749 - 757

Chapter 749: The More Essential, the Simpler?

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

In the Month of Beginning (January), Holm, being close to the north, was still cold. Snowflakes were flying, and the freezing wind was blowing like knives.

The magic tower of the Allyn branch of the Moonsong League, however, was as warm as spring, making every sorcerer who walked in feel comfortable from the bottom of their heart. Although they were protected by the magic effects, it was still not the best experience to be blown by the wind.

"Hi, Julie, Happy New Year. Has today's 'Arcana' arrived?" That was the only thing that could motivate the arcanists to come to the magic tower against the cold wind at the beginning of a new year.

Julie, a female apprentice who was working as the receptionist, had a flushing face. There was no telling whether it was because of the different temperature or for other reasons. She said, "Neither 'Arcana' nor 'Magic' is here yet."

After that, she asked with her voice lowered and her eyes glittering, "Gentlemen, did you hear anything about the cosmic observatory?"

"What cosmic observatory?" the few arcanists asked at a loss. Had they been outdated after only spending a new year holiday?

Julie said in excitement, "Words came from the Atom Institution that Mr. Evans established a cosmic observatory in space so that the arcanists who are not magically capable enough can also study the cosmic rays and the unknown mysteries in the vast space."

"What?" One of the middle-rank arcanists failed to control himself. His voice echoed in the hall as if it had been enhanced with sound spells.

"Is it really possible to go to space for studies?" Another arcanist sounded suspicious and unconvinced.

Julie nodded her head hard. "Ms. Heidi and some other people have already been there!"

The loud arcanist believed that Julie would not lie to him about that, so he raised his head and looked at the ceiling in a daze, as if he could see the boundless cosmos through it and the magic tower.

"The cosmos…" He was almost sighing because most arcanists barely had any opportunity to visit the cosmos in their entire life even though they all craved to do so. Little did he expect that they would have such a privilege now. The grand development of arcana had indeed presented miracles one after another!

Another arcanist asked anxiously and eagerly, "Can we apply to use the cosmic observatory? Or is it only reserved for the arcanists of the Atom Institution?"

Before Julie replied, a clear and steady male voice had come from the entrance of the magic tower. "Of course you can. Mr. Evans has made it clear to the Magic Research Board in his reply that there will be two openings for arcanists who are not associated with the Atom Institution every time the cosmic observatory is opened. However, the candidates must submit their experiment plans first and be strictly vetted. The resources of the Congress of Magic are not to be wasted by arcanists who are merely going up there to experience the cosmos."

The arcanists in the hall turned around. Some asked in excitement, "Is it true, Mr. Jurisian?" The others bowed dutifully. "Happy New Year, Mr. Jurisian."

It was exactly Jurisian, who had reached the seventh circle, who walked into the magic tower.

"If you don't trust me, you can ask the Magic Research Board yourself." Jurisian smiled.

At this moment, the arcanists were already back to themselves. Someone asked concernedly, "Our experiment plans will be closely related to our own arcana studies. Will other people be inspired by those?"

He spoke very subtly, but his actual meaning was very clear. He was worried that other people would see through their studies from the experiment plans they submitted and steal their achievements by completing their experiments earlier than they did.

"Rest assured. All the experiment plans have copies like papers. They will also be reviewed by the members of the Magic Research Board. There's no need to worry that somebody else will steal your achievements," Jurisian replied with a smile. He was one of the senior-rank sorcerers of the Moonsong League with the most friends. That was why he had been admitted by the Affair Committee.

Phew. The few arcanists were relaxed, their worries gone. Some of them began to consider what kind of experiment plan could win the approval of the reviewers, and some others continued asking, "Mr. Jurisian, does the League have any intention to build our own 'cosmic observatory'?"

Jurisian smiled. "I'm not very sure. Such things can never be decided so quickly. However, it is absolutely certain that some legendary sorcerers and archmages believe that 'cosmic observatories' are useless because they can work on the space themselves. Some others believe that it is inappropriate to build too many of them all at once, which would be a huge burden on the Congress of Magic's stock of resources. Unless Mr. Evans' 'cosmic observatory' reveals its value, it should not be blindly promoted.

"Therefore, although Mr. President, the Lord of Storm, and the Lord of Elements support the cosmic observatory, probably only another one will be built by the Tower for the time being."

"The other Excellencies' concerns are valid. After all, nobody knows if the cosmic observatory is useful. Recklessness is not the Congress' style." One of the arcanists nodded in approval.

Right when they were about to bid Jurisian farewell, something beeped on the reception desk before Julie.

"Hello?" Julie picked up the phone. "Huh, have 'Arcana' and 'Magic' been delivered?"

The arcanists who were about to leave stopped and waited for another ten minutes patiently, before they bought the journals from Julie.

"This issue of 'Arcana' is really thick." one of the arcanists said to his friend in confusion.

Instead of going to his office to claim his copy, Jurisian began to read the unsold journals on the reception desk.

"Quantum field theory? A series of papers from Mr. Brook, the Lord of Storm, and Mr. Evans?" An arcanist read the table of contents and found the key phrase, "quantum field theory".

Hearing that, the other arcanists were even more puzzled. They knew quantum, and they knew the field theory, but what did it mean when they were combined? Was it what they thought it meant?

The papers on the quantum field theory were intricate and brimming with dizzying equations. Those arcanists sensed the confusion when they encountered the general theory of relativity and matrix mechanics again. Some of them even skipped the deduction and looked for the conclusions.

"The essence of the electromagnetic force?" one of the arcanists blurted out in shock; his voice was full of intense shock. As one of the two most studied fundamental forces, the electromagnetic force had always been the foundation of the world and something closest to the "truth" for the sorcerers of the Moonsong League. How did anybody come up with an explanation about the essence of the electromagnetic force? Wasn't it like someone who was unable to walk suddenly learned how to run?

Of the four fundamental forces, the strong interaction force had been specified but lacked further research. Even its basic features hadn't been grasped yet, much less systematic theories about it. The weak interaction force, on the other hand, was merely Fernando's speculation and had not been verified by any experiment. There was still no telling when it would be specified. Therefore, after the nature of gravity was partly explained by the general theory of relativity, the essence of the electromagnetic force became very symbolic.

For a long time, the arcanists who were adept at electromagnetism had proposed many hypotheses on the nature of the electromagnetic force, but they never had a complete theory. The series of papers on this issue of "Arcana", on the other hand, seemed to be suggesting a brain-blowing possibility!

Jurisian was reading the paper slowly. The introduction at the beginning was what he was good at, so he had no trouble understanding it. But after he heard the exclamation, he turned to the end and read the part about the nature of the electromagnetic force.

"The electromagnetic force is the interaction realized by the reactions among charged objects through the exchange of photons? Virtual photons…" The hall fell quiet until Jurisian murmured to himself a long time later. The conclusion had a thorough theoretical support and mathematical descriptions of the complicated processes. Whether or not it was correct, it would be one of the greatest breakthroughs after the electromagnetic force was discovered, second only to the Brook equation.

The other arcanists could only manage to understand the conclusion, but even so, their eyes were full of shock and delight. "Is this the electromagnetic force?"

If the electromagnetic force could be understood perfectly, the sorcerers who were adept at electromagnetism like them would receive unimaginable returns!

"Well, the three Excellencies have proposed the questions about quantum field theory. How should the infinity problem brought by divergence be addressed?" An arcanist reached the end. It seemed that the quantum field theory was not perfect and had many unresolved problems.

For some reason, he was more or less relieved after seeing that. Understanding the nature of the electromagnetic force exalted him and made him feel that he was in a dream. It was more acceptable to him right now.

All the arcanists on the spot were feeling the same. One theory that surpassed the age, like the general theory of relativity, was enough. It would be too unreal if there were many of them.

They heaved a sigh in relief and smiled. "If the problem of infinity can be resolved by anyone, he will certainly win the Evans Prize in Arcana and the Silver Moon Medal."

They did not have much hope in that, but it was not too unusual for the middle-rank and senior-rank arcanists to solve the problems that the grand arcanists couldn't. Similar cases had happened in the past hundreds of years. After all, the grand arcanists had too much knowledge and experience, which might turn out to be shackles. The lesser arcanists were less likely to be affected.

"Huh? 'A Hypothesis on Protons and Neutrons According to the Diffusion Experiment', by Yaroran Hathaway Hoffenberg…" An arcanist turned to another paper.

The diffusion experiment on the title was quite familiar to them. Ever since neutrons were discovered, the diffusion experiments of protons and protons and those of neutrons and protons had been going on all the time, and a lot of data had been accumulated. A few months ago, Mr. Raventi and Morris discovered that in such experiments, the nuclear force, or the strong interaction force right now, wouldn't change at all whether charged protons or uncharged neutrons were used. The result had nothing to do with the electric charge, which was against the common understanding. Many arcanists had proposed their hypotheses to explain the phenomenon.

"Perhaps we can consider protons and neutrons as the same particle, which I'd like to call a nucleon. Just like some electrons spin leftwards and some spin rightwards, some nucleons are charged and some are not. They cannot be regarded as different particles because of the apparent disparity…" The same arcanist read a sentence of the paper and felt deeply shocked.

In her paper, Hathaway introduced a new quantum number to indicate the state.

"What? Protons and neutrons are the same particle?" Including Jurisian, all the arcanists and magic apprentices on the spot were shocked.

It was not because they found it incomprehensible. It was because they were overwhelmed with disbelief and awed by the nature of the world. Was it true that the deeper they went, the simpler things would be?

"So to speak, there are only three kinds of basic particles: nucleon, electron, and photon. Also, the interaction between the charged particles and the photons behaves as the electromagnetic force?"

"This makes sense. The fundamental things cannot have so many complicated categories!"

"Is this the truth of the world?"

