The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

The spring-like legs and misty arms that have been formed, the giant killer, the extraterrestrial light and the rhinoceros horn that have been manifested, plus the assimilated Jack-o'-lantern, make a total of 6.

Tuliman was pleasantly surprised: "Your progress is always incredibly fast. And when you look inward, do you see the dome of the temple?"

"Not yet, teacher."

Each time he changed the spell, he always had to first step into the "temple" of introspection, and then use divine power to replace the "bricks" made of knowledge and magic. Now the bricks were piled up high, almost twice as high as before he played the board game, but the temple still had no ceiling, and at the top was still a vast emptiness.

“Listen up, Mr. Lü…and welcome other curious young people to listen up as well.” Tuliman smiled at the many curious students. “Learning is boundless, but there are limits to how much one can learn. We can say that the total amount of knowledge a heretical mage can receive is limited, just as an ordinary person cannot truly remember every sentence and every word they have read.”

"The more original texts you study and the more spells you learn, the closer you get to the boundary of heresy. When you reach that boundary, knowledge will create a clear 'ceiling' at the top of the Temple of Introspection. Then you will face a dilemma: to learn new spells, you must forget old friends."

"It's like a person who's eaten too much and is bloated, with a huge belly. No matter how tempting the delicious food is, it's hard to swallow it whole. He either has to take a quick sip and spit it out, or he has to find a way to empty some of the contents of his big belly first."

A burst of laughter filled the classroom. Tuliman shook his finger: "Don't be so vulgar, young people. In short, in this matter, the heart and the stomach are the same; there must always be something in and something out. And if you are not satisfied with your current limits and crave more knowledge, you will inevitably have to find a way to 'digest' what's inside you. I don't mean changing the way you move it out, but making that knowledge and power a part of you."

Lü Wenjun understood: "True Transformation Technique".

"Indeed, the 'True Transformation,' which we call the Fourth Formula or the Self Formula, is the inevitable product of this process. The mage will use this formula to complete a highly efficient and self-directed expression, which will greatly expand their plasticity so that most of the time, they will no longer encounter the problem of not being able to digest it."

Tullieman said calmly, “And that’s the difference between a tale wizard and a pseudo-tale wizard. Realization not only makes them stronger, but also gives them breadth. At this point, the wizard no longer just listens to rumors, but has his own wonderful stories—that’s why they are ‘tale’ wizards.”

Just then, the school bell rang, but the students were almost all intently staring at the old man. Tuliman smiled and said, "I suppose you don't mind me saying a few more things unrelated to the textbook? So, next question, about legends..."

He picked up the chalk and drew a standard three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system on the blackboard.

“Compared to the Otherworldly level, the Mystic Masters possess ‘breadth,’ transforming them from finite points into a near-infinite plane. The Legendary, however, represents a third dimension, signifying a person’s ‘height.’” Tullien asked, “Question: What determines a person’s height?”

“The things he accomplished,” Pershka replied.

"Of course. Regardless of background or talent, it is always action that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, and achievement that makes the mortal a hero."

Tullien drew a large circle on the arrow at the top of the Z-axis: "This is the necessary condition for becoming a legendary mage. You need to do something extraordinary enough, and use that event, or rather, the story you personally completed, as material to construct a 'legendary spell.' However, this raises two new issues..."

He wrote on the blackboard:

1. What kind of career can be called legendary?

2. How to construct a legendary spell?

He smiled and said, meeting the expectant gazes of the room, "The answers to these two questions will be provided in the 'Introduction to the Ultimate Magic' course in the second semester of your sophomore year."

The students cried out in disappointment, with Vilsa shouting especially loudly, "Professor, please continue!"

"Aiming too high is not a good habit. You are still quite far from being tales of wonder, so how can you even see the edge of legend?" Tullien said with a smile. "Believe me, learning too much in advance is not a good thing—it will make you unable to see the road ahead."

