Chapter 005: The Wings of the Metamorphosing Butterfly

Transcendence is a process of comprehensive evolution in both body and mind that appears incredible, yet in truth aligns perfectly with the laws of the universe. It is the essential prerequisite for awakening one's innate spirit and clarifying memories of a lost past—as if blessed with sudden insight, Eddard believed in this wholeheartedly.

He recalled how Yarlan had once deliberately mentioned that the progress of transcendence depends on the depth of one's understanding of the world's true nature, and that the practice of magic is the shortcut to comprehending the laws of the secret realm.

Drawing together the scattered fragments of memory he had recovered, Eddard began to grasp the essence and significance of transcendence, and to clarify its relationship with cultivation.

Cultivation could trigger transcendence; conversely, transcendence could enhance cultivation—they were mutually dependent, each providing what the other required. In summary, cultivation is the foundation and driving force of transcendence, while transcendence is the highest achievement that current cultivation can pursue.

Whether it was to fulfill his promise to Yarlan, or to reclaim those precious memories that ought to have been etched into his soul, by all reason and emotion, he had to devote himself even more fervently to his training, striving to complete the initial phase of transcendence as soon as possible, and quickly unravel the ultimate mystery!

Just as the spirited youth made up his mind, resolute and determined—his stomach, which had endured hunger all morning, suddenly let out a loud and untimely protest—

Eddard collapsed pitifully to the ground, clutching his belly, struggling to suppress the dizzy spells brought on by hunger, his mind filled with dark lines, tears streaming down his face, speechless and questioning the heavens.

Famished, with his chest almost glued to his back, the unlucky boy dragged himself to his feet like a deflated ball, weakly propping himself up with his knees, and trudged home with great difficulty.

The morning was alive with the warmth of spring, as soft and comforting as a cozy blanket. Yet, under the sunlight, Eddard appeared rather sneaky and suspicious—he held his breath and tiptoed to his front door, pressing his ear against it to listen for any sounds inside. Not hearing any voices, he still wasn’t reassured, so he stealthily moved over to the window, peering in to scout for any signs of “enemy activity.” Satisfied that he had thoroughly assessed the situation inside, he finally allowed his anxious heart to settle back into his chest. Victorious in his “operation,” the little fellow couldn’t help but celebrate by flashing a “V” with his hand!

Eddard boldly pushed open the door, scampered up to the second floor on all fours, and darted straight to his bedroom. Just as he was about to gleefully turn the doorknob—

With a sudden “crack,” the door swung open, letting in a gust of cold air.

Of course, it wasn’t the silent breeze that opened the door—it was, in fact, the very person the boy had been hoping to avoid—

“Ahahaha~ Good morning, Mother~!” Like a bolt from the blue, Eddard’s jubilant heart plummeted into the abyss. His triumphant expression froze in place, unable to recover, and his awkward, forced laughter was stiff beyond measure.

Priscilla, dressed in her professional attire, did not greet her son with the usual gentle smile. Instead, she turned and walked back into the room, sat elegantly at the edge of the bed, her gaze enigmatic and inscrutable, and beckoned Eddard over with a finger.

When unusual things happen, there’s always a reason!

Sensing trouble, Eddard hurried over to his mother, putting on a submissive and obedient face. “Mother, is there something you need?”

“You’re up quite early today,” she said, her tone flat and unreadable.

“That’s thanks to your excellent guidance, Mother~!”

“Oh, is that so? Well, that’s delightful news,” she replied, then suddenly shifted her tone. “You haven’t, by any chance, secretly played with some dangerous tricks again behind my back, have you?”

“How could I~~? I just went out to enjoy the scenery and refresh my mood, that’s all~!” Eddard feigned surprise, continuing to play the innocent fool with all his might.

“Oh~~? So you were just ‘enjoying the scenery and refreshing your mood’?” His mother arched an eyebrow slightly.

“Mhm mhm, yes, exactly~” Eddard nodded enthusiastically.

“Then perhaps you’d like to explain what this is all about.” Priscilla’s expression darkened, her words edged with cold sharpness—as she flipped back the puffy children’s blanket behind her, revealing a round, adorable life-sized teddy bear lying exposed in the daylight, its face full of innocence. “If you were merely out for a stroll, did you really need to go to such lengths to hide it?!” Her voice and demeanor were uncharacteristically severe.

“Come now, be good and show me your hands,” she said, her tone softening as she saw her son’s embarrassed face.

Seeing that the truth was about to be revealed, Eddard resignedly extended his hands—hands he had kept hidden behind his back. His plump little palms were faintly red, as though scorched—injuries caused by the excessive heat generated from channeling magic through his hands.

“How did you get hurt so badly?!” Priscilla exclaimed, forgetting to pursue his transgressions further, and immediately cast healing magic to fully restore those painfully wounded hands.

The Mide spell, centered around an eight-pointed star, unfurled gracefully as her magic flowed through it. Deep violet energy became a thick yet gentle mist, weaving softly into Eddard’s palms and the backs of his hands.

“How does it feel? Does it hurt? Is it any better?” Priscilla asked anxiously, her voice full of both worry and tenderness.

“It only looks serious, but it doesn’t hurt at all…” Eddard felt deeply ashamed under his mother’s attentive care.

At his words, his mother shot him a look, exasperated. “You’re hurt this badly and dare say it doesn’t hurt? You, for all your cleverness, always make me worry! If I’m not mistaken, you must have snuck out to practice ancient magic on your own again, didn’t you?”

Her beautiful eyes, shining with concern and anger, reflected deep worry and gentle affection.

With his secret so easily uncovered, Eddard glanced timidly at his mother and murmured a quiet “mm.”

His mother’s frustration was plain; she rubbed her forehead and sighed helplessly. “Ah, what am I going to do with you… Strictly speaking, I don’t object to you practicing magic alone—but the premise is—you must understand that ‘haste makes waste.’ Training should be steady and methodical, step by step. If you rush, you’ll only end up hurting yourself. Besides, your magic is the same lightning attribute as mine; even if you trust your control, you shouldn’t recklessly attempt to handle runaway lightning magic with your bare hands! With your current impulsive nature, how can I possibly feel at ease when you undertake such dangerous magical training alone?”

Though her words were tinged with emotion, they were not without reason. The path of magic is never smooth. Of the six elements derived from the four foundational ones—time, space, light, darkness, ice, and lightning—lightning is the most untamed and domineering by nature. Lightning magic, as the concentrated essence of its element, is structurally more stable, but its hidden dangers are even greater. In practice, a single misstep can disrupt the delicate balance of lightning magic, causing it to lose control and rampage. The simulated disasters of such uncontrolled power far surpass the chaos of mere elemental turbulence; their destructive force is incomparable.

Thus, at equal levels and quality, lightning magic is far more difficult to manipulate than other types. Likewise, the risk of magical backlash during spellcasting is much higher for lightning mages.

To make matters worse, the manifestation of magic—a technique demanding extreme finesse—is especially challenging. Eddard’s success in wielding the wildest magic barehanded, without the aid of magical devices, was due not only to his extraordinary computational ability and exquisite control, but also to the all-encompassing enhancement of body and mind brought on by his awakened state. Even a more advanced lightning mage could never replicate his feat—it isn’t just a matter of skill, but of fundamental innate talent and background. In short, any ordinary mage daring to attempt barehanded lightning manifestation must be prepared for their hands to be mercilessly destroyed by rampaging thunder.

By comparison, Eddard’s injuries were truly insignificant.

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