"Having magical power but not knowing how to cast 'magic'—what's the use?" Delin Kevote sighed deeply. "The world of magic is extraordinarily complex, and magical research is both arduous and perilous. Yet nations compete, and countless mages persist in developing new spells."
"Indeed, all nations research how different arrangements of magical power and elemental energies can form distinct spells. However, magical experimentation is dangerous. The more destructive the magic, the harder it becomes to test—sometimes bringing catastrophe upon the experimenters themselves."
Delin Kevote smiled faintly. "Typically, magic academies only teach spells up to the sixth tier. Seventh, eighth, ninth-tier, and even Saint-level magics remain closely guarded secrets. You'd have to pledge allegiance to a nation to learn such advanced magic."
Linley, well-read through numerous tomes, understood this truth in his heart.
"Without proper instruction, even with boundless magical power and supreme mental strength... you couldn't cast a single spell!" Delin Kevote remarked with a knowing smile. "The essence of every spell lies in controlling magical power and elemental forces to manifest magic."
"Through millennia of research and exploration, magic has evolved into an almost flawless system." Delin Kevote stroked his white beard, laughing heartily. "Linley, rest assured—you'll never need to grovel before nations or powerful figures. For I shall teach you seventh, eighth, ninth-tier, and even Saint-level magics."
Linley drew a deep breath.
He felt himself stepping onto an entirely new path.
Under Grandpa Delin's guidance, he need no longer follow the warrior's road, but could instead walk the more mysterious and mightier path of magic."Come, now I will first test your elemental affinity. Sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and enter a meditative state," Delin Kevott said softly.
"Meditative state?" At this moment, Linley felt his heartbeat quicken.
How would his innate talent truly measure up?
"Don't worry. You simply need to focus on sensing. Tell me whatever you perceive later," Delin Kevott encouraged Linley with a smile. Linley immediately closed his eyes, striving to calm his mind.
"No need for anxiety. Just follow my instructions," Delin Kevott murmured gently.
...
Meditation formed the foundation for mages. Whether absorbing elemental energies to refine into 'magic power' or enhancing spiritual strength, all required meditation. The first meditation proved challenging and perilous, though with the assistance of Saint-level Archmage Delin Kevott, Linley managed it relatively smoothly.
After approximately half an hour of guided induction during this initial attempt, Linley finally entered the meditative state.
Observing the now-meditating Linley, Delin Kevott smiled faintly and casually waved his hand.
Instantly—
Dense clusters of earth elements began gathering around Linley. Normally, earth element density remained relatively uniform in any given area. But now, through his formidable spiritual power, Delin Kevott had concentrated earth elements around Linley to become nearly a hundred times denser.
"If he still can't sense earth elements under these conditions, there would remain no hope whatsoever," Delin Kevott thought inwardly.
Even ordinary individuals could perceive elements at hundredfold concentration.
Within the depths of meditation, Linley experienced unprecedented exhilaration. He'd never imagined... his surroundings contained such marvelous entities - countless yellowish-brown light points floated densely around him, their numbers astonishing."Linley, can you feel it?" Dellingcott's voice gently sounded in Linley's mind.
"Grandpa Delling, I can feel it. So many yellowish-brown light dots, so many... There are too many, densely packed, tens of thousands. Over a hundred yellowish-brown light dots are floating just on the back of my hand. It's unbelievable." Linley sensed the numerous yellowish-brown light dots surrounding him, his heart overflowing with joy.
Hearing this news, Dellingcott was ecstatic.
"Excellent. Now, slowly follow my instructions. Clear your mind completely, stay calm..." Dellingcott spoke as if performing hypnosis. Soon, Linley emerged from his meditative state. Simultaneously, Dellingcott relinquished his control over the earth elements, causing the surrounding density of earth elemental particles to return to normal.
Emerging from meditation, Linley felt spiritually refreshed, completely different from before. Even in his awakened state, he could vaguely sense the fluctuations of earth elements around him, though not as clearly as during meditation.
"Grandpa Delling, I can still sense the vibrations of those yellowish-brown light dots now. Really! Though indistinct, I can vaguely perceive them." Linley's excitement was palpable.
This first step into the world of magic filled Linley with exhilaration.
"What did you say? You can still sense them now?" Dellingcott was astonished. With the earth element density restored to normal levels and Linley no longer meditating... To maintain elemental perception while fully conscious indicated Linley's elemental affinity...
"Grandpa Delling, why aren't you speaking? How is my elemental affinity?" Linley asked worriedly.Linley had no idea whether his current performance was good or bad.
"Very good, extremely good. Your elemental affinity is remarkably high." Delingcott's face was filled with a smile. "From what I know, even among a thousand mages, it would be hard to find one with affinity comparable to yours. Truly."
