Chapter 65: The Shadow World
The wind outside the window was biting cold, and the deep night was about to fall.
Inside the warm, spring-like coffee shop, bathed in the glow of lights.
Separated by a single pane of glass, the inside and outside were worlds apart.
After carefully considering the various pieces of information in George's words.
Gune felt a strange stirring in his heart.
Things that shouldn't exist in this world?
What could they be?
It gave Gune a sense of being in warmth while directly facing mysterious darkness.
"What exactly are they?" Gune finished the remaining coffee in his cup and asked softly.
"It's not convenient to disclose now, but I can assure you that those things are absolutely beings we must eliminate. And in the future, they will cause great harm to our human world."
"Those things are considered extremely dangerous even by the higher-ups of the Extraordinary Association. The high-ranking members are all eager to hunt them down," George said.
"Oh? If the higher-ups of the Extraordinary Association consider these things dangerous and want to hunt them, they can naturally deal with them. Why do we, these weak Extraordinary individuals, need to unite against them?" Gune rubbed his temples.
"Because..."
After pondering for a moment, George slowly spoke.
"Those things are special. Only I can see them and interact with them."
"Only you can see and interact with them?"
This statement immediately piqued Gune's interest.
Gune lowered his voice slightly: "A certain layer of the Shadow World?"
"You know?" George was startled.
"I know more than you imagine."
Gune poured himself another cup of coffee.
The world of Extraordinary individuals.
In the depths of the darkness and mystery that people cannot see, touch, or even perceive.
There are countless horrifying oddities, distortions, even terrors and deaths hidden there.
And the "Shadow World" is a layer of this bizarre and terrifying "inner world" that objectively exists in reality, projected from the real world.
Within the framework of the Extraordinary world.
The real world is the outer world.
And the Shadow World is the "inner world" projected from reality.
The Shadow inner world is very complex.
Within the Shadow World, there are numerous peculiar "layered worlds." They are independent of each other, and some can even be traversed.
From what Gune understood.
The Shadow World has "Nightmare Layer," "Mirror Layer," "Immaculate Earth Layer," "Spirit Layer," and so on.
"Nightmare Layer," this is the world of dreams. A certain type of Extraordinary individual with dream abilities can enter this layer.
It is said that the Nightmare materials Gune uses to brew soul-type potions are obtained by dream Extraordinary individuals hunting "Nightmare creatures" there.
For example, the "Mirror Layer," this is a layer of the world with a certain range, time limit, and concreteness.
Within a city with a large number of stable "mirrors," the Mirror Layer will gradually materialize and stabilize.
When the city suffers a devastating blow, and all the mirrors are shattered, the Mirror Layer will slowly dissipate and cease to exist.
Or the "Immaculate Earth Layer" where the roots of dominant plants need to extend.
And the "Spirit Layer," where many soul-type creatures reside, which is well-known to many Extraordinary individuals. Many soul-type creatures, as well as powerful Extraordinary individuals with semi-soul and etherealization abilities, can enter this layer to fight.
And other deeper worlds.
These inner layers are all located within the Shadow World.
One could say that the "Shadow World" is the foundation of all inner layers.
In this Extraordinary world.
The real world is just the tip of the iceberg of the Extraordinary world.
Terror and darkness reside in the Shadow inner world.
The reason why Gune knew this.
Was because, while studying rune analysis, he gained a new understanding of the world's framework structure.
Rune analysis elucidates the essence of things. It provides a detailed and insightful description of the real world, the Shadow World, the Nightmare Layer, the Mirror Layer, the Immaculate Earth Layer, and so on.
Learning about the three-dimensional and complex structure of the world is a skill that a rune master spellcaster must master.
If Gune were simply a turret mage, he would only need to learn spells.
But Gune wants to become a knowledgeable, powerful spellcaster who touches darkness and terror, exploring the deeper essence of the Extraordinary world.
Then, understanding the Shadow World and the numerous peculiar layers within it is indispensable.
Once he has a sufficient understanding of the Shadow World, and Gune has achieved something in rune analysis, mastered certain rune principles.
Reality and shadow.
The outer world and the inner world.
Gune can freely traverse them.
He can even enter those inner layers.
He can even glimpse the great beings beyond the stars.
However, rune analysis is incredibly difficult. Even though Gune has devoted most of his study time to it, his progress is still not fast.
Rune analysis is incredibly difficult just to get started.
One can imagine how difficult it is to research rune principles after getting started.
Not many people know about the Shadow World.
And even fewer can traverse and cross layers, requiring corresponding extraordinary talents and abilities.
There aren't many such people.
In Gune's case, as a Blood Curse Master, if he doesn't learn "rune principles," he cannot actively enter any inner layer.
But this "George Derrick" not only knows about it, but he can also see it, and it seems... he can even enter a certain inner layer.
Clearly, his "extraordinary profession" is not ordinary.
Combined with the fact that he seems to be able to sense his "danger."
Gune vaguely guessed some of the special characteristics of his extraordinary profession.
