Sart's Obsession

Most Diviners would envy and be jealous of Sart, because his teacher was Julian of the White Robe, the Tower Master of Star Tower.

In a sense, his mentor was the strongest Prophet on the continent.

This meant that Sart would receive the highest level of guidance and the most luxurious resources.

In fact, this was indeed the case.

He could freely enter and exit the spire of Star Tower every day, directly sensing the aura of Fate, a privilege only available to Transcendants of Gold Tier and above.

Only a very small number of Silver Tier Transcendants were allowed to enter as exceptions by queuing, such as Siosand.

But he was an exception to the exceptions.

All the books in the entire Star Tower were open to him without charge.

It should be known that after the three towers on the continent achieved knowledge sharing, the book collection of Star Tower had expanded unprecedentedly, almost representing all the information in the Transcendent world.

Here were countless classics and secret histories, ancient books that a person could hardly finish reading in a lifetime.

Moreover, all his expenses for the spices used in rituals were charged to Julian.

This meant that while other apprentices were still struggling to save enough spices for a ritual, Sart was troubled by which spice to choose for practice.

Ah, the sweet torment of wealth.

His spices were allocated on demand.

Sart could even meet his teacher on a regular basis, with Julian personally answering his questions.

As Siosand gritted his teeth and was green with envy, every one of the aforementioned points was enough to make a Gold Tier Transcendant envious, let alone several of them combined?

With such high-quality resources being poured into him, even a pig should have been imbued with transcendent aura and become a powerful magical beast by now.

But Sart...

Five years had passed since Julian became the Tower Master of Star Tower. With an immeasurable amount of resources poured in without regard for cost, he had successfully advanced from Black Iron Tier to Bronze Tier and began to seek directions for advancing to Silver Tier.

However, his junior, Siosand, had already accomplished all of this in just one year. He was now the most outstanding Prophet of Silver Tier in Star Tower, but he did not have Sart's treatment.

If Star Tower had not faithfully recorded the enrollment records from that year, and if Sart and Julian bore even the slightest resemblance, anyone would have suspected that Sart was Julian of the White Robe's illegitimate son.

Only an illegitimate son would receive such treatment, right?

However, Sart's talent was as famous as the treatment he received, just in the opposite way.

He knew the real reason for this treatment – he had chosen Julian when Julian was at his most difficult time, when no other apprentice was willing to follow him.

At that time, Julian was just an ordinary Silver Tier Prophet, sitting obediently at his seat waiting for apprentices to choose him.

As a newly appointed mentor, he, with his shining silver badge, paled in comparison to the Golden Tier and even Platinum Tier mentors.

According to custom, if a Silver Tier Transcendant could not recruit any apprentices within three years, he would graduate from Star Tower and could only rejoin Star Tower as an auditor.

For everyone who studied at Star Tower, leaving Star Tower in this manner was undoubtedly the greatest humiliation – it meant not being recognized by others, nor even by Star Tower itself.

That enrollment was also Julian's last chance.

But out of hundreds of apprentices, only Sart chose Julian, or rather, only one person was willing to seriously look at Julian even once.

It was just that of the two ordinary people back then, only one was truly ordinary.

Sart's talent was mediocre, yes, he knew that.

Even this "mediocre talent" should be a positive term for him.

If he had even a little talent, he wouldn't still be only Bronze Tier.

He was a Prophet who couldn't predict anything, yes, he knew that.

This was precisely why he desperately wanted to protect Aaron, because this time, his prediction was finally correct!

"Go east, Player of the Strings of Fate."

This was his advancement prophecy.

He set out from Star Tower and traveled east to Leyden City. Just when he thought he had to continue eastward, he accidentally encountered Aaron.

A coincidence? Or destiny?

For the first time, he truly understood what Fate was, and he finally felt Fate's attention.

A full five years!

He finally felt what others called "Fate's favor," as if a veil of mist in the world had been lifted for him.

Everything seemed predestined, and he was overjoyed.

To him, Aaron was not only his opportunity for advancement but also a symbol.

It symbolized that after five years, he had finally taken the initiative to grasp his direction in the vast river of Fate for the first time, seeing the insignificant scene ahead, even though it might only be the tip of the iceberg.

But he didn't care.

He had done it.

He had really done it.

This was the first successful prophecy in his life!

He had to save Aaron, no matter what, he had to save him, at all costs.

Ten years as an apprentice, five years of hardship, one prophecy.

