Chapter 356: Mind Palace and Norvigel

Ansu opened his eyes once more.

The churning, scarlet blood mist was the first thing that rushed into his vision. The residual warmth of the campfire beside him was still there. He had returned to the moment before they departed.

Not far away, Altina was raising her hand, preparing to activate the teleportation circle. A faint blue light was already glowing around her, and she was on the verge of retreating to the rear.

Ansu spoke up to stop her: “Altina, wait a moment!”

Altina turned around, her emerald eyes filled with a touch of confusion. “What is it?”

“We're not setting off to explore the Filthy Heart for now.” Ansu walked over, his tone deepening slightly. “Let's return to the camp together first. I need to change the plan.”

Altina blinked, and a sudden sense of déjà vu washed over her. Every time Ansu made a sudden call to halt like this, it was usually because he had foreseen some future danger...

She asked softly, “Did you... see a bad outcome? Will the operation be very dangerous?”

“Extremely dangerous,” Ansu replied, his eyes filled with gravity.

Because this was a death trap set up specifically for him.

Then, the system's reward prompt popped up before his eyes.

Reality

Radiant Calendar, October 15, 625, 15:30

Rating: B

Rewards: Points × 60, Skill "Mind Palace Lv1"

Remaining Points: 333

He had actually unlocked a new skill this time? Ansu quickly looked at the skill description.

Mind Palace Lv1

Effect: Significantly increases brain processing efficiency, allowing all memories to be constructed into a searchable database within the mind, enabling precise retrieval of any detail.

Can be used once per day. Consumes a massive amount of mental energy; automatically deactivates when depleted.

Ansu's heart stirred slightly. This skill reminded him of a certain great detective's heaven-defying ability.

This kind of super-memory, which could be materialized, would allow him to look up memories as if retrieving books from a library, giving him ample time to analyze all the details of crucial events...

And right now, there was indeed one matter that could fully utilize this skill.

That was to conduct research on the amulet and the curse.

Ansu picked up the amulet Altina had given him and said to her, “Let me keep this for a while.”

“Sure, I was planning to lend it to you anyway.” Altina nodded without much hesitation.

“And you, lend yourself to me as well,” Ansu added.

Altina froze instantly, her emerald eyes widening, filled with confusion.

Ansu explained, “I mentioned to you before that once we're done here, you'd accompany me back to the laboratory. I want Celia and Professor Duncan to analyze the rune structure of this amulet together.”

Only then did Altina realize what he meant. Ansu had indeed mentioned this before.

She subconsciously looked toward the crimson wasteland in the distance. “But... what about the mission here? Are we just going to leave it for now?”

“We're going back to Norvigel first.” Ansu's tone was firm. “This matter is more important than searching for the Filthy Heart. Sorry to trouble you.”

“It's no trouble,” Altina smiled and shook her head.

The two rushed back to the camp from the blood mist zone. Celia was standing outside the camp tent, looking out.

The moment she saw Ansu's solemn expression, she knew something had gone wrong.

“Let's talk inside,” Ansu said as he lifted the tent flap and walked in. Altina quietly followed behind him.

“What happened? Why did you two return in such a hurry?” Celia asked.

Ansu immediately gave her a brief explanation. “It's a trap set by Barcas. The moment we find the Filthy Heart, the party will be forcibly split up by an illusion. His goal is to eliminate me first, and then deal with you.”

“That damn demon!” Celia stared at Ansu anxiously. “Then why don't we just go back? Since he's clearly trying to bait us, we shouldn't wade into this muddy water...”

“Yes, let's... go back first.” Ansu's gaze shifted toward the heavy, crimson wasteland outside the tent.

From the very beginning, Celia had been against him venturing into danger, and she had been filled with worry the entire way.

But Ansu knew in his heart that if they simply walked away, the conspiracy of Barcas and the City of a Thousand Stars would completely succeed.

This calamity was far more severe than in the original storyline. If left unchecked, the entire human world would likely turn into a land of filth, and even the entire continent would be dragged into the abyss...

So, he would return.

A temporary retreat was not an admission of defeat, but a move to overturn the entire situation.

...

After calling Vera over, Ansu gently ruffled her hair, his gaze soft.

This sudden tenderness made her eyes instantly curve into crescents. But while she felt happy, a trace of confusion also rose in her heart.

“Brother... what's wrong? Why do you look so gloomy?”

“It's nothing.” Ansu curled his lips into a smile, his fingertips still retaining the warmth of her hair.

He thought of how anxious and heartbroken she had been while constantly sending messages four days later, and a wave of inexplicable sadness washed over him. This time, with everyone returning to Norvigel, back to their home turf...

They should finally be able to celebrate Vera's birthday in peace, right?

Soon, Celia activated the collective teleportation circle.

This high-tier magic was far more spectacular than single-point teleportation. As a massive circle of deep blue light lit up, space warped like ripples, and the group instantly returned to Norvigel in the North.

The silhouette of the distant snow mountains was clearly visible, their peaks covered in perpetual white snow. A cold wind carrying the chill of frost blew against their faces.

Unlike the warm climate of the South, winter in the North always arrived early.

