35: 33rd Chapter Hexagram: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Void, Self_2 35: 33rd Chapter Hexagram: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Void, Self_2 Under Hefei’s instructions, Wayne opened the magic book.
The first page featured a hexagram pattern made of six straight lines, with two triangles not merely overlaid but interlaced to form a complete whole.
“Black Forge Hexagram, Silver Crucifix Star, Golden Triangle Star, you don’t need to worry about the last two for now.
Master the Hexagram first.
Once you’ve lit up the Hexagram, you can access a higher realm.”
Sitting across from Wayne, Hefei pointed at the Hexagram and said, “You must remember what I’m about to say next.
The Hexagram represents Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Aether…
“Earth, the foundation of life, symbolizes the muscles, bones, and organs of the human body.”
“In nature, Earth is the very ground, from which all life, you, me, and everything else originates.
Earth is the foundation and also the utmost importance in the harmony of the Hexagram system.”
“You can learn to converse with the Earth by making contact with nature, thereby introducing more of the Earth Element into your body…”
Hefei’s words seemed to be imbued with magic power, conjuring a vision of nature’s vastness before Wayne’s eyes.
He roamed through mountains and fields barefoot, constantly in touch with the Earth, gaining its wisdom and memories.
“Fire, the energy of life, represents human desires.”
“Human desires are endless.
The life energy within you is already sufficient, so mages do not need to draw the Fire Element from nature.
What we have to do is learn to balance and even suppress desires.”
“The fire of anger, greed, lust, sloth, pride…
We have far too many desires.
A mage who cannot maintain tranquility will have the other five rays of the Hexagram devoured by flame, corrupting your magic power and throwing your thoughts into disarray.”
“At the same time, if tranquility reaches an extreme point, a mage will lose their desire and, with it, the energy to move forward in life.
Maintain balance, confront yourself…”
As Hefei spoke, Wayne found himself amidst a sea of flames and molten lava, the intense heat warping his thoughts while also tempering his will.
“Water, the spring of life, represents the blood and fluids in the body, keeping our minds clear and balancing our desires.”
“The Water Element is tranquil, gentle, and most importantly, pure.
Bathing in water, you will experience the greatest balance in this world.
It makes us appreciate the value of life and understand that desire is not the ultimate pursuit.
Life is above all else…”
“Water will help you extinguish flames but remember, flames must not be completely snuffed out!”
Wayne swam through the blue ocean, feeling as if he himself had become a vessel containing water.
Both achieved a certain balance, with his mind remaining absolutely clear in this moment, the burning flames dispersed, no longer ruled by desire.
“Wind, the breath of life, can be understood as the breathing you do every moment.”
“The Wind Element may not seem prominent in nature, yet it is the most dynamic element, affected by the other three while also changing them…”
“Your breath changes with the state of your flesh and desires, and this determines your physical condition.
If your flesh and desires decay, your breathing will become sluggish.”
“On the other hand, if you can keep the Wind Element within you forever vibrant, it can, in turn, influence your flesh and desires, slowing decay or even eradicating it.
An exceptional mage, by maintaining the vitality of the Wind Element, can forever preserve their youth.”
“It is the breath of life, the vitality!”
Wayne felt the rhythm of his breathing, exchanging with nature, cycling through external and internal cleanliness and filth, keeping his body strong and healthy.
“Aether, both energy and matter, knowledge as well as the objective laws that exist.”
“The previous four are the basic elements of life, but Aether is above the Four Elements, the hardest to grasp within the Hexagram system, existing outside of nature, referred to as the universe, also known as Ether.”
“The energy of the Four Elements is finite; the space of Aether is infinite, possessing immense wisdom.
Contact with Aether will guide and gradually amplify your thoughts, your wisdom, and even your magic power.”
“Aether is closely linked with the Four Elements, which constitute your life, and also determine how much wisdom you gain in contact with Aether.”
“To put it simply, Aether is knowledge.
With knowledge comes magic.
Communicate your life with Aether, and your magic will bloom in miraculous ways to transform reality.”
This time, Wayne was surrounded by a vast expanse of white.
He looked up, seemingly at an endless starry sky, where the multitude of stars represented the universe’s highest wisdom, with all knowledge and truth residing there.
“I, ego, thought, faith, a Mage’s lifelong pursuit.”
“We harness Magic Power with thought, drive Magic with Magic Power, and use Magic to change reality.
Thought is based on perception yet transcends the limits of perception, involving all cognitive or intellectual activities.
Without thought, we are nothing.”
“In the process of learning knowledge, our thinking will be strongly impacted.
To ensure rational thinking, we must constrain ourselves with faith and seek higher wisdom under the divine protection of the gods.”
Before Wayne’s eyes, a mirror appeared.
Reflected in it was his bewildered gaze and a sickly pallor spread across his skin.
The complexion of a dead man!
Suddenly, the sunburn mark on his chest cracked open, a huge eyeball opened, corrupting his flesh, turning him into an indescribable creature made of only tendrils and eyeballs, oozing throughout.
At that moment, a beam of green light shone down, dispelling Wayne’s evil guise and transforming him back into human form.
The green light was holy and natural; amidst its glow, Wayne vaguely saw the graceful silhouette of an elegant figure.
Teacher, this is a lot of personal input.
Did you improvise too much?
“The basis of the Hexagram is the Four Elements, the foundational bedrock that every Mage must solidify.
Master the Four Elements, and you can perform the corresponding Magic, but for Magic related to faith, Divine Arts, a heart filled with devotion is needed.”
Hefei, the teacher, had clearly added her own flair, and she spared no effort to make Wayne feel the greatness of the Nature Goddess and to embrace the Nature Goddess, painting illusions with words and consuming a considerable amount of Magic Power.
These illusions allowed Wayne to have a direct experience of the Four Elements, emptiness, and self, an extremely skillful method of guidance, akin to enlightenment, teaching Wayne how to sense and balance the Four Elements, and to understand emptiness and self.
This is the advantage of having a masterful teacher.
Left to a night school, Wayne would have had to spend at least an extra year.
“The Four Elements have strengths and weaknesses, depending on your talent.
Some people are born with an intense drive, representing Fire; some are born calm and tranquil, leaning towards Water; others excel as athletes from birth, symbolizing Earth; those who maintain youth and longevity represent Wind…”
“Conversely, the greedy are Fire, the cold-hearted are Water, the weak are Earth, and the aged are Wind!”
“You needn’t pursue a perfect balance of the Four Elements; such a genius is definitely a monster.
What you need to do is to master the Four Elements, combine them with the knowledge you have learned, and use your thinking to shape the Hexagram.”
Hefei raised her hand and pointed at Wayne’s chest, where the pattern of the Hexagram emerged faintly: “Once this Hexagram is complete, you will be a qualified Mage, and your Magic Power will see a tremendous enhancement.
Later, I will tell you what the Silver Crucifix Star and the Golden Triangle Star represent.
Do not be impatient; the journey is still long.”
Wayne was thoroughly convinced.
He had not chosen the wrong teacher, she truly had substance.
Suddenly, he remembered something, “Uh, teacher, I have a faith now, the Moonlight Goddess, I promised…”
“Have you registered?”
“Then you are not a follower of the Moonlight Goddess.
From now on, follow the steps of the Nature Goddess with your sister.”
So casual, are you a Mage of the Liberty Alliance?