Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3216: Chapter 3217: Consciousness Void

At first, climbing the stairs wasn’t too crowded, but in the last ten levels, the number of "companions" increased significantly.

Because it was so crowded, Angel passively learned a cold fact—the total length of the outer corridor on each level.

Since there is more than one staircase on each level of the Ring Fort, if there’s too many people on this staircase, I’d switch to another one. In the process of detouring and searching for new stairs, Angel passively came to know the length of the outer corridor on each level: roughly three to five kilometers.

The outer corridor is already so long, and there are countless rooms and shops along it, many of which contain hidden worlds, making the effective area even larger.

And this is just one level.

The currently known main station of the Ring Fort has a total of seven thousand levels.

Just imagining this, one can appreciate how vast the Ring Fort is, worthy of being the base camp of the Crystal Eye Clan, truly a wonder of architecture!

Of course, during the entire journey, marveling at the enormity of the Ring Fort was only a small part; Angel spent more time marveling at the sheer number of people on each level.

For instance, now, having reached the 5495th level, they’ve been walking on the outer corridor for almost five minutes, continuously searching for over ten staircases, each one so packed with people there isn’t even a gap to squeeze through.

The sheer number of people is evident.

The number of people on the stairs is huge, and there are also plenty in the corridors; wherever one looks, heads are moving together. Angel even thought about finding a shop to rest for a while, letting Luigi go alone to the Pirush outpost to increase pages, but thinking of Thunderous Eye and various technological inventions by Pirush, he held back.

It took them half an hour to get from the 5495th level to the 5500th level.

Angel thought reaching the 5500th level meant overcoming the most difficult moment, but he was too naive. Upon reaching the 5500th level, he immediately saw a long queue.

Casually asking someone who was queuing confirmed that the end of this queue was the Pirush outpost.

Looking at the endless queue stretching from clear vision straight into the hazy clouds, complemented by the neon lights of surrounding shops, Angel felt a sort of cyberpunk exhaustion.

Not just Angel, even Laplace frowned.

It’s one thing to squeeze on stairs, but now the queue is so long, and they don’t know how long they’ll be waiting. Laplace didn’t want to waste time here.

Her gaze turned to Luigi.

Luigi understood and raised his hand: "You guys find a place to rest first, I’ll go take a look. If I can contact Pika Sage, we shouldn’t need to queue."

Without waiting for a response, Luigi quickly dove into the dense crowd, disappearing.

Laplace and Angel then went to a nearby shop named "Soft Skin."

This is a tooth dyeing shop, with no one inside except a despondent Red Skin Pippi; a stark contrast to the bustling atmosphere outside. It’s easy to see why; tooth dyeing trends are only popular among Pirush, maybe a bit of interest in Pipi Castle, but bringing a tooth dyeing shop to a multi-species gathering? How could it attract customers?

Who would care about the color of their teeth for no reason?

As for why Angel and Laplace would come to this shop, one reason was the lack of people, another was that the sign advertised alcohol service.

They weren’t there to dye teeth but rather to rest with the alcoholic service.

The shop owner, the Red Skin Pippi, wasn’t thrilled to learn they weren’t there for tooth dyeing, his lips drooping noticeably. However, when Angel handed over some Crystalline currency, his smile reappeared.

Though the Crystalline wasn’t much, it was enough to cover the cost of drinks. As for Angel and Laplace staying to rest for a while, to Pirush this was harmless, as there was no other patron at the moment; their presence could help boost the shop’s popularity.

Therefore, the shop owner specially led them to a window seat where they could see the queue outside through the glass.

People outside could also see them inside leisurely drinking.

Creating contrast and comparison to attract popularity... one must admit, this Pirush is somewhat clever.

However, it’s merely a bit of petty cleverness. If he had true wisdom, he wouldn’t have moved the tooth dyeing shop from Pipi Castle to here.

Pirush’s little scheme was well planned, but unfortunately, he encountered Angel.

Angel doesn’t like being viewed as "scenery."

With a snap of his fingers, he arranged a small Illusion Technique on the glass.

From inside looking outside, the view is unaffected. But from outside trying to see inside, there’s nothing visible, only a pure white wallpaper.

The shop owner didn’t see anything amiss; he delivered the drinks and returned to the counter, staring outside silently.

Angel took a sip of a drink wrapped in unknown packaging... neither good nor bad, it wasn’t unpleasant but not particularly tasty.

It was enough to quench his thirst.

But paying five Crystalline for just a bottle of thirst-quenching water wasn’t very cost-effective.

However, it didn’t matter, as their purpose was simply to rest, with the drink as a bonus.

"Can we see the painting you mentioned now?" Angel set down his cup, looking at Laplace.

He was quite curious about how the "holographic broadcast" Laplace mentioned works and what the painting is all about.

Laplace nodded: "Yes, are you ready?"

"Huh? Ready for what?"

"To see the painting."

Angel was slightly stunned and instinctively responded: "Ready."

"Then let’s go." As Laplace finished speaking, familiar barriers started constructing around them.

Angel wasn’t surprised to see the barriers; who knows what secrets the painting holds. Since they need to conduct a holographic broadcast, naturally they had to obscure everyone’s view.

As he thought this, suddenly, the opposite Laplace extended her hand, her nearly jade-like fingertips started gathering a peculiar energy.

The main component of this energy should be Aggregation Energy, but it merged with a part of unknown energy. Exactly what energy it was, with Angel’s understanding of energy research, it was beyond his comprehension—if Sanders were here, he might understand, but Angel didn’t.

Soon, the energy at Laplace’s fingertips condensed into flickering light spots.

The light spots bobbed up and down, from afar, looking like a river of stars flowing at her fingertips.

"For your safety, I will shield your senses and let you enter my field of view." Laplace’s cold voice echoed in Angel’s ears.

