Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 1419: Section 1420: Heartache

Frost’s question had not yet been answered when Isabel’s expression was already becoming somewhat embarrassed on the other side.

Angel was also contemplating whether or not to answer.

If Isabel weren’t here, he might be willing to explain the causation, but it would be somewhat embarrassing to discuss it in front of Isabel herself.

Although Angel hadn’t spoken yet, Frost’s intuitive abilities were apparently stronger than imagined.

“What we can be sure of is that something went wrong with the final step, which led to the Samsara Overture not becoming a Mysterious Object. However, the Samsara Overture didn’t completely fail either; it became a Half-step Mystic, so did the problem lie with the Mysterious Spirit?” Frost murmured softly, “Only half of the Mysterious Spirit fused, resulting in this situation. But why did it only fuse by half? Was the other half unable to fuse or was it lost… or perhaps stolen by someone?”

As Frost reached this point in his reasoning, his gaze unconsciously shifted towards Isabel.

It wasn’t because Isabel’s expression was particularly embarrassed, but rather, because the only member of the Soul Sect present was Isabel. If someone were to steal the Mysterious Spirit, Isabel would be the prime suspect.

When Frost looked her way, Isabel couldn’t shake the feeling of being seen through and thus lowered her head in silence.

Angel had thought that Frost had already discovered something, so after contemplating for a moment, he still decided to speak about what occurred at that time.

In Angel’s view, despite the regret of not becoming a Mysterious Alchemist, if one were to delve into the cause and effect, it would be difficult to determine who was in the right and who was in the wrong.

Because he intruded into Black Castle, he was actually in the wrong from the very start. Although he provided most of the materials for crafting the Samsara Overture himself, the most crucial component, the Mysterious Spirit, was formed by gathering, compressing, and ultimately shaping all nearby souls from Black Castle, meaning that the Mysterious Spirit was constituted of the souls of Black Castle.

Originally, when Isabel seized the Mysterious Spirit, she claimed the moral high ground right from the start, “Without permission, you plunder the accumulation of thousands of years from my Black Castle… Even if it is languishing, it is not yours to take, and you used it to forge a reputation as a Mysterious Alchemist. Don’t you think that’s inappropriate?”

So, in Angel’s opinion, both sides had their rights and wrongs.

In the end, Isabel compensated with a Secret Soul Whisper, which might not have been enough to make up for half of the Mysterious Spirit to others, but later on, the Secret Soul Whisper saved Angel many times in real life. Therefore, one shouldn’t use current values to judge their relative worth.

Furthermore, as Isabella just mentioned, even if he had really managed to craft the Mysterious Object at that time, could he have kept it?

Angel didn’t believe he could have.

After Angel finished expressing his view, Isabel, who was some distance away, appeared slightly more at ease. At least in the recounting, Angel was impartial, which made Isabel view Angel even more favorably.

However, Frost clearly didn’t think the same.

Upon hearing Angel’s narrative, Frost couldn’t help but curse on the spot, “So foolish!”

He turned his head, looking angrily at Isabel and said, “Do you realize how rare a Mysterious Alchemist is? You snatched away half for the sake of using the Mysterious Spirit to reshape a broken soul, thereby thwarting the emergence of a Mysterious Alchemist? There are many ways to reshape a soul; why did you have to choose this one?”

“You’ve erased a talent!”

Frost was both angry and heartbroken, as if the Samsara Overture had been his own creation.

Isabel found herself unable to retort at that moment, because what Frost said wasn’t wrong. Perhaps Angel viewed the situation as one with fault on both sides, but Isabel was very aware of the value of a Mysterious Alchemist and thus felt a twinge of guilt whenever she saw the Samsara Overture.

However, Isabel didn’t respond, while on the other side, Isabella was becoming rather irritated, “Hmph, he was nothing more than an apprentice who had a few years of experience with alchemy back then. It was pure luck that he crafted the Samsara Overture, and even if he truly advanced to the Mystic, without sufficient technique, it would still be useless!”

Frost scoffed coldly, “Only those who have never glimpsed the Mystic Domain would speak so lightly of it. Only by truly stepping into the Mystic Domain does one understand what it signifies.”

“Perhaps there was a bit of luck in Angel crafting the Samsara Overture, but you must understand, out of the countless alchemists in the Origin World, all are waiting for such luck. Yet this one in a billion stroke of fortune did not befall them, but instead favored Angel–that’s what he deserved!”

It was the most peculiar, the most effortless, and yet the most painful Mystic journey test Frost had ever heard of.

How could such an effortless ascension to the Mystic Domain be thwarted at the last moment? Any alchemist in the Origin World facing such a situation would hate Isabel to the point of wanting her dead!

