Forge a path to success

Everything is ready now, except for one small thing.

"Where did that bastard Karlsord go?!"

A young apprentice glanced towards the break room, not daring to utter a sound. Vansalar abruptly lifted the curtain; the bespectacled man was fast asleep on the sofa. Vansalar kicked him in the backside.

"Oh my god!" Karsold yelled, jumping up. "Are you fucking crazy?!"

"You're fucking crazy!" Vansalar roared even louder. "Do you know how long I argued with those idiot imperial sheriffs to get this opportunity to give a public speech?"

"This is a venue in the capital, officially endorsed, and advertised for a month. There are now a full 50,000 people inside, and 100,000 eyes watching outside! People from Longquan Township and Jingsha City-State are here, and there are rumors that even the Emperor's deputy is present. Who knows how many important figures are waiting for you!"

“Huh?” Karsold said.

"Huh? Are you some kind of demonic hippo? Change your clothes and get out of here!"

"Sorry, I'm super tired today, I can't go." Karsold lay down. "You can take my place."

Vansalar's eyes began to blaze: "Say that again if you dare."

The bespectacled man spoke weakly: "I just fought a Chaos Demon, I'm really exhausted."

His anger vanished instantly. "What a joke!" Vansalar repeated, "You fought with the Illusionary Demon?"

"It's just a fragment of a spirit..." "Why didn't you call me?" "You were busy with work." "What work is more important than fighting demons?!"

“Giving speeches is also important work,” Karsold said wearily. “Like you said, countless big shots are watching this place. They’re waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves. I’m almost withered now; I’d be a complete embarrassment if I went up there.”

"Don't be ridiculous." Vansalal laughed in exasperation. "This is the Archmage's lecture. I'm going up on stage in half a minute. What am I supposed to say to them? 'Good afternoon, everyone. I'm the Archmage's buddy'?"

Karsod took off his pointed wizard's hat and threw it on Vansalal's head. He solemnly declared, "From this day forward, the Shadow Mage Vansalal is promoted to Archmage."

"Don't even think about slacking off—"

“Please, Vansalar, give me a hand,” Karsord said. “There are plenty of demonic boars in the world, but not every boy has a gun and the courage you do.”

Van Salal sighed heavily, put on his hat, and walked through the crowd, using his shadow to create an exaggerated pointed-collar coat for himself. He stepped onto the stage to the sound of bells, and flashed a warm smile under the gaze of a hundred thousand eyes.

"Welcome! Welcome, friends from all over the world! I am Archmage Vansalal, and it is my honor to share the mysteries of elemental magic with you today!"

He removed his hat, reached inside, and pulled it open. Multicolored lights shot out from the hat, exploding into brilliant fireworks over the capital. Vansalar's shadow danced in the light, suddenly transforming into a gigantic, menacing bat, eliciting gasps of surprise.

"This is elemental magic. A few simple tricks can bring joy to your life; if you study the path and comprehend its mysteries, you can gain the power to protect your family; if you are fortunate enough to cross the First Abyss, you can single-handedly command the wind and rain and ensure the peace of your land!"

Shadow magic shifted above the stage, conjuring various illusions in response to his speech. Vansalar clapped his hands, and all the light and shadow vanished, returning everything to normal.

"And all the things mentioned above can also be accomplished by the Path of Floating Light."

“Long before I was born, the Dragon God could control the clouds and rain, the land protected by the Divine Tree was always fertile, and the Empire’s technology could alter the climate. They could do it better than us, perhaps more safely, or even more efficiently—so why should I tell you about this emerging elemental magic?”

Vansalal lowered his voice; this was a crucial point, and an unavoidable challenge when promoting elemental magic. Fortunately, he had written the speech and knew the content by heart.

"Because we are not dragons, trees, or giants. We are humans, demi-humans, social animals, insects, a short-lived and inherently fragile race. We have no innate power; to become stronger, we can only rely on the Path of Ascension. But those without wealth are not qualified to embark on the Path of Ascension."

The son of a fisherman and a blacksmith may not obtain the relics that form the foundation, and a soldier who has served on the front lines for ten years may not even get the blueprints for the Mutant Blade. Resources in the world are always limited, and only those who excel within a group can get opportunities.

Even if one manages to enter the gate through countless hardships, the foundation and the staff of hardship are almost useless. Only those with extraordinary abilities above the level of the Blade of Extraordinary Change can be considered as having combat power, and those are geniuses who only appear once in millions.

“But we don’t have enough resources to equip every village and town with a remarkable mutated blade!” Vansalar raised his voice. “Then what will happen to the weak people in remote towns? How will the remote dust islands outside the jurisdiction of the major powers protect themselves? How will those who are born weak and penniless protect the lives of their loved ones from the heretics? Are they forced to die?”

