Secret Arts Discussion

The people from Raging Wave City's administration office should be outside Aolu Academy by now!

Luke pretended to be engrossed in his book, but his mind was on the location of the Imperial Secret Agents and constables pursuing him.

Library Room 36 was exceptionally quiet, and a chilling atmosphere gradually intensified.

It's here!

"Elf, you seem quite interested in this book."

A voice appeared behind him.

Luke turned around and saw a ghost floating behind him. He was a middle-aged man with curly chestnut hair and a weathered appearance, wearing an old-fashioned Aolu mage robe, his body a translucent gray.

"You are... Mage Lowell Felix, the author of this book? I saw your magic projection in the Hall of Honor at Aolu Academy. You are one of the founders of modern Aolu Academy, and your Introduction to Alchemy is still a required reading for magic scholars.

I just didn't expect to meet you in this way.

My name is Clear Sky, and I'm an amateur enthusiast of Secret Arts."

Having successfully lured Lowell Felix according to the guide, Luke continued to follow the script to advance the plot.

"I've been observing you for some time," Felix floated beside Luke. "Your obsession with Secret Arts has compelled me to reveal myself and warn you. Secret Arts originate from ancient rituals, techniques for releasing mysterious power.

Those who study Secret Arts are easily influenced by this mysterious power. Once they become addicted, they lose themselves and sink into darkness and the abyss.

Aolu Academy has paid a heavy price for this in the past. Although the academy hasn't explicitly forbidden the study of Secret Arts, you can see from this place that Aolu Academy strongly rejects them."

Luke closed the book in his hand and asked Felix, "Professor Felix... I've read your book, but I still don't understand whether Curse Arts belong to Secret Arts, or if Secret Arts belong to Curse Arts?"

When it came to academics, Felix forgot the purpose of his appearance.

"I already provided the answer when I wrote 'These are two very interesting questions!' on the title page. The boundaries of academia are blurred, and there is a great deal of overlap between different fields of study. This is just one interesting question, and it doesn't require a precise answer.

Moreover, this book was written during my early research into Secret Arts. Current mainstream academia tends to classify Secret Arts under Curse Arts.

Academic classification has nothing to do with academics; there's no need to draw clear lines."

"Thank you for your explanation, Professor. I have another question... Secret Arts are the release of mysterious energy, and mysterious energy is diverse, with both positive and negative aspects.

But why do you say that studying Secret Arts leads one to sink into the abyss of darkness?

And I've studied many cases of failed Secret Arts. As you said... those who study Secret Arts always uncontrollably shift their research towards the darker side."

Felix replied, "No matter what kind of energy it is, its attribute is neutral. It is people who cause it to deviate.

Specifically, it is human nature.

Secret Arts have almost no theoretical basis; they rely heavily on the experience of the Secret Arts practitioner. Each person has their own understanding of Secret Arts, which means there's no universally recognized standard unit of measurement for them.

This makes academic exchange for Secret Arts very difficult. When practitioners are completely immersed in their own worlds, they are prone to psychological issues.

Therefore, Secret Arts practitioners often choose very dark and secluded places for their laboratories. This mindset and environment can easily lead Secret Arts research in a dark direction.

From your condition, it seems you've only just become curious about Secret Arts.

My advice to you is to break free from it before it consumes you. If the academy discovers you are studying Secret Arts, it will have very negative consequences for you."

"Thank you for your advice, Professor Felix."

Luke thanked Felix, but in his heart, he thought: Why haven't those people arrived yet! I came to the library so openly, I even deliberately greeted people I met along the way.

The Imperial Secret Agents couldn't possibly not find me!

Fortunately, just as Luke was about to ask another question to keep Felix occupied, hurried footsteps finally echoed from outside.

There were many people.

Felix also heard the sound.

"What's happening? Why are so many people coming to the library? They seem to be heading this way."

Luke said worriedly, "Professor Felix, if they find me here, will they expel me from Aolu Academy?"

The footsteps grew closer!

Felix said to Luke, "I'll take you somewhere. I'll send you out after they leave, and you must not mention me or that place to anyone."

"I promise I won't say a word."

A portal opened in the library, and Felix floated through.

Luke followed him in.

The moment the portal closed, a constable walked to the doorway. He cautiously glanced at the dusty library and then moved on to search the next room.

The light flickered, and Luke found himself in another library.

The library was enclosed on all sides, with no doors or windows, and no visible exits.

The books on the shelves were placed in extreme disarray, some even scattered on the floor, indicating the panic of those who had moved them.

Felix moved cautiously, and even as a spirit, he feared damaging the books.

He also reminded Luke, "The books here are over a hundred years old. Be careful not to damage them.

I'll send you out once the people outside have left."

Luke looked at the titles of the books on the shelves and asked, "These books are all related to Secret Arts, and... they should have been destroyed by now."

Professor Felix, did you transfer them here to hide them?

Felix replied with emotion, "Yes... The Dean ordered the destruction of these books related to Secret Arts back then, but what do the crimes committed by Victor and the others have to do with these books?

Energy is neutral, and knowledge is also neutral. These are the crystallization of nearly a hundred years of research by our Department of Secret Arts, and they should not be destroyed entirely because of a few people who went astray.

So, we faked a batch of Secret Arts books to be destroyed and opened up a space to store these research results.

We hoped that one day the Department of Secret Arts could be re-established, and Secret Arts research could restart under supervision. But that disaster caused too much damage to Aolu Academy, a scar no one was willing to reopen.

Secret Arts became a taboo here.

Experiencing this plot firsthand is a completely different feeling from advancing the plot in a game.

Looking at this room full of hidden books, one can imagine how much effort the Department of Secret Arts of Aolu Academy put into Secret Arts research back then, and how much they sacrificed to preserve these books.

But Luke had not forgotten his purpose for coming here.

"The Book of Calamity should be here too."

Upon hearing the title of the book, Felix, who was originally a phantom, instantly solidified.

He looked at Luke vigilantly.

"You know the Book of Calamity! You deliberately let me bring you into this secret room!"