Chapter 2859: Chapter 2860: Liberator
"Panic Realm?" Caroline raised an eyebrow at Angelās question, "Why are you interested in this gray world?"
After asking, Caroline seemed to realize something: "Itās okay if you donāt want to answer. Iām not trying to pry into your private matters, Iām just surprised that, even after the Frostmoon Alliance labeled it as a barren world, someone is still interested in it."
Caroline became serious, losing her previous wildness, and her tone took on a touch of warmth and subtlety.
Angel: "Itās okay, itās not a private matter, and the Wise Sovereign knows... The reason is simple, because I raised a Demon Person."
As Angel spoke, the shadow on the ground started to churn continuously, and before long, a panther-shaped Ghostly Shadow with a Blue Lantern Flower on its head emerged and paused beside Angel.
"Huh, is this... an Awakened Demon Person?"
"Yes, this is Earl Mi."
When Caroline first saw Earl Mi, she was a bit suspicious and wary, but then she saw how obediently it stayed by Angelās side, and she paused for a moment, showing great interest.
"An Awakened Demon Person that actually listens to you? Could it be youāre involved with those Liberators?"
"Liberators?" Angel heard this name for the first time, "I donāt know what Liberators are. The reason Earl Mi listens to me is for other reasons. However, I cannot disclose those reasons."
Since Angel didnāt wish to explain, Caroline didnāt pursue the matter, but her gaze at Earl Mi remained intrigued and amazed.
"Youāve managed something that so many Wizards couldnāt achieve back then." Caroline remarked, "It seems youāre not just an ordinary Wizard with no story."
Angel: "Thereās a not very exciting short story, but Iām still a very ordinary Wizard."
The Wise Sovereign quietly said, "An ordinary Wizard that can touch the mysterious realm? Or is it that itās now mainstream to be humble outside?"
"Thatās not a good habit. Modesty is fine occasionally, as part of etiquette; excessive humility is hypocrisy."
The Wise Sovereign was clearly teasing, but Angel quietly replied, "Humility isnāt the mainstream. However, recently in our Barbarian Cave, many big figures like to call themselves newcomers."
As Angel spoke, his mind wandered to the chats in the Tree Group.
Ever since the Tree Group Development Team released the test version, which allowed users to customize their names... or rather, disguise their identities, there have been quite a few big figures pretending to be newcomers. Among them, the one who enjoyed it the most was the Tree Spirit.
The Tree Spirit especially liked to point out and debate research topics published on the forum section of the Tree Group. Even if the topic itself was fine, he enjoyed finding fault just to start arguments. His usual tactic was to pretend to be a newcomer, act like he was in awe, stir controversies, attract attention, then expose the minor flaws, and finally reveal his identity for a dramatic reversal.
The entire process and routine were played out by the Tree Spirit with great familiarity.
Angel suspected that perhaps the Tree Spirit had heard the story of Hidetada from Jon and found inspiration for such a clichƩ face-slapping moment.
"Then the trend in your Barbarian Cave is quite... interesting." The Wise Sovereign initially wanted to say āvulgarā, but considering the intimidation of the three Ancestral Spirits in the Barbarian Cave, he held that word back.
Angel replied with a smile but remained silent.
"Touched on the mysterious level? Are you saying heās a mysterious Alchemist?" Caroline suddenly asked the Wise Sovereign with a hesitant tone.
Wise Sovereign: "Not at the moment, but in the future... who knows."
Caroline paused and murmured, "Indeed, not an ordinary Wizard."
"Well, regardless of whether your backstory is exciting or not, short or long, itās irrelevant. When I was alive, I might have asked more questions, but now that Iām dead, Iām not interested in the affairs of the living."
Caroline paused and looked at Angel: "Coming back to your question, you said you wanted to know the truth about the Panic Realm?"
Angel nodded.
"This question is too broad, itās the classic kind that invites scolding."
