Chapter 939 Beyond Measure <TOC> Chapter 941 An Invitation
Translator: SumTLMan
When Drew woke up, besides the great Tree Spirit leisurely soaking up the sun, everyone else had already departed.
For a moment, he remained dazed, as though he was still immersed in that boundless ocean world.
Drip…drip…
It was only when the surrounding mist began to condense into droplets, landing between his brows and bestowing a cool and moist sensation, that his mind was gradually called back from its distant journey.
Rising to his feet with a hint of uncertainty, he cast an uneasy glance around. Why had everyone else disappeared?
“You’re awake?” A somewhat frivolous voice drifted out from the sunbathing Tree Spirit.
Having arrived here, Drew had already learned of the identity of Tree Spirit from the external staff—this was an ancient creature who had lived for an unknown number of years, and was one of the three great ancestral spirits of the Mirror World.
As such, when he heard Tree Spirit’s question and saw that there were no other people present, he respectfully responded.
“Great Tree Spirit…I, I, I don’t know what happened earlier, I just…” Drew wanted to explain his previous state, but he stammered for a while, not knowing how to begin.
Tree Spirit waved its hand, offering an explanation on Drew’s behalf, “What happened earlier was due to the effect of the ‘Rhythm of the Ocean’, which allowed you to enter the enlightenment of the ocean lineage. So, have you made any discoveries?”
Enlightenment? Drew tried to recall his previous experience. He had only felt himself enveloped by the sea, relaxing his entire body, devoid of fear or worries, as though everything in the world was of little concern.
He drifted with the gentle waves, cushioned by frothy bubbles, gradually sinking to the bottom of the sea. The fish around him showed no fear, as though he was merely a part of the ocean.
The deeper he ventured into the darkness, the more at peace he felt.
Thus, without any thoughts or ideas, he languidly floated in the ocean…until he awoke.
Tree Spirit’s question: had he gained anything?
Drew wasn’t sure. Initially, he felt as though he hadn’t gained anything and simply enjoyed a peaceful, thought-free journey. Yet when he meticulously revisited his experience, he felt as though he had gained profound insights. For instance, he felt that if he were in the ocean, he could easily locate the nodes of ocean currents, expending the least amount of effort to alter the form of the ocean currents.
Apart from this, there were many rewards that were ineffable, yet deeply embedded in his heart.
He wanted to articulate these gains, yet he was at a loss where to begin.
“The harvest has been significant, but it seems as though a fog blurs my understanding,” Drew stated, likening his predicament to being suspended in the ocean depths, facing an immeasurable expanse of darkness. The obscurity was right before him, yet its contents remained elusive.
“Your current level is too low; even if you’ve managed to grasp a thread of the ocean’s power, it’s difficult for you to harness it, which is normal,” chuckled Tree Spirit. “However, as your power level gradually rises, you will come to realize how precious today’s enlightenment is to your journey.”
“You’re rather lucky, encountering Angel in your nascent phase.”
The image of Angel surfaced in Drew’s mind. Understanding that all he had now was brought about by Angel, a wave of gratitude surged within him.
“Now that you are awake, it’s time to depart. The apprentice who has accepted the guiding mission is waiting for you outside, and she will show you how to survive in the Savage Grottoes,” Tree Spirit paused, handing Drew a bone card. “This is your bone card. It contains the record of your water affinity and previous insights.”
Drew nodded somewhat bewilderedly and began moving towards the direction of Tree Spirit’s grand hall.
“I hope you treasure this opportunity and live up to Angel’s expectations,” Tree Spirit’s voice echoed in Drew’s ears as he left.
“Master Pat,” Drew murmured softly, as if engraving this name deep into his heart.
Then, Drew lifted his head, his eyes sparkling with myriad colours, brimming with anticipation for the future.
The world of wizards, here I come.
…
The slanting sun cast a golden afterglow on the leaves of the Eternal Tree.
On the trembling dew platform, Tree Spirit, having just awoken from a nap, stretched lazily. Yawning, it turned its head slightly, detecting a hint of moisture at the tip of its nose.
Its eyes focused on a small puddle of water swirling on a leaf vein not far away—the accumulation of water vapour that had previously orbited around Drew.
Tree Spirit silently observed the tiny puddle for a moment before murmuring to itself, as if remembering something, “About the matter of the Rhythm of the Ocean… I should inform Rhine.”
After a considerable pause, from the lofty tower where Rhine resided, came the languid murmur of Tree Spirit.
“Why aren’t you covertly observing Yesevei right now? How do you have the leisure to seek me out?” Rhine, rather than articulating words, used mental energy to converse with Tree Spirit.
“Who…who spied? I’ve never committed such an act!” Initially sounding indolent, Tree Spirit’s voice changed abruptly as if a cat whose tail was trodden upon, the seemingly lazy demeanor revitalized instantaneously, shedding all previous languor.
“I didn’t claim that you were spying; you admitted that on your own,” Rhine muttered under his breath before swiftly shifting the topic as he seized the moment before Tree Spirit flared up, “I heard earlier that Angel has returned. How about the talents he brought back this time?”
Keen to move on from the topic of Yesevei, Tree Spirit smoothly switched gears as Rhine redirected the conversation.
“Though the quantity of this group of talents is less, the quality is impressive,” Disregarding Totoro and the others from before, the talents led by Drew were decent, “Two are from the mysterious side, one is a summoner, and one is a puppeteer. Particularly noteworthy is the puppeteer, who possesses an extremely rare unique constitution.”