Sometimes, complications did not necessarily result in astonishment, and it could be the extreme simplicity that brought an astounding sense of beauty. Therefore, although the arcanists hadn't finished reading the paper, they were already inclined to Hathaway's speculation.

Chapter 750: Special Prize

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

In the hall of the Allyn branch of the Moonsong League, the arcanists expressed their praise and astonishment about the simplicity of the components of the microscopic domain.

"I remember that Mr. Haynes once said that the nature of arcana was simplicity and straightforwardness and that the beauty of arcana came from determinism and the awe-inspiring symmetry. Although straightforwardness has been disapproved by Levski Geometry, Evans Geometry, the general theory of relativity and matrix mechanics, and determinism bordering on bankruptcy as the probabilistic explanation of the wave function and the uncertainty principle that are being verified in experiments, it seems that simplicity and symmetry still govern our world. That's why the Brook equation can be praised as the poem of the goddess, and the mass-energy formula boasts such extreme beauty."

An arcanist remarked so touchingly as if he were giving a speech.

Haynes was a legendary sorcerer of the Congress a century ago who made great contributions to arcana and magic. He claimed the highest honors of many fields. Many formulas on the changes of force field and astrology were his achievements. If everything had gone well, he probably would've become a grand arcanist. It was a shame that he encountered a saint of the South Church during an exploration, and they died with each other.

Jurisian put down his journal and smile. "So, according to symmetry, the nucleon and the electron should both have their corresponding antiparticles. The category of microscopic particles is not as short as we imagine."

"That's normal. There is only a night when there is a day. The existence of antiparticles is philosophically acceptable. It does not reduce the beauty of the simplicity of the fundamental particles," another arcanist said while feeling full of confidence.

Jurisian nodded and intentionally said, "Of course, while the category is simple, the intrinsic properties of microscopic particles are not simple at all."

The moment he said that, all the arcanists on the spot changed their faces. Some smiled bitterly, some were helpless, some grew agitated, and some were stunned.

While the wave-particle duality hadn't been unanimously agreed upon, it was basically the mainstream explanation right now and was accepted by most arcanists. However, the uncertainty principle and the probabilistic explanation challenged their nerves and their souls, as if the whole world could turn illusionary and surreal at any moment. As for the double-slit experiment with electrons, the quantum superposition, and the ensuing "observer effect", the arcanists had no choice except to flee from those tricky questions. Whenever they thought of the problems, they felt that their brains were exploding.

"Mr. Jurisian, I have to say goodbye now. The questions of the quantum field theory are prompting my every cell for a careful reading." One of the arcanists stopped his bitter smile and left under the excuse of studying quantum field theory.

Jurisian smiled. "I hope that your work will inspire the Excellencies."

"I hope so," the arcanist replied with a rigid smile. How could he inspire the Excellencies when he could barely understand the paper?

Although there was still hope for him to understand the quantum field theory on this issue of "Arcana" if he spent a year or two on it as a level-five arcanist, it would still be one to two years later. By then, chances were that the quantum field theory had been developed to the point that he could not understand at all!

He sensed the gap between his knowledge and the cutting edge of the microworld widening. Without fortuitous incidents, better guidance, and harder work, the gap would only further expand inevitably, until he could only study other people's papers that were published years ago. He could only follow the tail of this age, if he were not eliminated at all.

Of course, he was not too terrified about that, because he could tell from the journals such as "Arcana", "Magic", "Nature", "Elements", and "Electromagnetics" that there were no more than a hundred arcanists who were really discussing and studying the cutting edge of the microworld, and that the other people could only verify or give opposite examples to their theories. That is to say, people like him were the mainstream of the age.

"Perhaps every age is led by the minority, particularly when it comes to arcana. For most of the arcanists, all we need to do is to digest their work." The arcanist shook his head and abandoned his previous self-consolation.

…

The Third Generic School of Rentato had been established by the Kingdom of Holm and the Congress of Magic after the two generic schools operated well and the students were well-acknowledged by the citizens of Rentato with their performance in daily life. Since the first batch of students hadn't finished their five-year curriculum and graduated, and their real performance hadn't been revealed yet, the generic schools were still only founded in Rentato and not introduced to other major cities yet.

Under the freezing wind, Ali trembled hard. His wool vest, his thick shirt, and his even-thicker double-breasted suit did not make him feel any warmth.

He kept his hands in his pocket and lowered his head into the collar as he walked forward quickly.

"Rentato is really much colder than Samara." He had never experienced such bitter coldness before because Samara was located on the south side of a high mountain, which blocked the cold air from the north.

Supposedly, Ali had to wait for the entrance exam next June in order to be admitted by the generic school, and he had to take the prep classes that were hosted by various scholars and magic apprentices until then. However, the establishment of the third generic school gave him a chance.

Because of the increased number of magic apprentices, the unclaimed missions in the past were now taken. Also, many workers had flooded into Rentato. As a result, the third generic school was established half a year earlier than it should've been. The city hall of Rentato, which was having financial difficulties during the expansion of the city, was unwilling to see the new school left unused for half a year. Therefore, a special entrance exam was held in advance, and a batch of new students was admitted before the new year.

"Grandpa Shaw, is there any letter for me?" Ali stopped at the gate of the school and asked the muscular, gray-haired old man. It was said that he used to be a squire to a senior-rank knight until he was wounded in a battle against demon-corrupted creatures. He had been recommended to work as the janitor of the third generic school.

Shaw shook his head. "Ali, there is no letter for anybody today."

"Thank you, Grandpa Shaw." Ali left in disappointment. After he came to Rentato, he felt humbled and stopped writing to his pen pal, Jane. It was not until he was admitted by the third generic school and settled his life that he finally wrote a letter to her about his updates and his new mailing address. He had been waiting for her response since.

After he returned to the classroom, he was immediately greeted by the warm air. The coldness was gone, and Ali felt unprecedented coziness.

"Every classroom has the ventilations of the magic air conditioner. It's so much warmer than furnaces." Ali found that he loved his life in Rentato more and more.

At this moment. Mr. Brian, who taught "Basics of Arcana", walked in. He knocked the table softly, hinting everyone to lower their voices.

Brian was a medium-height man with a shy smile. It was said that he was a student of the Douglas Magic School and senior-rank magic apprentice. He taught "Basics of Arcana" as a part-time job to fulfill his mission and to earn arcana points.

"You are all very hard-working. There are still ten minutes until the first class, but you are already all present." Brian nodded in approval.

There were no kids who hated books and learning in any generic schools at present. Their enthusiasm was unquestionable. Also, the school retained the right to kick out any students who violated the rules of the school more than three times.

"Mr. Brian, why have you come so early?" Ali knew that Mr. Brian was approachable and therefore boldly asked.

Brian replied with a smile, "I'm here to announce a piece of great news. The proposal of the education department of the city hall of Rentato has been approved by the Affair Committee of the Congress. The top twenty students of your grade in the next monthly exam will be invited to visit Allyn."

"Allyn? The City in the Sky? The headquarters of the Congress?"

"Will we really get to visit the City in the Sky?"

"Can we visit the Atom Institution?"

The students immediately seethed. Thanks to "Arcana Voice" and all kinds of newspapers, the names such as Allyn and Atom Institution had been deeply etched to their heart. Now that they heard that they had a chance to visit them, how could they not turn thrilled and obstreperous?

Although Ali had been living independently since a young age, he found it impossible to control his feelings. He clenched his fists. Too many pictures that he dreamed about in the past popped up in his head. Do I have a chance to go to the City in the Sky and to take a lot of at the world-famous "Atom Institution"?

"Yes, you may visit the City in the Sky and the Allyn magic tower, talk to Prospell, and take a look at the Heredity Laboratory, the Laboratory of Life Matter Synthesis, the Research Center of Psychology, the Library of Arcana and…" Brian paused with a smile and continued, "… and the Atom Institution."

"Great!"

"Hooray!"

Exclamations of excitement burst out in the classroom. All the students were blushing.

Brian knocked on the table to quiet them. "Therefore, you have to study hard. Only by making your way to the top twenty of your grade will you receive the invitation. By then, the top twenties of the first generic school, the second generic school, Mills Noble School, and many other schools will go with you."

"Mills Noble School?" Ali's face was frozen from his excitement. Too many thoughts were rolling in his head, but they were all about a simple name—Jane!

Will she go there? She always says that she's one of the top three students of her grade!

Should I introduce myself? How should I talk to her?

Ali thought further and further until the bell rang and announced the beginning of "Basics of Arcana".

Brian's smile was gone. He said solemnly, "Today, we will focus on the basic concepts in the microscopic domain."

It was not a detailed interpretation but only meant to let them know the basic ideas.

"Ever since Mr. Evans discovered the electron and opened the gate to the microworld, we have discovered four fundamental particles up until now, namely proton, neutron, electron, and photon… Protons, neutrons, and photons cannot be further divided and are the most basic structure for any matter… Also, there shouldn't be too many other fundamental particles. The foundation of the matter is definitely simplistic…" Brian taught fluently.

"The most basic structure for any matter… cannot be further divided…" Ali wrote notes carefully.

Chapter 751: Prophecy of New Particles

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

In Atom Institution…

Heidi, Annick, and the other students were all waiting for the latest issue of "Arcana" and "Magic". The series of papers on the quantum field theory published in January was a major enlightenment for the arcanists who had a deep understanding of the microscopic domain. They sensed the next breakthrough in the aspect, so they picked up the knowledge on the quantum field theory with their own work and Lucien's guidance. They had each completed a relevant paper and began the discussion with the grand arcanists and the senior-rank sorcerers.

Among them, Annick and Sprint were the founders of the quantum field theory. The application of second quantization to the electron system came exactly from the paper that they wrote together. Therefore, it was not too difficult for them to understand and grasp the new concept. Very soon, they kept up the pace with Lucien, Brook, Fernando, and the other grand arcanists, getting so dizzy because of "infinity" that they almost wanted to die with it.

