Chapter 243: That Person, Yet At The Lights’ Dimming (Two Chapters in One)
Western Continent, City of Knowledge, Tower of Absolute Darkness Headquarters.
Magic.
This term, somewhat unfamiliar to the Western Continent, had spread explosively among its human populations in recent years.
Humans were skilled with intellect, not strength. Compared to the divine ancient races like Ancient Dragons and Giants, humanity, an emerging race, lacked sharp fangs and claws, nor did they possess robust physiques, nor were they inherently attuned to nature and elements like Elves.
The Soul Pact and Beast Tamer system was a path explored by humans. By using their pure, unpolluted souls, which had not degenerated into madness from the aftermath of the Great Calamity, they forged contracts with extraordinary races for mutually beneficial cooperation.
However, Beast Tamers also had their limitations. The act of forming a contract with a familiar placed extremely high demands on physical fitness. If an untrained ordinary human were to contract with an Emperor Rank Adamantite Tortoise, even if the Soul Pact were successful, the human contractor would likely be unable to withstand the backlash, potentially exploding to death. Not all humans were adept at combat, capable of fighting alongside their familiars as Beast Tamers.
The emergence of Arcane, Magic, and Wizardry systems, however, filled this gap. As long as one possessed a heart that sought knowledge and the truth of all things, even if disabled and reliant on a wheelchair, they could still become a wizard. Manifesting the fantasies in one’s heart into reality. Furthermore, just as Shaya cultivated both, becoming a wizard itself did not conflict with other extraordinary systems…
For all these reasons, coupled with the promotion by the royal families of the Western Continent after that audience meeting, the influence of the Tower of Absolute Darkness rose like a comet across the Western Continent. Along with the name of the Tower of Absolute Darkness, its founder, the name “Shaya Egut,” was also spread to every corner of the Western Continent. Just as the Golden Elf had promised before the kings of the human nations, “Let your name be known throughout the world.”
…
Deep within the Tower of Absolute Darkness, in an unknown sub-dimension.
The sole entrance connecting this sub-dimension to the Prime Material Plane was located within the Grand Library of the Black Tower, which was also the most mysterious part of the entire Tower of Absolute Darkness. Concurrently, this unassuming sub-dimension was the residence of Heiser Zejin, the chief of the Black Tower’s Eight-Page Mages, the “Eternal Page.”
Metal stone pillars stood in rows. Between the pillars were myriad massive bookshelves. Amongst the rows of heavy books, arcane and ancient ripples emanated, carrying the charm of time’s passage. In the very center of the Grand Library, a book was unfurled mid-air.
Rustle, rustle.
Despite the absence of any external force, the book suspended in mid-air was slowly turning its pages. On the pure white pages, ancient Elven script with a historical aura was being written at a steady pace.
“The last of the Eight-Page seats—the ‘Future Four Pages’ have been successfully decided according to the preset competition rules. With this, the Black Tower’s original eight pages are complete.”
“Just like the Black Tower I saw in that city of dreamlike bubbles that existed for only one day.”
“There is movement in the Deep Astral Realm; it is suspected that those True Gods who have regained their divinity are gathering, perhaps intending to act against the Black Tower.”
Lines of script appeared thus, utilizing rune circuits connected to the Spirit World to gather, organize, and select specific matters for recording all intelligence and information occurring on the Western Continent.
And in the deepest part of the Grand Library, a Golden Elf maiden with light golden hair closed her eyes, appearing to be in a deep sleep or perhaps deep in meditation. Since returning to the Western Continent from the Astral Realm, she had been residing in this solitary Grand Library for several years. Or, more accurately, in the span of a single night, the Tower of Absolute Darkness and the City of Knowledge were established as if by divine miracle. And using the power of Word of Power, the Black Tower and all its affiliated sub-dimensions were governed by immutable Black Tower rules of self-maintenance. After establishing the Grand Library, accessible to anyone based on their rank, the Golden Elf had secluded herself in the deepest part of the Black Tower’s Grand Library, no longer interfering in the Black Tower’s affairs. She allowed the new wizards to study in the Grand Library, expand their schools of magic, and spread the names of Arcana and Magic to every corner of the Western Continent.
To this day, apart from those of extremely high status, who were privy to the truth behind the Astral broadcast and the establishment of this city and the Black Tower, many ordinary Black Tower wizard apprentices did not even know of the existence of this “Eternal Page,” who was not human but belonged to an alien race. To the other Black Tower high-ranking officials who knew the inside story, this was quite baffling. Possessing the power to create a city on barren land overnight, this mysterious Golden Elf could have, as the mistress of the Black Tower, the Creator of Magic and Wizards, the God of Arcana… lived in the admiration and worship of countless beings like other gods. Yet, Heiser had secluded herself in the solitary and dark Grand Library, keeping company with piles of plain books day after day.
However, what they did not know was that, for Heiser, such a scene was the entirety of her past life. On the Lost Island, in the Grand Library of that illusory Black Tower, in the pitch-black depths of the Astral Realm… she was already accustomed to such dark days. Not associating with others, not revealing herself to the sunlight, surrounded by mountains of ancient texts.
