Chapter 226: Star Projection

That dark area seemed to be calling to Luo En, like a hollow abyss, waiting for his consciousness to fall into it.

As meditation deepened, Luo En could feel his consciousness gradually separating from his physical body.

This feeling was not unfamiliar; in his previous practice of "Whispers of the Star Eater", he had experienced similar states many times.

But this time, the degree of separation far exceeded the past.

Luo En's consciousness was like a water droplet leaving the ocean, floating alone in the boundless universe.

When the last trace of connection with his physical body broke, his entire perception was pulled into that lightless area.

This was not true darkness.

Luo En's "sight"—although he had no physical eyes at this moment—could capture a strange energy fluctuation.

It was not light, nor heat, but a form of existence beyond conventional senses.

"Is this high-level space?" Luo En's thoughts drifted in this strange space.

There was no up, down, left, or right, no distance or size.

All conventional spatial concepts lost their meaning here.

His consciousness floated in this "nothingness", feeling an unprecedented loneliness and loss.

Luo En felt his senses being completely stripped away.

Not only the five senses of the physical body, but even the perception at the spiritual level was disappearing bit by bit.

Fear surged like a tide.

No sound, no light and shadow, no temperature, no touch... even the perception of his own existence was gradually fading.

His consciousness struggled, trying to grasp any familiar feeling, but there seemed to be only endless "nothing" in the void.

"Who am I?" This question suddenly appeared in his consciousness, but he couldn't find the answer.

"Am I... Luo En?"

He tried to recall his identity but found his memory becoming blurry.

A terrible thought emerged: if even the self cannot be confirmed, then does "I" still exist?

Just at the moment when his self-consciousness was about to be worn away by the emptiness, points of light suddenly appeared in the void.

At first, they were just faint light spots, like distant stars.

But soon, these light spots began to increase, densely filling the entire range of perception.

Connections began to form between the light spots, weaving into a complex network.

Luo En was surprised to find that these were not simple light, but segments of memory fragments—his memory fragments.

The initial memories came from Earth, the daily life of an ordinary college student:

The fatigue of an 8 AM class, collective gaming in the dormitory late at night, sprinting in the library before final exams...

These ordinary fragments felt so vivid and precious at this moment.

Immediately following was the moment of his sudden death in his previous life, that suffocation and darkness, and the confusion and anxiety when he woke up after crossing over.

The scene turned to the Black Fog Jungle, the despair of six-star spiritual power aptitude, the first acquisition of the "Corona Breathing Method", the first time feeling the wonder of meditation...

Memories flashed like a revolving lantern:

Career leaps from nothing, the pain of body tempering with scorching essential oil, the slaughter in the corridor, the acquisition of the Chimera bloodline...

Every memory was incomparably clear, with a level of detail far exceeding conventional recollection.

Luo En seemed to stand in the past and present simultaneously, being both the experiencer and the bystander.

With the increase of memory fragments, a brand-new perception was forming:

The memories of two souls intertwined, forming a complete life trajectory.

Luo En saw the memories of being in this world:

The extravagant life of a noble son, setbacks at the Knight Academy, the helplessness and doting of his father and brother, the despair of coming to the Black Fog Jungle...

The two segments of memory were no longer simple splicing, but intertwined with each other.

Led by the transmigrator, they combined perfectly at certain nodes, making the identity of "Luo En" fuller and more three-dimensional.

Just at this moment, the light spots suddenly began to rearrange, forming a huge and blurry outline.

That was not a shape that could be described.

It transcended the limits of human cognition, as if existing in countless dimensions simultaneously, with each perspective presenting a completely different form.

That twisted structure defied all logic; just "looking" at it was enough to drive one crazy.

Luo En's consciousness became as small as dust in front of this terrifying form, no, even more insignificant than dust.

At least dust occupies space, while in front of this existence, he didn't even have the qualification to "exist".

The outline didn't make any sound, didn't make any movement, and didn't even cast any "attention" toward Luo En.

It was just "there", which was enough to make Luo En's spiritual world verge on collapse.

It was a kind of complete ignoring, a kind of despairing indifference.

Just like a person wouldn't care about the bacteria under their feet, this existence didn't even view Luo En as an object worthy of communication.

He suddenly understood what true despair was.

No threat, no attack, just being treated as non-existent, viewed as an existence smaller than nothingness.

