Chapter 194: Chapter 138: Level 2 Death Priest

Emperors, kings, generals, and ministers—all that business with political maneuvering.

Lu Cang didn’t consider himself skilled in political intrigue, even if his high Spirituality allowed him to learn things quickly.

He still hated dealing with such matters.

But one could never be too careful. Perhaps he should learn a thing or two about it after all.

Otherwise, all he had to do was improve his strength.

Strength could solve 99% of his problems, but in the end, he still needed to learn other things to handle the trivial matters.

It was true that brute force could overcome any trickery.

Still, failing due to a weakness in some other area would be pretty sickening.

...

For Lu Cang, this banquet was purely a social obligation.

After this engagement, there was probably nothing else he needed to do.

"Kumironi, I’d like to advance to Level 2 Death Priest," Lu Cang brought up.

Now that his certification was processed, he was officially a resident with a legal Death Priest Profession.

Lu Cang felt it was time to advance.

Many of the Death Priest’s abilities were very useful; it was a shame to remain at Level 1.

"Sigh—"

Kumironi let out a soft sigh.

’Asking a High Priest of the Life Church to perform the advancement Ritual for a Death Priest.’

"Little Lu Cang, you’re really asking for the impossible."

Lu Cang scratched his cheek. "If you can’t... I won’t insist."

Kumironi said, "If you don’t insist, what do you plan to do?"

"Complete the Death Priest advancement by yourself using Meiser’s Root Magic?"

"I can’t allow that to happen."

"It’s too dangerous."

"You haven’t violated the tenets of life. On the contrary, you’ve used the abilities of a Death Priest to do many meaningful things."

"Therefore, I believe you are using the Death Priest Profession to practice the tenets of life..."

"Since you are a practitioner of life’s tenets, I can help you advance."

"Besides, the Life Church itself owes you a favor. As the High Priest of the Life Church, I have no reason to refuse."

’That’s great news.’

’Kumironi, the way you put it makes me feel a little guilty.’

’After all, I have technically trampled on the tenets of life.’

’That whole business with Refining the Death Cultist into a life-storage container... ’

’But that’s because I don’t actually need to follow the tenets of life in the first place.’ 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"However, doing this in the city would cause problems."

"Tomorrow, have Iz set up the advancement Ritual Array outside. We’ll complete the Ritual in the wilderness."

The next day, Lu Cang was already waiting at the appointed place early in the morning. He felt it was easier to keep a clear head in the heavy snow.

"How is your progress on the second Root Source?"

Iz was the first to arrive; the others weren’t here yet.

Lu Cang gave a wry smile. "Progress feels a bit slow. Having the first Root Magic makes it hard for me to shift my thinking to a completely opposite theory..."

’Eternal and unchanging.’

"Iz, what about you?"

Izparut had said he also needed to think about an opposing Root Magic.

"I’ve already comprehended it. My opposing Root Magic."

...

For a moment, Lu Cang didn’t want to speak to him.

The higher a Mage’s level, the more deeply ingrained their understanding of their Root Source becomes, making it harder to comprehend a second Root Magic.

’Why did this Level 6 Mage comprehend a second Root Magic before I did?’

"You lost the bet, you know," Iz said.

"Iz, you’re so annoying. Why are you being so petty with a kid?"

"Haha, but you’re no ordinary kid."

Lu Cang said glumly, "Fine, I’ll go teach at the Magic Academy."

Lu Cang had made a bet with Iz.

If Lu Cang comprehended his second Root Magic first, Iz would fight him again at full power, but at the Same Tier.

After Iz returned from the City in the Circle, he stopped sparring with him.

This frustrated Lu Cang greatly.

’So what if I farmed a few tens of billions of souls?’

’Is he scared to fight now?’

But Iz’s answer had been: ’A victory or loss at the Same Tier is meaningless now. The era is constantly changing, old magic is becoming obsolete, and new magic is being born. It’s pointless to compare the magic of my time with the magic of yours.’

’When you have cultivated to my level, then we can fight on the same stage.’

’Hold on... ’

’Iz, your "Level 3 era" was only three years ago, wasn’t it?’

’Why do you make it sound like there’s been a world-altering paradigm shift, where everything old has been completely replaced and left behind?’

But Iz didn’t want to fight, and Lu Cang couldn’t force him.

Because Iz could suppress him at any time with his High Tier strength... forcing a fight was impossible.

His only option was to make a bet with him.

Iz’s side of the bet was that if he comprehended his second Root Magic first, Lu Cang would have to teach at Lorentz Magic Academy for a period of time.

That’s right, teach.

Not attending classes as a student, but teaching others.

’To be honest, I don’t really want to teach. I feel like I still have too much to learn myself, so how could I teach others... ’

But now that he’d lost the bet, he had to honor it.

"Iz, can you show me your second Root Source?"

Iz looked up at the sky.

"Here... I don’t think so."

"In the Cave of Desperate Wails?"

Iz thought for a moment.

"Probably not there either."

"After all, if I used this move, the entirety of Ruelun, along with the few continents surrounding it, would be destroyed."

Hearing this, Lu Cang was speechless.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell if Iz was bragging or telling the truth.

’Is it really that powerful?’

’Iz, you haven’t actually comprehended a second Root Magic at all, have you? You’re just tricking me into thinking you did, right?’

’It feels a little unfair, come to think of it. If I had comprehended my second Root Magic, I would have had to demonstrate it.’