Sorcerer’s Handbook

The Violet Spiderweb in the night sky burned out, with the rising currents condensing the moisture into cumulus clouds. The drizzling rain tapping on the window created a broken pitter-patter against the glass.

Now, the entire Kingdom of the First Gospel was experiencing rain. It was more than just rain; it was a Ritual Track symbolizing the spiderweb descending from the Firmament, spreading to every corner of the Kingdom.

When I inherit the First Gospel, this Ritual Track will take effect, extending my will and allowing my orders to traverse the land like fate.

The moment Ashe noticed the rain outside, intelligence surfaced in his mind that he wasn’t supposed to know.

It was an uncanny feeling, as if there was an iceberg in his mind. Whenever he saw something, a corresponding part of the iceberg would melt, granting him instant clarity about all causes and consequences.

He had no doubt that when the iceberg completely melted, he would be incredibly close to Omniscience and Omnipotence. However, the overwhelming waves caused by the melting iceberg would inevitably drown his entire self-will.

Yet, he had no means to stop the melting. The deity that mimicked his face was slowly prying open his skull, stirring his brain; tearing open his chest, kneading his heart; eventually, it would wear Ashe’s skin and step into a future named ‘Ashpel.’

This final transition period was both cruel and merciful. The cruelty lay in watching his own self being crushed and assimilated by a greater will, akin to a Death Row Inmate being executed; the mercy lay in that he didn’t vanish confusedly, but clearly understood that this was not by chance or misfortune, but an inevitable fate-it was a justified death. Perhaps, this was another kind of cruelty.

The source of all this was the Secret Incarnation.

“The purest, most innocent, kindest, and most beautiful girl” is the most suitable barrel. Of course, not all such individuals can adapt to every deity, but they can resist the corrosion of the deity of the First Gospel to the greatest extent. Each deity has different requirements for their suitable candidate.

The Yisuo Royal Family has managed to endure for seven hundred years, with successive princesses becoming the First Gospel, because they can cultivate princesses that meet all the criteria and are also aware of some hidden conditions. Hence, they naturally score higher and dominate all candidates, firmly securing the position of the First Gospel.

If everything proceeded smoothly, this generation’s First Gospel should have been in the bag for the Yisuo Royal Family. However, after Ashe obtained the Secret Incarnation, the Gospel suddenly had a new idea.

It found a more suitable candidate.

In the Mermaid Palace, they knew that Harvey’s future ability to wield the deity wasn’t by chance, but because he would later acquire a conceptual Incarnation related to necromancy. With the buffer provided by the conceptual Incarnation, he could barely resist the deity’s erosion (although Harvey had already missed the initial opportunity).

The conceptual Incarnation acts like a membrane covering the barrel, significantly reducing the harm from deities of the same Sect to the soul. This extends the barrel’s lifespan. When Harvey later becomes a legendary necromancer, besides possessing Four Wings spellforce, he should also have a Miracle that strengthens the soul. Therefore, with the conceptual Incarnation, he can fully accommodate the deity.

This shows that no matter how sturdy a barrel is, it can’t compare to one protected by a membrane. Additionally, deities are not static. When activated, they inflict severe damage on the soul. Hence, the deity’s power must be limited to prevent prematurely exhausting the host’s lifespan.

A soul protected by a conceptual Incarnation means a longer lifespan and the deity can exert greater power.

Imagine you are the deity, and you’re about to move to a new home. You have two choices: ① A wooden house similar to the previous one, which can last up to fifty years but is prone to decay and might have a fragile staircase that you could accidentally break; ② A well-decorated small villa with a longer lifespan that withstands regular use and can handle occasional activities like exercising, barbecuing, and setting off fireworks.

Therefore, from the moment Ashe obtained the Secret Incarnation, he could no longer escape the clutches of the Gospel. No matter how pure, innocent, and kind the Yisuo Princess might be, she could not compare to Ashpel, who came with his own substantial dowry. The Gospel was extremely pragmatic and materialistic.

