Obscurity
"A secret concerning official Magi?"
Leylin smiled, "Don't tell me you know the spell model of a rank 1 spell, or the location of some Grine Water and whatnot...."
"You actually know of these...." Roman put on a shocked expression, but very soon it turned into a smirk.
"Yes! Your professor must have definitely told you that to become a rank 1 Magus, you need a defensive spell model as well as Grine Water, right?"
"Could it be that there is something more to it?" Suddenly Leylin had an ominous feeling.
"Hahaha..." Roman started laughing maniacally, "You have been duped by your professor, or maybe, even your professor doesn't know of it...."
"Do you know the rankings of official Magi?" After laughing hysterically, Roman suddenly became calm and asked Leylin.
"It seems a Magus is differentiated by 9 ranks. rank 1 as the lowest, and rank 9 as the highest. The indication is to release a spell of that rank without any backlash!"
This was some information that Leylin heard from a certain lecturer. However, he had treated it as only a myth. After all, in the whole of Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, all the professors were only rank 1 Magus, save for the chairman who was in the realm of a rank 2 Magus.
As for rank 3 Magi, only the heads of powerful guilds such as Lighthouse of the Night had that cultivation.
Leylin was simply unable to comprehend the extent of the power that a rank 9 Magus could wield.
"It seems as if you have been trying your best to obtain information regarding official Magi...."
Seeing that he had successfully piqued Leylin's interest, Roman rested lazily against the wall of the crystal ball, and said, "The strength of official Magus, rest on their ability to inscribe a rank 1 spell successfully in their sea of consciousness, thus turning into their own innate defensive spell! They will then obtain an instantaneous spell casting or the spell will be permanently in effect. Moreover, the consumption is extremely little...."
Leylin nodded his head, the innate spell of official Magi could always be maintained around the surface of their bodies, forming a barrier. This was why the A.I. Chip's readings were always hindered by these barriers of Magi, thus, it was unable to obtain the data needed.
"After advancing to a rank 1 Magus, a Magus' sea of consciousness will form an innate spell. If this Magus was to advance again, turning into a rank 2 Magus, he will have to construct a new innate spell. Furthermore, it has to be constructed on the foundation of the original innate spell. Which is to say, a rank 2 Magus has 2 innate spells, and a rank 3 Magus has 3 innate spells. If it was a rank 9 Magus of the legends, they would have 9 innate spells, and the final one is a rank 9 spell!"
For a chance to survive, Roman divulged a few details known to few.
"Which is to say, if it was a rank 9 Magus, they can instantaneously cast spells of rank 1 to 9!"
Leylin felt sluggish. He could not resist even a rank 1 spell, to say nothing of a rank 9 spell cast by a Grand Magus.
Once a Magus was able to cast high-level spells instantaneously, it would mean that their battle prowess would be capable of burning down mountains and evaporating the seas.
"And what is this scam that you're speaking of?"
Leylin asked suddenly.
"Hehe! An innate spell is the root of the Magus' spiritual force. Once constructed, it will be irreversible for eternity. Moreover, the innate spells after the first and original one have to be modelled after it. What would happen if you were to choose your innate spell wrongly? Two innate spells conflicting with each other in the sea of consciousness will result in a deficient spell as the best case scenario. The most likely event is that your brain will explode like an alchemy bomb. Bang! And off your head goes!"
Roman made an explosive gesture and sniggered.
"This scenario is extremely plausible!" Leylin face darkened.
"So then, where is the crux of this scam?"
"They have concealed the existence of advanced meditation techniques!" Roman hugged his knees as he squatted.
"Advanced meditation techniques?" Leylin's heart wavered. He had faintly come across information on this, but even if it was his mentor, Kroft, had never seen such advanced source/material like them.
"Yes, advanced meditation techniques completely suit a magician's spiritual force meditation techniques! Not only is the rate faster than those regular meditation techniques in constructing mind runes, they will even naturally form an innate spell in the Magus sea of consciousness on every level!"
"Naturally forming innate spells? You mean...." Leylin's voice grew weak.
"Indeed, if the advanced meditation techniques were to increase its level, they will directly raise the rank of a Magus. There wouldn't be any need for Grine Water or spell model!"
Roman smirked. "Also, according to the innate spell formed by the meditation technique, they'd directly complement each other. Not only is there no conflict with the innate spells, the meditation technique will even enhance the effect of the innate spell!"
"Think about it! If you were to use Grine Water to breakthrough, you will realise that your future levels will be extremely difficult to breakthrough. Every time you advance, you would require something more potent and effective than the Grine Water to aid in the advancement. Not only that, you have to scour the lands for an innate spell which does not conflict with the one you already have. This is purely based on luck, and basically it cannot be done!"
