Mage Manual

Ruby Mountain, the last fifty meters of mountain road to the summit, is shrouded in a layer of strawberry-colored glow. But if you look closely, you can see this blood-red glow trembling unstably, countless black dots flickering by, fleeting impressions, it's clearly just a layer of light, yet it feels alive.

Like a swarm of flies buzzing beneath the blood sea.

However, the Mercurial Trojan Horse did not hesitate, reaching through the blood-colored glow. The glow wriggled like maggots on her palm, as if it would devour her soul in the next moment, but ultimately halted at her wrist.

She slowly climbed through the blood-colored glow, shortening the fifty meters of chasm bit by bit.

This is the greatest trial within the Divine Inheritance, the Bloodfly Will-Light.

The curse of the Bloodfly boils and merges with the Will-Light, any mage wishing to seize the Thousand Wishes Inheritance must cross this fifty meters of Bloodfly Will-Light.

The Holy Domain is meaningless here, anyone daring to activate it would find their magic power instantly drained by the Bloodfly glow; flying wouldn't work, as Ruby Mountain's gravity is like an abyss or prison, each meter off the ground doubles the gravity on the mage, as if something above presses down on them.

Of course, if it were the actual Bloodfly boil, no Legendary Mage could pass. After all, this curse emerged from the Heavenly Kingdom of Thousand Wishes, a disaster the Divine Lord could barely suppress, let alone eradicate — how could a Legendary Mage withstand it?

But the union of the Bloodfly boil and Will-Light not only weakens the curse's power but also allows ordinary mages to find a lifeline amid the dangers.

After a long climb through the Will-Light ahead, mages are mostly initiated into the Fate Faction, able to barely influence the glow.

As long as they can control the Will-Light and suppress the curse within, they can avoid the curse's harm.

The most wondrous part is, the Will-Light and curse just barely wear each other down; as the curse suppresses the Will-Light, the difficulty for mages to control the Will-Light plummets, but if they help the Will-Light overpower the curse, they might be safe, yet their mental and emotional consumption skyrockets.

Thus, they must find a balance point, consuming the least mental energy to maintain the safest state.

But should any mage make a major mistake controlling the Will-Light, letting a trace of curse escape, their souls will instantly be devoured by the Bloodfly and obliterated.

In these days, countless Legendary Mages have thus been critically injured, nearly dying.

Though none should have died, given they are all Legendary Mages, possessing one or two life-saving miracles.

Few dare challenge the final fifty meters now, the first-tier Legendary Mages cautiously probe and practice, since each failed probe represents a serious injury, or even death.

But the Mercurial Trojan Horse harbors no such worries, not just because she possesses life-saving miracles, but she can transfer soul damage via the 'Trojan Tower'.

Her learning ability is at best on par with the Legendary Mages, yet her progress far surpasses others, naturally because she has more practice opportunities. Legendary Mages have only one life to expend, thus must be extremely cautious, but she can practice with millions of believers' lives.

Even if this life is truly gone, the one who dies is merely 'Extinction Pope' Oleva.

The massive practice opportunity gained through sacrificing lives, alongside the advantage of having retreats, is the absolute edge of the Mercurial Trojan Horse.

While every Legendary Mage is stronger than her, within the Divine Inheritance, all others are paupers without retreat, while she is like a wealthy heir with options and countless chances for trial and error, her success is all but inevitable.

40 meters.

The Mercurial Trojan Horse lifts her head; she can now clearly see the Heart of Will suspended on the mountaintop.

Just watching it closely, she feels her understanding of the Fate Faction rapidly expanding, with countless desires intertwined into thoughts extending pathways to the future.

Trouble!

She immediately gathers her thoughts, barely maintaining the glow's stability. Had the Mercurial Trojan Horse watched a second longer, the curse would have completely overwhelmed the Will-Light, she'd be engulfed from the neck down by the Bloodfly with just one breath—that's what happened when she was badly injured yesterday.

30 meters.

