School Transmigration: I, Chosen as the Saint by Dragons at the Start-Chapter 138 --Fragments of the Dragon Slaying Pillar in the Level 6 Magic Array
Eldrich’s gaze flickered as he softly commanded, "Lauder, please take a look."
His authoritative tone didn’t stir any discontent among those present.
As the last grandmaster of the Grand Magus Academy with hopes of reaching the sage-tier, his students and former officials were spread throughout the entire continent of Novalia, his background profoundly deep.
Even geniuses from advanced races had studied under him, and many professors from the four magus academies were his disciples.
The honorary title of Grand Magus Academy’s chancellor signified his extraordinary status.
Owen, who never paid much heed to such matters, naturally didn’t grasp the extent of Eldrich’s prowess.
Lauder, one of the students personally taught by him, privately addressed Eldrich as "Teacher."
Stepping forward, Lauder’s body surged with arcanergy, which spread like waves in all directions, encompassing the entire Frigid Summit Harbor and then Heaven Summit...
As a level 6 arraymancer professor from the Ethereal Wisdom Academy, his esteemed position made him the ideal choice for locating the source of the formation.
His gaze sharpened as he looked towards Heaven Summit, declaring, "Found it."
A segment of the sky towards Heaven Summit glowed red, visible to all the grandmasters.
Eldrich waved his robe, transforming into a streak of light heading towards Heaven Summit: "Easley, Elwin, you stay behind to watch over the students."
Although both were prepared to depart together, they ceased their arcanergy manipulation upon hearing Eldrich’s instructions.
If all the grandmasters were to leave, the trial venue would be vulnerable, and the mastermind behind the scenes could attack the students’ physical bodies, leading to the same dire outcome.
After all, even if they managed to rescue the students’ souls, without a vessel to house them, the souls would eventually dissipate.
Walking through the long-neglected mine tunnel, Eldrich’s gaze turned complex: "The person behind this knows us well; there must be a traitor within our academy."
A silence fell over the group, understanding the gravity of Eldrich’s words.
The location chosen for their trial had to be close to the places recorded in historical texts to facilitate the restoration of history.
Now, someone having laid down a magic array at their chosen trial site in advance clearly indicated a leak of information.
Eldrich’s hands shimmered with arcanergy, and white dots of light appeared throughout the tunnel, darting forward like fireflies, illuminating the passageway.
Although all of them were grandmasters and darkness posed no issue, humanity naturally yearns for light, and brightening the surroundings was beneficial.
He was familiar with the tunnel and continued forward until reaching the end of the flesh fortress ruins.
This was an open area, roughly the size of a football field.
The darkness here felt almost tangible, thick with an oppressive silence that suffocated the air.
At the center of the area, an ancient and malevolent magic array slowly unfurled its sinister patterns.
At the heart of the magic array was a massive black vortex, seemingly a gateway to another world.
Surrounding the vortex, intricate runes and mysterious totems filled the space, flickering with a ghostly green glow in the darkness, like the eyes of malevolent spirits, emanating an evil aura.
Around the perimeter of the magic array, twelve black stone pillars stood erect, each carved with various horrifying faces filled with pain and despair.
Though silent, the grandmasters could hear endless wails emanating from them.
Between the pillars, iron chains crisscrossed, hanging countless bones that swayed in the wind, producing a sinister sound.
At the edge of the magic array, rings of deep red flames burned, their flickering like the agonized writhing of countless souls.
Beyond the flames lay endless darkness, concealing unknown fears and death.
Within this magic array, time seemed to lose its meaning, everything falling into stillness.
Only the beings drained by the Soul Draining magic struggled within the array, their souls screaming in torment before being ruthlessly consumed, becoming part of the magic array.
This magic array was a symbol of death, an incarnation of evil, feeding on lives and using souls as fuel to maintain the darkness and silence of this cavern.
Eldrich, his expression unchanged, spoke slowly, "Nearly thirty thousand souls were used; imagine how many beings were slaughtered."
The souls swirling within the magic array were not only humans but also included spellbeasts and members of disadvantaged races.
A grandmaster, his face ashen, said, "For some bastards, this continent lacks nothing more than souls."
The territory of Novalia continent is vast, so expansive that it’s said not even a sage could traverse the entire continent within a year.
Scholars estimate the number of beings it hosts could surpass a trillion.
Life, on the Novalia continent, truly counts for little.
Eldrich turned to Lauder, still expressionless, "Take a look, see if you can break it."
