Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 429 The Person on the Brink
The surroundings were both dark and white, both dim and dazzling, as if empty, yet also containing everything.

Green grass under the starry sky, waves in front of the reef, patterns on the palace walls, ruins in the deep sea... countless scenes flashed before my eyes.

His thoughts paused briefly, then began to turn slowly.

He has been here.

As always, he forgot some things, but also remembered others.

Forget about those minor, harmless burdens.

Remember those amazing, real, and important things.

But that's not the most important thing.

The important thing is that he's here.

he.

As his thoughts drifted, the ends of the world, the power of nature, the heat of the sun, the underground currents, the vibrancy of life, the silence of death—everything unfolded before him, without reservation.

It feels so comfortable and liberating.

It's like releasing all constraints, getting rid of all shackles, and unloading all burdens.

There is no gravity, no time, nothing else.

Nothing could limit his thoughts anymore.

Only he exists here, like a wild horse galloping freely, a bird soaring in the sky, or a lone fish swimming freely in the deep sea.

Wandering around the world.

omnipresent.

Unscrupulous.

Until he himself became the whole world.

【world……】

A slight sense of unease flashed through his mind.

But that didn't matter, just like he didn't care about anything else that didn't matter.

Only one feeling stubbornly accompanies him.

impulse.

not enough.

This impulse arose suddenly and was unstoppable.

not enough.

A faint sense of impatience rose within him.

Far from enough!

He wants more.

Want to know more, understand more, and gain more!

As this thought arose, he began to rise.

It's amazing.

He was like the rising sun, carrying boundless light and heat, ascending towards the endless sky.

taller and taller.

faster and faster.

And what I see, hear, look at, and feel... keeps increasing.

faster and faster!

Until the edge of his senses, he saw that endless deep space.

Darkness, silence, desolation.

So beautiful, magical, and indescribable, it seemed to be at the center of all things.

Let him become intoxicated.

But that wasn't what attracted him the most.

In that instant, he saw a mist in deep space, dark and hazy, heavily obscured, yet countless dazzling white lights permeated through it, the light flowing like water, shimmering slightly.

what is that?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, the mist, permeated with white light, stirred slightly!
They seemed to have life, spreading towards him.

strangeness.

He gazed at the mist in the dark depths of space, feeling the distance between them slowly shrinking.

Why... is it so warm and familiar?
It was like—as he watched the mist flowing toward him, a faint excitement suddenly welled up within him—like it was calling to him.

he wants.

I want to pass through that layer of white light, enter that layer of mist, and discover what's inside.

The thought arose in his mind, and he felt as if a thousand ants were robbing him. He couldn't help but want to get closer to that place, to plunge into that darkness, into that mist, into that white light.

It was as if the greatest spoils of war lay there.

A magical feeling returned: as he drew closer to the mist, his perception of the world became clearer, and his resolve to act became stronger.

He lowered his gaze and discovered that everything before him had sunk from the sea to a drop of water, penetrated from the forest to the veins of a leaf, moved from the earth to the soil, and seen through life to existence.

He is commanding the world to present itself to him in a new way.

As we get closer to deep space, so too does the fog.

And he... is becoming more and more... perfect?
He wanted to laugh out loud, but found that laughter could not fully express his feelings. He also wanted to sigh, but he was no longer bound by emotions. He wanted to open his arms, but here, even his body no longer mattered.

he wants.

want to!

Several gazes opened from behind the dark depths of space and were cast upon him as he hurried along.

But that doesn't matter, does it?
At that moment, all he could see was the mist in the deep space!

I just want to pry it open and get inside!
As for everything else, it no longer matters!
He was getting closer and closer.

Deep space is becoming more and more real, and the fog is becoming more and more intimate.

He believed that they were only a stone's throw away!

By obtaining it and discovering it, you can become more...perfect.

It's just around the corner, almost there.

Haha.

He should have come sooner, shouldn't he?
Why did it take so long?

He should have been here long ago, entering that dark abyss, dispelling the fog in the light, and facing a better version of himself.

A stronger, higher, more versatile, and more perfect version of myself!
He was about to reach that deep space, his gaze growing sharper in the darkness, but he didn't care!
In that instant, a long-lost madness and joy, impulse and pleasure surged up at the same time.

