Chapter 32: The Woman Who Wept in Her Dreams

A scream echoed through the castle, coming from the direction of the kitchen.

Then came a loud crash.

A figure smashed straight through the side wall, blasting several Knights away, and charged directly at Li Qiuchen.

He was like an arrow, and Jocelyn like a solid shield.

The infected one’s Bone Claw slashed out, but Jocelyn met it with an Iron Fist.

The impact between the two sent a shockwave rippling across the floor, making everyone feel the castle’s ground tremble beneath them.

The infected felt no pain.

He swung his Bone Claw at Jocelyn again, but left no mark on the Iron Armor.

Jocelyn’s fist crashed into his face, turning his flesh inside out, yet he continued to attack madly, the sound of bone striking iron echoing ominously.

The two were locked in a deadly brawl, each blow landing with bone-crushing force.

“Now, it’s fair.”

Aescher smiled at Li Qiuchen.

Sweat soaked Li Qiuchen’s forehead, but he managed a smile in return, raising his thumb toward Aescher before slowly collapsing.

“Good!”

Aescher laughed, but his voice was laced with fury.

He swung his right hand again, drawing elements from the air that swirled into a chaotic Turbulence.

“Your technique is top-notch. But what about your strength?”

Li Qiuchen’s hands moved swiftly, trying to keep up.

He pushed his magic to the limit, feeling his stamina drain rapidly.

His mind was worn by fatigue and pain.

The blood in his veins felt as if it was burning away, turning to white ash and clogging his arteries, leaving him powerless.

“This Turbulence is filled with Restriction Magic and Curse Magic. They form and dissolve automatically, creating a deadlock. But if you dare miss a single spell, it’ll be enough to send you to hell.”

Aescher released the Turbulence’s binding, sending it sweeping toward Li Qiuchen.

“Let me see, as a follower of the Path of Law Magic, how much of the Philosopher Mage’s glory remains in you?”

I have the full ten parts of glory, damn it.

Li Qiuchen cursed silently, but didn’t say it aloud.

Half-hearted taunts were pointless.

Survival was all that mattered now.

The Turbulence, carrying countless spells, drifted slowly toward Li Qiuchen.

It was only about the size of a head, but the instant it locked onto him, he was paralyzed.

He could clearly see the tangled Lawtracks within, like a knotted rope.

Thunder elements thickened almost to liquid, ready to tear his Soul apart with a touch.

Black curses radiated dread, and just meeting their gaze under [Perception] brought terrible erosion.

It was a challenge, but he knew dozens of solutions.

Unfortunately, picking up the pen alone nearly exhausted him.

A sharp pain pierced his brow, but warmth slowly spread from his shoulder.

“Mars Da Nobis Virtutem!”

Wright pressed a hand to his shoulder and chanted loudly.

The Blessing of the War God spell could restore stamina and courage.

Li Qiuchen felt immense gratitude.

This baker was a true treasure.

But he noticed something odd.

Mars Da Nobis Virtutem—such a short blessing, yet the old man recited it all wrong, and the Goddess of War still answered?

He couldn’t care anymore.

As his strength returned, his eyes brightened, and he unraveled the streams of elemental Turbulence.

Only a sticky Curse remained, drifting swiftly toward his face.

As it neared his nose, a black Iron Hand snatched the Curse from the air, and Li Qiuchen collapsed in exhaustion.

Aescher turned to look at Jocelyn’s opponent.

Every bone in the infected one’s body had been shattered by her.

He lay on the ground like a heap of bloody pulp, still emitting twisted howls but unable to move.

“Courting death.”

Aescher was displeased that someone had interrupted their duel.

He was about to unleash a curse, but saw a faint flame flickering in Jocelyn’s Iron Armor palm.

His Curse vanished instantly!

What kind of magic is this?

He didn’t have time to ask.

A thunderous crash came from the distant Mine.

Something had collapsed inside.

“Tch. It’s awakened.”

Aescher frowned, glancing toward the mine.

The bat he’d sent out with Detect Magic had lost contact.

It had sensed the presence of Dark Energy.

He had to hurry—if it recovered, things would get troublesome.

He looked at Li Qiuchen.

