Beyond memory magic.
He saw that even young Saruman was beginning to be corrupted.
The Black Robed Woman was somewhat taken aback.
"Teacher, you are the only Wizard successfully removed that pollution, right!" He really didn't know before that the pollution his teacher had suffered from was so severe.
"Yes and no, you should keep watching to find out what happened." The Blind Wizard didn't respond, but simply gestured for his disciple to continue observing the memory magic.
At the fingertips of the Blind Wizard Saruman, a wisp of eerie blue magical light, like a trembling firefly, traced ripples in the void before the black-robed students. The torrent of memories surged forth once more, drawing the audience into a forgotten era, an adventure belonging to the young Saruman, full of vigor and fear.
Saruman has also been contaminated.
Being in this place.
Whether you like it or not, it doesn't change the fact that the longer you stay in this place, the more severe the pollution will become.
Until they find a way to escape.
There is no solution to this situation.
An hour later, they saw the color-changing magical symbol again. The symbol showed that time was indeed passing, and they had truly returned to the starting point.
" The Infinite Corridor..." Saruman murmured, finally understanding the true meaning of the name. "This isn't a metaphor... this really is an infinitely looping space..."
Karg slammed his fist against the wall in a fit of rage. "Damn it! How are we supposed to get out of here?"
Just then...
Lina on his back suddenly began to convulse violently.
Her body began to undergo more noticeable changes—her back arched, her bones made a sickeningly painful twisting sound, and scales under her skin spread at a visible speed.
" Lina! Hang in there!"
Saruman rushed forward, trying to alleviate her pain with soothing magic.
But this time, the magic failed completely.
Lina suddenly opened her eyes, her completely black pupils devoid of any human emotion. She let out a piercing scream, her strength astonishing as she broke free of Karg's restraints and crashed to the ground.
" Lina!" they both exclaimed simultaneously.
Lying on the ground, Lina began frantically scratching her skin, scales and blood mingling together in a gruesome sight. Her body continued to mutate before their eyes—a vertebra pierced her skin, forming a fin-like structure; her fingers completely transformed into claws; her mouth split open to an unbelievable degree.
It revealed a dense array of sharp teeth.
"We have to knock her out!" Although he was extremely reluctant, Saruman still used Dark Magic, as White Magic could no longer help Lina regain her peace.
Dark Magic was used.
Lina fell into a deep sleep.
"We might end up like Lina."
Karg checked on Lina's condition.
Lina, once as nimble as a deer, with a clear, melodious laugh, is now a vessel of pollution. Delicate scales spread from the back of her neck to her cheeks, shimmering ominously in the dim light. Webbed membranes have grown between her fingers, and her breath carries a damp, fishy smell, as if from the deep sea.
She was sometimes lucid, sometimes delirious, muttering syllables that no one could understand, like the prayer of a drowning person. Until now, no one had realized a problem.
They were in the " Infinite Corridor," a legendary site associated with Cthulhu.
The walls are made of a material that is as warm and smooth as jade yet as cold and skeletal as bone, carved with non-Euclidean geometric patterns that seem to be slowly writhing. Staring at them for too long will cause reason to slip away like sand in an hourglass. The passage stretches endlessly forward and backward, and every seemingly determined step forward may eventually lead back to a familiar-looking corner.
Even after defeating one powerful opponent after another, Saruman was doing his best to find the exit, but he still couldn't prevent them from circling back to the original area.
The air was filled with ancient dust and the salty smell of the sea, along with a deep, humming sound that seemed to come from the depths of the earth, making people uneasy.
"We must find the core of this contamination— Lina won't last much longer."
Saruman's voice carried a suppressed anxiety, and the crystal at the tip of his staff emitted a steady white light, attempting to dispel the maddening, eternal repetition.
"I really feel like I'm about to collapse." Karg nodded silently, carrying Lina on his back, his movements still steady, but his furrowed brows betrayed his exhaustion and worry. On his exposed skin, several faint black lines, once faint, seemed to have become like leeches, Maggot of Bone amidst the whispers in the corridor and the relentless battles. "Here we go again!"
Before the two could catch their breath from the battle with the Lava Tyrant, the air in the corridor suddenly began to churn wildly. The howling wind sliced through everything like a thousand sharp blades, leaving deep marks on the stone walls.
