Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2132: Chapter 2133: Soul Trick

”After all, we are just the undead, different from the living. The soul force we accumulate naturally carries death energy.”

”Without living organs to regulate it, and being in cold environments for many years, once the soul force is too abundant, it means that death energy also grows deep within our soul bodies. In such cases, death energy will gradually start to influence our subconscious.”

”The most obvious change is that controlling emotions becomes much more difficult than before. Although it’s not to the point of losing control of emotions, once you fall into a knot of heart, it’s easy to handle issues emotionally.”

When Frode said this, he smiled bitterly: ”A while back, a team of Talented Ones from the Firehill Academy, during an illusionary realm trial in the orphanage, took advantage of Adar’s kindness to turn things around and tease him. Adar’s character is inherently gentle, and death energy doesn’t affect him much, so Adar wasn’t too angry, but Shanni... her eyes turned red with anger, and she almost lost control of her emotions, nearly killing that group.”

”Fortunately, I discovered Shanni’s anomaly in time and stopped her. Plus, Shanni played the butcher in the illusionary realm, and the Guide from Firehill Academy didn’t realize the severity of the issue, thus avoiding future repercussions.”

”But it wasn’t over. During a conversation with Neya, I found my emotions becoming unusually excited. After careful research, I found it was due to the excessive soul force and the infection of death energy.”

”However, I was once a Transcendent and have relatively thorough research on the soul, so I can suppress the death energy to a certain extent. But Shanni and Adar can’t.”

”Therefore, after this incident, I let Shanni and Adar stay in the Wilderness of Dreams because here their consciousness is not affected by external death energy, and emotions can rise and fall normally. But they can’t stay in the Wilderness of Dreams forever, there will be a day when they have to go out.”

”And if I keep suppressing the death energy without a sewer, I will eventually be backfired, so I urgently need to solve this problem now.”

After listening to Frode’s words, Angel roughly understood his demand.

——Solve the problem of death energy.

Frode was a dream apprentice in life and had never practiced soul sect’s knowledge across borders, so now his only help channel is Angel.

Angel naturally would not refuse Frode’s request. Frode made a solemn oath to him, and as a proxy, he managed the Wilderness of Dreams well, just these two points, Angel would spare no effort to help.

However, he also had no research on the issue of soul death energy.

Angel pondered for a moment and whispered: ”To solve the problem of death energy, we still need the help of a professional... I’ll ask Nis the wizard, he is now in the Wilderness of Dreams.”

After a while, the figure of the gray-haired little old man appeared in the Mana Hut.

”You let me return to reality and then re-enter, just to bring me here?” Nis looked around doubtfully, then leaned on the windowsill and looked outside: ”Eh, even Lianna is here?”

Nis seemed to realize something, turned back in horror to look at Angel: ”I understand, this is the address of the new city. Did Lianna ask you to do this? Does she want to make me free labor?”

”No no no, I don’t want to, I want to go back.” As Nis said that, his figure began to fade and blur.

Angel hurriedly stopped him: ”Lianna didn’t ask me to call you, and besides, Lord Reine has already decided to issue tasks to let others build the new city.”

Only then did Nis’s figure gradually became solid from the illusionary state: ”Since it isn’t Lianna looking for me, then why did you ask me to come?”

Angel: ”There’s something I want to consult you about.”

”Consult me? Is it about the soul?” Seeing Angel nod, Nis walked over to the sofa and sat down: ”Alright, for the sake of the Log-in Device, I’ll help you for free this time.”

Angel didn’t waste words and directly told Frode’s matters.

Nis also knew the relationship between Frode and Angel as well as the Wilderness of Dreams, so he did not treat Frode as an outsider and said directly: ”Death energy is something that will inevitably appear on an undead. Once death energy is too abundant, it is easy to take abnormal actions. Although not as extreme as negative emotions, there is still a possibility of falling and becoming undead because of it. So, if you want to remain conscious, you indeed need to solve the problem of death energy as soon as possible.”

”Speaking of solutions, it is actually not that difficult.”