The Secret Incarnation was a concept that dropped from the Spider Tower commander, and the Spider Tower was part of the Omniscient Weaver’s forces. Naturally, the Secret Incarnation had a high affinity with the Gospel’s spirit. If only Ashe had known that the Gospel Ranking was choosing a deity’s host, if only he had returned the Secret Incarnation to the Empress’ commander, if only…

Ashe suddenly recalled something. At that moment, the ‘Gospel Ashe’ in his mind struck down his mental original again. His body trembled as he slid down the wall to sit, and ‘Lise’ hurried over, gripping his hand tightly, looking at him with concern. “Are you scared?”

“I’m not scared, not one bit,” Ashe replied as lightly as possible, reaching out to embrace ‘Lise’, gently stroking her back, trying to convey his calmness to her.

Simultaneously, in his soul, he located the soul summoning spirit, which resembled a triangular bipyramid with hexagonal faces. He wrapped it tightly with spellforce and descended his will-destroy it!

Yes, since the deity favored him because he had the Secret Incarnation, couldn’t he simply destroy it?

Although the Secret Incarnation was precious, it was nothing compared to his own life. Moreover, Ashe had already crossed into the Distant Sky Domain, significantly reducing the importance of the Secret Incarnation and the soul summoning spirit. Losing them wouldn’t have a real impact on him!

Once he lost the Secret Incarnation, Ashe’s finely decorated small villa would degrade into a dilapidated Cabin, unfit even for a dog. After all, he didn’t fit the criteria of “the purest, most innocent, kindest, and most beautiful girl” in any way. Regardless of how the deity considered it, it wouldn’t settle for living in Ashe’s rundown state. Instead, it would go for the Yisuo Princess’ modest Cabin. Then Ashe would naturally be saved!n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

As for the consequences of destroying the concept, Ashe could no longer care. After all, he didn’t have any spirit related to the ‘secret.’ However, this would completely thwart Annan’s plans. Even if he were punished when he returned, he accepted it willingly. It would just be a pity for the Divine Sovereign’s Wish…

Ashe waited expectantly for a moment, only to find that the soul summoning spirit was still happily swimming within his soul.

He realized that whenever his spellforce attempted to harm the soul summoning spirit, it would suddenly stop functioning, almost as if…

It were bound by a Pact.

Impossible!

Ashe’s pupils constricted. Although the Pact with the Empress indeed prevented him from destroying the soul summoning spirit himself, he had now reached the Third Layer of the Virtual Realm, fulfilling the conditions for the Pact’s automatic termination. How could it still be in effect?!

Yet there was no other explanation for the current situation. Could the Empress have hidden a trap in the Pact that he was entirely unaware of?

As the thought crossed his mind, the original text of the Pact clearly surfaced in Ashe’s mind, and he immediately identified the issue-it was in the first sentence of the Pact.

“When the Celestial Bull enters the Spider Tower Area, Party B must remain there for more than three hours.”

The clause “when the Celestial Bull enters the Spider Tower Area” was the highest-priority condition in the entire Pact. All other terms were contingent upon the activation of this condition.

This meant that even though Ashe had already entered the Distant Sky Domain, the Pact was still in effect. He would have to wait for the Celestial Bull to enter the Spider Tower Area for the Pact to be automatically terminated.

So, when would the Celestial Bull enter the Spider Tower Area?

Other sorcerers might not know, but Ashe had the virtual realm map for comparison, allowing him to accurately calculate that the next entry of the Celestial Bull into the Spider Tower Area would be… tomorrow morning.

The rain outside grew heavier, and Ashe’s heart grew colder.

Compared to a straightforward ‘death sentence,’ this tantalizing nearness to survival was even more abyssal.

This was the Divine Sovereign showing off, this was fate mocking him.

Of course, he had stolen the Secret Incarnation from the Spider Tower and was now in the Gospel’s Kingdom-how could he possibly escape unscathed? In the virtual realm, he was hunted by the Spider Tower; in reality, he was manipulated by the Gospel. No matter what, the Secret Incarnation would ultimately serve the Omniscient Weaver, just for different purposes.

