CH274
Helag continued browsing through the information.
He discovered that the powerful entities of the Abyssal Plane had never given up on their desire to invade the Wizard Plane.
These beings used various methods to lure people from the Wizard Plane into becoming their followers, then used these followers to carry out their plans.
Most of these followers were weaker wizards, knights, or even ordinary people.
With their limited willpower, they were easily swayed by the temptations of the Abyssal Plane's powerful entities.
Stronger wizards, on the other hand, were less susceptible to such temptations.
However, if a powerful wizard did make contact with an Abyssal entity, it was usually by choice.
These individuals often sought power and willingly embraced the Abyssal Plane in exchange for strength.
As Helag read this, he couldn't help but think of someone—Fegar.
It suddenly occurred to him that Fegar might very well be a follower of one of the Abyssal Plane's entities.
When Fegar first boarded the ship, he was already a second-class wizard apprentice, but his aptitude was only five points.
After entering Green Cottage, he became one of Malcolm's experimental subjects.
Fegar had advanced to a full-fledged wizard in Malcolm's lab, and it was highly unlikely that he had done so using potions.
Helag recalled that during the Death Swamp ruins incident, Fegar had deliberately sabotaged the wizard array in an attempt to open a rift to the Abyssal Plane.
All these actions and signs pointed to the likelihood that Fegar was an Abyssal cultist.
He had likely been using the power of the Abyssal Plane to strengthen himself, allowing him to advance without obstacles and become incredibly powerful.
Back on the ship, Dino had mentioned that Fegar's mental state was unstable, likely due to some special method of forcibly enhancing his power.
Looking back, it seemed that Fegar had already made contact with an Abyssal entity before boarding the ship.
For him, wizard aptitude didn't matter because his power growth wasn't tied to his natural talent.
Fegar's true backing was a powerful entity from the Abyssal Plane.
As Helag pondered these thoughts, the carriage arrived at No. 13 King's Street, where Helag's house was located.
"Sir, we've arrived," the coachman said softly, his tone filled with respect.
The coachman had been driving around Silvermoon City for years and knew exactly what King's Street represented.
Only members of Seranthiel could purchase property here, and only they had the right to live in this prestigious area.
In the coachman's eyes, every member of Seranthiel was a big shot, not someone he could afford to offend.
"Thank you." Helag handed the coachman two silver coins for the fare.
The coachman respectfully accepted the payment with both hands and watched as Helag walked away.
When Helag entered his home, Reese and David were already waiting for him in the living room.
They had learned about the incident at Israel's estate through the tavern forum.
Seeing their worried expressions, Helag realized he had been so focused on researching Abyssal cultists that he had forgotten to check his messages.
"I'm glad you're okay. I was really worried when you didn't reply," Reese said with a sigh of relief.
"Sorry for making you worry," Helag replied.
David asked, "What exactly happened over there? I saw on the forum that several people died, and it had something to do with Abyssal cultists."
Helag nodded. "Yes, a few Abyssal cultists sacrificed themselves to open a rift to the Abyssal Plane. After the rift appeared, something on the other side cast its gaze through, and a few people died. Fortunately, the six cultists were ordinary people, not very strong, so the rift only lasted about two seconds. If it had stayed open any longer, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"What exactly are Abyssal cultists?" Reese and David asked, still confused.
Helag pulled out his magic stone and showed them the information he had been browsing. "You should learn to use the magic stone more effectively. The tavern forum's search function can help you find a lot of valuable information."
Rather than just giving them the answers, Helag wanted to teach them how to find the information themselves.
"Got it," Reese and David were quick learners and immediately understood.
As they began searching for information, Helag also shared what he had learned from his own research.
An hour later…
"I feel like the Land of Dawn is much more dangerous than the Barren Lands. I mean, there are even Abyssal cultists here," Reese muttered.
Helag nodded. "Yes, the power levels here are much higher than in the Barren Lands. So when danger strikes, it's often far beyond what we can handle. We need to be extremely cautious in everything we do."
Reese and David's expressions grew serious. They were both weaker than Helag.
If they had been the ones facing what Helag had encountered, they might not have made it back alive.
This incident made all three of them realize the importance of increasing their strength.
The next morning, Helag received a visitor.
Pruis arrived early at Helag's estate, and Helag sensed his presence immediately, stepping outside to greet him.
"Did you not sleep at all?" Helag noticed that Pruis looked a bit tired, still wearing the same clothes from the previous night.
Pruis gave a wry smile. "It's all because of those damned bugs! When Abyssal cultists show up, we have to investigate everything thoroughly. Everyone present had to be checked and cleared."
"Cleared?" Helag didn't quite understand what that meant.
Pruis explained, "When the rift to the Abyssal Plane opened, even for a brief moment, it was a very serious event. There's a possibility that the Abyssal Plane could have gained a new invasion coordinate."
"We can only hope that they didn't manage to get a stable coordinate from that rift. Otherwise…"
Pruis tone was bitter, and Helag's heart skipped a beat as he realized the gravity of the situation.
For one plane to invade another, the first step was obtaining the planar coordinates.
However, not every coordinate could serve as an invasion point. It had to be a stable coordinate for an invasion to occur.
But such stable coordinates were incredibly difficult to find. Most were highly unstable and couldn't be used as invasion points.
So while the Abyssal Plane might have obtained a coordinate from last night's rift, the chances of it being a useful one were low.
Most likely, it was a useless coordinate.
