Chapter 346: Retrospection

Chapter 346: Retrospection

Luo En slowly released the hilt of Blood Oath, a lingering chill of bone-deep hatred leaving him shaken.

Even from such brief contact, Mogan's obsession had still tried to take root in his mind, seeking the seed of anger to latch onto.

"How does it feel?" Uther's Phantom Husk drifted beside him, silver eyes glinting with concern.

"More... direct than I imagined."

Luo En rubbed his temples, trying to purge his mind of the foreign emotions:

"This level of soul imprinting goes beyond ordinary enchanted weapons."

"A correct assessment."

Uther nodded approvingly:

"True Master Swords gradually fuse with their wielder's soul imprint through prolonged use. They become far more than lifeless tools—they transform into living blades that carry memories and willpower."

The old professor's Phantom Husk floated toward the next display, where a longsword radiated pure holy light:

"This is Purge Evil, once wielded by Holy Order Knight Seras."

The blade was crystal-clear, its interior flowing with golden radiance. Even through the protective barrier, Luo En could sense the sword's pure, righteous aura. Sacred emblems carved into the hilt exuded divine majesty in every intricate detail.

"Holy Order Knights..." Luo En recalled his studies:

"Weren't they religious warriors specialized in combating the Abyss?"

"Indeed. Seras was among their greatest."

Uther's voice carried complex undertones:

"With this blade, he purified countless Abyssal Creatures—earning titles like 'Scourge of Darkness' and 'Incarnation of Light.'"

But his tone darkened swiftly:

"Unfortunately, even the purest light cannot maintain eternity in this world."

Luo En noticed a faint sinister hue beneath the blade's radiant exterior. Like ink diffusing through milk, this shadowy essence was slight but unsettling.

"Seras eventually uncovered a cruel truth." Uther's voice turned mournful:

"The 'holy light' he served was actually an invasive will from another dimension. Its essence differed little from Abyssal corruption."

Luo En recalled his fears about The Murmuring of the Star Devourer. Cultivation involving higher-dimensional connections always carried uncertainty.

"How did Seras discover this?" he asked cautiously.

"During a deep Abyss purging mission, he encountered an ancient entity." Uther's Phantom Husk dimmed further:

"This being revealed that the 'holy light' was merely another form of control. Devotees believed they spread goodness, but instead harvested souls for the alien will."

"Seras refused belief initially, but his investigations uncovered truths even darker than imagined." Deep sympathy colored the professor's voice:

"The Abyssal Creatures he 'purified' never found liberation—their souls were transported to the light's origin as nourishment."

Luo En stared at Purge Evil. Through his Transcendent Perception, the hidden darkness writhed like living parasites.

"The pain of shattered faith surpasses any physical torment." Uther sighed:

"Seras chose exile, returning to the Abyss with Purge Evil. He never emerged again."

"This blade records his entire journey of faith's collapse." The warning in Uther's tone sharpened:

"Anyone touching it experiences that crushing despair and betrayal. For the faithful, it's nearly lethal spiritual damage."

Uther drifted toward the fourth display. A sinister longsword floated there, its blade a deep blood-red with viscous liquid slowly oozing.

"Blooddrinker." Uther's voice turned grave:

"Previously wielded by Maka, the Blooddrinker Knight—one of history's most controversial Arcane Swordsmen."

Examining the blade, Luo En realized the flowing liquid wasn't ordinary blood but highly concentrated vitality essence. The sword's interior pulsed with countless tiny blood vessels like a giant beating heart.

"Maka's philosophy was simple—war to sustain war." Uther explained:

"Blooddrinker absorbs slain enemies' bloodline essence, transforming it into power for the wielder. In theory, endless combat brings endless strength."

"Certainly tempting." Luo En evaluated objectively:

"But such power growth must carry corresponding costs."

"Correct." Uther shook his head grimly:

"Blooddrinker's crafting technique was extremely complex. Maka fused over a hundred different lifeforms' bloodline essences—dragons, spirit beasts, even Abyssal Creatures."

"This fusion granted incredible adaptability, but sowed hidden dangers." The professor's warning grew sharper:

"As absorbed bloodlines multiplied, the sword's chaotic essence gradually corrupted both wielder's spirit and physical body."

Activating Transcendent Perception, Luo En witnessed Blooddrinker as a living bloodline reservoir. Countless bloodline factors surged, devouring and fusing within—a chaotic ecosystem.

"For the first decade, Maka was truly invincible." Uther continued his tragic tale:

"After each battle, he grew stronger, his bloodline abilities diversifying. But from the eleventh year, subtle changes began."

