129: Chapter 128 The Sleepy Lya, the Gate to a New World

For nearly two months, Zhang Mu hadn't rested for a single moment.

Before dawn, he would head into the Silent Forest, clearing a path with his own strength to set traps near the pillar of light.

Returning in the afternoon, he would be pestered by Domit with all sorts of questions.

Zhang Mu originally wanted to be angry, but he couldn't help it since the other party had such a good attitude and was so well-behaved.

As soon as he saw Zhang Mu looking a bit impatient, he would immediately take his leave.

At night, he had no time to carefully study Puppet Art; instead, he would carry Lia on his shoulders and wander around.

For Zhang Mu, whose life goal was to work just enough to be able to sleep until he woke up naturally, he very much disliked this "fulfilling" life.

But one matter after another, there wasn't a single thing he could shake off.

Fortunately, it was almost over.

Just after noon, Zhang Mu returned to the Magic Array with his hands behind his back and climbed to the mountain peak. Mihe was dozing by the stone table in the courtyard, yet his vigilance remained high.

As soon as Zhang Mu's head appeared at the top of the stone stairs, Mihe's eyelids flew open. "Are you finished?"

"Even if I'm not finished, this is as far as it goes." Sitting on the wooden chair to Mihe's right, Zhang Mu gazed at the pillar of light soaring into the sky from deep within the forest; it had become almost transparent.

"The Sealing Magic Array will shut down tomorrow."

"Yeah." Giving a soft response, Mihe sighed. "Are you sure you want to go and seize the treasure?"

"Not to mention those powerful Adventurer Groups, you can't even deal with the Lord of Gur City alone."

"I know you've been carefully preparing many traps on the outskirts of the forest lately, but an absolute gap in power isn't something small tricks can bridge."

As he spoke, his Mental Energy swept toward Zhang Mu, directly sealing the flow of mana within his body. "The Lord of Gur City is stronger than I am."

Zhang Mu didn't show any shock in his actions or expression at the power displayed; instead, he asked with a look of curiosity, "Is this the qualitatively transformed Mental Energy?"

Just now, the surrounding void was like a water surface with a stone thrown into it, rippling with visible circles.

"That's what you're concerned about?" Mihe was somewhat speechless.

"What else?" Zhang Mu gave a perfunctory reply, calling up his interface in his mind and scanning it himself.

The Meditation Method was about to level up.

He was currently an Apprentice Magician; the next level was Elementary. His actual strength was at the Intermediate level, but the increase in combat power wasn't very significant.

Hmm... I need to find a way to collect magic books.

After all, a magician's overt combat power depends first on level; without a foundation of sufficient mana and Mental Energy, one wouldn't be able to cast top-tier magic even if they learned it.

Secondly, it's magic books.

Without powerful magic, having a high level alone is useless.

At most, one could use Mental Energy to bully Professionals many levels lower; encountering someone of the same level, or even one level lower, they'd be finished on the spot.

While casually handling Mihe's persuasion, he checked his own magic.

Thanks to the results of practicing whenever he had time, the Great Fireball Spell had been promoted to Fireball Spell: Void; the Lightning Spell and Wind Blade Spell were the same.

All the skills he had learned were steadily improving; the only one that made him scratch his head was True Word Spell: God Said.

At what level can this thing actually be used?

Zhang Mu's pondering was making him a bit frantic, and he started to let his mind wander.

If only I could ask the Pope; in the Saul Continent, he is the only one who practices the True Word Spell.

But according to Mihe, the Pope stays year-round at the Church headquarters located in the central region of the continent and has basically never appeared.

If it weren't for the fact that the Church sends statues of gods enchanted with the True Word Spell to the newly established branches every year, everyone would think he was dead.

Hiss... What level is the Pope's Divine Official rank?

It could serve as a reference.

Zhang Mu snapped out of his contemplation and looked at Mihe beside him. "Do you know the level of the Pope's Divine Official rank?"

"Why are you asking that? Do you intend to duel the Pope?"

"Just asking."

