Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 1417: Section 1418: The Consequences of Failure

Who could the creator be? Frost looked around, scanning every face, but nobody seemed to fit the bill.

Could it be a witch from the Soul Sect? Frost eyed Isabella, whose expression definitely had a hint of evasion.

It wasn’t her.

Frost then turned his gaze to Sanders, another True Knowledge Wizard present that he was somewhat concerned about – his capabilities were quite formidable, and the sharpness in his eyes, along with that haughty demeanor, did bear a resemblance to those geniuses from the Origin World.

Sanders met Frost’s stare without evasion. After a few seconds of direct eye contact, Frost shook his head again; it wasn’t him either.

That left only Kimberly.

Indeed, only this woman exuded the scent of gears and machinery – she must be an alchemist specializing in mechanical alchemy.

Although Frost was somewhat surprised that a Mechanical Alchemist could have produced something as integrated as the Samsara Overture, he had no other options at this point.

Frost looked at Kimberly with a pleased expression: A True Knowledge Second Level Wizard, capable of reaching into the mysterious domain, which was quite remarkable.

However, how did she manage it? How could she still be alive, unharmed, after failing to create the Mysterious Object?

Just as Frost was about to inquire, Kimberly shook her head ahead of him: “You’ve misunderstood; although I am an alchemist, I haven’t been in the field for long and have not yet reached the mysterious domain.”

Kimberly’s denial left Frost completely baffled. If not her, then who could it be?

“Who exactly are you talking about, the creator?” Frost turned towards Isabella: “It can’t be you, can it?”

Isabella turned her head away and huffed coldly.

After a moment of silence, Angel quietly raised his hand: “It was me.”

Frost’s heartbeat skipped a beat, and he quickly turned his head: “You? How is that possible?”

Frost’s voice, usually calm and polite, now became somewhat sharp and elevated, revealing the extent of his surprise.

“Indeed, it was Angel. He made it back in the Black Castle, we saw it with our own eyes,” Isabella sighed softly, adding voluntarily.

Frost looked at Angel with shocked eyes, sizing him up again. Before, he had only paid attention to Angel’s physical body, not the alchemy artifacts he possessed.

Frost’s gaze twinkled with a strange light as he started collecting a large amount of information from Angel.

A hat, a rather common alchemy artifact, but with a purifying field attached – barely acceptable.

There was a necklace around his neck with an ordinary Glass Bead, something mundane that seemed like an item holding sentimental value.

Ordinary clothing, but the bracelet was a spatial artifact with an added effect of reducing presence – looking like a fine piece of alchemy work, even fitting for the Origin World without being outdated.

The weapon, needless to say, was the Samsara Overture.

Looking further, the shoes were another alchemy artifact, probably for enhancing speed and enabling flight — still quite exquisite.

The alchemy artifacts on him, upon closer inspection, were not few. Considering the wealth of an apprentice, this was already extremely rich. Moreover, he had the bracelet space, presumably hiding many more alchemy artifacts.

With so many alchemy artifacts, unless he was very wealthy, there was pretty much only one other explanation: Angel was an Alchemist.

Frost was more inclined to believe that Angel was an Alchemist because, apart from the hat, the alchemy work on him was basically a lineage of Enchantment Alchemy, including traces of a mana energy array on the Samsara Overture.

It seemed highly likely that he was the one who had crafted the Samsara Overture.

As Frost made this judgment, his eyes inadvertently caught something on Angel’s shoulder.

Huh, did I miss something?

Interesting, there was even a hidden cloak, and its effect was to shield one from divination techniques, the rarest kind?

And there was a familiar scent on it, too.

“You’ve been marked by the Thief of Time?” Frost frowned.

Angel nodded: “When I was creating a certain artifact…”

“When crafting the cloak, right?” Frost pointed at Angel’s shoulder.

Angel had not expected Frost’s eyes to be so sharp but admitted, “You’re right, this cloak is called the Blood Night Shelter. When I was refining it, I saw a man sitting on a clock in the Alchemy Omen-formed space of visions. He called himself Cassini.”

“Indeed, it’s him,” Frost sighed and said to Angel, “The Thief of Time is a very powerful high-level wizard. Although he can grant you some favors, he can also take away your choices. Once the right path is taken from you, you may forever wander outside the gates of truth. I earnestly advise you, if you encounter the Thief of Time in the future, you must make your choices carefully. Do not be beguiled by him, for a single mistake could cost you your entire future.”

Frost’s words were directed at Angel, but Sanders, who was on the other side, was also listening because he too had been marked by the Thief of Time.

