Chapter 65: The Shadow World

The cold wind outside the window was bitingly cold, and the deep night was about to fall.

Inside the glass-walled café, it was warm as spring, brightly illuminated by the lights.

Separated by a single layer of glass, the inside and outside were worlds apart.

After carefully chewing over the many pieces of information in George's words,

Gunie felt an inexplicable slight tremor in his heart.

Something that shouldn't exist in this world?

What could that be?

This gave Gunie a sense of being in warmth yet staring directly into mysterious darkness.

"Specifically what?" Gunie drained the little coffee left in his cup and asked softly.

"It's not convenient to say now, but I can guarantee that those things are absolutely beings we must slay, and in the future, they will cause great destruction to our human world."

"Those things are even deemed extremely dangerous by the high-level of the Transcendent Association, and they want to hunt them down," George said.

"Oh? Since the high-level of the Transcendent Association considers these things dangerous and wants to hunt them, shouldn't they deal with them? Why do they need us weak transcendents to join forces?" Gunie rubbed his temples.

"Because..."

After a moment of deliberation, George slowly spoke.

"Those things are very special. Only I can see them, even touch them."

"Only you can see and touch them?"

This sentence immediately piqued Gunie's interest.

Gunie lowered his voice slightly: "A certain layer of the Shadow World?"

"You know?" George was taken aback.

"I know far more than you imagine."

Gunie poured himself another cup of coffee.

The world of transcendents.

In the depths of darkness and mystery that people cannot see, touch, or even perceive,

lurk too many terrifying grotesqueries, distortions, even horror and death.

And the "Shadow World" is precisely this grotesque and terrifying "inner world" that exists objectively within reality as a projection of the real world.

Within the framework of the transcendent world,

the real world is the surface world.

While the Shadow World is the "inner world" beneath the projection of reality.

The Shadow Inner World is very complex.

Within the Shadow World, there are many peculiar "layer worlds," each independent, and some can even cross into one another.

As far as Gunie knew,

the Shadow World includes the "Nightmare Layer," "Mirror Layer," "Stainless Fertile Soil Layer," "Ethereal Layer," and so on.

The "Nightmare Layer" is the world of dreams. Transcendents with dream abilities can enter this layer.

It is said that the nightmare materials Gunie uses to refine soul-type potions are obtained by dream transcendents hunting "nightmare creatures" here.

As for the "Mirror Layer," it is a layer world that is time-limited and concrete within a certain range.

In cities with large-scale stable "mirrors," the Mirror Layer gradually manifests and stabilizes.

When the city suffers a devastating blow and all mirrors are shattered, the Mirror Layer slowly dissipates and ceases to exist.

Or the "Stainless Fertile Soil Layer," which the roots of dominant plants need to penetrate deeply.

And the "Ethereal Layer," where soul-type beings reside, familiar to many transcendents. Many soul-type beings, even transcendents with semi-soul or ethereal abilities, can enter this layer to fight.

There are also other deeper worlds, and so on.

These inner layer worlds are all situated within the Shadow World.

It can be said that the "Shadow World" is the foundation of all inner worlds.

In this transcendent world,

the real world is only the tip of the iceberg.

Horror and darkness all lie in the Shadow Inner World.

The reason Gunie knew this

was that during his study of Rune Analysis, he gained a new understanding of the world's framework structure.

Rune Analysis expounds on essence, providing some concise descriptions of the real world, Shadow World, Nightmare Layer, Mirror Layer, Stainless Fertile Soil Layer, and so on.

Learning the three-dimensional complex form of the world is a necessary skill for a spellcaster studying Runic Arcana.

If Gunie only wanted to be a turret mage, he would only need to learn spells.

But Gunie wanted to become a knowledgeable, powerful spellcaster who touches darkness and horror and explores the deeper essential arcana of the transcendent world.

Then understanding the Shadow World and the many peculiar layer domains within the Shadow Layer is essential.

When he has sufficient understanding of the Shadow World and has achieved something in Rune Analysis, mastering certain Runic Arcana,

reality and shadow,

the surface world and the inner world,

Gunie will be able to freely traverse between them.

He could even enter those convoluted peculiar layer domains.

And even glimpse the great beings above the stars.

However, Rune Analysis is extremely difficult. Even though Gunie spends most of his study time on it, his progress is still not fast.

