"But I need it."
Ian raised his right hand and took out a dark silver metal Token from his Dimension Ring.
The Token was the size of his palm, its surface engraved with the Badge of the Withered Council: a black tombstone.
On the back, an incomplete set of coordinates was carved in the language of the Abyss.
[Abyssal Rift, Seventh Spiral Arm, Ashen Wasteland...]
The latter two-thirds had been deliberately erased.
"I got this from Selas."
Ian placed the Token on the illusory river of stars between them.
"It’s the coordinates to a secret resource point of the Withered Council. It’s incomplete, but with the Tower Master’s abilities... you should be able to deduce the approximate location."
The Morton Tower Master stared at the Token, the flow of the Star Sea in his eyes accelerating slightly.
"The value is sufficient, but I need to confirm... the authenticity of the coordinates."
He raised his gaunt right hand and made a grasping motion in the air.
The Token flew into his palm.
The Morton Tower Master closed his eyes, his Spiritual Power probing deep into the Token.
Silence fell within the Observatory.
There was only the faint hum of the stars rotating overhead and the nearly inaudible sound of wind from the continent below.
Gaga nervously gripped Ian’s shoulder, its feathers puffing up slightly.
It could feel it...
That vast Spiritual Power, as boundless as a Star Sea, was analyzing every trace of information within the Token at a terrifying speed.
Ten minutes later, the Morton Tower Master opened his eyes. The Star Sea within them had calmed, returning to a profound black.
"The coordinates are real." He put away the Token and looked at Ian.
"Though they’re incomplete, it’s enough for Shadow Moon to find the area."
"I can give you the fourth level of the *Starry Sky Festival*, but on one condition."
"Go on." Ian’s expression did not change.
"Leave the East Coast."
The Morton Tower Master’s voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
"You killed Bazaar and Selas. The Deep Red Royal Court and the Withered Council are manageable."
"But... Immortal Heart is also investigating the cause of Gunnar’s death."
"A faction with a Level Four Morning Star Wizard at its helm... Shadow Moon can’t protect you from that."
The Morning Star Wizard wouldn’t even have to act personally. If they just dispatched a few Level Three Great Witches, he, Morton, wouldn’t be able to stop them.
Ian fell silent. He already knew all this, but hearing it from the Tower Master’s mouth meant...
The storm truly was approaching.
"I understand." He nodded. "I’ll leave after I get the fourth level."
"Very good." The Morton Tower Master raised his hand and traced a line in the Void with his fingers.
Space split open a thin crack, and a thick, heavy, silver-white tome slowly flew out from the rift.
The cover of the tome was engraved with three words in Star Runes: *Starry Sky Festival*.
The pages flipped open automatically, revealing dense, flowing silver text and diagrams.
Every stroke and line seemed to be condensed from starlight, emitting a heart-palpitating Rule Fluctuation.
"The fourth level is here."
The Morton Tower Master pointed to the last part of the tome.
"You can only look at it once. How much you remember depends on your comprehension."
Ian took a deep breath, his Spiritual Power surging out like a tide and delving into the tome.
HUMMM!
His consciousness was instantly pulled into a vast Star Sea.
It was no longer a projection, but a real, boundless universe.
Stars revolved around him, star systems collided in the distance, and black holes in the Abyss were devouring everything...
In the deepest part of the Star Sea, four stars of indescribable size were slowly moving along some profound trajectory.
The light they emitted illuminated the entire universe, and also illuminated... the path to Level Four Morning Star.
[Star Resonance, Rule Manifestation.]
[Use the body as a guide, the soul as a bridge.]
[Condense the Morning Star, illuminate the myriad realms...]
A vast flood of information rushed into his consciousness.
Ian gritted his teeth as the pale gold Crystal Core in his Sea of Spirit spun madly.
He forcibly branded all the information deep within his soul.
Once, twice, three times... the tome closed.
The silver-white light dissipated, and the tome flew back into the spatial rift. The Observatory returned to silence.
Ian slowly opened his eyes.
Deep in his pupils, the faint golden starlight was even more brilliant, and more complex points of light were slowly rotating.
"Did you memorize it?" the Morton Tower Master asked.
"I did," Ian nodded.