"Legendary." Mihe's tone held a hint of longing. "He is also the only Legendary on the Saul Continent."

After lowering his head to think for a moment, Zhang Mu asked again what made a Legendary so powerful.

Unfortunately, Mihe didn't know either, because the Church's Pope hadn't been seen taking action for thousands of years.

All he knew was that for all Professionals on the Saul Continent, the name of the final rank they could reach was Legendary.

As for anything else, like the conditions for advancement or exactly how strong a Legendary was, he knew nothing at all.

However, Zhang Mu estimated in his heart that the Church was probably in a league of its own even among Legendaries, just based on the True Word Spell.

This thing was simply the power of a god. By all logic, it shouldn't be masterable by "mortals" at all.

Even if the cost of using it was ridiculously expensive, to the point where an ordinary person would lose their life instantly.

But, compared to the terrifying power of the True Word Spell, is it expensive?

From a non-human perspective, it should feel incomparably cheap.

Life being precious is how humans value themselves. If there really were gods, in their eyes, trading a single mortal life for one chance to use divine power would be an incredible bargain.

Come on, how many Professionals are there on the Saul Continent?

For humans who will die eventually, if one dies and I get to use my power once, what a merciful and tolerant god I am!

That's probably how a god would think, Zhang Mu guessed.

Even among humans, there were likely many who shared this thought.

Shaking his head, he stood up, feeling they had talked enough. He said his goodbyes and returned to his house located halfway up the mountain.

Seeing Zhang Mu step through the door, Lia, who had been lying on the wooden table in the living room, jumped down with a bounce of her swinging legs and scampered over to him.

Picking up the Little Cat Girl with practiced ease and letting her sit astride his shoulders, Zhang Mu took her for a stroll around the mountain village.

It was currently afternoon, and the members of the Resistance Army—who were actually just ordinary farmers—were busy toiling in the fields.

With the help of the Song of the Forest, they had already harvested several crops of wheat, and the food shortage problem was temporarily solved.

Perhaps Domit had told them where the Song of the Forest came from.

As Zhang Mu held the Little Cat Girl's ankles and looked out at the mountain scenery while walking along the dry, hard ridges of the fields, the burly men passing by would always stop their busy work to greet him warmly.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Zhang Mu."

"Hello."

Lia, who had become familiar with them, waved happily and immediately received a response: "Oh, Lia, good afternoon to you too."

Happiness was actually quite simple.

Seeing more smiles on their faces than when he first arrived, Zhang Mu felt a bit sentimental.

"Once I get the World [Gate], I'll leave them some hybrid rice seeds before I go."

"Brother Zhang Mu, what are hybrid rice seeds?" Hearing his muttering, Lia looked down and asked, her blonde hair cascading from her back to cover Zhang Mu's face.

His face felt itchy from the strands of hair, and Zhang Mu's facial muscles twitched involuntarily. "Something that can fill people's stomachs."

"Then Lia... also, also wants..."

Feeling the Little Cat Girl's chin resting on his head, Zhang Mu moved her from his shoulders into his arms, his brow furrowing slightly. "Something's wrong."

The Little Cat Girl had suddenly fallen asleep; this hadn't happened just once.

At first, it was just sleepiness, and Zhang Mu hadn't paid much attention. He thought it was because she was still a child and growing, or perhaps a special trait of the demi-human race. But after asking Mihe, he learned that demi-humans didn't have the habit of falling asleep instantly or being excessively drowsy.

He had Mihe check her a while ago; she wasn't sick and was healthy inside and out.

If all else fails, I'll use the medical equipment from Blue Star to check her.

Turning back to the house, Zhang Mu placed Lia on the bed, covered her with a thin blanket, and sat by the bedside to watch over her.

Around evening, she woke up.

He asked her in detail if she felt unwell, and she shook her head.

Zhang Mu breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to prepare dinner.

There were no more incidents after that, and time passed peacefully until the next morning.

The pillar of light was no longer visible to the naked eye. Zhang Mu politely declined Mihe's offer to help, told him to take good care of Lia, and set off alone.