"Initially just dietary shifts—he craved raw mana-rich monster flesh." The professor's voice darkened:

"Then mental shifts emerged. He started viewing all lifeforms as 'bloodline resources,' including former allies."

"Eventually, Maka lost all humanity, becoming a monster fixated solely on slaughter and consumption."

Uther sighed:

"Though he attained unprecedented power, he became merely Blooddrinker's puppet—a shadow of his former self."

This ending made Luo En recall his own bloodline formula research. Though cautious, he'd indeed attempted integrating diverse bloodline factors. Maka's tragedy served as a timely warning about tempting shortcuts.

"So you collected these swords not merely for remembrance, but as warnings." Luo En mused.

"Exactly." Uther's Phantom Husk nodded:

"Power itself holds no morality, but the methods of obtaining it determine one's fate. Each blade represents both a path's peak and a lesson in failure."

The professor drifted toward the chamber's deepest recesses. The environment there felt distinctly oppressive, time itself seeming to slow within the heavy aura.

"Finally, I must show you..." Uther halted before a special display, voice grave:

"The mysterious blade I discovered in the Abyss's deepest layers."

Luo En looked up, instantly awestruck.

A longsword completely wrapped in black chains hovered within a specialized suppression magic array. The chains weren't ordinary metal but living blade material, their surface oozing dark crimson liquid. Most disturbingly, the space around the blade twisted subtly—as if reality itself wavered, threatening rupture.

"This blade..." Uther's voice trembled:

"I found it in a collapsed temple. Thirteen layers of ancient seals bound it, each representing different era's sealing techniques from various civilizations."

Luo En wisely avoided staring closer. Since Uther had already explained its nature, further reckless observation would be foolish.

"Even my power could only unravel seven layers." Uther admitted:

"After partial unsealing, I sensed... an incomprehensible will within."

The Phantom Husk drifted within the twisted space, silver light reflecting sinisterly:

"This Consciousness Fragment's level might surpass ordinary Apostles. Its mere existence destabilizes surrounding reality."

"Any theories about its origins?" Luo En asked cautiously, suppressing the dread surging from his Transcendent Perception.

Uther stood in silence for a long time before speaking, his Phantom Husk dimming further:

"Some knowledge becomes more dangerous the more you uncover. This blade's secrets operate on a level far beyond what you should currently comprehend."

He turned to Luo En, voice heavy with solemn warning:

"I specifically retrieved it from the Sealed Vault to show you... because in this world, there exist powers we cannot understand—and should not attempt to grasp. Humility and reverence often outweigh courage and wisdom."

Luo En nodded understandingly. With his current strength, merely touching such existence would invite catastrophe.

After finishing the introduction, Uther shifted his gaze back, his pupils gleaming with expectation:

"Your 'History Research' Skill has reached impressive proficiency. I can feel that unique Perception ability of yours."

The elderly professor gestured:

"Why not try analyzing these Master Swords with your Skill? Except for the Sealed Sword, which must never be touched, you may attempt the others."

This proposition quickened Luo En's heartbeat.

Through History Research, he could relive memory fragments of these legendary arcane swordsmen—personally experiencing their epic battles.

"These swords preserve their masters' final moments before death. Your Skill might reconstruct those critical moments", Uther explained further. "You'll not only learn their history, but even more importantly, ancient arcane sword techniques and crafting methods."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Luo En expressed his interest candidly:

"Experiencing ancient arcane swordsmen's battles and learning their techniques would greatly advance my research."

"I'll ensure your safety", Uther promised. "If anything abnormal occurs, I'll immediately terminate the connection. My Phantom Husk Core remains deep within the Observatory, ready to activate the strongest protective Barrier."

Under Uther's guidance, Luo En first consumed a "Spirit Stabilizer" elixir. Then he sat within the silver-rune magic array at the collection chamber's center—a formation designed to enhance historical Perception while providing multiple protective Barriers.

"Remember—you're merely an observer and experiencer. Never attempt intervention", Uther's final warning echoed. "History's weight is far heavier than you imagine. Any interference might create unpredictable consequences."

Taking a deep breath, Luo En placed his hand on "Frostbite's" hilt and activated "History Research."

The chamber walls rippled like water, time's boundaries blurring.

First came the cursed land.

The sky choked with thick crimson clouds—no sun, no stars, only oppressive blood-red illumination.

The air reeked of Corrosion, each breath bringing nauseating waves of sticky malevolence writhing in his throat.

