“Yes.” Lem’s simulated self responded hurriedly.
Lem’s attention was riveted on Master Brightflame. Was he about to learn more about anomalies?
His simulated self hesitated, and when he saw that the martial elder was staring at him, he continued. “Anomalies break from the operation of the world. When they appear as phenomena, they create bizarre rules that govern the areas they affect.”
“Hmm.” Master Brightflame slowly wiped the gore from his hands and the knife on a nearby patch of grass. “One of the most famous cautionary tales of anomalous phenomena involved the Great Wolf Ancestor.”
He stood up.
Woosh!
An unexpected burst of flame suddenly ignited over his hands, startling Lem’s simulated self. The flame evaporated the remaining bloodstains, before vanishing into thin air, as though it had never existed.
Lem’s simulated self was taken aback. Even after he recognized that it was a cleaning technique, his heart would not stop pounding.
How exquisite did the martial elder’s control have to be to freely command fire in such a casual way?
Lem marveled at the technique. At the same time, he tried to keep his focus on Master Brightflame’s words.
“It was said that long ago, when strange existences appeared in the world, there were many top experts who investigated them. They were peerless talents who stood out even among the immortals. They included the primogenitors of several races, including the race of wolves.
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“Even these experts did not understand much about the strange existences. Evil and anomalous were as far as they went in differentiating them. Evils were the strange beings that existed to kill and infect. Anomalies were everything else that broke the rules of the world.
“I won’t elaborate on the details, as they are less important and not fully understood, but suffice it to say that the Great Wolf Ancestor fought a horrific battle with an anomalous phenomenon that eventually resulted in mutual destruction. This battle was not witnessed by anyone, and what little is known of it comes from its consequences.
“Namely among these consequences is the complete collapse of the race of wolves. As a species today, the strongest among them are barely comparable to Martial Masters.
“The reasons given for this are varied, as the strange rules of the anomalous phenomenon are always under dispute, but one of the most widely agreed upon explanations was that it imposed a racial lock.”
Master Brightflame had stooped down and begun to put away the containers holding the organs of the wolf king. One by one, he set them inside of his bag, before closing it, and slinging it over his back.
Lem continued to listen with rapt attention.
“Again, the specifics are debated, but it is generally thought that this lock only affects those weaker members who are of the same lineage as the one affected. At the same time, there is no reason to think that any race with a powerful existing member would be exempt from being affected.
“There are further questions about the extent to which a racial lock could be imposed by future anomalous phenomena. Some speculate that the phenomena could affect anything of the same species, while others think that it can only affect direct lineages.
“I find the speculation rather unimportant. Just think of this. All it would take was for one powerful human to enter into conflict with an anomalous phenomenon, and just like that.”
Master Brightflame snapped his fingers.
“All of the human immortals are exterminated, and you become bound by a racial lock. Your intelligence plummets and you lose the ability to cultivate.”