The streets were bustling with life. Aside from ordinary citizens, mages clad in robes walked past in groups of two or three. The magic supply shops along the streets had their doors wide open, their display windows showcasing radiant, glowing magical apparatuses.

Under Ansu's step-by-step modification and promotion, Norvigel had long since become a haven for exiled mages and magic apprentices.

The loose and inclusive atmosphere had gradually transformed this place into a magical utopia. The magitech industry was thriving even more, with its momentum vaguely chasing after Benalu City, showing every sign of becoming a future "Capital of Magic."

Walking on the cobblestone road, Ansu felt a bit dazed.

Even though they hadn't been gone for long, the city had already undergone many new changes, developing at an astonishing speed.

Altina was also filled with emotion as she looked around. Her gaze fell upon a giant promotional billboard for the "Northern Magic Mutual Aid Association" in the plaza, which bore the bright slogan: "The Home of Magic."

She sighed softly, “When I first came here eighty years ago, Norvigel was just a newly built small town. The Royal Capital called upon the populace every day to clear land in the North. Back then, a sign stood in this exact spot, reading: 'Go to the North, Pioneer New Lands!'”

Who could have thought it would become this prosperous today?

The elven lady's trip down memory lane started with "eighty years ago," leaving the others looking at each other in surprise.

Vera stared at her young and beautiful face and couldn't help but complain, “By the way... Miss Altina, how old are you exactly? You haven't lived for hundreds or thousands of years, have you?”

“I'm not that old!” Altina glared at her, her cheeks flushing slightly. “And besides! Even though I've lived for... this long, in terms of the elven race, I've actually only recently reached adulthood.”

“So...” Vera winked playfully. “Exactly how old is that?”

Seeing her persistence, Altina grew even more embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed red, and she stammered, refusing to say a word.

Because no matter how she explained it, her age would place her in the "ancestor" generation among humans. It simply made her seem far too old...

Not cute at all...

Thinking of this, she subconsciously sneaked a glance at Ansu, only to see him walking ahead with his head lowered, clearly not listening.

Ansu indeed had no mind for such gossip. There were far too many urgent matters on his plate. After a brief moment of nostalgia upon returning to Norvigel, he began contemplating his subsequent plans.

His points were actually running low...

He had yet to uncover the full conspiracy of Barcas and the City of a Thousand Stars, and the source of the curse was an absolute mess. This caused him to be somewhat distracted along the way.

Celia quietly took his hand, her fingertips meeting a cold touch.

While waiting for the carriage, she stopped, cupped his hands in hers, and brought them to her mouth to gently blow warm air onto them.

“Still cold?”

She looked up at Ansu, her eyes shining brightly.

The warmth from her palms seeped into his, and as Ansu looked at her earnest, lovely face, the heavy burden in his heart suddenly softened.

For her sake, he had to strive to overcome this ordeal.

“Not cold anymore.” Ansu turned his hand over to grip hers tightly, spotting a four-wheeled carriage gradually approaching. It was sent from the manor to pick them up. “Once we get home, it won't be cold anymore.”

“Brother, my hands are warm too. Let me warm you up~” Vera leaned in coquettishly, wrapping her arms around Ansu's other arm and leaning against him like a little bird.

Celia glanced sideways at her. “Having a body temperature that's too high isn't good either. Let me help you cool down with some magic.”

Before her voice could fade, the surrounding air suddenly turned freezing cold, and several tiny ice shards materialized out of thin air.

“Whoa, no way!” Vera quickly ducked behind Ansu, only poking her head out to glare at Celia.

“Brother, keep her in check!”

Ansu: “......”

Altina watched the three of them bickering intimately and couldn't help but curve her lips, letting out a laugh.

The carriage traveled all the way to Lawrence Manor. Without delaying any further, the four of them went straight to the underground laboratory.

Everything here was as usual. Apprentices wearing modified magic robes walked hurriedly, shuttling between rows of alchemy workbenches in a rigorous and busy atmosphere.

Only in Professor Duncan's private laboratory was the atmosphere a bit subtle.

Professor Duncan, Valger, and Eddie were looking at each other, with unfinished experimental records still spread across the table.

“Ansu said I'm going to die? Die from a curse?”

Professor Duncan scratched what little hair he had left, his brow furrowed deeply.

“Mr. Ansu must be joking, right...?” Eddie muttered, looking down to carefully observe the professor's state. “The professor is clearly perfectly healthy!”

After all, Professor Duncan went to the Mutual Aid Tavern every single night to drink heavily with those dwarven mages. And despite drinking until midnight, he could still show up for work on time the next day to continue his research...

The professor had more energy than he did. How could he possibly look like someone who was cursed?

Valger leaned against the table with his arms crossed. Of course, he didn't want anything to happen to the professor either, but he believed in Ansu.

“Ansu wouldn't joke about something like this. We'll know once he gets here.”

Just as they were speaking, the laboratory door opened.

The four of them walked in, and Professor Duncan immediately went up to greet them.

“Wait, Ansu? What on earth is going on? Who is cursing me to die?”

“Who did I even offend?”

...