Nathan, Zahra, and Xander wore stunned expressions as Zeryn revealed the truth about Aspects and Intents. Meanwhile, Nathan realized something else: the information on PsiLink was limited. His own ignorance was understandable, but the other two couldn't be as clueless as him. Zeryn simply possessed knowledge far beyond what other disciples had access to.

  Even Elder Nalani, who had been vigilantly monitoring their surroundings, started when she caught fragments of the conversation from the group of four. For her, this wasn't classified information, but for disciples, it was difficult to access. She found herself reassessing Zeryn. This seemingly arrogant disciple wasn't as simple as everyone thought. The background he had registered and been investigated for by the Verdant Spire Sect might not be entirely truthful.

  Zeryn, meanwhile, was completely at ease, relishing the knowledge-hungry gazes of those seated around him. Seeing the three lost in their thoughts, he mischievously decided to complicate things further.

  "How about turning an empire from existence to nonexistence?"

  Frown lines creased the foreheads of Nathan, Zahra, and Xander.

  Indeed, thinking about it in reverse makes sense too, all three thought silently.

  What's more terrifying than a definitive answer? A half-truth, neither right nor wrong, that plunges everything into chaos.

  Seeing everyone about to overload their mental processors, Zeryn laughed heartily and said, "You can't understand it. Don't try. Even the strongest practitioners haven't figured out the answer yet."

  "You're joking," Zahra spoke up incredulously. "How is that possible? Even Tier 9 masters can't find the solution?"

  Xander nodded vigorously beside her, showing his agreement.

  Nathan, with his limited knowledge, chose to trust Zeryn's words.

  "That's the very intrigue of this Cultivator."

  "Why haven't you mentioned any names so far?" Nathan interjected.

  Zahra and Xander looked at him with questioning eyes, as this was common knowledge. Only Zeryn understood the situation and explained.

  "You shouldn't mention Tier 9 names. You can use their titles, but not their names. I can't remember all those titles, so I keep it vague. The reason is simple—they can hear you. It's like triggering an invisible chain reaction. Say their name once, and no matter how far away they are, they'll hear you."

  Nathan shuddered in fear, his mind unable to comprehend such an entity.

  "Please continue," Nathan urged Zeryn.

  "Where was I? Ah, yes, the intrigue. This top-tier cultivator had meticulously prepared for over a thousand years. Many speculate the plan might have stretched even longer. Throughout history, people simply assumed this empire actually existed in the river of time. This empire appeared in the historical records of other empires during their conflicts. A Tier 8 Emperor had actually battled with this empire's Emperor, with both pictorial and written evidence."

  "Is the empire's name forbidden too?" Nathan asked.

  "You've hit the core issue," Zeryn said mysteriously, lowering his head. "The name was erased by this very cultivator. Subsequently, the entire empire vanished. This led to strange holes appearing in history. Later generations decided to forget about it, let it disappear. Moreover, no one really believed someone could accomplish such a feat. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."

  The three students pondered, each making their own judgments. This was a world of absolute and bizarre power. As long as something was possible, even with a low probability, given enough time, it would eventually produce an unbelievable result through a large enough sample size.

  "What happened to this person?" Nathan asked.

  "Hunted down," Zeryn said matter-of-factly. "This power was too great and had been misused. Perhaps for this Cultivator, they were just experimenting. But the results affected reality."

  "Did they actually die?" Zahra asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

  "Like the erased empire, no one knows for sure. When Tier 9s hunt someone, the outcome seems predetermined. But who really knows, right? Whether they faked their death remains a debate among high-level scholars."

  All three inhaled sharply, feeling their current power was like a drop in the ocean. They shared a common thought: admiration for that person. If they were truly still alive, meaning they could escape the encirclement of other Tier 9s, amid the world's peak power, what kind of incredible capacity would that require?

  "While no one's certain about that one, the next person is quite definitely still alive," Zeryn continued feeding their curiosity.

  Six eyes shifted from contemplative to bright with anticipation of Zeryn's next words.

  "Also an Illusion Aspect user, but this one developed Mirror Intent."

  Based on everything he'd heard so far, Nathan could somewhat guess what had happened.

  "A world within mirrors?"

