"Shouldn’t such an existence have surpassed the level of the Witch King?" Ron couldn’t help but ask.
Lady Allen shook her head:
"No, the ’Devourer’ envisioned in the ’Star Eater’s Ravings’ may be far stronger than most Witch Kings, but it is still roughly at the same level. Higher up, there are ’Demon Gods’ that transcend everything..."
Ron was silent for a moment, digesting the vast flow of information.
Then he raised his head and asked the most critical question: "So, how does one ascend to an Official Wizard via the Path of Truth?"
Lady Allen smiled slightly and flipped the ancient book to another page.
This page was almost entirely occupied by a complex rune, with a grand star gate pattern at its center:
"The traditional way of ascension involves using the ’Key’ potion as a medium, allowing the Apprentice to slowly and safely unlock the Gate of Wisdom.
The ’Key’ potion is like a... well, it really is just a key, capable of slowly opening the portal to a higher level. This method has a high success rate, with nearly seventy to eighty percent of Candidate Wizards passing smoothly."
"The Path of Truth, however, is different—it involves directly contacting the envisioned existence through the Meditation Technique.
At the moment of breaking the critical point, allowing that ancient existence’s will fragment to directly imprint on one’s mental structure, forming higher-level Meditation Technique traits, thereby triggering transformation."
At this point, Lady Allen’s gaze turned extremely serious:
"This method is far more dangerous, without buffers, without a safety net. Once it begins, you either succeed in breakthrough or..."
She made a throat-slitting gesture:
"In ancient times, less than one in ten who took this path survived."
"But the power gained after succeeding is stronger?" Ron asked keenly.
"Of course." A hint of approval flashed in Lady Allen’s eyes:
"Wizards who ascend via the Path of Truth have a similarity in their mental structure with the envisioned existence, enabling them to acquire purer and stronger Meditation Technique traits. Such Wizards often possess strength beyond common imagination at the same level."
Ron pondered for a moment: "Do you know the specific method of breakthrough?"
Lady Allen seemed to have been waiting for this question. She took out a small crystal bottle from her bosom.
Inside it contained a silver-blue liquid, shimmering with subtle light under the lamp:
"Do you remember those materials I asked you to help me collect earlier?"
Ron nodded, surely recalling that strange "list."
"Those materials, coupled with several rare herbs I’ve cherished for years, are just enough to refine this ’Star Dew Morning Glow’—an extremely rare auxiliary potion.
It’s not a ’Key’ potion; it can’t directly help you open the Gate of Wisdom, but it can enhance your connection with the envisioned existence, increasing your success rate when hitting the critical point."
She carefully handed the crystal bottle to Ron:
"When your Spiritual Power reaches the critical point, take this potion, then proceed with the deepest level of meditation.
If all goes well, you will directly establish a connection with the ’Devourer,’ acquire Meditation Technique traits, and complete the transformation."
Ron took the crystal bottle, feeling the faintly pulsating energy inside, like a miniature star tumbling within the bottle:
"How high is the success rate?"
"With your talent and the compatibility of ’Star Eater’s Ravings’..." Lady Allen paused thoughtfully: "About fifty percent."
Ron raised his eyebrows slightly: "Higher than I imagined."
"Don’t get too excited yet." Lady Allen warned:
"Once you embark on the Path of Truth, there’s no turning back.
If you fail in the attempt, it not only means death but could lead to a fate more terrifying than death—mental shattering, soul swallowed by those great existences."
Ron took a deep breath, carefully placing the crystal bottle into his bosom:
"Sounds worth a try."
Lady Allen gave a meaningful smile: "I knew you’d be interested. But don’t rush to decide, first listen to the experiences and lessons of predecessors."
She turned the ancient book again, pointing to a page with several recorded cases:
"Grim Oster, born in an ordinary fishing village during the early Third Era, was discovered at fifteen by an itinerant Wizard for his rare Fourth-class Star Spiritual Talent and taken back to the school for training.
He performed mediocrely in the school but had an unusual obsession with astrology, often observing the starry sky all night."
"At twenty, he inadvertently came across an ancient book documenting the ’Dark Sun’ and started researching this mysterious celestial body.
Three years later, he chose to directly ascend by envisioning the ’Dark Sun.’ No one in the school believed in him at the time, and even some Masters advised him to abandon this suicidal attempt."
Lady Allen’s tone gradually took on a mysterious air:
"But Oster stuck to his guns, climbing alone to the school’s highest observatory for that astonishing attempt.
For three whole days, the tower echoed with his screams of agony and manic laughter, and no one dared to approach."
"On the fourth morning, when the school’s Masters opened the tower door, they found Oster sitting quietly, his eyes completely black—no whites, no irises, only endless darkness.
Yet he had succeeded—after enduring three days of madness, he acquired the Meditation Technique trait called ’Eternal Night Vision.’
After this, Oster’s strength advanced by leaps and bounds; within thirty years, he reached the level of a Moonlight Wizard, took another eighty years to become a Dark Sun Wizard, and eventually broke through to a Great Wizard before three hundred years old."
Ron listened, captivated; this detailed account of predecessors’ feats was far more convincing than dry theory.
Seeing him listening attentively, Lady Allen continued to turn the page: