Chapter 78

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Chapter 078: Light Spell (2)

Jesse thought back to the small fireball he had conjured earlier, wanting to try again as he didn’t feel he had reached his casting limit.

Malin rarely says something wrong, but this time he said that exhaustion didn’t exist at all.

It wasn’t like he felt completely fine, he didn’t feel as energetic as when he first woke up in the morning, but how much did it have to do with the two spells he cast?

Stepping back, it didn’t seem like he needed an immediate rest at all.

"Master Malin, can practicing magic continuously help strengthen my mind? For example, if I were to cast two spells now and communicate with the Ley Line twice, I already feel a bit tired. If I keep practicing, will I improve in this aspect after some time?"

Malin nodded and said, "Of course you can, but remember what I just said. Don’t overestimate your body’s ability to handle it. Take it step by step. And, the fastest way to increase the number of spells you can cast is not by strengthening your mental endurance, it’s by improving your spellcasting skill and focus."

"Spellcasting skill refers to the correct recitation of spells, hand gestures, and so on, in other words, the conditions related to spellcasting that I mentioned earlier. Each spell has techniques to reduce consumption through practice. Some mages in Dalaran call this energy-saving spellcasting technique. Many scholars believe that mental power is an energy that can be consumed and replenished, or in other words, mana, like the Ley Line energy that powers the world. If viewed this way, finding ways to save mental energy can be seen as energy conservation."

"Focus, on the other hand, is more about your inner self. If spellcasting skill is the technical skill you need to master, focus is about how concentrated you are on the act of spellcasting during the process. The more focused you are, the less mental energy you will consume. This is why mages rarely engage directly in battle but provide support from the sidelines. They need to focus as much as possible on spellcasting to sustain their allies."

"Mastering these two aspects is much more effective than training your mental willpower recklessly. Moreover, as you train these two abilities, you will gradually find that your mental limit increases."

Jesse understood that the reason he felt drained quickly when casting Fear before was probably because he was multitasking, watching the opponent’s attack while trying to cast spells in between without following proper spellcasting techniques and spell standards. This kind of spellcasting would surely be less effective and more energy-consuming.

However, are Shadow Magic and arcane magic the same?

They should have similarities, right?

"We will tackle one goal at a time," Malin said. "Let’s start with the Light Spell. Your first task is to maintain the Light Spell for over a minute, which is a very basic practice for an apprentice. This requirement won’t cause serious exhaustion even for an ordinary person. If you succeed, come to me for a simple test. If you pass, we will move on to the next step. You have two weeks to try."

He took out a yellowed scroll titled "Feilis – Beginner’s Guide to Arcane Spellcasting" from behind and said, "Page 22, instructions for casting the Light Spell. Focus on the basics first before worrying about advanced techniques."

"Yes, Master," Jesse took the book and flipped through it. The Light Spell was indeed a very simple magic, as its principle was simply to gather arcane energy to create light. He had seen some young apprentices and even children perform this in the royal city of Lordaeron when he was younger.

After finishing the Orcish Language class in the afternoon, Jesse planned to ask Ursula Deline in The Slaughtered Lamb’s basement about how to make Healing Potions and Mana Potions.

As he entered the tavern’s basement, he whispered, "Liusa," and lifted a small light with his fingers to illuminate the iron door and dark corridor in front of him.

The light remained stable for a few seconds, and as he reached out to open the door, the light suddenly spiraled out of control, dissipating into the air, leaving only a faint purple glow of lingering Arcane energy.

He sighed and stepped through the door into the darkness.

This afternoon, The Slaughtered Lamb was empty underground. Gakin, Surena, and Erlan were not there. Only Zardeth was sitting in the main hall, reading a book.

His servant, an imp named Jiaoji, was holding a book. With just a glance from Zardeth, Jiaoji would understand his meaning and quickly turn the pages. Meanwhile, his master sat slouched in the chair, very relaxed, not caring at all how long the imp had been holding the book.

"If only Saenor could be this quiet," Jesse thought to himself.

"Jesse Seso, you have arrived," Zardeth lifted his head and asked, "How do you feel about the summoning magic? Have you found a demon that suits your temperament and personality?"

"It’s quite dangerous to run around Stormwind with an imp," Jesse said.

Zardeth replied, "If you have too many tasks in Stormwind, it’s normal to worry. But if, like me, you seldom wander around, having a demon with you is not much trouble, especially since imps have their own ways of hiding."

"Although imps will obediently follow their master’s orders, they also have their own temperaments, personalities, and preferences. I don’t want you to treat summoned demons as disposable like Gakin did. The consumption of summoning magic itself is huge, requiring a safe environment each time to cast it. Plus, each summoned demon is new and unfamiliar, without any trust or familiarity, which makes me uneasy," Zardeth explained.

"Thank you, Zardeth. I will consider your advice," Jesse replied.

"You’re welcome. By the way, is there something you needed this time you came?" Zardeth asked. "I don’t recall Gakin calling for everyone."

"Is Mrs. Deline here?" Jesse asked.

Zardeth said, "Ursula is in the room at the end of the hallway, you’ll smell it, our Alchemy Room."

Following Zardeth’s directions, Jesse walked to the end of the hallway and indeed smelled a strong medicinal scent.

The scent seemed to have a hint of Grave Moss. In the Alchemy Room, a woman in loose tank top and rolled-up trousers was mixing potions, completely unaware of Jesse’s footsteps behind her.

The room was unbearably hot, despite the cooler weather outside. The basement’s ventilation was poor, with only one ineffective vent leading somewhere unknown. It provided minimal relief against the steamy heat.

"Mrs. Ursula Deline?" Jesse greeted softly.

Ursula turned around, her forehead and face covered in sweat, her once fluffy hair now sticking to her neck due to perspiration.

She took a breath and nodded, saying, "Jesse Seso, I remember your name, what can I help you with?"