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Chapter 332: Returning a Thousand Years Back
🕑 Added 2024-10-13 10:10:38 +0000 UTCAt the execution grounds of the Cold Stream camp, Tuck's sword flickered with a hint of fire as he stood in front of the guillotine, eyes wide with determination. He slashed furiously at the six-tier Minotaur bound to the platform.
The sword was raised high and brought down with all his might, but no matter how much force he used, the Minotaur's rough skin remained nearly unscathed. Every time the sword touched the skin, it would slide off to the side.
"Tuck, if it's too difficult, let me take over. I have a fifth-tier Night Catman here, which should be just right for you," a kind-hearted Earth Knight suggested.
"Yes, this six-tier Minotaur is thick-skinned and tough, its defense is formidable. It's a bit too much for you right now. There's no need to keep struggling here!" another knight nearby chimed in, his tone equally supportive. The look in everyone's eyes was friendly.
The events on the battlefield a few days ago were now well known throughout the Cold Stream camp. Everyone was aware that this young third-tier knight before them was the kingdom's newly recognized prodigy, the son of a Saint Domain warrior. Everyone was trying to build a connection with him.
Once again, Tuck's sword struck the Minotaur's skin, only to glance off and hit the iron frame of the guillotine, clattering to the ground. The words of those around him seemed to have an effect; Tuck paused, breathing heavily, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes as he seriously considered whether to switch to a different prisoner for the execution…
"Hmph! What’s the matter, human insect? Didn’t eat enough today? Your sword swings have no strength at all. If I met weaklings like you on the battlefield, I’d skewer you with one strike of my horns! Hahaha!"
The Minotaur, despite being crippled and chained to the guillotine, continued to laugh maniacally, its voice full of arrogance. Knowing it was doomed, it vented its anger with all its might before dying.
Its laughter echoed across the execution grounds, making the fur on its body tremble. Those nearby frowned in anger, with some even stepping forward, swords in hand, shouting:
"You wretched Minotaur, I’ve always despised your kind. Do you not realize your situation? If you’re so arrogant, we’ll cut you into pieces and let you die slowly in agony!"
Among the crowd, some with sharper minds saw an opportunity, their eyes flashing as they joined the outcry with righteous indignation:
"Young Master Tuck, let me help you deal with this Minotaur. I’ll tear open its skin, then you can do with it as you wish!"
"That’s right, Young Master Tuck, I can help too!"
"…"
Amidst the chorus of voices offering assistance, Tuck ignored them all. His right hand gripped the sword tightly once more, and with a slight push of his left hand, he let out a fierce roar, muscles trembling with anger as he channeled his boundless killing intent toward the Minotaur, swinging his sword with all his might!
As the sword swung down, Tuck's focus reached an unprecedented level. The entire world seemed to vanish, leaving only the glow of his fire-infused battle energy. Within that glow, he sensed a mysterious pattern unfolding, as if it contained a more formidable power.
Instinctively, Tuck channeled his energy according to this pattern. In the next moment, the tip of his sword emitted an intensely bright light. As the light appeared, it radiated extreme heat, causing waves of scorching air to ripple through the execution grounds. The knights watching felt the heat against their faces, their expressions changing.
Then, they watched in disbelief as Tuck’s sword touched the Minotaur’s chest. This time, the blade didn’t slide off or bounce away. Instead, the tip of the sword melted through the Minotaur’s skin, piercing deep into its chest. With a sizzle, the blade skewered its heart and emerged cleanly from its back, without a single drop of blood on the sword!
"How… is this possible?" The Minotaur’s eyes widened in shock as the searing pain spread through its nerves and into its brain. It couldn’t believe that the human it had scorned had killed it so easily!
It tried to lift its hands, letting out a roar of unwillingness, struggling futilely against its chains as they clattered. But soon, weakness overtook it, rapidly turning into a lifeless collapse as its heavy body fell to the ground, completely devoid of life.
The knights around Tuck had only a shallow understanding of Profound Forces and couldn’t sense the presence of such energies. Though what they had just witnessed seemed unbelievable, they all gathered around to congratulate him.
