Translator: AnubisTL
"This..." Jieming was startled by his mentor's words.
Clark, indifferent to appearances, pushed the space expansion pouch closer to Jieming. "It's not as dramatic as you think. These are just surface-level studies, enough to help you overcome this immediate hurdle."
"And don't think this is a free gift. Wizards believe in equivalent exchange. You'll have to pay me merit points for this!"
Jieming instinctively took the pouch and opened it to find stacks upon stacks of paper and crystal tablets.
They were densely covered with runes, formulas, analytical diagrams, and handwritten annotations.
These manuscripts contained the culmination of a sixth-tier wizard's centuries of research, their value immeasurable.
Holding this weighty gift, Jieming couldn't help but feel deeply moved.
He understood the true value of such core research materials all too well.
Under normal circumstances, core research—especially knowledge concerning planar or even higher-level laws—would never be sold.
These materials often represented a wizard's most fundamental wealth, the very foundation of their livelihood.
Though Mentor Clark had named a substantial "price," explicitly stating that the manuscripts weren't free, Jieming knew this price was still far below their true worth.
Jieming knew very well that the price Mentor Clark had set would bankrupt even a second or third-tier wizard.
But for Jieming, the price was merely the value of two Red Dust Magic Potions.
Clark was well aware of Jieming's current production efficiency for Red Dust Magic Potions and his overall wealth.
For Jieming at this stage, this core knowledge was essentially being given away for free.
The magnitude of this favor was undeniable.
"Mentor..."
"What is it?" Clark sliced off a piece of faintly blue-glowing flesh and put it in his mouth, glancing at Jieming with an impassive expression.
Jieming's lips twitched, unsure what to say. "Thank you very much..."
"You're still my student, after all. If your skills were too poor, they'd question my teaching ability, which would harm my future product sales," Clark said expressionlessly, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.
"Tsundere behavior is so outdated these days, Mentor..." Jieming muttered under his breath, barely managing to suppress the urge to retort.
"Still, I'm truly grateful for your guidance. With this knowledge, my research can finally continue."
Clark nodded slightly. "It's merely an equivalent exchange. These are just outdated research materials; I'm not losing anything."
"If that's not enough, I can also explain the situation to my mentor," Mentor Clark added. "During the recent trial on the Elosia Plane, the alchemy lineage captured several divine beings. I can ask my mentor to act as an intermediary and see if we can purchase knowledge derived from studying these divine beings, or even some divine samples."
Jieming's heart leaped. Divine samples—that was the research material of his dreams.
The remnants or soul fragments of divine beings often contained the most core information about the laws of the universe, which would be a tremendous boon to his research on the Divine Power Faith Network.
However, after careful consideration, he still declined Mentor Clark's offer.
"Mentor, I appreciate your generosity," Jieming said sincerely and firmly. "But I've decided not to pursue deeper involvement for now."
He looked at Mentor Clark, his eyes clear with the clarity of deep reflection. "If I once believed I could quickly unravel the mysteries of the Divine Power Faith Network, my research over the past years has only made me realize how shallow my understanding was back then. The more I learn, the more I understand how much more there is to know."
"This artifact truly deserves to be considered a lifetime's worth of core knowledge for a wizard," Jieming remarked with a sigh. "The time required to fully comprehend it would likely be immeasurable. My immediate priority remains enhancing my own strength."
Mentor Clark observed him, a flicker of approval in his eyes.
Jieming's choice, though it meant forgoing the immense temptation within reach, demonstrated a clear understanding of his own path and a profound grasp of the essence of power.
It was a sign of maturity.
"You are responsible for the decisions you make. That is the way of the wizard," Mentor Clark nodded slightly, then shifted his tone. "Of course, if you had been foolish enough to ask me to make the connection, someone so lacking in judgment would no longer be worthy of being my student."
Jieming's eyelid twitched, realizing his mentor wasn't joking.
Had he made the wrong choice, Clark would have indeed helped him make the connection, but it would likely have been his last visit to his mentor's wizard tower.
"You've always insisted on a Seventh-Tier Large Energy Pool. I was worried you might have become too arrogant, but now that I see you have your reasons, I can rest assured."
Jieming was startled by Clark's words. "Then the Seventh-Tier Large Energy Pool you mentioned earlier..."
"Rest assured, I'm not one to resort to deception. I've already made the arrangements for you," Clark said, glancing at his apprentice.
Seeing Jieming's relieved expression, Clark couldn't help but shake his head. "But let's be blunt: even if I've secured it for you, you won't obtain it anytime soon. Given the complexity of crafting a Seventh-Tier Large Energy Pool, even my mentor would need over a century to complete it."
Jieming fell silent, understanding Clark's meaning.
If he truly was as arrogant as Clark feared, he likely wouldn't live long enough to see the large elemental pool.
While wizards appeared formidable conquering planes, each journey to a new plane carried immense risks.
Many profited from the Planar War, but the number of wizards who perished was equally staggering.
A wizard's greatest strength lay in their intelligence, yet their most dangerous flaw was arrogance.
The endless planes held infinite possibilities, and hubris would swiftly invite its corresponding "reward."
High-rank wizards like Clark had completely transformed their thinking into that of long-lived species, granting them an exaggerated level of foresight and wisdom.
They disdained deceiving apprentices, but if a problem arose, they wouldn't hesitate to profit from it.
"Well... it seems I've passed this test," Jieming thought to himself, contentedly sipping a drink that looked as if tormented spirits were wailing within its liquid depths.
After finishing the momentous feast, Jieming, his space expansion pouch heavy with treasures, bid farewell to his mentor and returned to the Golden Garden via teleportation formation.
