The Astral Gate
“Morning Star Magus?” Leylin looked doubtful as he glanced at his Mentor.
“Yes. Only the massive spiritual force of Morning Star Magi can withstand the consumption as you step over. In addition, many dangers in various worlds are unable to be dealt with by regular Magi. At the very least, you need to be at the Morning Star realm.” Gilbert looked stern.
“With your current spiritual force, with the help of the spell formations and the astral gate, you’ll at most be able to approach a few Magus Worlds and receive a few sections of incomplete information even if you drain all your spiritual force. You may not even be able to obtain all of the information.”
Gilbert shook his head.
“If you really must do this, you could aid me in my experiment regarding projection of coordinates.”
After that, through Gilbert’s explanations, Leylin found out some fundamental information on how to use the astral gate.
This experiment of crossing over to different worlds consumed a lot of energy, and there were rules when it came to transporting objects. In general, receiving information through spiritual force consumed the least energy, but the moment any substance was to be transported, the consumption would increase several times. If a Magus were to go over, the energy required was tremendous, to the point that it might even cause Morning Star Magi to exhaust themselves!
In reality, in both ancient and recent times, there were so many Morning Star Magi who had consumed large amounts of resources and energy only to find a desolate world, ending up with nothing despite their efforts.
The astral gate had always been a place where fortune and danger coexisted.
The Magi in the central continent seldom travelled over. They preferred to send out a few spiritual force coordinates, as well as use things like teleportation spell formations.
This was similar to setting down fish bait, and then waiting for the other side to accept it.
Though the chances were so small that they were below one in ten thousand, there was a real possibility of intelligent beings receiving the spiritual force tokens that were floating in spatial cracks.
Next was to bewitch these beings and then gather information regarding these other planes and determine their coordinates. If this information was determined valuable enough, Morning Star Magi would then open the true astral gate and then travel there in great numbers, seizing control of the plane!
“Why does it sound like we’re doing the same thing as a cult, as if some satanic summoning ritual?” Leylin was bewildered.
“It is something like that! Those devils or whatever they are come from a different plane near us. They like to gather spirits through this method. If not for them concealing themselves so well, we would have long since used the coordinates and tried to kill them!”
A killing intent rose in Gilbert’s eyes.
“Well then, Mentor. I would like to enter your experiment with the astral gate!” Leylin immediately requested.
“Alright. While I am experimenting, you can be my assistant, observing and studying by my side.” Gilbert watched Leylin’s resolute gaze and nodded.
……
After leaving Gilbert’s villa, Leylin was in a very good mood. Not only had he gathered many ancient secrets, he was now qualified to participate in the space experiments.
“In the future, I want to make my own astral gate!” Leylin decided.
At the very least, he would need to go to that Purgatory World at least once. He would gain a solution for the shackles of his Giant Kemoyin Serpent bloodline there.
Of course, this was the hope of the entire Ouroboros Clan. Leylin’s mentor, Gilbert, and the two other Morning Star Warlocks were crazily searching for the coordinates of the Purgatory World.
It was a pity that the multiple worlds and coordinates were like the numerous stars in the sky. With their method of trial and error, it was impossible to know how long it would take from them to find Purgatory World.
However, Leylin had plans of his own. He would not mention them yet.
“Leylin!”
Around a corner, Leylin heard a voice and halted his footsteps, seeing a blonde middle-aged Magus walking over. However, there was no longer the calm and dignified look he had had. Instead, he was flustered, and even the energy fluctuations around him were unstable, as if he had gained injuries.
“What is it?” Leylin was in no mood for this sheltered Warlock who had once threatened him before, Woody.
“Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have someone backing you, you gigolo!” Woody’s expression was terrible, looking as if he wanted to gobble Leylin up.
“Gigolo?” Leylin’s heart jumped, and he had a bad feeling about this.
“Woody! Aren’t you starting yet?”
A female voice that made Leylin’s hair stand. He then saw that Warlock Freya from before, pulling at a pet that seemed to be a black sheepdog.
Upon closer inspection, Leylin realised there were complicated black patterns on its face, its eyes flashing with intelligence. However, all that was inside them was now despair, frenzy and an unspeakable dread.
“Morphing technique! This is—Johnny!” Magi naturally did not recognise people by their appearances. The familiar spiritual waves immediately allowed Leylin to tell the true identity of this sheepdog.
