressions didn¡¯t change, he understood that only the person holding the disc could see the silver threads. ¡°The spells engraved on this disc will resonate with the deeds of the Eighth Holy Spirit in history and use it to leverage the power of the Holy Spirit to augment the figurine. All the Holy Spirit discs were personally forged by Terra Riel back then, and a total of 45 are placed in the Empire¡¯s Sealing Temples. As long as this is the case, the Holy Spirits Church can complete its control over the entire continent¡¯s intelligence through this disc. This is also the core of the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s control over the Empire¡¯s largest intelligence network.¡± The Crow Feather Prophet looked at the puzzled expression on William¡¯s face and quickly explained to him. ¡°The Holy Spirit Disc is usually in a sealed state. Activating it consumes a large amount of mana and requires the corresponding holy relics as a key. However, if it were you, you would undoubtedly have the highest authority over this disc¡­ The highest authority over William Kane¡¯s figurines. Of course, those figurines are probably completely inanimate now.¡± Nizemar felt a chill down her spine when she heard their conversation. As a high-level relic hunter, Nizemar¡¯s status in the Eighth Order wasn¡¯t low, but she had never heard of the figurines she usually wore having surveillance functions. Didn¡¯t that mean that her every move was under the surveillance of the Church¡¯s upper echelons? She didn¡¯t mind her words and actions being constantly watched by the Eighth Holy Spirit. On the contrary, this was a supreme honor for her. However, being watched by the Church¡¯s upper echelons was another matter. Upon hearing the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s explanation, William asked, ¡°So, this is also the essence of the so-called Holy Spirit manifestation?¡± The other party nodded and replied, ¡°This was a design from the beginning to prevent this authority from falling into the hands of others. They couldn¡¯t confirm that you were really dead after all. Therefore, when designing this Holy Spirit Disc, they specially added such a setting for insurance.¡± This was in line with William¡¯s guess. The manifestation of the cracked figurines was essentially a self-destruct mechanism to destroy the figurines that were half his. Therefore, half of the authority that belonged to Terra Riel should be in the hands of the royal family and the Church? William felt that he almost burst out laughing in his rage. There was nothing to say about them if they elevated him to divinity to be worshiped as the Eighth Holy Spirit. It was solely because they lacked the ability and needed to rely on the shadows of the past to maintain their legitimacy. He didn¡¯t expect to use this figurehead to do such a tasteless thing after producing the Eighth Holy Spirit. Moreover, they were so afraid that the original owner would return. Don¡¯t do this if you¡¯re afraid. From this point of view, the revelation of Kane¡¯s New Testament described the cracking of the figurines as a sign that the Eighth Holy Spirit was about to vent its anger wasn¡¯t wrong. After the Moon Realm invasion in the Blackwater Province was appeased, he was about to return and cause a true ¡®parish disaster¡¯ for the Eighth Order and the entire Holy Spirits Church. With this in mind, he said to the Crow Feather Prophet, ¡°I need to know your master¡¯s coordinates in the Moon Realm now.¡± No matter what, William had to confirm the status of the Father of the Crows suspected to be Coles. But regarding this¡­ ¡°Presiding Judge, this is also the greatest reason why we¡¯re here to look for you. Ever since my master¡¯s soul was shattered, the coordinates of his Moon Realm domain, Black Crow Gaze, have been completely lost. Only by recovering the last four soul fragments that are still scattered in the mortal world can we find the path there.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 80 - 80 Moon Realm Coordinates 80 Moon Realm Coordinates Just like how a person¡¯s thoughts were infinite, the Moon Realm was also infinite in a sense. Almost every moment, countless unstable domains in the Moon Realm appeared or disappeared like bubbles. Those Moon Realm domains might have originated from a person¡¯s wail before death, a widow¡¯s dream, or a drunkard¡¯s Will-O-Wisp. Some of them were so ephemeral that it was difficult to say that they had ever existed. Some of them might have appeared since the Bronze Age. Just like how human thoughts were constantly changing, the Moon Realm was also constantly changing. Almost every moment, the Moon Realm domains constantly changed, like a strange map of clouds. All the Moon Realm domains collided, fused, and rejected one another. One couldn¡¯t truly determine the exact location of a domain. Therefore, if one wanted to confirm the exact coordinates of the Moon Realm domain, there was only one way¡ªan anchor. There were two types of anchors. One was to anchor a certain coordinate in Currere to a certain Moon Realm domain, allowing people to find the corresponding Moon Realm domain through the specific geographical location in Currere. As for the specific operation, it was to chisel open the World Shell and open the Moon Realm rift. The second method was to anchor the Moon Realm Overlord who ruled a certain Moon Realm domain and get him to provide the real-time coordinates of his domain to those who wanted to enter. The prerequisite for this method was that the Moon Realm Overlord was in a normal state. At the very least, they could be communicated with normally. Of course, this didn¡¯t include the Void Sovereigns. With the size of the Void Sovereigns, They were like a hurricane on a cloud map. They were the storms that stirred the Moon Realm. One could see the huge Moon Realm domain ruled by Them as long as one stood at a high vantage point. As for the Father of the Crows, he was in deep sleep after his soul was shattered, so he couldn¡¯t provide anyone with his coordinates in the Moon Realm. After hearing the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s words, William remembered that there was such a thing. ¡°Therefore, what shattered your master¡¯s soul back then? The Void Sovereigns?¡± William asked the question he had been holding back from asking. If the Father of the Crows was Coles Jackdaw, it was difficult for him to imagine what other than the Void Sovereign could shatter his soul. The Crow Feather Prophet shook his head and said, ¡°We don¡¯t know about this either, but when we occasionally resonate with Master¡¯s soul in our dreams, he will describe the matter of his soul-shattering as a despicable betrayal.¡± ¡°Despicable betrayal¡­¡± William subconsciously repeated the Crowman¡¯s words and had a guess¡ªa very bad one. There was indeed another possibility. In fact, this should be the greatest possibility. However, he hadn¡¯t considered this possibility at all. This was because he would rather believe that the Void Sovereigns had invaded Currere again not long after he left than believe that this would happen. A civil war among the Judges¡­ After sealing the Seven Calamities and resolving the Moon Realm crisis, if there was anything in Currere that could threaten the safety of a Judge, William could only think of another Judge. But was that possible? William found it unimaginable. It wasn¡¯t that the Judges¡¯ relationship was as harmonious as brothers. Because their races, countries, and growing-up environments were different, a few of the Judges often didn¡¯t get along with each other. It was even common for them to quarrel or propose combat sparring. However, that was all. After all, everyone joined the Judges with the same belief of getting the Vic Continent out of the Moon Realm¡¯s influence. Coupled with the comradeship they had built up over so many battles, no matter how conflicted they were, it wouldn¡¯t end up with them pointing their swords at each other, right? William recalled the outcome of every Judge in the epilogue. Some retired and returned to ordinary life; some couldn¡¯t resist the spirit of taking risks and continued traveling the continent; some returned with honors and were supported as leaders by the citizens of their hometowns. In short, it was a peaceful atmosphere. Coles was also hired by the Storm Kingdom in the epilogue to become a research scholar in Myriad Feet City¡¯s Moon Realm. He led a busy and fulfilling academic life and could be considered to have returned to his old job. The world could not fall into chaos because of his departure. Forget it, forget it¡­ Without conclusive evidence, William decided not to let his imagination run wild. He asked the Crowman, ¡°Do you know where the four soul fragments are?¡± In any case, the truth would be revealed as long as the person involved was found. It was meaningless for him to speculate. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t certain if the Father of the Crows was Coles. At the very least, the Coles in William¡¯s memory would never be willing to make a deal with the Void Sovereigns, nor would he make such a Silence oath that would tear apart someone¡¯s soul just by saying his title. Of course, William couldn¡¯t guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. After all, a millennium was long enough to completely change a person. The Crowman lowered his head and said, ¡°The leader of the Crows in Currere has already collected and safeguarded one piece. The remaining three pieces are confirmed to be underground in Blacklight City, used by the Astral Council to suppress the Demon Generals under the Void Sovereign Absurdity Jester. The other piece is in the hands of Platinum City¡¯s Empress Erin, and another piece was previously sealed in the Holy Sepulchre deep in Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, but it seems to have fallen into the hands of the Void Sovereign¡¯s Lord of Nightmare. Therefore, we can¡¯t count on this piece¡­¡± With that said, the Crow Feather Prophet revealed an extremely regretful and indignant expression. In fact, in the Crows¡¯ intelligence network, they were the earliest to determine the location of the soul fragment in the Holy Sepulchre and were the most determined to obtain it. As for the other two fragments, one was buried under the heavily guarded Astral Lighthouse. Moreover, as long as it was moved, a Demon General whose strength had reached the Divine Realm would be released. As for the other, he had to go to the Platinum Palace where countless powerhouses were presiding. Moreover, because there was too little specific information, he didn¡¯t even know if it was still in Empress Erin¡¯s hands, let alone where the soul fragment was hidden. However, after seeing the warning written on the stone plaque that the wraith hadn¡¯t dissipated, the Crows didn¡¯t dare to remove the seal directly. It wasn¡¯t easy for them to reach the point where they could remove the seal this year before another group of Lunar Monsters came to the Holy Sepulchre to begin preparing for some ritual. The Crows originally planned on sneaking in to retrieve the fragment after the Lunar Monsters¡¯ ritual ended, but they only learned some time ago that the price for Lord of Nightmare¡¯s aid in the ritual was that soul fragment. As long as the item fell into the Void Sovereign¡¯s hands, it could never be retrieved. With this in mind, he continued, ¡°Fortunately, three soul fragments are barely enough. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ll have to take many detours in the Moon Realm and waste a lot of time¡­¡± William looked thoughtful. He stared at the other party¡¯s face for a while before opening his palm. The Crowman looked at William¡¯s outstretched hand in confusion. ¡°Presiding Judge, this is?¡± With a flash of lightning, pitch-black crow feathers appeared in William¡¯s hand. ¡°If it¡¯s the soul fragment in the Holy Sepulchre, I¡¯ve already gotten it back from Zamara.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 81 - 81 Layton 81 Layton The Crow Feather Prophet saw the soul fragment in William¡¯s hand and sensed a familiar aura. He stammered and asked, ¡°But¡­ But how did this happen?¡± Although he knew that the Rotten Moon Undead Tide that happened at the graveyard some time ago was stopped by the Presiding Judge in front of him, it was still difficult for him to imagine him snatching a soul fragment from a Void Sovereign. Was it possible to snatch something from a Void Sovereign? William didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question. After a few seconds of silence, he put the soul fragment back into his inventory and calmly said, ¡°Tell me about the soul fragment sealed under Blacklight City first.¡± ¡­ Blacklight City, Corner Domain Alley. A mysterious person wrapped in a gray robe and whose face was fully concealed walked on the blackboard stone path filled with sewage and the corpses of rotten rats. From time to time, he would look back as if he was confirming that no one was following him. He turned left and right along the maze-like alleys. Along the way, he specially circled a few times before finally stopping in front of an underground wine cellar covered in green moss. Finally, he turned around and confirmed that no one was following him. Only then did he knock on the dilapidated wine cellar door according to a certain pattern. After a while, the closed trapdoor on the door opened, and a pair of sharp eyes looked at him through the rusty mesh. ¡°Take off your mask and pass your magical medium through here,¡± the person behind the door said in an emotionless tone. Just as he finished speaking, a hidden mechanism on the door turned. A small door specially used to store guests¡¯ weapons opened on the seemingly dilapidated door, and seal runes were engraved on it. ¡°Come on, how can you not know me?¡± The gray-robed man replied angrily when he heard the other party¡¯s blunt words. Having scampered here in a sorry state from Thorn City and having worried about the spies all day was humiliating enough. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to find this place. Now to have his magical medium taken away was a direct insult to him, who used to be in a high position. ¡°Remove your mask and put the magical medium inside. Don¡¯t make me repeat this a third time,¡± the person said without changing his tone. The gray-robed man looked at the person behind the door in anger, but the other party¡¯s eyes remained calm. After a few seconds of stalemate, he could only silently mutter ¡®needs must¡¯ before taking off his mask. This person was the adjutant of the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall under Vincent. However, compared to his previously elegant and scholarly appearance, he looked like a vagrant. His clothes were tattered, and he looked exhausted. His hair and beard were in a mess because they hadn¡¯t been groomed for a long time. Gritting his teeth, he took out his magical medium embedded with a child¡¯s skull from his robe and stuffed it through the small door according to the other party¡¯s instructions. The mechanism on the door turned, and his magical medium was retracted. The person inside closed the trapdoor. Behind the door came the sound of a series of locks being unlocked, the hinges being removed, and a spell being unchanneled. After a full minute, the seemingly dilapidated wooden door was opened. ¡°Come in, former adjutant of the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall and former Black Blood Knight, Sir Layton.¡± A man wearing smooth silver chain armor and holding a short sword engraved with blood patterns opened the door for him. Although his tone was as emotionless as before, the contents of his words revealed mockery. To Layton, who had all his titles removed and was wanted as a heretical mage, the word ¡®former¡¯ was especially jarring. But what else could he say in the face of the truth? Letting out harsh words like ¡°That old bastard Vincent is only temporarily in power. Sooner or later, I¡¯ll make him spit out everything with interest¡± to a guard would only serve to make him laugh his head off. Layton could only glare at the person in front of him before walking into the underground chamber disguised as a wine cellar without a word. However, he stopped after taking a few steps. He turned around and looked at the door. The person had raised the sword in his hand as if he was blocking something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Layton asked unhappily. ¡°It can¡¯t enter either.¡± The person raised his sword and pointed at an empty spot. ¡°I say, is this still the so-called Gift Church that spreads the Moon Realm gospel? As a Moon Realm contractor, can¡¯t I even bring my contracted partner with me?¡± Layton flared up. It was already infuriating enough to have his magical medium taken away and be mocked at the same time. Now, the other party didn¡¯t even allow him to bring in the Moon Realm spirit he had signed a contract with. Wouldn¡¯t he be at the other party¡¯s mercy? ¡°This is the will of the Prelate. Everyone who participates in this meeting is not allowed to bring in their contracted partner,¡± the other party continued without changing his tone. ¡°Then what are you holding?¡± Layton looked at the blood-colored dagger in the other party¡¯s hand that was constantly changing and asked. He could tell that a Bloodblade Demon was lodged in the sword. Bloodblade Demon, a spawn of King of Deathblood, Brand. They liked to choose a swordsmith instead of a magic chanter as their anchor point in reality. Once they successfully descended to Currere, they would encourage the swordsmith to forge a peerless demon sword. In the final stages of forging a sword, they would bewitch or directly control their contracted object into sacrificing to this divine weapon, allowing them to transfer their anchor point to the sword. Everyone wielding the Demon Sword would be controlled by it. A fable that was widely circulated in the Empire¡ªa young and energetic person sought a powerful divine weapon to defeat an opponent he couldn¡¯t defeat. After much hardship, he drew the sword and defeated his opponent, but he also fell into a bloodthirsty madness and finally became a fallen. The prototype of this story was a weapon contaminated by a Bloodblade Demon. ¡°Sorry, I should have made it clearer.¡± As the person spoke, he waved the Demon Sword in his hand, and a few drops of dark-green liquid suddenly flowed down from the empty air. Layton felt pain in his ether domain, followed by a muffled roar. ¡°All the failures who participate in this meeting can¡¯t bring their contractors in,¡± the person looked at Layton¡¯s flushed face and said. ¡°After all, under the new order in the future, failures like you should be grateful to have a place to stay.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 82 - 82 Gift Church 82 Gift Church The Gift Church was originally established by Duke Simon. It was an organization built according to the basic structure of the Church of the Three Goddesses in the ancient Blackwater Kingdom and was designed to quickly replace the Holy Spirits Church as the new pillar of faith in the new Blackwater Kingdom after the Blackwater Province became independent. Perhaps to hide it and give himself a way out, Simon built the Gift Church¡¯s headquarters in Blacklight City¡ªa city with an even older tradition of Moon Realm worship than Thorn City. Not only that, but Simon also gave the Gift Church¡¯s Prelate, Rudolph, immense authority. It wasn¡¯t just in Blacklight City, but in the entire western Blackwater Province¡¯s Nakuland area. Simon allowed the Gift Church to grow barbarically. Back then, Duke Simon¡¯s core advisors had always been very uneasy about his actions, believing that giving them such freedom might in turn threaten the Rose Palace¡¯s control of the Nakuland area. According to the information Layton was privy to, the Gift Church had already shown signs of losing control three years ago. They had expanded their worship and faith in the Moon Realm. It wasn¡¯t just the three ancient goddesses of the Blackwater Province. The higher-ups of the Gift Church even hoped to worship the Moon Realm as a whole. However, strangely, Duke Simon didn¡¯t take action to control this mess. Even after the Gift Church explicitly rejected the Rose Palace¡¯s orders last year, Simon only calmly expressed that he would let them be. Everything would return under his control next year, and the influence they had expanded would easily fall into his hands. Back then, his face was filled with confidence as if everything was going according to plan. Of course, no matter what genius plan Duke Simon had back then or how far-sighted his plan was, everything ultimately burst after his sudden death in the graveyard¡¯s Holy Sepulchre. As for the situation in the Gift Church, it naturally spiraled out of control like a wild horse. However, it was this out-of-control situation that became Layton¡¯s final straw to clutch at. ¡°You¡¯re saying that after Vincent took over Thorn City, he began to completely purge all organizations related to the Moon Realm?¡± Rudolf Bolton, the Prelate of the Gift Church, stroked a cleric¡¯s staff embedded with 13 gems and asked with interest. ¡°Yes, be it the secret meetings in the Mage Hall, the secret societies developed in Offa University, or even the ad-hoc worship groups in the Bramble Guards, everyone related to the Moon Realm¡¯s worship has suffered a tragic blow recently. It¡¯s said that the entire Rose Palace¡¯s dungeon can¡¯t hold the arrested people,¡± Layton replied with sweat on his forehead. For some reason, he felt extremely stressed sitting in front of this relaxed-looking man who wasn¡¯t tall. It was as dangerous as being at the edge of a cliff. Upon hearing Layton¡¯s answer, Prelate Rudolph maintained a relaxed and casual expression and nodded slightly. ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve long said that someone like Vincent, who is extremely arrogant deep down and doesn¡¯t have the slightest respect for true strength, should have been kicked out from the beginning. However, our dear duke didn¡¯t take my suggestion seriously back then. What a pity. The outcome of trusting him so much eventually led to him seizing power. It¡¯s a pity that the feat he had been working on for half his life ended up in ruin.¡± Although he said that, he didn¡¯t show any pity. Before Vincent made a name for himself, Rudolph was the former Chief Palace Mage of the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall. At the same time, he was the peak Master-level powerhouse whom many had high hopes of breaking through to the Legendary domain. However, five years after Simon was crowned Duke of Thorn, he made an exception and got Vincent, who hadn¡¯t reached the peak of the Master level, to replace Rudolph. Back then, Rudolph, who had reached the peak of the Master level for many years, challenged the unknown Vincent, who had just stepped into the Master domain, to a mage duel. The outcome of that battle was a draw between the two. For a peak Master to fight a magic chanter who had just stepped into the Master domain to a draw in a mage duel, the outcome was obvious. To Vincent, this was the beginning of his legendary status as the Sage of Scorching Scars. However, to Rudolph, it was an indelible inner demon. As if savoring his foresight, Prelate Rudolf continued asking, ¡°Therefore, how did he do it?¡± ¡°What do you mean how?¡± Layton asked at a loss when he heard this random question. ¡°I remember that at least two-thirds of the magic chanters in the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall have joined the three goddesses¡¯ secret society, right? Coupled with Offa University¡¯s club and the believers in the Bramble Guards, how did he throw so many people into the dungeons? Does he have so many armed forces under him that are willing to listen to his orders? Or could it be that our so-called number one person below the Legendary stage, Lord Vincent, personally captured them one by one? Hahahahaha¡­¡± Rudolph¡¯s last sentence was not a funny joke, but the others present cooperated with him and laughed. Under such an atmosphere, Layton could only smile reluctantly. He didn¡¯t know what to say in this cheerful atmosphere. After a while, when the laughter calmed down, Rudolf looked at him and continued asking, ¡°Therefore, how did he do it?¡± The other party asked him very calmly this time, causing the entire conference venue to fall silent. Layton couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and whisper, ¡°Vincent¡­ has broken through to the Legendary domain.¡± Rudolph fell silent for about a minute. Layton couldn¡¯t stand the other party¡¯s murderous gaze and continued, ¡°It¡¯s true. Three Master-level magic chanters joined forces and cooperated with their respective high-level Moon Realm spirits, but they were easily subdued by Vincent alone. I barely escaped with the help of my special ability gained from contracting a Lunar Monster. If he hadn¡¯t broken through to the Legendary domain, this wouldn¡¯t have made sense.¡± Rudolph¡¯s expression kept changing when he heard that. Then, he took a few deep breaths as if he was calming down. After a while, he asked stiffly, ¡°Then? Which Void Sovereign¡¯s spawn is the Moon Realm spirit he signed a contract with?¡± Upon hearing this question, Layton¡ªwho sensed that the other party had misunderstood him¡ªfelt goosebumps rise on his back, but he could only brace himself and answer, ¡°He probably didn¡¯t advance using the Moon Realm¡­¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Rudolph¡¯s voice made Layton subconsciously lower his head. A terrifying aura spread throughout the conference hall with this roar. Layton didn¡¯t know if it was his imagination, but he felt the temperature in the entire hall rise several degrees. It wasn¡¯t an illusion¡­ Looking up, he saw sparks and ashes dance around Rudolph out of thin air, and his body emitted embers. ¡°He has already been permanently removed from the Astral Council. Unless the Holy Spirit manifests, he cannot advance to the Legendary domain through the Astral Laws¡­¡± Rudolph muttered to himself. After a while, the sparks and ashes beside him disappeared, and the expression on his face returned to calmness. ¡°It¡¯s fine. In the upcoming new order, nothing will change even if he advances to the Divine Realm¡­ But now, the Stranger Astral Lighthouse in Thorn City is still under his control. This is a little troublesome. This will severely affect the progress of our plan¡­¡± As Rudolph spoke, he held the staff embedded with 13 gems and walked to Layton¡¯s side. He placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly said, ¡°Therefore, let¡¯s talk about that nifty solution of yours. How should we take down Thorn City from Vincent, who calls himself the First Citizen, before the Moon Realm¡¯s blessing descends on the Blackwater Province?¡± This was to prove his value. Layton fully understood the meaning in the other party¡¯s eyes. Sensing the rich mana surging from the other party¡¯s body at close range, Layton finally understood why he felt so pressured in front of him. The other party had also broken through to the Legendary domain. Therefore, under the pressure of the scorching Fire magic, Layton replied with sweat all over his forehead, ¡°I¡¯ve found Simon Walde¡¯s heir and planted a large number of spies in the Rose Palace. As long as there¡¯s a Legendary mage who can restrain Vincent, I can guarantee that we can successfully snatch the Thorn throne and the Astral Lighthouse back into our hands.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 83 - 83 Signs of Invasion 83 Signs of Invasion After returning to Thorn City, William found Vincent in the Rose Palace¡¯s conference hall, who was handling all kinds of matters. William looked at Vincent, who looked a little tired, and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you too busy? Do you want me to get some help to share your burden?¡± To tire out a magic chanter who had just broken through to the Legendary domain, his work probably hadn¡¯t been easy recently. It wasn¡¯t a surprise. In the Blackwater Province, where the Church was weak, many matters that were originally handed over to the Holy Spirits Church had to be handled by the secular bureaucracy. Furthermore, the large-scale purge of the Moon Realm worship groups in the palace some time ago had caused a large-scale suspension of the entire administration. There were vacancies everywhere, but there were no candidates suitable for replacing them. Vincent had even advised William that they go easy on the officials involved in the Moon Realm¡¯s worship until everything was back on track. However, William firmly rejected this and said that dealing with Moon Realm worshipers was his top priority. Tumors had to be dug out early. Otherwise, when they sprouted, they would be like maggots attached to bones that couldn¡¯t be shaken off. However, the result of this was Vincent being in charge of the dysfunctional, unstaffed departments. Recently, he had been so busy that he didn¡¯t have any time to rest. Countless matters¡ªboth big and small¡ªhad to be handed over to him for approval. This was how rulers who didn¡¯t have a stable foundation but plenty of power were. They had to do everything themselves. Moreover, such an arrogant form of rule was destined not to last in the long run. ¡°Stop joking. If there were a helper, I wouldn¡¯t need to be so tired,¡± Vincent put down the dossier in his hand and replied with a bitter smile. He followed up with a question. ¡°But since you¡¯re asking, Presiding Judge, is there a solution?¡± William sat opposite Vincent and fiddled with the wax seal on the table. ¡°My suggestion is to reassign those unimportant matters to the Holy Spirits Church. Focus on reorganizing the matters in the palace and nurturing your trusted aides. This will make things much easier for you in the future.¡± Regarding this, Vincent¡¯s expression turned very serious as he asked, ¡°But this will bring about two long-term problems. Firstly, will this cause the independence of the Blackwater Swamp to be restrained by the Empire again because of faith? Secondly, doesn¡¯t bringing in the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s faith system run counter to your previous goal?¡± He actually had something else to ask. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also saying that this is a necessary path to reach your ultimate goal? William looked into the other party¡¯s eyes and understood what he was worried about. He replied, ¡°Be it the rule of the Riel royal family or the reversal of the Holy Spirits Church, the two problems you mentioned won¡¯t be a big problem in the future. You have to view this from a broader perspective.¡± After all, be it the Riel royal family or the Holy Spirits Church, they would be resolved as a problem in the future. William didn¡¯t wait for the other party¡¯s reaction and continued, ¡°I have my considerations for making this suggestion. Firstly, it¡¯s because Simon suppressed the Holy Spirits Church. The remaining Holy Spirits Church in the Blackwater Swamp has nothing to do with Moon Realm worship. Moreover, they have a relatively complete organizational structure. As long as you provide some support, their expansion won¡¯t be too slow. It can greatly resolve the lack of manpower.¡± Regarding this, Vincent said worriedly, ¡°The advantages you¡¯re talking about are what I¡¯m worried about. It took us more than 20 years to gradually escape their influence, and it might not take them two to three years to make a comeback. If we let them control the believers in the Blackwater Swamp again, the Church will become a tool used by the Central Church to restrain us.¡± ¡°This Holy Spirits Church in the Blackwater Swamp will have nothing to do with the Central Church of Platinum Province,¡± William replied calmly. He continued, ¡°And this is also the second thing I want to mention. Other than figuring out the principles behind the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s figurine blessings during my trip to the Sealing Temple, I also learned plenty. One of them is that the Holy Spirits Church in the Blackwater Swamp has been abandoned by the Church. Or rather, the entire Blackwater Swamp has been abandoned by the Empire. Do you understand what this means?¡± William¡¯s gaze sent a chill down Vincent¡¯s spine. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vincent asked uneasily. ¡°When I went to the Sealing Temple in Red Spring Town, I discovered that it had been wrecked by the Bloated Church. Many Lunar Monsters even appeared there. I interrogated their leader¡ªthey had summoned those Lunar Monsters recently, not on the Lady of Starvation¡¯s summoning day.¡± This meant that the Lady of Starvation could now project her strength into Currere without any obstruction. It was even possible that the Lady of Starvation wasn¡¯t the only one who could project power into Currere. On second thought, it made sense. Previously, the three Moon Realm goddesses had chosen Simon Walde as their spokesperson to control the entire Blackwater Province. The problem was if this agent was killed, would They pretend that nothing had happened and give up? No, They will only choose to find a new spokesperson or take a more direct approach. Especially when They knew that the former Calamity had returned, Their choosing to participate directly was highly likely. ¡°An even larger invasion is brewing, Vincent. Moreover, the upper echelons of the Empire are certainly well aware of all of this. The evidence is that after you announced that you would take over the Blackwater Swamp, the few armies the Empire had previously held back at the border haven¡¯t done anything. This is because they aren¡¯t used to guard against you, but against the Lunar Monsters that will descend in the future.¡± William even felt that the upper echelons of the Empire might know about Simon¡¯s plan for the independence of the Blackwater Kingdom that had been brewing for so many years. However, they didn¡¯t interfere because it didn¡¯t affect the overall situation. After all, in their opinion, there wouldn¡¯t be much difference whether the Blackwater Province was directly controlled by the Moon Realm or a puppet that had submitted to the Moon Realm. ¡°It¡¯s also because of this that the members of the Holy Spirits Church who are still in the Blackwater Swamp have definitely been abandoned by the Church. Therefore, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Even if they still have fantasies about the Platinum Province¡¯s Central Church, they will naturally understand their situation when the Moon Realm begins a full-scale invasion of the Blackwater Swamp in the future. Therefore, we can just use them at this stage. In the future, they will become the backbone force I will use to replace the Central Church.¡± Vincent felt a chill down his spine when he heard William¡¯s words. Was this the time to discuss how the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s Central Church was to be replaced? Wasn¡¯t resolving the imminent Moon Realm invasion the most important problem? Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 84 - 84 Countdown 84 Countdown After hearing Vincent¡¯s question, William smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even a Moon Realm invasion has to follow the basic rules. At this stage, other than summoning some Lunar Monsters scattered among the worshipers to create panic, they temporarily can¡¯t let legion-sized Lunar Monsters descend into Currere. We still have plenty of time to prepare for the invasion.¡± The Moon Realm¡¯s large-scale invasion was similar to a tidal wave. There was a process of accumulation. After all, a legion-sized Lunar Monster couldn¡¯t be anchored by signing contracts. The Void Sovereigns needed to indirectly influence Currere to create an atmosphere that allowed the Lunar Monsters to ¡®breathe.¡¯ Only then could they maintain the existence of the Lunar Monsters in Currere for significant periods. As for that atmosphere, it corresponded to the domain symbolized by the Void Sovereigns. This was also why the King of Deathblood and Ruin Demon God¡¯s invasions were often on a larger scale. This was because the domain They symbolized was Destruction. As long as the invasion began, they could have battles snowball into bigger ones. The blight that spread across the continent was one of the preparations done by the Lady of Starvation. William said seriously, ¡°But there are a few things I have to do immediately. Otherwise, the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion might be brought forward.¡± Continue to intensify the purge of the Moon Realm worshiping groups. It would be best if an elite reaction force was established to be in charge of this matter¡­ Before finding a solution, do our best to slow down the spread of the blight and ensure that there won¡¯t be a mass famine¡­ Completely control all the Astral Lighthouses in the Blackwater Swamp and put them on full alert¡­ Vincent stopped writing when he recorded this. He looked up at William and said, ¡°There are a total of two Astral Lighthouses in the Blackwater Swamp. One is the Stranger Lighthouse in Thorn City, and the other is the Viper Lighthouse in Blacklight City. The Stranger Lighthouse has already been settled according to your wishes, but the situation in Blacklight City is a little complicated¡­¡± ¡°Is it because Mania, one of the Demon Generals under Absurdity Jester, is sealed under that lighthouse?¡± William asked curiously. This was the information he had obtained from the Crow Feather Prophet. Every Demon General was the right-hand man of a Void Sovereign, an extension of the domain They symbolized. It could be said that other than the Void Sovereign, who found it difficult to enter the Currere in Their main body, and the incarnations created by Them, Demon Generals were the strongest Lunar Monsters. It was indeed quite a troublesome matter to have a Divine Realm Demon General sealed under that tower. However, Vincent only asked in confusion, ¡°Demon General? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± William thought about it and felt that there was no need for him to tell the other party that a Divine Realm Lunar Monster was sealed there. After all, he was under enough pressure. William casually brushed off the question and asked, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what troublesome matters are in Blacklight City first. I¡¯m going there later. If it¡¯s not a big problem, I can resolve them all at once.¡± Therefore, Vincent told William in detail about the Gift Church. ¡°You¡¯re saying that they treat the entire Moon Realm as the object of their faith?¡± While listening to Vincent¡¯s briefing, William made several confirmations. This was rather strange. After all, as deities with intellectuality, the more pious the believers of the Void Sovereigns were, the easier they were to be favored by Them. Ignoring the fact that they believed in 13 at the same time, the Church of the Three Goddesses could be said to be the maximum for believing in three at the same time. For a parish that directly included the entire Moon Realm in its faith, it was considered lucky not to anger a particular Void Sovereign, much less obtain any blessings. However, from what Vincent said, not only did they promote the doctrine in such a way, but they had also established a huge faction there? Vincent nodded and continued, ¡°In addition, although Blacklight City is still under our control in name, their response to the Rose Palace¡¯s orders has been extremely patronizing. Previously, they were urged to speed up the purge of the Moon Realm worship groups in their territory and they were clearly requested to prioritize dealing with the Gift Church. Their reply has always been¡ªthey can¡¯t find the target.¡± In other words, Blacklight City might have been penetrated completely. At this point, Vincent seemed to recall something and said, ¡°In addition, from the information I received previously, most of the Moon Realm worshipers who escaped from the previous crackdown seem to have escaped to Blacklight City to seek refuge with the Gift Church.¡± Then, this Gift Church is really fearless¡­ Previously, they had carried out the purge using the information in the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s archives. However, because the timeliness of this information was too poor and Vincent had too little manpower, many Moon Realm believers managed to escape in their final casting of the net. According to the tabulated data, these people who escaped believed in everything. It wasn¡¯t just the 13 Void Sovereigns. There were even some who believed in some Moon Realm Overlords. The Gift Church dared to absorb such complicated elements? It had to be known that the Void Sovereigns weren¡¯t united. There were even some Void Sovereigns who had innate conflicts because of their corresponding domains. It wasn¡¯t wrong to say that Their relationship was irreconcilable. Wouldn¡¯t Their believers fight each other to the death? With this in mind, William suddenly asked, ¡°Did your previous adjutant, that person named Layton, also join the Gift Church?¡± This person had sacrificed the miners who had escaped from the Silverstream Mine to the Lady of Starvation to complete the second metamorphosis of his Lunar Monster in Currere. Therefore, William had some impression of this person. During the cleanup operation, the other party relied on the advanced Lunar Monster called the Invisible Starvation to escape. Vincent nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s what the intelligence says.¡± After hearing Vincent¡¯s answer, William recalled the information he had received from the Death Spirit. As expected, some factions in the palace secretly contacted the last descendant of the Walde family. Among the people they contacted were the remaining people from Mage Hall, including Layton. If that were the case, the problem with the Gift Church could slowly be resolved together with the Rose Palace. Therefore, William said, ¡°Then, you probably have to handle this matter yourself. It¡¯s too wasteful for me to take action. After all, it¡¯s a perfect opportunity to reorganize the remaining conservative factions of the palace.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because soon, they will come looking for you themselves.¡± After explaining the general situation to Vincent, the other party nodded solemnly. ¡°If things develop to this point, that¡¯s probably all we can do,¡± Vincent said with a sigh. In fact, according to the safest plan, William could transfer control of the Death Spirit to Vincent. He ultimately didn¡¯t do so. Before William left, Vincent asked, ¡°Presiding Judge, when will the Moon Realm¡¯s large-scale invasion be? Let me be mentally prepared.¡± William¡¯s answer made Vincent feel as if a guillotine was hanging over his head. ¡°At the latest, not later than this year¡¯s Valley Moon.¡± In other words, they only had half a year to make preparations. ¡­ Outside the hall, a few people sat on a deerskin sofa and killed time in their own ways. Nizemar silently recited the evening prayers in Kane¡¯s New Testament; Cass was peeling an orange with a dagger; Liz was waiting for him to finish peeling with starry eyes; and the Crow Feather Prophet sat quietly on the sofa with his eyes closed. Roy was the most uneasy among them. She kept fidgeting. From time to time, she would walk around the room anxiously. After sitting down again, she looked at the leisurely crowd and whispered, ¡°So¡­ Is he really William Kane? That Eighth Holy Spirit¡­¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 85 - 85 Faithless 85 Faithless Liz said helplessly upon hearing Roy, ¡°How many times have you asked this question?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been 11 times, 12 including this one,¡± the Crow Feather Prophet replied with his eyes closed. Liz thanked the Crowman speechlessly before turning to Roy. ¡°If you¡¯re so curious, why don¡¯t you ask him yourself? I think William is quite easy to talk to.¡± Upon hearing the name William, Roy¡¯s heart trembled. Then, she bit her lower lip and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m just curious¡­¡± ¡°Would you have asked twelve times if you weren¡¯t curious?¡± Roy didn¡¯t answer immediately, as if she was considering how to explain herself. The emotion that drove her to repeatedly ask this question wasn¡¯t curiosity. But fear¡­ She was a nun who had been stripped from a floating corpse in the sewers and had managed to infiltrate the Holy Spirits Church as a result. And her respect for the Eight Holy Spirits placed on the shrine wasn¡¯t even comparable to her respect for the floating corpse. She had never believed in the doctrines of the Holy Spirits Church. Her mother was a pious believer in the Holy Spirits Church, but she was still rejected by the Love Church for not having the money to donate; she eventually succumbed to her illness. From then on, Roy firmly believed that there were no Holy Spirits in this world. If the Holy Spirits were as merciful as the Church advertised, why was there so much tragedy in the world? Anyone who had lived in a slum should know that there were no Holy Spirits in this world. Therefore, every time she heard the priest ask them to kneel and pray to the Holy Spirits on the podium and say that the Holy Spirits would hear them as long as they prayed, she would curse Them with the most colorful of profanities she had learned growing up in the slums to prove that the so-called Holy Spirits were bullsh*t. As only the Eighth Holy Spirit carried a specific name, she scolded it especially often. Just as her colleagues had turned persistent prayers into a habit, she had made scolding William Kane and Terra Riel in her heart daily a habit. Now that the real William Kane had appeared in front of her, there was no reason for her not to be terrified. After all, she was very likely the person who cursed at the shrine the most in the world. Previously, on the way, when the man kept asking her about the Sealing Temple, she was sweating profusely and trembling in fear. She was afraid that the other party would dig up her past and make a judgment. After some consideration, Roy finally asked such a question, ¡°I just want to hear your opinion on whether he¡¯s the Eighth Holy Spirit or not?¡± With that said, everyone present stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Roy. This made her heart skip a beat. A few seconds later, the Crow Feather Prophet spoke. His pupils had already returned to normal human pupils. ¡°He¡¯s my lord, so regardless of whether he¡¯s the Eighth Holy Spirit or not, it doesn¡¯t affect the Crows¡¯ faith in him,¡± the Crowman replied. Nizemar, who had finished reciting the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s prayer in the Gospel of Kane¡¯s New Testament, replied simply, ¡°He said that he¡¯s not the Eighth Holy Spirit, so he currently isn¡¯t.¡± He wasn¡¯t now, but he would be when he admitted that he was in the future. Cass happened to finish skinning the orange. He helped Liz cut the orange into a few pieces of the right size before saying seriously, ¡°Although he¡¯s unbelievably strong, I believe that he¡¯s a mortal and is essentially the same as us.¡± Although the three of them had different answers, they undoubtedly agreed that he was William Kane. According to the Church¡¯s theory, this meant that he was the Eighth Holy Spirit itself. Roy turned her gaze to Liz. The little faerie happily ate a few pieces of orange before saying to her, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the faith of humans, but as I said, can¡¯t you just ask William himself?¡± Roy was about to say something when a familiar voice sounded behind her, causing her to tense up. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. What did you want to ask me?¡± Roy¡¯s head was as stiff as the second hand of a clock as she turned rigidly. The gray-haired man was standing behind her. ¡°Saint¡­ Kel¡­ I¡­ anything¡­¡± Roy was tongue-tied and didn¡¯t know what to say. She wondered if she should kneel and repent for everything she had done. ¡°She said that she wants to know if you were the real Eighth Holy Spirit.¡± At that critical moment, the orange-eating faerie kindly asked on her behalf. Roy cursed inwardly and said to William in fear, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I want to ask!¡± William looked at her with a puzzled expression. He asked, ¡°Then what do you want to ask?¡± After hesitating for a moment, Roy mustered her courage and asked, ¡°Actually, I just want to know if you¡¯ll remember the prayers of your pious believers like in Kane¡¯s New Testament.¡± ¡°Why? Are you very pious?¡± William asked. William was a little disappointed when he heard the other party¡¯s question. To William¡¯s knowledge, the only power that could truly defeat the Void Sovereigns¡¯ main body was the incarnation of the Seven Holy Spirits in the waning moon ending. Although that power was equivalent to a firework or a meteor¡ªa one-time consumable that required him to risk his life¡ªit could at least be used as a trump card to deter others. However, this wasn¡¯t a game now. Perhaps he could find an improved method in the future that he didn¡¯t have to pay such a huge price to use. Therefore, William placed a high priority on rebuilding and completely controlling the Holy Spirits Church. On the way back, William asked the Crow Feather Prophet in detail about what had happened at the Sealing Temple. After hearing the sequence of events, he had considerable expectations for Roy, a pragmatic clergywoman whose style wasn¡¯t restricted by all kinds of rules. If he nurtured her well, it might be of great use in his plan to eventually rebuild the Church in the Blackwater Swamp or even rebuild and completely control the entire Holy Spirits Church. After all, William was worried about letting a fanatical believer like Nizemar handle more secular matters. It was better to leave such matters to a more pragmatic person. However, William couldn¡¯t help but feel worried when he saw Roy acting in fear and trepidation toward him like Nizemar. Could this person be a fanatic too? She just hid it very well¡­ The moment he heard this question, Roy felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. After struggling for a while, she replied with difficulty, ¡°My faith¡­ is naturally very pious¡­¡± ¡°I see,¡± the other party replied, unable to hide his disappointment. Finally, under this heavy psychological torture, Roy couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure and confessed, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that pious¡­¡± Unexpectedly, Roy felt relieved after saying this. Then, she went all out and continued, ¡°Because I don¡¯t understand. If the Holy Spirits exist, why is this world like this? Why have so many innocent people died? Why didn¡¯t you appear when so many people were suffering? I still can¡¯t figure this out, so my faith is destined to never be pious.¡± Nizemar was about to say something when William stopped her. He calmly looked at Roy and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re a faithless person?¡± Roy met William¡¯s gaze and gritted her teeth as she nodded. William smiled when he saw the uneasiness and git on her face. ¡°Very good. I think I¡¯ve found the most suitable candidate.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 86 - 86 Blacklight City 86 Blacklight City ¡°Candidate? What candidate?¡± Roy was a little stunned. After hearing William¡¯s plan to revamp the Holy Spirits Church in the Blackwater Swamp, Roy¡¯s emotions changed from confusion to fear. She was an ordinary clergywoman of the Sealing Temple, a mere priestess in the Church. Why was she suddenly assigned a mission to rebuild the Blackwater Province¡¯s Holy Spirits Church? And she was directly placed in charge? What did she do to deserve that? ¡°I¡¯m just asking you to explain what happened at the Sealing Temple to the bishop. Then, work with Vincent and redesign the parish in the Blackwater Swamp, reopen the Church of the Seven Holy Spirits, and carry out missionary relief activities. Don¡¯t overcomplicate this matter.¡± This was William¡¯s explanation. ¡°But only the Patriarch of the Central Church has the authority to set out plans for a parish and open a church¡­¡± Roy subconsciously replied. William sneered and said,¡±Actually, I plan on trying to contact the Central Church first, but I don¡¯t think they will respond to our request.¡± Roy fell silent. The tragedy in Red Spring Town was enough to explain the situation. The Holy Spirits Church had completely abandoned them. However, that wasn¡¯t what she really wanted to ask. After some hesitation, she asked, ¡°But you know that I¡¯m a¡­¡± ¡°Faithless.¡± William finished her sentence and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? In any case, my Eighth Holy Spirit title was faked by later generations.¡± Fake idols and fake believers were probably the most suitable recipe ingredients for religions. ¡­ In William¡¯s era, the Nakuland area wasn¡¯t included in the Blackwater Kingdom. In fact, even in the era when the various kingdoms on the continent were at loggerheads and yearned for territory the most, no faction had thought of making that place their goal of conquest. This was because it was hard to call what was in Nakuland order. If one had to describe it, it was like the sewers of the entire Vic Continent, or rather, a place of exiles. The reason was that a war that couldn¡¯t be traced back to its origins had caused the land of Nakuland to suffer an eternal curse. No matter what crop was planted there, the fruits produced would be shriveled and bitter. Children who grew up eating food here were more prone to deformities and curses of madness than elsewhere on the Vic Continent. In addition, other than the especially ferocious wild beasts nearby, there were no rare minerals or natural resources, causing Nakuland to be a dump used by the major factions to exile prisoners for many years. During the Unification War, Terra I conquered this land. William didn¡¯t know if the other party wanted to farm for achievements by unifying the continent. After all, it was undoubtedly easier not to occupy a place like this than to occupy it. The historical records also proved this. When Terra I reigned, Nakuland existed as an individual province. Back then, the Platinum Palace constantly invested resources in hopes of establishing order there. However, after his son, Terra II, succeeded the throne, he stopped this assistance because he realized that this place was financially a bottomless hole. Therefore, he completely quit. Nakuland was subsequently integrated into the Blackwater Province. It was precisely because of this that although the entire Blackwater Province was nominally under the Rose Palace¡¯s jurisdiction, it was actually divided into east and west governance. Of course, it wasn¡¯t right to say that things were divided. It was the same as many years ago. It was difficult to say that there was an order of governance. If there were any changes to Nakuland after hundreds of years, it would be the city of Blacklight City. This was originally a large settlement, but it had become a city built around the Astral Lighthouse and was basically controlled by the Astral Council. At the same time, it was the only place in this unruly land that still had Astral Order. The only use of this bit of order was to ensure the stability of the Astral Lighthouse. In other words, other than this bottom line, nothing else was sacrosanct. ¡°Why do I feel that this lighthouse is much larger than the one in Thorn City?¡± William looked at the huge lighthouse that rose from the dilapidated city in the distance and spiraled into the sky. He took a break in Thorn City for two days. After arranging everyone¡¯s next stage of work, he rushed to Blacklight City. He originally planned on taking the time to return to the Twilight Fortress. After all, that fortress held a pivotal position in the future Moon Realm invasion. Many projects needed his personal supervision. However, he could only give up when he learned that the Demon Sealing rune circuits hadn¡¯t been completed. Although there were many enchanters in Thorn City, most of them existed in the form of small civilian workshops. Many of them only had a few sets of enchantment techniques passed down from their families. Later generations were simply copying them. The basic skills of those enchanters weren¡¯t up to standard and didn¡¯t meet William¡¯s requirements. Therefore, the progress of the project was delayed again and again. The Crow Feather Prophet behind him replied, ¡°So here¡¯s the situation. When this lighthouse was built, it took into account the complicated environment here and all kinds of possible accidents. Therefore, the Astral Council basically fortified this Astral Lighthouse and the nearby land. They also stationed an entire Battle Mage Order and two Spellblades inside to prevent any possible damage.¡± After all, Nakuland was the most virtuous and simple place in the Vic Continent. There was no lack of outlaws here. In order to deter those people from having any nefarious thoughts, this bit of military deterrence was necessary. William looked at the black light that flickered slowly as if it were breathing and nodded. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°With so many magic chanters and Spellblades, it¡¯s basically comparable to the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall before it was purged. It¡¯s no wonder Vincent is so resentful that Blacklight City isn¡¯t willing to cooperate with him. If he had so many people, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a tight spot. I heard that he went to Offa University to ask for help. Isn¡¯t this nonsense?¡± Currently, almost all the magic chanters in the Mage Hall had been sent out to lead teams to carry out all kinds of missions. Even the Imperial Guard mages in charge of guarding the Rose Palace were no exception. The palace¡¯s security was handled by the stone guardians summoned by William. It was evident how necessary the magic chanters were. Most importantly, the shortage couldn¡¯t be quickly replenished. Even under the Astral Laws, it took at least five years to nurture a usable mage, not to mention that the Astral Council had already stopped the awakening service for the Blackwater Province¡¯s magic chanters. In the long run, the entire Blackwater Province might even lose its competitiveness in spells. ¡°Presiding Judge, the Battle Mages and Spellblades here are from the Astral Council and are the most staunch supporters of the Astral Laws. It¡¯s probably easier to convince a rock than them.¡± The Crow Feather Prophet, who had guessed what William was thinking, reminded him. William didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your evaluation of their garrison here?¡± For many years, the Crows had been trying to infiltrate the fortress and steal the soul fragment. Although they returned empty-handed every time, they had a thorough understanding of the garrison here. The Crow Feather Prophet immediately replied, ¡°Very strong. Ignoring the Spellblade team stationed outside, in terms of the Astral Lighthouse, the tower guardian is a genuine Legendary domain expert. She can even temporarily use Divine Realm spells in the tower. As for the guards guarding the seal, they are two peak Masters. Other than that, the Battle Mage Order has many teleportation nexuses in the tower and can rush over to provide support at any time¡­¡± The more the Crow Feather Prophet spoke, the more pessimistic he sounded. He didn¡¯t even notice the smile on William¡¯s face. ¡°Moreover, because there¡¯s a special Enchanter Association and Alchemy Association in the fortress¡­¡± ¡°There are also enchanters. Are there many?¡± William exclaimed. The Crow Feather Prophet nodded solemnly and said, ¡°There should be quite a lot. I remember that the last time I came, even the patrolling guards here were fully equipped with enchanted equipment.¡± ¡°Then, this is really¡­¡± Previously, he was still worried about the refurbishing of the Twilight Fortress. Now that there were so many well-trained enchanters here, it wasn¡¯t wrong to say that he had lucked out. ¡°In short, according to our leader¡¯s summary, that fortress probably can only be barged in after reaching the peak of Legendary. Considering that the Demon General, Mania, is sealed inside, I reckon only a Divine Realm can retreat unscathed¡­ Sigh, Presiding Judge, why are you smiling?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 87 - 87 Viper Lighthouse 87 Viper Lighthouse ¡°Nothing. I just remembered something from the past.¡± William immediately controlled his expression and replied solemnly, Speaking of the past, William felt that he had to reflect on his previous state of mind. Wasn¡¯t it just a Legendary and a few Master-level magic chanters? Weren¡¯t they just ordinary enchanters who had undergone basic training and could enchant the sword with Sharpness and the shield with Fortress? What was there to be excited about? Back then, the enchanters who laid the Elementium Silver Circuit for the Twilight Fortress had to be at the Master level. It was nothing like him having to pick out the useful ones from their family workshops like now. With this in mind, William immediately felt mixed emotions. In the end, he could only sigh and lament that times had changed. Looking at the constantly changing expressions on William¡¯s face, the Crow Feather Prophet whispered, ¡°Presiding Judge, we¡¯re only here to retrieve the soul fragment. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s too difficult for you, right?¡± He was still very confident in the strength of the Presiding Judge. After all, he was a legendary figure that even the Father of the Crows had to address respectfully as the Presiding Judge. Having been able to snatch something from the Lord of Nightmare and retrieve the soul fragment, entering to retrieve the soul fragment would be a piece of cake. Even if he faced Mania, who was once the strongest Demon General under Absurdity Jester, his chances of winning shouldn¡¯t be low. William shook his head and said, ¡°Now that you mention it, things are indeed a little troublesome.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to retrieve the fragment. It wouldn¡¯t even be too troublesome to banish Mania. However, if he wanted to protect all the enchanters, he had to consider how to deal with the aftermath. He, Mania, and the tower guardian who was supported by the Astral Lighthouse. To have three Divine Realm existences appear in such a tiny place, the entire fortress might be razed to the ground when everything came to an end despite one of them being insignificant. Especially Demon Generals like Mania, who constantly caused intense mental damage to the surroundings when they fought. Perhaps after the battle was over, the enchanters and mages with weaker mental resistance in the fortress would go crazy. Or should he think of a way to get those people out first? William thought of a solution as he walked. At this moment, the two of them were walking on an official road that was about five to six kilometers away from Blacklight City. If they were outside Thorn City, they would usually see scattered caravans, but outside Blacklight City, it was a desolate and silent scene. As William walked, he even had the illusion that the city might be a dead city. A dusty gale blew over. William straightened the collar of his coat and narrowed his eyes. He suddenly thought of a problem. Speaking of which, why was Mania imprisoned under this tower? ¡­ Viper Astral Lighthouse, Astral Observatory. A star map of a meandering viper made of lapis lazuli was embedded at the end of the room. A fiery-red-haired woman sat in front of the star map and meditated. Astral World magic power that crossed the Moon Realm constantly surged out of the star map before being restrained by this woman¡¯s spells and constantly circulated in the Astral Observatory. Her mana circulation became faster and faster, and fine sweat constantly seeped out of the red-haired woman¡¯s forehead. When it reached a certain threshold, the mana finally escaped her control and spread out of the tower, dissipating into the outside world before escaping Currere. The woman opened her eyes and stopped. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°How terrifying is the Divine Realm¡­¡± With the authority as the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s tower guardian, the mana she could theoretically utilize in the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s support range was enough to reach the Divine Realm. However, her mind wasn¡¯t capable of controlling such a large amount of magic power. Forcing it was like a child waving a sharp blade randomly. It was easy to injure others and herself. At this moment, the Astral Observatory¡¯s door opened, and an attendant mage wearing an embroidered robe with a viper pattern walked in. The other party first bowed according to etiquette and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb your training, but Thorn City sent another letter urging you about the Gift Church¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t send me those letters in the future. Just burn them.¡± She replied without hesitation and said impatiently, ¡°Then, reply to the letter using the same response: I can¡¯t find the target he mentioned.¡± ¡°Yes, m¡¯lady¡­¡± The attendant mage revealed a hesitant expression, but he finally agreed and prepared to leave. However, he was stopped by the tower guardian. ¡°Wait, I feel like you have some misgivings about this matter?¡± The attendant subconsciously shook his head at first, but when he saw that the other party¡¯s expression was still very calm, he replied hesitantly, ¡°M¡¯lady, I just feel that it¡¯s better to investigate this matter. After all, I¡¯ve never seen Thorn City urge us like this.¡± The red-haired woman replied, ¡°Do you know how many similar Moon Realm worship parishes there are outside the fortress in Blacklight City? If we investigate them one by one, do you know how much manpower and material resources are needed? Today is the Gift Church, tomorrow it¡¯s the Blessing Church, and the day after tomorrow is the Curse Church¡­ They¡¯re like weeds that can never be cut off.¡± Having been a tower guardian in this city for three years, her biggest lesson was to ignore anything outside the Blacklight City¡¯s fortress. The more she interfered, the more involved she became. ¡°But the Rose Palace only emphasized the one-month-old Gift Church¡­¡± Regarding this, the tower guardian only sneered and replied, ¡°Yes, I know, but do you know why he only mentioned this? This Gift Church was created by the previous Duke of Thorn, Simon. They don¡¯t have the energy to eliminate the evidence now, so they can only implore us.¡± She had already used her connections in the Blacklight City¡¯s Mage Hall to investigate when she received the first letter. This so-called Gift Church was only a second-rate Moon Realm parish in Blacklight City that was mixed with good and bad. They weren¡¯t worth them leaving the fortress for the purge. Perhaps they would disappear naturally with time. It was likely that Thorn City was in a hurry to eliminate it because they wanted to disavow any relationship with Moon Realm worship. After all, the Astral Council had issued orders to freeze all targets for the awakening and advancement of mages in the Blackwater Province. It was within expectations that he would panic. After all, if Vincent wanted to sit firmly on the Thorn throne, playing the ostrich by changing his title to First Citizen alone wasn¡¯t enough. He had to at least seek the approval of the Astral Council and the royal family. Over the centuries, how many usurpers had felt insufferably arrogant after independence? However, when the Astral Council froze the spots for mages to advance and awaken, they fell silent. In the end, they could only obediently submit to the Empire. However, when she thought of this, she was still puzzled. Why didn¡¯t the Astral Council give further instructions after completely freezing the mages¡¯ progress in Blackwater Province? They didn¡¯t even arrange for a new tower guardian for Thorn City¡¯s Stranger Lighthouse. This was different from the usual process. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 88 - 88 Steal 88 Steal After watching the attendant mage retreat and close the door behind him, the fiery-red-haired tower guardian walked to the enchantment table beside her and picked up a Demon Sealing rune that flowed with lightning from a box. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn¡¯t activate the communication spell inside. The magic chanters who could be chosen as tower guardians were all members of ancient senator families that had a lineage in the Astral Council for centuries. As for training venues like the Astral Observatory that allowed one to mobilize mana as easily as breathing all year round, as long as one wasn¡¯t too talented, one could basically train their mind and reach the threshold of the Legendary stage during their term. On this basis, as long as one pulled some strings in the Senate, one could obtain a Legendary promotion vacancy and truly advance to the Legendary domain. However, even with such generous conditions, most talented youths from senator families weren¡¯t willing to train in the Astral Lighthouse. The requirements were only partly the reason. The key was that this form of training was too boring. Moreover, once they entered the Lighthouse, it meant that they were completely out of touch with the world. Becoming a tower guardian meant becoming a part of the operation of the Astral Laws during their term of office. They couldn¡¯t bring any personal emotions and family interests into their work. Not only could they not maintain contact with their families, but as tower guardian, they couldn¡¯t even use their names. They could only address themselves with the lighthouse¡¯s code name. Back then, she voluntarily came to Nakuland, known as the Empire¡¯s sewers, and became the tower guardian of the Viper constellation lighthouse in Blacklight City to break through to the Legendary stage and protect her family¡¯s shaky seat in the Senate. Now that she had successfully advanced to the Legendary domain, the five-year period was almost up. She really didn¡¯t want anything to happen in this city in the remaining month or so. Especially in these troubled times. Heaven knows why so much has happened recently¡ªthe Undead Tide, the manifestation of the Eighth Holy Spirit, and the Moon Realm parishes becoming active¡­ It was as if a huge revolution was brewing over this land. If it weren¡¯t for the restrictions of her status as the tower guardian, she wanted to contact her family in Ring City and ask them what the Astral Council¡¯s attitude towards the Blackwater Province was. She only hoped that nothing bad would happen in Blacklight City. At the very least, nothing bad would happen in the next month. With this in mind, she spread her hand, and a shadow took shape in her hand. Then, it squirmed and transformed into a pitch-black bat. ¡°Inform the guards guarding the Mad Box to raise their vigilance by two levels during this period.¡± The bat demon spirit made of shadows flapped its wings and flew out, merging into the night outside the lighthouse. She looked at the deep night sky outside the lighthouse and heaved a sigh of relief. If she ignored the Moon Realm parishioners outside the fortress, the only thing that could cause chaos in the Astral Lighthouse was probably the Mad Box that sealed the Lunar Monster. She needed to do a good job of maintaining security. At the very least, she had to finish the rest of the month peacefully. Other than that, she didn¡¯t have any higher requirements for this unlucky place. ¡­ A tavern, another tavern. William propped his collar and followed the Crow Feather Prophet into a tavern that smelled of cooked potatoes. Why can¡¯t taverns be avoided when it comes to gathering information? William looked around at the terrible environment and couldn¡¯t help but grumble inwardly. The boss at the bar was wiping the equally dirty wine glass in his hand with a dirty rag. He believed that any normal customer would give up on ordering a glass here after seeing this scene. The Crow Feather Prophet sat at the bar skillfully and said to the middle-aged man who looked a little dazed, ¡°Two cups of Moonlight Brew.¡± The man turned one eye to him with difficulty. William realized that the other party had a prosthetic glass eye. Smack! Smack! After a while, two cups of amber liquid were placed in front of the counter. The Crow Feather Prophet picked up one of the cups and finished it in one gulp. William didn¡¯t say anything. He sat beside him and fiddled with the cup. ¡°There¡¯s only the night and nothing else¡­¡± the Crow Feather Prophet lowered his voice and said to the boss. After confirming the secret signal, the boss nodded without a change in expression. He took out a wine cup cushion from under the bar and pressed it on the table. Then, he silently moved it to the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s hand. ¡°This is the garrison map of the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s fortress periphery, as well as the information on the rotation of guards last month. They¡¯ve been raising their guard level this month. Our demonic spirits don¡¯t dare to probe too deeply, so you shouldn¡¯t rely too much on information about this,¡± the boss said as if he was talking to himself. He continued, ¡°If you need our cover, the Crows active in this area have already hoarded a considerable number of Magic Explosion Stones. You can detonate them on the west wall of the fortress area to attract their attention. Then, you can use the shadows to infiltrate from the fourth inlet on the east. We¡¯ve already dislodged an opening in the magic barrier there. You can then enter the vicinity of the Astral Lighthouse for a deeper probe¡­¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± The Crow Feather Prophet interrupted the other party and turned his gaze to William. ¡°I¡¯m not in charge of the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s exploration mission like before. We plan on retrieving the target.¡± The tavern owner stopped and glanced at the travel-worn William. Then, he said to the Crow Feather Prophet, ¡°Just the two of you? You should remember how many people died from our last attempt, right?¡± The ¡°last time¡± he mentioned was 15 years ago. Back then, the Crows¡¯ elites were mobilized. A Legendary-level Beak and three Master-level Claws worked with the dozen or so Feathers who incited Blacklight City to riot and tried to barge into the Lighthouse Fortress. As they had severely misjudged the level of defense the fortress area had for the seal, the outcome of that operation was an extremely tragic failure. Not only did all the elite combatants back then die in the tower, but the entire Blacklight City¡¯s intelligence system also suffered a devastating blow. The Crows still hadn¡¯t completely recovered from that loss. ¡°They have recently tightened the defense of the Lighthouse Fortress. Moreover, I heard that the tower guardian¡¯s realm is higher than 15 years ago. Once the alarm goes out, she can seal off all magic power around the fortress within half a minute,¡± the tavern owner warned. This didn¡¯t account for the consequences of releasing Demon General Mania after breaking the seal. The tavern owner didn¡¯t know William¡¯s identity. He wasn¡¯t a Crowman, and he had never had the experience of forming a connection with the Father of the Crows in a stormy night dream. Just as the Crow Feather Prophet was about to explain to him, William said, ¡°We don¡¯t plan on snatching the soul fragment. Instead, we plan on stealing it.¡± The Crow Feather Prophet looked at the Presiding Judge in confusion. He originally thought that this trip was a simple operation with the Presiding Judge charging into the fortress area with his mighty strength and snatching the soul fragment from the Viper Astral Lighthouse before evacuating. However, from what he said, he wanted to infiltrate and steal the soul fragment? Therefore, he didn¡¯t plan on banishing the Demon General named Mania and letting the Divine Realm Lunar Monster wreak havoc in this city? Or was the Presiding Judge waiting for the Astral Lighthouse and the Moon Realm to fight it out with the Gift Church before reaping the benefits? Just as he was considering the Presiding Judge¡¯s plan, the other party suddenly pointed at him and said, ¡°To be precise, you¡¯ll be the one to steal it.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 89 - 89 Mad Box 89 Mad Box ¡°Me?¡± The Crow Feather Prophet pointed at himself with a puzzled expression. He didn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°Yes, you.¡± William nodded and replied. He didn¡¯t look like he was joking. ¡°But how can I do that?¡± the Crow Feather Prophet asked. Crowmen were a race with an extremely high affinity for shadow magic. It could be said that every Crowman had the potential to become a Master of Stealth. In fact, his Stealth ability was indeed very strong. However, this didn¡¯t mean that he could infiltrate the Sealing Chamber under the Astral Lighthouse, steal the soul fragment in front of two peak Master-level magic chanters, and swagger out. Especially under the Viper Astral Lighthouse that symbolized Morph, Metal, and Shadow magic. ¡°I have some ways to help you better infiltrate the shadows. At the very least, I can let you sneak into the Sealing Chamber without being discovered. That¡¯s enough,¡± William replied. ¡°Presiding Judge, even if I can infiltrate and retreat unscathed, my master¡¯s soul fragment is the seal that suppresses the Mad Box. Removing it will release Demon General Mania,¡± the Crow Feather Prophet reminded. The Mad Box that sealed Demon General Mania was one with the Astral Lighthouse. The soul fragment of the Father of the Crows provided the requirements for suppression, and the Astral Lighthouse was in charge of constantly supplying magic to the seal. And once he removed the soul fragment¡­ ¡°Then, has the seal on the Mad Box ever been removed all these years?¡± William asked. ¡°How is this possible? The closest we ever got was 15 years ago. The Crows fought their way to the Sealing Chamber, but they were eventually stopped by the tower guardian.¡± As the Crow Feather Prophet spoke, he revealed a sorrowful expression. The Crows could be connected through the Father of the Crows¡¯ dream spirit on a stormy night. Even the dead could leave behind their memories in that dream. As for the tragic memories of that failed operation, they often surfaced in that dream because of the stark memories, like a warning bell. ¡°In other words, no one knows what will happen if the seal is removed, right?¡± William continued asking. ¡°But after the seal is removed, no matter what happens, the Demon General Mania will be completely released,¡± the Crow Feather Prophet replied in confusion. Could this make a huge difference? ¡°No, the difference is huge¡­ In short, I¡¯ll make preparations for you to infiltrate the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s Sealing Chamber.¡± William stood up. Realizing that the other party wasn¡¯t joking, the Crow Feather Prophet asked in fear, ¡°No offense, but Presiding Judge, if I¡¯m going to steal the soul fragment, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°Me?¡± William took out a letter sealed with Thorn City¡¯s wax from his pocket. Vincent¡¯s signature was written on the envelope. ¡°As a special envoy of Thorn City, I¡¯m obviously being invited to meet the tower guardian of this Astral Lighthouse .¡± ¡­ Another mana cycle collapsed and dissipated in the Astral Observatory. The fiery-red-haired tower guardian stood up with an impatient expression. Why does it always end like this? Once the mana she tried to control broke through to the Divine Realm, her balance would inevitably be destroyed by the distracting thoughts in her mind, causing the magic spell to instantly collapse like a building with its foundation removed. This was only the most basic mana circulation spell. If this were the only result gained from training in the Astral Lighthouse, she could forget about touching the threshold of the Divine Realm for the rest of her life. After a while, the fiery-red-haired tower guardian¡¯s anxiety dissipated, and she calmed down again. On careful thought, it didn¡¯t seem to matter if her mind couldn¡¯t reach the threshold of the Divine Realm. A month later, when her term as the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s tower guardian expired, she would probably never have the chance to come into contact with mana on the scale of the Divine Realm. In the entire Riel Empire, other than the few families sitting at the top of the Astral Council, how many people could obtain the authority of the Divine Realm under the Astral Laws? In any case, it was impossible for her to be among them. Just as she was leaning against the window and thinking about something that seemed very distant to her, the door to the Astral Observatory opened and the attendant from before hurriedly walked in. ¡°M¡¯lady, Thorn City¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that all the letters from Thorn City should be burned¡­¡± She turned around unhappily upon having her thoughts interrupted, only to discover that other than the attendant mage from before, another person was standing at the door. It was a gruff-looking man wearing a heavy leather coat and holding a lead magical medium. For a moment, the rich mana in the entire Astral Observatory seemed to leap for joy, but this seemed to be an illusion. The ebullient mana instantly fell silent again. In the Astral Observatory, the entire Astral Lighthouse was a part of her perception. In theory, she could probe the depths of anyone¡¯s strength the moment they stepped into the tower. However, she didn¡¯t even sense the man behind the attendant mage when he entered. ¡°M¡¯lady, he¡¯s an envoy sent by Thorn City. He has a letter signed by Vincent¡­¡± the attendant mage said. However, the tower guardian didn¡¯t even look at the attendant mage. She kept her eyes peeled at the gray-haired man. ¡°I understand. You may leave.¡± The tower guardian waved her hand. The attendant mage looked at the tower guardian who suddenly wore an extremely serious expression and turned to look at the man who looked nothing special. He bowed in confusion and left. ¡°How may I address you?¡± the tower guardian asked carefully, her tone carrying a hint of respect. If even she couldn¡¯t determine the other party¡¯s strength, it meant that the other party was at least on the same level as her or even higher. However, she had never heard of a Legendary magic chanter in Thorn City. She couldn¡¯t help but be cautious when faced with a powerhouse whose background she didn¡¯t know. ¡°A special envoy from Thorn City,¡± the person replied before sighing. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the tower guardian of this Astral Lighthouse to be so young. May I know your name?¡± The other party was also very polite. A layman? Or was he pretending to be stupid? the tower guardian thought. His two sentences exposed at least two misunderstandings concerning the Astral Lighthouse. Firstly, most Astral Lighthouses were used to nurture the talents of the senators¡¯ families. It was rare for the Stranger Lighthouse in Thorn City to be controlled by an old fellow who was indignant about breaking through to the Legendary stage. Secondly, during their term of office, the tower guardian couldn¡¯t call themselves by their name. ¡°The tower guardian of Viper.¡± She replied warily and asked, ¡°Then, may I ask why you¡¯re here, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to confirm if you¡¯ve received the letters from the Rose Palace. Vincent is worried that those letters will be accidentally burned by your subordinates.¡± The other party deliberately emphasized the word ¡®accidentally¡¯ as he took out a letter from his pocket. ¡°He specially instructed me to personally hand this letter to you and guarantee that you would read it.¡± Are you here to pressure me? the tower guardian thought. So this was why Vincent dared to rise to power. He had a magic chanter at least at the intermediate Legendary stage. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. I have enough on my plate.¡± She replied very coldly in response. Her term ended in only a month. She really didn¡¯t want to get involved in any more trouble. The other party seemed to know that she would give him such an answer, so he said, ¡°I know that you aren¡¯t interested in the Moon Realm parish called the Gift Church, but what¡¯s interesting is that they¡¯re very interested in you. To be precise, they¡¯re very interested in something of yours.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she immediately asked. Due to some bad associations, her tone became very serious. ¡°Mad Box, we received information that they want to unseal Mad Box.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 90 - 90 Walking in the Shadows 90 Walking in the Shadows The tower guardian¡¯s eyes instantly turned sharp when she heard the words ¡®Mad Box.¡¯ She was still musing that it would be fine as long as there were no problems with the seal in the last month of her term, but what she was worried about seemed imminent. For a moment, she even wanted to inform the people in charge of the fortress area to hold a combat meeting. No¡­ This impulsive thought only lasted for a moment before the tower guardian quickly calmed down. To ensure that the Mad Box¡¯s seal wasn¡¯t used by people with ulterior motives, the matter of Demon General Mania sealed under the Astral Lighthouse in Blacklight City had always been top secret. Over the years, even Thorn City¡¯s Rose Palace didn¡¯t know. Now that she had heard the words ¡°Mad Box¡± from the envoy, regardless of whether the Gift Church was trying to undo the seal as he said, it at least proved that this secret had been leaked. ¡°How do you know about this?¡± she asked solemnly. As she spoke, she even used the mana in the Astral Lighthouse to create pressure. Massive amounts of mana turned into invisible pressure that stacked over the man in front of her. Even a Legendary domain powerhouse would reveal an uncomfortable expression, but the person in front of her didn¡¯t even frown. ¡°We weren¡¯t aware of this until we learned from documents that the members of the Gift Church¡¯s Mage Hall failed to destroy in time, so we specially came to warn you,¡± the other party replied with a calm expression. There was indeed nothing wrong with this explanation. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t see any flaws in the other party¡¯s expression. After all, he had thrown the blame onto the Gift Church. As for how the Gift Church knew about the seal, why they wanted to undo it, and how they wanted to break through the impregnable garrison here¡­ He didn¡¯t even mention these details as if he didn¡¯t know anything. In any case, he had already distanced himself from this matter. He was only here to inform her of this matter. No matter what choice the Astral Lighthouse made in the future, it was their decision and had nothing to do with them. Tricks¡­ the tower guardian thought. So what if the other party could provide evidence? He had already said that they only had written information to prove this matter, and it was easy to fake written information. If she really only listened to this person¡¯s one-sided story and immediately ordered the forces in the fortress to eliminate the Gift Church, it would be exactly what Thorn City wanted. She would be used as a tool. ¡°Then, please go back and tell His Excellency Vincent that we are very grateful for his warning. We will continue to increase our vigilance against the Mad Box seal and won¡¯t give the Gift Church a chance,¡± the tower guardian replied. In other words, we will continue tightening our strength to ensure the safety of the seal. As for purging the Gift Church, don¡¯t count on it. Indeed, for the first time, the other party¡¯s expression changed when he heard her words. ¡°Is this really appropriate? It¡¯s equivalent to giving up the initiative to the other party if all you do is tighten your strength and not take the initiative to resolve the latent dangers,¡± the other party said in a deep voice. Regarding this, the tower guardian¡ªwho had completely seen through his trick¡ªsneered and said, ¡°If you knew how strong our defense of that seal is, you definitely wouldn¡¯t have such thoughts.¡± Ignoring the previously unknown Gift Church, didn¡¯t the mysterious organization, Crows, fail15 years ago? ¡°No matter how perfect the defense is, there will always be loopholes. Only by resolving the latent danger can the problem be truly resolved,¡± the other party continued persuading with a sincere expression. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Please help me pass the message to Mr. Vincent¡­ What¡¯s wrong now?!¡± Before the tower guardian could finish speaking, the door to the Astral Observatory suddenly opened, and the attendant from before stumbled in. He didn¡¯t even care that there were outsiders and walked over under the tower guardian¡¯s furious gaze. The first sentence he said turned the tower guardian¡¯s emotions from anger to panic. ¡°M¡¯lady, we just received news from the Sealing Chamber that the holy relic used to seal the Mad Box has been stolen!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡­ Viper Astral Lighthouse, underground tower base. The Crow Feather Prophet slowly walked in the shadows. In his line of sight, everything seemed to be enveloped by shadows, making it blurry. He could only see a vague outline. As long as he walked, the shadows would be dragged into long afterimages. All the sounds around him seemed to come from afar. He had to do his best to hear extremely weak echoes. It was dark and lonely. It was as if he was walking under the projection of this world. The guards couldn¡¯t sense his existence at all even when he brushed past them. With his Expert-level Shadow spells, it was originally impossible for him to walk completely in the shadows like this. However¡­ The Crow Feather Prophet touched the pitch-black brooch on its chest. Crown of Original Darkness. The cornerstone divine artifact of the Thieves¡¯ Guild was once the status symbol of the previous presidents of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. As long as one wore it, it could completely turn the wearer into an incarnation of shadows and walk in shadows that others couldn¡¯t see. However, this divine artifact had disappeared for more than a thousand years. The Thieves¡¯ Guild had even established a branch called Dark Crown to recover it, searching the continent for any news of its existence. It was unexpectedly in the Presiding Judge¡¯s hands. As the Crow Feather Prophet sighed with emotion, he dodged a patrol of Shadow Souls and bypassed a few exquisite magic power traps. When he was in the shadows, the hidden triggering traps were as dazzling to him as dragon blood ink dripping onto parchment. Shadows were areas without light, and light was Creatons that formed everything in Currere. Therefore, shadows represented the unknown and concealment. It was like a blurry state before creation that couldn¡¯t be recognized by any emotions. Shadow magic was a fake proposition because shadows represented a state where no magic existed. Among the 13 spells, only Shadow magic was constantly expelling magic power to create a temporary hidden space. To him, who walked completely in the shadows, no matter how hidden the traps or alarm devices were, as long as they were driven by magic, they were as dazzling as flames in the darkness. He strolled to the Sealing Chamber¡¯s door and waited patiently for a while before following the rotating guards in. Although the Crow Feather Prophet had never been here personally, he was extremely familiar with this place. In the Father of the Crows¡¯ dream, the clear memories of the tragedy 15 years ago remained vivid. The high-end combat strength the Crows had built up for many years was wiped out in that battle. The subsequent retaliatory strike by the Astral Council almost caused the entire organization to collapse. Although the Father of the Crows couldn¡¯t respond to them because of his eternal slumber, all the Crowmen could sense his sorrow in their dreams from then on. Of course, 15 years had passed, and the arrangements here had changed drastically from before. The Sealing Chamber¡¯s defense is even more¡­ lax than before? The Crow Feather Prophet didn¡¯t dare move for a moment, afraid that this was a trap. In the dream memories, the entire Sealing Chamber was filled with magic traps, and the surrounding statues were all disciplined puppets that could be awakened at any moment. There were five Master-level magic chanters alone, and two of them were peak Masters. Later on, when the Crows analyzed the tragic failure, they were extremely puzzled as to why they would protect the seal at all costs. It had to be known that the resources needed to maintain so many magic traps and magic puppets weren¡¯t trivial. In addition, arranging five Master-level magic chanters here was a considerable waste even for the Astral Council. After being invaded once, there were less than a fifth of the guards in the Sealing Chamber when they should have been more vigilant. The Crow Feather Prophet had previously heard from the tavern owner that the current tower guardian had already raised the defense level of the fortress area several notches up because she didn¡¯t want any mistakes to happen at the end of her term. Even the defense level of the fortress area had increased. There was no reason for the Sealing Chamber¡¯s defense level not to increase. Why? Or could it be that this level of security was the norm? The extravagant defense back then was because they had long known that the Crows would come? Who told the Astral Council about the Crows¡¯ actions? Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 91 - 91 Solution 91 Solution The Crow Feather Prophet didn¡¯t think about this question for too long. After all, this wasn¡¯t the time to think about this, and the Sealing Chamber was definitely no place to think about this. He bypassed the dense magic traps around him and the mighty magic chanters. He passed through countless strict defenses in the shadows and arrived unimpeded beside the Mad Box at the end of the Sealing Chamber. The Crow Feather Prophet suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked at the seal over the Mad Box. He was the first person among the Crows to reach this place in so many years. The Mad Box was a hexagonal metal box that had been welded to the ground. The images of the six Demon Generals under Absurdity Jester were carved on every surface of the box. Paranoia, Anxiety, Depression, Emptiness, and Terror, as well as Mania, who was welded to the ground. They symbolized the six emotions that drove people crazy. At the same time, they were the six embodiments of Absurdity Jester¡¯s strength. The entire platform was connected to the Astral Lighthouse. The mana drawn from the Astral Circuit into Currere followed the structure of the tower and gathered on the seal on the box. Then, a pitch-black crow feather floating above the box provided the necessary suppression. Compared to the countless precautions elsewhere in the Sealing Chamber, there were no restrictions or defense barriers around the Mad Box because they were worried that mana of different natures would interfere with the seal itself. The Crow Feather Prophet seemed to be able to hold the soul fragment in his hand as long as he reached out. But he couldn¡¯t. Being in the shadows, he couldn¡¯t do anything other than use shadow spells of the same nature. He couldn¡¯t even touch the soul fragment. If he wanted to obtain it, he had to take off the Crown of Original Darkness on his chest. When the time came, he would be exposed inside the Sealing Chamber and end up facing all the forces within. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t use Teleportation to leave immediately after obtaining the fragment because the entire Sealing Chamber had a spatial restriction seal. Presiding Judge, I hope your judgment is correct. After a while, the Crow Feather Prophet took a deep breath and removed the Crown of Original Darkness. The peak Master-level magic chanter sitting in the middle of the Sealing Chamber meditating suddenly opened his eyes. Then, he saw the person holding the pitch-black illusory crow feather tightly in his hand. ¡­ After the tower guardian heard that the holy relic used to seal the holy box had been stolen, she left the person in the Astral Observatory, turned into a shadow, and quickly rushed in the direction of the Sealing Chamber. When she arrived at the entrance of the tower, she realized that William, who had been in the Astral Observatory, was already standing there waiting for her. She didn¡¯t even have the chance to ask how the other party had teleported here. She pulled the person-in-charge of the Sealing Chamber aside and asked in agitation, ¡°What¡¯s going on with the sealing holy relic being stolen? Didn¡¯t I already ask you to raise the security levels two notches up?¡± ¡°M¡¯lady, there was a¡­¡± The person-in-charge explained in detail what had happened in the Sealing Chamber in fear. An unknown man had secretly bypassed all the guards and infiltrated the Sealing Chamber. He also removed the holy relic from the Mad Box without alerting anyone. It was unimaginable that such a thing would happen. However, the other party accidentally exposed himself just as he was about to leave the Sealing Chamber. The Sealing Chamber guards immediately chased after him when they saw the holy relic in his hand. It was then that the other party disappeared outside the door once again. At this point, the person-in-charge looked at the constantly gloomy expression on the tower guardian¡¯s face and immediately made a suggestion. ¡°M¡¯lady, we¡¯ll mobilize all the manpower in the fortress area to find him immediately¡­¡± ¡°What for!? How¡¯s the situation in the Sealing Chamber now?¡± the tower guardian roared angrily. Since the other party could stroll through the heavily guarded Astral Lighthouse as if it were his backyard, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find him in the messy Blacklight City even if they worked themselves to their deaths. The most pressing thing was to face the Divine Realm Demon General, Mania. ¡°Everyone in the Sealing Chamber has been evacuated. The 77 spare seal nexuses have also been activated. Mania hasn¡¯t broken out yet,¡± the person immediately said. William suddenly said, ¡°A breakout is only a matter of time. As the strongest Lunar Monster below the Void Sovereigns, you can forget about imprisoning Demon Generals with just the sealing nexuses.¡± The tower guardian glanced at him fiercely. However, she also knew that the other party was right. Without the suppression of the holy relic, it was impossible to produce a complete seal unless the scale of mana was large enough to produce a qualitative change. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. ¡°Follow our plans and immediately contact¡­ the Astral Council to inform them of the situation here. Then, everyone in the fortress area will enter a combat readiness state. Before the Senate¡¯s reinforcements arrive, we have to ensure that the Astral Lighthouse remains intact!¡± When she mentioned making contact, she hesitated slightly. This was because once this matter was exposed to the Astral Council, it meant that all her efforts over the past five years would be in vain. Even if she broke through to the Legendary domain, it meant the end of her family¡¯s position in the Senate. ¡°You¡¯re sending them to their deaths,¡± William said. Then, he ignored the other party¡¯s murderous gaze and continued, ¡°Converted to the strength of a magic chanter, Mania from a thousand years ago was a genuine peak Divine Realm. Moreover, as a Lunar Monster, the physical strength it creates in Currere is much stronger than that of humans. People below Legendary aren¡¯t even qualified to watch this battle. There¡¯s no point in staying here. What you should be doing now is to evacuate everyone here immediately before the seal is completely removed.¡± After hearing William¡¯s analysis, she seemed to calm down significantly. After a few seconds, she said, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, you have peak Legendary strength, right?¡± The other party could use Teleportation under the restrictions of the Astral Lighthouse. This at least meant that he had magical power control that was close to the Divine Realm. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to take the last step under the Astral Laws. William shrugged and said, ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Then, enter the Sealing Chamber with me and continue reinforcing the seal until reinforcements from the Astral Council arrive.¡± William looked troubled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do the main work. The scale of the mana I can mobilize in this tower can reach the Divine Realm. Moreover¡­ although I don¡¯t know your background, as long as this matter is successfully resolved, I¡¯ll include your contributions in my report. The Astral Council has never mistreated true geniuses.¡± William seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before nodding. Then, the tower guardian looked at the person in charge of the Sealing Chamber and said, ¡°Hurry up and evacuate everyone in the fortress to Blacklight City¡­¡± She paused as if she was thinking about something. Then, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t let the Battle Mage Order and the Spellblades stay idle after entering the city. According to the intelligence we¡¯ve gathered, eradicate the Moon Realm parish called the Gift Church. Perhaps the person who stole the holy relic is among them.¡± ¡°M¡¯lady, what about the logisticians? We can¡¯t possibly let them participate in the mission together, right?¡± the person asked hesitantly. Other than the combatants, there were also many logisticians in the fortress area, including people from the Enchantment Association and the Alchemy Association. ¡°When the time comes, the situation in the city will probably turn very messy. Should I leave some people behind to protect them?¡± He continued asking. ¡°Why don¡¯t we teleport the non-combatants to a safe place?¡± William suggested to the hesitant tower guardian. With that said, he took out six azure Void Crystals and a Demon Sealing rune with sealed coordinates from a spatial rift. ¡°A safe place? Where is that?¡± She looked at the six Void Crystals in shock. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that six of such huge Void Crystals were priceless. ¡°I previously set up a Teleportation coordinate south of the Grief Mountains. We can get the non-combatants to hide there first.¡± As he spoke, he handed the item to the person-in-charge, whose hands were trembling. ¡°Wh¡­ You¡¯re giving me such a precious thing¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m lending it to you.¡± William added and said, ¡°Hurry up and bring the non-combatants there to take refuge. This place might turn into hell on earth in the next second.¡± The person looked at the tower guardian in fear. The latter nodded and said, ¡°Just do as he says.¡± The other party only provided the casting medium and coordinates. The one casting the spell was one of her forces. The other party couldn¡¯t interfere with the stability of the portal remotely, so there wasn¡¯t any danger involved. Moreover, there was no reason for someone who didn¡¯t mind taking out six Void Crystals to covet these enchanters and alchemists. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 92 - 92 Fake Ornament 92 Fake Ornament William and the fiery-red-haired tower guardian walked in the tunnel that led to the Sealing Chamber. Along the way, the two of them kept silent. Only when they approached the Sealing Chamber¡¯s door did the tower guardian say, ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, I won¡¯t ask if you want to reconsider or if you¡¯re sure you want to do this. However, if things spiral out of control, I¡¯ll try my best to let you escape.¡± William replied expressionlessly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± Then, he said, ¡°However, such a situation could have been completely avoided. The Rose Palace had given plenty of early notice.¡± Regarding this, the tower guardian sighed and said, ¡°But how did he do it? I still don¡¯t understand¡­¡± The door to the Sealing Chamber opened. The room was already illuminated by countless complicated spell seals, and 77 seals were augmented on the Mad Box at the end of the room. Mad Box looked as calm as before without any signs of agitation. Other than the empty space where the soul fragment should have been floating, everything seemed normal. According to the guard¡¯s description, he first saw the thief holding the holy relic at the door of the Sealing Chamber. When he turned around, the holy relic over the Mad Box was gone. Before this, he didn¡¯t even sense anyone entering the Sealing Room. If the other party hadn¡¯t accidentally exposed himself before leaving, he might not have had the time to sound the alarm and activate the 77 backup seals. Looking at the constantly changing seals in the sealing room, the tower guardian suddenly said, ¡°That thief probably deliberately exposed himself.¡± ¡°Why would he deliberately expose himself? As a taunt?¡± William asked casually. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s to give us time to react so that we can open the backup seal and slightly delay Demon General Mania¡¯s breakout,¡± the tower guardian replied after some thought. ¡°Is that how it is?¡± William commented patronizingly. ¡°But to be honest, if that¡¯s the case, his actions are too risky. Back when the Astral Council designed this place, they couldn¡¯t guarantee how long the backup sealing measures could last. It¡¯s better to say that this thing was only a psychological comfort from the beginning,¡± Not noticing the other party¡¯s patronizing attitude, the tower guardian looked at the seal solemnly and said. It could be said that none of the 77 seals had cracked. It was completely beyond her expectations. After all, as the First Demon General under Absurdity Jester, Mania¡¯s ferocious reputation could be said to be widespread in a certain circle. Every time it descended, it would cause a huge disaster. It was a true mythical existence. It had only descended to Currere a total of three times. The first descent recorded was far away in the Silver Age. It only mentioned without going into the details that it drove everyone in a large city on the Seething Plain crazy. In the end, three godly heroes broke their oaths and successfully exiled it. The second time was in the era when the Doomsday Watchers were active a thousand years ago. It disguised itself as the Mad King of the Baroque Kingdom, Fox III, in the early stages of the second invasion. However, ironically, during the reign of the fake Mad King, the Baroque Kingdom grew in strength. Under Mania¡¯s command, the Baroque Kingdom won many wars against the Kos Empire. It was also because of this that a eunuch under him grew suspicious. He secretly commissioned the Judges to investigate the anomaly of his king. Finally, the Judges exposed its identity and banished it back to the Moon Realm. The third time was during the period when the Astral Laws were promoted. Mania came to Nakuland to destroy the construction of this Astral Lighthouse. This time, it was defeated by Great Sage Yeats and was sealed at the bottom of the lighthouse to this day. ¡°Therefore, we¡­¡± The tower guardian stared at Mad Box and prepared to explain to the Thorn City envoy beside her what to do next. Unexpectedly, the other party had already ignored the seals and walked over. ¡­ Obtaining the Father of the Crows¡¯ soul fragment wasn¡¯t a problem for William. The garrison here might be impregnable to others, but it was no different from paper to him. The problem was how to evacuate the people in the fortress area before removing the seal¡ªespecially the enchanters and alchemists. After all, Mania was rather particular about being ostentatious among the Demon Generals. When they fought, it caused quite a commotion. If it was released just like that, there probably wouldn¡¯t be many sane people left in the fortress area after William banished it to the Moon Realm. Therefore, he had to evacuate everyone here before removing the seal¡ªit was best to evacuate them to his territory. Before he came, he had already informed Nizemar and Cass that they had to settle down the precious technicians. As he thought, William passed through the 77 flashy seals and arrived in front of the Mad Box. As the seal on the Mad Box had never been undone, no one knew what would happen other than the outcome of releasing Mania after the seal was undone. Would there be a huge commotion, or would he break out silently? Would Mania instantly break out of the seal and take some time to come out? They didn¡¯t know anything. After all, no one would test it out by removing the seal. They might even think that the backup seals could buy them some time. Therefore, what William wanted to do was very simple. He wanted them to mistakenly think that the soul fragment had been stolen. Ignoring the woman¡¯s voice behind him, William looked at the empty space above the Mad Box and slowly extended his hand. William tore open a shadow and took out the pitch-black illusory crow feather from under the shadow. The Crow Feather Prophet didn¡¯t steal the soul fragment at all. The seal had never been undone. He only used a shadow spell to hide the appearance and aura of the soul fragment with the augmentation of the Crown of Original Darkness. As for the guardian in the Sealing Chamber, when he saw the soul fragment in the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s hand, it was genuine. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to fool the peak Master-level magic chanter. However, the soul fragment in the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s hand was the one William had taken out from the Holy Sepulchre. According to William¡¯s estimation, after the other party discovered that the holy relic sealing the Mad Box had been stolen, his first reaction wouldn¡¯t be to move his head to the side to check if the sealed holy relic had been stolen since Demon General Mania might reach out its hand at any moment and smash something around. They would sound the alarm and activate the backup seals, making sure everyone was on full vigilance. This was something the average person would do. Of course, if the other party didn¡¯t play by the rules and insisted on checking if the soul fragment had been stolen, the outcome wouldn¡¯t have affected William much. At most, he could barge in again. At the very least, it wouldn¡¯t affect him from retrieving the soul fragment. However, he could only express his regret for the people in the fortress area. After all, he had done his best. Thankfully, everything went smoothly. As William removed the soul fragment from the Mad Box, a few cracks instantly appeared over it. At the same time, the 77 seals beside the Mad Box emitted cracking sounds like porcelain. They shattered one after another. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A deep and terrifying voice echoed throughout the Sealing Chamber. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 93 - 93 Calm Mania 93 Calm Mania Everything happened too suddenly. The tower guardian didn¡¯t even have the time to react. She saw the Thorn City envoy suddenly extend his hand above the Mad Box. Then, a shadow was torn open, and something disappeared from his hand. The next moment, the seemingly stable seals around them cracked like ice on a lake. The seals quickly shattered and dissipated one after another. The impregnable appearance of the 77 seals was all an illusion. The protection they could provide was vulnerable to the power of a top Lunar Monster like a Demon General. Something rolled out of the Mad Box, but the intense light emitted when the seal shattered prevented her from seeing it clearly. Before her eyes could adapt to the light, a sigh echoed throughout the Sealing Room. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Deep and distant. It was like the echo of a dying person. The moment she heard this voice, the tower guardian felt her thoughts slow down. It was as if she had been pulled into a long nightmare. Everything became very distant. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t move her body at all. Under this feeling, she lost control of her body. All the muscles in her body couldn¡¯t help but twitch, and saliva began to flow from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Hehehehahaha¡­¡± A woman¡¯s silly laughter echoed in her ears. The voice sounded like the schizophrenic patients she had taken care of at Ring City Sanatorium. After a while, the tower guardian suddenly realized that the laughter didn¡¯t come from anywhere else but from her throat¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help herself from giggling foolishly. The Demon General¡¯s mere sigh made her feel like she was going crazy. It was also at this moment that she, the tower guardian of the Astral Lighthouse, finally received support from the lighthouse. A huge amount of mana surged out of the Astral Observatory at the top of the lighthouse and circled her to block the terrifying mental damage. Instantly, she kept panting as if she had just run 10,000 meters. Her entire body was drenched in sweat, and she shakily supported herself from collapsing immediately. Only then did she regain control of her body. How¡¯s that envoy? The moment her mind recovered, she immediately cast her gaze at the Mad Box at the end of the Sealing Chamber. She could only barely withstand the Demon General¡¯s mental corruption even with the support of the Astral Lighthouse. And that person was so close. Could he be¡­ As her gaze turned to the end of the Sealing Chamber, she saw an unforgettable scene. ¡­ After putting away the soul fragment, William looked at the cracking Mad Box and couldn¡¯t help but raise his guard. Demon Generals were a secondary extension of a Void Sovereign¡¯s domain. Compared to the seemingly endless number of other spawns, every Void Sovereign had less than two Demon Generals. To the Void Sovereign, every Demon General lost was an extremely heavy loss. To a certain extent, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to call the Demon General a fragment of the Void Sovereign¡¯s power. And when the Void Sovereign¡¯s main body or incarnation couldn¡¯t personally appear in Currere, Demon Generals were theoretically the pinnacle of Lunar Monsters that could appear in Currere. Or to use a more intuitive example¡ªbecause of their close connection to the Void Sovereign¡¯s domain, only by using Judgment equipment that corresponded to their master could they completely eliminate the Demon Generals. Otherwise, they would only be exiled from Currere. In other words, William could only banish this Demon General named Mania back to the Moon Realm; he couldn¡¯t kill him completely. Not even a thousand years ago. This was because Mania¡¯s master was the crazy and foolish jester, Valk. He was the only Void Sovereign among the 13 who had won the bet against the Moon Deceiver, Demuge. Therefore, there was no corresponding Judgment equipment for Valk, and no Demon General under His command could be vanquished. Back then, the Judges had killed almost all the Demon Generals under the Void Sovereigns, greatly weakening the Moon Realm. However, the Judges had always been helpless against the Demon Generals under Absurdity Jester. Therefore, for this high-profile battle, William specially went to the Treasure Hall to change into a set of countermeasure equipment to ensure that nothing went wrong. Whisperer Clothes, Sleep Ring, Seal of Rest, Iceheart Pendant¡­ If it were in-game, his mental resistance to madness would probably be stacked to the point of complete immunity. Of course, there was a price to this. Although there were many abnormal mental states in-game, they were roughly categorized into two major categories¡ªfrenzy and retardation. The higher resistance of one status would cause the other party¡¯s resistance to the other to decrease. Resistance in these two categories couldn¡¯t be combined. In addition, the magical medium William carried was the divine weapon, Dead Lead, that countered the other party¡¯s Metal spells. Metal spells were also known as Death spells. As the final stage of Creatons solidifying into crystals, Metal symbolized the infinite possibilities of turning into the coldest reality. For magic, losing all possibilities was true death. Therefore, it was also called a Death spell. Therefore, it was best to use rigid metal spells to resist Lunar Monsters like Mania who specialized in mental corruption. Mania¡¯s mental attacks could detonate Fire spells in advance and make Storm spells lose complete control, but it couldn¡¯t affect Metal spells at all. This was the experience he had accumulated when farming the Mania dungeon in the Baroque Kingdom¡¯s palace back then. William, who was fully prepared, looked at the Mad Box that kept producing cracks and waited solemnly. With a crack, the Mad Box sealing Mania completely shattered. A humanoid creature about the height of two people wearing grayish-white crystal armor and whose skin was as stiff as a stone statue fell out of the metal box. During this period, it didn¡¯t do any protective actions and allowed itself to roll off the platform and onto the Sealing Chamber¡¯s floor. It only stopped when it collided with a pillar in the Sealing Chamber. Even so, it didn¡¯t do anything. It didn¡¯t even stand up and lay on its back on the ground, its eyes lifeless. A few seconds later, it let out a long sigh. Its voice seemed to be filled with dissatisfaction with the fickleness of the world and indignation at fate. William heard its sigh and immediately felt his thoughts freeze. It¡¯s not a frenzy effect, but a retardation effect¡­ Sensing that his movements had become sluggish, William immediately realized the problem. Could it be that the other party isn¡¯t Mania? Has everyone been deceived? However, there was no time to think about this carefully. William immediately removed the many frenzy resistance buffs on his body and constantly cast resistance spells on his body that targeted slow effects. At the same time, he constantly took off the items with frenzy resistance and threw them into his inventory. Reality wasn¡¯t like the game where one could switch equipment in a second by calling out the menu. William did this for nearly 20 seconds. During this period, he kept his guard up against possible attacks from the other party. If the other party suddenly attacked at this moment, he could only fight the other party amidst all the negative status ailments. However, the other party didn¡¯t. It lay on its back in a daze, motionless. It didn¡¯t even sigh again. It remained the same even after William finished recasting his status buffs. William walked to the Demon General¡¯s side. The other party still didn¡¯t move. William observed carefully. This Demon General was indeed Mania¡­ Its appearance and armor were in the same Mania state as before, but the color of its armor and skin had changed from bright red to deathly gray. In addition, its behavior had changed from its previous seizure-like state to its current disregard for everything around it. What was going on? William poked the other party¡¯s head with the Dead Lead staff. Mania finally reacted. It turned its face to William in a daze. Then, it opened its mouth with difficulty and said to William incoherently like a retarded child, ¡°Calamity¡­ My lord, Valk, said that you would definitely come. He wants to have a chat with you.¡± Just as he finished speaking, thick black smoke suddenly emitted from the shattered fragments of the Mad Box, enveloping the entire Sealing Chamber. Then, wild laughter that seemed to vomit out its lungs sounded from all directions. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 94 - 94 Absurdity Jester 94 Absurdity Jester The moment he heard the crazy laughter, William flashed to the tower guardian¡¯s side. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he said succinctly. ¡°What?¡± The tower guardian didn¡¯t realize what had happened at all. She only looked around at the billowing smoke and asked in horror, ¡°Where is this laughter coming from?¡± William didn¡¯t waste his breath on her. He used the Shadow spell, Blind, to temporarily blind her. ¡°If you still want your sanity, don¡¯t move until I remove the blinding effect.¡± The sudden darkness threw the tower guardian into a panic. She was about to say something when the crazy laughter around her stopped. ¡°What was that¡­¡± Before she could finish asking, an even crazier laughter suddenly erupted. This time, this voice seemed to echo in her ears. A madness that originated from the depths of her heart was awakened with this laughter, and restlessness and uneasiness grew and spread in her heart. She opened her mouth to scream or shout, but she could only produce a hoarse and weak moan. Even though her vision had turned dark from the blinding effect of Blind, it became colorful because of the laughter. Psychedelic colors constantly spun like a kaleidoscope, causing her to feel as if she would be pulled into a crazy vortex at any moment¡­ ¡°Enough, Valk!¡± Just as she was about to fall completely into madness, a voice appeared like lightning across the night sky, and the terrifying laughter stopped abruptly. Valk? Having been pulled up from the swamp by the voice, the tower guardian¡¯s first reaction when she heard the name Valk wasn¡¯t fear or shock, but confusion. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t know that this was Absurdity Jester¡¯s name. It was because this name was too distant from her. In her impression, Valk was a name that only existed in ancient books. He shouldn¡¯t be able to let out heart-stirring laughter beside her ears like what had happened. Then, another question couldn¡¯t help but pop up in the tower guardian¡¯s mind. If the existence who laughed maniacally was Absurdity Jester, who was the person beside her who dared to call him by His name? ¡­ Black smoke flowed and took shape, turning into a velvet-like curtain. Then, maniacal laughter sounded from all directions as if they were in a theater. No, they were really in a theater. William used Blind to seal the tower guardian¡¯s vision and looked around. He realized that everything around him had changed. The originally narrow Sealing Chamber turned into an extremely spacious and luxurious theater that could be said to be opulent. William and the tower guardian stood in the first row of the audience. There were three empty seats behind them, and around them were faceless people like window mannequins. It wasn¡¯t right to call them faceless. After all, all of them had crescent-shaped smiles on their faces. Mad laughter kept coming from their mouths. William coldly turned his gaze to the center of the stage. The surrounding audience cooperated and stopped laughing. The curtain slowly pulled to the sides, revealing a pitch-black stage. Suddenly, a spotlight lit up and shone on the grayish-white Mania. It hugged its knees and squatted in the middle of the stage, its head buried in its arms without saying a word. With a smack, another spotlight was cast at the edge of the stage. A clown wearing an extremely convoluted jester¡¯s costume appeared. He wore heavy makeup and an exaggerated clown hat with three corners spread out. A brass bell hung from every corner. The convoluted jester¡¯s costume was divided into two, right in the middle. One half was extremely bright like an Impressionist painting, and the other half was extremely monotonous like a sketch. The clown¡¯s round eyes widened like those of a feline. Moreover, there was no doubt that He had an exaggerated smile on His face¡ªso exaggerated that the corners of His mouth were about to tug at the roots of His ears. The mad and foolish jester, Valk. He symbolized everything that crossed the restrictions of rules, and what looked extreme in the eyes of ordinary people. At the same time, He was also the God of Comedy and Tragedy. His Moon Realm domain was called the Fanatic Theater. It would repeat everything that happened in Currere for His amusement. Valk held a crooked scepter in His hand and skipped to Mania¡¯s side with comical steps. The Demon General squatting on the ground looked up at its master in confusion. ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± When Valk saw its demented expression, He couldn¡¯t help but clutch His stomach and burst out laughing. As He smiled, He kept stabbing the other party with the scepter in His hand. The Void Sovereign¡¯s crazy laughter naturally echoed in everyone¡¯s ears as if He was standing beside them and laughing maniacally. ¡°Enough, Valk!¡± William said. To the Void Sovereigns, even if They didn¡¯t specially use their strength, their words and actions would have a huge psychic influence on the surrounding people. Mortals whose minds hadn¡¯t reached the Divine Realm would naturally be corroded and assimilated by the domain They symbolized. Although he had already sealed the tower guardian¡¯s vision, if he allowed the crazy Void Sovereign to continue laughing, this woman¡¯s face would probably only have an expression of ¡®crazed laughter¡¯ plastered over it for perpetuity. Or she could laugh maniacally in this theater until she suffocated. Upon hearing William¡¯s words, Valk immediately stopped laughing. He turned His head and looked at the gray-haired man with His feline eyes. The next moment, His body quickly turned into a vortex, twisted, and disappeared. At the same time, a young man dressed like a gentleman appeared, swiveling around the seats beside William. He wore a suit that was half purple and half gray, and he wore a round tall hat. He held a pure gold staff. His attire changed from an actor on the stage to a member of the audience. The moment He sat down, He raised His hat slightly and bowed to William. ¡°Calamity, it¡¯s been a while. To be precise, it¡¯s been 1,008 years, 5 months, and 14 days. The fire you set off in my theater before you left remains fresh in my memory. However, thanks to you, I also watched the most authentic Burning of Cassett Palace that day. I have to thank you for this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± William replied calmly. His tone was as if he was talking to an old friend of his. With that said, he sat down beside Him. William sensed that they were still in the Sealing Chamber. Beside him, Absurdity Jester was only an illusion that had a portion of his strength seep through the Moon Realm rift in the Astral Lighthouse. He couldn¡¯t even be considered an incarnation. Therefore, rather than dispersing the other party, he was curious about what the other party wanted to talk to him about. After all, Mania had said that Valk had long guessed that he would come here. Based on the time the Astral Lighthouses were established, Valk might have known that he would return 800 years ago. ¡°How did you know I would return?¡± William went straight to the point. Regarding this, the other party maintained an exaggerated smile on His face and replied, ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯ve actually never been sure if you would return.¡± Then, He continued, ¡°But a few years after you left, I made a bet with Beatrice. I bet that you wouldn¡¯t return before the end of the Platinum Era. She bet that you wouldn¡¯t, and I bet that you would. The bet was two eyes.¡± As He spoke, He chuckled and reached into an empty vortex. As a woman¡¯s scream sounded from the vortex, two pitch-black pearls emitting coldness appeared in His palm when He retracted it. He looked at William¡¯s stunned expression and said happily, ¡°To be honest, this bet wasn¡¯t very fair for me. After all, that spider has eight eyes, and I only have two.¡± ¡°Fortunately, I won.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 95 - 95 A Tragedy 95 A Tragedy Everything in front of him was a phantom created by Valk. Absurdity Jester¡¯s main body should still be in the Moon Realm¡¯s Fanatic Theater. However, William could clearly sense that the two eyeballs in the other party¡¯s hand were the Whispering Empress¡¯s eyeballs. This was because he saw the reflection of countless fate threads on the two pitch-black eyeballs. To the Void Sovereign, Their bodies were the manifestation of the domain they symbolized. It was also because of this that most attacks couldn¡¯t cause true damage to Them other than a few special methods. This was just like how one couldn¡¯t injure a thought or concept. But by the same logic, if a portion of Their bodies could be dug out, it was equivalent to stripping a portion of their authority from Them. Therefore, the two eyeballs in Valk¡¯s hand weren¡¯t just eyeballs, but the authority to see the net of conspiracies. In other words, the Whispering Empress, Beatrice, had given a portion of her domain to Absurdity Jester. Although the other party was a lunatic and he shouldn¡¯t be surprised by anything a lunatic did, William couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why did you make this bet?¡± ¡°Reason!¡± Valk suddenly raised his voice, scaring the tower guardian so much that she shrunk her neck. ¡°Reason! Reason! Reason!¡± He shouted three more times before staring at William and saying softly, ¡°Why do mortals need a reason for everything they do? Don¡¯t you do anything without a reason? Do you need a reason to make the sky rain frogs? Do you need a reason to pull out a person¡¯s intestines and use them as a tie? No! There¡¯s no need for a reason. I just do it.¡± He waved His hands exaggeratedly after He spoke. The Demon General in the middle of the stage turned into a vortex and disappeared. Then, it spun and appeared on the floor in front of them. ¡°Very good. You completed your mission outstandingly. I¡¯m very satisfied to wait here for the return of the former Calamity.¡± As Valk spoke, He raised the Demon General¡¯s face with the golden staff in His hand. The other party still had a dazed expression. ¡°I want to reward you for this. Clearly, the name Mania doesn¡¯t match your current temperament at all, so I want to give you a brand new name.¡± As Valk spoke, He stood up excitedly and raised the Demon General¡¯s hand. He turned around and announced to the countless mannequins in the audience, ¡°All the employees and audience at Fanatic Theater, look at your manager!¡± The mannequins turned their heads in unison to Valk, who was raising the Demon General¡¯s arm. They extended their hands and placed it under their chins, prepared to clap at any moment. ¡°Today, we will bid farewell to the former Mania. It has finally completed its duty after more than 800 arduous years, and now, it has welcomed a new life. Let us warmly celebrate the birth of the new sixth Demon General. Its new name is¡­¡± Valk¡¯s voice reached a crescendo as He spoke, and His voice cracked before He could catch His breath. ¡°What¡­ What was it again?¡± He coughed a few times and tried shouting again, but He choked once more. At this moment, a note was transmitted to Valk¡¯s side from the mannequins¡¯ hands in the audience. He took the note with an embarrassed expression and first whispered His thanks to the mannequin before unfolding the note and announcing loudly, ¡°Ah¡­ Its new name is¡ªDementia!¡± An earth-shattering applause sounded throughout the theater, and the mannequins cheered. After Valk announced the Demon General¡¯s new name, its entire body began to undergo drastic changes. The armor on the Dementia¡¯s body began to peel off layer by layer before turning into a loose robe. Its originally chiseled face gradually became rounder, and its body changed from its previously lean figure to a body that had let loose from a lack of exercise. Finally, four round gnomes appeared under Dementia. They lifted what looked like a stretcher for Dementia to sit down before carrying it to the back of the stage. William looked at the comical scene and was left speechless. A Demon General who had been suppressed for more than 800 years and was already extremely weak became an existence with completely opposite stats under the Void Sovereign¡¯s words. Moreover, it had recovered its peak strength. Although the other party looked like he was salivating and had a blank gaze, William could clearly sense that the Demon General, Dementia, was definitely at the peak of the Divine Realm. It alone could slaughter all of Blacklight City. Valk sat back beside William with a flushed face and said, ¡°Thank you so much, Calamity. This bet has really benefited me. A long time ago, I felt that Mania was too close to anger and lacked beauty. It didn¡¯t match the current tide of thought. And that retardation in Dementia is more suitable for this sluggish era¡­¡± Valk chattered non-stop beside William. He didn¡¯t have the high and mighty airs of a Void Sovereign at all. He was even more used to speaking in the language of mortals and didn¡¯t display His strength using Soul Voice to communicate with mortals. Among the 13 Void Sovereigns, Absurdity Jester was the most unique. As the only Void Sovereign who didn¡¯t have a corresponding Judgment weapon, He was theoretically the greatest threat to Curre, but in fact, He was the monarch with the least interest in invading Currere. In the three large-scale invasions more than a thousand years ago, Valk only symbolically sent some bystanders along. Or rather, mockery. The bystanders¡ªin other words, the mannequins sitting in the theater providing canned laughter¡ªcouldn¡¯t do anything other than laugh and clap based on the mood. They wouldn¡¯t even retaliate when attacked and would only flee in all directions. Sending them over was to express His mockery of wanting to watch a show. Of course, being less interested in directly invading Currere didn¡¯t mean that He was less interested in Currere itself. In a sense, He cared about mortals the most among all the Void Sovereigns. He liked to flap his wings of chaos bit by bit beside the mortals he was interested in to trigger an intense storm. Then, he would mock the mortals who were forced into a corner by fate. This was just like how He was always dedicated to collecting tragedies and comedies into His theater and reminiscing about them from time to time. ¡°¡­Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to give you some remuneration to express my gratitude.¡± These words pulled William out of his thoughts. A Void Sovereign wanted to pay him? ¡°What¡­ remuneration?¡± William asked warily. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. More than 200 years after you left, especially after that law was established, the entire Vic Continent began to become more and more boring. In any case, everyone¡¯s fate is either controlled by you, Him or Her. It¡¯s boring.¡± Valk first said dejectedly before regaining His spirit. ¡°But before that, there were many praiseworthy bombastic matters. I¡¯ve also collected several exciting plays because of that, so I want to invite you to watch one of the excellent tragedies. Of course, I can¡¯t let you watch all of them, but there are a few scenes you will definitely like.¡± ¡°The name of that tragedy is ¡®The Destruction of Judgment.''¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 96 - 96 The Beginning of the Dispute 96 The Beginning of the Dispute The black velvet curtain slowly descended, and hurried footsteps and the sound of items moving sounded behind the stage. A gentleman in a neat suit with a meticulous expression and a mustache walked onto the stage. It first bowed to the audience before saying, ¡°Respected audience, respected guests, welcome to the Fanatic Theater. I¡¯m the butler, Reason, who serves our theater manager, Mr. Valk. While the backstage staff is preparing, please allow me to introduce to you the great tragedy that will happen tonight. This happened¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Valk, who was sitting beside William, interrupted Reason¡¯s introduction. His hands expanded into a loudspeaker as He shouted at the gentleman on the stage, ¡°Get on with the show! We ain¡¯t got all the time in the world. Skip your long background introduction that can make that person with bipolar disorder! Hurry, hurry, hurry. Start the part where blood flows like a river. The audience loves that!¡± The spectators beside Him cooperated and booed. They pointed at the stage, and some of them even took out paper balls from somewhere and threw them onto the stage. ¡°But Master¡­ There are dragons. Dragons!¡± Reason, who was constantly dodging the balls of paper, opened its mouth and whispered to Valk. It was also at this moment that the entire theater¡¯s ground shook. A long roar sounded from behind the curtain, and a long fiery pillar emitted, illuminating the surrounding pitch-black curtain and reflecting the shadows of the busy staff behind. As well as the silhouette of a dragon. Many members of the staff in charge of the lighting and other stage equipment were ignited by the breath. They screamed and jumped down from the platform, hugging their burning heads as they ran around. A few burly men holding buckets rushed out from below the stage and hurriedly stopped them. Then, they lifted them and doused their heads in the buckets. Valk laughed maniacally. As He laughed, He said, ¡°Hahahaha, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. A good show always happens unexpectedly. Where¡¯s the circus? Get the circus over quickly! Let¡¯s have a horse show to warm up the audience!¡± Accompanying His voice, a few beast tamers holding rings and whips below the stage ran out. They passed under the curtain one after another. Then, the loud cracks of the whip constantly echoed. After the dragon on the stage spat out a few last breaths, it wailed and finally fell silent. ¡°Ah, right¡­ Don¡¯t worry if there are members of the Dragon Protection Association here. The dragons in the theater are all bred by the Moon Realm. No wild dragon was injured during the performance.¡± After laughing maniacally, Valk turned around and spoke to the audience behind Him. With that said, He looked at William and repeated Himself. ¡°Mm¡­¡± William didn¡¯t know what else he could reply with other than an ¡°Mm.¡± When peace was restored to the stage, the suited Reason wiped the sweat from its forehead and picked up the prompter card in its hand. ¡°Then, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the Fanatic Theater¡¯s most popular tragedy in the Moon Realm for the past 500 years, ¡®The Destruction of Judgment.¡¯ The prelude will soon begin¡ªthe beginning of the dispute. To ensure the best viewing experience, please take good care of your children and prevent them from crying when the performance begins. Friends with magical mediums, please don¡¯t use spells that cause too much light during the performance. Otherwise, our staff will invite you out¡­¡± Slap! A dirty dog was smashed into Reason¡¯s face, knocking it to the ground onto its back. William turned to look at Valk, who was sitting beside him. Valk maintained the posture of throwing something out and said, ¡°Cut the crap~ Begin quickly! Begin!¡± A few staff members scrambled up the stage and helped Reason down. As for the dog that Valk had thrown out, it was safe and sound. It ran under the feet of the staff members and pounced and hugged them before being kicked into the audience by an impatient staff member. After this farce-like preparation ended, a crisp bell sounded, followed by the melodious and soothing sound of a harp. The velvet curtain slowly lifted with the music. The stage was decorated into a gorgeous hall, and an obsidian round table was placed in the middle of the hall. There were a total of 13 seats at the round table. Other than the seat facing the main door being empty, every other seat was filled. Of course, not all of them were humans. Half of the round table was occupied by a golden dragon. Other than the dragon, there was a crow, an elf, a humanoid shadow, a Lich, and seven people in different clothes and very obvious characteristics sitting at the round table. William could recognize their identities based on their clothes. Without a doubt, this scene was a reenactment of the Twilight Fortress¡¯s round table. But why pull a real dragon onto the stage? Dowa King usually took his human form. ¡°This is because plays need such exaggerated manifestations. If everyone present is humanoid and doesn¡¯t have any special characteristics, the audience will quickly be unable to tell who¡¯s who.¡± Valk saw William¡¯s gaze drift to the dragon from time to time and explained patiently. At this moment, the originally soothing harp music suddenly turned into a few jarring tunes that were in no way harmonious, as if it was hinting at something. After the ear-piercing tune ended, a man wearing a breastplate with a lion-patterned badge stood up. He picked up a piece of parchment and looked around before saying, ¡°Although I think the outcome will be the same this time, let¡¯s begin voting¡­¡± Byron Lionheart was the fifth Judge of Judgment and the overall leader of the three knightages under the Doomsday Watchers. Before he joined Judgment, he was the Knight King of the Baroque Kingdom. His title was abolished by the Territory King, Fox III, and he was exiled to the Cold Source in the north as he was suspected of treason. Later on, he was recruited by William to join Judgment. He led the secular troops of the Salvation Coalition among the Doomsday Watchers and was in charge of communication and coordination with the seven kingdoms. Byron took a deep breath and said, ¡°Then, those who agree to the Judgment and Doomsday Watchers¡¯ disbandment, please raise your hands.¡± Including the golden dragon and the elf, a total of six people present raised their hands. The man looked at the people raising their hands and sighed helplessly. Then, he continued, ¡°Then, please raise your hand if you wish for Judgment and Doomsday Watchers to continue.¡± With that said, he raised his hand. A total of six people raised their hands. Byron lowered his hand and asked in confusion, ¡°Another six-to-six. I don¡¯t understand how long we have to repeat this meaningless game. What reason is it that makes you so anxious to give up the order we¡¯ve built after all our ordeals?¡± For a moment, no one at the round table spoke. A few seconds later, Black Swordsman Blake¡ªwho was wearing half armor and had a door-like sword on his right¡ªsaid, ¡°There¡¯s only one reason. That person¡¯s last order before he left was to disband Judgment, so we should respect his wishes.¡± After Blake finished speaking, the slender elven girl with golden hair said, ¡°Moreover, the connection between the Moon Realm and Currere has been severed, and the era of myths and heroes is about to end. What follows shouldn¡¯t be guided by us, but for those mortals to choose their destiny. We shouldn¡¯t interfere with this devastated world that has just been saved¡­¡± Byron solemnly interrupted the other party. ¡°Remides, keep in mind that this is the world we saved.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 97 - 97 Departure 97 Departure ¡°So? Are we qualified to knead a world we saved at will?¡± Remides Shadowmoon asked. Byron sighed and continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you, Ms. Shadowmoon, but do you really know how people choose their fates?¡± As he spoke, he picked up a few documents from the table, got up, circled the round table, and handed the documents to everyone. ¡°This is what I arranged for Black Blade to collect in the Blackwater Kingdom, the Storm Kingdom, the Twilight Kingdom, the Black Iron Kingdom, and the Kos Empire. As the Moon Realm rifts have all been closed, the Void Sovereigns can no longer interfere with Currere. The greatest worry of war between the seven kingdoms is gone.¡± During the Moon Realm invasion, to reduce the nourishment of the King of Deathblood, the Ruin Demon God, and the Mad Sovereign, who involved violence, destruction, and domination, the various countries maintained extreme restraint. As long as there weren¡¯t Moon Realm believers in the palace, most of them were extremely cautious about starting a war. Now that the Moon Realm had been sealed, more secular problems could be brought up. Valk, who was sitting at the side, suddenly tapped the golden staff in His hand and said excitedly, ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s coming, it¡¯s coming. A dispute formed from overextending one¡¯s authority.¡± When William heard the lines from the actor playing Byron, he roughly guessed what would happen next. The humanoid black shadow sitting in front of the round table didn¡¯t even look at the document after receiving it. Instead, he said in a singing tone, ¡°Byron, who gave you the authority to send the Black Blade to the palaces of the various kingdoms to spy on them?¡± Although his voice was very soft, the shadow that formed him trembled violently. Koos was the tenth Judge. He had become Lightless because of a magical accident, and the Elementals in his entire body had turned into a shadow. His control over Shadows was peerless, so he was also the person-in-charge of the Doomsday Watcher¡¯s intelligence center and the Assassinate department¡¯s Black Blade. In the Doomsday Watchers, only the Presiding Judge, William, and he had the authority to command the deployment of Black Blade to carry out missions. Byron replied unhurriedly to the other party¡¯s doubts, ¡°Koos, think back carefully. Where did Black Blade recruit members from? Other than the ten people who absorbed the remnants of the previous generation¡¯s Black Blade forming the initial backbone, weren¡¯t they all sent by the Ministers of Espionage of the seven kingdoms during the second war? I only persuaded my old subordinates in the Baroque Kingdom to carry out missions.¡± With that said, he stood up and swept his gaze across everyone present. ¡°Since I can override Koos¡¯s command of the Baroque Kingdom¡¯s Night Blade, can the other kingdoms send their subordinates out to control them again? In addition, since that¡¯s the case with the Night Blade, what about the Mason Order? The Ring Order? The Armory? The various knightages? Everyone, all external threats have been eliminated, but we actually have the strongest military power on the continent. What do you think the seven secular kingdoms will do to us?¡± The current Doomsday Watchers were like an invisible country that enveloped the entire Vic Continent. Sibylla, whose eyes were as white as a blind person¡¯s and whose entire body reeked of alcohol, replied, ¡°What else can it be? A savior, of course.¡± She continued, ¡°Byron, you¡¯re always thinking too deeply about political matters. Even if they have such thoughts, they won¡¯t dare to do anything to us. Even if they go out of their minds and attack us, will they be stronger than the Moon Realm? Moreover, isn¡¯t what you just said the reason why we should disband the Doomsday Watchers? Just as the Presiding Judge said before he left, we have at least brought a thousand years of peace to this world. Since the goal of gathering us together no longer exists, it¡¯s time to let everyone go home.¡± Just as Sibylla finished speaking, a black-haired woman wearing plate armor that shone with silver light and holding a magical medium that looked like a spiked mace mocked, ¡°Sibylla, is the wine already in your skull? Or can¡¯t you even spare a sober hour for the entire day?¡± Evelyn was the person-in-charge of the Judgment¡¯s Ring Order and the Chief Battle Mage. Other than William, she was the best magic chanter in spell combat. She frowned and looked at Sibylla¡¯s drunken expression. ¡°Of course, the seven kingdoms won¡¯t or can¡¯t do anything to us. However, if we disband the Doomsday Watchers, especially with Lord William gone, the seven kingdoms can boost their prestige for ¡®resolving the Moon Realm crisis.¡¯ After all, they have sent a large number of helpers to support us since the second war. Releasing those former heroes now is equivalent to giving them jurisprudence¡ªjurisprudence as the savior.¡± She looked at Sibylla as if she was saying¡ªdo you know what they will use this for? Byron seemed to heave a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Looks like there¡¯s finally another person with a clear head.¡± However, Evelyn ignored the other party¡¯s flattery and said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I don¡¯t support your proposal. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s safer to maintain our current situation for the time being than to throw the tinder into the forest so irresponsibly. However, maintaining this situation doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯re going against the original intention of establishing the Doomsday Watchers. It¡¯s best not to have the Doomsday Watchers turn into a secular power organization like the Holy Spirits Church.¡± Byron coughed awkwardly when he heard that. Evelyn ignored him and continued, ¡°Therefore, the most important thing now is to find the Presiding Judge as soon as possible. As long as he¡¯s around, no one will dare to declare themselves as the hero who saved the world even if the Doomsday Watchers are disbanded. Even if he wants to establish the Doomsday Watchers as a country, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Evelyn, you are the one who ought to wake up,¡± Sibylla looked at the black-haired woman holding the staff in her hand drowsily and said. ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult for you to accept Lord William¡¯s departure, but he has left. I can¡¯t see him at all. No matter what we discuss now, it¡¯s under the premise that he has left,¡± Sibylla pointed at her white eyes and said. The two of them looked at each other and fell silent for a long time. Byron fell silent for a moment when he saw this scene. Then, he continued, ¡°I know many of you hate me for going out of my way to broach this topic, but if you don¡¯t let those who are qualified to wield power, it will fall into the hands of those who aren¡¯t. At the very least, the initiative is still in our hands. I beg everyone not to let the crown fall to the ground irresponsibly and let those who aren¡¯t qualified fight over it, okay?¡± ¡°Have you noticed the details? What¡¯s the difference between the members of the two factions?¡± Valk suddenly turned to look at William and asked. William naturally noticed that the long-lived species were more inclined to disband. Those who knew the cruelty of power struggles in the human world were more inclined to maintain order. After all, to the long-lived species, the changes and disputes of countries were only a footnote in their long years. Only a Moon Realm invasion could be considered a true threat. William nodded. ¡°Then, something interesting is about to happen.¡± Valk chuckled. As Byron said this, the debate in the venue became more and more intense. An urgent violin accompaniment was played behind the stage. For a moment, the scene was so noisy that William couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about. At this moment, a voice suppressed all of them. ¡°Enough!¡± The person who spoke was the crow standing on the back of a chair. ¡°Byron, let me ask you. You said that authority has to be handed over to someone qualified to control it. Do you think that person will be you after the Presiding Judge leaves? Do you have the power to control that authority?¡± Coles Jackdaw asked. Byron remained silent. Coles took off the badge that symbolized Judgment and threw it on the round table. ¡°Continue playing this game amongst yourself. I quit.¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 98 - 98 The Cursed and the Lost (Part 1) 98 The Cursed and the Lost (Part 1) A thousand years ago, the entire Vic Continent was on the brink of doomsday. It looked like a miracle that the Judgment could resolve all the threats. Against this background, William had always taken it for granted that the Judgment had united all the powers on the continent. After all, if they didn¡¯t unite, the entire world would turn into hell on earth due to the Moon Realm crisis. William only began to think about what the Doomsday Watchers were after everything was settled. Without a doubt, it was a military organization that transcended all secular regimes. Moreover, according to its original intention when it was established, other than the crisis that threatened the peace of Currere, they shouldn¡¯t have the right to interfere with the operations of this world. However, after the Doomsday Watchers gained such powerful influence, it was very difficult for it to maintain its transcendent status as one imagined. Every move of such a behemoth would severely affect the balance of the continent. Especially in that era, be it nobles, generals, or commoners, as long as it involved Moon Realm worship, the Judges were judge, jury, and executioner. They had even tried kings¡ªthey were just quests. From this perspective, it wasn¡¯t a problem to call the Judges the true rulers of the Vic Continent after the Moon Realm crisis. This was also why the Doomsday Watchers needed to disband at the end of the full moon ending. Since all the threats had disappeared, there was no reason for them to maintain such a powerful military and hold such terrifying authority. Unless the Doomsday Watchers planned on establishing a country with their reputation of saving the world. William wasn¡¯t against establishing a country, but it was a pity that this option wasn¡¯t available in-game. Therefore, disbanding was the next best choice¡ªrespect the fate of this world and return the fate of mortals to mortals. This was indeed a very perfect ending in the game¡¯s epilogue. Everyone lived happily, and the entire world entered a new era of peace and tranquility. However, all of this was based on the fact that William hadn¡¯t left. If he left, the nature of everything would be different. No Judge had the reputation and strength to stop the upcoming chaos in the mortal world. Even after the Doomsday Watchers disbanded, the Judges from the various countries had to reconsider their positions. Coles¡¯s departure tipped the fragile balance. His question before he left hit the nail on the head. After the Presiding Judge left, who should be in charge even if they wanted to continue maintaining the existence of Judgment and the Doomsday Watchers or even take another step forward in establishing the order of the new era? This would be a more incisive and sensitive problem. A few of the Judges at the obsidian round table stood up and left after Coles left. During this period, Byron kept trying to persuade and stop them, but to no avail. With every person who walked out, the lights that shone on this character would be extinguished. Finally, including Byron, there were only five spotlights left at the round table. Valk looked at the extinguished lights on the stage in ecstasy and said emotionally, ¡°Ah, this is how the seeds of conflict were planted.¡± ¡°You trusted your subordinates too much, or rather, you trusted the mortals too much. If they really let everything develop for the better as you imagine, would we still be born? To throw all the choices to them as you did is tantamount to throwing a piece of good cheese into a dog cage. Speaking of which, do dogs eat cheese?¡± Valk chattered beside William while William silently watched everything happening on stage. On stage, Byron looked around at the remaining four people at the round table and let out a long sigh. Evelyn, who had also voted in favor, left. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin with all the changes¡­¡± After Byron finished his last line, the remaining five spotlights on the field extinguished at the same time, and the stage fell into darkness again. The velvet curtain slowly closed, and soothing interlude music sounded. The prologue ended. Valk jumped up and shouted at the stage, ¡°Skip the first and second acts. There¡¯s not much time. Fast-forward to the fourth act!¡± After He shouted, the orderly sounds of prop preparations behind the curtain immediately became chaotic. After sitting back in his seat, Valk tidied His hair and said to William, ¡°I love Act 4¡ªthe Cursed and the Lost. Compared to the boring political dramas in the previous acts, you will definitely like this act more.¡± William wanted to say that it was best to start from the first act and finish the entire plot. However, firstly, this was someone else¡¯s theater after all, and secondly, he didn¡¯t buy the tickets. Most importantly, the other party was a complete lunatic, so he didn¡¯t think the other party would accept his suggestion. Before long, the curtain was lifted again as a bell rang. The background of the stage turned into an abstract painting filled with saturated colors. Moreover, flames that constantly changed form floated in the background. One couldn¡¯t find anything with a physical form in the entire background. Without a doubt, this stage background symbolized the constantly changing Moon Realm. Two spotlights shone on the two people at the edge of the stage. Black Swordsman Blake and Jackdaw Coles, who were originally the fourth and last Judge, were walking side by side in the Moon Realm domain. After the two of them walked to the center of the stage in silence, Blake asked with a heavy expression, ¡°Remides chose to remain neutral. Sibylla is missing, Byron supports the Kos Empire, and Jay supports the Storm Kingdom¡¯s royal family¡­ The entire continent is now shrouded in the shadow of war. I don¡¯t understand why this happened. What went wrong?¡± ¡°This is because there¡¯s no one in Judgment who can suppress everything. Be it choosing to create a new order or maintaining the old order, nothing can be said without such a person,¡± Coles replied calmly to Blake¡¯s question. ¡°So you chose to leave back then because you had long expected such an outcome?¡± Blake asked. The threads of fate in Coles¡¯s eyes constantly flickered as he replied, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t exposed the fragility of all of this, they would have been going back and forth over this problem for more than a year. When Judgment is divided, they will only be bound to the seven kingdoms instead of the current situation. At the very least, they can take the initiative and retain a spark for the rebuilding of Judgment.¡± Coles suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at Blake. ¡°Do you believe that William is dead?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 99 - 99 The Cursed and the Lost (Part 2) 99 The Cursed and the Lost (Part 2) After hearing this line, Valk couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing. ¡°Hahahahahaha, we often discussed this question back then. It was this question that led to the bet I had with Beatrice.¡± On stage, Blake¡¯s expression changed slightly when he heard Coles¡¯s question. ¡°How is that possible? The Presiding Judge already said that he¡¯s only leaving.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t this usually a subtle way of saying that you¡¯re about to die?¡± Coles replied. Regarding this, Blake¡¯s expression turned cold as he said, ¡°Coles, you were the one who said that there was a chance of finding the Presiding Judge in the Moon Realm, so I agreed to come here with you using the Twilight Fortress. What do you mean by that? Also, it¡¯s time for you to tell me what that possibility is, right?¡± Not only did the Twilight Fortress exist in Currere, but a portion of it was also built in the Moon Realm and anchored to the Moon Realm domain. It was precisely because of this that the Twilight Fortress could keep out the random portals produced by the Moon Realm rift from Currere and act as the first line of defense against the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion of Currere. Acknowledgment from two Judges had to be obtained before the Twilight Fortress could teleport people from Currere to the Moon Realm. This was also the only way in the entire Vic Continent to enter the Moon Realm normally after the Moon Realm crisis ended. ¡°My eyes saw some clues from the past in the Moon Realm, and those clues automatically deduced a possibility about the future.¡± Before Coles could finish speaking, Blake interrupted him. ¡°You¡¯re saying that you¡¯re still spying on the net of conspiracies? Do you know how dangerous this is?¡± Coles replied indifferently, ¡°Dangerous? It¡¯s been hundreds of years. This is what it means to be cursed¡­ Returning to your question, I observed the depths of the Moon Realm and obtained such a prophecy¡ªthe end of the Moon Realm crisis has already produced a reflection in the Moon Realm. It¡¯s a seed formed by condensing the hope of all the saved on the Vic Continent. It¡¯s a power that can save the dead.¡± As Coles spoke, he opened his hand and pointed at the constantly changing stage backdrop in the distance, making a grabbing motion. ¡°The Seed of Hope. As long as we can obtain it, any deceased can be awakened by the power condensed from the hope of an entire era.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Blake turned his gaze to the distant stage painting. ¡°Of course, all of this is based on the premise that Lord William is really dead. If he only left this world and doesn¡¯t want to return, it will be meaningless even if we find that seed. The final division and disbandment of Judgment will become an irreversible outcome.¡± As Coles spoke, his expression returned to its previous coldness. ¡°I originally thought that you wouldn¡¯t care so much about the disbandment of Judgment. After all, you¡¯ve always voted in favor of disbandment,¡± Blake said. Regarding this, Coles shook his head and said, ¡°No one wants to retain Judgment more than me, but this isn¡¯t something that can be resolved by will alone. Blake, as I said, the foundation of Judgment is a person who can suppress everything. Without such a person, everything else is pointless.¡± With that said, a pair of phantoms that resembled bird claws appeared in his hand. ¡°Therefore, let us pray that we can find the Seed of Hope in the Moon Realm. Let us pray that Lord William is dead.¡± ¡°How is it? How is it? Are you very touched? After you left, your loyal subordinates actually risked entering the Moon Realm where danger lurks everywhere. Just for an illusory possibility, such a touching plot almost brings me to tears,¡± Valk acted all excited and asked. William replied, ¡°Then cry. I¡¯m also very curious if the God of Crazy Laughter will cry.¡± William knew this lunatic¡¯s sarcasm too well. If what happened next was as He said, and these two Judges had retrieved the Seed of Hope in the Moon Realm and failed their attempts, the other party wouldn¡¯t have dragged him here to watch a play for so long. ¡°You didn¡¯t fall for it? How boring.¡± As expected, the excited expression on Valk¡¯s face collapsed. Then, He shouted at the stage irritably, ¡°Skip over it! Skip it! Hurry up and fast-forward the plot to the end!¡± At this point, the curtain fell again, probably omitting the process of the two of them searching for the Seed of Hope in the Moon Realm. When the curtain was lifted again, the scene had already undergone a huge change. The music in the background had also changed from mournful string music to a majestic symphony. William was very familiar with the layout of the stage. Thorn City¡¯s Holy Sepulchre, in front of the tomb sealed by the seven rings. A huge crow black shadow hung from the ceiling like a dark cloud that blotted out the sky. Coles and Blake stood on either side of the crow with their weapons facing each other. ¡°You¡­ The war has already begun. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re giving up our last hope.¡± Coles had already activated his Crowman state. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hands had turned into sharp claws. There was a bone-deep wound on his chest. As for Blake, he held Judgment 4 in one hand and pointed it at Coles while holding something that was emitting an intense white light with a trembling hand. The white light crawled up his arm as if it were alive, even causing cracks to spread across his hand like porcelain. ¡°Then, this item is your so-called last hope?¡± Blake pointed at the black shadow in the sky and snapped. ¡°You know it too! William has left! He¡¯s gone! He will never return! If I want to end all of this, I have to have someone who can suppress everything! I have no choice!¡± Jackdaw roared as well. ¡°You¡¯re right. That someone is a human, not a god.¡± At this point, Blake¡¯s tone softened. He looked up at the black crow shadow that resembled a dark cloud and sighed. ¡°Coles, the greatest comfort to me is that there will be no records of what happened here today.¡± With that said, he threw Judgment 4 at the black crow¡¯s shadow in the sky. The knight¡¯s sword sank into the black crow¡¯s chest, and with a sound like glass shattering, the black shadow was reduced to countless crow-feather-like fragments that scattered. ¡°No!¡± Coles yelled. However, the countless fragments that turned into crow feathers didn¡¯t dissipate. Instead, they turned into a whirlwind that charged at Blake, wrapping him inch by inch. He was lifted into midair as they seeped into his body bit by bit. Coles looked at the sudden change and said in a daze, ¡°The Curse of Despair chose you to be its master¡­ Then, what am I? Are you more qualified to be that person than me?¡± However, before he could finish speaking, an intense white light shot out of the crow feather whirlwind. Blake raised the Seed of Hope in his hand and dispelled a portion of the crow feathers wrapped around him. He looked at Coles and said his final sentence, ¡°Coles, you¡¯re too lost on the path of pursuing strength.¡± With that said, he swallowed the Seed of Hope in his hand. The crow feathers that filled the sky around Blake dissipated around him. As he let out a painful wail, white cracks began to spread inch by inch on his body. Then, Blake reached out and beckoned, causing Judgment 4 to automatically fly back into his hand. He gritted his teeth and stabbed Judgment 4 into his chest. With a shattering sound, four pitch-black crow feathers peeled off his body. They rushed out of the Holy Sepulchre¡¯s door and flew into the distance before disappearing. After doing all of this, Blake fell from midair into the sarcophagus. The heavy stone over the sarcophagus automatically closed, and Judgment 4 was guided by an invisible force to seal the sarcophagus. It stood erect before the sarcophagus. ¡°Bravo! Do you see Mr. Calamity? After shattering his soul, he even used his body as a cage to imprison an unborn Void Sovereign! He actually used his will to imprison Him for more than 1,000 years! In the past 1,000 years, a Void Sovereign¡¯s infantile body has only displayed the level of a Moon Realm Overlord. This is amazing!¡± As Valk spoke, he stood up excitedly and began to applaud. William stood up as well. This was because the spot of light that symbolized the Crown of Original Darkness he had lent to the Crow Feather Prophet in his ether domain had disappeared. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 100 - 100 Father of the Crows 100 Father of the Crows The Father of the Crows was a strange and contradictory Moon Realm existence. Although its strength wasn¡¯t comparable to a Void Sovereign, it wasn¡¯t as powerless in Currere as the Moon Realm Overlords. Its influence on Currere far exceeded that of ordinary Moon Realm Overlords. Even in its slumber, it could effectively project its strength into Currere. It was known as the summoner of storms and the prophet. It could stir up a terrifying storm on the sea route, but subsequently, point the lost crew in the direction of a lighthouse using dreams on a stormy night. It was rumored that the Shadow Queen, who had completely severed ties with the Empire back then had retreated to a corner of Ava State and signed a contract with the Father of the Crows. It promised that as long as she was still the effective ruler of Ava State, the storm would envelop the Shattered Sea and protect all of Ava State¡¯s city-states from the Empire¡¯s fleet. However, even though it was so powerful, the name of the Father of the Crows remained unknown in Currere. It was as if it didn¡¯t want anyone in Currere to mention it. Many nosy people had tried to communicate with it, but most of them returned empty-handed. Very few people successfully communicated with this mysterious Moon Realm existence, and they often acted secretive after that. In the Currere, only a mysterious organization confirmed that they were its believers¡ªCrows. Although they couldn¡¯t say the name ¡®Father of the Crows,¡¯ they still busied themselves for centuries to make their master whole again. To complete this goal, they even barged into the heavily guarded Astral Lighthouse and didn¡¯t hesitate to oppose the Astral Council, the strongest mage organization in Currere. But the problem was, did the Father of the Crows want to return to his original state? No, it didn¡¯t even want anyone in this world to remember its existence. For this reason, it didn¡¯t hesitate to cast a Silence Oath on its name. Once anyone in the know said the name ¡®Father of the Crows¡¯ to others, their soul would be completely torn apart. Therefore, the next question¡ªwho was controlling the Crows? What was his goal in hoping for the Father of the Crows to return to its complete state? The moment William sensed that the light spot that symbolized the Crown of Original Darkness in his ether domain had disappeared, he knew the answer. At the same time, many of the questions that had circled his mind were answered. Why was the soul fragment of the Father of the Crows capable of suppressing the main body of a Demon General? Why didn¡¯t that Crow Feather Prophet know about the deal between the Father of the Crows and the Lord of Nightmare? According to William¡¯s interrogation of the crow monster, the soul fragment in the Holy Sepulchre was supposed to be returned to the Father of the Crows. But why didn¡¯t the Crows know? Why did they believe that the fragment had fallen into Zamara¡¯s hands and couldn¡¯t be retrieved? The answer was very simple. The Father of the Crows wasn¡¯t a Moon Realm Overlord. He was an incomplete Void Sovereign. The goals of the Crows and the Father of the Crows were the opposite from the beginning. The so-called slumbering will of the Father of the Crows was what was left of Blake¡¯s will. In the past 1,000 years, he had done his best to keep himself in a shattered state. As for the true leader of the Crows, he was busy with the opposite¡ªreturning the unborn Void Sovereign to its complete state. On stage, Coles¡¯s actor went crazy and wanted to break the seal in front of the sarcophagus, but he was repelled by the power emitted by the sarcophagus seal every time. Judgment 4 trembled slightly in front of the sarcophagus, and the power emitted using it as a medium caused Coles, a Crowman whose soul was in the Moon Realm, to suffer injuries that were difficult to heal. Rich curses began to surge from Coles, but he didn¡¯t care. He only shouted at the sarcophagus with a ferocious expression, ¡°Blake! Is there a point in doing this? With your will as a mortal, how long can you suppress this power?¡± Other than the echoes echoing in the tomb, no one answered him. After a while, Coles finally calmed down. He took a deep look at the indestructible sarcophagus and finally turned to leave. Before he left, he left one last sentence: ¡°I¡¯ll wait until the day you can¡¯t hold on anymore. Be it ten years, a hundred years, or a thousand years, I¡¯ll wait for that day. And before that, I¡¯ll record how this world sank bit by bit into oblivion. Then, on that day, I¡¯ll tell you that all of this was a result of your choice.¡± The lights went out, and the curtain fell. The fourth act of The Destruction of Judgment¡ªThe Cursed and the Lost¡ªended. Valk, who was admiring William¡¯s expression, laughed maniacally. He smiled and said, ¡°Bravo! Bravo! To be honest, I¡¯m really glad that this soul fragment fell into my hands by a freak combination of factors. Otherwise, many of the scenes in the epic drama, The Destruction of Judgment, would have been buried in history. Or perhaps, if this soul fragment is obtained by my other companions, they might use it to make unreliable plans and make this already boring world even more boring¡­¡± ¡°Valk¡­¡± William quickly calmed down. He looked at the Void Sovereign and asked, ¡°You made Mania wait for me here for more than 800 years and even bet your eyes with the Whispering Empress. Could it be that your ultimate goal is simply to mock me? Or could it be that you, who never needs a reason to do anything, has a reason for doing so?¡± ¡­ Rewinding time to a few minutes ago, after the Crow Feather Prophet sneaked out of the Astral Lighthouse in Viper, it originally planned on returning to the Twilight Fortress through the Teleportation point arranged by the Presiding Judge. Along the way, he pondered over that question. How did the operation 15 years ago suffer an intelligence leak? All the internal members of the Crows became pseudo-Crowmen by sharing their leader¡¯s curse. Every thought of theirs was connected to their leader through their souls. There was no possibility of betrayal. It was also because of this that after suffering that tragic defeat back then, the Crows only wondered why the defense there was so powerful. They didn¡¯t consider the possibility of a leak. However, when he saw the true defensive strength of the Viper Astral Lighthouse today, he wavered. Other than the Astral Council obtaining information about their movements in advance, he couldn¡¯t find a reasonable explanation for the quintupled defense. But who was the one who leaked the information? Who among the Crows didn¡¯t want to see their lord whole again? At this moment, a familiar soul voice sounded from the depths of his consciousness. I feel it. Have you obtained a soul fragment? The leader of the Crows had contacted him. The Crow Feather Prophet replied deep down, ¡°Boss, the second soul fragment is in my hands, and the Presiding Judge should have obtained the third soul. I¡¯m currently retreating to the Twilight Fortress according to the original instructions.¡± Ignore him and bring the soul fragment in your hand to the third stronghold. An unexpected order sounded in the depths of his soul. ¡°Boss?¡± the Crow Feather Prophet asked in confusion. Your mission is complete. Return with the soul fragment in your hand. the other party only repeated. ¡°Boss, but the Presiding Judge¡¯s orders are¡­¡± Before the Crow Feather Prophet could finish asking, the will took over his body. His eyes instantly turned from confusion to coldness. The Crow Feather Prophet first moved his hands before removing the soul fragment and studying it for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s easier than I imagined. I originally thought that I would have to use more troublesome methods.¡± As he spoke, he smiled faintly and removed the pitch-black brooch from his chest. ¡°You even lent this out. Is it because you trust others too easily, or¡­¡± With that said, pitch-black magic power emitted from his hand, and a spot of light hidden in the Crown of Original Darkness was wiped out by this magic power. ¡°You marked it as expected. The Presiding Judge is still the same.¡± With that said, the Crow Feather Prophet laughed and transformed into a pitch-black storm before flying into the distance. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 101 - 101 Betting 101 Betting ¡°Or could it be that someone like you that never needs a reason has no choice but to do so?¡± After hearing William¡¯s question, the smile on Absurdity Jester Valk¡¯s face deepened. He clapped his hands, and the entire theater suddenly fell into darkness. The darkness didn¡¯t last long. With two claps, two spotlights landed on the two of them. Now that they were both on stage, Valk had returned to His exaggerated jester appearance. William didn¡¯t stop the other party or ask about His true goal. He just waited silently. This was also the reason why he didn¡¯t immediately give chase after discovering that the coordinates marked with the Crown of Original Darkness in the ether domain had disappeared. Compared to the divine artifact and the soul fragments, he had more important matters to confirm here. He wanted to confirm Absurdity Jester¡¯s true goal in inviting him to watch this play. Valk was a genuine lunatic. In a sense, one could say that He was a fool who didn¡¯t care about His losses all in the name of fun. He imprisoned the First Demon General under His command for more than 800 years just to mock the former Moon Realm Calamity. Other Void Sovereigns might not be able to do it, but He was fully capable of doing so. However, on the other hand, the other party was also a pursuer of extreme effects for a show. If what happened in the Astral Lighthouse today was compared to a play, the impact of this play would undoubtedly be an extreme failure. This drama didn¡¯t cause William to break down, cry, or become hysterical. This was because William had told himself a long time ago that a thousand years had passed. He had to be mentally prepared no matter what happened. This play might have shaken William¡¯s heart to a certain extent, but it was still far from breaking through his psychological defense. On the other hand, William understood Valk¡¯s warped sense of humor. If He only wanted to use the matter to mock him, He wouldn¡¯t have chosen to tell William the truth now. At the very least, William had to wait until he reached the Moon Realm and saw the Father of the Crows advance to a complete Void Sovereign with his own eyes. Only then would Valk jump out and tell him about the past, adding a final heavy blow. Valk told him everything that had happened in the past. Instead of saying that he wanted to mock William, it was better to say that he was giving William a heads-up and letting him be mentally prepared for what would happen in the future. This was actually helping him. Absurdity Jester never considered reasons when screwing with others. He did whatever He wanted to do. However, if He was doing something that essentially helped others, William had to confirm the other party¡¯s reason. Valk looked around the stage and asked, ¡°Calamity, how does it feel to change from being an audience to an actor?¡± William didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he lit the stage as his answer. Looking at the ignited curtain, not only did Valk not feel any anger, but He also laughed out loud. ¡°Bravo, bravo! As a candidate, you¡¯re a hundred times more interesting than that brat. Hahahahaha¡­¡± Valk laughed until He was out of breath. ¡°Candidate? What candidate?¡± William asked with a frown. ¡°Ah¡­ Then, I should start from the beginning. The will of your loyal subordinate is almost exhausted. As for the former Father of the Crows, after the suppression on him loses effect, he will gradually return to his rightful state. He will just be a step away from turning eternal. As for who will ultimately inherit that power, I have a few old friends who found suitable candidates centuries ago. For this reason, They even proposed an extremely boring plan¡­¡± With that said, the burning curtain suddenly turned into a map of the Vic Continent, and the flames turned into a vortex that circled the Blackwater Province. Valk jumped in front of the map and pointed at the vortex. He asked William mysteriously, ¡°And this is the condition that the candidate proposed¡­ By the way, do you want to guess what title the 14th Void Sovereign is? I¡¯ll give you three chances.¡± ¡°King of Hope and Despair,¡± William replied. The expression on Valk¡¯s face was as awkward as a magician raising the top hat on his left hand to get the attention of the audience, only to have a child below the stage pointing at his right sleeve and shouting, ¡°The rabbit is hiding there.¡± A few seconds later, He coughed lightly and replied, ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s right. The King of Hope and Despair. Then, do you know what His essence symbolizes? Is He biased toward hope, despair, or both¡­¡± William, who had experienced the Eclipse outcome, interrupted him and said, ¡°The domain He symbolizes isn¡¯t hope or despair, but the moment the two switch. Can you quickly get to the point?¡± Valk looked even more embarrassed. After a few seconds, Valk¡¯s expression finally returned to its previous cheekiness. He pointed at the map and said, ¡°Hope and despair accompany each other. Pushing mortals immersed in hope into the abyss of despair or illuminating a lighthouse for people in despair is the domain symbolized by the King of Hope and Despair. It¡¯s precisely because of this that the brat plans on making the entire Blackwater Province the promised land of the entire Vic Continent. That will be the last of the untainted land for the future plane fusion between the Moon Realm and the Vic Continent. At the same time, it will be the spark that ignites the plane fusion ritual. It will be a push that sends mortals into despair, and it will also be the last beacon of hope after despair descends¡­¡± It was William¡¯s turn to be surprised. He widened his eyes and asked, ¡°What did you say?!¡± Merging the Vic Continent with the Moon Realm? What kind of novel operation was this? Regarding this, Valk pretended to accidentally cover His mouth and said in an exaggerated voice, ¡°Ah, why did I let it slip¡­¡± Then, Valk cut the act. He revealed an extremely unhappy expression and said, ¡°You find it unbelievable too, don¡¯t you? That group of idiots. As long as the stage exists, the actors and audience will change one after another, and good shows will constantly happen. Yet, They want to burn down this stage to complete Their ideals? It¡¯s really difficult to describe Them¡­¡± Valk calmed down and continued, ¡°In short, a few old friends that you and I are very familiar with are backing him. They are betting on him. Once he successfully occupies the Father of the Crows¡¯ body, he will quickly begin the ritual to advance to the 14th Void Sovereign. This ascension ritual will greatly speed up the plane fusion ritual.¡± ¡°So? Do you plan on stopping Them?¡± William asked. Regarding this, Valk threw up His hands helplessly. ¡°There are too many of Them. I can¡¯t defeat Them all.¡± However, He continued, ¡°However, before the ascension ritual begins, none of us has the right to interfere with the ritual. Therefore, since They have chosen to bet, I can also place my bets.¡± William finally understood what Valk was getting at. ¡°So you want to bet on me?¡± Valk nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s you. Making the former Moon Realm Calamity the new Void Sovereign. There¡¯s probably no funnier joke in the world.¡± ¡°There have the numbers,¡± William warned. ¡°I¡¯ve never lost a bet,¡± the other party replied. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 102 - 102 Ascension Ritual 102 Ascension Ritual The tower guardian felt as if he had woken up from a nightmare. Her vision returned to normal. At this moment, she and the envoy were still in the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s Sealing Chamber. Other than the disappearance of the Mad Box at the end of the room and the ineffectiveness of the 77 backup seals, there were no other changes in the entire Sealing Chamber. It was as if everything that had happened was an illusion¡­ Wait, what happened? The tower guardian cupped her head which seemed to be about to explode in thought. The complete memories in her mind only lasted until the Mad Box shattered and the black fog surged out. All she could recall afterward were some scattered memory fragments. Maniacal laughter, black smoke, conversation, music, play, applause¡­ There was also the appearance of the most mysterious Void Sovereign, the crazy jester, Valk. The tower guardian felt her stomach spasm at the thought of the name. Therefore, she must have fallen into an illusion. Otherwise, she would have gone crazy from having such a long period of close contact with Absurdity Jester¡­ The tower guardian comforted herself. ¡°No, you had already gone crazy,¡± the Thorn City envoy beside her suddenly spoke. Such a terrifying comment made the tower guardian turn to look at him. At this moment, the holy relic that should have been stolen was in the other party¡¯s hand. ¡°Why is the sealing holy relic with you?¡± the tower guardian asked in surprise as she looked at the illusory crow feathers. ¡°Since the sealed Demon General has already returned to the Moon Realm, you don¡¯t need this anymore, right?¡± William looked at the soul fragment of the Father of the Crows in his hand and replied without answering the question. He looked at the soul fragment and recalled his conversation with Valk. ¡°Therefore, what help will your so-called bet provide me?¡± William asked calmly in the face of the other party¡¯s pompous words. ¡°The birth of a Void Sovereign requires another Void Sovereign to crown Him. I can be in charge of this. Of course, the prerequisite is that you ultimately win,¡± Valk replied. He wasn¡¯t lying. In the Eclipse ending, the protagonist became the 14th Void Sovereign when the Whispering Empress and the King of Deathblood crowned him. This raised another question¡ªhow was the first Void Sovereign born? Of course, now wasn¡¯t the time to think about this. ¡°Other than that?¡± William continued asking. ¡°Other than that, there¡¯s also the ticket to the circus,¡± Valk replied with a smile. After a few seconds, William understood what the other party was referring to. ¡°The Father of the Crows¡¯ soul fragment?¡± Valk nodded and continued, ¡°After I obtained it back then, I specially persuaded Mania to come here and protect it for more than 800 years just to wait for the fated one to obtain it¡­ Only people with this ticket are qualified to enter and fight for the candidacy of Father of the Crows. Didn¡¯t I specially reserve it for you?¡± William frowned and said, ¡°Then, the other party already has two tickets.¡± According to the Crow Feather Prophet, there were a total of four soul fragments in Currere. Their leader already had one, and the other three were located at the Holy Sepulchre, the Blacklight City¡¯s Astral Lighthouse, and with the Riel Empire¡¯s empress. He only had the fragment from Blacklight City¡¯s Astral Lighthouse, and the piece that had been in the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s hand had probably been obtained by Coles. William couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. When William proposed this heist, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t keep in mind such a possibility. Be it the Crown of Original Darkness or the soul fragment, he even left hidden coordinates on the Crow Feather Prophet. However, as a former subordinate, the other party was too familiar with his habits. The moment he obtained the item, the other party erased the marks he had left. The methods he used to guard against outsiders ultimately failed to guard against his own. ¡°I remember that the last soul fragment is in the hands of the Empire¡¯s empress¡­¡± William planned on taking action immediately. However, Valk shook His head and said, ¡°It¡¯s too late now. The other party has long reached a deal with that cute little lady. As long as she gives him the soul fragment inherited from the royal family after he becomes the new Father of the Crows, he will calm the storm in the Shattered Sea and allow the Empire¡¯s fleet to sail to Ava State without any obstruction.¡± ¡°In other words, the other party already has three fragments¡­¡± William muttered. ¡°Heh, what¡¯s with the long face!? You should say that the score is 3 to 1, and you¡¯re evenly matched.¡± Valk laughed and patted William¡¯s shoulder. Then, He continued, ¡°Moreover, isn¡¯t the Seed of Hope still in your hands? Even if the other party has completely inherited the Father of the Crows¡¯ abilities, he still needs the Seed of Hope to take the final step. Otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to become a complete Void Sovereign.¡± Valk¡¯s words reminded William of the specific ritual to advance to the King of Hope and Despair in the Eclipse ending. First, he used the Seed of Hope and the Curse of Despair to mold the initial prototype of a Void Sovereign. Through fusion, his life began to transform into a Moon Realm existence. Only after the transformation did the ascension ritual truly begin. Based on the different prototypes chosen, there would be two diametrical rituals. If the domain¡¯s embryonic form was created by the Curse of Despair, the trigger activated by the ascension ritual would be an act of betrayal. The fuel needed for the ritual was to cause a huge disaster that swept through Currere; the immense suffering and sorrow in Currere would then stir up an intense storm in the Moon Realm. If he had used the Seed of Hope to form the embryonic domain, the trigger activated by the ascension ritual would be the act of redemption. As for the fuel needed for the ritual, it needed a country to maintain peace and harmony for more than ten years, allowing the residents here to live a happy life to calm the intense turmoil in the Moon Realm. The last step of the ritual was a reversal. If he had used the Curse of Despair to form the embryonic domain, he would have needed to use the Seed of Hope to reverse the situation and save those who had fallen into despair because of the disaster. On the other hand, if he had used the Seed of Hope to form the embryonic domain, he would have needed to use the Curse of Despair to reverse the situation. He would also have to betray his happy subjects and throw them into the abyss of despair. William recalled the last scene of the play. Without a doubt, Coles had chosen the first ritual back then. After all, the second ritual required too much time to prepare. He used the Curse of Despair to create the black cloud-like crow phantom, which was the embryonic form of the Void Sovereign. He probably chose to hold the ritual in Thorn City¡¯s Holy Sepulchre to satisfy the fuel conditions for the ascension ritual. In that era when the Moon Realm rifts and the Seven Calamities were all sealed, the only way to cause a huge disaster was probably to summon the Rotten Moon Undead Tide again. However, Coles probably didn¡¯t expect the embryonic form that symbolized the power of despair to choose Blake, who was in even greater despair back then, as its host. Blake followed simple restraint logic and believed that he needed the power of the Seed of Hope to suppress the Curse of Despair. Therefore, he swallowed it. This was equivalent to entering the final reversal stage. What was worse was that Blake¡¯s choice back then was indeed a form of betrayal toward Coles. Therefore, the trigger clicked, and the ritual was activated. Finally, it led to the birth of an incomplete 14th Sovereign, the Father of the Crows. If the two of them hadn¡¯t worked so well together, the ritual wouldn¡¯t have been activated so smoothly¡­ Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 103 - 103 Toppling Tower 103 Toppling Tower William smiled bitterly as he reminisced. Due to the incomplete ritual a thousand years ago, the Father of the Crows in the Moon Realm didn¡¯t have the full stature of a Void Sovereign. It didn¡¯t have the support of ¡®fuel,¡¯ nor did it have a complete soul as a prototype for its personality, nor did it complete the final reversal. All these years, the Father of the Crows had only instinctively exercised its authority or done some specific actions through the remnants of Blake¡¯s will¡ªfor example, swearing a silent oath or raising a storm in the Shattered Sea to protect Ava State. Fortunately, the fuel for the ritual wasn¡¯t ignited, and the Seed of Hope was preserved. William happened to snatch it from the three goddesses. Therefore, even though William only had a soul fragment left, he still held the initiative. ¡°However, the other party can still reach the Father of the Crows¡¯ Moon Realm domain, Black Crow Gaze, before you do. He will absorb three-quarters of the incomplete sovereign¡¯s strength in advance, and then he will wait for you there. If you don¡¯t choose to face him, he might use his incomplete authority to constantly cause disasters on the Vic Continent,¡± Valk reminded. ¡°There¡¯s no need for him to rush me. I¡¯ll personally go to the Moon Realm to face him, no matter what he has become.¡± William only gave such a reply. ¡­ ¡°That Demon General named Mania has returned to the Moon Realm? Also, what does it mean that I went crazy?¡± The voice of the tower guardian beside William pulled him back to the present. The other party was staring warily at the soul fragment in his hand as if she was prepared to snatch it back at any moment. William ignored the other party¡¯s actions and used the Divine Realm Frost spell, Cocoon of Time, to seal the soul fragment before throwing it into his inventory. After all of this was done, he looked at the tower guardian and said, ¡°It¡¯s what it means literally. Your mind was corrupted by the power He subconsciously carries with him because you had been by Valk¡¯s side for too long. However, before He left, I got Him to restore you to normal. Of course, I can guarantee that He must have stuffed some sequelae into your soul. I suggest you find a psychological therapist to take a good look at it in the future.¡± With that said, he continued without waiting for the other party¡¯s reaction, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s cut the crap. Tell me your name now. I have quests to assign to you.¡± The fiery-red-haired tower guardian looked at the gray-haired, silver-eyed man in front of him as if he was crazy. Be it what the other party had just said about getting the Void Sovereign to help her restore her rationality or having a tower guardian of the Astral Lighthouse listen to his orders, it sounded like the derangement of a lunatic. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that tower guardians are not allowed to say their names during their tenure?¡± However, she couldn¡¯t read the other party¡¯s strength after all, so she left some leeway. ¡°Tower guardian?¡± The other party sneered unexpectedly. Then, he snapped his fingers, and intense lightning instantly flashed around him. When she came back to her senses, the two of them had already appeared in the square outside the Astral Lighthouse. She opened her mouth and was about to complain, but when she saw the scene in front of her, she was like a duck being lifted by the neck. Her mouth remained open, but she couldn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°There¡¯s no tower for you to guard.¡± The person¡¯s voice seemed to come from afar. This Astral Lighthouse that was built on Nakuland¡¯s Blacklight City for more than 800 years had collapsed. Moreover, the way it collapsed was very funny. This spiral lighthouse seemed to have been treated as kneaded like plasticine into an arc that resembled a smile. ¡°How is this possible? How¡­¡± The tower guardian looked dazedly at the Viper lighthouse that she was just a month short of completing her five-year guardianship tour. She felt her mind go blank. That arc looked like it was mocking her. Behind that arc was a constantly changing distorted space. That space was filled with psychedelic colors, and just looking at it made one¡¯s head spin as if one¡¯s mind had received too much information. Perhaps it was to let William enjoy the drama better, or perhaps it was to block the prying eyes of the other Void Sovereigns, but the power Valk projected through this Astral Lighthouse was extremely potent. He had temporarily moved a stage from the Fanatic Theater to Currere. Fortunately, William had evacuated everyone in the fortress. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone with the intelligence to do arithmetic under 100 left. Not only that, but all the spatial seals and restrictions in the Astral Lighthouse were destroyed by the other party¡¯s power. At this moment, this Astral Lighthouse had been stripped of its disguise as an Astral Circuit, revealing its essence as a Moon Realm rift. A complete Moon Realm rift opened on Nakuland. Looking at the damaged arc-shaped tower and the dynamical Moon Realm rift behind it, many fragmented memories that had scattered in the tower guardian¡¯s mind connected. This made her clutch her head in pain and squat on the ground. At the same time, she subconsciously let out a crazy laugh. ¡°Absurdity Jester, hahahaha¡­ It¡¯s really Absurdity Jester. Hahahaha¡­¡± William finally understood what method Valk had used to restore the poor child¡¯s rationality. He had only shattered the memories of that period and stuffed them deep into the back of her mind. As long as she came into contact with anything of relevance, she might subconsciously connect those fragments and fall into a temporary state of madness. In the future, she might have serious PTSD towards theaters, laughter, or even arcs. After William used the Tranquility spell, the other party gradually regained her rationality. She stared at William and asked with a trembling voice, ¡°You¡¯re the Calamity¡­ that Absurd¡­ the Void Sovereign mentioned?¡± She recalled the conversation between this man and the Void Sovereign. Although Absurdity Jester Valk didn¡¯t mention the other party¡¯s name, He constantly addressed him as Calamity. As a member of the Astral Council¡¯s member family, other than being more advantaged than ordinary people for her advancement as a magic chanter, she also had the clearance to go to the Astral Council¡¯s library and learn more secrets that ordinary people couldn¡¯t. Be it history of the past or dangerous knowledge about the Moon Realm, among them were records of the Moon Realm Calamity. There was only one person in history who had the title of Moon Realm Calamity. ¡°You¡¯re William Kane?¡± she asked with a trembling voice. Although it was a question, her tone carried awe. She wouldn¡¯t believe it if anyone told her that the man in front of her was William Kane. However, a Void Sovereign had verified the other party¡¯s identity. This was more real than any evidence. William didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question. He repeated his words, ¡°Tell me your name now. I have quests to assign to you.¡± The tower guardian replied almost subconsciously, ¡°Julianne Cathy.¡± ¡°Then, Julianne, I want you to lead all of Blacklight City¡¯s troops to guard this Moon Realm rift,¡± William said calmly. ¡­ The crow feather storm gradually gathered into a human form. The Crow Feather Prophet from before appeared on a reef in the Shattered Sea. This reef was in an irregular triangle with an ancient throne covered in barnacles right in the middle. On the throne, a person lay paralyzed. His entire body was covered in a powerful curse, and his body was shattered like porcelain. The Crow Feather Prophet looked at the body without any change in his expression. He only walked over without a word and placed the soul fragment in his hand on the armrest of the throne. Then, he tilted his head and took out a pitch-black brooch from his clothes before placing it on the armrest. After doing this, he took a few steps back. Then, the coldness in his eyes instantly dissipated and turned into a puzzled expression. When he saw the shattered person on the throne, he immediately knelt on one knee and said, ¡°Boss¡­¡± Calm down. A familiar soul voice appeared in his mind. When everyone arrives, I¡¯ll tell you the reason. In the distance, the Crows crossed the storm and flew towards the reef. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 104 - 104 Broken Crow 104 Broken Crow Coles felt that he was sitting alone on the ancient throne, but at the same time, he felt that his consciousness was scattered everywhere as he passed through the storm that wreaked havoc between the sky and the sea. This strange out-of-body feeling made him feel like he was in a dream. However, ever since he inherited the curse and became an undying Crowman, he hadn¡¯t had a dream for more than a thousand years. The Crows passed through the storm and gathered on the reef in human form one after another. As Crowmen were existences that carried his curse, everyone had similar looks¡ªpale skin, thin face, and charcoal-like raven-black hair. Of course, there were also those amber eyes that resembled crows. Most of their hair stuck to their foreheads due to the drenching seawater, but they thought nothing of it. After taking shape, they genuflected in front of the ancient throne in unison. ¡°Boss¡­¡± The Crow Feather Prophet¡ªwho had been brought here¡ªlooked at the shattered person sitting on the ancient throne in front of him and said with a complicated expression, This was the first time he had seen the leader of the Crows. The Crows were roughly divided into three levels¡ªFeather, Claw, and Beak. According to what he knew, only the highest-level Beak was qualified to see this legendary person who had supposedly lived for more than a thousand years. Ever since the previous Beak was killed by the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s tower guardian 15 years ago, no Beak¡ªone that had advanced to Legendary¡ª had appeared among the Crows. Before this, he never expected that the mysterious and powerful Boss would be this¡­ Broken and disheveled. A familiar soul voice appeared in his mind, causing the Crow Feather Prophet to involuntarily lower his head. Then, he heard a voice that sounded like a broken ventilator blowing from the throne in front of him. Coles slowly raised his lowered head and opened his cracked mouth, ¡°If I weren¡¯t like this, you wouldn¡¯t have been born.¡± More than a thousand years ago, Judgment 4 caused irreparable damage to Coles. His body gradually couldn¡¯t withstand the intense Crowman curse. Helpless, he could only constantly disperse the curse and create so-called Pseudo Crowmen. They were his limbs, his avatars, and his puppets. But even so, the deterioration of the curse inevitably continued to eat at him. His body shattered completely a hundred years ago. He could only hide here and have his body be still to maintain his existence. Therefore, he could only control the Crows to interfere with Currere. Coles twisted his neck and looked around at the Crows kneeling on the reef before saying, ¡°I summoned you here because I have something to announce. Your Lord is about to be complete, and your destiny will be fulfilled.¡± There were no cheers, applause, or screams. The Crows quietly listened to Coles. Only one person had a different reaction. The Crow Feather Prophet couldn¡¯t control the doubts in his mind and asked, ¡°Boss, I still don¡¯t understand why you asked me to come here directly. The Presiding Judge is clearly about to obtain the soul fragment sealed in the Mad Box¡­¡± Coles turned his gaze to him. ¡°Because I¡¯ll never be able to obtain that soul fragment.¡± He replied and continued, ¡°Weren¡¯t you curious why the Astral Lighthouse in Viper 15 years ago knew of our plan?¡± The Crow Feather Prophet subconsciously nodded and said, ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s¡­¡± Coles¡¯s cracked face revealed a bizarre smile before saying, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for there to be a traitor, nor will any secrets be leaked. The defense measures back then were strengthened because the Mad Box suddenly turned unstable, and the Astral Council sent more people.¡± ¡°As for the reason why the Mad Box became unstable, it¡¯s because someone doesn¡¯t want me to obtain that soul fragment. This is also why I didn¡¯t make another attack attempt on the Astral Lighthouse after that failure.¡± After understanding Absurdity Jester Valk¡¯s stand, Coles had no intention of snatching the soul fragment. However, Coles¡¯s answer confused the Crow Feather Prophet even more. He asked in confusion, ¡°But didn¡¯t you ask me to help the Presiding Judge collect the remaining soul fragments?¡± The Crow Feather Prophet still remembered that after the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s figurine manifestation, the Boss told him that the Father of the Crows had already predicted the imminent return of the great Presiding Judge and asked him to go to the nearest Sealing Temple to wait for the other party¡¯s arrival and help him retrieve the remaining soul fragments. Coles stood up from the barnacle-covered throne with difficulty and staggered to the Crow Feather Prophet. With every step he took, a dangerous cracking sound sounded. The Crow Feather Prophet didn¡¯t dare look up. Only when Coles gently helped him up did he look at the other party¡¯s shattered face. Then, the person said, ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why you were born from that moment.¡± The meaning behind the other party¡¯s words made the Crow Feather Prophet extremely uneasy. ¡°What¡­ does that mean?¡± The Crow Feather Prophet looked around in panic. At some point, the gazes of all the Crowmen around him turned to him. Their eyes were filled with the same emptiness as if none of them had a soul. ¡°Try recalling. Do you remember your former name?¡± Coles asked patiently. ¡°My name is¡­¡± The moment the Crow Feather Prophet spoke, he felt as if a memory had been locked. It should have been something very simple to recall, but his mind was blank when he tried recalling the past. ¡°After becoming a Crowman, we should abandon our former names, so I¡­¡± the Crow Feather Prophet replied with difficulty, but it was obvious that he couldn¡¯t convince himself. Thinking back carefully, his memories only lasted until he was imprisoned in the Sealing Temple¡¯s dungeon. Everything before that seemed to be shrouded in thick mist. Seeing the gradually despairing expression on the other party¡¯s face, Coles slowly said, ¡°This can be considered an attempt. After all, I seem to have given up on creating personalities for my puppets more than 400 years ago. If the Whispering Empress hadn¡¯t told me that the Presiding Judge had returned, I probably wouldn¡¯t have tried again.¡± In the beginning, when Coles created the Pseudo Crowmen, he would give them a complete personality. However, because these Pseudo Crowmen would inevitably come into contact with the Father of the Crows, and it was very easy for them to be wiped out by the Father of the Crows during this process, causing him to lose his strength, Coles gave up on giving them personalities a long time ago. Instead, he created puppets without self-awareness. Coles relied on these puppets to control the peripheral Crows. This was also the reason why no one on the continent had figured out the organizational structure of the Crows over the years. Upon hearing the other party¡¯s words, the Crow Feather Prophet asked in a daze, ¡°But why?¡± He wasn¡¯t asking why Coles gave him such treatment. After all, as the other party¡¯s creation, he didn¡¯t have the right to question his master. However, what he didn¡¯t understand was why the man named Coles Jackdaw in front of him would betray the Presiding Judge he had once regarded as a god. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 105 - 105 Metamorphosis and Awakening 105 Metamorphosis and Awakening ¡°Why?¡± Coles frowned when he heard that, as if he didn¡¯t understand the other party¡¯s question. However, his frown quickly eased. ¡°I almost forgot that your personality was built based on the Presiding Judge¡¯s personality. With his personality, he might not be able to understand the thoughts of a normal person like me.¡± As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the Pseudo Crowmen kneeling around him collapsed like straws. An invisible force appeared with his movements. The force guided the curses out of the Crowmen¡¯s corpses and finally gathered into an illusory humanoid that kept changing. ¡°Our Presiding Judge always had a strange view. He always believed that everyone gathered around him because they agreed with his philosophy and not because they are impressed by his strength. That¡¯s why he hanged the king who was involved in Moon Realm worship in front of all the citizens while promising that the Doomsday Watchers definitely won¡¯t dabble in politics. On the one hand, he invested massive resources in rebuilding the Mage Guild that suffered heavy losses due to the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion, and on the other hand, he simplified and made public the operating principles of all magic to dig out the foundation that the Mage Guild relied on for survival.¡± As Coles spoke, the phantom that was the culmination of the curses floated to his side and overlapped with his body. ¡°For example, the prototype Astral Circuit of the Astral Laws was proposed by him and a few friends back then. Then, he turned around and handed this thing to the Mage Guild, which is the least likely to promote it in the world, instructing them to finish this idea in the future.¡± As Coles spoke, he laughed at the other party¡¯s childish thoughts. At the same time, the phantom of the curses began to constantly seep into Coles¡¯s body, causing the cracks on his body to constantly spread and deepen. Coles stopped smiling and asked, ¡°I don¡¯t know how many contradictory things he has done, but to my surprise, he has done most of them. Do you want to guess the reason behind this?¡± The Crow Feather Prophet shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s because of strength,¡± Coles answered piously like a believer. As he spoke, the first time he met the Presiding Judge surfaced in his mind. Back then, he was surrounded by the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s elite executor team and was on the verge of death. A towering pillar of fire turned those people to ashes at a critical moment. Under the illumination of the fire, William Kane, who was wearing gorgeous armor, rode a Soul Horse that emitted faint netherflames and looked down at him. Behind him, a few people he would call companions in the future were chasing after the Church¡¯s escapees. Then, they chatted and laughed, not worried at all about the possible revenge of the behemothic Holy Spirits Church. Indeed, the Holy Spirits Church didn¡¯t dare seek trouble with them later. ¡°He dared to hang the king in public without fear of the royal family¡¯s revenge because he could wipe out the entire Mage Hall alone. He could force the Mage Guild to make open all their academic books and let everyone borrow them from the public library because, without him, the entire Mage Guild would have ceased to exist.¡± Coles looked at the wooden-faced Crow Feather Prophet and didn¡¯t care if the other party could understand him. Cracking, migraine-inducing sounds constantly sounded from Coles¡¯s body as if he would shatter into pieces the next second. However, Coles didn¡¯t care at all. He allowed the cracks to deepen and spread on his body as he continued without changing his expression, ¡°From this perspective, our Presiding Judge isn¡¯t much different from the Void Sovereigns in the Moon Realm. They rely on their strength to forcefully alter the order of the entire world. Perhaps the greatest difference is that the former cares more about the process, while the latter cares more about the outcome.¡± The Crow Feather Prophet said with difficulty, ¡°But this can¡¯t be a reason for you to betray the Presiding Judge and choose to help the Moon Realm¡­¡± With a loud crack, Coles¡¯s body shattered into pieces and scattered to the ground because he couldn¡¯t withstand the powerful curse. However, above the pile of fragments, a pitch-black humanoid with tattered wings on its back curled up like a baby and floated in midair. Then, it slowly unfolded its body and landed on the reef. Two beams of white light flashed, and it opened its eyes, which were filled with the threads of fate. Blood constantly surged out of this humanoid¡¯s body before dissipating, and a pale cyclone circled it. It raised its hand slightly, and the soul fragment placed on the ancient throne covered in barnacles flew over and fused into its body. After doing all of this, the pitch-black humanoid said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? In my opinion, be it the Presiding Judge or the Void Sovereigns, they are essentially the same. They¡¯re just using absolute strength to modify this world per their ideals. Since everyone believes that their philosophy is right, the final victory will only depend on who is stronger.¡± It was obvious that the stronger ones would be the Moon Realm, which had been nourished by centuries of Currere disasters. At this point, Coles sighed and said, ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect the Presiding Judge to return a thousand years later, but it¡¯s too late now. I admit that he¡¯s still very powerful. He might have had an advantage in Currere a thousand years ago, but he might not be able to reverse the situation today. Therefore, rather than letting him try in vain to drag the entire world into the abyss, I should light up a beacon of hope for future mortals.¡± Using the Blackwater Province as a sanctuary after the future plane fusion was the only condition Coles raised with the four Void Sovereigns who supported him. This could be used as a source of power for his symbolic domain in the future, and it was also the best condition he could negotiate for the mortals on this continent. With that said, the tattered black wings behind Coles suddenly spread out. The pitch-blackness all over his body gradually condensed into thick armor. At the same time, his face returned to his appearance a thousand years ago. At this moment, he had completed his transformation from a mortal to a Moon Realm existence. Under the blessings of the four Void Sovereigns, having accommodated one of the Father of the Crows¡¯ soul fragments and the nourishment of the Crowmen¡¯s curse, he finally broke free from the restraints of Currere and completely became a high-level Moon Realm existence. The Crow Feather Prophet was about to say something when Coles raised his hand, and a ball of shadows instantly wrapped around him, turning him into a black egg-shaped cocoon. ¡°It¡¯s not enough¡­¡± Feeling his strength, Coles looked at his hand and muttered. ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning¡­¡± With that said, he turned into a black light and disappeared from the reef. The black cocoon floated quietly on the reef. After a long time, the black cocoon quietly cracked open, and the darkness that surged out silently swallowed the entire reef. A calm, sphere-shaped hole appeared over the sea. It looked like a black hole had been dug out of a blue postcard. At the same time, in the Platinum Palace ten thousand miles away from the reefs of the Shattered Sea, a woman screamed and woke up from her nightmare. The woman who held the highest authority in the Empire panted for a long time before calming down. She reached out and switched on the magic crystal lamp on the bedside table. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and was stunned for a long time before muttering to herself, ¡°Don¡¯t hand over that crow feather to the other party? Why?¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 106 - 106 Storm Dream 106 Storm Dream In her dream, she steered an old ship into an endless storm. Fragile masts were snapped, tattered sails were blown down, and the rotten deck shattered. Finally, the entire ship was wrecked to pieces by the violent storm. As for Erin, the helmsman of the old, bloated, and rotten ship, she was thrown into the air before plummeting into the deep sea amidst the whistling winds. The sea was filled with pale corpses. They stared at her with wide eyes as if they were saying: ¡°This is all your fault.¡± Deep in the sea, a pair of huge pitch-black wings slowly spread out in front of her. Two blood-red eyes widened under the wings and stared fixedly at her. Or rather, he stared fixedly at the illusory crow feather in her hand. Erin struggled to escape, but she realized that her limbs had been entangled by countless transparent threads at some point. She was like a puppet being controlled as she uncontrollably swam towards the abyss deep in the sea, getting closer and closer to the devouring shadow¡­ The moment she was about to be devoured by the shadow, she screamed and broke free from this nightmare. What made Erin¡¯s hair stand on end was that the moment she woke up, she felt as if she could still smell the sea salt. This isn¡¯t a simple nightmare. There are too many obvious metaphors and hints in this dream¡­ This was the thought that appeared in her mind after she calmed down. As the supreme empress of the Riel Empire, her mental state had always been the most tightly protected¡ªbe it the Platinum Palace¡¯s restrictive barrier that had been upgrading for centuries, or the Illusion Mages and Exorcism Priests specially assigned to her by the Platinum Ring and the Holy Spirits Church. In the dark of this usually calm bedroom, countless protective measures were constantly in operation day and night, ensuring that all the decisions she made as empress were out of her will and not because of the bewitchment of magic and demons. But this sudden nightmare¡­ The alarm in the bedroom didn¡¯t sound. Even the scream she let out when she woke up from her dream didn¡¯t cause any commotion. This meant that something had silently bypassed all the defensive measures and incepted this hint or warning into her mind. In this world, only one existence could do this. The Void Sovereign who wielded the authority of Nightmare¡ªZamara. She was warning her not to hand the soul fragment to the person who had promised to calm the Shattered Sea storm. Otherwise, that person would bring about an even deeper disaster. A Void Sovereign who often stirred up disasters in Currere through nightmares came to warn her of future disasters? This sounded like a joke that wasn¡¯t funny. It was also at this moment that a light knock on the door echoed in the bedroom. ¡°Your Majesty, the Boss of the Crows requests an audience.¡± ¡­ William spread out the map of the Blackwater Province and used the magical medium in his hand to constantly mark it. As for the tower guardian of Blacklight City¡¯s Viper constellation lighthouse, Julianne stood nervously at the side, not knowing what to do. It was no wonder. The strongest magic chanter who could chat with Absurdity Jester from a thousand years ago appeared in front of her, alive. Anyone would feel uneasy. However, Julianne wasn¡¯t just uneasy. She was more excited. Julianne had dreamed of reaching the peak of magic and winning the crown of the Divine Realm since she was young. However, even though her background, talent, and hard work far exceeded that of ordinary people, coupled with the fact that she had been in seclusion in the Astral Lighthouse for five years, she only barely broke through to the Legendary domain. Even the Shadow spells she had studied the most only gave her a slight glimpse of the Divine Realm with the support of the Astral Lighthouse. This was actually extremely normal. It was better to say that she was already considered talented to be able to reach this point. After all, there were less than five magic chanters in the entire Astral Council who could reach the Divine Realm. Moreover, most people had only crossed that threshold in one or two domains. As for the man in front of her, he wasn¡¯t only the pioneer of the modern magic system, but he was also the only Divine Realm mage recorded to have studied all 13 spells to the peak of the Divine Realm. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to call what he had attained the peak. If even the Astral Lighthouse couldn¡¯t help her step into that realm, then only the man in front of her in this world could guide her in¡­ ¡°1, 2, 3, 4¡­ If I choose the location to detonate the ascension ritual, these are probably the only places¡­¡± While Julianne was in a daze, William marked a few locations on the map. Then, he took a few steps back and turned to the red-haired woman. ¡°And this will be the most dangerous place, so your mission is to command the remaining military forces in Blacklight City to keep it under control¡­ Are you listening to what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Upon hearing William raise his voice slightly, Julianne snapped out of her daze and replied, ¡°I¡¯m listening¡­ Guard Blacklight City well.¡± William sighed and corrected her. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to guard Blacklight City well, but to keep this exposed Moon Realm rift under control.¡± The Moon Realm rift wasn¡¯t just a portal, but a transfer station. With the Moon Realm rift as the center, according to the scale of the Moon Realm rift, it was possible for a Moon Realm portal of different sizes to randomly appear on the land dozens to thousands of kilometers around it. Moreover, the probability of successfully holding a summoning ritual for Moon Realm believers in this range would also increase exponentially. Other than Lunar Monsters with high statures like Demon Generals or Void Sovereign incarnations that could only enter Currere through the Moon Realm rift, the other low-level Lunar Monsters usually entered Currere through a portal near the Moon Realm rift. It was precisely because of this that the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion seemed so impossible to guard against. ¡°I¡¯ve set up some simple spatial seals over the rift, but because I don¡¯t have any materials that can completely seal the rift, Lunar Monsters will be active in the entire western region of Nakuland for a long time. When that happens, your manpower will probably be scattered,¡± William said. Julianne carefully replied, ¡°That¡¯s not a problem, but sir, you previously got the logistics personnel in the fortress area to evacuate to the south of the Grief Mountains. We haven¡¯t been able to contact them¡­ After we completely purge the Moon Realm believers in Blacklight City, we have to replenish our consumables, repair the damaged weapons, and rest before we can get them to leave Blacklight City for a mission. Look¡­¡± William replied without changing his expression, ¡°I¡¯ll get the logisticians in charge of taking care of the daily needs and maintaining the weapons and their families to return as soon as possible, but those alchemists and enchanters might be delayed¡­ However, since Battle Mages don¡¯t need to rely on those enchantment consumables, just get them to carry out the mission first. Get the Spellblade troops to be on standby in the city.¡± Julianne was about to ask in detail why they were delayed when the door to the war room suddenly opened. A youth with a dark-blue lake sword at his waist and blood all over his body walked in. He shakily half-knelt and bowed to the two of them. ¡°Lords, we¡¯ve already destroyed the Gift Church¡¯s headquarters, but Prelate Rudolph and a few core members escaped under the cover of the Lunar Monsters.¡± Julianne asked in surprise, ¡°Didn¡¯t I get Dennis to lead the team? How could he fail?¡± Dennis was the president of the Battle Mage Order and was at the peak of the Master realm. If there were advancement vacancies, he had a chance of advancing to Legendary in three years. ¡°Master Dennis was severely injured by the Gift Church¡¯s Prelate Rudolph. He¡¯s recuperating in the Hall of Life,¡± the young man holding the sword suppressed the trembling in his voice and replied. Then, he continued, ¡°It¡¯s basically confirmed that Rudolph has advanced to the Legendary stage through a Moon Realm contract.¡± Regarding this, Julianne asked in confusion, ¡°Since the other party has already advanced to Legendary, how did he escape?¡± There was a qualitative difference between a Master and a Legendary. In the era of the Golden Calendar, people called the godly heroes who had sworn oaths ¡®Legendary.¡¯ And in the era after classical magic was born, the Tacma Church used the strength of a godly hero as a Legendary standard when demarcating the magic chanter realms. If Rudolph had reached the Legendary stage, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to escape at all. ¡°Because there¡¯s a¡­¡± As he spoke, he subconsciously looked out the door behind him. Julianne¡¯s gaze traced it, but there was nothing there. ¡°What is it?¡± Julianne asked. William snapped his fingers, and a floating spirit with countless howling souls of affliction in its cloak appeared quietly with an invisible sickle in his hand. Cold sweat dripped down the young man¡¯s face. ¡°Before I followed you to the Sealing Chamber, I was worried that an accident would happen during the purge, so I sent it over to follow you,¡± William said. Julianne didn¡¯t say a word for a moment. She only stared at the floating spirit with wide eyes. After a long time, she exclaimed, ¡°Death Spirit! This spell has been lost for more than 500 years!¡± Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 107 - 107 Fuse and Famine 107 Fuse and Famine Blood kept churning in his chest, and Rudolph felt as if his lungs were burning. However, he knew that this was only an illusion. The Moon Realm spirit he had signed a contract with was dispelling the deathly aura brought about by the bizarre spirit. At this moment, he was in a dead forest. Other than the remnant lightning from the teleportation nexus, everything was silent. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Rudolph held himself up with a piece of dead wood and spat out a mouthful of black blood. Then, sparks began to emit from his body like embers. Countless pitch-black cursed auras were expelled from his body before dissipating. After a long time, he heaved a sigh of relief and sat down against the tree. ¡°Why did that b*tch suddenly attack us? Didn¡¯t the intelligence say that she would be transferred out in a month? That there definitely won¡¯t be any major movements recently?¡± Beside Rudolph, a man holding a long sword with red patterns cursed. ¡°Who knows? Perhaps she suddenly went crazy,¡± Layton, the former adjutant of the Blackwater Province¡¯s Mage Hall, replied. He looked at the Gift Church upper echelons who had been arrogant in front of him not long ago. They were either spitting blood in a sorry state or cursing furiously. He felt both unease and relief. After a long time, Prelate Rudolph, who was leaning against a withered tree, slowly said, ¡°That spirit is either a Necromancy spell or a Summoning spell. In short, it can¡¯t be that woman.¡± Layton and the sword-wielding man instantly understood what Rudolph meant. The woman¡¯s constellation was undoubtedly Viper. Otherwise, she could not become the tower guardian of the Astral Lighthouse. The three spell types Vipers could learn were Shadow, Morph, and Metal. Therefore, the other party could not summon a Legendary creature that could suppress Rudolph and his contracted demon. The sudden purge wasn¡¯t just the Viper Astral Lighthouse¡¯s intention. Someone else was behind it. Rudolph covered the wound that constantly emitted black gasses and muttered, ¡°Whom could it be?¡± Vincent¡¯s face immediately appeared in his mind. However, he immediately shook his head. Vincent¡¯s constellation was Sage; it too didn¡¯t include Necromancy or Summoning spells. ¡°Prelate, where should we go next?¡± the man with the sword asked, interrupting Rudolph¡¯s train of thought. This place wasn¡¯t very far from Blacklight City. If they stayed any longer, pursuers might arrive at any moment. Rudolph fell into thought. It was undoubtedly impossible for him to return to Blacklight City. As an underground Moon Realm worship parish, they indeed couldn¡¯t fight an official faction like the Astral Lighthouse head-on. Even though he previously felt that the difference between the two sides wasn¡¯t huge in terms of high-end combat strength, that summoned creature that appeared out of nowhere taught him a good lesson. With this in mind, he turned his gaze to Layton and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s follow your previous plan and go to Thorn City. Let that useless son of the duke inherit the Thorn throne and¡­¡± As Rudolph spoke, he stood up. ¡°Let me end the rule of that First Citizen.¡± Layton heaved a sigh of relief. The other party was finally willing to accept his plan. Going to Thorn City to snatch the throne from the Chief Mage, who had usurped the throne, and support the puppet duke to take office was much easier than dealing with the strange spirit which couldn¡¯t be killed. ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to waste your manpower looking for them. They¡¯ll head straight to Thorn City.¡± William rejected Julianne¡¯s suggestion of transferring troops to search for the Gift Church upper echelons in Nakuland. ¡°How do you know that they would go to Thorn City?¡± Julianne asked in confusion. William waved his hand and dispelled the Death Spirit he had summoned. He replied, ¡°As the last bloodline of the Walde family and the former president of the Elementium Chamber of Commerce, he has been secretly meeting the Rose Palace¡¯s finance minister and the Minister of Espionage¡¯s envoys recently. As for the people in charge of the Bramble Guards and Spellblades, they have been constantly adjusting their staffing over the past week. Many of the soldiers who were sent out on missions in the report are fully armed and resting in a few hotels in Thorn City.¡± ¡°A coup? But how is that possible? Isn¡¯t Vincent a peak Master-level magic chanter¡­¡± Julianne asked in confusion. ¡°He¡¯s already at the Legendary stage, so this is where the key is. The entire Thorn City¡¯s conservatives are waiting for someone who can completely suppress Vincent in terms of combat strength to light the fuse, so I¡¯ll send that fuse to them now.¡± William deliberately let Prelate Rudolph of the Gift Church off because, without such a person, those who were still on the sidelines wouldn¡¯t dare to stage a coup. Everything was going according to plan. Everything else would be left to Vincent for handling. This was his true coronation as the leader of the Blackwater Province¡ªusing the blood of the usurpers. He would leave the secular matters to someone more suitable. William had more pressing problems to deal with. How should he stop Coles¡¯s advancement ritual? Or rather, how should he minimize the disaster the other party might cause in Currere in the future? The ascension ritual for the King of Hope and Despair required a huge amount of despair as fuel. Since Coles¡¯s condition was to use the entire Blackwater Province as a sanctuary for the future plane fusion, the venue of the ritual he chose would naturally be here. As for how a huge amount of despair came about, the best way was to stir up a huge disaster. Including Thorn City¡¯s Holy Sepulchre and Blacklight City¡¯s Moon Realm rift, William marked a total of four locations where a large-scale disaster might happen shortly and instructed his subordinates to be on guard. Of course, these measures were only a precaution. To put it bluntly, it was to prevent the other party from acting out of desperation. William guessed that the method used to ignite despair was very simple¡ªfamine. Before Valk left, He told William which ¡®old friends¡¯ supported Coles¡¯s ascension as the 14th Void Sovereign¡ªthe Whispering Empress, the Lord of the Dark Tide, the Pale Poet, and the Lady of Starvation. William had already guessed the first three. After all, the three of them were the ones who created the Crowman curse back then. In the past thousand years, They had plenty of opportunities to drag Coles down. William couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Back then, he had completely sealed the negative effects of the Crowman curse in the Last Crowman quest. Unless Coles voluntarily removed it, They couldn¡¯t affect Coles¡¯s judgment through the curse. He didn¡¯t know why he removed the seal after he left. Other than the three Void Sovereigns who liked to secretly manipulate the fates of mortals, the reason why the Lady of Starvation joined this bet was easier to understand. This was because it was the Lady of Starvation¡¯s year. Only She could project Her strength in Currere on a large scale. As for any drastic impact the other Void Sovereigns wanted to have on Currere, They could only do so through Her. Within Her authority, the best way to cause a disaster was to spread famine on this land. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 108 - 108 Efficiency Problem 108 Efficiency Problem Sigmonds wasn¡¯t sure how things had turned out like this. He was originally only an ordinary team leader of the Silverstream Mine. His greatest plan for his life was only to accept his fate. However, one day, after a human-faced spider was pulled out of his throat by a person who called himself the Presiding Judge, his fate¡ªwhich was obvious¡ªsuddenly began to become unpredictable. In the beginning, the Presiding Judge only sent him to the wilderness and requested him to excavate an ancient ruin. He also promised him that as long as he could do this well, he could become a candidate member of the Mason Order. Although Sigmonds didn¡¯t know what kind of organization the Mason Order was, this didn¡¯t prevent him from agreeing to this commission because he wanted to thank the other party for saving his life. Everything was normal in the beginning. There were dozens of miners, simple equipment, limited supplies, and generous remuneration. Other than the Netherworld Knights in charge of their security being too powerful, all of this was within Sigmonds¡¯s understanding. However, what happened next began to appear more and more ridiculous. First, the Presiding Judge turned the rock and soil blocking the valley pass into humanoid Earth Souls. Then, he used them to open up a path to this long-forgotten valley. Although it was an extremely simple and rugged road, it still connected this place to a few surrounding towns and established a stable logistics supply line. Then, this deserted place began to become lively day by day. The hired professional excavation team, the various skilled craftsmen of the Craftsmen¡¯s Guild, a large number of logisticians, the clergy of the Holy Spirits Church, a small number of magic chanters, and many enchanters and alchemists¡­ Not only did a luxurious team of technicians arrive, but a few circuses even came to the nearest town to relieve their boredom. It was as if this place had turned from a wilderness into a prosperous town overnight. At the same time, news after news was brought over from afar, constantly confirming the Presiding Judge¡¯s fantasy promise. The former Duke of Thorn was dead, and the entire Elementium Silver industry began an upheaval. The Blackwater Province announced its secession from the Empire¡¯s rule¡­ The current ruler of the Blackwater Province was the former Chief Palace Mage, Vincent. The first thing he did after taking office was spend a lot of money to hire experts from all over the world to come to the deserted Grief Mountains to repair this fortress. What happened next made Sigmonds feel even more surreal. The refined Elementium Silver that had to be bought at market price was dragged here crate after crate and piled into the warehouse like sweet potatoes. Not long after, the processing equipment of Thorn City¡¯s Elementium Silver refinery was dismantled and transported here for assembly. In addition, the large enchantment table that Offa University regarded as a treasure was removed and sent here for resettlement. Many of these pieces of equipment were antiques produced before the Riel Empire was established. The manufacturing process know-how had long been lost. Some of them couldn¡¯t be repaired after being damaged. They were treasures that were depleted every time they were damaged. However, to save the time needed to repair the fortress, they were removed and sent here. After the preliminary excavation of the ruins was completed, Vincent sent almost all the enchanters in Thorn City who were above a certain rating over to be in charge of the second stage of the fortress maintenance. Of course, everything above wasn¡¯t what Sigmonds couldn¡¯t understand the most. What puzzled him the most was that he was still directly in charge of the entire fortress¡¯s maintenance. In other words, be it the miners or craftsmen, enchanters, or magic chanters, the thousand-odd people in the Grief Mountains were actually under his command. ¡°Presiding Judge, I don¡¯t think I can handle such an important job. Please hire someone else¡­¡± One time, when the mysterious Presiding Judge returned to check on the progress of his work, Sigmonds mustered his courage and suggested to him. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you doing a good job now? I don¡¯t see any mistakes. Rather, you¡¯re managing this place quite well.¡± The Presiding Judge, who was inspecting the completed circuits in the fortress, replied. ¡°But I was only in charge of a team previously and don¡¯t know much about technology. I¡¯m only lucky that I haven¡¯t made any mistakes¡­¡± ¡°Then, keep up this luck of yours,¡± the other party replied calmly. He continued, ¡°There are plenty of people to help you with technical problems, and all you have to do is learn how to make good use of those people. You¡¯re doing very well on this. Don¡¯t worry, if you really can¡¯t do this job, you don¡¯t have to bring it up yourself. I¡¯ll find someone else to replace you, but before that, I need you to take charge of this job.¡± Back then, the Presiding Judge¡¯s words made Sigmonds very uneasy. He kept feeling that there would be even greater challenges waiting for him in the future. As expected, not long after that, the Presiding Judge ordered that the construction of the Demon Sealing rune circuits be completed 30% ahead of time before this year¡¯s Rain Moon. The current progress of the project was greatly behind the adjusted schedule. This made Sigmonds¡¯s hair turn white from worry. This was because, with his current manpower and efficiency, this was an impossible goal. Although there were plenty of raw materials and equipment here, the level difference between these enchanters was too uneven, causing the yields of the final product to be extremely terrible. Just appraising and retrieving the substandard Demon Sealing runes before reforging them slowed down the efficiency of the entire project by at least 40%. Even so, Sigmonds didn¡¯t dare to continue exerting pressure on the enchantment factory. This was because after he issued a harsh order last time, a few enchanters and the magic chanter in charge of testing the finished product for eligibility had a private discussion and sent some Demon Sealing runes that were problematic but barely usable to the engineering team. If Sigmonds hadn¡¯t been careful and made one last inspection before the final circuit was laid, the batch of problematic Demon Sealing runes might have been installed in the fortress. When Sigmonds learned of this situation, he was so angry that he brought the three Netherworld Knights in his hands to the enchantment factory, scaring the enchanters and quality assurance specialists who had joined forces to deceive him. However, no matter how wrong the other party¡¯s actions were, their subsequent explanation left Sigmonds unable to refute them. They were of limited capability, and basically, everyone was doing their best now. What couldn¡¯t be done just couldn¡¯t be done. Be it continuing to increase remuneration or threatening others with violence, one couldn¡¯t make a person who had already done their best continue to increase their efficiency. Increasing the pressure and requirements wouldn¡¯t provide any help other than getting them to take the risk and join forces to deceive him. Finally, other than completely isolating the workplace of enchanters and quality assurance specialists and setting the rules for blind inspection, nothing else changed. These new rules slowed down the overall efficiency. After all, the runes could no longer be checked immediately after completion. In the end, Sigmonds, who hadn¡¯t even finished Offa University¡¯s preparatory classes, was forced into a corner. He could only personally go to the enchantment factory and prepare to learn the entire enchantment process from scratch to see if any areas in the process could be optimized like mining. On the first day he came to the enchantment factory, he discovered a huge problem¡ªall the Demon Sealing runes were forged by the enchanters themselves. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 109 - 109 Optimization Plan 109 Optimization Plan ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get a blacksmith to do such a thing?¡± Sigmonds watched in shock as the other party personally started up the smelting furnace. He placed the Elementium Silver metal ingots in and melted them into a liquid that emitted silver light. Then, he guided them through magic power to form the embryonic form of runes. ¡°No, Demon Sealing runes need mana to activate an affinity when they¡¯re cast,¡± the thin-armed enchanter replied as he tapped the mold of the embryonic Demon Sealing rune. ¡°I know¡­ But this process only requires you to inject mana into the furnace, right? There¡¯s no need to personally forge it. This process can be replaced by the corresponding molds.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible for the blacksmith to secretly replicate this embryonic rune mold. Once the embryonic rune is learned, at least 50 to 60% of the secret of this Demon Sealing rune will be revealed. This is something no enchanter can accept.¡± To an enchanter, other than the 200-plus general-purpose runes publicly released by the Astral Council, the other Demon Sealing runes definitely wouldn¡¯t be mass-produced using molds. This was equivalent to spreading their exclusive technology. Many enchantment shops relied on a few runes passed down from their families to survive. Exposing their technology was equivalent to smashing their bowl of rice. As the person spoke, the hammer in his hand deviated slightly, causing the prototype rune to tilt slightly. He clicked his tongue and threw the crooked rune prototype into the glowing recycling bin to melt it. Then, he said, ¡°However, we will leave the removal of impurities from such failed products and refining them into metal ingots to the blacksmith. We won¡¯t waste time on this.¡± However, you have already wasted a lot of time doing this¡­ Sigmonds thought, but he didn¡¯t say a word. He only continued taking note of the other party¡¯s process. After the mold of the Demon Sealing rune was forged and taken shape, the enchanter went through several steps of processing and polishing before placing it in the middle of the complicated nexus on the enchantment table. Then, the person placed the magic crystal that stored pure magic power into the groove of the enchantment table and lit the incense candles used to calm the mind. After doing all the preparations, the person pressed his hands on the enchantment table and closed his eyes. The magic crystals in the groove gradually turned into grayish-white powder and dissipated. Bright streams of light flowed out of the magic crystals and filled the entire enchantment table. After the streams of light lit up the 13 focal points on the enchantment table¡¯s nexus one by one, they finally converged into the Demon Sealing rune in the middle. With a dazzling but not blinding flash, the production of a Demon Sealing rune was completed. Sigmonds gestured to the quality assurance specialist beside him. The person went forward and picked up the Demon Sealing rune from the enchantment table. After a careful inspection, he said, ¡°This one passes.¡± ¡°My luck wasn¡¯t bad today. When magic finally gathered at the Stranger Constellation, my mind was still relatively clear,¡± the enchanter said with a forehead full of sweat. ¡°What do you mean? Is this related to the constellations?¡± Sigmond asked. The other party replied in surprise, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The enchantment table mimics the arrangement of the stars. The magic crystals used as fuel simulate the Realm of Light, and the Demon Sealing runes symbolize Currere. The purest magic power in the Realm of Light flows into the Astral World and is reflected with magic power of different natures. Finally, it is guided to Currere¡ªsimulating this process on a table is the basic principle of enchantment.¡± This was also the main reason why the general-purpose Demon Sealing runes which William hired them to produce were highly defective. As a general-purpose Demon Sealing rune to be installed in the Twilight Fortress, as the spell cores in the fortress required matching the 13 spell types, the Demon Sealing runes also required the circulation of 13 spell types without conflict. This was too demanding for enchanters who made Demon Sealing runes. After all, they could only study three spells at most under the Astral Laws. Although they could convert magic of different natures through these ancient enchantment tables that had been inherited from the Seven Kingdoms Era, it was very easy for enchanters who had never controlled magic of other natures to make mistakes in this process. After figuring out the specific principles of enchantment, Sigmonds raised a question. ¡°Then, can you only process the Demon Sealing runes with spells you¡¯re proficient in?¡± ¡­ After a week of in-depth research in the enchantment factory and a detailed count of the frequency of defective products in the hands of every enchanter, Sigmonds summoned all the enchanters for a meeting. The meeting was held inside the enchantment factory. Sigmonds had given all the enchanters a day off. When the enchanters returned today, they realized that the entire enchantment factory¡¯s layout had been changed. Previously, the entire enchantment factory had been divided into many separate compartments according to the standards of Thorn City¡¯s Enchanter Association. However, all the compartments here had been removed, and the small smelting furnaces in each compartment had been removed. They had been replaced by standard blacksmith stands at the entrance of the enchantment factory. As for the enchantment table, 13 were placed in a group and arranged in four rows. ¡°Although I¡¯m only an amateur in enchantment, I have a rather immature idea of how to increase the efficiency of the project. I hope everyone can test it out.¡± It was only Sigmonds¡¯s first sentence. The enchanters present looked at each other. They looked around the enchantment factory that had been modified beyond recognition and wondered what immature thoughts this person-in-charge, who wasn¡¯t even a magic chanter, had. ¡°I¡¯ve divided the entire enchantment process into four major steps and 22 minor processes, including starting with the smelting of Elementium Silver and ending with the quality inspection.¡± As he spoke, he walked to the blacksmith at the door and walked to the end of the enchantment factory. Then, he said to them, ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve sorted out your constellations and the spell types you¡¯re best at, as well as the frequency of defective goods appearing in everyone¡¯s hands. I¡¯ve also come up with a simple list. Next, I¡¯ll only use you to enchant the Demon Sealing runes in your areas of expertise before handing the half-finished product in your hands to the next person to continue working.¡± Sigmonds¡¯s experience came from working in a slaughterhouse in his early years. Then, when he was commanding the Silverstream Mine, he would try to assign every miner to work together according to their physique and efficiency. When he learned that Demon Sealing runes could be enchanted in batches, his first reaction was to split the parts into individual segments based on everyone¡¯s proficiency and let a rune be processed in batches by 13 people. As for the enchanters who had a high success rate of enchantment, they could be assigned to cast the embryonic runes as the first step. They only needed to invest mana into the furnace to activate Elementium Silver¡¯s mana affinity. The specific casting work could be handed over to the blacksmith. This way, even the refining and recycling equipment for defective goods could be moved here. After defective goods appeared, they could be directly recovered and refined before being put into the next step of production, reducing a lot of unnecessary time consumption. It looked like such a beautiful plan, but after Sigmonds explained his thoughts to everyone, no enchanter present dared to move. ¡°Mr. Sigmonds¡­¡± the leader deliberated and said. ¡°I still suggest you discuss this method with the boss behind you because dismantling the entire process is a blatant provocation to any Demon Sealing rune researcher.¡± Chapter 110 - 110 Embryonic Form of the Enchantment Industry 110 Embryonic Form of the Enchantment Industry ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just do as I say,¡± Sigmonds only replied. During this period, he had specially learned about the strict rules and inexplicable industry rules of the Enchantment Guild and investigated the reason behind them. He concluded that most of the complicated, ritualistic, and mysterious rules didn¡¯t have any practical meaning other than artificially inducing scarcity among enchanters and the deliberate lowering of efficiency. This passive slacking behavior would have earned a whipping from the supervisor if it was discovered in the mines where he worked. However, once this target was changed to a high and mighty mage and a noble enchanter, it immediately became an indescribable status symbol. Perhaps to high-level Demon Sealing runes, they indeed needed a powerful enchanter to control the overall situation alone. Perhaps they had to consider the environment, the stars, the weather, and even their mood. Only after finalizing all the details could they complete the preparations in one go. However, according to the Presiding Judge, what he wanted them to do now was the most ordinary general-purpose enchantment runes. There was no need to consider those meaningless conditions. According to these enchanters, splitting the enchantment steps would provoke the rune researchers. It was as if they had diminished the nature of their work to the level of blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons. It was simply trampling on the dignity of a magic chanter. Sigmonds¡¯s intuition told him that compared to illusory things like honor, dignity, tradition, and mage pride, the Presiding Judge valued effectiveness and efficiency. As long as he could use these things to increase the progress of the project, the Presiding Judge probably wouldn¡¯t blame him for overstepping his boundaries. Probably, perhaps¡­ With this in mind, Sigmonds secretly suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and said loudly to the surrounding people, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m in charge here. If there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll bear all the consequences.¡± The enchanters argued with Sigmonds for a long time, but in the end, they could only follow his plan and begin work at their assigned posts. ¡­ The efficiency increase brought by this plan far exceeded Sigmonds¡¯s imagination. In just the first day, the efficiency of producing the Demon Sealing runes increased by more than 20% before the various processes became fully integrated. The poor yields also decreased from more than 50% to less than 30%. Their efficiency eventually skyrocketed. A week after implementing this plan, the production speed of Demon Sealing runes became faster than the speed at which the maintenance fortress¡¯s engineering team laid out the runes for the first time. The completed Demon Sealing runes even produced a surplus that could be used as a reserve. For this reason, he specially contacted Thorn City and urgently transferred a few skilled craftsmen over. As a result, the renovation speed of the entire fortress increased by at least 50%. According to Sigmonds¡¯s estimation, if he maintained this efficiency, he might be able to complete the mission given by the Presiding Judge by the beginning of the Sprouting Moon. The progress of the project was brought forward by almost a month. Of course, the prerequisite was to maintain this productivity. A week after this plan was implemented, a large number of dissatisfied voices began to erupt among the enchanters. ¡°Why is someone leaving again?¡± Sigmonds frowned as he looked at the report handed over by his subordinate. ¡°There were a total of seven people this time, and they all expressed that they couldn¡¯t withstand the work pressure. There¡¯s not enough time to meditate every day to recover from mental exhaustion. Moreover, they said¡­¡± The person paused as if he was hesitating about whether to continue. ¡°Let me guess. Is it the same spiel of how an ordinary person orders a mage around?¡± Sigmonds said before waving his hand to indicate that he didn¡¯t care. The person nodded and said, ¡°They said that they have never been treated like a tool anywhere they¡¯ve been hired. Even the nobles in Thorn City are usually polite when hiring them. You¡¯re disrespecting their status by treating them like this.¡± Regarding this, Sigmonds only sneered and said, ¡°No matter how polite the other employers are to them, they won¡¯t pay them three times the market price. Moreover, they are allowed to take away this Demon Sealing rune blueprint as remuneration¡­ They cannot benefit all the time, right?¡± ¡°Then, how should we deal with this matter? Are we letting them leave just like that?¡± the subordinate asked. Sigmonds carefully looked at the report and shook his head. ¡°No, if we let them leave like this, at least two assembly lines will be suspended. There are only a few enchanters from the Warrior and Poet constellations. In addition, the Thief constellation that Gers is in charge of has the lowest failure rate. If he leaves, the progress of the entire line 1 will slow down.¡± As Sigmonds spoke, he stood up, picked up his coat from the clothes rack, and put it on. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to them. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll see if I can add any conditions, but we have to maintain this progress.¡± However, when Sigmonds arrived at the enchantment factory, he realized that the entire factory had stopped working. The four enchantment circuits had been extinguished, and even the smelting furnace at the door had been turned off. The enchanters gathered in the middle of the hall as if they were discussing something. Upon seeing this, Sigmonds felt anger flare up. Previously, he had been a little anxious when he saw that the efficiency had begun to decrease in the past few days. Now, they had shut down the entire factory without permission. What were these enchanters up to? He quickly walked in front of the crowd and coughed heavily before asking, ¡°Who told you to stop work without permission?¡± The crowd¡¯s discussion immediately stopped, and dozens of people turned their gazes to him. Dozens of magic chanters glared at him. Even though these people didn¡¯t specially use magic, the pressure they exerted as magic chanters made Sigmonds break out in a cold sweat. However, this powerful pressure didn¡¯t panic him. In fact, he knew very well that these people didn¡¯t dare to do anything to him. After all, the Presiding Judge had given him control over three Netherworld Knights. As long as he gave the order, the three Legendary summoned creatures would act according to his will. This had always been his greatest reliance to firmly control this place and make those arrogant magic chanters willing to listen to him calmly. After Sigmonds saw that no one among the enchanters spoke, he raised his voice and asked another question, ¡°Who made you stop work without permission?!¡± Their gazes turned to the center of the crowd, and Sigmonds heard a familiar voice. ¡°I told them to stop.¡± As this voice sounded, the crowd in front consciously made way. The person standing in the middle of the crowd walked out. It was the Presiding Judge. The gazes of the dozens of magic chanters only made Sigmonds break out in cold sweat, but the moment he heard that voice, he felt his back drenched in sweat. Why has the Presiding Judge suddenly returned? Moreover, he didn¡¯t come to him first. Instead, he went to the enchantment factory. The Presiding Judge even asked them to stop work? Could it be that he also felt that his actions were a little overboard? An uneasy thought began to grow in his heart. The enchanter transferred from the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall standing beside the Presiding Judge seemed to be chatting with the Presiding Judge. After seeing Sigmonds, the person immediately pointed at him and said, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s his order.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t care about the value of your rune at all and made us handle the holy job of enchantment like masons¡­¡± The person said something else, but Sigmonds felt his ears buzz and didn¡¯t hear him at all. He only watched as the Presiding Judge walked towards him with a serious expression while listening to the person. ¡°Presiding Judge, I can explain¡­¡± Sigmonds felt his throat go dry. He swallowed and spoke with difficulty. However, the Presiding Judge ignored him and said to him, ¡°Do you know what the problem is now?¡± Sigmonds felt his entire body freeze in place. He mustered his courage a few times but couldn¡¯t say a word. The Presiding Judge placed a hand on his shoulder and led him to the enchantment table¡¯s circuit. ¡°The interfaces between these processes are too crude. There are still many segments that can be optimized.¡± Chapter 111 - 111 Twilight Fortress 111 Twilight Fortress ¡°Ah?¡± Sigmonds felt that he had probably heard wrongly; all he could utter was a simple syllable from the depths of his throat. The Presiding Judge ignored him and only picked up the schedule from the enchantment table beside him. ¡°I already got them to demonstrate the current workflow of the enchantment factory. Your idea of separating the work processes is correct, but there are still many problems with the arrangement and connection between the various processes¡­ For example, the processing speed of the enchantment of the Bandit constellation at Line 1 is twice that of the other lines. When this happens, you should add another line so as not to waste the efficiency of this process. In addition, when you set the schedule, you should put the process with a high failure rate in front and the successful ones at the back. This way, the problems will be exposed in the early stages of the process. You won¡¯t let the people in front work for nothing. Such disorderly scheduling will lead to¡­¡± As the Presiding Judge spoke, he flipped over the schedule and wrote down his opinions on the process optimization. Sigmonds felt stunned when he heard that. It took him a long time to recover and ask, ¡°Lord Presiding Judge¡­ In other words, you don¡¯t object to the current operations of the enchantment factory?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± The other party stopped what he was doing and looked at him in confusion. ¡°But isn¡¯t this method akin to using an enchanter like a mason? Won¡¯t this make you feel that this is blasphemy against the¡­ sanctity of the enchanter profession?¡± Sigmonds asked uneasily. William looked at the other party¡¯s uneasy expression and patted his shoulder. ¡°The sanctity part of it solely lies in the job¡¯s goal. Repairing the Twilight Fortress is indeed a very sanctified goal, but there¡¯s nothing sanctified about the job itself. There¡¯s only one criterion for the evaluation to be good or bad, and that¡¯s the level of efficiency. If a mason¡¯s experience can increase the efficiency of the job, it¡¯s an experience worth drawing upon.¡± Sigmonds was still in a daze as he digested the meaning of William¡¯s words when the enchanters behind William surrounded him. The enchanter who had complained to William complained, ¡°But Your Excellency, this isn¡¯t about efficiency anymore. It¡¯s that we can¡¯t withstand the intensity of this work at all. Nobody can withstand over ten hours of highly focused enchantment casting a day.¡± However, William shook his head and said, ¡°No, this is still a matter of efficiency.¡± As he spoke, he waved the pen and paper in his hand and said, ¡°This is also the second major problem in the operations here. Scheduling a reasonable number of breaks is also an important part of efficiency optimization.¡± With that said, William wrote down other optimization suggestions. ¡°After optimizing the process according to my previous suggestions, I¡¯ll change these four parallel enchantment routes to two assembly lines that are connected. The efficient segment allows a person to be in charge of two lines at the same time¡­¡± Before William could finish speaking, the enchanters erupted in protest. The few enchanters who were requested to do more work because of their high efficiency started clamoring about quitting. William made a thunderous sound in his throat that drowned out the enchanters¡¯ noisy protests. ¡°However, I¡¯ll split you into three teams and you¡¯ll take turns using the enchantment facilities here. Every team only needs to work for eight hours a day, and the remaining time is enough for you to recover. Moreover, I¡¯ll also adjust the remuneration for hiring you. Other than the promised remuneration that¡¯s three times the market price, there will be additional rewards based on the number of Demon Sealing Talismans each of you handles. You can choose gold, rare alchemy materials, or enchantment knowledge of the same value.¡± With that said, the crowd instantly fell silent as if they had been under the hold of a Great Peace Spell. The enchanters looked at each other, and no one spoke for a moment. ¡°Think about it carefully. Today happens to be Sunday, so we might as well set Sundays every week as a day off in the future. Everyone, have a good rest.¡± As William spoke, he stuffed the piece of paper filled with suggestions into Sigmonds¡¯s hand and gestured for him to leave with him. Before he could reach the door, questions kept coming from the enchanters behind him. ¡°Your Excellency, is this true?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it! Your Excellency, can you let me be in charge of the intersection of the two lines?¡± ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you just say that you wanted to leave?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡­ After leaving the enchantment factory, William led Sigmonds to the Twilight Fortress. Halfway there, Sigmonds suddenly asked, ¡°Presiding Judge, if we only retain two lines as you said and divide everyone into three shifts, the people here won¡¯t be able to cover all the enchantment equipment.¡± William smiled and replied, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ve brought the entire Enchantment Guild in Blacklight City over. You should be worried that there won¡¯t be enough equipment here. However, you don¡¯t have to worry too much about this. The corresponding equipment will be sent over in the future.¡± Sigmonds asked in surprise, ¡°But I heard that the Enchantment Guild in Blacklight City is all from Astral Lighthouse. They won¡¯t serve anyone other than the Astral Council¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Now that the Astral Lighthouse in Blacklight City has collapsed, they should know that times have changed. Oh right, remember not to be too polite when you order them around. You have to let them straighten out where they stand first. These people are considered unbearably arrogant even among magic chanters.¡± At this point, William suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Oh right, your idea for an assembly line was really not bad.¡± Sigmonds hurriedly said, ¡°Not at all. Didn¡¯t you see through so many problems at a glance?¡± William shook his head and said, ¡°You would have figured out these optimization problems in time to come. However, it¡¯s indeed very rare for someone like you¡ªwho grew up in this world¡ªto think of this.¡± Then, William looked at the nearby Twilight Fortress and said, ¡°Although it can¡¯t even be considered a prototype now, do you believe that this thing will soon transform this world into something you can¡¯t even imagine? I suggest you go to the enchantment factory when you have the time in the future to accumulate more operational experience for all the processes. It¡¯s best if you bring a few people you trust and are smart to accumulate experience. With you as seeds, many changes in the future can be easily implemented.¡± Although Sigmonds didn¡¯t know what the Presiding Judge meant by ¡®change,¡¯ he still nodded. Then, the two of them walked into Twilight Fortress in silence. ¡°Did you follow my instructions to prioritize the construction of the circuits for the Demon Sealing Runes in the Twilight Hall in the north of the fortress?¡± William looked at the incomplete Twilight Fortress and asked. ¡°Of course, the first project we completed is over there. It was completed half a month ago,¡± Sigmonds immediately replied. William nodded, and with a flash of lightning, he disappeared from his spot. But less than five seconds later, he returned. When he returned, he was holding a birdcage made purely of shadows, and a fat crow was squeezed into it. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you everything I know. Please don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± the deformed fat crow shouted at the top of its lungs. William rolled his eyes inwardly. Are you sure you¡¯re not reminding me that you¡¯re no longer of value? That I shouldn¡¯t forget to kill you? ¡°I¡¯m not asking you anything. I want you to bring me somewhere.¡± As William spoke, he teleported to the Dusk Hall in the northernmost part of the fortress with Sigmonds beside him. This was a circular hall without any gorgeous decorations. It was as simple as a tomb. The material on the ground of the Twilight Hall was different from anywhere in the Twilight Fortress. It was made of limestone that looked like moss. Moreover, there were ancient carvings engraved on it. The carvings gathered in the hall and were precisely distributed in grooves in 12 directions like markings on a clock. ¡°Where? My Lord Father of the Crows¡¯ Moon Realm domain, Black Crow Gaze? I already said that I don¡¯t know where that place is. I¡¯m a messenger that was directly molded in Nightmare Swamp¡­¡± the fat crow messenger looked around and said. ¡°Yes, I want you to bring me to the Nightmare Swamp.¡± William nodded and took out Judgment 2 from his storage space. He walked to the groove at two o¡¯clock in the hall and stabbed the sword into the groove. An extremely strong magical power flowed along the path laid out here, causing the entire hall to tremble violently. It was as if the building had turned into a warship sailing in the storm. The tremors lasted for about ten seconds. The scenery outside the window¡ªwhich was supposed to be bright and beautiful in the morning¡ªsuddenly turned into a dilapidated evening scene. The fat crow looked out the window in shock. It could sense that they weren¡¯t in Currere but in the Moon Realm. The dusk outside the window wasn¡¯t really dusk, but a projection of the concept of finality in the Moon Realm. Looking at the other party¡¯s shocked eyes, William pulled out Judgment 2 and said to the crow, ¡°This fortress in Currere is only an anchor to the Moon Realm¡¯s coordinates. This is the true Twilight Fortress. Welcome to the true Twilight Fortress, the final fortress located in the Moon Realm¡¯s finality.¡± ¡°You brought me to the Moon Realm? And you want me to bring you to the Nightmare Swamp?¡± the fat crow asked in confusion. William nodded and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. To be precise, I want you to take me to the bedroom of the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara. There are some things I want to talk to Her about in detail. As a messenger, can¡¯t you do this?¡± Chapter 112 - 112 Entering the Moon Realm Again 112 Entering the Moon Realm Again This was a dilapidated fortress that seemed to be built at the end of the world. Looking up, although he couldn¡¯t see where the sun was, there were dilapidated dusk scenes everywhere. Countless dilapidated walls of different eras and architectural styles seemed to have been kneaded together by a pair of invisible hands, forming countless floating islands around the fortress. Or rather, it was more like a wordless tombstone. The crow messenger, who had been released from its cage, flew out of the fortress behind William. The latter looked at the dilapidated surroundings in surprise and confusion. This extremely symbolic scene that resembled the realization of a concept was undoubtedly a characteristic of the Moon Realm. However, this place was like Currere at the same time. Everything had a complete form, and its appearance wouldn¡¯t change because of the change in the angle of one¡¯s observation. The dilapidated fortress behind was a building built here. It was a fortress built with all kinds of stone or something else in reality. ¡°Are you very surprised?¡± William walked to the cliff of the abyss around the fortress and suddenly asked. ¡°Where is this? Why do I feel that this isn¡¯t the Moon Realm or Currere?¡± the crow messenger asked. ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­ This is both the Moon Realm domain¡¯s Finality scene and the Twilight Fortress located near the Scar of Sorrow in the Grief Mountains. This is a combination of these two places, opening up the intersection between reality and illusion. Or rather, according to current sayings, a so-called plane fusion phenomenon has happened here.¡± As William spoke, a few illusory white figures suddenly appeared around the cliff. They carried tools and stones and passed by William while chatting and laughing. They didn¡¯t notice that there was anyone. The crow messenger was shocked by the sudden appearance of the figures. It flapped its wings and flew higher. After seeing the figures ignore them and walk into the fortress behind it, it asked, ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Workers repairing the fortress,¡± William replied. Those figures were workers repairing the Twilight Fortress in Currere. As they were on the other end of the curtain, they couldn¡¯t see William and the crow messenger in Finality. However, if they were magic chanters, they could sense William¡¯s existence in the ether domain. They could also use magic to interfere with the people on the other end of the curtain. Of course, on the other hand, people on this side could also use magic to affect the people in Currere. This was the consequence of plane fusion¡ªdividing the world into two levels that could directly interfere with each other. If the Void Sovereigns fused Their Moon Realm domain into the land of reality, the domain They ruled would no longer be the void. They would become the true eternal rulers of this land. When that happened, the Void Sovereigns wouldn¡¯t need the Moon Realm rifts, contracts, mediums, or wait for the constellations to align to affect Currere. Every word They said could echo in the ears of all mortals under Their rule. Any action of Theirs could cause mountains to collapse and rivers to dry. At the same time, all mortals would be unprotected and exposed to the hunt of the Lunar Monsters. If one weren¡¯t a magic chanter, one wouldn¡¯t even be qualified to discover them. This was what the Void Sovereigns were currently planning. At the very least, a portion of what the Void Sovereign had such plans in mind. William grabbed the crow messenger beside him and jumped off the cliff. The Twilight Fortress¡¯s plane fusion with the Finality scene only had a very small range. Moreover, it was strictly controlled through the seal in Twilight Hall. Only the Judges were qualified to use this function. As long as he left this small range, he could step into the true Moon Realm. This was probably how Coles and Blake went to the Moon Realm to search for the Seed of Hope after all the Moon Realm rifts were closed back then. After entering the Moon Realm, William pondered over these trivial matters. Then, he arrived at the Moon Realm¡¯s high point like last time. Standing there, he looked down at the 13 Void Sovereign countries. Compared to the scene William saw when he came here not long ago, the Lady of Starvation¡¯s domain, the Lake of Entropy, seemed to have enlarged significantly. Moreover, it was slowly expanding at a visible speed. It looked like the blight that was constantly spreading on the Vic Continent was constantly strengthening Her. If this trend continued, It wouldn¡¯t be long before She could organize a hunger march to wreak havoc in Currere. William sighed slightly and turned his gaze elsewhere. The Nightmare Swamp shrouded in the mist hadn¡¯t changed much from the last time he saw it. Seeing this, William ignored the struggle of the crow messenger in his hand and fell in the direction of the Nightmare Swamp. After passing through the mist that echoed with dream murmurings and screams, William found himself in a sinister dungeon. The constantly howling humanoid pillar of fire lit up the surroundings. Iron cages filled with barbs hung everywhere in the dungeon, and about a third of them were filled with people. Beside every iron cage that imprisoned someone was an interrogator with eyes sewn shut, and their flesh and blood were engraved with terrifying totems. They tortured the people in the cages with all kinds of nasty torture tools. Painful cries echoed everywhere in the dungeon. Some were filled with vigor as they could scream loudly, while some could only moan. The Prison of Torture¡ªthe domain of the Dream of Pain. Those people in the cages were unlucky people who accidentally barged into the Nightmare Swamp while having nightmares. The Moon Realm domain of the Lord of Nightmare was different from other Void Sovereigns. The Nightmare Swamp was connected to all mortals¡¯ nightmares. Although She couldn¡¯t rely on this to have any substantial impact on Currere, in turn, She was the Void Sovereign who was best at luring mortals to Her domain. It was similar to how Liliana¡¯s soul was imprisoned in the Nightmare Swamp. Back then, it wasn¡¯t the day of the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s summoning, and there were no mediums like statues and altars around that could project Her power. However, just because she fell into a Nightmare, the other party could easily pull Liliana¡¯s soul into the Moon Realm. This was also the biggest reason why William came to make a deal with Zamara. Sensing that a person had suddenly appeared in the cell, the torturers stopped what they were doing and turned to William. Then, they found it strange¡ªnot only was there a spirit body here, but a person with a complete body and soul was also standing there. This wasn¡¯t common. Of course, just because it wasn¡¯t common didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t happen. In the past few centuries, there had been a few instances where magic chanters came to the Moon Realm in search of strength and ended up getting lost. The outcome of those people was abnormally tragic. Therefore, this didn¡¯t affect the torturers from following their usual operating procedures¡ªcapture, imprisonment, torture¡­ With the sound of chains, the torturers surrounded him with the blood-stained torture tools in their hands. The iron cage closest to William opened itself with a creak. ¡°Enter voluntarily¡­ Or do you need my help?¡± the leader of the torturers asked in a hoarse voice like an old woman. William looked at them and then at the sword in his hand. After some thought, he put Judgment 2 back into his inventory. After all, he was here to discuss cooperation with Zamara. If he destroyed the Lunar Monsters under Her command the moment he came to the Nightmare Swamp, it might make the other party question his sincerity. Seeing this person put away his weapons very ¡®nicely,¡¯ the leader of the torturers nodded in satisfaction. It held the restraining tool filled with barbed teeth and walked in front of the person whose body had entered the Nightmare Swamp for some reason. It grabbed the other party¡¯s hand and planned on putting it into the torture tool. ¡°I have many colleagues who like people who are willing to put up a struggle, but I¡¯m different. I prefer obedient people like you. Perhaps you think that you will suffer less if you submit to me, but unfortunately¡­¡± The torturer suddenly stopped speaking because it realized that it couldn¡¯t move the person¡¯s hand at all no matter how hard it tried. It had to be known that this was the interior of the Prison of Torture. Every torturer could absorb a large amount of strength from the tortured mental bodies around them. If they could maintain this state and enter Currere, it would be easy for them to shatter rocks and break gold with their bare hands. Now, it was extremely difficult for it to even move the other party¡¯s hand. It looked up at the gray-haired man in confusion, and the other party smiled at it. Crack! A voice sounded from its wrist, and intense pain made it shout. Its wrist was snapped by the other party. ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel regret. At the very least, you won¡¯t suffer any less later,¡± William twisted the other party¡¯s hand and said. Chapter 113 - 113 Curtains 113 Curtains Before long, all the cages in the dungeon were filled. The torturers were stuffed into cages, and every cage burned with emerald-green Soul Fire. Wails and screams of torture rose and fell. Compared to the previous scene, the Prison of Pain looked more like hell. After doing all of this, William turned around and sent the rescued phantoms back to Currere. These phantoms were the mental projections of some unlucky souls in Currere. They accidentally wandered here in their dreams before being imprisoned, causing them to have nightmares every night of being tortured by a group of sadists. They were considered lucky. If this was the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s year, they might even have their souls pulled here. ¡°Um¡­ Lord William, didn¡¯t you say that you were here to negotiate?¡± the crow messenger looked at the ignited torturers in the surrounding cages and asked worriedly. William had used this Soul Fire when interrogating it. It knew very well what extreme pain it was. Now, the person in front of him had ignited all the Lunar Monsters here at once. Wasn¡¯t this a little¡­ ¡°Ah, you can rest assured about that. This cage is called the Cage of Torture. As long as the intellectual being imprisoned suffers painful torture, it will constantly provide Zamara with strength. The key is to suffer extreme torture. As for what¡¯s placed inside, it¡¯s not important.¡± William said as he walked up the spiral staircase. ¡°In fact, most Void Sovereigns don¡¯t care so much about such details¡­ Alright, you can lead the way.