Lu Wenjun was still not giving up: "Professor, at least tell us what the Legend can do!"

Tuliman craned his neck high, looking out the window, as if a sudden inspiration had struck him.

"A legend... one who can eat the moon."

Everyone was basically dumbfounded: "Professor?"

“I saw it with my own eyes back then, and perhaps one of you will see it again.” Tuliman opened the book. “Alright, young people, let’s go back to the old story. Page 91 of the textbook…”

The students stirred up a commotion, but no one pressed the issue; after all, everyone liked old Tullien (he didn't kill people). After class, the students left, while Tullien strolled leisurely back to the teachers' lounge.

Professor Ji went to class today. He picked up a newspaper and looked at the weather forecast provided by the celestial maidens:

There will still be no moon tonight, and heavy rain is expected this week.

The moonless nights have lasted for almost a week, and even the students are starting to notice the unusual weather. Rumors have been circulating on the forums lately, with many students claiming that Merdin is preparing a massive curse to kill everyone he dislikes.

Tullien sat back in his armchair and remarked, "This is not good, my friends."

"It's more than just bad," Professor Lingge said quickly. "That stupid snake ate the moon, which is one of the sources of power for the Great Mythic+ dungeons!"

"It sounds better than what you ate back then," Merdin said sarcastically.

"Oh, shut up." Ling Ge glared at him.

The Earl, unusually serious, said, “Friends, this is no time for jokes. The fact that such a massive entity could infiltrate the Great Mystery without anyone noticing means that Nyx played a part. It’s obvious that she still wants to return to the Age of Gods and is willing to reach out to the Library again for this purpose.”

The goddess of night, Nyx, was an otherworldly god who was previously defeated by the Nightfall. What sets this deity apart from many other otherworldly gods is that she still chose to be an enemy of the Greater Rift after regaining her senses.

This isn't unusual on a global scale, after all, gods are always unpredictable. But when an ancient being goes to great lengths to oppose you, you'd better be on your guard.

Tuliman agreed: "The Goddess of Night has presented us with a difficult problem. That serpent was already a powerful evil god, and its power has become even more extraordinary after devouring the full moon. Especially now that Mingxiao and Jiuguang are also present... For the current Grand Mythic+ dungeon, that full moon is more important than ever before."

Merdin continued sarcastically, "Then let's set off quickly and spend ten thousand days and nights to slay the evil dragon, so that Nyx can take advantage of the situation."

Earl Welton was somewhat displeased: "Mordin, you are the prophet. I don't mind you commenting here, but you should have warned us before all this happened."

Merdin looked completely unhurried: "There's no need."

“I really have to go and complain to Ji Chuanjun about you,” Ling Ge said.

Tullien pondered quietly. He wasn't surprised by Merdin's attitude; after all, the old druid was always like this. But Professor Ji's lack of action so far was a bit unreasonable.

The moon in the Great Mystic Realm is related to the seal of the Water Mirror Court, which is currently the most important matter for the academy. Now that the anomalies have been evident for several days, Professor Ji has taken no action, which is rather strange…

As he was thinking, he caught a glimpse of the calendar on the table out of the corner of his eye, and then it dawned on him.

"Ah, I'm really getting old," Tullien said with amusement. "With such a remarkable group of people around, what more do we need to do?"

The other professors also suddenly realized what was going on, and then easily returned to their work.

Merdin chuckled: "You Greeks' childhood idols, huh?"

“You’re wrong,” Tuliman said seriously. “He’s my idol for life.”

Tuliman looked up at the sky, and he could almost feel the emotions of that enormous being, and touch its boundless greed and malice.

It resembles a giant mouth hanging high in the sky.

·

It's almost time.

It rests beneath the veil of night, looking down at the colorful earth below.

From its high vantage point, it could see the calm sea beyond the secret realm. It knew that soon, many points of light would flow within the waves, like stars falling. Many ancient beings would arrive, those who transcended magic, immortal beings etched into their very being.

