Chapter 225: Star Projection

Chapter 225: Star Projection

That dark region seemed to be calling out to Luo En, like an empty abyss waiting for his consciousness to plunge into its depths.

As his meditation deepened, Luo En could feel his consciousness gradually separating from his physical body.

This sensation wasn't unfamiliar - during previous practices of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer, he had experienced similar states multiple times.

But this time, the separation was far more profound than ever before.

Luo En's consciousness was like a droplet of water leaving the ocean, floating alone through an infinite universe.

When the final tether to his physical form snapped, his entire perception was pulled into that lightless region.

This place wasn't truly darkness.

Luo En's "vision" - though he no longer possessed physical eyes - could detect strange energy fluctuations.

It wasn't light, nor was it heat. It was an existence that transcended conventional senses.

"Is this the higher-dimensional space?" Luo En's thoughts drifted through this strange realm.

There was no up or down, no left or right, no near or far.

All conventional spatial concepts had lost their meaning here.

His consciousness floated through this "void", experiencing an unprecedented loneliness and disorientation.

Luo En felt his senses being completely stripped away.

It wasn't just the five senses of his physical body - even his spiritual perception was gradually disappearing.

Fear surged like a tidal wave.

No sound, no light or shadow, no temperature, no touch. Not even the perception of his own existence was fading.

His consciousness struggled, trying to grasp any familiar sensation, but the void seemed to contain nothing but endless "nothingness."

"Who am I?" This question suddenly appeared in his mind, yet there was no answer.

"I am... Luo En?"

He tried to recall his identity, but his memories had become hazy.

A terrifying thought emerged: If he couldn't even confirm his own self, did "I" still exist?

Just as his self-awareness was about to be consumed by the void, tiny points of light suddenly appeared in the emptiness.

At first they were just faint glimmers, like distant stars.

But soon, these lights began multiplying, densely filling his entire field of perception.

The points of light started forming connections, weaving into a complex network.

To Luo En's astonishment, these weren't just simple lights - they were fragments of memories, his memories.

The earliest memories came from Earth, the daily life of an ordinary college student:

The exhaustion of early morning classes, late-night dormitory team-ups, cramming in the library before final exams...

These mundane fragments now seemed so vivid and precious.

Next came the moment of his sudden death in his previous life - the suffocation and darkness, followed by the confusion and anxiety upon awakening after his transmigration.

The scenes shifted to the Black Mist Jungle, the despair of possessing a Sixth Class Starspiritual Aptitude, the first time he mastered the Solar Corona Breathing Technique, and the wonder he felt during his first meditation session.

The memories flashed by like a slideshow:

From nothing to having a cultivation profession, the painful body tempering of Burning Oil, the corridor massacre, acquiring the Chimerabloodline...

Each memory was incredibly vivid, with far more details than conventional recollections.

Luo En felt as if he was standing in both the past and present simultaneously, both living through these experiences and observing them.

As the memory fragments increased, a new perception was forming:

The memories of two souls intertwining, creating a complete life trajectory.

Luo En saw the memories of this world:

The luxurious life of noble families, frustrations at the knights academy, his father's and brothers' helplessness and indulgence, the despair when arriving at the Black Mist Jungle...

The two sets of memories were no longer simple splices - they were blending together.

With the transmigrated soul as the dominant force, they merged perfectly at certain nodes, making the identity of "Luo En" richer and more three-dimensional.

Just then, the lights suddenly began rearranging themselves, forming a vast yet indistinct outline.

It wasn't a shape that could be described.

It transcended human comprehension, seemingly existing in countless dimensions simultaneously. Every perspective revealed a completely different form.

The twisted structure defied all logic. Just "looking" at it was enough to drive one mad.

Luo En's consciousness became insignificant as dust before this terrifying form - no, even more insignificant than dust.

At least dust occupied space. Before this existence, he didn't even have the qualification to "exist."

The outline made no sound, took no action, didn't even direct any "attention" toward Luo En.

It simply "was there", and that alone was enough to push Luo En's spirit to the brink of collapse.

It was a complete disregard, a hopeless indifference.