If he can truly lead him into a certain layer, it would be incredibly beneficial for his understanding and learning of the "world framework."
Learning from books and combining it with firsthand experience is the best way to progress.
"I think we should get to know each other better, laying a more solid foundation for our future cooperation, wouldn't you agree?" Gune said softly, inhaling the aroma of coffee.
"No problem." At this moment, George was also invigorated and sat up straight.
He had wanted to cooperate with him.
Since he knew a lot and had the intention to cooperate, he was naturally very happy.
"I am Gune Lawrence." Gune spoke softly.
"Expert-level alchemist."
"A 'Blood Curse Master' from the Mountains and the Sea of Blood."
"Expert-level alchemist?" George was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
The laughter was loud, but within the invalidated interference barrier, no one outside could feel the slightest disturbance.
His laughter made Gune a little confused.
"How foolish of me. I was wondering why so many noble alchemists wanted to come to you and learn potion brewing."
"Even a highly talented high-level alchemist shouldn't be like this, right?"
"So, you're already an expert-level alchemist. You're amazing," George said, giving a thumbs-up.
As a member of the Extraordinary Association, he was naturally very aware of the formidability of an expert-level alchemist, especially one so young.
The fact that the higher-ups of the Extraordinary Association had hastily sent their talented offspring to become Gune's "apprentices" was the best proof.
Gune didn't hide his expert-level alchemist status from George, with whom he was about to cooperate, as some people knew about it.
After a moment of contemplation, George looked over.
"Your profession is Blood Curse Master. I remember that Blood Curse Masters during the Blood Moon..."
"A minor curse, nothing to worry about. I've already suppressed it," Gune said nonchalantly.
"Oh?" George's eyebrows twitched.
But considering that he was able to become an expert-level alchemist at such a young age, his methods must be incredibly formidable, so he felt relieved.
"Don't think that I'm just a first-order Extraordinary individual. Among first-order individuals, I'm practically invincible."
"First-order, practically invincible? That's quite a bold statement."
George pondered secretly.
"However, being able to pose such a threat to me, you do have the qualifications to say that."
After hearing Gune's introduction, George, after a moment of contemplation, slowly spoke.
"I am George Derrick."
"At the age of six, I awakened my extraordinary profession, 'Time Hunter.' Later, I learned that 'Time Hunter' is a powerful seven-star extraordinary profession."
"Wait..." Gune suddenly grasped something.
"You... self-awakened your extraordinary profession?"
"Yes," George nodded.
"What? Is there a problem?"
If Gune hadn't studied rune analysis, he wouldn't have noticed the issue.
But now, Gune could clearly grasp the crux of the matter.
George's extraordinary profession was probably unusual.
Extraordinary professions are inherently embedded within extraordinary artifacts, a self-contained system of mysterious power.
Humans are not extraordinary creatures, but ordinary flesh-and-blood beings.
It's very rare for humans to self-awaken an extraordinary profession.
Even if they do, it's usually the offspring of families or groups with inherent bloodline powers who awaken bloodline-related extraordinary professions.
For example, the "Paul" that Gune knew had Minotaur blood.
If he were to marry a close relative, it's possible that he could directly give birth to a child with the innate "Minotaur Warrior" extraordinary profession.
The characteristics of this child's extraordinary profession wouldn't be overly powerful, but they wouldn't be too weak either.
But the problem is, this awakening of an extraordinary profession is bestowed by bloodline power.
"Time Hunter isn't a bloodline power," Gune said softly.
"It's like the 'heroes' that emerge from the tide of time."
"This 'Time Hunter' might be one of those extremely special existences."
George looked at Gune deeply before nodding slightly.
"You're right. My Time Hunter is indeed unusual."
"I... can use time to enter a very magical layer of the Shadow World, the 'Hunting Layer'."
The framework of the world has just begun to unfold, and important characters are appearing one by one.
The tide is surging, and the curtain is slowly rising.
The mysterious world has only revealed the tip of the iceberg.
So don't worry.
Behind the steady mage is a steady author.
Also... please vote for recommendations! Please vote for recommendations! Please vote for recommendations!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 66: The Herder
"Hunting Layer? A mysterious layer within the Shadow World?"
Listening to George's explanation, Gune immediately calmed his mind and listened carefully.
"Actually, after I awakened my extraordinary profession, 'Time Hunter,' I could sense and see the existence of the Hunting Layer."
"For example, right now, I can see the dim, dilapidated projection light of the Hunting Layer, dappled and shining on me. Everything around me is filled with a dangerous aura."
"When I grew up a little, I understood that what I saw was a deep inner world."
"A very peculiar and dangerous inner world, which I call the 'Hunting Layer'."
"Within the Hunting Layer."
"There's a very strange creature, humanoid in shape. They have two slender leg claws, a pair of fleshy wings, and an incredibly fast flight speed."
"Underneath their wings, they have a pair of peculiar arms that can extend incredibly long and have amazing destructive power."
"They have slender bodies, are completely black, and have three eyes on their foreheads, possessing extremely strong three-dimensional vision and perception abilities."
