Chapter 357: Chapter 211: Path of Truth (3) "Look at this again—Eleanor Hell, one of the most renowned geniuses of the Crystal Tower’s last era. She determined a second-class star Spiritual Talent at the age of twelve and completed improvements on three complex magics before the age of sixteen, earning the reputation of a prospective Great Wizard." "Her Master had high expectations for her and planned for her ascension through the ’Key’ Magic Potion. But Eleanor sneered at the traditional path, believing that only the Path of Truth could create a true wizard." "On her sixteenth birthday, she chose to envision the ’Abyssal Touch’, attempting to ascend directly. The School dispatched two Official Wizards to supervise the process to prevent any mishaps." Lady Allen’s voice grew somber: "During the attempt, she failed—not with death, but something worse. Her spirit was occupied by a trace of will from that existence, turning her into a walking shell in the world, no longer herself." "In the first few days, the change was not apparent; she would occasionally speak in a strange tone or stare blankly in a certain direction. However, as time passed, the abnormalities became more evident. She began to become nocturnal, scales grew finely on her skin, and her eyes turned into vertical pupils. Most terrifying of all, she started hunting and devouring living beings, even including other apprentices within the School." "The Crystal Tower sent three Official Wizards to utterly eliminate her, and that battle resulted in a Moon Level Wizard being severely injured and ultimately dying due to triggered Spiritual Contamination." After hearing the story, Ron felt a chill but did not show any sign of retreat on his face. Lady Allen nodded in satisfaction and continued: "The last one—Victor Reinhardt, have you heard of this name?" Ron nodded: "One of the relatively young Great Wizards in history." "Indeed." A hint of awe flashed in Lady Allen’s eyes: "Victor was born into a declining Wizard Clan, with mediocre talent, and was once thought unlikely to become an Official Wizard. But he possessed extraordinary perseverance and wisdom, never easily giving up." "At the age of twenty-five, the family’s last Official Wizard—his grandfather—passed away, plunging the family into an unprecedented crisis. The young Victor decided to take a desperate gamble, choosing to directly envision the ’Star Convergence’, an entity on the same level as the ’Devourer’." Lady Allen’s voice carried a touch of admiration: 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮 "At that time, no one believed he would succeed, not even his own family, who thought it was an act of self-destruction. But to everyone’s shock, Victor not only succeeded but also acquired an unprecedented trait during the ascension—the ’Line of Destiny’, enabling him to briefly see future branching paths." A glint of reverence shone in Lady Allen’s eyes: "With this ability, Victor could make the optimal decision in every critical choice, leaping from a Morning Star Mage to a Great Wizard in just over a hundred years, creating one of the most astonishing ascension speeds in wizard history." "But what was the cost?" Ron asked keenly, knowing that such powerful abilities must come with equally heavy costs. Lady Allen let out a bitter smile: "Smart. Indeed, the cost was enormous—after passing the initial phase of power surge, every month Victor would fall into a state akin to madness for three days. And as time went on, the duration of this state increased. It is said that in the last few years of his life, the time he spent sane was less than the time he spent in madness." She sighed, a hint of compassion flashing in her eyes: "Once that Great Wizard, feared across the Wizard World, ultimately had to secretly imprison himself in a chamber to prevent disaster in his state of madness. It is said that during his last moment of clarity before he died, he said to his descendants: ’Power is never given freely; it always reclaims its due.’ Ron nodded thoughtfully, slowly digesting this information. In the world of wizards, power and cost are forever proportional, seemingly an eternal law. "Do you understand now?" Lady Allen’s voice was serious and low: "The Path of Truth offers immense power, but it also comes with equally immense risks. This is not a path suitable for everyone; only those willing to sacrifice comfort, even risking their life and sanity, would choose this path." Ron was silent for a moment, then raised his head: "I understand the risks and am willing to bear the consequences. But I need to know more details—what level of Spiritual Power is considered the Critical Point? Moreover, are there any methods other than auxiliary magic potions that can improve the breakthrough success rate? What specific Meditation should be performed after taking ’Star Dew Morning Glow’? What are the key indicators for success?"