Chapter 39: 38. Nature’s Flow, Fang Style

As Jake stepped off the sigil in the entryway of the Library, he found himself coming face to face with a familiar individual. A tall figure, dressed in a long black cloak wearing a mask to conceal their face. Jake was tempted to stand in their way but from the pace of their steps, they were in their typical rush. From their attitude, Jake knew that if he didn’t move then he would be moved. However, Jake noticed a detail as they approached the entryway. The light within the Library seemed off around them. Jake couldn’t quite describe it but there was a dullness to them. As if the light wasn’t reflecting off their clothing properly.

“Out of the way, boy,” the voice carried weight to it. Jake moved to the side, and the individual vanished from the Library the moment they stepped onto the sigil. In the person’s wake, Jake caught an odd scent, one equally familiar. Blood. There was no trace of the liquid on the floor so he doubted the person was bleeding, but it was hard to ignore such a stench.

Jake pushed the brief distraction out of his mind and made his way into the Library. There was no need to worry about the business of others. It was a fruitless endeavor here in the Library and Jake had other things to tend to. Like his prior trips, Jake was here to learn Magic and empower himself so that he could fight the Maedra. However, the magic he would need to learn would be the standard spells for battle and combat. Jake needed spells he could utilize the more advanced ones- spells that would not just kill the Maedra, but ensure victory no matter the situation. No singular element would be enough to achieve such a goal, so Jake would need to work hard to develop them all.

If he wanted to return to Yae and fulfill his promise to her, then he needed to dedicate his time to becoming not just a strong Mage, but a smart one. Pharos Squad needed a Healer but their lack of magic ability had come to light when Fien failed to properly fulfill her role. She had done well but not well enough on her own. The front line had been able to sustain themselves but they would need stronger enchantments and utility support. His Sensory magic was effective but its range wasn’t enough to cover the distance he needed. It also lacked accuracy when it came to minor details.

His fire magic was powerful but lacked depth. Water magic was underutilized but for good reason- he didn’t know how to use it properly to fight. Thunder magic he hadn’t touched. Rock magic was useful but cost too much mana and he had only been able to use it for the most basic of tactics. Wind magic was also underutilized but could be used in tandem with other elements or developed into something stronger. Dark Magic…?

Jake didn’t feel comfortable delving into the realm of Dark Magic just yet. Nor did he feel the need to. No opponent he faced so far was-

-No, he couldn’t think like that. Just like when the Knight appeared, there was no telling when an opponent beyond his ability would show up. Jake would need to prepare for every contingency, even if it meant putting time into things he found unnecessary. The point of him leaving Yae and going into his own space was to develop his skills. If he were building a home to protect Yae within, what good would the home do if he didn’t put a roof over her head? He needed to cover every possible angle and leave no doubt. Not only would it help him in a pinch, but he would be able to provide proper support to his team that way as well.

However, Jake would need to be smart about his learning. He couldn’t do too much at once or he would lose efficiency with his growth and find himself split between multiple tasks. He also had to be careful to not focus too much on one thing. The time he would spend on each element would be limited and properly planned. For each, he would set up different goals to achieve and work on until either surpassing them or becoming comfortable enough with the results. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to consider the training a success.

The first step was his mana. Even with his massive pool, fighting three battles back to back had drained his supply. The fire spears he used and the combination of other spells had rapidly emptied his mana flow and had put quite a strain on him. His control over his flow had kept it from exploding but that didn’t mean it was infinite. He needed to increase his capacity or develop his spells to be more efficient. Preferably he would need to do both. That was a goal that would remain throughout his training. With every spell he either made or refined, he would need to minimize the mana draw and optimize the power and impact.

Jake returned to his practice room and popped open one of the introductory books he still had on the table there. It was a book that contained information on cultivation techniques. Something was bothering him about his techniques, as well as the Flow of Chi he had begun to practice and utilize. Flow of Chi he thought was supposed to be able to increase the strength of certain spells simply by physically aligning oneself with the inner mana flow. It made sense to a degree but there was something more that Jake felt was missing about the details within the book.

