Chapter 32: The More You Cut the Water, the More It Flows

Originally, Meimu could have used the "Khadgar the Mage Apprentice" character possession card to pass this trial.

But today’s training session was eight hours long, morning and afternoon combined!

For most of the apprentices at Kamar-Taj, especially those from impoverished backgrounds, this was nothing. They were used to such rigorous routines and methods of cultivation.

But Meimu wasn’t.

For someone who spent every class napping until the bell rang, how could he possibly get used to this kind of intense training? It was enough to make him want to die.

There was also the issue of Miss Balance’s mental stamina potions—limited both in their effects and in number. Meimu had tried them; at most, they kept him from feeling utterly exhausted and splitting headaches, but the side effects, like scattered attention, remained as prominent as ever.

He could certainly use the possession card now and put on a dazzling display.

But what about the next few hours? Would he be struck by lightning immediately after his performance?

He could only grit his teeth and start from the most basic exercises.

“One! Two! Three!” Mordo called out loudly from the martial platform.

Meimu could only stare dumbfounded at the girls and boys beside him, watching as they executed elegant gestures: first pulling their hands up and down to conjure a brilliant golden thread of flame.

With the next command, their hands moved softly in a Tai Chi-like motion, drawing a small circular magical array in the air with golden energy, and finally, striking to shatter the excess golden thread at the center of the array.

“Focus your attention!”

“Fix the phenomenon in your mind!”

Mordo instructed. Whether it was the woman dressed like a Taoist priestess or the blond, lion-like Western giant, each executed the movements flawlessly.

Only Meimu looked like a fool—going through the motions, shouting along, but producing absolutely nothing in the air before him.

This awkwardness was far beyond what a polite smile could cover.

Mordo came up to him and asked, “Didn’t you say your elemental sensitivity was pretty good?”

Dear reader, do you know what entry-level elemental affinity is?

Entry-level compared to mid-level, which he could achieve with the character card, was worlds apart. At mid-level, Meimu could focus and see the individual currents of elemental flow.

But with his own basic affinity, all he saw was a vague golden mist. When he tried to isolate one cluster as instructed, it felt like trying to grab a slippery eel with bare hands.

Impossible to grasp!

Mordo examined Meimu carefully and, seeing he didn’t know how to respond, didn’t press him. “Don’t rush. Perfect mastery of theory doesn’t guarantee smooth practice. That’s why we mages must cultivate. This is just your first day formally training in magic—there’s no need to feel ashamed.”

Meimu bared his teeth in a bitter smile.

With hundreds training together, Mordo, as the senior and overseer, couldn’t abandon the rest to give Meimu special attention.

Next came portal training.

Before Meimu was a large tray holding a stack of identical metal instruments.

They resembled the brass knuckles used by underground boxers—two metal rings for the index and middle finger, connected by a smooth metal plate.

Mordo’s voice continued across the plaza.

“Proficient use of the Sling Ring is crucial to spellcasting. It allows us to traverse freely between universes. You must concentrate intensely, visualize your destination in your mind. Don’t limit yourself to this world—imagine every detail! The clearer the mental image, the faster the portal will appear.”

Spatial magic, in any world, was a lofty and sophisticated art.

As a transmigrator, Meimu couldn’t fathom that portal magic here was considered basic.

Even with the system’s prompt that the Sling Ring was perfectly loaded with the spell, requiring only simple imagination to open a portal, Meimu still couldn’t manage it.

Around him, his senior brothers and sisters were opening portals of all sizes, while Meimu managed nothing.

Mortifying!

What made it even more exasperating were the prompts from the Destiny Balance system.

“The host attempts to open a portal to Earth, his previous universe... Attempt failed! The host currently lacks the ability to traverse the multiverse; please avoid attempting things beyond your capability.”

“131st attempt failed…”

In Kamar-Taj, this specially fortified magical sanctuary, all spells had been simplified for faster mastery—either through magical artifacts or enhancements to the grounds themselves.

But Meimu, as a transmigrator, had made the difficulty tenfold worse for himself.

Despite his time here, he still felt little connection to the Marvel world, so whenever he tried to open a portal, his mind was filled with images of his original Earth, sabotaging himself at every turn.

To make matters worse, he was publicly humiliated.

The Ancient One happened to pass by, saw Meimu’s extremely clumsy attempts, and couldn’t help but step forward to instruct him.

“Meimu, I know your hand isn’t functional. But the key to casting is mental focus and application of incantations. With the Sling Ring greatly simplifying the spell, all you need is concentration. Remember, your hand isn’t the focus—the gestures are merely auxiliary!”

With a wave, she summoned the mage named Hamir.

Meimu grimaced, knowing he was about to be shamed.

He was merely clumsy, with his martial arts reduced in power.

Hamir, however, practiced the “Handless Way.”

Sure enough, Hamir pulled up his sleeve to reveal a bare arm missing the left wrist.

He drew a perfect magical gesture in midair, conjuring a golden, sparking magic array.

Meimu tilted his head back at a forty-five degree angle, crying internally, “Ah—my parents still on Earth, the Marvel world is full of malice. Can I go home?”

The Ancient One had planned to say more, but sensed that Meimu’s failure wasn’t due to this.

Protected by Destiny Balance, she couldn’t perceive much of Meimu’s inner thoughts, so she continued with a conventional teaching, “Cutting water with a blade only makes it flow faster…”

Unexpectedly, Meimu recited the famous saying she was about to quote: “I need to learn to borrow power, to treat the external magic as my own, right?”

The Ancient One paused, then after a long moment, said, “Yes…”