Chapter 1458 Entering a Tribulation Once More <TOC> Chapter 1460 Self-Retained Land
Translator: SumTLMan
Angel abruptly stopped talking just as he mentioned that Toby had fallen into a coma. He casually mentioned that a powerful senior had helped Toby lift the curse, without elaborating on the details.
However, just that snippet of information astonished Gloria and Felicia.
Gloria had never imagined that behind Toby’s unconscious state was such a rollercoaster of events. What surprised her even more was that Angel had actually visited the Abyss during the time they lost contact with each other.
Gloria was curious about Angel’s experience in the Abyss, but recognized that now was not the time for gossip.
The conversation returned to Toby.
The curse of doom had not only thrown Toby into a crisis but had also prematurely triggered the “Tribulation of the Five Flavors” lurking within him — this was the cause and effect of it all.
Neither Angel nor Toby could be blamed for this. No one had anticipated that the underground river connected to the Silent Dead Sea, where the Misfortune Pilgrim resided, would lead to the Watchtower Fortress, causing Toby to unwittingly consume an Olaf Tentacle Crab imbued with the curse of doom.
After pondering for a moment, Gloria asked, “You mentioned that you entered Toby’s dream last time, and his behavior in the dream was vastly different from his usual self?”
“Yes, Toby didn’t show any changes in front of me in the dream, but behind my back, he was filled with antagonism, even aggression, towards some of my servants,” Angel elaborated on his dream experience. “… Another peculiar detail was the setting of the dream: it should be the estate where I was born, located in the heartland of the Old Land Continent. However, in Toby’s dream, the estate was on a small island, surrounded by an endless sea.”
Upon hearing this, Gloria seemed to have an epiphany and quietly uttered a single word: “Possessiveness.”
Toby was a creature that Gloria had brought to life using the spell of creation. During the creation process, Gloria had used a palette of five flavors: Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Spicy, and Salty.
The five flavors, the dish created from the five vital organs of a legendary magical beast that Gloria had accidentally obtained, correspond to the Five Flavors Tribulation that Toby is experiencing——Love, Hate, Resentment, Rage, and Grief.
Once, Toby faced his first calamity: the Tribulation of Rage. Gloria sensed that Toby had entered his tribulation, but what would the second one be? Based on what Angel had said, especially the various scenes Angel saw in dreams, Gloria seemed to have some understanding.
The Tribulation of Resentment.
This resentment is born of a reluctance to share, which leads to jealousy, and the jealousy, in turn, fuels a more intense desire for exclusivity. Although Toby didn’t display such strong resentment in his dreams, his desire to have Angel all to himself was crystal clear. The small island in the dream symbolized Toby’s possessive desire for Angel, isolated from the world by surrounding seas, hoping that Angel would never leave.
According to Angel, at that time when he entered Toby’s dream, Toby was merely showing signs of the “Five Flavors Tribulation” and had not fully entered it, so his sense of resentment was less pronounced.
Later, Angel entered Toby’s dream again, only to be immediately expelled by the dream’s new aura. What he saw was no longer the serene estate, but an ominous mist swirling with tangible resentment. If Angel had stayed a moment longer, he would likely have been ensnared by that actualized resentment.
By the time Angel entered Toby’s dream for the second time, it was apparent that Toby had fully embraced his tribulation — the Tribulation of Resentment.
Listening to Gloria’s analysis of Toby’s current tribulation, Angel was still anxious. He was not concerned about what tribulation Toby faced, but whether Toby could overcome it.
“The timing of this new tribulation is not far removed from Toby’s last Five Flavors Tribulation. Toby hasn’t fully mastered his griffin form’s abilities, and now he faces another tribulation… Surviving it will be a difficult task,” Gloria sighed, shaking her head.
Angel felt his heartbeat skip a beat, his breathing becoming noticeably shallow: “Is there no other way, like using external aid to help Toby through this ordeal?”
Gloria sank into deep thought.
Her affection for Toby was no less than Angel’s, and she was deeply concerned about Toby’s situation. But she truly couldn’t think of a way to turn the tide.
Facing the second trial of the Tribulation of the Five Flavors was akin to an apprentice overcoming the Great Barrier to become a formal wizard.
If Toby successfully endures the tribulation, he would be equivalent to a formal wizard, even surpassing the abilities of an average formal wizard.
The difficulty of an apprentice breaking through the Great Barrier is as challenging as Toby facing this tribulation.
During the breakthrough, an apprentice would undoubtedly make thorough preparations. If something unexpected occurs, they would have contingency plans in place. However, Toby is different. First, he’s not fully accustomed to the power of his griffin form. Furthermore, he has no external help available to him, and he lacks contingency plans. Everything depends on him… or rather, on fate.
Consecutive tribulations are a perilous undertaking.
The curse of doom has set this dangerous path into motion, making it an irreversible situation. Even if the curse is lifted, the circumstances have reached a point of no return.