"It's almost impossible to approach them silently."
"These creatures, when they're at the first-order Extraordinary level, are already five meters tall."
"And as their strength increases, their size also increases."
"Generally, they're about two meters tall at the first-order level."
"With each advancement in rank, their strength increases dramatically."
"Of course, the most important point, I haven't mentioned it yet."
"That is... they have a terrifying tongue."
"Using this tongue, they can permeate their power into reality from within the Hunting Layer and lick away people's time."
"Lick away time?" Gune's expression shifted slightly.
"Time is an abstract concept. Can these things really lick it away?"
"Or perhaps, in this Extraordinary world, time also has special extraordinary properties?"
After pondering for a moment, Gune suddenly asked.
"Are you sure they're licking away time?"
"Yes," George nodded slightly.
"Because... I can see... time!"
"See time." Gune was startled.
"Alright! This Time Hunter is... truly extraordinary." Gune spread his hands.
Then, Gune continued: "What's the situation like after being licked?"
"Losing time after being licked, and once time is lost, it will inevitably be corrected. During the correction process, the individual who lost time will be washed over by a mysterious force."
"The visible manifestation of this washing is the aging of the body, soul, and physical functions, as well as the loss of extraordinary characteristics. These things happen unknowingly, and they're rarely noticed."
"They're indeed bizarre creatures," Gune nodded thoughtfully.
George continued.
"I call these creatures that can lick away life and cause humans to lose their lives 'Death Beasts'."
"They truly are capable of leading death forward. Calling them Death Beasts is quite fitting," Gune pondered inwardly.
"Death Beasts are powerful and cunning. They specifically target long-lived humans, especially when they're asleep."
"In the Hunting Layer, when they lick someone, they can lick away two or three days of a human's life with a single lick."
"Here comes the scariest part. These creatures, every time they lick, they don't just focus on one person. They almost lick everyone nearby, licking each person about a dozen times and then moving on."
"These things... they're like sheep shearers, but they know how to shear in sections. Their intelligence surpasses many people!" Gune was shocked.
"Earlier, you asked why I didn't report this to the higher-ups of the Extraordinary Association?"
George slowly began to explain.
"Because, when I was young, I told my teacher, and my teacher told me to keep it a secret no matter what, not to tell anyone."
"In fact, the decision my teacher made for me was very correct."
"Because... these creatures are being... herded by some mysterious beings!"
"Mysterious beings, using human lifespans as grass... and herding them," Gune's eyes narrowed slightly, his fists clenched tighter.
They don't treat humans like people at all. They treat them like walking, flesh-and-blood fodder.
"And there's more than one herder," George said softly.
"And there are traces of them within the Jade Orchid Extraordinary Association."
"And that's why I haven't dared to speak out."
"If I had reported it, I would probably be close to death."
"I don't know if you've noticed, but with the rise of extraordinary steam machinery, those evil spirits and alien races have also become more active."
"Those originally scattered alien races in the depths of the Otto Mountains in the north have also joined forces to oppose us humans."
"You should know that someone is secretly stirring things up, and these herders are one of the instigators."
"Those who herd Death Beasts and lick away human lives don't care about human life at all. In their eyes, humans are just walking, flesh-and-blood fodder."
After George finished his explanation, both of them fell into a brief silence.
Mysterious beings who disregard life, strange monsters that lick away time, and the surging tide of time.
Gune echoed George's words in his mind and couldn't help but sigh: "This world is more complex and mysterious than I imagined."
After a moment of thought, Gune looked at George.
"Aren't you afraid that I'll tell others about this?"
"Of course, I'm afraid."
"But I need the help of powerful allies."
"Allies? Help?" Gune pondered these words.
"Have you interacted with them?"
"Yes, when I was a second-order Extraordinary individual, I was already very strong. I thought I could kill a first-order Death Beast."
"I borrowed the power of time, entered the Hunting Layer, and hunted a first-order Death Beast."
"As a result, I almost died, and that creature... escaped."
"Escaped," Gune pondered inwardly.
"The strength of those Death Beasts is beyond imagination. I can't deal with them alone, and sometimes, these Death Beasts don't act alone. They could be in groups of three or five."
"I'm ultimately outnumbered and outgunned. That's why I want to find a powerful partner to hunt these Death Beasts together."
"I can use my abilities to bring Extraordinary individuals one rank lower than me into the Hunting Layer."
"Among all the Extraordinary individuals I've encountered, none have ever given me such a strong sense of danger at the first-order Extraordinary level."
"So that's why you came to me?" Gune continued softly.
"Yes, I desperately need an ally like you, so I'm willing to take this risk."
After considering it for a while, Gune slowly spoke again.
"I'm a spellcaster, and I'm currently deeply studying the world framework, the Shadow World, and even analyzing runes."
"The Hunting Layer you mentioned is a mysterious layer of the Shadow World."
"Entering it should be of great help to my studies."
"So, you're lucky. I'm willing to cooperate with you," Gune said softly.
