abnabooks Chapter 94 Hick's Doubts and His Mentor's Legacy!
Chapter 94 Hick's Doubts and His Mentor's Legacy!
Chapter 95 Hick's Doubts and His Mentor's Legacy!
The fear of the unknown power instantly overwhelmed the elation of obtaining the treasure, and Hick instinctively wanted to back away.
However, the spatial ring on his finger, which contained the remains of Qaboos, suddenly lit up with a faint, eerie light, like the embers of a soul!
Hick's pupils contracted, and his heart clenched sharply!
Without hesitation, he removed the access restrictions on the ring. At the same time, his mind raced, and Cabus Rells, who had been standing in front of him, instantly shielded Hick with his withered body like the most loyal guard.
Whatever is about to appear, this level three puppet is his greatest asset at this moment!
Buzz—
The space fluctuated again, and a figure appeared in front of Hick. It was neither the remnant soul of his mentor nor the unknown monster he had expected, but the familiar puppet given to him by his mentor who had "protected" him for a long time—Carlo Bailey!
"Carlo Bailey?"
Hick stared in disbelief at the puppet that should have been lifeless, his alarm bells ringing in his mind!
How did it come out by itself?
Could it be that the mentor's "backup plan" is hidden here?!
Without hesitation, he shrank completely behind Qaboos's tall figure, leaving only a raven silently landing on Qaboos's shoulder, its cold raven eyes fixed on the eerie puppet.
Just then, a voice so familiar it sent chills down his spine calmly rang out from Carlo Bailey's lifeless body:
"You are very cautious, Hick. I am pleased to see this in you."
It's my mentor's voice!
Hick felt a chill instantly freeze through his limbs and bones, and cried out in shock, "Mentor?! You—you're not dead?!"
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How could this be?! He witnessed that devastating self-destruction firsthand!
"No, I am already dead, dead beyond dead."
Carlo Bailey's mouth did not move, but his gentle, calm, and even slightly weary voice came out clearly, completely different from the frenzied Heath in the Glass Hall.
"This is merely a pre-existing spiritual imprint, a lasting record. It relies on the puppet's magical core for sustainment."
Time is running out.
"Then—then why—"
Hick forced down his fear, his voice trembling slightly, and asked the huge question that had been swirling in his mind.
"Why don't you try to reincarnate within Qaboos's remains? With your abilities, you should be able to do it, right?"
Given the connection between Hick and Qaboos, the mentor is absolutely capable of doing this!
"Heh," the mental imprint chuckled, its meaning ambiguous yet carrying an air of all-knowing insight, "You're very perceptive."
"Kid. What a pity—Harris."
This name was like a cold key, instantly unlocking the chains in Hick's heart!
Bloodline Seal!
The ultimate seal was placed on him by his own bloodline at the cost of their lives!
Before the seal is broken, Qaboos' remains cannot serve as a vessel for reincarnation!
Hick cursed himself for being stupid, having overlooked this crucial point!
"Then—why did you protect me when you were underground?"
Hick took a deep breath and asked the question that puzzled and unsettled him the most.
"And why was I able to so easily make the Ring of Silence recognize me as its master, and even—control Qaboos?"
He needs to know the answer! It concerns his future choices!
"Protecting you?"
The voice of the spiritual imprint carries a strange sense of nostalgia.
"Because I initially genuinely treated you as a disciple and nurtured you. It was precisely because of this that I was able to glimpse that extremely unusual side of you hidden deep within."
Hick's heart sank, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
"Don't treat others like fools, Hick."
The mentor's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a soul-piercing admonition.
"Especially when that person—who was once far more powerful than you, and has been watching you all along!"
"So—" Hick's voice was dry, "your later displays of 'greed' and protectiveness towards me—were they because you wanted to obtain my 'secret'?"
"That's right."
The spiritual imprint readily admitted it, without a trace of guilt in its tone, only a pure desire to explore the unknown forces.
"An apprentice who can conceal his true strength right under my nose and possesses bizarre modification techniques—your value far surpasses that of a magical artifact. Alas, my plan failed; Harris ruined it."
The regretful tone carried a hint of indifference and nonchalance, as if it were someone else's failure.
"As for recognizing a master—"
The voice of the spiritual imprint returned to calm.
"Do you remember the meditation method I taught you back then? I was genuinely taking you on as a disciple, so I passed on to you the most core and orthodox fundamental meditation method of the Silent Forest. The Silent Ring is a sacred object of the Silent Forest. After it lost its master, it naturally gave priority to recognizing the holder who had cultivated the core meditation method and whose soul fluctuations were most compatible—that is, you."
So that's how it is! The reason why the Ring of Silence so easily recognizes its master lies in that seemingly ordinary introductory meditation method!
"What about Qaboos?" Hick pressed.
"Kabus—"
The spiritual imprint chuckled softly, with a hint of barely perceptible amusement.
"I control him by imprinting a unique spiritual mark on him when I modified him, a mark derived from that meditation method. You practice a slightly modified version, but with the same core origin."
"I died, my spiritual imprint dissipated, and you—as the spiritual force closest to the same source of power—can naturally 'inherit' and activate the remaining control imprint within him that is of the same source as mine. It's like an unclaimed tool falling into the hands of someone who knows how to use it."
Suddenly everything became clear! All the mysteries were solved! The Ring of Silence's recognition of its master, and Qaboos's "surrender," all stemmed from that seemingly basic "Dark Abyss Meditation Method."
The mentor's initial "sincerity" became his greatest "legacy" after his death!
However, a more pointed question pierced Hick's heart like a poisonous thorn.
"Why?" he asked, staring at Carlo Bailey's puppet, his voice filled with confusion.
"Since you were initially sincere to me, why did you later try to harm me—what is the reason for this contradiction?"
"Why?" The voice of the mental imprint paused, as if organizing its words, or perhaps carrying a strange, odd quality.
Finally, the calm voice gave an answer that plunged Hick into an icy abyss:
"It's still because of you, Hick."
"Me?!" Hick was completely bewildered.
What did he do?
The mentor sighed wistfully, as if recalling something:
"Back then, I was struck by the Fire of Death. I thought that the energy I injected into Kabus would transform him, and once I controlled him, my physical problems would be solved. Unfortunately, Kabus saw through my plan and sealed himself deep in the desert."
"This caused my strength to decline continuously. Even after trying everything I could, I could only force the last flame into my heart. But even after replacing countless hearts, that flame still wouldn't let me go!"
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