Mage Manual

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Ash wouldn't have believed it even if he were beaten to death. The normally most lazy and adorable little witch unexpectedly possessed such outstanding leadership and charisma, while the calm and scholarly Weiser turned into a mere echoing crybaby, and the Sword Maiden, whose social skills were maxed out, reverted to childhood and became so sensitive, only using violence to protect herself.

At this moment, Ash finally realized the terrifying nature of the challenge in level 35.

Unlike the Amnesia Cabin where, although everyone loses their memory, they at least retain their adult thinking and can calmly discuss cooperation driven by the will to survive. But Return to Childhood is different; they not only lose their memory but even their thinking reverts to childhood!

If the mage was a timid crybaby in childhood or too fearful to explore the environment, they can't calmly face the tests in this state and might even forget they possess the Ghost Key to escape the inheritance!

There's probably a time limit on this level; Ash doesn't believe the Ghost Prophet, being an Evil Mage, would kindly kick out unqualified challengers.

Just like the Souls Entranced and Dreaming in level 34, challengers who exceed the time will suffer continuous soul decay. If their soul decays completely before they wake up, then they'll die.

Ash can entirely understand the Ghost Prophet's thinking: He would leave this inheritance, which means he has already fallen. Since he himself is dead, would he care about the life and death of subsequent mages?

Not only wouldn't he, but he might even wish to kill more!

On a long time scale, the relationship among mages is one of 'collaborative development', because all the achievements and explorations of mages accumulate into the knowledge heritage of the Void Realm. The higher the mage's strength, the greater their numbers, the better the mage world develops.

But on the scale of centuries, the relationship among mages is undoubtedly 'interest competition'! The stronger the mages are, the more so!

For example, in the Senluo Wasteland, before the Four Pillars God Sect appeared, the wasteland's strongest three sects were the ones that possessed Legendary Mages! If there was only one Legendary Mage in the wasteland, their sect could easily flatten half of Senluo!

No matter how important the Void Realm is, mages still have to compete in reality!

Moreover, through the feeding issue of the three-winged Technique Spirit, Ash vaguely realizes that to sustain a four-winged Technique Spirit, one might truly need the organizational power of a faction.

Interestingly, in the 'Lake Light Manual', 'Time Manual', and 'Ghost Manual', it's mentioned that feeding Technique Spirits were quite troublesome back then. Different Technique Spirits needed different food materials, and if the corresponding food couldn't be found, the Technique Spirit might starve to death. But feeding through these methods allows the feeding interval to be lengthened, not needing daily feeding.

Yuanchan is a perfect example; it only needs to drink the Flowing Gold River water generated by all things and doesn't need extra feeding.

Nowadays, mages generally feed Technique Spirits with gold coins and silver coins. Though simpler and more convenient, it often requires daily feeding, and the demand for gold coins by three-winged and four-winged Technique Spirits is tremendously high, literally money-eaters in essence.

Clearly, in the era of the three Angels, Technique Spirits couldn't be fed by gold or silver, nor would they see gold and silver as wealth. In the past, Ash might have just glanced over, but after learning about blank concepts, he couldn't help but wonder—could there be a blank concept, inscribed with the idea that 'Technique Spirits can be fed with gold and silver'?

Regardless of past or present, Legendary Mages inevitably have to gather resources through factions to sustain Technique Spirits, and where factions are involved, it inevitably concerns power allocation!

If the Ghost Prophet kills more Holy Sanctuary Mages in the inheritance, his inheritor would face less difficulty in reality; if he kills a genius in the inheritance, his inheritor would confront less challenge in the future!

Even the inevitable reward of level 20, the 'Ghost Key', might be a trap. If mages think they can withdraw from the inheritance at any time using the Ghost Key and boldly challenge, they might violently perish in Souls Entranced and Dreaming or Return to Childhood!

It's even likely that he merely doesn't want the future mages to have a good time, trying his utmost to trap Holy Sanctuary Mages!

The inheritance shows the Ghost Prophet's deep cultivation in the Soul Faction, but these sinister calculations which seek to take before giving are worthy of his prophetic name!

The little Sword Maiden stepped off him, and after Ash stood up, she unexpectedly reached out to touch his face. Ash instinctively dodged back, thinking the little tiger was about to throw a tantrum again.

Yet, the little Sword Maiden simply reached out to his face and asked, "You didn't lie to us, did you?"

"No way," Ash replied with a smile, "because you're so smart. If I lied, you'd notice, so I wouldn't dare lie to you."

The little Sword Maiden lowered her head in silence for a moment, then suddenly touched his face and leaned in to blow on his cheek.

"Pain, pain, fly away~"

Then the little Sword Maiden placed her hands on her hips, proudly puffed out her chest, her face flushed, and hummed, "If I find out you're pranking me, I'll catch you and then…"

"I'll be ridden and beaten up by you." Ash raised his hands in surrender. "Don't worry, I can't escape."

Ash turned around to start drawing his 'great masterpiece', and at this moment, he felt his sleeve being tugged.

"What's the matter?"

The little Sword Maiden tugged his sleeve, her lips moved, her expression extremely uncomfortable and anxious, as she faintly uttered a few words. Ash didn't hear clearly, so he moved closer and asked, "What did you say?"

"I can't…" The little Sword Maiden glanced sideways at the little witch and little Weiser, and whispered as softly as a mosquito, "I can't draw."

Ash understood: "Then why don't you ask them to teach you?"

"They…" The little Sword Maiden murmured, "They seem…"

She didn't explain further, then acted angrily and fiercely: "Will you teach or not?"

Ash pondered: "I can teach you, but you must ask me properly for it, at least, right?"

Although Ash was beaten up by the little Sword Maiden, he naturally wouldn't mind it now. He only raised this request to suppress her arrogance a bit, so it would be easier to teach her to draw later. To make children study properly, one must first establish authority so that they adhere, a teaching experience Ash learned from educating his little nephew.

However, the little Sword Maiden's face turned very unpleasant, she left a phrase and turned around to leave: "Forget it if you won't teach!"

She didn't seek out others, directly walking to her whiteboard. She raised her finger and stared at the whiteboard for a long time, yet still didn't dare to start.

She stealthily turned her head to glance at Ash, finding him still watching her, her little head quickly turned back, pretending nothing happened.

Who knows how this stubborn and sensitive little girl grew up to be a master socialite… Ash scratched his head, helplessly walked over.

Seems he indeed can't escape from this.