The radiant light filled the entire room, yet within its glow, Enzo slowly closed his eyes as if slipping into a slumber.

“What have you done?”

Amy demanded angrily, glaring at Neville.

Neville looked bewildered and said hastily , “I… I don’t know anything.”

Just then, Enzo abruptly opened his eyes again, and the seed’s glow faded.

“Lord Enzo!” Amy exclaimed joyfully.

Enzo nodded, then turned to Neville and asked, “Neville, do you know what this seed is?”

Neville shook his head and admitted frankly, “Honorable Lord Priest, the truth is that the priest lineage of the Red Coral Tribe was lost fifty years ago. I did not inherit the priest’s powers through lineage. Instead, I obtained supernatural abilities because the previous priest created a witchcraft potion inscribed on the Red Coral slates. However, each time I use this power, it diminishes, until eventually, it will be completely depleted.”

“This seed was left by the former priest, who said it might the tribe’s hope.”

“But now, it has become the tribe’s disaster.”

Neville lamented.

Enzo didn’t have time for Neville’s story. He instructed Amy, “Amy, you arrange someone for enough food to be delivered to Neville’s people every noon.”

“Yes, Lord Enzo!” Amy replied promptly.

Neville was overwhelmed with emotion but heard Enzo continue, “As an exchange, besides this seed, you need to write down the missing parts from the slates. Amy will document it.”

Neville nodded repeatedly. “Of course, I will tell you everything truthfully.”

However, he had a concern, “Lord Enzo, I fear scouts from the Mpondo Tribe may venture into the jungle—”

Enzo interrupted again, “During the rainy season, I will protect you.”

Grateful for this assurance, Neville cried tears of joy. “Lord Enzo, your kindness will forever be remembered by the Red Coral Tribe!”

After saying this, Neville departed.

Amy, still puzzled, asked, “Lord Enzo, are we being too generous with our terms?”

Offering protection and food in exchange for just a seed and some slates seemed imbalanced. Although the slates record the formula for a certain witchcraft potion. Especially there was the limited effectiveness of the witchcraft potion described by Neville.

As for the seed…

Enzo smiled at Amy’s concern. “Amy, this seed is not ordinary. It seems to be a guide to somewhere… perhaps it will bring me unexpected rewards.”

Amy didn’t press further objections.

Even during the rainy season, there were many matters to attend to in the tribe. After spending a moment with Enzo, Amy returned to the dedicated council chamber to handle the tribe’s affairs over the next few days.

…

Inside the bamboo tower, Enzo took out the black seed and infused it with totemic power.

The brilliant light illuminated once again.

Enzo sensed his consciousness being drawn, as if passing through ethereal clouds, arriving at a strange place where he once again saw an ancient stone door.

This time, he approached and chose to push it open.

The stone door swung open, revealing a palace built of massive stones. Inside, various stone utensils were arranged, and a group of people were engaged in discussion. The leader, clad in a linen robe and wielding the scepter of the barren mountain, exuded immense power but wore a troubled expression, as if facing a formidable challenge.

However, they seemed unaware of Enzo’s arrival and continued their deliberations.

What was going on?

Enzo observed cautiously as a voice suddenly narrated in his ear, “Priest Maude of the Barren Mountain Tribe is discussing how to prevent an impending disaster. They plan to sacrifice their people, using the power of the scepter of the barren mountain to advance the Totem Fire once more, condensing it into the flame of the soul.”

“Unfortunately, they failed.”

“Even if Maude successfully advanced the Totem Fire into the flame of the soul and ascended to the Level.6 priest, they still could not avert the impending catastrophe.”

“As a result, the mighty Barren Mountain Tribe was destroyed.”

“The great stone tablet of the barren mountain, ‘Lord Bookstaver,’ could only sleep in the soul world until your arrival!”

“kid, you have successfully awakened me, Lord Bookstaver. I have decided to make you my first follower. You should consider this an honor and cheer for the greatness and nobility of Lord Bookstaver!”

“kid, what are you doing—”

The clamor abruptly ceased, and the illusory figures in the palace vanished.

At that moment, Enzo found himself holding a book.

This book was carved from special stone, with a cover depicting a childlike face currently scowling and muttering, “Hey kid, let go of me, you’re pressing on my nose!”

Enzo looked at the book with curiosity. “A talking book? This is the first time I’ve seen such a thing.”

Bookstaver wriggled out of Enzo’s grasp and floated in the air, speaking menacingly, “Show some respect! Address me as Lord Bookstaver, or else… I’ll… I’ll smash your head!”

