A Wizard’s Secret

“Unsuccessful?”

Merlin carefully looked at this “illusory” world. The life force on every living being was so realistic that Merlin could not discern the difference. Every piece of land, tree, and insect here were completely life-like. How could that be termed unsuccessful?

Using Mind Power to create such a complete illusory world was no less difficult than creating a real world. In fact, Merlin could not imagine how Titus had managed to create this world.

Titus’ expression was extremely convoluted. He gazed at the land and the sky, then looked at the scary giants at the Giant Mountain as well as the Mind Power Masters going in and out of Spellcast City.

Here, deaths occurred, and new lives were being born every day. It was an incomparably real world.

“Back then, in order to perfect the theory, I continued to pursue the Mind Power system. I thought that once I was able to create my own Illusory World, my theory would be successful because that’s the last of the three main realms of Hallucinating spells!

“You won’t be able to imagine that when this Illusory World was created, it was modeled after the time when I was still alive. I basically moved the entire Slothful Beast world into this place. At that time, Spellcast City was still situated at the Vortex Hole, but thereafter, the giants conquered the Vortex Hole, and drove away the Spell Caster civilization…

“The Illusory World that I’ve created was changing almost every day. I thought that it was a perfect world since it could operate on its own, like a real world. After thousands or ten thousand years, I don’t know the extent to which this world would develop…

“However, thereafter, I gradually realized that my Mind Power had not improved at all. It didn’t undergo any transformation. I realized that this world was imperfect. Otherwise, I would have possessed an Illusory World, and my Mind Power would have undergone a substantive transformation! I madly tore down this world, and used all sorts of methods to perfect it, but until the day I died, I could not do it.

“Sometimes, I get confused and even doubt whether my theory is flawed? In this world, can the Mind Power system be perfected? Perhaps, reversing the natural order isn’t something humans can achieve…”

After listening to Titus’ story, and seeing his discouraged, sorrowful expression, Merlin’s heart was deeply touched. Among all the Wizards he had met, Titus was someone who had traveled the furthest on the Mind Power path. His accomplishments had far exceeded other Mind Power Masters, not just by a single step but by several steps.

Among the three main realms of Hallucinating spells, Titus had reached the critical point of the third realm, Illusory World. He was a hair’s breadth away from successfully creating the Illusory World. However, he failed in the end.

Such a complete world that could evolve and develop on its own was completely indistinguishable from a real world. Every living being in this world was vividly alive. Each had their own story and ideas. How was it different from the real world?

However, still, Titus had failed. This was not a complete world!

“Since you’re dead, what’s this Mind Power about? Moreover, what about this illusion bead?”

Merlin knew that Titus had died in the end. After all, he was in the Slothful Beast world. Without a substantive transformation of Mind Power, he could not sustain his physical body. In the absence of elemental crystal stones, Titus had died.

Nevertheless, he left behind this illusion bead, and even used a single strand of Mind Power to broadcast across Spellcast City.

Titus stretched out his finger. In an instant, their environment changed drastically. A long table appeared in a quiet house, and the two of them sat facing one another.

In this Illusory World, Titus was almost omnipotent. Even feats that defied logic were considered a child’s play to him.

“Sit down. Let’s talk leisurely, and I’ll tell you everything!”

Titus smiled and continued. “I’m indeed dead but I’m not willing to die just like that. I’m peeved that the theory I created couldn’t be fulfilled. Even if I die, I want to witness with my own eyes that my theory being fulfilled one day! Therefore, I transfigured the illusion bead, and put the imperfect Illusory World in it. I also integrated my Mind Power into the Illusory World. As long as the Illusory World doesn’t disappear, in theory, I will not die!”

Merlin understood Titus’ meaning. The current Titus was nothing more than a strand of Mind Power or a Mind Power that carried all of Titus’ memories. It could not be cultivated, so it would disappear completely once it left the illusion bead.

“Won’t die? Then if I’m to destroy the illusion bead, what would happen to you?”

Merlin suddenly raised his head, looking at Titus with a bemused expression.

Titus’ expression remained unchanged. He articulated clearly, “If the illusion bead was destroyed, the entire Illusory World would collapse. Then, my Mind Power would vanish as well.”

Merlin smiled. He had guessed correctly. There was no such thing as would not die. For example, even though Honored Legends could attach themselves to a Maxim, they would still die if a powerful force destroyed the Maxim. In fact, even the Ultimate Arcane Wizards could die if they encountered a more powerful force. No one could live forever.

This illusion bead was very fragile. Merlin could easily crush it, and the entire Illusory World would collapse.

“Tell me, what’s the purpose of you leaving behind the illusion bead?”

