Chapter 234: The Path to Supreme Godhood (2)
The podium is perfectly set up, the sheriff has been notified, and the warm-up spell was debugged for the final time this morning. Everything is going smoothly. Vansalar checked off each item on his mental notepad. The staff waved excitedly at him, and he greeted them back.
Now everything is ready, except for one small thing.
"—Where did that bastard Karlsode go?!"
A young apprentice glanced toward the tea room, not daring to say anything. Vansalar pulled back the curtains, revealing the man with glasses fast asleep on the sofa. Vansalar kicked him in the butt.
"Oh my god!" Karlsod screamed and jumped up, "Are you fucking sick?!"
"You're fucking sick!" Vansalar roared even louder, "Do you know how long I've been haggling with those stupid Imperial sheriffs for this opportunity to give a public speech?
This venue in the imperial capital, officially endorsed, has been advertised for a month, and now there are a full 50,000 people in the venue, with 100,000 eyes watching from outside! People from Longquan Township and Jingsha City-State have come, and there's word that even the Emperor's deputy is here. I wonder how many important people are waiting for you!
"Ah?" said Karlsrud.
"'Huh'? Are you a devilish hippopotamus from somewhere? Change your clothes and get out of here!"
"Sorry, I'm super tired today. I won't go for now." Karlsode lay down. "You take my place."
Fansalar's eyes began to blaze: "Say it again if you dare."
The man with glasses spoke weakly: "I just fought a chaos demon. I'm really exhausted."
His anger instantly vanished. "Are you kidding me?" Vansalar repeated. "You fought with the Delusion?"
"It's just a clone..." "Why didn't you call me?" "You were busy with work." "What work is more important than fighting demons?!"
"Giving a speech is also important work," Karlsode said wearily. "Like you said, there are so many important people watching here. They're waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves. I'm almost withered now, and I'm sure to make a fool of myself if I go up there."
"Don't be ridiculous." Vansalar was so angry that he laughed. "This is the Grand Master's speech. In half a minute I'll be on stage. What should I say to them? Good afternoon, everyone. I'm the Grand Master's buddy."
Karlsod took off his pointed wizard hat and threw it on Vansalar's head. He said seriously, "From today on, Shadow Mage Vansalar is promoted to Grand Mage."
"Don't even think about being lazy—"
"Please, Vansalar, help me," said Karthod. "There are many demon boars in this world, but not every boy has a gun and courage like you."
Vansalar sighed heavily, put on his hat, walked through the crowd, and used his shadow to make an exaggerated peak-collar coat for himself. He stepped onto the stage as the bells rang, and smiled warmly under the gaze of a hundred thousand eyes.
"Welcome! Welcome friends from all over the world. I am Archmage Vansalar. I am honored to share the secrets of elemental magic with you today!"
He took off his hat, reached inside it, and yanked. A burst of multicolored light shot out from the hat, exploding into brilliant fireworks over the capital. Vansalar's shadow danced in the light, suddenly transforming into a giant, snarling bat, drawing cries of surprise.
"This is elemental magic. A simple trick can bring joy to your life. If you study the path and comprehend its mysteries, you will gain the power to protect your family. If you are fortunate enough to cross the First Abyss, you can single-handedly call the wind and rain, and ensure peace and tranquility for your region!"
Shadow magic shifted above the stage, creating various illusions as he spoke. Vansalar clapped his hands, and the light and shadows disappeared, returning to normal.
"And all of the things mentioned above can also be done on the Floating Light Road."
"Long before I was born, the Dragon God could control the clouds and rain, the lands protected by the sacred tree were always fertile, and the Empire's technology could also change the climate. They could do it better than us, perhaps safer, even more efficiently—so why am I still telling you about this emerging elemental magic?"
Vansalar lowered his voice. This was a crucial point, a difficult problem that could not be avoided when promoting elemental magic. Fortunately, he had written the speech and knew the content by heart.
"For we are not dragons, trees, or giants. We are humans, subhumans, swarming animals, insects, a species with short lifespans and inherent fragility. We have no innate power, and to become stronger, we can only rely on the Path of Floating Light. But those without wealth are not qualified to embark on the Path of Ascension.
The son of a fisherman and a blacksmith couldn't obtain the relic that would become the cornerstone, and a soldier who had served on the front lines for ten years might not even obtain the blueprints for the strange blade. The world's resources are always limited, and only those who stand out from the crowd can get opportunities.
Even if one manages to gain entry through untold hardships, the cornerstone and staff of suffering are of little use. Only those with the Miraculous Blade or above can be considered combat-capable, and that is a rare talent, one in a million."
"But we don't have the resources to equip every village and town with a formidable Qibian Blade!" Vansalar raised his voice. "What about the vulnerable people in remote towns? How can remote islands outside the jurisdiction of the major powers protect themselves? How can those born weak and penniless protect the lives of their loved ones from outsiders? Are they forced to die?"
"We think this is wrong! The world shouldn't be like this. The weak should also have the right to live!
This is why I want to tell you about this supreme path to godhood that comes from the original spirit!"
