Chapter 396: The Entrustment of Sage Mountain
Qin Chu’s first thought upon reading this was: Impossible.
Zimmerman was saying that the blood rain from a thousand years ago had led to the emergence of Demon Beasts?
So, Demon Beasts were actually descendants of gods?
Qin Chu didn’t doubt that a god’s authority could drive a Witch mad, or that divine blood could create monstrous beings like Demon Beasts. What he doubted was the timing. Demon Beasts had only appeared recently, in the past few decades, hadn’t they? Summoned only when humanity was on the verge of collapse.
If they had appeared a thousand years ago, surely there would be records. Could humanity have survived their attacks for so long?
His mind filled with questions, he quickly turned the page, his eyes scanning the densely packed text:
“Don’t doubt it. The Demon Beasts were indeed born from the blood rain a thousand years ago.”
“Sage Mountain has clear records. Some creatures, both human and beast, exposed to the blood rain, began to mutate. But their numbers were small. They were quickly suppressed by the Churches and nations, and didn’t cause much chaos.”
“Most importantly, the blood rain wasn’t concentrated over the Heavenly Continent, but over the ocean, and the lands beyond…”
“We don’t know what lies beyond the ocean.”
“But if there are living beings there, they would have been the most affected.”
“People say the Demon Beasts come from the abyss, but I believe they might have come from beyond the sea, perhaps having found a way to bypass the barrier surrounding the Heavenly Continent.”
Qin Chu frowned, recalling the dark purple, wormhole-like anomaly he had seen while clearing a Demon Beast nest, offering a glimpse of another world: a fiery landscape, its air thick with pollution.
He had assumed it was the abyss.
“Perhaps you’re unaware, Hero, but the people of the Heavenly Continent cannot leave these lands. Even at sea, the furthest they can travel is three hundred kilometers. Beyond that lies a thick, impenetrable mist. Even the most skilled navigators lose their way.”
“They’re either swallowed by the waves or… returned to where they started.”
“Even Grand Mages can’t navigate it.”
“The Heavenly Continent is like a giant cage, protecting us while also imprisoning us. We have lost our freedom, but gained… survival.”
The Grand Mages of Sage Mountain weren’t just researchers of magic, but also observers, studying the world.
“For a thousand years, we have been searching for the truth of that ancient blood rain and the lands beyond the sea. It’s a difficult task.”
“Each generation’s progress is minimal, but we haven’t given up.”
“It’s an endless journey, a tiring one.”
“But we’ve learned some things. The blood rain is connected to the Void. A thousand years ago, some force from the Void invaded this world, creating… things… like the Blissful Witch Society and the Plague Cult. They brought unprecedented chaos and destruction.”
“But don’t attempt to pry into the Void. Over forty Grand Mages from Sage Mountain have tried, and they either died or went mad.”
“One of them, the most talented and powerful Grand Mage in Sage Mountain’s history, even broke through the limits of mortals. He seemed to have glimpsed the future, issuing a prophecy: the beings in the Void will bring eternal death to the Heavenly Continent.”
“Oh, and a thousand years ago, even some of your… countrymen from another world arrived in the Heavenly Continent.”
“I don’t know how many. They brought new languages, new technologies… but also new disasters. Most became followers of those… things, embodiments of chaos and destruction.”
Qin Chu thought of the stone slab Athena had brought back, its runes written in simplified Chinese. Perhaps it was the legacy of one of those countrymen.
“Their reason for appearing remains a mystery.”
“We suspect they were summoned by someone involved in that ancient war.”
“Some even left descendants, their offspring often possessing extraordinary talent and strength, surpassing even the natives of the Heavenly Continent.”
“But after a thousand years, their bloodline has likely been diluted beyond recognition.”
Qin Chu’s expression turned strange.
Extraordinary talent and strength?
His first thought was Athena.
According to Ireta, she possessed the most resilient soul she had ever encountered, and her magical talent was remarkable, even while suppressed by the seven statues.
Could she be a descendant of one of those countrymen?