As night fell, Jieming sat in his laboratory, meticulously unpacking the manuscripts and immersing himself in a new round of research.
Since Mentor Clark generously shared his research manuscript on the Divine Power Faith Network, Jieming's interactions with his mentor had deepened.
Their conversations, initially focused on answering Jieming's questions, gradually evolved into profound academic discussions.
Mentor Clark would occasionally pose thought-provoking questions or share insights from the fringes of his past research, while Jieming would reciprocate by providing his mentor with the latest experimental data and reflections.
This mentor-friend dynamic allowed Jieming to feel unprecedented fulfillment and progress on his path of seeking knowledge.
Another year passed.
Jieming's life rhythm remained stable.
During this year, he devoted most of his energy to studying Mentor Clark's manuscript.
The runes and theoretical data, brimming with the mysteries of the Divine Power Faith Network from another plane, opened up entirely new perspectives for him.
He began attempting to integrate this knowledge into his understanding of the faith network on the Elosia Plane, meticulously dismantling, analyzing, and reconstructing previously obscure concepts.
Day after day, Jieming, like an unyielding seeker of the dao, explored the ocean of knowledge and power.
His mental power grew increasingly pure, and his understanding of the laws deepened daily.
Then, one day, an unexpected change occurred.
Jieming was sitting in the center of his laboratory, meticulously analyzing a complex divine rune extracted from Clark's manuscripts.
Suddenly, he felt a faint tremor deep within his mental sea.
This tremor wasn't caused by external energy surges or instability in his own mental power.
It originated from within, from the very core of his mental sea—the Ring of Truth.
At first, it was just a subtle ripple, like a ripple on a calm lake, almost imperceptible.
But soon, the ripple began to spread, becoming more frequent and distinct.
Hum...
A deep, resonant hum filled Jieming's mental sea.
The sound didn't reach his ears; instead, it resonated directly within his soul, carrying a peculiar rhythm, as if some vast entity were awakening.
When he focused his inner vision on his mental sea, he saw that the Ring of Truth was emitting a light far brighter than usual.
Within that radiant glow, something seemed to be brewing, taking root.
As the humming intensified, every witchcraft model constructed within Jieming's mental sea began to tremble slightly.
They weren't collapsing, but rather being drawn by some invisible force. Each rune trembled slightly, resonating in unison.
It was as if they were cheering, leaping with joy, or preparing to welcome the arrival of something new.
This sensation was unprecedented, both unfamiliar and yet instinctively familiar.
Jieming immediately halted his data analysis and suspended all research.
This anomaly was too peculiar; it was best to exercise caution.
The first person he thought to seek help from was naturally his mentor.
Jieming swiftly activated the teleportation formation and returned to Mentor Clark's private plane.
When he entered Mentor Clark's laboratory, the mentor was conducting a complex alchemy experiment, surrounded by intense elemental fluctuations.
Jieming's arrival didn't seem to disturb him. Clark merely glanced up and immediately sensed the anomaly in Jieming's mental sea.
"Mentor, the witchcraft models in my mental sea seem to be acting strangely..." Jieming stated bluntly.
He then described in detail the Ring of Truth's tremors and the resonance of the witchcraft models.
Upon hearing this, Mentor Clark paused his work.
He turned, his deep gaze settling on Jieming with a hint of understanding, a rare smile gracing his lips.
"Excellent. It seems you've been working diligently, without the slightest懈怠," Mentor Clark said, his voice tinged with satisfaction. "Jieming, the anomalies in your mental sea are precisely the precursors to the birth of a new spell!"
Jieming's heart jolted at these words.
A new spell!
"But... how is that possible?" Jieming asked, incredulous. "I haven't consciously studied any advanced knowledge, nor have I attempted to construct a new witchcraft model..."
Mentor Clark gently brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. "Your situation is indeed quite rare among modern wizards, though it was once commonplace in ancient times."
"Since the widespread sharing of knowledge, most wizards, after mastering their foundational spells, consciously choose to study advanced knowledge, following established systems to accelerate their autonomous construction of new spells."
"They advance along paths forged by their predecessors, achieving high efficiency but inevitably becoming constrained by the thoughts of those who came before."
"Your case, however, is different. You've painstakingly increased your knowledge through your own research and understanding, bit by bit. When your comprehension of the world's fundamental nature reached a critical point, it triggered the Ring of Truth within your mental sea, enabling it to autonomously construct new core runes and ultimately allowing you to independently create new spells."
Mentor Clark walked to the massive Elemental Sand Table at the center of the laboratory. With a gentle tap of his finger, complex rune patterns materialized on the table's surface.
"Both methods of autonomously constructing spells have their advantages and disadvantages," Mentor Clark continued. "The former, learning and imitation, allows wizards to acquire new spells more quickly and rapidly enhance their combat capabilities. They're like possessing meticulously crafted tools from their predecessors, ready for immediate use."
"But the spells you create are born from your deepest understanding. These spells are uniquely suited to you."
"They perfectly align with your mental characteristics, your knowledge system, and even your unique insights into the laws of nature. They aren't borrowed tools but extensions of your soul, crystallized expressions of your intelligence."
"While its raw power might not surpass other spells by much, it's undoubtedly the spell most perfectly suited for you."
Jieming felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Though his intuition had already told him that the anomaly in his mental sea was likely not a bad thing, having it confirmed still brought a sense of reassurance.
"Then... how should I begin constructing it?" Jieming asked eagerly.
"The process isn't particularly complex, especially for someone with your extensive knowledge," Mentor Clark explained in detail. "Once your knowledge level reaches a certain threshold, the Ring of Truth in your mental sea will automatically construct the corresponding core rune for you."
(End of the Chapter)
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