Apotheosis

Geoffrey knew he wouldn't be able to go back at all. Still, he was frightened, so he couldn't help asking that question.

Elder Xue said nothing. He looked away, observing the gray things in the water.

Here, at the height of two hundred feet in the Levitation Tower, he had never thought there would be such things. He felt a strange calmness wash over him. He considered several possibilities, in line with the longstanding motto of the Bold Conjecture House: "Boldly make a hypothesis; carefully verify it." He had come up with that on his own.

"Geoffrey, does the aura of these things strike you as somewhat familiar?" asked Elder Xue.

"Familiar? No," Geoffrey admitted, shaking his head.

It was the first time he had seen such things.

Elder Xue thought for a while. After a few moments, he headed straight towards the water.

He plunged his head in with a splash.

As soon as his head was inside the clear water, one of the gray things swam quickly towards him. It spread out, forming the shape of sharp teeth, and started to bite him.

Elder Xue immediately withdrew his head before the thing could bite him.

Drops of water trickled down his face.

The gray thing couldn't leave the water. It lingered in the spot where Elder Xue's head had been and spread outwards, before slowly retreating.

Elder Xue repeated this action several more times, as though he was teasing the grey thing. As soon as it swam away, he poked his head back into the transparent water.

Each time, the grey thing rushed back, but not quickly enough to succeed in biting Elder Xue.

"Elder Xue, why are you doing that?" Geoffrey asked, wondering what game he was playing with the gray thing.

"I'm trying to sense its aura. It's a pity that it's in water, because the water is blocking most of its aura, making it difficult to sense. I wanted to get a clear confirmation of what I was thinking," Elder Xue answered.

"What did you learn? What kind of aura is it?" Geoffrey said. He himself had no idea.

Elder Xue smiled. "I already knew, and I just wanted to make sure," he said, tapping his temple lightly. "The wisp of consciousness that entered our minds before is very similar to this aura!"

Geoffrey was interested. "Really? If the aura of the things in the water is similar to the aura of that consciousness, then..."

"It's possible that these are the souls of the Fostering race," Elder Xue finished. As usu

hen six, nine...

Around a minute later, Elder Xue finally stopped trembling. He floated calmly in the transparent water. His gaze met Geoffrey's, and there was a deep, profound look in his eyes. He crooked his finger at him.

"You can really bear it!"

Geoffrey said excitedly, rushing forward. He started to enter the transparent water, but he stopped as soon as he approached the surface.

He had forgotten that he was different from Elder Xue.

Elder Xue was no ordinary human spirit, but among the strongest ones. Geoffrey was a human being from the chaos, and he was only a True God. The gap between them was too big.

Elder Xue could bear it, but Geoffrey might not be able to.

"Elder Xue, how about I wait for you here? You can save me after you get the Heavenly Ring Staff," Geoffrey said, smiling weakly at him.

Unexpectedly, Elder Xue swam from the transparent water. He stretched out a hand, grabbed Geoffrey by the neck, and dragged him into the transparent water.

The water splashed around them as Elder Xue submerged Geoffrey in the depths.

Another gray thing promptly swam towards Geoffrey.

Like a blooming gray flower, the thing wrapped petal-shaped arms around Geoffrey's head, and drilled into his mind.

Geoffrey trembled.

He felt an intense, swelling pain as the powerful soul force forced its way into his mind.

The soul power was very pure and untainted. Because it had no owner, Geoffrey absorbed it very smoothly and naturally.

As the soul assimilated fully into Geoffrey's mind, the pain grew, becoming unbearable. He felt like his head was about to crack open.