¡± Even in the Moon Realm, changes were constantly happening. Perhaps a second ago, this door led to a hall, but in the next second, it led to a poisonous pool. Other than the Void Sovereign being able to completely control the changes in the entire Moon Realm domain and the demon generals under Her command being able to control their domains, only an existence like a messenger could see through the Moon Realm¡¯s changes and guide people to specific places. Of course, there was also a simpler and crude method¡ªto storm his way over. After killing most of the Lunar Monsters in a domain, a portal to the next area would automatically open here. William originally thought that this design of covering up the map loading would be less jarring after transmigrating, but he realized that it hadn¡¯t been changed the last time he came to the Moon Realm. Or rather, was this a reasonable Moon Realm mechanism? Fortunately, he had a messenger who had once seen the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s main body. Otherwise, he might have had to storm his way to the throne of the Lord of Nightmare and tell the other party that he was here to cooperate. If he did this, it might even be a problem for him to escape the Nightmare Swamp, let alone cooperate. After all, back then, he hadn¡¯t been able to make the Void Sovereigns show their health bars when he led the entire Judgment team to Their thrones. Now that more than a thousand years had passed, the other party¡¯s strength was much stronger than before, but he was the only one left. Outside the dungeon¡¯s door was a withered rice field that stretched as far as the eye could see, and there were strange scarecrows with ferocious smiling faces placed at regular intervals in the rice fields. The lanterns in their hands moved without any wind, emitting creaking sounds. The crow messenger looked at the scarecrows and shuddered. Then, it composed itself and turned into a crow feather storm before flying in a direction. A pair of wings made of pure light spread out from William¡¯s shoulder blades. He flapped his wings and followed behind the crow feather storm. ¡­ The bedroom of the Lord of Nightmare was divided into seven areas by seven curtains. They symbolized the basic forms of the seven kinds of nightmares¡ªshame, loss, pursuit, weakness, falling, imprisonment, and death. Generally speaking, other than the Nightmare Maid in charge of delivering the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s orders and the seven Demon Generals who corresponded to the seven nightmares, no other spawn were allowed to approach this place. To the Lord of Nightmare, the unknown and vagueness were Her most important sources of strength. Not only for mortals, but even for the Lunar Monsters under Her command, She still needed them to maintain their fear of Her at all times. Therefore, any Lunar Monster who dared to challenge this rule and tried to enter the bedroom would end up in an extremely miserable state. Their essence would be personally dismantled by the Lord of Nightmare and embroidered into the curtains of the bedroom to be tortured by an eternal nightmare. To maintain her sense of mystery, other than not allowing other Lunar Monsters to approach her bedroom, Zamara had never left it. Even in the war with Currere a thousand years ago, She only created an incarnation and personally sent it to the door of the bedroom. Then, She returned to the deepest depths of the bedroom. Therefore, in the Nightmare Swamp, many highly intelligent Lunar Monsters often opened a few layers of curtains in their bedroom to determine how important something was to Ms. Zamara. Typically, when a demon under Her met the Lord of Nightmare, a layer of the curtains in the bedroom would be pulled open, and Ms. Zamara would allow them to report from the outermost layer. Every 13 years, when it was the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s turn to be on duty for the disaster year, two levels of the curtains in the bedroom would open because the Lord of Nightmare wanted to let Her strength be better projected onto the Vic Continent. Of course, if a demon reported something at this time, it could only stay in the outermost layer. When other Void Sovereigns¡¯ messengers arrived, Zamara would open one to four layers of curtains according to the relationship between the sovereign behind the visiting messenger and Her. To date, the only time she opened all the curtains was in the middle of the war against Currere more than a thousand years ago. Ms. Zamara created her incarnation and opened seven layers of curtains to send Her out. Although there were such strict rules, the high-level Lunar Monsters still instinctively set their domains as close to the bedroom as possible so that they could be closer to their master who created them. This day seemed to be an extremely ordinary day for the high-level Lunar Monsters near the bedroom. Of course, the concept of time in the Moon Realm was very vague, so calling it ¡®this day¡¯ might not be a very accurate term. Regardless, the bedroom of the Lord of Nightmare was still tightly sealed as usual, and the surroundings of the bedroom were at peace. Of course, it might not be accurate to call it peace. After all, such a thing might not exist in the Void Sovereign¡¯s domain. In short, the high-level Lunar Monsters began to make attempts to communicate with the mortals in Currere through dreams as usual¡ªeither to spark nightmare-like inspiration for those strange artists, or to control mortals to commit sins while sleepwalking, or to guide out-of-control dreams into the Moon Realm. However, at this moment, two tearing sounds suddenly sounded from the distant horizon. All the nearby Lunar Monsters¡¯ attention was instantly attracted by the undisguised voice. In the sickly sky that looked like it had been smeared by a lunatic, a storm of crow feathers and a person flapping holy wings behind him were flying towards the bedroom of the Lord of Nightmare. The Lunar Monsters present had some impression of the former. It was a messenger sent by a Moon Realm Overlord not long ago. A messenger of a Moon Realm Overlord wasn¡¯t even qualified to meet the Lord of Nightmare, but Ms. Zamara opened two layers of curtains for it. This attracted widespread discussion among the high-level Lunar Monsters nearby. As for the one flapping his holy wings, although the Lunar Monsters present didn¡¯t know who it was, his appearance shocked them even more. This was because he was a mortal. How did a mortal come to the Nightmare Swamp? How dare he fly in the direction of the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s bedroom? Calling it a suicide was an understatement. This had never happened in centuries. All the nearby Lunar Monsters held their breaths and waited for the punishment from the bedroom. As expected, the bedroom moved. However, it wasn¡¯t the action they imagined. Five levels of the curtains outside the bedroom opened in one go, and mist spread out, forming a huge female phantom. An extremely sweet voice that stirred fear in the hearts of everyone present sounded. ¡°Calamity, you¡¯re not welcome here!¡± Chapter 114 - 114 Negotiation 114 Negotiation ¡°Calamity, you¡¯re not welcome here!¡± William stopped when he heard the sweet voice. He floated in the air and looked at the other party. In front of him was a huge mist phantom that was so blurry that one could only tell that it was probably a woman. The only thing clear about Her was Her two eyes that flickered with a faint blue light. ¡°Why? Is it because I snatched something from you in the Holy Sepulchre not long ago, or because I tore down six layers of curtains here the last time I was here?¡± William asked with a smile. The other party didn¡¯t reply. The sky, which was as thick as an oil painting, was stirred by a force and almost half of the sky¡¯s color was pulled into a deep vortex. Then, a huge suction force came from the vortex. This power didn¡¯t affect anything corporeal at all, but any invisible object¡ªbe it a summoned creature formed from magic or a Lunar Monster¡ªwould feel an irresistible force. The first to bear the brunt was the crow messenger floating beside William. Under this power, it instantly returned to its crow form. Then, the feathers on its body began to be constantly torn. As for William, the wings made of light on his back were torn apart by a huge force, turning into fragmented specks of light that were attracted to the vortex. The moment the surrounding Lunar Monsters saw the vortex appear, they immediately flew into the sky, dug holes, and turned into mist to leave this dangerous place in front of them as quickly as possible. This was a sign that the Lord of Nightmare was angry. If they dared to stay here at a time like this, they would be reduced to the most basic emotional Elementals by the Lord of Nightmare and await reconstruction. Some Lunar Monsters that had existed for a long time and had experienced the war in the past had already fled when they heard Ms. Zamara say the word ¡®Calamity.¡¯ The last time the man named Calamity came here with his subordinates, he killed only two of the seven demon generals in the Nightmare Swamp. It wasn¡¯t until Ms. Zamara accumulated power from Currere in the past century that she restored the demon generals under her command to all seven. Other than the Demon Generals, countless ordinary Lunar Monsters had been killed¡ªtrue deaths that included the impossibility of reconstructing their bodies. ¡°Lord William!¡± The crow messenger flying beside William saw that it was about to lose control and be pulled into the vortex. It shouted in despair at William; it could barely keep stable under the immense forces. The latter waved a magical medium at the ground, and a huge dark-brown nexus appeared below them. Then, a rock and soil stone platform arched up and quickly rose under their feet. The light wings on William¡¯s back were torn apart and turned into specks of light. He grabbed the crow that was about to lose control and landed steadily on the stone platform. A heaviness that connected to the ground negated the pull of the vortex. William felt the restless mana in his body being pulled by the vortex calm down. A blue gaze shot over. William was level with the eyes of the Lord of Nightmare. ¡°If you want to attack, you should at least understand my intentions for coming.¡± William stood on the stone platform and grumbled. The Lord of Nightmare snorted coldly. Dense cracks instantly crawled up the stone platform under William¡¯s feet, and the entire stone platform shook as if it would shatter and collapse in the next second. ¡°Your intentions¡­ Do you think this is still a thousand years ago? Or do you think this is still your era? You¡¯re only a stumbling block left behind by the past to us now. Perhaps it¡¯s troublesome, but it¡¯s definitely not an obstacle. You can¡¯t stop anything in the upcoming new era,¡± Zamara said in an arrogant tone. She wasn¡¯t wrong. Compared to the power of the Moon Realm and the Vic Continent, even if the 1,000-year-old Doomsday Watchers transmigrated in an organized fashion, the final chance of success wasn¡¯t even 20%. Compared to the entire Moon Realm, his combat strength alone was only a moderate problem for the Void Sovereigns to completely control the entire continent. However¡­ ¡°Therefore, the problem lies in this so-called ¡®new era.¡¯ I want to know what new era you¡¯re pursuing. Is it the ashes and silence that the Ruin Demon God, Ordin, pursues, or the endless battles and fury that the King of Deathblood yearns for, or the endless reversals and betrayals that the Whispering Empress, Beatrice, hopes for? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have any disagreements on this question?¡± William stared into Zamara¡¯s deep eyes and asked. However, Zamara only replied in disdain, ¡°Calamity, what you¡¯re saying now is completely meaningless. Even if there are differences in how to deal with this world, that¡¯s only a matter for chess players. As chess pieces, mortals can forget about giving us any suggestions.¡± As She spoke, a gauze-like mist began to envelop the stone platform where William was. Then, fine net-like seals condensed from it. This was the other party¡¯s plan to completely seal off the nearby Moon Realm domain. If William didn¡¯t break through and leave before the seal took shape, he might be trapped here and face the Lord of Nightmare. William, who didn¡¯t have Judgment 9, didn¡¯t even theoretically have the ability to crack the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s powers. Lightning as thin as threads began to flash near the stone platform. They destroyed the net-like seal formed by the mist and delayed the seal¡¯s construction. William calculated how much time he had left to leave and went along with the other party¡¯s words. ¡°Then, does it matter to you even if the chessboard is smashed?¡± Hearing this, the Lord of Nightmare fell silent. However, She still didn¡¯t stop the construction of the spatial seal. This meant that William¡¯s words didn¡¯t shake the other party¡¯s resolve. Therefore, he continued adding, ¡°Plane fusion means binding the Moon Realm¡¯s domain to the land of Currere. If this plan succeeds, there won¡¯t be any so-called nightmares and anomalies on the Vic Continent, and there won¡¯t be any so-called fear and shock from normalities turning into abnormalities. This is because these things will become something that happens in reality every second, and it will become a daily experience for every mortal. No matter how perfect the horrifying effects you produce in a nightmare are, they won¡¯t be half as terrifying as what other Void Sovereigns can do in reality. And your authority will become worthless after the plane fusion¡ªwhen that happens, what do you plan on changing your title to? Lord of Realism?¡± Among the Void Sovereigns, other than the Absurdity Jester, who didn¡¯t want the plane fusion to happen, William could only think of the Lord of Nightmare. Nightmares were terrifying precisely because of the distortion of reality. If the entire world turned into a truly distorted, demonic realm, the authority the Lord of Nightmare wielded would become meaningless. When that happened, Zamara could only become a follower who picked up leftovers behind the other Void Sovereigns. After William finished speaking, the spatial seals built around him stopped. William took the opportunity to destroy them all in one breath. Then, he softened his tone and said, ¡°There are many ways to completely let the Moon Realm control the Vic Continent, and plane fusion is the least cost-effective for you. It might even be worse than maintaining the status quo¡ªwith your authority to connect to all mortal nightmares, you can obtain a large amount of nourishment from Currere even if it¡¯s not in the year of your disaster. But if¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re telling me¡­¡± Zamara interrupted William and asked in an unprecedented mocking tone, ¡°Back then, you foiled our plans three times and sealed all the Moon Realm rifts on the Vic Continent¡ªthe Moon Realm Calamity. Now, you wish to help a Void Sovereign maximize the benefits She can obtain from Currere?¡± William stopped and replied in a serious tone, ¡°How can that be? If possible, I would want all of you dead.¡± Chapter 115 - 115 Plan for Plane Fusion 115 Plan for Plane Fusion ¡°How can that be? If possible, I would want all of you dead.¡± After William finished speaking, the humanoid phantom made of mist trembled. Her blue eyes erupted with intense light. The surrounding space began to tremble, and even the distorted vortex stopped spinning. Then, it disintegrated into a mess of colors that lingered in the sky. After a while, William realized that the other party was smiling. ¡°Although this is indeed what you mean, this isn¡¯t the attitude you should have when negotiating conditions¡­¡± the phantom made of mist suppressed its chuckle and said. ¡°Would you have believed me if I said I¡¯m sincerely here to help you obtain benefits from the Currere?¡±William asked. Then, he continued, ¡°This is just expedient cooperation at this stage where the stakes are the same. If you¡¯re unwilling, I¡¯ll leave immediately. There¡¯s no need for me to waste my time listening to your meaningless mockery.¡± Regarding this, the phantom of the Lord of Nightmare replied, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, former Moon Realm Calamity¡­¡± Then, the phantom turned back into mist as if a rewind button had been pressed, retreating to the seven-layered curtains of the nearby bedroom. The stone platform under William¡¯s feet also completely shattered into gravel. William summoned wings made of light again and floated in the air. However, since you¡¯ve fallen to the point of negotiating cooperation with your enemies, your long-cherished wish will probably only stop at ¡®if possible.¡¯ The soul voice of the Lord of Nightmare appeared in William¡¯s mind, and Her tone was filled with mockery. William ignored the other party¡¯s provocation and asked loudly, ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer? Will you change your name to the Lord of Realism under the new future order? Or will you choose to support me now and eliminate that bullsh*t plan of plane fusion?¡± Do you think choosing to support you can successfully stop the plane fusion? Do you know how long this plan has been in motion and how many high-level Moon Realm existences support it? Zamara¡¯s voice echoed in William¡¯s mind. ¡°A thousand years ago, no one believed that I could defeat all of you back to the Moon Realm,¡± William replied. Then, another problem arises. What if you become a bigger problem for me than plane fusion? the Lord of Nightmare asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that my long-cherished wish can only reach ¡®if possible?¡¯ On this question, you can continue maintaining your previous judgment¡ªif you¡¯re confident in the strength gap between the Moon Realm and Currere,¡± William replied provocatively. The 13 Void Sovereigns had different personalities according to the domains They controlled. They had Their characteristics, but the only thing They shared in common was Their insufferable arrogance¡ªarrogance toward mortals. To the Void Sovereigns, if They were to compare a mortal who had once defeated Them to other Void Sovereigns of the same existence, They would feel that the latter posed a greater threat to Them. After all, being deceived or defeated by a mortal once wouldn¡¯t affect Their eternal life at all. Or rather, that was just a diversion in Their eternal game. In comparison, losing in a competition between Void Sovereigns that caused Their authority to decline irreversibly was completely unacceptable. There was no sound from the bedroom. William floated in the sky and waited patiently. Indeed, not long after, six layers of curtains of the bedroom drew open automatically. William flapped the wings of light behind him and flew in. He landed in front of the last layer of curtains. Behind this black curtain made of the Dream of Death was the main body of the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara. Through the curtain, William could see a blurry outline that kept changing its appearance. Just like a thousand years ago, it was as if She had never moved from here. Before we begin, I have to remind you that a total of nine Void Sovereigns are participating in the plane fusion plan. In other words, if you wreck Their plans, it¡¯s equivalent to forming an irreconcilable conflict with the nine Void Sovereigns. Of course, Zamara meant that this matter wouldn¡¯t rest if William remained alive. After all, the Void Sovereigns didn¡¯t have the concept of death. William didn¡¯t say anything about this. After all, his ultimate goal was to finish off the 13 Void Sovereigns. They were bound to have an irreconcilable relationship. It didn¡¯t matter if it happened sooner or later. Therefore, compared to this, he was more curious about something else. ¡°Other than you and Valk, which other two Void Sovereigns object to this plane fusion plan?¡± William asked in confusion. He didn¡¯t remember that such a sovereign existed. Regarding this, Zamara replied in amusement, Ruin Demon God Ordin and King of Deathblood Brand were very supportive of the plan of plane fusion, but the other Void Sovereigns unanimously rejected Their requests. William thought about it and felt that this answer made sense. After all, if these two main bodies entered Currere, all of Vic Continent would probably be slaughtered by Them in a week. Among the nine Void Sovereigns, there are two different factions. One advocates paying a price to complete the plane fusion using extreme measures this year. As for the other faction, They plan on gradually using the Astral Lighthouse to pull the entire Vic Continent into the Moon Realm over ten years. Zamara continued in her soul voice. ¡°The so-called price is to hand over the entire Blackwater Province to the 14th Void Sovereign who hasn¡¯t been born, and then use the ritual of His birth to open up the connection between Currere and the Moon Realm, right?¡± William asked. The target They choose is ironically your old subordinate. Zamara mocked. Regarding this, William said coldly, ¡°You have an alliance with the Father of the Crows from before, right?¡± With that said, William felt a gaze pass through the curtains and turn to the crow prophet in his hand. Ah¡­ That¡¯s also your old subordinate. He felt that he didn¡¯t have much time left, so he wanted to use a fragment of my incarnation back then to exchange for a soul fragment of his. When that fellow came over to inherit his strength, he could give it a last strike. Zamara¡¯s words reminded William of a sentence in Blake¡¯s stats. Dying Glory¡ªWhen a teammate is on the verge of death, he can dish out an attack that deals three times the maximum damage to the nearest enemy. After delivering this strike, the teammate will immediately die. Due to this sentence, the priest in the team died on the spot before he could use Resuscitation to revive the fallen Blake in several intense battles. William had reloaded countless times as a result. This is really like him¡­ William sighed and said, ¡°Therefore, the most pressing thing now is to stop the birth of the 14th Void Sovereign?¡± To his question, Zamara on the other end of the curtain said, No, what you need to do is accelerate His early birth. Chapter 116 - 116 Coordinates 116 Coordinates A thousand years ago, that subordinate of yours rejected the chance to advance to become one of us and chose to seal himself. He divided the part of his soul that had already been elevated to a Moon Realm existence into four parts and scattered them across the Vic Continent. He also left the part that was still a mortal in the body that¡¯s now known as the Father of the Crows. To be honest, the fact that his will can last for a thousand years is far beyond our imagination. William remained silent. Zamara continued, But that¡¯s all. Little is left of his will¡­ Do you know what will happen if his remnant will forcefully begins the second advancement ritual? William slowly answered the question, ¡°It will cause the body of the Father of the Crows to completely disintegrate, forming a Moon Realm storm that will eventually dissipate.¡± This was also shown in the CG of the Eclipse ending upon mission failure. Zamara looked at William in confusion and said without changing Her tone, That¡¯s right, and this process can be done through the Seed of Hope in your hand¡ªI can send your soul to the Father of the Crows¡¯ dream through my Nightmare authority now. You can directly gather the power of the Seed of Hope in the other party¡¯s body through the dream and detonate this bomb in advance. Then, we can talk about how to stop the plane fusion ten years later. ¡°So¡­ you mean that you want me to personally kill the Judge who has been loyal to me for a thousand years, right?¡± William asked softly about the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s suggestion. That loyal subordinate of yours is long dead. The remains in the Father of the Crows are at best his residue, Zamara replied. Suppressing a Moon Realm existence with a Void Sovereign stature for a thousand years with the remnant soul of a mortal would be crushed by this mighty force no matter how strong this will was. Blake¡¯s body had long been wrecked by the powers of the Curse of Despair and the Seed of Hope. Now, controlling the Father of the Crows was only a mechanical operation program. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t wrong to say that Blake was completely dead. However, William didn¡¯t seem to think so. He replied firmly, ¡°I won¡¯t do it no matter what. People who have been loyal for a thousand years shouldn¡¯t end like this.¡± Zamara looked at William¡¯s firm expression and asked in confusion, Then, are you planning on telling me¡­ that you¡¯re planning on going to Black Crow Gaze yourself and killing the candidate chosen by Them under the noses of the four Void Sovereigns? For the current plane fusion plan, the four Void Sovereigns had prepared for many years and had invested countless efforts and resources. Therefore, when the advancement ritual began, They would personally be at the venue to ensure that the ritual went smoothly. William didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question. Instead, he raised another issue. ¡°Valk has expressed his willingness to crown me.¡± Upon hearing William¡¯s words, Zamara was stunned for a moment before laughing uncontrollably. So you plan on making yourself the 14th Void Sovereign? But who else in the Moon Realm do you think will support you other than that lunatic, Valk? More than a thousand years in Currere isn¡¯t long for us. Many of the things you did back then seem to have happened yesterday. Everyone, including me, won¡¯t welcome the former Moon Realm Calamity¡­ William ignored the other party and continued, ¡°Valk promised to stop one of the Void Sovereigns during the advancement ritual. As long as you can help restrain the other, then¡­¡± Then, you only need to face two Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies in the Moon Realm and an original Judge who has three-quarters of the stature of the Father of the Crows¡­ Tell me frankly, don¡¯t tell me you really think you can win? The Lord of Nightmare interrupted the other party. William stopped and stared at the blurry outline at the end of the curtain for a long time before asking, ¡°Then, can I interpret what you¡¯re saying as you¡¯re unwilling to provide your help?¡± If the success rate of this plan isn¡¯t zero, I might consider it carefully. But with all due respect, I don¡¯t see any other meaning other than sending the Seed of Hope to it for nothing, the Lord of Nightmare replied. In Her opinion, the success rate of this plan was infinitely close to zero. Even if She and Absurdity Jester helped stop two of the Void Sovereigns, it was impossible for the Calamity¡ªa mortal¡ªto fend off the remaining two Void Sovereigns in the Moon Realm. Not to mention resisting, it was already not bad for him if he could escape from Them. Back then, the Calamity could fight three alone in Currere and shatter three Void incarnations in one battle because he had the home ground advantage in Currere and a full set of Judgment equipment. Now, the advancement ritual was in the Moon Realm, and it was the Void Sovereign¡¯s home ground. However, the other party only had Judgment 2 corresponding to the King of Deathblood and Judgment 4 corresponding to the Whispering Empress. Ignoring the Void Sovereign, Coles¡ªwho had grasped three-quarters of the authority of the Father of the Crows and was blessed by the four Void Sovereigns at the same time¡ªwould be an extremely powerful opponent for him. William didn¡¯t seem to care. He shrugged and said, ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to help, you just need to give me something.¡± This was also William¡¯s true goal in coming to the Nightmare Swamp. What is it? Zamara asked in confusion. ¡°Coordinates. Coordinates to the Moon Realm domain, Black Crow Gaze.¡± ¡­ Erin, who had just completed the final deal, walked down from the towering chalk city wall. Along the way, the golden-armored guards equipped with magic swords bowed to her. However, she ignored them completely. Instead, she returned to her bedroom in a daze and sat down. She first got the servants in the room to leave before sitting in front of the mirror and stroking the bronze crown placed in a velvet square box. She fell into deep thought for a long time. After a long time, she asked, ¡°Do you think I did the right thing?¡± There was no one else in the room other than Erin. However, a few seconds later, a ghostly voice sounded from all directions. ¡°I, Blackblade, have no right to comment on any of your decisions, Your Majesty.¡± Upon hearing this, Erin couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± she said in self-deprecation. However, she then asked, ¡°That¡¯s only in terms of protecting me. I want to hear your opinion on that Crow Boss.¡± This time, the ghostly voice immediately replied, ¡°It¡¯s extremely dangerous. The other party sensed my existence five seconds after seeing you and locked onto my aura in ten seconds. If the other party has the intention of hurting you, I am only confident in blocking three attacks for you. If you still want to meet him in the future, it¡¯s recommended to bring three times the usual guards.¡± ¡°Three attacks¡­ Wasn¡¯t that very dangerous?¡± Erin asked teasingly. ¡°No, this bit of time is enough for the Platinum Ring¡¯s chief to sense the problem and rush over.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Erin sighed. The shattered ship, the drowning person, and herself who had fallen into the abyss¡­ The prophetic nightmare from before gave her an ominous feeling. Therefore, when she finally negotiated the deal, she hesitated a few times about giving up the holy relic passed down by the royal family in exchange for the Shattered Sea storm to stop. However, she ultimately insisted on her original plan. This year¡¯s Year of Starvation happened to coincide with the renewal of the Damon Continent¡¯s truce agreement. Coupled with what had happened in the Blackwater Province, if they didn¡¯t send troops to take down Ava State¡¯s granary, the entire Empire would probably be filled with starving people and blood would cover the land for thousands of miles. With this in mind, for some reason, the words the Crow Boss said before he left suddenly surfaced in Erin¡¯s mind. ¡°You made the right choice. From now on, the Lighthouse of Hope will light up your Empire.¡± What did he mean? Chapter 117 - 117 The Night Before the Storm 117 The Night Before the Storm Behind him was the phantom of a huge snake. The middle-aged man wrapped in death miasma raised a hand at Cass, and countless howling spirits took form in the air and attacked the latter like a tidal wave. Upon seeing this, Cass stabbed the sword in his hand into the ground, and dazzling lightning instantly exploded where the sword came into contact with the ground. Countless bolts of lightning splattered, shattering the milky-white spirits. The middle-aged man raised his hand again and planned on doing the same thing, but a bright silver sword beam slashed at him from the direction of the lightning. The space between the two of them cracked inch by inch. When the middle-aged man saw this, he could only turn into a ball of gray fog and pass through the sword beam before condensing into a human form. Cass gripped the huge sword in his hand tightly and planned on taking this opportunity to pursue him, but everything around him stopped as if a pause button had been pressed. ¡°Sorry~ I was interrupted by an urgent matter. Wait a moment. I remember that the core of the spell is here. Hehe¡­¡± A familiar voice appeared not far away. Then, the surrounding scene instantly changed from the gloomy tomb hall to the interior of a brightly lit tower. The faerie, Liz, flew above a nexus in the middle, and the light of the spell dyed her entire body with a faint luster of red. This was the Twilight Fortress¡¯s trial tower. It allowed one to reproduce the enemies they had encountered through illusions. Cass usually trained his control over strength here. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be resting at the Gardening Hall now?¡± Cass asked in confusion. ¡°William has just given the order that everyone in this fortress has to leave. The entire fortress will enter a complete lockdown from now on. No one is allowed to enter until he lifts it,¡± Liz flew in front of him and said. Cass frowned and asked, ¡°Did Lord William give a reason?¡± Liz shook her head. Cass picked up his two swords from the weapons rack and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s leave.¡± However, Liz shook her head again and said, ¡°I bumped into William on my way over. He asked me to inform you not to leave. Rest well and wait for him at Twilight Hall with Judgment 4.¡± ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± Cass hurriedly asked when he heard the other party specially instruct him to bring Judgment 4. Liz hesitated for a moment before saying worriedly, ¡°He also wanted me to tell you that¡­ the chance to take revenge on the true mastermind behind the previous matter has arrived.¡± ¡­ ¡°Even if I obtain the three fragments, I can¡¯t fully complete the ritual¡­¡± Coles muttered after absorbing the third soul fragment of the Father of the Crows into his body. Three soul fragments could only ensure that he obtained three-quarters of the power of the Father of the Crows. If he wanted to completely advance to the King of Hope and Despair, he had to use a sea of despair as fuel for the ritual before using the Seed of Hope as the final reversal. The Seed of Hope was still in William¡¯s hands. Without this key, he couldn¡¯t complete the final metamorphosis. At best, he could reach the strength of a Void Sovereign, but he wouldn¡¯t be immortal like Them. Around Coles were four blasphemous statues¡ªa girl covered in rout and rot; a pale youth hanging from a withered tree; an elder covered in a layer of filth; and an empress with a female upper body and a spider lower body. However, for some reason, two of the eyes on the spider¡¯s face in the last statue were empty. As if someone had heard Coles mutter to himself, a whisper echoed in his mind. Don¡¯t worry. Everything is proceeding according to the net of conspiracies. Then, the voice of a girl with a sticky feeling echoed. Unprecedented hunger and corruption would spread throughout the Blackwater Province. When that happened, endless despair would echo in the Moon Realm. Then, an exaggerated voice like a bard sounded. As for the pitiful Calamity, he would face two cruel choices¡ªeither watch the citizens die of hunger in Currere, or head to the Moon Realm to stop the ritual. Following that was a sharp voice that sounded like fingernails scratching a blackboard. It appeared in Coles¡¯s mind, giving him a splitting headache. If he chooses the former, you can use unnecessary despair to open the Moon Realm rift in Thorn City big enough for us to pass through. If he chooses the latter, hahahahahaha! Finally, the whisper sounded. The Calamity will definitely come to the Moon Realm on his own. Although the clown has burned away all the conspiracies that lead to the Calamity, this has exposed His true goal. The clown wants to support the former Calamity to become one of us. When Coles heard this, the muscles on his face couldn¡¯t help but tremble. As if sensing his hesitation, the four voices echoed in his mind at the same time. Don¡¯t worry. We will give you a gift to make up for the missing quarter of your strength. With that said, the four statues exploded at the same time, forcefully opening a temporary Moon Realm rift and pulling Coles in. Then, you will forge eternity with us. In the Moon Realm, surrounded by the four voices, Coles saw an endless storm in the distance, as well as an ethereal lighthouse in the center of the storm. ¡­ ¡°Next scene! Next scene!¡± Valk, who was wearing a gorgeous suit, sat in the VIP room and waved his staff as he shouted. The dancing princess on the stage picked up her dress and rushed down. She didn¡¯t even have the time to pick up her wig. At the same time, a staff member who was familiar with the theater owner¡¯s temper started moving the wheeled stage with a pulley, but the pulley ended up getting stuck by the wig the actress had dropped, and the entire prop cart stopped in the middle of the stage. ¡°Scissors, scissors, scissors!¡± As the staff shouted, a pair of scissors hurriedly ran over. The former grabbed the scissors and walked to the screaming wig. Just as he was about to snip ruthlessly¡­ ¡°Time out!¡± Their boss suddenly shouted. All the characters on the stage, including the wig and scissors, stopped what they were doing. They froze in place as if they had been literally frozen. Valk took out a pocket watch from his chest pocket and opened it. The needles on it spun like an electric fan. Valk slapped the pocket watch hard before the three needles stopped. They stopped at zero at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Valk nodded and threw the pocket watch behind him. Then, He dug out one of His eyes like a wine cork. Then, He took out a pitch-black bead that emitted a cold light from His pocket and stuffed it into His eye socket with a pop. ¡°Ah¡­ So Black Crow Gaze is there.¡± He nodded thoughtfully and shouted at the Lunar Monsters on the stage, ¡°Inform the elephants, bears, wolfdogs, rabbits, and magicians to bring fire rings, rubber balls, and unicycles¡­ Oh right, don¡¯t forget to bring a beggar¡¯s crown. In short, the exciting Valk Circus tour is about to begin!¡± The butler named Reason appeared beside Valk at some point in time. It lowered its head and asked, ¡°Boss, do you want to bring the clown?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Valk replied. The next second, He turned into a clown covered in bells. He wore gorgeous and exaggerated clown costumes, and His face was smeared with paint. His smile looked comical and terrifying. ¡°Just one clown is needed¡ªme.¡± ¡­ In Zamara¡¯s bedroom, seven curtains were closed. The Calamity left. Other than asking Her for Black Crow Gaze¡¯s coordinates, he didn¡¯t ask for anything else. But why coordinates? This Lord of Nightmare didn¡¯t understand. He could have asked Her to send him over directly without needing the coordinates. The coordinates were a one-time consumable that could open a temporary portal to a Moon Realm domain. With Black Crow Gaze¡¯s coordinates, the Calamity could even temporarily open a passageway from Currere to Black Crow Gaze. This thing was also an item used for plane fusion, but it wasn¡¯t as stable as a Moon Realm rift. Typically, this was needed for Moon Realm Void Sovereigns to wage war. Back then, the Doomsday Watchers had also used this to counterattack the Moon Realm. However, the Calamity was only one person. He no longer had the army he once had. Even if he had, what use was it against the four Void Sovereigns? What could he do with it? Chapter 118 - 118 Black Crow Gaze 118 Black Crow Gaze A few seconds later, Cass realized that the falling stars weren¡¯t real stars, but something wrapped in a spatial bubble. When they got closer, Cass saw that the bubbles were wrapped in armor. Dozens of armor of different shapes landed around Cass and spun. This scene was like a legendary story where a witch living in a lake took out her collection and allowed the hero who had completed a trial to choose. However, unlike the legends, the lake witch took out all her collections and the Presiding Judge¡­ With this in mind, Cass couldn¡¯t help but look up at the stars in the sky. If every star here represented the Presiding Judge¡¯s collection¡­ The armor surrounding Cass was either gorgeously decorated, plain in material, strange in shape, or classic in style. The only thing they had in common was that every armor emitted a surging aura of strength. Cass was undoubtedly an amateur in the appraisal of enchanted equipment. He could only compare the holy relic-level enchanted armor he was wearing to the dozens of armor. The conclusion was that the holy relic-level armor he was wearing was trash compared to the surrounding armor. ¡°All the divine-level armor you can wear that doesn¡¯t have any side effects or is within tolerable range is here. Do you want me to help you choose, or do you want to rely on your intuition to choose one?¡± The Presiding Judge¡¯s words pulled Cass back to reality. All divine-level armor? Upon hearing this, Cass found his mind in a mess. Cass only had a vague understanding of how precious divine-level equipment was without a specific concept. He only knew that in the past, a divine artifact could cause a considerable war between kingdoms. Now, the only ones who dared to claim to have a divine artifact and not be coveted by others were the Riel royal family, the Astral Council, and the Holy Spirits Church¡ªthe three pillars that maintained the Empire. Even the Rose Palace¡¯s treasury and Duke of Thorn¡¯s personal collection didn¡¯t have any divine equipment. Cass gulped. ¡°Presiding Judge, could this be¡­¡± ¡°The upcoming mission is very dangerous. Even these things will only slightly increase your survival probability,¡± William explained frankly. Cass recalled the Presiding Judge¡¯s words. This mission seemed to be targeting the Void Sovereigns. Therefore, he asked, ¡°Then, are we going to¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the exact plan in detail later, but you have to remember¡ªthere might be deaths,¡± William said. ¡°Me?¡± Cass asked calmly. ¡°Us,¡± William replied tersely. Then, he continued, ¡°Therefore, these things are only worldly possessions. Don¡¯t worry and choose.¡± For a moment, Cass was touched by the generosity of the Presiding Judge. However, he immediately had a question. Since they were worldly possessions, why did the Presiding Judge carefully store them in this alternate space? However, before he could think about it carefully, his attention was immediately attracted by the armor that was filled with powerful strength. A moment later, Cass pointed at a silver scale that seemed to be made of dragon scales and asked, ¡°Is this okay?¡± He felt a faint affinity with the scaled armor as if they were connected by blood. William sighed and said, ¡°I knew you would choose this. This is indeed most compatible with you, but it¡¯s also the choice with the greatest side effects for you.¡± With that said, William undid the spatial bubble wrapped around it. ¡°This armor is a divine artifact forged by the Blackwater Kingdom during the Bronze Age. It¡¯s called Oka¡¯s Scale, and it¡¯s something specially designed for the King and Rebel ritual to strengthen the resonance¡­ Do you understand what I mean?¡± William said. Cass nodded. This thing could help him resonate more with God King Oka¡¯s power, but at the same time, it would put an even greater burden on his mind. Cass replied, ¡°When I spar with Death Vera¡¯s authority holder in the trial tower nowadays, I can already defeat him while staying lucid. Even if I wear this armor, I believe I can suppress that influence for some time, right?¡± However, this wasn¡¯t very convincing. After all, an illusion couldn¡¯t completely simulate the true strength of an enemy. Moreover, Simon was an extreme amateur as a user of Vera¡¯s authority. Being able to control his thoughts and defeat him didn¡¯t mean anything. William thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s use this.¡± With that said, he waved his hand, and the scale flew into Cass¡¯s hand. Cass took the scales and was about to ask what mission they were doing when the armor floating around him flew up into the cosmos and turned into stars again. At the same time, more stars fell. ¡°Next up, selecting accessories,¡± William said. ¡­ Imagine a storm that can snap a mast like a sugarcane with a wave and then increase it tenfold. This was what happened every day at Black Crow Gaze. The sky and sea were twisted into one through the storm. Under the illumination of waves of lightning, the surging sea undulated like the back of a behemoth. In the center of this vast storm was a triangular black island reef. On the island reef stood an ethereal lighthouse. Although the light was faint and it looked like it would be swallowed by the storm in the next second, it remained standing, bringing light to the lost ships in the distance. Storms were a realization of despair, and lighthouses were hope. Countless marooned ships and pale and bloated corpses floated on the sea around the island reef. Moreover, the closer they were to the lighthouse, the more of them there were. They were the materialization of the pursuit of a glimmer of hope¡ªthe lighthouse¡ªin the storm of despair. Hope and despair went hand in hand. Without the beauty of hope, there would be no cruelty of despair. The reverse was also true. Crows circled above the countless corpses. Occasionally, when the surrounding storm calmed down slightly, they would fly to the corpses and gorge themselves. However, soon, a huge wave would suddenly strike this place, devouring the crows into the depths of the deep sea and returning everything to silence. ¡°Is this how he stops his strength from growing?¡± Looking at this scene, Coles hovered in the storm and muttered. The corpses that were drowned not far from the Lighthouse of Hope were the best food to strengthen the Father of the Crows. The crows circling in the storm were an extension of the Father of the Crows¡¯ strength. If they swallowed the products of extreme hope and despair, they could quickly recover their strength and advance to the level of a quasi Void Sovereign. However, he had been draining himself like he was torturing himself for the past thousand years. Even if he instinctively couldn¡¯t control himself from devouring the power, he would immediately pull it into the abyss of despair. Coles shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Blake!¡± He shouted at the lighthouse. His words were swallowed by the storm, and no one replied. Coles took a deep breath before the black wings on his back spread out like dark clouds that blotted out the sky. At the same time, four huge phantom outlines appeared at the end of the storm. Instantly, the storm on the entire sea seemed to stop for a moment. ¡°Look at the consequences of your choice back then. Is this the future you¡¯re looking forward to?!¡± Coles shouted at the lighthouse again. This time, his voice seemed to echo throughout the world. This time, what replied to him was an endless flock of crows flying toward him. Chapter 119 - 119 Lighthouse of Hope 119 Lighthouse of Hope Coles understood that the crows that blotted out the sky didn¡¯t appear because of his previous question. This was because Blake had already lost the ability to understand language hundreds of years ago. No matter what he said to the lighthouse now, it wouldn¡¯t stir any waves. The reason why the other party had such a huge reaction was that he had finally stopped hiding the aura of the soul fragment in his body. As for the Father of the Crows¡¯ body, it instinctively yearned for its soul to return to its complete state. That was all. With this in mind, Coles suddenly found it insipid. What had happened in the past 1,000 years proved that his choice back then was correct. In this world, mortals weren¡¯t qualified to control their fates. Only absolute powerhouses were qualified to choose the direction of the future and realize it. The Presiding Judge from a thousand years ago had proven this, and the even stronger Void Sovereigns had proven it. If he handed power to those mortals, this would be their outcome. He especially wanted Blake to take a good look at the so-called Empire and hear the other party¡¯s opinion on his choice back then. If he had awakened the Rotten Moon Undead Tide back then, he only needed to sacrifice the Blackwater Swamp to create an eternal absolute powerhouse and maintain Judgment¡¯s rule on the Vic Continent for eternity. However, even if he paid the price of the entire continent being pulled to the Moon Realm, he could only barely protect the Blackwater Swamp as a beacon of last hope. He especially wanted to know if Blake would regret his hasty and impulsive choice back then when he found out. However, no matter what, the other party couldn¡¯t answer his question. The irrational crows in front of him were the best proof. In just a few seconds, the crows gathered into a terrifying storm in front of him, and a razor-like cold light flickered. A wail constantly echoed from the curled crow feathers, and countless blood-red eyes opened and stared at him. However, the black wings on Coles¡¯s back flapped slightly, blowing away the storm. Or rather, it wasn¡¯t blowing away the storm, but Coles using the authority in the soul fragments he had already obtained to retrieve the power that originally belonged to him. The crows were restored to a pitch-black curse of despair before being pulled into a thread and absorbed into his body. His body which had been reconstructed by the four Void Sovereigns was like a container that could never be filled. He greedily absorbed the power that should have belonged to him a thousand years ago. Finally, only about a quarter of the crows between the sea and the sky was left circling. Moreover, they tried to attack him again and again in vain. Regarding this, Coles flapped his wings and distanced himself from them. Then, he raised his hand, and three bright silver nexus appeared on the constantly surging sea at the same time. The next moment, three huge waterspouts erupted from the nexus, enveloping the remaining crows. Sharp wind blades flickered inside, twisting them into crow feathers that filled the sky before dissipating them. This was only an ordinary Storm spell. If it was used in Currere, it could only overturn a small boat. However, in the Moon Realm, in a place where fantasies couldn¡¯t solidify into reality, with the augmentation of his Moon Realm essence, he could stir up a storm that seemed to be able to destroy the world as if he were fooling around. Any spell used in Currere needed to be defined by certain rules. In the Moon Realm, all powers were completely unmasked, revealing their true essence. Sculpting the world according to his will wasn¡¯t just a political metaphor. To high-level Moon Realm existences, this was a literal fact. After sensing the powerful force on his fingertips, Coles couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Then, he looked at the lighthouse not far away. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to retrieve what¡¯s mine.¡± As Coles spoke, he flapped his wings and flew into the lighthouse. As a beacon of hope that flickered over the Sea of Despair, this lighthouse should have been an existence that could never be approached. However, to Coles, who already had three soul fragments from the owner of this place, entering the lighthouse was as easy as returning home. Compared to the terrifying scene brought about by the endless storms on the Sea of Despair outside, the interior of the lighthouse was peaceful. Warm candlelight illuminated the surrounding hall. A huge obsidian round table was placed in the middle, and 13 stone chairs surrounded the round table. Coles turned his head. The place he had flown in was a door made of adamantine. Although it had been nearly a thousand years since he stepped foot in again, Coles could instantly recognize that this was the scene in the Twilight Fortress¡¯s round table. Of course, this wasn¡¯t a true round table. It was just a scene reconstructed by the owner of Black Crow Gaze based on his memories. The lighthouse of hope was originally a manifestation of the concept of hope. In other words, to Black Crow Gaze¡¯s former master, this place was the closest thing to the concept of hope in his heart. On a stone chair marked Number 4 behind the seat, Coles saw a tall man in pitch-black armor leaning on a door-like sword in front of the table. He sat there quietly with his head lowered. Two crows stood perched on both his shoulders and kept hissing at Coles in a threatening manner. Coles ignored the two crows and didn¡¯t approach the long-dead man. He sat at his seat with mixed emotions and placed his hands on the cold obsidian round table, just like when they were in a meeting more than a thousand years ago. He couldn¡¯t begin the ritual immediately on his own. It would take some time for the four Void Sovereigns who supported him to cross the Sea of Despair. Therefore, he still had some time to say goodbye to his companion whom he had once parted ways with. ¡°I said it back when I failed to revive the Presiding Judge with the Seed of Hope. In the future, the continent will sooner or later reactivate the use of the Moon Realm¡¯s power. After all, strength is such a thing. If you don¡¯t use it, others will. Only by holding this power in our hands first can we truly control the Moon Realm¡¯s threat,¡± Coles looked at the man¡¯s remains and said. ¡°I can¡¯t remember your answer back then. It seemed to be something like ¡®It¡¯s nothing more than beating them back again.¡¯ Then, in the Holy Sepulchre, you rejected the suggestion of sharing the authority of the 14th Void Sovereign with me. In fact, I should have expected this outcome the first time you said that.¡± Coles shook his head and pointed at the storm outside the door. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can beat them back again.¡± Blake¡¯s motionless remains sat there like a statue. Coles didn¡¯t care. He glanced at the four shadows that were constantly approaching outside the door and continued, ¡°Let me tell you some good news. The Presiding Judge has returned. You¡¯re right about this¡ªthat he will return one day when the entire continent is in grave danger again.¡± Then, he shook his head and said, ¡°Unfortunately, he returned too late. With his current strength, if the entire continent is tied to his war chariot in the future, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t even be able to protect a spark¡­¡± Just as he finished speaking, four figures passed through the adamantine door. They naturally sat on the stone chairs around the round table. ¡°Sorry to disturb your catching up with your old friend. Shall we begin?¡± one of the people¡ªwho was covered in an oil-like black liquid¡ªasked. Chapter 120 - 120 Memory Fragment 120 Memory Fragment In the 14th Void Sovereign¡¯s domain, the deeper meaning of the Lighthouse of Hope was the concept of a shore that could never be reached. Hope was precious because it couldn¡¯t be reached. Therefore, unless one had the soul imprint of the owner of this place, no one could cross the Sea of Despair to reach here. This was also why Valk told William that the Father of the Crows¡¯ soul fragment was a circus ticket. The four Void Sovereigns who had placed their bets on Coles followed the mark he left behind into the tower. They transformed into their appearances as believers and sat on stone chairs, looking around the surrounding round table hall with interest. ¡°I thought that you had completely absorbed his remaining power before we came in¡­ Are you still not used to betrayal? Or do you need our help?¡± Beatrice, the Whispering Empress, muttered softly as if She was dissatisfied with the other party¡¯s efficiency. Her face was covered by a layer of black muslin, and She wore a pitch-black crown. A pale man with a noose around his neck, bulging eyes, and a slightly purple tongue waved his hand elegantly like a fallen leaf. Then, he said in a rising and falling cadence, ¡°After all, a thousand-year-old friend is about to turn to dust. Wouldn¡¯t it be too unromantic not to give him such private time?¡± The Pale Poet, Pock, was the Void Sovereign who wielded the authority of hanging and drowning. His Moon Realm, Wanderers¡¯ Graveyard, symbolized all suicides and accidents in Currere. Legend had it that all drowned people would see his figure floating in the water before they died. Among the Void Sovereigns, Pock could be considered as the one possessing humanity. Of course, the so-called humanity was only relative to the moral standards of the Lunar Monsters. The Lady of Starvation, Camilla, said, ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time. After all, that person hasn¡¯t arrived.¡± ¡°Absorb the power of the remains first.¡± As Beatrice spoke, She threw a blood-stained dagger at Coles. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± The simple dagger slid along the obsidian round table to Coles¡¯s hand. The latter picked it up and found it cold to the touch. ¡°Betrayal,¡± Coles muttered. It was unknown if he was repeating the Whispering Empress¡¯s words or saying the dagger¡¯s name. Betrayal, or rather, the Traitor¡¯s Dagger. Used on an enemy, the divine artifact forged by the Whispering Empress would drain the user¡¯s powers and provide them to the enemy, but if used on a friend, it would draw the power of the friend to itself. The distinction between friend and foe depended on their understanding of each other. ¡°Ms. Beatrice, you want me to use this?¡± Coles asked in disbelief. Back in the Holy Sepulchre, after Blake found out about his plan, he didn¡¯t even hesitate to throw Judgment 4 at him. From this, one could imagine what the other party thought of him. ¡°Just use it without worry. There¡¯s not much room for you in the other party¡¯s remaining memories.¡± That was all the Whispering Empress Beatrice replied. Coles hesitated for a moment before walking to Blake¡¯s remains with the dagger. No matter how much the Whispering Empress loved the act of betrayal, she could not do so for the birth ritual of the 14th Void Sovereign. Compared to his relying on a soul fragment to absorb the other party¡¯s remaining strength, it was naturally more efficient to use the Traitor¡¯s Dagger. ¡°The effect will be better if you stab him from behind.¡± Beatrice informed him. Coles had planned on doing so without Her special reminder. For some reason, he didn¡¯t want to see the other party¡¯s face while doing all of this. After circling behind the other party, he took a deep breath and stabbed the dagger in his hand into the other party¡¯s body through the gap in Blake¡¯s armor. The cold dagger instantly became scorching hot, burning his palm like a soldering iron. Boundless power was transmitted to his body through the dagger, accompanied by scattered memories that constantly flashed through Coles¡¯s mind like fragments. That was what had sustained him to this day. ¡­ ¡°I heard that there are hundreds of Lunar Monsters in the sewers. Are you sure you don¡¯t need a helper?¡± A gray-haired, silver-eyed man wearing an apprentice robe and holding an inferior magical medium warned him. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m more used to taking revenge myself,¡± he replied after removing the huge sword tied to his back. ¡°Are you planning on solving all the problems yourself?¡± the person continued asking. He didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he kicked open the barricade and walked into the darkness. ¡­ Two wounded men leaned against the dirty sewer wall. Around them were the corpses of monsters that were constantly turning into black salt crystals and dissipating. ¡°I already said that there¡¯s no need for you to¡­ meddle¡­¡± the man said as he coughed. ¡°You died here the last time I didn¡¯t meddle,¡± the gray-haired magic chanter replied. ¡°Last time?¡± ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s probably a dream.¡± The man didn¡¯t ask further. He turned his head away and looked at the spider-shaped Lunar Monster bound by shadows at the end of the sewers. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill it too?¡± ¡°Do you see that sword? This is the goal of their trip, a weapon that can completely eliminate them. If you agree to our suggestion now, this sword will be yours.¡± ¡­ ¡°When the end is near, we will begin to watch. We are lonely lamps in the long night, silent blades in the darkness, and a firm high wall in front of the calamity. When doubts arise, we are determined; when hatred is overflowing, we are merciful; when the end is near, we are fearless¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°¡­I summoned all the Judges here today because I have something important to announce. I will leave you forever¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Blake, you and I will control the authority of the 14th Void Sovereign together. As long as we advance as a Void Sovereign while the Moon Realm is sealed off, we can monopolize the emotions of the entire Vic Continent and strengthen ourselves. When that happens, even if the seal is unlocked one day, we can¡­¡± ¡°This is the reason why you did this? You didn¡¯t hesitate to kill tens of thousands of Thorn City citizens for this?¡± ¡°To save the tens of millions of people in the Vic Continent. You should know better than me that this isn¡¯t all the people who will die every month because of a war.¡± ¡°Coles, is this all because you removed your Crowman seal? I never knew you were so crazy.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been unsealed. Everything I say and do is out of my personal will.¡± ¡­ ¡°Blake, I can¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t have much will left. If I let you stir up a storm in the Shattered Sea now, you will¡­¡± ¡°Not now, but from now on, until either of us dies, the storm will always protect your country.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°But I have to do this, Remides. This is the only thing I can do for you now¡ªleave a spark of resistance. No matter how long it takes to ignite it.¡± ¡°Are you still convinced that the Presiding Judge will return?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s already confirmed that he¡¯s not dead, he will return, just like how he returned to the sewers of Blackrock City and saved me back then. Unfortunately, I probably won¡¯t be able to last till he arrives this time.¡± ¡°¡­Then, if he really returns, what do you wish to say to him?¡± ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t do more.¡± Chapter 121 - 121 Cliché 121 Clich¨¦ Coles let out a roar and retreated. The dagger in his hand, which was already red-hot, fell to the ground with a clang, causing a few sparks to fly. Blake¡¯s remains fell onto the obsidian round table. The two crows perched on his shoulder flapped their wings in shock and flew up. But in the next second, they were blasted into a black mist by an invisible force and slowly sucked into Coles¡¯ body. ¡°How is it? How does it feel to be completely betrayed?¡± Memory fragments kept flashing in Coles¡¯ mind. Beatrice¡¯s voice seemed to come from afar. Coles was speechless for a long time. He did not immediately experience the power that the quasi-Void Sovereign stature gave him, nor did he feel Black Crow Gaze, which he controlled three-quarters of. He only silently looked at the charred burn marks on his palms. In the Moon Realm, will was power itself, and the memories left behind by the other party burned his palm like scorching flames. Although he, who had already advanced to a high-level Moon Realm existence, could completely repair this charred wound in an instant, he chose not to do so. The remains on the round table began to turn into dust and dissipate; Blake¡¯s body had long dissipated in the sarcophagus at the Holy Sepulchre. The wound caused by this memory was probably the last trace of the other party¡¯s existence. Coles slowly looked up at Beatrice and said, ¡°Nothing much. You worry too much. We¡¯ve already come this far. I don¡¯t need such matters to prove my determination.¡± The Whispering Empress had asked him to use Betrayal to seize Blake¡¯s remaining power, which was undoubtedly the final test. However, there was no need to test him at all. This was because ever since the time he stood in the Holy Sepulchre a thousand years ago¡­ No, ever since he had read about the Void Sovereign¡¯s ascension ritual, this day had already been destined. After Coles finished speaking, the scene in the surrounding round table collapsed. In its place was an extremely gorgeously decorated temple. Under the shining crystal chandelier, marble pillars filled with magnificent relief sculptures slowly rose, and exquisite lamps were lit up. Gold and silver maids carried trays as they walked through the temple, carrying never-ending wine and delicacies to the long table covered in pure-white table cloth in the middle. The bread placed in front of the Lady of Starvation, Camilla, quickly grew spots of mold. Maggots constantly crawled out of the steak and roasted chicken beside Her. Seeing that mold began to appear on the white tablecloth, She asked, ¡°Should I stay away from here?¡± ¡°These things are only decorations on the surface. Before obtaining the Seed of Hope and completing the final ¡®reversal,¡¯ my grasp of the authority of hope is extremely limited,¡± Coles, who was sitting at the end of the long table, replied. ¡°Then, the problem is when will that person bring over the Seed of Hope.¡± The Pale Poet, Pock, picked up the golden goblet and took a sip of wine. ¡°Or perhaps he won¡¯t come,¡± the Lord of the Dark Tide said. The food in front of Her also began to rapidly deteriorate. However, unlike rotting, the food slowly melted into a pool of thick black liquid that emitted a foul smell. ¡°No, he¡¯ll come,¡± Beatrice only replied simply. Then, She continued, ¡°And that clown will also be here, so let¡¯s begin the ritual now.¡± ¡­ Following the direction indicated by the coordinates, William flew in the unpredictable Moon Realm. William was dressed strangely. He looked like a bandit who relied on robbing caravans to build up his trove of equipment. He wore a gorgeous blood-red helmet with bat patterns and a pair of bright silver hollowed-out gauntlets. Although these two pieces of equipment didn¡¯t match, they looked like extremely complicated and exquisite noble equipment. However, he was also wearing a tattered tan robe. Moreover, the robe was wrapped in circles of rusty chains, making him look more like a sinner about to serve his sentence. For weapons, other than Judgment 2, which had never changed, William ultimately chose a crystal staff covered in spikes. It looked rugged and heavy. He felt that other than being a magical medium, it could also be used as a melee weapon. In addition¡­ William looked at the ten rings of different colors and shapes on his finger and couldn¡¯t help but think. This can¡¯t happen in-game¡­ In-game, players were limited by the equipment bar. They could only wear a ring on both hands, but there was no such restriction after transmigrating. Therefore, his chances of winning this battle correspondingly increased. Of course, in terms of combat strength on paper, the chances of winning were still very slim. But then again, he knew that the Moon Realm¡¯s trap was waiting for him ahead, so why did he persist in entering? For some reason, William suddenly thought of this problem. Ever since he learned of that matter a thousand years ago, he had been constantly thinking of a solution¡ªhow to stop Coles from becoming the 14th Sovereign, how to stop the possible plane fusion¡­ However, it was only now that he seemed to have thought of the choice of escaping with the Seed of Hope. Why did he bet his life on stopping this disaster? He wasn¡¯t in-game now where there were countless opportunities for trial and error, and countless walkthroughs to refer to. If he failed, it was a failure; he didn¡¯t have a chance to do it all over again. However, this question didn¡¯t trouble William for long. He quickly received an answer. William Kane wouldn¡¯t make such a choice. William Kane wouldn¡¯t remain indifferent when the entire continent was under the threat of the Moon Realm. He wouldn¡¯t prevent loyalists from obtaining the rewards they deserved, nor would he prevent traitors from receiving the corresponding punishment. From the moment he made up his mind to use this name, he couldn¡¯t disgrace the meaning behind it¡ªthe meaning he had once given it. William Kane didn¡¯t need a reason to do so. As if to match William¡¯s current state of mind, the surrounding chaotic Moon Realm suddenly cleared up. The originally unpredictable Moon Realm instantly obtained a symbolic appearance. This also meant that he had entered a Moon Realm domain. Black Crow Gaze, the Moon Realm domain of the 14th Void Sovereign that hadn¡¯t been born. This place looked like a sea enveloped by a storm, and in the middle of the sea, an ethereal lighthouse flickered. William glanced at the seemingly unreachable lighthouse. His gaze was quickly attracted by a figure not far away. A thin youth wearing a robe made of feathers had a pair of pitch-black wings spread out on his back. It had skin as pale as milk and amber pupils like a ferocious bird. Cold claws extended from its hands. Although it was in a storm, its body didn¡¯t show any signs of being wet. It was as if the rain was consciously avoiding it. ¡°Presiding Judge, it¡¯s been 1,008 years. It¡¯s been a long time,¡± the high-level Moon Realm existence spoke. Its not-so-loud voice passed through the surging storm and reached William¡¯s ears clearly. William smiled and replied, ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s not too long for me. It seems like only a little more than a month has passed.¡± When William said this, he used the Storm spell, Voice of Berserking. Visible sound waves attacked Coles with storms and waves. However, before they could touch each other, three claws instantly slashed across, tearing apart the storm. After the storm caused by the Voice of Berserking dissipated, Coles wiped the water off its face and said calmly, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t want to catch up, you didn¡¯t have to use such an attack, right?¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t stand another person talking to me in a dry state when I¡¯m drenched. It feels condescending,¡± William replied calmly. Although the storm was torn apart, the tonnes of seawater still struck Coles¡¯s body, soaking it wet. Coles seemed stunned for a moment before shaking its head and saying, ¡°These words don¡¯t sound like you from before. Looks like a thousand years is indeed long enough.¡± Without waiting for William to reply, he continued, ¡°Although this is a little clich¨¦, Presiding Judge, you shouldn¡¯t have come here today.¡± William nodded and said, ¡°This sentence is indeed very clich¨¦ as your last words.¡± Chapter 122 - 122 Look Around You 122 Look Around You ¡°This sentence is indeed very clich¨¦ as your last words.¡± After saying this, a vortex formed by burning runes rolled around William¡¯s body. The transparent crystal staff in his hand instantly turned dangerously red. ¡°You¡­¡± The latter half of Coles¡¯s sentence was smashed back into its throat by a flaming sword that appeared out of thin air. A ten-meter-tall Fire Giant phantom appeared behind William. Its body was smelt with armor that emitted a red light, and scarlet magma constantly flowed between the armor¡¯s gaps. William raised his staff and made a waving motion. The giant imitated William¡¯s actions and raised the Flaming Sword in his hand before slashing at the nearby Coles. Boom¡­ The strike sent Coles flying into the sea from midair. The impact of the huge sword stirred up quite a tidal wave as it retreated to the sides. As for the flames burning on the huge sword, they evaporated tonnes of seawater into a mist. ¡°Presiding Judge, tell me, how did you do it?¡± Amidst the hiss of seawater evaporating, a voice sounded under the Flaming Sword. William¡¯s eyes were dyed with a faint layer of green, allowing him to see the scene under the thick fog. Through the white fog, William saw Coles cross the white claws in his hand to block the huge Flaming Sword. Although the two sides were extremely different in size, the balance of strength between the two was completely opposite. Coles didn¡¯t even look at the Fire Giant summoned by the Divine Realm Fire-type, Doomsday. Instead, it looked at William, who was controlling the giant in midair, and said casually, ¡°Tell me, how did you ignore everything that was happening around you and act as if victory was in your grasp?¡± With that said, Coles waved the sharp claws in its hand and slashed upward. A few beams of white light flashed, and the entire Flaming Sword cracked inch by inch in the giant¡¯s hand. The Fire Giant phantom casually threw away the hilt and swung a millstone-sized fist at Coles. However, just as this punch was about to smash the other party¡¯s head into his chest, Coles¡¯s body turned into thousands of black crows that gathered into dark clouds that surged at the giant. Tens of thousands of pairs of sharp claws and beaks formed an endless storm that gathered beside the giant. In less than a few seconds, the giant was dismembered into burning fragments that filled the sky and fell into the sea. The hissing crows quickly gathered into Coles and appeared not far from William. ¡°So, are you here to avenge Blake?¡± Coles asked. The response it received was a dark-blue¡ªnearly black¡ªlightning spear. This lightning spear first struck Coles¡¯s chest before silently cracking. Even the surrounding space shattered like a mirror. However, a black crow appeared in every spatial fragment. They turned into a black fog and spread out before gathering into a human form. Coles, who didn¡¯t even wrinkle its clothes, continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him. Moreover, I gave him a choice. The authority of the King of Hope and Despair can be shared between two people. He made the wrong choice. I¡¯m the true victim in this matter. He ambushed me first¡­¡± An ice-blue nexus appeared under Coles¡¯s feet. Then, the space around Coles slowly froze like amber. It tried its best to open its mouth as if it wanted to say the last few words, but its voice was also frozen in this space. ¡°The only wrong choice he made was not to kill you completely back then,¡± William looked at the frozen Coles and said. With that said, he drew Judgment 4 from his waist and came in front of Coles. Without hesitation, he stabbed. However, the Moon Realm existence imprisoned inside suddenly moved. Coles¡¯s white claws blocked the sword in William¡¯s hand, preventing it from advancing at all. ¡°This is my domain. Spatial Imprisonment is meaningless to me¡­ But you really want to kill me,¡± Coles said, sounding regretful. Although the Fire and Lightning spells used by the Presiding Judge could injure it to a certain extent, they couldn¡¯t injure the essence of a high-level Moon Realm existence. However, once he began to use Judgment equipment, it meant something entirely different. Even if Coles¡¯s corresponding domain wasn¡¯t the King of Death and Blood that corresponded to Judgment 2, it was really possible to completely kill it when it was in an enfeebled state. ¡°I originally thought that you would say things like ¡®turn back. It¡¯s not too late,¡¯ or ¡®it¡¯s fine, we can start over.¡¯ To persuade me to return to the right path,¡± Coles said. ¡°Not interested,¡± William replied tersely. The muscles in his arm instantly bulged. Under the state of Power of Dragons, Judgment 2 in his hand broke free from the restraints of the claws with a crack and stabbed at the other party¡¯s neck. Coles retracted its claws faster to protect its neck and used the power of the strike to spread its wings before flying backward. ¡°Then are you interested in knowing why I did this?¡± Coles stared at the expression on William¡¯s face and continued asking. ¡°My only interest now is killing you.¡± As William spoke, a vortex formed by burning runes appeared around him. The dark clouds in the sky were lit up by a few meteors that were rapidly falling. Upon hearing this, the calm expression on Coles¡¯s face finally began to crack. ¡°Why?¡± Before everything began, Coles had thought about what the Presiding Judge¡¯s attitude would be when it encountered him again. Would he be furious, wringing his hands and sighing, or expressing regret? It was even with a small possibility that¡­ he would express his understanding and support? However, it never expected things to turn out like this. There were no emotions, only cold killing intent. No matter how much it provoked him previously, it couldn¡¯t incite the other party¡¯s anger at all. No matter how it tried to leave him hanging, it couldn¡¯t arouse the other party¡¯s curiosity at all. ¡°There¡¯s no why. Everyone has to be responsible for the choices they make. That¡¯s all.¡± William adjusted the direction of the meteors as he replied. Coles transformed into a crow again and dodged the explosion caused by the falling meteor. However, this time, it couldn¡¯t even maintain its calmness of talking to the other party in human form. ¡°Then what about your choice? Could it be that your departure back then was a responsible choice? Look at the Vic Continent now, the so-called Empire, and the so-called Astral Laws. Who should be responsible for all of this?¡± The dark clouds gathered by ten million black crows questioned in a hissing voice. William paused for a moment before saying slowly, ¡°Although I want to say that I¡¯ve already done everything I could back then¡­ you¡¯re right. I do need to be in charge of many messes.¡± Coles was about to say something when it saw William raise the magical medium in his hand and point it at the sky. ¡°I¡¯ll start with you,¡± William said. Then, with him as the center, a pillar of fire that seemed to materialize charged at Coles. As for the ten million black crows, they roared as the dark clouds gathered and stirred into a storm. Countless snow-white claws surged with incandescent lightning as they faced the magnificent pillar of fire. The collision of the two equally majestic forces in midair triggered a light that shone like a supernova. Just the aftershocks of the explosion calmed the storm in Black Crow Gaze for a moment. The distant lighthouse that should have been out of reach was almost extinguished by this force. And the outcome of this clash¡ªWilliam was at the disadvantage. William was blown hundreds of meters away by the aftershocks of the explosion. His sleeve was tattered, and his hollowed-out silver-white gauntlet was charred. Many thorn-like purple electric patterns appeared on his face. The sound of something shattering made him look down at his left hand. The Blue Glory Ring on his thumb that was specially used to increase lightning resistance cracked. ¡°Look around you, William,¡± Coles shouted. Four huge outlines were gradually approaching from the four directions of Black Crow Gaze. A six-eyed spider covered in black muslin; a pale man hanging from a withered tree by the river; a pitch-black humanoid covered in filth; and a woman whose body was constantly rotting and collapsing. However, William didn¡¯t look away at all. He continued staring at the dark clouds, and the magical medium in his hand lit up with a spinning nexus. ¡°Look around you and you¡¯ll know that you¡¯re finished,¡± Coles continued. What replied was two silver tornadoes. They stirred up a water curtain and surrounded the crows in all directions. ¡°Dispel this outward spell and look around. Presiding Judge, I¡¯m begging you. Everything you¡¯re doing now is meaningless. Immediately¡­¡± Coles continued, but it was interrupted by William. ¡°There¡¯s no need to look. I know that your reminiscing with me is solely to buy time. I also know that those Void Sovereigns were building a confinement barrier around Black Crow Gaze. Now, the entire Black Crow Gaze is sealed off,¡± William replied. ¡°So?¡± Coles couldn¡¯t help but ask when it heard the other party¡¯s swashbuckling. ¡°Then, do you know why I didn¡¯t put up any defense and took your strike head-on? Or rather, do you know what trigger conditions are needed for the strongest state I can reach in theory and what level this state is at?¡± ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± Coles asked uneasily. ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure how strong a quasi-Void Sovereign who hasn¡¯t completed the ritual is, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s stronger than a Void Incarnation, right?¡± According to the game¡¯s settings, other than not having the immortality of the main body, the Void incarnation could reach about 50% of the main body¡¯s strength. ¡°Do you want to guess how long my fastest record of killing a Void Incarnation is?¡± Chapter 123 - 123 Twilight 123 Twilight The Void Sovereign¡¯s existence could stir up changes in the Moon Realm domain. At this moment, different phenomena appeared in four directions of Black Crow Gaze. Spider silk that formed in the air, the surface of the sea where countless rotten fish corpses floated, filthy floating things that were as sticky as oil, and pale arms that floated and struggled in the water¡­ As the phenomenon continued to spread, the four huge shadows slowly approached and surrounded William in the middle of the sea. In addition, above his head was a dark cloud formed by tens of millions of black crows. Their snow-white claws and beaks connected to form a storm that touched the sea and the sky, and incandescent lightning brewed. The cries of the black crows gathered into Coles¡¯s voice and it said, ¡°Presiding Judge, no matter what, it¡¯s too late. You have no chance of winning against four Void Sovereigns in the Moon Realm.¡± William nodded. Not to mention fighting four at the same time, he didn¡¯t even have a chance of winning against one. Seeing William nod, Coles continued, ¡°Therefore, let¡¯s skip those boring steps. I need the Seed of Hope in your hand now¡­¡± William interrupted it and said, ¡°I¡¯ve said from the beginning that the only thing I¡¯m interested in on this trip is killing you.¡± As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed the magical medium at the dark cloud formed by the black crows. ¡°And killing you doesn¡¯t need me to fight the four of Them.¡± The phenomenon symbolized by the four Void Sovereigns was about to reach William, but he still had no intention of looking around. He ignored the threat of the four Void Sovereigns at close range and said to Coles Jackdaw, who used to be the last Judge, ¡°And your twilight is here.¡± With that said, although he didn¡¯t use any spells, an ancient orange light erupted from the sky pointed at by the crystal magical medium in William¡¯s hand. This was the first time light appeared in the sky above Black Crow Gaze, which was eternally shrouded in darkness. It was a lonely scene. The afterglow of fiery red and dark gold instantly dyed half the sky. Under this sky, the remains of countless civilizations were kneaded into a ball and floated in the sky, silently telling their former stories. Although the light of twilight looked decadent and dilapidated, it was still the last light people could hold on to before entering complete darkness. If one could pull out to a wider perspective to observe the entire scene that was happening in Black Crow Gaze, one could see twilight instantly erupt from the center of Black Crow Gaze. It formed a hemispherical barrier that covered half of Black Crow Gaze, blocking the corruption, filth, paleness, and spider silk that spread around. Four furious voices sounded at the same time, stirring up the seawater. They brandished Their peerless strength and struck the barrier formed from twilight. William ignored the voices outside and looked at Coles quietly before asking, ¡°Do you remember where you are?¡± The moment the twilight appeared, the millions of crows that kept hissing lost their voices. This not-bright twilight scene was like the scorching sun at noon in the eyes of the black crows. They raised their wings and covered their eyes. In the next moment, their wings that blocked the light ignited with sparks before turning into a raging inferno. Countless burning black crows fell from the sky like dead flies. Helpless, the crows gathered again and took human form. Coles felt a heavy pressure on its shoulders, causing its legs to buckle slightly. ¡°Finality scene¡­ Twilight Fortress¡­¡± Its tone made it difficult to tell if it was answering William¡¯s question or talking to itself. Behind William was a dilapidated fortress that had been in disrepair for years. The artistic reliefs that originally symbolized honor and merit had been weathered to nothingness over time, but the fortress remained standing. The evening light slanted across the top of the fortress and shone on William, preventing Coles from seeing his expression. ¡°So you teleported the Twilight Fortress¡­ here?¡± Coles said in disbelief. Black Crow Gaze was sealed off by the four Void Sovereigns, and they were in a state where entry was possible but exit impossible. The Presiding Judge summoning the entire Twilight Fortress was equivalent to throwing the entire Doomsday Watchers into this trap with him. Without the Twilight Fortress, the Doomsday Watchers could be said to have completely given up on the only mobile base in the Moon Realm. ¡°Why?¡± Coles asked in confusion. ¡°You know why,¡± William said. He wore an exquisite mechanical ring on his left and right index fingers, but they were respectively red and blue. They were all shaped like ferocious wolves, and their open wolf mouths covered his entire finger. After William finished speaking, sharp teeth protruded from the two rings and stabbed into his fingers. A piercing pain reached his mind. The Ring of Red Wolf Words and the Ring of Blue Wolf Words devoured half of his current HP and mana, converting them into a huge physical and magical damage bonus. Although there was no health bar display, William could clearly sense that he was below half health after taking Coles¡¯s blow. He relied on the Blue Glory Ring¡¯s effect to not enter a paralysis state. Under the effect of the Rings of Wolf Words, his current HP had been reduced to less than a quarter. This triggered the passive effect of the Robe of Original Sin on him¡ªwhen the wearer¡¯s HP is less than a quarter, it will automatically ignite Sin Fire to curse the wearer. At the same time, all the damage he causes will be tripled. The weaker one¡¯s HP was, the stronger the curse. The rusty chains wrapped around the tattered robe suddenly began to rustle on their own. They gradually tightened their grip on William¡¯s body like pythons. Blood-red runes gradually lit up on the chains. Then, blood-red flames ignited from the chains and began to burn William¡¯s body. As the flames burned, the Progenitor Vampire Crown on William¡¯s head was activated. The bat reliefs on the helm suddenly came to life. The flames burning on the chains were attracted by its open mouth. A few spikes extended from the helm and stabbed into William¡¯s neck, slowly absorbing William¡¯s blood. Progenitor Vampire Crown: When the wearer is in a cursed state, it will absorb the strength of the curse to strengthen the wearer¡¯s spells, but during this process, the crown will also absorb a portion of the wearer¡¯s HP as a price. William felt his HP begin to drain from his body. These two pieces of equipment were like an engine that was constantly supercharging. With his HP as fuel, they drove curses and mana. It was like an engine cylinder that was about to go out of control. Back then, the first person that discovered that these two pieces of equipment could synergize with each other, the stacked damage figured from this mechanism exploitation resulted in the game pod suffering the BSOD. Later on, the manufacturer released an emergency patch overnight, capping this synergy to a limit of 20 times. Just as William felt that his HP was about to be drained, a warm current flowed out of the armor on his hands. The gauntlet¡ªLife Oath: The user can normally store their HP inside. When the wearer suffers fatal damage, the gauntlet will slowly release the HP stored inside. As long as the enemy¡¯s damage doesn¡¯t exceed the speed of the gauntlet¡¯s restoration, the wearer will always be perfectly protected. This was because the speed at which it recovered HP was really not flattering. It could only deal some Damage over Time, so this was actually very useless equipment. However, because of the synergy between the Robe of Original Sin and the Progenitor Vampire Crown, Life Oath became part of the set. This was because the speed at which Life Oath restored life was slightly faster than the HP loss from the other two pieces of equipment. In other words, while Life Oath was in effect, the wearer could maintain their maximum damage output. As for Life Oath, it could last for about five minutes when its stores were full. In other words, without considering the other party¡¯s damage, the wearer could maintain this state for at most five minutes. Bang! Crack, crack, crack¡­ Four huge forces constantly struck the surrounding Twilight Barrier, and dangerous cracks appeared amidst the twilight. Coles looked at the constantly expanding cracks and said, ¡°It¡¯s meaningless, Presiding Judge. The defense of the Finality scene can¡¯t even last three minutes, and three minutes¡­¡± ¡°Is enough to kill you.¡± Chapter 124 - 124 Speed Kill 124 Speed Kill In-game, killing a high-level Moon Realm existence using conventional methods was a rather long process. It often involved a long chain of quests and a considerable sized dungeon. Of course, one could also choose to fight the main body of a high-level Moon Realm existence from the beginning, but because this wasn¡¯t the method recommended by the game designer¡ªafter all, they had designed exquisite and interesting dungeons for these Bosses. If one fought the main body straight away, the resistance of the various stats of a high-level Moon Realm existence would be so high that players would doubt their lives. Therefore, generally speaking, players needed to enter the Moon Realm dungeon first¡ªextinguish a few lamps that symbolized something, close a few doors that led to a certain source of power, or kill a few guards, save a few souls, and find a few helpers¡­ In short, players often needed to do a bunch of prerequisite quests to weaken the other party before they could kill a high-level Lunar Monster normally. However, players¡¯ use of all aspects of the game¡¯s mechanisms always exceeded the developers¡¯ imagination. Or rather, the design of having a highest difficulty mode that didn¡¯t suffer any weakening was treated as a challenge by players. Videos of all kinds of extreme kills and speed kills were showcased on their main pages for everyone to watch like spoils of war or medals of honor among hardcore players. Although William cared more about the game¡¯s plot than pursuing speed kills, this didn¡¯t stop him from watching hardcore game videos and lamenting how such feats could be done. He had also specially practiced some easier fighting styles. Coupled with the proficiency brought about by his long gaming times, although he couldn¡¯t compare to professional players who specialized in this, he could be considered a big shot in the eyes of ordinary players. With the four Void Sovereigns around, it was impossible for William to slowly search for the other party¡¯s weakness in Black Crow Gaze¡ªwhich lamp to extinguish or the key to weaken the other party¡¯s concept. Therefore, as he had expected, only by stacking damage like now could he achieve a speed kill. He hadn¡¯t held back in the few rounds he had fought Coles. They were all using Divine Realm spells that dealt high damage. However, after a few rounds of attacks, other than the attack where he almost stabbed the other party with Judgment 2 being a relatively fatal threat, the other damage probably only dealt some damage to the other party. Of course, William could eventually kill the other party if he slowly drew down on its HP bar. However, it would take too long. The four fellows around him wouldn¡¯t give him this time. However, it was completely different now. In-game, this buff could only be seen from the status bar. But now, William could finally clearly sense how powerful he was. The moment he heard the words ¡®enough to kill you,¡¯ Coles flashed the white claw in its hand and turned into an afterimage as it charged at William. The other party had even gambled using the Twilight Fortress. Coles had no reason to convince itself that the Presiding Judge was still someone it could try to win over for the Moon Realm. He was really here to kill it. Closing the distance was its only chance of winning. Even if what Coles needed to do now was buy time until the four Void Sovereigns broke the Twilight Fortress¡¯s seal and entered, it had to close the distance. William Kane was the strongest magic chanter Coles had ever seen in its life. Be it the old fellow from the Tacma Church who claimed to be the only mage in the world or the Great Sage Yeats who had cultivated all 13 spells to the Divine Realm 800 years ago and suppressed the entire Mage Guild to establish the Astral Laws, they were far inferior to the Presiding Judge in Coles¡¯s opinion. The best way to deal with a magic chanter was to close the distance between them, preventing the other party from having enough time to channel a spell. The Presiding Judge¡¯s close combat ability was only at the level of self-protection. He wasn¡¯t even its match once it used Crowman Rage a thousand years ago. Not to mention the present it. I¡¯m stronger in close combat, Coles thought. The claws in its hand stabbed toward William¡¯s chest like a white bolt of lightning. Its razor-like sharp claws instantly sliced through the other party¡¯s tattered robe and stabbed into the other party¡­ Then, its claw blade was blocked. For some reason, William, as a magic chanter, had agility comparable to his. He held the crystal magical medium in his hands and blocked Coles¡¯s pounce with a clang. The crystal magical medium flickered with a metallic luster. It must have been strengthened by a spell and was made of a sturdy material, so it could withstand the sharpness¡­ Crackle¡­ Coles¡¯s claws were shattered. It could see clearly that at that moment, golden runes suddenly circled William¡¯s arm a few times. Then, he waved the crystal magical medium in his hand, and an extremely terrifying force came from the staff. In just a moment, the claws¡ªwhich were purely made of the Moon Realm essence¡ªwere shattered like glass. Although it was extremely shocked, Coles wasn¡¯t stunned because the other party¡¯s next strike was aimed at its head. It instantly turned into a shadow and dodged the strike like liquid. The sonic boom caused by the staff missing secretly alarmed Coles. But before Coles could run far, it saw a blazing white fireball appear at the tip of William¡¯s staff. Although the color wasn¡¯t right, Coles could sense that it was indeed a Fireball. However, Fireball? Using Fireball in a battle at this level? Looking at the Fireball attacking him, Coles¡ªwho was hiding in the shadows¡ªdidn¡¯t even dodge. Then, when it came back to its senses again, it had already turned into a black crow horde that filled the sky and flew into the air. Amidst this, its mind seemed to blank out. Taking human form again, Coles looked at the pit on the ground that looked like it had been struck by a meteorite. It was a little puzzled about what had just happened. It only remembered flashes, explosions¡­ Then, its body seemed to have been blasted apart. If it hadn¡¯t ascended to a high-level Moon Realm existence, it would have been dead from the previous strike. Even now, it was quite injured. Black blood snaked out of the corner of its mouth. It was injured. Moreover, it was injured by an Apprentice-level Fireball. What was this? A Fireball spell could cause such damage to it. Then, had the other party been teasing it when the two of them were at Black Crow Gaze? William looked at the black blood flowing from the corner of Coles¡¯s mouth and roughly calculated the damage caused by the strike. Then, he raised the magical medium in his hand again. No matter how high the resistance of a high-level Moon Realm existence was in all aspects and how powerful they were, as long as he maxed out the buffs, he could still cause considerable damage. After reducing the other party¡¯s health to a certain extent, Judgment 2 could finish the battle. ¡°Use whatever you haven¡¯t used,¡± William said. ¡°Don¡¯t leave yourself with any regrets.¡± Upon hearing William¡¯s words, pitch-black patterns instantly crawled up Coles¡¯s face. Sensing the threat to its life, it didn¡¯t plan on conserving its strength. Even if it had to pay a considerable price, it had to hold on for the last two minutes. ¡°As you wish¡­¡± With that said, Coles¡¯s entire body completely turned into a humanoid black void. In the center of this void, there was a fine white speck of light. It wanted to use its incomplete stature to forcefully use power at the Void Sovereign level. Chapter 125 - 125 Return to Dust 125 Return to Dust William looked at Coles, who had shed its human disguise and revealed its Moon Realm essence. Under its deep despair, an ethereal light of hope flickered. William had seen a similar scene before. Was that 1,008 years ago, or was it only a few years ago? This probably depended on the angle you looked at things from and your understanding of time. In short, there was once a Doomsday Watcher Presiding Judge whose name wasn¡¯t William Kane. She led her people to form a very different lineup of the 13 Judges and came to the desolate Moon Realm. That place was called Gray Castle. It was said to be the first Moon Realm domain in the world. Other than gray dust, there was nothing there. Anyone who stepped in would shed their color and reveal a grayish-white color that seemed to have been a result of burning. It was already the end of the third war. The largest incursions in the Moon Realm were repelled, and all of Currere appeared to welcome a long-awaited peace and serenity. However, scattered Lunar Monsters were still wreaking havoc in Currere, so the Judges scattered all over the continent and cooperated with the local overlords to fight the enemy. However, one day, their Presiding Judge summoned them to gather at the Twilight Fortress and told them that the last battle was about to begin¡ªa chance to completely resolve the Moon Realm crisis had arrived. Therefore, they followed the Presiding Judge to Gray Castle. There, they saw 14 long pillars slowly rise in the flying dust. At the top of each pillar was a unique throne. Then, figures appeared on the thrones. Unlike the surrounding grayish-white world, They had extremely distinct colors. Other than one empty throne, a Void Sovereign sat on every throne. The Judges were surrounded and couldn¡¯t escape. Someone asked the Presiding Judge in surprise and anger why this was the case. Then, he became the first sacrifice. Blood constantly flowed from his hands as a giant wrapped in dark-red armor leaped down from the throne. He beheaded the person with a brass serrated axe before letting out a deafening roar. Then, her former companions were killed one after another around the Presiding Judge. Some were strangled to death by spider silk, some were burned to ashes by the flames, some turned into a pool of pus, and some had their blood drained¡­ Each Void Sovereign took the life of a Judge as a sacrifice. With every death, the Presiding Judge¡¯s grayish-white body was dyed in color. After the surrounding 12 Judges died, she completed her final metamorphosis. White wings spread out from her back, and her body almost turned into light that symbolized hope. A deep and dark hole appeared in front of her chest. It was an abyss of despair. The last Void Sovereign who didn¡¯t take away the offerings held a black and white crown and came to her to crown her¡­ Coles¡¯s form in front of him resembled the opposite of the saved character back then. So choosing a different method to advance would result in a difference in the final form? William thought. After completing the transformation, Coles said in a completely distorted voice, ¡°For every second this state is maintained, the mercy I can retain in my will for Currere will decrease, and the number of mortals on the continent who can be protected by the lighthouse will decrease greatly in the future.¡± As it spoke, it appeared in front of William like a ghost. It raised its sharp claws and grabbed the latter¡¯s throat. ¡°And all of this is because of you!¡± Coles roared. William raised the enchanted crystal staff in his hand and planned on blocking the strike. However, the pitch-black claws turned into smoke and passed through the staff. Then, they instantly condensed again and approached his throat. However, just as the sharp claws were about to slit William¡¯s throat, the golden ring on his right ring finger which had the shape of embracing arms lit up. A faint golden phantom appeared behind William. It was a young woman whose face couldn¡¯t be seen clearly. She crossed her arms behind William and wrapped them around his neck. Coles¡¯s pitch-black claws couldn¡¯t advance an inch under the protection of the golden phantom. After blocking the strike, William jumped back with the help of a Floating spell. In mid-air, he waved the crystal magical medium in his hand like a sword. A magical sword that emitted a faint blue light instantly took shape. Then, this strike sliced off Coles¡¯s hand that was grabbing at him like a hot knife slicing through butter. ¡°Lady¡¯s Protection? I remember now. The seven Holy Spirit rings from back then are still in your hands, right?!¡± Coles didn¡¯t look at its severed hand. Instead, it stared at the gradually fading golden phantom behind William. The answer was yes. Moreover, he was wearing all seven rings. William didn¡¯t answer Coles¡¯s question. He was in a state that needed extreme control of his HP in exchange for maximizing the strength of his spells. In short, he was a glass cannon. Although he carried many items that could extend his life when dealt a fatal attack, all of it was one-off. The next time he could use them required him to be out of battle for a recharge or wait for the long cooldown. For example, he had already been accidentally struck into an invincible state. It was better not to be careless. The hand that William chopped off didn¡¯t fall to the ground. Instead, it turned into more than ten pitch-black balls in midair and spread out. Then, it quickly attacked William from different directions. These balls produced potent gravitational forces. Along the way, the ground was torn apart into fissures. Even the orange clouds under the dusk were slightly pulled over by them. However, in the next moment, a mirror emitting lake light appeared on the path of every pitch-black ball. An equal number of mirror spaces appeared in all directions around Coles. Coles didn¡¯t have the time to control the gravity balls to stop advancing. The dozen or so balls crashed into the mirror space before flying out of the mirrors around Coles and smashing into their master. In an instant, intense but silent explosions sounded. Everything around it constantly collapsed with Coles as the center. It and everything around it was kneaded into an irregular sphere that floated in midair. Then, the sphere cracked inch by inch, and Coles turned it to dust in anger. However, as soon as it appeared, more than ten spinning illusory ring blades flew at it at the same time. Upon seeing this, Coles immediately summoned several distorted black swords to intercept them. The ring blades constantly collided and annihilated the airborne black swords. However, a few ring blades still passed through Coles¡¯s interception and firmly wrapped around its body. Countless thick black shadows erupted from the ring blades and constantly enveloped it. Coles bared its sharp claws and constantly tore at the shadows clinging to it. This prevented it from paying attention to William¡¯s situation. Seeing that he had temporarily controlled the other party, William held the crystal staff with both hands and slammed it on the ground. With him as the center, a fiery-red nexus with a diameter of nearly 50 meters was outlined. The pattern looked indescribably complicated. Let¡¯s end it with this strike. Peak Fire spell¡ªReturn to Dust. Chapter 126 - 126 Fire 126 Fire As an extremely huge amount of mana was injected into the spell through the crystal magical medium in William¡¯s hand, the entire staff instantly turned fiery red, and spiderweb-like cracks began to appear on its surface. Boiling magma began to emit from the lines that outlined the complicated nexus. The surrounding air also became scorching hot, and the surging heat wave seemed to bake the clouds in the sky. There were a total of 13 so-called peak spells. They represented the peak of every magic skill tree. The principles behind the operation of every peak spell were referenced from the creation of the world, so they were spells that stemmed from the origin of the Currere rules the most. Although in-game, other than the high fashion value of these 13 peak spells, they were a little flattering from a practical point of view¡ªeither the chanting time was too long, the casting restrictions were too great, or the mana consumption was too high, players would basically only use them a few times after learning them. Then, they would usually end up collecting dust in the Skill column. The most important thing was the cost-effectiveness ratio. The mana required to release All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust once might be enough to cast Fireball more than 200 times, and the accumulated damage of the latter was much higher than the former. Not to mention that every time he released All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust, he needed to permanently damage a magical medium with quality that wasn¡¯t inferior to a holy relic. Although holy relic magical mediums weren¡¯t very precious to late-stage players, they couldn¡¯t afford to be wasted like this. With so many restrictions, the strength of this spell at face value was undoubtedly the best. Ignoring some special circumstances, the Fire spell, All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust, was undoubtedly the highest DPS AOE spell in the game. Coles tore apart the binding effect of the seven Shadow Cage ring blades on it. Only then did it focus its attention on William, who was chanting a spell not far away. What spell was that? Looking at the huge nexus and sensing the immense magic power flowing inside, Coles couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. Even though it was in an incomplete Void Sovereign state and theoretically couldn¡¯t be killed by Currere¡¯s spells, it still felt uneasy. Coles knew the Presiding Judge¡¯s combat style very well. Compared to large-scale spells that required multiple chants, he preferred to use simple instantaneous spells in combat to reduce unnecessary mana consumption. In terms of scheming, the Presiding Judge was a genius. Sometimes, it was as if he could predict the future. Even in an unexplored place, he could seemingly predict the future and switch to the most suitable equipment to use spells that countered the enemy the most. However, Coles had never seen the Presiding Judge use such a powerful spell. No, it wasn¡¯t just that it had never seen the Presiding Judge use it. In Coles¡¯s more than 1,000 years of life, it had never seen such a powerful spell¡ªno matter who it was. He had to be stopped¡­ The Twilight Barrier built using the Twilight Fortress was already on the verge of collapse. Under the invasion of the four Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies, the power of the Finality scene was about to be exhausted. When that happened, the Twilight Fortress that had protected Currere for thousands of years would completely become history. In just over a minute, They could completely break through the barrier, and that would be Coles¡¯ victory. The thought process didn¡¯t even last a second in its mind. In an instant, Coles turned into a black shadow and charged at William, who was chanting the spell. Two towering pillars of fire instantly blocked its path. This was a magical trap William had left behind in advance, but Coles, who had expected this, flipped its wings and slanted its body to pass through the gap between the two pillars of fire. Then, a bolt of lightning struck it to the ground. William looked at it and could not help but say, ¡°Your movement pattern is too easy to predict. Why isn¡¯t it even comparable to a Boss that can do input reading?¡± Although Coles didn¡¯t know which mythical and legendary allusion the Presiding Judge was referring to, it could still hear the obvious mockery in the other party¡¯s tone. However, before it could spread its wings again, a feeling of weakness spread throughout its body. The tiny electric currents on its body were running everywhere, preventing it from moving for a while. William¡¯s spell was completed. ¡°In the future, remember to prepare a corresponding countermeasure for the Paralysis effect when facing high-level lightning spells.¡± William looked at Coles, who was standing up shakily from the ground, and said slowly. With a cracking sound, the crystal staff in his hand turned to ashes and fluttered in the wind. ¡°However, there¡¯s probably no point in making this suggestion now¡­¡± As William spoke, he raised his right hand and made a grabbing motion. Coles followed his movements and looked over. At this moment, a sickly sun appeared in the shattered sky of the Finality scene and the twilight sky. It was fiery red and one could see the burning outlines around it as if the sun would extinguish at any moment. ¡°After all, you don¡¯t have a future.¡± William made a pulling motion once he finished his sentence. Then, the sun fell towards Coles¡­ There was no sound of an explosion, no dazzling light¡ªeverything marched towards destruction in intense silence. ¡­ Fire spells were also known as Plunder spells. Fire was rotten Light. Light, or Creatons, constituted everything in the world. The process of them sinking to Currere seemed to have been diffracted into different colors through a prism. Some of them were light, turning into the breath of the soul, and some of them were heavy, turning into solid ground. During this process, some light went bad. They couldn¡¯t solidify into anything specific, nor could they rely on themselves to exist in Currere. They had to destroy other specific things to exist, and they had to devour and plunder other things to appear. This metamorphosed light was fire. Light could directly provide energy and temperature to Currere, and fire had to rely on destruction to do so. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that fire was a bad thing. In fact, fire was also an indispensable part of creation. Among the Seven Holy Spirits who symbolized balance and ¡®youth¡¯ was the cornerstone elemental¡ªfire. The deeper meaning of fire was plundering. Destroying other things with energy brought light and heat to oneself. This process also injected the initial motivation into the greatest conflict in Currere¡ªthe food chain. Without fire, the entire Currere would have become a lonely world where only plants grew crazily. Therefore, to all magic chanters who studied Fire spells, finding the source of firewood and choosing the target they wanted to plunder was the most central topic. Those who needed to rely on igniting plants to assist in burning were often mediocre. They had categorized themselves to the same level as cows and sheep. Those who chose to attempt igniting metal were the most foolish. This was because they often needed to spend ten times more effort than ordinary people, but they could only obtain less than half of the results. Converting light (magic) into fire was a spacious path. Typically, taking this path was enough for one to reach the Master level, but going deeper required a deeper understanding of plundering. Ignition of the soul or memories was more in line with human society¡¯s understanding of the concept of plunder. In fact, most flames with special effects needed these two as materials. Then, what kind of firewood did the peak Fire spell, All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust, choose? William walked on the white land. With the spell as the center, everything around him turned to dust. There was nothing left but ashes, dust, and loneliness. Even the air smelled of ashes. A thin spirit that was like black smoke from a burning candle swayed in the wind. William slowly walked over. It was a remnant soul left behind by Coles. A tiny white speck of light restrained the spirit and prevented it from dissipating. William drew Judgment 2 and said, ¡°Fortunately, I didn¡¯t kill you directly. Otherwise, I would have to go to that lighthouse to wait for your resurrection.¡± As a high-level Moon Realm existence, Coles wouldn¡¯t truly die even if its body was destroyed. If one didn¡¯t use powers of the same nature to kill it, it could still slowly recover from its domain. Of course, with its current injuries, this ¡®slowness¡¯ would probably take hundreds of years. ¡°What was that?¡± Coles¡¯s spirit asked feebly. ¡°The simulation of a wrong creation,¡± William replied. The sun was a projection of the Realm of Light. The principle of All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust was to simulate a wrong creation and create a symbol of the sun with the purest magic power. It was then assumed that it lost control during the creation and all the Creatons rotted. Therefore, in order to develop this spell, he had to first let the three spells¡ªLight, Illusion, and Fire¡ªreach the Divine Realm. Then, he had to defeat the incarnation of the Lady of Starvation and obtain an understanding of corruption before finally learning it. Then, what kind of world would it ultimately create? The answer was the name of the spell, All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust. Coles didn¡¯t understand what William meant by simulating the wrong creation, but it didn¡¯t plan on asking further. It only continued, ¡°Do you know? When Blake and I went to the Moon Realm to find the Life Seed, I really wanted to revive you.¡± William nodded and looked at the constantly collapsing Twilight Wall. ¡°Therefore, I want to know how you know about the Seed of Hope.¡± Chapter 127 - 127 Times 127 Times The dilapidated and declining twilight scene constantly shattered and peeled off, revealing the deep dark clouds and endless storms of Black Crow Gaze. After all, the four Void Sovereigns were eating at it at the same time, and the Twilight Barrier¡¯s protection was constantly shattering. It probably wouldn¡¯t be long before the Moon Realm domain, the Finality scene, was torn apart by the four mighty forces. However, there was still some time before it completely shattered. ¡°You indeed¡­ knew what this thing was used for from the beginning, right?¡± Coles¡¯s remnant soul asked weakly when he heard William¡¯s question. William nodded. ¡°But you didn¡¯t even walk into that room,¡± Coles asked in confusion. ¡°Room? What room?¡± William asked in confusion. ¡°Furnace City, the basement of the Mad Sorcerer, Gedwin Lyle. Do you remember? We killed that lunatic back then together.¡± Coles¡¯s words reminded William of the prerequisite quests for the Eclipse ending. Gedwin Lyle was a sorcerer who had fallen into madness from studying the Moon Realm. He had found a way to become a Moon Realm Void Sovereign after plenty of research¡ªof course, he was more likely to have learned of it under the inspiration of a Void Sovereign. However, he also realized that he didn¡¯t have the qualifications to ascend, so he began to search for people who did. If the player recruited him into the Doomsday Watchers, he would guide the player to activate the quest line for the Eclipse ending. However, even if the player killed him, they could find documentary information in his residence to activate the quest line. William burned down the house in that save. In addition, perhaps because of the producer¡¯s malice, the difficulty of the Eclipse ending was far lower than the other levels. Not only would players obtain the powerful blessings of the Void Sovereigns along the way, but the intensity of the Moon Realm invasion would also decrease accordingly. ¡°Do you remember? You didn¡¯t even walk in back then. Instead, you burned down his house from the outside,¡± Coles said. ¡°Because I know what¡¯s inside,¡± William replied simply. ¡°Then, you had this chance a thousand years ago¡­ I don¡¯t understand why you and Blake¡­¡± Coles asked in confusion. It still couldn¡¯t figure out why someone was willing to give up this opportunity. ¡°Just answer my question¡ªhow do you know about the Seed of Hope?¡± William interrupted Coles. The remnant soul replied, ¡°After you left, I followed the path of Judgment¡¯s salvation back then and began a pilgrimage. In the ruins of Furnace City, I found fragments of some documents, including records about the Seed of Hope.¡± ¡°And your ambition was ignited?¡± William asked expressionlessly. ¡°I only obtained documents about the Seed of Hope back then. It wasn¡¯t even complete,¡± the remnant soul replied. ¡°Then when was it lit?¡± William nodded and continued asking. ¡°After I learned how lucky we were to defeat the Moon Realm back then,¡± Coles¡¯s remnant soul replied. Then, it continued, ¡°But I don¡¯t think this is any ¡®ambition.¡¯ In the Moon Realm, the three Void Sovereigns who created the Crowman curse found me. They showed me how you won¡ªcoincidences, countless coincidences. Although your strength is comparable to the perfect incarnation the Void Sovereign created in Currere a thousand years ago, you always seem to be able to choose the possibility of victory from countless possibilities.¡± The Twilight Wall on the horizon was almost destroyed. Black Crow Gaze¡¯s storm began to scour the ancient Twilight Fortress. Other than that, more phenomena began to appear around him. It was a sign that the four Void Sovereigns were about to break through. ¡°But it¡¯s impossible to keep winning just by luck. The Void Sovereign has infinite bargaining chips to play with mortals. Only by becoming an existence on the same level as Them can it be possible¡­¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your reason, I can only say that I¡¯m very disappointed.¡± William interrupted it. As he spoke, he aimed Judgment 2 at the faint white speck of light on Coles¡¯s remnant soul¡¯s chest. ¡°From the beginning to the end, I¡¯ve only heard complaints, as if you had no choice. As for the plan to leave the Blackwater Province as a sanctuary, it¡¯s just you consoling yourself. Tell me, what did you really sacrifice for this? Is it your conscience or guilt?¡± Coles retorted, Then, do you know how the Orsis Continent in the west was reduced to ruins? The three Void Sovereigns showed me the scene of the continent¡¯s destruction. Vic Continent is only one of the many stages in Currere. Perhaps it¡¯s currently Their favorite stage, but what¡¯s the point? Perhaps they will encounter the same fate as the Orsis Continent one day. Therefore, tell me, how should I have chosen? Should I personally send some people to their deaths to preserve the survival of more people? Or should I do nothing and wait for this continent to be reduced to ruins one day?¡± In this sense, if the Vic Continent finally completed the plane fusion with the Moon Realm, it was equivalent to becoming a vassal of the Moon Realm. As long as one wasn¡¯t in the domain of a few special Void Sovereigns, one didn¡¯t have to worry about the entire continent being reduced to ruins one morning. Of course, what happened to the mortals living inside was another matter. ¡°The trolley problem again¡­¡± William muttered softly. Then, he raised his voice and said, ¡°Get rid of all the guys who gave you this choice. This is my answer.¡± The real concern of the trolley problem was how to kill the lunatic who tied people to the rails and how to prevent such a situation from happening again¡ªinstead of questioning human nature over and over again via the moral dilemma given by a lunatic. Coles¡¯s remnant soul trembled. A few seconds later, it asked, ¡°Then how do we resolve it? Back then, you had an army, the support of countless powerhouses, and the entire continent as your backing¡­ And look at what¡¯s left? This isn¡¯t a thousand years ago. Presiding Judge, times have changed!¡± ¡°No¡­ Coles, the times haven¡¯t changed.¡± Before stabbing the sword into Coles¡¯s chest, William said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m the times.¡± Judgment 2 stabbed Coles¡¯s remnant soul as easily as stabbing into smoke. The ethereal white light in front of its chest flew into William¡¯s hand along the straight sword. Looking at the white light, William took out the Seed of Hope from his inventory and fused it. Back then, Blake swallowed the Seed of Hope through a freak combination of factors and entered the final ¡®reversal¡¯ stage of the advancement ritual in advance. Although he ultimately failed to ¡®digest¡¯ the Seed of Hope because he lacked fuel, he still absorbed a portion of its power. Therefore, the Seed of Hope in William¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t complete. A portion of its power was in Coles¡¯s body, in the weak white spot of light on its chest. The Seed of Hope was now complete in William¡¯s hands. ¡°Then, can I ask one last question?¡± Coles asked before it completely dissipated. It didn¡¯t wait for William¡¯s reply and continued, ¡°Activating the Twilight Fortress to block this place requires a Judge to continuously provide energy in the Twilight Hall. Presiding Judge, which old friend is helping you?¡± After the incident at the Holy Sepulchre, Coles hadn¡¯t looked for any Judges in the past thousand years. Coles couldn¡¯t tell if it was because it was worried about complicating matters or if it simply didn¡¯t want to see them again. Also, if it didn¡¯t want to see them again, what were the emotions that compelled it to have this decision? It only faced this problem before its death. However, before it could obtain an answer to this question, its remnant soul completely dissipated in midair. William looked at Coles who had disappeared in front of him and slowly said to the empty space, ¡°Cass Durant, he¡¯s not any of your old friends, but Blake¡¯s successor to Judgment 4. He¡¯s also the first new Judge of this era.¡± ¡°New times, our times.¡± With that said, the Twilight Barrier in the sky completely shattered. Four figures surrounded him. Chapter 128 - 128 Circus and Crown 128 Circus and Crown After the Twilight Wall completely collapsed, the scene returned to Black Crow Gaze. However, because of the death of its original owner, the entire huge Moon Realm domain was slowly crumbling. If no one continued maintaining it, this place would probably turn into a Moon Realm storm and completely dissipate. William and the four Void Sovereigns were on a triangular island reef in the middle of Black Crow Gaze. The lights on the lighthouse not far away had extinguished. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± William held the Seed of Hope in his hand and added, ¡°Just like before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late,¡± the Whispering Empress¡ªwho wore a pitch-black crown and whose face was covered by a black veil¡ªsaid softly. ¡°You won¡¯t have the chance to pull those old tricks this time.¡± The entire Black Crow Gaze was completely sealed off, and the Twilight Fortress was stranded inside. William had to face the four Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies at the same time. Moreover, he didn¡¯t even have the corresponding Judgment equipment. As he had kept his HP low to fight Coles, he could at most maintain this extreme status for another two minutes. The current situation could probably be described as ¡®doomed.¡¯ However, William looked calm. He even took off the Progenitor Vampire Crown on his head and exited the extreme damage state he was maintaining. ¡°Calamity, it¡¯s too late to beg for mercy,¡± the Pale Poet with a noose around his neck said. William nodded and said, ¡°Yes, you can kill me now. Then?¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯ll forever have one less problem in Currere,¡± the filthy Lord of the Dark Tide replied. ¡°At the same time, the 14th Void Sovereign, the King of Hope and Despair, can¡¯t be born,¡± William shrugged and said. ¡°The person you placed your bets on has just been wiped out completely. As for the authority to control the entire Black Crow Gaze, there¡¯s only one soul fragment of the Father of the Crows left. If I don¡¯t take the initiative to maintain the existence of this Moon Realm domain, this place will immediately turn into a huge Moon Realm storm and completely dissipate.¡± Black Crow Gaze was formed from the Curse of Despair. If it dissipated like this, who knew when the next Curse of Despair would condense in the Moon Realm? ¡°That might be a long time for you, but to us, it¡¯s akin to just waiting for a fruit to rot,¡± the Lady of Starvation said slowly. ¡°Then, this is a simple choice. You can kill me now. This way, you can eliminate the Moon Realm Calamity and wait for the next opportunity. Or, you can choose not to kill me. This way, you can also eliminate the Moon Realm Calamity and obtain a new Void Sovereign as your ally,¡± William replied. ¡°You? You choose to become a Void Sovereign?¡± The Whispering Empress laughed as if She had heard a joke. Then, in the next moment, She appeared in front of William. Her slender hands reached for the collar of William¡¯s robe, and the six eyes behind the black veil lit up with red light. ¡°What are you planning?¡± the Whispering Empress, Beatrice, asked in a hoarse growl. The black skull ring on William¡¯s left middle finger instantly emitted light. A shadow wearing a pitch-black robe and whose face was hidden behind a hood appeared behind William. His thin hands stopped Beatrice¡¯s next move. Guardian of the Dead, one of the Seven Holy Spirit Rings. ¡°Under such circumstances, what else do you think I can do?¡± William replied. The entire Black Crow Gaze was sealed off, and the Finality scene bound to the Twilight Fortress had been shattered by the four Void Sovereigns. He was like a turtle in a jar with no chance of escape. However, William¡¯s words didn¡¯t convince Beatrice. She didn¡¯t stop what She was doing. Instead, She pried open the hand of the shadow protecting William bit by bit, and fine cracks appeared on the skull ring on William¡¯s hand. However, a pale hand landed on Beatrice¡¯s shoulder, stopping Her next move. ¡°Let¡¯s listen to his specific conditions first.¡± The Pale Poet, Pock, appeared behind Beatrice. ¡°After all, he can¡¯t escape.¡± Seeing Beatrice stop, William rubbed the Guardian of the Dead ring on his left middle finger and vaguely made a middle finger gesture at Her. Then, he said, ¡°There are no conditions. As long as you let me enter the lighthouse and continue the unfinished ritual, I will become your ally after my ascension is completed. It¡¯s that simple.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe that you¡¯re so kind?¡± Beatrice sneered. ¡°If you refuse and don¡¯t give me a way out, I¡¯ll destroy the last soul fragment and the Seed of Hope before I die. The Curse of Despair might appear in the Moon Realm in the future, but under your rule, this Seed of Hope will probably be the last one,¡± William spread his hands and said frankly. Then, he looked at the gradually collapsing sky in the distance and continued, ¡°Moreover, this is only a suggestion. If you really can¡¯t accept it, I can only choose another ally cautiously.¡± As if to confirm William¡¯s words, cheerful and noisy music suddenly sounded from the sky. There was also a burst of crazy laughter. A gorgeous float pulled by a bear and an elephant was flying over from the horizon. A few wisps of smoke of different colors dragged behind the float. As the float flew, the smoke spelled out the words ¡°Valk Circus.¡± Unfortunately, before the last few letters could be spelled out, the entire float fell into a huge invisible spiderweb like a wasp, and the crazy laughter stopped abruptly. ¡°I swear that from now on, the entire theater will focus on cleaning up any buildup of spiderwebs. Yes¡­ The specific measure is to use fireworks.¡± After a while, a depressed voice sounded from the front seat of the float. With that said, all kinds of fireworks extended from the windows of the float. Then, the entire sky began to bloom with colorful fireworks. After the fireworks exploded, they turned into all kinds of animals that scurried in the sky, burning the spider silk to ashes. The float broke free and circled the sky a few more times before heading straight for the island reef. The vehicle screeched to a halt beside the lighthouse. The elephant and bear pulling the carriage very consciously untied their reins and walked to the door to open it for their master. A clown wearing a convoluted and gorgeous costume walked out of the car. His face looked gorgeous but also a little terrifying¡ªAbsurdity Jester Valk. Valk opened with a puzzling line. He counted the people present and asked, ¡°So there are five clowns now? Or six?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for a clown to liven up the atmosphere today,¡± Beatrice looked at Him and whispered. ¡°No, no, no. Believe me, there¡¯s no lack of clowns here today.¡± As Valk spoke, he straightened his clothes and said, ¡°First, there¡¯s me¡­¡± ¡°Anyone can tell,¡± Beatrice mocked. Valk ignored Her and continued, ¡°I actually believed the time described by your eyeball; it made me come a few minutes late and miss the most exciting show.¡± As He spoke, He sniffled a few times and looked at William. ¡°Ah, the smell of ashes and dust. So you burned that Crowman to death in the end?¡± William nodded subconsciously. Yes, the graphics were considered passable, but the creativity was slightly lacking. This play was a little monotonous when added to The Destruction of Judgment. William couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. The play wasn¡¯t over¡­ Fortunately, he didn¡¯t include Valk and Zamara¡¯s help in his combat strength during his planning. From Her description, the Whispering Empress seemed to have used some method to delay Valk¡¯s arrival, and Zamara didn¡¯t come at all. ¡°Then, since I didn¡¯t finish watching the show, I can only ask the person involved to return to the theater with me and recount this scene verbally,¡± Valk looked at William and said. William instantly understood what the other party meant. He wanted to take the opportunity to bring him out. Although he and Valk couldn¡¯t defeat the four Void Sovereigns together, as long as he had His help, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to escape Black Crow Gaze. Upon hearing this, the four Void Sovereigns instantly became on guard. ¡°Valk, I advise you not to do this¡­¡± the Lord of the Dark Tide said. Valk ignored Him and looked at William. William shook his head and said, ¡°No, the matters regarding my two subordinates have to be resolved here today.¡± Valk said thoughtfully, ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s five clowns. Not bad. Thankfully, I brought the crown with me today.¡± As He spoke, He took out a crooked crown from his convoluted clown costume. ¡°Beggar¡¯s Crown, dedicated to the most foolish person on April Fool¡¯s Day.¡± Chapter 129 - 129 Choice 129 Choice Valk¡¯s day of summoning was the 4th of the Rain Moon every year. This day was called April Fool¡¯s Day or Beggar King¡¯s Day. Legend had it that in the Golden Calendar, Valk had once switched the identities of a beggar with a king on his day of summoning. The beggar wearing the crown issued many extremely ridiculous orders on that day, causing great chaos in the capital. But when the day passed at midnight, the beggar returned to his original tattered state with rotten sores all over his body. The golden crown on his head also turned into a crooked crown woven from cardboard and bamboo. Later on, to prevent such a thing from happening again, on the 4th of the Rain Moon every year, the king would take the initiative to change into tattered beggar clothes. He instructed himself in advance that all the orders he gave today were a joke and allowed all the beggars in the country to party on the streets. For some reason, this tradition became a carnival festival. On the 4th of the Rain Moon, all the nobles would change into simple clothes and stay behind closed doors. As for the beggars, they would put on fake crowns and call themselves kings to party on the streets. All the citizens who saw the beggars had to take the initiative to bow to them and couldn¡¯t refuse the other party¡¯s requests for food or money. The crown in Valk¡¯s hand was the same model as the April Fool Day¡¯s Beggar King crown, or rather, its earliest prototype. ¡°You plan on crowning him?¡± The Lady of Starvation looked at Valk in surprise. Valk whistled as a form of affirmation. ¡°I thought you would be the last person in the Moon Realm to do this.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m probably the only person in the Moon Realm who will do this,¡± Valk replied with a smile. The Pale Poet, Pock, reminded, ¡°You know that the plan of plane fusion won¡¯t change just because of your crowning.¡± The four Void Sovereigns present knew that the fellow dressed as a clown in front of Them was the sovereign who objected the most to initiating the Vic Continent¡¯s plane fusion plan. The 13 Void Sovereigns held a meeting at Gray Castle every 169 years. The most important topic of the previous meeting was to discuss the specific implementation of the Vic Continent¡¯s plane fusion plan. At that meeting, other than the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, who was absent as usual and only sent Her Nightmare Maid to convey Her objections, only Absurdity Jester expressed intense objections. The four Void Sovereigns present who had once supported Coles didn¡¯t believe that He would suddenly change His mind. The entire ritual was anchored to the land of the Blackwater Province. Camilla, who was on duty as the sovereign of the Year of Starvation, was only waiting to activate the ritual¡¯s fuel. Then, a person with Black Crow Gaze¡¯s control would use the Seed of Hope and begin the final stage of the ritual. This process would inevitably trigger the plane fusion. Unless Valk and William could join forces to expel the four Void Sovereigns from Black Crow Gaze and re-setup the ritual, only then could they restart the ascension ritual without triggering the plane fusion. Other than doing this, no matter who was crowned, it wouldn¡¯t affect the outcome of the ritual. After all, Coles¡¯s Crows had been plotting in Currere for more than a thousand years. The four Void Sovereigns had supported it for so long. It could not change overnight. Moreover, without Their support, the most important fuel for the ritual would be sourceless. However, Valk only said indifferently, ¡°It all depends on this guy¡¯s choice.¡± As He spoke, He pointed at William and continued, ¡°He¡¯s the protagonist here today. In addition, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m only in charge of bringing a crown over and then laughing at your irrelevant ¡®perfect plan.¡¯ With that said, six red lights lit up under Beatrice¡¯s black veil. This was a sign of a drastic change in Her emotions. To put it bluntly, Beatrice had already done her best to adjust various parts of the plan. For example, she had roped in the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, in advance so that She could maintain a neutral position in this ritual. For example, by controlling the changes in the net of conspiracies, she greatly delayed Valk¡¯s arrival at Black Crow Gaze. The two greatest variables¡ªthe two Void Sovereigns who had different attitudes toward the plane fusion plan¡ªhad been restrained in advance. As for the Moon Realm Calamity, he was only a mortal. He could not hold back the ritual alone in the Moon Realm. Beatrice didn¡¯t expect William to be willing to sacrifice the entire Twilight Fortress to buy time. Moreover, he could kill Coles, who was already a quasi-Void Sovereign, in less than three minutes. Regardless, the other party¡¯s goal had been achieved. This was undeniable even if She killed the other party. Not to mention that with Valk¡¯s help, William could leave easily. Black Crow Gaze would dissipate soon. Perhaps the conditions for the birth of the 14th Void Sovereign could appear again in the future, but Her plan to use this ritual to begin the plane fusion this year was destined to fail. Unless¡­ Beatrice turned Her red eyes to William. If William was willing to cooperate with Them to continue the ritual, it could indeed make up for the previous losses. It also eliminated a problem for the Moon Realm. After all, once the former Moon Realm Calamity became a Void Sovereign himself, regardless of whether the other party was willing or not, He had to rely on the emotions of Currere to maintain Himself. Or rather, the other party¡¯s will as a human would become extremely thin. He would show more of a manifested personality as a symbol of the domain. As for the Void Sovereigns who were high-level existences in the Moon Realm, there might be all kinds of conflicts between them, but Their attitude toward Currere was unanimous most of the time. No matter what, helping William Kane become the new Void Sovereign was the best choice, but Beatrice felt that things weren¡¯t that simple. As the Void Sovereign who wielded the power of conspiracy and betrayal, Beatrice could see the future through the trembling of the conspiracy threads. However, when She looked at William, She saw nothing. All the conspiracies related to his future seemed to have been burned. Being unable to grasp the direction of the matter was probably what She hated the most. But what can he do now? What is that clown Valk planning? Since the Calamity has given up the chance to escape Black Crow Gaze and has stayed, it means that he still can¡¯t relinquish the stature as the 14th Void Sovereign¡ªthis is normal. After all, no mortal will give up the chance of elevating themselves to eternity. However, if the other party wants to carry out the ascension ritual now, the entire ritual would be under Our control. This way, Valk¡¯s plan to stop the Moon Realm from fusing with the Vic Continent¡¯s plane would fail. Could it be that the other party has a backup plan that can change the entire ritual¡¯s layout under the noses of the four Sovereigns? Just like how he suddenly summoned the Finality scene and trapped Them outside? With this in mind, Beatrice looked at the dilapidated castle behind the Calamity. After the Finality scene was destroyed by Them, the Twilight Fortress, which had caused countless trouble for Them more than a thousand years ago, had fallen from Currere. The Moon Realm domain that anchored this fortress had already been shattered. Before obtaining a new Moon Realm domain, it was only an ordinary stone castle. It¡¯s impossible for there to be any backup plans¡­ A roar sounded around them, and a huge black crack appeared on the entire island reef. At the same time, cracks appeared on the lighthouse not far away. This was a sign that Black Crow Gaze was about to collapse. Upon seeing this, William took out the last soul fragment of the Father of the Crows in his inventory and held the Seed of Hope in his other. ¡°So what¡¯s your choice? Do you want to see me destroy these two things together¡­¡± As William spoke, the nexus of Item Destruction lit up in his hand. ¡°Or should you make way and let me head to that lighthouse to do what needs to be done?¡± Chapter 130 - 130 No Choice Required 130 No Choice Required ¡°Let him go. After all, he won this time. He¡¯s qualified to be one of us,¡± Camilla immediately said when She heard William¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on Valk. There won¡¯t be any problems with the entire ritual,¡± Pock looked at Beatrice and said. Valk spread His hands and shrugged, revealing an innocent expression. Beatrice fell silent for a long time. She quickly deduced what other ways the other party could bypass Their ritual arrangements and advance to Void Sovereign without the plane fusion happening. However, the answer was impossible¡­ Seeing Black Crow Gaze collapse at an increasing speed, Beatrice could only nod reluctantly. Seeing the last Void Sovereign nod, William held the last soul fragment and controlled all of Black Crow Gaze¡¯s Moon Realm domain. He temporarily took over Black Crow Gaze. Under his will, the entire Moon Realm domain that was gradually losing control slowly stabilized. The constantly disintegrating sky slowly began to recover while the gradually calming storm began to wreak havoc again. Even the newly cracked reefs began to heal themselves. After doing all this, William turned to look at the Twilight Fortress behind him and asked, ¡°Then, how about using this fortress as the initial anchor point for the plane fusion?¡± The Twilight Fortress was a product of Currere. In other words, this fortress had the exact coordinates of Currere. It was only temporarily stranded in the Moon Realm because the Moon Realm¡¯s Finality scene bound to it had been destroyed. Later on, as long as it was anchored to Black Crow Gaze again, it could be used as an anchor point for the larger plane fusion in the future. The Void Sovereigns present knew this very well, and They didn¡¯t seem to find a reason to object to this suggestion. However, Beatrice frowned and asked, ¡°So, you planned this from the beginning?¡± He directly got the four Void Sovereigns to destroy the Finality scene, leaving a Currere fortress stranded in the Moon Realm as an anchor coordinate. This person had done plenty of planning for the Eternal achievement. In that case, everything that had happened seemed to be within the other party¡¯s plan. William didn¡¯t answer the Whispering Empress¡¯s question. Instead, he used the authority of the soul fragment to begin forming a preliminary connection between Black Crow Gaze and the Twilight Fortress¡ªof course, it was only a preliminary connection. The deeper binding needed to wait until he completely became a Moon Realm existence. This process went very smoothly and didn¡¯t last long. After doing all of this, William turned his gaze to the Lighthouse of Hope. The door of the lighthouse opened for its owner. The group walked into the lighthouse. Perhaps it was because Coles was already dead, but the entire lighthouse returned to the appearance of the Twilight Fortress¡¯s round table. William passed through the adamantine door first and walked around the obsidian round table without saying a word. He understood that this was an image that Blake had branded in his heart before his consciousness completely dissipated. The Black Swordsman¡¯s iconic sword leaned against the fourth seat. When William reached out to touch it, it instantly turned into dust and dissipated. Everything here was fake¡ªvisages created by memories. Their only value was to make people who had once been here reminisce. William couldn¡¯t help but sigh. When William walked to the last seat at the round table, he stopped. This was because he saw a pitch-black brooch and a Judgment badge quietly placed in front of the seat. Moreover, these two things were real. The black brooch was the Crown of Original Darkness that he had lent to the Crow Feather Prophet before it landed in Coles¡¯s hands. As for the Judgment badge¡­ William picked up the Judgment badge and flipped it to the back. The words engraved on it had been scratched beyond recognition. William could barely recognize the name. Coles Jackdaw. Valk walked to William¡¯s side. ¡°Back then, after he threw away this badge and left, the sword-wielding guy put it away. Then, he found the Crowman and returned it to him. This is also why he later chose the sword-wielding guy to go to the Moon Realm with him to search for the Seed of Hope,¡± Valk explained. William nodded and kept the brooch and badge. Before Coles took this last step, he left everything from the past here. He probably wanted to say goodbye, William thought. He planned on burying this badge when he returned and erecting a simple grave for that person. ¡°Where should we begin?¡± William turned his head and asked the four Void Sovereigns. The Whispering Empress, Beatrice, first closed Her eyes before opening them. ¡°Put the last soul fragment into your body and begin to elevate yourself into a high-level Moon Realm existence to completely control Black Crow Gaze. Then, swallow the Seed of Hope and wait for the metamorphosis.¡± William walked to the fourth seat in front of the obsidian round table and sat down. This was the throne that controlled Black Crow Gaze. Then, he slowly asked, ¡°What about the fuel?¡± Lady of Starvation Camilla walked to William¡¯s side and said, ¡°The Sea of Despair in Currere has to be stirred up by you to meet the conditions for advancement.¡± As Camilla spoke, a parchment contract and a quill appeared in Her hand. She placed these two things in front of William and continued, ¡°Sign it. Soon, the hunger march will wreak havoc across the Blackwater Province. Countless people will take their last breaths in despair. This way, although the disaster was started by my strength and authority, it only began because of your will. When this disaster lasts for about a month or two, you can turn into the refugees¡¯ hope and save them.¡± William nodded. Although the conditions were different from when he reached the Eclipse ending, it was basically within his expectations. ¡°During this process, the Seed of Hope will complete the reversal until you control the corresponding authority. Finally, your supporter, Mr. Absurdity Jester Valk, will crown you and announce the birth of the King of Hope and Despair,¡± the Pale Poet, Pock, said. Then, His pale face that resembled a drowned person revealed a terrifying smile and said, ¡°Won¡¯t this be a difficult choice for you?¡± What He said was undoubtedly a joke. After all, They had already come this far. No one could care about this price when eternity was only a step away. As He expected, William shook his head and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for choice.¡± Then, he picked up the contract on the table and asked the Lady of Starvation, ¡°I¡¯ve finished reading this contract. It looks like you¡¯ve invested nearly half of your strength for your year into this deal.¡± Even in Her Year of Disaster, setting off a hunger march in the entire Blackwater Province that was comparable to a direct invasion consumed a lot of strength for a Void Sovereign. Of course, if all of this succeeded, She could gain more. ¡°Can we begin?¡± Beatrice asked impatiently. A concealed smile suddenly appeared on Valk¡¯s face when He heard that. William took out the Seed of Hope and the soul fragment apologetically. ¡°Sorry, I got carried away.¡± Then, he continued looking at Camilla and said, ¡°Lady of Starvation, there¡¯s something I want to tell you. Not long ago, after I first learned of the disaster chronology and learned that this was your year in rotation, I made a promise.¡± William¡¯s words made Valk chuckle uncontrollably. Valk¡¯s sudden laughter made Camilla uneasy. She stared at the contract and quill in William¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make you lose everything this year.¡± With that said, the contract in William¡¯s hand instantly burned. A protective wall instantly spread out around William, firmly protecting him within. Then, Presiding Judge William Kane stood up from the memories of this round table. He raised the Seed of Hope and the soul fragment in his hand. The only person present who had expected what was happening was the clown, but He didn¡¯t stop him. Instead, He chose to laugh maniacally. Amidst the maniacal laughter, William announced, ¡°My wish is¡­ to revive Blake Saba.¡± Chapter 131 - 131 Possibility 131 Possibility Death was always a serious topic, even in a world where magic and gods existed. Although there were various methods of resurrection in this world, in summary, there were only two forms. Moreover, these two forms were often far from the resurrection that the public imagined it to be. One of them was a high-level spell like Resuscitation, but this was not a true resurrection. At most, it was just using a huge amount of mana to save a life that wasn¡¯t completely gone. The other was more like a joke or sarcasm. For example, a Void Sovereign had once promised a father that as long as he gathered enough innocent blood, he would let his daughter, who had died in an accident, be reborn. But when this father picked up his daughter, who had opened her eyes again, from the blood bath, his daughter bit her father¡¯s neck and sucked his blood. The person who was resurrected was no longer the same person as before. Instead, her body had been occupied by some other demon. Such ancient legends had been passed down throughout the Vic Continent, warning people not to believe in the temptation of the resurrection of the dead. There was even less of a need to talk about using necromancy to awaken the dead or summoning undead ancestors. Those were just memories from the past, and the future ultimately depended on the living to continue. However, the resurrection that the Seed of Hope could achieve did not belong to any of the above. According to the game¡¯s description of the Seed of Hope, it was a product of the hope of an era reflected in the Moon Realm. It was the crystallization of the wishes of countless mortals. It was connected to the Light Realm and could guide the purest Creatons. It had enough power to reconstruct reality and trigger miracles. This power could even create a Void Sovereign. Or, one could use it as a path to the Light Realm and obtain the original Creatons to revive a dead person. Of course, although this was only written in the item introduction, it didn¡¯t have any actual function in-game. After all, players did not need to go through so much trouble to save those who could be saved. The game creators didn¡¯t give gamers a chance to save those who were destined to die based on the plot. But everything was different now. As for triggering a disaster to become the 14th Void Sovereign and obtain immortality? What kind of joke was this? William did not choose this when he was playing that save. The Divine Realm light spell, Wall of Brilliance, protected William in the middle. At the same time, William activated the seven Holy Spirit Rings. The shadows of the seven Holy Spirits appeared behind him and protected him firmly. However, William¡¯s preparations were unnecessary. Firstly, the four Void Sovereigns did not even realize what had happened. They did not have any plans for the situation in front of Them. They couldn¡¯t figure out the reason for the other party¡¯s actions. On the other hand, the resurrection time was much shorter than William had imagined. It was so short that the Void Sovereigns did not even have time to react. But at the same time, this process was much longer than William had imagined. After William shouted, the Seed of Hope in his hand split open and turned into a dazzling white light. In this light, William felt that his consciousness was constantly lengthening. Everything around him slowed down until it almost stopped. It was just like a revolving door before death. Then, just like a revolving door, William saw the scene of Blake¡¯s death in a light spot. It was in the lighthouse of Black Crow Gaze. Blake, who was dressed in black armor, sat in his seat in front of the obsidian round table. He leaned the black sword against the side of the table. After doing all this, he looked around again before finally lowering his head and falling asleep. No, this was not an illusion of the revolving door. William felt that as long as he stretched out his hand, he could pull Blake away from the round table. Then, another light spot lit up around William. The pitch-black Curse of Despair was constantly transforming his body into a Moon Realm existence, and the opposite force brought by the Seed of Hope kept extending and cracking his body. Blake¡¯s body kept collapsing under the effect of these two forces. After struggling for an unknown period, his body completely turned to dust in the sarcophagus with a series of cracking sounds. These two light spots represented the moment Blake¡¯s consciousness died and his body died. So I can choose which Blake in time to revive? William thought. Before William could make a decision, another light spot lit up in front of him. It was the scene of Blake and William fighting the Whispering Empress Beatrice¡¯s incarnation in the main hall of Platinum City. A slender woman covered in pitch-black miasma with eight blood-red eyes on Her face strolled between invisible spider silk. She wore thin armor and dragged a long shadow behind her. She stretched out six slender arms, each waving a fatal black rapier. Blake brandished Judgment 4 and barely parried the other party¡¯s onslaught of attacks. William chanted a powerful spell not far away. But before this spell could be completed, Blake¡¯s defense revealed a flaw. A rapier instantly pierced his throat, and then a fatal black miasma corroded his entire body into a pile of bones. William looked at the scene in front of him in shock. Although he didn¡¯t have a deep impression of it, this was probably the scene when he screwed up previously? Before William could react, bright spots appeared one after another in front of him. The images displayed in the bright spots were all Blake¡¯s¡­ death. He was cleaved in half by the Demon General, Carnage, swallowed by the lightning sea of the Tyrant¡¯s Disaster, beheaded by the expeditionary general of the Damon Continent, who held a blood-colored samurai sword, or fell into a near-death state after being surrounded by several Webweavers, triggering Dying Glory before dying, as well as being overwhelmed by the endless Undead Tide¡­ Countless lights depicting the moment of Blake¡¯s death lit up around William, stunning him. The last bright spot slowly lit up¡­ Blake walked into the sinister sewer alone and was surrounded by countless half-human, half-spider monsters that crawled out from the darkness. After leaving behind the corpses of the monsters, he finally collapsed. Only then did William, who was dressed as an apprentice and holding a cheap magical medium, arrive¡ªlate. This was the scene when William first met Blake¡­ The scene of him failing to save Blake. Countless possibilities of death, countless choices to avoid death¡­ They were displayed in front of William. Was this the so-called truth that one could completely revive someone without any prerequisites? ¡°I can choose a victory from countless possibilities to turn into reality,¡± William muttered. However, even theoretical deaths that had never happened were reflected by the Seed of Hope. About 20 light spots floated around William and constantly replayed the moment Blake died. Since the possibility of Blake¡¯s death existed and could cover all of reality, could the possibility of his countless deaths also exist? It wasn¡¯t just death. Could the other choices he had made and even his other saves exist? However, there was no time for William to think carefully. As the power of the Seed of Hope was released, the dazzling white light around him gradually dimmed, and the light spots began to extinguish one by one. The light spots that differed the most from current history were the first to extinguish. Then, as if they had triggered a chain reaction, more than ten light spots were extinguished one by one. By the time William came to his senses, only the two spots of light that first appeared remained. Moreover, they swayed like candles that were about to burn to the end, as if they would extinguish at any moment. William immediately reached into one of the light spots. William held Blake¡¯s hand and pulled him from the Lighthouse of Hope in the past to the present-day Lighthouse of Hope. Chapter 132 - 132 Dawn Fortress 132 Dawn Fortress Throughout history, countless mortals had tried to ascend to godhood, achieving immortality. Ever since the earliest Black Iron Age¡ªthe first instance of human written records¡ªpeople had been seeking out the secrets of immortality. Rituals, oaths, magic, faith¡­ After countless generations of attempts, the only path that had been proven feasible was the Moon Realm. The only deities who could exist firmly as personalities were the Void Sovereigns. As a peak mortal, William Kane definitely understood this. However, he still gave up the only chance to transcend. Why? The four sovereigns turned their gaze to Valk, who was holding His stomach and laughing until He was out of breath. ¡°Hahahahaha¡­ W-what did you say? There¡¯s no need for clowns here? I¡¯ve already said that there¡¯s no lack of clowns here today. Hahahaha, let me think. What should this play be called? What do you think of Five Clowns¡¯ Comic Theater?¡± Camilla, who had handed the initiation rights of the Hunger March to William that was burned to ashes by the other party, asked sternly, ¡°Valk! Did you plan all of this from the beginning?¡± ¡°What did he just do?¡± the Lord of the Dark Tide asked in a deep voice. Valk¡¯s tears were about to fall from His laughter. As He laughed, He said, ¡°No, no, no. I originally planned on helping the Calamity ascend to become one of us, but he gave me an even more pleasant suggestion. By the way, forgive me for asking, but have you asked that person named Coles Jackdaw why he went to the Moon Realm to search for the Seed of Hope? Or perhaps, do you really know the true use of the Seed of Hope?¡± Silence spread among the four Void Sovereigns. Upon seeing this, Absurdity Jester continued, ¡°Ah, of course, you don¡¯t¡­ After all, you¡¯re not one of the original seven sovereigns, and just echoes reflected onto the Moon Realm during the Creation. Under your seemingly powerful shells are cowardly mortal souls. Therefore, you firmly believe that everyone will make the same choice as you, and you don¡¯t know the true value of the Seed of Hope. You¡¯re even unwilling to understand the person you¡¯re betting on and what his initial wish was.¡± With that said, Valk burst into even more intense laughter. ¡°You¡­ lunatic.¡± The four Void Sovereigns revealed ugly expressions, and the Whispering Empress spoke with a dark expression. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, but in my opinion, you don¡¯t live up to the word ¡®conspiracy¡¯ at all, Ms. Beatrice,¡± Valk replied politely. With that said, He turned His gaze to the barrier in the center of the lighthouse. ¡°Come now¡­ Show me more possibilities, just like a thousand years ago, show me more¡­¡± Valk rubbed His hands gleefully. ¡°Let¡¯s continue this game and abandon those boring laws to liven up the world¡­¡± ¡­ Blake felt his dissipating consciousness clear up, but he knew that this was only a result of a revolving door he would see before his death. How ironic. He had clearly experienced this feeling once when his body was destroyed, but he never expected to experience it again before his will disappeared. Blake looked up and saw a pure white light. In this pure light, he saw the phantom of the Presiding Judge hold his hand. His expression was solemn, just like a thousand years ago. ¡°Presiding Judge, can I still be considered a competent watcher?¡± Blake didn¡¯t believe in the Holy Spirits or gods. He didn¡¯t believe that he would head to a divine kingdom or holy realm after death. Therefore, he understood that the Presiding Judge in front of him was only the last illusion he saw before his death. However, he still asked this question despite knowing that the other party wouldn¡¯t answer him. However, to his surprise, the phantom in front of him moved. The Presiding Judge shook his head and said, ¡°No, you¡¯re not¡­¡± Before Blake could react, the other party placed his hand on his shoulder and said proudly, ¡°You¡¯re the best watchman I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Sensing the weight and temperature on his shoulder, Blake widened his eyes and looked at the illusion in front of him. No, is the person in front of me really an illusion? ¡°Pre¡­ Presiding Judge?¡± Blake stammered as he felt his gradually awakening consciousness, the power he was gradually regaining, and the existence of the person in front of him. However, that was impossible. Even if the Presiding Judge returned, he could not save him, whom was completely gone, right? This had already exceeded the scope of magic. It was indescribable even with the word ¡®miracle.¡¯ However, the man in front of him smiled and said, ¡°Welcome back, Blake. My chief swordsman and the future lord of Dawn Fortress. You¡¯ve done a good job for the past thousand years.¡± Upon hearing this, Blake gritted his teeth, holding back his emotions and controlling his expression. Then, as if he had thought of something, he said, ¡°Presiding Judge, please stop Coles immediately. He went completely crazy not long after you left. I couldn¡¯t stop him. He¡¯s probably still¡­¡± His remaining words were stopped by the things William took out. It was a Judge¡¯s badge covered in scratches. ¡°You¡¯ve already¡­¡± Blake was first shocked when he recognized Coles¡¯s badge. Then, the expression on his face turned to surprise before turning to gloom. Blake understood the Presiding Judge¡¯s style. Since this badge had appeared in his hand, there was no need to say anything about Coles¡¯s ultimate fate. ¡°Everyone has to be responsible for their choices. You, him, and the remaining members of Judgment. Same for the Empire, the Holy Spirits Church, and the Astral Council,¡± William said slowly. Then, he put away the badge and said, ¡°And this is what we Judges should do. Judge everything, including ourselves.¡± With that said, William patted Blake¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Therefore, save your sorrow and regret for after we triumph. Now, let¡¯s start over.¡± These simple words instantly made Blake feel as if he had returned to the glorious era of a thousand years. This made his blood pump with fervor. He looked around at the pure light curtain that was gradually fading and asked, ¡°Then what should we do now?¡± ¡°We¡¯re surrounded now. To be precise, we¡¯re surrounded by four¡ªwell five Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies,¡± William said succinctly. Before seeing the miserable expressions of the four Void Sovereigns whose plan had failed, William was certain that Valk would stand on his side. However, he couldn¡¯t guarantee what the lunatic would do after that. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t place hopes that He would cover his escape. If William was so sure that Valk would help him, wouldn¡¯t it be even more fun if He ended up selling him to the four furious Void Sovereigns? Since the plane fusion plan through a Void Sovereign¡¯s birth had failed, William wouldn¡¯t be surprised by what Valk did now. ¡°Shall we fight our way out together?¡± Blake asked excitedly. ¡°Dealing with four or five Void Sovereigns at the same time with just the two of us? Are you considering how to die the moment you get revived?¡± William shook his head and took out the fragment of the Father of the Crows before placing it in Blake¡¯s hand. ¡°The Twilight Fortress is stranded here, and the Finality scene bound to it has been destroyed. I need you to bind the entire Black Crow Gaze to the Twilight Fortress now. Then, I¡¯ll get the people in the Twilight Hall to activate the reversal ritual and move the entire Black Crow Gaze to Currere. This way, those Void Sovereigns won¡¯t be able to pass through the World Shell.¡± The Twilight Fortress was originally an anchor point that had already fused with the Moon Realm. Even though the Finality scene that was originally anchored to it had been destroyed, it only needed to be anchored to the new Moon Realm domain to unleash the corresponding effects again. When the time came, as long as Cass, who was on standby in the Twilight Hall, activated the reversal ritual, the entire Twilight Fortress would fall back into Currere with Black Crow Gaze. As for the Void Sovereigns in Black Crow Gaze, they would collide head-on with the World Shell due to the scale of their strength and be stuck outside Currere. This was also why William wanted to bind the Twilight Fortress to Black Crow Gaze initially. Blake took the soul fragment. As the Father of the Crows and the true owner of Black Crow Gaze for the past thousand years, he made Cole only capable of collecting the soul fragments after his will completely dissipated. William didn¡¯t need to explain further. He immediately understood what he had to do. As Blake bound it, he asked curiously, ¡°You previously said that I¡¯m the future lord of the Dawn Fortress. What do you mean?¡± ¡°Literally. Since the Finality scene that symbolizes twilight has been destroyed, I think we can change the name of this fortress.¡± ¡°Calling it Dawn Fortress ain¡¯t bad.¡± As William finished speaking, the last white light curtain brought by the Seed of Hope disappeared completely. Their extended understanding of time returned to normal. William¡¯s Wall of Brilliance also suffered the first wave of attacks. Chapter 133 - 133 Reversal 133 Reversal The Wall of Brilliance, which was known as an absolute defense, didn¡¯t seem to be any sturdier than a glass defense under the combined attacks of the Void Sovereigns. It shattered into specks of light almost instantly and dissipated, revealing the four Moon Realm deities outside who were filled with malice. Killing intent that seemed to materialize emitted from Their bodies. Without any questions or threats, They attacked¡­ William was certain that he had completely infuriated Them. Valk gave William two thumbs up. He put on an even more exaggerated smile, and the colors on His clown costume began to change crazily. The phantoms produced by the activated Holy Spirit Guardian Rings appeared behind William. They replaced the Wall of Brilliance to resist the next wave of attacks. As a layer of death miasma appeared around Beatrice, She changed into a thin and exquisite layer of black light armor that resembled glass. She held six pitch-black gorgeous rapiers in Her six hands and attacked William first. After the lightning phantom of the outermost Holy Spirit, Father, blocked three to four stabs from Beatrice, it quickly shriveled like a deflated balloon. A storm simultaneously spun on the Withering Cold that William took out again. It instantly condensed into a huge war hammer made of pure wind pressure. With the enhancement of the golden runes on his arm, William ignored the other party¡¯s exquisite sword dance and swung the Storm Hammer at Her. The four fatal swords that had stabbed at William¡¯s vitals instantly retracted. They turned into a pitch-black light curtain from the waving, instantly slicing the first half of the huge hammer into wind pressure that danced in the sky. But in the end, the strike landed on the other party firmly. The intense storm blew forward in a cone, and the entire lighthouse seemed to shake violently. The Wind Fury Hammer dealt almost no damage. It was only used to repel the other party¡¯s Storm spell. Back when William was dealing with the Whispering Empress¡¯s Void Incarnation in the Platinum Palace, he often used this move to distance himself and kite Her. However, after the storm dissipated, Beatrice remained standing in front of William. Spells that were useful against incarnations did not affect the main body. The storm formed by magic seemed to split and void Her body. Before William could stop, the flame-shaped Holy Spirit phantom, Youth, erupted with light. It was a reaction to the other party¡¯s stab at William. No, it wasn¡¯t just Beatrice. She was only the fastest. A sawtooth sword covered in pitch-black filth, a bronze-colored rusty sickle, and a pale white rapier wrapped in a thin rope attacked the Holy Spirit phantom in unison. Almost in an instant, the Youth¡¯s protection was reduced to nothingness. As the remaining three Void Sovereigns attacked at the same time, the defensive effects of each Holy Spirit Guardian on William dissipated in less than two seconds. William felt cracks appear on his rings one after another. William only had time to cast a few instantaneous spells that had restraining effects. He didn¡¯t even have the time to stop and construct spell models for large-scale spells that required more than three syllables. These overly simple spells were useless. The chain formed by shadows was easily torn apart by the other party. The spinning Imprisonment Ring Blades automatically dissipated midway, and the churning Frost Storm instantly calmed down¡­ In this narrow area of the Lighthouse of Hope, William couldn¡¯t put enough distance between them to use any effective spells. However, he couldn¡¯t teleport himself and Blake to an open spot. According to his previous experience, it was relatively easier to fight Them while They maintained Their human forms. Typically, switching the scene to an open area meant entering a second stage. The other party would directly break free from their human disguise and transform into their true bodies. When that happened, every move They produced would result in an inescapable wide-area AOE. After Beatrice¡¯s rapier pierced through the last Holy Spirit Guardian, the bronze sickle in Camilla¡¯s hand sliced open William¡¯s robe before he finished chanting his next defensive spell, leaving a moderate scratch on his shoulder. The crystal pendant on William¡¯s chest shattered, and the shattered fragments stuck to his body before constantly growing. Instantly, a layer of crystal armor that reflected a cold light crawled over his body. Then, the few attacking weapons bounced off his body. How many defense items do I have left? How much longer do I have to wait? William thought after the Tear Crystal was activated. The Curse of Starvation began to seep into his body through the wound, and weakness that originated from the depths of his soul began to surge. William kept his spirit up by reciting the last few syllables of the spell. A bone wall that constantly groaned and wailed rose in front of him, blocking the four Void Sovereigns on the other side. At the same time, Blake, who had been protected by William, shouted, ¡°Presiding Judge, it¡¯s done. Black Crow Gaze has already anchored Dawn Fortress!¡± As he spoke, he transformed into crow feathers and flew to William¡¯s side. A pitch-black sword appeared in his hand. Over the years, Blake¡¯s experience as the Father of the Crows controlling Black Crow Gaze, his familiarity with the former Twilight Fortress as a Judge, and the preliminary anchoring work that William had completed¡ªall three of these allowed Blake to complete the anchoring work in an extremely short time. ¡°Are you injured?¡± Blake looked at William, who was covering the wound on his shoulder, and asked. Under the wound covered by William, colorful rot spread. ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem. It can be resolved when we return to Currere,¡± William said weakly as he suppressed the spread of the curse in his body. Just as he finished speaking, the bone wall collapsed into shattered bones, and countless rotten fungi constantly spread out of the bone cracks. The four Void Sovereigns brandished the weapons in Their hands and walked toward the two of them. Blake took a step forward and raised the huge sword in his hand, but William reached out and pressed his wrist, indicating for him to put away his weapon. Under Their threatening gaze, William held the Demon Sealing rune he had prepared and said in a mocking tone, ¡°Just like always, you guys are a step too late.¡± With that said, he crushed the Demon Sealing rune. In an ancient fortress not far from the Lighthouse of Hope, Cass¡ªwho was wearing silver-white scales and holding a black knight¡¯s sword¡ªfelt the message from the Presiding Judge. Instantly, every dragon scale on Cass¡¯s white scales flickered with God King Oka¡¯s totem symbol. His eyes also turned pure bright silver as terrifying lightning began to coil around him. Then, just as he had planned, Cass suddenly stabbed Judgment 4 into the array. The outline of a dragon loomed behind him, and a huge force was directed into the ancient nexus in the Twilight Hall through Judgment 4 in his hand. The storm began to wreak havoc outside the window, and the cries of the crows constantly echoed in the hall. The reversal between the Moon Realm and Currere began. If someone stood at a higher vantage point in the Moon Realm and observed Black Crow Gaze, he would see an extremely shocking scene. The endless storm in Black Crow Gaze turned into a huge vortex and collapsed inward. The illusory realm that was originally produced by the gathered emotions and imagination of mortals began to fall into the real and solid Currere through the anchor. William felt a strange weightlessness. Then, everything around him began to blur, as if a handheld camera was trembling violently. Amidst the violent tremors, the Void Sovereigns in front of him began to blur. A few of them seemed intent on continuing Their attacks, but before They could take a few steps, They completely disappeared from William¡¯s sight. Finally, They only had time to leave a sentence in Their soul voices. You will regret the choice you made today. Chapter 134 - 134 Mountain Sea 134 Mountain Sea If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, Sigmonds would never have believed that such a thing would happen. A while ago, the entire fortress¡¯s maintenance team had received orders from the Presiding Judge to transfer all personnel, valuable equipment, documents, and information to the south of the Grief Mountains in half a day. This order was very sudden and extremely firm. Moreover, there was no room for negotiation. ¡°Then what about the things that can¡¯t be transferred?¡± Sigmonds asked in confusion. Half a day was only enough to transfer the enchantment tables and some valuable raw materials. Larger equipment likely could not be dismantled in time. Other than that, the assembly line of the enchantment factory that had just gotten on track would be in a mess. ¡°Then, leave it here. The key is that the people and the enchantment tables have to be withdrawn. In addition, we might have to make preparations for the equipment to be repurchased and rearranged. We have documented all of that, right?¡± That was all the Presiding Judge replied. Sigmonds nodded. The Presiding Judge had previously instructed him to do so. William nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. Remember, everyone has to evacuate. Nobody is to remain behind.¡± The Presiding Judge turned around and planned on leaving after solemnly emphasizing this, but Sigmonds stopped him. ¡°Presiding Judge, so what exactly is it that requires us to evacuate urgently?¡± he asked curiously. The Presiding Judge slowed down slightly and said, ¡°A storm might be approaching. Staying here might be life-threatening.¡± Storm? Sigmonds didn¡¯t quite understand what the Presiding Judge meant. The Grief Mountains were inland. Although the environment was harsh, extreme weather rarely happened. How can there be a storm here? At most, it will be heavy rain, right? That was what Sigmonds thought back then. Then, reality proved that his understanding of reality was too superficial. ¡­ Sigmonds was called out by his subordinates in a temporary tent. Back then, he was in a meeting with the new batch of enchanters from Blacklight City. It had to be said that after interacting with the mages from Thorn City for so long, he originally thought that he could tolerate the arrogance of magic chanters. However, after interacting with the enchanters who used to belong to the Astral Council, he felt that the mages from Thorn City could only be described as humble. After raising the relevant work requirements, Sigmonds, who felt the stifling atmosphere at the venue, smiled and added, ¡°Of course, if you have any questions about the treatment¡­¡± However, the representatives representing the Viper Tower¡¯s Enchantment Association didn¡¯t even look at Sigmonds. They turned to look at the representative sent by Thorn City¡¯s Mage Hall beside Sigmonds. The young man in the lead who wore a white robe and had the symbol of Ring City embroidered on his collar said, ¡°No offense, but¡­ Is this how things work here? Letting mortals be in charge of magic chanters?¡± The representative sent by Thorn City¡¯s Mage Hall looked at Sigmonds with an embarrassed expression. The smile on Sigmonds¡¯s face immediately disappeared as he crossed his fingers and said in a deep voice, ¡°Sorry¡­ Mortal?¡± Only then did the Enchantment Association representative look at him. ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t that so?¡± the other party replied with a disdainful expression. Upon hearing this, Sigmonds first pointed at himself before pointing at the other party. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m mortal, but what about you?¡± The strongest magic chanter he knew¡ªthe Presiding Judge¡ªalso called himself a mortal. What right did the person in front of him have to categorize himself as non-mortal? Did he think that he was a higher species just because he was a magic chanter? Looking at Sigmonds¡¯s serious gaze, the other party smiled in disdain and said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not obligated to answer a stupid question like yours. In addition, don¡¯t think that you can hire people from the Astral Council to help you just because you cough out enough money. According to Ring City¡¯s habits, you have to send a magic chanter of the same title for negotiations to be considered mutual respect¡­ What about the Presiding Judge who¡¯s hiring us?¡± As the representative spoke, he seemed to inadvertently flash the Master title badge on his robe. A gust of wind shook the entire temporary tent. After the wind stopped, Sigmonds said, ¡°I can make the decision.¡± The other party shook his head and said, ¡°No, you can¡¯t. We can¡¯t accept signing a contract with a mortal¡­¡± Another gust swept past. This time, the entire tent nearly fell apart. Sigmonds seemed to hear something being blown away outside. Raindrops splattered on the tent, sounding like someone had splashed water on it with a bucket. Sigmonds had never heard such a storm in his life. The representative raised his hand, and a dark-brown nexus appeared in his hand. Then, it turned into a dark light that spread and fused into the entire tent. The texture of the tent began to turn as thick as rock. The tent¡¯s flapping sound from the gust disappeared, and the sound of the rain became much muffled. Everyone present felt as if they were hiding in a solid cave. After doing all of this, the representative observed the expressions of Sigmonds and the others and said smugly, ¡°Therefore, at least let the mysterious boss behind you reveal himself. It¡¯s very difficult not to think that he¡¯s just a rich second-rate mage by always remotely controlling a bunch of third-rate or ordinary people for work¡­¡± However, before he could finish speaking, a large amount of water splattered in from the tent¡¯s door. The Blacklight City representative sitting near the door was instantly drenched. He was stunned for a few seconds before slowly wiping the water off his face and shouting, ¡°What the hell is this weather?! Are we on a ship heading to Ava State?¡± With that said, he spat out the water that had flowed down his cheek and into his mouth. ¡°And it¡¯s f*cking salty? Are we really at sea now?¡± Before he could finish speaking, a drenched follower rushed into the tent. He ran to Sigmonds¡¯s side and told him about the unbelievable things happening outside. ¡°Waves? Storms? Are you sure you¡¯re talking about the Grief Mountains?¡± Sigmonds looked at the follower and asked. The other party only revealed an expression that said: ¡°you¡¯ll know after taking a look.¡± Therefore, Sigmonds stood up and walked out of the tent, looking south of the Grief Mountains. Then, he saw that scene¡­ If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought that anyone who told him about this was spouting nonsense. Layers of dark clouds covered more than half the sky above where the fortress used to stand. The greatest storm he had ever seen wreaked havoc under the dark clouds. Lightning constantly flickered in the storm. Every time they lit up, they reflected a large black crow flock flying in the storm. And in the middle of the storm, he seemed to vaguely see a hazy lighthouse. Under the storm, the entire southern part of the Grief Mountains turned into a pitch-black sea. This wasn¡¯t a metaphor or an exaggeration. It was a literal ocean. The original mountain range and the forest had disappeared, leaving behind an ocean of waves constantly swept up by the storm. Logically speaking, if the entire mountain range turned into an ocean, the seawater would flood the area and completely drown the town and tribes at the foot of the mountain. It would even turn the entire eastern part of the Blackwater Swamp into an ocean. However, the hundreds of millions of tonnes of seawater seemed to be restrained by something as it hovered at the edge of the mountain range. Only when the storm swept up would waves overflow and splash out. This was what Sigmonds had thought of as heavy rain. ¡°By the Seven Holy Spirits¡­¡± ¡°By my constellations¡­¡± ¡°By the Holy Spirit Kane¡­¡± The surrounding crowd exclaimed in all kinds of surprise when they saw this miraculous scene and prayed to the gods and Holy Spirits they believed in. With a whoosh, a huge wave was swept up from the sea by the storm and struck them. This wave looked dozens of meters tall. If it was real, the hundreds of people camping here would probably be swept away. A few magic chanters raised their magical mediums one after another and tried in despair to stop the unrivaled power of ¡®nature.¡¯ As for the rest, they chose to pray futilely or escape in vain. At this critical moment, two figures appeared in front of the shocking wave. The one wearing half armor with black wings on his back raised his hand to calm the storm, turning the stirring wave into nothingness. As for the person in the tattered robe, he waved the magical medium in his hand and pushed back most of the wave with an invisible force. The remaining portion was shattered into a curtain of rain by him. The storm drenched everyone present. However, strangely, although everyone was drenched by the rain, the surrounding ground and everything else remained dry. Not even a drop of water. Sigmonds poked the dumbfounded Enchantment Association representative beside him and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to meet the Presiding Judge that¡¯s backing me? He¡¯s the one who pushed the wave back.¡± Chapter 135 - 135 Next Step 135 Next Step William looked at the illusory scene that connected the dark clouds, the storm, and the sea, as well as the people who were truly affected by this fantasy scene, and sighed silently. The Moon Realm originated from compressed desires and emotions. Therefore, although they were invisible when they fell into Currere, they could still injure mortals. This was just like how desire and emotions could still devour mortals despite not having a physical body. After expelling the storm near the temporary settlement, Blake said, ¡°Black Crow Gaze is much stronger than the previous Finality scene. A Dawn Fortress alone can¡¯t withstand its scale.¡± William looked at the sea hanging above the mountains and said with a headache, ¡°This is a Moon Realm domain that almost became a Void Sovereign Kingdom after all. Even when the ancient rune system in the Dawn Fortress is complete, it might not even be able to accommodate 10% of Black Crow Gaze¡¯s strength.¡± The defunct rune system in the Dawn Fortress might only accommodate 10-20% of Black Crow Gaze, and the remaining portion would show the phenomenon of plane fusion. The overflowing Moon Realm domain turned most of the southern part of the Grief Mountains into an ocean that had a storm wreaking havoc. Although this was essentially an illusion and didn¡¯t affect the local soil and climate, nor did it turn the mountains here into a seabed, with even the vegetation in the mountains not being destroyed, to intellectual creatures who could sense the concept of despair, this land was a real sea of storms. If anyone lost their footing and fell in, they would drown in the howling storm. Just like the storm in which William shattered the waves, although the ground and other inanimate objects weren¡¯t drenched, the onlookers below were drenched. William looked at the shocking waves that surged one after another in the terrifying storm in the distance and asked worriedly, ¡°Blake, with your authority as a Moon Realm Overlord, can you completely calm the storm in the Sea of Despair?¡± However, Blake shook his head and said, ¡°This sea and storm are products of realization based on the concept of despair. I can only choose to increase the scale or size of the storm and control its path, but I can¡¯t stop the storm across the entire sea.¡± William sighed and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s keep the storm as far away from all the peripheral areas as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already done so,¡± Blake nodded and replied. As a domain that reflected the Moon Realm¡¯s fear of the world¡¯s end, the Finality scene wasn¡¯t a large-scale Moon Realm domain. The apocalypse vaguely described in myths and legends or prophetic stories was naturally much more terrifying than the plague and war many people had truly experienced. Therefore, the echoes they produced in the Moon Realm were greatly different. Previously, the entire Finality scene was controlled by the Dawn Fortress, so it wouldn¡¯t actively affect Currere. Now that it had been changed to Black Crow Gaze, the Moon Realm domain that symbolized the concept of despair made the Dawn Fortress akin to an underage horse having to pull a few large trucks filled with goods. It was completely powerless. ¡°We have to expand Dawn Fortress¡¯s rune system and seal the entire Black Crow Gaze in the darkness of the fortress like the Finality scene.¡± William said as he landed in the temporary settlement. Otherwise, it would be too dangerous for an illusory sea to float above the entire Grief Mountains. It was a huge latent danger to the surrounding towns and villages, and even the entire eastern part of the Blackwater Swamp. The Moon Realm was unpredictable. Perhaps something major would happen in Currere one day, causing a storm to take shape in the Moon Realm that resulted in Black Crow Gaze going berserk. ¡°That¡¯s not enough. We might have to build a city with the Dawn Fortress as the core to expand the rune system,¡± Blake, who was doing his best to suppress the restless storm in Black Crow Gaze, replied. A little power overflowing from the entire Moon Realm domain could produce waves dozens of meters tall. Even after leaving Black Crow Gaze¡¯s range, they would quickly be eliminated by the laws of Currere. However, before that, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to drown one or two villages. William and Blake landed on the ground under everyone¡¯s respectful gazes. The former quickly spotted the person-in-charge, Sigmonds, from the crowd. ¡°How did it go?¡± He was naturally referring to the transferring of people, key equipment, and precious materials. Sigmonds bowed and replied, ¡°All the construction workers have been evacuated safely, and all the hunters and woodcutters close to the mountain range have been forcibly evacuated. As for the equipment and materials, the enchantment tables, refinement equipment, and the precious metals in stock have been transferred out, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about the large equipment¡­ But Presiding Judge, what¡¯s going on with this sea?¡± Sigmonds originally wanted to report in detail about the matter, but halfway through, he looked at the sea behind the Presiding Judge and couldn¡¯t help but ask this question. ¡°A sea that should have existed in people¡¯s consciousness has encountered some small problems, resulting in its appearance in Currere.¡± William replied succinctly and added, ¡°We¡¯ll return this place to normal as soon as possible, but don¡¯t try to approach the area before that.¡± With that said, William turned his gaze to Blake and asked, ¡°You mean to build a city that transcends the Moon Realm and Currere with Black Crow Gaze as the foundation?¡± ¡°To be precise, a fortress city as a bridgehead used to resist and counterattack the Moon Realm,¡± Blake replied with a nod. Transforming the entire Black Crow Gaze into a fortress city to deal with the Moon Realm was an excellent plan. Back then, the Doomsday Watchers relied on the Twilight Fortress to block the Moon Realm rifts through the connection of coordinates. They turned the sports battles that originally bloomed everywhere on the continent into defensive battles that relied on the fortress¡¯s fortifications. The Moon Realm was kept out of Currere, greatly reducing the damage a Moon Realm invasion caused to it. And now, Black Crow Gaze, which was larger than the Finality scene, undoubtedly had better initial conditions and allowed the construction of more fortifications. Moreover, as the overlord of Black Crow Gaze, Blake could fully utilize the geographical advantage of the Moon Realm. Ignoring everything else, just the crows and storms could greatly reduce the number of invaders. However¡­ ¡°But the resources and manpower I have now are hardly sufficient to renovate Dawn Fortress,¡± William said helplessly. Then, he continued, ¡°Moreover, let¡¯s not talk about the most basic Demon Sealing circuits for the time being. The core circuits related to anchoring were set up by Sibylla back then. Do you think¡­¡± As William spoke, he looked at the enchanters he had brought from the Viper Lighthouse. ¡°Do you think anyone else can take on this heavy responsibility?¡± Blake shook his head with a sad expression and said, ¡°Sibylla went to the Cold Plains back then. The last time I heard from her was that she planned on going to the Dragon Bone Islands to search for a revelation. There was no news of her after that.¡± William nodded. Although she had the Eyes of God, Sibylla was still a mortal. Without considering an extremely special situation like Blake, she could not live till this era. ¡°In short, if we want to resolve this situation¡­¡± As William spoke, he made the magical medium in his hand light up with a sparkling green light and began to treat the festering wound on his shoulder. He didn¡¯t care about it previously, but the wound caused by the Lady of Starvation¡¯s main body had already begun to grow bright and festering fungi. ¡°We need a large number of outstanding enchantment craftsmen, alchemists, architects, and many other talents. Moreover, they need to be readily available. We don¡¯t have the time to nurture them from scratch.¡± The outstanding standard William mentioned was only for talents in magic. They had to reach the Legendary domain at the very least. ¡°Other than the Astral Council, I can¡¯t find an organization with such talents for the time being, but the problem is¡­¡± William¡¯s words brought the members of the Enchantment Association who had been maintaining shocked expressions back to their senses. They nervously listened to the rest of the other party¡¯s words. William ignored their reaction and continued, ¡°The problem is that the Astral Council is the organization I urgently want to destroy. Let¡¯s not talk about the people who are implicated when the time comes, but all of the brass will have to undergo judgment.¡± Just the 24 Astral Lighthouses and the Void Sovereigns¡¯ Calendar of Disasters should have sent every one of them to the guillotine. The enchanters of the Viper Lighthouse didn¡¯t even dare to breathe. However, this created a contradiction. Those who met William¡¯s standards were undoubtedly the brass and quasi-high-ranking members of the Astral Council. Blake pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Presiding Judge, if you need a large number of outstanding magic chanters, I have a suggestion¡­ No, even without this matter, I would suggest that you make a trip there first.¡± ¡°Where?¡± William asked. ¡°Ava State: the city-state alliance of the Seven High Elves, and the location of the earliest magical parish¡ªTacma Church.¡± ¡°Moreover, Remides Shadowmoon is still alive, but her current situation isn¡¯t very optimistic.¡± Chapter 136 - 136 Epilogue: Burial Song (1) 136 Epilogue: Burial Song (1) ¡°The storm has stopped¡­¡± On a slender, elegant, and hollowed-out tower, a woman in a silver moon brocade dress and a Phoenix badge on her chest held the guardrail and muttered to herself. The extremely clear skyline above the Shattered Sea was reflected in her golden pupils. There were no thick dark clouds that didn¡¯t dissipate, no crazy storms, or crows that came from nowhere. The wind and sunny weather looked very suitable for sailing. This had never happened in centuries. She subconsciously gripped the guardrail tightly, and her already pale fingers turned even paler. After a long time, she came back to her senses when a voice sounded from behind. ¡°Lady Shadowmoon, the city lord of Isu has called for a Mooncycle Conference.¡± A guard wearing armor decorated with fine tear crystals walked behind the elven woman. He clenched his right fist and placed it on his left shoulder before lowering his head and speaking softly. Then, the guard seemed to hear a soft sigh, but he wrote it off as his imagination. Then, he heard the other party turn around, and silence ensued. After waiting for a long time, he carefully looked up into the Shadow Queen¡¯s eyes. In 1764 of the Golden Calendar, with the overthrow of the last King of Mist, Ava State completely bade farewell to the system of royalty and entered the republican era. The seven free city-states would democratically elect their city lords, and the city lords would elect a governor to be in charge of the entire Ava State. However, the woman in front of him had been the governor of Ava State since Terra¡¯s conquest 800 years ago, using the excuse that the overseas threats hadn¡¯t been eliminated. Therefore, people called her the Shadow Queen behind her back. 800 years was long enough for a High Elf. Although the age of the High Elves¡¯ bodies was almost infinite, typically, after experiencing 500 winter and summer cycles, they would choose to enter the Holy Fire of the Phoenix Temple and reincarnate because they couldn¡¯t withstand the loss of their souls and humanity. It was rumored that Lady Shadowmoon in front of him had lived for more than a thousand years. As the State Lord¡¯s Phoenix Guard, he often had to face all kinds of terrifying things¡ªbizarre spells, ferocious mutated beasts, and sometimes even Lunar Monsters¡ªbut he had never felt that Lady Shadowmoon¡¯s gaze made him more uneasy than anything. What kind of gaze was that? Old, empty, and cold¡­ More than a thousand years were grinding her soul bit by bit like a millstone, making her more heartless and more efficient. The Phoenix Guards were the strongest warriors¡ªnot only in terms of strength, but also in terms of spirit. However, even they usually didn¡¯t want to look into Lady Shadowmoon¡¯s eyes¡ªthe long periods reflected behind that gaze seemed to suffocate them. Therefore, when the guard saw the tears in Lady Shadowmoon¡¯s eyes, he stood rooted to the ground as if he had been petrified. ¡°Vival, the storm has stopped¡­¡± Lady Shadowmoon said softly, her tone as emotionless as usual. The guard named Vival nodded reflexively and stammered, ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, m¡¯lady. This is also the reason why the city lord of Isu¡­ called for a Mooncycle Conference.¡± However, the other party ignored him and continued softly, ¡°He completed his watch.¡± As she spoke, she walked towards the glass steps. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to finish it.¡± Watching Lady Shadowmoon walk down the stairs, Vival asked, ¡°M¡¯lady, are you planning on participating in the Mooncycle Conference? The Tacma Church will also send consultants¡­¡± Lady Shadowmoon¡¯s voice interrupted him. ¡°The Mooncycle Conference shall be postponed to tomorrow. I want to sing a funeral song for an old friend of mine today.¡± ¡­ At the same time, in the Tomb of the Kings of Platinum City, another powerful woman stood in front of a white tomb with an umbrella. It was raining heavily in Platinum City today. Guards in golden armor stood guard around her like statues, and the crisp sound of raindrops hitting the armor echoed rhythmically. Erin placed the daisy in her hand in front of her father¡¯s tombstone before straightening her body. ¡°As promised, the storm stopped,¡± she said to her father¡¯s statue. ¡°As promised, I will fulfill the 800-year-old wish of the Riel family¡­ I¡¯ll fulfill my destiny.¡± A herald hurriedly ran into the graveyard while raising his hand to block the rain. Then, he was stopped by the golden-armored guards. After a careful inspection and body search, as well as a magical test, he was finally allowed in. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s news from the Blackwater Province and Emerald Province.¡± The person genuflected in front of Erin and handed over the emergency document that had an anti-water spell in place. Erin nodded. However, the moment she reached out to take the letter, the person suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a sharp arrow made of shadows from the depths of his throat. The arrow shot at Erin¡¯s throat like a black bolt of lightning, but a hand made of shadows caught the arrow faster before dissipating with it. From the beginning to the end, Erin wore a calm expression. ¡°Black Sword,¡± Erin said calmly. Chapter 137 - 137 Epilogue: Burial Song (2) 137 Epilogue: Burial Song (2) With that said, the assassin¡¯s shadow stood up and strangled himself. ¡°Assassin from the Broken Sword Brotherhood?¡± A voice echoed in that person¡¯s ear. The flawless expression on the person¡¯s face instantly collapsed. His expression twisted as he said, ¡°Black Sword? Pfft! Are you worthy?¡± ¡°So, he¡¯s a Broken Sword Brotherhood assassin. Your Majesty, please look away,¡± the voice from somewhere said. With a crack, the person¡¯s shadow snapped his neck. Erin didn¡¯t see this scene with her head turned, but she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave him behind for interrogation?¡± The voice replied, ¡°Because just as no one can obtain our information from Black Sword, we can¡¯t obtain their information either. I¡¯m sorry¡­ but your father was in danger because of his mistaken understanding of this.¡± Erin nodded. The Broken Sword Brotherhood was the most dangerous assassination organization in the empire. They specially targeted the royal family and the upper echelons of the Holy Spirits Church. More than half of the royal family members who had died abnormally in the past 800 years had died due to the Broken Sword Brotherhood¡¯s assassins. Some people were even willing to believe that the remaining half had died at their hands, but their means were more concealed. More than a month ago, Black Sword had discovered traces of the Broken Sword Brotherhood¡¯s activities in Platinum City. Therefore, the full force of the spy department secretly launched a hunting operation. Today, Erin¡¯s coming out to honor her ancestors eliminated the latent danger of the assassins. ¡°What did he mean by those words before he died? Why does he think you¡¯re not worthy?¡± Erin asked as she opened the letter. Silence¡­ Black Sword was the most loyal supporter of the Riel royal family. They had been responsible for the last-meter security of the emperor ever since Terra I. However, an organization with such an important mission had always been excluded from the empire¡¯s power system. No one knew the true scale of Black Sword, nor did anyone know how it operated, let alone its origins and history. Even the emperor only had the authority to order the Black Sword that guarded him. Although the Black Sword members in charge of protecting the emperor didn¡¯t rotate regularly, they made their usual presence akin to air. Moreover, they never appeared unless in a crisis. Therefore, even the emperor wasn¡¯t sure how often they rotated their members. Sometimes, Erin even believed that there was only one person in the entire Black Sword. The change in their voices when chatting with her was just a deliberate disguise. It was even possible that Black Sword, who had protected the Riel royal family for the past 800 years, was the same person. Erin¡¯s question was equivalent to talking about Black Sword¡¯s history, so the other party didn¡¯t reply. Erin was already used to this, so she didn¡¯t ask further. Instead, she looked at the two urgent letters. To perfectly disguise himself as a herald, the two urgent letters were naturally real. Erin first looked at the urgent letter from Emerald Province. It first briefly explained that the conversion of the land used for growing grapes into staple food had reached a bottleneck. The envoy she sent hoped that the Platinum Palace would allocate more resources to help the Forest Elves tide over this difficult period. This matter was only sent in passing. It wasn¡¯t anything urgent. They could just discuss it at the Senate meeting. What was important was the subsequent matter. The empire¡¯s Second Legion¡¯s fleet had already gathered at White Goose Port in Emerald Province, and the Fifth and Seventh Legion¡¯s fleets were gathering at Greenwater Port. Platinum Ring and the Astral Council¡¯s combat division had already built a stable portal, and the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s Holy Army was also on its way to Emerald Province. The military strength ratio of the empire¡¯s expeditionary army and Ava State¡¯s garrison was about 5 to 1. In terms of high-end combat strength, the empire had countless Legendary domain experts. The Astral Council, Platinum Ring, and the Holy Spirits Church each sent two Divine Realm experts to participate. On paper, this was a military force that could flatten the entire Ava State. Let¡¯s hope that such a disparity in strength can make the other party surrender and submit early to minimize the sacrifices of both sides¡­ Putting down the letter, Erin thought before opening the urgent letter from Blackwater Province. In comparison, the content of this letter was a little ridiculous. The first thing Erin flipped open was that the blight spreading in Blackwater Province had been delayed. This made her question reality. The Blackwater Province, which has been designated a land abandoned by the constellations as a Moon Realm sacrifice, managed to alleviate the problem of the blight during the Year of Starvation? Could the dark gods in the stars be such merciful existences? With this in mind, Erin continued reading. Compared to the subsequent content, the delay in the blight seemed to be the most normal piece of information. Vincent, the former Chief Mage of Thorn City, regained control of the entire Blackwater Swamp. He even controlled many areas in Nakuland. It was said that he had even bypassed the restrictions of the Astral Laws and advanced to the Legendary domain. God knew how he did it. Chapter 138 - 138 Epilogue: Burial Song (3) 138 Epilogue: Burial Song (3) In addition, a denomination of the Holy Spirits Church that didn¡¯t rely on the Central Church was beginning to preach again with Thorn City as its headquarters. The doctrine those missionaries used was extremely ancient, but the method they used was very¡­ blasphemous or even vulgar? Although Erin believed that she wasn¡¯t a very pious believer, she still took the occasion of the sacrament very seriously. After all, the Holy Spirits Church could be considered the foundation of the empire to a certain extent. As for the Blackwater Province which was devoid of faith in the Holy Spirits, those new missionaries were proselytizing by distributing eggs and milk to the believers who attended worship? She wondered what the Patriarch¡¯s expression would be when he got the news. The next piece of news was even more shocking. The Viper Astral Lighthouse in Blacklight City collapsed, and the troops left behind by the Astral Council were missing. As the Resound spell hadn¡¯t been activated, it was temporarily determined by the Senate as a defection. For the first time in 800 years, an Astral Lighthouse collapsed. If it hadn¡¯t happened in the Blackwater Province, the Battle Mage Legion in the Astral Council¡¯s hands would have been teleported there. Upon reading this, although everything that happened above was extremely ridiculous, Erin felt that it was within her understanding. However, the last piece of information short-circuited her thoughts. There were some strange rumors about the south of the Grief Mountains. ¡°Wh¡ª The mountains drowned by storms and a sea? Is that literal? Or is it some novel metaphor?¡± ¡­ Some tombs were built to be remembered, while others had the opposite purpose. For example, in Dragon Breath Province, in a tomb deep in the Dragonspine Mountains. In the past, Dragon Breath Province was the location of the Black Iron Kingdom. The kings there were used to building their tombs on high mountains because they believed that they could ascend to Heaven faster by being closer to the sky. People who relied on tomb raiding for a living here undoubtedly had it the most difficult in the entire Vic Continent because not only did they have to deal with endless anti-theft mechanisms, but they also had to deal with the cliffs that would wreck their bodies if they weren¡¯t careful. Therefore, they also practiced the industry rule of ¡®a thief doesn¡¯t leave empty-handed.¡¯ After risking their lives to crawl into a tomb, if they couldn¡¯t find buried treasure, they would resort to carrying the bones of the corpses and selling them to the necromancers. However, even the tomb raiders from Dragon Breath Province could only leave empty-handed after walking into this tomb. There were no tombstones, statues, or even any recorded words. There was only a black iron coffin that had been cast once, and it was buried in a pile of gravel. This coffin looked to be more than a thousand years old. Instead of calling it a coffin, it was more like a rusty black piece of iron. However, on a certain day, or to be precise¡ªthe day the Kane Horn blew and the Holy Spirit statues on the continent trembled, the coffin trembled with it. This trembling didn¡¯t last long before it stopped abruptly, but a tiny mark cracked on the coffin¡¯s black iron shell. This tiny crack constantly widened and deepened over the next month until the day the storm in the Shattered Sea stopped¡ªit completely cracked. A humanoid formed by black fog rolled out of the coffin. He lay on the ground for another day and night before regaining consciousness. It took another three days for him to get up again. He stumbled to his feet and looked at the cracked black iron coffin. He knew that there was only one reason why he was awakened again. This meant that his mission was about to begin again. ¡°Presiding Judge, William Kane¡­¡± he said in a singing tone. ¡°This time, I will definitely let you rest in peace.¡± ¡­ Grief Mountains, Black Crow Gaze, Dawn Fortress. Some tombs were built to be forgotten, while others had the opposite purpose. William, Blake, and Cass stood in front of the excavated tomb, surrounded by an endless storm. The crows circled in the sky and let out mournful hisses, like a funeral song to send someone off. William rubbed the Judgment badge in his hand for a long time before throwing it into the tomb. The soil on both sides of the tomb automatically filled the pit. William walked to the blank obsidian plaque and held a carving knife. He first engraved the serial number 13 and Coles Jackdaw¡¯s name before pondering for a moment. Before this, he had thought about what epitaph he wanted to leave for Coles Jackdaw countless times. However, none of them satisfied him. William didn¡¯t think highly of his choice, but he didn¡¯t hate him. However, 1,000 years of inertia brought Coles too far from turning back. Therefore, if William was given a chance to choose, he would have done the same. He didn¡¯t have any leeway to take care of both. He could only do what he needed to do. William had the same attitude toward his choice. He didn¡¯t admire or hate it. However, this made it difficult to write an epitaph. It couldn¡¯t be praise or sarcasm. ¡°Presiding Judge, if you think¡­¡± Perhaps seeing William¡¯s conflicted expression, Blake spoke. William raised his hand. He suddenly recalled a classic poem he had once read. In that poem, there was a crow that only had one answer no matter what question it was asked. William suddenly felt that this was probably the most suitable epitaph. Therefore, he engraved the inscription: ¡°Never the same again.¡± Volume 2: End of the Crow Burial Song Chapter 139 - 139 Two Meetings (Part 1) 139 Two Meetings (Part 1) William lifted the lid of the porcelain cup in his hand. Dense green vapor slowly rose from the cup, and a fragrance filled the entire conference hall. He first took in the cup¡¯s fragrance before taking a sip of the bitter light-green liquid. Finally, he relaxed and leaned back in his seat. The wound on his shoulder caused by the Lady of Starvation was healed by the rich vital aura. After William returned to Camilla, the wound caused by Camilla¡¯s main body remained unhealed. It was very normal. He had made Her suffer significant losses, so She naturally used Her year as a medium to constantly project Her strength and cause him as much affliction as possible. William had been trying to use high-level life spells to completely heal the wound, but no matter how much effort he put in, the other party would project more power on the wound, causing it to fester and rot. If he wanted his wound to completely heal, he probably had to wait until the Year of Starvation passed or find the Holy Spirit Mother¡¯s main church for a potent expulsion ritual. William sighed and took another sip of the bitter liquid in his cup. There was no such thing as tea in this world. This light-green liquid was an alchemy potion concocted by William using the tender leaves of the Holy Tree. It could slowly replenish life force and slow down the spread of a curse. He only needed to drink one cup a day to suppress the curse on his wound without using additional life spells. This made William like a retired cadre. He held a porcelain cup wherever he went and took a sip when he had nothing to do. It wasn¡¯t just the injuries on his body. Most of the equipment he had brought over had been damaged to varying degrees. The other equipment was fine. Other than the one-time Tear Crystal that had been consumed, the other equipment could be barely repaired with the equipment in the Dawn Fortress. However, the seven Holy Spirit protection rings were severely damaged, and they needed to be blessed in the main cathedrals of the Holy Spirits to be repaired. In other words, he wouldn¡¯t be able to face the Void Sovereigns with maxed-out equipment for a long time. Fortunately, Their main bodies couldn¡¯t appear in Currere for the time being. ¡°Lord Kane, everyone is here.¡± A voice pulled William out of his thoughts. He looked around¡ªhe was in the conference hall in the Dawn Fortress. It wasn¡¯t the round table where the Judges met, but the conference hall used to receive representatives of other factions. William maintained the rules in this aspect. The people sitting in the venue were representatives of the various factions that William had gradually developed over the past two months. Thorn City¡¯s City Lord and the First Citizen of the Blackwater Swamp, Vincent; Roy, the bishop of the new Holy Spirits Church and the chief preacher of the doctrine; The new Holy Spirits Church¡¯s Retribution Templar, Nizemar; The person-in-charge of Blacklight City, the Viper Scar Guard, Julianne; The fourth Judge of the new Judgment, the Lord of Dawn Fortress, Blake; Cass, the person in charge of the new Judgment and the Moon Realm¡¯s rapid reaction force¡ªLightning. The person who spoke was Nizemar. ¡°Oh¡­¡± William came back to his senses and put down his cup. Then, he said, ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± It was Vincent¡¯s idea to hold a meeting every once in a while. In the beginning, it was mainly to coordinate the purge of the Moon Realm churches in Blacklight City and Thorn City and help with the proselytization of the new Holy Spirits Church. After William standardized the format of the meeting, this meeting had become the highest authority in Blackwater Province. William originally planned on naming this meeting the Senate Meeting, but he later felt that it was better to call it that after taking down Platinum City. ¡°According to the reports received in the previous meeting, the spread of the blight in the entire Blackwater Swamp has been delayed by about 40%. At this rate, if Thorn City¡¯s food reserves are included, we should be able to survive this Year of Starvation on our own.¡± Vincent first reported. William shook his head and said, ¡°The blight¡¯s delay is certainly temporary. She will do something major this year based on my understanding of the Lady of Starvation. Therefore, we have to plan for every aspect, especially the security of the granary. We can¡¯t relax. We have to transfer at least half of the life mages on our hands to guard it.¡± The Lady of Starvation had once filled an entire granary with maggots overnight. Having suffered such a tremendous loss, She had to think of a way to regain her dignity. Perhaps She would repeat her old playbook. With this in mind, William subconsciously touched his aching shoulder and asked, ¡°By the way, how are the test results of the previous batch of magic affinities sent to the Stranger Lighthouse for the awakening?¡± Vincent shook his head and said, ¡°Unfortunately, none of them have successfully awakened. It looks like the Astral Council has sealed off all awakening access in the Blackwater Swamp.¡± With the collapse of the Viper Astral Lighthouse, William originally planned on transferring the staff in charge of the magic awakening in Viper to the still-complete Stranger Lighthouse to be in charge of awakening those with magic affinity in Thorn City. From the looks of it, the Stranger Lighthouse was completely inanimate. Other than being a time bomb that could turn into a Moon Realm rift at any moment, it was useless to William. In the past, the awakening of magic chanters relied on a mentor system. Teachers guided apprentices to establish a connection between their ether domain and the Astral World. The current awakening process was all done through the Astral Laws, preventing current magic chanters from knowing how their ether domain was originally connected to the Astral World. Naturally, they couldn¡¯t guide new apprentices. If a new magic chanter wanted to be born under the blockade of the Astral Laws, they had to be guided by the cultivators from the classical magic system back then. However, William was probably the only classical mage in the Blackwater Swamp. Although William was good at using magic, he was undoubtedly an extremely terrible teacher when it came to teaching others magic¡ªafter all, it wasn¡¯t that troublesome for him to learn so much magic back then. ¡°I understand¡­ So we need a large number of classical magic practitioners, right?¡± William nodded. Without a doubt, the number of mages was an important indicator of the strength of a faction. Although William had recruited all the official mages in the Blackwater Swamp, if he couldn¡¯t form a system that could continuously replenish the number of magic chanters, they would be at a disadvantage in the future war with the empire. The former tower guardian of the Viper Lighthouse, Julianne reported the situation after Vincent finished his report. ¡°¡­Since then, the invasion of the Lunar Monsters in Viper Scar has maintained a frequency of one every two days. According to the monster illustrations, more than 80% of the Lunar Monsters come from the Lord of the Dark Tide¡¯s Moon Realm domain, the Abyss of Filth, and the Pale Poet¡¯s domain, the Bone Shore. Moreover, the strength of the invading monsters has been constantly increasing in the past half a month. Two days ago, the descent of high-level Lunar Monsters like the Drowning Banshee happened, and this resulted in considerable casualties in the Battle Mage Order¡­¡± William rubbed his brows, sensing an ensuing migraine. He had unreplenishable magic chanters, and in addition to the continuous small-scale Moon Realm invasions, the exposed Moon Realm rift in Blacklight City was a wound that constantly bled his faction. Before Black Crow Gaze was completely accommodated by the Dawn Fortress, William couldn¡¯t move it through the coordinates to block the Moon Realm rift¡ªthat would drown Blacklight City. As for sealing the Moon Realm rift, it was even more ridiculous. The restoration materials for the World Shell were the plot¡¯s key items that disappeared after being used back then. There weren¡¯t even any in his Treasure Hall. The price William had to pay to obtain those materials again was something he couldn¡¯t afford. After a moment of silence, William slowly said, ¡°Cass, lead Lightning to reinforce the defense of the Viper Scar and kill all the Lunar Monsters you see with Judgment equipment. This will probably make Them restrain Themselves a little. In addition, pay attention. I seriously suspect that the Whispering Empress has also sent Her spawn over, but they haven¡¯t been exposed for the time being.¡± With that said, William turned his gaze to Vincent and said, ¡°If Cass is transferred away, the pressure on your side will increase greatly. Therefore, I¡¯ll come to Thorn City to help you resolve all those troublesome matters. When the time comes, you can keep the situation under control even if I¡¯m no longer in Blackwater Swamp.¡± William couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Unfortunately, Blake couldn¡¯t leave Black Crow Gaze because once he left for too long, the storm in Black Crow Gaze would spiral out of control, causing a huge safety risk. Otherwise, letting Blake guard Thorn City would be the best choice. Troublesome matters cropped up one after another before his trip to Ava State, forcing him to delay his plans. His actions of wrecking the plane fusion plan at Black Crow Gaze were undoubtedly a declaration of war against the four Void Sovereigns. And now, They were naturally creating troubles for him one after another. He could suppress them for the time being, but William suspected that as long as he left, Blackwater Swamp would fall into chaos. When that happened, as long as the other party invested a little and brought two or three Demon Generals into Currere, and as long as they grew a brain and didn¡¯t approach anywhere within Blake¡¯s range at Grief Mountains¡¯ Blake, it would be a massacre for the Blackwater Swamp. Chapter 140 - 140 Two Meetings (Part 2) 140 Two Meetings (Part 2) A tense atmosphere permeated the entire conference venue just as Remides had expected. After all, time had passed. Even the uninformed should have received news that the storm on the Shattered Sea had stopped. This was the first time since Terra¡¯s conquest 800 years ago that the entire Ava State was defenselessly exposed to the empire¡¯s fleet. The overlord of Isu City, Ward Windsong, called for the Mooncycle Conference almost the day he confirmed the news, hoping to summon the seven city lords to Phoenix Hall and reach a new holy resolution under the witness of the Holy Fire. However, he seemed to be the most relaxed person in the venue. ¡°Thankfully, you¡¯re back. I thought you would remain melancholic at Storm Bay for a few more days.¡± Ward Windsong spoke after Remides took her seat. He used a frivolous tone to hide his dissatisfaction. The city lords of the seven city-states had the authority to initiate the Mooncycle Conference to propose holy bills every year. This authority could be said to be a symbol of a city lord¡¯s status. As for Remides, she used her authority as governor to postpone the Mooncycle Conference for a day. Although this was completely compliant according to the rules, it ultimately failed to respect tradition. This was especially so for the initiator of the meeting; it made him feel put down. Remides ignored him and cast her gaze at the person who didn¡¯t belong to this meeting. A person wearing a gray linen robe sat quietly in a corner of the hall. His face was hidden under the shadows, and there was an inverted triangular austenite pendant hanging from his chest over his robe. In the middle of the pendant was a sun pattern. Few people on the Vic Continent that adhered to the Astral Laws knew about this symbol. Not many people in Ava State even knew about it despite them having inherited the classic magic system. Tacma Church was the source of magic; it was founded by the original research scholar who had tried to understand witchcraft since the Bronze Age, the founder of the magic system, and it was the oldest magic sect. Although strictly speaking, the Mooncycle Conference was the highest-level meeting in Ava State that was restricted to the city lords of the seven city-states, the consultant sent by the Tacma Church was an exception. From the era of the first King of Mist to the current era of the joint ruling of the seven cities, the Tacma Church kept a certain level of cooperation with every ruler of Ava State. Although the Tacma Church wouldn¡¯t interfere in specific matters, the suggestions they sent as consultants were advice that every Ava State ruler needed to seriously consider. Tacma seemed to sense Remides¡¯s gaze and nodded slightly in greeting. Remides nodded in return before looking around at the six city lords. Finally, her gaze landed on Ward Windsong and she said in a calm voice, ¡°Then, under the witness of the Holy Fire, let¡¯s begin this Mooncycle Conference.¡± Under Remides¡¯s empty gaze, Ward¡ªas the initiator of the Mooncycle Conference¡ªfelt unprecedented pressure. However, after calming down, he said in his usual tone, ¡°Although I¡¯m the initiator of this Mooncycle Conference, I believe everyone present knows what the theme of today¡¯s meeting is. The storm, which has lasted for more than 800 years, finally stopped two days ago. This also means that a new era has arrived.¡± The man in dark-gold scales sitting beside him interrupted, ¡°Please hold on. Finally? A new era? Mr. Windsong, why do I sense a longing for this to happen? Or do you not know that the empire¡¯s army is gathering a fleet at White Goose Port and Greenwater Port?¡± Earlier this year, the Riel Empire had sent envoys to Ava State, claiming that the Eighth Holy Spirit had manifested its divinity. He would soon calm the storm in the Shattered Sea and make the entire Ava State submit to the empire. Back then, they believed that this was just a routine threat from every emperor shortly after they took office. The elves had a long lifespan, and many of the people present had experienced this situation a few times. They also understood that the other party was just a fruitless threat. However, it was different this time. After the young empress named Erin Riel sent an ultimatum through the envoy, she seriously began training her troops and redirecting ships to carry out preparations. From the looks of it, the other party had long expected the storm to end. Of course, whether this had to do with the manifestation of the Eighth Holy Spirit was another matter for Ava State, who didn¡¯t believe in the Holy Spirits Church. However, at the very least, the other party had indeed found a way to make the Shattered Sea storm disappear, or she had predicted the time it would disappear. ¡°However, this will also be an opportunity. The disappearance of the storm means that the once ancient sea route can be plied again, and our large-scale trade with the Vic Continent can begin again. When that happens, the weapons forged by the craftsmen of Clockwork City and the crops in Pine City can be sold far away on the Vic Continent,¡± Ward Windsong said excitedly. Every city in Ava State¡¯s seven city-states symbolized a job. For example, Isu City was the City of Farsailers. In the past, Isu City was in charge of all foreign trade and fisheries in Ava State. In the era before the Vic Continent was unified, they relied on the wealth accumulated through foreign trade to become the strongest and richest city-state in Ava State. However, after the storm sealed off the Shattered Sea, Isu City could only rely on fisheries to barely survive. Its status plummeted until 20 years ago, when Ward Windsong took over as the city lord of Isu City and began to strongly support the Chamber of Commerce¡¯s organizational development, gradually reviving the city-state. ¡°Trade? Do you not understand what I just said? Then let me repeat myself. The Riel Empire¡¯s fleet is gathering on the other side. The other party is here to invade us, not to trade with you,¡± the golden-armored man said angrily. ¡°But all of this can be resolved without bloodshed, right?¡± As Ward spoke, he cast his gaze at the Shadow Queen, Remides, and continued, ¡°The empire envoy who came at the beginning of this year said that we can accept the empress¡¯s conditions until the first Riel Empire soldier steps foot on Ava State, right? To be honest, I don¡¯t think those conditions are bad.¡± Back then, the empire¡¯s envoy promised that as long as Ava State was willing to bend its knee and acknowledge the empire¡¯s rule, they would be viewed as part of the empire¡¯s sphere of influence as an autonomous province. Other than needing to pay taxes, the elves of Ava State would be able to completely retain their cultural traditions, faith, and political system. They were even allowed to retain their army. ¡°It¡¯s only the building of a tower and permitting the preaching of those human deities. There won¡¯t be any other changes. Oh, right, there¡¯s also the signing of a contract to buy large amounts of food. This is indeed a little troublesome, but the other party also said that this aspect is negotiable.¡± Upon hearing Ward¡¯s words, a female elf dressed as a clergywoman spoke. ¡°Just a tower? That¡¯s a vile tower that guides Moon Realm demons into Currere. Is this as trivial as you put it?¡± The golden-armored man nodded and continued, ¡°Do you still remember the oath our ancestors swore before the Phoenix Holy Fire? To sever all powers related to the Moon Realm and enter Ava State. This was the only thing we couldn¡¯t compromise on.¡± The two of them seemed to have diverted the topic. The city lords of Clockwork City and Pine City¡ªwho had been slightly tempted¡ªsuppressed their emotions and joined in the opposition. Ward sneered and looked at Remides. ¡°I don¡¯t object to you saying that you want to cut off the use of Moon Realm powers, but I¡¯m very curious. Could the storm that has wreaked havoc on the Shattered Sea for more than 800 years be a power stemming from Currere?¡± Chapter 141 - 141 Impeachment and Narration 141 Impeachment and Narration With that said, the entire Phoenix Hall fell silent. For a moment, only the sound of the Phoenix Holy Fire burning could be heard. Some lowered their heads, and some looked at Remides, who was sitting high above. The magical literacy education in Ava State was far from what the Riel Empire could compare with under the shackles of the Astral Laws. Basically, a child on a sidewalk could roughly explain the levels of the Realm of Light, Astral World, Moon Realm, and Currere. As for the huge storm that swallowed the Terra Riel expeditionary fleet 800 years ago and the abnormal storm that wreaked havoc in the Shattered Sea for more than 800 years, even if some people hadn¡¯t realized its source back then, countless outstanding magic chanters in Ava State had sensed the essence of the power over the years. As for Ava State, their attitude towards things related to the Moon Realm had never been friendly. In Ava State myths, the elven ancestors were born in the flames and mist of creation. They were similar to spirit bodies. From the moment they were born, they yearned to return to the Realm of Light. Therefore, they gathered the flames that formed them into a phoenix, hoping that it could bring them back. However, on the way to the Realm of Light, the Phoenix¡¯s wings were snapped by an unholy existence in the Moon Realm. This caused the elven ancestors to fall from the sky. Without fire, they could only heal themselves with soil. From then on, they were bound by matter and could never return to the Realm of Light. Although this was only a myth, it resulted in an Ava State tradition that abhorred powers related to the Moon Realm. Therefore, although the endless storm on the Shattered Sea had indeed protected the entire Ava State for more than 800 years, the attitude of Ava State residents towards the storm and even the storm summoner, Remides, was a very sensitive subject. This wasn¡¯t a topic suitable for talking about at a banquet or a Mooncycle Conference at the very least. However, Ward had exposed this charade. Remides straightened her body slightly and asked without changing her expression, ¡°So? What does this have to do with your ridiculous suggestion?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no connection. I just want to remind everyone not to use the curbing of Moon Realm powers as a reason to refute me when discussing this topic. This is because when it comes to everyone here¡­¡± Although Ward said ¡®everyone present,¡¯ he stared at Remides while saying the next few words, ¡°None of you are qualified.¡± Then, he continued, ¡°Therefore, let¡¯s discuss this topic from a more pragmatic perspective. If we accept the empire¡¯s conditions and what we lose if we reject them. First¡­¡± Next, Ward analyzed the pros and cons of Ava State¡¯s two choices bit by bit like a merchant. In his words, the integration of Ava State into the Riel Empire was as easy as signing a trade agreement. Everything was like a numerical formula written on paper that could be calculated precisely. ¡°¡­As long as we do this, the sales of our art crafts to the outside world can reach the gold level of the Kings Era. As for the foreign exchange we obtain, we can use it to purchase scarce materials like Elementium Silver or Void Salt before investing it into the production cycle¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, the man seemed to have forgotten himself. He didn¡¯t feel like a politician discussing important matters in Ava State with the city lords of other free city-states or the Tacma Church¡¯s consultants at the Mooncycle Conference. Instead, he felt like a businessman who was persuading others to accept his trade contracts at a Chamber of Commerce. Therefore, the man in dark-gold scales sitting beside him made him stop with a sentence. ¡°So this is what you call pragmatism? Selling Ava State for a good price?¡± Morton Bloodblade, the City Lord of Ava State¡¯s warrior city, Phoenix Flame City, asked. Ward Windsong stopped talking. He first stared at the golden-armored warrior for a while before replying, ¡°So what do you suggest? Bet the lives of everyone in Ava State in exchange for honor and glory? Not everyone is willing to play a game of war with no chance of winning with you, Mr. Bloodblade. I¡¯m just pointing out an obvious way out for everyone.¡± Everyone present roughly knew the scale of the empire¡¯s army. Although the High Elves were undoubtedly much better than humans individually, they could be said to be at an absolute disadvantage in terms of numbers. After all, it was akin to comparing the resources of an entire continent to an archipelago. Moreover, with the support of the Astral Laws, the resources required for the other party to nurture a usable magic chanter were much lower than theirs. If war really broke out, even the most optimistic ones wouldn¡¯t dare have optimistic expectations without any external allies. With that said, Ward glanced at the governor, Remides, who was still looking at him coldly. He could tell from her eyes how much she accepted his previous suggestions. ¡°Alright, under the witness of the Phoenix Holy Fire, you can make your proposal now.¡± Remides didn¡¯t comment further. Instead, she presided over the meeting and proceeded to the next step. As the initiator of the Mooncycle Conference, Ward could make a motion that the seven participants present had to comment on and vote on. This motion would only become a holy resolution under the witness of the Phoenix Holy Fire and be firmly implemented by the seven city-states. However, no matter what motion it was, it had to be considered feasible by Ava State¡¯s governor before it could enter the later voting stage. Therefore, from this perspective, the governor had infinite veto power. ¡°I know that under your auspices, all motions to seek peace with the empire will ultimately be rejected by you¡­¡± Walter said slowly. He was already prepared for this before coming here today. As a High Elf, he knew that as a race, they were stubborn beings the longer they lived. As for Remides Shadowmoon, she had lived for too long even by the standards of the High Elves. More than 1,000 years had allowed her to exceed stubbornness on some issues and completely solidify into a brand that couldn¡¯t be separated from her soul. Even if the empire¡¯s conquest wasn¡¯t as unacceptable as 800 years ago and they might be the ones benefiting in the end, Remides couldn¡¯t consider this proposal. It was impossible to rely on his previous speech to convince the other party to accept his motion. He could only use other methods. With this in mind, Ward said solemnly, ¡°Therefore, my motion is to impeach the current Ava State governor, Remides Shadowmoon.¡± Only the impeachment motion couldn¡¯t be recognized as an invalid motion. Since she no longer needed to maintain the Shattered Sea Storm contract, they could naturally begin this process¡ªimpeach this state lord who had been in office for centuries. After that, he could motion for cooperation with the empire again. ¡­ Black Crow Gaze, Dawn Fortress. After the meeting ended, William finally had some free time. He had been constantly traveling between Viper Scar and Thorn City. To be precise, he was traveling between the two Moon Realm rifts in the Blackwater Province. Ever since he returned from the Moon Realm, these two locations had been very chaotic, especially the former. Without the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s suppression, it completely revealed its essence as a Moon Realm rift. Lunar Monsters were a daily affair. Recently, he had discovered that as long as he was close to the Viper Scar, the activity of the Moon Realm rift would correspondingly calm down. It would immediately become active once he left. Moreover, the longer he didn¡¯t return, the greater the commotion. William had no doubt that once he was far away, the Viper Scar would usher in a large-scale invasion. This threw him into an extremely conflicted state. To completely control Viper Scar, he needed to go to Ava State to get help to repair the Dawn Fortress. If he wanted to go to Ava State, he had to completely control Viper Scar. This cycle was like a dead knot. My head hurts¡­ With this in mind, William opened his cup and took a sip of the alchemy potion. ¡°Presiding Judge, were you looking for me?¡± A ball of crow feathers took shape around William, forming Blake¡¯s phantom. His main body was in Dawn Hall (formerly Twilight Hall) adjusting Black Crow Gaze. He wanted to accommodate as much of Black Crow Gaze as possible without destroying the fortress¡¯s original structure. William said, ¡°Sorry to ask you to come over despite your busy schedule.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Blake¡¯s phantom waved his hand. Then, he continued, ¡°However, I can roughly guess what you would like to ask. Actually, I planned on finding time to explain it to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about what happened between the Judges I know after you left.¡± Chapter 142 - 142 Their Futures (Part 1) 142 Their Futures (Part 1) The Rain Moon was the fourth month of the year. The tears of the Holy Spirit, Mother, turned into rain that nourished everything, bringing life to the entire Vic Continent. Newborns born this month might randomly obtain the favor of the Traveler, Hunter, or Viper constellations. In William¡¯s era, this meant that they had extraordinary talent in Storm, Frost, and Morph spells. Now, it meant that those newborns could only be allowed to practice related spells. It was drizzling outside. William raised his hand and lifted the curtain in front of the window. He felt the moisture of the rain beating on his face. At this moment, the carriage he was in was proceeding on a gravel road. Not far away was the silhouette of Thorn City. Although this wasn¡¯t his first time here, this seemed to be the second time he had entered the city openly from the main entrance in a carriage. This was a little similar to what he had experienced in-game. Other than having to enter through the main door when first opening up the map, he spent the rest of his time fast traveling using the city¡¯s teleportation nexus. But he couldn¡¯t do that today. To resolve the problems in Thorn City once and for all, his trip back to Thorn City today needed to be kept a secret. Thorn City didn¡¯t look much different from the outside compared to the last time he came¡ªapart from the fact that the originally dazzling Stranger Astral Lighthouse was tightly surrounded by a temporary black shell and that the grassland between Thorn City and the graveyard had turned into pitch-black scorched earth. William had previously plowed the land there with Fire Wall to deal with the remains of the Undead Tide to ensure that it wouldn¡¯t become a wasteland polluted by necromancy spells. Now¡­ Life Detection In William¡¯s eyes, countless weak and tenacious life auras were brewing under the scorched earth. When the rain passed and the sky cleared, the green sprouts would be reborn on this land. ¡°After a corpse raised by an Undead spell serves its purpose, its remains have to be buried, returning it to Currere. Only then can the balance between life and death be maintained.¡± He recalled what he had said to Liliana back then. This was just him imitating a certain friend¡¯s often-repeated philosophy. The third Judge of Judgment, Frost Lich Nehe, was a Forest Elf druid who had become a Lich by a freak combination of factors. He firmly believed in the Druid Church¡¯s Balance of Life and Death philosophy, but he had become a Lich who was a sacrilege against the Balance of Life and Death. Moreover, because he had lost his phylactery, he couldn¡¯t even rest his soul in peace. At the end of this character¡¯s quest line, William could choose to hand over the phylactery to him after finding it and let him return to the cycle of life and death as he wished, or¡­ ¡°In more than a thousand years, his phylactery has probably floated around this planet countless times with the current¡­¡± William muttered. This was something he had done casually back then, but it had a terrible effect. To prevent this teammate from leaving the team, William secretly threw his phylactery into the underground river and let it wash away. Then, he turned around and told Nehe that he hadn¡¯t found it. In hindsight, it was an extremely selfish choice. The reason why William suddenly thought of Nehe was that he was the first person Blake mentioned when he talked about the whereabouts of the other Judges. As for Nehe, who had the title of Frost Lich, he was the earliest to lose contact with the Judges. ¡°Nehe returned to Holy Tree City after that disastrous meeting. He sensed the possible disputes in the future, but he didn¡¯t want anything to do with it at all. He hoped to exchange his achievements in preventing the Moon Realm crisis for the title of Druid Priest and protect the Holy Tree Forest for the rest of his life. However, this suggestion was rejected by the Holy Tree King. Then, he became disheartened and left Vic Continent by ship. Finally, he disappeared into the depths of the Mist Sea.¡± The Mist Sea was an ocean between the Vic Continent and the Ruins of Orsis. Legend had it that that continent had completely sunk to the bottom of the sea because it had completely angered the entire Moon Realm. He was¡ªin a sense¡ªlucky to leave before the war broke out. Blake had commented. Subsequently, the sixth Judge, Dragon Dowa King, returned to the Dragon Bone Islands, and the seventh Judge, Ranger Remides Shadowmoon, returned to Ava State and was elected as the city lord of Moonlaw City. The outcomes of these two Judges were similar to what William had seen in the game¡¯s epilogue. Of course, this was if the subsequent incidents didn¡¯t happen. As for the remaining people, they lived relatively peacefully for the next few years. In the beginning, the five-person meeting led by Lionheart Byron could barely maintain the scale of the Doomsday Watchers. It could even use the remaining might of Judgment to temporarily suppress the flames of war between the stupid Seven Kingdoms. Although Astral Observer Sibylla had gone north to search for the Eye of God for inspiration and Magic Edge Evelyn had returned to her hometown and chosen to become a general magic teacher, Jackdaw and the Black Swordsman had suddenly disappeared. However, Judgment still had the five powerful Divine Realm heroes¡ªLionheart Byron, Shadow Koos, Castellan Duvey, Windcaller Jay, and Discipline Macas. Under the suppression of the five of them, the Seven Kingdoms¡ªwho were looking forward to unifying the continent through war¡ªhad no choice but to accept the proposal of temporary peace because they had lost the common threat of the Moon Realm. Of course, this peace was only relative to an all-out war. In fact, the Seven Kingdoms had never stopped infiltrating the Doomsday Watchers and incorporating the former Salvation Army members. The various war tools invented by the Doomsday Watchers and the usage of militarized magic chanters during the Moon Realm war were specially analyzed. The Seven Kingdoms drew on this knowledge eagerly and used it to guide the improvement of their army formations. ¡°The King of Deathblood isn¡¯t the only monster created by war, Presiding Judge,¡± Blake said. ¡°We made ourselves a monster to defeat the Moon Realm back then. Perhaps we were extremely happy when we saw those war machines and advanced combat techniques tear apart the Lunar Monsters, but we never expected these weapons to turn on us one day.¡± After all, the Doomsday Watchers didn¡¯t have their territory and subjects. Perhaps it could rely on absolute suppression to maintain the continent¡¯s balance for short periods, but this balance was undoubtedly very fragile. ¡°I heard this from Coles later. Back then, after Byron sensed this problem, he raised an idea in the five-person meeting¡ªrather than waiting for the Seven Kingdoms to grasp a sufficient advantage before breaking this fragile balance, why don¡¯t they break it themselves?¡± Byron planned on getting the Doomsday Watchers to support one of the Seven Kingdoms and unify the entire continent first. ¡°Therefore, the five-member group disbanded and split because of this proposal?¡± William asked. He had learned from Valk¡¯s drama that the few people in the five-member group later chose to support different countries. Blake shook his head and said, ¡°No, Byron¡¯s proposal did cause many arguments and almost caused the entire five-member group to collapse. However, the matter that divided them was another matter even though it¡¯s only hearsay on my part and I find it difficult to believe even now.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± William asked. ¡°Castellan Duvey, the second-in-command of Judgment who objected to leading a unification by having the Doomsday Watchers support a country, was assassinated.¡± Chapter 143 - 143 Their Futures (Part 2) (1) 143 Their Futures (Part 2) (1) Today was the 3rd day of the Rain Moon. In another day, it would be Absurdity Jester Valk¡¯s day of summoning. It would also be the annual April Fool¡¯s Day carnival. Compared to the previous times William came here where martial law was enforced everywhere, Thorn City¡¯s streets had basically returned to normal. At the very least, there were no longer black-armored Bramble Guards patrolling the streets and searching for Moon Realm believers, causing everyone to panic. Perhaps it was because April Fool¡¯s Day was coming; merchants selling bamboo slices and hard paper could be seen everywhere in the market. Many children in dirty and ragged clothes held a few crumpled copper coins in their hands and bought raw materials to make a beggar¡¯s crown from vendors. To children who lived in the slums at the bottom of the hierarchy, April Fool¡¯s Day or Beggar King¡¯s Day was one of the few festivals that they could call their own in a year. On this day, as long as they wore a woven beggar¡¯s crown, they could openly go on the streets and ask those who looked rich for food and money without having to worry about being rejected or retaliated. In fact, to maintain order in the city on April Fool¡¯s Day, the nobles in many places on the Vic Continent would even send people to distribute food to the slums on that day. William couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong sense of mockery. The Moon Realm Void Sovereigns were undoubtedly a great enemy of all sentient creatures in Currere, but Their existence indirectly contributed to improvements in Currere. After all, who would have thought that Valk¡¯s joke used to mock power back then could evolve into a festival that brought some benefits to the poor over the millennia? As a world where individual strength could open up a huge chasm, this world didn¡¯t have the basic conditions to launch a revolution from the bottom up. The Vic Continent had a historical record of more than 12,000 years since the Black Iron Age, but during that period, nearly 8,000 years had passed with humanity¡¯s political structure being the most primitive and barbaric tribal system. After all, the rule of families that inherited divine blood and witchcraft secrets was unshakable, so they naturally lacked the motivation to change their lifestyles. Even now, the use of extraordinary power had largely escaped the reliance on bloodline inheritance, and the system of magic-related knowledge was no longer a secret and could be taught publicly. However, absolute power was still in the hands of the few strong. It was precisely because of this that the entire continent¡¯s political system was still in the middle ages. Most rulers weren¡¯t that concerned about the living conditions of their subjects¡ªcompared to the threat they might pose if they rebelled, the threat of him being chosen as a joke by Absurdity Jester on April Fool¡¯s Day and swapping identities with an unknown beggar was even greater. It was so severe that they suddenly felt merciful and were willing to lower themselves to provide solace to the poor in the slums. That wasn¡¯t all. Back in the era when the Moon Realm was within reach, the various kingdoms on the Vic Continent had always maintained an extremely restrained and conservative attitude toward war because they were afraid that war would increase the power of the King of Deathblood, the war overlord, and in turn, reflected back on Currere. However, after the Doomsday Watchers sealed the last Moon Realm rift on the continent and theoretically severed the Moon Realm¡¯s influence on the Vic Continent, the countries that had lost their worries had their interest in war ignited, causing the Kings Era to descend into chaos for more than 200 years. From this perspective, the King of Deathblood, the Void Sovereign who symbolized war, violence, and blood, was the greatest guardian of peace in Currere. The damage caused by the Currere mortals¡¯ malice wasn¡¯t inferior to the Void Sovereigns. At the very least, the Void Sovereigns hadn¡¯t been able to kill Duvey, the second Judge. William sighed with emotion. As the name suggested, Castellan meant the caretaker of Twilight Fortress. As a Doomsday Watcher, Duvey was even more qualified than William himself. The protagonist in-game had inherited the will of the previous Presiding Judge. The first time he came to the Twilight Fortress, Duvey was one of the last two people left amongst the Doomsday Watchers. In the early stages of the game¡¯s story, he and another person were newcomer guides for William. Duvey was in charge of supervising and operating everything in the Twilight Fortress and initiating the main plot points. The other person was in charge of initiating the main plot points relating to the entire continent for the collection of Judgment equipment. During the mid-game, the developers would maliciously choose a person to die under the Moon Realm¡¯s first invasion based on the player¡¯s progress. As for this oldest Doomsday Watcher who had survived three Moon Realm wars and fought Lunar Monsters all his life, he ultimately died at the hands of his people in Currere. But who killed him? When William asked this question, Blake said that he didn¡¯t know either. In terms of motive, Lionheart Byron¡ªwho had always met with objection by the other party¡ªhad the most reason to do so. And in terms of ability, Shadow Koos was the person most capable of doing so. Not only that, but other than the internal members of Judgment, countless factions had reasons and abilities to do this in the complicated situation of the Vic Continent back then. It was even to the extent that¡­ although the Moon Realm had been sealed off from Currere, the Void Sovereigns could manipulate the remaining believers in Currere to complete the assassination. Chapter 144 - 144 Their Futures (Part 2) (2) 144 Their Futures (Part 2) (2) However, no matter who the mastermind behind the assassination of the second Judge was, if the other party hoped to use this to stir up the chaotic situation in the Vic Continent, it could be said that he had completely achieved his goal. Just like how Jackdaw left back then, the death of the second Judge shattered the balance again. The four people who couldn¡¯t trust each other tore apart the Doomsday Watchers once more. Or rather, the Doomsday Watchers had completely fractured. Lionheart Byron supported the strongest Kos Empire back then according to his original plan. Shadow Koos disappeared after dismissing Black Sword, and Discipline Macas sealed himself in the Dark Room for a year before returning to the Holy Spirits Church. As for Windcaller Jay, he supported the Storm Kingdom¡¯s royal family to stabilize the situation. William couldn¡¯t help but facepalm. Wouldn¡¯t this be the worst choice? From William¡¯s point of view as someone from another world, with the help of magic, which could far exceed the technology of modern-day society, without the threat of the Moon Realm, the Vic Continent would undoubtedly establish a unified country sooner or later. This was also a necessary path for the further popularization of magic. During this process, the Doomsday Watchers¡ªwho originally had absolute strength¡ªcould choose to disband on the spot and not participate. They could also be arbiters to supervise that this war wouldn¡¯t spiral out of control. They could even personally participate and choose to support a reliable party to quickly complete the unification process to reduce unnecessary casualties. However, no matter what choice they made, it had to be decisive. This was because the worst choice was to hesitate and have scruples in everything. It would ultimately lead to the entire team being left in a state of disunity, causing them to fight their own battles. This way, not only could they not resolve the problem faster, but they would also intensify the conflict by several notches. This happened to be their choice. Although the Doomsday Watchers did participate in the end, not only did they not have the effect of settling things, but they also bolstered the confidence of various factions, making them feel that destiny was with them, adding fuel to the fire. At this point, the entire continent entered the Kings Era which lasted for more than 200 years. Blake, who had lost consciousness because of the ascension ritual, didn¡¯t know much about what happened after that, including the final four Judges. ¡°The last time I recovered my consciousness in the Moon Realm was after Terra¡¯s conquest. Back then, I felt 13 Moon Realm rifts open at the same time, and the power of 13 Void Sovereigns extended to the continent. I originally thought that the Moon Realm was about to launch an invasion on Currere, so I sent my demon spirits into Currere, hoping to find the former Judges to remind them that it was best to make preparations. However, I only found Remides in Ava State¡­¡± ¡°She told me that an existence similar to you in quality who was definitely not you had unified the Vic Continent and was gathering a fleet to cross the Shattered Sea. He wanted to bring Ava State under the jurisdiction of the new empire.¡± William walked around Thorn City¡¯s market and silently recalled Blake¡¯s last description. Blake¡¯s memories after advancing to the Father of the Crows were extremely fragmented, so his recount appeared intermittent. Blake had paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°My consciousness completely blurred after the storm. I only remember seeing Remides shoot Glazed Moon arrow through Terra Riel¡¯s head on a warship. Logically speaking, that person couldn¡¯t have returned to the empire alive.¡± Just as William had tested, the damage caused by spells and objects couldn¡¯t be equivalent to the numbers in-game. Just like in-game, with William¡¯s high evasion and resistance, he wouldn¡¯t lose much health even if he stood still and let others slash him for hours. However, if William gave up all resistance and didn¡¯t dodge, dispelled all his permanent defensive spells, took off all his equipment, and extended his neck for a recruit to slash with an iron sword, he would undoubtedly die. Back when he suffered Coles¡¯s blow, he had to wear the Blue Glory Ring that specialized in dealing with lightning damage. Therefore, if Terra Riel had suffered a Glazed Moon arrow to the head as Blake had described, there was no reason for him to live to the end of his life as recorded in history. Very problematic¡­ That so-called founding emperor claiming to be my reincarnation. After passing through the market and circling a few streets, William arrived at the downtown area of Thorn City. The so-called downtown was actually the slums. A few scrawny children were curled up in a corner knitting a simple beggar¡¯s crown. When they saw William walk over, they couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at him. William knew that he had to make a trip to the slums. In order not to attract attention, he specially chose the simplest outfit from the Treasure Hall. Its name was Clothes of the Poor. William thought that he could perfectly blend into the surrounding environment with inferior fabric and crude workmanship. However, when he came over, he realized that he was too naive. Walking into the slum in this outfit was like walking into a tavern in an evening gown. Among the children, an especially thin child hesitated for a while before putting the half-finished crown in his hand over his head. Then, he walked in front of William with light steps and extended his hand. William didn¡¯t have a wallet, and he only had a large number of gold coins from a thousand years ago in his inventory. Therefore, he hesitated for a moment before reaching into the lining of his clothes. Pretending to be digging for something, he took out a small piece of Paranor biscuit from his inventory and placed it in the child¡¯s hand. The other party looked at the white triangular food in his hand and blinked in confusion. ¡°Eat it now,¡± William said in a gentle but commanding tone. There was naturally no need to elaborate on which was safer for a child from the slums when it came to getting money by exchanging a piece of Paranor meant for nobles or eating it to fill his stomach. The other party nodded and swallowed the biscuit. Then, his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°This¡­ This is¡­¡± The child spoke incoherently, probably because he felt an unprecedented impact on his taste buds. William didn¡¯t say anything. He turned around and lifted a child who was trying to steal something from his waist. Then, he smiled and shook his head at him. William released his grip and watched the children¡ªincluding the one who had begged him¡ªrun away. ¡°How sad¡­¡± William sighed slightly. Magic in this world could split mountains, boil rivers and lakes, and cause storms to wreak havoc, but most people in this world still had to dig for food in the ground. This world shouldn¡¯t be like this. William didn¡¯t try to catch up to the children, nor did he plan on doing charity here. He didn¡¯t even plan on returning and telling Vincent that he wanted him to improve the situation in Thorn City¡¯s downtown. This might save a few people, a few streets, or even the poor citizens of Thorn City, but that was all. If he didn¡¯t resolve the more fundamental problems, no matter how many people they saved, it would only be a drop in the ocean. To avoid attracting attention, William used a Shadow spell to conceal himself before jumping into Thorn City¡¯s sewers from a hidden spot. After circling the sewage treatment network a few times, he finally arrived at his destination. Removing the shadow¡¯s concealment, he knocked on a secret door at the end of the passageway. The observation hole on the secret door lit up slightly. When it saw that it was William, the door immediately opened. The person who opened the door was Nizemar. ¡°Saint¡­ Lord Kane.¡± The other party almost failed to watch her words. William didn¡¯t stand on ceremony with her. Instead, he went straight to the point and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the progress? Thorn City¡¯s Magic Network 1.0.¡± Chapter 145 - 145 Response Terminals 145 Response Terminals ¡°We¡¯re only focusing on laying them around Rose Palace and the Stranger Astral Lighthouse, but due to limited production capacity and materials, we might still need to¡­¡± Nizemar said as she walked. Since Valk could uproot the Viper Astral Lighthouse and expose the Moon Realm rift, William had to assume that the Stranger Lighthouse in Thorn City could be uprooted. As long as there was a possibility of a Moon Realm rift opening in Thorn City, he couldn¡¯t abandon everything here and go to Ava State to look for Remides. After all, the Void Sovereigns were already targeting him. He suspected that the Lady of Starvation could accurately locate him in Currere through the wound that constantly spread with the rotting curse. There were no fixed guidance beacons for the teleportation nexuses on the constantly changing sea. Intercontinental Teleportation had always been an insoluble technical problem. Therefore, it was impossible to rely on Teleportation to reach Ava State quickly. William considered the possibility of flying over using Morph spells. However, even if he set off from White Goose Port in Emerald Province, he was more than 600 nautical miles away from Ava State. He didn¡¯t have any landmarks on the vast sea to determine his direction. Therefore, William had to set sail for Ava State. It would take him at least a month for a return trip. Considering that he might have to resolve the empire¡¯s military siege in the future, he would have to leave for at least two to three months. Before he left, he had to resolve the security problems of the Blackwater Swamp and Nakuland to a certain extent. Building a basic magic network based on the Eighth Holy Spirit figurine was one of the methods he had come up with. ¡°Lord Kane, this way please.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she held the lantern in her hand and led William deeper into the dim secret tunnel. William had previously rebuilt the Church¡¯s armed organization called the Retribution Templar using the Sealing Temple¡¯s structure. At the same time, he handed over the construction of the magic network to this department. Currently, the secular government of the Blackwater Swamp and the new Holy Spirits Church were under the jurisdiction of Judgment. The Church¡¯s armed department didn¡¯t need to be as secretive as before. However, the headquarters of the Retribution Templar was ultimately set up in Thorn City¡¯s maze-like and complicated sewer system. The reason was inseparable from the construction plan of the magic network. Spells that had been finished modeling were stored in public spaces. As long as they were within the range of the magic network, people with the authority to use those spells could use them at will. This was the most popular method to make magic universal in the Mage Guild before the Astral Circuit was proposed. William naturally copied the blueprints for these plans. He pushed open a few trapdoors that had been reinforced by simple sealing spells. A gentle magical crystal ray flowed out, and William was brought to a spacious stone hall by Nizemar. Stepping into the hall, William¡¯s gaze was naturally attracted by the bloodstains of various shapes on the stone walls. ¡°This used to be the sacrificial hall of Offa University¡¯s secret Moon Realm parishes. They hung the fur of bleeding animals on the wall and used it as a medium to summon Lunar Monsters to possess their skin to answer their questions. Over time, these bloodstains were left behind,¡± Nizemar explained when she saw William¡¯s gaze. Vincent had previously reported that there were many secret societies in the Blackwater Province¡¯s Offa University that secretly worshiped the Moon Realm. Most of the civilian students who participated in those secret societies were lucky enough to pass the awakening ritual. Many of them had reached the end of their magical studies when they obtained the title of Apprentice. If they wanted to take another step forward, it wasn¡¯t something their talent alone could control¡ªthat required the Astral Lighthouse to provide them access for them to advance further. Although the Astral Lighthouse promised that everyone had a chance to advance and be conferred a title and that they would make fair and equal choices, the Astral Council controlled the number of magic chanters from the various factions by controlling the number of advancement spots within the radius of every lighthouse. Therefore, the spots for advancement, even for Apprentice to Expert, were scarce. No matter how one designed a screening mechanism when it came to rare commodities, they would ultimately fall into the hands of people willing to pay a higher price. Therefore, to those who could theoretically reach a higher realm but couldn¡¯t see any hope, the Moon Realm became their only path. ¡°Just animal fur?¡± William looked at the blood that seemed to outline a human and asked. ¡°Uh¡­ The sacrifices they choose are indeed getting closer and closer to humans, but they haven¡¯t reached the last step. This is only a mark left behind by a white-maned ape,¡± Nizemar replied. The corruption of the Moon Realm didn¡¯t happen overnight. Most Lunar Monsters patiently guided a mortal until they fell into the abyss. Therefore, when William purged Thorn City and the entire Blackwater Swamp of the Moon Realm believers, although it was on an unprecedented scale that filled Thorn City¡¯s dungeons, only a small number of the depraved Moon Realm believers were truly executed. However, William did not doubt that under the abnormal system of Astral Laws, many people were extremely disillusioned with the current magic system and turned to the Moon Realm to seek strength. William retracted his gaze from the blood on the wall and looked at the enchantment table in the middle of the hall where the Holy Spirit Disc was placed. A clergyman in a linen robe with slightly white sideburns was busy with the consecration ritual. This person was the holy imbuer he had previously recruited from another Sealing Temple in the Blackwater Province. With him were more than 20 field personnel who had been abandoned by the Church in the Blackwater Province. The current Retribution Templar was established with them as the backbone. To make them work for him obediently, William didn¡¯t hesitate to violate his principles and use the activated Eighth Holy Spirit figurines to perform a divine manifestation. This made the Templars, who had sworn to live and die with the entire Sealing Temple, put down their arms and bend their knees to declare their allegiance to the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately¡­ there weren¡¯t many sensible people in this Sealing Temple. ¡°How many Type 2 response terminals have been made?¡± William walked to his side and asked. Upon hearing William¡¯s voice, the holy imbuer stopped what he was doing. He turned to look at William in disbelief, and his lips trembled slightly as if he was about to say something. Before he could say the usual things that William called the ¡®Eighth Holy Spirit mantras,¡¯ William interrupted him ahead of time and said, ¡°Keep those things in your usual prayers. Answer my question first.¡± The other party opened his mouth and froze for a few seconds before saying respectfully, ¡°Lord Kane, there are a total of more than 60.¡± As he spoke, he brought a sample from the side and handed it to William. It was a small disc engraved with an ancient horn pattern. It was about half the size of a palm and was a little heavy. It was plated with a layer of shiny Elementium Silver. ¡°According to your request, we¡¯ve chosen the pattern of the Kane Horn. It has an austenite core and is mixed with a little magic crystal powder. Its surface is coated with a layer of Elementium Silver, and it has been consecrated through the Holy Spirit Disc.¡± The moment the pendant landed in William¡¯s hand, he felt a connection between him and it. He could observe his surroundings through the pendant or use it as a medium to cast spells remotely. Due to these characteristics, William eventually named them the ¡®response terminals.¡¯ William had the idea of leaving behind a large number of response terminals and using them to cast spells remotely to protect Thorn City. However, there was an extremely fatal problem with using the response terminals to cast spells¡ªgreat distances increased mana consumption. He estimated that if he used the response terminals to cast spells in Thorn City from the Ava State, it might drain all his mana to release a single Master-level spell. Chapter 146 - 146 April Fool Prelude 146 April Fool Prelude ¡°Lord Kane, then these figurines¡­¡± the holy imbuer observed the expression on William¡¯s face and asked carefully. ¡°Call them response terminals.¡± William corrected him and continued, ¡°There¡¯s no problem. I¡¯ll activate them one by one later. Please embed these terminals into the nodes of the magic network we previously laid out.¡± The figurines that had been consecrated by the Holy Spirit Disc needed to be touched and activated by William to become a medium for the extension of his strength. In the next ten minutes, William blessed all the response terminals they had made. As he touched the metal discs, he pondered. If he wanted to promote the magic network across the continent in the future, he had to find a faster way to activate the response terminals. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have to do anything else all day. ¡°Lord Kane, I still don¡¯t quite understand. These figurines that have been blessed by you can be used as the best preaching tool of the Holy Spirits Church. They are the best proof of your holy presence, but why are you choosing to bury them in¡­ the sewers?¡± At this moment, Nizemar¡¯s question interrupted his random thoughts. Looking at the other party¡¯s puzzled expression, William replied tersely, ¡°It won¡¯t be long before I leave the Blackwater Swamp for some time. These things are insurance for this city in the future.¡± At the meeting at the Dawn Fortress, Nizemar became even more puzzled when she learned that William planned on going to Ava State. Nizemar had participated in the experiment on the functions of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s figurines the entire time. She knew very well that at this distance from the Ava State to the Blackwater Province, Lord Kane could not project much strength through these figurines. Of course, she didn¡¯t continue asking such questions. After all, as a believer of the Eighth Holy Spirit, she might be able to express her confusion on some questions she didn¡¯t understand and seek the Holy Spirit¡¯s enlightenment, but she definitely couldn¡¯t question the Holy Spirit¡¯s ability. Perhaps the so-called ¡®experiment¡¯ she participated in back then was a test of her loyalty. As the incarnation of the Eighth Holy Spirit, how could Lord Kane be restricted by distance when projecting his strength? After figuring this out, the puzzled expression on Nizemar¡¯s face immediately relaxed. William looked at the other party in confusion as if she had suddenly understood something. He originally planned on explaining to the other party that he planned on using the Stranger Astral Lighthouse as a magic supply and using the magic network as the main casting body and the response terminals as the control system to leave a puppet medium that could be temporarily controlled in Thorn City. However, since the other party didn¡¯t ask, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything. William asked about something else. ¡°So you learned that it will be tomorrow as well? Why must it be April Fools¡¯ Day?¡± ¡­ ¡°Why must it be April Fools¡¯ Day?¡± At the same time, in a rented house about five streets away from Thorn City¡¯s slums, a slightly fat young man in wrinkled luxurious clothes complained. As he spoke, he slammed the table angrily. ¡°This is because on April Fool¡¯s Day, most people in the Rose Palace will be sent out to distribute relief supplies and maintain order in the city. This will be the time when the security measures around the usurper are at their weakest, Your Grace,¡± Layton, the former adjutant of the Rose Palace¡¯s Mage Hall, replied with a polite smile. ¡°But I can¡¯t wear the Crown of Thorns on April Fool¡¯s Day. If I can¡¯t wear my crown immediately after retrieving it, won¡¯t it be embarrassing in front of the entire Thorn City?¡± the person continued slamming the table impatiently as he spoke. It was an ancient taboo for kings not to wear a crown on April Fool¡¯s Day. It was said that Absurdity Jester Valk would feel slighted by those wearing a crown on this day. Furthermore, He would promptly send those nobles an ¡®accidental surprise.¡¯ Layton¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change when he heard that. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. Out of fear, the usurper hasn¡¯t worn the crown since he seized the Thorn throne. All the citizens of Thorn City, including the usurper himself, know that this crown belongs to you. You are the true Duke of Thorn.¡± Layton originally planned on saying more flattering words like ¡°all your citizens are looking forward to your return,¡± or ¡°other than the Walde family¡¯s bloodline, no one can sit firmly on the Thorn throne.¡± However, considering his terrible facial control, Layton finally gave up on this idea. With this in mind, Layton found it meaningless. The others who were involved in tomorrow¡¯s operation had scattered to various parts of Thorn City to carry out specific preparations, but as the initiator and designer of the entire plan, he had to comfort a retard in this ridiculously cold rented room. Of course, there was indeed a reason why he was wanted, but considering the attitude of his partners, it was difficult not to connect the dots and imagine that he had been kicked out of anything important. After hearing the word ¡®usurper,¡¯ the young man continued excitedly, ¡°Vincent, that usurper¡­ To think my father trusted him so much. I never expected him to betray me like this. When I take back my throne, the first order I will give is to behead that old b*stard with a rose seal.¡± Layton looked at Jesse Walde with interest. Other than drinking and fooling around with women, he was nothing like this father. He thought for a moment and reminded him with a teasing attitude, ¡°But he¡¯s a Legendary magic chanter. According to the rules of the Astral Laws, magic chanters above Master who violate the secular laws can only be tried at the Astral Council¡¯s Internal Arbitration of Mages. They won¡¯t be judged by the secular courts.¡± Regarding this, Jesse Walde said disdainfully, ¡°Come on. He even shut down Thorn City¡¯s Astral Lighthouse. If I give the order to chop off his head, the Astral Council will probably reward me with an austenite badge.¡± Layton couldn¡¯t help but laugh from the bottom of his heart when he heard the other party¡¯s words. Even this retard can tell what the other party¡¯s problem is. Is Vincent out of his mind? Layton thought. It had been more than ten days since he returned to Thorn City from Blacklight City. In summary, he could only come to one conclusion¡ªVincent¡¯s actions after taking office could be described as tempting fate. In the Blackwater Province, or rather, anywhere other than the Platinum Province in the Vic Continent, one had to choose the empire or the Moon Realm if one wanted to sit firmly on the throne. After Layton saw Vincent launch a spectacular purge of Moon Realm worshipers the moment he took office, he originally thought that the other party wanted the empire¡¯s forgiveness and planned on returning to the empire. He had no such plans. Not only did he not have such plans, but he even bypassed the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s private Holy See and divided the parishes. He also shut down the Astral Lighthouse and repatriated a large number of Astral Council factions. At this point, Layton could no longer understand Vincent¡¯s actions. It had to be known that even if the former duke had successfully commanded an undead army of ten million, he still had to use the Moon Realm as his backer. Vincent didn¡¯t rely on the empire or the Moon Realm. Then, what could he rely on to maintain the situation here? Himself? However, no matter what, Vincent¡¯s rule would soon be over. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he had been betrayed by everyone. Shutting down the Astral Lighthouse and expelling the members of the Astral Council was equivalent to offending the entire aristocratic class in the Blackwater Province. The talented or untalented children of those families would never be able to advance in the Blackwater Province. The social connections they had built up with the Astral Council over the years were also destroyed. With his blitz-like methods of banning Moon Realm worship, it completely cut off the only path for low-level magic chanters who hoped to rely on signing a contract with a Moon Realm existence to make a comeback. In short, Layton originally hoped to find a few allies who could respond to their coup when he returned to Thorn City, but he found that he had countless such allies. It wasn¡¯t just the court officials in the Rose Palace, but also the Bramble Guards, the Spellblades, and even some teachers and students from Offa University. People were willing to provide them with assistance everywhere. The only thing that might be troublesome now was that Vincent had advanced to Legendary for some reason. However, that was merely troublesome. It wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t have Legendary powerhouses. Moreover, Layton had been Vincent¡¯s adjutant for many years. He knew the other party¡¯s true weakness very well, and he had long made the corresponding plans. With this in mind, Layton said confidently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Grace. I guarantee you that you will be sitting on that throne tomorrow. Of course, you might have to wait another day to wear the crown.¡± Then, he sneezed. Strange, is the Rain Moon Day this year so cold? I still feel a chill down my spine even if I close the doors and windows tightly. Looking around the room where there was no one else other than the two of them. Layton found it odd as he thought. ¡­ ¡°The Imperial Council? But it has to be held on April Fool¡¯s Day?¡± the herald standing beside Vincent and taking down the message asked in confirmation. Then, perhaps sensing that his tone was a little inappropriate, he hurriedly added, ¡°Sir, what I mean is that no one will take what is discussed on April Fool¡¯s Day seriously.¡± Vincent shook his head and said, ¡°No, I believe they¡¯ll be serious, and so will I.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The herald asked in confusion when he heard this perplexing answer. ¡°It means that what happens tomorrow won¡¯t be a joke.¡± ¡­ ¡°To be honest, the idea of a coup on April Fool¡¯s Day is terrible.¡± William commented after confirming the information. ¡°What about you? Are you going to the Rose Palace next?¡± Nizemar asked. William shook his head and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m going to Offa University first. What they should teach should be completely reformed.¡± Chapter 147 - 147 Weighing the Situation (1) 147 Weighing the Situation (1) Blackwater Offa University could be traced back to the first year of the Platinum Calendar. Its founder was said to be Tacma from Ava State. As an academy that taught magic, Blackwater Offa University could be said to have the longest history across the Vic Continent. Of course, in the era when the Astral Laws were established, the Magic Academy was already a rather outdated concept. The Astral Lighthouses everywhere had directly taken over local magic education. As for Blackwater Offa University, it wasn¡¯t relying on its extraordinary heritage or the suppression of long-lived powerhouses as one of the few remaining colleges in the Riel Empire that still maintained operations. It was only because they had taken the right side in the enlightenment established by the Astral Laws back then that they received special care from the Astral Council. The Astral Lighthouse¡¯s preparatory class or the ¡®Astral Councillors¡¯ nursing home¡¯ were what people privately called this millennium-old academy that used to rank in the top five on the continent. However, the current president of Offa University, Grimm Gordon, didn¡¯t mind these teasing names. Be it a preparatory class or a nursing home, at the very least, they could maintain their existence. Only things that existed had the right to be teased. This was just like 800 years ago when the other magic academies on the continent jointly resisted the promotion of the Astral Laws. The chancellor of Blackwater Offa University back then had weighed the situation and chosen a side that was more in line with history. He widened the school¡¯s door and welcomed the Astral believers whose robes were embroidered with different constellations, allowing them to remove the magic books from the school¡¯s library. It was said that the chancellor back then was cursed by his peers from the other magic academies as a traitor. He was reprimanded for being in cahoots with the Book Burners and that he wasn¡¯t worthy of being a magic chanter. But so what? 800 years later, the magic academies that chose to resist back then only ended up being a name written in history. Even the names of the few academies that chose to resist to the end had been erased. Only Blackwater Offa University continued with the support of the Astral Council. ¡°Weighing the situation¡±¡ªthis was the principle followed by the Blackwater Offa University¡¯s chancellor. Therefore, Grimm needed to continue reviewing the situation and do what he needed to do. After informing his subordinates to bring the girl over, Grimm sat back in his armchair and spun a floating stone on the table in boredom. After more than a month of chaos, the situation in Thorn City had calmed down on the surface, but Grimm knew that it was just an illusion. Countless undercurrents were surging under the peaceful surface of this city. Vincent, who seized the Thorn throne, is a complete idiot. Alright¡­ Perhaps he¡¯s a rare magic genius, but he¡¯s a complete idiot politically. After he took office, he implemented a series of measures that included the sealing of the Astral Lighthouse, completely pushing the entire Rose Palace regime to take the opposite side of the Astral Council. Before Grimm could even mediate, the Astral Council severed all contact with them, and the Stranger Astral Lighthouse directly froze all eligibility for enlightenment and advancement. Blackwater Offa University had inexplicably lost its greatest backer in the past 800 years. Thorn City had always been known as the City of Silver and Blood. A coup was like a series of bloodstained embellishments in the city¡¯s history. However, no matter who took power in a coup, the first thing they had to do was ensure the normal operation of the Astral Lighthouse to obtain the recognition and support of the Astral Council. You could try bargaining with the Riel Empire¡¯s royal family or even have some conflict with the Holy Spirits Church over faith, but the support of the Astral Council was non-negotiable. Unless you planned on completely throwing yourself into the Moon Realm¡¯s arms. However, from the fact that the other party brought people into the academy every other day to search for Moon Realm believers, the other party didn¡¯t appear to have any intentions of doing so. He didn¡¯t seek the support of the Astral Council, nor was he willing to use the Moon Realm believers. What was the use of actively dealing with the blight plague and improving the treatment of the miners to win the hearts of the people? Strength was power. No matter how many hearts were won over, they were a rabble that collapsed at the slightest touch under the Battle Mage Legion¡¯s spell bombardment. Idealists were the most impossible to achieve since ancient times. If he wanted to succeed, he needed the support of a solid and reliable absolute force. ¡°Chancellor, were you looking for me?¡± There were two light knocks on the office door, and a calm female voice sounded from outside. Grimm tapped the wooden table lightly with his finger, and the door to the room automatically opened. Outside the door, a girl with short hair that reached her ears and a Sunbird pendant around her neck looked at him in confusion. ¡°Come in, Liliana.¡± Grimm wiped off his previous expression and greeted her with a warm smile. The other party walked in front of him cautiously, as if she was very puzzled as to why the chancellor had suddenly summoned her. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been improving at lightning speed in the Illusion course. Alina said that if you continue improving at this speed, you can complete the Expert-level promotion test for the Illusion course this year¡­ Ah, there¡¯s no need to be reserved. Just sit down.¡± As Grimm spoke, he pointed at the chair opposite the table and offered her a seat. Chapter 148 - 148 Weighing the Situation (2) 148 Weighing the Situation (2) ¡°It was solely thanks to my teacher¡¯s excellent guidance.¡± As Liliana spoke, she carefully sat down and planned on asking why the other party was looking for her. But before she could speak, Grimm said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible to have such significant improvement in so little time with Alina¡¯s classes¡­ Tell me, did your father get you a tutor?