Chapter 72: His Strand of Hair
Shaye’s face contorted in horror.
“The Void? Are you insane?”
She knew the dangers of that place. Why was he suddenly interested in exploring it again? Was he still under the influence of the contamination? But there were no signs of corruption on him.
The Holy Light spell had suppressed it. This was his own decision.
Her outburst caught Anthea’s attention, but the ghost merely glanced at them with a curious expression before returning her gaze to the world outside, her interest quickly fading.
This city… it felt familiar, but she couldn’t remember anything. It frustrated her.
Shaye, realizing her outburst, took a deep breath, forcing her voice to remain calm. “You know how dangerous that place is, right?”
“I do,” Qin Chu said, his voice steady. “But I managed to escape last time, didn’t I?”
“The Holy Light spell, the Seed of Light and the Seed of Life… these things… they might be connected to the Void…”
He was… motivated…
Anthea’s story had shaken him.
After the time regression, he had meticulously planned everything, his actions calculated, his progress steady.
But Anthea, an unforeseen element, had disrupted his carefully crafted narrative. He couldn’t escape her domain.
He had thought he understood this world, but he had only scratched the surface. There were too many unknowns, too many potential threats. Who could guarantee that someone like Anthea wouldn’t appear again?
Would he be so lucky next time?
Intrigue and manipulation were useful tools, but ultimately, power was the only true guarantee of survival. Unrivaled strength could crush any conspiracy.
He was growing stronger, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to be stronger, faster!
He had three ways to increase his power:
First, Devourer.
But he was constantly surrounded by guards, his movements restricted.
Second, Ekaterina.
But he wanted her to fully succumb to the potion’s influence, her descent complete. He didn’t want to disrupt the process. And her power, though significant, wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his needs.
Third, the seven scrolls, the Void.
This was the most dangerous option, but he sensed that it also held the greatest potential.
If he could unravel its secrets…
“And besides,” he continued, “aren’t you two here to protect me? How long did it take for the… transformation… to begin after I touched the scroll last time?”
Shaye frowned. “About ten seconds…”
“Then I’ll need your help. Don’t wait ten seconds. Seven seconds. Wake me up after seven seconds.” He took a deep breath, then turned to Anthea. “Lady Anthea…”
Anthea, hearing her name, floated towards him, tilting her head curiously. “Yes?”
He explained his plan. She understood her role: to wake him up after seven seconds, using pain if necessary.
He didn’t rush into it. He spent two days preparing, honing his mental fortitude, ensuring his mind was at its peak.
He looked at Shaye and Anthea, their presence offering a sense of security.
Then, he opened his Storage Ring, reaching inside. This time, he chose a different scroll.
His mind was instantly engulfed in a chaotic vortex, his consciousness pulled into the endless darkness of the Void.
He was prepared this time. He saw it, a colossal cloud of dark red mist, larger than the Imperial Capital, its center a gaping maw, its edges a mass of writhing tentacles, their surfaces covered in pulsating tumors.
The tentacles, constantly shifting and probing, snatched asteroids and meteors from the Void.
From the maw, a stream of swirling energy, shaped like a chain, extended into the depths of the Void.
He didn’t linger on this monstrous entity. His target was the cage.
Time within the Void was distorted, fluid. He felt as if he had been traveling for eons, but in the real world, it was probably only a second.
He saw it again, the massive cage.
The swirling mist, the writhing shadows, the stench of blood, the faint whispers, the cries of anguish…
Fear, primal and overwhelming, surged through him. He knew the entity, the monstrous red cloud, would soon sense his presence. He lunged towards the cage.
The cage, sensing his approach, expanded, the chains binding it groaning under the strain.
Cracks appeared on the chains’ surfaces. The intricate web of metal parted slightly, a sliver of light piercing through the gap.
The mist churned violently as the light, though faint, cut through the darkness.
The shadowy figures, their limbs replaced by tentacles, screamed as the light touched them, their forms dissolving into dust.
The Void trembled, as if on the verge of collapse…
Shrieks, roars, maddening cries, echoed from every direction, a cacophony of sound that threatened to shatter his mind.
He felt his consciousness tremble, as if countless claws were tearing at it, trying to rip it apart.
The seven entities, represented by the seven scrolls, had sensed the disturbance.
They were angry. They were hungry.
Seven massive chains snapped taut, their movements swift and brutal.
