A Sorcerer’s Journey

Chapter 456: The Maze of the Sea Serpent VIII

“This is Johann, can you really use your sorcery in the Spectral World?” Grandalph, the old sorceress who was startled, asked Grimm.

In this narrow space, there were only Grandalph, Grimm and Johann, three Anatomy Refinery Sorcerers.

Using Grimm’s senses, Johann seemed like a complete Wild Instinct Anatomy Refinery Sorcerer who gave people the feeling of a beast in danger which would flee anytime.

“Yeah, it’s mystical energy.”

Immediately after saying so, Grimm’s Sabbatic Goat Staff appeared with a flash in his hands.

What Grimm really cared about was that the Nightmare Shadow which was sealed in the Sabbatic Goat Staff seemed to be attracted by something strong in the Spectral World. Grimm had just confirmed that it was the material called the Spring of Serpentine.

The very thing which was attracting the Nightmare Shadow was that which was harmful to Grimm.

If it were not for the way the sorcerers grew up to overcome the Nightmare World, the Spectral World which was a parasite to the Sorcerer World would have been like the ancient bizarre world, turning the Sorcerer World into the world of sorcerers’ nightmare.

Now that he came to think of it, Spring of Serpentine was definitely not something good and it might even be something that polluted the mental strength!

“Mystical energy?”

Johann, an Anatomy Refinery Sorcerer with a face full of thick beard and a pair of wide-opened eyes, clearly did not understand this system of strength.

However, Grandalph nodded, as if she understood the mystical energy.

The old sorceress, using her magical power, manifested a stone chair under Grimm and Johann respectively, gesturing for them to have a seat.

“Haha, I have indeed studied and done some research on the mystical energy. Any form of mystical energy is an ability which is beyond comprehension. I can feel the miraculous energy sealed in your magical staff.”

Grimm sat on the stone chair steadily while receiving praise from the old sorceress.

“Great master, you flatter me.”

While speaking, Grimm’s attention was on the white ice cube held by the old sorceress. He could feel the uneasiness in the Sabbatic Goat Staff and he was very careful not to consume like the pupae.

“This is…?” asked Grimm.

The old sorceress passed the ice crystal to Grimm and said, “This is the most important resource in the maze of the sea serpent – Spring of Serpentine! Its function is to enable you to harness the power of Mount Serpentine. It’s the world’s most visible external force system, similar to the spiritual energy in many worlds.”

Grimm nodded and put away the Spring of Serpentine.

“So, great master, how does your sorcery work?”

Suddenly, Grandalph laughed and asked, “Did you think that I’m a Level-3 sorcerer?”

“Do you mean…” Beneath the mask of truth, Grimm was shocked, “You are a great Stigmata Sorcerer?”

Grandalph shook her head and explained in a regretful voice, “No, I failed to be promoted to a Stigmata Sorcerer and did not manage to build my very own sorcerer tower in the Sorcerer World. I did not manage to expand and strengthen the people under me. I’m not a Stigmata Sorcerer.”

Grimm looked into Grandalph’s eyes and saw great regrets!

In the Sorcerer World, when one got promoted to a Stigmata Sorcerer with an honor badge, one did not have to worry about the sorcerer tower because owning an honor badge represented the Will of the Sorcerer World and the status of the lord of the Sorcerer World.

Such powerful Stigmata Sorcerers were rare. The majority of those promoted to be Stigmata Sorcerers followed the steps in building the sorcerer tower.

On the other hand, some sorcerers achieved the ability comparable to the World Lords although their sorcerer tower had been destroyed or they had failed to groom and expand the human race.

This enhanced version of Level-3 sorcerer theory had three routes.

One route was to become a Stigmata Sorcerer under the Celestial Sorcerer’s control, turning into a Celestial follower with no more freedom and will to explore. This was similar to the owner of the Six Seat Sorcerer Tower that supported the Seven Rings Sorcerer Hood. This was the choice of most Stigmata Sorcerers who had lost their sorcerer towers.

The other route was to be ready to become a probationary Stigmata Sorcerer with one’s unique identity during the Demon-Hunting expedition and the power of the sorcerer tower within the Void Fortress.

After a long period of collecting resources, these kinds of sorcerers could possess the ability of a Stigmata Sorcerer which was on par with the Mana Pool through many methods within a specific amount of time.

The last route was one that no ancient sorcerers had ever succeeded in– the route of the theoretical sorcerer, also known as the route of the Wild Sorcerer. The route of the Wild Sorcerer actually meant that any Level-7 Celestial Sorcerer would not require the mana pool from the sorcerer tower but rather a higher-level law, according to the theory of the Elemental Sorcerer.