Suddenly, a female figure formed from pure storm materialized in the air. Her long hair was flowing lightning, her eyes were swirling whirlwinds, and her robe was woven from flowing clouds.
" Selene the Storm Witch..." Saruman's voice was filled with deep weariness, "Even the ruler of the skies cannot escape the corruption of this cage?"
Although I was still somewhat shocked, after so many shocks, I was now tired of the shock, mainly because my energy was being worn down by the continuous battles.
Selene let out a piercing scream, her voice crackling with thunder. "Arrogant mortals! You have defiled the sacred realm! You have disturbed my comprehension of the truth of the world!"
Just like those powerful figures before him.
This witch was also trapped here by corrupt knowledge—perhaps they weren't unable to find a way out, but simply unable to reject the knowledge this place offered.
Only Wizard know how crazy Wizard can be in order to go even further; just look at Voldemort, the great terrorist of Hogwarts, to understand this.
Horcrux, those kinds of things.
Although it is much better than the Cthulhu Pollution, it also means that the user will have no way out. However, there are still many Wizard like Voldemort who cannot resist the temptation of Horcrux.
The witch was the same.
The same was true for the other Wizard who were trapped in this place and assimilated.
She launched an attack.
Countless wind blades rained down like a storm. These wind blades were not only incredibly sharp, but also contained the power to tear apart souls, drawing strange trajectories in the air.
"Damn it! When will this end!" Saruman's multiple Protective Barrier were on the verge of collapse under the continuous attacks of the wind blades, and dense ripples appeared on the surface of the barriers.
"My protection won't last much longer!" he shouted, his wand trembling violently in the gale.
Karg suddenly straightened up, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Let me create the opportunity!"
He channeled his last strength into his left hand, and his fist, carrying the power to shatter space, slammed into the center of the storm.
This attack temporarily disrupted Selene's rhythm, but at the cost of Karg's left arm being covered in black lines and his skin beginning to crack.
Saruman seized this opportunity and once again broke through his own limits. He no longer regarded the crack in the Magic Power core as a weakness, but instead used it as a conduit to directly channel the surrounding raging energy.
"Storm, heed my command! Become an extension of my will!"
The goal was to defeat the opponent in their area of expertise, and shockingly, the storm controlled by Selene began to obey Saruman's commands.
This is Saruman's deeper understanding of the essence of magic—he no longer fights the storm, but becomes part of it, achieving a kind of resonance with the elements of heaven and earth. Lightning dances at his fingertips, and gales swirl around him; at this moment, he seems to have transformed into the master of the storm.
"You actually touched Legend!"
Selene let out a mournful cry of despair, and the body of the storm began to dissipate.
Of course, in her final moments, her voice carried a hint of relief. "The sky of freedom... in the end, cannot escape this cage... be careful... it is devouring the essence of all of us..."
As the storm subsided, a dark figure silently appeared behind the two. He was shrouded in flowing shadows, with only a pair of cold eyes gleaming in the darkness.
These degenerates are appearing more and more frequently.
The intervals are getting shorter and shorter.
Perhaps this place sensed that Saruman was approaching the grass exit? Nobody knows; after all, it's also possible that this place was just giving Saruman a false impression.
" Jerome of the Faceless Ones!"
Saruman immediately went into battle mode.
Jerome remained silent, his shadows transforming into blades that attacked from all angles. Saruman quickly cast a spell. " Barrier of Light!" But the shadow blades easily pierced through his protection, leaving several wounds on his body.
"I can't see him!"
Karg cried out anxiously, his vision being consumed by darkness. Saruman closed his eyes, expanding his perception to its limit. In his perception, the shadows were no longer simply darkness, but the other side of light.
"Shadow is simply the other side of light!"
Saruman brought his shadow to life, and the Jerome engaged in a fierce battle on the shadow plane. The two shadows clashed wildly between reality and illusion, sometimes merging into the walls, sometimes launching surprise attacks from the ceiling.
Jerome suddenly split into dozens of shadowy figures, attacking simultaneously from all directions. Saruman remained calm, his wand tracing complex paths.
" Cage of Shadows!" All the clones were imprisoned in place. But Jerome's true form suddenly emerged from Saruman's shadow, a sharp blade pointing straight at his back.
