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nChapter 253: Chasing Crossroads

nIn comparison to the Void Fortress that was once preparing for an all-out war and undergoing a contracted defensive position, the Void Fortress of today is more desolate and cold.

nThe Void Fortress has already left the ‘Lava Sanctuary’, moving steadily towards the ‘Enigmatic Sanctuary’ with unstoppable momentum. The Enigmatic Sanctuary, Stormwind City of the past was no longer existent in the Pyrodust World.

nAlong the way, huge waves of Demon-Hunter Sorcerers instructed Lava Giants and fire creatures to sweep the area ahead of the Void Fortress.

nWhoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…

nGrimm alongside a dozen other Demon-Hunter Sorcerers that were assigned the mission, ‘Exterminate Amonro Lairs’ flew back to the square of the Void Fortress. They walked towards the Mission Hall of the Magic Tower to give a report of their mission.

nGrimm received a reward of three Sorcerer Essences while the rest got two each.

nTurning around, Grimm gazed at Millie as she swiped through some Demon-Hunting missions on a screen. He said in a low voice, “I don’t have any plans to continue doing demon-hunting missions anymore.”

nHearing this shocked Millie. She turned around and asked Grimm with a questioning look, “Why? We’re so close to the end already. This is the best time to earn Sorcerer Essences. Not only is the risk low, the chance of success is high and so are the rewards. Once you get back to the Sorcerer World, you will know just how precious these Sorcerer Essences are.”

nShaking his head, Grimm replied, “The urge to earn Sorcerer Essence is unending. On the other hand, I am very interested in some mystical lands in this world. The hundred and more Sorcerer Essences that I have accumulated in this Demon-Hunting Expedition is enough for me to cover two hundred years worth of research and experimenting.

nThe total Sorcerer Essences Grimm had earned, taking into account the rewards he would receive from this demon-hunting expedition was between a hundred and twenty to thirty pieces.

nIf the Rank 3 Honor Badge and the hundred years’ work as an Arcane Sorcerer granted by the Great Tomb Segja at the Tomb Segja Sorcery Academy were taken into account, it would mean an additional hundred Sorcerer Essences, bringing the grand total to over three hundred pieces.

nGrimm could easily get additional Sorcerer Essences if he were to do some trading on the harvests of this expedition.

nFor Grimm, a rookie Demon-Hunter Sorcerer, the returns were frightening compared to some average Demon-Hunter Sorcerer.

nMillie shook her head while smiling. “Perhaps you don’t fully understand the importance of Sorcerer Essences. As long as you have Sorcerer Essences with you, no matter where you are in the Sorcerer World, you are in an optimum position for trade. Its value far surpasses that of Magic Stones, let alone the worthless Sorcerer Coin.”

n“Millie, the pursuit of knowledge is the sorcerer’s eternal truth. If you think about it, even if you were to desperately earn Sorcerer Essences, transferring between worlds through the Holy Tower is going to cost you a hefty sum of Sorcerer Essences. In contrast, it’s going to be much better to save up Sorcerer Essences now.”

nGrimm had just finished another lecture.

nMillie stared blankly at Grimm and opened her mouth as if to say something in rebuttal. After a moment, it seems she had taken in Grimm’s explanation and understood the rationale behind it. Shaking her head, she said, “Maybe you’re right, but my situation is not the same as yours.”

nHer facial expression dampened as strands of her silver hair fluttered in the air.

nIt was because Millie knew, that perhaps the gap between a regular Demon-Hunter Sorcerer and an elite Demon-Hunter Sorcerer was reflected by the scene before her. However, she could do nothing to change it.

nBecause, to earn Sorcerer Essences was the method with the most benefit before Millie’s eyes.

nIn comparison to Grimm, who had no corresponding aims, the gap was further widened.

nDuring her time as a sorcerer’s apprentice, she was once spoken of as the legendary sorcerer-apprentice, ‘Ice Age Millie’ by the batch of apprentices at the top six Sorcerer Academy at District 12. Now in the sea of Demon-Hunter Sorcerers, Millie could not help but feel her own insignificance, fearing to look at her own future.

nGrimm turned around and left without another word after he looked at Millie for one last time.

nMyna, who stood on Grimm’s shoulder waved a wing Millie as it said, “Ice girl, after returning to the Demon-Hunter Castle, I’ll come over to play, caw caw…”

nIts voice gradually grew softer as they moved further away.