Why were the Flow of Chi techniques within the Cultivation section of the book if the techniques were for enhancing spell casting abilities? Cultivation enhanced control over one’s mana by deepening the connection between mage and flow. It also aided in increasing capacity by expanding the flow, increasing mana density and strength, and making the mana more “essence efficient”- less essence for more mana. So why were the Chi techniques a Cultivation technique when they more or less only affected the output of mana rather than the input and storage of it?

In one way it made sense because performing the techniques would increase spell strength and mana efficiency. However, the techniques didn’t increase the body’s overall mana capability. The effects were only temporary and only lasted when the caster performed the techniques. If Jake just went through the motions outside of combat, he would feel more in tune with his mana but he would gain nothing from it. It wouldn’t stick.

Or so he thought. The different Chi techniques were separated into their own categories. One for each element. However, upon looking more closely at them, Jake noticed that they shared a lot of base poses. The initial stance was the same. The second, fifth, and eighth stances were the same. And while the end stance was not a perfect replica, it was similar across the different techniques. Water and Wind techniques shared even more stances. The same with Rock and Thunder techniques. This made Jake wonder. If the Chi techniques were so similar- why were they not being utilized together?

For nature to function, the elements worked together to achieve the cycle of life. The concept was easy to see by just living and looking around one’s self. The elements provided a balance, worked in unison, and life functioned with minor hiccups. So, if the cycle of life required balance- why would someone break up such a balance?

“There’s a book on this…” Jake mumbled to himself. He stepped away from the table and immediately left the room for the Library. If he was asking such a question, he doubted it was random or a new concept. Somewhere within the walls, there was a book on it. He just needed to find it. To do so, he triggered his Sensory spell and tracked down Yir. She was in the middle of the Library assisting another fairy it seemed. The two were fluttering about with a line of books in tow. He used a small amount of wind to launch himself up to the same level, then produced a light gust to redirect his movement so he could vault over the railing.

As he landed, Yir popped out of the lane of shelves she was in. The second fairy emerged shortly after. The fairies hovered there for a moment, staring at him as he smoothed out his clothes.

“Careful not to blow anything off the shelves with that or I might drop one on you,” Yir spat. Jake didn’t doubt she would so he made a note to be careful with the wind spells. Though, the stairs felt boring to use now.

“Yir, do you know where I can find information on the Chi techniques or Cultivation techniques in general?” At his question, the fairy flew over to him and brought a book with her. The book rotated beneath her feet so that she could land on top of it.

“Cultivation techniques? What for?” Narrowing down his needs certainly would help her point him in the right direction but he wondered how much of her curiosity was Librarian and how much was concern.

“I’ve been practicing the Flow of Chi, Wind style, but I was wondering if it were possible to combine them,” he said. Yir looked at him with a light smile and nodded.

“Then you need to read the books from Zou Fang. A lot of his research was focused on the Chi techniques, so you might be able to find your answer there. They’re on the third floor along the right wing, near the back.” Yir’s directions were trustworthy but Jake still hesitated.

“Why only the third floor?” He asked. Cultivation techniques were certainly basic and made up the foundations for magic use, but he would have thought that the more advanced techniques were much higher on the scale. Especially if there was a way to combine a multitude of techniques.

“Zou Fang was only able to research a portion of what you are looking into and he is the only researcher to take up that subject, so far. Zou was only able to conduct his research because the Emperor thought the Flow of Chi might lead to a way to increase his lifespan.” Yir shrugged at the end. “It didn’t.”

“Why are the Chi techniques not practiced by other countries?” It seemed odd to cut off a specific type of magic or technique. Was Jake viewing the purpose of the techniques wrong? Or maybe his view of Magic was skewed a bit?

“The same reason there are a bunch of other books in this Library. Other people found different ways to cultivate and each thought their way was better. As magic advanced and spread, and with conflict putting people at odds, certain bits of knowledge were outlawed in different places or frowned upon when they conflicted with the current ‘norms’. Of course, what was learned was also limited by the knowledge of those who taught. The Chi techniques were only well known and mastered by mainly monks and reclusive mages.”

