Schubert's Truth, Golden Fire Spirit Moye, Metal of Infinite Possibilities

After "Schubert" uttered those words, a huge and dense golden halo spread out from beneath his feet, centered on him.

In an instant, grains of sand turned from yellow to gold, and inch by inch of sand transformed into gold, like a ray of light spreading across the land. Moments later, the entire boundless desert was completely transformed into a dazzling sea of gold.

This expanse of golden sand, reflecting the distant golden city, exudes an incomparably magnificent and dazzling brilliance, as if the ancient kingdom of legend recorded in the pages of a fairy tale has come to life. Even knowing that this is just a dream, Ronan felt a deep sense of awe from the bottom of his heart at this moment.

This shock didn't come entirely from the scene before him, but also from what "Schubert" had said to him—

Just because he heard a story when he was a child, he put it into practice and actually created a Golden Kingdom with his own hands!! This behavior is really "Schubert".

Ronan didn't even know how to describe his feelings.

At this moment, in this world, only he, "Schubert," and "Schubert's " dog named "Itai" were not golden, not made of gold.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Schubert" returned to Ronan's side and stood beside him, squinting as he gazed at the distant golden city.

"I have spent my entire life realizing this dream that originated in my childhood, a dream that others considered absurd and ridiculous."

Ronan's lips twitched slightly as he spoke, "But you did achieve it in the end, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Schubert" sighed softly, then shook his head, "Actually, it's not fully realized yet; there's still a lot missing. Unfortunately, I no longer have time."

"Like the ambitious old king in the story, he eventually died of old age on his Golden Throne, never living to see true immortality."

"Even you can't defy time?"

Ronan murmured softly.

"I?"

"Schubert" chuckled and said softly, "I'm still far from it. Perhaps the real 'Schubert' could do it."

"What's the meaning?!"

Ronan was suddenly stunned.

He had always believed that the young man before him was the legendary wizard "Schubert," but now, judging from the other's words, it seemed that he wasn't?! "Schubert" looked at Ronan and slowly said, "Long ago, there was a wizard who imagined a place in the world—a place with infinite time, infinite space, endless resources, and everything you could imagine. He spent his entire life searching for the entrance to that place. On this long, directionless road, his spirit and ideals inspired many people, and some wizards joined him."

They upheld the will of the first wizard, striving to find, or rather, to build, such a place.

And this place was called— Schubert!

"... Later, 'Schubert' also became the name of this organization."

"Many legends about 'Schubert' remain on the mainland, but few people know about them."

"Schubert" shrugged helplessly. "'Schubert' never refers to just one person."

"Of course, it's not wrong for you to call me 'Schubert,' because every wizard from Schubert's refers to himself as 'Schubert' when he travels outside."

"Buzz—"

Ronan was shaken to his core; the impact of this truth was no less than when the ancient golden kingdom had risen before his eyes.

He had always believed that Schubert was a legendary wizard with unparalleled talent and power.

I only just realized that "Schubert" is actually the name of a dreamland that only exists in ancient fantasies.

He had heard, and even personally experienced, countless legends about "Schubert".

Schubert seems to have a smattering of knowledge in every field: alchemy, forging, runes, potions. He is extremely proficient in every type of magic, including space, metal, and illusion. Thinking about it carefully, yes, human strength is finite. How could one person's time, energy, and wisdom possibly support such extensive research in so many fields?

If it were a group of people, it would make much more sense. Ronan fell into a long silence. "Schubert" watched him quietly, seemingly waiting for him to process the news.

After an unknown amount of time, Ronan's voice rang out again.

"So."

He looked up, his gaze calm as he looked at the young man before him. "When two or more 'Schubert' meet... how should they address each other?"

"Well"

The young man paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Are you asking for my real name?"

You may call me—'The Alchemist '.

"The Alchemist..."

Ronan murmured the name, looked around at the golden sea of sand, and felt that the name was quite fitting for the person in front of him who had always been chasing his Golden Dream.

"So, the way you look to me right now is also fake?"

Ronan spoke.

The young man nodded, a hint of vicissitude showing in his clear, bright, jewel-like eyes, and replied in a low voice, "My appearance, my voice, everything is shaped based on your imagination. Because you think I should be this way, I became this way. As for my original appearance..."

The young man shook his head. "It's been too long, so long that I've even forgotten what I used to look like."

"Perhaps it's a grumpy old man with a beard that reaches the ground."

The young man smiled, as if he had imagined a very interesting scene, and his eyebrows and eyes curved into a cheerful smile.

He laughed for a while, then looked at Ronan and said, "Alright, that's about all the stories about me and 'Schubert'. Now, it's time to talk about you."