The cage contracted, the sliver of light fading. And just as the darkness was about to consume it completely, a silver arc shot out from the last remnants of light.
Qin Chu instinctively reached out…
Crimson tendrils, like grasping claws, shot towards him.
And just as they were about to reach him, he felt a powerful pull, the scene before him shattering like a mirror.
He opened his eyes, his consciousness snapping back to reality.
Anthea was holding his left hand, her grip tight. Black flames, dancing around her hand, had seared his wrist, leaving a blackened, blistered wound.
Ignoring the pain, the involuntary spasms that wracked his body, he looked at his right hand. A silver strand, resembling Shaye’s hair, rested in his palm.
But it was longer, whiter.
This was what he had grabbed within the Void.
Before he could examine it, it came to life, rising from his hand, wrapping around his wrist, transforming into a silver bracelet, its metal searing his flesh.
The contamination, the corruption that had seeped into him from his encounter with the entities within the Void, vanished, suppressed without the need for Holy Light. The tremors, the pain… it all subsided.
He checked his status screen.
He had acquired a new spell: Holy Radiance.
And a new Ability:
Holy Healing: Special Ability. You possess incredible regenerative abilities. Any injury, no matter how severe, will heal, as long as you are still alive.
Special Abilities weren’t categorized by rank.
He looked at his left arm. The burn, inflicted by Anthea’s ghostly flames, had almost completely healed. New flesh was rapidly growing, covering the wound. A few seconds later, only a layer of dead skin remained. He rubbed it away, revealing healthy, unblemished skin beneath.
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
This venture into the Void, though risky, had yielded incredible rewards.
Holy Healing, a Special Ability… he wouldn’t have to worry about injuries, as long as he wasn’t instantly killed.
And Holy Radiance… he had to test it.
He chanted the short incantation: “Bloom, Holy Light!”
And then he became light.
White light, sharp and piercing, erupted from his body, transforming into blades of pure energy.
Darkness vanished, replaced by blinding radiance.
A scream, sharp and piercing, echoed through the room. Anthea.
He immediately dispelled the spell, his gaze finding Anthea, who was now huddled in a corner, her eyes wide with terror. A gaping hole, surrounded by blackened, smoldering flesh, marred her stomach.
Her form flickered, her spectral body unstable.
He understood. Holy Radiance, a spell of pure light, was incredibly effective against spirits, Demons, and other dark creatures. And judging by the damage to his surroundings, it wasn’t harmless to humans either. The walls were riddled with scorch marks, the furniture slashed and burned.
Shaye, perhaps due to her connection to him, was unharmed, but her expression was one of shock.
His magical power was still limited, but Shaye sensed that, with enough mana, this spell could rival a Super-tier spell, perhaps even surpass it.
“I’m sorry…” he apologized to Anthea.
He had acquired a new power, and instead of using it against his enemies, he had accidentally injured his… companion…
Anthea, her spectral form stabilizing, the wound on her stomach slowly closing, shook her head.
“It’s alright…”
“The Seed of Light…”
“It has sprouted.”
She spoke enigmatically, then floated towards him, her form dissolving into a shadow as she merged with his body. She needed to rest. The Seed of Life… it was comforting, but she didn’t know how to… absorb… its power.
His body was the safest place for her.
The Seed of Light had sprouted?
What did that even mean?
Was a tree going to grow inside him?
Please, no.
He pushed the unsettling thought aside. Besides Holy Healing and Holy Radiance, his mental power had increased significantly, his mana reserves growing.
The door suddenly burst open.
Angelica rushed in, her face filled with concern.
“Master, what happened?”
She had finished preparing dinner and was about to call him when she saw the bright light emanating from his room. She didn’t know what had transpired, but her worry had overwhelmed her.
She gasped, seeing the state of the room, the furniture damaged, the walls scarred.
Qin Chu, his expression calm, spoke smoothly.
“It’s nothing. I was just… testing a new spell…”
Angelica placed her hand on her chest, her fear subsiding. Her hands were so… round… no, so… white…
She stuck out her tongue playfully. “Master, dinner is ready. Would you like to eat now?”
“Of course.” He smiled, his usual charming facade firmly in place. “Angelica, after you’re finished cleaning up… could you come to my room?”
“Ah, yes…” she replied, then her eyes widened, realization dawning.
His room… at night…?
Ehhh? Ehhh? Ehhh?
Was he finally going to… to… make a move?
Her heart fluttered with anticipation.
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