As if his once scattered and confused thoughts had found their center, he accelerated his approach to that deep space.

It was as if his wishes were being fulfilled one after another, bringing him closer and closer to the ultimate step he had been hoping for.

It was as if his very existence here, his wasted time here, was all for this moment!
He experienced that magic, didn't he?

Not long ago.

That irresistible state, that all-powerful authority, made him seem like a god of the world, the supreme ruler of all things in the universe—

[The gods...]

Suddenly, a strange yet familiar male voice rang out from the depths of my heart.

Elegant, self-satisfied, and relaxed.

But it was like a bucket of freezing cold water, poured over his entire body!
His forward momentum slowed slightly.

What seemed like an insurmountable obstacle, like the vast emptiness and mist within the palm of one's hand, suddenly drifted away, transforming from something within arm's reach into something as far away as the ends of the earth.

No, don't.

A sigh of disappointment escaped his lips.

Don't stop.

Don't stop.

He really... still wants...

If he had arms, he would surely stretch them out, reaching into the mist of deep space.

What are gods...?

The male voice rang out again.

Like the whispers of a ghost, sometimes visible, sometimes not, sometimes not.

He paused slightly as he was trying his best to reach out.

Wha...what?
He suddenly panicked.

The fact that this panic came from nowhere left him even more bewildered.

【world……】

Once again, that elegant male voice rang out softly, as if murmuring to himself.

What is the world, anyway...?

In that instant, it felt like he had been struck a heavy blow!
His vision trembled violently, his senses shattered, and the images that had flashed before his eyes, the omnipotence that knew everything, vanished from his perception!
Even the dark depths of space, far away on the horizon, became blurred.

As his strange behavior was observed, the gazes that shot out from that deep space and fell upon him revealed a sense of doubt.

Just as he wondered.

what is that?
Questions, confusion, bewilderment, a familiar sense of disharmony and unease, the bewilderment and fear of losing everything, all instantly overwhelmed my heart.

God.

President.

world.

Everything.

More and more words are invading his mind, flashing back and forth.

What's this……

He was very distressed and upset.

Does this sound familiar?

until--

When you think of deities, what comes to mind first?

It was that male voice again, ringing out with unparalleled clarity, sounding to him like a thunderclap in the dead of night!
In that instant, his unrestrained and surging thoughts were suddenly brought to a severe halt!
Ahhhhh!
If he could make a sound, he must be screaming in agony.

What are gods?
he does not know.

But another voice in his heart had already answered for him.

[An existence that is incompatible with us, yet remains distant.]

The voice was slightly rough and dry, like a duck's quack, with a hint of impatience, like that of an immature teenager.

Amidst the unexpected question and answer that arose, he suddenly felt very flustered.

No, it's not like that!
The god, the god he envisioned, the god that this state told him, was clearly... clearly...

[A benevolent creator? Uh, or perhaps an omniscient and omnipotent ruthless being? Heh, it's nothing, I just think... well, the statue of the sunset goddess looks rather cold, but the bright moon is...]

[The puppeteer, observing silently from the shadows? By the way, I wanted to ask, do all magic users like to peep... cough cough, I mean, observe secretly...?]

[Maybe they are advanced beings from another world? Um, Ashida, are you sure you were born to a local human? I mean, maybe your mother encountered a UFO while out for a walk one day, and there was someone as handsome and dashing as you on it... Ahhh, teacher, I was wrong... Um, air, I need air...]

The meaning of the Bright Moon Ritual seems to be that the goddess sometimes answers the prayers of mortals and sometimes she doesn't. So I'm wondering, are the gods a group of experimenters? Like, wearing white coats, cultivating samples like us in boxes, while they outside the boxes discuss terrifying conspiracies such as "what to eat for lunch today"...

That annoying, ignorant, and self-important hoarse voice was coming out more and more frequently.

Gods...

What is it?
He shuddered slightly, then suddenly realized with horror:
he does not know.

This discovery was like a horse stumbling, causing him to fall from the edge of a cliff into an abyss.

The Q&A session is not over yet.

What does the world mean to you?

……

The sounds around me grew louder, more numerous, and more chaotic, with the elegant male voice and the annoying raspy voice exchanging words more and more frequently.

But things are not going well for him.