Even the Omniscient Weaver, who stands above the heavens, might not be watching him. The mere collaboration between the Gospel and the Spider Tower was enough to precisely and ruthlessly extinguish all his hopes. He felt like an insect stuck in a spiderweb, with no hope of escape.

The iceberg was still melting, and it felt as if his soul was dying too. Just then, a warm little cutie wriggled in his embrace, reaching out to pinch his face.

“Ashe, let’s run away,” ‘Lise’ said, looking at him earnestly. “Leave Nabistin, even leave the Gospel. As long as we run far enough, you won’t be taken to become the Sorceress Ashpel.”

Escape.

This option had never even crossed Ashe’s mind from the start. After all, they were in the Royal Palace of Nabistin, with a deity directly clawing into his mind-where could he possibly run to? Any attempt would merely be a futile and ugly struggle before death.

But seeing the earnest ‘Lise,’ Ashe smiled and nodded, “Alright, let’s escape. I won’t become the First Gospel!”

Ashe didn’t bother with the stairs. He jumped out of the window and used the ‘Rush’ Miracle to teleport outside Lake Yalan. Then he pulled out the ‘Banjeet Spatial Card’ and retrieved the Crow’s Non-Aerial Motorcycle-of course, the plan to assassinate the princess included an escape phase. Everyone’s Spatial Card contained a motorcycle so they could quickly flee the Royal Palace or even Nabistin if the plan succeeded or failed.

Vroom! The mechanical monster roared with flames. Looking at the dense rain curtain before him, Ashe felt as if he had returned to the Time Continent. The noises in his mind seemed less harsh.

He pulled out his dark red trench coat from the card and draped it over the nearly soaked ‘Lise.’ She sat behind him, her small hands tightly holding his waist. “I’m not cold. You wear it,” she said.

“The rain is too heavy,” Ashe smiled. “It won’t help me anyway.”

Buzz! The Crow’s Non-Aerial Motorcycle accelerated instantly, speeding on the cobblestone path of the Royal Palace. They rushed through several gates, surprisingly managing to escape the palace with ease!

Suddenly, the Gospel Book appeared before them again, its violet-glowing bookmark shining brightly in the Rain Curtain. Because Ashe was already a third transformed into Ashpel, he instantly knew the updated content when it appeared.

‘Lise’ opened to the bookmarked page and saw two additional woven side stories.

The protagonist of the first side story was named “Annan Dolan.”

In the Underground Hall, the Funeral members looked at the Gospel Book’s content. Banjeet fell silent, Igor sighed deeply, Harvey was overjoyed, while Annan remained calm.

“Annan Dolan”

“Aliases: Enemy Gospel, Purple Witch, Calamity Sovereign”

“Relationship with Ashpel: enslavement pact”

“Achievements: Annan used the enslavement pact to successfully steal the Divine Sovereign’s Wish, wishing for the Gospel to have no effect in reality. From then on, the Gospel Book disappeared, the ranking list dissolved, and the world could no longer hear the Gospel, leading to a technological regression by thirty years and the outbreak of civil wars. Eventually, an invasion from the outlands occurred. Throughout Ashpel’s life, he worked to mend the chaos Annan Dolan caused, even dying once in the process.”

“Disposition: Eliminate.”

“I often wondered if the Blood Moon Kingdom would be better without the Blood Saint or Moonshadow,” Igor said. “But I never imagined you would actually do something like this, targeting the very foundation of your civilization-the Gospel.”

“I find it a bit strange myself,” Annan replied. “I intended to wish the Gospel to disappear, so why did it change to ‘the Gospel cannot have effect in reality’…?”

“Even spirits have their own wills, let alone deities,” Harvey chuckled. “Besides, would the Omniscient Weaver really kill its own deity just because of your wish? The fact that it fulfilled your wish as much as possible-who knows if it’s a matter of keeping promises or simply not caring about the Gospel Kingdom’s fate.”

