Upon hearing Richard's words, the Minister's face couldn't help but show a hint of embarrassment.
The situation had turned out this way entirely because they had mistaken a rune. If Farrett in the stone coffin wasn't dead yet, they might all be held accountable for this.
The wrath of a Third Circle Wizard was something these small-time wizards could hardly bear.
The Minister glanced at the stone coffin, a bold idea suddenly emerging in his mind.
Why not let Farrett in the coffin die completely within it?
He glanced at the magic array on the ground, one they had been trying to repair over the years. Although they hadn't succeeded in fixing it, they certainly had the ability to ruin it.
With that thought, the Minister's eyes turned fierce.
In a moment, a complete plan of action formed in his mind.
The only problem was determining whether removing their "curse" required Farrett to be alive.
"Master, why are you lifting the seal?" the Minister asked. "Could it be that the curse on us was placed by Master Farrett?"
Richard glanced at the Minister; the latter's subtle movements hadn't escaped his notice.
"That's not the case. It's just that Master Farrett's condition is not too good. If he stays in this stone coffin any longer, he might turn into a creature that's half-flesh, half-nightmare.
No, to be precise, it's likely that this master has already turned into a monster, though there's a slight chance he's still alive."
"I see," the Minister sighed inwardly in relief. It was good that lifting the curse didn't require Farrett to be alive.
Moreover, Richard's words brought him another piece of good news: killing Farrett might not require his own hands.
"Master, you are truly righteous. However, Master Farrett is after all a Third Circle Wizard, and the monster he has turned into is probably not easy to deal with.
We have studied the magic array on the ground quite a bit over the years. Although we can't fix it, we can use it to assist you in slaying the monster."
Hearing this, Richard couldn't help but feel a bit of disdain.
People who mess up and then think of evading responsibility rather than taking it on are detestable wherever they are.
However, currently, his interests aligned with the Minister's, so he didn't show his feelings outwardly.
Richard said righteously, "Good, then Minister, you go quickly to gather your members.
I'll prepare here. Every minute we delay increases the chance of Master Farrett's death."
The Minister immediately agreed, "Yes, Master, I'll go right away. But please don't rush to lift the seal. Although we are not very strong, we can still help a bit."
Richard nodded, his disdain deepening.
This was clearly about making sure Farrett died.
Richard believed that regardless of whether Farrett in the stone coffin was dead or not, the Minister and the remaining wizard members would ensure he was thoroughly dead.
This was a decision that was all benefit and no harm for the Dreamwalkers Club, and wizards always seek advantage and avoid harm.
However, he wasn't a moral purist either. For such matters, he naturally turned a blind eye, pretending not to notice.
The Minister soon left the basement, and Richard began to wander around the Wizard Tower.
It was clear that this Third Circle Wizard named Farrett was a Soul Wizard.
In the specimens displayed outside his laboratory, almost all were the thinking organs of various flesh creatures.
Apart from Soul Wizards, few would be so fond of brain specimens.
Some of these thinking organs were simply preserved in embalming fluid, while others had electrode-like patches attached, constantly transmitting brain data.
When he reached the door of the laboratory, Richard picked up a piece of paper on the ground. The content of the paper revealed the direction of this Soul Wizard's research—dreams.
Studying "dreams," his purpose for entering the Nightmare World and stealing the body of the Nightmare Lord was clear.
He wanted to study the Nightmare Rules, to advance further, to become a Great Wizard! But alas, it was all in vain. The path to truth is paved with the bones of seekers.
After waiting for half a day, the members of the Dreamwalkers Club finally all arrived.
Richard glanced at them; there were over twenty wizards, most of whom were First Circle Wizards.
Without wasting words, Richard handed a large Soul Contract to the Minister. This type of contract could be signed by multiple targets simultaneously.
When Richard had subdued the New World Island, most of the Fire Lizards had signed such contracts.
At that time, Richard couldn't afford the price of thousands of Soul Contracts.
"The conditions have been made clear. Sign this, and I'll help resolve your issues."
The Minister took the contract, confirmed the terms were acceptable, and immediately signed his name. Then, one by one, the other members signed the contract.
After signing, Richard added his own name to the contract, which then turned into a flame and dissipated into the air. The Minister also handed over their research materials, along with the spell to enter the Nightmare World, all packed in a Magic Pocket, to Richard.
Richard put the pocket away, a slight smile appearing on his face.
"Good, gather closely."
The wizards of the Dreamwalkers Club were somewhat puzzled but followed Richard's instructions and stood close together.
In the next moment, Richard's demeanor changed abruptly, turning from mysterious to sacred and inviolable.
A soft Holy Light enveloped him, and then he pointed at the wizards, a milky white light flying from his fingertip.
The light split into more than twenty tiny beams, each entering a wizard's body.