Vansalar opened his arms as if in an embrace, his shadow converging on the stage into a beam, forming a black stairway leading to the sky. He chanted with ecstasy, casting out shimmering light and sharp shadows, and the elemental power rained down like raindrops, landing in the hands of every audience member.
"You don't need resources, you don't need wealth. With a strong heart, you can unleash the light that illuminates the night. With the will to fight, the shadows will become your weapons. Your strength depends on your heart, on whether you have the courage to stand up!"
His shadow suddenly magnified dozens of times, transforming into a red-eyed, giant-winged bat! It descended from the sky, bearing a dark cloud of devastation, toward the helpless crowd. The sheriffs drew their guns, and the dragon, transformed into a human, roared. The situation threatened to spiral out of control. But amid the screams, a blinding light surged. The panic, fear, and confusion, combined with the courage, strength, and love behind them, unleashed the elemental power that had been sown beforehand, transforming into a radiance that pierced the heavens.
Tens of thousands of tiny rays of light pierced through the terrifying bats, and the Shadow Mage laughed loudly under the gaze of the crowd.
"Yes, just like what you are doing now!" Fansalar roared, "As long as you have love and courage, you can also become the light!!"
At that moment, nearly thirty thousand glimmers of light were born in the world of Shendong. These weaklings, empowered for the first time, trembled at the radiance they had emanated. Their excitement turned into shouts, and the impassioned calls flooded the imperial capital. Vansalar raised his arms high and shouted to the crowd.
"Together, we will change the world!"
He then talked about the basic concepts of elemental magic and some easy-to-understand self-defense tricks, and left the address of the archmage's base. As more and more listeners came after hearing the news, he had to repeat the previous concepts.
It was already night when the speech ended. He retreated behind the scenes amid the cheers of the people, and Carlsod smiled and applauded.
"It worked out great," he said, holding up his teacup. "Although your improvisation gave me a bit of a scare."
According to the original plan, the Archmage would directly grant all the listeners the power of shimmer, which was a piece of cake for Vansalar, who was already Sephiroth 4. Vansalar took off the mage's hat and threw it back on its original owner.
"That's a gift, isn't it? Just like a god bestowing grace upon you." Vansalar grinned. "If you don't awaken on your own, it would be meaningless."
"You are right, Vansalar. Do you think our threshold will be broken down tomorrow?"
"Let's consider the sheriff's fine first. Unauthorized creation of tens of thousands of shimmers is a serious crime under Imperial law."
Karlsode rolled his eyes. "I really should consider finding my own territory..."
"It's time to do this, Sorcerer Supreme."
Karlsode nearly choked: "What a stupid title!"
"Now I'm the Grand Mage, you have to be greater than the Grand Mage."
·
The Supreme Mage Karlsode's Mage Tower was built in the northwest corner of the Senluo Secret Realm, facing the imperial capital from afar. Its towering form, piercing the clouds, resembled a spiraling spear. On the day the Mage Tower was established, hundreds of Dust Islands came to celebrate. All the major factions sent envoys, and the apprentices who called out the names of the Mage Tower's names were hoarse from shouting their names.
The banquet lasted three days and three nights, with a constant stream of apprentices seeking apprenticeship. The Supreme Mage had to personally develop some warm-up banquet magic; otherwise, the mages would have had to take turns telling jokes on stage to liven up the atmosphere. After the banquet, Karsod announced a three-day break before formal instruction resumed. Four archmages and he lay sprawled in the cluttered venue, looking like five bloated, dead pigs.
"Gentlemen, look..." Grand Master Lavaeva held up an iron box. "The Emperor has also given us a gift..."
"Throw it out..." Karlsod twitched.
Fansalar glanced at it and said, "It's a robot vacuum cleaner and digestive medicine."
"Open it quickly... start it..."
That day, for once, Karthod admitted that Imperial technology had its merits.
The first summit meeting began amid the hum of a robot vacuum. Their primary agenda was the unified teaching in three days' time. Each of the Grand Mages harbored varying degrees of apprehension. Everyone held their own interpretations of magic. Some believed that magic must begin with micro-optics, while others felt that the tricks of the First Abyss were mere sleight of hand, requiring instruction to begin at least at particle 4. The students' abilities varied widely, and their preferred methods varied widely, leading to a flurry of debate.
"Why don't you each use your own methods to teach your disciples?" Fansalar said impatiently, "Stop arguing here."
"The teaching stages must be unified! We are now a powerful force in the Senluo Secret Realm. Each particle should have its own symbol. We must let everyone know how to move forward after getting started and how to learn magic so that we can form our own rules." Another great wizard objected.
"Yes! If apprentices learn different things, what's the difference between elemental magic and those uncontrollable wild ways? How can we claim that what we learn is the great way, and not those elemental scum that explodes at the slightest provocation?"
"Gentlemen, we must not confuse priorities. The path to supreme godhood inherently emphasizes individuality. The first three Sephiroth are stages of self-formation, and the choice of Sephiroth 3 is particularly crucial. If we use standardized teaching to constrain the minds of our apprentices, what difference will there be between us and the Empire?" Lavaeva's round face wrinkled. "I still say the same thing. At least reach Sephiroth 4 before studying magic."