Linley felt his heart leap, overwhelmed by excitement, unsure how to respond.
"Of course, elemental affinity is only one part. Spiritual force is the most crucial! After all, given enough time, magical power can be cultivated endlessly. It's the limitations of spiritual force that pose the greatest obstacle to a mage's advancement," Delingcott said gravely.
Linley took a deep breath and nodded.
"Now, we test the second criteria: the strength of your spiritual force," Delingcott said solemnly, fixing his gaze on Linley.
Linley understood spiritual force's critical importance.
"Grandpa Deling, what must I do?" Linley asked, steeling himself.
"Nothing at all." Delingcott chuckled.
"Huh…" Linley froze.
"As a spirit bound to the Coiling Dragon Ring, and you being its master, I can directly sense the potency of your spiritual force. No test is needed… I can tell you now!" Delingcott smiled at him.
"Then… how is my spiritual force?" Linley held his breath.
The strength of his spiritual force would decide his fate.
"Your spiritual force is approximately ten times that of an ordinary person your age," Delingcott replied calmly.
Linley's heart swelled with joy. *Ten times*—no small margin.
But Delingcott continued, "Mages are rare—one in ten thousand—precisely because the demands for spiritual force are stringent. The minimum threshold to become a mage is five times the spiritual force of an average peer. Ten times… places you merely at the intermediate level among mages."
Linley's initial excitement instantly deflated."If an ordinary person were to teach you, you'd at best reach the level of a fifth or sixth-grade mage. But... if I become your teacher, that's entirely different." Dellinger Cowart arched his white eyebrows, his eyes brimming with confidence.
Leylin suddenly came to his senses.
Right! Dellinger Cowart was a Saint-level Grand Mage.
"As long as you work hard, Leylin, I'm absolutely confident you'll reach eighth-grade mage status. Whether you can become a ninth-grade mage or even a Saint-level mage will depend on your own comprehension and opportunities." Dellinger Cowart said sternly, "If you don't exert yourself, you might not even reach sixth-grade. Then you'll have no one to blame but yourself."
Having a good mentor was one thing.
What mattered most was personal effort.
"Grandpa Dellinger, don't worry. I won't disappoint you, nor my father, nor the Baruch family." Leylin's mind filled with images of the numerous memorial tablets in the ancestral hall, each bearing records of glorious deeds.
Restore the glory of the Baruch family!
Leylin's chest burned with fervor!
"Good. Starting tomorrow, I'll begin formally instructing you." Dellinger Cowart stared at Leylin, eyes blazing. At this moment, he radiated the confidence befitting a Saint-level Grand Mage once more.
...
From the next day onward, Leylin embarked on an arduous journey of cultivation.
Unable to reveal Dellinger Cowart's existence to his father, Leylin continued warrior training at dawn and dusk. Mornings still required studying politics, religion, etiquette, military strategy, geography, arts, and other subjects under his father's supervision.
Only during afternoons - originally free time - could Leylin sneak to the northeastern "Black Mountain" of town. Hiding in a secluded spot, under Dellinger Cowart's guidance, he voraciously absorbed magical knowledge, diligently studied spells, and meditated to refine his magical energy.
Moreover, every night after dinner, Leylin devoted extensive time to meditation.Every day, Linley only slept for six hours. The rest of his time was devoted to warrior training, knowledge acquisition, magic practice, meditation, and other disciplines. One might assume six hours of sleep was sufficient, but in reality, the exhaustion from daily meditation and mental cultivation far exceeded that of ordinary people. Linley's six hours of sleep each night were deep and dreamless.
His life was full—intensely full.
As days passed in this manner, Linley's progress became evident, even transformative!
Amidst his relentless efforts:
There was the exhilaration of first drawing earth elements into his body, refining them into magical power;
The near-fainting collapse from overexertion during meditation, depleting his mental strength;
The thrill of casting his first genuine earth spell—a modest 20-centimeter "Earth Spike" sprouting from the ground;
...
Through countless trials...
Linley's perseverance and rapid growth earned silent admiration from Delinktavot, the Saint-level Grand Magus of the long-vanished Puang Empire, who had observed him for millennia.
Daily warrior training fortified Linley's physique, while absorbing earth elements and frequent meditation imbued him with a tranquil, steady demeanor. These changes astonished and delighted his father, Hogg, and others like Hillman.
******
Spring passed and autumn arrived, and in the blink of an eye, it was already autumn.
The magical aptitude test and academy enrollment were now just a month away.
In the ancestral hall of the Baruch clan's estate courtyard...
"Done cleaning. Time for magic practice. Yesterday, I finally succeeded in casting 'Earth Tremor'—so satisfying," Linley mused cheerfully as he stepped out of the hall, closing its doors softly behind him.
