Xia Shou had wanted to move closer, but he suddenly remembered that the last thing he had seen in the deep sea had been the door to the Blood Demon House. He immediately abandoned the reckless impulse.
...Forget it. Better not touch anything for now. I should wake up first.
Xia Shou tried to leave the deep sea by opening his eyes in the real world.
Instead, the attempt sent him into an ordinary dream.
When he opened his eyes again, the light of the rising sun was already seeping through the gap in the curtains. His body was still weak, but much of his fatigue had faded.
"So I can still dream normally. But why was it already daytime when I woke up last time, even though I spent so little time in the deep sea? This time, I swam for so long, yet still had time to dream?"
That was one question he had yet to figure out.
While letting Alice dress him, Xia Shou pulled the Death Record Notebook from beneath his pillow. The handwriting inside had become perfectly clear. It seemed he could keep reading now.
However, each page only had so much space, and the size of the writing never changed. To obtain as much of the information he currently needed as possible, he would have to ask crucial questions.
The file on the Death Record Notebook explained how to communicate with its personality: all he needed to do was write in it.
"I might as well ask about the root sea first."
The soul inside this notebook clearly knew a great deal about the root sea. From the very beginning, it had offered him a way to stop sinking.
And since the root sea was currently Xia Shou's greatest source of danger, understanding it was undoubtedly his top priority.
Xia Shou opened the notebook and wrote, [What do you know about the root sea? And are the other things I encounter in it safe?]
His handwriting disappeared, and an unfamiliar hand appeared in its place.
[Unless you have considerable confidence in your own strength, do not touch anything else in the sea. Those things are symbolic manifestations formed by Anomaly leaking from certain unusual Transcendents or strange entities in the present world. Touch them, and the other party will sense you. There is a chance they will come looking for you. However... even if you do not provoke them, some will inevitably come looking for you anyway. With your limited options, all I can advise is to avoid contact with those things as much as possible for now. Also, as you have already seen, the deep sea below 1,300 meters is the [Sea of Unceasing Blood]. Everyone encounters a different root sea, but they share certain features. One of those shared features is that each depth range in the deep sea has an absolute ruler. The ruler of the Sea of Unceasing Blood-that is, the region below 1,300 meters-is the Blood God. You must have noticed that both the Blood Demon in the Blood Demon House and Idrisu, whom you sealed this time, have countless ties to the Blood God. The director of that sanatorium believed he had summoned an avatar of the Blood God. That understanding was completely wrong, hopelessly so. Both Idrisu and the Blood Demon are mythical creatures that have received some form of blessing from the Blood God and act on behalf of a certain will. There are three ways to survive in the root sea. One is to make yourself rise. Another is to stop yourself from sinking. The final way is to make yourself sink safely. Any reckless attempt to cross the red line will invite punishment under the rules governing that depth. No one can withstand that punishment for long. I advise you not to try it lightly, either. The way to avoid that punishment is simple: become one of His kin, or disguise yourself as one. Using your shadow to devour mythical creatures blessed by the Blood God is the best way to disguise yourself. You have been lucky. The creatures you have encountered recently have all been connected to the Blood God. But perhaps that is some terrible omen. Just as you ate the Blood Demon, someone else may want to eat you. Idrisu was merely the first probe. Think about it. Would a simple visit to a patient really draw you into a closed domain by such a coincidence? One more thing. I must solemnly remind you to take care not to let anyone else learn of this ability, or you will bring death upon yourself.]
The page was full. At the very bottom, Xia Shou wrote, [What is your goal?]
This was one of his greatest concerns. The Containment Bureau's files stated that the personality within the Death Record Notebook was not necessarily benevolent. Everything depended on the previous owner's own character.
[A foolish question... I refuse to answer. (I am conserving your resources for you. During this most dangerous period of adjustment, ask more worthwhile questions.)]
"Damn it, now you're insulting me!"
Being dragged into this world for no apparent reason had already infuriated Xia Shou. Being mocked and insulted by the culprit only fueled his anger.
Still, he calmed himself and continued writing: [Are all the things behind the doors in that house creatures like Idrisu?]
This time, the other party accepted his question. Long passages of handwriting appeared on the page.
[Not all of them. Doors represent concepts such as "closure," "sealing," and "separation." There are some things you are not ready to know yet. All you need to understand is that Alice will open the doors for you when the time is right. Also, you are very curious about the purpose of that White Bone Door, aren't you? Touch the door, and you will sense what Idrisu craves. You need only satisfy that craving, and Idrisu will willingly do your bidding. But to keep Idrisu sealed, you must pay the corresponding price or learn a certain ritual. You can also learn how to maintain the seal by touching the door. What I want to tell you now, however, is something else: how can mythical creatures like Idrisu, which cannot be devoured, be made into something you can devour? First, you must acquire a "desire" opposite to Idrisu's, in order to diminish the "desire" inherent in Idrisu. By desire, I do not mean desire in the ordinary sense. In the supernatural world, you can understand desire as a trend or inclination toward change. Trying to turn something into another state, or trying to maintain a certain state; Trying to discard certain things, or collect certain things; Trying to understand certain knowledge, or forget certain knowledge; These inclinations toward action, thought, plunder, sacrifice, and so forth are all called desires. Personally, I think Idrisu's desire seems to be "healing others." The opposite of healing would be harming or killing. More precisely, it would be poisoning and spreading disease. Using these mutually contradictory desires can effectively weaken the wills of both opposing sides. Once their wills have been completely worn away, nothing but pure power will remain. Your undigested Blood Demon remnants seem to have the desire to "slaughter other creatures." You can try using the Blood Demon's remnants to weaken Idrisu's power. In turn, Idrisu's power will make those remnants easier to devour. This may give you stronger skills.]
That was the end of the page. Xia Shou turned it.
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