Chapter 189 - 151 Tampered Memories_1

Chapter 189: Chapter 151 Tampered Memories_1As the Lord of Spring Bud Forest, Virginia’s role was not merely a title but a manifestation of a true and profound symbiosis with the Spring Bud Forest; a reciprocal interaction that influenced each other. When she fell into slumber, the entire Spring Bud Forest seemed lifeless and shrouded in fog. When she was engulfed in sorrow, the whole Spring Bud Forest felt oppressive with a continuous drizzle. When she reveled in joy, the entire Spring Bud Forest was a celebration of blooming flowers under a cool weather. At this moment, Spring Bud Forest exuded a lazy aura, as if all of nature was just awakening from a deep sleep. "Maqi, let Lord Gaven in," came Virginia’s languid voice from inside. "Understood, my Lord," Maqi replied irritably, warning, "My Lord has just awakened, your spirit and strength have not fully recovered, do not linger too long. In the Fairy Wilderness, it is very dangerous for a Lord to fall into slumber, which affects the whole territory. We are lucky those evil forces were unprepared, otherwise, our situation would be very passive." Though Little Yaling didn’t show much kindness, her words were indeed serious. Gaven nodded and said, "I am truly sorry for last time. I didn’t know the consequences would be so severe. Next time I will be careful. No, there won’t be a next time. This time, I will be brief and aim for a quick resolution." Maqi showed an expression that said, "at least you know better," and pushed open the heavy wooden door, "Go on in." When Gaven entered, Lord Virginia was already seated in the lord’s chair. The chair was not made of woven vines, but was naturally formed by the hollowing of a giant tree, with armrests made up of coiling tendrils. Sitting there, Virginia appeared as though she was being cradled by the giant tree, and their energies almost merged into one. Virginia exuded the same lazy aura as the Spring Bud Forest, resembling a spring-blooming begonia, delicate with a hint of allure, yet remaining unpretentious, presenting a pleasing sight. Her naturally fair complexion seemed unnaturally pallid, a clear sign that her vitality had not yet fully recovered. Seeing her like this, guilt surged in Gaven’s heart, and he sincerely apologized, "I am sorry, my Lord, I truly did not foresee that establishing the Dragon Oak Portal would take such a tremendous toll on you." Such a sincere ally ready to help at great personal cost is rare, if not unique. Especially for Gaven, who had once been embroiled in the Dark Intelligence Net, he had more often seen allies stab each other in the back for their gain, drag each other down, or break alliances as easily as drinking water, then swear that alliances were made to be broken. At first, Gaven also approached his alliance with Lord Virginia with a similar mindset. Looking back now, he felt rather ashamed. Their moral standing was not on the same level. Lord Virginia smiled and said, "Do not thank me too soon; before long, you will taste the consequences of this matter. The Foul Giants will certainly not give up the Dragon Scale Oak that easily. Your territory will become the main target of the Foul Giants for a considerable time in the future. You’re essentially guarding my gate now." "Such a gate, I only wish there were more, not fewer," Gaven said, half in jest, half in earnest. Perhaps Lord Virginia was unaware of how truly valuable the Dragon Scale Oak was to the Gnolls, and to Gaven himself, even more so than the young dragon Aivensa. It was going to be a watershed for Gaven in controlling the Gnolls, divided into before and after having it. "Good, if there’s such a gate, next time for sure I’ll leave it to you to guard," Virginia replied in the same jokey manner, "Now tell me, what brings you here this time?" "It’s fine, by my calculations, you should be awake by now. I came by to check on you and to express my gratitude." Virginia’s current frail appearance made Gaven feel somewhat embarrassed to speak. Mainly because he wasn’t sure whether Lord Virginia had the capacity for such ability. "Heh..." Lord Virginia’s laugh carried a deep meaning, and that smile in his eyes seemed to say, your little tricks can’t fool me. After being watched by Virginia for a couple of minutes, Gaven couldn’t take it anymore and raised his hands in surrender, saying, "Alright, there is indeed a small matter. I’ve captured a member of the Santarin Association, a Dragonborn, who attempted to use her identity to cause destruction in my territory. However, I cannot discern whether she is a senior member of the Santarin or just a peripheral member they hired at will. If it’s the latter, once I find a way to make her defect, I can set a trap and wait for the Santarin Association’s higher-ups to walk right into it." "Aren’t you a Psychic Sorcerer?" Virginia asked with unconcealable confusion on his face, "Manipulating minds should be your specialty, right?" Psychic Sorcerers are relatively rare on the Felen Continent, and even the widely experienced Virginia held some prejudices and misunderstandings regarding them. Gaven reluctantly explained, "Like Mages, Psychic Sorcerers are also divided into branches. I chose the Self-Modeling branch, which specializes in controlling oneself, not the Entrancing Control branch, which excels in controlling the minds of others." "I see," Virginia nodded, "Actually, all spells are interconnected. As long as you are proficient in one, it’s not difficult to explore a second one, unless you chose an opposing profession when selecting your career, actively severing your connection with the Magic Network in that aspect to enhance other abilities. Otherwise, it’s all learnable. Given the Special Abilities you demonstrated, you haven’t completely stepped out of this category. How about this—I’ll teach you the Charm Human spell, and you try to see if you can transform it into Psychic Ability." This suggestion immediately intrigued Gaven, making him wonder if Virginia had read his thoughts again. What he sought to become wasn’t merely a Psychic Sorcerer but an Arcane Adept combining the skills of a Mage. Progressing to this advanced professional level had a prerequisite: the ability to cast both second-level Special Abilities and second-level Spells. As a Psychic Sorcerer, he had already met the criteria. To