470: Searching for clues to the Bloody Ancient Lamp

"Gestalt Collapse?"

After Shen Bei recounted his symptoms, Professor Gu Xinrou couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Shen Bei nodded: "There are always a few times a day when the things in front of my eyes become distorted. How should I describe it..."

Shen Bei thought for a moment, then continued: "Van Gogh possessed me."

Professor Gu Xinrou tapped her fingers on the table, thinking for a while.

Then she got up and left the room. After about ten minutes, Professor Gu Xinrou returned with a very ancient-looking book.

Shen Bei glanced at it and found the book somewhat familiar.

He felt like he had seen it somewhere...

Professor Gu Xinrou, however, said: "Do you remember when you took down the Zha Tian Gang camp in Changtu Grotto?"

Shen Bei's memories were stirred, and he replied: "I remember. That was my highlight moment."

Professor Gu Xinrou held up the book: "At that time, we plundered a large pile of books from a village in the Abyss. After coming out, we sold a portion to merchants. Another portion was acquired by the state treasury. Look, this is fate. I had some insomnia a few days ago and just happened to borrow this book."

Shen Bei suddenly understood.

No wonder it looked familiar.

So, he was the one who brought this book back in the first place?

"This book is written in Abyss characters and has not been translated at all."

Professor Gu Xinrou quickly flipped through it: "Actually, this book isn't very useful. It's neither a Martial Skill nor a Cultivation technique."

"If I had to categorize it, it would probably be similar to ancient rural folklore."

Shen Bei scratched his head: "So..."

Professor Gu Xinrou did not answer Shen Bei's question, but instead extended her hand: "Give me the ancient lamp."

Shen Bei flipped his palm and took out the ancient lamp from his Storage Ring.

Professor Gu Xinrou's mouth twitched as she watched Shen Bei's actions.

Damn it...

A Storage Ring!

One is worth tens to hundreds of billions!

"Truly, truly rich..."

Professor Gu Xinrou felt a pang of envy.

Shen Bei grinned: "I picked it up in the Abyss."

Professor Gu Xinrou felt even more envious.

Even if you stepped in dog shit, you wouldn't pick up something like this!

Then, Professor Gu Xinrou placed the blood-colored ancient lamp on the table, seemingly a bit wary, and compared it by flipping through the book's pages.

Soon.

Professor Gu Xinrou pointed to a page in the book: "Look, does it look similar?"

Shen Bei's gaze followed Professor Gu Xinrou's finger.

He saw.

On this page of the book, there was an illustration.

It had a pattern of an ancient lamp.

It did look similar, but some details on the ancient lamp were missing.

Some lines and inscriptions that could be seen at a glance matched up.

But upon closer comparison, the ancient lamp drawn in the book was not as detailed as the real object.

"It does look similar, but not entirely," Shen Bei replied.

Professor Gu Xinrou kept her words as conservative as possible, saying: "Although some details are different, it can almost be confirmed that this is the same item."

Shen Bei, however, became interested: "What does it say?"

Shen Bei understood Professor Gu Xinrou's intention here.

She must be trying to uncover the origin and history of the blood-colored ancient lamp through this book of rural folklore.

Only by deeply understanding the blood-colored ancient lamp could she prescribe the right remedy.

Professor Gu Xinrou concisely stated: "This miscellaneous record doesn't mention much, saying that this ancient lamp belongs to the Suspended Lantern Sect and can allow people to enter a distorted world, affecting their perception of reality. Once affected, there's a possibility of being completely swallowed by the distorted world, leaving not even a Soul, and utterly disappearing."

After hearing this, Shen Bei stroked his chin and asked: "That's it?"

Professor Gu Xinrou spread her hands: "That's it. It's a miscellaneous record, not a novel or a biography. It's just casual notes from a recorder."

Shen Bei frowned. According to what the book said, it was similar to Thunder King Ye Leng's experience.

He was indeed completely swallowed.

And he, with his innate good luck, broke free and escaped death.

From this, it could be known that this ancient lamp kills invisibly!

Of course, the most crucial information was the appearance of a new term: Suspended Lantern Sect.

Shen Bei asked: "Is there any information about the Suspended Lantern Sect?"