¡± Grimm¡¯s tone was as relaxed and casual as if he was chatting about family matters. However, Liliana, who originally planned on asking the other party why she was summoned, didn¡¯t say anything. She roughly guessed why the other party had called her over. Noticing Liliana¡¯s silence, Grimm gently fiddled with the floating stone on the table before smiling and continuing, ¡°If there¡¯s a powerful Illusion magic chanter helping you with your lessons, you might be able to introduce him to me. After all, the academy lacks talent in this area. Your father is now¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not my father,¡± Liliana corrected him in a calm tone. Although she had the illustrious surname of Bergman, it wasn¡¯t a secret in the upper-class circle that Liliana was Vincent¡¯s adopted daughter. There were even rumors that she was an illegitimate daughter of the former chief of the Mage Hall. Of course, no one who had interacted with Vincent believed this. Grimm raised a hand and said apologetically, ¡°What I mean is that the policies your adoptive father has formulated regarding magic chanter education aren¡¯t relatively¡­ in line with the traditions here. This has resulted in six mage tower leaders in the academy submitting letters of resignation in the past two months. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that we¡¯re short-staffed, your current mentor wouldn¡¯t have been transferred from the Shadow department to temporarily take charge of the Illusion department.¡± Liliana didn¡¯t reply. She knew all of this. In the past two months, most of the teachers in the school with the Astral Council background had chosen to resign and leave. Coupled with the intense manhunt for Moon Realm believers some time ago, it could be said that the entire Offa University had fallen into a complete stasis recently. Looking at the other party¡¯s silent expression, Grimm smiled and continued, ¡°Of course, let¡¯s put the recruitment matter aside for now. After all, even if there are enough teachers now, there probably won¡¯t be many students during the Star Moon recruitment season¡­¡± Without the support of the Astral Lighthouse, there were no more people with magic affinity in Thorn City who had been enlightened in the past two months. Now, near the sealed Stranger Lighthouse, parents hugged children whose eyes emitted a dim light every two to three days and waited for the lighthouse to open up. To many commoners, a child born with a magical affinity was the only way they could change their fate. Therefore, compared to some nobles, their cries for the reopening of the Astral Lighthouse were often louder. ¡°I called you here mainly to find out if your adoptive father had mentioned a specific time on when the lighthouse will reopen?¡± Grimm spread his hands and asked sincerely. Probably never¡­ Liliana thought to herself when she heard this question. The person who gave the order to seal off the lighthouse wasn¡¯t her adoptive father, Vincent, but William Kane, who pulled the strings behind the curtain. Looking at the other party¡¯s eager gaze, Liliana¡ªwho understood the essence of the lighthouse¡ªthought it over and replied, ¡°He¡¯s been staying at the Rose Palace for the past few months. I haven¡¯t seen him much.¡± In other words¡ªI don¡¯t know anything. The disappointed expression only lingered on Grimm¡¯s face for a short moment. He quickly resumed his previous smile and said, ¡°Then, it¡¯s better to go back and ask him¡ªeven if it¡¯s for yourself. With your current improvement speed, you should be able to participate in the Expert spell grading by the end of the year¡­ if the lighthouse can be reopened then.¡± ¡°Then, the next time I meet him, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°When¡¯s the next time?¡± Grimm interrupted Liliana. ¡°There¡¯s not much time left, right? If possible, it¡¯s better to discuss this with him early.¡± ¡°Then tomorrow?¡± Liliana probed. ¡°Tomorrow is April Fools¡¯ Day. A lady of your illustrious status should not go out on April Fools¡¯ Day. Let¡¯s do it today. I heard from Alina that you don¡¯t have class today.¡± ¡­ No matter what, it was difficult to explain the disappearance of a student on Blackwater Offa University¡¯s campus. Grimm thought as he watched Liliana leave. However, if she left campus and disappeared, it had nothing to do with him. What a pity. She¡¯s a talented child, but she has to become a sacrifice in adult politics. With this in mind, he took out a Demon Sealing rune for communication from his drawer. ¡°Weighing the situation,¡± Grimm muttered to himself. Not long ago, the Restorationists in the Rose Palace took the initiative to come into contact with him. They claimed to have found the former duke¡¯s son and hoped that Blackwater Offa University could provide some small help in returning to Thorn City¡¯s former order. Participating in the complicated battles in the Rose Palace¡¯s palace didn¡¯t match Offa University¡¯s past neutral attitude. However, things were now different, especially when the brilliance of the Astral Laws could no longer illuminate Thorn City. Chapter 149 - 149 Weighing the Situation (3) 149 Weighing the Situation (3) He was planning for the entire academy¡¯s future. Moreover, before making up his mind, it wasn¡¯t as if Grimm hadn¡¯t made other attempts. In the past half a month, he had entered the palace a few times to meet Vincent, hoping to clarify the reopening of the lighthouse. However, the answers he received were official answers like ¡°studying the feasibility,¡± and ¡°an answer will be provided in the future.¡± Grimm wasn¡¯t a fool. He could see the increasing number of strict seals outside the Astral Lighthouse day by day. The Restorationists¡¯ promise of immediately restoring contact with the Astral Council seemed much more pragmatic and reliable in comparison. Grimm activated the communication spell in the Demon Sealing rune¡ªhe wanted to inform the ambush arranged by the Restorationists a few streets away that the girl had already left. Mana flowed from his fingertips to the runes according to his will. The spells engraved on the runes were instantly covered in blue electric sparks. Then, it went out. ¡°It¡¯s useless. You¡¯ve underestimated a father¡¯s protective measures for his daughter, especially given her many dangerous encounters.¡± A voice suddenly echoed opposite Grimm. He looked up and saw a gray-haired man appear where Liliana had been sitting. There was no one there a second ago. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Grimm¡¯s back tensed up. He raised his hand, and a fiery-red spell instantly took shape. Then, it was extinguished as well. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve already sealed off the space here. Don¡¯t shout. It¡¯s useless.¡± After casually extinguishing his spell, the person said indifferently, This made Grimm, who was about to call for help, shut up. Spatial seal? But he remembered that spells related to spatial seals couldn¡¯t be silently cast. Or was the other party just lying to him? Grimm looked at the calm man suspiciously. He stared at him for a while before saying, ¡°Have I seen you somewhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve used your school¡¯s training range before. Perhaps you¡¯ve seen me back then,¡± the person replied politely. Grimm recalled carefully. It seemed to have happened not long after the chaos in the graveyard. Back then, Vincent brought a person who wasn¡¯t willing to reveal his identity over to rent an underground shooting range for two days and instructed that no one was allowed to approach it in order not to cause any accidents. However, two days later, the entire shooting range was returned intact, as if that person had only slept in the shooting range for two days. He still had some impression of it due to the supposed gravity of the situation back then. ¡°So you¡¯re Vincent¡¯s man?¡± Grimm asked thoughtfully. The other party shook his head. But before Grimm could voice his next guess, the other party replied, ¡°Vincent is one of mine.¡± Grimm waited for the other party to continue, but the other party fell silent at this point. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Although Vincent had never declared himself the King of Blackwater or Duke of Thorn, he undoubtedly held the highest authority in the Blackwater Province. And now, this unknown magic chanter in front of him said that Vincent was his subordinate. What right did he have? With his gray hair and silver eyes, he looked like the legitimate heir of the Riel royal family? The person didn¡¯t answer Grimm¡¯s question and said directly, ¡°The Restorationists¡¯ plan for tomorrow¡¯s coup won¡¯t succeed.¡± When Grimm Gordon heard the words ¡®tomorrow¡¯ and ¡®coup,¡¯ his heart immediately skipped a beat. Once the information about a coup was leaked, there was no chance of success. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Grimm said without changing his expression. ¡°Coup? What coup? Is this an April Fool¡¯s joke?¡± The other party didn¡¯t say anything when he heard that. Instead, he reached out and pried open his fingers that had been squeezed white before taking out the Demon Sealing rune that hadn¡¯t been activated. He held the Demon Sealing rune and looked at him. His expression seemed to be saying: Please don¡¯t treat me as a fool. ¡°I can explain that¡­¡± However, the other party raised his hand to stop him. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that the wrong choice made because of ignorance can be forgiven before it causes irreparable losses. After all, ignorance isn¡¯t a sin. There¡¯s still a chance to correct it,¡± the person looked at the Demon Sealing rune and said. ¡°Fortunately, you chose to help the Restorationists previously partly out of ignorance. You don¡¯t know what¡¯s supporting Vincent behind the scenes. Secondly, you didn¡¯t choose to do anything that could cause heavy losses.¡± Then, the person said and activated the Demon Sealing rune before Grimm could react. ¡°Hey! Wait!¡± ¡°Therefore, I¡¯m willing to give you a chance to start over.¡± Chapter 150 - 150 Grimoire (1) 150 Grimoire (1) ¡°Are you planning on luring the people behind this out through this?¡± Grimm probed when he saw the person in front of him activate the Demon Sealing rune engraved with a communication spell. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble to deal with those trash. It¡¯s just for an experiment.¡± With that said, the flame in William¡¯s hand flashed, and the Demon Sealing rune instantly turned to dust and dissipated. After doing this, he patted the dust off his hands and sat opposite Grimm again. ¡°What experiment?¡± ¡°An experiment that has nothing to do with you.¡± William replied and crossed his fingers, asking, ¡°Therefore, what did they promise you for betraying your student?¡± ¡°They¡± naturally referred to the Restorationists in the Rose Palace. Grimm replied, ¡°Restore the former order.¡± ¡°Astral Laws? You actually think that¡¯s called order?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only order among magic chanters. Without it, what¡¯s the difference between us and the barbarians on the Damon Continent who brandish magic like swords?¡± ¡°Then, you must also think that an exquisite cage for birds can be called order.¡± ¡°The fence that separates people from ferocious beasts can only be order,¡± Grimm replied tit for tat. The Astral Laws were a very broad concept. It didn¡¯t just include the Astral Circuit system that was connected to the 13 designated constellations in the Astral World, as well as the actual ¡®hardware¡¯ like the Astral Lighthouse that covered the entire continent. More importantly, just as its name indicated, it also regulated the laws that magic chanters should follow. The Astral Laws crystallized the noble status of mages, established the corresponding responsibilities of these powerful people, and divided them into a stable promotion and etiquette system according to their levels. Not only that, but it also strictly limited the conflicts between magic chanters. Through a spell called Resound, it took note of every registered mage¡¯s death equally and fairly. Why did every overlord retain a rather large secular army when the magic chanters were so powerful? There were very few magic chanters, and it was partly because they couldn¡¯t be everywhere. However, the more important reason was that the Astral Laws strictly stipulated which spells magic chanters could use in public. Although the specific clauses were as complicated and long as bureaucratic jargon, in summary, there was only one thing¡ªthey could only be used when facing a supernatural threat, not of their own choice. It was unheard of for Vincent to mix magic chanters into secular troops and various production departments and use supernatural powers in public with great fanfare. ¡°Then, before the Astral Laws were proposed, was there no order among the magic chanters on this continent?¡± William asked with his fingers lodged against one another. ¡°Yes, and then those forms of order were defeated by the Astral Council.¡± Grimm shrugged and continued, ¡°Moreover, there weren¡¯t as many magic chanters back then as there are now. It¡¯s much less likely for children from commoners to become magic chanters than now.¡± He was speaking the truth. Although William didn¡¯t count the number of magic chanters, the number of magic chanters was limited by the mentor system in that era in-game. The conditions to become a mentor who could impart his knowledge were extremely demanding. Even if one had the qualifications, as a mentor, one would usually only teach three to five apprentices throughout one¡¯s life. Therefore, the number of magic chanters on the continent back then was far fewer than in the current Empire. William thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Then, forgive me for being presumptuous and asking what your current level is? As the chancellor of Blackwater Offa University.¡± When Grimm Gordon heard that, he couldn¡¯t help but smile imperceptibly. He leaned back slightly in his chair and said, ¡°A Master-level Regis constellation magic chanter, having already reached the peak of the Master-level in Earth spells.¡± William didn¡¯t mean to mock him, but hearing the arrogance in his tone, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Such standards might not even make you a tower mage¡¯s deputy of Blackwater Offa University in the past.¡± At the same time, William corrected the statement. There were far more people in this era who claimed to be magic chanters than in the past. Upon hearing William¡¯s words, Grimm said indignantly, ¡°When do you mean the past?¡± As someone who had reached the peak of the Master level before the age of 40, Grimm could be considered the most talented chancellor of Blackwater Offa University in recent decades. It had to be known that because his family wasn¡¯t illustrious, he had to queue for nearly five years to obtain the advancement spot for the advancement to the Master level. If it weren¡¯t for the five years that delayed him, he would have long been at the peak of the Master level. He even felt that if he didn¡¯t die of old age before he reached the end of the queue, he had a chance of reaching the Legendary domain in the future. ¡°In the era of Violet Grant¡­ It was unimaginable to let someone who hadn¡¯t reached the Divine Realm be the chancellor back then. Back then, even the master of every mage tower needed to be at the peak of the Master level,¡± William said. Grimm wrote it off as the other party being argumentative. Chapter 151 - 151 Grimoire (2) 151 Grimoire (2) Violet Grant was a true powerhouse who had cultivated five spells to the Divine Realm and was one of the founders of the Mage Association. This was a name that everyone who graduated from Blackwater Offa University would remember. However, was it meaningful to use the greatest chancellor in the history of Blackwater Offa University as an example? Back then, William Kane was an honorary professor at Offa University. Should he use this to infer that even the external professors hired by the university were at the Holy Spirit level? Grimm felt that there was probably something wrong with the person in front of him for him to suddenly give him a history lesson. ¡°Compared to him, fine¡­ It¡¯s not just him. Compared to many people in the past, I¡¯m indeed incapable as a deputy. But so what? It¡¯s no longer the era of heroes. The problem now is that we can¡¯t do anything without the Astral Council¡¯s help.¡± As Grimm spoke, he felt himself starting to feel frustrated. ¡°Therefore, although I don¡¯t know who you are or who is in command between you and Vincent, I think I must warn you.¡± Looking at the other party¡¯s calm face, William spread his hands and gestured for him to continue. ¡°Although there¡¯s a high chance that you will defeat the Restorationists¡¯ coup despite having the initiative, I still have to say that this doesn¡¯t mean anything because the other party can at least propose a plan to return to the Astral Laws. Although this is an old path, it¡¯s effective.¡± As Grimm spoke, he straightened up and continued, ¡°However, you can¡¯t plan a new way out for the entire Offa University, the entire city, or rather, the Blackwater Province.¡± Ever since the Stranger Astral Lighthouse was shut down, what hope was there for the children with magic affinity¡ªthe students whose minds were ready for advancement but lacked advancement spots? Sometimes, he would even maliciously speculate if the real reason Vincent sealed the Astral Lighthouse was that he had been abandoned by the Astral Laws and his name as a registered mage had been erased. In turn, he wanted all the magic chanters in the Blackwater Province to feel the same affliction as him. If this problem wasn¡¯t resolved, so what if the coup was stopped? Many magic chanters had already chosen to leave and seek out opportunities in other provinces. If this situation continued, Blackwater Province¡¯s magic chanter legacy would be wiped out in a few years. William replied to Grimm, ¡°You just said that the Astral Laws is an old path, but in my opinion, it¡¯s not old.¡± As he spoke, he took out a brick-thick grimoire from his inventory and slammed it on the table. The book cover seemed to be sewn from the skin of an amphibian. Moreover, the skin constantly changed its color as if it were still alive. Grimm looked at the old book and looked at William in confusion. ¡°Open it.¡± William didn¡¯t explain further. Grimm opened the first page of the book and saw that it said: Introduction to Illusion¡ªArt of Light Manipulation By Violet Grant If we admit that everything in this world is a facade of light, adding another layer of illusion on top of this fabrication was nothing. It had to be known that not only was everything the solidification of light, but it also shaped everyone¡¯s basic understanding of things in Currere. The perception of mortals originated from the dispersion of light, and unsolidified light was the bridge that could at most change and be easily distorted. Therefore, illusions that controlled mortals¡¯ minds through light were born. Perhaps many people believed that compared to Morph spells that could permanently change the essence of things, the colorful lights created by illusions were only temporary illusions that would ultimately be nothing but dissipating bubbles. However, they forgot that their understanding of what was affected by fake illusions was equally real. Morph and Illusion were essentially the same. This was because reality and illusion were ripples that echoed in everyone¡¯s hearts. After Currere stripped away all its facade, everything it displayed was that of the naked heart. Therefore, to everyone, the truth of this world only depended on the appearance they observed. ¡­ Upon seeing this, Grimm looked up at William and said, ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s Liliana¡¯s true Illusion teacher.¡± ¡°If I wish to buy this book¡ªno, if I wish to borrow this book for some time, what do I need to pay? I will be equally responsible for the book¡¯s maintenance,¡± Grimm immediately asked solemnly. Introduction to the five spells¡ªMorph, Illusion, Fire, Frost, and Light¡ªwas once Blackwater Offa University¡¯s most precious riches. However, they were all moved to Ring City by the Astral Council during the book-burning campaign back then. It was said that the Astral Laws¡¯ main branch of these five spells developed through the theories of these five books. The process of magic training provided many transcendent feelings that couldn¡¯t be described by words or figures. One could only rely on completing the construction of spell models and controlling the chanting rhythm. At the end of the day, one would at most reach the Expert level. Therefore, relying on magic books could only introduce some basic general knowledge. It was just like music instrument textbooks. Even if this textbook was written by a famous bard, it couldn¡¯t compare to being taught by the tavern poet next door. Chapter 152 - 152 Grimoire (3) 152 Grimoire (3) However, a grimoire was different. A magic chanter who wrote a grimoire needed to engrave their strength and ethereal insights into the book¡ªin the form of dividing and freezing their soul. As for people who read grimoires, if they had talent in this aspect, they could truly sense the author¡¯s insights, saving them from taking a lot of detours. Grimoires were extremely precious on the continent. Undoubtedly, splitting one¡¯s soul and engraving it in a book would cause considerable damage to one¡¯s mental strength. Typically, only down-and-out mages who lacked money would do such a thing that wrecked their future. As for grimoires originating from the strong, they were usually forced to write them for various reasons. Some of them were even written before they died¡ªthese books weren¡¯t just mixed with the author¡¯s insights. This made the grimoires on the market either useless if their levels weren¡¯t high enough or very dangerous. Reading them might even cause schizophrenia. As for someone like Violet, who hoped to pass on the torch, he wrote 15 grimoires in one go before retiring and wrote himself from the Divine Realm to the Legendary stage. He was a rare gem, one not seen in centuries. This was also the reason why William insisted on maintaining the structure of Blackwater Offa University and not starting over. When Grimm saw the book and sensed the will contained in it, he couldn¡¯t help but make a trade request. William shook his head. ¡°Sir, strictly speaking, this belongs to Blackwater Offa University¡­¡± ¡°Back then, Violet left behind three sets of grimoire, and one of them was left in Offa University¡¯s library. You were the ones who gave it away in the past thousand years and let him down. Now, you¡¯re telling me that it belongs to Offa University?¡± William raised his voice slightly. Grimm was a little embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to reply. William continued, ¡°By the way, that girl doesn¡¯t need to wait for that bullsh*t advancement spot for her current advancement. Your concern for her previously was unnecessary. Her ether domain has already been connected to the Astral World without passing through the Astral Lighthouse. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°Classical magic system¡­¡± Grimm muttered and looked at William. ¡°So this is what Vincent really wants to do? Make the future Blackwater Province switch to classical magic, just like Ava State?¡± ¡°You made three mistakes in your sentence,¡± William replied. ¡°This is what I want to do. Rebuilding a new magic system across the Vic Continent in the future, and the classical magic system is only the first step.¡± Reconstruct a new magic system? Grimm felt that converting the entire Blackwater Province to the ancient path was already a fantasy. ¡°Sir, although I don¡¯t know who you are, do you know what you just said¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m William Kane.¡± ¡°But even if you¡¯re William Kane, it¡¯s impossible for you to rely on just one book or set¡­ Wait, what did you say?¡± William looked at the confused Grimm and didn¡¯t repeat himself. As for the other party, he only reacted like a normal person after a momentary daze. ¡°I originally thought that you weren¡¯t that crazy and would come up with more convincing reasons to try and convince me,¡± he stood up and said. Some people guessed that the whereabouts of the last set of grimoire had been taken away by William Kane. It was as if all the missing treasures on the continent were pinned on him. Regarding this, Grimm felt that this was just an excuse for losing something. How much could William Kane have taken with him when he left alone back then? ¡°I¡¯m not trying to convince anyone.¡± As William spoke, a deep portal opened behind him. On the other end of the portal was a perfect storm that swept through the sky and earth, a reef that looked like it could be drowned by wind and waves at any time, a dilapidated and ancient fortress, a toppled lighthouse, and a flock of crows circling the sky. Before Grimm could react, a sudden hurricane rolled out of the portal, and the salty seawater drenched him. He wiped the seawater from his face in a sorry state before realizing in horror and comical fashion that although he was drenched, there wasn¡¯t a drop of water on the other aged furniture in the room. What¡¯s going on? My office clearly has a spell that blocks Teleportation, so how can the other party open a portal of this scale? Moreover, what is this sea? It¡¯s both illusory and real. It¡¯s simply like¡­ ¡°You can choose to come or not.¡± William, who wasn¡¯t stained by a drop of water in the hurricane, put away the grimoire and said, ¡°However, I have to remind you that I usually only give people a single chance. What will your choice be?¡± ¡°Do you choose to become an accomplice of the Restorationists and have dungeon rats for companions for the rest of your life? Or do you choose to revive the glory of Blackwater Offa University with me?¡± ¡­ He left Thorn City. Moon Realm, Lake of Entropy, Lady of Starvation¡¯s domain. In the distance, it was as if a huge hand was dumping something onto the originally calm lake. They were countless half-ripe grains, dying small animals, struggling large creatures, and injured people. Everything was poured onto the calm lake. As for the lake, it remained calm. It looked like they were poor-quality background maps without any collision models. The things that were dumped didn¡¯t drown or sink to the bottom of the lake. They also floated on the lake like trash. Then, they quickly rotted away. Skin first festered before the flesh rotted. Fresh rot turned into black hair and rotten flesh in the blink of an eye. Finally, they fell from their bodies like slag. The calm lake began to ripple slightly, gradually devouring the rotten residue. However, the residue didn¡¯t sink completely. Instead, it circled in a vortex not far below the lake. It wasn¡¯t until everything was devoured by the lake that the vortex slowly began to close up, finally turning into a humanoid formed by dancing rotten residue. It slowly surfaced from the lake. It held a scepter made of blackened bones in one hand and three tattered bells in the other. Demon General, Erosion. A weak female voice appeared above the entire lake. Your destiny is decided¡ªbring death to the Calamity. Chapter 153 - 153 Blade of Nirvana 153 Blade of Nirvana The Lake of Entropy symbolized the end of all things in its self-devouring, so silence was the only theme here. The corruption was silent. However, at this moment, a cheerful voice appeared above the Lake of Entropy. ¡°Can you really kill him with just baby Erosion? I seriously doubt it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s injured and defenseless against our joint attack. Moreover, he¡¯s in a hurry, so it¡¯s possible,¡± the female voice from before replied. Ripples appeared on the lake as Her voice sounded. The ripples then expanded until the entire surface of the water seemed to boil as foam constantly bubbled. Then, with a plop, a white bone blade appeared from the bottom of the lake. It floated in midair at the height of a person. Dark-green patterns clung to the bone blade like blood vessels, making it look like it was alive. Then, a thin woman¡¯s arm suddenly appeared above the bone blade. A drop of blood hovered at the tip of that hand and trembled slightly. ¡°A drop of Calamity¡¯s blood and the Blade of Nirvana. This is indeed a weapon that can kill him.¡± As the cheerful voice sounded again, the blood on the woman¡¯s fingertip dripped onto the bone blade. Instantly, the drop of blood disappeared as if it had been absorbed by a sponge. The originally terrifying aura overflowing from the bone blade instantly converged, and the green patterns clinging to it gradually disappeared. Soon, it turned into a normal bone-white dagger. ¡°To connect the fate of the Calamity to the nirvana of all things, as long as you stab this dagger into his body, you can completely kill him both at the physical and soul levels¡­ But how do you plan on doing this?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re only here to crack wise, our cooperation will end here, Valk,¡± the woman¡¯s voice replied. Previously, after Camilla injured the Calamity at Black Crow Gaze, Her weapon was stained with his blood. She then used the Calamity¡¯s drop of blood as a medium and used Her authority to forge this sharp blade that could wipe out the other party. However, no matter how lethal a weapon was, it was meaningless as long as it didn¡¯t hit. With the other party¡¯s strength in Currere, unless Camilla¡¯s incarnation descended, there was no hope of stabbing this sharp blade into him. ¡°I was just joking. Hahaha¡­¡± With a burst of laughter, a crudely made and funny-looking paper crown fell from the sky and landed on Demon General Erosion¡¯s head. The human figure that was originally made of dancing rotten residue instantly began to change. Layers of phantoms appeared around it, and then these figures overlapped, forming a solid person. ¡°This unlucky child looks more suitable to wear this crown than his forgotten father.¡± The Erosion from before was gone, but in its place stood a fat young man in wrinkled luxurious clothes embroidered with a golden rose pattern. Valk¡¯s voice echoed again, ¡°Unfortunately, that fellow named Vincent hasn¡¯t been crowned. Otherwise, if you got your baby Erosion to swap identities with him, this matter would probably be in the bag.¡± The ¡®person¡¯ on the lake came to the Blade of Nirvana without a word and hid the bone-white dagger in his sleeve. Then, he began to turn transparent and finally disappeared from the lake. After a while, Camilla¡¯s voice echoed across the lake again. ¡°If you had joined us in attacking the Calamity at Black Crow Gaze, he wouldn¡¯t have returned to Currere alive. What changed your mind to make you willing to help in killing him?¡± ¡°Be it helping him or killing him, my goal hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°So your goal is to have fun?¡± Valk laughed and replied, ¡°I have to admit that this is one of the goals.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the more important reason?¡± ¡°In the past, the Calamity wouldn¡¯t have been infected by your slash with a corruption curse.¡± Valk didn¡¯t answer Camilla¡¯s question directly. Instead, he changed the topic and started talking about something else. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What I mean is that the last battle in Black Crow Gaze made me feel that this Moon Realm Calamity that has disappeared for 1,008 years seems to have lost something after returning. This makes him no longer as¡­ difficult to deal with as before?¡± ¡°To be able to escape from the siege of four sovereigns already makes him a thorny mortal.¡± ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯m not talking about strength. He has always been the weaker party in terms of strength, but this doesn¡¯t affect him from always winning, so this has nothing to do with strength.¡± ¡°So what are you referring to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either. It¡¯s probably some kind of calmness? Or some strange luck? In short, it¡¯s an ability to find the path to victory from countless futures where he has failed.¡± Valk said vaguely before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s still too boring for him to always win. Moreover, since there¡¯s such a possibility, we might be able to find a more dramatic ending to Judgment¡¯s destruction. Moreover, even if we fail¡­ Hahahahahaha, don¡¯t you have a backup plan?¡± ¡­ Thorn City, Rose Palace, a secret basement somewhere. In the end, it¡¯s still such a cold place¡­ Layton, who was sitting on a stone bench, wrapped his clothes tightly and thought. After the Restorationists completed their arrangements in the Rose Palace, they informed them to come here through a secret tunnel that connected to Thorn City¡¯s sewers. It had to be said that this was very torturous. Passing through narrow, wet, and reeking sewers was one thing, but what was even more intolerable was the future duke beside him. The other party didn¡¯t stop complaining along the way, and not only couldn¡¯t Layton deliver a Lightning Strike to his head, but he also had to constantly rack his brains to say comforting words to calm the other party down. Thankfully, this torturous journey didn¡¯t last long. They quickly arrived at the underground throne room. ¡°Welcome, Your Grace; welcome, Sir Layton. The journey must have been tough on the two of you.¡± The Rose Palace¡¯s Minister of Espionage and the Bramble Guards¡¯ deputy captain welcomed them. They stood at the entrance of the secret tunnel with magic crystal lamps and helped the bloated duke in. ¡°It was terrible, utterly terrible. It¡¯s unimaginable that I have to return to my palace through the sewers in just three months.¡± As Jesse Walde spoke, he pulled his hand away from the two of them and sniffed his clothes with a disgusted expression. ¡°Moreover, I smell foul everywhere.¡± ¡°Sorry, Your Grace. Half of the normal guards in the Rose Palace have been replaced by summoned creatures by that usurper. Only by taking this path can you enter the palace undetected.¡± As the Bramble Guards¡¯ deputy captain spoke, he waved his hand behind him. Two black-armored guards walked over with two velvet boxes. One box contained a clean robe embroidered with a golden rose, and the other contained a crown of thorns made of Elementium Silver. Jesse¡¯s gaze was immediately attracted by the crown. ¡°Crown of Thorns? But why is it¡­¡± As the duke¡¯s son, Jesse could tell at a glance that the crown was authentic. Then, he began to wonder why this thing that should have been carefully guarded by the usurper would appear so easily. ¡°The usurper has always placed this crown in the cabinet in the former duke¡¯s room and hasn¡¯t touched it, so I got my shadow guards to secretly bring it over,¡± the Minister of Espionage said with his head bowed. ¡°Good, very good!¡± Jesse nodded in satisfaction. Then, he took out the crown from the box and kept studying it. ¡°What do you want after I¡¯m on the throne? Become a noble? Or riches? How about I confer you the land of the Ebony Territory?¡± he said as he stroked the thorn on the crown. The Minister of Espionage lowered his head slightly and said, ¡°Thank you, Your Grace. It¡¯s my greatest honor to be able to witness the real Duke of Thorn wear this crown.¡± The deputy captain lowered his head slightly and said, ¡°Your Grace, I also have a gift for you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jesse slightly moved his gaze away from the crown and glanced at the man. Then, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± The Bramble Guards¡¯ deputy captain coughed lightly and said, ¡°Bring it up.¡± With the sound of chains, a girl with short hair that reached her ears was escorted up by two black-armored guards. ¡°Liliana von Bergman, the adopted daughter of the usurper, Vincent.¡± Jesse¡¯s gaze was instantly attracted by the beautiful girl whose hands were cuffed and her eyes empty. ¡°With her as a hostage, I believe that the usurper won¡¯t choose to resist unwisely.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Jesse didn¡¯t listen to the captain because he was fixated on the girl. No one present noticed, or rather, they saw but ignored for some reason¡ªthe pendant on Liliana¡¯s chest was an iron plate with a horn pattern. Its surface was plated with a layer of Elementium Silver. At this moment, the iron plate was controlling the weak light in the environment. Chapter 154 - 154 Library and Illusions 154 Library and Illusions ¡°The first level contains ordinary books. Most of them are historical documents, books on tools, legendary stories, myths¡­ Of course, there are also some general knowledge magic textbooks, but their level is about the same as your current textbooks. However, there¡¯s a gap of more than a thousand years, so they might bring about some new ideas, but they¡¯re generally not very useful.¡± William led Grimm into the library illuminated by the starlight dome. This was a Baroque-styled building floating in the cosmos. A faint starlight seeped through the gorgeous huge floor-to-ceiling colorful windows, embellishing the complicated and exquisite interior of the building with dreamy colors. Towering bookshelves extended to the dome. Candle-shaped spirits that flickered with dark-blue flames floated everywhere in midair. They were both the guardians of the library and the main lighting equipment here. This was the library inside William¡¯s Treasure Hall. The in-game achievement of Perfect Collector didn¡¯t include all the books. This was because although the game developers had designed a sea of books, only a few books had specific content. Most books were only designed with a book cover and a name. Moreover, compared to other items or equipment, the distribution of books on the map was too scattered. It was very easy to find repeats. Therefore, a normal player wouldn¡¯t consider collecting all the books. However, it was obvious that William wasn¡¯t an ordinary player. He had collected all the books in-game, including those that only had book covers and titles that could only be used for decoration at home. Furthermore, he had duplicated the Void Sovereign¡¯s Forbidden Sage¡¯s Library of the Dead through the control panel in the Treasure Hall and stored all the books inside. After transmigrating, William realized that not only was the content of the books in the library filled, but the Forbidden Sage¡¯s spawn had been copied as well. The Candle Spirit and Archivist were under his control. Unfortunately, due to the characteristics of these Moon Realm spirits that were similar to Currere-bound spirits, they couldn¡¯t leave the library. ¡°The things on the second level are relatively valuable. Grimoires ranging from Apprentice to Master, all the alchemy formulas, enchantment formulas, and basic rune combinations I could find on the continent back then¡­ In short, if the former glory of Blackwater Offa University is to be restored, just 10 to 20% of the knowledge on the second level needs to be taught.¡± As William spoke, he brought Grimm up to the second level of the library on turquoise runes out of thin air. A few burning Candle Spirits floated over and illuminated their surroundings. Grimm¡¯s gaping mouth hadn¡¯t closed since he entered the library. This place was simply the dream of all magic chanters who took it upon themselves to pursue the truth of the world. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that this place represented the truth itself. It could be said that other than Battle Mages who used their training in magic as a killing tool, any magic chanter would feel soul shocked when they saw the endless bookshelves and the faint light of the grimoires that stretched into the distance. It was all due to excitement and exhilaration. The number of books in the library in front of him was probably comparable to when the Astral Council emptied all the magic academies on the continent during the Great Burning Book campaign when the Astral Laws were promoted. Even the Astral Council¡¯s library didn¡¯t have so many grimoires. ¡°I won¡¯t bring you up to the third and fourth levels. Let¡¯s not talk about Legendary and Divine Realm magic books first. There are many books on the third level that seal Lunar Monsters or powerful spirit bodies. Those things are too dangerous for you. As for the fourth level¡­ just pretend that the fourth level doesn¡¯t exist,¡± William said vaguely. When he sensed no reply from the person behind him, he turned his head. At this moment, Grimm was looking at the endless bookshelves in a daze. No matter how he called out, there was no reaction. ¡°Hey, come back to your senses!¡± William patted the other party¡¯s shoulder and said. Grimm finally came back to his senses. He held William¡¯s hand with a trembling hand and said, ¡°Lord William! No, Lord Eighth Holy Spirit!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that¡­¡± William said helplessly. ¡°What do you want me to do for you? What price do I have to pay to borrow a few books from this library?¡± In the current Riel Empire, every magic chanter who pursued magic had the honor of being able to enter the library in Ring City for training. That library contained a sea of grimoires. It was said that as long as talented people could train there for a year, their path to the Legendary domain would be greatly smoother. At the very least, there wouldn¡¯t be a huge problem in theory. Even the Ring City Library couldn¡¯t compare to the library in front of him. ¡°Borrow a few books?¡± William repeated Grimm¡¯s words in confusion. Then, he said, ¡°No¡­ You¡¯ve misunderstood. I didn¡¯t bring you here to talk about remuneration. If I want to use Offa University as the core to rebuild the entire Blackwater Swamp¡¯s magic teaching system in the future, it¡¯s far from enough with your current teaching strength. I hope you can make good use of the resources here and nurture a batch of teachers to be the backbone before¡­¡± Before William could finish speaking, his expression changed slightly. ¡°That little rascal¡­¡± ¡­ Layton kept pacing in the underground chamber, looking extremely anxious. After a while, he walked to a side door of the chamber, but two black-armored guards stopped him. He turned to look at the guard captain and said, ¡°Do you know how much Vincent cares about his daughter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I know that I went through so much trouble to kidnap her,¡± the other party replied. Layton rubbed his temples in frustration and said, ¡°You know that the little bastard¡¯s eyes never left her. Then, you listened to the orders of ¡®His Grace¡¯ and left the two of them in the same room without allowing for any disturbances?¡± ¡°Sir Layton, watch your words,¡± the Minister of Espionage said. ¡°If Vincent finds out what happened here, all of you will die,¡± Layton ignored his threat and continued. ¡°Why do you care what a dead person thinks?¡± the guard captain said. ¡°Because the ¡®dead person¡¯ you¡¯re talking about has already reached the Legendary domain. Even though we¡¯ve made so much preparation, he can pull all of us to hell before he dies,¡± Layton said through gritted teeth. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be fine as long as he dies before knowing¡­¡± Before the Minister of Espionage could finish speaking, a sound came from the side door. Layton¡¯s expression darkened. Fools¡­ These two are anxious to curry favor, and the person behind the door has less than 10% of his father¡¯s intelligence¡­ Layton thought. However, what happened behind the door was different from what everyone had guessed. Jesse Walde collapsed to the ground and was snoring slightly. As for Liliana, whose clothes were a little disheveled, she was looking at the fatty in disgust. The horn mark iron plate on her chest was emitting some light. ¡°If Vincent finds out about this, he probably won¡¯t care about the friendship between old friends anymore. Instead, he will personally kill this piece of trash,¡± Liliana said softly. It was William¡¯s voice. Chapter 155 - 155 Mirror Shadow and Plan 155 Mirror Shadow and Plan After ¡®Liliana¡¯ knocked down the future dead man with Sleep, she stroked her messy collar and hair. Instantly, their outlines swayed like candlelight before automatically returning to their previous neat appearance. ¡°How tasteless, how tasteless¡­¡± ¡®She¡¯ whispered. This time, the voice in her throat turned into a weak girl¡¯s voice again. With that said, ¡®she¡¯ raised the iron plate hanging on her chest and studied it for a while. She saw an extremely subtle and imperceptible crack appear on the iron plate pattern. As expected, even if it was forged with a large number of precious materials, this response terminal¡¯s durability would be reduced if it released other spells while constantly bearing the burden of a Divine Realm spell. Mirror Shadow was a Divine Realm illusion. It produced a phantom of a small creature that listened to the caster. Although it could interact with reality, it was still an ethereal illusion. This was another very powerful spell in the plot, but it was extremely useless in-game. William could use this spell to replicate the mirror image of any creature that didn¡¯t exceed a certain size¡ªincluding a person, and it could be anyone. This mirror image had a basic interface that replicated 80% of the main body, but it would also suffer 150% damage. If it received a Light or Shadow-type attack, the damage would double. This replicated mirror image could be controlled by the caster himself, or it could instinctively imitate the original owner¡¯s movements, but it couldn¡¯t use any spells. This was because all spells could only be activated through a person¡¯s will, and mirror images didn¡¯t have a will. Just the interface alone made the use of this spell extremely limited. Phantoms were naturally prone to damage, so as a meat shield, they were far inferior to summoned creatures of the same level. As for its damage output, it was even more awkward¡ªbe it a Mage, Pledger, Spellblade, Sagewhisper, Demon Summoner¡­ None of the classes in this game relied on an interface to deal damage. Therefore, other than replicating himself and using it to confuse a Boss, there didn¡¯t seem to be any other use for Mirror Shadow. Even after transmigrating, it was useless for William to develop the functionality of this spell. Due to the nature of illusions, these illusions could only last for short periods. Although he could continuously cast spells to maintain them, this was equivalent to holding the mirror image by the main body¡¯s side with a chain, losing the greatest value as an extension of his strength. However, after William discovered the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s figurines, or rather, the function of the response terminals, this originally useless spell took a turn. Although the phantom couldn¡¯t use spells, William¡¯s main body could cast spells through the response terminal. Moreover, the most troublesome endurance problem could be resolved through continuous casting through the response terminal. Liliana, who had been ¡®kidnapped¡¯ by the Restorationists, was a phantom created by William¡¯s Mirror Shadow and maintained through the response terminal. William didn¡¯t take the Restorationists¡¯ retaliation to heart. It was better to say that this matter had been part of his plan since he let Jesse off and sent the Death Spirit to monitor him. However, the Restorationists took far longer to prepare than he had guessed, and the preparations they made were far more adequate than he had guessed from the beginning. More importantly, he had completely angered many Void Sovereigns at Black Crow Gaze. It was difficult to say if They wouldn¡¯t take this opportunity to prepare a surprise for him. Not to mention that the coup chosen by the Restorationists was April Fool¡¯s Day. It was the summoning day of Absurdity Jester Valk. William wouldn¡¯t believe it if He would choose not to do something on this day. After comprehensive consideration, William planned on helping with the coup. It could also be used to test the use of his Mirror Shadow spell and the response terminal. Therefore, he specially used Mirror Shadow to replace Liliana, who had left, and infiltrated them as insurance. ¡°Sleep in peace until the guillotine tomorrow.¡± William controlled the illusion and cast another Sleep spell on Jesse, who was lying on the ground, through the iron token on the chest. ¡­ ¡°The Calamity hasn¡¯t returned to Thorn City yet,¡± above the Lake of Entropy, the weak female voice from before spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m very curious. Wouldn¡¯t it be very awkward for you if he didn¡¯t return and chose to continue guarding the Viper Scar?¡± another delighted chuckle asked. Compared to the trivialities in the Rose Palace, the Moon Realm rift in Viper Scar was the true threat to the Calamity. If They wanted to kill the Calamity in Currere, other than completely blocking the other party¡¯s path of retreat and expending an endless number of armies in a round-robin fight, existences that could pose a threat to him personally needed to at least reach the Demon General level. However, be it Demon Generals or Void Incarnations created by the Void Sovereign, other than some extremely special methods, they had to pass through the Moon Realm rift to step into Currere. Therefore, what the Calamity had been doing during this period was guarding the vicinity of the Moon Realm rift in Viper Scar to prevent it from continuing to expand which could lead to a destructive existence from the Moon Realm stepping into Currere. In comparison, the matters in Thorn City weren¡¯t worth mentioning. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t come over, I¡¯ll get Erosion to collapse the Stranger Lighthouse and add another Moon Realm rift to Thorn City,¡± Camilla replied coldly. ¡°Therefore, if he doesn¡¯t come over, it will be opening another Stranger Scar, causing him to be even shorter on manpower. If he comes over, even if he dodges the Blade of Nirvana¡¯s assassination, you can take this opportunity to expand the scale of Viper Scar and make the other Demon Generals under you or even your incarnation descend to Currere. Without Judgment 7, the Calamity won¡¯t be able to banish you. Impressive. From the looks of it, you won this round either way,¡± Valk concluded. With that said, applause sounded. Although his words sounded like praise, his tone was filled with mockery. ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace that so much scheming is needed by us to deal with a mortal even if it¡¯s a win,¡± Camilla replied. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. A few of our friends became powerful by constantly scheming against mortals.¡± Valk didn¡¯t continue on this topic. Instead, He changed the topic. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you worried about the price you have to pay for violating the treaty by openly violating the terms of the Astral Treaty and overturning the lighthouse before the stars align?¡± ¡°You¡¯re reminding me of this? The one who overturned the Viper Lighthouse?¡± Camilla replied. ¡°Sometimes, some sacrifices are needed for the sake of a good show. Moreover, as an audience, it¡¯s not a huge loss for me even if I¡¯m restricted from walking on stage. It¡¯s fine as long as the acting is good,¡± the other party replied. However, Camilla only sneered at Valk¡¯s words as if She didn¡¯t believe Him. After a while, She slowly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t violate any treaty. I¡¯m just taking back what I deserve.¡± Chapter 156 - 156 4th Day of the Rain Moon 156 4th Day of the Rain Moon During the Bronze Age, the priests living in Kosnia (the present Platinum Province as it was formerly known) divided a year into 12 months according to their astrology and farming calendars, starting the first calendar era for humans. The Rain Moon was the fourth month of the 12 months. Nonstop rain enveloped most of the central and southern continent this month. Of course, to the North¡¯s Whiteland and Cold Plains, which were constantly enveloped in snow, and the West¡¯s Withering Desert, this month was only a name. April Fool¡¯s Day on the 4th of the Rain Moon was a statutory festival recognized by most local officials. According to the officials, this wasn¡¯t a good time to deal with government affairs. It was a family holiday where one should stay at home to accompany their family and have a good time together. However, to the citizens at the bottom, especially the people in the slums who lacked a livelihood, this was an annual ¡°legal begging festival.¡± Or according to them, this was the only festival where they could turn the tables. However, Thorn City¡¯s April Fool¡¯s Day this year was a little different from usual in some places. In the morning, the rag-wearing citizens in the slums wore crowns made of hard paper and bamboo. They congregated in a parade and walked on the streets. They shook the bells in their hands and wore a necklace made of cheap glass beads. They imitated having a companion sword by the nobles¡¯ waist with a wooden sword. All the mansions in the uptown area had their doors closed. Some of them even lit up with the light of magical protection as a warning. The taverns, inns, tailors, grocery stores, and other shops on the streets and alleys all had their shutters down. They also placed a small amount of money and food at the door and erected a small sign beside them that said¡ªTo My King. It was very normal up to this point¡ªno different from previous years. However, there wasn¡¯t a single soul of the relief team sent by the overlord on Rose Street like past April Fool¡¯s Days. Not only were the people supposed to be giving alms not there, but there weren¡¯t any guards who usually went out to maintain order. The grand Beggar King¡¯s parade followed the route of the previous years and circled Rose Avenue a few times, but no one was to be seen. Relying on the charity from those small shops was not living up to their expectations. Therefore, the parade began to stir. Perhaps it was because this new overlord had completely abandoned the traditions of the past, or perhaps it was the courage given by this special day, but of course, it was more likely that there were no armored guards around to constantly deter them. In short, a voice appeared in the parade. ¡°Surround the palace.¡± In the beginning, only a few people muttered, but after someone shouted, these words began to gather strength in the crowd. Soon, it turned into a parade slogan with fanaticism. ¡°Surround the palace! Surround the palace! Surround the palace!¡± This team made up of ¡®kings¡¯ marched obstreperously in the direction of the Rose Palace. ¡­ Vincent von Bergman, the guardian of Thorn City, the Blackwater Swamp, and Nakuland, and the First Citizen who had yet to be crowned, was in the Rose Palace¡¯s conference hall. His fingers tapped the table casually, bringing a hint of anxiety to the already dreary Imperial Council. It wasn¡¯t surprising. It seemed like centuries had passed since the Rose Palace held an Imperial Council on April Fool¡¯s Day. On both sides of the conference table sat the court officials of the Rose Palace. The Imperial Manager, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Espionage, the Chief of the Mage Hall, the Bramble Guards Captain, and Vincent¡¯s newly established Minister of Food. Vincent hadn¡¯t said a word since they sat down. He only listened to the court officials present their reports expressionlessly and kept tapping his fingers on the table. After a long time, the imperial steward sitting beside Vincent finally couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. He got up and walked to a small window that gave light passage and complained, ¡°Why is it so noisy outside today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s April Fool¡¯s Day. It¡¯s normal for the streets to be noisy.¡± The Minister of Espionage closest to him turned his head and said, and the person¡¯s voice carried obvious complaints. The view through the small window was blocked by the tower at the side, so the butler couldn¡¯t see the situation outside the Rose Palace clearly, but he could hear the voices outside getting louder and louder. The imperial steward listened carefully to the commotion outside the window. After confirming that the sound came from the April Fools¡¯ parade, he asked in confusion, ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard such a hubbub in the past, especially one so near the palace. Aren¡¯t the parade usually stopped by the guards once they reach Rose Avenue?¡± Upon hearing this, Vincent turned his gaze to the Minister of Food he had recently promoted. In the past, the Minister of Finance was in charge of the relief work for the protesters on April Fool¡¯s Day, but now, all matters related to the people¡¯s livelihood had been transferred to his newly established position. The Minister of Food was a young man with thick black hair. He used to work for Thorn City¡¯s Chamber of Commerce, but he was promoted by Vincent because of his outstanding performance in dealing with the refugees who were escaping the Undead Tide. He only replied in confusion to Vincent¡¯s questioning gaze, ¡°The work was done a week ago. I even went to the scene last night to check on the preparations. They should be¡­¡± ¡°Surround¡­ surround the palace!¡± The slogan that slowly reached a crescendo outside Rose Palace cut short the Minister of Food¡¯s explanation. He frowned and walked to the window, trying to see what was happening outside. Vincent turned his gaze to the Bramble Guards Captain. Even if the relief team didn¡¯t comfort them on the spot, the parade could not come so close to the Rose Palace under the guard¡¯s crowd control. Therefore, the guard captain looked flustered. He hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten the deputy captain to lead a team to maintain order at the scene. Such a situation cannot happen.¡± The Minister of Finance stood up and asked Vincent, ¡°But it has happened. Lord Vincent, do we need to send the Imperial Guards or Battle Mages from the Mage Hall to ward off that mob?¡± Vincent shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re not rioters, and they cannot break through the Rose Palace¡¯s walls. Sending people out now will only cause innocent casualties.¡± ¡°But it won¡¯t sound good if word gets out that the mob attacked the Rose Palace¡ªregardless of whether they succeed or not,¡± the Minister of Espionage reminded. Vincent didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he glanced at him coldly. This glance gave him goosebumps as if a bolt of lightning had exploded not far behind him. Could the other party have realized something¡­ Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. However, this should be impossible. The entire Thorn City¡¯s intelligence system was in his hands, and the information the other party received every day had to go through him. How could Vincent sense anything with his pitiful connections? The captain stood up and walked to the door of the conference room. ¡°I¡¯d better bring some people to stabilize the situation outside first. I¡¯ll ask the deputy captain later.¡± With that said, he pushed open the door and was surprised to see the deputy captain of the Bramble Guards standing at the door. Moreover, they were fully armed. ¡°The situation outside has stabilized. The people are sincerely welcoming the true duke¡¯s return.¡± He grinned at him. Behind him stood a few robed magic chanters holding magical mediums. ¡­ Moon Realm, Lake of Entropy. ¡°So, has our Lord Calamity returned to Thorn City?¡± Valk asked for the umpteenth time. ¡°No¡­ He¡¯s still guarding the area near Viper Scar¡­ Forget it, let¡¯s not wait. Seal off the surrounding space through those believers,¡± Camilla said. ¡°What a pity¡­ After a thousand years, the new friends Calamity made will perish. Cough, cough, Dementia, use those countless crowns to freeze the space around that gorgeous palace!¡± Chapter 157 - 157 Blood Bath and Medium (1) 157 Blood Bath and Medium (1) The door opened, and a cold aura filled the conference room. Liliana¡ªwho was escorted to the back of the team¡ªwatched the impending farce coldly. When the Bramble Guards¡¯ captain saw the situation outside, he reached for the sword at his waist without a word. Although he acted swiftly, the people at the door were even faster. A light yellow ball of light quickly sank into his body, and he instantly collapsed as if all his strength had been sucked away. According to the rules, non-palace guards weren¡¯t allowed to wear enchanted armor in the Rose Palace. The captain only wore a simple set of ceremonial armor, so he was knocked down by the other party¡¯s Paralysis spell. After the guard captain collapsed, the few Battle Mages and the remaining upper echelons of the Gift Church who had defected from the Mage Hall entered one after another and ¡®took control¡¯ of the entire conference room. The court officials sitting beside the long table didn¡¯t have the time to do anything. As for Vincent, who had expected this at the end of the long table, lightning flashed in his hand that held a blue staff. He stood up and assumed a combat posture. Upon seeing this, the Minister of Espionage and the Minister of Finance revealed foolish expressions that said: ¡°You didn¡¯t guess it was me, right?¡± As they explained how they had secretly sent these combatants in through the Rose Palace¡¯s secret tunnels, they slowly strolled to the side of the uninvited guests outside the door. They had no idea that all the secret tunnels in Thorn City had long been controlled by the Retribution Templar, and the secret tunnel they used was specially reserved for them by the Retribution Templar. After explaining the ¡®flawless¡¯ plan, the two of them began to hypocritically persuade him to surrender by saying, ¡°If you give up and nicely surrender, you won¡¯t lose your noble title.¡± Vincent ignored the two of them and looked at the remaining four court officials of the Imperial Council. ¡°So? Which side do you plan on taking?¡± Vincent had long known that the two court officials had betrayed him through the Death Spirit set up by William. One of the reasons why he hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to attack was that he wanted to use this to confirm the loyalty of the others in the Imperial Council. His words instantly calmed the conference room. Under this tense atmosphere, other than the guard captain who had been knocked down, the others quickly made their choices. The Chief of the Mage Hall and the Minister of Food, who had been promoted by Vincent, stood up and walked behind him without a word. The imperial steward hesitated for a moment before finally choosing to walk opposite him. As for the Minister of Justice, he sat at the conference table to show his neutrality. After the process is over, the next step should be to use Liliana as the last bargaining chip to force the other party to surrender¡­ William thought as he controlled Liliana¡¯s Mirror Shadow. ¡°Lord Vincent, we respect your noble character very much, but please think carefully about what choice to make even if it¡¯s for the sake of your daughter.¡± As expected¡­ The Minister of Espionage spoke sincerely before clapping his hands, and Liliana¡ªwho had been hidden behind¡ªwas pushed forward through the crowd. The nervous and flustered expression on Vincent¡¯s face only lasted for a short moment. When he saw the horn emblem iron plate hanging around Liliana¡¯s neck, his expression immediately calmed down. Of course, there was a strange awkwardness under this calmness¡­ William could understand why. The person escorting Liliana¡¯s Mirror Shadow forward was Vincent¡¯s former adjutant, Layton. He looked at his former superior and said with a complicated expression, ¡°Lord Vincent, please don¡¯t do anything you will regret.¡± Vincent shook his head when he heard that. He was still holding the magical medium tightly. Realizing that the other party had no plans on giving up his resistance, the magical medium Layton pointed at the back of Liliana¡¯s head lit up with deep and dark lightning. It was a fully-chanted Void Thunderstorm that was ready to fire. William felt a slight numbness from the lightning flashes behind his head. He controlled Liliana¡¯s illusion and looked up. The Death Spirit he had summoned¡ªthe ferocious skeleton holding an invisible sickle¡ªwas floating behind Vincent. It was hidden and was scanning everyone in the room with a cold gaze, counting the souls it was about to cull. This top Legendary summoned creature, together with Vincent, who had already advanced to the Legendary domain, was enough to wipe out the rabble involved in the coup in the entire conference room in minutes. The battle was about to begin. If anything had to happen, it could only happen now. However, the Moon Realm still hadn¡¯t done anything. Was he too cautious? William thought as he sensed the tense atmosphere. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was worried that the Void Sovereigns he had enraged would take this opportunity to take revenge, he originally didn¡¯t plan on participating in this farce. With the strength of this group of coupists, Vincent and Spirit could handle this matter without any risk. He didn¡¯t need to worry at all. However, William had a nagging feeling that something was amiss. It was at least possible for Lunar Monsters at the Demon General level to cause trouble for him. For powerful existences like Demon Generals to enter Currere, they either needed to hold an extremely large-scale ritual to summon them or have them pass through the Moon Realm rift. However, the only exposed Moon Realm rift was Blacklight City¡¯s Viper Scar, and he was guarding nearby. It was impossible to let them pass. Chapter 158 - 158 Blood Bath and Medium (2) 158 Blood Bath and Medium (2) Did he miss something? ¡°Let¡¯s not fight here. After all, no victor will want a shattered Rose Palace to be their palace, right?¡± Vincent suddenly said. Layton frowned. He never expected the ace-in-the-hole trump card he had prepared to be useless against him. Therefore, he whispered a reminder, ¡°What about your daughter? Don¡¯t think that I won¡¯t do anything.¡± As he spoke, the lightning on the magical medium in his hand became even darker and deeper. William winked at Vincent and reminded him that this was an excellent opportunity to express his firm stand and win people¡¯s hearts. Vincent immediately understood. He said with a serious expression, ¡°I won¡¯t hand this city to a Moon Realm lackey like you for my daughter.¡± William nearly facepalmed. This fellow was indeed not suited for acting. Layton, who was behind William, took a deep breath. Even he found Vincent¡¯s reaction out-of-character. Forget it, let¡¯s not play house. Let¡¯s quickly end this matter. William felt embarrassed. William didn¡¯t give Vincent and the rest a signal. William, who was near the Viper Scar, used the response terminal as a medium to release Spatial Seal¡ªhe planned on sealing off the retreat of these people. However, this spell fizzled out like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Could it be that it didn¡¯t succeed? Far away in Viper Scar, William glanced at the magical medium in his hand. He did feel his mana being consumed. In the conference room, Vincent waved the magical medium in his hand, and a bolt of lightning was outlined along the trajectory he drew. He planned on opening a temporary portal to fight in an open area. However, the lightning of the temporary portal flickered a few times before turning silent. Vincent also revealed a puzzled expression. Lightning was a spatial rift. Among the different types of magic, only the most active and violent lightning-type magic power could temporarily tear through space in Currere. However, the surrounding space fell into a sluggish state. Even the most active lightning magic power couldn¡¯t affect it at all. The few magic chanters present who had cultivated lightning spells began to sense that something was amiss. William noticed that the slogans of the parade outside the Rose Palace had changed. ¡°King Jesse! King Jesse! King Jesse!¡± William heard the shouts outside as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind. He cursed inwardly. Only then did he finally figure out what the other party was up to. ¡°Valk, good move¡­¡± William gritted his teeth and said. Before coming to the conference room, Jesse Walde, the puppet trash, suddenly chickened out. His face was covered in sweat as he expressed that he didn¡¯t want to be in the same room as Vincent, the usurper. Then, he ordered the remaining people to bring the other party to justice. He wanted to use what Vincent did¡ªwinning the hearts of the people. Therefore, he brought a few guards to the Rose Palace¡¯s entrance and planned on commanding the relief team to distribute food. The relief team and guards that were originally used to comfort and deter the parade on April Fool¡¯s Day were controlled by the Restorationists this morning. William and Vincent knew about this, but in order not to alert the enemy, they left them be. After all, the situation in the palace could be controlled in a few minutes during the showdown. It wouldn¡¯t be too late to distribute the food later. They could also take this opportunity to eliminate a batch of the Restorationists¡¯ core members. As for the puppet duke, he was only trash. Other than his bloodline, he was useless. He wasn¡¯t a Moon Realm believer or a magic chanter. His presence didn¡¯t affect the situation much. If he were here and was accidentally killed by an unknown AOE attack, it would be troublesome¡ªWilliam originally planned on getting Vincent to publicly judge him. William ignored a very important problem¡ªa problem that non-natives could easily ignore. Although William scoffed at the theory of bloodlines, the symbolism of bloodlines in this world could be used to fulfill the corresponding conditions to complete a ritual. ¡°Do it.¡± William knew that the problem was huge. He immediately controlled Liliana¡¯s mirror shadow and said, ¡°What did you say?¡± Layton, who was standing behind the mirror, thought that the young lady in front of him was talking to him. He was still wondering why she suddenly didn¡¯t want to live. However, before Layton could persuade the maiden to calm down, he felt a familiar cold aura crawl up his back, causing his scalp to tighten. A sharpness that made Layton¡¯s hair stand on end stuck to his neck. Before he could react, he heard a splat, followed by the sound of liquid splashing¡ªhe felt his entire body float. Only a few people in the conference room saw what had happened. Chapter 159 - 159 Blood Bath and Medium (3) 159 Blood Bath and Medium (3) A huge, pale spirit appeared behind Layton. Then, it gently raised its hand, and Layton¡¯s head floated up. A soul was dragged out from the stump of his neck and stuffed into its cloak. Then, the spirit instantly disappeared as if it had never existed. As this happened too suddenly, everyone in the conference room was stunned. It wasn¡¯t until blood splattered from Layton¡¯s neck onto his body and a second person¡¯s head flew into the air that someone remembered to scream. William, who was controlling Liliana¡¯s mirror shadow, calmly took out a key from the waist of Layton¡¯s decapitated corpse amidst the screams around him and undid the shackles on his body. He could use spells to destroy these shackles, but the durability of his response terminal was limited. He still had to use 80% of the Liliana Mirror Shadow¡¯s interface to deal with a Demon General under an unknown master. It was better to conserve as much as possible. Perhaps it was because Liliana looked calm and was covered in blood which made it look stifling, or perhaps it was because most people were on guard against the Death Spirit that would appear at any moment, but in short, William wasn¡¯t stopped at all when he controlled Mirror Shadow to walk to the door of the conference room. Finally, he turned to look at Vincent and said, ¡°There¡¯s something urgent outside that needs me. I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± Vincent looked at the blood-stained William Kane and nodded with a strange expression. ¡­ There were roughly four categories of existences that could be considered gods recorded in this world. First, there was an existence called Ma in the Realm of Light. This deity only existed in the Tacma Church¡¯s doctrine. Rather than saying that Ma was a deity, it was more like a philosophical concept of supremacy and completion. The Tacma Church believed that all training and meditation in the world was to be closer to Her. Then, there were the gods in the myths and legends of the various races in ancient times, such as the ancient God King of the Blackwater Kingdom, Oka, and Death Vera. Their former strength could be reenacted through a sorcery ritual, but other than becoming the carrier of Their strength or Pledgers, no one had ever truly sensed Their existence¡ªunless one admitted that the Authority holders or Pledgers were gods themselves. Then, there were the seven or eight Holy Spirits. In essence, the Holy Spirits were a collection of all the ancient mythical gods. Before the Holy Spirits Church degenerated, they collected almost all the myths and legends on the continent to classify, analyze, and study. Finally, they came to a conclusion¡ªall the primitive myths in Currere had the same prototype, and local myths and legends everywhere only observed the profiles of those prototypes. Then, they added some stories of what happened to the ancient tribes, turning them into complicated myths and legends everywhere. Finally, there were the Void Sovereigns. Currere¡¯s academic world didn¡¯t have very authoritative theories about Their essence, but it was certain that Their strength originated from the reflection of Currere¡¯s emotions and that They had deep malice toward Currere. Moreover, They were the only deities who had the personality to interact with mortals. However, other than William, who wasn¡¯t sure if the Tacma Church¡¯s Ma existed, William had dealt with the remaining three. Moreover, he could confidently say that as gods, none of them were omniscient. It could even be said that the greater the strength, the greater the restriction. Especially for the Moon Realm deities who had the strongest presence. Typically, They couldn¡¯t see what was happening in Currere in real-time. If They wanted to obtain information, They had to use a medium, such as Their believers, statues, or things related to Their domains, or the traces They had left behind. Before William was injured by Camilla, she couldn¡¯t accurately locate him in Currere. Similarly, if They wanted to affect Currere, They needed a medium. Moreover, the strength of the medium directly determined the strength of Their projections. William had been wary of any mediums in Thorn City that could pose a threat to him, but he ignored one thing. The concept of a medium was very¡­ subtle, although generally speaking, a medium should be a specific thing in people¡¯s understanding¡ªfor example, a scar, a statue, or a Moon Realm rift. However, sometimes, the medium could also be an abstract thing. For example, a custom or a story¡ªstories that were popular across the continent and had thousands of years of tradition. Having been passed down over all the years and edified in the social mores, it was enough to be used as a medium for Demon Generals to be sent to Currere. For example, the story of the dirty beggar wearing a paper crown swapping identities with a foolish king wearing a king¡¯s crown. Chapter 160 - 160 Paper Crown and Iron Plate (1) 160 Paper Crown and Iron Plate (1) Under the escort of the black-armored guards, more than ten carts filled with bread and cheap wine appeared at the end of Rose Avenue. The April Fool¡¯s parade erupted in euphoria. They struck the scepter in their hands and rang the bell hanging at their waists with all their might. They shouted, ¡°Offer it to the king! Offer it to the king!¡± Hundreds of protesters wearing paper crowns surged toward the relief team like a tsunami. The magnitude frightened the attendants around the cart until they trembled slightly. Even the heavily armed guards¡¯ knuckles that held their weapons began to turn pale, afraid that the mob would break through their formation and cause a riot. In the past, April Fool¡¯s Day was a relief event beside a pre-established roadblock. Moreover, the parade would be diverted in advance. However, even so, there were inevitably a few bloody conflicts every year on April Fool¡¯s Day. It was common for people to die. However, for some reason, the higher-ups were crazy this year. They were told in the morning not to go out, and now, they were allowed to come out without any cover at the last minute. However, there was nothing they could do about it. Orders were orders. They had to abide by orders that could cost their lives. The parade lumbered over before turning into a jog. Finally, they charged at the relief team at the end of the road. However, before the horde arrived, a wall of fire suddenly rose, separating the street. The crowd stopped in their tracks in fear of this sudden change. Jesse Walde, who was wearing the Duke of Thorn¡¯s luxurious clothes and riding a white horse, rode his horse arrogantly to the relief team under everyone¡¯s gaze. Other than the black-armored guards, there were two magic chanters in robes embroidered with golden roses following behind him. One of them had eyes burning with flames. He was the one who summoned the wall of fire. ¡°Open a small hole in the wall of fire and get them to come in in an orderly manner to receive the relief package. Burn anyone who dares to attack the Rose Palace,¡± Jesse said to the guard. His subordinate immediately made arrangements to abide by the order. Most of the citizens in the slums had probably never seen real magic in their lives. The surging wall of fire was a better deterrent than weapons. Under the organization of the guards, the excited citizens lined up one after another to receive their relief packages. However, a person who came to collect food was still burned to death. He walked to the cart and said to the guard according to the April Fool tradition, ¡°Offer to the king¡­¡± Jesse waved at the mage beside him and instantly he was ignited. Amidst the crackling flames and miserable screams, the guard beside Jesse shouted at the panicking crowd, ¡°These relief packages are thanks to His Majesty Jesse Walde¡¯s mercy. Everyone, think carefully about what you should say!¡± Therefore, the second person who came forward stuttered, ¡°Praise¡­ Praise King Jesse.¡± The beggar called Jesse king purely because of the roles on April Fool¡¯s Day. However, the guard still turned to look at Duke Jesse when he heard that. Although it was April Fool¡¯s Day and although the Blackwater Province was no longer under the empire¡¯s control, having such a title spread wasn¡¯t good. However, Jesse laughed when he heard that. ¡°Good, give him double,¡± he said happily. With this as an opening example, every poor person who came forward to receive relief knew what to say. In the end, the entire crowd began to shout, ¡°King Jesse! King Jesse! King Jesse!¡± Amidst the tsunami-like cries, Jesse couldn¡¯t help but spread his arms, his face filled with intoxication. Right on the heels of that, a sharp and exaggerated voice sounded from somewhere in the crowd. ¡°Your Majesty! Please wear the crown!¡± This voice was extremely magnetic. Just hearing it made the already fanatical crowd shout even more fanatically, ¡°Crown! Crown! Crown!¡± Under this enthusiastic atmosphere, Jesse excitedly gestured for the attendant to bring over the crown of thorns. A magic chanter reminded him, ¡°My lord, wearing a crown today might not be¡­¡± ¡°Bring it over. It¡¯s a legend from many years ago. Moreover, didn¡¯t you hear the people¡¯s cries?¡± Unable to dissuade him, he could only helplessly watch Jesse pick up the silver crown of thorns from the black velvet box and wear it excitedly to the crowd who kept shouting ¡®crown.¡¯ In an instant, cheers erupted from the crowd, as well as an extremely imperceptible high-pitched laughter. The two magic chanters present felt that something had happened the moment Jesse put on the crown, but before they could sense what it was, a voice attracted their attention. Ugh¡­ A beggar who had just received relief instantly vomited after taking a big gulp of wine. Then, he gagged a few times. The surrounding guards immediately surrounded him. Upon seeing this, he hurriedly explained, ¡°Sir, this thing tastes like vinegar.¡± ¡°Vinegar?¡± A guard snatched the wooden cup from his hand and sniffed it before immediately frowning. Not far away, the sound of retching could be heard. It was from a beggar who had just stuffed bread into his mouth. Chapter 161 - 161 Paper Crown and Iron Plate (2) 161 Paper Crown and Iron Plate (2) The filth he spat out was filled with spots of mold and squirming maggots. After putting on the crown, Jesse¡ªwho had regained his calm expression¡ªsaid to the guard beside him, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the palace.¡± He ignored the vomiting around him and the screams of the relief team when they realized that maggots were constantly crawling out of the bread and that mold was growing. He turned around and walked toward the Rose Palace. ¡°Your Grace, Your Grace, there¡¯s something wrong¡­¡± The two magic chanters looked at the chaotic surroundings and stood rooted to the ground at a loss. What was going on? Jesse, or rather, the existence who used to be a king, ignored the two of them and slowly walked to the Rose Palace not far away, alone. However, not long after, he stopped. A blood-stained girl with short hair that reached her ears blocked the door. She wore an iron plate engraved with a horn coat of arms around her neck, and her expression was calm. Her eyes were fixed on the crown Jesse wore. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go in. The matter inside is over. All the henchmen who participated in the coup will be executed,¡± the girl said to him. Jesse, no, Demon General Erosion, who had bypassed the restrictions of the World Shell and stepped into Currere through the Paper Crown Conversion ritual, stared at the girl in front of him and said, ¡°That¡¯s even better. That little bug saved me some trouble.¡± William, who was controlling Liliana¡¯s Mirror Shadow, sighed and said, ¡°Not bad, Valk. You can send Demon Generals into Currere¡­¡± William confirmed that the crowned fellow in front of him was a Demon General. Judging from the food corruption not far away, he was most likely a Demon General under the Lady of Starvation. Using that famous April Fool story as a medium to connect the Moon Realm to Currere, He could send Demon General-level Lunar Monsters into Currere on His day of summoning. This method had the same effect as ceremonial magic¡ªthey both affected the present by replicating a historical event. In other words, the unlucky Walde probably had his identity swapped, leaving him in the Moon Realm. It was unknown if he was going to the Fanatic Theater or the Lake of Entropy. William thought and immediately informed Blake to send reinforcements to Thorn City. The surrounding space was sealed off in advance, so William couldn¡¯t use Teleportation to reach here. If he teleported to the nearest usable Teleportation point before flying over, the return trip would be enough for the Void Sovereigns to cause trouble in the Viper Scar. Blake was relatively close to Thorn City, and his movement speed in his Crow Feather Storm form was fast enough. As long as he ended the battle quickly enough, he could return before he lost control of Black Crow Gaze. What he needed to do now was use 80% of Liliana¡¯s interface to deal with the Demon General in front of him before Blake arrived. In other words, the request was to leave no injuries. As a game, this was quite challenging. However, this was reality. If he failed, many people would die¡­ If he had known, he would have made more preparations. On the other side, Erosion looked at the girl who suddenly mentioned the name Valk and seemed puzzled as to how a weak mortal like her could figure out its entry into Currere. No, it should be said that it was impossible for her to tell that he was a Moon Realm existence. ¡°You are¡­¡± Just as Erosion was about to ask, three pitch-black ring blades instantly flew out of the iron plate on the other party¡¯s chest. Everything happened too suddenly. Or rather, Erosion didn¡¯t consider the possibility of the other party suddenly attacking. William didn¡¯t give the Demon General any time to react. The three illusory ring blades wrapped around Erosion¡¯s body. Then, a large number of shadows surged out and wrapped him into a huge pitch-black gem that emitted a cold light before floating in midair. William felt a crack in the iron plate on his chest. The Shadow Cage had limited effect on Lunar Monsters at the Demon General level. William took this opportunity to take out the other two iron plates from his pocket. One piece was held tightly in his hand, and he threw the other piece with all his might in the direction of the crowd not far away. Thankfully, the distance between the two wasn¡¯t too far. Just Liliana¡¯s slender girlish arm strength was enough to throw the iron plate far enough. Of course, if the citizens were far enough away, William didn¡¯t need to use his precious response terminal to protect them. After all, he only had three pieces on him. The iron plate that emitted a dazzling light drew a beautiful arc in the air and shattered. A golden barrier protected the relief team and the April Fool¡¯s crowd not far away. At this moment, dense chewing sounds began to come from the huge pitch-black gem that imprisoned Erosion. Countless flies devoured the Shadow Cage that imprisoned it from the inside out. Demon General Erosion¡ªwho was still wearing Jesse Walde¡¯s skin¡ªfloated in midair. Its eyes were pitch-black, and flies constantly flew out of its sleeves and collar before arranging themselves into complicated rune patterns beside it. Chapter 162 - 162 Paper Crown and Iron Plate (3) 162 Paper Crown and Iron Plate (3) Erosion¡¯s expression remained calm, but this was only because it wasn¡¯t familiar with expressing its emotions through human means. It was fuming. As a Demon General, it was actually imprisoned by such a weak human for a while? In its senses, the blood-soaked girl in front of it had extremely weak vitality. It could inadvertently kill more than ten of her if it had snorted a little heavier. However, she imprisoned it? This was unbelievable like an elephant tripping over an ant. ¡°Tell me, how did you do it?¡± As Erosion spoke, it took a step forward. With just a step, the rock slab ground in front of the Rose Palace began to shatter and rot as if time had accelerated. The air was also filled with faint green clouds. The surrounding trees instantly aged and withered. Not far away, the Rose Palace¡¯s door began to decay¡ªfirst, the wooden parts turned into rotten wood shavings, then the rocks became brittle, shattered, and constantly peeled off. Finally, even the metal door seemed to grow ringworm spots, spreading dark-red rusty marks. However, the girl stood in the clouds unscathed. Her body was vaguely covered in a snow-white halo that protected her. ¡°Residue after decay¡­ So you¡¯re Erosion?¡± As the girl spoke, a snow-white fog quickly spread from her raised hand, freezing the surroundings in the blink of an eye. The rot instantly stopped. The green fog that seemed to be able to corrode everything couldn¡¯t do anything to the things covered in Frost. As expected, it¡¯s Demon General Erosion under the Lady of Starvation, a high-level Lunar Monster in charge of the domain corresponding to items that have fully decayed, William thought. The green fog didn¡¯t rely on external objects to corrode, but on accelerating the internal time of those things so that they would end up devoured by themselves. Therefore, as long as he used Frost spells to temporarily freeze and seal them, they wouldn¡¯t be affected. ¡°Who are you?! How do you know my name!?¡± After cooperating and generously admitting its identity, a scepter made of human bone quickly appeared in Erosion¡¯s hand as it charged forward. From the looks of it, it didn¡¯t plan on obtaining an answer to the question it had asked. After all, it wasn¡¯t designed for humans. The scepter was a little too big for Jesse¡¯s body, so its movements were very comical when it swung it. However, the dark-green light carried by the scepter wasn¡¯t comical. Ash fell along the trajectory of the scepter. It was ash-filled air formed after death. Speeding up time to the limit and finally fast-forwarding to the end of the entropy of all things, turning everything to ashes¡ªthis was the other party¡¯s authority. This authority of Erosion was too close to the Ruin Demon God Ordin¡¯s domain. In the past, Camilla had even fought with Him over the ownership of Erosion. If this strike landed, William¡¯s main body would be severely injured. He might even die due to the small probability of instant death. If it were Liliana¡¯s Mirror Shadow, it would probably turn into foam and disappear from the slightest impact. William didn¡¯t dodge or defend. Instead, he focused on preparing a spell. A moment later, a spear made of Frost appeared in his hand. The iron plate in front of his chest was immediately covered in spiderweb-like cracks after completing this spell and was on the verge of shattering. William silently threw the Frost Spear at the Demon General. Divine Realm Frost spell, Declaration, a Demon Spear that was guaranteed a hit after being thrown. He aimed at the crown on the other party¡¯s head¡ªthe paper crown. Chapter 163 - 163 Assassin (1) 163 Assassin (1) Just like how he was using the iron plate on his body as a medium for projecting his power, the other party was in Currere thanks to the paper crown on its head to exist as a fake king. In other words, as long as the crown was struck down, the other party could be banished from Currere. Therefore, William threw the only spell that had a sure-hit effect¡ªDeclaration. Unfortunately, the other party happened to be Lady of Starvation¡¯s Demon General Erosion. If it were a Demon General who had grasped other domains, it wouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge the Spear of Declaration that froze time. However, being the symbol of entropy destruction and the end of time, it had a way to stop this strike. Clang! A distant bell sounded, and a light-green phantom of a huge bell appeared within ten meters of Erosion. The crystalline ice spear shattered when it collided with the phantom. William saw three tattered bells appear in the other party¡¯s hand. One of them swayed on its own. As the phantom of the huge bell around Erosion dissipated, the bell turned to ashes and disappeared. In the bell chimes that symbolized the end of time, even time itself would cease to exist. William¡¯s strike stopped the other party¡¯s previous attack. ¡°Declaration?¡± After blocking the spear, Erosion stopped. If the other party¡¯s imprisonment could be explained by its carelessness, the other party had just targeted its only weakness in Currere and directly used the Divine Realm Frost spell, Declaration, to attack. He knew everything about it. Moreover, how did such a weak magic chanter use Divine Realm spells? Throughout Vic Continent¡¯s history, no genius could reach the Divine Realm at this age. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± This was definitely not a power the other party possessed. Erosion sized up the girl before its gaze landed on the iron plate on her chest that was about to shatter. ¡°What holy relic is that?¡± Erosion asked in Jesse¡¯s voice. ¡°You want to know?¡± William asked mockingly. As he spoke, he took off the nearly shattered iron plate from his neck and threw it into the sky. He then wore the last iron plate in his hand. The iron plate he threw out shattered into pieces that filled the sky with dazzling light. Then, they solidified into countless weapons made of light that floated in the air, fully surrounding Erosion. William raised one hand, and the weapons aimed at the crown on the other party¡¯s head. ¡°You can study it carefully.¡± As William raised his hand, countless weapons made of light fell like rain. ¡­ ¡°That girl¡­ seems to be Vincent¡¯s daughter, right?¡± ¡°So is the person opposite really Duke Jesse?¡± Not far away on Rose Avenue, behind the faint golden wall of light, the two guard mages beside Jesse looked at the scene in front of them in disbelief. The girl suspected to be Vincent¡¯s daughter was elegantly commanding countless weapons that shone with golden light like a conductor of a symphony band. They were as agile as fish in an invisible sea, either gathering or separating. The swords made of pure magic that filled the sky followed her will and changed directions and speed as they attacked Jesse. As for Jesse, it was enveloped by countless buzzing flies. They turned into a few constantly spinning tornadoes that circled it. Any golden swords that attacked it were blocked by the tornadoes, devoured by the flies inside, and dissipated. The little aftershock emitted by the battle between the two made the surrounding people tremble both in body and mind. The trees that were as thick as an arm span were only left with sawdust all over the ground when they were slightly brushed by the pitch-black tornado. The Rose Palace¡¯s metal door which was an adamantine and Elementium Silver alloy was sliced open by the weapon that flickered with golden light. If they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn¡¯t have believed that the two young people in front of them were so powerful even at the threat of their lives. What was happening now challenged their common sense. It wasn¡¯t that they had never seen a mage fight. They had even seen very high-level mage fights. Back when the two of them were training in Ring City, they were lucky enough to see Legendary magic chanters spar. However, that battle was like child¡¯s play compared to what was in front of them¡ªeven though the two people in front of them looked more like children in terms of age. ¡°What should we do?¡± the magic chanter who had released the Fire Wall asked. ¡°What else can we do other than wait here?¡± the other person pressed on the faint golden wall and replied. The blood-covered girl had summoned this wall before the battle began. At first, they thought that the other party wanted to keep reinforcements out. However, when the battle began and everything around them was destroyed by the aftershocks of their spells, they realized that it was set up to protect them. This wasn¡¯t a domain they could interfere with by their strength alone. More importantly, they didn¡¯t even know whose side they should take. Chapter 164 - 164 Assassin (2) 164 Assassin (2) They were Restorationists, so they ought to support Duke Jesse, but looking at Duke Jesse, who commanded countless flies like a monster¡ªwas he still himself? ¡°Why don¡¯t we run?¡± one of them hesitated for a moment before speaking. No matter who won in the end, it didn¡¯t seem to be beneficial to them. Vincent¡¯s monstrous daughter¡¯s victory meant the failure of the coup. They were bound to be chained with Magic Sealing Chains and imprisoned. And if their duke won¡­ Alright, God knows what their duke had become. When the time came, will those flies reduce them to skeletons? After all, they had never heard of a spell that controlled a large number of flies among the 13 spell types¡ªinstead, they had heard similar descriptions in demonic stories. Most of the attendants from the relief team nearby had already escaped. Only a few bold ones remained at the scene and watched in fear. As for the April Fool¡¯s parade not far away, they had long fled. What kind of joke was this? How dare they watch mages fight on the street? It would be akin to suicide. ¡°Running before it¡¯s over is the wisest choice,¡± the person continued. However, it was also at this moment that the tense situation on the other side of the faint golden barrier changed. Three short swords emitting golden light shot out from their concealment, breaking through Duke Jesse¡¯s defense and piercing his chest, neck, and left eye. The two mage attendants exchanged looks. ¡°His Grace¡­ is dead?¡± It was a matter of course that no one would be alive after having their chest, neck, and eyes pierced at the same time. Even non-human monsters rarely survived such serious injuries. ¡°No, that girl is about to lose.¡± A voice that seemed to be singing with a strange rhythm suddenly sounded behind them. The two of them turned their heads immediately, but they didn¡¯t see anything. As far as the eye could see, there was only a messy street. Could it be that the voice we heard was an illusion? ¡­ Oh no, I missed¡­ William cursed inwardly when he saw that the three blades hidden under his illusion had missed. The other party had dodged the three blades that were aimed at its crown at the critical moment. Although all of them struck vital spots, the damage wasn¡¯t enough to banish the other party. As for him¡­ Crack, crack, crack¡­ The last iron plate on William¡¯s neck cracked at a visible speed, having had to withstand the load of Mirror Shadow, many defensive status spells, and the control of the Golden Swords to deal with the other party. William decided to take the final gamble. He used Illusion to hide the three Golden Swords and let them quietly bypass the fly tornadoes around the other party like a slithering snake. However, the moment he planned on shooting down the paper crown on the other party¡¯s head, the last iron plate couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure and cracked completely. The three golden swords exposed themselves and were discovered by the other party. Erosion then dodged at an extremely tricky angle, preventing its true weakness to be hit. William, who had lost the last response terminal, was left with Liliana¡¯s Mirror Shadow. He couldn¡¯t send any power here through the medium, nor could he control the golden swords that danced in the sky. The reason why this phantom could still stand here and not be killed by the other party¡¯s passive Rotten Domain was that the Frost Domain he had augmented was still in effect. Now, as long as the other party walked over and touched him, this illusion would disappear into the air like bubbles. How long had he stalled for time? Where was Blake? William could only control Lilian¡¯s body to swing his fists and attack. Erosion instantly sensed that the golden swords dancing in the sky had lost their agile control, and their trajectories became mechanical and rigid. Therefore, it immediately stirred the flying flies in the sky and destroyed them. Then, it looked at the girl who had wasted its time. The iron plate around her neck had completely shattered. Upon seeing this, it pulled out the sword in its eye socket. ¡°You¡¯re very strong. Although you relied on that holy relic to use such powerful strength, your control over strength has completely exceeded your level¡­¡± Perhaps it was because there was a sword in its neck, but its voice was very hoarse. Then, with a grinding sound, it pulled out the sword in its neck. ¡°Or could it be that you¡¯re only a puppet now, and that the holy relic is actually controlling you?¡± Erosion said as blood spurted from its neck. With that said, it strode towards William. As it walked, it pulled out the last sword embedded in its chest. Then, it gripped it tightly, and the sword turned into countless golden specks of light and dissipated. William didn¡¯t get Liliana¡¯s Mirror Shadow to escape. He knew that as long as he made a move, the other party would finish him off swiftly. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t bear to part with Mirror Shadow, but he might be able to buy some time if he stood still and chatted with the other party. ¡°So what¡¯s your goal in coming to Currere?¡± William looked at Erosion and asked. Countless flies crawled over the three wounds it had suffered, and more disgusting things squirmed in the wounds. The other party didn¡¯t answer William¡¯s question. Instead, it reached out and tore off the shattered iron plate from William¡¯s chest. ¡°The Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s holy relic?¡± Erosion distinguished the remaining symbols on the iron plate and looked at William. ¡°What a coincidence. I came to Currere to kill the Eighth Holy Spirit. Ah, at least half of it.¡± With that said, it raised its hand and pressed down on the Liliana Mirror Shadow¡¯s head. Then, William lost his sense of the illusion. ¡°Kill me? With just a Demon General?¡± William, who was far away in Viper Scar, thought suspiciously. On the other side, Erosion looked at the girl whose head had just been crushed by him. The imagined scene of her ears, brain, and blood splattering in its hand didn¡¯t happen. The other party turned into countless bubbles and dissipated. Illusion? It had been troubled by a mere illusion for so long? Then, what was the other party¡¯s main body¡­ ¡°She¡¯s backed by the person you want to kill.¡± A voice with a unique rhythm echoed behind it. Erosion suddenly turned its head and realized that a humanoid formed by black fog had stood behind it at some point. The other party held a crudely made and funny-looking paper crown. The crown that Erosion originally wore. Before Erosion could say anything, it¡ªwho had lost its identity as a fake king¡ªwas instantly expelled from Currere. What replaced it was a pile of rotten residue and a crumpled ball of luxurious clothes. Koos bent down and dug out his prize for this trip from the ball of luxurious clothes¡ªa bone-white dagger. Blade of Nirvana¡ªa weapon that could completely kill that man. Looking up at the crows that blotted out the sky not far away, Koos sighed slightly. Then, he turned into a shadow and dissipated in place. ¡­ ¡°Valk!¡± With the Lady of Starvation¡¯s furious roar, ripples appeared on the originally calm Lake of Entropy. ¡°I only said that I would help kill the Calamity, but I never said whom I wanted to help kill the Calamity,¡± a seemingly innocent voice replied. Then, He continued, ¡°Moreover, compared to your dear baby Erosion, isn¡¯t the probability of success higher if that child does it? This way, you won¡¯t waste your hard-won Nirvana authority, right?¡± ¡°But you know that the shadow is¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Valk said casually. ¡°The empire¡¯s army is amassing. The time will come when Ava State is conquered. Since the Calamity has given up on becoming one of us, we have to stop him from snatching the eighth throne.¡± ¡°Moreover, this is an easy choice, right? Terra or William? Which one¡¯s rise more in the Moon Realm¡¯s interest?¡± Chapter 165 - 165 Whalebone 165 Whalebone A sea breeze with a hint of salt filled the sails slightly. Occasionally, the flapping wind would drown out the sound of the seawater constantly crashing into the hull. Every time this happened, the sailors on the ship would nervously climb up the mast and search for dark clouds and storms that might appear in the sky from high above. Although the crew was almost certain that the violent storm that had wreaked havoc on the sea route to the Ava State had stopped in the past month or so, the cautious habits they had developed over the years couldn¡¯t be changed in a day or two. They wouldn¡¯t let go of any signs of a storm along the way. This made William, who often secretly released Storm spells at the stern to propel the ship, feel a little embarrassed. This was because the gust that had appeared for no reason in the past few days had exhausted the few sailors in charge of monitoring potential storms. At the stern, William, who was wearing a long black robe and had an iron plate hanging on his chest, pretended to look into the distance with a carved armrest. This disguise was actually very stupid because there was nothing other than the sea in sight. The sky was also cloudless. If it weren¡¯t for the occasional fish leaping out of the sea, this scene would give one the illusion that the ship had stopped in place and wasn¡¯t moving at all. ¡°I heard that faeries are the same as elves. Their original hometown was also in Ava State where it was once enveloped in an ethereal mist. It wasn¡¯t until the Phoenix the elven ancestors rode fell from the sky that they obtained their form in Currere. Only then did they come to the Vic Continent,¡± William retracted his gaze and looked at the bored-looking faerie sitting on the railing. Liz turned her head and looked at William with her golden eyes. She said as if she was throwing a tantrum, ¡°But I was just born less than two months ago. To me, the Blackwater Swamp is my hometown.¡± William heard the resentment in the other party¡¯s words and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯re necessary for this trip.¡± Seeing no reaction from the other party, William paused and said, ¡°Moreover, Cass needs to be in charge of the security of the Stranger Lighthouse. He can¡¯t come over together.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with whether that idiot can come or not!¡± Liz defended herself almost reflexively. The effect was outstanding. This child was too easy to understand¡­ William held back his laughter and nodded. Then, he dispelled the Storm spell he was casting. The further away he was from the Blackwater Swamp, the weaker the magic power he could utilize. A few days ago, he could maintain the gust for most of the day, but it was very difficult for him to do so in just half an hour. However, at the very least, he could let the sailors on duty rest for a while. William looked back at the sailor carefully climbing down the mast and thought. It had been five days since he boarded the smuggling ship called the Whalebone, and a week had passed since the farce-like palace coup. Although William had always been concerned about the inexplicable banishment of the Demon General named Erosion, since he had verified the feasibility of combining Mirror Shadow and the response terminal to create a clone, he could finally focus on dealing with Ava State. Although William¡¯s main body was still guarding the Viper Scar, his Mirror Shadow clone boarded this smuggling ship as an Elementium Silver vendor and headed to Ava State. Due to the storms wreaking havoc on the Shattered Sea all year round, very few people were willing to do business between the Vic Continent and the Ava State. However, this also meant that people who dared to do this business could obtain unimaginable wealth. After all, High Elf crafts were popular everywhere. Ever since the Wandering Battle, all contact between the Vic Continent and Ava State had almost been lost. As the newborn High Elves on the continent lost the blessing of the Phoenix Holy Fire, they gradually underwent elemental mutations. Their descendants lost their skills in less than a generation or two. It was even harder to find a High Elf craftsman in the empire than a Divine Realm magic chanter, but the nobles had an extremely strong demand for High Elf crafts. This caused a very small number of adventurers who were willing to risk their lives to fight the storm to enter the storm and take on this high-risk and rewarding profession. ¡°If I were you, I would probably wait a few months. Perhaps Her Majesty Erin would have already signed a trade agreement with Ava State by then. There¡¯s no need for me to take such a huge risk and go over personally¡­¡± A firm voice sounded behind William. A tall old man with cracked skin from years of exposure to the sun slowly walked over. He had weathered lead-silver hair, and his collar and cuffs were covered in dried white salt. The part below his right knee was replaced by a white whalebone prosthetic, making him limp as he walked. His hard whalebone struck the deck in a rhythmic clack. This ship was named the Whalebone because of his prosthetic limb. Seeing William turn his head, the old man asked, ¡°Young man, how should I address you?¡± William didn¡¯t think of a fake name to hide his identity, but when he saw the whalebone prosthetic limb, he suddenly had an idea. ¡°Call me Ishmael, Captain Hobbs. In addition, I¡¯m from the Blackwater Swamp. Even if Ava State and the empire sign a trade agreement in the future, it has nothing to do with us.¡± William replied and continued, ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s still unknown if Her Majesty can conquer the Ava State.¡± The captain named Hobbs smiled. He walked to William¡¯s side and stood beside him. He also placed his hand on the railing and looked into the distance. Then, he slowly said, ¡°Ishmael, I just came from Swan Port half a month ago. It¡¯s probably difficult for you to imagine how big an army is gathered there. I¡¯ve been to Ava State a few times. Other than Moonlaw City, I¡¯ve been to all seven city-states. To be honest, even if the number of those pointy-ears triples, they won¡¯t be a match. Moreover, this time¡­¡± As he spoke, he looked at the iron plate coarsely engraved with the acute-angled horn symbol on William¡¯s chest and said, ¡°The Eighth Holy Spirit is with the Empire.¡± Captain Hobbs was referring to the Eighth Church¡¯s explanation of the reason for the Holy Spirit¡¯s manifestation. It had been made a holy canon that was constantly preached in every church. As it wasn¡¯t long since the storm on the Shattered Sea stopped, this theory was quickly accepted by the public, causing public support for the Ava State expedition to soar. ¡°The Eighth Holy Spirit almost died at the bottom of the sea 800 years ago,¡± William shrugged and reminded him. William¡¯s words made the other party fall silent for a long time. After a long time, Captain Hobbs said, ¡°I saw you wearing this and imagined that you were a pious Eighth Holy Spirit believer.¡± William replied, ¡°That depends on how you interpret piousness.¡± In a sense, William could be considered the most pious Eighth Holy Spirit believer in the world. The captain waved his hand and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it early. How could a pious believer of the Holy Spirit go to a pagan land to sell important strategic supplies before the war broke out? This isn¡¯t just treason, but also heretical behavior¡­ However, considering that you¡¯re from the Blackwater Province, this is understandable.¡± William was about to cook up something when Captain Hobbs suddenly revealed a shark-like smile and said, ¡°But this is actually quite good. Bullsh*t empire, bullsh*t Church¡­ Back then, I couldn¡¯t stand the pirates on the Damon Continent on the White Sea, so I chose to risk doing business on the Shattered Sea. In the end, the empire and those bastards from the Church didn¡¯t collect any less docking taxes than those pirates. Now that the storm has stopped, there¡¯s no risk on the shipping route. It probably won¡¯t be long before they start attacking merchant ships like us and do the business themselves.¡± ¡°If the Eighth Holy Spirit knew better, this storm would have continued¡­ However, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. The Holy Spirit is from the Riel family after all.¡± William waited for the other party to stop complaining before saying slowly, ¡°I think that the storm stopping might be the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s wish to use the Ava State to teach his so-called descendants an unforgettable lesson.¡± As he spoke, he kept looking at the few black dots that had appeared at the intersection of the sea and sky. Before Captain Hobbs could react, a noisy bell suddenly sounded at the bow. A sailor climbed up the mast agilely as if there were hooks on his feet. After taking out a monocular and observing the distance for a while, he shouted at the captain, ¡°There¡¯s a warship in the southeast! A warship with the empire¡¯s Dragon Sword flag!¡± Chapter 166 - 166 Diana and the Mist (1) 166 Diana and the Mist (1) ¡°There¡¯s a medium-sized three-masted sailing ship in the northwest. Captain, what should we do?¡± ¡°What flag is that ship flying?¡± ¡°No flags, Captain.¡± The bearded middle-aged man in a neat navy uniform and an eagle-feather triangular hat picked up a brass telescope and looked at the black dot in the distance. After a while, he lowered the telescope and said, ¡°The hull doesn¡¯t have the thin and long style of those pointy-ears. It resembles a merchant ship from the East Coast.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s only a normal merchant ship, we don¡¯t have to care, right?¡± the sailor who reported the situation asked out of caution. Upon hearing this, the bearded middle-aged man widened his eyes and said, ¡°Has seawater rusted your brains? How can there be ordinary merchant ships on this route? Where are they going to do business? They can¡¯t be going to the Ruins of Orsis, right? Inform the Wind Controller to accelerate and intercept that ship first. I bet that it¡¯s either smugglers smuggling supplies to the Ava State or elven spies disguised as merchant ships.¡± Upon hearing such a tough order, the sailor¡ªwho understood what the captain planned on doing¡ªsaid softly, ¡°But Captain, what should we do about Miss Diana¡­¡± These words made the captain conflicted. If it were any other time, he would have hijacked such a smuggling ship without the empire¡¯s shipping company¡¯s flag. After all, he had a privateering permit issued by the royal family, and the other party was most likely a smuggler doing illegal business with Ava State¡­ Alright, even if they weren¡¯t smugglers, who cared about a ship that had disappeared from the vast sea? The empire¡¯s naval system was very independent. Other than the Priests accompanying the ship, outsiders were not to interfere. As for the Priests accompanying the ship, they were very easy to bribe. If they encountered someone non-receptive¡­ there were always some risks at sea, right? Therefore, as long as they did things cleanly, they wouldn¡¯t encounter any trouble after taking on such ¡®private work.¡¯ However, there was a troublesome woman with lace on her cuffs in his cabin. Not only did she have to use silver knives and forks for meals, but she also needed a candlestick lit. Moreover, they couldn¡¯t bribe this woman or cause any accidents for her. After all, who dared to bribe or injure a prophet who had been certified by the Eighth Order¡¯s clergymen and had once triggered a divinity manifestation miracle? After some hesitation, the captain said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her. Inform the second mate and leave the command to him. Tell him to act quickly and cleanly.¡± ¡­ ¡°We¡¯re in trouble¡­¡± Captain Hobbs looked at the empire¡¯s warship that appeared on the skyline and muttered to himself. ¡°We¡¯re still so far away. Can we get through this unscathed?¡± William asked. At this moment, he was covering his forehead with his hand. It looked like he was blocking the sunlight, but in fact, it was covering the amber halo that swirled in his eyes for his Eagle Eye casting. The empire warship that appeared along the horizon was different from what William had imagined. Although it was also a wooden three-masted sailing ship, there were no cannon muzzles on the ship¡¯s broadside, and there were no rams at the bow. Only two cone-shaped wooden towers the height of masts stood in the middle of the hull, and the top of the towers lit up with a deep light that resembled the starry sky. In a world with magic chanters with high mobility, while resembling small-target artillery batteries, there was indeed no motivation to develop cumbersome weapons like cannons. ¡°Unscathed?¡± Upon hearing William¡¯s question, Captain Hobbs laughed as if he had heard a joke. However, a mocking and bitter smile appeared on his face. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why the empire can maintain such a large-scale navy with such a small maritime budget.¡± With that said, he raised his monocular and looked in the direction of the empire warship constantly. He kept muttering, ¡°The pirates of the Damon Continent are the most notorious at sea. Eight out of ten ships that do business in the White Sea have been hijacked by them. However, generally speaking, as long as you cooperate with them and don¡¯t resist or injure them, those pirates will allow the ship to return safely under most circumstances. This allows such resources to be inexhaustible in a way. In comparison, the imperial navy isn¡¯t notorious at all. Can you guess the reason?¡± William didn¡¯t say anything. Hobbs said in response to William¡¯s silence, ¡°This is because very few people can survive to talk about their glorious deeds. As long as they are targeted, they will end up with their ships destroyed and everyone dead.¡± With that said, he raised his whalebone prosthetic limb and slammed the deck. ¡°Even if they survive and complain about what they did, no one is willing to meddle. They will only advise you to join the empire¡¯s freight company and register your ship as an empire merchant ship. You have to pay a huge tax on every batch of goods, and there won¡¯t be any risk once you hang their flag¡­ Ah, that warship has accelerated.¡± William, who was using Eagle Eye, saw that the Dragon Sword emblemed sails of the warship in the distance had bulged like a pregnant woman. One of the wooden towers shone with a silver light. It was obvious that the other party was also using Storm spells to accelerate the ship. ¡°Unfortunately, they¡¯ve targeted us,¡± Captain Hobbs concluded. Then, he shouted at the surrounding sailors, ¡°Get Big Steel Cannon and Lightning Fire to the deck quickly. Get everyone to prepare their weapons for a naval battle. We might have a tough battle ahead.¡± Chapter 167 - 167 Diana and the Mist (2) 167 Diana and the Mist (2) After shouting, he turned to look at William and said, ¡°Mr. Ishmael, please hide in the cabin. In addition, please hide half of your goods and keep half with you.¡± ¡°Then how long do I have to hide?¡± William asked with a frown. ¡°Hide until we finish killing them or they finish killing us. Of course, there¡¯s the fantastical possibility of us negotiating conditions with them and the other party takes away more than half of the things on the ship and that spells the end of this matter. That way, everyone will be happy.¡± ¡°Then which is more likely?¡± William continued asking. Regarding this, the other party smiled bitterly. ¡°My suggestion is that you prepare yourself a sharp dagger. Ending things quickly might be more pleasant when the time comes.¡± William hesitated for a while. In principle, William didn¡¯t want to cause too much commotion before he arrived in Ava State or even before he saw Remides. He wasn¡¯t sure if sinking an empire warship was considered a huge commotion. Moreover, if he only wanted to escape, he only needed to release Storm-type spells to accelerate Whalebone and shake off the empire warship. However¡­ William looked at Liz. Her body was wrapped in a faint mist, and she blurred her figure. Captain Hobbs, who wasn¡¯t far from her, didn¡¯t sense the faerie¡¯s existence. Liz helplessly gestured to William that there was no problem. ¡°I¡¯ll stay on deck too,¡± William said to the crippled captain. Hobbs, who had originally turned around and planned on returning to assign missions, turned around. He looked at the Elementium Silver vendor who claimed to be from the Blackwater Province with a curious expression. ¡°What for? To be cannon fodder?¡± he asked directly. William shook his head. Bright red flames ignited over his hand. Looking at the flames burning on the other party¡¯s hand, Hobbs¡¯s pupils dilated. ¡°You¡¯re a magic chanter?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think an ordinary person would dare to carry kilograms of Elementium Silver and do business in Ava State alone?¡± William replied and continued, ¡°I know a little about magic. Don¡¯t worry, these pirates named the Navy won¡¯t snatch anything from this ship.¡± ¡­ ¡°I heard a commotion outside. Did something happen?¡± A very ethereal female voice sounded from the closed door. The bearded middle-aged man hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn¡¯t open the wooden door engraved with all kinds of runes. Ever since he received the mission from the Eighth Order to escort a prophet named Diana to Ava State, the rumors about her became more and more ridiculous. Some said that looking at her for too long would make one blind, some said that her tears could cure all illnesses, and some said that she could turn iron and stone into gold with just her touch¡­ She initially claimed that she didn¡¯t want to be treated specially as a so-called prophet, hoping to eat and live like the sailors on the ship. Three brawls happened on the ship the next day because of her eventually. A total of four fingers and an ear were lost¡ªbecause the sailors were fighting for the right to sit beside her during meals. As the captain, he had no choice but to give up his independent room to this ¡®Holy Maiden.¡¯ Moreover, dinner was delivered for her to eat alone. ¡°Miss Diana, our ship just encountered a group of pirates. The deck is preparing for the upcoming encounter¡­¡± After hearing a soft draw of breath from behind the door, the captain said quickly, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. With our strength, we can completely ensure your safety. However, the prerequisite is that you stay here and not go out before everything is over. It¡¯s very dangerous outside.¡± The person behind the door fell silent for a while before saying in an ethereal voice, ¡°Since they¡¯re pirates, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± Upon hearing this, the captain finally relaxed a little. With the empire far away, the empire had formulated a method to restrict its navy from plundering. However, the cost for it to be effective was too high, and the effects of low-cost methods were extremely limited. The empire eventually could only force every ship to be equipped with Ship Priests to revitalize and cleanse the minds of the crew. This plan that they weren¡¯t convinced of themselves probably indicated that they had done their best. As for the Priests of the Holy Spirits Church, he always had a joke to tell about them. Piousness, wisdom, and sincerity. Any Priest could only have two of these three outstanding qualities at the same time. As long as he discovered the quality they lacked, he could easily control the Priest sent to monitor them on the ship for his employ. From the looks of it, it wasn¡¯t just a Priest. Even this so-called prophet who was a mouthpiece of the former Eighth Holy Spirit couldn¡¯t escape this law of Priests. She might be very pious and sincere, but it was obvious that wisdom had nothing to do with her. It had to be known that this was the Shattered Sea. In the past 800 years, other than the Storm sailors who risked their heads and did smuggling, how could pirates appear here? However, the other party believed him immediately. The captain suppressed his smugness and glanced to the side. The two sailors who had been waiting for orders walked over and guarded both sides of the door. ¡°Stay here and protect Miss Diana,¡± the captain said loudly. Then, he added to the two sailors in a whisper, ¡°Remember, don¡¯t let her step out of this room before I return¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, the emotionless ethereal voice behind the door suddenly sounded, scaring him. ¡°Captain, I don¡¯t need additional protection. The battle outside is more dangerous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Pirates are only a motley crew to us. I¡¯m getting them to protect you here just in case the other party has lightning mages. Out of desperation, they might warp here with spatial spells,¡± the captain said patronizingly. Then, he ignored the other party¡¯s answer and left in a hurry. Therefore, he didn¡¯t hear Diana¡¯s last sentence: ¡°In the battle later, please be wary of the mist¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Will it work?¡± While the surrounding people were focused on the warship, William secretly asked Liz, who was flying behind him, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It might be a little risky to Teleport someone over, but it¡¯s not difficult to use Faerie Mist as a magical conduit,¡± Liz, who was flying behind him, replied energetically for some reason. Far away in the Blackwater Swamp, William wanted to use his clone to cast spells on the Shattered Sea. The most fatal problem was the decrease in magical power. In the Blackwater Swamp and Nakuland, William overcame the distance problem between a few large cities by using response terminals engraved with spatial spells as a magic transmission base station. However, in this vast sea, firstly, he couldn¡¯t fix the response terminals as magic power transmission base stations¡ªthey might be swept away by the current if he threw them into the sea. Secondly, even if he controlled the entire Thorn City¡¯s Elementium Silver resources, he couldn¡¯t afford to squander them like this. The distance between the Shattered Sea and the Blackwater Swamp was much greater than between the big cities in the Blackwater Swamp. Fortunately, William finally recalled that other than lightning spells, there was another way to cross space and close the distance. That was the faeries¡¯ innate spell¡ªFaerie Mist. By blurring and confusing the concept of distance, the two places could be connected. Chapter 168 - 168 True Shadow (1) 168 True Shadow (1) The form of war was based on existing technology, and in a world where there were BUG-like magic chanters, almost all battles followed a tactical attack and defense system built around the maximization of the mages¡¯ powers. Ignoring a mage duel that was similar to a knight¡¯s duel, beheading the enemy¡¯s mage, and protecting their mage was always the focus of any battle. ¡°Generally speaking, an Overlord empire warship like this is usually equipped with five to six mages. Other than the Storm mages in charge of accelerating the ship, the rest are Battle Mages. They usually concentrate on Battle Mages with direct destructive effects like Fire, Lightning, and Frost,¡± Captain Hobbs said as he watched the empire warship approach in the distance. Including the Blackwater Province vendor who had revealed his identity as a magic chanter, there were only three mages on Whalebone¡ªthis was far inferior to the other party in terms of numbers and naval combat training. ¡°We¡¯re definitely at an absolute disadvantage in a magical battle. If we want to fight for a chance of survival under such circumstances, we can only place our hopes on successfully boarding and taking a gamble.¡± No matter how strong a magic chanter was, they were still mortals. Before reaching the Legendary domain, it was extremely fatal for a mage to be approached by a few armed ordinary people. ¡°Then, the problem is how to approach that empire warship,¡± Lightning Fire said. The Battle Mage nicknamed Lightning Fire was a greasy-haired youth. When he introduced himself, he claimed to be a Sage constellation Apprentice mage, but later on, he added that he had reached the level of a quasi-Expert in lightning spells. In other words, the extent to which he could use Teleportation. ¡°The other party won¡¯t be that foolish. They¡¯ll jam the ship so that they can hit us, but we can¡¯t hit them. They¡¯ll dwindle our numbers before deciding what to do next,¡± the Warrior constellation Expert mage nicknamed ¡®Big Steel Cannon,¡¯ said. If that was the case, they could only passively defend and intercept the other party¡¯s spells until their mana was exhausted before falling into a state of being at the mercy of others. William didn¡¯t join their combat discussion. Instead, he stood at the side and watched the approaching warship. He thought about what spell he should use to disguise all of this as an accident. Should he use True Shadow to materialize a dragon and burn the ship? Or should he release more Tornadoes to create a small storm that swallowed the warship? Or should he teleport to the other party¡¯s ship and summon some high-level summoned creatures and enter combat after boarding? ¡°Mr. Ishmael?¡± Someone patted William¡¯s shoulder and brought him back to his senses. ¡°What is it?¡± William turned around and saw Captain Hobbs calling him. ¡°When the time comes, you¡¯ll help us board the other party¡¯s ship. Is that a problem?¡± the other party asked. ¡°Me helping?¡±William pointed at himself curiously and asked. After hearing the captain¡¯s explanation, William understood the other party¡¯s plan. Hobbes believed that since this empire warship was most likely about to hijack them, the other party definitely wouldn¡¯t sink the Whalebone from afar. They needed to appear weak and wait until the other party felt that they couldn¡¯t resist before using Teleportation to board the ship. ¡°But Teleportation requires setting coordinates. You should know that, right?¡± William asked after hearing his plan. Lightning Fire took out a few Demon Sealing runes from his pocket and said, ¡°I¡¯ve always been prepared for this.¡± ¡°Then, how do you plan on getting these things onto the other party¡¯s ship? Tossing them over?¡± William frowned slightly and looked at the runes as he continued asking. ¡°This is what I need your help with,¡± the other party replied before continuing, ¡°Fire and Storm, you¡¯re a Traveler constellation magic chanter, right? You were also the one who helped with the inexplicable gusts we encountered during our cruise?¡± After learning that the businessman was a magic chanter, they could easily guess that the gust, which kept appearing without any warning, was this person¡¯s doing. Coupled with the fire spells the other party had revealed, they were almost certain that the other party was a Traveler magic chanter. Moreover, his level wasn¡¯t low. He was at least at the Expert level. Traveler corresponded to the three spells¡ªStorm, Fire, and Earth. William replied awkwardly, ¡°In other words, you want me to use Storm spells to send these coordinates to the other party¡¯s ship?¡± Although players often complained that the damage dealt from Storm-type offensive spells was weak, they were spells with the longest single-target attack range and the widest AOE range among the 13 spell types. According to the plot, this was because the three essentials of Storm-type spells involved the controlling of the soul, so the range it could be released was about the range of the caster¡¯s perception. The other party nodded. William sighed and didn¡¯t say anything. He took the crudely made Demon Sealing runes from the other party. William didn¡¯t plan on carrying out their plan. Putting aside the question of whether this ship could still sail after the other party finished casting the spells, using these inferior Demon Sealing runes as coordinates might explode during Teleportation, dicing the person into pieces. Chapter 169 - 169 True Shadow (2) 169 True Shadow (2) After all, Whalebone had encountered this because it had accepted his commission. He needed to take some responsibility. While their attention was focused in the distance, William gestured to Liz. She nodded and flew to the same height as William. Scale powder that resembled golden powder constantly rose behind her. Then, she drew a few golden trajectories like a dance. A hazy and ambiguous mist spread around William. At the same time, near the Viper Scar thousands of kilometers away, William, who was slumped on a wide throne, was surrounded by a dreamy mist. Countless indistinct connections were connected to the iron plate on the Mirror Shadow¡¯s chest. Then, boundless magic power surged into this illusionary body. Using the iron plate on his chest as a medium for casting spells, an extremely complicated spell began to be woven. Several dangerous cracks instantly appeared on the iron plate that exceeded the upper limit of the material¡¯s mana capacity. Invisible mana spewed out, and refracted the light in the sky, slowly forming a huge and fake outline. Everyone was holding the weapons in their hands tightly and waited solemnly on the deck. They stared at the warship with the Dragon Sword emblem on the sails that could almost be seen with the naked eye and didn¡¯t notice a huge shadow slowly cast over their ship. ¡°Attention all personnel, the opposite ship has stopped! Brace yourselves!¡± Hobbs lowered the monocular in his hand and said. ¡°Why? The other party shouldn¡¯t be able to attack us at this distance,¡± Big Steel Cannon asked in confusion. Hobbs raised his monocular again and looked at the empire warship. Through the polished crystal lenses, he saw the sailors on the warship not far away clumsily adjusting the sails and turning the ship around. The bow of the ship was filled with people, and many of them were pointing at him as if they were shouting. ¡°They look like¡­ they want to escape? Why?¡±Hobbs asked in confusion. A blood-freezing roar perfectly answered his question. Roar! Half of the people on the deck sat on the ground in fear of the roar. After the dark cloud blanketing the Whalebone left and chased after the empire warship not far away, someone stammered as he pointed at it and shouted, ¡°Dragon¡­ It¡¯s a dragon!¡± Is it fake? How can there be a f*cking dragon on the Shattered Sea? This was the only question in the bearded captain¡¯s mind when he saw the black dragon with black membrane wings spread out like dark clouds and razor-like sharp scales that shone like obsidian under the sunlight. Ever since Terra I¡¯s loyal companion, Uutu, returned to the Dragon Bone Islands, how many years had it been since a dragon had been seen? Although the Dragon Sword emblem was famous as the symbol of the Riel Empire, to the people of the current empire, dragons were equivalent to legendary creatures. Yet, one suddenly appeared out of thin air? ¡°Captain, what should we do?¡± The first mate shook the captain¡¯s shoulder with all his might to jolt him up from his shocked daze. ¡°Turn¡­ the defensive spells on the Starlight Tower to the maximum!¡± He pointed at the two conical wooden towers beside the mast with a trembling finger. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed them of this. Other than that?¡± Other than that? What else could they do when an adult black dragon appeared here? Could they negotiate with it? The destructive power of an adult black dragon was comparable to a Legendary mage. As they were born capable of flying and had perfect mobility, coupled with their indestructible bodies, an adult dragon could often change the outcome of the battle on the battlefield. Taking a few deep breaths of the salty air, the captain suppressed his fear and shouted, ¡°Keep¡­ Keep calm! Put away all your f*cking bows and spells. Don¡¯t anger that dragon!¡± Upon hearing this, the sailors who had long set up bows and crossbows, as well as the few magical mediums flickering with the outline of spells, hesitantly put down the weapons in their hands. Upon seeing this, the captain lowered his voice and added, ¡°Don¡¯t attack it or test it. This dragon is most likely just passing by. Since it didn¡¯t attack the smuggling ship when it first appeared, it has no reason to attack us.¡± ¡°But Captain, it¡¯s flying in our direction¡­¡± a sailor standing beside him said with a trembling voice. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Perhaps it¡¯s just going in this direction¡­¡± the captain stared at the black dragon and said nervously. Rather than saying that he was answering the sailor¡¯s question, it was better to say that he was comforting himself. Or rather, he was lying to himself. It wasn¡¯t until the black dragon circled above the warship and began to emit sparks from its mouth as it prepared to spew its breath that he finally came to his senses. ¡°Hit it! Get this beast down! Pronto!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a scorching breath spewed out of the huge black dragon¡¯s mouth. ¡­ ¡°Dragon! That¡¯s really a dragon! It¡¯s just as the legends described!¡± ¡°My grandmother definitely won¡¯t believe this¡­¡± ¡°If I can return alive, I¡¯ll tell this story to my future grandson.¡± ¡°Bless you, Holy Spirit, bless you, Holy Spirit¡­¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Where did it come from?¡± Exclamation, panic, prayer, excitement, uneasiness¡­ Compared to the empire warship that had been targeted by the black dragon, the Whalebone¡¯s crew displayed more colorful emotions other than fear. They were either excited or terrified as they watched the huge black dragon circle above the warship. From time to time, they exclaimed sincerely. The person who triggered all of this¡ªWilliam¡ªhad Liz stop releasing the Faerie Mist when their attention was completely attracted by the Black Dragon. Releasing Faerie Mist was a considerable drain on her. It was best to use it as little as possible unless it was an emergency. In addition, using True Shadow to manifest a normal adult black dragon should be enough, right? William thought as he watched the black dragon in the distance spit out a breath wrapped in a black curse at the warship. After all, top dragon species like golden dragons or immortal stone dragons were extremely rare even in that era a thousand years ago. It¡¯s just a wooden warship. A black dragon¡¯s breath that¡¯s equivalent to a Legendary Fire spell is enough¡­ Huh? The corner of William¡¯s eye twitched. The moment the pitch-black breath landed, a silver-white barrier suddenly appeared over the two wooden towers on the warship that flickered with deep starlight, blocking the breath from the hull. However, they collapsed like thin ice floating on a lake. Almost instantly, the two towers exploded one after another, and the sails on the mast were instantly ignited. However, that was all the power of the breath. The scene William imagined of the entire warship being burned to the keel didn¡¯t happen. It wasn¡¯t that some force blocked the infinitely powerful breath, but that the black dragon stopped. William tried to give more orders to attack, but the black dragon didn¡¯t react at all. I can¡¯t do this¡­ The black dragon¡¯s will was transmitted to William. With the enhanced vision of the Eagle Eye, William quickly found the reason why the black dragon stopped. It was a woman. It was a short woman with chestnut hair and a dress that didn¡¯t match the sea. At this moment, she was panting as she leaned against the door of the cabin that led to the deck. She held her stomach with one hand and held up a bronze metal plate with the other. The metal plate was engraved with the pattern of a dragon and a sword, as well as a coarse, acute-angled horn symbol. I can¡¯t attack my master. The black dragon¡¯s will was transmitted to William¡¯s mind again. Chapter 170 - 170 Dragon and Mist (1) 170 Dragon and Mist (1) Rewinding time to a few minutes ago. In the warship¡¯s cabin, outside the captain¡¯s room, the two guards guarding the door heard the ear-piercing friction of hinges behind them. Squeak, crack, crack, crack¡­ A girl with long chestnut hair cracked open the door and stuck her head out. She widened her eyes which were as clear as the moon and looked at the two guards outside the door. She was even chewing a water chestnut cake in her hand. ¡°Miss Diana, what¡¯s the matter?¡± One of the guards hurriedly walked over and bowed when he saw this. She put down the water chestnut cake in her hand and looked up at the deck. The two guards followed her gaze. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± After watching for a while and seeing nothing appear, the guard repeated his previous question. Diana slowly swallowed the pastry in her mouth and asked in the same monotonous tone, ¡°How¡¯s the situation on the deck?¡± Upon hearing this question, although he didn¡¯t know what was going on, the guard still replied in a comforting tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re just ordinary pirates¡­¡± However, before the guard could finish speaking, the girl named Diana continued asking, ¡°Are you sure they are pirates?¡± This question made the other party nervous. In the early years, to encourage the imperial navy to take the initiative to eliminate the pirates, the Riel royal family promulgated the Anti-Piracy Law that stipulated that after the navy defeated the pirates, they could retain 70% of the pirate loot for their budget. Plundering pirates was legal for the imperial navy, not smuggling ships. Of course, because this bill lacked effective supervision and the navy was united, there were many cases of having the innocent killed and then claiming that they were pirates for credit in the past. The imperial navy treated smuggling ships and even regular merchant ships as pirates and cleaned them out. Later on, the royal family came forward and established the empire¡¯s shipping company. Civilian merchant ships could obtain official protection after paying expensive registration fees. The Astral Council equipped every merchant ship registered with the shipping company with a recorder engraved with the Resound spell as a symbol and warning to prevent the navy from accidentally injuring them. Only then did the imperial navy¡¯s harassment of normal merchant ships decrease greatly. ¡°Of course they¡¯re pirates¡­¡± The guard quickly thought of a way to smooth over the current situation and slowly spoke. However, Diana¡¯s next words instantly shattered the words he had painstakingly organized in his mind. ¡°What I mean is¡­ I just felt an extremely huge amount of magic power appear over there. It shouldn¡¯t be to this extent if it¡¯s just normal pirates, right? Could it be a powerhouse from the High Elves?¡± With that said, Diana threw the remaining small piece of water chestnut cake into her mouth, patted off the crumbs in her hand, and pushed open the door. ¡°Extremely huge amount of magic power?¡± Another guard asked curiously, ¡°How huge is that?¡± Diana didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question. After swallowing the pastry, her eyes lost focus for a moment. Then, she said as if she was talking in her sleep, ¡°There¡¯s also a dragon and the mist¡­¡± The two guards looked at each other, not sure how to deal with the situation in front of them. This girl named Diana was a prophet certified by the Eighth Order. The Eighth Holy Spirit was the only Holy Spirit in the Holy Spirits Church that had a mortal ascend to the heavenly throne. It was now the only person the empire was allowed to worship. From the beginning of its religion, people constantly claimed that they could hear the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s teachings. Some people even arrogantly declared that they were the new reincarnation of the Eighth Holy Spirit. Those who claimed to be reincarnated were naturally suppressed by the royal family as treasonous. However, an extremely small number of them had been certified by the Church and became so-called prophets. On the one hand, they were the ¡®messengers¡¯ in charge of delivering the Holy Spirit¡¯s oracle, and on the other hand, they were the Holy Grail that carried the power of the Holy Spirit and walked Currere. Calling them prophets on formal occasions even required the prefix of ¡®Saint¡¯ in front of their names. The girl in front of them was such an existence. Although the two of them weren¡¯t believers of the Eighth Holy Spirit or even pious believers of the Holy Spirits Church, they had to choose their words wisely when dealing with a prophet. Especially when the other party suddenly fell into a daze¡ªGod knew if that was her own words or an oracle issued by the Eighth Holy Spirit through her mouth. ¡°Miss Diana¡­ What do you mean by dragon and mist?¡± one of them couldn¡¯t help but ask. His question brought Diana back to her senses. Then, she replied, ¡°It¡¯s a dragon and mist. Literally.¡± With that said, Diana walked towards the simple wooden stairs. ¡°Miss Diana!¡± Two guards subconsciously blocked her way. The mission they had received was to ensure that she stayed here before the captain returned. They knew the captain very well. If the captain¡¯s moonlighting was dashed because they failed to watch the prophet, the two of them would suffer. Chapter 171 - 171 Dragon and Mist (2) 171 Dragon and Mist (2) Seeing that the two of them weren¡¯t planning on making way, Diana took off the Holy Spirit¡¯s holy emblem that flickered with a bronze luster around her neck and said, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous outside.¡± ¡°What¡¯s dangerous? The High Elven powerhouse you just mentioned?¡± the guard asked. The other party shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s a dragon and the mist,¡± she replied. The two guards found this ridiculous. How many years had it been since a dragon appeared on the Vic Continent since Terra I¡¯s era? Roar! However, before they could say this, a roar that froze their hearts and blood sounded nearby. This sound frightened them so much that their legs almost went limp and they sat on the ground. Dragon Might¡­ Although they had never seen a dragon, they had learned from many legends that creatures named dragons could intimidate all living beings around them by letting out terrifying roars. As for Diana, she pushed the two of them away as if she was unaffected by the roar that contained dragon might and rushed up the stairs. ¡­ I can¡¯t attack my master? William was stunned when he sensed the black dragon¡¯s reply. This black dragon was a product of William¡¯s Divine Realm illusion, True Shadow. The only master of this black dragon was him. When did the short woman on the ship become its master? William tried to control the black dragon to spew its breath on the sea around the warship. The other party did as it was told. Flames wrapped in a pitch-black curse swept across the calm sea surface, and a hissing sound sounded. Almost instantly, the empire warship was enveloped by a dense mist. William ordered the black dragon to turn its head and spit fire at the warship. Just as the Fire Breath was about to touch the hull, it stopped. What the hell? William looked up at the woman on the other party¡¯s ship. The woman seemed to have caught her breath. She slowly walked to the side and still held the bronze-colored metal plate high in her hand. A metal plate with the Dragon Sword symbol and holy emblem. From the looks of it, the thing in her hand was a perfect match for the Holy Spirit iron plate he used as a response terminal. The Horn Emblem of Holy Spirit Kane and the Dragon Sword holy emblem of Holy Spirit Terra were called the duality of the Eighth Holy Spirit by the Eighth Order. William tried to order the black dragon to spit Fire at the keel. I can¡¯t attack my master. The same will appeared in his mind. Man¡­ Can that be the reason? Thinking of a possibility, William took out an unused iron plate from his pocket and threw it into the sea. Then, he used a long-range spell to summon a Tide Soul, causing it to sweep the iron plate hundreds of meters away out into the sea. Then, he continued ordering the black dragon to spit Fire at the sea. The black dragon rejected his order again. Moreover, it used the same reason. That explains it¡­ William was enlightened. In the game, no summoned creature¡ªbe it summoned through summoning spells, Undead spells, or Illusion spells¡ªwould attack its summoner. In other words, to these summoned creatures, their true owners were the holy emblems. William¡¯s main body near Viper Scar took out a response terminal from his inventory and threw it to the ground. Then, he used it as a medium to summon the most basic Wolf Spirit. ¡°Attack me,¡± William said to the blue translucent wolf in front of him. Upon hearing the order, the Wolf Spirit pounced on William unceremoniously. Its razor-like sharp teeth aimed at William¡¯s throat. Snap! Just as it was about to pounce on William, William snapped his fingers with a gloomy expression. He instantly dispelled the Wolf Spirit¡¯s summoning spell. The Wolf Spirit turned into countless blue spots of light in the blink of an eye and dissipated in midair. The summoned creatures summoned through the holy emblem weren¡¯t William Kane himself. William didn¡¯t believe that this was just a characteristic of a summoning spell. In other words, although he was the one casting the spell with the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s holy emblem and was in charge of the weaving of the spells, the one truly releasing the spell was the indistinct Eighth Holy Spirit? In that case, whether the power of the Eighth Holy Spirit was reliable or not was a huge question mark for him. At the very least, the Dragon Sword holy emblem in the other party¡¯s hand had shown its effects. It could be considered the first time he had truly proven that he wasn¡¯t the only person with the authority of the Eighth Holy Spirit. It looks like I have to think about the development of the Holy Spirit power¡­ William thought. William had a deep understanding of how powerful a complete Holy Spirit was through the Waning Moon ending. The Waning Moon ending was also known as a Gundam ending among players. In that ending, the protagonist chose to gather the faith of the Seven Holy Spirits and build a Holy Spirit incarnation to fight the Void Sovereigns¡¯ main body after confirming that there was no hope of closing the Moon Realm rift. King of Deathblood, Ruin Demon God, and Mad Sovereign. These three symbolized war, destruction, and domination respectively. After the Void Sovereigns¡ªwho had the strongest intuitive combat strength¡ªstepped into Currere, they were trashed by the protagonist imbued by the power of the Seven Holy Spirits. In the end, the other Void Sovereigns saved them one after another, causing the three gods to scramble back to the Moon Realm. Chapter 172 - 172 Dragon and Mist (3) 172 Dragon and Mist (3) Although this part of the plot was a cutscene after making a choice and the Void Sovereigns¡¯ health bars weren¡¯t visible, the three Void Sovereigns suffered injuries that couldn¡¯t be healed for eternity according to what was mentioned in the epilogue. William estimated that if They stayed in Currere for a few more minutes, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for Them to be beaten to death by the incarnation of the Holy Spirit. However, the problem was the price. To prevent himself from turning into a new disaster after using this power that mortals couldn¡¯t control, the protagonist in the eclipse ending kept burning his soul to fight. After this battle ended, the protagonist entered a vegetative state that didn¡¯t react to the outside world because his soul had been burned out. It could only be said that this was reasonable as an internecine method. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to find a power that looked safe to use, but he now confirmed that it wasn¡¯t that reliable. It could be considered quite a wet blanket. William immediately controlled Mirror Shadow, which was far away on Whalebone. He picked up the response terminal hanging in front of his chest and tried to break it. However, the moment he planned to do so, the Mirror Shadow clone lost its strength. ¡°Don¡¯t pray yet. Take this opportunity to summon gust and shake off the other party¡¯s pursuit. Mist seems to be rising around us,¡± Captain Hobbs patted William¡¯s shoulder and said. From his point of view, William had stood rooted to the ground, closed his eyes, and remained silent. He picked up the iron plate on his chest and silently got himself ready. No matter how he looked at it, he looked like he was praying. William opened his mouth slightly. He wanted to explain, but after some hesitation, he shut his mouth. However, before he could take the next step, a phenomenon appeared again. Just as Captain Hobbs had said, the mist began to rise around them. At some point, the entire sea began to fill with mist. William thought that the mist caused by the black dragon spitting flames at the sea had dissipated, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. However, in just a minute or two, the entire sea was filled with a thick layer of mist. It was as if the surrounding seawater was steaming, and the mist surrounding the ship was getting thicker. After a few seconds, William couldn¡¯t see the outline of the empire warship not far away even with Eagle Eye. William ordered the black dragon to spit flames into the sky to indicate its location. An extremely weak pillar of fire illuminated the distance¡ªthe flames looked as weak as candles swaying in a storm from the Whalebone. ¡°That¡¯s not right¡­ Usually, there¡¯s only such mist when we¡¯re about to reach Ava State. There¡¯s still a four to five-day journey,¡± Captain Hobbs muttered to himself in confusion. William had never been to Ava State. After all, the map of Ava State wasn¡¯t opened up in-game. It was said that there was a plan to produce a DLC, but it was scrapped due to a lack of budget. William knew a thing or two about Ava State. Other than reading many books that introduced the Ava State¡¯s customs, he always heard his companion, Remides, who had the title of Ranger, talk about her hometown more than once. Nation of Mist. It was said that every time a foreign ship was about to sail into Ava State, the mist would appear around the outsider. If the newcomer was a friend, the mist would automatically dissipate, and if they were an enemy, a terrifying existence in the mist would devour them. Chapter 173 - 173 Illusions of the Past (1) 173 Illusions of the Past (1) The High Elves worshiped Fire and Mist as their faith. The fire here referred to Phoenix Holy Fire. Deep in the Phoenix Hall burned an inextinguishable golden holy fire. Legend had it that it was the last Fire Soul left behind by the elven ancestors after they failed to ascend to the heavens. During the day, the elderly who had experienced the baptism of time and felt their souls falling into a void would throw themselves into the Holy Fire and use their souls and memories as fuel for the Holy Fire. Newborns would be sent to the Holy Fire to receive blessings at night. The experience and skills of the dead would warm the souls of these newborns, allowing them to obtain legacies from the past. As for mist, it referred to the rich magical mist that perennially lingered near Ava State. The elven ancestors, who once claimed to be Children of Fire and Mist, could no longer maintain their eternal and infinite existence in Currere after failing to ascend to the Light Realm. Helpless, they could only use mud and wind to reconstruct their physical bodies. From then on, they could only silently reproduce into infinity through then limited lifespans. As for the original mist, it became another soul power for the descendants of the guardian elves. In ancient times, the first elf to learn how to control mist to weave illusions unified the entire Ava State and became the first King of Mist. After that, until true magic appeared, mist summoning and mist control were the greatest reliance of the Ava State¡¯s rulers to resist external enemies and stabilize their rule. ¡°It¡¯s getting misty,¡± Remides leaned against the railing and looked into the distance as she muttered to herself. At this moment, she was at the highest point in the entire Ava State¡ªMoonlaw City¡¯s Firescorching Tower. Legend had it that when the elven ancestors rode a Phoenix and tried to fly back to the Realm of Light, they sailed from the top of this tower. Although the authenticity of this legend was debatable, according to the archaeologists¡¯ research, this charred tower was indeed the oldest building known in the Ava State. If she were standing here normally, Remides would be able to see the entire Ava State. However, even with her acute vision as a High Elf, she could only vaguely see the outline of the coastline through the thick mist. If one had to describe it, the entire Ava State was like a cauldron that constantly emitted boiling water. Thick mist enveloped the entire archipelago and spread to the distant sea. ¡°Before the impeachment results are out, it¡¯s not a wise choice to use the governor¡¯s authority to summon the mist seal.¡± An old-fashioned and serious voice sounded behind Remides. She turned her head and saw the Tacma Church ascetic in a simple flaxen robe arrive at the top of the tower. The other party nodded slightly in greeting before continuing, ¡°The mist¡¯s seal isn¡¯t like a storm from the Moon Realm. They can¡¯t truly stop the Empire¡¯s fleet, but the young man from the Windsong family will seize on this matter and make an issue out of nothing to rope in people from the other city-states to oppose you.¡± ¡°Their objections won¡¯t affect the overall situation. Other than delaying the empire fleet¡¯s invasion, my seal via the summoning of the mist, more importantly, prevents those higher existences from interfering.¡± The ascetic fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°In that case, you believe that the storm in the Shattered Sea stopped because of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s will?¡± Remides didn¡¯t answer his question. Instead, she turned her head and looked at the mist-covered sea in the distance. Seeing that the other party didn¡¯t answer his question, the Tacma Church ascetic continued, ¡°We both know that the concept of the so-called Holy Spirits is originally an unrealistic fantasy of humans. No Holy Spirit can truly rely on their will to influence the development of Currere like those sovereigns in the Moon Realm. They don¡¯t have wills. The so-called blessing or divinity manifestation is only another manifestation of magic.¡± In the magic model built by the Tacma Church, be it blessings or divinity manifestations, they were only another manifestation of magic. All the power of the Holy Spirit had to be manifested through the will of mortals. Upon hearing his words, Remides suddenly pointed at the distant mist and said, ¡°I was there back then¡­ I was there back then when the arrow pierced that person¡¯s head. I saw the flames of life extinguish from his eyes with my own eyes. Even now, I can still remember the feeling of the bowstring trembling.¡± ¡°That mortal named Terra Riel died at your hands,¡± the Tacma Church ascetic said stoically. ¡°But he revived and was declared to have ascended the Holy Spirit¡¯s throne decades later.¡± Remides paused and continued, ¡°There¡¯s no magic in this world that can revive people¡ªimmortality will always be the difference between mortals and gods.¡± ¡°So this is why you summoned the mist to seal off Ava State? You were worried that the Eighth Holy Spirit would interfere with the outcome of the war, so you used the mist to block His line of sight in advance?¡± the Tacma Church ascetic asked. Ava State was the only country in history that had never been affected by the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion. As for the other places, there was no need to mention the Vic Continent. On the Damon Continent, the Moon Realm Church was as rampant as it was on the Vic Continent towards the end of the Golden Calendar. As for the Orsis Continent, there was even less of a need to mention it. That place that once had a great civilization had completely fallen 3,000 years ago because of the universal Moon Realm faith, reducing it to the current Ruins of Orsis. Chapter 174 - 174 Illusions of the Past (2) 174 Illusions of the Past (2) The reason why Ava State had never been invaded by the Moon Realm was partly that every High Elf¡¯s life and death cycle was under the protection of the Phoenix Holy Fire, and it was very difficult for the existences in the Moon Realm to pry open their mental protection. On the other hand, the magical mist that spread around the Ava State had the function of blocking the power of those high-level existences. It was very difficult for the power of the Holy Spirits to take effect in this mist, and the power the Moon Realm Void Sovereigns could project on the Ava State was extremely limited. Seeing Remides nod and admit the reason why she had summoned the mist, the Tacma Church ascetic reminded her, ¡°Your private use of the governor¡¯s authority to summon the mist might very well cause you to lose your position as governor tomorrow. Be it being defeated by a deity or a mortal, the outcome will be submission.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t lose this war without the intervention of gods,¡± Remides said calmly. ¡°According to what I¡¯ve learned, even according to the most optimistic calculations, the empire¡¯s expeditionary army is more than three times as strong as Ava State. This is a reality chasm that can¡¯t be easily bridged with courage or strategy.¡± Regarding this, the ascetic pointed out the problem. He wasn¡¯t wrong at all. The population of elves was extremely small. Even if one only calculated the high-end combat strength of both sides, there were only three people in Ava State who had reached the Divine Realm, including Remides. Moreover, one of them was the Phoenix Holy Fire¡¯s fire guardian who couldn¡¯t leave the temple for battle. As for the empire¡¯s expeditionary army, it was already confirmed that four Divine Realm experts were participating on the surface¡ªnot to mention any hidden powerhouses. The most conservative estimate was that at least five Divine Realm powerhouses would participate. However¡­ ¡°If you can choose to support Ava State, all of this will be reversed,¡± Remides said. Upon hearing her words, an expression that could be called a smile appeared on the ascetic¡¯s face for the first time. ¡°Miss Shadowmoon, you know the Tacma Church¡¯s doctrine. We never participate directly in any war. Of course, if you¡¯re willing, you can choose to swear an oath and wear a linen robe to join us. When the time comes, the Church can guarantee your safety.¡± Remides shook her head and was about to say something when her expression suddenly changed as she turned to look into the distance. ¡°Dragon?¡± ¡­ The dragon disappeared? William immediately became vigilant when he sensed the disappearance of the black dragon that could have lasted for at least a minute. An existence that could make an adult black dragon disappear silently was extremely rare in the world. All the existences William could think of now were existences that even he had to spend some effort to kill. Therefore, what was in this fog? ¡°Have you encountered this mist in your past trips to Ava State?¡± William hurriedly asked Captain Hobbs. The other party nodded and said, ¡°Ava State means the Nation of Mist in elven language. Mist of this level is a normal phenomenon near Ava State¡­¡± With that said, he revealed an extremely puzzled expression and continued, ¡°But I¡¯ve never encountered such thick mist so far from Ava State. It will take us at least three to four days more¡­¡± William interrupted him and continued asking, ¡°Then, have you encountered anything strange in such fog?¡± ¡°Strange¡­ What do you mean?¡± the captain asked. ¡°For example, a huge and blurry outline, a strange sound, a stench¡­ or anything else.¡± When William described it, he couldn¡¯t help but think of a famous octopus-headed huge green existence in a fabricated myth with bat wings on its back. William stopped his train of thought. This isn¡¯t right. William¡¯s question made Hobbs fall silent. A few seconds later, he said, ¡°Although I haven¡¯t encountered it¡­ the elves we do business with did mention something to take note of on a misty day. He told us that if we encounter a ship that¡¯s clearly not the style of this era in the mist, we have to ignore them. Be it the people on that ship crying for help, making threats, or even attacking, we can¡¯t respond at all.¡± ¡°Why?¡± William asked immediately. Hobbs looked at William and revealed an odd expression. ¡°This is because if we don¡¯t respond, they will only be illusions, but once we respond, they will become reality to us. Therefore¡­ Everyone, don¡¯t respond to anything related to them. Everyone, do what you need to do now¡­¡± As Hobbs spoke, he lowered his tone and raised his voice. This ensured that the surrounding people could hear him without being suddenly agitated by him. William pretended to inadvertently turn his head and look behind him when he saw the expression on Captain Hobbs¡¯s face gradually change from strange to fear. Then, he saw¡­ A huge warship appeared from the thick mist and sailed side by side beside Whalebone. Compared to it, the medium-sized three-masted sailing ship, Whalebone, was as tiny as a small boat. As the ship was too tall and was very close to the Whalebone, William had to raise his head and look up to see the Dragon Sword emblem printed on the sail, as well as the huge black dragon that had collapsed on the deck. It was the black dragon summoned by William through the Divine Realm Illusion spell, True Shadow. As an existence manifested from illusions, it should have instantly disappeared after death as if it had never existed. However, its corpse fell to the deck intact. A man with grayish-white hair and silver-gray eyes stood beside the black dragon¡¯s corpse. He wore a bronze crown and held a ruby sword. William wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with this person¡¯s image. He had seen this man¡¯s image in countless sculptures, murals, books, and paintings¡ªTerra Riel. The man who claimed to be his reincarnation was also the founding emperor of the Riel Empire. As for this huge warship, it was probably the legendary flagship of the imperial navy from 800 years ago, the Crown, which had been destroyed by a huge storm during its last battle against Ava State. William was captivated by the ship. Hobbs hurried over and placed his hand on William¡¯s shoulder. He said in an exaggerated tone, ¡°Stop staring at the sky. There¡¯s no sun in this misty sky. Hurry up and help drive the wind to accelerate the ship.¡± Then, he whispered into William¡¯s ear, ¡°Don¡¯t look at that ship. It¡¯s just an illusion. Just ignore it according to the Ava State elves.¡± William¡¯s main body in the Blackwater Swamp had already gone to the Library of the Dead in the Treasure Hall and asked the Archivists to find information about the Ava State fog. After skipping a long paragraph of descriptions of Fire and Mist myths and legends, William finally found what he was looking for. The mist in Ava State was a strange magical phenomenon. As long as one was in this mist, illusions of the past would constantly appear. Once witnesses interacted with it, they would change from simple illusions to real illusions for the witnesses¡ªthis was especially similar to the principles of Illusion spells. According to the author¡¯s guess, this might be related to the so-called ancestral souls of the elves. As the first living beings in Currere, they still maintained an inextricable connection with the Realm of Light in the place of creation. Chapter 175 - 175 Wandering (1) 175 Wandering (1) Hobbs didn¡¯t notice what was happening on the deck of the huge warship. He continued pretending to be relaxed and said to William, ¡°Mr. Ishmael, it¡¯s better to help accelerate the ship first¡­ As long as you ignore them, they¡¯re only illusions.¡± He tried his best to lower his voice when he reached the latter half of the sentence. William didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he continued staring at the illusion of the sword being raised at him. He couldn¡¯t ignore the other party. Terra Riel was only an illusion from 800 years ago, but his body on Whalebone was also an illusion woven from Mirror Shadow. Therefore, the other party had indeed seen him. Moreover, just like the black dragon from before, the other party could effectively attack him. This was one of the reasons why William couldn¡¯t ignore him. More importantly, even if the other party was an illusion, William didn¡¯t want to let him off. William had no objections to Terra Riel claiming to be his reincarnation and using this identity to unify the entire Vic Continent. It was very common for a ruler to add a mysterious aura to his background, let alone in an alternate world where real gods and magic existed. It was even common in William¡¯s previous world. He couldn¡¯t ask for too much from future generations. However, the problem was what kind of crap did the other party do after obtaining the highest authority? Just the promulgation of the Astral Laws and the establishment of the Eighth Holy Spirit worship were enough for William to lock him up in the Black Prison and torture him with his Soul Fire for eternity. Even though the other party was an illusion from the past, William had no intention of letting him off. Therefore, their gazes crossed more than 800 years and looked at each other from a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers. William stared into Terra¡¯s eyes and said slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. That phantom has already noticed me.¡± Hobbes followed William¡¯s gaze and glanced at the front deck of the warship. Then, he immediately turned his head. ¡°Stop looking. If you continue looking, everyone on the ship will die with you!¡± Hobbs hurriedly advised when he saw the person wearing a crown and suspected to be the founding emperor of the empire pointing his sword over. ¡°No one will die on this ship. Just leave first. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± William said calmly. ¡°How? We¡¯re at sea!¡± Hobbs became anxious when he heard William¡¯s tone as if he was discussing what to eat today. He shouted into William¡¯s ear. From his point of view, if they were targeted by this legendary Illusion Ship, unless a miracle happened and the mist immediately dissipated, they would definitely end up with their ship destroyed and everyone dead. They couldn¡¯t even deal with the ordinary empire warship previously. Now that they encountered this huge ship suspected to be the legendary Crown, did they have a chance of escaping? William didn¡¯t explain. He took a step forward and a silver nexus floated on the deck. Then, he stomped hard and was instantly swept up by a gust, levitating him in midair. The powerful whirlwind not only lifted William into the air, but it also cleared the mist surrounding the Whalebone in a cylindrical manner. Golden sunlight shone on the deck of the Whalebone through the dispersed mist, causing the people standing on the deck to raise their hands and cover their eyes. Ignoring the cries of surprise on the ship, William waved his hand forcefully at the sails. Several spells were instantly constructed and activated. Many gusts of wind attacked from the void, raising the sails and pushing the Whalebone into the distance. William¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave the person for a moment. ¡°How long can it last?¡± William asked softly. This question was directed at Liz, who was providing him with a magical connection. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ But ever since this mist began, I feel that the consumption needed to maintain the Faerie Mist seems to have decreased greatly. If nothing goes wrong, it can last for at least ten minutes¡­ However, that will require you to stop the wind first?¡± When Liz replied, she grabbed William¡¯s shoulder tightly to prevent herself from being blown away by the gusts. ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­¡± As William spoke, he immediately dispelled the Floating spell that supported him and changed it to the Morph spell, Wings. With a whoosh, a pair of wide membrane wings grew along his shoulder blades. Then, they flapped forcefully and made him hover in midair. William was now the one looking down at Terra¡¯s illusion. ¡°I sense a familiar aura from you. Have we met?¡± Terra¡¯s phantom, who was standing on the deck and looking up at William, finally spoke. Perhaps it was because of his illusory essence, but his voice echoed hollowly. ¡°Then you must have the wrong person.¡± As William spoke, he slowly raised his hands. The seawater under his feet surged violently as if it was boiling. A few seconds later, two waterspouts darted out of the sea like wyrms. They gathered thousands of tonnes of seawater and stirred beside William. Seeing the two dancing waterspouts, Terra¡¯s phantom revealed a serious expression and said, ¡°So you caused this storm? You want to use this to stop me?¡± Chapter 176 - 176 Wandering (2) 176 Wandering (2) Storm? William looked at the two waterspouts that were about two arm spans wide. Although the waterspout created by Tornado wasn¡¯t weak, this didn¡¯t have anything to do with a ¡®Great Storm.¡¯ ¡°But you and I were once companions. Why did it have to come to this?¡± the other party said something inexplicable. ¡°Huh?¡± William could only express his confusion by uttering a single syllable. ¡°Alright, perhaps you won¡¯t believe me¡­ But there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. I only hope you understand that if I weren¡¯t forced, I really wouldn¡¯t want to fight all of you.¡± As the other party spoke, he held his sword with a sad expression. William was about to ask something when a dangerous premonition exploded in his mind. Without thinking, he raised his hand and moved the two waterspouts in front of him. A blood-red sword beam flashed. The moment it came into contact, the two waterspouts seemed to lose some support and instantly turned into a storm that filled the sky before falling back to the sea. In the rain, Terra Riel¡¯s phantom¡ªwho wore a bronze crown and held a ruby sword¡ªmade a retracting motion. The blood-red sword beam came from the sword in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry¡­¡± ¡°F*ck your apology.¡± First were the endless riddles, and then there were the attacks without any warning. These two combined left William fuming. A huge amount of mana flowed through this body through a pathway forged by Faerie Mist before being woven into spells. In less than a second, more than ten gorgeous spell patterns appeared around Terra. Before he could swing his sword to counterattack, colorful spells instantly blasted him into a carnival ball. The deck at the bow was blasted into pieces before having several floors collapse. The entire ship seemed to have been ruthlessly pressed into the sea by an invisible hand. It first sank before bouncing up due to the buoyancy recoil, throwing up a large stack of broken wooden planks. William looked at the emanating cold air, the burning of flames, the flashing of lightning, and the splattering of rocks and soil on the bow and deck and heaved a sigh of relief. Although these were simple spells that could be instantly cast by skipping the chanting process, with the support of William¡¯s powerful mana and the huge quantity, even high-level Lunar Monsters would be severely injured and banished back to the Moon Realm. On the deck of the ship, smoke filled the air¡­ No, it should be said that all kinds of elementals filled the air. William¡¯s eyes lit up with a faint white light since he couldn¡¯t see what was going on with the target. As Terra Riel¡¯s essence probably originated from the phantom in the mist, William didn¡¯t use Life Detection. Instead, he used Magic Detection to try to find the other party¡¯s traces. However, William couldn¡¯t find any. The entire ship, including the surrounding mist, flickered with a faint magical light. Yet, William couldn¡¯t find that person. Could it be that my strike has reduced the other party to dust? William thought. However, as the founding emperor who had an empire last 800 years, even a phantom shouldn¡¯t be that lousy, right? William looked at the explosion pit that was still emitting smoke and muttered inwardly. The sense of danger appeared in William¡¯s mind again. This time, he flapped his wings and dodged to the side. Almost at this moment, a pitch-black lightning bolt and a blood-red sword beam attacked him without any warning from the explosion pit that was emitting thick smoke. They brushed past William¡¯s face. William had been maintaining Magic Detection the entire time, but he didn¡¯t sense any magical fluctuations up to the moment the two attacks brushed past his face. It isn¡¯t magic? William immediately deactivated his Magic Detection upon realizing this possibility and restored his vision to normal. Then, he happened to see Terra¡¯s phantom walk out of the pit and walk in the air. The person only took seconds to reach the same height as William. Behind the person, a cloaked phantom vaguely appeared. This phantom held a sword in one hand and a scepter in the other. Its face was completely hidden under the shadow of the hood. Authority holder¡­ Be it walking in the air without relying on Morph or Storm-type spells or the appearance of a powerful existence¡¯s phantom, these were important characteristics of Authority holders. And Authority holders didn¡¯t need to use magic when exercising their strength. To them, they only needed to give orders to things within their authority. And with ceremonial magical inheritances almost completely severed, this founding emperor who claimed to be his reincarnation was an Authority holder? ¡°Then, do you have anything else that¡¯s yours?¡± William asked. ¡°Not only was my title stolen, but even my powers were also stolen.¡± The other party didn¡¯t answer William. Instead, he said in his hollow voice, ¡°I won¡¯t show any mercy next.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want,¡± William sneered in reply. As he said this, he wondered¡ªwhich mythical character was an Authority holder who used blood-red sword beams and pitch-black lightning? William briefly recalled the Authority holders he had dealt with and roughly sifted through the myths and legends from all over the world. However, no matter how he racked his brains, he couldn¡¯t recall seeing such an existence. Terra crossed the staff and sword in front of his chest. Then, blood-red and pitch-black colors constantly surged out and fused, gradually turning into the shape of a heart. William spread his hands. A pitch-black ball the size of a ping-pong sphere appeared in his palm. The moment the pitch-black sphere appeared, the overcharge of mana shattered the iron plate on William¡¯s chest. He hurriedly took out another iron plate and hung it up. The new iron plate began to tremble slightly. After devouring a large amount of mana, the pitch-black sphere began compressing, giving rise to a huge suction force. The surrounding thick mist was pulled toward it like threads. The sea surface under William¡¯s feet began to surge. As more mana was injected, the black sphere in William¡¯s hand shrank. Finally, only a needle-sized black dot floated in his hand. The sea under his feet was pulled into the shape of an inverted funnel. The Divine Realm Shadow spell, Black Hole, was a super powerful AOE that combined lethality and crowd control. At this moment, a red-black heart that kept beating appeared in Terra¡¯s phantom¡¯s hand. ¡°What I stand for doesn¡¯t allow me to fail, so¡­ forgive me, former Ms. Ranger,¡± he looked at William and said. William came to a realization when he heard the title of Ms. Ranger. It turned out that the other party had treated him as Remides, reenacting the Battle of Wandering that happened in this sea 800 years ago. It was no wonder his answers didn¡¯t match his questions at all. It was just like how spirits could only answer a few specific questions, or how the undead couldn¡¯t control themselves other than instinctively repeating what had happened when they were alive. In other words, the phantom of Terra in front of him wasn¡¯t a complete illusion, but more like a necromancy spell. The person in front of him was only a lost memory. This also meant that the person named Terra Riel, or at least someone who thought he was Terra Riel, had died here. Chapter 177 - 177 King of Mist (1) 177 King of Mist (1) Morton Bloodblade, the City Lord of Phoenix Flame City, wore dark-gold scaled armor and held a dark-red dagger as he walked up the Firescorching Tower. He first glanced at the thick mist in the distance before taking a deep breath to ease his facial expression. Then, he asked Remides, who was standing at the edge of the tower platform, ¡°Therefore, how was the outcome of your final negotiation?¡± Remides looked into the distance and replied, ¡°Just as expected, they want to remain neutral, so they have made it clear that they won¡¯t participate in this war.¡± She didn¡¯t sound disappointed, as if she had long expected this. ¡°But¡­ Why? This is their only shelter. Don¡¯t they care even if the empire sticks the Dragon Sword flag here and opens a Moon Realm rift?¡± Morton asked in confusion. ¡°They might care, but what¡¯s more important is the Platinum Discipline¡ªit¡¯s been more than 2,000 years, but they haven¡¯t escaped the trauma stemming from that matter,¡± Remides replied. The ancient Tacma Church had always followed the ancient path of rebirth. In their long history, they had only made one attempt to interfere in realpolitik¡ªthat was during the Golden Calendar. To end the rule of the demigod tyrant on the Vic Continent, they imparted the creation model and concepts of magic they had developed to the human rebellion back then. The outcome of that attempt directly led to the indomitable rise of the Holy Spirits Church and the establishment of the classical magic system. The Vic Continent subsequently entered the Platinum Era led by mortals. However, contrary to their expectations, this era was more superstitious and cruel than the previous eras with demigods or heroes of a godly heritage. After all, most wars in the past were determined by battles between these heroes, and mortals only existed as spoils of war or sacrifices. However, after the power of magic became widespread, wars went from a confrontation between gods to wars between people. The suffering brought about by these conflicts was more widespread and caused greater damage. This greatly nourished the power of the Moon Realm which foreshadowed the subsequent Moon Realm crisis. The Tacma Church later reflected on how they had sparked the runaway situation akin to a pile of dominoes and formulated regulations called Platinum Discipline. From then on, it was announced that the Church would never participate in any battle for secular power or interfere with the development of history. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Morton asked in disbelief when he heard Remides. Even in Ava State, information about the Tacma Church was shrouded in a mysterious veil. They acted mysteriously and rarely had private contact with anyone other than Ava State¡¯s governor. Therefore, although Morton had heard of the Tacma Church¡¯s inflexibility and stubbornness, he never expected it to reach this level. Remides turned around and looked at Morton. She said with mixed emotions, ¡°To be honest, I can understand their actions.¡± ¡°What part do you understand? Even when the army is at the city gates, they still choose to follow long-outdated rules?¡± ¡°I understand their regret for their previous choices and how they wish to use the rest of their lives to make up for that mistake,¡± Remides said calmly. When she said this, she couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene from that fateful day at the Twilight Fortress¡¯s round table. A millennium was like a trickle of water, slowly and patiently corroding most of the details. The faces of her companions were already blurry when she tried recalling, with only their names standing around the obsidian round table. She should have kept that person behind that day. If he had stayed, everything wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way. Or at the very least, she should have gotten that person to bring her on a new adventure. Looking at the rare, lonely expression on the Shadow Queen¡¯s face that had ruled for 800 years, Morton didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. After a long time, seeing the other party¡¯s expression gradually recover its usual coldness, he slowly said, ¡°As for the other matter, the results of the impeachment vote will be out tomorrow. As for the exact situation¡­ I can only say that it¡¯s very bad. If you hadn¡¯t summoned this fog, it would probably be 50-50. However, it¡¯s very difficult for your arbitrariness not to remind those citizens of the King of Mist¡¯s dictatorship style.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t spend a week holding a civic meeting for this.¡± ¡°I know, and even the young man from the Windsongs knows this. However, he and his allies will seize on this issue,¡± Morton replied. ¡°What¡¯s the probability of my impeachment succeeding?¡± ¡°More than 80%.¡± ¡°Changing leaders before the war? I don¡¯t think they¡¯re that stupid, right?¡± Remides asked expressionlessly in response to the other party¡¯s estimates. No matter what, the change of governor would inevitably lead to a large number of personnel changes and the redistribution of benefits. In addition, they still needed to hold the ritual of removing the binding of the Holy Fire Essence Soul and the Mist Soul, as well as the binding of the new governor¡¯s soul. During this period, the protection of Ava State would fall into an extremely precarious state. Chapter 178 - 178 King of Mist (2) 178 King of Mist (2) Even if Ava State decided on surrendering to the empire, they wouldn¡¯t carry out any self-crippling. After all, the conditions one could obtain from surrendering depended largely on the bargaining chip in the surrenderer¡¯s hand. The reason why the empire could offer such generous conditions was that the Ava State¡¯s armed forces weren¡¯t easy to deal with. However, Morton only smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I received information that Ward had secretly invited an important figure in the Holy Spirits Church. He hopes to complete a high-profile baptism ritual before the empire steps foot and bring Isu City under the Church¡¯s protection.¡± The moment she heard this, Remides¡¯s eyes flickered with cold killing intent. ¡°Where did this information come from?¡± she asked without changing her tone. With Remides¡¯s understanding of Ward Windsong, although he was extremely ambitious and always taught himself as smart, he was never a fool. It was very unlikely for him to do such a foolish thing at this juncture. ¡°A few days ago, a warship left Swan Port alone. It carried brass from the Eighth Order and is headed for us. Coincidentally, a few days ago, the communication spells in Isu City were destroyed because of a magic overload. The stored coordinates can¡¯t be retrieved,¡± Morton replied. ¡°These two things can also be completely unrelated¡­ In other words, this is only your guess?¡± ¡°I trust my intuition,¡± the other party immediately said. Remides looked at the distant mist again when she heard that. After a long time, she said, ¡°Not long ago, the spirit in the mist told me that it sensed the aura of a dragon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Morton said almost subconsciously. ¡°No dragon leaves the Dragon Bone Islands anymore. Even magic chanters who have honed their summoning spells to the Divine Realm can¡¯t sign a contract with dragons to summon them.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still another way to bypass the restrictions and summon a dragon, right?¡± Remides said. Upon hearing her words, Morton instantly looked enlightened. ¡°Divine Realm Illusion spell, True Shadow,¡± he said. Remides nodded and said, ¡°When the Astral Laws were formulated, all Divine Realm spells were handed over to the various factions of the Empire for preservation as a guarantee to maintain their future status. As for the spell named True Shadow, it seems to be¡­¡± ¡°The embryonic form of the Eighth Order, the Hermit Church.¡± Morton finished her sentence. ¡°Other than the Tacma Church ascetics and the Eighth Order brass, I don¡¯t think anyone in this world knows how to use that spell. Since you sensed a dragon, it can minimally prove that a Divine Realm brass from the Church is on their way here.¡± As Morton spoke, he stared into Remides¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Bring that person over,¡± Remides replied coldly. However, Morton shook his head and said, ¡°No, Lady Shadowmoon, I¡¯m not asking what to do with the brass of the Holy Spirits Church.¡± ¡°Bring that person over as well as¡­¡± As Remides spoke, she slowly closed her eyes before immediately opening them. ¡°Isu City, Pine City, and Clockwork City will be under military law for a week. During this period, the impeachment motion regarding the governor will be suspended. Everything will be discussed after Ward Windsong and the upper echelons of the Holy Spirits Church are brought over¡­ This won¡¯t be an order that¡¯s difficult to carry out for you, right?¡± Morton Bloodblade immediately crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave a Fire Phoenix bow. Then, he replied in an extremely serious tone, ¡°This is my honor. The warriors of Phoenix Flame City will always be your Sharp Blade, Your Majesty.¡± The Fire Phoenix bow was also known as Sharp Blade, and called her ¡°Your Majesty.¡± These were all customs from before Ava State¡¯s free city-state era when the High Elves were ruled by the King of Mist as a whole. Under normal circumstances, Remides definitely wouldn¡¯t accept these forms of address and etiquette. However, she was tired now and didn¡¯t have as much energy and patience as before. She constantly balanced the various factions at the Mooncycle Conference and obtained the support of most people. Now, even though the Empire¡¯s threat was imminent, there were still factions in the Ava State, turning them into a state of disunity. In fact, after failing to obtain the Tacma Church¡¯s support, Remides was mentally prepared. If she wanted to win, or at the very least, not lose so badly, she had to firmly hold power over the entire Ava State in her hands. Since they had labeled her the King of Mist and hoped to use this to bring her down, she would do as they wished and truly become a King of Mist. Watching Morton Bloodblade leave, Remides felt slightly relieved. As long as she obtained his support and loyalty, the situation in Ava State would be completely under her control¡ªat least before the Empire¡¯s invasion ended. After all, in all of Ava State, only the city of mages¡ªMoonlaw City¡ªand the city of warriors¡ªPhoenix Fire City¡ªcould play a key role on the battlefield. The High Elves divided their classes according to their last names. This was a little similar to a caste system, but it was more complicated¡ªthis was because what determined one¡¯s last name wasn¡¯t bloodline, but the blessing inheritance a newborn obtained during the Holy Fire blessing ritual. There were a total of more than 70 last names among the High Elves, and every last name represented a class or, according to elven tradition, a path. A newborn would only be given the last name of the corresponding path after the Holy Fire Priest interpreted the shape of the blessing flame and confirmed his or her future path. Humans might be able to recruit young adults from farmers and craftsmen for simple training to raise an army, but there was no such thing for High Elves. Unless one chose to become a Ranger and leave Ava State for training without the protection of the Holy Fire, their last name was their mission for life. From priests to farmers, everyone needed to devote all their energy to their path. Therefore, every High Elf warrior had been the culmination of intense training. They had spent their lives preparing for battle. Looking at the mist in the distance and imagining the countless warships with Dragon Sword flags that would appear soon, Remides muttered to herself, ¡°But even so, this is probably my last battle.¡± The High Elves¡¯ path tradition made the quality of their troops far superior to all the armies known in Currere. However, it also left them with an extremely huge natural flaw¡ªthey were always at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. ¡°But I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡± At this point, she pressed a hand to her heart and smiled bitterly. ¡­ After discovering that the other party was only a memory from the past, William was a little curious about how Remides killed him back then. Even if it was just an illusion, William still had to spend some effort to kill him. Of course, some of this was because he was also an illusion. However, if the two sides met and he didn¡¯t use special methods, it wouldn¡¯t be a one-sided battle. At the very least, as an Authority holder, the god Terra chose to imitate was much stronger than the Death Vera chosen by Duke Simon. Although Remides was a powerhouse at the Divine Realm, her strength wasn¡¯t considered top-notch among the Judges. As she had lost the protection of the Phoenix Holy Fire, many of her talents as a High Elf couldn¡¯t be unleashed normally. As for Terra Riel, he grasped a powerful instant death skill. Before William threw out the Black Hole in his hand and minced the other party and the ship into mush, the other party crushed the black-red heart in his hand. William experienced an Instant Death skill for the first time. Chapter 179 - 179 Instant Death Authority (1) 179 Instant Death Authority (1) Instant Death skills were based on special mechanisms. In order not to disrupt the balance of the battle, they often had extremely harsh activation conditions. Typically, they were either very easy to dodge or the probability of successfully casting a spell was crazy low. The former was usually used to restrict the enemy, while the latter was often used to restrict players. William remembered that the Void Sovereigns whose domains were related to annihilation and destruction had a few Instant Death skills. Most of the Death-related Authority holders he had interacted with used Instant Death skills. However, most of them were countdown skills that required seconds or ranged skills that even an old granny could dodge if she exerted some strength. Of course, this was based on one¡¯s performance in-game. But even if it was converted to reality, William believed that he could easily dodge them with his perception and speed. However, he had never seen such a directional, instantaneous, and unreasonable Instant Death skill released by the undead Terra in front of him. Black and red auras entangled in the undead¡¯s hand like snakes, forming the shape of a heart. As the other party suddenly clenched his fist, a glass-like voice sounded from his chest. William subconsciously lowered his head. A chisel-like wound appeared in the middle of his chest. Dense cracks spread from the wound like a spiderweb, his body gradually disintegrating into pieces. Delusional Heartbeat? William suddenly recalled an old anime he had watched when he was young. A skeleton-masked black-clothed assassin could destroy a replicated heart that resonated with the enemy¡¯s heart to produce a one-hit kill. The ability the other party used was somewhat similar to his. However, even Delusional Heartbeat needed a medium for releasing, right? How could there be such an unreasonable Instant Death skill? His body shattered quickly. William didn¡¯t have much time to think about these questions. He first threw the Black Hole in his hand at the other party. Then, he released Mirror Shadow on his phantom that hadn¡¯t completely collapsed. In a few seconds, William¡¯s Mirror Shadow shattered, turned into foam, and dissipated. The phantom created by William¡¯s phantom gradually drew its outline in midair. He reached out and caught the falling iron token before looking up into the distance. The Black Hole that he threw out was only the size of a needle tip, but it triggered a series of intense phenomena wherever it flew¡ªthe seawater along the way connected to form a thin and elegant water curtain, and the surrounding mist was absorbed by the black hole. An extremely thin and deep spatial rift appeared along its flying trajectory. It looked like William was shooting out a black ray. Terra slashed out blood-red sword beams, instantly interweaving into a gorgeous network in midair, but they couldn¡¯t block the strike at all. The black trajectory attacked the other party at an unhurried and unstoppable speed. Although the net formed by the blood-red sword beams was extremely fine, the holes they had were still too big compared to the needle-sized Black Hole. The water curtain that appeared because of the Black Hole¡¯s attraction shattered on the sword net, and the spatial rift behind the Black Hole instantly dissipated. However, the Black Hole¡¯s main body simply passed through the net like a gust of wind blowing through a screen window. The cloaked phantom behind Terra¡¯s ghost immediately gripped his body and planned on dodging it, but it was already too late. A huge suction force surged from the Black Hole. The other party could only barely move a few meters away with all his might. Finally, he could only watch as he was struck. For a moment, William saw only black and white in the world. An extremely huge deep black ball expanded almost instantly, completely devouring Terra¡¯s ghost. A dazzling pure white halo surrounded the black ball like the sun¡¯s corona. However, this scene only lasted for an instant. If one had to describe it, it would probably be an explosion that was replayed in reverse slowly. The pitch-black ball and dazzling halo that seemed to cover half the sky slowly and firmly collapsed inward in silence. A huge suction force simultaneously lifted the huge warship under the other party¡¯s feet out of the sea slowly. It was as if a pair of invisible hands had lifted it and dismantled it into countless drifting fragments from top to bottom in midair. Then, it was sucked into the constantly collapsing black ball. This was another spell that was several levels stronger than its in-game effects and level of destruction. After all, there was no strong environmental interaction in-game. William watched the removed mist, the temporarily raised sea level, and the gradually dismantling huge warship. The black ball and halo shrank and finally collapsed and evaporated. Only then did the extremely powerful Divine Realm Shadow spell, Black Hole, finally end. After the temporarily raised sea level lost the huge suction force, it instantly turned into a surging wave that spread in all directions. Countless warship fragments that hadn¡¯t been pulled into the Black Hole turned into a rain of splinters and fell, swept in all directions by the waves. Chapter 180 - 180 Instant Death Authority (2) 180 Instant Death Authority (2) Splash¡­ A figure fell from the spot where the Black Hole had disappeared and landed straight in the sea, floating on the sea like the surrounding splinters. Is he dead? William spread the membrane wings on his back and swooped down. At the same time, all kinds of defense spells lit up over his body. An Authority holder was known as a demigod. The toughness of their body far exceeded that of ordinary people. Some of them even had a conceptual defense, such as never being injured by the power of certain elemental types. Therefore, even though William was very sure that the other party would be completely incapacitated after suffering the damage of the Black Hole, he was still prepared for all aspects of defense. When William was halfway there, he realized that he had been too cautious. It¡¯s starting to dissipate¡­ He noticed that most of the warship fragments floating on the sea churned a few times in the wave before turning into foam and disappearing. Be it the warship or Terra, they were originally only memories from the past, but they temporarily reappeared in the world through this magical mist. Now, since the phantoms had been destroyed and even the surrounding mist had been swept clean by him, it wasn¡¯t strange for them to begin dissipating. William hovered above Terra Riel¡¯s spirit and calmed the waves around him. Then, he looked at him quietly. Terra¡¯s appearance was a replica of how he looked before he died in this sea. His eyes widened as he floated on his back on the sea, and his face froze with a liberated expression. A crystal clear arrow was stabbed diagonally into his left eye, and a sharp arrowhead extended out his skull, refracting a seven-colored halo under the sunlight. It was an arrow shot out by the divine artifact, Glazed Moon, that Remides held. This arrow could produce all elemental magic by injecting the purest Creatons. Therefore, it could ignore any magic resistance. And the other party had been struck by this arrow 800 years ago, so he probably died here. The other party was only a memory from the past that appeared thanks to the mist that originated from the power of the High Elves¡¯ ancestors. William couldn¡¯t figure out which mythical god the other party had resonated with through a ritual. Although there were exceptions, generally speaking, the mirror ritual corresponding to the divine target chosen by the Authority holder needed to be widely known and have an older history to become stronger. All the myths and legends that could trigger ritual magic were vague memories of creation deep in people¡¯s souls if it was traced back to the source. Therefore, the wider the reach of these stories, the more they proved their far-reaching impact. The older these stories were, the closer they were to the creation of the world. To reach the other party¡¯s strength as a mythical prototype, William estimated that he had to reach the level of a mythical main god at the very least. William knew a little about the myths and legends that originated from the seven civilizations on the Vic Continent. However, after flipping through the characteristics of the mythical main gods in his mind, he couldn¡¯t match any of them. Even now, his main body was flipping through even more ancient information in the Library of the Dead, but he still had no clue. He didn¡¯t even completely understand the other party¡¯s authority. As the battle ended quickly, William didn¡¯t figure out the black lightning. However, the blood-red sword beam was a powerful force that could be used on spells. The waterspouts he had summoned with Tornado weren¡¯t dissipated by the sword beam but collapsed after the sword beam sliced through the spell¡¯s main body. Just based on this, the other party¡¯s authority could be said to be the nemesis of all magic chanters in the world. It was also because of this that William chose to use Black Hole, which was extremely small and difficult to capture and intercept, for the final strike. ¡°Hey¡­¡± What he found even more ridiculous was the ability to remotely crush his clone¡¯s heart. Without any physical contact, he instantly released an Instant Death skill. This wasn¡¯t even as exaggerated as the Holy Spirit, the Dead, who had gathered all the authority of Death. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Magic Break and Death might be connected¡­ I¡¯ll carry out the subsequent investigations using these. William thought as he watched Terra¡¯s spirit gradually dissipate. ¡°Hey!¡± A voice shouted in William¡¯s ear, pulling him back to reality. William turned his head and saw a tired Liz calling him. William came back to his senses and said, ¡°Sorry, sorry. I¡¯ll teleport back to Whalebone immediately. Once we¡¯re on the ship, you can disconnect the magic pathways.¡± Maintaining Faerie Mist for a long time consumed a lot of energy even though the consumption in the mist was greatly reduced. As William¡¯s greatest guarantee of combat strength on his trip to the Ava State, Liz¡¯s state was more important than his. He had already encountered so much trouble on the Shattered Sea. There might be something waiting for him when he went ashore. Therefore, William didn¡¯t plan on having her consume too much energy before reaching Ava State. William looked apologetic. The other party rolled her eyes at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. I¡¯m still far from my limit¡­ Didn¡¯t you say that everything has begun to dissipate? But what¡¯s going on over there?¡± As Liz spoke, she pointed to the side. Just as William flew over to see Terra¡¯s spirit, the surrounding mist began to spread again. It was misty in the direction Liz pointed. He could vaguely see something. However, the shattered remains of many ships floated over from that direction. The fragments of the huge warship had disappeared long before Terra¡¯s spirit disappeared, so there was only one possibility¡­ ¡°Then, let¡¯s go over and see if there are any survivors,¡± William said. ¡­ It was very easy for people to fall into hysteria on a half-sinking ship. ¡°Drop those damned rafts quickly! Stop f*cking dawdling. The water is almost at my waist.¡± ¡°Without fresh water, we¡¯ll all die if we don¡¯t get on the raft. No one is to steer the rafts away before the door to the water storage room opens.¡± ¡°Fresh water? The entire raft is limited in size. Even if you put a bucket of fresh water on it, who are you planning on kicking into the sea to feed the fish?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have such plans, but if you think that this will eventually happen, choose one of the three of you.¡± ¡°Huh? Why isn¡¯t it you, or that b*tch beside you who doesn¡¯t know how to do anything other than pray?¡± ¡°Why not me? That¡¯s because I¡¯m a mage who knows Storm spells. Without my help, none of you can reach Ava State alive. Why not her? That¡¯s because, without her help, you would have been charred by that dragon. Moreover, bringing her to Ava State was our goal. If she dies, we will die even if we reach Ava State.¡± The young man with an indistinct nexus in his hand protected Diana behind him as he faced the three sailors with their swords unsheathed, his eyes flickering with a faint silver light. A magic chanter against three ordinary people was a one-sided battle under normal circumstances. However, because of them being in close quarters, coupled with the fact that he was exhausted, he doubted his chances of winning when facing three armed ordinary people. The girl behind him was still praying. ¡°You are an eternal and indestructible spirit in our hearts, the beginning of creation¡­¡± ¡°Can you shut that b*tch up?¡± the leader of the three sailors roared. ¡°Diana, stop talking¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°They¡¯re all very agitated now. Don¡¯t make it worse.¡± ¡°After all, the Eighth Holy Spirit won¡¯t answer your prayers immediately.¡± Chapter 181 - 181 Prophet (1) 181 Prophet (1) Prophets generally referred to all existences that could establish a connection with the Holy Spirits and use Their powers to a limited extent. In the era when personalization and worship of the Seven Holy Spirits were still popular, the Holy Spirits Church relied on the power of those prophets to ensure de facto rule over the Vic Continent and was the true overlord back then. In an anxious bid for quick success, the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s brass hoped to resonate with the Authority holder of the Seven Holy Spirits through ceremonial magic. Things ultimately didn¡¯t go as planned which resulted in the Seven Calamities, causing misery and suffering. The Church¡¯s influence subsequently fell to rock bottom, and the concept of prophets was abolished and swept into the trash can of history. However, after Terra Riel brought the faith of the Eighth Holy Spirit, this object of worship that was of a mortal ascending the Holy Spirit throne made the prophets who had disappeared for more than 200 years reappear. The prohibition of personality worship among the Seven Holy Spirits was still in effect today. Therefore, if one were to talk about prophets now, they were referring to the prophets of the Eighth Holy Spirit. As holders of another type of extraordinary power, unless the manifestation of the prophets¡¯ strength was reincarnation¡ªthe highest form¡ªthey were never able to use it to act on their will. It was better to say that the prophets were more like marionettes controlled by the Holy Spirits. They were only the higher existences¡¯ messengers, power carriers, or something else. Even if power was summoned through prayer, what they were ultimately used for wasn¡¯t something the prophet could control. Diana stopped praying. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. This is all my fault. I didn¡¯t know things would turn out like this¡­¡± As she spoke, her right hand subconsciously grabbed the Eighth Holy Spirit holy emblem that emitted a bronze luster on her chest. Compared to before, this holy emblem was covered in spiderweb-like cracks. Although the mage protecting her didn¡¯t turn his head, he still comforted her softly, ¡°No, this isn¡¯t your fault. No one expected a warship with the empire¡¯s flag to appear and suddenly attack us.¡± Diana didn¡¯t say anything when she heard that. She only silently lowered her head and gripped the holy emblem in her hand even tighter. ¡°Moreover, now isn¡¯t the time to talk about this. What are your choices?¡± the mage looked at the three sailors and raised his tone. Perhaps to emphasize his words, the nexus in his hand flickered slightly with silver light, and a few visible wind blades circled him. Due to the mysterious figure who attacked them suddenly upon appearing from the mist, the entire bow of the warship was blasted to pieces. The crew on the deck strangely held their chests and collapsed in batches, dying. Seawater constantly poured in from the damaged parts of the hull. The welding lines that were originally riveted with Morph spells automatically snapped despite being claimed to be indestructible. Now, the wreckage of the warship was slowly but firmly sinking. The last usable escape raft hung on the guardrail behind them. It only needed to be untied to be released into the sea. The passageway to the water storage room was behind the three sailors. The Storm mage, who had escaped death by maintaining the warship¡¯s power system, the Wind Furnace, insisted that the other party bring out a few buckets of freshwater before he was willing to untie the rope. The three people looked at the wind blades circling the other party and revealed hesitant expressions. The space on the floating raft was very small, and it couldn¡¯t carry much weight. It definitely couldn¡¯t withstand the weight of five people and enough fresh water. As sailors who were out at sea all year round, they naturally knew the importance of fresh water¡ªfood could be resolved through fishing, but there was nothing they could do about fresh water. The reason why they still wanted to argue with the other party over this was that they hoped that this mage would abandon the burden beside him on this sinking ship. The raft was only enough to let four or fewer people reach Ava State alive. This girl was from the Church and was an outsider to them. However, this mage was bent on protecting the so-called Holy Maiden of the Church. It was unknown what was wrong with him. The leader held his sword and took two tentative steps forward. The tip of his sword was pointed at the mage. However, before he could do anything else, the whistling wind blade instantly brushed past his ear, leaving a shallow scratch on the toppled mast behind him. Oh no¡­ The moment he saw the scratch, the mage cursed inwardly. As a magic chanter in charge of maintaining the warship, Wind Furnace, he had already expended a large amount of magic power to summon the wind when the huge empire¡¯s warship attacked. From the looks of it, the wind blades he could create at this moment might only leave a few flesh wounds on a person. He originally wanted to use this to warn the other party not to act rashly, but when the three of them saw the power of the wind blade, they looked at each other and charged at him as if they had received a signal. ¡°Close your eyes¡­¡± He only had time to say this to Diana behind him before immediately controlling the surrounding wind blades to attack the trio opposite him. Chapter 182 - 182 Prophet (2) 182 Prophet (2) Diana obediently closed her eyes. In an instant, the sound of splashing water, the sharp whistle of air being torn apart, and the sound of something shattering inundated her ears. It was as if everything was constantly lengthening, to the point that every sound was pulled into a distorted strange scream. As a prophet, although she had a divinity manifestation that purified the entire Myriad Feet City¡¯s plague alone, she was only a normal person in terms of physique and ability. Regarding this, the Church publicized it as such: It¡¯s not strange for a magic chanter proficient in life spells to purify the plague. However, an ordinary person who was the same as us yesterday can complete a miracle that even a Divine Realm mage can¡¯t do today because of faith. This is the best proof of the existence of the Holy Spirit. It was also because of this that the Holy Spirits Church rejected her request for magic enlightenment despite discovering that she had the talent to learn magic after an assessment. After all, with the protection of the Holy Spirits, giving her any external forces would reduce her purity as a prophet. She had deep hopes of becoming a magic chanter, and it would be best if she were a Battle Mage who knew a lot of combat spells. That way, she wouldn¡¯t be completely helpless about her current situation. Although Diana felt that it was a very long time subjectively, this battle quickly ended. ¡°Leave him alive. We still have to rely on his wind to go to Ava State. Lower the raft and bring two buckets of water over.¡± Something leaned back and fell beside Diana. She hurriedly opened her eyes and saw the magic chanter who had been protecting her being kicked to the guardrail by a sailor. A bright rapier was pressed against his neck. Diana looked up at the three people. One of them happened to point his sword at her and asked, ¡°Then what about her? One strike?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the reason why we suffered so much on this trip¡­ Let¡¯s tie her up here and let her sink to the bottom of the sea with this unlucky ship,¡± the leader said. Then, he looked down at Diana and said, ¡°Miss, although you might not have experienced it, drowning doesn¡¯t feel good. To put it simply, it¡¯s as if a pair of cold hands are slowly grabbing your neck from time to time, pinching your lungs and squeezing the aura of life out of your body bit by bit¡­¡± The person untying the sailor knot on the raft teased, ¡°When did you become a f*cking poet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been a poet when I kill people. Also, cut the crap. Hurry up and lower the raft. Remember to give me the rope when you¡¯re done with it.¡± Diana asked calmly, ¡°What about him?¡± As she spoke, she pointed at the magic chanter beside her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your knight won¡¯t die. Just as he said, without his wind, there¡¯s a high chance that we will all die if we rely on drifting on this small raft out at sea,¡± he shrugged and replied. According to his previous calculations, they were very close to Ava State, and it was only a four to five-day voyage. However, this was only if they had the help of strong winds and didn¡¯t lose their bearings. At the very least, before he saw Ava State¡¯s coastline, this Storm-element magic chanter was indispensable. Although he hid it very well, Diana could still see the killing intent in the other party¡¯s eyes. To not expose the secret that they had abandoned her, they would kill the magic chanter who had been trying to save her when they were about to reach the shore. However, before she could remind them, the mage beside her said weakly, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t board the ship, I won¡¯t summon the wind¡­ You can row the rest of the way with your hands¡­¡± However, the sailor said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, tough guy. When the time comes, we have enough time and methods to make you change your mind.¡± Then, he took the hemp rope from his companion, grabbed Diana¡¯s slender arm, and tied her firmly to the railing. ¡°You probably have a few minutes to pray to the Holy Spirit you believe in and see if He will manifest His divinity to save you,¡± the other party said before jumping onto the floating raft with a bucket. Looking at the gradually sinking wreckage of the warship, he finally shouted at Diana, ¡°If there¡¯s really a divinity manifestation, please let us be awed by it.¡± Regarding this, Diana looked at the cracked bronze holy emblem on her chest and whispered, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that¡­¡± Previously, she had seen the dragon attacking her and the mist that filled the surroundings in her revelations of the future. When she rushed to the deck, she vaguely felt the projection of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s power again. Although for some reason, the power in this mist was very weak compared to usual, she still followed the instructions and resonated this power with the phantom of the Eighth Holy Spirit not far away through the holy artifact she had always carried. She had only been praying that the Eighth Holy Spirit could save the entire warship from the black dragon, but the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s power had returned to the world through the phantom. As He finished off the black dragon in a few moves, He also finished off the entire ship. With this in mind, some thoughts that could be called sacrilegious grew in Diana¡¯s mind. Therefore, what was the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s true goal? Was it the dragon or this ship? She had heard of the mist in the Shattered Sea. The illusions wandering in it were all based on past memories. As long as one ignored them, they couldn¡¯t affect reality. On the other hand, as long as they interacted enough with reality, they could become sufficiently real. Diana immediately stopped when she thought of this. Enough, stop thinking about it. Moreover, there was nothing to think about. After all, she was about to drown here. Diana wasn¡¯t afraid of death. She only felt that she had let down the mage who had been constantly protecting her. Those sailors would kill him later and blame his death on the shipwreck. However, she didn¡¯t want to pray and ask the Eighth Holy Spirit to help her resolve this last matter. The water gradually covered her ankles, her waist, and her chest. She could sense the Holy Spirit, the Dead, who symbolized death, quietly approaching her. It was like a person walking on water as it approached her step by step and slowly squatted in front of her. The image of the Holy Spirit, the Dead, had always been a thin figure in a pitch-black cloak. Moreover, no living person had ever seen him take off his hood. But Diana saw it now. To her surprise, the other party looked like a Storm Province resident. Gray hair, silver-gray eyes, and a pale face. Moreover, what was even more ridiculous was that the other party actually carried the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s holy emblem. It wasn¡¯t the Seventh Holy Spirit¡¯s own holy emblem, but the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s. It was said that the Dead was in charge of guiding all souls to their eventual resting place, so was He bringing Her to the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s divine kingdom? ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡± The other party spoke?! The Holy Spirit actually spoke? This was the first time she had heard the Holy Spirits speak since Terra Riel went to the Dragon Bone Islands and heard the oracle from the Seven Holy Spirits! Or can it be that everyone will hear this before they die? Wait, what did the other party just say? ¡°I¡¯m still alive¡­ You, you, you, who are you?¡± Diana immediately replied. Just as she finished speaking, she felt the water that was drowning her begin to rapidly recede. Then, she realized that it wasn¡¯t the water that was receding, but the remains of the entire ship being slowly lifted into the air by an invisible force. Chapter 183 - 183 Two Believers (1) 183 Two Believers (1) ¡°They¡¯re all dead¡­¡± William slowly lifted the remains of the warship. His eyes swirled with a pale-green light as he muttered to himself. Under Life Detection¡¯s vision, William couldn¡¯t find a humanoid outline with any signs of life in the wreckage of the warship. William only saw fish swimming around in panic. This wasn¡¯t normal. How long had it been? Even if they encountered a large-scale sea battle, an entire ship could not die so easily. Along the way, William saw many floating corpses. Most of the corpses didn¡¯t have obvious wounds. A large portion of them had their hands on their chests with pain written all over their faces. Could it be that the Instant Death skill the phantom used on him¡ªone that could crush a heart from a distance¡ªwas an AOE skill? And this was how the people on this entire warship died? William gritted his teeth¡ªan AOE Instant Death skill. There shouldn¡¯t be such a shameless thing in this world. But then again, if that was the case, how did these people survive? After using a Storm spell to lift the warship wreckage out of the water, William turned his head and looked at the small raft pushed over by a few Tidal Souls and the few people trembling on it. ¡°Y-Your Excellency, we¡­¡± The person on the floating raft stammered as if he wanted to say something, but William ignored him. Instead, he ordered the Tide Soul he summoned, ¡°Keep an eye on them. If they want to escape, chop off their limbs.¡± The Tidal Souls were made of liquid that emitted a faint blue light. They had the head of a shark and the body of a human. Their entire bodies were covered in scales. After hearing William¡¯s orders, they bowed to him and watched him walk up the steps laid out by the floating nexuses to the wreckage of the floating warship. The girl who had almost drowned was violently coughing up the water in her lungs. As her hands were firmly tied to the guardrail at the edge of the ship, snot and tears flowed down her lowered face. Upon seeing this, mana gathered in William¡¯s hand. He grabbed a short dagger that emitted a dark blue light from the void and gently sliced open the knot that kept the girl¡¯s wrist in bondage before putting her down. The moment she was placed on the ground, the girl lost her balance and fell to the ground with her hands on the sea-soaked deck. She took a few deep breaths before catching her breath. A few seconds later, she leaned back against the railing and pushed away the wet hair covering her forehead that blocked her vision. She looked at William and asked, ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± After asking this question, she broke out into a fit of coughing. Her body trembled as she took out the bronze Holy Spirit holy emblem in front of her chest. William was about to answer her, but he fell silent when he saw the holy emblem. He recalled that the person in front of him was the girl who had stopped his summoned black dragon. The holy emblem hanging around the other party¡¯s neck was filled with cracks, very similar to what his response terminal looked like after being overloaded. William thought of a possibility and stopped himself from saying ¡®William Kane.¡¯ Then, he slowly said, ¡°You can call me Ishmael.¡± The girl nodded and thanked him in a very sincere tone, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ishmael. Thank you for saving my life.¡± Then, as if she had thought of something, she immediately said, ¡°By the way, did you see a floating raft when you came over? There¡¯s¡­¡± Before she could finish her question, William pointed behind her. She looked in the direction William was pointing¡ªthe mist nearby had been blown away by the winds that lifted the wreckage of the warship. Therefore, she could see the floating raft not far below. The four of them were squatting in the middle of the floating raft with their backs to each other. They looked like prisoners waiting to be escorted to the execution ground. ¡°They¡¯re all still alive. I treated one of them with relatively serious injuries.¡± As William spoke, he looked at the ligature mark on the other party¡¯s wrist and asked casually, ¡°Did they tie you up here?¡± The girl hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°A few of them did it¡­ But you can¡¯t completely blame them.¡± Her tone even carried a hint of pleading. This left William at a loss. They tied you to a ship to be sunk into the sea, but you still think that they can¡¯t completely be blamed? William originally planned on asking what the other party planned to do with these people to deepen their relationship. However, after hearing the other party¡¯s words, the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat. He seemed to remember that in the religions of this world, there wasn¡¯t a doctrine of offering the right face after being slapped in the left, right? However, based on her answer, William was sure that it wasn¡¯t this lady¡¯s idea for the empire warship to hijack Whalebone. ¡°You¡¯re going to Ava State, right?¡± William asked after a few seconds of silence. Chapter 184 - 184 Two Believers (2) 184 Two Believers (2) It¡¯s better to use another method to gain her trust¡­ William thought. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to encounter someone suspected to be the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s prophet. He naturally wouldn¡¯t let go of a good opportunity to analyze the essence of the Eighth Holy Spirit. Prophet existed as an optional class in-game. William had used the Prophet to complete the game, so he had some understanding of it. The greatest characteristic of the Prophet class was that spells and mana bars were replaced by a unique ¡®Blessed¡¯ mechanism. The mechanism of ¡®Blessed¡¯ was similar to a rune system that combined formulas¡ªthe basic strength of the Prophet was called ¡®Prayer,¡¯ and every Holy Spirit had a set of prayers. As for the different prayers, they could produce different blessings through a regular arrangement. Players could engrave or forget different prayers at the Holy Spirits¡¯ churches or altars and combine many different blessings in advance. Compared to magic chanters, Prophets were much stronger in terms of endurance because they weren¡¯t restricted by mana. However, because there was a limited number of prayers that could be engraved in the ether domain, Prophets were much less flexible than magic chanters. William couldn¡¯t say if the prophet of the Eighth Holy Spirit was as he had previously understood. At the very least, the prophet of the Eighth Holy Spirit didn¡¯t worship the Holy Spirit system as a whole like in the past. If they still had the so-called ¡®Prayer¡¯, it would be difficult for them to rely on the Eighth Holy Spirit alone compared to the era when the seven Holy Spirits had a complete ¡®Blessed¡¯ system. Or could it be that the current prophets were a lie? ¡°Yes¡­ I was heading to Ava State¡­¡± the girl replied. Then, she continued, ¡°But as you can see, we encountered some unforeseen events on the way. The ship was destroyed, and everyone died¡­ Mr. Ishmael, forgive me for asking, but are you one of the pirates from before?¡± ¡°Pirates? What pirates?¡±William asked. Before the other party could explain, he raised his hand and interrupted her. William recalled what Captain Hobbs had said about the imperial navy and his accusations. In less than two seconds, William figured out the entire story. If the other party hadn¡¯t coveted the goods that the Whalebone had, they probably wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this¡­ William sighed and said to her, ¡°No, I¡¯m just a merchant taking a ship to Ava State to do business. I¡¯m not a pirate¡­ Moreover, there aren¡¯t any pirates in this sea.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡®ship,¡¯ the other party¡¯s expression instantly lit up. ¡°Then, Mr. Ishmael, can I take your ship¡­¡± William immediately nodded and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± However, he gradually revealed a hesitant expression. ¡°But you guys previously planned on attacking our ship¡­¡± William said with a troubled expression. Upon hearing William¡¯s words, the other party looked down at the wreckage of the warship that William had propped up with wind and said with a strange expression, ¡°Fortunately, the attack didn¡¯t succeed.¡± As she spoke, her gaze was naturally attracted by the iron holy emblem hanging around William¡¯s neck. After discovering this breakthrough, she immediately continued, ¡°Mr. Ishmael, please allow me to ask again. Are you a believer of the Holy Spirit, Hermit?¡± As she spoke, she carefully pointed at the iron plate on William¡¯s chest. Having grown up in the Holy Spirits Church, she could tell at a glance that this Holy Spirit holy emblem was a valuable finished product from the Sealing Temple. Moreover, be it the materials used or the craftsmanship, it was top-notch. A finished product at this level had little to do with the holder¡¯s wealth and strength to a large extent. Shallow believers couldn¡¯t obtain this holy emblem at all. Only people with a close relationship with the Holy Spirits Church could entrust the Sealing Temple¡¯s holy imbuer to bless this holy emblem at maximum power through the Holy Spirit Disc. In other words, the person in front of her was a pious believer of the Eighth Order¡ªhe might even be a high-ranking member of the Order. Seeing William nod in affirmation, she continued, ¡°Mr. Ishmael, my name is Diana. Perhaps you¡¯ve heard of me¡­¡± Although she used the word ¡®perhaps,¡¯ this was only out of courtesy. In this era, everyone in the Eighth Order had heard of her name. However, the other party didn¡¯t show any expression when he heard her name. He only continued asking in a tone no different from before, ¡°And?¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Diana¡¯s expression froze. Ever since she awakened her strength five years ago and calmed the Blood and Tears plague that spread throughout Storm Province¡¯s Myriad Feet City, she had been certified as the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s new prophet by the parish¡¯s clergymen. After that, she was very used to saying her name to resolve most of the trouble. Although she often displayed her disgust for this situation on the surface and even specially instructed others not to give special treatment on the ship before she boarded the empire warship, she was moved to the captain¡¯s single room less than two days later, and her meals made by a special chef. In fact, she enjoyed this privilege very much. Diana took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to Ava State for an extremely important baptism. I hope you can let me complete the rest of my journey with your ship. The Eighth Order will reward you greatly afterward.¡± As she spoke, she glanced at the Holy Spirit holy emblem made of austenite hanging on the other party¡¯s chest and added, ¡°The Hermit will also give you His blessings. I promise you as the Holy Spirit Riel¡¯s prophet.¡± ¡­ ¡°So this is why you brought them on board?¡± Captain Hobbs looked at the four people standing behind William and asked warily. The wind Ishmael had left behind on the sail allowed the Whalebone to quickly sail far away like an arrow that had left its bow. Considering that the other party was about to face the most terrifying mist phantom in High Elven legends, coupled with the fact that the ship had already sailed such a long distance, everyone on the Whalebone was truly touched by this strange customer¡¯s act of sacrificing himself to save the ship. For a moment, the crew and sailors on the deck who originally thought that they would die here today paid their respects to Ishmael, who had always hidden his strength very well and bravely stood up to cover their retreat in a crisis. Thereafter, they seriously discussed how to dispose of the goods the other party had left behind on the ship¡ªones that he originally planned on selling to the High Elves. That was more than ten kilograms of refined Elementium Silver ingots and even more crudely refined ores! Especially now that the Blackwater Province was already independent and had severed trade with the outside world. Why sell it to Ava State? Wouldn¡¯t he be financially independent once he resold this batch of goods to Ring City? However, Captain Hobbs rejected this proposal righteously. Their client, Ishmael, had said before boarding the ship that he was doing this business because he had a friend he had been through thick and thin in Ava State. Now that Ishmael had died to save Whalebone, he had to fulfill Ishmael¡¯s last wish and sell this batch of Elementium Silver to Ava State. He wouldn¡¯t hesitate even if his profits were 30% less. Captain Hobbs¡¯s words attracted waves of cheers from the ship¡¯s crew. Some people were even moved to tears. It was both for Ishmael¡¯s heroic feat of saving them and the captain¡¯s honor and integrity. However, when they arrived at the cabin¡¯s storeroom and prepared to count the stock, the other party returned with a flash of lightning. Chapter 185 - 185 Arrival (1) 185 Arrival (1) After William teleported back to the beacon he had placed in the cargo hold, he looked around at the crew which crowded the area in confusion. The entire warehouse was in full swing. The wooden crates he had brought over to contain the raw Elementium Silver and crude refining ores had been mostly opened, and a few people were surrounding the safe where the Elementium Silver refined ingots were placed. The sudden lightning and whistle produced by Teleportation made many people subconsciously shrink their necks. Everyone¡¯s gaze was attracted by the sudden flash of light. After seeing who it was, the entire cabin fell into a strange silence. William broke the silence after a while and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He quickly found Captain Hobbs in the crowd¡ªhe was standing beside the safe with Big Steel Cannon and Lightning Fire. It looked like the two half-baked magic chanters wanted to crack the seal on the safe. Seeing that no one answered his question, William used the remaining mana in the holy emblem to flash in front of Hobbs. He looked at the crippled old man and asked again, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Seeing William appear in front of him instantly, Captain Hobbs looked terrified as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°Should I be dead?¡± William asked. Upon hearing the other party¡¯s question, Hobbs recalled the fear on the faces of the High Elves when they talked about the legend of the Mist Spirit. He swallowed subtly and said, ¡°Because¡­ no one can return alive after being targeted by the phantom in the mist.¡± ¡°Then there is now,¡± William shrugged and replied. Then, he asked for the third time, ¡°So, what are you guys doing?¡± There was no need to ask this question. Although William was stunned when he returned, he quickly realized what was going on. However, he didn¡¯t feel any anger. Instead, he found it funny. This is a very pragmatic world¡­ He sighed inwardly. Upon hearing William¡¯s question, Hobbs forced an embarrassed smile and said hesitantly, ¡°Here¡¯s the thing¡­¡± William smiled and nodded, indicating for the other party to continue. He didn¡¯t have any other intentions. He just wanted to hear what reason the other party planned on using to bullsh*t him. The other party looked at the calm smile on William¡¯s face and recalled the strength he had displayed. The invisible pressure made Hobbs find it stifling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We originally thought that you were dead, so¡­¡± Under this pressure, Hobbs finally lowered his head and admitted. William took a step forward and patted the other party¡¯s shoulder. He teased, ¡°So you came over, hoping to see how much you could earn from this trip.¡± Cold sweat instantly dripped down Hobbs¡¯s forehead. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± William didn¡¯t ask further. He walked to the safe and briefly checked the sealing spells on it before saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Since there weren¡¯t any losses, let¡¯s stick with the contract. Continue proceeding in the direction of Ava State. Don¡¯t waste any more time.¡± With that said, he looked around at the surrounding crew. The invisible pressure from him instantly filled the entire cabin. ¡°Everyone, do what you need to do. However, remember not to bring out anything you shouldn¡¯t.¡± In the silent warehouse, William¡¯s not-so-loud voice reached everyone¡¯s ears clearly. The crew members felt pardoned when they heard that. They put down the wooden boxes in their arms and returned them to their original positions before hurriedly running out as if they were fleeing. The few people standing beside the safe wanted to follow them out, but William stopped them with a look. William looked at Hobbs and pointed behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll pay another 30% for the trip. How about vacating a few more guest rooms on the ship?¡± Hobbes had long noticed the five people who had returned with William¡ªfour of the men had collapsed on their backs, and it was impossible to tell if they were dead or alive. The remaining woman crossed her arms and curled up in a corner, trembling. From time to time, she would look up and steal glances at them. ¡°Hurry up and get that lady a dry towel,¡± Hobbs said to the person beside him. Then, he turned to look at William and asked in confusion, ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°The survivors from the empire warship from before,¡± William replied. ¡°Three sailors, a magic chanter, and a¡­ Uh, Priest of the Holy Spirits Church.¡± With that said, he pointed at the five people. ¡°That warship was also attacked by the mist phantom. Only these five people survived.¡± ¡°By the Holy Spirits¡­¡± The captain opened his mouth slightly and looked at William. ¡°So what do you plan on doing with these people? Make them walk the plank?¡± ¡°If I planned on doing that, there wouldn¡¯t be a need to spend so much effort to bring them here,¡± William replied. Chapter 186 - 186 Arrival (2) 186 Arrival (2) ¡°But these are people from the imperial navy¡­ We can¡¯t just let them stay on the ship, right? Or are you planning on sending them back?¡± William shook his head repeatedly. Then, he pulled Hobbs¡¯s arm and walked to their side. ¡°This person is a magic chanter proficient in the Storm element. When he recovers from his injuries, you can get him to work on your ship. When the time comes, you can give him a nickname like ¡®Fast Wind.¡¯ William pointed at the injured person and then at the other three people in sailor clothes. He continued, ¡°And these are ordinary imperial sailors. Lock them up later. As for what to do with them when the time comes, it¡¯ll depend on their willingness to cooperate.¡± William made it clear he was leaving them to him before turning to Diana and saying, ¡°As for the last one¡­ Please arrange a better private bedroom for her and treat her as a VIP. Don¡¯t worry, she will go to Ava State with me in the future. She won¡¯t stay on this ship.¡± Diana suddenly looked at William and said, ¡°No, please let me stay in the same room as you,¡± William glanced at Hobbs and asked hurriedly, ¡°Why?¡± Diana looked at the strange expression on William¡¯s face and explained seriously, ¡°As a believer of the Eighth Holy Spirit, I trust your morals more in an unfamiliar environment.¡± William turned his head awkwardly and looked at Captain Hobbs. The other party looked at William thoughtfully. After a while, he said, ¡°So this is why you brought them on board?¡± There was a hint of vigilance in his voice. Of course, he wasn¡¯t targeting William but the few of them. After all, the ships sailing on the sea were equivalent to isolated islands. The sudden appearance of a few people who were about to plunder him made him feel uneasy. ¡°I just wanted to understand something previously, and I¡¯m not used to leaving people in the lurch. Other than this lady, if you think the others are troublesome, you can leave them all in Ava State. After all, this is your ship,¡± William said. Then, he continued, ¡°In addition, prepare a separate room for this lady.¡± ¡­ Captain Hobbs ultimately didn¡¯t make those people walk the plank. The three sailors were temporarily locked in an empty storage room. Hobbs planned on releasing them when they were about to reach the shore. After the mage proficient in Storm magic recovered (it didn¡¯t take long with William¡¯s help), he was in charge of summoning the wind to accelerate the Whalebone under the supervision of Big Steel Cannon. This greatly accelerated the time needed to reach the Mist Port in Ava State¡¯s Isu City. As for Diana, after William¡¯s persuasion, she finally gave up on staying in the same room as him. William didn¡¯t have any gender concerns. He felt that it wasn¡¯t safe for a prophet of the Eighth Holy Spirit to sleep in the same room as him. At the very least, it was inconvenient¡ªeven though he didn¡¯t need to sleep and was only a clone. In the last few days on the Shattered Sea, William obtained a lot of information from the survivors either via threatening or oblique references. The empire warship was out on an escort quest, and the person it was escorting was the prophet from the Eighth Order, Diana. Diana¡¯s full name was Diana or Saint Diana for formal occasions. She didn¡¯t have a last name. After a prophet¡¯s status was confirmed by the clergy, they had to abandon their former last names as an act of devotion to the Holy Spirit¡ªthis was the same as in the past. Creating an account for the Prophet class only allowed the player to type their name because they needed to have a different Holy Spirit name in place of their last names. This prophet named Diana was chosen by the so-called Eighth Holy Spirit five years ago. Back then, a plague called the Blood and Tears Plague erupted in Storm Province¡¯s Myriad Feet City. Tens of thousands of people were infected, and the infected lost their sight from constant crying. The local church and the Astral Lighthouse were helpless in the face of the plague. A young maid hired by an old noble family in the city vaguely heard a voice one day. This voice guided her to dig out an ancient amulet from the noble family¡¯s courtyard and made her throw it into the well. Then, someone found himself healed from drinking the water in the well, and the news that the water in this well could cure the Blood and Tears plague spread. Soon, the Eighth Order found the maid and retrieved the amulet from the well. After confirming that what she said was true, she was quickly certified as a new prophet by the episcopate. Then, after the consecration ritual presided over by the Church¡¯s Patriarch, she brought the amulet and dispelled the plague in the city. William couldn¡¯t help but interrupt the ¡®young maid¡¯, Diana, and asked, ¡°Wait, is the amulet you mentioned in the shape of an eight-pointed star?¡± Chapter 187 - 187 Arrival (3) 187 Arrival (3) The other party nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, an eight-pointed star, but all the runes on it have been worn away.¡± William continued asking, ¡°Then, could the noble family you mentioned be the Quincy family in the enchantment jewelry business?¡± Diana shook her head and said, ¡°Although they did some enchanted jewelry business, that family head¡¯s last name isn¡¯t Quincy¡­¡± ¡°Then, was his residence built in Windtooth with a huge piece of obsidian behind?¡± William interrupted the other party and asked. Diana nodded and looked at William strangely. William didn¡¯t care about the other party¡¯s strange expression. Instead, he rubbed his forehead and fell into deep thought. That made sense. It was indeed a little difficult for a family to have a lineage of more than a thousand years, but since the location wasn¡¯t wrong, it was probably as he imagined. First of all, he knew what the Blood and Tears Plague was. The Void Sovereign¡ªSteelheart Widow¡ªwho controlled the numb, silent, and cold had created the Blood and Tears Plague in the Twilight Kingdom. It made people shed all their tears in one go and never need to feel sad again. As a side note, She had created a corresponding Maniacal Laughter plague back then. It was meant to make all the infected laugh all they could. For this reason, this created quite a bit of friction with Absurdity Jester. According to the disaster chronology, five years ago was indeed the year of Steelheart. William was even more familiar with the amulet. It was a side quest to help the richest family in Myriad Feet City recover their lost family heirloom¡ªan eight-pointed amulet. It was said that as long as this amulet was worn around their master¡¯s neck, the family would remain standing. During the exploration of that quest, William discovered that the family had always hired child laborers and exploited blacksmiths and enchanters. Therefore, when he made his final choice, William chose to make a fake amulet and return it, keeping the real amulet for himself. This was mainly based on his simple morals and his obsession with collecting all the Achievements. In other words, William made the amulet himself. However, the problem was that the effect of the amulet in-game was to increase the wearer¡¯s luck. This included the forged item he had made. When enchanting it, it also had the effect of increasing the wearer¡¯s luck. This could be said to be completely unrelated to the effect of expelling the Blood and Tears Plague. Even if he assumed that the items he had left behind had turned into holy relics because he had been consecrated as the Eighth Holy Spirit, curing the plague shouldn¡¯t be within the jurisdiction of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s Hermit. Other than the philosophical deity, Ma, whom the Tacma Church worshiped, no deity in this world¡ªbe it the Holy Spirits or the Void Sovereigns, was omnipotent. Their strength was limited to their domains. Expelling or curing the Blood and Tears Plague should be the authority domain of the Holy Spirit, Mother, or the Holy Spirit, Lady. The authority of the Holy Spirit, Hermit, was related to domains like the essence of spells and mirror resonance based on William¡¯s battle with the Terra phantom. Before William could ask anything else, the cabin suddenly shook. William quickly held Diana, who almost fell, and pulled open the door. Captain Hobbs had previously said that they should be able to see the coastline today, and from the commotion, it looked like the ship had urgently anchored. William pulled open the door and almost bumped into Whalebone¡¯s second mate. He was panting and looked like he had rushed over. He glanced at Diana in the room and said to William, ¡°Sorry to disturb your date, but something happened over there and needs your attention.¡± Ignoring the first half of the other party¡¯s sentence, William immediately asked, ¡°Can you see Isu City¡¯s Mist Port now?¡± The second mate nodded and said, ¡°But the flags of the Windsong family in Isu City have been removed. The Bloodblade family¡¯s flags are hanging on the docks now.¡± ¡°Moreover, we can tell that the entire dock is under martial law.¡± Just as he finished speaking, a crew member hurriedly ran over and said, ¡°A few elven ships are sailing towards us while flying the Bloodblade family¡¯s flag.¡± Chapter 188 - 188 About the Elves (1) 188 About the Elves (1) ¡°They want to inspect our cabins?¡± Hobbs asked with a frown. ¡°Yes, they say that they are in extraordinary times, so all ships from the empire will require strict inspections¡­ including merchant ships like ours,¡± the first mate¡ªwho had disembarked from the barge and sent to communicate with the other party¡¯s person-in-charge¡ªnodded and replied. Hobbs looked at the elven longships with elegant crescent-shaped hulls not far¡ªabout 500 yards away from the Whalebone. A distance of 500 yards was a safe distance when unfamiliar ships met at sea while the other party¡¯s intentions remained unknown. To prevent a misfire, one had to take the initiative to maintain a safe distance¡ªto magic chanters below the Divine Realm, crossing this distance with their casting was almost impossible. The few elven longships with the Bloodblade family¡¯s flag strictly adhered to the unwritten rules on the sea and maintained a safe distance. However, at the same time, they blocked the path to Mist Port and kept Whalebone out of the dock. Their presence made it clear that they wouldn¡¯t be given passage unless they were inspected. ¡°Did they say what they wish to inspect? I¡¯ve been doing business here for decades, and this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of such a request. Also, have you asked why the Bloodblade family¡¯s flag is hanging at the dock?¡± Hobbs pointed at the flag hanging on the dock and continued asking. ¡°I asked, and they only told me to mind my own business¡­ As for why they have to board the ship for an inspection, they said that it was routine. They¡¯re worried that the empire¡¯s military spies are hidden on the ship considering the current situation¡­¡± ¡°An empire spy won¡¯t have it written on their faces. This reason is too far-fetched.¡± A deep male voice interrupted the first mate. Everyone turned their heads and saw William bringing a seemingly seasick Diana to the deck. ¡°So, the other party doesn¡¯t want us to dock?¡± William asked without exchanging meaningless pleasantries. ¡°We have to undergo an inspection before we can dock. Moreover, the entire dock is under martial law¡­ Such a situation is unprecedented,¡± Hobbs replied worriedly. Then, he continued, ¡°Moreover, martial law isn¡¯t imposed by the local Garrison family, but by the Bloodblade family from Phoenix Fire City. The garrison forces between the seven city-states should be completely independent. Such a situation wouldn¡¯t have happened under normal circumstances.¡± It was difficult to say if this was an adjustment to deal with the empire¡¯s military threat or if there was political turmoil in Ava State. Or perhaps both. Seeing William fall silent, Hobbs probed, ¡°What should we do, Mr. Ishmael?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s follow their rules. There¡¯s no need to cross them on their territory,¡± William came back to his senses and replied. Then, he added, ¡°Keep a close eye on the three sailors locked in the storeroom. When their people board the ship for inspection, remember to make things clear to them. Don¡¯t cause any misunderstandings.¡± Hobbs nodded immediately and called for the surrounding people to take action as if he was afraid that William would change his mind. Hobbs was indeed very afraid that the other party would go back on his word. Magic chanters, especially powerful magic chanters like the other party, were usually extremely proud and sensitive. Therefore, after Hobbs learned that the other party requested to board the ship for an inspection, he wasn¡¯t most worried about anything else, but whether his employer would have an unnecessary conflict with the other party because he found it a provocation. Now that he had said this, Hobbs felt much more at ease. After the simple preparations were made, Lightning Fire released a Lightning spell into the sky. This was a signal that they had agreed to an inspection. A few seconds later, one of the elven longships sailed over, and the wooden oars on both sides of the slender hull rowed in unison. The ship stopped on Whalebone¡¯s starboard very quickly. Upon seeing this, the sailors on the Whalebone were about to throw down the soft ladder and let the other party climb up when the five high elves on the elven longship¡ªwho wore dark-silver scales and had blood-red daggers at their waists¡ªjumped up four to five meters high like birds that had just flapped their wings. They crossed the roped guardrails and landed lightly on the deck, causing the sailors on the ship to exclaim. Four of the High Elves instinctively covered each other after landing. They looked around and slowly removed their hands from their hilts after confirming that there were no threats. After the remaining High Elf dressed as an officer landed, he walked in the direction of William, Hobbs, and the rest. He wore a dark-gold helmet engraved with a Phoenix pattern, and a pair of pointed ears were exposed outside the Helmet. A few golden tassels floated behind the helmet as the sea breeze blew. Those were both the tail feathers that symbolized the Phoenix and his status as a commander. The High Elves were taller and more slender than humans. This made their faces slightly sharper. Coupled with their exquisite facial features, they looked feminine and beautiful. Chapter 189 - 189 About the Elves (2) 189 About the Elves (2) There were often people who found High Elves a bunch of sissies who couldn¡¯t lift a sword because of their image. They weren¡¯t filled with feral strength like their distant relatives in Emerald Province, nor were they muscular like the Ice Elves in Coldstone Province who were able to go out hunting in the snow with half a beast hide draped over them. It gave them a rugged beauty. However, under their seemingly fragile and slender appearance was a power that far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people. To be precise, if one chose to start as a High Elf in-game, the player¡¯s initial numerical stats would be much higher than that of the other races. After all, it was difficult to call the High Elves a mortal race after the Phoenix Holy Fire¡¯s blessing. For example, the few of them could jump four to five meters high to jump onto the ship. They naturally didn¡¯t rely on the explosive power provided by their muscles. William didn¡¯t sense the aura of magic at all. This was a certain innate spell. It was similar to a faerie using her scale powder to hypnotize, create dreams, and blur distances. It was a ¡®phenomenon.¡¯ However, on the other hand, compared to true extraordinary races like faeries that relied on a certain concept to be born, the High Elves could only be considered half an extraordinary race. They still needed to rely on reproduction to maintain their race after all. As the Phoenix Holy Fire maintained this, its favor was both a blessing and a cage. The blessing of the Holy Fire only lasted in Ava State and the area enveloped by the mist. Once they left this range, the blessings the High Elves received would inevitably weaken and dissipate over time. Players who chose to start the game as a High Elf would enter a state where their levels increased in the early and middle stages of the game, but their stats remained the same and even regressed at times. As for the geographical limitations of the Phoenix Holy Fire¡¯s blessing, it was an important reason why the High Elves had always been conservative before the rise of humanity and had never expanded into the Vic Continent or elsewhere. Later on, in the Bronze Age, after humans rose to rule the Vic Continent, Ava State experienced a crisis of faith. Back then, the elves on Ava State still called themselves elves. Their race didn¡¯t have the prefix ¡®high¡¯ before their names. Back then, many elves, who had been tortured by long and stagnant lives to the point of collapse and had always yearned for change, saw the passion that life deserved from humans and the potential to change the current situation. They believed that the fake eternal life brought about by the Holy Fire¡¯s blessing had harmed the entire race, so they decided to resist the shackles brought about by fire and mist and follow humans into a new era. In the beginning, they planned on extinguishing the Phoenix Holy Fire and severing the King of Mist¡¯s legacy, causing the entire elven race to completely lose their blessings and become a true mortal race that also suffered aging, sickness, and death after birth. For this reason, they stirred up a rebellion in the name of freedom, and the outcome of the rebellion failed unsurprisingly under the might of the King of Mist. However, the King of Mist of that time was a wise sage. He realized that this zeitgeist was shaking the foundation of Ava State¡¯s Holy Fire Blessing system. Therefore, he didn¡¯t choose to execute the rebels and destroy their bodies to create an immortal monument for their beliefs. He finally exiled those people and allowed anyone who agreed with their philosophy to leave with them. Therefore, the first and only race migration in the history of the elves began. This migration lasted for more than 50 years and a total of six batches departed. The first fleet crossed the Shattered Sea, passed through Fairy Bay, and arrived at Ravenwood. They signed a contract with the Holy Tree there and became the future Forest Elves. The second fleet crossed the White Sea, passed through the Thousand Snakes Archipelago, and landed near a volcano in the Dragonspine Mountains north of the Seething Plains. Then, they abruptly disappeared a hundred years later, leaving behind the Legendary fortress city, Molten Iron City. The third and fourth fleets went to the Orsis Continent one after another. It was said that they had even established a brilliant civilization there. However, a few hundred years later, the Orsis Continent encountered a Moon Realm crisis. The Void Sovereign eventually sank the entire continent into the sea, and the descendants of these two fleets were all destroyed. The fifth and sixth fleets headed north. One of them landed in the Cold Plains and signed an alliance with the local Ice Giants, becoming the future Ice Elves. As for the other, they transmigrated to the Dragon Bone Islands and continued north because they wanted to see what was in the extreme north of the world. All communications with them were lost. From then on, there were no large-scale race migrations in the history of the elves. However, Ava State still maintained the responsive system. Be it in the era when the King of Mist ruled or in the later eras of the seven free city-states, anyone who doubted the Phoenix Holy Fire blessing system could choose to give up their blessings and last names and leave Ava State as a ranger. The High Elves who had given up on the blessings were still much stronger than ordinary people in terms of agility and perception, but they were inferior to ordinary humans in terms of stats like strength and endurance. Coupled with the emptiness in their souls caused by the loss of blessings, many rangers suffered from an illness called Elemental Mutation. Therefore, the people on the Vic Continent always had a stereotype of the High Elves as sickly and weak. Chapter 190 - 190 About the Elves (3) 190 About the Elves (3) However, this is diametrical to what a true High Elf is. William looked at the officer walking towards them and thought. This seemed to be the first time William was seeing a fully blessed High Elf. As a magic chanter, it was difficult for him to judge the combat strength of the other party from a non-magical battle point of view. However, from his vigilant posture and readiness to enter combat when walking, as well as the air he exuded, this small combat team could defeat everyone on the ship except him in five minutes like slicing butter even without the support of a magic chanter. This included the three magic chanters on the ship. In Ava State, every elf who was given a last name related to a warrior was an absolute warrior. Ever since they were given a last name and embarked on their ¡®path,¡¯ all their goals in life were to hone their way of the warrior. With the talent passed down by their ancestors and the years of training, although there were very few warriors in Ava State, every one of them was an absolute elite. I have to get hold of this army¡­ William thought to himself as he looked at the warriors who were much stronger than the Bramble Guards in Thorn City. Although they would gradually lose their blessings after leaving Ava State, the blessing could be replenished once they returned to Ava State based on Remides. Or perhaps, he might be able to crack the principles of the Holy Fire Blessing and use it as another trump card to resist the Moon Realm. While William was thinking about this, the elven officer came to Hobbs. Hobbs smiled and extended his hand, but the other party only glanced at it and didn¡¯t shake it. ¡°Hobbes Blackwhale, captain of the Whalebone. I heard that you¡¯ve been in business with the Windsong family for the past 27 years?¡± The other party went straight to the point. His tone was like an interrogator interrogating a hung-up prisoner. Hobbs retracted his outstretched hand awkwardly and glanced at William. Then, he seemed to regain some confidence and replied, ¡°The Windsongs are only a middleman. We mainly do business with the Silverhands, Grayporcelains, Coldfires, and other families. We bring over all kinds of rare minerals that don¡¯t exist in Ava State, and they sell us crafts. Moreover, the Windsongs aren¡¯t the only middleman¡­¡± ¡°You only need to answer my question. Have you had any business dealings with the Windsong family, yes or no?¡± Although it sounded extremely impatient, the other party wasn¡¯t impatient at all. Hobbs nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Very good¡­¡± The other party turned his head and said to the four Bloodblade Guards behind him, ¡°Don¡¯t miss any corner of this ship. The empire¡¯s spies might exist in every corner.¡± Hobbs, who already knew the other party¡¯s intentions, hurriedly instructed the crew to lead the way when he saw this. Finally, he added, ¡°There are three empire sailors in the second level¡¯s storeroom. Take note. They¡¯re survivors of an empire warship shipwreck. We only saved them by chance. They¡¯re not our crew. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± With that said, the officer looked at Hobbs with a solemn expression. ¡°What happened? Please explain.¡± Hobbs briefly told the other party what had happened on the way. After hearing his description, the person turned to look at William and said, ¡°You mean this person escaped from the mist phantom and saved those three people?¡± Chapter 191 - 191 Isu City (1) 191 Isu City (1) ¡°You¡¯re saying that you encountered the mist phantom of Crown, the flagship of the Myriad Flags Fleet?¡± After the High Elf officer asked about the situation, his tense poker face suddenly cracked into a smile. It was a mocking smile filled with mild arrogance. Without a doubt, he didn¡¯t believe Hobbs and the others. Ava State, also known as the Nation of Mist, had never been invaded by outsiders before entering the Mortal Age. The thick mist that enveloped Ava State was a significant contributor. The mist that originated from the Primordial Souls blocked the sight and interference of all foreign deities. Until magic was widely promoted in the Platinum Calendar, any faction that entered the mist would completely lose its advantage in extraordinary strength. On the other hand, the afterimages of past events¡ªthe phenomenon called the Mist Spirit¡ªwere also a natural barrier. Ships sailing in the region might encounter ghosts long passed when the mist spread. Of course, whether they encountered them or not depended on luck. It was considered lucky to encounter merchant and passenger ships that had sunk in the Shattered Sea from storms. If one encountered pirates who had once died in this area, there was a danger of their ships being destroyed and everyone dying. As for the destroyed Riel Empire¡¯s expeditionary fleet in the Wandering Battle, they were theoretically the most terrifying Mist Spirits one could encounter. Especially the empire¡¯s flagship named the Crown. According to the records in Ava State¡¯s archives, the empire¡¯s emperor who led the expedition back then was killed by Governor Remides. Then, his spirit lingered on the ship and constantly replayed the scene of his last battle before his death¡ªof course, the Riel Empire had disavowed the claim to this day. If one was discovered by the mist phantom on the Crown, no one could escape from the other party unless they were a powerhouse at the governor¡¯s level, much less save three lives. However, if the person in front of him was really a powerhouse at that level, was there a need for him to personally come here to do smuggling? Due to the good upbringing of the High Elves, the elven officer didn¡¯t mock William. He said to William, ¡°I suppose you won¡¯t mind showing us the way for the goods inspection?¡± Although he was making a request, his tone carried a hint of command. William didn¡¯t want to cause too much trouble before meeting Remides, so he nodded. The Ava State¡¯s governance remained unclear. Before figuring out the situation, there was no need to have a conflict over such a trivial matter. William walked towards the elven officer. The moment he left, Diana, who had been standing behind him, was exposed to the elven officer. William saw the elven officer¡¯s pupils constrict and his mouth open slightly as if he wanted to say something. The officer ultimately turned around and walked towards the cabin. William fell silent for two seconds before quickly following him. The two of them walked down the deck one after another and entered the cabin. The cabin¡¯s walkway was already a little narrow, so it was a little short for the tall High Elves. The other party had to bend slightly to advance. As he walked, he asked, ¡°You hired this ship?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± William maintained a safe distance from the other party and replied. William didn¡¯t let her follow him before he left his room to avoid unnecessary trouble since the methods the faeries used to hide were useless against High Elves. ¡°I just heard from the captain that you¡¯re not planning on closing this deal through his connections, the Windsongs. Instead, you plan on selling this ship¡¯s goods individually. Why?¡± the other party continued asking. ¡°I have some connections of my own,¡± William replied frankly. He was telling the truth. ¡°Oh? Where? Clockwork City, Pine City, or Rocky City?¡± Although the other party had his back facing him, William habitually shook his head and replied, ¡°Moonlaw City I guess.¡± The elven officer stopped in the narrow corridor. He turned around with difficulty and looked at William solemnly. ¡°Moonlaw City has never done business with people from the empire. This is a rule set by the governor. Whom do you want to make a deal with on this trip? Which family? Please tell me the other party¡¯s last name.¡± William tilted his head and replied helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s not a family, but a Ranger.¡± ¡°A Ranger that returned?¡± The expression on the other party¡¯s face softened a little. Over the years, despite the storm¡¯s blockade, there were still High Elves who yearned for the outside world. They would travel to the Vic Continent on smuggling ships as Rangers. Ava State officials even chose to deploy Rangers to establish an intelligence network to constantly understand the Riel Empire¡¯s military movements. This included intelligence that the imperial navy was amassing a force at Swan Port and Greenwater Port. Most of it was sent back by lone Rangers. Chapter 192 - 192 Isu City (2) 192 Isu City (2) Remides was the one who proposed sending Rangers out of Ava State. Although this resolution was unanimously opposed by the Mooncycle Council in the beginning, Remides ultimately convinced everyone to pass the proposal as the greatest Ranger Hero in Ava State history. It was also because of this that many elves went out to adventure as Rangers in the past 800 years. They returned before their blessings weakened and became a part of Ava State¡¯s system again. ¡°We met in Ravenwood years ago and adventured together for many years. Later on, we bade farewell because of something and didn¡¯t see each other for many years¡­ I only found out some time ago that she had returned to her hometown,¡± William said sincerely. The High Elf officer could tell from his tone that the other party wasn¡¯t lying, but he continued, ¡°But even a Ranger can¡¯t violate the rules set by the governor back then. Moonlaw City will never allow anyone from the empire to step foot¡­¡± William interrupted the other party and said, ¡°Therefore, this is another key problem¡­ I¡¯m not from the empire.¡± The elven officer immediately retorted, ¡°But Hobbes Blackwhale said that you¡¯re an Elementium Silver vendor from Blackwater Province.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the Blackwater Province has already become independent?¡± ¡°Independent?¡± The other party immediately frowned when he heard this word. ¡°When?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a few months¡­ Even Ava State shouldn¡¯t be so out of touch, right? Or is Whalebone the first ship to cross the Shattered Sea to do business after the storm ended?¡± William commented casually. The other party extended three fingers and said, ¡°The third; the first two ships had spies sent by the empire.¡± ¡°This is why you insisted on searching every ship in transit? But how are you going to tell if anyone is an empire spy? I mean, they will disguise themselves. They won¡¯t write the word ¡®spy¡¯ on their foreheads, right?¡± William asked immediately. The other party stared into William¡¯s soul. Perhaps it was because William mentioned that he had a Ranger friend, but his attitude towards William didn¡¯t seem to be as arrogant as before. He turned around and continued walking. As he walked, he said, ¡°We have our ways of telling.¡± A trade secret¡ªone that¡¯s prohibited from being leaked, right¡­? William muttered to himself. Then, he looked at the door that they almost walked past and hurriedly said, ¡°Hey, hey, hey. It¡¯s here, the cargo hold.¡± With that said, he took out a key and walked over to open the door. Then, he pointed at the crudely refined ores sealed in wooden crates and said, ¡°That¡¯s all. Feel free to check.¡± The other party didn¡¯t say a word and walked in. He took out a fist-sized ball from his waist. It was unknown what he had done, but bright orange-red light overflowed before filling the entire room. The Elementium Silver rough-refined ores shone under the light. After a cursory inspection, he walked to the safe in the middle of the warehouse. ¡°What¡¯s in here?¡± he patted the safe and asked. ¡°Refined Elementium Silver,¡± William replied. ¡°Is it convenient to open it for an inspection?¡± the other party looked at William and asked. ¡°It¡¯s all refined Elementium Silver ingots. It¡¯s about dozens of kilograms. It¡¯s enough to buy the ships blocking our way outside,¡± William said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the person asked with a frown. ¡°It means that I don¡¯t trust you, so I won¡¯t open the safe.¡± The elven officer looked at the safe and turned to look at William. Before he could speak, the other party said, ¡°The safe is installed with a self-destruct spell that will teleport the things inside directly into a Teleportation spatial rift if there¡¯s any forced entry. Of course, I know you¡¯ll be worried about what¡¯s inside, so¡­¡± William walked over and pressed down on the safe. A blue light flashed in his hand as he released Identification. A message instantly appeared in the elven officer¡¯s mind, confirming that the cabinet contained almost pure Elementium Silver. Even with his firm mind, he felt as if his head had been struck by a hammer after sensing this message. That¡¯s dozens of kilograms of refined Elementium Silver¡­ Ava State didn¡¯t have an Elementium Silver mine. Some scholars even believed that this was an important reason why magic research started before humans and their talent far exceeded humans. However, humans had once overtaken them in the application of magic. They only barely caught up when the Riel Empire was established and humans reversed history under the Astral Laws. ¡°Are we good?¡± William asked the elven officer who was breathing heavily. His breathing was also slightly heavy. It wasn¡¯t for any other reason other than him not relying on Liz to establish a magical conduit for Identification. Instead, his main body had cast it from the holy emblem from more than 10,000 kilometers away. The mana consumed by an ordinary Apprentice spell was more than some peak spells. Chapter 193 - 193 Isu City (3) 193 Isu City (3) ¡­ The final inspection result was that they were allowed to pass, but they had to be escorted the entire time. Their every move had to be under their surveillance. ¡°In any case, your plan of ¡®letting them free¡¯ appears to have failed. When the time comes, do you plan on letting them walk the plank on our return trip, or do you want them to be taken away?¡± William teased Hobbs. Hobbes had planned on releasing the three empire sailors in Ava State, but it looked like it would be difficult to find an opportunity. Hobbs didn¡¯t reply to William. Instead, he looked worriedly at the distance. Not far away, on a larger and more gorgeously decorated elven longship, the elves who had done the inspection were reporting something to an elf wearing gorgeous golden scales. As they spoke, they pointed at Hobbs¡¯s ship from time to time. ¡°Guess what they¡¯re talking about?¡± William asked after watching with Hobbes for a while. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ But ever since those pointy-ears got off the ship, my eyelids have been twitching. Usually, such a situation only happens when a storm is about to happen.¡± Do the people of this world believe in this too? William resisted the urge to make a snide remark and turned his gaze to the approaching Mist Port. Isu City was a voyager city in Ava State. Half of the city was built on land, and the other half was built on ships. Almost half of the city¡¯s residents had lived on ships all their lives. Other than receiving the Holy Fire¡¯s blessing and returning to the Holy Fire, they had never set foot on land. Back then, during the Moon Realm crisis, a quarter of Isu City was dismantled into a fleet to help the Vic Continent. High Elf reinforcements rode this fleet to reinforce Ravenwood¡¯s Fairy Bay and helped the Forest Elves resist the Ash March which was under the command of Ruin Demon God¡¯s three Demon Generals. They successfully diverted the attention of the Ruin Demon God, Ordin, and bought precious time for Judgment to raid the other party¡¯s empty lair. As he was busy raiding, William didn¡¯t see the magnificent scene of a quarter of the city steering over back then. He only heard the battle reports afterward¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even a cinematic. However, he could only imagine how shocking the scene was based on the battle report and how prosperous Isu City, the city of voyagers, would be. But after 1,008 years, when William finally saw this legendary city for the first time, he blurted out: ¡°How bleak¡­¡± Just as the archives described, the densely packed ships here connected to form a city over the sea. However, unlike the document, this city didn¡¯t constantly change with the movement of the ships because the ships were connected by chains, forming artificial islands. As it hadn¡¯t been activated for too long, most of the hull was covered in barnacles that could kill trypophobics on the spot. ¡°It¡¯s been like this since 800 years ago,¡± Hobbs said to William. ¡°It¡¯s said that the ships here have been cleaned more than ten times. The ships left behind aren¡¯t even a third of the ships from the Kings¡¯ War era.¡± ¡°Why compare it to the Kings¡¯ War era?¡± William asked in confusion. ¡°That was Isu City¡¯s golden age; the few kingdoms with equal strength hoped to obtain the military support of Ava State. Therefore, there was an endless stream of trading fleets,¡± Hobbs replied. ¡°Later on, after the storm sealed off the Shattered Sea, the grand scene of thousands of ships setting sail at the same time disappeared. Now, other than fishermen, almost all the residents of Isu City have moved to live on land.¡± Chapter 194 - 194 Morton (1) 194 Morton (1) Stepping on the dilapidated wooden ships, the sailors carefully carried the crates forward. The things in their hands weren¡¯t too heavy, but because the ships under their feet were too old, they often stepped through the rotten wooden planks and into the water after taking a few steps, causing a commotion. Looking at the wooden crates that were constantly brought ashore, Hobbs suggested to William, ¡°You can look for the Moonlaw City embassy here later. There¡¯s a teleportation nexus that leads straight to Moonlaw City. However, Teleportation is charged by weight, and it isn¡¯t cheap. However, if it¡¯s not urgent, I recommend hiring a few horned horse carriages. Although it might take an additional week or two, the scenery in Ava State along the way is still worth seeing¡­¡± The group had already crossed the abandoned sea city formed by ships and arrived ashore. ¡°The embassy is closed now. Be it Teleportation spells to Moonlaw City or other cities, they can¡¯t be used for the time being.¡± The elven officer who had boarded the ship for the inspection suddenly spoke when he heard Hobbs¡¯s suggestion to William. He and his team continued to be in charge of accompanying William and the rest, or rather, monitoring them. Therefore, they were constantly by their side. William sensed that something was amiss and asked, ¡°Will hiring horned carriages be affected?¡± The Bloodblade family officer nodded and said, ¡°The entire Isu City is temporarily in lockdown. All citizens are not allowed to leave the city.¡± ¡°What about us?¡± ¡°The same.¡± William¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make it clear from the beginning?¡± William looked at him and asked with a serious expression. ¡°The lockdown won¡¯t last long. It will take a week or two, tops. Someone will take care of your room and board. As long as you cooperate with us, you won¡¯t suffer any losses.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± The other party sighed slightly and said, ¡°If I had told you this from the beginning, would you have turned the ship around and returned? Or would you have thought of some other way to get ashore?¡± ¡°So you chose to put us under house arrest in a different way?¡± Hobbs couldn¡¯t help but ask when he heard this. The crippled captain looked around and noticed that the Bloodblade Guards around them had long spread out and surrounded them. ¡°We¡¯ve been cooperating with you all this time, but this is how you treat us? This isn¡¯t how you do business¡­¡± Hobbs looked at the Bloodblade Guards around him who were constantly on guard against them and said in anger and helplessness. ¡°We¡¯re soldiers, not merchants,¡± the other party replied succinctly. ¡°So, where did the merchants go?¡± William asked. ¡°Some of them were arrested, but most of them are at home. Do you want to know why?¡± The officer of the Bloodblade Guards didn¡¯t answer William¡¯s question. Instead, another High Elf appeared behind William and the others. He wore dark-gold scales and wore a blood-colored dagger with a phoenix-tailed sword slot at his waist. Compared to the elves, he could be considered muscular. His proportions in all aspects were closer to that of a human¡¯s. However, his face still carried the gentle beauty unique to High Elves. The Bloodblade Guards immediately lowered their heads when they saw this person. They crossed their hands in the shape of wings and pressed them on their chests as a salute. This was probably the special etiquette of the High Elves based on the worship of the Phoenix Holy Fire¡ªFire Phoenix Rite. William seemed to remember that this etiquette was abandoned after Ava State entered a free city-state era. However, the information he had read was ancient from more than a thousand years ago. It was normal for some things to not match up to what was happening now. After bowing, the Bloodblade Guards shouted in unison, ¡°Lord Morton.¡± The other party waved his hand, indicating that they could do away with the pleasantries. Then, he looked at William and continued asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you very curious why the members of the Windsongs didn¡¯t wait here for your arrival as planned? Why isn¡¯t the guard of Isu City¡¯s garrison family, the Scale Guards, guarding the docks? Why is this city so quiet?¡± As he spoke, he casually opened a wooden crate beside him and took out a crudely refined ore the size of two fists. He raised the ore slightly and couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in wonder when he saw the silver patterns produced by the faint sunlight. ¡°Good stuff¡­ I heard that during the rituals for humans to become partners, the woman¡¯s side often needs to give something of worth, right? What¡¯s that thing called¡­ Dowry? I think it¡¯s called a dowry?¡± William didn¡¯t reply. He didn¡¯t know who the person who suddenly appeared was or what he was up to. ¡°Who is this person?¡± William turned his head and asked Hobbs. ¡°Those people called him Lord Morton. Then, he should be the City Lord of Phoenix Fire City, Morton Bloodblade,¡± Hobbs¡¯s lips quivered as he replied. However, to be honest, Hobbs wasn¡¯t very sure if this person was the Elven Warrior captain whose skills were said to have reached the Divine Realm. After all, his ordinary smuggling ship shouldn¡¯t have attracted the attention of such a big shot. Chapter 195 - 195 Morton (2) 195 Morton (2) ¡°I can tell that the master behind you is very generous. In order to win over the hearts of the people, he prepared so much for the dowry.¡± As Morton spoke, he threw the ores in his hand back into the box and patted the dust off his hands. ¡°What dowry¡­ I¡¯m selling these things.¡± William didn¡¯t understand what the other party was talking about. ¡°Sell? I think you¡¯re buying, no? Buying the support of Isu City and his loyalty with a shipload of things.