Tian Xing Society

Fireball Spell LV1 (One-Star attack magic. Launches a fireball five centimeters in diameter to attack enemies within ten meters. Casting cost: 5 Mental Power.)
Life Energy Points: 550
Mental Energy Points: 141

"Uh... five centimeters in diameter..."

Rubbing his somewhat groggy head, Parr stared blankly after reading the Fireball Spell's description. Then he held up a finger to gauge the length. No matter how he looked at it, something seemed wrong. Why was the diameter only five centimeters? What was that supposed to hit? "Forget it. A skill's power will always increase as its level rises. What matters now is that I learned this skill."

Parr shook his head, then continued staring at the Fireball Spell on the Status Panel. The skill was still lit up, proving that it could be upgraded.

Ding! Consume 20 Mental Energy Points to upgrade Fireball Spell LV1 to LV2?

"Not bad. It doesn't cost as much as I expected."

Parr breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought raising the Fireball Spell's level would require 50 Mental Energy Points as well. It seemed he had been wrong.

But it was not because Parr was ignorant. Unlike a Knight's skills, the hardest part of learning magic was getting started. Once someone had learned a spell, raising its level became much easier, because they had already grasped the spell's basic structure.

"Good. I'll test it when I have the time."

Parr closed the Status Panel. He decided not to upgrade it yet, since John was still beside him. He had to find a suitable opportunity to reveal his magical Talent. Then casting the Fireball Spell would come naturally. As for learning several times faster than everyone else—was that even a problem for a genius? Of course not! "Yeah, I'm a genius."

After praising himself, Parr raised the Fireball Spell booklet in his hand.

"Uncle John, I found this."

"Hm?"

John tossed aside the useless books in his hand, walked over, and took the Fireball Spell booklet to inspect it.

"You lucky brat. You actually found a book that records magic. This thing is worth a lot."

"Why?"

Parr did not quite understand. In his eyes, any knowledge that could be written on paper was not precious knowledge, because it could be copied, transcribed, and spread. Once something became plentiful, it naturally lost its value.

"Magic is only passed around among Magicians. It's rarely seen on the market."

John explained it to Parr. In truth, it came down to one thing: when it came to magical knowledge, Magicians were stingy. They were stingy not only with non-Magicians, but also with their peers.

"Is that so?"

Parr thought of Abel, the president of the Adventurers' Association in Azure Stone City, who had given him Basic Meditation. If magical knowledge was so precious, then he would have to properly thank that old man if they ever met again.

But that would have to wait until they met again. Right now, Parr's first priority was letting John know that he had magical Talent.

"Uncle John, that day..."

Parr told John about meeting Abel that day, emphasizing his own Talent.

"Oh? That happened?"

Someone wanted to poach my little guy? Good thing the little guy's resolve was firm, or there really would've been nothing I could do.

That was what John thought. He was no match for a Four-Star Magician. If Parr had insisted on leaving with Abel, there would have been nothing he could do. That was how this world worked—the strong were respected.

"Little guy, you made the right choice."

He could not tell Parr what he was thinking. John raised a hand and patted Parr's little head, praising him and making it clear that his choice had been correct. He would not lose out by following him.

"Becoming a Magician isn't easy. Even if you have Talent, it's the same. If you don't settle down and work hard to learn all kinds of knowledge later on, then no matter how great your Talent is, it'll be wasted."

John was not wrong. Otherwise, Abel would have tied Parr up and taken him away that day.

"Uncle John, I'm still curious, so..."

Parr pointed at the Fireball Spell booklet still in John's hand.

"Here."

John tossed the Fireball Spell booklet back to Parr and reminded him, "Don't take it too seriously. Just read it when you have time. Magic is very difficult to learn, especially without a teacher's guidance."

"Mm."

After that, the two continued searching, but they never found another book that recorded magic. As stated before, Magicians were very stingy. Once they learned a spell, most Magicians would no longer keep anything that recorded it.

This Fireball Spell had been specially acquired at a high price by the Fat Woman from elsewhere to make up for her lack of offensive power. That was why she had kept it by her bed, reading it whenever she had time—and why Parr had gotten lucky.

Although they found no more books that recorded magic, the other books and sheets of paper in the room were not all worthless. After searching for a while, John and Parr finally found information about the Ruins in the Mine Pit outside, as well as...

"It's actually a Magician from the Tian Xing Society."

John frowned as he held a letter in his hand, and his words jolted Parr awake.

"What? Tian Xing Society?"

The transmigrator whose real name was Li Tianxing froze. His first reaction was that someone had stolen his name, but he quickly realized it was probably just a coincidence.

"Uncle John, what is the Tian Xing Society?"

"..."

