My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 913 - 914: Education

Given the lich's extensive knowledge of the world, Damon felt sure he was aware that the world had been sealed. This detail had come up during Damon's journeys. Long ago, the goddess had enclosed the entire world in a seal.

The sealing probably stemmed from Lazarak’s uprising during the Zero Epoch. Its purpose wasn't to confine those inside. Instead, it aimed to block out the Unknown God.

That effort seemed futile, or at least not very successful. The Unknown God continued acting freely, and based on what Damon could tell so far, he held the advantage.

Between the two, if Damon picked the more frightening one, it would definitely be the Unknown God.

Still, Damon couldn't be sure, because the goddess hadn't taken any real actions yet.

Damon shut his eyes against the lich’s empty stare, though he didn't want to. He simply had no choice. The chilling, frosty aura emanating from those vacant eye sockets pressed heavily on him.

"I’m surprised such information would allude you, Amadeus, especially one as learned as you."

Amadeus thrust his staff into the floor and rested his hands on the table.

"Knowledge is a vast and bottomless sea. The more you know, the more you understand the vastness of your ignorance. Therefore, only a fool would believe he has reached the end of knowledge, or a god."

Damon gave a nod. That philosophy intrigued him. Was this the reason he kept questioning them?

"This world is sealed off and broken in a way. A long time ago, a god defied the goddess in his first rebellion. She stripped the world of free magic, casting all who existed here within a law that only allowed them to use a single attribute of magic. The next is a bit vague, as I do not know what it means. From what I have learned, she also took away the true names of all who dwelled within this realm."

As Damon shared that, even Seras reacted with a shift. She hadn't heard any of it before. He seemed like a walking archive of forgotten lore.

She gripped her sword tightly. These secrets were perilous, the kind that could doom the whole expedition to death if they spread outside.

She noticed the shocked expressions on their faces. But that wasn't an issue. Everyone had sworn on the oath scroll. Breaking it would kill them, if breaking it was even possible.

Oaths made willingly held immense power.

Amadeus concentrated on Damon’s explanation as he went on.

"There was also a restriction that prevented us from reaching the realm beyond the seventh class and ascending to the higher realm. In the Zero Epoch, the lesser gods took the role of suppressing us, so no one ever reached the seventh class before Lazarak’s rebellion. After his rebellion, no one could reach the eighth class because the goddess sealed the world."

Amadeus paid close attention.

"I see. If the goddess wants to keep something out, in this case the Unknown God, then it must mean there is something of value here in this world. Surely it cannot be us."

Damon sipped his beverage. True to form for an ancient fiend, the cursed lich had already figured out the Pillar's presence.

"I believe I have satisfied your thirst for knowledge. You must honor your word."

Amadeus’s aura surged a bit, dimming the surroundings. Damon stayed steady and composed.

"Hahaha. Of course. I will. This is merely an exchange between friends. Perhaps I should tell you what you will encounter next in the Evil Forest. The terrain is treacherous and full of horrors."

Damon thought about sending him away, but a thought in his head warned that in this deadly area, information meant survival. Even if the lich knew of the Pillar, he couldn't locate it. And any hints he had would help Damon too.

He looked toward Renata, who offered a slight nod. She'd stayed near him throughout, pouring his drink, with a faint look of concern.

For those unfamiliar with her, it might be tough to spot. But Damon knew her well enough to read her through subtle cues.

"Very well then. Why don’t you go first," he responded.

The lich gave a slow nod. A purple light flickered in his empty sockets, and then he began to speak.

"In no specific order, the forest does not remain the same. It changes. It grows. It dies. It exists in a constant cycle. From your path, I imagine you wish to take the route to the sea."

Seras nodded gradually behind Damon.

"We do."

The lich, Amadeus, gestured with his hand, summoning a projection.

"Within the next hundred steps, you will enter the Hungry Ground."

He looked at Seras and saw her scowl.

The Hungry Ground served as another term for a zone deep in the forest where the dark earth started draining life force.

He looked at Seras once more.

"You know the rules of the Black Roots."

Her face stayed even as she drew from her recollections.

The soil appears jet black and yielding like damp soot. Steps sink far too deep. It feels heated, akin to breathing skin, nearly as if caressing a person alive.

The rule stayed straightforward.

Standing still for too long draws the ground's greed, speeding up your demise.

During the previous trip, Black Roots crept up legs when folks paused, so constant movement was essential.

Those roots drew on life essence and mana, causing a draining debilitation.

Sufferers endured fierce cravings and fatigue before the earth yanked them down, acting like sinking sand.

Her fingers trembled recalling the aftermath.

The engulfed didn't perish right away. They lingered as feeding points, partially interred, aware for days, months, or longer.

Their cries echoed via the roots, tempting more victims closer.

Survival's secret was basic.

Avoid sitting right on the soil. Levitation spells wore out energy quicker in this place, so they weren't wise.

Bodies needed instant burning, lest they sprout roots and turn into undead or Black Root beasts.

Seras had faced this during her third year at the academy. It seemed ages past, yet the fear and wounds lingered.

She nodded to Damon. Gathering more details improved their odds.

He shut his eyes.

"It’s called the Pillar of Conflict."