"Legendary status?"
Zheng Qing seemed to be hearing this term for the first time.
"This is a concept belonging to High-level Wizards: when a wizard's astonishing experiences are passed from mouth to mouth, that is our simplest understanding of legend."
Like a professor in a classroom, the gentleman patiently explained the deeper meaning of the term to Zheng Qing. "Just as concentrated faith can kindle divine fire and lift a Low-level Wizard into the realm of higher ranks, ancient High-level Wizards discovered in their explorations that as legendary titles spread, their connection to the River of Destiny became increasingly clear. We know that a wizard's connection to the world can generally be divided into three parts: his material existence, his understanding of truth, and his connection to fate. Of these, the distinction between matter and consciousness runs throughout the history of magical exploration. Even Low-level Wizards can profoundly grasp its true meaning. Only the relationship between wizards and fate is extraordinarily complicated. Very, very complicated."
He used "very" three times in a row, then paused, seeming to consider how to explain it in simpler terms so Zheng Qing could understand.
But that was very difficult.
"In theory, 'matter' is the foundation of a wizard's existence; 'consciousness' is the concept of a wizard's existence; and 'connection' is the sum of every relationship between a wizard and this world beyond those foundational concepts."
After giving that lengthy, obscure definition, the gentleman changed tack. "In a sense, you can equate the relationship between a wizard and fate with 'cause and effect.' As the saying goes, 'All phenomena arise or perish according to the principle of cause and effect.' Even matter and consciousness cannot escape this framework."
And the essence of legend was to transcend fate.
Fate was like a vast net, draped over