Endless Debt Chapter 1136: Prologue: Door_2

Hill rarely concerned himself with others' praise; he typically preferred to remain in solitude, engrossed in his favored pursuits.

He was, in essence, a reclusive individual, possessing scarce companions save for Suzi and Saqin... These two, however, proved persistently familiar, brushing aside any of Hill's attempts at maintaining distance.

A sigh escaped Hill's lips. As if a form of acquired tolerance, he felt a sense of accustomedness settling in, and then he posed a question:

"So, when do you two intend to tie the knot? Are you going to postpone it indefinitely?"

The moment these words left his mouth, Saqin and Suzi froze mid-motion, their smiles faltering, replaced by an inexplicable rigidity.

This time, a look of smug satisfaction graced Hill's features; he perceived the inner workings of their minds with perfect clarity.

Suzi's countenance flushed a deep crimson, while Saqin stumbled over his words, yearning to offer an explanation, yet the words caught in his throat, resulting in a stammered utterance.

Just as the tension threatened to breach its breaking point, the profoundly diligent Grand Tutor finally interjected.

Ceasing his work, he turned around and addressed the trio, "Have there been any breakthroughs in the research?"

The Grand Tutor was a veritable workhorse, seldom diverting his attention to matters beyond his professional duties.

"Yes, yes,"

Saqin affirmed repeatedly, clearly relieved, and Suzi added her own nods of agreement, reaching for a substantial compilation of documents that had been prepared.

A faint smile played on Hill's lips as he also rose to his feet. This research compilation was the collective effort of the three of them, though Hill had spearheaded the endeavors.

The exceptionally gifted Hill, destined to be the next Grand Tutor; these were the accolades consistently bestowed upon Hill by the Scholars.

Within the hallowed halls of the Golden Palace, the Grand Tutor held the utmost scholarly authority. As his disciples, the three of them were already qualified to assume tutoring positions, yet they chose to continue their studies under his tutelage.

"The research initiative this time was somewhat disparate, leading to findings that are, consequently, somewhat fragmented," Hill reported to the Grand Tutor. "However, I am confident that persistent investigation will allow these disparate pieces of information to interlink, ultimately revealing the truth."

The Grand Tutor offered a nod, gesturing for Hill to elaborate further.

"Primarily, concerning our investigation into Ether contamination within matter..."

The mere mention of this subject caused Hill's breath to quicken.

The research conducted within the Golden Palace was held in the highest level of secrecy; every piece of knowledge uncovered here possessed the potential to shatter the Scholars' established understanding of the world.

This was precisely the nature of the revelation Hill was poised to deliver.

"Following months of extensive exploration and excavation deep beneath the earth's surface, involving continuous drilling, we successfully penetrated the crust and retrieved numerous samples of both solid and molten material."

It was a monumental undertaking, facilitated by the power of Ether and the intricate Alchemy Matrix, with relentless drilling pushing ever closer to the planet's core.

"From these samples, we isolated a substance entirely free from Ether contamination, thereby substantiating our premise—that Ether is an external energy source. Simultaneously, this discovery invalidates the fundamental principles we had previously established based upon Ether."

Hill's demeanor grew grave, his gaze sweeping across Suzi and Saqin. "By unanimous decision among the three of us, we have christened this substance the Original Substance."

"Original Substance?" The Grand Tutor inquired, nodding his head slightly. "An appropriate designation."

He commenced leafing through the documents, absorbing the written accounts. For any other Scholar to peruse this content would undoubtedly lead to a shattering of their worldview, perhaps even plunging them into profound mental distress.

"Your hypothesis holds true. Examining the samples gathered during our excavation, the initial materials extracted still contained traces of the Cold Iron Soul. However, as our drilling progressed deeper, the concentration of the Cold Iron Soul within these materials progressively diminished, ultimately ceasing to exist."

Hill elaborated, "Yet, contrary to established principles, it did not simply disintegrate into dust. The material retained its structural integrity."

Suzi contributed, "The soul is not an indispensable component for matter... at least, that appears to be the case for the Original Substance."

The Grand Tutor prompted, "Proceed."

Saqin then spoke, "Aligning with your hypothesis, it suggests that Ether introduced itself to this world at some point in antiquity. Our suspicion is that upon its arrival, it gradually permeated all external matter, advancing incrementally towards the planet's core. This can be inferred from the diminishing Cold Iron Soul content in the samples, allowing us to extrapolate backward and estimate the timeframe of Ether's descent based on its contamination rate."

The Grand Tutor entered a state of deep contemplation.

Hill turned the pages of the documents and continued, "Ether permeates the entire world from its exterior. As the Ether concentration steadily rises, it will inevitably lead to the complete contamination of the entire world. The ultimate outcome remains uncertain, but based on the available data..."

Hill's words faltered, a note of hesitation entering his voice.

"Go ahead and speak your mind, Hill. Don't hold back," the Grand Tutor encouraged. "We tread into forbidden knowledge; in times past, such pursuits would have led to our execution by fire."

Upon hearing the Grand Tutor's words, Hill offered a wry smile. The very knowledge they delved into was nearly heretical to outside Scholars, with each phrase capable of shattering their comprehension of the Extraordinary System.

"Clearly, from our investigations into the Original Substance, we can ascertain that matter itself lacks a soul. The notion of a soul is merely a byproduct, an emergent phenomenon arising after Ether interacts with matter."