"The quantum field theory is excellent in low-level approximation, but when it comes to the high-level approximation…" Katrina remarked with mixed feelings, without saying the word "infinity" out aloud. Otherwise, Sprint would've gone mad before Annick said anything.

Heidi, on the other hand, was barely haunted by worries. She grimaced and said, "In any case, it's a realm where we can find out the nature of the electromagnetic force and the secrets of electrons!"

She paused for a moment. "Well, not exactly. At the very least, there's no hope for an explanation of the quantum superposition state or the observer effect based on the quantum field theory."

"Besides, the different processes in which the charged particles generate the electromagnetic force by exchanging photons have given me inspirations. We seem to have grasped the 'occasions' where positrons might show up. We need to devise some collision experiments," Chelly added for Heidi.

In many cases, the discovery of particles was not as simple as finding the appropriate rays and observing their traces. It was necessary to collide different particles in different locations with different energy with the "rays" in order to result in different reactions, either diffusion or others. Only then would it be possible to locate the unusual track from the complicated reactions.

Grouping in experiments without theoretical guidance would be like a headless fly. One could only expect to achieve something after a long time of searching. That was why the legendary sorcerers and the archmages hadn't found anything of value from the cosmic rays.

Heidi chuckled gloatingly. "Therefore, this will be the main content of our experiments in the cosmic observatory. Considering our teacher's attention on the positron, you can never defeat us!"

Sprint snorted. "I'm devoted to the quantum field theory right now after all. There's still plenty of knowledge for me to study and learn. I don't plan to go to the cosmic observatory any time soon."

"As a matter of fact, I think Ms. Hathaway's paper is also very enlightening and beautiful. When protons and neutrons are considered as the same fundamental particle, I have truly felt the simplistic beauty in the essence of things." Layria's daily research was to decide the qualities of different materials under different temperatures and to synthesize new materials with those qualities. Then, she had to experiment repetitively to figure out the cause of superconductivity. It was boring and complicated. Therefore, she appreciated the opinion that the essence of all the complicated matters was simple.

Annick said calmly, "We cannot jump to that conclusion so easily. The research on nuclear decay in the past years seems to suggest that protons and neutrons are not as simple as we imagined. Or rather, the situation inside the atomic nucleus is not as simple as we thought. When it decays, it will release electrons and 'neutrinos' that the Lord of Storm speculated. Mr. Oliver even guessed that neutrons can be transformed into protons. The secrets and implications behind it are still hard to say."

Layria understood what he meant. She nodded her head and said, "I know, but according to some arcanists, it is barely possible to discover neutrinos."

Neutrinos were not charged and had little mass. They also barely interacted with any matter. Therefore, they had been called by the arcanists as "invisible particles", meaning that it was almost impossible to observe them.

"As long as they exist, we will observe them through experiments!" Sprint was quite confident about that. Then, he shook his head. "However, the most important thing right now is that many experiments cannot be conducted without a stable reactor."

"Yes. Without a large fission reactor, there will be no stable source of particles, and it's impossible to complete the experiments that are needed in the microscopic domain." Katrina sighed. "Now, the desperate need for the fission reactor comes not only from the energy domain but also from the deeper research in the microscopic domain. It is what most arcanists desire right now."

Heidi chuckled in amusement. "Most arcanists don't desire it at all. They can barely keep up with the developments in the microscopic domain nowadays."

After she said that, she immediately stood up and bowed with a smile. "Good morning, Master."

She had found Lucien who reached the door.

Lucien took out a pile of journals from his magic pouch and smiled. "I happened upon the apprentice who was delivering the journals for you, so I brought them over by the way."

Heidi and the other students were not panicked or surprised by their teacher's behavior. After all, they knew their teacher's personality very well. They knew that it was really just by the way and did not carry any deeper meaning.

"Thank you, Master." Katrina and Heidi took over the journals with brilliant smiles.

Lucien shook the last journal in his hands and said, "The most interesting article on this issue is Granny Hathaway's new paper."

"The most interesting?" Sprint and the students were briefly stunned. It was certainly not easy to be remarked by their teacher as interesting. It meant that he appreciated the ideas in the paper and believed that the paper was of great heuristic value!

Heidi went to the table of contents and found the title of Hathaway's new paper—A Hypothesis on the Strong Interaction Force.

After reading the title, Annick and the other students looked at each other and vaguely guessed something. After all, great progress had just been made on the nature of the electromagnetic force, and a paper on strong interaction immediately showed up. They could not believe that the two of them were not related at all.

As they expected, Hathaway had introduced the "model" established by the quantum field theory into the nuclear force, the strong interaction force. If the nature of the electromagnetic force was a complicated process where charged particles exchanged protons, could the strong interaction force be perceived as the result of the exchange of certain particles among nucleons (neutrons and protons)?

Hathaway's idea was not hard to understand as long as one had to draw the analogy without being bound by restraints. Therefore, it was not difficult for Annick, Katrina, Heidi, and the other students to accept the premise of the hypothesis and read on.

Although the studies on the strong interaction force were still too shallow, it was enough to support Hathaway to build a general model. Then, according to the data that were measured in the experiment, the particle was a new particle that hadn't been discovered yet. Its mass when it was still was approximately three hundred times that of the electron.

"If we can discover the particle, the nature of the strong interaction force will be unveiled before us…" Annick said in a low voice, somewhat shocked.

"Is this the prophecy on a new particle?" Katrina had a weird feeling.

Layria frowned and said, "If it is indeed discovered, will it be possible to construct the weak interaction force with such a model with another new particle? Then, how many kinds of particles are out there exactly?"

It seemed that the number of fundamental particles had doubled after only a moment. Although it was still just a hypothesis, Layria and the other students still paid great attention to it. Was it possible that the fundamental particles were not simple in the microscopic domain but a complicated and enormous system?

Sprint, on the other hand, was refreshed. "It will be great if we can discover the particle. It will mean that the strong interaction force has no secrets before us. All we need to do is to explore the details!

"If all the three fundamental forces except for gravity can be attributed to the exchange of particles with a corresponding model, it will mean that there are no secrets in the whole world before our eyes!"

He had always been confident and passionate, and it was certainly not an exception right now. As to how many fundamental particles were out there exactly, he couldn't care less about it. After all, everything was just a speculation.

"It's a shame that the studies on the weak interaction force are too few to even support the construction of such a model. Otherwise, I'm going to predict a new particle too," Heidi said rather regretfully, but then she became happy. "It's possible that those particles are hidden in the cosmic rays!"

Sprint was stunned. Then, he declared rather abruptly, "I'm going to apply to use the cosmic observatory too!"

Seeing that his students were full of passion for research, Lucien nodded his head in satisfaction and walked to his office. Then, his monocle suddenly became hot.

"Lucien, do you have a minute?" Douglas' gentle and calm voice came into his ears.

Lucien smiled. "Always, Mr. President. What's the matter?"

"My transmission circle for space jump has been set up. Do you want to chase after the sun with me?" Douglas chuckled.

Lucien was silent for a moment. He then replied, "That's exactly what I hope."

Chapter 752: A Millennial Pursuit

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Inside the Land of Truth…

Douglas, who usually wore a tailcoat, put on a black long robe, which made him look solemn and intimidating.

The black magic robe was the classic style of the ancient Magic Empire. It was deep and dark without emitting the slightest light. However, under the darkness, countless magic patterns were vaguely showing up, adding to the mysterious vibe of Douglas.

At this moment, Douglas did not look like an old gentleman but more like his title, the Emperor of Arcana!

His hands in his back, he stood before the magic circle that was made of countless silver lines and transparent gems. There was no telling what was behind his profound eyes.

That was exactly what Lucien saw after he got out of the "elevator". He smiled and said, "It seems that I have seen not the president of the Congress of Magic but the consul of the ancient Magic Empire."

Douglas coughed and turned his head. He smiled. "When I was little, I envied the sorcerers in such a style, and I worshiped the Light of Stars, who was the consul of the Sylvanas Magic Empire back then. So, I'd been mimicking them since I became an official sorcerer until the Magic Empire fell and I had to struggle to survive in the darkness. In order to attract less attention, I began to follow the fashion of clothes and changed to gentleman attire. Later, it became a habit, and I was too lazy to change anymore."

His reminiscences were full of mixed feelings, indicating that his mind was not as peaceful as it seemed. At this critical moment where the sun might be found, it was difficult for him to keep calm despite his thousand years of experience. After all, it was the goal that he had pursued half of his life and the dream of all the sorcerers of the school of astrology ever since it was established!

"The garment of the previous sorcerers was indeed mysterious and solemn, but it was also too gloomy, depressing, and frightening," replied Lucien casually. After all, he preferred a double-breasted suit, tailcoat, and similar clothes. "Why are my teacher and Mr. Bergner not here?"

Fernando and Bergner were one of Douglas' few remaining friends. Why did they not come to witness such an important moment?

Douglas chuckled. "The urgent need to stabilize the reactor has agitated Fernando. He and Hathaway are busy running the experiments on neutrons, hoping that they can find out its mysteries as soon as possible. Also, he does not have high hope in my search for the sun this time. Therefore, he has decided to cool my expectant mind with his inaction in case I am too disappointed later."

"That's right. When there is no expectation, there won't be any hope," said Lucien humorously. Then, he nodded his head. "My teacher always thought that the reason why planets cannot be found is related to the weirdness deep inside the Boundless Ocean and that it is impossible to find any planet until we can answer why we cannot finish a 'round-the-world flight'. It is not something that can be explained by 'gravity lens'."

After Lucien repeated Fernando's opinions, Douglas looked at him with his sharp eyes. "You think so, too?"

If Lucien did not agree with those opinions, he wouldn't have wasted his time repeating them.