The difficulty of just getting started with Rune Analysis is so high.

One can imagine how hard it is to study Runic Arcana after getting started.

Not many people know about the Shadow World.

And those who can traverse between layers need corresponding transcendent talents and abilities.

Such people are few.

For Gunie's own Blood Curse Master profession, if he didn't study "Runic Arcana," he couldn't actively enter any inner world.

But this guy named "George Derrick" not only knows about it but can see it, and even... seems able to enter a certain inner world layer.

Obviously, his "transcendent profession" is no ordinary one.

Combined with the fact that the other seemed able to sense his own "danger,"

Gunie vaguely guessed some particularities of the other's transcendent profession.

If the other could really lead him into a certain layer, it would be immensely beneficial for his understanding and study of the "world framework."

Learning from books combined with personal, practical contact is the best way to progress.

"I think we should get to know each other again, to lay a stronger foundation for our cooperation. How about it?" Gunie sniffed the coffee aroma and said softly.

"No problem." At this, George also perked up and sat upright again.

He had wanted to cooperate with the other all along.

Since the other knew quite a bit and was willing to cooperate, he was naturally very pleased.

"I am Gunie Lawrence," Gunie said softly.

"Expert-level apothecary."

"A 'Blood Curse Master' from the mountains and seas of blood."

"Expert-level apothecary?" George was first stunned, then laughed heartily.

His laughter was loud, but within the nullification barrier, no one outside sensed anything.

His laughter left Gunie a bit confused.

"I've been so stupid. I was wondering why so many noble apothecaries came to you to learn potion refining."

"Even a highly talented high-level apothecary shouldn't attract such attention!"

"So you're already an expert-level apothecary. You're amazing." With that, George gave a thumbs-up.

As a member of the Transcendent Association, he naturally knew how formidable an expert-level apothecary was, especially one so young.

The high-level of the Transcendent Association hastily sending their talented offspring to study as "apprentices" under Gunie was the best proof.

Gunie didn't hide his qualified expert-level apothecary identity from George, whom he was about to cooperate with, though some knew of it.

After a moment of deliberation, George looked over.

"Your profession is Blood Curse Master. I recall that Blood Curse Masters during the Blood Moon..."

"A minor curse, nothing serious. I've already suppressed it," Gunie said nonchalantly.

"Oh?" George's brow twitched.

But thinking that the other could become an expert-level apothecary at such a young age, his methods must be formidable, so he felt relieved.

"Don't be fooled by my being only Transcendent First Rank. Among the first rank, I'm nearly invincible."

"First rank, nearly invincible? That's quite a boast."

George thought to himself.

"But given the level of threat he poses to me, he does have the right to say that."

After hearing Gunie's introduction, George, after a moment of preparation, slowly spoke.

"I am George Derrick."

"At the age of six, I awakened my transcendent profession, 'Time Hunter.' Later, I learned that 'Time Hunter' is a powerful seven-star transcendent profession."

"Wait..." Gunie suddenly caught something.

"You... awakened your transcendent profession on your own?"

"Yes," George nodded.

"What's the problem?"

If Gunie hadn't studied Rune Analysis, he wouldn't have sensed the issue.

But now, Gunie could clearly grasp the crux of the problem.

This George's transcendent profession was probably extraordinary.

A transcendent profession itself is carried within a transcendent artifact, a self-contained system of mysterious power.

Humans themselves are not transcendent beings but ordinary flesh-and-blood creatures.

It is very rare for humans to self-awaken a transcendent profession.

Even if they do, it's usually among family clans with bloodline power, awakening a profession related to that bloodline.

For instance, Gunie knew that "Paul" had a Behemoth bloodline.

If he married a close relative, it was possible to directly give birth to a child with the innate transcendent profession of "Behemoth Warrior."

The child's profession traits wouldn't be too powerful, but not too weak either.

But the problem is, such a transcendent awakening is power bestowed by bloodline.

"Time Hunter is not a bloodline power," Gunie said softly.

"It's like the 'heroes' emerging from the tide of the era."

"This 'Time Hunter' might be that kind of extremely special existence."

George gave Gunie a deep look before nodding slightly.

"You're right. My Time Hunter is indeed extraordinary."

"I... can enter a very peculiar layer of the Shadow World through time, the 'Hunting Layer.'"