Many years ago, someone had briefly opened this window, shining bright sunlight into the shadow where the Golden Elf resided. It was the first time she, accustomed to darkness, had experienced the beauty of sunlight and developed a yearning for light. However, those few months, less than a year of memories, were merely a negligible flicker of light compared to the millennia the Golden Elf had experienced. After prosperity, there is ultimately loneliness. Still, it was not a big deal. It was simply closing the window again, returning to the tower without light, returning to the darkness. She was already accustomed to being alone, accustomed to loneliness. This darkness was the “peace” that Heiser Zejin had grown accustomed to.
The light golden ancient Elven script continued to write on the book, unhurriedly.
“A month ago, fluctuations of a divine war erupted in the Northern Territory of the Western Continent. Judging from the detected aftershocks, this battle has ended, and Crimson should return within the next few days.”
“Also.”
“Five days ago, the anomaly that appeared in the depths of the Endless Sea has been verified.”
“The Abyss, and the World Barrier of the Prime Material Plane—”
“Has once again… been opened.”
The ancient script paused slightly as it reached this point. The next moment, the myriad books that had been sealed on the bookshelves unfolded simultaneously. And in the deepest shadow of the Grand Library, the Golden Elf with her eyes closed slowly opened them. Her gaze fixed intently on the book before her.
“The Abyss… is it.”
A clear and cold whisper echoed through the vast Grand Library. She seemed to freeze there, lost in thought for a long time. On her fair and delicate face, the Golden Elf’s lips curved and moved occasionally, but overall, joy outweighed melancholy.
After an unknown period—
The Golden Elf’s right eye opened again. A mysterious light flowed within that crimson-gold beautiful eye, crystal clear and bright, like the bright moon. Then—
*Crack.*
A sound of something shattering echoed. Within the shattering spatial ripples, a crimson figure, like a stream of light, broke through the silent darkness of the library. It was a tiny Silver Spirit, holding a crimson longsword in its hand. Upon penetrating the spatial barrier formed by the Golden Elf’s Word of Power and entering the Black Tower’s Grand Library, the Silver Spirit transformed from its elemental form of a tiny silver swordsman into its Star Spirit Body form. It became a furry crimson ball, landing on the library’s desk.
“Crimson, you’re back.”
“How was your training trip this time?”
The Golden Elf looked at the ball-shaped Silver Spirit, a hint of a smile on her lips.
Meeow~
Mee~
The red ball let out a few meows, hopping a few times on the desk with some unwillingness. Back then, Crimson did not choose to fall into a deep sleep with Shaya like the other familiars, but instead chose to hone itself in the Western Continent during the late Divine Era, because Crimson sensed a crisis. It did not possess auxiliary abilities like the other familiars; no matter how the version changed, it would always be useful as support. As a purely combat familiar, if Crimson’s strength could not keep up with Shaya’s progress, it would become purely a “closet queen.” Although Shaya didn’t mind raising another pretty but useless companion, Crimson itself could not accept becoming a mere mascot at the bottom of the team, like a decorative item, from its former position as a main combatant. If it were willing to lie flat and slack off like Silver and Sparkle, it wouldn’t be Crimson, nor would it have been chosen by Shaya from among numerous young Silver Spirits in the Silver Valley back then. Therefore, even knowing that leaving Shaya’s side meant no longer having his Master to back it up. Even knowing that its strength, less than Legendary at the time, was insignificant in the First Era teeming with Mythical Creatures, and it could be killed by any passing mad demigod at any moment, Crimson resolutely chose to leave Shaya’s side.
Five hundred years of tempering, five hundred years of battles teetering on the edge of death. Now, Crimson was vastly different from its past self. It had already hunted a double-digit number of mad demigods. Not long ago, it grew dissatisfied with merely hunting insane demigods who had lost their sanity and set its sights on a weak True God. However, a True God was, after all, a True God, with an insurmountable chasm separating them from demigods. Not only did it fail to hunt successfully, but the aftermath of the divine battle also attracted the attention of other nearby True Gods. Crimson had to exert great effort to escape the pursuit of the gods and flee back to the Black Tower.
“You’ve already done well enough.”
“True gods are not easy beings to hunt; otherwise, they wouldn’t be worthy of being enemies to you and your Master.”
“One step at a time, take it one bite at a time; this is a principle I believe you, with the racial talent of a Silver Spirit, should understand better than I, having reached the point of hunting demigods.”
Heiser extended a fair finger and beckoned gently. The next moment, Crimson felt the space around it distort. Then, it found itself in the Golden Elf’s embrace, being held by Heiser.
“It’s strange, though.”
“You can rival demigods now, be described as a Mythical Creature, and can manifest any majestic form you wish.”
“But you and Silver still like to maintain such cute appearances…”
“Should I call it your Master’s peculiar taste?” Heiser stroked Crimson in her arms, playfully squishing the fiery red ball, and mused softly.
Held by the Golden Elf, the little Silver Spirit was startled and instinctively wanted to struggle. “Although you are indeed my Master’s teacher… and my Master seems to be quite interested in becoming a ‘Master-Disciple Reversal’, so perhaps we’ll be family in the future.”