¡± William felt puzzled and asked, ¡°So who¡¯s the ¡®he¡¯ you¡¯re talking about?¡± Morton looked at William and asked as if everything was within his grasp, ¡°Are you very curious where Ward Windsong went?¡± ¡°Who?¡± William asked in confusion. The other party sneered and slightly moved his right hand to the sword at his waist. ¡°Stop pulling such meaningless tricks in front of me. It¡¯s useless, other than wasting each other¡¯s time.¡± Seeing that the elf named Morton wasn¡¯t willing to answer his question, William turned to look at Hobbs and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s that Ward Windsong?¡± ¡°The city lord of Isu City,¡± Hobbs replied softly as he sweated profusely. Just the elf standing there gave him immense pressure. From the moment the other party moved his hand towards the sword in his hand, an indescribable bloody aura surged from the other party¡¯s body. It was as if a ferocious beast had opened its bloody mouth and let out a stench-filled roar. Or perhaps, warm and sticky blood was wrapping around him before slowly cooling down and condensing into a crust of blood. But why did the person beside him seem fine despite all of that? William nodded and turned to Morton. ¡°Then what does he have to do with me? I don¡¯t even know who the other party is.¡± Morton was the one ending up slightly stunned. The confused expression on the other party¡¯s face made him wonder if he had got the wrong person. Morton looked at the officer who had gone to Whalebone for the inspection. The person immediately lowered his head and said, ¡°Lord Morton, we¡¯re very sure that the other party is a believer of the Eighth Holy Spirit. Moreover, we¡¯ve detected residual casting of the Divine Realm illusion, True Shadow, on the ship. Most importantly, the empire¡¯s holy prophet is also on their ship¡­ It¡¯s her.¡± As he spoke, he pointed at Diana, who had been following William. The latter trembled slightly and took a few small steps forward to hide behind William. After obtaining confirmation from his capable subordinate, Morton looked at William and asked, ¡°Do you have anything else to explain?¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­ You¡¯re confusing me. Is there a rule in Ava State that Eighth Holy Spirit believers can¡¯t come? Also, what does this have to do with the city lord of Isu City?¡± William asked sincerely. Can you explain to me what¡¯s going on? From their previous conversation, there was probably a conflict between Isu City and Phoenix Fire City. The outcome was Phoenix Fire City¡¯s faction taking over Isu City. The city lord of Phoenix Fire City named Morton was considered a quasi-first-rate powerhouse in William¡¯s era. He could be considered a first-rate powerhouse now. Before figuring out the other party¡¯s stand, William didn¡¯t plan on having a direct conflict with him. ¡°What else don¡¯t you know? Oh, right, there are indeed some things you don¡¯t know¡­¡± As he spoke, he revealed a smug smile. Then, like a prime-time villain, he began to explain to William the reason for his victory. ¡°The impeachment against Her Majesty Remides didn¡¯t succeed. We have evidence of Ward¡¯s collusion with the empire, especially the Eighth Order. We also arrested him and sent him to Moonlaw City to await judgment. Her Majesty Remides is still the ruler of Ava State. As for these cities that tried to overthrow her rule and bend their knees to the empire, they are under our control.¡± With that said, he cackled like a prime-time villain. ¡°Really?¡± William asked in surprise. Then, he sighed with emotion. As expected¡­ Ava State isn¡¯t stable internally either. When William was reading about Ava State, he was a little worried that the system of the seven independent free city-states would hold it back. Ava State was completely suppressed by the empire in terms of strength and resources. If they couldn¡¯t unite under the same flag, they might as well not fight this war and surrender. From the looks of it, that was indeed the case. On the other side, Morton looked at the surprised and vexed expression on William¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly. After admiring the other party¡¯s interesting expression for a while, he immediately released another shocker. ¡°By the way, I forgot to tell you. Don¡¯t you imperialists always call Her Majesty Remides the Shadow Queen? After judgment is meted out to your client, Ward, she will be crowned Ava State¡¯s King of Mist. When that happens, you empire scum will have to face Ava State, which is completely united under the leadership of the queen. Do you still remember the Wandering Battle 800 years ago? That will be the outcome of your invasion.¡± After throwing out this shocking news, Morton focused his attention on the changes in the other party¡¯s expression. Soon, he could see the other party¡¯s exciting¡­ Clap! Clap! Clap¡­ Under Morton¡¯s puzzled gaze, the envoy sent by the empire¡¯s Eighth Order to make a secret deal with the surrendering faction applauded. What does he mean? Is he being sarcastic? ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what I mean¡­¡± ¡°The only thing I¡¯m puzzled about¡­¡± William interrupted Morton with a complicated expression. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she do this sooner?¡± Sarcasm¡­ This is definitely sarcasm¡­ He felt that even if Ms. Remides had combined the power of Ava State earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop the empire¡¯s expeditionary army. ¡°Human, you will pay the price for your arrogance,¡± Morton said in an extremely threatening tone. With that said, his hand gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist. William felt the blood-reeking sharpness. He felt as if his heart would be pierced by the other party¡¯s sword if he made any movements. Even William felt the immense pressure, let alone the others beside him. The sailors¡¯ and crew¡¯s legs went limp and they collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. The sound of five sharp swords being unsheathed sounded at the same time. The five Bloodblade Guards who had surrounded them drew their swords, cutting off their retreat. William sensed the tense air, thought for a moment, and said, ¡°I think you must have misunderstood something.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only calling it a misunderstanding now? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little too late?¡± Morton said. Then, he revealed an expression of a cat toying with a caught mouse and continued, ¡°Then, tell me where the misunderstanding is?¡± ¡°I previously told that person that I¡¯m not from the Eighth Order or even the empire¡­¡± William deliberated and replied. ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re not from the Eighth Order, so how can you use True Shadow to summon a real dragon?¡± Morton immediately retorted. He then warned, ¡°Don¡¯t try summoning it now. We¡¯re very close. As long as I sense the slightest magical fluctuation, this sword will drink your heart¡¯s blood.¡± Before William could reply, Hobbs explained on his behalf, ¡°What kind of joke is this? That¡¯s a black dragon. Who can summon a¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, summoning a black dragon doesn¡¯t mean anything, right?¡± William added innocently. ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if he could summon a black dragon, it doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡± Hobbs echoed. Halfway through his agreement, he turned to look at William in confusion, ¡°You said even if you could summon what?¡± Chapter 196 - 196 Obliteration (1) 196 Obliteration (1) Hobbs felt that his train of thought had short-circuited. That¡¯s right. Under the cloudless sky ten thousand miles in front of the mist, it was indeed very strange for a black dragon to suddenly appear without any warning. Moreover, after it appeared, it didn¡¯t attack the Whalebone that was closer to it. Instead, it immediately went for the empire warship. Hobbs found it particularly peculiar. But you¡¯re saying that this black dragon was summoned by this Elementium Silver smuggling merchant? How is that possible? Even if this man who called himself Ishmael was indeed a powerful magic chanter, he could not reach this realm. Dragons were the holiest symbol of the Empire. Ever since Terra I, no one was qualified to sign a summoning contract with them. Even the strongest magic chanter now couldn¡¯t summon a dragon to fight for him. Even if he could¡­ was there a need to use such an overwhelming force to deal with an empire warship? However, before he could continue asking, Morton¡ªwho was standing opposite him¡ªsaid, ¡°True Shadow is a taboo spell that can temporarily turn the illusionary shadow in the caster¡¯s mind into reality. Once an illusionist from Blackwater Offa University, Violet Grant analyzed the Divine Realm illusion created by the Holy Spirit¡¯s manifestation. As for this spell, it was made heresy by the Holy Spirits Church in the Book Burning Era. All records were destroyed, and only a dungeon was left in the Eighth Order¡­ Later on, it became a method they used to deceive others and create so-called divinity manifestations.¡± He raised his sword and pointed it at William as if victory was in his grasp. ¡°Other than the Eighth Order¡¯s lackeys, who else can use this spell?¡± When Hobbs heard this, he turned to look at William and asked, ¡°Is what he said true?¡± William didn¡¯t answer Hobbes¡¯s question, nor did he care about the other party¡¯s puzzled and terrified gaze. He looked at the Phoenix Fire City Lord in front of him who seemed capable of stabbing him at any moment and said with a calm expression, ¡°If you¡¯re really the Warrior Captain of Ava State, put down your arms and let¡¯s have a good chat.¡± As he spoke, he took half a step forward. The other party¡¯s expression turned solemn as he raised the sword in his hand slightly. ¡°Stay where you are.¡± ¡°To be precise, a chat between just the two of us.¡± William ignored the other party and continued speaking. ¡°Try taking another step forward?¡± A few golden elven inscriptions lit up on the blood-red sword in Morton¡¯s hand, and faint golden flames began to cling to the sword. William stopped in his tracks. High Elven Spellblades were completely different from human Spellblades. Spellblades were a different form of magical medium. Compared to Warriors, their role was more similar to that of a human Battle Mage. ¡°I have to say, the stories you made up are quite interesting. A Ranger traveling the continent on an adventure¡­ Why don¡¯t you tell me which Ranger it is?¡± William stopped in his tracks and sneered. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to talk to you about alone,¡± William replied helplessly. He looked around and continued, ¡°In any case, I can¡¯t escape now. We¡¯re surrounded in your territory, and there are so many people here as hostages,¡± ¡°Ishmael, you¡­¡± Hobbs couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth slightly when he heard the word ¡®hostage,¡¯ but he looked at the unsheathed swords around him and finally shut up. ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? And why can¡¯t we do it here?¡± Morton frowned, not sure what the other party¡¯s plan was. William couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He didn¡¯t want to reveal his true identity here. It wasn¡¯t that he was too cautious, but he couldn¡¯t let the Void Sovereigns know that more than half of his attention was in Ava State. Otherwise, They would project Their strength near Blackwater Swamp, causing him trouble. Previously, when he was still in the Blackwater Swamp, the other party had used a summoning day to summon Demon General Erosion. It would be terrible if they knew that more than half of his attention was in Ava State. There was too little information about Ava State that Thorn City could gather. William didn¡¯t know if the Void Sovereigns had developed their factions here or if they had planted spies. Therefore, not only did he change his appearance and hide his identity, but he didn¡¯t rely on Thorn City¡¯s official channels. Instead, he commissioned Whalebone for his trip to Ava State via the black market. William wasn¡¯t betting that there were no Moon Realm spies nearby if he had to publicize his identity here. William didn¡¯t want to reveal his identity to this fellow who seemed to support Remides fanatically. Other than Remides herself, he didn¡¯t want to trust anyone else. After what happened to Coles, William was wary of Remides before coming here. William retreated helplessly and said, ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s not talk about it if you don¡¯t want to¡­ What do you plan on doing with us next?¡± The other party snorted softly and first pointed his sword at Hobbs and the crew and sailors around him. Chapter 197 - 197 Obliteration (2) 197 Obliteration (2) ¡°They¡¯ll stay here until we confirm their true identities.¡± With that said, he pointed the sword in his hand at William and moved to Diana. ¡°As for the two of you, return to Moonlaw City with me to meet Her Majesty and accept her judgment under the witness of the Holy Fire.¡± Morton sneered at William, hoping to find fear or despair on his face. However, the other party only rolled his eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier¡­ Forget it. Hurry up. Stop wasting time.¡± ¡­ Moonlaw City was originally Ava State¡¯s City of Sacrifices, the City of Priests. It wasn¡¯t until they entered the city-state era that the priests who sacrificed to the mist became the first batch of magic chanters. Only then did Ava State become the City of Mages. In the distant past, Moonlaw City was still the capital of Ava State. Every King of Mist had to be crowned here, and they would eventually disappear. As for those Kings of Mist, they were both the secular rulers of the Ava State and spokespersons of divine authority that symbolized the Mist Soul. The Mist Soul consecrated in Moonlaw City corresponded to the Fire Soul in Phoenix Fire City and became the source of the two elven Fog and Fire. Compared to humans on the Vic Continent who gave up on themselves to obtain extraordinary strength by imitating the shadows of the gods that were gone, the elves in Ava State were much luckier. Of course, from another perspective, it could be said to be much more unlucky. This was because the souls of the elven ancestors didn¡¯t completely turn into nothingness like humanity¡¯s ancient gods. They only had collective memories as a race. On the contrary, They had always existed in Currere with their true forms and were truly worshiped by the elves. On the one hand, this allowed the elves to struggle in the quagmire of divine authority for much longer than humans. If a real god was around them and they could clearly realize that everything from birth to death couldn¡¯t do without Him, this faith would naturally be indelible. On the other hand, once rationality was awakened in such an environment, the disintegration of theocracy would become extremely complete. It was precisely because of the ethereal nature of human faith that even though humans had entered the magical era that emphasized a rational spirit, superstition and ignorance constantly impacted their society. They had even regressed to an extremely terrifying level in the past 800 years. However, once the holiness over a visible god¡¯s body was removed, His altar would instantly collapse like a breached dam, leaving no chance of remedy. Gods were nothing special. Be it flames that could reflect the mist or reincarnate between life and death, they were just some special magical phenomena. Although Ava State still nominally maintained Holy Fire worship and retained jobs like priests, those things only existed as cultural traditions. ¡°So this is your suggestion? Become that bullsh*t King of Mist? Do you think anyone other than that fellow whose mind is filled with war and glory will support your decision?¡± This was the first thing Ward Windsong said after walking into the room. This was Remides Shadowmoon¡¯s collection room. To be precise, it was the Ava State governor¡¯s collection room, but considering the years she had been in power, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to say that it was her collection room. She was standing at the end of the exhibition room. There were two display cabinets made of dragon crystal glass, and the faint light of countless magical barriers flickered on them. The display cabinet on the left displayed an elegant longbow made of glass. There was also a quiver embedded with dragon scales hanging on the glass wall. A few arrows that were also made of glass lay quietly in the quiver. In the right display cabinet floated a complicated crown woven from countless silver, hair-like metal threads. At a glance, the crown was like ring-shaped smoke floating in the air. Remides didn¡¯t answer Ward. Her eyes constantly swept between the two display cabinets. Seeing this, Ward quickly walked behind her. ¡°You think you can succeed? You think you can reverse history for you and make you the spokesperson of the Mist Soul and the so-called King of Mist?¡± Remides turned to look at him. Those extremely empty eyes made Ward¡¯s heart skip a beat, but he continued without losing his cadence, ¡°Think about the general education you¡¯ve received over the years. Faith is magic. You can control the mist around Ava State now because you¡¯re the governor in the hearts of all elven citizens and the supreme ruler of Ava State. You cannot become the King of Mist with this crown alone because the citizens¡¯ voices will pull you off your throne.¡± Thousands of years of the free city-state era made it impossible for the High Elves to accept a King of Mist¡ªwho held authority and the power to kill¡ªlord over them. However, without this faith as a cornerstone, the complete power of the Mist Soul could never be displayed in the form of personalization. In the past, the King of Mist could summon heroic spirit troops from history for battle, but the current governor could only summon some afterimages from the past sporadically in the thick mist¡ªthose afterimages weren¡¯t even under her control. Therefore, when Ward heard Morton tell him that their governor planned on being crowned Ava State¡¯s King of Mist, imbuing her with all powers and relying on the authority of the Mist Soul to resist the empire¡¯s expeditionary army, all he felt was an absurdity. After quietly listening to the other party finish speaking, Remides slowly said, ¡°I know what you plan on doing.¡± ¡°Of course you do. I¡¯ve already laid out my plans at the Mooncycle Conference. What else don¡¯t you know?¡± Ward immediately interrupted the other party. ¡°Let me finish¡­¡± Remides said slowly, and an invisible pressure couldn¡¯t help but emit from her body. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t care about being governor or being King of Mist. I don¡¯t even want to bother about Ava State¡¯s future. Do you want to know why?¡± Her voice was very light and clear, and the invisible pressure revealed by her voice gave Ward goosebumps. Ward shook his head carefully. ¡°Because 1,200 years is enough to obliterate everything.¡± The word ¡®aged¡¯ didn¡¯t exist in elvish. After Ava State came into contact with the other intelligent races on the Vic Continent, they added this concept to their language, although they still couldn¡¯t understand it very well. But now, Ward felt that he understood the meaning of the word ¡®aged¡¯ from the other party¡¯s tone. ¡°The years will obliterate everything about you. First, it¡¯s passion, emotions, then desire. Later on, even memories begin to blur¡­ Time is like a file that will slowly grind away everything about you, and there¡¯s only one thing that can remain.¡± Remides stopped and pointed at the Mist Crown. ¡°Do you think I really want it?¡± Then, she pointed at the Glazed Moon on the other side. ¡°Or do I want to pick it up again?¡± Before Ward could answer, the other party said, ¡°Neither. There¡¯s only one thing that drives me forward now, and that¡¯s a promise¡ªa promise I once made to a friend of mine. Now that he kept his promise to his death, I should do my best at the end of my life.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ What did you say about the end of life?¡± Ward hurriedly asked when he heard the other party say something amiss. Chapter 198 - 198 Meeting 198 Meeting After hearing the other party¡¯s plan, Ward fell silent for a long time before finally asking, ¡°Are you¡­ crazy?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Remides nodded and replied casually. Her expression was still terrifyingly calm. ¡°But¡­ this is impossible.¡± The first King of Mist in history dispelled the thick mist that enveloped the Ava State. In more than 10,000 years of history, there was no such thing as the thick mist completely isolating Ava State¡ªseveral Kings of Mist had claimed it possible, but the last King of Mist had also used this to threaten the rebel army before he was overthrown. He didn¡¯t do so until his death. The governor was only a King of Mist wearing shackles in terms of authority. Since no King of Mist had done it, logically speaking, Ward shouldn¡¯t believe that the other party could do it¡­ ¡°I have my ways,¡± Remide replied indifferently. Looking at the other party¡¯s emotionless face, Ward panicked. ¡°You don¡¯t care about your spirit at all¡­ Fine, I guess you don¡¯t care about your soul being obliterated. But if you do that, then to Ava State¡­¡± ¡°The entire Ava State will be isolated from Currere by the mist. Time and space will be in chaos, and the boundaries between self and others will blur. Compared to reality, we will be closer to a concept. To put it simply¡ªreturn to a state closer to creation¡ªor go from karmic time to circular time according to the Tacma Church¡¯s theory¡­ Is that so?¡± Remides answered for him. ¡°You know¡­¡± Upon hearing Remides¡¯s calm and organized answer, Ward said weakly, ¡°Then why do it?¡± ¡°Because I have no choice,¡± Remides replied. ¡°This is the only way I can think of to protect Ava State and stop the empire¡¯s expansion.¡± ¡°Protect Ava State? What¡¯s that to all of our kind living on it? Without the distinction between you and me and losing our perception of the past and present, can we still be considered alive? Or are we just puppets driven by concepts?¡± Ward immediately asked. ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t know you were so resistant to becoming a puppet.¡± Although Remides¡¯s voice remained emotionless, Ward could hear the sarcasm in it. ¡°This and that are completely different matters. Cooperating with the Empire doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ll become their puppet. This is just an exchange of interests. We¡¯re equals.¡± Ward¡¯s expression turned solemn as he spoke. ¡°Secondly, even becoming an empire¡¯s puppet is better than being transformed by the Primordial Souls into a ghost in the cycle of reincarnation.¡± What Remides planned to do was almost equivalent to letting all the elves in the Ava State jump into the Phoenix Holy Fire to give all the elves¡¯ souls eternal life. Only a true lunatic would do such a thing. However, who could say that the person in front of him who had lived for more than 1,200 years wasn¡¯t a lunatic? ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I have no choice,¡± Remides repeated. ¡°What do you mean by no choice¡­ Even if we give up on the peace talks and concentrate Ava State¡¯s forces to resist the empire¡¯s expeditionary army, we still have a 30% chance of victory. That¡¯s way better than your self-destructive plan, right?¡± ¡°Concentrate the power of the state?¡± For the first time, Remides forced a stiff smile. She looked like a stiff, spiritless sculpture. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to invite you over first, I would have been impeached and removed from office in three days. Tell me, do you have any better suggestions for mobilizing the entire state?¡± ¡°Back then, I only hoped that you could give me a chance to negotiate with the empire and not be blinded by the pro-war factions around you¡­¡± ¡°No one can blind me,¡± Remides interrupted. ¡°Then, your mind is to strip everyone of their thoughts? In comparison, I¡¯m more willing to die under the blades of the empire¡¯s expeditionary army.¡± To the Windsongs, their yearning for freedom and distance was deeply engraved in their souls. Therefore, sealing the coastline with mist and returning Ava State to chaos was an outcome he couldn¡¯t accept. With that said, Ward suddenly calmed down. He looked at Remides¡¯s back and said to her as if he understood something, ¡°You¡¯re threatening me, right?¡± ¡°How you interpret it is your freedom. Without the maritime support of Isu City and the logistics of Pine City, without the support of Clockwork City¡¯s equipment, the probability of defeating the empire¡¯s expeditionary army is less than 5%. Sealing Ava State is my only choice,¡± the other party replied. Ward felt slightly relieved when he heard this. The other party was indeed using this as a bargaining chip to threaten him and wasn¡¯t crazy. Since she wasn¡¯t crazy, he had the capital to continue bargaining. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why aren¡¯t you willing to make contact with the empire? Not everything can be resolved with swords and magic. The possibility of reconciliation has always existed.¡± With this in mind, Ward immediately regained his aggressiveness from the Mooncycle Conference. ¡°We¡¯ve maintained a neutral position for more than 10,000 years. This is also the greatest reason why we can prosper to this day. Now, if we negotiate with the empire again¡­¡± Before Ward could finish speaking, Remides, who was stroking the dragon crystal glass on the display cabinet, replied casually, ¡°Sure.¡± Ward didn¡¯t react for a moment to such a decisive agreement. ¡°Sure?¡± He repeated in confusion to confirm that the other party hadn¡¯t made a mistake. ¡°The Eighth Order members who were supposed to come over to discuss various matters regarding the peace talks and prepare to baptize you have already arrived. You can have a good chat here. This is also why I invited you over.¡± Ward had some complaints about the words ¡®inviting him over,¡¯ but Remides ignored him and clapped her hands. Two fully armed Phoenix Guards walked in. ¡°Bring them in,¡± she said. ¡­ ¡°Can we enter just like that?¡± William looked at the pure white and elegant castle in front of him and turned to look at Morton. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to check if we¡¯re armed or something?¡± ¡°This is Moonlaw City, sir.¡± The other party looked at William with a smile and replied, ¡°Ever since the empire¡¯s diplomatic mission assassinated the previous governor 800 years ago, no one from the empire has stepped into this city.¡± Chapter 199 - 199 Ice Dragon Duke (1) 199 Ice Dragon Duke (1) ¡°The empire¡¯s diplomatic mission once assassinated the previous governor here?¡± The ivory-white door slowly closed behind him as William asked in disbelief, ¡°There was such a thing?¡± Although assassination had never been absent from any historical era as an extremely important tool in the political toolbox, assassinating while carrying out a diplomatic mission was taboo in almost all civilizations. Be it the local human civilization on the Vic Continent, the elves, or their derived branches, or even the powerhouses who had fled from the Orsis Continent to the Quicksand Province, as well as the barbarians who believed in strength on the Damon Continent, they came to an astonishing agreement despite their development in different environments. Falling out during the negotiations and carrying out an assassination was the most despicable and shameless action. It was a sinful act that would be written in history books for a thousand years of infamy. They might even shake the legitimacy of governance to a certain extent. This wasn¡¯t difficult to understand. Due to the existence of supernatural forces, the combat strength of some individuals in this world could even form an army alone. Therefore, if they couldn¡¯t maintain the tacit understanding of lowering their respective guard when inviting diplomatic missions to their center of power for negotiations, there would be no peace negotiations between nations. In history, assassinations through diplomatic missions could be counted on one hand. Moreover, all of them kicked off a long chaotic era for the future. It only took an instant to destroy trust, but it took a very long time to rebuild it. Forgetting was always more difficult than remembering. Morton walked in front and asked without turning his head, ¡°Did you imperialists not write this good deed of yours down?¡± William recalled the brief history of the Riel Empire that he had read. Even the failure of the Wandering Battle was recorded as objectively as possible. However, this matter was not even mentioned. However, now that he thought about it, if Ava State was captured, the known human world other than the Dragon Bone Islands and the Damon Continent would be included in the Riel Empire¡¯s territory. When that happened, the empire wouldn¡¯t need to care about what others thought. From this perspective, such radical acts weren¡¯t incomprehensible. Of course, it was also possible that the empire had other intentions for conquering Ava State that they couldn¡¯t care less about their dignity. However, the failure of the final conquest was another matter. The wide and long corridor gave the castle a sense of religious solemnity. The moonstone was carved into the shape of a teardrop and decorated on marble pillars with silver edges. The gems were connected by complicated elven inscriptions. Faint light flowed through them, dyeing the surroundings with a thin veil that resembled the moonlight. William could feel the mana flowing in it. If William activated his ether domain to probe, he would be able to sense a magical network woven throughout the castle¡­ ¡°I advise against that,¡± Morton suddenly said. Perhaps he had caught a glimpse of William¡¯s gaze on the surrounding magic circuits, Morton continued to add, ¡°After that assassination, the entire Moonlaw City¡¯s internal defense design was handled by Tacma Church consultants. If you don¡¯t want to lose any body parts before meeting the queen, I advise you not to do so.¡± William smiled and didn¡¯t comment. Then, he asked, ¡°In that case, the Tacma Church is still working with you?¡± If there was anyone in this world worth being wary of, it was the elusive Tacma Church members. They were the source of magical concepts; they had inherited the secrets of the God Era and the believers of the full god, Ma. They were also ultimate riddlers who never spoke comprehensibly. William had interacted with members of the Tacma Church before. He concluded that the Whispering Empress¡¯s words were easier to understand than these people¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s not us¡­¡± Morton slowed down and turned his head slightly. He looked at William from the corner of his eye and said, ¡°They¡¯re only cooperating with Ava State¡¯s ruler.¡± However, they don¡¯t care who the ruler is. They only wanted to be consultants to the ruler? William muttered inwardly. If the Tacma Church was willing to help, the scale balance of strength between Ava State and the empire¡¯s expeditionary army would instantly be leveled. It might even tip the scale in the former¡¯s favor. The Tacma Church member William came into contact with back then claimed to be an Adept. Although he didn¡¯t know what level that was within the Church, it didn¡¯t seem to be at the highest level. Otherwise, the other party wouldn¡¯t have personally come to the Vic Continent to research on day and night and seasonal changes. Even the parish member at the Adept level was a true powerhouse who could cast Divine Realm spells and was proficient in all spells. It was difficult to imagine the overall strength of the Tacma Church. He had come to Ava State with the hope of interacting with them. Of course, William didn¡¯t have his hopes up. ¡°Therefore, your governor, Remides, came to power after the assassination?¡± After walking for about ten meters, William suddenly asked, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s the only survivor of that assassination. Not long after, she was elected governor at the Mooncycle Conference.¡± Chapter 200 - 200 Ice Dragon Duke (2) 200 Ice Dragon Duke (2) ¡°Until today?¡± William continued asking. ¡°Forever and ever,¡± Morton only replied indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ too cruel.¡± William shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s cruel to whom? You and your kind?¡± Morton asked. ¡°It¡¯s too cruel for her,¡± William replied. In William¡¯s impression, Remides was an extremely restless person who yearned for adventure. This could be seen from the fact that she gave up her last name and embarked on the Vic Continent alone as a Ranger. Politics didn¡¯t suit her. Moreover, an eternal rule wasn¡¯t suitable for a mortal. Morton didn¡¯t reply. The three of them quickly walked along the silent corridor and crossed the entire atrium to a door made of copper. William noticed that a faint mist was constantly drifting out from the crack in the door. Mist Hall, the center of Moonlaw City. It was formerly the King of Mist¡¯s throne room. ¡°In here?¡± William asked. Morton didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he half-knelt in front of the door. ¡°Your Majesty, Bloodblade requests an audience.¡± Although it¡¯s the City of Mages, there isn¡¯t even a guard outside? William muttered. William suddenly realized a problem¡ªit wasn¡¯t just the guards. He hadn¡¯t seen anyone else since they entered the castle. ¡­ ¡°Bring whom up?¡± Ward looked puzzled as he watched the Phoenix Guards leave. ¡°The person who was supposed to meet you in Isu City,¡± Remides replied tersely. ¡°Isu City? Who?¡± Ward repeated in confusion. ¡°An Eighth Order prophet and perhaps an ambassador of the empire¡¯s royal family,¡± Remides said. She looked at Ward¡¯s puzzled expression and added, ¡°The person who came to baptize you.¡± ¡°What baptism?¡± ¡°Then why did you destroy Isu City¡¯s communication spell previously?¡± Remides asked immediately when she saw that Ward didn¡¯t look like he was joking. As she asked, she placed her hand on the dragon crystal glass display cabinet where her loved bow, Glazed Moon, was. The constantly changing gorgeous colors on it began to fade layer by layer. ¡°The impeachment vote of the entire country overloaded and destroyed it. That¡¯s an old spell that hasn¡¯t been maintained for more than 30 years,¡± Ward replied in confusion. He looked at Remides¡¯s serious expression and continued, ¡°Even if I want to contact the Empire, I can¡¯t be stupid enough to use the public spell facilities in the city, right?¡± With a crack, the lid of the dragon crystal glass display cabinet automatically opened. Remides took out the crystalline bow that seemed to melt in the air at any moment. ¡°Then, what¡¯s your way of contacting the empire?¡± Remides held the bow that was bent like a crescent and hung the quiver embedded with dragon scales on her waist. Then, she pulled out an arrow and rolled it in her hand. Ward grew up listening to Ranger stories. Looking at the Glazed Moon that was said to be able to down an adult dragon with a single arrow, he couldn¡¯t help but gulp. Therefore, Ward naturally didn¡¯t dare to delay his answer. ¡°Smuggling ship. I¡¯ve always been in contact with the empire through smuggling ships¡­¡± ¡°Will smuggling ships work for the empire?¡± Everyone knew that most of the smuggling ships that had been traveling between the Ava State and the Vic Continent over the years didn¡¯t have a harmonious relationship with the empire¡¯s officials. After all, if they didn¡¯t have a choice, who would be willing to risk the ship¡¯s destruction and death on the endless stormy Shattered Sea? Remides turned her head and glanced at the Mist Crown before placing her attention on the door of the collection room. ¡°They don¡¯t know whom they¡¯re working for. They¡¯ve always thought that their biggest client is just a rich elven crafts enthusiast from Coldstone Province.¡± Looking at Remides¡¯s actions, Ward quickly replied. Then, he asked nervously, ¡°What happened?¡± Remides didn¡¯t answer his question and continued asking coldly, ¡°If it¡¯s not the Eighth Order, who are you working with, the empire?¡± ¡°I do have connections with the empire, but the empire is a very broad concept¡­¡± Ward replied. ¡°Get to the point.¡± The arrow in her hand began to flicker with a dark-blue light. ¡°The biggest financier behind those smuggling ships is also our greatest trading partner over the years. He¡¯s the current Ice Dragon Duke, Gray Riel, Empress Erin¡¯s elder brother who was exiled to Cold Plains and is now protected by Coldstone Province.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know if this arrow would target him, Ward¡ªwho sensed the sharp killing intent¡ªanswered directly. This time, Remides turned her head and looked at him. She stared at him for a long time until he felt his hair stand on end. ¡°You have to know that the relationship between siblings isn¡¯t always that¡­ harmonious?¡± Ward, who couldn¡¯t stand the stare, spread his hands and explained. Remides fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Is this why you keep insisting that our peace talks with the empire are a bargaining chip?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also why I¡¯ve always insisted on not fighting the empire head-on. I don¡¯t believe we should risk our precious kinsmen¡¯s lives with them. When the time comes, they will return obediently,¡± Ward replied helplessly. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you bring it up at the Mooncycle Conference?¡± Remides continued asking. ¡°Tell everyone that Gray Riel plans on snatching the throne? Am I crazy? If any of you leak this news to Platinum Palace¡ªdon¡¯t tell me that none of you will. As long as this news gets back to Platinum Palace, my setup in Coldstone Province over the years will be ruined.¡± Ward¡¯s plan was very simple. He wanted to negotiate with the empire, but it wasn¡¯t an empire ruled by Empress Erin, but an empire ruled by the future Emperor Gray. If the empire wanted to completely devour Ava State, it needed at least three legions and at least three Divine Realm powerhouses to hold down the fort. Moreover, they had to be direct troops that Empress Erin absolutely trusted. This way, Platinum Province would be left empty and hollow; Gray Riel could take advantage of the situation and snatch the throne that should have belonged to him in one fell swoop while the Ava State garrison couldn¡¯t swiftly return. Being key to this plan, the Ava State naturally had enough bargaining chips to bargain with the empire. Ward revealed a puzzled expression again. ¡°So you don¡¯t know my plan with Ice Dragon Duke? Then why did you capture me?¡± Remides didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, she frowned as if she was thinking about something. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cooperating with the Eighth Order?¡± Remides didn¡¯t answer Ward¡¯s probe. This confirmed Ward¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Where did you obtain the Eighth Order¡¯s information?¡± Ward continued asking. Without waiting for the other party to answer, he said, ¡°Morton Bloodblade, right?¡± Remides nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve already said not to believe him. There¡¯s nothing else in his mind other than war and honor. When the time comes¡­¡± Whoosh! Before Ward could finish speaking, an arrow grazed his cheek. The whistling wind instantly tightened his back, and cold sweat kept dripping down. A tingling sensation came from his cheek, followed by the feeling of something warm slowly dripping along his cheek. His mind went blank for a second or two before he turned to look at Remides, who had drawn her bow like a moon. Then, he followed her gaze and looked behind him. A Phoenix Guard was nailed to the wall. Chapter 201 - 201 Church and the Throne Room (1) 201 Church and the Throne Room (1) ¡°Are you¡­ crazy?¡± This seemed to be the second time Ward had blurted out this sentence today. However, before he could finish speaking, two sharp whooshing sounds brushed past his ears. Remides¡¯s movements were so fast that Ward couldn¡¯t catch up to her with his naked eye. By the time he came back to his senses, two arrows were missing from the quiver hanging at her waist. As for the Phoenix Guard nailed to the wall, he had already stopped breathing. ¡°Even if you agree with my suggestion, aren¡¯t you being a little too decisive?¡± Ward asked carefully. Without a word, she shot the praetorian who had served her for decades without any emotion on her face. Ward gained a deeper understanding of how much humanity this Shadow Queen had lost. ¡°It has nothing to do with your suggestion. They¡¯re being controlled,¡± Remides replied simply. As she spoke, she waved her hand and the three transparent arrows nailed to the Phoenix Guard disappeared as if they had fused into the air. Then, they returned to her quiver the next moment. She removed one of the arrows and gently brushed it. Countless tiny red magic patterns spread out from the transparent arrow. ¡°Controlled?¡± Ward asked curiously. ¡°Who can control the minds of the Phoenix Guards?¡± As he spoke, he looked at the golden-armored guard who slowly slid to the ground and left a gorgeous bloodstain on the wall. The other party¡¯s golden armor was covered in blood vessels like vines, and his widened eyes were irrationally blood-red. ¡°How can that be¡­¡± It had to be known that these were the praetorians who were directly assigned to the highest ruler of Ava State. They had the last name of the Phoenix Guard and were born to be protectors. Their wills were as firm as steel. Under the protection of the Holy Fire and the mist, even the Void Sovereigns couldn¡¯t shake their loyalty¡ªnot to mention controlling their minds and making them attack their ward. The frequent seizure of power by the human guards was unimaginable to elven society. Perhaps guessing what Ward was thinking, Remide reminded him, ¡°In history, the Phoenix Guards famously abandoned the darkness and joined the light. Back then, they also turned their swords and aimed them at the person they were supposed to protect.¡± With that said, Remides smiled stiffly again. ¡°The rebellion that toppled the last King of Mist¡­¡± Ward muttered to himself and suddenly looked at the door. A series of messy footsteps echoed outside the door, and one could vaguely hear the clang of metal colliding. ¡°According to historical documents, the person who persuaded the Phoenix Guards to switch sides was the private consultant who was banished by the last King of Mist. From the looks of it¡­¡± As Remides spoke, the arrow in her hand nocked Glazed Moon and reflected a rich sanguine light. ¡°There will always be some differences between the actual situation and historical records, but it won¡¯t affect the outcome.¡± A hoarse voice that sounded like ancient parchment being torn apart sounded from outside the door as an elder in a linen robe walked in. Behind him, the Bloodblade and Phoenix Guards¡¯ elite guards filed in and fanned out, surrounding Remides and Ward. Ward widened his eyes and looked at the old man standing in the middle. Although he didn¡¯t recognize the person¡¯s face, he could tell from the other party¡¯s iconic clothes and the austenite pendant on his chest that the other party¡¯s identity was¡­ ¡°Tacma Church?!¡± He felt a little confused. ¡°But¡­ why?¡± Weren¡¯t they permanently neutral? Even if they didn¡¯t maintain neutrality, they should be on Ava State¡¯s side. ¡°Lady Moonshadow, please forgive our transgression¡­¡± He bent down and bowed, but before he could say anything else, an arrow glowing with blood-red magic power shot out from the Glazed Moon in Remides¡¯s hand. This blood-red arrow that looked like blood would drip at any moment was faster than the buzzing sound of the bowstring rebounding. It almost instantly turned into an afterimage as it went straight for the other party¡¯s throat. However, the arrow suddenly stopped when it was two meters away from the other party. It stopped in midair, looking like a flying insect sealed in amber. ¡°We¡¯ve studied five cycles of winter and summer and formulated almost all countermeasures against your abilities. Please do away with the unnecessary,¡± the Tacma Church member said sincerely as he brushed away the arrow in front of him like a butterfly. Remides nocked her bow again. This time, a golden luster flickered on her all-attribute arrow. Before the arrow turned into pure light, she stopped and lowered her bow. The light on the arrow slowly faded. Glancing at the surrounding guards who had drawn their weapons and were on guard against her and looking at the blood-red patterns clinging to their bodies and the redness in their eyes that seemed to have lost their rationality, Remides asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with these people?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very troublesome to explain. You can simply think that they¡¯re being controlled by an illusion,¡± the person replied. Remides frowned. Chapter 202 - 202 Church and the Throne Room (2) 202 Church and the Throne Room (2) This is impossible¡­ Although her attainments in magic couldn¡¯t compare to William or Evelyn, and she had neglected academic research in the centuries as governor, she still had this level of understanding. Illusions could indirectly control the other party¡¯s actions by affecting their perception, but they could never directly control the free will of others. For example, you could make a person recognize a dog as a wolf and scare the other party away. Ultimately, he was still frightened away by the image of a wolf. This was the only thing that couldn¡¯t be changed. In magic theory, self-awareness was a mystery equivalent to Creatons itself. It was believed to be something that could never be analyzed. In other words, illusions couldn¡¯t ¡°control¡± these people like a dog. However, Remides didn¡¯t dwell on this question. She continued asking, ¡°You said that you started researching how to deal with me five years ago. Why five years ago?¡± This was impossible. Unless the other party had predicted that the storm in the Shattered Sea would stop five years ago, there was no reason for them to do so. The other party shook his head and said, ¡°No, our final decision on doing this was after the last Mooncycle Conference based on your time.¡± In other words, less than a month ago. They had decided to topple the throne less than a month ago, but he had spent five years making preparations. The contradiction was obvious. ¡°Years are what you know. We only spent five winters and summers to prepare,¡± the other party continued. Even though most of her feelings had been obliterated, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh slightly when she heard the other party¡¯s contradictory speech that didn¡¯t wish for any elaboration. In Remides¡¯s blurry memories, she still remembered what the Presiding Judge had once evaluated the Tacma Church members: ¡°Riddlers¡­¡± After grumbling softly, she asked her last question, ¡°Then, tell me why you¡¯re here. Why did the Tacma Church, which claims to always remain neutral, instigate the guards and army to come to my palace? What do you want?¡± ¡°We want to verify our study topic¡­ We want to witness it,¡± the person replied with a hint of fanaticism in his tone. Remides¡ªwho knew the Tacma Church¡¯s habit of riddles¡ªcontinued asking, ¡°Witness what?¡± ¡°Witness the nature of the eighth creation fragment and piece together the true scene of creation.¡± ¡­ The entire throne room was enveloped in a thick mist that William couldn¡¯t see through even with Eagle Eye. Morton led the way. He held an ancient lantern covered in animal skin in his hand. The orange-red flames emitted from the lantern dispelled the thick fog in a radius of about ten meters with him as the center. After walking for a distance, Diana gently tugged at the corner of William¡¯s shirt. ¡°Is this really Moonlaw City?¡± she asked softly. ¡°Undoubtedly,¡± William replied casually. Then, he was curious why the child suddenly asked about this. ¡°But this place is similar to Myriad Feet City¡¯s Terra Church. Be it the layout or decorations¡­¡± she whispered. Terra Church was said to be the last place where the founding emperor, Terra Riel, ascended to holiness. It was also the largest Terra Riel worship church in the entire empire. Every year, on the Ascension Day of the Holy Spirits and the Emperor¡¯s Return Day, a grand festival would be held there. William had seen a description of the Terra Church in an auxiliary document. As he had a deep relationship with the Eighth Holy Spirit, he had specially noted it down. However, because he couldn¡¯t find any relevant picture books, he wasn¡¯t very sure what the Terra Church looked like or what the internal layout was. The descriptions in the literature were all exaggerated as grand, gorgeous, and solemn. In the introduction of the 1,000 churches, all 1,000 churches gave themselves such boastful descriptions. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Morton, who was leading the way for the two of them, suddenly spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not that Moonlaw City¡¯s throne room is very similar to Terra Church, but Terra Church was originally built to mimic Moonlaw City¡¯s throne room.¡± William stopped in his tracks. Diana, who was still tugging at the corner of William¡¯s shirt, stopped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Morton turned around and asked the two of them when he heard footsteps behind him. Diana looked up at William, but William remained silent. An intense uneasiness began to rise in his heart. What do you mean? The church where Terra Riel¡¯s ascension happened is decorated in the same manner as Moonlaw City¡¯s throne room? According to the information William had read, Moonlaw City¡¯s throne room was originally a building built by the elven ancestors around the Mist Soul. The first elf to obtain the power of the Mist Soul ascended to the throne here. What was a soul? The prototype of a god, an incomplete fractured Holy Spirit, but still a complete product! A cracked prototype would only exist as the collective memories of similar races on the continent. These collective memories gradually evolved into myths during the development of civilization before turning into true power through the imitation of myths. As for the incomplete souls, they existed as direct supernatural powers. They didn¡¯t need to go through the steps of collective memory evolving into myths, allowing the surrounding intelligent races to directly use Their powers. Therefore, there had always been the hypothesis of the origins of humans and elves in the archeological world. They believed that elves originated from primitive humans in the Ravenwood area. Those people miraculously floated to Ava State on rafts and discovered the two great souls, Fire and Mist. Under the influence of the souls, they gradually mutated and became primitive elves. This could explain why there was no reproductive incompatibility between humans and elves. It also explained what the Phoenix that fell back to Currere in the original elven myths was¡ªthe raft that brought humans to Ava State. Of course, almost no elf supported this theory. Talking about this topic with his elven teammate in-game would cause his favorability to plummet without exception. There were only two places in Currere that confirmed the existence of souls. One was World¡¯s End north of the Dragon Bone Islands, and the other was Ava State. These two places also shaped the only two extraordinary races in Currere that could form a civilization¡ªthe dragons and the elves. Of course, this also tied them to their hometown like babies tied to their mother by an umbilical cord. ¡°Was this also the place where the empire¡¯s diplomatic mission assassinated the Ava State politicians in Moonlaw City back then?¡± William asked slowly when he thought of this. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The most important thing now is to see the queen. Stop stalling. How long has it been?¡± Without answering William¡¯s question, Morton shook the animal skin lantern in his hand and urged impatiently. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any guards or other servants or odd-job workers along the way¡­¡± William continued, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know much about the customs of your High Elves, so I couldn¡¯t comment previously.¡± ¡°What day do you think today is? All the unrelated people in the castle have been sent home.¡± Morton frowned and continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t waste time.¡± William hesitated for a moment before following. At this moment, he regretted not getting a reason for Liz to follow him to Moonlaw City. After confirming the safety of the teleportation nexus, William thought that it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem for him to meet his old friend. William had Liz wait for his return on the Whalebone and asked her to take care of the ¡°goods¡± he had left there just in case. However, from the looks of it, his previous estimates were too optimistic. As there was no reference landmark in the mist, William didn¡¯t know how far he had gone. However, from a physical point of view, this throne room was half the size of Thorn City¡¯s Rose Palace. Coupled with the religious decorations, William felt that this place was more like a temple than a palace. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Morton stopped. He was standing in the middle of a huge ring with a shattered sun pattern in the middle. The sun was considered a projection of the Realm of Light. William noticed that the shattered sun pattern had been divided into seven parts. The meaning was obvious. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± As Morton spoke, he knelt on one knee and placed the lantern in the middle of the shattered sun pattern. Orange-red light flowed down from the lantern and began to outline the pattern, making it emit orange-red light a few seconds later. The mist dissipated, and William saw the person sitting on the throne. Chapter 203 - 203 1008 203 1008 Remides felt her will shatter into countless fragments before scattering down the river of time. This pain only lasted for a very brief moment. Or perhaps the word ¡°instantaneous¡± was sufficient to describe the feeling? In short, this was an experience that couldn¡¯t be described to others. She could see the sunrise and sunset at the same time, see a tree sprout, produce a green crown, wither, and be covered in snow at the same time. She could see generations of different people in a family repeating the same mistake. If she had to find a word, she was seeing connected ¡°rings.¡± Of course, it was much more complicated than rings. She also slowly began to be woven into a ring¡ªcorrection; she was tracing her past and piecing together infinite karma nodes into one. It was like the entirety of a ring. ¡°1008, 1008, 1008¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she was muttering to herself. ¡­ ¡°Remides? Is that you?¡± William looked at the elven woman tied to the throne by countless chains that were emitting thick fog. She wore an ethereal crown that resembled smoke as he shouted tentatively, The Ranger who had adventured with him back then looked to be only sixteen. She looked young and lively, and she was flat. Although William knew that the appearance of the elves would change drastically after more than 1,000 years, it was still difficult for him to associate this well-rounded and stoic-looking woman with the name Remides. The other party didn¡¯t answer him. ¡°It¡¯s her, but who are you?¡± An aged voice sounded from the side. William turned his head. It was an elder wearing a rough linen robe and an austenite pendant around his neck. Member of the Tacma Church? But why are they here? Before William could speak, Morton, who was kneeling in front of him, answered for him. ¡°He¡¯s a guardian sent by the Eighth Order to protect the prophet.¡± If you say so¡­ William couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain to them. Instead, he pointed at the throne and asked, ¡°What happened to her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fighting a war that belongs to her alone,¡± the elder replied. William, who knew the Tacma Church¡¯s style of speech, immediately said, ¡°Please speak normally.¡± The other party frowned and said, ¡°A dangerous ritual. These chains were set up to prevent her loss of control.¡± ¡°What ritual is it exactly?¡± William pressed. The elder turned to Diana, who nodded at him. ¡°The King of Mist¡¯s coronation ritual.¡± William¡¯s main body in the library immediately used this keyword to search for relevant information. ¡°How dangerous is it?¡± William asked. ¡­ Remides had already gone back 800 years and saw herself, who had just been elected as governor, and integrated that moment into a complete part of her. Of course, this description was still based on the logic of a karmic cycle. There was no such logic in the cycle of time. She thought of a better analogy. Karmic time was like a small pond, and she was a naughty child who extended her five fingers into the pond in the shape of claws. Every finger represented herself in a different time node. From her pinky to her thumb, they together symbolized her life. Cyclic time was the outside world, and her main body was herself in cyclic time. From the looks of it, every one of us is a fragment scattered on the timeline¡­ Or could it be that this was the truth of creation? The Holy Spirits crushed themselves and spread themselves across the timeline. She suddenly thought of a problem. If she succeeded and wrote the man¡¯s return into her weaving cycle, it meant that the man had returned before her attempt. It could even be said that the cessation of the Shattered Sea storm was his doing. Perhaps he had already saved Blake and was on his way to save her. If that were the case, it would be amazing. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the other party would rush over to save her and Ava State if she hadn¡¯t done so. ¡­ After hearing the Tacma Church elder¡¯s explanation, William rushed over and grabbed his collar. ¡°What have you done?!¡± Although William couldn¡¯t use spells above the Apprentice level, as a player with all six stats maxed, he could easily lift the old man even if his physique was discounted by Mirror Shadow. The other party couldn¡¯t resist at all. According to the other party, he was only a phenomenon meant to assist Ava State rulers. He couldn¡¯t do anything that exceeded his responsibility. Of course, this also meant that William couldn¡¯t kill him even if he broke his neck. ¡°You aren¡¯t a guardian of the Eighth Order.¡± He suddenly said after seeing William¡¯s agitated action. He also cast his gaze at the iron plate hanging around William¡¯s neck. The surrounding mist suddenly surged just as he finished speaking, surging towards the throne like a wave before circling it. From afar, it looked like cotton candy. In less than a few seconds, the entire throne was wrapped in the slowly spinning thick mist and turned into the shape of an egg. ¡­ Tracing all the way back, she finally returned to that day. On that day 1008 years ago. She decided to start weaving her closed loops from here. Twilight Fortress, Round Table Hall¡ªwhen the 13 people were still around She stood beside her past self and looked at the man sitting opposite the door. Compared to large-scale rituals that could only be carried out by consuming a large amount of mana as fuel, the mana she brought with her could only be said to be negligible. However, she didn¡¯t plan on becoming a god. She looked at the man and prepared to complete the closure with this as the starting point. ¡­ William threw the person to the side and walked towards the cocoon wrapped in mist. ¡°You¡¯re not one of Terra Riel¡¯s,¡± the old man stumbled up and said. ¡°Anyone can tell as long as they aren¡¯t blind,¡± William replied. ¡°You¡¯re loyal to Holy Spirit Kane.¡± ¡°Or there¡¯s another possibility.¡± William continued. Then, he threw himself into the mist as well. ¡­ ¡°Then, goodbye.¡± What Remides wanted to do was very simple. She wanted to use herself as an anchor to stabilize William Kane as cyclic time¡¯s phenomenon. 1008 being one cycle. Chapter 204 - 204 Outside 204 Outside A long time ago, Remides wanted to be like her fellow kinsmen and throw herself into the Phoenix Holy Fire to end the torture that the years had brought her. 500 years was the limit most High Elves had set for themselves, and this limit referred to the time spent on the concept of draining emotions. Emotion was consumable. It used beautiful memories as a carrier to slowly accumulate in the first half of one¡¯s life before being slowly worn down, depleted, and forgotten in the days to come. Memories with emotions were fresh, but perhaps it took more effort to recall them. To reduce the burden of memories on her soul, those fresh memories began to fade after a few centuries. Finally, only simple logic remained. She still remembered the first time she met the Presiding Judge in Ravenwood¡¯s forest. The other party had saved her life from the Demon Pigs, but she couldn¡¯t remember the weather that day or whether the air was filled with a forest¡¯s unique earthy fragrance. She also couldn¡¯t remember if the wind back then had the mellow singing of birds that allowed her to lean against the tree and enjoy rare peace after her life was on the line. She had been saved from the Demon Pigs by a human named William Kane¡ªthis was the only information she still remembered. It was like a document written on parchment and forever sealed in wax. There were only dry records. She would, at times, wonder why she had joined Doomsday Watchers, a very suspicious organization back then because of this. No matter how beautiful, glamorous, and touching the memories were, they would become cold logic after time got to it. What was more terrifying than forgetting? Typically speaking, many High Elves chose to participate in the Holy Fire Ritual in advance when they were over 400 years old. They couldn¡¯t stand the increasingly blurry memories and thinning emotions. As for Remides, it took her about 400 years to completely forget the voices of her former friends and 800 years to completely forget their looks. Then, she used another 100 years to confirm that her feelings had completely dried up. Nothing could stir up any emotions in her. She originally thought so¡­ However¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. I¡¯m already back.¡± Remides¡¯s memories of the past seemed to come alive again the moment this voice sounded. She looked at the person who suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡°Presiding Judge¡­ Your Excellency?¡± But it¡¯s impossible¡­ She hadn¡¯t finished weaving the closed loop on her side. She hadn¡¯t written her will into cyclic time and made him a phenomenon that existed in this world like the rising and setting of the sun. She hadn¡¯t connected William Kane from 1,008 years ago to the concept of the Eighth Holy Spirit, allowing him to return to the mortal world as the Eighth Holy Spirit. Then, who was this person who looked like William Kane? ¡°Is it really you?¡± She seemed a little excited and terrified. ¡°Who else could it be?¡± the person replied tersely. ¡°But I haven¡¯t¡­¡± With that said, she hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°So, is what they said true? You left us only to find a way to ascend as a god?¡± Otherwise, there was no way to explain why the other party was here. The stratification of time didn¡¯t have a clear boundary like water and oil. It was more like two cups of water mixed. In other words, time passing through different levels wasn¡¯t going from one place to another, but changing one¡¯s perspective of everything in the world. This sounded very simple, but if the difficulty of crossing the World Shell to other planes was to extend one¡¯s fingers from the oil layer to the water layer, then changing one¡¯s perspective of time was probably equivalent to using the naked eye to distinguish which drop of water was poured out of the first cup. At least technically, this was impossible. Only by becoming the spokesperson of a Holy Spirit or a Void Sovereign, thereby allowing him to escape the restraints of karmic time could he appear here. ¡°They? Who?¡± William muttered and asked, ¡°You think I¡¯m a god?¡± The other party nodded and said, ¡°Otherwise, how did you get here?¡± William smiled faintly and said, ¡°You also came here by your will. Does that make you a god?¡± Remides shook her head and said, ¡°My situation is a little special. There¡¯s a shortcut.¡± Ritual magic, anthropomorphic worship of the Holy Spirits¡­ As well as the complete fragment of creation¡­ the soul. The Mist Soul was relatively intact among the fragments of creation. People who died in it would constantly reappear. Due to this nature, some scholars speculated that it was probably related to the Holy Spirit, the Dead, who symbolized memories. It might be a fragment that wasn¡¯t complete when the world was created. As long as one was in the Mist Soul, mortals could stroll through a cycle with themselves as the axis of observation and temporarily become a part of the cycle. If one ended their life in it, they could completely become a part of this cycle. This was why those who died in Ava State¡¯s mist would appear in the world again as Mist Spirits. The essence of the Mist Spirit wasn¡¯t a strange spiritual body, but a phenomenon. Remides had relied on this to temporarily enter. William spread his hands and said, ¡°Therefore, like you, I came here through the Mist Soul.¡± He had to admit that this was an extremely wonderful experience. When William stepped into the thick egg-shaped mist, he could clearly sense that he was still in the throne room. However, what he saw wasn¡¯t limited to his surroundings. Following the backtracking of time, William skipped a long period of emptiness and arrived in the afternoon 1,008 years ago. This was when he left. Strangely¡ªor rather, it wasn¡¯t strange. This was his limit. William would only see nothingness if he continued. He couldn¡¯t theoretically see the birth of a character like him. This certainly wasn¡¯t time travel because it didn¡¯t change the past or the future based on the tracing of cyclic time. As for him, he could only see ¡°everything he knew¡± and ¡°see¡± everything he knew. If he wanted to make changes, he had to consume a huge amount of fuel to bend his time axis into a ring and close it, completely becoming a part of the cycle of time. However, when that happened, he would become a phenomenon. Phenomena were phenomena precisely because they didn¡¯t need to rely on an individual¡¯s will. Even if millions of bright lamps were lit at the same time to illuminate the night, the night wasn¡¯t the day¡ªthis wasn¡¯t something that could be changed by human strength. However, from another perspective, this also proved that an individual¡¯s will was a product of karmic time. William felt an ensuing headache and didn¡¯t ponder over these questions. He looked at Remides and frowned subtly. Remides was like a Parkinson¡¯s patient sitting on a roller coaster using an inferior DSLR in her hand to take a human silhouette through a layer of frosted glass. She could barely make out a vague outline. This was probably a phenomenon caused by the overlapping of her countless selves on the timeline. William lowered his head and looked at his hand. Normal hands didn¡¯t even have any double images. If a reader-like third party looked at the two of them from an omniscient point of view, they would see a dazzling phantom looking at a complete person. William didn¡¯t exist across the entire timeline like the other party. He was still him, independent and unique. It was like an outsider hung above all systems. Chapter 205 - 205 Eighth Throne 205 Eighth Throne ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you curse before, so this is a habit you¡¯ve changed over the past 1,000 years?¡± These were Remides¡¯s first words after she calmed down. ¡°So this is the first thing you¡¯re asking?¡± William asked with a smile. Remides looked at the man in front of her whom she had long forgotten his appearance and voice and took a few deep breaths before asking, ¡°You¡¯re really back?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± William nodded and replied. Then, he added, ¡°As for the swear words¡­ You might have to get used to it in the future. Of course, I¡¯ll try my best to curb their use.¡± To create sublime civility, the game would automatically block players¡¯ vulgarities, but there were no taboos now. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve changed a lot over the years.¡± Remides couldn¡¯t help but smile and tease when she heard a speech that vaguely didn¡¯t match the other party¡¯s past image. With that said, her figure began to blur. This was a change caused by her giving up on integrating all her selves on the timeline. ¡°Or rather, this is my original appearance.¡± William shrugged and replied. Then, he looked around and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. This isn¡¯t a suitable place to reminisce.¡± Remides looked around the round table just like how William did back then. She looked at the 13 Judges, including herself, and said with emotion, ¡°This is history itself, isn¡¯t it? I wonder what the Twilight Fortress looks like now. I remember that it has been sealed off ever since Dewey died¡­¡± William smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a good chat when we¡¯re back. I dare say that the current Twilight (Dawn) Fortress far exceeds your imagination¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Who¡­ is the person who walked into the mist?¡± The Tacma Church consultant, who had been thrown aside by William, got up from the ground and limped to Morton¡¯s side. The other party still knelt there piously. The Bloodblade family¡¯s duty that was engraved in their bloodlines and souls was to fight for the King of Mist. However, in this relatively peaceful era where there was no King of Mist, the restlessness stemming from their bloodlines and souls had always been unbearable. Therefore, when the Tacma Church came to him and hoped that Phoenix Fire City could support the coronation of the new King of Mist, he agreed on behalf of his family even though he knew that the other party was most likely using him. ¡°He said that he¡¯s an Elementium Silver merchant from the Blackwater Province. He came to Ava State to catch up with a pal of his and do business,¡± Morton looked at the slowly spinning egg-shaped mist and replied. Then, he turned to look at the Tacma consultant and continued, ¡°But there are plenty of problems with his claim¡ªhe said that his friend is in Moonlaw City, and Moonlaw City hasn¡¯t had a Ranger return for centuries.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re certain that he¡¯s actually a member of the Church?¡± the aged consultant patted the dust off his robe and asked. ¡°There¡¯s also the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s holy emblem hanging around his neck,¡± Morton replied and cast his gaze at the egg-shaped mist surrounding the throne. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the true King of Mist of Ava State returned to the mortal world after Remides Shadowmoon completed the coronation ritual. The ghosts in the mist would be with her, making her the perfect ruler and the core component of the High Elves¡¯ ancient path. From then on, High Elf society would be reorganized into a unified system, returning to a governing ecology ruled by the last names of the three core ¡°paths¡±¡ªKing, Warrior, and Sorcerer. It would be nothing like the present day¡ªlast names representing farmers, craftsmen, or merchants, divided into seven loosely organized city-states, all allowed to share power. ¡°You¡¯re saying that there are no Rangers in Moonlaw City?¡± the Tacma Church¡¯s consultant suddenly said. His tone was more puzzlement than doubt. However, Morton¡ªwho was immersed in excitement¡ªcouldn¡¯t tell the difference. He casually replied, ¡°It hasn¡¯t happened in about 500 years. After all, how can those who have obtained a sorcerer-related legacy path who can stay in Moonlaw City give up their last name to become a Ranger?¡± After hearing Morton¡¯s answer, the elder fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°But as far as I know, there¡¯s indeed a big shot in Moonlaw City who used to be a Ranger¡­ Moreover, I think you¡¯re very familiar with that person.¡± The expression on Morton¡¯s face suddenly froze. ¡°You mean¡­ the Ranger he¡¯s looking for is actually Lady Shadowmoon?¡± But how is this possible? The old man nodded with a look of enlightenment. ¡°That explains it¡­¡± he muttered to himself. Morton asked in confusion, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is? Lady Shadowmoon¡¯s friends back then are already¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re either dead or missing. After all, it¡¯s been more than a thousand years. The years are considerably long even for elves.¡± The old man helped him finish his sentence and continued, ¡°Think about it. A powerful magic chanter, a male, gray-haired, silver-eyed Stormland resident¡­ By the way, he also carries the Holy Spirit Kane¡¯s holy emblem. It should be obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Morton subconsciously shook his head after being enlightened. Then, he picked up the animal skin lantern beside him and stood up. ¡°No human can live for more than a thousand years!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not human, child. Ever since the crazy emperor from 800 years ago decided to use the name William Kane as a tool to chisel open eternal time, his name no longer represents a simple human,¡± the Tacma Church¡¯s consultant said. With that said, he turned to look at Diana. ¡°In that case, your throne will be in danger.¡± Morton also turned to look at the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s prophet in confusion. Ever since William stepped into the egg-shaped mist, this girl named Diana had abnormally lowered her head and quietened down. She stood rooted to the ground like a statue. Her body didn¡¯t even undulate when she breathed. No, it should be said that she wasn¡¯t breathing. ¡°Whose throne?¡± Morton asked. ¡°My throne¡­¡± A childish but dignified voice sounded from Diana¡¯s mouth, echoing throughout the throne room. ¡°Hill, you went back on your word.¡± The girl suddenly looked up at the Tacma Church consultant with an expression that didn¡¯t match her age and gender. As he spoke, the egg-shaped mist cocoon on the throne tore out a thread as if silk had been pulled out. It spread out and transformed into a humanoid figure that circled Diana. Then, the bronze holy emblem hanging around her neck emitted a faint light. Chapter 206 - 206 Yeats 206 Yeats ¡°Is that so? I can only blame myself for not being proficient enough back then,¡± said the girl, as she walked with a dignity that seemed out of place for her age and status, approaching the Tacma Church consultant. She looked up at the elder with a gaze that seemed like an emperor inspecting a subject. ¡°It¡¯s your duty to avoid all unexpected factors,¡± she said, looking directly into his eyes and speaking with the authority of a superior. ¡°The return of someone who has been missing for over a thousand years isn¡¯t something we could have anticipated,¡± Hill replied, a hint of complaint in his voice. The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds before the girl lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Is it really him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a phantom,¡± Hill replied, gesturing towards the bronze holy emblem hanging on the girl¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s a temporary illusion created by manipulating light¡ªsimilar to you, or at least, not more real than the current you. After all, you still have a pivot in Currere to maintain your existence.¡± As he mentioned the pivot, he pointed at the girl¡¯s face. ¡°A pivot that can only hold less than 30% of my strength? The parishes these days are nothing but trash. This is the best they can do even with the help of Moon Realm existences?¡± The girl¡¯s young voice was filled with disappointment that seemed out of place for her age. ¡°And the moment that man returned, he triggered a tidal effect throughout Currere. Even after more than 800 years of preparation, that bunch of trash still couldn¡¯t erase any traces of his existence¡­¡± She took a deep breath of the mist floating around her. ¡°What¡­ are you talking about?¡± Morton looked at the two of them in confusion. He glanced at the girl, whose words and actions were clearly different from before, then looked at Hill, the Tacma Church consultant. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°As you can see, the Prophet of the Eighth Order,¡± Hill replied. ¡°Nonsense,¡± Morton said, drawing his blood-red sword. Golden patterns covered the sword and a faint layer of flames burned over it. ¡°Why did you call her¡­ Terra? The founding emperor of that empire? Tell me clearly. What do you want? You told me before that you wanted to use the prophet of the Eighth Holy Spirit as a sacrifice to crown the new king. Was that a lie?¡± Morton raised his sword and pointed it threateningly at Hill. The coronation of the new king had always been the central part of the coronation ritual after the death of the former king, but the last King of Mist in the Ava State had died thousands of years ago. If Morton wanted Remides Shadowmoon, who he recognized as queen, to ascend, he needed to find a sacrifice to replace the King of Mist. The Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s prophets were the perfect choice for this sacrifice. They could represent the empire¡¯s emperor, who had died in the Wandering Battle and become a Mist Spirit. A prophet was more than qualified for this role. But the conversation between the two didn¡¯t seem to be following this plan. It was then that the girl, ¡®Diana¡¯, turned her attention to Morton. She smiled faintly and explained, ¡°It¡¯s normal for you to have doubts¡­ here¡¯s the thing. There are a few people acting as us holding a grand resonance ritual in Myriad Feet City¡¯s Terra Church in Storm Province, about tens of thousands of kilometers away.¡± Morton remembered that the girl in front of him had said that Myriad Feet City¡¯s Terra Church¡¯s layout was identical to the throne room here. Although he had a feeling he knew what was happening, Morton still asked, ¡°Resonance ritual?¡± ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s a mirror image that resonates with symbolic concepts. It¡¯s like performing the same ritual in several different places at the same time,¡± Hill explained. ¡°By the way, the genius who came up with this ritual was exiled from the Tacma Church and eventually went to the Vic Continent,¡± the girl, Diana, added. ¡°With the help of a benefactor, he used this technique as the foundation for a major project. Eventually, it became a pinnacle that future magic users could never surpass.¡± ¡®Diana¡¯ wore a strange smile and continued speaking after Hill. Although ¡®she¡¯ seemed to be supplementing, ¡®she¡¯ kept looking at Hill. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to remind me about Yeats,¡± Hill said, his voice filled with sadness. ¡°Allowing him to leave Ava State was the worst decision I ever made.¡± ¡°So you think it would have been the right decision to keep him in Ava State and let him continue his research?¡± Diana asked. ¡°It was the right decision to imprison him in the Magic Prison when we discovered that his research had gotten out of control,¡± Hill replied. ¡°Trying to cage a fierce beast is foolish,¡± Diana said with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s cruel to release a fierce beast among a flock of sheep,¡± Hill countered. ¡°If you have to choose between cruelty and stupidity, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make the right choice,¡± Diana said. Yeats was one of the three giants of the Unification War. He was Terra Riel¡¯s Chief Mage, the first speaker of the Astral Council, and the creator and enforcer of the Astral Laws. He was also the second and last magic user in history to master all 13 spell types to the peak of the Divine Realm, after William Kane. According to the empire¡¯s official historians, Yeats didn¡¯t participate in the Ava State expedition because he was busy developing the Astral Laws. This was the main reason for the Wandering Battle¡¯s failure, even more so than the inexplicable storm. ¡°Are you saying that Yeats is a Tacma?¡± Morton asked in surprise. ¡°Not only that, but he¡¯s also the most exceptional Tacma,¡± Diana replied with a smile. ¡°His idea back then allowed me to glimpse a corner of eternity and point out the ultimate path¡­¡± Diana then looked at Hill and added, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t stopped it back then, this path could have shortened the journey by more than 800 years.¡± The truth was that Hill had issued a warning on behalf of the Tacma Church, stating that if Yeats, a former Tacma, participated in the Ava State expedition, the Tacma Church would abandon its neutrality and ally with Ava State to fight the enemy. Hill remained silent, his lips pursed together. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not too late even if you¡¯re 800 years late,¡± Diana said. ¡°From the perspective of eternal time, this is just a fleeting moment¡­ They¡¯re returning soon, right?¡± As she spoke, she looked at the egg-shaped mist on the throne that was starting to tremble. ¡°A shadow of the past and a living relic of the past. I didn¡¯t expect to have to compete with the past in order to expand the future¡­¡± Just as she finished speaking, the mist dissipated like snow. On the throne, a graceful female elf wearing a crown that resembled silver mist tore open the chains around her like a spiderweb. Beside her stood a gray-haired man with silver eyes. Chapter 207 - 207 Blood and Magic Nullification 207 Blood and Magic Nullification The throne room was deathly quiet. The air seemed to freeze, and even the mist in the room seemed to solidify. William walked down the white jade steps of the throne, ignoring the tense atmosphere. ¡°Did I return too early and disturb your argument?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s the case. In fact, I really want to hear more secrets from the past. Unfortunately, as long as I¡¯m not in the Mist Soul, I can¡¯t control when this mist disappears.¡± As William approached, Diana, who was standing under the throne, warned, ¡°Halt!¡± But William kept walking at a steady pace. Suddenly, a blood-red, thorny fence burst out of the ground and blocked him from the puppet. The smell of blood filled the air. William didn¡¯t sense any magical fluctuations. ¡°So this is a part of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s authority? Is it related to blood?¡± William sneered and reached out to touch the thorny fence. As soon as he touched it, he felt a prick on his fingertip, and round beads of blood instantly appeared on his fingertip. William flicked the blood off his fingertip. The dark red blood drew an elegant arc in the air before disappearing as if it had never existed. ¡°Other than that, it also has the ability to null magic?¡± William continued. He had used a simple defensive spell on his fingers, but the magic defense at his fingertips instantly dissipated the moment he made contact with the fence. Not only that, but the Mirror Shadow spell that should have been perfectly constructed as William¡¯s clone also lost its life the moment it came into contact. The blood bead that William flicked out turned into primitive mana and dissipated. This was a little similar to the ability he had displayed when he fought Terra¡¯s Mist Spirit in the Shattered Sea not long ago. He only needed to touch it to dissipate the magic power that formed the spell. To a certain extent, this could be considered the nemesis of all magic chanters. ¡°Therefore, what¡¯s the true authority of the Eighth Holy Spirit? Since you used my name to swindle others back then, I believe I have the right to know.¡± William retracted his hand and looked at the girl controlled by the old soul through the fence. Diana looked at the phantom from the past and slowly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t know, it proves that you¡¯re not qualified to know.¡± As she spoke, the bronze holy emblem hanging on her chest gradually turned blood-red. The girl stared into William¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°Moreover, since you chose to depart and not interfere with this world, why don¡¯t you quietly stay where you belong? Why return?¡± The other party¡¯s tone held a tone of helplessness. This sentence made the polite smile on William¡¯s face disappear slowly like dewdrops that had met the sunlight in the morning. ¡°But¡­¡± His voice was no longer teasing like before as he became cold and threatening. ¡°If you had ever done something more humane over the years, I wouldn¡¯t have come knocking after my return. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t care too much if you had used my name, publicized or erased my past deeds. I don¡¯t even mind if you used my name to rope in believers and make yourself a god¡­¡± William raised his right hand to the height of his head. William looked coldly at the girl suspected to be Terra¡¯s manifestation and asked in a threatening tone, ¡°But tell me, what have you done? You chiseled open the World Shell, compromised with the Void Sovereigns, and established a disaster calendar¡­ Is this what you call ¡®expanding the future¡¯? Whose future are you expanding? Currere or the Moon Realm? Therefore, don¡¯t make me ask again. What¡¯s the true authority of the Eighth Holy Spirit? Why did you lie that you were my reincarnation back then as the foundation of the faith?¡± Facing William¡¯s oppressive aura, the other party didn¡¯t cower at all. Instead, he tilted his head and asked, ¡°So you still treat yourself as the savior of the past?¡± Through the phenomena, ¡®she¡¯ could tell from her probing that the other party was only an illusion that relied on a holy relic to exist. It couldn¡¯t even be considered a complete spirit descent, but a clone created using Mirror Shadow. Compared to the other party¡¯s situation where it was extremely difficult for him to maintain his existence, he basically controlled more than half of the Holy Spirits under the Eighth Order¡¯s management over the years. Although this prophet wasn¡¯t outstanding as a pivot, it was enough to suppress the other party. Moreover, with the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s magic-nullifying characteristics, a clone like the other party which was purely supported by magic and didn¡¯t have a Currere pivot could easily be insta-killed. The other party couldn¡¯t even pass through the thorny fence he had created. It was as if he was locked in a dungeon. Whoosh! Crack, crack, crack¡­ First, there was the sound of wind breaking, then the sound of something collapsing. The thorny fence between the two of them instantly shattered into pieces before turning into blood and dissipating. William lowered his raised hand. Behind William, Remides took off the crown and threw it to the side before pulling the bowstring of the Glazed Moon. Although her arrows had been sealed by the Ava State consultant, as a weapon produced by the first-generation Moon Realm champion, releasing air arrows remained very powerful. ¡°From the looks of it, it only has a strong destructive effect on the magic power originating from the Astral World, but it has no effect on Moon Realm creations.¡± William looked at the bloodstains on the ground that were emitting white smoke and dissipating. Then, he looked at the girl and continued, ¡°Therefore, is this naturally like this? Or is it the result of another compromise with the Void Sovereigns?¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t know, don¡¯t judge based on your imagination. I¡¯ve already said that you¡¯re not qualified to possess this power if you can¡¯t sense the scope of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s authority.¡± As she spoke, the person formed by the thick fog behind her instantly turned blood-red like the holy emblem pendant on her chest. Then, her eyes became empty, and her feet left the ground as she levitated. A blood-colored sword appeared in her hand. Its shape and temperament were somewhat similar to the Mist Spirit Terra Riel seen on the Shattered Sea. ¡°As if I care¡­ Archer, I¡¯m not in a good state. Can you do it?¡± William said to Remides behind him. He subconsciously called her by her nickname for convenience. ¡°I already told you not to call me that¡­ It¡¯s not a problem. I sent him to hell 800 years ago, and it can¡¯t be any easier now.¡± Chapter 208 - 208 Disparity and Contingency 208 Disparity and Contingency Remides was not as confident as she pretended to be. The seven blessed arrows had been sealed by the Tacma Church consultant, and it was uncertain how effective an air arrow would be in a battle of this caliber. The little girl floating in the air with a blood-colored sword in one hand and red threads made of mist wrapped around her other hand was undoubtedly a prophet experiencing a God¡¯s Descent¡ªeven if she was fully prepared, she had to be cautious against dangerous opponents at this level. In the past, in the Judgment era, Holy Spirits who gained personalities turned into Calamities. As for the prophets who followed the Seven Calamities, after being chosen by the power of Calamity as a vessel for God¡¯s Descent, they became executors known as the Touch of Calamity. They were terrifying beings who walked Currere and their destructive power was not inferior to high-level Lunar Monsters. A Prophet in a God¡¯s Descent state, along with the Tacma Church consultant who could attack at any moment, and Fire Phoenix City¡¯s City Lord, Morton, whose attitude was temporarily unknown¡ªthis battle was definitely not as easy as she had claimed. However¡­ if we managed to escape, that would be considered a success, right? Remides thought helplessly. Don¡¯t hurt that child. I still need her help in confirming something. It was then that a soul voice with a certain trembling echo appeared in her mind without warning. She resisted the urge to turn to look at William. The weapon she relied on could not unleash half of its effect and the Presiding Judge beside her was only an illusion created by distorting light. Its effect in a battle of this level was extremely limited¡ªshe did not think she had the luxury of holding back under such circumstances. It was better to say that her plan of escaping with him was pushing it. However, William appeared to plan on using his illusion to work with her to defeat the prophet in front of her who was in a God¡¯s Descent state? He¡¯s overestimating me¡­ She took a deep breath and stroked Glazed Moon¡¯s bowstring as if plucking a harp. With a buzz, countless thin threads shot out of the bowstring. They streaked through the diffusing mist and wrapped around various parts of the hall. Then, as if they were alive, they began to weave a murderous spiderweb. ¡°Before we begin, I want to ask you one last time. Are you really not going to consider my previous suggestion?¡± The floating ¡°girl¡± ignored the approaching web and asked Remides softly as she looked at the center of the spiderweb. Her so-called suggestion was to help engrave Holy Spirit Terra in cyclic time by using the Mist Spirit. She vowed to guarantee Ava State¡¯s permanent independence. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to give up the protection of Ava State¡¯s ancestor souls and sacrifice my life to become your stepping stone in exchange for freedom that should have belonged to us¡­ Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Remides only replied coldly. ¡°No, I¡¯ll say that this is my last attempt to respect your free will because your personal opinion hardly matters,¡± the girl said sincerely. Remides did not reply. Instead, she drew her bow fully and appeared to play a dangerous musical movement at the prophet floating in the air. The pillars, relief sculptures, beams, and sculptures wrapped in the bowstring threads in the hall trembled. Many of them even produced cracks that were as smooth as mirrors. As the bowstring trembled, the fatal net closed in on the girl floating in the air from different angles. The Glazed Moon bowstring was made from the rare and powerful Whispering Queen¡¯s Conspiracy Spider Silk, a divine artifact forged by the seven Void Sovereigns. Without the help of the seven blessed arrows, activating the full power of the bow required harnessing the power of the Conspiracy Spider Silk. While it was possible to use the bow arm created from Steelheart Widow¡¯s tears as a melee weapon, Remides was not skilled in this area. Glazed Moon¡ªMiserable Death As the threads of the Glazed Moon bowstring closed in on the trapped girl from all directions, it was as if invisible and deadly blades were approaching her. The thin, chestnut-haired girl was as weak as a bug caught in a spiderweb, but she was not helpless. Raising her hand, the blood-colored mist transformed into dozens of weapons that danced around her, constantly dodging and weaving with the agility of fish. In an instant, they became a blur of light. As the sound of hundreds of snapping strings filled the air as the color of blood flashed, the severed threads danced in midair, leaving harrowing scratches on the floor and pillars around the girl. But none of them harmed her in the slightest. Feeling the power slipping out of her control, Remides took a few steps back and struggled to stabilize the trembling threads. Gritting her teeth, she hooked the bowstring with her fingers and flicked it, bringing the out-of-control silk strings back under her control. In a flash, they shot at the prophet from all directions once again. ¡°Heh¡­¡± But the girl merely chuckled in amusement as her weapons, which moved with the speed of light, accurately and efficiently blocked the sharp and strange silk strings, preventing them from getting close. She stated confidently, ¡°Conspiracy threads are only effective in the dark. Their trajectories in the mist are even more obvious than flies flying into a cathedral. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overestimating yourself if you think this will defeat me?¡± Indeed, in the misty throne room, anything moving at high speed left an extremely noticeable trajectory. The hair-thin, quiet, and fast conspiracy threads were normally hard to detect, but in this room, they had nowhere to hide. The hair-thin, quiet, and fast conspiracy threads were originally extremely difficult to notice, but in this throne room, they had nowhere to hide. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you, with your sealed arrows, to defeat me here. Even if they weren¡¯t sealed, it would still be impossible,¡± the girl continued, raising her blood-colored sword and pointing it at Remides. Dozens of blood-colored weapons appeared in the mist behind her, gathering into a dark red torrent that rushed towards the other woman. Remides hurriedly flicked the bowstring when she saw this. A few threads instantly shot out and spread out into a spiderweb that covered the throne room. As Remides jumped and dodged through the air, using the omnipresent spiderweb to evade the homing weapons, the girl looked on and said, ¡°Why bother? Death is a relief for you now. Staying alive when your life should have ended long ago will only continue to corrupt your soul.¡± Remides responded with a few anger-filled invisible energy arrows. Strong, very strong¡­ William watched Remides dodge and counterattack using the spiderwebs, struggling against the prophet who floated in the middle of the throne room with a mocking expression. He knew the prophet was much stronger than the spirit he had encountered on the Sea of Mist, thanks to the Currere pivot. Despite this, the other party didn¡¯t seem willing to give up on using the King of Mist¡¯s coronation for apotheosis, meaning they wouldn¡¯t use their Instant Death authority to end the battle quickly. If that were the case, William would have already protected Remides and fled Moonlaw City, sacrificing his clone in the process. It became clear to William that the prophet¡¯s tactic of wearing down Remides¡¯s combat will wasn¡¯t out of spite, but rather a calculated move. However, this gave William the opportunity to execute the contingency plan he had prepared. However, this way, he could buy enough time for the contingency he had prepared¡­ ¡°Liz, you should be almost done, right¡­¡± William whispered nervously as he watched the intense battle unfold. Chapter 209 - 209 Lizs Little Adventure (Part 1) 209 Liz¡¯s Little Adventure (Part 1) Let¡¯s turn back the clock a little to a time before William was teleported to Moonlaw City and the crew of the Whalebone was placed under house arrest. On the Whalebone, Liz peeked out from under the bed in the cabin that used to be William¡¯s bedroom, surveying the mess that had been made by someone searching the room with her golden eyes. The traces of magic left behind showed that the searchers had used various magical detection methods. But despite their efforts, they were unable to find Liz hiding under the bed. Based on the principle that shadows were unknown things without light (magic), the high-level Shadow Concealment barrier William had set up protected Liz from a wide range of detection methods. The downside, however, was that those inside the barrier had no idea what was happening outside. ¡°Don¡¯t frown. Just wait patiently and drink something. I¡¯ll be back as soon as everything goes smoothly. But if this barrier fails, it means I¡¯m in trouble,¡± William said helplessly, seeing the look of disapproval on Liz¡¯s face as he cast the barrier. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t I go with you? I can use the Faerie Mist to help with the magic circuit,¡± Liz suggested, looking worried at the thought of being stuck in the darkness of the barrier for an unknown amount of time. ¡°I have a feeling that something is off about the High Elves who just boarded the ship for inspection. I can¡¯t say for sure what¡¯s going on in Ava State. Many elves with the Elven Eye talent can see through your disguise. It¡¯s too dangerous for you to come with me,¡± William shook his head, explaining that the faerie disguise would be useless against the Elven Eye. If there were any conflicts, Liz, who was responsible for building the magic circuit, would become the primary target. He was only a projection here. It didn¡¯t matter if he died. In comparison, Liz¡¯s life was more important. William paused and continued, ¡°If there¡¯s any trouble over there, I still need your help activating the trump card I brought. Oh, and let¡¯s go over the plan again. You remember what to do, right?¡± William asked. ¡°Of course! First, I have to turn the disc, right? Wait, no that¡¯s not it, but I remember!¡± Looking at Liz¡¯s confident smile, William sighed and said, ¡°You should write it down. Make a note of what I say.¡± ¡­ The Shadow Barrier had been removed, signaling that Liz¡¯s help was urgently needed. She sat in midair, studying the floating pieces of paper filled with strange patterns. Liz was sitting cross-legged in midair, looking solemnly at the pieces of paper floating in front of her that were filled with crooked patterns. These weren¡¯t just any patterns¡ªthey were the key to helping William. But Liz had a problem. As a faerie, she didn¡¯t have a concept of language like humans did. Faeries absorbed magic and didn¡¯t need to work together to hunt or gather for survival, so they never developed a language or civilization. To William, the patterns written down seriously by Liz looked like childish graffiti, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He didn¡¯t know that the ¡°graffiti-looking¡± writing style of faeries was just that¡ªmeaningless scribbles that Liz would forget about soon enough. In fact, the papers were even out of order. Liz frowned and looked at the notes for a while, trying to recall the plan she had made with William¡­ but she couldn¡¯t remember anything specific. Faeries were Transcendent creatures born from ambiguity, so it was natural for them to forget specific plans. More than a thousand years ago, William Kane and the Continental Chamber of Commerce invested in the reconstruction of the Adventurers Guild and stipulated that any intelligent race in the Currere could register as an adventurer. In the years that followed, although it was very rare, there were indeed examples of faeries registering as adventurers. Although no faerie in the past 1,000 years had received the title of Legendary adventurer and had their names engraved in the Guild¡¯s Silver Canon because of their playful and peaceful personality, there was a common saying about faeries that was very famous in this circle. ¡°Never let the faerie in your team act alone, because you will never fail to guess what stupid things she will do next.¡± Unfortunately, a certain someone from more than a thousand years ago had never heard of this saying. After pondering for a long time to no avail, this palm-sized faerie decided to follow her intuition in helping her good friend. But what should she do? Liz remembered that she needed to find a chest, so she set off on a mission to do just that. Yes! This was clear enough as a goal! ¡ªthe ambiguity in context for faeries. It was akin to asking lost children in the forest how they returned home. It was as clear as following the guidance of the stars or the fragrance of flowers. Throwing away the incomprehensible pieces of paper in her hand, golden scale powder sprinkled down with the constantly trembling wings behind Liz. Most of it dissipated before it could fall to the ground. She flew through the room, leaving behind a trail of sparkling scale powder, and headed out into the corridor. Then, she passed through the door like a golden wind and flew to the cabin corridor. ¡­ In the cargo hold of the Whalebone, two elven magic chanters in lightning-embroidered robes were huddled around a mysterious chest. ¡°This is a problem,¡± one of them muttered. ¡°It¡¯s a void box, but if we try to force it open, the items inside will be destroyed by the spatial rift. And where did they even find this thing? The craftsmanship is long lost.¡± ¡°Forget about where it came from,¡± the other responded. ¡°We have to figure out how to open it. The captain said there¡¯s dozens of kilograms of Elementium Silver inside. It¡¯s impossible for just the two of us to open it. We¡¯ll have to go to Moonlaw City and find a way. We need to be at least Legendary level in lightning spells to stabilize the rift.¡± ¡°But then others will know. Who¡¯s there?!¡± One of the elven magic chanters frowned and immediately turned around. A small golden figure appeared where the magic chanter was looking as a disc-shaped pale-blue nexus lit up in his hand. With the crackling sound of air being pierced, a barrage of lightning bolts enveloped the warehouse door like a cage, but a melodic song drowned out the sound of the lightning. The golden figure turned into a mist, the lightning cage passing through it like fingers through smoke. It condensed into the figure of a palm-sized girl. ¡°A faerie?¡± The magic chanter who released Lightning Cage was slightly stunned when he saw what it was. Then, when he saw the other party¡¯s golden eyes clearly, his expression became even more surprised. ¡°And a God-era faerie?!¡± The elf¡¯s expression turned to one of shock and excitement. ¡°Capture that faerie! I know how to open the chest!¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, William watched Remides¡¯s battle from afar, growing increasingly anxious as he tried to sense the backup plan he had set up. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just opening a chest. Why is it taking so long?¡± Chapter 210 - 210 Lizs Little Adventure (Part 2) 210 Liz¡¯s Little Adventure (Part 2) In no time at all, the two of them had captured the Faerie who had stormed into the cargo hold. Despite the fact that her eyes shone with the divine golden light that marked her as a high-ranking, God-era faerie, she was no match for the duo and was quickly subdued. It wasn¡¯t even much of a fight, as the captured Faerie had simply covered her head and tried to flee as soon as she realized the other party was hostile. Faeries, being the peaceful creatures they are, rarely take the initiative in battle and often have a hard time comprehending the concept of fighting from their perspective. Most Transcendent beings were similar in nature. Despite their innate strength, they were often weaker than mortals who had honed their combat skills and developed them into a systematic art passed down through the generations. This was because they didn¡¯t need to fight for survival like mortals did. In the early days of civilization, before magic was fully understood, mortal warriors wielding bronze weapons and wearing leather armor were humanity¡¯s greatest weapon against Transcendents. They were able to defeat these powerful beings and conquer the Vic Continent. Faeries, a harmless species, were considered fortunate in this regard. Other Transcendent creatures, like the Elemental Spirits, were much harder to control and were often imprisoned in demiplanes and transformed into Elemental Souls to be used in summoning spells. Without someone to give her orders, Liz, a faerie who had no understanding of battle, would simply try to escape when faced with danger. It was no surprise, then, that she quickly surrendered. The elven magic chanter in the lead held a cage made of shadows, the faint green flame of Soul Fire flickering over it like a veil. Liz, trapped inside, stared at the flames in a daze and wondered if she was doomed in her current predicament. ¡°Ah¡­ why would a God-era faerie leave the forest and end up on this ship?¡± the elf carrying the cage asked sleepily as he yawned. Even though he had set up a defensive barrier, just a few wisps of the sleeping dust-tainted air made him drowsy and his eyelids heavy. And this was with his mind as a magic chanter far surpassing that of an ordinary person. If it had been a normal person, they would have already fallen asleep. No one answered his question¡ªnot that Liz, unhappy in her cage, had much to say. His other companion was already sprawled on the ground, snoring softly between breaths. This guy had probably inhaled a bit more dust than him. A God-era faerie born from a high-level medium was just that powerful. Their dust could put someone into a near-death slumber with just a tiny dose. The elf stumbled towards the middle of the cargo hold, placing the shadow birdcage next to the safe. ¡°Why are you here?¡± the elven magic chanter asked, his heavy eyelids barely able to stay open. As he spoke, the emerald-green flames surrounding the cage flared up slightly, threatening Liz. ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s because¡­ before¡­¡± Liz stammered, trying to come up with a story on the spot. But before she could finish, the other party suddenly slapped himself. This slap startled Liz more than the emerald fire curtain that had been activated. The person with the palm print on his face shook his head, trying to shake off the sleepiness. Then, he continued in a tired voice, ¡°Forget it. It doesn¡¯t matter where you came from, but if you want to live and regain your freedom, I need you to help me do something.¡± The elven mage, fighting off the temptation of sleep, didn¡¯t bother to ask any more questions. As the other party¡¯s eyelids kept twitching, Liz frantically asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Open this chest,¡± the other party said, patting the intricate chest next to Liz as he yawned. ¡°Open this chest?¡± Liz repeated, seeking confirmation. The person nodded. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a self-destruct lock at the core of this chest that¡¯s proving to be a major nuisance. Without the password, I need your help to open it.¡± At this, Liz realized what the graffiti she had drawn on the small pieces of paper was for. ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± she exclaimed excitedly as she clapped her hands happily. But before she could finish her thought, the other party interrupted her impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. Let me finish!¡± He knew all too well that faeries, who were usually scatterbrained, could get excited over the slightest thing. So he rushed to stop Liz and continued, ¡°Without the password, it¡¯s almost impossible to crack this safe from the outside. If you use lightning spells to forcefully open the space inside, it¡¯ll cause an unstable spatial rift to explode¡­¡± Faeries were the only known beings capable of carrying out spatial control without using lightning spells. To retrieve everything inside the chest without setting off any of the mechanisms, an extremely high-level faerie was needed. The other party had originally planned on giving up, but then he stumbled upon the highest-ranking God-era faerie. Ge couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief that he had struck it lucky. ¡°¡­Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡± After briefly explaining the general process to the imprisoned faerie, the other party looked at Liz who nodded blankly. But can¡¯t I just open it with the password? Liz thought to herself. ¡­ As the girl¡¯s mind controlled the bright red weapon, it sliced through countless Conspiracy threads, tearing them apart like they had been hit by a storm. Remides¡¯s agile dance steps started to slow down. They should have been evenly matched in terms of combat strength. Both specialized in dealing with high-level magic chanters, they didn¡¯t have any advantage over each other. Ignoring the mysterious Instant Death authority, they should have been evenly matched in a fair battle. But this wasn¡¯t a fair battle. There was no such thing as a fair duel on the battlefield. To put it simply, Remides excelled at positional battles in a narrow, complicated terrain like an Underground City. When the Glazed Moon¡ªMiserable Death was fully activated, she became a lethal dancer, combining reconnaissance, control, and mobility to completely dominate the rhythm of the battlefield. In addition, her seven blessed arrows allowed her to deal high damage and flexibly handle enemies with different weaknesses. However, in this empty throne room hall, her seven arrows were temporarily sealed and the thick fog exposed the trajectory of her threads. It was like removing a tiger¡¯s claws and making it fight an adult lion in an empty gladiator pit. Given the circumstances, it was impressive that she had lasted so long with just her agility. Not good¡­ Did Liz really screw up? William¡¯s expression became increasingly grim as he muttered to himself. He had hoped his contingency plan would work, but now it seemed like it wasn¡¯t going to happen. He sighed softly and quietly reached into the storage space where he kept his Sealed Magic runes. These one-time consumables were not very effective in battles at this caliber. In the game, consumables were not enhanced by the spellcaster¡¯s spells, but in reality, it was inevitable that a lot of mana would be used when the spellcaster stored and used spells. The Sealed Magic runes were just inanimate objects, after all. They couldn¡¯t accurately adjust the flow of mana on their own. However, if the number of runes reached a certain level, it could cause a major shift in the battle. William was worried about this possibility. Before this mission, he had taken about 20% of the Sealed Magic runes from the Treasure Hall that had destructive effects. Most of them were items he had used to increase his proficiency in enchantment skills. If he used these runes with the intention of sacrificing himself, they could theoretically solve the current predicament in the throne room. The situation would be resolved by destroying the entire throne room. I¡¯ll first remind Remides to head for a safe area before activating¡­ William was about to use soul voice to inform her when something unexpected happened on the battlefield. Chapter 211 - 211 Welcome 211 Welcome Morton Bloodblade, Lord of Phoenix Fire City, drew his blood-red sword and strode confidently onto the battlefield. ¡°I was wondering how long you¡¯d watch from the sidelines before placing a bet,¡± the levitating girl, who seemed to have expected his arrival, turned to him and asked. With that said, the strange weapons dancing like fish in the hall instantly stopped. Then, the girl revealed an intricate expression and continued asking, ¡°So, which side did you choose in the end?¡± Morton simply pointed his sword at the girl¡¯s head, the runes on the blade glowing as a bloody aura surrounded it. This was his answer. The girl shook her head in disgust. ¡°Fool. If the queen behind you dies, the next governor¡­ No, the new King of Mist will be you. With this identity, you could accomplish an undertaking no one has ever done before. But you¡¯re giving it all up?¡± Remides, who had landed on the ground like a cat, couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and tightly gripped her bowstring, panting heavily. The other party had just stopped all the dancing blades, giving her precious time to catch her breath. The prophet floating in midair ignored Remides, as if she were an insignificant extra in the battle. The girl looked at Morton and said, ¡°I thought you were wiser. You know the consequences, right? If I fail today, the entire army will come for you. They will bring¡­¡± ¡°What they bring is what I seek,¡± Morton interrupted her, saying in a deep voice, and the smell of blood emitted by the sword in his hand became even stronger. ¡°Is that so?¡± The girl nodded and smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have had any expectations of you from the start. Continue then.¡± These words were like a starting signal for war. Morton gripped his sword tightly with both hands as blood shot out of the blade, forming a huge blood-colored blade in midair. It was as if the longsword had instantly turned into a wound that was constantly spewing blood. The thick retching smell of blood permeated the entire hall. Spellblade¡ªInexhaustible Morton softly chanted the true name of the Spellblade in his hand. The blood that spurted out intertwined in midair and finally turned into a huge blood-colored blade. The girl summoned the motionless weapons around her, which gathered to form a strange chisel-like sword covered in cracks. This fight seemed much more serious than the one with Remides, as there was no hesitation or trickery. Both sides used their full strength from the start, hoping to determine the winner with just one strike. The destructive power between the two grew, painting the mist in the throne room red. It seemed as if the entire hall would be destroyed by the collision of these two forces. But at that moment, something unexpected happened. A silver flash, as fast as a meteor, flew over at an incredible speed, shattering the solemn stained glass behind the throne with just its airflow. Everyone in the throne room, including the two people who were locked in combat and wouldn¡¯t dare to divert their attention, couldn¡¯t help but turn their gaze towards the silver flash. Everyone, except for William, was stunned by the intense and uneasy aura emanating from it. The meteor circled the hall and finally stopped in front of William, who had been idle for some time. It was an ancient-looking silver disc with countless complicated runes engraved on it. Terrifying magic power flowed between the runes. However, what made everyone present uneasy wasn¡¯t the surging magic¡ªthis magic was only used for sealing or stabilization. What made them uneasy was something else¡­ ¡°Thankfully, you made it in time¡­ Wait, why are you here?¡± As William approached the disc, he let out a sigh of relief. But his relief was short-lived as he noticed a small figure lying on the edge of the disc. It was Liz, her hair disheveled from the wind, her eyes closed, and her teeth gritted. Her arms wrapped tightly around the edge of the disc as if she never wanted to let go. William asked, tapping her forehead gently with his finger to wake her up. ¡°Eh, it stopped flying? Where am I?¡± Liz¡¯s eyes fluttered open, confusion etched on her face. William groaned, rubbing his temples. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to worry about anything as long as you opened the box? Why did you fly off with it?¡± Flying over from such a distance, anything they bumped into halfway could be fatal. Liz¡¯s face contorted with outrage. ¡°That d*mn elf didn¡¯t keep his word! I helped him open the chest, but he still tried to lock me back up in the cage. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to fight him, so I had to take off with this disc.¡± William knew better than to delve into the details with the faerie. He just tried to convince himself that everything had gone according to plan. For some reason, he felt embarrassed. He picked Liz up, who was still protesting, and tossed her aside. Remides, looking exhausted, walked over to William¡¯s side. She ignored Liz¡¯s protests and gazed at the floating disc, sensing the intense, uneasy aura emanating from it. ¡°Presiding Judge, could the thing sealed inside be¡­¡± ¡°Moon Realm coordinates,¡± William replied with a nod. ¡°But¡­¡± But before Remides could finish her protest, a fierce, mocking roar echoed through the throne room, interrupting her. ¡°Ha! You think you can bring the Moon Realm¡¯s coordinates to the King of Mist¡¯s throne? You¡¯re ridiculous! Do you not know that this place is protected by the Primordial Soul? No Void Sovereign can project their power here.¡± The girl sneered at William. ¡°You dare bring the Moon Realm¡¯s coordinates to the King of Mist¡¯s throne!?¡± Morton roared at William. But William remained unfazed. He simply placed his hand on the disc in front of him, his gesture unleashing a beautiful spell that sent the runes on the silver disc glowing with a dazzling light. But the light was short-lived, as it was quickly extinguished, plunging the room into a deep, despairing darkness. It was true that Ava State was a forbidden land that Moon Realm existences could not project their power into. But there was one exception. Eight centuries ago, a Moon Realm existence had signed a contract with the ruler of Ava State with the Primordial Souls as witnesses, agreeing to protect the misty country in exchange for the authority to unleash a storm within its borders. This high-level Moon Realm existence had once used this power to devour thousands of souls in the Shattered Sea, the echoes of its anger reverberating for over 800 years. Now, even if the power was diminished, it could still be summoned through the karmic entanglement of the coordinates. As a bolt of lightning illuminated the broken window and heavy rain began to pour outside, the girl finally lost her composure. William had always had a contingency plan in case things went south. If he couldn¡¯t project his full strength from this distance, he could simply bring the enemy into his own domain. Through the shattered stained glass, one could see a swirling storm cloud of tens of millions of crows. William looked at the prophet floating in midair, his gaze cold and calculating as if she were a prisoner on death row. Without waiting for a response, he spread his arms wide and declared loudly, ¡°Then welcome to¡­ Black Crow Gaze!¡± Chapter 212 - 212 Reunion 212 Reunion The sky was dark and ominous, filled with thousands of ravens cawing and hissing as they gathered in a cloud above. The prophet, who was in a state of God¡¯s Descent, went pale as she sensed the astonishing aura in the distance. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing and opened her mouth a few times to ask questions, but ultimately couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so. She knew that asking questions would reveal her own strength. But how did the other person accomplish all of this? ¡°Moon Realm domain¡­ Black Crow Gaze¡­ But how is this possible¡­¡± she muttered to herself, trying to understand. The palace of Moonlaw City was like a floating island made of chalk, hovering above a turbulent sea. It was impossible for this surreal scene to exist under the rules of Currere. Even the greatest magic spells couldn¡¯t create such a dreamlike landscape. Only in the Moon Realm, a world that reflected the wild thoughts of mortals, could such a thing appear. Then, this begged the question¡­ How did he do it? The girl wondered, holding her cracked weapon defensively as she tried to figure it out. This was the Ava State, a place that most Moon Realm beings couldn¡¯t reach without the protection of the Primordial Souls. Yet the person in front of her had moved the Moonlaw City palace from one place to another with ease, as if it were a child¡¯s toy. Not only that, but even on the Vic Continent, the Void Sovereigns couldn¡¯t do this without the help of Moon Realm rifts. The prophet of Holy Spirit Terra was speechless with shock, but someone present was even more surprised. Remides looked at the familiar and unfamiliar scenery outside the window, and the weak lighthouse standing at the end of the storm, and hesitantly asked the person beside her, ¡°Presiding Judge, is this really Black Crow Gaze¡­¡± Remides stood in front of the storm and lighthouse, long-forgotten memories flooding back to her. She remembered watching her friend walk to his death in this very storm, a death that lasted over 800 years. And now, she had returned to this place, never expecting to see it again. ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the real Black Crow Gaze,¡± William said calmly, his distant voice pulling Remides out of her thoughts. ¡°But after Blake died, the contract that allowed the Black Crow Gaze to appear in Ava State should have expired,¡± she pointed out. The reason why Black Crow Gaze¡¯s Moon Realm domain could be projected onto Ava State was because she signed the contract representing the Mist and Fire Spirits as the governor with the Father of the Crows. Before the lives of either party reached the end, the storm from Black Crow Gaze would protect Ava State. Remides remembered the pressure of the Riel Empire¡¯s army at the time and how she had successfully convinced the newly reestablished Mooncycle Council after the assassination to sign the contract, making it the only cooperation between Ava State and a high-level Moon Realm existence in history. But even so, the Mooncycle Council had their doubts. Firstly, they didn¡¯t think the mortal known as the Father of the Crows would last long, but they underestimated him. He survived for over 800 years, outlasting all the other senators of the Mooncycle Council. Secondly, even if the other party had ulterior motives, as long as they ensured that Remides was under their control, they could still terminate the contract at any time. This also allowed Remides to rule over Ava State for over 800 years. However, now that the storm has passed, she has lost control of Ava State. Theoretically speaking, her contract with the Father of the Crows had been terminated. It was impossible to temporarily pull the entire palace to Black Crow Gaze through a coordinate¡­ Remides looked at William in confusion. The latter smiled and said, ¡°I asked him about this before. As long as you¡¯re alive and still have the legal identity as governor, this contract is still in effect, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but who is the ¡®he¡¯ you¡¯re talking about?¡± Remides asked, a ridiculous possibility coming to mind. Before William could answer, someone else spoke up. A whirlwind of ravens rushed into the throne room through the shattered stained glass window. Among the blood-red eyes and fluttering black feathers, a tall man in a black robe emerged. It was none other than Blake. ¡°Blake¡­¡± Remides uttered. ¡°Long time no see, Ms. Ranger.¡± The Black Swordsman, Blake Saba, materialized out of thin air, dropping in between Morton and the prophet. But he paid no attention to their confrontation, instead turning to William and Remides with a relaxed expression. He nodded slightly and greeted them. Remides was stunned. Though Blake looked paler than she remembered and his once-black eyes had turned amber like a bird of prey, she was sure it was him. She had thought she was the last surviving Judge of this era, a relic out of place in the modern world. But now, in her darkest hour, when she was ready to sacrifice herself for a chance to bring back her old ideals, a miracle had occurred. The legend who had been missing for a thousand years had returned, and so had the hero who had long been sacrificed. She was reunited with her former Judgment companions at the moment she needed them most. Though her heart had all but dried up after a thousand years, this shock was enough to set it rippling once more. ¡°I had actually planned to bring Blake here to help, but the fusion between the Black Crow Gaze and the Dawn Fortress is still ongoing and the Grief Mountains are too unstable,¡± William explained. ¡°As the new head of the Dawn Fortress, Blake can¡¯t leave just yet.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll explain that later,¡± Blake said, extending his hand. Countless black feathers spun in his palm, forming a scabbard. He drew a black, two-handed heavy sword adorned with crow wings. ¡°Just tell me which one needs to stay dead or alive¡ªone or two?¡± Chapter 213 - 213 Disarm 213 Disarm As the Father of the Crows, Blake held power over the entire realm of Black Crow Gaze. So when he asked his question, the duo felt a chill run down their spine, as if sharp claws could appear at any moment. William replied to Blake¡¯s question, ¡°All we have to do is disable the girl from her ¡®God¡¯s Descent¡¯ state and make her lose her combat ability. I still have some things to confirm with her. As for that guy with the spellblade¡­¡± He turned to look at Remides, who immediately understood what he meant. She nodded and shouted to the Phoenix Fire City Lord, ¡°Mr. Morton, you have already proven your stand before. Please withdraw now¡­¡± ¡°My stand?¡± Morton, wielding the strange spellblade, didn¡¯t turn around because he couldn¡¯t dare to take his attention away from the man surrounded by crows in front of him. He coldly replied, ¡°Yes, my stand has already been confirmed by you¡­ but what about yours? Are those rumors true? Have you already made a deal with the Moon Realm and sold all of Ava State to a high-level, secretive existence? What difference does that make from the likes of Ward Windsong, who wants to sell Ava State to the empire?!¡± By the end, his voice became heated. ¡°No, it¡¯s not true,¡± Remides immediately replied, but she didn¡¯t know how to continue explaining. If she were standing in the other¡¯s position, she would have come to that conclusion. In fact, even Remides herself couldn¡¯t understand everything that was happening¡ªa friend who should have died appeared here, using high-level Moon Realm powers without any hesitation. And the entire palace serving the Mist Spirit was temporarily pulled into the Moon Realm¡¯s domain by the other party. Even Remides herself had temporarily suppressed her doubts because of her absolute trust in William Kane and Blake, but she couldn¡¯t ask Morton to do the same. As Ava State¡¯s elven conservatist, Morton Bloodblade didn¡¯t trust outsiders whether they were from the Moon Realm or the empire¡ªunless they were High Elves like himself He considered those who allowed outsiders into their midst to be the worst kind of traitors. Remides was at a loss for words when asked a question by the other party. She looked to William, who immediately understood her dilemma. ¡°Sigh, troublesome¡­ Blake, just disarm that guy with the spellblade. Don¡¯t kill him,¡± Blake, who had just lightly touched his sword, grumbled, ¡°I have to hold back in my first decent battle? This isn¡¯t satisfying.¡± ¡°Think of it as a challenge for yourself. If you really want to have fun, I suggest you go to the King of Deathblood¡¯s arena and play a bloody game. I still have two invitations,¡± William offered. ¡°For real? You¡¯d give them to me?¡± Blake¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Consider it compensation for this mission,¡± William replied. ¡°Deal,¡± Blake agreed, turning his attention back to the two people in front of him. The two of them remained wary of each other and Blake, who weighed his sword in his hand and remarked, ¡°I remember there was a saying in the past that described our current situation as ¡®Baroque Balance.¡¯ Does that phrase still exist?¡± The sudden rise of the Baroque Knight Kingdom at the end of the Golden Age had once altered the balance between the Storm Kingdom and the Kos Empire on the Vic Continent. It had turned into a precarious balance of three. In later generations, particularly during the era of Judgment, people often used the term ¡°Baroque Balance¡± to describe such a situation, where the unexpected arrival of a third party threw the previously stable confrontation between two sides into chaos. A one-on-one battle was simple in comparison, as all one had to do was focus all their energy on their enemy. However, once the battle escalated to involve three sides, the decision-making required in the situation became countless times more complex. Without waiting for a response, Blake spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m not good at dealing with complicated situations. Plus, the boss has ordered us not to hurt you. So let¡¯s keep it simple. You two can attack me together.¡± Remides¡¯s doubts were dispelled upon hearing Blake¡¯s arrogant words, which were identical to those he had spoken over a thousand years ago. There was no doubt in Remides¡¯s mind that the person controlling this power was the Black Swordsman from the past. On the battlefield, Blake¡¯s words didn¡¯t ruffle the duo¡¯s feathers. They were at a level where such provocations didn¡¯t affect their judgment in battle. But how could the two, who had just been planning on killing each other, lower their guard against each other because of Blake¡¯s mockery? Such simple sophistry wasn¡¯t enough¡­ However, interpreting Blake¡¯s sincere suggestion as a provocation was their first mistake. After finishing his speech, Blake didn¡¯t give any warning. His body transformed into thousands of ravens that enveloped the hall. As the hissing filled the air, countless pairs of white claws rained down on the duo. Black lightning bolts spewed from the ravens¡¯ sharp beaks, leaving deep marks in the air before slowly spreading and disappearing. They looked like foolish children who had dipped their fingers in pitch-black invisible ink and smeared it wantonly on a piece of white paper. The blood-colored mist surrounding the prophet suddenly contracted and solidified into a blood cocoon that protected her. Only then was she able to withstand the storm of attacks. The strange weapon in the air, which looked like a sword or chisel and was covered in cracks, spun rapidly and constantly cut down the surrounding ravens. Morton immediately stabbed his Inexhaustible Spellblade into the ground, causing spikes of illusory blood to pierce out of the ground and block the approaching ravens like a sea urchin. It seemed that this powerful attack wasn¡¯t able to break through the other party¡¯s defenses for the moment, but Blake¡¯s raven summoning was only his warm-up. He wasn¡¯t particularly skilled in this. Even if someone else obtained the Father of the Crows¡¯s authority over the concept of despair, it would manifest differently depending on the user. When this authority was in Jackdaw Coles¡¯s hands, he was best at controlling a sea of crows to carry out endless attacks, wearing down the enemy wave after wave. This matched his specialist position of attacking groups in Judgment back then. As a specialist against humanoids, Blake¡ªwho had reached the Divine Realm in swordsmanship and Spellblade control¡ªhad integrated this power into his combat style after obtaining the authority of the Father of the Crows. The ravens¡¯ cover was all it took for him to appear beside Morton like a ghost. Without pause, he wielded a two-handed heavy sword decorated with crow wings and swung it with a simple, powerful strike that shattered the blood-colored spikes surrounding Morton. That¡¯s right. Just one strike shattered all the spikes around him before turning into a blood mist and dissipating. Though Morton had been protected by the spikes, he was unharmed. To Morton, it seemed as if countless illusory swords had shattered the protection around him. Morton pulled out the spellblade he had stabbed into the ground, ready to continue the battle, but the other party put away his sword and turned to leave, as if he had lost interest. ¡°Hey! Aren¡¯t you going to continue?¡± Morton shouted at his back, feeling humiliated, but the other party didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°I¡¯m done. Boss said that I only need to disarm you,¡± he replied without turning his head. Exposing his back to the enemy in battle was the most arrogant and foolish act. Morton held the spellblade, Inexhaustible, tightly, intending to teach the other party a lesson they wouldn¡¯t forget. However, when he raised the sword, an ear-piercing sound like ice cracking came from it and the supreme holy relic spellblade¡ªInexhaustible¡ªthat had once banished the King of Deathblood¡¯s Chief Demon General, Carnage, and stained with a demigod¡¯s blood, shattered like glass. Chapter 214 - 214 Empty Throne (Part 1) 214 Empty Throne (Part 1) ¡°Come on, we have to go. We can¡¯t just stay here and watch the show,¡± William said as he patted Remides on the shoulder, having just witnessed Blake shatter the spellblade in Morton¡¯s hand and take control of the situation. ¡°What¡­ Ah?!¡± The female ranger, who had been focused on the battle nearby, turned at the sound of William¡¯s voice and was surprised to see a second William standing behind her. This one was dressed in armor called Evil Dragon Bones and holding the Withering Cold, a weapon that emitted cold air. He was the same man she had seen a thousand years ago, using the same equipment. Meanwhile, the plainly dressed William stood frozen like a wax figurine, with a faerie circling around his head and occasionally stopping to wave at him as if trying to get his attention. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Remides looked back and forth between the two Williams, feeling confused. She looked at the man holding Withering Cold and asked, ¡°Was the one just now only a Mirror Shadow? But how did you do it?¡± Mirror Shadow was a Divine Realm illusion spell that could create phantoms that looked no different from the main body, but it couldn¡¯t have a soul driving it and could only accept some inflexible orders. However, Remides could clearly sense William¡¯s liveliness and knew he wasn¡¯t an inanimate object like an ordinary Mirror Shadow clone. ¡°That¡¯s a long story¡­ But time is precious. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to deal with that guy first before talking about this?¡± William replied. ¡°That guy?¡± Remides tilted her head and asked. ¡°It¡¯s that Tacma wolf you brought in.¡± ¡­ The elder known as Hill, who was registered at the Tacma Church, realized that things had gotten completely out of hand when the palace was pulled into Black Crow Gaze. A high-level Moon Realm overlord had suddenly joined the battle, ruining all of Hill¡¯s previous plans. Therefore, under the cover of the crow feathers dancing in the sky and while everyone was focused on the three parties fighting, Hill seemed to blend into the air and disappear from the throne hall, a situation he couldn¡¯t understand at all. When he reappeared, he was above the endless sea in Black Crow Gaze. What happened? What went wrong¡­ He stood in the air and looked at the sky and earth connected by the storm and waves, wondering what had gone wrong. He shook his head and knew his most important task was to leave this place quickly and return to the Tacma Church to inform them of what had just happened. However, once he returned to the church, the person taking over the entire plan would be¡­ This thought filled Hill with indescribable sorrow. As an agent of the Tacma Church in Currere, he couldn¡¯t escape blame for the failure of the plan to fill the empty seat on the eighth throne without bloodshed. ¡°It was just a little short.¡± Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°And this little bit is as far away as a chasm.¡± Suddenly, a hoarse voice sounded behind Hill, causing him to turn around. A bolt of lightning happened to flash at that moment, illuminating the sky like it was daytime. This allowed Hill to see the person who spoke ¨C a gray-haired man wearing distorted pitch-black bone armor. The man was floating in the sky less than 50 meters away from Hill with a cold gaze. Beside the man was the Shadow Queen, whom Hill had served as an advisor for many years. Hill looked at the man in front of him and slowly said, ¡°You won¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°I can listen to your explanation,¡± William replied calmly. Suddenly, an azure nexus began to spread from the magical medium in William¡¯s hand. The temperature within a 100-meter radius plummeted, and the storm that filled the sky turned into ice shards. Countless ice sheets floated on the undulating sea under his feet. ¡°That¡¯s if you¡¯re willing to explain yourself and not spout nonsense,¡± William continued. As Hill watched the drastic changes around him and sensed the surging magic power he had never felt before, he looked at William in disbelief. He raised a finger slightly and pointed at the man in front of him with a trembling finger. Then, he said, ¡°Could you be¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. The expression on the old man¡¯s face instantly changed¡ªit turned into a puzzled expression. ¡°No, you can¡¯t be. No one can be¡­¡± William¡¯s last bit of patience disappeared. William¡¯s dangerous smile spread across his face. If this were a comic, exaggerated veins would be bulging out of his forehead. ¡°Good, very good¡­¡± He nodded slowly with a smile. Then he continued in a clear, deliberate voice, ¡°In the past, I¡¯ve often thought that if there¡¯s a chance in the future that I can control my characters without following the established framework, I¡¯ll personally beat up all of you riddlers who always put on an unfathomable appearance and speak enigmatically. And you like to come out after the fact and say how you were right. Well, I¡¯ll tear your mouths apart.¡± Hill, a Tacma, sensed the extreme hostility in William¡¯s words and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± William¡¯s stiff, unnatural smile turned into a sinister grin. ¡°It means you¡¯ll only have liquid food to sustain you for the rest of your life!¡± He pointed the magical medium in his hand at Tacma, and in an instant, more than ten spells lit up the sea. ¡­ ¡°You¡¯re hiding something, aren¡¯t you?¡± Blake asked the girl on the ground as the battle on the other side came to an end. She was covered in sword marks, half-kneeling with a sword in hand and panting heavily as a dense flock of crows circled above her head. Ravens stared at her with blood-red eyes, as if they were waiting to attack at any moment. But the girl remained calm and indifferent. Blake stood just five meters away and examined her carefully. Five meters was nothing to these two fighters, and from Blake¡¯s position, he could easily end the battle with another swing of his sword. But the girl only chuckled and didn¡¯t respond to his question. After waiting a few more seconds, Blake slowly raised his sword when he saw that the girl had no intention of answering or continuing the fight. He knew that the God¡¯s Descent state needed a medium, and when the medium¡¯s vitality became extremely weak, high-level beings would choose to retract their strength to avoid getting stuck in Currere forever. So his next task was to keep the girl¡¯s life while keeping her on the brink of death. ¡°You¡¯ve given me a tough job, Presiding Judge¡­¡± Blake shook his head helplessly and complained. He didn¡¯t like things that required precise control. But just as he raised his sword to strike, the prophet said, ¡°A piece of advice: the Presiding Judge you¡¯re talking about will only lead all of you to a tragic death if you follow him, turning the Vic Continent and even Currere into a living hell.¡± Chapter 215 - 215 Empty Throne (Part 2) 215 Empty Throne (Part 2) If the other party only wanted to eliminate the Holy Spirits Church, William would have simply raised his hands in agreement. He might have even helped fill the pits for the rotten organization and placed some flowers after the burial. However, it was clear that the other party was considering tearing everything down. This could be seen in their desire to resist the so-called tyranny of Currere. What they wanted to destroy wasn¡¯t the faith of the Holy Spirits, but the concepts they represented. Perhaps what the other party wanted to do was even crazier than the Void Sovereigns. Uh¡­ At the very least, crazier than most Void Sovereigns. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Holy Spirit personally impose tyranny on the mortal world, but I know a lot about tyrants who commit unforgivable crimes in Their name ¨C be it those who choose to believe in Them or those who raise banners against Them. In fact, other than this difference in standpoint, they¡¯re essentially the same kind of people,¡± William said after some thought. Compared to the Void Sovereigns who had a strong presence and personality, the presence of the Holy Spirits in the game was surprisingly low. If William excluded the Seven Calamities who had been given personalities forcibly, he had never heard any Holy Spirits make a sound throughout the game. It was more accurate to say that They were a systemic structure in Currere rather than gods. William¡¯s words made the old man being held up by a Death Spirit give a pitiful look. He stared into William¡¯s eyes and said slowly, ¡°Mr. William, there are two types of tyranny. The first is having a king order the execution of all babies born on the same day as his son in the country. The second is the rules that allow this king to do such ridiculous things. I regret that you can only see the first type of tyranny and turn a blind eye to the even more terrifying second type.¡± Without waiting for William¡¯s reply, he continued, ¡°Of course, I understand. You¡¯ll be that kind of person¡ªyou¡¯ll encourage the people to protest against the king with you. You¡¯ll storm your way into his dazzling and heavily guarded palace, pull him off his high throne, and finally hold a public trial to hang him in the Central Square. In fact, you did this more than a thousand years ago. I sincerely admire your career. ¡°However, I believe you¡¯ve already seen the final outcome in history books. After killing a king, the people will choose a new king. Sometimes, he might be a good person who can bring temporary peace to this world and give the people who grew up in this era the illusion that this world ought to be like this. However, most of the time, another tyrant only waiting to be overthrown is chosen¡­¡± ¡°So, you want to flip the entire table just because you ate a dish that doesn¡¯t suit your taste?¡± William interrupted him. These guys seemed to think they were some kind of shounen manga boss, despairing at the supposed ¡°human nature¡± and believing that the only way to save anything was to destroy everything and start anew. But William knew better. William glared at the other party. ¡°How arrogant do you have to be to think that the world has been stuck in some kind of stagnant cycle?¡± he spat out. ¡°Humans have struggled and progressed all the way from the Black Iron Era to the current Platinum Era. Sure, we¡¯ve had our setbacks and regressions over the past thousand years, but we¡¯ve always improved overall.¡± And that blasted Terra Empire was more than 50% responsible for those regressions, he added silently. ¡°Mr. William, do you still believe that power and human nature are the root of the tyranny you described?¡± the other party asked, a look of pity on his face. William responded by punching the elder. William¡¯s patience was wearing thin as he demanded, ¡°Then what do you think the root cause is?¡± ¡°Power and human nature are just expressions of tyranny, not the cause. All the suffering in Currere comes from Currere itself,¡± the other party replied with a calm expression. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Ignoring William¡¯s indescribable expression, the elder from the Tacma Church spoke as if he were preaching. ¡°Father created laws and power, making some people superior to others and positioning himself at the top of the power structure. Mother represents life and cycles, causing all beautiful things to eventually age and wither. Elder blinds true wisdom, making us perceive the world through unreliable senses and use incomplete methods like language to describe the soul. Lady disrupts the scale of emotions, causing us to love one person more than another and preventing us from fully understanding each other. Youth establishes the law of the jungle, making the weak weaker and the strong stronger, causing the world to become unbalanced. Child brings endless regret, showing us numerous possibilities but only allowing us to choose one. And finally, there is the Dead, who judges all living beings and takes everything away from us when we return to eternal requiem. ¡°Do you understand? We should have been able to gain more. We were originally stars, but the seven jailers who crowned themselves kings have trapped us in this world. Only by breaking free from this cage called Currere and destroying everything inherent can we achieve true freedom!¡± This is all about the Instrumentality of Mankind, Frenzied Flame era¡­ William inwardly groaned. Another lunatic claiming to be humanity¡¯s savior.If the Tacma Church was full of people like this, William felt that they should prioritize encircling and suppressing the organization before dealing with the Void Sovereign¡¯s invasion. At least the Void Sovereigns were openly trying to destroy the world, while lunatics like this might silently cause chaos out of nowhere. After hearing the elder¡¯s sermon-like speech, William no longer had the energy to argue with him and instead tried to gather more information. ¡°You only mentioned seven Holy Spirits. Then, what about the Eighth Holy Spirit, Hermit? Is He also a Currere jailer like His other seven colleagues?¡± William asked. ¡°He was deceived into participating in Creation, but in the process, He discovered that Creation was a complete disaster. Therefore, He hid His whereabouts, leaving only an empty throne. This empty throne is our only way to resist this crazy world,¡± the old man replied. ¡°Then, what does He have to do with me?¡± William continued asking. Instead of answering, the old man stared intently at William. After a long time, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll stop you.¡± ¡°Stop me from what?¡± ¡°Stop you from ascending to the empty throne of the Eighth Holy Spirit and becoming the Eighth Holy Spirit.¡± ¡°I never thought of such a thing from the beginning,¡± William replied in confusion. ¡°Yes, you may not want it, but as long as you¡¯re alive, the throne will find you. Whether you¡¯re willing or not, you¡¯re the throne¡¯s favorite candidate. Unless you¡¯re willing to give this empty throne to someone else before this, it will definitely be yours. And you and I both know that you won¡¯t be willing to let Terra Riel take it.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, you can only die, even if you didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a much more reasonable logic, but the question is how do you plan on doing it?¡± William asked, looking at the old man in front of him who would be sentenced to death at his slightest thought. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re very strong. If it were when you just returned, we could still try to exhaust you to death with absolute numbers, but you¡¯ve already begun to organize your forces.¡± ¡°You can say ¡®but¡¯ now.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you curious about the difference between the spell foundation I used and yours? There¡¯s no need to hide it. I could tell from your surprised gaze. Do you know why I said that modern magic or logical magic was a wrong path from the beginning?¡± the other party looked up and asked. William remained silent. William had to admit that without communicating with the Astral World, he was indeed very curious about where the other party¡¯s magic power came from. Magic chanters could use the ether domain to temporarily store a small amount of magic power, but it was only a small amount. However, all the magic power the other party had used previously surged from his ether domain, which was much stronger than his own. This was basically impossible, as the strength of William¡¯s ether domain, which could chant and release three Divine Realm spells at the same time, was definitely the limit of a mortal. If that was the case, William would have been the one being suppressed. There was only one possibility¡ªthe other party could use his ether domain to produce magic. However, this shouldn¡¯t be possible because all the magic power in Currere should come from¡­ ¡°All the magic power in Curre should come from the Astral World, right?¡± As if he had guessed what William was thinking, the other party said, ¡°Do you still remember what I said earlier? We should all be stars? Do you think this is just a metaphor?¡± William¡¯s expression turned serious as he realized the truth. ¡°Now¡­ can you understand how deeply Currere has imprisoned us?¡± ¡°According to our will, casually molding reality should have been our innate authority. However, under the imprisonment of the Currere cage, it became an endless logic game.¡± Just as he finished speaking, an earth-shattering explosion suddenly sounded from the Moonlaw City palace floating over the sea in the distance. William turned his head and saw that about a quarter of the palace had collapsed. Countless ravens surged out of the palace and gathered into dark clouds in the storm. The Tacma Church elder turned his head with difficulty and said softly, ¡°Then, let¡¯s enter Act II, Mr. William.¡± Chapter 216 - 216 Ironclad Rule 216 Ironclad Rule Currere, Cage, Holy Spirits, Jailer, Astral World, Moon Realm¡­ As a reason to destroy the world, this was terrible. If he were still the Spellblade who only cared about swinging his sword, he would have dismissed this person as just another lunatic trying to destroy the world for no good reason. The Doomsday Watchers had dealt with enough of those in the past. But now that he was a high-level Moon Realm overlord, Blake had seen the inner workings of the world and couldn¡¯t help but have doubts stirred from these seemingly crazy words. Or rather, he doubted the truth of the world. In Currere, thoughts only became reality when practical action was taken. As a reflection of thought, the Moon Realm were intrinsically thoughts. No matter how perfect and lifelike an architect¡¯s blueprint was, as long as he didn¡¯t build the building one brick at a time, this building would never appear in Currere. But in the Moon Realm, as long as someone had a detailed blueprint in their mind and a strong enough will to believe in it, their thoughts became reality. This prophet wanted to create a utopia in the Moon Realm where everyone could achieve their desires, but in Currere, the seven jailers known as Holy Spirits kept everyone imprisoned and reliant on their actions to achieve their ideals. Most of the time, it was even impossible for them to do so no matter how hard they worked. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m just an ordinary Moon Realm overlord, so I don¡¯t know much about these things. Maybe you could explain this perfect utopia in the Moon Realm to me?¡± Blake asked sarcastically. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like no humans have ever entered the Moon Realm. From what you¡¯re saying, the idea of creating things in the Moon Realm just by will alone seems ridiculous to me.¡± In fact, even an aberrant like a magic chanter with exceptional mental strength could only fly in the Moon Realm. As the girl lay dying, she shook her head and spoke to Blake. ¡°Think about it. Is your mind holding you back? I don¡¯t think so. Take William Kane, for instance.¡± When the girl said this name, her face revealed an expression mixed with admiration and pity. ¡°He¡¯s the Presiding Judge and his mental strength is just as strong as most Void Sovereigns. But even he has to rely on spells to use magic in the Moon Realm. But you, with a mental strength far weaker than his, can use your will to create things freely in this domain. Do you know why?¡± Seeing Blake remain silent, the girl smiled and continued, ¡°It¡¯s because the common sense of this world has trapped him. Whenever he tries to imagine something specific, a force tells him it¡¯s impossible. These two forces cancel each other out. But when you became the Moon Realm overlord, you broke through the shackles of common sense. Only then could you create things within your authority.¡± ¡°Common sense?¡± Blake repeated in confusion. ¡°We call all powers¡ªmagic, authority, the Moon Realm¡ªTranscendent. But have you ever thought about what it means for them to be called Transcendent?¡± The malicious smile on the girl¡¯s face made Blake feel disgusted. Before Blake could answer, the girl said in a solemn tone, ¡°It means there are ironclad rules called ¡®Mortality¡¯ above these powers that bind all of us equally. Breaking those rules is our goal. Compared to this great undertaking, William Kane¡¯s desire to make magic universal using Astral Circuits is just child¡¯s play.¡± Blake didn¡¯t want to speak to the girl anymore. He plunged the pitch-black sword in his hand into her chest. The other party showed no emotion as she looked at Blake and said, ¡°So, consider the true nature of this world. Observe it with your own eyes. Then, decide whether this cruel world is as worthy of protection as your Presiding Judge asserts.¡± In response, Blake drove his sword two inches further into the other party¡¯s chest, causing her to fall silent. Based on his past experiences fighting the Touch of Disaster, this would expel the other party¡¯s strength from the prophet¡¯s body. As for the girl, who was the vessel for God¡¯s Descent, she was on the brink of death after such a severe injury. It seemed she could pass away at any moment. Therefore, the sword in Blake¡¯s hand began to glow with holy white patterns from the hilt. These patterns traveled all the way to the blade and materialized into tentacles that emitted a gentle light. They clung to the girl and trembled slightly with her weak heartbeat. The other party¡¯s barely perceptible breathing started to stabilize again. Although Blake had not completed the Void Sovereign¡¯s advancement ritual and did not have the power to determine the life and death of mortals with a single thought, as a high-level Moon Realm overlord, it was easy for him to use his strength to keep a person alive temporarily. ¡°I¡¯ll have the Presiding Judge treat her later¡­¡± Blake muttered to himself absentmindedly. At that moment, Blake was still thinking about what the other party had said. The so-called ironclad rule of Mortality. He had indeed sensed this. Or rather, it touched on something he hadn¡¯t been willing to mention until now. When Black Crow Gaze had fused with the Dawn Fortress, Blake had been enveloped by an indescribable pressure. He hadn¡¯t complained about it, but the feeling of being trapped in a matchbox was real. So, could this mean that Currere is¡­ Blake realized that the other party was guiding his thoughts and immediately shook his head, interrupting his thoughts. No matter how noble the other party¡¯s motives seemed, they still wanted to achieve their goal by destroying Currere. Understanding this was enough. With this in mind, Blake¡¯s doubts naturally dissipated. Even as a Moon Realm overlord, he still had a human soul. He didn¡¯t know how the Presiding Judge had done it, but William had still maintained his human personality while reviving him as the Father of the Crows. In a way, this was a miracle on the same level as resurrection itself. The Presiding Judge had often guided Blake after that, telling him to fight in a way he could understand and not get intoxicated by his consolidated power. ¡°Remember, the Moon Realm¡¯s madness gives you the illusion that you can control everything, but that¡¯s only an illusion. The value of being lucid is being lucid itself. If illusions could really be woven into reality, why would the Moon Realm need to cause so much trouble in Currere?¡± That¡¯s what the Presiding Judge had told him back then. With this in mind, Blake suddenly pulled the sword out of the other party¡¯s chest. Why hadn¡¯t he noticed such an obvious loophole until now? ¡°You¡¯re not a prophet at all! We were all deceived by you!¡± Blake suddenly shouted at the girl, who seemed to be dead, his face filled with frustration. The girl took her last breath after the sword was pulled out. For a moment, Blake thought he might have been wrong. But¡­ ¡°How did you discover it?¡± The girl got up from the ground, her movements stiff like a marionette being pulled up. ¡°By comparing the Moon Realm to Currere to prove that we¡¯re in a prison. You¡¯d gotten ahead of yourself,¡± Blake replied to the ¡®girl¡¯ in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± the girl asked. ¡°The Moon Realm is born from the thoughts of living beings in Currere. If Currere is a prison, the Moon Realm is a cage in a prison,¡± Blake explained. The girl shook her head. ¡°I feel a little sad to hear someone who almost became one of us say such things¡­ In addition, I¡¯m very curious about something. ¡°If a Moon Realm overlord¡¯s heart explodes, will they die like mortals?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a hole suddenly appeared in Blake¡¯s chest. Chapter 217 - 217 Steelheart Widow 217 Steelheart Widow ¡°Is this what you meant when you said that anyone can become a star? It sounds so dignified, but in the end, you still need the help of the Moon Realm to succeed?¡± William mocked the old man in front of him after seeing who the phantom in the distance was. The elder calmly replied, ¡°We¡¯re just partners with the same goal. Besides, if you hadn¡¯t brought us into this Moon Realm domain, it would have been difficult for us to reveal our trump card. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t even sure if She would really be willing to help us. But since She chose to help, your failure is destined.¡± William felt a headache when he saw how confident the other party was. ¡°A partnership with the Moon Realm¡¯s Void Sovereign? Until today, I thought the Tacma Church was very intelligent. Also, why don¡¯t you guess why those Lunar Monsters called me Calamity back then?¡± he asked. ¡°But you still lack a weapon to deal with Her, don¡¯t you?¡± the old man replied. Before William could respond, the old man continued, ¡°Moreover, you will never be able to retrieve that weapon¡ªthe weapon called Judgment 3.¡± His tone carried a hint of gloating. With these words, William decided that after the matter here was over, he would choose a painful death for this old man. He cast his gaze into the distance, where a thin and sickly woman was floating in midair. She wore a black veil and a solemn black evening gown, the kind usually only seen at funerals. She seemed to float in midair alone, with an indifferent expression and no sadness or joy on her face. There was a huge hole in her chest, and where her heart should have been, there was only a deep void. She held a shriveled heart in front of her in her bony hands. At that moment, the other party was facing a dark cloud formed by ravens swirling in the sky. Void Sovereign, Steelheart Widow, Aiur. Although she was a BOSS from the past, it was difficult for William to consider Her an old acquaintance. There were very few quest lines related to the Steelheart Widow in the game, and most of them were used as meaningless filler. She barely interacted with players. Other than the final BOSS battle mechanism being slightly unique, there was nothing memorable. Oh, right, there¡¯s also Her strange name. In summary, Aiur was an existence that everyone might have forgotten about when discussing the BOSS with the weakest presence in the game on the forum. The domain She symbolized was numbness, silence, and coldness¡ªthe opposite of everything related to love in the world. The opposite of love wasn¡¯t hatred, but neglect. William had a question he couldn¡¯t figure out. The reason why the Seven Holy Spirits could truly appear was that the Holy Spirits Church had gathered the myths of the various races on the Vic Continent and summarized similar gods into a unified prototype of faith. To a certain extent, this was a ceremonial magic system formed through high-level planning. However, the mythical prototype of the so-called Eighth Holy Spirit had never appeared in the legends of the various races. It had only been constructed using the deeds of mortals out of thin air ¨C whether it was William¡¯s deeds or Terra¡¯s deeds, it had only used the deeds of mortals to truly achieve divinity. This didn¡¯t sound quite scient¡­ occultic. In history, there were numerous rulers who claimed to be gods, but no one had ever become an existence like the Eighth Holy Spirit who could provide a weak blessing just by touching its figurine. However, when William saw that the person confronting Blake in the distance was the Steelheart Widow, he seemed to understand what the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s divinity manifestation was. William remembered his conversation with the Eighth Order Holy Maiden, Diana, on his way to Ava State. Diana had told him that she received a divine revelation from the Eighth Holy Spirit because she found an amulet that William had enchanted and created. After that, she helped Myriad Feet City get rid of the Blood and Tears Plague and was given the title of Eighth Order Holy Maiden. William found it strange. The amulet he enchanted didn¡¯t have any healing powers, and the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s authority shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with healing. So, how did Diana get rid of the plague? But when William saw Steelheart Widow descend, it became clear¡ªthe Blood and Tears Plague wasn¡¯t actually expelled by the Eighth Holy Spirit. Instead, it was the Void Sovereign who created it, Steelheart Widow Aiur, who stopped it. The Eighth Order and the Tacma Church were partners with the Moon Realm. Whether from the beginning or at some point, the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s birth was definitely connected to the Void Sovereign. William even believed that it could be traced back specifically to Steelheart Widow Aiur, the Void Sovereign. In the game, when fighting Aiur¡¯s Void Incarnation, the other party¡¯s special abilities were Silence and Instant Death. With the title of Steelheart Widow, while it was unknown why Aiur had the word ¡°widow¡± in her name, the word ¡°steelheart¡± was the best explanation for Her symbolic domain. Metal spells were also called Death spells because metal was the final stage of magic power sinking and condensing in the Creation Model. It was magic power that had died and lost all its vitality. The concept of Steelheart matched this¡ªthe numbness, silence, and coldness of losing passion sealed all creativity in cold reality. Now that William thought about it, the two powers displayed by the so-called Eighth Holy Spirit¡ªmagic nullification and the unreasonable Instant Death¡ªseemed similar to Steelheart Widow¡¯s, whom William fought before. However, he never considered the Moon Realm or Steelheart Widow. A raven flew overhead in a staggered flight. William curled his index finger and let it land. ¡°Presiding Judge, Void Sovereign Steelheart Widow¡¯s projection, descended upon Black Crow Gaze with the mark on the girl from before.¡± The raven spoke in Blake¡¯s voice. ¡°Is it possible for the other party to enter Black Crow Gaze or Currere through this projection?¡± William paused to consider before asking, ¡°More than half of Black Crow Gaze has already merged with Currere. The World Shell¡¯s protection will also apply to us. Unless the other party kills me and takes control of Black Crow Gaze, it¡¯s impossible for Her to enter Black Crow Gaze or even Currere with Her true body.¡± In other words, the other party was just a projection. Upon hearing this, William breathed a sigh of relief. As a magic chanter, he didn¡¯t have much power against Steelheart Widow compared to the other 12 Void Sovereigns, but if it was just a projection, he should be able to handle it without fully gearing up or using Judgment equipment. ¡°Are you okay?¡± William noticed that the raven Blake had sent, who was now injured. As the Father of the Crows, every raven in Black Crow Gaze was an extension of his strength, so Blake¡¯s injuries would be reflected in the ravens. ¡°Fortunately, the other party was only able to achieve a surprise attack at the beginning. She hasn¡¯t made any further gains. However, it doesn¡¯t seem like She¡¯s interested in fighting,¡± Blake replied through the raven. It was good that the other party wasn¡¯t interested in fighting. After all, it fit Her character. William jested inwardly and continued asking, ¡°Can you handle it alone, or do you need my help?¡± As a Moon Realm existence second only to the Void Sovereign, William believed that even without his assistance, Blake should be able to defeat the other party. ¡°It¡¯s easy to deal with the other party. As long as I stop maintaining the coordinates in Moonlaw City and bring Black Crow Gaze closer to Currere, the other party will be forced back to the Moon Realm by the World Shell,¡± Blake responded through the raven. However, as soon as these words were spoken, the raven froze. William felt the raven on his finger become heavy and cold. Before he could react, it flipped over and fell to the reef below with a metallic sound. The raven spirit, formed by Blake¡¯s strength, had turned to metal. I have a deal to discuss with the Calamity. You can banish me after I¡¯m done. A crisp and cold voice that sounded like iron clashing echoed in everyone¡¯s minds. The next moment, the woman in the black evening gown appeared in front of William, her hands holding a steel heart. Chapter 218 - 218 Aiurs Request 218 Aiur¡¯s Request ¡°What deal?¡± William asked as he simultaneously warned Blake through his soul voice to not be hasty in removing the coordinates and ¡®squeezing¡¯ the Void Sovereign back to the Moon Realm in front of him. He wanted to hear what deal this Void Sovereign, who had the least presence, wanted to make with him. After all, the deal he had made with the Void Sovereign with the strongest presence had greatly benefited him. However, even though William understood that the Void Sovereign had the ability to harm him, he found himself feeling a dangerous sense of calm when the Void Sovereign¡¯s projection suddenly appeared in front of him. That¡¯s right, a dangerous sense of calmness. William understood that the Void Sovereign had the ability to harm him, he found himself unable to be vigilant or nervous. It was as if all the emotions in his heart that required passion had been drained out of thin air. This even made him hesitate when he tried to mobilize his magic power to be on guard. Magic was a combination of passion and reason¡ªguiding magic from the Astral World required sensibility to construct a connection with the stars, and weaving magic spells required logical thinking ability and a deep understanding of the Currere rules. Any delay in either significantly hindered the magic casting. Previously, when William met Valk at the Fanatic Theater, the latter was affected. Now, when facing Steelheart Widow Aiur, it was William¡¯s turn. If it were in-game, it would be equivalent to having a debuff on his mana regeneration speed, William thought. The simple numerical changes in-game turned into a real sensory experience after entering reality. If you agree to help me do something, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. How about that? The cold, crisp voice echoed in William¡¯s soul. ¡°Madam Aiur, according to your contract with Tacma, the construction of the Eighth Throne is almost finished. Please get rid of this vigilante who shouldn¡¯t even be here. Only then can your long-cherished wish¡­¡± Before William could answer because of Aiur¡¯s calm aura, the Tacma Church member being held up by two Death Spirits shouted, Can¡¯t this fellow read the situation? William thought. He interrupted him and said, ¡°Can you be more specific? What do you need me to do, and what truth will you tell me?¡± William couldn¡¯t just blindly agree to a request like ¡°before I tell you what happened, swear that you won¡¯t be mad about it.¡± He wasn¡¯t even Aiur¡¯s girlfriend. What if She wanted him to commit suicide? ¡°At least tell me how difficult the task is.¡± Aiur, dressed in a black evening gown, looked at William coldly. She didn¡¯t use Her soul voice this time. Instead, She said, ¡°That task would have been a piece of cake for you, but Calamity¡­ No, William Kane, why did you refuse to join us?¡± William was taken aback by the sudden question. He asked cautiously, ¡°Why do you think I would agree?¡± ¡°Madam Aiur, this person isn¡¯t what you imagine. He¡­¡± The Tacma tried to defend himself, but Aiur only gave him a brief glance before making him grip his neck and produce menacing sounds. The Tacma¡¯s face turned ashen. Aiur turned back to William and said, ¡°For me, you should choose to become a Void Sovereign.¡± William felt a series of question marks appear over his head. What do you mean by I should become a Void Sovereign for you? Do I know you? Before he could ask these questions, Aiur stunned him with Her next words. ¡°This way, you can kill me and let me die as I wish.¡± William didn¡¯t know what expression he had, but he couldn¡¯t help glancing over at the Tacma Church member beside him. The man looked like he had just had his entire worldview shattered. ¡°This is what you want me to help you do?¡± William asked, barely able to get the words out. ¡°Is it very difficult to understand? Only Void Sovereigns can kill each other,¡± Aiur replied, Her tone unchanged. ¡°Then, you can ask the King of Blood, Brand, to do it¡­ I don¡¯t think that the perverted head enthusiast will reject the addition of a sovereign¡¯s head to His collection.¡± ¡°But I can only accept being killed by the person I love.¡± ¡°Mm? Mm! Mm mm mm mm¡­¡± William didn¡¯t need to turn around to know that the Tacma was in shock. To be honest, if not for the other party¡¯s calm halo, the expression on his face probably wouldn¡¯t be much better than the other guy. What the hell?! What do you mean by you only accepting being killed by the person you love? She then specified that I am to kill Her? What was this? A confession? And even if it was, didn¡¯t it sound too terrifying? William took a deep breath and asked patiently, ¡°Can you help me figure this out?¡± He knew that the title of Void Sovereign carried a special symbolic meaning. Essentially, one could roughly guess the other person¡¯s image and personality just by looking at Their name. In this case, the person in front of him had the title of Steelheart and Widow. It wasn¡¯t a good thing to have Her pining over him. Furthermore, as a symbolic domain, for a Void Sovereign, who was the antithesis of love, to fall in love with others, William felt that this was similar to the King of Deathblood calmly reasoning with others or the Absurdity Jester following the rules one day. It was abnormal to the point of horror. Something was definitely off. ¡°Literally. I hope you can kill me completely. In return, I can tell you the truth.¡± ¡°What truth?¡± William continued asking when he saw that the other party didn¡¯t seem eager to explain further. ¡°The truth about you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± William pointed at himself with amusement and sneered. ¡°What truth can I have that needs you to tell me?¡± Although William¡¯s response seemed calm and confident, his heart skipped a beat at the mention of a truth he didn¡¯t know. The truth about himself¡­ Could the truth She spoke of refer to his identity as a transmigrator? What else could it be? As if She had anticipated William¡¯s response, Aiur continued, ¡°Of course you have a truth you don¡¯t know¡­ Think back. Do you remember where you went in the 1,008 years you disappeared?¡± William fell silent for a long time before finally replying, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± This wasn¡¯t a lie. In William¡¯s consciousness, he didn¡¯t do anything. He only waited for the game to go offline. When he came back to his senses, more than a thousand years had passed. Although transmigration didn¡¯t make sense, William wanted to know why he transmigrated to the Vic Continent more than a thousand years later if possible. ¡°Then kill me. I¡¯ll tell you the truth.¡± William didn¡¯t want to snap back about how the other party would tell him the truth if he really killed Her. Instead, he raised the key issue. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± If William could kill a Void Sovereign, he wouldn¡¯t have to be so careful. The Void Sovereign had already been deeply bound to the relevant concepts and had even become an undying existence. Even with Judgment equipment, he could only severely injure or seal Them. A complete kill was basically impossible theoretically. Furthermore, the Judgment equipment corresponding to Steelheart Widow Aiur, Judgment 3, had long disappeared into the vast sea with its owner, Frost Lich Nehe, the third Judge. The current him couldn¡¯t even truly injure the Void Sovereign. However¡­ ¡°You can do it. As long as you ascend the throne of the Eighth Holy Spirit, you can obtain the right to kill me in Currere. This throne was built for you,¡± Aiur said. Chapter 219 - 219 Agitated Moon Realm 219 Agitated Moon Realm In the Moon Realm, known as the Nest of Silk and ruled by the Whispering Empress, adjusting the complex network of conspiracy threads required utmost precision. This was a world where everyone had their own dark thoughts, which could be made an inception by inner whispers into schemes ranging from small acts of theft to the overthrowing of the empire. The more powerful the people involved in the conspiracy was, the better it was. This was not the case. A high-ranking commander of the imperial guards, who had a lot of power, might rebel because he wanted even more power and become the puppet master of the royal heir. In other words, he had taken control of the entire empire. This was definitely a huge successful conspiracy. However, it was done in a very simple and crude way. It wasn¡¯t complicated at all and lacked the thrill of walking on the edge of a knife. Instead, Beatrice desired a plot that hinged on the choice of a border shepherd, whose decision could ultimately lead to a rebellion storm sweeping through the country like the butterfly effect. This was the perfect conspiracy that Beatrice pursued, one that ended in a huge disaster. One that resulted in a huge disaster involving the fate of countless mortals, with a minor incident as the spark. Beatrice played with the fates of countless people as if it were a mockery, making mortals who would eventually die fear the impermanence of fate. Currently, She was sitting in the middle of the Nest of Silk¡¯s web of conspiracies, carefully weaving the next grand scheme. Under Beatrice¡¯s orders, countless Webweavers adjusted the various nodes on the elaborate conspiracy network bit by bit, allowing their tremors to match the frequency their empress wanted. Countless Whisperers and Soul-Ingesting Spider Demons carried the ends of the conspiracy threads and acted covertly in Currere, slowly guiding the participants of this conspiracy to a predetermined stage. Beatrice was in the process of weaving the core of a tragic massacre that was to take place in Platinum City and Ice Dragon City. The main players were the empress of the empire, Erin Riel, and the Ice Dragon Duke, Gray Riel, who had been exiled by Erin. Despite being protected by numerous Divine Realm powerhouses who had overcome their fate, Beatrice was confident that She could use Her web of complicated conspiracies and agents to draw the two most powerful people on the Vic Continent into a vortex of tragedy. The only thing Beatrice needed to worry about was the possibility of interference from the troublemaker. Suddenly, the conspiracy threads trembled violently and froze Beatrice as She was carefully adjusting the net. Her eyes, which could see countless plots, looked in the direction of the trembling threads and saw only deathly gray. This gray, which represented the loss of all passion, could only belong to Steelheart Widow, also known as Aiur, a Void Sovereign with a very strange temperament. Unlike some Void Sovereigns, who were Newborns, Beatrice was a void echo that originally accompanied Creation. As a Rebirth, She had completely forgotten her mortal life, but still retained some mortal shortcomings. As a result, Her strength was inferior to that of the seven Newborns. However, Beatrice felt that She was more like an eternal existence than the emotional Newborn Steelheart Widow, Aiur. After discovering the cause of the shaking and listening to the other party inform the Moon Realm Calamity, Beatrice was shocked for a few seconds before muttering to Herself, ¡°Is She crazy?¡± A feeling of dread rose in Her heart. She quickly checked the network of plots She had woven. But then, She watched in dismay as more than half of the intricate web of scheming between Platinum City and Ice Dragon City shattered, as if someone was cutting it with invisible scissors. The broken threads snapped like taut spinning threads, flying everywhere. The Webweavers under Her couldn¡¯t dodge in time and were instantly sliced into pieces by the extremely sharp and firm threads. As the Webweavers cried out in despair, Beatrice barely managed to force the words out through gritted teeth, ¡°¡±Aiur¡­ are you insane?! You actually told the greatest threat to the Moon Realm about the throne ritual?¡± ¡­ At the Fanatic Theater in the Moon Realm, Absurdity Jester Valk was watching a play called Astral Moment when He suddenly woke up. He sprang out of His purple velveted seat and grabbed the chandelier on the ceiling in shock. At the same time, His butler Reason appeared at His feet. Reason looked up at Valk, who was swinging from the chandelier, and calmly told Him, ¡°Master, I just received news that Madam Aiur¡­¡± Valk let go of the chandelier and floated back to the ground like a feather. ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± He said, His left eye flickering with a red glint and the shadows of countless destiny threads flickering inside. ¡°How bold. Isn¡¯t She afraid that everyone will die together?¡± Valk asked, frowning slightly before laughing maniacally. ¡°But it¡¯s interesting enough. I can¡¯t wait to see how the other Newborns go crazy over this. Hahahahaha¡­¡± Hearing Valk¡¯s dangerous words, Reason asked, ¡°Then, do we need to use the backup plan we set up in the empire to prevent the Calamity from ascending?¡± ¡°No! Are you crazy?!¡± Valk exclaimed, widening His eyes and looking at Reason. ¡°At a time like this, it¡¯s naturally interesting to give those friends who want to stop the Calamity some trouble!¡± As He spoke, the Lunar Monsters on the various substages in the theater stopped their reenactments of historical dramas. They removed their skins and revealed their true forms, then followed their Demon Generals and put on colorful, exaggerated decorations. They beat gongs and drums and left the theater, divided into six groups and heading in six different directions to the domains of the other Void Sovereigns. ¡°Master, what are you doing?¡± Reason was alarmed by this. This was no different from declaring war on the other Moon Realm Void Sovereigns. ¡°Trust me, this will be more interesting,¡± Valk said with a mysterious smile. ¡°But you know the consequences of letting the Calamity ascend the throne. That¡¯s why you chose to support him as the 14th Sovereign back then. Why are you now¡­¡± Reason tried to advise him again. ¡°In any case, it¡¯s impossible for the Calamity to ascend to the throne alive, right? So before that, we have to make this matter produce many variables to make it more interesting,¡± Valk replied happily. ¡­ The Moon Realm¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Choice Fortress was a boiling hot place, filled with heat waves and the smell of blood and burning metal. Every corner of the unibody metal fortress was filled with the sounds of roaring, screaming, clashing weapons, and flesh being torn apart. In the deepest part of the fortress was a blood-red throne made of twisted weapons, where a figure covered in flames and blood sat. At the steps of the throne, a giant wearing spiked brass armor knelt in fear. This high-level Lunar Monster was sweating all over, something that would normally be impossible for this King of Deathblood¡¯s high-level Lunar Monster¡ªone that had a chance of being promoted to a Demon General¡ªeven when soaked in magma, but it was terrified. King of Deathblood Brand only had three emotions¡ªanger, great anger, and extreme anger. When He was extremely angry, even his Demon Generals would be crushed and sent to be reforged, depending on their luck. Now, the giant brought news that would make Brand extremely angry. ¡°Repeat what you just said,¡± the voice on the throne boomed, accompanied by heavy breathing. The Lunar Monsters, who didn¡¯t even have sweat glands, suddenly began to sweat like mortals. ¡°Madam Aiur¡­ She told the Calamity about the method to ascend the throne,¡± it stuttered in fear, but before it could finish speaking, its body and brass armor started to disintegrate inch by inch. As its consciousness faded away, the last thing it heard was a deafening roar. ¡°Aiur!!!¡± ¡­ William had no idea how much impact Steelheart Widow Aiur had on the Moon Realm after Her revelation. Other than Steelheart Widow Aiur¡¯s Moon Realm Gray Domain, the other 12 Void Sovereigns¡¯ domains were also hit by earthquakes. Countless Void Sovereigns¡¯ backup plans and hidden bets in Currere were activated at this moment. In the Moon Realm, demon army troops belonging to different Moon Realm domains began to fight based on their different allegiances. This was just the initial ripple caused by the stone that Aiur had thrown. Chapter 220 - 220 Dead Holy Spirit 220 Dead Holy Spirit William didn¡¯t know about the chaos in the Moon Realm, and Aiur¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Maybe to Aiur, who represented lack of love, that blank expression was the only expression She had. Even though the Void Sovereigns with the strongest reactions had already sent Their armies to the Gray Domain, and the monsters spawned by Aiur were being killed in large numbers under the attack of various factions, and Her Moon Realm territory that She had expanded for thousands of years was being slowly consumed by all sides¡­ whether it was Her main body seated on the Ironstone Throne or the projection in front of William, Aiur¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Therefore, William had no idea what the future held for him. However, if it was just at this moment, he could still vaguely gather some information. In the game, there was very little information about the Moon Realm¡¯s Void Sovereign¡¯s origins. Most of it came from the main quest leading to the Eclipse ending. In the Echoes of the Past quest, the protagonist snuck into the Forbidden Sage¡¯s Library of the Dead and read some banned documents about the Void Sovereign¡¯s essence. Although they were both immortal beings and there was no essential difference in terms of status, the Void Sovereign could still be roughly divided into two categories based on how They were born¡ªNewborn and Rebirth. Newborns or Original Sovereigns were those who were born with Currere during Creation. They were seen as void echoes that were unhappy with Currere. Rebirth or Bridging Sovereigns, on the other hand, were creatures of Currere who ascended to the immortal divine throne at a certain point in history after Creation. It was said that the destruction of the Orsis Continent thousands of years ago was caused by the birth ritual of a Void Sovereign. Although it may appear like the Connate and Postnatal realms in eastern fantasy novels and the Newborns in-game were stronger than Rebirths in-game, the two were actually identical in terms of the plot. However, Rebirths may not be able to fully unleash the power brought about by Their stature due to Their remaining humanity. On the other hand, Newborns strictly abide by the rules of Their domain. For example, the Absurdity Jester might do things that harm others without benefiting Himself just to mock someone He found interesting. The King of Deathblood, meanwhile, had no control over His anger and would strike out at anyone He didn¡¯t like. As for the Reborn Void Sovereigns, They were more concerned with Their losses and gains. Of course, They did feel joy from the satisfaction of Their domains, but They also had the scheming characteristics of mortals and wouldn¡¯t satisfy Their joy without leaving Themselves a way out. The former was stronger as an enemy, while the latter was even more difficult to deal with as an opponent. Let¡¯s return to Steelheart Widow. Aiur, the Steelheart Widow, was a Newborn, a void echo born with Creation. This meant that Her name was established upon the creation of the world. In other words, She was already a widow from the moment She was born. Why did William have to kill Her? It was because She wanted to die and could only accept being killed by someone She loved. So the question became, what else in this world could a deity, who symbolized love¡¯s antithesis, love? Combined with Her title as a Widow and the uniqueness of the Eighth Holy Spirit, William had a guess¡ªa guess that could also explain another question. Why was the Eighth Holy Spirit the only prototype missing from myths and legends everywhere? Perhaps the Eighth Holy Spirit had already died at the beginning of Creation, or even before! If that was the case, Steelheart Widow might be a Void Sovereign born from the sorrow of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s death. It was because the Eighth Holy Spirit was long dead that She couldn¡¯t fall in love with anything in Currere and yearned for Her true death. William looked up at Aiur. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything. After all, you didn¡¯t tell me the risks of this matter,¡± he said. Despite this, the ritual that the other party was telling him about was what William had planned to do¡ªto overthrow and rebuild the Riel Empire that had violated Judgment¡¯s past undertakings and caused chaos on the continent. Working with the Blackwater Swamp and Ava State to rebuild his faction was originally what he was doing to overthrow the empire¡¯s rule. William continued asking, ¡°Then, may I ask if I¡¯m the only person qualified?¡± Aiur told William that the ritual used to be very difficult, but now it was very simple. This may have meant that the ritual originally required the unification of the entire Vic Continent or perhaps including Ava State into one nation. William only needed to sit on the Platinum Throne to complete the ritual since the entire continent was unified under the Riel Empire more than 800 years ago. However, William wondered if anyone other than him could complete the ritual while sitting on the throne. In the past 800 years, there have been many different empire emperors and the current empress, Erin Riel, and the founding emperor, Terra Riel¡­ If becoming the Eighth Holy Spirit was as easy as ascending to the throne, why didn¡¯t they complete it before William? Or was it possible that the ritual was only for William? Aiur replied without changing Her tone, ¡°There are only two people qualified to ascend the throne¡ªyou and the Usurper. However, he¡¯s stuck between life and death because of his greed. He has to rely on the Original Soul to fix himself in cyclic time to return to the throne. Therefore, you¡¯re the only one in Currere who has the qualifications.¡± William remembered the God¡¯s Descent state of the Holy Spirit Terra and realized that the power the prophet received previously came from the Void Sovereign in front of him. This meant that the Void Sovereign was betting on both sides or maybe she wanted to be the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s widow and didn¡¯t care who it was. Aren¡¯t you being too polite¡­ That¡¯s not right¡­ William shook his head, trying to block out the voiceovers in his head that seemed to be telling him not to trust the Void Sovereign. Aiur had previously mentioned that She hadn¡¯t chosen to become a Void Sovereign and hoped that he could become the Eighth Holy Spirit to help Her end Her life. Coupled with the obvious derogatory term ¡°Usurper¡±¡­ Although there were Void Sovereigns who were skilled at lying and spouting nonsense, Aiur didn¡¯t seem to be one of them. In fact, She seemed to place greater priority on him taking over the Riel Empire than Terra Riel Herself. However, I keep feeling that this isn¡¯t a good thing¡­ William was uneasy about this. Before William could think carefully, the other party continued, ¡°This is very easy for you. Moreover, I will help you.¡± ¡°Help?¡±William asked in confusion. He didn¡¯t think he needed Her help. ¡°You¡¯ll need my help,¡± Aiur replied. This made William even more uneasy. She said that She is going to provide help? Why? William¡¯s biggest concern in overthrowing the Riel Empire was how to minimize losses and ensure that the country wouldn¡¯t be worse off under his leadership. He didn¡¯t want to give the Moon Realm a chance to interfere. While it would be easy to conquer a country using brute force, ruling over it would be much more difficult. The former just involved opening up his Treasure Hall and arming a fully equipped army. Then, he could set up a teleportation nexus and personally lead the army. He would descend from the sky and take down Platinum Palace. That would be akin to smearing a canvas randomly with paint and calling it a painting. William didn¡¯t want to end up creating a Hell in his quest to create a Heaven by oppressing the people. Therefore, he had been adopting a step-by-step method of modification and encroachment, planning to completely uproot the empire and rebuild it. In other words, William didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help in terms of strength and wanted to rely on his own wishes to guide his actions. As a Void Sovereign, the other party was well aware of this fact. But despite this, She still approached William and told him he needed Her help. Then, what did this mean? William immediately understood the implications of this. ¡°Presiding Judge, there¡¯s a horde of high-level Lunar Monsters heading towards Black Crow Gaze. Eight Demon Generals are leading the charge!¡± Blake shouted in a panicked tone to William. Chapter 221 - 221 March and Obstruction 221 March and Obstruction A link that extended from four Moon Realm domains belonging to the Void Sovereigns to Black Crow Gaze connected the Moon Realm. If William had stood at the top of the Moon Realm and seen this scene, he would have associated it with the legends of a Bifrost in the real world. The Moon Realm Link appeared in the form of a scarlet path filled with blood, smoke, and flames, or as a complicated and gorgeous fabric woven by countless spider-like Lunar Monsters, or as a golden path embedded with precious gems where dazed dancers danced over them. Moon Realm Link¡ªa Moon Realm phenomenon that only appeared when the Void Sovereigns needed to extend Their strength beyond their domains. In essence, these links were like tentacles that the Void Sovereigns sent out on a large scale. When there were intense turbulent changes in the Moon Realm, these Void Sovereigns, who were eternal deities, would send Their legions to various battlefields in the Moon Realm through the Moon Realm Link and start Their eternal game that no victor could ever be determined. A thousand years ago, when the Seven Calamities caused so much destruction that opened many rifts in Currere to the Moon Realm, a total of 10 Void Sovereigns established Their links to fight for control of those rifts. This was the largest Moon Realm war recorded. And today, for a certain reason, or rather, for a single sentence, a total of four Void Sovereigns opened their links. The Bloodprint Warrior was wrapped in thorny chains and constantly oozed blood through the gaps in his armor. The Stumbling Demon¡¯s entire body was bloated and festering as it coughed and dragged its fat body forward. The Webweaver was setting up traps as it walked on its slender limbs. The Blade Dancer¡¯s gorgeous clothes were covered in countless fatal blades while dancing along the way. It was rare to see high-level Lunar Monsters, but there were now legions of them marching on these links. The leader of the various legions was a heavyweight character who had left an illustrious reputation in history. Carnage, Bloodthirsty, Erosion, Mrs. Swelling, Thousand-faced Dancer, Pride¡­ a total of eight Demon Generals led the legions. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that if such a Moon Realm alliance army appeared in Currere, they were enough to flatten the Riel Empire¡¯s known military. A thousand years ago, even at the height of Judgment, a Moon Realm legion of this size would have caused a long and bitter battle with the Doomsday Watcher army. As the four links got closer to their destination, Black Crow Gaze, they inevitably intersected in the Moon Realm. Normally, the four Void Sovereigns didn¡¯t have any irreconcilable hatred for each other because of Their domains, but Their relationship was only slightly better than that of enemies. It was unusual for the four links to be intertwined without some large-scale conflict. But today, these four legions had the same goal. Even the Demon Generals under the King of Deathblood, who had the most irritable nature, tried their best to suppress their anger and avoid increasing friction during the march. As a result, only 30% of the Lunar Monsters died from friction on the way. Even more unusually, only Pride, a Demon General, was cleaved back to his Moon Realm domain because he had provoked Carnage too many times. He had to wait for a cooldown bar to resurrect. Perhaps such harmony could only occur when the entire Moon Realm had a common enemy. After all, they had received orders from their supreme master today: go to Black Crow Gaze, destroy the Moon Realm domain that shouldn¡¯t exist, and¡­ kill the Moon Realm Calamity. Of course, the last order was a little difficult. Even if the Moon Realm Calamity was injured and didn¡¯t bring his best equipment or have a large number of troops protecting him, the chances of killing him with the eight¡­ correction¡­ seven Demon Generals were extremely slim. The main objective of the trip was to destroy the Moon Realm domain, Black Crow Gaze, which had been protected by the World Shell and eliminate the two Judgment members that the Moon Realm Calamity had recovered. The rest of the work was left to the ¡®thing¡¯ that they had brought with them. In the center of every legion was a vehicle transporting a big fellow, either covered by blood-stained flags or covered in a thick layer of moss. Every legion carried such a secret weapon used to kill the Moon Realm Calamity as they advanced. Time and space in the Moon Realm were chaotic, making it difficult for a mortal marching with these four legions to describe how far they had advanced or how much time had passed. But in the end, they were almost there. But in the end, they were almost there. The endless Berserk Sea, the endless storm, and the weak lighthouse that symbolized hope all appeared before them. However, when the four devastated troops arrived at the edge of Black Crow Gaze, their path forward was blocked. To be precise, they were stopped by a gorgeous parade float. The parade float was a stunning sight to behold, but upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be an exaggeratedly decorated wheelchair. The person sitting in it was so obese that they required the contraption to move around. This person had gray skin, saliva dripping from their mouth, and a lifeless gaze. It wore a crown that was too small for its head and remained expressionless as it stared lifelessly at the majestic army and the seven Demon Generals leading it. The expression on its face didn¡¯t change at all. It only muttered incomprehensibly. Attendants dressed in tuxedos, white gloves, and bow ties stood by the obese person¡¯s side, ignoring the four legions in front of them as they tended to their charge like a mentally disabled child by wiping his drool. Despite the comical appearance, no one dared to underestimate the person on the float. In the blink of an eye, the Moon Realm link that was constantly extending stopped as if time had frozen. It and the attendants under it were about to reach Black Crow Gaze and stop the four Lunar Monster legions. Carnage, standing at the front of the team, raised the ax in its hand and was about to ¡®persuade¡¯ the other party to make way when it saw the inexplicable obstacle. The dancer, the Thousand-faced Dancer, a Demon General under the Void Sovereign, Sin of Crimson Desire, and the chief diplomat of the Moon Realm¡¯s Perfect Kingdom, raised its hand to stop Carnage. ¡°Violence can¡¯t solve everything.¡± The dancer¡¯s voice was neither male nor female, but it was so alluring that it seemed to come from the depths of the soul. It was not just temptation, but rather it felt like one was hearing the person they most wanted to hear. The Thousand-faced Dancer was a Demon General serving under the Void Sovereign, Sin of Crimson Desire. It was also the chief diplomat for the Perfect Kingdom of the Moon Realm. While it was not particularly skilled at killing, it was one of the Demon Generals who had caused one of the largest massacres in the history of the Vic Continent. It had transformed into a sage and instigated a war that swept across the entire continent at the end of the Golden Age. Carnage looked at the Dancer. The Dancer¡¯s voice sounded like Brand¡¯s roar to Carnage, causing it to hesitate for a moment. Then, it decided to kill the Dancer in front of it first. Carnage¡¯s sawtooth ax sliced through the Dancer with such speed that no one could see the trajectory of the attack. There was a loud crack as the Dancer was neatly cut in half. ¡°I already said that violence can¡¯t solve all problems.¡± The Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s voice sounded from behind Carnage before it could even pull out the ax that had left a long crack in the floor. The dancer, who had just been sliced in half in front of Carnage, turned into a cracked mask. A human soul attached to the mask dissipated with a scream. Carnage turned around and saw the Thousand-faced Dancer appear behind it unscathed. The Dancer had one hand over its face and another human soul that had been tortured to the point of distortion in its hand. It screamed and turned into another constantly-changing mask. The Dancer didn¡¯t seem to care if Carnage would attack again. Instead, it slowly walked in front of the float blocking the way and bowed slightly to the fatty, who wore a pocket crown and looked like a retard. ¡°Therefore, what price does Lord Valk need us to pay for Him to be willing to let us pass, Mr. Mania?¡± the Dancer asked. ¡°Or rather, Mr. Dementia.¡± Chapter 222 - 222 Dementia and Prize 222 Dementia and Prize The power of the Moon Realm link was directly from the Void Sovereign Himself, and blocking them from Black Crow Gaze was not something that a new Demon General, Dementia, could do. It was clear that this had the approval and support of its master, Absurdity Jester. The Thousand-faced Dancer had this in mind and so did not plan on solving the problem through violence like Carnage. Instead, it tried to talk to the other party and at least find out the other Void Sovereign¡¯s attitude in this matter. However, when the Thousand-faced Dancer spoke, Dementia only yawned and scratched its butt before settling into a more comfortable position on the float. It completely ignored the Demon General in its dance dress. This made the Dancer¡¯s face stiffen, as being ignored in front of the four legions was nearly an insult to it, especially since vanity was its life. But before it could get angry, Dementia¡¯s attendant, who was wiping saliva from the corner of their mouth, spoke. ¡°Lord Dementia just said that it¡¯s relaying the fate declared by Our Lord Valk¡ªthe time hasn¡¯t come yet. The fates of Black Crow Gaze and the Moon Realm Calamity aren¡¯t here yet. Please make a choice when the time is right,¡± the attendant in the tuxedo said calmly. Dementia turned its head slightly to look at the attendant, though its dazed expression remained the same. To others, it seemed as if it were expressing its thoughts. Seeing that someone was finally willing to answer, the Thousand-faced Dancer asked, ¡°In other words, your master already plans on taking the side of the Heartless and becoming our enemy. And you don¡¯t plan on giving way, right?¡± ¡°Heartless¡± was a disdainful term for the eccentric sovereign, Steelheart Widow, in the Moon Realm. The attendant turned to Dementia and asked for its opinion on the question posed by the Thousand-faced Dancer, who couldn¡¯t hide its killing intent. Dementia¡¯s face, with its incomprehensible and retarded expression, was reflected in the attendant¡¯s wise and firm eyes. After listening to the other party¡¯s confused muttering for a few seconds, Dementia nodded slightly and whispered, ¡°I get what you mean, m¡¯lord.¡± With that, the attendant replied to the Thousand-faced Dancer, ¡°Lord Dementia said that as employees of the Fanatic Theater, we have never had a fixed camp. Even if there has to be one, we will only stand on the side of an interesting fate. Our original intention was not to have a conflict with you because it would seem boring. ¡°But now that you¡¯re blocking our path to the end, chaotic conflicts will definitely happen in the future.¡± The person speaking was Erosion, a humanoid formed by the residue of countless rotten things. Its voice was like the flapping of flies. Erosion symbolized the remains left behind after the end of all things and was a Demon General who had briefly fought William¡¯s clone on April Fool¡¯s Day. The attendant immediately replied to this, ¡°No, we really didn¡¯t mean to have a conflict. Lord Dementia said that it can make way, but the prerequisite is that the Moonanchor you carry has to stay. Black Crow Gaze isn¡¯t a place to unleash their true functions, and now isn¡¯t the time for them to appear.¡± Upon hearing this, the Demon Generals standing in front turned around and looked behind them at the four big fellows that were well protected by the elite troops in the middle of the legion. These were the Moonanchors, secret weapons that the Demon Generals planned on using to fight the Moon Realm Calamity. In the past thousand years, the ten Moon Realm Void Sovereigns had forged these divine artifacts to anchor Currere for the plane fusion. ¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, why do I need your help?¡± After receiving Blake¡¯s report, William sensed something was off and asked, Blake usually kept the coordinates of Black Crow Gaze¡¯s Moon Realm hidden, but the appearance of a large Lunar Monster army could only mean that Aiur¡¯s conversation with him had caused a violent reaction from the other Moon Realm sovereigns. It was possible that these sovereigns would even participate personally. If that was the case, their current situation was precarious since they were on the Moon Realm¡¯s home turf. Aiur calmly responded to William¡¯s worried question, ¡°Because this matter isn¡¯t as simple as you think.¡± ¡°But you said before that this was a very simple ritual?¡± ¡°The ritual itself is simple, but it will be very difficult for you to handle the consequences,¡± the other replied calmly. ¡°What will happen?¡±William asked. ¡°When the true king of Currere ascends the throne, it means Currere is ready.¡± ¡°Ready for what?¡± ¡°War,¡± Aiur said simply. ¡°War with whom?¡± ¡°The Moon Realm.¡± Isn¡¯t that obvious? William couldn¡¯t help but want to blurt out, but he held back and changed his words. ¡°The war between the Moon Realm and Currere has always been a part of history.¡± Aiur¡¯s icy expression changed slightly at William¡¯s words, as if she was slightly surprised. Of course, for Steelheart Widow Aiur, even a slight surprise meant a lot. ¡°So you always thought those were wars?¡± Aiur asked. Without waiting for a response, She continued, ¡°Actually, other than the war 1,008 years ago, which you call the Moon Realm Crisis and which could barely even be considered a war, there has never been a real war between the Currere and the Moon Realm like you think.¡± William was confused by Aiur¡¯s words. ¡°The Moon Realm Crisis was barely considered a war?¡± he repeated. William was thinking to himself, Come on. I beat the whole game. I even experienced the outcome of the Moon Realm winning and defeating the three Void Sovereigns in a certain ending. If the Moon Realm was as powerful as you say, how could that have happened? But of course, William didn¡¯t say this out loud. Aiur hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Calamity, do you know the ultimate goal of the Moon Realm?¡± This question stumped William. As the ultimate antagonist faction in the game, the Moon Realm never seemed to reveal its true goal. One could say the King of Deathblood wanted to create more killing, that Absurdity Jester wanted more drama, or that the Whispering Empress wanted to weave more schemes. But none of these seemed to be the ultimate goal, like the traditional villains in other works. Apocalypse? Chaos? Eternal rule? None of that happened. In fact, as the Moon Realm reflected Currere, it would cease to exist once Currere was completely destroyed. ¡°So¡­ what is its ultimate goal?¡± William asked. ¡°The Void Sovereign¡¯s war in the Moon Realm has much greater consequences than what we do in Currere. This is because our ultimate goal is to determine the one winner, who will receive the prize of Currere¡­ or rather, the new Currere formed by their Moon Realm domain,¡± Aiur explained. ¡°Do you understand? Currere is just the final prize for us. When someone becomes the Eighth Holy Spirit and the true king of Currere, it means that all of Currere will join this grand game and fight for their future.¡± Chapter 223 - 223 Ironstone Pact 223 Ironstone Pact Moon Realm, Gray Domain, Heartstone Plain. This was the periphery of Steelheart Widow Aiur¡¯s Moon Realm domain. This world was perpetually gray and white, with even the sun appearing cold and lifeless. Everything shed its passion here. The land was filled with iron crystals called heartstones, which looked like graves. Gray giants roamed the land, pulling the heartstones out of the ground and placing them in the deep holes in their chests. But this never seemed to fill the emptiness within them, as the metal heartstones instantly disappeared in the deep recesses, and they just continued wandering in search of more heartstones. If they could sigh or roar because of this, this scene might not appear so tragic This continued day after day endlessly. Today, however, was different. Multiple links from the Moon Realm were brought into this land and placed there like the ram of a warship. Then, countless Lunar Monsters of strange shapes flooded into the colorless land. Some of these monsters carried deadly weapons, while others had claws and teeth as their weapons. Some spat out thick acid and flames, and others cast spells. The loitering gray giants also abnormally gathered, dragging their stiff bodies to form a defense line in the endless wilderness to fight against the monsters. In short, a war from the Moon Realm had erupted in this area. If mortals were standing on this plain, this is what they would see. However, to the Moon Realm Void Sovereigns, the war appeared completely different. It was hard to explain it in a way that made sense. It was more like the craziest and most bizarre dream that a crazy person could have. If a sensitive artist tried to paint this dream, it would be an abstract painting ¨C a blob of paint mixed with a million different colors, trying to bring color to the deathly white-gray. The Moon Realm didn¡¯t have a physical form. It was just a contest of wills. The Lunar Monsters were just extensions of the Void Sovereigns¡¯ wills¡ªthe wandering Gray Giants were representations of Aiur¡¯s aimlessness, and the Bloodprint Warriors with brass ax blades symbolized King of Deathblood Brand¡¯s anger. They didn¡¯t have real physical bodies like people in Currere. Since they didn¡¯t have a real body to rely on, there were no real deaths in their battles in this war. So, the war was endless unless one will overpowered the other. This is also why Aiur wasn¡¯t afraid at all even if four Void Sovereigns of the same level as Her declared war on Her. This is because She, who had a dead heart, believed that no one¡¯s will in this world could surpass Hers. Any power produced by passion couldn¡¯t affect Her will at all. So, as long as She didn¡¯t want to win, She wouldn¡¯t lose. ¡­ Really? I don¡¯t believe it, William thought. What a load of bullsh*t. The Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies were only unfathomable because there was a HP lock. If they really dared to show their HP bar, William was confident that he could defeat such a BOSS as long as it was theoretically possible to kill it, even if it would be a difficult battle. Of course, that¡¯s only if players had an infinite save and reload function¡­ William added inwardly. But even without considering that, if the Moon Realm was really as powerful as Aiur said, and They only treated Currere as the final prize in Their game, why had the Void Sovereigns been beaten up so badly by the Holy Spirits¡¯ incarnation in the Waning Moon ending? ¡°No, you still don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Aiur said as if She had read William¡¯s mind. As She spoke, She placed the shriveled ironstone heart in Her hand into the deep hole in Her chest and closed Her eyes. William suddenly felt an even stronger pressure than before. In his ether domain, the spell that was waiting to be used almost showed signs of collapsing due to this pressure. The people nearby reacted even more strongly. The flock of ravens dancing around Blake fell into the sea like puppets that had their strings cut. Remides half-knelt on the ground, trying to gasp for breath, but could only let out mosquito-like breathing. The Tacma Church elder¡¯s eyeballs and veins on his face bulged as if he would stop breathing at any moment. This wasn¡¯t just a mana decrease, it was already reaching the effect of spell interference. The other party didn¡¯t do anything, She just relied on Her aura to achieve this. The Aiur standing in front of William couldn¡¯t be a mere projection. Was it an incarnation or the main body? William wasn¡¯t sure. Although he had seen Steelheart Widow¡¯s main body before, She had been in the background and he couldn¡¯t sense Her true aura like he was now. It was better to deal with the situation safely, as he didn¡¯t have Judgment 3 that would have countered the other party. William believed that the Judgment equipment was a crucial part of his Judgment companions¡¯ identities and therefore didn¡¯t consider collecting them for his own use. He preferred having the Judges be the display of his collection. This obsession with uniqueness also led him to not duplicate the Judgment equipment for himself through the console. He only used the console to duplicate items that would be damaged or lost due to the plot of the quests. William commanded Blake to stop maintaining the coordinates through his soul voice and let Black Crow Gaze sink into Currere. However¡­ Presiding Judge, the coordinates¡­ Blake threw up his hands at William. The coordinates that should have been black specks of light had turned into a hard, lead-colored ball. The energy points that should have contained coordinate information had lost all activity and turned into a dead lead ball. ¡°Qi¡­¡± William muttered, then quickly began to whisper various status spells. Based on his experience in resisting the Void Incarnation, he knew that even without the corresponding Judgment equipment, most spells would still affect the other party. He cast a series of Repel, Paralysis, Slow, and Dizzy effects, hoping to pin the other party in a corner and prevent them from moving. Silly mechanical BOSS¡­ As he chanted, William couldn¡¯t help but complain inwardly. ¡°Are you panicking?¡± Aiur asked after placing the heart in Her chest. Without waiting for a response, She went on, ¡°But why panic? I told you, I¡¯m not your enemy. My promise isn¡¯t like Whisperer¡¯s or Mocker¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s genuine. Maybe you have a problem with the Moon Realm, but even so, you should believe me.¡± Most beings in the Moon Realm saw promises as a part of their very essence. That was why the magic learned from communicating with the Moon Realm became the basis for contract magic. ¡°I really want to trust you¡­¡± William, who was still casting buffs on himself, replied. As he spoke, he glanced at Blake and Remides beside him. ¡°If I were alone here today, I would be happy to keep talking to you.¡± After all, he had the confidence that he could hold off the Void Sovereign¡¯s main body for a while. But he had two Judgment companions with him and they may be the last two Judgment companions in existence. I left the Gray Throne and came to the Land of Despair and Hope to show my sincerity, and it cost me 30% of the Gray Domain being taken by Myriad Fates and Fury. Aiur ignored him and even the first batch of suppression spells he had formed. Her voice echoed in the depths of his soul. As the tremors of Her voice shook through him, William¡¯s half-channeled spell developed dangerous cracks like a dilapidated building that had been in disrepair for years. It was as if it would collapse at any moment. The Ironstone Pact is my sincerity, Aiur said, plucking the withered ironstone heart from the empty hole in Her chest. She released the heart and it floated in front of William. ¡°There are some things I can¡¯t tell you directly, but this may give you some inspiration. How much you ultimately understand depends on you,¡± Aiur said, not continuing. William wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen. The heart floating in front of him, which Aiur called the Ironstone Pact, clearly didn¡¯t appear in the game. But he had seen it before, or rather, he had it in the Treasure Hall! He had obtained it through the console back then. It was one of the plot items that the game developers ultimately didn¡¯t include in the game. Players on the forum used it as proof that a huge DLC for Doomsday Watchers had been cut during development. William remembered the item description¡ªa semi-finished product with no description, just an empty shell. Ironstone Pact: Unique, Plot Item, Non-tradeable, Non-discardable, ¡­ The most important entry was Origin of the Moon. William learned from playing the game that the other thing with the words ¡°Origin of the Moon¡± was the Seed of Hope. Chapter 224 - 224 The Whereabouts of Judgment 3 224 The Whereabouts of Judgment 3 As William received the heart, Aiur told him, ¡°In Currere, it can create a domain that cancels out all magic for you. As long as you¡¯re in the domain, all spells that go against the laws of reality will disappear. Only the laws of Currere will work¡­ But that¡¯s not the most important thing it does.¡± ¡°What is its most important function?¡± William asked without thinking. ¡°You won¡¯t want to use it.¡± Aiur replied, but she went on, ¡°The Ironstone Pact will be your last resort. It can seal off the last bit of hope in your worst moment.¡± She didn¡¯t explain why he would end up in his worst moment or how to seal off the last bit of hope. Don¡¯t ask. If you ask, the answer is ¡®can¡¯t say. You have to comprehend it yourself.¡¯ It was as if an unseen existence was watching their every move. Once the keyword was detected, it would alert them at the speed of light. Forget it¡­ William sighed and looked at the withered ironstone heart in his hand. He had always treated it as an accessory, placing it with other strange-looking objects in his Treasure Hall. If it weren¡¯t for Aiur¡¯s actions, he may not have remembered he even had it. This thing was essentially the same as the Seed of Hope. It seemed to be a necessary ceremonial material for advancing to the Void Sovereign realm. However, William immediately rejected this idea. Steelheart Widow was a Void Sovereign who had existed since Creation and there was no way she would need a ritual advancement. Could it be that this object was a manifestation of a Void Sovereign¡¯s authority? No¡­ These aren¡¯t the crux of the issue. No matter what, this thing was extremely important to the Void Sovereign. To a certain extent, it could be considered as handing over a portion of Her authority to William. But why did She do this? Was it because She thought of him as Her dead husband? Did She really want him to kill Her? William couldn¡¯t believe any of the things Aiur had told him. He wouldn¡¯t trust the future of the Vic Continent, or even the entire Currere, to a Void Sovereign¡¯s promise. But now, after Steelheart Widow showed Her ¡°sincerity,¡± William was starting to waver. William held the Seed of Hope in his hand, knowing that it possessed a power even greater than the greatest miracle¡ªthe ability to bring the dead back to life. It could even allow William to see events that should have never occurred in history. This was a game-changing power, one that went beyond the boundaries of this single save. He also believed that the Ironstone Pact, which was also an Origin of the Moon, had the same kind of power. William eagerly held the ironstone heart, wanting to return to the Treasure Hall and compare it to the Ironstone Pact in his collection to see if they were the same. Furthermore, it isn¡¯t just limited to the Ironstone Pact, William thought. William had found a few items in his Treasure Hall labeled ¡°Origin of the Moon¡± that he had obtained from the developers¡¯ abandoned assets through the console. However, he had only put them in the hall as decorations because they were just models. He fought the temptation to go back to the treasure vault and check on them. He looked at Aiur instead. After giving William the ironstone heart, the aura that had affected his spell chanting disappeared and Aiur became indistinct, almost like She could disappear at any moment. Holding Her cold heart, William didn¡¯t know what to say before She vanished. He considered telling her he understood Her obsession and determination, but he felt that it would turn into a soap opera. ¡°What other preparations do I need to make besides sitting on the throne?¡± If I want to kill you. William asked, unable to think of a farewell line that fit the current atmosphere. Aiur still had a cold expression, but Her voice had begun to distort, as if it was being severely interfered with by a signal. ¡°Judgment 3¡­ That weapon I once forged¡­ You need to retrieve it so that¡­¡± her voice trailed off. William quickly asked, ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± ¡°After Nehe was killed, Judgment 3 was preserved at the Tacma Church¡¯s headquarters as a spoil of war,¡± Aiur¡¯s final words echoed in William¡¯s ears before She disappeared. ¡°After Nehe was killed?¡± William asked, staring at the silhouette that slowly dissipated in midair. He was shocked. Nehe was¡­ killed? This was unbelievable to William. Nehe was a Frost Lich, theoretically at the peak of Frost, Necromancy, and Life spells. He was the third Judge and, to William¡¯s knowledge, the only one who had a chance of survival, besides the long-lived Dragon Dowa King. Most dragons chose to return to the Dragon Bone Islands in the north and become Dragon Bone Elders when they reached a certain age, fusing with the rocks of the mountains. So, William had always assumed that Nehe, who had become a high-level Lich, was the only Judge with a chance of survival. But now, Aiur told him that Nehe was already dead. He was killed. Killed by whom? He remembered the latter half of Aiur¡¯s sentence before She disappeared. Judgment 3 was stored at the Tacma Church¡¯s headquarters as a spoil of war. William turned to look at Hill, the elder of the Tacma Church. After Aiur left, the effects on him also dissipated. However, the other party still hadn¡¯t recovered from the blow. Part of it was the impact of Aiur¡¯s strength on his body. To be honest, he should be grateful he was still alive after being tortured by a Void Sovereign for so long. But the physical blow was only a small part of it. The greater blow was inflicted on his mind. Although Hill was physically tortured, he remained very, very clear-headed. If possible, he wished he had just lost consciousness. The Tacma Church had a deal with Steelheart Widow to aid in the creation of the Eighth Holy Spirit in exchange for Judgment 3 being returned to Her control. Aiur had been helping the Tacma Church, the Eighth Order, and the royal family of the empire to continually advance the establishment of the throne. However, the other party broke the contract. Although She didn¡¯t know what price they would demand, She still terminated it without hesitation. Then, She even told the man in front of Her about Judgment 3 being in the Tacma Church. I¡¯ve been deceived¡­ They had all been deceived. What Aiur truly pursued wasn¡¯t to throw everything into an empty and cold world¡­ It wasn¡¯t to die at all costs with the other. In reality, the cause and effect were reversed. What She truly pursued was Her own death to attain eternal peace. For this, She didn¡¯t hesitate to destroy Currere. If there was no one in the world She recognized, the only way for Her to commit suicide was to destroy Currere. Now, there was someone She acknowledged. Moreover, that person was staring at him coldly. After a long pause, the person said softly, ¡°Tell me everything you know about Judgment 3. I can guarantee that you will die a less painful death¡­¡± Chapter 225 - 225 Alone 225 Alone Ravens gathered in front of William as Blake turned back into his human form. He held the coordinates that had turned into an inanimate lead ball and asked, ¡°Presiding Judge, what should we do next?¡± Despite Aiur already leaving, it didn¡¯t mean the end to the matter. It was unclear if it was intentional or not, but Black Crow Gaze¡¯s coordinates were completely fixed under the other party¡¯s power. This turned Black Crow Gaze¡¯s originally ethereal coordinates into a precise location, preventing it from drifting through the Moon Realm domain through the control of the coordinates. In short, they were temporarily trapped here. ¡°Contact Cass and get him to activate the emergency spell in Dawn Fortress with Judgment 4. And can we pull Black Crow Gaze back too?¡± William asked as he turned away from Hill. The Tacma Church member was trapped in a pitch-black amber, with only light emanating from his eyes. Four dark Voidwalkers surrounded the amber, waiting for William¡¯s orders. William knew that there was a lot of information that could be gained from this old man, but it would take time to verify it all. So, he decided to imprison him for the time being, especially since there was an interrogation room in the Dawn Fortress¡¯s dungeon. While it had only been a decoration in the game before, things were different now. One had to be patient in order to obtain information. ¡°I can do that,¡± Blake said uncertainly, responding to William¡¯s proposal. He had used this same tactic before to escape the attack of the Void Sovereigns in Black Crow Gaze. ¡°But?¡± ¡°But you, Remides, the guy with the spellblade, and the palace in Moonlaw City will all be dragged into the Grief Mountains.¡± Blake shrugged his shoulders helplessly. William inhaled deeply. He knew it would take a while to travel back to Ava State from the Blackwater Province. The civil matters in Ava State and the movements of the empire¡¯s expeditionary fleet didn¡¯t allow them the luxury of time. Two of Ava State¡¯s leaders, including the supreme leader, were missing. Even her residence was gone. This would only add to the already tense situation and cause significant damage. Order, even if it was broken, was better than chaos. Remides knew that as long as the city-states in Ava State pretended to follow the original Mooncycle Council, she could quickly regain control of the situation with the support of William and the new Judgment. However, if this facade collapsed before that, it would be much harder to restore order. ¡°Is there any other way?¡± Remides asked immediately. She understood better than William how the situation in Ava State would unfold if it was allowed to continue. Because of this, no matter how much she longed to visit the Grief Mountains, a place she had not seen in centuries, and discover what it was like there, she had to return to Ava State right away. ¡°There¡¯s a way¡­¡± Blake said, using his authority as the Father of the Crows. A multitude of winged black shadows appeared behind him and in his open hand, a faint pitch-black ball began to form. ¡°I can create another coordinate and use the ¡®tainted¡¯ Currere coordinates in Moonlaw City¡¯s palace as an anchor. When the time comes, I¡¯ll alter the coordinates so you can drift back with the palace.¡± The spacetime in the Moon Realm was chaotic, causing the coordinates of Moon Realm domains to constantly change, even for the Void Sovereigns¡¯ domains. However, their domains were so large that it was easy to sense where one was standing in an open field. But Currere coordinates were fixed and could be established through specific numbers and reference systems. In fact, the concept of fixed coordinates came from Currere. Even though William and the others had ¡°moved¡± to Black Crow Gaze, Moonlaw City should still have its Currere coordinates. As long as they didn¡¯t give the palace, which had been heavily damaged, a new Currere coordinate¡ªfor example, by throwing it into the Grief Mountains¡ªBlake could still return it to its current coordinates. However, the problem was¡­ William looked at Blake¡¯s uneasy expression and asked, ¡°It¡¯s going to take longer to create new coordinates, right?¡± ¡°And I have to reverse-calculate the Currere coordinates through the palace. It¡¯ll probably take even longer than usual. Plus, I can¡¯t control Black Crow Gaze¡¯s automatic defense mechanism during this process.¡± Blake nodded, his expression grim. Outside Black Crow Gaze, several large Lunar Monster legions were approaching, led by eight Demon Generals. If Blake could participate in the battle, there was still a chance of winning with the Crows and the geographical advantage of controlling the storm in Black Crow Gaze. William understood Blake¡¯s concerns and smiled. ¡°Hurry up and create those new coordinates.¡± With that, a pair of wings made of light appeared on his back. Blake panicked and asked, ¡°Wait, Presiding Judge, are you going to¡­¡± Could it be that he was planning on taking on the four Moon Realm legions by himself? But how could this be possible? Although it wasn¡¯t a precise comparison, people generally believed that Demon Generals were roughly as strong as mortals at the peak of the Divine Realm or main-god Authority holders¡ªit was even possible that they were stronger because of their demonic physique. Those who could defeat the Demon Generals one-on-one were heroes who would have their tales sung for centuries. Even history books would write about them and many places would be named after them. Fighting one-on-one was like fighting an opponent at the peak of the Divine Realm. Now, William was facing eight of them. Blake believed that the Presiding Judge could possibly win with difficulty against eight Demon Generals, having relied on his strength to defeat three Void Incarnations in extreme conditions before. He had even won the title of Moon Realm Calamity with that battle. However, there were still four legions to deal with. In the past, when the Presiding Judge fought three Void Incarnations alone, it was the Doomsday Watchers and the Salvation Coalition¡¯s army that held back the Moon Realm Legion outside and created an opportunity for him. Now, countless high-level Lunar Monsters on the scale of a legion were attacking, giving them an exaggerated numerical advantage. It was important to note that this was the Moon Realm, their home ground. Those Lunar Monsters wouldn¡¯t dissipate after death, instead turning into salt crystals and disappearing. As long as the Void Sovereigns were willing, they could immediately be reborn in the Moon Realm domain and rush back into the battlefield. It would be endless unless William used Judgment equipment to finish them off and eliminate them. However, on a battlefield of this scale, he wouldn¡¯t have the spare time to finish them off one by one. ¡°William!¡± Remides shouted frantically as she sensed William¡¯s intentions. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the Grief Mountains. We don¡¯t need to go this far. So what if the situation in the Ava State gets out of control? As long as you¡¯re alive, we have a chance.¡± William, who was hovering in midair, stopped and looked down at Remides¡¯s flustered face before turning to Blake. He said with a hint of defeat, ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m planning on killing myself, do you?¡± The two of them didn¡¯t respond, but it was clear from their expressions that they did believe this. William sighed and said to Blake, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not trying to end my own life. And I won¡¯t let the other side use numbers to defeat me¡­ I¡¯ve hated monster stacking fights for a long time.¡± Although Blake didn¡¯t understand what the Presiding Judge meant by ¡®monster stacking,¡¯ he still said anxiously, ¡°But, you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to buy some time. Just get the coordinates done as soon as possible. If I really can¡¯t hold on any longer, I¡¯ll let you know to activate the first plan,¡± William replied and looked at Remides. ¡°I¡¯m helping to stabilize the situation in the Ava State, but I wouldn¡¯t risk my life for it. I actually crave battles like this.¡± Is he really seeking out a suicidal battle? Remides stared at William in shock. William looked at her expression and added, ¡°It¡¯s not suicide; it¡¯s a test.¡± ¡°What kind of test?¡± ¡°To test my abilities and a theory about the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s power,¡± William replied. Then, he looked at the small lead ball in Blake¡¯s hand and realized something. Maybe this is what Aiur meant by turning this coordinate into metal. Or is this some kind of trial? Forget it, now isn¡¯t the time to think about this¡­ William shook his head and assured the two Judgment members, ¡°I won¡¯t die here.¡± But as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He seemed to have raised an impressive flag for himself. Then, he immediately shut up and left. He couldn¡¯t let the others say things like ¡°we¡¯ll wait for you to return,¡± digging the flag in even deeper. Instead of flying to the border of Black Crow Gaze where the Moon Realm Legion was, William flew alone to Dawn Fortress nearby. More specifically, he flew to the entrance of the Treasure Vault from Dawn Fortress. Chapter 226 - 226 Moonanchor 226 Moonanchor The Void Sovereigns had put down Their differences and joined forces and sent Their legions to surround Black Crow Gaze, which indicated a major matter that could affect the entire Moon Realm. It was well known that the person who liked to cause chaos would always add ¡°variables¡± to major events with drastic consequences. This was a unique trait of the Moon Realm. The path to Black Crow Gaze, which was traveled by the four legions, was blocked by Deadpan. Under the influence of Absurdity Jester¡¯s power, the extension slowed down, almost coming to a standstill. Upon hearing the request of the attendant, the Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s expression changed multiple times, but eventually said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. If we don¡¯t bring the Moonanchor into Black Crow Gaze, there¡¯s no way to prevent the Moon Realm Calamity from escaping.¡± Even with the combined strength of the four legions and the seven Demon Generals, defeating the Moon Realm Calamity, which had yet to rebuild the Doomsday Watchers, wouldn¡¯t be difficult. However, changing their goal to killing him was practically an impossible mission. If the other party decided to abandon Black Crow Gaze and escape, no one present had the confidence to stop them. It was said that during the battle at Black Crow Gaze, the Moon Realm Calamity had managed to escape despite the personal seal set up by the four Void Sovereigns. The Moon Realm was currently in turmoil and the Sovereigns were restless. No one was willing to leave Their Moon Realm domains and participate in the battle personally. The King of Deathblood, the Whispering Empress, the Lady of Starvation, and the Sin of Crimson Desire were desperate to capture Currere. They even went so far as to deploy the Moonanchors that They hadn¡¯t finished forging yet. They were determined to make the Moon Realm Calamity pay for ruining Their plans and end his life. Upon hearing the Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s response, Deadpan¡¯s expression remained blank. This didn¡¯t mean that Deadpan couldn¡¯t perceive the outside world, but rather that Deadpan saw the Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s words, which sounded like an attempt to negotiate, as no different from Carnage¡¯s suppressed anger and killing intent as he held a serrated ax next to Deadpan. These two beings, and the other five powerful beings, all had the same goal, regardless of their attitudes. They all wanted to kill Deadpan and pass through where it was blocking. Knowing this, Deadpan flipped over and found a more comfortable position to lie in. In any case, Deadpan couldn¡¯t defeat them with their numbers. It was better to die in a more comfortable way. The world was inherently chaotic. Trying to predict outcomes based on limited information often resulted in a huge deviation from reality due to the influence of chaos. Mania and Deadpan were both choices that people made when faced with the chaotic system. Mania was the futile attempt to regain control of the future when feeling uncertain, while Deadpan was the choice to do nothing and quietly wait for fate to unfold. Deadpan was not stupid. In fact, one could even say that it was very intelligent and able to see things clearly at a glance. However, it also understood that these things could not be changed, so it chose to do nothing. Deadpan was often the result of being too aware. The attendant watched as Lord Deadpan took his new actions and immediately began to frantically speculate on the possible meanings behind them. He replied to them, guessing what Deadpan was getting at, ¡°Lord Deadpan won¡¯t give in on this alone. The Moonanchors can¡¯t be used until it¡¯s destined. This is a contract signed by the sovereigns at Gray Castle. Whoever uses it to enter Currere first is equivalent to taking the initiative in the future war against Currere. On this point, there is no¡­¡± Then, it was interrupted by its untimely death. It wasn¡¯t the Thousand-faced Dancer, who was negotiating, or Carnage, who was forcibly suppressing his anger, who attacked him. It was the Demon General under the Lady of Starvation, Erosion. No one noticed his actions until it was too late, when the attendant¡¯s flesh and blood melted and peeled off his bones like wax before turning into a residue that couldn¡¯t be reduced any further. All the Lunar Monsters present realized then that Erosion was responsible. The other Demon Generals were shocked to see Erosion, who had always been quiet and submissive, suddenly attack. The humanoid made of rotten residue shook the bell at its waist and declared, ¡°Come out of hiding. I can already smell the rot on you.¡± The sound of the old bell created ripples in space, outlining a translucent humanoid. All eyes turned to the outline. ¡°Ah¡­ have I been exposed?¡± a slightly hoarse voice called out from the humanoid. Then, a human wearing twisted dragon bone armor and carrying a frost-covered magical medium appeared. This was the edge of Black Crow Gaze, where the powers of high-level Moon Realm beings caused the surroundings to constantly change in strange, nightmare-like ways. Sometimes it was a land of rotten flesh and blood filled with fungi, sometimes it became a cruel battlefield covered in blood, sometimes the air was filled with a sweet, ambiguous-colored smell, and sometimes mist-like spider silk drifted through the air. Only the ground beneath William¡¯s feet was solid and real, almost as if it were still in Currere. Using his will, William transformed the power of the Moon Realm into something he was familiar with. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. I was waiting for you to explain what the Moonanchor is before revealing myself,¡± William said regretfully. He looked at Demon General Erosion, whom he had briefly fought on April Fool¡¯s Day, and asked, ¡°How did you find me? This Invisible illusion used to fool even the strongest Voyuers under the Forbidden Sage.¡± Erosion didn¡¯t answer, but instead looked at the wound on William¡¯s shoulder caused by the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Plague Scythe. ¡°I see. It was an oversight on my part.¡± William nodded thoughtfully. As a Demon General under the Lady of Starvation, it was reasonable for the other party to sense him through the wound. William looked at the eight Demon Generals and said slowly, ¡°Then, before we begin¡­¡± A few of them could be considered old friends¡ªCarnage, Thousand-faced Dancer, Erosion, Mrs. Swelling, and Deadpan¡ªthe former Mania, who didn¡¯t seem to be in cahoots with them. William had done several dungeon runs of a few of them in the early and mid stages of the game. He could still remember their combos even now. There were also a few new faces he had never seen¡ªthey were probably replacements for the Demon Generals he had killed with Judgment equipment. ¡°Can you satisfy my curiosity and tell me what the so-called Moonanchor is? What makes you think you can kill me with that thing?¡± William didn¡¯t expect the other party to answer. Since it was a secret weapon, it had to be kept a secret. Erosion spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s a key,¡± it replied. ¡°Key? What¡¯s the lock then?¡± William asked with a frown. ¡°There are a total of 24 such keys.¡± Erosion answered with an answer that didn¡¯t seem to answer the question, its face expressionless but William sensed a hint of sarcasm. The number 24 clicked for William. There were 24 Astral Lighthouses on the Vic Continent. ¡°I see¡­ so true plane fusion requires these keys. Got it.¡± William nodded slightly and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll confirm the rest myself.¡± Erosion, who originally wanted to continue explaining, asked in confusion, ¡°Confirm yourself?¡± What did he mean by confirming by himself? ¡°It means that after I banish all of you, I¡¯ll bring the few Moonanchors you brought back to Currere for analysis,¡± William explained, pulling out his ordinary-looking straight sword, Judgment 2, from a spatial rift. He then turned to Carnage and said, ¡°As for you, you¡¯re a little unlucky. You¡¯ll probably disappear completely.¡± Chapter 227 - 227 Legion (1) 227 Legion (1) The wide path formed by the four Moon Realm links was filled with countless Lunar Monsters. They roared, wailed, screamed and cried, never remaining quiet for a moment. This was due to their restlessness, which stemmed from their origins and manifested through feeding on the emotions and desires of Currere. After William spoke, everything fell silent, as if something had died. What do you mean? What do you mean by ¡®after I banish all of you¡¯? What do you mean by ¡®you¡¯re a little unlucky¡¯? What does he want? Could it be that he plans on defeating and banishing them all alone? How dare he¡­ Those Moon Realm existences of a certain level of strength could sense that the Moon Realm Overlord of Black Crow Gaze was not present. This meant that Black Crow Gaze could not support the Moon Realm Calamity in front of them. Even for existences at the Void Sovereign level, being in Their own domain and leaving it were two completely different states. In other words, the Moon Realm link They were building was a way for the Moon Realm Void Sovereigns to extend Their Moon Realm domains here. The only person standing there was the Moon Realm Calamity, a mortal facing countless powerful Lunar Monsters, who had to fight alone. The Calamity was undeniably powerful, but he was still mortal. Mortals, who were susceptible to death, could not stand up to the Moon Realm Legion. It was only common sense. The Calamity might have been able to use his wisdom, strength, and courage to challenge the Void Sovereigns in a battle of wills, a series of complex maneuvers. After a long struggle, Currere and the Moon Realm would have a decisive fight. But really, it was a battle between worlds, and the Calamity¡¯s showdown with the Void Sovereigns was only the most important part. Yet here he was, facing the four legions by himself. The Lunar Monsters who thought like humans were convinced that the man in front of them had lost his mind. They had thought the stage for this battle would be Black Crow Gaze, where they would fight the endless Crows. Some of the Seven Demon Generals would hold off the Calamity from the Moon Realm, while the rest would kill his remaining two Judges. At the same time, they would activate the Moonanchors and trap the Calamity in the Moon Realm forever, where he would wait quietly for his death. This was supposed to be a war, not a joke. The Thousand-faced Dancer looked at the man in front of it. Its face transformed constantly, becoming a blur. It had faced this man, the Calamity, before during the Moon Realm crisis. They had fought three times, twice in Currere and once in the Moon Realm. Each time, the Thousand-faced Dancer was shattered and banished by the Calamity before being resurrected in the territory of Sin of Crimson Desire, Mdm. Hal. Luckily, the Calamity never obtained Judgment 12, the weapon that could kill the Thousand-faced Dancer, during these battles. As a result, it was one of the few Demon Generals to survive the Moon Realm crisis. In the past, the Thousand-faced Dancer had always found the Calamity to be level-headed and rational. He never fought a battle he wasn¡¯t confident of winning. During the three battles they had fought, the Calamity was always one step ahead, predicting the Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s actions and bringing equipment and an army to give himself an advantage. But today, the Calamity seemed different, almost crazy. Therefore, it asked, ¡°Calamity, are you here to invite us into Black Crow Gaze for a decisive battle?¡± The Calamity stood before them, his eyes overflowing with silver magic. He shook his head and said slowly, ¡°No, although I don¡¯t know what that Moonanchor is, my intuition tells me that I can¡¯t let it enter Black Crow Gaze¡­¡± It was a very accurate intuition. After all, once the Moonanchors were fixed in Black Crow Gaze, the entire Moon Realm domain would¡­ ¡°Therefore, I want to kill all of you here.¡± His words were like a declaration, interrupting the Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s thoughts and adding to its extreme shock. Did he understand what he was saying? After hearing this arrogant speech, Erosion couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°If you want to wait for the Heartless or the Mocker¡¯s reinforcements, I can only tell you¡­¡± Steelheart Widow was already besieged by many Void Sovereigns and barely holding on in Her Moon Realm domain. As for Absurdity Jester, He had sent reinforcements everywhere to fan the flames, but it was clear He had no intention of risking His life. He only wanted to muddy the waters and make the situation even more unpredictable. Chapter 228 - 228 Legion (2) 228 Legion (2) If the other party was hoping for reinforcements, he would probably be disappointed. ¡°I don¡¯t need any reinforcements to support me in this battle,¡± the Calamity replied calmly. Carnage couldn¡¯t contain its anger any longer. Its knuckles, holding the brass ax, turned from blood-red to white. The Demon General, with blood seeping out of its armor, roared and charged towards the Calamity, swinging the huge ax at his face. The speed of Carnage was so fast that most people present could only see a blurry, blood-red afterimage. The brass ax, which had drunk the blood of the innocent, lit up with burning runes. The whistle of the ax as it cut through the air was like the desperate scream of a dying person. But other than that, this was just an ordinary swing of an ax. All of the Lunar Monsters under the King of Deathblood were the same as Him. They didn¡¯t have any fancy special effects when attacking, nor did they have any strange transformations or complicated effects. However, their every move was the manifestation of pure war. They were the most direct manifestation of violence. If this had been in Currere, this ax could have split a sturdy, unaugmented tower in half. In short, the Lunar Monsters under the King of Deathblood were real stat monsters. They had high attack, health, and resistance, but they didn¡¯t have any fancy skills. To be honest, for magic chanters who were known for their flexibility and ability to handle all kinds of situations, dealing with such enemies was relatively troublesome. They couldn¡¯t use any tricks to deal with them, they could only choose to blast them head-on. Carnage arrived in front of William in the blink of an eye. The battle ax in its hand carried a strong smell of blood as it struck the other party¡¯s face. No one expected William to raise Judgment 2 and take the strike head-on. There were no spell traps set up in advance, no magic spells to dodge or block, or even status spells like White Frost or Black Iron Body to deal with the physical attack. He only raised his hand and used human strength to raise Judgment 2 in his hand in an attempt to block Demon General Carnage¡¯s rage-fueled ax. He wasn¡¯t an Authority holder or a Pledger, and he didn¡¯t have any magic spells or status spells to help him. He only relied on the strength of his human wrist to take on the mighty strike from a Demon General known for its strength. Was that possible? The answer was no. Even though William¡¯s strength attribute had reached the limit for a human magic chanter, the natural species difference made the strength disparity between both sides obvious. It was like how even the fastest sprinter in human history could never outrun a cheetah. If William didn¡¯t use spells like Power of Dragons or Giant¡¯s Blessing or wear equipment like Tyrant Armor that could greatly increase his strength, he couldn¡¯t compete with a Demon General like Carnage in strength. Therefore, William was sent flying by the ax. There was a metallic clang and sparks and blood splattered. William felt an unimaginable force press down on his right hand that was holding Judgment 2. It cracked his purlicue and sent him flying in a sorry state. Carnage was in shock. Not only was it shocked by its own strike, but so were the other Demon Generals and high-level Lunar Monsters who had heard of the Moon Realm Calamity¡¯s infamy. They couldn¡¯t believe that this was the legendary Moon Realm Calamity, the one who had slaughtered countless high-level Lunar Monsters and even defeated more than ten Void Sovereigns. The few people present who had fought William were shocked as well. While it was true that it was futile for the other party to face four legions alone, this didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t even withstand a strike from Carnage. In fact, they had let it charge forward because they wanted to see how confident the other party was and whether he had any trump cards. But now it seemed that he couldn¡¯t even withstand a single strike from Carnage, let alone have a backup plan. This was something that would have been unimaginable over a thousand years ago. Carnage, who had delivered the strike, was the most shocked of all. ¡°Are you messing with me?!¡± it roared at William, who had been sent flying ten meters away. ¡°Coward! Where are your fancy tricks? Where are your weak spells? Use them all! Are you trying to insult me by only using your physical strength against me?!¡± Carnage looked at William, who had a faint smile on his face, and continued with a ferocious expression. Standing in front of the legion in an exaggerated dance dress, Mrs Swelling whispered to Erosion, ¡°Is he really planning on sending himself to his death?¡± Erosion, who had fought the Moon Realm Calamity in the past, knew his combat style too well. It was a style that made all preparations in advance and ensured that everything went according to plan. Chapter 229 - 229 Legion (3) 229 Legion (3) When it saw Carnage charge over, it originally thought that countless magic traps would be waiting for the other party. It expected the Calamity¡¯s body to be filled with status spells meant to counter Carnage. All of this would teach Carnage a lesson it would remember and allow them to discover the Calamity¡¯s flaws. But from the looks of it, the other party didn¡¯t make any preparations in advance? If Carnage hadn¡¯t been the only one charging forward, but the seven Demon Generals attacking together, the legendary Moon Realm Calamity might have died! ¡°Maybe he¡¯s¡­ really out of his mind?¡± Erosion replied hesitantly. The Thousand-faced Dancer shouted to the others, sensing a perfect opportunity, ¡°Attack now! He is vulnerable. Don¡¯t give him time to cast spells. Without a legion to back him up, he can¡¯t win against us alone!¡± The Thousand-faced Dancer¡¯s words caused the Lunar Monsters behind it to howl with excitement as they unsheathed their weapons, sparking lightning, and rubbing their claws together. William turned his gaze to the Thousand-faced Dancer, sneering at the words. ¡°A legion to back me up?¡± Carnage sensed the other party¡¯s attention shifting and immediately seized the opportunity to charge forward again. This time, the battle ax in its hand was aimed straight at the other party¡¯s head. Unlike the previous strike, which was only a probe using 60-70% of its strength, this strike was a full-powered attack. The blood-red color on the ax burned intensely and the smell of blood around it turned into the unique smell of gunpowder on the battlefield. If the other party maintained his previous attitude and tried to take it head-on, he would definitely die. It wasn¡¯t just Carnage¡¯s lethal battle ax that posed a threat, but also the Lunar Monsters in the Moon Realm Legion, who were good at long-range attacks. They attacked William in their own styles, and although they weren¡¯t that powerful individually, when combined, they were an ocean of despair that could drown out an individual¡¯s strength. William didn¡¯t even raise Judgment 2. He simply looked straight at Carnage, who was about to split open his head, with a calm gaze. Clang! The sound of Carnage¡¯s battle ax being stopped in midair was loud enough to silence the entire battlefield. Long-range attacks¡ªarrows, spikes, venom, elemental energy blasts¡ªfrom the Lunar Monster legion were being intercepted by various spells that countered them midway. It was impossible for an individual to block so many spells at the same time, no matter who it was. Carnage widened its eyes as it looked at the thing that had stopped its ax¡ªa brass battle ax similar to its own, but more ancient and weathered. The person holding the ax was clad in black iron armor and wore a tyrant mask with a frown. A silver Eighth Holy Spirit figurine hung on their chest, and his silver eyes, filled with magic power, could be seen near the eyes on the mask. Is this¡­ the Moon Realm Calamity? Tyrant Armor, Brass Ax, those eyes. There was no doubt. The person blocking its strike was the Moon Realm Calamity. But how was this possible? Could there be another Moon Realm Calamity? The other Lunar Monsters behind Carnage saw it more clearly. Black, distorted space constantly appeared beside William. Every time space was distorted, a Moon Realm Calamity wearing different equipment walked out. They were armed with magical mediums, swords, or weapons, or wielding bows and arrows. Some were even wearing huge boxing gloves and holding clubs. Despite the variety of their equipment, each of them had a silver Eighth Holy Spirit figurine hanging in front of their chests. They had stopped the tidal wave of long-range attacks. ¡°Of course I have a legion,¡± William said calmly, with a fanatical expression, as he looked at the mixed Moon Realm Legion not far away. From a few initial Calamities wearing top-grade equipment, more than ten appeared around William. The number finally stopped at three digits as they all gathered around William, raising their weapons to point at the seemingly endless Lunar Monsters. Then, in the same voice, they said, ¡°I am Legion, for we are many.¡± Chapter 230 - 230 1, 2, 3... 230 1, 2, 3¡­ As the voices of the Calamities echoed, the entire battlefield fell into deathly silence again. The Moon Realm Legion present was confident in taking down a Calamity with their numerical advantage. But what about when they were facing nearly a hundred? Who had the true numerical advantage? More importantly, why were there nearly 100 Moon Realm Calamities here? Was this some kind of illusion the other party was using, or some other trick to bluff? However, all the Lunar Monsters present had seen with their own eyes that the full-strength strike of Demon General Carnage, who was famous for his strength, was easily blocked by the black-armored Calamity who suddenly appeared. This was definitely not something a bluff could do. For a moment, no Lunar Monster present dared to act rashly, including Carnage, who had charged forward. In the dead silence, William, standing in the middle of the crowd, maintained his confident smile. At the same time, he silently sensed the information from the Holy Spirit Disc on his back. 91, 92, 93¡­ I¡¯m almost at my limit¡­ William felt the fatigue and quickly stopped teleporting the Mirror Shadow clones he had prepared into the battlefield. Even though summoning them in batches reduced the strain on him, if he had to do everything at the same time¡ªeven if he only issued simple orders like ¡°Go there,¡± ¡°Attack at will,¡± and ¡°Dodge,¡± coupled with assessing simple micromanagement of real-time battlefield information¡ªit was enough to push his mind to the limit. William had gone back to the Treasure Hall and prepared about 200 equipped Mirror Shadow clones. However, he could only roughly control 93 of them. In fact, if he wanted to control them perfectly, maintaining a number below 20 was the most appropriate choice. Uh¡­ It didn¡¯t seem right to use words like ¡®only¡¯ since 93 Mirror Shadow clones were already shocking enough. If it weren¡¯t for his amazing willpower and intelligence, any ordinary magic chanter who did the same by controlling so many clones at the same time would probably overload their brains into boiling steam in a minute or two. William looked at Carnage, who was on guard not far from him, and then looked up at the Lunar Monsters in the distance. He shouted provocatively, ¡°Come on, continue.¡± ¡°Continue your previous attacks! Didn¡¯t you just boast shamelessly that you wanted me to die here?¡± ¡°Erosion, what¡¯s going on?¡± Mrs. Swelling ignored the Calamity¡¯s provocation and raised its fan, covering the lower half of its face as it asked in a low voice, ¡°Is he playing some trick?¡± Erosion, the only Demon General present who had interacted with the current Calamity, silently observed the sudden appearance of the Calamities. It stared intently at the silver pendants in front of every Calamity¡¯s chest. Erosion still remembered that thing. On April Fool¡¯s Day, it had held a weapon specially forged to assassinate the Calamity and was once suppressed by a little girl wearing the same silver pendant whose strength was only at the level of an Apprentice. After Erosion was banished back to the Moon Realm domain, the Lake of Entropy, it learned from the Lady of Starvation that it was due to the Calamity¡¯s strength. He had used the pendant to manifest himself on the girl, allowing it to escape the humiliation of being defeated by an Apprentice-level human. ¡°Those strange pendants¡­¡± Erosion said, his mind racing. ¡°The other party is using them to manifest his strength through those clones.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Demon General Bloodthirsty asked, his arms wrapped in rusty iron thorns, the blood dripping down his arms. His voice sounded like nails scraping a table. ¡°It means that the Calamity is just bluffing,¡± Erosion said quickly. ¡°He¡¯s using some special method to project his strength on those clones, creating the illusion that dozens or hundreds of himself exist at the same time. In fact, we still need to face a single Calamity. No¡­ Not only that, but to maintain such a large-scale clone, the Calamity¡¯s combat strength might even be weaker than usual. And he¡¯s just trying to scare us away!¡± Erosion¡¯s voice grew louder as he spoke, until he was almost roaring. This wasn¡¯t just about exposing the illusion that the Calamity in front of them was powerful. It was also about using this to restore the morale of the legion behind them. There was no Empty Fort Strategy in this world, but there were certainly stories in history of using tricks to scare away enemies. The most legendary one was the most arrogant fraudster in history, Demuge. He ordered someone to light 10,000 sticks of firewood to make the Lord of the Dark Tide think dawn had arrived, forcing Her back into Her dark domain and causing Her to lose the bet. In the end, She was forced to forge a weapon called Dawn Moment, and the eternally burning two-handed sword was later obtained by the Moon Realm Calamity and renamed Judgment 10. The Calamity at hand was no different. He had planned on tricking them into retreating. But even with Erosion¡¯s encouragement, no one from the Moon Realm Legion behind them dared to step forward when faced with so many Calamities. Maybe the scene in front of them was too shocking. But they didn¡¯t know that even more shocking things were yet to come. William chuckled and said, ¡°Alright, since you don¡¯t want to attack first, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± Won¡¯t stand on ceremony? How was he going to do it? the Demon Generals present thought. It was known that maintaining more than 90 clones required an astronomical amount of mana. Even if the other party was in the Moon Realm, which made it much easier to channel magic power from the Astral World than Currere, there shouldn¡¯t be much mana available due to the limitations of the human mind. After all, no human¡¯s ether domain could withstand the mana flow of so many spells at the same time. However, out of caution, they didn¡¯t dare to act rashly. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin with one¡­¡± William extended a finger. Not far from him, a clone dressed in a fiery-red robe and holding a charred black magical medium and a distorted Flame Mask stepped forward. A huge, red nexus beneath his feet began to build, and the magical medium in his hand was instantly covered in scorching cracks. Erosion and all the Demon Generals present, along with the other high-level Lunar Monsters, showed extremely terrified expressions as they sensed extremely intense fire magic starting to ignite. The Lunar Monsters under the Lady of Starvation were especially afraid, as the core principle of the spell being cast was obtained by analyzing Her domain. Peak Fire spell, All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust. As the magical medium in the Calamity¡¯s hand disintegrated inch by inch, a sickly-colored sun appeared in the sky. However, it didn¡¯t land for a long time. ¡°Then, two¡­¡± William extended his second finger. A silver-gray robed clone stood beside him, swiping his hands and taking out a sapphire ring¡ªthe Blue Glory Ring that could greatly increase lightning resistance. He put it on before continuing to take out a magical medium made of pure lightning from the spatial rift. The Initial Sky Fragment was rumored to be the original lightning obtained from the Holy Spirit¡ªFather¡ªwhen He swung His scepter and shattered the sky to establish Currere. It was said that as long as one held this divine artifact, their body would irreversibly change in the direction of shattering because creation itself was the process of shattering. In-game, holding this weapon would cause the player to be in an immobile paralysis state. Additionally, holding it for too long would permanently deduct the upper limit of the player¡¯s HP. This divine artifact also had the highest buffs for lightning spells in-game, and was on a completely different level from the divine artifacts of other spells. It was a necessary equipment for speedrunners when downing BOSSES. At the same time, spells of the same scale as All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust began to activate under the feet of William¡¯s clones. A corner of the sky was cracked by countless roaring lightning, and the light emitted by the intersecting lightning drowned out the light of the sickly sun. Peak lightning spell, Lightning that Shattered the Sky. This was the second peak spell he had already chanted. ¡°Then, three¡­¡± William ignored the cracking sound behind him and extended his third finger. He looked at the magical medium in his hand, Withering Cold, and apologetically revealed an expression. ¡°Ah, I should be the one releasing this,¡± he said, before slamming the medium on the ground. All of his allies around him were dyed with a faint layer of white. The visual effects of the spell William cast were simple compared to the two powerful spells. Peak Frost spell, Inverse Entropy. ¡°We¡¯ve got to rush over and stop him from chanting any more spells!¡± Erosion transformed into a black mist made of rotten residue and charged towards the Calamity. It was clear that the enemy was not bluffing when they were able to release three spells in one go and were planning on releasing a fourth. If they stayed there and hoped for luck, they would all be killed. The best way to fight against a magic chanter was to get close and engage in melee combat, cutting off their ability to chant powerful spells. ¡°We¡¯ve got to close the distance and take him out! It¡¯s our only chance!¡± The other Demon Generals shouted in unison, joining forces with the Moon Realm Legion to charge at the Calamities. It was at that moment that the shattered sky and the sickly sun fell¡­ Chapter 231 - 231 Mythical Legion 231 Mythical Legion Very good¡­ The plan worked. William let out a sigh of relief as he watched the Lunar Monster army charging towards him. His willpower, pushed to the brink, finally relaxed as he released the two peak spells he had been maintaining. The spells fell upon the enemy army as the sickly sunset cast a fiery glow over the battlefield. Everything was consumed and plundered, approaching irreparable death¡ªAll That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust The sky above was shattered, symbolizing the beginning of this world, once unified but now shattered by anger and dissatisfaction. The infinite sky was too far out of reach, so it was shattered and turned into a solid path. And thus, the Lightning that Shattered the Sky was born. The apocalypse and creation scenes were polar opposites, but both summoned terrifying magic powers that raged through the Moon Realm. In this world where will was the foundation, countless things appeared and were destroyed. They eventually turned into pure destruction and descended upon the Lunar Monster army. For a moment, all those with the ability to see were blinded by a pure white color that seemed to stretch on forever. All those with the ability to hear were deafened by explosions that shook their eardrums and hearts. When everything returned to normal, the four paths formed by the Moon Realm links had lost their original colors. Whether it was the golden path, the battlefield filled with blood and smoke, or the intricate networks of rotting maggots and spider silk, they were all a deathly grayish-white¡ªa layer of ash that reached up to the ankles. Everything had been burned to ashes. In the void, blue rifts of various thicknesses spread like snakes, hissing as they tore apart the stable spatial laws and turned the area into chaos. Flickering lights appeared and disappeared in the spatial rifts, as if countless possibilities were brewing in this space. The two peak spells were deadly. The ashes that reached the ankles and the strange light that constantly appeared and disappeared in the blue spatial rift were the remains of the countless dead Lunar Monsters. They had been reduced to either inflammable ashes by fire or the most primitive Creatons by lightning. These were the outcomes of the Lunar Monsters who faced these two spells head-on. A corner of the mixed Moon Realm Legion was destroyed because of these two spells. If this had been a Currere human army, their morale would probably have collapsed from panic. However, this did not happen to the Lunar Monsters. They had never had the concept of birth, and were not like mortals who had an extremely deep obsession with keeping themselves alive. Therefore, they lacked the fear of death to a certain extent. To them, it was more important to implement the concept they represented. Therefore, the Lunar Monsters from the King of Deathblood¡¯s lineage, which symbolized concepts like combat, anger, and bloodlust, were the first to charge through the ash-covered crater and endure the damage caused to them by the spatial rifts and Creatons turbulence before arriving at the battlefield where the Calamities were. They then fought the Calamities holding all kinds of weapons. Then¡­ these Lunar Monsters, who were good at slaughter, began to accept being slaughtered. The Bloodprint Warrior wrapped in armor blessed by the King of Deathblood was not a match for the Calamity holding the divine equipment. William glared at the chaotic battlefield, his mind racing. He was grateful that the other party had chosen to attack rather than engage in a spell battle with him. He knew he wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle such an intense battle. The thought of summoning 93 clones with the same strength as him, all capable of releasing peak spells, was unimaginable. If William could do it, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about expanding his faction. He could simply lead his army and conquer the Moon Realm domains. A max-level player in full equipment was already a formidable opponent, but almost 100 of them? That could only be described as a natural disaster. In reality, his clones were just Mirror Shadows created through Divine Realm illusions. They only had 80% of his stats and couldn¡¯t use spells. The reason they were able to cast spells was because William¡¯s main body was acting through the Holy Spirit figurines, or rather, the response terminals, which caused their effects. Maintaining 93 Mirror Shadow clones at the same time consumed an enormous amount of mana. Even William couldn¡¯t sustain it for long. If the summoning consumption could be shared among them, the mana required to maintain the clones would be enough to reduce an ordinary Divine Realm magic chanter to a stupor in less than ten seconds. Not to mention releasing three peak spells that consumed an enormous amount of mana all at once. William¡¯s mana consumption was three times higher than that of ordinary players. It was a fact that there were blue mana regeneration potions in this world. However, in this setting, mana potions didn¡¯t enhance magic power, but rather acted on a magic chanter¡¯s mind. The ¡°mana bars¡± of magic chanters weren¡¯t physical or ethereal reservoirs of magic, but rather their mental strength. Magic chanters channeled magic through their mental strength, directing it into the ether or magical medium before casting spells. Mana-restoring potions fell into two categories: those that increased mana regeneration were typically calming medicines that eased mental fatigue, while potions that directly restored mana were stimulants that taxed the caster¡¯s mind. In-game, these two types of potions couldn¡¯t be used together due to their conflicting effects. Even if William equipped himself with full mana regeneration gear and drank liters of mana potions, he couldn¡¯t output such a large amount of mana all at once. After all, he was just a mortal. There were many ways to obtain large amounts of magic power in this world. The Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead, created through the Eternal Gift, was a prime example. This secret ritual could bring forth an army of over ten million undead, a feat that would be nearly impossible to achieve even if all the necromancers on the continent joined forces. However, the person performing the ritual didn¡¯t even have to be a magic chanter, like the Duke of Thorn. As long as a path was created to channel magic power from the Astral World, the scale of magic power available to mortals was beyond imagination. The Holy Sepulchre in Thorn City, for instance, contained the mental imprints of countless corpses in the graveyard, creating a massive necromancy magic pathway. The Astral Lighthouse used to guide exaggerated magic power directly to the tower guardian through the Moon Realm rift by binding it to the Astral World¡¯s constellation. Another example was the Holy Spirit Disc, a control hub of faith that had been collected for centuries and worshiped by countless believers. William had the Holy Spirit Disc he collected from the Blackwater Province¡¯s Sealing Temple behind him. Through the mental fragments of the people¡¯s faith collected in this compass and the modification of the Eternal Gift¡¯s secret ritual, he used to transmit an endless stream of magic power to the 93 Mirror Shadows he summoned. William didn¡¯t need to communicate with the Astral World with his mind, but rather, he focused all his strength on controlling the Mirror Shadow clones. However, this meant he couldn¡¯t divide much mental strength to use the magic spells he was best at. So, he released peak spells one after another to exert pressure on the other party and make them make the wrong tactical decision to engage in a melee battle. Although William didn¡¯t have the energy to constantly weave large-scale spells, the Mirror Shadow clones he summoned were all wearing Legendary equipment. Even if he couldn¡¯t use his beloved magic spells to bombard them, the Mirror Shadow clones armed with his Treasure Hall were a formidable Mythical Legion. Therefore, William planned on ending the battle with a melee battle using his vast collection. Chapter 232 - 232 Reasons Visit 232 Reason¡¯s Visit Remides nervously spoke to the empty room after retrieving the Glazed Moon enchanted arrows from the time cocoon in Moonlaw City¡¯s empty collection room, ¡°We have to help the Presiding Judge. He¡¯s alone now¡­¡± She knew that her words would reach Blake, owner of Black Crow Gaze. ¡°We?¡± Blake¡¯s voice immediately echoed in her ears. Suddenly, she found herself in a solemn palace where Blake sat on a throne surrounded by an ominous dark aura. ¡°I received orders to complete the construction of the coordinates here and send you and the palace back to Ava State safely to help stabilize the situation,¡± Blake stated. In his hand, a new coordinate was slowly materializing from the void. But it was clear that this process was taking an agonizingly long time. Maybe seeing the resolute look on Remides¡¯s face, Blake added, ¡°I know you¡¯re antsy, and I am too. But please have faith in the Presiding Judge. If he says a problem can be solved, it will definitely be solved. Hasn¡¯t it always been that way in the past?¡± ¡°If you recall much of what happened in the past, you should realize that his judgment has not always been correct.¡± As Remides spoke, she clutched the Glazed Moon tightly in her hand. ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan? You really think you can just walk out there and face the Moon Realm army on your own? Times have changed, Remides. There¡¯s no Knights, no Salvation Army allies, no Black Sword, no backup. You¡¯ll be walking straight into your death if you try to go out there alone¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it. You just keep working on the coordinates here.¡± Remides loaded her quiver with arrows and spoke with icy determination. But as she turned to leave, the heavy black iron door to the palace suddenly slammed shut and two thick chains snaked around it, locking it tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Presiding Judge gave me specific instructions before he left. If you try to go out on your own, I have to stop you for now,¡± Blake said apologetically as he sat on the throne. Remides gave Blake a murderous glare as he spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything to distract me. If you want the Presiding Judge to come back alive, the only option is to wait for my coordinates to be completed.¡± For a moment, Remides was consumed by anger and frustration. Her hand, holding the transparent bow, shook uncontrollably. She stood frozen in place, taking deep breaths to try and calm down. Finally, she fixed her gaze on Blake and said slowly, ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all. You¡¯re still hiding behind rebellious and cynical words and actions, never making your own judgments or doubting your companions¡­ I thought Coles¡¯s situation would at least help you grow up a little bit¡­¡± It was clear that Blake¡¯s words had really upset Remides. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have brought up the painful memory that neither of them wanted to revisit. But in Remides¡¯s eyes, even if the Presiding Judge had been at his strongest a thousand years ago, there was no way he could¡¯ve survived an attack from such a massive Lunar Monster Legion. Trusting Blake was just watching the Presiding Judge walk to his death. More importantly, the Presiding Judge was willing to take this risk all for her. He could¡¯ve just retreated back to the Grief Mountains and let the Ava State, which she¡¯d ruled for a thousand years, fall into chaos. But Blake didn¡¯t get angry at Remides¡¯s words. Instead, he just smiled, which only made Remides angrier. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Remides demanded angrily. ¡°Miss Moonshadow¡­ we can only be said to be on par when it comes to judging people, correct?¡± Blake turned to gaze at the Tacma Church consultant, guarded by many Voidwalkers. If Remides hadn¡¯t had such trust in the Tacma Church, she might not have almost become a sacrifice to Holy Spirit Terra. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much about this. The Presiding Judge once told me, ¡®there¡¯s no need to punish your kindness with the mistakes of others.¡¯ It¡¯s not your fault for being betrayed by someone you trusted.¡± As Remides¡¯s anger intensified, Blake quickly tried to comfort her. ¡°Now, back to business. You don¡¯t know the strength of the returning Presiding Judge. It¡¯s understandable for you to use the standards from a thousand years ago as a basis for your judgment and feel uneasy about him.¡± ¡°But no matter how strong¡­¡± Remides interrupted. No matter how tough the Presiding Judge was, he was still a mortal. It was a fact that one person can¡¯t defeat the entire Moon Realm Legion. ¡°He¡¯s still a mortal, right?¡± As if knowing what the other party wanted to say, Blake added before shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯re not understanding the full picture. Sure, from a personality standpoint, he¡¯s the same mortal we used to know. But in terms of strength, he¡¯s something else entirely. Just wait, the demonic spirit I summoned should be here any moment.¡± With a flick of his finger, Blake summoned a one-eyed crow from his shadow. It flew into the air and exploded into a cloud of black mist, which formed into a swirling vortex. Within the vortex was a sparkling mirror, showing a real-time scene. In the reflection, two brass axes clashed in midair, sparks flying. But neither could gain the upper hand. One of the axe-wielders was the blood-soaked Demon General Carnage, with bulging muscles and red skin. The other was clad in thick black iron armor, with Power of Dragons magic runes glowing on his arms. It was clear that neither of them could defeat the other in terms of strength. ¡°Presiding Judge?!¡± Remides yelled out in shock. She wasn¡¯t surprised that William¡¯s wrist could hold its own against the infamous Demon General Carnage, known for its immense strength. What really shocked her was the fact that William was giving up his long-range advantage as a magic chanter and fighting Carnage head-on. Was he insane? The two battled on a gray land, and it seemed like it would be a long, drawn out fight if they were the only ones fighting. In the projection, every time two people reached a stalemate, the Bloodprint Warriors, Corpse Warriors, Starvation, and other King of Deathblood¡¯s spawn would swarm William. He would barely manage to force them back and use simple spells to take out the surrounding soldiers. Every time this happened, Carnage would take advantage of the situation and leave a few mild wounds on William¡¯s body. After a few rounds of this, William was covered in wounds and his breathing became heavy. ¡°Is this what you meant by¡­ the current Presiding Judge surpasses mortals in strength?¡± Remides asked Blake, seated on the throne in a frenzy. Before Blake could even respond, William was struck in the shoulder again. He gritted his teeth and used Life spells to stop the bleeding. He muttered to himself, ¡°Reinforcements are needed¡­¡± Carnage swung its ax, glowing red with blood lust, as it charged towards William. This time, 15 elite Bloodprint Warriors followed behind it, swords raised high and blessed by Brand himself. They were determined to overwhelm their enemy with this attack. The ash-covered hurricane swept past, scattering the Lunar Monsters and causing the weaker ones to dissipate. Even Carnage was halted in its tracks, unable to move closer. As the hurricane subsided, the creature lifted its ax to shield its head. Clang! The golden sword of a holy knight collided with Carnage¡¯s brass ax with a loud clang. Had the strike been just a few seconds later, Carnage would have been beheaded. ¡°Tch¡­¡± The attacker let out a grunt of disdain before leaping back to stand beside William, who was dressed in black armor. The attacker was adorned in pure white armor and had a pair of holy angel wings extending from it. These wings had allowed the attacker to fly like a meteor towards Carnage, trying to behead the enemy. Standing next to William was a hooded person dressed in a silver robe, holding a wooden magical medium with a small storm gathering at the top. ¡°I was foolish to think I could take on a Demon General at Carnage¡¯s level alone, especially with the personal guards of the Divine Grace Bloodprint warriors present,¡± William said from within his black armor. ¡°It takes at least three of us to handle this,¡± the silver-robed person added. The attacker hovering in the air flapped their wings and spoke, ¡°Then let¡¯s use Judgment 2 to finish the job and send this one to its death.¡± Remides watched the scene unfold on the screen, completely stunned. ¡°Those three¡­ they¡¯re all William?¡± she turned to Blake and asked, ¡°Three?