Is Magic Such an Inconvenient Thing?

Xifei was an exceptionally gifted instructor. She was devoted to teaching her student, showing immense patience, particularly during the Q&A sessions. Wayne studied just as diligently. It was plain to see that his teacher was overqualified. With Xifei's level of mastery, teaching the bare-bones fundamentals of magical theory was undoubtedly overkill—like using a cannon to swat a mosquito. Unwilling to let this opportunity slip by, Wayne showcased astonishing learning and memory skills. Like a dry sponge, he frantically soaked up every drop of sustenance Xifei fed him. Or rather, instead of soaking it up, it was more like squeezing it out of her. Xifei quietly dabbed away a bead of cold sweat from her brow. This student was terrifying. If anyone else had been teaching him, Wayne would have sucked them dry by now. Under Xifei's guidance, Wayne checked the table of contents and flipped to the chapter on the "Four Elements." The hexagram grimoire contained a handful of spells closely linked to the four elements. There weren't many—only three or four spells per element, fewer than fifteen in total. Mastering the four elements and casting their corresponding fundamental spells was the baseline curriculum for any mage. Faith-based spells and divine arts were an entirely separate matter and were not recorded in the hexagram grimoire. Even if they were, it would be useless. Those spells were stamped by faith, castable only by devotees of the corresponding deities, and passed down strictly among members of their respective churches. Wayne asked a battery of questions, and Xifei answered every single one. Wayne was stunned to learn that mages in this world could cast spells instantaneously. Instant-casting basic magic came down to proficiency, while instant-casting high-tier magic relied on faith. Barring mental chaos, a mage would never stall or misfire during battle. Running out of mana was another story. "As I mentioned before, everyone's hexagram has different emphases, so their proficiencies in fundamental magic vary as well." Pointing at the lines of incantations, Xifei explained them word by word, dissecting the deeper meaning behind each chant so Wayne could intuitively grasp what a magical incantation truly was. "To put it simply, an incantation is a formula used to calculate a spell's manifestation. Whichever incantation you use determines the magic you produce. "Powerful mages can invent their own formulas. They never bind themselves to rigid incantations. Even when it comes to divine arts tied to faith, they can innovate through their own mind and will, tailoring the manifestation of magic that suits them best. "Therefore, the incantation itself isn't truly important. The key lies in your mind." The purpose of an incantation was merely to provide an intuitive expression of the formula—a mental track for the mage when using magic. Standardizing formulas allowed beginners to pick up spells with ease. For example, take the formula for the area of a right triangle: S = 1/2 * a * b. A novice didn't need to understand why it worked; memorizing the formula was enough to solve the problem. Solve a hundred problems, and the answers appear naturally. In that light, instant-casting was only a matter of course. Wayne nodded. He understood the reasoning. Chris had once told him that the way magic altered reality depended on a mage's mind. Mana was merely the lever, while the mind was the key. There was no need to obsess over incantations—magic was hardly such an inconvenient thing! Chris: Thanks for the shout-out, but I didn't say that. Wayne's eyes lingered greedily on the magical formulas in the book, itching to give them a try. He stole a glance at Xifei, and seeing his mature, gorgeous teacher offer an encouraging smile, he chanted the incantation to cast his very first spell. His previous transformation didn't count—it had been a muddled blur, and he still hadn't figured out how it worked. Unsurprisingly, Wayne's attempt ended in failure. Xifei chuckled and offered an explanation. "Your mana pool is too small. Of course, it's not just a lack of mana—the more critical reason lies in your hexagram. Your body lacks the four elements; you haven't even awakened them." Perhaps slightly nearsighted, Xifei pulled out a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and put them on. The spectacles softened her aggressively sharp beauty, lending her an intellectual, elegant charm. Turning back to the hexagram page, she pointed to each point in turn. "Generally speaking, a student who can proficiently wield two elements is considered exceptional. Three makes them a rare genius... "Four is virtually nonexistent! "The crux lies in water and fire, two diametrically opposed elements. In human terms, they reflect the strength of one's desires. "Those with strong desires excel in fire, while those with low desires excel in water. As for those with perfectly balanced desires... they're good at neither. "Earth and wind are the favorites of mages, proficiently wielded by the vast majority." Xifei explained slowly, "The former grants a mage formidable physical resilience. Even though we're mages, everyone harbors the heart of a brawler. Take your big sister here—I'm exceptionally skilled at close-quarters combat... Well, I'm a special case, so let's not dwell on that. "Wind's popularity is even easier to understand. It represents the breath of life, signifying robust health, and more importantly, eternal youth. Man or woman, every living creature yearns for that. "In contrast, fire and water cannot coexist. Deliberately pursuing a perfect balance between them will only result in losing both ways—twice the effort for half the result, causing more harm than good. Being proficient in either water or fire is more than enough. "I come from the academic tradition. Academic mentors prefer students to suppress their desires, which means mastering water. Intense desire implies ambition, which is a good thing, but it severely disrupts a mage's mental clarity—that is, the 'Self' within the hexagram. "A 'Self' hijacked by desire will gradually lose its reason, sinking deeper and deeper upon making contact with the Void, ultimately turning into an extremist black mage." Xifei's tone turned solemn. "Students are young and easily tempted. You are no different. Do not make excessive contact with ambient fire