Su Nan raised an eyebrow.
Alright, he understood this guardian's predicament. Despite narrating his circumstances, Or was subtly and overtly trying to guide Su Nan to rebuild in the Secret Realm. It seemed that loneliness had consumed this ancient guardian.
Though Su Nan hadn't gained any direct inheritance from the Graysoil Graveyard, discovering this hidden world kept secret by the church was already a significant reward.
Su Nan asked, "Is walking into the mist dangerous?"
The guardian Or answered sharply, "Extremely dangerous. The mist-covered areas are like untamed, primordial forests. For wizards, venturing into such places is as perilous as mortals wandering into an untouched wilderness. Only formal wizards dare to traverse the mist."
"However, by strengthening your magic, you can expand the cleared areas within the Secret Realm, gradually pushing back the mist. Each wizard from the Graysoil Graveyard contributed to opening new points in this area, which is why this domain became as large as it is now."
At that moment, Su Nan's AI, which had been silently scanning Or, provided feedback:
[Scan complete. Based on current data, the entity appears to be an artificial construct composed of numerous souls. It possesses abilities that can inflict immense damage on soul-based entities. If the attributes of the Secret Realm described by this entity are accurate, its combat strength far exceeds what you can currently handle.]
[Additionally, valuable data extracted from this soul construct opens new possibilities. It is now feasible to deduce new potions that will enable werewolves to command wolf packs in the physical world.]
[Furthermore, the data retrieved from this soul construct can serve as the core for developing potions that manipulate ghosts.]
Su Nan's spirits lifted.
Though he hadn't obtained the Graysoil Graveyard's legacy directly, it didn't matter. The remnants left behind in the Secret Realm were enough for him to deduce what he needed.
Previously, Su Nan had used the books collected by his predecessor's father and various texts from neighboring territories to uncover the core principles of linking humans to the full moon, leading to the creation of the Werewolf Curse Transformation Potion series.
Now, he had gained fresh insights from the guardian Or.
Quickly regaining his composure, Su Nan turned to Or and asked, "If I am to rebuild this area of the Secret Realm, will you assist me?"
Su Nan wanted to confirm Or's attitude and position toward him. Given the AI's analysis of Or as a powerful artificial soul construct within the Secret Realm, understanding their relationship was critical to avoiding future risks.
After a moment of thought, Or bowed deeply. "You are the first wizard to emerge in this region in over two millennia. For the past two thousand years, I have waited in silence. You may only be a second-tier wizard apprentice, but I cannot ask for more. As a guide and guardian, I exist solely to serve and protect wizards. You are now the only one I am bound to guide and protect."
"For this reason, I pledge my loyalty to you and will aid you in reclaiming and expanding this wizard's domain in the Secret Realm—just as I once served the Graysoil Graveyard."
"Believe me, nothing is more important to me than seeing this land prosper once more."
Satisfied with Or's declaration of loyalty, Su Nan nodded. "I accept your fealty."
With their relationship now established, Su Nan's tone lightened. "You mentioned that spells in the Secret Realm are easier to cast and less taxing. If I could lure my enemies—those formal knights—into the Secret Realm, this place would become my battlefield. It would be much easier to deal with them here. What do you think of my idea?"
Or considered his question carefully before replying, "Your assumption is correct. However, drawing non-wizards into the Secret Realm is an extremely complex task. The Graysoil Graveyard once assigned a group of first-tier wizard apprentices to develop such a spell. It took them over a decade to complete."
"The spell is called 'Graysoil Tomb Dust.' It requires five first-tier wizard apprentices to combine their powers to cast this first-ring spell."
"Given the current circumstances, I doubt you could replicate such a spell quickly or meet its requirements. If you face formal knights in the physical world, it's best to devise other strategies. From what I know of formal knights—primarily the Law Knights—they possess great physical strength but remain manageable for second-tier wizard apprentices. Your lack of inheritance, however, leaves you without the necessary experience to counter them."
Or's concern was evident as he looked at Su Nan. After all, this was the first wizard apprentice he had encountered in two millennia, and the mention of Su Nan having several formal knights as enemies was enough to make him anxious.
Su Nan shrugged.
Not only did he lack inheritance, but he was also essentially reverse-engineering wizardry using AI-driven data analysis. His methods likely seemed unconventional by traditional wizarding standards.
Or continued, "The Law Knights possess the 'Codex Invocation' ability, which allows them to temporarily enhance specific physical attributes."
"By praying to the Law God and declaring their enemy's sins, the knights receive a proportional boost in the relevant attribute to deliver divine punishment. However, this ability is inherently reactive—it depends on the enemy committing a sin defined by the Law God."
"Codex abilities?" Su Nan frowned. "My enemies are Storm Knights, followers of the Storm God—a deity revered as one of the major gods in the Storm Kingdom. Do you know anything about the Storm God or the Storm Knights?"
Or appeared puzzled. "The Storm God? My knowledge is over two thousand years old. At that time, the Storm God wasn't among the recognized major gods."
"However, I did hear of a so-called 'Storm Chieftain,' an evil god worshipped by a semi-nomadic tribe in the frigid northern regions. This deity had no unified doctrine but was believed to protect its followers from harsh winters, guide them to food, and lead them in conquering fertile southern lands."
"Their doctrine included the belief that the Storm Chieftain would guide their tribe to expand into the southern civilized regions."
Su Nan was slightly taken aback.
Having lived in this otherworld for over five years, he had been inundated with the Storm Church's propaganda, which painted the Storm God as sacred and the epitome of civilization and stability.
However, if the Storm Chieftain described by Or was indeed the same entity as the Storm God, it warranted deeper scrutiny.
Even more concerning was that Su Nan, as a lord of the Storm Kingdom, knew its history. The kingdom was founded sixty years ago on the ruins of an ancient Eastern Empire by settlers from the north. These settlers, led by second-born nobles and landless commoners, claimed to be aiding the Holy Empire's allies but instead dismantled the weakened empire to establish their own rule.
The Law God, meanwhile, had remained silent for over a century, offering no response to the prayers of his followers.