Chapter 1991: New Clues and the Reawakened Key

Xia De had once asked the long-haired Luweiya in a dream about the high tower on Mount Kalas, but unfortunately, she refused to speak of it.

"So, both leads—the Randel Valley Night Temple and the Mount Kalas Ancient Tower—have been cut off."

Xia De stated his conclusion, but immediately added:

"Although the ritual array of the sun, moon, and stars cannot be traced further, and it may even involve Laplace Howard's exploration and manipulation of time, I saw other clues in his notes. Please look at that black notebook; yes, that one is the only original, and I brought it directly."

Miss Danister then pulled out the notebook that had been pressed at the very bottom. After opening it, she immediately widened her eyes in surprise:

"This is the teacher's handwriting?"

"Yes. I have grown accustomed to Laplace Howard's handwriting, so when I flipped to this notebook recording the mysteries of space and time, I was curious about where it came from. Later, I found other documents and letters—those are in that file bag—and only then did I confirm that about 30 years ago, that diviner had met your teacher."

Xia De was quite surprised when he discovered this while organizing the notebooks last week. Later, when he flipped through the letters kept with that notebook, he found that although no names were mentioned in the letters or the notebook, it clearly stated that the lady who met with him was a 13th-tier Ringed Shushi from Saint Byrons.

"Teacher... disappeared about 20 years ago."

Miss Danister muttered to herself, not noticing that Xia De had already begun to calculate her age:

"Before Teacher visited the ancient tower on Mount Kalas, she actually met with a traitor from the Diviner Society?"

"Laplace Howard destroyed many documents before his death, so it is now impossible to verify who initiated the contact. These notebooks and letters were scattered in a hidden cave laboratory on Green Island; perhaps Laplace Howard overlooked them when destroying the documents... or perhaps he left them intentionally for the God-Awakener."

"What did they talk about at the time?"

Miss Danister asked again, reaching out to take the file bag. Inside were photos of the notes and letters to prevent important clues from being missed during transcription.

"Things related to the Old Gods, but the specific details are unclear. It is only certain that the diviner on the island gained a huge harvest from that meeting and completely perfected all the ideas for the Edwards God-Ascension Technique. On the night of the Battle of Green Island, there were indeed traces of a ritual utilizing the power of the blood moon. Your teacher asked him for some information about the moon. It is a pity that no more definitive content was found. However, although the content of the conversation is unknown, the last note related to this matter that could be found says that Laplace Howard recommended another person to that Saint Byrons professor, someone who might be able to help her."

"Who is it?"

"No specific name was mentioned, only a piano piece known as 'Moonlight Sonata'."

Xia De had already asked Luweiya and Miss Miss Jia Lin Na, so he knew who this was.

Sure enough, Miss Danister also thought of the answer:

"The Old God of Music, or the 【Harmonious Weaver】, is an Old God who departed in the Fifth Era, yet the sect still exists and has been passed down to this day. This is a neutral group of Ringed Shushi, and most of their backgrounds are related to music. 'Moonlight Sonata' is the signature piece of the sect's current leader; it seems I must go and pay them a visit. I haven't heard much about their whereabouts in recent years, but they are likely within the borders of Casenrick on the east coast of the Old Continent, or perhaps in the New Continent."

Xia De nodded. He had originally thought the other party would be in the West Coast Moon Bay region where he was about to depart for. It seems fate does not always like to tease him:

"Then I will leave the subsequent investigation to you."

"Okay, as long as there is a further line of investigation... What is this?"

Pressed at the very bottom of those notebooks was a red jewelry box. After Miss Danister opened it curiously, she found a rose-red hairband inside:

"A gift."

Xia De said. This was this week's gift taken from the 【God's Gift Box】 after returning home today; it was just an ordinary item. Although the Outsider still found it difficult to distinguish between various shades of red, he could tell that a hairband of this color did not match any of the young ladies he knew.

He had wanted to try tying it to the cat's tail, but the cat dodged it nimbly. Later, thinking that he was coming to see Miss Danister today, he brought it along. As for this week's task, it was to carefully groom his hair. This was simple for Xia De; his short hair only required daily washing and combing before going out.

"A gift for me?"

She looked at the hairband in the box with a smile:

"This reminds me of the fountain pen I once gave Teacher. It's very nice. Although I'm not sure why you suddenly thought of giving me a gift, thank you."

She took the hairband decorated with rubies out of the box:

"So, what will you do next? For the past month, you have reported your studies to me every week, diligently attended my elective courses, and submitted various term papers prepared for the summer upgrade exams. I have even heard students at the Academy talking about the major case you handled in Tobesk... but you shouldn't be staying at home so obediently, right?"