Like how a human wouldn't notice the bacteria beneath their feet, this existence didn't even consider Luo En worthy of interaction.

Suddenly, he understood what true despair meant.

No threat, no attack - just being treated as non-existent, as insignificant as nothingness.

No communication, no exchange of thoughts. Just a single energy fluctuation from this being was enough to twist Luo En's spiritual world.

He felt his consciousness being stretched, compressed, folded, undergoing indescribable transformations.

After some time... perhaps a second, perhaps a century, time had lost meaning here...

Luo En found himself in an incredibly familiar place.

-Earth, his homeland.

More precisely, the city where he lived.

The sun shone brightly, the air was fresh, people bustled about on the streets, a peaceful scene.

To his surprise, Luo En could feel his physical body again.

The warmth of sunlight on his skin, the flow of air in his lungs, his heartbeat - everything felt so real.

"Have I come back?"

He couldn't believe it. Could all those memories about the Black Mist Jungle and the magical world have been just a dream?

Just as he was confused, familiar figures approached.

"Idiot! Hurry home."

His father's gruff voice was just as it had been in his memories.

"It's time for dinner", his mother's simple words gradually calmed his heart.

Luo En wanted to step forward, but suddenly stopped.

His gaze was involuntarily drawn to a strange phenomenon in the sky.

Two celestial bodies that shouldn't be there were slowly moving across the azure sky.

The Hermit Star's solitary silver glow and the Annihilation Star Cluster's purplish-black cloud were approaching each other along specific trajectories, nearly forming a perfect geometric arrangement.

"How is this possible?" He whispered in shock. "This is Earth. How can I see the stars of the magical world here?"

In an instant, Luo En's mind became incredibly clear. He realized none of this was real.

All the joy of reunion, all the familiar scenes - they were all carefully constructed illusions.

Luo En's vigilance was fully activated. The effects of the Starlight Elixir began manifesting:

His spiritual perception became abnormally sharp, allowing him to detect the energy fluctuations behind the illusion. He could even sense the breathing rhythm of that immense existence.

Just as this realization formed, the sky underwent a terrifying transformation.

The once azure sky gradually darkened, no - it wasn't simply becoming darker. It was being occupied by something indescribable.

It wasn't clouds or fog, not any visible matter at all. It was a twisted, unnatural "nothingness."

People looked up at the sky, their expressions changing from confusion to fear, finally solidifying into despair.

The once blue heavens began twisting and tearing, revealing infinite darkness beneath.

It wasn't just the disappearance of light. It was a complete "nothingness", a state of being that transcended understanding and defied natural laws.

Time seemed to stop. Everyone and everything froze in place, except Luo En, whose consciousness remained clear.

The next moment, terror descended.

Countless pitch-black, twisted "tentacles" fell from the sky. Each one was larger than the mightiest mountain.

When the first "tentacle" touched the ground, the entire planet began trembling.

The earth cracked in layers, shattering like glass;
Towering buildings collapsed instantly into dust;
The oceans boiled, creating towering waves;
Distant mountains melted and twisted like candles melting in a flame...

More horrifying was that these "tentacles" began "licking" the planet's surface.
With each "lick", vast areas along with all lifeforms upon them were "erased" - completely wiped from existence, as if they had never existed at all.

Luo En watched helplessly as his parents and friends were "erased" before his eyes. They didn't even have time to scream before vanishing from reality.

The city was devoured piece by piece, the land stripped layer by layer.

The entire planet was like a small candy being continuously "licked" by an indescribable "tongue."

He felt an unprecedented fear and helplessness.

Faced with this level of existence, any resistance seemed trivial.

Even his most powerful spells, his most refined sword techniques - all were insignificant against this being, like an ant trying to shake a tree.

When Earth had been "licked" down to just its core, the enormous, multidimensional "mouth" finally appeared completely.

It seemed to exist simultaneously in countless dimensions, each perspective revealing completely different forms.

Along with the Earth's remnants, Luo En was swallowed into that "mouth."

Incomparable terror engulfed him.

