The night was hazy, and a hanging lamp cast a dim orange glow.
The light from the streetlamps spread outward, lending a drowsy air to the surroundings. Beside the hanging lamp stood a bar that had already closed for the night.
A "Closed" sign hung on the door, and all around was silence.
The nearby residents, exhausted after a full day's labor, had long since drifted off to sleep. Even the drunks and vagrants had found their own warm kennels, with no intention of sleeping rough in this bitter cold.
It was at this moment that the sound of boots scraping against the floor echoed through the stillness.
A tall figure emerged from the darkness, walked up to the bar's door, and gave it a casual knock.
Thud-thud! The muffled sound carried through, possessing a unique rhythm and cadence.
A moment later, the door opened, revealing the face of an old woman — cautious, with a trace of reverence. "My lord! You've finally arrived!"
"Something came up on the road — caused a bit of a delay!"
The visitor stepped into the bar and pulled back his hood, revealing his true appearance. His features were handsome yet eerie, with long black hair tied loosely behind his head, giving him a clean and sharp look. Within his dark pupils, a mysterious vortex spun ceaselessly — a single glance was almost enough to pull one's soul in.
This was none other than Leilin Farell. After defeating Beives and obtaining the other's bloodline, he had immediately gotten to work without pause, forging the bloodline into an imprint. He had nearly delayed his appointment with
But in Leilin's eyes, it was all worth it. The extra time spent had netted him a bloodline imprint as an additional trump card — more than worth the cost.
After all, the target this time was a Solar Throne — the most powerful existence on the Central Continent! Leilin could not afford to be anything less than meticulous.
Once inside the bar, Leilin followed the old woman down to a cellar.
After passing through a dark, damp spiral corridor that reeked of decay, Leilin finally came face to face with Melinda once more.
"Leilin, you're finally here! We've been waiting ages for you!"
Melinda's eyes lit up the moment she saw him, her words carrying a hint of petulance.
"We?" Leilin's gaze flickered, and he looked around at the other "people" in the room.
The old woman who had led him in had already bowed respectfully and withdrawn. Besides Melinda, three peculiar figures remained inside.
One was a burly man clad in black armor. Another was a woman entirely wrapped in a black wizard's robe.
The last one no longer possessed a human form at all — it was simply a dark shadow existing within a mirror.
"A Spirit
A wizard's spiritual power was immensely powerful, and even after death, there was a high chance of transformation into a wraith or similar entity. If such a wraith retained its sanity, it could even learn wizardry and become a Spirit Wizard!
For those who had ascended beyond the Morning Star rank and mastered the power of the soul, spirit transformation was nothing more than a minor procedure.
Though Leilin had heard of Spirit Wizards before, the circle was narrow and obscure. He hadn't expected Melinda to actually recruit one — and a Radiant Moon Wizard at that, fifth rank or above.
"Leilin, your eye for things is as sharp as ever!" Melinda praised him. "This is 'Mirror,' an old friend of mine. And these two beside me are Clarke and Joanna — both are helpers I've invited."
"I've long heard of the two of you — the 'Twin Stars.' I didn't expect Melinda to manage to bring you both here as well!"
Leilin smiled and greeted Clarke and Joanna.
According to his intelligence, both of these wizards held the rank of Radiant Moon, and they were siblings at that. They had supported each other on the Central Continent and built quite a reputation. They were also among the rare wizards who had not pledged themselves to any faction.
"Lord Leilin!" Joanna, who was wrapped entirely in a black robe, did not seem to be the social type. All such matters were handled by Clarke, the broad-shouldered man in black armor.
"And Lord 'Mirror'!" Leilin looked once more at the shadow in the mirror. Though he knew it was a Spirit Wizard, he still felt that something was hidden about the other — an aura that made him quite uncomfortable.
"Hsss... You... carry..."
The shadow in the mirror rippled, transmitting something akin to a thought: "...something... that makes me feel... danger..."
"That's something I prepared specifically for this operation!"
Leilin smiled, but his right hand tightened almost imperceptibly. On his index finger, a plain grey ring emitted a faint, obscure glimmer.
The ring was a dull grey and thoroughly unremarkable — the kind of shoddy trinket you might find in the cheapest of shops. But appearing on the hand of Leilin, a Radiant Moon Wizard, it was certainly noteworthy.
After hearing Mirror's words, not only Clarke but even the perpetually silent Joanna regarded Leilin with keen interest, as though trying to see straight through his trump cards.
