Arcane Wisdom

Learning cost money, and learning magic cost even more.

Gagnor had prepared for this, so he asked, "Master Hayes, what are your rates?"

"For private lessons, an introductory lesson costs twenty silver coins per session, with each session lasting one hour." Master Hayes spoke slowly. "At most, I teach ten sessions."

That expensive?!

Gagnor sucked in a breath. The fee for one hour was higher than his monthly wages.

So this was the world of mages...

Seeing his hesitation, Master Hayes said indifferently, "My lessons are somewhat more expensive than those of the other mages in South Sea Town, but I don't like spouting nonsense, and I certainly won't waste your time or money."

Gagnor thought for a moment. "Why can you only take ten lessons?"

Master Hayes said, "Anyone who still hasn't grasped the basics after ten lessons isn't suited to learning magic. This is knowledge that doesn't welcome the mediocre. Only magic teachers who think all day about collecting more tuition will keep talking about effort, making you invest endless time with no returns."

In the end, Gagnor decided to trust Marcus's recommendation. Gritting his teeth, he paid twenty silver coins in tuition and immediately began the first magic lesson of his life.

Just as Master Hayes had said, he didn't like spouting nonsense. After collecting the tuition, he immediately began teaching: "In ancient times, so far back that it can no longer be verified, the sages discovered that, with the right methods, it was possible to partially replicate the blessings of the Holy Name... This was the origin of magic."

"Magic is mainly divided into four categories according to the elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. You've probably heard this before, but what I want to tell you is that the profundity of 'elemental studies' far exceeds ordinary people's imagination. The four elements are merely a broad classification, and there is no lack of controversy surrounding them..."

After briefly introducing some of the history of magic, Master Hayes paused for a moment before continuing, "The basic prerequisite for learning magic is possessing mana. Do you know what mana is? Or, put another way, what is the essence of mana?"

"I don't." Gagnor shook his head. Although he had heard of it long ago, he had no concept whatsoever of what mana actually was.

Master Hayes wasn't surprised. "According to the mainstream 'physical school' viewpoint, mana is like the soul's physical strength. The body gains physical strength by chewing food, while the soul gains mana by chewing elements."

"However, consuming elements isn't a natural ability of the soul, at least not for humans. In its natural state, the human soul often needs to rely on the body's meager nourishment to exist and think. That is precisely why humans aren't a 'magical race' and cannot naturally wield magical abilities like elemental creatures."

"Fortunately, humans aren't a 'nonmagical race' either. We're a 'semimagical race.' With certain special methods, we can gain the ability to consume elements and thereby obtain magical abilities."

"There are many so-called special methods for obtaining magic. The most important one is the foundational spell of all mages—Arcane Wisdom."

After listening to Master Hayes's explanation, Gagnor nodded in sudden understanding.

Master Hayes picked up the staff beside him. It was made from a rare hardwood, and a Magic Core Shard and three Magic Core Shards of different colors were set into its tip.

He said, "I'll cast Arcane Wisdom on you. For the next half hour, under the influence of this spell, you'll gain the ability to perceive souls and elements."

"If you have some magical talent, then after at most three castings of Arcane Wisdom, your soul will be able to master the ability to consume elements and naturally understand Arcane Wisdom, the most basic spell."

"Of course, if you want to cast Arcane Wisdom on others, you'll need further study." With that addition, he gently pressed the staff against Gagnor's forehead.

Gagnor sat up somewhat nervously.

Master Hayes began chanting an incantation.

A few seconds later, dazzling blue light lit up at the tip of the staff before surging toward Gagnor's forehead.

Gagnor felt his vision sway, and his perception of the surroundings changed completely—many mottled points of light in various colors were suddenly drifting within his awareness.

His bodily sensations also underwent some subtle changes. It was as if he had suddenly gained two bodies, except that the two bodies overlapped.

Master Hayes said, "If you have an elemental blessing, use your Blessing Abilities. That will let you achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Gagnor created a cluster of Swift Breeze.

During the process, he clearly noticed that, following his thoughts, the mottled points of light drifting around him immediately surged. Many pale cyan points of light were instantly drawn out, then gathered together and transformed into the familiar Swift Breeze.

Master Hayes said, "Guide the element closer to your soul, then 'chew' it. The sensation is much like chewing with your body, but don't use the mouth on your body. You need to overcome your body's instincts before your soul can develop the ability to 'eat' independently..."

Following his instructions, Gagnor guided the Swift Breeze toward his soul. After trying for more than ten minutes, a string of information appeared on his panel.

Mana acquired

Learned lv1 Arcane Wisdom

Intelligence +1

Experience +50

I have mana now?

He tried several more times and quickly confirmed that his soul had indeed mastered the ability to "chew elements" and could now acquire mana.

The process had gone far more smoothly than Gagnor expected.

Perhaps it had something to do with "returning to youth." After all, according to the description, in this state he could not only continue growing physically, but his learning efficiency would also be better.

Gagnor told Master Hayes the result.

Master Hayes was also astonished when he heard. After falling silent for two seconds, he suddenly sighed. "It's a pity you're too old. Otherwise, you might have been able to enter Deep Blue Academy."

Deep Blue Academy... Gagnor had also fantasized about studying magic there, just as he had once fantasized about attending Tsinghua University in his previous life.

The factor that had stopped him from attending Tsinghua had been intelligence, while the factors stopping him from entering Deep Blue Academy were many. Poverty was clearly one of them.

Deep Blue Academy, the most prestigious Magic Academy on the Falaro Continent, charged sixty gold coins in annual tuition.

Of course, sixty gold coins was merely the standard tuition. The greater one's magical talent, the greater the tuition reduction. For a top-tier genius, tuition could be reduced to zero or even become negative. Conversely, those with poor talent would have to pay correspondingly higher tuition.

Some great nobles would even pay tens of thousands of gold coins in tuition to get their sons, who had no magical talent whatsoever, into Deep Blue Academy.

In short, this was a Magic Academy that only true rich people and true geniuses were qualified to attend.

After listening to some more explanations, Gagnor suddenly thought of a question. "Master Hayes, I have a question. After food is chewed by the body, feces remain. After elements are chewed by the soul, what remains?"

Master Hayes froze, then shook his head. "I don't know. Some people believe that nothing remains after the soul consumes elements, while others disagree."

"That's one of the most profound questions in the entire field of magic. Perhaps only the gods know the answer."