A Sorcerer's Journey 484 Half an Ice Top

Five years later.
An army of Abyssal Demons surrounded a small group of Acraepoid survivors, who numbered just over a hundred. In their final stand, they wielded the Infernal Blades with desperation painted on their faces.
As the colossal body of the King of the Snowthreads rose amidst the formation of Abyssal Demons, a "puff'' could be heard, it was the faint sound of an explosion high up in the sky. In the next moment, a layer of cerulean ice crystals started forming from the center of the King's body. On the layer's surface were balls of Ice Flames raging intensely.
The entire cluster of Acraepoids was stuck to the posture they were in moments before they lost their lives.
Splish, splash…
The King of the Snowthreads' body disintegrated into a swarm of regular Snowthreads which collapsed onto the ice layer. Playfully, they slid around the layer like on an ice rink.
Accompanying these child-like Snowthreads as they plopped onto the icy layer, was a crystal bright light. The Frost Flowers "crackled" as they burst apart while the cerulean Ice Flames started converging into a single ball.
The process of condensing the Ice Top would take several days' time.
However, this group of Acraepoid survivors was too small, not enough to make a complete Ice Top. The plan was to make a small portion of the Ice Top first.
Though, five years had lapsed and it was time for the King of the Snowthreads to return to the Burrow World.
"What a pity, even with the additional Life Essence of this group of Acraepoids, we have not even completed the twelfth Ice Top."
The King of the Snowthreads said to Grimm regretfully from the midst of the Ice Flame.
"Also… look at how the Acraepoids of this world are living now, like rats underneath the floorboards. They can no longer change the inevitable demise of their kind. The hatred I have for them have disappeared at this sight."
Grimm could no longer feel the bloodthirsty Slaughtering Will from the body of the World Lord. On the contrary, he felt the signal given off by the King of the Snowthreads growing more and more conservative as the days went by.
Over the past few years, Little Myna had grown extremely close to the King of the Snowthreads.
"Caw caw caw caw, big deal. To my young master Grimm, the most important thing isn't the Ice Top but the knowledge he obtains after observing the immense powers of the Ice Energy. At any given time, the sorcerer's yearning for knowledge goes beyond his pursuit of materialism."
Grimm and Millie cautiously approached the blazing Ice Flames.
Grimm could not wait to observe the Ice Flames which now belonged to his own unique branch of sorcery research but before that, formalities were as important which was why Grimm bowed down to the King of the Snowthreads while doing so.
"That is true. In comparison to producing Ice Tops, the mystical knowledge I have harvested in the process is priceless! It has never crossed my mind that the Ice Energy may be utilized in such ways…"