He rubbed the page. It was unlikely. And as Zimmerman had said, after a thousand years, even if the bloodline still existed, it would be incredibly diluted.
“Six hundred years ago… ah, I apologize, my thoughts are a bit muddled. Forgive an old man,” the writing became disjointed, the handwriting erratic.
Qin Chu could see that Zimmerman’s mind had begun to unravel.
“Six hundred years ago, one of Sage Mountain’s elders, while traveling, encountered a giant heart…”
The one in the canyon. He instantly made the connection.
“He was awestruck by its size, terrified by the power it emanated. He observed it from a distance, not daring to approach, until one day, he saw a dark mass detach itself from the heart.”
“The massive chunk of flesh, as if guided by some will, writhed across the ground, moving away.”
“It eventually stopped in a forest, and a little girl was born…”
Now, he had no doubt about Shaye’s origins.
“The little girl, despite her age, terrified him. She seemed aware of his presence, but she clearly didn’t see him, a level 90 Grand Mage, as a threat.”
“To her, he was no different from a rabbit, less interesting even than a cicada on a tree.”
“After she left, he realized he was drenched in sweat. He secretly brought the fleshy mass back to Sage Mountain, and after studying it, he discovered immense power within it. Unlocking its secrets, perhaps even consuming it, could grant one unimaginable power.”
“Unfortunately, many from Sage Mountain died trying to study it. It was a tragedy.”
“But as you know, for a mage, the more dangerous and mysterious something is, the more we want to study it. It’s a terminal illness, incurable.”
“And for me, unlocking its secrets has become my life’s work.”
“I’ve devoted my life to it, even neglecting my own cultivation, until recently, when we finally had a breakthrough. We discovered that this fleshy mass… could open a door, a door to the Void.”
“While we don’t know what horrors lie within, it’s our lifelong dream.”
“We’re going to enter the Void, to seek the secrets hidden there for a thousand years…”
“Perhaps we’ll die there.”
“But for us old men, death isn’t so terrifying. The unknown is far more enticing.”
“Our only concern is… Natia.”
“My daughter… well, I’ve never been married. The twelve of us couldn’t even find a single wife between us. It’s a pathetic thought. Incidentally, if I were to choose a wife, I would choose Wadsworth’s Empress, Mavis. She’s truly beautiful, though I only saw her once, during his wedding.”
“Anyway, Natia is our only… family. We entrust her to you, Hero. You’ll take care of her, won’t you?”
“As for payment… how about Natia herself?”
“Now, we’re about to enter the Void. If we survive, if we find a way to contact you, we’ll share what we learn.”
“Finally, allow me to apologize again for summoning you to this world you so clearly dislike.”
“The door is open.”
Reading the last line, Qin Chu was stunned.
Was this… Sage Mountain’s final entrustment?
While he was annoyed by their deception, these old men were truly something else.
Knowing the Void’s dangers, they were still willing to enter it, a one-way trip, perhaps.
They were the true adventurers.
And Zimmerman, that old fox, he had seen through Qin Chu’s facade, his dislike for this world.
He closed the notebook, sighing deeply.
He looked at Natia, a flicker of sadness in his eyes.
Her face was pale, her expression anxious. She didn’t know what he had read, what had happened to her masters.
“Natia, your masters… they’re not dead,” he said.
She breathed a sigh of relief: “Then where are they?”
He frowned, looking up at the dark cave ceiling, as if he could see the stars beyond.
He reached out, as if trying to grasp something.
“The stars!”
A cold wind blew through the cave.
The black mist dissipated.
Even the massive fleshy mass stilled, then crumbled to dust, vanishing in the wind.
And in its place stood two identical Shayes, both now physical beings.
Even Qin Chu couldn’t tell them apart.
But then, one of them, after examining her new outfit, her black dress adorned with runes, squealed with delight, rushing towards him, her arms around his neck, her lips brushing his: “Qin Chu, my body’s restored!”
The other Shaye trembled
A blush creeping up her cheeks.
