Returning from the abyss

Chapter 1438 Plague
Inner Vision is a reconnaissance spell used to examine the physical condition of the body. This examination includes both physical and mental aspects, with a focus on checking for any special conditions such as mental corruption or control.

Because of the evidence collection by the Heart Sutra, wrongful convictions are generally avoided in church trials, which is very different from the fundamental problems of many other churches around the world.

The problem lies elsewhere in this church setting.

After the apothecary finished explaining the spell's structure, he gave the crystals to the two of them.

“I don’t know how you solved your previous problems. But if spell practice relies on your own Na’s, then the amount of practice is far from enough. For example… you should be able to answer me, if I just used one Na’s worth of Light and two Na’s worth of Dazzling Light, then how many Na’s worth did I use in total?”

"Zero," they both answered in unison.

The apothecary nodded: "As long as the final release isn't performed, the Na won't be consumed, but correspondingly, the spell's effect won't be achieved. A normal spell that can last for several hours will disappear in a minute or two. However, before the spell is successfully cast, you can't determine whether it has completed its standard configuration. This contradiction needs to be resolved using the crystals you have."

Veronica looked down at the crystal in her hand; it was grayish-white and not pretty.

"It's called a memory-etched crystal, a common teaching tool in spell instruction. For less complex first and second-tier spells, you complete your spell design inside the crystal, then retrieve it. The crystal will leave a trace of the spell design, which lasts for about ten minutes. This is enough time for someone proficient in the spell to check if the design is complete," the apothecary explained. "I think you understand how to use it now."

“I have a question!” Vanessa raised her hand.

"explain."

"If I find that I have made a mistake in the design and want to reconstruct it, won't it become a mess?"

The apothecary smiled: "It will only record when you actually activate the spell. What is recorded will be the state at the moment you decide to cast it. Of course, if you find a problem at this time, you can only wait ten minutes. Otherwise, as you said, it will become a chaotic spell line."

Vanessa nodded and immediately began to try out the "inner vision" configuration she had just received.

Veronica didn't try it immediately. Instead, she began to study the spell's structure, trying to understand the reasons behind it according to her own habits, while holding the crystal in her other hand and gently turning it.

The pharmacist didn't speak, but simply took out a book and began reading. She needed to use this spell to discover the unique talents of the two individuals for future instruction.

Time passed quietly, and Vanessa unsurprisingly failed to burn the crystal twice during this time. However, she still studied the crystal's structure, comparing it with the model in her hand, to see where the error lay.

About an hour later, Veronica's crystal also emitted a faint light. She looked at the crystal, got up, and handed it over.

"Madam Pharmacist, look..."

"Oh? Not bad." The apothecary took the crystal, just like the notes Veronica had submitted before—rigorous, neat, and meticulous. She had indeed completed the "inner vision" spell, and it could be cast normally.

“There’s nothing wrong with your spell. You can use it on yourself to see the actual effect,” she said.

Veronica showed a hint of joy, then sat down, gently flicked her fingers, and in a moment the spell was formed and used on herself.

The pharmacist didn't look at her surprised expression again, but instead glanced at Vanessa.

The moment her gaze fell upon them, Vanessa held the crystal high in her hand: "It's finished!"

That's fast too.

The apothecary didn't even need to examine her, because she watched Vanessa fail several times, then adjust the reasons for her failures, and finally came up with the final spell.

"Alright, try it on yourself and feel the effect of internal vision. But don't use it recklessly; we're going to learn three first-tier divine spells today."

The Heart-Releasing Pivot's "Inner Vision," the Secret Vision Pivot's "Cleansing of Impurities," and the Salvation Pivot's "Compensation."

Internal vision is the simplest one, and those who have mastered the Heart Release Technique use it almost every day. Whether it's checking for problems in one's own body and mind or confirming whether others have problems, it's almost a universal method. Of course, internal vision is only a first-order divine technique, and there are many ways to counter it. To deal with a stronger caster, you'll have to use other methods.

Cleansing away filth is a spell commonly used by priests of the Hidden Vision. It removes all harmful substances from a target object. On a small scale, it can remove moldy or rotten things from food. On a larger scale, it can be used directly when the danger level of the target is unknown. Even if it cannot remove the filth, the spell will produce a noticeable and intense reaction to alert the caster.

As for the "Compensation" spell of the Savior's Pivot, it's unlike the previous two. After all, the Savior's Pivot most often uses emotional comfort to deceive believers, which both can do. Therefore, the Apothecary chose this spell from the first-tier spells because it produces extremely high cost-effectiveness with only one unit of energy. This spell can only be applied to oneself, but during its effect, it can transfer the damage received to other parts of the body, or take a certain amount of damage for someone else.

If used properly, even fatal wounds can be "compensated" for. Correspondingly, the two-dimensional enhancement allows damage to be distributed to other parts of the body, while the three-dimensional enhancement can even transfer a portion of the damage to objects that the user comes into contact with.

The pharmacist noticed that neither of the two girls had learned a single combat spell.

That won't do... A spellcaster can choose not to fight, but they cannot be incapable of fighting.

The latter two were not as easy to learn as introspection. Veronica, who preferred to deduce things on her own, had only completed the learning of cleaning away impurities by the end of the afternoon class. Vanessa's trial-and-error method progressed quickly, but she was still a little short of completing the compensation.

"stop."

The pharmacist stopped them. Veronica and Vanessa were both taken aback for a moment, then realized their time was up. They were both in the middle of something exciting and were reluctant to stop just like that.

"Before get out of class ends, let me tell you another element related to magic—spell addiction." The apothecary put the two crystals back into his hand. "Especially Vanessa, you'll feel it in five minutes."

"what?"

