Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2158: Chapter 2159: Quest World

”You remembered the symbol?” Nis’s voice suddenly rose, looking at Angel with a face full of surprise and doubt.

Even Ironclad Granny looked surprised. You must know, she had encountered similar situations before, where the matter being remembered had a very special protection mechanism that required specific and corresponding methods to be memorized.

When Nis consulted her earlier, she was sure that Angel would definitely be unable to remember it. If there was something truly important, she might even have to go through the Plane Corridor to check on Angel herself.

The result, however, was quite a surprise to her.

Did Angel really remember it? Did he find the corresponding solution?

Faced with the doubts of Ironclad Granny and Nis, Angel scratched his head somewhat sheepishly: ”I didn’t memorize it, but I brought the stone slab with the symbols into the Wilderness of Dreams.”

Having said that, Angel took out the relatively thin stone slab.

Seeing this stone slab, Ironclad Granny paused for a moment, then shook her head and sighed: ”I almost forgot, you have the Dream Conch...”

Ironclad Granny was still looking at the problem from her own experience, so she didn’t immediately react in her mind.

Nis had also heard about the Dream Conch, and looking at the stone slab engraved with symbols, he couldn’t help but chuckle: ”Granny told me before that this kind of unfathomable situation is a very special secrecy mechanism, without a corresponding solution, even if she went, she might not remember it. I didn’t expect you to take an extraordinary shortcut.”

”The Dream Conch truly lives up to being a Mysterious Object, rudely dragging any special secrecy mechanism into a dream regardless of reason or logic.”

After reflecting, their gazes naturally focused on the symbols on the stone slab.

The symbols they once thought required a personal visit to see now lay before their eyes.

Nis and Ironclad Granny almost simultaneously locked their gaze on the two symmetrical, winding symbols inside the hexagon.

Because they clearly knew the outermost symbols were not important; what mattered the most was this symbol.

At first glance, the winding symbol seemed to have nothing special, but when you seriously look at it, the symbol seemed to project into your mind, transforming into two wriggling worms, continuously swaying and writhing.

But when you closed your eyes, the worms that danced in your mind would instantly erase any memory of themselves. No matter how you try to recall, there’s only a blank space left.

Nis and Ironclad Granny looked very intently. As they observed, Angel also watched their expressions.

Nis’s eyes flickered from time to time, as if recalling something, while Ironclad Granny was contemplative, as if she had already found a clue.

About five minutes later, Nis and Ironclad Granny both raised their heads.

Ironclad Granny pondered without speaking, but Nis spoke first: ”This symbol, in my memory, has never appeared. But...”

When Nis said ’but,’ he hesitated for two seconds before continuing: ”I have an inexplicable sense of familiarity with it, as if I should know it.”

Nis looked towards Ironclad Granny, hoping for an explanation from her.

Ironclad Granny slowly rubbed the stone slab, and after a while, she said: ”It’s normal that you haven’t seen it, and it’s also normal to feel familiar with it. Because, it comes from that place.”

Nis didn’t understand for a moment: ”That place?”

Ironclad Granny: ”...Quest World.”

Nis’s pupils suddenly shrank, and he hurriedly asked: ”Is this Quest World’s script?”

Ironclad Granny shook her head: ”Even if you haven’t fully learned Quest World’s script, you should know part of it. This does not have the characteristics of Quest World’s script; this is just a symbol, or rather, it represents some existence or force in Quest World.”

”A representative symbol,” learning this, Nis seemed to understand something, a flash of realization appeared in his eyes.

While Ironclad Granny and Nis whispered, Angel looked puzzled: ”What are you talking about? What is Quest World?”

Nis sighed lightly and replied with a serious expression: ”Quest World, this name might be unfamiliar to you because it is the Soul Sect Wizards’ designation for that place. Non-Soul Wizards generally refer to Quest World as... the Soul Plane.”

The Soul Plane is a place very similar to the Dream Realm and Nightmare Realm. It is called a world, but in the Material Realm, it doesn’t manifest physically. It exists eternally in a dimension that the Material Realm cannot probe, like a paradise for energy.

Some speculate that everyone’s Land of the Soul is tenuously linked to the Soul Plane, but this is just speculation, never proven.

From various pieces of information, it can be confirmed that its very existence is a miracle.

The above is Angel’s understanding of the Soul Plane. The knowledge is quite limited because information about the Soul Plane rarely circulates externally.

