Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty-Three:
In the boundless darkness.
Freya felt as if her body was slowly drifting in a black river.
From time to time, pale faces emerged from the dark river, sometimes grinning, sometimes filled with rage.
Yet for some reason, these faces did not harm her; they merely surrounded her tightly.
However, even so, in her current state, apart from her head, all other parts of her body were unusually numb, as if they had lost all connection.
"It feels like being digested," she murmured softly.
She never expected that Klein would scheme against her.
For her, this was nothing short of a humiliation and served as a lesson.
Upon reflection, he might have planned everything from the moment he entered the ruins.
The touch of the inheritance secret tome and the tracking of the marks seemed to unfold according to his rhythm.
As a result, when he dragged her into the illusion, Freya did not notice anything amiss.
However, none of that mattered now; having been swallowed by Klein, she had no idea if there would still be a chance to escape.
"If I can get out, I will swear by my true name! You will regret stepping out of that ruin!"
Just as Freya was thinking about how to escape from here.
Suddenly, she felt the rippling of the water around her, as if something had entered.
She turned her head and frowned.
In the endless darkness, a pale white figure slowly floated towards her.
The many Faces surrounding her seemed to sense the figure like piranhas smelling blood, and they immediately rushed towards it.
"Hey, it's that guy!"
Freya was slightly taken aback; the figure was actually the strange girl she had split in two with her tentacles.
Now she appeared whole, but it was evident that there was still a trace of Azure crack on her forehead and torso. Black flames were slowly burning within the crack.
The girl looked dazed, and unlike Freya, she floated entirely in the darkness while the rushing Faces opened their Big Mouths and fiercely bit at her.
However, it seemed that something was protecting this girl; although she was being gnawed at by the group of Faces, each time it only took a small amount.
But even so, in just a moment, everything had changed beyond recognition. It was almost impossible to discern a human shape.
Feeling the wireless emptiness and numbness in her body, Freya suddenly thought of a method, causing her gaze towards the girl to become somewhat fierce.
She struggled to control her head as it slowly turned towards the body. Almost instinctively, she opened her mouth.
"Hiss"
A strange sound like that of a snake escaped from her lips.
Freya's pale face faintly revealed a green glow, flickering like a green serpent.
As Freya opened her mouth, the body slowly began to float towards her.
Looking at the body drifting in front of her, Freya steeled herself and suddenly bit down on its neck.
"Shh"
It sounded like air escaping from the spot where she bit.
Freya felt an unusually immense biological energy transfer from her mouth to her stomach, then spreading throughout her body.
A chilling aura gradually restored sensation to her originally weak body.
Freya's eyes lit up with joy, and she immediately increased her absorption speed.
"It really works!"
What she was using was none other than the technique she obtained from the Heritage Secret Technique when she entered the illusion.
This technique belonged to the innate instincts of the Cobra King Snake, something that could be performed without a Bloodline as long as one had inherited it.
She never expected to use it so soon after acquiring it.
As she absorbed, the surrounding Faces seemed to sense something and immediately quickened their biting speed.
However, their biting speed was clearly not as fast as Freya's direct absorption.
Before long, the body began to wither slowly, as if only a skin was left floating in the darkness.
Freya gradually loosened her mouth and spat out a bit of white residue.
At this moment, her eyes were also covered with a layer of eerie green light, and her round pupils transformed into Slit Pupils.
The absorption method of the Cobra King Snake inherently strengthened itself based on the strength of the Bloodline.
Although Freya was unsure what kind of creature this girl belonged to, she could only feel that her mental and physical strength was rapidly rising at an indescribable pace.
The soon-to-dry mental energy quickly recovered to its peak.
However, as her mental energy and physical body gradually returned to full strength, this power continued to spread throughout her body.
It even caused her previously stabilized mental energy to surge forward suddenly, and her physical attributes experienced a significant increase.
"Is this the Ancient Inheritance?"
Feeling the changes in her body, Freya vaguely understood.
The promotion methods of Ancient Wizards are mostly known for their rapid results. Although they ultimately lead to self-destruction, their strength is undeniably formidable.
This quick method of enhancing oneself by plundering and absorbing other Biological Bloodlines is clearly an example.
This increase lasted a full five minutes before the energy within her body slowly dissipated.
Although she had not tested it, Freya estimated that her current mental energy and physical attributes were already approaching the limits of Crystallization Level.
"Well then, let's see how to get out of here!"
She gently clenched her fist, looking around at the seemingly endless darkness.
Then, she suddenly crushed the ring in her hand.
Suddenly, a vast expanse of Blazing White light burst forth from her hands.
The surrounding darkness melted away rapidly like black snow, while the Faces within it hurriedly retreated into the deeper shadows.
"Purifying Light!"
She softly murmured the spell contained within her ring.
In an instant, the light in her hands exploded violently, resembling a massive sun slowly rising.
Freya squinted slightly, faintly hearing the sounds of numerous wails in the distance.
The dense Positive Energy almost completely repelled all forms of Negative Energy.
At that moment, bathed in the pure glow of Positive Energy, Freya felt an unusual warmth.
Under this intense light, Freya suddenly spotted a dark dot appearing in the distance, standing out starkly against the Blazing White surroundings.
Seeing that dark dot brightened Freya's eyes as she rushed toward it at full speed.
As she drew closer, the dark dot became fully visible before her.
It was a thick black-covered book, floating in mid-air and emanating dense black smoke that resisted the encroaching light.
A wave of painful sounds emanated from the book.
Freya frowned as she looked at the thick volume and slowly reached out to open it.
Inside, instead of pages, there was an empty shell with a strange Red Monkey face lying within.
A chilling, mixed aura radiated from the Monkey Face.