“This is—Crazy!” Seeing the dog leash around the sheepdog’s neck, Leylin could confirm Johnny even had thoughts of suicide.
“Wooo!” After seeing Woody, the sheepdog began to whimper even more, as if hoping its original owner would save it.
Woody paled in anger, but did not do much.
He then gritted his teeth, bowing slightly to Leylin, “Marquis Leylin, please forgive me for my previous offences. Please do whatever you please with Johnny.”
Having said this, Woody immediately turned to leave, disappearing after turning a corner.
“How is it? Do you like my gift? To change him into this form, it used up a precious morphing scroll I got from my Mentor!” Freya pulled the black sheepdog till it reached his side, anticipating his reaction.
“I…” Leylin could only force a smile.
He had heard from Robin that compared to the wanton Miranda, Freya kept her chastity and did not do anything to charm male Warlocks into becoming their toys. However, in order to improve the bloodline in her family, she would go around looking for suitable candidates.
At this moment, she seemed to have chosen him! The earnest look on her face seemed to be giving Leylin a headache.
Though she was a student of the Second Elder and was thus doted on, for her to become hostile to another Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock and even punish members in the same circle as she was in, she would definitely be under immense pressure.
Of course, as a Warlock, she had inherited emotional instability and perhaps would not think too much of her actions.
Through the A.I. Chip, Leylin noticed the unstable aura on Freya’s body. It was apparent that pressuring Woody was not such a simple task, and both sides would suffer losses. The reason Woody had automatically conceded was because his bloodline instability was not flaring up. He knew how to weigh his benefits.
“I- Whatever! Do whatever you want with Johnny!”
Looking at the whimpering sheepdog on the ground, Leylin really sympathized with it.
“Also, here are two things for you!”
Leylin passed her a high-grade healing potion, as well as a high-grade potion of tranquility.
He was not one to accept favours from others. A healing potion was a small matter, but what was more important was the high-grade potion of tranquility. This was the strengthened version of the potion of tranquility, and Leylin had even added parts of the Icy Jade Scorpion’s bloodline. Though the effects were reduced, it was still very effective for Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlocks.
He really hoped this potion could slightly inhibit her crazy tendencies and stop her from bothering him.
Watching Leylin seemingly fleeing and disappearing along the road, Freya caressed the two potions in her hands and smiled, “It’s great as long as you have a good impression of me! You’ll be mine.”
……
If Leylin knew what Freya was thinking, he would probably regret his actions. Now, however, he had found Robin.
“Hm? You want to take a look at your territory?” Robin looked at Leylin in front of him.
“Yes! Mentor Gilbert has finished his teachings, and all that’s left are preparations for the astral gate. There’s nothing left for me to do, so I want look at the territory.”
Leylin spoke. After his current trip, Gilbert was done with teaching him. He was a rank 4 Warlock and had numerous tasks to carry out. On top of that, he had to focus on his research and could not continue coaching Leylin.
Before conducting the astral gate experiments, a lot of time was needed to prepare the materials, adjust the frequencies and the like.
Leylin wanted to make use of this time and first leave the headquarters. A part of it was because he wanted to see his territory, but another reason was because he was really a little scared and wanted to hide outside.
“Oh, it was Freya!”
Robin thought for a moment and suddenly began to laugh. He seemed to have some knowledge regarding what had just transpired.
“She’s actually not half bad! She hasn’t had a partner in the past, and her mentor is also a Morning Star Warlock. You should just marry her!” Robin even teased as he suggested.
“If I really want to marry someone, I can take her into consideration, but you know…”
Leylin’s lips quirked in a wry smile. Though Freya was doing all she could to get into his good books, her final goal was to make him a breeding machine. Even if they did become companions, she would want him to marry into her family. How could he stand this?
In the deepest part of his heart, Leylin believed himself to be a male chauvinist, and he could not stand for this.
“That’s true. Besides, you’re still young!” Robin thought for a moment and then nodded, as if having expected this.
“Young? I’m almost a hundred!” Leylin was speechless.
“Haha, I’m almost five hundred, and I’ve had 24 wives! I’ve married into several families.” Robin’s expression showed his experience in this area.
“When you’re at my age, you’ll think little of this sort of thing.”