Mystical Journey

The change of aura originated from his body’s new power. This was Garen’s biggest achievement. If it were before he surpassed his totem light, the blood-colored aura looked strong, but in fact, couldn't be directly used on totem users. Its capabilities were to be a supplement to corrosive poison to corrode the other party’s totem light, and it was a large, area of effect ability. And now, it had returned to its original purpose.

Other than the aura, the other thing was the Cthulhu’s Origin.

The Cthulhu’s Origin was a treasure that allowed the Obscuro Society's marshalls to reach peak fifth form. It's effects were definitely supernatural.

However, to use the Cthulhu's Origin, one has to remove the Cthulhu King’s will. To do this, one has to first use Hannet’s purification abilities to draw itn out, then destroy it with an external force. Only then could the Cthulhu’s Origin be used properly.

As he lay underneath the shade, Garen got more and more relaxed, as if he was about to enter a dream.

Time passed by slowly.

In the afternoon, Garen woke up from his deep slumber. After training the Black Water True Technique for a moment, he sat crossed-legged on the ground to set up his communication rings.

He had three communication rings. They were for Scylla, Black Swamp Palace and the Secret Service each.

He hadn’t been using the Secret Society ring much after the director and the rest moved away. Most likely, they have settled on the fringes of the world fissures, which was a remote area in between Kovitan and the Artic Circle.There was a majestic, giant castle in that area, which was a fortress to defend against monsters on the ground. Most of the people who left Kovitan had headed there. They tried to go underground from there to obtain protection from the Elder Council, and although some of them returned, most of them had already entered the mountain city and will never be back. The conditions of the kingdom did not allow them to return.

He took off the Secret Service’s ring and crushed it in his palm. Next, it was the ring given by Scylla.

He turned it lightly. A faint rustle came from the ring. After studying it for a while, Garen noticed that the principle usage of this ring was about the same as a radio. The only difference was that user could enjoy sole usage of an encrypted channel for communication. He patched into it, but there was no one on the other end to receive his company.

He closed this ring. After thinking for a moment, Garen activated the Black Swamp Palace’s ring.

This time, after a moment, a clap came from the other party. They had connected to each other.

"Is there anything?" It was Ivycius’ voice. His tone had a slight difference through the communication signal, but it was still as cold as usual.

"How are you recently? What’s your condition?" Since he was connected to Ivycius, Garen asked casually.

"Very good. Give me half a year more. I should be able to pass the fusion phase and enter fifth form." Ivycius answered faintly. "You are also in the fusion phase. Why did you run out anxiously?"

"Naturally, I have my own plans. How is the situation in the palace?" Garen continued asking.

"It’s alright. The only thing was that Blizzard and Angel of the Night fought the other day, destroying a small portion of the outer palace. Now it is still under repairs."

"Blizzard and Angel of the Night?" Garen’s head started to hurt. "Aren’t they together? Why did they fight?"

"For the laws you set. Elders have the authority to choose one disciple to be his own in the palace. Both of them set eyes on a newly recruited brat. Once they couldn’t decide who would get him, they started to fight." Ivycius also sounded helpless.

"Oh? A young brat? His talent is so high that two peak fourth forms would fight for him?" Garen was surprised.

"He is a child from a peasant background, not more than fifteen years of age. But in his foundational training of the Black Water True Technique, he only used three days to breakthrough level one, entering into level two." Ivycius answered faintly.

"Oh? That’s impressive!" Garem was instantly interested. As the one who created the Black Water True Technique, naturally he was the one who best understood the difficulty of this martial art. Even with terrifying talent, it was not probable for someone to be able to enter level two in such a short time. There must be a huge secret regarding this child.

When he did his recruitment, he didn’t care about background, but only ability. In the name of non-discrimination, he had his eyes on the genius peasant children. These children did not lack talent. All they lack was a string that they could hold on to climb upwards.

"What is special about him?"

Ivycius paused for a moment. "I can’t place it specifically. However, this kid has terrifying attributes. He has a steady will and strong spirit!"

"Strong spirit!?" Garen’s interest grew. For someone as proud and critical as White Rose Sword Sage, Ivycius to praise his spirit, he must have been abnormally special.

"Tell me. What did he do that made you feel that his spirit is strong?"

There was a pause on the other side. He didn’t answer immediately. After a while, he slowly opened his mouth.

"On the first day he entered the palace, he more than doubled the training of his fellow geniuses."

"Oh?" The corner of Garen’s mouth curved. This genius training camp was where the selected geniuses trained. It was also the place with the most challengers and pursuers for the positions of core disciples and Four Directions Sky Warriors.

"On the second day, he broke through level one. The speed of increment of his attributes were twice that of his peers. Only three others could be compared to him. Moreover." A hint of laughter escaped from Ivycius’ voice. "Moreover, he would meditate in front of your statue every day."