At a critical moment.
Karg, relying on his warrior's instincts, hurled a stone, striking Jerome's wrist with pinpoint accuracy. Saruman seized the opportunity, unleashing his ultimate technique. " Light and Darkness Share One Origin!"
A dazzling white light and profound darkness erupted simultaneously, perfectly merging into a new power. Jerome was powerless before this force and let out his final sigh.
"In the end... they could not escape the judgment of the light."
With a whisper, the shadow assassin vanished completely. After the shadow disappeared, a figure clad in a green robe emerged from the void. His life staff was wrapped in black thorns.
It exudes an ominous aura.
" Orlando the Life Priest!"
Saruman's voice was filled with sorrow.
Orlando brandished his staff, and black thorns spread like venomous snakes. Saruman cast Healing Magic, but found that the holy light only accelerated the growth of the thorns.
"Life and death are one..."
Orlando's voice was distorted and manic.
Saruman swiftly dodged the thorns' attacks while searching for an opening. He noticed that Orlando was constantly protecting the gem at the tip of his staff, which was likely the core of the corruption.
" Karg, cover me!"
Saruman shouted. Karg immediately threw more stones to draw Orlando's attention. Saruman seized the opportunity to charge forward, but the Black Thorns suddenly sprouted more branches, surrounding him completely.
"It's no use... Accept the truth..."
Orlando grinned maliciously. In the critical moment, Saruman broke through once again. He no longer distinguished between life and death, but instead merged the two powers.
The wand emitted a strange, chaotic light. " The Cycle of Life and Death!"
The new life force caused the black thorns to begin to wither.
Orlando let out a painful howl, wildly waving his staff. More thorns surged from the ground, but Saruman had found his rhythm. He nimbly weaved through the thorns.
Each swing of the staff turned large swathes of thorns to ashes.
Finally, Saruman broke through all obstacles, his wand striking the staff gem precisely. Orlando let out a final scream, his eyes suddenly regaining their clarity.
"Hurry... He's about to wake up..."
With the warning, the Life Priest vanished in specks of green light. This time, no more Fallen Ones appeared, allowing Saruman and the others a brief respite.
He made consecutive breakthroughs.
It's already incredibly close to Legend.
That did improve the situation somewhat.
They also gained some ability to help Karg suppress the pollution. After making some minor repairs, they passed by a niche once again, carved with a huge octopus relief.
The scene in the corridor suddenly changed. The space in front opened up, forming a circular hall. In the center of the hall stood a figure.
He was draped in a long robe that seemed to be woven from dust and time, and his figure was tall but stiff.
This guy's face had no features, only a smooth, jade-like texture. He held a scepter in his hand, with a large amber piece, like an eyeball, set at the top of the scepter.
Without warning or words, the Faceless Wizard simply raised his scepter slowly. His amber-like "eyes" suddenly lit up, and an indescribable force field spread out from him.
Saruman felt the air around him instantly thicken, as if a powerful, directional will was trying to grasp, squeeze, and finally solidify him like an invisible giant hand.
"Watch out! It's Petrifying Gaze!" he shouted, tapping his staff sharply. A prismatic barrier instantly unfolded, blocking the way for his two teammates.
The barrier collided with the invisible petrifying force field, producing a teeth-grinding scraping sound. The prismatic light flickered violently, as if it might shatter at any moment. Cold sweat beaded on Saruman's forehead; he could feel the antiquity and absoluteness contained within that power, far surpassing any magic he had ever encountered before.
" Karg! Take Lina and step back!" Saruman roared, maintaining the barrier with all his might. He knew that mere defense couldn't last. His mind raced, recalling ancient texts about this type of magic—it often relied on the caster's strong will to lock onto the target.
Without hesitation, the warrior retreated several steps, placing Lina in a relatively safe corner. He then raised his giant shield, warily watching the faceless being.
"I am already the strongest below the Legend level! I will definitely break through the encirclement!"
Saruman took a deep breath, abandoning the idea of simply resisting. He traced complex trajectories with his staff, chanting short, powerful incantations. Instantly, his figure split in two, then in four, and countless phantoms of " Saruman " appeared throughout the hall, each radiating the same magical energy.