Chapter 51
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The old man’s eyes brimmed with humility and caution, as if he was afraid Linda would turn him down. But for a man in Zenith Magnitude Phase, he shouldn’t be acting so meekly.
Linda thought, “That’s just not right.
‘For something that’s just a memory, mindless and only following a set routine, it shouldn’t be showing any emotion at all.
‘Should I just take it?
‘Or should I turn him down?‘
Linda looked into his eyes. Seeing old man’s gaze lose its light, she reached out and accepted the memory orb. “Alright.”
old man’s eyes lit up instantly. “Did you really take it?”
“That’s right, I accepted it,” Linda replied.
‘Guess I’m just doing my good deed for the day,‘ she thought.
“Just drip some blood on it, and it’ll recognize you as its owner,” the old manreminded her.
“I’ve
got other things to do. I’ll take care of it later,” Linda replied.
The old man quickly added, “This memory orb doesn’t just hold alchemy knowledge. It also has a map of this Hermit’s Sanctum and memories of the entire Veil.
“You won’t know everything until you absorb it.”
Linda paused, considering for a moment.
Emmett mulled it over and said, “Sounds legit. The Dream Weaver was the owner of this whole Veil. There’s stuff he knows way better than me, since I’m just a parasite spirit.”
Linda nodded. “Alright.”
She barely thought it over before acting.
She pricked her finger and let her blood drip onto the orb.
The memories flooded in all at once.
A torrent of memories crashed into her mind. Linda dropped to one knee, her face turning pale.
Only now did she realize this orb held not just alchemy secrets, but the insights of a Zenith Magnitude Phase powerhouse.
However, she couldn’t handle such emense pressure.
At the critical moment, the Trial of Conscience flared with light. A streak of icy sword mana pierced her forehead, snapping her mind back to clarity.
Linda shot the old man a frosty glare, grabbing the Trial of Conscience in her left hand while casting a charm in her right.
She stepped onto the table and lunged after him, her voice cold as ice. “Were you trying to set me up?”
The old man blurted out, “No!”
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The Trial of Conscience was already crackling with energy. Linda had the old man’s memory wisp in her grasp, ready to crush it at any moment.
Linda radiated deadly intent.
The old man shouted, “You are simply too weak. It’s normal that you can’t handle such a massive influx of insights. Just give it a moment, and you’ll be fine.”
Linda’s voice was icy. “Bullshit. If it was just alchemy memories. I could handle them easily. But you mixed in your own personal motives.”
She said while gripping the Trial of Conscience tightly in her left hand, “You tried to pass down memories tainted with your emotions, trying to corrupt my soul.”
The old man’s whole form flickered weakly as he tried to strike a deal with Linda, all nervous and careful.
“Kid. I can hand over the most valuable treasures and all the inheritances of this Hermit’s Sanctum. Just let me hold onto this one tiny bit of selfishness,” he pleaded.
Linda let out a cold laugh. “You think I’m gonna fall for that twice?”
old man said, a mix of emotions in his voice, “Those emotions in the memories won’t mess with you, I swear.
“With your temperament, you’ll end up receiving all the memories sooner or later. It’s just a matter of time.”
Linda shot him a sideways glance, not denying it, but her attitude was ice–cold. “Whether I can or not is up to me. But you have crossed the line by hiding things and trying to trick me.”
Linda fished a memory orb out of her Amethyst Band.
Her right hand sketched out a spell in a flash.
She moved so fast that even Emmett couldn’t follow her movements.
But the old man caught on.
He blurted out, “Soul–Binding charm!”
Linda said in a calm voice, “Get in!”
She shoved the old man’s spirit straight into the orb, locking it away.
From inside, his voice echoed, “Kid, where’d you learn that trick? I’m practically your teacher, you know.”
Linda shot back, “Too bad. I’m a rebel at heart. I like nothing more than taking out my teachers. Keep running your mouth, and I’ll end you for good.”
The old man went silent.
Even though he knew Linda was just joking around, he could tell she was clearly in a bad mood.