"I?"

Ronan paused, a look of confusion appearing on his face.

Honestly, he still doesn't know why he suddenly came here, to this dream belonging to the "Alchemist" of Schubert.

He only remembered fighting the Golden Magic Box with the Ash Witch Moriel in the Mechanical Heart Ruins, but both of them were cursed by some powerful Metal Element and turned into two golden statues.

Later, Moriel broke free from the curse's influence before I could. She seemed to want to kill herself, but failed. So she tried to use the power of the Golden Curse to kill herself. "... In all these years, you are the first person to have persevered to this point and witness the gates of the Golden Country with me."

"Thank you, fate, for bringing you to me. If you had come any later, my consciousness would have completely vanished."

The young man looked at Ronan with gentle eyes, "Would you be willing to do a small favor for a disheveled old man with a long beard?"

"What?"

Ronan looked slightly taken aback.

The young man looked around at the golden sea of sand, finally settling on the magnificent golden city in the distance, his eyes deep and filled with longing.

"Help me finish building the Golden Country."

Although I can no longer see it.

A faint sense of sadness and regret lingered in the air.

Infected by this emotion, Ronan gazed at the endless, magnificent golden city in the distance. After a long while, he couldn't help but ask, "Can I go in and take a look?"

The young man turned to look at him and shook his head helplessly. "I'm afraid that won't work... The real Golden Country isn't here; this is just a simple projection."

Because of the loss of consciousness, I couldn't even recreate one-tenth of its original appearance.

"All right."

Ronan felt regret, realizing that his dream of "king, boy, and gold" might be coming to an end.

He ultimately stopped at the gates of the Golden Kingdom, unable to go inside and take a look.

"You're lucky, or rather, I'm lucky. What remains here happens to be the legacy of the Golden Fire Spirit Moye, which is perfectly suited to the magic you're currently practicing."

The young man gazed at the glittering golden city in the distance, pointed in a direction, and said to Ronan, "Do you see that? That's Spirit Maya."

I created it during the fog phase. Although it was a bit rough around the edges, it still looks quite beautiful now.

Ronan looked in the direction the young man was pointing and saw seven enormous, dazzling buildings that reached straight to the Sky Dome within the magnificent golden city; the young man was referring to one of them.

Because of the golden light obscuring his view, he could not see the entire majestic figure clearly, but he could vaguely sense an ancient, noble, and majestic aura that was difficult to describe in words, just like when he faced "Hecalto" directly.

"Golden Fire..."

Ronan stared at the image of "Spirit Maya" mentioned by the young man, then suddenly realized something and hesitated before saying, "My current main focus is on Ice Magic."

He was starting to wonder if the man had made a mistake.

The young man smiled and replied, "I know."

That's why I said Spirit Maya is your best choice right now. Sooner or later you will embark on the path of simultaneously controlling ice and fire. The Golden Throne is surrounded by more than just frost.

Dear Ronan, the connections between different elemental energies in the universe are much closer and more wondrous than you can imagine.

Long ago, they even shared the same name— Ether.

As the young man spoke, he glanced meaningfully at the Black Dog "Itai" that was circling around Ronan's feet.

"Understanding this early on will benefit your future path."

Try to make ice and fire coexist peacefully first. Spirit Maya will teach you in my place. 'Itai' is the best bridge for you to communicate with them.

"Coexistence of ice and fire"

Ronan muttered to himself, pondering the words "Alchemist," feeling as if a brand new door was slowly opening before him, yet many mysteries arose before that door.

These concepts and knowledge are still too advanced for him to understand at present.

"Take your time, one step at a time, don't rush..."

The Alchemist patted Ronan on the shoulder, comforting him, "You have a long way to go, and you're still some distance from even touching the gates of the Golden Country. Go to the Golden Village first; there you'll find the key to completely open Golden Country gates."

"And where is the road to Golden Village?"

Ronan's face showed even more confusion, and he couldn't help but look at the "Alchemist".

The latter simply pointed to his palm and laughed, "Haven't you always held the signpost to Golden Village?"

Ronan was startled and subconsciously looked down at his hands.

He opened his tightly clenched fingers, and a golden apple core lay quietly in his hand.

It was the core of the golden apple that the "Alchemist" had given him.

At this moment, the kernel was radiating an unparalleled, dazzling golden light, so bright that Ronan could barely open his eyes.

Suddenly, he found that everything around him was becoming blurry and distorted. A force seemed to be pulling him away from this place.

Ronan hurriedly reached out to grab the arm of the "Alchemist" who was right in front of him, but the latter had already turned away and was no longer looking at him.

