The Water Dragon gazed down at the crowd, its expression as impassive as ever. Yet when its eyes swept over Kael, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of approval flickered within them.
"Good. To have come this far… very good." The Water Dragon's voice resonated with quiet admiration. "Talent is a gift from the gods—unchangeable. I have witnessed countless prodigies whose brilliance eclipsed the heavens. Yet in the end, their achievements paled beside mine. Resolve and focus… these are what truly carry one forward on the path of magic."
Kael nodded. This was a truth he had understood since his first day in this world, when Old Ethan had imparted the same lesson.
Ethan, too, was a legendary mage. Though perhaps not the Water Dragon's equal, the gap between them was narrow. Both stood at the threshold of divinity—Archmage—and their wisdom was distilled to its purest essence.
"In my lifetime," the Water Dragon continued, its voice distant, "I rose from obscurity to forge an empire. I slew fourteen legendary mages and countless lesser practitioners. One step—one step alone separated me from the rank of Archmage. Yet at the final moment… I fell."
Kael's breath caught. The Water Dragon's feats were staggering. Legendary mageswere beings of at least the twelfth to fourteenth ranks. To have defeated fourteen of them…
He could almost envision that era of chaos and war, where the Water Dragon's name alone commanded awe across the continent.
Here, eighth and ninth-rank mages were dubbed Arcane Masters, tenth and eleventh-rank Sage Magi. Only those beyond—twelfth to fourteenth—earned the title Legendary.
And the Water Dragon? A fourteenth-rank Legendary at its peak. A single stride from the fifteenth rank—Archmage.
A shadow of regret passed through the Water Dragon's eyes. "Yet my greatest regret remains… never ascending to the heights of Orlando, the Archmage."
To become an Archmage—to reach the end of the path of magic—was the dream of every practitioner. Yet in the river of history, those who achieved it could be counted on one hand.
The Water Dragon's gaze sharpened as it locked onto Kael. "Though I can no longer claim that title, you still can. I will impart to you everything I have learned. Perhaps you will fulfill what I could not…"
The Water Dragon's legacy!
Though Kael had already secured it, hearing those words still sent a thrill through him.
At last, it was his!
With a wave of the Water Dragon's hand, the world around Kael shifted abruptly. The previous scene vanished—along with every other person—leaving only himself and the Water Dragon standing side by side in a void.
Beneath them, the Chrono-Light Array remained, its countless stars twinkling like scattered embers. Yet here, in this emptiness, only the two of them existed.
"Young man, what is your name?" The Water Dragon clasped its hands behind its back, its tone measured.
"Kael." This time, he offered no concealment.
"Good. From this day forth, you are my heir." The Water Dragon's eyes softened slightly as they swept over him. "My dream was to become an Archmage in my lifetime. Yet in the end, I fell short. Still, my efforts were not entirely in vain."
"Not in vain?" Kael frowned. From the Water Dragon's account, it had attempted to breach the Archmage realm but perished in the attempt. Could there be more to the story?
"Correct." The Water Dragon nodded slowly. "The path of magic is vast—boundless, even. There is no true end. In my pursuit, I ventured beyond conventional wisdom and discovered another road…"
"Another road?" Kael's pulse quickened. He sensed something earth-shattering was coming.
"Indeed. Your current strength as an eighth-rank mage is commendable. You must already grasp the mysteries of Domain. By this stage, all practitioners—mages and warriors alike—can awaken this power. At the Sage rank (tenth and above), one expands their Domain into a Minor World. And Legendary beings (twelfth-rank and beyond)… they forge their own complete spatial realm, a true World of their making." The Water Dragon's explanation was deliberate, each word weighted with significance.
Kael nodded in agreement, his gaze reflecting understanding. As one's power grew, a cultivator could eventually create an entire world with a mere gesture.
Take the Water Dragon's Secret Realm, for instance—this was the 'world' the Water Dragon had forged. Yet it operated under entirely different rules compared to the Three Continents, possessing its own unique laws.
"But how does this relate to the 'other path' the Water Dragon mentioned?" Kael wondered, intrigued.
"What I described earlier is the conventional path of magic. But I discovered a method that defies tradition!" The Water Dragon's declaration was nothing short of earthshaking.
"What?!" Even Kael was stunned. The Water Dragon was truly a genius among geniuses—to have uncovered an entirely different cultivation method!
"Magic Mutation," the Water Dragon stated calmly.
Magic Mutation?
Kael nearly laughed. If there was one thing he was intimately familiar with, it was Magic Mutation!
With a glance at the Water Dragon, he summoned both the frostflame born of fire-element variation and the lightning power he'd gleaned from ancient ruins!
A dazzling azure frostflame intertwined with violet lightning, swirling around Kael's body in a mesmerizing display.
"Fire mutation… and lightning?" The Water Dragon's composure shattered, its expression shifting to outright astonishment.
While flame mutating into frostflame was rare but not unprecedented, lightning—there was no recorded case in history!
Even the Water Dragon had never witnessed anyone wielding lightning-element power.
"The heavens have truly blessed me! To deliver such a successor!" After a brief moment of shock, the Water Dragon burst into exhilarated laughter, its excitement palpable.
"I devoted my life to studying Magic Mutation because its power dwarfs conventional magic by severalfold—sometimes even tenfold! And now, the gods have sent me an heir already versed in it!" Its eyes burned with intensity as it regarded Kael.
"Listen well, boy. Though your body harbors these mutations, you likely have no idea how to fully harness them. You might not even be unleashing a tenth of their potential! But I—I can awaken these abilities in their entirety!" The Water Dragon's tone shifted, its words igniting a fire of anticipation in Kael's chest.
The Water Dragon's gaze locked onto Kael, its satisfaction immeasurable. This young man was truly a monster - mastering frostflame was impressive enough, but lightning as well? While ordinary practitioners might struggle to harness the full potential of mutated magic, the Water Dragon was different. It could unleash these variant powers to their absolute limits!
To the Water Dragon, Kael seemed like a divine gift, the perfect successor it had been waiting for.
"I've been using less than one-tenth of my mutated magic's true power?" Kael's mind reeled. If the Water Dragon spoke truth, what heights could he reach by fully mastering these abilities?
Even now, Kael stood virtually invincible among his peers. Imagine his strength when he completely harnessed these variant forces!
A rare smile graced the Water Dragon's features. "Kael... you fascinating little thing. Let me now teach you how to wield the true power of mutated magic..."
The Water Dragon had devoted its life to studying magic mutation, having discovered that certain variants could multiply a spell's potency severalfold - sometimes even tenfold!
This very knowledge had elevated the Water Dragon above all contemporaries, establishing its supremacy across the continent.
Yet here stood Kael - not only possessing mutated magic, but wielding even rarer lightning spells!
Magic mutation was a gift few could obtain... yet this boy called Kael...
Interesting. Extremely interesting.
The Water Dragon's eyes gradually brightened with realization. Perhaps even Kael himself didn't comprehend the staggering depths of his potential!