The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 254 - Twelve: Entering the Path

Chapter 254: Chapter Twelve: Entering the Path

Newman could feel the cold, yin energy from the depths of the earth wandering just dozens of meters beneath his feet, and although he wasn’t as adept in magic power and spiritual sense as his two companions, he had many precise props and instruments to compensate for this shortcoming. It seemed as if this creature had now sensed the formidable power of the castle’s residents, and perhaps out of fear of being captured and refined by these powerful beings, it had always stayed dormant while everyone still resided in Damarlinsk Castle. Even Rebry and Mihailovich had a hard time detecting this creature’s presence, but Newman could sense it lurking in the dark, cold depths below with the Exploration Soul Needle he had developed. Judging by Newman’s estimate, this place should be as deep as the Underground Fifth Level of the underground palace.

This creature’s perception was also not bad, as two days after Komer and his group left the castle, it seemed to start stirring restlessly. It could sense that its own magic power was far inferior to that of the departing group, which Newman found rather amusing. It was a creature that bullied the weak and feared the strong, yet it had such an ability, arousing Newman’s intense curiosity. This cold, yin energy quickly rose to the depths of the Underground Second Level, but it never dared to venture to the first level of the underground palace, which showed just how cautious—or perhaps timid—it was. It probably feared that the Underground First Level, which the others had frequented, might have some ambushes or traps set up, so it preferred to roam within the confines of the Underground Second Level.

To scout and understand this creature, Newman had mobilized all his detection props he could use. The All-knowing Compass, which was used for detecting traces of various living beings’ activities, was always treasured by Newman and placed one level below the underground palace. It had captured the creature’s whereabouts several times, but the creature seemed very sensitive and would quickly retreat deeper when it sensed the tracking of some magic tool. This made it impossible for Newman to understand the creature thoroughly. However, Newman’s findings were still significant. The creature’s yin energy was particularly strong, not solely because of the Eye of Darkness beneath the castle. It seemed to have something to do with its own nature as well. To quote Newman, the creature seemed to have been a woman in life and even a magic practitioner. As for why it turned into an undead creature, Newman did not know. Was it suppressed under the Eye of Darkness by the builders of the castle? Then why now could it freely wander within the castle?

In order to track this elusive creature, Newman brought out all his possessions: the All-knowing Compass, the Door of Capture, the Heavenly Heart Needle, the Spiderweb Instrument, and a series of advanced magic tools that Newman seldom showed in public were all set up in various places within the castle. However, worried about his own safety and without the help of others, the timid mage did not dare to go alone to the levels below the Underground Second Level. Consequently, the effectiveness of these tools was greatly reduced. Still, with the probing of the Heavenly Heart Needle, Newman discovered that the subterranean architecture of the ancient castle seemed extraordinarily vast and complex. The intricate passageways and multi-level buildings, along with various unpredictable magic black holes, left Newman increasingly astonished and intrigued as he studied them. The All-knowing Compass and the Spiderweb Instrument detected not only that cluster of yin energy but also quite a few other undead creatures lurking about. Newman even discovered that there seemed to be non-undead creatures existing in the underground palace. This discovery excited Newman for several nights, but due to the limited placement of tactile props, he did not have a more precise and detailed grasp of this finding. His only option was to monitor tirelessly in hopes of stumbling upon an even bigger astonishing discovery.

In his spare time, Newman also began to delve into the "Pavaro Star Arithmetic," a book he had obtained from the treasure room. This ancient book, which documented the Ancient Starry Sky Magic Array, had quite detailed discussions on applying Star Magic in the design of magic tools and the setting of magic arrays. While the book did not specifically explain how to design magic tools and magic arrays, even the theoretical views presented in it greatly benefited Newman, providing an irreplaceable role in broadening his horizons and showing the way forward. Especially for deciphering the magic array in the center of Archangel Square, it cleared much of the fog for Newman.

One month was so negligible in the long history of the Continent, but it was undoubtedly a period of earth-shaking changes for the entire Homer region. The Leon Region had, for the first time, completely escaped the control of Homer, and the land passage from Bruce, through Leon, to the Caucasus was thus cut off. This also meant that the Caucasus was effectively out of touch with the Homer region unless by sea. Slave revolts were not a novelty, but the extent to which the uprising reached this time was unprecedented on the Continent. The impact on the rulers of the Homer region, as well as the kingdom, was immense. The kingdom’s response to the situation was intriguingly ambiguous. They neither condemned nor clamored for martial reconquest, and of course, they would not express understanding towards the revolting slaves. Yet, it was this peculiar silence that made everyone sense an increasing dissatisfaction of the kingdom with Homer’s rulers. This atmosphere made Homer’s upper society feel almost suffocatingly congealed.