Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Chapter 1142: Stolen Thoughts

The manʼs words werenʼt surprising. If they werenʼt in crisis, they wouldnʼt be this desperate to meet him…

Vale studied them carefully. He had dismissed them earlier, unwilling to indulge unannounced visitors. But now, seeing their persistence, he felt the urgency.

”What kind of crisis forces the Oracle Hivemind to wait outside my Tower without moving?” Vale asked curiously.

”There is a disturbance within the Pallham Empire… As we speak, peopleʼs minds are being broken… thoughts are being stolen. We traced it to a source, but it is beyond our control.”

Valeʼs frown deepened.

ʼBroken minds… stolen thoughts…ʼ

It was vague, but he could somehow understand that it was quite a terrifying thing to happen.

Psychic Arts practitioners were not easily shaken. For them to admit helplessness meant the threat was extraordinary.

Vale then turned to his Immortal Tower and gestured for them to follow.

”If you are desperate enough to come here, then the problem must be vast. Tell me more about it inside...”

***

The group of psychics followed Vale into the Immortal Tower.

The moment they stepped past the gates, their expressions changed.

The difference was simply too huge to be ignored. The air or the atmosphere inside was refreshing… It was filled with an aura they had never encountered before. It pressed against their senses, not with hostility, but with overwhelming presence.

Several of them exchanged glances... They knew it wasnʼt Holy Energy, but it was giving them some boost with their Psychic Energy.

”This… what is this energy?” one muttered.

Someone with experience dealing with Immortals replied. ”It feels like Divinity… but purer. Iʼve never felt anything like it.”

Even the oldest Arcanist of the Oracle Hivemind paused, as he tried to comprehend the sensation. Psychic Arts practitioners were trained to read minds, emotions, and hidden thoughts, yet here, their senses faltered. The aura of the Immortal Tower was beyond their reach.

Vale noticed their unease but said nothing.

He simply led them deeper, until they reached the hall reserved for visitors. The chamber was vast, completely out of proportion compared to what they had seen outside.

It means that this Immortal Tower was like a huge pocket dimension.

Its walls donʼt have any visible Runes or Enchantment Arrays, but they knew that this place was impenetrable...

Soon, they found several seats circling around the chamber as this hall seemed to be reserved for visitors like them.

”Sit,” Vale instructed as he gestured to the seats around.

The psychics obeyed without hesitation.

As they settled, Valeʼs thoughts drifted to the Pallham Empire.

He remembered Chadʼs recent mission there. It was dealing with the remnants of the Order of Fatality, with the Beast Arts Faction.

The cult liked to summon Evil Entities from another realm. Months ago, they had even killed an Immortal‑Level Evil Entity, a battle that may not be a huge deal for Vale, but it shook the empire as soon as it was revealed that the Cult was capable of doing such a thing.

Vale couldnʼt help but link their concern since they had mentioned that it was also in the Pallham Empire...

ʼMaybe their problem is related to that cult. Is this another doing of an Evil Entity?ʼ

Vale guessed that the higher-ups of the Order of Fatality knew that they could no longer act openly.

Well, Vale himself had crushed their influence, forcing them into hiding. Furthermore, there was also Chad and his other Immortals.

Nonetheless, this old cult had a very deep foundation. So if they couldnʼt act openly, they probably resorted to cheap tricks...

ʼIs it mind corruption this time?ʼ Vale mused as he looked at the members of the Hivemind.

”You mentioned broken minds and stolen thoughts… Is it related to rogue Psychic Arts Practitioners? The cult?” Vale asked.

”Yes… The Order of Fatality had already weakened a lot thanks to Lord Chadʼs effort. They could no longer summon openly, so they attacked with this method of twisting minds instead of unleashing monsters.” The oldest of them answered.

Vale gently nodded after hearing this. He was right…

He studied the Oracle Hivemind again. If even Psychic Arts practitioners could not do anything about it, then the corruption was spreading fast.

”Tell me everything you know about this disturbance. Where it began. Who it affected. And what signs you traced to the source...”

The oldest Arcanist replied.

”It began in Pallhamʼs border towns. At first, only a few merchants complained of strange dreams… then soldiers started losing focus, forgetting orders, even turning on their comrades. We investigated, but the deeper we went, the more our own minds were attacked. Thoughts were stolen and even memories erased. We traced it to a branch of the Order of Fatality, but their defenses were beyond us.”

Valeʼs frown deepened.

***

The oldest Arcanist of the Oracle Hivemind continued to explain.

”It did not stop with soldiers forgetting orders. Entire households began to change. Husbands abandoned their wives, wives betrayed their families, and even priests lost their vows. At first, we thought it was simple corruption of the mind… but the pattern was too precise. The victims were not random. It felt as if they were chosen.”

Vale was curious... ”Chosen? By what criteria?”

The Arcanist hesitated, then answered. ”Desire. Every victim was targeted through their strongest longing. Dreams twisted into temptation, thoughts bent toward obsession. Once they succumbed, their memories were drained, leaving only emptiness. Those who resisted… their minds could shatter…”

With such a powerful way of messing someoneʼs mind, it was no wonder these Psychic Arts Practitioners were being so desperate…

Still, an idea came to Valeʼs mind…

ʼDesire… temptation… obsession…ʼ

He recalled the Seven Deadly Sins. Each sin was an entity that could manifest and corrupt mankind. His disciple just dealt with Envy, and now, it felt as if another Sin had arrived.

After some considerations, Vale couldnʼt help but guess its identity…

ʼLust, is it?ʼ

It seemed that the Order of Fatalityʼs background was a lot deeper than he had thought…