This is the furthest distance the Mercurial Trojan Horse reached last night, the second threshold, beyond which the Bloodfly Will-Light becomes even more unpredictable, where she not only needs to maintain the balance between curse and Will-Light, but is herself influenced by emotions within the Will-Light, like walking a razor-thin wire above a depthless abyss, while pursued by wild beasts, any errors would lead to eternal damnation.

Yet the Mercurial Trojan Horse remains calm, handling the Will-Light, climbing Ruby Mountain. As a sacrifice, thousands of Four Pillars God Sect believers in the wasteland at this moment find themselves overwhelmed by emotions, crying and laughing, jumping and shouting.

20 meters.

The finish line is already very close, so close it feels like she could reach out and grasp the shimmering Heart of Will, inheriting the Heavenly Kingdom of Thousand Wishes. However, the Mercurial Trojan Horse dares not lift her head at this moment, fearing her mind might get chased and invaded by the Heart's knowledge!

15 meters!

Very smooth, without any accidents, everything is within her expectations. The Mercurial Trojan Horse can't believe she truly is so close to the Divine Inheritance.

10 meters!

Countless thoughts collide and stir in her mind, she needs just one second to charge across the ten-meter road to grab the Heart of Will, rushing forward would allow her to inherit the legacy of the Thousand Wishes Celestial Lord! Demigod, Divine Lord, eternal life, ruling the world, no longer an unattainable luxury!

9 meters!

Ya Sha Jin, Black Crow, Ash, Silver Lamp, Four Pillars God, Qinri Alliance, Lord Senluo... as long as she can attain the kingdom, these problems will no longer be problems!

8 meters!

I've had enough of Ya Sha Jin, enough of the wasteland, enough of the Four Pillars God. I'm not naive enough to think I can live as I please, I just wish for the right to choose my life.

I no longer want to encounter moments of powerlessness.

7 meters!

The Mercurial Trojan Horse suddenly straightens, intending to dash forward!t

But at that moment, Ruby Mountain suddenly rises with many beams of starlight, which the Mercurial Trojan Horse watches as they sweep past her body, then coalesce and penetrate her soul!

The Mercurial Trojan Horse dashes forward, the starlight breaking the balance between Will-Light and curse as it passes through her soul, her hastily raised Holy Domain holds for only 0.34 seconds!

3 meters!

The Bloodfly curse has already spread through her soul, yet she persists. Meanwhile, countless Four Pillars God Sect believers in the wasteland collapse like stalks of wheat, dying silently, dying painfully.

2 meters!

She almost lunges forward, arm outstretched, every inch of her soul, even her fingertips, shouting. As she reaches out toward the shining Heart of Will, enveloped by the Bloodfly, like a demon thirsting for redemption!

She's so close to peace, a mere step away!

Ssss.

Sticky, tenacious webs, rising from the ground at some unknown time, wrap around the Mercurial Trojan Horse, holding her from advancing even an inch.

Swoosh!

As the sound of spider silk tightening, the Mercurial Trojan Horse is dragged down to the base of the mountain. Rolling several times on the gem-covered ground, she lifts her head to see the summit of Ruby Mountain almost empty.

Not only her, but all mages participating in the Divine Inheritance have been indiscriminately struck. First the starlight rain, then web entangle, all dragged out of the inheritance area.

The absolute gravity of Ruby Mountain affects not only mages' souls, but influences any miracles they perform. Legendary mage attack ranges on Ruby Mountain do not exceed ten meters.

Therefore, such an attack affecting all mages on Ruby Mountain must be...

Bang!

The Mercurial Trojan Horse slams a fist into the gem ground, kneeling, clutching her head, shoulders trembling. In the end, unable to hold back, she cries hysterically, hiccuping, her vision blurred, sobbing from her soul.

She always can't help but cry, Tamasi always urges her not to cry, since crying solves nothing. She knows it solves nothing, yet she feels aggrieved.

Why is she always powerless?

Why is she always so struggling?

The Mercurial Trojan Horse looks up at the sky through blurry tears, gnashing her teeth as she utters a word:

"Divine Lord!"