Chapter 478 - 466: How to Become a Morning Star Wizard
The viscous pressure that weighed down the space quietly receded like an ebbing tide the moment Allen finished speaking.
Deep within that massive pupil, which reflected the birth and death of galaxies, something seemed to shift. It was as if a colossal star system were adjusting its orbit.
Then, an extremely faint yet distinct sound echoed by Allen’s ear.
It sounded like... a soft chuckle.
"A very interesting logical sophistry."
Augustus’s gentle voice returned, but this time, it carried a trace of genuine appreciation, much like a chess player witnessing an opponent make a brilliant, unexpected move.
"A product of Dawn Star Level knowledge... You are very adept at exploiting the rules. You redefined a ’result’ into the endpoint of a ’process.’ You are right. For Morning Stars, figuring out their next step is indeed the ultimate pursuit of knowledge at their stage.
"Allen Wesren. I am starting to like you a little."
Allen finally dared to relax his tense body slightly. Cold sweat had long soaked through the inner lining of his Wizard Robe. This kind of physiological reaction had not occurred in his body for over forty years.
He had wagered correctly. This Moonlight Grand Mage was, at his core, a scholar first and a ruler second. For an entity who treated an entire Plane as a laboratory, an unpredictable variable that could bring surprises was far more valuable than a cog that strictly followed the rules.
"I know what you want—the cultivation direction for the Morning Star stage. So, listen carefully. This knowledge is worth tens of thousands of Credit Points within the Association."
Augustus’s voice grew solemn and majestic. It was no longer confined to Allen’s mind but echoed throughout the entire Floating Island composed of flesh and blood. Every ganglion and blood vessel resonated in harmony with his words, emitting a faint blue glow.
"Advancing to Morning Star means the essence of a Wizard’s soul has undergone another quantum leap. You are no longer lowly creatures simply borrowing power from the Sea of Magical Power; instead, you begin to truly understand this ocean.
"If mortals and apprentices live at the bottom of the sea, then an Official Wizard has learned to swim freely within it. As for a Morning Star Wizard, they have finally breached the surface for the very first time and beheld the star-filled sky.
"Those stars are the cornerstones of the universe, the rules that govern how the world operates. We call them—Laws."
Laws!
The word seemed to contain some indescribable magic, causing Allen’s very soul to tremble.
"Therefore, starting from the Morning Star stage, a Wizard’s path becomes a journey of seeking, understanding, and ultimately proving a ’Law.’
"It is an ascending path that leads from ’technique’ to ’truth.’
"You will no longer need to engrave a fixed Core Witchcraft into your soul as you did before. What you must do is choose the technique you are most adept at, master it, and study it to the absolute extreme. When your technique touches the essence of the world, you will naturally ’see’ the star that belongs to you."
Augustus’s voice paused, seemingly giving Allen time to digest and comprehend the information.
"This process can be divided into three stages.
"The first stage is touching the Law. For instance, when you touch the ’Metal Law’ most common in the Alchemy School, you will, in an instant, discern the essence and properties of all metals in the world. Even a metal you have never seen before will hold no secrets from you."
A storm of shock and amazement surged in Allen’s heart. This was no longer just an increase in raw power; it was an ascension on a cognitive level.
"The second stage is wielding the Law. At this point, you can alter certain inherent properties of metal to a limited extent. For example, you could make iron as hard as a diamond, or give Gold the fluidity of mercury.
"The third stage, which is also the most crucial step, is rewriting the Law."
Augustus’s tone grew profound and meaningful.
"When you reach this step, you will possess the ability to add a completely new property to metals. You could even forge a brand-new metal out of thin air, one that has never existed in the universe. You will no longer just be a user of the rules, but rather... the definer of the rules."
Defining the rules!
Allen’s breath hitched. This was truly the mighty power of a Deity!
"Every Morning Star Wizard can only prove a maximum of three Laws in their lifetime."
Augustus’s voice rang out like an alarm bell. "Once these three Laws are chosen and proven, they can never be changed. They will constitute your future ’Authority’ and determine whether you are qualified to glimpse the vistas of the Moonlight realm."
As his words fell, the entire Floating Island fell into a prolonged silence.
The sheer volume of information was overwhelming. Those words completely overturned Allen’s understanding of the Wizard power system. From an apprentice to a Second-level Wizard, progression was fundamentally about accumulation and application at the level of "technique"—a stacking of quantity. But starting from the Morning Star stage, it was a choice of "the Way"—a leap in quality.
Three Laws would determine the path of one’s entire life. Choose wrong, and one might be forever trapped as a Morning Star. Choose right, and one would earn the chance to ascend to Moonlight.
"So that’s how it is..." Allen murmured softly. He finally understood why Dawn Star Level knowledge and materials were so exorbitantly priced in the Association’s Credit Points store. It was because they were no longer mere commodities; they were signposts leading toward the Laws.
"I have answered your request," Augustus’s voice returned to its gentle cadence. "Now, you may leave."
High above, the flow of galaxies within the pupil of the giant eye began to slow down, signaling the end of their meeting.
Allen took a deep breath and bowed once more. "Thank you for your generosity, Mr. President."
"Remember your promise. In five years, leave the Aiselan Plane."
A gap appeared in the invisible Force Field enveloping the Floating Island, and the bridge of nerve bundles leading outside was clearly presented before Allen once again.
Allen took a deep breath and bowed deeply one final time toward the giant eye that represented myth itself. "Thank you again for your guidance, Mr. President. I will remember this favor forever."
With that, he turned around without hesitation and embarked on his return journey.
Just as he was about to step off the nerve bundle and leave the island of flesh and blood, Augustus’s gentle voice echoed behind him for the final time.
"Allen Wesren, I am curious.
"When you have the opportunity to prove a Law in the future, what will you choose?"
Allen’s footsteps paused, but before he could formulate an answer, the scenery before his eyes suddenly twisted and stretched. Space distorted, and the stars shifted wildly as the world spun around him.
When his vision recovered, he was already back at Star Gate Square. The thousands of Star Gates connecting different Planes emanated a brilliant light just a short distance behind him.
That terrifying Floating Island, constructed of flesh, nerves, and an eyeball, seemed as though it had never existed.
Were it not for the lingering, crushing tremor deep in his soul and the destiny-altering knowledge etched into his mind, Allen would have almost believed that everything had been nothing more than a surreal dream.
He stood rooted in place, silent for a long time, before slowly raising his right hand and opening his palm.
Magic Power gathered in his palm, and Runes flickered at his fingertips.
In the past, he had viewed these as mere tools, as means to an end. But now, peering through these complex Runes and energy structures, he felt as if he could see the far more magnificent and profound stairway to truth that lay behind them.
"Laws..."
Allen clenched his fist, his eyes shining with an unprecedented light. It was ambition, a deep yearning, and a burning fervor for exploring the unknown.