Ryan leafed through the entire On Wizardry, trying to discover what Truth really was. In the end, he found nothing.
The wizard named Anglie Gunkai did not explain what Truth was in the Wizard Book. Instead, he recounted his experiences, making it something of an autobiography.
Once the descendant of mortal nobility, he had gone from knight to wizard through a chance encounter, then entered the Wizard World. He had endured countless hardships and agonies: the ravages of time, the tragic deaths of his wife and child, and finally, a life utterly alone. His Wizard Aptitude was unremarkable. Just as his lifespan was nearing its end, he obtained a trace of the Time Ouroboros's Supernatural Bloodline. With it, he advanced to Grand Wizard and became known as the Progenitor of the Time Ring. Such was one man's persistence!
How hard was it for one person to persevere?
Why keep going at all?
Ryan quietly spoke six words: "To keep Chasing Truth!"
He could not say what Truth was.
Every wizard pursued Truth, but the question had no definitive answer.
A thousand wizards would give a thousand answers!
Some pursued it and persevered for the wonder of the journey!
Some pursued it and persevered out of duty!
Some pursued it and persevered out of ambition!
Ryan closed On Wizardry. He was not discouraged. Through practice and experience, he would eventually find his own Truth.
Truth was there, right before his eyes, along the road from its beginning to its end. Perhaps beyond the Gate of Truth lay an even longer road. But he had persevered this far, and he would persevere onward.
His gaze fell on the wooden box in the corner of his desk. The Eye of Truth let him see the illusory spirit sleeping inside. The green-haired girl's brows were drawn with worry even in sleep, and her thin lips seemed to murmur something.
Studying Supernatural Knowledge was tedious in the extreme. As Ryan worked through one Wizard Book after another, he could not help growing restless and slackening his efforts. Persevering alone was hard, but he had to do it.
Time passed, and more and more Wizard Books he had studied piled up on the desk. His stack of draft pages had grown as thick as two thumbs.
Three days later, he put down his Feather Pen and stopped studying Supernatural Knowledge. Too much would be counterproductive. His Spiritual Power and mind were exhausted, and studying any longer would accomplish little.
Ryan left his room and went to the Nurturing Chamber. Harak flew over and plopped herself onto his shoulder. Confined in the Nurturing Chamber, the Blue Poison Monkey looked listless. An endless supply of nutritious food could not make up for the loss of freedom.
But Ryan wanted the Blue Poison Monkey's body, not its heart. Now was the perfect time to put what he had learned to the test.
The Blue Poison Monkey could not help him test anything related to Elemental Energy. But Ryan had also studied and mastered Fundamentals of Supernatural Anatomy and Fundamentals of Supernatural Extraction.
Both were indispensable skills for a wizard.
When conducting wizard experiments on raw Supernatural Materials, such as Supernatural Magical Plants and Supernatural Lifeforms, a wizard had to know where to dissect them without ruining the materials' original properties.
Supernatural Extraction further purified raw materials to obtain pure Supernatural Matter free of impurities. It was essential to Potionology, also known as Potioncraft.
Both fields were widely used across the Supernatural Disciplines.
The most important part of Supernatural Bloodline Implantation Surgery was extracting Bloodline Essence from a Supernatural Lifeform so its Supernatural Bloodline Factor could be fully utilized and fused with a wizard.
Seeming to notice something unsettling in Ryan's gaze, the Blue Poison Monkey began to squeak. Its gemlike blue eyes were filled with terror.
Ryan gave it a warm smile. The Nurturing Chamber door closed. A complete set of Supernatural Dissection instruments and extraction tools was available inside.
The accommodations for newcomers at Ancient Forest Mountain were far better than those aboard the Wizard Ship, from the books on the shelves to the facilities they could use.
"Even the brand-name stuff." Ryan looked in surprise at the Wizard Dissection Knife in his hand. A distinctive mark was engraved on its handle: the maker's symbol, much like a brand certification in his previous life. Its quality and performance should surpass those of an ordinary Wizard Dissection Knife.
He hefted it. It was fairly heavy, and its material was probably Supernatural Metal. It might not be worth much, but adding even a little Supernatural Metal would let it carry a wizard's particle energy and perform special functions.
Some of the books he had read even described wizards fighting with Wizard Dissection Knives. By injecting particle energy, they could extend a blade to around a meter and give it various special properties.
Naturally, the Wizard Dissection Knives provided to newcomers were not such sophisticated pieces of Wizard Technology. After handling this one for a few minutes, Ryan had more or less gotten used to it and found its sole function.
Extension!
By injecting particle energy, he could extend the Wizard Dissection Knife by about three centimeters, making it exceptionally sharp. No bone, however hard, could stand up to it.
Strapped to the dissection table, the Blue Poison Monkey looked pitifully at Ryan. Its body trembled. It was frightened already, and the sight of the silver blade in his hand terrified it even more.
Monkeys were intelligent creatures to begin with. As a Supernatural Lifeform, this one was smarter still.
"It's all right. It'll be over soon. I'll carefully study your anatomy, compare it with the Scarlet Scale Toxin, and learn how your Supernatural Toxin differs from it."
Ryan had changed into the clothing provided in the Nurturing Chamber for dissections.
He had traded his black robe for a white one, secured with a belt. Its cuffs and hem were tightly fastened so they would not get in the way.
He also wore a special mask. It felt cool against his face and released Special Pheromones to help the dissector remain fully focused until the procedure was over.
The Blue Poison Monkey's pupils reflected Ryan in his full protective attire: the cold blade in his hand and the cool, unwavering look in his eyes. Its terror reached its limit. A foul stench rose from its lower body as it discharged liquid waste, and its piercing screams made Ryan frown. His gaze grew colder.
Once he got into the work, his emotions rarely stirred. This was not even a challenge in dissection, much less an accident.
A cold white flash passed. The Blue Poison Monkey's organ for discharging liquid waste fell onto the dissection table, perfectly intact.
The minor nuisance disrupting the experiment was dealt with.
Ryan's expression did not change. The Wizard Dissection Knife in his hand still gleamed coldly, without a drop of blood on it. That cut had been fast!
The other Blue Poison Monkey, restrained nearby, saw what had happened and let out a scream of unprecedented terror. It thrashed and struggled but could not break free.
Ryan glanced over with an indifferent gaze. His brow creased slightly as he considered whether to deal with this other disruption to the experiment in advance.
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