Chapter 1459 A Solution <TOC> Chapter 1461 One Person to the Next
Translator: SumTLMan
“Resentment, jealousy, envy… these emotions have deeply infiltrated its soul.”
The situation is entirely different from when Baya first met Toby.
Moreover, Baya made some special discoveries. Initially, what drew him to Toby was the unique nature of Toby’s soul. Despite being housed in the insignificant form of a small bird, this unassuming vessel contained an immense and highly irregular soul. Even though this soul was fragmented, Baya could still feel an inherent spiritual pressure emanating from it.
This was an innate difference at the level of the soul.
Even though Baya couldn’t discern the exact shape or nature of Toby’s soul at that time, his spiritual perception didn’t deceive him.
Now, the sensation he gets from Toby’s soul is entirely different. Back then, Baya felt a sense of rage corroding Toby’s soul, which gave off an aura of violence, like a blazing sun at its zenith.
But now, when Baya senses Toby’s soul again, that fiery warmth has been replaced by an unsettling coldness.
Dark, damp, obscure, trembling, evil, insane… this chill is not physical; it’s as if the soul itself is shivering. A coldness seems to rise from the spine, invading the mind and making one tremble involuntarily.
Even with Baya’s extensive experience and broad knowledge, he still felt a sense of dread after sensing Toby’s soul and couldn’t help but retreat several steps.
This soul, which sends chills down his spine, is something Baya has never encountered in his millennia of experience with countless souls.
“What are your thoughts?” Angel stared intently at Baya.
The fear had not yet left Baya’s face. After a long pause, he finally spoke: “I can feel that its soul is being eroded, a corrosion that might best be termed as ‘poison.’ The soul has mostly been lost, but the venom of malevolence has not fully taken root. It seems there is still a bastion within the soul, resisting the dark forces of resentment and envy.”
“But what if this last sanctuary is also invaded by darkness? Perhaps…”
“Perhaps what?” Although Angel had some suspicions, he was still unwilling to jump to conclusions.
“Perhaps it will never wake up. And even if it does, will it still be itself?” Baya hesitated before completing his thought.
Angel fell silent.
The situation with Toby seemed even worse than he had feared. Facing the Tribulation of Resentment, Toby appeared to be utterly defeated, with only the final bastion desperately holding on.
Angel couldn’t begin to imagine how perilous Toby’s situation was or how long he could withstand it.
These questions were like swords piercing Angel’s heart — every thought felt like it bled him.
“I apologize for my limited knowledge; I can only provide basic analysis and can’t offer any more substantial assistance,” Baya said, bowing his head in regret.
Angel had not expected to find a solution from Baya anyway. He shook his head: “That’s enough. Thank you for your analysis, regardless.”
After Baya left, Angel sat in silence in the Centennial Hall. When the night finally enveloped Ciporak, Angel sensed a familiar wave of energy coming from outside the door.
Isabelle’s reply had finally arrived.
Angel opened the returned letter, which had no words written on it. However, as the seal was broken, a ribbon of light unfurled, brilliantly glowing in the night. It meandered like a celestial galaxy, crossing through space to reach the faintly visible Sacred Mountain in the distance.
This was a guiding letter. Even though Isabelle had written nothing, the message was crystal clear.
Angel, familiar with this path of light, followed its winding course until he eventually reached the cliff behind the Sacred Mountain.
Upon standing atop the Sacred Mountain, he immediately sensed soul fluctuations emanating from the temple at the peak. They came in wave after wave, reminiscent of a surging tide.
He purposely took out Toby to assess his condition. However, Toby showed no reaction, indicating that the current situation differed significantly from before.
Angel proceeded into the cliff, following a long corridor that led him to the heart of the Sacred Mountain.
Navigating through the dreamlike mountain, Angel strode over waves and re-entered Isabelle’s Wizard Tower. Upon re-entering the main hall where he had been before, he felt an eerie atmosphere.
The air seemed to be imbued with a palpable tension, like invisible chains, which almost choked him as soon as he entered the hall. Oddly enough, this intense atmosphere was devoid of any noise; it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
This extreme silence, however, seemed to exacerbate the stagnant atmosphere, adding an invisible layer of impending danger to the air.
Upon closer inspection, Angel realized that the source of this tense atmosphere lay with two witches present.
One was Moriah, whom he had returned to a soul state using the Prelude of Reincarnation. The other was… Isabella.
Somehow, Isabella had also appeared here. She and Moriah stood at opposite ends of the hall, not overtly confrontational, yet Angel couldn’t shake the feeling that both were keenly focused on each other. This tense, stifling atmosphere seemed to form between them, creating an illusion that at any moment swords could be drawn and crossbows cocked.
