Chapter 19: The Soul Link

"Establishing a soul link doesn't require you to do anything special; you just need to trust me."

The word 'trust' might sound simple, but Leoni understood its profound implications. In this unfamiliar world, having someone he could fully trust was a luxury. Particularly with his unique ability to attract the opposite sex without condition, discerning genuine intentions from those around him was challenging.

Yet, Leoni believed Miss Wuya wasn't superficial. She was just eager to unravel the secrets of magic and let her guard down, combined with her long-standing restraint and the sudden encounter with a succubus, which led to her earlier behavior.

Now, Miss Wuya was sitting beside him, seemingly back to normal.

"Can you trust me, Leoni?"

"Of course."

"I thought after what I did to you just now you will not... never mind."

A brief flicker of emotion crossed Miss Wuya's face before she regained her composure.

Miss Wuya closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her chest, the patterns on her hands pulsating with a blue-green light, as if breathing.

Her breathing was as steady as if she were asleep. Suddenly, Leoni's mind conjured an image of a loading screen with three bouncing dots and the words 'girl praying'...

While he was lost in thought, Miss Wuya reached out and lightly touched his forehead. His view was blocked by her hand, so Leoni closed his eyes as well.

Just as she had said, there was no particular sensation, except he could feel the dampness of Miss Wuya's fingertips, likely due to the exertion of channeling a large amount of magic.

Miss Wuya had now entered a deep state of soul linking. She couldn't hear any sounds from the real world or sense her own existence or Leoni's.

When she next opened her eyes, she found herself amidst an endless sea of clouds, surrounded by dazzling whiteness. Walking forward, her steps stirred up clouds, creating white flowers that floated on the breeze before settling back down.

Miss Wuya, with a clear mind and closed eyes, continued to walk forward. She knew that Leoni had let down his guard, and reaching this state meant the link was successfully established.

She could now probe deeper into the imprints in Leoni's soul, the traces left by the mysterious goddess.

This spell is usually used to help people with amnesia, allowing the caster to see their previous experiences from a soul level and use verbal suggestions to restore their normal state.

Realizing this unique application of the spell, Miss Wuya couldn't help but feel proud of herself, considering her status as one of the world's most outstanding magicians.

In the distance, the scenery changed slightly. A massive ring appeared in mid-air, with multiple incomprehensible symbols moving through its center. The ring itself was slowly rotating, sometimes clockwise, sometimes counterclockwise.

Miss Wuya was thrilled at this sight. She had seen similar imagery in ancient books, a symbol of the goddess!

Rushing forward in Leoni's sea of consciousness, Miss Wuya hoped for even a single exchange with the goddess. She had so many questions about the essence of magic, its purest form, and what she needed to do to become a demigod.

Just as she neared the ring, symbolizing all her hopes, it vanished without a trace, like a divine joke, leaving no evidence behind.

"This is a game with a predetermined end..."

'Who!? 'Miss Wuya spun around, searching for the source of the voice but to no avail.

'It must be the goddess!'

As Miss Wuya was about to ask the lingering questions that had troubled her for centuries, the ethereal, sacred voice spoke again: "Help my pawn reach the other shore, but do not become an obstacle, lost Wuya..."

Her consciousness was suddenly expelled from Leoni's sea of consciousness. Waking up beside the bed, Miss Wuya was drenched in sweat, gasping for air and unable to calm down.

For a moment, she felt as if she was almost torn apart by an unknown force. 'Was this the authority of a goddess... so Dominant and Sacred?'

Refocusing her eyes, she saw Leoni, looking worried, gently patting her shoulder. His lips were moving, probably asking if she was alright.

Wuya found Leoni endearing and compassionate. Even without his special physique, she felt she would continue to like him.

At that thought, she shivered as if electrocuted, recalling the words she heard in his sea of consciousness...

The "pawn of the goddess" must be Leoni, and the "lost Wuya" referred to herself. She was to help him reach the other shore but not hinder him.

"Miss Wuya, are you alright? Can you see me?"

Leoni's prolonged concern finally received a response as Wuya managed a weary smile and shook her head.

Relieved, Leoni sighed. He had feared that the soul link might have caused her serious harm, knowing that any in-game mechanics involving soul linking or consciousness sharing often came with significant risks. He was genuinely afraid that her brain might have been damaged by the link, and he didn't want to bear the guilt of such an accident.

"I'm fine, just a little side effect," Wuya reassured.

Leoni could tell from her despondent look that her plan had likely failed. He chose to remain silent, respecting her feelings and not wanting to reopen any wounds.

Wuya was still pondering the divine message she heard in Leoni's sea of consciousness. The goddess must have been aware of their soul link. It seemed that Leoni had a task to complete, but its nature was unclear at this stage. Wuya could help him to some extent, but she must not become an obstacle in his path.

Help... the assistance she could offer... she knew! The goddess's guidance must be leading them to a particular place.

"Listen, Leoni, you need to go to a place called 'Elf Peninsula' and find the demigods still alive in this world. They can solve all the mysteries surrounding you."

"Wait, Miss Wuya, you suddenly saying all this..."

Leoni was overwhelmed. Wuya had called him here, first to remove a trap-like seal, then almost reversing their roles in a moment of impulse, followed by establishing a soul link, and now she was directing him to Elf Peninsula?

He realized then – Miss Wuya was likely a messenger sent by the goddess to assign him this task.