Sorcerer's Handbook-Chapter 658: A Step Away

Ruby Mountain, the final fifty meters of the path to the summit, is covered with a layer of strawberry-colored glow. Upon closer inspection, this blood-hued shimmer trembles with instability, countless black dots flickering through, giving the illusion of life despite being mere light.

It resembles a swarm of flies buzzing beneath a sea of blood.

Yet, the Mercury Trojan Horse proceeds without hesitation, reaching out through the blood-colored glow. The shimmer writhes like maggots on her palm, threatening to devour her soul, but halts at her wrist.

She climbs slowly through the blood-hued glow, gradually closing the fifty-meter chasm.

This is the greatest trial within the Divine Lord Inheritance, the Bloodfly Benediction.

The curse of Bloodfly Seethe merges with the Benediction, and any sorcerer seeking the Wishflux Inheritance must traverse these fifty meters of Bloodfly Benediction.

Sanctuary is meaningless here; attempting to expand it results in the Benediction swiftly draining one’s spellforce. Flying is futile as well; Ruby Mountain’s gravity is as oppressive as a prison, doubling with every meter above ground, as if something immense weighs upon them.

Of course, if it were true Bloodfly Seethe, no legendary sorcerer could pass. This curse, emanating from the Wishflux Celestium, is a calamity even Divine Sovereigns cannot completely eradicate, only barely suppress-a force beyond the resistance of legendary sorcerers.

However, the fusion of Bloodfly Seethe with Benediction not only weakens the curse’s power but also offers ordinary sorcerers a lifeline amidst danger.

After the long ascent through Benediction, sorcerers generally become initiated into the Fate Sect, allowing them to influence the Benediction to some extent.

If they can control the Benediction and suppress the curse within, they can avoid its harm.

The most intriguing aspect is that the Benediction and curse mutually diminish each other, acting as counterparts. For instance, the curse suppresses the Benediction, making it easier for sorcerers to control, but if they aid the Benediction in overpowering the curse, they remain safe, yet their mental exertion skyrockets.

Thus, they must find a balance, minimizing mental strain while maintaining maximum safety.

However, should sorcerers make a significant error in controlling the Benediction, allowing even a trace of the curse to escape, their souls will be instantly devoured by Bloodflies, obliterating their essence.

In recent days, countless legendary sorcerers have been gravely injured, teetering on the brink of death.

Yet, none have likely perished; after all, they are legendary sorcerers, possessing at least one life-saving Miracle.

Few dare to challenge the final fifty meters now; the leading legendary sorcerers cautiously probe and practice, as each failed attempt signifies severe injury or even death.

But the Mercury Trojan Horse harbors no such concerns, not merely due to possessing a life-saving Miracle, but because she can transfer soul damage through the ‘Trojan Horse Tower.’

Her learning ability is at best on par with legendary sorcerers, yet her progress far exceeds theirs, naturally due to having more practice opportunities. Legendary sorcerers have only one life to expend, requiring utmost caution, but she has millions of followers’ lives to practice with.

Even if this life is truly lost, it is only the ‘Pope of Annihilation,’ Oreyva, who perishes.

The overwhelming amount of practice gained through sacrificing lives, along with the luxury of having a fallback, was Mercury Trojan Horse’s absolute advantage.

Although every legendary sorcerer was stronger than her, within the Divine Lord Inheritance, others were like paupers without any retreat, while she was like a wealthy heiress with countless opportunities for trial and error. Her success seemed almost inevitable.

40 meters.

Mercury Trojan Horse lifted her head, and she could clearly see the Heart of Wishes suspended at the mountain’s peak. Just by looking at it up close, she felt her understanding of the Fate Sect rapidly increasing, as if the intertwined desires of countless people were extending a path toward the future.

Oh no!

She quickly reined in her thoughts, barely maintaining the stability of the Benediction. If she had looked for just one more second, the curse would have completely overwhelmed the Benediction, and in a single breath, everything below her neck would have been devoured by the Bloodflies-just like how she was severely injured yesterday.

30 meters.