Professor Gu Xinrou sighed: "Unfortunately, this is the first time I've received this information. Perhaps the Abyss is too vast, and such unknown small sects don't have much fame, making their traces hard to find."

Professor Gu Xinrou's calm statement, however, felt like a wolf's tooth club being shoved hard into Shen Bei's... throat, piercing all the way down his esophagus to his heart.

It was agonizing, Ma Fei!

In Shen Bei's opinion, he who tied the bell must untie it.

His Gestalt Collapse was currently not too severe.

But who could guarantee it wouldn't worsen in the future?

If his entire world completely fell into Gestalt Collapse, then things would get out of hand.

He wouldn't even be able to fight, let alone take care of basic daily life.

Therefore, he still had to find the Suspended Lantern Sect and see if there was a way to solve his problem.

From Professor Gu Xinrou's perspective, putting aside the Suspended Lantern Sect, Shen Bei's current lingering after-effects were, in the final analysis, just a comical little interlude.

Although it sounded like it had a negative impact on Shen Bei, it wasn't so severe as to make him lose his judgment at critical moments.

Scientifically speaking, there is a symptom called "agnosia" in reality, which belongs to brain damage.

It can be subdivided into many symptoms. Shen Bei's type should be "associative agnosia."

He can accurately describe the shape, color, size, and material of objects, but he just can't remember what they are used for. What his eyes see cannot form a match with his memory.

There is also a more magical symptom called "apperceptive agnosia,"

where what is seen is broken down into countless geometric shapes that cannot form a whole.

But Professor Gu Xinrou knew that Shen Bei's after-effect was not his own.

It originated from the blood-colored ancient lamp.

Therefore, scientific medical methods would not work.

This belonged to the realm of "metaphysics."

Science was powerless.

Professor Gu Xinrou was silent for a moment before saying: "Don't worry too much for now. I'll take some time to look through more information and see if I can find any clues about the Suspended Lantern Sect. With clues, there's hope of solving the problem."

Shen Bei nodded in thanks.

For now, the Gestalt Collapse was not too severe.

He still had time.

However, Shen Bei let out a long breath filled with complex thoughts: "Speed up the research on the odd object mask. I might need to go down to the Abyss at any time to find the location of the Suspended Lantern Sect."

"Don't worry, even if you don't say it, I know what to do," Professor Gu Xinrou continued: "What's more, the research is already nearing its end. Even if you take the odd object mask now, it won't affect the research progress."

"However, I have a suggestion."

Shen Bei looked up at Professor Gu Xinrou: "Teacher, please speak."

"If I'm not mistaken, Bai Wei and the others went down to the Abyss, didn't they?"

"Yes," Shen Bei answered truthfully: "They went with the royal family members from the Central Continent's Imperial City to exchange prisoners."

"Let's wait for their news," Professor Gu Xinrou said frankly: "This time, Bai Wei and the others went so far. Who knows what they might have seen and heard along the way? What if there's news of the Suspended Lantern Sect?"

Although Shen Bei felt that what Professor Gu Xinrou said was more or less a bit unreliable.

This was purely a matter of luck.

But who could say for sure?

Shen Bei nodded: "I hope there's good news."

Afterwards, Shen Bei and Professor Gu Xinrou chatted for about another hour.

They thoroughly analyzed Shen Bei's Gestalt Collapse.

Shen Bei felt somewhat relieved.

The next plan was simple: while waiting for Bai Wei and the others to return, life would go on as usual.

If Bai Wei and the others returned without any news of the Suspended Lantern Sect.

Then Shen Bei would have no choice but to go down to the Abyss and search for a needle in a haystack.

He had to dig out the Suspended Lantern Sect, then infiltrate it, and completely correct and eliminate his Gestalt Collapse.

Leaving Professor Gu Xinrou's research institute.

Shen Bei checked the time.

He suddenly remembered that today was also the day he was supposed to meet Two Headed Vine offline.

Returning to the Martial Arts University.

He prepared his disguise tools and carried his bag.

Shen Bei planned to disguise himself closer to the meeting point.

So he headed towards the rendezvous point.

The result was...

Halfway there.

As expected, the unexpected still happened...