No communication, no transmission of thought, just a trace of energy fluctuation from this existence was enough to twist and deform Luo En's spiritual world.

He felt his consciousness being stretched, compressed, folded, experiencing various indescribable changes.

After a period of time... perhaps a second, perhaps a century, time lost its meaning here...

Luo En found himself in an incomparably familiar place.

—Earth, his hometown.

To be precise, the city where he was.

The sun was bright, the air was fresh, people were coming and going on the street, a peaceful scene.

Luo En was surprised to find that he could feel the existence of his physical body.

The temperature of the sun on his skin, the flow of air in his lungs, the beating of his heart—everything was so real.

"I'm back?"

He couldn't believe it; could all this just be a dream?

Could those memories about the Black Fog Jungle and the Wizard World just be an illusion he had on Earth?

Just as he was confused, a familiar figure walked toward him.

"You brat! Hurry up and go home."

His father's impatient voice was just as he remembered.

"Dinner is ready soon." His mother's simple words made his heart gradually settle down.

Luo En wanted to step forward, but suddenly stopped.

His gaze was involuntarily attracted to a strange scene in the sky.

In that azure sky, two celestial bodies that shouldn't appear were moving slowly.

The lonely silver light of the "Hermit Star" and the purple-black cloud of the "Annihilation Star Cluster" were approaching according to a specific trajectory, almost forming a perfect geometric arrangement.

"How is it possible..." he whispered in shock: "This is Earth, how could the star signs of the Wizard World appear?"

In an instant, Luo En's thinking became incomparably clear, and he realized that none of this was real.

Those joys of reunion, those familiar scenes, were all some kind of carefully constructed illusion.

Luo En's vigilance was completely activated, and the effects brought by "Star Dew Morning Glow" began to appear:

His spiritual perception became abnormally keen, able to capture the energy fluctuations behind the illusion, and even feel the breathing rhythm of that huge existence.

Just at the moment this cognition formed, the sky underwent a terrible change.

The original azure sky gradually darkened; no, it wasn't a simple darkening, it was occupied by some kind of indescribable "existence".

Neither cloud nor fog, not even any visible matter, but a twisted "nothingness" that defied natural laws.

People looked up at the sky, their expressions changing from confusion to fear, and finally solidifying into despair.

The original azure firmament began to twist and tear, revealing the endless pitch-black behind it.

That was not a simple disappearance of light, but a thorough "void", a state of existence that transcended understanding and defied natural laws.

Time seemed to stop flowing, all people and objects solidified in place, only Luo En maintained the clarity of consciousness.

The next moment, terror descended.

Countless pitch-black, twisted "tentacles" hung down from the sky, each one larger than the most majestic mountain.

When the first "tentacle" touched the ground, the entire planet began to tremble.

The earth cracked layer by layer, like glass shattering;

high-rise buildings collapsed in an instant, turning into dust;

the ocean churned and boiled, forming monstrous waves;

distant mountain ranges melted and twisted, just like candles melted by fire...

Even more terrifying, those "tentacles" began to "lick" the surface of the planet.

Every "lick" wiped out large areas along with everything living on them.

—Completely erased from existence, as if they had never appeared.

Luo En watched helplessly as his parents and friends were "wiped out" before his eyes; they didn't even have time to scream before disappearing from reality.

Cities were "eaten" piece by piece, and the earth was "peeled off" layer by layer.

The entire planet was like a small candy, constantly "licked" by an indescribable "tongue".

He felt an unprecedented fear and powerlessness.

In the face of this level of existence, any resistance appeared so insignificant.

Even his most powerful spells and most exquisite sword skills were nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot in front of this existence.

When the Earth was "licked" until only the core part remained, that huge "mouth" that transcended all dimensions finally fully manifested.

It seemed to exist in countless dimensions simultaneously, with each perspective seeing a completely different form.

Luo En, along with the Earth's wreckage, was swallowed into that "mouth".

Indescribable terror struck.

He felt the Earth... including himself, being slowly and meticulously chewed.

It was a thorough decomposition; every atom, every proton, every quark was split, absorbed, and assimilated.

The sound of "crunch, crunch" echoed in Luo En's consciousness.

He could "hear" the final struggle of every life, the final decomposition of every substance, the final dissipation of every thread of energy...

The pain became clearer than ever before.

