Chapter Fifty-Nine: Vestalia

As the Azure Veil soared above the city of Pat, Qi Xiao glanced down briefly. It looked no different from when he had left it. That bottle of potion would have to wait until his return; there was no rush, and he had already informed his mentor about it.

Pat was not far from Vistalia. With the speed of the flying carpet, it took less than two hours to reach their destination.

Vistalia—capital of the Leta Federation—was a city of pure magic, renowned for its unique customs and magical ambiance. The world knew Vistalia as the birthplace of the legendary wizard, Celestial Star.

At the city’s heart rose the towering Starlight Spire, reaching up to the clouds. Its pointed tip was designed to mimic the constellations, and at night, the spire would shimmer with lights that resembled starlight, as if the heavens themselves had descended to earth. It was the symbol of the city and the seat of the Wizard Council.

The city’s architecture blended elements reminiscent of Gothic and Baroque styles from Qi Xiao’s previous life—spires and arched doors and windows were everywhere, each building adorned with intricate magical inscriptions.

In Vistalia, magic was not just part of life—it was the city’s very soul. Along the streets, the lamps were floating magical orbs, while shop signs sparkled in every color. The art and decoration brimmed with star motifs and astronomical symbols; both the pavement and the reliefs on the walls typically used the “star” as their theme.

The city’s roads were clearly designed to mimic the curves of celestial orbits, winding through the buildings and guiding wizards through the city’s labyrinthine heart.

On the city’s right at its core stood the Star Abyss Library, with a vast collection devoted to astronomy and stellar magic. It was rumored to house precious tomes authored by Celestial Star himself.

Beside the library was Vistalia Academy, though its members preferred the name Celestial Dome Academy. It was one of the four great wizard academies of the Northern Wizarding World, and in the field of astrology and divination, it even claimed supremacy over all others—including those of the original wizarding world.

The Amethyst Auction was held in Vistalia’s Starlight Hall, a colossal domed structure whose interior glittered with innumerable magical gemstones. The treasures on display shone all the more brilliantly under their glow, dazzling the eye.

It was Qi Xiao’s first time witnessing such a grand and unadulterated city of wizards; he could not help but be awestruck.

As they descended slowly at the city gate, a well-dressed, handsome young man strode briskly toward them. He must have been waiting for quite some time, yet his golden hair was impeccably combed, and his face wore a bright, welcoming smile.

He wore a tailored long coat of deep blue velvet and fine satin, its edges embroidered with silver constellations, and a few silver star-shaped pins adorned his chest. On his hands were white leather gloves, also embroidered with star motifs to match his coat, and his feet were shod in polished black boots, the toes tipped with silver stars. Around his neck hung a delicate silver necklace with a small star-shaped amulet that glimmered faintly with starlight.

With the towering, radiant city walls behind him, Qi Xiao felt almost blinded by the sight, as if he stood beneath the heavens themselves.

“This young man is an old acquaintance... Starcaster Carl Nelson. He seemed quite normal when he was just a wizard... Why does he dress so ostentatiously during his apprenticeship?”

Though Vistalia’s identity was intimately tied to starlight, there was no city-wide fanaticism. Carl’s attire was clearly a personal statement, but here in the City of Starlight, it was hard to find fault with it.

Coming to stand before them, Carl bowed gracefully to Midiel and Qi Xiao, his movements smooth and natural.

“Welcome to Vistalia, honored Master Midiel, and the young Mr. Qi Xiao. I am Carl, one of the guides for this auction, and I shall be your escort through this magnificent City of Starlight.”

His voice was gentle and courteous, his pronunciation in the language of wizards impeccably precise, with a hint of a unique rhythm.

He then turned to Midiel with a private apology. “Forgive me, Master Midiel. Given your status, my teacher should have come to greet you personally. Unfortunately, there have been some recent troubles with the Church... as you may know. He’s been quite occupied, so I was dispatched to receive you instead. My sincerest apologies.”

Midiel simply nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and said no more.

“In that case, please follow me.”

Under Carl’s guidance, the master and apprentice passed through the city gates and entered Vistalia’s streets. Towering buildings lined either side, their style a blend of Gothic and Renaissance, yet with that peculiar twist unique to the wizarding world—spires, arched windows and doors, all adorned with star motifs.

From above, the city had seemed impressive enough, but close up, the details were even more striking. Hoping to establish a rapport with Carl for future interactions, Qi Xiao feigned curiosity and asked, “Mr. Carl, do the star motifs on these buildings have any special meaning? They seem different on each one.”

Carl smiled, a note of pride in his voice. “Ah, you are quite observant, Mr. Qi Xiao. These stars are more than mere decoration. In Vistalia, every building’s star motif reflects its purpose or the magical school of its residents.”

He pointed to a tower engraved with the pattern of the Big Dipper. “That tower, for instance, is marked with the Big Dipper, belonging to our Navigation School, which specializes in the study of celestial phenomena and spatial magic. Of course, our research into spatial magic is still quite basic—hardly worthy of Master Midiel’s attention.”

Next, Carl indicated another building adorned with sun and moon motifs as well as stars. “That is the research institute of our School of Time, where they study the influence of the sun, moon, and stars on the passage of time.”

Qi Xiao nearly asked the question that had long burned in his mind—how sun, moon, and stars functioned in a world that was itself a separate plane of existence. But he held his tongue, recalling Midiel’s earnest warning: to learn such things too soon would do him no good, only foster arrogance.

As Carl continued his explanations, Qi Xiao began to notice other details along the streets: star-shaped paving stones, star-shaped wind chimes hanging from the floating lamps—every element intimately connected to the stars, as if the city itself resonated in harmony with the cosmos.