In the Chip's simulated space, the previously meticulous spell template — with its countless multicolored runes flowing in profusion — had taken complete form. At that moment, the Chip's voice came through as well.
【Ding! Fifth-level Dream Spell — Moonlit Dream Illusion! Attributes: Dream, Illusion. Effect: Forces the target into their own dreamscape, severing all perception of the outside world. Has a 90% probability of bewildering a Moonlit Wizard's True Spirit! Effects diminish progressively at higher levels!】
"A direct illusion targeting the True Spirit! A success rate of as high as ninety percent!"
Leilin's pupils contracted. He had deep firsthand experience with how bizarre and dangerous the Dream World could be. If not for the Chip — and a bit of luck — he never would have escaped back then.
And for an entity of the same rank to have such a high success probability, with effects that even worked across levels — even diminished, it still carried better than a fifty percent chance!
In other words, once Moonlit Dream Illusion was cast, even a sixth-level Dawn Throne would have a one-in-two chance of having their True Spirit bewildered outright!
A wizard whose True Spirit had been bewildered was nothing more than a piece of meat, completely at the mercy of others. The terror inherent in this, even for Leilin as the spell's developer, was enough to send a chill down his spine.
"Unfortunately, since Dream Power must be conserved, I can't test this spell's true power in the real world..."
A trace of regret flickered through Leilin's eyes, and then his gaze went blank.
"Chip, begin simulating a dream environment. Use the previous encounter with the sixth-level spider as the standard — construct a virtual world..."
This was the Chip's unique ability: virtual-reality deduction. After several upgrades, it could now simulate any existence up to and including seventh-level rule-bound entities.
A flash of white light, and Leilin found himself standing within the Dream World.
Not far away, a colossal spider with a bizarre human face on its belly floated in midair, countless threads of silk raining down to envelope the laboratory.
Everything — every detail — was identical to the Dream World from last time.
Rich Dream Power surged ceaselessly around Leilin's body, nearly suffocating him with its density.
"It can even simulate the Dream World to this degree of accuracy!"
Leilin examined his own hands. His spiritual sense swept outward, finding not the slightest flaw. He nodded with satisfaction.
"And even a sixth-level entity — not a single giveaway. It's indistinguishable from the individual I encountered last time!"
Though this was within the Chip's simulation, everything felt like a perfect replay of the previous encounter.
"Squeak... squeak..."
The colossal spider spotted Leilin and immediately let out a roar. Its belly burst open, and a swarm of tiny spiders materialized in an instant.
"A sixth-level entity — perfect for testing!"
Leilin laughed, charging forward. Terrifying dark crimson Dream Power coalesced around him, forming a tidal wave.
"Fifth-level Dream Spell — Moonlit Dream Illusion!"
Accompanied by Leilin's voice, a strange ripple of energy surged outward, sweeping into the colossal spider...
In the real world, Leilin's eyes flickered as consciousness returned. The look of shock on his face had not diminished in the slightest.
"A fifth-level Dream Spell with such terrifying effects..."
He had to admit — even though he'd held strong expectations beforehand, the actual test left an unparalleled impression on him.
"Excellent. With this spell in my arsenal, facing a sixth-level Dawn Throne not only gives me a much greater chance of escape, but also provides me with a true killing move!"
Leilin stroked his chin. He had always preferred to plan ahead — to consider defeat before victory. With the confidence to withdraw unscathed, his interest in the hunt that Melinda had proposed last time only grew stronger.
After all, the Flame Throne had no intention of letting him go. Even though Leilin had been holed up in the Morning Star Space this whole time, he'd still received reports of powerful figures probing the Ouroboros Circle's defenses on multiple occasions.
Emma and Gilbert had even faced several dangerous incidents. If not for the Warlocks in the Morning Star Space intervening in time, those two Grand Dukes would likely have perished.
The other side was clearly trying to lure Leilin out by threatening those two Grand Dukes, but Leilin refused to take the bait. Instead, he remained holed up, earning several months of peace.
Sometimes, when faced with coercion, compromise only emboldened the other party. Only by showing the enemy that you truly didn't care about their threats could you turn the tables and seize the advantage.
This time, the Flame Throne's probing had yielded nothing. Seeing that Leilin showed absolutely no intention of intervening — and indeed seemed entirely indifferent to whether those two lived or died — the Flame Throne had abandoned that approach, significantly reducing the harassment against the Ouroboros Circle.
Had Leilin made the wrong choice, the current situation would likely have spiraled into something far worse.
"The Flame Throne! Dawn Wizards — eternal as the blazing sun, shining across the heavens, illuminating the entire wizarding world?"
Leilin stroked his chin, a cold smile forming on his lips. "But even a star can lose all its light and heat, collapsing into a black hole. A mere sixth-level wizard..."
The implication was clear: killing intent, infinite and absolute.
After a moment's thought, Leilin activated a secret imprint and connected to the encrypted channel Melinda had provided last time.
"Melinda? It's me!"