“Because the deity didn’t disappear but continued to reside within Ashe, leading him to become ‘Armored’ as Ashpel in the future,” the Con Artist sighed. “Now that you know how the future unfolds, would you still make that wish?”

“Yes,” Annan answered firmly.

I won’t ask why you don’t care about Ashe-what belief fuels your resolve?”

“The Gospel despises Dolan,” Annan said, looking at the deity on the throne. “As long as the Gospel lives, every generation of Dolan, including me, won’t live past thirty. To survive, the Gospel must perish.”

“Besides, I despise the Gospel myself.”

Even Harvey was curious. “Aren’t you a parasite living off the Gospel? Isn’t your Firm all about exploiting its loopholes?”

“It would have been better if the Gospel had chosen you as the First Gospel,” Annan glanced at the necromancer. “Precisely because I understand its core, I detest it.”

“The Gospel grants no one freedom, none at all,” Purple Moth scanned the legendary sorcerers surrounding the throne. “Information, emotions, relationships, education-everything people interact with is under its control. As an almost perfect system, it traps everyone in their own personalized cocoons. Cities led by different Families represent distinct incubation strategies-spiders, ants, bees-but they can never truly become human.”

Igor reminded her, “Human freedom is restricted by the environment.”

“But what if there’s no freedom of thought either?” Annan asked. “The Gospel controls everything about the environment. All the choices you make are paths arranged by it, and you don’t even realize it. Only those who can choose are considered human; those who blindly follow are nothing more than insects.”

The Con Artist was silent for a moment, gazing at the Gospel Book’s content. “Then what choice would Ashe make?”

“He has no choice,” Harvey said, retrieving Alice’s coffin from the Spatial Card. “Neither do we.”

They remained in the Underground Hall instead of fleeing because they had sensed the commotion above.

The attendants around them instinctively pressed against the walls as the secret guard returned, accompanied by many others.

Annan and the others recognized a few among them, captains of the Sanctuary guards they had encountered earlier.

“Annan Dolan, you have been identified as noise interfering with Ashpel,” the secret guard rasped. “Will you end yourself?”

“Get Ashe to say that to my face, and I’ll consider it,” Annan replied.

“Any contact between noise and Ashpel is considered a severe disruption to the future,” the secret guard declared. “Starting now, eliminate the noise.”

Frost Twin Guns, Alice, Donna, the Second Miss… As all the weapons were readied and the battle was about to erupt, a pang of regret for Ashe suddenly flashed through Annan’s mind.

I’m sorry, Ashe.

Though there are many things I should apologize for, I just can’t bring myself to care because even if I knew all this in advance, I wouldn’t change a thing. I would still drag you to hell with me. At worst, you’d be on top, and I’d be below.

But there is one thing I truly feel sorry for-one that could have been entirely avoided.

If you two had never met.

Then you wouldn’t have to feel this extra pain now.

“Lise”

“Alias: Daughter of Ashpel”

“Relationship with Ashpel: Ensorcellment Pact”

“Achievements: An eternal enslavement pact exists between Lise and Ashpel, enabling Lise to severely disrupt Ashpel’s will. As long as Lise lives, there is the possibility of desecrating Ashpel.”

“Disposition: Eliminate”

‘Lise’ closed the Gospel Book and saw twenty figures appearing on the city road ahead. They appeared so abruptly, forming isolated bubbles where rain couldn’t penetrate nor wind could touch. Walking leisurely in the downpour, they looked like they were taking a casual stroll.

Sanctuary Sorcerers.

“Lise.”

Unlike the barely concealed pain and confusion earlier, Ashe’s voice was now firm and steady, as clear as raindrops hitting the ground. “Are you afraid?”

“Not at all.”

‘Lise’ lay on Ashe’s back, her voice ringing clear through the Rain Curtain. “Not at all.”

“Ashe, you’re not afraid of the rain, and neither is Lise.”

“Hold onto me tight, don’t let go.” Ashe drew the Honey Sword from his mouth, mounted the Crow’s Non-Aerial Motorcycle, and sped towards the Sanctuary Sorcerers.

“I won’t let you get wet.”