After Alka had fully rested, he entered the space before him, entering the enclosed ghostly area.
Once inside, he brazenly moved among the evil spirits. Seeing Alka, the spirits rushed forward, but were all blocked by the thick barrier, unable to enter Alka's body.
They reached the central mine area, where Sofia and the others emerged from below.
Observing the surroundings.
All the evil spirits were now bound to this area, swarming together to form an extremely terrifying swarm of monsters.
Lumina and the others also emerged.
"Is the ritual still stable?" Alka asked, out of safety concerns.
Lucelia and Lumina both nodded.
The ritual is now very stable.
"You may now lift the ritual and take the scepter."
Lumina said, looking at Alka.
Hearing this, Alka looked at her quietly and asked, "What will you do after the ritual is lifted?"
Hearing this, not only Lumina but also the spirits around her stared at Alka.
"Of course... I'm free. I've existed in this form for too long." Lumina extended her hand and waved it.
Her hand waved, and a faint green mist swirled around her.
"Thank you for resolving the situation here, allowing the ritual to be lifted safely so we can leave in peace."
Hearing this, Alka looked at her.
"The world has been shattered. Although the soul return process is still running, you have clearly missed it.
This is not the Four Gods Sea, and your liberation is not what you deserve."
Without the Four Gods' remaining power in the Boundless Sea, it is impossible to return them to the divine capital through rituals like in the Home Sea, or to safely undergo the return ceremony.
The Four Gods Sea is a construction of the gods, a temporary residence used to stabilize the world and settle its population.
It also serves as a simple experimental facility.
The Boundless Sea is the essence of the world, the essence of its shattering nature.
Since everything is shattered, many processes are naturally malfunctioning, including the mechanism of reincarnation.
If a soul is forced to remain for a period of time after death, this mechanism will malfunction, and the lagging soul will truly dissipate upon death.
It cannot enter the reincarnation mechanism of this world, but instead becomes energy in the sky.
Eternal disappearance.
This was the greatest consequence of this ritual.
Alka looked at the group of spirits before him. Clearly, all of them knew this information, and none of them showed much reaction to Alka's words.
They had already considered these consequences when they made this decision.
"Now that you're free of pressure, how about using this soul state to survive for a while?
Afterward, perhaps even the world's problems can be solved."
Hearing Alka's words, the nobleman who had previously argued with the old man frowned.
"You're a living creature, a living person. How could you possibly understand our feelings?"
He spoke with increasing fervor, and he extended his hands. "Look at these hands! They can't touch anything now, not even a tiny stone.
He can't even feel. I've forgotten what it's like to eat, I've forgotten the bliss of a full stomach, and I don't even have the basic right to sleep!
You want us to persist now? To continue this torture?"
Listening to his rant, Alka didn't offer any rebuttal, simply listening silently.
Until the noble finished his roar, he took a deep breath and regained his usual composure. "Sorry, I was rude."
After that, he quietly retreated behind the crowd.
Alka looked at the spirits before him, and at the many weaker spirits still within the mine.
There were even children within.
"Is that what you're thinking?"
Henges said from the side, "You're a noble man. You're willing to expend so much energy to help us solve this problem. That's excellent.
I understand your feelings, but this is the consequence we deserve. We've been mentally prepared for it since we agreed to perform this ritual.
Don't bother us any more."
After saying this, Henges pounded his chest with his right hand, causing his soul to tremble. He lowered his head in deep respect.
"No, I'm not a noble man. I simply can't stand seeing this sort of thing. I don't like to see those who have dedicated themselves to it shed blood and tears.
This isn't fair, even though the world isn't fair to begin with." Alka said, a faceless white puppet appearing in his hand.
This was a temporary soul puppet created using their latest technology. Alka had made one before the operation. He hadn't expected it to be useful even now.
This was also a sample he had prepared long before.
Alka handed the ghost doll over. "Come, enter here and give it a try."
Hengers, Lumina, and all the surrounding spirits stared at the doll in silence.
At this moment, Clara, who had first met Alka, stepped out.
"I'll give it a try. I trust you. I don't really want to die either."
She was still young, and her life was only a tiny fraction of her own experience of death, long forgotten.
With this, she touched the doll, her entire soul entering it.
The doll began to transform at a visible speed: its features, limbs, and matching clothing.
Dark purple hair grew and fell from its head.
Soon, the ghost doll in her hand transformed into a miniature Clara.
"I... I have a body?"
