Invisible Blade

Anthony had previously explained to Adam in detail the function, origins, and future development of semi-solidification technology.

Before semi-solidification technology emerged, full-solidification technology had already been invented.

At that time, spellbooks had yet to be developed, and sorcerers had researched full-solidification technology in order to gain the means to protect themselves.

However, full-solidification technology had now been completely eliminated. It severely restricted the potential of spiritual power; most sorcerers who used it could not refine a ritual implement even after spending their entire lives at it. At present, only some sorcerers with incomplete inheritances still used it.

Originally, solidification technology should have been wholly discarded with the emergence of spellbooks, but the appearance of semi-solidification technology had pushed it to its peak.

Existing in a semi-solidified state allowed one to adjust a spell model at any time. Though it could not cast spells instantaneously as full-solidification could, it would not affect one's potential.

More importantly, semi-solidified spell models were embedded into the operating patterns of spiritual power. Through changes in the spell model, sorcerers could more minutely observe the differences in each person's spiritual power operating pattern, allowing for better adjustments.

The tenth floor of Reflection Tower housed quite a few books, many of them records of spell models.

There was the mage's only fixed-point spell, "Light Spell."

There was also the spell known as a matter of faith, "Fireball."

There were all kinds of other spells as well, and Dustless Shield was among them.

Adam examined the introductions to these spells one by one. There were quite a few powerful spells, and many more with peculiar effects.

But in the end, Adam's gaze settled on the spell called "Invisible Blade."

Its function was to use spiritual power to stir certain invisible force fields in nature, then use those force fields to restrain the spiritual power, ultimately forming a sharp blade.

This blade consisted of both an invisible force field and spiritual power. Since it was wrapped in the force field, ordinary perception found it difficult to detect its existence, hence the name Invisible Blade.

But what Adam valued was not its ability to remain unseen, but another ability developed from Invisible Blade: while cutting open a wound, it could send the spiritual power within into it. In other words, this Invisible Blade could not only cut flesh, but spirit as well.

Strictly speaking, rather than a weapon for battle, it was more like a scalpel for the extraordinary.

It possessed a certain degree of combat capability while also aiding research into spiritual power. Moreover, restrained by the invisible force field, what it could contain was not limited to spiritual power alone.

This spell had tremendous potential for development.

"Have you decided on this one?" Anthony did not express approval or offer any other opinion upon seeing Invisible Blade. In truth, the choice of a semi-solidified spell was not that important. What mattered was one's attitude.

Far too many sorcerers, after choosing a semi-solidified spell, began pursuing the spell's power and forgot that the most important purpose of embedding it was to use this spell model to reflect their own spiritual power operating pattern.

Anthony had deliberately laid out a smokescreen earlier and let Adam choose for himself only so Adam would remember his previous words more deeply.

"You'll need materials such as marrowstone and night-view flowers. I'll go get them for you later. Once you have them, familiarize yourself with their properties, then memorize the spell model. Come back here tomorrow for the semi-solidification." Anthony stood as he spoke.

"Thank you for the trouble, Teacher." Adam hurriedly expressed his thanks. Anthony truly could not have treated him better. If ordinary apprentices wanted to learn anything from their teachers, they not only had to handle piles of their teachers' miscellaneous chores, but whether they learned anything at all depended entirely on their teachers' moods. They certainly could not expect the other party to prepare materials for them.

Xilin isn't here? Adam noticed this, but did not ask. Instead, he reined in his curiosity.

Anthony was already around eighty years old. His niece had to be at least fifty or sixty, yet she still looked like a girl of seventeen or eighteen.

Is it also some longevity method like Anthony's? Adam guessed as he left Reflection Tower carrying a box.

McLaren leaned against the carriage. When Adam came out, he could even see him shudder.

Looking into the distance, Adam saw David standing in a corner hidden from McLaren's view, nodding at him.

There's the scent of strangers. They already can't hold themselves back? Adam thought with a smile tugging at his lips. Then he boarded the carriage and said to McLaren, "Return to the Boku Family."