"Meditate?" Garen grew more and more interested. He knew that as the first Lord of Black Swamp Palace, there was a statue of him.

"Out of curiosity, I asked him as I passed by. I asked why did he come here to meditate. Guess his answer?" There was a hint of admiration in Ivycius’ voice as well.

"What did he say?"

"He said. The Lord of Black Swamp Place who gave grace to peasants was the first one to reinvent the world. And he himself, would be the second one who will control the world! He admires you, but it is mere admiration."

"Madness!" Garen couldn’t help but started laughing.

Mere admiration and not reverence. That meant he would one day surpass the other party. By meditating in front of Garen’s statue, it meant two things. One one hand, it meant respect. On the other hand, it meant that Garen was his target.

"What is the situation now? How long has he been in the palace?" Garen asked again. If he didn’t have to purify the Cthulhu’s Origin, he would have rushed back to meet this mad little brat.

"He has been in the palace for half a month. He is currently entering level three of the Black Water True Technique."

Hissss.. Garen sucked in some cold air. Before he left, he already passed on the first four levels of the martial arts to Ivycius.The first four levels were the key parts for a normal human to experience breakthrough.

Even his three most-favored disciples were only on level two currently.

Although this young brat had just entered the palace for half a month, he could actually reach the level three! He must be extremely compatible with the Black Water True Technique to have such frightening progress?

Garen suddenly realized that maybe, he had underestimated the people of the world. Among the peasants there were many terrifying geniuses. The only thing was they never had an opportunity to show it. Now with this rare opportunity, this power that was suppressed by nobles with totems for many years broke through all obstacles and surpassed all limits.

Garen put his hands on his knees. Suddenly he had a feeling. By creating the Black Swamp Palace, he was rewriting a new chapter in history.

Ivycius’ voice continued on.

"After you left, the palace functioned according to your orders. We continued to recruit students from all over the region; three batches of twenty four students each. The elders discussed and decided to segment the students into nine grades, based on the Nine-Headed Hydra. The levels are from one head to nine heads, with nine heads being the strongest. The Black Water True Technique can develop one’s potential. The young brat, being the first one to enter level three has started to have signs of developing totem power. So both elders fought because of him."

According to the agreement, elders were also qualified to acquire disciples. However, they were mere teachers of the path of the totem, not martial arts. The young brat was already highly sought after before he had even completed developing totem power. It was evident that he had outstanding talent.

Although Garen was almost at the peak of the continent, he felt the change of an era was coming when he heard of this news.

Mankind was failing, totem users were suffering heavy losses, but yet geniuses are everywhere. Is this a return to glory or the beginning of hell? No one knew the answer to this question.

"I’ll return as soon as I can." Garen gave his last reminders. He closed the ring and spiraled into deep thought.

Generation after generation, every era wouldn’t be lacking of outstanding people. Who knows whether this young brat would be the next Hellgate. He could be shockingly brilliant, eventually reigning the earth.

"For the Black Water True Technique that should at least take years, he actually entered level three in half a month. This talent….Even I wasn’t that fast when I was training in the Giant Statue Technique."

He thought of all the overlords in the world gathering together, using this world as their stage.

Unconsciously, a sense of pride gushed forward from his chest.

As he slowly stood up, the passion that was slowly depleting over the years started to burn again. The Black Water True Technique surged through his heart as it was operating faster and faster.

The hint of fear towards the Cthulhu King completely disappeared in that instance.

"The heart does not bow under power. Out of all the things in the world, only the heart can restrict a person. As long as the heart is not restricted…" Garen seemed to have an epiphany.

That student’s actions gave him a huge shock. He didn’t stop because of his current weakness. Instead, he made the highest point he could see as his target. That was his huge ambition. As long as he kept up his spirit, in addition to his talent, he would definitely be an outstanding person in the future.

Since the martial art world reached the level of king of the century, there seemed to be some changes.

Garen closed his eyes, carefully experiencing the minute feelings. It was as if everything had passed in a flash and he couldn't grasp it.

In fact, by going through time and space to another world, and experiencing growth from a weakling again by walking step by step and seeing so many different parts of history, he had already long reached the brink of breakthrough.

In a trance, he seemed to be able to see something in the distance. Hawk King Goth was strangled to death by a black net. Flower King Earnest was bound by red string, while Dragon King Alyson was frozen in an ice prison.

And also himself.

He bowed his head and looked at his body. There was a black volcanic ash-like substance on his body. It was doubt, fear, failure, distress...

Unconsciously, Garen’s mind got clearer and clearer. His worries and fear for Hellgate all these while, disappeared in a flash.

The black ash over his body gradually fell off, quickly revealing a set of clean clothes beneath.

Suddenly, he laughed towards the sky.

"Never thought it would be a young brat who gives me the warning."

At that moment, the level of the King of the Century faintly increased towards an unknown extent.