Chapter 551: Tier 6 Peak

Chapter 551: Peak of the Sixth Tier

The golden plains of the Elf God's divine realm.

Collapsed entirely after losing its final source of power.

Li Wei looked up, peering through the spatial rifts in the sky to see countless abyssal creatures floating in the void beyond.

Like an endless swarm of locusts, they were preparing to devour this dying world.

As Li Wei pondered how to contact the Elven King to take them back,

A golden teleportation gate appeared beside him.

He glanced at it and showed surprise.

Grabbing Saint Xi, he hurriedly rushed into the portal.

Whoosh!

The gate vanished from the golden plains.

Returning to the Elven King’s palace, Li Wei felt utterly speechless.

Looking at the Elven King, he said, “You could open a door directly onto the World Tree—why did you drop us off so far away?”

The Elven King gazed at him calmly and replied, “I told you—it was a test.”

“You barely passed.”

Just as Li Wei was about to say something else,

The Elven King added, “Let me remind you—the things we just spoke of must not be mentioned carelessly here.”

Li Wei closed his mouth. He had been about to ask how much the Elven King knew about the Dragon God.

Only now did he realize—

This was the material world, under the watchful eyes of the gods.

Unlike the Golden Plains, speaking certain sensitive topics here would easily draw unwanted attention.

He raised his head slightly, pointing toward the heavens.

The Elven King said indifferently, “As long as you understand.”

To his surprise, Li Wei found that the Elven King was actually quite decent—

Just that he hadn’t seemed very friendly before.

Not as straightforward as the Beast King.

Still, considering that right after taking the godhood fragment, the Golden Plains collapsed completely,

Li Wei couldn’t really blame the Elven King for anything.

Though the Golden Plains were half-dead, they still contained vast treasures and resources.

His actions had directly caused the Elven King to lose an entire world’s worth of assets.

Li Wei felt somewhat embarrassed.

“Well… I didn’t know it would turn out like this,” he said awkwardly.

The Elven King looked at him and asked, “What? Do you want to compensate the Elves for their losses?”

Li Wei gave a forced smile. “I’d like to, but I don’t have the means…”

The Elven King said, “If you can successfully nurture the World Tree seedling you brought with you, that will suffice as compensation.”

Li Wei looked surprised.

“So you already know…”

But as soon as he started speaking, he stopped himself.

That was a foolish thing to say.

Of course the Elven King knew everything he had said while inside the Golden Plains.

Knowing he had broken off a branch of the World Tree—wasn’t that perfectly normal?

The Elven King continued, “Once the original World Tree dies, the one in the Elven Forest becomes the true World Tree.”

“It was originally grown from a cutting—it cannot produce another branch to become a second World Tree.”

“If anything happens to this tree, then the sapling in your hands will be the last World Tree left in this world.”

“Take good care of it.”

Li Wei looked astonished—he hadn’t expected such a connection.

So each world could only have one World Tree.

Only after the previous one died could another be born.

As long as the World Tree in the Golden Plains remained alive,

No matter how large the one in the Elven Forest grew, it wouldn’t be the real World Tree, lacking the laws governing it.

Suddenly, Li Wei thought—could the uniqueness of laws also explain why there could only ever be one World Tree?

Coming back to his senses, he solemnly promised the Elven King, “Rest assured—I will protect the World Tree sapling with my life.”

The Elven King said nothing more.

He didn’t expect much from Li Wei.

Whether or not the World Tree could survive—even the Elves themselves weren’t sure.

The one planted in the Elven Forest hadn’t succeeded on the first try.

Before this current World Tree matured, the Elven God had snapped countless branches from the original World Tree and stuck them into the forest soil.

At first, they were carefully watered with magical spring water and tended with utmost devotion.

Yet all eventually withered and died.

Eventually, even the Elven God grew impatient.

He ordered his subordinates—if a planted branch died, simply snap another and plant it elsewhere.

By chance, one of those branches survived for a long time—and gradually grew into a mighty tree.

Careful tending proved useless; ironically, it was a casually discarded branch that lived on.

Leaving the Elven King’s palace,

Li Wei turned back for one last look at the World Tree.

He noticed that this tree truly was different now.

Earlier, it had merely been an unusually large tree.

Now, faint fluctuations of law emanated from it.

Perhaps one day, it really would grow into a true World Tree capable of supporting an entire world.

Liwei looked at Senche and said, "We shall remain in the Elven Court for a time to gather our strength before searching for the final shard."

Senche offered a silent nod.

The journey through the Golden Fields had made Liwei keenly aware that his current strength was sorely lacking.

He intended to linger within the Whispering Woods for a while.

In any case, the Elven King had not ordered his departure.

At the thought of this, Liwei suddenly found himself appreciating the Elven King's grace.

The Beast King, by contrast, had shown no such courtesy, banishing him to the Elven Forest with a single, sweeping strike of his palm.

He had not even granted him the chance to refuse.

Yet reflecting upon it now, he supposed he had deserved it.

He had forced his way into the sacred ancestral grounds of the Orcish Palace and slain many of their practitioners.