This wasn't the first time such an event had occurred. It had happened many times before, but the Abyssal Plane had never managed to obtain a useful coordinate.
CH275
Pruis continued, "As for the 'cleansing,' it involves checking every person and place nearby for any signs of contamination. Normally, everyone present would have to go to the city hall for a thorough inspection, but since you're one of us, I can handle it here."
"I see. Thank you for the trouble," Helag replied gratefully.
Pruis coming in person made Helag feel a bit embarrassed.
"It's no trouble," Pruis waved it off. It was just on his way.
Pruis pulled out a vial of Dewdrop Reagent, the same type used when Helag first entered the city. A pink mist enveloped Helag briefly before dissipating, confirming that he wasn't contaminated.
Pruis smiled. "No issues. I've got a lot to do, so I'll be off."
With that, Pruis vanished in a flash, clearly overwhelmed with tasks after working all night.
The contamination checks were the most tedious part, as they involved too many people, and everyone had to be inspected one by one.
Meanwhile, Israel's house was temporarily uninhabitable—not because it had collapsed. For wizards, rebuilding a house was quick work.
The problem was that a planar rift had appeared there, and it wasn't just a matter of checking for contamination. The entire area would be under long-term surveillance by Silvermoon City. Any abnormalities would be immediately detected and recorded.
As for the surrounding residents, they would have to temporarily relocate. They could move to areas with similar property values, and the cost would be covered by Silvermoon City's administration.
Poor Israel. He hosted a ball and ended up losing his house.
If not for his deep pockets, he might have gone bankrupt.
Helag sent a few messages to Israel to check on him, but there was no reply. He was likely too busy dealing with the aftermath.
Since the incident happened at his home, Israel was in for a lot of trouble and wouldn't be free anytime soon.
"Helag, there's something I want to discuss with you," David said hesitantly.
Seeing David's expression, Helag knew it wasn't a small matter. "What is it?" he asked.
"I've decided to join Seranthiel's merchant caravan and scout the way for our Terchy family. Once I've figured things out, our family's business can get involved here. I've realized over time that my talent is limited, and it's unlikely I'll reach higher realms through cultivation alone."
"So, I thought I'd take this opportunity in the Land of Dawn to expand the family's prospects," David explained slowly. It was clear he had thought about this for a long time.
Helag was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say.
David's decision wasn't an easy one.
Joining a merchant caravan would leave him with very little time for cultivation.
Life as a merchant wasn't easy, especially in the Land of Dawn, where the areas outside the city were polluted and filled with unknown dangers.
By making this choice, David was essentially giving up on further personal advancement and dedicating his time and energy to paving the way for his family.
David had been struggling with this for some time. He knew his talent and potential had reached their limits.
He couldn't advance as quickly as Helag, who seemed to break through realms as easily as eating or drinking.
In the world of wizards, David was just an ordinary person.
Knowing the truth was one thing, but accepting it was another.
David had come to the Land of Dawn with hopes of advancing further.
But now, he had made the decision to take on the responsibility of securing his family's future, leaving Helag with mixed feelings.
The Terchy family had likely hoped that both David and Reese would continue to advance in their wizardry, as increased strength would naturally lead to greater success.
David's choice was more practical. He realized that he wouldn't be advancing anytime soon.
Rather than wasting time and family resources on his own cultivation, he decided to do something for the family.
If he could establish trade connections between the Terchy family and the Land of Dawn, it would be a tremendous boon for the entire family.
Currently, no wizard families or organizations from the Barren Lands had any trade relations with the Land of Dawn.
There would undoubtedly be many challenges, but David felt he had to try.
"I respect your decision. Be careful out there. Oh, and take this," Helag said, handing David a drop of World Tree sap.
"What's this?" David asked, puzzled.
"Don't ask, just take it," Helag replied flatly.
He didn't plan on telling David what it was.
David wouldn't willingly reveal anything, but since he was joining a merchant caravan, he would undoubtedly face situations beyond his control.
In this world, there were too many strange and unpredictable methods, and it was impossible to guard against them all.
Without hesitation, David swallowed the sap in one gulp, not even tasting it.
He trusted Helag unconditionally. If Helag told him to take it, it had to be for his own good.
After that day, Helag helped David get in touch with Pruis.
Once Pruis learned of David's intentions, he quickly connected him with Seranthiel's merchant caravan.
With Pruis's recommendation, David had no trouble joining the caravan and began his career as a travelling merchant throughout the Land of Dawn.
"Helag, am I useless? Am I a coward for not stepping up?" Reese asked tearfully after David left, burying her face in Helag's chest.
Helag comforted her. "Everyone has their own path and their own way of doing things. David joined the caravan for the family's future, and you're here cultivating for the same reason. The goal is the same; the methods are just different."
"You don't need to feel guilty or sad. For you, advancing in your cultivation is the greatest help you can give to the Terchy family."
Reese nodded, understanding his words, though she still felt uneasy.
Her talent was better than David's, and her cousin had always been less capable than her, yet he had always accommodated her.
Now that David had chosen to leave, it was likely because Reese was staying with Helag, giving David peace of mind to focus on helping the family in his own way.
When David left, Helag gave him 10,000 magic stones, along with various potions to ensure he wouldn't run out when he needed them.
He also gave David a few Fire Lizard Bombs, which Helag had made but hadn't had the chance to use yet.
If David was going to be travelling as a merchant, he would likely find them useful.