Magic Exchange

Nordman had harbored some doubts about Arnold being a Ninth-level Archmage. But once they began discussing earth-element magic, Nordman doubted no longer.

Arnold's grasp of the essence of magic was exceptionally thorough. Nordman even felt that his own understanding of magic was nowhere near as deep as Arnold's, which left him rather ashamed.

But that was not truly the case. Different magi naturally had different understandings of magic. Arnold's exchanges with these Eighth-level Mages were also meant to draw upon their experience and see whether it could help him.

Nordman felt as though he had met Arnold far too late. Unfortunately, after the two had exchanged ideas for two days and two nights, Arnold returned to the inn. Nordman had wanted to invite Arnold to stay at his residence, but Arnold declined.

There was only one Eighth-level Earth Magus in Jade City. There were no wind-element ones, while those of other elements were not easy to discuss magic with. After staying briefly in Jade City for three or four days, Arnold departed.

Leaving Jade City, Arnold headed toward the imperial capital of the Magnolia Empire. Whenever he passed through a city with Eighth-level or Ninth-level wind-element or earth-element Grand Magi, he paid them a visit. Under normal circumstances, the Red-Eyed Black Dragon remained outside the city.

When he was in the mood, he sometimes exchanged ideas for ten days and ten nights straight. Even when someone's magical insights were too shallow, Arnold patiently spent a day and a night discussing them. After leaving one city, Arnold would not immediately hurry to the next.

Sometimes, other people's understanding of magic gave Arnold great inspiration. He would then remain outside the city for a time, experimenting with new magic.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed. Arnold realized that he had reached the central region of the Yulan Continent but had yet to see the Magnolia River. So he hired a riverboat and traveled along the Magnolia River toward the nearest city, Dolan City. At this riverboat's speed, it would probably take a month to arrive. This was also because Arnold had instructed the helmsman to deliberately slow the vessel.

Although the Red-Eyed Black Dragon was a dual-element dragon of darkness and fire, it had no fear of water. It also shrank its body to roughly Arnold's height. As for its weight, the Red-Eyed Black Dragon had to control that itself.

Pitero had also done quite well over these three months, focusing on refining earth-element magical power. His spiritual force had long reached the peak of a Second-level Mage, and after spending a great deal of time each day refining magical power, his earth-element cultivation had reached the peak of a First-level Mage. He would likely break through to the Second-level in another half month.

Standing on the deck of the riverboat and watching the endless waters of the Magnolia River flow all around him, Arnold was deeply shaken.

The Magnolia River was undoubtedly the largest inland river on the Yulan Continent. Within the Magnolia River Basin, its main channel ran through the O'Brien Empire, Magnolia Empire, Rao Empire, and Rhine Empire. Some of its tributaries spread throughout every region of the four great empires of the Yulan Continent.

As he gazed at the magnificent, surging Magnolia River, Arnold recalled the words of a famous person from the memories of the young man from Earth.

"The highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all things and does not contend; this is the virtue of humility. Thus, rivers and seas can become kings of all valleys because they are good at staying below them, and so can become kings of all valleys. Nothing beneath heaven is softer or weaker than water, yet nothing can surpass it in attacking the hard and strong; this is the virtue of softness. Thus, softness overcomes hardness, and weakness overcomes strength. Because it has no fixed form, it can enter where there are no gaps. From this, one may know the teaching without words and the benefit of inaction."

Nothing in the world was softer than water, yet it could penetrate the hardest things. Constant dripping wore away stone; that was the virtue of water's softness. Thus, weakness could overcome strength, and softness could conquer hardness.

Furthermore, water had no visible form, yet it could enter things without any gaps. This was precisely water's sharpness.

On a sudden impulse, Arnold stepped over the iron chain on the deck and flew directly toward the Magnolia River.

Because Arnold had asked for the ship to be slowed, the captain steering the riverboat was very relaxed. He even chatted leisurely with a sailor beside him.

When Arnold jumped directly from the riverboat, a sailor immediately reported it to the captain. The captain handed the helm over to another sailor and hurried toward the deck, running to the chains. Arnold's disciple was already standing nearby, looking out beyond the riverboat, but there was no anxiety in his eyes.

Arnold stood directly upon the surface of the Magnolia River, roughly ten meters from the riverboat. Although the river water constantly rose and fell, Arnold did not sink in the slightest.

The captain and all the sailors were dumbfounded. Was this not practically the same as flying through the air? Could Lord Arnold be a wind-element mage above the Seventh-level, or perhaps a Saint Domain expert?

Pitero was not particularly surprised. Arnold had told him long ago that he was a dual-element Ninth-level Archmage of wind and earth. Being able to fly was perfectly normal.

Arnold stood upon the Magnolia River for three days and three nights, consciously moving forward slowly along with the riverboat.

As the riverboat moved, Arnold also seemed to move forward through thin air.

After watching for three days, the captain and sailors no longer found it strange.

"How long do you think Lord Arnold will stand on the Magnolia River? I specifically observed him from a certain angle on the deck, and Lord Arnold's eyes are closed," the captain said smugly.

"In my opinion, Lord Arnold is cultivating some kind of ultimate move!" a sailor beside him voiced his opinion.

"Definitely not. Cultivating an ultimate move requires perfecting it and such. How can one cultivate an ultimate move without making a few motions? But look, Lord Arnold is practically motionless relative to our riverboat. He does not look like he is cultivating an ultimate move at all," another sailor refuted.

Arnold had actually been contemplating everything related to water. Like earth, water nourished all things in the world, though it differed slightly from earth. Moreover, water did not contend with all things and was willing to remain in the lowest, dampest places.

As he recalled more and more of other people's understandings of water, Arnold summarized them one by one.

Without realizing it, Arnold had not deliberately tried to comprehend water, yet just as with the Earth Escape Art and Wind Escape Technique, his entire body completely merged into the water.

"Something's wrong! Something's wrong! Lord Arnold has fallen into the water!" a sailor who had been watching Arnold shouted.

From his position, Arnold's body slowly sank until his entire body vanished beneath the river water.

The captain began preparing to rescue him, but Pitero stopped him.

"Master has not fallen into the water. He is cultivating," Pitero said, pointing to where Arnold was outside the riverboat.

When the captain looked carefully at Arnold again, he also noticed something unusual. Though the riverboat was slow, it never stopped moving. Yet Arnold's position kept changing as well, continuously following the riverboat.

"There is even such a cultivation method?" the captain muttered blankly.