"We thought this was wrong! The world shouldn't be like this. The weak should also have the right to live!"

This is why I am telling you all about this supreme path to godhood from the primordial spirit!

Vansalar opened his arms as if embracing, his shadow on the stage converging into a beam, becoming a black staircase leading to the sky. He shouted ecstatically, throwing out brilliant light and sharp shadows, the elemental forces raining down, landing in the hands of every audience member.

"No resources or wealth are needed. With a strong heart, you can unleash a light that illuminates the darkness; with the will to fight, the shadows will become your weapons. Your strength depends on your mind, on whether you have the courage to stand up!"

His shadow suddenly magnified dozens of times, transforming into a giant bat with crimson eyes and enormous wings! The bat descended from the sky, carrying dark, ominous clouds as it hurtled towards the helpless crowd. The sheriffs drew their guns, and dragons, now humanoid, roared, and the situation was about to spiral out of control. But amidst the screams, a blinding light erupted. The panic, fear, and chaos, along with the courage, resilience, and love behind them, activated the elemental power that had been released beforehand, forming a beam of light that pierced the sky.

Tens of thousands of rays of light pierced through the terrifying bat, and the Shadow Mage laughed loudly amidst the attention of the crowd.

"Yes, just like what you are doing now!" Vansalar roared, "With love and courage, you too can become light!!"

At this moment, nearly 30,000 glimmers of light were born in the turbulent realm. These weak people, receiving power for the first time, trembled at the radiance they had emitted with their own hands. Their excited emotions transformed into shouts, and their impassioned cries engulfed the imperial capital. Vansalar raised his arm and shouted to the crowd.

"Together, we will change the world!"

He then spoke about the basic concepts of elemental magic and some simple protective tricks, and left the address of the archmage's stronghold. As more and more listeners arrived after hearing the news, he had to repeat the concepts he had just mentioned.

It was night when the speech ended, and he retreated backstage amidst cheers from the crowd, while Calsaud smiled and applauded.

“It worked wonderfully,” he said, holding up his teacup. “Although your improvisation took me quite a surprise.”

According to the original plan, the Archmage would directly bestow the power of glimmer upon all the listeners, a task easily accomplished by Vansalal, who was already a 4-point particle. Vansalal removed his mage's hat and tossed it back onto its original owner's head.

“That’s a gift, isn’t it? Just like a divine blessing bestowed upon you by the gods.” Vansalal grinned. “If you don’t awaken on your own, it’s meaningless.”

“You’re right, Vansalal. Do you think our doorstep will be overrun tomorrow?”

"Let's consider the sheriff's fine first. What serious crime is it under Imperial law to illegally create tens of thousands of glimmers?"

Karsold rolled his eyes: "I really should consider finding my own territory..."

“It should have been done long ago, Sorcerer Supreme.”

Karsold nearly choked: "What a stupid title!"

"Now that I'm a Grand Mage, you have to be even greater than a Grand Mage."

·

The Mage Tower of the Sorcerer Supreme, Karthus, was built in the northwest corner of the Mystic Realm, facing the Imperial Capital across the distance. Its towering structure resembled a spiraling spear. On the day the Mage Tower was established, hundreds of Dust Isles came to celebrate, and all the major powers sent envoys. The apprentices who called out the names of the students were hoarse from shouting.

The banquet lasted for three days and three nights, with a constant stream of apprentices coming to become his disciples. The Sorcerer Supreme had to personally develop banquet magic to warm up the atmosphere, otherwise the mages would have had to take turns telling jokes to liven things up. After the banquet, Calsod announced a three-day break before resuming formal instruction. The four archmages and he lay sprawled in the messy hall, looking like five bloated, dead pigs.

"Gentlemen, look..." Archmage Lavaiva held up an iron box, "The Emperor has also sent us a gift..."

“Throw him out…” Karsold twitched.

Vansalar glanced at it: "It's a robot vacuum cleaner and digestive medicine."

"Quickly open...start it..."

On that day, for the only time, Karsold acknowledged that Imperial technology had its merits.

The first summit meeting began amidst the buzzing of the robot vacuum cleaner. Their primary topic was the unified instruction to be given three days later. Each archmage harbored varying degrees of apprehension, for everyone had their own understanding of magic. Some believed magic should begin with microscopic observation, while others felt that the tricks from the First Abyss were mere gimmicks, requiring at least a rank of 4 to begin instruction. The students' abilities varied, and the appropriate methods differed, quickly leading to heated debate.