nWhoosh!

nThe phantom of a figure streaked across the sky in a flash.

nFlying alone, he looked at the endless shadow cloud layer. Turning over to look at Myna, Grimm asked, “Among that group of Twin-headed Lava Snakes, you really felt that there was a creature or strange object that could emit Mystical Energy?

nMyna affirmed, “There’s no doubt about it, I am a hundred percent sure that within that migrating group of Twin-headed Lava Snakes, there is either an abnormal one, or a very special object.”

nRadiating Mystical Energy was something akin to Little Myna’s existence. There was an aspect that was incomprehensible, even said to break the limits of the Endless World’s laws.

nThere was nothing good or bad about it.

nThe ability to emit Mystical Energy wasn’t particularly special. Some were close to mysterious curses, and even more were useless, trivial abilities.

nAs for the group of Twin-headed Lava Snakes, they were simply a group of creatures moving out of the Lava Sanctuary because the environment had become gradually friendlier to the fire creatures.

nEven if there were indeed some Twin-headed Lava Snakes that developed intelligence, it would not pose a significant threat for Grimm.

nFive days later.

nHmm?

nGrimm stopped midair, observing the changing landscape from afar.

nAn unending rain had plagued the land during the Shadow Calamity and the accumulated rainwater had formed into massive lakes dotting this world’s landscape. Even now, five years after the Shadow Calamity had ended, these lakes were not becoming smaller by evaporation. On the contrary, these lakes have been merging into what seemed like a great ocean!

nConsequently, a water cycle has been formed.

nEven when this world was under the name of the Shadow Enigmatic World, the Crimson Sun World remained as the mainstream of this world, albeit under the rule of the Shadow Enigmatic laws. Now that this world was under the name of the Pyrodust World, would the geology experience an overhaul once again?

nIf we look at it this way, this world’s strange laws offered the Shadow Enigmatic creatures a chance for survival.

nIn contrast, to the mainstream lava creatures of the world today, the Enigmatic Sanctuary had become the new Perishing Lands. The Lava Giants and the Flame Energy were not able to penetrate into these lands, and consequently it had become the cursed lands in the eyes of the Lava Giants.

nAs for this world’s previous protector, the Enigmatic Prophet King, most likely ended up like the king of the Lava Giants from before. It could only barely maintain the strength of a Level 4 lifeform in the Enigmatic Perishing Lands.

n‘What a shame…’

nShaking his head, Grimm flashed a cold smile as he continued flying towards the faraway destination.

nWhat a shame that in this world’s strange laws, the Enigmatic creatures were supposed to have a chance of survival should they wake up from dormancy. However, this chance was going to be snatched away by the Demon-Hunter Sorcerers.

nThe Principal Void Fortress would be permanently placed in this world’s Shadow Perishing Lands. There’s a possibility that in this world’s future, a group of sorcerers would come to rule this land using the leverage the Enigmatic Laws provide.

nOne reason for this was that this world’s current rulers, the Lava Giants found it extremely difficult to extend their power into this land that had the highest concentration of Enigmatic Energy in this world.

nAt this stage, this reason was a deterrent for the Lava Giants and hence, the value of the Sorcerer Coin could be preserved.

nThird reason was that if another Great Cataclysm were to come one day in the future, the sorcerers could make use of the Shadow Enigmatic creatures under their rule and fully conquer this world with ease.

nIn other words, the sorcerers’ wisdom cannot be grasped by these native creatures.

nIf not for the unintentionally talkative Myna, the low-level sorcerer that was Grimm would not fully understand the true mystery unfolding before him.

nTo ordinary sorcerers,waiting a few thousand years, up to tens of thousands of years for another Great Cataclysm was something so far away it was unthinkable. But for the Great Stigmata Sorcerers or even the immortal Great Necromancer, such lengths of time was worth the wait.

nSuch a scene was similar to the moment during his apprenticeship when his fragrance formula, the Love Vial was taken away by the Purple Tulip family.

nTo high-level lifeforms, low-level lifeforms were always stupid. The only option these low-level lifeforms had was to continue on this stupidity until they one day, grow out of this stupidity into a high-level lifeform. And upon doing so, it could reminisce upon its previous stupidity.

nOr… It could develop forward-looking intelligence, and invest in some unsightly ability when it was still a low-level lifeform.

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