Chapter 32: An Unpleasant Atmosphere

Shu Ke’s presence strained the relationship between the Vincent family and the Royal Academy.

Therefore, only Shu Ke left with the instructors of the Royal Academy. The rest of the candidates would be sent to the Royal Academy by the Vincent family.

This was actually no good for both the Royal Academy and the Vincent family.

However, neither side had any other choice. Lilia was not someone who would let go of things easily.

The Vincent family would not let Shu Ke off either, ordinary instructors could not help him even if they wanted.

They could only let the situation take its own course, no one dared to voice their opinions.

As for the students from the Vincent family, they would probably become the disciples of the instructors from the Vincent family in the academy.

In other words, ordinary instructors would probably only be able to take in the disciples that others did not want.

This was not a good thing, but they also dared to have any dissatisfaction with Lilia.

She was someone who had been existing for at least a thousand years, there were only a handful of people like her in the entire academy and even the entire kingdom. People like her were very popular amongst the humans and were also well-known throughout the entire continent.

As a result, many of the instructors could only shift their target to Shu Ke. He was constantly picked on by dissatisfied instructors.

Thankfully, none of them went overboard due to Lilia and Toulon’s presence.

Shu Ke did not say much about the situation, it was the freedom of others to dislike him. It’s not like he could interfere, right?

Therefore, he kept quiet and let nature take its course.

He had already offended so many people anyway, the Vincent family wanted to skin him alive and rip his organs out.

In comparison, the ill-treatment of the instructors was not worth mentioning.

“If we go any further, we will leave Nova Province.”

Toulon looked at the curtain of lights in the sky with an unreadable expression.

“What’s this?”

Shu Ke looked at the light curtain with a puzzled look. Why was there a light curtain at the border of the province? It seemed to be a magic barrier.

“This is a barrier, only four places in the entire kingdom that have this thing.”

“The Vincent family’s Nova Province, the Kelsey family’s Duolun Province, the Sivico family’s Abel Province, and the Imperial City.”

“The holy light barrier can only be constructed at these four places, it is used to resist the corrosion of the Abyss and demons. Other places without the magic barrier are not so lucky.”

Toulon knew that Shu Ke started cultivating less than a month ago, so he did not know many things.

Since no one in the Vincent family would tell Shu Ke, he had to tell these seemingly basic things to him himself.

“The greatest use of the holy light barrier is that it purifies and protects a certain area from the corrosion of the Abyss with the divine power of the good and the Lord of Dawn.”

“Without this barrier or the protection of other Gods, these places will be directly exposed to the prying eyes of the Abyss. They eventually end up as a potential target of the Abyss.”

“The Abyss… The root of all evil in this world, demons and devils, it is the lair of Evil Gods.”

Shu Ke understood the concept of the Abyss. After all, it was one of the most common themes in the bards’ poems.

However, Shu Ke did not understand the specifics of it, nor did he understand how terrifying it was.

“It’s not that sort of vague and illusory thing, you’ll find out really soon.”

Toulon smiled as he shook his head. People who had always lived in the barrier naturally would not know how powerful the influence of the Abyss on this world had become.

This was why the great elder came up with the idea of Toulon and Shu Ke by labeling them as demon contractors.

“Yes, I understand.”

Shu Ke could not help but feel a little wary when he heard that. He understood that the situation in the Abyss was definitely not a good one for Toulon to say such things.

“Everyone, be careful. Once we leave the barrier, we will suffer an intense murmur in our heads. Do not pay attention to these voices!”

The closer they got to the light curtain, the more intense the murmurs became.

Even Lilia, who had not been in her proper form, started to grow serious.

Seeing this situation, Shu Ke also became serious. He did not dare to be careless when facing the entities behind the curtain of light.

“We have passed through. Everyone, be careful!”

Lilia reminded them one last time before she took the lead to pass through the curtain of light.

Following that, the other teachers also passed through, followed by Shu Ke and Toulon.

“The truth, do you want to know the truth?”

“Your parents are actually not dead yet. Come, answer my call and you will be able to see them.”

“Power, a power that surpasses the Gods. I can give it to you! I’ll allow you to become the strongest existence. Answer me, quickly! Answer me!!”

The moment he passed through the curtain of light, Shu Ke vision turned pitch black.

Everything had disappeared, he was standing alone in the darkness. There was no up or down, nor was there a left or right.

There was only endless darkness and an inexplicable peace of mind.

It was as if he was in the embrace of his mother. There was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to worry about.

There was also a gentle voice whispering to him, it sounded as if a kind elder was patiently enticing him.

It was pure temptation, like someone putting a pile of gold in front of you and asking if you wanted it.

It was direct and very effective.

Shu Ke subconsciously wanted to answer him, but forcibly resisted himself from doing so. He knew that he should never answer this voice.

This should be the Abyss Murmur that they had mentioned earlier. It was indeed extremely terrifying.

“You will answer me. You will definitely answer me.”

“This is your fate. This is a fate that you can not betray. I will wait for you to appear in the endless land.”

The darkness receded like a tide, and light appeared before his eyes once again.

The feeling of being alive surged into his heart.

Shu Ke slowly opened his eyes, but what greeted his eyes were the people who were waiting for him.

“What are you doing?”

Shu Ke hurriedly asked, afraid that they would kill him on the spot in the next second.

“You are Shu Ke?”

Toulon put away his long sword that was ready to attack and looked at Shu Ke in surprise.

“It’s me. Teacher, what’s wrong with all of you? You didn’t think that I was possessed by a Demon, did you?”

As soon as these words left his mouth, everyone became nervous again.

Toulon drew his sword again and looked at Shu Ke with a grim expression. “You didn’t respond to the call of the Abyss, did you?”

“Or are you not Shu Ke now, but something else?”