第22章 第22章

"Without my guidance, you think you can figure it out on your own? Dream on."

What he did not say was that even if he taught him everything he knew, the boy before him might not necessarily master it.

The spell's structure itself was not overly complex. What was truly demanding was the precise, hair-splitting control it required over one's mental power.

Of course, what he had said earlier was also true: attacks containing the power of life's origin, whether restraints or direct strikes, were far more effective than ordinary magic.

If Zhao Yu could learn it, it would naturally benefit him greatly.

But it required more than talent.

Zhao Yu focused his mind, trying to catch the pulse of that strange power within the chains.

His mental strength had always been tougher than that of ordinary people. At this moment, he could clearly sense a gentle yet unyielding authority slowly circulating deep within that platinum-white radiance.

It was the mark left behind by a dimensional demon god, the source that all of Kamar-Taj's white magic could never sever itself from.

Hamir observed his reaction and continued leisurely, "Can you see it clearly? Its color, its texture, and the thing hidden within it.

"Ordinary chains are merely creations of light, but this one... it has almost gained life."

Hamir narrowed his eyes, his gaze falling on the focused face of the young man opposite him.

The corners of his mouth curled upward unconsciously, and a trace of a seasoned man's smugness at seeing through youthful naivety rose within him.

If this magic were so easy to master, it would not have been stored away in those dust-covered scrolls deep within the library.

Naturally, he had no idea that Zhao Yu, sitting there, had no need to go through the stumbling process of comprehension ordinary people did.

In the pause after the old man's voice fell silent, a faint tremor that only Zhao Yu could perceive gently rippled through the depths of his consciousness.

It was as if an invisible string had been plucked. A series of clear, cold notifications followed, imprinting themselves directly into his mind.

Knowledge Resonance Triggered.

Analysis Complete: Vishanti Binding Spell.

Currently within a buff field. Spell comprehension efficiency increased.

What surprised Zhao Yu even more was the stream of information that followed.

It was not about mastering a single spell, but a group of... lively individuals? The notification clearly indicated that the "Vishanti Binding Spell"

was not a whole. It consisted of multiple basic units, each possessing ** responsiveness and growth potential.

At this moment, these units were entering an active accelerated state because of the explanation they had received.

Zhao Yu quickly sorted through the incoming information.

So that was how it was. At the initial stage, he could control five basic binding units. As his understanding deepened, that number would grow exponentially.

Given enough time, once the spell reached a higher level, the number of units he could control simultaneously would become truly considerable.

As for the difficulties Hamir had implied in his words, Zhao Yu genuinely felt none of them.

The old man's explanation seemed to become some kind of catalyst. The newly formed binding units in Zhao Yu's consciousness were absorbing and integrating every bit of knowledge with astonishing efficiency.

His progress was faster than imagination. Almost as soon as Hamir finished explaining a principle, Zhao Yu felt a certain sense of "fullness"

reach its peak.

The binding unit group has reached the capacity limit for its current stage.

The cold notification confirmed it once more.

As the chains' level quietly rose, that voice sounded only in the depths of his mind.

Zhao Yu lowered his head, letting the loose strands of hair over his forehead conceal his eyes.

He had to hide the curve of his lips. He could not let Hamir see it.

He stared at the worn threads at the hem of his robe and heard the soft rustle of fabric brushing against his knees.

Snowlight from outside reflected off the stone bricks, giving off a cold white glow.

"Zhao Yu."

The old man's voice came from his left, carrying the warmth of the fireplace. "There is no need to be discouraged."

Hamir stepped closer.

The soles of his sheepskin boots pressed against the floor with a faint creak.

The cuffs of his sleeves carried the bitter scent of crushed herbs, mingled with the smell of old paper. "Magic has always been a winding road."

He said, "It took me half my life to weave this spell, while you reached its threshold in just one year—that is already astonishing enough."

Zhao Yu wanted to speak, but a wrinkled hand gesture stopped him.

