Ice Arrow Art and Flame Bomb

Ice Arrow Art, Flame Bomb.

The books Qingping brought only recorded two spells, and Gao Xian knew at a glance that they were both first-rank low-grade spells.

Even for first-rank low-grade spells, one must reach the second level of Qi Refining to wield them.

He was already proficient in Water Control Art and Fire Control Art, and Ice Arrow Art and Flame Bomb were based precisely on these two spells.

These two spells were very suitable for him. Although first-rank spells were not worth much, it was still a thoughtful gesture from Qingping.

Gao Xian opened the Wind and Moon Mirror and discovered that his Human Aura had increased by six points...

He fell into deep thought; this flirtatious woman did not seem to like him very much.

Comparing her to Zhu Qiniang, it was clear that even if it were just an act, the feelings of Big Sister Zhu Qiniang were much more sincere, resulting in more Human Aura.

Qingping still wanted to lure him away; if not to harvest his kidneys, then to make him a laborer—in any case, nothing good.

This woman was truly not a good person!

Gao Xian couldn't help but want to sigh. Wouldn't it be better if everyone just lived their own lives peacefully instead of constantly stirring up trouble?

Alas, one is not one's own master when drifting in the jianghu.

Once entangled with Qingping, it would not be so easy to shake her off.

The most urgent task was to improve his cultivation as quickly as possible; regardless of what he intended to do, he at least needed the ability to protect himself.

Gao Xian looked at the Lightning Dragon Hand again; it had increased by nine points.

The proficiency gained by the Lightning Dragon Hand varied depending on the target.

Perhaps it was because Qingping was more seductive and harder to handle...

After tossing about for these past few days, Gao Xian's Fire Control Art and Water Control Art had both reached the expert level.

These two spells were simple to begin with, and with Sister Lan helping him chant and form seals, he saved ninety-nine percent of the effort. Cultivating them was naturally extremely easy.

Ice Arrow Art and Flame Bomb were essentially advanced versions of Water Control Art and Fire Control Art.

Gao Xian only read the book once, and Sister Lan had already completely memorized the spell seals for Ice Arrow Art and Flame Bomb.

With Sister Lan residing in Gao Xian's glabella to help him condense the spell seals, all that remained was to chant the incantations and hold the seals.

Condensing spell seals with spiritual power was the foundation for channeling the power of heaven and earth's vital energy.

Then came the external chanting and hand seals.

Body, speech, and mind as one, guiding the vital energy to transform in an orderly manner—this was what a spell was.

With Sister Lan inside and the Lightning Dragon Hand outside, condensing spell seals and holding them posed no difficulty for Gao Xian; the only challenge was the chanting.

Through these days of cultivation, he had also mastered the techniques of chanting, allowing him to recite these simple incantations rapidly.

After practicing a few times, Gao Xian mastered both spells.

"Strike!"

This character was a universal trigger incantation for spells, capable of activating various low-level spells.

Gao Xian could clearly feel a formless energy of vital essence gathering and taking shape in an orderly fashion, like a bullet in a chamber; the only thing he needed to do was to fire it out.

He pointed his hand, which was still in a seal, forward. A foot-long, translucent white ice cone condensed in the void and shot out in the direction of his finger.

"Whoosh..."

The ice cone traveled with great force, like an arrow shot from a powerful bow, striking directly into the courtyard wall.

The wall, built of loess, was pierced by the ice cone, leaving a deep hole.

Gao Xian calculated the distance to be about five zhang, or fifteen meters.

He walked over and measured the hole with his finger; his middle finger could not reach the bottom.

This type of earth wall was built with loess mixed with hemp grass and had a wooden frame inside. Although not as good as a brick wall, it was very sturdy and durable.

In Gao Xian's estimation, the power of the Ice Arrow Art was comparable to a heavy crossbow; it should easily penetrate a human body if it struck.

There were obvious traces of frost on the earth wall, and his finger felt as if it were touching ice when he probed inside. This accompanying cold mana also dealt a certain amount of damage.

After using one Ice Arrow Art, Gao Xian felt that he had consumed about one-tenth of his mana.