Grimm sighed.
Since centuries ago, Grimm had always conducted his research on the path toward Flame Elemental spells. While the main reason for this was unclear, Grimm being prematurely exposed to Flame Elemental knowledge and Mina's Body of Flame definitely had their impacts on him.
This leaning toward Flame Elemental Energy had led to the Flame Energy exerting its dominance over Ice Energy in the fusion process of Grimm's Fire Blast Spell and the Ice Flames which were the primary reaction to create the Destructive Force. It was only due to his impressive control over the Flame Energy that he could intervene in the process and achieve an optimal but delicate balance.
And perhaps due to this, the Fire Blast Spell required a relatively long period to warm up before being unleashed.
As for now, having spent such a long time observing the Ice Energy belonging to a World Lord coupled with the Drift Ice Energy which he had harvested, together with Millie, it was not an overstatement that Grimm had finally established a profound understanding on the Elemental Knowledge. This also meant that he had perfected the fundamentals for casting the Fire Blast Spell.
The development of events had been in Grimm's favor after all, for the knowledge he had obtained sparked an idea on how to use the Destructive Force to his advantage.
"Knowledge? What is that?"
To the King of the Snowthreads, passive evolution just required it to follow its instinct of self-preservation and to break through whatever obstacles that were thrown in its way. As such, the term "knowledge" was something fresh, and something yet to be added to its vocabulary.
Grimm paused for a moment to think of how he was going to answer such a question.
"What we call 'knowledge' is the endless series of theories and laws which we come up with to help explain what we observe on the underlying mechanisms by which the Endless World functions. By using our intellect, us sorcerers would link up these separate laws and use them nimbly to actualize and alter the meaning of our world's existence. That is knowledge."
"Oh?"
The King of the Snowthreads made a confused expression. Within the cerulean Ice Flame, it condensed the Life Essence using the Ice Energy while pondering on what Grimm had just explained.
Although it was not exposed to the sorcerers' knowledge system of the laws, as a World Lord, its ability to see through the essence of things was much higher than ordinary creatures.
Two days later.
As this particular group of Acraepoid survivors was too small, it only took them two effortless days to complete the condensation process of the collected Life Essences.
After consolidating the Life Essences of all the Acraepoids in its body, the King of the Snowthreads then spit them out into three balls of Ice Flames. It then merged these three Ice Flames into one single ball before disintegrating it into itself. Gradually, the flames were compressed into the shape of one-third of an Ice Top.
Grimm's eyes widened…
This half-formed Ice Top possessed greater research value than a complete Ice Top!
***
Four months later, under Grimm's accompaniment, the King of the Snowthreads had arrived at the Lightglow Kingdom's borders.
Looking at the three Void Fortresses in the distance as well as the Spectral Mist perception barrier which was long destroyed by his fellow sorcerers, thoughts flowed uncontrollably into Grimm's mind.
So the location of this world's World Core was here all along.
At the center of the three Void Fortresses was a towering volcano, high and mighty. Vermillion flames spewed out from the volcano's vent. Floating high up in the sky above it was a massive rock similarly red in color. Elemental fluctuations and the world's laws orbited around this massive rock as if they were its satellites.
At this moment, the Abyssal Dark Clouds had gathered from all over to form a head shape which looked down at Grimm and co menacingly.
The expeditionary Demon-Hunter Sorcerers' control over this territory implied the utter destruction of the Infernal Spirit World's guardians and from here, emerged a new generation of Abyssal World Guardians who were made up of Abyssal Messengers like Grimm himself.
While commanding an army of Abyssal soldiers, Grimm scoured the continent in which the great calamity had swept across, where he summoned the will of the Abyssal laws and took out the Acraepoid Nobles as well as multiple Infernal Spirit World Guardians who fought with the blessings of their native world's laws.
Dotting the skies were Voidships, sorcerer army formations as well as soul slaves that flew around the World Core.
Bone Bell Stigmata Sorcerer, Dark Realms Stigmata Sorcerer, and Enigmatic Stigmata Sorcerer were continuously polluting the World Core using the Abyssal invasion technique which was discovered and introduced by the Dawn Sages back in the Sorcerers World. At the same time, they had received a new series of information which was limited only to the upper echelons.
Grimm, who was leading a huge army formation, naturally attracted the attention of the sorcerer army stationed here.
He was receiving the highest form of respect as ten Voidships, accompanied by a ten-thousand-strong army of sorcerers, welcomed his arrival.
Part of the reason for this show of force was out of respect for Grimm, who was leading such a huge army. The other part of the reason was because of the presence of a World Lord, the King of the Snowthreads!
Buzz…
A mechanical bee flew to Grimm's flank and with a "click", the bay door was opened up, revealing two great Level-3 sorcerers inside.
"Sorcerer Grimm, the great Bone Bell Stigmata Sorcerer has called for you."
"Understood. Sorry for bothering the two of you, respected sorcerers."
Grimm flew down from the giant Abyssal monster's back, with Millie following behind, and entered the body of the mechanical bee. Once again, the bay door of the mechanical bee "clicked" shut.
In Grimm's perception, it seemed that the closer he got to the World Core, the stronger his control over the Abyssal Summoning abilities. This odd power system was too terrifying to face against in battle.
The Abyssal World, which possessed this power truly deserved their victory over the ancient Sorcerers World.
Seven days later.
The King of the Snowthreads was personally escorted by Bone Bell Stigmata Sorcerer as they left the Infernal Spirit World through the Void Fortress' World Transmission Array. Grimm, on the other hand, bid his farewell to the remaining two Stigmata Sorcerers before setting forth with his army back to the First Acraepoid Kingdom.
It was time to wipe out the final hope of the Infernal Spirit World and write the conclusion to their Demon-Hunting expedition once and for all.

Chapter end