A mage's journey begins with a battle mage.

Chapter 203 Reincarnation Dream

Without a doubt, Jiang Shuzhou's guess was very accurate; the only question is whether the league's higher-ups were aware of it.

But this is not something Jiang Shuzhou should concern himself with.

Keep that sliver of divinity safe for future use.

Jiang Shuzhou walked out of the laboratory.

Hayes, who had been waiting for a long time, came forward to report on his work.

"My lord, we have conquered five towns and captured three elves, all of whom came to collect offerings for the birth sacrifice."

"Apart from that, our army suffered only one casualty."

"What happened? Why are there still casualties?"

How can soldiers get injured when they outnumber the enemy's population?

"Um... cough cough, that soldier twisted his ankle when he dismounted."

"I've already made him do extra training."

Jiang Shuzhou's lips twitched slightly at this, but he didn't say anything more.

It can only be said that I haven't practiced enough.

"Take me to see those elves."

This time, Jiang Shuzhou was prepared to give them a severe beating. He had been so focused on his research that he hadn't paid attention and ended up getting killed.

But things are different now. Fortunately, Jiang Shuzhou used the dream knowledge he had obtained from the Fifth Magic Academy to create a new spell.

Jiang Shuzhou called this spell the Cycle of Dreams.

It's an upgraded version of the game Katniss and the others played.

This game is so much fun! Everyone who's played it says it's great, and they absolutely refuse to give away any spoilers.

Now, the Dream of Reincarnation will surely dampen the arrogance of these elves and make them confess honestly.

"You lowly commoner..."

Jiang Shuzhou simply ignored the standard elven mundane language.

Once you're in a dream, let's see if you'll still be yelling.

With the spell cast, the three of them drifted off to sleep.

Because Jiang Shuzhou only intended to torture them, he himself did not enter the cycle, meaning that the cycle of reincarnation would never end.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Lias woke up from a nightmare.

He dreamed that he was arrested by humans and then locked in a cage.

Just like those slaves.

How is that possible?

He shook his head, then suddenly realized something.

This is not his house.

The puppet next to him made a sound, which attracted his attention.

"Hello, I'd like to play a game with you guys."

The strange puppet, then he looked away, trying to find a way to escape.

Then, everything went black as his neck was snapped.

The first cycle of reincarnation has begun.

Lias sat up abruptly in bed.

"Just now, how could this be?!"

He remembered that he had just died, but now he was perfectly fine. How could this be?

However, some things won't wait for him.

"Hello, I'd like to play a game with you guys."

Once again, Lias involuntarily shifted his gaze, looking around the room.

Bright and simple, and...

Is that my body?

The puppet performed a wonderful trick for him, twisting his head off.

The third time, this time Lias kept his eyes fixed on the puppet.

The puppet remained motionless.

Until Lias looked away.

For the fifth time, Lias left the room.

Then, he was killed by the hounds.

On the twenty-seventh time, Lias found the door leading to the ground.

Then he died.

On the 133rd time, he finally escaped.

"Haha, I'm out! I'm out!"

He was then killed by his companions and fell back into the cycle of reincarnation.

And so it went, until the three hundred and twentieth time.

Lias killed everyone as an undercover agent.

However, it was no use; the cycle of reincarnation continued.

Having gone through so many cycles of reincarnation, both Lias and the other elves were on the verge of mental collapse.

They even started killing each other, because no matter what, they couldn't escape from here.

Finally, in the 666th cycle of reincarnation, they were redeemed.

Betraying the elves grants eternal death.

They agreed without hesitation.

Thus, the cycle of dreams ended, and all the experimental subjects died.

Jiang Shuzhou also obtained a lot of information about the elves, including where their main city was, the location of the Elven Mother Tree, and why they were demanding more tribute than in previous years.

"Is the Mother Tree about to undergo a transformation?"

Jiang Shuzhou was very surprised when he learned of this news.

Can the Elf Mother Tree still metamorphose? Is blood sacrifice still required for metamorphosis?

Blood sacrifice, the Elven Mother Tree, the Hamlet family's research into flesh and blood, the absence of the original underground race...

Jiang Shuzhou suddenly realized something.

Could this be the Hamlet family's underground testing ground?

Why aren't there any native races of the underworld like the grey dwarves or drow elves?

Because the original races were all wiped out and replaced by races from the ground.

Why is there an Elven Mother Tree here that has not been discovered by the Elven race on the ground?

Because the Fairy Mother Tree here was stolen for experiments.

This explains why these elves are short-tempered, bloodthirsty by nature, and don't seem to have very high intelligence. Isn't this a perfect fit for the characteristics of creatures made of flesh and blood?

Although Jiang Shuzhou's creations are generally not bloodthirsty, it is undeniable that early flesh-and-blood creations did indeed have this drawback.

Jiang Shuzhou paced back and forth in the corridor outside the cell.

No wonder there's a heritage here; it turns out it's someone else's laboratory. No wonder there's a clock tower and other sophisticated instruments here.

No wonder the inhabitants here need sunstones and moonstones; the true inhabitants of the underworld wouldn't.

These elves thought they were so superior, but it turns out they were just someone else's experimental subjects.

It's just taking advantage of its owner's absence to cause trouble.

The little guy is quite mischievous.

Nevertheless, Jiang Shuzhou still needs to explore carefully, after all, the decline of the Hamlet family speaks volumes.

A family capable of experimenting on the entire underworld must possess high-level alchemists.

So where is that alchemist?

Is he dead, or has he gone missing?

If he is dead, then how exactly did he die?

Clearing away the fog leaves behind even more questions and mysteries.

But Jiang Shuzhou knew where the answers to these questions lay.

The fact that blood lake may have left behind a legacy and gifts suggests that this alchemist did not die of natural causes.

All the answers will be there.

Jiang Shuzhou finally stopped pacing, and Hayes' heart almost sank during the time he walked.

This usually indicates that the ruler is contemplating something important.

Big events usually mean many people will die.

However, this time Jiang Shuzhou did not give him orders as Hayes had expected; instead, he turned and left.

"Hays, remember to stick to the plan and continue conquering new territories. Note that my presence must be kept secret from these underground people, especially the elves."

The elves have long lifespans, and it's possible that some of the older members of the race know their true identity.

Putting everything else aside, if they were to hide it or even destroy the Elf Mother Tree, Jiang Shuzhou would have nowhere to turn for help.