“I see,” Jake muttered and bit down gently on the inside of his cheek. If that were the case, then it was understandable as to why Chi techniques weren’t so widespread. Jake hadn’t thought of that. “Thanks, Yir.”

“You’re welcome.” Yir flashed him a smile before the boy leaped over the railing again. The fairy stared at him for a moment as he fell, only to flutter away as he pushed himself over to the third floor. He landed safely and in stride, using the momentum of the wind to carry his feet into the back of the shelves.

To his surprise, the shelves within the cultivation section were mostly empty. There were still a decent number of choices but it seemed like cultivation wasn’t a focus for most mages. Which was strange, at least to Jake. Why was that? Was Cultivation not the foundation that mages needed to increase their abilities? Or was it just something most people didn’t spend their time on? That was a possibility. Cultivating took time. Time that could have been spent honing casting ability or researching new spells. Time was limited in the Overworld so most mages likely only cultivated long enough to be comfortable with their mana.

“Ah, here it is…” As he looked over the spines of the books, he came across three with the author’s name that he was looking for; ‘Zou Fang, Life Essence Cultivation’. Jake plucked the first volume of the tiny collection and then popped it open. He skimmed the back pages, flipping through them rapidly to give himself an idea of how much he would be dealing with before finally settling on the front pages.

“Life Essence Cultivation…?” He mumbled as his eyes glazed over the name of the book and the introductory page. The purpose of the technique was to enhance the body’s ability to retain life essence. The expectation was the increased volume of life essence would increase the life span of the cultivator. However, it seemed Zou Fang discovered that not to be the case, and he found that out almost right away.

Jake quickly snatched up the other two books and hurried down into his practice room. He set the second and third volumes off to the side and then set the first open in front of him. He sat down comfortably on the floor, and then relaxed his mind and eased into a stable state. He wouldn’t cultivate while reading but he calmed the tension in his body to at least help with his focus. Reading the text was a bit rough at first. Zou Fang’s handwriting was atrocious, but Jake picked up on the rhythm of his pen strokes and deciphered the text pretty quickly.

Patient and making sure to understand what Zou Fang learned, Jake took his time. Page by page, he dissected the findings of the other magician. After a short time, Jake scrambled to find some blank paper to use and began to take notes as he read along, organizing his thoughts and tracking answers to questions he had or potential changes he would have to make.

Zou Fang was a Water Mage and a Master Level magician within his sect. He was a powerful cultivator and spent a lot of time perfecting the Flow of Chi, Water Style, as it best suited his element. However, the Emperor at the time was not a magician. Though the Emperor had mana, the amount was far too weak to be used in casting and there wasn’t even enough to determine what element the Emperor could use. Thus, Zou Fang needed to first find a way to increase the mana capacity of the Emperor. He examined the different styles, and their effects on other mages, and sought out those with higher mana capacities.

In his search, Zou Fang discovered that Wind Mages had the highest average capacity for magic. Their Wind Style was far more efficient than the others and it best aligned with the flow of nature. Water Style cultivators were a close second. There were also a few who were able to utilize both styles for even more growth but this required them to have an affinity for both elements. Zou Fang studied these individuals closely and encountered a magician named Wen. She was a lower-level cultivator and her magic ability wasn’t extensive but she had already begun research into combining the styles. Where Zou Fang read books and looked to others, Wen actively performed her tests.

And it was working. Wen created a new style that brought together the different poses and stances, combining them into a much more fluid set of motions. By utilizing her dual-affinity, Wen was able to use both styles in tandem to increase their overall effectiveness. In the first volume, Zou came across Wen only in the beginning stages of her practice so it seemed progress was limited so far, but the results were already proving to be something worthwhile.