Feeling this familiar presence, Freya's expression turned cold.
"It's you."
"Freya. Quickly, extinguish that light; I can't take it anymore."
Klein's hoarse voice came from the monkey's mouth.
Without responding to him, Freya slowly extended her hand toward the Monkey Face.
"You are indeed not human."
Sensing her killing intent, a look of intense fear immediately crossed Klein's pained face.
"No, Freya, have you forgotten how I helped you before? You can't do this; let go. Hurry!"
She grasped the Monkey Face tightly and exerted a sudden force.
"Crack!"
Klein's voice abruptly stopped. A large mass of black smoke flowed down from her palm.
However, just before it hit the ground, the smoke quickly rose again, slowly coalescing into a black Crystal suspended in the air.
Freya looked at the Crystal expressionlessly and gently flicked it with her finger.
"Bang!"
The Crystal cracked open in the middle, shattering into several pieces that fell to the ground.
As the Crystal shattered, Freya felt a jolt around her body, and then her body suddenly felt weightless. Her vision blurred.
When her sight cleared, she was taken aback.
"Where is this?"
The surrounding darkness had completely receded, revealing tall, dense trees and a heavy scent of sulfur.
Not far away, a pitch-black mountain was releasing intense heat.
It was actually at the foot of the Saharul Volcano.
Surrounding Freya were various corpses of creatures scattered about.
"Indeed, this is not just a simple illusion!"
Freya glanced at the many bodies on the ground and soon noticed a black staff standing not far from her.
The staff was slanted into the ground, and beside it was a patch of black powder. From the remnants of that powder, it appeared to be Klein's book.
Looking at these two items, Freya furrowed her brow, as if recalling something.
After a long moment, she reached out and grasped the seemingly ordinary staff, turned, and soon disappeared into the forest.
...
Four months later.
In Blackstone City, over sixty miles from Dragon Harbor.
In a secluded tavern named Green Fairy, a blonde woman dressed in red leather armor, with a cross sword hanging at her waist, pushed open the door and entered.
The tavern was quiet, with only two ordinary drunks in rough clothing sitting in a corner, drinking and chatting.
Freya glanced at the two drunkards and then walked straight to the bar.
Behind the bar was a young girl with slightly dark skin wearing a round hat, resting her chin on her hand and lost in thought, occasionally giggling to herself.
Freya approached the bar and lightly tapped the countertop, startling the girl awake.
Wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth, she quickly said, "Customer, what would you like to drink?"
"A cup of green tea," Freya replied calmly, placing a small black crystal the size of a fingernail on the counter.
The girl was momentarily taken aback upon seeing the magic stone, but then she quickly remembered something and said, "It will be ready shortly. Please wait inside for a moment."
"Okay."
She nodded lightly, and under the girl's guidance, they soon arrived at a lavish room.
After closing the door behind her, the girl removed her hat and respectfully bowed.
"You are the one who made the appointment two weeks ago, Lady Freya, right?"
"That's correct." Freya glanced at the girl, noticing her pointed ears as she removed her hat. "Has the arrival time of the Airship been delayed?"
"Yes," the girl replied, putting her hat back on and pulling out a red card from behind her. "It was due to an attack by a Firebird on the way. However, it should arrive around this time. Here is your ticket; please keep it safe."
"Alright, I Understand," Freya nodded and took the card.
"I apologize," the girl thought as she watched Freya put away the card. "You could visit our Witch Exchange Meeting during this time for some leisure."
"Witch Exchange Meeting? Is it a gathering similar to a salon?" Freya asked with an interested expression.
"Yes," the girl nodded, her eyes filled with anticipation. "It's attended by witches from the Rudin Kingdom and surrounding areas. I heard that the famous Erudite Sakathia will also be there."
"Oh, never mind. I think I'd prefer to rest instead. Please help me find a room," Freya said calmly.
"Okay."
The girl was taken aback by Freya's response but quickly replied.
Five minutes later.
In a spacious and quiet room.
Freya put down the suitcase in her hand, opened it, and took out a silver human skull to examine it closely.
This was the reward for exchanging the staff with Glenor.
Despite having experienced coercion from Glenor, the lawful Necromancer, he had indeed kept his promise afterward.
The purpose of this skull was not anything else but an item that could increase her chances of success when breaking through Crystallization.
It is known that in the Wizarding World, items that can enhance promotion chances are exceptionally valuable.
Freya did not expect him to gift her such a precious item.
After obtaining the skull, she returned to Dragon Harbor and stayed there for two days before coming here.
Aside from its color, the skull had no special features; only upon closer inspection could one sense the energy emanating from within.
After playing with the skull for a while, she put it away and then took out an eyeball-shaped object.
This was a token brought over from the Ruined World.
Although she had acquired many things from the ancient ruins, Freya knew that none of them contained what she truly wanted.
Thus, the only piece of information came from that Purple Eerie Eye.
However, she did not rush to enter again.
That world was vastly different from the Wizarding World, and could not be explained by common sense.
Through the incident with Klein, she vaguely sensed that as she grew stronger, she seemed to underestimate the dangers of this world.
Initially, if it weren't for that black staff causing interference outside, combined with her use of Purifying Light inside to eliminate Klein in his Spirit state, she might no longer be here.
"This time when I go back, I should first gather information about that world before entering. I feel like there is something unusual about it."
Although exploring the Ruined World was important, for safety reasons, it had to be temporarily set aside.
Now Freya had obtained the coveted Ancient Inheritance. Although she could not truly embark on the path of an Ancient Wizard due to the lack of a Bloodline connection, there were many aspects she could learn from.
Especially that exceptionally domineering absorption method, which was almost entirely different from the slowly accumulated Meditation Method used today. (To be continued)
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