I Refused To Be Reincarnated-Chapter 675: Untold Story

Adam ignored the many spells and mana-gathering techniques, including Pablo’s, to focus on the archipelago’s knowledge.

But a frown rapidly formed between his brows. It first appeared fifteen thousand years ago, led by a mysterious supreme sorcerer, unnamed and undescribed in the book, and subdivided into noble clans—nothing he didn’t know or guessed.

’Come on, at least tell me about the leader’s affinity.’ With a grumble, he browsed the only interesting part: the clans.

Like orders but knowledge encompassing several elements, they supervised their youths’ magical growth and ensured they abided by the archipelago’s rules.

However, even that bit of general knowledge felt too little, too general. Did he waste his trip?

’Something isn’t right...’ More than a feeling, it was demonstrable with the few clues he had gotten from Bill and the current leader, not to mention the room’s protections. Pablo’s technique didn’t warrant them, meaning something must be hidden. And he would find what.

"Step back." He gripped Noah’s shoulder and pulled him behind him.

Qi engulfed his middle finger, causing space to wave harmoniously like a pond. These unassuming vibrations spread to the ground and walls before vanishing. But that’s where the scouting technique derived by Lulu became interesting.

With a flick of his finger, the waves grew chaotic. Like waves, they crashed everywhere, bypassing surfaces to create a live map in his mind. It worked like his sonar spell but was much faster and precise, not to mention that the map automatically formed, making hidden rooms and traps utterly ineffective against him.

And as expected, he licked his lips a split second later as a buried stack of documents three meters deeper appeared on his map. Surely, that’s what Pablo had tried to protect, not those useless shelves.

As he raised his fist to uncover them, Noah’s voice resounded.

The order leader clenched his jaw and pointed at the qi coating Adam’s fist. But instead of the accusatory tone he wanted to use, his voice came out low and in confused stutters. "A-A cultivator? I-I clearly saw you use mana..."

Adam’s eyes darted between Noah and the ground before he smirked. "What if I’m both?"

"Impossible!" Noah’s voice rose an octave. "Cultivators and mages have tried to tread both paths for millennia. None ever succeeded! Just what are you?"

Before Adam could even answer, theories hustled into his mind. Did he escape from an isolated research facility built by mad mages? Was this why he was searching for information? That seemed like the only plausible theory but also the most unbelievable. After all, what order had the resources to continue these failed researches so far from the archipelago?

"There was something like that?" Adam tilted his head, then shrugged. Misha’s D.N.A had allowed for both systems to coexist. No... Julius had both magic circuits and a dan tian.

He tucked his fingers around his chin. "Didn’t you try to awaken talents?"

"Talent awakening?"

It was Adam’s turn to raise a confused brow at Noah’s baffled expression. It was one of the first things any mage unlocked.

Noah continued. "I’ve never heard about talent awakenings. Please, enlighten me."

"Get a beast core related to a poisonous beast. The higher the tier, the better." Adam scratched his head for a second before he nodded. "I’ll show you."

Noah took up too much of his attention... and he could unlock his talent depending on how pleased he was with the hidden knowledge. Still, it felt weird for the leader of a six-thousand-year-old order not to know about it.

He watched Noah scramble out of the passage, shaking his head. Then, he refocused on the ground.

With a soft knock, space shuddered beneath his finger.

CRACK

Like a glass struck by a nail, cracks spiderwebed on the surface, rocks parting. Amidst the dust and rubble, he picked up dried parchments, half faded and almost crumbling, and a grimoire in somewhat good condition despite its yellowed pages.

He ran his palm on the cover, scattering the dust to reveal the order’s emblem and the title.

"Venom’s sovereign mana gathering technique by Archmage Pablo." A grin spread across his face. "Bingo."

Expecting a brief introduction but hoping for a biography, he flipped the cover, each word he read causing his grin to broaden.

"Congratulations, descendent, for your observation and curiosity allowed you to inherit Pablo’s legacy. But first, let me explain how our order came to be and the real reason behind my banishment."

’Hahaha. Sweet irony. I guess he would turn in his grave if he knew I was no descent of his.’ With an eager chuckle, he continued to read.

"I was born in the noble Mageweaver House, a clan primarily attuned to earth and nature. But a noble status didn’t mean much in the archipelago—we all are. Only power and wealth did."

"Fortunately, my family didn’t lack resources, which allowed me to master my poison affinity and rise as an arcanist at twenty. Acclaimed as a genius by friends and a threat by rivals, I ignored both sides to focus on my research."

Adam’s eyes lit up. Was it as Bill said? Was Pablo banished because he developed dangerous venoms?

"I rapidly understood two things. First, absorbing elemental rich mana hastens mana gathering several folds. Second, venom is not only a force of destruction. Instead, it’s an amalgamation of proteins with unlimited effects. Healing, stimulating, and even rejuvenation are possible!"

Adam tucked his fingers around his chin. Dosage was key, but stimulating the body to hasten recovery indeed seemed plausible. But so far, nothing warranted the ban, so he flipped to the next page, wondering when things went wrong.

"I became a recognised physician at thirty, with enough authority to access the third library. That’s where I found grimoires that had once recorded ancient rituals. Yet, one of them had its pages torn out from every book, as if our elusive leader did his best to erase it from history. Something was missing, and I had to find what it was."

"However, the elders’ fury met my curiosity. They banished me, saying this was erased knowledge for a reason and that I shouldn’t have stuck my nose in this. Shocked by their severity but unable to avoid judgment, I left the archipelago and established the order of the venomous path on this poisonous mountain, hoping one of my descendants would pierce this mystery in my stead. I hope it’ll be you."

’Mhh. Libraries restricted by status. Interesting. But what ritual could have gotten him banned? Demon summoning or large area destruction? Perhaps something like Kwame’s mana affinity? No matter what, it must be big.’ Adam’s eyes sparkled. He’d find out after visiting the place.

But first, he sent the book to Lulu for recording before placing it back in the hole. He kept one of the parchments, though. Even if almost turning to dust, he could decipher that it was a land deed. And he’d need one if he wanted to blend in the archipelago.

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