This was the furthest Mercury Trojan Horse had reached last night, marking the second threshold. Beyond this point, the Bloodfly Benediction became even more unpredictable. She not only had to maintain the balance between the curse and the Benediction, but she was also being influenced by the emotions within the Benediction, like walking on a razor-thin wire with an abyss below and beasts chasing from behind, where any misstep could lead to eternal doom.

Yet, Mercury Trojan Horse remained calm, managing the Benediction and climbing Ruby Mountain. As a consequence, thousands of Four Pillars Cult followers in the wasteland were engulfed in various emotions, crying, laughing, jumping, and causing chaos.

20 meters.

The end was so close now, so close that it seemed she only needed to reach out to grasp the shining Heart of Wishes and inherit the Wishflux Celestium. However, the closer she got, the more she dared not look up, fearing her thoughts would be overwhelmed by the knowledge of the Heart of Wishes.

15 meters!

Everything was going smoothly, without any surprises, just as she had anticipated. Mercury Trojan Horse could hardly believe she was so close to the Divine Lord Inheritance.

10 meters!

Countless thoughts clashed and surged in her mind. She only needed a second to cross the ten-meter path and seize the Heart of Wishes. Just by rushing forward, she could inherit the heritage of the Lord of Wishflux! Demigod, Divine Sovereign, eternal life, ruling the world-these were no longer distant dreams!

9 meters!

Raven Annihilation, Raven, Ash, Silver Lantern, Four Pillars, Qinyi Alliance, Chasm Sovereign of Senlo… If she could obtain the Celestium, these issues would no longer be problems!

8 meters!

I’ve had enough of Raven Annihilation, enough of the wasteland, and enough of the Four Pillars. I’m not naive enough to think I can do whatever I want; I just want the right to choose my life.

I don’t want to face moments of helplessness anymore.

7 meters!

Mercury Trojan Horse suddenly straightened up, ready to make a final dash!

But at that moment, Ruby Mountain suddenly lit up with countless stars. Mercury Trojan Horse watched as they passed through her body, then gathered into beams, piercing through her soul!

She sprinted forward, but the starlight broke the balance between the Benediction and the curse as it passed through her soul. Her hastily raised Sanctuary only lasted for 0.34 seconds!

3 meters!

The Bloodfly curse had already spread throughout her soul, yet she managed to hold on. Meanwhile, countless followers of the Four Pillars Cult in the wasteland fell like fields of straw, dying silently and in excruciating pain.

Two meters!

She practically lunged forward, her arm outstretched, every fiber of her soul and even her fingertips screaming. Engulfed by the Bloodflies, she reached for the shining Heart of Wishes like a demon desperate for redemption!

She was just one step away from the Heart of Wishes!

Hiss.

A sticky, resilient spiderweb emerged from the ground, binding the Mercury Trojan Horse, preventing her from advancing even an inch further.

Swoosh!

With the sound of the web tightening, the Mercury Trojan Horse was dragged directly to the foot of the mountain. She rolled several times across the gemstone ground, looking up to see that the summit area of Ruby Mountain was nearly empty.

It wasn’t just her; all the sorcerers participating in the Divine Lord Inheritance had been indiscriminately attacked. First came the starlight rain, then the entangling webs, pulling everyone out of the Inheritance zone.

The absolute gravity of Ruby Mountain didn’t just affect the souls of sorcerers; any Miracle they performed would also be impacted. The attack range of a legendary sorcerer on Ruby Mountain wouldn’t exceed ten meters.

Therefore, an attack that affected all sorcerers on Ruby Mountain could only be…

Smack!

The Mercury Trojan Horse slammed a fist onto the gemstone ground, collapsing to her knees, clutching her head as her shoulders shook. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer and broke down in hysterical sobs, hiccupping, her vision blurred, her cries heart-wrenching.

She always ended up crying, and Tamashi always advised her not to, since crying wouldn’t solve anything. She knew it wouldn’t solve anything, but she felt so wronged.

Why was she always so powerless?

Why was everything always so difficult?

With tear-filled eyes, the Mercury Trojan Horse gazed at the sky, gritting her teeth as she spat out two venomous words:

“Divine Sovereign!”

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