Chapter 34: Cultivation

Transcribing a spell record intended for long-term preservation demands considerable time. It requires not only various rare medicinal herbs and magical components but also the scribe’s continuous infusion of personal magical or spiritual energy into the text.

The transcription of “Swamp Spell,” “Flame Jet,” and “Light Spell” is relatively straightforward, as their spell structures are comparatively simple. However, transcribing “Elemental Blessing” proved far more challenging: its spell structure—significantly more intricate than that of “Fireball”—left Shaoke initially unable to locate its starting point. And this was merely a first-level spell! Though Shaoke was unfamiliar with many first-level spells, he had spent years studying foundational theories and structural principles of spellcraft, rendering him more proficient in this domain than most mages of his rank. Yet even he struggled to identify the entry point of this structure.

Repeated attempts ended in failure. Vast quantities of materials were consumed, including a precious vial of lamb’s blood. The prolonged transcription process drained not only Shaoke’s magical and spiritual energy but also severely depleted his mental stamina—so much so that he knew he could not sustain such effort again without rest.

Reluctantly halting his work, Shaoke spent roughly three magical hours fully restoring his exhausted mental energy. After ingesting a drop of Empty Stone Liquid, he entered meditation—determined to recover completely before resuming his attempt to transcribe “Elemental Blessing.” He refused to abandon a spell whose structure was over 50% more complex than an average first-level spell. If he failed to solve it outright, his temperament dictated he would likely set it aside for several days before returning to it.

Time passed slowly. When the chime of the magical timer signaled the arrival of the next morning, Shaoke still had not truly identified the structure’s starting point. Though meditation had replenished the mental energy expended the previous night, he remained profoundly fatigued.

After hastily consuming breakfast to quell his newly awakened hunger, Shaoke immersed himself once more in studying the structure. Complex lines sprawled chaotically across high-grade elemental paper, gradually coalescing into an elaborate oval formation. Fortunately, Mage Kiya and the others had inscribed the diagram without infusing substantial magical or spiritual energy—merely sketching it plainly. Had they done otherwise, even gazing upon these seemingly meaningless patterns would have taxed Shaoke’s spiritual and magical reserves severely, limiting his observation to just a few times per day.

Selecting an ordinary quill, Shaoke began slowly tracing the structure onto paper—without employing any magical or spiritual energy. Repetition caused him to lose all sense of time. As the light in the room dimmed once more, he finally succeeded in reproducing the basic outline of the spell’s structure. His excitement surged. Not only did this mean he could now accurately and completely transcribe the spell, but it also indicated he could smoothly replicate the structure within his spiritual space during practice—a crucial step in mastering the spell. This eased some of the burden of learning a previously unknown incantation, especially since its verbal components and gestures were comparatively simple.

After brief meditation to restore his slightly worn spirit, Shaoke prepared the necessary materials and commenced transcribing the “Elemental Blessing” spell structure. The golden nib glided steadily across the parchment, each line flawlessly connecting to the next, gradually revealing the full structure. After a short pause, he proceeded to inscribe the incantations and gestures—relatively effortless tasks, written in Ancient Magical Script beneath the structure for reference by mages.

Once every component was transcribed, Shaoke exhaled deeply in relief. Everything was complete; nothing would interrupt his focused meditation for the foreseeable future. Sensing the waning effect of the medicine within his spiritual space, he took another drop of Empty Stone Liquid—no longer concerned about potential waste, as everything served the singular purpose of advancement.

Shaoke had originally planned to begin seclusion today for his final breakthrough—but while eating, he recalled pending obligations for tomorrow. Thus, he saw no urgency in entering seclusion tonight. Moreover, the “Mist’s Attachment” diagram remained unrefined; further tempering was needed before it could be perfectly embedded onto his cloak.

The following day, after completing his morning routine, Shaoke gathered the letters he’d penned two days earlier to Mage Feiyi and Mage Loki, along with several bottles of wine, and placed them in a large pouch. He then donned the black cloak he’d worn for nearly three years and set off for the military camp in the small town to mail the items to the capital.

Upon arriving at the camp, he happened upon Mage Kiya exiting with a soldier. “Mage Xueye, what brings you here? Why not ask a soldier to carry those for you? We needn’t perform such menial tasks ourselves,” Kiya remarked, offering the suggestion with visible discomfort.