Rose-red eyes looked at Xia De teasingly. Xia De nodded embarrassedly:

"There are indeed some things to do out of town recently, but I will not forget the summer exam week."

"Then where are you going?"

Xia De hesitated for a moment, feeling there was no need to hide it:

"The Moon Bay region. I am looking for a very important relic."

Miss Danister did not continue to ask what he was looking for:

"It's good to be busy. Always staying at a desk won't make you a better Ringed Shushi. If you encounter trouble in the Moon Bay region, you can come to me for help. Afterward, I will first arrange for people to look for that follower of the God of Music. I shouldn't be leaving the school for a short time."

Xia De nodded, thinking in his heart about what kind of story he would encounter in the Moon Bay region this time.

Xia De talked with Miss Danister until dinner time before ending the projection and taking the cat out for dinner.

Luweiya had asked for leave all day on Monday, so she had to work overtime at the Society tonight to handle some matters and probably wouldn't arrive at St. Deran Square until after eight.

So, taking advantage of the time after dinner, Xia De, having tidied up his desk, took out the black time key hanging around his neck. He sighed softly, deciding not to delay any longer:

"After resting for a month, I should also get some exercise. I wonder who I will meet in the past life this time, and what kind of same and different people I will encounter."

Letting Little Mia wait on the desk, he placed the relics he was carrying on the table, then took the key and went to the study door:

"May the World Tree protect me in the infinite time."

After a click, the study door opened inward. Behind the door was not the living room of the house, but endless white fog.

He reached out to touch the white fog—

【Outsider, please note. A message from the 'Father of the Infinite Tree': You are allowed to carry two additional relics this time.】

"Two this time?"

He then turned to take the 【Perfume Bottle of Desire】. After hesitating for a moment, he didn't take 【Night Watcher】, but picked up the silver crescent-shaped 'jade' 【Star Trace】. Since obtaining this Sage-level relic, he had only tried it a few times on Green Island. Although he didn't know what situation he would face this time, the 【Staff of Yggdrasil】 could act as a lower-tier substitute for 【Night Watcher】, so he would bring this long-range offensive weapon this time.

"And this."

He also picked up the small silver pocket watch on the table, a gift from the Great Witch of Time of the 'past life'. It might have special effects in the 'past life'.

Seeing Xia De wave at it, the cat let out a "Meow~" and then watched Xia De walk into the white fog door.

【Outsider, you have stepped into the 'Corridor of Time'.】

【A message from the Old God 'Father of the Infinite Tree':】

【Past Life · Sixth Era, Old Continent, City of the End · Tobesk.】

【Event: Tobesk, the Final Era.】

【Duration: Arbitrary (3/∞).】

【You have obtained additional information.】

【You have stepped into a non-existent history.】

【The figure of the Father of the Infinite Tree watches you.】

【Note: During this exploration, you cannot leave the area of St. Deran Square.】

【Note: You are allowed to carry any spellcasting materials into this period of time.】

【Note: Use the time key to defeat any powerful enemy to return to the 'present' time.】

Xia De stepped out of the fog and saw that he had indeed come from the study to the living room. However, this was a home that was extremely dilapidated, with windows sealed and walls and floors covered in mold and moss.

He stumbled forward a few steps and sat on the only sofa not covered by a white cloth. He held his head, enduring the discomfort caused by the chaotic elements and spirits here after entering the doomsday world from the normal world.

It took a long time for him to raise his head and look at the pitch-black fireplace in front of him. He didn't immediately get up to go outside, but found some wooden toys in his pocket, turned them into firewood, threw them into the fireplace, and lit them with flames.

"Cough, cough, damn it, this place hasn't been renovated, the chimney is blocked now."

The smoke that rushed back into the room forced Xia De to extinguish the flames, and his mood, already affected by the doomsday environment, became even worse:

"This kind of ending must never be allowed to happen again."

He got up and walked up the stairs to a higher floor, but when passing through the dim corridor on the third floor, he tapped his finger on the wall five times in rhythm. Unfortunately, the third door on the third floor did not appear.

He had originally wanted to jump into St. Deran Square from the roof as he did the previous two times, but after tapping the wall, he wanted to try the feeling of walking out from the door.

So he turned back downstairs. At the corner of the stairs, he didn't see the copperplate print bought from Old John, and in the foyer, he didn't see the shoe rack or the biscuit box for keys and change. There was only yellow sand piled up on the floor near the door. ===== CHAPTER 1992 =====