At that moment, he felt as if he had suddenly boarded a carriage that was moving at an accelerated speed, climbed onto a cloud that was out of control and scattered, and sat on a small boat that was floating and sinking with the torrent!
He suddenly realized that he could no longer control the direction of his progress or feel the sense of accomplishment of controlling everything and the world.

The dark, deep space before him receded further and further away, the mist disappearing. He was falling.

He was horrified to discover this.

Just as he was rising like the sun before, he is now falling like a rolling avalanche, plummeting thousands of miles with an irreversible trend!
He was powerless to stop it, and had no idea what to do.

All I can do is look up in despair.

Looking at the dark, mysterious depths of space so close to him, filled with endless secrets, looking at the alluring mist and beautiful white light that had once been within his reach...

Gone forever.

Damn it, that awful hoarse voice is still babbling on and on...

The world? Haha, perhaps all things in the world truly possess their own mysterious forces, but they must be oblivious and indifferent, neither hot nor cold... Heaven and earth are indifferent, matter is matter, and objectivity is objectivity...

But then I suddenly realized...

The world we live in, the world we understand... it is not a cold, material world, nor a bleak objective world; it is a painting woven from our perceptions and reflections of the outside world... From this perspective, it must have color and warmth.

It is only meaningful to us that it becomes meaningful.

Ugh, it hurts so much...

That hoarse voice... why didn't he just die sooner!
I have seen the world, but I don't know how far my observation differs from the "actual" reality—if an objective world truly exists...

[Or rather, the world I see exists because of me... Hey, Ashida? Mr. Sakorn? What's wrong? You're a teacher, you know! Can a magic user even daydream? It's raining, time to eat, a pretty girl is passing by... Snap out of it! Ah, no, no, I didn't mean to... Um, breathe... give me... air...]

As he fell, the gazes that had been fixed on him slowly changed.

No longer sharp, no longer doubtful.

Instead, it radiated intense anger.

It seems that he is extremely dissatisfied with something.

He continued to fall, as if plummeting from a great height.

Weightlessness, dizziness, panic, suffocation—all strike in an instant.

Just like when he and Black Sword fell from the Sky Cliff of Dragon Sky City.

and many more?

He was shocked.

Who is Black Sword?

Where is Dragon Sky City?
Why... why do I know?
I……

Who am I?

I……

I am……

The next instant, Thales was jolted awake from his bizarre world!

It was as if a small hole had been drilled through the deep, cold ice, allowing us to breathe.

He was left gasping for breath.

but……

Thales subconsciously looked around.

Where am i?

But all he could see, up, down, left, and right, was a blurry scene, as if hidden behind a thick curtain of water.

Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed a flowing light, a secret hidden deep within, but looking up, I saw nothing; all was silent.

Where was I originally...?

He asked himself, puzzled.

But he couldn't remember.

But Thales was still falling—that was his only feeling.

The speed is getting faster and faster.

what to do……

His heart rate increased dramatically, and the fear and confusion that had faded before returned.

What on earth is going on...?

Thales grew increasingly panicked.

He didn't know where he was.

I don't know where I came from.

They don't even know what they are doing.

He woke up like a patient with amnesia, covered in pain, on an unfamiliar hospital bed.

Damn it... what is a hospital anyway?
The surrounding scenery remained blurry.

He was confused.

Just like the feeling he had when he traveled alone in the desert during his arduous journey.

and many more.

Thales shook his head violently.

Desert?

And then...where is that?
Just then, Thales felt a chill on his forehead!
Every inch of his body shimmered with silver light, like the faint glow of fireflies.

He heard a faint ringing in his ears, followed by a soft, almost inaudible murmur.

【forever……】

Never lose your way.

Thales was jolted awake!
This is……

The moment he heard that strange murmur, his descent came to an abrupt halt!
It seemed to be suspended in mid-air.

Thales was so shocked that his mind froze for a moment.

But soon, the silvery radiance spread out like starlight, flashing a beam of light in the hazy air, leading into the distance.

It's like a road.

Thales stared blankly at the path of light. Although he was still confused and even had some memory loss, he knew in some way that:

This is the right path.

How do I get there?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Thales was jolted awake!
In that instant, he felt as if he had returned to the Path of Shadows, and his already blurry vision slowly blurred (Damn it, what is the Path of Shadows? Why do I feel so familiar with it, and so... anxious, when I think of it?), and then turned white.