After pondering for a long time, Gloria even took out her old notes from when she first created Toby, flipping through them repeatedly for comparison. Yet, she still couldn’t think of a way to help Toby through the tribulation.
“Is there really no way out?” Angel’s voice was inexplicably dry.
Gloria did not reply. Instead, it was Sanders, who had been silent all along, who spoke: “Nothing in this world is absolute. Even a fallen soul can claw its way back from the mire, so don’t lose hope.”
Gloria nodded in agreement, “There’s definitely a solution, but my range of knowledge may not yet be comprehensive enough to cover all the aspects.”
After pondering for a moment, Gloria proposed, “I have a suggestion.”
Angel turned his gaze toward Gloria, awaiting her explanation.
“I remember you mentioned that Toby faced a tribulation last time, and it seemed you were also at Black Castle at the time,” Gloria looked at Angel, who nodded in confirmation, before she continued, “You also mentioned that something unusual happened to Toby there.”
Angel thought for a moment, and then nodded again.
Indeed, something strange had occurred with Toby the last time he was in the Living Soul Garden. Whenever Angel approached the Sacred Mountain Temple, Toby would exhibit some abnormalities.
“I’ve studied this before — Toby’s soul is quite special. Although it’s fragmented, it doesn’t show any abnormalities. This is actually due to the Tribulation of the Five Flavors affecting him. His soul is in balance with the Tribulation, and likewise, the Tribulation is affecting his soul,” Gloria elaborated.
“So, I speculate that Toby’s tribulations may also have some connection to his soul. If we can address the issue from the standpoint of his soul, we might find A Solution,” she concluded.
Gloria’s words reminded Angel of what High Priest Baya, who had an acute sense of souls, had said when he first saw Toby in the Living Soul Garden. At that time, Angel was unaware of the Tribulation of the Five Flavors. The High Priest had said straightforwardly, “There is a restless anger that has infiltrated Toby’s soul. Only by overcoming this baseless fire may Toby wake up.”
As it turned out, the High Priest was correct. Once Toby overcame his rage, he effectively broke free from his tribulation.
Gloria continued, “My research on souls is rather limited. Currently, in the entire Southern Region, I believe the person with the most authority on souls is the Twilight Queen, Isabelle. Perhaps she might have some alternative insights into Toby’s plight.”
Angel pondered for a moment and found it unexpected that all roads seemed to lead to Isabelle after all the twists and turns.
“In seeking help, I believe Isabelle will agree to assist,” Angel mused, “but whether or not she can resolve Toby’s issue — that’s the crux of the matter.”
“I understand. I’ll seek counsel from Lady Isabelle,” he affirmed.
Originally, Gloria had planned to arrange a feast in honor of Angel’s recent breakthrough. However, before she could even voice it, Angel hastily said his goodbyes, leaving the Ice Cavern with Toby. Clearly, he was intent on seeking out Isabelle without delay.
Watching Angel’s hurried departure, Gloria shook her head and let out a soft sigh.
“Didn’t expect Angel to mature this quickly,” she paused, turning to Sanders, “Since he’s gone, the Feast is off the table. How about we discuss matters of the Nightmare Plane instead?”
…
Angel didn’t expect that he’d set foot in this place again so soon after leaving the Living Soul Garden.
Appearing from an altar just outside of Ciporak, he glanced in the direction of the Sacred Mountain but didn’t go directly to Isabelle. He suspected that now might not be the best time to interrupt, as Isabelle was likely having a long-awaited reunion with Moriah. Therefore, Angel sent a courteous magical message, awaiting Isabelle’s response.
The message was clear: Angel needed a favor from Isabelle. Conveniently, his Prelude of Reincarnation’s white light bullet was also full, so he could fulfill his promise and convert an Infant Spirit back to a soul.
While waiting for Isabelle’s response, Angel visited the Centennial Hall.
No sooner had he taken his seat than the High Priest Baya, astride a flying pig mottled in black and white, knocked on the grand doors of the hall.
The High Priest’s arrival was orchestrated by Angel, who summoned him from the Sacred Mountain Temple through a ripple of mental energy.
As soon as he entered, Angel got straight to the point.
He placed Toby on the table, hoping the High Priest could assess his soul condition.
Having spent years in close proximity to the Soul Source in the Living Soul Garden, the High Priest might not have a particularly strong soul, but his sensitivity to souls far surpasses that of ordinary people, even outmatching Angel to some extent.
Augmented by his exposure to a wide array of souls in the grand formation of Ciporak, his understanding of souls is actually on par with that of a seasoned soul wizard.
Without questioning why, the High Priest immediately focused his attention on Toby.
After a moment, he furrowed his brows: “Is this the second time he’s fallen unconscious?”
Angel nodded in affirmation.
The last time the High Priest saw Toby, he was also unconscious. Though Toby remains in an unconscious state, his soul condition is strikingly different from the last time.
Chapter 1458 Entering a Tribulation Once More <TOC> Chapter 1460 Self-Retained Land