Linda tried to calm herself down. The old man hadn’t meant any harm, but the emotional turmoil inside the memory orb was so strong that it even messed with her state of mind.
Memories would weigh heavily on the soul, especially since these came from a monster who had lived for thousands of
years.
His whole life was a nonstop battle. There was never a moment’s peace.
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Chapter 51
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Even with just a sliver of those memories, it’d take Linda forever to sort through them. She quietly recited a calming spell and threw a of more calming charms on herself.
Next time I get the chance, I really need to snag some Calming Fills, Linda thought.
Linda suppressed her killing intent and quickly glanced at the box. When she opened it, there was a Tier 5 Wood–Fire Spirit inside.
The gentle flames weren’t scorching. Instead, they carried a soothing warmth that seemed to nourish her soul.
That instantly lifted Linda’s mood.
She put the Tier 5 Wood–Fire Spirit away, stashing it together with the Tier 2 one she already had.
The old man quickly called out, “Hey, now that you’ve taken my stuff, don’t forget about my legacy.”
Linda pretended not to hear him. After stashing her loot, she scanned the stone chamber and spotted a few Focusing Stones by the entrance. She took those too.
Emmett was speechless.
The old man muttered, “You really don’t miss a thing, do you?”
“These are Focusing Stones for the Star Maze Enchantment. They are good stuff. Why wouldn’t I take them?” Linda replied.
Once she’d grabbed all the Focusing Stones, Linda made a beeline for the third path.
The old man saw how quick she was and figured he didn’t need to say a word.
That third path had the greatest treasure of the Hermit’s Sanctum.
It was the very core of this Veil.
Linda kept moving without pause, but she knew that no matter how fast she went, time was ticking away.
Sooner or later, Matthew would break free from the Mana–Binding Threads. All she could do now was make things a little harder for him.
She rushed down the third path. After a dozen steps or so, she buried the Focusing Stones for the Star Maze Enchantment along the way. Then she gave the corridor one last lingering look
Without looking back, she stepped inside.
“Did it ever cross your mind that if he’s already gotten past, this maze could end up blocking you instead?” Emmett asked.
“Not a chance. With Matthew’s skills, he’s got another fifteen minutes before he breaks free,” Linda replied.
After pausing for a beat, she added coolly, “Even if he gets out early, this Enchantment won’t trap me.”
Emmett and the old man couldn’t help but be impressed by Linda’s unwavering confidence.
But Emmett, still perched on her shoulder, couldn’t help but ask, “How are you so sure of yourself?”
Linda glanced at the memory orb hanging from her waist, her lips curling into a half–smile. “That’s all thanks to the memories the Dream Weaver handed down to me.”
The old man brightened up, looking like he was about to start bragging.
Linda stared straight ahead. “If any of those memories turn out to be wrong, I won’t hesitate to obliterate your soul for
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Chapter 51
good.”
The old man fell silent.
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Emmett stayed quiet on Linda’s shoulder, watching as she raced to the end of the corridor. But as soon as she took another step, the path ahead suddenly rumbled.
Emmett shot Linda a look.
Linda glanced over at the old man.
The old man’s eyes went wide. “Look, I’m just a memory fragment. I don’t have the power to pull off any wild moves.”
It wasn’t just a short storm.
The tempest that suddenly tore down the corridor wasn’t over after a single rush.
This was only the prelude. It was a warning sign of what was to come.
Almost instantly, the old man shouted, “Run.”
But Linda was already ahead of him, vanishing into her Amethyst Band before he could finish.
Dust churned in the raging storm, all the commotion focused at the very end of the
passage.
With a thunderous roar, everything blew apart.
The shockwave swept across the entire Hermit’s Sanctum, crashing out over the cliffside.
This was nothing like the earlier blast. It was a cataclysmic explosion that swallowed the whole Hermit’s Sanctum.
Even Matthew, who’d just managed to break loose, was caught right in the middle of it.
The Hermit’s Sanctum collapsed, and a massive whirlpool formed where it once stood, devouring everyone on the cliff.
Even that tiny speck of dust lingering in the air was devoured.
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