Chapter 678
Synchronization
Chapter 678 Synchronization
"What are the requirements for the synchronization of the travel dial?" Gao De immediately asked.
Synchronization is a unique mechanism in the Mage plane, and most powerful extraordinary items have a synchronization threshold set when they are crafted.
Synchro is essentially exclusive; a supernatural item can only be synchronized by one creature at a time.
Moreover, only after this binding is completed will the item's extraordinary abilities be truly unlocked.
When not in sync, it at most retains non-supernatural attributes, such as the physical sharpness of weapons and the basic defense of shields, but all core functions involving supernatural attributes will be completely disabled.
No wonder Gaode had examined the dial repeatedly but couldn't find anything unusual about it.
The crux of the problem lies in the lack of the crucial step of synchronization, which firmly seals away its extraordinary nature.
The standard procedures for synchronization have always been rigorous:
First, the item's preset conditions must be met, which may be the caster's level, mental strength, specific cultivation method, or even the compatibility of faction or belief.
Even worse, some evil and strange objects require the sacrifice of rare materials or the use of one's own essence and blood as a catalyst.
The most terrifying evil beings even demand that their followers sacrifice a portion of their souls, thus becoming puppets of the objects.
After meeting the prerequisites, one must also have full physical contact with the object and concentrate one's mind on it.
By meditating to perceive the energy channels of objects, eliminating all external distractions, and maintaining this state for a fixed period of time, synchronization can be automatically achieved, activating all extraordinary abilities.
As a core component of the legendary watch, Gaode's biggest concern is that the synchronization conditions for the travel dial are too demanding.
If it requires the strength of a high-level mage, or some rare sacrificial material, then they simply cannot meet those requirements in this magic-free plane.
"The synchronization threshold for travel watch dials is not simple, but it's not too demanding either," Liu Ying said slowly, recalling the records.
"First, the holder's soul strength must be strong enough to establish a stable soul resonance with the astral positioning crystal."
"According to the requirements of a complete state, one needs to reach the soul strength of a fifth-ring mage."
Gao De's heart sank instantly.
He was far from being able to match the soul strength of the Five Rings Mage.
“However,” before Gao De could even frown, Liu Ying immediately added, her tone certain, “the travel dial is now so badly damaged, and the astral positioning crystal has been corroded and dimmed, the original synchronization threshold will inevitably be greatly reduced.”
"I speculate that its current requirement for soul strength is probably around the third ring."
"Even if you can't complete it, I can perform the synchronization."
Liu Ying raised her clear blue eyes and earnestly proposed a backup plan, "My soul strength has met its original requirements."
That short sentence sent a chill down Gaode's spine.
The subtext of Liu Ying's words was quite obvious: her soul strength was comparable to that of a fifth-ring mage.
Even if she doesn't have the spellcasting ability of a fifth-ring mage, she should at least be at the mid-to-late fourth-ring level to possess such a cross-rank soul strength.
Keep in mind that Liu Ying is only eighteen years old, just one year older than him.
What kind of magical talent does this mage possess?
“Secondly, a pure energy source is needed as a medium to awaken the dormant astral positioning crystal,” Liu Ying continued, oblivious to Gao De’s shock.
"Because the travel dial is a marvel designed for interdimensional travel, it is compatible with multiple energy types and has no strict restrictions on the type of energy, as long as it is pure enough and free from noise."
“Then we can use the Soul Essence Fragments!” Gao De immediately realized: “Although the energy intensity of the Soul Essence Fragments is not very strong, they are pure enough to meet the requirements.”
“Yes.” Liu Ying nodded gently.
Gao De looked down at the travel watch face in his hand, his fingertips tracing the spiderweb-like cracks on the case, feeling the faint coolness emanating from the astral gold.
Who would have thought that the broken antique he picked up in the Glorious City Antique Street would become his lifeline in escaping the Desolate Soul Realm?
“Then I’ll give it a try first,” Gao De said immediately.
He originally had three fragments of soul essence that he had specifically kept as an emergency measure.
Later, during the period of adapting to magic-free conditions, she was given another one in order to help Liu Ying stabilize her soul state.
There are now two remaining, enough to serve as a synchronization medium.
Even if it fails once, there are always backups.
The interior of the stone tower is quiet, far from the howling of the dead soul wind, making it an excellent place for harmony.
Gaode immediately sat down cross-legged, placed the travel watch face on his lap, and gently pressed his fingertips against the center of the watch face to ensure physical contact throughout.
He then took out a fragment of soul essence and pressed it onto the astral positioning crystal.
