Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 1453: Section 1454 The Center of the Holy Mountain

Angel heard Isabel’s voice transmission as his gaze turned towards the Holy Mountain.

Then, the pathway of light guiding Angel forward unfurled before him. There was no question that this was the road leading to where Isabel was.

The pathway of light did not lead to the temple at the summit of the Holy Mountain; instead, it wound around halfway up the mountain and turned towards the back.

When Angel reached the endpoint of the pathway of light, his eyebrows slightly raised.

He hadn’t expected it to be here.

This place was a small path winding down from the temple on the Holy Mountain, but at the end of this path, there was a sheer cliff face.

With his mastery of the Illusion Technique, he could clearly sense that this cliff face was a creation of illusion. Behind it lay a deep cave.

Before Angel even approached, he could already feel intense soul fluctuations from the cave hidden behind the cliff wall.

Angel had actually been here before. At that time, it was Baya who led the way, claiming that there was a road leading directly to the heart of the Holy Mountain, and at the end of that road lay a Soul Pearl left by Isabel.

Although Angel had found the place back then, he had sensed danger and did not enter. He hadn’t expected, after all the twists and turns over the years, to arrive here again.

As his mind was filled with memories, the cliff wall created by illusion suddenly rippled like water.

A flying pig, its skin mottled black and white like a cow, flew out from the center of the ripples.

On the back of the flying pig sat a bald old man with a white beard that touched the ground, his skin saggy like layered pleats and covered in gray-black spots, holding a cane in his hand.

After the old man with the gray, murky eyes flew out from the cave, he stood before Angel and gave a slight bow, “We meet again.”

Angel softly replied, “High Priest, it has been a long time.”

This old man was none other than the High Priest of the Kulakuka Tribe, Baya. Angel had not expected to encounter Baya here.

“Now, Mr. Pat’s Soul Source shines brighter and purer than when we first met, like a sun,” said Baya, his gaze towards Angel, but his gray eyes remained utterly still.

Those were blind eyes, but that didn’t mean Baya couldn’t see; his spiritual perception far exceeded human limits.

Angel smiled but said nothing. Baya continued, “Indeed, sir, to our tribe, you are the greatest variable. It was not a mistake to entrust them to you.”

The ‘them’ Baya referred to were undoubtedly the members of the Kulakuka Tribe Angel had taken with him from this place.

After a moment of reflection, Baya changed the subject, “Please follow me, sir. Lady Isabel has been waiting for a long time.” Baya then led Angel towards the cliff.

Angel obligingly followed.

Behind the cliff wall was a narrow but brightly lit corridor, with exquisite murals on both sides and well-maintained stairs.

From the direction of the path, it was indeed leading to the center of the Holy Mountain.

Along the way, the air was silent. Angel had thought Baya would ask about the other branch of the Kulakuka Tribe now scattered abroad, but he did not do so.

Now, it was Angel who became curious and asked, “Are you not curious about how Babaya and the others are doing?”

Baya’s figure halted, and the silhouette of him sitting on the flying pig froze for a moment before continuing forward. Clearly, his heart was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.

“As long as I know sir is the variable, whatever future awaits them will be determined by fate,” Baya sighed softly. “No matter the questions, I cannot weave any more change for them, so it’s better not to ask.”

The meaning behind Baya’s words was clear: as long as he trusted Angel, no matter if Babaya and the others were doing well or poorly, it would not concern him.

Despite saying this, Angel saw Baya clench his hand, showing that he did indeed want to ask but feared hearing bad news, so he chose to be an ostrich this time.

“They are doing very well now, having established a village,” Angel said softly as he snapped his fingers. An illusion appeared before Baya, showing the Kulakuka Tribe joyously building a small village in Pat Manor. They were surrounded by tall humans, including maids and robust male servants, all treating the Kulakuka people kindly. Baya even saw a young girl from the Kulakuka Tribe, dressed in a golden frock, singing and dancing on a human’s shoulder.

Baya said he did not care, but upon seeing this illusion, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up.

However, his brow furrowed slightly soon after. He saw Babaya’s grandmother laughing heartily, surrounded by a cluster of young girls from the Kulakuka Tribe, but Babaya was nowhere to be seen.

Though Baya did not ask, Angel noticed his gaze.

“Babaya is not here,” Angel said, and Baya’s ears perked up at his words. “You wish to resolve the fundamental issue of the Kulakuka Tribe, which I find difficult, but Babaya might manage it. If all goes well, she should now be a Wizard Apprentice. Not just Babaya, but Kudodo and Rococo have embarked on this path as well,” Angel added.