Soon, the wizards felt a gentle energy expelling something from within them.
In fact, if these wizards hadn't been misled into thinking they were cursed, given the state of the Wizard World, they could have cleared the Nightmare Rules from their bodies with one or two hundred Magic Essence.
After all, they were only slightly tainted by the Nightmare Rules and hadn't truly been attacked by them.
The wizards looked at Richard in disbelief.
Was it over?
One wizard immediately began to meditate, and soon after, he woke up with a broad smile on his face.
"It's gone, it's gone! The curse is gone!"
These wizards, who hadn't rested or meditated for over two hundred years, were moved to tears at this moment.
After two hundred years, they could finally rest.
Richard coughed twice, "Gentlemen, don't rejoice just yet; there's still a problem to solve."
Hearing this, the wizards froze.
Indeed, they still had a big problem to solve.
Richard said to the wizards:
"Gentlemen, I just took a look inside the stone coffin. It's likely that Master Farrett has already turned into a monster.
To let this master rest in peace, I've decided to lift the seal and slay the monster.
I hope you can bear witness for me, so when the law enforcement wizards from the Ministry of Magic investigate, I'll have something to say."
After hearing this, the wizards all nodded. On their way here, they had already discussed their strategy.
Farrett had to die no matter what.
Even if he hadn't turned into a monster, they would use the magic array to ensure his death.
None of them wanted to face the wrath of a Third Circle Wizard.
Seeing the wizards nod, Richard strode towards the basement.
To be safe, Richard also took a Crystal Ball to record the entire process.
In front of the stone coffin, Richard began to inspect the seal and started to break it.
Sealing Arts are often gentle on the outside but firm on the inside. It's difficult to open a seal from within, but easier from the outside.
As Richard was breaking the seal, the wizards of the Dreamwalkers Club began to meditate, with only a few Second Circle Wizards modifying the magic array on the ground.
Richard didn't stop them; he just silently recorded everything.
After about half a month, Richard finally thoroughly understood the seal and even gained considerable knowledge about Sealing Arts.
This time was a bit long, but it was just right for the club wizards who were eager for Farrett's death.
"Gentlemen, get ready; I'm about to lift the seal," Richard called to the wizards behind him.
The club wizards awoke from their meditation, took out their staffs, and cast mental defense spells on each other.
Once they were ready, Richard lightly tapped the seal with his Mithril Staff, and the entire seal began to fluctuate.
This tap, though it looked easy, was actually a skillful move that used a little force to great effect, based on Richard's thorough understanding of the seal.
Soon, the seal began to collapse, and an indescribable terrifying aura leaked out from the stone coffin.
Under this terrifying aura, all the wizards present, except for Richard, fell into horrific illusions.
Only Richard, under Ulysses's protection, remained awake.
"After being drained by the magic array for so many years, it still has such a presence; this Nightmare Lord is no simple being," Richard couldn't help but marvel.
But Ulysses sneered, "Before it was dismembered, it was indeed no simple being. But now it's just a shell."
As he spoke, the seal completely broke. The stone coffin turned into dust without a sound the moment the seal was lifted.
A twisted sphere, constantly exuding Nightmare Rules, with a body that seemed like countless human bodies scrambled and reassembled together, slowly floated out of the coffin.
The moment it appeared, a wave of mental erosion burst from its body, instantly breaching the Wizard Tower's defenses and spreading to the surrounding towers.
Within the range of this erosion, all wizards below the Third Circle fell into a deep sleep, plunged into nightmares.
Richard's expression changed slightly, "Quickly deal with it; it wouldn't be good to attract the law enforcement wizards from the Ministry of Magic."
"Understood!"
With a couple of eerie laughs, Ulysses extended a crow claw towards the flesh ball, which continuously grew in the air until it was large enough to grasp the ball.
The flesh ball seemed unaware of Ulysses and didn't attempt to dodge.
The crow claw easily grabbed the flesh ball, then began to shrink it until it was the size of a baby's fist, finally swallowed by Ulysses.
Richard stared in disbelief, was it really resolved so quickly? "Don't look so shocked; I told you, it's just a shell," Ulysses explained. "Apart from that bit of presence, only the remaining rules are worth mentioning.
But rules are only useful against First and Second Circle Wizards who haven't mastered them. It's just bullying the weak, a paper tiger.
Even if I hadn't protected you, with the rules inside you, at most you'd be suppressed by its presence; the rules of this flesh ball couldn't do anything to you."
Richard rubbed his face, the horror of the twisted flesh ball and the almost comical solution made his expression uncontrollable.
Once his expression returned to normal, Richard exhaled and smiled at Ulysses:
"Don't be modest; this time you're the main hero. When we return, I'll go to the slave merchant guild and get you some Fire Lizards to eat, how about that?"
"Hmm! That sounds good!"
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!