Chapter 385 - The Sacred Spring Water

When Cassius encountered the second lingering attachment, his first guess had been the Gate Organization. There was even a fair chance of it being correct.

Why did he think this? On closer examination, the reasoning was clear. The Dark Hunter Organization was the official supernatural powerhouse of the Hongli Empire era, an undeniably formidable and vast entity. Its influence could be directly compared to that of the Black Ops Agency in the Hongli Federation period.

Moreover, the Dark Hunter Organization was even stronger than the Black Ops Agency. Even during the waning days of the Hongli Empire, the sacred spring had only been weakened, not depleted. The Dark Hunter Organization possessed greater depth, more powerful masters, and a more extensive force.

If such a prominent supernatural entity had been wiped out in a calculated attack, the mysterious force behind it had to be immensely powerful. Based on what Cassius knew, the only supernatural force capable of such a feat was the Gate Organization.

From what he had learned in the real world, Cassius knew that the Gate Organization had at least a dozen core members on record in the Hongli Federation alone—all of whom were at the level of combat artists. This suggested the Gate Organization's true strength, especially considering it also had significant forces beyond the Federation's reach. If taken as a whole, it was undeniably a world-class entity. Though its structure might have been somewhat loose, its peak fighting power was undeniably massive.

Only a force of this magnitude could have targeted and defeated an official supernatural organization of a powerful empire.

Of course, this was still only Cassius's speculation—a suspicion, not concrete fact.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The force that had led to the downfall of the Dark Hunter Organization might very well have been another entity. It could have been a faction of powerful, intelligent dark creatures, another nation's official supernatural force, or even a mysterious entity like Black Rain Manor.

Without having personally experienced that monumental upheaval, Cassius had no way of confirming the truth with absolute certainty. He realized he would need to witness the destruction of the Dark Hunter Organization himself in three years to complete the second lingering attachment. This also implied he would remain in this time-travel period for at least three years, although the initial time given was only 365 days.

Cassius had counted the marks on the artifact symbol next to the mask icon. With only a year's time to work with at the start, he couldn't linger without completing the first lingering attachment. Success in that would automatically extend his stay, likely by two more years, enough to witness the empire's fall.

Taking a deep breath, he understood his objectives for the coming period: complete the Dark Hunter tasks → exchange within the organization for the sacred spring → quickly enhance his body's strength → unleash his Qi.

This time, since Cassius had brought his own Qi over, he wouldn't need to start from scratch; he simply needed a body capable of withstanding the Qi of a top-tier combat artist.

And the sacred spring within the Dark Hunter Organization offered this unique benefit. It worked even on strong fighters, with effects that refined one's essence, enhanced potential, strengthened physique, extended life, and preserved youth.

The sacred spring was also one of the main reasons why hidden masters and external fighters continually joined the organization. The benefits it offered were undeniable.

Cassius learned from the information in White Aster's mind that members of the Dark Hunter Organization fell into two categories.

One type consisted of Hunters raised by the organization from a young age. They were loyal and steadfast. The other type was skilled fighters who joined later, lured by the wonders of the sacred spring.

The organization regularly allocated a certain amount of spring water for the first group through the Sacred Bathing Court, free of charge. The second group, however, had to earn their sacred spring water by completing tasks assigned by headquarters or the provincial branches of the empire.

This setup functioned much like an adventurers' guild.

This arrangement was ideal for Cassius. He could quickly complete a large number of tasks, bringing him closer to fulfilling the original owner's first lingering attachment. As for how he would explain his rapid growth in strength, Cassius's abundant acquisition of the sacred spring water would be his perfect alibi. After all, the spring water's effects varied by individual; those with extraordinary talent often saw unbelievable gains. Combined with a few mystical encounters during his missions, his resulting strength would seem entirely plausible.

First things first, he needed to adjust to his new identity.