"I donāt know how you define truth, nor do I know what truth you want to discover, so itās best you narrow this question down; otherwise, I canāt answer." Caroline said, "Besides, I havenāt been to the Panic Realm, so my understanding of it would be limited. Asking me for the truth is putting too much weight on this question."
Caroline finished speaking and looked at Angel, her eyes conveying "concern."
Though not spoken, those burning eyes said: If you continue asking such questions, donāt blame me for not respecting the Book Elder.
Angel pondered for a moment, then said, "Can Awakened Demon People awaken again? What are Liberators? The Frostmoon Alliance says the Panic Realm is a barren world; is this true? And then..."
Before Angel could finish, Caroline interrupted, "Stop, one question at a time. Since Iāve awakened, Iām not planning to fall back into slumber quickly. You donāt need to ask everything at once. Tell me, what do you most want to know now?"
Angel thought for a moment: "Can Awakened Demon People awaken again? What are the conditions for another awakening?"
Caroline: "They can awaken again. As for the conditions, I donāt know, or rather... nobody knows. Each Awakened Demon Person has different conditions for transcendence. Just like a Demonās awakening, who knows, maybe after a drink, they awaken?"
Angel: "Transcendence?"
Caroline: "What you refer to as a second awakening is what we call transcendence. Successfully transcended Demon People will shed their monstrosity, revert to human form, and their madness and rebellion are suppressed, meaning they regain wisdom and moral sense. Such Awakened Demon People are called Transcendent Ones."
"I know youāre wondering about the relationship between Transcendent Ones and Liberators now?"
Angel nodded, indeed associating the term Transcendent Ones with the Liberators Caroline mentioned earlier.
"Transcendent Ones are equivalent to Liberators." Caroline explained, "Transcendent Ones is what the twice-awakened Demon People call themselves; Liberators is what Wizards, unawakened Demon People, and ordinary folks of the Panic Realm call these twice-awakened Demon People."
"Whether itās transcendence or liberation, itās all about bidding farewell to the past. One is a pretended free-spirited farewell, the other is a necessary goodbye."
Caroline paused, "By the way, although no one knows a Demon Personās transcendence conditions, the Demon People themselves know, or at least, their subconscious knows how to achieve transcendence."
"However, itās precisely because they understand how to undergo a second awakening that the Panic Realm becomes even grayer."
Caroline once again pointed out the āgraynessā of the Panic Realm, which was also her general impression of it.
Similar to the Lofte World, which is a terrifying, crazy world, the Panic Realm, in Carolineās view, is a gray world.
"The grayness shrouded in sorrow heavily surrounds the Panic Realm. Itās called transcendence and liberation, but in reality, itās still trapped within, sinking deeper and deeper."
The reason Caroline would say this is because the emergence of the awakened demons is itself a tragedy.
Demons were born to protect ordinary humans, but once demons awaken, they become opposed to humans and may even prey on them.
The awakened demons vaguely understand that their direction of evolution is transcendence. They continually move towards transcendence, and once they truly transcend, when their conscience is restored, what will they feel looking back at what they did after awakening?
This is definitely a test of the human heart and surely constitutes a tragedy of human morality.
As Caroline was sighing, her gaze involuntarily turned back to Earl Mi.
Earl Mi is now under Angelās control, unaware and insensible. But if it awakens again, becomes a Liberator, and its conscience is restored, what would happen?
Generally, once demons awaken, they first attack their own family and friends.
Suppose Earl Mi is the same. After transcending, it discovers that during its awakening, it killed or even consumed its closest kin and friends. Wouldnāt this cause Earl Mi to collapse? Could it truly achieve transcendence and liberation?
Ordinary humans, demons, demon people with demon bloodlines, awakened demons, Liberatorsāthis entire closed loop is like a meticulously designed tragedy.
Because of this, Caroline repeatedly emphasizes that the Panic Realm is a gloomy world.
Carolineās explanation has essentially revealed the "truth" Angel wanted to know.
The thing Angel most wants to know is whether it would be good or bad for him if Earl Mi were to awaken again? Would it become even more insane?