John did not immediately answer Parr's question as usual. Instead, he put down the letter and stood there in thought for quite a while before murmuring, "The Tian Xing Society, fully known as the Tian Xing Restoration Society, is a deeply hidden magical organization. It is said that those in control of it are descendants of the Magic Empire's imperial family. The organization was established to restore the Magic Empire."

"Huh? Then aren't they very powerful?"

All the things John had told Parr about the Magic Empire had left him with just one impression: powerful. An empire that had controlled the entire continent—how could it not be powerful?

So the Magic Empire's imperial descendants should be powerful too.

"No."

But John shook his head and denied it.

"The Tian Xing Society can only be considered a small organization. Some cults have more members than they do! They haven't existed for long either, only around four or five hundred years. No one believes the rumor that the Tian Xing Society's leaders are descendants of the Magic Empire."

"Then why are you frowning?"

"Little guy, look."

Instead of answering Parr's question, John handed him the letter.

"Eh? This is..."

Parr took it and immediately understood why. According to the letter, the Fat Woman was not the only Tian Xing Society member in Azure Stone Viscount Territory. There was another person hiding in Azure Stone City. That person was none other than Viscountess Mary Azure Stone—or, perhaps she could also be called... Mary Tian Xing.

"Um..."

When he saw the signature written at the end of the letter in special ink, Parr would have exclaimed in disbelief if John had not been beside him. Not only had the Tian Xing Society stolen his name from his previous life, its members had even stolen his surname from this life! This really was...

Parr was speechless for a moment. Then he looked up at John and asked, "Uncle John, do all Tian Xing Society members have Tian Xing as their surname?"

"Yes."

John nodded. The person who had guided him onto the path of a Knight had taught him much knowledge, including some knowledge about the Tian Xing Society. This knowledge would be passed down as well—he would teach it to Parr, and Parr would teach it to his own apprentice...

"It is said that Tian Xing was the surname of the Magic Empire's imperial family. So, in their communications, Magicians of the Tian Xing Society use that surname as their own, though none of the current nations on the continent recognize it."

"Um..."

Unbelievable! Parr cried inwardly. So the moment he came here, he had somehow become a member of the Tian Xing Society? Speaking of which... what was the Tian Xing Society's reputation like? If he told people his surname was Tian Xing in the future, would they beat him up? Parr glanced at the first entry on the Status Panel, swallowed, and asked the question in his heart.

"Uncle John, how does the Tian Xing Society compare to cults?"

"You'll know if you look at these."

John pointed at the Fat Woman's corpse in the corner, then at the young man lying on the ground, eyes rolled back and tongue hanging out, looking as though he had been utterly ruined.

"Magicians of the Tian Xing Society may not be as deranged as cultists, but they're still quite willful in how they act. There are all kinds of people in there. It's hard to put into words."

"Alright, let's explore the Ruins quickly, then leave Azure Stone Viscount Territory as soon as possible. Otherwise, Viscountess Mary will come to surround and kill us."

"Mm."

Having gathered the necessary information, John and Parr headed toward the Ruins in the Mine Pit.

They already knew that these Ruins did not truly count as the Magic Empire's Ruins. They had been left behind by a Magician who had survived the Great Calamity. Based on the information they currently had, these Ruins should have been that Magician's self-built private laboratory, and there should not be much danger.

So John and Parr set out. John did not want to waste time. After all, there was still Viscountess Mary in Azure Stone City, a woman who held great power. If Mary learned that he and Parr had ruined what was happening here, she would definitely send the Patrol Team to surround and kill them.

After all, Mary had accidentally discovered these Ruins. She had then brought in her friend, the Fat Woman, to lead people in excavating them, while she herself remained in Azure Stone City to hold back the Patrol Team.

But here was the question: Old Azure Stone Viscount was dying. As the actual ruler of Azure Stone Viscount Territory, why did Mary not simply send the Patrol Team here to excavate the place? Why did she have to be so sneaky about it?

"There's definitely information here that I don't know."

John pondered as he walked. A feeling rose within him that this matter was definitely not so simple. But what did it have to do with him? He was just an adventurer who took his apprentice around killing cultists!

Shaking his head, John cast aside his chaotic thoughts and looked ahead. He and Parr had already entered the Mine Pit and arrived before the large hole dug out by the miners.

After clearing away the rubble blocking the entrance, John raised the Luminous Crystal he had just taken from the little wooden house's roof and led the way inside.

"Little guy, stay behind me. If I tell you to run later, then run. Don't hesitate."

"Mm."

Parr activated Bright Eyes and cautiously followed John into the opening.

Drip! Drip! Drip!

The entrance was deep, with badly damaged stairs. John and Parr carefully descended the long flight of steps and entered a dark passageway. Under the Luminous Crystal's light, they could see that the surrounding stone walls were very smooth. Several cracks ran across the ceiling, and drops of water fell from them from time to time.