"Are you... sure you want to know?"
He asked slowly:
"Once you know certain things, you can never forget them. That kind of memory will appear repeatedly in your dreams like poison."
"I’m sure."
Ron’s voice was calm and firm:
"Knowledge itself doesn’t hurt people, only the misuse of knowledge brings danger. Moreover, avoiding historical lessons often leads to the repetition of tragedy."
Valen gazed at Ron for a moment, as if seeing something familiar in him.
Finally, he sighed deeply and began to recount the past buried for nearly a century:
"At that time, Allen, a witch named Selena Vystra, and I were the outstanding young generation of the Crystal Tower."
His voice became increasingly hoarse:
"We were all eager for higher-level knowledge, especially about transcending life’s limits.
In that era, the Void Remains theory was far from being as developed as it is now, and the path to becoming a Great Wizard was filled with the unknown."
Valen paused, seemingly sorting through those painful memories:
"Then, we came across some ’ancient manuscripts.’ Those manuscripts claimed to be from the lost Wizard Civilization, documenting the ultimate secrets of soul migration."
"The Abyss’s trap."
Ron immediately grasped the key:
"Pollution sources disguised as ancient wisdom."
"Yes." Valen nodded bitterly:
"The arrogance and curiosity of young people blinded our judgment. We thought we could extract useful knowledge and avoid danger with our intelligence."
His voice became more painful:
"The result... the result was disastrous. Not only were the three of us severely polluted, but the entire young generation of the Crystal Tower suffered heavy losses."
Valen’s hand began to tremble:
"Selena was the first to be completely eroded. She turned into a kind of... I don’t even know how to describe the being she became. Outwardly, she was still the friend we knew, but internally, she had been completely replaced."
"Then what happened?"
Eve asked cautiously, her face turning pale.
"Then Selena started spreading the pollution."
Valen’s voice became barely audible:
"With that sweet voice and familiar smile, she convinced more classmates to come into contact with that ’ancient knowledge.’ Many believed her; after all, she was the smartest and most trustworthy among us."
He covered his face with his hand:
"By the time we realized the severity of the problem, it was too late.
The entire young generation was caught in this disaster. Dozens of promising apprentices either died from pollution or suffered spiritual collapse during purification."
"What happened to Selena in the end?"
Ron pursued the question.
"Allen killed her."
Valen’s voice was like an echo from the grave:
"Ended her life in the most direct and brutal way.
At that time, Selena was attempting to cast some sinister spiritual magic on more people, and Allen released a lethal attack without hesitation."
He raised his head, his eyes filled with complex emotions:
"But killing Selena did not end the disaster. In fact, her death became a sort of ’sacrifice,’ allowing that Abyss entity to gain more power. The final cleanup operation..."
Valen could not continue, only shook his head.
"The final cleanup operation lasted for a full three months."
Uther picked up the thread:
"Almost the entire young generation was suspected of being polluted and required strict spiritual examination and purification treatment. Many suffered spiritual collapse during this process and were forced to accept ’euthanasia.’"
The old professor’s shadow became darker:
"And the survivors, including Allen and Valen, were left with irreparable trauma in their souls. Those seeds were removed, but the removal process itself caused irreversible damage."