Chapter 960 Biological Alchemy <TOC> Chapter 962 The Omen Image
Translator: SumTLMan
“At least my drinking habit helps me maintain my figure,” Sineva said smugly.
“What’s the point? It’s merely a skin sack for storing energy. I could change my shell whenever I want,” Bruen countered disdainfully.
Amid their tit for tat, Angel remained silent, allowing Sineva and Bruen’s bickering to dominate the conversation.
By the time they finally grew quiet, they had all eaten their fill and quenched their thirst.
“Come on, Angel. Let’s head back to the workshop. With my belly full, I feel energized. We can continue with our previous explanation,” Bruen declared, prepared to whisk Angel back to the workshop without further ado.
Sineva suddenly interjected, “Your experiment… Is it still ongoing?”
Bruen paused, his expression turning slightly awkward, “Yes… it’s still underway.”
A sardonic smile surfaced on Sineva’s face, “Well, you better keep it well-hidden. Those lunatics have been lurking near the Blue Eyerift Inland Sea. If they discover it, you’re in for a rough ride.”
After delivering her warning, Sineva took the lead, striding past Bruen towards the bar entrance.
As she brushed past Angel, she slowed her pace, casting an inquisitive glance at him, “I’ve heard that without you this time, the quick repair wouldn’t have been possible considering Bruen’s pace.”
“Lady Sineva, it was merely a mutually beneficial situation,” Angel responded respectfully.
“Flora once told me that you’re excessively humble. It appears she was right,” Sineva remarked with a faint smile, “I will remember your contribution. If you ever face difficulties, feel free to find me at the mountaintop.”
With those words, she turned away and vanished into the dark corridor outside the bar.
It was not until Sineva’s silhouette had completely disappeared that Bruen massaged his temples, “What a headache, even having a meal results in bumping into Sineva.”
“Nevermind her. Let’s carry on with our unfinished business,” he finally declared.
…
This was a grand hall situated in the heart of a starlit expanse.
The sparkling constellation served as a backdrop to the hall, and the endless holy light symbolized eternal and undying blessings.
This was the Crown Star Church, a sacred destination sought after by countless prophecy wizards. It also served as a nexus of important information in the Wizarding World across the Southern Region.
Perched upon the peaks of the Crown Star Church were over thirty consecutively arranged halls, each presided over by one of eighteen resident Observers. Towering at the zenith, forever bathed in the ceaseless radiance of countless stars, stood La Pluie’s Star Observing Hall.
At this moment, outside the Star Observing Hall, an aged, emaciated old woman was guiding a clear-eyed, handsome youth through the luminescent corridor of starlight towards the Star Observing Hall.
“Today, like all other days, observe more and talk less. Whatever you grasp depends on you,” the old woman’s voice, gruff with age, advised.
The youth nodded in understanding.
However, the old woman turned her head and saw that although the youth was responding to her, his gaze was fixated on an undefined horizon. His brow furrowed from time to time, betraying his troubled thoughts.
Her hazy gaze softened as she began to construct a spell that connected her mind to the River of Destiny within her mental space.
After a while, she disengaged her gaze from the River of Destiny.
Originally, she intended to decipher the youth’s thoughts, but what she saw was surprisingly blurry—a scenario that was extremely rare.
“What are you looking at?” the old woman asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
“Nothing, nothing at all,” the youth’s voice was distinctive, with a peculiar lilt at the end that lent even a stuttering response a hint of charm.
The old woman didn’t press him further, merely advised, “You are someone favoured by destiny, able to see beyond the boundaries of destiny. However, these visions are merely scenes. What you witness may simply be a meaningless fragment; there’s no need to dwell on it. Moreover, frequently peering into the future due to this divine favour may not necessarily be beneficial for you.”
The youth remained silent, mulling over the vision he’d seen earlier—the boundless darkness, a world rife with warfare and bloodshed, a demon chained by bloody shackles, and a robed youth laughing uproariously…
After a considerable pause, he said, “I understand.”
By then, they had arrived at the entrance of the Star Observing Hall. The old woman paused briefly before saying, “Let’s go. The day the stars converge is also the moment when streams of information intertwine. Observing the stars today might yield some enlightenment.”
They stepped into the Star Observing Hall, a space devoid of any adornments. Stepping inside felt akin to traversing the chaotic cosmos itself.
Immersed in the vast obsidian expanse, they trekked onward, guided by ephemeral sparks—symbols of obliteration and rebirth.
At long last, they arrived at a grand hall, shimmering with a resplendent scattering of stellar light.
At the heart of this celestial maelstrom, six silent Observers sat with their eyes closed. Behind these Observers, dozens of individuals had already quietly assumed their places.
Upon their arrival, they, too, chose a spot and sat in silence.
Today was the day of the Celestial Confluence, an event that took place every six months. At this time, the Crown Star Church would gather all Observers and the prophecy wizards studying here to jointly contemplate the mystery of stardust.
This day was known as Star Observing Day.
Many significant pieces of information were unearthed on this day. Not every apprentice here might be well-versed in star gazing, but they opted to be present in hopes of catching wind of some significant news during this remarkable day.
As time trickled by, and as the stars hung high, bathing the hall in radiant light, a figure seated near the vortex’s epicenter opened his eyes. He glanced at his companions and murmured, “We can begin.”
“It seems we only have six Observers this time,” someone whispered in hushed tones. While the Crown Star Church indeed housed eighteen resident Observers, this didn’t imply their constant presence.