"Even without consuming Nasional energy, a person's energy level is limited in the number of spells they can cast in a day. This limit can be improved through training. Overusing spells won't cause any noticeable effects at first; this is spell addiction. After the addiction period, you will feel the accumulated fatigue. That's when your energy finally recovers from the stimulation of spells and begins to respond normally to fatigue. Overcoming spell addiction is something every spellcaster must learn."

As soon as she finished speaking, Vanessa slammed her head down on the table.

Veronica rushed to help her up, but Vanessa waved her hand and said, "It's nothing, I'm just... tired."

She still had the strength to wave her hand, so it seems that the spell she just tried out wasn't particularly taxing on her.

"That's a good thing. Being able to understand your own limits is the best way to overcome spell addiction. Veronica, although you've hardly ever cast spells, I suggest you try to figure out where your limits are." The apothecary put the two crystals into his pocket. "As for how you like to test them, that's up to you. It's a personal skill, there's no set rule."

After saying this, the pharmacist left the house.

Vanessa covered her head and slowly got up: "Wow...headache, is this reaction that bad?"

“Vanessa, are you alright?” Veronica asked worriedly. “I’m okay… I feel like I haven’t slept in a long time, but I’m getting better. Don’t worry, I’m fine!”

=
After leaving the room, the pharmacist prepared to leave the castle and wander around as usual, but when she reached the door, she saw Father Thorne.

"Father, don't you need to preach today?" she asked.

Father Thorne shook his head: "Something happened last night. The lord ordered that no one in the castle should leave their rooms without permission. Although he can't control us yet, he did give me a heads-up."

"Something happened?" The pharmacist frowned slightly. "I didn't notice anything unusual this morning."

“This ‘all’ only includes those with status; servants and guards are not included.” Father Thorne forced a smile. “Since the apothecary works in this field of knowledge, he should know about… the plague?”

The pharmacist was naturally aware of the plague. To put it simply, the Plague Lord was irreconcilably opposed to the gods of the Church.

Thanks to the Church's divine magic, plagues that would easily ravage the normal world cannot spread in this scenario. The fifth-tier divine magic of the Savior's Nexus, "Graceful Rain," can instantly heal an entire city, making it impossible for ordinary infectious diseases to spread.

But plagues are different. They specifically refer to the magical system of the Plague Lord, used by Plague Messengers, and cannot be countered by ordinary divine magic. Moreover, because they are controlled by humans, they often have the characteristics of covert spread and concentrated outbreaks.

"Have you discovered a plague patient?" the pharmacist asked in a deep voice.

“Yes… a serf,” Father Thorne said. “He hadn’t come to work for two days, so his master, a knight, sent men to look for him. They found him in the stable. He was covered in boils, some of which had burst and were oozing green pus—clear symptoms of the plague.”

"What about people?"

“Kill him.” Father Thorne shrugged. “A serf, especially one infected with the plague, was already a bad asset for that knight. The sooner we deal with him, the better.”

"what about others?"

When a plague occurs, there must be more than one patient; at least one plague apostle must also be present. Because the methods of the plague lords are diverse, it is impossible to determine which plague lord is responsible based solely on symptoms.

“The guards have already been ordered to search. However, if the plague has appeared in Changfeng Territory, then this place is no longer safe, and we need to prepare to leave as soon as possible.”

“We’ve only been here for less than half a month, and many of us probably haven’t even prepared the travel expenses.”

"Better than death. Or is the apothecary confident enough to lead us through a plague?"

“It’s very difficult. There are too few people here who can help me.” The apothecary shook his head. “To deal with the plague that has already broken out, we need at least twenty priests who are proficient in healing magic, plus a group of strong caregivers. Longwind Territory clearly does not meet this requirement.”

“That’s right. Then we should prepare to take our leave. I don’t think the lord will refuse—after all, with such a serious plague outbreak, we who have just arrived in the territory are the prime suspects.”

"Can you guarantee that there really isn't one in the group, Father Thorne?" the pharmacist countered.

"……able."

"why?"

"Under reasonable exploitation, they had no chance to come into contact with the plague messengers."

Father Thorne glanced at the path the pharmacist had taken.

"Please inform Veronica and Vanessa that we will be departing in three days."

"it is good."

Although Father Thorne's background was nothing special, he was a man of great courage and initiative.

Within three days, he negotiated everything with the lord of Changfeng Territory and obtained the pass. Knight Gael, along with his whip and other knights, set out and drove back all the people they had brought with them.

"Five people are missing?"

The apothecary glanced at the people gathered by the Gaelic Knights and quickly counted their numbers. Father Thorne, however, didn't seem to care much: "There will always be people who think they'd be better off without me. I am, after all, a priest, and I should respect their opinions to some extent."

"How much did it cost?"

“Ten silver coins,” Father Thorne gestured. “That’s the maximum value they can offer.”

The pharmacist nodded.

"As for what you said... twenty priests and a group of strong caregivers, that will be available," Father Thorne added.

“I was just saying it offhand, Father.”

“But I won’t listen to that lightly, Pharmacist. This time we fled from the plague, but next time, I’ll make the plague leave us on its own.”

“That’s right! We want the plague to leave our homes, not forcing us to leave!” Vanessa agreed. “Veronica and I will help. We’ll learn the healing magic and train these priests for you!”

“Yes, we will.” Veronica also supported the priest’s idea.

"When did you arrive?" Father Thorne turned to ask the two girls who were dragging their luggage.

“I just arrived and I heard what you said! Father, we have a duty to fulfill in the Church!” Vanessa said excitedly. “Please have faith in us!”

“I have always believed in you, my good children.” Father Thorne put on a kind face. “If you are ready, let’s go.”

The pharmacist chuckled softly but said nothing.

Knight Gael shouted "Let's go!" and the caravan continued on its journey into the distance, taking advantage of the early morning light.