elements. They will amplify your desires, turning you greedy, irritable, lustful, lazy, and arrogant, making you prone to envying the achievements of others." Wayne: "..." Talk if you must, but why are you staring at me? I'm not arrogant, and I don't envy anyone. After reiterating the dangers of desire, Xifei flipped back to the chapter on the four elements. Having explained all the incantations, she moved on to the most crucial part of tonight's lesson. The meditation method! "Meditation strengthens the mind and can also be used to cultivate mana. Tonight, we'll start with something simple. Try communicating with the four elements through meditation. Don't rush into the Void—the vast world is too premature for you, and it's perilous out there..." Xifei cautioned him, "Basic magical knowledge is enough for you to ignite your hexagram. Keep this in mind: do not overstep, and do not try to test your limits. Your current mind cannot withstand excessive shock." Wayne nodded obediently. Once he familiarized himself with the meditation technique, he looked at Xifei with eager anticipation. "I really can't say no to you, can I?" Xifei took off her glasses. "Give it a try. It doesn't matter if you fail. The church's meditation method is very gentle, and with me watching over you, nothing will go wrong." Wayne could hardly wait. He crossed his legs and sat upright on the sofa. The meditation technique imposed no strict posture requirements. Standing, lying down, doing a headstand, or even lying flat with one's rear sticking in the air—whichever posture felt comfortable and made it easier to enter the state was fine. Wayne's cross-legged pose was purely an obsession of his own, treating magic like Daoist cultivation. Following the rhythm of the meditation method, Wayne's breathing gradually stabilized. It felt as if he had gained another pair of eyes—a pair of grayish-white eyes. Through these eyes, Wayne saw a monochrome world, much like an X-ray. Across from him sat the grayish figure of Xifei, along with the motes of four-elemental light gathered within her. Even more prevalent were the four-elemental motes drifting freely through nature: steadfast earth, restless fire, tranquil water, and spirited wind. Something felt off! The perspective was wrong! Wayne realized his vantage point was centered on his chest. He didn't have a pair of eyes—he had only a single eye, far larger than anything human. Damn it, the side effects of fusing with the Book of Greed were still lingering! Just as Wayne was about to break his meditation to ask Xifei if his condition was still salvageable, her guiding voice reached his ears. "Wayne, reach out with both hands and embrace the elements of nature. Remember not to communicate with fire elements—they are desire incarnate, and you cannot control them yet." Heeding her warning, Wayne tried to extend his morbidly wrinkled and ridged hands. He assumed it would be difficult, but to his surprise, he succeeded in an instant. A few slimy tentacles shot out. Wayne: "..." What on earth have I become? Whatever, let it be. Tentacles go hand in hand with magical girls anyway! The elements were frightened out of their wits, scattering in an instant. Earth was the slowest to run, wind was the fastest, and water looked ready to burst into tears! Only fire was different. After taking two steps away, it stopped. The fire elements brimmed with interest toward Wayne, and after a brief hesitation, they bounded enthusiastically toward the tentacles for a snuggle. Wayne kept Xifei's warning firmly in mind. He let the fire elements brush against him, but adamantly refused to let them enter his body. Rejecting the overzealous fire elements, he lashed out with his tentacles to plunder the motes of earth, wind, and water. Yes, plunder. Here's one, there's another. Well, well, let's see—is there one hiding here? Hehehe, gotcha! Wherever the tentacles swept, the three elements fled in terror. Any unfortunate soul caught in the grasp struggled frantically, wailing and begging their companions for a helping hand. Their companions: If you want to die, die alone! Let go of me! Across the table, a green glow flickered in Xifei's eyes. She couldn't see Wayne's giant eye, nor could she see the predatory tentacles. All she saw were points of light being drawn into his body, one after another. What terrifying elemental affinity! To be this beloved by the elements on his very first meditation, with each of them scrambling to respond to him—what would happen in the future?! Xifei recalled her own first meditation. Because the elements had been so difficult to communicate with, she had exerted immense effort only to draw in two elements: earth and wind. In terms of quantity, one of earth, one of wind, and that was it. All of her classmates had failed entirely. Her instructor had heaped praise upon her, calling her a genius, and her current position as regional high priest proved her mentor right: she truly was a prodigy. And Wayne... *Gulp!* Xifei swallowed hard, her eyes gleaming. She thanked the Goddess of Nature for blessing her with the chance to beat everyone else to the punch, cutting Wayne off right under the noses of the Goddess of Moonlight's followers. She opened her mouth to praise Wayne, but held back at the last moment, fearing that lavish praise might make him conceited and arrogant, hindering his future growth. Better to keep him grounded for now; she could always praise him later. A moment later, Wayne emerged from his meditation. As it was his first time, he couldn't maintain the state for long, and his head was buzzing. He needed a moment to rest. He looked toward Xifei with eager expectation, dying to know where his talent stood. Was it good, or very good? "Not bad. Middle of the road, barely above average. But don't be discouraged—while you fall a bit short compared to true geniuses, you're far better than the fools." Xifei put on a solemn face. "Take a genius on my level, for instance. Back when I meditated for the first time, I captured over a thousand... Well, let's not dampen your spirits." You already did! Wayne let out a sigh. Just as he thought. All the elemental motes combined hadn't even reached thirty. Compared to Xifei's thousands, he really didn't make the cut. It was all those uncooperative elements' fault! "Teacher, magic really is too hard..." Xifei: (눈‸눈) Yeah, this kid is asking for a beating.