Chapter 73: Temptation and Refusal

Luge wasn't anxious, even though he had already thought this might be something similar to the spring water written about in the Deshi Shouce. He stood to the side and watched for a while, looking at those people being washed by the pool water again and again, then looking at that towering palace in the distance; inexplicably there was a kind of sacred feeling, and coupled with the brightness reflected by the white buildings all around, thinking like this made it look even more holy, these people seemingly accepting a sacred baptism.

Until several Wizard Apprentices watching from the side also went into the water one after another, only then did he move his steps, attempting to walk into the first layer of the pool. When the pool water soaked the hair on his lower legs, a feeling of mental clarity welled up.

He immediately sat down, took out the Demon Body Spellbook, and began reading where he had left off last time.

His head felt like it had exploded; all thoughts raced rapidly, as if he could think about many things simultaneously. He gathered those chaotic thoughts, focusing solely on the Spell. The already Suitable Spell didn't feel like learning at all, but like eating bite by bite. After finishing reading a book, he slowly closed his eyes; the Spell's Principle and every detail of the Spell Model surged before his eyes. Building the Spell Model was no longer as careful and cautious as before, but directly simple, as if it were Convenient and effortless.

Luge excitedly opened his eyes, turned his head and Scanned the surrounding Wizard Apprentices; there seemed to be a few more than before, most also like him holding various books reading. There was even an Exaggerated one who had set up a small delicate experiment table.

He immediately took out the Black Book and began the Meditation Method cultivation. He felt the Rank 3 Wizard Apprentice was waving wildly at him.

One Rune after another was conquered and mastered in his Spiritual Space. Right now soaking in this water, it was truly a matter of course. He had to occasionally break from the Meditation state to glance at the Black Book; this situation had never happened before. By the time he caught his breath and looked around again, quite a few people who were like him before had already gone up to the Second Floor or even higher.

He also tried stepping onto the second layer pool; at the moment of contact his whole body trembled.

He immediately wanted to step onto the third layer, but after thinking about it he still held back, sat down, and continued cultivating the Meditation Method.

In the distance someone was already attempting to walk to the very Peak.

Luge didn't bother with them; the Meditation Method Runes were gradually mastered, the Runes also becoming difficult bit by bit. Under this tempering, Spiritual Power also grew steadily. What surprised him was that his Spiritual Power Growth also didn't feel strenuous. Logically speaking, such rapid growth in such a Short Time would enter a fatigue period; it seems it's all thanks to this pool water.

Finally, all twelve new Runes forming the third Magic Mark were mastered. He began his first attempt at continuous outlining of twelve new and twelve old, twenty-four Runes total. In his previous judgment, this would similarly be a point difficult to quickly Breakthrough, requiring gradual progress, just like Spiritual Power Growth.

Yet right now, soaking in the pool water he seemed tireless. Once, twice, he continuously attempted up to the eleventh time. This attempt itself was also tempering Spiritual Power, so Spiritual Power grew again.

Until the twelfth time, he suddenly opened his eyes wide.

He Rose, turned his head to look back. Those Wizard Apprentices like him on the first and second layers had instead become the outliers.

Many people were scratching their heads and racking their brains bitterly thinking, unconsciously stepping toward a higher layer, then the problem was solved effortlessly, revealing a Suddenly Realize expression. Encountering a new problem, they would think of an even higher place, just like continuously gaining thinking ability that originally shouldn't Belong to them.

Luge's third Magic Mark was already formed. According to his previous conception, the illusion projected by the high-Suitable Spell Demon Body after Empowerment was stored in the new Magic Mark. The third Magic Mark was also arranged in parallel in the Spiritual Power Space.

Splash! The sound of an Apprentice leaving the pool beside him brought him back to his senses.

This kind of Temptation, this feeling of seemingly omnipotence, that all problems could be solved effortlessly, made him somewhat Fearful. Looking at those figures who were cautious at first but gradually desperately climbed upward made him even more uncomfortable.

He looked at the Apprentices walking out of the pool and also stepped forward. He wasn't the only one with such thoughts.

"In a Wizard's World, how could there be such easily obtained things..." an Apprentice also walking out of the pool said nervously.

This person had climbed higher than Luge; the Fear on his face was also more Obvious.

The sound of flowing water kept ringing. More and more Wizard Apprentices who had only Shallowly Tasted stopped began leaving the pool, while even more kept climbing upward. Among them, Wild Wizards numbered less than half. This was beyond Luge's expectations. After all, at the start it was the Wild Wizards who climbed higher, and they usually lacked opportunities to gain Knowledge, so they would be stuck at various bottlenecks. But on second thought, it might also be that the harsh survival Environment made them more alert.

Luge thought for a bit. Before leaving, he took out a few Bottles and filled them with some pool water to take away. If there were fewer people here, he would have tried to open a Spatial Door and take a whole pool's worth.

When he walked to another Street, he looked back; someone had already climbed to the highest point.

He took two more steps, suddenly feeling a bout of unprecedented brain fatigue, as if it would split open. He leaned against the Stone Steps at the street corner and rested for a long time before barely Recovering.

He rubbed his head while walking.

He wondered what those guys who climbed twenty-plus layers and stayed there a long time would look like when they left that place.

Actually, from the moment he stepped from the first layer to the second, especially watching those guys climbing upward in the distance, he understood in his heart. But that refreshing feeling of all problems being solved effortlessly, that carefree Temptation made his heart itch. And he only had some small difficulties in Meditation cultivation. Those old Apprentices of many years might have accumulated years of unsolvable confusion. When those confusions unraveled one by one, what kind of enormous Temptation would that be?

He rubbed his head, looking around, searching for where the Crybaby Chong Ren might be.

White everywhere; looking at it too much instead lost that previous clean and tidy feeling. Walking back and forth, everywhere was this Appearance. He only felt monotony and a kind of discomfort.

As if this shouldn't be a place for people to live.

Several Apprentices were hesitating in front of a Tall building. Luge knocked his temple and looked up, immediately Suddenly Realizing — that should be a Tu Shu Guan.

In a City with this kind of Legend Background, seeing this kind of building, any Wizard Apprentice would be unable to move their feet.

"Nice-smelling Big Brother, don't go there, it's very Dangerous..."

A voice entered Luge's ears — precisely the Crybaby Chong Ren not seen for many days.

"Where are you?" he said softly, Scanning all around.

"I'm in Cheng Wei, can't chat now. Wait until I formally become this City's City Lord, then I'll come find you to play. I can make you a resident here, stay here Forever. Then you can go all places you want to go, and never be hungry again..." the little Chong Ren's childish voice was full of Happiness.

"No, I don't want it to be That Way."

Luge spoke, but received no further response from the little Chong Ren.

(Chapter End)