216 Pan’s Turtle Shell Part 1 (1/2)
Lex sat up and crossed her fingers together. While displaying this uncommon magic gesture, she started reciting a spell. Some spells could never be released without saying anything, and those that could required long periods of practice to be able to do so.
Reciting a magic spell guided a person’s magic chords and activated the spell’s elemental frequency. Once the magic chords were familiar with the frequency of the elemental vibrations, the spell would take less and less time to cast until eventually, a person could release a spell without relying on any chants.
The water puppet was a spell that did not require any chants, and the fact that Lex was chanting such a lengthy chunk now showed that she had not really grasped the secrets behind this spell.
A white light shot out from between Lex’s fingers, and the water vapor in the air condensed together and formed a twisted image. A human-like figure almost two feet tall appeared before Lex. It was made from the condensation of water elements and its body was translucent, with its organs vaguely visible.
Saleen found it interesting. This thing seemed fun to play with, but what could it do?
The small man walked forward and clasped its hands together, shooting out an icicle that went straight for Saleen’s face. Saleen waved his hand and the icicle disappeared. The small man trembled before melting atop the wooden box, returning back into a puddle of water.
Lex let out a breath and smiled. ”How about that? A puppet that can release magic.”
”It seems… weak?” Saleen asked suspiciously. The water puppet that Lex had created had lasted less than ten seconds, and even though it was surprising that it could release magic, it had only been a level-1 spell with very slow speed. Saleen had managed to wave it away even though he had not expected it.
”It doesn’t have to be. This spell originated from the First Dynasty and back then, many people on the mainland had the type of shenhe you have in your hands. The elements in the shenhe did not dissipate and the water puppets created were not destroyed this easily either. I need to familiarize myself with a new puppet each time I use it, and that is equivalent to learning a new spell each time. The spells that the puppet can release are also of the lowest level. If you use the water elements in your shenhe to create a puppet, it will almost be like…”
”Soul control?”
”It will almost have the same effect, but a puppet doesn’t have a soul. You can control the puppet to do whatever you want it to do, just like another you.”
”That doesn’t sound like there’s any advantage?”
”How is there no advantage? At least when you are controlling the puppet, you don’t have to be afraid of the spell backfiring. You can try out any dangerous spells you know. Once you have mastered it, it will almost be like you possess twice the combat power. But, of course, your magic chords will be used up twice as fast too.”
”Two grade-6 mages still aren’t a match for a sorcerer.” Saleen shook his head and said, ”I think I shall focus on the present. The current cutter can at least be upgraded to a level-9 spell.”
”This shenhe might be the last one on the mainland,” Lex said regretfully.
”It is better to specialize in spells used in combat. I remember Master Faerun was the best at the Fireball spell.”
On the topic of Faerun, Lex had nothing to say. He had been her most loyal subordinate and also her elder. He had been her half-teacher. Even now, Lex still could not accept the fact that Faeurn was already dead.
However, Saleen was not wrong. Whenever mages conducted research, they would need to learn over hundreds or even thousands of different types of magic. However, in combat, they would usually choose the ones that they were most familiar with. From level-1 to level-9, there were less than a hundred spells that were popular, and there were only a handful in each level.
Saleen’s alchemy might have been terrible, but when it came to drawing magic arrays, magic patterns were the keys to techniques with alchemy equipment. Saleen had just learned the magic pattern on his clan badge and would now be able to use it. Once the calabash was processed, it would still need to be adjusted constantly to Saleen’s magic chords. To create such equipment would take at least three to five years.
In order for this equipment to unleash its true potential, decades would be required. Hence, Saleen saw no need to choose the water puppet since he was not sure when he was going to reach grade-6. Even if he reached grade-6, it was possible that he would not be able to master that Water Puppet spell.
On the other hand, he was very familiar with the Current Cutter spell, and together with the water elements in the shenhe and the powers of the magic pattern that he had just grasped, he could quickly organize his combat power.
This was not an era of peace, and even though there were only conflicts in the middle of the mainland, a war could spread throughout the entire mainland at any moment. Saleen had no idea how much longer he could train in peace, and being able to grasp whatever opportunities were available now was the most practical thing he could do.
This was a characteristic that was present in the blood of all Sikeqinya people. Some would have said that he was practical, while others would call him short-sighted.
In reality, the real reason Saleen was impatient was because of his badge. Once he grasped the powers of the badge, what would the shenhe be to him? It was but condensed elements which would not dissipate. It still required a mage to control it, and its powers were nowhere near the powers of lightning.
”Look.” Lex lifted her finger and Saleen followed it and looked in the direction that she was pointing in. A turtle over twenty meters long had floated up to the surface. Saleen became a little nervous.
The characteristics of turtle-like magic beasts were greatly varied. Some were docile but had incredibly powerful offensive powers, and even a giant sea serpent might not have been a match for them.
Nailisi was awake as well, and as she saw the turtle, she said excitedly, ”Master, master!”