Smash his head?

It was a threat that lacked any real menace.

Enzo grabbed Bookstaver again, showing what a real threat looked like, and said, “You’re Bookstaver, right? I want you to tell me where we are and explain what you were just talking about. Otherwise, I don’t mind crushing your body, grinding them into powder, and scattering them into the lakes.”

Bookstaver screamed, “You… You’re truly a malicious person!”

Enzo chuckled, raising Bookstaver’s essence—the stone tablet of the barren mountain—and prepared to smash it towards the ground palace floor. Just as it was about to make contact, Bookstaver cried out in terror, “Stop, please, I’ll talk!”

Bookstaver, filled with grief and indignation.

He asked reluctantly, “How did you discover me?”

Enzo replied instinctively, “Didn’t you fly over here and keep whispering in my ear?”

“Impossible. I’m invisible here!” Bookstaver countered, but then realized a possibility. The sealed stone pages suddenly flipped open, revealing Enzo’s name on the title page. Overwhelmed with joy, Bookstaver began flipping the pages frantically, bursting into excited shouts, “Great master, Bookstaver has finally awaited your arrival!”

Finished, it clung directly to Enzo.

Bookstaver’s sudden change left Enzo bewildered.

But since it referred to itself as the master…

Enzo attempted to command, “Bookstaver, tell me everything you know.”

Bookstaver promptly replied, “Yes, great master!”

It continued, “This is a long history involving the most powerful tribe in the barren mountain region…”

Through Bookstaver’s narrative, Enzo finally understood what the black seed guiding him was, and learned the details of the downfall of the Barren Mountain Tribe…

Eight hundred years ago, the Barren Mountain Tribe ruled the barren mountain region.

However, disaster struck without warning. When the full moon hung in the sky, members of the Barren Mountain Tribe would transform into monsters and turn on each other.

No one knew how this disaster came about.

In just one night, a quarter of the Barren Mountain Tribe perished.

And the disaster continued.

To halt the catastrophe, the tribe’s priest, Maude, convened a meeting and decided to sacrifice their people, advancing the Totem Fire into the flame of the soul, in an attempt to counter the curse-like disaster.

Clearly, the disaster was not halted.

At the end of his life, Maude finally glimpsed the source of this disaster, but he was unable to communicate this knowledge. He condensed the remaining flame of the soul of the Barren Mountain Tribe and all his strength into the stone tablet of the barren mountain, sending it into the soul world. He cast out the scepter of the barren mountain and left behind numerous soul seeds—such as the black seed Enzo had obtained.

The owner of the soul seed could enter the soul world consciously and find the stone tablet of the barren mountain.

After gaining enough power, the owner of the soul seed could use the stone tablet of the barren mountain to understand the source of the disaster.

For eight hundred years, Enzo was the first person to arrive.

Upon hearing Bookstaver’s account, Enzo’s expression grew serious, and he asked, “What do you mean by ‘the flame of the soul’ and descriptions like ‘Level.6 priest’?”

Bookstaver froze, questioning, “You… don’t know? Then how did you advance?”

Enzo frowned, “Are you talking about totem advancement?”

Now, Bookstaver confirmed something: the Enzo before him possessed incredibly unusual talents. These talents were so powerful that they triggered the mechanism left behind by Maude—forcing recognition as master. However, Enzo was completely ignorant of the basic knowledge regarding the inheritance of priestly powers.

“Where did this guy come from, exactly? Some small tribe?”

Bookstaver wondered aloud.

It explained, “When a tribe is formed, the most initial flame of the soul is born under the influence of the souls of all tribe members. As the tribe grows stronger, the tribal fire evolves into the Totem Fire. Upon further advancement, the Totem Fire becomes the flame of the soul. If the flame of the soul evolves further, it becomes what’s rumored to be the divine fire. However, no tribe has ever condensed divine fire, and whether divine fire can continue to evolve further is unknown.”

“As for the inheritance of priestly powers, it is similarly divided into ranks from Level.1 to Level.9.”

“However, there’s a significant difference between the advancement of power and the advancement of tribal fire. The inheritance of priestly powers is fixed. For instance, if a priest who controls the power of water advances, their ability will not change to controlling fire. The tribal fire, on the other hand, is different. After advancing, it might undergo special changes.”

Upon hearing this, Enzo’s expression turned peculiar, and he asked, “Are you sure about this?”

Bookstaver looked proud, “I’m absolutely certain. When it comes to the inheritance of priestly powers, I’m an expert.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep