Chapter 1121: Forging Magic Aura, Beginning the Trial

If the 【Interactive Codex Preaching Technique】 were implemented using a Mithral Component Magic Item, it certainly wouldn't be as troublesome as it is now.

It is just a pity that Mithral Component Magic Items are far inferior to Magic Permanence types in terms of natural lifespan and must be maintained regularly.

The Code Sculpture is placed in the center of the plaza specifically for the territory residents to use, and the frequency is estimated to be quite high; if it required maintenance at every turn, how would that work!

Would the territory residents associate the failure of the Code Sculpture with the failure of the Code itself?

Xia Duo could not answer this question, but he knew he could completely prevent this question from arising.

Then he could only use Magic Permanence, but the threshold for the permanence of an 8th Circle 【Interactive Codex Preaching Technique】 is frighteningly high, and thus, a "clever" version appeared.

"Thanks to Niya's reminder, otherwise I might have really kept hitting a dead end!"

The so-called "clever version" is actually very simple: instead of making the 8th Circle spell Xia Duo designed permanent, he makes the "Open Port" of the Tower of Time's tower spirit permanent, letting the tower spirit do what that spell was supposed to do, and even more!

And this "Open Port," or rather the "tower spirit Connector within the influence of the Tower of Time," is essentially just a 1st Circle spell; its only purpose is to call the tower spirit within the Tower of Time's range of influence.

The Time Tower Badge possessed by Official Mages of the Tower of Time uses this scheme, allowing mages to contact the tower spirit even outside the Tower of Time.

If the Permission Level is sufficient, one can also call for spell support or teleport for evacuation at any time.

The Code Sculpture naturally does not need a high Permission Level; it only needs to let the tower spirit answer inquiries from users near the sculpture regarding the content of the Code.

In the future, if the Territory expands and more Code Plazas need to be built, the "Open Port" can be upgraded, supporting the tower spirit's response at any time within a range of up to 20 li.

Further than that is impossible; even Xia Duo cannot directly contact the tower spirit, only Niya, the Tower Master, can.

However, by the time it is necessary to build Code Plazas in more distant places, perhaps there will be other alternative schemes.

At the very worst, he could continue with that 8th Circle 【Interactive Codex Preaching Technique】 permanence scheme!

……

For the current Xia Duo, the permanence of the tower spirit Open Port is something he can do with his eyes closed; he completed this step of permanence without any effort.

Up to this point, the core functions of the Code Sculpture can actually be considered complete.

But with only this one permanence effect, its Magic Aura intensity is just like the badge in the hands of a Tower of Time mage—too weak, and it truly does not match its massive size.

If outside guests were to visit and see such a sculpture, they might feel contempt; its deterrent effect might even be worse than having no magic permanence at all!

Xia Duo had long been prepared for this; in addition to the highest-level 8th Circle Protective Spell he could make permanent, he also prepared a pseudo-9th Circle spell.

Aside from possessing the aura intensity of a 9th Circle spell, this spell has no actual function; it is just used to bluff.

Of course, Xia Duo did indeed add 9th Circle elements to it, but only as an elevation of energy level used to manifest the Magic Aura.

Its simplicity can basically be regarded as a 9th Circle Trick, or even inferior to a Trick; it merely slightly plucked a certain Magic Net String on the ninth layer of the Magic Net and fixed it in place.

The remaining elements of the spell all serve this solidification action, and that sole 9th Circle element does not participate in the element cycle of the entire spell.

To be honest, if he hadn't been prepared beforehand, if Xia Duo had really been forced to come up with a plan on the spot, he might not have been able to think of it.

This brings us to the maintenance of the 【Blazing Sun Array】 at the Watchtower last month, through which Xia Duo learned the 9th Circle spell 【Blazing Sun】 and thereby came into contact with the ninth layer of the Magic Net.

For the time being, Xia Duo has no way to make a true 9th Circle spell permanent for the physical Code, but it is not that difficult to make the Code carry the Magic Aura of a 9th Circle spell.

Just think, if outsiders come to Daxia Territory in the future and see the iconic Code Sculpture, discovering that it radiates an extremely intense Magic Aura, wouldn't that be more shocking than any spell that intimidates the soul!

Although such a trick cannot deceive an Archmage or Senior Arcanist who can reach the ninth layer of the Magic Net, it is almost impossible for those below that level to see through it.

And an Archmage or Senior Arcanist who can come to the Code Plaza located in the heart of the Territory and at the foot of the Tower of Time is, if not all Xia Duo's allies, at least not an enemy (enemies would just be coming to their deaths~).

They would still give him some face and not expose the trick even if they saw through it.

Even if it were exposed, it wouldn't matter; by then, he would likely have the ability to make a true 9th Circle spell permanent for the Code Sculpture, and this matter would only add a few touches of legend to him rather than becoming a laughingstock.

Somehow, Xia Duo suddenly thought of that Archmage Sandro he had once seen at the Arcane Temple in Seventon; after that person obtained eternal life through a Longevity Ritual, that person's name became a taboo.

Of course, it is not the kind of taboo associated with mass-producing Undead, but the kind of taboo that cannot be spoken; whenever someone mentions the name Sandro, that person can perceive it.

Similar to this is Weide Grand Arcanist, though Weide did not obtain this ability by transforming into a non-human existence, but achieved it through Magic.

"Hmm, perhaps I also need to build a specialized Detection Array for my own name!"

But then Xia Duo laughed at himself; if one naturally obtained some kind of extraordinary Perception ability, that would be one thing, but if one went out of their way to do these things, there was truly no need.

One must know that most High Mages keep 【Avoidance of Detection】 active almost all the time; wanting to penetrate this layer of spell effect to perform Scrying would cost an unknown amount of effort.

As for those below the level of High Mage, how much conspiracy and how many secrets can they really discuss?

Xia Duo had no way to guess the true thoughts of Weide Grand Arcanist; in any case, he personally felt that doing so was not very worth it.

……

After the "9th Circle Aura" was made permanent, this Code Sculpture was considered finished, just waiting for the plaza between the Elemental Fountain and the Tower of Time to be built so it could be placed there.

Before that, however, Xia Duo prepared to try it out himself first.

However, as a high-Permission Level person in the Tower of Time, Xia Duo is almost constantly under the attention of the tower spirit inside the Tower of Time; trying it out in the Arcane Garden at this moment, without confirming with Niya, it is very difficult for him to distinguish whether the tower spirit is answering him because of the Code Sculpture or because of the Permission Level he himself possesses.

It just so happens that the Territory is currently vigorously preaching laws and regulations related to land allocation, so Xia Duo simply brought the Code Sculpture to the Altar Square in the Territory.

Choosing a place with few people at random, he released the Code Sculpture from his Personal Space.

"Wow—"

As soon as the sculpture was released, Xia Duo heard bursts of exclamations; some territory residents who were holding Code preaching classes at the Altar Square curiously gathered around, looking as if they wanted to come forward but didn't dare.

Xia Duo didn't mind this; it was good that there were people there, and in front of these people, he gave a demonstration.