"Enough! Whatever Leilin has brought can only benefit our operation!" Melinda clapped her hands. "Friends, don't forget why we've gathered here!"
"How could I forget?" Clarke growled low, the veins on his hands bulging as his entire frame trembled with agitation. Looking at his contorted expression, Leilin could be certain the man harbored some painful history connected to the Flame Throne.
But that was none of his concern — he was busy calculating whether it could be exploited.
"Don't worry, brother! I'll help you this time!"
Joanna placed a soothing hand on the back of Clarke's hand, calming the violent aura radiating from him and restoring his composure. "Forgive me... I got a little carried away..."
Clarke, now himself again, bowed to everyone in the room, his face etched with iron resolve, exuding a blood-and-steel quality.
"I've heard a bit about what Lord Clarke went through before..." Melinda nodded but chose not to elaborate further.
"Everyone present shares a grudge against the Flame Throne — and today, we've gathered together for that very purpose!"
Melinda's tone shifted, rising with intensity.
"Enough pleasantries... I only care about the thing you promised us before. When will you deliver?" The Spirit Wizard in the mirror spoke first.
"Mm, I agree. Now that it's come to this, it's time you laid out your plan, the Flame Throne's weaknesses, and the rewards that follow — all of it, clearly and completely."
Leilin echoed Mirror's position.
"We agree as well." Joanna and Clarke exchanged a glance and both nodded.
"I was planning to wait until everyone was present before explaining!" Melinda shot Leilin a slightly aggrieved look.
"As everyone knows, in the wizard ranking system, there are only two monumental hurdles — the breakthrough from third rank to fourth rank, and from sixth rank to seventh rank! The difficulty of both is immense, but once surpassed, the rewards are equally extraordinary. For those below who haven't broken through, the gap becomes an overwhelming, terrifying advantage..."
Melinda began to speak at length.
"Stop telling us things we already know! My patience has its limits!" Clarke hissed in a low voice.
"Relax — we're almost there!" Melinda shot Clarke a glare.
"The gap between a sixth-rank Solar Throne and us fifth-rank Radiant Moon Wizards isn't as stark as between third and fourth rank, but it's still an almost insurmountable chasm... However, when the Flame Throne advanced to his current rank, something went wrong. There's a period during which his power will be at its lowest! That's exactly why I insisted on bringing you all together at this particular time!"
A smile crept across Melinda's lips, one that seemed laced with a powerful... hatred!
"All Solar Thrones on the Central Continent are terrifying beings. They've begun to touch the origin of the world and comprehend the power of Laws. The Flame Throne is no exception — he is in the process of familiarizing himself with and perceiving the Law of Flame..."
Melinda's voice seemed to take on a peculiar, captivating quality. "During this period of weakness, the Flame Throne is on the verge of falling back from sixth rank. And I know the layout of his lair like the back of my hand. If we can kill him now, we may even obtain his crystallized comprehension of the Laws!"
"Crystallized comprehension of the Laws?" Clarke exclaimed, while a sharp gleam flashed in Leilin's pupils.
"That's right! The crystal contains all of a previous wizard's comprehension of the Laws — even memories and experiences from before. It would be of tremendous help to us in advancing to sixth rank..."
Melinda looked around at the assembled wizards. "Even among sixth-rank Solar Thrones, whether one has begun to touch and attempt to comprehend a particular Law or Authority is a massive dividing line in power. If we can obtain the Flame Throne's Law Crystal, we could potentially reach the absolute peak of sixth rank — even half-step seventh rank — the very moment we break through!"
"So among sixth-rank wizards, the only real dividing line is whether one has come into contact with the power of Laws."
Understanding dawned in Leilin's gaze.
Radiant Moon Wizards already delved deep into the cultivation of the True Spirit and soul power. But at sixth rank, the path of the soul was approaching its very limit — the only distinction was how much of the Laws one had comprehended.
A sixth-rank Solar Throne who had not touched the Laws, and one who had begun to fathom a particular Law's power — their combat strength belonged to entirely different tiers.
And once one thoroughly mastered a particular Law or Authority, that wizard would have entered the realm of seventh rank.
Leilin felt a faint stirring of excitement. The path beyond fifth rank was beginning to reveal itself to him, however dimly.
"Wizards cultivate spiritual power before fourth rank, soul power before seventh rank, and once they master a particular Law, they can advance to seventh rank?" Leilin stroked his chin. "Then... what does the power of Dreams represent?"