Walking soundlessly along the moss-coated stone path, his movements were light and assured.This is a strength almost all earth-element mages possess, for the earth itself is their source of power. Thus, they can move without making the slightest sound with their footsteps.
"Hm?" Linley frowned.
His ears twitched slightly as he turned to look toward the direction of an ancient courtyard house in the distance. "A sound?" He immediately began moving stealthily toward it. Linley's steps were extremely light—normally they made almost no noise, but now that he was deliberately suppressing them, there was absolutely no sound at all.
Step by step, he drew closer.
When Linley reached the courtyard gate and peered inside—
"What's that?" His eyes widened suddenly.
A black rat nearly twenty centimeters long was gnawing on a broken stone. Then, with a flicker of movement, the rat reappeared over a dozen meters away near another pile of bluish stones, where it began nibbling again. The creature's fur looked soft, its eyes sparkled mischievously, and its furry tail made it appear utterly adorable.
Strangely, the black rat even stood upright on its hind legs alone, hopping around playfully.
"Such a cute little mouse... and such astonishing speed," Linley thought, still hidden at the courtyard entrance.
Ordinary rats weren't this large and were usually considered pests, but this one radiated charm—especially its eyes, which seemed almost human, as if they could speak. Most striking of all was its speed.
"This speed... even Uncle Hillman, a sixth-ranked warrior, probably couldn't match it. How is this possible?" Linley watched as the adorable black rodent blurred through distances of over ten meters in an instant. It was terrifying.
Doering Cowart materialized from the Coiling Dragon Ring, floating beside Linley. He gazed at the black rat with surprise. "A Shadowmouse... and a juvenile one at that, judging by its size. It's a magical beast—a Shadowmouse.""Shadowmouse, the magical beast 'Shadowmouse'? This big, and still just an infant?" Lin Lei exclaimed in surprise as he turned to look at Derinkewot beside him. Apart from the Bloodiron Bull, Griffon, Velociraptor, Black Dragon, and a few other magical beasts he'd seen recently, this was Lin Lei's first encounter with another magical creature. This adorable mouse... could it truly be a magical beast? A magic-capable creature that could cast spells?"Shadow Mouse magical beast? Grandpa Delingkewot, what's so special about this Shadow Mouse magical beast? And what level is it?" Lin Lei communicated mentally with Delingkewot while gazing at him with eager eyes.
Delingkewot smiled faintly, deliberately coughing twice before slowly transmitting his thoughts: "The Shadow Mouse magical beast can't be simply classified as a specific level because it represents an entire species. Rodent-type magical beasts are mainly divided into two categories: Stone-devouring Rats and Shadow Mice. However, whether Stone-devouring Rats or Shadow Mice, they're both omnivorous - they'll eat anything from stones and bones to meat."
Lin Lei nodded inwardly.
He had just witnessed that black Shadow Mouse gnawing on stones.
"Magical beasts are primarily categorized into nine levels, with first-level being the weakest. Of course, above ninth-level magical beasts exist Saint-level magical beasts!" Delingkewot smiled at Lin Lei. "Lin Lei, the weakest Stone-devouring Rats are gray. First to third-level Stone-devouring Rats are all gray, with only slight variations in shade. When they reach fourth-level, their entire bodies turn silver. At seventh-level, their fur becomes golden! A golden Stone-devouring Rat is at minimum a seventh-level beast, potentially even eighth-level."
"Lin Lei, the Stone-devouring Rats form an exceptionally terrifying group, mainly due to their sheer numbers and razor-sharp teeth - much sharper than Shadow Mice's. When massive swarms of Stone-devouring Rats emerge, even armies of hundreds of thousands couldn't withstand them." Delingkewot sighed, recalling past calamities he'd witnessed.
Stone-devouring Rats weren't as fast as Shadow Mice, but their bodies were steel-hard. The higher their level, the tougher their bodies and sharper their teeth. Though small individually, their collective numbers created overwhelming terror.
"Military weapons can't kill Stone-devouring Rats, yet these creatures can easily devour soldiers alive," Delingkewot lamented.
Lin Lei's mind involuntarily conjured images of endless seas of Stone-devouring Rats surging across mountains and plains like a tidal wave, engulfing armies and stripping soldiers to bones. The mental picture made him shudder.
Utterly terrifying."Among the rodent-type magic beasts, the two great demonic creatures are the Stone-eating Rats and the Shadow Rats. The Stone-eating Rats excel in their incredibly high defense and razor-sharp teeth, while also being extremely numerous. As for the Shadow Rats... their numbers are substantial too, though far fewer than Stone-eating Rats." Doehring Cowart spoke like a living encyclopedia, seemingly omniscient.
"How powerful are the Shadow Rats then?" Linley pressed urgently.
