EFB Chapter 106 Teachings
Chapter 106 Teachings
The initial shock gradually faded, leaving behind a deep-seated loneliness and powerlessness.
He can't reach the end. He'll never reach the end.
There are no doors, no roads, no boundaries, and no end. There is only infinite space and eternal time.
His ideas about having countless doors and roaming the world at will seem so ridiculous and insignificant on this cosmic scale.
Green had thought he had glimpsed the entirety of the world and possessed some kind of power? In the face of this true, boundless universe, he was not even a speck of dust.
"Apprentice"... He chewed on the sequence name again.
Yes, an apprentice.
On this mysterious path, before the mysteries of the universe, he was not even a beginner.
The novel worlds he encountered were perhaps just a few insignificant corners of this infinite universe, or even just some kind of projection or simulation.
But the true unknown, the true vastness, far exceeded his wildest imagination.
His curiosity was not wrong, but curiosity without caution and reverence is just a reckless and arrogant adventure.
His power has its value, but if he becomes complacent because of this ability and fails to see the limitations of power and the infinity of the world, then he is like a frog in a well.
The inflated heart, like a balloon punctured by a needle, deflated completely.
Instead, there was a chilling clarity, and a lingering fear.
If he had rashly stepped into that door with the strongest energy just now, what would have awaited him? Would he still be able to return here and receive this cosmic-scale education?
Insignificant. Utterly insignificant.
But this feeling of insignificance no longer frustrated or frightened him; instead, it brought a strange peace. Recognizing one's own position, acknowledging one's ignorance and weakness, is the true beginning of learning.
Just as his mind had completely settled down, the vast cosmic landscape began to blur and spin, like a faded oil painting.
He felt his feet settle on the ground, and he was standing on the floor of the gray stone room again.
The room remained empty, except for the uniform fluorescent light.
But Green knew that everything was different now.
He stood quietly for a long time, then bowed deeply to the empty room.
It's not about any specific existence, but about the truth revealed by that cosmic illusion, and also about the mindset that has just been corrected.
When he straightened up, his eyes had completely calmed down, without a trace of impetuosity or arrogance, only the composure and clear awe that belonged to an "apprentice" after experiencing a shocking baptism.
"Click".
The oak door, appearing for the last time.
Without hesitation, Green calmly pushed open the door and walked out.
In the main hall of Source Castle, the figures amidst the gray mist remained.
Green looked at the blurry figure high above, his gaze complex.
Only now did he truly understand that the "Hall of Gates" and the "Cosmic Illusion" were not games or gifts, but a powerful wake-up call, a profound "lesson" aimed at his potentially inflated ego.
"The teachings of Mr. Fool...?"
The Fool, or this Source Castle, tells him in the most direct way: the road is long, the world is vast, remain humble, remain in awe.
He bowed again, more solemnly than ever before.
Suddenly, he felt as if something inside him had shattered, and a strange sense of enlightenment arose within him.
Then, amidst the churning gray fog, he returned to reality.
The candlelight flickered, and the basement remained as quiet as ever.
Green took out paper and pen and quickly wrote down the magician's potion recipe, which was extremely important to him.
It's impossible not to feel excited about a gift from the gods.
After all, this is the clear path to a deeper part of the extraordinary world and to gain greater power.
But this excitement was completely different from the overwhelming excitement he felt in the "Hall of Gates".
Green carefully folded the paper containing the recipe and kept it close to his body.
However, my thoughts inevitably drifted to the source fortress itself.
That magnificent yet dilapidated palace, that figure perched high above yet blurred indistinct, that soul-stirring "lesson"...
All of this points to an existence far beyond his comprehension—Mr. Fool.
He bestowed gifts and warnings, but the appearance of the Source Castle itself revealed an indescribable sense of vicissitude and ruin.
"What exactly happened to Source Castle..." Green muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously stroking the brooch. "Even a being like Mr. 'The Fool' couldn't resist some kind of force that turned His abode into that state?"
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
If even gods can meet with misfortune, how cruel and complex must the truth of this world be? My own meager strength and knowledge are probably not even worth a ripple in the true torrent of history and the struggle between gods.
He shook his head, forcing himself to stop this pointless speculation.
The secrets involving the gods are far beyond his current ability to touch, and even thinking about them may bring unknown risks.
Just as Mr. Fool taught with his cosmic visions, recognize your boundaries. His boundaries are currently limited to the initial stage of cautiously exploring and digesting the "apprentices."
"Perhaps only by finding that lost history can we possibly make some speculation about all of this..."
The idea took root in his mind, but it was no longer out of pure curiosity or ambition; it was more like a distant, long-term goal that had to be treated with caution.
It concerns the truth of the world, and may also concern Mr. Fool's condition, or even his own future.
He stopped thinking about it and suppressed his chaotic thoughts.
Overthinking about things beyond one's control is also a form of arrogance that an "apprentice" needs to avoid. He blew out the candle, lay down fully clothed on the slightly worn sofa in the office, and a mix of exhaustion and a sense of clarity after a spiritual cleansing washed over him, quickly lulling him into a dreamless sleep.
......
The sound of the door being gently pushed open woke Green up early the next morning.
Anaïs walked in carrying a steaming cup of coffee and a simple breakfast. When she saw Green already sitting up, she showed obvious surprise.
"Mr. Green? You... you're here so early?" She placed the tray on the table and looked at him with concern. "You look a little tired."
Green rubbed his throbbing temples and glanced at the clock on the wall; the hour hand had just struck seven. He then remembered that he had spent the night in his office.
"Good morning, Anaïs. I'm fine, just... I was thinking about something and slept in a bit late."
He stood up, stretched his stiff shoulders, and felt that although his spiritual energy was abundant, mental fatigue still lingered. The impact of the cosmic illusion was clearly not something that could be completely eliminated by a good night's sleep.
Then, he suddenly remembered his promise to Rick: to go to St. George's Sanatorium today.
"Oh no, time!"
Green hurriedly grabbed the coat draped over the back of the chair and put it on. "Annaïs, I'm sorry, I have an important appointment this morning and I have to get to St. George Street immediately."
Seeing his hurried manner, Anaïs quickly nodded, "Okay, please go ahead and do your work. Is there anything I can prepare for you?"
"No need." Green quickly straightened his clothes, picked up his hat, and said, "After I finish what I'm doing, we'll go to the History and Archaeology Society to visit Mrs. Elliott."