Chapter 74
Ashe and Sonya sat in a small boat, intently reading the leather-bound Sorcerer's Handbook.
Like the previous handbooks, this one did not contain any personal information about its owner, who could only be referred to as "The Explorer". Why was he called that? Because his greatest passion was exploring various natural landscapes, and the contents of this handbook were about the various sites he had visited in the past.
"Lava Cave"
"After working at the construction site for over a year across three phases, the project finally ended. I should be able to visit the lava cave before my foreman takes on another job."
"I went to the village closest to the lava cave, but my foreman said he had another big project coming up. Oh well."
"A few months later, I made time to explore the lava cave again. I got lucky this time - I paid a local a good amount of money to guide me inside."
"It was amazing - lava flowing across the ground, explosive pollen from the blooming flowers, yet inside the lava cave it was a cool and refreshing underground river... An incredible spectacle!"
"I'm so happy, so thrilled! I encountered a female green fire dragon that must have escaped from the Virtual World long ago and made a nest in the lava cave! Haha, I took photos - the submission fee I earned from that alone would be enough for me to come here again!"
This was generally the format - the Explorer would often go through twists and turns before starting his journeys, sometimes having to interrupt due to work. He lamented the present circumstances but did not forget about poetry and distant places.
"He was probably a civil engineer," Sonya remarked, and Ashe nodded in agreement.
Living on construction sites long-term, working nonstop when there was a project and having no income when there wasn't, and travelling solo... The Explorer would probably remain single well into old age. Civil engineers really were the same no matter which world you were in.
The first half of the handbook contained sites the Explorer had visited in the real world, while the second half contained sites in the Sea of Knowledge - to the Explorer, the Virtual World was also a scenic destination.
If they came across a Sorcerer who enjoyed fishing, Ashe had no doubt they would go fishing in the Sea of Knowledge. But fishing there was extremely risky and unrewarding - either the fish would fly away or the knowledge creature would have no fish.
There were many sights to see in the Sea of Knowledge, including the "Maelstrom", "Sea Waterfall", "Great Road", "Sky Bubbles" and other permanent fixtures even Sonya had not heard of before - Swordflower College naturally would not teach them since they offered no benefits or help to Sorcerers unlike the Maelstrom.
The "Sea Waterfall" was just as its name suggested, a waterfall dropping down from the sea surface. The "Great Road" was a land path that spanned the entire Sea of Knowledge. The "Sky Bubbles" were gigantic bubbles floating in the sky, making the surrounding fog lighter when they appeared.
The Explorer had witnessed these three sites personally. He had jumped into the sea waterfall to see what was below, only to die instantly in the Virtual World. He had run very far down the Great Road until he collapsed from exhaustion. He watched the sky bubbles drift by, moving too fast for him to catch up.
The words in the Sorcerer's Handbook exuded the Explorer's joy and excitement upon witnessing these natural wonders. Even Ashe and Sonya could not help but smile.
Finally, they reached the chapter about the Golden Fish.
"Golden Fish"
"I researched extensively, consulted many scholars, trying to find clues about the Golden Fish's location. But it is the greatest secret in the Sea of Knowledge, with pathetically little information available. So I turned to novels about the Golden Fish - perhaps someone who found it could not resist bragging and secretly hid the truth in fiction? I think it's very possible."
"Most Sorcerers and scholars believe the Golden Fish should be in the most dangerous core region. But I have a different view: the Golden Fish carries the entire continent on its back - how could such a massive fish fit in the core area?
"But no Sorcerer has fully explored the core region, so the Sea of Knowledge may be much vaster than we imagine."
"Only Sorcerers who have fully spread their Silver Wings can find the Golden Fish? Very likely. I should hurry and complete my ten thousand mile journey."
"I have spread my Silver Wings and been to the core region, yet there is no trace of the Golden Fish. Does it stay underwater most of the time, only surfacing occasionally?"
"Quite possible. I've decided to dive underwater. I died."
"Died."
"Died."
"I should retire... My friends all advise me not to go to the Virtual World - dying there at my age would severely shorten my lifespan. The last time I died there, I nearly went brain dead."
"But I feel I really saw the Golden Fish... Even if I die right after catching a glimpse, it would be worth it..."
"Golden Fish, where are you..."
"I think I found the Golden Fish."
Damn! Ashe and Sonya nearly wanted to drag out the elderly Sorcerer and beat him up again - how could you leave out the most crucial information? We want to know how you found the Golden Fish!
We'll give you two coins, now finish the story!
"If it's true, then the Golden Fish is too massive for a normal person to climb onto. Fortunately, I'm an earth mage - I can continuously pile up mounds of earth to gain height. This elevation is nothing to me - it seems I may get to witness the Golden Fish's true form in this lifetime."
"Ten layers... fifty layers... one hundred layers... no, the foundation needs reworking. The Golden Fish is just too high up."
"Two hundred layers... three hundred layers... five hundred layers..."
"If only I could fly."
"When I reached over eight hundred layers, the mound under my feet collapsed. Falling from this height, my entire soul would likely shatter... At least the tombstone I prepared for myself will finally be put to use."
"Though I have some regrets, at least I found the Golden Fish before death - now I can die content... Wait, I haven't cleaned up my collection at home yet!"
The Sorcerer's Handbook ended there - the Golden Fish was the last sight the Explorer pursued in his lifetime.
"So how did he find the Golden Fish in the end?" Sonya asked, puzzled. "He couldn't find it for the longest time, then suddenly encountered it?"
"Maybe because he was too old?" Ashe guessed. "Could the Golden Fish only appear before Sorcerers nearing death?"
After some discussion, they could not figure it out. Since their Silver Wings were not fully formed yet, Ashe and Sonya decided not to worry about finding the Golden Fish for now.
The three magic spirits the Explorer had dropped were all earth spirits that could form a miracle, but Ashe and Sonya had no interest in earth magic. After discussing, Ashe kept them - earth magic corresponded to lower paying production jobs, so earth spirits had low value. Sonya selling them wouldn't earn much money either.
As for the Sorcerer's Handbook, Ashe felt a civil engineer's skills would not help him much, so he gave it to the Swordswoman.
After all, he had consumed three handbooks already while this was the Swordswoman's first time getting one she could absorb. It was only right for her to have a turn.
In truth, the skills from Sorcerer Handbooks were rarely useful - things like 'Counter-reconnaissance', 'Secrets of Bliss (only effective on females over 2m tall)', 'Skinning Mastery' - useless little tricks that did not improve quality of life much or look good on a resume, unless the interviewer happened to be a tall female orc.
This was Sonya's first time absorbing a Sorcerer's Handbook. She looked rather nervous. "Speaking of which, what did he mean by 'I haven't cleaned up my collection at home' before he died? Why did he care about his collection?"
"Well, the Explorer was an elderly bachelor after all, so he definitely had some unspeakable things in his collection," Ashe shrugged. "As the saying goes, better leave a clean name behind in this world."
As he spoke, Sonya finished absorbing the handbook and looked at Ashe with an odd expression.
"What skill did you get? Fire drilling or wilderness survival? Or maybe bachelor cooking?"
"No, it's a very useful skill," she replied solemnly. "Eye Insight - it allows me to better understand someone's thoughts by looking into their eyes. It seems to be because the Explorer met many different people while travelling, and having lived a long life full of stories, he naturally gained the ability to see through human nature."
Ashe nearly fell into the water in anger.
That was exactly the skill he needed for his prison break!
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