Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 315

[Vol. 5] Chapter 315: My Name is Vast Dream

After pressing a few buttons on the armrest of the mechanical throne, a compact control panel popped out. Zero skillfully input a long string of codes and underwent a verification process similar to a retinal scan. With a soft “whir,” a high-tech virtual projection screen came to life before the group.

The screen quickly became clear, revealing a young man in luxurious robes, standing in what appeared to be a sealed chamber. He raised his hand in greeting toward the recording device.

The man looked to be in his early twenties. While he lacked the irritatingly smug handsomeness of Minchen, his features were refined and pleasant, exuding an intellectual and elegant charm. His demeanor resembled the [Wenqu] from the [Illusionary Realm], but more modernized. He seemed less like a traditional scholar and more like a scientist.

As for his race, it wasn’t immediately apparent, but it was clear he wasn’t human. The horns on his head, spiraling like those of a demon yet slightly different, and his silver-gray hair were traits no ordinary human could possess.

At this moment, the young man on the screen began to speak.

“Oh, is it recording already? Ahem… Long time no see, Mr. Show-Off. By the time you’ve found Zero and are watching this recording, I’m probably no longer in this world.”

“I mean that quite literally, I’ll have completely disappeared. At that time, the only beings capable of remembering me, [Vast Dream], might be you, sheltered by the [Will of the World], and a few other extraordinary entities. Even written records of me will have been erased… At least, that’s what [They] said.”

“Haha, I bet you’re frowning right now, yelling about what kind of nonsense I’ve pulled this time. Fine, fine, I won’t call you Mr. Show-Off anymore. How about Minchen? Does that work?”

Forcing a lighthearted chuckle, the young man continued speaking.

“Of course, I’m not entirely sure when you’ll find this place. Although I’ve given instructions to all the magic puppets to ‘provide you with relevant clues when they encounter you’, I’ve heard that you’re currently tied up dealing with the mess we left behind in the Illusionary Realm. You probably can’t free yourself for a while, so I had no choice but to leave this message.”

“If my plan succeeds and the Goddess of Light is successfully created, Mochi will probably come to find you. But if I fail…”

At this point, a fleeting shadow of worry and gloom crossed the face of [Vast Dream]. He quickly brushed it aside, replacing it with a gentle, intellectual smile.

“Let me first report to our esteemed captain what I’ve been up to recently. You already know that I left the Tiyelu’s sanctuary with Mochi to find someone capable of curing her [Soul Fragmentation] condition. However… I haven’t made any progress after all this time.”

“The field of souls is far too profound. Even with our current level of understanding, we can’t begin to grasp its true essence or composition. I conducted numerous experiments, but every one of them failed.”

“Mochi’s condition deteriorates daily. Her periods of unconsciousness, caused by her fragmented soul, have grown longer and longer. At one point, she could remain in a coma for several days or even half a month, only to wake for mere hours. I knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer…”

“After discussing it with her, I used a secret technique to seal her body, inducing a state of suspended animation to delay her true death. This gave me the chance to shift my focus to a new approach.”

“By poring over ancient texts, I discovered that this world, as many of us originally theorized, seems to be a landmass separated by oceans. Although there are some… subtle differences in form, that’s not the point.”

“The continent we currently reside on isn’t the only isolated landmass in this world. Far across the Eastern Sea lies another civilization.”

“That continent is called the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. It’s roughly half the size of our own continent and consists of four nations, evenly distributed across the cardinal directions. However, these nations aren’t ruled by monarchs or similar individuals.”

“Their rulers are called [Saints], and collectively, the governing elite of these four nations are referred to as the [Four Saints]. However, the Four Saints are not the apex of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. The true supreme existence, or rather the organization that reigns over this continent, is known as the [Spirit Veil Immortal Island].

“?”

Hearing this somewhat familiar name, Miss Violet instinctively froze for a moment and tilted her head in confusion.

However, [Vast Dream] didn’t elaborate on the details of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. Instead, he quickly continued.

“According to descriptions in the ancient texts, Spirit Veil Immortal Island is a [hidden land of immortals]. While I don’t entirely understand what level these so-called immortals correspond to, it’s said that they possess miraculous abilities such as communicating with the underworld and summoning back lost souls. Perhaps one of these [immortals] could cure Mochi’s current condition.”

“I’ll spare you the long details of the process. In short, after overcoming many challenges, I eventually crossed the Eastern Sea, brought Mochi to the Immortal Island, and sought an audience with the one called the [Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden], a renowned Immortal. I hoped she would show mercy and save Mochi.”

At this point, Vast Dream couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile.

“I initially thought that such a distinguished figure would never extend a helping hand without reason, so I prepared generous gifts and trading resources, ready to offer anything necessary to gain her assistance. But once I arrived on the Island, I learned a disheartening truth from one of the [Seven Hidden Stars] tasked with guarding the island.”

“The [Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden]wasn’t on the island. She was traveling and had been away for some time. Even the [Seven Hidden Stars] had no idea where she was. And as an immortal, her perception of time far surpasses ours. It’s possible she wouldn’t return for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.”

“I couldn’t afford to wait that long. Forget a thousand years, at this rate, even with the secret techniques suppressing her condition, Mochi’s soul would completely dissipate within a hundred years. By that point, I doubt that even the [Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden] could bring back what would have become a rootless duckweed.”

“Minchen, you know why Mochi ended up in this near-death state of soul decay. It was because, in her already overexerted condition, she forcibly drew upon the world’s blessing to unleash an uncontrollable [False Ultimate Art] in order to save us from the enraged God of Blazing Flames. As a result, her essence was completely drained.”

“While her [Fairy Spirit lineage] temporarily preserved her life, it only delayed the inevitable collapse of her soul. It’s like trying to keep water in a bottle with an ever-widening crack. No matter how much spiritual medicine or skills I used to mend it, it was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.”

“Realizing we had reached a dead end, I fell into a deep despair and confusion. However, one of the [Seven Hidden Stars] of the Spirit Veil Immortal Island, after learning about Mochi’s condition, offered a suggestion.”

“They suggested I reconstruct Mochi’s soul. Put simply, it meant replacing the broken vessel that carries the essence of [Cheese Mochi] with a new container. While mortals cannot precisely repair a soul, simply switching the vessel might not be entirely impossible.”

“It was undoubtedly a bold idea. When I first heard it, I was shocked and furious. But after calming down, I had to admit that it was the last and only option available to me.”

“However, reshaping a soul is no simple task. Even the [Seven Hidden Star] who proposed the idea, someone whose strength surpasses ours, could only offer the suggestion and a general direction without knowing the precise method.”

“Fortunately, the Spirit Veil Immortal Island showed great generosity. Due to certain contributions I made upon my arrival, and after internal deliberation among the [Seven Hidden Stars], they decided to grant me access to the ‘first level of the Immortal Codex Pavilion.’ This collection is said to include works from the deity they revere, the [Divine Fox] who is also known as the [Supreme Sacred Fox God],  and the [Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden]. They allowed me to search there for a possible solution.”

“In addition, given the elusive nature of the [Fox Spirit Shrine Maiden], and out of a sense of regret toward my plight, they also decided to grant me one opportunity to make a direct plea to the [Fox God] for divine intervention.”