"And tens of hundreds of years will pass. The Magi who had cultivated in advanced meditation techniques would have continuously risen in their levels, while you will be on the bottom rung of the hierarchy struggling to survive, finally dying in some corner where nobody cares about...."
More and more cold sweat began to gather on Leylin's forehead.
With his abundant experience, and the calculation done by the A.I. Chip, he knew that what Roman spoke of was 98% authentic.
"The Magus World is indeed ensnared with pitfalls, and not one step can be wrongly taken!"
"So then, you wish to use a part of an advanced meditation technique to exchange for your petty life?" Leylin deeply inhaled for a few breaths, before asking Roman.
"Indeed, once you swear before the witness of the Trial's Eye, I will hand over the location of one of these advanced meditation techniques!"
Roman howled, "If you won't let me go, then never think of getting that piece of advanced meditation technique!"
"Has that advanced meditation technique got to do with the great Magus Serholm?" Leylin fell silent for a while before he suddenly asked.
"You know about it? That's right, you have been to that lab too, and it seems that you have discovered some information!" Roman was a little shocked, before putting on a nonchalant air.
"But so what? A part of an advanced meditation technique is indeed enough to redeem my life!"
"Alright!" Leylin fell into silence for a while, before finally agreeing.
Following which, he chanted a mysterious incantation.
This incantation was an extreme tongue twister, and there were many pauses. It required a huge amount of magic power before the chant was finished.
Leylin was only able to use this incantation after advancing to a level 3 acolyte.
Following the enunciation of the final syllable, an energy wave came from the void, and the surrounding light dimmed. In the air above of that experiment table, a mysterious vertical eye appeared.
This vertical eye's iris was pitch black, with its pupils dyed a crimson-red. Under its gaze, Leylin's body shuddered, as if not wearing any clothes. All of his secrets seemed to have been exposed to it.
"A.I. Chip! Scan!"
Leylin ordered from the bottom of his heart, yet he did not receive any response.
It seems like the current ability of the A.I. Chip was still unable to detect such a strange entity like the Trial's Eye. Even if it was only a secondary body that did not even contain a billionth of the main body's might.
"With the Trial's Eye as a witness, I, Leylin Farlier, will immediately release Roman from the Confining Spirit Sphere once Roman tells me the information regarding the advanced meditation technique.
Leylin spoke slowly using the Byron Language.
The moment Leylin finished his oath; the Trial's Eye turned into a black light, and separately entered each of Leylin's and Roman's foreheads.
"Alright! I have done as you requested, hurry and tell me the location of the advanced meditation technique!"
Impatience surfaced on Leylin's face.
"Alright! Regarding the advanced meditation technique, actually, I don't know much of it. Only that every advanced meditation technique have different requirements for the cultivator's affinity and soul aptitude."
"As for me, I have read it from a piece of writing left by a Magus, the lead to the lab of the great Magus Serholm. I also know that he left the legacy of the advanced meditation technique in a certain lab!"
Under the constraints of the Trial's Eye, Roman began to spill everything he knew.
"There is a requirement for the cultivators, how about the requirements for the meditation technique?" Leylin asked.
"I don't know. With my ability as a level 3 acolyte, obtaining the location of a piece of meditation technique is already extremely lucky, so how can I have more extravagant demands? Eventually, I hastily went to explore the lab, only to end up dying within it!"
Roman smiled sardonically.
"So then, tell me the location of that meditation technique!" Leylin's face was impassive as he spoke in a low tone.
"On that piece of broken page, I obtained a few locations. The previous location is crossed out now, so that leaves only one. It is the Dylan Gardens which rests within the Zither Moon Mountain Plains!"
"Zither Moon Mountain Plains, Dylan Gardens?"
Leylin suddenly thought of this place that he had come across in his previous exploration. "So the Dylan Gardens was situated on the Zither Moon Mountain Plains, huh?"
"All I know are these, hurry and let me out!" Roman howled.
"Alright! I will let you out now. Under the constraints of the Trial's Eye, I will dare not offend!"
Leylin smiled and snapped his fingers.
* Boom! *
The whole Confining Spirit Sphere shattered into pieces, revealing the translucent spirit body within.
At the same time, two rays of light flew out from Leylin's and Roman's body. This proved that the agreement with the Trial's Eye has already been fulfilled by Leylin.
"Haha! I'm free! I'm free!"
Roman shouted.
"Yes! I have abided by my promise, and released you from the Confining Spirit Sphere! Now, we are even!"
Leylin suddenly waved his hands and activated the spell formation.
* Bang! *
In an instant, the spell runes on the experiment table irradiated with light, engulfing Roman within.
"What happened? You! How can you escape from the binding agreement!"
Roman's face was in utter shock.