"I understand."

Hamir's voice softened, as though soothing a frightened animal. "Good children always like to say they're fine.

"But I watched you go from being unable even to recite an incantation smoothly to where you are today."

He paused. A spark popped from the logs in the hearth. "A temporary standstill is nothing.

"You are still the student I value most.

"That will never change."

Zhao Yu raised his gaze and saw the flickering firelight reflected in the old man's eyes.

Ink stains from years of turning ancient texts had settled in those wrinkles, yet they now relaxed.

Hamir patted him on the shoulder, his strength steady, as though he wished to press a certain conviction into Zhao Yu's bones.

The snow was still falling.

From afar came the rhythmic sound of monks clearing snow, bamboo brooms scraping over stone steps, once, then again.

Hamir's palm rested on Zhao Yu's shoulder, neither too heavy nor too light.

He wore that sort of smile that said, "I understand everything,"

and his eyes held the knowing look of someone who had been through it before.

Zhao Yu stood frozen for a moment, unable to react.

For an instant, even he began to doubt himself—could it really be as Hamir thought? Could there be some unspoken frustration hidden inside him?

He calmed down and thought carefully about it.

No, that was not it.

"You may have misunderstood, Master Hamir."

Zhao Yu corrected him, speaking a little faster than usual. "What I meant was, I've already learned this spell."

"Zhao Yu, admitting it is—"

Hamir's words came to an abrupt halt.

He paused, unconsciously digging a finger into his ear as his eyes widened round. "You... what did you just say?"

His face was filled with disbelief, as though the person before him was not the familiar apprentice, but some indescribable being that had crawled out of a crack in the universe.

"I said, I already know this magic."

Zhao Yu raised a hand and scratched the back of his head, unable to understand why the other man was so shocked.

Was learning a spell not something perfectly ordinary?

"Absolutely impossible!"

Hamir's tone was resolute. "Child, making up lies will do you no good."

"I didn't make it up."

Zhao Yu hurriedly defended himself. He did not want to lose a mentor who could provide him with so many opportunities for practice. "I can demonstrate it for you right now."

He turned his palm upward and slightly curled his fingers.

Several strands of platinum-white light quietly emerged, winding around one another and condensing into the shape of chains that floated silently in the air.

Hamir drew in a sharp breath, his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.

"Vishanti's chains... and they're a multi-layered structure!"

His voice suddenly rose, cracking in pitch. "This... how is this possible?!"

He grabbed Zhao Yu's wrist and brought it close, repeatedly inspecting the chains made of light. Even his fingertips trembled faintly.

Zhao Yu raised a hand and rubbed the back of his head, somewhat confused.

To him, it was just an ordinary thing. Yet this man before him stared at it as though he were holding some priceless treasure, so fixedly that he had forgotten to blink.

He heard indistinct muttering constantly slipping from Hamir's mouth.

"No reason... This is absolutely impossible..."

"An apprentice... how could he master this?"

Zhao Yu truly could not understand it.

What was wrong with this ** master? The man seemed completely distracted.

***

Kamar-Taj's usual tranquility was broken on this day.

Figures gradually gathered near the entrance to the sanctuary.

The news had long since spread: Kaecilius and the team he led would return today.

A silent anticipation hung in the air, along with a faint, barely perceptible tension.

Many figures stood quietly, their gazes fixed on the great door leading to the outside world.

This place was not always a peaceful refuge removed from the world.

The sorcerers stationed here bore a heavy responsibility on their shoulders—to patrol the invisible boundaries around Earth and resist the covetous eyes from the depths of darkness.

Therefore, there were always people traveling outside, dealing and fighting with all kinds of other-dimensional beings.

Whenever an expedition team returned, a crowd would gather at the gate.

It was less like celebration and more like a silent inspection, a confirmation.

Their eyes anxiously swept across the dust-covered faces of the returning travelers, searching for familiar faces and confirming that they were still standing here intact.

