Chapter 418: The Path Ahead
Chapter 418: The Path Ahead (Request for Subscriptions, Favorites, and Votes)
It took Liam three days to obtain the Trident of Poseidon, and another three days to collect all the gems that had fallen from the island. This was made easier by the fact that the Trident of Poseidon allowed him to create a waterless dimension.
Fortunately, these gems were all Magic Gems, so spending three days collecting them was not a waste of time. Additionally, Liam did not plan to return to Port Royal before heading back to his own worlds, so he used the three days at sea to gain a preliminary understanding of the Trident of Poseidon's capabilities.
The Trident of Poseidon was much less powerful than he had imagined, far from being able to control everything in the ocean. After three days of testing, Liam discovered that this glowing, withered branch-like object could only manipulate seawater. Of course, in this context, the pirates' legends weren't entirely wrong. Being able to control seawater was almost as good as controlling the ocean for those who made their living on the high seas.
For Liam, the greatest gain was not the acquisition of this magical artifact, but the genuine sense of rule power he felt from it. It was this tiny thread of rule power sealed within the Trident of Poseidon that made Liam realize what his next step should be: mastering the Power of the Rules.
For example, the Trident of Poseidon was powerful because it contained a thread of the rule of the sea, allowing it to achieve significant magical effects with minimal effort. From this perspective, Liam naturally recalled why the top Wizards in his worlds could perform magic that ordinary Wizards could not: they must have mastered certain rules.
Take Voldemort, for instance. The Killing Curse is a dangerous spell. Even the Death Eaters chose to use a variety of spells in battle because they couldn't bear the damage of using the Killing Curse exclusively. Voldemort, however, could use the Killing Curse throughout a battle.
As some Ministry of Magic staff recalled, the Dark Lord could easily overpower several well-trained Aurors. At the time, Liam thought this was simply due to Voldemort's power, but now he realized it was likely because Voldemort had mastered certain rules of death, allowing him to use death-related magic effortlessly.
Of course, if this logic holds, Dumbledore, who was always Voldemort's nemesis, must have also mastered certain rules. Liam even speculated that Dumbledore and Grindelwald sought the Deathly Hallows to grasp the rules that transcend life and death.
Dumbledore's power, influenced by his family's tradition, likely leaned towards life and change, as evidenced by the immortal Phoenix that accompanied his family. Grindelwald, on the other hand, chose the power of death and destruction, which allowed him to master Fiendfyre, a spell that could destroy everything, and even develop Flame Magic to test loyalty.
For Liam, the level of power possessed by Dumbledore or Voldemort was still far beyond his reach. However, the knowledge he gained in this world had revealed a path to the pinnacle. Especially since the mysticism of this world was gradually fading, the environment caused the rule of controlling seawater, sealed within the Trident of Poseidon, to become very weak.
Moreover, controlling seawater was among the lowest-tier rules, akin to the status of a minor deity like a spring goddess. Therefore, even with Liam's abilities, he could study this fundamental power of the world.
However, Liam would not choose the rule of controlling seawater from the Trident of Poseidon, as it had little practical use. Although this path could eventually lead to controlling elements, it did not align with the path Liam had chosen. Therefore, Liam had to abandon the idea of copying others and forge his own path.
Since the artifact containing the rule was connected to this world, Liam could only study it here. After choosing an uninhabited island and stowing away his boat, Liam began his research.
A month later, with the Rose Crystal serving as a communication tool, and with the full assistance of Teacher Luo Zhen, Liam finally understood how to master the power of rules and what kind of rule power he should aim to master.
It might be due to the Multiverse General Store, but Liam discovered that the rule most suited to him was Change. This rule was highly abstract but certainly not weak. Teacher Luo Zhen believed that as an Alchemist, such a rule was a perfect fit, and it would improve his Alchemy second only to the Creation rule he already mastered.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Liam used the Portal to arrive at Teacher Luo Zhen's house. Rogen greeted him and naturally extended a hand, revealing a thumbnail-sized stone in his palm.
"Alright, my apprentice. Since you've come here, you should have something to show for it. Go ahead and demonstrate your abilities to me", Teacher Luo Zhen said with a smile.
"Then, please, Teacher Luo Zhen, check my progress", Liam replied. He snapped his fingers, and a cluster of runes sank into the stone, instantly coating it in gold. Rogen then drew a silver knife and sliced through the golden stone, which split cleanly. Rogen saw the smooth, mirror-like cross-section shimmering with golden light.
"Very good, you've made it past the beginner stage", Rogen nodded, noting that Liam had used a bit of the Change rule to assist in the transmutation, consuming very little magic power to turn the stone into pyrite. "I truly hope you can master the rules as soon as possible. It's a lonely path to walk alone. If several of us could validate each other's progress, our improvement would be much faster. So, my disciple, keep it up!"
With his teacher's encouragement, Liam ended his journey and returned to Hogwarts. Before leaving, he made one last trip to the world of Pirates of the Caribbean to retrieve the Trident of Poseidon and bring it back to Port Royal. He then mixed the trident with a large amount of cement and laid it in the foundation of his house.
Will and Elizabeth prepared a private farewell banquet when they learned Liam was leaving. During the banquet, Liam learned that they planned to get married in the second half of the year. He promised to attend their wedding and bring them a wedding gift.
Finally, Liam opened the blue Portal and left, much to the surprise of Will and Elizabeth. The moment he entered the Multiverse General Store, Liam received the rewards from his adventure.
From the Deviation Points, he only gained 31 points, which wasn't much. However, the unexpected acquisition of the Trident of Poseidon opened up possibilities for further power, and the Gold Coins related to death might help him uncover more about Voldemort. Overall, it was a fruitful journey.
"Dumbledore and Voldemort both possess the Power of the Rules, and perhaps Grindelwald and Nicolas Flamel do as well", Liam thought, lying on his bed. "That's why they can perform so many feats that other Wizards consider miraculous, like Nicolas Flamel creating the Philosopher's Stone."
The Philosopher's Stone is known to be an Alchemical Product, but as an Alchemist, Liam knew that most Alchemy products could be created if the methods were known. The method for creating the Philosopher's Stone is actually widely documented, even in Muggle libraries, but historically, only a few Alchemists have managed to create it.
Previously, Liam thought it might be due to the lack of certain crucial materials or lost knowledge. But now, he realized that creating the Philosopher's Stone likely requires the alchemist to master certain rules.
After all, only the Power of the Rules can counteract other rules. The Philosopher's Stone can create immortality and counter the Life rule of nature, probably because the alchemist infuses it with their own rule power.
Thinking about it, the Harry Potter world is far deeper than he initially thought. Liam had to remind himself to be cautious and not let his recent progress make him overconfident.
(End of Chapter)
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