In a dreamlike space, the void rippled gently like water. A faint golden glow filled the surroundings, shimmering like a sky full of stars, decorating the space in an ethereal brilliance.
Lynn stood amidst the vast, empty starry sea, beside the enigmatic Qi.
The powerful otherworldly being stood with arms crossed, his figure appearing particularly solemn and dignified in the golden radiance like a god gazing down upon the mortal world.
Before them, a resplendent Golden scale hovered in midair, slowly rotating, releasing waves of pure and immense power, as if declaring the ultimate fairness and equality it embodied.
Lynn stared blankly at the balance scale, his heart surging with emotions. It took him a long moment before he finally spoke.
"Helping me enhance my mental strength? Accumulating energy for the Azure Sky Spirit? Were these part of the contract?"
Unable to suppress his doubts, he turned to Qi, frowning slightly, his eyes filled with suspicion and disbelief.
This was far beyond his expectations.
Lynn had originally assumed that the biggest benefit of this contract was merely escaping Qi's threat.
At the very least, he would no longer have to live in constant fear, worrying that this terrifying being might suddenly appear before him and snuff out his life with a cold, indifferent gesture.
But now, Qi was saying he would help strengthen Lynn's mental power and even recharge the Azure Sky Spirit.
Thoughts churned in Lynn's mind he couldn't believe he was gaining something from this "oppressive contract" he had been forced to sign.
At this moment, he even felt an absurd sense of unreality, as if he had stepped into a dream, unable to believe such fortune had fallen into his lap.
Qi's gaze remained indifferent, his voice calms yet imposing, like a judge overseeing all things.
"Everything in the contract is clearly stated. The moment it was signed, its terms were imprinted in both our memories you can review them at any time."
Lynn fell silent for a moment, recalling the scene when he had signed the contract.
In truth, he had tried to read its contents, but the densely packed runes on each page seemed to contain an indescribable power he simply couldn't decipher.
If not for the explicitly marked clause at the bottom stating "Neither party may harm the other," he never would have agreed to sign such an incomprehensible contract under those circumstances.
After all, who would willingly sign an agreement they couldn't even understand?
Qi seemed to sense his thoughts and casually added:
"The power of supreme fairness and justice ensures that the contract's contents will become clear to you over time. You will gradually understand everything."
Lynn was momentarily taken aback, ripples forming in his mind.
The balance scale symbolized the ultimate power of equality, and true equality meant ensuring that both parties could comprehend the contract's terms.
Even beings from different worlds, with different languages and cultures, could grasp its true meaning through the balance scale's power.
Lynn had been unaware of this function, as he wasn't familiar with the balance scale's abilities.
But now, thanks to Qi's explanation, a thought sparked in his mind perhaps he should take the time to reexamine the contract.
If he could gradually decipher its true meaning, he might be able to gain a deeper understanding of Qi's real intentions.
For now, however, his primary concern remained what Qi had mentioned earlier.
The promise is to enhance his mental power and charge the Azure Sky Spirit.
Lynn fixed his gaze on Qi, pressing his lips together slightly. His expression was calm yet focused.
In this dreamlike space, a soft golden glow filled the air, with countless light particles drifting like stars in the void. The radiant backdrop made Qi's presence seem even more mysterious and solemn.
Lynn glanced around at the shimmering space, his mind racing.
He still remembered that within Landscape, the Golden scale had once contained the powerful and mysterious artifact, the "Divine Blood Pellet."
Now, Qi claimed he would help strengthen his mental power.
Would another such treasure appear this time?
The thought sent a ripple of anticipation through Lynn's heart, and he cautiously asked:
"Earlier, you mentioned charging the Azure Sky Spirit and enhancing my mental strength how do you plan to do that?"
But Qi did not answer directly. Instead, he spoke in a slow, deep voice, as cold as the void itself:
"Do you know the gods? Do you understand the civilization of the gods?"
These two simple questions, but from Qi's lips, they carried a deeper significance.
Lynn's eyes narrowed slightly. Instead of responding immediately, he fell into deep thought.
The term "gods" was not unfamiliar to him.
The world he now resided in had been transformed by a godly civilization during its long history of conquest.
The members of the Star Hunters he had recently encountered were devout followers of the Goddess of the Weave, a deity from that civilization.
However, the way Qi posed these questions suggested that he was not merely making small talk.
Moreover, though the two questions seemed similar on the surface, upon closer reflection, they held fundamentally different implications.
"The gods… those should be the supreme beings who rule over godly civilization."
Lynn analyzed silently, his gaze growing increasingly deep.
