Translator: SumTLMan
A maiden, with her form exposed save for a pristine white apron, stood poised beside Soul Tower.
As they neared her, she gracefully brought her legs together and knelt, her head bowing deeply to kiss the ground. The act revealed a back that shimmered with an oily sheen, every curve accentuated. “Lord Sanders,” she intoned, her voice gentle yet resonant, “The master awaits you in the underground laboratory of Soul Tower.” She moved to show deference by pressing a kiss to Sanders’ boot, but he denied her such an honor, lifting his foot and continuing forward.
Being an old confidant of Nisi, the mystery of Soul Valley wasn’t foreign to Sanders. Aware of Nisi’s location, he didn’t wait for the maiden’s guidance and directly approached the grand doors of Soul Tower.
Angel trailed closely behind.
Upon entering, they spiraled down a winding staircase.
Before long, they found themselves in an underground laboratory. An elderly man with silver hair was engrossed in dissecting the corpse of a male Feather Tribe. The deceased Feather Tribe’s soul sat meditatively, hovering just above its own remains.
The lab was a bustling hub, with many souls at work. Empowered by the Soul Stones, they could now influence the material realm and were thus assisting with various instruments.
Yet, even with the spectral assistance, upon Angel’s entry, the old man could be heard cursing under his breath, “That insufferable lad! Daring to flee midway through the process! Angel might look fierce but isn’t a man-eating tiger. He’s as timid as a cornered dog! Truly, he’s following in the unfortunate footsteps of Hookedick.”
The silver-haired elder was none other than Nisi. This was one of the rare occasions when Angel had seen Nisi not indulging in his usual pleasures within Soul Valley. Angel couldn’t catch all of Nisi’s mutterings, but the mention of Hookedick brought a tinge of discomfort.
After all, it had been Angel who had ended Hookedick’s life.
Upon the entrance of Sanders and his disciple, Nisi, with a glance upward towards the Feather Tribe soul hovering above, instructed, “Watch over your corpse. Should any issue arise, notify me posthaste.”
The Feather Tribe soul nodded at Nisi, its gaze unwaveringly fixed on its deceased body.
Nisi then approached, and rather than offering greetings to Sanders, he curiously and meticulously examined Angel. After a moment of scrutiny, he remarked with a tinge of astonishment, “The vital energy within you is quite peculiar. Even I seem to pale in comparison…”
As Nisi articulated these words, his gaze shifted to Sanders, seeking answers from him.
Sanders merely responded with a subtle nod. Although no explanations were provided, that simple gesture acknowledged the immense vitality within Angel.
A gleam flashed in Nisi’s eyes as he mused with palpable envy, “Such a magnificent vessel you possess.”
This tone sent shivers down Angel’s spine. On his first visit to Soul Valley, Nisi had spoken with a similar cadence, nearly seducing him into injecting the seductive succubus bloodline. Now hearing that tone again, Angel couldn’t help but suspect ill intentions.
Indeed, Nisi’s gaze upon Angel intensified, viewing him as a prime specimen for experimentation. The idea of a slight dissection danced in Nisi’s mind, but Sanders, with his imposing stature, suddenly obstructed his view.
While Sanders remained silent, the icy aura emanating from him spoke volumes about his stance.
Caught off guard, Nisi chuckled awkwardly, “I was merely admiring him. Purely admiration.”
Bypassing the pleasantries, Sanders got straight to the point, inquiring about Nisi’s expedition to the Heart of the Swarm and the research remnants he had discovered.
Nisi responded, “I did find some Manuscripts left behind by Iscariot. However, as you’re aware, summoning isn’t my forte, and I have even less interest in the swarms. Any inquiries you have about them might remain unanswered by me.”
“May I peruse those manuscripts then?”
Nisi gave a nonchalant nod, saying, “Alright, follow me.”
Leading the way, Nisi headed toward a more secluded chamber deep within. As they walked, Nisi muttered under his breath, “I was in the middle of an experiment, and Saka was assisting me. But the moment he learned that Angel was coming, he ran off without a word. Infuriating!”
“But thinking about it, I can’t blame him,” Nisi continued. “Angel once defeated him, and now with his increased vitality, I bet Saka would be flattened with a single punch.”
Stopping, Nisi curiously looked at Angel and inquired, “How did you enhance your physical body? Did you fuse with some powerful bloodline?”
“Indeed, it’s a bloodline,” Angel responded, “but the specifics are a classified research topic. I can’t disclose it now.”
Nisi shrugged, “Alright then, consider it not asked.”
Shortly, they arrived at the chamber Nisi mentioned, marked by a lion’s head statue at the entrance. Instead of opening the chamber directly, Nisi tapped the statue and whispered a few arcane words. The lion’s eyes glowed a bloody red.
Inside the chamber, mechanical sounds of “clack clack” resonated. The lion’s mouth opened wide, and several illuminated tomes floated out, settling in Nisi’s hands.