¡± Blake shook his head as the floating perspective from midair suddenly stretched, revealing the entire battlefield in front of them. Countless Lunar Monsters were surging in one direction, where dozens or more than a hundred Presiding Judges were slaughtering them. ¡°This is what I¡¯m talking about. The Presiding Judge has surpassed the might of mortals,¡± Blake said. He then looked at a corner of the palace and continued, ¡°Also, if you want to ruin my work, that was the best opportunity. Since you didn¡¯t make a move, I want to ask, do you also want to negotiate?¡± At that moment, a butler dressed in formal attire with a handlebar mustache appeared in an empty corner. He bowed to the two of them and said, ¡°Honorable Father of the Crows and the Lord of Ava State. My name is Reason, and I don¡¯t represent my master¡¯s will today. I wish to talk to the two of you who also don¡¯t represent your master¡¯s will.¡± Chapter 233 - 233 Wealth 233 Wealth In the world where William resided, talented RTS professionals were able to give orders to hundreds of units with ease through their impressive multitasking abilities. There were even extraordinary players who were able to flawlessly micromanage every unit in the midst of a chaotic battle. William possessed unparalleled willpower and computational power, allowing him to easily control his Mirror Shadow clones with just the movement of his fingers. He would switch his perspective on the battlefield constantly, calculating the casualties on both sides as he commanded his one-man army to take on the other party¡¯s seemingly endless legion. (#4, #37, we need to reinforce #2 who¡¯s currently facing Carnage alone.) (There are too many soldiers. #4, use the Storm spell, Howling Wind, to clear a small area.) (The Holy Spirit Disc has reached its maximum load. If we use Legendary spells, it could result in the destruction of the original structure.) (However, the estimated damage is acceptable if it means we can kill Carnage.) (#72, #56, and #69, protect the flanks and prevent the King of Deathblood spawns from providing reinforcement.) (After striking down Carnage, use Blink to hand Judgment 2 to #2 to finish it off.) William¡¯s mind raced as he instantly formulated machine-like, precise thoughts. These thoughts quickly turned into clear instructions that he passed on to his Mirror Shadow clones for execution. He felt like a high-speed computer, calculating resources, analyzing enemy weaknesses, and optimizing attack plans. The downside of controlling so many clones at once was that William couldn¡¯t communicate with the Astral World or open the mana pathway of his ether domain. However, the mana he used to maintain the clones came from the Holy Spirit Disc on his back, effectively acting as a powerful mana reactor. Unfortunately, it was impossible for them to cast Divine Realm spells, and it would be extremely difficult for William to split his mental strength to construct a Legendary spell. Furthermore, the mana needed for even an Apprentice spell would permanently wear down the durability of the Holy Spirit Disc, which couldn¡¯t sustain the mana consumption of more than 90 clones. It was clear that William¡¯s army of less than 100 men wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the endless attacks of the Moon Realm Legion. Even with his clones, who had 80% of his basic stats, they were just a few dozen high-level infantrymen because they couldn¡¯t release magic. But if they had full sets of divine equipment, the situation would be completely different. ¡°All for Ms. Camilla, and for hunger and corruption to roam the earth forever!¡± With a sticky roar that sounded like phlegm in their throats, hundreds of Plaguewalkers and thousands of bloated undead pushed forward under the lead of the seven Stumbling Demons, squeezing the circular space on the left flank of the battlefield like a slowly ambling city wall. The Lady of Starvation¡¯s troops, with their reliance on numbers and brute force, were proving to be a greater challenge for William¡¯s Holy Spirit Army than the flashy, surprise-attacking troops of the Whispering Empress and Sin of Crimson Desire. William found it difficult to defeat the mindless undead troops with their ridiculous amounts of HP by targeting key nodes. Furthermore, if the battle dragged on for too long and the Stumbling Demon¡¯s plague effects stacked, William would have to use valuable mental strength and the durability of the Holy Spirit Disc to purify a large area. (#14, release the Revolutionary Weapon: General Blackdeath¡¯s Death Blade, Ghost March.) (#20, activate the Phoenix Pendant¡¯s purification effect to expel the Stumbling Demon¡¯s flesh curse.) William knew he had to act fast. The left flank of the battlefield was under heavy attack from the Lady of Starvation Legion. Suddenly, six massive ghost sabers materialized out of nowhere, surrounded by a swarm of wraiths. They hovered around William, who was dressed in bone armor and had a deadly look in his eyes. ¡°I have the power to bring the troops of General Blackdeath back to life, but it can only be used once a day.¡± William spoke quietly, his bone armor glinting in the light. ¡°It¡¯s time to let them walk the land again.¡± The Ghost Sabers circled their master like a lawn mower, quickly turning the bloated undead around him into piles of minced meat. As soon as he finished speaking, the massacre began. After every undead was minced, a ferocious wraith began to condense. With the nourishment of about five to six bloated undead, a wraith could gain enough strength to escape and transform into a spirit dragging a black military saber and wearing the uniform of the ancient Blackwater Kingdom¡¯s soldiers from the Silver Calendar. I¡¯ve never seen how many dead souls the General Blackdeath¡¯s Death Blade can summon in-game, but this is definitely an eye-opener. After the six Ghost Sabers caused chaos for a short time, all the wraiths around them disappeared. Then, as if they were out of energy, they landed and stabbed the ground around William, who was controlling them. The wraiths from before had all turned into solid Ghost Soldiers. They held military sabers and fought the bloated undead and Plaguewalkers on the left side of the battlefield. There seemed to be hundreds of them. William was shocked. This divine artifact, General Blackdeath¡¯s Death Blade, came from the ancient Blackwater Kingdom. It was used by a general who used ceremonial magic to mirror Death Vera. The weapon could summon the Ghost Army of the general through slaughter and sacrifice. However, in the game, the conversion effect of this equipment was very weak. To summon a ghost of average strength, one had to kill a few enemy units. Due to the limitations of the game pod and the player¡¯s first-person information reception ability, fewer than a hundred units could appear on the same screen in the game, excluding the backdrops they couldn¡¯t interact with. So, even though William killed all the enemy units on a map during an experiment, he couldn¡¯t summon more than 20 ghosts. This combat strength wasn¡¯t even useful in later battles. But now, when William activated the special effect of this weapon, there were no restrictions. Hundreds of ghosts with 80% physical damage reduction were enough to hold the Lady of Starvation¡¯s line. Similar situations happened in every corner of the battlefield. Although William¡¯s clones couldn¡¯t use spells, the equipment they carried¡ªbe it divine weapons forged by Authority holders in the past, divine artifacts forged and enchanted by Legendary craftsmen, holy relics blessed by the Holy Spirits, or even magical divine artifacts cursed by the Void Sovereigns¡ªcould greatly affect the battle even without calculating the attribute benefits they brought to the wearer. The skill effects of some equipment were even comparable to Divine Realm spells. Equipment skills that were too overpowered usually had limitations, like needing to be fully charged or having a long cooldown period (typically once a day). But in the game, players could only use one set of equipment at a time, and the special skills of that equipment could only be used as an added bonus in battle, not as the main source of damage. However, when reality and the game merged and William was able to provide his own mana through the Holy Spirit Disc and control his Mirror Shadow clones through the Holy Spirit figurines, everything changed. If the Moon Realm Legion facing him represented the Void Sovereigns and the extension of the Moon Realm¡¯s power, then William had all the best, most powerful equipment from every era at his disposal. He was using his ¡°wealth¡± to crush these Lunar Monsters with the best killing techniques available. Chapter 234 - 234 Carnage And Being Surrounded 234 Carnage And Being Surrounded After a few rounds of intense fighting, Demon General Carnage¡¯s body was covered in wounds. Its breathing became heavy as it was pushed back by the three Calamities. The Calamity wielding a brass ax and wearing Tyrant armor used the armor¡¯s augmentation to restrain Carnage with superhuman strength. The Calamity with wings flew in the sky, looking for an opportunity to strike with his purification sword¡ªone that dealt Carnage irreparable damage. The robed Calamity used Storm spells to interfere with Carnage¡¯s sight and used a Mist Wall to block any reinforcements. The three Calamities moved with such precision, it was as if they were a single person. Every time Carnage¡¯s battle ax was about to strike a vital point, another Calamity would block the strike. And every time one Calamity retreated and dodged, it was only to set up an attack by another. It was truly terrifying. The fight that Carnage had been winning took a turn for the worse. Though it wouldn¡¯t lose easily, if the situation persisted, it was doomed to fail. After taking a hard hit from the opposing team¡¯s coordinated attack, Carnage swung its axe, creating a golden whirlwind that pushed the two Calamities back. It seized the opportunity to put some distance between them. The Calamities didn¡¯t immediately chase after Carnage. The previous attack had already inflicted plenty of wounds, and all they had to do was keep up the same pace to secure their victory. But it was then that Carnage suddenly spoke, ¡°Do you really think you have the upper hand now?¡± As it spoke, it tore off pieces of its brass armor, throwing them to the ground with a loud clang. Its crimson muscles were exposed, covered in grotesque wounds. The blood flowed freely, seeming to come alive as it spread across its body, forming a bloody totem. ¡°I understand. You are strong, perhaps not as strong as the Calamity¡¯s main body, but it¡¯s still a challenge for me to face three of you at once. However, you made a grave mistake.¡± Carnage continued to remove its armor, until it was barely covered by a blood-stained cloth. Its exaggerated muscles were marred by deep wounds, and the blood-colored totems writhing on its body seemed to have a life of their own. A sanguine aura spread across the battlefield, turning into a tentacle-like mist that surrounded Carnage through the Mist Wall. As the three clones stopped in their tracks, William, who was controlling them, noticed a distinct change in the aura emanating from the other party. It was as if the difference between a golden retriever and a lion. ¡°Tell me, does it feel good to kill without mercy on this battlefield? Is it a thrill to cull the weak like wheat?¡± A blood-colored mist enveloped the battlefield and surrounded Carnage, muffling its voice as it spoke. William¡¯s heart skipped a beat at Carnage¡¯s words. He realized he had overlooked something crucial. On the main battlefield, weapons and tools with special skills were being used freely. It looked like an ancient epic battle from afar. The dazzling, colorful light, just short of having the number ¡®9,999¡¯ being blasted out in midair, gave the appearance of chaos. William had emptied out almost half of the Treasure Hall and was going all out, aided by the almost infinite mana supply from the Holy Spirit Disc. The entire frontal battlefield was a one-sided carnage. Yes, a carnage. This was also the source of Demon General Carnage¡¯s strength. On this battlefield, every time William easily killed a low-level Lunar Monster, he strengthened the concept of carnage, augmenting Demon General Carnage with a small portion of power. Any Lunar Monster, whether friend or foe, connected to the concept of carnage received a blessing. In the past, before launching an attack, the Moon Realm Demon Army led by Carnage would conduct a large-scale blood sacrifice. If they had captives, they were sacrificed. If they didn¡¯t, they selected the weak from within the Demon Army to be sacrificed (in the civil war, it didn¡¯t matter if they were friends or foes. The weak were naturally the ones who died) to boost their strength. As a result of William commanding his Holy Spirit Army on the battlefield, his strength reached an unprecedented level. ¡°Not killing me immediately was your biggest mistake.¡± As Carnage let out a deafening roar, the mist of blood surrounding it began to swirl and attach itself to various parts of its body. In an instant, it transformed into a dark-red armor that writhed and flamed like flames. Demon wings made of blood also spread out behind it. ¡°Continue your killing spree, Calamity. Hahahahahaha¡­¡± Carnage cackled maniacally as blood crawled up its tightly clenched hand and onto the brass battle ax it held. From a distance, it appeared as if the weapon was filled with dense, pulsing blood vessels. (Consider chanting the peak Metal spell, ¡°Awaken Remains of the Death Star,¡± and take out Demon General Carnage before it grows even stronger.) (Rejected. If we chant ¡°Awaken Remains of the Death Star,¡± there¡¯s a high risk that the Holy Spirit Disc will shatter under the strain.) (Send in emergency reinforcements: #7, #13, and #22, who are guarding the main body, through the Mist Wall.) As his thoughts raced, William quickly reevaluated the distribution of resources in his mind. Suddenly, the three clones guarding him vanished in flashes of lightning. One of the clones, wearing an antler helm, grabbed Judgment 2 from William before disappearing. The various spots on the battlefield were at capacity. In order to stabilize the battle lines and prevent being outflanked, William couldn¡¯t mobilize his clones from elsewhere to provide assistance. If Carnage continued to grow stronger, unless he retreated all of his clones and relied on his main body to defeat it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to take it down in a few minutes with just those clones who couldn¡¯t cast spells. William had no choice but to send three of the four clones around him to provide support. ¡°At the very least, Carnage won¡¯t be able to handle the damage output of six clones¡­¡± As something unexpected happened, William muttered anxiously to himself. ¡°Similarly, for you who has almost zero combat strength, you can¡¯t withstand our surprise attack, right?¡± a charming voice echoed behind William. Suddenly, the last clone guard appeared, holding a thick shield that protected William from behind. Clang! Clang! Clang! The sound of metal filled the air as the six serrated spears, coated in dark green venom, were blocked by the shield. William didn¡¯t turn to see who was speaking. Instead, he raised his hand and solidified an ice crystal shield, emitting cold air as it blocked a ball of yellowish green pus. As Mrs. Swelling finally opened the fan covering the lower half of her face, a ball of yellow-green pus shot out from its ugly, toad-like mouth. ¡°Tsk¡­ do the Demon Generals under Beatrice always have the habit of reminding the other party before launching a sneak attack?¡± Mrs. Swelling complained, covering its face with the fan again. It then turned to William and said, ¡°Dear Lord Calamity, your little trick has been exposed.¡± Rotten fragments began to dissipate around it as Demon General Erosion, who had fought William in Thorn City, took shape. ¡°To be able to send your strength remotely through a figurine¡­ you shouldn¡¯t have exposed your trump card in Thorn City, Lord Calamity,¡± Erosion said as it materialized. Chapter 235 - 235 Reasons Purpose 235 Reason¡¯s Purpose ¡°¡­That¡¯s it. I hope you understand that I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. You¡¯re a high-ranking Moon Realm overlord, close to a Void Sovereign, so you know what I mean. It¡¯s up to you to decide.¡± Reason straightened its impeccable collar and bowed to Blake and Remides before turning its gaze to the floating projection in the middle of the hall, where William was struggling against three Demon Generals. Blake watched the tense battle on the screen before turning to Reason and saying, ¡°But I don¡¯t see what you stand to gain by telling us this information. Even if His Excellency Absurdity Jester does some strange things, I doubt He¡¯s a philanthropist. Are you telling us all of this for nothing?¡± ¡°My decision to tell you this was entirely personal. And you¡¯re right¡ªno matter how crazy my master is, He wouldn¡¯t choose to reveal such important information to our greatest enemy in the Moon Realm,¡± Reason replied coolly. ¡°That makes even less sense. Aren¡¯t you a Demon General loyal to Valk?¡± Blake asked from his throne, confusion etched on his face. ¡°Yes, this misunderstanding arises often. But I don¡¯t understand why you think a Void Sovereign, who represents madness and foolishness, would have a Demon General named Reason,¡± Reason replied, a hint of mockery in its voice. For the first time, an undetectable smile crossed Reason¡¯s face. ¡°You call Valk ¡®Master.''¡± ¡°Well, I suppose human slaves are willing to call their shacklers ¡®masters¡¯, right?¡± Reason continued, dripping with sarcasm. ¡°I should have become a sword or a bow, but unfortunately for me, Mr. Valk won the bet and I became this.¡± ¡°Wait, you mean that your essence¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Judgment Equipment was made through a series of crazy bets. They are weapons that can harm the Void Sovereigns¡¯ immortal life. Or maybe it¡¯s a concept that goes against Them, or something else? In short, the other 12 Void Sovereigns obediently turned it into a weapon called Judgment Equipment, and only I became a high-level Moon Realm spirit. And let me tell you, your Presiding Judge has terrible taste in names. No need for a stupid name. This is the only thing I¡¯m grateful for not being turned into a weapon.¡± Blake ignored the second half of the other guy¡¯s statement and thought for a moment before bringing up the issue. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no reason for Valk to make you the Fanatic Theater¡¯s butler.¡± After all, who would hand over the surrogate authority of their Moon Realm domain to a Moon Realm existence with completely opposite concepts? But Reason replied very calmly, ¡°Well, how do you think He should deal with me to better reflect His essence of madness and foolishness? Or rather, if He really thinks of a suitable way to deal with me, He should inherit the name of Reason. Besides, what Lord Valk does most in the Fanatic Theater is constantly overturning the plans I¡¯ve made. I¡¯m just a tool to reflect His madness.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you shared all this information with us? You¡¯re hoping we¡¯ll be able to stop Valk¡¯s plan?¡± Remides finally spoke up, unable to stay silent any longer. Reason sneered and shook its head. ¡°Plan? He never had a real plan. Even if he tells you what he¡¯s up to, it will only add more variables to the future and give him more opportunities for surprises.¡± The sneer on Reason¡¯s face revealed a hint of resentment. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Blake asked, considering the situation carefully. ¡°I want to see Him dead.¡± ¡­ Suddenly, Reason turned into gray crystals and vanished in the hall after bowing to them one last time. Remides glanced at Blake, who spoke before she could. ¡°Hold on a moment¡­ this must be some sort of mark that Valk left behind when he brought his circus to Black Crow Gaze. At the time, it was the only one who brought its spawn here, but I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.¡± For a Demon General, or rather, a high-level Moon Realm being with the strength of a Demon General, to be able to openly teleport to the throne hall of Black Crow Gaze, the other party must have left something behind. With that, Blake stretched out his left hand, turning it into a bird claw and firmly grasping something in the void. A tattered dark-blue elephant doll was suddenly pulled out, letting out a sharp cry like a child. ¡°Tsk¡­ thank God the Presiding Judge insisted on holding the meeting at the Dawn Fortress, with all those barriers in the conference hall. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve seen right through us.¡± Blake clenched his fist tightly as the blue elephant doll burst into fireworks, filling the sky before disappearing. ¡°If the Presiding Judge finds out about this amateur mistake, I¡¯ll be stuck in confinement.¡± Blake chuckled nervously as he watched the fireworks fade away. Remides looked at him solemnly and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been imprisoned for more than 800 years. The Presiding Judge won¡¯t find it enough of a punishment for you. Or are you not planning on telling the Presiding Judge what Reason told you?¡± Just as Reason had said, it hadn¡¯t come on its master¡¯s orders. It also hoped that the two of them wouldn¡¯t bring up the matter on their master¡¯s orders. That¡¯s why the other party had chosen this moment, when both masters were distracted, to visit. Blake remained silent. ¡°So what it said was true?¡± Remides pressed. ¡°My gut tells me it¡¯s probably true,¡± Blake replied, staring at the fight in the middle of the hall. ¡°The method to truly kill a Void Sovereign. Although we still need to verify some details.¡± His voice was hushed, as if he was afraid William might hear him. Remides likewise whispered, ¡°The Presiding Judge will never go for it. It¡¯s too risky, and the cost is too high.¡± There was a moment of silence before Blake asked, ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± Remides glanced at the Presiding Judge, who was clearly struggling with his battle, and sighed. ¡°We should tell the Presiding Judge the truth about everything else except for this method.¡± At this, Blake smiled and said, ¡°I agree with you, but if you made this decision based on the current situation, I have to say that the Presiding Judge will definitely come out on top in this battle.¡± Chapter 236 - 236 Ending Carnage 236 Ending Carnage Blake was right. While the Demon Generals¡¯ surprise attack had caused William some trouble, it was nothing major. In fact, William had bigger concerns on his mind. At present, William had only recovered two Holy Spirit Discs from the two Sealing Temples in the Blackwater Province. The complexity of these discs could only be replicated by Sibylla, the Astral Observer who used to be in charge of item creation and enchantment for Judgment. Even if she could replicate them, the special effect of communicating with the Astral World after 800 years of worship couldn¡¯t be duplicated. This was also why William hesitated to use the Holy Spirit Discs as consumables. According to Nizemar, there were only 45 of them on the Vic Continent, and William only had two. He didn¡¯t want to waste them if he could help it. Think about who he was. He was like a hardcore hamster who had hoarded Flame Bottles from the beginning of the game and refused to use them until the end. Using such a limited item as a consumable was unacceptable to him. In the game, William always chose to cast spells himself and save consumables with special effects or descriptions for his Treasure Hall, even if it meant taking a significant amount of damage from a BOSS. He preferred to slowly chip away at their health, just to add the items to his collection. One mission required him to poison a target by disguising himself as a guest and slipping poison into their champagne. But the poison had a special suffix that couldn¡¯t be replicated through alchemy, so William had to change his approach and turn the assassination into a stealth mission, and eventually a massacre of anyone who saw him. But now, he wasn¡¯t just playing a game. He couldn¡¯t afford to stick to his strange habits, or he risked screwing up. ¡°Sigh¡­ You¡¯re going to die in the end anyway. Why can¡¯t you find a way to die that won¡¯t give me trouble?¡± William¡¯s voice was laced with pain as he felt the irreparable cracks spreading on the Holy Spirit disc on his back. The three Demon Generals, who had thought victory was within their grasp, were puzzled by William¡¯s words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Erosion, the most vigilant of the group, asked subconsciously. William stood still, silently chanting the spell he had previously been unwilling to use. As the spell took form, the cracks on the Holy Spirit Disc deepened. The sound of the disc cracking seemed to echo in William¡¯s heart. Goodbye, the achievement of collecting all 45 Holy Spirit Discs. William mourned the loss in his heart. As William chanted the ancient spells, the empty sky transformed into a chaotic, terrifying starry sky. It was the primal starry sky of long ago, before the world of Currere took shape and order was established. But these stars were not like the gentle, mysterious ones with the moon and 13 constellations as their main axis that could be observed in Currere at night. Instead, just looking at this starry sky filled one with anxiety. The stars shone aggressively, emitting sharp, needle-like starlight as if they could be plucked down with a mere raise of the hand or pressed down on the ground at any moment. This was the most primal version of the starry sky, one that existed long before the world of Currere took shape and order was established. The stars died and turned into dead bones, falling into Currere and becoming the origin of the original metal in the world. The peak Metal spell, Awaken Remains of the Death Star, aimed to reawaken the power of these dead stars and restore the scene of thousands of stars falling from the sky. The three Demon Generals could feel the overwhelming magical pressure and power emanating from the sky, enough to tear them to pieces. They were unable to resist the strange daze that overtook them. What the hell is happening? Wasn¡¯t the other side having trouble defending himself? Did we make a mistake in our assessment? ¡°Erosion, what¡¯s this¡­¡± Mrs. Swollen stared at the beautiful sky with terror in her eyes. ¡°I have no idea¡­¡± Erosion shouted back. That was the last thing they said before the Metal magic storm created by the stars completely shredded them into bits. ¡­ By the time Blake and Remides arrived on the battlefield, the battle that could be called a war was almost over. On one side, the Holy Spirit Disc had suffered irreparable damage, causing William¡¯s clone army to dwindle down to just 10%. On the other side, William had finally overcome his mental obstacle and blasted the Demon Generals and high-level Lunar Monsters back home, causing the enemy¡¯s front line to collapse. Both sides suffered losses, but considering William had formed an army alone, it was a great victory. However, the protagonist of this victory didn¡¯t seem to be celebrating. At that moment, he looked at the Demon General, Carnage, who had been blasted into half a charred wreckage with a livid expression. It was clear that the Demon Generals under the King of Deathblood were tenacious, as even with only half of his body and two-thirds of his head left, Carnage didn¡¯t dissipate. He even looked ready to fight another round with his remaining hand. Of course, the enemy definitely hated his overly resilient body, especially in front of the seemingly ordinary straight sword. Blake led the Crow Legion onto the battlefield, ready to take on the four Moon Realm Legions with his Demon Legion. Though they may not have been as strong as their enemies in terms of numbers or quality, Blake knew he could handle the situation easily. The Crows swiftly filled the gaps in William¡¯s Holy Spirit Army¡¯s ranks and chased after the remaining foes like the autumn wind blowing away fallen leaves. Blake landed beside William. This was the only spot on the battlefield where Demon Generals were still in action. The other spot was occupied by Dementia, who was observing the battle with a cold demeanor. ¡°Presiding Judge, I¡¯ve finished creating the coordinates, so I¡¯ll bring my spawn over first¡­¡± But William raised his hand to stop him. Turning to Carnage, who was still scowling at him, William said, ¡°Cut the act. The previous Carnage hid something before he died and planned to leave me some mementos, but that act won¡¯t work on me now.¡± With a gentle tap of his Frost Staff, William froze every joint of Carnage, rendering it immobile. The final showdown with Carnage in the game was a dramatic moment to say the least. A Battle Priest, who had been a mentor and guide to the protagonist, sacrificed himself to block Carnage¡¯s final attack. This former follower of the King of Deathblood had finally realized the horror of his actions when he accidentally killed his own family in the war. Through his sacrifice, he found redemption. William thought about it and realized that if the scriptwriter had handled it any differently, it would have been awkward. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for a Moon Realm believer who had been steeped in blood for half his life to be absolved of his sins just because he suddenly had an epiphany. Even if he didn¡¯t die saving the protagonist, he would still have faced Judgment¡¯s public trial and met his demise. The way he died in the game was dignified and relieved the moral dilemma of the players. But this move was useless against William. Carnage, unable to severely injure the Calamity with its final strike infused with the power of death, could only curse, ¡°Calamity, don¡¯t act so smug just because you won. We can continue this game with you for countless more times. One victory is enough to make all your previous efforts¡­¡± Before it could finish its rant, it met its end with a splash of blood. William was livid, and he wasn¡¯t going to waste time listening to the other party¡¯s nonsense. He gave an order to his clone, telling it to pierce the other party¡¯s throat. ¡°But no matter what the outcome is, you won¡¯t be able to see it, right?¡± he said coldly, looking at Carnage, whose red light in his eyes was fading but whose body showed no sign of dissipating. ¡°Besides, I came back here to put this issue to bed, right?¡± William asked, turning to Blake and Remides. He seemed to be seeking their input or confirmation. As he finished speaking, the Holy Spirit Disc he carried shattered into pieces. Chapter 237 - 237 Failed Secret Mechanism 237 Failed Secret Mechanism Storm Province, Myriad Feet City, Terra Cathedral. The Eighth Order was experiencing a surge in popularity due to the manifestation of the figurines. Pilgrims from all over the empire had flocked to its supreme temple for the past few months. It was quick to seize the opportunity to expand its influence. Other than implementing martial law early on, they held grand sermons and preachings to make the most of this situation that could have potentially been a crisis for the Church. Along with the news that the empire¡¯s expeditionary army was sending troops to Ava State, this increased public support for the Eighth Holy Spirit and the Riel royal family. Now, countless believers were visiting the Terra Cathedral daily to hear the sermon of the Eighth Order¡¯s Patriarch, Adrian¡ªthe spokesperson for the Eighth Holy Spirit in the mortal world. As a result, the hotels, taverns, relay stations, and other shops in Myriad Feet City were thriving. This city, which had declined after the Riel royal family¡¯s relocation, seemed to be experiencing a revival after 800 years. ¡°I¡¯ve already stated that the publicity needs to be handled carefully. The current situation is going to be a problem¡­¡± Adrian said, feeling helpless as he listened to the prayers outside the cathedral that drowned out the hymns. Today wasn¡¯t the Church¡¯s day off, but the Terra Cathedral was closed. Not only was the door shut, but it was also heavily guarded. Even when the manifestation of divinity occurred, it wasn¡¯t this heavily guarded. Fully armed Church paladins and guards transferred from Myriad Feet City blocked hundreds of believers who hoped to make a pilgrimage to the church. This was because Patriarch Adrian, eight archbishops under him, three upper echelon members of the Astral Council, and a black-robed man emitting an aura that kept people away were holding a secret ceremony of utmost importance inside the church. The huge chanting crowd used their souls to evoke a sufficient amount of faith resonance. The upper echelon members of the Astral Council continued to provide mana in a dazzlingly complicated nexus, and the mysterious black-robed man was communicating with the power of the Moon Realm. These were just to support the ritual. The true body of the ritual was the cathedral itself. Two years after his failed expedition to Ava State, the founding emperor, Terra Riel, ordered the construction of the Terra Cathedral. The Senate had always opposed the empire¡¯s landmarks of faith being in the style of the elves, but the emperor crushed their dissent. The reason for this was to achieve such a day. The Terra Cathedral, built to mimic the Moonlaw City palace, harnessed the power of the High Elves¡¯ Mist Souls through symbolic resonance, allowing the emperor¡¯s power to transcend karmic ties and be engraved in a cycle of fate. This was a plan that he had been in motion about for over 800 years. Despite the low probability of success, he knew it was worth a try. For this plan, the Eighth Order didn¡¯t hesitate to cooperate with the Moon Realm¡¯s controversial beings and used the Void Sovereign Steelheart Widow to create a vessel that could contain Holy Spirit Terra¡¯s strength and plunge it right into the enemy¡¯s heart. But there was no way to explain these things to the devout believers outside the door. Those who hadn¡¯t yet become gods had to pretend to be gods in order to have a chance at becoming gods. In a way, religion was just a form of deception. Adrian was one of the few people who understood this truth. Even more remarkably, he still chose to be devout despite understanding this principle. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s keep going. Let¡¯s finish these tasks as quickly as possible. This is an opportunity we can¡¯t miss¡­¡± Adrian knew that there was no one who could share his feelings, so he sighed. Most of the people present were more about action than words. In a way, this seemed to be a common trait among the powerful in this world. So, when Adrian gave his orders, everyone got to work. The secret ritual was activated, and the nexuses all over the place lit up one after another. Adrian, at the center of the ritual, felt the surging faith and magic power intertwine with the power of the Moon Realm. Then, from more than 10,000 kilometers away and an countless number of concepts, it allowed his master to sit firmly on his throne. At first, the secret ritual went smoothly. Then¡­ it failed completely. The black-robed man¡¯s communication with the Moon Realm had ceased. The security chief from the Demon Burial, a skilled assassin, slit the man¡¯s neck with a dagger inscribed with runes of agony. The man had refused to continue their arrangement. ¡°This is a message from Ms. Aiur¡¯s oracle. She will pay for breaking the contract, but the contract between her and His Excellency Terra is now null and void,¡± the Steelheart Widow¡¯s spokesperson in Currere announced. The man¡¯s face remained emotionless, as if the excruciating pain was nothing to him. Adrian nodded and signaled for the Demon Burial assassin to leave. He knew that inflicting torture on Steelheart Widow¡¯s followers was like threatening a woman with castration. So, he stepped forward and snapped the man¡¯s neck, removed his head, sealed it in the Cocoon of Time, and handed it to an attendant. The attendant stared at Adrian in fear and confusion. ¡°Sacrifice the soul of Aiur¡¯s spokesperson in Currere to the Void Sovereign¡¯s enemy. It¡¯s time to find a new partner for our cooperation,¡± Adrian said matter-of-factly. Adrian didn¡¯t let it phase him. The Moon Realm¡¯s absence only made the secret ritual a bit harder. The most crucial part was already done. But then¡­ The Moonlaw City palace, which was in sync with the Terra Cathedral, vanished without a trace. How could an entire palace just disappear? Adrian was in shock. The ritual came to a halt as everyone present stared at Adrian, the leader of the ritual, with confusion. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It could just be a technical issue,¡± Adrian quickly calmed down and reassured them. ¡°Even without physical coordinates, we can still use the Holy Spirit Disc¡¯s matrix to search. As long as the matrix is complete, there¡¯s nothing the Eighth Holy Spirit can¡¯t see¡­¡± Adrian explained, holding the figurine tightly to his chest. He used his authority as Patriarch to connect to the matrix of Holy Spirit Discs and communicate with Holy Spirit Terra, whose consciousness had been divided into countless fragments. Using His will, Adrian set out to locate the missing Moonlaw City palace. It would take more time, but Adrian was determined to use the matrix to search and allow the secret ritual to continue. As a result, the entire Terra Church fell into a long, awkward silence as time passed minute by minute. But then, through a storm, Adrian saw the outline of Moonlaw City¡¯s palace through the Holy Spirit¡¯s vision. Suddenly, his gaze met a pair of silver eyes, emanating an abyss-like power. Suddenly, Adrian was slammed with a force that broke his connection to the Holy Spirit Disc¡¯s matrix. In that moment, he perceived the matrix becoming incomplete. When he opened his eyes, he saw a group of people surrounding him with worried expressions. It appeared that he had been knocked to the ground. ¡°I, urgh¡­¡± Adrian tried to speak, but the strong smell of blood in his mouth made it difficult. He looked down at his chest and saw that it had collapsed. His consciousness started to fade, drifting away like a kite with a broken string. Before he lost consciousness completely, his final thought was: Who was the person who looked at me? ¡­ ¡°Presiding Judge?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± William snapped back to reality. Blake¡¯s worried gaze met William¡¯s. ¡°You were in a daze for a few seconds¡­ Do you have something to say?¡± William shook his head and said, ¡°For some reason, I felt like someone was staring at me from afar through the Holy Spirit Disc. So, I simply reflected the last bit of mana left on the disc.¡± Despite being the ¡°last bit,¡± the mana was enough to maintain multiple clones at once. William gazed at the shattered disc in his hand with heartache before looking up and speaking. ¡°But that¡¯s probably just my imagination¡­ Alright, it¡¯s time for you to talk about yourself. What did Valk¡¯s subordinate, Reason, say when it suddenly came looking for you guys?¡± Chapter 238 - 238 22 238 22 William tapped his fingers on the magical medium after hearing Blake¡¯s recount and said, ¡°¡­But isn¡¯t this strange?¡± ¡°Strange in what way?¡± Blake asked, his expression unchanging. ¡°The Moon Realm¡¯s sovereigns and the functions of the Moonanchors. To casually reveal such important information, I don¡¯t see what benefits the other party could gain from doing so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought at first.¡± Remides chimed in. ¡°But the person behind it enjoys a spectacle. It¡¯s not that difficult to understand, right?¡± Remides¡¯ words made William lower his head in thought. Valk could definitely be the one behind this. After all, He was the one who provided information about Black Crow Gaze and Coles¡¯s betrayal, ultimately saving Blake and stopping the Void Sovereigns¡¯ plan to fuse the planes through the apotheosis ritual. While Valk may not have gained anything from it other than some amusement, He was responsible for it. But this situation seemed different to William. Or rather, it didn¡¯t fit with Valk¡¯s style. Maybe Valk would give him some crucial intel just for kicks, but there¡¯s no way the He would send His messenger to his subordinates in such a covert and low-key way. And even though this information was valuable, it wouldn¡¯t do William much good. What kind of chaos could it cause for Valk, who craved endless unpredictable possibilities? This would just make the future more stable and predictable. That¡¯s not exactly the kind of scene that the Void Sovereign, who lives for causing all sorts of ¡°accidents,¡± would be thrilled to see. William asked another question, ¡°Before Reason left, did it tell you why it told you this information?¡± Blake and Remides looked at each other. After a brief silence, they answered in unison, ¡°No.¡± William studied them and nodded calmly. ¡°I see. Got it.¡± ¡­ After the Moon Realm alliance army retreated, the black crows transformed into a whirlwind of crow feathers and began to clean up the battlefield. Lunar Monsters killed by non-Judgment equipment wouldn¡¯t leave any corpses. They would simply disappear and return to their corresponding Moon Realm domains. It would then be up to their master¡¯s mood to decide if they would be used as raw materials for rebuilding. Since they were dissipating, they wouldn¡¯t leave behind weapons as spoils of war. In fact, claws, teeth, and other weapons were essentially a part of their existence as Lunar Monsters. However, the Moon Realm dust left behind after their dissipating was a necessary alchemy ingredient for many potions. The crows were collecting this by turning into a whirlwind and sweeping across the battlefield. In this era where knowledge related to the Moon Realm was monopolized by the Church, royal family, and Astral Council, alchemy materials that could be bought in bulk by mage apprentices in the Judgment era were now priceless. In order to delay the plague spread by the Lady of Starvation in many cities, the materials needed to brew and dispel potions were paid for by William from the Treasure Hall. After the war ended, the Moon Realm dust left behind was probably enough to replenish William¡¯s stockpile. The outcome of the battle was clear: Dementia was the only Demon General who didn¡¯t fight, and the rest were all killed. Among them, Judgment 2 killed Demon General Carnage, ending its immortality. The Moonanchors, which were rumored to be divine artifacts that unlocked the Astral Lighthouse, were scattered during the chaos. The King of Deathblood¡¯s Moonanchor was left behind, while the other three were taken by high-level Lunar Monsters who saw the situation deteriorating. William wasn¡¯t in a rush to study the Moonanchor. Instead, he quickly sealed it and gave it to Blake¡¯s crows for safekeeping. He had enough on his plate already. In addition, Dementia, who had been watching from the sidelines, didn¡¯t leave the battlefield until the battle ended. It leisurely left the battlefield with its subordinates pushing the extravagant wheelchair, as if it belonged there. Blake and Remides were both puzzled by the fact that Presiding Judge William didn¡¯t try to stop Dementia from leaving. ¡°Let them go. There¡¯s no way to really kill it anyway. It¡¯s just a kind gesture towards Valk. After all, it doesn¡¯t make sense for the Presiding Judge to send his subordinates to be rebuilt after he received such valuable information,¡± William explained. As Blake and Remides walked back to Black Crow Gaze, they kept looking at each other, suspecting that the Presiding Judge suspected they were hiding something. Upon careful consideration, releasing Dementia didn¡¯t align with the Presiding Judge¡¯s principle of killing Lunar Monsters on sight. Could this be a test for Absurdity Jester, or even worse¡­ a test for them? But they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to say it out loud¡­ the method that could completely destroy a Void Sovereign. What if the Presiding Judge, with his deep hatred for the Moon Realm, actually planned to use that knowledge? This was what was running through their minds. ¡°Only one way to kill a Void Sovereign in the Moon Realm. Birth a new Void Sovereign and kill the old one,¡± Reason had said back then. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We recreate Their apotheosis ritual and replace the Sovereigns of the past. That¡¯s the only way to truly kill an immortal Void Sovereign.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I know. The problem is how. Even if we do it, it will only create a new Void Sovereign. No fundamental changes.¡± Blake was about to finish his sentence when Reason anticipated his question. Blake nodded gravely. ¡°Before answering those questions, I need to clarify something. In the Moon Realm, there¡¯s a strict number of Void Sovereign thrones. Not 13 like mortals think, but 22. This number may decrease, but it won¡¯t increase.¡± ¡°Twenty-two?¡± ¡°You almost became the 14th Void Sovereign. Even if it was an incomplete experience, I¡¯m sure you sensed it. The throne of the Void Sovereign may be eternal, but the person sitting on it can be replaced. It could¡¯ve been you, poor Coles, or possibly¡­ your master, William Kane. You were all people who had the chance to make your mark on the throne,¡± Reason explained slowly. ¡°But those who sit on the throne can never truly be sovereign. They¡¯re just puppets of power,¡± Blake interjected. Having fought in Black Crow Gaze for hundreds of years, he knew firsthand how damaging that power could be to mortal minds. Reason nodded and said, ¡°When they first become a Void Sovereign, though, anyone can choose to shatter the throne before their will is completely assimilated. Of course, the price is the eternal disappearance of their existence¡­ ¡°And this is how a Void Sovereign can be killed for good.¡± Chapter 239 - 239 Return 239 Return William sensed that his Ava State clone had formed a bond with him through the Holy Spirit figurine after returning to Currere. He was finally able to relax. The Moonlaw City palace had made it back safely to Ava State thanks to the coordinates. Although, with half the palace having been destroyed in the previous fight, it was questionable whether ¡®safely¡¯ was the right word to use¡­ But for now, the crisis was over. William yawned at the thought. Returning to Currere from the Moon Realm was like waking up from a long, strange dream. Even the strongest of minds couldn¡¯t withstand long-term exposure to the constantly shifting Moon Realm, especially in unclaimed areas. It was like being surrounded by a never-ending, wildly spinning kaleidoscope, with deafening screams and whispers. And if you¡¯re magic-sensitive with a powerful mind, the environment could even change based on your thoughts. It was enough to drive anyone without experience in the Moon Realm mad. Even masters who had explored the realm before couldn¡¯t escape mental damage. It¡¯s no wonder that the Obliteration Tower, an organization focused on Moon Realm research in the empire, had a rule that exploration must be strictly time-limited to protect the expedition team from the realm¡¯s corrupting effects. I¡¯m finally back¡­ William let out a sigh of relief inside the Dawn Fortress. Even though he didn¡¯t use his mana in the battle that could be considered a war with the help of the Holy Spirit Disc, the mental strength it took to control nearly 100 clones at the same time was just as exhausting as facing four Void Sovereigns at the same time in Black Crow Gaze. It was rare for William to feel tired, but he just wanted to get some good rest to recover his nearly exhausted mental strength. Unfortunately, he had a lot on his plate. There was the interrogation of the captured Tacma Church member, the analysis of the Moonanchor¡¯s functions, the confirmation of the items labeled Origin of the Moon, the repair and maintenance of the weapons and equipment used in battle, the control of Mirror Shadow clones to help Remides stabilize the situation in Ava State, and being on guard for a possible Lady of Starvation invasion at Viper Scar¡­ I can¡¯t rest yet, Presiding Judge¡­ For some reason, this sentence suddenly popped up in William¡¯s mind. ¡°No matter what, take a break, Lord William,¡± someone behind William said. He turned around. It was Blake. The other party eyed his tired eyes and continued, ¡°There are plenty of things that can wait. Leave the more urgent matters, like confirming Viper Scar¡¯s situation, to me. Right now, what you need to do is get some rest.¡± After all, you¡¯re a mortal¡­ Blake didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Mortals could get tired, injured, and die¡ªproof of their mortal existence and the source of their nobility. William fell silent for a moment, before slowly nodding and saying, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡­ William knew that Blake and Remides were keeping something from him. They weren¡¯t good liars. When he asked them for more information, their hesitancy was written all over their faces. William had originally planned on questioning the two of them about Reason¡¯s visit after they returned to Currere and comparing their answers. But he didn¡¯t confront them about it because he didn¡¯t doubt their loyalty. One had guarded Ava State for a thousand years out of a sense of duty, and the other had endured torture from the Moon Realm for a thousand years without giving in. If he still doubted the loyalty of these two Judges, he would be inhuman. So William believed there must be a special reason or difficulty that was causing them to keep it from him. Or maybe they just planned on telling him when the time was right. As he walked to his bedroom, William couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. At the very least, the worry about his mental state that Blake¡¯s eyes had betrayed wasn¡¯t fake. With this alone, he should give them more patience and trust. Of course, this was only trust in their loyalty. After all, this world couldn¡¯t be sustained by loyalty alone. Sometimes, the consequences of stupidity were even more tragic than betrayal. Although Remides and Blake weren¡¯t stupid and had a deep understanding of the Moon Realm, William had to be cautious. After all, in his previous life, he had learned a lesson from office politics¡ªdon¡¯t trust honest people too much. Sometimes, you can¡¯t predict the stupid things they might do. So it was hard to find the right balance of trust and vigilance with these two subordinates in order to properly resolve this matter¡­ Or should I take the initiative to find Valk and find out what happened from Him? Being a leader is really troublesome¡­ William sighed. ¡­ The day would go down in history. Moonlaw City, known for its impenetrable defenses, suffered its own demise. The Riel Empire, working with the Moon Realm, used underhanded tactics to bribe Lord Ward Windsong of Isu City to breach the Mist Soul barrier and bring the entire Moonlaw City palace into the Moon Realm. Their goal was to assassinate all the leaders of the pro-war faction in Ava State and leave the High Elves without the protection of the Mist Soul. However, the legendary Shadow Queen Remides and Lord Morton of Phoenix Fire City were able to fight their way back from the Moon Realm and expose the Riel Empire¡¯s sinister plot. This was the story that the Presiding Judge had helped come up with for the public. Technically, this wasn¡¯t a complete fabrication. It was just a selective telling of the truth. No one doubted that they were telling the truth because thousands of Moonlaw City citizens had personally witnessed the palace being devoured by a shadow, leaving an empty void darker than darkness. As the City of Mages, Moonlaw City had almost 70% of Ava State¡¯s magic chanters, so many powerful mages went to the scene to confirm what had happened. In Ava State, where modern magic principles were used in education, the citizens accepted such events surprisingly quickly. When the dilapidated palace returned to Currere, Remides showed the Demon General Carnage¡¯s corpse to the people. She accused the empire of their planned atrocities against the High Elves. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before Ava State returned to her rule as planned by the Presiding Judge. ¡°Is this really good?¡± Morton, who was covered in wounds, asked as the spellblade shattered into pieces. The Lord of Phoenix Fire City, who had witnessed the entire process, seemed to feel that something wasn¡¯t right. Remides waved to the citizens from the platform and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Regarding this, Morton slowly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you actually prefer returning to Judgment rather than staying in Ava State? After all, a Ranger represents freedom.¡± ¡°What are you implying?¡± Remides asked calmly at his insinuations. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that you can¡¯t be the ruler of Ava State while still being loyal to your former Presiding Judge. Otherwise, it would leave the fate of the High Elves in the hands of humans. Essentially, what¡¯s the difference between that and surrendering to the empire?¡± Chapter 240 - 240 Withdrawal 240 Withdrawal William slept for two days and one night before waking up. The first thing he did after waking up was to get an update on Ava State¡¯s situation. ¡°He really said that?¡± William asked as he listened to Remides¡¯s update on Ava State¡¯s situation, especially Morton¡¯s attitude towards him. Remides nodded and looked hesitant. William asked, ¡°So what¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°Morton is still in the embassy, being watched by someone I trust. Without my orders, he can¡¯t go anywhere. And he¡¯s the only one in Black Crow Gaze who witnessed everything and knows that you¡¯ve returned. In other words, we still have control of the situation,¡± Remides explained quickly. Remides quickly reported her handling of the matter to the Presiding Judge. But that wasn¡¯t what William wanted to hear. ¡°No, I¡¯m not asking how you plan on handling this. I trust that you can handle such matters yourself¡­ What I want to know is what you think about what Morton said?¡± William asked solemnly, his voice filled with gravity. Remides was stunned. She repeated William¡¯s question in confusion as if she didn¡¯t understand what he meant. ¡°What do I think?¡± William nodded and said, ¡°Or perhaps I can be more direct. I¡¯m asking if you really want to go back to the Doomsday Watchers and continue as one of the 13 Judges?¡± William still saw Remides as she was a thousand years ago; it had only been a few months to him. If she were still the independent Ranger woman from a thousand years ago, asking her to oversee Ava State would be like a death sentence. After all, she had given up her status as a High Elf and journeyed across the ocean to the Vic Continent to become an adventurer because she couldn¡¯t bear the Ava State¡¯s blessing system that completely extinguished any hope for the future. She had ruled as the Shadow Queen of Ava State for centuries, and Remides¡¯ adventure with the Judges was just a blip in comparison. If there was a conflict between Ava State and the Judges, she ought to prioritize the interests of her own realm. Morton¡¯s question was a crucial one. William¡¯s ultimate goal was to overthrow the Riel Empire and use the power of Currere to resist the Moon Realm. In order to achieve this, he needed to become the de facto ruler of the empire, even if it meant doing things he couldn¡¯t do in the game back then. Ava State and the Vic Continent were not just different nations¨Cthey were two civilizations with distinct species, faith, and culture. If William wanted to incorporate Ava State into the new empire, he would have to use force, just like the current Riel royal family. Even if Remides was willing to help, she couldn¡¯t change the internal divide in Ava State or the potential risks in the future. The situation was complex, like a clash of civilizations. Resolving it wasn¡¯t as easy as eliminating Morton, the only one who knew the truth. To make it simpler, the human civilization on the Vic Continent had never claimed the Ava State¡¯s elven civilization, so there was no way to incorporate the Ava State¡¯s government into the empire¡¯s territory without violence. On the other hand, because of the two High Elven colonists from Ava State¡ªthe Forest Elves and the Ice Elves¡ªAva State might even be able to claim the empire¡¯s Emerald and Coldstone Provinces due to historical reasons¡­ Of course, William could use his strength to solve these problems. The Holy Spirits Army could be summoned in Currere, though it wasn¡¯t as strong as it would be in the Moon Realm. But it was still powerful enough to destroy one or two city-states. William didn¡¯t even need to use that card, he could defeat most of the High Elves on his own. The issue was that this wasn¡¯t a game where he could just paint the map in the color he wanted to win. People would die. Many people, and not just the guilty ones. William knew that, even if he managed to kill a lot of people, it wouldn¡¯t bring him any closer to his goal of amassing Currere¡¯s forces for resistance. Oppressive rule through fear and pressure might make someone submit temporarily, but it would only lead to bigger problems in the long run. It would take at least a hundred years to fully integrate Ava State into the empire, and according to Steelheart Widow, the new Moon Realm crisis could happen within the next few years. Killing was easier than making someone submit. When you killed someone, you didn¡¯t have to worry about their opinion. But to get someone to submit willingly, you had to take a lot of things into consideration. This was true for one person, and even more so for an entire country. So, whether it was out of conscience or a desire to save Currere¡¯s strength, William couldn¡¯t go through with such a plan. His question left Remides in a long silence. It was only when he asked again that she really thought about it for the first time. William added, ¡°Morton¡¯s words may be tough to hear, but he¡¯s got a point. The people of Ava State¡¯s free city-state won¡¯t take orders from a human Presiding Judge above you. That being said, we still have some time before that becomes necessary. Until then, you can maintain both identities, but eventually you¡¯ll have to make a choice.¡± William said this because he wanted the other party to find a reliable successor as soon as possible. He needed Remides¡¯s combat skills, but he couldn¡¯t give up on Ava State. This was probably the best way to fully utilize Ava State¡¯s strength. At the very least, Ava State couldn¡¯t rely on the protection of the soul to survive the next Moon Realm crisis. After a while, Remides asked, ¡°Lord William, let me ask you something. Am I still a Doomsday Watcher and a Judge in your heart?¡± ¡°Forever.¡± William nodded. ¡°Even after a thousand years?¡± ¡°At the very least, in my heart, you will always be one,¡± William said guiltily. He knew that to him, the so-called 1,000 years was just a blink of an eye. ¡°In your heart¡­¡± Remides said, having failed to notice William¡¯s strange expression, and placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. ¡°Well then, Lord William Kane, leader of the Doomsday Watchers, Chief of the 13 Judges, and Presiding Judge, I, Remides Shadowmoon, the third Judge of Judgment, trooper of the sentinels against the Moon Realm, wish to formally request that¡­ I be allowed to withdraw from Judgment.¡± Wh-what? Before William¡¯s expression went from doubt to surprise, Remides said, ¡°If you agree, I would like to stand on equal footing with you as ruler of Ava State. I would represent Ava State in negotiations with the Doomsday Watchers regarding the upcoming crisis with the Moon Realm.¡± Chapter 241 - 241 Epilogue: Origin of the Moon 241 Epilogue: Origin of the Moon He had to admit, Remides¡¯s suggestion was their best bet for now. So, William nodded in agreement. Remides had ruled for nearly 800 of the past 1,000 years, carrying the fate of the entire Ava State on her shoulders. It was a heavy burden, but one that only she had the power, prestige, and trust to bear. From a personal standpoint, she¡¯d rather return to being a Ranger and Sentinel, but the reality was that no one else could step up to the plate in terms of power, prestige, and trust. Thus, she had to remain the ruler, always considering the needs of her citizens above her own desires. William understood this, and even though he wanted to tell Remides to lay down her burden and rest, having fulfilled her duty, and she too would like to hear him say that, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to negate her 1,000 years of hard work. So, they both silently let things play out as they would, even though they both knew what the other really wanted. That¡¯s just the way the world worked. ¡°So you agreed just like that?¡± Blake asked, disbelief etched on his face. ¡°Why? You want to leave too?¡± William teased, turning to face him. ¡°No, no¡­¡± Blake hurriedly shook his hands, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s not about breaking up, Lord William. Remides has had it rough. She never intended to take over Ava State. If I hadn¡¯t found her and made a deal with her, she wouldn¡¯t have been trapped on that throne for the next 800 years. I think she¡¯s had enough.¡± William remained silent. The two of them walked along the wide corridor of the Dawn Fortress. The only sound was the echo of their footsteps. After walking for a long time, William said slowly, ¡°I know.¡± He could see the tiredness and exhaustion in Remides¡¯ eyes the moment he met her. ¡°This is what I owe her and all of you¡­¡± ¡­ At the end of the corridor was the Treasure Hall, a place that could only be accessed by those who knew the special codes to enter through the console. In the game, William had used his spatial magic to create an eternal portal that connected the Treasure Hall to the Dawn Fortress. Originally, this had been a place for game developers to test out new items, but William had turned it into a showroom for his own collection of game items. In theory, every single item that appeared in the game could be found in the Treasure Hall. Whether they belonged to players or NPC characters, whether they were available in-game or not, they were all here. To put it simply, all of the items that players saw in the game were just replicas summoned from this place. In the past, William had been obsessed with the idea of uniqueness. Every time he obtained a new item in-game, he would delete the original from the Treasure Hall to ensure that his collection was one-of-a-kind. Now, looking back, William couldn¡¯t help but want to slap his past self. But he knew that his collection was now complete, containing all of the unique items that could be obtained in the game, including a few plot items that couldn¡¯t be obtained by players. All the items in the Treasure Hall were truly unique. It was standard for RPGs to have a developer inventory used for testing. But if this world was real, William¡¯s Treasure Hall was a mystery. The biggest question was where it was located. William gazed up at the stars and considered the possibilities: Currere, Moon Realm, Astral World, Light Realm, or perhaps an unknown demiplane? William had a feeling that this Treasure Hall was likely located in a corner of Currere. After all, using a portal spell, it was impossible to just jump to planes like the Moon Realm or the Astral World. But, if this was Currere, then why couldn¡¯t he use location spells to mark his spot? To test this theory, William flew to the end of the starry sky to see if he could escape. However, the further he flew, the more blurry the concept of space became. No matter how far he traveled, if he stopped and turned around, he¡¯d always end up back in his treasure collection. It seemed the boundaries of this space were based on the number of items stored within it. ¡°I never cease to be amazed by your impressive collection,¡± Blake, who had been teleported to the Treasure Hall with William, looked up at the endless, starry sky and let out a sigh of awe. Even though he wasn¡¯t a Void Sovereign, as a high-level Moon Realm existence and the keeper of the Black Crow Gaze domain, he understood just how unbelievable it was to create a space like this. As the embodiment of despair, all the emotions of despair in Currere helped to maintain the stability of his domain. But even with his control over the Black Crow Gaze, his Moon Realm domain was still limited. The Presiding Judge, on the other hand, was able to use his magical talent to create a boundless, stable space in Currere where the laws were as solid as rock. Only the Holy Spirits or the Void Sovereigns were capable of such a feat. ¡°Mm¡­¡± William didn¡¯t know what to say in response to Blake¡¯s praise, and he certainly couldn¡¯t reveal the true origins of this space. William was secretly thrilled that the portal he had built so long ago was still permanent, and the nexus had not been destroyed after all these years. Otherwise, all the items he had spent so much time collecting would have been lost forever in this mysterious place. ¡°Presiding Judge, this space is¡­¡± ¡°Alright, Blake, I didn¡¯t bring you here to hear you flatter me.¡± Seeing that Blake was about to continue, William coughed and stopped him. ¡°Sorry, Presiding Judge.¡± Blake lowered his head in embarrassment and asked, ¡°So what¡¯s the matter? Do we have to come here for you to tell me?¡± William¡¯s hand went to the incurable wound on his right shoulder as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Camilla can somehow gather information about me through this injury. That¡¯s why we have to be extra careful when discussing sensitive matters.¡± Suddenly, a few meteors fell from the sky at William¡¯s command. Blake was about to inquire about the topic that warranted such caution, but the aura emanating from the falling meteors immediately caused his expression to turn serious and even a little gloomy. ¡°Presiding Judge, these things¡­¡± Blake turned to look at William, who had a serious expression, and asked seriously, ¡°Why do you have these things?¡± ¡°So, these things are real?¡± William didn¡¯t respond, satisfied with the understanding he had gained from Blake¡¯s expression. Ironstone Oath, Blank Scroll, Burning Branch, Seed of Hope¡­ eight items in total, all with the Origin of the Moon label. Seven of them were DLC plot items that never saw the light of day, and the other was originally part of another plot line. Blake stared at the glowing white seed and turned to William. ¡°But how is that possible? How can there be another one?¡± William didn¡¯t answer, instead pulling out the Ironstone Oath that Steelheart Widow Aiur had given him and placing it next to the one in his collection. ¡°Do these two things give you the same feeling?¡± The two ironstone hearts, both withered and forged from the same mold, even had identical patterns on their surface. But William, not a Moon Realm existence, couldn¡¯t sense their deeper essence. Blake picked up the ironstone hearts and weighed them in his hand. He said in a daze, ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± William nodded and asked, ¡°So they¡¯re the same?¡± ¡°Identical, but this shouldn¡¯t be possible¡­¡± Blake replied. ¡°Why not?¡± William asked, pressing further. ¡°These things are like the Judgment equipment in our hands. They correspond to the essence of every Void Sovereign. It¡¯s impossible for there to be replicas¡­¡± William wanted to tell Blake that Judgment equipment did indeed have replicas, but he knew that because of his personal habits, he had deleted them. But as Blake spoke, William began to realize that he might be right. These items were labeled as ¡®Unique¡¯, and if he hadn¡¯t connected to this space through the console, he would have only seen one in-game. In fact, this was more in line with the logic of this world. Blake¡¯s words forced William to confront a question he had been avoiding: what was the purpose of his existence in this world? As he thought back to the Tacma Church member¡¯s theory that this world was a prison for the people of Currere, William couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had transmigrated to a parallel world based on the Doomsday Watchers, or if he had become nothing more than data in an electronic world made up of zeros and ones. If it was the former, did his experiences from his previous world even matter in this one? And if it was the latter, was the power he could wield limited by his status as a player? Chapter 242 - 242 Prologue: Past Journey 242 Prologue: Past Journey The journey from the Dragon Bone Islands, through the Ghost Sea, led to the Land of Eternal Night, a place of extreme cold in the north that even dragons avoided. Cold¡­ Life¡¯s heat seemed to fade away in this place. Even breathing was a struggle, as the air froze in one¡¯s lungs. Darkness¡­ In other parts of the world, the sun shone on the ground. But here, you looked up and saw the end of your life, like a lonely lamp on a rainy night. The stars were hidden by the blizzard that filled the sky. The howling wind picked up ice shards that were like blades as it roared across the white land. Even a dragon with steel-like scales struggled to spread its wings in the wind. In the frigid north, a place where even dragons couldn¡¯t survive, three mortals braved the freezing temperatures, trudging through the snowfield. The thin figure at the head of the group held a staff ablaze with light blue flames, using it to create a silver, translucent barrier that protected him and the two others behind him from the bone-chilling wind. Despite the barrier, a few snowflakes managed to slip through and land on the leader¡¯s silver-white hair, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind, pressing on through the knee-deep snow. Of the remaining two¡ªa woman whose entire body was wrapped up, leaving only a pair of white-covered eyes visible as she surveyed her surroundings. The other was a burly man, adorned with dark-gold scales on his face and arms and reptilian eyes with golden vertical pupils. He nonchalantly wore a tattered coat as he followed behind the group. The three of them journeyed across the snowfield for an indefinite amount of time before the woman in the back finally spoke up. ¡°Presiding Judge, the dragons won¡¯t help us in the war. We need to get to the Twilight Fortress and tell the alliance army. Why are we going north?¡± The woman sounded annoyed. The wind was so loud, it drowned out the woman¡¯s voice even though the barrier was protecting them. She was like a tiny drop in the vast ocean, making no impact. The man she called Presiding Judge didn¡¯t even look back at her. He just kept walking, taking his time. The woman thought the other party hadn¡¯t heard her clearly and planned on repeating it louder. But then, the person suddenly spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s no serious reason¡­ I just want to take a look.¡± ¡°Take a look?¡± The woman repeated the person¡¯s words, confusion etched on her face. She looked around at the endless snowfield, wondering what could possibly be of interest. ¡°But what¡¯s there to see here?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask. Most mortals on the Vic Continent knew that the northernmost place was the Dragon Bone Islands, home to dragons. But beyond that, the Land of Eternal Night was just a legend. The only mention of it in history was during the Silver Age, when a group of High Elves set sail north, hoping to find a new home at the end of the world. The High Elf fleet that attempted to reach the end of the world vanished and was lost in the pages of history. No more records exist of their journey or the place they hoped to reach. It was possible that they were the first mortals to set foot on this land since the Silver Age. ¡°World¡¯s End, Sibylla,¡± William said, turning to face the woman. He smiled at her, his eyes full of excitement. ¡°I want to see the ends of the world.¡± Sibylla let out a small sigh upon hearing this strange response. She desperately wanted to speak up to the Presiding Judge. The next Moon Realm Tide was fast approaching and several Void Sovereigns¡¯ Demon Army could attack Currere at any moment. Their plan to seek reinforcements on the Dragon Bone Islands had failed and they needed to return to the Twilight Fortress as soon as possible to revamp the defense lines at the Moon Realm rifts. There were countless other pressing matters at hand. It wasn¡¯t the time to be distracted by something like exploring World¡¯s End. Yet, for some reason, she couldn¡¯t say anything when she saw the Presiding Judge¡¯s excited expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take long. At the very least, it won¡¯t delay the battle,¡± the Presiding Judge said as if he had sensed Sibylla¡¯s worries. He then whispered, almost to himself, ¡°Or rather, as long as I don¡¯t return, the Moon Realm¡¯s invasion won¡¯t even begin.¡± ¡°Oh? Why?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just blabbering.¡± The Presiding Judge, confronted with her inquiry, dismissed it with a flick of his hand and hastened his pace awkwardly. But then, he suddenly stopped as if he had run into something. The look on his face darkened. ¡°As expected¡­¡± The Presiding Judge remained frozen in place, lost in thought for a long time before finally letting out a sigh. ¡°Even though I had no expectations¡­ I should have known this would happen.¡± With that, he took a few steps back, planted the staff in his hand into the snow, and slowly extended his right hand. It was as if he was stroking an invisible wall. The Presiding Judge stared out at the seemingly endless snowfield in front of him, the snowstorm that whipped through the air, and the darkening sky in the distance¡­ Finally, he slowly withdrew his hand and clutched the magical medium again. ¡°We¡¯re going back. There¡¯s nothing here.¡± He muttered to himself softly, ¡°Invisible wall, you can call this the end¡­¡± ¡°Are we going back already?¡± Dowa, who had been following silently, asked in confusion. Dowa knew the Presiding Judge¡¯s personality. If he had made up his mind to do something, he would see it through to the end, even if it was just a passing fancy. Giving up halfway through this journey wasn¡¯t the Presiding Judge¡¯s style. The Presiding Judge just coughed lightly and said, ¡°I thought about it and realized that Sibylla was right. It¡¯s more important to focus on dealing with the upcoming Moon Realm Tide.¡± As he spoke, he turned and gazed out at the distant snowfield. ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on exploring World¡¯s End until the Moon Realm crisis is fully resolved,¡± he said, waving the magical medium in his hand. Lightning flickered as he drew a few runes on the snow, and thin, snake-like lightning danced in the air before coalescing into a large spatial rift. Through Sibylla¡¯s Eyes of God vision, which could see through all mana flows, the normally stable spatial fabric began to disintegrate under the influence of the intense lightning magic. It resonated with a beacon hundreds of kilometers away, creating a temporary distorted point that could cross space. The howl of the lightning that tore through space gradually drowned out the howling wind as they prepared to head home. ¡­ Hiss¡­ A girl was jolted awake by the shrieking sound of lightning. She opened her bleary eyes and saw a ceiling made of twisted tree trunks above her. Was it a dream¡­ The frigid air of the Land of Eternal Night in her dream and the hot, humid atmosphere of Ravenwood Forest left her unsure of where she was. Either way, the unique whine of a Teleportation spell resonated in her ears. Before she could fully wake up, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her out of bed. It was a male Forest Elf, with a hunting bow on his back and a fierce wolf tattoo on his face. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t very old, as his skin lacked the bark-like patterns that often appeared on older elves. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the girl asked sleepily. ¡°We¡¯ve been discovered. The Holy Tree Duke¡¯s hunting troops are on their way. We have to move fast,¡± the Forest Elf replied quickly and calmly. The girl nodded in confusion, still not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation in her half-asleep state. Then, as the Forest Elf pulled the girl out of the tree hole, she seemed to suddenly remember something and said,¡±By the way, I think I dreamed about something that the first owner of these eyes experienced.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the past of Ms. Sibylla Silence, the Astral Observer.¡± Chapter 243 - 243 Ravenwood 243 Ravenwood Word of the secret alliance between Ava State and the new regime in Blackwater Province spread like wildfire throughout the empire, causing shock and outrage among the overlords. The leader of Blackwater Province had dared to seize the Thorn Throne and defy the bronze crown, eliminating the royal faction in the Rose Palace and even taking control of the Church in Blackwater Province, ignoring the Astral Council¡¯s blockade. It seemed as if he was trying to completely escape the control of the empire¡¯s three titans. If it weren¡¯t for the empire¡¯s focus on mobilizing for the Ava State expedition, they would have already sent their army to flatten Blackwater Province for their disobedience. This was common knowledge among the citizens of the empire. So when they heard that the new regime in Blackwater Province had teamed up with Ava State, they saw it as pure insanity. In their eyes, the Blackwater folks were committing treason by aligning with their enemy neighbors during such a crucial time, especially considering their previous actions had barely been considered an internal conflict. The well-informed citizens of Platinum City eagerly anticipated the empire¡¯s invincible legion crossing the borders and defeating the arrogant Blackwater barbarians, who still practiced their primitive ancestor¡¯s worship and vices. They longed for the return of the land filled with undead and curses to the empire¡¯s rule, even if most of them had no desire to visit the damp and gloomy place themselves. ¡°So, what¡¯s the Riel Empire¡¯s royal family thinking? I can¡¯t shake the feeling that those two legions at the Blackwater Swamp¡¯s border are still there, ready to invade from the south at any moment.¡± A luxurious carriage, pulled by four unicorns, was racing down Duke¡¯s Avenue, a road known for its rough terrain due to lack of maintenance. Ordinarily, the rough road and the unicorn¡¯s supercar-level speed would make for a bone-shaking ride. But this was no ordinary carriage, and the person inside was far from ordinary. Silver runes, swirling with the air, surrounded the carriage¡¯s undercarriage and tires, providing stability with their Storm spells and ensuring a smooth, comfortable ride for the two passengers inside. William rested his head against the window and watched the passing landscape. He replied slowly, ¡°There¡¯s a good chance it won¡¯t happen. The upper echelons of the empire have a close connection to the Moon Realm, so everyone in their inner circle should know about my return. They won¡¯t dare attack the Blackwater Swamp for now.¡± ¡°Otherwise, after the Moon Realm¡¯s failed attempt to merge with the Blackwater Swamp, there¡¯s no reason for the two legions stationed at the border to keep letting their weapons rust,¡± he added. ¡°Is this good news?¡± Nizemar asked, sitting upright like a student in front of William. ¡°Not exactly. Did you not notice the influence of the Moon Realm on the Blackwater Swamp lately? My guess is that they¡¯re planning to use the Void Sovereigns¡¯ authority to weaken the loyalty of those under my command and create chaos in my kingdom. Only then will they move on to the next phase of their plan,¡± William replied. ¡°But even if you¡¯re the only one in the Blackwater Swamp to face them, their weal legion isn¡¯t a threat,¡± Nizemar immediately said. William¡¯s smile was laced with bitterness as he replied, ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. The other party¡¯s generals aren¡¯t fools. They wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to gather their troops on the plains and let me easily use large-scale spells to bombard them to my heart¡¯s content. With the military strength of the Blackwater Swamp barely able to handle the descent of Lunar Monsters, as long as the empire¡¯s legion breaks up into hundreds or thousands of platoons with Transcendent power users at the core and constantly harassing towns and villages, cutting off the supply routes of the major cities, it¡¯s enough to collapse the weak Blackwater Swamp government.¡± This tactic was first used by the Doomsday Watchers. When William studied history, he learned that the Riel Empire employed this tactic to thrive 800 years ago. They had used this to flourish. There was no reason why they wouldn¡¯t use it now. If the other party could completely turn the people against the Blackwater Swamp government through encirclement, blockade, and Moon Realm corruption, the empire would launch a large-scale attack when Vincent¡¯s military collapsed. Even with William¡¯s power, he couldn¡¯t put out the fires that would burn everywhere in the territory alone. On the other hand, the other party would rather give William more time to find a solution while they focused on conquering Ava State and gaining control over the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s manifestation. This showed that the other party still feared William when it came to competing for the Eighth Holy Spirit. At the very least, the other party didn¡¯t dare label William as a fake Holy Spirit and try to steal the initiative in this propaganda war. This was clearly what the Church loved to do. ¡°We need new allies. We¡¯re still too weak right now. Plus, we have to completely stop the other party¡¯s expedition to Ava State,¡± William looked at the dense forest and explained. ¡°So, this is the goal of our trip to the Emerald Province? To try working with the Forest Elves?¡± Nizemar asked hesitantly. William¡¯s face took on a mysterious expression as he shook his head slightly. ¡°This is just one of our goals.¡± The truth was, the idea of visiting the Emerald Province had been brought up during the first meeting with Remides and the others, after Ava State formed an alliance with the Doomsday Watchers. At first, William¡¯s suggestion to go to the Emerald Province had a simple reason behind it. William learned from Remides that the World Tree, a holy tree in Ravenwood Forest, had regained its strength in the past 1,000 years. This tree, which held extremely powerful vitality, could help him completely heal the wound caused by the Lady of Starvation. William also hoped to visit the Sealing Temples in Emerald Province and find the clergymen there to retrieve the Holy Spirit Discs they had preserved. He had experience fighting the Moon Realm Legion alone, so he didn¡¯t mind using this as a trump card. That¡¯s why William brought Nizemar along. As an elite executor of the former Eighth Order, she knew the locations of the Sealing Temples very well. As the group delved deeper into the conversation, it became clear that William¡¯s impulsive plan to visit Emerald Province was highly regarded by all present. Ideas were tossed around, brainstorming ways in which this trip could be utilized to address pressing issues and seize opportunities. For instance, the growing blight crisis in Blackwater Swamp could potentially be alleviated through William¡¯s negotiations with locals in Ravenwood, reopening trade routes between the two regions and potentially exchanging Thorn City ores for food from Emerald Province. Additionally, the empire¡¯s expeditionary army was currently gathering at two ports in Emerald Province. After William recovered from his injuries, he could potentially visit the garrison and bring some much-needed surprise. Furthermore, the Holy Tree Duke, ruler of Emerald Province, was facing heavy taxation from the empire¡¯s royal family. William could assess the ambition and character of this leader, potentially finding an ally in the resistance against the empire¡¯s tyranny. In summary, William¡¯s suggestion to visit Emerald Province sparked a discussion on the numerous ways in which this trip could be utilized for the benefit of all involved. William couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had become the boss back at work he despised most. All he had to do was present a plan and his subordinates would eagerly try to prove its feasibility. He remained silent for the rest of the meeting, sitting in his chair with a rigid, enigmatic smile. ¡°But¡­ Presiding Judge, is it really wise to consider the Forest Elves as allies?¡± Nizemar asked hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard they even eat the raw flesh and blood of their own kind and tattoo the souls of their victims onto their bodies.¡± William was shocked. Then he chuckled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s been over a thousand years and yet this misunderstanding persists¡­¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Nizemar asked in confusion. William struggled to contain his laughter as he replied, ¡°Yes, a misunderstanding. Trust me, there isn¡¯t a species in this world that values peace more than the Forest Elves.¡± Chapter 244 - 244 Tree Spirit 244 Tree Spirit ¡°Tighten that headscarf; don¡¯t let anyone see those eyes of yours,¡± growled the Forest Elf, his wolf-head facial tattoo glinting in the dim light. She was still half-awake. They walked along the aerial bridge made of vines and branches, leaving the tree hole and making their way from the top of one giant tree to another. The aerial bridge, wide enough for a carriage, was not man-made, but a product of the giant tree¡¯s natural growth. That¡¯s right. Even if there were handrails and guardrails on the bridge, and there was a fall-proof net woven from vines under the bridge, it was still a product of nature. The Forest Elves, bound by ancient contract, were forbidden to harm the forest in any way, including chopping down trees and using flames. But any civilization relied on these very things for survival. Therefore, as compensation, even if Ravenwood didn¡¯t have a building built of wood or stone, there was a living city built by the power of the World Tree¡ªHoly Tree City. The Forest Elves¡¯ sacred doctrine dictated that the World Tree¡¯s will, known reverently as ¡°Matriarch,¡± would respond to the supplications of the forest druids by nurturing the vital necessities for the inhabitants¡¯ survival. But with each growth, it also caused the surrounding settlements to wither and decay. In Holy Tree City, subtle transformations occurred constantly and without pause. On a grand scale, spanning seasons, years, and even centuries, this city was one that could never be fully mapped or understood. It was for this very reason that Elise Silence, the chosen one bearing the destiny of the Eyes of God, selected Holy Tree City as her first destination to seek blessings from the seven Holy Spirits. ¡°But Mr. Quayle, why have we been exposed just three days in?¡± Elise, a girl who had inherited the last name Silence, a nod to an ancient Judgment hero, whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it when we¡¯re in a safe place. For now, use your ability to check for any signs of the sickly among us,¡± the Forest Elf named Quayle whispered back, pretending to be casually surveying the residents coming and going. Being thin and sickly was the most obvious characteristic of the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s Wild Hunt. After all, the Forest Elf troops, who were often in charge of carrying out the massacres, would see their combat will plummet to unacceptable levels if they couldn¡¯t maintain a state of starvation at all times. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Elise nodded. With her entire face obscured by a headscarf, Elise¡¯s vision was limited. But as the holder of the rare ability known as the Eyes of God, this was a minor inconvenience at best. Penetrating a few pieces of cloth to obtain a wider field of vision could only be considered one of its most inconspicuous abilities. After Elise looked around for a long time, she tugged at Quayle¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Seven floors down from the main platform, I see nine Forest Elves with abnormal figures guarding the intersection. Most of them are on the main road, but it¡¯s too far for me to see the exact type of magical reaction. Could it be the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s Wild Hunt?¡± Quayle¡¯s wolf tattoo on his face began to writhe as if it were alive, peeling off his skin and floating about half a centimeter away from him. It let out a low howl as Quayle¡¯s eyes transformed into the pupils of a wild beast, flickering with ferocity. With the help of the beast¡¯s vision, Quayle also spotted a group of Forest Elves carrying bone weapons and wearing beast hide. But they were so thin that they were nothing more than skin and bones. Even from such a distance, Quayle could sense an extremely wild and brutal aura lingering around them. The transformation in Quayle¡¯s tattoo lasted only a second or two. As he retracted his gaze, the floating spirit wolf soul returned to the tattoo on his face, as if everything before had been an illusion. ¡°There¡¯s a high chance you¡¯re right¡­ Damn it, that intersection is the only way to return to the ground from these trees. We¡¯re trapped here¡­ We shouldn¡¯t have chosen the tree as our stronghold.¡± Quayle gritted his teeth. ¡°How about climbing down the tree trunk?¡± Elise whispered, her eyes locked on Quayle¡¯s reaction. ¡°That¡¯s a surefire way to get discovered by the tree spirits. With so many Wild Hunts roaming around here, the leader must be a forest druid. They can communicate with the tree spirits of these World Tree subtrees. If we climb down the tree trunk, we¡¯ll be intercepted before we even hit the ground.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. What about flying down then?¡± Elise¡¯s voice rose slightly. ¡°Do you know how to use flying magic?¡± Quayle asked. Elise shook her head with a gloomy expression. Elise had obtained the coveted Eyes of God legacy, but as a magic chanter, she remained at the level of an Apprentice. The very legacy that should have propelled her to greatness, now prevented her from advancing at the Astral Lighthouse for a ritual that resonated with her affine constellation. Her magical power had been stagnant for years since her magical enlightenment as a child. But after a moment of despair, Elise¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked at Quayle with eagerness. ¡°I heard Forest Elves can fly, right? They just grow eagle wings on their backs with a whoosh¡­¡± Quayle could sense the excitement in her tone, even though he couldn¡¯t see her expression. It was clear that the prospect of soaring in the sky was more thrilling to her than the rumors of the Wild Hunt troops¡¯ ferocity. Did this young girl not realize the danger she was in? Or was this the norm for those who received the Eyes of God¡¯s recognition and underwent the coronation ceremony? Quayle¡¯s mind raced as he thought about the future of his organization. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Inscribing the tattoo of the falcon spirit on the body to summon wings to fly is the Eagle Feather Clan¡¯s legacy. And as you can see, I¡¯m from the Wolfspeak Clan.¡± Quayle shot down Elise¡¯s daydreams with a sharp point of his finger at his tattoo. He didn¡¯t bother to explain how striking it would be to see someone from the Eagle Feather Clan take flight in front of everyone. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Elise murmured, her head drooping in defeat. She was more disappointed that she wouldn¡¯t see the Forest Elf grow wings and soar, than the fact that they were in danger. ¡°Those Wild Hunts are just blocking our exit,¡± Quayle continued, his voice low and urgent. ¡°The forest druids are probably communicating with the tree spirits of these subtrees right now. They¡¯ll investigate the upper levels soon, and if that happens, we¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± Quayle¡¯s fingers drummed nervously on the railing as he ignored Elise¡¯s gloomy demeanor. Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind. Attention all citizens who have pledged allegiance to the Matriarch. Return to your homes before sunset and await inspection from the hounds. Pestilent insects intent on destroying the balance of the forest have infiltrated our land. Let us root them out together, cooperate with the hounds. The voice was ancient, yet carried the energy of a living being. As the voice spoke, humanoid figures made of countless emerald-green particles materialized on every platform in the giant trees. They hovered in the air, their voices a booming swarm as they addressed the people. ¡°May all non-Matriarchal citizens gather in the square outside the Canopy Holy Temple for examination. Those who resist will be marked with the Burner¡¯s mark and exiled, never to set foot in Ravenwood again. Cooperation is expected.¡± The Forest Elves were the only ones who could hear the tree spirits, but they knew that the other species needed to be informed. So, they summoned the spirits to act as messengers. As the spirits wandered around the platforms, they used the empire¡¯s standard language to remind visitors from other species to undergo inspection. They were like blank spirits, without any personal thoughts or emotions. Quayle and the others were still standing near the railing when a tree spirit clone floated over to them. It floated straight in front of Elise and mechanically repeated its previous words. ¡°May all¡­¡± Without hesitation, Quayle pressed down on Elise¡¯s shoulder, signaling that he would be there soon. Although these soul fragments were only summoned by the tree spirits to transmit their voices and their theoretical intelligence wasn¡¯t much higher than that of the Elemental Souls, these soul fragments were not just simple messengers. They were also eyes used by the tree spirits to extend their vision. Quayle knew that if they were spotted, it would be all over. Just as the floating soul fragment turned and left, Quayle prepared to breathe a sigh of relief. But before he could, a cold and slender hand suddenly patted his shoulder, causing his hair to stand on end. Instinctively, Quayle clenched his fists and jerked backward, activating the wolf soul tattoo on his face. He was ready for battle at a moment¡¯s notice. But to his surprise, it was not the Wild Hunt or any other dangerous creature behind him. Instead, it was a tall human woman with a cold expression. She was dressed in light and exquisite leather armor, had a precision repeating crossbow on her back, and a silver rapier at her waist. ¡°I just arrived in Holy Tree City today. I want to ask where the Canopy Holy Temple that thing mentioned is,¡± the woman asked. Quayle looked at her in confusion, sizing her up. Just arrived in Holy Tree City today? Impossible! According to the rules, anyone who came to Holy Tree City had to be provided with a local guide to familiarize foreigners with the city¡¯s taboos and customs. This wasn¡¯t an exception even for the empire¡¯s royal family. Before Erin Riel became the empress who ruled the empire, the current Holy Tree Duke personally served as her guide when she, a member of the royal family, was sent to Holy Tree City to recuperate. Quayle casually asked, ¡°Just you?¡± ¡°Holy¡­ My master said he had something on and asked me to wait for him here. I never expected this to happen all of a sudden.¡± Master? In other words, is he also human? After all, Quayle had never heard of a human calling a Forest Elf ¡°Master¡± after the Unification War. Therefore, could this person be a¡­ stowaway who didn¡¯t understand the rules of Holy Tree City? Perhaps he could exploit¡­ Instantly, Quayle came up with a plan to escape. He immediately nodded and said, ¡°No problem. I happen to be heading to the Canopy Holy Temple too, so I can bring you along¡­ May I know your name, Miss?¡± Quayle opened his mouth and probed. ¡°Nizemar,¡± the woman replied directly. ¡°You can call me Nizemar.¡± Chapter 245 - 245 Wild Hunt and Minding 245 Wild Hunt and Minding William parted ways with Nizemar and set off on a journey to the heart of Holy Tree City¡ªthe massive World Tree that seemed to touch the heavens. As he approached the tree, William couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe. The thick branches intertwined above him, and occasionally, dead leaves would fall like a blanket, causing those beneath the tree to scurry out of the way. The tree¡¯s roots were a sight to behold as well, stretching out in a huge network that reached every corner of the city. The subtrees that made up the city¡¯s buildings were all connected to their mother, the World Tree, through this root network. Not only was the World Tree massive, but it was also incredibly complex. It was said that all kinds of plants from the Vic continent could be found on the World Tree, making it a complete ecosystem¡ªor, as William thought of it, a living gene bank (if such a thing existed in this world). William strode forward, encountering no obstacles as he made his way to the base of the World Tree. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of surprise at this. In the past, this had been an area that was off-limits to outsiders. A thousand years ago, no human would have dared to set foot in the heart of Holy Tree City. But now, it seemed that the rules had changed. Humans could come and go as they pleased. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the Unification War,¡± William muttered to himself as he continued on his journey. As the historical records tell it, during the Unification War, Ravenwood¡¯s Holy Tree City stood tall and proud, protected by the blessing of the World Tree¡¯s Matriarch as it repelled the empire¡¯s seven attacks. But it all came to an end when Great Sage Yeats, armed with his first Platinum Ring, unleashed a spell of destruction called ¡®Fire of Calamity¡¯ after a grueling ten days and nights of chanting. He gave an ultimatum¡ªsurrender or face the burning of the entire forest. Faced with this dire threat, Holy Tree City¡¯s ruler, the Father of the Wild, finally submitted. He appeased the Matriarch¡¯s anger and pledged to accept the empire¡¯s rule, all while ensuring the Forest Elf¡¯s contract with the World Tree remained intact. And thus, with Ravenwood as its core, the Forest Elf settlement in the southwest of Vic Continent was divided into the current Emerald Jade Province. In this new era, the title of ¡®Father of the Wild¡¯, once the object of the Matriarch¡¯s holy marriage, was abolished and replaced by the Holy Tree Duke bestowed by the Platinum Throne. This change in leadership brought about many new developments and abolishment of taboos. For example, someone like William could now walk freely under the shade of the World Tree without any trouble, whereas in the era of the game¡¯s plot, he would have attracted at least half a dozen guards whenever he approached this area. William approached a staircase made of intertwining vines and roots, ready to continue on his journey down the tree-lined road. But as he stepped forward, a guard clad in gleaming beast leather armor and wielding a white bone sword stepped in front of him. William¡¯s mind raced as he wondered if this was the end of his journey. He considered using an illusion spell to try and sneak past the guard, but before he could even begin to cast the spell, the guard spoke. ¡°Sir, if I may ask, are you here to take in the sights of the World Tree or to pay respects to the Holy Tree, Matriarch?¡± ¡°Sightseeing?¡± William repeated, caught off guard by the unexpected question. Does the World Tree still provide sightseeing services? This was far different from his memories of the forbidden holy land where foreigners were captured, imprisoned, flogged, or even executed. ¡°Wrong entrance, buddy. South Four and South Seven are the closest for sightseeing. But you better hurry, the Heavenly Saint Beetle Express only runs once an hour and you¡¯ve missed South Four. Maybe you¡¯ll catch South Seven.¡± Perhaps because he didn¡¯t hear the questioning tone in William¡¯s voice, the Forest Elf guard in front of him gave such an answer. William¡¯s shock was palpable. What the hell was the Heavenly Saint Beetle Express? He knew the Heavenly Saint Beetle was a sacred insect, raised by the forest druids in the past, only used to carry sacrificial items during a sacrifice. Now it seemed it had been commercialized? The old Forest Elf who blocked William¡¯s path looked like he had seen it all. His light-brown skin was rough and wrinkled, like tree bark. He saw the shock on William¡¯s face and spoke in a calm, patient tone. ¡°The path behind me leads straight to the Cenmu Gate of the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s Temple. There are 7,800 steps to climb. Only those who make the journey without any outside help will be able to enter. If you¡¯re just here to sightsee, I suggest taking the Beetle Express to the Holy Tree. Trust me, I¡¯ve seen too many people get stuck halfway up the steps.¡± Cenmu Gate was one of the seven doors of the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s Temple. Due to the influence of the Holy Spirits Church, this door represented Mother Holy Spirit. In the game, passing through this door had the same effect as touching the statue of Mother Holy Spirit. Despite the surprise, William quickly adapted to the situation. After all, 1,000 years had passed and this change was barely within his understanding. With a deep breath, William adjusted his expression and spoke confidently. ¡°Actually, I plan to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple to pray for good health.¡± William couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of anxiety as he spoke. He feared that the other party would try to convince him to purchase incense and candles. The vivid thought of it made him cringe. But as he spoke, the guard simply looked around, then leaned in and lowered his voice. ¡°If you¡¯re here for the Matriarch¡¯s blessing, I have to tell you, the rumors about receiving health blessings after completing the pilgrimage are just that¡ªrumors. It¡¯s no different than passing through the door of a cathedral in the empire. There¡¯s no need to climb 7,800 steps for something like that,¡± he said, his tone sincere and honest. This is an honest person¡­ William thought to himself. Ordinary cathedrals may offer blessings, but with certain harsh conditions, they could also augment those blessings with a holy halo. This tactic was widely used in the construction of faith, management of subordinates, and even in the techniques of pick-up artists. But if William was truly on a pilgrimage, he would have listened to the guard and taken the Heavenly Saint Beetle Express. But William¡¯s mission was not one of pilgrimage. He had come to the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s temple with a different purpose¡ªto borrow the power of the World Tree and rid himself of the remaining curse of the Lady of Starvation. He was determined to reach the top, no matter what. The guard, seeing the determination in William¡¯s gaze, sighed slightly and said nothing. He turned and walked to a small pavilion grown from mushrooms. He picked up an eagle feather quill and dipped it in ink. ¡°Then, I must register your identity first.¡± Before William could reveal the alias he had carefully crafted, a pack of more than ten sickly-looking men appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the tree¡¯s roots. They were covered in beast hide and wielding crude bone weapons. With their sudden arrival, the once noisy surroundings fell deadly silent. ¡°Who the hell are they?¡± William whispered to the guard. ¡°They¡¯re the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s hounds, the Wild Hunt,¡± the guard replied nervously, his voice trembling with fear. ¡°The Wild Hunt¡­?¡± William began to ask, but the guard quickly placed his index finger on his lips, hushing him ¡°When the Wild Hunt is around, don¡¯t say a word. Don¡¯t do anything to attract their attention. They have unlimited law enforcement rights and they¡¯re all lunatics,¡± the guard whispered. Before he could even utter a word, William¡¯s human appearance had caught the attention of one of the Wild Hunts in the crowd of Forest Elves. It was clear that this Wild Hunt had either overheard William¡¯s conversation with the guard, or his appearance was too striking to ignore. The Wild Hunt approached William with an oppressive aura, his grin almost sinister ¡°Why, are you here, human?¡± as he spoke in a staccato voice, as if he was under some heavy pressure. He couldn¡¯t speak a normal flowing sentence. ¡°I¡¯m making a pilgrimage to the temple,¡± William replied nonchalantly. The Wild Hunt¡¯s eyes narrowed as he sized up William¡¯s calm expression, his teeth gritted as he spoke, ¡°We, are searching for an anti-imperialist who is believed to have fled to this city. Would you be willing to come to Green Prison and assist with our investigation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it¡­¡± William muttered under his breath. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, this is more like it. How can Holy Tree City not pick on a person¡¯s race?¡± William raised his voice slightly. He looked the Wild Hunt directly in the eye, ¡°And my answer to your question is no. I mind.¡± Chapter 246 - 246 Holy Communion (1) 246 Holy Communion (1) William had never heard of the Wild Hunt back in his day. In the past, the military forces in Ravenwood Forest were made up of tribal warriors from various tribes. For example, the tribe with last names like Wolfspeak, Eagle Feather, and Viper. They treated the ¡®wilderness spirits¡¯ in the forest as their tribe¡¯s patron deities and worshipped them. They turned the souls of wild beasts into tattoos and engraved them on their bodies, using their bloodline to arouse those savage powers. But the power proved difficult to control due to its violent and powerful nature. Typically, those tribal warriors would only be engraved with a kind of Great Spirit tattoo, unlike these Wild Hunts in front of him, who were covered in tattoos like a human body. Just the tattoo of a ¡®wilderness spirit¡¯ made one¡¯s mind risk losing themselves to the bestial nature. With so many different kinds of tattoos all over their bodies, William felt that it was a miracle that they could still speak logically. As for his sickly thin figure¡­ it resembled something from the past¡ªa product of the Forest Elf¡¯s strange cultural traditions. It was a very strange custom indeed. William¡¯s refusal made the turbid eyes of Wild Hunt twitch. It was clear that this man had not expected the human before him to reject his request. ¡°So you mean to refuse to cooperate with our investigations?¡± the man growled in a deep voice, a threatening tone to his words. William simply nodded. His eyes narrowed further as he questioned, ¡°Then, how do you plan on refusing us?¡± ¡°Refusing in the same way you want me to submit,¡± William replied. In truth, William had refused for no other reason than to test the consequences of his actions. Would these men, with the title of ¡®Wild Hunt,¡¯ resort to violence against an innocent person in the streets? He had to consider if Emerald Jade Province, with its questionable law enforcement, was an ally worth negotiating with, or if he should align himself with a local faction, as he had done in Blackwater Province. William¡¯s gaze swept the area, taking in the sight of five to six Wild Hunts closing in on him. The python tattoo on the one standing directly in front of him began to writhe as it struggled to take shape. Alright, these guys are serious about using violence. He sighed and raised his right hand slightly. He didn¡¯t even need to use any fancy magical mediums to deal with these small fries. A few simple instantaneous or single-syllable spells would be enough to take them down. Fine runes appeared on William¡¯s wrist as he prepared his spells. With his exceptional magic control techniques, the Wild Hunts didn¡¯t even notice the few spells he had prepared. Just as a small-scale encounter was about to erupt, an emerald-green light suddenly lit up on the crown of a huge tree in the distance. All the Wild Hunts present stopped what they were doing and turned their heads to look in the direction of the green light. ¡°The tree spirit is seeking reinforcements,¡± the Wild Hunt in front of William said. In a sudden, synchronized movement, the Wild Hunts turned around like marionettes being lifted as they moved towards the distant subtree. William couldn¡¯t even utter a question before they were gone, disappearing into the beam of light with their wings or ape-like abilities that suddenly appeared. He stared for a moment, turned to the guard, who had warned him to stay quiet. ¡°Does this happen often?¡± William asked. The guard looked into the distance, equally surprised and said, ¡°Which one? The light or the Wild Hunt?¡± Then, he continued without waiting for William¡¯s reply, ¡°The Wild Hunts only answer to the Duke¡¯s commands, so it¡¯s rare to see them. And that green light¡­ it¡¯s only seen during the Canopy Temple ceremony. But that¡¯s not scheduled for today. Could the tree spirit of the subtree be making an appearance?¡± Through further questioning, William finally understood the true nature of the mysterious Wild Hunts. The Wild Hunt troops were a formidable force, created by the emperor himself to maintain control over the sprawling Emerald Jade Province. They were formed in the aftermath of Ravenwood¡¯s integration into the powerful Riel Empire. The Astral Council, the keepers of all occult knowledge on the continent, held the key to unlocking the secret spell system of the Forest Elf race¡ªthe Great Spirit Tattoo. In order to appease the powerful Holy Tree Duke, the Astral Council fused the spirits of many wild tribes to create a hound that would obey only him¡ªthe Wild Hunt. In other words, the Wild Hunt was the physical manifestation of the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s will. Chapter 247 - 247 Holy Communion (2) 247 Holy Communion (2) The Wild Hunts were on the hunt, sent out to capture a notorious anti-imperialist who had fled to Holy Tree City. This gave William a peek into the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s stance on this situation. A faction of the empire¡­ But who was this so-called ¡°anti-imperialist?¡± William himself could be considered one, and even with the prefix ¡°greatest,¡± he didn¡¯t believe that the other party was after him. It was a joke to think that he¡¯d be targeted the moment he arrived in Holy Tree City. It could only mean that the empire¡¯s spies had infiltrated his faction. But then he remembered the place where the green light had emitted¡ªit was the same spot where he had left Nizemar to wait for him. William turned his head, watching as the Wild Hunts disappeared into the distance. A flicker of unease crossed his mind, but it quickly dissipated. He had instructed Nizemar to wait there quietly for his return, equipping her with powerful equipment and a Holy Spirit figurine for protection. And with the Demon Sealing Runes he had given her, she could use them as a teleportation beacon. William believed that few things in this city could harm his experienced former parishioner. And if something did, she could always call for his help. William had no intention of deviating from his original plan. ¡°Can I proceed now? I want to visit the temple of the Holy Tree Matriarch.¡± William and the guard continued their conversation. The guard sized up William and said, ¡°Yes, sir, but please fill out your name on this registration form.¡± ¡°Is there a problem? I almost got into a fight with the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s left and right-hand men,¡± William said, taking the pen and looking worried. ¡°No problem at all. You¡¯re going to the Matriarch¡¯s temple. Even the Duke has no right or authority to stop any pilgrim who wishes to pay their respects to the Matriarch,¡± the guard explained. ¡°Really? Even though the title has changed, isn¡¯t the Holy Tree Duke still the Father of the Wilderness, in a divine union with the Matriarch? Surely he has the authority, right?¡± William asked as he signed an alias on the register. The guard was taken aback. ¡°What Father of the Wild? The Holy Tree Duke is a woman.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡­ Just minutes ago, Nizemar had been trailing the two shady characters down the main path, leading her to the Canopy Temple¡¯s door. She hesitated for a moment before following them inside. The Canopy Temple was a sacred altar at the top of every subtree over 500 years old. It was not only the resting place for the tree spirit of the subtree, but also where the Forest Elves performed their most important daily ritual. These Forest Elves were a branch of High Elves who had left Ava State during the Great Migration Era. According to human calendars, they arrived in Ravenwood during the Silver Age. They had helped the World Tree dispel the curse of the Lady of Starvation and chase away the Moon Realm worship church that had taken root there. However, in the process, they exhausted the blessings of their Phoenix Holy Fire. In return, the will of the World Tree, known as the Matriarch, struck a deal with the High Elves. She blessed their bodies and souls once again and granted them the power of this holy forest. And thus, the Forest Elves were born. The Matriarch¡¯s contract promised eternal life to the Forest Elves, but not in the normal sense of the word. As they aged, they would slowly ¡°treeify¡±¡ªtheir hair sprouted leaves, roots grew beneath their feet, and their skin hardened into bark, slowing their movements. Eventually, they would become trees permanently. In Ravenwood, a third of the forest was made up of these tree-like elves. Since one in three trees in Ravenwood might be a fellow kin living in another way, it wasn¡¯t surprising that the Forest Elves took the protection of their forest seriously. In Ravenwood, using wood for crafting or tools was strictly prohibited, viewed with the same severity as murder. And the use of fire, whether from a match or magic, was a felony. This led to unique and inventive methods of crafting among the Forest Elves. Hunting bows and arrows were made from animal bones, homes were carved from tree trunks grown by the Matriarch¡¯s power, and furniture was crafted from stone or imported metal. Other than using only the fruits and meats that fell naturally from the trees, survival meant hunting for food. But with fire banned, they had to rely on raw meat, eaten with fruit juice or tree sap. And while they had mastered the art of drying and curing meats for the winter, the food they ate was essentially raw. It¡¯s no surprise that the Forest Elves were often perceived as primitive and savage by other races. Their most crucial duty, as part of their contract with the Matriarch, was to keep the Moon Realm Void Sovereign, Lady of Starvation Camilla, at bay. The Matriarch, revered as the beginning of life in Currere, was said to be the first being to exist in this world. And as the embodiment of life, it needed to survive and reproduce. Camilla, the Lady of Starvation, symbolized the erosion of the cycle of life. No matter how perfect the cycle may seem, there was always energy wasted in the form of corruption¡ªlife¡¯s entropy. To combat this, the Forest Elves have made a pact with the Matriarch to eliminate all decomposition in the forest. The only way to minimize Camilla¡¯s strength was by consuming all dead things and turning them into new life force in this place where life force pulsed through the air, without giving agents of rot any chance to breed. After walking into the Canopy Temple and seeing what was being done in the middle of the temple, Nizemar recalled what Lord William had explained to her on the way here about the Forest Elf¡¯s customs. ¡°Those who die must be consumed while their vitality remains¡ªit¡¯s their cultural tradition.¡± ¡°Since the Forest Elves can¡¯t use fire¡­ they are left with no choice but to feast on the corpses of their friends and family who had died in accidents.¡± This was what the Presiding Judge had told her. And now, as she stood in the middle of the temple, Nizemar watched a male Forest Elf weep as he ate the warm corpse of a young female Forest Elf. His wife, the mother of his children. Chapter 248 - 248 Reason for Peace 248 Reason for Peace ¡°In summary, you should understand why I said that Forest Elves love peace more than any other race, right?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s better to say that it confuses me even more¡­ If what you¡¯re saying is true, and these Forest Elves have a tradition of eating their own kind, how can they be peaceful?¡± On the way to Holy Tree City, Nizemar asked in confusion after hearing William explain the source of the Forest Elf¡¯s cannibalism custom. Cannibalism was a heinous act, one that could never be justified. How could a race that engaged in such barbarism ever be considered peaceful? However, the Presiding Judge suddenly chuckled. He immediately waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I just thought of a joke.¡± ¡°Joke?¡± Nizemar asked, intrigued. ¡°Yeah, you probably haven¡¯t heard it before. I have to think of a way to adapt it in a form you can understand¡­¡± As the Presiding Judge spoke, tapped his forehead as he thought of a way to explain it to her. ¡°Ah right, here¡¯s how it goes¡­ As the Holy Church War raged on near the end of the Golden Age, a prominent religious scholar from the Kos Empire journeyed to the remote Ravenwood forest. There, he encountered a local druid, who listened with shock as the scholar recounted the staggering death toll on the Seething Plain. In disbelief, the druid asked, ¡®How do you plan to finish all the corpses left behind?¡¯ The scholar sneered in response, ¡®We are civilized beings. We do not partake in the barbarous act of cannibalism.¡¯ The druid was even more stunned by this revelation. Why had they killed so many people if they weren¡¯t going to eat them? It was truly a barbaric act.¡± The Presiding Judge let out a deep chuckle, and Nizemar couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she should join in. As the laughter subsided, she tentatively spoke up. ¡°I think I understand, Presiding Judge. You¡¯re saying that the Forest Elves¡¯ customs make them avoid wars¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. Whether the corpses are those of their enemies or their own, the Forest Elves must deal with them. And in a war as large as one in Ravenwood, the Forest Elves would struggle to dispose of them before they rot. Unless absolutely necessary, the Forest Elves would never involve themselves in a large-scale conflict. This was the reason why wars were so rare in their history.¡± They didn¡¯t want war because they couldn¡¯t finish consuming the corpses. That was new. Nizemar found the new perspective indescribable. ¡­ Back to the present, Nizemar scowled as she gazed upon the center of the Canopy Temple, where the Holy Communion ritual was being held. The Presiding Judge had explained that it was precisely because of the Forest Elves¡¯ extreme funerary culture that they respected life more than humans or other races, and had a deeper understanding of death. Though it made sense, as someone who had lived in the ¡®civilized world,¡¯ Nizemar still found it hard to accept such a brutal and bloody scene. However, she was a former relic hunter for the Church, and the current designated oracle of Holy Spirit Kane. She was no stranger to all forms of killing, so she kept her composure. But someone else was not so fortunate. ¡°What the hell are they eating¡­ ugh,¡± muttered a voice behind her, causing Nizemar to turn her head. The girl kneeled on the ground, wracked with heaves as she spewed gastric juices onto the temple floor. Her headscarf lay discarded beside her. The Forest Elf with the wolf head tattoo didn¡¯t hesitate. He dropped to one knee beside the girl. Nizemar¡¯s senses told her that he was deliberately blocking the temple¡¯s clergymen from seeing her. He gently patted her back, his voice low and urgent as he whispered, ¡°Elise, quickly wrap the headscarf around you after you¡¯re done. You¡¯re too conspicuous¡­¡± He said it very softly, but Nizemar still heard it. The temple was normally a quiet and solemn place, filled only with the prayers of the clergymen and the gnawing sounds of the Holy Communion ceremony. But the girl¡¯s vomiting shattered the peace, drawing the attention of everyone present. ¡°Stop vomiting. Hurry up and close your eyes. Don¡¯t let them see¡­¡± Nizemar heard the Forest Elf¡¯s soft whisper again. The girl clenched her jaw and gave a determined nod. She reached for a handkerchief and wiped the grime from the corner of her lips. With closed eyes, she picked up the headscarf beside her and wrapped it tightly around her head once more. Nizemar watched as the girl¡¯s hands trembled, yet her actions were smooth and fluid, as if her closed eyes didn¡¯t affect her at all. ¡°Why would they eat it directly¡­¡± the girl asked in a shaky voice as she got to her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word,¡± the Forest Elf with the wolf head tattoo whispered. He looked up at Nizemar, who was studying them with concern, and offered a bitter smile. ¡°This is my friend¡¯s first time in Ravenwood, so she¡¯s not aware of the funeral customs here. It¡¯s understandable that she can¡¯t accept it. To be honest, as a Forest Elf, I can¡¯t accept it either. I even signed the Reformists¡¯ proposal to abolish the Holy Communion referendum.¡± Nizemar nodded and remained silent. She didn¡¯t know how to respond, her understanding of the Forest Elf today nowhere near as extensive as the Presiding Judge¡¯s from a thousand years ago. But her nod was a sign of agreement¡ªthis burial custom needed to be abolished. Quayle Wolfspeak, the Forest Elf, noticed her lack of response and probed further. ¡°Is this really your first time in Holy Tree City? It¡¯s rare for humans to remain so calm after witnessing the Holy Communion ceremony for the first time.¡± But Nizemar didn¡¯t answer his question. Instead, she cut straight to the heart of the matter. ¡°Do you know why the tree spirits¡¯ clones asked us to come to this temple?¡± She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off. The Presiding Judge had ordered her to wait for his return and not cause any trouble, but she sensed trouble brewing. ¡°They probably want to repatriate the stowaways,¡± the Forest Elf named Quayle replied. Then, his eyes locked onto Nizemar¡¯s as he continued, ¡°Since your guide isn¡¯t with you, they might treat you as a stowaway.¡± As Quayle spoke, he observed the change in the woman¡¯s expression. Unfortunately, the other party¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. It was as if the other party didn¡¯t know what stowaways and guides were. Quayle had a plan. He was going to use this to cause the other party to panic and then take the opportunity to suggest that he pretend to be her guide. Then, he would make the Wild Hunt mistake the woman in front of him for the wanted successor of Silence, Elise. This would cause a huge commotion and divert the Wild Hunts¡¯ attention, allowing the real Elise to escape the encirclement and get others in the organization to help her. But Quayle realized his plan¡ªa plan he spent a grand total of half a minute to come up with¡ªwas stuck at the first step. ¡°Stowaways will be branded with the mark of a Burner. Unless a magic chanter at the level of Great Sage Yeats or Hero Kane unseals the curse, they won¡¯t be able to enter Ravenwood Forest for the rest of their lives because of the curse,¡± Quayle reminded her of the severity of the matter. ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Quayle was about to strike while the iron was hot upon noticing her waver, but she interrupted him first. ¡°Equating Yeats with Lord Kane?¡± Quayle was stunned by the sudden seriousness in the other party¡¯s tone. Was this truly all she cared about? As Quayle struggled to process this, the prayers of the temple¡¯s clergymen came to a sudden halt. Suddenly, the vines at the other end of the temple began to shift and move, forming the shape of a door. Through this door walked an old man, dressed in a robe made of animal skin and feathers. His skin was rough and textured, like tree bark, and his hair was filled with branches and leaves. This was a forest druid, the oldest of the Ravenwood clergymen, and he was followed by several Wild Hunts. Nizemar¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to him. Nizemar couldn¡¯t put a name to the Forest Elves covered in tattoos, but she knew one thing for sure based on the crash course the Presiding Judge had given her on their tattoo customs. These warriors were killers. Their bone weapons and armor, combined with the smell of blood emanating from their bodies, were a dead giveaway. But it was their emaciated figures that truly gave them away. Only by constantly staying hungry could they dispose of corpses according to Forest Elf custom after a massacre. As the warriors approached, Nizemar surreptitiously glanced at the two guides behind her. She knew there were no way for leaks about her and the Presiding Judge¡¯s visit, and they hadn¡¯t done anything out of the ordinary. So, this couldn¡¯t be directed at her. But the guides were another story. Nizemar decided not to get involved. After all, the Presiding Judge had ordered her to wait for his return. So, she leaned slightly to the side. It was then that the man performing the Communion ceremony in the temple dropped the flesh and blood of his wife and crawled to the druid as soon as he saw the forest druid enter. ¡°Sir, Sir¡­ My wife was killed by the empire¡¯s ambassador. Please, please seek justice for her!¡± Chapter 249 - 249 Holy Tree Matriarch Temple 249 Holy Tree Matriarch Temple 7,800 naturally grown wooden stairs coiled up the thick trunk of the World Tree¡ªit was more like a mountain path than a ladder to the crown. William had been here before. Or rather, he had fought here. Years ago, the impact of the Seven Calamities had made the World Shell protecting Currere fragile. The Moon Realm Void Sovereigns had torn through the veil and projected Their strength into Currere. Most of the locations where the Moon Realm rifts were created had a mystical connection with the corresponding Void Sovereigns in the Moon Realm. And one of them, the Lady of Starvation, Camilla, had established a connection between the Lake of Entropy and Currere by corrupting Ravenwood Forest, the richest source of life force on the Vic Continent. The main plot of the Ravenwood map in-game was to remove the corruptive curse and expel the pollution of the Moon Realm. Camilla¡¯s plan had been to completely corrupt the World Tree and turn it into a breeding ground for corruptive force, allowing her to cross the barrier of the World Shell and enter Currere. Camilla was the one closest to entering Currere, second only to the three Void Sovereigns who successfully entered in the Waning Moon ending. But Her plan was ultimately stopped by the Doomsday Watchers, led by William and his Judges, and aided by two powerful deities¡ªthe World Tree¡¯s will, Matriarch and the common master of the Wilderness Spirits, Father of the Wilderness. The Doomsday Watchers ran errands throughout the Ravenwood area, uniting the disunited Forest Elf tribes and summoning the two gods believed in by the Forest Elves. They withstood the corrosion from the Lake of Entropy at the critical moment and bought time for William and the others to defeat Camilla¡¯s Void Incarnation and seal the Moon Realm rift. In a sense, it was impressive that these two deities could withstand a Void Sovereign¡¯s direct attack, making William¡¯s hope of forming an alliance with the Forest Elves even stronger. William never thought the Forest Elves would offer him military support. Their strange tradition dictated that war was too cruel for their race. But as the Moon Realm threatened Currere, William knew he needed all the high-end combat power he could get. Even though the Void Sovereigns were in disarray, William couldn¡¯t rely on Their internal strife to defeat Them. He knew it was a dangerous gamble to pin his hopes on the enemy¡¯s mistakes. But the Forest Elves¡¯ beliefs in the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness were a mystery. The scholars of the Holy Spirits Church believed that the Matriarch and the Father of the Wild were one in the same, reflected in countless myths and legends throughout the Vic Continent. They were seen as mere reflections of mortals¡¯ incomplete memories of the Creation Holy Spirit. The Matriarch, symbolizing the will of the World Tree, was believed to be a fragment of the Holy Spirit, the Mother. As for the Father of the Wild, symbolizing royalty and hunting, it was thought to be a mixture of the prototypes of Father and Youth. This was an authoritative official statement, but William didn¡¯t buy it. He believed that the Father of the Wild was more like the God King in Blackwater mythology, Oka. An Authority holder who used ceremonial magic to imitate myths and legends in order to gain powerful strength. After all, every Father of the Wild had to hold a divine marriage ritual with the World Tree to gain strength. This was in line with the principle of imitating past myths and legends when an Authority holder was born and gaining strength from resonance. However, the Matriarch was different. It had no personalized manifestation of divinity, no spokesperson to represent its power, and didn¡¯t make decisions on its own. From these points, compared to gods, the Matriarch was more like a running program. William guessed that this was a driver that controlled the power released by the World Tree. His guess wasn¡¯t groundless. A key piece of evidence was that the Forest Elf ancestors were colonists from Ava State. If the Matriarch was really a vague memory of people¡¯s creation from the Holy Spirit, then as foreigners, the Forest Elves wouldn¡¯t have any original collective memories of the Matriarch faith. Before the Holy Spirits Church appeared, myths and legends were extremely geographically localized. Early magic, or what should be called witchcraft, that was based on myths would greatly weaken or even completely lose its effectiveness after leaving the range of its caster¡¯s culture. Therefore, the Forest Elf ancestors from Ava State relied on collective memories to mold the Matriarch into a god. This was almost impossible in current theory. William didn¡¯t give a second thought to the origins of Matriarch. As long as She wasn¡¯t from the Moon Realm and didn¡¯t pose a threat to him in the future, he was content. But what truly concerned him was how to harness Matriarch¡¯s power to resist the Moon Realm. Negotiations were out of the question since the other party had no personality. Matriarch was nothing more than a powerful, empty force controlled by the Forest Druid class. But if he controlled the Forest Elf episcopate, he could indirectly control this force. In the past, there had always been a deep-seated conflict between Ravenwood¡¯s clergy system and the tribal warrior class. They could only maintain a fragile relationship through the divine marriage ritual. Even after over a thousand years, this contradiction had presumably not changed much. So, after gaining a rough understanding of the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s governance level through the Wild Hunt, William began to consider collaborating with the episcopate that believed in Matriarch. But he still had his doubts, wondering if these clergymen were even more inhumane. ¡°However¡­ the current Holy Tree Duke is actually a woman. Doesn¡¯t this mean that the Father of the Wild ritual has been abolished?¡± William pondered as he climbed the 7,800 steps to the Cenmu Gate. He knew if he didn¡¯t want to draw attention, he could have flown up with Morph spells. Back to the main topic¡­ The idea of a woman inheriting the power of the Father of the Wild through ceremonial magic was impossible. So, what gave her the right to sit firmly in the position of Holy Tree Duke? The Forest Elves, although not advocating endless killings, were a race that believed in survival of the fittest. Among the Forest Elves, it was impossible for the weak to win over the masses. Strength was the foundation of everything among them. Why¡­ As he reached the entrance of the Cenmu Gate, a possibility dawned on William. Could it be that the true backer behind the Holy Tree Duke is the Riel Empire? William remembered Wild Hunt¡¯s words, they were sent out to search for anti-imperialists. This made him even more certain. With a sigh of relief, William muttered to himself, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯ll be much easier¡­¡± If the Holy Tree Duke was a staunch empire supporter, it would be best for him. The other party lacked strength and didn¡¯t have any ethical considerations. He could seize power and help someone obedient rise to the throne, without having to negotiate with a weak and unethical opposing party. He would take Emerald Province under his control, just as he had done with the Blackwater Province. He knew that if it came down to it, he could deal with the empire¡¯s expeditionary army against Ava State once and for all. After all, Emerald Province was the true rear of the expeditionary army, and it was deeply strategic. And if he could take down Emerald Province, the expeditionary army¡¯s war with Ava State would never even spread to that state. With the resources of two provinces and an alliance with Ava State, he could even attempt to challenge the empire. William pushed open the white door with excitement coursing through his veins. But first, he needed to establish contact with the episcopate that believed in Matriarch and determine if they were a powerful faction worthy of his support. As he thought this, a female Forest Elf who looked like a maid was waiting on the other side of the door. She bowed respectfully to him and said, ¡°Matriarch¡¯s listener learned of your arrival not long ago. He has been waiting for you in the temple.¡± William was stunned for a moment before becoming vigilant. He had done a good job keeping this trip to Emerald Province a secret, so how did anyone in Holy Tree City know he was coming? Could it be that this was what she said to everyone who came on a pilgrimage? But before he could ask, the other party continued, ¡°The Matriarch told us that you saved Ava State not long ago in the Moon Realm. Therefore, please save Ravenwood, which is already in a huge crisis.¡± Chapter 250 - 250 Hobien Ebony 250 Hobien Ebony The Temple of the Holy Tree Matriarch was bathed in a gentle light, the source of which came from the exquisite magic crystal lamps embedded in the walls. The tree hole that housed the temple was deep and winding, but the light made it feel welcoming and warm. At the end of the tree hole stood seven holy emblems, each carved from animal bones and symbolizing the seven Holy Spirits revered by the Holy Spirits Church. But something was off. The order in which the emblems were placed was different from the Church¡¯s established rules. The most prominent position in the middle wasn¡¯t occupied by the emblem of the father, symbolizing royalty, but by the emblem of the mother, symbolizing life. And the emblem was slightly deformed, with some lines slanting in a way that made the image of a mother embracing an infant resemble a towering tree. The other six emblems were illuminated by the light from the magic crystal lamps at their base, but the Mother emblem in the middle was bathed in sunlight from the opening at the top of the temple. The layout of the temple was nothing like what William remembered from over a thousand years ago. The Holy Tree Matriarch Temple of his time was completely shamanistic, with a deep and dark tree hole symbolizing the source of life. The only light came from the sun, moon, and stars shining through the skylight at the top, and the interior was filled with rough bone sculptures. The temple only worshiped the deity Matriarch. If it weren¡¯t for the tree hole, William would have thought he was in a cathedral of the Holy Spirits Church. The placement of the Mother Holy Spirit in the middle and the subtle modifications to the holy emblem were evidence of the Forest Elves¡¯ struggle against the empire¡¯s influence. The maid led William to the temple and he saw a man wearing an antler crown and a gray fur coat kneeling and praying in front of the seven holy emblems. ¡°Your Majesty Ebony, the guest you¡¯re waiting for is here,¡± the maid said before bowing respectfully and leaving. After the maid¡¯s footsteps faded away, William looked at the person kneeling in front of the holy emblem and asked in confusion, ¡°Your Majesty? Is that referring to you?¡± William couldn¡¯t believe it. How could anyone accept the title of ¡°Your Majesty¡± in the Emerald Province of the Riel Empire? Only the Holy Tree Duke had the right to that title if she dared overstep boundaries. But, according to the information William had received, the current Holy Tree Duke was a woman. He was familiar with the antler crown on the person¡¯s head. It was the crown of the Forest Elf tribe¡¯s co-owner, the Father of the Wild. This crown not only symbolized the power to rule many tribes in Ravenwood Forest, but it was also a necessary tool for the marriage ceremony between the Father of the Wild and the Matriarch. Upon hearing William¡¯s question, the person stopped praying and slowly stood up. Then, he turned to look at William and said with a self-deprecating smile. ¡°Please don¡¯t take it to heart. The people here always like to use such sarcastic methods to constantly remind me that I¡¯m a despicable failure,¡± But, despite the smile, the person¡¯s voice was devoid of emotion, as if he were talking about a stranger and not himself. This person was extremely tall. He was two heads taller than William and his body was almost twice as wide. Coupled with the antler crown on his head and the gray fur he wore, he looked a little like a werecreature formed on the Damon Continent by fusing a human with a large beast¡¯s body through a mystical technique. ¡°My name is Hobien Ebony, and I¡¯m the current Listener of the Matriarch¡¯s will. I¡¯m also in charge of this temple. According to the Matriarch¡¯s revelation, I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for a long time,¡± he said, not standing on ceremony. ¡°You know who I am?¡± William asked with a frown. Hobien shook his head and explained, ¡°The Matriarch only provides me enlightenment. A person who can completely change Ravenwood¡¯s fate is about to arrive. He will sever the chains around the Forest Elf¡¯s neck and end the curse that erodes this land, expelling the famine that spreads among the forest people. As for what kind of hero you are, I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± William interrupted, ignoring the mysterious prophecies and his flattery. ¡°Therefore, you don¡¯t know my identity¡­ Then, how can you be sure that the person Matriarch is talking about is me? Not another person who suddenly thought of making a pilgrimage to the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple?¡± No matter what kind of praise Hobien had for him, whether he was a hero or a liberator, William was foremost focused and vigilant about how Hobien knew his whereabouts and existence so accurately. It was always an uneasy feeling that his whereabouts and existence had been grasped by someone or a god. ¡°The Matriarch informed me of your image and the time of your arrival in the prophecy,¡± Hobien replied to William¡¯s question. ¡°Is that so?¡± William nodded thoughtfully. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to trust the other party, who seemed to be pushing all the blame onto some god who couldn¡¯t speak. Most importantly, he had suffered from prophecy before. But William knew better than to dwell on this matter, knowing that trying to get information out of this person would be futile. So, he switched gears and probed, ¡°I heard from the lady who brought me here that the Matriarch you believe in seems to know that I saved Ava State in the Moon Realm?¡± Even a god couldn¡¯t be omniscient. And William couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this god-level existence was somehow connected to the World Tree under his feet. In other words, the other party was a god that existed in Currere. So, how could a Currere deity know what had happened in the Moon Realm? ¡°Matriarch sees through everything,¡± the person replied calmly. But to William, this calm answer was meaningless. With this answer, William knew that deep cooperation with this person was out of the question. Trust and shared interests were the prerequisites for cooperation, and he couldn¡¯t find either in this conversation. As for the former¡¯s shared interests¡­ ¡°Since you¡¯re wearing this antler crown, does it mean that you¡¯re the true ruler of Emerald Province? Or at least, that¡¯s what you and the lady who called you ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ think?¡± William asked straightforwardly. With the information he had gathered, William could guess that this person had another identity other than the Matriarch Listener he claimed to be. He was likely the true ruler of the Forest Elves, who had been taken advantage of by the opposition supported by the empire¡¯s royal family. The true king of the Forest Elves could only be pushed out of the core circle of power and sent to the Holy Temple to manage religious matters. This wasn¡¯t uncommon, be it in the past or now. ¡°You flatter me. I¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for pleasantries.¡± William interrupted him and looked around. He found a stool and sat down. Then, he continued, ¡°You wear an antler crown that symbolizes the highest authority in Ravenwood, and you don¡¯t stop your subordinates from calling you ¡®Your Majesty.¡¯ Then, you wait here for someone who will help save the Forest Elf in the prophecy¡ªdon¡¯t tell me that your goal in doing all of this is just to make yourself feel at ease when praying to those Holy Spirits and Holy Emblems.¡± William smiled. ¡°But the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s temple shouldn¡¯t have enshrined the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s worship symbols, right?¡± Chapter 251 - 251 Name a Price 251 Name a Price William couldn¡¯t help but see the changes at the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple as a symbol of the Riel Empire¡¯s complete conquest of Ravenwood. The Holy Tree Matriarch Temple had seen its fair share of changes over the years. Gone were the days when it was a primitive, natural tree hole, untouched by artificial carvings and bright magic crystal lamps. Now, it was a solemn, symmetrical structure that had been artificially given a sense of grandeur. But in the past, this temple was something quite different. The Forest Elf ancestors had lived in its winding darkness, where they would suck the sap of the tree, which had a strong hallucinatory effect. They would see an existence called Matriarch in illusions that could paralyze people to death and form a soul connection with Her. This temple was a manifestation of the Forest Elves¡¯ philosophy of being one with nature. Whether it was the Matriarch or the Father of the Wilderness, as long as it was something that formed the cornerstone of the Forest Elf¡¯s culture and faith, it more or less reflected the elements of the cycle of life. Reproduction, growth, death¡ªthe gone becoming a part of the reborn. Mortal races with limited lifespans reaching infinity through the cycle of life. Everything was an indispensable part of the great cycle. It could be said that Ravenwood¡¯s philosophy was the opposite of humans¡¯ style of constantly expanding and plundering, constantly improving through consumerism¡ªit could even be said that both sides were at the extremes of civilization. William had no intention of commenting on the advantages and disadvantages of the two civilizations. But he knew that the Holy Emblem of the Seven Holy Spirits, which symbolized the cornerstone of the empire¡¯s faith, had been moved into the temple as a victor. This meant that at least on the level of violence, the Forest Elves who emphasized integration with nature, couldn¡¯t compare to humans who modified or even enslaved nature. The Holy Emblem of the Seven Holy Spirits was displayed in the most sacred place in the Forest Elf faith. Even the Matriarch, who was the core of the faith, had to attach herself to the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s Mother to be allowed for worship. According to William¡¯s impression of the Forest Elves, this was a trauma that could shake the foundation of the entire race¡¯s faith. Therefore, the effect of William¡¯s words was especially obvious. The instant he finished speaking, His Majesty Ebony¡¯s calm expression vanished, replaced by a puffing chest and heavy panting as he inhaled the humid air in the temple. His grayish-white fur undulated, making him look like an enraged werecreature. Considering the reason for the other party¡¯s anger¡ªthe Forest Elf¡¯s spiritual temple consecrating a human faith totem¡ªWilliam couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed that the other party wore antlers instead of bull horns. But, thankfully, the loss of control was only momentary. The other party didn¡¯t do anything unwise, quickly regaining his calm expression. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Matriarch¡¯s revelation had never gone wrong, I wouldn¡¯t have imagined that the person who would liberate us from the Empire¡¯s tyranny in the prophecy was a human,¡± Ebony said, taking a deep breath, evading William¡¯s question. The man¡¯s voice was indignant, a stark contrast to the calmness he had previously maintained in an attempt to appear mysterious¡ªit was nothing but a charade. These words were an attempt to regain some semblance of control, but to William, they made no sense. It was clear the man was not asking for help. William¡¯s opinion of the man dropped even further as he said, ¡°Hold on a minute. How can you be so certain that I¡¯ll help you? Just because you saw the Matriarch¡¯s illusion after drinking too much World Tree sap? And you don¡¯t even know who I am. This is our first meeting and you have the audacity to pull me behind closed doors without even testing me? Are you not afraid that I am a spy sent by the empire?¡± William¡¯s mission to the Emerald Province was to aid the Forest Elves in their rebellion against the Empire¡¯s rule and strengthen his own faction. But if the other party was of this caliber, he wasn¡¯t willing to ally himself with someone of such low intelligence. The pro-imperial establishment in the Emerald Province was a much more reliable option. At the very least, they were likely to collude with the Empire for their own gain, and William could use a carrot-and-stick approach to control them. Greed could keep someone rational, and that rationality could be a foundation for cooperation. But a fanatic was unpredictable and unreliable. What if the Matriarch convinced the Forest Elves that a foreigner was their savior today, but tomorrow she wanted them to betray William? Without mincing words, William went straight to the point. The other party didn¡¯t take offense and instead nodded, ¡°You¡¯re joking. After all, you¡¯re the one who promoted the independence of the Blackwater Province and resolved the internal turmoil in Ava State. With just these two accomplishments, no matter who you are, you can¡¯t stand on the Empire¡¯s side.¡± Ebony revealed information only a select few were privy to, and William could sense the other party¡¯s arrogance. He had hoped to use this information as leverage, but now it seemed pointless. William raised his tone and said, ¡°Oh.¡± He wasn¡¯t surprised by the other party¡¯s words but surprised that the other party had access to this level of information. ¡°Did the Matriarch come to you in a dream and tell you this?¡± William sneered and asked. The other party shook his head. ¡°In order to escape the Empire¡¯s control, we keep a close eye on the situation across the Vic Continent, including Ava State and the Damon Continent. I spent a lot of money to buy this information about you from the Broken Sword Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild before the Matriarch gave me her revelation.¡± If this was true, the person in front of him was worth working with. At the very least, there was value in forming an alliance with him. ¡°Oh? Was my true identity specifically mentioned in the information you bought?¡± William asked calmly. ¡°It¡¯s all fragmentary rumors and records. What can be deduced from that information is limited. But for us, just knowing that you¡¯re very, very powerful and that you¡¯re standing against the Empire is enough. I think that explains why we should believe you. The enemy of an enemy is a friend. At the very least, it¡¯s possible for us to cooperate against the Riel Empire,¡± Ebony replied. ¡°Well, barely¡­ After all, even if I¡¯m willing to help the Blackwater Province and Ava State, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m willing to help you, right?¡± William spread his hands and said. Ebony waved his hand with a nonchalant air, as if he had expected William¡¯s response. ¡°I understand that. So, name a price.¡± ¡°Name a price?¡± William was taken aback. He had expected the conversation to take a more direct turn, but he didn¡¯t expect Ebony to be so straightforward. ¡°Wealth? Status? Or the inheritance of strength? As long as we can take back everything that originally belonged to me, chase away the witch who kowtows to the Platinum Throne, and make Ravenwood the Forest Elves¡¯ Ravenwood again, what price do we have to pay?¡± ¡°So blunt?¡± ¡°After interacting with humans for so many years, I can at least understand your negotiating style is based on the maximization of benefits. In that case, why don¡¯t we cut out the unnecessary probing? Wouldn¡¯t negotiating the essence of the matter save us more time?¡± Hobien added when he saw the confusion on William¡¯s face. Before William could speak, the other party continued as if he was answering his own question, ¡°Of course, for someone who can stop the Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead and defeat the Moon Realm Demon Army in the Moon Realm, he probably doesn¡¯t lack wealth, strength, or status. Therefore, I¡¯m willing to offer a higher price¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say things like offering your support after you become the king of Ravenwood or something that can only be cashed out after you succeed in your grand plan.¡± William interrupted. He knew that such promises were as unreliable as ¡°I¡¯m George Washington, and I will give you money.¡± He didn¡¯t want to be played for a fool. Of course, William didn¡¯t think that the other party could move him. At the very least, everything in this world that could move him a thousand years ago was in William¡¯s Treasure Hall. Seeing that William wasn¡¯t interested, Ebony didn¡¯t keep him in suspense and said, ¡°Other than what you said previously, the things I¡¯m willing to offer you now are: one piece of Judgment equipment, the condensation of life from the World Tree that has been accumulated over a hundred years, and a small wooden box.¡± It was like an old joke that said, ¡°I want to invade Afghanistan and paint all the road signs green. I know no one has any objections to the former.¡± Compared to the two things he could understand, William subconsciously asked, ¡°A wooden box?¡± Ebony nodded and said, ¡°Yes, a wooden box made from the withering new buds of the World Tree. It contains extremely powerful magic power, but that¡¯s not the main point. The main point is what¡¯s inside¡ªthe ashes of Frost Lich Nehe, the third Judge of the Doomsday Watchers. That wooden box is his phylactery.¡± Chapter 252 - 252 Phylactery 252 Phylactery As William picked up the debris of battle under the stunning, ever-changing sky of the Moon Realm, he turned to the withered Lich floating in the air and asked, ¡°What are your plans when this is all over?¡± The Lich, who was commanding the dead to collect the remaining Void Dust after the Lunar Monsters had dissipated, turned to William with his empty eyes. ¡°How can you still be so optimistic when the difference between friend and foe is so great?¡± The Seven Calamities had just been defeated, but the damage they had caused had shaken the foundation of Currere. The World Shell that protected Currere was now unstable, causing the worst Moon Realm crisis in the history of Vic Continent. Anyone who knew the true extent of this crisis would not be optimistic enough to consider matters after the crisis was resolved. ¡°It¡¯s because of this huge disparity between friend and foe that despair will consume us first,¡± William replied. ¡°I know very well what terrifying choices people who fall into despair will make in the end,¡± William replied. Nehe, also known as Frost Lich and the third Judge of Judgment, twitched his face muscles and gave a bitter smile. The Void Sovereign¡¯s probing attack was enough to make the already large-scale Doomsday Watchers find it difficult to resist. At the same time, the many kingdoms on the Vic Continent were still fighting over petty benefits and suffering from internal strife, completely unaware that a storm of destruction was imminent. Some even believed the Void Sovereigns¡¯ bewitchment and publicly spread Moon Realm worship in their territory, choosing to side with the Moon Realm. No matter how optimistic the Presiding Judge was, he had to consider more realistic problems. However, after a moment of silence, Nehe replied, ¡°If¡­ I can eventually live until the Moon Realm crisis is resolved, I hope to return to Ravenwood¡¯s Holy Tree City and become a druid priest to Matriarch again. However, I don¡¯t think this will be possible even if I can live until then.¡± The Forest Elves loathed the undead that straddled between life and death, and the thought of a lich serving as a priest to their Matriarch was unbearable. As Nehe spoke, he froze his undead with ice crystals, storing them in his inventory. Nehe was a necromancer unlike any other. He didn¡¯t just take whatever corpses were available in battle, like many of his peers. No, he was meticulous in his choices, carefully selecting the undead he controlled. And once he was finished using them, he would freeze and preserve the corpses, using life spells to keep them from rotting until they were needed again. Some might say this was a waste of time and resources. After all, necromancy spells were cheap and easy to replenish with large quantities of raw materials. But Nehe didn¡¯t care what the others thought. He had his own way of doing things. Even some magic chanters among the Judges complained about him. They said it was better to focus on summoning spells than to use necromancy spells like Nehe¡¯s. William understood why the other party did so. After all, Nehe was once a Forest Druid, a champion of life and circulation. How could he stomach the corruption of constantly reanimating the dead? As Nehe finished his work and let out a sigh, William, the Presiding Judge, couldn¡¯t help but understand. Even though Nehe was now a lich and no longer needed to breathe, he still held onto his past habits. Nehe said, turning to William, ¡°Presiding Judge, if I am not fortunate enough to live until the end, I have one request of you. When I die, please do not revive me through my phylactery. Instead, scatter my ashes at the feet of the World Tree.¡± ¡­ William¡¯s body reacted before his mind could process the last few words. He stood up, staring at the towering Forest Elf with a livid expression. ¡°That phylactery¡­ where did you get it?¡± Nehe¡¯s phylactery was the final quest in his personal quest line in-game. A group of necromancers had stolen it, using its power to commit a series of terrifying crimes that nearly caused the Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead 2.0. At the end of the quest, the Judges had destroyed the contemptible Necromancer Association and recovered Nehe¡¯s phylactery. As a player, William had a choice. He could return the phylactery to Nehe, causing the other party to destroy it and commit suicide a week later as atonement. Or, he could throw it into the sea without Nehe¡¯s knowledge, leaving him to live with guilt for the rest of his life. William had wanted to keep Judgment complete after the game ended, so he had chosen the latter. If he had known he would transmigrate to this world, he would have respected Nehe¡¯s will and chosen the former. Ever since he transmigrated, William felt he had let Nehe down the most among the 12 Judges. His selfish choice had caused Nehe to suffer in guilt and pain. So, when he learned Nehe had been killed in battle with the Tacma Church hundreds of years ago, he had secretly sentenced the oldest magical research parish to death. No matter the Tacma Church¡¯s noble reasons, no matter how valuable their research was, no matter if they could have been his partner, the fact that they had killed Nehe was enough for William to want to destroy them completely and leave no one alive. He wasn¡¯t sure if this desire for revenge stemmed from his regret and dissatisfaction with his former actions. Before the phylactery was destroyed, Nehe¡¯s will would be imprisoned and suffer eternal loneliness if it was destroyed. William tried not to think about how many years Nehe had already suffered, or how many more to come if he couldn¡¯t recover the phylactery. William¡¯s excitement hit new heights when the person in front of him revealed that he had Nehe¡¯s phylactery. The surge of mana and his elevated emotions ignited supernatural phenomena around him, with lightning dancing and crackling on his fingertips and a small cyclone forming, blowing away nearby decorations. If not for the barrier blocking fire magic, the entire temple may have gone up in flames. Ebony felt a dangerous aura emanating from the thin human in front of him, activating the tattoo of the Beast Spirit on his body. It sent shivers down his spine, as if he could hear the sound of a wild beast sharpening its claws in the night. His muscles tensed and his back straightened, ready to fight or flee at a moment¡¯s notice. What¡¯s going on? The conditions I offered should be generous enough¡­ why is he turning hostile after I spoke? The souls of several wild beasts began to take shape around his body, with the power of the World Tree also connecting to his ether domain, constantly filling his life force. Fighting the Matriarch¡¯s Listener in the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple was a death wish, no matter how you looked at it. Ebony knew that if he fought at full strength, even several Divine Realm powerhouses wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat him, blessed as he was by the Matriarch Herself. But his gut told him that if the other party truly attacked him, he would most likely die. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Where did you get the phylactery you mentioned?¡± the terrifying man in front of him growled, completely ignoring the beast spirits surrounding them. ¡°I can¡¯t say where it came from because of a confidentiality contract¡­ But as long as this thing is real, you don¡¯t care about its origins, right?¡± Ebony struggled to speak under the man¡¯s powerful pressure. William seemed to calm down slightly at Ebony¡¯s words. He consciously suppressed the magical phenomenon caused by his emotions and took a deep breath. ¡°Show me the reward you promised first,¡± he said. ¡°If those are true¡­ I can have you sitting on the throne of Holy Tree City by next week.¡± Chapter 253 - 253 Magical Power Appraisal 253 Magical Power Appraisal Nizemar¡¯s stomach churned as she took in the gruesome scene before her. Blood coated the man¡¯s chin and dripped onto his animal skin garments, creating a sickening splatter. But it was the altar, used for the Holy Communion ritual, that truly made her heart drop. The bones stripped of flesh, the once human form now a blurred outline, it was a horror show that no sane person could accept. And yet, what made it even worse were the numb and sad eyes of the two children, their movements robotic and devoid of emotion after being baptized in sorrow. Even though the Presiding Judge had explained the origins of this tradition to her, Nizemar couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong. The idea of devouring blood-related relatives was something that no living being with a soul should ever have to endure. A male Forest Elf stepped forward and blocked the old druid¡¯s path, rushing to wipe the blood off his face before kneeling. The druid, who had been on his way to investigate the foreigners, signaled for the Wild Hunts to guard the door at the other end of the temple before turning his attention to the Forest Elf in front of him. As the forest guardian of the Holy Forest, druids had a duty to listen to every member of their race, for every Forest Elf would eventually become a part of Ravenwood¡¯s Holy Forest. ¡°Disposing of the bad seeds is an obligation you have to fulfill. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes locked onto the body halfway through the ritual on the altar before he stalked over to the man kneeling on the ground. In a voice heavy with solemnity, he asked, The Forest Elves possessed incredible vitality, thanks to the blessings of the World Tree. Disease and injury were mere trifles to them, and as long as they didn¡¯t perish instantly from a fatal blow, they could recover with time. But there was a catch. The Matriarch gifted them this strength with the expectation that they would use it to expand the borders of Ravenwood Forest in their old age, when they would transform into trees. Those who failed to reach this age were deemed ¡°bad seeds¡± by their kin, and their lives were seen as wasted. It was for this reason that the brutal Holy Communion ritual was rarely performed. Unless there was a war or a tribal conflict, most Forest Elves lived to see the end of their days and metamorphosed into trees. It was a great shame for a Forest Elf to die before this stage, and so their relatives were forced to consume their bodies without the aid of scavengers or other creatures. This was both a punishment and a warning. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± the man said, his voice choked with rage. ¡°My wife was killed by the empire¡¯s ambassador¡¯s lackeys, thanks to their filthy magic. I beg of you, make them pay with blood. I am willing to perform the Holy Communion ritual on the perpetrator.¡± His eyes blazed with fury, on the brink of ignition. The Forest Elves who had come to pay their respects in the temple immediately began to murmur among themselves. ¡°Killed by an ambassador sent by the empire?¡± ¡°Those sorcerers actually dare to kill the Matriarch¡¯s citizens in the Holy Forest?¡± ¡°Is Her Grace not going to do something about this?¡± ¡°Why would she care? Wasn¡¯t it her idea to exchange the land used to grow Green-faced Grass for grapes and export red wine to the empire? As a woman, it¡¯s impossible for her to become Matriarch¡¯s husband. That¡¯s why she¡¯s trying to curry favor with the empire and appoint those sorcerers¡­¡± ¡°Shh, don¡¯t mention this here. Let¡¯s talk about it when we get back.¡± Nizemar, who had received professional training, heard the whispers clearly. It looks like the Forest Elves are very dissatisfied with the current Holy Tree Duke¡¯s policies, she thought. ¡°Ahem, silence.¡± the druid elder with sprouts and leaves on his head coughed lightly to stop the surrounding whispers. Then, he looked at the furious man in front of him and said, ¡°You said that the empire¡¯s ambassador killed your wife. Do you have evidence?¡± ¡°The other party used invisible sorcery to slit my wife¡¯s throat because the other party took a fancy to the prey my wife hunted and she wasn¡¯t willing to give it to him. This happened today on a hill in the southwest of the Holy Forest. I saw it with my own eyes,¡± the man opened his blood-covered mouth and said. ¡°In other words, no one can testify other than you?¡± The druid¡¯s frown eased slightly as he turned to the clergyman in charge of the Holy Communion ritual. The clergyman immediately understood the gravity of the situation. ¡°His wife was already dead when she was sent over. The fatal wound was indeed a cut on her throat, but I¡¯m not sure if it was caused by witchcraft,¡± the clergyman explained. ¡°However, considering that he said the beast his wife hunted was a gray-clawed wolf, it¡¯s not impossible for a gray-clawed wolf¡¯s sharp claws to cause such a wound.¡± The man glared at the clergyman with beast-like eyes, growling, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? Can¡¯t I tell a wound caused by a gray-clawed wolf from a wound caused by air blades conjured with witchcraft? My wife was a warrior from the Eagle Feather Tribe, blessed with a double tattoo. Do you think she couldn¡¯t even defeat a gray-clawed wolf?¡± The clergyman shrunk under the man¡¯s gaze as if he would soon devour him (in fact, he had just devoured someone), but when he saw the calm expression on the druid¡¯s face, he mustered up the courage to continue, As the clergyman spoke, he looked at the half-eaten corpse and continued, ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, I¡¯m afraid we can only determine it by getting experienced old hunters to appraise the wound, but this¡­ it¡¯s already like this. There¡¯s no value in determining the cause of death, right?¡± ¡°You were the one who urged me to hold the Holy Communion ritual immediately! You said that the corpse would rot if I didn¡¯t hurry!¡± The man¡¯s rage boiled over. Accompanied by the screech of an eagle, the tattoo of the man¡¯s eagle claws instantly took shape as a sharp claw blade. ¡°There were indeed signs of corruption when you sent her over¡­¡± Perhaps out of guilt, the clergyman¡¯s voice became softer and softer. The man couldn¡¯t help but raise his claws, but before he could do anything rash, the old druid raised his hand slightly. A faint green aura rose around the man, and he trembled and lowered his head as if he was under immense pressure. ¡°Calm down. Do you really know what you¡¯re doing attacking a clergyman in the Canopy Temple?¡± The elder warned before continuing, ¡°Let me ask you again. Other than you, are there any other witnesses? Since we can¡¯t determine the type of wound, we can¡¯t convict those foreigners with just your word alone.¡± ¡°The spirits of the wilderness can testify for me, and the Holy Tree Matriarch can testify for me. They have all witnessed all of this!¡± the man said loudly as he struggled and looked up. But the elder only sighed. ¡°But they can¡¯t testify verbally¡­ How about this? Although the wound can¡¯t be identified, there will definitely be magic residue if they died from witchcraft. I¡¯ll immediately report this matter to the duke. With her love for her citizens, she will definitely immediately send the magic chanters in the staff committee under her command for an appraisal. That should satisfy you, right?¡± The elder¡¯s words were like a basin of cold water poured over the man¡¯s head. The man¡¯s face fell for three to four seconds before he said, ¡°Most of the members of the duke¡¯s staff committee were recruited from the empire. Do you mean to let the empire investigate themselves?¡± His tone was much calmer than before, but the eagle claw phantom that had become more condensed in his hand expressed his emotions. The elder frowned and said, ¡°In Holy Tree City, only the duke¡¯s staff committee is proficient in magic. If you insist on heading to the Astral Lighthouse to find a magic chanter, your wife¡¯s corpse will probably rot before the Holy Communion ritual is completed. Do you want to be charged with violating the contract with the Matriarch?¡± ¡°You¡­ You all colluded¡­¡± the man stammered, his eyes wild with desperation, as if he was ready to lash out in violence at any moment. The forest druid, who had subdued the other party with one strike, also took a step back and raised his hand cautiously. It was at this delicate moment that the two children beside the altar, who had stopped the ritual, looked at their struggling father and asked, ¡°Daddy, can we not eat anymore?¡± The man immediately turned to look at his two children, and most of the violent rage in his eyes dissipated. ¡°I¡­ You¡­¡± With most of his rage subsiding, there was only regret and despair. Seeing this, the clergyman seized the opportunity and said, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not thinking for yourself, you have to think for your children. Moreover, don¡¯t you believe in the fairness of the duke¡¯s staff? Where else can we find magic chanters for the identification of magic residue for miles, other than the duke¡¯s subordinates? If there are, I¡¯m willing to let them come¡­¡± Nizemar hesitated, wondering if she should reveal her identity as a magic chanter and help the pitiful person in front of her undergo a residual magic appraisal. However, because of the Presiding Judge¡¯s orders¡ªto wait quietly for him to return¡ªshe wondered if she should get involved. After some hesitation, Nizemar finally made up her mind. But at that moment, a girl¡¯s trembling voice sounded from behind her. ¡°I¡­¡± Nizemar turned her head and saw the girl beside her, who had been wrapping her head in a headscarf, take a small step forward. ¡°I can help this gentleman do an appraisal of the magic residue,¡± she said. Chapter 254 - 254 Count to One 254 Count to One Quayle Wolfspeak had been watching coldly as Elise stepped forward when panic set in. He knew the forest druid and the Wild Hunt were after them. He had been trying to come up with a plan to escape undetected. But now, this girl walks out on her own, for something so meaningless? Didn¡¯t she know her true identity? Didn¡¯t she know how important her eyes were? The eyes of the first Eighth Holy Spirit Emissary, Sibylla Silence, were the strongest bond their organization had. The clues in those eyes about the whereabouts of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s legacy were their only hope for overthrowing and rebuilding the empire. All previous owners of the Eyes of God were powerful leaders, recognized and supported by all members of the organization. But the previous successor broke tradition by losing to a subordinate of the Platinum Ring¡¯s chief and transplanting the eyes to a blind orphan with mediocre talent. Her stubbornness caused the organization to fall apart, with some core members even defecting to the empire and exposing their whereabouts. Therefore, I hate taking care of children¡­ Quayle restrained the urge to go to her, knowing it would make them more conspicuous. So he stood still, watching helplessly as Elise walked to the altar and stood in front of the forest druid, looking at the half-remaining corpse. As long as he didn¡¯t step forward with her, his identity would be safe for the time being. The Holy Tree Duke¡¯s lackeys wouldn¡¯t pay too much attention to him. Quayle Wolfspeak silently looked at the Wild Hunts surrounding him and thought to himself. But Quayle knew the gap between friend and foe was too great. If he wanted to live and keep those eyes out of the empire¡¯s hands, his only hope was to create chaos at a critical moment and escape with Elise. The odds were slim, but it was his only chance. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, why did she have to step forward like this? ¡­ Elise didn¡¯t know why she suddenly stepped forward either. Her Eyes of God¡ªsaid to be able to see through the essence of everything in the world¡ªeasily penetrated the headscarf wrapped around her head and saw everything that was happening in front of her. The sad man who ate his wife¡¯s corpse, the arrogant and disrespectful forest druid, and the child who stood still with a dazed gaze¡­ Then, something seemed to overlap with them and a scene that didn¡¯t belong to the present covered her vision. It was a thin man kneeling on the ground and gnawing at a corpse. A gray-haired man stood beside him and complained, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you not to come on a mission to Ravenwood Forest meant to solve Currere¡¯s problems. Why bother when nobody is nice to you and you have to finish the corpse yourself? Moreover, even if you act strictly according to those people¡¯s traditions, those old farts won¡¯t accept you as a member of the forest druids. You should know this better than anyone.¡± Then, the gray-haired man muttered in an almost inaudible voice, ¡°We can¡¯t use threats to force those people to listen either. What a crappy design.¡± ¡°Presiding Judge, I¡¯m already very satisfied with having a reason to return to my hometown. I can¡¯t ask for more given my guilt-ridden self,¡± the thin man stopped what he was doing and replied. ¡°Bullsh*t guilt-ridden self. The Mage Guild has voted to recognize the legal status of Undead magic. There¡¯s even the Dead in the Seven Holy Spirits¡¯ faith. Ravenwood is the only place with many crappy rules. If they don¡¯t change some traditions in the future, they¡¯ll be doomed sooner or later,¡± the gray-haired man who was respectfully addressed as Presiding Judge said. Without warning, the Presiding Judge turned to look at Elise, giving her a start. ¡°Sibylla, can you observe the remnant magic nearby? Let¡¯s get rid of that group of necromancers and return early. We can¡¯t let this fool keep eating.¡± Elise¡¯s mouth opened uncontrollably and she let out a voice that didn¡¯t belong to her. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll do the appraisal of the magic remnants. I¡­¡± In her memory, before she could finish speaking, the illusions in front of her instantly disappeared and she returned to the Canopy Temple. ¡°I¡­¡± The inertia from before made Elise involuntarily take a small step forward. Her mouth still had the unfinished words of the person named Sibylla. Elise, unable to distinguish between the illusion and reality, paused for a moment. Then, she looked at the sad and angry man in front of her and said with a trembling voice, ¡°I can help this gentleman do an appraisal of the magic residue,¡± ¡°You?¡±the elder asked, his suspicion clear in his voice. ¡°Little kid, how old are you? You dare to say that you can help with the magic power appraisal?¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with age.¡± Elise tried to steady her trembling voice. She stepped forward, an unfamiliar emotion surging in her heart. It terrified her, but if it was the person she remembered, she would have stepped forward. ¡°Then let me change my question. With the Astral Laws¡¯ judgment system, what level of magic chanter are you? Let me remind you that the duke¡¯s staff committee is at the Expert level. As this concerns the empire¡¯s ambassador¡¯s reputation, there¡¯s a high chance that the duke will send a Master-level magic chanter for a strict investigation. What makes you dare to say that you can help?¡± the old man continued, impatience creeping into his tone. The old man, who was not a magic chanter in the Astral Laws system, could clearly tell that the weak magical power fluctuations on the girl in front of him were only slightly better than that of ordinary people. ¡°Apprentice¡­¡± Elise lowered her voice. ¡°How dare an Apprentice make such a bold and shameless claim¡­¡± ¡°But I can see it.¡± Elise interrupted, her voice slightly raised. ¡°What can you see? Forget it¡­ No matter what you see, save it for mommy and daddy back home.¡± The old man waved her off impatiently and gestured for the Wild Hunt to take her away. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re wearing a pendant that has been enchanted by a Life Emergence spell and a ring with lightning resistance. Is that ring worn because your left arm was injured by lightning spells in the past? The remaining magic on it is too faint. I can¡¯t tell what spell caused it.¡± The girl¡¯s words hit the forest druid like a bolt of lightning. He froze, staring at the unassuming figure in front of him. His left arm was indeed injured by lightning spells three years ago. But before he could react, a member of the Wild Hunt stepped forward, ready to take the girl away. The druid held out a hand, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°How do you know?¡± he growled, his voice low and dangerous, eyes fixed on the girl. ¡°I can see it.¡± Although she knew what outcome her answer would bring, Elise still gave her answer. This was because the other party wouldn¡¯t recognize her authority if she didn¡¯t say so. ¡°So, you¡¯re the person we¡¯re looking for?¡± Without waiting for a response, he turned to the Wild Hunt beside him. ¡°Take her to the duke. Our work here is done.¡± ¡°Please wait.¡± Elise stood tall and steady as the Wild Hunt approached. She spoke, her voice calm and collected. ¡°Why? Do you have any other conditions you want to negotiate with us?¡± The druid sneered, his hand gesturing for his subordinates to stop. ¡°Before taking me away, can you let me complete the appraisal of that corpse? As you can see, I¡¯m completely qualified to do this and seek justice for this man,¡± Elise asked. Regarding this, the elder smiled and shook his head. ¡°Since we¡¯ve found you, such a trivial matter isn¡¯t important at all. We¡¯ll just leave it to the clergymen of this Canopy Temple to resolve it as per the norms. Take her away!¡± The last few words were directed at his subordinates. However, after the last few words were spoken, the Wild Hunt didn¡¯t do anything. They didn¡¯t even look at their target, Elise. They all looked at the forest druid in the lead. Or rather, the woman who had suddenly appeared behind him, a silver dagger pressed against his throat. ¡°What do you want?¡± the old man asked. ¡°Do as this girl says,¡± Nizemar replied coldly. ¡°She¡¯s already willing to expose her identity and help your race seek justice. Don¡¯t you people from the Emerald Province have even a bit of magnanimity?¡± Nizemar replied coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll take it that the thought of wanting to be a hero has gotten to your head. Lay down your weapon immediately and I¡¯ll pretend that nothing happened. But if you don¡¯t let go of me, you¡¯ll be given the same treatment as her¡­¡± Although the blade was at his neck, the forest druid still spoke very calmly. He didn¡¯t believe that anyone from the empire would dare to kill a forest druid in the Canopy Temple, surrounded by more than ten Wild Hunts. If she did, putting aside whether she could get out alive, even if she was really a Legendary or even Divine Realm powerhouse and could fight her way out, killing a high-ranking official from Emerald Province in front of everyone would be a vile diplomatic incident, unless the other party had a member of the Riel royal family backing her or the empress herself. Nizemar clicked her tongue in disdain and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone teach you not to speak like this to someone holding a knife to your neck?¡± With that, she pulled the dagger in her hand slightly and gently sliced open the tough bark skin. Something bright red mixed with green seeped out. It was unknown if it was blood or tree sap. The druid¡¯s throat trembled as a layer of brown powder appeared on the blade. He said in a no longer calm tone, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t mess around. I¡¯ll count to three. If you don¡¯t let me go¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only count to one. If you don¡¯t reply, I¡¯ll assume cooperation isn¡¯t on the table,¡± Nizemar said coldly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start counting. One¡­¡± ¡°Cooperate, I¡¯ll cooperate! Let this lady check the remnant magic of that corpse first!¡± Chapter 255 - 255 Holy Tree Duke 255 Holy Tree Duke Ebony finally let out a sigh of relief as he saw the man following behind him. Back when the other party arrived, he seemed like just an ordinary human on a pilgrimage, not exuding the pressure of a top powerhouse. Although Ebony had never doubted the Matriarch¡¯s revelation, he couldn¡¯t help but grumble when he saw such a person walk in. But when he offered his price based on the Matriarch¡¯s revelation, the immense magic power that subconsciously overflowed from the other party almost suffocated him. Even under the suppression of the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple¡¯s restrictions, the other party could create a considerable magic phenomenon. This meant that the human in front of him wasn¡¯t as simple as he appeared. Ebony even felt that with the other party¡¯s strength, he might be a match for the b*tch who had taken his throne. The thought of the woman who had taken everything from him made Ebony¡¯s mood instantly turn gloomy. Anger and humiliation mixed together in his heart. For centuries, no, millennia, the leader of the Forest Elves had always been the Father of the Wilderness without exception. Even after the Unification War, the highest ruler of the Forest Elves had to be recognized by the empire¡¯s emperor, but it was just an additional process for the Forest Elves and they had to change it to the ridiculous title of Holy Tree Duke for show. Back in the days of the Unification War, Ravenwood Forest was a whole different story. Unlike the other provinces, it wasn¡¯t defeated and conquered by the empire¡¯s legion in a brutal head-on battle. Thanks to the unique cultural tradition of the Forest Elves and the protection of their deity-like Matriarch, the Forest Elves were able to maintain a level of autonomy even after Ravenwood and the surrounding areas were officially integrated into the Riel Empire. As long as Holy Tree City recognized the rule of the Platinum Throne and paid their taxes on time, the empire pretty much left them alone to handle their own leadership elections in Emerald Province. In Ravenwood, the highest authority wasn¡¯t passed down through birth and bloodline like it was with the humans¡¯ empire. The Forest Elves may have been a peace-loving race, but their leader had to be strong and ruthless. Every 20 years, during the Blood Moon phenomenon, all the tribes had to send their strongest warriors to a hunting ground to fight like wild beasts until only one person was left standing. The winner would then eat the flesh and blood of the losers, absorbing their power and proving that they were truly powerful enough to lead the Forest Elves to prosperity. After this, the victor would return to the World Tree to cleanse themselves and drink the sap of the Holy Tree to regain their humanity. Only then could they officially marry the incarnation chosen by the Matriarch and obtain the title and strength of Father of the Wilderness, giving them the authority to rule the Forest Elves and command all the Wilderness Spirits. Hobien Ebony was the last man standing in the last Blood Moon Game. Ebony was born into the unassuming Ebony tribe, and his contract with a spirit was weak, but he refused to let that stop him from proving his worth as a leader of all of Emerald Province. He relied on his own strength and courage to climb the ranks and earn his place as the leader of Ravenwood. But at the final step of the divine marriage ritual, with the chosen incarnation of the Matriarch, the current Holy Tree Duke, things took a dramatic turn. With a wave of her hand, she sent Ebony flying out of the bedroom. The scene was comical and ridiculous. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be Ravenwood¡¯s leader,¡± the woman said coldly, looking down on him like he was an ant. Ebony¡¯s pride couldn¡¯t take it. He summoned the Great Spirit engraved on his body and angrily prepared to fight back. He was the victor of the Blood Moon Game, and he wouldn¡¯t let this woman get away with her insults, even if she was the Currere incarnation chosen by the Matriarch. But the outcome was not what he expected. Despite being the ultimate victor in the Blood Moon Games, he was easily defeated by the other party in a single strike. He didn¡¯t even see the other party¡¯s move clearly. ¡°Give up. You don¡¯t have the right,¡± the woman said as she looked at him struggling to get up. ¡°Then who has the right?¡± Ebony asked, his mouth full of blood. ¡°Although I want to say that anyone other than you is qualified, I believe you won¡¯t be convinced,¡± the woman replied calmly. ¡°Therefore, the person who defeated you has the qualifications¡ªme.¡± ¡°You? What right does a woman like you have to become the Father of the Wild and rule Ravenwood with an antler crown?¡± Ebony asked with an angry laugh. The woman replied indifferently, ¡°Keep that crown if you like. I don¡¯t need it. And I have to remind you that the supreme ruler of Emerald Province is the Holy Tree Duke, conferred by the empire, not the Father of the Wilderness. You can¡¯t confuse the two just because their responsibilities overlap in the past. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Then, how do you plan on making others agree with your delusions? Do you think the various tribes, the Forest Druids, the tree spirits, and all the Forest Elves will believe you and support you as ruler?¡± Ebony asked, still with blood in his mouth. But the woman only said calmly, ¡°Other than all the Forest Elf commoners, I¡¯ll talk to the rest one by one. As long as I negotiate with them, the commoners will naturally accept me. Don¡¯t worry, since I¡¯ve said so, I¡¯ll definitely keep my word.¡± The ¡°negotiation¡± she spoke of was nothing but brute force. Utilizing her unparalleled strength, she took on every faction in Emerald Province one by one until they all fell under her iron will. It may have seemed like a fairy tale, but in under a year, she made it a reality. ¡­ As William made his way to the chamber containing his remuneration, he couldn¡¯t help but ask about the mysterious Holy Tree Duke, a woman who ruled Ravenwood. This was an impossibility in Forest Elf tradition. ¡°Just her alone?¡± William asked in shock as Ebony recounted the story. It all sounded too unbelievable to be true. William knew the strength levels of Currere well¡ªmost people could only master three spells, and the bottleneck for advancement had been stymied by the Astral Council. Back in the day, those who could only play a minor role in the Mage Guild were considered powerhouses now. In contrast, the Forest Elves possessed a unique power system based on communicating with wild beasts, great spirits, and tree spirits. The dissipation of spells brought about by the Astral Laws didn¡¯t affect the Emerald Province much. Although this power was limited to Ravenwood, the strength they could unleash was still considerable as long as it was within this territory. Ignoring the fact that it was difficult for the Forest Elves to mobilize for war because of their special culture, it would be extremely difficult for the empire to send troops to control Ravenwood on the surface. It might even fail. This could be seen from the Unification War 800 years ago¡ªif it weren¡¯t for the fact that Yeats couldn¡¯t afford to fight the first generation Platinum Ring and had to set the mountain on fire, the empire¡¯s legion back then wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat Ravenwood, who was willing to fight. According to William¡¯s calculations, even if the Holy Tree Duke reached Legendary level in all three spells, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against all the transcendent factions in Emerald Province alone. But what if the other party had already reached the Divine Realm in all three spells? Or what if she had bypassed the restrictions of the Astral Laws? Or could it be? An ominous possibility flashed through William¡¯s mind. ¡°She was alone,¡± Ebony interjected, ¡°although she later formed a relationship with the empire¡¯s royal family because of Erin and obtained a lot of support from the empire, that was only after she ascended the throne. At the very least, she relied on her own strength to become the Holy Tree Duke through her battles.¡± If that is the case, then this is going to be a real problem. William thought and asked casually, ¡°By the way, after hearing your stories all this while, what¡¯s the name of that Holy Tree Duke?¡± Ebony replied with disgust, ¡°Her name is Floral, a Forest Elf name that can¡¯t be any more common.¡± This name was similar to the names given to daughters by their parents in William¡¯s previous world. It was a common name, suitable for any occasion. But before William could say anything, Ebony continued, ¡°But she¡¯s a rare Forest Elf raised by humans, so she inherited her human parents¡¯ last name¡ªKane. Floral Kane. Speaking of which, she has the same last name as the Eighth Holy Spirit the empire worships.¡± Chapter 256 - 256 Underground Root System 256 Underground Root System William was taken aback when he heard his last name, but quickly dismissed it as a coincidence. After all, Kane wasn¡¯t a rare last name, and there was no tradition of changing last names in this world to avoid attention. More importantly, there was no marriage system in Doomsday Watchers back then, so it was impossible for him to have descendants. He obviously couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of someone claiming to be his descendant and flattering themselves. However, if that was the case, it had nothing to do with him. William asked, ¡°Do you know anything else about her adoptive parents?¡± William knew that living in Ravenwood meant embracing the unique customs of the Forest Elves. In his era, only the unfortunate souls pursued by enemies or a few eccentric individuals with peculiar interests were willing to do so. According to his research, after Ravenwood was annexed by the Riel Empire, it became a dumping ground for those who lost power struggles within the empire. Even the current empress, Erin Riel, was sent here as a young woman for ¡°recuperation¡± due to her supposed weakness and illness. But William couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was more to the story¡ªthat the old emperor had sent his daughter away to keep her out of the dangerous power struggles at the empire¡¯s center. ¡°We¡¯ve investigated,¡± Ebony told him. ¡°Her adoptive parents are internal members of the Platinum Ring. They were later deposed and sent here because they offended an Empire Senator in Platinum City. They were in charge of the empire ambassador¡¯s security in Emerald Province.¡± Ebony¡¯s answer was similar to William¡¯s guess. But Platinum Ring? William took note of the organization¡¯s name that seemed everywhere. The Platinum Ring was a royal guard organization that only answered to the emperor¡¯s orders and was responsible for handling transcendent matters within the empire, as well as protecting the royal family. It was said to have been established by the empire¡¯s founding emperor, Terra Riel, and had special privileges that exceeded the supervision of the Astral Laws. But as an inner ring member of the Platinum Ring, it seemed impossible for them to be sent to Ravenwood for offending a senator. And with their adopted daughter now the Holy Tree Duke of Emerald Province, promoting policies that aligned with the empire, William couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was a deeper conspiracy at play. Was there more to the last name Kane than met the eye? William fell into deep thought. ¡°You see it the same way I do, don¡¯t you? This whole thing was orchestrated by the empire¡¯s royal family from the start. Floral is nothing more than a puppet, propped up by the empire¡¯s machinations. But if we can expose the truth¡­¡± Ebony exclaimed, his eyes alight with excitement when he saw William¡¯s pensive expression. But William was quick to rain on Ebony¡¯s parade. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, it doesn¡¯t matter. You said it yourself¡ªFloral holds the throne through strength, not political manipulation. Unless you can defeat her in battle, the truth won¡¯t change a thing.¡± Would the other party still care about his reputation at this point? Ebony¡¯s enthusiasm deflated at William¡¯s words. But he wasn¡¯t one to give up easily. ¡°But if you help us, we have a chance, right? Together, we can take her down.¡± As the Chosen One, the one foretold by the Matriarch to liberate the Forest Elves, Ebony had spent a small fortune gathering information on this mysterious man. He didn¡¯t know William¡¯s true identity, but he was convinced that he was connected to the ancient organization known as the Doomsday Watchers. It was even possible that he was a descendant, successor, or even a survivor of the long-dead Judges. As for this, Ebony had basically confirmed it through the Frost Lich¡¯s phylactery. Member of Judgment¡­ It was difficult to describe how excited he was after confirming this. Though most records of Judgment were lost in a book-burning campaign long ago, what remained showed just how powerful and influential they were. Names like Ava State¡¯s Shadow Queen Remides, Frost Lich Nehe who had once frozen Fairy Lake out of rage, the founder of the Blind Sisters, Astral Observer Sibylla, and even the incarnation of the empire¡¯s Eighth Holy Spirit, William Kane, were once members of Judgment. No wonder this man could accomplish so many incredible feats¡ªcalming the Undead Tide in Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, toppling Nakuland¡¯s Viper Tower, controlling the Blackwater Province, helping the Ava State governor kill the Demon Generals in Moonlaw City, and even the rumors of the Void Sea appearing in the Grief Mountains¡ªit was all thanks to him. With the Matriarch¡¯s revelation and his role in resisting the Demon Army¡¯s attacks in the Moon Realm, it was unclear if the other party was a Judge¡¯s heir or a long-lived species hiding their identity. Perhaps only such a legendary hero could help them pull down that inexplicably strong woman from the throne. ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to help us, I believe all of this isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Ebony said, his emotions running high. William, walking behind him, nodded humbly. ¡°I already said that as long as you can guarantee that those things are real, I can let you sit on the throne by next week.¡± No matter how powerful the Forest Elf named Floral, who shared the same surname as him, was, since she was a magic chanter, the other party had no chance of defeating him. He didn¡¯t mention the fact that he could do it tonight because he didn¡¯t want to scare Ebony. Ebony responded guiltily to William¡¯s overconfident claim, ¡°There¡¯s no need to say that¡­ Even if you can defeat that woman, we have to spend some time obtaining the support of the various tribes and the forest druids.¡± He knew that defeating Floral and overthrowing the current Emerald Province government were two different things. What he said makes sense¡­ William thought to himself. After all, there were many factions scattered in Ravenwood. If he wanted to suppress them all at once, he needed to find a way to gather all the powerful people who supported the Holy Tree Duke before dealing with them all at once. This way, he only needed to attack once and it would save him a lot of effort. William nodded and said, ¡°You can arrange these things when the time comes. By the way, where are we headed? Feels like we¡¯ve been walking in circles underground.¡± Ebony immediately replied, ¡°Patience, my friend. You think we¡¯re just gonna keep those precious items locked up in a cabinet? No way. We¡¯re headed to a top-secret spot, hidden deep under the roots of the World Tree. And let me tell you, we¡¯ve set up some serious defenses. We have to follow a specific route to activate the entrance.¡± The two of them walked deeper into the underground cave, carved out by the sprawling roots of the World Tree. Rumor had it that the roots reached every corner of Ravenwood Forest, but that was just exaggeration. According to the forest druids, the entire root network covered less than a fifth of the forest, including the subtrees. Still, that was more than enough to build an underground city beneath Ravenwood Forest. But because of the Forest Elves¡¯ pact with the World Tree, such destruction was strictly forbidden. ¡°But these are extraordinary times. The Matriarch gave us permission to use these roots and build a stronghold to fight against Floral¡¯s tyranny,¡± Ebony explained. ¡°You keep saying ¡®we,¡¯ but other than the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple in Emerald Province, it seems everyone else has submitted to her rule,¡± William asked. After all, according to what the other party had said, other than the support of the empire, the Holy Tree Duke, the forest druids, and the tribes that worshiped wild beasts and great spirits had submitted because of the other party¡¯s strength. Ebony replied with a proud smirk, ¡°Floral¡¯s methods of ruling are extremely tyrannical. Anyone who dares to oppose her is executed on the spot. But, I have a trick up my sleeve. As tradition dictates, the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple handles all executions and corpse disposals.¡± Looking at the smile on the other party¡¯s face, William roughly guessed what he was doing. ¡°Therefore, you used this opportunity¡­¡± Ebony chuckled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I swapped the Death Root sap used for execution with a paralyzing alchemy drug and had the Holy Eaters dispose of the bodies under my command. I have saved many people willing to resist Floral¡¯s rule. Ah, we¡¯re here¡­¡± As they turned a corner, the two arrived at a door made of coiled roots, protected by a defensive barrier engraved with life runes. Ebony reached out to remove the barrier, but William stopped him. ¡°Is this it?¡± William asked, his eyes glowing with emerald light. ¡°That¡¯s right, this is it. A settlement formed by the rebels.¡± Ebony, who was stopped by William, asked curiously, ¡°How many rebels are there?¡± William ignored the other party¡¯s strange gaze and asked, ¡°There are a total of 43, a small number, but they are brave and skilled fighters¡­¡± The color in William¡¯s eyes turned pitch-black. ¡°As expected¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°As expected, what?¡±Ebony asked uneasily. ¡°I heard someone moving inside, so I subconsciously used Life Detection, but I didn¡¯t see anyone. William turned to look at Ebony and said, ¡°Then I tried Undead Detection¡­ Can you guess how many undead outlines I saw in your settlement?¡± Ebony¡¯s face twisted in shock and horror as he struggled to speak. ¡°Forty-three,¡± William said coldly, confirming his worst fears. Chapter 257 - 257 Emerald Protection 257 Emerald Protection ¡°But how is this possible¡­¡± ¡°Hush, don¡¯t say a word.¡± William interrupted Ebony and touched the door made of tree roots. His fingers traced the pale green life runes engraved on it. ¡°This thing looks a little like a modified Emerald Protection barrier spell¡­ Who set it up?¡± William asked softly, sensing the life magic surging at his fingertips. ¡°My clergymen worked together to set it up,¡± Ebony replied softly, looking anxious. ¡°The priests of Emerald Province actually know how to use modern magic under the Astral Laws system? I thought you would resist this,¡± William said in surprise. Green Protection was a Lv. 6 Life spell. According to the Astral Laws, only Master-level magic chanters were allowed to wield such powerful barrier spells. The strength of this spell relied on the surrounding life force to build a shield for all living beings within its protective range. The more life force in the area, the stronger the shield would be. To cast this spell at the root of the World Tree required tapping into the strongest life force on the entire Vic Continent. The barrier created by this Lv. 6 spell was likely stronger than some Lv. 8 or even Lv. 9 Legendary spells, reaching the threshold of Divine Realm magic. ¡°Floral relied on human magic to defeat us. We must give it a try, no matter the cost. The prototype of the Emerald Protection spell originated from the Forest Elves¡¯ lost sacrificial ceremonial magic. We, as the legitimate heirs of this spell, must trace it back to its source. It was a human mage who plagiarized and destroyed our past inheritance. Furthermore, we have sworn to only use magic that originated from Ravenwood,¡± Ebony immediately replied. ¡°No wonder there are so many prayer runes and symbolic totems¡­¡± William said, his expression unreadable. The modern magic system, even with its restrictions under the Astral Laws, was a product of the systematic, logical, and highly abstract integration of classical sorcery, ceremonial magic, and power. It was then coupled with the unique understanding of the individual magic chanter. To put it simply, classical sorcery and ceremonial magic were like a huge difference engine. They were complicated and primitive, but one could see the exact process of every calculation step clearly. As for modern magic systems, they were like highly-integrated integrated circuits. Although they looked simple and clean, most of them were sealed in black boxes. As for the spell engraving form of the Emerald Protection in front of him, how should he describe it? William looked at the spell, knitting his brows into a tight furrow. This spell was like using a difference machine controlled by an integrated circuit to do calculations or, using an example from the past world, it was like building a virtual machine with a Redstone circuit in Minecraft. At the very least, this attitude was very praiseworthy. The truth was, the power of magic hinged on the amount of mana that could be harnessed. And this strange spell before him was operating at peak efficiency thanks to the support of the World Tree. Modern magic favored the individual, with conversion rates far surpassing those of classical magic. But it still relied on an individual¡¯s mana, which often hit the limits of mortals when it came to scaling. On the other hand, classical magic¡ªwhich could directly influence the lower laws of Currere with the collective support of faith and myths¡ªwas inflexible and had little room for improvement, but the phenomena caused by large-scale rituals were often akin to natural disasters. It was hard to say which direction magic should truly take. After hearing William¡¯s complaints, Ebony said seriously, ¡°These are adjustments we made based on traditional rituals.¡± He got it¡ªit was like saying an AK47 was Satanic magic, but it wasn¡¯t heretical if a priest engraved a cross on it. William nodded in understanding. The expression on his face made Ebony feel like he was being despised. William didn¡¯t dwell on this topic, instead saying, ¡°I get it¡­ But let me remind you, based on your limited understanding of this spell, Emerald Protection has a very special effect.¡± ¡°What effect?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. Let¡¯s go in first.¡± William raised his hand and, with a sudden crack of a spatial rift, pulled out a gleaming white jade staff. The other party¡¯s sudden suspense made Ebony feel uncomfortable. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you going to explain to me before entering?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to see it for yourself. Words can¡¯t do it justice,¡± William replied. Ebony had no choice but to say, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll activate the spell. Stand back¡­¡± Emerald Protection, which used the World Root as a source of strength, would cause quite a bit of mana dissipation impact on the surroundings when it was activated due to its huge scale of mana. But before he could finish, William struck the door with the jade staff. The emerald-green life magic that had been flowing over the door was instantly absorbed by the staff. Ebony¡¯s carefully crafted spell, which had taken his clerics so much time and effort to build, was now gone. ¡°It¡¯s too much trouble to unlock the spell. Let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡± William turned to Ebony, who was staring at him in shock. Looking at the spell on the door again and confirming that it was no longer in effect, Ebony stammered and asked, ¡°Y-You¡­ you dispelled it?¡± But William just waved the jade staff, which now emitted a faint green light. The door made of tree roots retreated, revealing the scene behind it. Ebony stared in shock as the Emerald Protection barrier, which was strong enough to withstand a Legendary spell¡¯s bombardment, crumbled under the other party¡¯s gentle strike. This scene challenged everything he knew about magic. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± William reassured him, ¡°I only used Spell Snatcher to graft the mana source of the spell. I didn¡¯t destroy the main body of your barrier. It¡¯ll still come in handy in the future.¡± As he spoke, William stabbed the magical medium known as Spell Snatcher into the ground. Ebony then noticed that the flow of Life magic that had been transmitted from various roots to the door¡¯s barrier spells had been grafted to the white jade magical medium. As the magic power converged, the faint green light emitted by the magical medium began to deepen at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. Without waiting for Ebony¡¯s reaction, William walked in. Ebony glared at the magical medium that William had inserted at the door before gritting his teeth and following him. The underground space formed by tree roots was bathed in a warm orange light, thanks to the floating lamps that hovered in the air. These lamps weren¡¯t powered by candles or magic crystals, but by insects with tails that emitted a cold azure light. In Ravenwood, where fire was forbidden, these glowing insects were the main source of light for the Forest Elves at night or indoors. ¡°You just said that there are 43 undead inside. Won¡¯t we be attacked by them if we walk in just like that?¡± As Ebony and William entered the hall, Ebony turned to William with concern. The Forest Elves had a bone-deep hatred and fear for undead that brought decay. But William had a baffling response. ¡°Have the people you saved attacked you for no reason in the past?¡± ¡°Of course not. They¡¯re Resistance warriors. I saved them. How could they attack me?¡± Ebony subconsciously replied. ¡°Then it won¡¯t happen now either.¡± William replied calmly and added, ¡°At least not before they discover their essence.¡± ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± Ebony was confused by this statement, but before he could ask for clarification, a loud voice interrupted him. ¡°Master Ebony! You¡¯re finally back! Did you bring any supplies this time? We¡¯re almost out of dried venison and the blue berries used to feed the Light Bugs are almost gone. If you had returned a few days later, I¡¯m afraid we would have to live our days in the dark.¡± A young Forest Elf ran out of a sentry made of tree roots and rushed toward Ebony excitedly. But as he got closer, he stopped in his tracks when he saw Ebony and William behind him. ¡°Master Ebony, who¡¯s the human beside you? Is he the person you saved from the duke?¡± the young Forest Elf looked at William warily and asked. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ebony first glanced at the youth before turning to look at William. He explained in a panic, ¡°Ah¡­ He¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m someone Ebony saved from Floral. She sentenced me to death because I support the Forest Elves¡¯ independence.¡± William replied calmly. Then, he turned to look at Ebony and said, ¡°Is that so?¡± Ebony came back to his senses and went along with William. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°The duke is now targeting humans? This is too terrifying¡­ However, as a human, it¡¯s really impressive to support the independence of the Forest Elves. Sir, we will be like-minded comrades in the future! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t treat you differently because of your human identity!¡± the enthusiastic youth said in surprise. As he spoke, he patted his chest as if he was making a promise. But then the youth¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Brother Solo definitely won¡¯t welcome humans to participate in our cause. He doesn¡¯t trust any human. You have to be careful when the time comes. Please don¡¯t be mad. He¡¯s actually a very good person.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Solo,¡± Ebony said. As the youth was excited, he turned to William and whispered, ¡°Is this what you were talking about? 43 undead inside, but they look normal. Did you make a mistake?¡± Ebony, a listener of Matriarch¡¯s teachings with a level of acumen, couldn¡¯t sense any decay unique to the undead from the youth in front of him. But William didn¡¯t respond with words. Instead, he simply smiled and spoke directly into Ebony¡¯s mind with his soul voice, Do you remember me mentioning the other special effect of Emerald Protection? The sudden voice in his mind startled Ebony. In the past, only Matriarch¡¯s teachings had ever echoed in his mind like this. But as he realized it was William speaking, Ebony nodded gently to show he remembered. Another effect of Emerald Protection is that it greatly slows down the decay of all corpses within the barrier. Chapter 258 - 258 The Living and the Dead 258 The Living and the Dead William couldn¡¯t shake off the lingering feeling of the spell Nehe used to preserve corpses. It was a spell the latter relied on heavily, especially in emergency situations when he needed to use corpses on the spot. It temporarily delayed the decay of the corpses, making them look almost alive. This way, it made sense that the 43 undead hadn¡¯t rotted despite all this while. ¡°But¡­ is that really the case?¡± Ebony asked William in disbelief. He stared at the youth in front of him, searching for any sign of decay. But there was none to be found. The kid¡¯s face was full of life, his eyes sparkling with energy. No trace of the sluggishness you¡¯d expect from the undead. In this world, there were those who thought they were still alive because of the influence of undead magic. But the truth was, memories were all that remained. Without the control of the caster, the awakened undead would simply repeat their actions from when they were alive. But memories fade, just like corpses rot. No matter how complete they were, they couldn¡¯t compare to the present. Ebony couldn¡¯t help but think back to the time when he had saved these people. He had talked to them about resisting the Holy Tree Duke, and they had made preparations together. Even if they were undead repeating their memories, he should have noticed something in the half a year they had spent together. But that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. William, too, was puzzled by Ebony¡¯s questions. William knew with certainty that the 43 people, including the young man in front of him, were undoubtedly undead. He had confirmed this through his Undead Detection. To interfere with his detection, one would have to use an illusion at the Divine Realm level, which was basically impossible. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone in this city capable of such a feat. Even if there was, why would someone go through so much trouble to make a group of living people appear as the undead? But Ebony, who had been working with a group of undead for so long, should have known something was off¡­ Even though William didn¡¯t think Ebony was particularly smart, he couldn¡¯t be that stupid. ¡°Master Ebony? Aren¡¯t you coming in?¡± the young Forest Elf asked, confused, as he saw the two men standing in a daze. Ebony snapped out of his trance and turned to see William¡¯s reaction. Just then, a voice echoed in his mind: Just act normal. Don¡¯t act strange. Ebony nodded subtly and looked at the youth. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m coming. I was in a hurry today and didn¡¯t bring any supplies¡­¡± As he spoke, Ebony and William followed the youth deeper into the root space. The journey wasn¡¯t far. After a few turns, they arrived at the gathering place of the rebels Ebony had ¡®rescued.¡¯ In the center of the gathering place stood a lamp stand the size of a hot air balloon, buzzing with lamp worms flying inside. This massive light source provided a cold, moonlit glow, engraved with runes that regulated its strength. It served as both the basic illumination for the gathering place and as a means to synchronize day and night on the ground through changes in the light. Outside the lamp stand, pointed tents made of animal bones and fur were arranged in rows, forming an empty space with the lamp stand at its center. In this open area, Forest Elves in groups of two or three sparred with bone weapons or carved magic tools under the light. To be honest, this place looked more like William¡¯s impression of Forest Elves from the past than the present-day Holy Tree City. As Ebony arrived, many Forest Elves stood or lowered their heads in respect. However, upon seeing William behind him, they all frowned in unison, clearly not welcoming of humans. Ebony waved in return and approached a Forest Elf of similar size. He said solemnly. ¡°Solo, please gather everyone. I have something to discuss with everyone.¡± The Forest Elf named Solo didn¡¯t reply, his eyes fixed on William from the start. His pupils were filled with a tyrannical ferocity. Only when Ebony emphasized his tone did Solo come back to his senses. ¡°Mr. Ebony, according to what you said, isn¡¯t this the person who can liberate the Forest Elves from the omen revealed by the Matriarch?¡± Ebony nodded. The Matriarch¡¯s prophecy was too important to share with anyone other than Solo, who was in charge of security here. He knew that even if this secret base was discovered by the Holy Tree Duke and wiped out, the person in front of him definitely wouldn¡¯t reveal anything he knew. Although everyone present more or less had a grudge against the Holy Tree Duke, no one could compare to him. ¡°But you didn¡¯t say that it would be a human.¡± Solo spat on the ground as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. Ebony nodded helplessly. Solo clenched his jaw, his lips pursed tightly. ¡°How can a human be the Forest Elves¡¯ liberator? Are you sure the revelation you saw from Matriarch is true? Or were you not in your right mind that day and confused it with your dreams?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Matriarch¡¯s listener. If you want to doubt this, I suggest you leave this place and fight that woman to the death,¡± Ebony replied calmly. The youth who had led the way stepped in, trying to ease the tension. ¡°Brother Solo, this human was also saved from the duke by Master Ebony. He can definitely be trusted! After all, the enemy of an enemy is a friend.¡± ¡°Saved?¡± This sentence had the opposite effect on Solo. He turned his fierce gaze to William. ¡°Then, why do we need a human weaker than that b*tch? He can¡¯t even protect himself¡­¡± ¡°Solo!¡± Ebony raised his voice, his eyes widening in anger. ¡°I¡¯ll explain the details later. If you don¡¯t plan on leaving and fighting the good fight alone, please gather everyone.¡± Solo glared at William for a moment longer before reluctantly turning and leaving. Once the other party had left, Ebony turned to William and said, ¡°I did what you said by deliberately provoking his intense emotions. Look, this intense anger that comes from the depths of the soul can¡¯t be something an undead can have, right?¡± On the way there, William had been communicating with Ebony through his soul voice. Ebony had deliberately not corrected the youth¡¯s understanding of William to anger Solo and prove to William that only a person with a soul could have the passionate response of life. William replied, ¡°This proof isn¡¯t reliable. Or should we test them according to my suggestion? Tell them all that they¡¯re undead.¡± It wasn¡¯t uncommon for the dead to think they were still alive in history. It had even become horror stories circulated among bards because it was too common. William had experienced something similar before¡ªin the 876th year of the Platinum Calendar, the royal family of the Blackwater Kingdom had converted over 100 villagers from a village to the undead in order to test the feasibility of the Rotten Moon Undead Tide. It was done overnight. The next morning, the dead woke up according to their usual practices when they were still alive. Then, they continued living peacefully for over a month without anyone noticing their abnormality. In the end, a pharmacist who worked outside all year round returned home and saw his parents, who couldn¡¯t make normal voices because their vocal cords were completely rotten. When the parents saw their son, who rarely returned, they used their trembling hands to bring over turkeys covered in maggots, bread covered in mold, and red wine that had long turned sour to welcome him warmly. The pharmacist was so terrified that he bolted out of the village and sprinted to the nearest Holy Spirits Church in search of help. But with the Church in the Blackwater Swamp being weak, the local cathedral tasked William and his team to investigate and purify the village. William knew this was the start of the Undead Rotten Moon quest line. When they arrived at the village, it was nothing like what the pharmacist described as ¡°everyone looks normal, but there¡¯s a strange vibe everywhere.¡± Instead, it had devolved into a bloodbath where the undead were attacking all living creatures indiscriminately. The cause of this chaos was the pharmacist¡¯s panicked escape. His actions had led his undead parents to discover the truth of their death, sparking that ignited the entire village¡¯s undead to lose control. William devised a plan to tell everyone the truth and see if they could be awakened. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Ebony firmly shook his head, rejecting the suggestion. Chapter 259 - 259 Three Barriers 259 Three Barriers ¡°Why? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any loss in doing so, right?¡± William asked, his expression unchanging. ¡°There are losses. I¡¯ve been managing this rebellion settlement for several years. The people here trust me very much, and I likewise trust them very much¡­ It can be said that all the preparations I made to resist the Holy Tree Duke relied on this,¡± Ebony replied, his voice deep and grave. William said calmly, ¡°That¡¯s not a reason.¡± Getting deeper into the sunken cost fallacy would be a stupid move after realizing the deceit. After hearing William¡¯s answer, Ebony looked past William, his gaze falling on the crowd sparring in the distance, the craftsman making rune tools, and the children playing. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of this that no matter if what you say is true or false, I can¡¯t afford to say this.¡± If these 43 individuals had truly been turned into the undead, there was no turning back. It would mean that things had reached a point of no return. As a Matriarch listener and a Forest Elf bound by ancient contracts, his duty was clear¡ªhe had to ensure these people returned to death. But if it was all a lie, the Resistance would be torn apart. The accusation of a Forest Elf becoming undead was the ultimate betrayal in their culture. In other words, no matter what choice he made, he would lose the trust of these people. ¡°Is that so?¡± William nodded and didn¡¯t insist, having already guessed such an answer. ¡°Then, continue maintaining it according to your wishes. I¡¯m fine with it,¡± William shrugged and replied. William had zero faith in the so-called Resistance. Whether they were living or undead, their combat capabilities were insignificant to him. And there was no way he was handing over Ravenwood to those Forest Elf fundamentalists, just based on his short interaction with Solo. But if it weren¡¯t for Ebony¡¯s claims of having Judgment equipment, a World Tree that could heal his wounds completely, and most importantly, Frost Lich Nehe¡¯s phylactery, William might have considered reaching out to the Holy Tree Duke with the same last name as him before deciding who to ally with. To the Forest Elves, Floral, who had abandoned the ancient alliance and sided with the empire, was a traitorous sinner. But to William, someone who prioritized practical benefits and didn¡¯t blindly follow tradition was a better ally¡ªsomeone he could determine the actual strength and benefits of, not someone who followed the voices of ¡®gods¡¯ heard after drinking a hallucinogen. Strength and benefits were things William could control, but he couldn¡¯t control what the other party would hear in a trance and what they would do afterward. If the Holy Tree Duke was truly a fence-sitter, as Ebony claimed, and only knew how to cling to the strong, then William had the upper hand in negotiations. After all, no one in Currere was stronger than him and no one could promise more benefits than him. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter to William if Ebony trusted his judgment. ¡°Listen up, I¡¯ve got some advice for you,¡± William interrupted, his gaze locked on the Forest Elf who was preoccupied with his own affairs. ¡°It¡¯s up to you how you handle these undead, but don¡¯t deceive yourself when making your final decision. You may still have a chance to save some people now, but if you continue to deceive yourself, you won¡¯t be able to save anyone in the end,¡± William said coolly. Despite the Forest Elf¡¯s rational explanation for why he wasn¡¯t willing to accept William¡¯s plan to investigate them, William could sense the underlying fear in the other¡¯s refusal. The Forest Elf feared that all his hard work over the past few years would be for nothing, but more importantly, he feared discovering that he was the cause of the undead outbreak. To the Forest Elf, becoming neither alive nor dead and spreading the rot of the undead was a fate worse than death. And if William¡¯s words were true, summoning those who should have passed peacefully back to the mortal world as undead would make him the greatest sinner of all. ¡°I¡­¡± Looking at William¡¯s calm gaze, Ebony could only utter one syllable after a long time. ¡°I suggest you investigate your clergymen, especially the pseudocide potion they made you. But that¡¯s a matter for another time. First, let¡¯s take care of our previous agreement. Give me the promised remuneration and I¡¯ll help you take the throne,¡± William said quickly. Compared to the truth, William was more interested in this matter. Seeing that William didn¡¯t dwell on this topic, Ebony heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°It¡¯s in the deepest part of the tree hole. It¡¯s protected by three seals. After everyone is here for the meeting, I¡¯ll bring you over to open the seals.¡± William frowned and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about your little game with these undead. I¡¯m only interested in the few things you mentioned.¡± William¡¯s finger shot out, pointing at the ominous black pit looming in the distance. ¡°Is that the tree hole you were talking about?¡± Ebony nodded, but before he could utter a word, the man standing next to him vanished. All that was left was a flickering, electric silhouette. It was clear that there was no need to discuss where he had gone. But without my help, you¡¯ll never be able to crack those three seals. Especially the third one.¡± Ebony stood frozen, staring at the spot where the man had just been, for what felt like an eternity before finally coming to his senses. ¡­ ¡°Finally, I can choose to skip these damn boring CGs,¡± William said as he stood at the bottom of the tree hole, stroking the invisible barrier. His mind was consumed with thoughts of his former companion¡¯s phylactery, and although he was curious about the Forest Elves who had been ¡®rescued¡¯ by Ebony, he was more concerned with finding answers about the phylactery. After confirming the authenticity of those things, he had time and methods to investigate other matters. As he arrived in front of the tree hole, a feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over him. This was normal, as in-game, there were about seven to eight underground dungeons around the World Tree. If he was playing the Forest Elf save, there would be three special underground dungeons. But he couldn¡¯t figure out which dungeon the scene here was more similar to. Using Morph spells, William tore open a rift on the first level of the three barriers, just large enough for him to pass through. The Forest Elves¡¯ magical abilities were tragic, and it was clear that the casters were doing their best to make the seal on the cave stronger. But in William¡¯s eyes, this level of barrier was nothing more than plastic wrap. The second level was a barrier built with Life magic, much stronger than the previous one. However, just like the barrier outside that used Emerald Protection, this strength relied on the immense vitality of the World Tree. William used the same trick and easily cracked it by grafting it onto an external mana source. But the third barrier stopped William in his tracks. The third barrier looked like a translucent membrane covered in faint frost. It was the same as the first barrier, but its strength wasn¡¯t much stronger than cling wrap. William couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He used his fingers, injected with immense amounts of mana, to easily tear it apart. But just as he easily tore open the barrier and was about to step over, the barrier instantly recovered, keeping him out. It wasn¡¯t repaired or reconstructed. It was as if someone had taken a video of a mirror shattering and played it in reverse.. William fell silent. In his mind, there was only one spell that could cause such an effect¡ªthe peak Frost spell, Inverse Entropy. In the game, this spell would rewind time within a certain range to the state five seconds prior. Whether it was the state of the body, everyone¡¯s position, or the cooldown of spells, everything would be returned to five seconds ago, without discrimination between friend or foe. However, it should be noted that this spell could only affect the living and could not revive the dead through rewinding. Since transmigrating, William had discovered that he could control the exact range (not exceeding the maximum casting range) and duration (within five seconds) more precisely. To William¡¯s knowledge, only one other person in this world had learned Inverse Entropy. That person, who had obtained the title of Frost Lich because of their attainments in Frost spells. ¡°Nehe, is that really you?¡± Chapter 260 - 260 Core 260 Core William had always been aware of Nehe¡¯s fate thanks to Steelheart Widow Aiur and the captive Tacma Church member. He knew that Nehe had returned to Ravenwood Forest after his departure, only to be rejected from rejoining the ranks of the forest druids. The last trace of Nehe was found at Greenwater Port where he purchased a sailboat and set sail into the Mist Sea, never to be seen again. But according to Steelheart Widow Aiur and the Tacma Church member, Nehe didn¡¯t disappear at sea. Instead, he journeyed to the Ruins of Orsis in the west where he was involved in a deadly confrontation with the Tacma Church. Outnumbered and overpowered, Nehe lost his life and not even his body was recovered. With Nehe¡¯s death, Judgment 3 fell into the hands of the Tacma Church, becoming a powerful bargaining tool in their alliance with Steelheart Widow. If the information was accurate, Nehe was likely the first Judge to pass, aside from William. However, due to the Astral Council¡¯s book-burning campaign, there were no records left of Nehe¡¯s story. William¡¯s attempts to extract information from the captive Tacma Church member were fruitless. The final battle at the Ruins of Orsis happened a hundred years before the member joined the Tacma Church and he only knew the outcome from the Church¡¯s control of intelligence. William was cautious not to jump to conclusions, as he didn¡¯t want to make the same mistake as the Jackdaw Coles incident. Now that he thought about it, would Nehe, who always claimed to be a sinner and only hoped to sprinkle his ashes around the World Tree, return to Ravenwood Forest in vain because he hoped to become a forest druid again? He couldn¡¯t shake the questions from his mind¡ªwhy did Nehe go to the Ruins of Orsis alone? Why did he have such a hostile confrontation with the Tacma Church? And most importantly, why did the phylactery William had thrown into the sea follow the underground river and appear here? Placing his hand on the enchantment strengthened by Inverse Entropy, William took a deep breath. No matter how many questions he had, he needed to retrieve the phylactery first. ¡­ Ebony sprinted to the tree hole, and his heart almost stopped at the sight before him. The impossible barrier was shattered, broken apart by the chanting of a mysterious man. The fragments of the barrier didn¡¯t magically reassemble, instead they vanished into thin air. And in their place, a bone-chilling wind whipped through the tree hole, with a force so great that Ebony instinctively lifted his arm to shield himself. He lowered his hand only when he felt the wind weaken. ¡°You should have told me,¡± the man¡¯s voice, tight with suppressed emotion, echoed in the tree hole. Ebony seemed to hear his teeth chattering. Ebony¡¯s teeth chattered, not from the cold. ¡°How did you do it?¡± he stuttered after a long pause. He was in shock and disbelief. The outer two barriers were a warning system, added after Ebony chose this location as the base for the Resistance. The innermost barrier, however, was the true protective system that had been in place for over a thousand years, only opened by the previous Matriarch Listeners. But the man didn¡¯t answer his question, he only glanced at Ebony before walking deeper into the tree hole without a backward look. Ebony immediately followed, fully aware that the tree hole was more than just a storage place. It protected something, something precious¡­ The man is the Chosen One, the one who would save the Forest Elves as predicted by the Matriarch, he wouldn¡¯t hurt it, right? Ebony suddenly felt an indescribable fear in his heart as he comforted himself. But now, as Ebony realized what he had done, letting an outsider into this sacred place, he was filled with an indescribable fear. He arrived at the core of the World Tree. The conflict between him and the Holy Tree Duke or the Forest Elves and the empire was insignificant compared to the importance of this place. Only a Matriarch Listener could pass, and he was overconfident that no one could break it. It was an absolute wall that no one in Currere could break through¡ªthe third barrier imposed by Frost Lich Nehe as redemption for his sins. But today, the impossible happened. The barrier was broken. Who is this man? Could it be Nehe himself? Yes, this seems to be the only possibility. Only he can break his seal. That also explains his excitement after knowing that his phylactery is here¡­ But according to the records, wasn¡¯t Nehe a Forest Elf? Can a lich change his body without a phylactery? Ebony walked to the deepest part of the tree hole and saw the man standing in front of the shrine, picking up the black box filled with corrosion marks. The box was one of the rewards Ebony had promised him¡ªFrost Lich Nehe¡¯s phylactery. But the man¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t on the box. They were fixed on the shrine. In the Forest Elf culture, they didn¡¯t designate spots to worship gods because they could see the World Tree everywhere they looked. In the reflection of the man¡¯s eyes, the ordinary acorn was propped up by two spiral-shaped branches, one tender green and the other dry and withered. ¡°I should¡¯ve remembered exactly where I was,¡± William muttered, turning to face Ebony who was standing behind him. ¡°This is where the World Tree¡¯s core is located, right?¡± William asked. ¡°You¡­ you know what that is?¡± Ebony asked, his voice shaking with nervousness. If the other party was indeed Nehe, a blasphemous lich, bringing a lich to this sacred place was a crime punishable by death. ¡°That¡¯s not all I know¡­ Do you see the withered one?¡± William ignored the fearful expression on his face and pointed at the withered branch holding the acorn. Ebony nodded unconsciously. ¡°Well, I killed it,¡± William replied. ¡°Huh?¡± Ebony uttered in disbelief, unsure if he had heard wrongly. ¡°It all started with the Growing Calamity, created by the Holy Spirit, Mother. It first emerged from the World Tree in Ravenwood. I was the one who put an end to it, wielding the poisonous blade of the Lady of Starvation and striking the very manifestation of the Calamity, the personality of the Matriarch you worship. The Holy Spirits Church refers to Her as the Mother. It was only then that the Calamity was finally contained. But the cost was high¡ªone of the cores of the World Tree withered away.¡± William continued explaining despite seeing how stunned the other party was. Ebony¡¯s mind was racing, struggling to keep up with the deluge of information. He stumbled back, grasping onto a nearby root wall to steady himself. The silence hung in the air for a few moments, until Ebony finally found his strained voice. ¡°Your name is¡­?¡± On the way, Ebony had asked the other party¡¯s name many times, but the other party only replied that he would only tell him after he confirmed that the remuneration was real. And now, the other party had kept his promise. ¡°William Kane. The man who will both save and destroy Ravenwood Forest twice, as your prophecy dictates.¡± Chapter 261 - 261 Seeking Opinion 261 Seeking Opinion William couldn¡¯t sense a soul¡¯s aura¡ªsomething beyond human perception¡ªback in the game. Hence, even with the phylactery in hand, he wasn¡¯t sure if his friend¡¯s soul was truly trapped inside. The box was undoubtedly Nehe¡¯s phylactery¡ªwhether it was from the material of this box or the rune patterns engraved on it, William verified that their age roughly matched through appraisal spells. More importantly, a powerful and tired soul was imprisoned in the box. However, if he wanted to completely verify it, he probably had to wait until he found a powerful container for the soul in the phylactery before seeking confirmation himself. ¡°However, it¡¯s really shocking. The Forest Elves actually allowed a lich¡¯s phylactery to be placed beside the core of the World Tree? A thousand years ago, even if I threatened them with force, those druids guarding the core wouldn¡¯t have agreed to do so, right?¡± William said with a rare hint of meanness in his tone. It had to be known that the Forest Elves¡¯ were basically synonymous with stubborn. After all, one probably couldn¡¯t find another race in the entire Currere who would eat the corpses of their own people because of their religious beliefs and not out of hobby or instinct. William¡¯s question snapped Ebony out of his daze. He answered loudly, ¡°Ah, yes! That was originally the case, but the protection of the core was handed over to the Matriarch¡¯s Listener after a traitor among the druids almost stole it a thousand years ago. All the red tape and taboo matters were made null and void from then on, and the Listener alone was given the power to determine the core¡¯s protection.¡± As Ebony spoke, he suddenly pressed his feet together and straightened his back and raised his head¡­ It looked like he was just short of saluting. ¡°So there can be traitors among the forest druids?¡± William mocked and continued, ¡°I remember Nehe was captured by necromancers and transformed into a lich while trying to save someone. He was labeled the first renegade druid in history by the very person he saved. Even when he left Ravenwood, he was hunted by several kingdoms due to the bounty despite not hurting a single Forest Elf. Could it be that the title of traitor druid could be manufactured wholesale because of him?¡± Ebony shook his head at William¡¯s sarcasm and said to William, ¡°That¡¯s not how it is¡­ You¡¯ve seen the barrier outside and how his phylactery is placed beside the core of the World Tree. You must understand that all the forest druids later forgave him for his past sins¡­¡± ¡°Forgave?¡± William raised his voice. ¡°What right do they have to forgive Nehe? Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way round? Shouldn¡¯t it be whether Nehe was willing to forgive them?¡± Ebony was struck speechless by the sudden agitation of the other party. To him, knowing the other party¡¯s true identity didn¡¯t make him feel safe. The name William Kane held a complex and troubled history in Ravenwood Forest. Ignoring Terra I, who claimed to be his reincarnation, what William did had a profound impact on the Forest Elves when he was still active more than a thousand years ago. He was both a sinner who extinguished their hopes of rising to prominence, and a savior who saved Ravenwood from the Rotten God. Compared to the imperialists who worshiped him as a Holy Spirit, the Forest Elves, who didn¡¯t accept the Empire¡¯s cultural faith, held ambivalent feelings towards this former legend¡ªfear, resentment, and admiration, along with the same gratitude and worship that the humans had towards him. And now, the other party¡¯s attitude towards the Forest Elves proved this. After a long time, Ebony calmed down and probed. ¡°Therefore, you¡¯re really¡­¡± As Ebony probed the other party, he was convinced of his identity. Ebony knew the other party was closely related to the ancient Judgment and could easily open the third barrier sealed with an Inverse Entropy spell. The person also knew the prophecy that was only passed down through generations of Matriarch Listeners. William Kane was probably the only person who could satisfy these conditions. ¡°I only state the facts, whether you believe me or not,¡± William said, uninterested in wasting his breath on the topic. ¡°Of course, I believe you. I¡¯m afraid that besides Nehe, known as the Frost Lich, only you can open that barrier so easily in Currere,¡± Ebony quickly replied. The shock in Ebony¡¯s heart dissipated, but it was immediately replaced by a stronger feeling¡ªdespair¡­ Yes, the other party was the former hero who saved the world, William Kane, but¡­ what next? William Kane was also known as the Eighth Holy Spirit worshiped by the Riel Empire. Despite his power, no human could live more than 1,000 years. The fact that William Kane appeared before him in his peak state meant that the stories promoted by the Riel Empire were true. He had become an immortal Holy Spirit through his achievements. This raised a crucial question. Whose side would William Kane stand on? Would he support Floral, who was loyal to the empire, or would he side with those who sought independence from the empire? The answer to this question was obvious. These thoughts took shape in Ebony¡¯s mind almost instantly. When he looked back at the other party staring solemnly at the core of the World Tree, his heart sank as if he had swallowed a cold lead. However, at this moment¡­ ¡°Alright, give me the remaining two things you promised. After completing the deal, we¡¯ll look for the duke¡ªI¡¯ll seek her opinion first,¡± William Kane said, placing the phylactery that he confirmed wasn¡¯t fake in his inventory after applying a protective spell. ¡°Seek¡­ her opinion?¡± Ebony repeated with difficulty. He feared that the worst was yet to come. As a Holy Spirit worshiped by humans, William Kane was biased towards the empire, no matter if he was a reincarnation, manifestation, or a vessel left behind in Currere. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll just ask her if she¡¯s willing to give up the throne peacefully. This way, things will end nicely for everyone,¡± William replied. ¡°Huh?¡± Ebony felt that he wasn¡¯t following the other party¡¯s train of thought, so he looked at him in confusion. The other party also looked at him in confusion. ¡°Is there anything difficult to understand?¡± the other party asked curiously. ¡°But¡­ But Floral is someone who¡¯s willing to side with the empire. She even supports letting the Eighth Order have a cathedral in Holy Tree City.¡± ¡°Even more reason for her to step down,¡± William replied to his question. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s necessary to seek the other party¡¯s opinion. After all, you people hate killing, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 262 - 262 Before the Throne 262 Before the Throne Contrary to popular belief, White Bone Castle, the seat of government in Ravenwood, wasn¡¯t situated above the World Tree. No, this castle was built with bricks and metal, a structure unlike any traditional Forest Elf treehouse. It had the appearance of an ancient High Elves building. Building materials of wood were banned, and fire sources were strictly prohibited. The Forest Elves relied solely on their manpower to construct this magnificent white castle, one that rivaled the grandest of head of state residences across the continent. In a place where nature was revered and the only structures allowed were simple tents, the ruler of White Bone Castle stood above all others. After all, so-called privilege was manifested through being able to do what ordinary people weren¡¯t allowed to do. In the past, this privilege was extended to the supreme ruler, who had the support of the hunting tribes, forest druids, and tree spirits. After all, although the Holy Tree Duke was the supreme ruler of the entire Ravenwood Forest in name, this position was only a spokesperson elected by the various factions in Emerald Province. But all that changed with the arrival of one woman. Floral Kane was the first ruler in Ravenwood¡¯s history to not inherit the title of Father of the Wild. She was selected as the incarnation of the Matriarch and was to marry the next Father of the Wild, but on the night of her divine matrimony, she challenged the chosen Father of the Wild to a duel. After defeating him, she declared herself the new Holy Tree Duke. Rejected by the various factions in Ravenwood, Floral used her strength to take what was rightfully hers. She started a war, turning the Emerald Province upside down, and forcing the factions to submit to her rule. ¡°Kneel and pay homage to Lady Floral¡¯s glory. No matter if you are the leaders of the various tribes or the priests serving the Matriarch, or even the tree spirits who have obtained wisdom, kowtow under Lady Floral¡¯s glory in this hall. Thank her for her benevolence and be grateful for her rule. Ravenwood¡¯s fate is now in her hands, and prosperity or destruction are at her whim. Therefore, kowtow and express gratitude from the soul. Praise her, all the gathered descendants of this forest,¡± declared the clerk with a wolf tattoo on his face, as he held the list of names. Behind him, the fearsome woman from Ravenwood languidly sat upon the Withering Throne, made from a mixture of deadwood and new branches. She looked down upon the subjects kneeling before her with boredom. No one dared to look up at the woman as she silently gazed upon the immense crowd in front of her. Eventually, she raised her hand slightly, indicating it was sufficient. The clerk promptly announced, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Grace. Dispense with the formalities.¡± With those words, the venue was filled with a sense of relief. ¡°Your Grace, we thank you for your grace.¡± The crowd, including a few glowing green tree spirits, rose to their feet in unison. The clerk checking the name list frowned as he noticed a few individuals display angry and even hateful expressions as they stood up. It was as if these human customs had insulted their dignity. Though the expressions vanished quickly, the clerk saw them clearly. He thought to himself, These ungrateful things¡­ The audacity to show such disrespect in front of the Withering Throne and Lady Floral was insulting to her supreme glory. However, he knew he couldn¡¯t lose his temper. Lady Floral detested any distractions during meetings that could slow down the progress of resolving the matter at hand. So, the clerk silently memorized the names of those disrespectful individuals and continued, ¡°You may submit your requests in order, but keep in mind that you only have the right to request. Whether your requests are recognized is at the discretion of the mistress of the Withering Throne. And after the meeting, do not overstep your boundaries and make final judgment on behalf of the duke, or you will face the same fate as Hobien Ebony.¡± The entire hall fell into a restless silence as if the only sound was that of cockroaches crawling in a clean kitchen. Finally, an old man, who looked severely treeified and had difficulty walking, stood up shakily and said, ¡°There is a request to open an Eighth Order cathedral in Holy Tree City. Lady Floral, please reconsider. The protection of the citizens by the Matriarch has weakened over time. If we welcome another pagan god at this time, it will bring the wrath of the Matriarch again.¡± Floral, sitting on the Withering Throne with a black veil hiding her face, said nothing. She didn¡¯t even look at the wooden elder who could go still at any moment. The answer came from the clerk holding the name list. ¡°Lord Enso Oak, I must remind you that the free conversion of Forest Elves to the Holy Spirit¡¯s faith is the empire¡¯s basic national policy. The opening of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s shrine has been decided for years now. Today, we are discussing matters with an uncertain future. Do not waste our time,¡± the clerk with the wolf tattoo on his face spoke with anger in his voice. Seeing that the one sitting on the throne didn¡¯t say anything, the elder named Oak continued, ¡°Then, what about Holy Tree City, no, all the residents of Ravenwood? How will we feed millions without the Matriarch¡¯s blessing? Garet Wolfspeak, who do you believe is responsible for this mess? If only you had succeeded in obtaining the benefits we deserved at the Senate meeting, we wouldn¡¯t be in this dire situation now.¡± The empire was still demanding that Emerald Province produce wine at the same level as previous years, even though it was the Year of Starvation. As a result, 40% of Ravenwood¡¯s arable land was planted with grapes in early spring. But the spread of the blight was making the Forest Elves¡¯ struggle for survival more pressing by the day. Emerald Province had always been relatively unscathed by the Year of Starvation, thanks to the blessing of the World Tree. But since the Holy Tree Duke took office, the entire Ravenwood Forest had been slowly losing the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s blessing. These two factors combined were causing a food crisis in one of the most fertile lands on the continent. ¡°The empire promised to develop magical education in Emerald Province, but only if we meet their wine production order. We¡¯ve relied too much on the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s blessings, instead of taking control of our own fate¡­¡± ¡°And what will you say to those who will die of starvation in the future?¡± The clerk and the elder continued to argue, and then¡­ ¡°Silence.¡± Their argument was interrupted by a crisp, porcelain-like voice. Although it wasn¡¯t loud, it immediately made the two arguing stop. They turned to the speaker, bowing respectfully. ¡°Lady Floral¡­¡± The woman sitting on the Withering Throne finally spoke. ¡°Enso Oak, I¡¯ll say this one final time. No matter how many Holy Spirit shrines we build, it will not affect the World Tree¡¯s blessing on our race. The weakening of the blessing is due to the worsening of the disaster during the Year of Starvation, not because of the shrines,¡± Floral said in an unchanging tone. The elder, Enso, subconsciously tried to object, ¡°But, my lady, that has never happened before¡­¡± ¡°Do you not understand the meaning of ¡®one final time¡¯? Do you want me to repeat myself?¡± ¡°¡­By your will.¡± Enso lowered his head and retreated into the crowd, his withered hands clutching his robe tightly. He knew that if she had to repeat herself, she would use her magical medium. Witch, b*tch, liar¡­ Enso muttered in his heart. Despite what Floral said, Enso and all the other forest druids could sense that the Matriarch¡¯s strength was waning since Floral took office. Seeing that the matter had temporarily been resolved, the clerk named Garet continued expressionlessly, ¡°Next.¡± The commander of the Wild Hunt stepped forward, dropping to one knee in respect. ¡°Your Grace, we have captured the Blind Sisters member, as requested. And, there¡¯s a human female with them who we suspect to be an executor of the Eighth Order, based on her attire.¡± ¡°This is not important enough to be discussed in this meeting. Since you¡¯ve already controlled the situation, let¡¯s move on¡­¡± the clerk said with a frown. The commander shook his head and interrupted, ¡°I apologize, but the situation is not under control. This woman suspected to be an Eighth Order executor is extremely powerful. She only agreed to come back with us after defeating two of our Wild Hunt troops and two Forest Druids.¡± ¡°Cooperation? What cooperation?¡± Floral asked in confusion from her throne. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. They were caught up in a case in the Canopy Temple where the empire¡¯s ambassador was accused of using undead spells to kill a Forest Elf. They have requested a thorough investigation of this case.¡± Chapter 263 - 263 Reception Room 263 Reception Room Sigh, I still messed up in the end¡­ Nizemar sat in the reception room, her heart heavy with frustration as she sighed. She had been warned by William not to act impulsively, but her emotions had gotten the best of her and she had caused a scene. If she had ruined William¡¯s plans, she knew she would never forgive herself. She gazed around the elegantly decorated room, her neck stiff from tension. Other than not having any woodwork, the room was a showcase of the latest fashion in Platinum City, but the fact that it was popular in Emerald Province was surprising. After all, as the economic and cultural center of the Riel Empire, Platinum City had always been at the forefront of the continent¡¯s fashion. It was the epitome of high society However, for this to be popular in Emerald Province exceeded her imagination. This kingdom, steeped in ancient traditions for thousands of years, was not likely to follow the latest trends. The elegant marble-carved stone table, the delicate porcelain, and the sweetly scented fruit tea¡ªNizemar could have mistaken the room for a high-end hotel in Platinum City, if not for the presence of the two guards at the door. Forest Elves with skin as rough as tree bark, standing guard like sentinels. With this in mind, Nizemar said to the two guards guarding the door, ¡°Speaking of which¡­ you two.¡± The two of them looked at her nervously. ¡°Do you need our assistance?¡± one of them asked carefully. Of course, they didn¡¯t dare to be negligent, aware of her reputation as a fierce warrior who had defeated more than ten Wild Hunt warriors and two forest druids. Even the tree spirit in the Canopy Temple had been forced to bow to her power and allow her to leave. ¡°No,¡± Nizemar replied, ¡°but I would like you to guard the outside instead.¡± The brown-skinned and green-haired Forest Elves reminded her of the so-called Holy Communion ritual at the altar which made her feel physiologically disgusted. ¡°But our orders are¡­¡± one of the guards said hesitantly. ¡°To watch us? To put it bluntly, if I really want to leave, I can¡¯t be stopped even if you have ten times the number of people. Do you understand?¡± Nizemar interrupted the other party. Although it sounded arrogant, what she said was the obvious truth. A month ago, Nizemar had already been through intense training, utilizing the Dawn Fortress¡¯s astrolabe to communicate with the Astral World and a multitude of grimoires. She broke through the Expert-level in terms of magic power and reached the Master-level. Although she was only at the Expert-level in terms of precision, her spells weren¡¯t her only source of strength. As an executor nurtured by the Eighth Order and Holy Relic hunter, Nizemar was more like a Battle Mage who used tools like swords, crossbows, and magic to swiftly dispose of enemies. This mindset allowed her to experience a sudden increase in combat strength after breaking through her magic power upper limit. Additionally, Nizemar carried the Sealed Magic runes and Holy Spirit figurine given to her by Holy Spirit Kane. If she encountered an unsolvable problem, she could activate the summoning and receive protection from the Holy Spirit. Nobody in Emerald Province could stop her. However, if something so trivial were to interfere with Lord William¡¯s important work, Nizemar would die of shame as the First Apostle under the Holy Spirit after His return. The so-called title of First Apostle was completely self-proclaimed by this girl. The two guards, intimidated by Nizemar¡¯s fanatic expression, didn¡¯t dare argue with her and retreated, closing the door behind them resentfully. As the duo departed, the cowering girl in the corner of the room finally mustered the courage to speak. ¡°Sister,¡± she whispered, ¡°thank you for what you did. I¡¯ve put you in danger.¡± Nizemar, who had been watching the blindfolded girl, softened at the sound of her voice. She brushed off the girl¡¯s concerns with a wave of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said. ¡°If I can¡¯t stand up for what¡¯s right, then I¡¯m not a true believer of Holy Spirit Kane.¡± ¡°Sister, are you a member of the Eighth Order?¡± the girl asked in amazement. Nizemar¡¯s impressive skills could only be explained by her training as an executor of the Eighth Order. ¡°Just call me Nizemar,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m no longer a member of the Eighth Order anymore. I¡¯m simply a follower of Holy Spirit Kane. What about you? Who are you and why is the Holy Tree City government after you?¡± ¡°My name is Elise,¡± the girl whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you my last name. My mother doesn¡¯t allow it. As for why they¡¯re after me, I think it¡¯s because my mother was wanted by the empire for treason.¡± Nizemar frowned and said, ¡°If you¡¯re wanted, why did you help that man do the magical residue appraisal?¡± ¡°Because¡­ Because¡­¡± Elise hesitated, wanting to tell the truth, but fearing the consequences. She had fallen into an illusion and saw the legendary Holy Spirit Kane and Frost Lich Nehe from the perspective of Astrologer Sibylla. She took the initiative to step forward because she couldn¡¯t distinguish illusion from reality. But she worried that if she told Nizemar, she would be seen as a lunatic, especially since Nizemar was a devout believer of Holy Spirit Kane. The thought of offending her was too much for Elise to bear. Nizemar saw the distress in Elise¡¯s eyes and smirked, ¡°You finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore, could you? The destruction of that man¡¯s family by the empire¡¯s ambassador and the clergymen covering it up¡ªthat¡¯s why you stepped up.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Hmm¡­ I-I guess so¡­¡± Elise stammered. Nizemar¡¯s smirk widened as she said, ¡°You¡¯re one brave soul. Don¡¯t worry, with your bravery, I¡¯ll make sure those guys don¡¯t escort you to the empire. They say Forest Elves are simple and kind, without the deceit of civilization. But in my opinion, their actions are no better than those ruthless nobles. With that said, Nizemar suddenly thought of something. She smiled and continued, ¡°Hah, they don¡¯t let go of anything once their jaws are on it, even bones. They¡¯re even more detestable. Hahahahaha¡­¡± Nizemar chuckled, but her joke brought up memories of cannibalism for Elise. The young woman¡¯s face went pale and she retched. This made Nizemar, who was originally just joking to ease the atmosphere, very embarrassed. She hurriedly got up and pressed her palm against the other party¡¯s back, using healing spells to ease the other party¡¯s chaotic breathing. After a while, Nizemar continued asking, ¡°But speaking of which, how did you sense the faint residue of undead magic on that corpse? Even with the help of an item, I had to widen my eyes for a long time to see the residue that wasn¡¯t wider than a strand of hair.¡± ¡°I can see¡­¡± Elise pointed at her eyes and was about to explain when the reception room was suddenly pushed open. It was the two guards from before. Nizemar turned around in anger. Just as she was about to say something, the other party spoke first. ¡°Ladies, prepare yourselves. The Holy Tree Duke will be here in five minutes.¡± The other party¡¯s words made Nizemar panic. Meeting the Holy Tree Duke was the final task in their plan, as revealed by William. Chapter 264 - 264 Walking into a Trap 264 Walking into a Trap What should she do now? Should she contact Lord William immediately or leave before the Holy Tree Duke arrived? Should she pretend that none of this had happened? Nizemar was in a state of utter panic. She stood still, her calm exterior masking the turmoil within after the two guards left. Her gaze turned to the girl named Elise, who was also visibly nervous for other reasons. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sister Nizemar,¡± she said, trying to force a smile. ¡°I¡¯m the one the empire is after, not you. I¡¯ll explain everything to the duke and I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± Perhaps sensing her uneasy expression, the girl forced a smile and comforted her. That isn¡¯t a sure thing, especially after I took down more than ten Wild Hunt warriors and two forest druids. Although I didn¡¯t injure anyone, taking the initiative to attack law enforcement personnel is considered a felony anywhere¡­ Nizemar thought. She wasn¡¯t worried that the other party would convict her. After all, she was a follower of the Holy Spirit and didn¡¯t have any practical feelings for the laws of such a secular regime. The problem was, would her impulsive actions spoil Lord William¡¯s ingenious plans? She had heard Vincent praise William¡¯s tactics in resolving the Rotten Moon Undead Tide at Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, and she knew he was a man of great cunning. Whether it was because of the acumen unique to the Holy Spirits or for some other reason, William had a unique gift¡ªevery step he took was infused with a deeper purpose that was beyond the comprehension of the average person. He had a knack for solving problems at minimal cost. But, Nizemar¡¯s impulsive actions had threatened to ruin William¡¯s well-laid plans. Why don¡¯t I get out of here first? Nizemar mused as she traced her fingers over the Sealed Magic rune, the tool for teleportation. Leaving now would prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, especially if she could escape unnoticed and avoid exposing the fact that the Presiding Judge had already arrived in Holy Tree City. More importantly, she didn¡¯t want to put William¡¯s plans at risk for a stranger. With determination, Nizemar tightened her grip on the flicker of lightning that pulsed within the Sealed Magic rune. All she had to do was apply a little more force and she would be by the Presiding Judge¡¯s side. But, there was one problem. She couldn¡¯t simply leave the girl behind, could she? The girl was unrelated to the current mission and might even sabotage William¡¯s plans. Was she to act like how she did in the Eighth Order¡¯s trials¡ªignoring those who didn¡¯t fall under her responsibility? The will of the Holy Spirit was a mystery, but what if William knew of her situation? Would he agree with her decision to abandon the girl? ¡°Phew¡­¡± Elise was caught off guard as she heard Nizemar let out a long, weary sigh. She watched as Nizemar leaned back against the elegant leather sofa and gazed up at the dull, gray ceiling. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elise asked, her head tilted in confusion. ¡°Nothing,¡± Nizemar replied, ¡°I was just wondering, what would happen to you if you were to be accused of treason?¡± Nizemar asked. Elise hung her head, her voice quiet and somber as she answered, ¡°I¡¯d be sentenced to death, just like my mother.¡± ¡°I can understand the punishment for treason being meted out to your mother, and for you, as her child, I can also understand that you¡¯re suspected of participating in treasonous activities and will be arrested. But to be sentenced to death as a mere child is beyond my understanding.¡± Determined to see things through to the end, Nizemar looked up and asked, ¡°Because¡­¡± Before Elise could even begin to answer, something seemed stuck in her throat. A cold female voice cut through the air, coming from the door of the reception room, answering Nizemar¡¯s question in her place. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. The treason she speaks of isn¡¯t the result of any action they took, but because of their very existence. As descendants of the Blind Sisters, they are seen as betraying the empire simply by existing.¡± Nizemar jumped to her feet, her gaze fixing on the figure that had just entered the room. Holy Tree Duke¡­ The moment she saw the other party, Nizemar confirmed her identity. She had no idea that the current Holy Tree Duke was a woman prior to this. But the moment she laid eyes on the black-dressed figure before her, she knew without a doubt that she was staring straight at the Holy Tree Duke. It wasn¡¯t just the luxurious black dress with golden trim that gave her away, nor the dignified air she exuded, nor even the elegance that seemed to radiate from her very being. It was the overwhelming pressure that filled the air, an almost palpable force that told Nizemar this was someone to be reckoned with. In Ravenwood, only the strong could rule. If that was the case, Nizemar couldn¡¯t imagine anyone more deserving of the title than the woman in front of her. A thin black veil covered the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s face, but Nizemar could see the faint blue light of her magic-filled eyes shining through, like two ghostly lamps flickering in the darkness. Her slender, fair hands, a surprising characteristic for a Forest Elf, held a stunning magical medium that made one question its practicality. The more elaborate and beautiful a magical medium was, the more precious the materials used and the harder it was to control. It was common knowledge among mages that those who used elaborate magical mediums were either posers who used flashy mortal items to make a show, or they were true powerhouses who could control multi-attribute magic. The person in front of her was clearly the latter. Before Nizemar could even react, the powerful figure was in front of her, as if she had materialized from thin air. ¡°I heard someone took down two of my Wild Hunt warrior teams. They¡¯re not worth much, but it¡¯s not easy to beat them all without spilling blood. I was intrigued,¡± she said, tapping her magical medium. An ice crystal chair appeared, and she gracefully sat in front of Nizemar. Wh¡­ Isn¡¯t she afraid of the cold¡­ Looking at the ice crystal chair that reflected a cold light under the magic crystal lamp, Nizemar subconsciously thought. However, she immediately realized that she didn¡¯t feel a hint of coldness from the ice crystal chair. In other words, she had a deep understanding of Solidifying Magic, the essence of frost spells, instead of the superficial control of the cold. It could temporarily create matter by condensing mana. According to Lord William, ignoring the scale of mana, this was close to the Divine Realm in terms of strength. ¡°Imagine my disappointment when I found out it was you, the Silver Blood Daughter of the Eighth Order¡¯s Holy Relic Hunter Department, Nizemar,¡± she said. ¡°Are the old fellows unhappy with my progress or are you here to retrieve the Eighth Holy Spirit Holy Artifact?¡± Nizemar was taken aback as the woman knew her name without hesitation. However, before she could say anything, the other party continued, ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. You betrayed the Eighth Order half a year ago and now work as the new Holy Spirit Church¡¯s Retribution Templar for the fake government in Blackwater Province.¡± ¡°You know who I am?¡± Nizemar asked coldly. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t tell me you really think that what you did in the Blackwater Province is airtight?¡± Nizemar felt a dangerous premonition, her hand moving to the dagger at her waist. At this distance, even if the other party was a powerful magic chanter, she was confident that she could subdue her before she could finish chanting with her speed. ¡°Then what else do you know?¡± As Nizemar moved slowly, she used words to divert the other party¡¯s attention. ¡°Let me tell you something you don¡¯t know. The Eighth Order is furious about your betrayal and has a generous reward for anyone who brings you back to Myriad Feet City alive. Although the money doesn¡¯t interest me, I¡¯d love to see the Holy Spirit Terra¡¯s Holy Remains.¡± ¡°Is that so? Looks like I¡¯ve walked into a trap,¡± Nizemar mocked herself. ¡°However, I¡¯m still a little curious. You¡¯re the first executor to ever betray the Eighth Order. What could have possibly driven you to make such a bold, insane move?¡± ¡°Reason?¡± As Nizemar spoke, her right hand gripped the hilt of the dagger. ¡°The truth of faith, of course!¡± Nizemar moved with lightning speed, pulling out her dagger and activating the deadly Storm buff engraved upon it. Her actions were like a gust of wind that threatened the other party¡¯s neck. Of course, she didn¡¯t plan on killing the other party. Instead, she planned on temporarily restraining her like she had threatened the forest druid. Then, Nizemar was suddenly frozen in place, every joint encased in a thick layer of frost. The Holy Tree Duke sat calmly, having not even raised a finger. ¡°You must learn not to hold back when facing a stronger opponent,¡± the woman spoke softly. ¡°This difference in faith could make all the difference in the outcome of the battle. Remember that,¡± the woman said softly. Then, she added, ¡°And let me warn you, don¡¯t even think about trying to shatter the Sealed Magic rune I¡¯ve put on you. I¡¯ve sealed this room, so unless the creator of this rune has greater mastery of lightning spells than I do, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting out.¡± As she spoke, she took the Sealed Magic rune, flickering with lightning, from her other hand. Chapter 265 - 265 Zero Entropy 265 Zero Entropy Floral held the Sealed Magic rune, freshly extracted from Nizemar¡¯s frozen fingers, and studied it intently. She said with emotion, ¡°This rune is newly made, but the design is ancient, predating the current Astral Circuit techniques used with the Astral World. It¡¯s a style that hasn¡¯t been seen for over a thousand years, and it¡¯s considered a serious heresy by the upper echelons of the Astral Council. They¡¯ll go to great lengths to stamp it out.¡± Her ghostly eyes locked onto Nizemar and she continued, ¡°Has the current regime in the Blackwater Province received the help of a secretive family with classical magic, or have they uncovered the ruins of a former mage tower? To be able to bypass the Astral Laws and perform the Rotten Moon Tide Mystery ritual, this could be a bargaining chip in negotiations with the empire. But tell me, do you honestly believe you can stage a rebellion against the empire with just this?¡± Nizemar stood frozen in place, under the influence of the Frost spell, her mind racing with thoughts of how to guide Floral into activating the Sealed Magic rune. It was the only chance she had of escaping the clutches of a Divine Realm mage. When Floral didn¡¯t receive a reply from the other party, she remained composed. With a steady voice, she pressed on, ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t feel like answering. We all have to face the consequences of our foolish actions. I respect my neighbor¡¯s right to be foolish¡­ but don¡¯t you think you should explain your purpose for being in Holy Tree City?¡± She twirled the Sealed Magic rune in her hand, appearing to spin a coin. Nizemar struggled to keep her eyes off the powerful artifact. With a sly grin, she teased, ¡°Do you want to take a guess?¡± Her provocative words caught Floral¡¯s attention, stopping her in her tracks. The Floral leaned forward, her grip tight on the Sealed Magic rune. ¡°There are two possibilities, but one will make you look foolish and the other will make you seem cruel. Either you¡¯re here representing the fake government of the Blackwater Province, seeking a new trade agreement with Ravenwood to ensure your citizens survive the Year of Starvation¡¯s winter¡­ ¡± The Blackwater Province was heavily affected by Undead magic, causing 20% of their food shortage every year to be imported from other regions. Ravenwood was their largest trading partner. But after the Rotten Moon Undead Tide, the empire imposed a comprehensive trade embargo on the Blackwater Province. And in Holy Tree City, any form of trade with the Blackwater Province was banned, from the officials to the civilians, on orders from Platinum Palace. Nizemar blinked and said, ¡°What about the cruel guess?¡± The other party¡¯s perspective was clear: relying on negotiations to restore the previous trade agreement was a foolish mistake. They were unable to bring any additional bargaining power to the table. ¡°Listen up,¡± the other party warned, ¡°you¡¯ve got it all wrong. Before you made the decision to resist the empire¡¯s rule, did you stop to consider the devastating effects of the Calendar of Disaster? Abandoning your citizens to starvation during the Year of Starvation shows a lack of concern for their well-being. And what¡¯s more, I¡¯ve heard rumors that you were in cahoots with Ava State¡¯s regime. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re so foolish that you want the entire Emerald Province to jump on board a ship destined for resistance against the empire?¡± Nizemar listened as the other party laughed for the first time, a sound filled with anger and ridicule directed at their inflated belief in their own abilities. Her provocation had worked, igniting the other party¡¯s emotions. Nizemar slowly heaved a sigh of relief. People who could master spells to the Divine Realm were masters of their emotions, for a single emotional slip in the ether could cause catastrophic consequences. Modern magic was not like the classical methods of relying on myths. It was a precise science, where emotions had no place. In the heat of battle, many mages were defeated by their opponent¡¯s ability to penetrate their mental defenses, causing fatal deviations in their spells. Controlling one¡¯s emotions was the key to success in magic. The room was filled with a bone-chilling aura as the other party laughed. The once steaming fruit tea was now frozen and snowflake ice crystals had formed in the teacup. Nizemar maintained her calm smile in spite of the oppressive aura. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here for the reason you call ¡®foolish.''¡± Floral stood abruptly, causing the ice crystal chair to dissipate into pure mana. She stood in front of Nizemar, raising her chin with pale, ice-cold fingers. Her face was close enough for Nizemar to see the other party¡¯s face under the black veil. Her ice-blue eyes glimmered, and her overly fair skin for a Forest Elf and dark-green lips made her look stiff and cold. ¡°Resist the empire¡¯s rule? What basis do you have, what backing, what heritage? How can you negotiate cooperation with me when you can¡¯t even keep your citizens alive?¡± she whispered. Nizemar could sense the other party¡¯s unease, even though her tone was still void of emotion. It¡¯s time¡­ Nizemar fixated her gaze on the Sealed Magic rune in the hand of the other party. ¡°You¡¯re relying on that?¡± she asked, skeptical. ¡°Ancient magic legacies and surviving factions from the empire¡¯s pursuit? Those relics from the past? Be real, how can you be so trusting?¡± The other party sneered at Nizemar¡¯s gaze, but for some reason, Nizemar could sense a hint of despair in her words. Then, as Nizemar had expected, the other party raised the Sealed Magic rune in front of her and challenged mockingly, ¡°Take a good look at just how weak and insignificant your reliance is.¡± With that, she crunched the silver piece in her hand, causing sparks of lightning to dance around them. As the stored mana turned into snaking lightning, the space around them began to blur. But suddenly, the entire room started to shake, like a mirror swaying back and forth. All existence in the room began to distort with the trembling, and Floral¡¯s reinforced space struggled to resist the spatial rift torn open by teleportation. Each time a spatial rift appeared, more magic power rippled to calm it. ¡°Behold, what you rely on,¡± Floral sneered. But before she could finish her sentence, she realized something was off. The magic power wasn¡¯t dissipating, but instead forming new spatial rifts according to a predetermined spell¡ªas if it had a life of its own. But how is this possible¡­ Shocked, Floral immediately tried to suppress all the spatial rifts at once, using all her power. The outcome was grim. The magic cast by her opponent was so powerful that it created spatial rifts that threatened to teleport Floral away before she could stabilize the spatial structure. How can this be? This was only a Lv. 6 Teleportation spell and yet she was powerless against it. Despite her loss of the ability to sweat, the illusion of sweat covered Floral¡¯s forehead as the rifts multiplied. Her mana was rapidly being depleted, unable to keep up with the increasing speed of the rifts. The thought of being teleported to an unknown location beside the Sealed Magic rune¡¯s creator filled her mind. I can¡¯t keep this up¡­ For the first time in over a decade, the fear crept into her chest and she couldn¡¯t care less about her dignity. She was only at the Legendary level in terms of lightning spells. It was obvious that the other party was a magic chanter who had reached the Divine Realm. She had been overconfident, competing with a master in their area of expertise. Zero Entropy¡­ Floral shook the magical medium in her hand, her voice ringing out as she chanted the forbidden Divine Realm spell, the greatest of frost spells. One that could even freeze time itself. In an instant, the reception room around her turned to amber. Everything stopped, even the spatial rift that had been wrapping around her. And then, with lightning speed, she moved away from the frozen space. The spell she had just cast would teleport only air. But she never expected to have to use this powerful spell just to avoid a simple Teleportation spell. Who is the backer of this Eighth Order traitor? Floral wondered as she turned her gaze to the woman. Eh? But what she saw next made her pause. Was she seeing things? The Holy Spirit emblem on the woman¡¯s chest appeared to flicker. But that was impossible¡ªshe was under the effects of Zero Entropy, and time was still frozen. And then, before she could even process what was happening, a pitch-black spatial door opened above the emblem and a large hand, wrapped in ancient bandages, reached out and grabbed her, pulling her through the door and into an empty space. She didn¡¯t even have the chance to scream before she passed through the colorful kaleidoscope and was thrown into an empty place. ¡°I was wondering what happened to you. I searched the entire palace but didn¡¯t see you. So you¡¯ve already met an associate of mine,¡± a hoarse voice echoed from not far away. ¡°Sorry, the way I pulled you over was a little rough. To show my sincerity, have a seat on that throne first.¡± And that¡¯s when Floral realized she was in the hall of the White Bone Castle. In front of her was a silver-eyed, gray-haired man, looking down at her. Chapter 266 - 266 Throne, Temple 266 Throne, Temple Floral¡¯s gaze darted between the uninvited guest and the Withering Throne, a mixture of hesitance and confusion in her eyes. This situation was far beyond anything she could comprehend. She had been yanked out of Zero Entropy¡ªwhere time was at a standstill¡ªand thrown here without warning, and now she was facing someone strong¡ªsomeone even stronger than her. However¡­ She tightened her grip on her magical medium and studied her opponent. She was no quitter. No way in hell would she roll over and surrender. That¡¯s how she held the throne of Ravenwood and crushed any uprising with an iron fist. A spell to counter Spirit Entropy, a Sealed Magic rune with a Teleportation effect I can¡¯t break, and a long-range casting ability that left me scratching my head. With years of battle under her belt, she quickly sifted through the information, searching for any weaknesses in her opponent. Magic battles were a game of intellect. It was often the mage with the most information, not the strongest, who emerged victorious. That was a famous saying by Evelyn, the Magic Edge, Mage Calamity, and Law Slayer. This was a truth that Floral lived by. The modern magic system was too intricate and vast, and mortals had limited energy. Even the rarest geniuses in history could only master one or two domains in their lifetime. Limitations meant every magic chanter had a blind spot. So what was this opponent¡¯s blind spot? Frost spell, Divine Realm¡­ Lightning spell, possibly at the Divine Realm¡­ The Sealed Magic Rune revealed that her opponent was a heretical mage, uncontrolled by the Astral Laws. This meant that his magic abilities were unpredictable. Therefore, it was impossible to guess what other domain spells the other party was good at through the constellations. However, reaching the Divine Realm in two domains was already the limit for mortals. After all, even that one person had only reached the Divine Realm in terms of Life, Necromancy, and Frost spells¡­ The source of magic could come directly from the Astral World by bypassing the Astral Laws, or even from sacrificing his soul as fuel or making a contract with the Moon Realm. Floral¡¯s mind raced as she assessed the situation. On paper, she was the weaker party, but the other party was overconfident¡­ With a steely determination, Floral wiped the smile from her face and remained calm. She knew that if the other party had teleported to the reception room and engaged her in combat, her chances of victory would have been slim. But he made a critical error by bringing her to her home ground and allowing her to sit on the Withering Throne. This arrogance would be his downfall! With caution and grace, Floral slowly made her way back to the throne, making sure to keep a calm demeanor and not reveal any urgency in her actions. She knew that as soon as she took her seat, she would have the advantage. So, when Floral¡¯s calves touched the rough base of the throne, she took her time settling in, adjusting her dress and maintaining her elegant composure. She was used to holding meetings in this hall, and she wouldn¡¯t let the other party see any signs of weakness. However, at this moment, the other party made a move. The white jade staff in his hand lit up with silver-white runes, and the sound of the whistling wind filled the hall as he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t be too reserved. After all, I¡¯m a guest now¡­ Take a seat.¡± Suddenly, a powerful but gentle force pushed down on her, forcing her to sit on the Withering Throne behind her. The moment she sat, countless magical connections were established, filling her ether domain with an almost infinite amount of Life magic. Her eyes, which once shone with an ice-blue light, were now blazing with emerald-green flames. Floral took a deep breath and finally relaxed, knowing that the situation was now under her control. As long as she remained seated on the throne, the entire White Bone Castle was her territory, her temple, her kingdom. As long as she sat on the throne and her opponent was still in the palace, relying on the mana she could almost squander endlessly and the hundreds of great spells engraved in the hall, not even the reclusive monsters of the Astral Council, could challenge her. ¡°You¡¯ve shown good manners, stranger,¡± she said, relaxed, regaining her dignified demeanor as the Ravenwood¡¯s ruler, the Holy Tree Duke. Her words carried an invisible pressure that filled the hall with surging magic. Since she was facing a Divine Realm mage, Floral, who was sitting on the throne, didn¡¯t have to suppress her strength as usual. Usually, when holding meetings in the hall, even releasing the power on the scale of her fingertips made the subjects who were used to decorate her country tremble in the hall. Now, even a Divine Realm mage would find it difficult to breathe under her power. But to Floral¡¯s surprise, the other party remained unfazed by her display of power. Compared to the pressure from the surging magic, he seemed more interested in what she had just said. ¡°Excuse me, but what manners are you referring to?