"I share similar opinions with my teacher, but…" Lucien admitted honestly.

"But how can you understand the source of the problem if you don't have a try?" Douglas was not infuriated at all but expressed his attitude along Lucien's tone.

Lucien nodded his head. "That's what I believe, too. Sometimes. we have to finish an experiment even if we know that it has been wrongly designed, because the experience of failure is even more precious under special circumstances. It can help us find the correct path."

Douglas nodded his head with a smile. "Your arcana ideas and attitude will help you grow all the time."

Then, he mentioned the Prophet. "Bergner has been at a loss after the uncertainty principle was proposed. Supposedly, there was a good chance that he could become a level-three legend with the general theory of relativity, but he has halted again exactly like Donald and the rest of them. His cognitive world probably would've collapsed if it were verified by conclusive experiments or phenomena."

"But the probabilistic explanation and the uncertainty principle are given more and more attention in the microscopic experiments in the past few years," Lucien stressed.

Douglas said with a sigh, "Yes."

He did not say anything more, because he also found Lucien's probabilistic explanation and uncertainty principle unacceptable. Of course, his nonacceptance did not mean that he ignored the experiment results. He merely disagreed with Lucien about regarding it as the fundamental properties of the microscopic particles, just like Fernando did. He believed that certain hidden factors or variables that hadn't been discovered yet resulted in the probabilistic feature and the uncertainties. If those factors and variables were taken into consideration, the result would still fit determinism.

"Therefore, Mr. Bergner does not want to see me?" Lucien said humorously.

Douglas shook his head. "Not exactly. The real reason is that he is busy building the cosmic observatory. Alright, let's go."

He took a deep breath and extended his right hand, pressing the transparent gate that was fully embedded with magic gems.

Silver lines glittered and emanated the most splendid brilliance. Enormous energy flooded in from every corner of the magic tower and the Land of Truth.

The blue and sunny sky out of the window suddenly turned so dark that not a single star could be seen. After the enormous energy surged into the portal, it was like rivers combining into an ocean. There was not the slightest ripple.

After a long time, the magic gems on the portal in different colors glowed dazzlingly at the same time, and the hollow at the center of the portal was also covered in unpredictable light in which countless magic runes were flowing.

Bright "stones" flew out of Douglas' magic pouch. Some were gold, some blue, and some were pure red. They hovered around Douglas' head like artificial planets circling the world.

Covered by those stones, Douglas nodded at Lucien and stepped into the twisted brilliance first.

Lucien had been observing the function of the magic circle and learning the space-time knowledge in it. That was the personal understanding that came from countless firsthand experiences. It was far better than what Lucien had exchanged from the Advanced Arcana Library.

Douglas had invited him to look for the sun together partly to offer him guidance on super-remote space jump. It was a rather short journey when Lucien was teleported to space last time.

After Douglas' figure turned transparent in the light, Lucien did not delay. The Robe of Grand Arcanists was shielded by colorful elements as he followed Douglas into the portal.

Time and space were changing, and the whole world was swirling in the profound darkness. Even though Lucien was already a level-three legendary sorcerer, he still had the illusion that his body and his soul were being separated. He was like a flickering candle in a wind that might die out at any moment. If it were any archmage, they probably would've been completely "lost" in the super-remote space jump for all eternity.

Suddenly, Lucien's soul trembled, and his physical body was condensed again. He saw the clear, changing light before his eyes.

As the light disappeared layer by layer, Lucien sensed that he was in the middle of the space, and countless cosmic rays of curses were coming at all. Therefore, he summoned his spiritual power and let out the intricate and inaudible spell.

"Space Staff!"

Ripples of light rose and gathered into a dreamy staff of light, which constructed many different spaces around Lucien.

After he resisted the dangerous rays, Lucien finally had the time to unfold his field of spiritual power to observe the surroundings.

There was not a gigantic fireball that was so scorching that everything would be burnt by it. Instead of the insufferable heat, this place was still nothing but coldness and the endless darkness. From the darkness, transparent and clear spots of light were embedded in it quietly.

Before Lucien, Douglas' back was against him. The bright "stones" above his head hovered around him, covering him with different legendary spells.

In the soundless space, Douglas did not attempt to communicate with Lucien via the telepathic bond. He just floated on the spot quietly and looked at the spot where the "sun" should be at as rigidly as a statue.

He was a tall man. Although he was far from brawny, he was certainly not slim. However, looking at his straight back, Lucien somehow felt an unusual gloom and pity. Even though he had foreseen such a result, he still did not feel too well.

Suddenly, the telepathic bond came over, and Lucien did not stop it.

"It seems that I've failed again…" Douglas sounded peaceful and calm, albeit with a bitter smile.

Lucien was about to comfort him when Douglas went on and said, "It seems that there are still many more factors that I failed to take into consideration. The mysteries of the universe are truly fascinating. Alright, let's go back. I hope that we can find their traces next time."

The bitterness was gone, and the only things left were his confusion and his genuine hope for the future. He was not frustrated, and he did not lose his momentum at all.

"Alright." Lucien couldn't help but smile. Then, he looked thoughtfully at the place where the sun should've appeared. There, it was dark and cold, as if a hideous and ferocious beast was lurking.

It was perhaps time for him to pay a visit to the end of the Boundless Ocean or the Moonlight Ocean in the Dark Mountain Range…

…

Inside the Third Generic School…

After leaving his dormitory, Ali went to the gate of the school despite the coldness of the early spring. His heart felt rather heavy. Today would be the day for the release of the monthly examination result. Would his efforts be properly rewarded?

His heart that was both full of hope and worries made it impossible for him to calm down or consider any other questions. He had merely come to the gate of the school to ask if there was his letter out of his habit.

"Ali, your letter." Shaw had already recognized the lad who had been coming to check for his letter once every day.

"What?" Ali immediately forgot his worries, and his heart was filled by ecstasy.

Chapter 753: The City in the Sky in the Letter

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The white envelope was so neat and smooth that petals seemed to be in the middle of the texture. It was entirely different from the standard model of the postal department and was more like a piece of artwork. However, Ali did not pay attention to any of those details. His eyes were completely frozen on the elegant handwriting on the envelope. They were so familiar and beautiful that Ali's heart was immediately filled with heat. He could not feel the coldness of the early spring anymore.

Too eager to wait until he returned to his classroom, Ali walked in the cold wind while opening the letter, drawing out the thick pile of paper inside. He then unfolded the letter carefully.

"I was quite worried when I did not receive any letter from you during the previous few months. I thought that you had an accident, or that I hurt your feelings in our early correspondences, but I didn't know how I could reach out to you. Fortunately, the truth is not what I imagined…

"… Our school has a two-month holiday for the new year. By the time I saw your letters, there were already quite a few of them. I'm sorry for the long wait. Please forgive me… I'm glad that you've come to Rentato. Whether or not you succeed in the future, I believe that this is going to be the most precious wealth of your life. It's like what Mr. Farham wrote in his famous play, 'Land of a Thousand Lakes'—failures are tolerable for the young. So, you should read more, experience more, and see more of this beautiful and cruel world in your golden years.

"… In this ever-changing age, there are plenty of opportunities. As long as you are bold and determined, you can certainly seize some of them, but if you are too scared of failure to bear and face anything, the opportunities will only slip through your fingers…

"… You must've lived in Rentato for a few months now. Is your life comfortable here? What's your impression on the new things and new changes that I described in my letters? When I reread the letters I wrote, I always feel that my face is burning, because I was full of hope and passion at that time. I couldn't help but describe them in the most splendid and romantic way. Now that I can hold back my feelings, it appears to me that I have overly exaggerated their beauty, and it is not quite the reality. Ali, what do you think? How do they appear to you?

"… I've always thought that the generic schools are perhaps not as good as Lanxiangs when it comes to job-hunting in workshops and incomes in the first few years. However, if you want to make greater achievements and create a better future, only the generic schools can provide the knowledge that you need. Don't be impatient in the first three years. Everything you learn is to help you figure out what you are good at and what you like. Then, you will be able to absorb the 'nutrition' that is necessary for you in the last two years…

"… Besides your studies, don't forget to 'melt' into Rentato. Only by melting into it will you completely recognize every astounding detail in this time of changes, which will give you opportunities. Therefore, I suggest you go out often during weekends or get a part-time job for yourself…

"… There's a red tea shop on Rose Boulevard. The environment is comfortable, and the tea is delicious. Also, they have replaced the band with a magic gramophone and only keep two musicians… The Clown Theater in the administrative district also presents hilarious comedies… Although the Egret District is a poor neighborhood, you may encounter many adventures with abundant experiences. Their words may be exaggerated, but their knowledge can be a major eye-opener nonetheless… When the night falls, in the administrative district, the district of nobles, and Queen Avenue, you can enjoy sceneries that look like stars on earth…"

Jane introduced Rentato that she knew in an honest tone and avoided the luxury places, giving Ali a vivid feeling.

The letter had no subtleties of love at all and was purely a talk between friends. It was not too formal but paid attention to every detail, warm and considerate like every letter in the past. Ali couldn't have been more excited. He read the letter many times and did not put it back until he almost approached the classroom.

"… I got second place in the 'new year exam' after the holiday, and I'll be invited to visit the Allyn magic tower and the Atom Institution… I've been to Allyn before, but I was not allowed to visit the magic tower. Now, I finally have the opportunity to do so. I hope that the Atom Institution is even dreamier than I thought…"

Ali recalled the third paragraph to the last in Jane's letter. Although she tried not to brag about her achievement, her ecstasy could be clearly felt between the lines.

Thinking about that, Ali's heart began to pound. The result of the monthly exam would be published soon. Was there any hope for him to go to Allyn?

Sitting on his chair uneasily, Ali found it impossible to calm himself down, until Mr. Brian, who taught "Basics of Arcana", came in.

