Sputtering, Molan angrily said "Sister!", before being shut up again in the same way for a second.

"Quiet. You are being rude. Do you want to leave?"

As Sister Xuan said these words with a righteousness that would make one forget that she had also laughed just now, Molan folded her hands with chagrin and said, "No. You know I shouldn't. I'll stay silent."

"Good. King Daneel, spell models are the core treasure of any force on Angaria. They protect them with their lives, as even the simplest of spell models can make a large difference in one's strength. Either the old man was fooled, or he made the entire thing up. The former is unlikely, as he was from the Big 4 himself and would know about things like these. There is no way at all in which such a deal would be proposed. Only the core members of a force are even allowed to peruse them, and even then, only those who have the highest of talent are even able to learn them and use them in battle."

This answer perplexed Daneel. He clearly remembered seeing with his own eyes how the Vice Sect Master of the Withering Leaf Sect had used a spell model to amplify his attacks.

A spell model/spell technique, was, after all, something that he had sought for a long time. Typically, a mage cast spells by connecting to the elementary particles in the air with his mageroot and changing them to his will to achieve the effect needed.

A spell model allowed one to effect even the elementary particles near the ones directly controlled by the mageroot by changing the way in which the connection happened in the first place. In essence, it allowed a mage to amplify the power of each spell by a degree.

His previous master had been able to directly pull and influence the particles near the ones he controlled, resulting in almost double the resulting power behind each spell. As for the Vice Sect Master, he had somehow absorbed the attacks shot towards him and fired them back after making them stronger.

"Then how is the Withering Leaf Sect in possession of a spell model?"

As he voiced this question, Sister Xuan raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh? So you knew of this fact? Molan, this part is useless, so the Matron won't be able to say that I broke the rules."

Seeing Molan think for a bit and nod with a sullen expression on her face while still looking to the side, Sister Xuan dropped another bomb.

"The Withering Leaf Sect was once one of the Big 4. They fell from grace long ago, and almost all of their top treasures were taken away. The only thing they have remaining is a partial spell model, which was stealthily smuggled away by the last Sect Master before their fall."

Without giving pause, she continued to speak.

"King Daneel, the only other thing I can tell you is that those who are part of the Big 4 are forbidden from meddling in the matters of the Central Continent. The only exception are the ones who support the Kingdom of Axelor, but even there, certain limits have been placed. As the Matron said, if you wish to learn the true nature of Magic, you must enter the Big 4. Here is the token that I was asked to give to you."

Holding out a trinket shaped like a 6 pointed star, Sister Xuan waited until Daneel took it into his hand.

Just as he removed his finger due to the feeling of small pain which meant that he had been p.r.i.c.ked by it, Sister Xuan smiled and said, "Here is some free advice. Do not accept trinkets from anyone so easily. That could easily have been one which killed you. Anyway, it is now bound to you, and it will grant you entry to the place on the continent where you can get yourself tested. As the Matron said, you can tell her name to increase the chances of you being selected. Of course, I doubt you will need it because of your potential. The location is the spot where directly East of Lanthanor, where the Roc pierces the Basilisk's eye. I cannot tell you more, but you will know you are there when you see it. Is something wrong?"

Sister Xuan had asked the last question on seeing Daneel drop the trinket he had just taken on the ground.

It was as if something she had said had caused him so much shock that he had unconsciously done so. Yet, she couldn't understand just which part it was.

In Daneel's mind, tumultuous waves were rocking his consciousness as a face and a name sprung up into his vision.

A drunk man who had looked over him like a guardian angel.

A dutiful warrior who had infiltrated the other side at risk of his own life.

And the teacher who claimed to have not taught him much, despite setting an example with his actions that Daneel still followed.

Master Jonah.