Claire then tested the other analyzed spell structures in the Sunset Mountains, and every one of them was cast as smoothly as she had expected.
Claire named this branch of cultivation the Magic Swordmaster, a path derived from the mage branch.
Although Claire did not know whether combat techniques converted from cultivation methods traded from the Cultivation World would resemble the ones she had deduced, this was already the combat style she considered most suitable. If she later obtained combat methods from the Cultivation World, she could use their contents as references and make further adjustments.
Unlike Battle Mages, Magic Swordmasters also fought in close quarters, but their focus was completely different. Battle Mages prioritized melee combat, with magic as support, while Magic Swordmasters prioritized magic. Their fighting techniques existed only to better bring out the power of their spells. Like Claire's recent strike—if she were proficient in combat techniques, she could have unleashed even greater power.
Without magic, the combat strength of this branch would plummet.
As for which was better, it was still too early to tell. Time would have to prove it.
The advantages of the Magic Swordmaster branch were obvious. Unlike mages, they had no early-stage weakness. They could even suppress knights and warriors who cultivated Battle Aura during the early stages. Furthermore, because they cultivated magic power, their lifespans were as long as those of mages, far superior to those who cultivated Battle Aura.
However, the drawbacks were equally apparent. This branch combined all the weaknesses of mages. For instance, its cultivation required a certain degree of magical talent, and breaking through bottlenecks was far more difficult than cultivating Battle Aura. Although it was not as expensive as training as a mage, it still cost far more than training as a Battle Aura warrior.
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