Hearing about the Soul Plane was rare, and Angel couldn’t help but ask curiously: ”From what you’re saying, does the Soul Plane have script? And forces?”

”Of course there are, because Quest World is not only a world of souls but also hosts a large number of pure energy beings living there. The so-called script is exactly what these energy beings have passed down... As for the forces.” Nis smiled, with a ’you-are-easy-to-impress’ expression: ”The expanse of Quest World is beyond what you can imagine, although the majority are undead regions. Souls that haven’t fallen can only gather in a few places, and these soul safety zones are where forces are born.”

”I once visited a soul safety zone called Ochre Cold River, where more than ten forces were entrenched; I also heard that, two undead zones away from Ochre Cold River, there’s a gigantic soul safety zone called Warsaw. There, due to some special reasons, the gathered forces might number in the hundreds.”

After listening to Nis’s explanation, Angel’s focus was not on the forces, but he asked with curiosity: ”Have you been to the Soul Plane, Nis? I heard that the Soul Plane is almost inaccessible to living beings?”

Nis wagged his finger side to side: ”No, no, no, Quest World is only inaccessible to non-Soul Sect Wizards because Quest World can only be entered by the soul, and the soul quality of most Wizards does not meet the standards to enter or exit Quest World. Only Soul Sect Wizards have the opportunity to enter.”

”I have, of course, gone in; otherwise, how do you think my Tower of Souls in Soul Valley was built?”

Nis has a Tower of Souls in the area he resides at the Barbarian Cave, constructed entirely of Soul Soothing Stone, which maintained the peace of countless souls in the valley.

Angel had previously been curious about where such a massive amount of Soul Soothing Stone came from, and now Nis had provided the answer; it was evidently sourced from Quest World.

After a moment of pride, Nis’s expression turned somewhat resentful, as if recalling something unpleasant: ”However, currently, the only place that has an access path to Quest World is controlled by three powerful Wizard Families, and the entry fees are staggering. Moreover, someone must guard our physical bodies when we enter, so not every Soul Sect Wizard can go.”

Nis shook his head, unwilling to think further about the memories of being exploited: ”That said, according to Granny, this symbol probably represents a force in Quest World or perhaps a powerful existence. But who could it be?”

The topic returned to the symbol, as Nis looked at the two twisted worms on the symbol, a familiar sensation rose again in his heart, further affirming Ironclad Granny’s guess.

Ironclad Granny pondered, ”I can’t be sure either, but it might be a force from the Stewart Soul Safety Zone, because the forces there love using worms as a form, and their encryption methods often interfere with the mind.”

”The Stewart Soul Safety Zone?” Nis first showed a hint of suspicion, but then thought of something and nodded repeatedly, ”It’s really possible. The forces on Stewart’s side are extremely powerful, enough to interfere in the Otherworld.”

Nis saw Angel’s puzzled look and explained, ”Stewart is a vast safety zone, where the forces are very strong indeed. Among these forces, there are entities that can interfere directly with the Material Realm without even descending.”

”And only such entities would descend with power under the guidance of a ceremony to complete a sacrifice.”

Ironclad Granny added, ”Actually, it’s not too hard to find out which force within the Stewart Safety Zone it is. From the ceremony, it’s clear that this force is hostile toward humans and cares about the number 36; with these two conditions, along with the details at the time of the sacrifice, we can inquire in the Soul Sect’s circles.”

At this point, Ironclad Granny shifted the topic, ”However, even if we find out the opposing force, it doesn’t mean much.”

Angel asked, ”Why do you say that?”

Ironclad Granny replied, ”During the sacrifice ceremony, the force from the Stewart Safety Zone could have come directly, but they didn’t, which suggests they were likely responding to someone performing the sacrifice, rather than descending on their own initiative.”

”And the person who performed the ritual has clearly left, and the altar is abandoned. Trying to track down why the sacrifice was made and what they sought is actually very difficult... unless we personally go to the Stewart Safety Zone to ask that force, but doing so holds little meaning.”

Angel looked at Nis, who nodded gently to indicate Granny was right.

Angel was silent for a moment, ”Is Lady Cilla’s appearance related to the sacrifice ceremony?”

”I can be sure that Lady Cilla isn’t from the Quest World. Although she is undead, she belongs to the Central Empire, her appearance there is within the normal range.” Nis replied, ”However, Lady Cilla’s rapid increase in strength should be related to the death energy in the altar. It might be that later, Lady Cilla discovered that altar and by nurturing herself with the death energy, gradually became so strong; she might even have become a Special Undead through it.”