"Just as wizards are the core of wizard civilization, the gods are the core of the civilization of the gods. And the civilization of the gods is a vast system capable of rivaling wizard civilization."
As he was lost in thought, Qi's gaze remained fixed on Lynn's face, as if scrutinizing the fluctuations of his inner emotions.
Noticing the contemplative expression forming between Lynn's brows, Qi's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. He then slowly said:
"The core of the civilization of the gods is, in fact, the gods themselves. Simply put, the civilization of the gods is essentially a collection of divine kingdoms, each belonging to a different god."
Hearing this, Lynn's eyes brightened slightly as a realization dawned upon him.
"The civilization of the gods is centered around the deities, who rule over countless divine kingdoms, forming a vast and unified civilization."
"Wizard civilization, on the other hand, is entirely different the core lies in the growth of individual wizards and the accumulation of knowledge."
Unlike the civilization of the gods, wizard civilization has no supreme deity or absolute ruler. Even the Wizard Council is merely a concentration of knowledge and power, not an entity that governs all.
Wizards start as mere mortals, growing step by step through their mastery of knowledge and the rules of magic, eventually surpassing the gods themselves.
In stark contrast, the gods are born powerful, possessing divine essence and godly power from the very beginning. They rely on divine kingdoms and the faith of their believers to establish an eternal hierarchy of divine authority.
Lynn's understanding gradually became clearer.
"Two civilizations, existing at opposite extremes."
"One rises from the bottom up, where mortals evolve into gods; the other is a top-down system, where gods rule over believers and their divine kingdoms."
Realizing this, Lynn fell into deep thought.
"Why is Qi telling me all this now?"
"Does enhancing my mental power and charging the Spirit of the Azure Sky have something to do with the civilization of the gods?"
Qi remained as indifferent as ever, silently observing Lynn, as if waiting for him to process all this information.
The dreamlike space around them remained bathed in radiant light. A Golden scale floated in the void, a seemingly eternal and unshakable symbol of divine judgment.
Lynn focused his gaze on Qi, his mind churning with thoughts.
Sure enough, before he could fully sort out his thoughts, Qi finally spoke again, his voice calm yet tinged with a chilling edge.
"The gods have nurtured countless planar worlds, altering them and eventually assimilating them into the Divine Celestial Realm, making them a part of their domain."
"The inhabitants of these worlds become the followers of the gods simultaneously their believers and the source of their power."
"Faith is the key to this process… and it is also our objective."
Upon hearing this, Lynn frowned slightly, feeling more puzzled than enlightened.
"I already know that faith serves as a source of power for the gods."
"But the problem is, faith and believers those are realms only gods can access."
His mind spun rapidly, sensing something amiss.
"Qi claims he wants to help me enhance my mental power is he planning to involve faith and believers in some way?"
"But I don't have any followers, nor can I harness faith like the gods do to strengthen myself."
"Besides, why would the Spirit of the Azure Sky require faith energy for charging?"
A ripple of uncertainty surged through Lynn's heart, his eyes flickering with thought.
The Spirit of the Azure Sky was a highly treasured artifact in the wizarding world, originating from the sacred lands of the Natural Wizards the Divine Court of Nature.
"What connection does this artifact have to faith? Could it somehow interact with the faith of believers?"
"No… this artifact belongs to the Natural Wizards. How could it be linked to faith-based power?"
As doubts flooded his mind, a sudden spark of insight flashed through Lynn's thoughts.
He suddenly recalled a past conversation with the Grand Wizard Yude, who had once mentioned the origins of the Natural Wizards.
"The Natural Wizards seem to have ties to a deity from the civilization of the gods..."
"Could it be that the Spirit of the Azure Sky"
Lynn's expression changed dramatically as an indescribable sense of shock rose in his heart.
Qi seemed to notice his reaction. A faint smile surfaced on his lips, his eyes narrowing slightly, carrying a hint of mystery.
Speaking unhurriedly, he said:
"Handling faith requires a divine essence, and divine essence, in turn, requires faith energy."
Lynn's pupils constricted sharply as an enormous wave of realization crashed into his mind.
"Could it be… that the Spirit of the Azure Sky is a divine essence?!"
The thought flickered across his mind, but he immediately rejected it.
The Spirit of the Azure Sky, though immensely powerful, had never exhibited characteristics akin to a divine essence.
Qi cast him a sidelong glance, as if seeing through his thoughts, and calmly explained:
"The Spirit of the Azure Sky is not a divine essence… or rather, not entirely. However, it can be used to process faith energy."
