"How should I address you, sir? It was thanks to your help earlier that my insight wasn't cut short." There was no fixed pattern to these chance moments of "sudden enlightenment." If someone had interrupted him midway earlier, he might have had to wait a long time before entering that wondrous state again.
Although his mind had been completely immersed in comprehending the Laws earlier, he had not been entirely unaware of the outside world. Naturally, he knew what this kindly old man had done to help.
"You're too kind, Lord Luo Ao. Just call me Martin. I merely happened to do something insignificant." Martin was an old mage in every sense of the word. His figure was hunched and his face withered; he looked to be two or three hundred years old.
This old mage was a pure-hearted man and had no intention of getting any benefits from Luo Ao because of this.
"Mr. Martin, you're a Water Element magister too, aren't you? I happen to have some understanding of Water Element magic myself. We could exchange insights." Although Luo Ao was more accustomed to fighting as a warrior, his research into magic was actually far from superficial. Otherwise, he would not have comprehended two elemental profound mysteries in succession.
"So you're also a mage, Lord Luo Ao?" Judging by Luo Ao's attire earlier, Martin had assumed all along that he was a warrior.
"Haha, you could say that, though I might not be all that proficient in magic." Luo Ao explained with a smile. On the Boya Continent, Saint Warriors in their twenties did appear from time to time, but a mage in his twenties was a little too extraordinary, so Luo Ao rarely used his strength as a mage in everyday life.
"To cultivate both magic and martial arts and still achieve so much is truly admirable, my lord." In truth, Martin still harbored some doubts about Luo Ao's attainments as a mage. No matter how talented someone was, it was difficult to achieve much once their energies were divided.
But when Martin and Luo Ao began exchanging the fruits of their research into Water Element magic, Martin no longer doubted his magical prowess.
Luo Ao had been able to comprehend elemental profound mysteries precisely because his research into these two elements of magic was extremely thorough. Moreover, he knew very well that all these spells were, in fact, the most basic applications of the profound mysteries of the Laws. Even the various magical incantations had been compiled and written by the Sovereigns before being passed down to the material planes.
"Take a look, Mr. Martin. This Waterball Spell may seem simple, merely the most basic first-rank Water Element spell, but if it can be advanced into a Spiral of Water, its power will increase greatly." Inside a quiet room below deck, an utterly unremarkable ball of water appeared in Luo Ao's palm.
Under Luo Ao's control, the ball of water began spinning furiously, forming a rapidly revolving vortex. The power displayed by this new Spiral of Water was clearly far beyond anything an ordinary Waterball Spell could compare with. Luo Ao could accomplish this because he had already gained insight into part of the Water Element Profound Mystery.
After comprehending an elemental profound mystery, even the Waterball Spell, the most basic first-rank Water Element spell, could display extraordinary power under Luo Ao's control.
"How marvelous. This... this is simply unbelievable." Despite having studied Water Element magic all his life, this was the first time the old mage Martin had learned that the Waterball Spell could evolve into such a form.
Martin, who had initially doubted Luo Ao's magical attainments, could not help feeling a trace of shame. He felt that his entire life had been wasted on a dog. He had specialized in Water Element magic for over two hundred years, yet his magical attainments were not even as profound as those of Luo Ao, a warrior.
Luo Ao's understanding of magic was already in an entirely different realm. Though they called it an exchange, in reality, Luo Ao was doing all the instructing.
After hearing Luo Ao's understanding of Water Element magic, Martin felt that he had previously been shut outside the gates of truth. Only today had he truly gained some understanding of the principles behind Water Element magic.
"Alas, it's a pity I didn't meet you sooner, Mr. Luo Ao. Otherwise, perhaps I too might have had a chance to glimpse the gates of the Saint realm." If he had met such an expert to guide him while he was young, then settled down to diligent research for some years, he might have had a sliver of a chance. But now? He no longer had the energy.
"Explaining the principles of magic to others isn't entirely without benefit to me, either." Guiding others was, in fact, also a process of organizing his own understanding of elemental profound mysteries.
During this time spent exchanging magical insights with the old mage Martin, Luo Ao felt his understanding of the various Water Element spells deepen, and his comprehension of the Water Element Profound Mystery deepened considerably along with it.
Once one had crossed the threshold of a profound mystery, subsequent cultivation, though still difficult, would at least no longer involve blundering about like a headless fly. This was especially true for Luo Ao, whose talent had been enhanced. At least until he reached the limits of the Saint realm, he would not encounter any major bottlenecks.
Two months later, the tower ship finally reached the incomparably prosperous Starflame City.
Starflame City's prosperity was far beyond that of ordinary cities. Moreover, because of the sacred site, Starflame Mountain, even Saint-level experts did not dare act too arrogantly here.
Unlike many deities who did not show themselves for years on end, the Goddess of Starflame would appear from time to time to offer guidance to the Saint-level experts who came to visit her. Thus, a great many Saint-level experts gathered in Starflame City, especially those who cultivated the Laws of Fire.
In the imperial capital of the Starflame Empire stood an extraordinarily perilous peak that towered into the clouds. Its slopes were so steep that even some powerful warriors found climbing it very strenuous. In particular, the area near the summit constantly radiated a scorching, high-temperature energy that ordinary people could not approach at all.
"What a magnificent Starflame Mountain." Only after arriving at its foot did Luo Ao see just how immense this mountain was. Its summit pierced straight into the clouds, and from afar, it truly looked as though it had been built atop them.
"Another one? Brother, are you here to take part in the Divine Fire Trial too?" As soon as Luo Ao arrived, he discovered a brawny, middle-aged man waiting here, with red hair resembling a lion's mane. The man wore crude protective armor that covered only a few vital areas.
"The Divine Fire Trial?" This was the first Luo Ao had heard of it.
"You actually haven't heard of it, brother? You must not be a local of our Starflame Empire. But that doesn't matter. There aren't any restrictions on this Divine Fire Trial." The burly man with the red lion's mane was somewhat surprised, then immediately explained it to Luo Ao.
"The so-called Divine Fire Trial is a special opportunity granted to us by Her Excellency the Goddess of Starflame. They say that as long as you pass this trial, you can receive a personal audience with the great Goddess of Starflame and obtain divine artifacts or even a divine spark from her." When he spoke the words "divine spark," a trace of fervor appeared in the red-maned man's eyes.
"Unfortunately, though, a full thirty thousand years have passed since the Divine Fire Trial appeared, and not a single person has passed it." This red-maned man had clearly participated in the trial before; he simply had not passed.
"The Divine Fire Trial? Could you tell me about it, sir?" Luo Ao truly had not known before that Starflame Mountain held such a secret.