Zou continued to seek out others with dual affinities. They were rare and Zou only came across those with Wind and Water combinations. However, he did meet someone named Yao Mingli. Yao was a Fire cultivator but he utilized the Rock style. It was an odd combination but Yao had learned that by using the Rock style, he could stiffen the flames of his fire spells. He could even use a bit of rock magic even though it wasn’t an element he was aligned with. Zou then encountered two others who had the same idea- Fire magic with Rock techniques. They too were able to use basic Rock spells and enhanced the strength of the spells by using Fire magic to increase the spells’ explosiveness.

From what Zou understood, the Flow of Chi wasn’t just used to control and manipulate the mana flow. Instead, it allowed the user to align themselves closer to nature and, in a way, it would remove the affinity attached to one’s mana. Zou met with higher-level cultivators and introduced them to Yao, who taught the cultivators the Rock style. These cultivators were Wind, Water, and Thunder element-based individuals. However, after just a few weeks of studying the Rock style, they were able to feel their connection to the ground become firmer. After two months of practicing the techniques and tying the Rock style into their daily cultivation routines, the cultivators could cast basic level Rock spells.

Zou took his findings back to Wen and asked her to perform the same test. Then, Zou brought his findings to the Emperor. The Emperor issued an order, calling in the individuals Zou requested. Wen, Yao, the other two cultivators, an array of Wind, Water, and Thunder cultivators, and an assortment of lower-level cultivators who had just begun their training.

The first volume ended there. Jake quickly moved to the second. Here, Zou noted that he made his greatest revelation. Zou organized the groups into three. The first would be the group unchanged- the newer cultivators would continue to learn Wind and Water styles only and they would build on their foundations as normal. The second group would learn Wind and Water styles together, regardless of their element. The third group would learn all of the styles. No combination style brought them all together yet but Zou wanted to see if one could be developed. Only ten young cultivators were selected for the third group, as they were the only ten with the mana capacity that could potentially handle the stress of the experiment.

After four months of rigorous cultivation training, the results were astounding. The first group had grown as normal. They could use Wind and Water spells effectively and be confident with their strength. There was still much to learn and they had not increased too much, but they would be effective in battle.

The second group had grown at a higher rate. They also were able to utilize both elements to an equal degree. It didn’t matter what element they had started with- Wind or Water. By studying both elements equally and putting effort into learning the style of their opposite element, the students developed strength in both. Their mana capacities had increased by nearly twenty percent and their stamina was also found to be far higher than the first group.

The third group was an anomaly and the results varied. Five out of the ten had developed three elements- Wind, Water, and Rock. Two developed Wind and Fire elements. One developed all four. And two developed Water and Fire. None developed the Thunder element. Those that grew with the Water element showed an increase in mana capacity. Those with the Wind element showed greater stamina and magic prowess. Those that developed their fire magic were more powerful and their combat reflexes were far more resilient. Those with Rock magic developments were studier, and calmer, and their mana flows were extremely dense and tough.

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The one student who developed all four only did so due to extra dedication and effort on their own. After studies for the day concluded, the individual continued to practice and put in additional time to enhance their ability. In doing so, their mana capacity nearly doubled, their casting speed was found to be much faster, and their body had become toned and sturdy. They could use all four elements to some degree but their spells favored Wind and Fire elements. The downside was that the student had not developed a combined style. They studied them all and performed the styles separately.

However, Zou could use the results. In the third volume, Zou gathered the five who had learned the three elements as well as the student who learned four. He sent the rest away and studied the motions of the different Styles. Here, he began to notice the similarities between them. He adjusted the stances, changed some poses, and instructed the students to adjust how they moved through their cultivation. One by one, the five began to develop the fourth missing element and the one student who had the four found their strength increasing.

Zou sketched out the changes in the styles he had learned as well as what he thought should be changed as well. However, before he could continue his research, he made a note that stated he had become sick. He scribbled down his future tests and what he desired to have done after his death. As the details and writing became more desperate, the pages quickly came to an end. No additional research was conducted on the Flow of Chi.