"Young Master Tuck, as expected of Lord Rhett’s eldest son! Your talent is truly exceptional!"
"Haha, I knew it! How could a mere Minotaur stand against Young Master Tuck?"
"It’s a pity we couldn’t make that insolent Minotaur suffer a bit longer…"
"…"
As the Minotaur’s body hit the ground with a thud, surrounded by compliments, Tuck awkwardly scratched his head, laughing along with them without putting on any airs.
His gaze drifted upward, and by chance, he noticed a red bird flying in the sky, its fiery feathers shedding one by one as they were swept away by the wind. His mind involuntarily replayed the miraculous moment he had just experienced while wielding the sword and… the terrifying new power he had just grasped within himself.
"Could it be… that this is the Profound Force Father once told me about?"
Back in the simulated space.
The light screen showing the option to nourish the world had just disappeared before another screen immediately appeared in front of Rhett.
[The simulated world has ended. Please choose the family members to be nourished and the attributes to be nourished.]
[1. Physique]
[2. Battle Energy]
[3. Spiritual Power]
[4. Other]
This screen was somewhat similar to the one from the previous real simulation, with the three basic attributes still present. However, what was different this time was the addition of a fourth option—“Other”—which was accompanied by a faint image of the flowing fire.
Additionally, Rhett keenly noticed that this time there was no restriction on selecting only one attribute for nourishment. As long as there were enough destiny points, all new powers could be brought back!
Finally, Rhett fully appreciated the benefits of having the house's limitations lifted and merging with the world. Perhaps the previous real simulation was not perfect, with some flaws and rigidity. Now, by entering the simulated world, the house could finally unleash its full potential!
Taking one last look at the screen, Rhett pondered,
"I’m already a Saint Magic Mentor, so Spiritual Power is of no use to me. However, third-level Spiritual Power will definitely help Taylors, and Physique will be beneficial for both of us. As for the Scorching Profundity I grasped at the world’s beginning, I absolutely have to bring that back!"
With a flicker of excitement in his eyes, Rhett returned to reality alone, feeling the gentle energy being infused into his mind by the house’s core. His heart gradually calmed— the house was indeed reliable, and there was no conflict between the different attributes of the Profound Forces…
Soon, the gentle infusion ended, and Rhett began to carefully sense the surrounding elements and Profound Forces.
However, as soon as Rhett extended his spiritual power, he was stunned. The surrounding space, once filled with countless earth element particles, was now interspersed with countless fiery red particles. These particles were more lively, like enthusiastic little sprites, forming a sea of fire elements.
With a brief examination, Rhett realized that the quantity of fire elements was roughly equal to that of the earth elements. What’s more, the earth elements had not decreased in number; these fire elements had appeared out of nowhere! It was as if the total volume of elements had doubled!
At this moment, beyond his shock, Rhett recalled the analysis given by the King of Milan—that the power of elements and battle energy was merely an overflow of the world’s essence, an extension of its power. Originally, Rhett had been skeptical of this analysis, but now it seemed that even if this wasn’t the complete truth, it was very close. Reflecting on the earlier creation simulation, where the flowing fire contained dense Scorching Profundity that could nourish the world’s essence, it further confirmed this viewpoint.
With a look of realization in his eyes, Rhett exhaled deeply. It turns out… that once you master the Profound Forces, controlling the elements is no longer an issue. This seemingly simple concept had become an insurmountable barrier for everyone else.
After all, the people of this world could only ascend from a single element to comprehend the Profound Forces, making it impossible to access the powers of other elements. But with the house's help, Rhett had found a shortcut—mastering the fire Profound Forces from the source, thereby controlling the fire elements.
Rhett’s eyes narrowed slightly. In truth, if possible, he would want everyone in this world to be free from elemental restrictions from the moment they step into the extraordinary. But clearly, the world’s essence at this moment was far from reaching such a level.
He extended a finger, condensing the fire element. In an instant, a small flame appeared at his fingertip, dancing in the air. The intense heat it emitted seemed as though it could melt the entire room.
Rhett extinguished the flame and returned to the simulated space, confidently making the remaining choices. After everything was nourished into Taylors, he ended the simulation completely.