“Why don’t you each use your own methods to train your apprentices?” Vansalar said impatiently. “Stop arguing here.”

"The stages of instruction must be standardized! We are now a major power in the Mysterious Realm of Senluo. Every point in the universe should have its own symbol. We must let the masses know how to progress after entering the sect and how to learn magic so that we can form our own rules." Another archmage objected.

“Yes! If apprentices all learn their own methods, what difference is there between elemental magic and those uncontrollable wild methods? How can we claim that what we have learned is the Great Way, and not those elemental trash who self-destruct at the drop of a hat?”

"Gentlemen, we cannot confuse priorities. The path to godhood emphasizes individuality, and the first three stages are for shaping the self, with the choice of stage 3 being particularly important. If we use standardized teaching to confine the minds of our apprentices, how are we any different from the Empire?" Lavaiva's round face wrinkled. "I still maintain that. At least until stage 4, then we should study magic."

"You're the one who can't distinguish between primary and secondary points. Our advantage is 1, 2, and 3! Only after becoming free-spirited can we have teaching. Why don't people just pray to gods and Buddhas? At least in Longquan Township, they can learn blacksmithing!"

"How dare you speak like that? Stick to the facts..."

"It's just a woman's opinion, I won't argue with you."

"You bastard, get out!"

The more senior grandmaster slammed the table: "This is outrageous! You're telling me to get out?!"

"The Candle Dragon rises from the west!"

"If you all keep arguing, I'm going to resign and go home."

"Lavaeva's Super-Rapid Healing Technique!"

"Hahaha, Vansalar Collapse Cannon!"

Less than 20 minutes into the first decision at the top of the tower, it transformed into the first magical battle of the Mage Tower. The spell that won first place in this duel was Calsod's "Pioneer Rainbow Bridge," with the Sorcerer Supreme using his staff to knock his colleagues back to their seats one by one, ending this spectacular battle.

“You’ve all fought enough, so let me say something,” Karsod said. “As you all said before, we are no longer a small group wandering around, but a force in the Mysterious Realm of Senluo and even the Realm of Chendong.”

He looked at each person in turn: "Yes, the development of power is important, the teaching methods need to be decided, and the apprentices' abilities will determine our image in the public eye. But those are secondary, my friends, you could even say they are insignificant issues."

What we should be most concerned about is the starting point of all this. What can our magic do for the world?

The archmages fell silent, realizing that while they were arguing over the development of a mere tower, Karsord was watching the entire world. The Sorcerer Supreme spoke calmly: "A few days ago, I spoke with Candle Dragon..."

"By the Primordial Spirit, you spoke with Zhulong?!" Vansalar exclaimed. "With Zhulong?!"

Calsod remained unfazed: "Yes, we..."

“Hey, do you have to treat this like ‘I went for a walk with the old man next door’?!” Vansalar protested. “Do we have to suppress our gasps and exclamations and play along with you in this formal meeting of the Sage Supreme? Pretending to be completely normal?”

Karl Soder's lips twitched. He took off his glasses, covered his face, and chuckled softly.

"Go to hell with you, Vansalal. I admit I'm smug! I'm proud, I'm ecstatic! Are you satisfied now?"

"That's more like it!" the archmages laughed heartily.

“In that discussion, we touched on the significance of elemental magic.” Karsod paused for a moment. “As we have mentioned countless times in our lectures, the power of low-quality points is our unique advantage. Whether it is ancient dragons, divine trees, or giants, they all lack combat power within the low-quality point range, and the number of mutated blades they can summon is extremely limited.”

The vast majority of these tragedies are caused by low-level heretics and strange beasts. The victims never receive help, yet the difficulties they face can be resolved with a simple healing spell or fireball.

"So, I have an idea."

"We can develop several versatile, efficient, and low-cost 'signature spells.' These spells need to be extremely simple to use, so that even a novice apprentice can wield them. Apprentices can use them to solve the vast majority of problems, and they are invariably effective at low-quality points, much like the universal solutions below the First Abyss."

If our apprentices could take these spells to various places, the entire Realm of Shroud would benefit. What do you all think?

“Ideal… but too difficult.” A high mage pondered. “Such magic, even if it appears simple on the surface, must be incredibly complex in essence. How can an apprentice cast it easily if he doesn’t understand it?”

“It’s very simple, we fix it with a point mass,” Karsold smiled. “We design it as ‘magical life.’ Apprentices don’t need to understand the mechanism of life’s operation, they only need to know how to make it.”

“Supreme Sorcerer, how could they manufacture it if they didn’t know the mechanism…” Lavaiva muttered.

Vansalar chuckled: "Your parents knew nothing about biology, but that didn't stop them from creating you."