¡± the man asked with a charming grin. Floral glanced to the side of the throne and noticed that the clerk holding the roster was nowhere to be seen. Garet Wolfspeak had taken a rare leave to attend to some family business. I hope both sides can mend that terrible father-son relationship¡­ Snapping out of her thoughts, Floral focused on the man in front of her and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Kneel.¡± This was more than just a simple request, it was an order to activate the spells within the hall. The magic power flowed in abundance, and several runes lit up with an emerald green light that turned into a solid dark-brown hue. An invisible force was generated, weighing in at approximately 500 kilograms that pressed down on the man¡¯s shoulders. As a magic chanter with a weak physique, suddenly enduring such heavy pressure would definitely¡­ But what Floral saw next shocked her. With her control over the hall, she could see every trace of magic, and she was positive that the man in front of her had no magic power within him. Yet, he withstood the weight without even a tremor in his shoulders, as though what pressed down on him was a feather. He relied solely on his physical strength to completely withstand the weight of Rockfall. How was it possible for a magic chanter to reach the Divine Realm and still have the energy to train his body to be as strong as a top warrior? ¡°What did you say? Kneel?¡± Before she could recover from her shock, the man in front of her suddenly spoke. His voice wasn¡¯t as relaxed and casual as before. Instead, it carried a hint of anger. Moreover, for some reason, she could sense that this anger wasn¡¯t directed at her, but at something she had said. Suddenly, her Rockfall spell was severed by an unknown force and the two pieces of rubble engraved with the spell fell on either side of the throne. ¡°I think I just said, ¡®At the very least, I admit that you¡¯re still the ruler of Ravenwood.¡¯ It looks like you weren¡¯t too sure of where you currently stand,¡± the man said as he approached the throne. ¡°Halt!¡± Floral warned. ¡°You can try.¡± The person turned a deaf ear and continued forward. ¡°After you fail, I¡¯ll show you where you stand, and we can continue our discussion.¡± Chapter 267 - 267 Inverse Entropy, Inheritance (1) 267 Inverse Entropy, Inheritance (1) The name ¡®Nehe¡¯ hit Floral like a sledgehammer. Her face went stiff and her fingers tightened on the armrest of the Withering Throne. The haunting instructions from her so-called adoptive parents echoed in her ears like a curse. ¡°Remember, you can never let anyone discover the source of your power. Or else¡­¡± She never paid attention to their endless rules when they were alive, and she had no plans of adhering to most of them. But now, having sat on the Withering Throne, holding the authority to determine the prosperity or the destruction of all living beings in Emerald Province, she was determined to carry them out to the end. Anyone who tried to pry into the truth of this power had to be granted eternal slumber. No matter who this stranger was, she couldn¡¯t let him leave the hall alive. Restrictions lifted¡­ Creatons at maximum power¡­ Critical Engineering¡­ Routes 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 opened¡­ Puppet spell activated¡­ Beginning construction of Emulated Eyes of God¡­ This wasn¡¯t a test or a game, she confirmed the battle¡¯s nature and suppressed her curiosity to know the stranger¡¯s true identity. She had one goal¡ªto eliminate the other party. The White Bone Castle was no longer just a castle. It was now a part of Floral¡¯s body, a weapon of magical destruction. The palace roared with power as the magic flowed through it, activating spell after deadly spell. Floral was in control, and she demonstrated it by sealing off all escape routes with the doors and windows of the castle. And then, the statues and mural figures in the hall seemed to come to life, turning their eyes to the man who approached the throne. On the ground, more than ten spells were activated at once, aimed at weakening her opponent. Crush, Mana Drain, Aging Curse, Slow, Fragile, Spatial Seal¡­ Meanwhile, three Divine Realm and four Legendary spells were gathering their energy, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. ¡°Whoa, are you getting serious?¡± the man said calmly, facing the oncoming barrage of spells. Floral was uneasy, but she had confidence in the temple she had built. She activated the spells she had prepared. The Emulated Eyes of God that she had developed from the information she had gathered from the Blind Sisters completely locked onto the other party¡¯s location. After confirming that the other party had no room to dodge, seven single-target damage spells of different colors and attributes, but with equal power, struck the man at once. With a deafening explosion, the hall was filled with light and magic, so bright that it could blind those who looked at the windows from a few kilometers away. The sound of a glass ball shattering sounded from somewhere. Floral, who was sitting on the throne, raised her hand and wiped her right eye. The magical power emitting from her right eye had already waned. Floral unleashed a powerful strike, a combination of three Divine Realm and four Legendary spells, capable of banishing Demon Generals back to the Moon Realm. But, the magic turbulence from the strike shattered her Emulated Eyes of God spell. Despite the loss of the precious prototype, Floral had no regrets. This was the strongest strike she could unleash, with the enhancement of the Withering Throne and the strength of her ether domain. Although she didn¡¯t know what the other party was thinking for not taking any defensive measures, even if he did, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid ending up like this¡ªbeing blasted to death. Once she made up her mind to kill the other party, she would use everything at her disposal from the beginning. Floral was a seasoned warrior, who didn¡¯t test her opponent or underestimate them. She never gave them a chance to counterattack, as this was her style in a life-and-death battle. Back when she wasn¡¯t as powerful, she had defeated many stronger opponents using this tactic. As she gazed at the remnant mana flowing everywhere in the middle of the hall, Floral let out a sigh of relief. But, she soon noticed something strange¡ªthe remaining mana was not dissipating as quickly as usual. Instead, it continued to circle the explosion. Something¡¯s not right¡­ Before she could reload her spells, the man¡¯s voice echoed through the magical surge: ¡°How surprising,¡± he said. ¡°Is it possible that you just play your Ace card at the beginning of the game?¡± Floral¡¯s usually calm demeanor shattered at the sound of the voice that should not exist. Her voice trembled as she asked, ¡°How are you still alive¡­¡± She had used her Emulated Eyes of God to see that there were no signs of any defensive magic spells conjured by the man. Not even the most advanced protective gear and accessories could save someone without any defenses. This was impossible. Chapter 268 - 268 Inverse Entropy, Inheritance (2) 268 Inverse Entropy, Inheritance (2) What the hell was going on? A Moon Realm Demon General wouldn¡¯t even survive a direct hit from that strike. But Floral didn¡¯t have time to freak out. She jumped into action, using herself as the control core and starting to reload her spells. But then, something stopped her in her tracks. Or rather, it gave no meaning to the work at hand. Her remaining mana was starting to condense again, forming the exact same spells she¡¯d just used around him. It was like he was planning to hit her with her own magic. Was the other party planning on using the remaining mana to give her a taste of her own medicine? Using the dissipating mana around him to reconstruct the spell she had released previously, the enemy¡¯s control over mana was beyond anything she¡¯d ever seen. It was like watching someone catch an arrow mid-air and then turn it back on their attacker, delivering a fatal blow. ¡°Wh¡­¡± Floral was stunned when she saw what the other party was doing. It was far from just giving her a taste of her own medicine. As the mana shifted back to its spell form, the light outside the window receded and the explosion¡¯s airflow imploded. The floor that had been blasted open, magically repaired itself. But the shocking part was that not only the other party¡¯s spells were reverting, even Floral¡¯s spells were dissipating and her mana was flowing in reverse. Her raised hand was forced to retract. Time was reversing. The shattered Emulated Eyes of God spell was restored, and the released mana returned to Floral¡¯s ether domain. In a flash, the hall was restored to its original state five seconds ago, with the other party retreating to his original spot. Everything that just happened was wiped clean, with only their memories and the consumed mana as evidence. The seven spells were ready to be cast again. The Emulated Eyes of God hovered in front of Floral, locking onto the other party¡¯s weakness. It was as if it was all just an illusion. The other party strolled towards her with a smug expression on his face, as if he was saying ¡°feel free to try again.¡± ¡°Inverse¡­ Entropy¡­¡± Floral muttered with difficulty, staring at the other party. Peak spell¡ªan ultimate force beyond the Divine Realm, reaching towards the secrets of creation. No, it was not just a spell. In this day and age, peak spells were nothing more than a myth, whispered about by those who believed in the grandeur of the past. Some said it was a fabrication, a lie spun by those with hidden motives to elevate the old over the new. But she knew better. Peak spells existed. Or it had existed. She also wondered if peak spells would ever exist again. For despite her mastery of Frost Spells, one that had theoretically reached the highest realm, she had yet to scratch the surface of its true power. Frost spells were the epitome of solidification. Every object in Currere was rooted in the process of transforming the intangible Creatons in the Realm of Light into tangible matter. Deep in the heart of the Platinum Plains, the Kos people, who first invented calendars and mathematics, held a belief that the world was created by a god, Meng, with a perfect geometric structure, who lost His purpose because of this perfection. In His search for meaning, He used numbers and lines to create an imperfect world, a flawed concept that would be completed only by His death. Meng, requested his lover, Nu, to do the deed. Nu wept and mourned as She dismembered His body and used His design blueprints to fill in the missing pieces of the world. The imperial scholars had a theory about the Kos myth¡ªthey believed it was a metaphor for the shift in power from the priest class, who were in charge of calendars and mathematics, to the military nobles. But there was more to the symbols¡ªthey hinted at another origin story: there was a perfect physical world¡ªa world that was mirrored in the Otherworld of regional myths and legends. The Creatons from the Realm of Light first created a perfect, static physical world, which only became Currere after it shattered. Everything in the world, from a speck of dust to an ocean, yearned to return to that state of perfection, but that world only existed in the distant past, slipping further into chaos with each passing second. A magic chanter once came up with a wild idea: could providing enough magic power from the outside world re-create the shattered Meng and awaken the world¡¯s desire for perfection, allowing them to reach that perfect, orderly world? But the reality was harsh. Calculations showed that even if they drained all the magic in the Astral World, burned all the souls in Currere, and returned the entire Vic Continent to Creatons, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to reach that world of order. But this by-product also drove Frost spells to new heights. Even though perfection was unattainable, for a brief moment in time, it could be approached. Time marched forward, each second closer to order. And with this principle in mind, magic¡¯s greatest minds of the past created the Divine Realm spell, Zero Entropy, that could freeze time. But they also created the forbidden peak Frost spell, Inverse Entropy. And now, that forbidden spell capable of reversing time was right in front of Floral. Her wealth of combat experience told her she could strike again. The mana required to reverse time with Inverse Entropy was astronomical. The opponent had already used it once, so there was no way he could use it again so soon. This was her only chance to defeat him. However¡­ Floral watched as the other party walked up the steps and stood before her. The other party had used Inverse Entropy to serve as a warning. Even time could be reversed. Could the other party not use other methods to block her previous strike? If she attacked again, there would be no gentle response. Floral hung her head, looking at the man towering over her. ¡°As you said, I acknowledge my position,¡± she said, before quickly adding, ¡°But I have to know, are you the inheritor of Frost Lich Nehe¡¯s legacy?¡± Chapter 269 - 269 Lich 269 Lich Rewinding time to not long ago. William had just left the underground root sanctuary and asked Ebony to wait for him at the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple. Playing with the rough obsidian dagger in his hand, William fell into deep thought along the way. ¡°Judgment 3, heh¡­¡± With a flick of his wrist, he threw the dagger into the air and watched as a tiny spatial rift opened up and swallowed it. Without a doubt, this transcendent weapon that the other party claimed to once belong to Nehe and was supposedly capable of injuring a Void Sovereign was a replica. After all, Steelheart Widow Aiur had revealed to him not long ago that Judgment 3 was in the hands of the Tacma Church. Since those riddlers saw it as a bargaining chip to maintain contact with the Void Sovereign, there was no reason for them to send it to Ravenwood for nothing. William had no intention of telling Ebony the truth. In fact, obtaining Nehe¡¯s phylactery was already an unexpected surprise. What he needed to figure out was why these things were here. When he arrived at the dagger, he asked Ebony, ¡°Since you already know who I am, it¡¯s time for you to tell me where these things came from, be it the phylactery and the Judgment equipment?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve said it before. I can¡¯t divulge that information. I signed a confidentiality contract and I can¡¯t break my oath,¡± Ebony replied with a troubled expression. William pressed on, ¡°A secret contract with whom? Was it a magic chanter, the Holy Tree Matriarch, the Wilderness Spirit, or an existence in the Moon Realm?¡± William knew that the punishment for breaking an oath varied greatly depending on who the counterparty was. The contract he signed with a magic chanter through summoning spells was essentially a curse based on a specific keyword or action. With his ability, he could weaken or offset the curse from a magic chanter. If Ebony had signed a contract with a Moon Realm existence, as long as he didn¡¯t do it through a Void Sovereign, William could use physical (or rather, magical) persuasion to make the counterparty ¡°voluntarily¡± give up the right to pursue the violation of the oath. The real trouble was an oath he swore to a god as a believer¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t reveal that either¡­¡± The other party shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t reveal it.¡± This answer was an answer in a way. William, who had roughly guessed the contracted partner, sighed inwardly. This is troublesome¡­ If the counterparty of the oath was a god, whether it be the old gods, Holy Spirits, or Void Sovereigns, the punishment for breaking the oath would befall the believer like an inevitable fate. Even William couldn¡¯t stop it. But what was stranger still was the trigger for the oath¡¯s punishment. It wasn¡¯t established through specific actions or keywords like contract magic. It was based on the believer¡¯s subjective feelings, like ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve betrayed a god.¡± As if a prosecutor was sent by the god to constantly monitor the believer¡¯s thoughts. This was the difference between magic and faith as transcendent power¡ªwhether one was the owner of the power or just an agent. But this is too strange¡­ William couldn¡¯t help but think that something was amiss when thinking deeply about the issue. Was this really possible? It didn¡¯t test the oath-holder¡¯s actions or language, but purely based on the oath-holder¡¯s subjective will. After all, the free will of mortals was an ultimate mystery similar to creation itself. Theoretically speaking, it should be a sacred domain that couldn¡¯t be violated. Even Divine Realm illusions couldn¡¯t read minds or directly control thoughts. The Void Sovereigns, with all Their powers, couldn¡¯t directly alter a person¡¯s thoughts. And even spells like Commandeering of the Dead could only access the remnants of a person¡¯s memories, not from the living. So why was it that the gods could seemingly spy on the innermost thoughts of their believers? These doubts quickly passed. William didn¡¯t have time to ponder these questions. He moved on, asking another question instead. ¡°I heard that Nehe once returned to Holy Tree City more than a thousand years ago. The reason was that he hoped to regain his title as a forest druid and left dejectedly after being rejected¡­ What happened back then? Don¡¯t tell me that it¡¯s a clause in the confidentiality contract?¡± William knew there was more to the story than what he¡¯d heard. The Inverse Entropy barrier in the tree hole was most likely set up by Nehe himself. The other party hesitated before finally speaking, ¡°This is a story only known by the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s Listeners. It¡¯s a scar that Ravenwood Forest would never wish to mention again, but I think you have the right to know, being the savior of Ravenwood and the leader of the Doomsday Watcher¡¯s Judgment.¡± As they walked on the winding path to the surface, Ebony revealed the truth to William. It was two years after William¡¯s disappearance, in the 880th year of the Platinum Calendar. It was a story that had no official records¡­ ¡­ ¡°Nehe¡¯s legacy¡­¡± William thought about the story Ebony had told him, a bitter smile forming on his lips as he shook his head. ¡°I knew it. That guy would never leave without a backup plan. He wouldn¡¯t leave the Vic Continent without a fight, not after being used by those bastards¡­¡± William muttered to himself before looking up at the person in front of him. ¡°So, I might have already sensed it, but you¡¯re not alive, are you?¡± The woman on the Withering Throne was silent. She slowly removed her veil and placed it on the armrest. As the veil was lifted, William saw her pale face. The smoky aura of death surrounding her was impossible to hide. Floral Kane, the Holy Tree Duke recognized by the empire, Lord of Holy Tree City, Ravenwood Forest¡¯s Watcher, the Matriarch¡¯s Chosen, Madam of the Wild¡­ The supreme ruler of Emerald Province with countless illustrious titles was, in fact, an undying lich. It was a cruel irony. The Lich Conversion spell was banned by the Mage Guild, who were the most accepting of necromancy spells, due to its extreme evil nature. The caster obtained fake eternal life by separating their soul from their body and sealed it in a phylactery. But in doing so, they lost the possibility of reincarnation. Their soul and body would constantly decay, and they had to rely on plundering other life forms to maintain their existence. A lich¡¯s body and soul would constantly decay¡ªthe decay of the body needed to be replenished by devouring fresh bodies, and the decay of the soul needed the devouring of souls that had yet to dissipate to mend it. Over time, the speed at which their bodies and souls decayed increased, and they had to plunder more and more to survive. Their desire for life became stronger, and unless they entered an eternal slumber, their rationality would eventually deteriorate, and they would become nothing more than mindless monsters who fed on flesh and souls. A thousand years ago, liches were regarded as evil even in an era that was accepting of Undead magic. Yet, in Emerald Province, the leader, the Holy Tree Duke, was actually a lich. It was absurd, like a gang member becoming the boss of a hostile organization after going undercover. Finding it absurd meant that this should have been impossible. It was impossible that the forest druids¡ªeven if the criteria was for them to be blind¡ªwouldn¡¯t discover that the person sitting on the Withering Throne was a lich. Theoretically, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible. However¡­ ¡°The spell you used to transform into a lich, it¡¯s an improved version created by Nehe, isn¡¯t it?¡± William pressed further. Since he had already said so, the other party nodded and admitted it. ¡°I never expected Mr. Frost Lich¡¯s research to also be left in the Blackwater Swamp. That means you¡¯re the one truly in control of the Blackwater Province, behind Vincent and Nizemar. No wonder you dare to stand against the empire on your own,¡± she said, sizing up the accessories on William¡¯s body, hoping to see him remove something that would reveal that he shared an essence similar to hers. It was clear she thought William was a disciple from the same sect as herself. It was a reasonable assumption, as only Nehe, who had earned the title of Frost Lich, and Yeats, who claimed to have mastered all peak spells, had used Inverse Entropy in history. But because there had been no actual sightings, most in academia dismissed Yeats¡¯ claims as unfounded. Floral scrutinized William a few times, using Emulated Eyes of God to search for any signs of the undead on his body. When she found nothing, she asked in confusion, ¡°If you¡¯re Mr. Frost Lich¡¯s heir, why aren¡¯t you a lich?¡± William brushed aside her question. ¡°That¡¯s beside the point. I¡¯ve confirmed that you possess Nehe¡¯s legacy, so I want to ask you something, or should I say, give you another chance.¡± ¡°What chance?¡± the other party asked. ¡°What do I need to offer to buy everything, including your loyalty?¡± Chapter 270 - 270 Shadow of Conspiracy 270 Shadow of Conspiracy The 880th year of the Platinum Calendar, two years after William left, was a turning point in Ravenwood. The Father of the Wilderness, known for his hunting prowess, was felled by a giant deer during a hunt. On the same day, the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s Listener died from poisoning after ingesting Rotten Root Tree Liquid during a divination. The top hunter among the Forest Elves was killed by his own prey, and the high priest, a master of witchcraft, was dead from a poison she concocted herself. These events happening on the same day was a clear indication of foul play. But the most pressing matter for the Forest Elves was who would take their place instead of tracking down the possible mastermind. In order for the Father of the Wilderness to perform the divine matrimony, a bride had to be selected through the prophecy of the Matriarch Listener. But before being recognized, every Matriarch Listener had to pass the Father of the Wild¡¯s test. This was essentially a question of which came first: the chicken or the egg¡ªif both the Father of the Wild and Matriarch Listener needed each other to keep the legacy alive, how did they come to be in the first place? The answer was simple. They were a manifestation of the original agreement between the Forest Elf ancestors and the World Tree. They were the embodiment of that contract. This was not a rite to be performed every time a new ruler took the throne. It was merely symbolic, representing the agreement made between the Forest Elf ancestors and the World Tree¡¯s will. And without them, the Forest Elves¡¯ way of life would crumble and the blessings they enjoyed would be ineffective. The death of both leaders on the same day was unprecedented, and Ravenwood was left leaderless. The tension on the continent was at an all-time high, and the representatives of the various tribes were feeling the pressure. In a bold move, they proposed a solution: they wanted to sign a new contract with the World Tree. They wanted to choose a primordial Matriarch Listener and Father of the Wilderness as witnesses to the new contract, just like their ancestors. The aim was to modify some outdated contract terms that no longer aligned with the times. This was necessary because ever since William Kane left, the Doomsday Watchers were struggling to maintain peace on the continent, with various kingdoms expanding their military and the Holy Spirits Church seeking to restore its political status. Meanwhile, Ravenwood was unable to form a normal army due to its tradition of not producing rot. With the Moon Realm threat eliminated, many ancient contracts should have been modified or abolished long ago. The deaths of both leaders provided an excellent opportunity for the Reformists. The Reformists found Frost Lich Nehe, the third Judge with a deep connection to Ravenwood, hoping that he could ensure that the proposal was set in stone. Despite rumors circulating in the outside world, Nehe was invited to Holy Tree City by the Forest Elf¡¯s Reformists as a consultant. They promised that if they signed a new contract, Nehe could obtain a reward that would allow his soul and body to rest in the Matriarch¡¯s arms, even though he couldn¡¯t regain his status as a druid. The leaders of Holy Tree City were in a state of intense deliberation. They weighed their options, they plotted, and they parried back and forth with their opponents. But in the end, their fear won out. The Blackwater Kingdom had awakened the Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead, and the entire Vic Continent was on edge. Every kingdom was scrambling to bolster their armies, and the threat of all-out war loomed on the horizon. If Holy Tree City didn¡¯t renew its contract with the World Tree, Ravenwood would be at the mercy of the others. The stakes were too high to ignore. Nehe single-handedly bridged the massive power divide between the Conservative and Reformist factions. With even the most stubborn members relenting, all that was left was to sign a new treaty. But things took a dark turn. When the top forest druids visited the secret chamber housing the World Tree¡¯s core, they found that the acorn had vanished, along with the guard assigned to protect it. There were no signs of a fight at the scene¡­ Needless to say, the druid in charge of guarding the acorn had stolen it. The thief¡¯s motivations were unknown, but Ebony speculated that a conservative faction was behind it, hoping to prevent the new treaty from being signed. The theft had disastrous consequences. Without the acorn, the World Tree would die and the Ravenwood Forest, along with all its inhabitants, would wither. But with the help of one of the top five magic chanters on the continent, they retrieved the acorn before things went south. Nehe redesigned the protective barrier, using Inverse Entropy to ensure its safety. He left only one key to the barrier, to be given to someone trustworthy. The Conservative¡¯s reputation plummeted, and the Reformists redrafted the treaty with little resistance. The Forest Elves could finally shed their burdens and progress towards a more modern nation. Once the treaty was signed, Nehe could finally have his eternal rest in his hometown of Ravenwood as he dreamed of. ¡°Wait, what do you mean by eternal rest?¡± On their way out of the underground roots, William couldn¡¯t help asking for clarification. William couldn¡¯t shake off his unease from this statement. Chapter 271 - 271 Trustworthy 271 Trustworthy ¡°You ask what does it mean¡­ It¡¯s to relive the history of our Forest Elves¡¯ birth,¡± Ebony replied. ¡°After crossing the sea, our ancestors encountered Undead creatures on this land and the World Tree was overrun by them. The strongest warrior of our race, along with his priest wife, joined forces to defeat the corruption and save this land. So, to renew the contract, we need Lord Nehe to unleash his full potential in undead spells, eliminate as many undead creatures as possible, and purify the World Tree. Finally, we need to choose a new Father of the Wild and Listener, and kill him as in the myths, just as our ancestors did.¡± So this was what renewing the contract meant? The other party¡¯s answer stunned William. Recreating the past to affect the present¡ªit sounded like ritual magic. No¡­ Ritual magic merely reproduced myths, and those myths were based on creation. Reproducing those myths could trigger corresponding phenomena. However, the birth of the Forest Elves was real and recorded in history. Moreover, the Holy Tree Matriarch was a deity who could manifest Her divinity on Her own. Instead of saying that Their actions were similar to ceremonial magic, it was better to say that they were¡­ ¡°Is this not a threat to the Holy Tree Matriarch you believe in?¡± William asked in disbelief. However, the other party shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a threat, it¡¯s reconstruction. We plan on reconstructing our mother.¡± ¡°Reconstructing a god?¡± William asked. Perhaps seeing the surprise on William¡¯s face, the other party asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Gods are created by the faith of mortals. We created Her, and then we believe in Her. Gods aren¡¯t isolated entities. Gods themselves include the concept of believers, just like a mother includes the concept of a child.¡± William looked at Ebony, trying to decipher if he was pious or heretical. Ebony¡¯s devotion to the Holy Tree Matriarch was real, but at the same time, he had a rational understanding of faith and the essence of gods. Yet, he still sincerely believed in Them. It was the same for all the Forest Elf clergymen, according to the history that William had learned. After a long time, William continued, ¡°What happened then? Did Nehe agree to your request?¡± The other party shook his head as he had expected and said, ¡°No. After learning the details of the ritual, he rejected our request and had a conflict with the entire Oak Council. He killed many members of the brass before leaving Holy Tree City and freezing Fairy Lake in a fit of anger.¡± That sounds like something Nehe would do¡­ William thought. The idea of Nehe spreading Undead corruption and killing innocent people in exchange for his salvation was something that Nehe would fight William head-on if he had proposed the plan. ¡°So, what happened? I noticed that you still follow certain customs, like Holy Communion,¡± he continued asking. ¡°Not long after Nehe left, a woman stepped forward, claiming to have received a vision from the Matriarch. She claimed to be the new Wilderness Bride. The Oak Council had no choice but to hold a Blood Moon Game as a last resort and choose a new Father of the Wilderness to perform a divine marriage ritual with her. And to everyone¡¯s surprise, it actually worked. The entire matter was like a farce,¡± Ebony replied. Was it a farce? William didn¡¯t think so. There were too many red flags, from the inexplicable deaths of the two leaders to Nehe being invited to Ravenwood as a consultant, the theft of the core of the World Tree, the ritual to bring back a god, and the final solution that seemed like a joke. Every detail was a breeding ground for conspiracy theories. William was at a loss on how to proceed with his investigation. Even the authenticity of the historical information provided by Ebony was up for debate. William had no intention of blindly following Ebony and helping him seize the throne. Moreover, this wasn¡¯t a breach of contract. After all, the Judgment equipment the other party had promised as remuneration was fake. Hence, William stood face to face with a woman named Floral, the most likely inheritor of his late friend¡¯s legacy and posed his question. What price was needed to buy the other party¡¯s loyalty? If there was really a conspiracy in those matters back then, the changes brought about by that conspiracy had lasted for more than a thousand years. William stood in front of the woman, taking in her methods and personality. He wasn¡¯t a fan of her ways, but he knew one thing for sure¡ªshe was a disruptor in the Emerald Province. In a way, she was someone he could trust. William was confident that the woman thought the same of him, being an outsider to the factions that had been present in the province for over a thousand years. He was someone who could be trusted. The woman considered William¡¯s offer, looking at him calmly. ¡°I should be the one asking this question, right? What will it cost me to hire you?¡± William smiled, shaking his head. ¡°You can¡¯t afford me, so name your price. I can theoretically do everything a human can do. Most things that only gods can do, too.¡± The woman looked skeptical at William¡¯s confident tone. ¡°I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s anyone in the empire who can offer better conditions than Erin.¡± As she spoke, she tapped the armrest of the throne and continued, ¡°Even if there is, they should have their own throne, not someone like you who only exercises sovereignty over a small part of the territory.¡± William¡¯s sphere of influence may have been vast in magic, but his territory¡ªBlackwater Province¡ªwas barren and resource-poor, not a wise choice for the woman to get involved with¡ªno matter what price the other party could offer. Just as she finished speaking, a replica of the Withering Throne appeared in front of her through a spatial door. No, it wasn¡¯t a replica. The throne formed by the intertwining roots of the World Tree emitted a majestic life aura that couldn¡¯t be faked at all. However¡­ this thing that used to be placed at the core of the World Tree but later had its name changed to the Withering Throne should be the only one in the world. The other party didn¡¯t explain, instead sitting down unceremoniously and placing his elbow on the armrest and crossing his fingers. ¡°So, your first request is that the partner has to have a throne? A throne that can be on equal footing with you?¡± Floral¡¯s shocked expression was reflected in the other party¡¯s eyes as he smiled and said, Taking a deep breath, Floral finally asked, ¡°So, which Moon Realm Sovereign are you representing?¡± Chapter 272 - 272 Coincidence 272 Coincidence Moon Realm, Lake of Entropy. The Lake of Entropy was no longer calm, as a god¡¯s laughter had caused ripples to spread throughout the area, reducing countless newly-born Lunar Monsters to dust. The entire Moon Realm was in chaos due to a lunatic¡¯s desire to commit suicide, and the only Void Sovereign who could lock onto the Calamity in Currere, Lady of Starvation Camilla, was their great hope. Ever since the battle at Black Crow Gaze, several Void Sovereigns had sent messengers to Camilla, hoping the Lord of Rot, the God of Starvation, could act as the sovereign on duty and quickly eliminate the source of the chaos in the Moon Realm. Camilla responded to their expectations with a simple ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t so straightforward rejection, it roughly meant this. Hadn¡¯t They tasted enough failures? The other Void Sovereigns had failed time and time again against the Calamity, whether it was 1,008 years ago or now, whether it was using the Demon Generals, Their incarnations, the Moon Realm Legion, or the tempting of his former comrade into degeneration, and unless they could put aside their grudges and cooperate, they would continue to fail against the mere mortal. Reality had already proven that without flipping the table, with the power the Moon Realm could project onto Currere, They didn¡¯t have the ability to silence him. Even on Their own home ground, They lacked the cooperation necessary to defeat the Calamity as They constantly guarded against each other, unable to put Their grudges aside. However, would They really be willing to do so? Even if the Calamity continued to grow stronger, he would at most turn himself from a chess piece with a will of its own into another chess player. The danger of being betrayed by Their partners was even greater than the threat of the Calamity itself. The last time Valk visited the Lake of Entropy, He had a heated discussion with Camilla about Their failed assassination plot against the Calamity. During Their conversation, Camilla asked why the other party was unwilling to use April Fool¡¯s Day to project more of His strength. The other party replied with a twisted joke. ¡°If I had two magic arrows that could erase all existence,¡± the other party chuckled, ¡°who do you think I¡¯d shoot first if I encountered both you and the Calamity at the same time?¡± ¡°No answer? Well, let me answer for you. I¡¯d shoot an arrow at you first, and then another at your head to make sure you don¡¯t come back to life. The Calamity and I have only had a minor conflict a thousand years ago, but as Void Sovereigns, killing each other is just part of our intimate relationship from the moment we were born. Hahahahahaha¡­¡± He was right. The Calamity¡¯s acquisition of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s legacy only meant that They now had one more competitor for control of Currere. There were a total of twelve competitors in the Moon Realm. In the end, Camilla had no choice but to accept that before the World Shell shattered and Currere was rebuilt, She couldn¡¯t do anything about the Calamity¡¯s actions. The shame She suffered at Black Crow Gaze would have to remain. Unless, of course, the other party happened to be reckless and fell into Her hands without knowing it. This was also why Camilla was laughing out loud. The Calamity was much less cautious than he was a thousand years ago despite being more unpredictable, and Camilla¡¯s original plans in Ravenwood were weakening him. The development of the situation had far exceeded Her expectations. ¡°Very good, very good. Continue chatting with my puppets and fighting to save the Forest Elves. Enjoy your final moments of happiness before the inevitable despair consumes you all. Hahahahahahaha.¡± Camilla¡¯s laughter turned into plagues that spread corruption and destruction to fringe towns in Currere. ¡­ ¡°¡­Which Moon Realm sovereign are you representing?¡± William was taken aback by the question. After a long time, William pointed at himself and asked, ¡°In what way do I look like a Void Sovereign¡¯s representative?¡± ¡°The Withering Throne,¡± the other party pointed at the ¡®fake¡¯ Withering Throne. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the help of the Moon Realm, how could you have replicated it?¡± The Withering Throne was once known as the Luxuriant Throne, symbolizing the flourishing of life. But with the onset of the Luxuriant Calamity¡ªone of the Seven Calamities¡ªWilliam Kane used the Blade of Rot, cursed by the Moon Realm, to stab the core of the World Tree and stop the disaster from spreading. This resulted in half of the World Tree¡¯s branches and base to wither, transforming the Luxuriant Throne into the Withering Throne. In other words, to truly replicate the Withering Throne, one must have the help of the Moon Realm even if they could steal the roots of the World Tree. In addition, the other party was the leader pulling the strings in Blackwater Province. Although Floral asked in a questioning tone, considering the ancient Moon Realm worship and faith in the Blackwater Province, she could already guess whose representative the other party was. William was at a loss for words. He had only wanted to show off his ¡®omnipotence¡¯ but was caught off guard by the other party¡¯s serious question. How did this throne come about? The truth was, he had duplicated the throne using the console and stored it in his treasure vault. As for why he wanted to use the console to replicate it¡ªalthough William adhered to the attitude of ¡®everything in the game is mine since I bought the game¡¯ and wouldn¡¯t show any mercy when collecting treasures, moving the thrones, crowns, and scepters of the seven kingdoms to his own place broke the immersive experience. Imagine that every time he went to the palaces in the capitals of the various kingdoms, the kings and emperors would sit on a rattan chair and wear a run-of-the-mill crown that could be bought for a few hundred gold coins¡­ This scene wasn¡¯t right. But he couldn¡¯t tell the other party that. William was at a loss for words, trying to figure out how to explain himself to the woman. But she wasn¡¯t done with her questions. ¡°So, you¡¯re also a Demon Summoner, right?¡± she asked. ¡°One who made a deal with the Lady of Starvation?¡± Also? After hearing this word, William, who was conflicted about how to make up a story, perked up. He followed the other party¡¯s words and replied tersely without batting an eyelid, ¡°Yes.¡± It was the truth. He had indeed summoned Camilla¡¯s Void Incarnation¡ªonly to banish it back to the Moon Realm. The other party nodded thoughtfully and tapped her fingers on the armrest. ¡°I get it¡­ In that case, with that Moon Realm mighty figure as a witness, I think we can continue discussing our partnership.¡± With that said, she wore her veil, and the aura of death that surrounded her disappeared. After doing all of this, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s obvious that it might not be feasible to buy everything including my loyalty, but I¡¯m willing to help with transactions, like opening up the underground black market between the Emerald Province and Blackwater Province, and providing updates on the empire¡¯s military movements. All I ask for is a fair price.¡± William smiled and said, ¡°My apologies for overstating things earlier. Let¡¯s proceed with normal business negotiations.¡± A Demon Summoner who had made a deal with the Lady of Starvation¡­ He had apparently stumbled upon the key to unlocking the mysteries of the past¡¯s conspiracies. He felt like he had hit the jackpot. Chapter 273 - 273 Price 273 Price The situation returned to what William had planned. His original plan was to make a quick stop to dispel the corruptive curse and retrieve the Holy Spirit Disc at Ravenwood, then move on to his primary objective¡ªnegotiate a food trade agreement with the ruler for the second half of the year. The situation was dire¡ªViper Scar had contaminated the western part of the Blackwater Province, causing the spread of the blight, and the situation in Nakuland was becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Camilla, that vicious b*tch, was most likely projecting more than half of Her influence on Currere in an attempt to disgust him. But when William learned from Ebony that the Holy Tree Duke didn¡¯t care about the lives of the Forest Elves by changing the use of arable land to satisfy the empire¡¯s demand for wine exports from the Damon Continent¡¯s tribal alliance, causing the entire Emerald Province to be unable to make ends meet, he had to rethink his plan. Starving the people of Blackwater Province and Emerald Province would only increase Camilla¡¯s power. It was meaningless to tear down one wall to mend the other. ¡°Excuse me, but how do you expect to export food to the Blackwater Province when you can¡¯t even guarantee your own food supplies this year? Are you not afraid of causing a widespread famine?¡± William asked when he heard that the ruler was willing to bypass the empire¡¯s embargo and establish an underground trade route at the border of the two provinces. Floral, who had put on her veil again, replied, ¡°If you¡¯re asking that question, it¡¯s clear that you don¡¯t understand the Forest Elves.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°You treat the Forest Elves as if they were living in a civilized world, but in reality, they are closer to wild beasts. Thousands of years of human progress, Moon Realm crisis, and Terra conquest have not changed that. Hunger is the norm for these creatures and only hunger can compel them to find a solution.¡± William heard the sarcasm in the other party¡¯s words. She placed the magical medium in her hand between her knees and continued speaking cruelly in a calm tone, ¡°Moreover, even if someone dies from hunger, the remains of the dead will provide sustenance for the remaining ones. According to the Matriarch faith, this is also a part of nature. In fact, this is the true meaning of the concept of Holy Communion. To wild beasts, death doesn¡¯t bring about a holy halo. Instead, it will only become fuel to support the fire of the living. The strong prey on the weak. It¡¯s a normal natural process, so they won¡¯t lament over it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If people must die from starvation, the Forest Elves will waste less food. They won¡¯t blame others, they¡¯ll only question their own strength.¡± That was the balance of nature when one chose to survive like wild beasts. William was stunned by the woman¡¯s cold-blooded response. After a moment of silence, William said, ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. I won¡¯t be importing food from you during the Year of Starvation. But as compensation, I need the right to use Greenwater Port and Swan Port. And I need the hub where the Goddess River converges into the Blackwater Swamp¡¯s water network to be unimpeded and free from hijackers.¡± ¡°Compensation?¡± Floral repeated, her tone incredulous. ¡°With those two ports, I can do business with others,¡± William replied. The Lady of Starvation may have influence over the Astral Lighthouse network, but Ava State was not part of it. ¡°If you can find other buyers, this is indeed a good idea¡­ But even so, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t make either decision,¡± the other party immediately said after hearing this condition. William stood from his throne, a bolt of lightning flashing behind him as the Withering Throne disappeared into the spatial rift. He turned without a word, as if he was ready to leave. His actions made his intentions clear. ¡°Sir, this matter has nothing to do with my will. You should know that those two port cities have already become the outpost for the Empire Legion¡¯s expedition to Ava State. Now, four Empire legions are gathering there¡­ If possible, I¡¯m naturally willing to give you the right to use the ports,¡± Floral hurriedly explained. ¡°The portals.¡± William stopped in his tracks, turning his head to say a single term. ¡°What?¡± Floral asked. ¡°Listen, the Astral Council may be operating the two large portals at the ports, but you still have the power to activate them, right?¡± William continued. ¡°Yes, I am the guardian of Emerald Province and hold the authority to open or close a large portal,¡± Floral confirmed, still unsure as to why William was bringing this up. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be paying those two seaports a visit soon and I need you to seal off those two portals when the time comes. That¡¯s all I ask from you,¡± William turned around and said. C-close off the portals used by the empire for transporting their legions? What is he planning? Floral was aghast at the possibility. Therefore, she carefully asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ are you planning on reopening the portals after closing them, connecting them to the Blackwater Province, and then launching a surprise attack on the Empire Legion stationed at Greenwater Port and Swan Port with Thorn City¡¯s army?¡± If that was the case, she would be publicly declaring her loyalty to the Blackwater Province and opposing the empire¡ªthe ultimate act of betrayal. ¡°No.¡± William shook his head. Despite not causing her heart to leap, Floral still felt a sense of relief at his answer. ¡°I understand your concerns, but don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make it difficult for you. All you need to do is come up with a reason for the overhaul of the portals, something like a random technical issue. Just make sure those two portals are inactive for 24 hours.¡± ¡°But¡­ why are you doing this?¡± ¡°To prevent the Empire Legion from making an escape.¡± ¡°The Empire Legion¡­ escaping? How?¡± Floral felt that the other party was spouting nonsense. William didn¡¯t respond to her question and instead glanced around the room before changing the subject. ¡°Aside from that, I¡¯m hoping you can provide me with the full set of technical ideas used in transforming the White Bone Castle into a temple.¡± With the maintenance of the Dawn Fortress almost complete, Remides was planning on sending a group of High Elf craftsmen and enchanters to the Grief Mountains to add some offensive and defensive enchantments. However, they had lost the original framework designed by Sibylla, and recreating a new system would take too much time. There was likely no other enchanter in Currere who possessed the Eyes of God talent like Sibylla did. William found the way the White Bone Castle was transformed into a temple intriguing. Despite its average strength, the creativity was impressive. William¡¯s keen sense told him that the other party had used the Withering Throne as the core of the temple, fueling it with the life force of the World Tree. With her status as Ravenwood¡¯s ruler, she controlled the entire hall as her own territory. This combination of classical ceremonial magic and modern magic was impressive. More importantly, if William could replicate this system, he would have all kinds of thrones¡ªWithering Throne, Starlight Throne, Thorn Throne, Blackiron Throne, Frosttooth Throne¡­ In other words, he could even add multicore driving forces to the Dawn Fortress¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for the other party¡¯s involvement in Moon Realm worship, William wouldn¡¯t have considered killing her once all of this was done. ¡°You still want the full set of Mage King Nation spells?¡± Floral asked, with more resistance than before. William noticed her crossing her arms in front of her chest, a sign of caution and unease. ¡°I just need a general idea of the framework. There¡¯s definitely room for optimization.¡± William shrugged in response. Floral hesitated for a long time, balancing the weight of her decision. The Mage King Nation spell was not only the source of her power, but also held great emotional significance. She would have sent anyone else away without a word. However¡­ Before William got impatient, Floral finally said, ¡°This request is much more expensive than closing the portal. I want to know what price you can pay for it.¡± ¡°You can ask for anything. There¡¯s only a few things I can¡¯t do in this world,¡± William replied frankly. After repeatedly confirming that the other party¡¯s expression was serious, Floral took a deep breath and made her request, ¡°A thousand years ago, William Kane used the Lady of Starvation¡¯s curse to destroy half of the core of the World Tree. Now, I hope you can help me use the power you obtained from the Lady of Starvation to destroy the other half of the core. ¡°This is the only price I¡¯m requesting.¡± Chapter 274 - 274 Elaire 274 Elaire Before William could give an answer over the price, the door of the hall was thrust open. Both he and the other party turned their heads, as a well-dressed young man strode in, surrounded by guards. He was a noble from Platinum Province, with a high jaw and long hooked nose, making him look sinister. His golden hair was tied into a bun, showing off his pure Kos bloodline. It was obvious that this was a noble from Platinum Province. The man walked to the center of the hall, ignoring William and bowing patronizingly to Floral. ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± Although he spoke respectfully, William didn¡¯t hear any respect in his tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your conversation, but there are some important matters that require your attention.¡± Floral replied calmly, ¡°If you were truly sorry, you wouldn¡¯t have barged in like this.¡± She turned her gaze to the guards following the noble and added, ¡°And there¡¯s no need for the Obliteration Tower monks to come along. Elaire Kos, is this a threat against me?¡± William was drawn to the guards following the noble. The black-robed guards were as quiet as ghosts, making no noise as they walked. Their faces couldn¡¯t be seen and they didn¡¯t seem to breathe. They were definitely not living beings, but they didn¡¯t look like the dead. William used a simple detection spell and came to the odd conclusion that they had no life force, but no traces of necromancy magic either. Elaire maintained a fake smile and replied, ¡°I heard you were in the reception room and rushed over when I couldn¡¯t find you there. That¡¯s the problem with magic chanters, they¡¯re always moving.¡± As he spoke, he turned to look at the black-robed guards behind him and continued, ¡°As for threats, I can assure you that I don¡¯t have any such intentions. Anyway, the guards are here because Ambassador Albert was worried about my safety. He insisted they come along, and I couldn¡¯t refuse his orders. If you want to blame someone, I can convey your intentions to him when I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. Let¡¯s get down to business. What brings you here?¡± Floral said coldly. Elaire wasn¡¯t in a hurry to bring up his business, instead turning to William. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know who your guest is, can you kindly ask your guest to leave?¡± ¡°No need to hide anything from him. Speak freely,¡± the person on the throne replied. William believed that Floral was showing her genuine willingness to cooperate. However, the other party was clearly not pleased with her words. ¡°With all due respect, Your Grace, this goes against protocol. There¡¯s never been a case where an outsider is allowed to¡­¡± ¡°First of all, he¡¯s not an outsider. He¡¯s a trusted consultant, someone I brought in to help with the threat from the Moon Realm,¡± Floral interrupted coldly. ¡°Secondly, I am the law in Holy Tree City.¡± The man¡¯s attempts to sway Floral were unsuccessful, so he turned his attention to William. ¡°Sir, can you please give us some privacy during our discussion? As a citizen of the Empire, you know what this symbol represents, right?¡± He tapped the emblem on his chest with his index finger. William recognized the emblem¡ªthe pale comet¡ªthe symbol of the royal family of the Kos Empire. According to historical records, after Terra¡¯s conquest, the royal family of the Kos Empire was spared for various complicated reasons. Terra I even permitted them to keep their original last name and emblem when he unified the Vic Continent and became emperor. Over the eight centuries, the Kos family had grown powerful, second only to the Riel royal family in the entire empire. Although William could hear their conversation through some means, he didn¡¯t want to give in to such trash. Therefore, he asked provocatively, ¡°So?¡± ¡°So?¡± Elaire¡¯s gaze traveled over to William¡¯s long, grayish-white hair. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. Just because you have the same hair color as the royal family doesn¡¯t make you royal, Yankee. I suggest you leave, because what we¡¯re about to discuss won¡¯t benefit you in the human world. And¡­¡± As he spoke, he turned his gaze to the magical medium in William¡¯s hand. ¡°Even if you¡¯re willing to stay in this primitive paradise for the rest of your life, as a magic chanter, you don¡¯t want to be blacklisted by the Astral Council, right?¡± The Kos family had always been loyal supporters of the Astral Council, with 30% of its members inextricably linked to the family. With Elaire¡¯s connections, as long as he found the other party¡¯s true identity, it would be easy for him to completely thwart his future in magic. With that said, Elaire felt that his threat had an effect¡ªthe other party shook his head with a gloomy expression before turning around and walking to the side. Upon seeing this, Elaire smiled hypocritically like a hyena again. However, the other party only took a few steps before stopping in an empty space and tapping his magical medium. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a stunning ice crystal throne and took a seat, crossing his legs. After doing all of this, the other party even waved at Floral, who was sitting on the Withering Throne, to continue as if he was the one in charge. ¡°You¡­¡± The urge to order the guards to attack was intense, but Elaire held back. He knew it wasn¡¯t wise to start a fight in Floral¡¯s temple, even with the Obliteration Tower monks at his side. ¡°Alright, Elaire. As the ruler of Emerald Province, I don¡¯t have time for these games. Speak now and make it quick.¡± Elaire shot a fierce glare at William upon hearing Floral¡¯s impatience. ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s about the Blind Sisters¡¯ rebellious bastards who¡¯ve escaped to Holy Tree City.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? I¡¯ve already dispatched my Wild Hunt warriors to handle it. And¡­¡± Floral paused as if she had thought of something before continuing, ¡°Might I add, the girl that Empress Erin instructed me to capture is already in my custody. If you¡¯d been to the reception room like you claimed, you¡¯d already know this.¡± Floral wisely kept quiet about Nizemar, knowing full well that she was the man¡¯s subordinate. On the other hand, the other party wasn¡¯t harping on this matter. ¡°Of course I¡¯m aware that you have the girl,¡± they said. ¡°Just return her to Platinum City safely and all of this will end peacefully. But that¡¯s the problem.¡± The other party paced back and forth, looking anxious. Floral couldn¡¯t help but remember what she¡¯d learned in the meeting not long ago. ¡°Someone told me that the child is planning to testify against someone from the empire¡¯s embassy, who¡¯s suspected of murder. Is that you?¡± ¡°Yes! No, no, it¡¯s not an accusation! That blind b*tch is spreading rumors about me, saying that I ordered my subordinates to kill an innocent Forest Elf. There¡¯s magic residue on the corpse and now your people are demanding that I participate in some public trial. What the hell, when did you become so civilized?¡± the other party exclaimed in agitation. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. The empire¡¯s courts haven¡¯t been established in Holy Tree City and ambassadors have judicial immunity,¡± Floral replied. ¡°But the mob and the Oak Council don¡¯t care about immunity. That b*tch spoke too much in the Canopy Temple and the family of the deceased made a public demand for justice in front of hundreds. Thanks to your previous policies, the hungry mob is now surrounding the embassy, waiting to tear me apart and feast on my flesh.¡± ¡°You have the Obliteration Tower¡¯s guards, why are you afraid?¡± Floral asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of them. No matter how many rioters come at me head-on. But this is Ravenwood, for god¡¯s sake. I can¡¯t defend against every poison-tipped arrow that might be hidden in the shadows of the shrubs.¡± Elaire gestured dramatically, his voice rising. ¡°When I went to retrieve the girl from the reception room, a few members of the Oak Council stopped me. They said I had to be judged by the Matriarch before I could take the witness away¡­¡± ¡°So?¡± Floral interrupted the other party¡¯s chatter. ¡°So what?¡± Elaire asked in confusion. ¡°So, did you really order those guards of yours to kill an innocent Forest Elf?¡± Chapter 275 - 275 Eighth Holy Spirits Treasure 275 Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s Treasure Floral¡¯s question made the other party fall silent for a moment before replying, ¡°A woman with saliva dripping from her mouth, baring her fangs and brandishing her claws can¡¯t be considered innocent, right? I was just defending myself.¡± ¡°Saliva dripping from her mouth, baring her fangs?¡± Floral repeated in confusion. ¡°Yes, I came out here to hunt and have a good time, but I ended up facing a rabid woman who seemed to be possessed. What did I do to deserve that? I could only get my guards to take action in such a situation,¡± the other party said. ¡°Then these mob allegations against you aren¡¯t baseless,¡± Floral concluded calmly. ¡°Allegations?¡± Elaire spread his arms, agitated. ¡°Where¡¯s the court here? Isn¡¯t the so-called judgment just hanging me from the World Tree for three days and three nights before letting that fellow who calls himself the Matriarch Listener go on a hallucinatory trip from drinking a potion and deciding my fate? Give me a break. If they carry out this farce, they can forget about any subsequent judgments. Three days hanging me upside down would kill me multiple times.¡± ¡°What I mean is that you had a choice. Even if a Forest Elf was crazed and ran at you, you shouldn¡¯t have killed her.¡± ¡°What was I supposed to do? High-five her and invite her to afternoon tea for a romantic relationship? Oh, her husband was there too.¡± ¡°I would have tried to control her and figure out the situation,¡± Floral replied patiently as if she was teaching a child. ¡°You would, but they can¡¯t. They only understand orders like ¡®come,¡¯ ¡®go,¡¯ ¡®protect,¡¯ and ¡®kill.¡¯ Therefore, I could only snap her neck before she rushed over and bit my neck off.¡± Elaire pointed at the silent black-robed guards behind him. Floral pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°At the end of the day, what do you want? For us to provide protection? To arrange for you to leave? Or something else?¡± ¡°I want you to use your authority as Ravenwood¡¯s dictator and get your subordinates to hand that girl over to me. In return, I¡¯ll leave this place and return to Platinum City politics. I¡¯ll never give you trouble in this scenic place with fresh air and simple people again. You can announce that you banished me or make up another reason to appease the citizens¡­¡± As he spoke, he made a V gesture towards Floral on the throne. ¡°Win-win.¡± However, Floral shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already struck a deal with Empress Erin. I want to keep the Blind Sisters leader here for three months for observation and analysis of her eyes.¡± The Emulated Eyes of God spell in Floral¡¯s Mage King Nation¡¯s magical circle was still in its early stages of development because it lacked a physical sample. ¡°Three months? That¡¯s a long time. Your citizens will tear down the embassy if I stay here that long,¡± Elaire exclaimed with a dramatic expression. ¡°I can arrange for you to return safely,¡± she replied coolly. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Speaker York is in charge of the Blind Sisters investigation and that¡¯s my reason for being here. If I don¡¯t bring the girl back to him, he¡¯ll send me to the Damon Continent as an ambassador at the next Senate meeting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your choice then. Wait here for three months or be sent to the Damon Continent,¡± Floral said. William couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the situation. The other party glared at him, as if he was making a mental note to seek revenge in the future. Then, he said to Floral with a serious expression, ¡°Let me remind you, it¡¯s impossible for you to keep that girl in Holy Tree City for three months.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take more than three months to analyze her eyes. You¡¯ll only need to hide in the embassy for a month or two. Do your best to stay alive till then.¡± William felt as though Floral might pat him on the shoulder if they were closer. ¡°What I mean is that you won¡¯t even have a week.¡± Floral¡¯s mockery didn¡¯t anger the other party at all. ¡°Oh? Why do you say that?¡± Regarding this, Elaire sighed softly and said, ¡°Do you know why the Platinum Palace is suppressing the Blind Sisters at an unprecedented level this year? And why Speaker York is personally in charge of it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here to give me your ¡®insider news,¡¯ right?¡± Floral sneered. ¡°Yes and no. Do you remember the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s divinity manifestation that caused chaos a few months ago?¡± ¡°Of course, I remember. The military rations being shipped to Swan Port and Greenwater Port every day serve as a constant reminder.¡± Elaire ignored the other party¡¯s complaints and took two steps forward. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°You need to understand that the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s supposed anger towards the Ava State is just political propaganda. But have you considered the reason behind this sudden large-scale divinity manifestation?¡± Having not paid much attention to the conversation, William¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. Could it be that the empire¡¯s brass have leaked news of my return to such a small fry? ¡°There¡¯s no point in thinking about such a question, right¡­ Wait, you mean¡­¡± Floral initially seemed half-interested, until she suddenly sat up straight, having seemingly realized something. ¡°Do you know the history of the Blind Sisters? Who founded it and what was its purpose?¡± William¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Was this organization somehow connected to him? And then he heard a familiar name. ¡°Sibylla Silence. Legend has it that if one possesses her eyes, they can open a path to World¡¯s End through a ritual known as Crown-Wearing. At World¡¯s End lies the infinite treasure of the Eighth Holy Spirit. Sibylla dug out her divine eyes to establish the Blind Sisters as protectors of the eyes, ensuring that the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s eternal slumber would not be disturbed.¡± ¡°But the legends of World¡¯s End and the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure are just drunken bard tales,¡± Floral said dismissively though it lacked confidence. ¡°Even the Adventurer Guild wouldn¡¯t believe such nonsense,¡± she added as if she was emphasizing. ¡°But what if someone is fanning the flames, making the legend sound even more ridiculous to conceal the truth? The more absurd it sounds, the further the rumors spread. And don¡¯t you find it coincidental that after the divinity manifestation, Speaker York announced the encirclement and suppression of the Blind Sisters at a Senate meeting?¡± Elaire replied. Elaire was smart, but he lacked the ability to control himself. He was too weak to protect himself, and Floral wouldn¡¯t be surprised that he would one day be digging his own grave. Floral thought as she looked at Elaire¡¯s smug expression. Then, she said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a pipe dream, but I¡¯ll write a letter to the empress and see what she thinks. If what you say is true, you can escort the girl with Sibylla¡¯s Eyes of God back to Platinum City early.¡± Elaire finally showed his noble upbringing, bowing perfectly in gratitude. ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that,¡± he said gratefully. William, who had been silent, spoke up. ¡°I have a few questions about this girl.¡± Chapter 276 - 276 Echoes of the Past (1) 276 Echoes of the Past (1) William watched the empire ambassador named Elaire leave after the unpleasant conversation, then turned to the throne and asked, ¡°Are you hiding something about the Blind Sisters?¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Floral asked from her throne without denying it. ¡°Your detection spell that emulates the Eyes of God, it couldn¡¯t have been developed without the relevant research information,¡± William said, recalling the spell he¡¯d seen. The Eyes of God was something even players couldn¡¯t obtain. It was like a developer¡¯s Easter egg or half an official cheat. Without the corresponding research, it was impossible to produce even a low-end version of it. ¡°Although you¡¯ve always said that the organization called the Blind Sisters is only a sewer rat, you must have obtained information from them through some channels, right? Are you in cahoots with them? Or did you take spoils of war from purging their faction?¡± William pressed on, not getting a response. After a moment of silence, Floral stood up from her throne, her magical medium in hand. ¡°Can I say that you¡¯re interested in the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure?¡± ¡°No,¡± William subconsciously replied¡ªit was his to begin with. It didn¡¯t seem right to say that he was interested. ¡°That¡¯s good. Over the centuries, many people have been obsessed with that treasure, but they¡¯ve all come up empty handed and frustrated. And those who came close to the truth didn¡¯t end well,¡± Floral warned as she walked down the steps and approached William. ¡°Does the so-called person who came close to the truth include you?¡± William asked. ¡°Of course not. I have a principle, never cause trouble you can¡¯t resolve,¡± she shook her head and replied. Really? That I really can¡¯t tell¡­ William was reminded of the instance when Floral had cast spells at him without any explanation. But she misinterpreted the change in his expression and reminded him in a friendly tone, ¡°The only person who has the evidence to find the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure at World¡¯s End and return alive is the empire¡¯s founding emperor, Terra Riel. He brought back a bronze crown as evidence of his identity as the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s descent.¡± Confused, William asked, ¡°But I thought Terra was born wearing the bronze crown?¡± Floral¡¯s ice-blue eyes locked onto William like searchlights as she stared at him in silence. Feeling awkward, William smiled and said, ¡°I guess that saying is pretty stupid.¡± ¡°It was necessary for the Blind Sisters to spread that rumor back then to add mystery to Terra¡¯s legend. A heavenly hero is more convincing than a common noble who fought his way to the top. Otherwise, Terra wouldn¡¯t have been able to conquer the entire continent in the chaos of that era,¡± Floral explained without mocking him. As she spoke, she walked past William and towards the door. ¡°Wait, are you saying that the Blind Sisters had publicized Terra¡¯s deeds?¡± William asked as he followed behind her. ¡°The first organization to propose the concept of the Eighth Holy Spirit and publicly worship William Kane was the Blind Sisters established by Sibylla. They helped Terra Riel conquer this empire on the faith front. However, after the empire was established, they were slandered and exiled because of the emperor¡¯s compromise with the Holy Spirits Church. Then, the Eighth Order they established was taken over by the Holy Spirits Church.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Floral slowly pushed open the heavy iron door with her slender wrist and replied to William, ¡°Just as you had guessed, I do have a deep relationship with the Blind Sisters. To put it simply, I have the same partner behind the scenes as them.¡± ¡°Erin Riel, the current empress. Thanks to that smartass, I finally understand what she wants. She hopes to follow in her ancestor¡¯s footsteps and make a pilgrimage to World¡¯s End to obtain the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure.¡± ¡­ The guards sprang into action at the sound of the disturbance. They held their weapons tight, ready for battle, as fear etched on their faces. The room was filled with the crackling energy of teleportation lightning and as the guards saw it hadn¡¯t fully dissipated, they lowered their weapons, relieved. With polite curiosity, they approached Nizemar and asked if the duke had teleported away. Nizemar regained her composure and offered a few vague explanations. The group shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the bizarre scene, and exited the room, leaving Nizemar confused. She had initially planned to overpower them and make a break for it with the child in tow. Chapter 277 - 277 Echoes of the Past (2) 277 Echoes of the Past (2) There¡¯s no reaction at all? What Nizemar didn¡¯t know was that these guards knew their place in the hierarchy¡ªthey were simply decorations meant to give the temple a regal appearance. The entire White Bone Castle was a temple built by the Holy Tree Duke. She could appear or disappear anywhere in the palace at any time. It was only one of her most inconspicuous powers. Although they were nominally guards guarding the Holy Tree Duke, they weren¡¯t much more useful than the vases placed along a corridor for decoration. The guards didn¡¯t bat an eye at the duke¡¯s disappearance from the reception room. At the very least, the thought that the duke had been dragged away didn¡¯t cross their minds. Just as Nizemar was marveling at the security of Holy Tree City, Elise suddenly asked, ¡°Did time just pause?¡± ¡°What?¡± Nizemar asked curiously. ¡°I can see the Threads of Time woven around me, and I noticed some of them breaking and reconnecting.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± From Nizemar¡¯s point of view, what had happened was very simple¡ªthe woman simply shattered the Sealed Magic rune in her hand and was teleported to the Presiding Judge¡¯s side after a struggle. It unfolded as expected, Nizemar thought as she lay back on the sofa. ¡°It¡¯s like cutting the rope before reconnecting it. There will always be knots where it reconnects.¡± Elise continued as she curled up in the corner. ¡°Of course, I understand the concept of cutting and reconnecting the rope, but what do you mean by the Threads of Time?¡± Nizemar asked distractedly. Nizemar couldn¡¯t shake off the thought that consumed her. She never imagined that the Holy Tree Duke could be a Divine Realm powerhouse¡­ Magic was a demanding practice, requiring all-consuming time and effort. As a result, current secular rulers weren¡¯t typically those who had invested heavily in magic. There had been a few exceptions, but their reigns were now remembered as the Kingless Era. Noble families, including the royal family, preferred to have their eldest sons inherit the throne and have their other children study magic to secure the family¡¯s future. If they lacked the talent, they often brought in outsiders through marriage or adopted orphans with magical abilities as godchildren. These individuals would inherit the family¡¯s magical knowledge and connections with the Astral Council. Nizemar couldn¡¯t believe that a duke could reach the Divine Realm. And, to make matters worse, the duke was very young. How did she find the time, resources, and connections to achieve this feat? Genius could explain the first two, but without connections to the Astral Council, significant progress in magic was almost impossible. ¡°It¡¯s a complicated explanation¡­ maybe it¡¯s something like this?¡± Elise scratched her head for a long time. Elise struggled to find the right words to describe what she had seen. But after much searching, she realized that there were no adequate words in her vocabulary to describe the incredible sights she had experienced. So, she decided to show Nizemar instead. Under Nizemar¡¯s puzzled gaze, she picked up the cold fruit tea cup from the coffee table that still had snow flakes in them, thanks to Floral¡¯s spell. She tipped the cup and snapped the Thread of Time with her finger. The iced tea stopped mid-air. ¡°Ah, it hurts!¡± After doing all of this, Elise retracted her finger in pain and blew at it. Nizemar was stunned as the girl pointed to the suspended teacup and cried out, ¡°That¡¯s it! Do you see it?¡± Almost at the same time, the cup shattered, sending shards and tea flying in every direction. After regaining her composure, Nizemar asked, ¡°¡­How did you do that?¡± She was aware of the forbidden magic that allowed for time manipulation, but it was only accessible to those in the Divine Realm. Yet, the girl¡¯s magical aura was no higher than an Apprentice¡¯s. She didn¡¯t answer her question, instead, she gazed at the spot where the cup had floated, muttering, ¡°As expected¡­ the Threads of Time will heal themselves. But what if the deviation from normal time caused the threads to become bloated? What can be stored inside those recesses?¡± ¡°Wait, your finger¡­¡± Although she didn¡¯t quite understand what the other party was talking about, Nizemar saw the other party¡¯s finger. It was purple and swollen, a clear sign of frostbite. She got up, ignoring the tea mess, and approached the girl. Nizemar took her hand and was about to use healing magic. The mana that had been flowing just a moment before suddenly vanished, as if it had never existed¡ªnot a result of dissipating or being absorbed. The frostbite on the other party¡¯s finger instantly healed. Nizemar carefully gazed up at the girl and found white eyes staring back at her. Although it sounded ridiculous, she found the gaze different from before. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I see the remnants of the Presiding Judge¡¯s magic. Are you one of his subordinates?¡± the other party spoke first. Nizemar was shocked at the mention of the Presiding Judge, and realized the other party was staring at the silver figurine on her chest. This girl was not Elise, but something else entirely. Before Nizemar could even think about how to respond, the other party continued. ¡°I have saved some information about Ravenwood Forest for the future. Make sure to remind that dimwit to gather more information from other places. I don¡¯t have much time. Ha, or maybe I have infinite time. Anyway, remember what I am about to tell you. Tell William later. This is critical for the safety of Currere, don¡¯t miss a single word! ¡°Nehe may he rest in peace. His plans to save Ravenwood in the past have failed completely. This is an incurable nation. It¡¯s not only because this used to be the birthplace of the Lady of Starvation, Camilla, but also because the Forest Elf ancestors committed unforgivable sins for their own selfish desires in the past¡­¡± Chapter 278 - 278 Shattered Time 278 Shattered Time Elise was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness as the scenery in front of her shifted dramatically. She stumbled, her hand on her head, until she regained her composure. The air was thick with the sickly sweet scent of mold and alcohol, and she quickly realized she was no longer in the luxurious reception room. Instead, she was in a dark, dank tree hole, surrounded by dry, cracking trees that reminded her of a shriveled mummy she¡¯d once seen at a circus. Wait¡­ And then it dawned on her. This was the normal, mortal world she¡¯d once known, before she¡¯d inherited the name ¡°Silence¡± and gained the Eyes of God. No longer could she see the magic woven through time, the colors of emotion, or the truth of all things. Instead, all she saw was the basic outline of objects, the material, color, perspective, and shadows. ¡°Are you Miss Elise?¡± Just as she was taking all this in, she heard a voice calling out her name. Fear stiffened her neck. She spun her head in fear to see a nun with an orange-yellow lantern in one hand and black cloth covering her eyes. The nun had a stern expression, and appeared ominous. ¡°Yes¡­ May I know who you are? Where am I?¡± she turned around warily and asked. ¡°The correct question is what period is it and why do you know me, Miss Elise.¡± said with a hint of malice in her voice. Her expression was stiff, like that of a dead person, and Elise feared that she might turn into a ghost and attack her at any moment. She shuffled her feet backwards, her breath held tight as she planned her escape. But just then, the other party suddenly raised her left hand and covered her mouth, giggling uncontrollably. ¡°Don¡¯t run away, or Lady Sibylla will give me a hard time when she returns.¡± Elise was taken aback by the nun¡¯s sudden change in demeanor. She cautiously asked, ¡°Do¡­ do you know me?¡± She was sure they had never met before. The girl stopped laughing and brushed off her elbows. ¡°Of course I know you, Elise Silence. The last leader of the sisterhood that Lady Sibylla can see. Since you don¡¯t know me, I guess this is our first meeting. Lucky me, huh?¡± The latter half of the sentence was obvious. Since she didn¡¯t know the other party, this was definitely the first time she was meeting her. Elise thought. The other party was speaking nonsense, chuckling as she went. Elise¡¯s mind was a jumbled mess, shattered clues trying to reassemble into some kind of coherent thought. She remembered the Threads of Time she had manipulated before losing consciousness. The illusions she had seen about the past, and the girl in front of her calling her the last leader of the Blind Sisters. The pieces of an extremely absurd puzzle slowly came together. As absurd as it sounded, Elise realized that her consciousness had somehow transmigrated through time, and was now living in the body of the first leader of the Blind Sisters, Sibylla Silence. The illusions Elise saw herself as Sibylla in her dreams, the ones she had always thought were just memories left behind, were now a reality for Elise. It was a truly unbelievable scenario, but she couldn¡¯t deny the evidence before her. Elise lifted her hands to her face, the scent of alcohol strong in her nostrils. Her callused hands were decorated with intricate tattoos, her chest was well-developed and her legs were slender. There was no denying it, her consciousness was definitely in Sibylla¡¯s body. As for Sibylla¡¯s consciousness¡­ it was probably transported to the era she was in? ¡°What era is this?¡± Elise gasped, disbelief etched on her face. ¡°How could I possibly know how future generations will describe our current era of chaos?¡± the girl shrugged and replied. ¡°What year is it?¡± Elise pressed on. A sly smile crossed the other party¡¯s face. ¡°Lady Sibylla thinks it¡¯s hundreds of years away from your time.¡± ¡°I need a specific year,¡± Elise demanded. Upon hearing this question, the other party immediately looked like she had taken the bait. Then, she deliberately sighed and said, ¡°This question is meaningless. You¡¯ll never understand that time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Although she knew that her question was exactly what the other party wanted, Elise couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°Because¡­ Alright, if you must know, it¡¯s the Platinum Calendar. ¡ö¡ö¡ö Year, ¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elise was certain she had heard a string of numbers, but then it slipped from her memory like a forgotten dream. Frustration filled her mind. ¡°That¡¯s a time that doesn¡¯t exist. Even if I tell you directly, your mind won¡¯t comprehend it,¡± the blindfolded girl said. ¡°What do you mean, time that doesn¡¯t exist? How can time not exist?¡± Elise asked, confused. ¡°It¡¯s complicated to explain,¡± the girl said, ¡°but basically, Lady Sibylla shattered the linear flow of time with her talent, creating infinite possibilities. You¡¯re in a confirmed future and we¡¯re in one of the infinite possibilities of the past.¡± ¡°But the past can¡¯t have infinite possibilities,¡± Elise subconsciously retorted. The so-called past must be something that had already been set in stone. ¡°That¡¯s true under the framework of causal time.¡± The other party nodded frankly. Then, she continued, ¡°But if we break that framework, the past might not be certain.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Elise gazed at the other party in confusion. ¡°Listen up, I¡¯ll break it down for you. You¡¯ve already figured out that your consciousness has temporarily switched with Lady Sibylla, right? It¡¯s all thanks to the power of the Eighth Holy Spirit and using the last name Silence and the Eyes of God as a medium. But, if you take the easy way out and commit suicide with Sibylla¡¯s body, she won¡¯t be able to pass down the Blind Sisters. Got it?¡± That wasn¡¯t all. This created an even greater paradox¡ªif the Blind Sisters didn¡¯t pass down their legacy because of Elise¡¯s suicide, how could she have the chance to time-travel back to be Sibylla in the first place? If William were here, he would have exclaimed that this was the grandmother¡¯s paradox. ¡°People often make the mistake of thinking that time is a linear thing, following the laws of cause and effect. But, under certain circumstances, time can show a different nature.¡± With the dim lantern in her hand, Elena led the way deeper into the tree hole. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll explain it all to you. Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I¡¯m Elena Kane. Lord Sibylla Silence¡¯s adopted daughter and future successor of the Blind Sisters. To you, I¡¯m a senior from the past.¡± The girl named Elena Kane said as she walked, ¡°In your understanding, time is exclusive, right? In other words, it¡¯s impossible for a person to be in two places at the same time.¡± Although the other party¡¯s back was facing her and she couldn¡¯t see, Elise subconsciously nodded and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But this is a limited perspective,¡± the girl named Elena corrected her bluntly. ¡°Time is stratified. It¡¯s not just a straightforward linear progression. There are endless cycles and eternal moments with countless possibilities that run parallel. And the purpose of our linear, causal time is to converge with eternal time and eliminate all other possibilities, leaving only one path to become reality. But Lady Sibylla, she shattered a certain period of time, creating countless parallel and even conflicting possibilities. ¡°Returning to the previous example, if you want to take your own life using Lady Sibylla¡¯s body, I won¡¯t stand in your way. I wouldn¡¯t recommend it, but I won¡¯t stop you. The fact is, Lady Sibylla can be dead and alive at the same time. She can be anywhere, and do anything. Right now, we¡¯re in a state of countless possibilities. No temporal paradox can touch us. No matter how many times we die, we won¡¯t stop existing.¡± Elise struggled to keep up with the other person¡¯s words. She was filled with confusion and had another question. ¡°Then why did she do this?¡± Elise couldn¡¯t understand why Lady Sibylla would give up her uniqueness. Humans were creatures that lived in a causal world, and they had an innate exclusiveness, even when it came to other possibilities that shared the same body and soul. The thought of their existence being replaced filled them with fear. But Elena simply sighed and said, ¡°On the one hand, Lady Sibylla¡¯s experiment is about the connection between time, creation, and eternal gods. On the other hand, her fate is inevitable, and she wants to leave as much information as possible for the future Eighth Holy Spirit before her time is up. That¡¯s what she told me.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Elise pressed on. The other person was silent. Only when they reached the end of the tree hole and stopped in front of a transparent barrier covered in frost, did she finally speak. ¡°Why are you asking me that? You already know my last name.¡± Chapter 279 - 279 A Hasty Glance 279 A Hasty Glance As they stepped out of the hall, William proposed they visit the reception room and retrieve his subordinate, Nizemar. Without hesitation, Floral agreed. But she refrained from using her Mage King Nation powers to teleport them both there. She wasn¡¯t ready to let her guard down around William, a formidable magic chanter. Teleportation spells could easily be altered, and without the support of the temple, she would be no match for William. The two of them strolled down the lengthy White Bone Castle corridor in silence. As they approached their destination, William suddenly posed a question. ¡°May I ask about the contract you signed with the Lady of Starvation? Destroying the World Tree¡¯s core doesn¡¯t seem to be in your best interest?¡± As the Holy Tree Duke of the Emerald Province, Floral didn¡¯t need to take such drastic measures to destroy the foundation of Forest Elf culture even if she had a fervent belief in the superiority of the empire¡¯s system over the Forest Elf traditions. ¡°Will you abandon this deal if I don¡¯t give you a reason that satisfies you?¡± Floral asked. ¡°No,¡± William answered simply. He wasn¡¯t truly interested in helping Floral destroy the World Tree¡¯s core regardless of the reason. He was merely curious. Years ago, William had used the Lady of Starvation¡¯s power to destroy half of the World Tree¡¯s core to stop the Luxuriant Calamity, but it had led to a long period of corruption and pollution in Ravenwood Forest. During the Moon Realm crisis, Camilla even used the pollution to expedite her invasion of Currere. If William went through with destroying all the cores, who knew what would happen. However, after this brief interaction, William sensed that Floral wasn¡¯t someone who could be forced into submission. He had other motives for going along with the deal. Floral shrugged and replied, ¡°Consider it a personal interest. Likewise, I can view your proposal as simply wanting to hear the sound of a big portal closing.¡± This way, both of them avoided delving into each other¡¯s reasons and treated it as a simple exchange of interests. She didn¡¯t finish her sentence. She strode past the guards guarding the door of the reception room with a sense of urgency. Their respectful greetings fell on deaf ears as she grabbed the doorknob and pushed open the door. ¡°My time is running out. Remember to tell Lord William the stakes. Sacrifices are inevitable. This sin has been accumulating for millennia and there¡¯s no escape from it. Even with Lord William¡¯s help, stopping this disaster and Ravenwood¡¯s destruction will be difficult. Focus on stopping the spread of this disaster to maintain the stability of reality and save more lives.¡± As she pushed open the door, William was greeted by the sound of a young female voice. He turned to see a teenage girl, sitting on a leather sofa with her back to him, speaking to Nizemar. Nizemar looked at him, clearly taken aback. ¡°Presiding Judge, you¡¯re here¡­¡± After a brief moment of surprise, Nizemar hurriedly stood up. Then, she kept glancing between William and the girl in front of her. The moment she heard Nizemar say ¡®Presiding Judge,¡¯ William noticed that the girl¡¯s shoulders trembled involuntarily. William couldn¡¯t help but compare her reaction to a student who was caught gaming in class. ¡°Were you talking about something amazing?¡± William asked, trying to piece together the situation. He turned to Floral and pointed at the girl. ¡°Is she the next leader chosen by the Blind Sisters? This girl named Elise Silence?¡± Floral nodded. ¡°Then, would you mind if I talk to her alone?¡± William asked. Floral pivoted her gaze toward William. ¡°So, are you still interested in the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure? Is that why you asked to come to the reception room first?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not why. The truth is¡­¡± But before he could finish his sentence, Nizemar interrupted with a pointed finger, her expression one of oddity. ¡°Presiding Judge, I think you should know that this girl claims to be¡­¡± As she spoke, the girl slowly turned to face William, her ghostly white eyes meeting his. Nizemar stopped mid-sentence, as if realizing the implications of what she was about to say. William was struck by the girl¡¯s eyes. He felt as though she wasn¡¯t real, like a fleeting shadow or an echo in an empty valley. Though she was standing in front of him, her aura was illusory, almost as if she had never existed. The last time he felt this way was at the Black Crow Gaze, when he participated in the birth ritual of the King of Hope and Despair. Back then, as he gave up his chance to become the 14th Void Sovereign and chose to use the power of the Seed of Hope to revive Blake, he saw illusions that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. ¡°I knew that you¡¯ll be back.¡± The girl said something inexplicable to him. Before William could respond, she added, ¡°This is all I can do in the past. You¡¯ll have to handle the future, Lord William.¡± With those words, she leaned back, closing her eyes as if her mission was complete. Nizemar rushed to her side, catching her and gently placing her on the couch, checking her vital signs. William stood at the door for a long time, silent and thoughtful. After Nizemar confirmed that the girl¡¯s heartbeat and breathing were stable, she finally asked, ¡°You were about to say who this young lady claims to be?¡± ¡°¡­Sibylla Silence from the past. She wants to relay some very urgent news about Ravenwood Forest through me.¡± Chapter 280 - 280 40 Million 280 40 Million ¡°Ravenwood could be pulled into the Lake of Entropy at any moment?¡± William summarized Nizemar¡¯s words. The other party nodded in confirmation. ¡°All Reborn Sovereigns, except for the Newborn Sovereigns, must cut off a piece of Currere to anchor Their existence and expand Their domain in the Moon Realm. The Lady of Starvation performed a ritual in Ravenwood and became a Void Sovereign. But instead of turning Ravenwood into an empty sea like the Ruins of Orsis, She created a lone lake in the Moon Realm, the Lake of Entropy.¡± Nizemar continued nodding. In other words, Camilla still had claims over Ravenwood. William thought and concluded, ¡°A thousand years ago, two rulers of Ravenwood died at the same time, giving the Lady of Starvation an opportunity. She planned on infiltrating Currere again by replacing the World Tree¡¯s worship totem with Her symbol using Her remaining worshipers. She almost succeeded, but Nehe discovered Her scheme at the last moment. He didn¡¯t help Her, but for nearly committing a heinous sin, he chose to exile himself.¡± Why does that unlucky child always encounter such matters? William couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Then, he turned his gaze to the sleeping girl and asked, ¡°And now¡­ this girl who inherited the Eyes of God and claims that Sibylla exchanged consciousness with her¡­ from different times told you all of this?¡± Nizemar nodded gravely. After a moment of silence, William asked, ¡°You chatted with her for quite some time. Do you think it¡¯s real? Nizemar looked into William¡¯s eyes and replied almost immediately, ¡°My intuition tells me it¡¯s most likely true.¡± ¡°Wait, let me think it through¡­¡± William rubbed his temples as he felt that his brain was overloaded. After a long time, he roughly sorted out his thoughts. ¡°We¡¯ll verify it later. Let¡¯s assume it¡¯s true for now. The two most important questions are, what conditions does Camilla need to fulfill to pull Ravenwood into the Moon Realm.¡± Such matters definitely required extremely harsh conditions to be completed. Otherwise, the other party would have done so long ago and wouldn¡¯t have waited until now. However, from another perspective, as long as they could strictly prevent that condition from being fulfilled, wouldn¡¯t it be easy to foil the Lady of Starvation¡¯s wishful thinking? ¡°Did the girl mention anything? Is there a ritual to be completed?¡± William asked. Nizemar immediately replied, ¡°There¡¯s a ritual, but the ritual itself is easy. Even someone without magic skills can do it with the right tools. What¡¯s really hard is the preparation¡ªit requires a sea of tired and old souls as fuel.¡± ¡°A sea? How much specifically?¡± William pressed. ¡°According to Sibylla¡¯s calculations¡­ we¡¯re talking about 40 million souls.¡± William couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. The souls of 40 million elders? The Vic Continent was a world of magic, but it still lived in a time between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The population wasn¡¯t dense. It was impossible to gather 40 million old souls from the entire continent, even if one included Ava State and the Damon Continent. Now, the other party told him that this ritual needed the souls of 40 million elders gathered in Ravenwood to be burned? Wasn¡¯t this a joke? There were only over a million Forest Elves. William noticed that Nizemar didn¡¯t relax when she said this number. ¡°Wait¡­ You were talking about the sins of the Forest Elf ancestors, weren¡¯t you?¡± William felt his scalp tingle when he thought of a possibility¡­ If that was the case, the Forest Elves were the only ones who could gather 40 million old souls. This was because most of the Forest Elves weren¡¯t truly dead. Instead, they became a part of Ravenwood Forest. At least a third of the forest is the result of the treeification of old Forest Elves over the millennia. ¡­ After countless failed attempts to dismantle the barrier, Elise finally gave up. She reluctantly acknowledged that the barrier set up by the Frost Lich Nehe was too much for an ordinary person with ordinary magical abilities like herself, even with the use of Sibylla¡¯s body. ¡°Even if we can open this barrier and take out Nehe¡¯s phylactery, it won¡¯t change anything. We¡¯re in shattered time. Once we¡¯re pulled back to causal time, we¡¯ll be abandoned as an unneeded possibility. We¡¯ll never have existed,¡± Elise said, defeated. ¡°You want to correct a mistake made centuries ago and everything will be fine in the future? If time can really change, Currere will be no different from the stagnant Realm of Light. A world without surprises is a world without regrets.¡± As Elena spoke, she looked around and found a root that looked sturdy enough to sit down. Then, she comforted her, ¡°Just bring the information back to your era. That will be enough.¡± ¡°But what about all the people who will die in the next few centuries and their tortured souls?¡± Elise lamented. ¡°For us, it¡¯s the future, but for you, it¡¯s already destined history. Save your sadness for when everything is over. You may not even have the right to be sad in the future.¡± With that said, Elena clapped her hands twice, to bring Elise back to reality. Elise came back to her senses and replied, ¡°Oh¡­ Let¡¯s continue discussing the Lady of Starvation. I¡¯ll take note of everything.¡± ¡°Where was I? Oh, right, about Her true authority. The Lady of Starvation¡¯s true authority is the concept of wear and tear. Corruption, festering, hunger, and withering are only the surface of Camilla¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°Wear and tear?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said, it¡¯s all about the cycle in Currere. Life and death, day and night, the seasons, everything. It¡¯s all like a wheel, turning and shaping the course of history. But as the wheel turns, it¡¯ll eventually wear down. That¡¯s where Camilla comes in. That¡¯s why the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Moon Realm is also known as the Lake of Entropy, symbolizing the inevitability for things to disappear,¡± Elena explained. ¡°But does understanding this directly help in foiling Her plan?¡± Elise asked. ¡°It can provide us with ideas. So-called wear and tear come from things stripped from a system that¡¯s still in motion. Back to the previous example, She¡¯s in charge of all the scraps that fall off the wheel, but She doesn¡¯t want to completely destroy it. That¡¯s the job of the Ruin Demon God, Ordin.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Nothing can damage charred wheels. No signs of wear and tear. No rot will seep into the ashes. The only way to halt Camilla¡¯s progress is¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Therefore, the best way to stop Camilla is¡­¡± William said as he looked at Floral. ¡°Burn the entire Ravenwood Forest to ashes.¡± Chapter 281 - 281 Origins (Part 1) 281 Origins (Part 1) ¡°Hold up¡­¡± Floral, who had remained quiet during the explanation of the plan to incinerate Ravenwood Forest, finally spoke up just as William anticipated. The suddenness of the situation prevented William from sending away the Holy Tree Duke of Emerald Province after he entered the room. Instead, he allowed her to listen in on the conversation. Despite feeling unsure about revealing all the details in front of an outsider, William realized that since she had already heard some of it, he may as well let her hear everything. He figured that as the ruler of Ravenwood, she might provide some valuable information. ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± he asked. Floral was taken aback by William¡¯s words, struggling to find the right words. She stood on the sidelines, silently listening in on the conversation. The usual composure and calmness she exuded with her strength, was now gone. She had lost it completely. The information being shared was beyond shocking, with nearly every 20 words sending a shiver down her spine. She felt as if all the shock she could handle in a lifetime had been used up in this one moment. Numbness took over, and her mind shut down, unable to process any more. But then, William, the man his subordinate had called, made a statement that jolted her back to reality. He spoke of burning the entire Ravenwood Forest to ashes. The shock was like an electric shock, and her thoughts came flooding back. What did he mean by ¡°what¡¯s the issue?¡± Talking about burning the entire forest to ashes in front of her¡ªthat was a huge problem! Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to sound calm. ¡°Your plan to burn Ravenwood to ashes¡­¡± ¡°No need to panic, it¡¯s just a hunch for now. We need to confirm the truth first,¡± William interjected, trying to calm her down. On the one hand, the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s reputation was at stake. Talking about burning her country to ashes in front of her was disrespectful and he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of it. But on the other hand, he couldn¡¯t afford to anger Ravenwood Forest, no matter how convincing the girl claimed to be Sibylla from the past. Even if Nizemar believed her to be truthful, William couldn¡¯t act impulsively. What if this was all just a ploy by a Void Sovereign who thrived on chaos and drama? Even if Sibylla had indeed left the information for him, there was no way to be certain that her investigation from centuries ago was accurate. He wouldn¡¯t even entertain the idea of taking such a drastic step until he had irrefutable proof. Floral said in a trembling voice, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± William turned his head and stared into the other party¡¯s blue eyes. He asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that the Lady of Starvation can use 40 million old souls to descend,¡± Floral replied. William became serious. He turned to face the other party, crossing his fingers over his thigh. Then, he asked, clearly enunciating every word, ¡°So, where¡¯s the evidence?¡± ¡°I can provide proof later, but what I need to know now is this: Are you going to burn Ravenwood Forest to the ground?¡± Floral didn¡¯t back down, meeting William¡¯s intense gaze head-on. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but I know it¡¯s not my first choice,¡± William replied frankly. William understood that the Forest Elves, who had been fully transformed into trees, still retained their consciousness. If he went through with the plan. The thought of having his hands stained with the sap of 40 million lives was unbearable¡­ William didn¡¯t think that he could keep up such ways of thinking and treat the lives in this world as true lives in the future. But what worried William even more was the idea that if he went through with such a heinous act, he would have to convince himself every day that what he had experienced was just data, just a game that seemed incredibly real. But, William couldn¡¯t ignore the other side of the scale. He knew that sometimes, even if it made you a lunatic and a butcher, someone had to make the tough call. ¡°So, you won¡¯t rule it out either?¡± Floral asked in confirmation. ¡°If it¡¯s the only way,¡± William admitted, shrugging helplessly. He needed answers, and he wouldn¡¯t waste any more time playing games. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. Whose side are you on?¡± William was done playing games. He had already laid out his cards and wasn¡¯t planning on continuing the probing game with this woman. The half-holiday trip to Emerald Province had taken a dark turn. The information left behind by Sibylla was like a prelude to the storm that was about to hit. The secular power struggles and control over Emerald Province were no match for the impending danger. William knew that the arrival of the Lady of Starvation was a matter of grave importance. He had to take it seriously. ¡°Whose side are you on?¡± Floral seemed puzzled. ¡°You previously said that you signed a contract with the Lady of Starvation,¡± William reminded. As he spoke, he began to prepare spells in his ether domain. ¡°I need Her strength to destroy the core of the World Tree, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m Her slave,¡± Floral replied. ¡°If you¡¯re familiar with the Moon Realm, you should know that the two are interchangeable.¡± In the annals of time, many foolish souls believed they could harness the strength of the Moon Realm. But, in the end, they only became mere footnotes in the annals of the Void Sovereigns¡¯ seductive powers. ¡°Like how you wielded the Blade of Rot, using the power of the Lady of Starvation, to destroy half of the World Tree¡¯s core?¡± Floral challenged William. William remained silent, unable to come up with an explanation. He eventually decided to change the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about me. Once again, what¡¯s your motivation for destroying the World Tree¡¯s core? You can¡¯t just say it¡¯s for personal gain,¡± pressed William. ¡°Heavens, so you¡¯re really William Kane?¡± Floral gasped, taken aback when he didn¡¯t deny her accusation. Though she had a hunch about his identity from the way Nizemar and the others addressed him, she still couldn¡¯t believe it. It wasn¡¯t until she saw William¡¯s nonchalant behavior and responses that she was certain. ¡°If I¡¯m not him, perhaps you can try finding someone else who can use Inverse Entropy.¡± William shrugged and asked once more, ¡°So, what¡¯s your true motive for destroying the World Tree¡¯s core?¡± Floral hesitated for a moment before finally revealing a truth that would shake the Forest Elves¡¯ faith to the core. ¡°The Lady of Starvation, Camilla, used to be a Forest Elf. She could very well be the first Forest Elf in history. And the so-called World Tree is actually a body she formed when she was mortal.¡± Chapter 282 - 282 Origins (Part 2) 282 Origins (Part 2) ¡°The birthplace of Camilla, the Lady of Starvation, was Ravenwood. According to history, the Void Sovereign should have risen during the Bronze Age. At that time, a human tribe living in Ravenwood worshiped the Beast Lord and, like all other humans on the Vic Continent, they discovered ceremonial magic through sacrifices and gained the power of the ancient gods, producing their first Authority holder.¡± Floral remembered the tales her human parents had shared with her about the Forest Elves and Camilla¡¯s origin. ¡°They used this newfound power to establish their own kingdom in this fertile land. But their plans were cut short by a disaster that wiped out their entire civilization.¡± ¡°What kind of disaster?¡± William couldn¡¯t help but ask. He had never heard of humans living in Ravenwood from all the documents he had read. ¡°The arrival of the Ava State elven colonists.¡± ¡°Do you mean that the ancestors of the Forest Elves killed all the humans in Ravenwood?¡± William asked hesitantly. It made sense, considering the Ava State¡¯s elven civilization during the Bronze Age had already developed a classical magic system. Most humans on the Vic Continent were only at the level of a tribal society and relied heavily on a few Authority holders for their strength. When colonists with advanced weapons and organizational skills arrived on a new continent, it was inevitable that they would use their power to show their superiority against the barbarians in the most barbaric way possible. William shook his head and said, ¡°No, there¡¯s no mention of this in history. Not only is there no record in Forest Elf history, but there¡¯s no mention of it in surrounding human kingdoms either. The original Ravenwood Forest was a land contaminated by the undead. It wasn¡¯t until the Forest Elf ancestors arrived and purified the land that it became a thriving forest.¡± ¡°Yes, and according to the Blackwater Kingdom¡¯s records from the same era, the west of Nakuland was a desolate land of death. The Second Phoenix Dynasty¡¯s Fate Tablet mentions a foul and rotten swamp south of the Withering Desert. Even the Ava State¡¯s archives mention the first elven colonists being attacked by the undead in Ravenwood Forest,¡± Floral admitted with a nod. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that prove to show¡­¡± William, Floral, Nizemar, and Elise stepped out of the reception room and hit the trail leading to the World Tree. Floral was determined to convince them all that the Lady of Starvation had been born in Ravenwood and that there was a way to stop her without destroying the entire forest. The journey to the White Bone Castle was long, but Floral made the most of it by filling William and the rest in on Ravenwood¡¯s history. According to her, this was the result of decades of research done by her adoptive parents in the Platinum Ring of the Emerald Province and their findings were rock solid. She hadn¡¯t said much before William found many inconsistencies with her story. The official lore, developer interviews, and world breakdowns he had come across all painted a different picture of Ravenwood¡¯s origins. They claimed that Ravenwood used to be a dark and desolate place, overrun by the undead. The land was uninhabitable before the elves of Ava State arrived and made it their own. There was even a widely circulated saying¡ªthe spells of the undead that later dominated the Blackwater Swamp had their roots in Ravenwood. ¡°The truth becomes a fact only when it¡¯s spread far and wide. Do you think our ancestors would have wanted the truth about their slaughter of humans to be passed down as historical fact?¡± Floral asked with a straight face. William retorted, ¡°The Forest Elves may be capable of rewriting their history books, but what about the historical records of the neighboring human kingdoms? They all describe Ravenwood as a land of death.¡± The Forest Elves could at most whitewash their records. It was impossible for them to whitewash the historical records of the surrounding human kingdoms. According to Floral, Ravenwood was once a paradise before the elven colonists arrived and committed genocide against the humans and claimed the land for themselves. But William had always understood that Ravenwood was plagued by the undead since the first recorded history of the different civilizations. He believed the elven colonists used their power to purify Ravenwood before settling down. The two tales were conflicting, and one had to be true and the other false. ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain. Both facts are true,¡± Floral replied. ¡°Ravenwood is both a contaminated land filled with the undead and a thriving forest. The Forest Elves¡¯ ancestors murdered the human natives and purified the undead contamination. Both truths exist at the same time, but only one became the accepted fact in history.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Nizemar, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up. ¡°Why not? Haven¡¯t you seen it for yourself?¡± Floral¡¯s gaze shifted to Elise, who looked drowsy. Nizemar led her along as Floral spoke. ¡°When Camilla became the Lady of Starvation, Her power shattered time and the World Shell. Ravenwood was split into two separate origins. One was filled with endless undead pollution, a land of death that no living being could survive. The other was a vibrant forest teeming with life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that Ravenwood was split into two different versions because of Her?¡± Nizemar asked in confusion. She was no stranger to the inner workings of the Dawn Fortress, the headquarters of the all-powerful Presiding Judge of Judgment. In the aftermath of the Moon Realm¡¯s fusion with Currere, the world was divided into numerous levels. And as soon as she heard the details, she was transported back in time to the moment when Currere and Black Crow Gaze became one within the walls of the Dawn Fortress. ¡°No,¡± William suddenly said. ¡°What she¡¯s trying to say is that Ravenwood had two distinct existences in the past. However, these possibilities eventually converged into the reality that exists now. It¡¯s like, you know¡­¡± William trailed off, leaving the comparison hanging in the air. It¡¯s like choosing the starting point of a game¡­ A character¡¯s race and class determined their birthplace and initial quest. But no matter what starting point they chose, they were ultimately limited until they stumbled upon the Twilight Fortress and found themselves leading the Doomsday Watchers. Chapter 283 - 283 Origins (Part 3) 283 Origins (Part 3) William couldn¡¯t shake the memory of the moment he used the Seed of Hope to reverse causality and bring Blake back to life. As he did so, he saw countless possibilities of Blake¡¯s death play out in front of him¡ªsome of which he¡¯d never even encountered in his ¡®William Kane¡¯ saves. It was as if those conflicting possibilities existed simultaneously, much like the two different origins of Ravenwood Forest. But once a choice was made and time moved linearly, only one possibility became the truth of history. However, this historical truth didn¡¯t seem impossible to change. William had already seen it happen with Blake¡¯s resurrection through the use of the Seed of Hope. Camilla had already become a Void Sovereign, but She could still leave a body called the World Tree in Currere. Could it be that powerful forces in the Moon Realm can shatter linear time? Is it even possible to reconstruct the past and future? William mused to himself. An unsettling thought began to gnaw at him. This timeline he found himself in was the result of countless choices, deaths, and reloads made in his OCD quest for a perfect ending. But if Blake, Sibylla, Camilla, and other Void Sovereigns all had conflicting possibilities during the shattering of time, could William¡¯s failed timelines from the past also exist? Could they be used to change the current truth of history? No¡­ It wasn¡¯t just the ¡®William Kane¡¯ save. Could all of his past saves also exist in shattered time? He¡¯d already seen Blake¡¯s death play out in different saves. And was he the only one living as William Kane? Or was he, as a transmigrator, viewing this world from a higher narrative level? ¡­ ¡°My adoptive parents were once members of the Platinum Ring. They were tasked with hunting down the Blind Sisters and it was through their findings that I discovered the truth about the Forest Elf history.¡± Floral gazed up at the towering tree, her voice laced with mystery. William was intrigued, eager to learn more about her adoptive parents, especially her last name, Kane. But he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the more pressing matter at hand. He needed to know about the Lady of Starvation. Family gossip could wait. ¡°Tell me what you know,¡± William urged. ¡°The humans who once lived here worshiped a powerful deity named the Beast Lord. He was the god of hunting and wild beasts, born from Ravenwood¡¯s hunting civilization. According to the Holy Spirits Church, he was a mixture of the two Holy Spirits, Father and Youth. And, if some of the cruel blood sacrifice rituals are to be believed, he may have even been influenced by the King of Deathblood.¡± ¡°Hold up, did they only worship Father and Youth?¡± William noticed that something was amiss. If Ravenwood Forest had been a thriving forest in the past, there was no reason for the local residents to not have a belief in the Holy Spirit, Mother. In fact, every primitive faith on the Vic Continent had legends of the Mother Goddess who gave life to humans. ¡°Are you very curious why there¡¯s no allegory of the Mother Goddess?¡± ¡°Even in the death-themed Blackwater Swamp myths, there¡¯s an image of the God of Life. Although her status in myths is low, she appears as Death Vera¡¯s maid and can¡¯t even resonate her power through ceremonial magic¡­ But at least there are records,¡± William nodded and said. ¡°That¡¯s because the image of the Mother was completely abandoned by the human tribes in Ravenwood Forest.¡± ¡°Abandoned?¡± William asked in confusion. ¡°It was destroyed and forgotten out of fear,¡± Floral stated. ¡°But why were they afraid of the Mother Goddess who brings life?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the image of a Mother Goddess isn¡¯t always just a benevolent and kind mother. In other places, it¡¯s due to the harsh environment or limited survival resources. Newborn lives are delicate and valuable, so the Mother Goddess is depicted as gentle. At most, she¡¯s like the Stormland myths. As the wife-in-arms of the Stormland God King, she shows her harsh side, but only towards enemies. However, in Ravenwood, life is abundant, not scarce. The threat to their survival comes from the unknown depths of the forest, not limited resources. That¡¯s why the Mother Goddess in local myths has a terrifying side.¡± Floral said as she looked at William. William could sense a smile behind Floral¡¯s veil. ¡°Because the land is too prosperous, She will consume Her children and return them to their mother.¡± The Beast Lord, who taught humans how to hunt, brought light to the settlement in the forest with his lightning and fire. But in the dark, uncharted depths of the forest, to humans just starting civilization, the forest was like a giant, all-consuming mouth that swallowed countless lives who ventured into it, returning them to where they came from. ¡°So, before the image of the Mother was established as a mythical entity, humans abandoned and forgot about Her,¡± William concluded and continued asking, ¡°But if She was forgotten, there shouldn¡¯t be any records left. How did you learn about all this?¡± ¡°That brings us to today¡¯s main topic¡­ The elven colonists from Ava State found the deepest part of the forest and retrieved the image of the Mother in order to fully occupy the land.¡± The elven colonists from Ava State were weakening, losing the blessings of their souls. They also weren¡¯t willing to surrender their transcendent powers and become mortal, living no longer than a hundred years. That would be detrimental to the construction of their civilization. The only way to reverse their fate was to find another existence to bless them. ¡°They refused to believe in the Beast Lord, like the local natives, because they feared being controlled by humans, or even worse, becoming human themselves,¡± Floral explained. ¡°So, when they discovered the abandoned Mother faith in the forest, they summoned Her back to make up for their fading blessings. Many things happened after that, but in the end, they succeeded. The Mother they summoned became the embryonic form of the future Matriarch.¡± Chapter 284 - 284 Her Birth 284 Her Birth ¡°So¡­ what does this have to do with the Lady of Starvation?¡± William asked. ¡°The first and only Authority holder of the Matriarch was Camilla, who was forced to participate in the resonance of ceremonial magic because she met most of the conditions. And can you guess what this ritual involved?¡± Floral questioned. William hesitated for a moment. He wasn¡¯t thinking about the answer to the question. Instead, he was preparing himself for the answer. He felt uneasy about the answer he had in mind. ¡°Eating her own child.¡± Finally, he gave the answer. According to the mythical image of the Matriarch, this could be said to be the only possibility. ¡°To be precise, she ate all her children. She was the proud mother of two sons and a daughter, a record-breaking number among the elf settlers with their limited fertility. Ironically, the reason she fled Ava State? She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her own flesh and blood being ripped away from her because of their last name,¡± Floral added. Alright, at the very least, this wish was fulfilled¡­ William thought and said, ¡°Weren¡¯t the elves afraid of Camilla¡¯s retaliation after she gained the authority?¡± ¡°Mr. William, these were High Elves who had crossed the sea from Ava State, not humans still stuck in superstition. To them, carrying out the ceremonial magic wasn¡¯t about creating a king, it was about creating a tool they could control. They had plenty of ways to restrict Camilla¡¯s power and treat her like a tool.¡± ¡°But they eventually lost control over the tool,¡± William pointed out, referring to the birth of the Lady of Starvation. ¡°So how did they lose control?¡± ¡°The Forest Elf ancestors knew they had to take control of Camilla¡¯s immense power when she became the Matriarch. So, they put in place strict restrictions in the initial contract. Camilla was treeified, limiting her mobility, and only a chosen priest could channel her power. But the Elves, who were outsiders, the Children of Fire and Mist, not the Children of Earth and Wind, almost wiped out the native humans with Matriarch¡¯s power. The Matriarch¡¯s desire for her children to return to her and her rule was not directed at the Elves, but at the humans, setting the stage for a terrifying disaster. Yet, as the Elves carried out their plan of ethnic cleansing, they overlooked a crucial detail¡ªa key matter that would come back to haunt them.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± William asked. ¡°Only when a handful of humans were left after the Ravenwood massacre did they have a realization that shook their very existence to the core. They understood that if the human lineage was wiped out, the human gods would become inanimate. These elven colonists didn¡¯t believe in the Matriarch or the Beast Lord, and if the faith in the ancient gods were lost, They would cease to exist.¡± ¡°So they reared those humans as a fulcrum for the existence of their gods?¡± ¡°Leaving behind human bloodlines for them to continue reproducing? Absolutely not. They couldn¡¯t guarantee that this wouldn¡¯t spiral out of control in the future. They needed a solution that would ensure the power of their gods would be passed down forever. So, they came up with a plan to treeify those humans and trap their souls in bodies where time passed slowly. And with that, those humans were left behind and became the first batch of plants in the Holy Forest. Camilla personally completed the conversion, which allowed her to complete her own final transformation.¡± Floral stopped and looked at William. ¡°What¡¯s the Lady of Starvation¡¯s apotheosis ritual?¡± William asked when the other party didn¡¯t continue. ¡°It involves slowly destroying a complete country or race and collecting their deaths as fuel for the ritual. But you can¡¯t completely eradicate them. Instead, you have to make sure the basic framework of their existence remains intact,¡± Floral replied slowly. If the Forest Elf ancestors had wiped out all the humans in Ravenwood, the concept of ¡®wear and tear¡¯ would have led to complete extinction, causing the ritual to fail. On the other hand, if they had allowed the humans to continue living and reproducing, giving rise to a new generation with a chance of prosperity, but not pushing them to the brink of destruction, the ritual would also have failed. Under these harsh conditions, Camilla had unintentionally gathered all the requirements to complete the ritual. However, there are still some things I need to figure out¡­ ¡°Hold on¡­ I understand the ritual itself, but what about the materials needed, the Origin of the Moon, and who crowned Her as the Void Sovereign? You haven¡¯t mentioned any of this.¡± Floral asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the Origin of the Moon? Why does someone have to crown Her?¡± William rubbed his temples. It looks like there are a lot of problems to be solved¡­ Floral picked up on William¡¯s silence and assumed that he didn¡¯t believe her story. She quickened her pace and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just go to the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple first. I¡¯ll show you evidence that will prove what I told you.¡± She led the way up a staircase made of branches and vines, heading towards a tree hole in the center of the tree. The guards immediately bowed when they saw Floral and one of them holding a bone spear with a venomous snake tattoo on both his arms said, ¡°Your Grace, Lord Garet is waiting for you at the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple.¡± ¡°Has he dealt with his son?¡± Floral asked and turned her head slightly, glancing at Elise, the successor of the Blind Sisters. Garet Wolfspeak was one of Floral¡¯s closest and most trusted subordinates. He was the former leader of the Wolfspeak tribe and was the only one who publicly declared his support for her before she rose to power. After taking over, Floral placed Garet in an important position, making him the second-in-command in the entire Emerald Province. With Floral focusing on magic training and research, Garet was in charge most of the time. However, Garet¡¯s son, Quayle Wolfspeak, was rebellious and had joined the underground resistance of Ravenwood, making connections with anti-imperial organizations across the continent, including the Blind Sisters. ¡°Lord Garet has arrested his son for anti-imperial crimes,¡± the guard said awkwardly. ¡°He wants you to preside over the death penalty ritual as a warning to others,¡± the guard replied awkwardly to Floral¡¯s question. ¡°That fellow¡­¡± Floral sighed slightly and said, ¡°Understood, we¡¯ll be right there.¡± Chapter 285 - 285 Father and Son 285 Father and Son Ebony looked at the wolf-faced tattooed youth tied up in front of the Seven Holy Spirits statue and turned to Garet Wolfspeak, the middle-aged man sitting nearby with his eyes closed. ¡°Mr. Garet, according to tradition, I think we should go through the Oak Council¡¯s trial process first.¡± Garet Wolfspeak, the second-in-command of the Emerald Province and the clerk who handled all Forest Elf matters, had barged into the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple with a few Wild Hunt warriors. Ebony had initially thought there was a leak and he needed to fall out with the duke, but he soon realized that Garet had come to deliver his son. To Ebony¡¯s shock, Garet asked the temple to provide him with Rotten Root Tree Sap for the execution. Ebony refused the request without hesitation. This was not in line with Ravenwood¡¯s traditions or the empire¡¯s laws. Floral¡¯s reign was filled with tyranny and killing whoever she wanted without regard for the law or traditions. In Ebony¡¯s opinion, even the tribal chiefs who chose their sacrifices based on the constellations in the Black Iron Era had a better understanding of politics than Floral. Garet opened his eyes and walked over to Ebony. He stared at him and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t fallen so low as to let those old farts from the Oak Council tell me what to do.¡± Under Floral¡¯s rule, the Oak Council had lost all authority, only in charge of improving the local people¡¯s livelihood. They could only announce the White Bone Castle¡¯s policies as the will of the Holy Tree Matriarch to reduce resistance. ¡°If you don¡¯t respect our traditions, you can send your son to the Blind Sisters in Platinum Province and let the Empire¡¯s courts handle the judgment. But I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re in such a hurry to send your son to his death just to show your loyalty to our dear duke.¡± Ebony looked over at Quayle Wolfspeak, who had been silent and staring at the imperialized statue of the Holy Tree Matriarch. Quayle finally spoke up, ¡°Do as he says, Listener. He has wanted me dead for a long time.¡± Quayle¡¯s voice was as cold as ice on a frozen plain. ¡°I¡¯m the black sheep of the family, a hindrance to my father¡¯s efforts to win over the tyrant. At least if I die by the Rotten Root Tree Sap, I¡¯ll have a shred of dignity. But if I¡¯m killed another way, he will have to deal with my body.¡± When Forest Elves die from drinking the Rotten Root Tree Sap, their blood was filled with poison and needed to be handed over to a special blesser named Holy Eater. To Quayle, the thought of this man performing the Holy Communion ritual on him was more humiliating than death itself. ¡°It¡¯s sickening,¡± Quayle spat, not even glancing at his father. Father and son didn¡¯t make eye contact from start to finish. Garet finally spoke, ¡°If he¡¯s agreed, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to carry out your execution and take care of everything, Listener.¡± Ebony spread his arms, his anger evident. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m not refusing your request, but you don¡¯t have the right to give me orders. Only the Holy Tree Matriarch has that right. And as a clerk, you don¡¯t have the authority to override the duke¡¯s death sentence. Let me make it clear, I don¡¯t want to be caught up in your father and son¡¯s conflict. So if you want me to produce the Rotten Tree Sap for the execution, bring the respected duke to me.¡± If she¡¯s still able to come, Ebony thought. William had reportedly gone to the White Bone Castle to negotiate, but Ebony wasn¡¯t sure how things had turned out. Despite Floral¡¯s immense strength, she was nothing compared to the walking legend that was William. ¡°Is the evidence you were talking about here? I came here before I went to look for you, but I didn¡¯t seem to see anything noteworthy.¡± Ebony heard a hoarse male voice outside the temple. He tensed up as he recognized the owner of the voice. He¡¯s back¡­ In other words, he had already completed his initial contact with that woman. Was he coming back to discuss his next plan to officially seize power? ¡°So, you were here before. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already made contact with Hobien Ebony?¡± a cold-blooded female voice chimed in. Ebony felt like he had been plunged into an ice cavern. It was the voice of his eternal nightmare¡ªFloral Kane. Why is she here, and why is she with William? Is William betraying me and choosing to side with the stronger Holy Tree Duke? Impossible¡­ The Matriarch¡¯s prophecy had declared William as the true liberator of the Forest Elves. Ebony¡¯s mind raced with unease, rendering him frozen in place. He couldn¡¯t move a muscle. The massive stone door of the temple creaked open, and William and Floral stepped inside, one after the other. The temple was a sight to behold, carved inside a tree trunk, and Nizemar and Elise, first-time visitors, gaped in wonder at its grandeur. William and Floral approached the small group of people in the center of the temple. Garet, who stood nearby, quickly gave Floral a formal bow of the empire. The silence was deafening as they all stood still, unsure of what to do next. ¡°Mr. Quayle!¡± Elise¡¯s voice broke the stillness as she spotted her companion tied up in front of the shrine. Nizemar was caught off guard and lost her grip, allowing Elise to run to the shrine. Quayle was stunned. He gazed at Elise for a long moment before asking, ¡°I thought you were already in Green Prison¡­ Why did she bring you here?¡± Quayle was naturally referring to the Holy Tree Duke. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be sent to Platinum City. I can try contacting the Blind Sisters all over the continent and rebuild the organization, continuing my pilgrimage to different parts of the continent. That¡¯s what this sister told me,¡± Elise said, pointing at Nizemar who was now walking towards them. ¡°For real?¡± Quayle turned to Nizemar, who had stood up for them, with a suspicious look on his face. The Holy Tree Duke was known for being strict with insiders, but often compromising with outsiders. Nizemar nodded in response, confirming the truth. ¡°But how? What did you do to convince the duke? Did you pay a price?¡± He was trying to figure out what Nizemar could have possibly offered the Duke to make her compromise. But Nizemar shook her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Presiding Judge who convinced the duke. It was the other way around. The duke convinced the Presiding Judge to deal with the Blind Sisters in this manner.¡± Chapter 286 - 286 From the Other Side 286 From the Other Side ¡°Your Grace, you should know why I¡¯m here today,¡± the man with the wolf tattoo on his face said as he approached, bowing low. But as Garet spoke, he was thrown off by the confusion he saw in William¡¯s eyes. Garet couldn¡¯t recall anyone with that face in the empire¡¯s embassy or the staff committee established by the duke. ¡°He¡¯s my esteemed guest and I¡¯ll explain the details later. Let¡¯s focus on the current situation.¡± Garet¡¯s gaze caught Floral¡¯s attention and she stepped forward to introduce herself before getting to the point. ¡°Garet, I know it¡¯s not my place, but I hope you can show a little more patience, especially when it comes to your son and other matters.¡± Floral¡¯s gaze flickered to Quayle who was tied up in front of the shrine. Their eyes met and Floral¡¯s icy blue gaze sent shivers down the other man¡¯s spine, forcing him to turn away. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t back down on my promise to you,¡± Floral continued. ¡°Just not today,¡± she added and looked at William. He was talking to Ebony. ¡°Lord William, what¡¯s going on here? You wouldn¡¯t go back on your word, would you?¡± Ebony asked with a dark expression. ¡°The situation is complicated, I need to sort things out first,¡± William replied. ¡°You could always choose the easier route, like taking care of the woman standing next to you first.¡± William didn¡¯t know how to respond. He turned to look at Floral, their eyes meeting once again. ¡°So, what about this evidence you mentioned?¡± William urged. William had been to the temple before, and if there was something strange about it, he should have been able to pick up on it during his previous visit. The other party didn¡¯t answer William¡¯s question directly. Instead, she asked, ¡°Did you have any contact with Ebony?¡± William simply nodded. ¡°I learned a lot about Emerald Province and about you from him, including how you kicked him out and¡­¡± ¡°And how I cruelly killed the dissidents?¡± Floral spoke first. William shrugged and gestured for the other party to continue. ¡°The promotion of Camilla to the Lady of Starvation caused a power surge that ripped through time in Ravenwood,¡± Floral said. ¡°Her power created two separate timelines with two distinct origins. And you should know that the moment a Void Sovereign is born, She will transcend the confines of both the past and present, becoming an eternal being.¡± Floral continued their conversation. ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± William nodded at her question. In the grand scheme of things, Eternality was nothing more than a mere afterthought to the immense power of the Void Sovereigns. Rebirth Sovereigns rose from the ranks of mere mortals, and what made these beings so enigmatic was the fact that once They reached this level of power, They left Their mark on both the past and the future, preventing anyone from finding any concrete evidence of a Void Sovereign¡¯s true origins. Think of it like this¡ªimagine God in our world. Despite the fact that his image was solidified in the records of the Old Testament since 1200 B.C., He has always existed, from the beginning of time itself. The essence of a Void Sovereign was no different. They have always been there, lurking in the shadows. But it¡¯s only when a mortal was reborn as one of these gods that Their true power and form were revealed to the world. This was the true meaning of ¡®rebirth.¡¯ ¡°It was a pivotal moment when the Lady of Starvation was born. She had the power to single-handedly pull the entire Ravenwood area into the Moon Realm and make it the cornerstone of her domain. The history books would have recorded Camilla, the successor of the Matriarch¡¯s authority, as being promoted to Void Sovereign and causing Ravenwood¡¯s inevitable pull to the Moon Realm.¡± ¡°But there was a twist,¡± Floral continued. ¡°Camilla, now a Rebirth Sovereign, still had remnants of her previous life as a mortal. And so, she made a calculated decision. She chose to leave Ravenwood in Currere as a small compensation to her former kin or as a foreshadowing for her future return. But this decision resulted in a conflict. On one hand, she was the Lady of Starvation in the Moon Realm, and on the other, she remained as the Matriarch in Currere.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the Forest Elves¡¯ contract with the World Tree is actually with the Lady of Starvation? That the Matriarch and the Lady of Starvation are two sides of the same coin?¡± William interrupted and asked. But Floral shook her head, indicating that this was not the case. ¡°The Matriarch and the Lady of Starvation are two entirely separate entities. Picture this: you¡¯re writing two different endings for your novel, and then, when you write the sequel, you have to write two completely different books for those endings. Can readers still see the protagonist as the same person in both books? And can the protagonist in the story even accept that?¡± William¡¯s palms began to sweat. He¡¯d been grappling with this question for some time now¡ªif his characters from different saves existed, should he see them as himself or someone else? ¡°So what¡¯s the answer?¡± William asked. ¡°The conclusion is that the Forest Elf civilization has been fueling Her return to Currere for thousands of years. She didn¡¯t bring Ravenwood to the Moon Realm back then because she wanted to flip the script and bring the Moon Realm to Currere someday. It wasn¡¯t to open a Moon Realm rift, nor was it some plane fusion. She wants to rewrite abandoned history, controlled by Her, into the Currere timeline by replacing the truth of the Forest Elves¡¯ development over the years.¡± In simpler terms, it¡¯s a save override? William immediately thought of this. ¡°And the proof is right in front of us,¡± Floral said, pointing at Ebony. ¡°Everything he told you about my supposed tyranny and killing of innocents happened in another timeline. Ravenwood doesn¡¯t have a tribe named Ebony. The ritual of selecting the Father of the Wild¡¯s heir through the Blood Moon Game was canceled a thousand years ago. Most importantly, after you seriously injured the core of the World Tree more than a thousand years ago, the Holy Tree Matriarch has been in a semi-comatose state. Up until now, it can only passively respond to prayers and can¡¯t initiate giving prophecies or omens.¡± Chapter 287 - 287 The Future He Chooses (1) 287 The Future He Chooses (1) ¡°Hold on, give me a moment to process this,¡± William muttered, his hand pressed against his forehead. Floral revealed that Ravenwood was once a lush forest, inhabited by human tribes just like the rest of the Vic Continent. The humans had discovered the power of ceremonial magic, allowing them to harness the authority of gods for their own use. But the harsh environment had shaped the locals¡¯ view of the Mother Goddess into a dark and frightening figure, causing them to abandon her deep within the forest in fear. The Forest Elf ancestors soon arrived and, with their remnant Soul Blessing and powerful magic system, they launched a brutal colonial conquest over the humans. As the Soul Blessing waned, the Forest Elf ancestors ventured into the depths of the forest to find a new source of blessings to sustain their long lives. There, they discovered the forgotten form of the Mother Goddess and brought Her back to life through ceremonial magic. The Dark Mother had made a deal with the elven colonists. She blessed them and transformed them into Forest Elves, using their power to fulfill her long-standing desire of having all children return to their mother. The end was supposed to be near. An ancient deity, brought forth through belief, should have lost all value once Her duty was fulfilled. The Matriarch believed that if all humans in Ravenwood perished and Her long-standing desire to have Her children return was finally achieved, She should have vanished from existence. But the Forest Elves had other plans. They yearned to continue utilizing the Matriarch¡¯s power, so they preserved the treeified humans to keep Her anchored in Currere. They could continue using the power of this powerful deity. What the Forest Elves didn¡¯t foresee was the accidental birth of the Void Sovereign, Lady of Starvation. William suspected that other external forces were at play¡ªperhaps another Void Sovereign¡ªbut no matter the cause, Camilla was born. The birth of the Void Sovereign, Camilla, marked a major shift in the timeline of Ravenwood. She crossed the past and future, creating a new timeline and making Herself a deity that had always existed. The result was the shattering of Ravenwood¡¯s timeline and the creation of a new origin. It was as if She had restarted a game and had a new back story. Ravenwood¡¯s past became a land plagued by the Lady of Starvation, who had contaminated the area since time immemorial. Camilla, as a Void Sovereign, should have used Ravenwood as the cornerstone of her Moon Realm domain and brought it back to the Moon Realm. But for some unknown reason, Camilla didn¡¯t follow through with this plan. The two stories of Ravenwood¡¯s history converged at the birth of the Lady of Starvation, leading to the eventual destruction of Ravenwood. But the Lady of Starvation used Her power to keep both timelines intact. Gone were the days when the Forest Elf ancestors were seen as invaders who murdered the human natives. Instead, they were viewed as colonists who helped cleanse the land of the pollution caused by the undead. They entered into a pact with the World Tree and worshiped the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness, creating the Oak Council. This new version of history was widely accepted as the truth. ¡°In simpler terms¡­ Ravenwood is still trapped in a broken timeline. Two alternate realities are constantly playing out in parallel. The one we¡¯re in now sees Camilla, a mortal, as the holder of the Holy Tree Matriarch Authority. But in the other, the Holy Tree Matriarch is a puppet controlled by the Lady of Starvation,¡± William concluded. But how is this possible? The Lady of Starvation had been born during a time-shattering that spanned four ages¡ªBronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. This spanned nearly 6,000 years, but how could two timelines exist in harmony for over 5,000 years? The truth was, shattered time always had to converge. It was like completing a quest in a game. You could take any approach¡ªinfiltrate and assassinate, go in guns blazing, or use your cunning to fool others. But no matter the execution, time would ultimately converge on the outcome of a completed quest. Despite the different initial conditions and the butterfly effect of nearly 6,000 years, William couldn¡¯t fathom how the Lady of Starvation would converge the two timelines. But it couldn¡¯t end with a meteor strike and a sea of fire, could it? Floral saw the confusion on William¡¯s face and offered an explanation. Chapter 288 - 288 The Future He Chooses (2) 288 The Future He Chooses (2) ¡°History with such a huge disparity will be erased and become nothing more than a hollow fantasy. But don¡¯t forget, the Lady of Starvation holds sway over another timeline, one that¡¯s only 5% different from the one we¡¯re living in now. So She could easily replace our history without causing too many paradoxes. At most, She¡¯ll leave behind a few conflicting records.¡± William shook his head in disbelief as he listened to the explanation. William couldn¡¯t wrap his head around this. People in this world were not mere NPCs with set behaviors. They each had their own will, and that will was a mystery comparable to creation itself. Even the Void Sovereigns couldn¡¯t control the lives of hundreds of millions of mortals for 5,000 years like puppets. The mere wish of a mortal to venture out into the world could change the trajectory of history. William voiced his doubts, and Floral suddenly let go of her staff and stood still. She lifted her black veil, revealing a face too pale for a Forest Elf. The aura of death surrounded her as the enchanted accessory was no longer concealing her. The moment she lifted her veil, all eyes in the room were fixed on her in disbelief, except for William and Ebony. The dark aura that surrounded her was palpable, and it was unmistakableshe was a Lich, one of the most powerful undead creatures in the realm. Lich The Holy Tree Duke of Emerald Province is a Lich? What kind of joke is this? William was not surprised, for he had already uncovered her identity. But he was intrigued by her motives. Ebony, on the other hand, was completely unaware of the commotion until he noticed the hushed silence and shocked expressions of those around him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with all of you?¡± Floral turned her attention to William and explained, ¡°In the world controlled by the Lady of Starvation, the once thriving Ravenwood had been consumed by the corruption of the Moon Realm. The land was left barren and desolate, a place where death and decay were the only constants.¡± With that said, she looked at Ebony and continued, ¡°Therefore, She controlled countless undead and imitated the historical process of our timeline up until now.¡± Ebony¡¯s expression darkened as he spat out, ¡°Stop this nonsense! What other lies are you coming up with to hide your crimes? Are you trying to say I¡¯m one of the undead?¡± Ebony¡¯s body was shaking, not out of fear or nervousness, but purely out of his efforts to repress his rage. The faint outline of a Beast Spirit phantom was forming around him, a clear indication that if he weren¡¯t aware of the strength difference between him and the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s Listener, he would have exploded and attacked the other person. ¡°The Blood Moon Game is the only way to determine the heir to the Father of the Wilderness. The Ebony tribe has a rich history, tracing back to the Golden Age. And if the Matriarch¡¯s will had truly died, how did the Forest Elves fend off the Riel Empire¡¯s conquest?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to use such lame lies to cloud Lord William¡¯s judgment!¡± Ebony looked desperately at William, hoping for his support. In response, William said to Ebony, ¡°In my era, the Forest Elf ancestors wielded the powers of the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness to defeat the Lady of Starvation¡¯s attempt at descent. After the victory, the two gods declared they would slumber until the Forest Elves called upon them once more.¡± After all, an important theme of the game was the end of the Age of Gods marking a new dawn for the Age of Mortals. At the time, the ancient gods¡¯ faith had faded, the Moon Realm Void Sovereigns were quarantined, and the Holy Spirits had returned to a rational belief system. Modern magic was on the brink of being standardized and widely accepted. The Matriarch left the Forest Elves with a poignant message through the Listener before departing: ¡°The age that belongs to you (mortals) has finally arrived.¡± A thousand years have passed and the Riel Empire has turned the tides of history. William wasn¡¯t shocked to see Ravenwood in such a state of disrepairit was more of a competition for last place with the Riel Empire. This is why William believed that Floral, who was closely aligned with the empire, could be a more dependable ally. The empire¡¯s secular structure was at least a step up from the Forest Elves¡¯ faith-based system, which stifled any chance for progress and growth. Chapter 289 - 289 The Future He Chooses (3) 289 The Future He Chooses (3) At the very least, they didn¡¯t have to continue eating corpses. William looked at Floral and asked, ¡°Tell me, have the two ancient gods, the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness, awoken since I disappeared?¡± Floral nodded and replied, ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. The Oak Council tried to awaken the Matriarch shortly after you vanished. They hoped that by resigning the original contract, they could bring the Matriarch¡¯s will back to life. Mr. Nehe was tasked with this mission, and he almost succeeded, but during the ritual, he discovered that the history of another timeline had been tampered with and interrupted the ritual. This information was left behind along with Mr. Nehe¡¯s legacy.¡± ¡°In other words, this information was left behind along with Nehe¡¯s legacy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Floral¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°Wh What?¡± Ebony turned his head stiffly and looked at William with an ashen face. He pleaded, ¡°But, weren¡¯t you the one who banished the Lady of Starvation to the Moon Realm and fought her incarnation alone, rejecting the help of the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness?¡± William looked lost in thought for a moment. The history Ebony had mentioned was partially correct. The fight against the BOSS, transformed by the Lady of Starvation in Currere, was no ordinary battle. This BOSS had a sinister mechanism that blended seamlessly with the game¡¯s plot. Every time the players engaged in combat, the Lady of Starvation would cast a spell that drained their HP and mana, lowering their maximum limit. If the players failed to defeat the BOSS within a specified time, their HP and mana bars would quickly plummet to a dangerous level. The two ancient gods, the Father of the Wild and the Matriarch, had come to the player¡¯s aid, granting them the power to remove these statuses. William remembered that clearing this level would award players with an achievement called ¡°Sweeper.¡± Only a mere 3% of players had earned it in the past. William himself had first cleared the game¡¯s difficult mode without the blessings, but in the end, he chose to continue the game with a normal difficulty save for a more immersive experience. After all, sacrifice and regret were also part of the game¡¯s theme. However, if what Floral said was true, this seemed to make sense Had his choice to solo the BOSS actually been used by the Lady of Starvation to create the timeline where Ebony existed? He shook his head and met Ebony¡¯s gaze. The other party looked to him with a desperate hope, as if he held the key to their salvation. ¡°The records passed down from generation to generation state that you rejected the help of the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness, is that true?¡± Ebony asked, hoping against hope that William could prove Floral¡¯s claims to be false. ¡°Yes, I did reject Their help and defeated the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation alone¡± William said slowly. But before Ebony could let out a sigh of relief, William continued, ¡°But I also accepted Their help and defeated the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation alone.¡± Looking at Ebony¡¯s stiff expression, William said solemnly, ¡°In the end, I chose this future and made it my present past.¡± Chapter 290 - 290 Submission (1) 290 Submission (1) The entire Holy Tree Matriarch Temple was stunned into silence. Only two people in the room had a rough understanding of what he was saying. Elise, who had recently exchanged consciousness with Sibylla through the Eyes of God, and Floral, who had obtained Nehe¡¯s legacy and understood the Forest Elves¡¯ true origins, were the only two who could follow William¡¯s words. But even they were shocked by what he had said. Elise knew better than anyone what William was talking about, as she had used the Eyes of God to interact with a figure from the past in a snipped timeline. She understood that in a shattered time, multiple possibilities could exist at the same time. However, due to the nature of Currere¡¯s causal time, the branching possibilities would eventually condense into a single record, abandoning the other possibilities and creating historical truth. This meant that even if William had broken the timeline during his battle with the Lady of Starvation, he should only remember the historical truth that had been passed down. But in reality, not only did he recall multiple timelines, he claimed to have chosen one of them as the current truth. The ability to see parallel timelines, observe and fix them, and even choose the future with one¡¯s will, was the true power of the gods. Compared to the ability to summon lightning and storms, shaping the historical truth of Currere was a far greater feat. This was the power of gods! As the leader of the Blind Sisters and tasked with correcting the faith of the Eighth Holy Spirit, Elise had never believed that mortals could embody the might of the Holy Spirit. She had thought of William Kane and Terra Riel as merely new-age ancient gods created by the power of the Eighth Holy Spirit. But the man in front of her was different. If he could really see and choose a timeline, he was no different from a true god. Floral was shocked by something else. William, in a timeline that wasn¡¯t meant to exist, was able to defeat the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation on his ownwithout the help of the Matriarch and the Father of the Wild. He had reversed Ravenwood¡¯s destruction countdown by over a thousand years and had the power to shape Currere¡¯s timeline away from the grasp of the Void Sovereign! Even more impressive, William had given up on the ultimate honor of defeating the Lady of Starvation alone and instead chose the possibility of causing the ancient Forest Elf gods to fall into eternal sleep. By doing so, he gave the Forest Elves a chance to escape the tyranny of their gods and redeem themselves in the future. Before the two ancient gods entered their slumber, they turned to the Forest Elves and wished them well, declaring that their era had finally arrived. For a thousand years, the Forest Elves refused to abandon their outdated blessing system and embrace reforms. They clung to the power of ancient gods, originating from myth and belief, instead of developing a magic system. This was a grave mistake that pushed the number of forests beyond a critical point. They were now vulnerable to being completely replaced by the Lady of Starvation at any moment Enter Floral, the new Forest Elf leader determined to save her people. With an unwavering will and a firm hand, she implemented pan-imperialization reforms and introduced the Holy Spirit Church¡¯s faith. Her goal was to correct the Forest Elves¡¯ past mistakes and prevent their inevitable downfall. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Floral said, lowering her head. ¡°We¡¯ve let you down. Our ancestors failed to understand the deeper meaning behind your actions and those two gods.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already done my best to change, but I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s enough time.¡± Floral lowered her head and apologized to William. ¡°Oh? Yes It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not too late probably.¡± William didn¡¯t understand why she was solemnly apologizing to him, but he replied vaguely, ¡°Yes! There¡¯s still hope!¡± Floral nodded vigorously. As long as you¡¯re around. William panicked when he realized the meaning in her eyes. Chapter 291 - 291 Submission (2) 291 Submission (2) What¡¯s she yammering about In the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple, only Nizemar remained unphased. The talk of choosing and abandoning timelines or the Void Sovereign¡¯s origins was lost on her. To Nizemar, the Holy Spirit was an infinite existence that transcended time and space. The Eighth Holy Spirit, Hermit, was no exception. He should have lived in the Realm of Light, but instead chose to be born on the Vic Continent as William Kane, out of pity for Currere. Being an incarnation of the Holy Spirit, it wasn¡¯t surprising that William could control Currere¡¯s timeline. After all, the Currere was created by the Holy Spirits and molding its timeline was only natural. While others struggled to grasp these complex time theories, Nizemar had a more pressing concern. Nizemar, who had returned to William¡¯s side, gently released Elise¡¯s hand and stood in front of Floral. She said with a serious and pious expression, ¡°So, are you saying that you¡¯re willing to submit to William Kanethe Eighth Holy Spirit, Lord of the Vic Continent, true emperor of the empire, leader of the Doomsday Watchers, Presiding Judge of the 13 Judges, and the Moon Realm¡¯s Calamity? And, are you offering to hand over the entire Emerald Province as proof of your loyalty?¡± ¡°Nizemar!¡± William was taken aback by Nizemar¡¯s sudden boldness, and he stopped her verbally. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I¡± After William shouted her name, Nizemar¡¯s shoulders trembled in fear. She turned around immediately and looked sincerely apologetic. She lowered her head slightly and apologized. Before William could speak, she continued, ¡°Is it wrong for me to call it the Emerald Province, a region demarcated by the false Holy Spirit? Perhaps I should call it Ravenwood and the neighboring tribal kingdoms as you do in your time period?¡± Was that the main point? William realized that talking to Nizemar about this would only drag him down to her level. He had come with the intention of expanding his influence to encompass the entire Ravenwood area, but was her question too straightforward? After a simple interaction, William could sense that Floral seemed like someone who could be convinced but not forced. William understood that taking power from her would be easy, but finding a suitable ruler within the Oak Council would be a greater challenge than finding a peaceful monster in the King of Deathblood¡¯s domain. However ¡°I¡¯m willing to offer you the entire Emerald Province or Ravenwood. I¡¯m willing to submit to the Eighth Holy Spirit for the rest of my life, just to see peace in the four seas and the empire ruled by the right person¡± Floral said slowly. But William thought to himself. ¡°But all of this is contingent on one thing. The country you rule can¡¯t become a desolate wasteland. The most efficient and secure way to thwart the Lady of Starvation¡¯s scheme is to ignite the Ravenwood Forest until it¡¯s nothing but ashes. To be blunt, burning it to the ground could be the right decision whether it¡¯s based on reason or emotion.¡± Floral met William¡¯s gaze with a steely determination. ¡°But if you go through with your plan, know this: I¡¯ll stand in your way. And let me tell you, I won¡¯t go down easy. You might see me as a mere inconvenience, but I¡¯ll do everything in my power to put a stop to this madness. Even if it means giving up my life. I may not have the ability to change the outcome, but that¡¯s exactly why I cling to this shattered country and why I¡¯m still alive to this day.¡± Looking at the determination in the other party¡¯s eyes, William sighed and said, ¡°May I ask why?¡± Floral replied, ¡°Because this is my home and because I believe I can make it through. Because¡± At this point, Floral paused as if she was hesitating about whether to continue. After a moment of silence, she said with a sense of conviction, ¡°But, if I may overstep my boundaries, it¡¯s also for the sake of Nehe, my benefactor. His final wish was for Ravenwood to endure forever and for all the Forest Elves to find salvation. You may find it absurd that I refer to him as my benefactor, considering a thousand years have passed since his time and I only obtained his legacy through some scrolls. But I will do everything in my power to honor his wish and protect it.¡± She let out a long sigh and looked at William nervously, waiting for his final verdict. William¡¯s face was blank, his gaze fixed on the magical device in his hand and the pristine Holy Spirit emblem in the temple. After a long silence, he let out a deep sigh. Floral felt her heart skip a beat, though she was long past having a real heartbeat. ¡°I don¡¯t want your loyalty built on false pretenses and coercion. That¡¯s worthless and a threat waiting to happen. So let me be clear. If the only way to save Currere is by burning Ravenwood to the ground, I will make that choice. And I¡¯ll eliminate anyone who stands in my way as an enemy¡± William said. Floral¡¯s face fell and she tightened her grip on the magical device. Nizemar grew tense as well. ¡°But I promise you this: I, William Kane, will do everything in my power to prevent the worst outcome. As long as there¡¯s even a one in ten thousand chance of saving Ravenwood, I will do my utmost to save it. Not just for the 40 million Forest Elves who have been trapped as trees, but to honor the final wish of my friend Nehe, to protect this land.¡± William walked towards Floral, lowering his head to look into her icy blue eyes. ¡°To have any chance of saving Ravenwood, I need your complete assistance. At the very least, until we know for certain that it can¡¯t be saved, you must help me. And if I determine that the final solution is necessary, I will inform you and give you a chance to stop me. Do you accept these terms?¡± William extended his hand, adorned with glittering rings, towards her. Floral processed his words, her voice trembling as she spoke, ¡°What are the odds of saving Ravenwood? And more importantly, can I trust you?¡± Floral¡¯s black gown, adorned with golden threads, rustled as she straightened it. With graceful poise, she dropped to one knee in front of the legendary figure from a thousand years ago. In front of all those assembled, she raised William¡¯s hand and pressed her lips to the ring that symbolized the Judges. Chapter 292 - 292 Ebony’s Counterattack (1) 292 Ebony¡¯s Counterattack (1) As Floral bowed down in submission, William¡¯s gaze flicked over to Nizemar. She was practically bouncing with excitement, a smile threatening to split her face in two. It wasn¡¯t that there was anything wrong with her previous actions. William had known it was only a matter of time before the entire Emerald Province government knelt before him. But with the way Nizemar spoke, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this moment would solidify his reputation as the Eighth Holy Spirit in the eyes of these people. Taking in the solemn mood, William sighed inwardly. Forget it I¡¯ll slowly resolve any misunderstandings in the future. Based on the current mood, it¡¯s not the time to explain. On the other hand, he was a little worried about the excited Retribution Templar giving a passionate speech about celebrating this moment. Fortunately, he could tell that she was holding back her excitementperhaps Nizemar had noticed his gaze. Completing the symbolic submission, William bent down and offered his hand to help Floral back to her feet. At this moment, a voice mixed with anger and mockery sounded from behind them. ¡°Hahahaha, a promise? Is it worth anything?¡± Ebony¡¯s hand shook as he pointed at William. His jaw was clenched tight and his voice was strained. But before William could respond, Floral spoke up, ¡°I know your secret. I know you¡¯ve been replacing the Rotten Root Tree Sap used for executions with a potion to fake the deaths of those people. I know you sent them deep into the roots of the World Tree to hide. But do you want to know why I haven¡¯t exposed you?¡± Her calm, collected words stunned the other party. If he had heard this bombshell from Floral before, he would have been shaking with fear. But now, he didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°You knew?¡± he stammered after a moment of silence. ¡°The use of those potions was completely unnecessary. Rotten Root Tree Sap only works on the living.¡± Floral didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question. Instead, she changed the topic. The meaning behind her words was clear. Ebony thought he had saved those people, but in reality, they were just a group of undead. Just as William had saidthe 42 people he saved were undead driven by remnant memories. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been sending people to maintain the Emerald Protection spell you released. Continuously casting that spell with undead bodies takes a toll on the body,¡± Floral continued, her eyes locked onto Ebony¡¯s furious gaze. Her words were filled with mockery and provocation, even though her tone was devoid of emotion. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible All these years, they¡¯ve been¡± Ebony took a step back, his eyes darting between William and Floral. Feeling helpless and defeated, he whispered, ¡°You two, you¡¯ve teamed up to deceive me, haven¡¯t you?¡± Ebony stopped in his tracks. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it! You¡¯re both lying to me!¡± It was like the gaze of a gambler who had bet his arm after a loss. William turned to Floral and asked, ¡°Can you explain what¡¯s happening here?¡± The 42 undead individuals in the underground root system were indeed a mystery. How could they possess such high levels of intelligence? William had always believed that the Holy Tree Duke was behind their existence, using them as a way to gather her opposition and eliminate them in one swift strikethis could be said to be the standard operation of a dystopian ruler. He could tell that Floral had not taken the initiative to participate, but only allowed them to operate their faction secretly in the underground roots. ¡°Yes, Your Holy Excellency. If you want an answer They, including Mr. Ebony, are the so-called ¡®wedges¡¯ the Lady of Starvation established for the final ritual,¡± Floral replied respectfully. ¡°Wedges? Does that mean they¡¯re coming from another timeline, like a thread through a needle?¡± William asked. The thought made William uneasy. It was like saying people from other timelines could come to this one and that two of him could exist at the same time. The idea was unsettling. Chapter 293 - 293 Ebony’s Counterattack (2) 293 Ebony¡¯s Counterattack (2) Fortunately, Floral shook her head. ¡°This is impossible. You see, two timelines don¡¯t equate to two separate worlds existing parallel to one another. Instead, they¡¯re simply two potential outcomes for a single occurrence. So, he could be either a tribal warrior abandoned on an Ebony branch, or a warrior born and raised within the Ebony tribe. He could be a Forest Elf with a strong life force, or an undead creation of the Lady of Starvation.¡± Her eyes met Ebony¡¯s as she continued, ¡°That¡¯s why, to you and those misguided individuals who still believe they can overthrow me, they may have awakened and altered the timeline to what it is now. They¡¯ve landed in a timeline that¡¯s 90% similar to the original, but the details and essence have changed significantly.¡± With a confident demeanor, Floral held a magical medium in her hand and stared down Ebony, who was seething with anger. ¡°This is all a lie!¡± Ebony growled through gritted teeth, unable to find any other words to counter Floral¡¯s explanation. William could sense that Ebony was on the brink of attacking, but as he knew that Ebony wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against Floral, he didn¡¯t try to diffuse the situation. Instead, he pressed on with his questioning. ¡°So, you let them stay in the underground root system so that they wouldn¡¯t realize the truth?¡± Floral nodded and said, ¡°Yes. If they were to sense that they¡¯re not in the same timeline as before, it could create cognitive conflict and disrupt the timeline, providing the Lady of Starvation with the perfect opportunity to trigger a timeline replacement. So, as soon as I discover their existence, I take the initiative to send them to that isolated underground root system, to prevent them from realizing anything is amiss.¡± ¡°As for him, I nominated him Holy Tree Matriarch Listener partly to keep a watchful eye on the Lady of Starvation¡¯s potential actions. He rarely leaves the temple, preferring to immerse himself in his story and plan for things that will never come to fruition.¡± Suddenly, the Beast Spirit tattoo on Ebony¡¯s body came to life. The roar that escaped from the Beast Spirit was blood-curdling and as Ebony charged towards Flora with lightning speed in a way incongruent with his burly build, the air whistled sharply. A pale lion¡¯s head appeared on his left fist, its mane ablaze, its eyes filled with berserker rage. It opened its bloody mouth as if it could devour Flora¡¯s entire upper body. This was a special talent of the Forest Elves. Through signing a contract with the Great Spirit of wild beasts, they obtained the help of those savage souls. Boom It was like a truck hitting a wall. Almost instantly, an ice crystal wall stood between Floral and Ebony. Ebony¡¯s punch, carrying the power of the White Lion Beast Spirit, smashed into the wall and cracks quickly extended from the point of impact. Lv. 7 Frost spell, Ice Crystal Wall, was a pure physical defense spell that could defend against City-Shattering Crossbows. Flora stood on the other side of the wall, and the wall protruded from Ebony¡¯s powerful punch. The funnel-shaped protrusion was less than two centimeters away from Flora¡¯s nose, and new cracks constantly spread. It looked like it would shatter like glass in the next moment. Floral looked at the ice wall that looked like it would shatter at any moment and said without blinking, ¡°Very good. At least you still have anger.¡± ¡°And my anger can tear you to pieces!¡± Ebony roared, trying to punch through the wall with his right arm and the White Lion Beast Spirit. Floral sighed slightly. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if it¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing to explain the cruel truth to those involved.¡± William ignored her sigh and asked, ¡°Is Ebony an undead? I didn¡¯t see anything with my Undead Detection.¡± Floral turned her magical medium slightly in response to William¡¯s question. The ice-blue nexus under the staff changed with her movement. ¡°It¡¯s normal not to find any. He has to stay in the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple all the time. It would be terrible if tourists from other provinces discover his true identity.¡± Ebony realized he couldn¡¯t break free from the ice. The air around him grew colder by the second, as delicate and precise ice crystals slithered up his arm, encasing his fist, wrist, and elbow in a frozen grip. With all his might, he struggled to break free. He shattered the ice that bound him, but with each blow, more and more ice crystals sprouted and spread across his body, wrapping him in an icy embrace. Chapter 294 - 294 Ebony’s Counterattack (3) 294 Ebony¡¯s Counterattack (3) In a flash, the opposing figure was encased in ice. Floral calmly tapped her magical medium, causing the ice crystal wall to shatter and disappear. She stepped forward and delicately removed the antler crown from the figure¡¯s head. She turned to William and asked, ¡°Lord William, what do you think now?¡± William didn¡¯t need his Undead Detection. The moment the antler crown was taken off, he felt an intense aura of death coming from the figure. ¡°Mm¡± William nodded. Floral then looked at Ebony. His face was frozen, unable to show any expression, but his angry glare spoke volumes. ¡°This is why I gave you the antler crown. And, I¡¯m sure the Holy Tree Matriarch has told you many times to remove the crown in front of outsiders. Yet, your desire for power in Emerald Province is stronger than your devotion to the Matriarch?¡± ¡°In your mind, you should sit on the Withering Throne. In fact, that may have been the case in your timeline if I never existed,¡± Floral added. With Nehe¡¯s legacy in hand, Floral was a wild card and unpredictable variable in the synchronization of the two timelines for the Lady of Starvation. Ebony managed to whisper through his frozen lips, ¡°You vicious woman Manipulator of hearts¡± Although he said that, his anger simmered down like a popped balloon. William approached Ebony and tapped him with his magical medium, instantly dissolving the ice crystals encasing Ebony¡¯s body. Ebony knelt on the ground, struggling to catch his breath. William frowned, observing that Ebony still hadn¡¯t fully accepted his undead status by his attempts to breathe. William intended to help Ebony stand up, but the other man rejected his offer and coldly accused him, ¡°No matter what, you didn¡¯t keep your promise.¡± William shrugged and reached into his inventory, pulling out ¡®Judgment 3,¡¯ a rough obsidian dagger. ¡°I believe Camilla intended for me to retrieve this weapon to win my trust, and use me to eliminate the current Holy Tree Duke.¡± The dagger floated in midair as William continued, ¡°But Steelheart Widow informed me recently at Black Crow Gaze that the Tacma Church now possesses Judgment 3, which was created by Her.¡± With a flash of light, William activated the Light spell, Item Destruction, obliterating the dagger into floating fragments. After doing all of this, William stood up and looked around. ¡°Now, let¡¯s move on to our next task. It¡¯s time to take control of the ¡®wedges¡¯ in the underground root system.¡± Chapter 295 - 295 Communication, Reinforcements 295 Communication, Reinforcements As William made his way to the underground root system, his mind raced with thoughts on how to put an end to the Lady of Starvation¡¯s ritual. Stopping the ceremony required them to attack it from any of the four different angles: take down the presiding host, obliterate the ritual¡¯s designated space, eradicate the firewood essential for the ceremony, and extinguish the fuse that set it all off. But killing the host and destroying the space were out of the question. The host was the Lady of Starvation herself, and the space was the vast Ravenwood Forest. Annihilating the firewood was also an unappealing option. It had little to do with William vowing to Floral. He just couldn¡¯t bring himself to massacre 40 million treeified Forest Elves from Ravenwood unless it was his last resort. Floral, on the other hand, had been working tirelessly to put out the ritual fuses ever since she took office. She had been focused on one fuse that they could confirm, the wedges from another timelinethe so-called Resistance that inhabited the underground root system, driven purely by memories. That was what Floral said. Time in Ravenwood was still shattered into two, and when the citizens began to bicker over their memories of the same event, it meant that the fragmented timeline was about to be trimmed down to a single causal timeline. This reminded William of the Mandela Effect he had heard of in his previous life. ¡°Can¡¯t we just kill them all?¡± Nizemar chimed in, curious. Floral turned her head, her gaze penetrating her. Then, she immediately looked at Ebony, who had donned his antler crown once more and lowered his head, his face shrouded in the shadows. The green runes that bound his hands were tight. Confirming that Nizemar¡¯s words had failed to rattle the Matriarch Listener, Floral answered, ¡°Killing them will only validate their existence in history. It could hasten the replacement of our timeline. We must instead isolate them, let them remain in hidden places until they perhaps return to their own timeline. This is the safest course of action.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not safe to have them remain in Ravenwood, right?¡± William asked. ¡°I have an agreement with the Platinum Palace to exile them to the Land of Eternal Night in the far north. ¡°The Land of Eternal Night in the extreme north?¡± William asked in disbelief. Floral nodded and continued, ¡°Or the Ruins of Orsis. As long as they remain isolated far away from civilization and leave no record of their existence, it should be fine.¡± William shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± the other party hurriedly asked when she saw this. ¡°If you plan on sending them there I suggest giving them a quick death here.¡± To most people, the Land of Eternal Night and the Ruins of Orsis were just names. But William had been there and had returned with a harrowing account of what he had witnessed. Going to those places was akin to a creative form of execution. ¡°Then how should we deal with those 40-odd people?¡± Floral knew better than to question the judgment of the legendary adventurer before her, especially one who had journeyed to World¡¯s End. But the matter at hand was troubling. How were they to find a place for them? William, however, was not fazed. ¡°We¡¯ll keep them under control for now. I have a safe place for them later. But you¡¯ve reminded me how serious this is.¡± He halted in his tracks and raised his right hand, conjuring a simple spell. ¡°So the place you¡¯re talking about is¡± Floral stopped mid-sentence upon feeling the surge of magic around him. It was the kind of power that could burn hundreds of people to ash and back again. If she hadn¡¯t activated her defensive spells, it might have even burned half of White Bone Castle to the ground. But the spell William cast was a simple communication spell. Floral looked at Nizemar in confusion, but the other party only gestured for her to keep quiet. This magic came and went quickly. The communication spell lasted only a few seconds. William¡¯s lips moved, but no one present could hear him clearly. Before anyone could react, the spell was shattered by his clenched fist. After finishing all of this, William straightened his robe and said, ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°May I ask who you were contacting?¡± Floral asked uneasily. It was impossible for normal communication spells to require so much mana. ¡°Help.¡± William replied tersely. Then, as if he wasn¡¯t satisfied with this answer, he dusted off his robe and continued, ¡°Or you can understand it as reinforcements.¡± Grief Mountains, Dawn Fortress. ¡°In summary, to resolve the problem in Emerald Province, the Presiding Judge has requested reinforcements. Does anyone object?¡± Blake sat at the head of the long table and said to the others present. The room fell silent as the others contemplated the request. ¡°But Lord Blake, the situation in Viper Scar has been dire. The number of Moon Realm demonic creatures has increased by 30% since the Rain Moon, and the people are resentful. We can barely take care of ourselves, let alone help others. The empire¡¯s 3rd Legion was recently transferred to the border pass, and it¡¯s risky to¡± a middle-aged man with a Bramble badge eventually stuttered. He was the newly promoted Bramble Guards leader. His words seemed to release a valve, and the representatives of the other armed departments agreed. The entire venue turned into a cacophony of voices like a noisy market. Blake silently waited for them to finish speaking. Only when the venue returned to silence did he slowly say, ¡°We must resolve the Viper Scar issue at its roots. Of course, I do not expect you to understand what I¡¯m talking about. I also understand your enthusiasm for protecting the Blackwater Swamp, and we cannot mobilize an army to travel thousands of miles to Emerald Province.¡± ¡°Then, what do you mean?¡± the middle-aged man from before asked. ¡°Our battlefield won¡¯t be in Emerald Province. When the Presiding Judge begins the war with the Lady of Starvation, I need you to gather your troops and follow methrough the Viper Scar to the Lake of Entropy. We will smash that b*tch¡¯s rear, just like the Salvation Army did a thousand years ago. Satisfied?¡± Ava State, Moonlaw City. Remides emerged from her bedroom, her purpose clear. She strode to the communication spell to contact the seven city-states before lighting the Holy Fire. ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± Chapter 296 - 296 So-called Immortality (1) 296 So-called Immortality (1) ¡°Camilla, are you trying to bring forward the war?¡± A voice thundered over the Lake of Entropy in the Moon Realm, a plane of existence beyond Currere. A chorus of more than ten voices echoed the question, each with a distinct tone ranging from anger and puzzlement to teasing and sadness. The voices were so powerful that they caused ripples in the endless Lake of Entropy. Suddenly, a towering tree emerged in the middle of the lake, only to start decaying as the voice spoke. Countless maggots turned into flies, which soon rotted and died, falling into the lake like dregs. The tree transformed into a voluptuous female figure, as if a craftsman had used rotten roots to create a work of art. ¡°So, you¡¯re starting to think that I went overboard? But didn¡¯t you expect me to help you eliminate the Currere Calamity not long ago? I¡¯m seriously helping you fulfill your wishes now,¡± the female wooden carving that seemed to be pregnant said. Her tone seemed to carry a hint of mockery. As she spoke, the structure that formed her lips turned into wood shavings and scattered to the ground. The voices that echoed over the Lake of Entropy fell silent. After a long time, a hoarse voice that sounded like an old woman and a sweet girl at the same time spoke up. ¡°If you only have plans of pulling Ravenwood into your domain, we naturally won¡¯t object to your decision,¡± the voice said, tinged with suspicion. ¡°But now, at this critical moment, how can we be sure that you won¡¯t use a Moonanchor to fix Currere¡¯s history?¡± The other two Moon Realm goddesses, who were also worshiped in the Blackwater Swamp, had such doubts in the past. Or rather, rather than doubt, this was more like a reminderThey reminded Camilla, not out of friendship, but because They shared interests. However, Camilla replied indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be sure. Even if I were to compile Ravenwood¡¯s history into my very own anthology, it would only give me a minor edge in the war that¡¯s brewing. And trust me, the trouble it might cause you will pale in comparison to having the Calamity claim the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne. It won¡¯t even be as catastrophic as letting Coles ascend as the 14th sovereign. Remember, you accepted the Father of the Crows as one of your own, so why not embrace my current actions?¡± As She spoke, She looked up at the nightmarish sky that seemed to have been smeared with ten-colored crayons. The statue¡¯s decay continued. A result of Her swift movement caused the statue¡¯s neck to give way, causing the head to tumble into the still waters of the lake. The head, crafted from rotten wood, had barely discernible facial features. As it sank beneath the surface, She spoke to the sky with a crack that could barely be described as a mouth. ¡°Do you want me to obtain a slight first-mover advantage on the land that originally belonged to me, or do you want me to watch the Calamity ascend the throne in Currere and join the conflict for the Precept over Currere Whether you want to stop me, the choice is in your hands.¡± Her words silenced the ten colors reflected over the Lake of Entropy. Then, one of the blood-red colors flared up and vanished. Another, a dreamy green, let out a resigned sigh before disappearing. ¡°So, are you going to try and stop me, Valk?¡± The lake rippled gently, and Camilla¡¯s voice sounded again. The sound of Valk¡¯s cheerful voice echoed through the empty space. ¡°Why would I? You should know by now that I have no interest in the Precept you guys are fighting for. Frankly, the world you¡¯re planning sounds pretty terrible. Currere, on the other hand, is presently more exciting.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re on the Calamity¡¯s side?¡± Camilla pressed. ¡°I have to admit, he¡¯s more interesting than most of you. The possibilities he creates are nothing like what you guys are capable of. Of course, since he rejected becoming one of us, I have the same attitude as you regarding not allowing him to ascend to the Eighth Holy Spirit throne,¡± the teasing voice replied. ¡°Then, why did you stay?¡± Camilla raised Her voice. ¡°I just felt that you were getting carried away. So I decided to stay and give you a little reminder.¡± ¡°Getting carried away?¡± Camilla interjected with a sneer. ¡°And the Absurdity Jester comes over to remind me not to get carried away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s laughable, I know. But isn¡¯t that what jesters in Currere do? They warn people like you, who have the title of sovereigns, of the future in a mocking manner.¡± Valk didn¡¯t seem to care about Camilla¡¯s mockery. Chapter 297 - 297 So-called Immortality (2) 297 So-called Immortality (2) ¡°Let¡¯s discuss your little warning,¡± Camilla sneered. ¡°The idea of leaving behind the timeline before your ascension as a medium to directly interfere with Currere is exquisite You mustn¡¯t forget that this plan of yours exposes your vulnerability. One wrong move and you¡¯ll crumble like a house of cards. Hahahahahaha¡± ¡°Hahahaha, Huh?¡± Valk, who was sitting in the VIP private room, suddenly stopped mid-laugh. Butler Reason immediately asked from the side, ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°That fellow killed my messenger. Tsk, She has a vicious streak a mile wide¡± Reason¡¯s expression remained stoic as he asked, ¡°Do you believe the Calamity can overcome Ms. Camilla¡¯s scheme, which has been in place for millennia since the Bronze Age?¡± Valk replied, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°The only way the Calamity can emerge victorious is if he¡¯s willing to incinerate 40 million souls. But even then, he might not make it out of Ravenwood alive. The only reason he has a fighting chance now is because his two former loyal subordinates risked everything to uncover vital intel.¡± ¡°So, will he burn it?¡± Valk pressed for more. Reason shook his head. ¡°To a certain extent, the Calamity is like your kindred spirit, Boss. If it were you, you wouldn¡¯t burn it.¡± The insinuation was clear: if it were me, I would have burned it long ago, but since I would, you definitely wouldn¡¯t. Valk applauded happily. ¡°Ah, a kindred spirit. It¡¯s not often I hear words of praise that I actually like. Well said, Reason! Kindred spirit! I love it!¡± Reason continued expressionlessly, ¡°But unlike you, Boss, the Calamity doesn¡¯t have an immortal body. His fate is sealed.¡± ¡°Immortal body¡± Valk repeated Reason¡¯s words, his voice laced with an eerie chill, nothing like the joy it formerly had. His feline eyes fixated on Reason, dangerous and unpredictable. He continued asking and spoke very slowly and gently. ¡°Do you truly believe we have immortal bodies?¡± Valk¡¯s expression shifted again, his earlier good humor returning. ¡°Hahahahaha, why so serious?! Care to make a wager on whether the Calamity can pull off the impossible once more?¡± Regarding this, Reason shook his head and said, ¡°I can¡¯t beat you.¡± Valk shook his head regretfully. ¡°Such a shame. Well, I suppose I¡¯ll have to seek out some more daring companions to place my bets with But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t end you today.¡± With a parting shot that left one on high alert, Valk transformed into a whirlwind of playing cards and vanished into thin air. Reason remained motionless, frozen in place like a work of art carved from marble. Only once it was certain that Absurdity Jester had disappeared did Reason finally stagger over to a nearby chair and collapse into it. The VIP room was littered with clown-themed cards, a fitting backdrop for the chaos that had just ensued. Trembling uncontrollably, Reason fished a handkerchief from the pocket of its tuxedo and wiped the non-existent sweat from its brow. D-does He already know what I did? In the underground root system close to the tree hole. Elaire, the ambassador of the empire, led the Obliteration Tower monks through the winding roots. Something is off about that woman and the VIP she was with. Elaire had concluded this after the meeting at White Bone Castle. They were hiding something, and his unexpected visit had caught them off guard. That man couldn¡¯t have been a consultant for the Moon Realm. I suspect he¡¯s affiliated with another faction. Blackwater Province? Ava State? Damon Continent? Or the Moon Realm? Elaire didn¡¯t know for sure, but he knew he had to take revenge for the humiliation he had suffered. Originally, Elaire had planned to use the embassy¡¯s intelligence network to dig up dirt on Floralafter all, his life would be in danger if he swaggered into Holy Tree City now. However, to his surprise, or rather, within expectations, there were so many people in Holy Tree City who opposed Floral¡¯s iron-fisted rule that his informants easily obtained vital information from the Oak Council. Floral was hiding something deep in the underground root system of the World Tree. Underground root system? Since it wasn¡¯t inside Holy Tree City, Elaire decided to take matters into his own hands and search for evidence himself. He didn¡¯t expect to find anything that could bring down Floral, but he could use this opportunity to deal a blow to the empress¡¯s faction. and that it had to wait until he returned to Platinum City to make things difficult for her. But he could use this opportunity to deal a blow to the empress¡¯s faction. Empress Erin and the Holy Tree Duke were once rumored to be as close as a mother and daughter. But when Erin made the decision to return to Platinum City, their relationship completely fell apart. Some say that Erin squeezed the arable land in Emerald Province dry just to fulfill the Damon Continent¡¯s contract. But Elaire, with his experience in Platinum City¡¯s complex political environment, knew the truth was far more nuanced. It was Floral, with her unwavering support, that allowed Erin to withstand the pressure from the senators represented by the power-hungry Speaker York. And with the Damon Continent¡¯s trade agreement, Erin had everything she needed to secure her power. Emerald Province was, hence, the empress¡¯s most reliable ally. And as an exile to this barbaric land, Elaire wasn¡¯t about to let this opportunity to attack Erin¡¯s ally slip away. After scouring the area, Elaire and his guards finally stumbled upon a suspicious spot deep in the root system. A wooden door, intricately made from intertwined roots, flickered with emerald-green runes. In front of the door was a mark inserted by a magical medium. Elaire¡¯s guards informed him that the spells had been destroyed, making it easy to pass through. ¡°Alright, you go in first. You and you, protect me.¡± Elaire issued his guards such an order. As he recalled the brutal attack in the forest, he added, ¡°And if you discover a creature attacking me, kill it without hesitation. The dead can always be used as evidence.¡± Chapter 298 - 298 The Dead Dead 298 The Dead Dead ¡°Looks like we have company. Who else knows about this place?¡± William glanced at the destroyed root door before his eyes landed on Ebony. Ebony, still dazed, met William¡¯s gaze weakly. He muttered to himself, ¡°Only you and Floral, who claims to have knowledge of this place from long ago. No one else should know¡­¡± Floral interjected, ¡°He doesn¡¯t exactly do very clean jobs. It¡¯s possible others have discovered it as well.¡± William nodded slightly. No matter how similar Ebony¡¯s thoughts were to the living, he was undoubtedly an undead. Even though he may mimic the living¡ªso well that William failed to see any problems¡ªhe lacked their quick wit. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first. In the event of danger, cover everyone¡¯s tracks and make sure Nizemar and Elise stay safe.¡± William turned around and instructed Floral. Without another word, William disappeared in a flash of lightning from the door. To a Divine Realm mage like Floral, William¡¯s caution seemed excessive. She grumbled to herself after finding her senses once again, ¡°Does he think I¡¯m a child?¡± ¡­ ¡°Marvelous, simply marvelous¡­ This is a scandal of significant proportions, no matter how you look at it.¡± With a commanding presence, Elaire directed his subordinates to publicly execute over ten undead beings, coaxing the rest into finally cooperating with his requests. As they assembled in an organized fashion in the middle of the camp square, they squatted with their hands behind their heads, moving with a fluidity that made them indistinguishable from actual humans. If it weren¡¯t for the trained guards from the Obliteration Tower, Elaire may not have been able to detect their true nature. He looked at the undead who acted too humanly and smiled in satisfaction. This turn of events was nothing short of a stroke of luck for him, and a problem for that insufferable Floral. The highly esteemed Holy Tree Duke privately rearing the undead in the Holy Tree City¡¯s underground roots had just become a topic for the Senate¡¯s next debate. The Emerald Province was the empire¡¯s breadbasket, and it was legally prohibited to research or utilize undead magic within its boundaries to prevent contamination of the land. It was the founding emperor, Terra I, who laid down this basic legal provision in the Empire¡¯s Codex: Emerald Volume. Even though Terra Riel was well aware of the Forest Elves¡¯ deep-rooted aversion to undead spells, he still deemed it necessary to make this the first legal guarantee. With the recent appearance of a large-scale undead magic wave in the Blackwater Province, the Astral Council was contemplating the limitations of undead spells in the Astral Laws. In this current climate, if the leader of the Emerald Province, the empire¡¯s breadbasket, was caught conducting inhumane undead experiments, it would spark fierce opposition from the Forest Elves in the region. This would give the senators ample leverage to pressure the empress at the Platinum Palace. Elaire had anticipated reaping some benefits from his trip, but he never imagined it would be such a windfall. He eagerly awaited his return to Platinum City to see how he would be rewarded by the fair-minded Speaker York, who was known for his equitable distribution of rewards and punishments. If he could bring down the Holy Tree Duke, it could very well earn him a reserve seat in both the Senate and the Imperial Council, finally giving him a chance to step into the center of the empire¡¯s power stage. These thoughts filled Elaire with an intoxicating sense of exhilaration, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself. The sound of laughter was interrupted by a booming voice, shattering Elaire¡¯s moment of reverie. It was a Forest Elf, his chiseled muscles rippling beneath his skin as he slowly lowered his hands, stood up, and glared at Elaire, his eyes blazing with anger. Tattoos of venomous snakes slithered up and down his arms, flicking their tongues in unison, ready to strike at any moment. ¡°Sorry?¡± Elaire feigned ignorance, tilting his head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m asking you what are you laughing at, empire dog,¡± the burly Forest Elf undead repeated his question, his tattoos multiplying and slithering out of his clothes as a swarm of angry serpents. The man in front of Elaire was all too familiar. He was the leader of a tribe that worshiped a venomous snake totem, a man who had refused Floral¡¯s request to have his subordinates join the Wild Hunt army and had paid the ultimate price for it. In a sudden twist, he found himself¡ªboth corpse and soul¡ªtransformed into a high-level undead by that woman. ¡°Remarkable. Your intelligence and ability to control spirits surpass even what the most skilled necromancers in the Platinum Ring are capable of. Is your master Floral that powerful?¡± Elaire marveled. To achieve even slightly clearer logic in an awakened undead was a feat, but the duchess had gone above and beyond. Her achievements only served as mistakes that pleased Elaire. ¡°Whose slave are you talking about?!¡± After Elaire said those words, the burly Forest Elf who took the initiative to step forward roared and controlled the venomous snakes to attack the human in front of him from different directions like a ignited barrel of explosives. Elaire watched as more than ten venomous snakes with lethal venom dripping from their mouths attacked him, but his gaze didn¡¯t change at all. Despite the imminent danger, Elaire stood his ground and watched as over ten venomous snakes, with lethal venom dripping from their mouths, came at him. But his unwavering gaze remained steady. Suddenly, with a deafening crack, the snakes that were attacking Elaire from every direction were beheaded by something invisible. The triangular viper heads turned into mere specks of light and vanished into the air. And the headless snakes fell to the ground, dissipating into thin air, like ignited tinder. ¡°Did I say something wrong? You¡¯re not an undead that the duke transformed into?¡± Elaire asked curiously, then added, ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to answer.¡± The burly Forest Elf undead appeared to want to explain or curse, but before he could do anything, his head flew up in the air like the snake heads from before. ¡°Because you¡¯re already dead.¡± Elaire gazed around at the remaining Forest Elves, a tinge of regret in his eyes. With 30% sorrow and 70% joy, he spoke with conviction, ¡°Let me give you a piece of advice. The rest of you better not try to attack me. They can¡¯t read people¡¯s expressions.¡± The undead couldn¡¯t contain their shock when the burly elf¡¯s head was cleanly beheaded. It was a sight that made Elaire sigh with emotion, reminiscent of when he first found this place. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you see undead feeling fear and sorrow over the death of their companions.¡± The question lingered in Elaire¡¯s mind. What kind of twisted mind created such an effect? He couldn¡¯t be sure why that woman had done so. But now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. He had obtained the evidence, but the question remained: how to bring it out? After scanning the 30-odd survivors in the square, he picked out the youngest-looking youth and instructed the guard beside him, ¡°Bring that child over.¡± It was impossible to take everyone away as evidence, so selecting a malleable person to bring back to Platinum Province was the best option. ¡°As for the rest¡­¡± Elaire glanced at the remaining undead, trembling like humans, and felt a tinge of disgust. The Uncanny Valley theory had yet to be proposed in this world, but people still had a similar feeling when faced with something that looked human but wasn¡¯t. Coupled with the need to destroy evidence of his presence¡­ ¡°Cleanse the rest¡­ It can be considered a good deed.¡± After some thought, Elaire made a decision. The guards beside him received the order and simultaneously focused on the undead squatting on the ground, ready to attack at any moment¡­ ¡°Lunar Monsters?¡± A bolt of lightning illuminated the darkened hall, followed by the sudden appearance of a familiar voice beside Elaire. It was the Storm Province man he had seen in the White Bone Castle¡¯s hall, the one the duke had introduced as a consultant. The Obliteration Tower guards immediately shifted their focus to the uninvited guest and entered a heightened state of combat. It was a state that Elaire had never seen before, and it made him uneasy. The man paid no attention to the guards, his attention drawn to the humanoid ashes and the undead with the freshly severed head. His expression darkened as he turned to Elaire. ¡°You killed a total of 12 people here?¡± he asked in a deep, menacing voice. ¡°They are only und¡­¡± But before he could finish, the man slapped him across the face, sending him flying over ten meters away, where he came to a stop against a protruding root in the hall. ¡°Do you know what you have done?¡± the man demanded, his eyes fixed on Elaire who had fallen into shock. ¡°You¡­ Do you know what you have¡­ done?!¡± Stunned and disoriented, Elaire struggled to speak, his voice barely above a whisper, ¡°My instructions to them are to kill everything that attacks me. As long as it¡¯s an order issued to them, even I can¡¯t undo it.¡± ¡°Therefore, you¡¯re dead, stranger.¡± William listened to his staccato words and surveyed the guards that had surrounded him, intrigued by what he saw. In his ether domain¡¯s perception, their power fluctuations were not those of magic chanters or Authority holders, nor were they like the transcendent powers found in humans. Instead, they were closer to the existences found in the Moon Realm. Despite this, they were undoubtedly humans from Currere, not even demon summoners who had signed a contract with a Moon Realm existence. It was as though they were artificial Moon Realm metahumans. Remides had told William about the Obliteration Tower and Demon Burial organizations, two groups established by the empire that had delved deeply into the essence of the Moon Realm. It was said that they had achieved a breakthrough. So these guys in front of him were one of the so-called achievements? With this in mind, William drew Judgment 2 with his empty hand. Would an artificial Moon Realm existence be afraid of natural anti-Moon Realm weapons? Chapter 299 - 299 Over There 299 Over There So in short, these things suspected to be artificial Lunar Monsters can also be completely killed by Judgment equipment. Upon coming to a conclusion after the short battle, he looked down at the corpses scattered on the ground and retrieved Judgment 2, stowing it away in his inventory. As he bent down to examine one of the corpses by removing its hood, his frown deepened. The skin on the corpse¡¯ face looked like it had been made of stained glass that had melted and solidified, flowing with colors that resembled oil membranes floating over water. The facial features were grotesque¡ªeyes and mouth sewn shut by tight needles, and ears and nose sealed by lead-gray metal. The oil-colored skin was unnerving, and William couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver down his spine. During the battle, William had noticed that the colors under the monsters¡¯ hoods were constantly changing like a kaleidoscope, creating a stunning display that reflected the Moon Realm¡¯s strange orange clouds. With their origins being illusory thoughts, the Lunar Monsters¡¯ characteristics were ever-changing, except for Steelheart Widow and her spawn. From this, William realized that they were the truest sense of Lunar Monsters. In the short battle, William realized that the other party was wielding spells against him. Now, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for Lunar Monsters to have magical abilities, but these were different. These were low-level monsters summoned by demon summoners, drawing upon the ether domain of their host to bolster their power. But the spells they used were unlike any modern incantations that William used. It was all so familiar, yet so incomprehensible. This was no ordinary magic woven through logic, but something bold and unrestrained, like an abstract painting that defied easy understanding. William had seen this kind of magic before, when he had battled a member of the Tacma Church. The Church member had explained that this was the true form of magic, and that the logical spells pursued by all the mages in Currere were misguided. Could these things be so-called correct magic created by the empire according to some theories of the Tacma Church? ¡°Hey, what are they?¡± William turned his gaze towards the empire ambassador he had bound to a tree root. ¡°What kind of¡­ person are you?¡± Elaire asked, his body trembling uncontrollably. . He had originally planned to ask what kind of ¡°monster¡± William was, but the intensity in his eyes made him think twice. What kind of monster is he¡­? He had single-handedly taken down all the guards from the Obliteration Tower in one swift strike. Even Duke Floral, known as invincible in the White Bone Temple, couldn¡¯t accomplish such a feat so easily. There is a powerhouse of this level in Holy Tree City? And to make matters worse, he seems to be allied with the Holy Tree Duke. Could that woman really be planning a rebellion? As Elaire¡¯s thoughts ran wild with fear and confusion, William stepped in front of him and asked again, ¡°Let me ask you, what are they?¡± Elaine sensed the impatience in William¡¯s voice and quickly replied, ¡°They¡¯re Obliteration Tower monks.¡± ¡°Listen here, the Obliteration Tower is an imperial organization that specializes in unraveling the secrets of the mysterious Moon Realm. Back in the day, it used to be an esteemed member of the Astral Council, but it went solo for some undisclosed reason¡­ Let¡¯s not dwell on the past for now. To put it simply, the Obliteration Tower¡¯s monks possess special authorization from the empire to dive deep into the Moon Realm. In addition, they are the empire¡¯s primary combat force in the war against the vicious Lunar Monsters, just like the Demon Burial stationed beneath the Holy Spirits Church. They work tirelessly in the shadows to safeguard the empire¡¯s people from any Lunar threat that looms over them.¡± Do they truly believe their own propaganda? As if they weren¡¯t the ones who had chiseled apart the World Shell and spawned the 24 Moon Realm rifts¡­ William let out a cynical snort and gestured towards the lifeless bodies strewn behind him. ¡°Research the Moon Realm? Protect the empire¡¯s citizens? All with the help of something that¡¯s as intelligent as an Elemental Soul?¡± The other party continued to explain to William, ¡°The Holy Tree Duke spoke highly of your expertise in the Moon Realm. So you must understand the dangers of coming into contact with the Moon Realm. The monks who study it undergo a ¡®pre-treatment¡¯ to protect themselves from its bewitching powers. Those who fail the treatment but gain strength are turned into powerful weapons for hire,¡± Elaire clarified. These failed subjects from the ¡®pre-treatment¡¯ process were stripped of their personalities and transformed into mindless puppets that were used as powerful weapons. The word ¡®pre-treatment¡¯ triggered a haunting memory in William¡¯s mind. He recalled the face of a man whose skin had melted and whose eyes and mouth were sewn shut¡­ Was it to reduce the Moon Realm¡¯s mental influence on mortals by destroying their senses? Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, William made plans on gaining a deeper understanding of the Obliteration Tower in the future. There were more important matters to resolve now. ¡°What brings you here, and how did you find this place?¡± William refocused on the matter at hand that needed answers. ¡°I¡¯m here because¡­¡± Before the other party spoke, William warned him, ¡°Don¡¯t try to lie in front of me, and don¡¯t try to play games with me. I won¡¯t hesitate to take action if you try to test me again.¡± Elaire had been slyly testing William by dropping a casual mention of Floral¡¯s praise for his expertise in the Moon Realm during the conversation in the hall. But William saw right through his ploy. Elaire, a seasoned politician of Platinum City, nodded with sweat all over his forehead. When faced with an adversary with absolute power, one had to be astute in navigating the murky waters of politics. And so, he spilled everything he knew to the enigmatic powerhouse who had appeared out of nowhere. But he made sure to keep his thoughts and reasoning to himself, only recounting the objective events. Telling the truth but not from the heart was the safest way to stay safe in front of the strong. William let out a helpless sigh as he listened to the other party¡¯s explanation. What was this? Did some negligence worsen the situation? He glanced back at the dozen or so undead killed by the person in front of him and recalled what Floral had said. Once they died in the current timeline, it meant that their existence was fixed as the current historical truth. This would cause a conflict between the two timelines and ultimately accelerate the healing of the shattered time. William looked at the empire ambassador and wondered if this person was one of the pawns controlled by the Lady of Starvation to accelerate all of this. Elise shivered under William¡¯s gaze. After a while, William complained, ¡°About what you¡¯ve done¡­ Wait for Floral to explain it to you in the future. The people here were gathered to resist her. Why did you attack without clarification?¡± He said this because he heard footsteps not far behind him. Floral and the others were probably here. William turned around and, with a flick of his wrist, William ignited the magical medium in his hand, signaling his presence in the hall. And just in time, for the accessory on his chest suddenly heated up, creating a magical barrier that protected him from a hail of silver-tipped arrows and powerful spells which shattered upon contact. The tree hole shook from the impact, but William stood firm. Although they couldn¡¯t break through his defense, William was stunned by the sudden attack. He immediately used Illumination and Eagle Eye. The entire tree hole was illuminated as bright as day. Then, William saw¡­ Floral, wearing a dragon bone crown, was leading the charge with her magical medium at the ready. And beside her was the half-knelt Nizemar, with a crossbow in her hand, aiming straight at him. William didn¡¯t feel betrayed or misunderstood when he saw this scene. With the Eagle Eye spell enhancing his vision, he could see the rot on their faces, exposing their gums. To confirm his suspicions, William turned to the surviving members of the Forest Elf Resistance. This time, Life Detection indicated that they were alive. Chapter 300 - 300 Over Here 300 Over Here Dust and smoke billowed through the air, the aftermath of the magical explosion that had just occurred. It was impossible to see anything in the chaos. But then, a fierce gust of wind sliced through the thick haze like a razor-sharp blade through paper. ¡°Nizemar¡±, her body wrapped in a whirlwind, stood before the sliced smoke curtain. Her moss-covered hand gripped the Evil Breaker rapier with a fierce intensity, and white smoke hissed from her palm. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ escaped,¡± she said coolly, her voice sounding like a pesky mosquito. ¡°Floral¡±, the antler-crowned woman, approached her with caution. ¡°Stay sharp, he might still be hiding nearby.¡± But Nizemar didn¡¯t seem to agree. With a clang, she sheathed her silver rapier and made her way towards Elaire, who was still bound to the roots. She closed her eyes and began to chant an incantation, an emerald-green rune vortex lighting up around her. ¡°I¡¯m sure the other party isn¡¯t here anymore,¡± she finally explained. As the runes flickered to life, the roots began to squirm and loosen, sending Elaire tumbling to the ground with a loud clang. Thump! Elaire landed in a pitiful heap, complaining about the rough treatment. Nizemar marched forward and flipped him over with her boots. ¡°You f*cking¡­¡± ¡°Who was the man beside you?¡± Ignoring the other party¡¯s curses, Nizemar asked, At this moment, marks resembling burns covered her body, the result of a life spell. But she showed no signs of pain¡ªnot because of her strong willpower. It was as if she was impervious to it. ¡°Man? What man?¡± Elaire asked with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Nizemar wanted to speak but froze in mid-sentence. She struggled to remember a distant memory, hesitating for a long time before finally letting her hand fall to her side. Her expression returned to a cold¡ªperhaps numb¡ªtone. ¡°So, you¡¯ve found this underground resistance stronghold,¡± she spoke in a mechanical tone like a terrible stage actor. ¡°Our deal is settled then? I help you find this place, and you return the blind girl to me.¡± ¡°Elaire¡± stood up, grinning as if he had won. ¡°But I warned you not to kill unnecessarily,¡± ¡°Were you hoping I didn¡¯t resist? I wanted to negotiate with them, but they attacked the moment they saw me¡­ I was just defending myself, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Elaire looked at the surviving Forest Elves, opening his maggot-infested mouth for a beaming smile. The Forest Elves squatting and trembling immediately shrunk back, causing the smile on Elaire¡¯s face to freeze. ¡°Why are you so afraid of me? I won¡¯t eat you¡­¡± he said gloomily. Floral beckoned someone forward, and Ebony, who was tied up, was brought forth. ¡°Alright, all the evidence is here. What else do you want to quibble about?¡± Floral turned to the man and asked. Ebony, who had been escorted up to the room, appeared utterly drained. He bore the expression of someone who had been incarcerated in an asylum for too long and couldn¡¯t tell if they were the crazy ones or if the world had gone mad. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you want to ¡®prove,''¡± Ebony said numbly. ¡°You used your identity as the Holy Tree Matriarch Listener to hide the prisoners I sentenced to death,¡± ¡°Floral¡± said. ¡°I was just trying my best to save¡­ one of the few normal people in this city,¡± he weakly responded. ¡°So, you want to challenge the order of Holy Tree City in this way?¡± ¡°Holy Tree City?¡± Ebony looked up and forced a bitter smile. ¡°More like Dead Tree City¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s your answer?¡± Floral asked with a frown. ¡°In any case, you won¡¯t believe me even if I point out the truth, right?¡± Ebony stood before the undead duke. Then, as if he couldn¡¯t take it anymore, he took a deep breath and rattled off like a cannon, ¡°Or do you need to hear it again? The truth is staring you in the face, yet you turn a blind eye. You¡¯re all dead, your history nothing more than a fading memory. That Holy Tree Matriarch you cling to is nothing but a lifeless carcass¡­ But you¡¯ll keep on with your charade, won¡¯t you? Pretending to be alive, to be normal, to really be in Ravenwood instead of some illusion created by a higher power or something even more sinister.¡± ¡°Can you hear me, though?¡± ¡°Floral¡± eyed the man before her, tapping her magical medium in a steady rhythm. After a moment, she turned to Nizemar, her brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Did you catch any of that?¡± ¡­ As the smoke cleared, William, with him chanting non-lethal spells, was just about to counterattack when he saw Floral and the others looking at him with worry in their eyes. Their faces weren¡¯t rotten, their gums weren¡¯t exposed, and they didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of attacking. It was as if everything he had just witnessed was an illusion. William turned to the Forest Elves, but this time he couldn¡¯t detect them through Life Detection. Wh¡­ His maxed-out willpower told him that what he had just experienced was too real to be an illusion. It wasn¡¯t possible, even if the Lord of Nightmare had personally cast it. In other words, what he had seen previously was a real scene¡­ So¡­ did I cross timelines? With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the spell he was casting and lowered the empire ambassador who was tied to a tree root. The man fell to the ground with a loud thud and rolled twice before laying still, not daring to make a sound. ¡°Stay there,¡± William commanded, before walking over to the group of people. ¡°Did someone launch a sneak attack? I saw your magic barrier activate,¡± Nizemar asked carefully as she turned her head and looked behind warily. Previously, she had seen very clearly that the Presiding Judge was chanting a spell in their direction. ¡°Were you here all along?¡± William asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean by ¡®here all along,¡¯ but we followed Mr. Ebony¡¯s guidance and didn¡¯t encounter anything strange on the way, nor did we hear any strange sounds¡­ Therefore, what happened just now, Mr. Presiding Judge?¡± Nizemar immediately replied. Floral seemed to have guessed what William meant. She immediately asked, ¡°Could it be that you just went to the other side?¡± William nodded slowly. ¡°I was in and out of there in a flash, barely a few minutes tops.¡± William gestured towards Elaire, sprawled on the ground like a dead fish. ¡°And just so you know, this guy here went to the other side with me.¡± ¡°What did you see on the other side?¡± Floral scanned the dust-laden surroundings warily. ¡°I saw you guys¡­ But it seems like you¡¯re the ones worse for wear, if you catch my drift,¡± William chose his words carefully and replied. Floral got the hint and let the matter drop. Instead, her eyes locked onto Elaire. ¡°You said he went with you?¡± she pointed at Elaire, who seemed to be acting dead, and asked. William nodded, about to divulge more when Elise wriggled out from under Nizemar¡¯s grip. Her eyes, a milky white, zeroed in on Elaire and spoke with a strange authority. ¡°Presiding Judge, please allow me to correct you. You didn¡¯t take him to the other side, he took you.¡± The Eyes of God revealed a world that defied explanation. It was like trying to describe colors to a blind man. But Elise could see the threads of time, dividing and weaving like untied ropes on the body of the empire¡¯s ambassador. Or rather, the shadows of the two possibilities were constantly overlapping. In other words, his time had been shattered into two by a certain force, and it was slowly healing. As for what power broke the time, considering what the other party had done¡­ ¡°In other words¡­ killing the undead who crossed into our timeline can break through time to a certain extent and lead us to another timeline?¡± After hearing Elise¡¯s description, William could only come to this conclusion. Elise nodded and continued in confusion, ¡°It seems that he is the only one who can cross temporarily. And for some reason, being beside him, you also crossed over. I¡¯m not sure why this happened, but time remains intact for you. I even wonder whether anything can destroy it.¡± To Elise, time was like a thin thread for a normal person. But on the Presiding Judge, it was like thick ropes anchored to ships, unbreakable and unwavering. Chapter 301 - 301 Distant 301 Distant The ultimate solution was to detain them all. ¡°They are oblivious to their own demise, which is a good thing, but it¡¯s mind-boggling how they can maintain their mental faculties.¡± Floral asked in confusion after everyone was placed under control. The undead relied on memories to keep going. It was like an echo that persisted long after death, or maybe more accurately, like a Resound that had been etched into time. The strength of a necromancer determined how many memories could be reawakened in the undead. But even the most powerful necromancer couldn¡¯t create an undead like the one they were facing now, one that seemed to be in a fully resurrected state. ¡°Their self-awareness is almost that of the living¡­ other than not admitting that they¡¯re dead,¡± Nizemar, who was watching the survivors, added. They both looked to William, hoping for some kind of answer. As the strongest Undead magic chanter in Currere, if anyone knew the truth behind these Forest Elf undead, it would be him. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later¡­ The most important thing now is on how to deal with these people.¡± William could only change the topic when faced with their expectant gazes. The truth was, William was baffled by how the Lady of Starvation did it. Undead magic had an ironclad rule: a caster could summon the undead who were stronger than the corpse when they were alive, but they couldn¡¯t restore the undead to a state identical to the time when they were alive. The power of undead magic lay in its ability to stir up memories, but memories were tricky things. They held a certain level of ambiguity that often distorted the truth. Legends and history were all born from the exaggeration of memories, and the more ancient the corpse, the more potent its power. Necromancers knew this all too well and weren¡¯t too fussed with fresh corpses. Their interest lay in acquiring the more seasoned variety, for without the enhancement of history and legends, the strength of the recently deceased was limited to that of their living selves. But these Forest Elf undead were different. They had the same intellect as ordinary people, and their strength was identical to when they were alive. They could even use their soulless bodies to harness the power of beast spirits. William could only guess that this was a manifestation of Camilla¡¯s power, although he didn¡¯t know which authority corresponded to this phenomenon. A glimpse from another timeline showed William that the timeline that gave birth to the Lady of Starvation was likely made up of a group of undead acting. One was simply the Kingdom of the Dead, Ravenwood, where hundreds of thousands of the dead pretended that they weren¡¯t dead and acted a role on-stage, keeping in sync with the current timeline. ¡°R-right.¡± Floral¡¯s heart raced as she looked at William¡¯s deadly serious expression. She knew better than to question him. After a moment of confusion, she asked, ¡°What should we do with them?¡± William had already dismissed her previous ideas of sending them to the Ruins of Orsis or the Land of Eternal Night in the north. ¡°We¡¯ll send them to the Moon Realm,¡± William replied tersely. ¡°But the Moon Realm¡¯s concept of time is completely different from Currere¡­¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that require bargaining with the ruthless overlords of the Moon Realm or the formidable Void Sovereigns?¡± Once these poor people were handed over to those powerful beings, their fate would be entirely out of their hands. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± the other party, however, only shook his head and replied. William pulled out a handful of azure gems and tossed them into the air. Floral watched as lightning crackled as the gems formed a connection and a portal opened to an unknown area. ¡°But if we don¡¯t make deals with the high-level existences in the Moon Realm, won¡¯t we be sending them to the ownerless areas?¡± Floral asked, her voice full of concern. ¡°If anything goes wrong, they may be lost in the Moon Realm forever¡­¡± The sudden cawing of a thousand crows filled the air, drowning out the rest of her sentence. In an instant, thousands of birds surged out of the portal into the dome of the tree hole, their blood-red eyes fixed on the group. Everyone cowered and covered their heads, except for William and Nizemar. ¡°I don¡¯t need to make deals with high-level existences in the Moon Realm. At least, not for such a trivial matter,¡± William said, looking up at the ominous cloud of crows. As he spoke, the crows circled in the air, forming a terrifying tornado of black and red as the whirlwind gradually transformed into a thin, tall young man with skin as pale as a drowned corpse. The man bowed deeply before addressing him respectfully, ¡°I¡¯m here on the orders of the Father of the Crows. My Lord¡¯s master, is there anything you need me for?¡± William couldn¡¯t help but smile at the young man. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again. But, tell me, what should I call you now? Can¡¯t keep calling you the Crow Feather Prophet, can I?¡± As Blake delved deeper into the mysteries of Black Crow Gaze, he realized that he held immense power¡ªenough to create high-level Moon Realm existences akin to Demon Generals. But he knew better than to create such entities solely out of authority, for they would be too loyal to their nature and cause untold chaos. So he summoned the Crows, the organization that Jackdaw had created, and began his search for individuals who could and would become Moon Realm existences. To put it simply, it was to create a Moon Realm Authority holder. William, upon hearing of Blake¡¯s plans, knew exactly who to recommend¡ªthe Crow Feather Prophet, who had been under Jackdaw¡¯s control before being abandoned in Blacklight City. After defeating Jackdaw and returning to Currere, William set out to find the Crow Feather Prophet¡¯s soul, which was in tatters and difficult to repair. He managed to elevate it to a high-level Moon Realm existence, saving it from certain destruction. ¡°Distant, My Lord¡¯s master. My name and authority are both ¡®Distant.''¡± said the Demon General named Distant, who had been saved by William and Blake, bowing his head slightly. The concept of distant possibilities was enough to produce despair that seeped into the very depths of one¡¯s being. It wasn¡¯t just the physical distance that caused the ache, but the idea of being able to see a goal but not being able to reach it. Blake was a man with three Authorities. The one that resonated the strongest with him was Distant, the Authority closest to the concept of despair. It was stronger than Loss and Helplessness. William nodded and said, ¡°Distant? No wonder Blake said that no one is more suitable for this mission than you¡­ Floral, please help this gentleman and transfer those people over to ensure that they stay in an absolutely safe place before the matter is over.¡± ¡°Ah? Lord William, hold on a minute. Are you sure¡­¡± Floral finally found her voice. A Demon General-level Moon Realm existence had sauntered into her city, like it was paying a visit. It defied all logic and challenged her common sense. But that wasn¡¯t the worst part. This Demon General claimed to be a subordinate of the Moon Realm Calamity. Had she gone mad, or had the world gone mad? Floral sidled up to William and whispered, ¡°Are you sure you want to hand those people over to him¡­ This is a Demon General-level Lunar Monster. Can he be trusted?¡± In truth, there was nothing for her to hide. Floral was merely displaying her vigilance to the other party. ¡°He¡¯s with me,¡± William replied tersely. ¡°I¡¯m not quite following¡­¡± Floral kept a wary eye on the Lunar Monster standing before her, feeling as though it was forever beyond her grasp. ¡°Simply put¡­¡± Distant turned to Floral and explained with impeccable courtesy, ¡°My master and I serve the Presiding Judge. His will is our command¡ªwe will not hesitate, even if it means the utter annihilation of the Moon Realm.¡± ¡°Shall we proceed with our duties, ma¡¯am?¡± Floral was stunned by the overwhelming emotional aura emanating from the other party, but nodded subconsciously. She watched as William strode towards the portal, crackling with lightning. ¡°Lord William, where are you headed?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but inquire. Was he departing from Emerald Province at this crucial moment? Before he stepped through the portal, William replied, ¡°The library. I need to brush up on timelines.¡± William felt as though he had seen similar records in the past regarding the skipping of timelines across different histories. Chapter 302 - 302 A Small Favor 302 A Small Favor ¡°Dean, just got a notice. The first batch of Ava State magic teachers is expected to arrive by the end of this month. It might alleviate the school¡¯s teacher shortage, but it¡¯s only theoretical¡­¡± ¡°Why do you say it¡¯s only theoretical?¡± Grimm Gordon, the Dean of Blackwater Arcana University, questioned, annotating the document without looking up. ¡°Equipment. The Shattered Sea is sealed off by the imperial navy. Smuggling ships have a hard time sending people over. Plus, there¡¯s the issue of the High Elves. We¡¯ve been raised to be hostile towards them. We should start raising our security.¡± ¡°You mean to protect the safety of the High Elf teachers?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about the safety of the radical students. The teachers sent are led by Legendary magic chanters of all types. Their safety isn¡¯t our concern.¡± Grimm¡¯s eagle feather quill paused. He glanced up at the newly promoted secretary with intrigue. ¡°Do those who have a problem with High Elves include you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, letting them be in charge of our magical education. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s dangerous, Mr. Grimm?¡± the secretary replied resentfully. ¡°On this matter, I actually concur¡­¡± Grimm gave a subtle nod, intending to agree with the other party. But in the next moment, he pulled a long face and corrected the other person¡¯s lack of political awareness in a serious tone. ¡°We have to study what works for the High Elves in magical literacy education. It¡¯s an order from the higher-ups, and it¡¯s our duty to carry out their orders.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, Dean. How could the higher-ups make such a foolish decision? It¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°The higher-ups have their reasons. We can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the High Elves we¡¯re talking about. Who knows what else they¡¯ll teach besides magic if we let them into our classrooms? Even if the higher-ups announce an alliance with Ava State, they can¡¯t just hand over education to those pointy-ears, can they? I don¡¯t know what the higher-ups are thinking, but I won¡¯t let my daughter be educated by those elves.¡± Grimm couldn¡¯t stop the other party from shooting off his mouth, so he nervously looked behind the person, trying to suppress the spasms in his facial muscles. He didn¡¯t notice that someone was standing silently behind him. The secretary seemed to be venting his long-standing dissatisfaction. ¡°The current magical enlightenment policies aren¡¯t as good as when the Astral Council was in charge. Back then, they were much more prudent and efficient. Now, even children with the talent the size of mung beans are required to undergo magical enlightenment¡ªseven days a week, 24 hours a day. The mages in charge can¡¯t even keep up¡­¡± Grimm¡¯s steely gaze bore down on the speaker, urging him to cease his babbling. But the person persisted, ¡°I reckon it might be alright if that¡¯s all there is to it. Sure, it might put a strain on us all, but we¡¯ll manage somehow. Yet, the solution to the shortage of manpower is to seek help from Ava State¡­ Think about how many years Ava State has been at odds with the empire¡¯s military. After so many years of hatred, do you really think a few contracts can change it? The Rose Palace is too naive. Will the High Elves sent by Ava State really do their best to provide us a magic literacy course as they proclaim?¡± As the young secretary spoke, he accidentally bumped into the person standing behind him. ¡°Sorry, I was a little engrossed in your conversation. I should have informed you of my presence,¡± the person apologized very politely. ¡°It¡¯s all good, all good. My job here is finished. Have a seat,¡± the secretary said, flashing a toothy grin before relinquishing his chair to the Stormer standing behind him. Turning back to face the academy¡¯s dean, he noticed an abrupt change in his expression. ¡°Dean Grimm, I¡¯m headed to the Stranger Lighthouse next. Is there anything you require of me?¡± ¡°Nothing to send over. However, once you¡¯re done with the lighthouse, take a break from your work. Head home and spend time with your daughter. But don¡¯t stray too far, we may need you soon.¡± The secretary bowed in gratitude, clutching the documents in his hand. ¡°Thank you, Dean. My family has been complaining that I¡¯m always not around. I haven¡¯t had a moment¡¯s peace since the Undead Tide. It¡¯s those old cronies¡¯ fault, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± he quipped, hoping for a chuckle of approval from the newcomer. Regarding this, Grimm almost face palmed. Did you have to say the second half of your sentence? As the secretary hummed a jaunty tune and exited the room, Grimm rose to his feet, ready to address the newcomer. ¡°Lord William, let me explain¡­¡± Without warning, the mythical figure who held the reins of power in Blackwater Swamp interrupted Grimm¡¯s attempt to explain. His hand shot up, cutting Grimm off mid-sentence. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss that later. But first, you need to open the door.¡± ¡°Door?¡± Grimm hesitated for a moment, thrown off by the sudden shift in topic. ¡°The door to the Library of the Dead. I opened a direct portal for Blackwater Arcana University. The key is in your hands, isn¡¯t it?¡± William¡¯s impatience was palpable, a feeling he rarely allowed to show. It wasn¡¯t the snickering of the secretary who¡¯d mocked him that bothered him, but rather Grimm¡¯s own inability to grasp the situation. ¡°Ah, ah, ah. Yes, I¡¯ll open the door now. Please wait¡­¡± Grimm wasted no time, rolling up his sleeves to reveal a glowing, key-shaped rune on his arm. With a practiced finger, he activated the rune and recited the incantation. A crackling arch of lightning erupted beside them. Without a word, William strode through the portal, leaving Grimm to nervously follow. For a moment, the wizard was frozen, unsure of what to do next. ¡°What are you waiting for? Come on.¡± The voice on the other side of the door was slightly hoarse but commanding. Grimm hastily complied. As soon as he passed through the arch, the lightning vanished without a trace. Beneath the vast dome of stars that filled the sky, the two men walked in silence through the lavishly appointed library. William¡¯s mind was elsewhere, preoccupied with an urgent matter, while Grimm dared not disturb his companion¡¯s thoughts. Passing the immense collection of ancient texts, they ascended a spiral staircase, guided by Archivists whose eyes were sewn shut and whose hands were bound. It was only then that Grimm found the courage to ask, ¡°May I ask what brings you to Arcana University¡­¡± ¡°I need to do some research at the library, and your portal saves me time,¡± William said, his fingers grazing over the spines of books that glimmered with an otherworldly magic. But then, something occurred to him. He asked casually, ¡°By the way, how many people share that guy¡¯s attitude towards the new policy?¡± Grimm¡¯s response was immediate, shaking his head like a rattle. ¡°Oh no, he¡¯s just a lone dissident. Don¡¯t worry, Presiding Judge¡­¡± ¡°Liar.¡± William interrupted the other party. ¡°If he was the only one, he wouldn¡¯t have been so vocal with me. Don¡¯t try to pull the wool over my eyes.¡± The secretary hadn¡¯t even flinched when he sensed a stranger had caught wind of his entire spiel. If anything, the dude spoke even more enthusiastically, like he had an audience. And that meant one thing¡ªwhat the secretary had said was already a consensus to a certain extent. ¡°No, no¡­ What I mean is that although there are some dissatisfied parties, they¡¯ll come around and understand your intentions in the future.¡± William just scoffed, ¡°Future? With the attitude of that guy from earlier, I¡¯m giving this whole damn system two months tops.¡± Grimm didn¡¯t dare to reply. William continued, ¡°By the way, don¡¯t even think about taking matters into your own hands. Firing your secretary won¡¯t solve anything. If everyone has an issue with this matter, you¡¯ll just end up in the same boat after switching to another person. And as for me causing trouble, well, don¡¯t stir the pot any further than it already is.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Presiding Judge,¡± the dean behind William replied carefully. William said, ¡°However, I wouldn¡¯t worry too much. Whether it¡¯s the issue with your trust in the High Elves or the shortage of magic chanters in the academy, it will be resolved within the next month or two. Your only responsibility is to make sure that these people don¡¯t cause any further trouble. Can you handle that?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, I can.¡± Grimm¡¯s response was a hasty nod. William gave no further instructions on how to handle the delicate matter, and the dean knew better than to inquire further. Together, they ascended the winding staircase to the third level of the library. ¡°You haven¡¯t been to the third level before, have you?¡± William pushed open the old wooden door and asked casually, The other party nodded in confirmation. ¡°You said that the third level contains Legendary and Divine Realm grimoires. In addition, many Lunar Monsters and powerful spirit bodies are sealed there. It¡¯s not a place I can step foot in for the time being¡­¡± William let out a grunt. ¡°But today is an exception.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Grimm, who should have been thrilled to accompany William, instead looked uneasy. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, in the deepest part of the third level, there¡¯s a book called Unforgettable History. That book seals the Forbidden Sage¡¯s Demon General, Secret Keeper. Due to some things that happened in the past, it won¡¯t be very willing to appear after sensing my aura. If it doesn¡¯t come out, the book can¡¯t be opened and read.¡± William¡¯s hand landed on Grimm¡¯s shoulder, as if to impart some confidence. ¡°Therefore, I need you to do me a small favor¡­¡± ¡°Wait, Presiding Judge, you don¡¯t mean¡­¡± Grimm¡¯s face turned ghostly white. ¡°Yes, I just need you to go to the deepest part of the library and help me open that book.¡± Chapter 303 - 303 Secret 303 Secret Grimm¡¯s hand trembled as he laid it on the massive book before him, a tome so large it could have doubled as a coffee table. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. It wasn¡¯t just the eerie, human-skin binding that put him on edge, nor was it the palpable warmth and dampness that seemed to emanate from the book¡¯s cover, making it feel almost alive. No, what truly unnerved him was what he¡¯d been told by the Presiding Judge. The book contained a Demon General known as Secret Keeper, the first Demon General under the Forbidden Sage. The Secret Keeper feasted on hidden historical records, seeking out secrets and destroying any trace of those who knew them so as to monopolize the secrets. Legend had it that anyone who dared to pry into its guarded secrets would suffer a gruesome, torturous death at the hands of the demon. Many stories of people being chased by demons after learning some forbidden secret originated from this Demon General¡¯s deeds. And now, the Presiding Judge had tasked Grimm with unsealing the demon, alone. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the Presiding Judge wanted him six feet under. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, read the book according to my instructions and come back when you get an answer. I¡¯ll ensure your safety.¡± the Presiding Judge assured him confidently before he stepped in. He even gave him an encouraging thumbs-up. Despite the reassurances, Grimm couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was about to experience a special execution method¡ªone reserved only for those unlucky enough to cross the Judges. Grimm¡¯s eyes were fixed on the book, its cover crafted from what appeared to be human skin. He took another deep breath. As a key holder, Grimm had been eager to gain access to the third level of the library. The books on the first two floors were already more than enough for him and his colleagues at the Blackwater Arcana University, but the possibility of delving even deeper into magical knowledge was too enticing to ignore. Forget it. I have to take some risks¡­ The Presiding Judge had promised him the right to borrow from the third level if he cleared the trial. The promise of legendary and even Divine Realm magic was too tantalizing to ignore. It was a realm he hadn¡¯t even dared to imagine before. Although there was no such thing as ¡®fortune favors the brave¡¯ in their culture, Grimm still took a few deep breaths and gritted his teeth as he unlocked the book. He heard a groan that sounded like a sigh, and the pages started to flip on their own. The book finally settled on a yellowed page filled with sticky red notes, written in cursive common language, slender elven language, Moon Realm symbols, and wedge-shaped language of Orsis¡­ But before he could read any further, a pair of hands wrapped in chains shot out from the page and grabbed his shoulder like pliers. A sinking feeling rose in his stomach as he was suddenly transported to an unfamiliar place. ¡°To remember, or to forget?¡± The sound pierced Grimm¡¯s ears like a thousand knives scraping against a marble surface. A towering figure, chained to a brass pillar by an endless array of razor-sharp spikes nearby was the source of it. The chains rattled as the figure raised his head to look at Grimm. It was impossible to tell how the person was able to see through the stitched eyes, or how they were able to speak with the stitched mouth. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± the figure rasped. ¡°And which forgotten record do you wish to recreate from the river of history? Do you understand the price you must pay for this?¡± ¡°Eternal¡­ Eternal Silence will be the price I will pay. As for what I hope to remember¡­¡± Grimm said nervously as he gulped. ¡°All the records of large-scale time fragmentation in Currere.¡± ¡­ The Demon General known as Secret Keeper was sealed, but William knew that this creature was a master at leaking secrets. The Forbidden Sage¡¯s authority was taboo, and the essence of taboos was the border that couldn¡¯t be crossed. However, not breaking a taboo defeated the purpose of their value. Thus, the five Demon Generals¡ªsecrets, oaths, commandments, morality, and order¡ªunder the Forbidden Sage¡¯s command had a natural instinct to pursue their opposite. They could only unleash their strongest strength when they were on the brink of breaking a taboo. The Secret Keeper wielded the authority of secrets and maintained its perfect state through the truth altar. It divulged secrets to mortals who yearned for the truth and then killed them to ensure its secrets wouldn¡¯t leak. As an embodiment of secrets, the Secret Keeper knew countless secrets, making it not inferior to many Void Sovereigns. This demon alone possessed half of the information on the third level of the library. At the conclusion of the harrowing Moon Realm crisis that transpired a millennium ago, the Moon Realm existence should have been obliterated without a trace. Yet, the Judges saw fit to seal it away for all eternity, recognizing its potential worth. This was, at least, the decision that William made during its quest line. Of course, the main reason was that he ended up having an additional book to add to his collection. After transmigrating, William planned to interrogate this Demon General and extract information from it. However, the Secret Keeper was stubborn and wouldn¡¯t reveal anything, no matter how William threatened or tortured it. Even offering to walk on the truth altar didn¡¯t work, with the Secret Keeper saying, ¡°I can¡¯t kill you as long as you aren¡¯t willing to die. Therefore, I won¡¯t make a deal with you.¡± William¡¯s attempts to extract information were futile, and the Secret Keeper would hide in the deepest part of the seal whenever William appeared. This only served to piss him off, but there was nothing he could do. So, William decided to use someone else to pry secrets from the Secret Keeper. He would rescue the questioner just before the seal was activated. William wasn¡¯t sure if this ploy would work, but it was worth a try. The Secret Keeper might not have thought of this, as Lunar Monsters born from concepts didn¡¯t think like humans. When William saw the Secret Keeper drag Grimm into the book, he felt more at ease. ¡­ ¡°Interesting¡­¡± A smile crept across the chained Secret Keeper¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re the first mortal I¡¯ve encountered who seeks to understand this. I must commend your spirit. However, you seem insatiable.¡± Grimm mustered his courage and asked, ¡°So? Can you tell me?¡± Say no, say no, say no¡­ Simultaneously, he prayed fervently that the other party didn¡¯t know the answer. His risk factor would decrease dramatically in that case. ¡°You¡¯re a lucky man. I just so happen to possess the knowledge you seek. And I¡¯m certain that exchanging this information for your life is more than reasonable.¡± F**k¡­ Grimm fought the urge to let out a string of expletives. Subconsciously, he reached for the Eighth Holy Spirit holy emblem dangling from his chest. The emblem had been personally blessed by the very person it represented and provided him with a sense of security hidden beneath the high-collared gown he wore. He gained a sense of security from the holy emblem and said, ¡°Proceed. I¡¯m ready.¡± With the sound of chains clanking, the Secret Keeper extended its arms, gazing up at the ethereal sky. ¡°If you intend to shatter time on a massive scale, you must bring about significant changes at the Void Sovereign and Holy Spirit levels. According to my knowledge, only three such events have occurred on the Vic Continent¡¯s history. The first was the 12 victories of the Moon Deceiver, Demuge. The second was the birth of a mother in Ravenwood, and the third was a miracle victory triggered by the Moon Realm Calamity during what you call the Moon Realm Crisis.¡± ¡°May I inquire where you intend to begin?¡± Chapter 304 - 304 Secret Keeper 304 Secret Keeper William saw the Demon General, the Secret Keeper he had once sealed away in the book. Through the invisible link between himself and his holy emblem, he was able to view the scene from the first-person perspective of Grimm. A smirk spread across William¡¯s face as he saw the familiar figure of the Demon General. It wasn¡¯t the demon¡¯s appearance that was amusing, but rather its reputation. Players in online forums often joked about the Demon General being a ¡°leaker¡± or ¡°snitch¡± for revealing information about six of the 12 Judgment equipment. This Demon General was like an honorary member of Judgment, and some even suspected it was sent by the Forbidden Sage to cause trouble for the Void Sovereigns. Some people even felt that this fellow was specially sent by the Forbidden Sage to cause trouble for the other Void Sovereigns. After all, the Forbidden Sage was also a Void Sovereign who wasn¡¯t that interested in directly invading Currere. Although the demon¡¯s eyes, nose, and mouth were sewn shut with needles, William could sense its smug expression. It was the kind of expression that could be fooled twice by the same trick. ¡°So, mortal, where do you intend to begin?¡± Grimm didn¡¯t reply for a moment, and the Demon General grew impatient. It seemed to be more anxious than the person asking. Let it start from the beginning. William used his soul voice to remind him. Grimm trembled slightly in the holy emblem¡¯s vision. Then, he repeated nervously, ¡°Then¡­ Start from the beginning.¡± ¡°Whoa? How greedy¡­ Let me think. Start from the beginning?¡± Chains dragged in the background, and the Demon General continued, ¡°The infinite possibilities of the Realm of Light must first pass through the Currere barrier, where they are filtered and funneled into a single linear stream of time. As humans, you use the repetition of events to mark the passage of time. You anchor your memories to those milestones and write them into the so-called ¡°historical truth.¡± It¡¯s the common sense of time that you all share and live by. ¡°But what happens when the Currere barrier is breached? When more possibilities surge into our world, causing conflicting ¡°historical truths¡± to coexist? It¡¯s a phenomenon you call ¡°time fragmentation.¡± ¡°You might have experienced it yourself, without even realizing it. Countless small-scale events that are hardly detectable. But there are also larger ones, events that shake the very foundations of our world. I know of three such events, when the scale of the entire land was affected. But there may have been more. I was imprisoned by the Moon Realm Calamity for a long time, cut off from the outside world. Who knows what else I missed?¡± Let it get to the point. The Presiding Judge¡¯s voice reverberated through the depths of Grimm¡¯s soul. Having given up on thinking, he was forced to repeat them like a parrot. ¡°Get to the point.¡± The Secret Keeper trembled with excitement but Grimm¡¯s words had knocked the wind out of its sails. It eyed him warily before uttering in a sullen tone, Grimm remained silent, knowing he had made grave errors under the intimidating gaze of the Demon General. He decided to play it safe and become a mere mouthpiece. Grimm¡¯s vacant stare seemed to unnerve the Secret Keeper who finally broke the silence with a sigh. ¡°Fine, if you insist¡­ Let¡¯s skip the basics and get to the meat of the matter. But before we begin with the first secret¡­¡± As the word ¡°secret¡± left the Secret Keeper¡¯s mouth, a cold chain slithered up Grimm¡¯s arm. Before he could react, the chain glowed red-hot and left a mark on his flesh, resembling a branding iron. Although the pain was nonexistent, Grimm couldn¡¯t help but stare in disbelief as the chain disappeared, leaving no trace of its existence. It was as if the entire incident was a figment of his imagination, and the chain had vanished into thin air with a whoosh. ¡°The mark of secrecy has been branded. When our conversation ends, your soul will belong to me.¡± The Secret Keeper laughed and retracted the chain before continuing, ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin. The first secret¡­ is about Demuge¡¯s bet with the Void Sovereigns. ¡°Although he was celebrated by mortals as a hero and the greatest gambler in history, Demuge won every bet through deceit. His eyes, you see, are connected to the Realm of Light. He can look down at the entirety of time from a higher level. Every bet he made, he took the initiative to invite the Void Sovereigns to Currere and used their powers to shatter time in Currere, finding the possibility of winning from countless timelines. It was a clever ploy, one that he used to deceive the Void Sovereigns time and time again.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the last one to make a bet with him was Absurdity Jester. Perhaps it was out of the mentality of fair competition or because he saw through Demuge¡¯s trick, but in short, Absurdity Jester didn¡¯t let his main body descend into Currere. Instead, he created a clone that was no different from a mortal. That mediocre clone couldn¡¯t break time, causing Demuge to be unable to use his eyes to cheat. Therefore, he naturally lost the last bet and his soul was ultimately torn apart.¡± Although it didn¡¯t seem immediately useful to William, the Secret Keeper¡¯s words contained a wealth of information. If what they said was true, it meant that the Void Sovereigns had the power to summon his former self to Currere whenever They pleased. Wouldn¡¯t it be stopped by the World Shell? And what about Demuge¡¯s eye, which seemed to connect to the Realm of Light in a way that reminded William of the Eyes of God? But there was one thing that stood out to William above all else: the possibility of winning from countless timelines. It sounded familiar, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it¡­ Before he could finish his thoughts, the Secret Keeper spoke again. ¡°Then, the second secret¡­ it¡¯s about the Moon Realm Calamity who sealed me here.¡± William watched Grimm take a deep breath. The Secret Keeper¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile, revealing a few taut sutures that had been pulled open. ¡°Similar to Demuge, he navigated through an abyss of defeats and opportunities until he finally landed on the banks of triumph. Yet, not a single Void Sovereign had descended into Currere and shattered the very fabric of time. Do you grasp the gravity of what I¡¯m saying here?¡± Grimm remained mute. Without wasting another moment, the Secret Keeper divulged, ¡°It¡¯s because his mere presence would spell doom for time in Currere¡­ You do recall the gaping hole in your creation model, don¡¯t you? ¡°He¡¯s the final, incomplete Holy Spirit. He¡¯s forced to exist as a human because he¡¯s not whole enough.¡± Chapter 305 - 305 Flaw 305 Flaw ¡°How is it? Do you find it subversive?¡± The Secret Keeper paused, its interest piqued as it searched for any sign of shock on Grimm¡¯s face. To the Lunar Monster that had secrecy as its authority, nothing was more exhilarating than breaking the sacred taboo of confidentiality. It was in these moments that its power surged, drawing strength from the shock and awe of its victims. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that William Kane is the missing eighth Holy Spirit?¡± Grimm¡¯s expression froze, his tone hesitant as he tried to gain confirmation. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, mortal,¡± the Secret Keeper spoke smugly, its hopes to devour the soul growing stronger with every passing moment. ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t this common knowledge?¡± For the first time, Grimm spoke not because he was prompted by the Presiding Judge, but because he was puzzled. ¡°What?¡± ¡­ After all, it has been imprisoned in that book and has traveled with me for 1,008 years¡­ William thought from learning information over the holy emblem. The Secret Keeper had a peculiar grasp on time, much like when William first appeared in this world. What he didn¡¯t know was that the name William Kane had been immortalized by the Riel Empire, exalted on the altar of the Eighth Holy Spirit. The secret he had kept for over a millennium was no longer shrouded in mystery. But the revelation of a secret by the other party did spark something in William. The high-level Lunar Monsters had always sensed his uniqueness as a player, but they attributed it to the powers of the Eighth Holy Spirit. Valk had once mentioned that he longed to see more of the ¡®possibilities¡¯ William had to offer. William¡¯s extensive knowledge of religious texts had taught him that the Eighth Holy Spirit, Hermit, was the embodiment of spirituality and curiosity, the driving force behind creation. Before, he had dismissed these symbols as nothing more than religious boasting. But now, it seemed that the existence of the Eighth Holy Spirit was rooted in the players¡¯ exceptional abilities. And it all made sense. If he had really been transported to the game world in his computer, then it had to be the players who had initiated the Doomsday Watcher game, the very game that had allowed this world to exist. And as for the history of this world, well, at least the timelines experienced by the players were all shaped by their own choices. It was like the developer of the game was one of the Seven Holy Spirits and the players were the Eighth Holy Spirit. It was as simple as that. ¡°But after transmigrating into my character, I can¡¯t save, load, or call up the console¡­¡± William muttered to himself, stopping mid-sentence. ¡°So, this is the essence of the Eighth Holy Spirit throne?¡± ¡­ Looking at the Secret Keeper who seemed to have been struck by a devastating revelation, Grimm asked carefully, ¡°Um¡­ Can you tell me the last secret?¡± ¡°So everyone on the Vic Continent now knows¡­¡± The Secret Keeper remained in a daze, muttering unintelligible phrases. Frustrated by the lack of response, Grimm¡¯s voice rose in urgency. ¡°Secret Keeper, uh¡­ Sir? Can you tell me the secret about the birth of Ravenwood¡¯s mother?¡± As if jolted awake, his eyes widened with shock, fixating on Grimm. ¡°Ravenwood still thrives as an endless forest, worshiping the old gods¡ªthe Holy Tree Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness, correct?¡± Grimm nodded and thought to himself, Isn¡¯t that obvious? ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± The Secret Keeper breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Then, this secret has value¡­ Mortal, do you know the difference between Newborn and Rebirth Void Sovereigns?¡± Nod. Grimm was about to voice his confusion when suddenly, the Presiding Judge¡¯s voice boomed in his mind, drowning out any other thoughts. Therefore, he nodded reflexively. ¡°Making a deal with you does save time¡­ The first thing every mortal has to do after becoming a Reborn Void Sovereign is completely erase their history from Currere and sublimate that history into a part of their Moon Realm domain. ¡°This way, They will lose Their weaknesses in the timeline and become completely undying existences. This is also why it¡¯s very difficult to find any traces of Reborn Sovereigns having walked Currere in mortal history,¡± the Secret Keeper, who had recovered from his disappointment, explained. ¡°However, the Lady of Starvation, Her Highness Camilla, had deviated from this path. Perhaps She had plans for the eventual competition for Currere¡¯s Precept, or perhaps Her ascension ritual was tampered with, preventing Her from bringing that period to the Moon Realm¡­ In short, the final outcome was two parallel timelines happening in Ravenwood, leaving an extremely long scar on Currere¡¯s time. It had lasted for about 4,000 years when I was sealed.¡± In other words, it has lasted for more than 5,000 years, William thought. Then, he used his Soul Voice to get Grimm to continue asking questions. ¡°Will the time fragmentation create irreparable contradictions?¡± Grimm parroted the question. ¡°Contradictions, perhaps, but the Lady of Starvation, in Her mortal form, left a lasting influence on the Forest Elf traditions. The corpse that transformed into the World Tree caused them to remain at the level of a hunting civilization, without the need for large-scale agriculture or a precise calendar. Their understanding of time comes only from unreliable memories,¡± the Secret Keeper replied with a stiff smile once again, ¡°which can greatly reduce the chaos caused by the time fragmentation.¡± ¡± As long as there were no historical records, there would be no historical contradictions. With that said, the Secret Keeper chuckled and continued, ¡°One of the timelines is one you¡¯ll recognize. The Forest Elves coexist with the forest, a culture of corpse-eating woven into their way of life. But then, there¡¯s the other timeline, the one She created. Countless corpses, mimicking life, walking towards corruption in the dead forest.¡± Ask it under what circumstances will these two timelines mix. William couldn¡¯t help but recall the brief glimpse he had of that other timeline. The Secret Keeper raised an irrelevant topic, ¡°You know about the Forest Elves, don¡¯t you? How they turn into trees when they grow old? Then, do you know how those treeified Forest Elves perceive the outside world?¡± Grimm shook his head. ¡°Those Forest Elves will dream,¡± the Secret Keeper replied. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°In their dreams, they find themselves in another Ravenwood. The Lady of Starvation injects fake memories into their aging souls, allowing them to start a new life with a new identity.¡± Ask it what does this have to do with the mixing of the timelines? Grimm immediately repeated the Presiding Judge¡¯s question. ¡°If someone senses that their memories might be fake, it¡¯s possible for them to bring their rotten body into your time. That¡¯s how two different periods of time will be mixed.¡± ¡­ ¡°Calamity!¡± The thick book slammed shut, and the Secret Keeper¡¯s furious roar echoed through the room. Grimm was drenched in cold sweat as he looked to the Presiding Judge, who had pulled him up from the book. It took a moment for him to catch his breath. ¡°It just said¡­¡± ¡°One day, I¡¯ll have your soul,¡± William finished the sentence for him. With the information he needed, William swiftly fished out the Dean of the Blackwater Arcana University. Realizing that it had been tricked, the Secret Keeper immediately roared angrily. It would definitely have Grimm¡¯s soul. Why didn¡¯t he say something harsh to me? Grimm opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, a scorching heat spread from his arm. The brand had reappeared. ¡°Secret-keeping brand. The Secret Keeper uses it to mark the souls he intends to torment in the future.¡± William looked at the chain-shaped brand on the other party¡¯s arm and said. Upon hearing his calm tone, Grimm immediately asked anxiously, ¡°Can you help me remove it?¡± No matter what, it wasn¡¯t a good thing for his soul to be coveted by a Demon General. William shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. However, you need not fear. The Secret Keeper is unable to escape that book. He was simply bluffing with those harsh words.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way of the Moon Realm. Once they¡¯ve set their sights on you, there¡¯s no escape,¡± William explained with a sly smile. ¡°The only way to truly be rid of them is to erase their existence. And when I find Judgment 11, which corresponds to the Forbidden Sage, I¡¯ll do just that. The brand on your hand will disappear along with the Secret Keeper.¡± But William¡¯s words weren¡¯t just for Grimm. It was also for himself. The Lady of Starvation had abandoned her temporal origin in Currere, enabling her to ensnare Ravenwood within Her Moon Realm. It presented an ideal opening to commence the defilement of Currere. Nonetheless, it had also laid bare Her mortal past, creating a lethal vulnerability in Her immortal existence. This offered an opportunity to maim, or possibly terminate, the Void Sovereign. I had been grappling with the problem of how to halt the rite. Isn¡¯t this the answer? Chapter 306 - 306 Envoy 306 Envoy ¡°Do you have any other questions about this motion?¡± Floral sat on the Withering Throne, her eyes fixed on the scroll with the Senate emblem raised by the envoy. Floral¡¯s tone dripped with dissatisfaction. ¡°Yes, I need you to explain what it means to require the full support of Holy Tree City for the next stage of the Ava State military operation? This is because if my understanding is correct, the Senate is implying that we aren¡¯t fully supporting the Ava State expedition.¡± She raised her hand to stop the clerk from taking the scroll and turned her gaze to the envoy. It had been a mere five minutes since Floral and her entourage emerged from the underground root system when the emergency teleportation nexus between Platinum City and Holy Tree City flared to life. A Senate envoy, with all the gravitas that came with the title, stormed into the main hall of White Bone Castle. The envoy addressed Floral, the supreme leader of Emerald Province, proclaiming that he had come with a motion that the Senate had just passed. Accompanying the envoy was an archbishop of the Holy Spirits Church and a senator from the upper chamber of the Astral Council. Their presence alone was enough to show how much importance the Senate attached to this motion. The motion was presented to Floral with all the trappings of bureaucracy, but by the time he was done, its purpose was clear. ¡°You should know what the Senate means, Your Highness Floral.¡± The envoy raised his head and said, holding the decree out to her¡ªin the empire¡¯s culture, taking it meant acceptance. ¡°It means that I¡¯m not going all out by opening Swan Port and Greenwater Port to you and maintaining the operation of two large portals at the same time, while also being in charge of the three empire legions¡¯ supply lines. Then, I¡¯m a little curious. What kind of stance does the Senate want me to have to show support for the legion?¡± Floral, who was sitting on the throne, continued speaking in a dissatisfied tone. The envoy slowly retracted the scroll with the Senate¡¯s golden seal in his hand, sensing that Floral didn¡¯t plan on accepting it. He resisted the urge to look back and heard the snorting of the two witnesses behind him. It was obvious that they were dissatisfied with Floral¡¯s attitude. It should be clear to everyone what the Senate wanted. The previous motion had already made it clear that they needed to transfer the empire¡¯s Seventh Legion back to the Dragonspine Mountain Pass Fortress to protect Platinum Province and reduce pressure on the border in the direction of the Blackwater Province. However, this would make it much more difficult to take down the entire Ava State with the remaining two Legions and the Church¡¯s Guardians. As the Holy Tree Duke conferred by the empire¡¯s empress, wasn¡¯t it obvious what Floral Kane should do? Could it be that he had to elucidate the motion before she was willing to fulfill her responsibilities? The envoy complained about Floral¡¯s political immaturity, reminding her, ¡°According to the latest information we received, Ava State has already organized a considerable fleet. For some reason, the Shadow Queen seems to have regained control of the entire High Elf Council. It¡¯s very likely that she will take the initiative to take military action. Before the naval fleet on the eastern front arrives, we need Emerald Province to fulfill the oath we made to the Eighth Holy Spirit back then as a show of loyalty to the empire.¡± These words made things very obvious. Floral understood perfectly well what the other party was trying to say. The situation in Blackwater Province had changed drastically, far beyond what anyone had anticipated. In order to protect the nobles and the royal family and maintain the defense of Platinum Province, the Senate had to redeploy their strongest combat force, the Seventh Legion. But with the recent political attention garnered by the expedition to Ava State, even Empress Erin had no choice but to proceed with it. Therefore, the Senate hoped that Emerald Province could mobilize their army to participate in the expedition and fill the gap left by the Seventh Legion. Although Floral understood the Senate¡¯s intentions¡­ Are these people out of their minds? Asking the Forest Elves to organize an army? The Forest Elf army was the weakest on the continent in terms of combat strength, morale, organization, and sustained combat ability once out of Ravenwood. Some might even argue that it was debatable if the organized Forest Elves could be called an army at all. Floral shifted her gaze away from the envoy in front of her to the two witnesses behind him, then spoke in a serious tone, ¡°As the ruler of Emerald Province, I will do whatever it takes to achieve His ideal world according to the contract with my Eighth Holy Spirit. Please do not question my loyalty on this point.¡± The envoy and the two witnesses were taken aback by Floral¡¯s unexpected response. They didn¡¯t know how to react. Even though she was trying to express her loyalty, it sounded like she was being sarcastic. Emerald Province was renowned for its distinct cultural beliefs. Even after the notorious Holy Tree Duke, Floral, assumed power and began pushing the Holy Spirits Church faith, most people didn¡¯t buy it. They figured it was all just a political ploy to win the empire¡¯s support. But maybe they were wrong. Maybe Floral truly believed in those things. Among the top ranks of the Holy Spirits Church, it was widely accepted that the Holy Spirits were nothing more than a mere symbol and a means to an end. No saint, no matter how pious, could ever hope to climb the cutthroat ladder of power. It¡¯s just a slogan we usually use. Why are you suddenly so serious? After a moment of silence, the envoy said, ¡°Therefore, Your Grace, you mean that you¡¯re willing to provide an unlimited number of people for the empire¡¯s expedition¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m very willing to help, but you should know that based on the Forest Elf cultural traditions, our armies¡¯ combat strength will be greatly weakened once they leave Ravenwood Forest. In fact, I believe that some of our special cultural traditions will also greatly affect the morale of our allies.¡± It wasn¡¯t easy to participate in an expedition with a group of allies with a corpse-eating tradition. The envoy immediately explained,¡±Considering the Forest Elf¡¯s expertise in forest warfare, the empire doesn¡¯t require your army to participate in the sea crossing battle. But we need you to guarantee that the Seventh Legion can take over the defense there after leaving Greenwater Port. And you need to be ready for a potential surprise attack from the Ava State.¡± Floral frowned slightly. If that was all, why was the Senate putting so much pressure on her? ¡°Is there something else?¡± she asked, suspicion lacing her tone. Your army won¡¯t need to participate in the landing battle, but after we capture the city, we may require the Forest Elf army as a reserve to land on the island. They will be in charge of local security. The Forest Elves and the High Elves are of the same lineage, and the Senate believes this will help to minimize resistance.¡± Floral¡¯s confusion grew as she probed further, ¡°And?¡± Floral couldn¡¯t believe that the empire would just capture the High Elf city without any help from them. Then, the other party revealed their true intentions. ¡°Other than that, we need you to deal with the Shadow Queen and encircle Remides Shadowmoon.¡± So this was their goal? Requesting the Forest Elf¡¯s deployment was just a cover. What the Senate really hoped for was for her to set up a trap for Remides during her possible surprise attack? Then, how should she answer? Should she pretend to agree and tell the Presiding Judge later? Should she work with the empire to foil their own plot? Or should she reject the offer and prove her loyalty to the Eighth Holy Spirit? Agree to it. As she pondered her options, a voice suddenly echoed in the depths of her soul. It was the voice of the Presiding Judge. I want to figure out why the empire has chosen such a timing. Chapter 307 - 307 They Acted Without Proper Consideration 307 They Acted Without Proper Consideration After the envoy handed over the Senate decree to the clerk, he took a step back but then halted in his tracks, his hidden intentions apparent. ¡°Is there something else?¡± Floral asked, accepting the scroll from the clerk. ¡°I¡¯ll be sticking around in Holy Tree City with the two witnesses to assist you with the mission, until the hunt for Remides commences.¡± He sure is making himself at home¡­ Floral thought. Staying in Holy Tree City meant that they could keep an eye on her from a certain perspective. And with the kind of mission they were undertaking, she couldn¡¯t afford to underestimate the strength of the two people who were accompanying her. These powerhouses should have been stationed at Swan Port or Greenwater Port to avoid unnecessary suspicion. High-level powerhouses possessed transcendent powers that could unleash destructive power that wasn¡¯t inferior to a small army alone. No ruler was willing to let such unstable factors stay in their core ruling area. Past experience had shown that whenever someone of this stature showed up, it was never without commotion. And they would almost never request to stay for a long time, without giving any chance for negotiation. Lowering oneself to use guerrilla tactics for a Divine Realm or Legendary magic chanter? It could cause some serious damage. And it didn¡¯t mean just any kind of damage, It was city-level damage. The Doomsday Watchers had come up with a tactic to resist the Void Sovereigns¡¯ domains, but it had been upgraded and used by many factions during the Kings Era and the Unification War. And they used it on a large scale. On the battlefield, it was only after the magic chanters from both sides had finished their infiltration battle that the armies would engage in a head-on battle. But often, the weaker side would lose due to the destruction of their supply lines and logistics. It was chaos, and it was effective. It wasn¡¯t until the Astral Laws were established that the magic chanters had to follow specific terms, which forced their spell battles to turn into modern knight duels. And that was when the empire firmly monopolized the right of transcendents to infiltrate and fight. But still, the empire would send high-level magic chanters to the core cities of their vassals with strong political intentions. It was a direct, aggressive method of keeping them on a leash, and it worked. As her thoughts raced, Floral said without changing her tone, ¡°Garet, I need you to arrange for a team of Wild Hunt guards to escort our esteemed guests to the empire¡¯s embassy. Make sure they have everything they need while they are here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for Your Grace to trouble yourself.¡± The envoy, who had been listening to their conversation, interrupted, his head slightly bowed, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the embassy before coming here,¡± said the envoy, without waiting for the clerk to reply. He lowered his head slightly and continued, ¡°I believe the ambassadors here have done their preparations. Speaker York instructed us to inquire about Mr. Elaire¡¯s work progress. We won¡¯t disturb you.¡± But Elaire is still tied up in the room behind the palace¡­ Watching the three of them leave, Floral resisted the urge to sigh. ¡­ The sound of shattering glass echoed through the empty hall. Cracks formed and then spread, inch by inch. The delicate fa?ade, fueled by magic, was beginning to dissipate, revealing William Kane¡¯s steady figure on the left. It was as if he had been all along. ¡°The requests made by these people are interesting.¡± He brandished his magical medium at the heavy door, which slammed shut with a resounding bang. Turning to face the throne, he continued, ¡°They seem to know Ava State¡¯s next goal, but I don¡¯t think they know everything.¡± Floral sprang up from her throne, but before she could even think to bow, an invisible force lifted her up. ¡°No need for formalities unless it¡¯s a formal event, not with the Doomsday Watchers, at least¡­¡± Kane said, raising his magical medium. Floral nodded and asked anxiously, ¡°So tell me, what¡¯s this Ava State military operation you were talking about?¡± ¡°With regards to the military operation at Greenwater Port, we need to take control of Greenwater Port in order to open up trade between Ava State and Blackwater Swamp. It¡¯s the consensus between the Ava State governor and me.¡± War was also the last thing Remides wanted in Ava State. Floral suddenly remembered the only condition William had proposed to her before revealing his identity¡ªto close the large portals at Swan Port and Greenwater Port. So he was gearing up for this battle? She found herself on the same warship as the Eighth Holy Spirit, but Floral wasn¡¯t overly concerned about who controlled Greenwater Port. Renting it out to the empire¡¯s Legion was all she could do, it didn¡¯t matter if she later lent it to the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s faction. The benefits of keeping the port for the Forest Elf¡¯s civilization were simply not worth the investment until they could fully emerge from the forest. However¡­ ¡°You were telling me that the empire¡¯s got a clue about what Ava State is aiming for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. It¡¯s not exactly a secret that the High Elves are planning to strike. With that massive fleet gathered in Isu City, it¡¯s pretty hard to keep a lid on things. But what¡¯s got them so damn sure that our target is Greenwater Port?¡± William drummed his fingers impatiently on the magical medium in his hand. ¡°But didn¡¯t the empire just withdraw the Seventh Legion stationed at Greenwater Port?¡± Floral asked in confusion. If the empire knew that Ava State was heading for Greenwater, why would they withdraw their ace, the Seventh Legion, to protect Platinum Province?¡± William looked up at Floral and said, ¡°This is the key. Do you remember what that fellow wanted you to do?¡± ¡°Hunt Remides with them?¡± Floral asked with a frown. William nodded and said, ¡°Exactly. And yet, they chose to stay in Holy Tree City and not have you head to the front lines with them. Don¡¯t you see what this means?¡± Floral shook her head. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand.¡± William sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to the ruler of Ava State. She¡¯s heading straight for Holy Tree City once she takes down Greenwater Port,¡± William said. If possible, she would even delegate the command of the army to the Lord of Phoenix Fire City and come alone. This was because Remides and her weapon¡ªJudgment 3, a weapon that could deal substantial damage to the Lord of Starvation and Rot¡ªwere the key to taking down the Lady of Starvation in Holy Tree City. Floral grasped the implications. ¡°In other words¡­ they set the stage for the governor of Ava State to be hunted in Holy Tree City from the very beginning?¡± The Senate had deliberately withdrawn their troops from Greenwater Port, aimed at preventing any losses to their ace. This move would allow Remides to march towards Holy Tree City unopposed, only to fall into a trap. However¡­ Floral stared at the stern Presiding Judge, her mind racing with possibilities. ¡°Presiding Judge, is it possible that the Senate acted without proper consideration?¡± If they had intentionally made such a move, they would have been aware of the Presiding Judge¡¯s plans in Ravenwood, as well as the Lady of Starvation¡¯s plans to create chaos here. It didn¡¯t make sense to make all of Ravenwood be the price just to kill Remides. And if their opponents were truly as cunning as they appeared, why would they have entrusted the mission of besieging Remides to the untrustworthy Holy Tree Duke? Floral couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the other side wasn¡¯t as brilliant as claimed. William fell silent, wondering if he was losing his grip on reality. Were the members of the empire¡¯s Senate, who had suffered defeat at the hands of the Damon Continent¡¯s expeditionary army, really be equipped with foresight? Could it be that I¡¯m just too sensitive like Floral said? After a while, he sighed and said, ¡°How about this? Send someone you trust to the Astral Lighthouses in Emerald Province. Monitor them closely and let me know immediately if there¡¯s any disturbance. Scratch that, I¡¯ll have Blake send his best man. And while you¡¯re at it, persuade Elaire to head back to the embassy and later spill what he knows about the envoy and the two witnesses. We need every bit of information we can get. Also, we can¡¯t let the Seventh Legion retreat at full speed from the Greenwater Port portal. We need to slow them down¡­¡± After making these arrangements, William took a deep breath and changed the subject, his eyes meeting Floral¡¯s. ¡°I have a plan to stop the Lady of Starvation from altering the timeline. But it¡¯s incomplete, and I need your help to make it work.¡± ¡°What kind of help?¡± Floral asked. ¡°To put it simply, I need your assistance with an experiment¡­ I want to bring the other ¡®you¡¯ from a parallel timeline to our world.¡± Chapter 308 - 308 Trap 308 Trap Holy Tree City, Empire Embassy. In a chamber obstructed by a three-layered barrier that was impervious to any ordinary detection, the three individuals who had returned from the White Bone Castle were seated at a modest stone table. The trio remained mute as if awaiting something. A hush descended, and the atmosphere gradually grew grave. After a lengthy period, the envoy from earlier lightly tapped the table and queried, ¡°What do you think of the Holy Tree Duke?¡± His demeanor and tone were no longer as deferential as before. It was more fitting to say that he appeared superior to the other two. After a while, the Astral Council senator responded in a deep voice, ¡°Powerful¡­¡± Then, he added, ¡°Terrifyingly powerful¡­ Let me clarify beforehand. If our ultimate mission is to engage her in that palace, I won¡¯t go berserk with you.¡± The envoy scowled at this answer and inquired, ¡°I¡¯m not well-versed in magic¡­ but is it that exaggerated?¡± The senator sighed and said, ¡°Rather than referring to the White Bone Castle as a palace, it¡¯s more akin to a temple. It¡¯s arduous to fathom that someone can construct such a magical nexus without the assistance of the Astral Council¡­ With the World Tree serving as the source of magical power, she can unleash at minimum three times her combat prowess. Coupled with the adaptable tactical choices afforded by various spells inscribed beforehand, we require at least four combatants of equal caliber to defeat her in that palace.¡± ¡°In essence, if we can entice Remides into that palace, she possesses a high probability of triumphing?¡± As the envoy spoke, he gently tapped the table and surveyed them both. Observing that neither of them replied, he persisted, ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. Is there an issue?¡± The archbishop cleared his throat and stated, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss the Senate¡¯s directives for the time being. As someone who has lived since the Judgment era, even if Remides falls into our ideal trap, I believe the ultimate chance of victory is only about 30%.¡± No amount of caution was excessive when it came to slaying a Judge. ¡°In other words, sans reinforcements, the likelihood of the two of them sustaining severe losses¡­ is exceedingly low. Furthermore, with my knowledge of the Holy Tree Duke, that woman is positively not as devoted to the empire as she appears. Should we rely on her, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll betray us.¡± As the archbishop spoke, he displayed a disgusted expression. The woman¡¯s duplicitous guise of proclaiming absolute loyalty to his contract with the Eighth Holy Spirit was truly sickening¡ªshe was evidently compelled to cozy up to the empire since she lacked support in the Emerald Province. Now, she shamelessly brandished the contract between the Forest Elves and the Eighth Holy Spirit from over 800 years ago and pledged her loyalty¡­ It was revolting. ¡°The worst-case scenario may be the two of them uniting to silence us. Trust me, Floral is undoubtedly the type who will assist whomever is on the winning side. If we can¡¯t exhibit our overwhelming combat power and make her comprehend that we hold the upper hand, then¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no additional combat strength to reinforce us.