Jake let out a sigh and left the room, making his way to the third floor again- this time by foot. He carried with him the third volume of the books and focused intently on the different sketches done by Zou. Zou discovered that hand motions, foot placement, the movement of the hips, elbows, knees, and a breathing rhythm were key to the Chi techniques. Jake understood these concepts already. In the introduction book, Jake had read to put a lot of focus into his breathing and the accuracy of his ‘flow’. Deviations caused the technique to become less effective.

Through his studies, Zou narrowed down the unnecessary movements and keyed in only on what was efficient. The longest set of movements was the Fire style, which contained eighteen. Zou had been able to narrow it down to seven. The others were all reduced to four, which opened the way for his students to combine them. By cutting the number of movements, students could move through their progressions quicker and flow straight from one style to the next. By repeating the flows and perfecting the techniques, the results would compound and grow.

On the third floor and back in the cultivation section, Jake scoured the spines of the books for another one focused on the Flow of Chi. To his dismay, there wasn’t one, which meant he would need to figure it out on his own. Again. The boy grumbled and clapped the book in his hand shut, tucking it under his elbow as he dragged his feet back up the steps. It seemed Yir wasn’t lying when she said the Flow of Chi wasn’t a very popular cultivation style.

Jake collected the other two books from the floor and then grabbed the introductory book from the table. He brought them all into the practice room and then opened them each to the sketches of the Flows. He first reminded himself of what the introductory book had, and then compared it to Zuo’s studies. The standard stances were the same so there wasn’t much to relearn. Jake would just need to practice. 

“One at a time, then,” he rumbled. He used rock magic to create a set of pedestals to set the books on and then made his way down into the lowered part of the room. He limited his space to both contain and force himself to conduct the movements without much room to move. In a fight, especially in the tunnels, he would be constrained to only a few feet in each direction. He would also have a weapon but Jake would incorporate that later. For now, he needed the basics.

The boy took in a deep, long breath to fill his lungs, and then eased into a comfortable stance. Left hand raised, palm out. Right elbow back and hand turned sideways. Legs staggered, hips slightly turned and aligned with his torso.  When he was comfortable, he began to guide his hands through and his feet slid smoothly over the floor. He controlled his breathing, monitored the rhythm of his breaths, and kept them in time with the pushing and pulling of his hands.

As he eased through the progressions, Jake began to incorporate the changes Zou had mentioned in his books. One by one, iteration after iteration, Jake made his slight adjustments. The flow of his mana pulsed in response to the changes, the power radiating outwards and filling his body as he felt the strength begin to build. He cut out the useless stances and felt how seamless the researched progressions were compared to the clunky introductory style.

When Jake was comfortable with the Wind style, he moved immediately into the Water style. One by one, he practiced and taught himself the four styles Zou utilized and researched. Using the sketches and the introductory book for his direction, Jake mimicked the images and slowly memorized them. Once he was comfortable with them, he went more in-depth. Much like with the Wind Style, Jake moved through the different techniques and slowly shaved down the progressions, and adjusted his movements to comply with Zou’s research.

Over time, Jake started to move quickly from one technique to the next. The flows connected, their ends moving smoothly into the beginnings of the others. There was no set order that he needed to follow. Like nature, the techniques were all connected in that way. However, Jake began to notice the struggle Zou might have encountered. While the start and end of the techniques were able to be smoothly switched and linked- the central core progressions of the styles weren’t so interchangeable. If Jake attempted to combine the styles, the movements were choppy, sharp, and uncomfortable. His mana flow didn’t react to the combinations either.

“There has to be a way…” he muttered as he eased through the Fire Style and into the Rock Style, his palms rotating as his legs twisted beneath him. He raised a knee, lunged smoothly forward, and twirled his fingers around his wrists as mana coiled at his fingertips. He narrowed his eyes and focused on that feeling. Mana radiated from his palms, his feet, and with every exhale. The air was thick with it as it seemed to leak out around him.

