I have confirmed it. I am a genius.

Lin Tian returned to the palace full of joy and headed straight for the dining hall. By the table, his father and mother were waiting for him. Soft lamplight spilled across the table, which was laden with sumptuous dishes that gave off an enticing aroma.

Once seated, Lin Tian could not contain himself and eagerly said to his parents, "Father, Mother, I have good news—I've already become a Third-rank Magus!"

Hearing this, his parents' utensils froze midair, their faces filled with astonishment. His mother was the first to recover, asking urgently, "Lin Tian, is this true? You broke through so quickly? Tell me, did you hurt yourself during the breakthrough?" Her eyes revealed deep concern as she stared intently at Lin Tian, as if trying to discern any sign of abnormality on his face.

Lin Tian quickly replied, "Mother, don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. The breakthrough went smoothly, and I didn't hurt myself."

His father frowned slightly and pressed on with concern, "Lin Tian, tell us the details of the breakthrough—don't leave anything out. The path of cultivation allows no carelessness."

Lin Tian then recounted the entire process of his breakthrough, from refining the elemental energy to successfully advancing, telling his parents everything in full detail. After hearing it, the worry in their hearts finally eased.

His father smiled with relief and said, "Tian'er, congratulations! To achieve so much at such a young age—you are truly the pride of our Leo Family."

His mother also nodded with a smile, her eyes full of affection. "Yes, Tian'er, but don't focus solely on cultivation. You also need to study the social graces essential for a noble—things like etiquette, literature, and the arts."

Lin Tian frowned at this and said reluctantly, "Father, Mother, I'd rather devote myself entirely to training. These things feel like they'd take up too much of my cultivation time."

His father set down his utensils and said seriously, "Lin Tian, you must understand that while cultivation is important, these social graces are equally indispensable. Moreover, learning them isn't useless. As they say, balance work with rest, and draw parallels from different fields—it might even inspire your cultivation."

His mother added, "Tian'er, your father is right. If you only bury your head in training and ignore these social graces, you'll inevitably make a fool of yourself later. Listen to us and set aside some time to learn."

Lin Tian thought for a moment and felt his parents had a point, so he said, "Alright, Father, Mother, I'll discuss it with Teacher Laun and arrange my time properly."

After dinner, Lin Tian returned to his private chambers. After washing up, he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling as his thoughts drifted, and he began to envision his future.

"My talent is clearly greater than that guy Lin Lei's. I'm bound to achieve extraordinary things in the future. The chances of reaching Grand Perfection later are much higher." The more Lin Tian thought, the more excited he became. The corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily, and wrapped in these beautiful fantasies, he gradually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, as the first rays of dawn appeared, Lin Tian woke up on time as usual and completed his daily warrior training. After finishing, without resting, he washed up and hurried off to Laun's estate.

As soon as he saw Laun, Lin Tian said, "Teacher Laun, my parents want me to learn some etiquette, literature, arts, and other social graces essential for a noble. How should I arrange my time?"

Laun smiled slightly and said, "Even if you hadn't brought it up, I was planning to discuss your schedule with you. In cultivation, haste makes waste. Yesterday, because of your exceptional talent, you could quickly turn potential into strength, so I let you train continuously. But from now on, you can't spend the whole day on cultivation alone. I think you should continue your warrior training in the morning, study those subjects in the forenoon, come to me in the afternoon for magic incantation practice, and meditate in the palace at night. Once your training is on track, you won't need to come here every day. You can arrange your own time, and if you encounter any doubts, feel free to come and ask me anytime."

Lin Tian nodded in agreement. "Alright, Teacher, I'll follow your arrangement."

"Then let's start today with the basic magic incantation—Fireball," Laun said, and a fireball appeared in his hand out of thin air. The flames on its surface danced cheerfully, radiating intense heat that made the surrounding air warp slightly.

As he demonstrated, Laun explained, "Although Fireball is the most basic fire-type spell, don't underestimate it. Many powerful spells—like Chain Fireball, Fire Arrow, Meteor Shower, and even the forbidden magic 'Skyfire Blaze'—are derived from it." With a slight flick of his wrist, the fireball instantly stretched and transformed into a blazing arrow wreathed in roaring flames. Laun raised his hand and flung it, and the arrow shot toward the ground not far away like a meteor.

"Boom!" A loud explosion rang out as the ground was blasted into a deep crater. The edges of the pit were scorched black by the intense heat, curling outward, while surrounding rocks were sent flying in all directions, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Lin Tian watched, dumbfounded, his eyes full of awe and envy.

Laun continued, "The key to casting magic incantations lies in the precise circulation of mana, the skillful mobilization of mental energy, and the proper pacing of the chant. Mana must flow along specific meridian pathways, while mental energy should act like reins, precisely controlling the fusion of mana and elements. The chant must neither be too fast nor too slow—it must match the rhythm of mana circulation. Understand?"

Lin Tian quickly nodded. "Teacher, I've got it."

After speaking, Lin Tian took out a magic staff from his robe. This staff was a gift he had received on his last birthday; he wasn't sure who had given it to him. At its tip was embedded a seventh-rank magic core, which emitted a faint glow.

Lin Tian took a deep breath and, following Laun's instructions just now, began to chant the incantation carefully. As he chanted, the fire-type elements in the surrounding air grew active and converged toward the magic staff in his hand. A small fireball slowly took shape above the staff's tip, and soon a fireball radiating an orange-yellow light hovered in the air above it.

Lin Tian swung the staff, and the fireball shot out like an arrow from a bowstring. It arced through the air and slammed heavily into the ground beside the large crater from before. With a dull "thump," a small, scorched-black dent appeared on the surface, the surrounding earth slightly cracked from the heat, with a few wisps of smoke rising.

Lin Tian frowned at the small dent, dissatisfied with the power of his Fireball. "Teacher, this is way too weak—it's nothing compared to what you just did."

But Laun smiled and said, "Lin Tian, for your first time casting, to form a fireball and successfully release it is already quite impressive. You should know that many beginners can't even condense a fireball. Magical power isn't achieved overnight—it requires constant practice and accumulation. As long as you persevere, the power will naturally increase."

Hearing this, Lin Tian asked in surprise, "Really, Teacher? I thought I hadn't learned it well."

Inside, Lin Tian was ecstatic—so he really was a genius after all!