"Whew..."
Seeing Gune agree, George finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Even though you say you're invincible at the first-order level, you may not be able to kill those first-order Death Beasts."
"I don't like the sound of that, my cheat doesn't like it either," Gune muttered inwardly.
"Perhaps," Gune didn't argue too much.
"There are two Death Beasts being herded in Sugg Relic City, one second-order and one third-order. They've been licking away life for many years."
"The short lifespans of many of those laborers who work hard to earn money are largely due to the Death Beasts."
"If we let them continue to grow, it's hard to predict what will happen in the future."
"My target is that second-order Death Beast."
"I'm currently at the third-order level and can bring second-order Extraordinary individuals with me."
"So, once you advance to the second-order level and reach the peak of the second-order, we'll have a chance to join forces and eliminate that second-order Death Beast."
"That will take some time. We're not in a hurry right now."
"Also, after this hunt, we need to conceal our tracks and prevent the herders from finding us."
"After all, the beings who can herd such creatures are certainly not to be trifled with."
"Mm," Gune nodded slightly.
After discussing some more details, the two of them paused.
Gune looked at the night outside the window.
"Time Hunter, Hunting Layer, prey."
Gune pondered the subtle relationships between them.
"George probably hasn't told me everything, but I can deduce it."
"This hunting... should be of some benefit to him, but that's not the main point."
"The main point is that he should also have realized his special nature. He doesn't want our world to be toyed with by those terrifying beings, otherwise, wouldn't it be better for him to ignore it?"
"Going through all this trouble, even taking risks to contact me, clearly, he's a righteous individual. That's a good thing. At the same time, I feel that what he said is true."
"Of course, while largely believing him, I also need to be more cautious and vigilant."
"For me... I need to use this opportunity to further expand my understanding and perception of the deeper aspects of this world. This is very important for my rune path."
"Secondly... eliminating the herders of those mysterious beings is something that should be done. After all, I'm also one of the members of the flesh-and-blood pasture in their eyes."
"If I remain silent now, sooner or later, those Death Beasts will lick away my life. And at that time, no one will speak up for me."
"Whew..."
Gune let out a soft breath and looked out at the deep night.
The depths of the bizarre and strange Extraordinary world, like the city shrouded in this night, have a vaguely visible outline, but the terrors and mysteries within the darkness are completely obscured.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 67: The Spring of Life
Time flew by.
Unbeknownst to them, several days had already passed.
On this day.
The weather remained cold as ever.
Antu Kang District, Purple Cotton Street No. 51, Deep Duke Castle.
This was the location of Gune's alchemy potion workshop.
"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."
Accompanied by the sound of horse hooves.
A large carriage stopped at the entrance of "Deep Duke Castle."
The door opened, and Gune, wearing an alchemist's hooded robe, was the first to get out.
Today was the official day of moving in, so his attire was more formal.
Then, Via, Alex, Old Cohen, and Maesha got out of the carriage.
"Good morning, Master Gune."
The butler, "Fresh," who had been waiting at the entrance, bowed slightly to Gune.
"Good morning, Master Fresh."
Master Fresh was the butler of Deep Duke Castle.
It is said that he was also a veteran who had retired from the front lines of the Pioneer Corps.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone walked towards the castle.
The castle was quite spacious, and Gune naturally took everyone on a tour of the inside and outside.
At this time, the castle was fully equipped with food, clothing, and daily necessities, as well as guards and servants.
The main goal during this period was to renovate the alchemy workshop.
And Gune had already seen the alchemy workshop, and he was very satisfied with its construction.
Once the first batch of junior alchemists arrived, Gune could begin mass-producing potions.
But before that, Gune needed to teach them the basic processing of various potions with extraordinary medicinal properties.
As for further extraction, absorption, distillation, and other operations of extraordinary medicinal properties, as well as the subsequent blending, were beyond their current capabilities.
As they toured and viewed the surroundings, everyone was laughing and chatting, and Maesha was as happy as a bird, running around the castle.
As everyone was on the second floor, admiring the living room and the surrounding scenery.
At the entrance of the castle, a large number of carriages stopped by the roadside.
Gune looked over and estimated that there were at least a dozen.
"So many people?" Gune looked at Fresh.
"Including Master Alex, there are a total of twelve," Butler Fresh stepped forward to report.
"Twelve people." Gune's eyebrows twitched. "I didn't ask for that many."
Gune looked at Via.
"I only reported that you needed five or six people," Via also claimed innocence.
Gune withdrew his gaze and then looked at the many young faces of noble alchemists wearing white alchemist robes and hoods, and said softly.
"I guess, after you reported it, it became six or seven. And then, it became eight or nine."
"Luckily, there weren't too many reporting nodes in between, otherwise, those guys would have sent an entire legion here," Gune said jokingly.
Everyone laughed when they heard this.
"Having more students is also a good thing. The blending of high-level potions also involves many dangerous steps."
"A certain amount of loss is inevitable."
Everyone: "..."