It was rare to see all eighteen Observers congregate for Star Observing Day.
As the central Observer nodded, Star Observing Day was officially inaugurated, a ceremony that transpired with serene tranquility.
Upon the commencement of Star Observing Day, the entire grand hall was illuminated by the brilliant surge of starlight, which waxed and waned, creating a magnificent spectacle.
To the uninitiated, this scene might seem nothing more than an ethereal, eye-catching display. Yet, it was laden with mysteries, for it was the future starmap created by a Mysterious Object — the Mystery of Starlight.
Star gazing, as the name implies, involves examining this starmap derived from the Mystery of Starlight to perceive future vistas.
Every Observer, including the visiting prophecy wizards and the blessed prophecy apprentices, immerses their mental faculties within the star map. However, not everyone can discern the patterns—for instance, the apprentices present here are generally brought in by the practicing prophecy wizards. Their abilities are inadequate, thus hindering them from deciphering the genuine, beneficial information.
There are some prophecy wizards whose chosen schools bear no connection to Starlight, and their indifference to stargazing spells leaves them empty-handed.
The actual recipients of information are, in fact, a handful of Observers and a scant few others.
Hence, the Mysterious Object, known as the Mystery of Starlight, could be considered a strategic tool from a certain perspective. Yet no wizarding organization would covet it, given its obscurity and isolation. Apart from the denizens of the Crown Star Church, there are few who could utilize it.
The elderly lady initially observed the young man by her side, but an accidental glimpse of a fading starlight sparked a thought, plunging her into deep contemplation.
The young man beside her was nothing more than a novice apprentice, unversed in stargazing. In theory, he shouldn’t be able to discern anything.
However, he refrained from informing anyone, including his mentor. In truth, whenever he keenly observed the star map, static images correlating to what lay beneath the star map would spontaneously surface in his mind. Though these were mere static images, they represented future scenarios, condensed to the extreme by the collapse of variables.
However, his power was too insignificant. Amidst the twinkling of the star map, he could only visualize one image before succumbing to exhaustion.
Therefore, choosing the right moment to observe was of utmost importance.
Other prophecy wizards might engage in intricate calculations of astral coordinates amid the capricious starry vault, determining the optimal time to conduct their observations. But for him, this was unnecessary. His vision was frequently shrouded in mist; mist that varied in its thickness. The thinner layers, he could easily brush aside, revealing the clandestine scenes concealed behind.
However, the densest of mists were impenetrable. He was aware that profound and significant events were hidden within their depths, but without the means to dispel them, he was left in the dark.
The enigma of the star map, though, offered him the opportunity to dissipate these opaque veils.
The moments of densest fog within his sight were his prime opportunities for observation.
As time trickled by, the star map began to fluctuate violently all at once. Most of the prophecy wizards, engrossed in stargazing, were jolted out of their reverie. Only six Observers remained, eyebrows knitted in concentration, braving the turbulent star maps.
After another two minutes, the fluctuations in the star map began to slow. A sparkle alighted in the young man’s eyes as an infinite mist emerged in his line of sight. He knew the time had come.
He looked up, beginning to scrutinize the star map with all his might.
Utilizing the power of the star map, he pushed aside the heavy mist, revealing a shocking scene.
The sight which unfolded before him caused his pupils to dilate abruptly.
Yet just as he wished to continue observing, his chest heaved and a sweet taste filled his throat before he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
With the expulsion of blood, his sight was once again shrouded in fog. His energy had been utterly depleted, leaving him to slump listlessly onto the ground.
At this moment, the star map began to stabilize gradually and the Observers one by one began to revive.
Once all Observers had regained their senses, the star map vanished completely.
The last to awaken was none other than the master of the Star Observing Hall——La Pluie, who also happened to be the current de facto ruler of the Crown Star Church.
Upon awakening, La Pluie was about to ponder the images he had previously observed when an unnerving scent of blood subtly wafted into his nostrils.
His brow furrowed in confusion, turning his gaze, he spotted a young man, gasping for breath, traces of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, collapsed on the ground. A petite elderly woman was on his side, earnestly applying a healing spell to alleviate his suffering.
La Pluie observed the young man, a thought seeming to flicker across his mind.
At this moment, standing beside La Pluie, a stern middle-aged man was engrossed in a book. His eyebrows knit together, he turned to the elderly woman and asked with an air of concern, “Maya, what transpired here?”
The petite elderly woman, Maya, just cast her comforting spell and hearing the sound nearby, paused her actions momentarily. She explained, “Lord Shura, my disciple might have been overly impulsive, he forcefully attempted stargazing and has suffered a backlash.”
The individual addressed as Shura was indeed one of the Observers of the Crown Star Church, known colloquially as “The Falseless Reader.”
As for the elderly woman, she was Maya who had traveled from the far-off Savage Grottoes.
Shura’s brow furrowed, initially intending to reprimand. But considering Maya’s status and the will she represented, he refrained from voicing his displeasure. His voice cool, he warned, “If he continues to act recklessly and overestimates his abilities in the future, he should refrain from entering here.”
Shura’s words left Maya with a sense of discomfort. However, given they were in his domain, she chose to remain silent.
Unexpectedly, at this point, La Pluie suddenly chimed in, “A backlash, you say? I perceive the situation somewhat differently.”
Chapter 960 Biological Alchemy <TOC> Chapter 962 The Omen Image