Clara's voice echoed from the doll, and then she reached out her hands and kneaded and touched her own body, feeling the long-lost touch.
"I can touch myself... I can, I..."
Her voice gradually became choked, and tears even flowed from the doll's eyes.
Although these functions sometimes seem insignificant, Alka and the others had previously conducted special research. They were dedicated to giving the doll girls of the time their own personalities.
She caressed the corners of her eyes, feeling the liquid flowing from them.
Even crying was a surprise to her.
All the ghosts around watched this scene, and as they saw it, many of their faces showed extreme emotion.
If...if they could continue living like this, who would want to experience complete death?
This is a world with gods.
After death, one cannot return to the divine kingdom, nor can one be reincarnated and reborn.
The mere thought of complete death terrifies. Even if by then they might have long forgotten it.
No one, no one, ever thought of such a thing.
In their youth, at the moment their bodies were frozen, they battled death and demons, enduring the ravages of their souls.
Even afterward, they found no peace. Instead, they watched their former comrades go mad, one by one, becoming the very enemies they once loathed.
And they could only helplessly endure this torture in this desolate place, watching their former friends go mad.
They longed for peace, for everything, but also for a new life.
Contradiction was their current state.
Clara bounced in Alka's hand, feeling her body.
Then, in Alka's other hand, a candy appeared, a tiny piece of candy, about the size of a little fingernail.
Alka held it and handed it over.
"Would you like to try it?"
The tiny piece of candy seemed enormous to Clara, now inside the puppet's body. She grasped it with both hands.
She couldn't help but ask, "Is it okay? Can I... eat it?"
This would bring even more surprises.
"Of course. We're very confident and adept at puppetry."
Alka couldn't help but say proudly. Hearing this, Sofia and the others nodded without hesitation.
Indeed.
They truly are world leaders in this area, and their research never ceases.
They've even combined puppetry technology with divine essence to create Lucilia, an artificial divine body.
Clara carefully brought the candy to her lips. She had almost forgotten how to bite and eat.
But she still managed to bite off a piece of the candy and swallow it.
A sweet taste exploded in her mouth, and her soul couldn't help but tremble. Memories began to surface in her mind. When was that memory?
Tears streamed from her eyes, dripping onto Alka's hand.
Watching this scene, Alka smiled and said, "Don't cry too much. If you cry too much, you won't be able to cry anymore."
"Huh?" Hearing this, Clara quickly wiped her eyes, suppressing the tears.
"Now, get some sleep, a long-awaited sleep."
Hearing this, Clara looked at him.
Alka reached out and touched her head.
Soul weary, a brand new bubble emerged in Alka's realm.
After centuries, she returned to the realm of dreams.
Clara lay in Alka's palm, falling into a deep sleep. In this quiet environment, she could hear her steady breathing.
Greeting the envious gazes of his former companions, Alka then handed Clara to Sofia.
Sofia gently lifted her up. Alka then turned to the spirits before him and said, "How about waiting a while, until you receive the results you deserve?"
Henges took a deep breath, looked at Alka, and said, "You are a benevolent king, a true king.
Your kindness, your generosity, and your virtue command my submission."
"You have helped us and washed away our shame and guilt."
"I hope that in the future, I will serve you as my king."
He was a very rigid yet pure and steadfast knight. With that, he knelt on one knee, drew his sword from his waist with both hands, and held it out. Seeing Henges's actions, everyone around him knelt on one knee and did the same.
They were all once subjects of the Saralan Empire, and those who still possessed spiritual intelligence were officers, nobles, and renowned scholars from the knightly ranks of the time.
Alka had once demonstrated his Dream King abilities before them.
So, in their eyes, Alka was a king.
Alka's actions during this period, as well as his recent actions, had earned them their willing submission.
This was a being worthy of their loyalty.
Watching this, Alka was stunned.
How had it all turned out like this?
He couldn't understand why this had happened. What kind of mental process was this?
Although he had been in this world for so long, most of his fundamental understanding remained unchanged.
So, what was he to do now?
Not only Alka, but Sofia and the others were also at a loss as to what to do. They couldn't offer any suggestions at this point.
They could only watch helplessly, their knowledge reaching a point beyond their grasp.
Clearly, now was the time for Alka to make a decision.
Lucille sat on Alka's shoulder, her voice echoing in his mind.
"Now, walk up to him and exude the same aura you possess in the Dream Realm."
Hearing this instruction, Alka took two steps forward and stood before Henges.
Involuntarily, he entered the state of the Dream Realm.