Facing the direction of the golden city, he began to sing a children's song in a high-pitched, aria-like tone.

"... the groom's son"

He harbored a golden dream on a golden slope.

Planting golden seeds, watering a heart as hot and burning as gold with golden sunlight.

In that voice, brimming with boundless passion and vitality, seemingly forever young and full of vigor, everything before Ronan's eyes shattered.

His consciousness plunged into darkness, and everything drifted away from him. When Ronan slowly opened his eyes, he found himself standing quietly on a long, dilapidated, golden street.

Everything around was golden, radiating a golden luster.

It is still Mechanical Heart.

However, at this moment, the Mechanical Heart had been completely transformed into cold gold, and all the metal within Mechanical Heart had turned into gold.

There was no sound at all; the surroundings were absolutely quiet and peaceful.

Ronan looked down and was shocked to find that the golden fruit pit he had been clutching tightly in his hand in his dream had now turned into a golden Rune Stone.

The Golden Magic Box he had fought so hard for had already been opened.

Lying at his feet, the box contained a crimson Rune Stone and an irregularly shaped black metal block the size of a fist.

Ronan was silent for a moment, then quietly picked up the golden Rune Stone in his hand to examine it.

The Rune Stone contained only one rune, named— [Schubert's Golden Law]! "Is this the road to the Golden Village?"

Ronan murmured.

He bent down and picked up everything on the ground.

Inside the opened Golden Magic Box, another Rune Stone contained a complete set of metal Spell Inheritance.

These are: [Spirit Maya Black Steel Touch], [Spirit Moye Silver Body], [Spirit Moye Brass Head], [Spirit Moye Diamond Heart], and [Spirit Moye Golden Soul].

The five spells are clearly connected by their names alone. Together with the previous [Schubert's Golden Law] seal, they form a complete Metal Element magic school.

"Is this the legacy of Golden Fire Spirit Moye, that the 'Alchemist' spoke of?"

Ronan seemed to be deep in thought, then suddenly realized something.

The dream of Golden Country that the "Alchemist" built throughout his life may not be just a Golden Kingdom.

It also represents an ancient and powerful Metal Element magic system.

And the name of this system is—[Golden Country]! Ronan looked at the complete set of Metal Element Spell Inheritance in his hand and remained silent for a long time.

This is probably the oldest, most profound, and most powerful inheritance he has ever received.

Originating from the legendary "Schubert," an ancient wizard whose rank is unknown but whose power is undeniable, this is a completely new system of metal magic created by him through the utmost effort of his life!

Although it is not yet complete, it is only a part of the inheritance of the [Golden Fire Spirit Moye].

It's just one piece of the puzzle in the "Golden Country".

Ronan still needs to travel to the Golden Village, obtain the key to unlock the Golden Country, and collect the remaining puzzle pieces before he can ascend the Golden Throne and restore the ancient glory of the Golden Country.

Thinking of the magnificent, glorious, and beautiful Golden Kingdom standing on the golden sand sea that he had seen in his dream, Ronan's heart trembled and he was excited.

But he quickly suppressed that excitement.

An unparalleled legacy also brings unparalleled challenges.

Behind every opportunity lies a risk tenfold or even a hundredfold.

"When gold appears in the world, waves of Greed people will come to covet it... Even the dwarven civilization with the Mechanical Heart will worry that the Thunder and Flame Hammer will be stolen and robbed by goblins, dragons, and cyclops."

The legacy of an entire "Golden Country" will only attract more "treasure hunters"...

Ronan took a deep breath and carefully stored away the two Rune Stones and the Golden Magic Box, thinking to himself, "Before my strength reaches a certain level, I absolutely cannot let anyone know that I possess the legacy of the [Golden Country]."

Thinking about it, Ronan picked up the irregular black metal block that was placed next to the Golden Magic Box.

After acquiring it, he discovered that the black metal was almost identical to the Black Dog named "Itai" that he had seen in his dream.

"The Alchemist even prepared the metallic medium for me to use in conjunction with the [Golden Country] spell?"

Ronan weighed the not-too-heavy black metal block in his hand and muttered, "But this 'Itai' seems to be of a rather low grade, and the quantity is far too small."

Ronan shook his head, casually put the metal block away, and then looked around.

Under the Golden Curse power released by the Golden Magic Box, the vast Mechanical Heart has been completely transformed into a golden city-state. The wandering puppets and metal Elemental Lifeform within it have all disappeared, and all the metal has turned into gold.

"Gold might still have some use in the secular world, but for wizards, it's not as good as that dilapidated, rusty wasteland. At least there were some valuable and rare metals that could be extracted there."