As he transitioned once more from Rock to Wind, Jake coiled more mana and dragged the toes of his right foot around in a circle- a movement from the water style. Then, he eased back into a tense stance- his elbows pulled back and his back muscles squeezed as mana flowed into his palms. He took a harsh step forward, expelling the mana and triggering a fire spell as the mana spewed out in front of him. With another twist, he swirled the air and his hands directed the flames as wind magic carried the heat around him in a spiral.

He stopped then, dispelling the fire and wind. He stepped back up to the books and looked over them each. In Zou’s research, his subjects were either skilled in only one or two elements. There were no rock magicians but they could utilize rock magic after practicing the style. Wind, Water, and Fire magicians were able to learn the other styles. These magicians were fairly skilled in their elements but were just beginners, and there was no mention of the higher-level cultivators being incorporated into the study.

The study was meant to be conducted under the guise that the result would increase the Emperor’s life span, thus there was no need for stronger cultivators to participate. Due to this, the students Zuo monitored were new to magic. Their skills were just budding. Jake was beyond that. While he understood that Zuo hadn’t combined the styles, Jake was curious. Was it because he couldn’t due to the limitations of the techniques, or was it due to the limitations of his students?

Jake flipped to the sketches of the stances again and brought the books over to the wall. As much as he wanted to tear out the pages, he didn’t want to lose his head as the price for vandalism. Instead, using rock magic, he began to replicate the sketches and carved into the wall the different images. He created four rows- Rock, Fire, Wind, and Water. He aligned the progressions and then closed the books.

With his attention on the progressions themselves, Jake began to slowly mark the similarities. Similar elbow movements, hand positions, and ankle twists. He marked where one flow could be pushed into another. Anywhere there was a connection, Jake marked the wall. After some time, the wall was a mess of scratches, crosses, and circles.

“You knew this, didn’t you?” He mumbled as he plucked the introductory book back up. The progressions in the starter book were long and inefficient, but there was a purpose to them. The beginner-level styles helped develop flexibility, endurance, strength, and focus. Zou’s advanced styles cut out those excessive movements with the expectation that the cultivator already had that baseline. But, he was already preparing the students for the next step.

The final style. The true Flow of Chi technique. One that would incorporate all of those similarities, all of those shared movements. Zou needed his students to be competent in all four elements, otherwise, the style wouldn’t work and they would only feel power during certain phases or transitions. If the students didn’t improve with the final style, out of incompetence rather than ability, then his research would have been deemed a failure even if it were actually useful. He died before he achieved that goal.

However, by paying attention to detail, Jake could see the next step Zou was trying to take. The progression into the final style. It wasn’t complicated but the accuracy of the movements would be key to success. The new style lacked any excess movement and the transitional movements were high-level slides and twists. Jake felt the weight of the knowledge already and could see the difficulty of it. Still, he would have to try.

Once more using rock magic, Jake moved a bit up the wall and began to sketch out the final style’s progressions. Utilizing the research books, his prior sketches and matching game, and his knowledge, Jake created a ten-step progression with an end that could smoothly transition back to the start. That left eight total steps in the middle- two for each element. Four total phases for the four elements.

“Balance, right?” Jake chuckled and stepped away from the wall. He stared at the outline and he could feel his stomach flutter with excitement. Not wanting to waste time, he returned to the center of the room and faced the wall. He assumed the starting stance and then shifted to the second. Then, the third. Without performing the smooth transitions, Jake replicated each of the ten individual steps in the style. He walked himself through them. He checked his posture, his breathing, and the position of his key joints and hands.

Comfort returned and his pace began to increase with each repetition. The sharp and jerky movements smoothed out. His hands began to flow. His feet brushed and his hips twisted. He maintained his breathing, kept it steady, and focused on moving. It came almost effortlessly. His confidence built, his mana began to react, and he could feel the strength build in his core. When he was ready, Jake eased through the last step and back to the start. Then, without missing a beat, he exhaled and flowed straight into the first full attempt.