The ground was even more horrifying.

Once-grassy plains now writhed with twisted meat masses and bleached bones. Countless Corrosion-ridden corpses half-buried in soil, their eye sockets glowing with undead hatred flames.

Suddenly, Luo En found himself "possessing" Edric.

The first impression—power. Nearly two meters tall, muscles like tempered steel. Each heartbeat pulsed with icy bloodline power surging through his veins.

"The final battle..." Edric stared at the gathering Corrosion Army in the distance, voice carrying both resignation and determination.

Luo En felt Edric's complex emotions—calm acceptance of impending death, regret at failing to save more comrades, deep hatred toward the Corrosion Army, and longing to reunite with loved ones.

The horizon erupted.

The Corrosion Army charged forward—a nightmare legion of Abyssal Creatures:

Corrosion Finger Monstrosities—house-sized abominations formed from eight colossal human fingers, each finger as thick as a battering ram, claws razor-sharp;

Wailers—worm-like monsters composed of twisted human bodies stretching hundreds of meters, mouths forever emitting piercing shrieks;

Flesh Giants—dozens of meters tall, built from rotting flesh, dropping decayed organs with each step while emitting death's stench;

Nightmare Knights—headless horsemen riding burning bone horses, wielding dripping lances, their hooves leaving eternal emerald green flames.

"Come on, you disgusting things", Edric tightened his grip on Frostbite. The blade instantly sheathed in thick frost, moisture in the air crystallizing into ice.

The sensation—liquid nitrogen injected into his bloodstream. Cold, yet empowering.

From Edric's center, a colossal ice ripple expanded. Air crystallized into frost, earth covered by thick ice, even Corrosion miasma solidifying into frozen chunks.

A Domain Technique—only the strongest Bloodline Knights could unleash, nearing a mage's Moonlight Rank.

The vanguard Corrosion Finger Monstrosities froze instantly. One slash from Edric shattered them into glittering ice dust.

Yet the Corrosion Army's numbers were endless—swarming like locusts.

Despite Edric's freezing onslaught, waves of enemies kept crashing in.

Through Edric's eyes, Luo En experienced every slash, parry, and dodge.

Facing Wailers' sonic waves, Edric condensed massive ice walls. The rock-shattering sonic waves crashed against the ice with thunderous roars. Using the backlash force, he leaped, piercing the monster's vocal sac core.

Against Flesh Giants, he avoided brute force, using Frostbite's freezing trait to immobilize joints—knees first, then elbows, finally the neck, methodically dismantling them.

Nightmare Knights' lances pierced his shoulder, blood blooming on snow like red plum blossoms. Edric counter-slashed, shearing the knight's upper body. Emerald green flames failed to melt his frost armor.

After hours of battle, Edric's bloodline power neared depletion. Frostbite's frost dimmed, wounds covered his body, blood staining the snow crimson.

The Corrosion Army's ace finally emerged—a "Soulless Dragon."

Once a high-bloodline hybrid dragon, now a grotesque fusion of flesh and metal after Abyss Corrosion. Elegant dragon scales replaced by twisted machinery, massive wings bristling with pipelines.

"Hah... haha..." Edric laughed madly, eyes blazing with insanity. "Didn't expect you—old friend Seladin—to be my final send-off."

The blade erupted with blinding white light. Temperatures plummeted, even space crystallizing.

"Eternity Icicle!"

His ultimate technique with Frostbite—the final cry of his life.

A pillar of ice pierced heaven and earth, freezing the entire plain.

The Corrosion Dragon's colossal body froze instantly. The freezing effect spread at astonishing speed, transforming the battlefield into an icy world. Every attacking Corrosion creature became frozen statues, their malice and pain forever sealed in ice's depths.

History perception ended. Luo En's consciousness returned to the collection chamber.

【History Research (Proficient) Experience +1】

【Bloodline Shaping (Proficient) Experience +1】

【Close Combat (Proficient) Experience +1】

...

"How was it?" Uther's voice pulled him from contemplation.

"Stunning", Luo En replied concisely. "Edric's combat techniques and indomitable spirit surpassed my imagination."

...

Meanwhile, deep within the Abyss Fifth Layer's Darkless Sea.

"My little darling", Na Rui's voice caressed like feathers brushing petals, "Today Mama will prepare a super delicious feast for you~"

"I specially traveled very far yesterday to find the most nutritious ingredients for my baby."

She carefully retrieved today's "special menu" from her storeroom's depths.

Each precious material preserved within biological vesicles radiated unique, powerful energy fluctuations.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end