Shepherd Tantra

Chapter 1319 The Awakening of Plotinus

Evans did not keep Grandet there for long.

Grandet, being quite sensible, left after giving his instructions.

"...Do you really want to take in these goblins?"

After Grandet left, Sherlock frowned slightly: "I don't think this is a good thing. Nobody likes goblins... If they exist in Wanning, they might bring unexpected changes. And according to my conservative estimate—Aivas—these changes might not be so good."

Given the adaptability of his wisdom and path... although it is called an "estimate," it is actually close to a prophetic calculation.

"What a coincidence, that's what I was thinking too."

Unexpectedly, Aiwass nodded in agreement.

"……I understand."

Sherlock was slightly surprised, but then immediately understood: "Are you trying to shift the blame?"

Since Aiwas knew that these goblins might cause trouble once they entered Wanning... yet Aiwas still chose to accept their request for protection, it means that Aiwas must have his own reasons.

Based on Sherlock's deductions about this black fox, this was most likely not a benevolent idea.

Following this line of thought, he considered one possibility—

The contradictions and suffering in human life are inevitable and will always exist. It is impossible for a person to easily resolve all the things they encounter and fulfill all their desires to their heart's content... In other words, when a person is trying to achieve their goals, they will inevitably encounter some kind of obstacle, and this obstacle will generate dissatisfaction.

In the past, the greatest difficulties came from the survival crisis caused by the lack of water, the uncertainty brought about by the tyranny of benevolent rulers, and the unrestrained personal violence of slave knights.

These problems have now been solved by Aiwass in miraculous ways.

So……

Since the Parthians' needs are at most limited to things like "inexhaustible water" and "the annihilation of all benevolent people," will they remain satisfied thereafter?

—Just think about it, how could that be?

Human desires can expand.

Now, in places outside of Rest, people are not affected by thirst, nor do they have a benevolent God. Do they then live in an earthly heaven, free from worry?
Sherlock, who traveled with Ivy, is the most authoritative person to say this.

The answer is impossible.

When people no longer worry about survival, they desire freedom; when they gain freedom, they desire wealth; when they gain wealth, they desire power; when they gain power, they desire immortality…

Desires are insatiable.

Considering this situation, adding some outside "catfish"... might not necessarily be a bad thing for Wanning.

The saying goes, "Be prepared for danger even in times of peace."

It is frightening for a country to have no enemies and no worries. This means that when it encounters setbacks, it can easily turn into an avalanche of chain reactions and destruction.

"Not entirely. As a nation born from the ruins of Parthia, Wanning's twilight is a little too high... I can't let them be too peaceful, or the nation will fall into eternity."

Faced with Sherlock's question, Aiwass remained noncommittal: "Although 'Manning' means 'safe haven,' I don't want them to be imprisoned in this eternal satisfaction. But I'm not deliberately preparing an enemy for them to distract them... because if Grandet is just a goblin of this caliber, they'll be driven away very soon."

"--variable."

Isabel, who was standing nearby, was the first to understand what Aiwass wanted to do: "Aiwass wants to increase the variables."

“That’s right, I call it an ‘unknown variable.’ That’s the essence of a ‘miracle’…”

Aiwass smiled: "So besides goblins, I also plan to introduce some other things. For example, fairies, mist fairies, harpies, and even trolls from the southern continent, primordial monsters... These 'unpopular' races can all come here. Just like the name I gave it—'Sanctuary'."

"Like a theocracy? Accepting all people?"

“That’s right. A less sacred theocracy, a theocracy with fewer rules, a theocracy with a less serious atmosphere.”

Aiwass nodded: "It's also a kind of division... Oh, I'm not talking about the division against goblins. I'm talking about all the people of the old era."

"—This world has been at peace for too long. The current brief chaos is not enough to destroy people's traditions... Only a calamity like that of Xingti, which nearly wipes out a nation, can awaken people. And these people are a 'catfish' for Wanning, just as Wanning is for this world."

"The ability of a biological population to resist disasters and disturbances comes from biodiversity. Or rather, it comes from the 'differences' accumulated within the population... and these differences come from a 'mistake,' namely, genetic variation."

"It is precisely because of this phenomenon that a sufficient number of different traits can be accumulated to maintain the continuation of the population under different disturbances."

"This is undoubtedly a 'miracle.' This ability is a miracle."

What Aiwas was preparing to accumulate in the Kingdom of Wanning was this "miracle power".

Knowing that Aiwass wasn't being soft-hearted but had other plans, Sherlock stopped trying to stop him.

Sherlock, the former lawyer, continued his heated discussion with Isabelle, the former queen, about the constitutional code of Wanning... Aiwas, on the other hand, found it somewhat boring.

—Just a coincidence.

Just then, the door was pushed open from the inside.

"...cough cough...cough cough cough..."

A faint cough was heard along with the sound of the door being pushed open.

The three of them turned around.

Emerging from within was none other than Plotinus, the "Encyclopedia." He appeared remarkably weak—pale and disoriented.

With the blessing of the "Crown of Thorns," he summoned the spirit of Xi Tiansi to descend into his own soul, forcibly relying on the protection of immortality to fight against the chaotic and vast consciousness of Yuan Tiansi.

