章節 34: The Second Path to Divinity

Amidst a haphazard arrangement of scrolls, a certain ancient tome was being suppressed.

Unlike the other scrolls, this one exuded an aura of freshness.

The name on the ancient book was incomplete, revealing only three words:

"...Ascension Forbidden Technique."

Owen paused in his steps, pulling out this particular ancient tome.

The name sparked an exhilarating rush in him.

"Soul Ascension Forbidden Technique."

Ascension... forbidden technique?

His eyes flickered with curiosity as he opened the first page.

The first thing he saw was the summary:

"In the ancient and mystical world, there exists a sealed taboo art known as the 'Soul Ascension Forbidden Technique.'"

"This forbidden technique is believed to possess the power to elevate a human soul to the realm of gods."

"However, due to its immense power and potential dangers, this technique has been strictly prohibited by successive guardians of mystical powers."

"Well-crafted indeed... If this forbidden technique is real, wouldn't the Grand Magus Academy be home to several gods?"

With a stirring heart, Owen turned to the second page, only to find it disappointingly blank.

Not a single word was written.

"Could there be some secret method of sealing it, preventing others from viewing it?"

With this thought, Owen silently recited a fire magic spell.

A flame burst forth from his fingertips.

He used the flame to scorch the second page of the book, but the tome was extraordinarily resilient, unaffected by the fire.

After pondering for a moment, Owen summoned streams of water, washing over the ancient book.

Yet again, the tome remained unchanged, impervious to water and fire...

Just this fact alone, the material used for this ancient tome, was enough to astound anyone.

"A fine prize, best taken now for later scrutiny."

Owen slipped the "Soul Ascension Forbidden Technique" into his spatial ring, preparing to leave.

He spared not a glance for the other forbidden techniques.

With his dragon bloodline, brimming with myriad forbidden techniques, and being a Gold Divine Dragon himself, he could employ any Dragon forbidden technique at will.

The forbidden techniques of the Grand Magus Academy hardly caught his eye.

Yet, having come all the way to the library's subterranean level, Owen was intent on uncovering what other mysteries and peculiarities this place held, aside from harboring forbidden techniques.

The entire lower level was dimly lit, with only ancient magic lanterns flickering feebly in the corners.

The walls were etched with the marks of time, testifying to the library's long history.

Venturing deeper, Owen encountered a massive circular stone platform.

The platform was covered with complex magical runes, exuding a mysterious aura.

These patterns were so dizzying that Owen had no desire to delve into their secrets.

This place, he surmised, must be where the Grand Magus Academy's masters or grandmasters studied forbidden techniques.

Without much thought, Owen shrugged and muttered, "So the lower level is just a place to store books?"

After wandering around the lower level, near a wall in the depths, he suddenly heard a faint sound, as if a whisper from an ancient god.

Owen concentrated, then unexpectedly lay down on the ground, pressing his ear to the floor to listen more intently:

"Come, my child..."

This time, Owen heard it clearly.

He sprang to his feet, his eyes fixed intently on the floor.

Taking a couple of steps back, he swallowed hard.

Something unsavory indeed lurked beneath the first sublevel.

Apart from the ancient god-like whispers, there were no other sounds.

Owen's eyes shimmered slightly as he again lay on the ground, ear pressed down to listen.

This time, the sound came through more forcefully.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

The sound from below was steady and rhythmic, like drumbeats.

"What is this?"

Owen wondered, somewhat perplexed.

Was there some kind of musical instrument hidden in the lower level?

Could it be some sort of arcanergy drum?

But that couldn't be—how would a drum produce sounds on its own?

Frowning slightly, Owen noticed something odd.

Ever since he heard the drum-like sounds, the arcanergy within his body had started to boil.

It seemed as if the beats were summoning his arcanergy, causing it to flow through his body in a most exhilarating manner.

Owen could almost hear the cheers of the arcanergy coursing through him.

"This is incredible," he licked his lips,

"just by listening to the sound, my arcanergy is stirred up. If I could get my hands on it, it would undoubtedly be greatly beneficial for my use of arcanergy."