Lauder’s forehead beaded with sweat as his fingertips darted through the air, causing ripples atop the magic array without eliciting any response: "I... I can’t do it."
"What if we work together?" Eldrich pressed on.
"It’s still impossible," Lauder gritted his teeth. "This magic array was created by three grandmasters. To break the array, it would require at least six times the arcanergy, which means eighteen grandmasters."
He paused, then added, "And probably, even eighteen grandmasters wouldn’t be enough. The more, the better."
The group fell silent, aware that reaching level 6 in magic arrays represented a qualitative change.
It’s worth noting that the entire Novalia continent has no more than a handful of level 6 arraymancers.
This qualitative change means that once a level 6 array is laid down, the resources required to breach it are substantial.
A level 6 magic array aligns with the cosmos itself; to break it is akin to opposing the natural order, a task so daunting that even a sage would need considerable time.
Level 6 magic arrays are often referred to as "Gods’ Overlooked Treasures."
"Gods," a term that stands unattainably high, yet level 6 magic arrays brush against this realm, their formidable nature beyond the comprehension of outsiders.
Currently, with two grandmasters staying at Frigid Summit Harbor and twelve at Heaven Summit, they were still short by eight.
Eldrich walked around the magic array, then suddenly let out a "hmm" of interest.
He crouched down, focusing intently on a spot on the ground without diverting his gaze.
The grandmasters gathered closely, discerning the anomaly.
These were supposed to be stone pillars, yet one pillar’s arc was made of metal, even reflecting light, which naturally drew attention.
It was adorned with paintings.
The artwork was dominated by dark red hues, casting a somber mood over the onlookers.
The surface of the arc was covered in cracks and marks, clearly having sustained heavy blows.
Among these cracks, traces of dried blood could be seen, now dim and lusterless, yet still emitting a suffocating stench.
The arc was filled with various patterns: fierce dragon heads, sharp claws, pointed fangs, torn wings, and broken tentacles.
These motifs intertwined to form a horrifying tapestry.
This single arc was imbued with an air of savagery and bloodshed.
"Dragon Slaying Pillar?" Leopold exclaimed.
As the dean of the arcanergy college at the Grand Magus Academy, he was well-versed in the various arcanergies existing on the Novalia continent.
Although he was looking at just an arc, he recognized its name.
Eldrich’s expression turned peculiar.
Dragon Slaying Pillar?
This was akin to the dragons’ Achilles heel; touching it would undoubtedly incur the wrath of dragons.
Dragons, known for their vengeful nature, who would dare provoke them now?
His mind raced through various races, suggesting this matter wasn’t targeted solely at the human race academies.
Lauder squinted, musing, "No wonder I felt this level 6 magic array was extraordinary. Though it’s fueled by merely thirty thousand souls, its ferocity far exceeds that. Turns out, it’s aided by fragments of the Dragon Slaying Pillar. The dragon-slaying event caused an uproar across the continent back in the day."
"With countless dragon wraiths, ghosts, and undead on the Dragon Slaying Pillar, this essentially supercharges the Soul Draining with a potent mix. Quite a bold move. Aren’t they afraid of provoking the dragons?"
"This just got interesting," Eldrich remarked, his thumbs tapping against each other.
"Contact the dragons; they have the numbers and will surely be interested in the Dragon Slaying Pillar."
"Understood," Leopold responded.
Eldrich continued, "And get in touch with the other grandmasters, have them quickly head to Heaven Summit."
...
Barlo soared endlessly through the sky, his thoughts lingering on the matters of the Dragon Slaying Field.
The Dragon Slaying Field was not only a taboo for dragons but also pivotal to their future.
Two sage-tier dragons were slain in the Dragon Slaying Field, marking the rise of the Dragon Slayer organization.
This incident made many beings on the continent realize that dragons were not invincible, sparking further covetousness towards them.
After all, every part of a dragon is considered precious; a single drop of essence blood from a grandmaster-tier dragon could fetch a fortune among the races.
The incident was a sensation back then, and now with the Dragon Slaying Field being reopened, Barlo was adamant about not witnessing the resurgence of the Dragon Slayers.
A wave of light rippled before him, transforming into a small mirror.
Leopold’s face appeared in the mirror: "Barlo, fragments of the Dragon Slaying Pillar have been found at Heaven Summit. Come for a discussion."
After speaking, the mirror shattered into pieces.
Barlo paused for a moment, then swiftly changed direction, speeding towards Heaven Summit: "I knew the mastermind behind this couldn’t hide their flaws forever."
