And the later "Maze Crystal," "Soul Metal," "Void Fragment"...
As Ron read these contents, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.
The descriptions of these Abyssal Materials far exceeded any extraordinary material knowledge he had previously encountered, completely transforming his understanding of alchemy and magic’s essence.
The abyssal materials seemed not merely resources and tools, but a medium to directly manipulate the essence of reality.
Through them, a wizard sufficiently knowledgeable and skilled in the art could even briefly transcend the constraints of the universe’s established rules, achieving effects unimaginable by conventional magic.
But what intrigued Ron the most was the detailed analysis of the relationship between Black Wizards and the Abyss:
"The path of the Black Wizard is essentially a road leading closer to the essence of the Abyss.
The so-called ’Awakening’ is, in fact, the transformation of part of one’s existence into an abyssal form, thereby acquiring abilities that surpass conventional laws.
This is not merely a gain in power, but a fundamental transformation of one’s form of existence."
"The area below ’Maze Domain’ in the Abyss Sixth Layer has long been a hub of activity for various Black Wizard organizations.
These regions, due to the traits of ’Maze Turbulence,’ constantly restructure their spatial configuration, making it difficult for outsiders to locate and track them.
More importantly, the deeper regions of the Abyss are rich with deep chaos energy, an ideal place for Black Wizards conducting advanced awakening rituals."
"Particularly noteworthy is the ancient organization ’Eye of the Abyss.’
Unlike common Black Wizard groups, they do not pursue simple power accumulation; instead, they are dedicated to the grand design of ’abyssalizing’ the material world.
Through special rituals, they attempt to gradually weaken the boundaries between reality and the Abyss, with the ultimate goal of complete integration of both."
"The core creed of the ’Eye of the Abyss’ is ’Cognition is Reality’ — they believe that by altering the cognitive patterns of enough intelligent beings, they can fundamentally rewrite the foundational rules of reality.
Their missionaries predominantly infiltrate various academic institutions, using twisted knowledge and special spiritual influence techniques to gradually change the mindset of their contacts."
This description sent a chill down Ron’s spine.
The goal of the ’Eye of the Abyss’ was far grander and more terrifying than he had imagined, seeking not only power but reconstructing the entire reality.
The part that truly shook Ron was the book’s explicit correlation between the Abyss and the Path of the Great Wizard:
"Since the First Era, the path of progression for a Great Wizard has always been inseparably linked to the Abyss.
According to reliable records, every individual successfully promoted to Great Wizard has invariably undergone a ritual known as ’Abyssal Baptism,’ usually below the 7th Floor ’Soul Abyss.’"
The book specifically mentioned a key technique known as "Soul Anchoring," a core method mastered by all successful Great Wizards:
"The essence of Soul Anchoring is dividing and anchoring part of one’s soul to a specific object in the material world before entering the Abyss.
These objects are usually personal items with deep connections to the wizard, such as weapons, magic wands, or jewelry.
The anchored objects provide a ’reality reference point’ during the abyssal baptism, preventing the wizard from being completely assimilated by the Abyss."
"The highest-level Soul Anchoring can preserve a wizard’s core memory and personality even when their consciousness is eroded by the Abyss.
It allows them to ’reset’ themselves in critical moments, a vital safeguard for surviving the ritual."
Ron’s heartbeat accelerated, and he immediately thought of his "Melting Furnace Concept."
This description of Soul Anchoring bore an astonishing resemblance to his envisioned soul splitting and energy isolation techniques!
Moreover, the book also mentioned an advanced technique called "Pollution Transformation," which was almost the key component of his "Melting Furnace Concept":
"A few outstanding wizards have mastered a special technique that doesn’t simply block or remove abyssal contamination but transforms it into pure energy.
The core of this technique is creating an ’Energy Recycling System’ that channels abyssal contamination into a specific container or medium, undergoes a series of complex energy conversions, and ultimately ’purifies’ it into usable pure energy."
"Selwyn Audric himself is believed to have mastered the basic form of this technique, which is also key to his ability to survive for nearly a century in the Abyss while maintaining a clear mind.
His ’Transformation Furnace’—a specially designed alchemy device, is said to convert abyssal contamination into energy that extends life and enhances spells."
Ron closed the book, taking a deep breath, feeling a wave of dizziness.
The content of the "Abyssal Creatures Atlas" far exceeded his expectations, not only providing an incredibly rich source material for his study of Extraordinary Biology but also offering critical theoretical support and technical details for his "Melting Furnace Concept."
He even began to wonder if his encounter with this book was truly a coincidence.
This description of "Pollution Transformation" and "Soul Anchoring" aligned so perfectly with his independently conceived "Melting Furnace Concept" that it seemed almost unbelievable.
"This can’t just be a coincidence..." Ron murmured softly, his eyes gleaming with a contemplative light.
But what left Ron most uneasy was the content on the last page of the book—an epilogue seemingly added at random, with handwriting distinct from the main text, as if written later:
"If you’ve read this far, remember:
Knowledge will respond to the seeker, just as the Abyss will respond to the summoner.
I once thought I was studying the Abyss, until I realized the Abyss was ’studying’ me.
No matter your purpose, stay vigilant.
Because now, ’they’ already know of your existence.
——S. Audric"
Ron carefully closed the book and locked it in a specially designed rune security box.
The knowledge from the "Abyssal Creatures Atlas" was both exciting and unsettling, requiring him time to digest the information and integrate it with his own research and plans.
"Abyss..." he murmured to himself, his eyes flickering with complex reflections: "The perfect blend of danger and opportunity, or a meticulously designed trap?"
"Take it slow, one step at a time."
Ron whispered to himself encouragingly, his eyes glinting with determination, "Handle the tasks at hand first, then consider the more distant future."
He closed the book, his thoughts swirling like turbulent waves.
This information was undoubtedly crucial for the upcoming journey to the Bloodline Altar, but to fully understand its mysteries might require more clues.
Ron’s gaze fell on the black sealed box, which contained the final stage of the "Star Eater’s Ravings," possibly providing another piece of the puzzle he needed.
He took a deep breath, carefully returning the "Abyssal Creatures Atlas" to the storage box, then walked towards that mysterious sealed box.
Where his fingers touched, he could feel a peculiar energy fluctuation, a mysterious rhythm akin to the depths of the starry sky, both distant and profound, as if from the edge of the universe.
Ron recalled once again Lady Allen’s warning passed through Lilia: not to attempt rashly without sufficient preparation.
And that more meaningful statement: She had not been able to walk the path to the end, hoping he could reach its conclusion smoothly.
"Lady Allen..." Ron murmured softly: "What did you encounter on this path?"
He pondered for a moment, deciding to first check the magically sealed letter.
Carefully removing the letter, Ron noticed the runes covering its surface were lightly flowing, as if possessing their own life.
He knew the fundamental principles of this sealing magic — only the designated recipient could open it; any unauthorized attempt to read it would lead to the content’s self-destruction.
His spiritual power gently touched the envelope’s surface, and Ron could feel the magic inside "verifying" his identity.
Moments later, the runes suddenly lit up with a golden radiance, then dispersed like water ripples, and the envelope unfolded automatically, revealing the parchment inside.
The handwriting on the parchment seemed to be written with some special ink, shimmering with a bluish glow under dim light:
"Ron, I have some matters that require me to temporarily leave the School. Do not tell anyone about this.
However, by the time you return from the Bloodline Altar, I will likely be back.
Then come to the herb store to find me, as I have something important to give you in person."
This was entirely different from what he had imagined. Such information could have been relayed through Lily as a verbal message; why was there a need to use a magically sealed letter?