This was a deeper essential tearing than simple physical pain, just like the soul being dissolved bit by bit, consciousness being disintegrated inch by inch.

No, this was not an illusion, but a more complex existence—a possibility, a rehearsal, a warning.

The "Devourer" was showing him the process of the planet being devoured, but the purpose was not intimidation, but some kind of "teaching" that was difficult to understand.

Just like a teacher demonstrating an experiment to a student, the "Devourer" was conveying some information to Luo En in the most intuitive way.

This pain exceeded Luo En's tolerance limit, almost completely annihilating his consciousness.

Just at this most desperate moment, Luo En's special talent and skills were suddenly activated.

The trait of "Dual Souls" began to play a role, dispersing this tearing pain between the two souls;

"Sunday's Protection" formed a faint layer of protection at the consciousness level.

Although it was difficult to resist this level of attack, at least it could slow down the speed at which the soul was decomposed.

The most surprising thing was the manifestation of the "Eternal Inscription" trait.

Although the physical Flowing Barrier could not be formed in this pure consciousness space.

But this trait had already penetrated deep into Luo En's soul, becoming part of his spiritual structure.

At the consciousness level, spiritual barriers formed spontaneously like fluids.

Each one carried the trait of "Eternal Inscription": able to remember and adapt to attack patterns, continuously evolving more effective defense strategies.

These barriers initially could barely block the power of the "Devourer".

But with constant impact and adaptation, they gradually became tougher and more flexible, forming a continuously self-perfecting defense system.

At the same time, the effect of "Star Dew Morning Glow" further manifested.

The energy components in the potion seemed to resonate with the will fragments of the "Devourer".

Making it easier for Luo En to receive and parse information that should have driven him crazy.

Multiple talents and skill traits formed a tough protective net at this moment.

Although it couldn't completely resist the impact of the "Devourer", it at least gave Luo En a chance to breathe and think.

After the trial of spiritual power came to an end, he felt a deeper change.

The energy fluctuations in the void became more subtle and precise, no longer large-scale impacts, but precisely acting on his soul structure.

That feeling was like an invisible hand, trying to unbutton the clothes, carefully yet irresistibly dismantling his soul.

That pain far exceeded the limit that the physical body could perceive.

Luo En let out a silent roar, feeling his existence disintegrating.

If completely separated, not only would he be unable to complete the breakthrough, but it might even lead to the collapse of his entire consciousness.

Just at this critical moment, a memory fragment suddenly emerged—it was the scene when the Chimera bloodline was activated.

When he defeated the battered monster, he obtained the ability of "Bloodline Replication".

"Replication... assimilation... fusion..."

These keywords flashed in Luo En's consciousness, bringing a glimmer of inspiration.

He tried to introduce the traits of the Chimera bloodline into the spiritual level, not simple replication or assimilation, but true fusion.

Luo En no longer resisted that tearing sensation, but followed its direction, actively separating the two souls temporarily.

But while separating, he used the traits of the Chimera bloodline to keep the two souls in a certain resonance relationship, just like two different sides of the same individual.

Luo En was surprised to find that his two souls, after a brief separation, were not as weak as conventional souls, but each maintained a considerable degree of integrity and strength.

Just like a complete individual being temporarily divided into two sides, but each side inherited most of the characteristics of the whole.

【Spiritual power has reached the limit

Special talent "Dual Souls" has unlocked new ability—Dual Casting】

"Is this the true power of 'Dual Souls'?" Luo En suddenly realized.

That was not just a simple superposition of two souls, but a deeper coexistence relationship, making the whole far exceed the sum of its parts.

As the fusion deepened, Luo En felt unprecedented power surging in his body.

A beam of incomparably bright light burst from the depths of his soul, instantly illuminating the entire consciousness space.

In this light, Luo En saw the full picture of his spiritual world.

It was a complex and exquisite structure, woven from countless energy lines, each containing specific functions and meanings.

In the center of this structure, a huge portal slowly opened:

That was the legendary "Gate of Wisdom", the only way to the formal wizard realm.

Spiritual power was undergoing a qualitative change, not just an increase in quantity, but a transformation in essence.

When the last wave of energy fluctuations gradually subsided, Luo En felt that his spiritual power had undergone some qualitative change.

That change was very subtle, yet incomparably profound.

Just like rough stones being polished into sparkling gems.

