Chapter 39 Learning Spells

Towering peaks carved through the ocean of forests, and mists drifted deep into the mountains.

The entrance to the Minor Spirit Realm lay halfway up the mountainside. A team of five arrived by car and stepped out in succession.

Before a glowing gateway built from cyan-blue boulders, two staff members dressed in black stepped forward proactively. One of them asked, "Pardon me, this is a state-owned Minor Spirit Realm. Unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited."

Tang Ruobing produced her identification. The staff member took out a communication device to scan the credential, then compared the avatar displayed on the screen with the young girl standing before him.

An exact match—it was indeed her.

He glanced back at the application details and said with a smile, "So you're the elite students from the College Entrance Examination Reserve Squad. Please, go ahead."

The staff member stepped aside and added, "A Minor Spirit Realm is not quite the same as a full Spirit Realm; the danger level is considerably lower, but having sufficient supplies remains of the utmost importance. If you happen to need food and water, you can purchase some from us as well. A ration of food costs 5 spiritual energy points, and a ration of water costs 10."

"No, thank you."

Tang Ruobing led her group straight inside.

...

One hour later.

Within the Briar Forest Minor Spirit Realm, Lei Peng, Lin Feng, and Ke Fanxing were locked in fierce combat, while Ye Mingqiu and Tang Ruobing read books in the rear.

Tang Ruobing was reading because her level far exceeded the team's average. If she were to intervene, the others would lose any chance of gaining combat experience, which was why she refrained from taking action inside the Minor Spirit Realm.

As for Ye Mingqiu's reason for reading... it was simply that his supportive abilities were overly formidable. The paper-value control duration of War Roar was rated between 0.1 and 1 seconds, but when facing monsters with genuinely low mental resistance, the actual control duration usually far exceeded the theoretical limit.

This was, in essence, template suppression.

A legendary-tier profession was designed to rival overlords. Naturally, it could exert a suppressive effect when confronting elite-template monsters.

"Hmm... Mages really are difficult."

Ye Mingqiu stared at *Fundamentals of Spellcasting*, the heavy frown between his brows never once relaxing. Over the past period, he had read quite a few books on the magical arts in order to converse with Tang Ruobing, gaining some understanding of various fundamental magical principles. However, hindered by insufficient spiritual energy talent, he had been unable to study actual spells prior to awakening as a spiritualist.

Now, however, he had become a spiritualist. Having undergone professional energy infusion, his control over spiritual energy had improved significantly compared to before.

So...

Could I comprehend a spellcasting skill?

Driven by this thought, Ye Mingqiu had brought the book along, reading while the others fought to study the elementary lessons of becoming a mage.

Although his class was already locked in, acquiring a few extra comprehended skills still sounded quite appealing. For instance, if he could pick up an additional healing spell, he would look even more like a support, and it would hold a certain practical value in actual combat.

He understood it now.

Ye Mingqiu closed the book, slowly raised his hand, closed his eyes, and attentively sensed the spiritual energy. He guided it toward the center of his palm and mentally constructed a specific spellcasting template, imbuing it with basic attributes so that it possessed its own elemental power.

Manipulating spiritual energy through sheer mental focus was extremely difficult, requiring exceptionally high proficiency or intense concentration. Under normal circumstances, an ordinary person could not master spellcasting overnight; they had to accumulate strength gradually through years and years of practice.

And as it happened, Ye Mingqiu had already undergone this exact kind of training countless times.

It was a joke—though he had previously known he was good for nothing and could never become a mighty mage, how could a hot-blooded youth study the foundational theories of magic without even trying? Not only had he tried, but he had tried for a long time, many times, only to fail repeatedly.

Today, Ye Mingqiu was not starting from scratch to learn magic; rather, he was reviewing what he had previously studied, testing whether he could succeed now that he had officially become a spiritualist.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a tiny wisp of flame materialized in the palm of Ye Mingqiu's hand—minuscule, fragile, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any second. Yet, there it was, flickering tenaciously in his palm.

"You succeeded? On the very first try?"

Tang Ruobing asked in astonishment.

"Mm."

Ye Mingqiu nodded, the tiny flame reflecting continuously in his pupils, igniting the pain and bitterness of countless nights and countless failures. He smiled with a sense of release; his throat felt somewhat tight, but he said firmly, "Because I am a genius."

"..."

Tang Ruobing fell silent, the gaze she cast toward him turning complex. At last, she let out a sigh. She truly lacked the heart to tell Ye Mingqiu that she had already accomplished this feat when she was eight years old.

Using spells was actually the part of a mage's cultivation that tested aptitude the most, yet was simultaneously the simplest step. Those with aptitude could accomplish it effortlessly, yet even upon completion, it could not exert much effect; one had to constantly study and research to grow stronger.

"I advise you... not to spend too much time learning spells in the future. After all, you aren't a mage class; even if you study them, they won't replace substantial combat achievements," Tang Ruobing remarked.

"Ah, I know, but true geniuses often don't need excessive study to produce results," Ye Mingqiu replied with a smile.

Although his starting point was slightly low, at the very least he had acquired a wealth of knowledge in high school. For a mighty mage, the accumulation of knowledge was a matter of considerable importance. With his massive reservoir of stored knowledge, his progress in spell cultivation surely would not be slow.

Embracing a heart full of dreams, Ye Mingqiu continued turning the pages to study foundational magic, attempting to construct spells of different elements and experience the joy of being a mage.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Lei Peng used his shield to block the vine whip of a Briar Iron Tree. Lin Feng brandished his crimson greatsword, severing the iron tree's vines with a single stroke, while Ke Fanxing fired from the rear to inflict debuffs. The battle was intensely fierce.

This was because what they faced was a Level 4 boss-tier enemy. Its strength was formidable, its level surpassed theirs, and its attribute suppression was quite severe.
However...

Under the halo effect of Undying Through a Hundred Battles, they had no fear whatsoever of fighting a protracted war of attrition against the Briar Iron Tree. On the contrary, the longer the battle lasted, the more powerful the effects of the halo became.

"This is so tough to fight."

Lei Peng blocked another lash, wiping the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. Although his health line remained safe, he felt his stamina was running somewhat low, yet he had no idea how much longer this drawn-out battle would continue.

He looked back and shouted, "Brother Qiu, lend a hand!"

Ye Mingqiu, who had been experimenting with magic, was interrupted. He sighed, dissipated the swirl of wind in his palm, turned his gaze toward the Briar Iron Tree, and cast Spiritual Enchantment upon Lin Feng's weapon, substantially boosting its attack power.

"Ha! Here it comes!"

Lin Feng shouted excitedly, charging toward the Briar Iron Tree with his sword. With a single slash, he chopped off nearly half of the iron tree, a look of boundless excitement spreading across his face as he unleashed a torrential storm of attacks once more.

A short while later, the Briar Iron Tree crashed heavily to the ground. Lei Peng and the other two collapsed onto the earth, exhausted, smiling as they looked upon the remaining branches and trunk of the Briar Iron Tree. The branches and trunk of a Briar Iron Tree were worth quite a tidy sum; selling them outside would surely fetch a handsome price.

As expected, having a powerful support meant the team's combat effectiveness skyrocketed. It was truly wonderful!