Translator: AnubisTL
In an instant, all conversation ceased. The faint light of experiments flickered out, and the deep thinkers lifted their heads.
From the level 7 existences seated in high positions to the newly-advanced apprentices standing below, everyone instinctively straightened their backs.
Every wizard present suppressed all unnecessary energy fluctuations around them, their gazes focusing as one on the seemingly small figure beside the main seat.
The hall fell so silent a pin could be heard, and even breathing was deliberately held to a minimum.
They feared that the slightest noise might disturb the being whose eyes were already closed—Grandmentor Anton Buchanan—whose aura had begun to resonate faintly with the entire plane.
An invisible and grand rhythm was emanating from his small body.
This rhythm was not sound, nor was it pure energy vibration.
It was more like the pulse of a "rule," the breath of an "existence."
It began faintly, like a heartbeat, then rapidly strengthened and spread like ripples from a stone thrown into a still lake, transcending the boundaries of the hall, spreading across the grasslands, and sweeping over the mountains and rivers...
Ultimately, it engulfed the entire plane contained within the High Tower!
Every single person clearly "heard" this rhythm; it resonated directly within the depths of their souls.
Immediately after, an indescribable sense of "wrongness" surged through the hearts of all living beings like a tide.
It was not pain or oppression, but a deeper discordance rooted in cognition and instinct.
It was as if a familiar song had suddenly gone out of tune, as if the very air they breathed had been tainted with a strange element, as if the ground beneath their feet had become both familiar and alien.
Roar!!
Screech!!
Hiss!!
On the plane's grasslands, the free-roaming giant beasts of all shapes and sizes were the first to grow restless.
They roared and charged in agitation, or tore at the ground in frustration, as if sensing some fundamental shift in the world's very foundation. Yet, unable to comprehend it, they could only vent their unease through raw instinct.
Jieming felt this "wrongness" permeating the entire plane, and horror struck his heart.
Is this the spectacle of a high-rank wizard's advancement?
The mere aftereffects of the ascension alone could directly influence an entire plane?
Just then, he heard Mentor Clark's low and clear explanation, his voice transmitted directly into his, Viola's, and Anker's minds:
"Do not panic. This is the Law controlled by our mentor, which is undergoing a process of 'alternation' and 'solidification' with the inherent Laws of this plane. He is attempting to imprint his 'Reason' into the underlying rules of this plane."
"This is an inevitable process of advancing to the eighth tier. The teacher's power is already sufficient; as long as he successfully performs a Law Solidification operation once by utilizing this special state during advancement, he will be able to independently perform Law Solidification in the future, even when not in this state."
Law Solidification!
Imprinting one's Law into the underlying structure of a plane!
Jieming's heart jolted violently. He finally understood where this unsettling feeling came from.
Although he had mentioned the Law Solidification ability of eighth-tier wizards during his previous conversation with Mentor Clark, he had then thought of it more as being able to be immune to the modifications of the world by ninth-tier existences.
Only now did Jieming truly feel the terrifying power of an eighth-tier wizard firsthand!
This was no longer simply "utilizing" or "guiding" the Law, but directly "modifying" and "defining" the rules of a local area!
No wonder Wizard Noren could freely teleport, ignoring the Spatial Anchoring Force Field jointly deployed by Helios and Morpheus. Before an eighth-tier wizard, such a "blockade" was likely as laughable as a line drawn in the sand.
Jieming finally understood. The so-called "Law Solidification" of an eighth-tier wizard was essentially a neutered version of a ninth-tier being's Authority.
They both modified the world, but a ninth-tier being could modify it on a much vaster scale and to a greater degree, while an eighth-tier wizard could only make modifications along the laws they had mastered.
"Focus on this rhythm," Mentor Clark reminded them. "This is a rare opportunity to observe the alternation of the laws' essence. It will be of great benefit to your future."
Jieming immediately focused his mind, pushing the Universal Eye wizardry to its absolute limit. He immersed his entire consciousness in the omnipresent, grand rhythm, attempting to grasp its secrets.
Yet, the rhythm was profoundly arcane, like a flower in a mirror or a moon in the water.
He could clearly perceive its existence and feel its "influence" on the entire plane, but he struggled to analyze any specific information about the law from it.
It was like an epic poem chanted in an unknown language—its melody was magnificent and soul-stirring, yet the specific words remained incomprehensible.
He stole a glance at his mentor, Clark, as well as Wizard Noren, Augusta, Dionysus, and the others above.
They were all deeply focused, their eyes gleaming with intelligence. It was clear they were immersed in the true intent of the laws revealed by the rhythm, gaining profound insights.
He then looked around at Rex and the other third- and fourth-tier wizards. Most of them, like himself, wore expressions of confusion and frustration. They were clearly trying to grasp something just out of reach, unable to find the path forward.
My understanding of the laws is still too shallow, Jieming realized instantly. That's why I can't directly absorb knowledge from a law exchange at this level.
It was like a primary school student trying to comprehend the derivation of university-level calculus. Without reaching the necessary realm, no amount of effort could force understanding.
