Chapter 643 - 402: Second Forbidden Magic — Time

Chapter 643: Chapter 402: Second Forbidden Magic — Time

’Such vile thoughts, sprouting like weeds.’

’These were definitely not my own thoughts...’

The thoughts were influencing him, but because Lu Cang knew they weren’t his own, he’d grown biased against them.

Lu Cang had a feeling this wasn’t the end.

’Since time is just going to reset again...’

’...that means whatever happens now won’t matter.’

’But if I refuse...’

’...I don’t know if he’ll attack me again.’

After all, the initiative to attack was entirely in Izparut’s hands.

Lu Cang revealed a special Rune.

This was his own Talent, the one he possessed as a Level 5 Death Priest: Divine Level·Eternal Erasure.

Upon erasure, the target would be completely wiped from the world.

No Reincarnation, and no possibility of revival.

"Iz, I trust you," Lu Cang said with great solemnity.

Iz nodded slightly.

He looked at Lu Cang’s Rune and raised his hand. Countless tiny Arcane Symbols appeared, completely enveloping the Talent Lu Cang had revealed.

"Oh, right," Izparut suddenly said.

Lu Cang: "Hm?"

"You can still steal Magic from others, can’t you?"

"I think you could use this Magic..."

Iz pointed a finger, a faint ripple appearing at its tip. From this ripple, however, Lu Cang felt the pulse of time and space.

Second Forbidden Magic—Time.

"This... are you really giving this to me?"

For someone whose Magic is stolen, once it’s taken away, it is incredibly difficult to learn it again.

This was especially true for more complex Magic.

Particularly for a Forbidden Magic like this.

In principle, it was impossible to grasp on one’s own; it could only be learned through special means.

All the while, vile thoughts on this very subject had been muttering in the back of Lu Cang’s mind.

’He has so much Magic. Just steal a few.’

’It’s not like he’ll lose anything, anyway.’

...

However, Lu Cang had suppressed these evil whispers with his own willpower.

But he had to admit...

...sometimes, these evil whispers weren’t entirely out of line with his own thoughts.

At times, Lu Cang’s own ideas were hardly different from those vile notions.

’But if I’d just used the Lighthouse of All Laws to steal his Magic without his permission, would he really not have attacked me on the spot?’

Lu Cang hadn’t been willing to risk that possibility.

And now... Iz had offered it himself.

"Well then."

"My apologies, Master."

Lu Cang looked toward Iz’s source of Light. The radiant Iz did indeed possess infinite Magic, but the most dazzling of all were the few Original Forbidden Magics.

’I’ve already grasped Element.’

Lu Cang reached out one hand, then slowly drew it back as if pulling something from within Izparut’s body.

Second Forbidden Magic—Time.

A formless ball of light flowed into Lu Cang’s body.

He had mastered the Second Forbidden Magic.

’But I never expected to master Forbidden Magic—Time. Not from behind that final door, but from Izparut himself.’

’What an unexpected method.’

’This way, I suppose things can be considered complete...’

’I got what I wanted from this trip to the ruins, and I didn’t trigger any other dangers.’

’More importantly, I didn’t release the catastrophe hidden behind that door.’

"So... this is what it feels like to have Magic siphoned away."

"But the insights regarding it still remain," Izparut said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

’What a magic fanatic.’

For a fleeting moment, it was like seeing that Master of his again, lost in contemplation of Magic.

Except this Izparut was Level 9, and the things he was thinking about were probably too profound for Lu Cang to even begin to understand.

"Consider this... an apology for tampering with your Talent."

"Lu Cang, I believe you can still be saved."

"Besides, there are beings in this world that must be struck down by you, and you alone."

"I trust that... you’ve already thought of a way to control the corruption, rather than letting it control you."

Lu Cang: "Iz..."

’I don’t want to be his enemy, but... he trusts me a little too much.’

’If I’d really overcome the corruption, how could I have killed Chi Cheng?’

’I can only say I’ll do my best.’

’Of course I don’t want to die. I don’t want to be controlled by the corruption, and I don’t want to become enemies with my friends.’

It was just that this seemingly unconditional trust weighed heavily on Lu Cang.

’This wasn’t any less stressful than when Iz thought I was a lost cause and wanted to kill me...’

Iz’s Magic wrapped around Lu Cang’s Talent, layer by layer.

He closed his eyes and began to earnestly analyze the Talent’s structure.

Lu Cang didn’t disturb him.

He just sat quietly to the side, digesting the Effects of the Second Forbidden Magic—Time, along with the new perceptions it had brought him.

’The conditions for its use are... really strict.’

’I guess there’s a reason they’re called Forbidden Magic. None of them are easy to use.’

TICK—

A clear sound, like the turning of a clock’s hands, echoed in his ears.

Half an hour passed.

He looked up again.

Before him was a straight corridor—the same one he’d seen upon entering the spiral passageway. The great door was gone.

’I’m back here again...’

The Seventh Forbidden Magic—Element was still with him.

The Second Forbidden Magic—Time was there as well.

’After one more reset, I should be out of these ruins for good.’

...

Lu Cang sat cross-legged on the rug.

’I’m not going to solve the puzzles to enter the second area again.’

’Causing more trouble would just create more variables... I’ve already got what I wanted. Best to just leave quietly.’

He waited there for a dry forty-odd minutes, his mind contemplating various conjectures about time.

Within Lu Cang’s Sea of Consciousness, however, An Su was growing confused.

’He already made it inside, but he’s not doing anything. What’s going on?’

An Su, at this point, had no memory of what came next.

TICK—

Again, there was the sound of a Pointer being forcibly moved.

When he opened his eyes again...

...Lu Cang found himself in a dimly lit room.

His Perception stirred slightly.

He glanced over and saw Yuing Li coming down the stairs, carrying a large stack of books.

"Lu Cang, this is all the intelligence on those ruins."

’I’m finally back.’

’I’ve left the ruins.’

’The effects of the reset should be gone now.’

From the moment he’d just received the intelligence from Yuing Li to his arrival in the third area, it had actually been just over an hour.

Lu Cang gave a cool smile and accepted the intelligence from Yuing Li.

He made a show of looking it over.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yuing Li, he took his leave.

WHOOSH—

A short ten-odd minutes later...

...Lu Cang had already appeared in a deserted area of the Empty Valley.

He hadn’t had a chance to try out the Forbidden Magic back in the ruins... but now, back in the real world, he finally had an opportunity.

The haul from this trip was truly substantial.

He had gained two whole Forbidden Magics.

’And because of the reset, it means Izparut never even met me, and I never stole his Magic.’

’It’s just that...’

’...this way, his plan to leave a flaw in my Talent to save Chi Cheng has become nothing more than an ethereal fantasy.’

’Sigh...’

’Chi Cheng.’

’I need to figure out how to prevent that future from happening.’

’The most important thing is to figure out what’s really going on with my corruption.’

As Lu Cang’s mind wandered through these trivial matters, a dazzlingly brilliant array of elemental colors began to condense in his hand.

’Just a small test.’

Seventh Forbidden Magic—Element.