He felt Earth... including himself, being slowly and meticulously chewed.

It was a complete disintegration, every atom, every proton, every quark being separated, absorbed, and assimilated.

The sound of "crunching" echoed in Luo En's consciousness.

He could "hear" the last struggles of every life, the final decomposition of every substance, the last dissipation of every mana particle.

The pain became clearer than ever before.

It was a tear at the very essence, deeper than mere physical pain - like his soul was dissolving bit by bit, his consciousness unraveling inch by inch.

No, this wasn't a hallucination. It was something far more complex - a possibility, a rehearsal, a warning.

The Devourer was showing him the process of planetary consumption, but not for mere intimidation. It was some unfathomable "lesson."

Like a teacher demonstrating an experiment to a student, the Devourer was conveying some information to Luo En in the most direct way possible.

This pain exceeded Luo En's endurance limit, nearly annihilating his consciousness completely.

At this most desperate moment, Luo En's Special Innate Talent and skills suddenly activated.

The "Dual Soul" trait activated, dispersing the tearing pain between the two souls.

The "Protection of the Sun" formed a faint shield at the consciousness level.

Though insufficient to resist such an attack, it at least slowed the disintegration of the soul.

Most astonishing was the manifestation of the "Eternal Imprint" trait.

While the physical "Flowing Barrier" couldn’t form in this pure consciousness realm, this trait had long been ingrained into Luo En’s soul, becoming part of his spiritual structure.

At the consciousness level, layers of spirit barriers spontaneously emerged like fluid.

Each carried the "Eternal Imprint" trait’s signature ability: memorizing and adapting to attack patterns, constantly evolving more effective defense strategies.

Initially, these barriers barely resisted the "Devourer’s" power.

But as the relentless assaults continued, the barriers adapted, growing stronger and more flexible, forming a self-improving defense system.

Simultaneously, the "Starlight Elixir’s" effects intensified.

The mana within the potion seemed to resonate with fragments of the "Devourer’s" will, allowing Luo En to receive and decipher information that should have driven him mad.

Multiple innate talents and skill traits wove a resilient protective net.

Though unable to fully block the "Devourer’s" onslaught, they granted Luo En a fleeting moment to breathe and think.

As the spiritual energy trial subsided, he sensed a deeper transformation.

The void’s energy fluctuations became subtler and more precise, no longer broad shocks but targeted adjustments to his soul structure.

It felt as if an invisible hand were meticulously unbuttoning his soul, cautiously yet irresistibly dismantling him.

The pain surpassed physical perception limits.

Luo En silently roared, feeling his existence unravel.

If completely separated, he wouldn’t just fail his breakthrough—he’d risk total consciousness collapse.

At this critical moment, a memory surfaced: the activation of the Chimera bloodline.

When he defeated that battered monster and gained the "Bloodline Replication" ability.

"Replication. Assimilation. Fusion."

These keywords flashed in Luo En’s mind, sparking inspiration.

He attempted to channel the Chimera bloodline trait into the spiritual realm—not mere replication or assimilation, but true fusion.

Luo En ceased resisting the tearing sensation, instead guiding the two souls into temporary separation.

Yet, using the Chimera bloodline, he maintained a resonance between them, like two facets of the same entity.

To his surprise, after briefly splitting, his souls didn’t weaken like normal ones. Instead, each retained significant completeness and power—

as if a single complete being had temporarily divided into two aspects, both inheriting most of the whole’s traits.

[Mana has reached limits
Special Innate Talent "Dual Soul" unlocked new ability—Dual Casting]

"This is the true power of the 'Dual Soul'?" Luo En realized.

It wasn’t just a simple doubling of souls but a deeper coexistence, making the whole far greater than the sum of its parts.

As the fusion deepened, Luo En felt an unprecedented surge of power.

A blinding light erupted from his soul, illuminating the entire consciousness space.

Within this radiance, he saw his spirit world in its entirety—a complex, intricate structure woven from countless mana threads, each holding specific functions and meanings.

At its center, a colossal gate slowly opened:

The legendary "Gate of Wisdom", the threshold to the Full Mage realm.

