Defining Magic?

"Do you remember what I told you before?" Ancient One looked at Xiwen and chuckled.

Xiwen shook his head blankly.

He was completely bewildered by the barrage of questions, utterly clueless as to which of Ancient One's many statements he was referring to this time.

"Didn't I mention before that we shouldn't view magic with a limited perspective?" The Ancient One smiled faintly and repeated to Xiwen, "Everything in the universe is interconnected; all existence is intertwined. Nothing exists independently."

"So that's what they were talking about? I vaguely remember it." Xiwen nodded blankly and said, "So the essence of magic is related to the interconnectedness of all things?"

"That's one way to understand it. But what I really want to tell you is that we can connect with the essence of magic through other things; there's no need to separate it from other things in the world," the Ancient One nodded. "For example, do you know what the essence of science is?"

"Practical activities of exploring and transforming the objective world...?" Xiwen's lips twitched as he recalled the definition he had seen in Muggle science magazines and high school textbooks.

With an expression of "a student is teachable," the Ancient One stroked her beard and chuckled, "Since science has already been defined, what's so complicated about the essence of magic?"

Looking at his teacher's encouraging eyes, Xiwen hesitated for a long time before saying with a complicated expression, "So, the essence of magic might be... the magical practice of wizards exploring, adapting, and growing in an unknown world?"

"What's wrong? You seem a little unwilling to believe that this is the essence of magic?" the Ancient One asked with a smile.

Xiwen looked conflicted and reluctantly said, "I just feel that this Muggle -like inductive definition doesn't quite seem like magic..."

"That's why I say, don't separate magic from all other things in the world, after all, nothing exists independently," Ancient One said with a smile. His white beard twitched, as if he was overjoyed.

"But if magic and science cannot be separated, then why can't I use Transformation when I'm recalling scientific knowledge?" Xiwen frowned and asked the cheerful Ancient One.

"The reason you are influenced by scientific knowledge and that it hinders your Transformation is simply because you still separate magic from science in your mind," the Ancient One patiently explained.

"When you're thinking about scientific matters, it's easy to question the power of magic and to doubt your own ability to successfully Transformation without sufficient knowledge of the subject."

"But when you completely learn to let go and choose to learn Transformation through magic, you are completely abandoning scientific knowledge and entrusting your actions entirely to magic. This may make it very convenient to perform Transformation, but it cannot change the essence of things."

"That's true. Here are the Gamp's Fundamental Law of Transfiguration that tell wizards about the limitations of Transformation," Xiwen nodded. "In fact, Transformation only uses magic to maintain the Transformation form of things. When the magic is exhausted, it will naturally return to its original state."

"It seems you've grasped this point," the Ancient One said with satisfaction. "So what I want to tell you is that when you can neither reject the knowledge in your heart nor completely believe in the power of magic, I believe you will make great progress."

Seeing the comforting look in Ancient One's eyes, Xiwen nodded heavily.

"Alright, it's about time." Ancient One nodded slightly, drew an esoteric symbol on her chest, and said to Xiwen, "This is my experience of borrowing the power of Dimensional Demon God, accumulated over hundreds of years. I suspect you might need this hand seal. But remember, use it with extreme caution!"

"Also, if you want to inject the power of Eternity into that little girl's body, you can first use the power attribute of another Demon God similar to the Death to stimulate that mark to start operating. Then you can exchange the energy back for the power of Eternity."

"Finally, good luck, Xiaowen..."

In a daze, this strange space rippled with increasingly blurred waves, gradually engulfing countless universes sealed within a transparent membrane.

The Ancient One's deep voice grew fainter and fainter until it finally vanished completely, leaving no trace of his presence.

Xiwen returned to the living room of the Greengrass Villa, sat on a small wooden stool, and held in his hand an Eternity power that seemed to contain the entire universe, yet remained stable and motionless.

Elshiona and Lady Greengrass had different expressions, but both reflected the state of Xiwen's mind being pulled away.

Elshiona looked at the phantom in Xiwen's hand with curiosity, her face full of eager anticipation; while Lady Greengrass stared at Xiwen with hostility, seemingly dissatisfied that he hadn't figured out a way to inject energy.

Seeing this, Xiwen recalled the guidance he received from the Ancient One in the Eternity Space, and couldn't help but smile easily.

"What are you laughing at? Are you happy that we couldn't find a way to restore El?" Mrs. Greengrass asked through gritted teeth. "Or did you suddenly think of something happy that you'd like to share with us?"

Xiwen's smile faded, and he turned to Mrs. Greengrass, saying solemnly, "Please believe me, Mrs. Greengrass, I already have a way to help El absorb the energy of Eternity."

"So fast?" Mrs. Greengrass asked, somewhat incredulously.

Xiwen paid little attention to this, but quickly used his right hand to control the cosmic phantom, and at the same time extended his left hand to summon some energy similar to the power of the Death.

Sensing this somewhat familiar energy, the Death's Mark rooted in Elshiona's bloodline immediately activated, frantically spreading signals of "hunger" in the surroundings.

Elshiona's face suddenly turned pale.

Seeing her daughter's pale face, Mrs. Greengrass panicked and immediately shouted, "Rozier, is this the method you came up with? Look at the state my daughter is in!!"

"At this time, you must trust me, Mrs. Greengrass!" Xiwen said, raising his voice.

He dared not relax his mind for a moment, focusing intently on the Eternity power in his right hand and slowly pushing it forward.

When it was less than half a meter away from Elshiona's body, a black vortex of magic suddenly appeared in Elsieona's palm and swept towards the phantom that seemed to contain the entire universe!