"You're the one who can't tell the difference between the primary and the secondary. Our advantage is 123! Only when you become Zizaifeng can you get teaching. Why don't you just pray to the gods? At least you can learn blacksmithing in Longquan Township!"
"How do you talk? Just stick to the facts..."
"I don't care about women's opinions."
"Get out, you bastard!"
The more experienced archmage flipped the table and said, "This is outrageous! You're telling me to get out?!"
"The Candle Dragon rises from the west!"
"If you guys keep arguing, I'm going to resign and go home."
"Lavaeva Super Speed Healing!"
"Hahaha, Vansalar Celestial Collapse Cannon!"
Less than 20 minutes into the first summit meeting, the battle had already begun, transforming into the Mage Tower's first magical battle. The winning spell was Karsod's "Rainbow Bridge of Guidance." The Supreme Mage used his staff to knock his colleagues back into their seats, concluding the spectacular battle.
"Everyone's almost done fighting, so why not listen to me?" Karlsode said, "As you all said before, we are no longer just a small group wandering around, but a force in the Senluo Secret Realm and even the Shendong Realm."
He looked at each one in turn. "Yes, the development of our influence is important. Our teaching methods require careful consideration. The ability of our apprentices will determine our public impression. But that is secondary, my friends. It could even be said that it is an insignificant issue."
What we should care about most is the starting point of all this. What can our magic do for the world?
The archmages fell silent, realizing that while they were arguing endlessly over the development of a single tower, Karsod was watching the entire world. The Supreme Mage spoke calmly, "A few days ago, I had a conversation with Zhulong..."
"Original Spirit, have you spoken to Zhulong?!" Fansalar exclaimed, "With Zhulong?!"
Karlsode remained calm: "Yes, we..."
"Hey, do you really have to treat this like 'I went for a walk with the old man next door'?!" Vansalar protested, "Do we really have to endure the exclamations and admiration and act out a formal meeting with the Supreme Sorcerer? And pretend to be normal?"
The corner of Karlsode's mouth twitched. He took off his glasses, covered his face with his hands and laughed softly.
"Go to hell with Vansalar. I admit I'm very proud! I'm very proud, I'm crazy with joy! Are you satisfied?"
"That's right!" The great wizards laughed.
"During that discussion, we touched upon the significance of elemental magic." Karsod paused. "As we've mentioned countless times in lectures, the power of low-grade elements is our unique advantage. Whether it's ancient dragons, sacred trees, or giants, they all lack the combat power within the low-grade element range, and the number of strange blades they can call upon is extremely limited.
The vast majority of tragedies are caused by low-level outsiders and beasts. The victims cannot wait for help to arrive, but the difficulties they face can be solved with just a healing spell or fireball.
"So, I have an idea."
"We can develop several universal, highly effective, and low-cost 'signature spells'. These spells must be extremely simple to use, so that a newly initiated apprentice can wield them. Apprentices can use them to solve most difficult problems. They are invincible at low mass points, just like the universal solution below the First Abyss.
If our apprentices can take these magics to various places, the entire Shendong world will benefit from it. What do you think?"
"Ideal... but too difficult," mused an archmage. "Such magic, even if simple on the surface, is inherently complex. If an apprentice doesn't understand it, how can they easily perform it?"
"It's simple. We use particles to fix it." Karlsode smiled. "We designed it to be 'magical life'. Apprentices don't need to understand the mechanism of life, they just need to know how to create it."
"Supreme Sorcerer, how can they create it if they don't know the mechanism..." Lavaeva muttered.
Vansalar chuckled. "Just because your parents knew nothing about biology didn't stop them from creating you."
"Shut up, Vansalar! Besides, my parents are top students at the Imperial Academy of Science. They're far more knowledgeable than you!" Lavaeva protested. "This is... this... um... oh my god, this is doable. The core information for the technique has been designed in advance, and we just need to invest the effort to complete it. If we optimize properly, this is completely possible."
"Good idea, our wise Supreme."
"Design a magical creature for each particle! When the apprentice can skillfully create and use each magical creature, he will undoubtedly have a basic understanding of the concept of elements. Then he will naturally be qualified to become a formal wizard! At this point..."
"We will officially grant the apprentices the title of Master and allow them to learn universal magic above Sephiroth 4," Karlsode continued. "Children gifted in elemental magic inevitably possess distinct personalities, making them unsuitable for a standardized curriculum. The great Masters present here also possess distinct personalities. I suggest establishing four academies, with each of you serving as dean. Each of you can teach in your own way, without worrying about extinguishing the students' individuality."
"That's feasible." "That's a good idea." "Then we'll be an unprecedented university." "We need to rent a venue quickly..."
"I've thought of it." Karlsod used earth elements to make a small model of the wizard's tower. His tower was like a storm compressed into a long spear, like a spiral that pierced through the night.
"The school is built in the Mage Tower. We are a new school, and we will continue to advance amidst contradictions and struggles. Our school is called the Spiral Tower!"
(End of this chapter)
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