Mercenary Wars

Chapter 30 Arcane Wisdom
Learning costs money, and learning magic costs even more.

Gao Jianuo was well prepared, so he asked, "Master Hayes, what is your fee?"

"Individual lessons, introductory lessons, 20 silver coins per session, one hour each." Master Hayes said slowly, "A maximum of ten lessons."

So expensive!
Gao Jianuo took a breath, the charge for this hour was more than his monthly salary.

Is this the world of magicians...

Seeing his hesitation, Master Hayes said calmly, "Although my lessons are more expensive than those of other mages in Nanhai Town, I don't like to talk nonsense, and I won't waste your time and money."

Gao Jianuo thought for a moment and asked, "Why is the maximum number of lessons ten?"

Master Hayes: "Those who haven't mastered the basics after ten lessons are not suitable for learning magic. This is a field that doesn't welcome mediocre people. Only magic teachers who only care about how to charge more tuition will talk about hard work all day long, making you invest endless time without any benefit."

Gao Jianuo finally decided to believe Marcus's recommendation. He gritted his teeth, paid the tuition of twenty silver coins, and immediately started his first magic class in his life.

As Master Hayes had said, he didn't like to talk nonsense. After collecting the tuition, he immediately began to impart knowledge: "In ancient times, which are no longer traceable, sages discovered that with the right means, they could partially replicate the blessing of the Holy Name... This is the origin of magic."

"Magic is divided into four main categories based on the elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. You've probably heard of this before, but I want to point out that the depths of 'elemental science' far exceed ordinary people's imagination. The four elements are just a general classification, and they are not without controversy..."

After briefly introducing the history of magic, Master Hayes paused for a moment and continued, "The basic prerequisite for learning magic is to possess mana. Do you know what mana is? Or, in other words, what is the essence of mana?"

"I don't know." Gao Jianuo shook his head. Although he had heard of it a long time ago, he had no idea what mana was.

Master Hayes was not surprised by this: "According to the mainstream 'body school' view, mana is like the physical strength of the soul. The body obtains physical strength by chewing food, and the soul obtains mana by chewing elements."

"However, consuming elements isn't a natural ability of the soul, at least not for humans. In their natural state, the human soul often relies on the body's meager nourishment to exist and think. It's precisely for this reason that humans aren't considered a 'magical race' and can't be born with magical abilities like elemental creatures."

"Fortunately, humans are not a 'non-magical race', but a 'semi-magical race'. With some special means, we can gain the ability to consume elements and thus gain magical abilities."

"There are many so-called special methods for obtaining magic, the most important of which is the basic spell of all magicians - Arcane Wisdom."

After listening to Master Hayes' explanation, Gao Jianuo nodded in sudden realization.

Master Hayes picked up the staff beside him. The staff was made of a precious hardwood, with a crystal core and three crystal core fragments of different colors inlaid on the top.

He said, "I will release 'Arcane Wisdom' on you. For the next half hour, under the influence of this spell, you will gain perception of souls and elements."

"If you have some magical talent, after at most three Arcane Wisdom sessions, your soul will be able to master the ability to consume elements and naturally understand the most basic spell, Arcane Wisdom."

"Of course, if you want to release arcane wisdom to others, you need further study." He added, then gently placed the staff on Gao Jianuo's forehead.

Gao Jianuo sat down nervously.

Master Hayes began to chant a spell.

A few seconds later, a shining blue light lit up at the top of the staff and immediately rushed towards Gao Jianuo's forehead.

Gao Jianuo only felt a flash before his eyes, and his perception of the environment became completely different - many mottled light spots of different colors were floating in his perception.

My physical sensations also underwent some subtle changes, as if I suddenly possessed two bodies, but the two bodies overlapped. Master Hayes said: "If you have the elemental blessing, use your blessing ability. It will allow you to achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Corgano created a swift breeze.

During the process, he intuitively noticed that as his thoughts progressed, the mottled light spots floating around him immediately surged, and many light blue light spots were instantly pulled out, then condensed into a ball, turning into the swift breeze he was familiar with.

Master Hayes: "Guide the elemental elements close to your soul, and then 'chew' it. The feeling is very similar to chewing with the body, but don't use the body's mouth. You need to overcome the body's instincts to enable the soul to have the ability to 'eat' independently..."

Following his instructions, Gao Jianuo directed the Swift Breeze towards his soul. After trying for more than ten minutes, a string of information popped up on the panel.

Gain Mana

[Learn lv1 Arcane Wisdom]

[Intelligence +1]

[Experience +50]

Is this the magic power?

He tried a few more times and soon confirmed that his soul had indeed mastered the ability to "chew elements" and could obtain magic power.

It went so smoothly that Gao Jianuo was surprised.

Maybe it has something to do with "returning to youth". After all, according to the description, he can not only grow physically in this state, but also learn better.

Gao Jianuo told Master Hayes the result.

Master Hayes was also surprised when he heard this. After a two-second silence, he suddenly sighed and said, "It's a pity that you are too old, otherwise you might be able to enter Deep Blue Academy."

Deep Blue Academy... Gao Jianuo also fantasized about going there to study magic, just like he fantasized about going to Tsinghua University in his previous life.

The only factor that prevented him from going to Tsinghua University was his IQ, while there were many factors that prevented him from going to Deep Blue Academy, one of which was obviously poverty.

Deep Blue Academy, the most prestigious magic academy in the Farallo continent, has an annual tuition fee of 60 gold coins.

Of course, sixty gold coins is just the standard tuition fee. The higher the magical talent, the more tuition reductions there are. For top-tier talents, tuition can be reduced to zero or even negative. Conversely, for those with less talent, tuition will be increased accordingly.

Some nobles would even pay tens of thousands of gold coins as tuition to allow their sons who had no magical talent to enter the Deep Blue Academy.

In short, this is a magic academy that only the truly rich and truly talented are qualified to attend.

After listening to some more explanations, Gao Jianuo suddenly thought of a question: "Master Hayes, I have a question. When food is chewed by the body, feces are left. When elements are chewed by the soul, what is left?"

Master Hayes was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "I don't know. Some people believe that after the soul consumes the elements, nothing is left, while others disagree."

"This is one of the most profound questions in the entire magical field. Perhaps only God knows the answer."

(End of this chapter)