The best supplement.

They came for the feast, and in its eyes, this was also a feast. The goddess of night had presented this excellent opportunity; it was extremely hungry, craving power and flesh. Although its power was now greater than ever before, to the point that the magicians dared not make a move, it still craved and yearned.

For a life like it, desire is the most primal impulse.

Wait a little longer, it told itself. It had been lurking until now for one night of pleasure; a little more patience would bring it the taste of magic, flesh, and terror.

Its laughter pierced the night sky, transforming into a roar deep within the thick clouds.

The time for the banquet is approaching.

Chapter 85 Anything related to gods is never good.

Lu Wenjun was completely unaware of the major events unfolding on campus. That day, he rushed back to Shuijingting to prepare dinner, then skipped off to work at the small tavern down the mountain. On his way, as he passed Huoshaolou, Lao Fa greeted him.

"We'll be closed the day after tomorrow, so let us know in advance if you need to order any goods!"

Lu Wenjun found this quite strange: "You have times when you close your business?"

Old Fa's job as a school bus driver and messenger is one of the most relaxed jobs on campus. The school bus is only driven a few times a year, and he usually goes out to pick up goods or deliver mail. I haven't seen him busy since the start of the semester.

"It's a personal matter..." Old Fa said vaguely, "Anyway, I won't be going out that day, so don't contact me unless it's extremely urgent."

"Okay, you can rest now."

Lu Wenjun didn't pay much attention. He was still engrossed in the legendary topic, thinking about whether he could ask his senior to show off her skills that night.

It was this ill-timed indulgence that made him ignore the signs that were already in sight, which led to the ensuing danger: Mr. Cabone seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today, and even Ms. Hugheser had a pleasant smile on her face.

"Mr. Lü, I have great news for you!" Cabone said cheerfully, "We're going to pay you triple wages for your work the day after tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, Lü Wenjun immediately snapped out of his reverie. He performed a backflip and leaped out of the tavern, channeling his inner energy to shout in a powerful voice, "I'm catching a cold the day after tomorrow, and I was just thinking of asking for leave in advance!"

Lu Wenjun had a very deep impression of the doubling of his salary; the last time he heard such good news was before the welcome dance. On that occasion, an old man with dark skin came to visit the tavern, and his extra task was to help walk the old man's dog, "Keke."

That adorable, furry little creature was nearly forty meters tall, its sharp, black feathers resembling rusty spears, and it had two more heads than other common little cuties. When Keke let out its three times more joyful howl, all the birds in the Four Seasons Forest were startled into flight, forming a frenzied cloud in the sky. Lü Wenjun, carrying three giant shield-like flying discs on his back, raced frantically through the forest, with Keke thundering behind him, leaving behind a trail of venomous drool.

"I absolutely, absolutely will not walk Keke again!!" Lü Wenjun emphasized loudly.

“That little thing likes you a lot,” Cabone said kindly.

"My mortal body can't withstand its passion!" Lu Wenjun exclaimed in horror. "And last time it was only double the pay, this time it's triple?! Is there some kind of hellhound here?!"

Cabone handed him a glass of mulled wine, his gentle smile, as if he were watching a sucker, continuing to shine.

"Here's the thing, Lü. We're planning a long-awaited family reunion the day after tomorrow."

Lu Wenjun's jaw nearly trembled: "Your home? Your home?"

“Yes, yes.” Cabone’s face was full of understanding. “How should I put it, my relatives and elders are all very individualistic…”

“You damn bastard,” Huther said.

"Among them, my father was especially passionate and unrestrained, like lightning..."

"Trash and scum." Huise spat.

Cabone propped his chin on his hand: "Considering the large number of creatures in the Great Mystic Realm, my aunt and I have always felt it's inappropriate to let them in on their own. Therefore, I plan to have my aunt prepare the meal, while I properly lead them to the table, to avoid any trouble caused by my father or uncle. What do you think of this plan?"