A black Shadow Rat crouched not far away, making Linley particularly eager to understand its capabilities.
"The weakest Stone-eating Rats are Level 1. Shadow Rats are different! The feeblest Shadow Rat is already a Level 3 magic beast, with entirely black fur. When their entire body turns azure, the Shadow Rat reaches the Level 5 realm. When their fur shifts to purple, they become at least Level 7 magic beasts—possibly even Level 8." Doehring Cowart explained with crystalline clarity.
Linley nodded to himself silently. In terms of tiered strength, Shadow Rats clearly matched Stone-eating Rats.
"Grandpa Doehring, based on what you said, Shadow Rats between Levels 3 and 4 should have black fur, only turning azure at Level 5. So this little Shadow Rat is either Level 3 or 4?" Linley inquired, glancing at Doehring Cowart.
"This black Shadow Rat is unusual."
Doehring Cowart furrowed his brow. "Stone-eating Rats are renowned for their sturdy defenses and sharp teeth. Shadow Rats, however, are famed for blinding speed and razor-sharp teeth. Speed... serves as a good indicator of a Shadow Rat's strength."
"It *was* fast—crossing over ten meters in the blink of an eye. But since it's a Shadow Rat, isn't that normal?" Linley vividly recalled the creature's movement.
Doehring Cowart nodded. "Shadow Rats *should* be swift. Yet a Shadow Rat still in its 'infant' stage matching the speed of an adult specimen? That defies normality." A faint smile crept onto Doehring Cowart's face.
"Unusual?" Linley stared intently at Doehring Cowart.Derekote continued, "Indeed. Even at its infant stage, it already possesses the speed of an adult Shadow Mouse at the level four magical beast stage. When it fully matures, it might even reach the level seven Violet Shadow Mouse. I suspect... it's the offspring of a Violet Shadow Mouse."
"Offspring of a Violet Shadow Mouse?" Lin Lei frowned. "But its fur is black."
Derekote chuckled. "Lin Lei, whether Violet Shadow Mouse or Azure Shadow Mouse, all their newborn pups have black fur. The fur color only gradually changes as their strength increases! Fur color symbolizes strength!"
Lin Lei suddenly understood. "So that's how it is."
"Grandpa Derin, according to what you said, the Shadow Mouse's speed is truly astonishing. The speed of this Shadow Mouse before us now feels slightly faster than Uncle Hillman's, yet you claim it's only equivalent to a level four adult Shadow Mouse. A level four magical beast Shadow Mouse already matches the speed of a level six warrior..." At this point, Lin Lei couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Derekote also smiled. "Lin Lei, if it weren't so, how could it be called a Shadow Mouse?"
A Shadow Mouse of equivalent level could instantly outdistance human warriors of the same rank when sprinting.
"Shadow Mice are exceptionally rare magical beasts, especially the 'Violet Shadow Mouse' which reaches at least level seven. Many mages dream of taming a Violet Shadow Mouse, but their speed makes adult specimens nearly impossible to subdue. While Shadow Mouse pups that could become Violet Shadow Mice are easier to tame, encountering a lone Violet Shadow Mouse pup is rarer than once in a millennium." Derekote smiled meaningfully at Lin Lei.
Lin Lei could well imagine the implications.The Purple Shadow Mouse is at minimum a level seven magical beast, meaning it is at least on par with a Velociraptor.
"Linley, the Purple Shadow Mouse is the king among Shadow Mice, capable of commanding large numbers of them. Though Shadow Mice aren't as numerous as Stone-Eating Mice, their population is still vast. The young of Purple Shadow Mice are protected by many adult Shadow Mice during their juvenile years."
Delingkawote glanced at the distant black Shadow Mouse gnawing on a stone.
"For a juvenile to already possess such strength, it's almost certainly the offspring of a Purple Shadow Mouse. It's puzzling how it ended up in your family's estate without any adult Shadow Mice guarding it." Delingkawote remarked with a tone of wonder.
Linley agreed with Delingkawote's assessment.
"Linley." Delingkawote suddenly looked at him with an odd expression, his voice tinged with temptation. "Regardless of why this Purple Shadow Mouse offspring is here, do you wish to tame this young Shadow Mouse? Shadow Mice mature quickly. Even the juvenile of a Purple Shadow Mouse will fully grow within ten years. By then, you'd possess a level seven or even level eight magical beast."
Linley's heart stirred at these words.
Taming a level seven or eight magical beast in adulthood is exceedingly difficult, but far simpler during its juvenile phase.
Success in taming juveniles also depends on the species' growth rate. Some magical beasts mature swiftly, others slowly. For instance, dragons require a millennium to reach adulthood—far beyond a human's lifespan. Shadow Mice, however, belong to the rapidly maturing category.