Chapter 13

What is emptiness?

According to Ayn Rand, or written explanation, void is a pure and unreasonable spiritual world that exists because it does not exist and is completely composed of information and emotion.

In the void, there is no time, space or real life, but it is completely integrated and overlapped with the world - just as inseparable as people and their own shadow.

This explanation sounds mysterious to Loren, as if it was written specifically to prevent others from understanding. Even if the little wizard in front of him had explained it in a way he could understand, he was still confused.

However, he felt that the statement about the void was somewhat similar to the "agnosticism" of his previous life - that is, even the person who wrote this book did not really understand what form the void existed in. He just wrote down what he saw and speculated.

But one thing, both in the book and the little wizard, is very clear - for the wizard, meditation is the only way to enter the void and the safest way.

"But I remember clearly that under the church cellar, you said it had been completely eroded by the void." Loren asked, "did we 'enter the void' that time?"

"Not exactly. And as I said, it's dangerous!" ain shook his head. "We use meditation, but we don't want to directly contact the power of the void."

Meditation is dreaming - after people in this world fall asleep, their spirit can peep into the void, and deeper dreams can go further. According to this, the Wizards have found a safer and more professional way bit by bit.

"The word meditation originates from ancient times. It is derived from the two meanings of 'mind' and 'traction'. This word itself also explains the meaning of meditation and leads the mind to the void."

At this point, Loren understood something. Just as a coin has both sides, the world is also divided into two levels of spirit and material, and it is binary.

It is because the two levels overlap each other that the world is eroded by the void - distorted cellars, mutant monsters, and even magic are all caused by the influence of the void.

"... for the living creatures in this world, spirit and material are two completely divided parts. Needless to say, even a little touch will melt like soil falling into water..."

Loren suddenly remembered what the guy named Asriel said. If it was true, it could explain his doubt. That's why ayin was so surprised to find himself safe.

But in this way, Loren has a new question: the self with the complete combination of spirit and material should be unique in this world. What does this mean? I'm afraid it's not just like what it shows now.

But should I really believe him? Indeed, the other party is almost equivalent to saving his own life, but Loren's natural suspicion still makes him suspicious of Asriel, especially the other party's creepy smile, as if everything on himself was revealed in front of him

All kinds of ideas piled up in his mind, which made Lauren spend half a day slowly calming down - so distant things are not what he should consider now. The most practical thing at present is to start from the foundation.

"Sorry, meditation and emptiness are basically the knowledge of mystics. I mainly focus on alchemy. I don't need to understand these, so I can only read them from the book." seeing the little wizard who was lost in thought, he said with a little embarrassment: "but if you're going to study alchemy, I do..."

"Thank you, but I don't need it." Lauren smiled and shook his head, but didn't want to disappoint the little wizard who trusted him so much. "But if I can, I'd like to try meditation."

"That's ok..." ayin could still see some loss in his expression, but he took the initiative to help Loren: "my first meditation was helped by Isaac, so I still remember how he did it."

"Empty your mind, don't have superfluous thoughts, and then relax as much as possible - the whole process is like a trip. You will fall into the sea of your own memory. When you wake up again, you will step into the void."

With a faint expectation, Loren closed his eyes and breathed slowly to relax his body. I just vaguely noticed that my forehead was lightly touched, like the ripples on the water, and the originally sober spirit was empty in an instant.

It's gray.

This feeling is really special. Loren feels that he can "see" things around him, but he can't see himself, as if he had a "God's perspective". Everything around seems to have lost color, monotony, blank, nothingness

For the first time in his life, Loren didn't know how to describe his experience. He seemed to fall from the fresh world into a book with white background and black frame - for example, it was like a chair made of wood and nailed with nails, which suddenly became a "word" composed of several letters and symbols!

This surprise and joy even made Lauren's consciousness fluctuate a little, so that he had to restrain his excessive excitement. Like a child looking at his new toy, he carefully observed the world that was completely beyond his concept.

According to the book "stepping into meditation", I am not really entering the void, but just "wandering in my mind" in the process of building my own spiritual palace.

This is the only way for all wizards - after all, meditation is only a means of meditation and recovery, not risking entering the void every time. The spiritual palace is the product of such a compromise.

Strengthen self memory, control and cognition of emptiness, spiritual sensitivity, and what Loren is most curious and concerned about at present - any wizard who wants to use magic must be built and improved in his own spiritual palace.

It's really getting more and more interesting... At first, Loren thought that the spiritual palace was a memory means similar to the thinking palace, but it seems that it is not limited to this. I must design and construct it myself in order to make it perfect, not just store my memory.

The bricks and stones that build this "Palace" are the power of emptiness. As for now, my palace basically has no foundation, and there is a construction site

The spirit and consciousness are like passing through the surging torrent. They trace back from the spiritual palace to their own body. The original nothingness of the world has color again, the lost focus gradually returns to normal, and slowly open their eyes.

Sure enough... Even if you recover your consciousness, you are still not disconnected from the spiritual palace in your mind, and you can still clearly feel its existence. The corners of Loren's mouth rose slightly, and the joy in his pupils flashed by.

But when he glanced slightly, it was dark outside the window, and Loren almost blurted out, "how long has it been

"It's been a whole day." the little wizard who was still sitting there yawned and his eyes were tired: "it's all right. It's your first meditation. It's normal not to notice the time."

"Let's do it today. Mentor Dalton will officially start teaching you some basics tomorrow." after yawning, Ayn Rand stretched and stood up: "if you need help, my room is next door. Remember to knock if you need help."

"I will." Lauren smiled and watched the little wizard leave until the door was closed again, the darkness returned to the room, and the smile on his face turned into excitement and ecstasy again.

"If the void is the abyss, magic is evil..." Lauren said to himself, taking advantage of the moonlight outside the window.

"Then I have fallen beyond measure now!"