[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-109":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257113,4404,"Chapter 109: [Blessing Spell]","above-the-mage-chapter-109",109,"\u003Cp>Gao De was equally curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because his situation was unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he possessed a knowledge system unknown in this world; second, his mastery of spells was exceptionally “broad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Ma Qieyi’s words, if he successfully advanced to a 1st-Ring mage, he should awaken a notably outstanding specialization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao De only briefly entertained these thoughts, then quickly regained his composure and chuckled at himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still ten thousand miles away from becoming a 1st-Ring mage, yet already fantasizing about 1st-Ring matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overreaching!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For us mere apprentice-level wild mages who only practice Apprentice Guidance and Apprentice Meditation, if we ever do advance to 1st-Ring, awakening a specialization would be a severe disadvantage.” Someone sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De nodded in deep agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was precisely what was meant by “one step behind, always behind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You needn’t worry about that,” Ma Qieyi smiled. “When advancing to 1st-Ring, the gap is usually determined by the mage’s own knowledge and spell mastery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because Apprentice Guidance and Apprentice Meditation are already among the best guidance and meditation techniques available during the apprentice stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If foundational cultivation techniques weren’t nearly flawless, how could they have spread so widely?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Apprentice Guidance and Apprentice Meditation can only be practiced during the apprentice stage. Once you advance to 1st-Ring, you must choose new cultivation techniques—and that’s when the real divergence in cultivation begins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qieyi’s words sounded odd at first, but upon closer thought, they made perfect sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like in his past life: general education textbooks were compiled after countless rounds of revision and filtering by many people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet advanced knowledge was a chaotic mix, with no standardized curriculum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So one must enter the Ceres Magic Academy as soon as possible. Otherwise, a wild mage—let alone whether he could even advance to 1st-Ring—would face a huge problem after promotion: he’d have no choice at all in cultivation techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De thought silently to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can specializations be disclosed?” a fellow apprentice beside Gao De asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Qieyi shook his head. “Of course not—especially for combat mages, specializations are more secret than spells.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After all, spells are revealed the moment they’re cast, but unless a mage speaks up, who could possibly know the exact effects of a specialization?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch out! Prepare for battle!” At that moment, Ma Qieyi’s face abruptly hardened, the cheerful expression vanishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De instantly sensed approaching danger and scanned the surroundings with wary eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eee! Eee! No sooner had Ma Qieyi spoken than sharp, piercing screeches rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a towering tree in the dense forest nearby, a flock of twelve Earth Demon Bats burst into flight, swooping toward their party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were twelve of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the reason Ma Qieyi’s expression turned so grim was not because of their number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of their leader: a massive Earth Demon Bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bat even had two limb-like appendages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, it resembled a wingless, hairless dwarf, its body appearing as hard as stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undoubtedly, this was a genuine 1st-Ring Earth-Pulse creature—the first 1st-Ring Earth-Pulse creature their small team had encountered in days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll handle the 1st-Ring one—you handle the rest!” Ma Qieyi instantly entered combat mode and issued commands with absolute authority as the team leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his words had fully ended, he channeled his magical energy, his hand gestures shifting as intense magical fluctuations gathered in his palm, coalescing into a soft, warm glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glow was golden, radiating a sacred, blessing-like aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blessing!” Ma Qieyi intoned deeply. The golden light instantly split into three beams, striking precisely upon himself, Gao De, and a fellow apprentice who wielded the Lightning Trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant the light struck Gao De, a sacred cross symbol appeared on his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the symbol lasted only a fleeting moment, vanishing instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a gentle yet solemn chant echoed in Gao De’s ears—also fleeting, like the cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A power and courage unlike any he’d ever felt surged through his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve bestowed the 1st-Ring spell [Blessing] upon you two. For the next minute, your spell attacks and spell defenses will be significantly enhanced—make use of it!” Ma Qieyi warned them as he cast another spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After five days, he had observed that among the entire team, Gao De and the Lightning Trick apprentice possessed the highest combat proficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, his choice of targets for [Blessing] was deliberate—an acknowledgment of their abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, light flared again in Ma Qieyi’s palm. Three glowing magic darts materialized, then shot forth like missiles, streaking across the sky toward the giant Earth Demon Bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Magic Missile].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant Earth Demon Bat clearly sensed the threat posed by the [Blessing]-enhanced Magic Missiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It let out a deafening roar, hovering midair, then spat forward a cone of sharp stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The torrent of stones completely engulfed the three Magic Missiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a violent explosion, the stones turned to dust and scattered—but the three Magic Missiles also expended their energy and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Gao De quickly adjusted his breathing and entered combat stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers flickered lightly, and intense energy surged upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Flame Arrow+]! With a low cry, a blazing bolt shot forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flame arrow, like an arrow loosed from a bow, tore through the air, roaring toward the group of Earth Demon Bats with fierce flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where the spell passed, the air seemed ignited, leaving a long trail of fire—its power visibly amplified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 0-Ring Earth Demon Bat Gao De targeted reacted just like its 1-Ring leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spat forward a cone of stones to block the path of the flame arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to counter and neutralize its power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some things a boss can do, this one cannot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The [Flame Arrow+] cast under [Blessing]’s enhancement, though not reaching 1st-Ring power, surpassed the level of a trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one had to be precise, it was a 0.5-Ring spell! The ferocious flames shattered the stone cone and continued forward, striking the hovering Earth Demon Bat with perfect accuracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! In an instant, a thunderous roar erupted. The bat let out a shrill scream, its entire body engulfed in flames, tumbling from midair and crashing heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gao De’s eyes flashed with shock—and an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this what it feels like to be led by a boss? Under the [Blessing] spell, his [Flame Arrow+] had gained such power that it could instantly kill a 0-Ring Earth-Pulse creature in one strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But satisfaction aside, Gao De did not lower his guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew this battle was far from over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the other apprentices cast their spells, Gao De’s mind shifted, and a dull gray light flickered over his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Blade Ward+].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reinforcing himself with this defensive spell during the brief window, Gao De, now more confident, struck again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He targeted another Earth Demon Bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was currently darting and weaving through the air with cunning agility, evading the apprentices’ spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De attacked without hesitation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, [Flame Arrow+].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, the targeted Earth Demon Bat did not behave like the previous one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the blazing arrow, it did not foolishly try to block it head-on. Instead, it twisted midair with uncanny precision, barely avoiding the flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a small flying Earth-Pulse creature, agility was its strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purely linear attacks were easily evaded by such agile flyers at sufficient distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having dodged Gao De’s spell, the bat let out a sharp screech—triumphant, almost taunting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! A violent explosion turned its screech into a piercing wail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flame arrow, which should have missed, suddenly reversed course like a phantom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Real men never look back at explosions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither did this bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever seen a flame arrow that turns?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching another Earth Demon Bat burn and plummet from the sky, Gao De sneered inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1298,"2026-06-19T14:28:48.629Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","fa5c4833cfc1721e0696c7f3c1beea7e72a4333134c7439568dca78421c32022","above-the-mage-chapter-110","above-the-mage-chapter-108",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]