  Zeryn startled, looking at his friend with slight disbelief that Nathan could deduce so quickly. Nathan remained silent about knowing this from old movies and media.

  "Yes, the world within mirrors," Zeryn explained. "This person was always fascinated by the world's reflection in mirrors. They wondered if there might be another world inside mirrors. Through normal science, you'd know there isn't. But they, according to others, went mad, obsessively pursuing this research direction. Until one day, they actually managed to step into mirrors and exist within them. Initially, they couldn't do much, but after countless attempts, they found ways for the mirror world to influence the real world. Just imagine what diverse and dangerous capabilities they wielded."

  "We could kill someone in the mirror, and the person in real life would die," Xander said.

  "Or duplicate everything?" Zahra chimed in.

  "Or lose the ability to distinguish what's real from what's false."

  Once again, Zeryn was stunned by his friend's analysis. Nathan just shrugged as if to say it was just a guess.

  "As Nathan said, this genius became lost. Unable to distinguish the real world anymore, they became trapped in the mirror world. People couldn't see them, but conversely, they could see everything. Like a one-way mirror."

  Hearing this, Zahra felt chills run down her spine. From now on, she couldn't look at mirrors normally.

  Nathan just thought about how suffocating and hopeless it must be, living within one's own illusion.

  "That's why Intent, though powerful, is dangerous to both others and oneself. You all must be careful about your development path."

  "So can Aspect compete with Intent or not?" Nathan asked the question that had been bothering him since being struck by Nalani's technique.

  "It can, and often does," Zeryn confirmed. "If your fire is strong enough, you can burn through illusions. If your wind is intense enough, you can resist Sword Intent. As metal becomes increasingly solid, it cannot be pierced. Nothing is absolute. It's just about the user's mastery."

  Nathan exhaled in relief. Zeryn's stories made him want to become stronger. He berated himself again for giving up the opportunity to participate in an event that might have offered rewards to help him advance.

  "According to what you're saying, all Aspects can lead to Intent. So why is it so rare?"

  Nathan's question made Zahra and Xander shake their heads at his level of understanding.

  "Rarity depends on the circumstances," Zeryn remained patient. "In the East, Sword Intent isn't rare. It also depends on what profession you're aiming for. Ah, speaking of which, once you reach Maelivar, you'll encounter plenty."

  "What Intent is common there?"

  "Creation Intent," Zahra enthusiastically replied.

  "One of the most common Intents among Artificers," Zeryn explained. "This is an Intent that can adapt to many Aspects. You can think of fire providing energy for engines. But water isn't inferior either. Steampunk creations still have their place in society. Earth, metal, or lightning are even more prominent."

  Nathan truly learned a lot. He gradually saw himself heading toward a place that would enrich his experiences, moving to a new chapter.

  "Artificers rarely appear in combat-oriented Sects like Verdant Spire," Zeryn tried to complete his lecture. "These talents are usually heavily recruited by governments and suitable academies. Anyway, Nathan, you must remember, it's not necessary to pursue Intent, as you can always compensate for your weaknesses with another Aspect."

  Nathan signaled his understanding of this. From Tier 3, the mana core would expand, allowing one to either focus on developing their existing Aspect or cultivate a new one. Thus, fire's weaknesses could be compensated for by other elements. For instance, if lacking in speed, one could add lightning to assist.

  "Since you've heard enough about Intent, you should know the legend of The Grand Elementalist. She could control six aspects: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, and lightning. And despite possessing powerful Intent, anyone would fear the diversity she brought."

  "Even Space Aspect and Time Aspect users?"

  "Even them," Zeryn answered sharply. "The ways to use Aspects are far more diverse than Intent. So don't worry, you can still defeat Xander again without having your own Intent."

  Hearing this, Xander straightened up, his breathing becoming slightly rapid. He truly looked forward to combat.

  This guy only thinks about fighting, Nathan silently cursed.

  "Space and Time Aspects are as rare as Illusion," Zeryn seemed to remember. "But they're used by everyone daily."

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  This time, all three knew what Zeryn was implying.