“Mage Kiya, I received letters from Mage Feiyi and others two days ago and must reply now. I can carry these myself—no need to command others,” Shaoke thought silently: *Could it be you’re replying to them too? What a coincidence—running into each other like this.*

“Oh! Then please go ahead. I need to make some purchases. Have a pleasant day!” Kiya then called over the soldier trailing behind him and departed the camp without another glance at Shaoke—whom he regarded as lacking the noble bearing befitting a mage.

Shaoke stared wordlessly at the heavy pouch he carried, feeling faintly helpless. *Ah—mainly because I didn’t want to track someone down in this small town and then shuttle back and forth!*

After entrusting his parcels to the battalion commander for mailing, Shaoke asked where the captain of the squad he’d recently collaborated with was stationed—he needed to fulfill his promise.

The battalion commander, having already heard accounts of their last mission, dared not inquire further. He immediately dispatched a quick-witted soldier to guide Shaoke.

Led by the soldier, Shaoke arrived at the captain’s residence. From the modest courtyard came boisterous, though not overly loud, shouts: “To Captain’s ever-growing strength—cheers!” “To Iron Tower’s confusion—another round!”

Hearing this, Shaoke recognized the sounds of a toast—and hesitated, uncertain whether to enter. Noticing the mage’s pause, the guiding soldier volunteered to rush to the half-open wooden door, bang loudly on the panel, and shout: “Captain Chake! Mage Xueye has arrived! Mage Xueye is visiting!”

The courtyard fell instantly silent. Amid a flurry of muffled commotion, Shaoke was warmly ushered inside by the soldiers. The young physician stood among them, rushing forward with a cup of snow wine: “Mage Xueye—welcome! Cheers to your arrival!”

Shaoke glanced helplessly at the slightly intoxicated Physician Ino and took a small sip. The captain hurried over, saluted, and asked what assistance Shaoke required: “Mage Xueye, how may we assist you this time? We’ll spare no effort.”

“No, Captain—you must never forget a mage’s promise. Each soldier’s two gold coins are here. Though a day late, I’ll have the tavern deliver a cartload of rum—let everyone celebrate freely!” Shaoke withdrew a velvet money pouch from his own and handed it to the captain.

The captain dared not refuse and reluctantly accepted the pouch: “Mage Xueye, I swear I’ll distribute these coins fairly and impartially among the soldiers—not a single coin will remain in my possession. Even if there’s surplus, none shall enter my purse.”

Surrounding soldiers, seeing the promised gold in hand, erupted in joyful cheers: “Hey! Mage Xueye is outstanding—he never breaks his word!” “Exactly! Mage Xueye has always been like this—unwavering!”

After sharing another round with the captain and soldiers, Shaoke bid farewell, informing them that on his return journey, he’d instruct the tavern apprentices to deliver generous supplies of rum, sliced meat, lard, and other provisions for the troops.

Not only did Shaoke send abundant food to the celebrating soldiers, but he also hired two soldiers—for one silver coin—to help him transport back a substantial quantity of food, wine, and daily necessities. This was because Shaoke intended to return and engage in extended magical cultivation: seclusion—lasting until he formally advanced to mage rank and stabilized his new power level.

With the soldiers’ assistance, Shaoke brought back not only ample daily supplies but also sufficient firewood prepared expressly for his use. Energized by the silver coin, the soldiers swiftly completed all assigned tasks.

Though the “Mist’s Attachment” diagram remained unrefined and still required daily tempering, this did not impede Shaoke’s capacity for prolonged meditation—in fact, it served as a unique form of relaxation! After all, his current mental stamina could not yet sustain extended meditative sessions.

Secluded magical cultivation is monotonous. Thanks to the Empty Stone Liquid, Shaoke bypassed the time-consuming process of purifying spiritual energy. Instead, he alternated between purifying magical energy, expanding his spiritual capacity, and deepening his familiarity with both his spiritual and magical spaces. This arduous, repetitive practice was only mildly alleviated by his nightly ritual of tempering the diagram. Uninterrupted cultivation allowed Shaoke to clearly perceive significant growth in both his spiritual and magical energies—perhaps also because he had reached the apex of his current rank.