Merlin gently picked up the tea on the table. It tasted slightly bitter but smelled wonderful. Despite knowing that it was an illusion, Merlin could not differentiate between reality and illusion in this Illusory World.

“Purpose? Of course, there’s a purpose! I left behind the illusion bead because I was waiting for someone to step into the second step of Hallucinating spells. Sadly, after so many years, only precious few managed to enter the first step of Hallucinating spells, what more the second step? You’re the only Mind Power Master who had finally entered the second step of Hallucinating spells. Although you’re still far from the third step, I can only choose you.”

Titus sighed softly, and looked at Merlin with a complicated expression.

“Huh? Choose me? Did you deliberately let me see through the Illusion Monument?”

Merlin’s heart ticked as he deciphered the implications of Titus’ words.

“Haha, of course, it was deliberate. According to my original intention, only someone who has entered the second stage of Illusory Heart would be qualified to obtain the illusion bead. That would be my most ideal candidate… However, as you can see, Spellcast City is in the doldrums. If I have to wait for someone to achieve the Illusory Heart stage, I might have to wait forever. Therefore, I don’t want to wait endlessly anymore. Once you’ve reached the second step of Hallucinating spells, I deliberately allowed you to discover the secret that the Illusion Monument is a Hallucinating spell, and subsequently, let you obtain the illusion bead.”

Merlin did not feel that there was anything wrong with the explanation, which corresponded to his own speculations. He knew very well that he was not a Mind Power genius. At best, he was slightly more talented and had better luck, hence he was able to walk in front of many Mind Power Masters.

Compared to Titus, however, the difference was too pronounced.

“My purpose is very simple – to pass the illusion bead to you with the hope that one day, after you’ve achieved the realm of Illusory Heart, you’ll work hard to create the Illusory World, and perfect my theory! This is so that my Illusory World can be completed. I’m dissatisfied as I don’t believe that my theory is flawed. This theory is absolutely right! If you’re willing to promise me this, then you can refine this bead. Hehe, don’t look down on this illusion bead. Once you’ve refined it, you’ll be able to control the Illusory World in it. Although it’s imperfect, it’s still possible to entrap an ordinary Legend in the illusion… You can regard it as a casting tool that can rival a Great Legend!”

Merlin’s heart skipped. Control this Illusory World? If he could really control it, then Merlin did not doubt Titus’ words that it could entrap a Great Legend in its illusion.

He had experienced this illusion personally. Even the life forces appeared to be real, so it was no longer comparable to ordinary illusions. This was far more powerful than the Blackfire Lord’s illusion in the past.

Anyone would be tempted to own a casting tool that could trap a Legend, and Merlin was no exception!

However, Merlin frowned. He still had some doubts.

“If I can control the Illusory World, what benefit is it to you? Don’t tell me it’s just to witness your system being perfected. I don’t believe such nonsense.”

Merlin was still somewhat wary of Titus. After all, his bizarreness surpassed even the Blackfire Lord. Not only did he create a Mind Power system that no one had ever created before, but it reached such an incredibly advanced level of mind-blowing proportions.

“Of course, it won’t be enough for me just to be able to witness someone else perfect my system! Since you’ve inherited my Mind Power system, you should know what comes after the three main realms, after the Illusory World?”

“From illusion to reality, reverse the natural order!”

Merlin answered coldly.

“That’s right, from illusion to reality, reverse the natural order! This is the last step of the Mind Power system. Before reaching this final step, you can never claim to perfect the Mind Power system. Based on my conceptualization, if you’ve managed to convert illusion into reality, and reverse the natural order, then what do you think will happen to my Illusory World? It would become real. Everything would be converted from illusion into reality. In other words, if one day you’ve managed to turn illusion into reality, I would be resurrected!”

“Illusion into reality? Resurrection?”

Stormy waves began to crash down on Merlin’s heart. He felt that Titus was overly crazy. Even if he had completely inherited Titus’ Mind Power system, he had never thought that turning illusion into reality would bring about such an inconceivable, unbelievable effect.

This was like creating something out of nothing, and was a million times harder than creating a completely real dimension. This was akin to a fool’s daydream!

“Don’t look at me like that. The world of Mind Power must involve bold imagination. You must dare to imagine, and dare to make it happen. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to create such a great Mind Power system! Although I know that it would be very difficult, some hope is better than none. Moreover, once you’ve refined the illusion bead, you’ll find out whether what I said is true. You can easily cause this Mind Power of mine to disappear…”

After a long moment, Merlin raised his head. The Mind Power transformed into a gentle breeze, and disappeared from the Illusory World. All that was left was a soft murmur, “I’ll prove it…”

“Swoosh.”