Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

Chapter 349: Chapter 199 Symbolic_3

He then saw that these books had been meticulously organized and classified. They were broadly categorized into: ancient epics and primeval myths; various historical treatises and historiographical studies; research on Magic Power and mystery; research on Spells and Treasures; and research on geological environments and materials. All of these books pertained to the Extraordinary World and did not include the broader categories of mundane, universal texts. The last three categories were the main focus of Alka’s research.

Upon reaching the area where these three categories were stored, Alka noticed many of the books on the upper shelves emitting a faint golden light. It was as if they were highlighting themselves, urging him to prioritize examining them. These must have been specially marked by Lucilia. After all, she had conducted research with Alka before and likely knew what kind of knowledge he needed.

First, Alka selected a few research books related to mystery and Magic Power, took them to a nearby table, and began to read. The three books were, astoundingly, written in three different languages. Unbelievable!

Fortunately, Alka hadn’t been idle during his years in the Extraordinary World. The tedious hours at sea had prompted Alka to regularly engage in language and script studies with Lucilia. After all, if one truly wished to continue in this profession, extensive knowledge of languages and scripts was essential, as they would frequently encounter such materials. Otherwise, when searching for Treasures, one might not even be able to decipher the relevant information. How could one even speak of treasure hunting then? Perhaps the clues to a Treasure were hidden within such texts; to be unaware of them would be incredibly frustrating.

Besides Alka, Chadite and the others also regularly studied in Lucilia’s ”small classroom.”

If only I’d had this drive to learn in my past life... Ah, best not to dwell on it.

Composing himself, Alka began to read quietly.

It seemed Lucilia had made the entire Dream Realm exceptionally quiet to facilitate Alka’s reading. It was an open-air library under a starry sky, yet the interior was remarkably well-lit.

The first book Alka picked up concerned ancient sacrificial rites and the symbolism of materials used in constructing Spells. The application of symbolism was particularly widespread in sacrificial rites dedicated to the Divine. Peculiar materials possessed deeper symbolic correspondences to certain natural phenomena, natural laws, and even the Rules governed by the Divine.

Previously, this would undoubtedly have been dismissed as superstition; even Alka himself had paid little heed to such things before. He had been more concerned with the flow of Magic Power within materials and how to refine them to inscribe Spells to achieve his desired effects. He had never before considered the symbolism of materials—that every substance Alka used for refining and inscribing possessed an intrinsic meaning. Nothing was ever inherently useless; each item always bore symbolic significance.

For instance, the first blue flower plucked from a garden bathed in direct moonlight on the brightest summer night. It symbolized the bright moon and Perfection.

What the heck does that mean?

Alka was still baffled; it was far too abstract. However, committed to learning, he steeled himself and continued reading.

Further down, a more logical explanation was finally provided. This type of flower was not limited to a specific species; any flower that met the conditions could be termed Full Moon Blue Light. Its symbolic meaning represented actual effects related to the attributes of the moon and the night. Incorporating this material into any moon-related ritual could significantly enhance its success and efficacy. Adding it to other crafted materials or Spell inscriptions could potentially grant a strengthening effect at night or an intensification of moonlight. Naturally, this had to be accompanied by specific rituals.

After a cursory read of the book, Alka gained a general understanding. Symbolic materials, and items with symbolic meaning, were rather difficult to obtain, necessitating deliberate collection efforts. Furthermore, the effects achieved were often ambiguous; attaining the desired outcome required considerable experience. It was akin to an empirical science.

Nevertheless, it was quite fascinating. Alka found several symbolic associations related to hair within its pages. Hair plucked under different conditions, or activated and used in varying situations, symbolized different concepts.

Gradually, he became engrossed in learning.

...

Almost every night thereafter, Alka would delve into Lucilia’s Dream Bubbles, immersing himself in study within the library in the Dream Realm. During the day, he would shift his focus elsewhere, such as conducting more detailed observations and research on Two.

Alka made some rather interesting discoveries about Two. The reason Two had become different from the other Puppet Girls was not solely due to the symbolism of her hair; there were other contributing factors. Specifically, her hair was actually part of her flesh and blood; it had been counted as one of the puppet’s fleshly materials and was activated during the enlightenment by the Crimson Team Banner. Coupled with a substantial infusion of Magic Power that forcibly elevated her strength to the Two Spirals level, the strands of hair were further activated. The confluence of these various factors produced the effects observed in Two.

Such effects were not irreproducible; they were definitely replicable. Moreover, it wasn’t necessarily reliant on using hair; perhaps using blood or pieces of flesh could achieve similar results. Alka was pleased to have figured out why this situation occurred, as it provided him with more experience and ideas for his future creations.

His observations of Two also brought Alka increasing delight. Because Two’s emotional and spiritual awakening made her everyday actions and interactions more human-like, rather than those of a rigid puppet. The most significant change was that, due to her presence, Ling and One, under her influence, also began to exhibit noticeable fluidity and liveliness. They were no longer as rigid as before.

She was transmitting her positive aspects to the other Puppet Girls. Thanks to the Conduction effect of the Treasures among them, this transformation was incredibly swift, almost visibly so. The specific reasons were strongly related to the Treasures, but Alka had yet to thoroughly investigate the more detailed mechanisms.

Although these Puppet Girls had originated from his own hands, Alka found his understanding of them diminishing. Instead, he now had to rely on studying his own creations to acquire more interesting techniques and knowledge.