Watching the departure of over a hundred soldiers, Xu Que felt a quiet relief; after all, they bore an even heavier burden than he did.
He didn't rush to the next alternate dimension immediately. Instead, curiosity led him to inspect the contents of his backpack, wondering why it felt so weighty every time he lifted it.
Settling amidst the ruins, Xu Que opened his inventory and selected the backpack.
Instantly, eight items appeared, four of which were collapsible in form.
"What the... What's going on here?"
It was his first time seeing foldable items. But as he clicked to view them, understanding dawned.
**[Name: Prophet Jiamalan's Diary 1-7 (Locked)]**
**[Quality: Rough (Gray)]**
**[Description: The diaries of Prophet Jiamalan.]**
"Seven diaries—not too many, I suppose."
Just as Xu Que thought this, his hand moved to the next item.
**[Name: Witness Loubokar's Travel Notes 1-4 (Locked)]**
**[Quality: Rough (Gray)]**
**[Description: The journal of the late Witness Loubokar.]**
"Well, well, seems like I've stumbled upon another treasure."
Xu Que didn't open this journal just yet, opting to examine the next item.
**[Name: Boruat's Parchment (Locked)]**
**[Quality: Rough (Gray)]**
**[Description: A treasure recorded by Boruat.]**
"Now this truly feels like a jackpot. Who would've thought a bag this big could hold so many valuable items?"
Xu Que was puzzled. Humanity had conquered other demonic dimensions before, so why had no one retrieved these things?
Unable to solve the mystery now, he decided to leave such questions for later—when he'd grown stronger.
**[Name: Scavenger Jian's Diary 1-2 (Locked)]**
**[Quality: Rough (Gray)]**
**[Description: The final relics of Scavenger Jian.]**
"These goblins are a real nuisance, stealing from any straggler they find. No wonder the demons destroyed their camp," Xu Que muttered to himself as he began examining the remaining four items.
**[Name: Weakening Slime, Grade B]**
**[Quality: Superior (Purple)]**
**[Consumable: Can be used on any target within a 10-meter range, potentially inflicting a weakening effect for 30 seconds.]**
Seeing this item, Xu Que was satisfied. It was, after all, this very tool that had helped him defeat the goblin boss.
**[Name: Thousand-Jin Spear Blueprint, Grade B (Forging Type)]**
**[Quality: Superior (Purple)]**
**[Consumable: Teaches you how to forge a Thousand-Jin Spear.]**
Noticing the Grade B blueprint, Xu Que's eyes widened. Though he hadn't heard of such a spear before, anything with a Grade B rank must be formidable.
**[Name: Greed Crystal, Grade D (57/100)]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Blue)]**
**[Placement Item: Able to absorb energy within a 100-meter radius.]**
Not bad. Though it had limited use for him now, it would be very beneficial for Shen Mengchu.
**[Name: Mysterious Black Egg (Unidentified) (Unhatched)]**
**[Quality: Common (White)]**
**[Note: A mysterious black egg of unknown origin. Its hatching carries unknown risks; best to avoid hatching before identification.]**
Staring at this item, Xu Que was momentarily stunned.
But in the next instant, he used **[Eye of Insight]** on the mysterious black egg.
**[Name: Bloodthirsty Demon Bareat (Sealed)]**
**[Quality: Epic (Gold)]**
**[Note: A demon fond of disguising itself as an egg—extremely dangerous. Releasing it without sufficient power is highly inadvisable.]**
Seeing this, a chill ran down Xu Que's spine.
If some fool had taken this away, the consequences would have been disastrous!
But then a thought struck him: perhaps the devouring of the Grade B alternate dimension was somehow linked to this egg.
"Why, then, hadn't the demons made any attempt to retrieve this backpack right away?"
Xu Que was perplexed. Once again, a multitude of confounding questions crowded his mind.
"Oh well. As long as it's in my possession, it's safe enough. Once I'm strong enough to deal with this demon, I'll uncover the answers."
What Xu Que didn't know was that it wasn't a matter of the demons ignoring the backpack, but rather of sheer coincidence.
Just as the boss was defeated and the rift began to collapse, Xu Que had emerged, creating the illusion of an unexpected adversary.
Moreover, his aura was already at the top of the demon registry, causing the demons to overlook the backpack entirely.
Xu Que clicked on Prophet Jiamalan's Diary 1, flipping through it swiftly.
"Year 7371 of the Old Gods, Scorching Summer. I managed to enter the temple and was chosen by the great Hakaman as a Forbidden Architect…"
Reading the date and the title, Xu Que was taken aback. This man had lived for over a century!
"Year 7373, Desolate Autumn. My mentor Zarat summoned me for the first time, bringing me to the Hall of Relics. I saw many treasures, and after two and a half years of study, Mentor Zarat allowed me to serve as his assistant and bind these relics."
Xu Que's eyebrow twitched as he quickly skimmed the diary. It seemed absurd that this person didn't even bother to document the forbidden relics or any significant events.
As he rapidly flipped through to the last page, he found something of note.
"Year 7399, Desolate Autumn. I am no longer an apprentice or assistant. I have become a Forbidden Sealer."
"Today, I created my first forbidden shrine alone, enshrining a warrior's longbow within. Though this dimensional node is somewhat arbitrary, I placed it in the goblin camp of the Western Ridge."
"My mentor Zarat once said that these forbidden shrines would grant me immense power while weakening the lands they inhabit. Although I don't fully understand this power, my thirst for strength remains unwavering."
Closing the diary, Xu Que began to grasp the nature of this so-called forbidden treasure.
He picked up the second diary and continued reading.
"Year 7430 of the Old Gods. I reached the Haggard Ruins and retrieved three treasures, each set with a forbidden spell and then enshrined in the territory of the bear-giants."
"My current power rivals these beasts, yet I know that to advance further, I must acquire even more strength."
"Year 7458. I heard a secret from Mentor Zarat—concerning the forbidden power."
"Upon learning that the power we obtained was a curse, I considered abandoning it, yet found myself unable to resist. My mind was plagued, entangled in a thirst I couldn't escape."
"Hakaman's words entranced me, turned me into his devotee… What has happened to me? Why do I feel this way?"
"Year 7489. I became a mentor, but like Zarat before me, I taught nothing to my student Kuhaman. I knew it was selfish, yet I could not help myself."
"My mind is in turmoil; I sense that something within me is being devoured."
"Year 7512. I killed Zarat. I hadn't meant to, but I couldn't resist. Hakaman's voice haunted me, driving me mad."
"The forbidden power is terrifying, yet I am consumed by it. I feel the urge to kill Kuhaman, but I know that if I do, there will be no turning back."
As Xu Que selectively scanned the main passages, he began to grasp the strange, sinister nature of this forbidden power.
Opening the fourth diary, he was stunned by what he read.
"Year 7534. Kuhaman has completed his training. I gifted him a fatal token. I knew I was fully lost to madness, for the more power I claimed, the less control I held over my own mind."
"Fleeing the camp, I wandered, not knowing where to go—until I encountered Durandor."