Ebony and Ivory

Simu's question hit a sore spot for Lu Yan, who proudly gave him a detailed explanation.

These two pistols were Lu Yan's pride and joy. They combined the precision of modern industry with the extraordinary knowledge of the Wizard World.

In his previous life, Lu Yan had been an alchemy apprentice. It was the royalties from these pistols that had enabled him to become a full-fledged wizard within ten years.

Don't think that was slow. More than half the wizard apprentices in the Wizard World never became full-fledged wizards in their entire lives.

In the Wizard World, the Wizard Council, made up of seven Level 9 Grand Wizards, ruled over everything. Knowledge was highly valued, and the copyrights of every wizard's and even wizard apprentice's knowledge were protected by the Wizard Council.

But the Council wasn't benevolent. Everything had to be exchanged for something of equal value. A wizard apprentice without sufficient resources and knowledge had no chance of becoming a full-fledged wizard.

After creating the modified pistols, Lu Yan had poured all his energy and resources into making two for self-defense. He had named them Ebony and Ivory as a tribute to his past life.

Of the two guns, Ebony resembled an M500 Magnum revolver and was built for offense. Lu Yan had carved all kinds of magic arrays into it, making it as powerful as possible.

Ivory, on the other hand, resembled a Desert Eagle and was built for control. Lu Yan had focused on its rate of fire and ammunition. Its bullets flew incredibly fast and came in all kinds of elemental varieties; ice bullets were merely one of the more common types.

After crossing into the Naruto World, Lu Yan had stolen Danzo's secret stash and gone to considerable trouble to make the two guns again.

After talking with Lu Yan for a while, Simu felt much more at ease, and they no longer guarded against each other.

After walking for most of the night, Lu Yan and Simu finally reached Simu's home. Four toads had run themselves to death along the way.

"You're off the clock!"

Simu caught the toad that was running ahead, took out the talisman, patted the toad on the head, and set it free.

"Jiale, open the door!"

Daoist Simu knocked on the door, but got no response.

"Jiale! Jiale!"

When there was still no answer, Simu knocked even harder. Then he simply pushed his hand through the paper door, slid the wooden bolt aside from within, and opened it.

He stuck his head inside and was furious to see Jiale fast asleep. He'd told him to watch the house, and the boy was still sleeping in broad daylight!

Simu was about to teach his disciple a lesson, but remembered they had a guest and decided it wouldn't be appropriate.

"You're lucky this time, brat."

Simu muttered under his breath, opened the door, and kicked a stool aside.

"Ow!"

Jiale, who had been sleeping on it, fell to the floor and cried out in pain.

"Who is it?"

Jiale shouted in annoyance and blearily opened his eyes. Then he suddenly jolted and scrambled to his feet.

"Master!"

Jiale called out ingratiatingly, though he was cursing inwardly. What bad luck. Master caught me sleeping in. Who knows what he'll do to me this time?

"Jiale, I've been away for so long. I missed you terribly!"

Simu beamed as he spoke, but put his hands on Jiale's cheeks and pulled them sharply to either side.

"Master, I was wro—wro—wrong!"

Jiale's words came out garbled as his cheeks were stretched, but he didn't dare struggle. He even turned slightly to make it easier for his master to get a good grip.

Just then, Lu Yan walked in from outside. He couldn't help finding the scene amusing and said, "Daoist Simu, who is this?"

Only then did Simu remember they had a guest. He let go and glared at Jiale before introducing him. "Daoist Lu, this is my worthless disciple, Jiale."

"Jiale, this is Daoist Lu Yan, whom I met on the road. Call him Uncle Lu."

Jiale looked at Lu Yan's stylish clothes and remarkably young face, then at the few scraps of cloth he was wearing. He couldn't help feeling inferior and murmured, "Uncle Lu."

Seeing the scraps Jiale was wearing, Lu Yan realized this was probably his best outfit. His mouth twitched with sympathy, and he smiled. "Since you've called me Uncle, Jiale, I'll give you a welcoming gift."

With that, he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and took an unworn black outfit from the Kamui Dimension.

"You and I seem to be about the same size, Jiale. I've never worn this, so you can have it."

As soon as Lu Yan finished speaking, Jiale eagerly took the clothes. "I'm going to change!" he cried, then dashed off in a flash.