“Shut your mouth, Vansalal! Besides, my parents are top students at the Imperial Research Institute; they are far more knowledgeable than you!” Lavaeva protested. “This is…this…um…oh my god, this is feasible. The core information of the technique is designed in advance; it can be completed simply by investing effort. If we optimize it properly, this is entirely possible.”

"What a brilliant idea, our wise and supreme ruler!"

"One point mass can design one magical creature! When an apprentice can skillfully create and utilize each magical creature, he will inevitably have a basic understanding of the concept of elements, and at that time he will naturally be qualified to become a formal mage! At this point..."

"Then I will formally confer the mage title upon the apprentices and have them learn general magic of rank 4 and above," Karsold continued. "Children with talent in elemental magic will inevitably have outstanding personalities and are not suitable for being taught with a uniform textbook. The archmages present here are also people with distinct personalities. I think it would be better to establish four academies, with each of you serving as the dean. Everyone can teach using their own methods, and there is no need to worry about suffocating the students' individuality."

“That works.” “That’s a good idea.” “Then we’ll be an unprecedented university.” “We need to rent a venue quickly…”

“I’ve already thought it through.” Karsod used earth elementals to create a small model of the mage tower. His tower was like a storm compressed into a long spear, like a spiral piercing through the night.

"The school is built inside the Mage Tower. We are a newly emerging school of thought, and we will surely continue to advance amidst contradictions and struggles. Our school will be called the Spiral Tower!"

Chapter 235 The Path to Godhood for the Supreme Being (3)

"Since we're going to run an educational institution, we need to carefully monitor the students' character. If students can only become formal mages at the 4th level, how do we control the apprenticeship stage before formal enrollment?"

"On the one hand, we send official mages to supervise, and on the other hand, we also set up monitoring functions in the magical life to observe the character of each child."

"This screening process is essential; we do not accept those who are only after fame and fortune!"

“Magical life forms will become our trademark; we need to carefully study their structure…”

With the shared goal of building the Spiral Tower, the archmages' interest was piqued, and countless ingenious ideas emerged and clashed in the discussions, evolving through mutual wisdom. They first established the foundation of point 1, the "microscopic light" accessible to everyone. Using a beam of light to defeat a powerful enemy might be demanding, but using it to heal the wounded aligns with positive energy.

Lavaiva, a master of light magic, designed an adorable, glowing little puppet that could be created anywhere using trees, stones, and even mud. This puppet maximized the infectious power of the elements, able to revitalize any life it touched, soothe pain, and heal injuries with light. In emergencies, a high concentration of light could even sustain severely wounded bodies, helping warriors make a final stand.

“As long as there is sunlight, this creature, and the objects it heals, can continue to thrive,” Lavaiva said excitedly. “It can be the light of dawn for every little village.”

The proposal for the glowing little man was unanimously approved, followed by the reflection of point 2. At this moment, everyone looked at Vansalal, the most powerful shadow mage.

Vansalar whistled, and several abstract "dogs" with sharp teeth and claws, covered in spikes, sprang out from his shadow.

“Actually, I was just about to introduce you to our latest research findings,” he said proudly. “This little thing is incredibly fast. It can move in the shadows and detect every living thing nearby using its energy vision and emotional perception. If any hostile creature dares to approach…”

He tossed a tin can, and the Shadow Hound instantly emerged from the shadows behind it, tearing it to shreds with a single swipe of its paw.

"It allows for immediate prevention," Vansalar concluded. "It is the best scout and the best sentry."

“A remarkable design,” Calsaud praised, “but I don’t know if you’ve noticed a problem. Shadow is different from light; it’s negative, aggressive, changeable, and restless. The very nature of the element dictates that it won’t be so obedient… just like it is now.”

With nothing to do, the Shadow Dogs began to tear at the table.

A high mage frowned: "This won't do. Vansalar is inherently ferocious and could easily be accidentally injured."

“I’ve conducted dozens of experiments on my little dust island. I know they’re always biting each other, but of course I have a way to deal with them.” Vansalar snapped his fingers, and the three shadow hounds stood up straight, wagging their non-existent tails.

“All these little things are directly connected to me; my mind is the final line of defense.” He smiled confidently. “As long as I have a breath left, they will never harm the innocent.”

“With you guarding the line, I feel at ease,” Karsod smiled. “But you might get seriously injured or unconscious at times, and being under illusion spells could be a potential danger. How about the four of us each add an extra layer of protection? What do you think?”

“You’re quite cautious, Glasses.” Vansalar scratched his chin. “Good! This way, unless we all go crazy, the little thing will be absolutely safe.”