Power of Destiny
Within the Magus Tower.
Leylin gazed steadily at the giant interplanar spell formation. With the positive and negative energy pools working at full strength, the runes atop the spell formation lit up one after the other, causing terrifying waves of spatial undulations to converge on the spot.
[Spell formation working as per normal. 67% activated. Gaia cuvatures stabilised.] The A.I. Chip constantly monitored the spell formation, reporting to Leylin occasionally.
With the spell formation slowly activating, the blue rays from the astral stone right in the middle condensed, giving off a resplendent light.
The spatial undulations that had been on the verge of going berserk fused with the blue light and quickly stabilised, surging in a single direction.
At the same time, Leylin sensed that a frightening energy was surging out of the astral stone, supporting the operation of the entire spell formation.
[Spell formation activation increasing in speed. Progress at 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 100%!] The A.I. Chip rapidly intoned.
When all the runes within the spell formation lit up, the spatial energy followed a channel and converged before Leylin, forming a silver mirror the size of a fist. At the heart of the mirror was a small vortex, its destination unknown.
Leylin had seen this situation multiple times at Gilbert’s. This meant that he had now made contact with the astral plane!
However, this spiritual force channel of his was much smaller than Gilbert’s. Furthermore, he could not open a few simultaneously, and could only allow the entry of spiritual force seeds to find coordinates. Physical beings could not pass through.
It was naturally impossible for there to be a similar situation as the first time at Gilbert’s, where a creature of the astral plane had passed through the mirror and attacked them.
Though he had lost the chance to fish for benefits, it was good that his safety was not compromised. In a way, the gains balanced the losses.
Leylin carefully appreciated this feeling. There was large difference between helping with someone else’s experiments and performing one alone.
For instance, Leylin now sensed that with the assistance from the spell formation, especially with the energy from the astral stone in the middle, his own spiritual force seemed to be able to peep at the edges of a frightening dimension.
This was a confluence of time and space, the peak of the universe. A higher dimension which had an unexplainable existence!
Even just the aura that was given off was dazzling and glorious, going on for eternity and stimulating his desires to explore.
“Just becoming aware of all this is enough payoff from this experiment…” Leylin sighed.
The opportunity to see the astral plane was a very rare opportunity for Magi. They might not even need other advantages; just observing the astral plane every day would bring about indescribable benefits.
Of course, this was impossible. Experiments on the astral plane everyday? Even Morning Star Magi would go bankrupt!
[Beginning projection of spiritual force onto the astral plane. Recording data.]
The A.I. Chip instantly intoned under Leylin’s guidance.
A thread of Crystal Phase spiritual force, with the gleam of actual crystals, appeared from Leylin’s forehead and formed a spiritual force seed before quickly disappearing into the silver mirror, and into the vortex.
“Begin localisation support, activate navigation mode!” Leylin commanded.
Immediately after, his spiritual force seed seemed to find its way in the chaotic space, and went head on dauntlessly, even going against the current.
The A.I. Chip quickly began to calculate, and numbers began flashing before Leylin’s eyes..
[Spatial turbulence estimated to happen in 0.34s. Suggested directional change is 34 degrees to the left.]
This spiritual communication happened in an instant, and Leylin’s spiritual force seed immediately moved in a different direction, accurately avoiding the spatial turbulence. It even joined an undercurrent that headed east, floating further away.
Compared to Gilbert’s experiments where he depended on luck, Leylin’s method was evidently more effective, and he would find it easier to obtain results.
It was a pity that Leylin was the only one with support from the A.I. Chip, and it was not as if he could expose his secret.
Hence, while he was at Gilbert’s, Leylin tried to familiarise himself with the A.I. Chip’s functions, but did not dare use it at will. He could only go through with his plans when he was conducting his own experiments.
“As expected, with help from the A.I. Chip, chances of my spiritual force seed being destroyed are much lesser than average!” A hint of excitement appeared on Leylin’s face.
[Warning! Warning! Spatial storm generated ahead. Time to impact is 0.0000001s. Retreat is suggested!] The A.I. Chip’s voice sounded once more.
However, it was much too late. Though Leylin’s spiritual force seed tried its best to retreat, its struggle was like that of an ant’s against the flow of time. Besides, time was scarce, and the horrifying spatial storm was generated instantly in front, whirling the seed within.
Leylin fell two steps back, feeling dizzy, but he quickly recovered.