’In truth, he hadn’t memorized it at all. The panel had recorded it for him completely.’
’It was ten times more effective than him doing it himself.’
’The panel had already branded the core Cultivation Method and key points of the Rule into his soul.’
’It was enough for him to cultivate to Level Four Morning Star.’
"Your aptitude... is truly excellent!"
The Morton Tower Master stood up, walked back to the edge of the Observatory, and looked up at the starry sky.
"Since you’re leaving the East Coast... how much do you know about the Central Continent?"
"Only that it’s the heart of the Wizard Civilization, more prosperous than Anoraya, and also more dangerous."
Ian answered truthfully.
"Prosperous? Dangerous?"
The Morton Tower Master chuckled, his voice laced with a complex mix of emotions.
"That place... is heaven, and it’s also hell."
He raised his hand and pointed to the brightest star overhead.
"The Central Continent is also known as the ’Ancestral Land of Wizards’."
"Its area... is over ten million times that of Anoraya, with resources so abundant they defy imagination."
"Level Four Morning Star Wizards are merely the backbone there."
"Level Five Radiant Moon, Level Six Bright Sun, and even the legendary Level Seven True Spirits... they all exist."
Ian’s gaze sharpened. ’Level Four is just the backbone? Then what about the higher levels...?’
"But correspondingly, the competition is brutal to the extreme."
The Morton Tower Master lowered his hand and turned to look at Ian.
"There, killing for resources is the norm, and power struggles between factions are a daily occurrence."
"There are no unified laws, no Order, only the law of the jungle."
"These so-called great factions of the East Coast... they wouldn’t even be considered third-rate on the Central Continent."
He paused, the Star Sea swirling in his eyes.
"Going there is an opportunity, but it could also be a dead end. Nevertheless, I advise you to go."
"Why?" Ian asked.
"Because..."
A faint, almost self-deprecating arc appeared on the Morton Tower Master’s lips.
"If you stay on the East Coast, you are destined to only reach Level Three."
"The resources, the knowledge, the Rules... this is their upper limit."
"And your potential... is far greater than that."
He looked at Ian, his gaze profound.
"In the ruins of Ascalon, there was an Inheritance from the Star Spirit Race. I imagine you..."
"All of this destines you for a life beyond mediocrity. The Central Continent is where you ought to be."
Ian was silent.
’The Tower Master knows I took the greatest prize from the ruins?’
’No, he probably just vaguely sensed something was off.’
"I understand."
He stood up and bowed slightly to the Morton Tower Master. "Thank you for your guidance, Tower Master."
"There’s no need." The Morton Tower Master waved his hand dismissively.
"It was just a transaction. You gave the coordinates, I gave the Inheritance. We’re even."
He turned, looking back at the starry sky. His silhouette looked somewhat lonely under the starlight.
"Before you leave, remember to return your Core Elder authority for Shadow Moon."
"As for the High Tower... I will announce that you have gone to travel the Outer Islands, with no fixed date of return."
"As for the Deep Red Royal Court and the Withered Council, I will delay them as much as I can."
"But with Immortal Heart, how long I can stall them... I’m not sure."
"Understood." Ian bowed again, then turned and walked towards the stone door.
As he reached the doorway, the Morton Tower Master’s voice came from behind him.
"Ian."
Ian stopped and turned to look. The silver-haired old man still had his back to him, gazing up at the starry sky.
"Make it to the Central Continent alive. And then... go even further."
"Let me see what kind of name a Wizard from Shadow Moon can make for himself there."
Ian was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"I will."
The stone door slid open. He stepped out of the Observatory and into the corridor.
The stone door slid shut behind him, sealing off the vast Star Sea, and also severing his final karmic ties to the East Coast.
On his shoulder, Gaga transmitted a soft whisper.
"Ian, are we going to the Central Continent, ga?"
"Yeah."
"Is it... very dangerous there?"
"Very dangerous."
"Then can we make it there alive?"
Ian’s footsteps faltered for a moment, then he continued forward.
"We can."
His voice was calm, yet it held an undeniable resolve.
"We have to."
Because the path of a Wizard... was one that had to be carved through blood and fire, a grand path to the very heavens.