Angel asked, ”Is the death energy in the altar from the Soul Plane?”

Nis nodded affirmatively, ”Yes, the Quest World is not short of death energy, and there is a lot of accumulated death energy in the undead zone, which can become a perpetual source of death energy producing continuously. I estimate that during the sacrifice, death energy from the undead zone leaked out and was attracted by this symbol, continuously releasing a lot of death energy in the cavern.”

By now, Angel had largely reconstructed the entire event from the words of Nis and Ironclad Granny—

Years ago, a wizard, suspected to be a Carabit, might have held a sacrifice ceremony in the cavern, and made some kind of deal with a force from the Soul Plane, the content of which is unknown. After the ceremony ended, this person left the cavern, the altar was abandoned, and some time later, Lady Cilla inadvertently discovered the place, and rested in the cavern, gradually cultivating with the death energy until today.

From the looks of it, the most crucial part is the person who originally held the sacrifice ceremony.

But now it’s known that the person has left for a long time, and it’s hard to trace why he held the sacrifice and what deal he made with the force from the Soul Plane.

Indeed, as Granny said, this matter stops here.

Moreover, Angel’s concern for this matter was because it’s close to Bolai Town, fearing Frode might be affected. Now it’s confirmed there’s no lingering concern, and further investigation holds little meaning.

There are many secrets in this world, and there’s no need to fixate on this one.

Thinking of this, Angel had already decided not to focus on the altar matter anymore.

”Seems like this trip was a waste.” Angel shrugged, ”But it wasn’t too bad, finding a place full of death energy might be good for Frode to practice Soul Trick here.”

Nis agreed heartily, for the undead, practicing in the Quest World is surely the best; now Frode, borrowing death energy from the Quest World, can somewhat accelerate his cultivation.

After confirming there were no other issues with the altar, Angel prepared to leave.

However, at this moment, Ironclad Granny, while stroking the symbols on the stone slab, said, ”You just said it was a wasted trip, but it’s actually not.”

Angel’s half-dissolved figure paused, solidifying again, ”Granny, what do you mean?”

Ironclad Granny pointed at the symbols on the stone slab, ”This, is the greatest gain.”

Ironclad Granny’s words puzzled Nis as well, ”Isn’t this just a representative symbol, what’s its meaning?”

”Its meaning lies in that within it is a trace of constant vibration from that force in the Stewart Safety Zone.”

Nis asked, ”Constant vibration? Granny, do you perhaps know the meaning of this vibration?”

Ironclad Granny gazed at the twisting, sinuous symbol, ”I don’t know its meaning, but I know this constant vibration is a special kind of Soul Power, which doesn’t easily dissipate. We can locate the coordinates of the opposite side by studying this constant vibration.”

”Coordinates?” Nis didn’t immediately comprehend, mumbling a few words, but soon he was stunned, looking at Ironclad Granny with astonishment, ”Granny, you mean...”

Ironclad Granny nodded, ”By locking on to the coordinates of the Quest World, we can find a way to open a pathway to this world.”

Nis stood up with a roar, which was exactly what he had thought of earlier.

If they could truly find a coordinate in the Quest World, they could open a pathway themselves, without having to spend money to borrow paths from the three families...

This is definitely a matter of great importance to Nis, or even to the Barbarian Cave, as the Quest World is abundant in Soul Sect resources!

But soon, Nis frowned, ”I get what Granny means, but to contact that force’s special Soul Power, a specific decryption method is needed.”

Only by deciphering its outer encryption mechanism can the power inside be accessed.

And the decryption method was the problem they initially considered. Specific conditions and methods are needed to decipher it.

If the decryption fails, this symbol will naturally vanish like smoke, and the constant vibration will disappear, making research impossible, let alone finding the coordinates.

Ironclad Granny said, ”Then just decrypt it... haven’t you forgotten about Angel’s Dream Conch?”

Nis’s eyes lit up again, right, there’s a Dream Conch! The Dream Conch can pull real-world things into dreams. Items in dreams might break without affecting real objects.

He could keep trying different methods to decrypt it, until he succeeds one day! Once successful, they can test it in reality!

Thinking of this, Nis turned his gleaming eyes towards Angel.

”You must help me!”