Immediately afterwards, Gao De took a deep breath and adjusted his breathing rhythm.
At this moment, the pure energy within the fragments of soul essence, like a stream, began to spread along the cracks in the dial, gradually enveloping the dull gray-green crystal.
At first, the dial did not react at all, as if it were just an ordinary piece of broken metal.
But as soul energy continued to be injected, the astral positioning crystal finally began to heat up slightly.
A faint green light emanated from the depths of the crystal, blocked by the energy shield on the surface, but it was enough to prove that it was beginning to awaken.
Gao De concentrated all his energy, fully releasing his soul perception, like extending countless tiny threads, carefully probing the core of the travel dial.
He could clearly feel the twisted gears inside the dial and the astral primordial energy contained within the astral gold.
It was a vast, icy yet orderly energy that resonated faintly with his soul.
This process did not go smoothly.
The damaged dial's energy circuit broke, and the soul threads repeatedly struck the barrier, unable to penetrate the core.
Gao De did not rush, but slowed down the pace, guiding the threads of mental energy along the trajectory of energy flow, gradually bypassing the broken circuit, and approaching the astral positioning crystal.
Time passed second by second, and inside the stone tower, only Gao De's steady breathing and the gradually dimming aura of the fragments of soul essence could be heard.
Just as the glow of the soul essence fragment was about to completely fade, Gao De's soul threads finally touched the core of the astral positioning crystal.
At that moment, it felt as if a cold current surged into his mind along the threads of his soul.
Countless shattered images, coordinates, and energy fluctuations exploded instantly.
These messages are disorganized, yet they carry a sense of order that originates from the universe.
At the same time, the travel watch face on his lap began to change:
A faint green glow shines through the spiderweb-like cracks in its shell, like fireflies in the night sky.
The internally twisted gears seemed to be drawn by energy, emitting a soft "click, click" sound.
Although things are still not going smoothly, they are no longer a lifeless, desolate place.
The bent pointer actually began to tremble slightly;
The temperature of the astral positioning crystal gradually increased, and it was no longer as cold as before.
Gao De could clearly feel that his soul had established an invisible connection with the travel dial, as if it were an extension of his body.
He can "hear" the faint "signals" transmitted from the watch face whenever he wants.
This feeling is strange and mysterious.
When the last bit of soul essence energy was absorbed by the dial, and the fragments of soul essence had turned to ashes and dissipated into the air, the synchronization was finally completed.
Gao De slowly opened his eyes, a faint green light flashing in them before disappearing.
He reached out and picked up the travel watch. Although it was still broken, it was no longer the lifeless antique it once was, but instead emitted a faint yet stable energy fluctuation.
"Did you succeed?" Liu Ying asked.
"Yes, it worked. You were right. Although its abilities are greatly reduced due to the damage, the difficulty of synchronization has also decreased." Gao De nodded, his tone tinged with fatigue but unable to hide his excitement.
He held up the dial, feeling the vibrations of the hands and the temperature of the positioning crystal: "Now, I can sense the resonance between the astral plane and this plane."
"Although the damage prevents me from displaying precise coordinates, I can vaguely sense which direction the resonance is stronger, which should be the area where the dimensional barrier is relatively weak."
As Gaode rotated its body, the frequency of the pointer's trembling changed with the change in direction.
What surprised him even more was that he could clearly perceive the direction of the mage plane.
It was a guidance that came from the depths of the soul.
No matter how he turns his body, he can accurately lock onto that direction.
It was as if there was a thread in the dark connecting him to the mage plane.
This is precisely the core capability of a travel watch dial as a "dimensional navigation tool"—it remains powerful even when damaged.
It's hard to believe how powerful a perfectly intact travel watch dial can be.
I just don't know if there's any way to fix it?
Of course, Gaode Maps doesn't have time to care about that right now.
The most urgent task is to escape the Desolate Soul Domain.
A crystal ball the size of a human head floats in the center of the circular stone hall, its pale blue light flickering like breathing, each flash accompanied by a subtle hum of energy.
Grand Duke Wang Mian stood before the crystal ball, his sharp eyes revealing a calm face devoid of any emotion.
However, his hands were clenched tightly, his knuckles turned white from the force, and the veins bulged slightly under his skin.
Marcus stood to the side, head down.
"Locate the entrance to the Obsidian Merchant Guild." Grand Duke Wang Mian's voice was like cold steel, carrying an unquestionable authority.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Marcus said, bowing his head as he channeled his magic into the crystal ball.
In an instant, the light from the crystal ball surged dramatically, and the pale blue light almost filled the entire stone hall.