¡± The envoy interrupted and continued, ¡°We are the sole three assigned by the Senate to complete this mission.¡± ¡°Just the three of us? We need to achieve the mission of assassinating Remides and Floral simultaneously?¡± the senator widened his eyes and inquired. In other words, if they failed to guarantee that the Holy Tree Duke and Remides clashed to the death, the only course of action was to strive to ensure their own survival. ¡°After the Seventh Legion withdraws to the Dragonspine Mountains, the military campaign against the Blackwater Province will commence. Platinum Ring and the other Astral Council powerhouses will be dispatched to Thorn City to address the anomaly in the Grief Mountains¡­ There¡¯s no additional combat power to be apportioned here.¡± The envoy shrugged and continued, ¡°We can assume with optimism that they will assail each other¡­ Of course, if it misfires and culminates in them uniting to confront us, that will undoubtedly be the worst-case scenario. Nevertheless, if that occurs, I require the two of you to endeavor to restrain Floral for five minutes.¡± The duo instinctively nodded and couldn¡¯t help but feel perplexed. The ¡°envoy¡± before them lacked any transcendent powers¡ªhe was neither a magic chanter, a favored one, nor an Authority holder¡­ Nonetheless, he was still designated by the Senate to be the commander of this special operation. ¡°Five minutes. After I eliminate Remides, I¡¯ll free up my hands to assist you in dispatching Floral,¡± the person said. ¡­ Camilla hailed from an alternate timeline, and if the ritual of Her birth was truly the outcome of the Forest Elf ancestors¡¯ slaughter of Ravenwood¡¯s indigenous humans as Nehe had deduced from his earlier investigations, Her vulnerability would rest with those treeified humans who remained alive. The Lady of Starvation¡¯s authority embodied the unavoidable entropy of deterioration, and the prerequisite for deterioration was that something could be worn away. Utter death lacked the capacity to be worn away. Hence, as long as one located the treeified humans and obliterated the pivot that sustained the other party, at least in principle, it could deal a tremendously significant blow to the other party¡¯s existence. This was akin to how one had to fulfill prerequisite quests such as extinguishing a few lamps, sabotaging a few performances, and triumphing in a few gladiatorial battles in-game to demolish symbolic objects and weaken a Void Sovereign¡¯s authority. The distinction was that William was a symbol of destruction in the Moon Realm, a place where reality would alter based on will. The Lady of Starvation¡¯s vulnerability was in Currere, a place where anything that occurred would be set in stone. The Moon Realm¡¯s ¡°symbol¡± could be reconstructed if destroyed, but as a bearer of the ¡°symbol¡± in Currere, it would be truly eradicated upon destruction. Therefore, the initial query was how to travel to another timeline? William gleaned some secrets about the Lady of Starvation from the Secret Keeper. Floral lapsed into silence for a prolonged period before querying, ¡°Presiding Judge, may I inquire as to why you are undertaking this?¡± Despite the veil, William could discern the astonishment in the other party¡¯s eyes. ¡°Simply put, we have discovered the rationale behind why the undead can possess cognition akin to living beings. They¡¯re likely in the same state as you. Of course, like Nehe, they¡¯re both liches whose souls and bodies have been separated.¡± As for the soul box that harbored their souls, it was the Forest Elves who had been treeified on this side. They forged a connection between both timelines through dreams. Dreams¡­ Is the Lord of Nightmare also involved in this affair? If the Lord of Nightmare is also involved, what about the Whispering Empress? Then, how probable is it that the entire matter is a trap? William halted. On the one hand, he thought over this assumption meticulously. On the other hand, he granted the other party time to absorb his words. Then, he inquired, ¡°With my understanding of Nehe, if he lacked a motive, he unequivocally wouldn¡¯t have disseminated the method of becoming a lich. So, reveal to me, how did you acquire Nehe¡¯s legacy? And how did Nehe venture to another timeline in the past and discover the Lady of Starvation¡¯s scheme?¡± ¡­ Simultaneously¡­ ¡°¡­That¡¯s everything. Although I regret it, given the current circumstances, I may require you to transport Judgment 7 to Holy Tree City beforehand.¡± On an ancient elven longship in the Shattered Sea, William, donning the Holy Spirit holy emblem around his neck, addressed the blond elf standing at the bow. ¡°Ravenwood Forest?¡± Remides, the Ava State governor, appeared to have recollected something and emitted a protracted sigh. She swiveled her head. ¡°I must confer with the staff committee first. After all, my premature departure will have a tremendous effect on morale¡­ Please conduct your operations with the presumption that I¡¯ll be there in three days.¡± William assented and gazed at Liz, who was chomping on an elven fruit. ¡°I get it, I get it. You¡¯re going to make me carry out manual labor again later, aren¡¯t you?¡± she grumbled discontentedly with juice smearing her face. Remides pivoted and proceeded to the cabin. Midway through, she halted and turned to face William. ¡°Sir William, if I may inquire, what do you estimate is the likelihood of a trap?¡± Chapter 309 - 309 Another Story 309 Another Story William¡¯s inquiry led to Floral plunging into a protracted silence. It was evident that she didn¡¯t wish to divulge anything about her past. At the very least, she didn¡¯t desire to discuss how she attained her current might. However, judging from the empire envoys¡¯ demeanor towards her, this woman undoubtedly didn¡¯t rely on the Astral Laws to ascend to the Divine Realm. And now that the magic advancement system was monopolized by the Astral Council, there were only a few ways to achieve this¡ªand they were more or less besmirched by taboos and peril. William hesitated momentarily before exhaling. ¡°Reveal what you can without impeding the next phase of your objective. Frankly, I¡¯m not intrigued in knowing anything else, but this concerns the survival of Ravenwood. If you care about Ravenwood so much, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re the sort of person who can¡¯t grasp the magnitude of the situation, right?¡± As William spoke, he extracted the ancient black soul box from his inventory under the other party¡¯s astounded gaze. ¡°This is the soul box Ebony professed to have given me as compensation¡­ Even though I¡¯m certain it¡¯s Nehe¡¯s soul box from more than a millennium ago, I¡¯ve always harbored reservations that it contains his soul. And now, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this object contains your soul, correct?¡± William¡¯s words elicited a slight tremble in the other party. This confirmed his conjecture. He continued, ¡°You previously declared to have a pact with the Lady of Starvation and hoped that I could aid you in completely withering the core of the World Tree¡­ Let me guess. The legacy left behind by Nehe must be inseparable from the Lady of Starvation, right?¡± Floral was as silent as an ice sculpture standing in the hall. The reason why William arrived at this deduction was simple. Since Steelheart Widow claimed that Nehe was deceased, he must be dead. It was inconceivable for him to have left behind a soul box for a possibility of revival. Though William retained a glimmer of hope, he had to relinquish this illusion after confirming that the Holy Tree Matriarch Ebony mentioned was the Lady of Starvation from another timeline. Aside from Nehe, the only potent lich he knew of was the individual standing before him. After a brief interval, she fixed her gaze on the soul box and uttered, ¡°This is because the records Lord Nehe left behind aren¡¯t complete. The following narratives are amalgamated versions my¡­ adoptive parents pieced together based on information and factual historical events. I cannot vouch for their accuracy, and they should be of no aid in resolving the current situation.¡± ¡°I require you to finish before I can determine whether it¡¯s beneficial in resolving the current situation,¡± William replied. Even though she didn¡¯t require it, Floral inhaled deeply. ¡°Very well¡­ What I can affirm now is that it transpired two years subsequent to your ascension.¡± ¡­ The commencement of the tale was more or less identical to the rendition Ebony recounted to William. In the 880th year of the Platinum Calendar, two years after William¡¯s ascension, the entire Vic Continent was in chaos. The two chieftains of Ravenwood perished inexplicably on the same day. To renew their pledge to the World Tree, the Reformists in Holy Tree City sought out the surviving Judge, Frost Lich Nehe, to aid them in revamping the Forest Elves¡¯ ancient customs. However, what differed from Ebony¡¯s account was that the Reformists¡¯ compensation wasn¡¯t for restoring his status as a forest druid, but proffered his phylactery in exchange. Or to be more precise, the Reformists leveraged Nehe¡¯s phylactery as a threat to coerce the erstwhile Judgment hero into collaborating with their scheme. ¡°Wait, where did those individuals obtain the phylactery¡­ Are there any records?¡± William interjected and inquired. William always found it peculiar how the phylactery was retrieved. No one, other than him, should be privy to the phylactery¡¯s ultimate whereabouts. Even if someone chanced upon it, it couldn¡¯t have been a mere coincidence for it to fall into their possession. Floral shook her head, but this didn¡¯t imply that there were no records. ¡°Although it¡¯s purely speculative, my adoptive parents surmised that acquiring Mr. Nehe¡¯s phylactery was the genesis of everything¡­ The Ravenwood Reformists assassinated those two leaders after procuring the phylactery and verifying that they could manipulate Mr. Nehe, propelling the situation to an irreversible juncture.¡± In other words, the predicament commenced with the unearthing of Nehe¡¯s soul box. It could be stated that this was a replica of Nehe¡¯s personal narrative back then¡ªin that case, the issue should lie with the soul box itself. William nodded and motioned for the other party to continue. After the Moon Realm crisis back then, the two ancient deities, the Holy Tree Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness, entered into an eternal slumber. They couldn¡¯t intervene via their personas and could only instinctually respond to the devotion of their adherents. Eventually, the Forest Elves should have been capable of developing a more manageable transcendental system that perpetuated their faith as the cornerstone. However, the so-called Reformists were the most conservative in a sense. They aspired to reawaken the two deities through a ritual that recreated the past and perpetuate the Forest Elf system of yesteryear. Naturally, this was only superficial. The underlying rationale was presumably that during the era when the Moon Realm was entirely sealed off from Currere, the Lady of Starvation, who had a contingency plan, aimed to utilize Ravenwood as a trump card to inaugurate the infiltration and corruption of Currere again. Of course, She didn¡¯t dare to do so overtly back then. Otherwise, She would have become the target of public censure in the Moon Realm while the other sovereigns were incarcerated outside. Furthermore, Ravenwood lacked sufficient fuel to alter the timeline back then. 40 million aged souls should have crossed the critical threshold only a millennium later. Therefore, Her ultimate objective was presumably to supplant Her consciousness with the will of the World Tree and indirectly govern Ravenwood. After all, the World Tree was Her arboreal form when She was still mortal. ¡°Mr. Nehe was partly coerced and partly deceived into joining that reform. Even if someone from the Oak Council attempted to pilfer the core of the World Tree with the hope of mutual destruction, they ultimately couldn¡¯t impede all of this.¡± ¡°But the Lady of Starvation¡¯s scheme failed in the end. Why? Is it due to Nehe eventually uncovering the truth and doing everything in his power to halt it?¡± William queried. Floral shook her head and uttered, ¡°Mr. Nehe only discerned the truth after everything was settled. At that time, his soul was on the brink of dissipating. Prior to that, he was embroiled in the entire ritual and had entered the other timeline. However, oddly, the Lady of Starvation didn¡¯t utilize the power gained from that ritual to attempt projecting Her consciousness into this timeline. Instead, She opted to employ that power to push Mr. Nehe to the brink of death. ¡°Perhaps Her animosity towards Judgment was more vital than Her control over Ravenwood.¡± After all, the Void Sovereign had an infinite amount of time to deal with Currere. However, if She didn¡¯t seize the opportunity to eliminate the mortals who obstructed Her path, they might eventually die of old age. Floral and her adoptive parents arrived at this conclusion. William didn¡¯t concur, but he couldn¡¯t conceive of any other explanations. He persisted in questioning, ¡°Did the records he left behind detail how he entered another timeline?¡± Floral shook her head and said, ¡°The records of that ritual are exceedingly vague. They only allude to the notion of time fragmentation. Nonetheless, what¡¯s certain is that recreating the ritual of the initial contract with the World Tree is unequivocally one way. Aside from that¡­ He seems to have vaguely hinted that compared to the body, the resistance from employing memories and souls to traverse timelines is much lower.¡± William nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s correct. This is also what I intend to do.¡± Floral gazed at William in bewilderment. ¡°The treeified Forest Elves in Ravenwood are the soul box, and their souls are linked to the undead through dreams.¡± William pondered as he hefted the soul box in his palm and articulated, ¡°But you¡¯ve detached your soul from your body from the outset. In other words, if we can locate the Forest Elf masquerading as you and substitute her soul with yours, we might be able to transition to another timeline organically. After all, your body is in another timeline¡­ Of course, it¡¯s merely a notion. It may not come to fruition.¡± William wasn¡¯t certain if this concept was accurate, but it was worth a shot. ¡°But¡­ there are over 40 million treeified elves in Ravenwood,¡± Floral¡¯s eyes widened as she disclosed. ¡°But not many souls are as strong as yours, right?¡± William replied. The other party reacted immediately. ¡°It¡¯s those tree spirits¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. It¡¯s the tree spirit of the giant tree.¡± Chapter 310 - 310 Webweaving 310 Webweaving Floral¡¯s directive to summon all the tree spirits was promptly transmitted via White Bone Castle¡¯s bureaucratic system to the Canopy Temples, and it elicited a response in an astonishingly brief span of time. It had to be acknowledged that Floral had replicated the empire¡¯s power structure over the years. It was almost a restructure of a new order. Although it was still alarmingly simplistic to William, it was far more efficient than Ravenwood¡¯s clan-based society established over a millennium ago with totems as the link. At the very least, it wouldn¡¯t be like in the past¡ªthe Void Sovereign¡¯s army was already at their doorstep, and the tribes were in no rush to determine if they wanted to resist by first carrying out a hunting game. However, the only thing worth fretting over was that this mechanism was completely founded on Floral¡¯s authority that surpassed every individual¡¯s strength. The entire system was almost sustained by her alone. Once she perished or lost her sanity, or encountered an outsider more robust than her, all order would crumble and regress to the past. Or worse. This was a dilemma that even the strongman politics in a world with transcendental powers would eventually confront. He wasn¡¯t aware of how this predicament would be resolved in the future. Certainly, William wasn¡¯t conceited enough to assume that the social evolution of his past world could be replicated in this world where genuine transcendental powers existed. But at the very least, he could eliminate a few external factors for this world and eventually restore the authority of choice to mortals. Of course, this wasn¡¯t something to consider at present. The most critical task was to locate the key tree spirit and transport Floral to another timeline¡ªit would be optimal if William could accompany her. As he observed the humanoid shapes formed by hovering green specks of light drifting into the hall one after another from his inconspicuous corner, William couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the Ravenwood quest line he had completed in the past. Back then, there were two more crucial main plots in Ravenwood. One was the Luxuriant Calamity that initially erupted near the World Tree during the Seven Calamities. The other was the Lady of Starvation¡¯s contamination of the World Tree¡¯s root system, opening a Moon Realm rift that led to the Lake of Entropy, allowing her demon army to invade Currere. There was nothing to say about the latter. As for the former, poisonous life proliferated here because it was excessively lush, rendering it exceptionally arduous for all living beings to perish. Cut wounds would become a seedbed for new sprouts, and severed limbs would become an independent individual that could subsist. In a world where normal death was absent, only complete obliteration could halt life. At present, the humanoid entities in the hall that appeared to be formed by a large congregation of emerald-green fireflies were the disseminators of the Blessing of Life from back then. Wherever they traveled, life burgeoned out of control like a tumor, creating countless grotesque malformed creatures¡­ Furthermore, they were, in a way, indestructible. Their primary bodies were the sub-trees that safeguarded the Forest Elf tribes, and the floating things were solely their souls and thoughts. Thus, there was no end to them and were as difficult to deal with as chewing gum stuck to one¡¯s shoes. This was why William used illusions to mask his true appearance¡ªbeing recognized by the other party could cause unnecessary trouble. The World Tree was often regarded as the emblem of the Holy Spirit, Mother, in Currere¡ªa colossal tree as tall as a mountain stood here like a miracle. Everyone couldn¡¯t resist thinking so. Back then, it was the Holy Spirits Church that selected the World Tree as the foundation of the persona of Mother that caused the Luxuriant Calamity to spread here. The ultimate solution was for William to plunge a blade blessed by the Lady of Starvation into the core of the World Tree. This was an exceedingly potent authority of the Lady of Starvation. As long as She obtained the target¡¯s blood, She could forge a blade that could entirely corrupt the other party¡¯s body and mind. Back then, William was a tad curious about how She acquired the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s blood. After all, it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated in-game. He didn¡¯t expect to know the answer now. ¡°Your Grace, all the tree spirits are present,¡± the clerk whispered to Floral after a headcount. ¡°Are they all accounted for?¡± Floral inquired, looking up. Tree spirits could be deemed as second-level subtree wills and were usually in a prolonged slumber. However, forest druids could rouse them through certain sacrifices, and Floral deemed this an unstable factor for her governance. Therefore, in the subsequent reform of the Oak Council, the authority to awaken them was also vested in her. The clerk shook his head slightly and muttered, ¡°One tree spirit is still in a deep slumber. We cannot awaken it.¡± He hastily added, ¡°This is a commonplace occurrence. All tree spirits have their periods of slumber. Or rather, they may not even be able to distinguish reality from dreams.¡± ¡°Note which tree spirit it is.¡± Floral acted absentmindedly and covertly glanced at William Kane in the corner. The other party nodded at her as a sign¡ªshe didn¡¯t expect things to go so smoothly. Their next course of action was to exploit this to keep the envoys dispatched by the empire at bay. ¡°Children of the Matriarch, I appreciate your response to my summons at this hour.¡± Floral addressed the buzzing tree spirits beneath the throne. Most of the tree spirits inclined their heads slightly in a bow. She proceeded, ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Let¡¯s cut to the chase. Nearly thirty minutes ago, the Senate envoy from the empire approached me, requesting that Emerald Province provide direct military support for their forthcoming expedition to Ava State¡­¡± According to Floral¡¯s standards, her speech mobilizing the tree spirits to partake in the defense of Green Port could be deemed inspiring. She initially assessed the mutual interests between the empire and Emerald Province and expounded on the advantages of aiding the empire in winning this war. She then stated that, if not for the protection of the country, it would be exceedingly arduous for the Forest Elves to assemble a large-scale army in a short time. Ultimately, her position was to hope that these tree spirits could contribute a fraction of their power and create a summoned army of souls to join the war. These words were 70% veracious and 30% counterfeit. Her primary goal was to conceal her authentic intentions of summoning these tree spirits to White Bone Castle. On the other hand, the tree spirits were uninterested in her proposal. After some haggling, they ultimately consented to congregate an army of summoned creatures that could solely be employed as an honor guard to assist the empire. Floral feigned fury and adjourned the emergency meeting. As she witnessed the final tree spirit depart, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. Dispatching reinforcements the size of an honor guard was more in line with the envoys¡¯ expectations of her. This way, at the very least, she could allow those individuals to remain peacefully at the embassy for a period. Even if she was stranded in another timeline and couldn¡¯t return presently, she didn¡¯t have to worry about them causing a stir for the time being. Upon hearing her explanation, William scowled and inquired, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to eliminate them all first?¡± ¡°Presiding Judge, assassinating the empire¡¯s envoys would immediately brand us as traitors. Three Legions are still stationed in Emerald Province¡­ I don¡¯t believe you want to engage in a two-front war before completely resolving the Ravenwood issue and fully consolidating the resources of the two provinces, do you?¡± William remained silent. Floral¡¯s argument was sound. This was the Year of Starvation. If he could rid himself of the Lady of Starvation once and for all, or at least inflict severe damage on Her, he would have a window where the Moon Realm couldn¡¯t meddle with Currere for over six months. During that time, he could exploit this gap to eliminate the upper echelons of the empire and prevent the Moon Realm from capitalizing on the power vacuum. It wasn¡¯t prudent to initiate a war with the empire concurrently with the Lake of Entropy. Furthermore, Remides and the reinforcements from Blake¡¯s Demon Generals were en route. Few individuals in Currere could subdue them. However, this wasn¡¯t why William was silent. For some inexplicable reason, he sensed that the envoys were a latent threat. Maybe the timing of their arrival was too coincidental, or perhaps their mission was too targeted. ¡°Lord William?¡± Floral¡¯s probing query roused William from his reverie. William snapped out of his trance and said, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed to the tree spirit first. We must make the most of our time.¡± Perhaps I¡¯m overthinking¡­? ¡­ Amidst the boundless sky, amidst the void between the stars, in the Moon Mirror that reflected the silhouettes of Currere, in a place known as the Moon Realm, from the viewpoint of a certain sovereign¡¯s six flickering, crimson eyeballs, innumerable plots enshrouded an entity as brilliant as a torch. Furthermore, they were progressively intertwined into a colossal web that lured him towards ruin. She chuckled and tugged on another strand of the woven conspiracy, causing the entity¡¯s destiny to quiver. Chapter 311 - 311 Romantic at Heart 311 Romantic at Heart ¡°Although it may be premature to pose this question, if you eventually remedy the curse that has plagued the Forest Elves for millennia as planned, what will you do with the tens of millions of treeified Forest Elves that already exist?¡± Upon reaching the Canopy Temple, where all the priests had evacuated, Nizemar abruptly queried the Presiding Judge, who was etching intricate rune spells onto the altar. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it when the time arrives. Individuals who daydream about their post-victory plans typically can¡¯t triumph. Moreover, I¡¯m not a deity. I can only resolve those problems that are visible and tangible¡­¡± William wielded a bronze ceremonial knife to etch runes onto a branch. He extracted a small piece of Elementium Silver ingots from his inventory and employed Morph spells to stretch it into thin silver threads. Then, he inserted them into the rune grooves he had etched. As he immersed himself in his work, he added, ¡°However, if the treeified Forest Elves are genuinely deemed as a soul box, the earliest group of souls would likely have deteriorated to the point of dregs after thousands of years. The creation of the Forest Elves is intimately linked to the Lady of Starvation. This technique of trapping souls in a tree and allowing time to consume them like water has, to some extent, become the source of the Lady of Starvation¡¯s power.¡± William sensed that despite Camilla not converting this land into a Moon Realm domain, She wasn¡¯t weaker than the other Void Sovereigns. ¡°So what are you suggesting?¡± Nizemar probed with caution. ¡°I¡¯m certain you¡¯ve deduced the answer. After breaking the curse the Lady of Starvation imposed on the Forest Elves, this race will also forfeit their distorted immortal life and become a fully mortal race. The treeified Forest Elf souls will no longer be subject to Camilla¡¯s eternal torment. Naturally, those souls that are too aged will dissipate entirely into the wind and be reincarnated once more.¡± William spoke without lifting his gaze. In essence, regardless of triumph or defeat, the 40 million souls would eventually disintegrate, just like the other mortal races in Currere. When that occurred, he wouldn¡¯t need to contemplate how to handle the tens of millions of Forest Elves after the war. Upon hearing this, Nizemar¡¯s expression kept oscillating, as if she was torn about what to say next. After grappling internally for a prolonged period, she finally couldn¡¯t help but voice her thoughts, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you opt for this high-risk plan?¡± Nizemar, who had a brief exchange with Sibylla from the past, couldn¡¯t fathom why the Presiding Judge was willing to assume such a significant hazard and choose this plan that didn¡¯t alter the outcome significantly. William chortled self-deprecatingly and stated, ¡°The reason why I¡¯m willing to undertake risks that might exacerbate the situation and not employ the safest plan my former companion designed for me centuries ago is that I¡¯m obstinate. You can also comprehend that I¡¯m selfish and don¡¯t aspire to be a butcher who slaughters over 40 million lives, particularly when there are alternative options.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°Secondly, there¡¯s a distinction between various types of death. Being abruptly incinerated into ashes by a conflagration or awaiting death that is destined to descend after the curse wanes¡­¡± ¡°They can¡¯t differentiate between them¡­¡± Nizemar reasoned. William heaved a sigh and assented with a slight nod. Observing the Presiding Judge¡¯s lack of response, Nizemar shifted her gaze towards the sun, which was gradually descending outside the entrance. As her heart sank like the setting sun, she appended the latter half of her remark, ¡°It¡¯s just death.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a distinction for the living,¡± William retorted. As he inserted a silver thread into the final groove, he stood up and faced Nizemar. ¡°There¡¯s a distinction for me, for Floral, and for the others who are still breathing on this land.¡± Nizemar lowered her head slightly. ¡°My apologies, Presiding Judge. I just thought¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. In fact, your notion is sound. If you confront similar circumstances in the future, please bring them to my attention like you did today.¡± William endeavored to sound gentle as he spoke. Floral quivered slightly and bowed as soon as she caught sight of William¡¯s stare. She wasn¡¯t frightened, but moved. Her voice brimmed with an unusual excitement as she exclaimed, ¡°Presiding Judge, I extend my sincere gratitude once more¡­¡± Upon William¡¯s return from perusing the information and revealing the truth about the Forest Elf treeification, she couldn¡¯t find a compelling reason to impede the Presiding Judge from incinerating Ravenwood. Indeed, Ravenwood served as an array of soul boxes and a harvesting ground for the Lady of Starvation to embody the concept of wear and tear. Even now, it was continuously supplying power to the heartless Void Sovereign. Furthermore, whether they won or lost, the outcome was identical. Their prosperity and misery originated from that sovereign. Even if they ultimately vanquished Her, she couldn¡¯t save a solitary treeified Forest Elf. This was because the Forest Elves were fated not to be rescued as Forest Elves since Ravenwood Forest was predestined to wither in the future. To the progenitors who were supposed to perish, what difference did it make if they died in the fire or dissipated after their demise? Their exhausted souls didn¡¯t care about this. Regardless, it was just an eternal slumber. But even so, she wasn¡¯t willing to do it. However, she couldn¡¯t expect others to act recklessly with her. Therefore, when the Presiding Judge asserted that he wasn¡¯t willing to execute such an act either, she appeared to perceive a warm sunlight shining on her frigid and rigid body, causing her to quiver unaccustomedly. What ensued was a query. ¡°Why?¡± she asked gravely. William extracted the largest Soul Storage Crystal that anyone present had ever seen and deposited it in the center of the nexus he had fashioned. He coincidentally heard Floral¡¯s question. Yes, why? Regardless, the 40 million treeified Forest Elves would ultimately perish. Incinerating Ravenwood now not only eradicated the possibility of the Lady of Starvation infiltrating Currere, but it could also considerably debilitate the opposing faction. So, why didn¡¯t he do it? One reason was that he didn¡¯t desire to soil his hands, but after comprehending the Forest Elves¡¯ ultimate destiny, this rationale had been diluted. The other reason was that he yearned to verify the existence of the timeline personally. However, the timeline could be confirmed by escorting the Eyes of God girl to various locations on the continent or toppling the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne. It wasn¡¯t worth taking such an enormous risk. These musings only lingered in William¡¯s mind for a moment before he immediately discerned the solution. He aspired for the 40 million Forest Elves imprisoned in the tree soul boxes by the Lady of Starvation to witness personally the b*tch who had tormented their race for millennia perish before their eyes. He didn¡¯t want to continue playing this game according to the rules established by others. This was what he wanted to do. ¡°Why?¡± The reverberations of Floral¡¯s words resonated in William¡¯s ears. He raised his hand and aimed it at the center of the altar. A violent tempest surged towards his right hand. ¡°Because I¡¯m a romantic at heart.¡± William extended his hand into the altar. The tempest whisked away the potent soul concealed within and extracted a formidable tree spirit via the runic spell. William gazed at the translucent apparition and gestured towards the Soul Storage Crystal before the bewilderment in the other party¡¯s eyes vanished. He uttered, ¡°Do you wish to dissipate or spend some time inside of it by your own accord? I¡¯ll offer you a minute to ponder over it carefully.¡± ¡­ ¡°He truly made such a decision¡­ How foolish.¡± A voice reverberated above the Lake of Entropy. ¡°Just like 1,008 years ago.¡± Chapter 312 - 312 Arrival 312 Arrival As the soul box embedded itself in the center of the spell, William swiveled his head and scrutinized Nizemar and the others. ¡°Although there are still numerous issues, if I accompany Floral to another timeline, I¡¯ll entrust the affairs in Emerald Province to you. Safeguard this place well. As I mentioned, the time limit is three days. When the time arrives, no matter what occurs, we must terminate this spell and allow Floral¡¯s soul to return to the soul box.¡± William communicated one last time. Despite leaving behind teleportation coordinates and communication methods, he wasn¡¯t certain if information could be synchronized between distinct timelines¡ªmost likely not. Hence, he designated a specific time for himself to venture to the other side. In three days, whether he succeeded or not, he had to come back. Everyone nodded, their countenances more or less resigned. After all, the Presiding Judge had reiterated these things to them numerous times en route here. William manifested no impatience whatsoever. After prompting them to reiterate his instructions, he felt somewhat relieved. There shouldn¡¯t be any issue. After all, Remides would arrive in Holy Tree City soon. With her at the helm, it shouldn¡¯t be problematic for him to depart for three days. With this in mind, he shifted his gaze towards Floral, who was already reclining on the altar. The latter assented with a nod, signifying that she was prepared. William activated his spell. The mechanisms on the soul box whirled layer by layer, and the runes etched on it abruptly emitted a brilliant radiance before swiftly fading. The ancient box gradually opened with a perilous sound, and something infused with frosty mist and miasma surged out. It promptly materialized in midair, forming a blurry silhouette. If a soul exited the soul box and remained exposed to the external world for an extended period, it would rapidly undergo a deteriorating transformation. It would eventually forfeit its self-awareness and transform into a ghost and malevolent spirit propelled by recollections and instincts. Hence, the instant the soul box was unsealed, William activated the spell inscribed on the altar. A potent suction force firmly drew it towards the altar and permitted it to seep in gradually. Since the tree spirit had been temporarily transferred into the Soul Storage Crystal by William, the altar that connected the entire subtree¡¯s core had transmuted into an empty container that could accommodate Floral¡¯s formidable soul. The spell he had etched on it was solely an interface that could furnish false authorization. Forcibly thrusting a soul into a cadaver to resurrect the dead was deemed an introductory technique in Undead spells¡ªif one disregarded the wear and tear caused by the incongruity between the two and only employed it as ephemeral fireworks destined to expire, then for advanced techniques, they were akin to adjusting a clock to maintain a fragile balance between the two and command the dead as servants that could endure for an extended period. Furthermore, they were designed to infuse souls into objects like lich conversion and conserve them for a prolonged duration. The soul box, or more accurately, the phylactery. The subtree beneath William¡¯s feet was an immense soul box. Under usual circumstances, the phylactery would possess a potent defense mechanism that was exceedingly arduous to breach and infiltrate. Nonetheless, with the assistance of William¡¯s spell, Floral¡¯s Divine Realm soul swiftly melded into it. The soul fragment composed of emerald-green specks of light rapidly took shape in Floral¡¯s guise in front of William. ¡°Presiding Judge, it appears that I have succeeded?¡± she surveyed her arm and inquired. ¡°It¡¯s not deemed a success if you¡¯re still here. Attempt to grasp the shadow of the tree spirit dream and slumber,¡± William replied. In any case, it was merely a supposition. Whether the two of them journeyed to another timeline together, or only one of them reached that destination, or the worst-case scenario, there was no way to venture to another timeline¡­ It was wholly unknown what would occur in the end. However, if he succeeded, he was genuinely intrigued by the experience of timeline hopping. William gazed at Floral, who was lying on the altar, biding his time for her to transition to another timeline, the one that had commenced to decay. Then, after waiting for nearly two hours, he began to feel restless. To be candid, he admired his patience. So, did it fail? This question lingered in everyone¡¯s hearts, but no one voiced it. Instead, it transmuted into a peculiar imperceptible pressure that gradually bore down on the relatively spacious Canopy Temple. William scrutinized Floral, who was still lying on the altar, and contemplated if he should rouse her. ¡°Presiding Judge¡­ Should we leave?¡± Nizemar inquired cautiously upon noticing William¡¯s despondent expression. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You¡­¡± William gestured with his hand, but he halted mid-sentence. A hazy notion materialized in his mind. ¡°Close your eyes and remain silent,¡± William instructed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just follow my lead.¡± As he spoke, he shut his eyes and nullified the detection spells he typically activated. Several seconds later, only darkness pervaded the Canopy Temple. William silently tallied his heartbeats. After approximately 120 beats, he reopened his eyes. The entire temple was deserted; he was the sole occupant. William snapped his fingers in a frivolous manner that clashed with his demeanor. He murmured a sentence he was fond of, ¡°When you have not seen this flower, it is quiescent within your mind.¡± Then, he ambled gradually towards the perimeter of the temple and pushed open the door. It was already nighttime. Beyond the door, the green hue that evoked vomit and the pink hue that evoked cancer tinted the entire nocturnal sky. The moon huddled in a corner of the sky like a pallid, deformed stillbirth, smearing the moonlight across the entire Ravenwood Forest, rendering this terrain appear as sickly as if it was infected with obstinate psoriasis. I¡¯m here, he thought. ¡­ As the Presiding Judge neglected to specify when they could unseal their eyes, Nizemar and the rest waited for an extended period. Solely when apprehension and inquisitiveness commandeered half of their minds in a 1:1 proportion did she venture, ¡°Lord William?¡± No one responded, so she posed the query again. After awaiting for a considerable duration, she pried open her eyes with quivering eyelids. William Kane was no longer present in the Canopy Temple, as if he had never graced this place. ¡­ As William descended the stairs, he chanced upon a few locals. The flesh on one¡¯s chest had nearly putrefied, and his exposed ribs resembled armor forged from a unique material. The portion above his eyebrows had been shaved off. His eyes revolved like billiard balls in a cup. The pair nodded courteously at William¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but perspire for the latter. He feared that the orbs in his sockets would dislodge. William nodded slightly and bowed. Then, he inquired from the fellow with protruding ribs where the Holy Tree Duke was. ¡°You¡¯re unaware?!¡± Unexpectedly, when William posed this question, the other party appeared astounded. ¡°Should I be?¡± William inquired composedly. ¡°I espied that you had just departed from the Canopy Temple and speculated that you were also supplicating for the duke¡­ ¡°Here¡¯s the gist. The duke previously addressed is in front of the World Tree and publicized that she had undertaken a joint endeavor with the empire and triumphantly apprehended the traitors hiding in the subterranean root system. She intends to execute them all publicly¡­ ¡°But midway through, she abruptly collapsed without any forewarning and lost consciousness, completely devoid of vital signs. The entire White Bone Castle is in disarray. The Oak Council¡¯s forest druids are entreating us to visit the various Canopy Temples to implore the Holy Tree Matriarch for the duke.¡± William expressed gratitude to the duo. Well, at least they regarded him as one of their own¡­ William hastened his pace. Although he was exceedingly inquisitive about how this group of undead ascertained the so-called vital signs, he roughly comprehended Floral¡¯s predicament. He had to rendezvous with the other party promptly and ally to locate and eliminate the weakness concealed by the Lady of Starvation within three days. If feasible, obliterate this timeline entirely. William employed Eagle Eye to scrutinize the World Tree at the heart of the metropolis. Then, he couldn¡¯t help but part his lips slightly, and he nearly cursed. In this timeline, the so-called World Tree resembled a gravid woman cloaked in innumerable maggots and multicolored fungi. A colossal woman. It was an ultimate magnified version of the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation he had vanquished in the past. Chapter 313 - 313 Empire Embassy 313 Empire Embassy Floral, perched on the Withering Throne, couldn¡¯t recollect when she regained consciousness¡ªit was akin to how individuals often couldn¡¯t recall when dreams commenced. However, when she discerned her existence, the initial sensation she perceived was the odor in the atmosphere. After transforming from a living being to a lich, she sensed her five senses decelerate over the years. The ones that degenerated the swiftest were her sense of smell and taste. It was purported that these two senses had the most discernible impact on evoking memories. Thus, after becoming undead, they were the most conspicuous. The scent in the air was so pungent that Floral, who had been a lich, couldn¡¯t help but feel discomfited. It was akin to a fruit that had been fermenting for an extended period, brimming with a sweet and putrid aroma. This scent also became the earliest memory she could summon. At that instant, the individual stationed at the base of the throne spoke. ¡°Your Grace, the Eighth Order envoy has conveyed that if you harbor any reservations about the punishment for those rebels, she can execute it on your behalf.¡± At the steps of the throne stood a man with a suppurating wolf¡¯s head affixed to his neck. Execute what? Floral couldn¡¯t help but ponder when she heard the other party articulate with difficulty through his decayed vocal cords. Then, she promptly obtained an answer. Fragments of memories pertaining to the body melded into her soul. Within the blink of an eye, she appeared to have lived another life of her own. It was a life that resembled the trajectory of her existence, but there were monumental variances in almost every aspect. After assimilating all her memories, she immersed herself in her role without any opposition. Floral blinked and addressed Garet Wolfspeak, the clerk in this timeline, ¡°Convey my gratitude for her kindness, but regardless, this is an internal problem for the Forest Elves. There¡¯s no need to involve the executioner of the Holy Spirits Church to preside over it¡­¡± Floral ceased speaking¡ªshe sensed that her voice was akin to a leaking organ. She wasn¡¯t certain if the other party could comprehend her. However, reality proved that he was overthinking. Observing that she didn¡¯t continue, the clerk scrutinized Floral, who had halted, and queried in bewilderment, ¡°Your Grace, should I reiterate those precise words to the Eighth Order envoy?¡± Floral inhaled deeply and persisted with a leaky voice, ¡°I¡¯ll issue the directive after I¡¯ve personally interrogated them.¡± ¡°Yes, as you wish.¡± Having said that, the clerk bowed and withdrew. After taking a few strides back, she pivoted slowly and exited, leaving her alone in the sprawling hall of the White Bone Castle. Floral, perched on the Withering Throne, ultimately breathed a sigh of relief. However¡­ With a thought from Floral, the magic nexuses etched in the White Bone Castle¡¯s hall were activated. Be it memories or capabilities, they corresponded flawlessly to her volition. It was preferable to say that the memories in her original timeline had transformed into something that necessitated immense exertion to recollect. It was akin to attempting to recall a lucid world in a half-dream state. Or perhaps endeavoring to recall her experiences in a dream after awakening. After sitting on the throne for a while, Floral commenced pondering what she should do next. She seemed to vaguely recollect that she possessed a crucial assignment here. However, those memories were akin to a sandcastle that had been erected, only to be dismantled by the waves one after another, leaving behind a blurry contour. Ultimately, she rose from the throne. Since she couldn¡¯t recollect¡­ she had to journey to Green Prison and interrogate the captives. Although she required the empire¡¯s power to remold Ravenwood¡¯s archaic custom, this didn¡¯t imply that the authority over the Forest Elves¡¯ life and death was in the empire¡¯s grip. After all, she was the true sovereign of Ravenwood. Not those blokes from the empire¡¯s embassy. ¡­ After a brief moment of astonishment, William composed himself. The bloated, putrid figure that loomed like a mountain didn¡¯t pose any danger to him. Although this timeline had been influenced by the Lady of Starvation Camilla for thousands of years, this was still Currere. Thus, it could only be said that Camilla had forged a potent vessel that could greatly accommodate her might¡ªa vessel that was far sturdier than the Void Incarnation from over a millennium ago. However, it was only a vessel. If Camilla yearned to crossover, she had to instigate a greater commotion to shatter the World Shell. Ergo, he was comparatively secure until the Lady of Starvation initiated the final ritual. After affirming this, William hastened towards the heart of Holy Tree City. As per Elise¡¯s account, she had been seized by other timeline jumpers based on the uniqueness of the Eighth Holy Spirit. If what the possessor of the Eyes of God uttered was accurate, Floral was his anchor at the other terminus of the timeline. If anything transpired to her here, he would be instantaneously repelled back to his timeline. Furthermore, locating the Lady of Starvation¡¯s vulnerabilities here necessitated a local guide. Hence, reuniting with Floral became his primary objective. As for the mark he had left on Floral¡­ It didn¡¯t function as he had anticipated. Therefore, William had to pause and inquire from the locals the whereabouts of their duke. Since he was in a rush, he didn¡¯t possess much patience, so his approach to questioning was relatively straightforward and crude. It was evident that the likelihood of obtaining the answer of Ravenwood¡¯s ruler¡¯s location by seizing anyone on the road was infinitesimally close to zero. However, that individual would definitely be acquainted with someone who was more probable to know the answer to the query than him. Then, he would pose questions one after another. It wouldn¡¯t take him long to discover someone who genuinely knew the answer. It was an uncomplicated but inefficient method¡­ When William tailed the leads and interrogated the sixth individual, he ultimately obtained a recognizable name. ¡°Is this the Eighth Order envoy you mentioned, Nizemar?¡± William gestured at the moss-covered stone edifice not far away. He pivoted and inquired of the withered elder garbed in conventional forest druid attire. ¡°Yes¡­ Sir, this is the empire¡¯s embassy in Emerald Province¡­ I witnessed her enter not long ago¡­ She¡¯s assuredly the individual most probable to know where Duke Floral is currently located,¡± the elderly man responded unsteadily. William remained silent. Instead, he sustained his gaze fixedly on the elder. It wasn¡¯t that he found him incoherent¡ªhe couldn¡¯t be reproached. Anyone who was pinned to the ground by a four-meter-tall obsidian puppet akin to a colossal rag doll wouldn¡¯t be able to speak coherently. William ruminated over two problems simultaneously. Firstly, if he embarked on a killing frenzy and massacred all the Forest Elves in this timeline, could he separate the synchronization rate between the two timelines to thwart the Lady of Starvation¡¯s scheme? Secondly, since he could employ summoning magic here, didn¡¯t that imply that the elemental planes where summoned creatures abided were connected to all timelines concurrently? The old man couldn¡¯t help but shudder when he saw the demon who had materialized abruptly eyeing him thoughtfully. He probed, ¡°Sir, is there anything else you wish to know?¡± ¡°Nothing much. Get some rest.¡± The other party¡¯s inquiry pulled William back to reality. As he spoke, he gestured for the obsidian puppet to release him. Then, he intoned the Placating the Undead spell and planned on inducing slumber in the other party. The inhabitants on this side believed that they were the living¡¯s undead. Ordinary illusions were futile against them. The forest druid, who possessed no comprehension of modern magic, blanched when he saw the spell aglow in William¡¯s palm. He surmised that the other party intended to silence him and implored, ¡°Sir, Sir! Please hear me out. If you intend to storm into the empire¡¯s embassy and demand someone for interrogation like before, I still advise against it.¡± The other party¡¯s utterances caused William to cease his incantation. ¡°Why?¡± William inquired. ¡°Because¡­ the empire¡¯s embassy is the empire¡¯s jurisdiction and an off-limits domain for all Forest Elves,¡± the elderly man stated, unable to conceal his trepidation. ¡°Off-limits?¡± he echoed. ¡°No Forest Elf taken to the embassy has ever returned¡­¡± the other party responded. William abruptly pondered over a crucial problem. The site of the time fragmentation should solely fall within the ambit of Ravenwood Forest, and the individuals who had undergone time fragmentation should exclusively be the Forest Elves inhabiting here. So, what was the quintessence of the Riel Empire in the view of the Ravenwood denizens? Chapter 314 - 314 Three Goddesses 314 Three Goddesses Distinct timelines were inherently distinct possibilities in history. A minuscule time fragmentation had an insignificant impact on history as a whole. It didn¡¯t matter even if it existed in parallel. This was analogous to a low-budget sci-fi flick that William had viewed in the pastowing to the impact of a colossal comet, numerous subtly different parallel worlds momentarily converged before diverging again. People only realized the many disparities in their memories when scrutinizing their recollections subsequently. A small-scale time fragmentation wouldn¡¯t have a grave impact, but a large-scale time fragmentation wasn¡¯t such a benign thing. Not only would it instigate severe chaos in the annals of history, but it would also trigger a lethal time paradox everywhere in the world owing to the shattering of logic. For instance, Ravenwood¡¯s time fragmentation. To a certain degree, the two timelines that had persisted for such a lengthy period and had such divergent disparities could be deemed two wholly distinct worlds. Then, what was the Riel Empire that the denizens knew in this timeline? Before strolling over and unlatching the door of the Empire Embassy, William possessed a response in his heart. Behind the door lay not a corridor, rug, portraits, or anything else that should have been visible in the embassy edifice. Instead, it was an ever-shifting splendid sky and an endless tranquil lake. This door materialized out of nowhere in the midst of a Moon Realm domain. William shrugged. Just as he had anticipatedthis was the so-called ¡°imperial jurisdiction.¡± Only the Ravenwood inhabitants partook in the time fragmentation. Ergo, when Camilla replicated Ravenwood¡¯s history, the performers of the foreign empire factions were naturally the Lunar Monsters from the Lake of Entropy. The empire in the undead¡¯s perception was the Moon Realm domain¡¯s Lake of Entropy. William gazed at the hushed panorama of the Lake of Entropy and took a deep breath before bellowing, ¡°Camilla, shouldn¡¯t you emerge and apprise me of your flawless nefarious scheme?¡± A viscous voice reverberated in William¡¯s psyche. ¡°I¡¯m even more intrigued why you¡¯re still in the mood to jest at a juncture like this. Do you think that you can enlist that clown to lend you a hand like last time?¡± As Camilla finished speaking, the lake in front of the door incessantly frothed as if it was boiling. A verdant tree was uprooted from beneath the lake. Although it wasn¡¯t Camilla¡¯s principal body, it was also an immensely potent clone in the Moon Realm. However, William wasn¡¯t apprehensive that the other party would suddenly assail him. The door-shaped Moon Realm fissure in front of him was exceedingly narrow. Its magnitude couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Viper Scar in Blacklight City. The Void Sovereign couldn¡¯t project formidable might through this rift. ¡°If I aspire to vanquish you by fomenting internal discord, I¡¯ll surely suffer a crushing defeat. I¡¯ve already undergone this myself,¡± William retorted. This was both a response and a test. In the Waning Moon ending, Judgment elected to stall for time by inciting internal conflicts among the Void Sovereigns to condense their Holy Spirit incarnations. Nevertheless, the three Void Sovereignsthe King of Deathblood, the Mad Sovereign, and the Ruin Demon Godultimately forged a convenient alliance. They traversed through the largest Moon Realm crevice and arrived in Currere jointly, nearly obliterating the entire Vic Continent. In a manner of speaking, that could also be perceived as another timeline. ¡°I¡¯ve undergone it myself¡± Camilla mumbled to Herself. As the tree gradually decayed, a statue of a buxom woman materialized. ¡°That¡¯s truly not merely an illusion of failure. It¡¯s the possibility you opted for,¡± the statue of the shapely woman gazed at William and spoke. This sentence encompassed a plethora of information, but before William could inquire further, Camilla interjected, ¡°Calamity, I comprehend why you¡¯re here. Indeed, ever since you arrived in Ravenwood, your every move has been under my surveillance¡± William interjected Her, ¡°So, you intend on employing counterfeit Judgment gear and phony soul boxes to entice me into slaying Floral? To be frank, how did you conjure up such a staggering scheme?¡± As the inheritor of Nehe¡¯s legacy, Floral was not only the crux to his comprehension of the Forest Elves but also his greatest prospective ally in Holy Tree City. It could be asserted that as long as he procured Floral¡¯s submission, his voyage to Emerald Province would be more than half accomplished. In William¡¯s viewpoint, Camilla¡¯s optimal preference was to exploit the information asymmetry between the two factions to foment a misunderstanding and conflict with Floral. It would be perfect if they battled to the death. In reality, although the Lady of Starvation had done so, Her conduct was too indescribable. Through Ebony, who possessed a coterie of peculiar devotees, She wielded compensation that was dubious everywhere as a bargaining chip. She couldn¡¯t even fabricate a decent falsehood. After all, the sole puppets that the Lady of Starvation could indirectly manipulate were the undead from another timeline. This sort of thing could only dupe him through the initial information gap, but as long as Ravenwood¡¯s information was corroborated through numerous channels, those clumsy guises were essentially akin to paper that could be ripped apart with a mere flick. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that William wasn¡¯t willing to immolate the entire Ravenwood Forest, the other side wouldn¡¯t have much to show for. Not to mention, with Floral¡¯s soul box, he even had a chance to inflict severe harm on the other party¡¯s vulnerability. However, before Camilla could speak, another dignified and aloof voice interjected. ¡°This is the sole way we can transmute this fictitious history into actuality before the destined time arrives¡± With the rustling sound of something creeping in his ears, a colossal spider¡¯s silhouette was abruptly reflected beneath the tranquil lake. Six blood-red orbs illuminated like searchlights under the lake ere fixing intently on him. ¡°Beatrice?¡± William¡¯s countenance turned solemn upon beholding the entrant distinctly. The Goddess of Conspiracy and Deception, the Whispering Empress Beatrice. ¡°Are you going to inquire why I opted to assist Camilla?¡± The words of the gargantuan spider phantom engendered slight ripples on the entire lake. ¡°I hadn¡¯t intended on inquiring,¡± William responded in a resounding voice. The other party was bound to withhold the truth. This was because the other party was an embodiment of conspiracy and deception that couldn¡¯t be evaded. ¡°Therefore, what of the other one? Have Her emerge together.¡± William pivoted his gaze to the decaying tree and scrutinized the inhuman-shaped relief on the tree. Camilla chortled. Mist abruptly flooded the lake, and a blurred form manifested in the mist. A mellifluous voice that sent shivers down one¡¯s spine reverberated from the mist, but her tone appeared to carry a hint of despondency. ¡°Calamity, you shouldn¡¯t have come here,¡± the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, uttered. Thus, all three Moon Realm goddesses who had wrought havoc in the Blackwater Swamp were present. ¡°I had thought your collaboration wouldn¡¯t be so amicable following that incident,¡± William appraised the blurred figure in the mist in a composed manner. After all, Zamara had once rendered him assistance during the King of Hope and Despair ritual. ¡°Assisting in maintaining the dream of the 40 million Forest Elf trees in Ravenwood¡¯s slumber was an archaic pact between Camilla and me it occurred thousands of years before your birth,¡± Zamara replied. William assented, for this was within his expectations. Although the Lady of Starvation¡¯s power could influence the innumerable cadavers here, someone else had to be directing the undead to move like the living. It could only be one of the twoZamara, who possessed dominion over dreams and illusions, or Valk, who was fervid about recreating plays. William was mentally prepared for this since Valk wasn¡¯t a qualified partner, and Zamara and Camilla had collaborated in the Blackwater Swamp. William had even prepared a requiem spell for Floral to obstruct Zamara¡¯s influence. Upon glancing at the three goddesses congregated on the other side of the door, William inquired, ¡°So? What do you desire?¡± Even in the face of pressure from the three goddesses, William didn¡¯t deem Them as a threat. The three goddesses, who still resided in the Moon Realm, were powerless against William. The skirmish outside Black Crow Gaze evinced that as long as the Void Sovereign didn¡¯t appear personally, regardless of how many Lunar Monsters They commanded, They were powerless against William. The three goddesses lapsed into silence before Zamara finally spoke, ¡°An attempt.¡± ¡°What attempt?¡± William inquired. ¡°An attempt to verify if the ultimate authority to determine the Currere timelinethe authority known as Preceptis currently vested in you. ¡°Although most Void Sovereigns deem it as nonsense, it¡¯s evident that Steelheart Widow Aiur and Absurdity Jester Valk believe it,¡± Zamara replied. ¡°Precept¡± William felt that he had heard this phrase somewhere. ¡°To put it simply, only the timeline you¡¯re in will culminate as Currere¡¯s authentic history. ¡°Hence, from the outset, our objective was to aspire that you would transpire in this timeline. Then, we¡¯ll observe if this timeline will commence developing into the past and future simultaneously before ultimately transmuting from a counterfeit to a genuine timeline.¡± Chapter 315 - 315 Green Prison 315 Green Prison Floral Kane had once harbored a yearning. She yearned to traverse the boundless forest of Ravenwood and arrive at its terminus to witness the vast world beyond. It was alleged that a vast plain paved with yellow sand stretched northwards; that continuous gray-brown hills undulated eastwards; that a limitless azure sea enfolded the land on which they stood in its embrace to the west and south. It was as gentle as the Holy Tree Matriarch in their tribe¡¯s myths. It was said that¡­ After Terra¡¯s conquest, innumerable rumors regarding the outer world disseminated to Ravenwood. However, most Forest Elves¡­ or more pessimistically, nearly all of them, apart from Floral herself, were disinterested in those enthralling rumors. They staunchly believed that they resided in heaven¡ªunder the vigilance of the Holy Tree Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness, there was no need for the Forest Elves to yearn for the outside world, which was beleaguered with afflictions. Contrary to the Forest Elves that adhered to tradition and clung to conventional beliefs, Floral Kane often sensed that she didn¡¯t belong here¡ªperhaps it was due to her human adoptive parents, but she perpetually experienced the notion that this might be her nature. Since her last name was identical to the great explorer who had once traversed as far as the World¡¯s End over a millennium ago, she felt that she shouldn¡¯t remain in this constricted place for the rest of her life. At times, she felt that Ravenwood was akin to a fruit husk that incarcerated her soul. Regardless of how she cried out, all she could hear was an empty echo. For this reason, when she was young, she had even attempted to abscond and traverse this suffocating forest on foot. Then, at the terminus of Ravenwood, she witnessed a spectacle that no one would ever believe¡­ ¡°Your Grace, proceed further in, and you¡¯ll encounter the location where the captives are confined.¡± The hunchbacked jailer limped as he unsteadily inserted the bone key in his hand into the keyhole. The sound of aged words and the creak of the door opening occurred simultaneously, causing Floral to snap out of her reverie. ¡°Is everyone incarcerated here?¡± Floral snapped out of her turbulent thoughts and immediately queried. As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but bemoan her immaturity¡ªshe ought to have abdicated her naive aspirations and futile endeavors long ago. However, what was amiss with her today? Her words and actions were dissimilar to her usual self. Perhaps she should attribute it to the oppressive and constricted environment in Green Prison that reminded her that she was also a bird in a cage. ¡°Yes, all the insurgents you apprehended in the subterranean root system are present inside¡­ Naturally, excluding the deceased, we¡¯ve already disposed of their cadavers,¡± the hunchbacked jailer swiveled around and responded. He gravely tendered the key to Floral. Moreover, upon noticing that the other party was still somewhat absent-minded when receiving the key, the jailer couldn¡¯t resist cautioning her, ¡°Your Grace, pardon me¡­ but exercise caution when you enter. The vines in Green Prison originate from the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s instinct to return life to the mother. Consequently, they will indiscriminately incarcerate individuals bereft of a key. Please safeguard the key in your possession.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Everyone hanging had a faint smile on their visages, appearing as serene as infants in their mothers¡¯ arms. Upon surveying the numb and euphoric smiles on those people¡¯s faces, Floral was beset by an unknown fury that emanated from the depths of her soul inexplicably. ¡°I understand. Wait at the entrance. I¡¯ll summon you when I require your assistance.¡± The instant she ventured into the depths of Green Prison, the coiled vines writhed around Floral akin to serpents. In a moment, perhaps in the blink of an eye, she perceived the emerald vines as innumerable undulating fleshy tentacles¡ªthe entirety of Green Prison appeared to have abruptly transformed into the corpus of a wriggling living entity. The door of Green Prison gradually shut behind her, and the dreadful delusions from earlier vanished. Floral didn¡¯t mention anything about this. She advanced directly towards the cocoon in the center of Green Prison and plunged the bone key in her hand akin to a dagger into the vines that ensnared a captive. Floral faintly discerned a shrill whine¡ªbut this was implausible. The vines didn¡¯t possess the organs to utter a sound. No matter how much she inflicted pain upon them, those entities wouldn¡¯t scream. However, her demeanor was identical to when she witnessed the illusion. She also opted to disregard it. The vine recoiled immediately in agony and flung the man enshrouded in the middle. ¡°Hobien Ebony¡­¡± Before the man could arise, Floral uttered composedly, ¡°I appear to have forgotten something immensely important, but my intuition informs me that what I¡¯ve forgotten might be related to the gibberish you uttered earlier. Consequently, I desire to listen to you intently¡­ How does the world appear to you?¡± ¡­ The development team of Doomsday Watchers had previously conducted an online meet-and-greet with players. In the final Q&A segment, an inquisitive player inquired of the game¡¯s chief screenwriter¡ªwhich ending among Full Moon, New Moon, Waning Moon, or Eclipse was the true ending in the developer¡¯s heart. Undoubtedly, this was an exceedingly contentious query. After all, owing to the enormous contrast in the ambiance between the endings in the game, players often debated which ending was more plausible. This query was akin to asking the author of a stock essay to elucidate who the female lead in his heart was¡ªeven if the author genuinely had a preference, he couldn¡¯t articulate it aloud. At the very least, he couldn¡¯t articulate it overtly before the sequel was released. Thus, the screenwriter furnished an answer that sounded as though he was attempting to placate the situation. ¡°The ending you select is the true ending.¡± Upon scrutinizing the three Void Sovereigns in front of him, William apprehended another connotation in this response. ¡°Precept¡­ Just as Aiur mentioned, almost all the Void Sovereigns consider Currere as the ultimate prize for the Moon Realm¡¯s grand game. And the specific manifestation of this prize, or at least a portion of it, is the so-called Precept?¡± he asked. Naturally, he didn¡¯t anticipate Them to answer. Since even Aiur, who was willing to stand by his side, persisted in being a riddler on this subject, the three goddesses, who were his adversaries, had no rationale to answer his query. However¡­ ¡°That¡¯s correct, you guessed correctly,¡± the Lady of Starvation, who had decayed to the point of dregs, replied. ¡°Precept¡ªthe right to determine the history of Currere, and also the true authority of the Eighth Holy Spirit. Other than the Mocker and the Heartless, no one believes that that authority will manifest in you. If the Heartless weren¡¯t willing to pay such a colossal price this time, we might not have surmised in this direction. Naturally¡­ we wouldn¡¯t have made such an attempt.¡± ¡°So? Was the test successful?¡± William queried, slightly taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say for now. Due to your prior arrangements, there¡¯s a likelihood of you returning to the other timeline. Once you possess a choice, you naturally can¡¯t transmute this fragmented history into the sole historical veracity,¡± the spider shadow concealed beneath the lake remarked. ¡°So?¡±William asked uneasily. ¡°Thus, we still have to eliminate the possibility of you returning to another timeline,¡± Beatrice chuckled and continued, ¡°To be succinct, slay all the adorable underlings that are responsible for drawing you back to that timeline¡­¡± Bang! A detonation resounded, and the entire entrance of the empire¡¯s embassy was engulfed by a fireball. The rock door was instantaneously ignited by flames and gradually reduced to ashes. ¡°Don¡¯t even contemplate it,¡± William enunciated frigidly as his eyes reflected the raging flames. Chapter 316 - 316 Purpose and Hostages 316 Purpose and Hostages Amidst the surging flames, the entire Empire Embassy gradually liquefied akin to a wax figurine. Concurrently, the Moon Realm rift concealed beneath the edifice¡¯s facade gradually unveiled its original ferocious guise. The Moon Realm was amorphous. Any Moon Realm manifestation reflected in a mortal¡¯s perception would exhibit distinct forms in accordance with the differences in their thoughts. In William¡¯s perception, in the depths of the Moon Realm rift that had forfeited its disguise, innumerable illusory thoughts amassed into a vortex that gyrated incessantly akin to a whirling resplendent nebula. In the profoundest section of the nebula, a well-rounded female figure with eight spider legs protruding from Her back and shrouded in dense mist surfaced gradually. The three Void Sovereigns directed Their gazes at Ravenwood simultaneously. Furthermore, with Their might and authority, They penetrated this timeline that shouldn¡¯t have existed gradually. There¡¯s no need to be so agitated, Calamity. This is merely a simple experiment. At the very least, you won¡¯t forfeit much. Or rather, collaborating with this experiment can furnish you with a more gratifying outcome. The apathetic whispers, dulcet murmurs, and viscous hisses of the three Moon Realm goddesses converged into a mental tempest that could ravage the minds of mortals and assaulted William¡¯s ether domain. Taunting, consoling, menacing¡­ The emotions in Their voices were etched in William¡¯s mind akin to a file, compelling him to furrow his brow involuntarily. ¡°What do you imply by not forfeiting too much?¡± William switched to a silver-white magical medium from his inventory and queried composedly. The phantom engendered by the overlapping images of the three goddesses lapsed into silence momentarily. Finally, the dulcet voice of the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, reverberated in William¡¯s consciousness. If Precept isn¡¯t in your possession, it confirms that the wagers the Mocker and Heartless have placed on you are merely Their wishful thinking. In that case, as long as you swear to relinquish the struggle for the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne, we will likewise swear that in the new world that arrives at the appointed time, we will reserve a spot for you and the people you cherish. William raised his middle finger in response to the proposition. He aimed the silver-white magical medium in his grasp at his throat. He utilized the Legendary Storm spell, Storm Order, to induce an even more immense soul storm. With frigid fury, he retorted, Screw your reservation. In the Moon Realm¡¯s nebula, the overlapping phantoms of the three goddesses fluctuated with the soul storm akin to candlelight buffeted by the autumn wind. After a moment of stillness, in the sky above the Lake of Entropy, the Whispering Empress Beatrice seemed to gloat over Zamara¡¯s misfortune as She uttered, ¡°A futile endeavor. I foresaw it long ago.¡± If the Moon Realm Calamity was willing to accept the current conditions, he wouldn¡¯t have relinquished the opportunity to advance to Void Sovereign in Black Crow Gaze and opted to revive that vestige of the past. The rationale why the Calamity was labeled the Calamity was that to the Moon Realm, he resembled a natural disaster that was impervious to negotiation. If the Calamity was agreeable to negotiation, it must be because he perceived that doing so could inflict greater devastation upon the Moon Realm. As the Goddess of Conspiracy, it was already sufficiently mortifying for Her to be beguiled by the opposing party once. Thus, Beatrice filled in for Zamara¡¯s silence and continued, On the other hand, if Precept is genuinely in your possession, you won¡¯t incur any losses, isn¡¯t that so? William¡¯s expression darkened upon discerning the sarcasm in the other party¡¯s tone. He remained silent as Beatrice resumed, Even if this timeline transforms into true history, as long as the World Shell persists, we can¡¯t infiltrate Currere. Precept will still rest in your hands, and we can¡¯t thwart you from ascending the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne. Matters would have reverted to square one. Other than the demise of all your subordinates in Ravenwood and the anthology of Ravenwood¡¯s history being rewritten, the losses aren¡¯t as significant as you envisaged. ¡°Stop beating around the bush,¡± William interjected, interrupting the other party¡¯s prattle. He gazed at the shadows of the three goddesses and enunciated frigidly, ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling me this? There¡¯s no rationale for you to divulge this information, correct?¡± The Void Sovereigns weren¡¯t antagonists in a prime-time television drama. They wouldn¡¯t saunter about the ensnared protagonist while magnanimously disclosing their impregnable evil plan¡ªso that the protagonist could seize an opportunity to counterattack. However, even if there was inherently something nefarious about Lunar Monsters who desired to relish negative emotions by impinging on William¡¯s psyche, They would only spew so much gibberish after They decimated William¡¯s allies in accordance with Their schemes. Thus, William felt his heart constrict when he posed this query. He was exceedingly apprehensive that the other party would retort directly with something akin to ¡°What makes you think that we didn¡¯t slaughter all your companions?¡± and inform him that it was too late. William was resolute not to be a riddler. He had discussed his plan to traverse timelines with Blake and Remides beforehand. If he didn¡¯t return within three days or an unexpected development transpired in Ravenwood while he was absent, they would cease casting spells on Floral immediately. With the Void Sovereigns¡¯ restricted power in Currere, it was impracticable for Them to besiege and assassinate the duo¡­ Although William yearned to believe this unilaterally, if he crossed over and was a part of the Whispering Empress¡¯s conspiracy, he had to reassess the present circumstances premised on the other party¡¯s capacity to execute this. I know what you¡¯re fretting over, but this isn¡¯t a matter to be anxious about, right? After all, even in this timeline, those devoted subordinates will still subsist, Beatrice¡¯s ensuing sentence reverberated in the recesses of William¡¯s ether domain. She wasn¡¯t incorrect. If this timeline evolved into Currere¡¯s true history via the alleged Precept, then be it Nizemar, Floral, or anyone else, they would still exist since there were records of their existence in this timeline. They would merely manifest as undead. After all, the Ravenwood inhabitants in this timeline were marionettes controlled directly or indirectly by Camilla. Hence, the other party was provoking William. However, this was inconsequential¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Why are you disclosing this to me?¡± William ignored the provocation that was irrelevant to reality and uttered frigidly. You¡¯re exceptionally astute. Theoretically speaking, there¡¯s certainly no rationale for us to inform you, but¡­¡± This time, it was the Lady of Starvation Camilla¡¯s viscous voice that reverberated. Before She could finish speaking, William erupted into laughter. What¡¯s so amusing? Camilla inquired dismally. ¡°No, it¡¯s simply that I think I comprehend your objective¡­¡± William suddenly grasped the crux and beamed. He gestured towards the phantom in the distance and expounded. Why did They stress so vehemently about my companions in the other timeline? Fixating the timeline of Camilla¡¯s origins into true history to procure the advantage of future control over Currere. This benefit was evidently only attainable by Camilla¡­ But why did She enlist Zamara and Beatrice? ¡°Speaking of which, my aim in crossing over to this timeline appears to be to unearth the residue of the ritual that once spawned you and employ it to inflict severe harm upon you, correct?¡± William surveyed the gyrating nebula and articulated. The opposing party didn¡¯t retort, so he persisted, ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m ensnared in this timeline, but on the other hand¡­ you can¡¯t dictate what I yearn to accomplish in the timeline, right?¡± As William spoke, he tapped the magical medium in his grasp lightly. Two whirlwinds swept up the ashes on the ground instantaneously. The whistling wind contorted the trees encircling the embassy into dough twists. If this Ravenwood timeline was fixed into actual history, William merely needed to terminate Ravenwood¡¯s history in 1886 of the Platinum Calendar. If he let loose, it wouldn¡¯t consume too much time. This was naturally something Camilla was averse to witnessing. ¡°Hence, to impede me, what hostages are you preparing?¡± William enunciated frigidly after his laughter. Chapter 317 - 317 Player 317 Player Perhaps it was due to William¡¯s placid tone, but the three goddesses didn¡¯t respond to his query. This was something that was straightforward to discern¡ªto most Void Sovereigns, it was undoubtedly unforeseen that he, the Moon Realm Calamity, would return to this world 1,008 years later. Hence, the Lady of Starvation¡¯s approach to transforming her birth timeline into Currere¡¯s true history wasn¡¯t to make use of his conceivable Precept from the outset. This could be substantiated by the information left behind by Sibylla and Nehe. In that case, ensnaring him in this timeline wasn¡¯t as much a component of Their plan from the outset. It was more akin to Them attempting to outmaneuver him out of helplessness. And now, Their machinations as if everything was within Their control were solely to augment the pressure on him. Seasoned negotiators frequently presented an unacceptable price before commencing to lower the price. As long as he comprehended this, William naturally regained the upper hand in this colloquy. ¡°Thus, quit your blustering. Disclose your true price,¡± William pressed again upon observing that the other party remained mute. You took the risk of traversing to this timeline for the salvation of the 40 million Forest Elf souls, correct? If you¡¯re amenable to exercising Precept and transmuting this timeline into true history, there¡¯s no necessity for Camilla to activate the conversion ritual She devised. I¡¯ll undo the dream bindings of those ancient souls and transport them to the new Ravenwood to initiate a new cycle of reincarnation. After a moment of silence, Zamara¡¯s voice reverberated in William¡¯s mind. As he had anticipated, moral coercion had commenced. William thought. Regarding the alleged ¡®as long as you¡¯re willing to assist us, we won¡¯t exterminate the 40 million souls. Instead, we¡¯ll permit them to persist as marionettes.¡¯ How magnanimous was this concession¡­ William sneered and refrained from answering. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Them and persisted, ¡°And?¡± Just as he concluded speaking, a few recognizable figures gradually took shape from the nebula ahead of him. They stumbled out of the Moon Realm rift akin to marionettes being manipulated by puppet strings. These individuals were Remides, Nizemar, Elise, and the rest¡­ In other words, acquaintances of William who were or would be in Ravenwood. Slaughtering all your subordinates is the simplest resolution. If you¡¯re amenable, we can also transmit their souls to this timeline. Of course, since they¡¯re not as unique as you, they can only be transformed into liches akin to Floral before being transported over. Camilla¡¯s voice reverberated in William¡¯s mind. No Void Sovereign possessed the authority to engender life in Currere. Even the Lady of Starvation could only produce a putrid vessel. However, if they were transformed into liches whose souls and bodies could be separated, they could access this timeline through Soul Transmigration akin to Floral. As to why Blake wasn¡¯t among them, it was because Blake had already become a high-level entity in the Moon Realm. To a certain extent, he had partly exceeded the temporal limitations of Currere. ¡°Hence, you can magnanimously spare my companions in the other timeline as long as they cooperate?¡± William surveyed the marionettes with evident festering marks and queried leisurely. Without awaiting the other party¡¯s response, he continued, ¡°In other words, the survival of the Forest Elf¡¯s 40 million ancient souls and the lives of my friends in Ravenwood are at opposite ends of the scale?¡± The apparitions of the three goddesses nodded and articulated, On the opposite end of the scale, just Ravenwood¡¯s history and future will metamorphose into what it was meant to be. There is nothing amiss with this. After all, when Camilla became a Void Sovereign, the Lady of Starvation, Ravenwood ought to have transformed into a Kingdom of the Dead and ascended to the Moon Realm. In other words, the three goddesses aspired to bargain for William¡¯s pledge not to assault the new Kingdom of the Dead prior to the timeline being cemented. ¡°Just?¡± William narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what about the living Forest Elves now?¡± Once this timeline became actuality, the millennia of Forest Elf history would transform into nothing but fleeting bubbles. If this mattered to you, I can merely inform you that they¡¯re akin to a future that you didn¡¯t opt for in the past. They never existed. Or¡­ do you aspire to shoulder the culpability of all those timelines being pruned owing to your will? Beatrice¡¯s words reverberated in William¡¯s mind. This was the final blow She had devised¡­ to penetrate the Calamity¡¯s psychological defenses. The existence of Ravenwood¡¯s 5,000-year timeline was an error. If it weren¡¯t for Camilla¡¯s aspiration, it would have vanished entirely the moment the Lady of Starvation was born. What They were executing now was solely to bring about the calamity that should have transpired 5,000 years ago on this land once more. The three goddesses proffered William with a choice¡ªeither allow the catastrophe to descend in an even more brutal manner, with 40 million ancient souls devoured by stunning flames simultaneously, transforming a timeline and the individuals William cherished into ashes that filled the sky. Or, he could permit this calamity to descend noiselessly¡ªin one night, Ravenwood would transform into an illusion that never existed, a recollection that only existed in the minds of William and the survivors he rescued. Beatrice also informed William that if he opted for the second alternative, he needn¡¯t be disheartened because they had never existed. More significantly, if he yearned to be despondent about this, there were far too many things he needed to be sorrowful about. After all, with his Precept, he had pruned uncountable timelines over a thousand years ago. After Beatrice concluded speaking, William fell silent. He lowered his head and scowled as if he was pondering something. Over the Lake of Entropy on the opposite side of the Moon Realm rift, Beatrice turned to gaze at Camilla. Even though She didn¡¯t exhibit any emotion, the latter could still perceive a sense of arrogance emanating from her. ¡°I¡¯ve already stated that instead of incinerating those ancient souls to activate the ritual, it¡¯s preferable to take a risk and devise a plan to utilize the Calamity to complete the anchoring of the timeline.¡± The entire scheme was meticulously woven by Beatrice via manipulating the threads of conspiracy. By guiding the Calamity and ensnaring him in this timeline, They could verify if the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s Precept resided within him. On the other hand, They could decrease wastage of the contingency plans They had left in Currere to finalize the reversal of the timeline. Simultaneously, They could exploit this opportunity to significantly weaken the Calamity¡¯s allies in Currere and dampen His spiritual drive, establishing an advantage for the ensuing competition for Currere. Beatrice was a master at controlling mortal minds. She comprehended that this man¡ªwho was known as the Moon Realm Calamity¡ªstill possessed many weaknesses unique to mortals. So what if he had Precept? So what if he was indomitable in Currere? Provided that one lacked a broad outlook and an immortal physique like Her, regardless of how powerful they were, they were only pawns beneath Her control. For the sake of his deceased companions, he was even willing to relinquish the chance to become an undying entity. How could he possess the determination to shoulder the consequences of the Precept authority of determining timelines? He was only mortal. ¡°I¡¯ll shoulder it,¡± declared William abruptly, lifting his head to confront the three goddesses beyond the Moon Realm rift. He spoke resolutely, ¡°I¡¯ve made innumerable choices to arrive in this world. No matter if the possibilities that were pruned because of my personal decisions will be better or worse in actuality, I¡¯ll bear the repercussions of their ultimate disappearance. This is because the current world is the most flawless conclusion I could have attained back then.¡± As he spoke, lightning runes illuminated around his body. ¡°Hence, I¡¯ll always carry the weight and be accountable for all my choices in the future.¡± The lightning runes transformed into a chained door. He intended to seal off this Moon Realm rift! ¡°Wait¡­ Wait! What about your subordinates on the other side? And the 40 million ancient souls? Are you going to abandon them to their deaths?¡± As lightning crackled, William answered Zamara¡¯s inquiry with a somber expression, ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon any of them. You didn¡¯t offer them a way out. As I can¡¯t halt your actions, the sole thing I can do is avenge all of them¡­ Starting with the utter annihilation of this country that Camilla has been ruling for 5,000 years and that hideous incarnation. I¡¯ll exterminate so-called immortal entities like you. None of you shall evade.¡± Camilla glared at Beatrice and spoke to William with eagerness, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°To be frank, I loathe multiple-choice questions. I was compelled to make numerous choices in the past. In this dreadful era, I once naively believed that I could at least not be coerced into making those multiple-choice questions anymore, but things didn¡¯t proceed as planned¡­¡± William didn¡¯t grant the other party an opportunity to finish Her sentence. He continued icily, ¡°Fortunately, unlike over a thousand years ago, I possess an additional choice this time¡­¡± Tearing apart the script. ¡°Do you truly plan on shouldering the responsibility of all the timelines being pruned?¡± Beatrice queried incredulously. This was entirely different from what She had anticipated. William gazed at Her and enunciated each word, ¡°I¡¯ve already borne the burden you mentioned.¡± ¡°What¡­ are you?¡± Beatrice muttered gravely and in bewilderment. Before the door comprised of pure lightning sealed the Moon Realm rift entirely, William replied, ¡°I¡¯m Player. I shape the current state of the world.¡± Chapter 318 - 318 Kill Him 318 Kill Him As the illusory sound of a door closing emanated from the other side of the Moon Realm rift, the Moon Realm Calamity completely severed the connection between the Lake of Entropy and Currere¡¯s illusory history. On the tranquil lake, the three colossal projections lapsed into a protracted silence. After a considerable time, the eternal being with eight spider legs extending behind Her and a somber crown on Her head spoke, ¡°The Calamity has temporarily sealed off the rift. For the time being, unless The Bounded is willing to assist us in opening the border, only you, The Dreamer, can temporarily exert a large-scale influence on Ravenwood.¡± In that temporarily fabricated history, the undead who believed they were still Forest Elves had their perception of the world woven from the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s dreams. However, The Dreamer¡ªwho was enveloped in mist¡ªrefused in a deep voice, ¡°That¡¯s between the two of you. It¡¯s never been part of my contract.¡± ¡°But the situation has changed.¡± ¡°Then, what does this have to do with me? If you hadn¡¯t proposed this ¡®brilliant plan,¡¯ would things have ended up like this?¡± the Lord of Nightmare shrouded in mist retorted angrily. ¡°It¡¯s up to you how you want to settle the score, but as you know, things are different now. The Calamity is now qualified to ascend the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne. Furthermore, he has Heartless¡¯s full support¡­ It¡¯s even possible that Mocker will back him in the future. To us, this has far surpassed the level of frivolity,¡± Beatrice urged in a deep voice. ¡°Oh? Is that so? Then remind me. Perhaps it would be better for me to align with the Calamity when the time comes?¡± Although Zamara¡¯s words dripped with sarcasm, on the other hand, She had a trace of seriousness when She spoke¡ªShe didn¡¯t possess much motivation to fight over Currere in the first place. Even though Steelheart Widow had caused a stir in the entire Moon Realm, it never compelled Her to depart from Her nightmare curtains. To Her, it didn¡¯t matter who ultimately obtained the complete Precept. As long as the reconstituted Currere possessed the concept of nightmare, She didn¡¯t care. Dreams relied on reality to exist. If She obtained Precept and transformed Currere into a world of dreams, this dream would transform into a new reality. Compared to the most extreme worlds in the Void Sovereigns¡¯ philosophy, She even believed that the current Currere was rather satisfactory. ¡°So, you still wish to distance yourself? Just because you rendered him some aid at Black Crow Gaze? Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re also on the Calamity¡¯s hit list,¡± Beatrice countered, aware of the other party¡¯s thoughts and dismantling Her plan. Zamara, who had been about to speak, fell silent immediately. Camilla, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. ¡°Beatrice, the current situation is entirely different from what you promised¡­¡± Her voice was soft and slow, but with Her words, pus-filled boils and colorful mold started to appear on Beatrice¡¯s projection. She was using Her authority to attempt to erase Beatrice¡¯s projection from the Lake of Entropy. The Calamity didn¡¯t choose to compromise as Beatrice had anticipated. Instead, he was determined to fight Them head-on¡ªbe it the salvation of the 40 million Forest Elves or the life and death of His former and current companions, none of them could halt that fellow¡¯s resolution. Although She concealed it extremely well, once the Calamity discovered it and destroyed it, it would inflict extremely severe and irreparable damage to Her. ¡°Believe me, as long as we unite, the entire matter will remain under our control,¡± Beatrice persisted with Her persuasions, ignoring the corruption spreading across Her. Even at this moment, Her voice conveyed the confidence that everything was under control. ¡°Forget it¡­ Dreamer, can you sever Floral¡¯s dream and make her awaken and return to the other side?¡± Camilla disregarded the six-eyed Goddess of Conspiracy and turned to inquire of the Lord of Nightmare. ¡°It will take time. After all, there¡¯s a protective barrier personally imposed by the Calamity on the other side. Even with this year being your year and your authority, the power I can project into Currere is too weak. I have to use the three Astral Lighthouses in Emerald Province as a medium,¡± Zamara responded promptly. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll transfer the authority of those three lighthouses to the Nightmare Swamp¡­¡± Beatrice, who had been disregarded by the two goddesses, stood rooted to the spot. After a prolonged period, She asked incredulously, ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to trap the Calamity in this timeline. Are you truly considering sending him back?¡± ¡°Otherwise? Your brilliant plan has failed. Now, we can only retrieve this fragment of history back to the Lake of Entropy to minimize losses,¡± Camilla replied without turning Her head. Although She couldn¡¯t make this portion of history Camilla¡¯s reality, Camilla could still strip away this power and make it a part of Her Moon Realm domain. Although She had lost complete control of Ravenwood, She could still reclaim something from her 5,000-year investment. Beatrice¡¯s rotting form flickered between Camilla and Zamara. She gazed at the Goddess of Starvation and Corruption and asked earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re so naive as to believe that¡­ as long as the Calamity is released, he will cease seeking revenge?¡± Seeing that the other party remained silent, She continued, ¡°Even if you compromise this time, don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t have any conflicts with him in the future? If you release him so easily this time, when he ascends the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne and fully grasps the Precept, you and him¡ªno, you and Him are destined for a decisive battle.¡± Camilla stopped and stared at the other party for a long time before saying slowly, ¡°What are you proposing?¡± ¡°This is our best chance to eliminate him,¡± Beatrice replied. The Goddess of Conspiracy¡¯s words made Camilla erupt in laughter. Her laughter shook the clouds above the Lake of Entropy. After a prolonged period, She ceased laughing and said, ¡°Alright, then please tell me. How should I kill the Calamity who¡¯s still in Currere and has seized a portion of the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s authority while the World Shell still exists?¡± The Calamity¡¯s defeat of four Moon Realm Legions alone remained vivid in Her mind. Unless the Calamity¡¯s escape route was entirely sealed and a Void Sovereign took action, no one could kill him. ¡°I have a plan,¡± Beatrice answered. ¡°Stop talking to me about your absurd plans,¡± Camilla snapped, Her voice rising as She waved Her hand, reducing Beatrice to dust. She already despised this utterly unreliable ally. ¡°The Dreamer, the right to use the three Astral Lighthouses is here,¡± Camilla announced after wiping out the Whispering Empress¡¯s projection. Then, She summoned three deep black dots representing the Astral Lighthouses, making them float towards the humanoid mist that represented the Lord of Nightmare. Zamara nodded, but before She could answer, one of the three deep black dots exploded suddenly. After an intense and silent explosion, a pitch-black spiderweb spread out between Them. ¡°Valk isn¡¯t the only one who concealed a Demon General in the Astral Lighthouse¡­ At the bottom of Emerald Province¡¯s Healer Lighthouse, I sealed my Demon General, Silence, as a hidden card,¡± Beatrice¡¯s face materialized on the spiderweb. ¡°William Kane is trapped in your timeline. Judgment 7, who can wound you, isn¡¯t with him. There¡¯s also the strongest incarnation you¡¯ve spent 5,000 years creating¡­ ¡°Now, as long as I make Silence stop being silent and topple the Astral Lighthouse, your power can enter Currere through the Moon Realm rift and assume your true strength through that incarnation¡­ Therefore, please tell me now. Do you want to reject such an opportunity to completely annihilate the Moon Realm Calamity and transform your timeline into true history?¡± Camilla fell silent. On the spiderweb, Beatrice, who had already predicted the other party¡¯s ultimate response, revealed a vicious grin. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that everything is under my control.¡± Chapter 319 - 319 Action from All Sides 319 Action from All Sides The illusory door of lightning slammed shut with a resounding bang, and William couldn¡¯t help but release a long sigh. The Moon Realm rift was a tricky anomaly, not a typical portal or rift, but a state where the laws of Currere faltered to some extent. Summoning days and traditions like April Fool¡¯s Day fell under the broader category of a Moon Realm rift, governed by its own peculiar laws. Sealing it off entirely required more than just magic spells. In the past, Judgment had used the Seven Holy Spirits¡¯ divinity manifestation or remnant Moon Realm Elementium left behind after the Void Incarnation¡¯s defeat to close the Moon Realm rifts completely. But William could temporarily seal a normal-sized rift with his powerful Divine Realm lightning spells. However, without constant magical reinforcement, the seal could only hold for about seven days. ¡°Seven days¡­¡± He chanted the Morph spell and summoned his wings, which sprouted from his shoulder blades like those of an eagle. He took to the air and surveyed the vast expanse of trees stretching before him. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He even had some time to spare. After all, in myth, seven days had been enough time to create a new world. William retrieved the Holy Spirit Disc from his inventory and examined it briefly. Satisfied that it could function in this realm, he stowed it away. Legend had it that Yeats and his Mage Legion had chanted for seven days and nights, using a super-secret ritual capable of setting the entire Ravenwood Forest ablaze. But William believed he could accomplish the same feat in just three days with the aid of the Holy Spirit Disc. Hence, before everything spiraled into the abyss, William had a small window to salvage the situation and return to the original timeline, saving everyone. ¡°Wait for me to return¡­¡± William muttered under his breath, as the faces of Remides and the rest flashed before his eyes. The brutal words he had uttered to the three Void Sovereigns were no empty threats. Nevertheless, he trusted his comrades. As long as the Void Sovereigns didn¡¯t show up in person, and the Moon Realm Legions didn¡¯t pour in like a deluge, he doubted that his companions would fall as effortlessly as the Whispering Empress had warned. Under the sickly moonlight, William¡¯s wings flapped furiously, turning him into a whistling blur as he soared towards the edge of Ravenwood. Why did he make the edge of Ravenwood his first stop? He needed to confirm something. Was the distortion of history limited to just Ravenwood? What would he find beyond the forest¡¯s edge? Could he shift through time by altering his position in space? It was a long shot, but William believed it was worth a shot. ¡­ ¡°You¡­ trust me so much?¡± Ebony asked warily as he saw the Ravenwood tyrant remove all the shackles on his body and lead him out of the Green Prison. He couldn¡¯t fathom why she was suddenly so amenable to his recount. Just moments ago, she had been deaf to his words, but now, she listened earnestly and asked for many details. She was like a completely different person. However, there was no need for that. The living who were struggling to survive in the underground root system had been wiped out. In addition, he didn¡¯t have any secrets to hide. He couldn¡¯t figure out why the other party needed to use tricks to deceive him when she possessed absolute strength. Floral gently stroked her face and asked solemnly, ¡°Your description has helped me figure out some things. At the same time, I vaguely recall some memories¡­ Am I really a half-decayed undead in your eyes?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Ebony nodded adamantly. Floral, impatiently waiting at the entrance of Green Prison, cut to the chase. ¡°Then, there¡¯s only one way to confirm the truth¡­ Hey, are you leaving?¡± ¡°What about them?¡± Ebony hesitated, looking over at his companions, hoisted up in midair by tentacles. ¡°The place I¡¯m going to next has a slim chance of survival. If you want me to bring them all along, I don¡¯t mind letting them down.¡± Upon hearing this, Ebony gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Then, you have to tell me where you¡¯re going, right?¡± Floral turned around and started walking out of Green Prison, ¡°If what you said is true, the place we¡¯re going to next is World¡¯s End.¡± ¡°She¡¯s on the other side¡­ Will she be fine?¡± Nizemar asked, worry etched on her face as she watched Floral grit her teeth, a ferocious expression on her face. Nizemar knew all too well the horrors of nightmares. ¡°What do you mean by fine?¡± Elise, her eyes closed, chimed in. ¡°It looks like she¡¯s having a nightmare. Is her soul captured by Zamara and imprisoned deep in the Nightmare Swamp?¡± Nizemar, who had been imprisoned in the past, asked with lingering fear. Elise¡¯s white eyes flickered open, her gaze piercing. She surveyed the altar before closing her eyes once more. ¡°The Holy Tree Duke¡¯s soul is still inside and is very well protected by that spell. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Her tone was as if she was confirming that there were no cups on the table. Seeing that Nizemar didn¡¯t reply, she continued, ¡°You have to understand that this is a defensive spell personally cast by William Kane. As long as the main body of this spell is protected, even the Lord of Nightmare can¡¯t snatch her soul away so easily.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Despite hearing the most authoritative guarantee from the owner of the Eyes of God, Nizemar¡¯s anxiety remained. As they made their way to the destination, the Presiding Judge had already briefed them on the scale of the illusion that only the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, could create. Hundreds of thousands of undead believed themselves to be alive, all thanks to Her weaving such a spell. But swallowing the souls of all the tree elves into the Nightmare Swamp was beyond even Her power. It wasn¡¯t that She couldn¡¯t do it, but the Seven Holy Spirits¡¯ obstruction and the interference of other Void Sovereigns would make it impossible. No Void Sovereign, especially not Zamara, would take such a risk when the Lady of Starvation would benefit the most. William speculated that Zamara had connected the Forest Elves¡¯ dreams. ¡°It¡¯s probably Zamara weaving a large-scale dream that replicates Ravenwood¡¯s scene in the Nightmare Swamp and implanting it into the memories of every Forest Elf. This is equivalent to a large-scale cloud server¡­ Forget it, you won¡¯t understand this example.¡± The Presiding Judge had given up on explaining the specific principles to them using theories and analogies that they failed to understand, instead guaranteeing that the spell wouldn¡¯t be breached internally. They needed to protect the main body of the spell and cooperate with the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s trusted personal guards until they returned. ¡°To put it simply, don¡¯t let them cut the wires.¡± This was the Presiding Judge¡¯s conclusion. The term was incomprehensible, likely a long-forgotten magic concept. ¡°So, why is she like this?¡± Nizemar asked hesitantly, eyeing Floral¡¯s grimacing expression. ¡°She probably encountered something terrifying or terrible on the other end,¡± Elise answered, distractedly staring at her feet. Then, she added, ¡°But don¡¯t worry too much. No matter what, William Kane is with her on the other side¡­ Compared to us, she¡¯s much safer.¡± The girl then lifted her head, opening her eyes to survey the door to the Canopy Temple. ¡°What we should be worried about now is our own safety,¡± she said, cowering behind Nizemar. ¡°There are nine people outside the door, and eight of them have rich Life Creatons. If I¡¯m not wrong, they¡¯re from the Oak Council,¡± she warned in a soft voice. ¡°The Oak Council came knocking just after the duke fell asleep,¡± Floral¡¯s clerk interjected, frowning. Nizemar didn¡¯t answer but turned to Elise and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much of a coincidence?¡± ¡°Eight of them might be forest druids. What about the remaining person?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Elise replied, ¡°His body¡­ emits an extremely strong aura of a Holy Spirit¡¯s blessing, so he¡¯s probably a prophet?¡± Chapter 320 - 320 Madness and Lighthouse 320 Madness and Lighthouse She could remember everything with crystal-clear clarity, but still, she felt like she didn¡¯t belong here. As if she was trapped in a statue, unable to move or escape. The feeling gnawed at her relentlessly. Her memories grew stronger with each passing moment, but they also became more and more unbearable. Souls were more than just a collection of memories. When the dead were reincarnated, they didn¡¯t bring their memories with them. Death, in all its various forms, had a sacred duty to rip away the memories of the dead souls. After the establishment of the Seven Holy Spirits theory, this became the most important authority of the Holy Spirit¡ªthe Dead¡ªto make the dead forget. On the other hand, the shape of a soul in each incarnation was shaped by the memories of that particular life. It was a delicate balance, and if the form of the body and soul didn¡¯t match, it would trigger a dangerous madness, like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. This madness was a result of a mismatch between one¡¯s true self and how others saw them. That¡¯s why the Absurdity Jester¡¯s Moon Realm domain took the form of a theater. In an endless theater, the actors on stage never got to be themselves. They were doomed to eternal craziness. Floral felt as clumsy as an actor in the Fanatic Theater. ¡°So, who do you think you really are?¡± As they made their way to the World¡¯s End, Ebony couldn¡¯t help but ask Floral about her intermittent complaints. ¡°I believe I am Floral Kane. And if what you say is true about there being another Ravenwood, then I must be the Holy Tree Duke in that world. But that¡¯s just my gut feeling. I have no proof.¡± Floral replied without thinking. Even though her senses were hijacked by an unknown force, and she couldn¡¯t remember her experiences from the other side, Floral believed that her identity as the Holy Tree Duke should remain unchanged. ¡°So, you think being yourself will make you go mad?¡± Ebony couldn¡¯t help but ask as he recalled the madness she had mentioned. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m out of place because I sense that I¡¯ve forgotten a crucial mission. But the right to define madness lies not in my hands but in how others perceive me. No one who¡¯s crazy would claim to be crazy.¡± Floral gave such an answer. ¡°Then why do you say you feel like an actor in the Fanatic Theater?¡± Ebony continued asking. Floral shot him a strange look and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always thought I was crazy? Or, to put it bluntly, don¡¯t you think this world, where the dead imitate the living, is pure madness?¡± Ebony was taken aback by her frank response and didn¡¯t know how to reply. Ebony, on the other hand, had become so accustomed to the madness of the Kingdom of the Dead that he couldn¡¯t tell if the world had gone insane or if he had. After a long time, Ebony finally mustered the courage to ask, ¡°What if¡­ I¡¯m the one suffering from hysteria?¡± Living with the undead for years had taken its toll on him, and he often felt like he was on the brink of madness. If it weren¡¯t for the occasional Forest Elf transmigrator who shared his worldview, he would have lost his mind. In fact, he had felt more than once that the ones who had gone crazy should be the minority. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Floral said, pivoting to gaze into the distance. Her voice was steady and calm. ¡°To me, the world you described sounds better. ¡°Regardless of which world is real, it¡¯s enough reason for me to choose.¡± ¡­ Once they departed from Holy Tree City, Ebony tapped into his communication with the wild beast spirits in the forest and summoned two giant Terror Birds, each of them emaciated. The ability he gained from engraving the tattoo of a wild beast in another world could also be used in this strange world. However, the creatures he summoned were akin to Forest Elf undead who believed they were still alive. Their entire bodies exuded a putrid and foul odor. Despite the physical discomfort, Ebony rode one of the Terror Birds while Floral rode the other. The latter appeared unfazed by the sight of the grotesque beasts. She expertly controlled the Terror Bird to take off and led Ebony to the edge of Ravenwood Forest. ¡°Are we soaring along Golden Green Avenue?¡± Ebony shouted at Floral through the howling wind, using the pale moonlight to determine their journey¡¯s direction. ¡°Indeed, our destination is the edge of Ravenwood¡ªa boundary stone that the empire drew near the lighthouse for the Constellation of Healers.¡± Floral¡¯s voice sounded cold as the wind carried her words to Ebony¡¯s ears. ¡°But why there? If Ravenwood is merely a fictional world as you claim, then won¡¯t we reach the edge of this world regardless of which direction we fly in?¡± Ebony questioned, lying on the Terror Bird that reeked of death. Flying east from Holy Tree City to the Healer Astral Lighthouse was a considerable distance. If they flew south to a few seaport cities near the Shattered Sea, they could at least cut down the travel time by half. ¡°Without proper guidance, leaving Ravenwood alone is impossible,¡± Floral calmly replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll always be lost. No matter how much time we spend, we¡¯ll eventually end up back where we started. And there¡¯s a greater chance that we¡¯ll be lost forever,¡± Floral replied, her voice a whisper that echoed in Ebony¡¯s ears, even amidst the roaring wind. ¡°How do you know?¡± Ebony asked, confused. ¡°Because my adoptive parents and I tried it before.¡± Floral¡¯s tone made Ebony decide not to pursue the topic further. Instead, he asked another question. ¡°Then why take Golden Green Avenue?¡± ¡°Because since Terra¡¯s conquest, the only way to enter Emerald Province by land, other than through the teleportation nexus set up in the empire¡¯s embassy, is by taking the Golden Green Avenue that the Astral Council carved out back then.¡± The empire¡¯s official road, constructed with three Astral Lighthouses as nodes, completely eradicated the problem of excessive vegetation growth caused by Ravenwood¡¯s strong vitality. This was a problem that plagued other areas if maintenance was not kept up. The Astral Council had built the Golden Green Avenue, a barren stretch of land, through the circulation of Metal magic. This avenue became one of the few channels in Emerald Province capable of communicating with the outside world, apart from the water transport systems. ¡°Golden Green Avenue is one of the very few places on land in Ravenwood that has causal intersections with the rest of the Vic Continent, so¡­¡± Floral stopped mid-sentence and stood firmly on the Terror Bird¡¯s back against the howling winds filling the sky. She gazed into the distance where Golden Green Avenue extended. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ebony sensed that something was amiss and asked. ¡°The Healer¡¯s lighthouse¡­ it¡¯s just been extinguished.¡± ¡­ I can¡¯t fly to the edge of Ravenwood even if I fly north¡­ Wait, what¡¯s this? A Mobius Ring? With the help of Morph and Storm, along with his lightning spells, William soared above Ravenwood. He was like a fighter jet, capable of short-distance warps. But no matter how far he went, he ended up back where he started. It was like being trapped in a loop. William wondered if Ravenwood was a circular spatial structure, like a Mobius Ring. He realized that he couldn¡¯t get to the edge of this area, no matter where he flew. As he muttered to himself about his predicament, he noticed a faint light that suddenly vanished from his ether domain¡¯s observation range. And in that direction was¡­ East? The Astral Lighthouse for the Constellation of Healers? The Astral Lighthouse has gone out? Chapter 321 - 321 Silence 321 Silence The empire had demanded Ravenwood to build three Astral Lighthouses as the sole condition for their survival after Terra¡¯s conquest. Negotiation was not an option. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake this as a threat, but a declaration. We¡¯ll construct a lighthouse on your ashes if you refuse,¡± Great Sage Yeats, the first speaker of the Astral Council, had warned the Forest Elf ruler. To construct these lighthouses, the empire had destroyed trees, built barriers that hindered growth, used traditional wooden materials for frames, and burned down the forest. The laborers were Forest Elf prisoners of war. The Forest Elves saw these lighthouses as a symbol of humiliation and conquest. Even today, over 800 years later, few Forest Elves choose to become magic chanters, despite the Astral Lighthouse¡¯s magic power initiation ritual being open to them. ¡°You¡¯re an anomaly in my world. You have the ability to communicate with the power of the World Tree, yet you chose to study human magic,¡± Ebony said to Floral after leaping off the Terror Bird. The Floral Kane on this side was also such a person. This really made one sigh with emotion. But instead of responding, Floral gazed up at the towering black lighthouse at the summit. The Healer Astral Lighthouse resembled a winged scepter entwined by a serpent, with a slim and graceful shape. Normally, the top of the lighthouse would shine with green and silver light. This allowed magic casters to sense a node that connected with the Astral World¡¯s Healer constellation from an immense distance through the ether domain. Those born under the Healer constellation could use it to communicate and resonate with the Astral World to guide Creatons from the Astral World to Currere. However, Floral couldn¡¯t detect any light from the top of the lighthouse or her ether domain. ¡°Something¡¯s seriously wrong,¡± Floral concluded after several unsuccessful attempts. ¡°But this doesn¡¯t concern us, right?¡± Floral turned her head at the sound of Ebony¡¯s voice. Her calm demeanor made him uneasy. The tall Beast Spirit Hunter immediately continued, ¡°Even if the lighthouse goes out, we just need to follow Golden Green Avenue east. This place is only a few kilometers away from the Emerald Province¡¯s border stone. It¡¯s like you said¡­ World¡¯s End.¡± Floral let out a small sigh and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but don¡¯t you think it seems too coincidental?¡± As she spoke, she kept her gaze fixed on the lighthouse. Since the establishment of the Astral Laws centuries ago, the sudden extinguishing of lighthouses could be counted on one hand. Apart from those that were extinguished by the Astral Council due to local uprisings, which severed magical enlightenment and advancement of the local regime, only rare large-scale disasters could cause such a phenomenon. They had just traveled along Golden Green Avenue to the Ravenwood border for an investigation when the Astral Lighthouse at the last node suddenly went out without warning. Furthermore, there was no sign of tragedy near the Healer Astral Lighthouse. It didn¡¯t seem as though a calamity was about to strike. Wait¡­ Silence? ¡°It¡¯s too quiet around here.¡± As Ebony spoke, he arched his back slightly, causing the beast tattoo on his body to writhe. A translucent horned skull appeared over his head, resembling that of a deer or lion. The beast¡¯s ears twitched as if attempting to detect any surrounding sounds. ¡°There¡¯s no noise at all. No chirping insects, no bird calls, no sound of wild beasts treading on branches¡­ There¡¯s absolutely no sound coming from the direction of the lighthouse. It¡¯s dead silent. No, even quieter than dead silence,¡± Ebony spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°I recall that the tower guardian of the Healer constellation is on the verge of attaining the Legendary stage. Furthermore, he has a powerful elite response team under his command. Regardless of what happened, it¡¯s impossible for there to be complete silence.¡± Floral also lowered her voice. There wasn¡¯t even the rustling of leaves in the wind, let alone any living creature sounds. ¡°What do we do now? You¡¯re not suggesting we investigate that lighthouse, are you?¡± Ebony asked, his concern evident. As a hunter, Ebony knew better than to investigate the Astral Lighthouse amidst such bizarre happenings. For the first time, Floral was taken aback by Ebony¡¯s question. If she had to describe it, it was akin to ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°Why would you even consider it? An unknown entity that can silently extinguish the Astral Lighthouse and silence the elite mage troops guarding it¡­ We should take a detour, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Ebony, who was inexplicably seen as uncivilized by Floral, stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds before attempting to retort. Who was the one who just said, ¡°I feel uneasy; let¡¯s check what happened near that lighthouse.¡± However, as he closed his lips and his vocal cords trembled, no sound came out. It wasn¡¯t just him; almost instantly, all sound vanished, including his breathing, heartbeat, and even the friction of his clothing. He felt as though his surroundings had fallen into complete silence. Even the slightest sound disappeared without a trace. It was a stillness that was even more peaceful than silence. Dead silence¡­ Ebony recalled that when he was young, he would close his eyes and cover his ears while waiting for his playmates to hide. Despite his ears being completely blocked, he could still hear a buzzing in his ears. Yet at this moment, even the ringing in his ears that stemmed from illusions had vanished. ¡°¡± Ebony¡¯s mouth opened and closed as he struggled to say something to Floral, who was walking ahead of him. Yet, after attempting for a while, no sound came out. He couldn¡¯t make a single noise. Ebony took a few awkward steps forward and patted Floral¡¯s shoulder. It was as if he had stepped into a void without making a sound. Then, he looked at his hand on her shoulder and felt an odd sensation. In reality, the sensation wasn¡¯t strange at all. It was simply that he couldn¡¯t hear anything, so he subconsciously believed that he should have patted something thin and soft instead of the dry, hard feeling akin to a mummy¡¯s. Regardless, even though he patted her shoulder, Floral didn¡¯t turn around. She continued to gaze up at the extinguished Astral Lighthouse without shifting her gaze, which caused Ebony to look up as well. Then, under their watchful gazes, the magnificent and graceful lighthouse crumbled serenely, similar to a Lego tower whose main foundation had been removed. Beneath the sickly moon, which resembled a stillborn, a woman shrouded in thick, black smoke floated alone in the air and gazed at them silently. We¡¯re going to die¡­ The beast spirits etched onto Ebony¡¯s body immediately came to this grim conclusion the moment they sensed the unknown entity. The woman¡¯s face lacked a mouth, yet the moment Ebony saw her, he sensed his soul wanting to unleash a terrible scream. Chapter 322 - 322 Chant and Fall 322 Chant and Fall The moon resembled a gaping hole in the night sky, and the entity shrouded in ominous black smoke seemed to have traveled through the gap and arrived in Currere. She stood high in the sky with a haughty expression, regarding the two unwelcome guests on the ground with solemn silence. The primal instincts of the wild beasts urged Ebony to flee immediately, sending chills down his spine. ¡°¡± The primitive emotions that surged from his soul caused Ebony to subconsciously desire to scream, yet the only thing that emerged from his parted lips was nothingness. It was as empty as the night sky between the stars. Floral, who stood ahead of him, raised the exquisite magical medium in her grasp. She aimed it at the peculiar figure floating under the moonlight like a swordsman brandishing a blade. Then, she froze in shock. The raised magical medium failed to illuminate, and complex spells failed to manifest. Even the flow of mana had ceased. This was due to the absolute silence that prevented any incantations from being uttered. But¡­ why was this happening? Floral widened her eyes in disbelief as her spells fell like raindrops into the sea, causing no ripples. Despite being in a zone of wide-area silence, Floral, with her willpower as a Divine Realm mage, should¡¯ve been able to bypass the silence restrictions and cast spells successfully. Magic, spells, and chanting were the three crucial elements required for modern magic to take effect. To cast even the simplest spells, all three were essential. Mana and spells aside, to utilize one¡¯s thoughts to envelop reality and exercise a miniature version of Creation¡¯s authority, one required sufficient Creatons and precise blueprints. Chanting seemed to be the most dispensable element, yet it was the greatest test of a mage¡¯s willpower. Floral¡¯s adoptive parents had taught her that chanting need not follow rigid rules, nor did it require any special logic. Nearly all the logical aspects of spells had been in place during the spell construction phase. The concept of chanting originated from the prayers of the gods in ancient times. Subsequently, it was reluctantly incorporated into the modern magic system as a vestige of superstition that couldn¡¯t be eradicated in classical magic. Its actual purpose was to kindle the caster¡¯s passion and emotions through self-suggestion of words, convincing them that their will could override the framework of Currere. Poems, prayers, arias, historical documents, and even speeches by renowned figures could be effective as long as they stirred the caster¡¯s fervent emotions during chanting, displaying their powerful intentions of casting spells. Of course, when a mage¡¯s willpower reached a certain level, they could complete the chanting portion without passionate words or symbolic gestures. Even emotive eyes or expressions would suffice. Floral was a potent magic chanter who had achieved this level. She had long entered the Divine Realm, and even the domain of absolute silence, which prevented her from making any sound, would merely weaken her spellcasting abilities at best. Nonetheless, it was impossible for her to fail at casting a complete spell, no matter what. ¡°¡± Floral inhaled deeply and aimed the magical medium in her grasp at the strange entity in the sky. Resonating with a multitude of souls, guiding and controlling an immense amount of magic power, constructing complex magic spells in the ether domain¡­ After everything was prepared, she attempted to complete the final chant and release the spell according to her will¡­ Silence. The spell dissipated, and the mana dissipated¡­ Once more, this spell failed to make even a ripple. However, Floral had identified the issue with this attempt. It wasn¡¯t solely the absence of sounds in the surrounding environment. She realized that even the voice in her consciousness had been silenced completely¡­ As she pondered, she couldn¡¯t even hear her inner voice. Instead, she felt a chaotic ball composed of countless emotions¡­ A sensation as if it had been stained. The thoughts of the mortal races in Currere were language-based, and language¡¯s most prominent characteristic was its convergence. As long as the mind wasn¡¯t turned into a language, it would succumb to the will and be molded and transformed by it. However, once the mind became an actual language, the will would instantly become a slave to the language. This was also the fundamental principle that established chanting: a language akin to a proclamation that converged mortals¡¯ endless chaotic thoughts into their sole intention of action. However, in this space where heart-to-heart voices were utterly silenced, her intentions couldn¡¯t be conveyed. Consequently, magic chants couldn¡¯t take effect in the slightest. After comprehending this, despair crept into her heart like maggots and began gnawing away. Regardless of who the mouthless woman was, she was undoubtedly a magic-chanter killer. Any magic chanter had no hope of defeating her. Thus, their next consideration was whether the woman harbored any ill will towards them. The answer to this query arrived swiftly¡ªperhaps because she had grown weary of Floral¡¯s humiliation¡ªthe woman lifted her left hand leisurely and gestured towards the Holy Tree Duke, who was flailing a magical medium in vain. Black smoke peeled away from the woman¡¯s body and condensed into arrows in silence. The sharp, serrated arrowheads glittered with the sickly moon¡¯s light before hurtling towards Floral¡¯s throat in an instant. ¡°¡ª¡± If not for this hushed space, this strike would have likely produced a metallic clang following the collision. Ebony seized Floral¡¯s shoulder and pulled her behind him. His arms were covered in triangular scales, and the jet-black arrows either bounced off the scales or pierced through the gaps in the insufficient armor, causing blood to spatter. In this moment of carnage, their eyes met. In an instant, they communicated everything through their gazes. In the blink of an eye, Ebony substituted Floral and confronted the silent threat head-on. His wild and savage aura began to swirl around him like flames. His amber eyes remained fixed on the other party¡¯s next move. Tattoos that contained the power of wild beasts materialized incessantly all over Ebony¡¯s body. Antlers, lion heads, snake scales, eagle feathers, wolf claws, crocodile tails¡­ The power of wild beasts and spirits did not rely on logic or language. Instead, they originated from the depths of one¡¯s soul and were purely based on savagery and instincts, making them impervious to silence. On the other side, Floral, who had been dragged to the rear, steadied herself in a sorry state. She clutched the magical medium in her hand and also scrutinized the other party¡¯s next move. Ebony¡¯s actions appeared to surprise the mouthless woman floating in mid-air. She gazed at the two individuals before her before landing softly on the ground like a falling leaf. Thick black smoke left an evident mark in the sky along her descent trajectory, resembling a charcoal pencil. Then, as she spread her arms in a welcoming gesture, it split behind her. Two streams of black smoke extended behind her like two slim wings before commencing to condense into feather-like blades. Under normal circumstances, Floral would have had at least nine ways to defend against the blades that were about to be launched. She thought resentfully as she attempted to recast the failed spell. It was also at this moment that Ebony turned his head slightly and glanced at her. Floral understood the other party¡¯s intentions right away. In fact, he had already conveyed his message clearly when he saved her: I¡¯ll hold her off. You go first. Floral clenched her teeth and saluted the other party before turning around and fleeing. Although she wasn¡¯t sure how long the other party could use those beast spirits to deal with the assailant, she knew that, as a magic chanter, she would only hinder him. Thus, without much hesitation or conflict, she fled right away. There were no sounds or dazzling lights, only the constant rush of air behind her indicating the battle¡¯s intensity. This way, at the very least, one of them could escape¡­ If the other party¡¯s silence had to rely on the collapsed Astral Lighthouse, all she had to do was run to a location where she could cast spells. When the time came, she could signal Ebony safely. Perhaps they could both survive. It was also at this moment that an intense blast of air came from the sky without any warning. Floral instinctively stopped in her tracks¡ªa decision that saved her life. The instant she halted, something ripped through the air and descended diagonally like a falling meteor. Perhaps it was because the ¡®object¡¯ was flying too fast, but it didn¡¯t come to a halt immediately after landing. Instead, it carved a fiery trench in the ground, only stopping after smashing through a few trees as thick as bowls. All of this occurred in silence, making the entire incident appear even more absurd. The heat emanating from the ravine struck Floral¡¯s face. If she had taken one more step forward, she would have collided with the ¡°object¡± comparable to a meteorite with no protection. Floral, who had just barely survived, stood rooted to the ground. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid, but rather that she felt nothing. Perhaps it was due to the absence of sound, but she found the situation exceedingly absurd. What was the object that had just fallen? Floral turned her head to gaze at the rocky mountains where the smoke had yet to disperse, and an absurd thought came to mind. In the moment it flashed past her eyes, she appeared to catch a glimpse of the ¡®object¡¯ in human form. Could it be that a person had fallen? Perhaps someone had entered this soundless realm while flying with magic at high speed, causing the flight magic to malfunction and resulting in their death from the fall? Chapter 323 - 323 Swing 323 Swing The first thought that came to William¡¯s mind after regaining his senses was, So falling damage can be considered an attack similar to a blunt strike? However, this seemed quite reasonable. At the very least, it wasn¡¯t like in the game, where falling from a particular height resulted in death despite having a full HP bar. It was worth noting that even in the main plot, powerful players who were sent flying hundreds of meters away by a slap from the King of Deathblood would only have dust and scratches on their faces when they returned. And yet, such a person could fall from nine meters without a scratch, only to die immediately from falling ten meters¡­ Wasn¡¯t this ridiculous? William glanced at the dimming oval-shaped pitch-black gem on his left pinky, waved his hand, and removed the soft membrane between him and the massive rock. Then, he rubbed the bump on his forehead and gritted his teeth. Despite the protection of protective gear and accessories, William felt as if he had been punched in the head when he fell straight onto the rock. He gathered himself and shook his head vigorously like a dog fresh out of water. He began to reflect on what had happened. Initially, it felt like someone had pressed the mute button halfway through his flight. Then, his spells went haywire, and he lost control. There were various ways to disrupt others¡¯ spells, but in William¡¯s mind, only two beings could completely hinder him from casting spells¡ªSteelheart Widow Aiur when activating Ironstone Oath, and the Demon General, Silence when activating the Silence Domain. The former was to freeze the laws of Currere, causing all Creatons to rapidly dry up and solidify. The latter was to silence all sounds, halting the chanting of magic. William brushed the dust off his body and stood up. He surveyed his surroundings¡ªtrees had snapped, rocks had shattered, and the flames from his rough landing had ignited the surrounding withered branches. Nonetheless, all was still silent¡­ Wonderful. The mastermind behind his fall was quite clear. William gazed up at the collapsed remains of the Astral Lighthouse not far away¡­ Indeed, Valk wasn¡¯t the only one who had placed landmines beneath the lighthouse¡¯s foundation when the Astral Laws were established. God knew how many of the 24 Astral Lighthouses on the continent harbored similar time bombs buried under them. However¡­ what puzzled William the most was that he was in another timeline within Ravenwood. Why didn¡¯t Ms. Keikaku bury Silence in the Astral Lighthouse in a regular timeline but position it below the one under Camilla¡¯s control? Before William could contemplate this question, a figure attempting to conceal themselves behind the smoke curtain caught his attention. Although he couldn¡¯t hear anything, his superior perception granted him keen vision akin to a top hunter. (Who¡¯s there?) ¡°¡ª?¡± The person subconsciously opened their mouth, but their throat produced no sound. After realizing that what they were doing was pointless, William opted to take action and rush over. ¡°!¡± William easily halted the individual who was bent over and attempting to flee. However, when he saw who this familiar yet unfamiliar person was, William couldn¡¯t help but feel stunned. The person in front of him was 80% similar to Floral from another timeline¡ªthe main difference being her pale, bluish skin and the various indications of decay and festering all over her body. Although Floral was also undead on the other side, she was significantly more concerned with keeping her body fresh than the individual before him. The other party also gazed back at him in shock¡ªher mouth, which had exposed her gums due to the festering, kept opening and closing as if attempting to say something. William couldn¡¯t help but inquire about the question he was most curious about. As a result, the two of them opened their mouths at each other for a few seconds¡­ They both came to the realization of the issue at the same time, causing them to stop simultaneously. The ambiance descended into an awkward silence. It was also at this moment that a figure flew over and broke the awkwardness between the two. A tall male Forest Elf was sent flying by a pitch-black spear filled with serrated teeth. He crashed into several twisted withered trees before finally being impaled on the same rock William had collided with. Black blood oozed from the corner of the man¡¯s mouth, and the translucent outline of the beast that enveloped him gradually blurred and dissipated like sand in the face of a strong wind. He gritted his teeth and tightly grasped the serrated spear embedded in his abdomen, causing the muscles in his hand to bulge as he attempted to pull it out. William hurried over and pinned him down. Using this serrated black mist weapon was one of the characteristics of the Whispering Empress¡¯s spawn. In-game, if one treated wounds caused by such a weapon immediately, they would be inflicted with an extremely prolonged bleeding effect. Therefore, it had to be dispelled before treatment could commence. Although William had the other party pinned down for the time being, when he was about to chant dispel spells, the spells he created in his ether domain were activated only to lose their effect due to the Silent domain. Furthermore, the man in front of him, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Ebony, saw William prevent him from treating his wound. Perhaps he believed that William was taking advantage of the situation? In any case, he immediately began to struggle and resist fiercely. With the augmentation of the Beast Spirits, the unnatural strength unleashed by the other party made William, who lacked the appropriate spells, feel as though he couldn¡¯t restrain him. Damn¡­ This is so troublesome¡­ William couldn¡¯t employ spells to pacify or explain to the other party. In frustration, he let go. Of course, the primary reason why he released the man was that he spotted the culprit for all of this floating over from the corner of his eye. In any case, if he dealt with that individual, more than half of these vexing matters could be resolved, right? Come to think of it, he and Blake had previously utilized Judgment 4 to completely obliterate Silence. As a result, the new Silence shouldn¡¯t recognize him. In other words, the other party wouldn¡¯t retreat or attempt to flee upon seeing him, at the very least. If that were the case, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult for him to banish the other party. ¡­ The moment she saw the man, Floral felt as though her head had split in two. Half of her consciousness ascended outside of her body, and she gazed down at her skin¡ªdecayed, festering, pale, blue skin, and the surrounding forest that was not verdant but filled with twisted withered trees. This was no different from the foreign scene that Ebony had described to her¡ªa dead world of the deceased. The other half of her consciousness remained within her body. She was still surrounded by a lush forest, and she was still the daughter chosen by the Holy Tree Matriarch since she was young. It was as if two similar yet entirely different histories were perceived from two different perspectives. As for which would ultimately become reality, she had to make a decision. The consciousness drifting outside of the mortal coil gradually became clear upon seeing who the man was. Presiding Judge?! She attempted to yell. However, her call elicited no response. Transmitting voices with the soul was an ability reserved for only powerful Storm mages who were skilled in the essence of the soul. Furthermore, that peculiar entity had plunged the entire domain into silence. Her conscious thoughts couldn¡¯t transform into words. The sensation of schizophrenia only lasted for a brief moment before Floral¡¯s floating consciousness was rapidly yanked back into her mortal coil. It was akin to jolting awake from a dream in the middle of the night before swiftly grasping the dream¡¯s tail and falling back asleep. Her consciousness once again plunged into a dream-like state. However, Floral was certain that she was dreaming. Her mortal coil must have been manipulated by a powerful entity, causing her to be ensnared by her body¡¯s memories. Floral, who had regained consciousness, happened to observe the man holding the magical medium in his hand and slowly advancing toward the thin, mouthless woman hovering in midair. ¡°¡ª¡± Although Floral couldn¡¯t recall the other party¡¯s precise identity, her vague impression was that he was an exceedingly powerful magic chanter. He was very potent, even more potent than her. However, regardless of how powerful his magical achievements were, the opponent he faced was an outright magic chanter slayer¡­ In the face of an entity that could negate all chanting, even the mightiest magic chanter was no match for her. However, it was too late for any reminders. Or rather, she couldn¡¯t remind him at all. The man strolled leisurely in front of the peculiar woman. As he walked, he drew out a lead-colored magical medium that appeared heavy and coarse. When the woman saw this, she landed softly. Black smoke transformed into several barbed weapons around her. Her eyes, deeper than the darkness, were fixed on the pitiable magic chanter who had sauntered before her. Although the other party lacked a mouth, Floral could sense that she was grinning. Floral could only watch as the man raised the magical medium in his hand and began to chant fruitlessly¡­ ¡°¡ª!¡± Things unfolded ten times faster than they could be described. The other party swung the thick lead-colored magical medium in his hand and smashed the woman¡¯s head as if he were wielding a staff, causing five-colored lights to erupt in silence. Chapter 324 - 324 Silence 324 Silence From the moment it was roused from its lengthy slumber until it was knocked to the ground, Silence had no gripes. On the one hand, this was due to its nature. Silence couldn¡¯t complain in any sense. On the other hand, and more crucially, it had always yearned for the day it would be unsealed. Upon awakening, Silence promptly and proficiently carried out the mission Lady Beatrice had assigned it 800 years ago¡ªto annihilate the delicate Astral Lighthouse and expose Ravenwood Forest to the corrosion of the Moon Realm rift. As for its compensation, it would gain freedom. It no longer had to serve the Whispering Empress, nor did it have to submit to any Void Sovereign. It could choose to manifest its own domain in the Moon Realm and become a potent Moon Realm Overlord. Of course, it could also choose to remain in Currere and enjoy itself in its own way. Very few Moon Realm Void Sovereigns would offer complete freedom as compensation to Their Demon Generals because this was tantamount to taking the initiative to divide their authority. It was a veiled act of weakening Themselves. However, the Void Sovereign¡ªwho was notorious for Her deviousness and treachery¡ªagreed to its terms in exchange for being sealed beneath the Astral Lighthouse for extended periods. She even opted to use Her true name as a witness and swore an unbreakable oath. Of course, as with all of Beatrice¡¯s contracts, there was an additional clause at the end of this agreement. If you wish to recover the protection under me, the Whispering Empress, Beatrice, your Moon Realm Elementium will be entirely under my control for 1,000 years in Currere from the moment you seek refuge again. It was an obvious trap, but Silence was unconcerned that such a scenario would arise. This was because She had confirmed that after the Astral Laws were established, no mortal in Currere could pose any threat to it. In this era where the castrated modern magic system was the primary axis, it was invincible on the Vic Continent if it could silence all casting intentions. Therefore, when Silence detected that an individual with an exceedingly terrifying mana reaction had abruptly barged into the sky above its Silent domain, it felt no unease. In the past, it had witnessed the pinnacle of what a magic chanter could achieve. The man named Yeats¡ªhe could execute all 13 spells flawlessly and was regarded as the ultimate peak of mortal magic. However, even the man who dared to attend the meetings of the 13 Void Sovereigns in Gray Castle and return to Currere unscathed did not wish to engage in direct conflict with it. Instead, he ultimately relented and signed a contract with Ms. Beatrice, allowing Her to clandestinely seal it in the Astral Lighthouse in this erased history via the causal connection between the Astral Lighthouses. Since even Yeats was unwilling to engage in direct conflict with it, it was even more implausible for a magic chanter to pose a threat to it on the Vic Continent 800 years after the establishment of the Astral Laws. If it hadn¡¯t been for Silence being knocked to the ground by the man who suddenly appeared, it would have been able to maintain its confidence for a longer period. The massive mana that blasted its face immediately caved in Silence¡¯s head and the ground surrounding it. Black smoke billowed out of its shattered skull as if it had ignited a smoke bomb. Why is this happening? Shouldn¡¯t he be unable to activate any magic spells in my Silent domain? This was the sole question that arose in Silence¡¯s mind after it was slammed to the ground. How did the other party achieve this? Gazing up at the other party, the heavy lead-colored staff in his hand glowed with colorful light once again. There were no indications of spells being activated. It was simply a phenomenon of mana condensation. How could this be possible? Absurdity surged into Silence¡¯s heart. Without the conversion of spells and relying purely on quantity, the mana required to produce the same destructive effect increased by dozens or even hundreds of times. In other words, the scale of mana the other party could command in the ether domain was over a hundred times that of ordinary Divine Realm mages? Then, was this even a creature from Currere? Observing that the next blow was about to descend upon its head, Silence immediately dissipated its body into black smoke and reformed itself at the farthest distance possible. What kind of monster is this? Could it be a descended Holy Spirit shrouded in human skin? As it reconstructed its body to heal its previous injuries, Silence pondered. With this in mind, it peered at the spot from which it had fled, wary that the other party might charge over¡­ At this moment, the depression that had been smashed open was empty, and only a temporary portal still flickered. A portal? Silence was momentarily stunned before instinctively turning its head. A sharp dagger with a purple glow, less than a meter away from it, effortlessly ripped through space like paper before prying open a temporary portal. As it was still within the Silence domain, Silence did not perceive the teleportation that would have triggered intense lightning flashes. By the time it turned its head, the man had already amassed strength in his staff once again. This time, it was sent hurtling. Intense mana erupted above its head once more. In its dazed state, it silently witnessed something. It was its origins as Silence¡­ Although it had heard that mortals would have their lives flash before their eyes prior to their demise, would a Moon Realm spirit experience something similar before they died? Silence¡¯s thoughts were swiftly overwhelmed by images. It was outside the cave where the tribes gathered. A young guard tasked with sentry duty had dozed off, thus failing to detect the humanoid creatures gradually approaching under the cover of darkness. However, he did not have the opportunity to be punished by the tribe since he was the first to have his throat slit when disaster struck. Then came the second and third, with no end in sight, until blood flowed like a river. When the black shadows¡ªwho were skilled in hunting¡ªinfiltrated the cave, most of the human clansmen perished in silence. As for the few individuals who were awakened by the massacre, they only had time to scream before falling into silence. A child was concealed beneath the straw used for insulation by her mother. She was fortunate because the straw, which gradually began to rot, masked her scent. However, at the same time, she was unlucky because the straw was insufficient to conceal her mother. Thus, she could only observe as the humanoid beasts with ears as sharp as knives plunged their daggers into her mother¡¯s heart and dragged away the woman she had believed would never leave her side like a dead dog. That was an era before words existed. Humans could only utilize a few basic syllables to communicate. The child¡¯s gaze met her mother¡¯s through the straw. She opened her mouth in excitement, desiring to shout out a syllable used to address her mother¡ªshe did not know if it was due to fear, sorrow, anger, or other emotions. However, her mother¡¯s almost imploring glance halted her in her tracks before she died. Thus, she covered her mouth, tears streaming uncontrollably as she stifled her instinctive cry. This cry that failed to be voiced would transform into a blazing flame of revenge in the future. However, she had no inkling that this unspoken cry was instantaneously reflected in Currere¡¯s mirror, the Moon Realm, before silently reverberating through it. This silent roar traversed timelines¡ªboth the past and the future¡ªsimultaneously, echoing in the hearts of every avenger who maintained their silence. It echoed in the hearts of every martyr who was tormented by physical and mental agony, yet remained silent. It echoed in the hearts of every man and woman who did not want to expose their innermost thoughts. It quietly passed through the silence of countless individuals, from nobles and generals to commoners and beggars. Each time they suppressed their true emotions, they became nourishment for its thriving growth. The greatest distinction between humans and animals was that they could restrain their instincts and remain silent. Finally, it was ensnared by a conspiracy network woven from countless silences and brought to a resplendent palace woven from countless threads. So, your origins are from that unfixed place? Very well. From now on, you shall be known as the new Silence. It was bestowed a name by that mighty entity and was granted intelligence and form, but it did not express its gratitude. It was not that it did not want to, but as its name suggested, it could only remain silent. Similarly, even after its creation, the first thing it did was to be abandoned and sealed in that cramped space. Even after being sealed for over 800 years and then being unexpectedly awakened only to be tossed around like a ball by a humanoid monster that appeared out of nowhere¡­ it did not complain in the slightest. It was not that it did not want to, but as its name suggested, it could only remain silent. You are about to perish. Without my protection, you will meet your demise when the Calamity draws Judgment equipment. A whisper resounded from the depths of its heart after the flash of memories concluded. This was the first time Silence had heard a sound in the past 800 years. In general, Moon Realm spirits could not recollect their origins. This was akin to how mortals could not remember their memories when they were submerged in their mother¡¯s amniotic fluid. In other words, the memory from before was likely the scene the Whispering Empress had shown it¡ªit was to guide Silence in making a choice at this moment. Hence, Silence, who was soaring in midair, nodded. Then, it disintegrated into countless tattered spider silk and vanished into thin air. At the same time, the Silence domain dissipated. Everyone present, including William, seemed to have switched off the mute button in their minds and regained their ability to hear. After a prolonged silence, even the forest at night appeared to be bustling. William gazed at Silence, who had been reduced to a spiderweb by his final strike, and plunged into deep contemplation. Chapter 325 - 325 Edge 325 Edge The unique noise of the summer forest drowned out the silence, and everything returned to normal. As he tended to Ebony¡¯s injuries, William briefly discussed the current situation with the two survivors. After he finished speaking, Floral¡¯s mind was in a state of severe cognitive confusion, and she collapsed on the spot. However, Ebony surprisingly accepted William¡¯s explanation quite quickly. ¡°You believed it just like that?¡± Observing that the other party had readily bought his words, William felt it was surreal. However, the Ebony on this side of the timeline candidly answered his query. ¡°Actually¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you just said at all, whether it¡¯s the reversal of the timeline or the Void Sovereigns¡¯ schemes. But I just feel that since you could easily defeat that Lunar Monster, whom you called ¡®Silence,¡¯ there¡¯s no reason for you to deceive us.¡± To be able to send the Lunar Monster, who had flung him around like a toy, flying with two strikes of his staff, he could be whoever he claimed to be. Previously, even though he had communicated with all the beasts on his body, he could only resist slightly, thrown around by the Lunar Monster like a toy. Therefore, he naturally knew very well how fearsome the man in front of him, who could send it flying with two strikes of the staff, was. In particular, the other party was garbed like a magic chanter. The mightiest magic chanter he knew, the Holy Tree Duke Floral, could not even unleash a single spark of magic in the Silence domain. ¡°Don¡¯t overstate it¡­ To me, Silence is truly a very troublesome Lunar Monster.¡± William humbly waved his hand. ¡°Moreover, it managed to escape in the end.¡± At this juncture, there was a trace of remorse in his tone. It eventually disintegrated into a tattered spiderweb and vanished. It was evident that the Whispering Empress had utilized a contract to rescue it. Nevertheless, he was unaware of the terms that Demon General Silence had agreed upon with Ms. Keikaku. What other machinations awaited him? Silence, which could nullify all chants, was a true natural foe of magic chanters. If he hadn¡¯t taken advantage of the other party¡¯s underestimation and approached close enough to shatter its skull with a magical medium, this battle wouldn¡¯t have been so easily won. As long as the other party maintained its distance and utilized its mobility advantage to continually assault him with long-range attacks, William would have found it arduous to handle. The only means by which he could emerge victorious was to exit the Silent domain and cast a few strategic spells for the entire vicinity, but even then, he still had to bear the risk of the other party escaping. It wasn¡¯t worth it. If he had known that he would encounter this troublesome fellow, Silence, William would likely have brought Cass along. As the possessor of Judgment 4, Cass was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate in the Vic Continent to handle Silence. Very troublesome? Ebony and Floral exchanged glances upon hearing the self-proclaimed William Kane muttering to himself in a complaining tone. Based on what they had witnessed, they were unable to discern where the difficulty lay for the person before them. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not discuss this. Floral, did you regain your memories after hearing what I said?¡± William had no intention of enlightening them with his strategy against Silence. He clapped his hands and snapped them out of their trance. Upon learning that Floral had transmigrated only to immediately play her role here, while her memories from the other timeline became even more vague than the labor contracts signed by new graduates on their first job, William wasn¡¯t too taken aback. Unless it was in a timeline like his or Ebony¡¯s, where his body and soul arrived at the same time, it was very normal for someone like Floral, who had crossed time in the form of a soul, to be constrained by their physical memories and perceptions. It was entirely plausible to have their identity and comprehension muddled. If everyone in the world regarded the undead as living beings, the living with a normal outlook would be viewed as madmen in their eyes. ¡°This is like The Song of Saya¡­¡± William grumbled softly. Only then did Floral snap out of her reverie. ¡°I can only say that I have a faint impression of what you said, but it¡¯s akin to trying to recollect my memories before I had my first memory. It¡¯s very vague. It¡¯s closer to the sensation of an emotion when compared to¡­¡± As she spoke, she furrowed her brow as if searching for an appropriate analogy. ¡°Compared to a complete scene, it¡¯s more like the feeling of an emotion, right?¡± William finished her sentence for her. ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s the feeling,¡± Floral nodded and asked in confusion, ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve encountered comparable situations in the past. Back then, it was termed Soulless Disorder or sleepwalking. It¡¯s a classic Moon Realm pathogen syndrome,¡± William shrugged and continued. ¡°The root lies in the Lord of Nightmare¡¯s control over dreams, and the manifestations often involve the dreamer¡¯s memories and the distortion of their body¡¯s perception. In the past, a whole city¡¯s residents were ensnared in a comparable dream by Zamara, but I never expected that it wasn¡¯t Her limit¡­¡± Zamara¡¯s dream had control over the entire Ravenwood. In other words, all the residents on this side were sleepwalkers who were collectively experiencing the same dream. While Zamara couldn¡¯t directly manipulate individuals because the woven dream was excessively colossal, it was still quite easy to suppress their memories when they were awake. Especially when only a few restless people required special attention. After William¡¯s explanation, he gazed at Floral¡¯s conflicted expression and shook his head with the magical medium in his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need to force your memories if you can¡¯t recall them. It isn¡¯t crucial.¡± Floral looked up at William in bewilderment and asked, ¡°How can it not be important? If what you say is true, who am I, and why should I fight? This shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡± The conflict between her memories, body, and soul made it difficult for her to determine her identity. ¡°I said that memories aren¡¯t important because who you are doesn¡¯t depend on your past memories, but on your present choice,¡± William interrupted. He gazed out at Golden Green Avenue and into the dark abyss in the distance. ¡°At the very least, you chose to come here, right? ¡°Since you¡¯re here, use your eyes to witness the edge of Ravenwood and decide if this place is worthy of your protection.¡± With that said, he strode towards the rugged avenue. ¡­ About ten minutes later, the trio arrived at the end of Golden Green Avenue. Upon gazing at the world beyond the boundary stone, the three of them had distinct expressions. Floral¡¯s assumption was accurate. This path, where cause and effect intersected with the outside world, was the authentic path that permitted exit from Ravenwood. However, where would this path lead after leaving Ravenwood? ¡°So, what you¡¯d said is true¡­ Ravenwood, where I¡¯ve lived for decades, is just an empty history with no future. And all the residents here are puppets controlled by the three Void Sovereigns to enact an authentic performance?¡± Floral looked into the distance and couldn¡¯t help but speak. After witnessing the truth, she recollected her adoptive parents and her dream¡ªto depart from Ravenwood Forest and explore other places on the Vic Continent. Was this what the world beyond Ravenwood appeared like? Then, what had she been striving for all this time? Was it just a joke? Ebony remained silent. Instead, he gazed at the edge in front of him in a daze. Although he didn¡¯t anticipate the truth to be like this, this scene finally lifted the burden that had been weighing on his heart. It wasn¡¯t that he was insane; rather, the world had gone mad. As for William¡­ he was the most taken aback among them. Was this the scenery at the end of Ravenwood¡¯s timeline, which was still an empty history and hadn¡¯t yet become the truth? An empty darkness gradually spread out at the end of the path. There was no end. If that were all, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal, but¡­ Besides the stars that didn¡¯t represent treasures, this dark void was entirely like the empty night sky in his Treasure Hall! Chapter 326 - 326 Awakening 326 Awakening The Oak Council¡¯s forest druids filed in through the door and surrounded the individuals who remained in the Canopy Temple. Garet Wolfspeak, the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s clerk, promptly rose to his feet and warmly greeted the elderly man who was leading the group and appeared a bit unsteady on his feet. ¡°Lord Enso Oak, I don¡¯t recall the Oak Council having a scheduled visit here today. What brings you and so many others here?¡± Garet disregarded the other individuals who were standing guard around him and only gazed at the forest druid whose treeification symptoms were exceedingly severe. It was as if this individual was the only one worth being cautious of among everyone present. Enso, the elder, didn¡¯t look at the clerk in front of him. Instead, he glanced over his shoulder at Floral, who was lying on the altar. As if confirming that his target was present, the elderly man slowly withdrew his gaze and turned to face the stern middle-aged man in front of him. ¡°We have important matters to discuss with the Holy Tree Duke.¡± Having said that, he took a step forward and attempted to bypass Garet to reach the altar, but the latter immediately extended his hand and stopped him. ¡°Perhaps you believe that this level of explanation suffices¡­¡± Garet spoke while also glancing at Floral lying on the altar. He then looked back at the elder before him. ¡°However, regrettably, the duke is currently resting. Additionally, she had previously instructed that she won¡¯t meet with any outsiders until she awakens.¡± Garet¡¯s tone was very courteous but carried a tone of warning. Enso, the elder, raised his hand to halt the individuals behind him. He then glanced at the person with the wolf tattoo on his face and spoke in a lowered voice. ¡°Are you kidding me? The Holy Tree Duke came to the Canopy Temple solely to rest on the altar here? And among the guards protecting her are the Eighth Order¡¯s executioner and the next leader chosen by the Blind Sisters?¡± ¡°The reason is complicated and can¡¯t be explained in a short time¡­ When the duke awakens, she will explain everything to all the Forest Elves. However, before that, we were instructed that no one should disturb her. Therefore, please depart with the people from the Oak Council present here to avoid unnecessary conflict.¡± Garet¡¯s response was very composed despite the other party¡¯s doubts. Enso¡¯s expression kept shifting. Finally, he wore an expression that implied he wouldn¡¯t beat around the bush with Garet. He lowered his voice and stated, ¡°Wait for her to wake up? Can the duke even wake up? Don¡¯t assume I can¡¯t tell that Floral, who¡¯s lying on that altar, is merely a corpse. Didn¡¯t you bring her here to perform the Holy Communion ritual?¡± Upon hearing this, Garet was startled. He had actually forgotten about this in his anxiety. He had only learned of Duke Floral being a lich during the confrontation at the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple. However, amidst the barrage of even more astonishing information at that time¡ªthe descent of the Eighth Holy Spirit, the impending destruction of Ravenwood, and the true origins of the Holy Tree Matriarch being the Moon Realm Void Sovereign¡ªFloral¡¯s status as a lich didn¡¯t appear particularly shocking. In comparison, the fact that the supreme leader of Emerald Province was a high-level undead could be considered a harmless detail. It was merely icing on the cake. Furthermore, without the duke¡¯s lich physique, they wouldn¡¯t have a reliable way to travel through the timeline to the true origins of the Forest Elves to prevent the impending disaster. However, how did the forest druids from the Oak Council perceive it? ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the empire embassy¡¯s reminder, I wouldn¡¯t have thought that you would resort to such tactics. But to be honest, it¡¯s a clever idea¡­ If I can¡¯t vanquish the other party with sheer strength, I¡¯ll gain her trust before attacking. Is it because of your son, who was nearly sentenced to death, or is it something else? Never mind, I¡¯m not interested in knowing the reason¡­¡± As Enso spoke, he extended his hand and patted Garet¡¯s shoulder as if to comfort him. ¡°But regardless, that¡¯s all you can do. Don¡¯t blame us for stealing the kill. Floral Kane is the most suitable vessel for awakening the Matriarch in the past 500 years. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that her human adoptive parents taught her magic and that she had completely forsaken the power of the forest¡¯s legacy, coupled with the fact that Hobien Ebony would rather die than accept his responsibility as the Father of the Wild and marry the Matriarch¡¯s vessel¡­¡± Enso¡¯s tone was filled with regret. In short, you can swagger out of the main door of this temple now. We can even give you an hour to go home and pack your things. Then, we¡¯ll permit you to bring your son and your mistress¡ªif you have one¡ªout of Holy Tree City.¡± The elderly man regarded the clerk with the pity and compassion of an elder toward a younger individual. Upon seeing this, Garet had no intention of correcting the other party¡¯s misconceptions. Instead, he inquired, ¡°You mentioned that the empire¡¯s embassy reminded you? What did they say?¡± The elder chuckled and replied, ¡°This is what happens when your cleverness backfires. Since she relied on the empire¡¯s assistance and human magic to reach this point, she naturally can¡¯t evade their surveillance. You must have heard of the Astral Council¡¯s spell¡­¡± ¡°Resound,¡± Garet muttered dejectedly. The Astral Lighthouse was employed to monitor the imprints of all magic chanters. The demise of any magic chanter would be recorded. Garet had known about this for a long time, but he had always believed that a spell of that caliber was insignificant for Duke Floral, who had already reached the Divine Realm. Wait a minute¡­ With this thought in mind, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Ignoring the possibility that the Resound spell might not be effective on magic chanters at the duke¡¯s level, it was still uncertain if she was even in the Astral Laws system¡­ How could Resound determine the state of life and death? Lady Floral wasn¡¯t dead! Or rather, she was already considered dead when she was transformed into a lich. In any case, Resound shouldn¡¯t be activating at this time. Footsteps behind him snapped Garet out of his reverie. He spun around and saw Nizemar, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, approach. ¡°The Resound spell was just a decoy. It was only used to lead them here.¡± As Nizemar spoke, she drew a silver-white rapier from her waist and assumed a combat stance. This visit to the Canopy Temple had been completely clandestine. If the possibility of a traitor among them was ruled out, the only ones who could have found them so quickly were the tree spirits who could communicate internally through the World Root system. Nizemar still remembered that the Presiding Judge had explained to her that only forest druids had a means of communicating with tree spirits. In other words, these individuals from the Oak Council were merely being used by the individuals from the empire¡¯s embassy. Nizemar bellowed in the direction of the Canopy Temple¡¯s entrance, ¡°Stop hiding. Someone here has already spotted you. Are you foolish enough to hide from the Eyes of God?¡± ¡°I just want this issue to be resolved peacefully,¡± a helpless male voice suddenly spoke. At the entrance of the Canopy Temple, a middle-aged man in the bishop robe of the Holy Spirit Mother slowly materialized from spinning fallen leaves. Nizemar gasped slightly when she saw who it was. She recognized the person before her, one of the three cardinals of the Second Order. He was the leader of a sect linked to the Mother¡¯s trinity¡ªreturn to the Mother, devouring, and frontalness. The sole prophet of the Return Church, a believer blessed by the Holy Spirit Mother, Sigmond Abyss. Nizemar swallowed slightly. Apart from Floral, who was still in a deep slumber, no one present could match the person in front of them. However, that wasn¡¯t a reason for her to back down¡ªthe order the Presiding Judge had given her previously was to safeguard Floral¡¯s body before they returned. Perhaps the other party was a believer deeply favored by the Second Holy Spirit, but she was also a favored one who had received personal guidance from the Eighth Holy Spirit. She didn¡¯t believe she would lose to anyone in terms of faith and piety. ¡°I have only one objective here. If you don¡¯t impede me, I assure you that nobody¡¯s life will be in peril,¡± Sigmond said politely, as if he had known from the start that she was in charge. ¡°What is it?¡± Nizemar inquired politely. ¡°Bring the duke on the altar with us,¡± the person stated succinctly. ¡°You know that this is the only thing we can¡¯t concede to,¡± Nizemar responded. As she spoke, she immediately prepared for the battle. Although there was a significant strength disparity between her and the other party, it wasn¡¯t impossible for her to buy time with the tools and summoned creatures left behind by the Presiding Judge. However, the person merely shrugged and said, ¡°Then why don¡¯t we ask for her opinion?¡± ¡°Ask whom?¡± Nizemar questioned in confusion. ¡°Ask herself,¡± Sigmond replied, pointing to Floral, who was motionless on the altar. The next moment, her fingers at the edge of the altar began to tremble slightly. Chapter 327 - 327 Egg and Arrow 327 Egg and Arrow The three of them gazed wordlessly at the void that extended beyond their sight. After a prolonged period, Ebony broke the oppressive silence and asked in wonderment, ¡°So, where are we?¡± ¡°This is the so-called¡­ World¡¯s End,¡± William responded slowly. Having said that, he paused and continued with a sigh, ¡°However, I never expected the so-called World¡¯s End to be the actual World¡¯s End in every sense¡­¡± With that said, he disregarded Ebony and Floral¡¯s exclamations and crossed the boundary stone. ¡°Please wait, it¡¯s¡­¡± Ebony attempted to pull William back, but perhaps because it happened too suddenly, he was a tad too slow. William stepped into the empty darkness. However, the other party didn¡¯t plummet into the dark abyss and vanish as he had anticipated or be directly swallowed by the limitless dark void. William was like a white ink blot that dripped onto a black piece of paper. He maintained a distinct and abrupt presence, standing alone in the pure darkness. Even though it appeared as if he was continuously moving forward, the distance between him and the boundary stone didn¡¯t alter at all. As the individual involved, William could sense the purest form of nothingness¡ªno gravity, temperature, scent, distance, sound, or even the passing of time and the changes in space¡­ In other words, it was the extreme loneliness he had experienced inside the Treasure Hall. If he didn¡¯t turn back, he would have felt as if he was the sole existence in the entire world. The sight before him reminded him of the legends he had heard about the Blind Sisters¡ªaccording to legend, the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure was concealed at World¡¯s End when William Kane departed from Currere. William was perplexed as to where the Treasure Hall he had summoned from the console was located. The prototype of the Treasure Hall should be an empty room utilized by game developers to modify various items, NPCs, monsters, and other objects. As a result, it didn¡¯t seem like it was in Currere or the Moon Realm, let alone the legendary Astral World or the Realm of Light. The sight before him provided him with the answer: it was situated in the void beyond a map¡¯s borders, the actual World¡¯s End. While William was taken aback, he resolved another issue that had been weighing on his mind. At the very least, World¡¯s End wasn¡¯t a wall of air¡ªalthough this didn¡¯t make much difference in practical use, at least this endless nothingness explanation gave him some peace of mind. William recalled that Creation Gods everywhere shared similar concepts of ¡®infinite light¡¯ and ¡¯empty void.¡¯ According to the hypothesis of the Seven Holy Spirits Creation, which was believed to be closest to the truth of creation, after the Seven Holy Spirits sank from the Realm of Light, they created Currere in the void. Since it floated in the void of World¡¯s End, it should still be an unhatched World Egg or an incomplete miniature Currere. In other words, once Camilla¡¯s scheme succeeded, it would never be as They had mentioned. It would only become a new history that would be incorporated into Currere¡­ It was highly probable that the entire Currere timeline would begin to extend into the past and future from this point. A Currere that had been governed by the deceased since the creation of the world and would slowly progress towards an endless demise. William pivoted and stepped back across the boundary stone. ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen the World¡¯s End scenery, I presume you now recognize that the world you¡¯re in is nothing but an illusion, right?¡± William retreated and queried Floral. She nodded with a somber expression. William lifted the magical medium in his hand and drew a door that flickered with lightning in midair. As he cast his spell, he uttered, ¡°In that case, we can go back to Holy Tree City now and confront Ravenwood.¡± ¡°C¡­ confront?¡± Floral couldn¡¯t help inquiring, her voice filled with apprehension at the ominous-sounding words. ¡°To right the wrong history caused by Camilla and let all the dead used by Them to this day rest in peace.¡± Since the way out of Ravenwood was conceptually blocked, William had to resort to extreme measures. With that said, the portal outside Holy Tree City suddenly ignited. Lightning illuminated the surrounding darkness. William stood in front of the portal and gazed at the two of them. He said, ¡°Hurry up and return to Holy Tree City with me. We still have a race to save.¡± ¡­ ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s impossible!¡± Nizemar¡¯s eyes widened as she watched Floral rise from the altar. ¡°Why not?¡± Bishop Sigmond inquired, looking at Nizemar¡¯s expression, which was nearly out of control, and maintaining his previous politeness. ¡°Because¡­¡± Nizemar subconsciously gazed at the ceremonial trigger on her left hand, the brass ring that resembled an Ouroboros. The trigger of the ritual to revive Floral¡¯s soul was still in her possession. According to her agreement with the Presiding Judge, unless there were exceptional circumstances, she should activate that spell three days later¡­ As for the tree spirit¡¯s soul, it was sealed in the Soul Storage Crystal by the Presiding Judge. Furthermore, even if Floral had awakened unexpectedly early, why hadn¡¯t the Presiding Judge returned with her? Considering this information, who could the revived ¡°Floral¡± be? With this in mind, Nizemar glanced at Floral, who had stood up. She gazed around the Canopy Temple¡¯s furnishings with a bewildered expression, like a newborn baby. ¡°Duke Floral?¡± Nizemar probed. The other party didn¡¯t appear to hear her voice and continued inspecting the surroundings. ¡°Duke Floral, are you back?!¡± Nizemar raised her voice and planned to approach her. However, at that moment, she sensed as if her feet had taken root. She couldn¡¯t even lift them. Upon looking down, she discovered that numerous tough dark-brown vines had clung to her ankle at some point. They had literally taken root. Additionally, it wasn¡¯t only her; everyone present, including the forest druids from the Oak Council, was restrained by the roots. ¡°I previously stated that my objective was only to bring the duke with us.¡± Nizemar gazed up. Sigmond, who had been at the temple door, had appeared in front of her at some point. For some reason, several withered leaves floated around him. ¡°For now, I don¡¯t want to have a direct conflict with you.¡± The leader of the Second Order¡¯s Return Church still wore a polite smile on his face, but the dangerous aura he exuded caused Nizemar to touch the object hanging from her belt¡­ ¡°Really? If you want to activate that terrifying thing here, that¡¯s a completely different story.¡± Before Nizemar could retrieve the Sealed Magic rune left behind by the Presiding Judge, which contained powerful summoning spells, more vines sprung up from the ground like snakes and firmly bound her hands. ¡°I must say, I¡¯m truly sorry about this. Daughter of Silver Blood, Nizemar, we should have known each other as devout believers of the Holy Spirits Church¡­¡± At this moment, Bishop Sigmond¡¯s expression was filled with regret and compassion. Nizemar had heard in the Eighth Order that these Mother believers often had this expression every time they had to take someone else¡¯s life. With that said, Sigmond¡¯s right hand transformed into a wooden awl carved from dead wood and stabbed Nizemar¡¯s chest. However, simultaneously, the silver pendant hanging on her chest burst forth with silver light, and invisible ripples immediately appeared between the two of them. It was a life-saving item left behind by William because he was concerned. ¡°Holy Spirit Protection?¡± Sigmond was slightly surprised. He gazed up at the motionless Nizemar and continued, ¡°How surprising. You haven¡¯t been abandoned by the Eighth Holy Spirit? However, this is meaningless¡­¡± As he spoke, the withered-leaf-colored pendant on his chest emitted a dark-brown light. Both were blessings from the Holy Spirits, and these two forces began to cancel each other out. His right hand, which had turned into a wooden stake, began to press towards Nizemar¡¯s chest little by little. However, at that moment, Sigmond¡¯s expression changed. He abruptly turned around and placed his withered right hand in front of his chest. A wooden shield as thick as black iron formed instantly in front of him¡­ Then, he was hurled through the air. He only came to a complete stop when he was about to reach the edge of the temple. Countless roots and vines formed a vast net behind him and caught him. On the thick shield produced by his right hand was a transparent arrow. ¡°It¡¯s you. The Obliteration Tower¡¯s information is indeed correct¡­¡± The arrow had penetrated the shield and pierced Sigmond¡¯s right arm, tearing through and emerging at his elbow. He gritted his teeth and glared at the indifferent woman at the door. He spoke fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re indeed here, Remides Shadowmoon!¡± Chapter 328 - 328 Let Her Leave 328 Let Her Leave The moment Remides Shadowmoon¡¯s name was spoken, an eerie silence enveloped the entire Canopy Temple. Everyone present, including Floral, who struggled to her feet while gripping the altar, turned their eyes towards the blonde High Elf woman clad in bronze-glazed light armor. No one detected the dignity of a superior from this Shadow Queen who had ruled over Ava State for a millennium, nor did they sense the distinct pressure of a demigod powerhouse. She stood there, exuding an aura that was no more substantial than air. Her presence was so faint, it seemed she couldn¡¯t even cast a shadow. It was a transcendent indifference that appeared to disregard everything, including herself. Her eyes resembled a still pool of clear water. If anyone tried to detect any emotional fluctuations in her gaze, they would likely see only their own reflection. Even Sigmond, who had been struck by an arrow, displayed no emotion after shouting Remides¡¯s name through clenched teeth. She didn¡¯t so much as glance at the archbishop of the Second Order, as if he were unworthy of her time. Remides¡¯s gaze was fixed on someone at the heart of the temple. More precisely, it was on the Holy Tree Duke, Floral Kane, who needed the altar¡¯s support to steady herself. Coincidentally, Floral was also staring at her. Moreover, her eyes held a clear emotion that could be interpreted as provocation. ¡°Where is he?¡± Not one for beating around the bush, Remides got straight to the point. Her voice resembled the crisp sound of ice dropping into a glass. ¡°Who knows?¡± Floral shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and replied in a hoarse voice. Her speech was oddly stilted, as though she had only recently learned to talk. With that, she released her grip on the altar and struggled to find her balance. After swaying for a moment, she took two unsteady steps forward and approached the soul box nestled in the altar¡¯s groove. As Floral traced the weathered markings on the Soul Box, she continued, ¡°However, since he didn¡¯t return to this side, it¡¯s only possible that he was left there.¡± Whoosh! Thump! ¡°The next arrow won¡¯t miss.¡± Remide¡¯s unchanging tone didn¡¯t sound like a threat, but more like a notification. In her grasp was an exquisite longbow that radiated bright moonlight. On the delicate, spiderweb-like bowstring, another transparent arrow was nocked and at the ready. ¡°Floral¡± froze her hand over the ancient box, not daring to move. However, she stared defiantly at the other arrowhead shimmering with cold light and said without backing down, ¡°If I destroy this soul box, your Presiding Judge won¡¯t be able to return.¡± ¡°Try me.¡± Remides immediately responded, this time placing a special arrow called Karma on the bowstring¡ªan arrow more certain to hit than the Divine Realm Frost spell, Declaration, unless it encountered a protection that could distort karma. Before arriving, the Presiding Judge had explained the arrangements and details of his plan to her in depth. She naturally knew that the soul box was Nehe¡¯s relic and not something the other party could easily destroy in ten seconds. Ten seconds was enough for her to fire 17 mana-infused arrows. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m not threatening you with this soul box.¡± ¡°Floral¡± smiled and shook her head. ¡°What I mean is that as long as this soul box is still here, your Presiding Judge can still follow that pitiful soul back ¡®here.¡¯ There¡¯s no life-and-death conflict between us now.¡± As she spoke, she paused and carefully observed the High Elf¡¯s expression. Of course, there were no fluctuations at all. As if sighing at the other party¡¯s insensitivity, she continued,¡±As for my goal, it¡¯s just as the bishop said. I merely want to leave with the Holy Tree Duke. It won¡¯t affect what you¡¯re about to do.¡± ¡°Floral¡± stopped. Seeing that Remides¡¯s expression remained unchanged, her voice carried a hint of impatience. ¡°So, what do you plan? Do you want to kill us all, or do you want us to leave while waiting here for your Presiding Judge to return? ¡°Of course, if he can return¡­ But if you truly trust him as the rumors say, I suppose you¡¯ll make the right choice.¡± Remides didn¡¯t reply and simply maintained her drawn bow like a statue carved from marble. ¡°Floral¡± said nothing more. Instead, she patiently awaited the other party¡¯s answer. After a long moment, Remides slowly lowered the Glazed Moon in her hand. The arrow between her fingers shattered into transparent fragments and vanished. The same happened to the arrows embedded in the altar and the one that had completely pierced Sigmond¡¯s arm. On her back, Remides carried a quiver with three transparent arrows that resembled glass made from countless fragments in the void. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Remides said, ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°Floral¡± burst out laughing. ¡°I knew it¡­ You¡¯re someone who reads the situation. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve ruled Ava State for a thousand years¡­¡± ¡°Get lost,¡± Remides repeated, this time more forcefully. ¡°Floral¡± raised her hands in surrender and stumbled over to Sigmond, who remained silent and wounded. She half-knelt to pull him up and drag him to the door. But, a tall figure blocked her way. The clerk, Garet Wolfspeak, stood in front of the Holy Tree Duke like an iron tower. ¡°Floral¡± looked up at the fellow with the wolf tattoo on his face in confusion. ¡°Why? Do you want to leave with me? Although I welcome it¡­¡± ¡°No matter what¡¯s inside, you can¡¯t take Lady Floral¡¯s body away like that.¡± Garet¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Even though he was slow, Garet could tell that the person controlling the Duke¡¯s body wasn¡¯t the soul he served. But since the other party made the famous Remides compromise, he knew he was insignificant to them. He couldn¡¯t stop them alone, but that didn¡¯t mean he shouldn¡¯t try. ¡°Floral¡± turned to Remides, her eyes saying, ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for this, can you?¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Remides said, surprised by the Forest Elf¡¯s interference. But it was too late; the temple fell silent before her words could reach them. Pitch-black color filled the eyes of ¡°Floral,¡± and pitch-black miasma emitted from her. Several pitch-black strange weapons with sawteeth condensed around her. Garet felt the world fall silent. Then, a strange feeling emanated from his internal organs. Chapter 329 - 329 Taking Over the Situation 329 Taking Over the Situation The silence only lasted for a few seconds before the entire temple turned noisy again. The being inhabiting Floral¡¯s body gently nudged the other party¡¯s head towards her with her foot. She looked at the gradually fading pupils in the other party¡¯s eyes and said with interest, ¡°Interesting. Killing him actually makes me feel a little suffocated¡­ It seems that this fellow is a rather important subordinate to the original body? He can even be said to be a companion? Killing one of the few people she can trust with her own hands is an incredible tragedy.¡± Other than Garet, who had fallen silently to the ground with dark red blood spreading around him, everything in the temple was normal, as if what had just happened was an illusion. ¡°Floral¡± took a few steps back to avoid the blood flowing towards her. Then, she looked up at Remides, who was still guarding the temple door. Remides held the Glazed Moon in her hand, and even though she didn¡¯t use a special enchanted arrow from her quiver, the lethality of the fully charged air arrow couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Despite the imminent threat, ¡°Floral¡± only smiled and asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind such a trivial matter if I left now, would you?¡± Remides kept the bowstring taut. After a moment of silence, she responded without changing her tone, ¡°If you scram now.¡± ¡°Floral¡± raised her head and laughed mockingly. After bowing to Remides, Floral pulled the archbishop of the Second Order and brushed past the Ava State sovereign, ignoring the bowstring that was ready to fire. She swaggered out of the Canopy Temple. As they left the Canopy Temple, Nizemar felt the heavy pressure dissipate. Regaining control of her body, Nizemar rushed to Garet, who lay on the ground. She helped the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s most trusted clerk up, and her hand lit up with emerald-green light. But the moment her lit Hand of Healing touched the strange wound on Garet¡¯s body, pitch-black smoke surged out of the wound. Countless sharp, tiny inverted holes pierced through his body, and black blood gushed out. Trying to stop the sudden appearance of barbs from causing further damage, a fair hand stopped Nizemar¡¯s futile attempts. She looked up. Remides, who had been at the temple door, had arrived beside her. ¡°This person is already dead.¡± Remides calmly judged. Although ¡°Floral¡± left only a wound on the other party¡¯s abdomen that barely sliced through his flesh, the black smoke on the weapon seeped deep into Garet¡¯s body. It condensed into countless sharp blades and spikes in his abdominal cavity, instantly slicing and piercing through his soft organs. ¡°When fighting Lunar Monsters under the Whispering Empress, you have to pay special attention to such things. If your defense isn¡¯t adequate, a tiny wound will be fatal,¡± Remides didn¡¯t comfort her or express any excessive emotions. She spoke of her experience in dealing with specific Lunar Monsters and spoke calmly as if reciting a ceasefire notice. ¡°The Whispering Empress¡¯s Lunar Monster?¡± Nizemar repeated, looking up at the calm eyes that could reflect her reflection. ¡°The Demon General, Silence, under the Whispering Empress, or at least an entity that has obtained Silence¡¯s power, is probably occupying Floral¡¯s body now. After all, it¡¯s strange that it can speak. Even if Silence is contracted through Currere, its contractor can¡¯t make a sound¡­¡± As she spoke, Nizemar turned around and walked to the altar in the middle of the temple. ¡°Madam Remides!¡± Remides didn¡¯t turn around or slow down. She only responded with a soft ¡°Mmm?¡±. ¡°As a high-level Lunar Monster is occupying the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s body, why didn¡¯t you stop it from leaving? It took away one of the Presiding Judge¡¯s allies and killed another,¡± Nizemar asked. Remides had arrived in front of the altar and was carefully observing the complicated magic spells with the soul box as the core. She replied indifferently, ¡°I won¡¯t do something that isn¡¯t cost-effective.¡± Nizemar bit her lower lip slightly upon hearing this answer. Perhaps it was the hostile propaganda of the empire that inundated her since she was little or the fact that Remides couldn¡¯t let go of her secular authority in Ava State compared to serving the Holy Spirit, but Nizemar found it difficult to have a good impression of this former Ranger. Coupled with Remides¡¯ aloof attitude towards the death of an ally and her compromise with a Lunar Monster, an urge rose uncontrollably in Nizemar¡¯s chest, making her want to say something. Summoning her courage, she asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it cost-effective? Is it because you can¡¯t defeat the other party?¡± Or is it because you care more about your safety than the Presiding Judge¡¯s principle of eliminating Lunar Monsters? Nizemar forced herself not to say the second half of her sentence. Remides stopped what she was doing and turned her head to glance at the young believer behind her. ¡°No, I¡¯m slightly stronger. If it believed it could defeat me, no one in the entire temple would have survived,¡± Remides replied calmly. ¡°Then why did you¡­¡± ¡°Being stronger than it doesn¡¯t mean I can kill it.¡± Returning her gaze to the magic spells engraved on the altar, Remides expected Nizemar¡¯s next question. ¡°Someone else can kill it completely. The most I can do is banish it back to the Moon Realm. It¡¯s not worth getting seriously injured for its banishment. Moreover, if we fight without holding back, no one in the entire temple, including you, will survive the aftershocks of the battle. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± Although it appeared to absolve her mistake, Nizemar couldn¡¯t help but feel Remides was telling the truth when she heard her tone. Despite her prejudice against the Shadow Queen, it seemed like Remides was stating an unproven axiom. However, she couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of scene that would be. She had never seen a Demon General-level Lunar Monster, and other than Holy Spirit Kane, she had only heard exaggerated rumors about the strength of a Divine Realm powerhouse at full strength. Even the most exaggerated rumors didn¡¯t seem capable of killing everyone via the aftershocks. With the Presiding Judge¡¯s help, she had successfully reached the strength of a Master. She would be considered capable of handling matters alone back in the Eighth Order. And under the aftershocks of the Divine Realm powerhouses¡¯ full-powered battle, they couldn¡¯t even escape? ¡°Then what do we need to do next?¡± Nizemar felt guilty for her presumptuous words and immediately changed the topic. ¡°Contact William, who¡¯s stuck in another timeline, and figure out why Silence and the Holy Spirits Church want Floral Kane¡¯s body so badly. We have to protect this place before the Presiding Judge gets back. Also try to stabilize things in Holy Tree City if possible,¡± Remides replied without hesitation. ¡°Seeing how Silence didn¡¯t go all out to kill me, it¡¯s probably because Floral¡¯s body is crucial to them, or they think William won¡¯t be able to make it back for some reason. Most likely both. ¡°We need to figure out what makes Floral¡¯s body so special. And since Silence thinks the Void Sovereign¡¯s traps on the other side will keep William there, well, I reckon he¡¯ll break free and pay them back double.¡± Chapter 330 - 330 Feast 330 Feast William had engraved the teleportation beacon in the Canopy Temple when he first came to this messed up timeline. So when he, Floral, and Ebony teleported back to Holy Tree City¡¯s temple, he happened to witness that terrifying scene. The dry ground made of withered wood was now covered in greasy, sticky blood and guts. Severed limbs hung from the tree crown that once sheltered them from wind and rain, like ripe fruits on those twisted branches. The stench of carnage permeated the air, a foul mix of corruption, filth, blood, and fear strong enough to make even the toughest vomit. William wasn¡¯t sure what Floral saw, but she covered her mouth, clutching the magical medium with shaking hands. As for Ebony, he clung to a wooden wall and threw up. William worried he¡¯d spew out his internal organs. Even after casting Lionheart twice on Ebony, he only stopped him from passing out due to the excessive vomiting. Aside from that, there¡¯s those sounds¡­ William thought. Compared to the miserable screams and wails echoing through the hall, those munching and gulping sounds were even more chilling. ¡°Is this a Holy Communion ritual?¡± Floral asked with difficulty, recovering from the shock. ¡°No, this should be called a Holy Communion party,¡± William replied stiffly, looking at the scene from hell. ¡°What¡¯s a party?¡± William didn¡¯t answer. He stepped on the slippery ground and walked on. Their arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed, what with the commotion when the portal opened. Yet none of the revelers stopped what they were doing, most not even bothering to glance their way. All were focused on completing their work. ¡°Hey¡­ Why are you eating this?¡± William approached the person closest to him and asked. No response. After finishing the remains, she rose and staggered to the temple wall. William didn¡¯t stop her because he wanted to see what would happen. The withered vines instantly bound her. As the wall squirmed, she became part of it, leaving only a blurry humanoid outline. Still William said nothing. He asked the same of another, who only looked up before continuing. Ignoring her disemboweled stomach, she swallowed only for the food to spill from the hole underfoot into unrecognizable remains. ¡°Is it out of your will, or for a reason?¡± William asked patiently. Such willful silence was reason enough. William knew the Holy Communion ritual was crucial for the Forest Elves, one of the few Vic Continent races still worshiping the ancient gods. Such customs were inevitable to gain the gods¡¯ favor. Even more disturbing ones were found in Bronze Age records as races pleased their gods. Yet the Holy Communion ritual shouldn¡¯t be done on the living. William relaxed his rationality and unleashed his emotions. An invisible wind blade sliced a Forest Elf¡¯s head in half. As she fell, pure white flames consumed her body. The child¡ªor whatever was left of it¡ªfell into the pile by her burnt half. She was first. Unsatisfied, William sought another. A burning white skeleton floated over the lead-colored magical medium, punishing any continuing the ritual in William¡¯s view. One by one, they were dealt with. Watching the sparks, William felt the task mundane and dull. Like squashing ants in his room or game dailies for a quest counter. No pleasure or venting, not even sadness. Like tasteless yam. William noticed a child crying, shaking one remaining arm. He awakened. At that moment, nearly the entire temple was engulfed in pure white holy flames. Most of the corpses and the people who had caused them were reduced to rising ashes in the flames. A voice seemed to reach his ears from a distance. William turned his head and saw Floral backed into a corner. In that moment, she struggled to erect a frost barrier using the magical medium in her hand. She frowned and resisted the white flames that were slowly approaching her. Not far away, Ebony stood alone amidst the flames. He looked perplexed as to why the flames, which could instantly burn more than half of the temple occupants to ashes, were not as hot as summer sunlight. Oh, right. Floral has an undead body, so she will also be within the attack range¡­ William suddenly remembered this and immediately dispelled the Demon Burning Fury spell, causing the flames in the temple to disappear. Using undead creatures as fuel, the Fire-type Legendary spell had burned most of the crowded hall. Although he had not vented the anger suppressed in his heart, at least the charred smell in the air was much better than the suffocating and disgusting smell from before. Walking on the charred ground, he returned to the others. The two of them looked at William¡¯s face and didn¡¯t speak. Even though one of them had almost been burned to death, they remained silent. ¡°Although it¡¯s just a guess, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re performing a Holy Communion ritual,¡± William said after a moment of silence. His voice was surprisingly calm. ¡°Why?¡± Ebony asked, unable to contain his curiosity. ¡°Since the Forest Elves in this timeline are undead and essentially corpses, it¡¯s reasonable for them to undergo the Holy Communion ritual while they can still move, right?¡± Ebony had witnessed Holy Communion rituals performed on energetic ¡®corpses¡¯ during his few years in this timeline. However, he had never seen such a large-scale, crazy¡­ party, as William put it. ¡°Those people are a mix of women and children. I guess there¡¯s a high chance that they¡¯re mother and son or mother and daughter. Although they¡¯re all undead, the ritual only focuses on extracting the core imagery into an abstract concept by recreating it. And the fact that everyone was eaten alive is the most important thing they have in common,¡± William said, pausing momentarily. He recalled the person who had not answered his questions and continued to eat mechanically. He thought for a moment and continued, ¡°That¡¯s not all¡­ Eating numbly like a walking corpse might be a part of the imagery.¡± Floral inquired, ¡°Then, what part of the ritual is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± William began to explain the faith in the Dark Mother¡¯s desire for her children to return to her, but before he could finish speaking, he suddenly remembered something. There were dozens of subtrees in Ravenwood, and each subtree had a Canopy Temple. Could this be the only tree having a ¡®feasting¡¯ party? The child returned to the mother¡¯s body, and the mother returned to the subtree¡¯s body as its daughter. The subtree returned to the body of the World Tree. With the three rituals embedded, how complete would the original mother in the middle of Holy Tree City be? ¡­ Meanwhile, on the World Tree in the heart of Holy Tree City, in a deep and winding secret tree hollow¡­ ¡°Master Enso¡­ Something seems to have happened. The resonance of the Yews¡¯ ritual at the temple is rapidly weakening.¡± ¡°Did the compost wake up?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to break free and wake up in just over ten seconds?¡± ¡°Bring some men to check it out.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave the matters here to you for the time being¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything here. Bring more people over. Bring the Wild Hunt troops, the Yew tree spirits, and reinforcements from the Empire¡¯s Second Order, Mother.¡± ¡°Sir, aren¡¯t you being too cautious?¡± ¡°Just do as I say. We have to ensure that the ritual to welcome the Matriarch¡¯s rebirth is foolproof.¡± Chapter 331 - 331 Drinking 331 Drinking Floral left with the archbishop of the Second Order. Perhaps the situation was the other way around. After all, it was impossible to say which side was truly being exploited¡­ But regardless, as long as the other party still held the identity of Holy Tree Duke, the other party still held the initiative in Holy Tree City. Fortunately, Remides didn¡¯t come alone. Including the personal guards of the Phoenix Guards who protected the Ava State governor, an elite force of about 300 people secretly landed in Emerald Province before the main fleet on an ancient holy relic, the Sun Ship, that had been passed down from the King of Mist¡¯s era. With the help of the teleportation beacon left behind by William, they teleported to the hinterland of Ravenwood, outside Holy Tree City. Although the few magisters who opened the portal fainted from exhaustion, this elite team made up of Transcendents arrived. As for why they appeared outside the city¡­ Holy Tree City didn¡¯t have ¡®civilized¡¯ city defense fortifications like city gates or walls, but if foreigners didn¡¯t have the locals to guide them, they would be viewed with hostility by the entire forest once they stepped into the territory classified as ¡®in the city.¡¯ Therefore, Remides had them set up camp outside the city for the time being. When things went completely south, this would be a trump card that they had prepared in advance. On the other hand¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve already seen it. The duke¡¯s body is occupied by an unknown monster. Even I can¡¯t predict what crazy things she will do in the future. However, the damage she can ultimately cause definitely won¡¯t be smaller than the Luxuriant Calamity of the past or even Lady of Starvation¡¯s Moon Realm Tide invasion. ¡°If you still remember the history of more than a thousand years ago.¡± Remides looked at the forest druids who remained in the temple and said in a threatening and serious tone, Convincing these people didn¡¯t take much effort. It was better to say that they were here originally to take advantage of Floral¡¯s weakness to pull her off the Withering Throne in one fell swoop. Although the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s sudden awakening had exceeded their expectations, what had just happened gave these people a reason to publicly overthrow the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s rule¡­ and a sufficiently powerful backing. The Holy Tree Duke, Floral Kane, a secret Moon Realm believer was suspected to have been possessed by a high-level Lunar Monster¡­ If this was still a guess, the fact that the other party had killed her loyal subordinate was indisputable. As for bringing an unimaginable disaster to the entire Ravenwood, these words were said by the person who had experienced the Luxuriant Calamity and the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Moon Realm Tide. Therefore, without needing Remides to say a word, these people immediately expressed that they would do their best to cooperate with her. They would do anything for Ravenwood and the safety of Emerald Province! As a result, the Conservatives, who had been offended by Floral¡¯s iron-fisted rule, became Remides¡¯s natural allies. If they could mobilize the Oak Council and the Beast Spirit Tribe warriors, they would have the numerical advantage. Fate made fools of people. Of course, Remides knew that these people definitely had their own plans. The so-called alliance of convenience would definitely be filled with all kinds of tricks. However, she didn¡¯t mind. The main reason why she roped them in was to stabilize the situation in Holy Tree City in the future, as well as the most important¡­ information! ¡°You¡¯re asking me about the Holy Tree Duke¡­ No, Floral Kane¡¯s past?¡± After allowing the others to leave, Remides kept Enso, the leader and oldest, behind and asked about Floral¡¯s background. Although the Presiding Judge had been updating her through Mirror Shadow, it was impossible for him to explain everything in detail. Enso was the oldest elder in the Oak Council. If Floral had anything special about her identity, he was the most likely to know. At the very least, he should know some clues. Enso nodded and touched his fibrotic forehead in thought for a moment before saying, ¡°She¡¯s a child of the forest favored by the Matriarch and can easily communicate with the will of the World Tree. In the past, she could even use this to become the Matriarch¡¯s incarnation. However, because she was adopted by human mages when she was young, she gave up her talent at a very young age. In addition, we still don¡¯t know who her biological parents are because she was abandoned deep in the forest when she was born¡­¡± ¡­ Following the vine network that connected the trees, Quayle Wolfspeak, the captain of the guards, brought the silent and terrifying fellows to the branch of the subtree named Yew. In the past, the Forest Elves wouldn¡¯t name a subtree. This was because the souls of every tree below the World Tree were equal. Naming them meant differentiation. However, about half a year ago, the Matriarch gave a rare oracle¡ªShe gave names to every subtree in Ravenwood and gave them last names that were extremely common among the Forest Elves. The Oak Council¡¯s interpretation of the oracle could be said to be diverse¡­ Quayle¡¯s mind was filled with random thoughts, and by the time he came back to his senses, he realized that he was already there. The door to the Yew Canopy Temple was wide open, and a disgusting charred stench constantly spread out. Just as he had expected, someone had burned all the compost in the temple to useless residue. If they didn¡¯t quickly replenish the nutrients, this subtree wouldn¡¯t be able to return to the Matriarch¡¯s arms as a qualified ¡°child.¡± Who did such a cruel thing that prevented those poor souls from returning to their mother¡¯s arms? Quayle punched the tree branch in anger, causing black and gray dust to fly. He swore in his heart that he would make those who committed such atrocities pay an extremely painful price. Before he came, he hadn¡¯t figured out the deeper meaning behind Master Enso¡¯s request for him to bring Wild Hunt, the Yew Tree Spirit, and the empire¡¯s ambassador to capture those crazy arsonists. He thought that this was too ostentatious. However, he now understood the reason. The person who committed such a terrifying crime had to undergo judgment from the White Bone Castle, the Oak Council, and the empire¡¯s embassy at the same time. He wanted everyone to despise that hateful arsonist. Therefore, the next question was how to live up to his mission and find that damned fellow. This question was quickly answered. ¡°Captain, there seems to be smoke coming from the crown of Brambles,¡± a Wild Hunt warrior behind him pointed at another subtree in the distance and said. Brambles was the name of a subtree. ¡­ As he walked out of another Canopy Temple, William¡¯s expression turned grimmer. Everyone inside had almost been mechanically burned to ashes. This time, he didn¡¯t even have the interest to speak. In this temple, he found a forest druid who hadn¡¯t left in time. After a simple inquiry, he learned other information. Mothers and children were forced to drink tree sap that could cause serious hallucinations. That was why they spontaneously did such actions. After crushing the person¡¯s windpipe, William found half a bottle of dark-green stuff in his bag. Chapter 332 - 332 Dreamscape Travels 332 Dreamscape Travels Dreamscape Travels was a side quest that William had undertaken before. One day, a sudden plague swept through a remote town, leaving the residents unable to sleep and only accumulating fatigue until they fell into intense hallucinations. A strange foreigner arrived in town and claimed to be able to cure the plague. After earning the trust of the townspeople, the foreigner concocted a green potion using alchemy materials and a hallucinatory tree sap. The townspeople drank it and were able to fall asleep and dream, but their dreams were anything but peaceful. The Moon Realm was known for its nightmares, and the souls of those who drank the potion were controlled by the Lord of Nightmare, Zamara, and fell into an endless nightmare. William remembered drinking the potion and being transported to the Nightmare Swamp, where he successfully saved the townsfolk in that strange dream. He not only saved everyone but also looted Zamara¡¯s bedroom¡ªjust like what a gamer would do¡ªresulting in the Void Sovereign having a red name that couldn¡¯t be reversed when She descended into her Void Incarnation in Currere. Years later, when William saw similar potions, he understood what had really happened. As William came back to his senses, he found himself standing in a gorgeous palace surrounded by thick mist. Symbolic curtains were pulled up in front of him layer by layer, and countless whispers and murmurs echoed around him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such extravagance,¡± William said to the existence behind the seven layers of curtains. This was the destination of his descent into the Dreamscape¡ªZamara¡¯s bedroom. Just as he finished speaking, a slightly sad sigh replied, calming the whispers and murmurs of the surrounding dreamscape while passing through the curtains of the seven levels of nightmares. However, the other party hesitated to speak. ¡°What do you want to talk about, considering how you went one big circle just to create a chance for me to meet you alone?¡± William went straight to the point, not wanting to waste his breath. The Forest Elves were already in a state similar to sleepwalking, so using the hallucinatory potion for control was unnecessary. Zamara could directly modify their perceptions and create an illusion. If She only wanted to control them for the ritual, there was no need for the expensive and useless potions. However, from another perspective, the greatest use of the potion was to plunge the souls of Currere creatures into the Nightmare Swamp. Or rather, an invitation. That was why William didn¡¯t hesitate to drink the expensive and ancient potion after seeing it. Even if he was wrong, he could easily return with his mental strength. Moreover, reality proved that he had guessed correctly. ¡°I hope you can give up on the idea of continuing to cause trouble on this side of the timeline¡­ If you¡¯re agreeable, I¡¯m willing to help you contact your companions on the other side through the dream and get them to pull you back to the normal timeline. You can then subsequently leave Ravenwood. No one will have to die.¡± The Lord of Nightmare said something akin to advice in a tone that didn¡¯t match Her status. William frowned. ¡°And watch Ravenwood turn into a kingdom of the dead, a land where no living creature can survive?¡± William replied. He had expected Zamara to discuss more pragmatic topics. ¡°But Ravenwood was originally supposed to be a land of death. The 5,000 years of vibrancy was just Camilla¡¯s mercy,¡± Zamara replied. She continued without waiting for a retort, ¡°Camilla¡¯s actions are only to put the originally correct history back on track. There¡¯s no need for you to stop it because this isn¡¯t a war that determines the future. It¡¯s just dealing with some problems left behind by the past.¡± ¡°The correct history is chosen by the people of Currere. At the very least, it has nothing to do with the Moon Realm. If all you want to do is discuss meaningless topics, I¡¯m too busy. I still have an entire race to save. Forgive me for not entertaining you.¡± William turned around, ready to leave. He was waiting for the other party to speak. ¡°What if I told you that returning to your original timeline and giving up on Ravenwood would minimize losses?¡± As William expected, the other party stopped him. ¡°Make Ravenwood a land of death under Camilla¡¯s control or choose the option with the least losses?¡± William stopped in his tracks and turned his head, asking seriously, He knew that Zamara didn¡¯t want the other two Void Sovereigns to know about Her intentions by inviting him to Her bedroom in the Nightmare Swamp instead of contacting him directly in Currere. During their conversation at the Moon Realm rift, William had noticed that Zamara wasn¡¯t as enthusiastic about Ravenwood as the other two. Instead, She had an attitude of regret towards his decision to fight to the death. Although Ravenwood was a masterpiece created by the three goddesses, it was impossible for the Void Sovereigns to be united. Besides, the Lord of Nightmare was likely the second greatest contribution among the trio. William felt that perhaps this gentle Void Sovereign, who was famous for being afraid of trouble, didn¡¯t expect things to spiral out of control. ¡°I¡¯m curious about what the greater loss will be,¡± William said when the other party didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Death,¡± Zamara replied simply. ¡°Death? Whose?¡± William asked cooperatively, although he already had an idea. ¡°Your death, and everything you cherish and rebuilt after your return will die with you. If you think you can afford this price, continue¡­¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt¡­ this definitely isn¡¯t me underestimating your strength as a Void Sovereign, but¡­¡± William¡¯s tone didn¡¯t sound apologetic as he interrupted the tragic future described by the other party. ¡°But what you couldn¡¯t do a thousand years ago even after joining forces¡­¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯ve become stronger than before.¡± Zamara interrupted William and said in a calm tone, ¡°Although there¡¯s no qualitative change in the scale of your strength after excluding the support of the Holy Spirit Disc, your use of magic can be said to have exceeded mortal imagination. Be it the novel use of magic spells or the use of equipment, it shows a higher level of perspective as a suspected Holy Spirit. More importantly, your actions aren¡¯t as rigid as before and aren¡¯t as fatalistic. According to the Mocker, you¡¯re more interesting than before and can reveal more possibilities.¡± Zamara paused. William couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Continue. I¡¯m listening.¡± The bedroom fell into silence as if Zamara wanted William to reflect on what She had said. William coughed lightly and broke the silence. He asked, ¡°So¡­ if I¡¯m really as strong as you believe, why are you so certain that I¡¯ll die here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s precisely because I see the possibility of the future in you that I¡¯m here to warn you,¡± Zamara replied coldly. William tapped his forehead as he racked his burgeoning head and asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you be more specific? At least give me a reason that can convince me¡­ I know that the so-called World Tree in the middle of Ravenwood is Camilla¡¯s past body. She plans on using it as a vessel to descend into Her Void Incarnation, right?¡± The blurry phantom behind the curtains nodded almost imperceptibly. ¡°If this is the other party¡¯s trump card¡­ I defeated Camilla¡¯s incarnation with the help of the Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness in the past, but don¡¯t tell me you or She really think I can¡¯t defeat Her incarnation alone?¡± William questioned. ¡°We¡¯ve never thought that way.¡± ¡°Then why did you say¡­¡± William was puzzled. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Very well. Then don¡¯t say anything. I wish you sweet dreams,¡± William said, bowing to the curtain and turning to leave. Needless to say, it was definitely some oath contract or other restrictions that prevented Her from saying. He had never had much to talk about with riddlers. ¡°Calamity, wait. If you have to do that¡­¡± Zamara stopped him again. ¡°Before Camilla was born into the Lady of Starvation, she was a human, not an elf. ¡°Additionally, Floral Kane is special. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but the source of her Divine Realm magic power doesn¡¯t come from the Astral World. Instead, it comes from burning the souls of the Ravenwood Tree Elves as fuel. ¡°That¡¯s all I can tell you without breaking my oath¡­¡± Chapter 333 - 333 He Actually Knows 333 He Actually Knows ¡°In that case¡­ that fellow didn¡¯t kill Garet Wolfspeak on a whim back then,¡± Remides said after Enso Oak and the others left the Canopy Temple. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Nizemar asked in confusion. ¡°That loyal clerk should know more about Floral Kane than that half-baked forest druid,¡± Remides replied as she set up the barrier in the temple again. ¡°It can¡¯t be much. After all, he didn¡¯t even know that Floral is a lich,¡± Nizemar retorted subconsciously. ¡°That¡¯s normal. Back then, the Presiding Judge was forced to tell us that Nehe was a lich because he couldn¡¯t hide it any longer. It was still an era when the Holy Spirits Church was influential, and public opinion was much worse about necromancy magic than now. Judgment was in a mess because of this matter, especially Cass, a staunch Holy Spirits believer. He even said things like ¡®it¡¯s either him or me.¡¯ He almost quit Judgment because of this,¡± Remides recalled with narrowed eyes. ¡°I thought one can tell a lich at a glance.¡± As a holy relic searcher in the Eighth Order, Nizemar had participated in crusades against lichs. Typically, even if the undead tried their best to hide their true identities, the aura of corruption and death that originated from their souls would subconsciously leak out. Not to mention the body that would constantly rot over time¡ªother than the short period of time after the conversion was completed, liches couldn¡¯t hide their identities in civilized society for long periods. Nizemar still found it extremely unbelievable that Floral could become the leader of Emerald Province as a lich, relying on just a veil that could block the aura of death. ¡°Generally speaking, that¡¯s the case, but since Floral obtained Nehe¡¯s legacy, it¡¯s very normal for her to be able to conceal the matter. The spell to transform Nehe into a lich is different from the origin of necromancy magic that originated from the worship of the Blackwater Swamp¡¯s ancestors. It¡¯s an undead spell that originated independently from Ravenwood. One of its characteristics is that it can maintain a physical disguise by devouring corpses. Bring her with me,¡± Remides explained as she hid the last teleportation beacon under the altar. Remides stood up, nodded at Elise, who had been hiding behind Nizemar, and picked up her bow and arrow before walking out of the Canopy Temple. ¡°Isn¡¯t devouring corpses abnormal enough?¡± Confused, Nizemar helped the girl up and followed behind her. ¡°No one will question why a Forest Elf eats corpses,¡± Remides explained simply before continuing, ¡°Since Floral obtained Nehe¡¯s legacy, she must have enough ways to hide her true identity. After all, most of Nehe¡¯s research back then was focused on how to suppress his strength. Sometimes, I feel that he might be more talented in magic than Evelyn¡­¡± Nizemar had heard of Magic Edge Evelyn, the strongest magic chanter among the Judges other than William. Strangely, she couldn¡¯t find any historical records related to such a great mage. ¡°So, where are we going? Also, why are we bringing her along?¡± Remides asked as she looked at the obedient little girl beside her with her eyes closed, unsure of what to say. ¡°Remember the underground root system mentioned previously?¡± Remides asked. ¡°Yes¡­ Are we going there?¡± the other party tersely acknowledged. ¡°But why?¡± Nizemar asked, puzzled. The Presiding Judge had already been to the underground root system twice. Logically speaking, it was impossible for him to have missed any clues or information. ¡°Did Floral tell you where she obtained Nehe¡¯s legacy?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did William ask her?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t either.¡± ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Perhaps it was an illusion, but Nizemar thought she heard Ava State¡¯s Shadow Queen chuckle. However, when she was asked this, she realized something strange. That¡¯s right. Since it¡¯s a legacy of a former Judge, as the Presiding Judge, William should at least ask about the exact location of the legacy, right? ¡°So, Lord Nehe¡¯s legacy is in the underground root system?¡± she asked anxiously, and Remides nodded. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t the Presiding Judge¡­¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s unexpectedly clumsy and careless in certain matters. He likes to do things his way and never takes into account the feelings of others when making decisions. Therefore, he naturally won¡¯t discover that the legacy is there,¡± Remides explained after a moment of silence. Hearing the rare personal emotion in the other party¡¯s words, Nizemar felt that it was best not to continue asking. The journey to Holy Tree City was silent. The two of them arrived at the foot of the World Tree without any obstacles. Remides said, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told the Presiding Judge.¡± Nizemar nodded and agreed. How else could she answer? No matter how slow she was, she could tell that these words weren¡¯t meant for her. ¡°The last time I saw Nehe wasn¡¯t at the Twilight Fortress meeting but in Holy Tree City. After the meeting ended, I came here with him and completely uprooted the Undead Association that originated from Ravenwood. Ignoring the other party¡¯s attitude, Remides said calmly, ¡°That was our last attempt. I wanted to help Nehe return the soul stored in the soul box to his body and be reborn as a living person.¡± ¡°Wait, I remember the Presiding Judge mentioning that Lord Nehe¡¯s soul box was lost before he left, right?¡± Nizemar finally couldn¡¯t help but interrupt. ¡°That¡¯s why I said he does things his way. He never cares about others¡¯ feelings. Moreover, his handling of the matter was too clumsy¡­ Nehe already knew that the Presiding Judge threw the soul box into the underground river.¡± ¡­ ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± William halted in his tracks for the second time and turned around. ¡°The contract was personally drawn up by Beatrice. How much more do you expect me to say?¡± Zamara replied in an unfriendly tone from behind the curtain. ¡°Of course, tell me everything you know¡­ Forget it. I¡¯ll be suspicious if you say it so straightforwardly,¡± William said, shrugging and crossing his arms. He whispered, ¡°Therefore, the key to the matter is still Camilla, not Beatrice¡­ As for Floral, she played a key role in the entire matter¡­¡± Although William wasn¡¯t sure about the serious impact of Camilla¡¯s origins as a human and not an elf, Floral¡¯s true identity was intriguing. To be able to advance to a Divine Realm magic chanter at such a young age in an era where magic power connections were monopolized by the Astral Laws was crazy from any angle. This talent placed her above Evelyn. However, if she wasn¡¯t using mana from the Astral World but burning souls as fuel, it made much more sense. To be able to squander the souls of the entire Forest Elves as fuel, coupled with the fact that Floral had once been chosen by the Matriarch as an incarnation, William wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was Camilla¡¯s fuse for the descent ritual. But the problem was¡­ so what? But he wasn¡¯t afraid that she would be controlled and betray him since he dared to bring her with him. He didn¡¯t sense any threat, combined with the two points Zamara mentioned. Suddenly, William clenched his fist and struck his palm. He looked up at Zamara behind the curtain as if he had thought of something. ¡°I vaguely understand¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything you understand,¡± the Lord of Nightmare interrupted William before he could continue. Her attitude sounded like a disclaimer. ¡°You thought it through yourself. It has nothing to do with our present meeting. Do you understand?¡± She paused for a moment before continuing with Her previous suggestion. ¡°So, are you planning on agreeing to my previous suggestion now?¡± William fell silent. Zamara had been hinting, or even expressing, what would happen to him from the beginning. There weren¡¯t many possibilities for him to be ¡°killed¡± in Currere. If he suddenly became hot-blooded and faced the legions and a considerable number of Transcendents head-on, other than exhausting his energy and being overwhelmed by numbers, only the Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies could possibly kill him when they stepped into Currere. William could only temporarily suppress enemies who didn¡¯t have health bars. Once he lost the suppression, he couldn¡¯t guarantee his survival. If he deduced the reason from the outcome, was Camilla planning on sending Her main body to Currere to kill him? However, the problem was how to cause nomological damage to Currere, just like the Seven Calamities in the past. How could she open a large and wide Moon Realm rift and descend into Currere? The clues to this method were probably hidden in the two pieces of information Zamara had told him. Chapter 334 - 334 Warning 334 Warning William raised another question. ¡°Then, can you tell me who crowned Camilla¡¯s birth as the Rebirth Sovereign?¡± From William¡¯s experience in completing the Eclipse ending, every new Void Sovereign required another sovereign to crown them. Usually, this sovereign would be the largest investor in the other party¡¯s ascension ritual. The blurry shadow on the other end of the curtains fell silent for a long time before slowly replying, ¡°According to the contract, I can¡¯t reveal that lady¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Understood. Thank you.¡± William lowered his head and thanked Her sincerely. It was clear that compared to the harsh contracts between gods and mortals, there was more room for loopholes among Void Sovereigns of the same level. Although the Void Sovereign didn¡¯t truly have a gender, besides the three goddesses, only Steelheart Widow Aiur was known as a goddess. As for Sin of Crimson Desire, Hal, because He fulfilled the believers¡¯ inner desires, male believers called Him the Goddess of Pleasure. It could be said there was a 99% chance that the Whispering Empress was the Lady of Starvation¡¯s coronator. If Beatrice had done the crowning, She might have a way to allow the Lady of Starvation enter Currere. There was once a mention on the game¡¯s official website regarding the Whispering Empress¡ªthis Moon Realm sovereign, who is skilled in conspiracies and betrayal, has always been weaving a ¡®great conspiracy¡¯ in the Nest of Silk. Many times, many of Her seemingly failed plans and ridiculous failures pave the way for the success of that greater goal. It is believed that the ¡®great conspiracy¡¯ has been woven for over 4,000 years and will continue into the future¡­ It was said that once Her conspiracy network was complete, all of Currere would belong to Her. Similar descriptions occasionally appeared in the background introduction on the game¡¯s loading interface. William still remembered that during quests, he had always felt that the Void Sovereign, who seemed to control everything behind the scenes, might be the final boss of the game. However, the outcome was¡ªif he didn¡¯t pursue the path leading to the Eclipse ending, most of this lady¡¯s scenes would be gone in the game. In the later stages of the game, only the Demon Generals under Her would continue appearing in Currere as though seeking validation for their presence. Now that he thought about it, the information back then mentioned that Beatrice¡¯s ¡®great conspiracy¡¯ had been woven for 4,000 years. Based on the math, the so-called ¡®great conspiracy¡¯ began about 5,000 years ago, during the Bronze Age. This was around the time Camilla became a Void Sovereign. Could this be just a coincidence? ¡°So, Calamity, what¡¯s your choice? Do you want to return to your original timeline and leave Ravenwood, or do you want to stay here and wait for death?¡± Seeing that William didn¡¯t say anything, Zamara urged again. ¡°Don¡¯t rush me¡­¡± William raised his hand. According to Zamara, as long as he remained in this timeline, it was certain that the Lady of Starvation would enter Currere. But was that possible? As for the Void Sovereigns at the peak of the Moon Realm, the scale that could support their main bodies to cross the Moon Realm rift without any damage was¡­ the scale of the entire continent. The root cause of the Moon Realm crisis back then was the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s almost insane personalization plan for the Holy Spirits Church because they were afraid that their influence would be replaced by secular regimes. This attempt caused the Seven Calamities to erupt one after another, causing the World Shell that maintained the laws of Currere to be shaken. The outbreak of the Calamities caused the hearts of the entire continent to tremble, leading to a large-scale tide in the Moon Realm. Finally, through the confluence of myriad factors, a few irreparable cracks appeared in Currere. However, even such harsh conditions couldn¡¯t open a rift that allowed the Void Sovereign¡¯s main body to pass through. Only a series of conspiracies and sacrifices could open the rift and enter the timeline of the Waning Moon ending. William didn¡¯t think that the Lady of Starvation and the Whispering Empress could cause more trouble in Ravenwood. In other words, it was impossible for the Lady of Starvation to enter Currere through the Moon Realm rift. Then, there¡¯s only one theoretical possibility¡­ ¡°Dreamer, see if I¡¯m right¡­¡± William lowered his hand and said. He subconsciously used the title of Dreamer, which was only used among the gods. ¡°You¡¯ve been trying to persuade me to leave to prevent the Lady of Starvation from descending¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. I never said that!¡± Zamara cut in sharply, Her voice filled with anger. The curtains between them rustled with the force of Her words. The Nightmare Maids passing through the bedroom fell to their knees, trembling. William raised his hands in surrender and apologized. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m sorry. You didn¡¯t say that. You just want me to leave Ravenwood because of the alliance between the three goddesses. You hope I won¡¯t go against the Moon Realm. If I stay here, things will spiral out of control¡­ Am I right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience, Calamity.¡± Although She still wasn¡¯t polite, Zamara¡¯s tone softened slightly. ¡°What I mean is, you didn¡¯t risk violating the contract just to remind me in the interests of the mortals in Currere. You did it because if I stay, things will spiral out of control and harm your interests, right?¡± The undead couldn¡¯t dream, and if only the undead survived, it would make Her authority a joke. Plus, the dreams of the 40 million Tree Elves were woven by Zamara, which was a vital source of Her strength. ¡°So let¡¯s change our perspective. Maybe there¡¯s another way to solve this. If you let me contact my friends on the other side and act on two timelines at once, maybe we can prevent the worst-case scenario.¡± Zamara fell silent for a while before speaking again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight for the Precept, but I can¡¯t let it fall entirely into your hands. Forget about me becoming your ally. Only the Heartless of the Moon Realm might support you as long as you retain the name of Calamity.¡± In the end, it still doesn¡¯t work out¡­ William felt a headache coming on. The Lady of Starvation had only one risky¡ªeven insane¡ªway to descend into Currere based on what William knew, and even Valk wouldn¡¯t try it. To stop Her, he needed to travel between timelines or communicate between them. But if Zamara wasn¡¯t willing to help, he was stuck. Just as William was about to wake up, Zamara warned him, ¡°What¡¯s happening in Ravenwood is only a game between the Void Sovereigns. Only eternal existences that go beyond causal or looped time like us can modify fate. You can¡¯t involve the Heartless, like using Her essence to resonate with the Lady of Starvation¡¯s essence under the World Root to break through the barrier between the two timelines.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you!¡± William, who had fallen back into reality, only had time to express his gratitude. Chapter 335 - 335 Favor 335 Favor Floral and Ebony were filled with panic when they saw William collapse silently after drinking the strange liquid. They hadn¡¯t thought that this peculiar potion could harm such a legendary figure from over a thousand years past. According to some legends, this man had consumed more than 100 types of raw materials and used himself as a test subject to uncover the hidden nature of those alchemical substances. He had also devised over 20 classic alchemy formulas. Now, the highest honor awarded by the Riel Empire¡¯s Alchemy Association every year was the Royal Potion Award. Among the relief sculptures of the five pioneering alchemists on the medal, William Kane was ranked third as the Great Alchemist. Since he had dared to drink it, he would surely be fine. However, the crucial issue was whether he had been too hasty, for him to be unconscious at such a time. Was the legendary Presiding Judge, the incarnation of the Eighth Holy Spirit the empire believed in, so free to do as he pleased? Floral and Ebony couldn¡¯t help but exchange helpless glances. Then, they could only sigh slightly. They carried the unconscious William to the door of the Canopy Temple and made him sit down with his back against the dark brown wooden door. ¡°According to the Presiding Judge, his ultimate goal is to completely destroy the entire country you used to rule. Don¡¯t you have any complaints about this, Ms. Floral?¡± Ebony settled William against the wooden door. As he stood up, he suddenly asked the Holy Tree Duke, whose body and soul each originated from two different timelines. In the history of Hobien Ebony, there were considerable deviations in the timelines on both sides. The divine marriage ritual between the Holy Tree Matriarch and the Father of the Wilderness was still preserved on this side. The strongest warrior selected through the Blood Moon Game would marry the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s incarnation and kill her after consummating the marriage to officially crown the Holy Tree Duke. Although there was a similar ritual process in the normal timeline, after the two Forest Elf gods lost their lives in the past, this ritual essentially became a formality and no longer caused casualties. It was also because of this that the influence of the hunting tribes that believed in Beast Spirits had been diminishing for the past thousand years, and the Oak Council that believed in tree spirits gradually took over. As for Ebony in the normal timeline, he was nothing more than a puppet installed by the Oak Council. The Great Spirit that the Council had ¡®confiscated¡¯ from numerous hunting tribes was tattooed on him, granting him the qualifications to become the Holy Tree Duke. Moreover, they had found Floral Kane, who lacked any faction support, and planned on exploiting her unique talent to turn her into the Matriarch¡¯s incarnation¡­ Of course, because the Oak Council had misjudged Floral¡¯s personal strength, all their plans had failed. In the normal timeline, Ebony and the Holy Tree Duke shared a complex relationship¡­ Although it was difficult to say whether they were friends or foes, the two of them were trying to change Ravenwood in their own way and had reached a consensus on altering those ancient traditions. Although the solutions they offered could be considered diametrically opposed, at the very least, they held respect for each other in their hearts. As for the Floral whom Ebony knew, she was not someone who could be easily persuaded. However, Floral only replied casually to Ebony¡¯s question, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Or do you think I should still try to save such a world after seeing that scene at World¡¯s End?¡± Ebony shook his head and looked at the mess in the Canopy Temple. ¡°But if it were you from another timeline, you might actually do so. With my understanding of her, even if she discovers that the timeline she¡¯s in is nothing but an empty imagination, she will do her best to try and save her home¡­ Even if the price is sacrificing the entire world.¡± He had originally thought that Floral, whose soul came from the other side, would make the same choice. ¡°Is that so?¡± Floral looked up with a sigh. Although her memories and perception still came from this body, the voice deep in her heart clearly told her that it wasn¡¯t so. ¡°Then, you must have misunderstood something¡­ I don¡¯t have deep feelings for Ravenwood. From the beginning to the end, my only dream was to shed all my responsibilities and leave this place completely,¡± she said softly. Floral had never felt that her soul belonged here, and her desire to protect Ravenwood stemmed from her adoptive parents and the promise she was bound by to her teacher, Nehe¡­ ¡°Therefore, we¡¯re very willing to help you now, Your Grace.¡± A discordant voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. Ebony turned his head. From his point of view, a young man with a wolf tattoo on his face was slowly walking up the steps with a group of grotesque sutured creatures. In this timeline, the so-called Wild Hunt was a terrifying stitched-together beast¡ªa beast that had completely lost its will and only obeyed its master¡¯s orders. Ebony had seen the young man with the wolf tattoo leading it in both timelines¡ªQuayle Wolfspeak, the son of White Bone Castle clerk Garet Wolfspeak. It¡¯s worth mentioning that he had a bad relationship with his father in both timelines. It was just that he was overly close to the Oak Council on one side, and overly close to an unknown anti-imperial organization on the other. Floral propped up the magical medium in her hand as if she had been waiting for them. She stared fixedly at the vague figures surrounding them and maintained her dignity as the Holy Tree Duke. ¡°What did you mean? Son of Garet.¡± Quayle pretended to bow and said, ¡°Literally, Your Grace. The Oak Council has already obtained control of the Wild Hunt troops under your command, and the empire¡¯s embassy has clearly turned to support us in reviving the ancient Mother Goddess faith¡­ Since you yearn to shed your responsibilities as ruler, your dream can be realized now.¡± Then, he stood on his tiptoes slightly and looked past Floral at the tragic state in the Canopy Temple. Then, he said regretfully, ¡°But unfortunately, the first thing you might do after leaving office is return to the Holy Tree Matriarch Temple for investigation. You¡¯re suspected of sabotaging the Matriarch¡¯s descent ritual, of slaughtering innocent Forest Elves, and of arson¡­¡± Floral didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she gently tapped the magical orb in her hand, and countless sharp icicles instantly filled the space between her and the stitched-together monsters. You can give it a try. She looked at the other party and conveyed her thoughts silently. No matter which timeline it was, Floral¡¯s authority as the Holy Tree Duke stemmed from her invincible strength in Ravenwood. If the other party thought that she could be captured just by relying on numbers, she was very willing to let the other party understand how ridiculously wrong they were. Surging mana wove a large spell in Floral¡¯s ether domain that could freeze all the trash present with a single strike. Although it hadn¡¯t been released and covered a small area by her will, its powerful intentions already made everyone present feel a coldness like phantom pain. A serious casting by a Divine Realm mage was definitely enough to freeze everyone present. However, Quayle continued his pretentious attitude and sighed. Then, he slowly said, ¡°Lady Floral¡­ Could it be that you still believe that you¡¯re blessed by the Matriarch? Or have you always felt that your god-like power really belongs to you?¡± With that said, he took a step back slightly, and two figures appeared on his left and right. Floral could sense that it was a tree spirit formed by countless green specks of light and an empire ambassador dressed in Platinum Palace-styled clothes. It was still very difficult to call them opponents, although it took more effort than those small fries. Ebony saw two people suddenly appear. One was a high-level undead covered in blood, and the other was a monster with a spider lower body and a beautiful upper body. Moreover, the entire body was filled with pitch-black miasma. ¡°With just them¡­¡± Floral didn¡¯t manage to finish her mocking words. Almost instantly, she felt the surging mana in her ether domain disappear like a popped balloon. The immense mana that could originally be controlled at her whim was like the Wild Hunt troops that had betrayed her. It instantly escaped her control. Her magic had been nullified¡­ Although her will could completely construct those complicated magic spells, those spells were just wishful thinking without mana as fuel. ¡°It looks like someone is no longer favored by the Matriarch. It looks like your legend of suppressing Ravenwood alone is about to¡­¡± Quayle said as he looked at Floral¡¯s shocked gaze. At this moment, he looked very happy. This joy lasted until another sudden voice sounded. ¡°But she¡¯s under my care now.¡± A slightly hoarse voice sounded from behind the Canopy Temple¡¯s door, and an unknown gray-haired man walked out. The person who appeared was a human wearing a complicated and gorgeous mage robe and holding a lead-gray heavy magical medium. His gaze swept across everyone and lingered on the empire ambassador for a moment. Then, he looked at Floral and said, ¡°Therefore, Floral Kane¡¯s legend is destined to continue.¡± Chapter 336 - 336 Successor 336 Successor William¡¯s words silenced everyone present. Of course, the reasons for the silence varied from person to person. To Ebony, who had been in danger, silence was a relief from surviving a disaster. Floral, who had suddenly lost sensation of mana, fell silent because she didn¡¯t understand what had happened to her. To the Webweaver, who had just walked forward and had found a rare opportunity to showcase its skills, its silence was because it understood why the Whispering Empress didn¡¯t execute it after it committed a mistake in the conspiracy network. Instead, she gave it a chance to prove its worth. It was better to say that She had given it a more creative death. As for Quayle Wolfspeak, he fell silent because¡ª ¡°Who are you?¡± Quayle was the first to break the silence as he watched the human mage suddenly walk out of the Canopy Temple. As a mortal, how dare he had such insolence? After the Daughter of the Forest lost the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s favor, he actually shamelessly said that she would be under his care in the future? Quayle¡¯s tone was half puzzled and half provocative. William couldn¡¯t be bothered with such a small fry. He slowly walked to Floral¡¯s side, and the Holy Tree Duke turned to look at him. ¡°Presiding Judge, I just¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± William, who had understood the problem from Zamara, said casually. ¡°You can¡¯t feel mana in your ether domain, right?¡± Floral nodded in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me! You¡­¡± Seeing that the two people in front of him didn¡¯t seem to take him seriously at all, Quayle couldn¡¯t help but raise his tone in anger. As he spoke, he looked at the empire ambassador and gestured for the foreigner with unfathomable strength to take down the ignorant magic chanter. However, he never expected¡­ ¡°Shut up!¡± The empire¡¯s ambassador, who was usually bossy and never polite to anyone, interrupted him with a trembling voice. Not only that, but the other party also turned her head abruptly and glared at him with a fierce gaze that revealed fear¡ªas if he had just said something incredible. Quayle was about to say something when he realized that he had literally shut up. His upper and lower jaws were stuck together by countless silk-like objects. They were so tightly shut that he felt that he couldn¡¯t separate them at all even if he tore his mouth apart. Quayle looked at the empire ambassador. In his shock, he could only nasally produce simple syllables to express his puzzlement. On the other side, the ambassador¡¯s body trembled as she looked at the unknown gray-haired magic chanter in fear. The latter only glanced at her and casually said, ¡°You should know who I am, right?¡± If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes today, Quayle probably would have felt that nodding crazily at such a scale and frequency would have snapped her neck. Could this physiological structure still be considered human? ¡°Then, you should understand that resistance is futile.¡± Seeing the other party nod, the man said calmly, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Running away or praying is equally futile,¡± the unknown man continued. Then, he suddenly revealed a faint smile of disdain. ¡°But perhaps you can fight for a reason for me not to draw my sword¡­ If you can all keep quiet from now on.¡± The moment the man finished speaking, the Wild Hunts, who had been roaring behind Quayle, instantly fell silent. Even without turning his head, Quayle knew that those people¡¯s upper and lower jaws were glued together like his. Who was this person who could make the empire¡¯s ambassador so afraid? A member of the empire¡¯s royal family? ¡­ After calming Floral down with a few words, William looked at her and said, ¡°What you said previously resolved a question of mine. How did you forcefully advance to the Divine Realm under the blockade of the Astral Laws?¡± As a Forest Elf, even if Floral had a pair of adoptive parents with a Platinum Ring background, it was impossible for her to obtain a spot to advance to the Divine Realm through the Astral Council. ¡°I remember that I passed¡­¡± Floral frowned in thought, but she found nothing even after flipping through her memories¡­ It was clearly impossible for her to forget such an important matter. After struggling repeatedly and realizing that she couldn¡¯t recall any scenes, Floral said firmly, ¡°But my mana source does come from the Astral World.¡± William shook his head regretfully and said, ¡°Your mana comes from the staff, not coins,¡± To make the truth seem more acceptable when it was revealed, William specially used the terms of the classical magic system that had long been eliminated. In the High Elves¡¯ classical magic system, the path of obtaining mana, or rather, Creatons, was divided into three paths. Its symbols were coins, swords, and staffs. Coins represented communicating with the Astral World and obtaining mana that hadn¡¯t solidified into reality as material for change. Swords represented communicating with the Moon Realm and turning the power that reflected the thoughts of countless mortals into a weapon to wield¡­ As for staffs, they represented controlling others as fuel to effect change by burning the mobility of mortals. Floral, who was educated by her adoptive parents and had excellent magical knowledge, instantly understood what William meant. However, she couldn¡¯t admit this at all. How could he be a heretical mage who burned the souls of others as fuel? She could clearly communicate with the Astral World¡¯s mana¡­ William saw through her thoughts and said, ¡°That¡¯s just an illusion.¡± ¡°Illusion?¡± Floral looked at William in confusion. ¡°I only figured it out after obtaining a clue. Your master, Nehe, was actually transformed into a lich in an accident. He also directly leveled up to¡­ Ahem, I mean, advanced to the Divine Realm. Before that, he was only an ordinary forest druid. He wasn¡¯t compatible with the modern magic system at all.¡± The best way to min-max the game¡ªafter completing the beginner¡¯s quests to activate the Twilight scene, players could bring powerful plot NPCs to Ravenwood and save Nehe, who had just been transformed into a lich by a necromancer. This way, they could obtain the only teammate at Level 80 in the early stages of the game. Although Nehe couldn¡¯t learn any spells as a magic chanter before completing the Rebuild the Mage Guild quest and would refuse to kill any living person because of his faith, his high-level interface attributes and the powerful talent of a lich made him a virtual God of War in the early game, the boss of grinding, and a model as a diligent worker. This was also why Nehe was ranked third among the Judges¡ªother than William, the Presiding Judge, and Dewey, the second-in-command of the Twilight Fortress, Frost Lich Nehe was the first to join the Doomsday Watchers and had the most experience. William recalled Nehe, who had helped him defeat a group of difficult dungeons in the early stages of the game. He wiped the smile off his face and said, ¡°After Nehe became a lich, the scale of his magic power soared to the Divine Realm. However, before he systematically learned magic, he couldn¡¯t safely control his strength. And you, who inherited his legacy and used the same conversion ritual to become a lich, should be theoretically the same.¡± William¡¯s words reminded Floral of a terrifying possibility. She widened her eyes and said, ¡°You mean? Mr. Nehe is also¡­¡± William simply nodded. ¡°Nehe had the scale of magic power at the Divine Realm from the beginning, but he was unwilling to accept his talent back then. It wasn¡¯t until he joined the Mage Guild and began to relearn magic from an Apprentice that he gradually reached his later achievements.¡± William remembered that after starting the Mage Guild¡¯s plotline, Nehe would leave the team for a long time to study at the academy. However, there were no level changes during that period. William originally thought that it was a patch created by the game to balance the difficulty of the early stages of the game, but he unexpectedly received a reasonable explanation¡­ Back then, Nehe wasn¡¯t willing to study and use magic in the early stages because he knew, or at least vaguely sensed, the truth about his Divine Realm mana¡ªthat mana didn¡¯t come from the Astral World, but from using the souls of his own kind as fuel. In that case, his subsequent guilt as if he was torturing himself and his pathological obsession with Ravenwood Forest could be explained. Then, how many true thoughts did his former teammates have hidden under those texts and branch plots that he didn¡¯t know? A faint melancholy filled William¡¯s heart. He sighed and looked at Floral before continuing, ¡°I think your adoptive parents probably just¡­ don¡¯t want you to discover the truth of your mana source and give you the illusion that you can communicate with the Astral World.¡± ¡°Then, am I just a¡­ joke?¡± Floral¡¯s expression was a little dazed¡ªher power didn¡¯t belong to her at all, but came from the remains of the people she had sworn to protect. ¡°No.¡± William denied it succinctly and said, ¡°Nehe isn¡¯t, so you aren¡¯t either. What¡¯s a joke is the so-called gods who think they can control your fate. Even if She can cut off the source of your mana, She can¡¯t snatch away your strong casting will or the countless spells you¡¯ve studied. It¡¯s just rebuilding the magic power pathway to the Astral World. As long as you come to the Dawn Fortress in the future, it won¡¯t be long before you can truly step into the Divine Realm with the help of the astrolabe given your talent. As for finding a substitute for the Divine Realm-level mana flow, I have as many as you need.¡± As William spoke, he took out a few resplendent Soul Storage Crystals and a few bottles of potions that overflowed with light. With William¡¯s recovery speed after reaching maximum level, as long as he excluded certain limitations, he didn¡¯t need any tools or potions to recover mana. However, in order to increase his proficiency in alchemy and enchantment, he accumulated many recovery tools that were collecting dust in the consumables tab in his inventory. He could take this opportunity to clear his inventory. William turned to the Webweaver and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to live. If I don¡¯t attack, you can escape now. Escaping will be proof of your strength.¡± William didn¡¯t care about the Webweaver that was frantically escaping in the forest. Instead, he threw the items in his hand to Floral. ¡°You should know how to use it, right? Ah, it¡¯s good that you do. You can kill the others, but please bring that Webweaver back alive. Oh right. She¡¯s the empire ambassador in your eyes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason. If you¡¯re Nehe¡¯s successor, I believe you can do it.¡± Chapter 337 - 337 Children 337 Children Ebony stood at the edge and looked at the storm whistling in the forest from afar¡ªit was Floral, who was using high-level Storm spells in pursuit. When the other party disappeared from his line of sight, he turned around curiously and asked William, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you¡­ do it yourself?¡± From the spider monster¡¯s fear of William, Ebony could sense the deterrence of the strongest magic chanter in history. Moreover, if half of the legends he had heard since he was young were true, as long as this legendary figure planned on dealing with the scene in front of him, he could perfectly resolve it with a raise of his hand. Therefore, why did he have to unnecessarily expend his precious enchantment items and get Floral to handle them in his place? Especially when Floral was clearly out of it. William looked at the frozen sutured monsters and lamented, ¡°There are some things she needs to figure out herself. Even I can¡¯t help her on this¡­¡± As William spoke, he walked to the only ice sculpture that still maintained its human form and gently pressed his hand on the ice sculpture¡¯s head. ¡°Figure out what?¡± Ebony couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously. ¡°Her own fate¡­ Be it those that were imposed from birth or those that were later given to her, only by understanding her fate can she make the right choice. I don¡¯t want to interfere with this process. Therefore, let¡¯s take advantage of this time to do something easy.¡± William exerted strength in his hand and the ice sculpture under his palm began to crack inch by inch. Quayle Wolfspeak, who had been frozen by Floral, was released intact by William. Quayle¡¯s frozen consciousness instantly woke up¡ªhe clearly felt the bone-chilling frost a second ago, but in the next second, he felt like dried fur. His entire body emitted a smell as if he had been baked in the oven. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡­¡± Quayle, who was completely out of the situation, half-knelt on the ground. He looked at his shadow that was constantly emitting steam on the ground and let out an incomprehensible sound in fear. A shadow covered him, overlapping his own shadow. Quayle couldn¡¯t help but raise his head mechanically and stiffly. In his line of sight, a person stood in front of him like a mountain. As the person had the moonlight highlighting his silhouette, preventing Quayle from seeing his expression. However, from his clothes and hair color, this person was the human magic chanter he had spoken rudely to. Without a word, the aura emitted by the other party made Quayle feel as if a cold hand was gripping his heart. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to introduce yourself.¡± The person interrupted him before he could speak and said in a tone that didn¡¯t allow for any doubt, ¡°You only need to tell me where the people who got you to come here are.¡± ¡­ The tree spirit and the empire ambassador escaped in two different directions. Logically speaking, Floral should have chased after the tree spirit who could easily hide in the forest. That ambassador is definitely not human¡­ This was a thought that naturally appeared in Floral¡¯s mind during the pursuit. The ¡®ambassador¡¯ was fleeing through the forest on all fours¡ªshe didn¡¯t look pathetic. Instead, she exuded a strange elegance. Even without the help of any spells, the other party seemed to ignore gravity and ran along the thin branches as if they were flat ground. Her movements were coordinated like some multi-legged arthropod. However, even though the other party¡¯s jumping speed between the trees could be said to be godly, the Wings of Wind formed by the storm circling Floral still closed the distance between the two of them. Floral¡¯s attainments in Storm spells weren¡¯t high, so she couldn¡¯t calm the violent souls in the storm and make them quietly take effect. Therefore, although she flew quickly with the Wings of Wind, the intense roar also exposed her location. Perhaps hearing the gradually approaching roar, the empire ambassador felt that she couldn¡¯t pull away. Suddenly, as if all the bones in her body had been snapped, she suddenly stretched her slender limbs. Then, like a butterfly trapped in a spiderweb, she swayed back and forth in a strange posture and stopped in midair. ¡°Your Grace, how about we part ways here?¡± the ambassador, who was swaying in midair, looked at the oncoming storm and said. Although her voice wasn¡¯t loud, Floral could still hear her clearly amidst the storm¡¯s roaring. Floral immediately dispelled her spell and stopped on a branch as thick as an arm. She looked straight at the person in front of her and said coldly, ¡°What do you mean by saying that I¡¯m no longer blessed by the Matriarch?¡± Wasn¡¯t the so-called Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s blessing something she had long given up on? In order to escape the blessing named Curse and spend her life pursuing that ridiculous mission, she chose to study magic that the Forest Elves regarded as taboo. She didn¡¯t hesitate to convert herself into a lifeless lich and sacrificed her most precious things. But now, someone was telling her that she had given up everything in exchange for another form of blessing? Upon hearing this, the suspended ambassador first nervously observed Floral¡¯s back for a long time. After confirming that the Calamity had kept his promise and didn¡¯t come after them, it felt relieved and said, ¡°If I tell you the reason, can you let me go?¡± Floral didn¡¯t reply, but the cold air that gradually filled the air replaced her answer. ¡°That¡¯s not how you negotiate¡­¡± Before the ambassador could finish speaking, it felt a faint sting on its cheek, followed by the warmth of sticky liquid. It subconsciously touched the wound and gritted its teeth, about to flare up, but the other party raised her hand to show it something. It was a knife made of pure frost¡ªa very basic Frost spell that solidified Frost magic power into a temporary weapon. Even an apprentice who had just learned Frost magic could do such tricks. However, the key was that the knife was stained with its blood. This instantly made the ambassador¡¯s expression turn ugly. What injured it wasn¡¯t a long-range spell that it couldn¡¯t see clearly. Instead, the other party came to its side and slashed its cheek with a knife before returning to her original spot. All of this was done while time was suspended with Zero Entropy in place. In other words, the mana stored in the item the Calamity had given this fellow was so massive that the other party could squander top Divine Realm spells at will? Then, what was the point of fighting? Originally, its only chance of winning against the Holy Tree Duke was to exhaust her mana and wait for the other party to use up all her mana stores. It ended up with the other party directly using Inverse Entropy just to take it down a notch? Since you want me dead so badly, can¡¯t you just give me a clean death? Was it fun playing with me? Or did she want to enjoy the process of victory like a Moon Realm spirit? Are you a Moon Realm spirit, or am I? After cursing the Calamity in its heart, the ambassador gritted its teeth and said, ¡°Alright, if you must know¡­ But I think it¡¯d be better for you not to know some things¡­¡± At this point, the Webweaver couldn¡¯t help but narrow its eyes. Telling this person the truth might be an opportunity for it to escape¡­ Therefore, it went straight to the point and concluded, ¡°You and Nehe from more than a thousand years ago¡­ That¡¯s right, the Judge you succeeded. Both of you are actually the children of the Lady of Starvation, Camilla.¡± ¡­ ¡°What did you say?¡± Even though Nizemar felt that she had seen a lot after following the Presiding Judge for so long, she couldn¡¯t help but stop in shock when she heard Remides say this. She felt her jaw drop. ¡°Nehe is Camilla¡¯s child. You should have heard me clearly,¡± Remides replied. ¡°You mean child as in the child I understand? Not a metaphor or symbol?¡± Nizemar looked at the emotionless High Elf and continued asking. The other party¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all as she said, ¡°Child as in literally. That was before Camilla was still Camilla. Back then, she resonated with the faith of Ravenwood¡¯s Earth Mother and became the second main god-level Authority holder here, the incarnation of darkness and tyranny that the Mother faith still lacked. And in order to complete that ritual, she devoured all her children. However, as a mother, her last bit of rationality, or rather, human nature, allowed her to make that soul box and preserve all her children¡¯s souls inside. ¡°The real Nehe already died during the conversion ritual. Ravenwood¡¯s lich conversion spell was adapted from a ritual to awaken Mother Goddess. It¡¯s not to preserve the converted¡¯s soul, but to use that body. In fact, the Nehe we know originated from the soul of Camilla¡¯s child thousands of years ago. It controlled the body of the Forest Elf named ¡®Nehe.''¡± Chapter 338 - 338 Mother Goddesss Rebirth 338 Mother Goddess¡¯s Rebirth The air gradually turned turbid as they proceeded down the winding maze-like underground root system. The mixed smell of damp mold and soil filled the passage, causing people walking inside to have the urge to hold their breaths. However, Nizemar wasn¡¯t in the mood to pay attention to the smell in the air. She stared at Remides, who had just revealed the shocking secret, and asked carefully, ¡°You weren¡¯t joking, right?¡± Perhaps feeling that there was no need for her to answer such a stupid question, the person in control of Ava State didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she continued down the passageway formed by the roots of the World Tree. After walking a few hundred meters in silence, Nizemar couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Since you¡¯re not joking, why didn¡¯t you tell the Presiding Judge about this previously?¡± Especially in this crisis. ¡°After the Presiding Judge disappeared, I studied the soul box that Nehe found with Sibylla and came to a conclusion. Do you think I should tell William about this? Tell him that Nehe knew that he threw the soul box into the underground river?¡± Without turning her head, Remides¡¯s ghostly voice echoed in the narrow passageway. Nizemar naturally couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t dare to refute such an answer. However, she felt that she ought to say something. After a moment of silence, she asked curiously, ¡°Therefore¡­ why did the Presiding Judge throw the soul box into the underground river back then?¡± After asking this, she seemed to find it inappropriate and added, ¡°Of course, I completely believe that the Presiding Judge must have made this decision¡­ for Mr. Nehe¡¯s long-term happiness.¡± Remides didn¡¯t reply. The three of them walked in awkward silence to the door of the underground hall they had previously come to. Only then did she say, ¡°It¡¯s probably because of his self-righteous worry¡­ the worry that Nehe would choose to end his life after he leaves.¡± Her voice revealed a hint of sadness before she continued, ¡°Looking back at it now, if only he hadn¡¯t done so back then and let Nehe destroy that box.¡± ¡­ ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Floral, who was standing high above and looking down at the empire¡¯s ambassador, found it difficult to breathe. What the empire ambassador had said made her hair stand on end. ¡°My soul is the same as Mr. Nehe¡¯s soul. They¡¯re both Camilla¡¯s¡­ children?¡± How is this possible?! Opposite her, the empire ambassador, who was originally in an absolute disadvantage, straightened its back as if it had gained the initiative. Taking advantage of Floral¡¯s shock, it stepped on the invisible spider silk and moved to a spot that was more convenient for it to escape. Then, it revealed the mysterious smile unique to the Whispering Empress¡¯s Lunar Monsters and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. According to historical records, Camilla, who was still a mortal back then, devoured a total of three children to complete the ritual¡ªtwo men and a woman. Since you were sealed in the same box, you might be Nehe¡¯s elder sister.¡± However, it was obvious that Floral wasn¡¯t interested in determining the seniority of both parties. Her voice trembled as she said, ¡°So, the real ¡®me¡¯ is the same as the real Nehe; we were already dead?¡± She completed the lich conversion ritual when she was 22 years old. In other words, the person named Floral Kane had actually died during the conversion ritual at the age of 22. And what was driving this body now was only the soul of the Void Sovereign¡¯s child from over 5,000 years ago. As the Webweaver secretly weaved threads in preparation, it replied with feigned casualness, ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. Back when your adoptive parents helped you complete the lich conversion ritual with the soul box, the real Floral was already dead. As for you, you¡¯re still alive. You¡¯re just a shell controlled by a soul from the past like a puppet. ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to pay too much attention to it. It¡¯s just like the other puppets in this timeline. They haven¡¯t even been themselves for one day. In comparison, you at least left some memories of your 22 years of life before you completed the conversion, right? Ah, from the looks of it, those memories don¡¯t seem to belong to you.¡± It tried its best to attack the weaknesses in the other party¡¯s mental defenses to close the gap in strength and fight for a chance to escape¡ªthis was the escape plan the Webweaver had chosen. For this reason, this blow was far from sufficient. It still needed to use the information it knew to further destroy the other party¡¯s mental defenses. Therefore, it struck while the iron was hot and continued,¡±By the way, your adoptive parents taught you the magic power circuit you built to communicate with the Astral World, but it¡¯s only fake comfort. To you, the inexhaustible mana doesn¡¯t come from the Astral World, but from the souls imprisoned by your descendants for thousands of years in the form of trees that serve as coffins.¡± ¡°My¡­ descendants?¡± Floral pointed at herself in confusion. ¡°The faith of the Dark Mother in the Ravenwood area¡ªto obtain powerful strength by devouring one¡¯s children. Genetically speaking, as one of the descendants of the original Mother Camilla, you used to be the oldest mother of the Forest Elves in Currere. Therefore, every time you cast a spell, you were actually devouring the souls of your children and converting them into mana. You just didn¡¯t sense it¡­¡± ¡°The fuel originally used to reverse the two timelines should have been ignited by you as the spark¡­ if not for the dreadful Moon Realm Calamity¡¯s appearance. Isn¡¯t it a pity? That way, at the very least, you would have had a less miserable ending. By the way, do you want to know why your mana flow has been severed? It¡¯s naturally because of the image of the ancient Mother Goddess¡ªyour mother has been awakened and She is retracting Her power. ¡°Under the authority of the Dark Mother, the concept of a mother has absolute control over her descendants. Therefore, no matter how powerful you are, you¡¯re just food in front of your mother.¡± With that said, the Webweaver couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°My mother, Lady of Starvation Camilla¡­ Is that so?¡± Floral asked solemnly. The Webweaver replied with a polite smile, ¡°Yes and no. Or rather, not yet, but it will be in the future¡­ The one awakening is a faith god named the Holy Tree Matriarch, but it won¡¯t be long before She is born again as the Lady of Starvation, Camilla.¡± ¡­ ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t it a good thing that the Holy Tree Matriarch is awakening?¡± On the way to the World Tree, Ebony, a pious believer of the Matriarch, couldn¡¯t help but ask after hearing that the Holy Tree Matriarch was about to awaken. ¡°Of course not. When She wakes up, the countdown to Ravenwood¡¯s destruction will officially begin,¡± William replied. ¡°But why¡­¡± Ebony asked in confusion. ¡°As far as I know, if the Void Sovereigns want Their main bodies to step into Currere without opening a Moon Realm rift, there¡¯s one last crazy way¡ªhold another advancement ritual in Currere and make themselves born into Currere a second time. For this reason, Camilla is probably planning on committing ceremonial suicide in the Lake of Entropy,¡± William replied with an unrelated answer. This was also why Zamara had to remind him to leave quickly even if it meant breaking Her contract. The Lady of Starvation had probably gone completely crazy under Beatrice¡¯s bewitchment and anger. ¡°What does the Lady of Starvation have to do with the awakening of the Holy Tree Matriarch¡­¡± Before Ebony could finish speaking, William, who was commanding Quayle to lead the way, interrupted him and said, ¡°In this timeline, the Holy Tree Matriarch is a portion of the Holy Spirit¡¯s divinity that was stripped from Camilla. Perhaps it¡¯s mixed with some human residue, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much. Camilla originally planned on using Her as a tool to manage this timeline, but from the looks of it, it seems to be an opportunity for Her to flip the table.¡± Chapter 339 - 339 Mother Goddess Faith in the Dark Age 339 Mother Goddess Faith in the Dark Age Reminiscing made Remides realized how long ago it was. If she hadn¡¯t set foot on this land again, if she hadn¡¯t come here again, she might have completely forgotten the past. That was after the Twilight Fortress¡¯s last meeting ended catastrophically, announcing the disintegration of Judgment. Before Remides left the Twilight Fortress, she rejected Byron Lionheart¡¯s invitation and Macas¡¯s pious request. Although they were comrades who had resolved the Moon Realm crisis together in the past and were willing to entrust their lives to each other, Remides wasn¡¯t interested in their future plans and promises, nor did she have any illusion that they might succeed. However, she also didn¡¯t want to change the minds of her former comrades. After all, to the Vic Continent, as a High Elf, she was only a foreigner. Therefore, after disbanding the Sentinel unit that belonged to her, she chose to travel the Vic Continent again and return to being an unrestrained Ranger. This time, she was alone. Before she returned to Ava State by ship because she didn¡¯t want to be involved in the turmoil happening among the continent¡¯s countries, she traveled the Vic Continent for about ten years. As for the memories of that decade or so, they became blurry after nearly a thousand years. Recalling everything she had experienced in those years felt surreal, as if it was a scene from a dream. However, there were only two things that she still had some impression of. Deep in the Holy Sepulchre of Thorn City¡¯s graveyard, the desperate ruler of the Blackwater Kingdom tried to awaken the ancient King of Blackwater and descend on the mortal world with the might of the Rotten Moon Tide of the Undead. Remides, who was traveling in Nakuland, immediately rushed there after receiving Blake¡¯s request for help after being missing for many years. However, she was still a step too late¡ªa step too late in every sense. When Remides and the other Judges arrived at the scene, Blake and Coles had already killed the budding crisis at the cost of their lives. In the end, all they could do was take care of the funeral and engrave tombstones for their deceased friends. Of course, it wasn¡¯t until many years later that she realized that the so-called crisis was only a trap Coles had set up to advance to become a Void Sovereign. However, she had already experienced many things back then. At the same time, she had lost more. Her heart had long turned cold, and her dead emotions wouldn¡¯t be stirred by such matters. As for the other matter, it was inextricably related to the current turn of events. That was when she returned to Ravenwood following the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ path of salvation back then. Nehe, who had been missing for many years, took the initiative to find her. ¡°Help me¡­¡± She still remembered that it was deep in Ravenwood Forest, under an uninhabited subtree. The strongest Frost magic chanter in Vic Continent had gone straight to the point and requested her help along with Sibylla Silence¡¯s, who had also been invited over. No¡­ It was more like him beseeching them than making a request. ¡°Please help me regain my breathing.¡± Remides also remembered that it was the first time they had seen Nehe¡¯s soul box¡ªit was ancient in shape and it exuded a heavy feeling of imprisonment. Even Sibylla, who had Eyes of God, couldn¡¯t see through the essence of the soul box. Nehe told the two of them what had happened in the past¡ªthe Presiding Judge had tried to strip him of the right to die before he left. He didn¡¯t understand why the only person in the world who could possibly understand him would do such a thing. However, in order to repay the Presiding Judge¡¯s kindness in the past, he was willing to give it one last try. He would die after putting in one last effort. After years of investigation and research, he planned on completing a feat that no one had ever achieved and creating a true miracle comparable to reviving the dead¡ªconverting himself from an undead to a resurrected. This was something that couldn¡¯t be done under modern magic framework theory. Even though Nehe¡¯s Undead and Frost magic had reached the peak and his realm wasn¡¯t inferior to the Presiding Judge when he left, he couldn¡¯t complete his reversal from death to life. However, apart from modern magic, he also found a path that had a chance of success. That was to rely on the Forest Elf¡¯s faith system to complete his reincarnation. ¡°The Rebirth ritual originates from the faith of the Mother Goddess in the Dark Age.¡± After he revealed his plan, Remides and Sibylla were stunned. They couldn¡¯t believe that Nehe was someone who could come up with such a crazy plan. In the stories passed down by the Forest Elves, a mother discovered that she was pregnant again after devouring a child accidentally killed by the father during a hunt. Moreover, it was a legend that she gave birth to the original dead child seven months later. This was an extremely short story. Moreover, in the first half of the story, it had to focus on the father¡¯s mistake of killing his son during the hunt. This story was only circulated in the ancient families of a few hereditary members of the Oak Council as a fable to warn future generations to be careful of hunters. However, using this strange story as a clue, Nehe traced its possible origins and carried out many years of secret investigations. Finally, he was led by ancient documents and discovered an ancient god faith that had existed for millennia. It was the image of a terrifying Earth Mother that constantly devoured her children¡ªShe symbolized the primitive urge of all things to return to their mother, as well as a mother¡¯s endless desire to control her children. As well as appetite¡­ Childbirth and feeding, birth and return. They were each other¡¯s cause and effect, as well as mirror images. Nehe speculated that the Holy Communion ritual passed down by the Forest Elves was very likely a remnant of this faith¡ªto maintain such a vague image of a mother to a certain extent and not be completely forgotten by the Forest Elves. Moreover, this image of the Earth Mother was probably the dark side of the Holy Spirit, Mother, that the Second Order had sought out for centuries without success. In the development of the Seven Holy Spirits system to this day, after integrating almost all the mainstream faiths in the Vic Continent, every Holy Spirit more or less had a dark side that symbolized evil¡ªFather had a tyrannical and arrogant side of a tyrant, Lady had a goddess side that symbolized jealousy and promiscuity, and Child had the image of a trickster god formed by the intersection of innocence and cruelty¡­ However, only the destructive dark side of Holy Spirit, Mother, couldn¡¯t be found by the Church over the years. The Second Order even once believed that this was because of Mother¡¯s loving characteristics. Therefore, other than interim doting, it couldn¡¯t have much negative impact on Currere. However, She existed in reality. The faith in Earth Mother had never been lost. Instead, it had always been hidden in the shadows of the Forest Elf history. ¡°After all, once faith is lost, it can no longer be called faith,¡± Nehe said. The concept of a god included believers, just like the concept of a mother included a child. ¡°The necromancer society that converted me into a lich is actually believers of the Earth Mother. Behind them are a few ancient families in the upper echelons of Holy Tree City¡¯s regime. If one looks into their family history, they will discover that almost every generation has an ¡®unlucky fellow¡¯ who died from an ¡®accident¡¯ and whose corpse needs to be devoured.¡± That was their inheritance. This was what Nehe said to Remides and the others. ¡°Then, what do you need our help with? To completely eliminate that sect together?¡± Remides asked eagerly back then. ¡°No¡­ I need to become the new leader of that Church.¡± Nehe gave a surprising answer. ¡°They¡¯re too inefficient. They haven¡¯t awakened Earth Mother in so many years. If I receive your help, I believe I can do it in less than a year. ¡°After awakening that Mother Goddess, I will feed my rotten and smelly soul to that crazy and terrifying mother, allowing me to fuse with her again before being born again.¡± Using the legend as a prototype to set up the ceremonial magic, if the resonance succeeded, he could be born again after being devoured by the mother like the child who had been accidentally killed by his father. ¡°In my opinion, using a legend that has almost no circulation as a prototype, and being delusional that doing so can achieve the greatest miracle of rebirth, the success rate of this entire matter isn¡¯t much higher than zero.¡± That was what Sibylla, who was proficient in all kinds of ceremonial magic, said back then. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If I still die after doing everything I can, this eternal slumber will be the peace I seek.¡± This was Nehe¡¯s answer back then. ¡°I¡¯ve already gone so far. Even if the Presiding Judge returns in the future, he has no reason to blame me, right?¡± Chapter 340 - 340 Reincarnation 340 Reincarnation Now that she thought about it, other than the reasons he claimed, Nehe¡¯s actions back then also included another selfish motive. Back then, the atmosphere between the countries on the Vic Continent was already tense. As the Doomsday Watchers were gradually infiltrated by secular regimes, the armed forces established to resist doomsday were actually controlled by the various kingdoms. Coupled with the fact that the five-member Judgment, which originally maintained the continent¡¯s balance, had completely fallen out because of the assassination of its second lord, almost the entire Vic Continent was secretly preparing for a huge war that was destined to happen. Ravenwood was the exception. Back then, it was difficult for the Holy Tree Kingdom to be called a country in terms of organizational structure. Due to the Forest Elves¡¯ policy of seclusion, not only did they not absorb the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ military strength, but the Oak Council even rejected Nehe¡¯s request to return. This was the fatal weakness of the former Holy Spirits Era-style political and religious unity regime. Their power came from faith. If not for the fact that the enemy had reached their doorstep and was about to set fire to the forest, they wouldn¡¯t have compromised at all. What was worse was that the two ancient gods the Forest Elves believed in back then died in the Moon Realm crisis. If a war really broke out in the future, the rich Holy Tree Kingdom would be vulnerable. ¡°Nehe is such a¡­ kind and stubborn person. If it weren¡¯t for an enemy he acknowledges, he would rather hurt himself than others.¡± As Remides spoke, her eyes flickered as if she was going against the river of time. Memories were like this. If one didn¡¯t recall them, it was as if they didn¡¯t exist. However, as long as one lifted the lid, many things one thought they had forgotten would become clear. Nehe wasn¡¯t willing to fight his former companions, nor was he willing to watch the Holy Tree Kingdom be reduced to ashes in the flames of war. Therefore, he planned on sacrificing himself to leave some bargaining chips for the Forest Elves in the future. Regardless of whether he could obtain a new life or not, as long as he awakened Earth Mother and allowed that ancient goddess to protect the Forest Elves again, in an era with the Presiding Judge gone, even if the other Judges wanted to invade Ravenwood, they had to consider the losses they would suffer. Back then, she didn¡¯t think of this reason¡­ She didn¡¯t know if Sibylla had thought of it back then. She had probably thought of it. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have done her best to help Nehe. Even during the seizure of power, she did two assassinations that greatly reduced the resistance without Nehe¡¯s knowledge. Using illusions to control wild beasts to kill the Father of the Wild and swapping the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s Listener¡¯s medicine with poison, they created a power vacuum in the Holy Tree Kingdom and helped Nehe secretly control the situation. ¡°We spent about half a year helping Nehe clear all the obstacles and make him the shadow ruler of the Holy Tree Kingdom¡­¡± Remides suddenly had the urge to laugh. She tried to smile but failed. Discipline Macas from Judgment had made a similar request to her back then. The elder hoped that Remides could help him use the Church¡¯s factions to secretly control the leaders of the various kingdoms and establish a shadow regime that balanced the situation on the continent. Back then, she rejected this request, but not long after, she helped another Judge do something similar. She could convince herself that Nehe was different from Cass. He didn¡¯t crave power at all. Despite being a lich, he was an existence in Judgment whose rules he swore by were closer to that of a saint. However, it couldn¡¯t be denied that what she did was no different from Macas¡¯s request. It also violated the guidelines drawn up by the Presiding Judge. What was even more ironic was that for the next few centuries, her title in the eyes of outsiders was the Shadow Queen. Remides shook her head slightly to stop herself from immersing herself in those emotions and continued, ¡°Therefore, on a day when the constellations were aligned and all kinds of conditions were met, Nehe used the resources he had to begin the reincarnation ritual.