Frost wanted to say more, but those present didn’t understand what the Mystic Domain meant to an alchemist. He let out a deep sigh of lamentation,

“For a wizard, the greatest tragedy is ignorance.”

And now, Frost was facing ignorance and those who lacked reverence for knowledge.

Shaking his head, he shifted his gaze away from Isabel and looked back at Angel.

Addressing Angel, Frost couldn’t hide his frustration, “Do you even realize what you’ve missed out on?”

Angel lifted his head.

“You missed the ticket to explore the truth!” Frost exclaimed, his face full of pity, “You think it doesn’t matter, you think there’s right and wrong in everything, but that’s not how things are calculated.”

“You think with your power at that time, you couldn’t protect the Mysterious Object, fine, let’s assume that you really couldn’t protect it and it was taken away by them.”

“But giving them a Mysterious Object would have been enough to make up for the debt you felt in your heart, like when you trespassed into Black Castle and used their undead.”

“Mysterious Objects are very precious, but compared to the title of a Mystic Alchemist you have achieved, to the level of stepping into the Mystic Domain, that’s much cheaper.”

“You must know, there are very, very few people in the Origin World today who can step into the rank of Mystic Alchemist. This is an extremely rare, extremely scarce, and extremely valuable talent.”

Frost used the term “extremely” three times, both to tell Angel what he had missed and to educate the “ignorant” people behind him.

“Even an alchemist who can step into the Mystic Domain, the personal value he possesses is beyond imagination! They would receive the same honorable treatment as a Miracle Wizard in any Witcher Organization in the Origin World.”

Everyone was shocked as they looked at Frost; what is a Miracle Wizard? This is a real high-level wizard, an existence that is even beyond the legendary!

Know that in the Southern Domain today, there is not even a legend, let alone a wizard known as a miracle!

Isabel felt her heart tremble even more upon hearing this, especially when Frost shot condemning glances her way now and then, as did Sanders with his somber eyes, increasing Isabel’s guilt within her heart.

“Do you understand now what you’ve missed?” After finishing, Frost looked at Angel with eyes filled with both heartache and helplessness.

Angel’s expression was quite calm as he nodded, “It seems I really did miss out on something extraordinary. I hadn’t expected that being a Mystic Alchemist was not just a title, listening to your words, it seems there is a deeper meaning.”

“That’s correct.” Although Frost was not an alchemist himself, he had followed a Mystic Alchemist, so he was very clear about this, “The benefits of the Mystic Domain are hard to describe, only when you truly experience it will you know how important it really is.”

Frost thought that Angel had realized the importance of the matter, but to his surprise, Angel changed the subject, “It seems I must find a way to step into the Mystic Domain once again.”

Frost was stunned; although Angel said he “must find a way to step into the Mystic Domain,” the confidence in his words seemed to suggest he had a firm conviction about achieving it directly and decisively.

Frost didn’t understand where Angel’s confidence came from.

He originally wanted to inquire further, but then he thought, if an alchemist doesn’t even have the confidence to enter the Mystic Domain, then he shouldn’t continue down this path.

Frost took a deep look at Angel, seeing in him once again the shadow of her.

He is still so young.

Talent, luck, time—he still has it all.

Perhaps he really could achieve his goal?

Once this thought crossed Frost’s mind, it ignited like a fire burning through dead grass, blazing intensely.

He had originally seen Angel as an alchemist with great luck, but now, he felt something subtle. A certain idea rose in his heart, but to really carry out such a plan, he needed to understand Angel better.

“Don’t you find this matter infuriating?” Frost asked again.

“Infuriating? Perhaps I once did, but I am certain, not now,” Angel paused, “Although I regret it, what has happened has happened, and being several years in the past, it’s irreversible. To remain infuriated is pointless; it’s better to look forward.”

Angel understood the situation very clearly. Although he didn’t know what changes the Mystic Domain would bring him, he keenly felt that the Secret Soul Whispering had saved his life many times.

Perhaps it was an asymmetric trade, but many times, harping on an event that had occurred and that was also impossible to change; this led to nothing but obsession, negatively affecting one’s own cultivation, with no other positive benefits.

Frost internally approved of Angel’s open-mindedness. Sometimes, although obsession can help you achieve goals more quickly, it can also hinder your rational judgment.

Angel’s perspective impressed Frost.

Frost then composed himself and, with a calm and polite voice, said, “Then I look forward to the moment when you step into the Mystic Domain again in the future.”

Though Frost’s words seemed playful, his expression was somewhat solemn. Angel could not discern his true intentions and simply nodded in response.