Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 91 The Magic Net, The Final Mountain
“You’ve seen this Altar of Wisdom Light before. It’s a valuable item. Without its assistance, the original ritual would not have been possible. Under the starlight of this sapphire, the meditator’s spirit can more easily connect with the magic network.” He gazed at the gem while stroking it with his fingers.

"That's amazing! If this method could be applied to the training and teaching of apprentices, wouldn't the success rate skyrocket like a cat being blessed with elegance?" someone exclaimed, their words carrying a hidden meaning.

"Cough cough cough~" Old Banter almost choked on his own saliva: "Are you dreaming, kid? Do you know how much these facilities and magic arrays cost? The gems alone are an astronomical figure."

As he spoke, he pointed to the ground again, "Look at this magic circle, doesn't it have a pale blue fluorescence? It's made of aquamarine mixed with moonstone powder. The magic circle in the temple was the same, not to mention the cost of the Wisdom Light Altar. You couldn't even afford it if you sold it, yet you want to popularize it among apprentices?"

With an awkward smile, Zhang Yuan touched his nose and asked, "So what do I need to do now?"

“Come here, sit on this.” Old Banter pointed to something that looked like a bench or a low bed.

Zhang Yuan readily sat down on it. The chair was covered with a layer of fur from some unknown animal, which was very soft and warm.

Old Banter even more decisively slapped Zhang Yuan on the back of the head.

"Ouch, why did you hit me?"

"Who did you just say jumped up high? The spell's effect has worn off now, and I was waiting for you to sit down."

...This old bastard, Zhang Yuan cursed him in his heart for a long time, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.

Zhang Yuanping calmed himself down, recalled the meditation methods he had learned and his past meditation experiences, and prepared to enter a meditative state.

The voice of Old Bentley reached his ears: "After entering meditation, don't rush to contact the magic network. Wait for me to activate the Wisdom Light Ritual, and you will understand in time. Also, before contacting it, try to recall the knowledge you have learned during this period and before."

Old Bentley used an analogy: "Just think of this as the Magic Net testing you, and remember not to go too deep."

Zhang Yuan nodded and closed his eyes. As his meditation progressed smoothly, his two eyeballs under his eyelids gradually stopped moving around.

Seeing this, Banteli made a gesture, which, along with the phrase, activated the Altar of Wisdom.

As always, pale blue light spilled from the star sapphire, almost filling the entire room.

At this moment, Zhang Yuan had already entered the deepest state of meditation.

This was not the first time he had entered a meditative state. When he learned to actively enter a meditative state, he was quite surprised to find that his meditative state was exactly the same as the state he had entered after falling asleep during the initiation ritual of the Mirror Couple.

They were all an amorphous cloud of thoughts. As a spirit, he could also sense many scattered thoughts and dream fragments, some of his own and some of others'. And these were the golden, misty specks of light he had seen before.

Remembering Old Man Terry's advice, Zhang Yuan did not rush to find and contact the magic network. Instead, he began to review everything he had learned and memorized, just like a student reviewing for an exam.

Perhaps it was the convenience of the meditative state for thought processes, or the enhancement from external magic arrays and rituals, but Zhang Yuan didn't feel that much time had passed before he had gone through all his relevant memories.

When he emerged from the chapters of his memory, he found that his spiritual body had been covered by a pale blue light, and even the clouds representing his existence had been dyed blue.

This must be the power of that Wisdom Light Array, right?
Having made thorough preparations, Zhang Yuan no longer hesitated and swam vigorously in the direction he sensed. With the dual blessing of meditation and wisdom light, he had no more doubts about his direction. After a period of time that was difficult to describe in his mental state, Zhang Yuan finally saw the magic network again.

The Magic Network, one of the ultimate and greatest existences in the world of Toril, connects almost all planes of this multiverse, from the outer Heavenly Mountain to the Abyss, or the Material Plane and the inner Elemental Plane. Even the Astral Plane and the Aether Plane, which serve as buffer and travel planes, are not absent from the Magic Network. Of course, it is relatively weak in the Shadow Plane due to the stubborn resistance of a certain private server owner.

It is impossible to fathom the true power of the magic network, nor is it possible to compare whether it or the equally ancient and boundless River Styx is more deserving of the highest position.

The mysterious lady Mystra, the administrator of the magic network, alone can ascend to great divine power through it. Even the gods of Toril, who also wield one of the ultimate powers in this universe, use the power of the magic network to communicate with believers and bestow divine magic.

The essence of the Magic Network is the unification and flow of magic and elements that permeate and diffuse throughout the universe. Legend has it that the Magic Network originated in ancient times, constructed by a group of golden races that existed only in legends and have even been forgotten in history. (Yes, those lizards who wrote the Nether Scroll.)

However, there are also rumors that the Magic Net is the original form of the first goddess of magic, Mysra, and was born together with her in the battle between the twin goddesses of light and darkness, Shar and Suren.

With the demise of the Golden Race and the subsequent repeated sacrifices of the Goddess of Magic, the Magic Network itself suffered numerous damages, vulnerabilities, and chaos. These were reflected in the material realm as the so-called Dead Magic Zone and Chaotic Magic Zone.

Of course, there is also a view that the existence of the magic network is itself a restriction on spellcasters, especially the subsequent sealing of the inner magic network by several goddesses of magic, which exacerbated this tendency.

However, these distant matters are irrelevant to Zhang Yuan at present, and even the various drawbacks do not diminish the greatness of the Magic Network itself.

Zhang Yuan, once again taking in this miraculous creation, still couldn't suppress his shock and admiration.

From the perspective of a spirit, what lies ahead is no longer the cramped meditation room, nor the desolate void, but a huge pipe radiating rainbow light that stretches across the way, from which flows the foundation and source of all arcane arts and spells.

This enormous pipe is but a corner of something far greater. It passes right before our eyes and merges with other lines in the distance. No matter how far we look, we cannot see its end. It is but a small part of the myriad threads of the magic network.

Mustering his courage, Zhang Yuan approached the magic network for the first time, carefully placing his spiritual tendrils on the magic network passage that now stood before him like a small mountain.

Without any obstacles or difficulties, Zhang Yuan felt his thoughts easily connect with the magic network through these tentacles.

In that instant, his thoughts, aided by the ceaseless flow of the magic net, seemed to reach an infinitely distant place—a world of spirit and thought, where the concept of distance on a material level was completely distorted.

When his consciousness returned to calm, the scene around him was completely different.

Thousands of channels converge here, and the energy of magic materializes, surging, rushing, and condensing here.

In the center of the area formed by the passage, resembling a bird's nest, sits a ring-shaped mountain that appears to be composed of iridescent light. Pure magic forms its body, and the gathered elements create its rocks. Dazzling magical light drapes it like the morning glow and clouds.

This is the final mountain, the origin of the magic network, the source and destination of all mysteries.

Thank you to Benqiu Kabi, Fuying Zhacai, fy11766, Axuzai, and your dear Died for your generous donations. Thank you also to all the readers for your company and encouragement.

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(End of this chapter)