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Chapter 333: The Bi Ze Family
🕑 Added 2024-10-13 10:10:45 +0000 UTCAs Rhett confirmed his intentions, the swirling colors in the simulated space intensified, twisting and merging at a rapid pace. A new world quickly formed, though this time it was different from the primordial creation. Perhaps because the world had already taken shape and was functioning naturally, Rhett could sense the presence of many newly deceased individuals. The initial creation didn’t have this feeling, as it was filled with mysteriously abandoned living people, with no corpses.
As the simulated world solidified, Rhett, being the master of the house, could freely choose whom to inhabit. Given that the goal this time was to gather information on the Blood God Patriarch and identify his weaknesses, Rhett naturally sought out individuals of great strength. With Taylors by his side, he directed them toward two locations where the strongest auras were emanating.
In the next moment, the world was fully formed.
Rhett and his companions blinked as their surroundings came into focus. The air was filled with the fresh scent of flowers and grass, as the morning sun began to rise, awakening all living things. Dew droplets clung to the tips of the grass blades.
This time, Rhett quickly surveyed his surroundings. They were in a remote, wild area, and his body was battered and bruised, his robe tattered and torn. Yet, when he focused, he realized that this body still possessed the strength of a Saint Domain Magic Mentor. If he remembered correctly, the body he had chosen for Taylors had a similar level of power before they inhabited them.
He quickly looked over at Taylors’ body, which had yet to awaken. Rhett was surprised by this, so he quickly approached and examined Taylors. His clothes were equally ragged, with his arms spread out as he lay on the ground, and his twisted staff lay discarded nearby.
Fortunately, Taylors showed signs of life, full of vitality, which reassured Rhett. It seemed the house's mechanisms were reliable; the simulation would never place them in a truly fatal situation.
"Taylors, wake up!"
"Taylors?"
"Wake up…"
Feeling a gentle force rousing him, Taylors gradually awoke from the depths of confusion. He groggily opened his eyes to see a stranger… no, it was his father, kneeling by his side.
"Father?" Taylors blinked sleepily, looking around the unfamiliar surroundings, where no one else was in sight. Though the man's appearance was unfamiliar, Taylors was certain it was his father.
"It’s me. How are you feeling? You don’t look too well," Rhett asked, a hint of concern in his eyes as he studied Taylors’ face. "Tell me exactly how you’re feeling. Do you notice anything unusual?"
"Well… something does feel a bit off." Taylors pushed himself up from the damp grass, his hands wet from the dew, which he wiped on his tattered clothes. He scratched his head and said, "It feels like there’s a heavy weight pressing on my mind. I think the spiritual power in this body is overwhelming my consciousness. When I first inhabited it, I almost lost all awareness, but it’s starting to get better now."
Rhett frowned and placed a hand on Taylors' head, then raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Hmm? Your spiritual power is rapidly declining?"
"Is it?" Taylors tilted his head, thinking. "Now that you mention it, it does seem like the burden on my mind is easing. Yeah… I feel much clearer than I did a moment ago."
"Interesting…" Rhett mused as he sensed the Saint-level spiritual power within Taylors quickly depleting. His original plan to use this simulation to grant Taylors a powerful body and bring that strength back to reality seemed to be failing.
Rhett stroked his chin, deep in thought.
"Could it be that a mage’s spiritual power must be in perfect harmony with their consciousness? Perhaps the term ‘spiritual power’ is too vague to fully describe a mage’s source of power. There must be other, unknown elements involved…"
"Maybe when a mage naturally increases their spiritual power, other factors automatically adjust to match it. If someone weak suddenly gains immense spiritual power, they simply can’t handle it."
A flash of understanding crossed Rhett’s eyes. This experience had given him new insights into the true nature of mages.
In the few minutes that Rhett pondered, Taylors’ aura continued to weaken rapidly until it finally stabilized at the level of a third-tier mage. Only then did Taylors’ overall condition settle.
Although his strength had significantly diminished, Taylors was once again full of energy, his spirit renewed. He leaped to his feet with ease, brushed off his damp pants, and grinned. "Father, why are you still a Saint? I thought we’d have to start as ordinary people again!"
Seeing Taylors so lively and cheerful, Rhett finally relaxed, a smile appearing on his face. He reached out to ruffle Taylors’ hair and said:
"Because at the world’s beginning, there were only ordinary people, not a single powerful mage. But in this world, the number of strong individuals has only increased compared to our time."
"Really? How come?" Taylors asked, touching his lips in thought. "Shouldn’t there be more strong people over time? After all, a Saint can live for thousands of years…"
Rhett paused, carefully choosing his words, and then briefly explained his theories about the world’s essence and the global power dynamics to Taylors.
As he listened to his father reveal the world’s secrets, Taylors took a few minutes to digest the information. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape in disbelief. "So… Father, you’re the hero who’s going to save the world?"
"Haha, you could say that. But it’s more accurate to call me the hero who’s saving our home!" Rhett chuckled, patting Taylors on the head.
"Father, you’re amazing!" Taylors’ eyes sparkled with admiration, but then he sighed in regret. "It’s a shame I can’t join you in fighting evil… Why is it that when you crossed over, you became a Saint, but I couldn’t?"
"Maybe it’s because I’m already a Saint, and the power within my spirit allows me to bear greater spiritual power," Rhett explained easily. "I think of it as a foundation. The stronger your foundation, the more you can support. Taylors, believe in yourself and in the house. You’ll reach this level soon enough!"
