Chapter 35: Demon Ox Rope

Chapter 35: Demon Ox Rope

Suye knew only that this Tree of Magic was the source of every mage's mana, providing the magic power consumed by mages. As for anything else, he had no idea.

"Looks like I need to review the basics of magic studies, or I won't even know what these things are."

Room, roof, divine light, Tree of Magic, roots...

Suye suddenly looked at one wall.

There, on that wall, was a tiny bird's nest where a transparent two-winged sprite was sound asleep.

"That is my Demon Ox form's innate spirit," Suye said with a smile.

Looking at the Magic Tower, Suye felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and security.

After enduring the hardships, he finally reaped great rewards.

With the Magic Tower and magic, he now had true self-defense capabilities.

Suye reached out to touch the Tree of Magic, feeling a strange connection within him.

This sensation was not as pleasant as being in the divine light, but it brought immense accomplishment.

A surge of boundless enthusiasm filled Suye's heart; this was truly the beginning.

He belonged to this world, and this world would belong to him.

"I have arrived in the realm of the gods!"

Suye took a deep breath, calmed down, and began to carefully observe the Magic Tower as if it were a treasure.

Apart from what he had seen before, there was nothing new, making it look somewhat crude.

"This is just the beginning. I believe my Magic Tower will become more powerful!"

Having understood the state of his Magic Tower, Suye left it and opened his eyes.

Niedern said, "You entered meditation quickly, but you stayed too long in the Magic Tower. Potions class has already started."

"Ah? Should I go back to class?"

"Potions is an auxiliary course. Missing it is fine. Language and Magic are the most powerful forces," Niedern commented bluntly.

"That doesn't seem right..." Suye said.

"Besides, I might need you these next few days," Niedern said, looking at Suye as if he were prey.

Suye felt a bad premonition and asked, "Teacher, what do you mean by 'need'? I think a good teacher shouldn't use such terms."

Niedern ignored Suye's concern and asked, "What did you see in your Magic Tower?"

Suye, helpless, replied, "A misty fog, hard to see clearly."

Niedern patted Suye's shoulder kindly and said, "Don't be discouraged. I can't see clearly either. Keep working hard, and you'll eventually see your Magic Tower as clearly as the masters do. However, can you feel how many sides or walls your Magic Tower has?"

Suye paused, realizing this should be covered later in basic magic studies or meditation classes. He dared not give a random answer and cautiously asked, "Teacher, how many walls does your Magic Tower have?"

"Sixteen," Niedern said.

"And how many does Dean Plato have?" Suye asked further.

"Rumor has it that he has thirty-six walls. It's said that Aristotle surpasses Master Plato, with around fifty walls."

"Does having more internal walls in the Magic Tower mean it's stronger?" Suye asked.

Niedern nodded and said, "Generally speaking, the more walls a Magic Tower has, the stronger it is. However, more walls also mean slightly greater difficulty in advancement, though the potential is also greater."

"I see. I can't remember exactly how many walls my Magic Tower has, but it should be close to yours. But what determines the number of walls?" Suye asked.

Niedern thought for a moment and said, "Currently, there's no definitive answer, or rather, many factors could influence it. For example, the intensity of divine light, the strength of the soul, meditation ability, innate talent, willpower, and so on, all could affect the number of walls."

"Thank you, Teacher. I understand roughly," Suye said.

"Every student who becomes a magic apprentice needs to find a teacher for specialized guidance. Who do you plan to choose?" Niedern asked.

"Can I choose Dean Plato?" Suye asked.

"No," Niedern said expressionlessly.

"Vice Dean Thucydides?"

"Change!"

"What about Aristotle?" Suye asked.

Niedern stared at Suye for a while and said, "From now on, I will guide you in magic."

Suye exclaimed with joy, "I can choose you? That's an honor indeed."

Niedern calmly said, "I've told you to stop learning drama."

"Ahem..." Suye hurriedly got off the magic carpet.

"For today's first lesson, I've already covered all the basic apprentice spells. Recite them," Niedern said sternly.

Suye quickly responded, "I remember. They are Detect Elements, Detect Poison, Floating Light, Precise Pointing, Rock Throw, Flame Arrow, Wind Blade, Water Creation, Ice Formation, and Magic Rope—a total of ten basic apprentice spells."

"You should have a basic understanding of these ten spells. If you were to choose the first spell to learn, which one would you pick?"

Suye thought for a moment and said, "I have indeed considered it. I would definitely choose offensive spells. Among them, *Stone Dart*, *Flame Arrow*, and *Wind Blade* are the most powerful. However, *Stone Dart* is a blunt attack, and unless it hits a vital spot like the back of the head, it's not very effective, so it was ruled out. *Flame Arrow* moves too slowly during the apprentice stage and is easily dodged, making its power useless. *Wind Blade* travels very fast, and if the angle is right, it can even cut through an Iron Warrior's artery. I decided to choose this one first."

"Then I'll teach you *Magic Rope,"* Niedern said.

Suye blinked. Did all that just come to nothing?

Niedern patiently asked, "What is the casting time for *Wind Blade*?"

"At the beginning, it takes about 4 seconds, but with practice, it can be reduced to 2 seconds."

"What about *Magic Rope?*" Niedern asked.

"At the start, it's 3 seconds, and it quickly reaches 2 seconds. I understand now, thank you, teacher. I choose *Magic Rope*. It has a fast casting time and can bind others, making it extremely useful in battle. However, while any strip or band can work, practical *Magic Rope* requires excellent material, which I can't find or afford." Suye said helplessly.

"I have a *Magic Rope* that I've used for many years. Originally made from the tendon of an Iron Demon Ox, after years of being imbued with my magic, it's almost as strong as the tendon of a Silver Beast. An Iron Warrior can't break free, and even a Bronze Warrior would need a long time to escape. It can hold a Silver Warrior for at least four or five seconds."

Niedern reached into his belt and gently pulled out a rope as thick as a baby's thumb, two meters long, with a smooth, polished brown-gray surface, like the patina on an antique.

"An heirloom belt?" Suye asked softly.

Niedern was about to take it back, but Suye quickly grabbed the Demon Ox rope and smiled, "Thank you, teacher."

"Since you advanced to the rank of magic apprentice too quickly without systematic training, I must teach you one-on-one. To cast magic, you need incantations, and to use incantations, you must construct a 'Magic Array.' Do you know where to inscribe the Magic Array?"

Suye shook his head.

"On the leaves of the Mana Tree. Each leaf can only bear one Magic Array."

Suye nodded.

"Apprentice-level Magic Arrays are simple. Look." Niedern took out a magic book and drew a nearly perfect circle with his finger, then began drawing lines inside it stroke by stroke.

Suye watched quietly.