In other words, he could use the Ice Arrow Art ten times at full capacity. Moreover, he could maintain a certain level of power within a distance of twenty paces.

Of course, this was just his own feeling; the specific values would require detailed testing to determine.

Gao Xian then cast Flame Bomb. A fist-sized ball of fire shot out, blasting a foot-deep crater in the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

The loud roar emitted by the Flame Bomb left Gao Xian's ears ringing.

Such momentum far exceeded Gao Xian's expectations.

The scorching heat radiating from the crater, carrying smoke and dust, rushed toward his face, causing Gao Xian's breath to hitch.

The Flame Bomb looked even more ferocious; its high temperature and explosive power seemed stronger than a hand grenade. However, a hand grenade had shrapnel, which was highly lethal to the human body, so it couldn't be compared so simply.

The Flame Bomb also consumed more mana, about 1.5 times that of the Ice Arrow Art. Its power seemed greater.

The Ice Arrow Art was faster, possessed piercing damage, and carried cold mana.

The power of these two low-level spells far exceeded Gao Xian's expectations.

While comparing the pros and cons of the two spells, his heart was still filled with joy.

Having reached this point, he finally possessed two spells for self-defense.

He just didn't know how other cultivators fought, or what level his rapid spell-casting truly reached. How did it compare to spells triggered by magic talismans?

Gao Xian knew too little about this world to make an accurate assessment of his own strength.

He had an Ice Arrow Art talisman in his hand, but since it was his only one, he really couldn't bear to use it.

Just as Gao Xian was pondering whether to be extravagant, he saw Old Wang push the door open without ceremony and walk in.

Old Wang was dressed in his usual attire, though his head was covered in dust and bits of grass, making him look rather disheveled.

Yet, his old face was beaming with joy, and he appeared quite excited.

"What are you doing, making such a huge racket?"

Old Wang asked casually, his aged eyes sweeping over the dirt pit on the floor, sensing the heat still radiating from it.

"Flame Bomb, the spell you learned?"

Old Wang curled his lip in disdain. "What's the use of such flashy, impractical spells? The time you spend chanting and forming seals is enough for someone to kill you twenty times over!"

"Take my advice: for low-level cultivators like us, it's more reliable to stick to blades and swords. Learning a few utility spells is more than enough!"

As a cultivator who frequently hunted in the mountains, Old Wang had rich combat experience. He looked down on weaklings like Gao Xian from the bottom of his heart, and after offering a few offhand pointers, he lost interest in saying more.

"I got the things you wanted."

Old Wang tossed a rag-wrapped bundle to Gao Xian, still complaining, "I nearly died in the mountains for this bit of stuff."

Gao Xian opened the bundle, and inside were indeed the Purple Datura Flowers. There were over a dozen stalks wrapped in the rag, looking in terrible condition, as if they had been trampled and ravaged.

In reality, the flowers, leaves, and roots were all intact, with no substantial damage.

Gao Xian was satisfied, but he still felt the need to nitpick: "Look at this quality..."

"What do you mean? You aren't using them for display, so what the hell does the quality matter!"

Old Wang would occasionally pick herbs while hunting in the mountains, so he possessed some basic knowledge of medicinal ingredients.

Hearing Gao Xian say this, he immediately flared up.

"Don't get excited, I keep my word."

Seeing the fierce glint in Old Wang's eyes, Gao Xian felt a bit nervous, his hand hidden inside his long sleeve already forming a magic seal.

The Lightning Dragon Hand had made his fingers exceptionally nimble, allowing him to form seals in an instant.

Deep within his brow, the mysterious talisman for Sister Lan also condensed, ready to trigger the Ice Arrow Art the moment he spoke the incantation.

Gao Xian suppressed his nervousness and watched Old Wang, terrified that the other man might do something rash.

The entire casting process was exceptionally smooth, mostly because he was timid; whenever he encountered a situation, his nervousness instinctively prepared him for action.

Old Wang noticed Gao Xian's tension but failed to detect his subtle movements. He arrogantly extended his dark, withered hand: "Hand over fifty portions of Deer Antler Powder first!"