At the same time, he felt that something deep in his soul had been completely changed.

An unprecedented sensing ability awakened in Luo En's body.

Just like someone opening a brand-new window for him, allowing him to directly perceive the power of the starry sky.

【《Whispers of the Star-Eater》 trait advancement: "Empowerment" → "Star Projection"】

【Effect:

1. As long as you are in a place illuminated by the starry sky, you can absorb the light of the stars and continuously increase your magic limit

2. Gain additional bonuses during specific star signs】

Of course, the various prompts that followed declared that the qualitative changes of breaking through to a formal wizard were far from over...

………………

The lecture hall of the Crystal Spire was even more magnificent than that of the Black Fog School.

The towering dome was composed of countless tiny crystal fragments, refracting dazzling light under the sunlight.

The seats were arranged at precisely calculated angles to ensure that every apprentice could clearly see the central demonstration platform.

Even more amazing was that the entire classroom was wrapped in a subtle energy field, making the sound transmission inside more precise.

Even apprentices sitting in the last row could clearly hear every syllable of the mentor.

"Today's elemental hedging theory ends here; remember to complete the after-class test."

The mentor in a silver-gray robe slowly put away the lecture notes, his eyes sweeping over all the apprentices:

"Next week we will explore the advanced applications of elemental fusion."

Trish closed her notebook, looking at the densely recorded content with satisfaction.

Compared with the Black Fog School, the courses at the Crystal Spire were not only more systematic but also involved a wider and deeper range of fields.

Public courses were held almost every week, and the magic stone fragments required were surprisingly few.

At the Black Fog School, such a class required at least five magic stone fragments as tuition.

But here, only two were needed, and some special public classes were completely free.

"The resource gap is truly a world of difference." Trish sighed softly.

Walking out of the lecture hall, she followed the crystal corridor toward her residence.

The corridor was made of transparent crystal, suspended in mid-air, with layers of towers and gardens under her feet, and rolling mountains and lakes in the distance.

Having been here for a few months, she had gradually adapted to the rhythm and rules of the Crystal Spire, but the magnificence and richness here still often made her marvel.

When passing by the central square, Trish's gaze was attracted by the huge light screen suspended in the sky.

That was the candidate wizard sequence ranking table of the Crystal Spire, updated once every day.

Unlike the Black Fog School, the ranking system of the Crystal Spire was more open and encouraging.

Once entering the top ten, one could apply to the upper level to obtain the "Key" potion for breakthrough attempts, without waiting for the once-in-a-decade ruling.

"Wind Listener, Elliott Wandeer—8th place."

Trish looked at this name, feeling a bit envious in her heart.

Although Elliott performed poorly in the bloodline altar, he still remained in the top ten after returning.

It is said that before this, he even once firmly held the 5th place.

"If it weren't for that failure in the bloodline altar, he might have applied for a breakthrough by now." Trish muttered to herself.

In contrast, her own name was ranked in the 30s.

For a high-level apprentice who had just been promoted, this was already a quite good result, but there was still a long way to go to the top ten.

"If Luo En were here..."

This thought flashed through her mind, and she shook her head slightly.

Luo En La Er Fu—that genius whose growth speed even made people feel difficult to understand.

If he came to the Crystal Spire, it wouldn't take long for him to squeeze into the forefront.

After all, even in a place as resource-poor as the Black Fog School, he was able to jump to a high position in the sequence in a short time.

In this resource-rich environment, his progress would only be faster.

With this thought, Trish returned to her residence.

It was a luxury suite on the 32nd floor of the West Tower, smaller than those detached cottages in the Black Fog Jungle.

But the facilities were more complete, especially the practice field in the center, equipped with a complete energy regulation system, which could simulate magic flow in different environments as needed.

"Today's meditation plan..."

Corinna hadn't returned yet; Trish opened the schedule and prepared to start the afternoon practice.

Her mentor, as a Morning Star peak, still had a certain status in the Crystal Spire.

Therefore, she was also able to benefit from a more favorable learning environment than other ordinary apprentices.

But for those bloodline descendants of Great Wizard clans and even Crown clans, this was nothing at all.

She knew clearly that only by constantly improving could she stand firm in this highly competitive environment.

Just as Trish was about to sit on the meditation mat, a small object in the corner of the room suddenly emitted strange light.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 227 =====