The wizards of the Southern Domain generally welcomed the Thief of Time with joy; his arrival was not only unopposed but often even celebrated. But from the beginning, Sanders had felt a repulsion towards the Thief of Time and had spoken similar words to Angel. Now, hearing Frost—who seemed to be a powerful wizard—say the same, Sanders’s caution and resistance towards the Thief of Time were further affirmed.

After Frost finished speaking, he did not bring it up again, as the Thief of Time was extremely powerful. Mentioning him too much might attract his attention.

Although Frost felt a bit sentimental about Angel being marked by the Thief of Time, the Thief of Time never marked someone without potential. Angel’s being marked actually indicated that Angel had tremendous potential.

“Did you really refine the Samsara Overture?” Frost, despite already having an inclination in his mind, wanted to confirm the answer through Angel with the art of truth identification.

Angel nodded again: “Yes, I did.”

Indeed! What Angel said was true!

Frost was silent for a long while as he digested this information. After a pause, he finally asked, “Then why were you unharmed?”

Angel was somewhat puzzled by Frost’s question: “Why would there be anything wrong?”

Frost looked at Angel’s bewildered eyes and sighed internally: This guy had no idea what the significance of a Mysterious Object was, nor did he know the consequences of a failed Mysterious Object refinement. He actually went ahead and tried to refine it?!

No wonder Isabella had said before: even if this youngster had really managed to refine it successfully, he would not be able to preserve the Mysterious Object.

He was just a hot-headed youth!

But even if he was a hot-headed youth, he was also a very lucky one.

Frost explained to Angel somewhat helplessly: “Leaving aside naturally formed Mysterious Objects, if one seeks to refine a Mysterious Object, the domains and levels involved are completely different from those a general alchemist deals with. This involves many secrets and can even touch upon a certain truth.”

“But successfully refining a Mysterious Object is also extremely, extremely, extremely difficult.”

Frost repeated “extremely” three times to emphasize the challenge of refining a Mysterious Object.

“As to how to refine a Mysterious Object, how to approach the Mysterious Domain, I am not an alchemist, I cannot give you a specific answer… or perhaps, you know better than I do,” Frost paused before continuing, “But once you are determined to step into the process of refining a Mysterious Object, there’s no turning back. There are only two outcomes: success or failure.”

“Without considering the benefits, if the refinement succeeds, you will not suffer any harm. Of course, that can’t be said absolutely, sometimes one might also be counteracted by the Mysterious Object, but at the time of completion, you are indeed safe.”

“But if you fail in your refinement, you will suffer a disaster, possibly disappearing… even dying.” The alchemist that Frost followed had suffered such a fate, vanishing on the spot, his fate unknown, whether dead or alive. Perhaps he was forever lost within the Alchemy Omen, unaware of his situation.

“So, I’m curious, if you were the one who refined the Samsara Overture, why did nothing happen to you?” Frost simply explained the situation of failure without considering how Angel, as an apprentice, managed to touch upon the Mysterious Domain. He simply wanted to know how Angel survived.

Upon hearing Frost’s words, Angel also felt shocked; he hadn’t realised that the refinement of the Samsara Overture had been so dangerous.

But upon reflection, he realized that he indeed hadn’t suffered any disasters as Frost had described.

Why was that?

Seeing Angel’s confused expression, Frost already knew the answer: a lucky hot-headed youth, favored by luck, even unaware of where his fortune came from.

“How about this, if you don’t mind, could you tell me about your refinement process?”

The Alchemy Omen triggered by Angel when refining the Samsara Overture was extremely powerful, and almost everyone in the Black Castle had seen it; it was hardly a secret. After thinking it over, Angel nodded, “I could.”

He himself was also curious to know the reason.

Frost did not immediately respond to Angel but instead turned his head to look at Isabella and spoke in a calm and polite voice, “I may need to trouble Black Castle for a while longer. I wonder if that would be permissible. Of course, I will still abide by our previous agreement.”

Isabella hesitated slightly. From what Frost implied, he planned to stay at Black Castle temporarily?

At that moment, Frost continued, “I am a wizard who believes in fair trade. During my stay at Black Castle, should you be able to pay the price, I am willing to engage in any trade with you.”

Trade? Isabella had no particular reaction, but Sanders on the other side seemed to think of something, frowning and lowering his head in thought.

In the end, Isabella agreed; she didn’t dare to refuse, because she was still unable to see through Frost’s strength. Facing such a powerful wizard, all she could do was try not to offend him.

After Isabella agreed, Frost turned to Angel and said, “It seems that we can continue our conversation. How about I cast a Mana Hut so we can talk in my room? At that time, I’ll prepare delicacies from various worlds as hospitality.”