White Aster was a Novice Hunter, designated as "C"-rank. Two weeks ago, he had undertaken a high-risk team mission with seven other "C"-rank hunters, attacking a dark creature nest. But their intelligence had been flawed; the enemy had been much stronger than anticipated, resulting in a disastrous outcome. Only two of the seven hunters had survived.

One was the gravely injured White Aster, and the other was Herb, who was lightly wounded. Herb was an experienced Hunter, having been with the Dark Hunter Organization for over twenty years. His instincts were sharp, and his senses keen.

Herb had saved White Aster in the chaos of that mission.

After the mission ended, White Aster had been unconscious for a long time, and Herb had cared for him all the while. The room they were in now was located in the Dark Hunter Organization's convalescence center in District Seven.

It was around eight in the morning, and Herb was expected to arrive punctually in about ten minutes. Reviewing the details in his mind, Cassius felt he now had a clear understanding of his current situation.

He moved his limbs slightly on the bed, finding no significant issues. Opening his shirt, he found his torso covered with scars. After all, he had been severely injured, and though two weeks had passed, his body had not yet fully healed. Cassius would need to exercise caution in handling this weakened body.

As his mind sifted through these thoughts, a steady set of footsteps sounded from outside. The door clicked open, and an elderly man entered. Morning sunlight angled in through the half-opened window, casting large patches of golden light across the brown floor and white bedspread. Dust floated in the sunbeams like drifting insects.

Cassius looked up and took in the man's appearance.

He was an old man, thin and bony, with prominent cheekbones and deeply set eyes that lacked some vitality. His black and white hair resembled dried grass, giving him a somewhat disheveled look. His dull gray clothes were simple and plain, giving him the appearance of a farmer.

This was the old Hunter Herb, nicknamed "Blood Axe."

Despite his current appearance, this was when Herb was relaxed. When it came to battle, he was like a rabid dog, with a keen sense of danger and a fierce spirit. His instinct for survival was what had earned him his reputation as a veteran Hunter. Sometimes, the ability to stay alive in battle was a skill in itself.

Cassius looked at Herb, who appeared notably aged and weary, and he revisited White Aster's memories. The memories took him back to their last mission, just as they engaged in combat with dark creatures.

Herb had donned an old black-and-red suit with a dark red hat and a crumpled white bowtie at his neck. Suddenly, he pulled out a brutal, sharp battle axe from his coat, bellowed, and charged forward like a mad dog. His axe had cut through flesh and bone as though slicing vegetables; arms flew, heads rolled, and screams filled the air. Bathed in blood, Herb had charged wildly at the target.

That scene had left a deep impression on White Aster. Cassius snapped out of the memory and looked again at Herb, who now looked like a humble farmer. The contrast was striking.

"You're awake?"

Herb's raspy voice broke the silence from the doorway. It sounded like his vocal cords had been damaged at some point, giving his voice a gritty, sandpaper-like quality. Yet, his words were clear and surprisingly not unpleasant to listen to.

"Yeah, I'm awake," Cassius replied, using his own speaking style instead of mimicking White Aster's. He was more reserved and spoke less to strangers.

Herb glanced at Cassius without saying more. After all, the failed mission and his severe injuries were undoubtedly a hard lesson for a rookie hunter like White Aster. This incident could be transformative. It wasn't unusual for someone's character to shift after going through a major ordeal.

This was why Cassius hadn't planned to imitate White Aster's personality; the incident provided a valid explanation for a personality change.

After a brief exchange, Herb called a doctor from the infirmary to check on Cassius's condition. The doctor said Cassius would need to stay bedridden for another two months.

But Herb disagreed. He reminded them that Cassius had two units of sacred spring water, which would be more than enough for quick recovery. One unit of sacred spring water was roughly 50 milliliters, so two units totaled 100 milliliters.

As for how he had obtained this water? The previous mission had failed, but the two survivors managed to bring back corrected intel. The Dark Hunter Organization provided partial compensation in the form of four units of sacred spring water; two units each for the survivors.