Now the answer is here: whether itās good or bad needs dialectical consideration, but if Earl Mi awakens again, it becomes a Liberator.
A Liberator will restore its conscience, equivalent to returning to a normal human state. As for whether it will become cold-blooded again, that depends on the Liberatorās own character resilience.
However, even though thereās an answer about Earl Mi, Angel is even more curious about the Panic Realm.
Just as Caroline said, everything in the Panic Realm seems like a meticulously designed tragedy. Moreover, itās a tragedy of human morality that is bound to be experienced.
If the stage of this tragedy is the entire Panic Realm, then who are the audience? And who designed such a script?
Angel voiced his doubts, and Caroline shook her head: "The audience might be us, the outsiders. But who designed this tragedy, I donāt know. Perhaps itās the World Will of the Panic Realm, or maybe itās more powerful Extraordinary Life forms leading it all."
Caroline sighed gently: "This was also the truth I once wanted to explore, but unfortunately, I can no longer do it now."
The mysteries of the universe are infinite, but human life is limited. Carolineās self-pity slightly turned the atmosphere on the field towards sadness.
Angel was silent for a moment and softly said: "Existence is justified. The existence of the Soul is no different."
"As long as consciousness hasnāt perished and still exists in this world, the exploration of the end should not be stopped."
Hearing Angelās words, Caroline was stunned. After a while, she let out a chuckle.
The laughter broke the silent atmosphere and dispersed the faint sorrow on the field.
"Am I being comforted by a little Wizard?" Caroline: "Though your comfort is overly idealistic, thank you. Angel, right, I remember your name. Youāre much more endearing than that old Wise Sovereign."
Angel still replied earnestly: "This is not idealistic; itās a fact."
"Iāve met people whose bodies and artifacts merged, but still waited for the flame to rekindle."
Caroline: "Youāre talking about Cicia, right? Iām different from her."
Angel: "Iāve seen people confined in one place for ten thousand years, yet still hoped for hope to come."
Caroline: "Youāre talking about the Wise Sovereign? Using him as an example, letās forget it."
Angel did not respond to this but continued: "Iāve met those whose bodies have withered, whose souls are frail, but who havenāt given up exploring knowledge. Iāve met souls who died in youth, turned into souls, stayed alone among the undead, waiting for the Light."
"Iāve also encountered souls that have fallen into the Abyss, only their consciousness narrowly escaping, yet they havenāt given up searching for the future."
"Even such people are still exploring the end. Why would Lady Caroline feel she canāt explore the road ahead?"
Angelās eyes lowered: "Perhaps my insight is shallow. I believe since the Quest World exists, it has its significance; if I were in Lady Carolineās situation, I would probably find a way to explore the āendā of the Quest World, searching for the meaning of the Soul."
"Just as the Soul Witches often say, death is not the end; itās the beginning of another journey."
After Angel finished speaking, the smile on Carolineās face faded, as if she thought of something, and she fell into a brief contemplation.
The Wise Sovereign, on the other hand, watched Angel with a hint of astonishment in his eyes.
Angelās words werenāt particularly resounding. A thousand years ago, after Caroline died, the Wise Sovereign had also said similar words, but Caroline didnāt listen at the time.
Perhaps it is because Angel is a stranger Caroline met for the first time? Humans often open their hearts to strangers and listen more to a strangerās words.
If Caroline listened this time, the Wise Sovereign would indeed have to thank Angel.
Caroline didnāt contemplate for long, quickly returned to her usual state, and was even in the mood to joke.
"Should I change my moniker to: Flower of Angel, I wonder if itās still in time?"
Angel: "..."
Seeing Angelās speechless expression, Caroline laughed even louder. However, the thoughts covered by the laughter might only be known to her.
"Letās put other topics aside and return to the main point; is there anything else youāre curious about?"
Angel immediately nodded: "Yes. Do you also know about the Frost Moon Alliance? Is what they say about the Panic Realm being barren true?"
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