My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger-Chapter 349 - 350: Pillar Of Conflict

"What are you on about…" Valarie's voice echoed out from her lips. She sounded confused, as if she didn't know what Damon was talking about.

Damon looked at her with an edge of suspicion, though he had no reason to be.

Valarie was just a discarnate soul, possessing only her own lips—that was all there was left of her.

She had spent centuries sealed off with rot, her body decaying. Even in death, she was not liberated.

She remained self-aware as time passed by in that dark cathedral, rot consuming her bit by bit.

Any person would have gone mad from that.

Valarie did not—or at least, not in any obvious way. But Damon knew her memory was fleeting.

She forgot conversations and faces, only recalling them when there was external stimuli or a trigger to remind her.

Even so, Damon had to know.

"You mentioned the pillar... you said something about war and conflict. You said 'conflict pillar' just now…"

Damon's voice was louder than during their earlier philosophical exchange about life. His party turned around, their faces now fixed on him—and on the pair of lips resting on his shoulders.

Valarie's lips pressed together in visible confusion. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"What are you talking about? I was trying to tell you not to have such a bleak outlook on life… you're still youn—"

"No, not that. You said something…" Damon cut her off with a flicker of irritation.

"Hmm. I did…" Valarie paused, as if trying to dive deep into a memory that lay buried.

"You said 'conflict pillar'…"

She was silent for a few more seconds.

"Well... never heard of a 'conflict pillar'..."

Damon sighed. He was about to give up on the conversation when Valarie suddenly spoke again.

"But I do know of a pillar of conflict..."

Sylvia's eyes sparked with a flash of surprise.

"A pillar? I've heard about—no, I've heard someone mention it…"

Damon tilted his head and glanced at her.

"You know what it is?"

Sylvia's head dropped.

"Ermh… no..."

Damon sighed. The sun had already dipped lower, but they weren't far from a place to rest.

"Who did you hear it from?" the question came from Evangeline, who looked exhausted from the day's trials.

Sylvia looked away awkwardly, reluctant to speak. She had a feeling they might find it unbelievable… though she didn't doubt they would believe her.

"I heard it in the academy…"

Matia narrowed her eyes.

"Someone in the academy told you about this 'pillar of conflict'?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly… no idea. Just heard—well, saw something similar."

Damon narrowed his eyes. Where could she have heard something like that? He turned back to his shoulder, where Valarie's lips remained.

"What's this 'pillar of conflict'?"

The lips twitched.

"I don't know. I think I heard it from an outsider…"

Damon's gaze narrowed. Things had just gotten more interesting.

He hadn't cared much before, but now? Now he did—especially if it had something to do with the mysterious visitors.

This information might be important to him and Lilith going forward. The more ancient secrets they pieced together, the better their odds against the Temple.

Maybe they could even leverage this knowledge. After all, the Temple had a habit of quietly disposing of people who knew too much… or spoke the wrong names.

"What is it, then?"

The question came from Leona, her voice cutting through the air.

Valarie groaned.

"I can't recall… I only remember a visitor called Unnoticed Singularity mentioning it…"

Damon's eyes thinned. He had expected answers from Valarie, but it seemed she had none—not now, at least.

Still, he'd gleaned new knowledge. Valarie knew the names of some of the visitors. So far, she had mentioned three.

The latest being this Unnoticed Singularity.

Damon didn't know what kind of entity one had to be to carry such a name. And frankly, he didn't want to find out.

He turned back to Sylvia, who might hold a clue—or at least a way to find it, with her strange journey book perpetually floating at her side, hidden in plain sight.

"All right, Sylvia. Where did you hear about the pillar of conflict?"

Sylvia held her elbows, as if recalling something painful… something traumatic. She took a deep breath.

"I heard it from the Demon Lord Ashcroft."

Damon glanced at Evangeline, who raised an eyebrow. Both of them wondered the same thing: was she delusional?

Ashcroft was a myth—a dead one, even in his legends. How could someone whose very existence was debated have spoken to her?

Leona pulled out a water bag, her expression worried.

"Here, Sylvia, have some water. We'll rest soon…"

Xander sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Sylvia finally understood the misunderstanding.

"Ah—no, that's not what I meant."

Damon glared at her, frowning. She'd better have an explanation. He didn't want to believe she met something as terrifying as Ashcroft…

There was a saying about him.

One doesn't encounter Ashcroft. One survives Ashcroft.

Sylvia took a deep breath.

"I saw a memory… one that belonged to the dark spirit, Rashi Ignath. It was in the Verdant Continent—a battlefield. I saw the memory of when Ignath was born…"

She shuddered.

"It was horrible. Blood and death everywhere. Tears… pain. In that vision, Ashcroft was there. In that memory… he whispered something about finding a pillar."

She paused. "That's all. I didn't see the rest because you rescued me… and freed me from Ignath."

Damon nodded. That made sense. Still, it didn't bring them any closer to knowing what the pillar of conflict actually was.

Just a name—and more questions.

He frowned, hesitating before speaking again.

"Sylvia… can you use your skill to find out what this pillar of conflict is?"

Sylvia paused, then nodded slowly. She could risk it. But first, she had to ask what the price would be…

She raised her head, ready to use her skill—

When Evangeline stepped between them.

"No. I won't allow it. This pillar of conflict sounds dangerous. It's too risky. How can you even ask her that? Her skill is too vile…"

She held Sylvia's hand tightly.

"Just wanting to map out the city, and her skill demanded her ability to have children in the future. What would it ask for with such a grand question?"

Sylvia fired back, "But I just want to know the—"

"No, it's fine," Damon cut her off gently. "I'm sorry for asking. I was shortsighted…"

He took a deep breath. Valarie had been silent since then, as if lost in thought.

He looked over his weary party.

"We're all tired. And it's dark. Let's go get some rest…"