38 Illusory Body

The next morning Drrak analysis proceeded well, as he recapped me on it. I told me to complete it before I re-entered the dream formation. I then went to the library while looking at my medallion's sword marks. At the moment I had 720 sword marks, and underneath it, I was authorized for 2 free hours in the weapons temple.

I had already received my check from the library for 115 sword marks. I would have had more but after I used a lot of money on books and the Sun Saffron equipment. I was at the library when Brian came to greet me.

"I remembered you asked about going to the second floor correct?"

"Yes, now that my rookie period is up, I would like access how much will it be?" I responded with happiness, I can finally get more knowledge!

"Normally it's a 100 sword marks, but I will waive the fee for you. All you have to do is get up there." He said kindly

I looked over at the second floor it was 10 meters above the first floor, jumping that as a regular human would be utterly impossible. It would even be hard for people below level 5 but I had my methods. I got a running start and augmented myself with telekinesis immediately.

Boosting my speed to nearly twice its original amount, I jumped with all the energy in my body and augmented my leap with another burst of telekinesis. I almost came short for the little wooden door, so I activated Lightning Step to do an air step. Shifting 15% the force of gravity, to walk on air for a moment.

I went over and landed on the second floor, which had a smaller selection of books and people. I looked over the gate to see Brian utterly shocked. He levitated up to the top and inspected me top to bottom.

"What are your stats, and how did you already learn air walking?" He asked in shock

"Air walking?" I said

'He doesn't even know what he did, what a monster....' Brian thought

"I made it up here, so I can read books here correct," I asked grinning with anticipation

"Yes," Brian said wryly, he wasn't expecting me to get up here I could tell from shock.

"Just be sure to return them the price for books here isn't small. I'll let you pick 10 books to read for free." Brian said still trying to contain his shock.

"Thank you." But in my heart I was examining his intentions, he'd always been nice. But now he is much nicer, the only event that could change his perception of me was the death Qi. It seems Brian is aware of the death Qi or at least his master told him to be nice to me. It seems this scheme is far deeper than I thought.

I walked away and went to the shelves and read the various covers for books. At this moment my only interest was magic, the age of collapse, and anatomy. I drifted around still I found a book about the fundamentals of the magus path.

It was written by a Grand mage of Rain, it was his recollections of advancing into a mage and beyond. I read through it and one quote especially stood out to me.

"I had little control of elements, I had at most the power to alter myself to an extent. I used magic power to augment my body to the levels of a knight. Until I was branded at level 30 and converted my body into its true elemental state."

"Then magic was truly about altering my environment, and very little about altering myself. But I always wanted to do both, alter myself and my environment. But it never worked out I wasn't a knight, and my physical body was outclassed by knights. So I gave up on that path." I could almost hear the sigh of exhaustion from the past as I read the passage.

"But both paths require one thing Vitality. When I first broke through into a mage, I was hungry for vitality. My body was sapped of energy, and I felt a vortex threatening to consume me. It was like a test, I had enough vitality but I needed more for a perfect foundation."

"My recommendation to all future mages, don't try to breakthrough without a large amount of vitality accumulated. Otherwise, you could die or ruin your foundation." That was the final text in the book, advice to the future.

I was stuck on that saying without vitality don't bother to become a mage. He said it was because the body is the vessel of magic power. Without a proper vessel magic power leaks, and corrodes the body until the mage dies. To become a perfect vessel, you must have more vitality than magic power.

I touched my forehead which at the moment had a blue sword on it. But if I activated my brandings it would also include an intricate spell circle, that would be around it.

'That mage created this on my forehead to grant me vitality and convert my body. Was he skipping the steps and making me become a level 30 mage quickly.'

My heart froze at such a thought, easily made level 30 mages. Such a plan could threaten all of the Rain Kingdom, that Magus' ambition was far too great. But mine was even greater, such a power was something even I desired. The power to confront nations and force others to surrender their will.

My desire to kill the mage and steal his plans grew in my heart with a determination to get stronger. Luckily, I had a great idea inspired by the author.

'I originally came to try something else, but that can wait this is much more important.'

I went home and started to meditate I rotated my sword intent through my body. Then when it peaked its speed, I would start converting them through the lightning bolt. The intent returned as Lightning Sword Intent, that flowed with a heavy domineering power and sharpness. Then I started to channel my magic power which complemented the sword intent.

I used the sword on my glabella in conjunction with my magic power. The magic power darkened to a pure black energy, that intertwined the white of the sword intent.

My Magic Body as the vessel for my True Qi, the dynamism of my Lightning Sword Intent to alter me. It was my first unconscious attempt to unite the two paths, so I decided to do so at a much larger level.

The white sword intent moved around my body like a serpent and the magic power like a true dragon. The two dancing in the heavens were brought down into a mortal's body. The domineering powers mixed creating new transformations in my body. They settled throughout my body as a new ability appeared on my status, illusory body!

But with the appearance of a new skill my stats soared. I had abused my magic power, and sword intent enough. So they all increased by 3 stat point except for magic power. I felt a small step away from the next level, all in one move I had reached half step level 2 from mid-stage level 2.

I clicked on it, and the status appeared.

By using the sword intent you can alter your magic body into an illusory form. In which you can disguise yourself as you please. I exercised Illusory body on my pointer finger. I radiated as intent to increased its size, and an unnoticeable increase happened. My pointer finger grew 3 centimeters, but for me, that inspired great joy.

'I was right it is possible if one is a prophet but impossible as a regular mortal.'

But sadly my level and insufficient magic power weren't enough to do anything significant to change my anatomical structure. At most I could disguise visceral parts of my body right now. A desire ignited in my heart to breakthrough into a mage.

'I can't be rash I need a lot of vitality before I breakthrough.'

Then I remembered the experience with the Sun Saffron, where I could absorb some of the vitality into the spell circle after distilling it. Luckily, at the moment of my awakening, my gifts had arrived. A servant came to my door and knocked. He had two small packages, one that smelled of herbs, and the other of blood.

I took both and told the servant to thank Grandmaster Isaiah and Teacher Elton. I went into my room and opened the packages, and looked through the contents. 30 Sun Saffron stalks with all the distilled water I could possibly desire. Then in the other box, was a small vial of blood.

The blood reeked but had a powerful vitality to it. I was unsure what the blood was but I remembered the gift that Isaiah had mentioned.