His mana was undergoing qualitative transformation—not just increased quantity but fundamental metamorphosis.

As the final energy waves settled, Luo En sensed a profound, subtle change within his mana.

Like rough stone polished into gleaming gems.

Simultaneously, something deep in his soul had irrevocably shifted.

An unprecedented sensitivity awakened within him—a direct connection to the stars’ power, as if a new window had opened.

[The Murmuring of the Star Devourer trait progression: "Crowning"→"Starlight Projection"]

[Effects:
1. Under starlight, continuously draw mana from stars to enhance mana capacity.
2. Receive additional boosts during specific celestial alignments.]

Naturally, the flood of notifications confirmed his breakthrough to Full Mage was far from complete…

——————

Crystal Spire’s lecture hall dwarfed Black Mist Academy’s in grandeur.

Its towering dome, composed of countless crystal shards, refracted dazzling light under the sun.

Seats were precisely angled to ensure every apprentice saw the central demonstration platform clearly.

The entire room was enveloped in a subtle mana field, enhancing sound clarity—

even apprentices in the last row could hear every word the Mentor spoke.

"Today’s lesson on elemental clashes concludes here. Don’t forget to complete the post-class test."

The Mentor, clad in silver-gray robes, neatly packed the lecture notes, sweeping his gaze over the apprentices.

"Next week, we’ll delve into advanced applications of elemental fusion."

Cui Xi closed her notebook, satisfied with her meticulous notes.

Compared to Black Mist Academy, Crystal Spire’s courses were more systematic and comprehensive.

Public lectures occurred almost weekly, requiring shockingly few Mana Shard Fragments.

At Black Mist, a single lecture like this would cost at least five Mana Shard Fragments.

Here, only two were needed—some special sessions were even free.

"The resource gap is staggering", Cui Xi murmured.

Leaving the lecture hall, she strolled along the crystal corridor toward her residence.

The corridor, made of transparent crystal, floated midair. Below lay tiered towers and gardens; distant mountains and lakes stretched beyond.

After months here, she’d adapted to Crystal Spire’s pace and rules, yet its grandeur and abundance still amazed her.

Passing the central plaza, a glowing skyward projection caught her eye.

Crystal Spire’s Full Mage Sequence ranking—updated daily.

Unlike Black Mist, their ranking system was more open and incentivized progress.

Once entering the Top Ten, apprentices could apply to attempt breakthroughs immediately using a "Key" potion, rather than waiting a decade for judgment.

"Hearer of Winds, Eliot Wand’er—Eighth Place."

Seeing the name, Cui Xi felt a twinge of envy.

Though Eliot performed poorly at the Bloodline Altar, he remained in the Top Ten, even holding fifth place before.

"If not for that Bloodline Altar failure, he’d have attempted his breakthrough by now", she mused.

In contrast, her own name lingered around thirty-first.

For a newly ascended High Apprentice, this was commendable, but the Top Ten still seemed distant.

"If Luo En were here—"

The thought flashed, then she shook her head.

Luo En Lalf—the prodigy whose growth felt almost incomprehensible.

Had he joined Crystal Spire, he’d likely climb to the front ranks swiftly.

After all, even in Black Mist’s resource-starved environment, he rose to prominence quickly.

In this enriched setting, his progress would only accelerate.

With these thoughts, Cui Xi returned to her quarters.

A luxury suite on the thirty-second floor of West Tower—smaller than Black Mist’s standalone huts, but fully equipped.

The central training hall featured a complete mana regulation system, simulating various mana flow environments.

"Time for today’s meditation plan—"

Kelinna hadn’t returned yet. Cui Xi opened her schedule, preparing for her afternoon cultivation.

Her Mentor, a Dawn Star Rank peak expert, held decent influence in Crystal Spire—

granting her a more favorable learning environment than most apprentices.

But among Archmage clans or Crown Clan bloodline inheritors, this was nothing extraordinary.

She knew only relentless refinement could establish her in this fiercely competitive world.

As Cui Xi sat on the meditation cushion, an object in the room’s corner suddenly glowed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end