”According to Frode’s situation, I have three methods.” Nis extended his index finger and made a ”one” gesture: ”The first is the simplest method, just consume the soul force.”

”Because the emotional amplification caused by Frode and the Shanni and Adar he mentioned, is not due to the long-term death energy infection, but the fullness of soul force itself. So consuming the soul force can basically restore it.”

”However, this method also has drawbacks. Firstly, after consuming the soul force, the strength will decrease sharply, and you should know the consequence of not having strength. Secondly, consuming the soul force only fits your current situation. As the soul body accumulates more death energy over time, this will even have nothing to do with soul force, and at that time, even consuming soul force will still affect your consciousness.”

In short, the first method Nis mentioned, although the simplest, is a way to treat the symptoms but not the root cause.

Nis: ”The second method is to stay in a place without death energy. For example, setting up a magical energy array to exclude death energy, like the one in my Soul Valley. As long as the magical energy array is still running, those undead will not be stained by external death energy.”

Regarding this method, Angel inwardly shook his head. It still doesn’t treat the root cause. Although it temporarily solves the problem of death energy, it basically loses freedom.

Nis also understood his intentions from Angel’s expression, so he extended three fingers: ”The third method can fundamentally and completely solve Frode’s problem.”

Angel’s eyes lit up: ”What method?”

Nis didn’t keep him in suspense and slowly said: ”Death energy is a very special existence. It isn’t necessarily useless to oneself. It also has some very peculiar effects. As long as you can use it, it can even be transformed into a means of enhancing yourself.”

”Lord Nis, I wonder what this method is called.” Frode couldn’t help but ask at this moment. Although the first two methods were good, they were ultimately limited. If the problem could be completely solved, even turning it to his advantage, how could Frode not be tempted?

Nis: ”This method, we soul witches call it — Soul Trick.”

”Soul Trick is a comprehensive method combining soul force and death energy, gathering various abilities, such as Possession, Soul Blind, Death Gas Materialization, Soul Interference, Soul Corruption... and so on. Just like a Trick, it can handle many environments, but its effect and intensity far exceed a Trick.”

After listening to Nis introduce the Soul Trick, Lyon’s first response isn’t about the strength issue of the Soul Trick, but rather the effects Nis mentioned... Lyon is quite familiar with them.

Back then, Lyon encountered undead with similar illusion technique abilities in the forest outside the Black Castle. Some clueless undead attempted to possess him, and there were corpses that hadn’t decayed, suddenly spitting out massive amounts of hair... These capabilities are exactly possession, soul blind, and death gas materialization from the Soul Trick, aren’t they?

But aren’t these just undead methods?

Lyon expressed his doubts, and Nis smiled: ”You’re right, some of the methods within the Soul Trick are ones that any undead that exists long enough will use, because these abilities were learned from the undead.”

”The undead possesses ample death gas, and under the pressure of time, even without a teacher, the mere squandering of excess death gas will produce similar effects, with differing focuses.”

”And the Soul Trick was summarized by the predecessors of the Soul Sect from the undead’s usage of death gas. Therefore, compared to the undead’s abilities, it is more comprehensive and powerful.”

Lyon suddenly becomes enlightened, no wonder the undead abilities and Soul Trick are so similar, they fundamentally share the same origin.

However, this raises another doubt for Lyon: ”You mean this is a Soul Sect Wizard’s ability? Can Frode learn it?”

Nis: ”Although this is indeed a capability integrated by the predecessors of the Soul Sect, it’s not a spell technique, and doesn’t require a psychic model. So long as a soul possesses a certain amount of death gas, it can be learned.”

”So you know it too?”

Nis nodded matter-of-factly: ”Of course, as a Soul Sect Wizard, I inherently possess the ability to reserve death gas in the Land of the Soul. Thus, I naturally know the Soul Trick... However, I am still a living person, so truly using it is surely not as smooth as for the Undead.”

At this point, Lyon is inclined to let Frode learn the Soul Trick. However, currently, Nis has only mentioned the good aspects of the Soul Trick. If it were so easy to learn, he wouldn’t have placed it as the third method.