Herb hadn't kept the reward to himself; he brought Cassius's share with him today.

Sacred spring water was a secret tonic for cultivation, but also served as an excellent healing remedy. Typically, no one would waste this precious resource on minor injuries or illnesses unless someone was severely wounded or near death, which could affect a Hunter's ability to take on missions.

Cassius's injuries were severe enough that using the water was justified. Of course, healing wouldn't consume all two units, so he'd have a good amount left over. Perhaps he'd get to experience the power of the sacred spring today.

Sitting on the bed, Cassius leaned back against the headboard, squinting at the two glass bottles in his hands. A thin layer of pale gold liquid rested at the bottom of the clear glass. It had a strange, shimmering quality. In the sunlight, the liquid glowed like gold, looking as precious as it felt.

It was now around 8:30 in the morning.

After sitting with Cassius for half an hour, Herb rose to his feet. A peeled white pear, an apple, and a small bouquet of flowers were next to the bedside table.

"Think about when you'd like to use it. Half a bottle should be enough for healing, leaving you with one and a half bottles left over," Herb said to Cassius. "Also, take a proper break. You're young; you should relax a bit and ease off that serious expression. Surviving was already a blessing, so consider this payback for the help you gave me..."

During their last mission, Herb had risked getting left behind to save White Aster. This was because White Aster had used illusion magic to help Herb avoid losing an arm in the middle of the mission, something the sacred spring couldn't heal.

"Oh, right, someone might come to see you later," Herb added, pausing at the doorway. "It seems to be an acquaintance of yours, also an illusionist."

Herb left the room, his footsteps gradually fading away.

"This old man's not bad..." Cassius mused, watching the door close. He recalled Herb's mention of a familiar illusionist. He didn't plan to specialize in illusion magic but thought it might be helpful to know some basics as support.

He decided to wait and ask the acquaintance when they arrived.

Ten minutes later, the wooden door swung open.

Cassius looked up to see a young woman with refined features and a single ponytail. She had a hint of rosy eyeshadow at the corners of her eyes, and a crimson ruby earring dangled from her pale earlobe. Tall and elegant, she was dressed in a noble Hunter's outfit.

"White Aster, your qualification review might need to be put on hold, we need to re-evaluate your illusion level..." she announced as she stormed into the room, her eyes fixed on Cassius, as though waiting to gauge his reaction.

"Oh."

Cassius quickly pieced together what was going on. The Hunters of the Dark Hunter Organization were divided into those raised from a young age and outsiders who had various unique abilities. The illusionist group consisted of outsiders who had gathered due to their illusionary skills. Essentially, it served as a guild for resource and experience sharing.

Joining required meeting certain standards but came with benefits. White Aster had applied to join this group and had already passed the illusion level review. However, due to injuries from the recent mission, it was uncertain whether his abilities had been compromised, so his qualification review had been paused. This was reasonable, as they wouldn't want to waste a slot on an incapacitated member, which was why Rose had come.

She had been a member of the illusionist group for two years, and her most skilled illusion was the Rose World, a technique nearing the second stage, touching on sensory aspects like taste and touch.

Rose walked up to the bed, her expression serious.

"Did your core ability suffer during this injury?" She asked. "If your illusions are now hindered, let's not waste time; just say so, and we'll end the membership application process."

"If your ability is unaffected, then you can head to the location of the last illusionist gathering for a retest once your physical and mental strength recovers. Oh, if you pass, you'll receive one unit of sacred spring water as compensation. You will receive half a unit as the reward for becoming a member of the illusionist guild, and the other half is for the delay in your membership qualification."

Rose's explanation was clear, and the terms were fair. Just as she was about to continue speaking, Cassius interrupted her.

"Excuse me, could we do the test now?" Cassius asked. "And, Rose, do you happen to have a unit of sacred spring water with you?"