Warlock Apprentice

Angel recounted Toby’s experience in detail.

Frode listened carefully, then pondered and said, ”A massive Snake Bird in the Void of darkness? That should indeed be its heart demon. But why does it feel somehow different from Shalu’s situation?”

Shalu had also encountered a heart demon—the Serpent Tail Insect—inside the House of the Heart. Yet, comparing Shalu’s case with Toby’s left Frode with a vague sense of difference. He couldn’t immediately pinpoint what was off.

”Indeed, there is a difference. Shalu’s heart demon was something he wholly imagined, including the Serpent Tail Insect’s actual strength. Shalu was oblivious to its real power and could only conjure a rough estimate in his mind. But it’s not the same for Toby. Toby’s heart demon truly exists, and the power of the Envy Snakebird can be traced and inferred.” Angel explained.

At this moment, Frode started to see the distinction between the Serpent Tail Insect and the Envy Snakebird. Their difference indeed lay in the forms of their existence. However, as he mulled over this revelation, new doubts arose: ”I recall hearing from the Lord that the strength of the Envy Snakebird was at least at Official Wizard Level. Shouldn’t Toby, when facing it, be effortlessly overwhelmed?”

Within the Wilderness of Dreams, Toby currently couldn’t unleash formidable capabilities. Facing an opponent equivalent to Wizard Level, even if merely an illusion simulated within the House of the Heart, Toby shouldn’t be able to endure for long.

”I did mention that the Envy Snakebird’s strength surpasses Official Wizard Level, but this evaluation pertains to its overall power once Toby transforms into the Envy Snakebird.” Angel clarified. ”When it undergoes the transformation, it *is* the Snakebird.”

”Thus, what Toby faces in the House of the Heart is not the Snakebird’s true form but its heart demon, or more accurately, the tribulation it is destined to confront. Since it’s a heart tribulation, it cannot possess the strength of the Envy Snakebird.”

Frode felt as though he was beginning to comprehend, but his understanding seemed clouded, like a veil obscuring his sight.

At this point, Sanders shut the book titled *House of Heart Experiment Records* and said, ”The principle is simple. Shalu’s heart demon—the Serpent Tail Insect—may have arisen from his imagination, but the Insect’s true form is an independent entity. Shalu was merely its former host. The Envy Snakebird, on the other hand, is entirely different. Its true form *is Toby.*”

Toby is not merely a dull little seabird; it is also the Berserker Gryphon—and the Envy Snakebird.

What Toby is confronting is itself, not another being. Even if the Envy Snakebird has the strength of an Official Wizard, that is, in essence, Toby’s own strength.

Thus, it’s incorrect to evaluate the Envy Snakebird’s power solely on surface strength when Toby enters the House of the Heart.

Sanders added, ”Simply put, when Toby encounters the Envy Snakebird in the House of the Heart, it is essentially facing the Extreme Resentment Tribulation.”

Frode immediately grasped the core of the matter. ”So, Toby’s experience in the House of the Heart is fundamentally about...”

”Undergoing the tribulation?!”

Sanders nodded. ”Precisely speaking, it’s a simulated tribulation.”

”If it’s a simulated tribulation, wouldn’t that mean Toby can repeatedly attempt it in the House of the Heart, accumulating experience to improve its chances of truly overcoming the Extreme Resentment Tribulation?” Frode’s face lit up with joy. If that were the case, Toby’s odds of surviving the tribulation would significantly increase!

Angel had also considered this possibility, yet there was a faint hint of resignation on his face. ”While that reasoning makes sense, do not forget why I was forced to abruptly interrupt Toby’s experience.”

Frode froze momentarily before recalling the critical reason. Indeed, Angel had forcefully brought Toby out of the House of the Heart because it had agitated the sealing of Extreme Resentment Thoughts in reality, leaving Angel no choice but to intervene.

While Frode’s idea sounded promising—allowing Toby to use the House of the Heart to repeatedly experience the tribulation for better preparedness—the actual implementation was a different story. Each time Toby confronted the Extreme Resentment Thoughts in the House of the Heart, it would simultaneously provoke the seal in reality.

Frode furrowed his brow. ”So this suggests that the House of the Heart may not be as beneficial to Toby in its preparation for the tribulation as it seems.”

It seemed indeed that the House of the Heart might not be of substantial help to Toby... Angel himself thought the same, yet a nagging feeling of doubt lingered in his mind; had he overlooked something crucial?

”Not necessarily. In fact, I believe the House of the Heart could potentially be the critical key to resolving Toby’s issue,” Sanders interjected.

Angel turned an expectant gaze toward his mentor: ”What does the mentor mean?”

”For Toby, the House of the Heart holds a unique significance, especially the one within the Wilderness of Dreams.” Sanders exaggerated his emphasis on ”Wilderness of Dreams,” making his point abundantly clear.

Sanders did not immediately explain the implications behind his words but instead posed a question to Angel: ”Angel, consider this. If you were to obtain the House of the Heart from the Sangye Witch in reality and let Toby use it, what would happen?”

If Toby used the House of the Heart in reality, what would the outcome be? Angel instinctively followed Sanders’ train of thought, simulating this scenario mentally.

Undoubtedly, if Toby entered the House of the Heart in reality, it would still be faced with the same two doors and encounter the Envy Snakebird in the dark Void.

The only advantage of reality is that Toby would be able to harness its true strength.

For others, this might prove beneficial as they could rely on their physical power to confront their heart demon.

But for Toby, it would be futile. The Envy Snakebird *is* Toby itself. Unlike others, it cannot fight the Snakebird as though battling a separate entity. Toby’s confrontation with the Snakebird leans more toward—mind warfare.

Or, more precisely, a tug-of-war over the high ground of mental resilience.

From this perspective, Toby’s experience in the House of the Heart is fundamentally similar whether in reality or in the Wilderness of Dreams.

Yet Sanders had emphasized the unique significance of the House of the Heart in the Wilderness of Dreams to Toby specifically. Why?

Unable to find an immediate answer, Angel decided to continue simulating: what would occur in reality if Toby confronted the Envy Snakebird in the House of the Heart?

Within Angel’s mental simulation, a scene emerged clearly: Toby, eyes closed, suspended mid-air, as a dense surge of black fog poured out from its body. Behind it, the fog coalesced into a gigantic Snakebird illusion.

Angel froze at the sight of this mental image.

This was identical to the scene he had witnessed earlier upon returning to reality. However, the black fog emanating from Toby at the time was far more dilute, incapable of forming a Snakebird illusion.

”The intensity of the black fog represents the depth of Extreme Resentment Thoughts...”

Suddenly, Angel felt a flash of insight and murmured, ”I think I’m beginning to understand...”

Angel raised his head to look at Sanders. ”Mentor, are you suggesting that using the House of the Heart in reality would immediately trigger Extreme Resentment Thoughts, pushing Toby into the tribulation period?”

Sanders nodded. ”Correct.”

”Although Toby’s use of the House of the Heart in the Wilderness of Dreams also stirs the Extreme Resentment Thoughts, the separation between dreams and reality creates a notable buffer, preventing the seal from breaking so easily. This buffer is why you were able to forcibly pull Toby out from the House of the Heart earlier.”

”Conversely, using the House of the Heart in reality would mean Toby consciously choosing to confront Extreme Resentment Thoughts directly. Without the buffer, the seal would likely fracture immediately, plunging Toby into the tribulation period.”