"Push yourself to your limits?" Huo Yuhao furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
Kaecilius waved a hand, his face returning to its usual blank expression. "Nothing. I just want to see how long it takes you to learn the Dimension Door spell."
"You've already studied the principles behind the Dimension Door spell. Now all you have to do is turn what you've learned from the books into practical use!"
"Focus all your attention. Clearly picture the place you want to connect to in your mind, imagining every last detail!"
"The clearer and more specific the details, the easier it'll be to summon a Dimension Door, and the more stable the Portal will be."
Kaecilius paused, then continued, "All right, these are the key points of Dimension Door. Now go ahead and practice."
Kaecilius returned to the Sacred Hall through the Portal that was still open. Standing on the other side, he smiled faintly at Huo Yuhao. "Now you'll have to open a door and return to the Sacred Hall by yourself."
"Oh, right, I forgot to remind you: the magic circle I set up over there can only last ten minutes. After that, it'll dissipate. You won't last long without protection if you're left exposed to the brutal environment of the Universe..."
Before he'd even finished speaking, the Portal burst into sparks and scattered. Huo Yuhao rushed forward, only to find himself grasping at empty air.
He stood there dazed for a few seconds, then clenched his fists and began practicing the spell, his expression dark.
He raised his right hand, wearing the Suspension Ring, while his other hand slowly began to draw a circle, attempting to build the energy structure.
At first, nothing appeared in front of Huo Yuhao. But as he calmed his mind and focused, sparks soon began to appear two meters ahead of him, like glowing embers scattering when a burning piece of wood hit the ground.
As time passed, the sparks that followed Huo Yuhao's arm grew brighter and brighter, but they still wouldn't form a complete doorway.
The scene shifted to the Sacred Hall's plaza. Master Gu Yi stood quietly, watching the sparks that intermittently flashed in the air.
"Master Kaecilius, he's only just stepped onto the path of magic. He's a beginner. Isn't this too dangerous?" Gu Yi held a wooden folding fan, turning it gently as she glanced toward Kaecilius beside her.
"Everyone has to push themselves sometimes. Only after experiencing despair can you discover your limits." Kaecilius showed none of the deference toward Gu Yi that the other Mages did. The muscles in his face twitched as he forced a cold smile. "Besides, you won't let him die, will you?"
Silence fell over them. Gu Yi gazed at the sparks in the middle of the plaza, turning the fan in her hand again and again. She didn't seem nearly as calm as she appeared.
Time passed, and when more than ten minutes had gone by, the fan in Gu Yi's hand began to turn faster and faster.
Finally, another minute later, a Dimension Door two meters tall suddenly opened. Huo Yuhao rushed through and collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.
"Congratulations. You did it." A delighted smile tugged at Gu Yi's lips as she stepped forward and helped Huo Yuhao to his feet.
Kaecilius's face first flashed with stunned disbelief. Then he scowled, gave a cold snort, and turned to leave.
"Venerable Gu Yi, Master Kaecilius..." Huo Yuhao caught his breath, then frowned, unsure how to continue.
Gu Yi watched Kaecilius's retreating back and sighed quietly. "He... is someone who's about to lose his way."
Huo Yuhao fell silent and said nothing more.
Gu Yi turned toward him and smiled. "Congratulations, Yuhao. You've broken the Sacred Hall's long-standing record. Before you, the fastest anyone had learned Dimension Door was one month."
"Now you've stepped through the door to magic and become a true Mage!"
The scene shifted again, and time began to speed up.
Huo Yuhao officially began studying magic and displayed terrifying talent. He read and studied the books in the Sacred Hall's Library at an astonishing pace, constantly expanding his knowledge. One after another, he learned to cast wondrous spells.
After learning Astral Projection, he even used his nights to continue studying through Soul Projection, letting his body sleep and rest. He truly made use of every moment!
But those peaceful days didn't last long. Before long, terrible news reached Huo Yuhao as he immersed himself in his studies.
Kaecilius, who had "taught" him his first spell and then never appeared again, had defected with a group of followers. He had killed Master Kailan, the Library's keeper, and stolen a collection of knowledge about dark and dangerous rituals!
"What did I tell you? What did I tell you!" At Shrek Academy, Yan Shaozhe suddenly grew agitated and pointed at the Heaven Screen. "I told you that the people in that Sacred Hall couldn't all be on the same side! And now look—there's trouble!"
"That Supreme Mage Gu Yi looks like a useless—too sentimental person!" Xuan Zi took a swig of wine and snorted. "That fellow Kaecilius was obviously no good!"
At that, Xuan Zi's expression turned fierce. "That Kaecilius has a Path to Death! Other people take years or even decades to learn that spell, and the fastest record was three months. Yet he expected Yuhao to master it in ten minutes! He was obviously trying to get him killed!"
"Gu Yi is the Supreme Mage and the Sacred Hall Leader, and Kaecilius dared to openly plot against someone the Supreme Mage valued! And that Gu Yi... that Venerable just let him go! It's infuriating!"
"If I were the Supreme Mage, I'd punch that Kaecilius into two little pancakes! Who does he think he is, getting away with that!"
Mu En looked at the agitated Xuan Zi and said helplessly, "Xuan Zi, sit down and talk. Stop flailing around—you're about to poke me in the face with that chicken bone!"
"Sure." Xuan Zi immediately quieted down, but he still looked disgruntled, as if he wanted to go a few rounds with Kaecilius on the Heaven Screen.
Meanwhile, many other viewers also grew worried after seeing Kaecilius lead a rebellion on the Heaven Screen.
The Sacred Hall was the shield protecting the safety of the Universe. If trouble arose within its ranks, it wouldn't just be the Sacred Hall's problem. Those of them protected far from the front lines would have plenty to worry about, too!
Only Huo Yun'er, sitting in a Small Inn on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire and watching the Heaven Screen through the window, remained unconcerned.
Her mind was filled with the image of Huo Yuhao working to speed up his training: using Dimension Door in the middle of the night to sneak into the Library and steal books, then letting his body rest while he used Soul Projection to keep studying.
She knew he was doing it all to grow stronger, faster, so that he could bring back the version of her who had died on the Heaven Screen.
"Who cares about Kaecilius? None of that matters! Yuhao is working so hard, and he's naturally gifted. He already had the bearing of a god when he was on Douluo Continent. Now that he's in the Sacred Hall, he's bound to have the bearing of a Supreme Mage!"
"Yuhao will definitely defeat the evil Kaecilius and Sea God Tang San! He'll succeed! We'll be reunited, mother and son!"
Before you continue