If it weren't for Aiwass activating it for him and giving him the "Crown of Thorns" spell card, which originally belonged to the Shepherd, Protino would be dead by now.

Originally, the sacrifice offered in the "Sun Incarnation Ritual" was not the two Nephthys guards beside him, but Protino himself. The two Nephthys guards were only responsible for retrieving his "Dreamwalker's Heart" after Protino's self-sacrifice to prevent the leakage and loss of the legacy.

But this is ultimately a dangerous ritual that uses one's own soul as a vessel to forcibly contain the will of a Celestial, and to directly collide with the consciousness of another extremely powerful Celestial.

Even though Xi Tiansi was doing his best to protect his soul, and even with the treatment from Aiwas, the "second best healer in the world"... Baike still completely lost consciousness.

Even his soul was almost burned to a blank.

When Aiwass examined his soul, he discovered that Plotinus's dream had already been burned once.

He burned his dream through a ritual, obtaining a transparent soul capable of containing the Celestial Master's soul to the greatest extent, which prevented him from entering dreams lucidly like a normal dreamer. It was as if sand had been burned into glass.

He wasn't unable to enter a dream, but rather couldn't remember having one. The soul that could bear the consciousness of the Heavenly Chief without shattering couldn't possibly be a container, but rather more like a sieve—precisely because the mesh was large enough, it wouldn't be crushed by pressure.

However, without the presence of a Celestial Being in his dream, he couldn't even draw magical power into his body when he came into contact with the dream world. This was because he was already "transparent," and the influence of the dream world beyond the Celestial Being's presence had little effect on him. It was like a follower's "cannot be targeted" effect, which also applied to their own side.

Even Plotinus himself had forgotten this memory.

"you're awake?"

Aiwass turned around, smiled gently, and asked, "How are you feeling? Are you feeling much better?"

"...How did you do that?"

Plotinus coughed as if he had choked on water, looking at Aiwas in astonishment.

—Because he not only awoke from that state of blank soul, but also remembered his memories that had been burned away... he even regained the ability to dream!

"This is all because I gave you a gift."

Aiwass said meaningfully, "When Zhu Tang left, I couldn't leave him any gifts. The Dreamwalker's Heart you gave him is part of what I received... As compensation, I'll give it to you. Perhaps it will come in handy later."

That was exactly what he had found in Haibasha's workshop—

["A sweet dream," huh?]

Sacred Jewelry (Light Gold)

【Jewelry - Dreamcatcher】

[Special Feature: When this dreamcatcher is hung on the bed, you will definitely enter the dream world - the Sea of ​​Sorrow - when you dream.]

[Special Feature: When this dreamcatcher is hung above your bed, you will gain full memories of your dreams.]

[Special Ability: When entering the dream world using the Dreamcatcher, your death in the dream world will not damage your soul, but will only temporarily impair your ability to dream for three days to three years.]

[Divine Trait: When entering the Dream World using the Dreamcatcher, one gains the "Forbidden Body"]

[Forbidden Body: Your race is considered a "sea monster," all other paths of power are sealed, you temporarily lose your rationality and ability to speak, and you temporarily gain a forbidden path energy level equal to your maximum path energy level +1, maximum health +1000%, your mana pool retains only the "water" attribute, and your mana is considered infinite.]

Now that Yuan Tiansi is dead, becoming a sea monster is no longer dangerous. It was precisely because of the abundant life force he gained after becoming a sea monster that Protino was able to heal his damaged soul.

The only thing that intrigued Aiwass was...

"After the fall of Yuan Tiansi... what has become of the domain that originally belonged to Yuan Tiansi, the [Sea of ​​Sorrow]?"

"Aivas asked."

"Guanchouhai is still Guanchouhai, only the color of the seawater is no longer so deep or so despairing."

Plotinus replied, "It has merged with the clouds... that was the original Separation Heaven."

His admiration for Aiwass had reached its peak at this moment.

Not only was he able to defeat so many Celestials, but he was even able to save him when he was completely burned out!

Not only that—

Even the "ability to dream" that he had sacrificed himself for was vanished with the curse of "turning into a sea monster after entering a dream"—that destined "forgetting" was covered by a new "inevitable memory." In this way, even though he lost the heart of a dream walker, he still regained the ability to enter dreams.

So beautiful!
It's like a singer who had their vocal cords removed due to vocal cord cancer and was prepared to be voiceless for life... but then, due to an accident, they were mechanically elevated and given a better mechanical vocal cord.

"...Instead of wandering on the ground in human form, I transformed into a giant whale, slowly floating and flying in the sea and clouds of the dream world...This is also a rather wonderful experience."

After drinking a sip of the hot soup Isabel had served him and regaining some of his senses, Plotinus suddenly remembered something: "Oh, right, sir—someone from the dream world is looking for you. Because they can't enter your dream, they asked me to pass on a message...it's someone we know."

"……who?"

Aiwas was somewhat surprised.

For Plotinus to say he was an acquaintance, could it be...?

Aiwas's first thought was, "Could it be that 'Wanderer' or 'Insect Amber' has died in an accident?"

Immediately afterwards, Aiwas learned an unexpected piece of news from the "encyclopedia"—

—That familiar face turned out to be Cardinal Galatea, whom I had met at my wedding not long ago!
(End of this chapter)