Leylin walked out of the inn, leaving behind the dazed-looking proprietor and attendants.
Once he was gone, these people would completely forget his appearance and the events, and wouldn't even harbor any suspicion—a form of psychological suggestion implanted deep in their minds.
This technique was something he had learned from Paul, the psionics master.
When he returned to his quarters and had a deep, secretive conversation with Rock, who had come seeking him out, Leylin found himself looking at the object on the table with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
It was a small booklet with a fiery red cover, detailing the technique for the tenth level of the Fire Feather Art!
Rock had come specifically to deliver this to him. With this, the tenth level of the Fire Feather Art, which Leylin had been preoccupied with, was now easily in his possession.
"Feels a bit ridiculous..." Leylin ordered the Chip to record the information before destroying the booklet. "But it seems the other party has lifted their suspicion of me..."
Moreover, having finally obtained what he had long desired put Leylin in a rather good mood.
"Ding! Tenth level of the Fire Feather Art recorded. Analysis in progress..." The Chip's voice sounded, and Leylin paid close attention to the content appearing in his memory area.
Compared to the first nine levels, the tenth level of the Fire Feather Art already involved the Morning Star realm. It represented a choice of power path, possessing a uniqueness specific to other worlds, and held great research value for Leylin.
In ancient times, many Wizards had been eclectic, integrating power paths from other planes into their own advancement systems, compensating for weaknesses with strengths, which had created the glory of that era! And now, Leylin wanted to do something similar!
"The tenth level of the Fire Feather Art!" Leylin's expression gradually became solemn. The more he studied it, the more he felt the sheer genius of its original creator. This was absolutely a powerful technique capable of rivaling many top-tier Meditation Methods!
As the Chip's analysis progressed deeper, the aura around Leylin gradually began to change.
Inside his body, the originally scorching ninth-level Fire Feather Art energy started to purify and turn transparent, emanating a startling aura of power.
A vast amount of fire elemental crystals materialized, even faintly converging to form a vortex shape.
"Aoow..." A high-pitched phoenix cry rang in Leylin's ears. He felt as if, through some unseen connection of spirit and soul, he had linked up with a certain special existence!
At the dim depths of countless star rivers, a colossal, savage bird whose body spanned several worlds, appearing as if in slumber, suddenly opened its eyes and fixed Leylin with a cold, piercing gaze!
"Could this be the legendary ancient Fire Phoenix? This aura... it must be royalty, perhaps even an ancestor, among the fire phoenixes!"
Leylin understood clearly that even if what he saw was just an illusion, these ancient existences were incredibly mysterious and unfathomable. They could even project their might directly through such illusions.
The trace of fury within those phoenix eyes sent a bone-deep chill through Leylin.
"Not good! It's discovered I'm an imposter!" This thought flashed through his mind, and in the next instant, he felt a massive crimson torrent surging toward him.
Boom! A shattering sound erupted from Leylin's abdomen. His face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, though a look of relief appeared on his face.
"Luckily... I've already condensed the Singularity Point!" Leylin stared inward at his own body with lingering trepidation.
The Singularity Point, which had previously been dormant, had flared into prominence just as the Fire Feather Art was surging, on the verge of breaking through to the tenth level—the Star Rank. It had shattered the concentrated essence of crimson energy, interrupting the advancement process. It was precisely this that had pulled Leylin back from the illusory vision; otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
"Could that fire phoenix, which seemed as vast as an entire world, be the ancient Phoenix Lord?"
Leylin recalled the terrifying, colossal fire phoenix from before. In his memory, only a handful of beings—the Mother of Ten Thousand Serpents, the Eye of Judgment—could rival it.
"It seems the Fire Feather Art is deeply tied to the Fire Phoenix, and the tenth level of the Fire Feather Art requires connecting with the Fire Phoenix that exists somewhere beyond the veil. One would even be subjected to its radiation and corrupting power—though the Fire Feather Clan calls this the 'Blessing Power'…"
The Fire Phoenix's true body obviously wasn't here, but channeling some form of energy through rituals or cultivation methods, and projecting one's might across the world—that was a common practice among existences that transcended world boundaries.
If Leylin hadn't already advanced to the Star Rank and embarked on his own path, forcibly interrupting the Fire Feather Art's advancement, he would surely have been killed on the spot by that Fire Phoenix!
"So the Star Rank Fire Feather Art follows the Path of Sacrifice! By offering sacrifices to the ancient Fire Phoenix, one gains power—even transforming one's bloodline, and eventually truly becoming a member of the Fire Phoenix Clan!"
Leylin rubbed his chin. This approach bore some resemblance to the faith system of the gods, though it differed in its specifics. The gods prioritized sheer numbers, whereas the Path of Sacrifice spread its lineage broadly but then focused exclusively on cultivating elites—more like a clan.
"This method… and this feeling of being bound… it's very similar to the Mother of Ten Thousand Serpents' rule…"
Leylin's expression darkened, as though something had clicked into place.
"Chip! Begin modifying the Fire Feather Art, coordinate it with the power of the Singularity Point, simulate the fusion of the two, and find a way to break free from the control of the sacrifice…"
Now that he knew cultivating the Fire Feather Art to higher levels would inevitably draw the Fire Phoenix's attention, Leylin naturally had no intention of continuing down that road blindly. But modifying the Fire Feather Art and integrating it into his Wizard system—that was something he found extremely interesting.