Isabelle sat on the central sofa, her face unreadable but her icy eyes seemingly brewing a tempest.
Upon seeing this, Angel was fairly certain that there must be some dispute between Isabella and Moriah, as they seemed to be in a standoff at the moment.
However, Moriah had just recovered from her ghostly state; what could she possibly have to argue with Isabella about?
Angel couldn’t help but recall the story Isabelle had once told him.
About Moriah.
Back when “Soul Deathflame” Karafi left the Southern Region, Moriah strangely vanished. At the time, Isabelle thought Moriah had left to follow Karafi.
Yet, unexpectedly, a millennium later, she saw Moriah’s ghost in Black Castle. This had always been the greatest mystery weighing on Isabelle’s heart: What exactly happened to Moriah a thousand years ago? Did she genuinely leave, or did some mishap keep her in the Southern Region?
Given the palpable tension in the room, Angel began to speculate. Could Moriah’s disappearance have something to do with Isabella?
However, this was merely Angel’s conjecture, devoid of concrete evidence. Of course, he had no intention of prying into the ancient affairs of Black Castle; such matters were best left for Black Castle to sort out on its own.
“Sit here,” Isabelle gestured to the sofa opposite her upon seeing Angel.
Angel’s arrival seemed to slightly lift the heavy atmosphere. While Isabella remained silent, Moriah looked at Angel curiously. When Angel met her gaze, Moriah gave him a faint smile and a gentle nod, as if she had a favorable impression of him.
“I received your magical letter, and we’ll discuss the matter of the Infant Spirits later. You mentioned in the letter that you seek my assistance for something. What is it?” Isabelle directed her question toward Angel.
Angel didn’t say a word and directly placed Toby on the table.
“I would like to ask Lady Isabelle for advice. Is there any way to help him?”
Isabelle shifted her gaze to Toby. As a soul-type witch, the first thing she observes in a person isn’t their appearance or attire, but the radiance of their soul.
This inconspicuous little bird looked rather dull on the surface, but its soul captivated Isabelle’s attention.
This kind of immediate resonance had only been felt by Isabelle in recent years from the souls of Toby and Angel.
“This bird’s soul is incomplete, but even so, it possesses astonishing potential,” Isabelle paused. “Unfortunately, its current situation does not seem optimistic.”
“If you don’t mind, could you elaborate on his condition?”
Angel nodded and detailed Toby’s general circumstances. However, he did not mention that the vital organs constituting Toby came from a legendary magical creature; he merely stated they originated from a powerful being. He also touched upon the fact that Toby had been cursed with doom.
After listening to Angel’s account, Isabelle had yet to speak when Moriah softly interjected.
“Its dreams are filled with possessiveness towards you,” Moriah sneered. “How interesting, someone else here is also very possessive.”
“Being possessive is one thing, but having a mind so narrow as to destroy anyone who comes close is truly terrifying.”
Initially, Angel didn’t understand what Moriah was implying. They were discussing Toby; why bring up human traits? But when Angel glanced at Isabella, whose face had darkened, he began to understand.
Clearly, Moriah was taking the opportunity to take a dig at Isabella.
Is this suggesting that Isabella also harbors a strong sense of possessiveness?
Who would Isabella be possessive towards? The answer is quite clear: it would be her mentor, Isabelle.
Isabella, driven by her possessive feelings toward Isabelle, seeks to eliminate anyone who gets too close… Could this also include Moriah?
If that’s the case, it appears that Angel’s suspicions were correct; Moriah’s disappearance indeed has something to do with Isabella.
As myriad thoughts raced through Angel’s mind, Isabelle coughed and said, “It’s irrelevant at the moment; there’s no need for further dispute.”
Although Moriah harbored resentment, she said nothing further upon hearing Isabelle’s words.
Isabella remained silent throughout the conversation.
Isabelle turned her gaze to Angel and said, “I’ve come to understand Toby’s situation. His soul is currently in a unique state of conflict: his resentment is in a tug-of-war with his true self.”
Angel nodded in understanding. What Isabelle referred to as ‘true self’ was likely what Baya called ‘Self-Retained Land,’ which represents Toby’s most authentic aspect and is currently under external assault.
“Given the resilience of Toby’s true self, this tug-of-war may continue for a while, but unfortunately, the outcome is unlikely to be favorable.”
Chapter 1459 A Solution <TOC> Chapter 1461 One Person to the Next