"Anyway, I don't have to worry about their salaries. More is fine," Gune muttered to himself.
Then, Gune looked at Fresh.
"Are the potion materials ready?"
"They were prepared days ago. Over 300 sets of materials. And they really need the supply of these materials. I hope you can start work as soon as possible."
"No problem. After lunch, I'll take these guys to learn how to process the herbs," Gune said, stroking his palm softly.
...
In the afternoon.
Old Cohen and the others had already left.
In the outer hall at the entrance of the underground potion workshop.
Including Alex, the twelve alchemists had already gathered.
These twelve alchemists were all young, between sixteen and twenty years old.
More than four of them were intermediate alchemists, newly promoted ones.
The remaining eight, although they were junior alchemists, had relatively rich experience, close to the second-order level, and were not far from becoming intermediate alchemists.
Regardless, the fact that they were sent here by their families meant that they were all talented alchemists.
"Who has experience managing the inventory of potions and potion materials?" Gune asked.
The inventory of potions and potion materials was very important, and Gune naturally needed someone to help manage it.
After a few seconds.
"Me." An eighteen or nineteen-year-old female alchemist with red curly hair raised her hand.
"What's your name?"
"Leona." Leona, with a white alchemist robe and a head of red hair, spoke in a soft yet sharp voice.
"Good. From now on, you'll be in charge of the inventory of potions and materials."
"Yes, Master Gune," Leona nodded seriously.
"Also, Alex has been learning the brewing of high-level rare potions with me for a while now."
"He'll be fully responsible for the allocation of material processing."
"Leona, Alex, you two need to cooperate well, understand?"
"Yes, Master Gune," both of them responded simultaneously.
Being able to become part of the management team meant that they would have more opportunities to interact with Gune.
This was crucial for their alchemy careers.
"Alright, next, we're going to enter the material processing stage of high-level rare potions."
"I'll carefully explain the processing of all the materials to you."
Hearing that they were about to start working on high-level rare potions, everyone's expressions were filled with excitement.
They were either intermediate alchemists or junior alchemists close to the intermediate level.
Brewing intermediate potions was no longer a problem for them.
What they desperately needed was experience with high-level potions.
And Gune, right from the start, was giving them high-level rare potion work.
Although it was difficult, this high difficulty, combined with Gune's knowledge, would bring them the greatest improvement and growth.
They were all eager for this growth and learning.
After half an hour.
The two high-level rare potions that Gune currently needed to brew.
Refined Dragon Blood Potion and Refined Nightmare Potion, had been meticulously explained by Gune.
Along the way, Gune also analyzed the rationality of their medicinal property combinations and explained them from the perspective of the essence of extraordinary medicinal properties.
These students had previously followed high-level alchemists.
But they had never followed a top-level expert alchemist, or even a powerful alchemist with the potential to become a potion master like Gune.
Gune's explanation naturally allowed them to gain a deeper understanding and insights in many aspects.
After the explanation, many people raised questions, and Gune answered them one by one.
"As you all know."
"Currently, above high-level rare potions are Secret Rune Potions."
"Those potion masters are capable of brewing Secret Rune Potions."
"But the current 'Secret Rune Potions' have both positive and negative effects."
"One bottle can replenish a certain aspect of extraordinary characteristics while eroding another aspect."
"The self-consistency and fusion of extraordinary medicinal properties are the most difficult problems to solve at the moment."
"Master Gune, do you have a solution now?" someone in the crowd asked.
"Not yet, but I have a few ideas."
"In the upcoming work, I will conduct various experiments, and all of this will require your cooperation."
Hearing that they would be involved in the research of "Secret Rune Potions," everyone became excited.
They were all alchemists and deeply understood the powerful effects of Secret Rune Potions.
Regarding Secret Rune Potions.
Through continuous brewing of various high-level rare potions during this period.
Gune had indeed come up with some ideas, especially last night, after Gune planted the Elf Life Tree seed.
The Elf Life Tree is a dominant plant.
During its growth, it can gather many magical extraordinary treasures.
For example, "Spring of Life" will condense beneath the Elf Life Tree.
Drinking this Spring of Life for a long time can increase one's lifespan limit.
Currently, humans only know of the existence of the Spring of Life in the depths of the "Twisted Domain" in the north, which only Blood Ear Elves and other elves can obtain.
Those elves, who often have lifespans of hundreds or even thousands of years, owe a large part of it to the Spring of Life.
And with Gune planting that Life Tree seed in his planting space.
Gune also discovered through the system that the Elf Life Tree, under perfect conditions, can condense "Refined Spring of Life."
And in the planting space, the environment is undoubtedly perfect.
Gune had also heard of this Refined Spring of Life. In ancient scriptures, he had read that the refined spring water of the Life Tree contained extraordinary vitality. One bottle could save someone from even the most severe injuries.
The Refined Spring of Life is a level higher than the Spring of Life.
And at present, a major direction is to use the highly fusible spring water to fuse various medicinal properties.