"The rank of the monthly exam will be announced now. The top twenty are the lucky dogs who will be invited to visit the City in the Sky," Brian said with a smile. The classroom was so quiet that it was almost frozen.

"Donne…" Brian began to read the names. After his every pause, somebody would exclaim uncontrollably.

As the familiar names were read out and the delightful exclamations echoed, Ali grew more and more anxious. Why was there not his name? Did he really fail to make it to the top twenty?

"Ricardo," Brian read the twentieth name.

There isn't me. There really isn't me. Ali was consumed by huge frustration. He had never tasted the bitterness of failure better. In his hometown in the past, he had failed before, but he never had such great hope at that time as he did here.

Ali did not hear his name until it came to the thirties. The frustrating experience made him realize the fact that his foundation was still too weak. There was still a major gap between him and his classmates who had lived in Rentato for a long time or who had been guided by scholars and magic apprentices for a year or two. Although he had been working hard, he would have to keep such an attitude for at least a year in order to catch up to them.

Many people would choose to give up under such circumstances. How could you compete with other people when your starting points were different? However, Ali thought of Jane's encouragement and his parents' expectations. He clenched his fists and swore to catch up to them. While other people were working, he would work ten times harder!

At the end of March, Ali, who was dedicated to schoolwork, went to the gate of the school every couple of days habitually. Finally, he got a letter from Jane again.

"… Last time, you mentioned that you were interested in alchemical items and had been learning them fast. I think it's because we are both attracted to magic radios, magic lamps, wired phones, and telegrams, as well as the content on 'Arcana Voice'. However, there are still major differences between those simplified items and real alchemy…

"… If you are really interested, you can go to the library of your school or the library of Rentato and borrow the books such as 'Magic Structure', 'Alchemical Elements', '128 Facts About Simplified Magic Items', and 'A History of Alchemical Items'. 'Ten Thousand Whys: Volume of Alchemy', compiled by Prince Evans, in particular, is both informative and entertaining…

"… We went to the City in the Sky in the middle of this month. Although this may bring back your bad memories, I still would like to share my experiences with you. I hope that you can somewhat soothe your regrets in such a way…

"I've been to the City in the Sky many times, but whenever the rail left the ground and rose, I always felt a shiver from the bottom of my heart. It was both fear and excitement. I was afraid because of the ant-like things below me and the decline of fantasies, and I was excited because I probably could never enjoy the feeling of running in the sky if there weren't magic steam trains and the City in the Sky. After all, not everybody could become an official sorcerer. I've learned arcana and magic for years, but I am still just an apprentice…

"… On the way, the long bus that carried us to the Allyn magic tower met a problem. A golem came out of the magic tower. Its eyes were red, and it pushed both the bus and us to the Allyn magic tower. Sometimes, golems are not just for battles…

"… The Allyn magic tower is in a totally different architectural style from that of the buildings in Rentato, but it oddly agrees with alchemical cars, aircraft, magic steam trains, blast guns, magic air conditioners, and magic lamps. I feel that they have established the unique air and style of this age together…

"… We did not meet Mr. Felipe in the Hereditary Laboratory. We were told that he went to the Dark Mountain Range to collect samples. It was not a big deal to me, but my good friend was very sad, because she admired Mr. Felipe and wanted to be a 'doctor' who mastered magic and anatomical skills…

"… The Hereditary Laboratory was not exactly what I imagined. Many common plants and unusual animals were raised there. Well, the only thing in the laboratory that made me feel creepy was the partly-mutated creatures. In one of the labs that are filled with mucus, I saw bloody and terrible views. Certain animals that we see all the time turned into hideous and gross monsters. Can you imagine a rabbit with two heads or a dog without furs?

"… Thankfully, since most of my classmates were horrified by such a scene, we immediately left for the Atom Institution.

"Mr. Lazar and Ms. Heidi received us and showed us most of the places in the institution. It's just like what I imagined. There were all kinds of complicated and mysterious magic circles as well as alchemical platforms that glowed in different colors…

"… When Ms. Heidi turned on the particle collider, the magic circles on the entire wall, floor, and ceiling glittered at the same time, before they partly turned orange and transparent. I was so shocked that I felt I was in a dream. The picture and the overall style of the Atom Institution made me feel that I arrived at the 'future'. I don't know why I felt that way, but I truly sensed that it would be the future.

COMMENT

"… Ali, did you know that there's a transmission magic circle inside the Atom Institution that leads to a cosmic observatory where you can observe the space?"

Ali sensed the excitement in her words. He was quite excited himself. The scenes in the Atom Institution were vivid before his eyes. He almost wanted to go there immediately.

"Cosmic observatory? Observe the space?" It was something that was even beyond his dreams!

"… Ali, Ms. Heidi told me that 'Arcana Voice' would give more introductions to the cosmos in the future and even simulate the space with illusion skills for us to sense it in person. Also, if we could get the first place in our grade during the finals in June, we would have a chance to go to the cosmic observatory for real!

"Let's work hard together, shall we?"

"Of course!" Ali clenched his fists in such excitement that he seemed to be in the middle of the boundless cosmos already while sensing the overwhelming time of his age.

...

In Lance, the Holy City.

Benedict III looked out of the window and considered the piece of intelligence he just received.

"Lucien Evans has borrowed a lot of files about the Boundless Ocean recently."

Chapter 754: The Blue Gate

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"… The deeper you go into the Boundless Ocean, the more you will feel that you are mired in a fog, although there's no fog at all…

"… The sunlight from the sky is so pale and dim that the environment is somewhat dizzy. You feel that you are in a different world and cannot communicate with the outside world at all…

"… If you go backward trying to find the start point of such anomalies, you can't find it at all. It seems to be a gradual process of tiny quantity changes that eventually lead to a qualitative change. It's difficult to decide the threshold…

"… No matter how you navigate yourself with the sun, the stars, or the environment, you will eventually reach somewhere that you passed before. That is entirely different from the flight from the earth to the universe…"

Inside the Atomic Universe, Lucien was reading the files in his hands wholeheartedly. That was the experience of the previous generations of sorcerers when they explored the Boundless Ocean, which was as valuable as the legendary sorcerers and archmages' attempts to fly from the earth to the orbit instead of using a space jump.

According to them, starting from a certain altitude, the sky would give a misty feeling exactly like the depths of the Boundless Ocean. Also, because of the atmosphere, the feeling was even more vivid and could barely be noticed. Therefore, it was more difficult to fly from the earth to the desired orbit than expected. So, even legends would prefer space jump. However, in any case, such a flight would not trap people in the same place. They would fly out sooner or later as long as they navigated according to the stars.

However, because of the restraint of external and internal conditions, the legendary sorcerers such as Douglas were unable to specify the tipping point of the feeling clearly. It was impossible for them to tell from which altitude their observation on the ground was completely caught in the "mist". Naturally, it was impossible for them to figure out the mysteries behind it.

After the failed attempt to pursue the sun, Douglas had shifted his focus on that. He had been thinking hard, hoping to find a way to decide the threshold. Recently, he seemed to be considering the alchemical items with artificial intelligence, because they did not carry any subjective interferences. Therefore, he had been supporting Heidi's research.

In her silver armor and with the Sword of Truth in her hand, Natasha walked in excitedly and asked, "When are we leaving?"

The expansion of Rentato had been set on track, and the knight blood in her veins was boiling and calling for battle. If Lucien did not want to go out, she would've taken adventures in the abyssal gap in the Stroop Forest. Chaotic demons who were like lunatics were the best targets for battles, because they were not so scared of death after they went mad. The Scarlet Plain had been occupied by the Demon Lord of another floor of the abyss.

Also, Lucien's exploration of the Boundless Ocean did require a partner so that he could focus his attention on experimenting, data recording, and investigating. Furthermore, the intuitions of a legendary knight sometimes were more useful than those of a legendary sorcerer, particularly when it came to the tiny changes on the body.

Lucien put down his files with a smile. "It seems that you are the one who has been occupied by other things, not me. I can go at any time."

It was already the end of April in 828. To wait for Natasha to finish the business in her hand, Lucien had read the files about the Boundless Ocean many times.

Natasha chuckled dryly and declared solemnly, "As a queen, I cannot do whatever I want. Also, that was the most troublesome phase of Rentato's expansion, which was why I was delayed for a month."

Then, instead of waiting for Lucien's reply, she waved her hands and said, "Let's go!"

Lucien shook his head with a smile while looking at her running away quickly with her back straight.

COMMENT

…

The sky was a pure and flawless blue, and the ocean was the gloomy and surging blue. There was absolutely nothing but blue in the spacious environment.

The wind was blowing unpredictably, indicated only by the waves on the surging ocean. Suddenly, in the middle of the invisible wind, two figures slowly appeared. One of them was wearing a black double-breasted suit and a top hat of the same color, with a silver pocket watch in his hand, as if he were checking the time for the dinner. The other figure was a beautiful lady whose purple long hair was flying in the wind. Her silver armor added to her indifference and toughness.

"There's still some distance to go until the Boundless Ocean. Let's fly over." Lucien raised his head to check the sun. His eyes were so deep that they were reflecting the stars that were eclipsed by the sunlight.

Natasha understood Lucien's plan. Now that they were exploring the secrets of the Boundless Ocean, they certainly could not be teleported directly to the destination.

In such a case, they might be missing the place where the anomalies first showed up. Therefore, the first solution was to approach from a relatively distant place bit by bit.

Before she nodded her head, Lucien reminded her again, "Remember to control your body changes and do not let go of the tiniest anomaly."

"Of course." She nodded her head with a mischievous smile on her face that made her look like a cat that had just stolen food. "I'm truly 'flattered' that I can contribute to your important experiment…"

Lucien was immediately amused after hearing her reply. It seemed that she wasn't too happy about being called a "laboratory vandal".

