Chapter 35: Sudden Insight and Keenness

Spells have no absolute strength or weakness; it depends on how they are used, on the timing of their use.

Ba'angte had heard this sentence more than once, along with many similar ones, and even extreme examples of non-combat spells producing astonishing effects — for instance, a certain powerful nation once capable of halting a Third-Ring Wizard's steps ultimately collapsed within days because of the simplest Zero-Circle Spell, Phantom Sound Technique.

Ba'angte's Phantom Sound Technique was learned after hearing that story; he earnestly followed his Mentor's teachings and tried them one by one, groping to push open the splendid gates of the spell world, just like the Apprentices around him, attempting to enter the vaster spell world.

But in the end, all those attempts merely confirmed the initial answer over and over.

He still preferred the feeling filled with power; that was what he excelled at, what suited him best, like those days deep in his memory that he could never forget, when he craved power, the days when he was once the strongest Knight in the Ground Cave Domain in a hundred years — though that Ground Cave Domain was not large, and he admitted that dominating a Ground Cave Domain was like a tiny worm swimming at the bottom of a water cup.

Yet he still could not forget that feeling — not because he clung to the luxurious hedonistic life of those years, but because he liked that kind of battle, fists and sharp swords piercing the bodies of Underground Beasts, not using those interesting spells, like Phantom Sound Technique; interesting spells were his own mental classification, and although some spells were not very interesting, any spell that could not simply and directly satisfy his heart would be thrown into that category by him.

The Wizard's road is infinite; this too was something his Mentor said.

And his gate did not need to be pushed open that wide.

One late night, after he understood these things, his Meditation efficiency seemed to have increased.

The sluggish road began to turn smooth; he advanced with irresistible momentum all the way to Fifth-Rank Wizard Apprentice, until his Spiritual Power reached its limit.

Just like his fists, and his Longsword.

His lack of enthusiasm for those interesting spells did not mean he was rigid; the mysteries of spells could equally be perceived from another perspective.

Seemingly formless yet extremely lethal black Claws, one climbing atop another, clearly only seven or eight, yet pressing forward and back like a black man-eating monster, rolling over like a wave — each Claw landing on an ordinary person would cause terrifying consequences; broken bones and severed tendons would be a fantasy luxury; the greatest possibility was that flesh would be gouged out in an instant, scattered across the ground.

Ba'angte stood like a reef; that calm expression gave his already upright figure an added aura of treading the Earth and touching the heavens.

It was an aura that placed neither the terrifying spell before him nor the other Wizard Apprentices — including fellow Fifth-Rank limit Apprentices — in his eyes, a domineering disregard; such a state appearing on Ba'angte did not feel like arrogant haughtiness, because he was far too calm, unlike the frivolous air of arrogance; his calm disregard instead gave a mountain-like heaviness.

Ba'angte knew many people privately gossiped about his forbearance; he carefully recalled and only then realized he had never even seen those fellows.

His vision was narrow, narrow enough to see only his own Road and the obstacles blocking his Wizard Road; as for those people and matters that did not even count as obstacles, they were forgotten in a blink, never even entering his sight — like the rumors that many had grudges with him, yet he could not recall any of them at all, because he had never thought of them that way; in his view only those who blocked the path counted as grudges; everything else was unimportant.

Only the Supernatural Path — not a shred of vagueness allowed.

And now, an idiot whose name he would originally have forgotten very quickly reached his hand onto his Supernatural Path.

Ba'angte looked at the man before him, wreathed in a long snake, smiling broadly.

"I've never liked the term 'limit Wizard Apprentice' — just because Spiritual Power reaches its limit and one has a few handy Spell Modifications doesn't make it so," Ba'angte raised both hands; different Spell Waves flashed across him in an instant, Temporary Spell Slots emptied in a moment, "True limit is like this... so many people are unworthy of calling themselves that."

First-Circle Spell · Stone Fist Technique!

A pair of fists hard as bedrock — not only do the fists turn stone-hard, power also increases greatly, and the power boost does not conflict with the well-known Zero-Circle Spells Giant Strength Technique and Bull Strength; this was exactly what Ba'angte wanted, and he had long since achieved near-complete resolution of the weakening problem when Giant Strength Technique and Bull Strength are simultaneously buffed, through modifying the Fixed Spell Giant Strength Technique.

The black Claw wave composed of Shadows was shattered by a single punch from Ba'angte; an invisible ripple seemed to coil around that fist.

Green mist rotated and spread to the surroundings, clearly revealing the figures of the two in the middle.

The man who had been smiling broadly the whole time had already retracted his smile the moment he recognized the First-Circle Spell.

Several sneak-attacking black Claws were directly ignored by Ba'angte.

Zero-Circle Spell · Air Armor displayed strength far beyond normal on him.

"I can fuse Lesser Aegis Rejection and Air Armor, even fuse them with the swordsmanship I excel at; even if you also know Air Armor, you cannot block my Stone Fist and sharp sword..."

As a Dou Qi Knight, his power was inherently formidable, his swordsmanship exquisite.

Ba'angte flipped his wrist, drew a gleaming Two-Handed Longsword from his Storage Bag, and simultaneously stepped forward one step.

This was also the first time he moved his feet after standing before this man.

"First-Circle Spell? How can a Wizard Apprentice use a First-Circle Spell? And so easily — do you have a legendary Wonder Item?"

After retracting his smile, the man did not panic excessively, but switched to an expression full of doubt.

"You think this snake will make me hold back?" Ba'angte casually flourished a sword flower; invisible power undulated on the blade.

A trace of nervousness finally flashed across the man's face; he retreated slowly, a dozen or so Shadows gathering beside him into a near-man-height large Claw, while Air Armor and other spells began appearing on him, and with a flip of his hand he drew a black Scroll from his Storage Bag and gripped it.

"As final advice before death, on my sword as witness," Ba'angte stared straight at the retreating man, not pressing step by step, "I have no Wonder Item, that snake has nothing to do with Chong Ren, your actions are doomed to be useless — however you got one tiny bit right, that snake is a clue I found searching for a Wonder Item, and also..."

"To cut you down, I don't need to be that close."

Ba'angte seemed to have found the opportunity he had waited for; gripping the sword with both hands he stepped out, waist twisting, the Longsword already slashing down with the momentum.

The Longsword thrust out in the most standard posture, perfect force generation and down-slash timing; every step was a movement engraved in his bones; when the Longsword slashed down, the tip was still a palm's distance from the retreating man; with the slash, a power not his own, unyielding, erupted from the man's body; the long snake was repelled, instantly no longer tightly coiled around him, turning from tight snake armor into loose wide sleeves.

But the man could no longer care; a blood line emerged at his brow; the large black Claw and all the spells failed to block this sword; he spat a mouthful of blood foam, part of his body began to slowly slide apart; from brow to the other side's waist and abdomen, the snake merely loosened yet still coiled around his body unharmed; that seemingly missed sword had already cleanly split him at a slant from crown down, leaving only a neat trace testifying to that slash's keenness.

(Chapter End)