Chapter Nineteen: Spatial Teleportation

These were all minor issues, however. The greater problem lay in the fact that, despite the impressive reputation of the spatial arts, the number of spells an apprentice could actually learn was pitifully small, and each one was more difficult than the last.

Take, for example, Spatial Shift and Spatial Transmission—both had spells from Level 1 to Level 3, all sharing the same name. The only difference among them was that their structures grew more complex, and their effects more pronounced as the levels increased.

As for offensive and defensive spells, the selection was even more meager. Offensively, all options were essentially variations of the Dimensional Slash—powerful, yet short-ranged and highly consuming. Defensively, one could alter the surrounding spatial structure to form an invisible shield, capable of effectively deflecting both physical and magical attacks. However, these spells only began at Level 2, meaning only intermediate apprentices could attempt to learn them.

There was a fair variety of disruptive spells—Spatial Slow, Spatial Lock, Spatial Overlap, and the like—but most were of little use to apprentices at the early stages.

Thus, spatial magic was a school that offered little strength in the early game. Fortunately for Qi Xiao, his main focus at this stage was alchemy, which would help compensate for the lack of basic spells in his chosen field.

Naturally, Qi Xiao began his studies with Spatial Transmission. Once mastered, this would save him enormous amounts of travel time, and movement within the Bubble itself required this spell. Otherwise, he would constantly have to trouble others.

After studying for about two hours, a preliminary model of the spell had begun to form in his mind. Rising, he climbed into bed and pulled the covers over himself, settling into a meditative posture. Barring certain special paths such as the Dream Arts, wizards could generally substitute meditation for sleep entirely. Even though Qi Xiao had not yet truly entered the ranks, he could easily get by on six hours of cultivation and two hours of sleep, which would suffice to restore his energy.

Feeling the ambient mana being drawn into his mental model and gradually transformed into primordial magic, Qi Xiao experienced a deep sense of contentment.

When he opened his eyes again, dawn had broken. Sensing the abundant magic now flowing through his body, Qi Xiao knew he was not far from becoming a Novice Apprentice.

Unfortunately, it was unwise to cultivate for too long in the very beginning, or he would have preferred to reach that milestone before turning his attention to other pursuits.

The next two days passed in a steady routine. He cultivated in the evenings, ate breakfast, read alchemical texts for a while, then spent two hours daily on Spatial Transmission.

After lunch, he would immerse himself in the alchemy laboratory, researching the properties of various materials and how they interacted with inscriptions.

In the evenings, he sought out Raymond at dinner to discuss any difficulties encountered in cultivation or spellcasting. All in all, his days were full and productive.

On the fifth day after arriving at the Isle at the Heart of the Lake, Qi Xiao's body was finally saturated with primordial magic, and he formally became a wizard’s apprentice.

Leaning on the windowsill, gazing triumphantly at the sky barely touched by dawn, the silver moon not yet set, Qi Xiao resolved that whatever it took, he would one day become a legend, roaming the boundless worlds—so as not to have wasted this journey.

He entered a spacious, empty room, intending to transform it into a chamber for experimenting with the power of various spells and alchemical products in the future.

He ran through every spell he had mastered. Casting was far smoother and faster than when he had been an ordinary man, and even his previously vague understanding of Spatial Transmission had clarified considerably; he now had a clear path for further study.

Feeling the fire element swirling around his fingertips, Qi Xiao smiled faintly and dissolved the model controlling it.

Now that he had a concrete plan for learning Spatial Transmission, he wasted no time. After instructing his two junior blood-servants to have his meals delivered to the door, he closed himself away and began his studies in earnest.

That evening, he attempted to construct a spell model externally with mana. No sooner had he formed the first scaffold than his eyes lit up. This was indeed a masterpiece of his teacher’s design—what he had expected to be an arduous process was instead almost effortless, as if aided by unseen hands.

After about a quarter of an hour, the spell model was complete. Feeling the faint tug of space on his body, Qi Xiao followed the teaching, picturing the hall outside the door in his mind. In the blink of an eye, he found himself standing in the hall.

"I did it!"

Qi Xiao was elated. This was the first spell he had taught himself since arriving in this world, and it was, moreover, the most difficult Level 1 spatial spell recognized by all.

Though it had taken him over ten minutes just to build the model, the first step was always the hardest. With practice, his proficiency would soon improve.

He began constructing the model again in the hall. With the experience of the first attempt, the second took just ten minutes. The world blurred for a moment, and he was back in his room.

For the next two days, he practiced the spell whenever he had sufficient mana; when depleted, he would meditate. Before long, he had cut the "casting time" to under a minute.

He knocked on the study door and entered.

"Teacher, you wished to see me."

"Yes." Midiel regarded Qi Xiao with satisfaction. "Very good. You’ve stepped into the extraordinary within a week, and already grasp the basics of Spatial Transmission. I can see you’ve been diligent."

Qi Xiao replied modestly, "You flatter me, Teacher."

Midiel rose, moving to the desk and motioning for Qi Xiao to follow. "There’s no need for modesty. With your talent and diligence, as long as you find your own path in the future, there will be a place for you among wizards."

Qi Xiao, never one for arrogance, merely scratched his head and said nothing.

Midiel picked up a notebook from the desk and handed it to him. "This contains my research and insights on Spatial Transmission and Spatial Shift from my apprentice days. If I tried to explain them to you now, with my current understanding of space, I fear my explanations would be too abstruse. My thoughts from back then will be of more use to you. Study them well, and try to master these two spells within the next couple of weeks.

"The rest of your time, you may tend to your alchemy shop. If you need any laboratory equipment or materials, feel free to move them over—no need to ask me first."

Taking the notebook, Qi Xiao said gratefully, "Thank you, Teacher."

Midiel smiled warmly. "You’re much more sensible than your senior brothers—just a bit too shy. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Don’t worry about troubling me. At my level, I’m either terribly busy or completely free. If you can find me, it means I have time to answer your questions."

"Understood. Thank you, Teacher."

"One more thing," Midiel added, a playful note in his voice. "I hear from Eve and Raymond that you’ve been pestering them at every meal, asking if they need any custom alchemy work."

Qi Xiao laughed awkwardly and made up an excuse. After all, without commissions, how was he to earn magic crystals and rewards?

"As it happens, I have a task for you myself," Midiel said with a smile. "You’ll find the details tucked in that notebook."