With a gentle wave, Nisi placed the books on a nearby desk. “Here’s what you wanted,” he pointed to the tomes. “Feel free to browse. The core content is encrypted. If you wish to access any part of it, just pay the requisite price.”
Angel understood the value of knowledge to a wizard and was prepared to make the necessary trade. While Nisi seemed indifferent about the books, they were treasures left by a legendary high wizard. Probably the only set in the Southern Region, their worth was immeasurable. Nisi’s willingness to trade them was mainly out of respect for Sanders.
Nodding at Sanders, Angel took a seat at the desk and began perusing the first tome.
“Mysteries of the Magic Worm”
“The Three-Stage Reaction of the Caron Drip Worm”
“Magic Worm?” The title on the first page Angel turned to instantly brought Lucas to mind. Lucas was a vessel for a Mysterious Object, making him something of a ‘Mysterious Human’. Could this ‘Magic Worm’ possibly be an insect with mysterious properties?
Angel was indeed curious, but this wasn’t what he was looking for. He continued flipping through the pages.
The sound of pages turning became the only audible noise in the room, and Angel’s attention sharpened with each flip.
On the other side, Nisi gave Sanders a significant look, and they discreetly exited the room, leaving Angel to his reading.
Leaning against the doorway, Nisi said to Sanders, “I saw what happened at Tree Spirit Hall earlier. There’s more to what Angel said, isn’t there?”
“Don’t we all know what’s in our hearts?” Sanders was fully aware that Angel’s vague explanations would raise suspicions. But suspicions were moot; after all, who would ever link the death of the Demon God True Spirit to Angel?
“We’ve been close friends for so long; can’t you give me a hint?” Nisi glanced in Angel’s direction, “The changes in his body — are they related to this? Did he perhaps inherit the bloodline of a Demon God Descendant?”
No sooner had Nisi finished speaking than Sanders responded with a cold chuckle, “Putting aside the likelihood of that, do you really think Angel could handle such a powerful bloodline?”
Nisi replied, “I get your point, but I can’t think of any other explanation.”
After a moment’s reflection, Sanders remarked, “His physical changes have nothing to do with the fall of the Demon God True Spirit. But you might want to consider his constitution.”
“Constitution?” Nisi hesitated for a moment. “Are you referring to… a Nightmare Soul? Could it be related to the Nightmare Plane?”
Sanders refrained from responding, yet Nisi appeared to have an epiphany. If it truly pertains to the Nightmare Plane, it would make sense. After all, the sinister dangers of the Nightmare Plane are universally acknowledged; but the plane’s opportunities and treasures are equally recognized!
Nisi wanted to probe further, but Sanders wasn’t keen on divulging more. Left with no choice, Nisi took a pause.
The conversation drifted to what Angel had mentioned about La Sutherland earlier. From Sanders, Nisi did glean some juicy secrets, but they seemed to be of little consequence.
Eventually, the topic curiously meandered to the ruins on the Paramjit Plateau.
“What’s your take on those newly discovered ruins?” Sanders inquired.
Pondering a bit, Nisi responded, “Interestingly, I was summoned by Lord Rhine Mute near those ruins not long ago. He wanted me to sense the presence of ghosts. Though I couldn’t detect any, I did find the ruins somewhat odd.”
“Odd? In what way?” A curious Sanders interjected. The information he had was confirmed and could be dubbed ‘official news’. While authoritative, it lacked certain nuances. He wanted to hear if Nisi, from his personal perspective, had discerned something new.
“No one has managed to penetrate the ruins, so I can’t exactly comment on what’s inside. However, what baffles me is why swarms of colorful dragonflies, originating from the Eternal Night Kingdom, gather around those ruins,” Nisi recollected the situation, “Rumors are rife outside, suggesting concerns that these magical creatures and parasites might venture deeper into the Paramjit Plateau, ultimately wreaking havoc on the Mirror World. But upon close observation, while I can’t dismiss their potential advance into the plateau’s heartland, their current stance doesn’t indicate any expansionist intent.”
Sanders furrowed his brow, “No intention to expand? You mean…”
Nisi concluded, “I personally believe there might be something unique within the ruins, luring them in.”
Is there something that lures beings from the Nightmare Plane? If such an allure exists, it would most likely be the aura of the Nightmare Plane. After all, these monstrous creatures, once they enter the Wizarding World, would gradually lose their power if they don’t replenish this aura. However, the Eternal Night Kingdom is rife with Interstitial Spaces, so there’s no shortage of this Nightmare Aura.
What could that something be?
Could it be that, just like Hippocrates, there’s also a passage leading to the Nightmare Plane within those ruins?
Yet, that doesn’t seem to fit the narrative. If such a passage truly existed, creatures from the Nightmare Plane wouldn’t need to migrate from the Eternal Night Kingdom. They could simply emerge directly from this passage.
Sanders pondered deeply, but found no answer.
“Lord Rhine Mute has already dispatched a letter to La Pluie. If La Pluie can provide a judgment, perhaps Lord Rhine Mute will personally venture into the ruins in due course. By then, we might have our answer.”