"Through this, it can accumulate power and at the same time, enhance your mental strength."
Lynn remained silent for a long time after hearing Qi's explanation. His mind surged with an overwhelming tide of thoughts, waves of contemplation crashing through his consciousness.
The sheer amount of information he had absorbed today was simply staggering.
From the revelation about the true nature of the civilization of the gods to the intricate workings of faith energy, and now the deep connection between the Spirit of the Azure Sky and the origins of the Natural Wizards every piece of knowledge sent ripples through his mind.
Like an intricate and massive web, all these threads were beginning to connect, trapping him within its complexity.
"I need time to process and fully absorb all of this..."
Lynn took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions.
However, Qi had no intention of giving him such a chance.
Just as Lynn was lost in thought, Qi suddenly moved. His robe fluttered slightly, and his steps were steady yet elegant as he walked toward the other end of the golden scale.
His jade-like fingers traced a smooth and fluid arc in the air as if drawing a circle out of nothing.
In that instant, a brilliant golden light erupted from the scale, cascading down like a waterfall and converging into the circle.
Buzz!
With a faint tremor in space, the circle transformed into a golden portal. The doors slowly swung open, radiating dazzling light.
Through the portal, Lynn saw a grand and ancient temple.
It was a ring-shaped structure with no roof, vast and solemn, with a spacious central courtyard at its heart like an altar beneath the open sky.
The temple was not lavishly adorned; gold and silver embellishments were rare. Yet, its towering stone pillars and intricate carvings exuded a sense of majestic grandeur.
Above the courtyard, ancient runes and mysterious patterns were engraved.
Even in the dead of night, the temple was not empty. Figures in blue and white robes either knelt in solemn worship or gathered around the courtyard, gazing at the stars.
The starlit sky was dazzling, its brilliance flowing across the heavens.
These countless twinkling stars were like jewels embedded in the night, symbolizing none other than the Goddess of the Weave, Mystra.
For the members of the temple, the night sky was sacred and inviolable, for their goddess's sigil was a blue-and-white star.
Thus, they often gathered here at night, offering prayers and blessings with devout hearts as they looked up at the endless expanse of stars.
Yet, amidst this sacred and solemn atmosphere, a sudden golden portal appeared at the center of the courtyard abrupt and eerie.
Golden ripples spread outward like waves, reverberating through every corner of the temple as if tearing through the tranquility of the night.
A peculiar and disharmonious force permeated the temple, filling every inch of space.
Boom!
The Temple of Mystra seemed to react instantly to this intrusion.
A surge of mighty and imposing power burst forth like the wrath of the goddess herself undeniable in its loathing and rejection.
The temple clergy all turned pale in an instant, their expressions shifting between shock and fury as their voices interwove in the air.
"An evil wizard!"
"A vile wizard has desecrated the goddess's temple!"
At the same time, in response to the disturbance, the temple's overseer a formidable Seventh-Circle Mage arrived with several Fifth- and Sixth-Circle Mages in tow, swiftly entering the central courtyard.
Their expressions were grave, their eyes burning with fury and determination.
"There is not only the stench of an evil wizard but also the aura of a blasphemer!"
"How dare you trespass in the goddess's temple? You court death!"
"Activate the temple's divine wards! Purge these heretics!"
The wizards quickly arranged a complex magic array. The air grew thick with magical energy, its invisible ripples spreading outward in waves.
Though these intruders had stormed into their sanctuary, the temple's defenders felt no fear only unwavering confidence.
After all, this was the goddess's sacred ground, protected by divine power. Any blasphemer would face the most dreadful purification and punishment.
Meanwhile, at the heart of the temple, golden ripples continued to shimmer across the courtyard.
Amidst the brilliant radiance, Qi stepped forth, his maple-leaf-colored robe billowing slightly as he officially set foot in the Temple of Mystra.
Following closely behind was Lynn, clad in his somewhat worn Gray Hawk Armor.
Yet the moment the Gray Hawk Armor activated, lines of data instantly flooded Lynn's vision.
"Seventh-Circle Mage," "Sixth-Circle Mage," "Fifth-Circle Mage"…
A Seventh-Circle Mage such a figure was equivalent to a pinnacle Second-Level Wizard! Just one step away from breaking through to a Third-Level Grand Wizard!
If Lynn had encountered such a situation alone, surrounded by so many terrifying wizards, he would have already activated Starfall Shoes to escape without hesitation.
But at this moment, Lynn's gaze was fixed on Qi the one clad in a maple-leaf-colored robe.
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