The Gold-Patterned Black Cloak

As Ye Chen watched in astonishment, a ring of light suddenly appeared in the center of the pure-black cloak, which was embroidered with golden patterns.

The next moment, a slender beam of light refracted out from the ring and shone directly onto Ye Chen's chest.

The instant the light touched him, Ye Chen immediately sensed the Auling Power throughout his body stirring to life.

It was as if the cloak were trying to establish a connection with his mind, while the Auling Power inside him eagerly responded to its call.

The boy's heart pounded with shock, but he didn't stop the changes within him. Instead, he followed his instincts, allowing the energy in his body to build a bridge to the strange cloak, letting his Auling Power smoothly meet and merge with the beam it emitted.

Several minutes later, the beam of light gradually faded.

The Auling Power radiating from Ye Chen seemed to have won the cloak's approval. It flew over his head of its own accord and settled across his shoulders and back, wrapping itself around him.

As soon as he put on the strange cloak, a soft, warm comfort spread through Ye Chen.

Then the Auling Power passed an unfamiliar name into his mind.

Gold-Patterned Black Cloak.

"Is that... its name?"

Ye Chen wondered to himself. Curious and excited, he grasped one corner of the cloak and rubbed it between his fingers, savoring its light, breathable texture.

After fiddling with it for a while, the boy finally left his room and went to report his achievement to Lyle in the Prayer Hall.

"Since you've put on the cloak, that means you've learned both General Spirit Arts: 'Space Storage' and 'Relic Contract.'"

Lyle glanced at the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak on Ye Chen, then nodded in approval.

Ye Chen scratched his head and tried to sort through what he'd learned.

The "Space Storage" his teacher had mentioned was probably a spatial technique that used Auling Power and a corresponding rune, with a small item like a handkerchief serving as a medium to compress a large object and store it inside.

As for "Relic Contract," it was probably the process he'd just gone through to establish a connection with the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak.

"Remember the pattern of the rune on the handkerchief, and remember how much force you used when you successfully took the cloak out of it. Once you've mastered those two things, you won't need to carry bags full of gear on future hunts. 'Space Storage' is extremely useful and important to a Hunter's career."

After calmly explaining the first General Spirit Art, Lyle went on to discuss the origins of the cloak on Ye Chen's shoulders.

It turned out the Auling Labyrinth held all kinds of wonders, including a category of objects that Nightmare Sensors like Ye Chen and Lyle could use, known as Labyrinth Relics.

These objects were scattered throughout the Auling Labyrinth in countless numbers. They included weapons, armor, accessories, and many other kinds of things. But they weren't ordinary equipment; they were ancient items that carried the power of the Auling Labyrinth's laws, and possessed all sorts of strange effects and powerful abilities.

If Nightmare Sensors encountered these relics in the Labyrinth and wanted to use them, they first had to establish a mental connection with them and form a contract.

Relics were divided into six ranks according to how difficult they were to contract with. The Gold-Patterned Black Cloak Ye Chen now wore was a defensive First-Rank Relic that Lyle had used in the past.

But Lyle had ended the contract long ago and severed his connection to it, so he was now passing it on to Ye Chen.

Because the cloak was easy to contract with, even a Sensor like Ye Chen, who had experienced only the First Nightmare Realm, was qualified to establish a connection with it and become its new owner.

So this cloak used to belong to my teacher...

Ye Chen quietly marveled to himself as he examined one corner of the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak. Then he asked Lyle, "Teacher, what happens if a Sensor isn't qualified but tries to contract with a high-rank relic by force?"

"Their sanity is destroyed, their will descends into madness, and in the end, the Labyrinth enslaves them, turning them into gibbering lunatics. They become another kind of Fallen, just like those whose wills have been shattered by the 'Nightmare.'"

Lyle rested a finger against his cheek, and memories of his past life flickered through his deep-set eyes.

"There are countless people like that in the Labyrinth, foolish enough to overestimate themselves. Quite a few of my former companions met the same fate because they coveted power. And most of them... I had to execute with my own hands."

Lyle's expression didn't change as he spoke.

Ye Chen, standing nearby, couldn't help swallowing nervously.

So Labyrinth Relics were terrifying things. If he found any more relics while exploring the Labyrinth in the future, he absolutely couldn't accept them as carelessly as he had this one. The consequences could be disastrous.

"By the way, Teacher, what special abilities does my 'Gold-Patterned Black Cloak' have?"

Ye Chen gave his cloak a shake and couldn't help asking.

But to his utter surprise, after hearing the question, Lyle simply told him to hand over the revolver at his waist.

A sense of foreboding crept into Ye Chen's heart, but he did as he was told.

Lyle took the Silver Revolver and glanced at its fully loaded cylinder. Then he aimed it at Ye Chen, who was tense with nerves, and pulled the trigger, targeting the side of him covered by the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak.

Bang!

The deafening gunshot rang through the Prayer Hall. But contrary to Ye Chen's expectations, when he took a bullet at such close range, he only staggered back two steps and didn't fall over.

He looked down at the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak and saw that not only had the bullet failed to pierce it, but it had also bounced off onto the floor.

The impact had left a shallow dent where the bullet struck, but the surrounding fabric shifted, and the dent slowly returned to its original shape, as if the cloak could heal itself.

Just as Ye Chen was marveling at the sight, excitement spreading through him, Lyle appeared behind him without his noticing. He drew the long knife from Ye Chen's waist and thrust it into his back.

Thwack.

With a dull sound, the blade, charged with powerful Auling Power, knocked the unprepared boy to the ground.

A slight sting flared in Ye Chen's back. He got up with a wounded expression and felt the spot, only to find that even a thrust charged with Auling Power hadn't pierced the Gold-Patterned Black Cloak. It had merely left a dent on its surface, one that could heal on its own.

"This cloak greatly reduces any damage you take. It works against both Auling Power and Abyss Power. It's a rare treasure, even among First-Rank Relics."

As Lyle spoke, he suddenly flicked the blade and left a bloody gash on Ye Chen's arm before he could react.

"Next, you'll learn how to use Auling Power to stop your wounds from bleeding quickly. That's what the third General Spirit Art, 'Self-Healing,' is about. For a Sensor like you, who'll often have to fight while bleeding, it's one of the most indispensable healing techniques."

"I'll give you three days to practice and get used to these new skills. Three days from now, we'll begin the final trial."

After speaking, Lyle turned the knife around and smoothly, almost elegantly, slid it back into the sheath at Ye Chen's waist. Then he returned to the bench before the Broken Statue and closed his eyes to rest, as he usually did.

The boy nodded and returned to his room. He stared down at the bleeding wound on his arm, then focused completely on controlling the flow of his Auling Power. Carefully, he guided it to draw the cut edges of his skin together, bit by bit.