"Of course, this is not a laboratory." Lucien certainly wouldn't let go of any opportunity to make fun of Natasha.

Natasha looked at Lucien with a feigned smile. "Be careful. I might not work with you in your 'experiment'. After all, I am an experiment saboteur."

Lucien coughed and wondered when the "experiment" would succeed.

The two of them flew above the ocean slowly. All the sea creatures swimming by looked at the sky curiously, wondering why somebody could fly even more slowly than they swam.

They flew for two days in a row. Thanks to Lucien's magic, no sea creatures that were good at jumping or ferocious birds disturbed them.

Suddenly, Natasha stopped. She looked at the silver moon in the sky and the sparse stars. Feeling a little bit weird, she asked with uncertainty, "Is it a bit heavier now?"

The gentle smile on Lucien's face was immediate. He took out a small and neat metal cabin from his magic pouch.

Magic waves spread out, and the metal cabin grew larger and larger, turning into a laboratory with full facilities in midair. Then, Lucien extended both hands, his fingers moving up and down. As if he were playing the piano, he controlled different magic circles and alchemical devices to determine the important factors in this place, such as gravity, humidity, wind level, temperature, locations of stars, etc.

With the longsword in her hand, Natasha stood in midair and stayed on alert.

Time went by one second after another. Nothing could be heard in the quiet night except for the flowing undercurrents. Natasha looked around, and her eyes fell upon Lucien's face. From the location where she was standing, she could only see one side of Lucien's face. The handsome face that she was most familiar with had lost the gentle smile that she was used to. Now that he was not looking at her, his face was nothing but attentiveness and thoughtfulness.

In such a silent atmosphere, Natasha did not feel bored or lonely at all. Instead, she had a sense of tranquility and warmth. She looked at the side of Lucien's face and put on a smile.

Suddenly, the water down below splashed, and an enormous shadow appeared on the surface of the ocean.

Hualala. A sea monster dozens of meters long emerged, as overwhelming as a mountain. It had the appearance of a freshwater crocodile, but it was so gargantuan and so weird. Its scales were emitting mottled brilliance under the silver moon, spreading out the magnificent and horrifying air.

It was a sea monster that governed the waters around. It had sensed intruders!

Natasha turned around and narrowed her eyes. Inside her silver pupils, swords seemed to be flashing.

The sea monster was suddenly frozen. Then, it dived back as fast as it could, as if it had been scared out of its wits.

They were more like monsters than it was!

"It has keen instincts." Lucien's smiling voice entered Natasha's ears.

Natasha said, somewhat embarrassed, "Were you disturbed?"

Although such formalities were unnecessary between a couple, Natasha felt that she failed to fulfill her responsibility as a knight due to her negligence.

"Not at all. The data have been collected." Lucien took back his portable laboratory.

Natasha finally asked in joy, "Did you notice anything wrong?"

"It's barely possible to tell anything from one group of data." Lucien talked as if he had figured out where he was getting at.

…

In the depths of the Boundless Ocean, Natasha looked at the island that was covered in red weird plants and said solemnly, "We've returned to where we passed just now."

"Yes." Over the past month, Lucien had collected a lot of data, but he still failed to avoid such a situation.

"What have you found?" Natasha sensed no anomaly at all except for the tiny body changes that she occasionally felt. She could only ask Lucien if he got anything from the data.

Lucien responded without answering her question, "According to the files I read, there's a mysterious 'Blue Gate' deep inside the Boundless Ocean."

"Yes, the Blue Key is exactly a legendary material born by the Blue Gate. It has been modified by the strongest experts of the sea clans generation after generation before it becomes one of the thirteen level-four legendary items today. However, the Blue Gate is just like the Chaotic Cosmos. Only the strongest experts of the sea clans who control the Blue Key, or those who are lucky, can discover it." Natasha recalled the files that she had read. "Also, many legendary experts suspect that the Blue Gate does not exist at all and that it's a myth that the sea clans created based on the legendary item, the Blue Key."

"In any case, we have to search for it." It seemed that Lucien was trying to determine something.

Suddenly, an unpredictable song came from far away. Lucien's head was dizzy for a moment even though he was a level-three legendary expert. His soul seemed to have been shaken and attracted.

"Watch out." Lucien cast spells and helped Natasha who was struggling to resist it to get rid of the effect.

"The song of a mermaid? A legendary one?" Natasha looked at where the song came from.

Chapter 755: The Song of Mermaids

Harex, the emperor of the Kuo-toans, was known as the Master of the Boundless Ocean who had seven legendary sea generals under his command. However, the explored part of the Boundless Ocean was already twice the size of the continent, not to mention the waters that seemed to be forever enshrouded in the mist. How could such a spacious "territory" be governed by only eight legends?

Of course, without external foes, one top legend was enough to control the Boundless Ocean. However, the sea elves backed by the Elvish Court, the Congress of Magic that controlled many islands, the South Church that had raised several agents in the south side of the ocean, the Moonlight forces that were very close to the Dark Congress, and the Gipps murlocs who were as tough as stones forced Harex to take actions prudently. The Elvish Court, which had burst into direct conflicts with him, had attracted most of his forces.

Under such circumstances, at least one-third of the Boundless Ocean that did not have a ruler was in the chaotic state, and it was impossible for the sorcerers to explore such a vast ocean without leaving out any detail. Therefore, the legendary sorcerers of the Congress of Magic were not certain about the number of legendary creatures in the Boundless Ocean. After all, some of the sea creatures lived at the bottom of the ocean thousands of meters deep and would only emerge once every few hundred years. It was absolutely normal that they were not known by the outsiders.

Therefore, when they heard the mermaid's song that could make one lose their sanity and soul, Lucien and Natasha's first reaction was to wonder whether she was the "Mermaid Princess" under the command of the Master of the Boundless Ocean, or if she was another legendary mermaid.

"Whoever she is, now that we have run into her, let's go over and ask her the way. I wonder if she knows anything about the Blue Gate since she lives deep inside the Boundless Ocean." Lucien held back his confusion and put on a gentle smile again.

Natasha nodded her head and suddenly complimented, "Everybody says that the mermaid's song is the best music in the world and too beautiful for any intelligent creatures to appreciate. Once they hear it, their souls will be lost in the song, and they cannot pay attention to anything else until they die. I have always been suspicious about the theory, but after I heard it with my own ears today, I finally realized that it is even better than rumors. If we hadn't already become legends, our souls would've been completely lost just now."

Thanks to the protection of "Mental Barrier" and "Space Staff", the pleasant and soul-penetrating song could not enter her ears anymore. That was why she could remember the shock she sensed just now clearly.

Listening carefully, Lucien chuckled in the telepathic bond. "This is a legendary mermaid after all. Hehe. I tried to restore her song with my music knowledge, but without the assistance of magic and spiritual power, it is impossible to achieve such an effect, just as it is impossible to play the melodies that have magic effects with a common piano. Also, without learning her specialties, it will be barely possible to mimic her even if I use spiritual power and magic."

Lucien had a level-three legendary soul, and he was faced with a mermaid who must have just become a legend. Therefore, he did not need to resist the song with additional spells and could keep on "appreciating it".

All the sorcerers whose souls were not lost after they saw mermaids had been trying to construct illusion spells by duplicating their songs. However, for all kinds of reasons, their final products were not nearly as wondrous and astounding as the songs. So, none of them had the courage to name their illusion "Mermaid's Song".

"If anybody in this world can mimic the song of mermaids, it would be you, a combination of a grand arcanist and a great musician. I remember that the spells that certain sorcerers constructed by duplication were too far away from the authentic version because they did not understand music very well," said Natasha half-jokingly. "After that, you can write a piece of music that does not contain the magic effect according to the spell you create so that everybody else will get to enjoy the wonder of mermaid songs. Well, I've already thought of a name for you. It will be Twelve Movements of Requiem."

While the two of them talked and laughed, Lucien's reconnaissance spell had already given a result. It was a cluster of reefs over there. A mermaid whose blue hair reached her waist was floating on the surface of the ocean and singing aloud against the reefs, surrounded by other mermaids who were joining her and the sea creatures who had lost their sanity and souls, including enormous octopi, weird sharks that were dozens of meters long, and monsters with human heads and crab bodies…

"There are no dangers except for the mermaid. We can approach her directly." Although Lucien believed that he was strong enough to crush the legendary mermaid, he still activated the reconnaissance spells according to the habits of sorcerers in case he fell into any trap.

"Great. I'm told that mermaids are all very beautiful. They seem to be made of the purest water, and they carry unimaginable, astounding beauty…" Natasha's silver eyes were sparkling with curiosity and expectations.

Lucien shook his head with a smile. By logic, it should have been him who was more curious about the "mermaid princess".

The two of them flew as fast as two streaks of light in the sky. Very soon, they arrived above the reefs and saw the legendary mermaid whose upper half body was a human being and whose lower half body was a fish tail.

Her scales were as shiny as gold, unlike other mermaids, but they also gave the feeling of being transparent, exuding a dreamy vibe under the sunlight.

The upper half body of the legendary mermaid was naked, and her skin was as fair as milk. Her blue long hair dangled and covered her rising bosoms perfectly. Her face was delicate, innocent, and full of charm. Her water and blue eyes were as soul-attracting as her song.

"Ha. She's even prettier than rumors have it." Natasha smiled like a gentleman, but the Sword of Truth in her hands did not shake at all, and she could launch an attack at any moment. Inside her silver eyes, there was nothing but attention and caution now that her curiosity had been satisfied.

The mermaid had sensed them when the two of them approached. She waved her gold tail and slapped the surface of the ocean, raising a tsunami that could have destroyed the ocean. However, at this moment, she saw that the environment around Lucien changed. The blue sky suddenly turned dark, as if the night had arrived early, and the ocean was enshrouded in the infinite darkness. In the middle of the darkness, gold, silver, white, and other colorful stars were glittering. Among those stars, there were the most terrifying fireballs that were emanating unimaginable heat like the sun.