“Oh? A unique constitution? Yet, a unique constitution doesn’t always mean it’s good. What sort of constitution does this puppeteer have?” Rhine asked offhandedly.
“The Body of the Crimson Demon.”
Rhine clicked his tongue twice, “Indeed, it’s a rare constitution, yet, it is one with severe drawbacks.”
The Body of the Crimson Demon can enact curses through its own blood. Simultaneously, it can allow others to enter the Red Demon Time through its blood, significantly boosting their combat prowess by controlling their frenzied emotions.
The drawbacks of the Body of the Crimson Demon are grave. Once a spell fails, the caster, whose own blood serves as the curse, would inevitably suffer the backlash. Additionally, although the Red Demon Time can drastically enhance combat power, those caught within it can’t distinguish between friend and foe.
Tree Spirit also sighed, “Indeed, the drawbacks are severe. But coupled with her identity as a puppeteer, it can significantly enhance the combat power of her puppets during the Red Demon Time. If she can become a formal wizard, she will undoubtedly be one of the strongest forces in the Savage Grottoes in the future.”
“Besides these two from the mysterious side, there’s also an apprentice from the Elemental side with Ocean lineage.”
Rhine frowned, “Ocean lineage? He might not be that fortunate.”
Just as the zenith of gourmet wizards is the Candy House, the prophecy wizards are abound in the Crown Star Church, the ocean wizards naturally find their greatest congregation in the melodious hymn that is the Song of the Deep Sea.
The Savage Grottoes harbor only one ocean wizard, who, a century prior, had forsaken the Southern Region in search of his own path. Whether he now draws breath or not is still shrouded in mystery.
Consequently, upon learning of the ocean lineage, Rhine couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret.
Nevertheless, Tree Spirit countered: “Unfortunate? On the contrary, this little fellow is blessed with the finest luck among his contemporaries. Even without any formal training in ocean tricks, he has already tapped into the power of the ocean.”
Stirred by Tree Spirit’s declaration, Rhine, overtaken by curiosity, couldn’t help but seek further clarification.
“Speaking of which, I sought you out precisely because of this,” Tree Spirit confessed, “Do you recall the spectacle that recently shook the alchemical circles of the Southern Region?”
“Do you mean, the projection of Angel crafting a higher-rank work despite his rank?”
“Correct.” Tree Spirit nodded wistfully, “The higher-rank work that Angel crafted is known as… Rhythm of the Ocean.”
As Tree Spirit’s narration unfurled, Rhine found himself increasingly astonished.
An item that not only belonged to the ocean lineage but also ranked within the top three of all auxiliary high-rank alchemical works in the Southern Region! Such a thing was beyond terrifying!
It must be noted that Rhine, a third-level wizard who has set foot upon the path of true knowledge, did not possess any alchemical item that could compete within the top three!
And yet, a mere apprentice under the aegis of the Savage Grottoes had achieved this monumental feat by transcending his rank! How could he not be taken aback!
Once Tree Spirit had finished his tale, Rhine fell into an extended silence.
After a lengthy period of quiet contemplation, Rhine finally responded in a tone laced with a mixture of nostalgia and unmasked envy: “Sanders is truly fortunate…”
Rhine couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret; why hadn’t he considered taking an apprentice earlier?
Unlike Rhine and Wallace, Tree Spirit had no interest in taking on apprentices, so he wasn’t troubled by the same concerns. However, he did understand Rhine’s feelings. After all, such a mad stroke of luck was a rare anomaly, even considering the span of his long life.
Rhine had previously speculated that Angel must have received an unprecedented alchemical heritage.
Even though he had acquired the inheritance of alchemy, this lineage would merely instruct him on how to craft. The hands-on work relied heavily on the alchemist himself. Angel’s meteoric rise on the path of alchemy within such a short time was largely attributed to his inherent talent.
“Regardless of whose apprentice he is, one thing we must recognize is that he belongs to us, the Savage Grottoes. That’s all that matters.” Tree Spirit said.
Rhine nodded in agreement.
After contemplating for a moment, he said to Tree Spirit, “I originally planned to observe him for a while longer and wait until he officially became a wizard before incorporating him into our core circle. But it appears we can make that move a step earlier.”
Once Rhine made his decision, his expression returned to its usual calmness.
“The effects of the Rhythm of the Ocean are quite impressive. It’s a shame though, if it were a bloodline side or any other elemental branch, it would have been perfect. Why did it have to be the ocean branch?” Rhine lamented, shaking his head. Ocean branch wizards were the rarest of all elemental wizards in the Savage Grottoes. Even if he had to compromise his dignity, he would have tried to get it from Angel.
“What if we have Angel craft a high-rank item of another type?” Rhine suddenly suggested this idea.
Tree Spirit replied grumpily, “Having seen that clip, you should know that Angel likely was stimulated by something to create the Rhythm of the Ocean. So, transcending ranks to craft isn’t as simple as you think. Besides, the Rhythm of the Ocean is already considered a strategic tool of extreme rarity. Even a master alchemist might not be able to produce it.”
“In other words, Angel is unlikely to create a similar item in the short term?”
“That seems to be the case.”
Rhine sighed, shaking his head. It didn’t really matter. In the past, they didn’t even have a qualified alchemist in the Savage Grottoes, and Liana could only be considered as half of one.
Now that they had Angel, what more could they ask for?
They would gradually foster Angel’s growth. The world of alchemy was already set in stone; as long as Angel did not perish, he was destined to become a master alchemist.
Once Angel reached the pinnacle of alchemy, they could then think about acquiring excellent alchemical items. There was no rush.