Chapter 429: Chapter 204: The Seeker of the Way

Just as he said, they took their precious time to gather here precisely because the Prophets caused a stir, throwing the Federation into chaos.

“Perhaps you’re right, but if we intervene personally, there’s a high probability that the situation will spiral out of control, just over two thousand years since the Destruction Day of the Ancient Magic Empire!”

“Are you sure if we leave them alone, they won’t trigger a new ‘Destruction Day’?”

“Then what do you suggest we do about it?”

“…”

After a brief debate among the attendees, the Councilman seated in the principal position slightly lifted his eyes and gestured a quieting hand, silencing the echoing voices in the grand hall.

“Enough.”

Scanning the Ninth Rank once again falling silent, as if nothing had happened before, the Councilman softly began

“If we completely ignore the situation, it could indeed worsen. Therefore, summoning everyone here today is precisely to resolve this issue.”

With that, the Councilman in a black robe clapped his hands, and more than a dozen Magic Items, resembling dark gold crowns, immediately appeared before each Ninth Rank.

“And now, please allow me to solemnly introduce this, a growing miracle — the [Mechanical Network]

By contributing just a bit of spiritual power to connect, you will be able to perceive its magic.”

Focusing on the exquisite crown in front of them, several Ninth Ranks, somewhat puzzled, separated a strand of spiritual power to attempt a connection.

“Yes, I’ve heard of this thing, but what’s it good for? A new way to appease the common folk?”

A Ninth Rank whose shadow seemed exceptionally black spoke with a hoarse voice, carrying a strange dual tone as if his body and shadow were speaking in unison.

“No, you mean ‘connect’?”

At this moment, another Ninth Rank who appeared to be female, after carefully perceiving it, voiced her skepticism.

“Correct, that is its most crucial function.”

Without further mystery, the black-robed Councilman nodded, his tone gradually rising.

“It will usher in a brand-new era, my colleagues! A more magnificent era!”

“Perhaps those Low Rank Professionals are not worth mentioning to us, but you all are certainly aware of one thing. When the number exceeds a certain limit, it will lead to a real qualitative change.

And the Mechanical Network can transform them into a single entity!”

“Yes, but what does this have to do with the topic of our meeting?”

At this time, the shadowy Ninth Rank spoke again, his tone somewhat impatient.

“I happened to learn through certain means that the Mechanical Network is also related to a specific Eighth Rank Peak Prophet. Councilman, is my information accurate?”

Another Ninth Rank who had been silent up until now suddenly spoke up, his eyes like a Giant Dragon’s green vertical pupils staring at the Councilman, as if trying to see through his heart.

“Does anyone else have doubts?”

After listening to both questions, the Councilman nodded and instead of answering immediately, he looked around the room again.

No one spoke up again; the two previous questions were precisely what they all wanted to know.

“…So, concerning these two questions, I will now provide answers to you all.”

Seeing this, the black-robed Councilman nodded again, and then slowly rose to his feet.

“First, I will answer the second question. Behind the Mechanical Network is indeed a connection to an Eighth Rank Peak Prophet.”

This statement had a shock effect; the numerous Ninth Ranks immediately burst into an uproar, their eyes on the Councilman heavy with skepticism, waiting for him to explain.

“Next, the first question: the relationship between the Mechanical Network and our meeting. In fact, the answer to this question is closely related to the previous one.”

Regardless of the audience’s reaction, and waiting for the volume to reduce, the Councilman spoke again.

“Simply put, to end the current chaotic situation, there’s not just the solution of oppression; we could also allow a new Ninth Rank Prophet to emerge.

Why don’t we seize this opportunity to nurture a Ninth Rank Prophet belonging to our Federation to counterbalance the Stargazer? Otherwise, once the other party recovers from their injuries, wouldn’t they still return to a dominant position?”

As the Councilman’s voice faded, the air in the hall fell into a temporary silence.

Previously, many Ninth Ranks were actually avoiding this issue, intentionally or unintentionally.

It wasn’t that no one had thought of this; as Ninth Ranks, it was impossible for them not to deal with these High Rank Prophets. However, the crux of the matter was the choice of whom to support.

With many Prophets close to the Ninth Ranks holding different views, why should they support the person mentioned by the Councilman? And what made that person worthy of their support?

Fully aware of the dilemma, the Councilman with black eyes scanned the room, taking in everyone’s varied expressions, and then suddenly changed the topic, his tone growing deeper.

“Since I brought this up at the meeting, I naturally won’t make things difficult for you all for no reason.”

“Do you wish to take a step further?”

A single stone raises a thousand ripples!

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the many Ninth Ranks suddenly became serious.

“Has someone found a way to go further?”

A Ninth Rank spoke up, raising the question that was on everyone’s mind.

Indeed, if this were true, they would no longer feel any difficulty in supporting that person.

“Do you all remember the mysterious ruins of Sky City that fell from the Outer Domain last year?”

The black-robed Councilman spoke indifferently, not directly answering but instead casually mentioning another matter.

“Are you referring to the Prophecy that ‘the ruins hide a secret that surpasses the Ninth Rank Limit’? But to this day, we still don’t know what that Prophecy actually means.”

Black Wing furrowed his brows, somewhat puzzled.

“Once, I couldn’t understand either, but when Sky City exploded before my eyes like fireworks, when I saw that splendid and shining light rush towards the distant Sky Peak Barrier, I suddenly understood the true answer to the Prophecy.”

With his hands slowly spreading apart and his gaze fixed on those present, the Councilman’s voice suddenly became impassioned.

“That is the secret of the Prophecy, the key to breaking through the Ninth Rank Limit, it lies beyond the Sky Peak Barrier!

This world… it’s missing certain things. Without them, we cannot take the next step forward!”

As the Councilman’s words came to an end, the room fell into prolonged silence once again. This answer left many Ninth Ranks feeling somewhat confused and somewhat caught off guard.

“But thus far, we have no means to break through the obstacles of the Sky Peak Barrier.”

After a pause, a Ninth Rank with a body as large as a small Giant spoke up, his voice resounding in the room like a muffled thunder.

“Such an answer is no different from saying nothing at all.”

Looking around the circle of Ninth Ranks who were somewhat skeptical, the Councilman shook his head and sighed.

“I have a question for everyone present. Were we, the Human Race, born with the strength of Ninth Rank?”

“We weren’t born with the Winged Race’s natural ability to fly, nor the Elves’ magic Talent, nor the innate mid-to-high Rank strength of the Magic Beasts at birth.

“So in the beginning of history, how did our extremely weak ancestors find a way to make us stand at the peak of the Continent, step by step?”

As he spoke, he raised his right hand, and a humanoid silhouette emerged in mid-air. Under the simulation of Magic Power, the structure of the Spirit Sea within the silhouette advanced, depicting the process of a Professional growing from weak to strong.

From Apprentice breaking through to Official Professional, breaking through Fourth Rank, breaking through Seventh Rank, until finally breaking through Ninth Rank.

What’s special, however, was each breakthrough of the silhouette was very crude, leaving many imperfections.

“Without any prior Experience, how did the first-ever Ninth Rank of human history, Sealing Barrier Fergus Brandon, break through Ninth Rank? Did someone tell him how to break through Ninth Rank?”

Scanning the varied expressions of those present, the black-robed Councilman waved his hand to dissipate the projection in the air.

“Now, an unbroken bottleneck has appeared again. The hardships our predecessors faced confront us now.

However, the existence of this bottleneck has expanded from our individual selves to encompass our entire Human Race civilization!”

“So now, are you prepared to back down?”