Her captivating blue eyes constricted abruptly. She stopped slapping her tail and singing the song and asked in a gentle and clear voice, "Are you here for me, my dear guests?"

She used the peculiar tongue of mermaids first, but she soon switched to the common tongue of the sea clans. However, for the knowledgeable Lucien, both were the languages that he was quite fluent with. Although Natasha did not have a deep understanding of arcana, language study was a compulsory course for any nobles, and Lucien had "taught" her a lot, so she was able to understand it too.

"We're wondering if you are one of the seven sea generals under the Master of the Boundless Ocean, my lady." Lucien nodded in satisfaction. Although he had a lot of battle experience, he disliked meaningless battle and slaughter. That's why he demonstrated his strength just now so that the legendary mermaid could see the gap and make a sensible choice. Deterrence was sometimes more useful than fighting.

The mermaid replied with a pleasant voice, "Yes. I am Doris. Can I help you?"

Doris was the name of the Mermaid Princess.

Seeing that the Mermaid Princess was highly wary but too scared to attack, Lucien smiled and said, "My lady, I would like to know if there is anything about the Blue Gate that you can tell us."

"How did you…" Doris was so surprised that she blurted out her question, but she immediately stopped it, as if her secret had just been seen through.

Natasha and Lucien looked at each other. It couldn't be so coincidental, could it?

Chapter 756: The Battle Half a Month Ago

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Doris knew that she had made a horrible mistake the moment she said it. She slapped her golden fish tail on the surface of the ocean, raising a splash of waves and water.

In the middle of the splash, her body was suddenly blurred. Even though Lucien's spiritual power and Natasha's willpower had been fixated on her, they both felt that they had suddenly lost their target. They watched her turn transparent and melt without a sign, like snow that had met the sun of July!

Doris completely melted after only one moment. She joined the ocean, and white foams surged up on the ocean, reflecting the dim and pale sunlight.

Lucien could not sense Doris with his spiritual power anymore, as if she had truly melted into the ocean. Or rather, every tiniest foam was her!

Foams were broken one after another, and the whiteness on the surface of the blue ocean was about to vanish when Lucien used the unpredictable and intricate voice that sounded from a different world.

"Space Staff!"

The environment shook hard, and a brilliant but dark staff was condensed in Lucien's hand. As he pointed with the staff, the whole ocean spread out ripples of light, like a lake at night!

Those ripples separated the waters within the dozens of square meters from around. If one were to calm down and sense carefully, they would find it impossible to perceive the ocean hundreds of meters below, because it was in a different time and space!

In the space-time cage, the ocean trembled with blueness. Suddenly, the water in a certain area surged and consolidated into a translucent "statue" that looked like a sapphire. Then, the face of the statue became clear. It was Doris. Her gold tail leaped out of the ocean too.

Doris looked at Lucien and Natasha with her blue eyes while biting her lips without saying anything, as if she were weighing the consequences.

"I am a friendly good guy, and I don't like fighting and unnecessary slaughter. I hope that you won't let me do the things that I don't like," Lucien said with a gentle smile, but his eyes were not gentle at all.

Doris was not a sorcerer, and she did not have other strange methods of escape. She was unwilling to fight Lucien who was apparently much stronger than her either, in which case she would only have a ten percent chance of survival. It was a risk that a mermaid who loved singing and swimming freely like her could not accept. Therefore, she nodded her head. "If you want to know about the Blue Gate, I can tell you."

She blamed herself for singing too devotedly just now. If she had noticed the two human beings sooner, she would've had enough time to escape instead of ending up like this.

"To make sure that you are telling the truth, please sign a magic contract with me, Ms. Doris." Lucien was still wearing his standard smile of courtesy.

"Contract! Demon, I would rather die before I accept a slavery contract!" A storm of fury raged in Doris' blue eyes and dimmed the environment around her. The sky was gloomy and depressing, and the water in the ocean stopped moving, as if a horrifying outbreak was underway.

She had heard before that certain quirky human beings had an unusual interest in mermaids, even though most mermaids could not turn into humans and lose their fish tails. Therefore, she would rather die in self-detonation than submitting herself, hoping that her final attack could heavily wound the wicked sorcerer!

Lucien chuckled. "This contract has no clauses of slavery. It only ensures that I will sense it immediately if you lie or if you tell other people my whereabouts and destination afterward."

Under normal circumstances, nobody would sign such a contract, and it was obviously unfair. Also, the devils and fake gods who served as notary might refuse to provide a better guarantee because of that. However, Doris did not really have a choice right now.

She struggled to open her mouth. "Let me take a look at the contract."

Lucien took out a contract that was made of the rind of an elven tree. He pressed his right hand on it and touched it. The paper immediately spread out a silver light.

After his right hand moved away, dozens of sophisticated clauses had been added to the contract.

Doris picked up the contract that Lucien tossed over and read carefully. She realized that the contract would have zero effect if she did not lie or reveal that they were going to the Blue Gate, but of course, if she violated that, she would receive the punishment from the Atomic Universe, which would mean her death.

"Atomic Universe…" Doris looked at Lucien. Why was he the notary of the contract?

As one of the seven sea generals under the command of the Master of the Boundless Ocean, and as the Mermaid Princess who was active in the territory of sea elves, she had the basic knowledge about the Congress of Magic.

Lucien said with a smile, "It's my wife that you'll be signing the magic contract with. As for me, as a legendary sorcerer who has my own demiplane, I am certainly qualified to be the notary of the contract. I'm even more professional than most devils. My punishment won't have any delay."

That was why the word "legendary" was used to describe the experts of such a level. They were capable of what other people couldn't do!

Looking at the pitiful look on Doris' frowning face, Natasha sighed in the telepathic bond. "I almost cannot watch this anymore. You are really not a gentleman."

"If I were a 'gentleman', the consequences would be much more severe…" Lucien teased.

In her helplessness, Doris could only sign the contract. After Natasha also signed it, the contract suddenly ignited itself, burning so furiously that even the water around seemed to be on fire.

The pale fire suddenly turned dark, profound, and dim, and stars in different colors seemed to be glittering. It was quite similar to the projection of the Atomic Universe with which Lucien changed the environment around him.

A handsome face was condensed by the starry light in the fire, who then declared solemnly, "In the name of Atom Controller, I hereby announce that the contract is in effect."

Looking at the identical faces in the fire and in the sky, Doris said with seething wrath, "The contract has already been signed. Just ask whatever you want to know fast."

It was simply too shameless that the guy was both the player and the judge!

"Why were you so surprised after hearing the Blue Gate?" Natasha asked.

Doris heaved a sigh. "Because I'm here exactly for the Blue Gate."

Seeing that Lucien and Natasha did not pursue in surprise, she simply went on and said, "By the order of His Majesty Harex, I have come to the intersection of the undercurrents of the Lost Land to navigate the sea creatures who come after me to go to the Blue Gate. Because there are many other intersections, I sang a song to summon my people, asking them to provide navigation in other places in case the sea creatures lost their direction."

The Lost Land was how the sea clans called the depths of the Boundless Ocean.

"Undercurrents…" Lucien repeated in a low voice.

It was undeniable that the Congress of Magic's natural research on the ocean was still shallow. After all, every part of the Boundless Ocean had been occupied by the sea clans. The furthest place that human fleets reached was the few islands that the Congress of Magic occupied. As for the sorcerers who could submerge into the ocean without fearing the sea creatures, they were at least in the sixth circle, and they paid more attention to the mines, treasures, and special animals at the bottom of the ocean than to the ocean itself. Therefore, Lucien flew here to record the environmental data. He had completely forgotten about the situation at the bottom of the ocean.

Seeing that Lucien was in his thoughts, Natasha stopped asking and waited for two minutes. Lucien then opened his mouth and asked, "Does the Blue Gate really exist? Why did Harex ask the other sea creatures to go there?"

"I've been to the bottom of the Lost Land with His Majesty Harex before. There was indeed a Blue Gate. However, His Majesty Harex forbade me from approaching it. I only stole a glimpse at it from far away. It felt both real and illusory. Although it was right there, I somehow felt that it was far away in the Moonlight Ocean. That was quite amazing."

Doris replied honestly. However, as a mermaid who loved singing, she couldn't help but add artistic descriptions, "It is said that we can only touch it when the legendary material growing inside the Blue Gate is about to take shape."

"Harex summoned the sea creatures because the legendary material inside was about to take shape? No, in that case, he should've come in person." Natasha held her longsword tightly without any relief.

After hearing Doris' description, Lucien nodded his head. The Blue Key was a space-time object, and the Blue Gate should be exactly like that.

Doris shook her head. "I don't know, but His Majesty Harex has ordered the few trustworthy sea creatures to deliver the captives in the battle to the Blue Gate."

"Captives?" Lucien looked at Natasha, but Natasha shook her head, hinting that Doris was not lying.

"Yes, half a month ago, His Majesty Harex gathered his forces and fought the sea elves and the Gipps. Many captives were caught," Doris replied honestly.

Lucien became solemn. The sea clans had another battle with the elves, and it seemed rather intense. However, he did not receive any message about it since he was in the "Lost Land".

In the Lost Land deep inside the Boundless Ocean, all the communication methods were disordered. That was why Harex asked the Mermaid Princess to lead the way through the most primitive of roaring.

"Captives…" Natasha repeated and couldn't help but look at Lucien. Both of them had smelled the air of "blood sacrifice".

Doris did not know what was on their minds. She explained the details about how to go to the Blue Gate along the undercurrents and their changing patterns. In the end, she said pitifully, "That's all I know about the Blue Gate."

Lucien nodded. "What's the result of the battles with the elves and the Gipps?"