“I have more important matters to handle. But before that, you and I should settle this.”

“Let me see how Alan’s disciples face an assault on the Soul!”

Aescher spread his arms.

A dense black mist spread, filling the castle with terrifying screams.

Broken, transparent figures shrieked and lunged at Huo En, who was still fighting Kaili.

A few souls tainted with black mist charged at Li Qiuchen.

Chaos erupted.

The Knights swung their swords, but couldn’t harm the phantoms.

Yet the phantoms’ bites cut to the bone.

“They’re the remnant Souls of the dead from past years.”

Kaili recognized them at a glance.

She guarded Li Qiuchen and the others, the golden glow on her blade holding the spirits at bay.

“By the way, Mr. Huo En, this is yours.”

Before leaping out the window, Aescher tossed a short dagger at Huo En, who was frozen amidst the spirits.

It was the very blade Huo En had driven into him earlier.

The dagger sped toward Huo En’s chest—then stopped midair.

A translucent Soul had gripped the blade.

Aescher flashed to the spot, glancing at the Noble Lady’s portrait on the wall, then at the Soul.

“So it was you.”

He smiled, pressed the dagger forward, driving it through the Soul and into Huo En’s body, then turned and leapt out the window, transforming into a bat and flying toward the mine.

Huo En stood motionless.

The black mist in his eyes faded.

The spirits tore at him, but he felt no pain.

Blood flowed from the dagger in his chest, but he didn’t care.

He simply gazed at the Soul before him.

She was both familiar and strange, her face twisted and her form grown tall.

Suddenly, he understood why the woman he yearned for wept in his dreams.

He had used the Souls of others to feed hers.

He kept her here, but left her incomplete.

She could not return, yet did not wish to see him grieve.

She was the only reason he clung to life.

Of course she knew he was doing wrong.

A stubborn man, holding on to a dream for the sake of love.

But he was her beloved—the man she reached for from the carriage on their wedding day.

She couldn’t stop him, nor bear to awaken him, but neither could she ignore the suffering souls.

So, she wept in his dreams.

“I’m sorry.”

Huo En reached to touch the hovering Soul, but his hand passed through air.

The Soul, wounded in the chest, began to fade.

Li Qiuchen wiped the sweat from his brow.

He set the Yellow Crystal on the ground and knelt, carefully tracing a magic array.

Soul magic belonged to the Earth Lawtrack—he wasn’t adept at it.

But the array he’d learned in his dream not long ago was perfect for this situation.

The Cage of the Fool.

It could build a dream for the dying or lingering souls, purifying them completely.

It was a gift given to the user within the Fool’s Food magic array by the Goblin Magician ‘Gold Tooth’ Grubb.

“The Fool’s Dream is like a cage.”

Li Qiuchen chanted softly.

A cage rose, enveloping the room.

The remnant Souls, once sacrifices, collapsed—some crying, some laughing, some weeping with joy.

But all found peace.

The Soul before Huo En was gently embraced.

Huo En raised a hand, waving at Wright.

The old soldier hurried over.

The Baron spoke weakly.

“That child… I saw him… cough, he didn’t stay long in the town. He went… cough, to Phoenix City.”

The old soldier nodded in gratitude.

Kairui sat beside his father, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Huo En smiled and patted his arm.

“Don’t be like me. From now on, be yourself…”

His gaze lingered on the Soul beside him—the Baron smiled softly as it faded, finally seeing his girl free of tears.

Memories flashed before him.

He no longer feared death.

The Soul beside him became points of light, drifting onto Huo En’s face and body, like spring rain, like a maiden’s tears.

Huo En’s hand fell limply.

Something within the cage seemed to dissolve.

He could almost see the scene of that wild ride north.

They left the wedding carriage behind, laughing and singing on horseback.

They cared nothing for tomorrow, nothing for the future.

He held her as they rode, and it was the entire world.

***

Taya Cultural Note:

“The Iris of Blackwater Town” is a classic love song sung by countless people.

Note: This song was composed by Tide, the owner of the Oak Barrel Tavern, during the fourth siege of Phoenix City.

It later spread across many southern city-states and was called the ‘Song of the Fool’ by many Bards.