As some watched, the faint light in their eyes dimmed.

Staying was one choice. Going out was another.

Those who chose the latter naturally earned a different kind of gaze.

That gaze was mixed with gratitude, admiration, and the sorrowful pity one felt for those of the same kind.

When the heavy doors were finally pushed open and familiar figures carrying the scent of otherworldly dust entered one after another, a slight stir passed through the waiting crowd.

Kaecilius walked at the front, receiving the complicated yet fervent attention from all around him.

Wong and Hamir remained at Kamar-Taj as instructors.

Naturally, they were present in a situation like this.

"Kaecilius, you're back."

"It seems this mission went smoothly."

Wong's gaze swept over the sorcerers behind Kaecilius.

Most of them had returned safely, and he nodded lightly.

Though he had always disliked the man's arrogance and stubbornness, he had never doubted his abilities.

"Of course."

Kaecilius lifted his chin. His gaze passed over Wong without pausing for even a moment.

The relationship between the two had always been tense, but he reluctantly said a few more words now.

"Kamar-Taj is still the same, quiet as a stagnant pool."

He glanced at Wong, his voice betraying no emotion.

"With me here, no one will break in."

Wong was stung by that look, and a competitive edge crept into his voice.

"Save it."

The corner of Kaecilius's mouth twitched.

"This place is safe because of the Sorcerer Supreme's name.

"What does it have to do with you?"

Wong pressed his lips together.

"Combat is not all there is to Kamar-Taj.

"Even the Sorcerer Supreme personally teaches apprentices in ordinary times."

"And you,"

Kaecilius's tone remained flat, "would do better to stay in the courtyard and teach honestly.

"Matters outside were never something you should concern yourself with."

It was precisely that calmness that pricked at his skin like fine needles.

You treated the other person as an opponent you had to surpass, yet the other person could not even be bothered to properly rest his gaze on you.

No matter how much Wong wanted to remain calm, a flame flared in his chest.

He clenched his fingers, his nails digging into his palm.

When Kaecilius heard those words, his fingertips were brushing dust from the edge of his cloak.

The air in the hall had congealed, and candlelight cast wavering shadows over the side of his face.

"You think you've surpassed the Sorcerer Supreme?"

Wong's voice came from behind a stone pillar, as steady as the waters of a deep pool.

He turned and saw the other man standing beneath the archway. "I have never thought so."

Kaecilius released his fingers, and the fabric fell back into place.

That night many years ago, when he had stood on the verge of collapse, surfaced in his memory once more—how that cloaked figure had pulled him back from the edge of the abyss, how she had revealed the ** behind the veil.

That weight still pressed deep in his chest. "I have always held respect for my guide."

A brief silence spread between them.

Wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner curled upward, then were torn into scattered strands by the draft passing through the hall.

"But compared with you,"

Kaecilius stepped half a pace forward, the soles of his boots scraping faintly against the stone bricks. "I might hold a slight advantage."

He took a leather map from his robes, its edges polished bright from constant handling. "Ten nests spying on this world have all been reduced to ruins this month.

"And you? What traces has the guardian left behind during this time?"

This silent contest between sorcerers surged beneath Kamar-Taj's corridors like an undercurrent.

There were few people who ever caught his eye, and this colleague before him—always wearing a stern expression—was one of the rare few who could make his blood race.

The moment the provocative words left his mouth, even he sensed a rare emotion stirring beneath the ice.

Wong's expression did not change. "An impressive achievement."

Yet as he spoke, his gaze rested on the slowly rotating metal ring atop the distant altar.

Something was off.

Kaecilius's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Though they had never been close, living under the same roof for years had etched certain details into instinct—such as the traces of deliberate restraint beneath the other man's calm facade.

Like a hidden reef shifting quietly beneath the water's surface.

"Looks like you've accomplished something even more remarkable."

He made his tone sound casual, as if he were merely mentioning yesterday's weather.