Magic Cultivation

"First, sit down cross-legged and steadily, slowly close your eyes, calm your mind, and try to enter a meditative state." Laun's voice was gentle yet composed, as though it possessed a soothing power.

"A meditative state?" Lin Tian's heartbeat immediately accelerated uncontrollably. His nervous anticipation was just like the feeling he had when he first cultivated the Qi Gathering Stance. The mystery of the unknown and the new journey about to begin left him both excited and uneasy.

"There is no need to worry too much. With the strength of your spiritual power now, entering a meditative state will not be difficult. You only need to relax completely and carefully sense everything around you." Seeing Lin Tian's nervousness, Laun encouraged him gently. Lin Tian took a deep breath, then slowly sat down cross-legged as instructed, shut his eyes tightly, and tried to calm his restless emotions.

"Do not rush. Relax completely, try to merge with nature, and feel its subtleties with your heart." Laun continued guiding him softly. Hearing this, Lin Tian could not help recalling when he had cultivated the Qi Gathering Stance before, and his entire body relaxed considerably. He began adjusting his breathing, making each inhale and exhale as long and steady as possible, as though he wanted to connect himself closely to the world around him through his breath.

For magi, meditation was the most basic yet crucial step. Whether absorbing the elements of heaven and earth and refining them into one's own "Magical Power," or gradually increasing spiritual power, neither could be done without repeated deep meditation. Lin Tian recalled asking his mother about meditation last year. However, he had been too young then, his spiritual power still unstable, and attempting meditation rashly carried many risks. Thus, he could only wait for the right time.

In the eyes of ordinary people, one's first attempt at meditation was often fraught with difficulty and danger. Yet Lin Tian was extraordinarily gifted, and Saint-level Magus Laun was beside him to assist and guide him, so he still felt somewhat at ease.

But it wasn't going to be that easy, was it?! About five or six minutes later, a wondrous sight appeared before Lin Tian's eyes: countless fiery-red motes floated around him like stars, densely packed in numbers too great to count. He could not help complaining inwardly.

"Lin Tian, can you feel them?" Laun's concerned voice sounded beside Lin Tian's ear at just the right moment.

"Teacher, I can! So many fiery-red motes—there are simply too many, packed so densely, thousands upon thousands. It feels like they're everywhere around me." Lin Tian excitedly described the wondrous scene he perceived. At the same time, he secretly thought, I entered a meditative state successfully in just a few minutes. My comprehension really is impressive. And the number of fire elements I sensed during meditation is actually comparable to the number of earth elements Lin Lei sensed during his first meditation. It seems my superior affinity is on the same level as Lin Lei's. I may very well reach the Paragon realm in the future!

"What?" Upon hearing Lin Tian's description, Laun let out a brief cry of surprise, but it quickly stopped.

He then swiftly regained his composure and said gently, "Very good. Now, simply do as I say. Empty your mind, think of nothing, and immerse yourself completely in your perception of heaven, earth, and nature..." Laun's soft voice flowed into Lin Tian's ears like a murmuring stream. Lin Tian tried his best to follow its guidance and calm the lake of his heart.

At first, his mind was filled with distracting thoughts—his anticipation for progress in cultivation, his longing for future achievements, and his lingering unfamiliarity with this fantastical world... However, as his breathing gradually steadied, those thoughts slowly dissipated like wisps of smoke.

Time slipped away quietly in the stillness. Lin Tian maintained his meditative posture throughout, his breaths growing longer and his body and mind gradually relaxing. After an unknown amount of time, Lin Tian suddenly felt a gentle spiritual power brush over him like a mother's hand, and he slowly awakened from his meditative state.

"Meditation should not last too long, lest excessive consumption of spiritual power cause you to faint," Laun reminded him softly.

Once he had fully recovered from meditation, Lin Tian felt refreshed and invigorated, as though every cell in his body had been awakened anew. His whole body felt light, as if he could ride the wind into the sky at any moment. Moreover, even while awake, he could clearly sense the presence of fire elements, though their number was far smaller than during meditation.

"Can you also sense the fire elements now?" Laun's sharp gaze seemed to have already anticipated Lin Tian's current state as he asked.

"Yes, Teacher. Isn't that normal?" Lin Tian asked back in surprise and confusion.

"Even those with superior fire affinity cannot sense them so clearly while awake. The vast number of fire elements you sensed in meditation could only be perceived when one possessed superior fire affinity and was in a place where fire elements were extraordinarily dense. Usually, only when a Saint-level Magus used methods to bind the elements and increase their concentration a hundredfold could someone with superior affinity sense so many elements." Laun explained patiently.

Upon hearing this, Lin Tian immediately recalled Lin Lei's first meditation—Delin, the earth-element Saint-level Magus, had increased the concentration of earth elements, allowing Lin Lei to sense so many of them. Thinking of this, Lin Tian secretly rejoiced. It seemed his fire affinity far surpassed ordinary superior affinity. It was practically super-superior affinity.

"Your elemental affinity is unimaginably high. In that case, your cultivation plan must be adjusted accordingly. Come, let me see just how quickly you can refine magical elements." Laun's eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation.

"Close your eyes, empty your mind, and enter a meditative state once more," Laun instructed.

Lin Tian did as he was told and soon entered a meditative state again.

"Relax. Sense carefully, fully expand your perception, and try using your spiritual power to bind a fire element." Laun's voice was like a bright lamp in the darkness, clearly guiding Lin Tian beside his ear.

Lin Tian focused completely, carefully controlling his spiritual power as it slowly approached a fiery-red mote. The instant his spiritual power touched it, the mote seemed drawn by some powerful force and shot into his body. The moment it entered, the refining process was completed instantly.

That fast? I didn't even have time to react! Lin Tian was both shocked and delighted.

Forget it, I'll just keep refining. Lin Tian then concentrated and skillfully controlled his spiritual power, extending it toward the fire elements in patches like a fisherman casting his net, continuously refining them.

Laun watched quietly from the side, his eyes full of astonishment. He could clearly see Lin Tian's Magical Power growing from nothing, sprouting rapidly like bamboo after rain. In the blink of an eye, it had reached the level of a First-rank Magus, and the momentum did not stop as it advanced toward Second-rank Magus. Laun was delighted by Lin Tian's talent, yet he also felt faintly worried. After all, cultivation had to proceed step by step. If something went wrong with such rapid advancement, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Finally, Laun could not help stopping Lin Tian's refining. He asked softly, "Lin Tian, do you feel anything unusual now?"

Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes, clarity and determination shining within them. "Teacher, I don't feel anything unusual."

Laun frowned slightly, then chuckled. "With the current strength of your spiritual power, you have actually reached the level of a Third-rank Magus. As long as you continue refining magical elements and complete the accumulation, you can officially become a Third-rank Magus who cannot cast magic. But I am worried that your body will not be able to bear such rapid improvement. Tell me, what level has your warrior cultivation reached now?"

Lin Tian answered truthfully, "Teacher, my body has already reached the level of a Second-rank Warrior."

Hearing this, Laun felt somewhat relieved. "Mm. The physical strength of a Second-rank Warrior should be enough to support the Magical Power of a Second-rank Magus without much problem. Then refine fire elements until you reach Second-rank Magus, and stop for now. Cultivation must never be rushed. Only by proceeding steadily can you go far."