level up further, he would need to accumulate Professional Level as a Mage. However, unlike Magicians, Mages require substantial external learning, and even if a Mage’s career is initiated through the Magic Network with the corresponding spell legacy, whether or not one can cast spells is another question. That’s because casting spells involves an array of knowledge, such as spell model construction, spell rune identification, spell material preparation, spell memorization, and spell hand gestures. If one does not engage in systematic learning and relies solely on personal exploration, it’s not just complex high-level spells that could be difficult to execute, but even second or third-level spells might pose a challenge. Sёarᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Indeed, in Felen, Mage is the profession with the highest entry barrier among all the standard careers, but simultaneously, it also has the highest potential. Once stepping into the realm of the Legendary... In comparison with other professions, a Mage’s career is like entering into an entirely different world. With Mages, there’s nothing they can’t do, including ascending to godhood or slaying gods. Karsus’s God Slaying Spell is one exemplary case; although he ascended to godhood for only a few seconds before falling, it at least represents a possibility. For this reason, the second-generation Magic Goddess had to reshape the Magic Network, imposing heavy restrictions on Spells above the ninth circle. This was not a good thing for senior mages, especially for those who had entered the realm of the legendary. But for the entire Toril Plane, and for all living beings, it was a great boon for the nation and the people. At least no one would again, on a whim or in anger, throw out a legendary spell comparable to an intercontinental missile, or even a nuclear bomb. In short, being a Psychic Sorcerer was part of a mid-term plan, while becoming a Mage was for long-term planning. Gaven had been pondering where to find himself a Mage mentor. He had considered the legendary Archmage Irminster of Shadow Valley, but that was just a thought; whether he could actually enter the Mage’s Tower was another matter. Moreover, this figure was a star in the Northern Lands; wherever he went he would attract a lot of attention, including from people associated with him. Gaven didn’t want to make uncertain enemies, especially when he was still vulnerable. He had even thought of approaching Bede’s retired War Mage friend, Calsa. Now he had a better option; a Yaling Mage was right in front of him. While dozens of thoughts whirled in his head, Gaven’s face was the first to show a smile as he said, "It would be my greatest honor if Lord is willing to teach me, but learning spells is very complicated. Even if I am exceptionally talented, it’s not something that can be mastered in a moment..." The implication was clear; distant waters won’t put out a nearby fire. "If it were any other magic, it wouldn’t indeed be so simple for you to learn, but you have a natural advantage with Charm Spells," Virginia explained. "Besides, my method of teaching is different from the usual way; it should be faster." Lord Virginia once again extended her slender, long, and fair hand. Gaven understood immediately; this was preparing for swift inheritance through the mingling of consciousness. Gaven not only had no psychological barriers to this but even found the taste of last time’s soul fusion still fresh and unforgettable. As their hands clasped, the electrifying tingling sensation returned, but this time, Gaven didn’t let go but held on even tighter. Their spirits and consciousnesses touched once more. But this time, it was different from the last. A faint dragon’s roar, emanating from Gaven’s Consciousness Sea, the Dragon Oak Mother Tree’s phantom swaying, generated a strong, irresistible suction force that pulled both of their consciousnesses into Gaven’s Consciousness Sea, rather than Virginia’s. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t Gaven’s Consciousness Sea. It was the Dragon Oak Mother Tree’s. Gaven and Virginia felt the sound getting louder around their ears as if an ancient Giant Dragon was roaring right beside them. The dragon’s roar was guiding them, against the flow of time, to the moment of the Dragon Oak Mother Tree’s birth. They felt as though they were floating in the clouds, watching everything. An enormous Red Copper Dragon lay in its Dragon’s Nest, its dull, damaged scales covered with a thick patina, resembling an old statue, its deep and fading gaze revealing its age. This was the Legendary Giant Dragon, Frederick, whose profound gaze seemed to cut through time and see them. At this moment, Gaven felt as if he had become a witness to time. He witnessed how Frederick swallowed his own treasure. How it spawned the Dragon Scale Oak from its own heart. How the Dragon Scale Oak grew rapidly and luxuriantly to form a unique ecosystem. Countless creatures lived, nested, bred, and finally died around it, their bodies becoming its nourishment. It witnessed the birth of Spring Bud Forest from nothing. It witnessed the wars between various Fae Races and evil creatures. It witnessed the Elves settling in Spring Bud Forest and taking root here, erecting Spring Bud Fortress. It witnessed a pair of sweet lovers meeting, chasing, and laughing together on its trunk—one was an Elf, and the other a Half-Elf. That Elf was unmistakably Virginia, a younger version, full of vitality and naivety. And the Half-Elf’s figure somehow felt eerily familiar to Gaven. Their sudden turn to look back gave Gaven the sensation of seeing a ghost. For their face was identical to his own. What was going on? Was he the reincarnation of Lord Virginia’s lover? No, that couldn’t be right. There must be some mistake. If he truly were the reincarnation of her lover and looked exactly the same, she should have shown recognition at their first meeting. At that time, Lord Virginia’s attitude towards him, though not as cold as towards ordinary people, was not particularly warm; at most, she treated him differently because she sensed something unique in the lines of his destiny. Moreover, after their last soul fusion, Gaven had seen that back and should have recognized it as belonging to a rather tall Human. Perhaps something went wrong during their last soul fusion.