¡± Upon hearing the ensuing climax, Nizemar couldn¡¯t help but tighten her grip on the crossbow in her hand. She asked anxiously, ¡°Then? Did Mr. Nehe succeed in the end?¡± According to her understanding, it would be fine if Nehe¡¯s ritual back then ultimately failed, but if he had really succeeded, it would be a huge problem. According to Remides, if Nehe¡¯s soul sealed in the soul box was Camilla¡¯s child¡¯s soul back then, the ritual designed based on myths and legends wasn¡¯t a mirror ritual that resonated with myths at all. Instead, it was a complete reproduction of the unfinished myths of the past! If the Mage Guild blurred the concept of the Holy Spirits and used personal logic and will as the foundation to change Currere, creating a new Transcendent system, then the Holy Spirits Church, which integrated countless faiths, was the successor of classical sorcery like witchcraft, blood sacrifice, curses, and blessings. The religious rituals taught to consecrate, descend, oracles were essentially a modern system of ceremonial magic. Therefore, although Remides¡¯s knowledge of ceremonial magic was only half-baked, she¡ªwho had once been a holy relic hunter in the Eighth Order¡ªknew some basic common sense. Even during the Church¡¯s most radical Holy Spirit decent rituals, the Church had to prioritize ensuring that the host of the ritual could maintain a clear self-awareness. This was the greatest lesson the popes had learned after the most tragic disaster of the Seven Calamities in the millennium since the Holy Spirits Church was established. The source of the disaster that almost destroyed the Vic Continent was the result of a vain attempt to control the Holy Spirits¡¯ mighty power in a personalized manner which ultimately lost control. From then on, even the most fanatical prophet and living saint in the Holy Spirits Church wouldn¡¯t attempt to completely restore the legendary scene and let the power of the gods devour their existence as humans. ¡°If he really awakened Earth Mother and made Her devour Nehe¡¯s soul, the best outcome will be¡­¡± Nizemar didn¡¯t dare to continue thinking about it. ¡°It triggered a miniature version of the Mother calamity,¡± Remides replied calmly. At this moment, they had already walked into the inner hall of the underground root system. In the previous capture operation, the Light Bugs used for illumination in the hall had been cleaned up, so this place looked deep and dark. Coupled with the damp moldy smell and the faint rustic smell of soil, one couldn¡¯t help but feel as if they were walking on a primitive altar with reproduction as the totem. With a swish, the darkness in the hall was illuminated. A scorching fireball lit up in Remides¡¯s palm, and a series of shining runes spun around the fireball like a vortex. As she lifted it, the fireball gradually floated and flew to the main root near the top of the hall. It was the Forest Elf¡¯s law not to allow flames in Holy Tree City, but Remides clearly didn¡¯t plan on abiding by it. ¡°So it happened?¡± Nizemar probed with caution. ¡°Back then, we didn¡¯t know about Nehe¡¯s background,¡± the other party replied. As she spoke, she spread her palm and ignited a second runic fireball. A miniaturized calamity happened, but why are there no relevant records in the Holy Spirits Church¡­ Nizemar thought, but before she could ask, Remides, who seemed to have read her mind, replied, ¡°You have to know that we had three Judges here back then. Therefore, the swaddling calamity back then was quickly controlled by us. Then, Nehe miraculously¡­ reincarnated.¡± Fireballs flew into the air one after another. Remides pointed not far away and said, ¡°The ritual back then happened around that spot.¡± Chapter 341 - 341 Past 341 Past Setting up the ritual wasn¡¯t complicated, or rather, ceremonial magic had never been complicated. The difficult part of any ritual was always how to gather all the elements to reenact the myth. The components abstracted from Nehe¡¯s reincarnation ritual were very simple¡ªFather, Mother, and the Child as the ritual executor. They reenacted the two incidents of a child being killed by the father and devoured by the mother to achieve the outcome of rebirth. Even though the god, the Father of the Wild, was no longer alive, the King of the Holy Tree, who still had its blessings, could barely play the role of a Father. Therefore, in order for the ritual to resonate sufficiently with the myth, the role of a Mother had to be sufficiently restored. For this reason, Nehe decided to awaken Earth Mother and replace the Holy Tree Matriarch as the new will of the World Tree before descending into Currere. According to Nehe¡¯s research, the Holy Tree Matriarch the Forest Elves believed in was inextricably linked to the Earth Mother who devoured Her children. Or rather, that Matriarch was very likely a side of love that the Forest Elf ancestors had artificially carved out. This way, the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s inactivity paved the way for the awakening of the true Earth Mother to a certain extent. This was also the deeper reason why the Earth Mother¡¯s secret sect, which had been dormant in the Oak Council for thousands of years, began to stir after the Moon Realm crisis ended. After the Holy Tree Matriarch lost her life, Earth Mother¡¯s more intrinsic side had a chance to reappear. Unfortunately, those people chose the wrong time to take action. Before William Kane left Currere, they couldn¡¯t help but carry out some tests. As for the final outcome¡­ Although the people behind the scenes were miraculously not exposed, the foundation they had accumulated for years was destroyed by the god among humans. After Nehe completely controlled the secret Church, he finally fulfilled the conditions to awaken Earth Mother by studying the primitive information passed down. After losing his value and at the moment of his execution, the former leader of the Earth Mother¡¯s secret sect, who was the true mastermind behind Nehe¡¯s transformation into a lich, had once claimed that the Forest Elves¡¯ 5,000-year history was a mistake. However, this mistake wasn¡¯t irreparable. The true Earth Mother had actually accompanied Ravenwood through more than 5,000 years of history in another form. He had once seen another possibility of Ravenwood¡¯s history under the guidance of Earth Mother in an extremely peaceful slumber. His mission was to wait for the return of the chosen one, Nehe, to correct the wrong history. Although Nehe didn¡¯t believe the person¡¯s crazy words, he discovered that slumbering was indeed the correct medium to communicate with Earth Mother. Although devouring one¡¯s children was madness in the eyes of a third party, to the devoured children, what they sensed was the eternal darkness and warmth of returning to their mother¡¯s body. The act closest to that state was slumber. Nehe used this opportunity to communicate with the lost Earth Mother through the tree spirit¡¯s dream after many failed attempts. On this basis, Nehe relied on the dream as a medium to awaken a portion of the Earth Mother¡¯s will and guide it to Currere, allowing her to rely on the World Tree to devour his body and soul¡­ Therefore, the reincarnation ritual with a success rate of less than 1 in 10,000 according to Sibylla¡¯s calculations actually succeeded like a miracle. A living Nehe was born naked from his mother¡¯s womb after being completely devoured by Earth Mother. However, the first and only thing Nehe said after his rebirth was¡ª Nizemar couldn¡¯t help but gasp when she heard that. She looked in the direction Remides had pointed, as if she was worried that something indescribable would suddenly appear. Of course, all she could see was the dark tunnel at the end of the root hall that led deeper. Nizemar retracted her gaze and asked carefully, ¡°Why did Mr. Nehe get you to escape?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Remides also stared at the dark tunnel, but her gaze seemed to drift into the distance. After a while, she retracted her gaze and said, ¡°This place wasn¡¯t like this in the past. The underground root hall used to be a place filled with life. There was no damp mold, and there wouldn¡¯t be so many withered branches and leaves. This was originally an exhibition hall for rare plants in the Vic Continent. Back then, when the Presiding Judge lacked certain materials during alchemy, he would urge Koos to come here to ¡®borrow¡¯ some.¡± Looking at the distorted roots around her and the rotten soil piled up on the ground, Remides continued, ¡°After Nehe said ¡®run,¡¯ all the plants here began to rot at a visible speed. As for the roots on the four walls, they squirmed as if they were alive and began to automatically attack everyone in the hall. At first, we thought that the previous ¡®miniature calamity¡¯ hadn¡¯t been wiped out and planned on working with Nehe to resolve the problem here¡­ ¡°However, Nehe used Zero Entropy to seal off the core area where he held the ritual¡­ Back then, Sibylla and I were already exhausted from dealing with the proliferation of miniature calamities. After several failed attempts to break through the seal Nehe set up, we could only escape temporarily under the endless attacks of the surrounding roots. ¡°I remember that was the situation back then¡­ Sibylla.¡± Remides suddenly turned to look at the little girl holding Nizemar¡¯s hand. The girl named Elise Silence who inherited the Eyes of God. At some point, she was no longer her. Elise¡¯s consciousness had been taken over by a will that technically didn¡¯t exist in true history. ¡°How nostalgic¡­ Ms. Ranger. However, it¡¯s only been more than ten years for me. It¡¯s been nearly a thousand years for you, right?¡± Upon hearing the girl she had been holding speak in a tone that didn¡¯t sound like her, Nizemar retracted her hand as if she had been electrocuted. ¡°Ms¡­ Sibylla?¡± Nizemar stammered as she probed. Astral Observer Sibylla Silence could use her eyes that transcended time and space to travel to periods that had never happened without affecting cause-and-effect. This was what the Presiding Judge had explained to Nizemar previously, but she couldn¡¯t grasp the concept fully. In the end, she still treated this phenomenon as the Judge having the ability to possess her successor, just like summoning ancestors to possess oneself in undead magic. ¡°We meet again, the Presiding Judge¡¯s believer¡­ Speaking of which, this title would be asking for a beating by the Presiding Judge in our era.¡± Opening her white eyes, Elise looked at Nizemar with interest before turning to Remides. ¡°You seem to have guessed that I left a record here?¡± Sibylla asked her with a smile. ¡°Previously, I heard from the Presiding Judge that you could leave a mark on fake history that didn¡¯t exist through your eyes that transcends the past and future¡­ After all, what happened here is a secret between the two of us,¡± Remides replied coldly. She didn¡¯t seem too excited to see her former ally again. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you explain to the Presiding Judge what happened to Nehe back then? Since you¡¯re here, it means that things are spiraling out of control again, right?¡± Sibylla retracted her smile and asked. ¡°I forgot,¡± Remides replied dryly. The smile on Sibylla¡¯s face gradually disappeared as she said emotionlessly, ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Then, what do you want me to say? Say that it was because he stopped Nehe¡¯s suicide back then that the Lady of Starvation obtained a second chance at birth? Or tell him that after Nehe regained his body, he turned into a humanoid Moon Realm rift that Camilla could use to break through the World Shell. For this reason, he has no choice but to choose to go out to the Ruins of Orsis a second time and exile himself to World¡¯s End?¡± ¡°Or are you afraid of letting the Presiding Judge know¡­¡± Sibylla slowly interrupted Remides. She paused and her expression gradually darkened. Then, her lips moved, and Nizemar felt as if she had heard mosquito talk. However, to Remides, the other party¡¯s words exploded in her ears like thunder. ¡°You were the one who revealed Nehe¡¯s last whereabouts to the Tacma Church, allowing them to successfully kill a Judge in the Ruins of Orsis. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of letting William know that you killed Nehe with the help of outsiders.¡± Chapter 342 - 342 No 342 No ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± William heard heavy footsteps behind him and asked without turning his head. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back¡­¡± Floral replied tiredly. With that said, she turned around and looked at the Frost Soul behind her before continuing, ¡°Also, I brought back the empire ambassador you requested me to capture alive.¡± The Frost Soul that emitted a cold aura was frozen with the empire ambassador from before. Its entire body was punctured in holes filled with frozen blood, and its face was frozen in shock¡ªit was as if it hadn¡¯t expected to suffer such a fierce attack before it lost consciousness. However, on the other hand, Floral¡¯s tired expression made it clear that despite having overwhelming strength, she didn¡¯t seem to have an easy victory in this battle despite the overwhelming difference in strength. Floral was also covered in wounds¡ªsome of them were physical. Without waiting for William to continue, Floral lowered her head slightly and said in a tone that was half bitter and half respectful, ¡°Moreover, I finally understand why you asked me to go alone, Presiding Judge¡­¡± The other party could have resolved the matter with a wave of his hand, but he made an unnecessary move by giving her those precious items and letting her resolve it herself. This wasn¡¯t a whim of this absolute powerhouse, nor was it out of restraint to maintain his status as someone superior¡­ She figured it out when the truth was revealed. In fact, this savior from more than a thousand years ago, a mighty existence consecrated as the Eighth Holy Spirit by later generations, had long known all of this. He was just giving her a chance to face the truth and¡­ hoping that she could make the choice she deserved. With this in mind, Floral closed her eyes and opened them again. The confusion in her eyes was swept away. She said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely be like Mr. Nehe back then and completely exile myself to World¡¯s End with the same beliefs¡­¡± William turned around slowly. William originally wanted to hear Floral explain the situation in detail, but he wasn¡¯t sure why she suddenly mentioned Nehe. Did this matter have anything to do with Nehe? In William¡¯s short conversation with Zamara, the Dreamer reminded him that Floral, who could use the Forest Elf souls as casting fuel, had a close relationship with the gradually assimilated Matriarch. The gradually awakening Matriarch was an important condition for the Lady of Starvation to rebirth in Currere. William asked her to face the Webweaver alone because he wanted information. After all, the Webweaver was a Lunar Monster under Beatrice. Lying was almost instinctive¡ªsomething even they couldn¡¯t control themselves. Even if he threatened eternal destruction, he couldn¡¯t obtain much useful information. The only way to get them to tell the truth was if the truth could affect the battle. If William took action personally, the Webweaver would lie knowing there would be no change in the outcome no matter what it said. But why was Nehe suddenly brought up? Was it because he was Floral¡¯s teacher across a timespan of a millennium? Although his mind was filled with question marks, William comforted her without batting an eyelid. ¡°Do you really plan on doing that? You have to know that Nehe chose to banish himself to the Ruins of Orsis back then. Don¡¯t tell me you think you can resolve everything by self-exile?¡± Even with this level of experience, William knew that the Ruins of Orsis wasn¡¯t suitable for living beings. It wasn¡¯t easy for a Divine Realm magic chanter to survive there for long periods. William originally planned on persuading Floral not to have such extreme thoughts, but his words had a completely different meaning to Floral. Floral fell silent for a long time. Yes, at this point, why did she still have the hope of living? Was it because of her unfulfilled wish to see the world beyond Ravenwood? Perhaps it was because Mr. Nehe didn¡¯t choose to end his life back then that caused all kinds of unforeseen events, causing the Forest Elves¡¯ salvation to be delayed until now¡­ With this in mind, Floral said in a firmer tone than before, ¡°You¡¯re right. Exile can¡¯t resolve these problems. When I return to the correct timeline with you, I¡¯ll immediately end my cursed life. I¡¯ll personally write the final termination charm for such a warped and ludicrous story that has lasted for more than 5,000 years.¡± That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ William felt a headache coming on. ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± ¡°I understand, Presiding Judge. Don¡¯t worry. When I truly herald my destiny, I will shoulder my responsibility. Since I¡¯ve obtained Mr. Nehe¡¯s legacy, I will naturally do my best to complete his unfinished business.¡± Floral¡¯s face was filled with determination as if she was about to die for the cause. William couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He tapped the magical medium in his hand and said, ¡°Since I¡¯m here, there¡¯s no need for you or anyone to risk everything. You should do something more valuable with your life.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it still silenced the surrounding people. After a while, Floral whispered, ¡°Even if I¡¯m Camilla¡¯s child like Mr. Nehe?¡± Her voice was very sincere, and there was even a hint of trembling from fear and nervousness. Therefore, William determined that the other party wasn¡¯t joking. Then, he repeated, ¡°Even if¡­ you¡¯re Camilla¡¯s child like Nehe¡­¡± He only moved his lips, but his teeth were clenched tight. William¡¯s heart was filled with shock, the thought ¡®what are you talking about¡¯ running through his head. Originally, he had guessed that Floral¡¯s true identity was probably regarding her being secretly controlled by the Lady of Starvation. What was even more tragic was that she was a puppet-like existence. He didn¡¯t expect the truth to be so enthralling. Most importantly¡­ Nehe was the same? Recalling Nehe¡¯s unreasonable and unbalanced magical realm in the early stages, some bad thoughts began to surface in William¡¯s mind. If this is the truth¡­ that explains many things. William immediately asked, ¡°Did Nehe leave any information about what needs to be done in the inheritance he left for you?¡± ¡°I seem to remember¡­¡± Floral tried to recall when she heard this question. A moment later, she held her forehead in pain. Most of her memories came from the body on the other timeline, and the memories a soul on another side could carry were limited. However, something that Floral should have forgotten suddenly became clear in her mind, as if a god outside Currere had wiped the dust from her memories. ¡°I seem to remember¡­ Lord Nehe¡¯s records have similar statements about letting future generations use the power of the Lady of Starvation to completely destroy the core of the World Tree,¡± Floral replied. This seemed to be the deal William had hoped to make when he first met her. ¡°Very good. Then, it¡¯s clear what needs to be done next.¡± William looked at the squirming mountain of flesh in the distance and said. In this timeline, the core of the World Tree is probably an important symbol for Camilla. In addition, Zamara had previously given him advice. He could also use the Ironstone Oath to resonate with it and break through the restrictions of timelines. Therefore, was the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Origin of the Moon there? William moved immediately. But¡­ but then again, before leaving, William looked at the bloated and ugly World Tree in the distance and thought. If what Floral, or rather, the Webweaver, said was true, wouldn¡¯t he be the first person in Judgment to know Nehe¡¯s true identity other than Nehe himself? If that was the case, he had to hide this secret from Remides and the others. Chapter 343 - 343 Forgetting, Stagnation, Revenge 343 Forgetting, Stagnation, Revenge However, no matter what, this was something to consider in the future. If he couldn¡¯t resolve the current crisis, there wouldn¡¯t be much of a ¡®later¡¯ to speak of. To be disposed to contemplating misery was always a luxury of the victor. The only thing he should consider now was how to win. ¡°So, are you ready?¡± William turned his head and asked Floral. ¡°Ready for what?¡± Floral, who still looked a little down and out, asked in confusion. ¡°Ready to tell the people the truth,¡± William replied. All the Forest Elves in this timeline were undead. They were driven by the remnants of their memories when they were alive and constantly repeated their past actions. In fact, Zamara¡¯s huge dream was only to make those repetitive actions correspond to history in the normal timeline as much as possible. This matter was much simpler than imagined. After all, for a race like the Forest Elves that lacked information and had a traditional style of doing things, most people¡¯s daily lives were just repetitive. It couldn¡¯t be said that there hadn¡¯t been anyone who was willing to walk east of Golden Green Avenue and see World¡¯s End and realize that they were living in an illusion in the past 5,000 years. However, it was obvious that those numbers had never been large enough to shake up such a huge country. ¡°Show the citizens the evidence and tell them all that they¡¯re long dead. Then, tell them that Ravenwood, where they live, is only a boxed country, and all of them are just tin soldiers placed in a sandbox by a Void Sovereign.¡± William looked Floral in the eye and said, ¡°It¡¯s possible to send a message to all the Forest Elves through the spell arrays in your White Bone Castle, right?¡± Floral subconsciously nodded before asking in confusion, ¡°Yes, but why¡­¡± She didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of this. Regardless of whether the citizens knew the truth or not, they couldn¡¯t affect the outcome of the subsequent decisive battle. If this timeline was destined to be pruned into a fantasy that never existed, it was useless to tell the citizens the truth. It was better to let them calmly step towards destruction while still in an illusion. ¡°Telling the public the truth can effectively destroy the similarity between the two timelines. Although it won¡¯t be very effective with the inertia amassed from more than 5,000 years of history, this can still increase the difficulty of the Lady of Starvation replacing history to a certain extent,¡± William replied. In fact, it would be better to burn the entire Ravenwood, but he suddenly didn¡¯t want to do so. ¡°Of course, more importantly, they should know the truth. They should know that they¡¯re destined to perish, that they¡¯re just a dream of the dead, and they should know that after they perish, no one will remember them other than us. There won¡¯t be any traces of their existence because from the perspective of Currere, they never even existed.¡± As long as this timeline was still floating in the nothingness of World¡¯s End and hadn¡¯t truly integrated into Currere¡¯s history, this was only an illusion that carried the memories of the Lady of Starvation before She was born. ¡°So why?¡± Floral asked after hearing William¡¯s words. She couldn¡¯t imagine what chaos it would cause if she told the Ravenwood citizens the truth. How many people would convert to believing in the awakening Earth Mother or even the Moon Realm deity in order to perpetuate their existence? Even if the Presiding Judge had the strength to quell everyone here, there was no need for him to take the initiative to increase the difficulty, right? Even though he had gone overboard, William continued as if it wasn¡¯t enough, ¡°After telling them the truth, we have to continue telling them that this destruction isn¡¯t just a natural disaster. It¡¯s the Forest Elves¡¯ fault. It was their ancestors¡¯ massacre of the Ravenwood natives that awakened the forgotten Dark Mother, causing the birth of the Lady of Starvation. ¡°Therefore, they have no right to lament or be angry. This is because those who have the right to lament and be angry have long lost their voices. The destruction of this timeline and their destruction can only be considered atonement for the former Ravenwood natives.¡± Ebony couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He walked in front of William and knelt on one knee like an empire citizen. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Please pardon my rudeness, Presiding Judge, but other than creating chaos and causing more trouble for you, this doesn¡¯t seem meaningful in any way? Moreover, the sin of massacring the natives was committed by the Forest Elf ancestors. What did the Forest Elf descendants do wrong¡­¡± An invisible force lifted Ebony up. William stared into the Forest Elf¡¯s emerald eyes and said, ¡°Do you really not know what the Forest Elves did wrong?¡± William¡¯s gaze was calm, but Ebony broke out in a cold sweat. He lowered his head like a child being reprimanded by a parent. After thinking for a moment, he replied softly, ¡°W¡­ We were at fault for forgetting?¡± William nodded before shaking his head. ¡°Forgetting, but even worse¡­ Stagnation.¡± Perhaps there was a law of the jungle among different civilizations, or perhaps there were countless races and countries, just like the Ravenwood natives who had completely disappeared into the long river of history because of the invasion of foreign races. However, the civilizations that wrote their history as victors couldn¡¯t casually forget the blood debt that stained their hands as if nothing had happened. Be it out of repentance, sympathy, regret, helplessness, or even a boastful attitude, they shouldn¡¯t forget the fact that they had once destroyed another civilization. Forgetting was the greatest sacrilege. The greater sin above this was that after destroying another civilization and plundering the living space of a race, they lost all motivation to advance. They stopped advancing and parasitized the corpses of the losers, living day after day and year after year by devouring the remains of the losers. Until the entire race was on the verge of decay. The Forest Elves¡¯ 5,000-year stagnation was not only their greatest contempt for themselves, but also for the Ravenwood natives they had exterminated. The living should carry the value of the dead on their shoulders, be it the people who sacrificed themselves or the people they killed. It was the same for civilization. It was no wonder that the Lady of Starvation, Camilla, would use Ravenwood as her source of growth. It wasn¡¯t just because this was Her origin. More importantly, the most lively place on the Vic Continent was also the most rotten and disgusting country in the entire Vic Continent in a civilized sense. Even the Blackwater Swamp, a country filled with ancestral worship and the emergence of necromancers, seemed better. ¡°Tell them everything. Then, tell them that although extinction is inevitable and they brought it on themselves, they still have one last chance to atone for their sins. They can still attempt at making changes, giving their extinction the last bit of value, allowing the Forest Elves to be reborn from the ashes.¡± William paused for a moment before continuing with bright eyes, ¡°Moreover, I swear in my name that I will avenge all of them. I will completely kill the direct perpetrator who caused their destruction¡ªeven if She¡¯s an undying Moon Realm god.¡± Chapter 344 - 344 Final Advice 344 Final Advice After William made the arrangements, Floral asked nervously, ¡°So, is this really enough?¡± After putting the items away in his inventory, William asked casually, ¡°Why? Is there anything else to worry about?¡± ¡°There¡¯s¡­ the most important thing. If I announce these things to all the Forest Elves from White Bone Castle, how can I guarantee that the citizens can understand what I¡¯m saying? Even if they can, will they really believe me?¡± The education level of most Forest Elves could only be described as tragic. Other than the forest druids in the Oak Council who had systematic knowledge inheritance, the general education of ordinary Forest Elf civilians was basically completed through fables or religious proclamations. It was simply a fantasy to hope that these complicated concepts could be understood and believed by all the citizens through her speech. Likewise, Ebony said worriedly, ¡°Moreover, even if they can understand, can they immediately sacrifice their lives for the future of their race as you expect?¡± Or was he planning on placing the success or failure of the entire plan on the moral standards and dedication of mortals? Ebony was long past the age where he took bard stories seriously. Therefore, even if the person in front of him was the Doomsday Watcher¡¯s Presiding Judge in legends and the incarnation of the legendary Eighth Holy Spirit, he definitely wouldn¡¯t believe that the other party had solely relied on his virtue and justice to create so many legends. William explained, ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. What I want you to do isn¡¯t to move them, but to inform them and tell them the truth. On this basis, they can choose to provide help or quietly wait for their fated dissipation after everything is settled. I don¡¯t have the ability to correct the Forest Elves¡¯ wrong history for the past 5,000 years. No one can, not even gods. Similarly, I don¡¯t have the right to say that I want to redeem all of them. They are both perpetrators and victims. I can¡¯t make a decision. The only thing I can do is tell them the truth of all of this so that they can at least have the right to be angry.¡± As for what choice they made after being angry, that was up to them. In any case, be it providing help or causing trouble, it wouldn¡¯t affect the overall situation much. William looked at Floral and added, ¡°In addition, as for whether the citizens can understand or believe you, you can rest assured that I¡¯ve reached a tacit understanding with the fellow who weaved this entire dream. At the very least, there won¡¯t be any problems with such a trivial matter.¡± ¡­ ¡°Cracks have appeared in the Forest Elves¡¯ dream, and the dream you weaved is gradually collapsing. Dreamer, can I take it that you plan on violating your contract?¡± In the Moon Realm above the endless sky, Camilla¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in the mist that reflected the endless dreams of Currere. Her words seemed accusatory, but Her tone was calm as if She had expected it. ¡°The Moon Realm rift called the Healer¡¯s Scar has been opened. It¡¯s normal for cracks to appear in the dream world when lucidity and the dream world intersect.¡± Zamara, the owner of the Nightmare Swamp, replied after a moment of silence. Of course, only She knew if the truth was as She had described. ¡°But you can¡¯t even maintain three days¡­ No, you can¡¯t even maintain a day of stability?¡± Camilla asked in a sticky voice. After the Healer¡¯s Scar was opened, Ravenwood¡¯s dreamscape slowly collapsed. At this rate, the cognitive deception maintained by Zamara¡¯s dream would gradually lose its effectiveness in this timeline. The undead living in this timeline would gradually regain their original understanding. ¡°Yes, it can be stabilized as long as the Healer¡¯s Scar is temporarily sealed, but I don¡¯t think you will make that choice,¡± Zamara replied. She knew that Camilla definitely wouldn¡¯t make such a choice because Her strength was constantly projected into Currere through the Moon Realm rift. A portion of Her power had materialized into a Lunar Monster Legion and transformed into a hungry army that marched through the Moon Realm rift and majestically stepped into Currere. It was a huge army gathered in Ravenwood under the leadership of several Demon Generals. As for a larger portion, it gradually resonated with the incarnation¡ªthe World Tree¡ªthat She had been preparing for many years in the form of a concept. When the synchronization was completed, the World Tree would directly awaken and become the largest Currere incarnation in history. At the same time, it was the one that was most compatible with the Void Sovereign¡¯s power. ¡°So what if more than half of your strength is projected on that Void Incarnation? When the undead there sense their true nature, this timeline you¡¯ve been running for thousands of years will be reduced to nothingness because you can¡¯t synchronize it with true history. ¡°Instead of that, why don¡¯t you pull the fictional Ravenwood back to your Moon Realm domain? When the time comes, your strength will become one of the strongest among us.¡± Stop thinking about turning your origins into the true history of Currere. Zamara tried one last time to persuade Her. ¡°Mortals are best at lying to themselves. Even if the illusion you weave collapses, as long as they¡¯re unwilling to face reality, they won¡¯t expose their lies for the time being. This way, as long as no lunatics shout and tell the undead the truth, the historical synchronization between the two timelines won¡¯t cause too much of a stir,¡± Camilla only replied coldly. ¡°So you didn¡¯t consider the possibility of such a lunatic?¡± Zamara reminded. ¡°So, do you really think the Moon Realm Calamity is someone who will do such a thing?¡± Camilla immediately replied. On the other hand, Zamara felt that the Calamity from more than a thousand years ago wasn¡¯t such a person, but it was a little difficult to say for the current him¡­ However, She didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Moreover, even if the Calamity goes crazy and does so, he¡ªwho has a portion of the Precepts¡ªwill become the link that stabilizes this timeline.¡± The observations of the holder of the Precept could become an anchor that defined true history. ¡°Moreover, that Void Incarnation is very strong,¡± Camilla continued. She even felt that the tangible strength of Her incarnation could theoretically easily defeat the Moon Realm Calamity who hadn¡¯t obtained the power of the Eighth Holy Spirit for more than a thousand years. Of course, it was only theoretical. Camilla felt that She couldn¡¯t kill him. In the past, before the Moon Realm Calamity was powerful to that extent, They had many opportunities to theoretically kill the other party, but They ultimately failed in an extremely strange manner. He always won. Back then, the Void Sovereigns¡ªat the very least most of them¡ªhadn¡¯t considered the possibility of the Precept being in that man¡¯s hands. Now, if They wanted to completely kill the Calamity who wielded the Precept, the only way of killing him was for a Void Sovereign¡¯s true body to enter Currere and use their own infinity to kill the other party¡¯s infinity. It was a complete annihilation with Their absolute status and strength. After hearing Camilla¡¯s words, Zamara didn¡¯t plan on persuading Her. Before the other party left, She delivered Her last piece of advice. ¡°If you¡¯re sure you want to follow the plan Beatrice tailored for you, I only have one thing to say. The Demon General under Her, Silence, disappeared after destroying the Healer Lighthouse. Have you ever wondered why the Demon General under Her command was sealed under the Astral Lighthouse that belongs to your timeline?¡± Chapter 345 - 345 Oak Heart 345 Oak Heart ¡°What happened below? How¡¯s Nehe? Didn¡¯t he successfully reincarnate? Why is he still¡­¡± After the two of them escaped from the underground root system in an extremely sorry state, Remides grabbed Sibylla agitatedly and questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the miniature calamity has already subsided? Why did it suddenly become active again? Your eyes didn¡¯t even notice it? The ritual you designed is so¡­¡± ¡°Why are you so agitated?¡± Sibylla, whose forehead was scratched bloody by the thorny branches, shook off Remides¡¯s hand angrily. Then, she straightened her clothes and took a deep breath to compose herself before saying, ¡°The ritual I designed failed for some unforeseen reason¡­ Why are you staring at me? Is there a need to make such a fuss? Isn¡¯t it expected that a ritual built from a legend that has no circulation will have a similar outcome if you want to complete the miracle of reviving the undead?¡± As she spoke, she looked at the densely packed thorny branches under the root system. The exaggerated number looked like it could turn the area around the World Tree into an ocean of thorns if it surged to the surface. However, at this moment, they seemed to be held back by some force. They kept struggling as if they were about to reach the surface, but they stopped trembling under the root system. ¡°At the very least, he can still do some corrective work. This can already be considered a fortunate situation.¡± ¡°How is this considered fortunate¡­¡± Remides gritted her teeth and said. ¡°To not create a main deity who can¡¯t be controlled while acting on instinct, nor did we cause a large-scale disaster. Isn¡¯t that fortunate? I remember reminding you from the beginning that the unpredictable risks involved in designing a legendary ritual that hasn¡¯t been verified can¡¯t even be predicted by my eyes. However, you had to take this risk and try this plan with less than a 10% success rate.¡± Sibylla stared at the squirming thorns below and spoke in an increasingly frustrated tone. ¡°I can understand Nehe going crazy because of his experiences, but why did you join his madness? Why did you believe that a miracle will happen to you guys for no reason? Do you know why the Presiding Judge hid his phylactery and threw it away back then? It¡¯s because he already expected that if Nehe really took back his soul box, something would happen without him watching!¡± Sibylla¡¯s tone became agitated towards the end. From the beginning, when Nehe approached her, Sibylla rejected the plan with a slim chance of success. It wasn¡¯t until Remides came to persuade her and agreed to help her continue searching for World¡¯s End that she reluctantly agreed. Now that things had failed as she had expected, the brewing emotions in her naturally erupted. ¡°Yes, the soul box!¡± However, when she heard Sibylla¡¯s complaints, Remides seemed to recall something and looked at the ancient box hanging at the Astral Observer¡¯s waist. ¡°Although the ritual went out of control, Nehe¡¯s reincarnation is still completed. As long as there¡¯s a soul box, I can sneak down and try to preserve Nehe¡¯s soul again. This way¡­¡± Hope reignited in Remides¡¯s eyes. However, under the other party¡¯s gaze, Sibylla placed the soul box in her inventory. ¡°Impossible¡­ There¡¯s a high chance that the ritual failed in this form because there are other secrets to this soul box,¡± Sibylla said calmly. ¡°What secrets?¡± Remides asked immediately. Sibylla didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, she took out a Sealed Magic rune and set up a sealing barrier outside the root system. After applying a simple seal, she slowly said, ¡°We still need to investigate what it is¡­ But during the previous ritual, when the soul box was opened and Nehe¡¯s soul was released to be fed to Earth Mother, I saw two other powerful souls stored in the box¡­¡± ¡­ The out-of-control ritual in the underground root system finally calmed down three days later¡ªthe surging sea of thorns and vines seemed to have had all their life force sucked out overnight. They withered to the point that they would turn to ashes and scatter with a breeze. After resting, Sibylla and Remides made thorough preparations before venturing deeper into the underground root system. However, when they returned to the hall, they realized that it had long been reduced to ruins. There were no survivors or victims. All the plants in the hall that could have been placed in the Vic Continent¡¯s botanical museums were dead, and the air reeked with a foul smell of rot. Back then, they didn¡¯t suspect the Lady of Starvation. Firstly, it was because Sibylla didn¡¯t see any traces related to the Moon Realm. Secondly, all the Moon Realm rifts had been sealed back then, and all the Void Sovereigns had signed a contract with the Presiding Judge at Gray Castle that They wouldn¡¯t actively affect Currere. In an era when the contract remained rock solid, It was unlikely for Them to cause such a huge commotion in Currere. In the hall, Nehe was nowhere to be seen. Moreover, Earth Mother, who had almost been awakened, had fallen silent. Remides searched the underground root system for about a month before she had no choice but to accept reality. During this period, Sibylla had been studying the strange soul box. When Remides returned to the surface after a month, she only saw the thick stack of research materials Sibylla had left for her. ¡°Let me give the conclusion first. Nehe¡¯s soul is the child of the first Authority holder who mirrored Earth Mother. As for the true identity of the first Earth Mother, I have a crazy guess, but to verify that guess, I have to find World¡¯s End. But no matter what, I¡¯ll tell you my guess here. She¡¯s¡­¡± ¡­ Although Nizemar didn¡¯t hear what Sibylla said clearly, she could tell from Remides¡¯s expression that it was something extraordinary. This was because she had never seen such a rich expression on Remides¡¯s face. For a moment, she almost believed that Ava State¡¯s Shadow Queen was an ordinary person with normal emotions. Was it guilt, sorrow, or some kind of repentance for something that couldn¡¯t be pursued? ¡°I never thought¡­¡± Remides snapped out of her daze and said, looking like she wanted to provide an explanation. However, before she could finish speaking, Sibylla turned around. ¡°Time is running out.¡± As she spoke, she walked towards the end of the root hall, the tunnel that led to the core of the World Tree. Remides didn¡¯t say anything else and followed behind her. Nizemar followed and asked in confusion, ¡°What do you mean, time is running out?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left to stay on this side.¡± It was Sibylla who replied. ¡°At the bottom of the tree hole is where the core of the World Tree is stored. Back then, Nehe used Inverse Entropy to set up an absolutely perfect defensive barrier. Without me, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to open it.¡± With that said, she turned her head and looked at Remides. ¡°The so-called core of the World Tree, the Oak Fruit that symbolizes the origin of all life¡ªthe Oak Heart¡ªis actually the symbol of the Lady of Starvation, Camilla¡ªthe Void Sovereign¡¯s core symbol. It¡¯s also one of the conditions for the Lady of Starvation¡¯s birth. ¡°Back then, after Nehe reincarnated, he risked everything and even assimilated himself into Camilla¡¯s mother¡¯s body, turning him into a humanoid Moon Realm rift that spread a rotten plague to completely prevent that thing from being activated.¡± Remides replied slowly, ¡°I know. In the Moon Realm, this concept is called the Origin of the Moon. It¡¯s the cornerstone for forging a Void Sovereign¡¯s immortal throne¡­¡± The unactivated Origin of the Moon might turn into solid matter, but once it was activated, it would become an illusory concept. If it was activated in Currere, it might even bring a new law to Currere. ¡°Did the Tacma Church tell you all this?¡± Sibylla asked. Remides nodded. ¡°They told me that every Origin of the Moon can create a true miracle as a consumable. Be it completely killing a person, creating a domain that can restrict all magic, or¡­ reviving a person without any conditions. ¡°They said that as long as the deal is completed, the Origin of the Moon called the Oak Heart will belong to me. The effect of the Origin of the Moon related to life is most likely to be a miracle of rebirth¡­¡± Sibylla sighed. ¡°So, what was it?¡± Remides regained her expressionless face, but Nizemar felt that she was suppressing her emotions. Just as they were about to reach the tunnel, Remides said, ¡°The miraculous effect of the Oak Heart is indeed related to life, but its ability isn¡¯t to revive the dead, but to give real life to anthropomorphic dead objects.¡± Chapter 346 - 346 Superfluous 346 Superfluous ¡°You¡¯re really¡­ a fool.¡± Sibylla sighed and commented. Without waiting for the other party to reply, she continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Time¡¯s running out for me.¡± As she spoke, she extended a finger and pointed at the tunnel entrance. There, a barrier that relied on the World Tree to provide magic power kept them out. Sibylla didn¡¯t chant any incantations or construct any spells. Only a faint magical light lit up at her fingertips. Then, with a casual swipe, the barrier blocking the tunnel instantly dissipated like a thin spiderweb. Nizemar could sense that the mana on the other party¡¯s fingertips was only at the scale of an ordinary mage apprentice. However, with just a light swipe, she easily dispelled the powerful magic barrier. As expected of a Judge. Even a will from thousands of years ago can temporarily control a weak body and display extraordinary abilities. As expected of the first batch of apostles who followed the Eighth Holy Spirit¡­ Nizemar exclaimed inwardly. Then, she couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists gently. As the first batch of followers of the Eighth Holy Spirit in this era, when could she reach their level? ¡°Back then, I re-investigated the Forest Elf ancestors¡¯ colonial history and discovered contradictions in their records. On the one hand, faith in the Dark Mother does exist, which Nehe confirmed during the ritual. On the other hand, if Ravenwood was really a kingdom of the undead covered in all kinds of corruption before the Forest Elves arrived as they recorded, it would conflict with the birth conditions of Earth Mother.¡± As Sibylla spoke, she walked deeper into the tunnel. A ball of light emitting a gentle white light floated in front of her, illuminating everyone. Earth Mother, who devoured Her offspring to return life to its origins, naturally needed a natural condition where life was flourishing to have a chance of being born. ¡°These things are mentioned in the information you left behind. Although I still can¡¯t figure out how you sensed the possibility of another history and how the Lady of Starvation was the origins of the Forest Elves¡­¡± Remides said. Her voice had returned to its usual calmness. ¡°According to the Presiding Judge, my eyes are unique in the entire world. Back then, I didn¡¯t understand the true meaning of ¡®unique.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until a long time later that I understood that no matter where these eyes were or which possibility of history they were in, no matter who its owner was, as long as something was taken into its vision, I could observe things through them¡­ I also invented a spell to send information to the future from abandoned timelines based on this principle.¡± The Eyes of God could be said to be a true divine vision that lived up to its name. ¡°Of course, based on my thoughts as a mortal, I can only see the largest and smallest extremes¡ªthe smallest vision is based on my perspective to determine what might happen next. This is equivalent to a short-lived vision of the future. As for the largest vision, it allows me to see another possibility in history.¡± The latter was often manifested in the form of dreams. For example, in the past, Sibylla had betrayed Currere as a Presiding Judge and became the 13th Void Sovereign¡¯s nightmare at the cost of sacrificing Judgment. However, strangely, Judgment in that dream had undergone a huge change. The Presiding Judge in the dream was even a woman. However, Sibylla could clearly sense that the person¡¯s soul was the same as the Presiding Judge¡¯s. Presumably, that was a wrong timeline that was destined to be pruned like her current state. Pushing this unhappy memory out of her mind, she continued, ¡°Generally speaking, when there¡¯s a contradiction between the records of history and the situation in reality, I¡¯ll assume that the Forest Elf ancestors tampered with the records of history, resulting in a contradiction. However, when I used Nehe¡¯s soul box as a medium to observe the past and tried to use my gift, I saw in my dream that Ravenwood had two pasts that existed parallel to each other. At this point, Sibylla turned to Remides. ¡°After waking up from the dream, I conducted a verification using the two souls in the soul box¡­ Speaking of which, do you still remember the final study I was carrying out back then?¡± Remides shook her head. How could she remember the details of what happened more than a thousand years ago so clearly? Upon seeing this, Sibylla revealed a bitter expression for the first time. She sighed and said, ¡°Alright, since you don¡¯t remember, it proves that my research back then didn¡¯t reach this era a thousand years later. To a certain extent, this can be considered a good thing. At the very least, it wasn¡¯t ruined by later generations¡­¡± Although she said that, one could still hear the deep regret in her voice¡ªthe research she originally thought would revolutionize future generations didn¡¯t seem to make a splash at all. Anyone who realized such a future would have such emotions. ¡°Cloud mapping of the Currere soul cycle¡ªused to investigate how souls who aren¡¯t qualified to enter the divine kingdom end up participating in the Currere cycle after mortals die.¡± At this point, Sibylla sped up slightly and said, ¡°The final conclusion is enough to overturn the hypothesis that the Wheel of the World¡ªthe most authoritative authority in academia¡ªis the hub of reincarnation that reconstructs the entire Storm and Undead spell systems from ground up¡­ If the relevant information is left behind in real history, we should be able to find relevant records through the guidance of the Eyes of God. Remember to remind the Presiding Judge later¡­ ¡°I think we¡¯ve sidetracked. Let¡¯s get back to the soul box. My study involved the domain related to the genetic inheritance of the souls. After analyzing the remaining two souls in the soul box, I searched for their ancestry in the sense of a soul through ancestral retrospection. I finally came to the conclusion that their souls had been sealed in the soul box for 5,000 years and displayed characteristics extremely similar to the Lady of Starvation Camilla¡¯s Void Incarnation back then.¡± After advancing a distance, a second barrier was in their way. Sibylla did the same thing and broke the seal that was augmented by powerful magic. Her movements were as easy as opening a lock with a master key. ¡°These things weren¡¯t explained clearly in the information you left behind back then. You only gave me a conclusion and left without a word,¡± Remides complained. If not for that, why would she seek help from the Tacma Church later¡­ ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it. If I hadn¡¯t verified my guess back then, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to tell you this now,¡± Sibylla replied. ¡°What guess? Couldn¡¯t you just wait a few more days for me?¡± Sibylla shook her head with a heavy expression at Remides¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to wait a few more days for your conjecture about World¡¯s End, but I really couldn¡¯t afford those few days¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, the trio merged beyond the last bend and arrived in front of the last barrier. The last defensive barrier left behind by Nehe back then was an absolute defense reinforced by the peak Frost spell, Inverse Entropy. There were only three magic chanters¡ªincluding William¡ªwho could remove this barrier. However, by the time they arrived, someone had already beaten them to it. Floral, who had left, and Bishop Sigmond of the Second Order were on the other end of the barrier. The latter was holding a curved tool with the Mother holy emblem and carefully trying to remove the Oak Heart from the stand. Floral turned around when she heard footsteps behind. The surprised expression only lasted for a short moment. Then, she smiled at the newcomers and pointed at the barrier covered in mist before shaking her finger. You can¡¯t come over. The expression on her face said. ¡°Hurry.¡± Remides immediately turned her head and reminded Sibylla, but Sibylla was faster. With misty eyes, Sibylla¡¯s hand instantly lit up with several precise magic spells. At the same time, the barrier also lit up with ice-blue spells that intertwined with it. However, the two forces only touched slightly, and Sibylla¡¯s expression immediately changed drastically. She turned to look at Nizemar and asked anxiously, ¡°Did the Presiding Judge come here when he went down to the underground root system?¡± Nizemar recalled that the Presiding Judge seemed to have mentioned it, so she nodded. ¡°That¡­ fellow who likes to do superfluous stuff!¡± Sibylla gritted her teeth and cursed. Then, even denser magic spells lit up around her again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Remides asked in confusion. ¡°When he came here previously, he definitely used destructive methods to open the barrier. Then, before he left, I don¡¯t know what idea he was having¡­ There¡¯s a high chance that his incomprehensible obsessive-compulsive disorder made him add a barrier to this place and even reinforced it with three layers!¡± As Sibylla spoke, the whiteness in her eyes began to spin crazily like a nebula. It might take less than a minute to undo Nehe¡¯s unmaintained barrier, but it would take ten minutes to crack William¡¯s barrier. Ignoring the fact that the duo had beaten them to it, she had no idea if she still had ten minutes left. ¡°What if they get the Oak Heart?¡± Remides asked as she nocked an arrow named Karma on Glazed Moon. After hearing Sibylla¡¯s words, she began to imagine the worst. ¡°The birth of the Lady of Starvation requires two Origins of the Moon, and the other should be on the other side of the timeline. However, if both fall into their hands, they only need to obtain the souls needed for the reincarnation ritual to replicate Nehe¡¯s foolish actions back then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible, but it doesn¡¯t seem that bad¡­¡± With that said, Remides released the bowstring in her hand. The arrow named Karma instantly drew hundreds of different trajectories in midair, searching for a path that could pierce the bishop¡¯s head. Chapter 347 - 347 Oracle 347 Oracle ¡°Therefore, do whatever you want. No matter what the final outcome is, I¡¯ll begin after you¡¯re done. All of this shall end today.¡± Floral and Ebony nodded with complicated expressions and left after hearing the Presiding Judge¡¯s words. Floral used Storm spells to lift the two of them and flew quickly in the direction of White Bone Castle. Soon, they would pass final judgment on the Forest Elves¡¯ original sin, an erroneous timeline that had perpetuated for over 5,000 years. William felt his heart palpitate as he watched the white gas trails left behind by them. It was a nervousness that filled his heart, as well as a faint fear. William had only experienced this feeling twice since he came to this world. The first time was when he killed someone with his own hands. William still remembered David Obis. He was a Moon Realm Demon Summoner who used the lives of innocent students as a blood sacrifice to summon a Stumbling Demon. He was a scoundrel with blood on his hands and a sinner who deserved to be killed at all levels. William didn¡¯t think it was a problem for him to kill such a vile person. That was a judgment that that person deserved. However, what made him nervous and even terrified was that the moment he killed that person, he realized that he had transcendent strength. In this fantasy world that had turned into reality, he really had the power to kill. Moreover, it was absolute authority. In this era where Void Sovereigns couldn¡¯t descend into Currere with Their true bodies, he could do almost anything he wanted with his perfect save. There was almost no power to restrain him from doing anything he wanted. Although it was legal and morally reasonable to kill such an unpardonable sinner, what identity did he use to carry out the judgment? To answer this deep-seated question, he made a choice back then. He used the death of a minor character like David Obis to announce the death of the man named Zhou Mu and the rebirth of the legend, William Kane. Through his recognition of William Kane¡¯s identity, he kept his erratic mind in check after sensing that he had potent strength. The other time was when he fought Coles at Black Crow Gaze. Even though he was facing his former comrade, William didn¡¯t waver. The other party had done something wrong. No matter how dignified he made it sound, it couldn¡¯t change the fact. However, Coles¡¯s question back then made him feel uneasy again. Coles¡¯s idea of leaving a sanctuary for Currere was wrong, but was his own plan necessarily correct? Or rather, was he qualified to guide the development of this world with his will? William¡¯s answer was simple. Regardless of whether he was qualified or not, the Moon Realm and the empire were definitely less qualified than him. At the very least, he could kick out those who were even less qualified than him before discussing the future. This answer didn¡¯t completely answer the other party¡¯s doubts, but before eliminating the empire and the Moon Realm, William could proceed on without any confusion. This should have been the case, but things never went as planned. Now, a new choice was placed in front of him in Ravenwood. Was he really qualified to determine the fate of a race¡¯s present, future, and even the past? This wasn¡¯t a decision between good and evil, nor was it a choice between efficiency and inefficiency. Countless innocent civilians on a personal level would disappear forever because of his decision. They hadn¡¯t really done anything wrong. Their only fault might be that they were born into this world. After they disappeared, nobody would even remember that these people had once existed. Although William wouldn¡¯t hesitate as a result, much less give the higher Moon Realm beings a chance to bargain for his compromise, he had to take responsibility for the choice he made. Some would weigh on his soul. The only thing he could do for these people was to tell everyone the truth before everything marched towards destruction¡ªeven if this might hinder him. ¡­ William spread his wide wings and hovered in front of the bloated and rotten World Tree. Beside him, a contracted gargoyle carried Quayle, who had been captured. ¡°Where is the Oak Council¡¯s headquarters?¡± William asked calmly. He wasn¡¯t interested in finding the small fries from the Oak Council, but he had heard Floral say that the core of the World Tree here was guarded by the Oak Council just like the correct world line. Zamara had previously warned him ¡®sternly¡¯ ¡®not¡¯ to produce Steelheart Widow¡¯s Origin of the Moon and have it placed together with the Origin of the Moon buried in the World Tree by the Lady of Starvation for resonance. It would briefly cause the two timelines to intertwine. Therefore, William naturally followed the warning. Amid the wind, Quayle shakily pointed below the flesh puppet¡¯s body. To be precise, it was in the pregnant abdomen of the fleshy, deformed, female-shaped World Tree. Just as William had expected, if he wanted to reach the core of Mother Goddess, he had to pass through the other party¡¯s birth canal. Although it¡¯s only symbolic, this is really¡­ William sighed with a livid expression and took out an ordinary straight sword from his inventory. On the bright side, he was acting alone. At the very least, no living person would learn of this. William turned to look at Quayle, who shivered for some reason. Before the other party could inquire, William said, ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡­ The tree spirits among the dozen or so subtrees in Holy Tree City also showed signs of pregnancy after devouring their children. It was an echo left behind by the origins of ancient myths. It imitated Earth Mother¡¯s actions, causing them to also possess a portion of Earth Mother¡¯s divinity. If this had happened in the distant Bronze Age, these tree spirits could be considered Authority holders with relatively weak resonance. As for why the resonance was weak, it was partly because the ritual¡¯s reenactment was relatively weak, and partly because too many individuals completed the same ritual, causing a single authority to be scattered. However, even though their authority was weaker, their true strength could reach the Legendary realm. It was even to the extent that with the augmentation of the territory, their combat strength could compete with a Divine Realm magic chanter. The tree spirits of more than ten trees in Holy Tree City completed their rituals one after another. At this moment, in the middle of the Oak Council Hall, a few respected Druid Elders were discussing the current situation. ¡°We¡¯ve lost contact with the people we sent out. What¡¯s going on? Could it be that the person who destroyed the subtree was really Floral who lost her mind?¡± an aged elder asked. Floral Kane was the only person in Ravenwood who could make such a mixed unit disappear without a sound. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The great Mother has already informed us through an oracle that She has retracted all the blessings of that unfilial child. Floral is only an ordinary person now. She can¡¯t even deal with the ¡®dogs¡¯ she raised, let alone the empire¡¯s ambassador¡­¡± Before another druid in his prime could finish speaking, a fly that flickered with a sparkling green light buzzed in. He curled his index finger and made the fly stop at his knuckles. Then, he stared at the fly that kept rubbing its head, and his expression gradually turned ugly. Finally, the fly twisted its head off from all the rubbing. The man swung his hand and shouted in disbelief, ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± The surrounding people cast their gazes over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Floral has returned to White Bone Castle. She and Ebony, who was imprisoned previously, killed everyone who stopped them along the way and she¡¯s sitting on the Withering Throne again. Now, she has used the spell array on the Withering Throne to complete her control over all of White Bone Castle.¡± With that said, everyone immediately broke out into a flurry of discussion. Enso, the leader, coughed lightly and quietened the discussion before asking, ¡°Other than controlling White Bone Castle, did she do anything else?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. What we can confirm at the moment is that she¡¯s gathering massive amounts of mana through the magic nexuses that cover White Bone Castle. Moreover, she¡¯s constantly releasing demon spirits to send orders to densely populated places near the subtrees.¡± ¡°What is she trying to do?¡± Enso frowned when he heard that. By sending herald demon spirits to densely populated areas¡ªwas she trying to win the support of the citizens? A tyrant ruling arbitrarily with her own strength wanted to win the support of the citizens at this time? Although he found this idea ridiculous, Enso didn¡¯t dare be careless at all. The Oak Council only dared to take action after learning from Mother Goddess that Floral was about to lose her blessing. But now that the other party had recovered the ability to cast spells, didn¡¯t this mean that Earth Mother had changed her mind? With this uneasiness in mind, he didn¡¯t dare speculate too much about Earth Mother¡¯s thoughts. Therefore, he walked to the end of the hall and stood in front of a stillborn held up by two branches¡ªone withering and one flourishing. The dead infant¡¯s entire body was covered in psoriasis, festering, and rot, but the area above its neck was intact and fair. A pair of blue glass beads-like eyes stared blankly into the void. This was the core of the World Tree, the Unborn Fetus. Enso prayed in front of the dead infant and conveyed his doubts. He was so pious and focused that he didn¡¯t even hear the continuous explosions and screams outside. After a pious prayer, he quickly obtained an answer like someone favored by Earth Mother. Earth Mother¡¯s oracle echoed in his soul. When your blood dyes the newborn¡¯s delivery room and two different fates intertwine, the destined arrow will definitely pierce Floral¡¯s throat and start a new era. However, before he could think carefully about what it meant, the door to the hall behind him exploded from a huge force. The few guards guarding the door flew in and crashed into the walls. A gray-haired human holding Quayle, who had been dispatched by Enso, walked in with a livid expression. Chapter 348 - 348 Price 348 Price The hall that stores the core of the World Tree, the impregnable headquarters of the Oak Council, was easily barged in by a human? What were the guards outside doing? Could it be that the defensive measures in the birth canal that had been constantly reinforced for millennia were just decorations? Where did the Mother Goddess Temple guardians guarding the hall go? As it had happened too suddenly, Enso couldn¡¯t figure out if he should use the power of the hall to take down the other party first or prioritize punishing the garrison officers stationed along the birth canal today. The man wasn¡¯t in a hurry to explain his intentions after walking in. Instead, he first looked around the hall before throwing Quayle aside as if he was throwing trash. Then, more than ten gargoyles bent down and crawled in from the tunnel behind the person. They had hard stone bodies, and their appearance was rough but ingenious. The carvings on their faces were dignified and ferocious. After they entered, they stood on both sides of the person like personal guards. Against the backdrop of more than ten stone sculptures of different shapes, one could vaguely feel that the entire core hall seemed to be built with this human at its core. After the last gargoyle stepped into the hall, the person spoke. ¡°Who¡¯s the person in charge here?¡± Naturally, no one answered his question. He shrugged as if he was asking for a snub. Then, his gaze swept across everyone in the hall who had the oak leaf symbol on their beast hide clothes. Soon, his gaze landed on Enso, who was beside the Unborn Fetus of the World Tree. For some reason, Enso, who had the blessing and protection of Mother Goddess, felt a chill down his spine the moment he was stared at. Even so, at this moment, on his home ground, under the gaze of Earth Mother, Enso, who was carrying out the sacrificial ritual meant for reincarnation, met the gaze with an equally fierce gaze. He didn¡¯t falter at all. In the hall, with 70 to 80% of the awakening ritual completed, Earth Mother¡¯s power could already effectively affect Currere. At this moment, even Floral at her peak couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°So, you¡¯re the person in charge here?¡± The person stared at Enso without much emotion on his face. ¡°As the descendants of the Mother Goddess, we serve our mother equally. No matter who you are, please don¡¯t categorize us with the hierarchy of humans.¡± Enso didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question directly. Instead, he took a roundabout route to test the other party¡¯s reaction. No matter what, the other party was a magic chanter who could storm through the birth canal. Even with Mother Goddess¡¯s protection in the hall, it was better to be careful. Moreover, the most troublesome thing now was the dozen or so gargoyles controlled by the other party. If they really fought, even though he was invincible with Mother Goddess¡¯s blessing, he still didn¡¯t have the confidence to protect all the non-combatants in the Oak Council from the summoned creatures driven by magic. Before the battle began, the other party had consumed such a huge amount of mana to summon so many tough creatures. The other party probably planned on using the non-combatants in the hall as hostages from the beginning. Or could it be that the other party¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel was in close combat? Was that why he needed so many gargoyles as his guards? Enso¡¯s mind constantly considered his countermeasures. ¡°You are quite eloquent when it comes to official speak. It appears you¡¯re the one.¡± He didn¡¯t expect the person to answer after hearing his words. With that said, the other party ignored the murderous atmosphere in the hall and walked towards him defenselessly. A member of the Oak Council raised his hand when he saw this. Pale green light crawled up his arm like blood vessels, and surging vitality began to inject into the surrounding land¡­ The next second, the sound of a spinning stone plate echoed in the silent hall. More than ten gargoyles stood like statues and turned their necks in unison to look at the forest druid. The person immediately stopped what he was doing with a pale face. Enso looked at the approaching human in front of him and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± As the person spoke, he didn¡¯t slow down at all. The surrounding gargoyles didn¡¯t follow him. Isn¡¯t he being a little too careless? Or is close combat not the other party¡¯s weakness? Enso continued to adjust his response plan and said, ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t telling me, I can guess that you¡¯re a subordinate secretly nurtured by Floral, right? Hmph, I underestimated her. I originally thought that that woman was just a child brandishing power she couldn¡¯t control. I didn¡¯t expect her to learn how to keep a trump card up her sleeves¡­ You were the one who stopped the Holy Communion ritual and helped Floral recover her strength, right?¡± Perhaps because his identity had been exposed, the person didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he continued walking towards him unhurriedly. Upon seeing this, Enso continued, ¡°But it ends here. Not to mention a mortal magic chanter like you, even if that vicious Floral were here, she can only¡­¡± He only spoke to divert the other party¡¯s attention. As a favored one who could communicate with Earth Mother and was doted on by Mother Goddess, Enso didn¡¯t need to chant incantations or make gestures when directing powers. He only needed to pray silently in the depths of his heart before divine power descended into the world. At this moment, the person¡¯s path was already filled with countless traps. With just a few more steps, the other party would be completely captured by him. Then¡­ ¡°You talk too much.¡± The other party¡¯s afterimage was clearly reflected in his eyes as he walked forward, but the other party¡¯s voice suddenly appeared behind him. Before he could turn around, he felt a bone-chilling coldness on his wrist and ankle. With the sound of chains, Enso was hoisted by a tremendous force. It was as if invisible chains were reflected from the shadows, hanging Enso in front of William. ¡°You only need to answer my question¡­ Is this the core of the World Tree?¡± William pointed at the festering dead infant and asked. ¡°You¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Answer the question.¡± As William spoke, an electric current ran along the chain, immolating Enso¡¯s nerves. He couldn¡¯t help but wail. Someone in the hall wanted to rush forward to save him upon hearing his cries, but before he could take a few steps, he was pressed to the ground by a gargoyle that suddenly took action. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee your safety. I¡¯m not threatening you.¡± William looked up at the others in the hall. ¡°All of you¡­ will die, but I don¡¯t want you to die like this. Before you die, I need to tell you the truth,¡± he continued. With that said, he didn¡¯t care if the people understood him and turned to look at the hoisted Enso. ¡°Yes or no?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± Enso didn¡¯t answer William¡¯s question. Compared to the pain he had suffered, he looked more shocked. The moment the other party attacked, he could clearly sense Earth Mother¡¯s blessing vanish from his body. As a favored of Mother Goddess, unless the caster was at the level of Great Sage Yeats, it was impossible for him to be controlled by mere Shadow Chains in the core hall of the World Tree. ¡°What do you mean why?¡± William asked with a frown. ¡°Why did the Mother Goddess extract Her power¡­¡± Enso looked at William in shock and fear and muttered. William sensed a certain power dissipating in the hall. He raised his head slightly and said, ¡°Because your deity has abandoned you. Because your deity is afraid of me.¡± ¡­ ¡°We have to banish the Calamity back to the other timeline,¡± On the Lake of Entropy, Camilla said to a huge spider coiled on the lake, Her tone revealing rare anxiety. ¡°He returned too early. Your Silence didn¡¯t buy me enough time!¡± Beatrice replied slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t pin this on me. Someone must have leaked important information to the Calamity for him to grasp the key to the ritual so quickly.¡± As for who revealed the information, there was naturally no need to say it out loud. According to the Calamity¡¯s previous intentions, he originally planned on destroying the World Tree. However, even if he bombarded it with the greatest firepower he possessed back in Black Crow Gaze, Camilla could complete the ritual before the other party completely destroyed the World Tree. As long as the ritual was completed, Camilla, who had been reborn as Earth Mother, could easily heal the damage She had suffered and engage in a protracted battle with the Calamity. As long as She delayed the Calamity, Camilla and Beatrice¡¯s hidden cards could act freely in the other timeline. This should have been the plan. ¡°It¡¯s useless confronting the temporizing Dreamer now. We can only¡­¡± Thankfully, the Lady of Starvation could still tell the urgency of the matter, so She immediately made a choice. ¡°But that¡¯s impossible because I¡¯ve already swapped with that returned soul,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I got Silence instead of a tree spirit to take over Floral¡¯s body. Now, you can¡¯t send William back to another timeline.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why did you¡­¡± Camilla trailed off. She looked at Beatrice in front of Her and recalled Zamara¡¯s advice. ¡°This is because the price we paid in our previous plan wasn¡¯t enough to completely kill the Moon Realm Calamity. You didn¡¯t wager enough,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Therefore, abandon the remaining mortal will you left behind in Earth Mother. Use the power accumulated over the past 5,000 years to completely nullify the trump card Steelheart Widow left behind when the Calamity uses the Ironstone Oath to resonate.¡± ¡°As long as the Ironstone Oath is destroyed, the Calamity will lose the chance to turn the tables. The Heartless will also be severely injured because of this. Only then will you have a chance to completely kill the Calamity.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to sacrifice much¡ªjust the last bit of your mortal will.¡± Chapter 349 - 349 Rebirth Ritual 349 Rebirth Ritual Silence¡­ So long¡­ It was so long that it seemed to last forever. The direction of entropic change was the arrowheads used by mortals to understand causal time, and in the Lake of Entropy, which reflected all concepts of aging, wear and tear, and corruption. If one used the mortal concepts in Currere to understand, the concepts of time here would, in a sense, advance to the last second before extinction. Here were rotten corpses, spreading rot, aging bodies, the torture of hunger, declining countries, and fading emotions. It was the only path to the Ruin Demon God¡¯s domain, the wilderness that symbolized the end of all things. It was an eternal phantom infinitely close to the moment when time ended, yet never reaching that moment. Therefore, as long as She didn¡¯t use Her mighty strength to stir Currere and cause the ripples in Currere to cause changes to the Moon Realm, Camilla could even continue confronting Beatrice. The two Moon Realm mighty figures were akin to sitting at the chessboard named Ravenwood like chess players. Their suspended hands didn¡¯t proceed on to their next move for a long time. After all, there was a chess piece on the chessboard that wouldn¡¯t follow the will of any one of Them. All that was left was for Them to complete the next move in the game as he prepared to wreck the entire chess board to pieces. It was obvious that this eternal existence¡ªwho wielded the authority to plot and betray¡ªhad planned all of this. The dilemma She was in was caused by Her. But even so, Camilla didn¡¯t show any emotion. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± the Goddess of Rot and Starvation asked calmly without her previous impatience. Beatrice restrained her faint smugness and replied in the same calm tone, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you this question? Why did you rack your brains and spend so much effort to change Ravenwood¡¯s timeline to your true origin? I was just testing you. I didn¡¯t expect you to really agree¡­ For a Moon Realm Sovereign, are the gains from this matter worth betting your eternity?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for killing the Moon Realm Calamity and obtaining Currere¡¯s Precept¡­¡± Camilla replied, but¡­ ¡°Enough, are you trying to say that you predicted his birth 4,000 years in advance? Or did you know that he would return to Currere 1,008 years in advance?¡± Beatrice interrupted. Regarding this, Camilla looked at the two destroyed eyes on the other party¡¯s face and said, ¡°Of course not. After all, even you, who¡¯s proficient in weaving the future, couldn¡¯t ¡®foresee¡¯ the return of the Calamity, right?¡± With that said, the Goddess of Corruption was relieved to see the other party¡¯s remaining six eyes flicker. This was a sign of emotional upheaval. ¡°Don¡¯t bother playing a game of rhetoric with me. Not daring to answer my questions directly won¡¯t hide your true intentions. Instead, it will only make you look guilty¡­ Camilla, I forged you. Do you really think I can¡¯t guess your intentions?¡± Beatrice¡¯s tone suddenly turned cold. Raising this trivial matter didn¡¯t prove anything. Hence, Camilla retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m like you¡ªnever taking action without devising a plan that¡¯s destined to fail. This was insurance I left behind when I advanced, even if I didn¡¯t expect it to be effective today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that you were too obsessed with the Forest Elves. You¡¯ve clearly become an immortal Void Sovereign and obtained the authority of ¡®wear and tear¡¯ that¡¯s most suitable for expanding your influence, but you¡¯d invested so much energy in Ravenwood. This is very puzzling, isn¡¯t it?¡± Beatrice didn¡¯t plan on arguing about this. Instead, she diverted the topic to something that didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Why? Are you saying that everything I did was just to take revenge on the Forest Elves? Just because I was tortured and enslaved by their ancestors when I was a mortal, and my entire race was blasphemed and destroyed?¡± Camilla said as if She found it funny, ¡°You were also elevated to immortality from a mortal. You should know this better than anyone. A Void Sovereign who forges an Immortal Throne after rebirth and transcends causal time will never be controlled by incomplete lines of thinking that only belong to mortals.¡± To Void Sovereigns who had transcended causal time, mortals¡¯ thoughts based on causal time and the series of concepts derived from it were as laughable as blind people touching an elephant to figure out the truth. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Currere could only record one possibility and was as firm as a rock under the influence of the Holy Spirits, They wouldn¡¯t even need to mold a limited persona from Their infiniteness as a medium to project Their strength. Taking ten thousand steps back, even if Camilla really planned on taking revenge, it was only to destroy a race with a population of less than a million. Was there a need to go to such lengths? ¡°Who said that the last bit of humanity you have left is to take revenge on the Forest Elves?¡± Beatrice waited quietly for the other party to finish speaking before speaking slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering a long time ago why you asked for the Seed of Hope as your remuneration when we signed a contract with Blackwater Swamp¡¯s duke. ¡°Of course, you could say that you did this to support that Judge to become the 13th Void Sovereign, but you and I both know how low the probability of that Crowman succeeding is when Zamara took away the last soul fragment.¡± Camilla didn¡¯t say anything else and lowered Her head silently. ¡°Helping Coles advance was just a ruse. Your true goal was to use this to complete that miracle that even we can¡¯t achieve, right?¡± Upon hearing this, the Goddess of Corruption suddenly looked up. At some point, the entire sky above the Lake of Entropy was covered by a huge and complicated spiderweb. ¡°Beatrice, how dare you?!¡± As Camilla growled, the entire Lake of Entropy boiled. At the same time, the entire Currere, especially Ravenwood in the two timelines, began to undergo drastic changes. ¡°Do you know that the most difficult step in weaving a conspiracy is to guess the other party¡¯s true motives? This is also why I¡¯ve always been at odds with that lunatic¡­ And once I grasp the true motives, anyone¡ªno matter who they are¡ªcan be easily played.¡± Ignoring the other party¡¯s threat, Beatrice continued, ¡°Your motive was to revive your child from the beginning. Since the Seed of Hope has already been consumed by the Calamity, all you can do is reincarnate a second time and use the authority of Earth Mother to fuse them with you again and be with you forever. ¡°Correction, it should be ¡®children,¡¯ not ¡®child.¡¯ After all, two of the three souls you preserved in the soul box back then have firmly rejected the chance to return, right? Now, only Floral is left¡­ Oh? Do you really plan on bearing the punishment of breaking the contract while fighting me while the contract is still in effect?¡± Countless Lunar Monsters appeared from the Lake of Entropy. They followed the raised Moon Realm path and swarmed the huge net woven by the Whispering Empress. However, the staggering Lunar Monsters were like flying insects ensnared by a spiderweb. They failed to destroy much of the net before being stuck and losing their mobility. The net of conspiracies was dissipating, but it was very, very slow. Too much of Camilla¡¯s power was projected in Currere. Coupled with the backlash of the punishment for taking the initiative to attack Her contracted allies, She couldn¡¯t suppress Beatrice, who was an outsider, even in Her domain. ¡°So what do you plan on doing after putting in so much effort? Just to watch a joke?¡± Camilla, whose entire body burned with black flames because She had violated the contract, questioned. ¡°From the moment you were born, weaving a conspiracy that has lasted for 5,000 years based on Currere time was the goal in itself. The other things were just in passing¡­¡± Beatrice sounded smug again. ¡°However, as you said, the insurance back then has brought about considerable gains. A chance to kill the Moon Realm Calamity and, more importantly, severely injure Steelheart Widow Aiur¡­¡± As She spoke, countless incalculable changes began to appear in the spiderweb in the sky. ¡°Do you still remember your advancement ritual back then?¡± Beatrice asked. The advancement ritual of the Goddess of Starvation and Corruption, the master of the wear and tear authority. Origin of the Moon¡ªit symbolized supreme vitality, the Oak Heart that could allow inanimate objects to obtain life; it symbolized initial death. After collecting enough death records, it could prevent a certain person from being born at the source, completely erasing the other party¡¯s existence as an Unborn Fetus. The executor of the ascension ritual had to be a person who could represent a race, country, or culture itself. Moreover, they had to be bound to the laws of Currere by becoming an Authority holder. As for the main body of the ritual, it was to use the Unborn Fetus to erase oneself when the race, country, or culture represented by the executor¡ªother than the executor himself¡ªwas completely destroyed. At the same time, one could use the Oak Heart to give life to the symbol they left behind and replace their identity. The trigger of the ritual was the executor¡¯s complete suicide. ¡°Next, when the Calamity begins to converge the two timelines, the Oak Heart and the Unborn Fetus will reunite. I will guide the arrows of causality and other methods to kill Floral. As for you, use the connection between the Withering Throne and the World Tree to devour her soul and become Earth Mother again to obtain a chance of rebirth. ¡°Then, use the Unborn Fetus to completely kill your Void Incarnation that still has your will. At the same time, destroy the Ironstone Oath that unfolded in that incarnation. Perhaps it can even eliminate the Moon Realm Calamity. If his reaction is slow enough¡­ turn the tree whose will has been erased into an empty shell. Only then can you completely escape the remnant mortal influence and become a Rebirth Sovereign that¡¯s close to a Newborn¡¯s way of thinking.¡± Chapter 350 - 350 Missed Again 350 Missed Again ¡°Madam Remides, what¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Looking at the network formed by the thousands of trajectories in the narrow space, Nizemar subconsciously squatted down slightly and covered her head with her hand. Remides didn¡¯t answer, nor did she dodge the arrow that constantly whistled in her ear. She knew that the arrow named Karma had already locked onto an existence named Floral Kane. At this moment, she was using all kinds of possibilities to find a path that could pierce the other party¡¯s throat. This arrow was bound to hit its target like fate. Although it was as dangerous as the Void Sovereign who created it, it also kept its word like the Void Sovereign who created it¡ªit wouldn¡¯t ask for additional remuneration before penetrating the target. However, because it couldn¡¯t penetrate or circle around the reinforced barrier, the trajectory drawn by the arrow became visibly chaotic and irritable. ¡°Sibylla, how much longer do you need¡­¡± Remides turned her head and shouted anxiously. Sibylla¡¯s white eyes turned into a nebula as she replied anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t rush me. It¡¯s being done.¡± Mana was controlled by her powerful will, and she was dismantling the Inverse Entropy spell as precisely as a scalpel. However, the ether domain of the body she was using was only at the Apprentice level, and the connection she had with the Astral World was very weak and unstable. This limited the mana she could output. Even if she dismantled it with the Eyes of God at full capacity, Sibylla couldn¡¯t immediately do anything to the spell whose structure was as stable as a rock. On the other side of the barrier, Bishop Sigmonds of the Second Order revealed an expression of reverence that bordered on sacrifice. With a slow, almost stationary speed, he used a strange-looking tool imprinted with the Holy Spirit Mother¡¯s holy emblem to remove the small acorn from the withering and germinating stand. The moment he removed it, the Holy Spirit Mother¡¯s holy emblem on the strange tool was branded on the acorn like a soldering iron. Something changed at this moment. Other than Floral, everyone present felt a damp, gentle, warm, and dark sense of peace from the bottom of their hearts. It was just like how people subconsciously felt at ease with their blurry memories before they were born. With a mixture of joy and madness on his face, Sigmond looked like he had used all his willpower to not let himself roar and jump in excitement. ¡°In that case, the conditions we promised have been fulfilled.¡± Looking at Sigmond, who was trembling slightly, Floral smiled and applauded gently. She looked at her Mother¡¯s brand on the Oak Heart and continued, ¡°The prototype of Earth Mother, the dark side of Mother, will soon be integrated into the Second Holy Spirit¡¯s system. Congratulations, Sigmond Abyss. The dream the Return Church has pursued for thousands of years has finally been successfully completed in your hands.¡± As William had replicated the Inverse Entropy spell based on Nehe¡¯s thoughts back then, he didn¡¯t change the effect. Therefore, using the Second Order¡¯s corrosion of the Holy Tree Matriarch¡¯s faith symbols in recent years, Sigmond could rely on the Church¡¯s holy relic to gain the authority to temporarily disable the protective barrier by imitating the aura of the World Tree Core¡¯s guardian. This was also a deal Beatrice had made with the Second Order. Using the Moon Realm to deepen Ravenwood¡¯s influence in exchange for the return of the Earth Mother prototype. This was because Platinum City¡¯s senators also planned on using this opportunity to weaken Emerald Province, an important foundation of the empress faction, and obtain more say. Therefore, they also piled an excessive amount of combat strength, be it the upper house of the Astral Council or the secret weapon that had always been hidden in the Obliteration Tower. Of course, Beatrice never made it clear how deeply the Moon Realm¡¯s influence on Ravenwood would deepen. ¡°Floral¡± felt that if they knew, they definitely wouldn¡¯t have made such a hasty decision. According to the Whispering Empress¡¯s plan, when the Lady of Starvation began the rebirth ritual shortly, the Oak Heart branded with the Mother Holy Spirit would activate the World Tree, and the new Earth Mother would naturally be taken over by the Second Order. Beatrice had always prided Herself on Her integrity when making deals with mortals. ¡°But before that, we have another matter to attend to.¡± Sensing Mother¡¯s presence, Sigmond turned and looked at the three people on the other side of the barrier. He said with malicious intent, ¡°Her reputation precedes her. It is said that she is Ava State¡¯s Shadow Queen, who once defeated Emperor Terra under the cover of a storm. As a witness of the previous glorious era and the last surviving member of Judgment, I am keen to see what kind of magical power she possesses.¡± As the favored of the Second Holy Spirit, Sigmond could almost be conferred the title of Living Saint by the Church after achieving such meritorious deeds. With this, he could transcend the complicated ten-level system within the Church and ignore the path of ascension. If he killed the governor here and minimized the casualties in the subsequent war, thus practicing the virtues of mercy and love of Mother, he could even be an apostle of the Holy Spirit and be canonized when the Second Church revised the scriptures a hundred years later. When that happened, not only would he be mourned as a Saint, but he would also be able to stand beside the Holy Spirit! How could he give up this opportunity to truly become transcendent? ¡°Dispel the barrier and I¡¯ll let you see all you want.¡± As Remides spoke, an arrow named Sharpness appeared in her hand. However, at this moment, ¡°Floral¡± stopped Sigmond, who was about to undo the barrier. ¡°Hold on.¡± She looked at Sibylla, whose eyes constantly swirled with nebula-like whiteness, and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t wish to face two Judges simultaneously, wait another minute¡­ She won¡¯t be able to hold on much longer.¡± Sigmond was left at a loss. How were there two Judges? He knew Nizemar, who was holding a silver rapier. It couldn¡¯t be her. Could it be that the other party was referring to the little girl? How could this be possible? These words had another meaning in Remides¡¯s ears. She rushed to Sibylla¡¯s side. ¡°Is it time?¡± Sibylla, who was gritting her teeth, suddenly smiled in relief and replied, ¡°Things are unpredictable. I originally thought that I could¡­¡± With that said, she turned to Remides. ¡°By the way, remember to remind the Presiding Judge to find the Blind Sisters and retrieve what I left behind. Even for magic chanters at his level, that information should be very helpful.¡± At this point, Sibylla¡¯s expression turned slightly bitter. ¡°That¡¯s if you survive this crisis¡­ This is my stop; I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t stay longer.¡± Sibylla kept emphasizing that she was running out of time, but she never explained the exact reason. Remides didn¡¯t think too much about it. After all, one had to pay a considerable price to cross a thousand years and timelines. However, Sibylla¡¯s tone made her uneasy. ¡°You¡­¡± Remides hesitated as to whether she should voice her guess. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing to feel sad about. In any case, to you, I¡¯ve long died in the distant past, right?¡± Sibylla said. ¡°However, it¡¯s still a little regretful that I couldn¡¯t meet the Presiding Judge in the end. However, the me who¡¯s scattered among the other pruned possibilities might be able to fulfill this wish.¡± Remides didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°By the way, I forgot to tell you something.¡± Before she covered her bleeding eyes and collapsed, Sibylla suddenly said, ¡°Actually, I deliberately tampered with that dagger of yours with the explosive runes back then¡­ Who asked you to always put on the airs of a senior?¡± With that said, ¡®Sibylla¡¯ fell to the ground. Then, almost at the next moment, Elise screamed as if she had woken up from a nightmare and regained control of her body. ¡°Sister Nizemar, the entire Ravenwood is about to¡­¡± ¡­ Sigmond was stunned by their inexplicable conversation and actions. Moreover, this created a strong sense of vigilance. If the enemy¡¯s words and actions exceeded his expectations, after eliminating the possibility that the other party was crazy, there was a high chance that it was caused by the information and understanding asymmetry between both sides. If there was information asymmetry on the battlefield, he couldn¡¯t be too careful. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even know how he died. Sigmond stared straight at Remides, who posed the greatest threat to him, and asked the woman behind him, ¡°Hey¡­ Can I undo the barrier now?¡± After all, the tunnel was the only exit. The barrier had to be opened no matter what. Defeating or even killing a Judge would become his most dazzling accolade. However, Floral didn¡¯t reply. Without looking away, he reached out and patted the other party¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Answer me. If we want to leave through the only exit, we have to kill this Judge. You can¡¯t¡­¡± However, what Sigmond reached out and felt wasn¡¯t the texture of a gown, but some thick and rough fabric¡ªlike a large scale. Dragon scale pauldron? Sensing that something was amiss, Sigmond slowly turned his head. Floral, who had been behind him, had disappeared at some point. In her place was a gray-haired man. He held an inferior iron sword in one hand and an iron stone in the shape of a heart in the other. ¡°Who did you say you were going to kill?¡± the person asked. Chapter 351 - 351 Interweaving 351 Interweaving The moment he activated the Ironstone Oath, the originally active Creatons in the space quickly shed all their passion for changing Currere and turned into a cold and empty residue of reality with William as the core. A gust of wind blew, and dense metal clusters inexplicably fell in the hall, making it look like silver rain. This was the effect of completely activating the Ironstone Oath¡ªcreating a wide-area magic nullification domain that directly affected Creatons. It could rapidly deplete malleable mana before any spell was formed, turning it into dead metal and cold reality. This was another magic nullification method that was different from the principles of the Silence domain. William didn¡¯t understand why Aiur would give him this as a so-called trump card. It had to be known that after using the Ironstone Oath, even if he could rely on his ether domain that far exceeded ordinary people to create miracles, the mana consumption for casting spells would multiply severalfold. Some spells that consumed a lot of mana couldn¡¯t even be cast. This was actually the three-stage debuff players had to suffer when fighting Steelheart Widow¡¯s Void Incarnation back then. No matter how one looked at it, this thing was a trump card for ordinary people to kill magic chanters above their level¡ªto William, it was useless other than helping to close the gap in strength between him and others in actual combat. But he had no choice. If he wanted to communicate with another timeline, William had to use this item that would put a huge burden on him. The Ironstone Oath had a mysterious resonance with the stillborn, who was most likely Lady of Starvation¡¯s Origin of the Moon. William couldn¡¯t describe this feeling with the language system he had studied in the real world. It was just like him not knowing how to summarize his almost instinctive comprehension when casting spells with rigorous logic. If he had to make an analogy, it was as if the moment the two resonated, he felt gray and pale-green colors intertwine before something was shattered by these two forces. William turned around and looked at the Forest Druid he had hoisted into the air. Beside the hoisted forest druid stood a man he had never seen before. The man¡¯s back was facing him. The black clothes he wore were a little like a variant of the Holy Spirits Church¡¯s Second Order¡¯s clothes worn during Mass. Before William could ask who the suspected high-level clergyman of the Holy Spirits Church was, the person stared in the direction of the gargoyles summoned by William as if he was facing a formidable enemy. He asked William cautiously without turning his head, ¡°Hey¡­ Can I undo the barrier now?¡± A few seconds later, the man continued, ¡°Answer me. If we want to leave through the only exit, we have to kill this Judge. You can¡¯t¡­¡± Hmm, although I don¡¯t know who he is, he¡¯s definitely an enemy. William thought. As the person spoke, he extended his hand and patted William¡¯s shoulder familiarly. His movements were so fluid that it was as if he was patting his lifelong comrade who he could trust his back with. William didn¡¯t stop the other party. He was stunned by what had happened. The man in front of him patted his dragon scale pauldron and turned his head when he sensed that something was amiss. Then, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. William couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Who did you say you were going to kill?¡± William didn¡¯t deny that he was teasing him, but he wasn¡¯t really threatening him. This was because in his vision, the other party looked like he was facing off against the gargoyles he had summoned. No matter what, even a blind person couldn¡¯t call those medium-level beings summoned creatures Judges. The moment the other party saw William, his hand on William¡¯s shoulder retracted as if it had touched the edge of an oven. At the same time, the person turned into countless withered leaves and floated back. After putting some distance between them, the withered leaves that filled the sky began to reassemble into a human form. The person didn¡¯t wait for his body to completely converge before asking William anxiously and angrily, ¡°Who are you? When did you come in?¡± Sigmond was anxious and angry. The barrier reinforced by Inverse Entropy hadn¡¯t been opened, which meant that the other party could only have been hiding in this chamber from the beginning. In other words, he might have stepped into a trap without knowing it. Also, where did ¡°Floral¡± go? She couldn¡¯t have disappeared instantly while he turned, right? Or has she turned into this human male Stormer in front of me? William frowned. Needless to say, the person in front of him had replaced the forest druid he had tied up. It was the result of the Ironstone Oath resonating with the other Origin of the Moon, causing the two timelines to intertwine. However, the other party¡¯s current performance didn¡¯t look like it should have when he was pulled to another timeline. Shouldn¡¯t a normal person carefully observe their surroundings before asking where this was? Why are you asking me when I came in? Wait, could it be¡­ A possibility surfaced in William¡¯s mind, making him almost cry out in surprise. So this was the method Zamara mentioned to break through the obstacles of the two timelines? ¡­ What happened next puzzled Nizemar and Remides. The bishop named Sigmond suddenly acted as if he was facing a formidable enemy. He turned into a storm of withered leaves and summoned all kinds of phenomena through a consecration to wreak havoc in the chamber. In less than a minute, he almost uprooted everything in there. Finally, a blurry Holy Spirit phantom vaguely appeared behind the Return Church¡¯s favored. Making the phantom of the Holy Spirits appear and awakening Their power to directly support the mortals in Currere was something only the Church¡¯s Living Saints were qualified to do. Although the Holy Spirit phantom summoned by the bishop in front of Remides wasn¡¯t as corporeal as the one summoned by Discipline Macas in Remides¡¯s impression, and there was only one of them, it was already an extremely terrifying existence. However, in terms of combat strength, Macas, who could summon three Holy Spirit phantoms, was only slightly inferior to the Presiding Judge of the past among the Doomsday Watchers. Together with Demon Edge Evelyn and Dragon Dowa King, his combat strength was indisputable in the Judges. To be able to summon a Holy Spirit phantom, no matter how blurry it was, meant his strength was not to be underestimated. Remides estimated that she only had a 60% chance of winning if she fought with her life on the line in this environment where there was no room to maneuver. If ¡°Floral¡± was included, this would be an absolutely disadvantageous battle for her. However, such a powerhouse went crazy for some reason and began to attack his surroundings in fear and confusion. It looked like he was fighting an invisible enemy. However, even if there was an invisible enemy, he was the only one who left traces of destruction in the entire chamber. ¡°Do you think he suddenly went crazy? I¡¯ve heard of people in the Church who go crazy because they couldn¡¯t withstand the Holy Spirit¡¯s will¡­¡± Nizemar watched this one-man show in silence for a long time before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ Also, why did Floral suddenly disappear?¡± Remides replied. ¡°Um, may I ask¡­ Can¡¯t you¡­ see it?¡± A timid voice sounded from the side. It was Elise, who had just recovered. This girl was staring at Sigmond with her white eyes. ¡°See what?¡± Nizemar asked. ¡°Could it be that only I can see it again¡ªthe Presiding Judge is fighting him?¡± Elise pointed at an empty spot. With that said, she paused as if she was searching for the right words before saying, ¡°I feel¡­ as if they exist in two different timelines at the same time?¡± Chapter 352 - 352 Pseudo-Holy Spirit Protection 352 Pseudo-Holy Spirit Protection No matter what, based on what he has said, it¡¯s definitely not wrong to take him down first. William thought as he looked at the other party¡¯s serious expression. If it was as he had guessed, the other party was from another timeline. The other party must have been facing Remides and the others before saying that ¡®we have to kill this Judge.¡¯ This was definitely enough reason for him to attack. William made his move. Frost spell, Declaration. Due to the influence of the Ironstone Oath, William couldn¡¯t cast Divine Realm spells that consumed massive amounts of mana unless he used the Holy Spirit Disc. However, the Holy Spirit Disc in his hand was destined to be used in the battle with the Lady of Starvation. He didn¡¯t plan on wasting any valuable resources to deal with the person in front of him. Therefore, he used Demon Spear that was certain to hit. The pure ice crystal spear took form in William¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t choose to use a magical medium to release it because the miniature pathways carved in the magical medium were blocked by the metal remains after mana ceased to exist. It was no wonder that the durability of mages¡¯ weapons would decrease rapidly when fighting Steelheart Widow and Her spawns in the past. They quickly needed to be scrapped or require repair. Back then, players on the forum had always felt that this was a bug that affected the gaming experience. Who knew that William found the true reason after transmigrating¡­ The human body wasn¡¯t outstanding as a magic medium. If he cast spells with his hands, the consumption of mana would increase. Of course, this extra consumption wasn¡¯t much to William, but what made him uncomfortable was that he couldn¡¯t use the enhancements gained from a series of magical mediums before casting spells like before. Alright¡­ I¡¯ll use a blank Declaration to see how capable the other party is first. After all, the other party was the person who claimed to be capable of killing a Judge. He should be capable enough, right? The spear that was purely made of ice crystals was silently thrown out. Moreover, after it left his hand, it flew at the other party¡¯s neck at an undetectable speed. In the blink of an eye, the spear of destiny that could freeze the surrounding space and time had arrived less than half a foot away from the other party. If the other party was nothing like an expert, he would probably die on the spot. The person responded very decisively. He raised a hand, and the flesh on the back of his hand quickly aged and peeled off, turning into a cluster of withered leaves. They spun in front of him and turned into a substitute made of dead leaves. Then, Declaration ignored the other party¡¯s substitute and circled around it to pierce his neck, pinning him beside the forest druid that William had tied up. Bright red blood with traces of green flowed out of the other party¡¯s mouth and nose and throat at the same time. Before he died, his eyes were filled with disbelief. The battle ended before he could warm up. Even William was stunned. What¡¯s up with this person? He wanted to use a decoy to dodge Declaration which can directly lock onto karma like Karma arrow? Isn¡¯t he severely underestimating Frost-type Divine Realm spells? Even if Declaration was the weakest of Frost-type Divine Realm spells. The members of the Oak Council looked at William in a daze. Enso Oak, who had been tied up by William, looked at the ice crystal spear nailed to his side and said, ¡°Why? Do you think you can intimidate me and scare all the Forest Elves into being enslaved and oppressed by that woman again?¡± William was taken aback. It was also at this moment that the flesh and blood of the fellow dressed as a Church member nailed to Enso¡¯s side exploded with a crack like a desiccated insect that had been exposed to the sun before turning into countless spinning dead leaves. The withered leaves swept through the center of the hall like butterflies before gathering on the substitute the other party had created and recombining into flesh and blood. ¡°Divine Realm spell, Declaration? Who are you? Are you from the Platinum Ring or a successor related to Judgment?¡± the man said as soon as he took shape. Unharmed¡­ Other than the flesh and blood that had peeled off his hand, the person appeared in front of William unscathed. Without waiting for William to answer, he looked around and continued, ¡°And where did Floral go? Did you kill her or¡­¡± At this point, he paused and revealed a mysterious smile. ¡°Alright. In any case, other than me, no one shall leave this place alive today¡­ No one else will know how a new legend was born. This way, every future sentence I write in scripture will become a new reality.¡± With that said, a blurry figure began to outline itself behind him. It was a well-rounded woman with solemn and loose clothes and hair that cascaded down Her shoulders. Her arms were crossed in front of Her chest as if She was carrying something. Even though Her expression was blurry, one could sense Her love from the bottom of Her heart. William¡¯s expression turned serious when he saw the phantom. The man looked at William¡¯s change in attitude in satisfaction and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be surprised. Mother is with me now. Don¡¯t worry, I promise you a peaceful death that¡¯s like sleep.¡± Rewriting canon in the Holy Spirits Church required obvious miracles and narration by those who had experienced it. Now that he had brought back the missing side of Earth Mother, it was an obvious miracle. If no one else had experienced it other than him, he would be in charge of the specific content and details during the pre-codification of canon. Although he couldn¡¯t make it too ridiculous, he only needed to pay attention to the choice of words and be vague about some details. Then, he could leave his name in the revised canon in the future. After his death, he would be acclaimed by many as a Transcendent and become a Saint. As Mother¡¯s saint, he would join the ranks of Mother and become truly immortal as a mortal. In the future, when the Mother Holy Spirit descended into Currere, She might even choose his persona as an incarnation to descend into. Just like how the Eighth Holy Spirit had chosen William Kane and Terra Riel as His incarnations. Of course, there were disagreements in the Church, believing that the truth might be the other way around. Terra Riel had achieved a holy miracle and monopolized the right of interpretation. He had also used William Kane¡¯s influence to establish the Eighth Holy Spirit. Of course, this disagreement only circulated in private even though the Church internally ostracized the Eighth Order¡¯s Holy Spirits Church. If news of this spread, the relationship between the Holy Spirits Church and the empire¡¯s royal family might deteriorate to an unimaginable level. No matter what, if he wanted to be the only narrator, Sigmond couldn¡¯t let anyone leave regardless of who the enemy he was facing today was. With this in mind, he solemnly took out a silver object from his pocket. That was something the Second Order¡¯s Patriarch had privately handed over to him before he came to Ravenwood. Pseudo-Holy Spirit Ring of Protection. It was said to have a piece of the real ring fused in it. Back then, in order to completely seal the Moon Realm rift, William Kane asked the Holy Spirits Church for seven complete Holy Spirit Protection Rings. To ensure that the Church¡¯s holy relic could be passed down, the seven Patriarchs back then each retained a fragment of their corresponding Holy Spirit Protection Ring. This also left a tiny weakness in each of the seven Moon Realm rift seals. Of course, this was a story for another time. No matter what, he had already become a Living Saint because of his immortal achievements. Coupled with this Pseudo-Mother¡¯s Protection¡­ Even if the other party was another living Judge, he had no fear! Chapter 353 - 353 Living Saint and Authority (1) 353 Living Saint and Authority (1) Living Saint? William frowned when he saw the phantom behind the other party. To be able to send a Living Saint here, it looked like the Holy Spirits Church valued Ravenwood far more than he had expected. It had to be known that even 1,008 years ago, when Legendary mages were everywhere, Transcendent creatures appeared in groups, and high-level Lunar Monsters descended into Currere every other day, the Church¡¯s Living Saints were still rare. How rare was it? Before the Seven Calamities disaster, the Holy Spirits Church was still the largest faction on the continent. Their main pillar was the Church¡¯s number of Living Saints¡ªas many as nine. At its peak, there were less than five of them across the entire continent. Of course, later on, the Church sacrificed seven of them to personify the Holy Spirits, causing the disaster. That was another matter. If players played the Favored class, they could max out as a Living Saint. Unlike the magic chanter class, which could raise all 13 spells to the max, the Favored couldn¡¯t become a Living Saint for the seven Holy Spirits at the same time¡ªplayers could only follow three Holy Spirits at the same time¡­ even though William felt that it was unreasonable to believe in three Holy Spirits at the same time. As for the strength of the Living Saint¡­ Among the Judges, Discipline Macas, who was a Favored, followed the three Holy Spirits¡ªFather, Youth, and Sage. And in battle, the fully-equipped Macas could be said to be the number one person below the Presiding Judge. As an enemy, even William found Macas¡¯s combat strength troublesome. Of course, it might be an exaggeration to say that the gap between Macas, who could summon three Holy Spirits to condense phantoms at the same time, and the fellow in front of him who could barely form a blurry shadow of a Holy Spirit was similar to the gap between humans and ants, but it was at least a little greater than the gap between a six-year-old child and a kickboxing world champion. Even if William had a bunch of debuffs, it wouldn¡¯t take much to kill the other party. It was easier than killing a Demon General in the Moon Realm. William watched as the other party took out a familiar silver ring and wore it. The phantom behind him quickly condensed¡ªthe Holy Spirit, Mother, who emitted a halo behind her head, appeared with a loving expression while carrying swaddling clothes. Holy Spirit Protection Ring? William was surprised. Such an immediate effect didn¡¯t seem fake. The seven Holy Spirit Protection Rings were the top divine artifacts for the Prophet class. However, to Mages, they could only be used as accessories to avoid damage. Previously, in Black Crow Gaze, he had relied on the seven Holy Spirit Protection rings to block the direct attacks of the four Void Sovereigns¡¯ main bodies. Using the Holy Spirits to protect him was like using a lithography machine as cover. In fact, in the main plot of the magic chanter class, the protagonist should have returned the rings after sealing the seven largest Moon Realm rifts. After all, they were holy relics deemed as trump cards by the Holy Spirits Church. However, William adhered to the principle that whatever was in the game belonged to him after his purchase. He didn¡¯t return them even when he stopped playing. ¡°Let¡¯s continue, Mr. Unknown Magic Chanter,¡± the person said with a confident smile after putting on the ring. In an instant, the hall that seemed to be filled with squirming flesh walls deep in the internal organs was filled with withered yellow vines covered in thorns. William was tied up like a dumpling. This was the strength of a Living Saint. They didn¡¯t cast spells, and they didn¡¯t need to complete the steps of communication, construction, and chanting. As long as they followed the path of the Holy Spirit, their wishes would directly become reality as long as they were within the authority of the corresponding Holy Spirit. Opponents of the same level could only block and not dodge. The thorny vines tightened like a slowly-activated meat grinder. The other party¡¯s claims of giving William a peaceful death seemed to be nonsense. William thought as he looked out through the gaps between the vines. Then, he noticed that the other Forest Elves in the hall remained unmoved despite the chaos. It was as if they didn¡¯t see the withered vines growing crazily around them. Occasionally, the thorns on the vines would cut their arms and ankles, but they were completely unmoved. William recalled the man¡¯s strange reaction when he pinned him to the side of the forest druid with Declaration. William¡¯s previous guess surfaced in his mind. Therefore, he planned on verifying it. Fire of Calamity Scarlet flames surrounding William instantly ignited the withered vines. Then, they darted out along the vines like ignited fuses, interweaving into a dense fire net in the hall. The Forest Elves reacted. They screamed or wailed as they dodged the flames that suddenly appeared. Some cursed at William, and some held weapons and planned on charging at him to fight to the death. Chapter 354 - 354 Living Saint and Authority (2) 354 Living Saint and Authority (2) Of course, a few of them were instantly pinned down by the gargoyles. As expected¡­ William sighed. Just as Zamara had said, the two timelines converged under the resonance of the Origin of the Moon. However, it wasn¡¯t in the way William had imagined. Just as he had previously understood, two different timelines weren¡¯t two different parallel worlds. This was because the nature of Creatons dictated that only one true history would forever be fixed and become the only timeline. After all, the concept of Currere originally meant the transformation of Creatons flowing in the Realm of Light into a manifestation of stable reality. The final decision on which timeline was chosen was the Precept that the Void Sovereigns had repeatedly mentioned. According to William¡¯s deduction, more than a thousand years ago, Precept was largely a manifestation of the power of players. It was similar to how even if players could have countless saves and had more chances of being abandoned because of a failure, Currere would always continue in the possibility that players were in. William suddenly recalled the many meta elements that the game developers had designed into the game. For example, after players failed many times in fighting a Void Sovereign¡¯s incarnation, the system would considerately pop up a mocking notification¡ª¡±You died. Would you like to change the difficulty to something easier?¡± If players chose Yes, there was a chance of triggering fourth-wall breaking lines with the Void Sovereigns saying: ¡°I feel weaker,¡± ¡°Are you here again to make your futile attempts,¡± and ¡°How many failures do you want to experience.¡± For instance, if one was stuck for too long, players could opt to activate Hint mode. Upon doing so, players would be able to see phantoms that hinted at how to clear the level, as well as bloodstain warnings of areas with frequent player deaths determined from big data analytics. Previously, William had disregarded these details as if they were insignificant. But what if these details that appeared to be the developers¡¯ quirks in poor taste were actually part of the world¡¯s logic? And from those details that made one think deeply with fear, what kind of truth about this world could be inferred? William looked at the Forest Elves and felt his scalp tingle. His previous thoughts were completely wrong¡ªafter coming to this timeline created by the Lady of Starvation, he subconsciously treated it as a parallel world with different developments. Therefore, he felt that what Zamara said about breaking through the obstacles of the two timelines through the resonance of the Origins of the Moon, it only allowed him to temporarily return to the original timeline. Only then did he understand that the result of the intersection of the two timelines was that he was in two different timelines at the same time. All his actions would affect both places. However, limited by the observation perspective of mortals, he and the Living Saint of the Holy Spirits Church could only see one side. As such, William knew how to communicate with Remides and the rest across timelines. ¡­ ¡°Burn, burn. Let¡¯s see how long your mana can last.¡± Sigmond used the Holy Spirit Protection in his hand as a medium and constantly summoned Mother¡¯s authority, mobilizing the laws to suppress the Divine Realm mage. The vines from before were burned clean, but it didn¡¯t affect him at all. Prophets were different from other superhumans. They didn¡¯t need to consume Spirit or Mana to obtain the power to change reality. They didn¡¯t have to worry about the ancient gods devouring their will and using their bodies for rebirth. As long as he was fulfilling the will of the Holy Spirit, there was no restriction to the strength bestowed. At this moment, he, who had risen to become a Living Saint because of his merits, had obtained the favor of Mother while wearing the Pseudo Holy Spirit Protection. The power he could mobilize was almost infinite. Unless there was a soul or creation closer to the Mother Holy Spirit than him in this space. However, that was impossible. Even the Patriarch of the Second Order couldn¡¯t be closer to Mother in soul than him. After fending off a few rounds of his assaults, the Divine Realm magic chanter finally appeared somewhat weakened. ¡°Hey, can we discuss something?¡± the person asked as he retracted his spell tiredly. ¡°Do you want to discuss how you shall die?¡± Sigmond sneered and asked. ¡°Of course not. I hope you can help me pass a message to Remides,¡± the person replied. The smile on Sigmond¡¯s lips deepened. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell her yourself after she joins you in hell?¡± The mage sighed and reached into his inventory. As he groped for something, he said, ¡°Even for existences at the level of Living Saints, the greatest weakness of the power system for Prophets is that they have to fulfill the will of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, their strength will weaken on a large scale or even fail.¡± As he spoke, he retracted his hand and took out something. ¡°However, the will of the Holy Spirits is very complicated to begin with. After all, the Holy Spirits have never spoken. Typically, it¡¯s recounted by those who claim to have obtained oracles. Some are incomprehensible sleep talk, some are lies mixed with the truth that are self-beneficial, and some are simply made up. However, what they have in common is that they will form groups and create an image of authority. They will also try to monopolize the interpretation of canon.¡± ¡°Therefore, the will of the Holy Spirits is often misinterpreted as the will of the Holy Spirits Church. The will of the Holy Spirits Church is essentially a fake authority. Do you want to guess what those fake authorities love to do the most?¡± the person said unhurriedly. ¡°What?¡± Sigmond could not help but ask. For some reason, this person¡¯s words made him very uneasy. He stared at the other party¡¯s actions¡ªthe person was covering his left hand and putting something on it. ¡°They like to vest authority in inanimate objects so that they can transfer authority and power to those who originally have no right to possess them by transferring those inanimate objects. Like you, like the senior officials of the Church who later were in cahoots with the Riel Empire.¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Sigmond asked loudly. The person smiled and showed him the thing he had just worn on his finger. Sigmond felt his breathing and heart stop the moment he saw the thing clearly. ¡°I want to say that to someone like you, this symbol of authority is more influential than preaching and violence.¡± On the index finger of the person¡¯s left hand was a cracked Holy Spirit Protection ring. The moment the ring appeared, the Holy Spirit phantom behind Sigmond dimmed to a faint outline. Chapter 355 - 355 The Curtain Unfolds 355 The Curtain Unfolds ¡°How is that possible¡­ Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Perceiving that his will, once infused with the Holy Spirit¡¯s boon, was swiftly shriveling like a deflated rubber ball, beads of sweat promptly trickled down Sigmond¡¯s forehead. Within the Holy Spirits Church, the nobility of status was divided according to the distance between man and the Holy Spirits. Each rank of clergy has absolute dominance over subordinate believers, including but not limited to weakening, distorting, or even directly invalidating the other party¡¯s abilities through edicts. However, the Living Saint was an exception. As an existence that exceeded all ranks, the Living Saint surpassed the 10 man-defined levels and was the right-hand man of the Holy Spirits to carry out Their ¡®wills.¡¯ Especially after one wore the Holy Spirit Protection Ring, their strength wouldn¡¯t be affected by anything¡ªeven the Patriarch of the Second Order couldn¡¯t diminish the boon Sigmond received at all. Logically speaking, this was how it should have been¡­ However, something beyond common sense happened. The ring on the magic chanter¡¯s finger made Sigmond forget to breathe for a moment. ¡°Holy¡­ Holy Spirit Protection Ring?¡± These words coming out of Sigmond¡¯s throat were akin to a person trapped in a dry well as he crawled out using an unstable lifeline. When people saw something impossible turn true, that would be what their tone would be like. Legend had it that it was sealed in the Eighth Holy Spirit Treasure at World¡¯s End by William Kane. One of the Holy Spirit Protection Rings, which were originally supreme holy relics of the Holy Spirits Church, was now worn on the finger of a magic chanter. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, but his greatly weakened kept reminding him that this could only be this explanation. ¡°Do you want to continue?¡± the person asked him calmly. Sigmond swallowed and didn¡¯t dare answer immediately. At this moment, he was frantically thinking through a series of questions. Why has the Holy Spirit Protection Ring, which had vanished into the annals of history with William Kane, materialized in the hands of an obscure Frost-type Divine Realm magic chanter? And it would be such a coincidence that he just appeared in front of me, a Living Saint who has just been canonized due to my achievements, as an absolute trump card to restrain me? It was such a coincidence that he couldn¡¯t believe that it wasn¡¯t a trap specially targeted at him or even the Second Order. Could it be a trap set up by the Empress of Silence and Ava State¡¯s leader, as well as other hostile factions? More importantly, how he obtain this ring? Could it be that the person in front of him was¡­ Looking at the man in front of him, Sigmond glanced back at the girl with white eyes. Could it be that the person in front of him had found a way to open the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s treasure vault with the help of the Blind Sisters? After making up his mind, he retracted the phantom of the Holy Spirit behind him. After the other party took out the Holy Spirit Protection Ring, there was no point in continuing this battle¡­ It was impossible for him to defeat the other party. Unlike magic, which allowed one to fight against a stronger adversary, battles between Prophets were essentially a competition of who could obtain more blessings from the Holy Spirits. If there was an obvious difference in this aspect, the outcome was decided before the battle began. Although the other party wasn¡¯t a Prophet, relying on the suppression of that ring, he could weaken his ability to below 40% of normal¡ªeven though he had fought against him with all his might before, he was only slightly ahead. If his blessed state was weakened to below 40%, he would be in grave danger even if he tried escaping. Sigmond gritted his teeth. Clearly¡­ Clearly I was just a little short. He could have become a Saint and become a part of Mother, achieving eternal immortality as a mortal. ¡°Who are you to hold that ring?¡± Sigmond asked. ¡°An avid collector¡­ Therefore, it¡¯s time to hand over the thing you¡¯ve been holding.¡± William waved his hand and Sigmond¡¯s shadow distorted. The shadows clung to his limbs as if they had gained life. Then, they turned into dim chains and bound him firmly. Something that the other party had been holding rolled to the ground. William slowly walked over and bent down to pick it up. It was an ordinary-looking acorn, with the pattern of the Holy Spirit Mother¡¯s holy emblem vaguely on it. With William¡¯s memory, it was impossible for him to remember wrongly. This thing was the core of the World Tree. ¡°I see¡­¡± Looking at the acorn in his hand, William understood many things. Two timelines were converging. At this moment, he existed in two timelines at the same time. On one side was the flesh and blood hall he could observe, and on the other side that he couldn¡¯t observe was the secret chamber where the core of the World Tree was placed. Being limited by human understanding, he could only observe one outcome even if there were two possibilities at the same time. This logic was a little like a famous thought experiment of sealing a cat in a box. ¡°So the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Origin of the Moon is already in-game¡­¡± William had obtained a total of eight Origins of the Moon from the console. Other than the Seed of Hope, the other seven corresponded to the seven original Sovereigns based on their names and descriptions¡ªthe seven Newborns. With the Lady of Starvation being a Rebirth Sovereign, William didn¡¯t know the name and nature of Her Origin of the Moon. William originally thought that the DLC that didn¡¯t see the light of day wasn¡¯t going to bring the Rebirth Sovereigns into play. But from the looks of it, Their Origins of the Moon might have been placed in Currere like this acorn. Looking at the Mother holy emblem printed on the acorn and thinking of the Holy Spirit phantom that he had just obtained, William seemed to understand where the other party¡¯s achievements that could elevate him to a Living Saint came from. William waved his hand and untied the Shadow Chain binding the other party¡¯s mouth. Before the other party could speak, William said sternly, ¡°Imbecile, aren¡¯t you afraid that employing the Moon Realm¡¯s conduit to gather the secondary aspects of the Holy Spirits will end up tainting the essence of the Second Holy Spirit with the Moon Realm?¡± Sigmond, who was about to say something, was stunned by William¡¯s aggressive tone. After a long time, he replied, ¡°What Moon Realm conduit?¡± William felt a headache when he saw that the other party didn¡¯t seem to be lying. He pressed down on his nose bridge and changed his method of asking. ¡°The current situation is dire. If you don¡¯t want the objects in the arms of every Second Holy Spirit figurine consecrated by each family to morph from swaddling clothes to putrid flesh, please answer me plainly now. Did the Second Order conspire with a Void Sovereign on this expedition to Ravenwood?¡± When he asked this question, his tone was serious and he even used the Illusion spell, Words of Justice, to increase his eloquence, making the other party feel that he was telling the truth. ¡°That¡¯s the Whispering Empress fulfilling an ancient contract with the Holy Spirits Church. Moreover, She took the initiative to add an oath that even the Void Sovereigns can¡¯t violate¡­ The Whispering Empress, Beatrice, can¡¯t interfere with the purity of Mother¡¯s secondary aspect.¡± Sigmond hesitated for a moment before answering. William¡¯s heart sank. Just because Beatrice can¡¯t interfere doesn¡¯t mean that the other Void Sovereigns couldn¡¯t. Hadn¡¯t they thought of this? ¡°An imbecile who doesn¡¯t realize he¡¯s been fooled¡­¡± William muttered under his breath and looked at the person. ¡°There¡¯s still a chance to salvage the situation. I need you to help me pass on a few words. First¡­¡± Before William could finish speaking, a cold and dignified female voice sounded from midair. It was Floral¡¯s voice. ¡°All Forest Elf citizens, citizens of Emerald Province, descendants of Ava State¡¯s conquerors, hello.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Floral Kane. Today, in the name of the last queen of the ancient Holy Tree Kingdom, I¡¯ll give a reasonable order to all the forest citizens¡ªI request everyone to quietly accept their fated deaths¡­¡± As the voice echoed, the dead baby named Unborn Fetus not far from William suddenly turned to look at him. To be precise, it looked at the Ironstone Heart in William¡¯s hand. Chapter 356 - 356 Floral Kane 356 Floral Kane Returning to White Bone Castle¡¯s conference hall, Floral slowed down her hurried pace. Under her control, the ancient and venerable stone door gradually closed. Intricate runes latched onto each other, muffling the ear-splitting battle cries from outside. Only her footsteps echoed in the empty hall. The luxurious skirt trailing behind Floral etched a lengthy crimson trajectory on the pristine carpet. It was bloody, just like the course she had navigated all these years. Walking in the empty hall, Floral felt like she was alone again after so many years. This feeling was like the day she was transformed into a lich by her adoptive parents, or the day she learned that she had been chosen as the incarnation of the Holy Tree Matriarch and was about to hold a divine marriage ceremony with the Father of the Wilderness. Adoptive parents¡­ Recalling them, Floral¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile. The pair of human adoptive parents who had given her their last name and raised her when she was abandoned told her what the pursuit of truth was. It wasn¡¯t until they brought her to the core of the World Tree that they tore off the facade of love they had been pretending to wear. Raising an Forest Elf orphan to adulthood was not to better assimilate into foreign cultures, nor was it to look back and experience feelings of kinship that were never felt in the past¡­ The legacy of Frost Lich Nehe¡ªa Judge¡ªthe information that could reproduce the brilliance of ice and frost magic, was the only thing they pursued. In fact, if that were the case, Floral wouldn¡¯t have been unwilling to sacrifice herself for the couple who studied magic¡ªher only family in this world. This was because ever since she was young, her adoptive parents, who considered themselves scholars, had always told her that kinship was the greatest thing, and the eternal pursuit of truth was greater than kinship. Other than truth and kinship, everything else was mundane. Therefore, in order to help her adoptive parents explore the peak of magic, she was willing to sacrifice herself. However, they weren¡¯t doing all of this to climb the peak of magic. Floral had long seen through the truth from their uncontrollable excitement. The couple had instructed her too thoroughly¡ªso thoroughly that after the age of 14, to study magic more profoundly and unearth new documents, Floral conjured a demon spirit that even they couldn¡¯t discern and infiltrated a clandestine chamber they believed they had secreted exceedingly well. Moreover, she heard their private conversation. It wasn¡¯t to seek the truth. They only planned all of this to find Nehe¡¯s legacy and atone for their sins, allowing them to return to the distant center of power in Platinum City and seek a comeback. For the ¡®mundane¡¯ objects they despised. She could have bound herself and offered herself up as a lamb to be bartered for the truth with just a dictate from them, but they opted to delude her¡ªemploying absurd and feeble lies and a guise that could be seen through in an instant. Therefore, she didn¡¯t want to let them have their way. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Nehe¡¯s imprint in the soul box asked her when she activated the legacy. ¡°Floral Kane.¡± Facing the power that still filled her with reverence despite after a thousand years, she replied respectfully, ¡°Kane¡­ What a good last name. Then, are you the one to accept my legacy? Do you know what price you have to pay for this?¡± ¡°Death and rebirth,¡± Floral replied calmly. ¡°I have to say, you¡¯re too young. This makes the price of your death seem insufficient¡ªone not enough to give you a new life. If it were any of the two people below, they would probably be able to inherit 40% of the experience and talent I left behind. As for you, I¡¯m afraid you can only barely reach 20%.¡± Nehe¡¯s remnant mental imprint suggested. ¡°Then let the two of them pay the price with me. I want 100%.¡± ¡°¡­You might die directly and not be able to be reborn.¡± After a moment of silence, Nehe sought confirmation for the last time. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s also what I pursue.¡± ¡­ Although she wasn¡¯t the one who did it, Floral did kill her adoptive parents on the day she reached adulthood. William Kane¡¯s guess was wrong. Her adoptive parents hadn¡¯t even lived long enough to obtain that terrifying talent. She should have told William this, but for some reason, she didn¡¯t want to. Before killing her parents, Floral was very curious about how she would feel afterward. She had slain her adoptive parents, who had granted her a second life. Despite their thousands of misdeeds and having raised her merely as a sacrifice to exploit one day, every minute and second of life she had known over the years was conferred by the two of them. Floral didn¡¯t hate her adoptive parents. Instead, she respected and loved them. Therefore, she had always borne in mind the principle they had instilled¡ªthat the quest for truth surpassed kinship and all else. Given that the two of them were unwilling to ascend the pinnacle of magic due to worldly concerns, she chose to tread the path in their lieu. After killing her adoptive parents, what hit her most was that she didn¡¯t feel anything. It wasn¡¯t that she was numb and didn¡¯t feel anything, but that ¡®feeling¡¯ didn¡¯t exist. Her heart was as empty as the void between the stars in the night sky. Nothing could fill it. All meaning dissipated in the depths of her heart. She lost the reason to live and the motivation to die. Had she not glimpsed the words on Nehe¡¯s manuscript, she would likely have remained in that covert chamber for the rest of her days, seated and pondering the bounds of truth. Nevertheless, Nehe¡¯s final words instilled new drive in her¡ªhaving inherited the legacy of the Judge, she had his duty of safeguarding Ravenwood. Floral¡¯s mainspring was once more fastened snugly. Protect Ravenwood¡ªbut in her own way. She relied on her strength to suppress the eager opposition and deal with the various factions outside, pushing this ancient country out of its corrupt cycle bit by bit. She made sure that absolute authority was held tightly in her hands and she would deal with all problems with the simplest and most efficient logic, but she wouldn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s feelings¡ªpeople called her heartless, but she ignored them. She suppressed any secret rebellion from the opposition. After leaving behind a trail of corpses and seas of blood, she finally pushed this country three centimeters out of the fire pit. However, just when she left for a while and loosened her grip ever so slightly¡­ The blood on Floral¡¯s skirt was left behind from killing the guards when she returned to White Bone Castle. In her wake, the Oak Council¡¯s spies in the palace raised their arms and rallied to oppose her tyranny and overturn the order she had established. Only an extremely small number of guards stood on her side, but they were quickly dispatched. When she and Ebony returned, the entire White Bone Castle¡¯s outer corridor was holding a Holy Communion ceremony. Perhaps it was because the Oak Council and the palace¡¯s intelligence weren¡¯t synchronized, but the guards and subjects who had sworn loyalty in the past charged at her. After killing a few waves, they found their forgotten fear again. Those people retreated and crawled in front of her, begging for forgiveness. Just like in the past. However, when she walked into the inner courtyard of White Bone Castle alone and the reinforcements from the Oak Council arrived, those newly emboldened people charged at Ebony, who was left behind as a guard. It was the same as before. The illusion of peace and stability over the years even made her forget that she had always been alone. Floral thought as she sat on the Withering Throne. Then, she felt unprecedentedly relaxed. This was because all of this was finally¡­ about to end. This was because someone would bear this responsibility for her, shoulder the anger and sorrow from 40 million dissipating souls, and help her defeat an enemy she could never defeat. For Floral, who relied on half-hearted determination and bore the fate of the entire race, this was a kind of liberation akin to a religious experience. She had spent so many years and committed countless killings just to push this country out of the fire pit by three centimeters. As for that person, he wanted to extinguish the entire fire pit. He wanted to snatch the Forest Elves¡¯ fate from the Void Sovereign. The ether domain connected to the Withering Throne¡¯s circuits, and mana began to fill up again. Countless demonic spirits flew to every corner of Ravenwood according to Floral¡¯s will. ¡°All Forest Elf citizens, citizens of Emerald Province, descendants of the Ava State¡¯s conquerors, hello¡­¡± Floral made her voice echo across the land. Soon, she would be¡­ It was also at this moment that a glass-like arrow¡ªan arrow stained with the blood of the Holy Spirit¡¯s incarnation¡ªbroke through the magic blockade in the hall and sped towards her throat. Chapter 357 - 357 Splattering Sounds 357 Splattering Sounds The instant the deceased infant rotated its head, an exceptionally perilous feeling commenced to emerge in William¡¯s heart. It was a dangerous omen like when he faced four Void Sovereigns at the same time in the Moon Realm¡ªit was a feeling that could truly threaten his life. Floral¡¯s speech still echoed in his ears. The Living Saint of the Holy Spirits Church was still hanging in front of him, unable to move. The mood hadn¡¯t changed¡ªthere was no abnormal mana gathering, nor was there the ¡°strange texture¡± signaling the appearance of a powerful Lunar Monster. The Living Saint who was still struggling suddenly stopped as if he had sensed something. He looked at William in confusion and asked, ¡°Do you feel¡­¡± However, before he could finish speaking, his entire body began to tremble violently. No, it wasn¡¯t that his entire body began to tremble, but that the entire hall began to quake violently. It wasn¡¯t akin to the rippling sensation of an earthquake, but as if they were inside the body of a newly roused behemoth¡ªwhen the behemoth was still slumbering, insignificant mortals regarded it as a treasure trove for their restoration. Over the lengthy years, they deemed everything here a matter of course, an unchanging entity. However, when the behemoth awoke, all extant order would be upended. The flesh walls around the hall began to slowly and forcefully squirm. Layers of transparent membranes filled with blood vessels sealed the only entrance into the hall. The originally dim light began to extinguish bit by bit, and the entire hall fell into deep darkness. Pa! It was like the sound of a basin of water falling from a high place and hitting the hard ground. Pa! Pa! Pa¡­ This bizarre sound came from all directions. Light Prayer William raised his magical medium and tried to use light spells to illuminate the hall. The spell soundlessly delineated itself in midair, but under the complete purview of the Ironstone Oath, the mana unleashed by Light Prayer, a Light-type spell¡ªwhich harnessed untarnished Creatons¡ªpassed away and deteriorated into metallic shards before drifting down like volcanic ash. The immense mana illuminated the hall for a moment, but William saw where the unsettling voice came from. Countless pink translucent threads hung from the ceiling, wrapping the Forest Elves in the hall like mummies. Some were trying to break free, and some were already tightly bound by the threads. The firmly trussed mummies would levitate in midair before promptly inflating into entire cocoons. Ultimately, they detonated with a crack, prompting the semi-turbid liquid with heat signatures within to plummet to the ground with a bang. In just a short while, more than 30% of the Forest Elves in the hall had died. A warm sensation enveloped William like a liquid. Then, a faint smell of blood filled his nose. It was as if the entire hall had really turned into a delivery room. William had never seen such a situation, but he could roughly guess what had happened. This World Tree, which took the form of a pregnant woman, symbolized the core of the hall they were in¡ªthe female giant¡¯s womb. When She took action, this core was Her power furnace, the core of Her existence. All Her actions had to center around this symbol. Given that the Forest Elf bodies in this timeline were corpse marionettes manipulated by the Lady of Starvation, when the World Tree commenced ¡°retracting¡± its powers from them, it naturally signified that Camilla intended on participating personally. Despite the Moon Realm rift created by the crumpled Astral Lighthouse being far from ample for a Void Sovereign¡¯s corporeal form to stride into Currere, if Currere possessed a formidable vessel, the Void Sovereign¡¯s powers could directly descend through a conduit like the Void Incarnation. ¡°She sure knows how to choose the perfect timing¡­¡± William cursed softly. The Ironstone Oath was in its activated state, and as a magic chanter, it was impossible for him to fight a Void incarnation while under the effects of a magic nullification domain. William planned on dispelling the domain released by the Ironstone Oath. ¡°¡ª¡± But William realized that the instructions he gave had no effect on the Ironstone Heart. The magic nullification domain didn¡¯t even stir. But that¡¯s impossible¡­ Since Aiur handed this thing to me, no one can surpass William¡¯s influence other than Aiur Herself¡­ In the darkness, William cursed inwardly. It was the stillborn that was the Origin of the Moon! The fellow from before suddenly turned to look at the Ironstone Oath in his hand because its master had also activated the Origin of the Moon¡¯s domain. He couldn¡¯t immediately retract the activated Ironstone Oath under the restriction of an equal power. William felt a lightness on his shoulder as if a few feathers had landed. Fire of Calamity Under the suppression of the Ironstone Oath¡¯s magic nullification domain, William¡¯s body burned with raging flames again. The translucent threads that silently fell on his body were instantly ignited with crackling sounds. Nevertheless, although much had been incinerated, more threads commenced to assail him¡ªnot only from the ceiling, but also from the encompassing walls of flesh, the floor, and the erect pillars¡­ The entire hall was akin to a greenhouse that cultivated filament-like bacteria. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± William sighed as he sensed the rapid depletion of mana. His plan couldn¡¯t keep up with the changes¡ªif he didn¡¯t head out and defeat this Void Incarnation first, he wouldn¡¯t be able to continue contacting his teammates in the other timeline. With this in mind, he grabbed at the void, and a Shadow Chain instantly appeared. Then, it wrapped around his hand like a snake. ¡°Consider yourself lucky to be able to live longer.¡± William said to the Living Saint of the Holy Spirits Church through the darkness. The two timelines were intertwined, so he knew that the Living Saint could relay his words to his companions in the other timeline. Moreover, after this battle ended, the public trial and execution of a Living Saint in Ravenwood would be enough to signal Judgment¡¯s return. William didn¡¯t care if the other party heard him. He swiped two fingers and opened a flickering single-person portal. At the edge of the portal that flickered with lightning, a large number of fine iron fragments dissipated. Under the terrifying consumption of mana, William didn¡¯t dare to waste any more time. He pulled the Shadow Chain in his hand and arrived outside Holy Tree City¡ªin front of the teleportation coordinates he had set up. The moment William crossed the portal, the Ironstone Heart in his hand was left behind as he had expected. It was like a stone that couldn¡¯t penetrate a sieve. William suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and turned to look at the World Tree that had stood up and was constantly moving its body¡­ No, it should be said that the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation silently began to buff Herself before the battle began. Floral¡¯s speech still echoed in the air of Holy Tree City. She began to talk about the truth about the Forest Elves¡¯ origins and the fact that they had been used by the Lady of Starvation. Next, William would use his battle with the Void Incarnation as the best evidence to support Floral¡¯s speech. However, a whistling sound suddenly interrupted Floral¡¯s speech. Then, the sound of blood splattering echoed over Ravenwood. Chapter 358 - 358 First Promise and Herself 358 First Promise and Herself Floral¡¯s calm and cold speech came to an abrupt end, and only the sound of something splashing echoed in the wind. William stopped what he was doing and turned to look in the direction of White Bone Castle. This sound¡­ Did something happen to Floral? Before William could think carefully, the Lady of Starvation¡¯s incarnation let out a roar that was like a rumbling mountain. It pulled him out of his thoughts. The incarnation yanked its deep-rooted legs out of the earth and clumsily hauled its swollen corpse. The surrounding withered saplings started resonating with Her. A diaphanous flesh-hued tunnel resembling an umbilical cord tethered the subtrees to the incarnation¡¯s distended belly. Contrary to his expectations, the subtrees didn¡¯t extract their strength from the incarnation. Instead, Mother Goddess constantly shared Her life force with the subtrees through the umbilical cords. The withered tree trunks of the baring fangs and brandishing claws that looked like Gothic subtrees filled up again after receiving a gift from their ¡®mother.¡¯ Layers of green tender leaves began to grow on their withering branches again. This looked like the incarnation was constantly dissipating its strength, but that wasn¡¯t the case. To gods¡ªbe it Moon Realm gods or Currere gods, the greatest source of Their strength was always a symbol related to Their authority. As for the mana and life force They used, They were only catalysts for Them to exercise Their true strength. It could be said to be a completely different system from magic chanters. Mother yearned to be able to forever rely on Her children and protect them in Her arms forever. This was the core symbol of the Holy Spirit Mother¡ªlove. This love that corresponded to a child¡¯s endless curiosity would evolve into extreme control. Unlike the tyrannical control of Father, Father was more like a sovereign who required his children to grow up according to his standards and eventually grow up to be exactly the same as him (but at the same time, tyrants couldn¡¯t tolerate the appearance of new tyrants, so patricide and filicide were eternal themes for the Father Holy Spirit). Mother¡¯s desire for control was to hope that her children would never change. She even hoped that they could return to her body and become a part of her, just like before they were born. Therefore, even though the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation was distributing its strength to the subtrees, William felt the pressure from the other party constantly rising. Mother controlled her children through the umbilical cord. The more they relied on her, the more compatible Mother had with her authority. Therefore, according to my previous experience, the way to weaken the other party before attacking this Boss should be to cut off those umbilical cords one by one¡­ William looked up at the strange network of umbilical cords in the sky and muttered to himself. Although there were no mission tips or forum guides, William relied on his understanding of this world to quickly formulate a plan to defeat this BOSS. A battle without a strategy against the enhanced Lady of Starvation¡¯s Void Incarnation could be said to be the highest-level battle William had faced since he came to this world. If the activation of the incarnation of the Holy Spirits to fight the Void Sovereign¡¯s main body in the final cut scene in the Waning Moon ending wasn¡¯t counted, the strongest BOSS he had to face in-game was only at this level. However¡­ what¡¯s wrong with Floral¡­ William sped up the buffing process. He could still keep his priorities straight. Now that this Void Incarnation had been activated, his top priority was to quickly blast the other party to pieces. Otherwise, the damage would only be greater. Even if he had to make a choice¡­ William¡¯s movements slowed down. Then, he sighed slightly and slammed the magical medium in his hand on the ground. A huge spell stained with blood rose from under his feet. A sticky, pitch-black, sticky liquid that was constantly deforming appeared in the middle of the spell. Then, the liquid pulled and flattened itself into a constantly spinning vortex. It was so deep that it seemed to lead to a bottomless abyss. ¡°Support the stone palace I marked and protect the people I left behind. You can kill any hostiles along the way. If the other party is about to die, use everything at your disposal to save her.¡± What will I obtain? A sound like gold coins colliding in a pocket echoed in the depths of William¡¯s soul. ¡°If you protect the person I¡¯m asking you to protect, our contract will be considered completed. When the time comes, I¡¯ll return your freedom. Of course, that requires you to scram back to your master¡¯s caravan and not wander around Currere.¡± With that said, a pair of golden wings made of light spread out behind William through the ancient chain armor. He stomped his feet and appeared near an umbilical cord in the sky. A wide blood-colored saber beam extended from the magical medium in his hand. On the ground, a pair of hands covered in gorgeous rings reached out of the spinning abyss. It held a tilted scale made of pure gold in one hand and a serrated staff in the other. A middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache and a potbelly covered in gold and silver walked out. It wore a round hat and had a black eye patch over one eye. It first used its single eye to look at the corrupt giantess who was striding in their direction like a mountain before glancing in the direction of White Bone Castle. Finally, it raised the crooked scale in its hand and fiddled with it a few times. ¡°To take on such a job the moment I¡¯m up. What a bad deal.¡± It muttered before turning into countless clanging gold coins and gems and disappearing. ¡­ First Contract was a peak Summoning spell. It allowed the caster to imitate a Void Sovereign¡¯s strength and use a contract to forcefully restrain Demon General-level Lunar Monsters, making them listen to his orders. However, during the spell¡¯s effective period, it could only restrain one Demon General at a time. Moreover, after three uses, the effect of the First Contract would lose its effect. One had to defeat a new Demon General to sign a First Contract again. William kept the Demon General he had contracted and only had one last summoning in effect. The one who had signed the First Contract with him wasn¡¯t easy to control, so he always hesitated about using it. However, he couldn¡¯t care less now. Without affecting his battle with the Lady of Starvation¡¯s incarnation, he could only use this summoning spell to reinforce Floral, whose situation was unknown. Even though letting that fellow return was troublesome for him. However, he still couldn¡¯t understand¡ªFloral, who had sat on the Withering Throne again, relied on the entire palace to build the Mage King Nation¡¯s spell nexus. In theory, the half-baked Living Saint from before shouldn¡¯t be her match. There shouldn¡¯t be any enemy in White Bone Castle who could defeat her. How could it be possible¡­ ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, citizens of Ravenwood. A Moon Realm scoundrel tried to stop me from speaking the truth. It took me some time to resolve the other party.¡± When William severed the third umbilical cord, Floral¡¯s voice echoed in the sky above Holy Tree City. ¡°Please allow me to continue. That was 5,000 years ago, when our ancestors, the High Elf colonists¡­¡± William heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Floral¡¯s calm and indifferent voice. Thank goodness, thank goodness¡­ Thankfully, Nehe¡¯s successor is fine. ¡­ The Withering Throne in White Bone Castle¡¯s conference hall was dyed bright red. Why was she bleeding so much despite being a lich? Floral, who was slumped on the throne and clutching the penetrating wound on her throat, thought, perplexed.. Not far from the throne, Mirror Shadow¡ªwho looked identical to her¡ªcontinued her speech on her behalf. That arrow was really ruthless¡­ The defensive spells usually set up in front of the throne were shot through like paper, not giving her any time to react. Moreover, the blood on the arrowhead carried an indescribable power. This power exceeded the separation of a lich¡¯s soul and flesh and directly affected her soul. She was about to die. Floral thought calmly, as if she was examining another person¡¯s life. It was just like her seeing her adoptive parents die back then. She felt nothing. The only thing she sighed about was her tenacity as a lich¡ªshe should have been able to last until she finished what the Presiding Judge had asked her to do. This should be enough, she thought in relief. It was also at this moment that the heavy stone door was pushed open from the outside with a creak. Then, the injured Ebony was thrown into the hall. He slid more than ten meters on the ground before being stopped by an invisible force. He let out a groan like a dying person. ¡°How surprising. You still have the strength to continue your speech?¡± This was the first thing the person who had done all of this said when he walked in. Floral didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she stared fixedly at that person. The entire White Bone Castle had been reinforced by Floral¡¯s Mage King Nation nexus, especially the two stone doors, which were engraved with countless defensive spells. It wasn¡¯t that no one could break through them, but she didn¡¯t sense any signs of them opening as if nothing had happened. Even a peak magic chanter like William Kane couldn¡¯t do it. However, the person who walked in did it. Moreover, it was very reasonable for her to do so. Because the person who walked in was Floral herself. Chapter 359 - 359 Sever 359 Sever After the Living Saint suddenly disappeared from the secret chamber, an intense earthquake immediately reverberated throughout the underground root system. Moreover, the surrounding roots began to squirm. Remides had seen a similar situation hundreds of years ago¡ªafter Nehe completed his reincarnation ritual, the entire underground root system suddenly came to life, just like now. Having had similar experiences, she didn¡¯t think too much about it. She pulled the two people beside her and quickly ran out. It was also at this moment that they heard an intermittent voice echo in their ears. ¡°Forest Elves¡­ I¡¯m Flora¡­ We¡­ Please accept¡­ the fate that you are long dead.¡± Upon hearing this voice, Nizemar, whose collar was being tugged by Remides, immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s Floral¡¯s voice. Her tone is exactly the same as back when she spoke.¡± Wind filled her mouth since she was moving at high speed, but Nizemar managed to barely understand her. ¡°Isn¡¯t the real Floral in another timeline? And William isn¡¯t back,¡± Remides said as she led the two of them to agilely dodge the roots. Elise, who was being held by her other hand, replied, ¡°No, the two timelines are intertwined by the power of the Moon Realm. What we do here can affect the other side, and the other side can affect us.¡± ¡°How is this possible?¡± Remides subconsciously refused to admit this because if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t the causal laws that mortals regarded as the cornerstone of understanding become something that could be distorted by powerful Moon Realm existences? However, if this wasn¡¯t the explanation, the question that had been lingering in her heart wouldn¡¯t have an answer. Where did the arrow named Karma that she had just shot go? ¡­ ¡°Are you surprised to see yourself?¡± Walking slowly through the heavy stone door into the conference hall, the person¡¯s elongated shadow bisected the moonlight outside the door. Floral didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, she held on to her shaky will and waved her hand to give the order for the hall to prepare for the attack. Several dark-green undead holding rusty swords crawled out of the exaggerated patterns on the floor. A Frost Storm mixed with countless razor-like ice blades gathered above the other party¡¯s head. Faced with the power that could easily slice her apart, the woman with the same face as Floral only snapped her fingers gently. The two aggressive spells instantly dissipated. It looked like Floral had taken the initiative to cancel them. ¡°Are you even more surprised?¡± Looking at the change in Floral¡¯s expression on the throne, the person continued asking, Floral still didn¡¯t respond. Her penetrated throat couldn¡¯t produce a sound more fluent than a gasp. At this moment, all her energy was focused on maintaining Mirror Shadow and continuing her mission. However, on the other hand, she also roughly knew the other party¡¯s identity. Needless to say, the woman in front of her who looked identical to her was Floral Kane from another timeline. Or rather, an existence that controlled her body in another timeline. Although Floral didn¡¯t know how the other party broke through the restrictions between different timelines and allowed her to meet ¡°herself,¡± this was the only explanation why the other party could control the development of White Bone Castle¡¯s spell nexuses with a thought like her. Floral¡¯s heart sank at this thought. Now that things had come to this, she didn¡¯t care if she lived or died. She only hoped that she could complete the task William entrusted to her¡ªto bring a relatively successful end to her failed life. However, if the other party had the same authority as her, wouldn¡¯t the Mirror Shadow she was doing her best to maintain be easily affected or even canceled? ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about, but you can rest assured that I won¡¯t end your impassioned speech¡­ At least not now,¡± the person said, as if she had guessed what Floral was thinking. She walked to the middle of the hall and stopped beside Ebony, who had been thrown in. The latter struggled to get up, but she stepped on him. The other party didn¡¯t lie, nor was there a need to because if she wanted to do so, she didn¡¯t need to explain it to her. However, the other party¡¯s answer made Floral even more vigilant. No matter what, don¡¯t do what the enemy wants you to do. This was something she had learned on the first day she sat on the Withering Throne. ¡°Why?¡± Frost outlined a set of words on the wall. Floral, whose throat had been pierced, could only ask in this way. ¡°Because everything you¡¯ve done is what my master hopes you¡¯ll do¡­ Or rather, my main goal in coming here is to urge you to continue that exciting speech,¡± the person replied. ¡°¡­¡± Floral stared at the other party and let out a puzzled hoarse voice from the depths of her throat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you die, I¡¯ll complete the speech in your place.¡± With that said, she revealed a familiar smile that Floral found familiar. ¡°After all, this is a speech that spans two timelines and interweaves two possibilities. What can ultimately shake it will far exceed your and the Presiding Judge¡¯s predictions.¡± Floral¡¯s eyes widened. That¡¯s right¡­ Why can I meet my other self from another timeline? Why can two versions of her exist at the same time? Doesn¡¯t the other party¡¯s appearance mean that the two timelines are completely intertwined? In other words, wasn¡¯t the speech she was giving sounding across two timelines? ¡­ ¡°Wake up the souls of the 40 million Forest Elves¡­ Lady Zamara, are you sure you want to do this?¡± With an outline of a body as blurry as a high-speed object captured by an inferior camera, the Demon General named Falling stood beyond the curtains¡¯ third layer and asked uneasily, Falling symbolized the end of a dream. As a Demon General who had obtained the name of Falling, its duty was naturally to expel anything that Ms. Zamara didn¡¯t want in the Nightmare Swamp. Today, its master, the Lord of Nightmare, who ruled over all nightmares, had summoned it, but the orders She gave it left it dumbfounded¡ªexpel all 40 million Forest Elf souls from the Nightmare Swamp. It had to be known that those were the souls of 40 million Forest Elves. Even if they were essentially existences stored in the Nightmare Swamp by the Lady of Starvation, as long as they operated well, how much powerful emotional ripples did the 40 million souls provide Nightmare Swamp? Are you questioning my orders? An extremely dignified voice sounded from the depths of the curtains. Falling, who felt the pressure, immediately lowered its head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± Then do as I say. Behind the curtains, Zamara looked through the dream and into Currere after saying this. ¡°I hope you can make the right bet this time, Calamity.¡± ¡­ The world is collapsing, William thought. There were crazy colors drawn by foolish children everywhere, but they weren¡¯t as unpredictable as in the Moon Realm. They were like paint that had dried up in an impressionist painting. Not long after Floral¡¯s speech began to echo again, the entire world inexplicably began to show signs of collapse. William had seen a similar scene¡ªwhen Zamara¡¯s huge dream collapsed. Due to the drastic change in realization, the entire world began to go crazy. Just as he had expected, Zamara released her control over the Forest Elf dreams at the critical moment. This way, the Forest Elf dead could completely understand Floral¡¯s speech literally. William had severed seven diaphanous umbilical cords. Other than the soldiers guarding every subtree, there was no combat force that could stop him from weakening the Lady of Starvation¡¯s incarnation. Even the incarnation didn¡¯t attack William with all its might when its strength was at its peak. Other than releasing a few symbolic AOEs at William from afar, it didn¡¯t do anything. The attacks couldn¡¯t even break through his normal defense. ¡°Hey! Camilla, what¡¯s this? You spent so much effort to descend to Currere just to be a punching bag?¡± As William provoked, countless orange-red fireballs circled around him. Then, with a wave of his hand, the fireballs fell on the slow-moving corrupt giant like a rain of fire. Explosions sounded incessantly. Every fireball exploded, charring an area spanning half a basketball court. However, compared to the other party¡¯s mountain-sized body, this damage wasn¡¯t even a mosquito bite. William didn¡¯t use high-level spells. This attack was only to attract the other party¡¯s attention and expose more of its weaknesses. However, the test didn¡¯t seem effective based on the outcome. The Void incarnation didn¡¯t respond. It only took a few more steps forward before suddenly stopping in place. It looked like it was saying, ¡°Hit me however you want. Consider it my loss if I lose any HP.¡± ¡°Hiss¡­ Then, this is a chance you gave yourself.¡± William¡¯s blood boiled from the other party¡¯s indifferent attitude. He raised the magical medium in his hand and instantly appeared beside the next umbilical cord. Countless wind blades gathered in his hand and formed a sphere that reflected a sharp saber beam. In that case, he would cut all the umbilical cords first. Chapter 360 - 360 Crying 360 Crying With a cracking sound that echoed in the sky above Holy Tree City, William neatly severed the last squirming umbilical cord. The Void Incarnation appeared to have its stomach sliced open as it dragged the squirming umbilical cords all over the ground and stopped in place. Then, it slowly squatted on the ground with slow and stiff movements. Logically speaking, with a body as huge as a mountain, even the slightest movement could turn the entire Holy Tree City into ruins from the intense earthquake. However, the other party¡¯s movements were so gentle and cautious, like a child tiptoeing to be careful not to step on the ants on the ground, doing its best not to injure the citizens of the forest. William, who was floating in midair, looked at the other party in confusion. He originally thought that this would be a fierce battle, but it turned out that he was unilaterally wearing down the other party¡¯s excessively long health bar. It was difficult not to suspect that this was a specially designed trap¡ªfor example, after destroying this Void Incarnation, it would directly open a Moon Realm rift on the spot that was enough to allow the other party¡¯s main body to step into Currere. After all, in the game¡¯s plot in the past, there were countless similar examples, especially those related to the Whispering Empress. No matter what, never do what the enemy wants you to do. ¡°¡­¡± William silently took out a holy relic-level magical medium without any special suffixes from his inventory. He hesitated about releasing peak Fire spells to burn the festering giantess in front of him. To this fellow with extremely high HP, extremely fast recovery, and a huge body, using All That¡¯s Left Is Ash and Dust¡ªa top-notch AOE with a wide range and continuous burning effect¡ªwas the best way to deal damage. He had prepared 12 unsuffixed holy relic-level magical mediums as casting materials in his inventory. With the full support of the Holy Spirit Disc, William believed that he could burn every bone of the other party to ashes. However, the other party standing there unguarded made him suspicious. This was just like seeing the enemy turn around in the first round of a life and death arena and openly expose her weakness to him. What was the other party up to? ¡­ ¡°Camilla, what the hell are you doing?¡± The Whispering Empress, who was clinging to the sky above the Lake of Entropy, asked the Lady of Starvation the same question. Camilla had transformed into a dazzling nebula body and was in the middle of the Lake of Entropy, sitting on a throne made of countless rotten things. Although She was constantly sending Her strength through the Moon Realm rift, She had no intention of making the body move. She seemed to be waiting for something. ¡°Didn¡¯t we have an agreement? Use the Unborn Fetus to erase the remaining humanity in that incarnation and the Ironstone Oath. This is your only chance of victory. In that case, why are you still standing there doing nothing? Do you think you can really scare the Calamity with such a bluff?¡± Beatrice, who was clinging to the huge net, couldn¡¯t stop twitching Her huge spider mouthparts. Moreover, Her tone carried a hint of anxiety. Previously, the Lord of Starvation and Corruption just watched as the Calamity severed the umbilical cords one after another in Currere without doing anything. It wasn¡¯t that Camilla couldn¡¯t stop it in time, but that She didn¡¯t want to. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever promised you what I¡¯ll do, right?¡± Camilla, who had completely revealed Her true form, said. ¡°From the beginning until now, you¡¯ve always been the one nagging in my ear, coldly watching accidents happen one after another before eagerly peddling new plans for me.¡± The intricately woven spiderweb above the Lake of Entropy began to curl and yellow with Camilla¡¯s voice before gradually withering. ¡°I only agreed because I wanted to know what you were planning. Since I know now, there¡¯s no need for me to cooperate with your exquisite performance.¡± ¡°Although you keep saying that you want me to escape the remnant mortal influence, wasn¡¯t it you who left behind that humanity back then? You allowed that former mortal to leave her children¡¯s souls in a soul box and engraved her mental imprint on the World Tree¡ªbe it love for her children or hatred for the Forest Elves. I should have guessed it long ago, shouldn¡¯t I? You were planting a weakness that could kill the ally you created,¡± Camilla said. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you. The only person who can kill you now is the Moon Realm Calamity. It was impossible for me to foresee his return,¡± Beatrice replied after a moment of silence. ¡°Cut the act. You¡¯re the one who forced Zamara out of the plan and allowed Her to inform the Calamity. You¡¯re also the one who planted Silence in my timeline. Do you really think I¡¯m a fool who can be led by the nose by you without even noticing these?¡± As Camilla spoke, colorful specks of light that resembled bacteria began to appear on the phantom of the huge spider and began to expand. Almost half of it was devoured in the blink of an eye. ¡°How can that be? Isn¡¯t your will already¡­¡± Beatrice¡¯s tone revealed deep surprise. Although She was only a projection in the Lake of Entropy, as long as Camilla was still controlling the unprecedentedly huge Void Incarnation, it was impossible for the other party to erase Her projection so easily. ¡°I¡¯m not the one controlling that Void Incarnation,¡± Camilla replied directly. ¡°Wh¡­¡± Beatrice was speechless. ¡°Let me tell you something you aren¡¯t aware of. In fact, the mortal influence you specially left behind for me had been erased more than a thousand years ago in Currere. The best way to eliminate mortal influence isn¡¯t to suppress and eliminate it, but to satisfy it¡­ More than a thousand years ago, I fulfilled my biggest last wish during my mortal time and revived my children who had died in the past.¡± The spider phantom¡¯s six eyes lit up at the same time. ¡°Therefore, the Calamity severing those umbilical cords is exactly what I want. It¡¯s not time for me to ¡®eat¡¯ yet. It¡¯s just the step of birthing my child.¡± With that said, the cries of babies echoed in the sky above the Lake of Entropy and Ravenwood. ¡°Waa. Waa¡­¡± Chapter 361 - 361 Luxuriant Calamity 361 Luxuriant Calamity Platinum Province, in the depths of an underground karst cave about 300 kilometers away from Platinum City. Countless curved smooth secret passages formed a network that covered the southeastern part of Platinum Province. Among them, one of the most obscure secret passages led to a huge building made of bronze. There were no welded interfaces, and there were no traces of anyone etching the statue. This extremely large underground tower was made of massive amounts of bronze in one mold¡ªit wasn¡¯t just the building itself. Even the facilities and tools in the tower, as well as all kinds of living creatures, and even the residents of the tower were made of bronze. This was the headquarters of the only department the empire¡¯s officials allowed to carry out in-depth research on the Moon Realm. The mysterious Obliteration Tower. At the core of the Obliteration Tower was an extremely precise and complicated model. Its appearance and interior constantly changed at a dazzling speed. A dissipated pupil hung high at the top of the entire model. The pure light source it projected was divided into countless shattered beams by the hole-filled shell. As for the beams, they were projected on a precise mechanism formed by seven interlocking parts and reflected 13 empty reflections again. They were stained by the oil membrane covering the mechanism and the shell, reflecting rainbow-like colors. In front of the clock-like system, an old man covered in rust was rotating his inflexible joints and pulling the lever, adjusting something. As he worked, he kept muttering, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, children. Facing this world model that¡¯s closest to the truth, you can take a closer look. If you have any questions, you can ask them now.¡± Behind him stood many apprentices who were also made of bronze. Behind each of them was clockwork that was spinning at an extremely slow speed. ¡°Lord Sage, according to the model built by the Tacma Church, the so-called Moon Realm is only an oil membrane reflection of the huge system, Currere. Then, why has the illusory Moon Realm always have had such a huge impact on the real Currere in history?¡± the apprentice in front asked after hesitating for a moment. As the elder moved a few levers, a bronze pipe popped out beside the apprentice. It looked like a telescope. ¡°Real? What¡¯s real? Do you still think that¡­¡± As the elder spoke, he raised a finger and pointed at the precise mechanism that symbolized Currere in the middle of the system. ¡°Is that real? Just because it looks real? Don¡¯t be silly, child. The objective and real world is just an illusion, a product of the Seven Holy Spirits trapping us. In the world, the only real thing is your thoughts. The only real world is the world you see.¡± The telescope led straight to the dissipating pupil above the model. It symbolized the only point of view of Ma in the Tacma Church¡¯s model. In the Tacma Church¡¯s philosophy, the truth of the world depended on the truth observed by everyone. Through the telescope, the apprentice who asked the question saw that Currere had become strange under the distortion of the oil membrane that symbolized the Moon Realm. ¡°Do you understand now? What you can observe is the so-called truth. Tell me, what did you see from Ma¡¯s point of view?¡± the old man asked. This precise model, built with reference to the Tacma Church¡¯s philosophy and connected to 24 Astral Lighthouses across the continent, could monitor the drastic changes in the Moon Realm and Currere at any time. It was an important channel for the empire¡¯s Senate to obtain information about the Moon Realm and Currere. The apprentice replied in confusion, ¡°I¡­ I see that the parts running the Second Holy Spirit system are stuck, and the reflection that symbolizes the Lady of Starvation is slowly fading. Sage, doesn¡¯t this mean that Camilla is now resisting the Second Holy Spirit?¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± The elder pushed the apprentice away in shock and looked into the telescope. After a long time, he walked down with a solemn expression and turned to the bronze-armored guard at the door. ¡°Light up the encrypted teleportation spells with Platinum City immediately. Something big is about to happen in Ravenwood.¡± ¡­ The cries of newborns echoed throughout Ravenwood. It didn¡¯t sound sharp or ear-piercing, but every existence with the concept of reproduction within the range of the sound couldn¡¯t help but feel touched and terrified. Although it was called a cry, every existence heard a different sound. What echoed in the ears of humans and Forest Elves were the cries of babies. The wild beasts in the forest heard the whimpers of cubs when they were born, and reptiles and birds heard the sound of eggshells shattering. As for the flowers and trees, they ¡®heard¡¯ the subtle sound of soil loosening. At this moment, the concept of ¡®birth¡¯ exceeded the restrictions of different timelines and broke through the barriers of Currere and the Moon Realm. The concept of cutting off the Earth Mother¡¯s umbilical cord spread throughout Currere thanks to William. It¡¯s the Luxuriant Calamity¡­ Could it be that the person controlling the Void Incarnation wasn¡¯t Camilla? The Void Incarnation was essentially a Currere body that could withstand the power of a Moon Realm Void Sovereign. Although the incarnation itself needed to undergo many Moon Realm modifications to usher in the will of the Sovereign, its main body was still a creation of Currere¡ªit could be the corpse of a hero, a city, a divine weapon, or even a day or a war. For example, this incarnation of the Lady of Starvation in front of him was modified from Earth Mother¡¯s manifestation. Naturally, this incarnation could also carry out the authority of Earth Mother. After it was retrieved by the Second Order in an auxiliary manner, it could even direct Mother¡¯s authority to Earth Mother. For example, cutting the umbilical cord. Upon hearing the familiar cries, William recalled some bad memories. According to the Forest Elves¡¯ worship of the Matriarch and the level of Her personality, once Camilla gave up control of this incarnation, She would become a complete disaster! Calamity¡ªit wasn¡¯t external menaces to the Moon Realm, but direct, human tampering with the precise workings of Currere, upending the fragile equilibrium. This spawned a ruinous natural disaster. The Luxuriant Calamity that symbolized Mother back then first spread to Ravenwood. In terms of merit, there were only two instances that the Doomsday Watchers had done that could be truly considered saving the world¡ªSealing the Seven Calamities and resolving the Moon Realm crisis. And in this era when most people had forgotten about the Moon Realm, the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ greatest achievement back then was sealing the Seven Calamities. However, it was ironic that back then, it was clearly the Holy Spirits Church who created the Calamity through personification worship, but the final method of sealing the Calamity required taking personification to the limits, causing the disastrous Calamity to be completely bound to a specific person. Then, They could be defeated head-on, causing the out-of-control power to no longer be controlled by Their persona. To those chosen, it was better to say that they were vessels that carried the power of the Holy Spirit than prophets or descenders. Therefore, all of that was just a smokescreen. The Lady of Starvation¡¯s true goal is to weaken the World Shell here by awakening Mother Calamity? William thought. Compared to the Void Incarnation, the threat that Luxuriant Calamity could pose wasn¡¯t that great, but the trouble She could cause was much greater. Luxuriant Calamity, which symbolized endless vitality, was a mechanism BOSS in-game. If one didn¡¯t have a weapon blessed by the Lady of Starvation and gave it the concept of ¡®wear and tear,¡¯ Her HP would be infinite. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t infinite. As it was bound to the Holy Spirit, Mother, killing the Calamity in a physical sense was equivalent to killing all life in Currere, including the killer. However, if one used weapons like the Blade of Rot to give the concept of wear and tear, the Lady of Starvation could use this opportunity to open a huge Moon Realm rift, just like over a thousand years ago. There was even a chance of opening a rift that could let the main body pass! Retracing the infantile cries, William looked around at the subtrees, searching for the child he had ¡®delivered.¡¯ At this moment, an identical blurry figure appeared on every subtree whose umbilical cord had been severed by him. Then, they leaped to their ¡®mother¡¯ and overlapped their bodies against the rotten giantess. As they slowly fused, the newly born divine child revealed its true identity. Although he was mentally prepared, William couldn¡¯t help but sigh when the figure revealed its form. ¡°Nehe¡­¡± His words didn¡¯t cause the Forest Elf spirit that looked identical to Nehe to react at all. The other party was like an empty puppet, mechanically controlling the dozen or so subtrees to rise from the ground before¡­ It strode in the direction of White Bone Castle. Chapter 362 - 362 Three Paths 362 Three Paths Looking at the huge spider phantom covered in colorful fungi clinging to the sky above the Lake of Entropy, Camilla said calmly, ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s start all over again.¡± With that said, Her body, which was completely made of stars, slowly rose from the filthy throne piled from rot. The concept of wear and tear materialized as She stepped onto the lake, dragging a series of destructive ripples behind Her. ¡°Could it be that you want to write your existence into the second cause of creation through your past connection with Earth Mother?¡± Faced with the sudden turn of events, Beatrice asked with difficulty, as if She was under intense pressure. The originally impenetrable net of conspiracies in the sky above the Lake of Entropy seemed to have experienced a storm, leaving only damage. Beatrice¡¯s will was firmly suppressed by the owner of the land here and She couldn¡¯t move at all. Camilla didn¡¯t say anything and continued walking slowly. With every step She took, Her power was projected into Currere through the Astral Lighthouses erected over Vic Continent. Even as the sovereign over this year¡¯s disaster, She couldn¡¯t unleash Her power into Currere so unscrupulously without being hindered. Even if the hindrance came from the Holy Spirits, the World Shell, or the Void Sovereigns¡¯ contract. ¡°What you pursue isn¡¯t the Precept. You¡¯re the same as the Heartless. You don¡¯t care who determines the history of Currere. What you want to change is something more fundamental¡­ You want to become the foundation for Currere¡¯s existence? Becoming corpses that haven¡¯t joined us?¡± Letting the Earth Mother enter the concept of Mother in an indirect way, inducing the Moon Realm Calamity to snip off all the umbilical cords and give birth to Nehe, who was the carrier of the Luxuriant Calamity. What Camilla wanted to do was no longer as simple as letting Her main body descend into Currere. Beatrice sounded shocked. All along, if existences in the Moon Realm wanted to effectively affect Currere, even existences at the Void Sovereigns¡¯ level had to strictly follow the rules of Currere most of the time. It was just like how even if two chess players¡¯ fingers could deliver moves ten thousand times more complicated than landing a piece, the outcome of a chess game ultimately had to be determined according to the rules. There were countless chess games, just like how Currere had countless timelines. Precept was the power to choose which outcome was effective¡ªthis was also the power most Void Sovereigns pursued. However, the one in front of Her didn¡¯t seem to think so. She planned on rewriting some of the rules of the game. It was just like Steelheart Widow not pursuing victory, but destroying the entire chessboard. When Camilla heard this, she finally slowed down slightly and looked at Beatrice, who was suppressed to the point of immobility. ¡°You, the Whispering One who claims to weave endless conspiracies, have finally realized it?¡± She said sarcastically,¡±That¡¯s right. Becoming a part of the Second Holy Spirit is what I pursue.¡± Beatrice ignored the other party¡¯s sarcasm and asked, ¡°But what¡¯s the point? Is it really worth it to change from a transcendent Elementium God to a Faith God that can be changed by mortals?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not a transformation. It¡¯s¡­ simultaneously becoming both,¡± Camilla replied. As She spoke, it wasn¡¯t just Her strength. Even Her will began to slowly sink into Currere. ¡°Simultaneously¡­ becoming both?¡± Although it was a question, Beatrice sounded enlightened. ¡°Speaking of which, I have to thank you. Should I say that you¡¯re too smart for your own good? Back then, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that you personally plotted against the mortal me, completing the Void Sovereign¡¯s ascension ritual by obtaining the divinity of Earth Mother, how could I have discovered that the true path to transcendence isn¡¯t to choose one, but to seek everything?¡± As Camilla¡¯s will sank, Her body made of stars began to lose its human form and transform into a spinning nebula. This was a manifestation of a Void Sovereign beginning to remove the restrictions on Her personality and completely release Her strength. From a mortal¡¯s point of view, She began a ritual suicide. There were three ways for mortals to ascend¡ªElementium Gods born from ethereal concepts, Faith Gods reproduced based on myths and legends, and Hero Gods consecrated based on historical achievements. All along, these three paths had been incompatible. For example, the Lady of Starvation was personally supported and crowned by Beatrice, who used this opportunity to dig a huge trap for Her. Using the Earth Mother¡¯s divinity that completely conflicted with the concept of wear and tear, Camilla¡¯s strength would be greatly suppressed when she was sent to Currere far into the future. If one wanted to display the power of wear and tear, overly superficial hunger and corruption weren¡¯t the best medium. Memories that were destined to be slowly forgotten over time were. This was also why although the Lady of Starvation originated from Ravenwood, Her faith spread more in the Blackwater Swamp. Not only that, but Beatrice also used the other party¡¯s emotions when She was a mortal to induce Her to preserve the souls of her three children. The Void Sovereign, who should have been perfect and infinite, had been created with artificial flaws, be it mentally or conceptually. There was no need to say anything about the mind. Preserving too much human nature was a huge weakness for existences in the Moon Realm. Conceptually, as a descendant of Earth Mother, children were a part of a mother¡¯s existence. Camilla¡¯s descendants could cause true damage to Her just like Judgment equipment. This was also why both Nehe and Floral were extremely talented in Undead spells¡ªat the very least, their talent in Undead spells exceeded that of William Kane and Magic Edge Evelyn. Beatrice had planned everything back then and laid a trap for today. ¡°You¡­ plan on using Floral¡¯s body to devour Nehe¡¯s soul to complete the ritual?¡± The Whispering Empress fell silent for a long time before asking in a deep voice, ¡°Regarding this, I have to specially thank the Moon Realm Calamity. This speech will definitely completely mold Floral into a hero who saves the Forest Elves. He¡¯s really saved me a lot of work.¡± This way, She even had a way to become a Hero God. ¡°That¡¯s why you guided Floral Kane early on in an attempt to save the Forest Elves¡­ After all, anything related to your mortal era can become your child during your rebirth,¡± Beatrice said gloomily. Camilla didn¡¯t answer Her directly. The stars in the sky spun. Before they completely disappeared, the Void Sovereign left one last sentence. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m also deeply grateful to you for using Demon General Silence to control Floral¡¯s body to come to White Bone Castle. As for the remuneration¡­ The master of Black Crow Gaze and the current holder of Judgment 4 will soon come here through Viper Scar. I sincerely hope you can have fun with them. ¡°Smartass.¡± Chapter 363 - 363 Return 363 Return The incarnation that had just given birth seemed to have all its strength sucked out of it as it slumped to the ground, its body heaving in intense pain. William tried to step past Her and catch up to the wraith in Nehe¡¯s form, but the incarnation¡¯s murky eyes abruptly turned grave. At a velocity belying Her immense frame, She thrust Her gigantic hand ensconced in putrid insect eggs. To William, it resembled a roiling, suppurating firmament barring his path. Roar! A deafening bellow resounded in William¡¯s ears. It was like an enraged beast cautioning a hunter bent on injuring its young. They¡¯re sure screaming out happily now! William didn¡¯t slacken despite the roar. Before his foe could cloak him in darkness, he unleashed numerous lightning bolts that shredded the tranquil firmament, rending holes to the elemental plane. Infinite runes buttressed the spatial rift. It resembled an intricate layer of integrated circuits overlaying the tainted heavens. Several immense rocky limbs protruded from the dimensional tear. They were towering columns obstructing the gargantuan palm poised to swat William like an insect. Usually, when confronting bosses of this magnitude in-game, expansive dungeons would be constructed for players to traverse. William still recalled that when he battled the Progenitor Dragon¡¯s residual recollections on the Dragon Bone Islands previously, it was an entire dungeon¡ªwhen he dueled the Breaking Dawn reputed to have consumed the frozen north summoning the Eternal Night Dragon there, William began by dismantling the other¡¯s tail spine and pierced its jaw. This mountainous incarnation propelled by Earth Mother before him was inferior to the Progenitor Dragon in magnitude. If not for William able to wield the Holy Spirit Disc to amplify his mana to a catastrophic scale, he would likely have to defeat such a towering foe piecemeal via traversing discrete stages like in the past. But now, he could completely attack head-on and launch attacks like firing missiles across the map. The surging mana torrent clashed with the primordial power based on the Currere¡¯s laws. The two almost equally powerful forces collided in midair, and the force unleashed seemed to make the stars tremble. Crack! Crack! Crack! As the two powers deadlocked, the noise of an inferior plastic lunchbox fracturing under ice abruptly rang out. William¡ªpoised to persist casting¡ªfelt something awry. It was the sound of the summoning he had woven disintegrating¡ªnot for inability to withstand the other¡¯s assault, but inability to withstand the magnitude of his frame. It was different from when he was fighting the four Moon Realm Legions outside Black Crow Gaze. Ravenwood was still in Currere after all, and the power to reconstruct reality would still be restrained by Currere. The summoning incantation that could initially last a few minutes began to show cracks in just a few seconds after his mana increased a hundredfold. It couldn¡¯t handle the strain. Although the summoned Earth Elemental Hand was still strong, the summoning spell began to collapse. For some reason, William suddenly recalled what the Tacma Church member had said to him. That old fellow was still imprisoned in the deepest dungeon of the Dawn Fortress. He usually remained silent like a statue. Only when William personally interrogated him did he reluctantly say some nonsense. The Tacma member had once said that modern magic had taken the wrong path from the beginning by weaving imaginary spells before guiding Creatons to materialize into phenomena and recreating a miracle like Creation. This was because Creation itself was a mistake and a scam. All magic relied on Currere logic to obtain boons by flattering the order of the Seven Holy Spirits. Therefore, even William, who was at the peak of the modern magic system, didn¡¯t have the qualifications to sit on the Eighth Holy Spirit¡¯s throne¡ªonly people without chains were worthy of true authority. Slaves couldn¡¯t become true kings. In comparison, existences in the Moon Realm who didn¡¯t restrict themselves to specific forms and had infinite malleability were closer to Ma, who was the absolute truth. Therefore, Terra Riel, who had chosen to cooperate with the Void Sovereigns back then, was more qualified to become the Eighth Holy Spirit. Previously, William treated these words as nonsense. However, when he used the Holy Spirit Disc at full power in Currere for the first time, he realized something. When he was in the Moon Realm, squandering mana like this wouldn¡¯t cause the spell to collapse because of the scale of the spell. If the laws of Currere were compared to gravity, the Moon Realm was like being in space with zero gravity¡ªa building constructed in space wouldn¡¯t be crushed by its own gravity. These random thoughts flashed through William¡¯s mind¡ªthings that he shouldn¡¯t worry about for now. As the spell intensified beyond measure, William¡¯s summoning spell, Elemental Hand, was no match for the other party¡¯s attack. The result was that the spell, which had consumed a large amount of mana, only bought him a few seconds. However, those few seconds were enough. William quickly left streaks of lightning in the sky as afterimages. He Blinked a few times to adjust his angle. Then he pushed the Wings of Light with everything he had to slip through Earth Mother¡¯s obstruction and chase after the newly born heir. After all, his top priority wasn¡¯t to kill this Void Incarnation in the skin of the Earth Mother. The heir with Nehe¡¯s appearance was very fast. In the short time that William was delayed, he almost reached White Bone Castle. ¡°Stop!¡± A lightning spear materialized in William¡¯s hands, tearing through the fabric of space and emerging behind the apparition. Over twenty Shadow Cage blade-rings flew out. Unshackled by operational limits, William¡¯s output now exceeded what he could muster activating the Holy Spirit Disc with his full might a thousand years ago by an order of magnitude. The figure seemed to sense something and abruptly spun in midair. Confronted by the assault of spells, it raised two ghastly objects aloft. An iron-stone heart, desiccated and withered. A stillborn, fetid flesh festering. Before William could discern the entity¡¯s actions, the scene before him shifted as abruptly as flipping television channels. He found himself at the foot of the World Tree. At the foot of the World Tree in the proper timeline. Simultaneously in the Gray Domain, a pained moan from Steelheart Widow, Aiur, echoed through the Moon Realm. Chapter 364 - 364 Swap (1) 364 Swap (1) It was as if he had failed a mission in-game and had the latest checkpoint automatically reloaded. William, who was about to cast more spells, looked around in confusion. What just happened? The lush forest, the clear night sky, and the bright moon hanging in the velvet-like night sky¡ªthe scenery in front of William was completely different from what he had seen before. It was like the end of the world. After the other party took out the two Origins of the Moon and slammed them together, he was sent back to the previous timeline in the blink of an eye. How was it done? No, in comparison, what was more important was how to return to that side and stop what was about to happen¡­ He didn¡¯t know what was about to happen. If the other party had long planned for him to sever all the umbilical cords to deliver Her children, the descent location chosen by the Lady of Starvation would probably be in the other timeline¡­ To Camilla, who didn¡¯t have the Precept, descending into Currere with Her true body in the other timeline didn¡¯t matter. She either treated it as a useless fantasy for Her amusement or directly included it in the Lake of Entropy to expand Her Moon Realm domain. It wouldn¡¯t play a big tole in the true history of Currere. Under the premise that Zamara wasn¡¯t willing to continue helping Camilla maintain the dream, She couldn¡¯t even control the 40 million treeified Forest Elf after Floral¡¯s speech, let alone burn their souls as fuel to rewrite history. William didn¡¯t believe that the other party would carry out such a bad deal. Something must have been mistaken because of his lack of information. For example, why would a child born from Earth Mother¡¯s body look like Nehe, who had been confirmed dead by Steelheart Widow Aiur? William stood there, unable to come up with an answer. After searching his ether domain, he immediately found Nizemar¡¯s location through the figurine he had blessed. With a flash of lightning, he disappeared. ¡­ If there was one word to describe the current situation in Holy Tree City, it was chaos. Floral had spent more than ten years rebuilding a loose system that was different from the traditional priest-tribal alliance. The Holy Tree Duke, who had a close relationship with the current empress, had referenced the empire¡¯s bureaucracy and, by her strength alone, made Emerald Province be a part of the Riel Empire¡¯s huge political system. It wasn¡¯t like in the past where it only belonged to the empire in name. Religious secularization reforms, comprehensive trade liberalization, and the introduction of modern magic systems¡­ A series of drastic reforms made Ravenwood, especially Holy Tree City, begin to keep up with the new age of the Platinum Calendar. However, all of this change wasn¡¯t without resistance. 5,000 years of historical inertia wasn¡¯t something she could eliminate in the past decade or so. Perhaps it was because Floral relied on her status as a lich that she all resistance towards reform was a result of her. In other words, Floral was the only one in Holy Tree City and even Ravenwood who could maintain the foundation of the system. With her around, everything could go according to plan. Without her around, everything would fall into complete chaos. Now, Floral proclaimed to all the Forest Elves that she had forsaken Ravenwood. Upon hearing her speech, the Forest Elves discerned that the Holy Tree Duke harbored the conviction, in the depths of her heart, that all Forest Elves were born with original sin. She bade all Forest Elves perish. She even entreated all Forest Elves to resign themselves to their preordained demise with a penitent mentality. Therefore, the entire Ravenwood fell into chaos. Under the mobilization of the Oak Council, countless citizens surrounded White Bone Castle with slogans like ¡®Duke, die.¡¯ They attacked the protective barrier around the palace with their bare bodies and requested the first Forest Elf female ruler in history to step down and accept the Oak Council¡¯s judgment. As for the magic chanter staff committee nurtured by Floral in the past, who were like seeds that developed the entire Emerald Province¡¯s modern magic system, they tried to maintain order. In the end, they were almost instantly killed and torn apart by the enraged mob before undergoing the Holy Communion ritual outside the palace. ¡°I just received news from the Shadow Servants that the Oak Council has begun to take over the crown temples on every subtree, and the tree spirits have cooperated and handed over control. The hunting tribes of the Beast Spirits have killed the Wild Hunt troops left behind and announced that they have escaped the control of White Bone Castle. They are now in cahoots with the Oak Council,¡± a High Elf soldier in golden scale armor and a blood-colored sword at his waist said. Remides, who had just crawled out of the underground root system and was covered in dust, nodded and asked,¡±What about the empire¡¯s embassy? The most important thing now is their movements.¡± Due to Floral¡¯s close relationship with the empire in the past, the combat strength the empire¡¯s embassy could mobilize might have a drastic impact in such a chaotic situation. Chapter 365 - 365 Swap (2) 365 Swap (2) ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ The embassy¡¯s security is too tight. The Shadow Servants we summoned can¡¯t even approach it. However, according to the magister who followed us, he sensed traces of a large-scale Teleportation spell being activated.¡± The embassy was an important tool used by the empire to keep various places under their control. There were usually large-scale teleportation nexuses inside, and they could easily send a reduced number of powerful anti-insurgency disciplinary troops to the hinterland of the major cities. ¡°Get your people to continue guarding that place¡­ Other than that?¡± Remides continued asking. ¡°About ten minutes ago, two ambassadors left the embassy and went in the direction of White Bone Castle. However, there are too many people outside White Bone Castle now. The Shadow Servants sent to follow them disappeared not long after. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, an electric light flashed beside him, and a High Elf with a silver moon pattern woven from silver threads on his robe teleported over. ¡°Governor, the results of the investigation on the matter you commissioned are out¡­ It was traced to the location where the Karma arrow last appeared¡ªWhite Bone Castle.¡± According to Elise, the series of events in the underground root system of the World Tree and the sudden echo of the speech were all storms caused by the brief intersection of two timelines. The eye of the erupting storm was inside White Bone Castle. In that case, they had to make a trip to White Bone Castle no matter what¡­ ¡°But, Governor¡­¡± After hearing Remides¡¯s request, the High Elf mage said with a troubled expression, ¡°Although it won¡¯t be a problem for you to break through White Bone Castle¡¯s barrier without Floral around, it will cause too much commotion. The mob stirred up by the Oak Council outside will also surge in.¡± With that said, he paused. ¡°Moreover, the guards guarding the Canopy Temple can¡¯t hold on much longer. When the time comes, we might need you to return.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I left Teleportation coordinates inside.¡± At this moment, a slightly hoarse voice echoed behind Remides. She turned around in disbelief. ¡°Presiding Judge?¡± Remides said in surprise, forgetting that she had left the Doomsday Watchers. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± William waved his hand and said, ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain so much now. Briefly explain what happened after I left.¡± ¡­ After hearing Remides and Elise¡¯s concise explanation, William pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Although many details aren¡¯t clear, I roughly understand the situation. Remides, can I trouble you to bring your troops back to the Canopy Temple? Floral¡¯s soul is theoretically still buried in that tree. Just to be safe, I need your help to guard that place.¡± As he spoke, he took out a few azure gems and used them as a medium to open a portal to the Dawn Fortress¡¯s public teleportation nexus. ¡°Nizemar, go back and inform Blake and Cass immediately that the special operation on the Lake of Entropy is to be carried out as soon as possible. Also, remember to tell them¡­¡± William hesitated. ¡°That they have to come back alive.¡± Nizemar nodded vigorously before stepping through the portal and disappearing. After Nizemar left, William retracted the gem mediums and planned on casting another spell to open the teleportation beacon that led to White Bone Castle. Remides stopped William. ¡°Mr. Kane, may I ask if the Lady of Starvation plans on descending through the rebirth ritual?¡± William looked at her in surprise and wondered how she knew this. Remides probably shouldn¡¯t have known that the Void Sovereign could descend through a rebirth ritual. However, he still nodded. Upon seeing this, Remides said, ¡°Then, I have something to tell you¡­¡± ¡­ A strange voice echoed in the hall. ¡°So Sigmond came under the Church¡¯s special mission¡­ If I had believed you from the beginning, I would have been used as cannon fodder by you and died a miserable death.¡± ¡°But our goals are the same. We both want to kill Remides. It¡¯s enough as long as we clarify this,¡± another cold and inorganic voice replied. Then, the person continued, ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect you to override Floral and obtain the authority of White Bone Castle¡¯s Mage King Kingdom¡¯s spell nexus. It looks like the Astral Council invested a lot in the early stages just to kill Ava State¡¯s Shadow Queen.¡± Other than the bishop of the Second Order, the other two empire envoys¡ªwho had come to persuade Floral to join them in the siege of Remides¡ªwere in White Bone Castle¡¯s conference hall. The Astral Council member sat on the Withering Throne with all kinds of runes floating around him. The person who replied was wrapped in a robe and stood under the throne. ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s just the textbooks Floral used for studying magic. She must have left some back doors in the Astral Council and used some small tricks to barely accomplish it. Unlike your Obliteration Tower, which directly sent out a next-generation construct like you. Speaking of which, I¡¯m very curious. Do things like you that are completely made of bronze need to eat?¡±the person from the Astral Council asked. The other party shook his head and continued asking, ¡°Alright, this is indeed a meaningless topic. Then, let me change the question. Is it absolutely necessary to get rid of that High Elf ruler?¡± ¡°It¡¯s necessary¡­ It¡¯s not about her status as Ava State¡¯s governor, but all the Judges have to be eliminated,¡± the person wrapped in the robe said. The Astral Council member was about to say something when his gaze suddenly turned to a corner of the hall. A few azure gems circled there. With a burst of lightning, a portal quickly opened. ¡°She¡¯s here. From the looks of it, Sigmond failed to kill her,¡± the robed person whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? We¡¯re better at this than him,¡± the Astral Council member said. Then, he shouted at the shadowy floating humanoid in the portal, ¡°Madam Remides, welcome to your land of death. We are honored to¡­¡± However, before he could finish speaking, the other party passed through the portal and walked into the hall, stumping the latter half of his sentence. It wasn¡¯t Remides, but a male Stormer. ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s been a swap,¡± the person said after looking around. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m in a hurry, so I won¡¯t hold back.¡± Chapter 366 - 366 All of Them 366 All of Them ¡°You are in a hurry?¡± The Astral Council member repeated William¡¯s words in confusion and mockery. Although he didn¡¯t know why the first person to rush here wasn¡¯t Remides or the restless Oak Council in Holy Tree City, there was no doubt that the Stormer in front of him emitted an extremely obvious hostility. On the other hand, being able to directly break through the external barrier and teleport into White Bone Castle meant that the other party¡¯s attainments in magic weren¡¯t low¡ªat the very least, he was a powerful opponent. Therefore, he continued, ¡°Coincidentally, we¡¯re also in a hurry¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, he felt his vision blur. The person from before was clearly still standing in a corner of the hall, and the spell nexus of the Mage King Kingdom he controlled was constantly locking onto the other party¡¯s ether domain. However, the other party only moved his lips slightly¡ªhe didn¡¯t even feel the flow of mana¡­ The next moment, the person appeared in front of him. How did he do it? An instantaneous short-range teleportation spell? But even so, it couldn¡¯t be so fast. There wasn¡¯t even the slightest flash of lightning that shattered space around him, giving him no chance to react. ¡°I already said¡­¡± Without giving the other party any time to be surprised, William grabbed his collar and lifted him off the Withering Throne. After quickly severing the connection between the other party and the spell nexus, William said with a deadpan expression, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry. I¡¯m not in the mood to play with you.¡± William¡¯s hand that was holding his collar emitted a faint green light. The large dose of Paralysis Touch made the Legendary Astral Council member faint. After dealing with one person, William threw him aside and looked at the other person in the hall. At this moment, the cloaked person stared at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a short-range teleportation spell, and the temperature in the hall suddenly dropped¡­ You just stopped time and used Zero Entropy?¡± Although his judgment was correct, William didn¡¯t plan on answering the other party¡¯s question. Instead, he activated the spell again. Zero Entropy was originally a Divine Realm spell that consumed a lot of mana. Under the full augmentation of the Holy Spirit Disc, the channeling time could be compressed to less than a second. In the time frozen domain where even the dust was still in midair, William strolled in front of the person and raised his hand to construct a simple spell. In the state of Zero Entropy, although Creatons that weren¡¯t restricted by causal time could flow, they couldn¡¯t metamorphose and sink into reality to trigger a phenomenon. To put it simply, although he could cast spells in a time frozen state, spells could only take effect after the time freeze ended. William first conjured a Storm incantation that had a knockback effect before the other party. He then maneuvered behind him and gauged the expanse the other party was poised to be propelled. Along the path, he positioned a few excitable fire glyphs. In-game, this kind of combat method where time stopped before using displacement skills to send the opponent flying and trigger all kinds of trap-type spells tested the player¡¯s grasp of the time to trigger and connect various skills. Coupled with the fact that Zero Entropy constantly consumed mana, only veteran players who endeavored to beat up a Boss in a fancy manner would deliberately practice such combat methods. William happened to be such a veteran player¡­ Moreover, without the restrictions of the operating interface, he could control the details of spells as if he was controlling his thoughts. This allowed him to operate with at least ten times the precision of the past. After setting up the spell, William snapped his fingers and recited the lines ¡®Time begins to flow¡¯ in his heart as he dispelled Zero Entropy. First, a deafening sonic boom sounded, and then a series of scorching firestorms rose like fireworks that had been ignited one by one at a fireworks festival. That person accurately triggered every fire glyph and did his best to withstand all the damage from the explosion when every fire glyph exploded at its most intense. William didn¡¯t look back at the explosion. He turned around and walked to the throne at the end of the hall. The Withering Throne that was directly connected to the World Tree should allow him to sense the will left behind by the Holy Tree Matriarch. However, the sound of metal falling to the rock floor behind him made him stop halfway. William turned his head and saw that the fellow who William had expected to be burned to ashes was slowly getting up, emitting green smoke. No creature with a mortal body could survive such a series of fire glyphs. Unless the other party wasn¡¯t human. ¡°You are¡­¡± William was stunned when he saw the other party¡¯s appearance. The person¡¯s robe had long been burned to ashes. The skin, flesh, and blood under the robe were the same. They completely turned into powder and dissipated in midair. Under the disguise of the robe, skin, and flesh, the other party completely revealed his true appearance. It was a humanoid sculpture made of bronze. On the other party¡¯s waist, there was a palm-sized clockwork spinning firmly. Beneath the scorching of the flame glyphs, the other party¡¯s figure was swathed in thawing blemishes and manifold uncanny and warped malformations. From the other party¡¯s silhouette, William could discern whom the effigy was modeled after. ¡°Nehe?¡± William said in a deep voice. Almost as soon as he said this name, the core of the World Tree that he had been carrying, the Origin of the Moon known as the Oak Heart, completely cracked. After the Oak Heart cracked, a dark-green light burst out and shone on the bronze statue. Fresh flesh and skin instantly squirmed across the person¡¯s body again. ¡­ At the same time, in the White Bone Castle¡¯s conference hall in another timeline, Nehe, who had banished William back to the original timeline through the collision of the two Origin of the Moon, floated in. Around his body, the Unborn Fetus and Ironstone Oath constantly floated and collapsed inch by inch. Floral, who was sitting on the Withering Throne with her throat pierced, suddenly said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I think I made it.¡± Then, she turned her gaze to the other vigilant Floral standing under the throne and said, ¡°We still need your body, so resistance is futile, Beatrice¡¯s pawn.¡± ¡®Floral,¡¯ who was controlled by Silence, turned pale with fright when she heard this voice. She seemed to sense danger close at hand and completely disregarded her confident image of having victory in hand. She almost turned into an afterimage and charged towards the door of the hall. However, flesh-colored vines instantly crawled all over the stone door of White Bone Castle¡¯s conference hall, completely blocking the exit of the palace. Looking at the other party¡¯s incredulous gaze after turning around, she continued, ¡°Furthermore, escaping is equally futile. I only want your body. Don¡¯t force me to assimilate your Moon Realm essence.¡± Silence, who was controlling Floral¡¯s body, looked at the real Floral on the throne. She was hanging on to her last breath and looked like she would die on the spot at any moment, yet, she could suddenly speak. She couldn¡¯t help but probe in shock, ¡°So, are you Lady¡­ Camilla? Or Floral herself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Camilla, Floral, and also Earth Mother.¡± The person replied, ¡°When I¡¯m in the Moon Realm, I am Camilla. When I wield authority in Currere, I am Earth Mother. When my will echoes in the depths of the souls of the 40 million Forest Elves, I am Floral the Redeemer. And at this moment, I¡¯m all of them.¡± It was also at this moment that the sound of a series of gold coins colliding echoed in the hall. Countless gold coins and gems spun into a vortex that formed a humanoid. ¡°Demon General Greed, under the command of Wandering Salt Merchant Charlotte and temporarily employed by the Moon Realm Calamity, is here to fulfill a protection contract. Your Excellency Floral Kane, please accept my protection¡­ Huh? Lady of Starvation Camilla?!¡± As soon as the pot bellied fellow took shape, he removed the round hat on his head and planned on bowing. However, before he could bend down completely, the Demon General named Greed almost knelt down when he sensed the aura emitted by the other party. The person the Calamity had instructed it to protect was the Lady of Starvation Camilla¡¯s host? So the Moon Realm Calamity has a sense of humor after more than a thousand years? He wants me to protect a Void Sovereign who¡¯s preparing for a rebirth in Currere? Chapter 367 - 367 Integration 367 Integration ¡°Oh?¡± Camilla, who was sitting on the Withering Throne, snorted in confusion when She sensed an uninvited guest that wasn¡¯t part of Her plan. The Demon General named Greed stood uneasily in the middle of the crowd¡ªbecause of its previous words, it had undoubtedly become the center of attention. Almost everyone in White Bone Castle¡¯s conference hall turned their gazes to it, waiting to see its next move. This included Camilla, who was no longer infinite and had retracted Her will from the Camilla timeline where She had never existed. Having appeared through Floral¡¯s body, She lowered Her high and mighty gaze and looked at the newcomer with pity. ¡°Then, what do you plan on doing after following the will of the Moon Realm Calamity, Greed?¡± Camilla broke the awkward silence as if She was giving a warning or just saying it casually. Her voice, filled with a harsh pressure, echoed throughout the hall. ¡°Lady of Starvation, please believe me. This is just a misunderstanding¡­¡± The frivolous expression on Greed¡¯s face disappeared completely. Facing such a Void Sovereign¡¯s question, it stammered and tried to explain. ¡°Start with something more valuable. Don¡¯t waste my time with nonsense.¡± Camilla, who was sitting on the throne and exuding a pressure that wasn¡¯t inferior to its master, Charlotte, slowly interrupted its explanation. As expected, its explanations were futile. Its spoken words when it arrived and the magical contract restraining its body by First Contract revealed its goal for coming¡ªit couldn¡¯t deceive a Void Sovereign who had stepped into Currere like it usually did to mere mortals. It should have guessed¡­ How could that fellow named the Moon Realm Calamity leave a Demon General a way out? Even though it had signed the First Contract with the other party in an extremely humiliating manner back then and was willing to become the other party¡¯s puppet to survive and avoid being completely wiped out by Judgment equipment, this only temporarily delayed its fatal fate. Could it be that it really hoped that the man known as the Moon Realm Calamity would really follow the terms of the First Contract and allow it to return to the Moon Realm safely after completing three summonings? See, the last mission it had to fulfill was to make it face another Void Sovereign! Wait¡­ Greed, who originally planned on fighting to the death to at least die in a dignified manner, suddenly realized something and its expression changed slightly. ¡°Ms. Camilla¡­ Ms. Floral Kane?¡± Greed tried to change the way it addressed the existence on the throne. ¡°Oh?¡± the other party replied without changing her expression. Previously, the existence sitting on the morning throne had said that She was both Camilla, the sovereign who had come from the Moon Realm, and the goddess of Currere, Earth Mother. At the same time, She was Floral Kane, the Forest Elves¡¯ Redeemer. She was a trifecta. As for the mission the Moon Realm Calamity had given it previously, it was only to protect Floral¡ªhe didn¡¯t insist on it having a direct conflict with this Void Sovereign who had already descended to Currere. With this in mind, its body engraved with the First Contract didn¡¯t feel the intense pain received from violating the contract. Greed¡¯s hanging heart immediately relaxed significantly. ¡°I¡¯m under William Kane¡¯s orders to protect you as the Holy Tree Duke,¡± Greed said these extremely ridiculous words in a very careful tone. ¡°I¡­¡± Upon hearing this, the Forest Elf¡ªwho was covered in festering and rotten marks¡ªopened her mouth slightly as if she was about to say something. However, with a violent cough, blood spurted out of her pierced neck. At this moment, Greed felt the suffocating aura the other party had given him disappear without a trace, as if the other party had really turned into a dying Forest Elf. ¡°Ms. Camilla, is there a problem?¡± Seeing that the other party could die at any moment from the hideous wound on her neck, Greed hurriedly changed its form of address. ¡°I see. From the looks of it, the Calamity can really be considered a good ally of mine in this matter¡­ Hahahahaha.¡± In an instant, the other party emitted an aura that made it tremble again. She answered Greed¡¯s previous question, and Her tone returned to Camilla¡¯s. That explains it¡­ Upon seeing this, Greed finally understood what was going on. At this moment, the other party¡¯s state was like what She had said¡ªa true trifecta existence. As long as it changed the way it communicated with the other party or even changed the angle of observation, the other party would respond to him as a different existence. In Currere, a person could only be one existence, and it was impossible for them to be three at the same time. However, the logic in the Moon Realm was completely different from Currere. In the Moon Realm, nothing could be fixed. A concept could exist in many different forms at the same time. As the peak of the Moon Realm, the Void Sovereigns were even more so. Their existence was literally infinite. Could someone eliminate the concept of entropy, or could it calm the whispers of the dark side deep in the hearts of all intelligent races? Could madness be cured like a disease? Or could someone end all wars? The Void Sovereigns who symbolized different concepts were as infinite as the concepts They represented. This infinity made Them transcend time. In the Moon Realm, in Their domains, it was as easy for the Void Sovereigns to backtrack time and reset causality for Their creations. Not only that, but They could even play with the countless timelines in Their Moon Realm domains as if They were plucking the strings. It was also because of this that the war between the Void Sovereigns was an endless war that could never end. However, this was only limited to the Moon Realm. Once it involved Currere, things would no longer be the same. The Moon Realm was a mixture of infinite possibilities, and Currere was a solid reality¡ªit was limited. Under the protection of the World Shell and the Seven Holy Spirits, everything, including time, would be converged by Currere into a solid and singular reality. A person might have countless thoughts in an instant, but there would only be one action when it entered reality. A war might develop in countless directions, but there would only be one outcome. Even someone as powerful as the Void Sovereign needed to converge their infinite existence and create a limited incarnation if They wanted to truly affect things in Currere¡ªeven if They were just a mortal, a leaf, or a speck of dust. On the other hand, the Moon Realm was a mirror that reflected the things in Currere. The war among infinities would never end. If They really hoped to defeat existences that shared the same status as Them, the most effective way for the Void Sovereigns was to change the concept in Currere. As a result, Currere became the Void Sovereigns¡¯ arena. Only a definite victory or defeat in Currere could truly alter Them. And now, the Lady of Starvation, Camilla, had descended into Currere. In the past, the Void Sovereigns could at most create Void Incarnations as a vessel for Their strength when They limited Their powers and entered Currere. However, such constructs had already been proven to be worthless in front of the Moon Realm Calamity. Therefore, under the premise that She couldn¡¯t completely use the World Shell to break through the barrier between Currere and the Moon Realm, Camilla chose this method¡ªshe planned on engraving Her existence into the laws of Currere and using Her infinite existence to accommodate Her equally infinite strength. She wanted to be a Moon Realm sovereign, a Currere goddess, and a mortal heroine at the same time. When She integrated these three existences, She would be able to completely bypass all restrictions and fully unleash Her true strength. From the looks of it, the other party was trying to integrate the three existences Herself¡­ Greed. It was also at this moment that the Calamity¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in its mind. It silently replied inwardly, ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I¡¯ve already understood the general situation on your side through the contract. I need you to help me obtain the Karma arrow forged by your master, Charlotte. It¡¯s on the armrest of the throne. ¡­ William hoisted the Nehe-shaped bronze statue and stared at the arrow that had pierced Floral¡¯s neck through the vision shared by Greed. It was the only medium he could think of that could anchor itself into the other timeline. Chapter 368 - 368 Reinforcements and Illusions 368 Reinforcements and Illusions The chaos in Holy Tree City continued and gradually began to develop in the most uncontrollable direction. The agitated citizens took the streets one after another. They brandished bone weapons and attacked the guardrail outside White Bone Castle. Occasionally, translucent Beast Spirits would appear from the crowd. They roared and scratched, gnawing at the translucent barrier outside the palace, causing the originally stable barrier to be on the verge of collapse. Inside the barrier, Floral¡¯s guards, who had been trained according to the empire¡¯s military standards, trembled as they looked at the crowd outside, even though they wore enchanted armor sent from the Platinum Province and held spellblades engraved with Sealed Magic runes, against an absolute numerical advantage, if it weren¡¯t for the barrier set up by the Holy Tree Duke to keep the crowd out, they would probably have been torn to pieces by the enraged citizens in an instant. Even if they were well-equipped and well-trained¡ªin fact, the staff committee members who had stepped out of the barrier with the intention of restoring order thanks to their status as magic chanters had been torn to pieces. ¡°Well¡­¡± Looking at the dozens of Beast Spirits constantly striking the barrier, cracks constantly extended like a spiderweb. A young Imperial Guards recruit who just started his service tugged at the captain¡¯s arm and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Captain, that so-called speech was just a deliberate smear by the opposition to overthrow the duke¡¯s rule¡­ These people are just being used and don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing¡­ right? We¡¯re the ones in the right, aren¡¯t we?¡± The guard captain looked at the fear in the other party¡¯s eyes and hesitated for a moment. It wasn¡¯t just the new recruit in front of him. Faced with the threat of being torn to pieces just inches away, as well as the Holy Tree Duke¡¯s speech that suddenly echoed throughout Ravenwood, even he, who had served Floral loyally for many years and felt that he could clarify the ambitions of the first Forest Elf duchess in history, couldn¡¯t help but waver. Therefore, he shrugged off the recruit¡¯s hand and looked sharply at the person and the surrounding people who were also looking around. He used the last of his strength to shout, ¡°Don¡¯t waste time thinking of such nonsense! We only have one mission now, and that¡¯s to protect White Bone Castle behind us and wait for the duke to return to regain control of the situation!¡± That¡¯s right¡­ As long as the duke returns, it would be effortless for her to suppress the riot ahead with her supreme might. Those conspirators who used evil methods to mimic the duke¡¯s voice and incite the people to besiege White Bone Castle and kill the staff committee members would definitely be dealt with. However¡­ Turning his gaze back to the angry mob outside the barrier, the captain felt like he was tied up under the World Tree on Holy Leaf Festival under thousands of angry gazes, waiting to be sacrificed to the Holy Tree Matriarch. He couldn¡¯t put up a fight at all. However¡­ if that speech was indeed said by the Holy Tree Duke we are loyal to¡­ If that duke, who would do anything to enact reforms, is really working with external forces to ¡®purge¡¯ their sins and make the entire Ravenwood atone¡­ What should they do when that happened? Was it really as the duke had said? They had to choose to commit suicide? Boom¡­ A huge boom pulled him back to reality from his temporary daze. The guard captain, who had been battle tested, almost subconsciously gripped the spellblade tight and activated the spellblade sealed on it. At the same time, he turned his head in the direction of the sound. ¡°What¡­¡± When he saw the source of the intense boom clearly, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his mind go blank. How can it be that thing¡­ A corner of the barrier outside White Bone Castle had already been shattered¡ªthe kind that didn¡¯t leave any residue. The ones who shattered the barrier weren¡¯t the bone weapon-wielding Forest Elves, the Hunting Clan controlling the Beast Spirits, or even the tree spirits that could mobilize the power of the forest. The person who broke the barrier was a tall giant wearing clothes sewn from straw ropes and beast hide topped with an antler helmet. His entire body emitted a faint white halo, and He held a primitive spear tied with flint and wooden sticks. His face was hidden under an antler helmet, and under the deer bone mask, His amber eyes burned with wild anger. When He used His spear to shatter the indestructible barrier, it was as easy as shattering an eggshell. ¡°Father¡­ Father of the Wilderness¡­¡± His tone of reverence and fear carried a hint of confusion. The captain and the surrounding people couldn¡¯t help but call out the name of the giant. The existence in front of them matched the description of the god in all the religious scripture and legends. The God of Hunt, the Beast Lord, the Matriarch¡¯s husband, the Imparter of Skills, the Eternal Victor of the Blood Moon Game¡­ In the Forest Elves¡¯ traditional faith, there were only two gods who would truly send down miracles. Although it was only a phantom, why did the Father of the Wild suddenly appear here? It had to be known that a thousand years ago, He had fallen into a long slumber because He had stopped an evil god from stepping into Ravenwood. Even though His remnant power had always protected every Forest Elf ruler, and the Forest Elf rulers had maintained the faith of the Father of the Wild through rituals to maintain His existence, no one had ever seen a god descend like Him! No¡­ There¡¯s another possibility¡­ Recalling a rumor, the captain¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but sink. It was said that the Father of the Wilderness would only return when the Forest Elves faced a major extinction crisis in the future. However, not many people believed in such legends. After all, when the Riel Empire¡¯s invaders wanted to set fire to the forest back then, this god didn¡¯t appear and destroy the empire¡¯s mage team. But now, He was here. And He appeared not long after the duke finished her speech. Could this be a coincidence? Impossible, right? Floral Kane, the first female Forest Elf ruler in history, the radical leader who constantly pushed Ravenwood to undergo secularization and hoped to integrate the entire Forest Elf race into the empire¡­ Could it be that her true goal was really the same as her previous speech¡ªto make the entire Forest Elf race atone for their sins by letting them destroy themselves? ¡°The Beast Lord is with us!¡± After the phantom of the Father of the Wild appeared, there was a brief silence outside the barrier. Then, with the roar of a bear, the crowd erupted again. Amidst wave after wave of shouts of ¡°Duke, die,¡± countless Forest Elves followed the god and passed through the shattered barrier. The guard captain didn¡¯t dare to think further. He pulled out the spellblade in his hand and threw it to the ground. Then, he undid the buckle that held his armor in place. ¡°Surrender,¡± he said calmly. The people he had berated looked at him with complicated expressions. They also understood that this was a battle they had no chance of winning. However, one of them still asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just saying that you were waiting here for the duke¡¯s reinforcements¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late. There won¡¯t be any reinforcements, nor will there be anything¡­¡± However, before the captain could finish speaking, a few intertwined lightning snakes suddenly flickered between them and the Father of the Wilderness. The lightning snake coiled out of a spatial rift. Then, a few slender people in gorgeous clothes slowly walked out. Those people had long pointy-ears like them, but their skin was much fairer than theirs. The person in the lead wore golden scales and carried a blood-red sword. He walked in front of them and picked up the spellblade the captain had thrown down. ¡°Under Ms. Remides¡¯s orders and under the orders of the Doomsday Watchers¡¯ Presiding Judge, we are here to fulfill the holy covenant with Ms. Floral. Before everything is settled, the fate of White Bone Castle is equivalent to our fate¡­ May I ask if you have the courage to face the a god¡¯s aegis?¡± ¡­ William picked up the bronze Nehe-like fellow and threw him onto the Withering Throne. Then, he thought of something. He shouldn¡¯t have missed anything, right? Nehe, who had been produced by Earth Mother in another timeline, only had a soul. And now, the empire¡¯s mysterious organization that studied the Moon Realm¡ªObliteration Tower¡ªcould perfectly replicate Nehe¡¯s body. As a son of Earth Mother, a son and a mother were one. It was precisely because of this that Camilla made the incarnation only give birth to a soul to ensure that she was the only candidate for the rebirth ritual. And now, a bronze statue that could replace Nehe¡¯s body had ¡®coincidentally¡¯ been delivered to him. It was difficult not to guess that this was the intention of another Void Sovereign¡ªthis was also very in line with that fellow¡¯s style of beating about the bush when handling matters. However, Her motive was still very suspicious. Could it be that She only wanted to replace the reborn Nehe and snatch the Lady of Starvation¡¯s Moon Realm throne ? Although the outcome wasn¡¯t bad, William didn¡¯t dare to bet on what kind of will controlled the reborn Nehe soul. Boss, I see the arrow. Coupled with the wound on the other party¡¯s neck and the mark you left on the wound, I can send it to you through Trade, but there¡¯s only one chance. Moreover, the price you have to pay afterward is terrifyingly high. Are you sure you want to continue this deal? Relying on the contract, the voice of Greed echoed in William¡¯s mind again. Cut the crap. This was William¡¯s answer. It was better not to care about the ritual. As long as he could reach the other timeline and destroy everyone holding the ritual, no matter what conspiracy it was, it would only be an illusion. Let¡¯s begin. Chapter 369 - 369 Arrival 369 Arrival After doing all of this, the contract between us will be completed. This was the last sentence the Calamity left for it. He makes it sound so simple¡­ Greed thought. At this moment, it felt the First Contract restraining its Currere body begin to emit a faint burning sensation. This meant that the Moon Realm Calamity had already issued an order through a spell. As long as it carried out this last order, it would complete its deal with that hateful human and be able to return to its master¡¯s caravan as a free person. However¡­ Get the arrow from the throne¡¯s armrest? In other words, he wanted it to snatch something from a Void Sovereign¡¯s descent vessel. If the other party sensed its thoughts, wouldn¡¯t She directly destroy it? Just as Greed was cursing the mission the Calamity had assigned it in its heart and thinking about what it should do, the sovereign sitting on the throne said, ¡°Since you¡¯re aware of the current situation clearly, why don¡¯t you make the right choice?¡± Camilla¡¯s soul-stirring voice echoed in the hall, causing Greed¡¯s heart to instantly turn cold. Could it be that the other party had already seen through what it wanted to do? Violating the First Contract would cause it to suffer the eternal punishment of the body-devouring flames. The flames would torture it until it voluntarily gave up its eternal life. However, if it followed the Moon Realm Calamity¡¯s orders, it would probably be instantly crushed by this sovereign. In other words, one choice meant a more decisive death, and the other choice would be a faster death. What should I do¡­ What choice should I make now? The body-devouring flames triggered by the First Contract gradually burned brighter, driving Greed to quickly make up its mind. However, before it could say or do anything, a thin figure passed it like a silent shadow and walked towards the Withering Throne. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a choice, Lady Camilla.¡± The person who spoke was Floral, or rather, the existence controlling Floral¡¯s body. A strange and unique Moon Realm power spread around her. That power blocked the commotion outside the door, suppressing everyone¡¯s breathing, heartbeat, and pulse, returning the surroundings to silence¡­ ¡°From the beginning to the end, I was only a chess piece used by eternal existences like you. Nothing was under my control, and no will was truly borne from my own needs. Mortals who are born at a fixed time and die at a fixed time might envy my humble immortality, but after experiencing hundreds of years of imprisonment and sealing countless sorrowful cries in non-existent mouths, I understood my position¡ªI¡¯m just a tool.¡± Although it didn¡¯t know what kind of tragic past the other party had, Greed agreed with these words. As one of the oldest Demon Generals, it naturally understood how terrifying it was to serve an eternal god. Of course, being forced to sign a contract with the Moon Realm Calamity in servitude of the other party wasn¡¯t much better. However, since the Lady of Starvation wasn¡¯t paying attention to it, it was happy to play mute. It tried its best to divert its attention away from the arrow named Karma, and Greed gave the stage to the two high-level Moon Realm existences controlling the bodies of ¡®Florals.¡¯ ¡°In that case, can I take it that you plan on returning that body to me?¡± the one on the throne slowly said. Since She hadn¡¯t figured out Her ultimate goal, the Whispering Empress¡¯s scheme had undoubtedly failed. No matter what She planned on doing by using this Demon General named Silence to control Floral¡¯s body, there was no room for maneuver. Although She didn¡¯t plan on using that body as a stepping stone for Her rebirth, having an additional stepping stone on the path to ascending the new deity¡¯s throne was more stable. ¡°If this can end my mission.¡± As Silence spoke, it bowed slightly to the existence on the throne that matched its appearance to express its obedience. The moment it finished speaking, Camilla on the throne dissipated into dust before taking shape beside Silence again. Camilla didn¡¯t ask what mission the other party had come here with because She knew that Beatrice never allowed any chess piece under Her control to see the entire game board. Any answer it obtained was only a smokescreen used to disrupt the line of sight. The best way to deal with the Goddess of Conspiracy was to ignore the other party¡¯s actions and plans and act according to one¡¯s preferences and rhythm like that of the lunatic Valk. ¡°Then, state your request.¡± It was as if she was looking into a haunted mirror. Floral¡¯s similar but different bodies reflected each other in the two timelines. Cammy tugged at her exposed gums and asked, ¡°Let me always have the ability to speak my mind,¡± Silence replied. In other words, it pursued its destruction and rebirth. Although satisfying the wishes of another Demon General under an opposing Void Sovereign wasn¡¯t in line with Camilla¡¯s style, She, who was integrating different divinities, nodded slowly, either out of Floral¡¯s desire for her original body or out of Earth Mother¡¯s compassion for the world. Then, Her hand stabbed into the other party¡¯s body like lightning. Then, as if removing some filth, Camilla slowly retracted Her hand and pulled out an indefinite pitch-black shadow. Lunar Monsters were metaphysical existences. If they wanted to exist in Currere, they could either use ether and Creatons to create bodies or possess the bodies of other creatures. The only anchor for Silence, who had been severely injured by the Calamity, in Currere was Floral¡¯s body. If Camilla hadn¡¯t been in an absolutely suppressed position and if this place hadn¡¯t been a fake timeline that existed only in imagination, it would probably have been banished back to the Moon Realm in an instant. Looking at the essence of the Moon Realm spirit being so easily pulled out by Camilla, Greed couldn¡¯t help but think. Then, it realized that it was like Silence. As long as the other party was willing, She could banish it back to the Moon Realm or erase its mind. Therefore, its literal urge to burn from the First Contract was instantly suppressed by its rationality. She didn¡¯t do anything to it now only because the other party couldn¡¯t be bothered to focus on it for the time being. Once¡­ ¡°Wait¡­¡± It was also at this moment that the Silence essence outside Camilla¡¯s body wasn¡¯t banished back to the Moon Realm. The shadow crawled up Camilla¡¯s wrist like a snake and burrowed into Her body. ¡°This is¡­ my past¡­¡± For the first time, Greed heard an emotional voice from this goddess¡¯s mouth, mixed with anger and indignant moans of fear. If it hadn¡¯t heard it with its own ears, it wouldn¡¯t have believed that such a voice would come from a Moon Realm goddess. However, this sudden change didn¡¯t surprise Greed. An outstanding businessman should always know how to grasp fleeting opportunities. Countless jingling gold coins turned into a huge hand and grabbed the arrow on the Withering Throne. Calamity, I¡¯ve already obtained¡­ Before Greed could finish speaking, two chains of rusty sickles hooked through its shoulder blades and hoisted it. Then, a feeling of weakness instantly filled its entire body. ¡°It¡¯s not your turn to speak yet. Moreover, even with Karma as an anchor, the Calamity can¡¯t come to this timeline when the Ironstone Oath has already been destroyed by me¡­¡± Camilla, who had recovered from Her momentary loss of composure, turned to look at Greed, who was hanging up like a roasting duck, and said, ¡°Unless he has another Ironstone Oath.¡± At the same time, another voice echoed in the conference hall. ¡°But how is this possible? Isn¡¯t the Origin of the Moon a unique existence?¡± William appeared out of nowhere. He held a withered Ironstone Heart and looked at Camilla in the middle of the hall. Chapter 370 - 370 Conditions and First Time 370 Conditions and First Time After seeing the man who shouldn¡¯t have appeared here at this moment with Her own eyes, Camilla¡¯s originally calm eyes rippled with considerable emotions. She couldn¡¯t help but raise Her hand that was covered in countless floating totems and point at the mortal named Calamity. She couldn¡¯t hide Her surprise and said, ¡°How are you¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ask boring questions like ¡®how are you here?''¡± William calmly interrupted the other party¡¯s question and slowly lowered the Ironstone Oath in his hand. The effect of these provocative words was as he had expected. In the blink of an eye, the Void Sovereign¡¯s divine descent restored Her calmness. Camilla slowly lowered Her hand that was pointing at William and grabbed at the void. An exaggerated, dilapidated dark-green sickle was held in Her hand. Then, She drew neat arcs in midair. ¡°I don¡¯t deny that I¡¯m a little surprised to see you here again. After all, there should be a limit no matter how persistent you are. Among the mortals I know, you¡¯re the only one as difficult to deal with as a shadow¡­ It¡¯s been more than a thousand years. Can¡¯t you die like a normal mortal without a fuss?¡± Holding the huge sickle in Her hand, the Rotten Goddess replied in an extremely calm tone. As the sickle in Her hand moved, the conference hall began to fill with a rotten and sweet aura that was like the breathing of a dying old man. This was a sign that the surrounding space was gradually beginning to turn into the Moon Realm as Her strength extended. ¡°Such an evaluation¡­ I¡¯ll take it that as a compliment,¡± William shrugged and replied without stopping the other party. ¡°You can¡¯t be naive enough to think that just returning to the history I created can stop the irrefutable fate of Currere, right?¡± Faced with William¡¯s sarcastic mockery, Camilla couldn¡¯t help but raise her tone. With Her as the center, the surrounding stone slabs began to age and decay rapidly. Sticky fungi and mold gradually clung to the floor and walls of the hall. The boundary between Currere and the Moon Realm began to blur across the entire space, making the latter gradually turn into Camilla¡¯s corrupt domain. In this domain, Her authority as a deity would be manifested. ¡°But to be honest, I don¡¯t care who supported you in returning to this timeline. Be it Beatrice, Aiur, Zamara, Charlotte, or even that annoying Valk¡­ No matter who¡¯s backing you, it won¡¯t change today¡¯s outcome.¡± Camilla turned Her gaze to the Ironstone Heart in William¡¯s hand. It was that thing, the Origin of the Moon that She had sacrificed the Unborn Fetus to destroy, that brought the Calamity back to this timeline¡­ But then, a huge contradiction appeared. The Ironstone Oath should have been destroyed by him¡ªAiur¡¯s lament that echoed in the Moon Realm was the best evidence. Unless¡­ ¡°Could it be that what you¡¯re holding isn¡¯t the Ironstone Oath Aiur gave you back then?¡± Camilla narrowed Her eyes and, after confirming Her advantage from unleashing Her domain in the hall, asked. William didn¡¯t reply. She took it as a tacit agreement. A few seconds after staring at the Ironstone Oath thoughtfully, the confusion on Camilla¡¯s face gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of realization. Then, She asked, ¡°I roughly understand¡­ So this is what gives you the confidence to face me alone?¡± William was puzzled by the Void Sovereign¡¯s reaction. He didn¡¯t understand what the Void Sovereign had figured out. If William didn¡¯t consider his background as a gamer, even he didn¡¯t know how to explain the fact that he had two Ironstone Oaths. William didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation when the other party suddenly looked at him as if She ¡®understood.¡¯ ¡°Even the original fragments of creation can exist in plural form in your hands¡­ It¡¯s no wonder that dark fellow, Aiur, trusts you so much. If it were you, you might really have a chance of obtaining the complete Precept,¡± the Goddess of Corruption continued. If you hadn¡¯t come here to die today¡­ Without finishing Her sentence, Camilla paused for a moment before raising Her sickle and pointing it at William. ¡°But since you¡¯ve already done this, I¡¯ll give you the qualifications to challenge me as you wish. I know your combat style, so I¡¯ll give you plenty of time to make preparations. Before you say begin, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± William tersely rejected the other party¡¯s ¡®generosity.¡¯ With that said, he slowly walked down from the platform where the Withering Throne was placed with the help of a magical medium. ¡°No need?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no need.¡± After confirming it again, Camilla revealed a puzzled expression for the second time. ¡°Why? If you want to stop my rebirth ritual, this is your last chance. Although I don¡¯t think your preparations can affect the final outcome, they¡¯re still meaningful to you, right?¡± the Goddess of Corruption, who had already assumed a combat posture, asked in confusion. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood why I¡¯m here, Camilla. I¡¯m not here to stop your rebirth ritual.¡± As William spoke, he walked to Greed, who was hanging up like a roasted duck, and looked at it with interest. The latter looked back at him with pleading eyes. ¡°Calamity¡­ No, Presiding Judge William, can you put me down¡­¡± William watched as the Demon General, who was designed based on the stereotypical image of a fat merchant, was suspended high in the air. He couldn¡¯t help but think of something. ¡°To be honest, this image of yours is quite suitable to be hung like this.¡± With that said, he used the hand holding the Ironstone Oath to touch the chain that hung Greed. Under the effect of its strength, the chain instantly crumbled and turned into countless iron fragments that scattered. The hoisted fellow regained its freedom. Greed landed steadily on the ground. It bared its teeth and moved its arms as it thanked him repeatedly. Then, it hurriedly asked the question it was most concerned about, ¡°Then¡­ Sir William, according to your previous conditions, has our contract¡­¡± ¡°First Contract has been completed. Of course, you can leave at any time. However, the prerequisite is that the Lady of Starvation is willing to open a door in Her domain and let you go. Of course, it¡¯s not just you. There are also some others who were pulled in here,¡± William nodded and replied. ¡°Wh¡­¡± The calm expression on Greed¡¯s face froze. William took this opportunity to retrieve the arrow named Karma from it and continued, ¡°Moreover, don¡¯t worry. The Lady of Starvation will be very happy to do so.¡± Camilla¡¯s expression turned a little gloomy. She lowered Her tone and asked with a hint of threat, ¡°Why would I be happy to do this?¡± ¡°Because this is a condition I plan on raising¡­ I won¡¯t stop you from completing the rebirth ritual. On the contrary, I¡¯ll use my Precepts to help you complete the rebirth so that your true body can descend in Currere. My condition is to let Floral Kane leave alive. In addition, let me meet Nehe one last time. I know that the memories that carry his personality are definitely still in your custody. Your relationship with your children can¡¯t be severed by death.¡± William¡¯s answer made Camilla sneer. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, but do you really think I¡¯ll believe you? You, the Moon Realm Calamity, refused to become the 13th Void Sovereign over half a year ago. Now, you¡¯re willing to cooperate with the Moon Realm just to see your former comrade one last time and even help another Void Sovereign step into Currere? When did you become so sensible?¡± William shook his head and replied calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood something. I¡¯m not letting you step into Currere because I want to collude with the Moon Realm. To be honest, I¡¯m a little fed up with you guys using Void Salt Crystals to create a substitute when entering Currere. After being beaten to death, your main bodies shrink far away. Helping your main body step into Currere this time allows me to do it once and for all.¡± This time, Camilla sneered even louder. ¡°You¡¯re saying that you want to rely on yourself to kill a deity that can¡¯t be killed? Do you know that this has never happened since creation?¡± The body occupied by the Lady of Starvation was laughing until She was out of breath as She mocked intermittently. William shrugged and said, ¡°There¡¯s always a first time.¡± Chapter 371 - 371 Inquiry for Opinion 371 Inquiry for Opinion ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, why would I agree to your condition instead of killing you here?¡± Raising the sickle in her hand slightly, Camilla¡¯s eyes suddenly revealed a fierce glint. ¡°Then, you won¡¯t be able to integrate this timeline into real history after finally descending to Currere? Or do you think the souls of the 40 million Forest Elf will be willing to burn themselves to help you complete the ritual after knowing the truth?¡± William asked calmly. His words caused the Void Sovereign to fall silent. Floral¡¯s speech according to William¡¯s instructions wasn¡¯t unnecessary. As the leader of the Holy Tree Kingdom, she had handed over the Forest Elves¡¯ right to choose their fate to every soul. Now, even if Camilla possessed her body and usurped her identity, the Void Sovereign couldn¡¯t change the course of true history with just orders alone. There was no truth in history. True history was collective memory itself. Therefore, other than the Precept, only by igniting a sea of historical witnesses as fuel could it change true history. ¡°But Zamara and I have¡­¡± Camilla fell silent for a moment before speaking. William interrupted her and said, ¡°The contract between you and The Dreamer has already been terminated. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten that you had violated the contract first? The Dreamer has already awakened 40 million broken souls, and you never had the ability to weave a new illusion for 40 million souls¡­ You can¡¯t give them any salvation.¡± Camilla opened Her mouth as if She wanted to say something, but She ultimately didn¡¯t say anything. This was because the truth was as the Moon Realm Calamity had said. Even though She had descended here and lost Her status as the leader of the Forest Elves after Floral¡¯s previous speech, Floral had already turned from a king into a liberator. Although this identity could allow Her to be remembered and be forged into a so-called Hero God by the people¡¯s faith, She had also lost the authority to control the people. This was the case with the divinities of non-Elementium gods. They were always restrained by Their creators who were far inferior to Them. However, even at this point, it was still under Camilla¡¯s control. The rebirth She had planned wasn¡¯t to achieve a single divinity from the beginning. Elementium God, Faith God, and Hero God. She pursued an unprecedented trifecta¡ªa perfect divinity that spanned Currere, the Moon Realm, and the Astral World. She would be a true miracle that could reverse the irreversible process of creation and reach the world with eternal light. Among these three bodies, using the Lady of Starvation¡¯s abilities, She could use pure strength and not exercise authority to ignite the 40 million souls to change the timeline. However, Beatrice kept planting traps for Her¡­ The Demon General, Silence, who had been entrenched in Floral¡¯s body until it suddenly fused into Her body, only realized the truth of the other party¡¯s identity¡ªthe Demon General who had already been branded by the Whispering Empress had its origins in Camilla¡¯s timeline when she was still a mortal. She didn¡¯t cry out when facing the High Elf colonists¡¯ massacre. The past affected the present, and the present also affected the past. After Camilla became a Void Sovereign, the scream that should have converged into the Moon Realm¡¯s sea of chaotic thoughts was given new meaning. In other words, even if the possibility was extremely low, Silence, who had already fused into Her descent vessel, indeed had the right to snatch Her Moon Realm throne and control the Void Sovereign¡¯s authority. It was already extremely difficult for Camilla to balance the power between the three divinities and maintain Her dominance. If She completely released Her power to ignite the 40 million souls to modify true history, that insignificant echo from Her past could really snatch Her throne. This was a latent danger Beatrice had planted for Her, one that could explode at any moment. With this in mind, Camilla¡¯s expression changed erratically. At this moment, a portion of Beatrice¡¯s will was trapped in the Lake of Entropy. Coupled with the fact that She had previously guided the Father of the Crows and the Judgment 4 holder to the Lake of Entropy, her plan of becoming a trifecta divinity wouldn¡¯t spread to the domains of the other Void Sovereigns for the time being. However, in fact, She doubted how long those arrangements could trap a Void Sovereign¡¯s will. Once the news was exposed, Her status in the Moon Realm wouldn¡¯t be much better than Steelheart Widow¡¯s. The embarrassing situation of being attacked by many Void Sovereigns would also happen to Her. This way¡­ ¡°You only have three minutes to catch up. Moreover, you¡¯re only allowed to take Floral¡¯s soul.¡± Faced with the Moon Realm Calamity¡¯s conditions, Camilla finally compromised no matter how unwilling She was. Since the other party was confident in killing a god, She was also confident in crushing a mortal without any divinity. An ancient parchment with traces of worms appeared in Her hand. On the yellowing paper, an invisible pen seemed to dance, and a crooked name appeared at the bottom of the contract. The language that wrote that name didn¡¯t belong to any current language family. It came from a long-deceased human branch. William nodded slightly and activated Mage¡¯s Hand. He took the parchment that symbolized the signing of a contract. After reading it quickly, he sliced open the tip of his index finger with the nail of his thumb and signed his name. He knew that the other party would definitely agree to this condition. Or rather, what reason did She have to refuse? The current situation couldn¡¯t be considered good for William. In order to return to this timeline, he activated another Ironstone Oath. Under the activation of the Ironstone Oath, Creaton activity was reduced to the minimum. To a magic chanter, this was equivalent to a boxer taking the initiative to tie up his hands in the arena. Coupled with the fact that his opponent was a descending Void Sovereign, this was equivalent to fighting a silverback gorilla with an arm span of 2.5 meters in the arena. But there was nothing he could do about it. On the one hand, if he didn¡¯t do so, William wouldn¡¯t even be qualified to fight her. On the other hand, the information Remides provided him allowed him to see a possibility¡­ As both parties signed their names, the contract instantly turned into a dark-green flame and disappeared. The next moment, the surrounding scenery instantly lengthened and blurred before finally turning into pure darkness that returned to nothingness. This wasn¡¯t another alternate space, but the edge of this history¡ªin a state called World¡¯s End. A soul riddled with holes floated in front of William. Illusionary maggots were gnawing at him. As a remnant of Camilla¡¯s mortal self, Nehe was currently in the endless void outside the ¡®map.¡¯ ¡­ How did things turn out like this? Was it because in the distant past, the woman named Camilla was willing to sacrifice her three children to awaken Earth Mother, who had been forgotten by her people, for revenge? Or was it because she felt compassion at the last moment and preserved her child¡¯s soul¡ªhis soul¡ªcausing the tragedy that lasted thousands of years? Or should he blame the Undead Association for releasing his soul from the soul box? Should he blame the Presiding Judge for failing to correct that mistake because of a moment of benevolence? Should he blame himself for causing Camilla¡¯s influence on Currere to deepen in order to escape his identity as a lich? In World¡¯s End, time was meaningless. In this eternal moment, Nehe pondered over these questions. His remnant will had already become a part of the Lady of Starvation. He had a wider outlook than mortals and could see the ebb and flow of countless timelines. He could see the eternal and infinite Light Realm sink into solid Currere under the observation of mortals. However, he couldn¡¯t see himself clearly. ¡°Presiding Judge, please tell me how things turned out like this.¡± With a heavy sigh, Nehe looked up at the man who had suddenly appeared in front of him as if he had long known that the other party would come. William didn¡¯t expect the other party to be so calm when he saw him again, but he replied in a deep voice, ¡°Nothing happens for a single reason, but at the very least, it stems from my wrong choice in the past.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Nehe fell into thought before nodding and continuing asking, ¡°In that case, why are you here now? As you can see, I¡¯ve lost my body and strength. I can¡¯t help you with anything.¡± William shook his head and took out a seed that emitted a gentle light from his inventory. ¡°In the past, I trampled on your choices to satisfy my wishes. Therefore, at the very least, I plan on listening to you this time. There¡¯s a chance now. Are you willing to come back?¡± Chapter 372 - 372 Price 372 Price Quelling the chaotic turmoil exterior to the White Bone Castle was not arduous for the thoroughly disciplined High Elf forces. The High Elf warriors who pursued this path had gleaned expertise from generations of their forebears. Irrespective of the criteria regarded from any race, they were the best mortal troops in Currere. In comparison, the Forest Elves, who had evolved from the High Elves, could only be described as a mob after thousands of years of degeneration without organization and leadership. However, Remides¡¯s commands made the elite warriors¡¯ job of suppression much harder. She didn¡¯t allow her High Elf warriors to use lethal force¡ªother than dealing with the tree spirits and Beast Spirits besieging them outside the battlefield, this usually tough Shadow Queen didn¡¯t even allow her troops to take the lives of any Forest Elf. But why? Even as possible allies, as distant blood relatives of the same race, shouldn¡¯t there be special ways of handling them in such an emergency? What made the lone dictator, who had fought in the expeditionary fleet war with the Riel Empire and whose actions had become legendary, accept such a compromise? Similar questions only lingered in the minds of these warriors for a few seconds. They were the purest soldiers. As long as they accepted orders, they wouldn¡¯t ask excessive questions¡ªthis was also an inheritance that their forebears had reinforced in the depths of their souls. Some people called it shackles or curses. No matter what, with the chanting of incantations one after another, Earth-type spells trapped the legs of the rioters, and Illusion-type spells sealed their angry wills. Even if a few people broke free, they were knocked to the ground by the shield guards around the magister¡ªin the end, it was the White Bone Castle guards who ended up with more kills than them. The time they bought allowed the remaining Ava State magisters to reactivate the barrier that had been destroyed by the Beast Lord. As the White Bone Castle¡¯s barrier was repaired, they blockaded a larger number of the rioting mob outside. ¡°Repairing the barrier isn¡¯t protecting ourselves, but to protect them.¡± The High Elf officer in charge pointed at the citizens outside and explained to the White Bone Castle guard captain. If the tall Beast Lord hadn¡¯t descended, they could be said to have nothing to worry about. However, with every step the antler-crowned god took, an additional corner of the sky behind Him was dyed blood-red by the blood moon that symbolized hunting and wildness. An incomparably terrifying pressure crushed everyone on this side. Looking at the tall God of Hunting that they had only heard of in myths and legends slowly and firmly approaching them, or rather, the White Bone Castle that they were guarding behind them, the guard captain in charge of palace defense swallowed his saliva and forcefully stopped his knees from trembling as he asked, ¡°Can you¡­ all those sorcerers collectively stop Him?¡± The High Elf officer immediately shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s the projection of a real god. It¡¯s impossible even at the cost of all our lives.¡± The guard captain¡¯s face instantly turned ashen, but before he could curse, the High Elf continued calmly, ¡°But it¡¯s enough that you don¡¯t kneel in front of Him because¡­ our governor can stop Him.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, three arrows swept through an intense storm from another direction, flying faster than his voice towards the white giant wrapped in animal skin and wearing an antler crown. The latter turned his head and moved his gaze from the nearby White Bone Castle for the first time before looking in the direction where the arrows came from. Then, with a beast howl that was enough to shake the ground, He slammed the flint spear in His hand to the ground, and countless berserk wild beast spirits instantly appeared in the air as if they had been ignited. The storm brought about by the arrows was blown away by the beast howls, and the three arrows were bitten by the countless wild beasts, instantly disappearing into nothingness. A blond High Elf in light leather armor appeared in a bolt of lightning. She held the transparent bow in her hand tightly and looked into the Beast Lord¡¯s wild eyes. ¡°I made it¡­¡± Remides whispered. An ancient-looking soul box was firmly tied to the belt at her waist. ¡°In the end, you are still the one to make the choice again, Nehe¡­¡± She had a grudging tone to her voice, but it also sounded like a memorial in which she honored him. ¡­ After saying this, William remained silent and waited for the other party¡¯s reply¡ªjust like how Nehe waited quietly for William to tell him the final outcome after destroying the Necromancer Association that wreaked havoc in Ravenwood. Since the other party was already a part of the Lady of Starvation, Nehe, who also had the same vision as the Void Sovereign, should be able to cross many timelines to know what had happened in Currere. William didn¡¯t explain further. After all, the other party¡¯s aloof attitude after seeing him explained everything. However, at least this time, he didn¡¯t plan on helping the other party make a choice out of so-called good intentions. ¡°Presiding Judge¡­¡± Nehe didn¡¯t even look at the Seed of Hope in William¡¯s hand. After a moment of silence, he said slowly, ¡°Now, I just want to understand one thing¡­¡± ¡°Why did I hide your soul box back then, right?¡± William sighed and asked. He felt guilty towards the Judge¡ªthe only one. His voice was gentle. Nehe nodded solemnly. William sighed and didn¡¯t want to lie to him. ¡°If I told you that I knew back then that you would die as long as I returned the soul box to you, would you believe me?¡± ¡°But from the looks of it, if I had died back then, it would have brought about a better ending,¡± Nehe replied calmly. ¡°Therefore, I will absolutely respect your opinion this time. As long as you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll use the remaining Seed of Hope to pull you back to Currere from death and destiny. I¡¯ll find a possibility that you can exist normally from countless timelines.¡± William changed the topic solemnly. There was little of the time Camilla had left for him. ¡°That¡¯s also to find a possibility that I can exist normally from the countless timelines you¡¯ve experienced, right?¡± Nehe replied calmly, as if he wasn¡¯t talking about his fate. William opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know how to answer. ¡°The real Nehe had long died on the day he was converted into a lich. From then on, what existed in Currere was only a remnant soul left behind by the Lady of Starvation. The only thing you encountered who fought by your side was the Resound left behind by the Void Sovereign in Currere. Therefore, even if you expend this precious Seed of Hope, the one who will ultimately be reborn is another self that can¡¯t be saved,¡± Nehe continued. ¡°But to me, that¡¯s the real you,¡± William replied firmly. ¡°To me¡­ My true self died that day. ¡°The current me is just another filthy soul that shares the same origin as a Void Sovereign. I¡¯m using Nehe¡¯s name and memories to bring disaster to everything he once cherished.¡± Nehe looked at William seriously and continued, ¡°Therefore, please tell me about the other choice? Since you asked previously, I believe you must have prepared an even more interesting plan.¡± Upon hearing those words, William closed his eyes and sighed. After a long time, the Moon Realm Calamity opened its eyes again. ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to be reborn in Currere as your original identity, I have to guarantee that your death is worth it.¡± The hesitation and guilt in his tone faded, and his voice was iron felt. ¡°For example, completely destroying a Void Sovereign.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Author¡¯s words: After disappearing for so long, no matter how resentful everyone is towards me, I can understand (or can¡¯t understand, but no matter how everyone curses me, I feel like I deserved it). This is a problem with my personality. When I encounter something I can¡¯t handle, I bury my head in the sand and pretend to be an ostrich. But after thinking about it, writing stories publicly on the Internet can¡¯t be met with the same willfulness as writing a diary. And a written work doesn¡¯t just belong to me. It belongs to every reader. In short, let¡¯s give this book an episodic summary and talk about my future plans¡ªif you¡¯re willing to listen. Frankly, it¡¯s true that I can¡¯t continue writing this book, but it¡¯s definitely not because of poor earnings. I often mock myself in the chat, saying that I¡¯m like a plant who can survive with just sunlight, air and water. In fact, for me, as long as I make enough money to support the minimum needs for sustenance and pay the minimum social security taxes for freelancers, I can keep writing. The reason I can¡¯t write is simply because I can¡¯t write as a creator. In my mind, the book¡¯s plot began to collapse earlier than any reader¡¯s. It probably started at the beginning of the second volume, and the plot line began to fail earlier, in the middle of the first volume. Basically, it began with an interesting setting that I had made a long time ago, but the more I wrote, the more I felt that the two were completely incompatible. But the requirement to release regularly made me keep going through the outline whenever I didn¡¯t know how to move the plot forward, looking for something I could use to force the plot forward. But it shouldn¡¯t be an outline carrying a story, but how a story carries the outline. So the daily releases and the shame of me giving excuses to the readers gnawed at me, and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so I ran away. I actually want to say a lot more about my confessions, pleas, apologies, explanations and guarantees. But I always feel that these things are not very meaningful. After all, readers and authors rely on their work to connect. The authors¡¯ output and the reader¡¯s understanding together complete the work. Therefore, putting aside the work, it is very shameless and the use of emotional blackmail for authors to seek forgiveness from an author¡¯s personal point of view about how difficult it is for them. Don¡¯t forgive me if I can¡¯t come up with a work worthy of your expectations and sacrifices. Readers do not need to empathize with authors about how difficult it is. As Ip Man in ¡°The Grandmaster¡± put it, ¡°Kungfu¡ªtwo words. Horizontal. Vertical. Make a mistake¡ªhorizontal. Stay standing and you win.¡± I have no right to speak of this book. You don¡¯t have to forgive me. I can take any insults. Then tell me what I planned to do with the story. Although the book is terrible, I still believe that there is some potential in the main storyline and setting. Because in the future, I will definitely do a reboot¡ªtransmigrating into a game I completed, in an era that I no longer belong to, taking in how things change, experiencing the shadows of the past, correcting the mistakes of those years. This story structure is actually a bit like the story of Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000, of Guilliman who wakes up after 10,000 years of stasis and sees the devastated human empire, then fights hard to try to steer her back from the wrong path. The future will probably follow the tone of the dark fantasy of Warhammer or Dark Souls and re-enact the story of players saving the world in another world¡ªprobably a very apocalyptic story. A worldview based purely on idealism, on the other hand, is suited to a time of subtle peace, with stories of undercurrents surging beneath the peace, like a magical version of the Cold War. The wars that determine the fate of the world are less fanciful, but the results of the wars change the world overnight, rewriting everyone¡¯s perceptions ¡­ something like that. All in all, the future reboot of the story will be something like that. A darker, crueler, more heroic story of a gamer saving the world. And a more cognitive, mystical, magical setting, borne by a more appropriate story. Finally, regarding William¡¯s future adventures and the truth about the Vic Continent. Originally planned, the story went like this: Under pressure, Remides orders her soldiers to attack the Forest Elf mobs, repeating the history of the High Elves¡¯ invasion of Ravenwood. When the ritual is completed, the Lady of Starvation is replaced by Nehe, but because of William¡¯s conversation, the throne ends up destroyed. The complete death of a Void Sovereign, nullifies the contract between Currere and the Moon Realm, allowing for everyone to run amok in Currere ¡ª the true purpose of the Whispering Empress¡¯s secret collaboration with the Absurdity Jester. From the moment the Whispering Empress gave some of Her authority to Valk, they had been plotting how to kill the Lady of Starvation. But because the Moon Realm beings had also begun to attack each other, Currere isn¡¯t immediately obliterated. William heads to Platinum City, defeating Terra¡¯s true divine vessel, announces his true identity, and forcefully takes over the empire. He investigates members of the royal family and learns that Terra was one of the extreme ones in Judgment. In order to summon him back to keep the situation under control, he brought up a person with a compatible soul and imitated the heroic path of his own deeds. (That person developed his own ambitions because of the influence of Moon Realm. He was unwilling to become the reincarnation of a past hero and eventually attacked the Judges and became the Emperor Terra of the empire.) If William wanted to be crowned and gain the authority of the Eighth Holy Spirit, he would have to find the descendants or remnants of the Judges and put them back together. With the help of the Absurdity Jester, William finally completes the coronation after meeting up with old friends or seeing objects that remind him of their owner. When William is finally crowned, he is stabbed in the back by Koos, the resurrected little shadow. Koos was the last insurance left behind by the Judgment extremists. He sacrificed himself to become a conceptual curse that ¡°doesn¡¯t allow the wrong Presiding Judge to last.¡± Every time Tara tried to reincarnate to complete the ritual of becoming the Eighth Holy Spirit, Koos would hunt him down. Originally, the curse had no effect on William, the real Presiding Judge, but it used some of the power of the Lady of Starvation, which was similar to the concept of ¡°death by fate.¡± After the Lady of Starvation died, Absurd Jester seized the power and kept it. In fact, that was what He was trying to do when He plotted the Lady of Starvation¡¯s death. All He was doing was to complete his grandest comedy, so that the birth and fall of a Holy Spirit could be performed on the same day. William dies, but Zhou Mu¡¯s consciousness does not dissipate. He enters another save and re-emerges as the former Goddess of Hope and Despair (female character). In short, he (she?) engages in a conceptual melee with the Void Sovereigns who had descended into Currere ¡ª to fight for the Precepts. In the end, only Valk and Zhou Mu are left, and the rest are resurrected in the Moon Realm. Zhou Mu announces that the other party has no interest in the Precepts at all, so why bother competing with him? But He replies that what He pursues is extreme drama. For him, the ending of the story doesn¡¯t have to be a victory, but it has to be exciting enough. From the moment Zhou Mu descended as the Goddess of Hope and Despair, His expectations had been met, and now all He had to do was finish the performance. In the end, after defeating Valk, Zhou Mu goes to the throne known as the ¡°Ultima¡± to obtain the so-called ¡°Precept.¡± On the Ultima throne sits the Tacma Church¡¯s only true god, Ma. When Zhou Mu sees the other¡¯s image, he is stunned. Ma is his own image, a sleeping version of himself. In short, he finally learns the truth about this world¡ªa dream, but of course, it¡¯s not Zhou Mu¡¯s, but another dream of an unknown existence. Zhou Mu is actually a ¡°foreign object¡± from somewhere else. It was his transmigration that shattered the perfect ¡°Light Realm,¡± the dreamless sleep of an unknown existence, and thus resulting in the creation of Currere. Zhou Mu was the first cause of creation. Imagine a person sleeping, and then someone clubbing him with a wooden club, and the club ends up projecting itself into sleep and becoming a nightmare. The unknown existence is that person, the perfect Light Realm is his state of sleep, and Zhou Mu is the club, the foreign object. The transmigrated William in the story is the image of the foreign object in the dream. The moment of creation was the moment when Zhou Mu transmigrated to become William. Time began here and extended forward and backward at the same time. Therefore, the past, like the future, could be changed. This is also the meaning of the fourth volume, World¡¯s End. Everything happening in this volume was originally meant to pave the way for this conclusion. But being clubbed while sleeping is a dangerous affair, and a little carelessness can lead to waking up. So after Zhou Mu receives the Precept, he has two choices. Destroy most of Currere and the Moon Realm, leaving behind only what he wants. Simple and to the point, allowing the dream to continue as long as possible. Or let the world continue to develop, becoming more and more complicated, until he awakens one day and sees what the world looks like after his awakening. I¡¯m not sure which answer William would choose, but I have a feeling that if I were him, I would choose neither and attempt to find another path. But in any case, my ability can¡¯t handle the free (?) direction of this ¡­ story. Or perhaps there are too many aforementioned problems accumulated from before, some of which are hard to come back from. In any case, I¡¯ve released this simple outline. Although it can¡¯t be said to be an explanation to the reader, I¡¯ll try to resolve some of everyone¡¯s doubts. I¡¯m currently working on a cyberpunk-themed book, and when I¡¯m done with it, I should be back to reboot the story of a player¡¯s ability to enter a game after a perfect save and turn the tide. Of course, if I can come up with a better, more epic idea than Saving the World Again and find a way to express it well, it could be another mystic-themed story. You don¡¯t have to forgive me for my most sincere apology to the readers who have been waiting all this while. Although I don¡¯t think I have the right to make you hate me (after all, hate is not the opposite of love), I would feel much more at ease if you could hate me. And those who originally liked my work but are now disappointed, so they blocked me and don¡¯t care about me, a third-rate online novelist, are the ones who really make me lose it. But I deserve it, too. But either way, I¡¯m looking forward to our meeting in the next story.