Lin Tian returned to the imperial palace brimming with joy and headed straight for the dining hall. His father and mother were waiting for him at the table. Soft light spilled over the table, which was laden with sumptuous dishes that gave off an enticing aroma.
After taking his seat, Lin Tian eagerly told his parents, "Father, Mother, I have good news for you. I've become a Third-rank Magus!"
Upon hearing this, his parents' utensils froze in midair, their faces filled with surprise. His mother was the first to recover, asking anxiously, "Lin Tian, is that true? You broke through so quickly? Tell me, did you hurt yourself during the breakthrough?" Deep concern filled her eyes as she stared intently at Lin Tian, as though trying to spot any sign that something was wrong.
Lin Tian hurriedly said, "Mother, don't worry. Aren't I perfectly fine? The breakthrough went smoothly, and I wasn't hurt."
His father frowned slightly and pressed on with concern. "Lin Tian, tell us the process of your breakthrough in detail. Don't leave out anything. There's no room for carelessness on the path of cultivation."
Lin Tian then told his parents everything about his breakthrough, from refining the elements to successfully advancing. Only after hearing it all did his parents finally set their minds at ease.
His father smiled with satisfaction. "Tian'er, congratulations! Achieving so much at such a young age—you truly are the pride of the Leo Family."
His mother nodded with a smile, her eyes full of affection. "Yes, Tian'er, but don't focus only on cultivation. You also need to properly study the social knowledge required of a noble—etiquette, literature, art, and the like."
Lin Tian frowned when he heard that and said somewhat reluctantly, "Father, Mother, I still want to devote myself to training. Those 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 cultivation is important, but this social knowledge is equally indispensable. Besides, learning these things isn't useless. Rest and work should be balanced, and one field can inspire another. Perhaps they might even give you some insight into your cultivation."
His mother also persuaded him from the side. "Tian'er, your father is right. If you only bury your head in cultivation and know nothing about social customs, you'll inevitably make a fool of yourself someday. Listen to us and set aside some time to learn."
After thinking it over for a moment, Lin Tian felt that his parents had a point. "All right, Father, Mother. I'll speak with Teacher Laun and arrange my time properly."
After dinner, Lin Tian returned to his chambers. Once he had washed up, he lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting as he began imagining his future.
"My talent is obviously greater than that guy Lin Lei's. I'll definitely achieve something extraordinary in the future. My chances of reaching Paragon are even higher now." The more Lin Tian thought about it, the more excited he became. A smile unconsciously curled across his lips, and amid those wonderful hopes, he gradually drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Lin Tian got up on time as usual and completed his daily warrior training. Without stopping to rest afterward, he washed up and hurried to Laun's manor.
The moment he saw Laun, Lin Tian said, "Teacher Laun, my parents want me to learn some social knowledge required of nobles, such as etiquette, literature, and art. How should I arrange my time?"
Laun smiled slightly. "Even if you hadn't brought it up, I was just about to help you plan your schedule. Haste makes waste in cultivation. Yesterday, I allowed you to cultivate continuously because your talent was exceptional and you could quickly turn your potential into strength. But you can't spend every day doing nothing but cultivating from now on. I think you should continue your warrior training in the morning, study those subjects before noon, come to me in the afternoon to practice magic incantations, and meditate after returning to the imperial palace at night. Once your cultivation is on the right track, you won't need to come here every day. You can arrange your own time, and if you encounter any doubts, come ask me whenever you like."
Lin Tian nodded in agreement. "All right, Teacher. I'll follow your arrangements."
"Then today, we'll begin by learning a basic magic incantation—Fireball." As Laun spoke, a fireball appeared out of thin air in his hand. Flames danced merrily across its surface, radiating scorching heat and causing the surrounding air to warp slightly.
As he demonstrated, Laun explained, "Although Fireball is the most basic fire-element spell, don't underestimate it. Many powerful spells, such as Chain Fireball, Fire Arrow, Meteor Fire Rain, and even the forbidden spell Skyfire Blaze, evolved from it." As he spoke, Laun gave his wrist a slight flick, and the fireball instantly stretched and changed shape, becoming a flaming arrow. With a wave of his hand, Laun sent the fire arrow shooting toward the ground not far away like a meteor.
Boom! With a deafening blast, a deep crater was blown into the ground. The earth around its edge had been scorched black by the intense heat and curled outward, while nearby rocks were blasted in every direction, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Lin Tian stared wide-eyed, his gaze filled with amazement and envy.
Laun continued, "The key to casting magic incantations lies in the precise circulation of magical power, the skillful use of spiritual force, and proper control of chanting speed. Magical power must travel along specific meridian paths. Spiritual force must act like reins, precisely controlling the fusion of magical power and elements. The chanting can neither be too fast nor too slow; it must match the rhythm of the magical power's circulation. Do you understand?"
Lin Tian quickly nodded. "Teacher, I understand."
After saying that, Lin Tian took a Magic Staff from his robes. It had been a gift he received on his last birthday, though he did not know who had given it to him. A seventh-rank magic core was embedded at the top of the staff, emitting a faint glow.
Lin Tian took a deep breath and carefully began chanting according to Laun's instructions. As he chanted, the fire elements in the surrounding air began to stir and gathered toward the Magic Staff in his hand. A small fireball slowly formed above the staff, and before long, an orange-yellow fireball hovered in the air above it.
Lin Tian swung the Magic Staff, and the fireball shot out like an arrow leaving the bowstring. It traced an arc through the air before slamming heavily into the ground beside the large crater from before. With a dull bang, a small blackened indentation appeared in the ground. The surrounding earth was slightly scorched and cracked, with several wisps of smoke rising from it.
Looking at that small indentation, Lin Tian could not help frowning. He was very dissatisfied with the power of his Fireball. "Teacher, isn't this far too weak? It's nowhere close to what you cast just now."
Laun smiled. "Lin Tian, it's already very good that you managed to form a fireball and release it successfully on your first attempt. You should know that many beginners can't even condense a fireball. Magical power doesn't improve overnight; it requires constant practice and accumulation. As long as you persevere, its power will naturally increase."
Lin Tian asked in surprise, "Really, Teacher? I thought I hadn't learned it properly."
Lin Tian was overjoyed inside. So I really am a genius!
Before you continue