Though disappointed, he did not give up.
He stopped trying to "understand" and instead shifted all his effort to "memorization."
With his Universal Eye, he frantically recorded every minute frequency change in the rhythm, etching the unique "feeling" produced by this law exchange into his very soul.
This "data," incomprehensible for now, might one day become the key to breaking through his bottleneck.
Just as Jieming focused all his effort on memorizing, the grand rhythm permeating the plane suddenly intensified!
Vrummm!!!
It was as if one hundred million harp strings were plucked to their highest note all at once, as if the very rules of the entire plane were being forcibly tightened in this small area!
An indescribable, terrifying pressure, seemingly descending from the plane itself, crashed down!
Thump! Thump!
Inside the hall, many wizards below the fourth tier turned pale and stumbled backward. Some even fell to one knee, struggling to remain upright.
Even Jieming felt a tremor in his soul, as if an invisible giant hand were squeezing him. His breathing grew difficult, and he had to fully activate his body tempering method just to steady himself.
Only wizards of the fifth tier and above could maintain a semblance of composure under this pressure, yet their expressions were grim.
And at the very instant the rhythm and pressure reached their peak—
On the high seat, the childlike body of Grandmentor Anton Buchanan underwent a startling transformation!
His small frame suddenly expanded as if inflated. His bones cracked like thunder, his muscles bulged and surged, and the blood vessels beneath his skin writhed like coiled dragons.
His simple black wizard's robe instantly strained against his expanding frame, then adaptively stretched and transformed under his majestic power.
In a few short breaths, the seemingly harmless child vanished. In his place stood an old man over two meters tall, his build immensely burly and powerful.
His hair and beard flowed wild; a thick mane of silver hair cascaded over his shoulders, and a matching silver beard, dense as a lion's mane, covered the lower half of his face.
His bare upper body was a map of defined muscle, brimming with explosive strength. A thicket of silver hair covered his chest, and his entire being radiated a savage, ancient aura—a terrifying power that seemed capable of tearing the stars apart with bare hands!
Then, the peak of the rhythmic power and pressure rapidly receded like an ebbing tide.
The "awkwardness" within the plane gradually vanished, replaced by a more "solid" and "ordered" sensation, as if the plane itself had undergone a thorough tempering and reinforcement.
This meant the law solidification was complete...
The advancement was a success!
"Congratulations, Grandmentor/Mentor/Excellency Anton, on your advancement to the eighth tier!"
After a brief silence, thunderous congratulations erupted within the hall, filled with genuine admiration and joy.
Mentor Clark gazed at his mentor, who had successfully advanced and undergone a dramatic transformation. A flash of emotion crossed his eyes as he explained to the three disciples beside him, who were still reeling from the shock.
"There is no need to be surprised. The laws Mentor controls involve the 'Life Cycle,' 'Morphological Origin-Tracing,' and the 'Source of Power.' The child form he normally maintains is a state of restraint and accumulation, aiding his comprehension of the law's origin of 'Life.' What he is revealing now is the 'Peak Power' state corresponding to the full release of his law power—a form that more closely aligns with the peak stage of 'Circulation' within his laws."
Hearing this, Jieming understood.
Life Cycle, Morphological Origin-Tracing, Source of Power... It seems Grandmentor's laws are indeed closely related to concepts like the cycle of life and death and returning to youth. No wonder he can undergo such an astonishing transformation.
Upon the high seat, Anton Buchanan—no, now Eighth-Tier Wizard Anton Buchanan—who had reverted to his elder form, slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes, once as dark as a child's, now shimmered with countless points of white light, as if they contained the ultimate truths of the birth and death of stars, the flourishing and withering of all things.
He felt the new power surging tirelessly within him, its strength bound to the very plane they stood upon. A smile of unbridled joy and majesty spread across his face.
"Hahaha! Excellent! I have never felt better!" His voice boomed like thunder, making the hall vibrate. "Fellow disciples, juniors—my advancement to the eighth tier today is a cause for great celebration! A banquet! We shall feast!"
With a grand wave of his hand, a torrent of alchemical spiritual light flooded the hall.
"This place shall be our banquet hall!"
In an instant, the hall's interior began to transform.
The massive stone pillars were soon entwined with lush, green spiritual vines that bloomed with a soft glow. The floor turned into a stream flowing with celestial nectar, and the air filled with a refreshing, exotic fragrance. Magnificent long tables and chairs materialized out of thin air, instantly laden with a variety of rare, exotic fruits and energy-rich delicacies and fine wines.
Many of the dishes on the banquet table were treasures that Jieming had never even heard of, let alone seen.
Naturally, no one present refused the invitation. They all took their seats.
(End of the Chapter)
---------------------------
📖 You are reading [214] Chapters behind with [86] Free Chapters available on site.
🔥 Read up to Chapter [616] now, only on ᴄɪɴᴅᴇʀᴛʟ.ᴄᴏᴍ.
📚 Read upto [14,100+] Chapters on Site with [10,900+] Free Chapters!
---------------------------