As Angel was remembering the mural, the Wise Sovereign had already reached the center of the room.
He sat down directly on the floor.
"The mural has been discussed enough. Now we can talk about the Eternal Serpent Emblem, and those Baiyuanians you are interested in."
Angel also came to sit opposite the Wise Sovereign. He initially wanted to conjure an illusionary chair, but seeing the Wise Sovereign seated on the ground, he felt uneasy about being at a higher position, so he sat cross-legged on the floor as well.
"Let’s talk about the Eternal Serpent Emblem first," said the Wise Sovereign. "Before we delve into the topic, I want to ask you, why do you think the Eternal Serpent Emblem is the Snake Coiled Awl?"
Angel responded with a question: "Has the Wise Sovereign ever heard of the Kulakuka Tribe?"
The Wise Sovereign thought for a moment, then said hesitantly, "Are you referring to the Little People?"
Angel was taken aback: "Little People?"
In a sense, the Kulakuka Clan members indeed qualify as Little People, being no larger than the size of a palm. What else could they be? However, was their scientific name truly Little People?
The Wise Sovereign could sense Angel’s confusion, so he explained: "In the Southern Domain, apart from humans, any beings accepted by the Wizards and able to learn Transcendent knowledge must have close kinship ties to the Human Race. These include: Giants, Humanoids, Dwarfs, and Little People."
"Among these close human relatives, most would guess Dwarfs might be closest in kinship to humans, since many humans aren’t much taller than Dwarfs. And apart from resembling dwarfs, Dwarfs appear no different from humans."
"But in reality, Dwarfs aren’t all that close in bloodline to humans, only slightly more than Humanoids."
"Actually, the closest in kinship to humans are the Little People, those tiny palm-sized beings."
"There’s a rumor that Little People were originally a creation of some powerful Transcendent Wizards, a race created using their own bloodlines in the pursuit of miracles. So their anatomical structure is nearly identical to humans."
"Thus, Little People are generally not barred from entering Witcher Organizations. In contrast, Humanoids, Giants, and Dwarfs may not be readily welcomed."
The information given by the Wise Sovereign to Angel was something he had heard briefly before, but it was the first time he listened to such detailed information.
The Wise Sovereign’s words were indeed akin to reality.
Some talented individuals of the Kulakuka Clan had entered the Barbarian Cave without any barriers, and the Wizards willingly served as their Mentors.
"The Kulakuka Tribe should be considered as Little People," said Angel with a sigh. "I thought the Wise Sovereign hadn’t heard of them."
The Wise Sovereign: "I’ve encountered many Little People, but not the Kulakuka Tribe. However, I’ve read many wizardly travel notes, including records of the Kulakuka Tribe. I remember hearing they are protected by the Black Castle?"
Angel nodded: "Yes."
Presently, a part of the Kulakuka Tribe remains under the Black Castle’s protection, while another part is under Angel’s guardianship.
"So you suddenly mention the Kulakuka Tribe in relation to the Eternal Serpent Emblem?"
Angel replied: "Sort of, the term Eternal Serpent Emblem was told to me by the Kulakuka Tribe’s Priest. That Priest shared with me that the symbol of the Snake Coiled Awl is known as the Eternal Serpent Emblem; as for the circular awl within it, it’s called the Cone of Eternity."
The Wise Sovereign raised an eyebrow: "Cone of Eternity? It’s my first time hearing this. A name given by the Baiyuanians? Also, how did the Kulakuka Tribe learn of this information?"
Angel: "I don’t know if it was named by Baiyuanian descendants. But the Kulakuka Tribe, living in the Fairy Tale World, witnessed the fall of the Giant Serpent Kingdom, hence gaining some knowledge of its history."
"The Giant Serpent Kingdom." The Wise Sovereign pondered for a moment: "I’ve vaguely heard of it, but didn’t expect it to be connected with the Snake Coiled Awl."
Angel: "From what I know, the Giant Serpent Kingdom was a Mortal Kingdom with a flourishing healing practice, with all those practicing medicine swearing an oath to the Snake Coiled Awl emblem."
"An oath?" asked the Wise Sovereign: "Related to the Snake Coiled Awl?"
Angel shook his head: "The oath’s content is mostly about post-medicine conduct and the ethics of healers, without mentioning the Snake Coiled Awl."
"I see," said the Wise Sovereign, touching his chin, pondering for a while, then saying: "Based on your explanation and my own conjectures, there might be a Baiyuanian descendant influence within the Giant Serpent Kingdom. The Snake Coiled Awl is indeed skilled in medical practice, so their association with the Giant Serpent Kingdom for healer oaths must involve the Baiyuanians."
"That’s my hypothesis as well," Angel quietly affirmed, pointing to the black snake above the Snake Coiled Awl: "Previously, at the Giant Serpent Kingdom’s ruins, I encountered a wise black snake that lived for over a thousand years. I thought this black snake was the snake above the Snake Coiled Awl."
"But now it seems, I was mistaken."
Previously, Angel believed the Snake Coiled Awl’s emblem to be the Eternal Serpent Emblem.
The snake on the Eternal Serpent Emblem was Axo. The awl on the Eternal Serpent Emblem was the Cone of Eternity.
But now the Wise Sovereign told him he’d never heard of the Cone of Eternity. And regarding the Eternal Serpent Emblem, although the Wise Sovereign hadn’t explicitly denied it being the Snake Coiled Awl, the implication in his tone suggested no equivalence between the two.
In other words, Angel’s previous understanding might be entirely wrong.
However, as Angel reflected on his misunderstanding, the Wise Sovereign assured him: "Times change, my knowledge might not be correct. Just like the Cone of Eternity, if it’s the recognized name within the Giant Serpent Kingdom, then it’s also acknowledged by the Baiyuanian descendants."
"My knowledge comes from ages past, enough to witness a forest transform into deserts, plains raised to ridges. So, don’t overly focus on my answer; let your judgment be your guide, my answer is just a reference."
Reflectively, the Wise Sovereign narrated what he knew from ages past about the "answer" to the Eternal Serpent Emblem.
The relationship between the Snake Coiled Awl and the Eternal Serpent Emblem wasn’t just as Angel understood it. But the Eternal Serpent Emblem was indeed connected to the Snake Coiled Awl.
The Snake Coiled Awl is an internal faction within the Baiyuan Clan, excelling in healing and research, leaning toward the Academy Faction in wizard terms.
Within the Academy Faction, the primary medical research targets curing stubborn ailments. A bit more advanced involves studying the sources of illness. Even more advanced entails targeted research on the microscopic and macroscopic world. Ultimately, medical research aims at... Immortality.
The Academy Faction of the Wizard World is such, as is Jon’s concept of Earth scholars.
The pursuit of immortality seems to be deeply embedded in the highest command center of human beings—the brain, an indelible imprint on human thought.
Not only for humans alone but also for the continuation of the "brain" itself.
Though discussing it this way separates the brain from thought, countless experiments show the brain sometimes deceives even its thoughts. Just like the famous split-brain experiment, the left and right brains concoct numerous reasons that seem laughable to outsiders, and you wouldn’t find anything amiss.
Similarly, seeking immortality is also the goal of the Snake Coiled Awl.
The Baiyuan Clan considers itself the favored lineage under the gaze of fate, the true children of the World Will; such prodigies must surely be deserving of eternal life, right?
So, within the Baiyuan Clan, some aspire for immortality, and this group is the Snake Coiled Awl.