[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-473":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},2257477,4404,"Chapter 473: Great Completion","above-the-mage-chapter-473",473,"\u003Cp>Spirit Marrow!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this is Spirit Marrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De stared at the three viscous blue gel-like droplets in the crystal vial, feeling a moment of reflection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was this very thing that brought Lagos City a brief golden decade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In exchange, it brought prolonged economic depression after the Spirit Marrow craze, and the birth of the Makako District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter became an ineradicable “tumor” in Lagos City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But relative to the Spirit Marrow itself, Gao De was actually more interested in the information revealed by Lu Ping’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Needle Nail Gang was raided, and all their assets seized?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to his understanding, to maintain secrecy, the Makako District water beast affair was known and participated in only by Aldrich and his seven subordinates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lu Ping nodded slightly and, without reservation, told Gao De directly: “They normally engage in petty, low-level schemes—activities unfit for polite society. Local nobles and officials turn a blind eye. But since they got involved in the Makako District water beast affair—and you uncovered their connection—it’s no longer tolerable. They must be fully investigated and punished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such gangs have no clean members. They’re only untouched because no one bothers to investigate them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s mind cleared suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this perspective, the Needle Nail Gang was dragged down by Aldrich—but they were certainly not innocent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Removing a plague from the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All seized assets are confiscated—that’s the rule. Distributing a portion to those who contributed is an unwritten custom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Makako District water beast incident had massive repercussions. As the discoverer, you deserve top credit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But since the Needle Nail Gang’s overall involvement was minimal—only tied to Aldrich—the reward granted to you is these three drops of Spirit Marrow taken from Aldrich’s private stash.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lu Ping knew Gao De was new to the Sea Sentinels and likely unfamiliar with their rules and traditions, so he took the opportunity to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was the most valuable item among all his possessions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De studied the Spirit Marrow in the vial, his eyes gleaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before arriving in Lagos City, he had already asked Melia for information, so he had some understanding of Spirit Marrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit Marrow contains extremely potent magical energy—equivalent to what a fourth-circle mage would accumulate after three days of meditation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most astonishing feature of Spirit Marrow is its extraordinarily high magical density.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single drop, tiny in volume, holds such immense magical power—it’s easy to imagine the staggering energy concentration per unit volume.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two primary uses of Spirit Marrow are: first, after purification and refinement, as a high-grade power source for driving golems and alchemical machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, as a raw material for concocting “Spirit Burn Elixir,” which rapidly boosts a mage’s magical power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You may keep the Spirit Marrow and have a professional alchemist brew you Spirit Burn Elixir—or sell it outright for coin. But never swallow it directly.” Master Lu Ping added, noticing Gao De’s hungry gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was quite kind to Gao De, since his task was merely to deliver the Spirit Marrow; these warnings were purely well-intentioned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re from outside, so you might not understand Spirit Marrow well—you might think that since it holds such concentrated magical energy, like a magic plant, you can just swallow it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Magic plants can be consumed because they’re plants—edible by nature.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Spirit Marrow is fundamentally a mineral resource. Aside from magic, it contains various toxic impurities harmful to the human body. Swallowing it directly causes severe bodily damage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When Spirit Marrow was first discovered, some people did exactly that—swallowed it raw. At first, their magical power surged dramatically thanks to its potent energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the good times didn’t last. Just days later, those who swallowed it began suffering headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, weakness. In severe cases, they collapsed or convulsed. Examination confirmed it was caused by the toxic substances in the Spirit Marrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These symptoms were named Spirit Marrow Disease.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for the warning.” Gao De nodded solemnly and tucked the vial away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s one more thing you should note,” Master Lu Ping paused thoughtfully, then added: “For the next one or two years, avoid taking any tasks in Lagos City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean—” Gao De’s eyes flickered; he had already guessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lu Ping nodded. \"The Makako District water beast incident was extremely serious. To prevent the masterminds behind it from sacrificing pawns to save themselves, we Sea Sentinels acted with maximum speed and completed a full investigation before they could react—uncovering every detail.