Chapter 4: Dual Soul Bearer

Wait!

I apologize! I did not intend to damage the collection of your esteemed institution, but please allow me to conceal this fact in order to protect my own life...

Due to his ability to clearly remember the various catalogues of literature preserved in the Library of Koranburg, which contains up to three million rooms of collections, his theoretical knowledge in the field of the occult is considered unparalleled, a fact that even his teacher laments in admiration.

Recalling the hall filled with what he considered mere "clutter," and then thinking of the marble platform where he awoke, Jialan suddenly realized that his "identity" before awakening was likely akin to those "cluttered items," regarded by the people of this era as a relatively rare "exhibit".

And this "identity" that made him feel somewhat uncomfortable reminded him of the Arctic ice worms he had dissected under the guidance of his teacher, which had been taken out from ice blocks before.

After gently coughing twice, the recovery of her throat reminded Jialan to check her body. Having been frozen for such a long time, it was likely that, apart from her throat, other organs had also undergone degeneration.

Thus, he was able to assume the role of a scholar with almost no magical ability, represented by m. hetushucomcom, in place of his teacher, overseeing the [Catalog Stone] of the Koran Fortress Library, and regain the respect of people in the field of arcane studies, who dared not look down upon him simply because he could only cast 0-level spells and a few 1-level spells

Doesn't this city, which was originally a mangrove, say it all? ... Just look at the ancient castles around, filled with a heavy sense of history, covered in moss and vines ...

Due to the presence of two conflicting souls within her, Jialan is unable to learn advanced spells. Consequently, she can only transition from being a spellcaster to a theoretical scholar studying arcane knowledge, amidst her teacher's guilt and regret

Jialan faced some difficulties, cautiously using her mental power to search for her own soul, fearing that the somewhat deranged individual might merely be hiding as a prank, ready to jump out and startle her at the moment of her great joy, followed by its characteristic "Wahahahahaha..." laughter to mock her.

But now, that incessantly chattering and completely incomprehensible foreign language in his mind, along with the wildly agitated and frenzied roars of the foreign spirit, has caused him to become accustomed to thinking in noisy environments and to completely ignore it. How could such a being just vanish without a trace?

Jialan silently reminded himself with this saying that circulated among the gnome scholars of [Jilago]: if he revealed his identity as someone who crawled out from [Hengbing], he would not only have to consider the safety of his own life, but also be troubled about how to compensate the owner of this academy, which is essentially a storeroom, for the piece of [Hengbing] that exists as an ancient artifact

In other words, this era is a completely unfamiliar environment for him

Due to the interference of foreign souls, he gained double the mental capacity and an almost photographic memory. However, the conflict of consciousness between the two different souls within his body prevented him from casting spells of level 1 or higher, which require intense focus. As a result, he fell from being a genius admired and envied by all to a "Dual Soul" who is more often mocked than praised.

Never underestimate the curiosity and thirst for knowledge of the spellcasters

After determining her location, Jialan was almost certain that the time she had been frozen within the [Ice Coffin] was likely much longer than she had imagined, far exceeding her own estimation of over one hundred years

Unconsciously murmuring, Jialan suddenly realized that his voice seemed to be gradually regaining its function. Perhaps it was the work of the morning dew, as the humid air nourished his throat

For Jialan, a hundred years and five hundred years do not make much difference; he is not a long-lived race, and most of his acquaintances are not from long-lived races either. Whether it is a hundred years or five hundred years, it is enough to make his circle of life feel completely changed. Moreover, it is no longer just a matter of things being different and people being different; it is now a situation where both things and people are no longer the same.

He might even be regarded as a fraud or a thief, as he lacks the ability to explain the issue of why the eternal ice, which has never melted for millennia, melts under the moonlight. It is akin to genuine expensive amber, whose value does not lie in the amber itself, but in the insects encapsulated within it. Is he to find an "item" encapsulated within the eternal ice to compensate others?

If the spellcasters of this era were to realize that they crawled out from the ancient relic known as [Hengbing], which is on display, Jialan fears that her fate would likely not be better than that of the [Beidi Ice Thistle Worms] she has personally dissected

Sitting back on the bench, Jialan fell into deep thought once again. From the current situation, it seemed that her circumstances were not very favorable.

This is undoubtedly a tremendous surprise for Jialan! If it were not for its interference, would it not mean that one could relearn spells and restore the identity of a spellcaster?

Gently closing his eyes, he began to examine his internal body through meditation and mental focus. Fortunately, [Hengbing] had protected him well; aside from feeling somewhat weak, his organs remained in a "fresh" and healthy state. Even time had failed to leave any marks on him. This truly attests to the reputation of [Hanbing Lingjiu] as one that can "freeze even time".

If one assumes that they have merely been frozen for one hundred years, it stands to reason that the mangrove castle constructed during this century would not have weathered to such a state. Moreover, as an academy, there must certainly be dedicated personnel responsible for the maintenance and repair of these historically valuable castles.

As the sky gradually brightened, Jialan was able to make a rough judgment about these ancient buildings with just a glance, using her knowledge of archaeology; their age was at least over 500 years!

In his youth, he was hailed as the youngest genius spellcaster of the "Koranburg Library". Unfortunately, during an exotic summoning ritual presided over by his teacher, he volunteered to serve as a test subject. Due to the failure of the experiment, a mysterious foreign soul has since taken residence within him.

Due to the advantage of possessing two souls, he has an entire double the mental strength compared to other spellcasters of the same rank. This formidable mental strength grants him exceptional memory, earning him accolades from the great archmages of the "Koranburg Library" as a "genius polymath" and a "living catalog stone"

It is hard for Jialan to imagine what kind of harsh environment could weather a castle that is less than a hundred years old into such a mottled appearance. The passage of time, in most cases, is something that magic cannot prevent.

Where has that incessantly chattering fellow in my mind gone

Jialan suddenly realized that her soul was too "quiet"; where had that foreign soul gone?

Reason