Lü Wenjun nodded frantically: "That's so wise!"

Are you kidding me? When it comes to Caboni's father and the overly enthusiastic Lightning, who else could it be? If a god is more famous for his crotch than his divine power, then the only one in the entire world is that ancient Greek god. If this old man isn't careful, it could easily become a major diplomatic issue in the underworld. It wouldn't be surprising if his whim sparked some kind of mythological war!

“So here’s the problem,” Cabone said. “This gathering is split into two parts. My more distant siblings and cousins, along with their friends, will be at another one. But my aunt and I can’t get away, and I believe they prefer a more formal dinner. So…”

The two men cast expectant glances at Lü Wenjun, who trembled almost like a leaf.

"Me, me, shall I host?"

“Your cooking is quite good,” Huther concluded. “Besides, they are all well-known and kind young men who are never difficult to deal with.”

Cabone added, "Or perhaps we could switch things up and ask for my father's help?"

Lu Wenjun's face turned as red as a traffic light as he made a final, desperate struggle.

"I can't handle this all by myself, let me hire two helpers!"

·

"Is this your excuse for cheating and swindling?" Faris said in despair. "You're going to jump into the river alone and then try to drag the two of us down with you?"

“What drowning ghost!” Velsa shouted angrily.

On Thursday morning, Lu Wenjun announced that he was preparing a new dish and sincerely invited everyone to come and try it. The two brothers excitedly rushed to the tavern after class. However, as soon as they entered, they knew things were not going well. They didn't see any familiar faces in the tavern, but instead, Chef Lu was sitting at the door with a menacing look on his face.

Without saying a word, Chef Lü closed the door and threw in two sets of waiter uniforms. The two good brothers thus became accomplices in the belly of the evil tiger.

"Think about it, aren't you looking forward to it?" Lü Wenjun coaxed patiently. "Mr. Caboney's brother, he is the son of God! What a wonderful opportunity it is to meet the heroes of ancient Greece."

Faris nodded and asked, "Velssa, what comes to mind when you think of ancient Greek heroes?"

“Kill and fuck.” Velsa said succinctly.

"Right? They're a bunch of crazy cavemen!! Massacring a city at the drop of a hat, accidentally killing a teacher, dragging the corpse of an enemy through the streets—that's all stuff that ancient Greek heroes did all the time! Aren't you worried about hosting a bunch of people like that?!"

Lu Wenjun said sincerely, "If I didn't know I was about to die, why would I have come here specifically to harm you?"

"You ancient scoundrel, you're ten times more despicable than the bastards of ancient Greece!" Faris cursed.

"Don't worry, I'll split this paper money between you two... It's such a lucrative job to earn 1000 magic coins in one night."

Faris covered his buttocks: "I'm more worried about getting fucked, you know. This is ancient Greece, they don't discriminate between men and women when they get passionate."

"They like muscular types," Versa said sadly. "I'm more dangerous than you."

"Would you like me to give you two a mask and a headscarf?"

"Don't be so fucking stupid." Faris flipped the middle finger. "So, how do we divide the work?"

Chef Lü took charge of all the cooking, while Faris filled in for Caboney, mixing soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Mr. Velsa, being strong and capable, was in charge of serving dishes and handling emergencies.

"What is an emergency response?"

"Based on my experience reading legendary stories, the appearance of famous people is always accompanied by unexpected events, and the more famous people there are, the greater the probability of an accident," said Lü Wenjun. "Tonight we may be hosting a whole room full of famous people, and I think the probability of something going wrong is 100%."

"Tell me if you made any preparations in advance?"

Lu Wenjun pulled out two brocade pouches: "They each left one before they left..."

"Damn, this is so reminiscent of your hometown! And didn't this just predict that something bad was bound to happen?!"

“In my opinion, food is the easiest thing to go wrong with,” Vilsa said. “If it doesn’t suit their taste or is taboo, the heroes might get angry.”