He could ignore the powerful House of Iris, even confront Alice head-on to protect Aaron, because he was the student of the White Robe Julian.

He could give up on himself, abandon his status as the heir to Star Tower, and trade his teacher's disappointment for Siosand's protection of Aaron.

But now, Siosand was not in sight, and his teacher was worlds away.

This time, he had no one to rely on, only himself, a Prophet of the Bronze Tier who couldn't prophesy.

The last bit of Spirit Powder burned silently, the cerulean light band flickering uncertainly, and this small space began to change subtly.

A cerulean papyrus flew out of his crystal ball, and the overflowing light dots attached themselves to it, forming a kind of obscure and difficult-to-understand language.

"Starlight Above, Ward Evil," Sart said, difficult but steady, enunciating each word.

Using the Spirit Letter as the main material for the ritual, with Spirit Powder as an auxiliary spice, and by burning his soul at any cost, he could bypass other necessary materials and forcibly perform the Silver Tier protective ritual of "Ward Evil."

The light dots quickly converged, finally forming a tangible silver-white light curtain, completely enveloping Aaron.

And Sart stood quietly outside the light curtain, under the dim candlelight, and also stood in front of Aaron, calmly watching Tog.

The "Ward Evil" ritual was most effective when cast on one person; if cast on two, it would weaken the protective effect.

Facing Tog, who was of the Silver Tier, Sart had to go all out.

"Sart, you..." Aaron looked at Sart's back and was stunned, his palm instinctively pressing against the cold light wall.

He had thought Sart would abandon him, stand idly by, or try to fight back.

He had already imagined countless reactions from Sart, but he never expected Sart to be so resolute.

"Sart, think clearly!" Tog roared, the black mist beside him boiling and surging, occasionally extending one or two dark, slender arms to scratch at the void.

Tog never imagined that Sart would actually dare to provoke him for Aaron's sake!

That's right, it was a provocation.

Did Sart really think he could solve everything just by invoking his teacher's name?

Did he really think he wouldn't dare to kill him?!

If it were in the past, he might have retreated.

But not now, he had no time.

The time to present the sacrifice was approaching. If he didn't appease the "Crawling Lord" with a fresh sacrifice soon, It would drain his life force and soul to fill its emptiness and loneliness.

In the darkness, faint sounds stirred, and the barely audible cries lingered in their ears.

"Lord Aaron," Sart said solemnly, "Thank you for giving me what I have always wanted."

"What is it?"

"A proof, Lord Aaron." Sart turned to look at Aaron. "Thank you very much."

There was no fear in his eyes, no panic, no regret, only peace.

A peace like starlight.

Even if he survived this time, what would be the point?

It was just successfully advancing to Silver.

But he had been stuck between Bronze and Silver for a full five years, his reputation spreading throughout Star Tower.

Would anyone be willing to become his apprentice?

In the end, wouldn't he still be persuaded to leave…

An apprentice admitted by the Bishop of Star Tower cannot remain in Star Tower as a mentor?

Perhaps his teacher would be willing to accept him, but Sart could not.

He looked at Tog, his gaze serene.

The stinging sensation in his arm reminded Tog that the "Crawling Lord's" gaze could fall upon him at any moment.

He couldn't break through the Silver Tier protective ritual immediately, but he had another target.

What if Julian pursued him?

What if he was hung from the tip of Star Tower and tortured for a year?

If he didn't offer the sacrifice now, he would become the "Crawling Lord's" sacrifice!

"Sart, you will regret this!"

Regret?

Julian had said the same thing.

"Do you regret becoming my apprentice?"

That was the first thing Julian said when they met, and Julian didn't even know his name.

The remaining candlelight was pressed by the darkness, emitting a candlelight the size of a bean.

It witnessed the black fog surge like a tide, with countless arms flailing as they rushed towards Sart.

It looked down from above, seeing several dark greenish-black palms charging at Sart.

It saw the shadows of wooden barrels and wooden crates writhe, silently devouring Sart's shadow.

He threw himself into the dark ocean alone, like a pebble, unable to stir even the slightest ripple.

Sart lowered his eyes, quietly awaiting the end, silently reciting the words that had been building up for a full ten years.

"Teacher, I only hope you won't regret taking me, a disciple with no talent."

The update schedule will be adjusted slightly from now on, It will be around 9 AM and 5:30 PM, Today's update is still at the usual time~

Thank you to Little Head for the reward~ and to Peanut Butter Big Shot for the 9 recommendation tickets...

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