Simu watched awkwardly from the side but didn't stop him. He'd enjoyed talking with Lu Yan along the way, and the more they spoke, the more impressed he was. The young man's knowledge, manner of speaking, and cultivation were all exceptional. He was clearly destined for great things.

People who cultivated the Dao were mostly having a hard time in this world. Now that Jiale had a connection with this uncle, perhaps Lu Yan could help him out in the future.

"Daoist Lu, why not stay here for a few days? I've enjoyed our talks on the road, and we could continue them for a while."

Simu was no longer worried that Lu Yan might harm him. From his behavior along the way, Lu Yan didn't seem like a wicked person. Besides, if he'd intended to attack, he would have done so on the road. What kind of fool would wait until he was in Simu's home?

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Lu Yan smiled and nodded in agreement.

Lu Yan had also gained a great deal from their talks along the way. They hadn't discussed specific spells, but simply comparing the different cultivation systems and sharing ideas and approaches to spells had already been greatly beneficial to him.

The mainstream cultivation method of the Wizard World wasn't complicated.

Wizard apprentices weren't even considered to have begun their training. They merely strengthened their souls and accumulated magical power through various Meditation Techniques.

Once their souls reached the required strength, wizard apprentices used the knowledge they had accumulated to choose suitable runes. This step was crucial: it determined not only whether they could become full-fledged wizards, but also the path they would follow in their future cultivation.

Runes were divided by element, and wizard apprentices generally chose those associated with the elements their souls resonated with. After an apprentice inscribed a rune and became a full-fledged wizard, their affinity for and control over the corresponding element increased significantly.

Only after becoming a full-fledged wizard did one truly cross the threshold into the wizarding world.

Wizards from Level 1 to Level 3 were collectively called low-level wizards. They were the most numerous group and the backbone of the wizarding world. They continued strengthening their souls and accumulating knowledge of their chosen element, gradually perfecting their runes.

Wizards from Level 4 to Level 6 were collectively called Intermediate Wizards. They were the main force of the wizarding world. Having moved beyond a superficial understanding of the elements, they began to comprehend the laws.

Wizards from Level 7 to Level 9 were the rarest. Known as high-level wizards, they were the true rulers of the wizarding world. They sought out demiplanes attached to the Wizard World and brought them under their control. Then they developed the demiplanes according to the laws they had comprehended, becoming the true masters of their own worlds.

The Daoist cultivation method Simu described was quite fascinating. The early stages shared many similarities with wizard cultivation, but the later stages were completely different.

Daoist cultivation was divided into four realms: refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, refining spirit to return to emptiness, and refining emptiness to unite with the Dao. These were respectively known as Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul.

The cultivation methods of the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages were much like those of wizard apprentices, and their power wasn't particularly great. They were still merely mortal bodies.

But at the Golden Core stage, one's power increased greatly. One became truly extraordinary and began to comprehend the laws.

More remarkably, the cultivation methods that followed came in all shapes and forms, divided into the Heavenly, Earthly, Human, Divine, and Ghostly paths.

The Heavenly Immortal path was the most orthodox. It involved comprehending the laws of Heaven and Earth and shattering the Golden Core to form a Nascent Soul. Once one succeeded, their lifespan was endless, and the laws of Heaven and Earth were at their fingertips.

The Earth Immortal path had been more common in ancient times. Practitioners chose a blessed land within a grotto-heaven and merged their souls with it. As long as the blessed land endured, the Earth Immortal endured.

The Way of the Human Immortal was rather extreme. It had been created by the ancient human race as they struggled to survive, imitating the natural gifts of demon beasts. It was the earliest cultivation method. Practitioners focused solely on their vital energy and blood, transforming their human bodies into demon bodies to gain strength and protect their people. The method was extremely dangerous; nine out of ten practitioners were injured, and the rest died.

After generations of exceptionally gifted practitioners improved the method, the rate of death and injury finally fell. Practitioners no longer needed to transform their human bodies into demon bodies, instead cultivating an external manifestation of their own form.

But although the Way of the Human Immortal granted tremendous combat power, it could not grant immortality.

The Divine Immortal and Ghost Immortal paths were quite similar. Both required practitioners to abandon their physical bodies. Divine Immortals consumed incense offerings to live forever, while Ghost Immortals held positions in the underworld. Although they could not return to the mortal world, they too could live forever.