No, it's not that the outside world has turned white.

Instead, a white light filled his vision!
Thales stared blankly into thought.

This strange white light seeped out from his body, carrying Thales towards the path formed by silver light, weaving through the blurry air.

Thales stared wide-eyed—he suddenly realized he couldn't see his own body—and felt his brain couldn't process the strange sight before him.

As he was lifted by a strange white light and slowly moved forward along the silver glow, his head began to throb slightly.

Until the silver and white light disappeared together, Thales finally stopped in a similarly blurry, tranquil colorless void, neither up nor down, neither forward nor backward.

Thales felt bitter.

Where exactly is this place...?

“This is the critical point of the first threshold,” a detached voice suddenly appeared: “Take one step forward and you will knock on the door, entering the original state.”

"Take one step back, and you will fall back into the physical world."

Thales was startled!

He quickly turned his gaze and found the source of the sound.

It was a human figure.

A strange figure, equally blurry, colorless, and only distinguishable from this strange space at its edges.

He stood silently behind him like a statue, completely still.

Just like...

Like it's been pixelated?
Thales felt another sharp pain in his brain!
What is mosaic? Damn it...

But the indifferent-voiced figure spoke again:
“Throughout history, very few magic users have been able to reside here,” he said calmly.
"Those who arrive here are like boats going against the current, or they may follow the magic to pursue the threshold name and go straight to the original state to knock on the door, or they may quickly descend the threshold to leave the critical point and return to the physical body."

Thales was stunned.

Magician...

These……

At this point, the blurry figure took on a serious expression, and Thales inexplicably felt that he was being silently observed from behind a hazy backdrop:

“Until you came, child.”

Thales stared at him blankly, not understanding what was going on.

"what?"

He stared blankly at the figure in front of him, like a stupid, foolish child.

The figure paused for a moment, as if observing him closely.

"It's clear that Ashida has taught you well," he said in his usual indifferent voice.
"What he gave you was just enough to protect you, pulling you back from the brink of hastily knocking on the door, so that you wouldn't lose yourself and become too deeply involved."

Aishida?
Thales felt a tremor; it seemed as if a cocoon in his heart was slowly breaking.

Air Mage, Ashida Sakorn.

He suddenly realized that his memories were slowly returning.

"who are you?"

Thales looked around at the indistinct, seemingly still yet also hazy, shimmering void, and blurted out instinctively, "You're a magic user?"

What is your threshold name?

"Which faction do you belong to? Radical? Moderate? Confusionist? One of the Two Emperors?"

The figure didn't answer directly, but paused slightly.

As if thinking about something.

"Very good, Aishida has taught you a lot, and it's very realistic." After a long pause, the figure finally spoke quietly:

"Although it's the first time, as far as the guide is concerned."

"He's quite competent."

Guide.

Thales gradually focused his attention and recovered more and more memories.

I was just... in a dark underground... in a prison cell...

A sense of anxiety slowly rose within me.

"You, you know Ashida?" Thales asked through gritted teeth, enduring a headache.

The figure remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, as if sensing something.

“He could have been a good teacher. Ashida was originally the most promising and talented mage apprentice, and he studied under the most renowned Master Gorgori,” the figure slowly shook his head, speaking at a moderate pace and in a moderate tone:
“His achievements are no less than those of many formal mages. If Ashda continues, he may one day become a master… The Tower of Souls will be proud of him.”

"But it's a pity..."

He said no more.

Thales frowned deeply, unable to hear anything, tormented by a strange sense of anxiety.

It's as if... he had something important he forgot to do.

But what exactly is it?
"So who exactly are you? And what's wrong with me?" Thales forced down his anxiety, but his tone gradually became more and more impolite.

Just now.

thump.

A dull sound.

Thales seemed to sense something and hurriedly looked up, but could only see a blurry void.

Coincidentally, the strange figure also raised its head at that moment.

"You feel it too?"

The figure gazed into the distance: "You vanished the moment you knocked on the door, leaving their hopes dashed."

He paused for a second, his gaze drifting down from the horizon, as if sighing helplessly:
"The girls... are very angry."

(End of this chapter)