Angel understood every single word of the sentence, but strung together it was baffling.

Just as Angel was about to ask, the light stream on Laplace’s fingers started aligning, like constellations, following some predetermined path, beginning to combine.

"Is this similar to an Illusion Node?" Angel pondered internally, wondering if Laplace intended to use these light points to create an Illusionary Realm.

That guess was soon disproven.

The arrangement of light points was swift, completing its self-structuring in merely a second or two.

Instead of forming any Illusionary Realm, these structured light points formed a water-rippled mirror.

Under Laplace’s gesture, Angel reached out and touched the mirror.

At the very moment he touched it, Angel felt a faint suction pulling him in. He did not resist, allowing the force to draw him into the mirror.

When Angel opened his eyes again, he found himself no longer in the Tooth Dyeing Shop but in an unknown void.

Surrounded by endless light points, these points moved swiftly, resembling stars swirling around.

Angel tried to sense the situation around him, but no matter how he called for spiritual power, he received no response. It wasn’t just spiritual power that was unreachable, even Mind Space was undetectable.

It was as if he had become an ordinary person, shrouded in ignorance.

"Don’t try to sense it; this force you’re encountering now will only lead you astray." Laplace’s voice sounded in Angel’s ear.

Angel glanced around, but couldn’t see any trace of Laplace.

"Where are you? Where is this place—is it an Illusionary Realm? What do you mean by what you said?" Angel asked.

Upon speaking, Angel’s eyebrows furrowed.

He felt like he was speaking and heard his own voice, yet it felt hollow, as if he were submerged underwater wearing a swim cap. Though he could hear the sound, there was a sense of alienation.

"Do you see the light points all around you?" Laplace’s voice sounded again.

Angel nodded, how could he ignore those starlight-surrounded points?

Laplace: "These light points are me."

Light points are Laplace?

Just as Angel’s mind was startled with surprise, Laplace spoke again: "There’s no need to be surprised; you can consider yourself as a light point now too."

I’m a light point too? But Angel looked down at his body and found no abnormalities; he remained in human form.

Laplace: "You can understand it as being a Spirit Light, carrying consciousness. Our location is in a Consciousness Void, a void with strange and bizarre power. Without an anchor point, one could easily be assimilated by the surrounding forces. To prevent you from getting lost, I’ve provided a shell outside your consciousness Spark, which is the body you perceive now as your anchor point."

Simply put, Angel had essentially turned into a light point. However, due to the peculiar space he was in, without a keen self-awareness, external forces can easily attract and cause confusion, which is one reason why Laplace blocked his perception.

To allow Angel self-recognition, he was given his body as an anchor point, a familiar form.

Angel vaguely understood Laplace’s explanation; his current body was illusory, merely an anchor point—no wonder his speech felt familiar yet strangely alien. This is because he wasn’t speaking through his body but communicating spiritually.

Laplace had allowed Angel’s shell to externally express itself through "speaking."

Although he generally understood the situation, Angel still had some confusion.

Consciousness Void... Laplace’s description gave Angel a sense of familiarity and déjà vu—

Wang Wang had once taken him through a Spatial Tempest, entering a high-dimensional passage. Within that passage, Angel saw various bizarre scenes. According to Wang Wang, the high-dimensional passage was stable only due to its talent. Without guidance, accidental entry would lead to absolute disorientation.

However, Wang Wang was not aware that this dimension journey wasn’t Angel’s first experience.

The Eye of the Sky led Angel through a higher-dimensional journey, where he learned the ability of the Gate of Void.

Using special methods, the Gate of Void initiates a wondrous journey—possibly a dimension-surpassing passage.

How similar was that past experience to today’s?

Could it be that this so-called Consciousness Void is another kind of high-dimensional journey?

Angel felt it was quite possible. Many Wizards’ research suggests that the concept of "consciousness" exists in higher dimensions rather than the present reality.

Laplace’s mention of this place as "Consciousness Void," the concept becoming void-like, seems indicative of higher dimensions.

Angel voiced his speculation.

Laplace paused briefly, then replied: "I cannot answer; however, Consciousness Void is not solely accessible by me. I’ve observed traces left by other beings here."

"If truly compared dimensionally, it may not be much higher than the dimension we live in."

"However, rather than comparing dimensions, I believe this is a dangerous, hidden consciousness aggregation world, akin to the Dream Realm—chaotic, illogical, a deeper side of the Mirror Domain."

Whether Angel’s guess is accurate or Laplace’s explanation is correct, remains undetermined.

As a frequent visitor to this "world," Angel feels Laplace’s answer may be closer to the truth.

The ability to enter higher dimensions isn’t widespread.

Putting this issue aside for now, Angel observed the swirling "stars" and asked: "Are we moving right now?"

Laplace nodded: "Yes, Consciousness Void allows for faster movement, but only consciousness can enter. Our destination is where my true form resides."

...

"We’ve arrived," Laplace’s voice came.

Time is difficult to perceive within the Consciousness Void, but Angel communicated continuously with Laplace. By gauging the time through conversation, it should not surpass two minutes from the moment he entered.

As Angel contemplated the time, the surrounding "stars" began arranging again; soon, another mirror appeared before him.

"Just like before, touching it allows you to leave—the exterior is where my true form is."

Pausing briefly, Laplace added: "By the way, your perception will remain blocked."

Laplace did not provide reasons this time, but Angel speculated it might be for his own safety?

After all, Luigi had mentioned that Laplace’s true form, by merely unintentionally releasing its atmosphere, could stir overwhelming disruptions.

If he indiscreetly sensed his surroundings after exiting, the backlash could harm him.

Naturally, Angel had no objections; hence, he was more curious about what Laplace’s true form actually looked like.