Hence, the route of the Wild Sorcerer was for an Elemental Sorcerer who had lost the mana pool to continue his journey like an Anatomy Refinery Sorcerer, until he was promoted to a Celestial, to be on par with other Celestial Sorcerers.

Grimm had known of the existence of the Wild Sorcerers but he had never imagined meeting one.

Sorcerers who had the courage to take the route of the Wild Sorcerer were rare compared to the number of Celestial Sorcerers in the Sorcerer World.

“I salute your courage, great master.” Grimm said while bowing.

Grandalph nodded and pointed to the sorcerers in the cavern, and said, while feeling relieved, “They are my mana pool. Although they can’t support all of my mental strength, they are sufficient to support half of it.”

Half of the mental strength equaled to two hundred points.

The spells cast with two hundred points were indescribably terrifying. However, this did not seem to explain why she could cast spells as there was no Balanced Law of the endless world here.

The funny thing was that Grimm did not get to the bottom of it although he understood this point.

It seemed that from the moment Grimm got hold of that coin, he had discovered something and started to probe further secretly.

“Great master, I heard that Mount Serpentine is the only hope to leave the maze of the sea serpent. If I were to leave this maze, what kind of effort should I put in? Being an official sorcerer, I would not be willing to become a sea serpent and spend my whole life being trapped here in this auto-narcosis Spectral World.”

Grimm’s words were very genuine.

“Yeah.” Grandalph nodded in response.

“Sorcerers who gather here are elites who are unwilling to spend their whole life here. This Spectral World is intriguing but there are precedents of those who have managed to leave. As long as we do not give up, there is still hope!”

Longingly, Grandalph spoke, “Our hope is the Spring of Serpentine.”

“Why?” Beneath the Mask of Truth, Grimm asked curiously.

“Because this mountain, Mount Serpentine, is the center of the maze of the sea serpent, the Eye of Destruction has always tried to enter this Spectral World but has yet to succeed. If only we can stir up sufficient force in the world, we can leave this world the moment the Eye of Destruction starts to shut, when the connection between the Spectral World and the real world is at its strongest.”

Grandalph affirmed and her words were full of hope for the future, as if the future was all sunshine and rainbows.

“So, how do we get the Spring of Serpentine?” Grimm asked.

Grandalph pointed towards a closed room in the deepest part of the cavern, “That is the mouth of Spring of Serpentine. As long as we offer a sea serpent’s pearl which has been awakened by the Eye of Destruction, we could exchange for one set of Spring of Serpentine in return. It’s that simple.”

“How many sets of Spring of Serpentine do I need to summon to obtain a sufficient amount of Serpentine power in order to leave this world?”

Going all out while clenching his teeth, Grimm asked.

“Probably fifty thousand or one hundred thousand or one million. The sea serpent’s pearls here are countless. The more we get, the more assured we are.”

As if worried that Grimm would feel despair, Grandalph cheered Grimm on, “Actually, when you are strong enough, besides hunting for the sea serpent’s pearls yourself, the simplest way is to seize Spring of Serpentine from the creatures on Mount Serpentine. This would be faster and I will personally be here to protect the mana pool. You don’t have to worry about safety.”

Johann, who was standing at the side, interrupted, “Those creatures have strong anatomy, really strong.”

“What do you mean? Great master, don’t you intend to leave this place?” asked Grimm.

Grandalph smiled genuinely, “Yes, in this Spectral World, I possess the mana pool of a Stigmata Sorcerer, biological specimens from across various worlds and a great deal of respect from the Eternal Dominator. Why should I leave? My only hope for a sorcerer to be able to leave this place is to have him bring my sorcerer inheritance back to the Sorcerer World so that I will not be totally forgotten by the Sorcerer World.”

“I see.” Grimm bobbed his head a little, his eyes sparkling, and suddenly took out the gold coin in his hand.

“Clink”, the gold coin dropped onto the floor, revealing its tail side.

“Great master, I will not let you down. I will bring your inheritance and leave the maze of the sea serpent.”

With a face full of confidence and respect, Grimm picked up the gold coin and pretended to ask thoughtlessly, “Just that… when we hunt for the sea serpent’s pearls in this world, what do we need to be wary of?”

Grandalph, the old sorceress, shook her head and laughed.

“Don’t be too sure that you will get my inheritance. Sorcerers who wish to leave this place are not limited to you alone! Let’s not mention Shyann, with your current ability, you are of no match to even Johann. One thing to note… is to never stray too far from Mount Serpentine before the arrival of the Eye of Destruction.”