CHAPTER 95: FIRST MAGIC LESSON

The classroom Renard entered was unlike anything he’d expected. Circular like most rooms in the monastery, it had tiered stone benches arranged in concentric rings around a central demonstration area. The walls were covered with charts showing anatomical diagrams of the human body overlaid with glowing lines and symbols that seemed to pulse with their own light.

About twenty students filed in behind him, taking seats on the stone benches. Most looked nervous and excited - this would be their first formal introduction to the magical arts that had brought them to this remote mountain monastery.

Renard chose a seat in the middle tier, close enough to see clearly but not so prominent that he’d draw unwanted attention. As he settled onto the cold stone bench, he noticed that several students kept glancing around at their classmates, probably wondering who else had survived the staircase trial.

He counted heads quickly. Twenty-one students total, including himself. That meant only two people had successfully completed the trial after him yesterday.

A door at the front of the classroom opened, and a woman entered.

She was a thin woman with gray hair pulled back in a severe bun, wearing dark blue robes marked with silver symbols that identified her as a senior instructor. Her eyes were sharp and intelligent, scanning the assembled students with the practiced gaze of someone who’d taught many classes like this one.

"Welcome to Introduction to Magical Theory," she began without preamble. "I am Elder Miriam, and I will be responsible for teaching you the fundamental principles that underlie all magical practice."

She moved to the center of the demonstration area, her movements precise and controlled. "Before we begin, I want to be clear about something. Many of you have probably heard stories about magic - tales of heroes throwing lightning bolts or healing mortal wounds with a touch. These stories have created expectations that I’m here to correct."

Elder Miriam raised her hand, and a small ball of light appeared floating above her palm. It was nothing dramatic - just a gentle glow about the size of a child’s fist.

"This simple light sphere represents months of study, practice, and careful preparation. Magic is not about flashy displays of power. It is a precise science that requires deep understanding of fundamental forces and careful manipulation of essence."

Renard leaned forward slightly, genuinely interested despite his vast experience with magical combat. In his previous life, he’d seen mages on the battlefield throwing devastating spells and reshaping terrain with their power. But he’d never actually learned how magic worked from a theoretical perspective.

The demon army had mages, certainly, but they’d operated more like specialized weapons than scholars. They’d been trained for combat effectiveness, not academic understanding. Renard had worked alongside them, but he’d never been curious enough to ask about the underlying principles.

Now, sitting in this classroom, he realized that gap in his knowledge might have been a significant weakness.

"Magic and blood crest abilities operate on fundamentally different principles," Elder Miriam continued, letting the light sphere fade away. "Both systems use essence, but they channel and store that energy in completely different ways."

She gestured to the anatomical charts on the walls. "Those of you with awakened blood crests store essence in vessels located at the center of your body. Your crests grant you specific abilities that draw directly from these vessels, using your natural meridian pathways to channel power through your body."

A student raised her hand - the same girl with dark hair who’d explained the robe trim system to Renard earlier.

"Yes?" Elder Miriam acknowledged her.

"If blood crests already let us use essence, why do we need to learn magic?"

"Excellent question. The answer lies in versatility and control." Elder Miriam moved to one of the wall charts showing a human figure with a bright circle drawn around the heart area. "Blood crest abilities are powerful but limited. Each crest grants specific powers that cannot be changed or modified. Magic, however, allows for infinite variety and adaptation."

Renard studied the diagram with growing fascination. The heart was surrounded by intricate geometric patterns that looked nothing like the vessel-based energy storage he was familiar with from cultivation.

"Magic is learned by creating circles around the heart," Elder Miriam explained, tracing the patterns with her finger. "Unlike blood crest vessels that store essence at your body’s center, magical circles create artificial energy channels directly around your cardiac organ."

She moved to another chart showing the difference between the two systems. "Blood crests work with your body’s natural energy flow. Magic bypasses those natural systems entirely, creating its own pathways for essence manipulation."

The distinction was clearer now. Where his blood crests used his essence vessel and natural meridians to power specific abilities like Devour or Prajna, magic would create an entirely separate energy system focused around his heart.