Countless tiny points of light surged out from inside the crystal ball, like a reversed galaxy, rapidly converging and recombining within the ball.
First came the blurry outline of the street, then the illusory figures of bustling pedestrians, and finally the shop signs shimmering with magical light—everything was incredibly lifelike.
The image quickly focused, as if guided by an invisible hand, precisely locking onto a figure in the crowd.
It was Liu Ying who used her disguise technique to change her appearance. Her originally exquisite face became ordinary, except for her clear eyes which still had a lively quality.
Her eyebrows curved slightly as she spoke to the boy beside her.
Grand Duke Wang Mian's breathing quickened slightly, his eyes fixed on the crystal ball.
However, the scene inside the crystal ball was utterly bland.
After speaking with the boy, Liu Ying nodded slightly, smiled as if saying goodbye, and then turned and walked towards the west of the city with steady steps, without any abnormality.
The boy nodded to her and turned to walk towards the east of the city.
The two parted ways and never crossed paths again.
Everything was perfectly normal; nothing happened.
"Who is that boy who was talking to Liu Ying?" Grand Duke Wang Mian suddenly asked, his gaze still fixed on the crystal ball, his tone devoid of emotion.
“Your Excellency, his name is God, and he is a sea sentinel mage from Byro County,” Marcus replied immediately, bowing deeply.
"He just arrived in Mithril City yesterday to take on the Gym Challenge. He has already successfully completed the Ryukyu Gym Challenge and collected all twelve Gym Badges."
“According to the rules, he will become a substitute member of our country’s mage team in this year’s Magic Competition. His Highness Liuying went there specifically to see his final challenge.” He paused, lowering his voice even further, with a hint of guilt.
Because it was he who let Liu Ying leave, although Grand Duke Wang Mian did not blame him for it.
"He, like Prince Liuying, has also been missing for a day."
"We searched the hotels and art galleries in the city, but found no trace of him."
“It has also disappeared.” Grand Duke Wang Mian narrowed his eyes.
Clearly, this is where the problem lies.
"The entire city has been searched?"
"We've checked the streets, shops, and chambers of commerce, but we haven't found any trace of Princess Liuying or Gao De. There aren't even any witnesses. It's as if they vanished into thin air."
“It’s been a whole day. She’s never been away from home for so long in her entire life!” Grand Duke Wang Mian slowly clenched his fist, his voice deepening.
"Let's do it again, but slower," he gestured after a moment of silence.
"Yes, sir." Marcus didn't dare delay and immediately manipulated the crystal ball.
The image reverses direction, like the tide flowing backward, and then replays at an extremely slow speed.
"Stop!" Grand Duke Wang Mian suddenly raised his hand, his voice suddenly becoming more forceful, "Focus on that person."
The image freezes on the moment Liu Ying bids farewell to Gao De, then quickly shifts to the left, magnifying the crowd on the left side of the Chamber of Commerce.
Countless faces were clearly visible: merchants, apprentices, and patrolling guards, most of them looking hurried but showing no signs of distress.
Until the image was zoomed in to its limit, a figure wrapped in a dark gray robe came into view.
The man blended into the crowd, his hood pulled low, revealing only a pale chin. He looked like an ordinary passerby, no different from the other pedestrians on the street.
He didn't approach Liu Ying, but stood far away on the street corner, as if he were just passing by.
But Grand Duke Wang Mian's eyes suddenly sharpened, as if he had made up his mind about something.
“This demeanor is off…” he suddenly said, “Zoom in on his shoulder line and gait.”
The image zoomed in again, revealing a person with taut shoulders and a steady yet deliberately restrained gait, each step precisely placed in the gaps between the crowd.
It is inconspicuous yet allows you to see every move of the firefly.
"They don't seem to be from this country, but rather..." Grand Duke Wang Mian pondered for a moment, a knowing glint in his eyes, and instructed the servant waiting beside him:
"Bring me all the information on the Holy Empire's mage delegation that arrived in our Mithril City."
"Yes, Your Highness." The servant dared not delay and quickly left the stone hall. A moment later, he returned with a thick stack of documents and respectfully handed them to the Duke.
Grand Duke Wang Mian took the documents and quickly began to peruse them.
When he turned to the third-to-last page, his fingers suddenly stopped.
That was the information of an accompanying mage in the Holy Empire's mage delegation.
Although he looked very different from the figure in the picture, in the eyes of Grand Duke Wang Mian, he seemed to have made up his mind about something and stared at him intently.
"Just as I thought," he murmured, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes.
(End of this chapter)