That the Beast King had not crushed him to death then and there was already a mark of great leniency.

Liwei shook his head, banishing the stray thoughts from his mind.

Whether it was the Beast King or the Elven King, they were complex figures, difficult to judge through a single lens.

And Liwei harbored no fondness for passing judgment on others.

Leading Senche by his side, he set out to find lodgings within the Elven Court.

Along the way, they happened upon Laya, who was wandering the streets.

It was Laya’s first time visiting the Elven Court, and she viewed everything around her with boundless curiosity.

As she strolled aimlessly through the wondrous city, she ran directly into Liwei and Senche as they emerged from the palace.

Upon learning that they were seeking a place to stay, Laya led them toward her own quarters.

It was an estate specifically established by the realm of Rivendell to receive visiting lords.

Bearing the token of her lord, Laya had been treated by the Elven King's personal guard with the utmost deference reserved for a lord’s trusted confidante, allowing her to enjoy a taste of nobility.

Laya pushed open the door and remarked, "It is quite fortunate that Lord Derwen is not present, otherwise we would not be able to stay here."

"This place is reserved exclusively for the Lord himself. Please, come in."

Stepping through the threshold, Liwei caught sight of the figure seated within and paused.

"Lord Derwen."

Hearing Liwei's words, Laya’s frame froze instantly.

She peered cautiously into the room, only to find that Derwen had already taken a seat in the drawing room at some unknown hour.

Embarrassment washed over her, accompanied by an overwhelming dread: had the Lord overheard her reckless words just now?

Despair crept into her heart.

"He is sitting so close, he must have heard everything!"

Derwen paid no heed to Laya, whose mind was currently adrift in a sea of anxious thoughts.

He rose to his feet, turned his gaze toward Liwei, and spoke, "You have already granted an audience with the Elven King?"

Liwei nodded in affirmation. "Yes. I must thank you for your assistance, My Lord. Without it, the journey would not have been so smooth."

Derwen offered a bitter smile and sighed, "Do not speak of it. If anything, I owe you an apology."

Liwei replied, "There is truly no need for that. The matter concerning Nezah has nothing to do with you, My Lord."

Derwen did not pursue the subject any further.

He stepped forward, producing a crystal vial of vibrant emerald green, and extended it to Liwei.

"This is the promised reward."

"The pure essence of the Fountain of Magic."

Liwei had intended to offer a polite refusal out of courtesy, but upon hearing Derwen's words, his hand instinctively closed around the crystal vial.

Realizing his own eagerness, he gave a sheepish smile and said, "This is... far too precious."

Derwen shook his head gently. "It is of no consequence. It holds no utility for me, but it is entirely fitting for a Grand Mage such as yourself."

Liwei glanced down at the crystal vial in his palm, then looked back at Derwen, inquiring, "Surely the Lord did not grace this place simply to deliver this to me?"

Derwen answered, "That is but one reason. The other is to investigate the appearance of the Drow within the Elven Forest."

"Nezah is my own flesh and blood, my younger brother. Since he was entangled with the Drow, I too must submit to the inquiry."

"Furthermore, I wish to uncover the truth behind this conspiracy with my own hands."

Derwen harbored a deep and bitter hatred for the hidden mastermind who had lured Nezah into corruption.

He turned his gaze toward Laya and commanded, "For the time being, do not return. Remain here and tend to the needs of Grand Mage Liwei."

Laya nodded frantically in agreement, "Understood, understood."

Derwen then addressed Liwei, "Rest assured during your stay here. This residence was prepared solely for me, so you need not worry about encountering unwanted guests."

Liwei nodded, his gratitude sincere. "Thank you."

For his cultivation, a quiet and secure sanctuary was precisely what he required.

Derwen turned toward the exit and said, "Then I shall take my leave. I must still present myself before the Elven King."

"Safe travels, farewell."

They watched as Derwen’s figure vanished into the distance.

As Liwei turned around, the sound of a long, relieved sigh escaped Laya's lips.

"Ah~ that frightened me to death."

Laya gently patted her chest.

A moment later, catching Liwei's amused gaze, a flush of embarrassment colored her cheeks.

Her face reddening slightly, she looked around the room until her eyes landed on the teapot resting upon the parlor table.

She scurried over to it in a hurry, stammering, "You must be thirsty. Let me brew some tea for you."

"Ah, there is no need..."

Liwei watched as Laya fled as swiftly as a startled rabbit.

Helplessly, he lowered his right hand, which he had raised in a vain attempt to call her back.

Liwei turned his attention to Senche and asked, "And what of you?"

Senche replied, "I shall return to our dwelling. Remember to cast the Lesser Temporal Art upon me."

Liwei nodded. "Very well. Step inside first, and I shall join you shortly."

He conjured a spatial portal, and Senche stepped through into the magical cottage.

Liwei leaned forward to peek inside.

Under the continuous expansion of the Void Core, the interior of the magical cottage grew vaster by the day.

From its original dimensions of a thousand meters in length, width, and height, it had now expanded to double that size, spanning two thousand meters in every direction.