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only twenty days had passed since he returned to Dorn, and now they were already at the reward stage—clearly, the Sea Sentinels had acted with tremendous force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lu Ping continued: “This incident involved many nobles in Lagos City. Some even lost their titles. The impact was enormous, causing massive upheaval in Lagos City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You played a crucial role as the key discoverer. Those nobles punished because of this incident dare not harbor resentment or retaliate against the Sea Sentinels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But for you—a foreign Sea Sentinel mage—they may well hold a grudge. If you happen to take a Lagos City task right now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then added: “On their home turf, they wouldn’t dare openly attack you—but secretly sabotaging you? Very likely. And extremely easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand,” Gao De said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any world, those so-called “elites,” once punished, rarely reflect on their own faults. Instead, they scheme relentlessly for revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing Master Lu Ping off, Gao De considered briefly, then stuck to his original plan: he stepped out to attend sword technique class at the Collingwood Academy across the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period, he had arranged for himself to focus on consolidation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With three second-class merits already secured, he had no pressure to earn rank. So before completing his sword technique basics and Li Oumeng’s magical meridian network, Gao De had no intention of taking any new missions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also a good chance to lie low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A month passed in a flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The year 9657 of the Nolan Calendar ended silently; the new year, 9658, had begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much had happened this entire year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first half, Gao De secured a foothold in the Northern Frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second half, he gained an official identity in the Jin Quehua Dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two successes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this month of diligent and low-key cultivation, Gao De’s progress in constructing Li Oumeng’s magical meridian network advanced steadily, successfully crossing the threshold of two hundred magical meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, the six hundred bottles of Kai Mai Ting that Nasi had previously helped him apply for were nearly depleted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forced to act, Gao De submitted another approval request for a new batch of Kai Mai Ting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire process went smoothly; the next day, another six hundred bottles arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This quantity was sufficient to complete the remaining construction of his magical meridian network in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, he had also attended sword technique class for a month and a half. Since swordsmanship is fundamentally a process of muscle memory, Gao De never missed a single session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spacious, well-lit sword training hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wooden floor gleamed with a warm brown-gold hue under the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air carried a faint scent of sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword technique instructor, agile and fit, thrust his steel longsword at Gao De relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each strike was steady and sharp, his swordplay flowing like clouds and water—sometimes swift as a tiger, sometimes light as a swallow—launching wave after wave of attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De focused entirely on every movement of the instructor, using his keen perception and rapid reflexes to skillfully parry, dodge, block, and counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the instructor’s fluid grace, Gao De’s movements were clearly awkward and rigid—but brimming with raw power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instructor seized his opening, lunged forward, and stabbed with lightning speed toward Gao De’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s pupils contracted; he twisted sideways instantly, raising his sword in a smooth arc to precisely deflect the instructor’s blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, he pivoted his foot and swung his sword in a fluid arc, the wind whistling as he counterattacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instructor nodded slightly, a flicker of approval in his eyes, then shifted his stance effortlessly, evading Gao De’s strike and launching a rapid series of follow-up attacks—blades crossing, dazzling the eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De now struggled to defend, let alone counter. In this high-speed exchange, beads of sweat began forming on his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But skill has its limits, and even the most careful have one blind spot. Finally, the instructor thrust with an unexpected angle—his blade piercing straight for Gao De’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De couldn’t block in time. The instructor had been fully committed throughout, with no restraint—there was no way he could pull back now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The danger was extreme, yet neither man showed the slightest panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instructor’s blade struck something invisible—a shield—and halted abruptly with a dull thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Blade Protection +].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant-cast [Blade Protection +] rendered Gao De invulnerable to such weapon attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This allowed the instructor to train at full intensity with Gao De in true combat drills, without fear of accidental injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With higher intensity, progress naturally accelerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instructor slowly sheathed his sword and bowed in the swordsman’s salute. “Master Gao, today’s sword technique lesson ends here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you,” Gao De replied, sheathing his own blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your progress is too fast,” the instructor chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With daily one- to two-hour lessons and the instructor’s genuine skill, Gao De’s improvement was visibly dramatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even discounting the bonuses from your mage abilities, you possess exceptional talent in swordsmanship.” The instructor couldn’t help praising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From your initial clumsy grip and swings to now holding your own against me for so long—all achieved in just a month and a half. It’s almost unimaginable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t become a mage, maybe I could’ve been a great swordsman?