For example, using Source Energy Spring Water, Refined Source Energy Spring Water, etc., as "extraction liquid" to extract extraordinary medicinal properties.
And the Spring of Life is a level higher than Refined Source Energy Spring Water as an "extraction liquid."
It is said that some forces obtained a certain amount of Spring of Life from the Blood Ear Elves, and with the help of this Spring of Life, the research progress of Secret Rune Potions has made some breakthroughs.
Now, Gune has already planted the Life Tree. With a thousand-fold acceleration, the Spring of Life will soon be born.
This Elf Life Tree is in perfect condition, and in the near future, it will also produce a higher level of Life Essence Spring Water.
Most importantly, this Life Tree belongs solely to Gune.
Gune has abundant resources to make breakthroughs in the research of Secret Rune Potions.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 68: The Night of the Full Moon!
The clouds in the sky had gathered.
The cold wind raged across Sugg Relic City.
"Woo woo..."
Many bare branches creaked in the wind.
Sugg Extraordinary Academy.
On the sixth floor of the Olof Tower, Gune glanced at the dark and oppressive sky outside through the window.
It was only a little past four o'clock, and the sky had already darkened.
And in the northern sky, a large mass of cold air was violently blowing south.
"A heavy snowfall... is coming!"
Gune muttered to himself.
Then, Gune inadvertently glanced at a corner of the sky.
There, the clouds were tinged with a strange, red color.
Tonight would be a snowy night.
And... it would also be a Blood Moon Night!
On the Oya Continent, whenever there's a full moon, the moon, called "Yam," in the sky turns blood-red.
It is said that during the Dark Ages.
The rulers of the Oya Continent were the Dark Werewolf Clan, the Blood Clan, the Lich Clan, the Elf Clan, the Spirit Demon Clan, and so on.
At that time, humans were still a small tribe.
They were treated as laborers, food sources, and battle soldiers by the Blood Clan, Werewolf Clan, and Lich Clan.
During the Blood Moon, humans under the Blood Clan and Werewolf Clan would have the most difficult time.
On the night of the full moon, under the blood-colored light, the Werewolf Clan would revert to their giant wolf forms. Some lower-ranking werewolves would lose control of their rationality and sometimes go on a rampage.
And the Blood Clan would devour large quantities of human blood during the Blood Night.
However, the dark history of humanity was ultimately ended by the Church.
At that time, miracles were real, and ascetics were devout believers who fought for the light.
Unlike now, the Church is mostly filled with charlatans who hope that ignorant people will use their hard-earned money to support their luxurious lifestyles.
The moon in the Extraordinary world of the Oya Continent is larger than the moon on Earth.
It's about five times the size of Earth's moon.
And when the Blood Moon arrives, this moon, five times the size of Earth's moon, will radiate a blood-red glow, enveloping the entire land in a sea of blood-like light.
The clouds had already obscured "Yam," but the blood-red glow was still visible above the clouds, casting an eerie crimson light.
Gune withdrew his gaze and prepared to pack up and go home.
At that moment, Olof walked over from the side door.
"Your recent learning progress has been incredibly fast. Even in the Dragon Yu Mountain White Pagoda, there are very few students who can learn as quickly and with such comprehension as you."
"Ah!"
Gune looked up at Mentor Olof, startled.
"I thought my progress was slow," Gune said humbly.
"It's already very fast," Olof nodded in affirmation.
"The comprehension, memory, and perception abilities of human spellcasters all gradually improve as their souls become stronger."
"You're currently only at the first-order Extraordinary level, and you already possess such extraordinary comprehension abilities. As you continue to advance, it's very possible that you'll achieve something in the world of rune principles in the future."
"All of this is thanks to your guidance, Mentor," Gune bowed to Mentor Olof.
Mentor Olof simply smiled gently.
"How's your soul scripture?" he then asked.
"It's a soul scripture," Gune truthfully informed him.
"Soul scripture?" Olof nodded slightly.
"The weakest soul scripture is comparable to a high-level soul cultivation scripture."
"Furthermore, soul scriptures can allow the soul to develop various wondrous abilities. Being able to cultivate a soul scripture is indeed a very good thing for your future path."
"But there's one thing I need to mention to you, perhaps you already know."
"Spellcasters' battle spell scriptures aren't necessarily better the higher they are."
"Ordinary scriptures, Extraordinary scriptures, Secret Rune scriptures, and even higher-level Forbidden Spell scriptures. These are the four major levels of all spellcaster scriptures."
"You can now instantly cast ordinary scriptures and low-level Extraordinary scriptures, which is a great help to your combat."
"But if you insist on using a twenty-plus syllable Secret Rune scripture in combat."
"Let alone whether you can master such a powerful Secret Rune spell and successfully hit the enemy, the sheer pressure of the Secret Rune spell's power alone is enough to injure your soul."
"If you make good use of your instant casting ability to release ordinary spells and low-level spells in combat, this is far more effective than pursuing more powerful spells to make your combat power formidable."
"Mentor, I know that," Gune nodded in response.