"The first step in magical training is learning to distinguish between these two energy systems," Elder Miriam continued. "Those of you with awakened blood crests must learn to compartmentalize your essence use - drawing from your vessels for crest abilities while directing different energy streams toward your heart for magical applications."

She returned to the center of the demonstration area. "Close your eyes and sit comfortably. We’ll begin with a simple differentiation exercise."

The students followed her instructions, settling into meditation positions on their stone benches. Renard closed his eyes as well, though he was already intimately familiar with his essence vessel and blood crest systems.

"Breathe slowly and deeply," Elder Miriam’s voice took on a calm, instructional tone. "First, focus your attention on the center of your body where your essence vessel is located. Those without awakened blood crests should feel for any warmth or energy in that central area."

Around him, Renard could hear other students breathing, some shifting uncomfortably on the hard stone seats. For most of them, this would be their first attempt at internal energy awareness.

For Renard, accessing his essence vessel was trivial. The massive container blazed with concentrated energy, far more developed than any of his classmates could possibly achieve at their level. His dual blood crests had expanded the vessel beyond normal limits during their chaotic awakening.

"Now," Elder Miriam continued, "slowly shift your attention upward to your heart. Don’t try to access the energy there - simply observe the difference between your central vessel and your cardiac area. Magic will eventually bridge these two regions, but for now, just notice how they feel different."

Renard followed the instruction, comparing the blazing energy of his essence vessel with the steady rhythm of his heart. The contrast was stark - his vessel pulsed with spiritual power while his heart maintained its steady biological function without any magical enhancement.

"Very good," Elder Miriam said after several minutes. "Remember these sensations. Understanding the difference between vessel-based blood crest power and heart-centered magical energy is crucial for safe practice of both systems."

When the meditation exercise ended, Elder Miriam had the students share their experiences. Those with awakened blood crests reported being able to clearly distinguish between their vessel energy and cardiac area. Students without crests struggled to sense anything at all.

"This is exactly what I expected," Elder Miriam said. "Those with awakened blood crests have an advantage in magical training because they already understand essence manipulation. However, they also face greater risks during circle formation."

She moved to a more complex diagram showing both systems operating simultaneously. "Creating a magical circle around your heart while maintaining active blood crest abilities requires exceptional control and preparation. The two energy systems can interfere with each other if not properly managed."

Renard’s attention sharpened. This was exactly the concern he’d had about attempting First Circle formation with his dual blood crests.

"The process of creating your first magical circle is delicate and potentially dangerous," Elder Miriam’s voice took on a more serious tone. "For students with powerful blood crests, the risk of system interference can be life-threatening."

Several students looked nervous at this announcement, particularly those who had successfully awakened abilities during their trials.

"However," she continued, "the procedure has been refined over centuries of practice. When performed correctly under proper supervision, even students with multiple blood crests can successfully complete circle formation. The Silent Monastery has developed specialized techniques for managing these interactions."

’Specialized techniques,’ Renard noted. That suggested they had methods for handling complex cases like his dual crest situation, though he still doubted they could safely manage the opposing forces of Wild Heart and Eternal Hunger.

"When will we attempt circle formation?" a student asked.

"After you’ve mastered the separation of vessel-based and heart-centered energy manipulation. Most students require four to six weeks of preparation before they’re ready for their first magical circle."

Elder Miriam spent the rest of the class explaining how magical circles functioned differently from blood crest abilities. Where crests provided fixed powers that drew from central vessels, circles could be programmed with different spell patterns and energy configurations that operated independently of natural cultivation systems.

As the lesson continued, Renard found himself genuinely impressed by the sophistication of the magical approach. It was like having a completely separate spiritual computer system installed around your heart, capable of running different programs without interfering with your body’s natural functions.

But he also understood why the monastery’s selection process was so harsh. Managing both blood crest abilities and magical circles simultaneously required exceptional mental discipline and energy control. Most people would struggle with one system, let alone both operating in the same body.

When the class ended, students filed out in small groups, discussing what they’d learned and comparing their experiences.

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