Chapter 1263: Chapter 114: Larthas’s Enlightenment_2
Ah Dai cracked a smile and nodded gently, closing the door behind him.
Larthas waved his hand nonchalantly, without uttering a spell, as faint red magical energy drifted out, enveloping the four within a low-level Fire System barrier.
Ah Dai and Xuan Yue both recognized it as sound isolation magic; clearly, Larthas did not want his words to be overheard by Feng Zhi and the others. Inside this simple barrier, not even probing magic from outside could pick up any sound. Xuan Yue said, "We can speak freely now."
Gorisong frowned and said, "We’re looking for Ah Dai, not you. You should leave too."
Before Xuan Yue could respond, Ah Dai interjected, "No need, he is my best brother, he knows everything about me."
Gorisong said, "Alright then, I ask you, are you my elder brother Goris’s apprentice? We should have met once in the Illusive Forest, right?"
Ah Dai nodded, "Yes, I am apprentice Ah Dai, the student of teacher Goris. He has officially taken me as his apprentice."
Gorisong sighed, his expression softening as he spoke indifferently, "How is my elder brother doing? There’s been too much happening in the Guild, and I’ve been devoting most of my time to training. It’s been many years since I last visited him. I’m puzzled, why are you still alive? Has my brother abandoned his aspiration?"
Hearing Gorisong mention Goris’s aspiration, tears streamed down Ah Dai’s face as he shook his head vehemently, "No, the teacher hasn’t given up on his aspiration. He’s the greatest alchemist on the continent, he succeeded, he truly crafted a Divine Artifact."
Both Gorisong and Larthas’s eyes shone brightly at once, with Gorisong saying excitedly, "He succeeded, he truly did it! Big brother, you are so powerful!" His eyes flashed a cold light as he glared at Ah Dai, "If he succeeded, then why are you unharmed?"
Having read Goris’s will, Ah Dai understood the implication of his words and choked up, "Because, because the teacher fulfilled his wish with his own body, he traded his life and soul for the success of creating the Divine Artifact."
Gorisong trembled all over, his hands fiercely gripping Ah Dai’s shoulders as he exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you say? My big brother, is he dead?"
Ah Dai nodded solemnly, "Yes, the teacher has passed away."
The light in Gorisong’s eyes faded, and his aged body swayed and nearly collapsed but for Larthas’s steady support. Staggering back a few steps, he cried out, "No, no, it can’t be. How could big brother use his own body to craft a Divine Artifact? He wouldn’t be so foolish. You’re lying to me, aren’t you, kid? Did you kill my brother?"
Ah Dai shouted desperately, "No, it wasn’t me! How could I possibly kill teacher Goris? I so wished it was me used to craft the Divine Artifact! I would rather die myself than have the teacher sacrifice his life."
Larthas seized Gorisong’s shoulder, suppressing his purple flames, and spoke calmly, "Brother, calm down, let the boy explain. Kid, tell us, how exactly did Goris die?"
Xuan Yue softly chanted, with white light flickering in his hands. The Light of Tranquility split into two streams, entering Ah Dai and Gorisong, calming their agitated emotions.
Ah Dai took a deep breath, sorting through memories he did not wish to recall. Looking at Gorisong, whose face resembled Goris’s, he sorrowfully recounted the contents of Goris’s will, only concealing the part about being taken away by "Hades" Owen, merely mentioning that he was forcibly taken out of the Illusive Forest by a martial arts expert.
As Ah Dai spoke, Gorisong’s face contorted with emotion. With worldly experience, he could tell from Ah Dai’s sincere expression that the boy was not lying.
"Teacher Goris has died, and to honor his achievement, I have named the Divine Artifact ’Goris’s Wish.’ You should recognize his handwriting. I left the notes in the Illusive Forest—if you have the chance, you can go see them, and you’ll know I didn’t lie." With that, Ah Dai sobbed uncontrollably, overtaken by an inner sorrow that wreaked havoc in his heart, plunging him into profound grief.
Gorisong sighed, tears streaking down his face. Goris was his only kin, and hearing of his brother’s death left him feeling a void, suffering a pain he hadn’t felt for many years, almost as if he couldn’t breathe. He murmured, "Big brother, why did you have to do this? Was sacrificing your life for a Divine Artifact worth it? Was it worth it?"
Larthas patted Gorisong’s shoulder, comforting him, "Brother, don’t be too sad. Your brother sought what he wished for and obtained it. Though he is gone, he fulfilled his final desire with his life. I believe he must also feel content. Ah... my pursuits are different; my aim has always been to wield a Forbidden Curse through my own power, yet despite decades of effort, I still cannot achieve it. Compared to me, your brother was much stronger. For him, nothing was more important than crafting the Divine Artifact; I believe he must have thought it was worth it. We’re not young anymore; why cling so tightly to life and death? Perhaps, before long, we’ll join your brother in Heaven." Knowing the cause of Goris’s death, Larthas felt deeply moved. At this moment, he seemed to lose his competitive spirit, reflecting that he was over ninety years old. What had he gained from decades of struggle with the Mage Guild? In the Empire of Tian Jing, he had reached the pinnacle of power, but what did that represent? Was he truly happy? Life is but a hundred years; he didn’t have much time left. What was the point of being obsessed with these things?
