The rising sun's beams of light illuminate the Ivory Royal Institute, and brought warmth to biting cold air. The season in this region was autumn. Yellow leaves drifted to the ground and covered the earth as they dry. Frigid wind swept across the campuses and brought people closer together to share in the warmth. On the legacy campus, Princess Jasmine and Yang Yang walked out of their mansion. 

 

They no longer wore the robes of senior students, but rather their new, legacy student robes. Princess Jasmine's robe was still black, but it was decorated in purple-colored ribbons and silver ornaments. The robe enhanced the aura of majesty around her like the dress she wore on her sixteenth birthday. 

 

In contrast, Yang Yang wore a white robe that was decorated in green lotus designs and imagery of trees with golden leaves. His appearance blended well with the surrounding auras of knowledge and nobility. He was like a young genius from a noble family. Combined with his aura of life, he looked very much like the ideal scholar. 

 

Both of them were divine, and together, they create the perfect image of a couple. However, on their faces were dejected expressions. 

 

"Your highness, you really need to control your impulses." 

 

"Yeah. My bad." 

 

"Let's take a look at the Hall of Merit and Virtue." They activated their medallions and teleported to the Hall of Merit and Virtue. Once inside, they were automatically seated in a special room for legacy students. Beside them was window with the scenery of the Hall of Merit and Virtue. 

 

In the Hall of Merit and Virtue, hundreds of disciples were walking in and out at every moment to take on missions for silver-merits. The hall was separated into five levels. The first level corresponded to junior students, the second levels corresponded to senior students, and so on until the fifth level which were special missions that elders in the royal institute could take on. 

 

Everything from the first to third levels were visible to the public eye, but the fourth and fifth level were concealed. Yang Yang and Princess Jasmine were legacy students so they look below at the other students, but they can not see other legacy students or elders at the fifth level from where they are. 

 

"I wonder if an elder is looking at us right now?" Yang Yang thought. 

 

"Yang Yang, look!" Like the War Trial Pagoda, a catalog listed the missions that legacy students can take. They also had access to the first three levels of mission; though, those missions rewarded very little silver-merits when the average legacy student usually spend millions of silver-merits every year. 

 

Legacy students would take on Level 4 missions, which corresponded to their abilities, power level, and need for silver-merits. All Level 4 mission rewarded at least a million silver-merits; on the catalog were hundreds of Level 4 missions. 

 

These Level 4 missions were labeled in silver, but occassional there would be a golden-labeled mission. Yang Yang and Princess Jasmine were stunned to see that those golden-labeled missions actually rewarded a golden-merit. However, as soon as it appeared, it disappeared just as quickly. 

 

“Your highness, forget about those golden missions. It’s best if we focus on the other missions below Level 4.” So they did, and looked through the Level 3 missions, usually assigned to elite students. Elite students were Virtual Aspect magi while legacy students were Manifest Aspect magi. All Level 3 missions were something that usually only Virtual Aspect magi could accomplish. 

 

As they move to the Level 3 category, they notice a multicolored-labeled mission on the very top; it was even accessible to senior and junior students. “A raid mission?” 

 

“Demons have been spotted in the north of the Wu Province. They were reported to have eaten and pillaged thousands of villagers. The House of Wu had terminated the leaders of the demons, but thousands of lesser demons had escaped in the conflict. Join the youth of the House of Wu in terminated the remaining demons. Reward: 1000 silver-merits per demon heart and possible additional rewards from the House of Wu. The raid mission will start in one month.” 

 

Yang Yang and Princess Jasmine looked at each other and nodded; though, Yang Yang cringed inside when he saw the label "demon." They joined the raid mission. 

 

After picking the raid mission, Princess Jasmine went back to the mansion and slept while Yang Yang went and bought resources for his own cultivation. He spent over a hundred-thousand silver-merits in cultivation and crafting items. 

 

He sat down on a mat and and organized dozens of Blessed Life and Life Drain spell circles into spell formations. The resources he bought were quickly fading into life force that flowed into him. He was fully prepared to become a Virtual Aspect magus. 

 

The Virtual Aspect and Manifest Aspect levels were dependent on the cultivation of the magic aspect, which was the unique form of a magus' soul and psyche. At the virtual level, the magic aspect would be illusory and can only be used as an out-of-body incarnation that couldn't touch anything physical. At the manifest level, the magic aspect would become corporal and be used as a second incarnation that could interact with the physical world.

 

These two levels cultivated the magic aspect were so distinct in their power and purpose that they were actually separated. In fact, from what Yang Yang knew in his previous life, the magic aspect was sometimes referred to as the nascent soul. 

 

Eighth-step Marker. 

 

Ninth-step Marker. 

 

Tenth-step Marker. 

 

Peak of tenth-step Marker. 

 

Half-step Virtual Aspect. 

 

The faint image of an angel of life appeared behind him. It hovered in the air with wings that covered its curled body. At this point, Yang Yang was at a crucial part that only separated him from condensing the magic aspect. He slowly went into his soul and took out a tiny, tiny sliver of it. He then transferred it to the faint magic aspect. 

 

Rumbling sounds exploded forth from the magic aspect as it unfurled its wings and release a mighty bellow. It echoed across the mansion and even triggered the spell formations that blocked the sounds. 

 

The magical power in the air distorted and flowed ceaselessly into the magic aspect. The magic aspect grew more clear until it almost looked as though it was real. 

 

He was now a Virtual Aspect magi, and unlocked even more features and spells from his Life Essence Grimoire.

 

Yang Yang looked at the magic aspect and nodded. It was an angel of life with a green laurel wreath on its head and a pair of white wings on its back. Its appearance looked just like his with black hair and green eyes. Yet, to him, this magic aspect was still incomplete. 

 

"Now then, it's time for the second phase." Yang Yang took out the nine pieces of Lifegold Godwood. A tiny flame appeared on the tip of his right index finger. He was prepared to make his personal weapon.