He was no longer a newly-advanced rank 3 Magus, and was now at the Crystal Phase, preparing to enter the Morning Star realm. Injuries that could harm his spiritual force then were now nothing to him. Even condensing ten or so spiritual force seeds at one go was not a problem.
“The support system of the A.I. Chip also has its limits. At most, it will allow me to go further than other Magi can.” A wry smile appeared about Leylin’s lips.
The dangerous spatial turbulences were extremely terrifying and unpredictable. Even with the frightening calculation abilities of the A.I. Chip, it was difficult to completely establish a pattern and understand them.
In addition, even when knowing there was danger ahead, once held by the spatial turbulence, Leylin’s spiritual force might not be able to escape.
However, even so, Leylin was already content. ‘The A.I. Chip can increase my chances of success from one in a million to one in ten thousand,’ he thought.
One in ten thousand! As long as he persevered and continued trying, he would definitely gain benefits. In actuality, these odds were enough for Morning Star Magi to go green in envy, not considering the other methods Leylin had as well.
“In matters like these that depend on probability, the Coin of Destiny might be useful!” Leylin flipped over his palm, and a dim golden coin appeared in the middle of it. As this was his own experiment and nobody was around, he could use all of his methods.
A spiritual force seed was formed once again. Leylin rubbed the coin on the seed, and a layer of dim golden luster appeared on its surface.
*Ka-cha!* Meanwhile, a huge crack appeared on the surface of the Coin of Destiny once more, almost breaking it in half.
Seeing the Coin of Destiny on the brink of complete destruction, Leylin felt piteous before he stored it carefully.
The Coin of Destiny was able to predict anything as long as it did not deal with the Morning Star Realm. However, the moment it did, there would be frightful repercussions.
As for the turbulence in the astral plane? This was even more dangerous than Morning Star Magi.
Based on the situation, the Coin of Destiny would probably be completely destroyed after being used like this a few more times.
For the period of time that Leylin had been in the central continent, he had not seen any children of destiny such as Baelin and Longbottom. His instincts also told him that it would be a long time till he could make another Coin of Destiny.
What happened the last time was merely a coincidence. If he wanted to do it again, things would not be so simple.
“I hope the power of destiny will be able to help me proceed forward…” Leylin sighed and sent the dark golden spiritual force seed in.
[Monitoring. Vortex estimated to appear on left, recommendation to move far away.]
Leylin’s eyes were now emanating blue light. The A.I. Chip’s abilities were being utilised to the fullest as large amounts of data appeared before him.
He was like a helmsman who had gone through gales and waves. Amidst the storms, he continued to guide the seed forward, dodging in impossible ways and avoiding spatial turbulences.
Within the gigantic spatial crack, the golden ray was like a little boat passing through gaps in the turbulence, its movements unbelievably agile and smooth.
*Awooo…* At this moment, a giant black figure suddenly appeared in the air, pouncing towards the golden spiritual force seed.
“A creature of the void. I didn’t notice it!” Leylin was extremely annoyed. Creatures that lived in these spatial cracks usually had terrifying spatial abilities, and the A.I. Chip was much too far away to scan and notice it.
“Dodge it immediately!” The dim golden spiritual force seed quickly evaded, but the black figure roared, refusing to let up. A sharp, giant mouth formed on its stomach, hot on the seed’s heels.
[*Beep!* Warning! Warning! Spatial turbulence estimated to happen in: 0.00023s!] The A.I. Chip’s prompt sounded again.
“Shit!” Leylin’s eyes were now slightly bloodshot, and he was doing all he could to avoid that region.
*Rumble!* Berserk spatial undulations swept through, and Leylin’s spiritual force seed was caught within.
*Awooo…* That creature noticed that its delicacy had been swept into the spatial turbulence, and could only roar at the boundaries before disappearing into the darkness.
“Is it going to die out again?” Leylin was full of agony.
At this moment, the golden rays on the seed flickered.
*Rumble!* An even more powerful spatial turbulence formed at the side. The two spatial storms collided, wreaking havoc on space itself.
*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* Countless bolts of silver lightning crashed into each other, tearing open numerous spatial cracks.
Leylin’s spiritual force seed actually followed along a crack and, despite the alarm it had caused, fell in without harm.
“The power of destiny!” Leylin, who had seen this scene, suddenly sighed, holding more reverence for the mysterious, unmeasurable power of destiny.