  "PsiLink is arguably one of the most breakthrough creations for Cultivators, making real-time communication and information sharing possible. And The Creator of All Creators, the respectful title people gave to its creator. Though not as renowned as PsiLink, they still have other formidable inventions."

  "Does he only possess Aspects or does he have Intent too?" Nathan asked.

  "He's a monster," Zeryn said bluntly, not afraid of being overheard. This made everyone wonder, since they were all using PsiLink. Even without naming names, being recorded was still possible.

  Nathan instinctively thought of the media companies providing social applications on Earth, with eavesdroppers always around.

  "You don't need to be afraid," Zeryn chuckled. "He's not free enough to care about such trivial matters. Calling him a monster might even be welcomed. Because not only does he possess Space and Time Aspects, but he also has two Intents, Creation and Connection."

  "How can one person have enough time to achieve all that?" Zahra marveled, followed by a vigorous nod from Xander.

  "That's why there's only one person like that," Zeryn said.

  "Isn't that too dangerous?" Nathan spoke up. "Monopoly and all?"

  Zahra answered for Zeryn.

  "That's true. But the difference with inventions is that they can be replicated. Currently, besides the PsiLink network, various powers have their own internal networks. Some places still use old communication methods like through tokens, small jades, or specially crafted items."

  A kind of deep web? Nathan silently wondered but didn't voice it.

  "The Creator's power is truly immense," Zeryn said. "The amount of information on PsiLink is so vast that just by standing on anyone's side, power would instantly tip in that direction. Fortunately, he works with top organizations rather than being independent or biased toward anyone. Otherwise, a pursuit case like with the Cultivator who created and erased an empire might happen."

  Nathan took a deep breath, feeling for the first time that everything around had someone's hand in it. Who knew whether the reality everyone trusted had even a tiny trace of manipulation.

  Tier 9s always kept each other in check, but once control was lost, the world truly wasn't enough as their battlefield.

  The four didn't discuss further, each turning to their own thoughts.

  Clouds and wind accompanied the group of disciples on their flight. In the distance, one could see the sun as a small dot against a canvas of white and blue.

  How is the sun here different from Earth's? Nathan was wondering, as after receiving such a large amount of information, he had more questions about everything around him, when murmuring arose.

  He turned his head, finally seeing where the group would land: the city of Maelivar.

  The city was designed in a square shape, with four corners protruding sharp fortresses ready for any siege attempts.

  Nathan's first impression of Maelivar could be summed up in a few words: industrial and bustling.

  The city's dominant colors were gray and black, but unlike Nathan's impression of constructions appearing in novels he'd read, it didn't carry smoke and dust. Instead, the air was quite clean, visibility unobstructed. The city walls were covered with sturdy black metal. At regular intervals, there were defense points manned by people and large gun emplacements. These guns possessed long barrels and large bases, with smaller types alongside, ensuring both rapid-fire capability and high destructive power. The surrounding land had moats with four bridges leading into the city from each direction.

  Maelivar was famous for its modernity and industrialization, primarily using Artificer inventions. The Verdant Spire Sect disciples could see square platforms moving back and forth in the city's airspace. Above them were sometimes people, sometimes cargo or machine parts. These transport vehicles' destinations were towers around the city, where they would receive and proceed with the next distribution process. It was like an aerial train network.

  Looking higher revealed Maelivar's air defense system. From below, nothing could be seen, just like the platforms below combining to form a massive screen. Above it was a square structure, created by continuously moving cubic blocks. Inside were extremely complex connections. Outside protruded landing pads for various sizes of aircraft.

  "Whoever designed this city must have had a vendetta against circles and curves," Nathan muttered.

  Hearing this, Zeryn and Zahra giggled. Even Xander maintained his serious expression, though anyone paying attention would notice his lips quivering.

  Not just the outside, but inside Maelivar also followed a design principle. The city's overall layout was divided into four areas, unsurprisingly following the square's corners. The center was the inner city, housing the high-income class and officials, still built in a square shape. Thus, each district seemed to have a bite taken out of the inner city.

