Chapter 192: Blooming Flowers

Niya's Reception Room.

After spending this time together, Xia Duo felt that his mentor Niya was still relatively easy to get along with; just like most Apprentices in the Mage Tower, her age itself explained everything.

Even though it was not morning lecture time, Niya still let him in after Xia Duo knocked; it seemed Niya was still relatively free recently.

"Xia Duo, thank you for the matter regarding Lady Patti."

"Don't mention it, it was just a small favor." Xia Duo said modestly, which was also the truth, and he had even managed to get a few cups of Elf Hot Drink out of it.

"A small favor? Your description is quite unique!" Niya seemed to be in a good mood; she actually didn't mention having Xia Duo intensify his Spellcasting Training, "Speak, what is it you need?"

"Mentor, I obtained a Spell outside, but it has no effect when used, so I came to ask for your guidance." Xia Duo did not hide it.

Because there was little point in hiding it; if he wanted to ask for guidance, the other party would naturally find out, so rather than being evasive, it was better to be straightforward.

Niya revealed a curious expression and asked with interest: "What Spell is it?"

"The seller said it was 【Charm Person】." Xia Duo said, biting the bullet; if there really were a ban on mental Spells, he would find out soon enough.

Silence, but no punishment either.

"And then?" Niya asked.

Xia Duo hurriedly handed over the Inner Page notes he had prepared in advance; it was a standard Mage's record, and it did not look difficult for Niya to read.

But she only took one look before frowning, "This is not 【Charm Person】!"

The gold content of Niya, an Intermediate Mage, was certainly higher than that of Ge Li Fei Zi; since Niya concluded it was not 【Charm Person】, then this Spell was most likely not 【Charm Person】.

Xia Duo felt slightly disappointed inside, continuing to look at Niya, waiting for her conclusion.

Soon, Niya finished reading the notes and then passed the three Inner Pages back, "You must have been cheated; this is an Elf Magic."

"Elf Magic?" Xia Duo was very surprised; even Elf Magic had appeared—could it be that the Scroll maker Ge Li Fei Zi spoke of was an Elf?

It was no wonder Xia Duo associated it this way; a suspected Elf Mage had recently arrived in the Savile Territory, and if it was that one—

"Must one be an Elf to cast this Spell?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xia Duo cursed himself for an idiot; didn't the Netherese learn Elf Magic before!

But Xia Duo still told Niya his guess; regardless, he would bury a pit for Ge Li Fei Zi first. To pass off Elf Magic as a mental Spell, he really had the nerve to think of that.

He had swindled Xia Duo out of a full 1000 Gold Coins!

"I will report that Intermediate Mage Ge Li Fei Zi you mentioned to the Mage Tower." As she spoke, Niya directly contacted the Tower Spirit, though it was unclear what message she had sent out.

After she finished speaking at length, Xia Duo watched anxiously; now the mental Spell had turned into Elf Magic, and he still didn't know what kind of Spell it actually was!

Therefore, as soon as Niya ended the communication, Xia Duo asked impatiently: "Mentor, then this Spell—"

"This Spell is known as 【*%#^】 among the Elves!" Niya spoke a string of unfamiliar Elvish.

Xia Duo was full of question marks; there had been a book of Elf poetry on the reading list Niya gave him before, but he had never scheduled the study of Elvish, so now Niya's words were like playing the lute to a cow.

Fortunately, Niya also knew that it was impossible for Xia Duo to learn this Elvish vocabulary in a short time, so she explained it again in Netherese, "This Elvish term describes the process of a Golden Sun Flower blooming, and translated into Netherese, it is roughly 【Blooming Flowers】."

"And the actual effect of this Spell is merely to stimulate plant growth to a small degree; there are also Applications for it in the Arcane Garden."

With this explanation, Xia Duo understood; it wasn't worth 1000 Gold Coins, but at least he could recoup some of the cost. The problem now was whether he could learn it!

"Mentor, then how should this Spell be cast?"

Xia Duo's urgent appearance made Niya want to laugh; she had pestered her father the same way when she was a child, so she repeated her father's original words from back then, "Without learning Elvish, you will never be able to understand this Spell."

"..." Xia Duo was speechless; not being able to understand didn't mean he couldn't learn it, right!

"Alright, I can teach you how to cast 【Blooming Flowers】, but the Arcane Competition—"

"I guarantee I will place!" Although Xia Duo's operation wasn't refined, defending with all his might shouldn't be a problem; by exhausting others' Spellcasting attempts, he would naturally win.

Although this was somewhat dishonorable, the competition rules did not forbid doing so.

Niya didn't know where this Apprentice got his confidence, but having confidence was naturally a good thing; after exhorting him once more to train more, she began to teach Xia Duo how to cast this Elf Magic.

"【Ultimate of Life, Blooming Flowers】!" Niya recited a line of Elvish, letting Xia Duo learn it the same way.

【Ultimate of Life, Blooming Flowers】, this was clearly not normal spoken language, but rather a poem similar to an aria; although Elvish itself was very mellifluous and pleasant to the ear, this line Niya taught carried a peculiar rhythm.

Xia Duo only repeated it once, and he felt his connection to the Magic Net stir; Xia Duo was greatly shocked. If Elves could stir the Magic Net and cast Magic simply through language, then they truly were a race born for Magic!

Of course, the facts were not that simple, but regardless, Elvish had truly stunned Xia Duo!

It was easy to memorize just one line of Elvish, but the real key was the coordination between the vocal tone and the manipulation of the Magic Net, which was also the part Niya explained in detail.

Xia Duo recorded while memorizing, and finally, Niya personally demonstrated 【Blooming Flowers】—

It was a fruit plate on the table, and the few pieces of fruit on it; under the influence of the Magic, the fruit flesh quickly withered and turned to dust, but the fruit pits were full of vitality, to the point that one could intuitively feel it with the naked eye.

Finally, a few green, tender sprouts broke through the shells of the pits and grew out on the fruit plate.

It was simply a miracle!

Although Xia Duo had spent some time "playing the soy sauce" in the Arcane Garden and had seen many instances of accelerated plant growth, none had been as shocking as today.

At such close range, witnessing someone cast a Spell with his own eyes, letting the fruit pits skip over a long growth period.

"Mentor, can these few saplings survive?"

"Why wouldn't they survive? Haven't they already survived?" Niya found Xia Duo's question strange, but then she put on a stern face, "You've learned the Spell, but don't get too carried away! Spellcasting Training cannot be relaxed!"

"..." Xia Duo could only repeatedly say yes.

"Go back."

Even until Xia Duo returned to his own residence, he was still thinking about those few little saplings.

He had once heard Adventurers talk about anecdotes regarding Elves, saying that when Elves wanted to eat fruit outside, they would plant and pick it on the spot; now it seemed there really was such a possibility!

However, he was now (about to be) able to learn this Spell, so he could also eat fresh fruit at any time in the future!

Next, Xia Duo's life returned to the right track; in addition to research, study, and training, Xia Duo would also recite the Elvish incantations Niya taught him from time to time.

The more he recited, the more interesting Xia Duo found it, and he didn't know if it was an illusion, but the Elvish incantations seemed to be of some help to his Spellcasting Training as well.

Thus, in his original plan, moving the Elvish learning plan slightly forward was also a matter of course.

Just like that, time quickly arrived at the eve of the Arcane Competition.