Taylors quickly woke up, breathing heavily, looking around the room, and finally setting his gaze on his father. Blinking, he asked, "Father, we’re back?"
"Where did we go?" Rhett gave Taylors a deep look and replied, "We’ve been in this room the whole time, haven’t we?"
"Ah… right, right! We didn’t go anywhere, didn’t go anywhere!" Taylors quickly corrected himself with a sheepish grin.
"Hurry up and get familiar with the new powers you’ve just gained. We’ll be taking another trip soon," Rhett reminded Taylors, not forgetting the pressing need to deal with the problem of the Blood God Patriarch.
Although searching for the Blood God Patriarch’s weaknesses didn’t require Taylors' involvement, bringing back the nourishing power from the simulation did require the family member to be present in the simulated space. Helplessly, he had to bring him along.
"Ah? Oh, oh!" Taylors was so overwhelmed by the day’s events that his mind felt stuffed with unfamiliar concepts, almost too much to process. Hearing his father’s instructions, he blinked in confusion before realizing what he needed to do.
With a flash of joy in his eyes, he quickly began to familiarize himself with the newfound power!
"Father, this Scorching Force is so terrifying. Do you think it can reach the state of perfection?"
A moment later, Taylors opened his eyes, his face filled with both delight and astonishment as he asked his father.
"I’m not sure how strong this Scorching Force is, but it’s definitely far from perfect. Perfection is always relative. Just like in the world of ants, their king is in a state of perfection! Have you forgotten that half of the flowing fire was supposed to dissipate? But now it has been entirely given to the world. Moreover, we only saw one instance of the flowing fire at the world’s beginning. We have no way of knowing what happened later. Who knows… maybe there are more such fires to be found?" Rhett explained clearly. "And whether the world’s essence has other means of growth, and how fast it can grow, are all questions that await our confirmation."
"Yes, that makes sense!" Taylors closed his eyes again, murmuring to himself, "I can feel it. The world is filled with a rich fire element. Compared to the dark element, the fire element flows with more intricate patterns. When triggered with spiritual power, it releases terrifying power. This must be the Scorching Force, right? This power is far from reaching its limit; there’s still endless unknown to explore."
"Hehe, maintaining a spirit of exploration is commendable, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. We will continue to simulate the world many times in the future. If you want to gain insight into the Profound Forces, just absorb them in the simulated world."
"Oh? You’re right!" Taylors’s eyes lit up with joy as he danced around, laughing, "Hehe, thanks, Father!"
Rhett chuckled lightly. "Taylors, are you ready? It’s time to set off again!"
"I’m ready!" Taylors’s bright response echoed through the room.
As the scene spun and shifted, the two once again found themselves back in the colorful, swirling space of the simulation.
Floating in the void, Manu waved to them, "Hello, Rhett. Which time point are we heading to next?"
Rhett didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Manu’s faintly red-tinted body, pondering as he asked, "Manu, does every change that happens to you during a simulation remain afterward? If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean that if you die in the simulation world, you won’t be able to come back?"
Manu paused, considering before shaking his head. "Before the last simulation, I wasn’t sure what would happen, but after that experience, I realized that as the simulation was about to end, there was a force attempting to revert me to my original state. However, that force was very weak, and I could easily resist it."
"Perhaps it’s because I didn’t participate in the creation of the simulation world, so the house has little control over me… as long as you don’t actively erase me, the house won’t be too strict with me."
"Moreover, when the simulation world was formed, there was a force trying to alter me, but because I’m not part of the unconscious world around us, I could resist it."
Rhett nodded thoughtfully, feeling the immense and limitless unfamiliar power in the colorful, swirling space. He said softly, "That’s good to know. Otherwise, I’d hesitate to involve you in every simulation. Since you’re not afraid of danger, let’s continue working together in the next simulation…"
"It would be an honor!" Manu replied humbly.
"Father, what year are we going to?" Taylors asked.
"The Blood God Patriarch once claimed that the Blood Elf had evolved for a thousand years, so he must have lived for at least that long. To be safe, let’s start from a thousand years ago!"
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