  The four areas of the city could be distinguished from above by their characteristics. In the Northwest, with constant explosions and rumbling sounds, was where machines and electronic devices were manufactured. In the Northeast, buildings glittered with lights even during daytime, the busiest area with trading activities. The Southwest was notably spacier with sprawling gardens and advanced irrigation systems, where the city cultivated rare medicinal herbs instead of risking uncontrolled growth outside the walls. The final district, the Southeast, could be considered mixed, with a bit of everything, but most concentrated with guilds and cultivator-related organizations. Buildings like hospitals and Guard Stations appeared in a systematic pattern, maintaining order and peace within a necessary radius.

  The question is whether they use radius to measure effectiveness or square side length, Nathan silently quipped.

  The lotus beneath them gradually slowed as the defense system below activated. The large gun barrels that had lit up with blue light targeting them were turned off just seconds later.

  From afar, a small dot moved gradually up to the lotus flower. When close enough, the dot revealed itself as a City Guard in a light gray uniform, accented by silver protective parts. Under his feet was a pair of anti-gravity boots humming rhythmically. His face was covered beneath a mask. It was lowered when approaching the lotus, revealing the face of a quite youthful man with eyes full of vitality.

  "The city of Maelivar welcomes our honored guests from Verdant Spire Sect," the guard's voice trembled slightly, seemingly his first time doing this. "You can call me George. I will be responsible for escorting you to your hotel and helping resolve any necessary matters."

  Elder Nalani stepped forward, maintaining her height advantage over George, nodding slightly.

  "How many other organizations have arrived?" she asked.

  After a few seconds, George respectfully answered.

  "Dear honored guest, more than six organizations have arrived. Additionally, some young people from various provinces have also arrived."

  "Has The Obsidian Fang Sect arrived?"

  "They have, ma'am."

  "Then lead the way!" Nalani commanded.

  George seemed unperturbed by this behavior, smiling brightly and gesturing for the group to follow.

  Nalani guided the massive lotus to follow their guide's flight path.

  Other City Guards gradually rose from the battlements, forming a neat formation with two parallel lines.

  Small square platforms emerged from holes in the city walls. They automatically connected with each other, creating a space large enough to receive the descending lotus.

  No sound was produced as the lotus, under Nalani's control, hovered slightly above the platform. The disciples didn't wait for instructions before jumping down one by one. Most landed quite gracefully and smoothly, just like how the lotus had descended. Except for Nathan. With his physique, when he landed, the metal surface beneath his feet seemed to want to cave in. Naturally, this was accompanied by a reverberating sound that startled everyone.

  "Is this guy trying to show off?" a disciple criticized.

  Following were several whispers.

  Nathan pretended to be deaf and blind, acting as if nothing had happened.

  Nalani didn't concern herself too much, waving her hand once, causing the lotus to gradually shrink and float into her storage ring.

  "Everyone," George announced loudly, "Please follow me!"

  The group filed after him. Once they had stepped onto the city wall, the surface behind them broke apart, returning to the small pieces like before. They flew back inside the city wall. The other guards returned to their posts.

  "I bet," Nathan secretly smiled, covering his mouth as he spoke to Zeryn, "the next transport device will also be square."

  "Without a doubt," Zeryn confirmed.

  Everyone would not enter the internal structure of the defensive wall but would walk to the other side to board the transport device. The city did not allow other forces to scout their military mechanisms and management.

  After waiting a moment, just as Nathan had said, a square platform was directed from above toward George. The difference was that it was larger, enough for fifty people to stand on.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, please!" George bowed, extending his hand.

  Nalani slowly went first, followed by the disciples. When everyone was on the hovering device, railings rose from each edge to prevent falls. Additionally, there were simple chairs. On the seat surfaces, a thin top layer was inflated, creating an air cushion for everyone. Only a few sat down, while the rest stood admiring the city.

  Viewing from above had already shown Maelivar's magnificence, but moving through it made it feel even more special. Unlike the towering ancient trees at Verdant Spire Sect, here was a forest of metal. Large cubic architectural structures filled the city. The buildings could be monolithic or composed of smaller blocks. They could move and exchange with surrounding buildings, creating a network of exchange when needed, such as cooperation between two technology companies. Thanks to this easy mobility, parties could quickly exchange and experiment.