“But I’ve already pledged my allegiance; I’ve recognized the Elder Sister and the Mistress as my familiars. A loyal subordinate, no, a loyal familiar does not serve two masters.”
“The Mistress I recognize is Silvia Brunnhildr, and I’ve invested all in the Silvia stock at Yui’s stock market. How can I easily betray my own faction now?”
“Silvia’s party stands tall under the heavens!”
Mee-mee-mee~
Crimson meowed a few times, about to utter grand pronouncements to the Golden Elf before it: “I am forever a subject of the Silvias, living or dead,” “My Lord is in the North, I must not face South to die,” “Only the killing of enemies, never the surrender to Heiser.”
But soon, Crimson realized… In this Historical Echo, its Master’s teacher seemed unaware that its Master was from the future. If this Golden Elf knew that its Master was actually from the future, and that she was her student, and that he hadn’t revealed himself simply to take advantage of the young Shī Jiang and enjoy being a teacher… then its Beast Tamer would probably suffer.
For a moment, the little Silver Spirit could only stop struggling and remain obediently in place. But the next moment, Crimson suddenly froze. It had also seen the ancient Elven script written on the book before them. Having spent over five hundred years in the First Era and dealt with many ancient Mythical Creatures from the previous epoch, Crimson could decipher these ancient languages.
“Mee-mee-mee~ (Master is back?)” The little Silver Spirit let out cheerful meows, and the red light circling its crimson ball-like body intensified. Crimson’s Star Spirit Body flickered, and it was about to leave the Black Tower’s Grand Library, using the Astral Realm as a medium to travel to the Endless Sea, to the original coordinates of the Lost Island.
However, Crimson soon discovered. No matter how it mobilized its power, it could not break free from the Golden Elf’s embrace. The spatial rules around the Grand Library seemed to be bound by an unbreakable, iron-like rule. Even Crimson, which could escape from the pursuit of True Gods, could not move even an inch now.
Hiss—
The little Silver Spirit gasped. “Should I say, worthy of being my Master’s teacher? The power of Fire and Silver is terrifying indeed.”
“Don’t be in a hurry, Crimson.”
“I know how eager you are to see your Master…”
“Actually, why wouldn’t I want to travel to the Endless Sea in the Astral Realm to see him immediately.” Heiser stroked the Crimson ball in her arms. The light in her crimson-gold beautiful eyes grew even brighter. Not just the little Silver Spirit. Over the past five hundred years, in terms of longing for the young man who brought a flicker of light into her life, the Golden Elf believed she was second to none.
“But now, the Black Tower is in the open, under the gaze of those True Gods.”
“Every move we make could be detected by those lurking deities in the Astral Realm… disrupting his plans and arrangements.”
“And—” A hint of coldness flashed in the Golden Elf’s beautiful eyes. “I cannot be certain whether the one returning from the Abyss is the him I miss day and night…”
“Or some detestable being who has occupied his physical body.”
This was a vigil that spanned five hundred years. Heiser had waited for this day for far too long. Therefore, the closer this day approached, the more Heiser had to force herself to remain calm, to respond with the most cautious thinking, rather than letting the joy of reunion overwhelm her reason, leading the perfect story to an undesired ending. Although her heart was absolutely convinced that in the Abyss, in the struggle within the depths of their souls, that young man would surely win, defeating the ancient remnant soul. However, on the other hand—Heiser had also prepared for the worst in her heart. If the one who ultimately possessed the young man’s body and emerged from the Abyss was truly that remnant soul that had survived for countless years. Then, she would have to personally kill the human young man’s body to avenge him. And from that broken body, she would seek the memories and soul fragments of that young man. Then, she would spend her lifetime trying to piece together these soul and memory fragments, seeking that one in ten-million chance, that tiny miracle that could reawaken his soul. This was something Heiser would not want to face. But she had to make such worst-case scenario contingency plans.
The long five hundred years of wandering in the Astral Realm had already stripped Heiser of the lingering youthful immaturity she once possessed. She had to become profound, become mature. Because Heiser could not afford to gamble, nor did she dare to.
“However, that is ultimately a very small probability.”
“Since he left such a cool farewell message back then.”
“Then, if he doesn’t maintain this coolness, wouldn’t it violate your aesthetic, Teacher Shaya?” The Golden Elf looked up and spoke softly.
“And if it really is you returning from the Abyss.”
“Given your restless nature,”
“You’ll likely create a grand spectacle on the Western Continent within a short period.”
“And announce your return with this grand spectacle… Teacher Shaya.” Her words paused slightly. The next moment, starlight flashed. Heiser’s thoughts stirred, and the eternal darkness surrounding the Grand Library slowly faded according to her will, revealing the dark night sky outside. And the meteor shower, falling from the sky like an incoming tide. Each star was brilliant, falling to the earth. And the phantom image of the black-haired, black-eyed young man stood in that dreamlike starlight, looking at the Golden Elf and Crimson with a smile. The east wind lets a thousand flowers bloom at night, and blows down stars like rain. While searching for him in the crowd a hundred times, suddenly turning back, that person was yet at the dimming lights.