Lyon: ”Are there any limitations and dangers in learning the Soul Trick?”

Nis: ”For living people learning the Soul Trick, there are indeed dangers. But for the Undead, the dangers are minimal; at worst, it might result in falling into the undead state...”

”Learning this ability could lead to falling into the undead state?” Lyon freezes.

Nis nodded: ”Yes, because learning the Soul Trick requires spending a lot of time in a death gas environment, sensing it, integrating it, understanding it, and ultimately controlling it. During this process, a large influx of death gas into the body makes falling possible.”

”Is there a way to avoid falling?”

”There is, as long as a wizard is beside you to monitor. As soon as you can’t endure anymore, stop immediately to avoid falling to the greatest extent.” Nis felt emotional: ”Thinking back, when I was practicing the Soul Trick, my mentor was there to protect me.”

Nis emphasized a few points, then had Lyon send him back to Originheart City.

As he left, Nis said: ”If you decide to let him learn the Soul Trick, you can come to me or go to Cloudtop Library to find methods for practicing the Soul Trick. However, the books on the Soul Trick in Cloudtop Library are quite expensive; I suggest you come to me, I’m very cheap.”

Lyon smiled silently, Lord Reine has already provided him with unlimited resource tilt. Though this ”unlimited” isn’t truly without limits, it’s relative. Thus, using this opportunity to acquire some books from Cloudtop Library is surely doable.

After seeing off Nis, Lyon returned to the Mana Hut, looking at the silent Frode.

Frode’s eyebrows were furrowed, his expression somewhat hesitant.

”What’s troubling you? Are you torn between which method to choose?” Lyon: ”Isn’t it obvious? Certainly choose to learn the Soul Trick. Although it sounds challenging, even if you truly fall into the undead state, don’t forget I have Samsara Overture, I can pull you back again without issue.”

Frode hesitated for a moment: ”But, I recall that you’re currently settling down, choosing the Soul Trick now feels inappropriate... I personally tend towards using the first method, consuming Soul Force, and after you’re done settling, when you have time, then I’ll practice the Soul Trick.”

Lyon: ”What Nis said about consuming Soul Force isn’t just about consuming the current Soul Force, it’s akin to cutting off some of the upper limit for Soul Force tolerance. It’s a rarity for you to elevate the upper limit to saturation and then consume it, it’s very regrettable.”

Lyon paused: ”Besides, settling down anywhere is the same. My trip to your place isn’t far, directly opening a Plane Corridor will get me there. Right, I can also have Tullas practice the Soul Trick together then.”

Lyon’s tone was very firm, he was still preparing to go to Frode’s place to support their practice of Soul Trick.

This choice wasn’t decided hastily.

Initially he hadn’t planned on leaving the Barbarian Cave during this time. However, Frode’s matter was a cause, coupled with the news from Sanders that budding believers from the Outer Domain appeared near the Sky Mechanical City. Although they haven’t appeared near the Barbarian Cave, he plans to temporarily avoid it.

Additionally, not long ago he saw the Magic Painter Wizard’s name in the ”Culori Chronicles”, reminding him of the Tide World Map the Magic Painter Wizard drew.

If there are no surprises, Tidal World should be located within the Old Earth Continent.

This time heading to Frode, he can also conveniently make a trip back to the Old Earth Continent and explore Tidal World. According to the map, there should be many elemental lives inside, and right now he happens to need to find a compatible elemental life.

Hearing Lyon’s words, Frode no longer insists: ”Then... thank you, sir.”

Lyon: ”I’ll set out in a few days. Meanwhile, in these couple of days, go back to Originheart City to keep an eye on Lyon for me. If he comes in, tell him I’m planning to go to the Old Earth Continent for a while, and ask if he wants to come along.”

Frode nodded: ”Alright.”

After the instructions, Lyon took Frode back to Originheart City. Frode went to Sky Tower to handle affairs and keep an eye on Lyon, while Lyon prepared to seek Lord Reine.