I Ascend to the Divine Throne through Arcane Means

Have we reached the end? n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Lis slowly chewed over the black cat’s words and etched them in his heart.

"I am ready, I can undergo the trial now."

Lis calmed himself and addressed the black cat in front of him.

The black feline nodded anthropomorphically and, mimicking the Divine Statue of the Wisdom God, raised its right paw and spoke softly:

"My Lord, Wisdom God Sphinx, your wisdom is as profound as the mountains and as expansive as the seas. Please cast your gaze upon this place!"

Unlike before, this time, as the black cat’s voice emanated within the temple, the tranquil flow of extraordinary magic power suddenly began to boil, swirling rapidly around Lis and the Divine Statue of the Wisdom God.

The black cat’s voice, bolstered by the magic power in the temple, seemed to soar innumerable ranks, making Lis feel as though he were facing his teacher, the Judgement Flame.

As Lis concentrated, preparing to face the first trial, he heard the black cat’s voice again.

"The first trial, passed!"

Huh?

What happened?

Just like that, I passed the first trial, for real? Isn’t this just toying with my feelings?

Are you serious? I suspect you’re tricking me!

Lis eyed the black cat doubtfully, his gaze saying it all.

Feeling Lis’s distrust, the black cat seemed a bit embarrassed and hastily said:

"What are you looking at? I am serious!"

"When you ascended the steps leading to the temple, the power of the Wisdom God had already examined your body."

"Only those suited for the inheritance can ascend those steps and enter this temple."

"The first trial is to check your compatibility with my Lord’s inheritance and to test whether you possess the talent to become an Arcanist!"

"You are already an Arcanist, so you naturally breezed through the first trial."

"If it were someone of another profession, the trial would also test their talent, so rest assured, there were no issues with the trial."

The talent to become an Arcanist?

Lis glanced at the black cat which looked as though someone had stepped on its tail and was hastily explaining itself, and he thought amusedly.

Did you slip up in your own words?

So, the rules that the black cat abides by are not the prohibitions left by that Legendary Arcanist but merely verbal requirements placed upon it?

Lis nodded and, cooperating, said in a deep voice:

"I understand now, Black Cat Divine Envoy, please proceed with the subsequent trials!"

The black cat then realized it might have misspoken, and seeing that Lis did not seem to have caught on, it too pretended not to notice and continued:

"The second trial, begin!"

While Lis waited, the vortex of magic power that had been swirling around him inside the temple suddenly stopped spinning, and all the magic power rushed towards him fiercely.

Holy crap!

Such terrifying magic power could blow me apart on the spot!

Before Lis could react, he felt an enormous surge of magic power being channeled mysteriously into his brow, and he naturally fainted.

The black cat looked at Lis who had collapsed on the ground, relaxed slightly, lifted its paw to gently lick it, and a hint of expectation shone in its eyes while looking at Lis.

This individual named Lis Kain was strange but felt like the most likely candidate to succeed that it had encountered over countless ages.

"No rush, no rush, even if it fails this time, it doesn’t matter."

"Even if he cannot remember anything after leaving, there is still a chance to re-enter the temple and face the trials anew."

"There is still a chance..."

The Black Cat’s voice echoed in the temple, it was unclear whether it was speaking to Lis, who had fainted on the ground, or comforting itself.

-----------------

"Miles... Miles, wake up!"

A shouting voice rang in Lis’s ears, and he awoke amidst the shaking.

The sensation was just like when he had first entered the Dream Space.

Hm? Wasn’t I in the midst of a trial?

Lis, still dazed, seemed to realize something and hurriedly opened his eyes.

What met his gaze was a young face full of freckles, anxiously looking at him, continuously shaking his body.

"Miles, why did you suddenly fall asleep? The Wisdom Temple’s test is about to start!"

Wisdom God? Temple?

Lis’s consciousness finally cleared, though there still was a surreal feeling.

"Rory..."

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Lis looked at the boy before him and naturally spoke his name.

This boy named Rory was probably only around twelve or thirteen years old, his thin small body clad in simple brown sackcloth that served only to cover him.

A gust of cold wind blew, and Lis couldn’t help but shiver; only then did he notice that the clothes he wore were as meager as Rory’s, and his body had also taken on the form of a child.

Nodding quickly at Rory to indicate that he was fine, the two continued standing in line, slowly moving forward.

Lis seized the opportunity to think about his current Status.

I should be undergoing the second trail, so this is the content of the trial?

A dream within a dream, or an illusion trial?

What are the requirements for passing? Do I still need to find out for myself?

Lis noticed that the system was still there, but it wasn’t of much use; neither had the system quests updated with new information.

Lis surveyed his surroundings, recalling the boy Rory who said they were queuing up for the Wisdom Temple’s test. Could it be that of the Wisdom God?

Those standing in line around him varied in age, the oldest looking about seventeen or eighteen, and the youngest merely six or seven years old, all looking malnourished, thinly dressed, and as if living a hard life.

Could it be that this illusion I’m in is from the time when the faith of the Wisdom God existed—basically, what preceded Snow Ridge Town?

Looking at the makeshift shacks and walls constructed of wood, black bricks, and mud around him, and the faint Luoxue Mountain in the distance, it must be Snow Ridge Town indeed.

Lis pondered silently; this was not an unfamiliar scenario, having encountered similar situations in many adventures in his past life.

However, most illusions were built upon the illusion creator’s memory of a real-world scene, often having loopholes in the details and lacking rigor.

Moreover, most illusions are created to confine enemies and create an advantage—using one specifically for a trial, or rather a dream, seems a bit too realistic.

Pinching his thigh hard, Lis thought thus without any expression on his face.

And on top of that, it was all built upon that layer of Dream Space—layer upon layer of complexity!

This ability, impressive!

Is my goal to break through this dream and wake up, or to complete a mission within the dream?

Lis couldn’t help but rub his temples, feeling as if his own cognitive ability had become duller.

If it’s come to this, then let it be!

Since the Wisdom God has chosen to place me in the dream as Miles during this period, then what happens next must relate to the trial.

So... is it the trial of the Wisdom Temple?

Silently following the queue, Lis turned past a wall.

That familiar Black Temple once again appeared before Lis’s eyes!