  The gaps between the floating buildings still had towers rising higher than all else. These belonged to organizations and the four greatest houses of Maelivar. The tower with a sword emblem imprinted on its wall that the Verdant Spire Sect disciples had just passed belonged to house Aetharis, a power nearly equal to the Duke of Maelivar. The other three powers were evenly distributed in three areas. Besides them, most numerous were probably the research towers belonging to the Grand Artificer Guild, the most respected profession in the city.

  They had entered from the Northwest of the city, with their destination being the Southwest. Because George wanted to let the disciples view the city, the journey took over ten minutes to reach Maelivar's cultivation area. This place was the most spacious and pristine in the city, so the leadership favored it for receiving distinguished guests. To ensure no impact on the fields and gardens' cultivation, only a few powers were granted construction rights here.

  Their destination was The Ethereal Sanctum Resort, an asset under the ownership of house Merinor, one of the city's four greatest houses. The resort was quite spacious with towers connected by walkways. The penthouse rooms could overlook either the magnificent vegetation landscape or the bustling urban scenery. It also provided floating platforms high up for those who desired them. Swimming pools and ball courts were scattered around, serving guests' entertainment needs.

  George directed their transport device to land in the spacious courtyard reserved for receiving guests. The resort's staff and managers were already waiting below in their formal uniforms.

  "Welcome, honored guests from Verdant Spire Sect," the resort staff respectfully bowed deeply. Their eyes showed no contempt or inferiority. Rather, there was excitement. If they could serve attentively and impress anyone here, the future might open a new chapter. These seemingly inexperienced young people all carried unimaginable potential.

  The manager, with his long face and lanky figure, bowed again before Nalani.

  "Respected lady," his voice was as smooth as the over-gelled hair on his head, "we have been waiting here for some time. Are you tired from your journey?"

  "Not at all," Nalani said indifferently.

  The manager maintained his professional smile, continuing humbly.

  "Please forgive this servant if there's any discourtesy to you and the disciples. But on the registration, there were only 25 guests listed. By my count, there are currently twenty-six people. Might you need assistance with this matter?"

  Nalani briefly revealed a look of disgust toward Nathan but it vanished immediately, returning to her stern expression. Only thanks to [Better Vision] as well as [Martial Art Mastery] and constant attention did Nathan catch this slight movement.

  Initially, he had planned to stay with Zeryn or pay to stay. Darkan had given him enough money for that. The lack of an extra room was surely because his master didn't want him mingling with others, especially Elder Nalani.

  Therefore, he cut in.

  "Elder Nalani," he still suppressed his irritation while maintaining respect for his superior, "please forgive the trouble I've caused. I will find accommodation in the city to avoid disturbing you and my fellow disciples. Would that be acceptable?"

  "Yes!" Nalani quickly agreed, revealing her desire to dismiss Nathan soon. To her, Nathan would amount to nothing, keeping him would only give other forces something to gossip about. Verdant Spire Sect could fight the entire city of Maelivar, so they shouldn't bring unnecessary negative attention to themselves.

  Nathan stepped back, returning to the transport device. He winked at Zeryn, then shrugged at Zahra and Xander. These two seemed unhappy with how he was being treated.

  "Guard George," Nathan called when the Verdant Spire Sect group had followed the resort staff inside, passing through a magnificent fountain.

  "Yes, sir," George maintained his respectful attitude toward Nathan.

  Simply knowing Nathan was a direct disciple meant that even if he was marginalized by his fellow disciples, George didn't dare change his attitude. His lowly soldier position was only worthy of carrying Nathan's sandals.

  "You don't need to be so deferential. Really!"

  Nathan truly wasn't comfortable with this behavior.

  In response, he only received rapid head shaking. George was still being monitored. He could be friendly, but duty didn't permit it.

  Nathan snickered, feeling bureaucracy was the same in any world.

  "Please take me to the Northeast area. There will be suitable compensation."

  Then he took out a Standard Mana Stone, worth a hundred times more than a Lesser Mana Stone, rotating it in his palm.

  George's eyes lit up, understanding Nathan needed more than just transportation.

  "I won't disappoint you," George said solemnly.

  The transport device gradually rose higher, then drifted toward the Northeast.

  Nathan needed to implement the initial steps of his plan. He only had a few days to execute it.