Gune had lived two lives and wasn't a naive youngster. He was well aware of this principle.
"In terms of cultivation, do you have any doubts?" After explaining, Mentor Olof asked.
"Mm..." Gune thought carefully and realized that he didn't have any major problems.
The system's idle mode allowed Gune's soul, source energy, body, source pool opening, and bloodline enhancement to all improve along the most perfect trajectory, without any errors.
Furthermore, the various insights gained from idle mode bloomed perfectly in his mind.
All of these gains from idle mode were meticulously refined. Gune really didn't have any major problems with his cultivation.
"That's good," Mentor Olof nodded slightly.
"Also, be careful when you go back today. It's the Blood Moon Night."
"Blood Moon Night."
Gune pondered for a moment, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
His idle cultivation during this period, coupled with the continuous consumption of high-level rare potions, had led to rapid progress.
Currently, Gune had reached the mid-stage of the first-order Blood Curse Master level.
His rank hadn't increased much, but his soft power had improved tremendously.
His source pool's source energy capacity had already exceeded 100 units. Combined with his physical source energy reserves, he already had over 180 units of source energy, which was close to the 200 units of source energy reserves of a third-order spellcaster.
This source pool capacity, for Gune, who currently relied on ordinary spells as his primary combat method, was undeniably substantial.
His body and bloodline were becoming increasingly powerful under the effect of the "Blood Curse Scripture". Although his bloodline was still some distance from opening the Blood Pool, Gune felt it wouldn't be long.
He could use the powerful characteristics of the idle system to open his "Blood Pool" around the time he advanced to the second-order level.
For a Blood Curse Master, opening the Blood Pool would be a crucial turning point for this extraordinary profession.
A Blood Curse Master without a Blood Pool is a fake Blood Curse Master.
A Blood Curse Master with a Blood Pool is a true Blood Curse Master.
Besides that, the two high-level spells that Gune had been idling on.
With his recent idle cultivation, they had both reached the first-order level.
Thanks to the powerful cultivation effect of the "Soul Imprint Scripture" on his soul.
Gune could now multitask relatively proficiently.
While talking to someone, Gune could secretly cast powerful spells like Puppet Secret Threads, which were highly concealed.
Combined with the fact that his extraordinary equipment was being nurtured by him, Gune's current strength had significantly improved compared to the last time he hunted Blood Ear Elves.
If someone really wanted to use the Blood Moon to retaliate against him, it was uncertain who would suffer more.
"Woo woo..."
The cold wind raged on.
As he walked out of the Sugg Relic Extraordinary Academy.
Gune felt a slight chill on his face.
Gune looked up.
A small snowflake was swirling and dancing in the air, falling gracefully. Gune reached out to catch it.
The snowflake quickly melted in Gune's hand.
"It's snowing," Gune murmured softly.
Gune looked up.
Accompanied by the cold wind, goose feathers of snow swirled and danced in the sky, falling gracefully.
Continental Calendar 9972, October 10th.
Sugg Relic City welcomed its first snowfall of the winter.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 69: The Human-Faced Flower Empress
Whoosh...
The cold wind howled, and snow fell from the sky.
In an instant, the entire Sugg Relic City was enveloped in a sea of snow.
It was snowing.
At the entrance of the Sugg Relic City Academy, many students watched the snow falling from the sky, some with smiles on their faces, some quietly watching the falling snowflakes, and some reaching out to catch the falling snow.
The oppressive feeling of the overcast and gloomy weather for several days seemed to disappear in the face of the snow.
Gune reached for an umbrella from his Green Leaf Bracelet, then thought for a moment and put it back down. He then took out a brown fedora and put it on his head.
"Whew... inhale..."
Taking a deep breath, Gune had a slight smile on his face and walked briskly, bathed in the goose feathers of snow.
...
Antu Kang District.
Inside a villa.
"Father." The thin black-haired girl in a robe looked at the tall man standing with his hands behind his back, her voice trembling slightly.
"Is there really... no room for compromise?"
"Compromise?"
The tall man with broad shoulders shook his head gently.
"Those Pioneers won't let us go."
"Your grandparents, my own parents, were killed by the Pioneers."
The man with broad shoulders clenched his fists tightly.
"Even when I knelt down and begged them to spare them, to spare my parents, those Pioneers showed no mercy and burned them to death."
"Even your mother died at their hands."
"For over ten years, I haven't forgotten that night, in that garden, your mother was surrounded by three Pioneers, and her blood stained the entire lawn red."
"Her screams are still echoing in my mind, waking me up in the middle of the night."
The man's voice was steady and heavy, each word filled with intense hatred.
After a long time, the man finally calmed down his inner anger.
"Is the Human-Faced Flower meme curse from our bloodline our fault?"
"It's never been our fault."
"But they only want to kill us to silence us."
The man spread his palm, and a Human-Faced Flower pattern, faintly blooming in his palm, appeared. The flower face resembled a human face, lifelike and alluring.