"We assaulted the territory controlled by the sea elves and captured a lot of them, but they were defended by two legends and had a thorough defense. They managed to resist us until the elven queen came to their aid." Fear suddenly popped up on Doris' face. "The elven queen was much stronger than before and was almost on par with Belkovsky. She heavily wounded His Majesty Harex who did not see it coming, forcing us to flee with the captives. On the other side, the ambush on the Gipps was also affected. Not too many casualties above the senior rank were caused."

Under the pale sunlight, both Lucien and Natasha looked somewhat gloomy. Had Aglaea, the elven queen, improved herself so quickly?

Chapter 757: Bottom of the Ocean

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Shaking water was everywhere, and bizarre-shaped fish swam in it slowly and casually. The deep blue had gradually turned into pitch dark. The sunlight from up above could barely extend any further. However, this place was not in complete darkness. Once in a while, scaleless fish with bodies that glowed and crab-like sea monsters that seemed to be holding two-color lanterns could be seen. Their lights further added to the haziness and creepiness of the deep ocean.

After Lucien and Natasha left Doris, they dived into the depths of the ocean and moved along a strange current that was entirely different from the surroundings. They saw the amazing view that was entirely different from the shallow ocean and sensed the water pressure that was getting greater and greater and was about to crush them.

Therefore, shimmers of light were added around Lucien's body, blocking the seawater and the pressure. He seemed to be in a different world.

Small, terrifying swords of light raged around Natasha and cut out a territory that was absolutely under her control and exchanged the necessities with the water around.

After sinking for another hundred meters, Lucien suddenly stopped and spoke through the telepathic bond, "I'm going to measure the environmental factors of this place. You keep an eye on the surroundings."

Natasha nodded. As a silver and plain longsword was raised, all the waves and quakes around immediately stopped.

At their depths, there were already no special ocean creatures that could emit their own lights. It was absolutely dark and soundless.

In such an environment, any intelligent life with a normal mind would be grasped by inexplicable fear, as if monsters were lurking in the dark water that brought immense pressure. They were watching the strangers indifferently and waiting for an opportunity to devour them.

"Aren't we in a hurry to go to the Blue Gate?" Natasha was rather puzzled that Lucien was still doing experiments at such a moment. "Whether or not it is associated with the anomalies deep inside the Boundless Ocean, it is by far our most important lead."

Lucien tossed out his "experiment cabin" and let it grow into a complete laboratory. He then covered it with a layer of silver light so that it would not be corroded by the seawater.

"For me, collecting the environmental factors is equally important to the exploration of the Blue Gate, if not more. In arcana studies, comparing abundant data is the key to many mysteries," Lucien replied casually and focused his eyes on the experiment cabin. His attention was immediately gathered on it.

Natasha stopped asking. After all, it was not a field that she was good at. Believing in authorities and "professors" was her only choice now.

Holding the Sword of Truth, she swam around like a mermaid, keeping an eye on the unexpected attack of the deep-sea monsters.

Although she had strong willpower and keen senses as a legendary knight, her perception of the environment had been greatly lowered in the deep sea where the pressure was horrifying and the light was gone. She might be missing something if she was careless for one second. Even if Lucien enhanced her with spells that turned a certain range in the ocean into the equivalent of a continent, it could not reach any further.

In the quiet ocean, Lucien was completely devoted to his experiment. Now and then, the sea monsters that had sensed intruders would come at him while waving their tentacles and clamps, but most of them slipped away when Natasha stared at them. Those whose minds were overwhelmed by the lust for slaughter, on the other hand, were cut into countless tiny meat pieces with just a flash of sword, thus allowing the weaker fish around to take the advantage.

Just like that, Lucien pressed forward along the undercurrents that went deep into the ocean. He stopped for experiments and collected data every now and then.

Gulu. Gulu.

Natasha, who was staying on alert next to Lucien, suddenly sensed certain noises. Many creatures seemed to be surging over from a different undercurrent.

...

The monsters with fish heads and human bodies traveled fast amidst the undercurrents, holding the elves whose skin was deep and whose ears were pointy. With their strength, the pressure at such depths should've been too much, but the priests in the team who held the staff created an enormous bubble together and transferred the pressure on it.

"How long will it take before we arrive at the Blue Gate?" one of the Kuo-toan warriors asked the priest impatiently.

As the land of miracles for the sea clans, the Blue Gate had been praised by the Kuo-toans, the Gipps, the sea clans, the sea drakes, the mutated seahorses for generations after generations. It was their dreamland that they had always looked forward to. Therefore, when they heard that they could go to the Blue Gate that had never been confirmed before, those sea creatures were so excited that they could barely contain themselves.

The priest nearby was also obviously excited. "According to Doris, it will take about another half a day."

The Kuo-toan who asked bared his glittering eyes and poked the elven captive that he was escorting with his trident. "Swim faster!"

The sea elf glared at the Kuo-toan with her eyes, from which fire seemed to be spurting out, as if she were about to launch a desperate attack.

"What are you looking at? You are captives. I can eat you immediately!" Sea elves were certainly among the foods of the Kuo-toans.

The female sea wolf said with a clear and angry voice, "Her Majesty will come to save us!"

"Hehe. If your queen could save you, she would've already saved you. Although she blocked His Majesty with her filthy scheme, there is nothing she can do to save you!" The Kuo-toan couldn't feel more regretful when he recalled the battle. How did the elven queen become so tough?

The female sea elf's eyes became dim. She said in self-consolation, "Her Majesty is merely using you to find the Blue Gate. That's why she didn't save us. Chances are that she is following you right now!"

Recently, she had been listening to those goddamn murlocs discussing the Blue Gate all the time. She was quite curious about it too. If she weren't going there as a captive, she would've been very excited about the journey.

"Haha. Do you believe what you said? How could she have known that we were coming to the Blue Gate?" The Kuo-toan destroyed the hope of the sea elf, who was now forced to think of the miserable ending that was waiting for her. Would she be used by Harex as the material to open the Blue Gate?

In the middle of her desperation, a silver light suddenly popped up in the dark water up ahead.

It was so clear and pure that it seemed to be Mountain Paradise at the dark bottom of the ocean thousands of meters deep.

"That's…" The sea elf was shocked. She looked there in confusion. Vaguely, she saw that it was a metal cabin in the middle of the light.

Huh. A metal cabin?

Why was there a metal cabin in the deep, dark ocean?

Her heart was suddenly filled with hope. Was it Harex's enemy?

Suddenly, her widened eyes reflected a tiny glittering sword. It grew large quickly and occupied her whole horizon.

The female sea elf felt that soundless sword that could cut everything filled the environment, but she could see nothing except for one cold and indifferent light. The bubble was broken, and so were the Kuo-toans, the mutated seahorses, the jellyfish, and other sea creatures.

By the time the light of the sword was gone, the female sea elf discovered that the other sea creatures except for the captives and one priest had all been reduced into tiny pieces of meat, with illusionary, terrifying light wandering on their remains.

"Are you alright?" A pleasant voice that carried both care and intimidation came into the sea elves' ears.

The female sea elf was back to herself from her shock, only to discover that an elegant purple-haired lady was floating before her with a smiling and gentle face.

For some reason, her heart was suddenly warm. The frustration and desperation that she suffered recently all surged up, as she sobbed and asked, "Are you here to save us?"

She felt that the female knight touched her head with her left hand that was not holding the sword, so her tears ran even faster. Had it not been for her other concerns, she would've jumped into her arms and cried out aloud.

"I am Natasha from the Kingdom of Holm. I am an ally of the Elven Court. We met you by accident." Natasha briefly introduced her identity. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"That day, the big villain Harex launched an assault at our territory…" The female sea elf explained what had happened while sobbing.

After hearing her out, Natasha said to Lucien in the telepathic bond. "It's basically the same as what Doris said, with much more details. It seems that Harex has really been heavily wounded. Perhaps he's bringing the captives to the Blue Gate for a quick recovery?"

Lucien was reminded by Natasha when the Kuo-toans approached, not because they were dangerous, but because they might be carrying important intelligence. At this moment, having enhanced the captured sea elves with protective bubbles, he nodded. "That's a possibility. Let's ask the priest again."

It was not until then that the female sea elf realized that a man was standing in the water further away. His black double-breasted suit, under the contrast of the darkness of the deep ocean and the silver light, emitted a mysterious and creepy air, and his handsome face was particularly familiar.

"M… Master Evans?" The female sea elf suddenly remembered who he was. Although she did not know much about the things on the continent, every music-loving elf had heard the name Lucien Evans and seen his picture before.

"A grand arcanist of the Congress of Magic…" She was completely relaxed because she was now safe. So, she cried even harder.

After asking the priest, Lucien said to those sea elves, "We'll take a look at the Blue Gate. If possible, we will try to rescue your compatriots."

Those sea elves were about to express their gratitude in delight when Lucien said, "However, until then, I would like you to forget about us."

"What?" Those sea elves raised their heads, all having the illusion that Mr. Evans had suddenly reached before them. They could see his eyes clearly, the eyes that were deep and peaceful like an ocean…

The sea elves left ignorantly. Lucien said to Natasha, "My data collection is almost done, and the Blue Gate is not far away from here. Let's go over and take a look."

"Alright. Take care." Although Natasha was a knight who preferred to lead the charge, she had always been prudent before any battle.

The two of them went deeper and deeper and closer and closer to the bottom of the ocean. Suddenly, a weird huge hollow appeared before them; one that did not have a single drop of water in the hundreds of square kilometers nearby.

Centered at a vague blue gate far away, the water around seemed to have been pumped away, and the water further away could not enter the area at all. Only the strange reefs and the loose sand proved that it was still the bottom of an ocean.

"I was thinking of turning into a fish to sneak over for reconnaissance. It seems that we have to try a different approach now." Lucien became rather solemn.