Chapter 22: Spring Departs, Autumn Arrives (Part 1)
In truth, whether it was earth magic or any other school of magic, each had its own unique effects. And Delin Cowart, as a Saint-level earth magus, naturally held his own school in the highest regard. Linley, only eight years old, found his heart surging with excitement at Delin Cowart’s words.
“Grandpa Delin, please test me quickly. Let me see if I have the talent to become an earth magus.” Linley was now extremely impatient.
Delin Cowart chuckled. “Alright, I’ll test you right away.”
“First, let me tell you, a magus’s talent is mainly divided into two aspects, so my test will also be conducted in two stages.” Delin Cowart was feeling quite spirited at this moment. Having been lonely for over five thousand years within the Coiling Dragon Ring, he was naturally delighted to have an adorable child to teach now.
“Magical talent is divided into two aspects: the strength of one’s affinity with the elemental energy of heaven and earth, and the level of one’s spiritual energy.” Delin Cowart began his preliminary education in magic.
“What use are these two aspects?” Linley asked, puzzled.
Delin Cowart guided him step by step. “Linley, before asking that, let me ask you this: what does a magus need to rely on to cast a spell?”
“Magic incantations!” Linley immediately replied.
Linley had seen the mysterious magus on the back of the swift dragon cast spells, always muttering incantations under his breath first.
“Wrong.”
“But I saw the magus cast spells, and he had to chant incantations.” Linley immediately retorted.
Delin Cowart stroked his white beard and said proudly, “For a magus to cast a spell, the most important things are the ‘magical power’ within the body and the ‘spiritual energy.’ If the spiritual energy is strong enough, one can even achieve instantaneous casting without needing to chant incantations. Magic incantations are merely a supplementary aid.”
“Oh? Instantaneous casting?” Linley looked at Delin Cowart with confusion. At this moment, Linley felt as though a vast magical world was gradually unfolding before his eyes, though it was still very blurry. And Delin Cowart was slowly pulling back the mysterious veil of that magical world.
Delin Cowart smiled and nodded. “Yes. To cast a spell, you first need to supply enough magical power from within your body. Then, using spiritual energy, you control that ‘magical power’ to attract more elemental energy from heaven and earth, forming the spell!”
“Elemental energy from heaven and earth?” Linley was surprised. “Grandpa Delin, to cast a spell, do you need to absorb elemental energy from the outside?”
“Haha, of course. Linley, do you think a massive spell can rely solely on the magical power within your body? Impossible. For example, with a forbidden spell, the magical power within a Saint-level magus’s body accounts for only one percent; the other ninety-nine percent comes from the elemental energy of heaven and earth.”
“Let me put it this way… the magical power within your body is actually the refined and purified ‘elemental energy of heaven and earth.’ Magical power can be called the ‘general,’ while the elemental energy is the foot soldiers. The magus guides the magical power out from within and then controls more elemental energy to form a spell of astonishing power. Do you understand?” Delin Cowart smiled as he looked at Linley.
Linley couldn’t help but frown.
“Oh… I understand.” Linley nodded with a smile. “The ‘magical power’ inside a magus is like Uncle Hillman, and the elemental energy is like a group of us kids. Uncle Hillman alone can lead a group of us in training. He can also lead us in attacks and battles!”
Delin Cowart smiled and nodded. “Yes. So the ‘magical power’ within a magus is very important. If the amount of magical power is insufficient, you won’t be able to cast a spell.”
Linley nodded as well.
“Compared to magical power, spiritual energy is even more important.” Delin Cowart said with a smile. “Now you know that spiritual energy is essentially ‘soul power,’ a kind of controlling ability!”
“Linley, tell me, if you have a large amount of magical power attracting even more elemental energy—so much energy—and you lack spiritual energy to control it… what would happen?” Delin Cowart stroked his white beard and looked calmly at Linley.
Linley furrowed his brow in thought.