As the expanse widened, the cubic domain gradually shifted into a spherical orb.

It seemed a spherical domain conformed more naturally to the innate geometry of a spatial bubble.

The void core, nested within the magical cottage, continuously and automatically siphoned energy from the ether.

As the void energy amassed, the spatial bubble swelled larger and larger under the strain.

Levi surmised that this expansion was perhaps driven by something akin to "spatial pressure."

Much like water pressure, space itself possessed a compressive force.

The void core generated a relentless spatial pressure, distending the bubble outward.

Initially, Levi harbored anxieties that the spatial bubble might burst like an overinflated balloon.

Yet he soon realized his tribulations were entirely unwarranted.

Space possessed an inherent capacity for self-repair.

This appeared to be one of the ironclad dogmas governing the laws of space.

Barring any external interference, any spatial rift exhibited an innate tendency toward self-healing.

Levi selected a chamber to settle into.

After entering the magical cottage to cast the Lesser Chrono-Magic upon Shengxi,

he glanced at the growth of the World Tree sapling; seeing no signs of withering, a breath of relief escaped him.

Within the privacy of the room, he informed Lyra that he would be entering a period of secluded cultivation.

He instructed her to ensure he remained undisturbed.

Levi then produced the raw essence of the Fountain of Magic, a gift bestowed upon him by Delvin.

In the mortal realm, the waters of the Fountain of Magic were considered a supreme, peerless treasure by mages.

It was a wondrous substance capable of elevating one's magical aptitude.

Levi had once been fortunate enough to partake of it.

That instance had been his prize for claiming championship glory at the Northern Youth Mage Tournament.

Even then, it had merely been a diluted variant of the fountain's waters.

The essence Delvin had gifted Levi, however, was the unadulterated, pure potency of the Fountain of Magic.

The moment he unstoppered the crystal vial, a wave of pure, concentrated mana rushed over his senses.

Perceiving that the magical energy was beginning to dissipate into the air,

Levi wasted no time, rushing to absorb the essence of the Fountain of Magic.

He dreaded squandering even a single drop.

To let any of it escape was nothing short of a sin.

Cultivating directly with the raw fountain essence, Levi found his mana swelling at a meteoric pace.

Had the members of the Mage Association witnessed his methodology, they would surely have denounced him in a fury for such a flagrant waste of a heavenly treasure.

Once diluted, this raw essence could have elevated the magical aptitude of countless nascent mages.

It could have yielded the Mage Association an abundance of highly gifted magical prodigies.

There was no telling how many Archmages might have arisen from its depths in the future.

Remaining within the Elven Imperial Court to cultivate for a month,

Levi exhausted the entirety of the raw essence provided by Delvin.

His cultivation climbed to the absolute pinnacle of the Sixth Rank.

[Blazing Sun Meditation (Sixth Rank Limit)] 10000/∞

He had arrived at the very end of the advancement path for extraordinary professions.

The passage bridging the Sixth Rank to the Seventh Rank was known as the Path of Legends.

Unlike the awakening of extraordinary traits in the preceding six ranks,

the Path of Legends was vastly more intricate and convoluted.

When applied to Levi, it became more labyrinthine still.

[Holy Flame Lord (Exclusive Epic)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

[Arcane Enlightenment (Epic)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

[Elemental Fission (Epic)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

[Nirvana Rebirth (Holy Spirit Grade)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

[Life Sharing of the Sacred Dragon (Legendary)] (Incapable of advancement)

[Sacred Dragon Body (Legendary)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

[Dragon Strength (Legendary)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

[Divine Might (Legendary)] (Path of Legends can be initiated)

Every extraordinary trait that had attained the Epic grade or higher prompted that the Path of Legends could be initiated.

A sudden epiphany washed over Levi; perhaps an Epic-grade extraordinary trait was the baseline threshold required to open the Path of Legends.

Among them, only the [Life Sharing of the Sacred Dragon] was incapable of initiating the path.

This particular extraordinary trait possessed a unique, exceptional nature.

The lingering conundrum for Levi was: which Path of Legends should he choose?

Or rather, was it possible to traverse every single Path of Legends?

After pondering the matter extensively, Levi made his way to the Elven King's palace to seek his answers.

"The advancement conditions for the Path of Legends?"

Hearing Levi's inquiry, the Elven King cast a deeper, lingering look upon him.

He manifested no true shock at the realization that Levi already stood upon the threshold of the Path of Legends.

A human capable of binding a covenant with the inheritor of the Sacred Dragon lineage could never be ordinary.

If anything, that Levi had not yet achieved the Legendary rank was what surprised the Elven King more.

The Elven King spoke, "The advancement conditions for the Path of Legends vary wildly, yet in essence, they boil down to one's mastery over the fundamental rules."

"The Path of Legends you choose will also dictate the vector of your subsequent comprehension of law-forces when ascending to godhood."

"If you can forge a Path of Legends untrodden by those who came before, then you shall walk a path to godhood never before reached by any predecessor."

(End of Chapter)