Ronan had originally planned to collect some more high-grade metals within the Mechanical Heart that could be used as a medium for spells, but that plan fell through.

However, he obtained the most precious inheritance of the entire Mechanical Heart, which even the Thunder and Flame Hammer he had seen on the metal Stele Tower in the central square could not compare to.

At least that's what Ronan thought; he didn't believe a magical artifact forged by dwarves could compare to the work of a legendary wizard from "Schubert".

Most importantly, Ronan had a strong intuition that the hammer forged by the dwarves in the Mechanical Heart was very likely not inside the Mechanical Heart, but had probably already been moved out.

"I should have asked the 'Alchemist' in my dream."

Ronan was a little disappointed.

Regardless, he had achieved his goal of coming to the Mechanical Heart, and having now completely transformed Mechanical Heart golden ruins, he had lost the desire to continue exploring it.

Finding a way out is the most important thing right now.

"Judging by the time, the battle for the Helamus Genius Seat is about to begin."

Ronan's eyes flickered slightly. After a brief search, he decisively released "Dodol III" from his Space Ring.

The Mechanical Heart has undergone a strange change. It's unclear whether the entrance he originally came in through has collapsed yet. Even if it hasn't, returning the way he came would take a lot of effort. Having "Dodol III" find him the nearest exit would undoubtedly be the quickest and most convenient option.

"If that Ash Witch Moriel knew that her act of deliberately pushing the Golden Magic Box to me not only didn't kill me, but instead allowed me to obtain the Golden Country, her expression would probably be quite interesting."

"Ha~~"

High in the sky, some unknown distance away, a young witch, her two fair legs crossed, sat atop Red Lotus Scepter and flew swiftly. She gently rubbed her nose, suppressing the inexplicable urge to sneeze.

"It must be that damned woman Serena talking badly about me behind my back again."

Moriel bared her teeth, urging him somewhat fiercely, "Hurry up Vivian! I've already missed one chance to humiliate her, we can't miss a second..."

"Yes, Miss Moriel."

Behind her came the voice of the old woman in black robes, respectful yet slightly indulgent. Then, the old woman in black robes suddenly transformed into a huge Black Feather Vulture, lifted Moriel up, gently flapped her wings, and in the blink of an eye, she turned into a small black dot on the horizon. On the desolate wilderness at dusk, the huge setting sun struggled to release its last golden rays atop the mountains.

A giant serpent, over a hundred meters long, with a single horn on its head and scales that looked as if they were made of blue ice crystals, silently and swiftly swam towards the afterglow of the setting sun.

Atop the giant ice crystal serpent's head, a tall and slender figure sat quietly in meditation.

He was a young man with fair skin and handsome features.

The fierce wind carrying frost and snow lifted the hem of his robe, and the glow of the setting sun gently shone on him, giving him an orange-yellow edge.

He lowered his head slightly, his whole being as perfect as a masterpiece sculpted by God, possessing a powerful charm that captivated people.

Ronan, who had broken free from the Mechanical Heart early on, was heading towards the ruins of the Fairy Ancient City.

"Click-clack—"

At this moment, Ronan was intently feeding a metal blade disc the size of a washbasin, with slight rust marks on its surface, slowly into a large mass of black metal that looked like a living thing.

The metal surface undulated like a mass of condensed water, with a huge shark-tooth-like mouth in the center, which it ate like a biscuit, "huffing and puffing" at the metal bladed disc that Ronan fed it.

A lame goat with grayish fur and a gold name tag around its neck stood to one side, watching the black metal goat bite into the metal blade disc, occasionally looking up at Ronan with a longing expression.

Ronan got annoyed by its stare, and occasionally he would toss out a few brightly colored metal pieces. The gray goat that received the "feeding" would bleat merrily and then happily eat them.

"Buzz—"

After the entire metal blade disc was "eaten" by the black metal in front of it, a strange energy fluctuation emanated from the irregularly shaped black metal. Then it suddenly expanded by a circle, and a trace of Keen Edge emanated from its body, just like the metal blade disc it had just eaten.

"Tsk"

Ronan noticed the change in the aura and size of the black metallic mass, and a strange light shone in his eyes. He muttered to himself, "No wonder the 'Alchemist' named it Itai."

In ancient times, Ether represented unknown elements and infinite possibilities.

Itai's characteristic is that it can continuously evolve and advance by absorbing metal, just like 'Ether', possessing limitless possibilities.

"This is a lump of metal that can grow."

"It is also the most suitable magical medium for me, the most suitable for the Golden Country!"

"Although I don't know if there's a limit to its growth, it's enough for me at least for now."