“Grandpa Delin.” Linley pondered and then said with a frown, “I’ve read some military strategy books that say… to defeat the enemy, first capture their leader. For example, with bandits, if you kill the bandit chief, the bandit army will scatter and flee on its own. Spiritual energy is like the bandit chief’s ‘control’ over his subordinates. Without spiritual energy to control the massive magical power and elemental energy, these energies would run wild.”
Delin Cowart laughed.
“Haha, Linley, you’re really clever.” Delin Cowart beamed with joy.
“Yes. A large amount of magical power and elemental energy, controlled by ‘spiritual energy,’ ultimately forms a spell! Sometimes, to cast a very powerful spell, the demands on spiritual energy are too high. That’s when ‘magic incantations’ are needed as an aid.” Delin Cowart said with a smile.
Linley felt that the basic principles of vast magic had suddenly become crystal clear.
Delin Cowart smiled at Linley and continued, “Of course, those are just the basic principles. The real magical world is far more complex than you can imagine! How to use magical power and elemental energy to form a ‘spell’—that is the most important thing!”
“What use is it to have magical power but not know how to cast a ‘spell’?” Delin Cowart sighed deeply. “The magical world is an extremely intricate world. Magical research is also very difficult and dangerous. However, nations compete, and countless magi are constantly researching new types of spells.”
“In fact, all nations are researching how to arrange magical power and elemental energy differently to form different spells! But magical experiments are dangerous, and the more destructive the spell, the harder it is to test. Sometimes, it can bring disaster to one’s own side.”
Delin Cowart said with a faint smile, “And generally, in magic academies, you can only learn spells from the first to the sixth rank. Spells of the seventh, eighth, ninth, and even Saint-level are kept confidential. Unless you join a certain country, you might only then learn some of these spells.”
Linley had read many books and understood this in his heart.
“If no one teaches you? Even if you have plenty of magical power and high spiritual energy… you still can’t cast a single spell!” Delin Cowart said with a faint smile. “The secret of every spell lies mainly in how to control magical power and elemental energy to form the spell.”
“After countless years of research and exploration, magic has formed an almost perfect system.” Delin Cowart stroked his white beard and laughed heartily. “Linley, rest assured. In the future, you won’t have to bow and scrape to some country or some big shot, because… I can teach you spells of the seventh, eighth, ninth, and even Saint-level.”
Linley took a deep breath.
He felt that he had stepped onto a new path.
Under Grandpa Delin’s guidance, he no longer needed to follow the path of a warrior but instead could walk the more mysterious and more powerful path of a magus.
“Come, now let me first test your elemental affinity. Sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and enter a meditative state.” Delin Cowart said softly.
“Meditative state?” Linley felt his heartbeat quicken at this moment.
What exactly was his talent like?
“Don’t worry. You just need to focus on sensing. Whatever you feel, tell me then.” Delin Cowart gave Linley an encouraging smile. Linley immediately closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind.
“Don’t be nervous. Just do as I say.” Delin Cowart said gently.
…
Meditation is the foundation of a magus. Whether it’s absorbing elemental energy from heaven and earth to refine it into ‘magical power’ or improving spiritual energy, both require meditation. The first meditation is relatively difficult and dangerous. Of course, with the assistance of the Saint-level earth magus Delin Cowart, Linley found it relatively easy.
For the first time, after about half an hour of guidance, Linley finally entered a meditative state.
Delin Cowart looked at Linley, who had entered meditation, smiled faintly, and then waved his hand.
Instantly—
A large amount of earth elemental energy began to gather around Linley. Under normal circumstances, the density of earth elemental energy in a given place was roughly the same. But now, Delin Cowart, relying on his formidable spiritual energy, made the earth elemental energy around Linley nearly a hundred times denser.
“If he can’t sense the earth elemental energy under these conditions, then there’s no hope at all.” Delin Cowart thought to himself.
A hundred times denser—even an ordinary person could sense it.
At this moment, Linley, fully immersed in his meditative state, felt extremely joyful and excited. He had never known… that there were so many wondrous things around him. Countless earth-yellow specks of light floated all around, densely packed, shockingly numerous.