"Hehe, your father is right. With the house’s help, you may not surpass him, but you’ll certainly reach the Saint Domain!" came an elderly yet gentle voice from above. A faint red glow descended from the sky, and Manu’s kindly face appeared before Rhett and Taylors.
"Manu, why are you always a few minutes late?" Rhett asked with a curious look at Manu.
Manu shrugged helplessly. "I’m not the master of the house, so I can’t sense your presence. I can only guess your general location based on where you were projected during the world’s creation."
He glanced at their ragged appearances, finding it quite amusing. "It looks like the two of you were mortal enemies in your past lives? Hmm, it seems you fought to a draw. And since you’re both Saints, your identities in this world must be extraordinary."
Taylors looked down at his sorry state and laughed awkwardly. "Haha, it seems so. Well, I’ll just declare that I was defeated by my father and immediately switch sides!"
Rhett chuckled and turned his gaze back to Manu. "Did you encounter anyone on your way here? You look pretty strange to the people of this world…"
"As I descended, I did see a few… what you might call magical beasts. But I didn’t see any humans. There’s no one within a few hundred kilometers," Manu replied. "As for my appearance, yes, it could be a problem. You’re more familiar with this extraordinary world—what do you suggest I do to stay hidden?"
"Hmm… let me think." Rhett frowned, deep in thought.
Just then, Taylors’ eyes lit up with an idea. "Grandpa Manu, don’t you love research? How about studying alchemy? That way, you wouldn’t need to show yourself."
Hearing this, Manu’s eyes brightened, his face showing curiosity. The idea sparked his innate desire for exploration, and he looked at Rhett hopefully, as if seeking approval.
"Hmm… that could work," Rhett said, stroking his chin. "But first, we need to figure out our identities. That’s crucial for our next steps."
"Manu, can you find a way to conceal yourself?" Rhett asked, examining Manu’s glowing form. "I mean… reduce your presence as much as possible."
"I can try to shield myself, but I doubt it will fool stronger beings," Manu replied. "As you mentioned, I’m only at the level of a third-tier mage, so my spiritual power is relatively weak…"
"I understand. Let me help you," Rhett interrupted, nodding as he began to spread his vast spiritual power outward. Manu felt the pressure like a tidal wave, his face changing slightly as he experienced firsthand the overwhelming strength of a Saint in this world, a power that could crush countless beings like him.
"Can’t you compress yourself? Make yourself smaller, and stay on my shoulder. If I continuously emit spiritual power and form a barrier around you, others won’t be able to detect anything unusual," Rhett suggested.
"Understood!" Manu agreed, finding the logic sound. He transformed from a glowing figure into a ball of light, which then compressed further into a tiny dot. It was just like when Rhett first entered the simulated space, back when everything around him was still void.
In this state, Rhett could sense that Manu’s spiritual power was incredibly pure and foreign, unlike anything he had ever felt from another mage. This piqued Rhett’s curiosity, making him want to study it more closely at some point.
But the immediate priority was preparing to confront the Blood God Patriarch, so Rhett got ready to leave with Taylors. Just as they started walking, a cool spring breeze blew past them. Rhett suddenly paused, glancing at Taylors. While Taylors’ clothing was also tattered, it mainly affected his legs and upper body, leaving his waist and lower areas mostly intact. However, Rhett’s own clothes were in much worse shape, with barely any fabric left. Going out in this state would certainly invite ridicule!
But as he inspected his body, Rhett noticed a silver ring on his left arm. Judging by the faint fluctuations and intricate patterns, it was clearly a spatial ring!
"What’s this?" Manu, perched on Rhett’s shoulder, noticed the silver ring as well and asked curiously.
"A spatial item, which contains a pocket dimension where inanimate objects can be stored," Rhett explained. He found that the ring was now ownerless, requiring him to rebind it before he could use it. Quickly following the necessary steps, he began to explore its contents.
Inside, he found several meditation techniques, magic books, breathing techniques, combat skills, and a variety of food items, including wine, bread, jerky, and spices. There were also a few metal badges and various alchemical potions in different colors and types.
"A spatial item? Is it an extra-dimensional space?" Manu asked with interest. "We’ve made some breakthroughs in this technology in our universe, but it requires immense energy to maintain and access, so it’s not used lightly. Does your spatial item have a cost to use?"
"There’s no cost to use it, but it’s extremely difficult to create, making it a rare treasure in this world," Rhett explained as he pulled out a few garments. Some of the clothes bore special emblems and designs on the chest, likely representing specific families or organizations. The designs were unfamiliar to Rhett, having never encountered them in his time.
"Here, put this on!" Rhett tossed a loose, deep blue cloak to Taylors and donned a similar one himself.
Next, he took out a few of the badges and examined them closely. His eyes scanned each one before settling on an emblem with a green hue, surrounded by dark green vines coiled into a loop, meeting at the top. At the bottom was a heart-shaped crystal, its facets sparkling in the light.
"This is… the Bi Ze family crest?" Rhett muttered, his eyes lifting slightly as he searched his memory.
If he remembered correctly, the Bi Ze family was a marquis family in the Reim Kingdom in the later years. While he hadn’t been particularly familiar with the details of the Reim Kingdom in the past, his rising power and status had given him a broader understanding of other nations’ power structures.
Based on the star patterns at the bottom of the crests, Rhett could tell each family’s rank. A single star represented a barony, and with each additional star, the noble rank increased by one level.
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