There were some sputters, a mistake here and there, a missed breath, but he could feel it. His mana throbbed within him as he worked through the errors. His disciplined mind ignored the tension on his muscles as sweat beaded on his forehead. The room was hot with his breathing and he felt weary but he pushed through and continued until every movement was refined to near perfection.

Mana coiled and leaked from him once more, flowing into the air around his body. He ignited flames before dancing streaks of water through the flickering lights. Soft gusts of wind swirled slowly around his feet and in the air above him. The ground rumbled faintly as his heels clicked and stomped. Jake’s thoughts cleared and he felt his body become light. Everything felt… perfect.

Jake closed his eyes and he eased through the progressions one more time before finishing with a gentle sweep of his hands and feet. He let out a final exhale and the mana around him dispersed. The fires were whisked away by the wind, the floating water balls were lowered to the ground before melting into the stone. When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t quite describe the feeling lingering within him. It wasn’t power or strength- it was comfort. All of the tension in Jake’s body was gone. He felt at ease with himself, with the world, and he felt comfortable within his skin.

The boy turned his eyes over to the research book and stared at its open pages. He then looked up towards the wall at his work. Not wanting to lose the knowledge, or play the selfish game, Jake rushed to the study to fetch a piece of paper and a feather pen. He returned to the practice room and wrote down his findings and the result of his practice. He sketched down the progressions of the final style as best as he could and made brief notes as to where a cultivator should put their focus. He also made a note of what the style would require before being utilized. Then, he wrote down the name of the style.

Flow of Chi, Fang Style.

He closed the book, tucking his notes into the back few pages. Then, he collected the other two and carried them out of his practice room. As he reached the third floor and began to make his way into the cultivation section, he felt a tickle on the back of his neck. He looked over his shoulder to see Yir coming down towards him.

“You learned something, didn’t you?” Her intuition was crazy.

“I did. How did you know?” He asked. Though, it should have been obvious. He was returning the books to the shelves after holding onto them for quite a long time.

“I felt something off about the mana around here and the others are only reading,” Yir explained. She fluttered closer and looked down at the books in his hands. “I see my recommendation helped?”

“It did, thank you, Yir. Zou put a lot of effort into his research and it proved to be worthwhile. At least, I hope so.” Jake turned and made his way into the row of shelves. Yir fluttered after him, watching the boy as he neatly returned the books to their resting places.

“I’m surprised. I knew you liked to cultivate, but why go so far?” Yir crossed her arms as she questioned him. Jake shrugged. Of all the things he had learned so far with magic, cultivation had taught him the most. It taught him discipline and control, and it taught him what true power could feel like. Spell casting was easy and quick compared to the skill required to properly cultivate. Maybe it was the challenge of it that he sought out?

“I guess I just want to make sure I don’t blow up,” Jake joked. He let out a chuckle as he planted his hands firmly on his hips. “Yir, if I wanted to learn more advanced magic spells, do you have any recommendations?”

The fairy hadn’t laughed at his joke. She just shook her head and rolled her eyes before leading him out of the bookshelves. She held up a finger, told him to wait, and then her wings carried her off to the upper levels of the Library. Jake waited patiently, his eyes watching as she darted this way and that. Several books began to collect in the middle of the Library, all held together by her magic as she added to the pile. She returned shortly after and set the stack down directly into his hands. The fairy set herself down on the railing and stared at him. Jake peeked out around the side of the book tower as she spoke to him.

“For each element, except Dark Magic. These are the books I would recommend studying. There are also a few in there that talk about combination spells, but I ask you don’t practice them here. Combination spells can be quite dangerous and cause a lot of damage.”

He nodded and grinned, excited for what the pages he held might contain.

“Thank you, Yir!” As if he had just been given a bag of candy, Jake grinned and hurried up the steps to the fourth floor.

“Careful!” Yir shouted after him, watching the boy ascend towards the practice room again. She watched him for a few moments before he finally turned out of sight, a little smile appearing. “There’s the child Ferynith was looking for…” she whispered. Then, without a sound, her wings began to shake as she lifted herself towards the upper levels again.

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