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De imagined it briefly in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Sword Immortal might be worth considering—but a mere swordsman couldn’t match a mage by even a hair’s breadth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take his sword instructor: he was top-tier in swordsmanship, but what good was that against a mage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single spell—[Blade Protection]—could render him nearly useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In cultivation, Gao De didn’t stint on himself—he rented a third-tier cultivation chamber at a nearby training hall for three months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The normal rental rate for a third-tier chamber is 10 gold per two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monthly subscription allows two hours of daily use of a third-grade cultivation room, with a total monthly cost of 250 gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as you maintain perfect attendance, you effectively save 50 gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Gao De waved his hand and tossed out 750 Jin Quehua coins—equivalent to throwing away an entire shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the kind of money-burning power a mage possesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Gao De’s situation is rare—it’s an example of advanced spending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally, only second-ring mages rent third-grade cultivation rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a first-ring mage like Gao De to use a third-grade room daily is truly exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noble mages with this kind of money already have high-grade cultivation rooms at home and have no need to rent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a non-noble first-ring mage possibly afford such fees?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You get what you pay for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the enhancement of the third-grade cultivation room, Gao De successfully condensed his 41st drop of liquid mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, mana density has an upper limit in its benefit to a first-ring mage’s cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before reaching fourth-grade spiritual land, mana density and cultivation speed are roughly linearly related.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After fourth-grade spiritual land, further increases in mana density bring almost no improvement to Gao De’s cultivation speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, it is unreasonable to suppose that training in an eighth-grade spiritual land would allow Gao De to advance a thousand miles in a single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An imperfect analogy: the difference in experience between a 1-silver-dragon hotel and a 5-silver-dragon hotel is visibly obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the difference between a 5-gold-per-night hotel and a 50-gold-per-night hotel is far less pronounced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immersed in cultivation training, Gao De received good news at the end of Frost Month (January):\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A promotion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, it was a military rank upgrade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In recognition of Mage Gao De’s performance and contributions in the year 9657 of Nolann, the Sea Sentinels’ Merit Office has comprehensively evaluated your record and decided to promote your military rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your military rank is upgraded from Second-Class Probationary Mage to First-Class Probationary Mage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De nodded in satisfaction as he gazed at the still-warm promotion notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was only a minor rank advancement, such rapid progress for a commoner mage was already extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the merit requirement to advance from Probationary Mage to Noncommissioned Mage was merely a Second-Class Merit—he had already met it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since he had not yet served a full year in the Sea Sentinels, direct promotion was not permitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, it is worth noting the Sea Sentinels’ military rank promotion system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The primary criterion, without question, is military merit—the highest weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as merit thresholds are met, two or three promotions in a year are not impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another important criterion is the mage’s own rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, a Warrant Officer Mage must not only meet the merit requirement but also reach the second ring—this is a hard requirement with virtually no exceptions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the service duration requirement is not strict at all—or rather, it does not exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De is held back by this restriction only because his case is unusual:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Sea Sentinels, the first year is called the Probationary Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Probationary Year, a mage’s rank naturally remains Probationary Mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, no mage achieves enough merit in their first year to qualify for Noncommissioned Mage rank, so this restriction is essentially meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, Gao De is precisely held back by this restriction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is no recourse; he must accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merit is there, it won’t disappear, and it won’t be reset—so Gao De is not in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inhale! Exhale!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuous breathing, like waves, rose and fell in rhythmic succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The long, powerful rhythm matched the pulse of the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De sat cross-legged, his body rising and falling with the rhythm of his breath, full of cadence and strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat surged within his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the medicinal effect of Kai Mai Ding flowing through him, bringing intense heat and sharp pain wherever it passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, hundreds of thick mana channels crisscrossed intricately within Gao De’s body—complex yet orderly, like a meticulously designed transportation network.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These major mana channels, compared to the barely perceptible fine ones, differed not only in size but also glowed faintly with golden light, standing out vividly within his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana flowed freely like traffic along these channels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no blockage; the flow was constant and swift, with direct routes leading from any point in Gao De’s body to any destination, enabling rapid and precise mana delivery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Gao De was guiding the medicinal energy of Kai Mai Ding to expand and reshape another hair-thin mana channel, reinforcing and widening it to bear greater mana loads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his 365th major mana channel—the final one of Li Oumeng’s Mana Network.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Oumeng’s Mana Network was now complete!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2523,"2026-06-19T14:28:50.414Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0a5db90c4c3212fb7a6aefd386975545d560a0b84cb9ef87e2023449f4e76355","above-the-mage-chapter-474","above-the-mage-chapter-472",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]