"Since those Pioneers think we're followers of the Human-Faced Flower Cult, then I'll become a true follower of the Human-Faced Flower Cult and take revenge on them. I'll make them pay the price in blood and death."
"That Gune has been confirmed to be a member of the Pioneers, and the Human-Faced Flower Cult's high-ranking members have received important intelligence. That Gune has the level of an expert-level alchemist and has the potential to become a potion master."
"Gune is still young and not a loyal dog of the Pioneers. There's still a chance for him to become one of us. Even if he doesn't become one of us, he needs to be eliminated as soon as possible."
"Tonight is the Blood Night, the time when Gune is weakest. You need to approach Gune, lure him into the carriage, and then leave everything to us."
Although her personality was rather weak, the black-haired girl could still distinguish the importance of the matter.
If she really lured Gune into the carriage, Gune would be in grave danger.
As if mustering her courage, the black-haired girl clenched her fists, looked at her father, and said stubbornly.
"He's my friend. I won't go."
"Slap!"
A rough, broad hand slapped the black-haired girl's face hard.
"Friend?"
"Have you forgotten what I told you about how your mother died?"
"That Gune is a Pioneer, he's an accomplice."
"If we don't deal with him now, sooner or later, he'll use spells to kill me, or even kill you."
The rough, heavy words made the black-haired girl's thin body tremble even more.
After a long silence, the man's voice softened.
"Besides... you go and lure him into the carriage. We'll have someone specifically interact with him. If he's willing to join us, he won't die."
"But if you don't go, his fate will be... death!"
...
Old Stone Street No. 155.
Whoosh...
Snowflakes danced in the air with the howling wind.
"It's snowing."
By the window, watching the snowflakes swirling in the air, Maesha murmured softly.
Not far from her.
A Human-Faced Flower stood suspended in the air, its roots firmly planted in the "Immaculate Earth Layer," a place that countless extraordinary plants dream of.
The Immaculate Earth Layer is a dimension within the Shadow World that only extraordinary plants can reach.
Those dominant plants, their roots can easily pierce through the outer world and take root in the inner world.
For ordinary extraordinary plants.
Even powerful "King-level" extraordinary plants are not qualified to take root in the Immaculate Earth Layer.
Powerful plants that can pierce through the outer world and reach the inner world are no longer King-level, but Emperor-level.
This Human-Faced Flower is a "Human-Faced Flower Empress."
As the snow fell, this Human-Faced Flower Empress, relying on the profound power accumulated from taking root in the Immaculate Earth Layer, was rapidly blooming at this moment.
Within the flower bud, a majestic image of a superior species was eerily blooming.
However, the flower face of this Human-Faced Flower Empress was identical to Maesha's.
...
"Is it snowing?"
In the study, Old Cohen looked at the alchemy scriptures and saw the vast expanse of white outside through the window.
A thin layer of snow had already fallen.
As Old Cohen tried to stand up, a look of pain appeared on his face.
"Ah, getting old, I can't fight it anymore," Old Cohen shook his head with a wry smile. Then, Old Cohen rubbed his shoulder joints.
After a moment, his blood circulated, and the pain disappeared. Old Cohen's arms became flexible again.
As an Extraordinary individual, even if he was old and frail, he was still not comparable to ordinary elderly people.
After standing up, Old Cohen paced back and forth, getting his body moving after sitting for a long time.
"There's a strange sense of unease."
"Could it be because..."
Old Cohen looked out the window.
As the snow fell, the clouds seemed to dissipate a bit.
This resulted in a faint crimson light reflecting on the thin layer of snow.
"Gune?"
Old Cohen's eyes narrowed. He knew that Gune's strength would be significantly weakened during the Blood Moon.
"Knock, knock, knock..." A soft knock on the door sounded.
"Who is it?" Old Cohen asked.
"Dad, it's me," it was Maesha's voice.
"What's wrong?"
"The glass window in my room seems to be broken. It doesn't close properly, and the cold wind keeps blowing in. It's very cold in the room."
Old Cohen recalled that Maesha had mentioned this to him, saying that he should come over and fix it for her.
But then he got distracted, and he seemed to have forgotten about it.
He opened the door, and Maesha, wearing a plaid skirt, appeared.
"I'll go get the tools."
After getting the tools, he followed Maesha to the side room on the second floor.
Old Cohen stood still, and Maesha leisurely opened the door.
The moment the door opened.
A Human-Faced Flower, about the size of a washbasin, appeared, its flower face staring at Old Cohen.
This huge flower was deep blue and purple, its flower face was both alluring and majestic, like a supreme, alluring emperor overlooking everything.
The moment he made eye contact with the Human-Faced Flower, Old Cohen's body trembled slightly. He struggled for a moment, then stood still, like a puppet, unable to move.
Staring at the Human-Faced Flower, after a moment, Old Cohen's tears streamed down his face.
He reached out his hand and gently stroked the air in front of him, as if admiring his most beloved person, and a look of love and tenderness appeared on his face.
"Niya... is that you? Do you know how much I've missed you all these years?"
(End of Chapter)