An aura emanated from him.
It was the aura of a superior being, involuntarily generated by long experience commanding dream creatures within the dream realm, earning their respect and loyalty.
Sensing this aura, all souls lowered their heads slightly, their reverence deepened.
A true king, mastering his aura with ease.
"Take his Ghost Blade."
Arka extended his hand and took the Ghost Blade from him.
"Swear their allegiance in your name, and then say a few polite words. Ideally, in the presence of the Virgin Mary."
Hearing this, Arka took the sword and gently placed it on his shoulder.
"I, Arka Lagu, accept your allegiance in the presence of the Virgin Mary. I will lead you to the future you deserve.
Give you the courage you deserve, the grace you deserve, the reward you deserve."
After he finished speaking,
A faint, gentle holy light emerged. This strange holy light did not burn the souls of the ghosts, but rather sank into their spirits, strengthening them.
This was not his doing; it was a gift from the Virgin Mary when he spoke the name of the Virgin Mary.
Under the influence of the Virgin Mary's grace, the spirits' loyalty soared.
Alka helped them to their feet.
"My King."
Although it sounded awkward and embarrassing, Alka nodded expressionlessly and said, "Beyond all that, I have something else to tell you."
He turned and looked around, at the evil spirits that had been lingering outside the transparent wall.
"These evil spirits, or rather, these ghosts, aren't truly evil. Perhaps because of the anchoring of the treasure, their souls' essences have been preserved.
Now, this area is free of the aura from the Abyss. With the passage of time, as the abyssal aura dissipates, they will gradually regain their sanity and return to their true selves."
Hearing this, the spirits before them could no longer hold back.
"Really...really?" Lumina asked with a trembling voice.
This was the thing she felt most guilty about, the thing she felt most powerless about.
Alka nodded.
After communicating through the contract, a half-elemental Stonehoof elder appeared beside him.
After a silent exchange through the contract, the elder nodded.
Using the elements of the earth on the spot, a totem stone pillar of a person grew directly from the ground.
The earth began to repel, becoming pure, pushing away the abyssal aura.
Without the infinite abyssal aura pouring in, the remaining abyssal aura on this small area was instantly cleared.
Alka He discarded the expelled abyssal aura back into a corner.
Now, here, on this excavated land, only the abyssal aura remained within the bodies of these ghosts.
And this was his world.
With a wave of his hand, Alka extended his hand.
The area immediately connected to the realm of dreams.
A bizarre scene enveloped them in an instant.
All the ghosts couldn't help but look around, at the dreamlike scene.
They watched the dream bubbles floating in the bizarre air, and the dream creatures wandering around.
Those strange silver buildings, and the construction site shrouded in white mist.
Misty creatures of all sizes stalked through it.
The central smelting tower, standing in the dreamland, became the most conspicuous beacon in the entire realm, its molten fire illuminating the surroundings.
The aura of dreams began to invade reality, transforming into a pink mist that permeated the air. Then, it transformed into strands of silk, connecting the evil spirits.
Bound by the piercing pink gaze, the evil spirits instantly froze, like corpses suspended by pink silk threads.
Though suspended, the abyssal aura within their bodies slowly flowed through the pink threads into the dream world.
Once this abyssal aura entered, it flowed through the channel into the Smelting Tower, transforming into pure energy.
This abyssal aura was completely insurmountable for the Smelting Tower.
"Wait, wait until the abyssal aura within their bodies is completely expelled, and they will return to their true selves."
"Thank you, thank you, my king."
They knelt once more.
Alka nodded helplessly and said, "As for your ghost dolls, they'll take some time to create. You'll wait here for the time being."
All the ghosts nodded.
After completing these tasks, Alka led everyone through the mine and into its interior.
The core of the entire ritual lay within.
Alka arrived at the core.
In the cul-de-sac of the mine, a staff enveloped in mist floated in mid-air.
Countless spell chains, both visible and invisible, bound the staff, stabilizing it and making it the core of the ritual.
Lumina and the scholar ghosts who had arrived with her surrounded the magic circle and began to dissolve it.
Soon, with a crack, the spell chains snapped.
One by one, the spell chains broke.
The ritual began to dissipate. As the ritual dissipated, the magical fluctuations in the surrounding magic circles vanished in an instant.
The core scepter fell to the ground like an ordinary scepter.
There was a metallic clang.
The introverted nature of the treasure was evident.
The scepter's appearance was also extremely ordinary.
Like an ordinary metal scepter, it looked exceptionally simple.