"Yes, Mister Adam." McLaren sat in front, hunched over as he shifted uneasily.

As if recalling something, he straightened his back and turned the carriage onto another road.

Adam, seated inside the carriage, sensed it, but did not stop him.

The carriage soon came to a halt. He heard McLaren jump down and run toward somewhere nearby.

Adam lifted the carriage curtain and stood on the step, seeing seven or eight people gathering around this small road. McLaren hunched over as he led the way ahead.

"By Young Master Matt's orders, that's him." McLaren did not dare lift his head to look Adam in the eye, or he would have seen the disappointment written across Adam's face.

"McLaren, you were a good coachman, but only a coachman." Adam sighed. "Your talents meant you could never break free of your own limits. Your sights were too low to see the situation around you clearly. I already warned you."

Hearing Adam's words, McLaren, walking ahead, instinctively panicked and tried to stop, but the people behind him directly hooked their arms beneath his armpits and carried him before Adam.

Adam jumped down from the carriage, no longer looking down at this coachman from above.

"Mister Adam, I... I only wanted to become the best coachman." McLaren's legs had lost all strength. His face was utterly pale, and only the people behind him holding him up kept him from collapsing to the ground.

"I was wrong. Spare me, Mister Adam, spare me." McLaren did not even have the strength to struggle, and could only beg repeatedly. "I can become your best coachman. Believe me, I'll definitely be the best coachman!"

"Sorry, McLaren. No one can forgive anyone." Adam turned and climbed back into the carriage, saying seriously, "I already have a new coachman. You no longer need to drive for me."

After a dull thud, McLaren made no more sound. Adam let out a breath and turned his head to look to the other side.

If I fail, my ending may be even worse than McLaren's. In McLaren, Adam saw a reflection of most people of this era.

Their gaze was confined to their own little circles, lacking any understanding of the outside world. Until the moment before death, what he had agonized over was still being a coachman. That was the sum of all his ambition.

This is a warning. Adam drew back the carriage curtain and looked toward the source of the commotion.

"Mister?" one of them asked, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Carry on." Adam said with a smile. McLaren's corpse lay sprawled there, while several others were lifting it into another carriage.

It would probably be buried somewhere at random shortly afterward. The Rom Family would not even need to report to the constable that someone had died here, because McLaren was Rom's servant. The Rom Family could handle everything themselves.

"Mister Adam, my name is Clo. I will be responsible for your travels from now on," the man from before said respectfully.

"Is that so? Then I'll be troubling you from now on. Let's return to the Kubo Family first." Adam lowered the curtain and no longer looked outside.

Adam memorized the appearance of McLaren's corpse. What he intended to do was far more dangerous than what McLaren had done. If anything went wrong, an even more miserable end would be waiting for him.

I must act more cautiously, consider things more thoroughly, broaden my horizons, and be ruthless when I strike, Adam warned himself again and again.

In the direction Adam had glanced toward earlier, Matt knelt on the ground, drenched in sweat.

Doug stood by the window, watching Adam's departing carriage, with Walker and David behind him.

Then he turned to look at Matt, who was kneeling on the floor.

"Get up. No matter what, you are still my son." Doug's voice gave Matt a sliver of comfort. He had just learned from Doug that everything before had merely been his own overthinking.

That's right, I'm his son. Even if I made a mistake this time, at most I'll receive some pun— Before Matt could finish the thought, Doug's words shattered everything.

"So I will give you a dignified end." Doug's words were filled with resolve.

Matt wanted to let out a few more wails, but felt a slight numbness in his throat. Walker, who had appeared behind him at some unknown time, slowly withdrew his hand.

He opened his mouth to cry out, but no sound came. He gradually lost control of his body as well.

"Make the preparations. Announce to the public that Matt has contracted a strange illness and fallen into an unending sleep..." From that moment onward, Matt's life had reached its end. Whether Doug succeeded afterward or not, Matt had already been abandoned.