But how to acquire such a thing?

Owen looked around, touching the surrounding bookshelves and scrolls, trying to find a corresponding mechanism.

Unfortunately, mechanisms in the magical world might not need to be attached to physical objects.

Owen had no choice but to give up.

He sat cross-legged in the spot where the drumming was loudest, circulating his arcanergy.

His arcanergy surged rapidly, but a gnawing discomfort slowly spread within him.

Breaking out of his meditative state, Owen gasped for air.

"Something's not right, these aren't ordinary drumbeats. They somehow synchronized my heartbeat with their rhythm, and it feels like my heart is being clenched, which is extremely uncomfortable."

This thought nagged at him, and suddenly a monumental idea struck him:

"Could it be that these drumbeats are actually a beating heart?"

This thought lingered incessantly in Owen's mind.

"If that's the case, what lies beneath the first sublevel – a person or a heart?"

He dared not ponder further and immediately calmed himself, searching for ancient texts nearby, hoping to uncover the truth about this heart.

His search was fruitless, and Owen had to leave the sublevel, having spent too long in the restricted area.

As for the matter of the heart, he could inquire with Professor Elwin later.

Stepping out of the wooden door, the aged face reappeared.

"Haven't gone to bed yet, old man?" Owen asked with a smile, somewhat sheepishly.

The face on the door glanced faintly at the space ring on Owen's finger and responded lightly, "How could I sleep if you didn't come out?"

"Sorry for the disturbance, old man."

"Mm, at least you're polite. Better get some rest now."

"Goodbye, old man."

Owen let out a sigh of relief and quickened his steps towards the exit of the library.

Just then, the aged face spoke again in a ghostly tone:

"Some things are fine to look at, but if you really want to practice them, you'd better think thrice."

Owen's steps halted abruptly.

He turned slightly to look at the wooden door.

But where was the aged face on the door now?

His heart pounding, he narrowed his eyes and thought to himself:

"Is this old man talking about Thunder Resonance or the 'Soul Ascension Forbidden Technique'?"

Regardless, the Grand Magus Academy was indeed no simple place.

He needed to tread carefully; his nocturnal visit to the library had been quite a risk.

...

The next day, Owen got up early to attend Professor Elwin's class.

Waiting until the class was over, he approached Elwin again. "Do you have a question?" Elwin asked.

Owen had initially planned to beat around the bush to extract some useful information from Elwin.

But remembering his own identity, he decided to be straightforward:

"Professor, you're aware of my identity. Recently, elders from my clan have sent word that there's a forbidden technique in the Grand Magus Academy that can bestow divinity. Is there any truth to this?"

Elwin's brows furrowed slightly as he patiently explained:

"Indeed, our academy possesses a technique for achieving divinity. However, your current realm is too low, merely a gold-tier magus. Contemplating such a divine technique at this stage seems a bit too ambitious."

Owen grinned broadly, revealing his pearly white teeth, giving off an air of innocence and naivety:

"What I find most memorable about studying at the Grand Magus Academy is something said in the principal's office: a magus needs not only to elevate their realm but also to broaden their horizons. So, I'm just curious and want to understand a bit more."

"Did the principal really say that?" Elwin looked puzzled.

While it made sense, it didn't seem like something the principal would say.

Of course, the words were Owen's own invention, a tactic anyone could employ.

"Certainly, it was during the opening ceremony."

"Hmm—well, in that case, let me tell you. Our academy has a professor who has researched a forbidden technique for soul-based divinity…"

Owen felt an inexplicable tension, his eyes flickering slightly.

"…The principle of the 'Soul Ascension Forbidden Technique' involves a special ritual that merges a person's soul with divine power, granting them power beyond that of ordinary humans. That is what we call the divine realm. However…"

Elwin paused, his expression complex.

"However, what?" Owen pressed on.

"Ahem, well, the point is, this forbidden technique isn't easy to implement, and the consequences of failure are not something an ordinary person can bear. For now, you should focus on your studies and find your own path to divinity in the future."