NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 374: Chapter 374
The witch's cemetery was originally just a forest, but in her pursuit of physical immortality, Echidna transformed it into an 'experimental base', also known as a 'sacred territory'.
The villagers here are all related to Echidna's experiments. There are various ways and reasons for the establishment of this place. Four hundred years ago, the jealous witch Satella went berserk due to her immense 'witch factor', affecting half of the world with her power.
The Three Heroes saved the world, destroyed Satella's body, and the Witch of Time sealed her immortal soul into the "City of Dreams." To prevent the world from being affected again, the three heroes decided to seal the soul of the dead witch into the "City of Dreams" as a ballast stone to balance the power of the Jealous Witch.
Satella's continued influence made some witches despise her, while others pitied her. Collecting the souls of witches was a perilous task, and Echidna took on this responsibility. As the Witch of Greed, Echidna desired the knowledge and power of witches, so she did not refuse.
However, collecting witch souls inevitably brought "bad luck." After collecting and sealing the souls of the witches (except her own) in the "City of Dreams," Echidna herself was left unable to survive. To overcome this fate, she constructed a "sacred realm" in an attempt to achieve physical immortality.
She reasoned that if she died, she would be forever sealed in the 'City of Dreams' with the other witches. Unfortunately, her attempt failed. The world was incomplete, and the cornerstone for becoming a god was destroyed. The arrival of the Melancholy Demon only hastened her demise.
After her death, the dragon sealed her in the 'City of Dreams.' Some believed that the collection of the Witch's Soul should have been left to the Witch of Sloth, but due to the psychological shadow left on the Dragon God from his previous confrontation with her, the task ultimately fell to Echidna.
The scene before Takumi's eyes changed. Blue sky, white clouds, fresh air, and an endless prairie. This was the "City of Dreams," a prison composed of magical spells that sealed the "Witch's Soul."
"Oh! It really made the little girl tremble. The god who changed the world forced his way into the little girl's boudoir in the blink of an eye..."
There was a small tea table and a white parasol with purple lace on the grass. Sitting on a pure white tea chair was a woman with long snow-white hair and a goddess-like appearance. Her simple black mourning clothes accentuated her curvy figure. Her green-white fingers covered her lips, and her pure black eyes showed surprise.
In addition to the shock, there was also a hidden extreme curiosity and desire to explore. With a hint of playfulness at the corner of his mouth, Takumi walked to the tea table, pulled out the tea chair, and sat down in front of Echidna, who looked stunned. His golden eyes met the witch's gaze, full of curiosity.
"Witch of Sin, Greed, Echidna. I'm too lazy for irrelevant nonsense. Do you want to be resurrected? Do you want to know the secrets of the gods? Do you want to understand the mysteries of the world? Do you wish to unravel the secrets of endless super dimensions?"
Takumi enjoyed speaking to intelligent individuals. He didn't need to waste time with pleasantries; the other person could understand his meaning without much explanation. Those who wield 'power,' be they witches, dragons, or humans, had long departed from the way ordinary people thought.
Ninety percent of Echidna's outward behavior served her own "greed." Only a small portion of her emotions, speech, and actions were "human."
"Master God is truly majestic and domineering," she said gently after regaining her composure, but her eyes betrayed her insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
He had gone straight to the point, seeing her exactly for what she was.
Her black eyes looked at the god who had suddenly appeared, sitting naturally before her. Her cheeks turned red—not from shyness, but from excitement, a desire for the "unknown," and an eagerness to explore.
Though she was dead and her soul sealed, her 'power' had not disappeared, and she could still read the 'world memory.' The moment the fate of the world was completely overturned, she felt that supreme power—an unknown, overwhelming force that treated the world like a mere sketch on a piece of paper.
The god before her hadn't bothered to hide it, and she could feel it the moment she entered the sanctuary. Before she even had time to prepare herself mentally, he had arrived.
Takumi looked at the witch, her curiosity blazing though she tried to remain composed. He said calmly, "What's your answer, witch? I'll give you a chance."
"Please don't be angry, Lord God," Echidna quickly stood up, like a panicked little girl, covering her chest as she spoke. "Although I am eager to respond to your questions, may I ask one before I answer?"
Takumi's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "Ask, Echidna."
Echidna blinked her eyes, trying to appear innocent. "To you, I have no right to choose, do I?"
Takumi crossed his arms with a smile. "Smart. Yes, you don't have the right to choose. I will give you a chance, but not a choice."
Echidna blinked and nodded. "Well, I understand. After all, you are a god who can rewrite the world at will. So, what price do I have to pay?"
Everything given comes with a price, let alone resurrecting her and satisfying her endless thirst for knowledge.
Takumi said playfully, "What price do you think you must pay? Let me give you a little common knowledge of the 'universe' first."
With that, a golden light appeared in front of Echidna. It contained some basic knowledge about the "Teyvat Universe," as well as information about gods and the "World Devouring Plan."
Echidna blinked at the light in front of her and, without hesitation, reached out to touch it. There had to be some "unknown" knowledge in it, and her chest burned with anticipation.
The moment her fingers touched it, a massive amount of information flooded her soul.
After reading, Echidna instantly rose from her chair, throwing herself onto the tea table. Her chest was pressed against the table as she looked at Takumi, her eyes burning with desire and her cheeks flushed.
She wanted to grab Takumi's hand, but quickly remembered who he was, and stopped. Her voice was full of excitement and enthusiasm, her extreme thirst for knowledge unmistakable.
"I am willing to offer everything I have in exchange—my freedom, my soul, my life, my body, my future. Everything. I am willing to give it all for 'Master Celestia.'"
She had originally thought that Takumi was just a god beyond her comprehension. But the common knowledge from the 'universe' had her in an instant forgetting everything else. Gods, it turned out, were divided into levels—the difference between them far greater than the difference between a witch and an ant.
Unable to fathom or pry into his level, she experienced an unprecedented rush—a maddening curiosity. Even just a sliver of understanding would drive her to the brink.
Takumi picked up the 'Donna Tea' on the tea table, swirling it gently. "The tone isn't intense enough. Not exciting enough. Say it again."