A gleam flashed in Baya’s eyes, and the tension in his expression finally eased.

He looked at Angel deeply with eyes filled with gratitude.

After a long while, Baya solemnly said, “Thank you.”

He actually had many words of thanks he wanted to express, but they were too cumbersome, so in the end, all that formed was this short sentence of gratitude.

Baya’s greatest wish was to change the millennia-old stagnant situation of his people, yet he had never found a way to do so until Angel and Shadow broke into the Garden of Living Souls, which gave Baya the opportunity to leverage this variable in an attempt to lift that thousand years of torment.

Now, although the fundamental problem had not been solved, Baya had truly seen hope.

Change never happened overnight, but as long as there was hope, that was the best answer for Baya.

“Although we may not be able to meet again in the future, knowing that they are doing well is enough. At least, the choice I made back then was not wrong,” Baya murmured softly to himself.

Upon hearing this, Angel couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows, “Nothing in this world is absolute. Who knows, you might have a chance to see each other again before long.”

For example, in dreams.

Angel didn’t say this last part out loud. But he had contemplated it in his heart; if the Wilderness of Dreams were truly opened up in the future, then it would not be impossible for the people of the Kulakuka Tribe to reunite.

After hearing this, Baya simply took it as a consolation from Angel and replied with a light laugh, “One can only hope.”

Walking along the narrow corridor for a while, winding countless turns, Angel finally saw the end of the road.

When he saw the scene inside, a look of surprise flashed through Angel’s eyes.

This was a vast inner space, with Daylight Stone Stalactites hanging upside down from the ceiling as sources of light, and the ground covered with luminescent green grass. In the midst of the exotic flowers and plants, there was also a clear lake shimmering with sparkling ripples.

The strangest part was at the center of the lake, where a towering Wizard’s Tower stood!

Or rather, the Tower of Souls exclusive to a Soul Witch!

It was very similar to the Tower of Souls that Angel had seen in Bates’ Soul Valley, both being constructed from soul-stenning stones. The only difference was that there were no souls here.

Although there were no souls, this place was still filled with waves of Soul Force.

On an energy level invisible to the naked eye, the core of the Garden of Living Souls—the Soul Source—was constantly radiating the unique surge of soul force governed by the rules of living souls from the summit of Holy Mountain.

“High Priestess Isabel is waiting inside the tower,” Baya pointed at the Wizard’s Tower in the distance and stopped.

Angel nodded and stepped alone into this wondrous space.

He hadn’t noticed from the outside passage, but after stepping on the luminescent grass, Angel realized that the grass seemed to be a variant of the Guiding Herb; walking on it, the soul felt extremely tranquil.

Even Angel’s own soul, which had no noticeable unrest, still felt a comfortable sense of serenity here.

Not only was the luminescent grass special, but the bizarre-looking flowers each possessed benefits for the soul as well. Even the luminous water of the lake was natural Soul Purifying Water, capable of driving away impurities in the soul.

Angel walked along a pleasant path, and following a wooden bridge, he arrived at the Wizard’s Tower in the middle of the lake.

Upon his arrival, the great door of the Wizard’s Tower automatically opened.

After Angel entered, he passed through a corridor full of statues and murals and came into a hall playing an elegant melody.

Upon entering the hall, the first thing that Angel noticed was two glass spheres floating above the hall, inside which were the Infant Spirits that Angel had handed over to Isabel. They still emitted the fluctuations of the undead, but at this moment they were not showing their frenzied side, instead staying quietly inside the glass spheres without moving.

Then, Angel saw Isabel sitting on a sofa, reading a grey-covered book.

When Isabel saw Angel arrive, she put down the book in her hand, pointed to a seat opposite her, and motioned for Angel to sit down.

“It’s completely beyond my expectations that you could advance this rapidly in just a few short years,” Isabel said calmly after observing Angel for a good while, before finally speaking.

“I didn’t expect to advance at Black Castle either.”

“Is it because of the Kura Kuka?” Isabel had already discussed with Kimberly that day when she saw Angel advance; perhaps the main reason was the Kura Kuka unleashed by Frost earlier.

“That’s right.” There was no need to conceal this matter, so Angel paused, “If it hadn’t been for the Kura Kuka, I would have actually accumulated for a bit longer…” At least he would not have advanced at Black Castle.

A flash of a sentiment ‘such is time, such is fate’ crossed Isabel’s eyes.

“That said, may I know why High Priestess Isabel has summoned me here?”