After the internet was disconnected, I connected to the magic world.

Lin Ze's fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed a string of keywords into the forum's search box:

Ancient cultivation methods are practiced in areas without magic.

The search results that pop up are mostly jokes and spam.

"Still cultivating in a magic-free area? Go home and farm, bro. Stop messing around."

"I suggest finding a space mage to teleport you to the Prime Material Plane. The magic network covers the entire plane, and you'll be satisfied. The only downside is the travel expenses."

"Is the poster from a primitive plane? There are still people who don't have access to the magic network these days? That's hilarious."

I flipped through more than ten pages, and they were all useless, irrelevant replies; not a single one was serious.

Lin Ze didn't give up and changed several keywords: ancient mage, before the birth of the magic network, ancient spellcasting, cultivation without the magic network, and ancient arcane magic.

After searching for almost an hour, he finally found an old post marked as a gem in the most obscure "Classical Arcane History" section.

The post title is very simple: "Annotated Edition of Ancient Basic Meditation Methods with Personal Practice Experiences".

The poster is a user named "Arcane Archaeologist - Vincent". The last update was three years ago, and there are only a few dozen replies below, making it pitifully quiet.

Lin Ze immediately clicked on it.

The post begins by recounting a period of history: before the Goddess of the Magic Network established the Magic Network system, mages throughout the world followed the ancient methods.

Without a magic network to filter and organize magic, mages can only capture free-floating magic particles from the world, manually construct spell models, and then guide the release of magic.

"The ancient cultivation method has an extremely high threshold, and the requirements for precise control of mental power are almost demanding."

The chaotic and disordered magical energy in the world can easily backfire, causing anything from mental breakdown and idiocy to physical explosion and death.

"After the widespread use of the magic network, spellcasting became safe, simple, and efficient. Even people with ordinary mental strength could download ready-made spell models through the magic network and use its magic to cast spells."

The ancient methods have naturally become obsolete. Nowadays, apart from those of us who study the history of arcane arts, no one practices them, and no one dares to practice them.

"At the end of this article, I've included the most basic ancient meditation method. It's publicly available and can be found everywhere."

Important reminder: Do not attempt this if you do not possess extraordinary mental strength; you are solely responsible for the consequences.

Lin Ze's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he looked.

Ancient magic!

No need for a magic net!

Directly capture the free-floating magic power between heaven and earth!

This is what he's been looking for!

Suppressing his excitement, he scrolled to the bottom of the post, where the complete "Ancient Basic Meditation Method" was located, containing several thousand words and a large number of pictures.

Unlike the meditation method in the Magic Network version, the ancient method has more complicated steps and requires a much higher level of control over mental power. The core is just one point.

He cast his mental energy out like a net, capturing scattered magical particles in the air, then drawing them back into his body to refine them, slowly accumulating them into a pool of magical energy.

"Give it a try."

Lin Ze took a deep breath and sat cross-legged again.

This time, instead of searching for the elusive magic net, he carefully spread the milky-white spiritual energy in his consciousness outward according to the ancient method.

The spiritual energy, like a thin layer of mist, slowly enveloped the entire room.

He can "see" the water glass on the table, the coat thrown on the bed, and the purple light emitted from the computer screen.

This perception is different from what the eyes see; it's a comprehensive, three-dimensional tactile experience, where you can clearly "touch" even the dust particles floating in the air.

He suppressed his surprise and focused intently on capturing the so-called "magic particles".

According to the post, magic particles are tiny specks of light carrying energy fluctuations, scattered in the air, and can be caught with mental power.

A minute passed.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed.

There was nothing there.

His mental energy swept through every corner of the room, leaving the air clean and empty.

There wasn't even the slightest energy fluctuation, let alone any violent magical particles.

It was so clean it looked like it had been washed with water, with nothing left.

Lin Ze didn't give up and tried again.

twice.

three times.

The result is the same every time.

He opened his eyes, his face a little pale.

This world has no magic network.

There isn't even the slightest trace of ethereal magic.

It is a world completely devoid of magic.

It's like a desert that's parched to the bone; even the most skilled fisherman can't catch a single fish.

Without water, how can you even talk about fishing?

Lin Ze sat on the ground, stunned for a long time.

I felt even more disappointed than when I couldn't sense the magic network at all.

I finally found a path that didn't require magic, and I thought I could finally take the first step. But the prerequisite for this path was that there had to be magic in the air.

So after all that effort, it's still a dead end?

He looked up at the computer screen.

On the forum, some people were discussing newly developed spell models, while others were showing off the magic crystals they had just obtained.

Some people are complaining that the Magic Network has another bug.

It was a magnificent magical world, just a screen away from him, yet it felt as distant as another universe.

"Is there really... absolutely no way to do it?"

He murmured to himself, subconsciously raising his hand, a wisp of spiritual energy gathering at his fingertips.

Because of the gift of the meteor, his mental strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, becoming solid and obedient.

That wisp of spiritual energy floated at his fingertips, like a small ball of soft cotton, which he could precisely control into any shape, whether it was kneaded into a small ball or stretched into a thin thread.

Suddenly, Lin Ze stopped moving.

He looked at the spiritual energy at his fingertips, then at the densely packed magical knowledge on the forum.

A crazy idea suddenly popped into his head, startling even himself.

If there's no magic, can't we find a way to create it?

If there's no magic network, can't I just build one myself?

This world truly has no supernatural beings; it is indeed a purely physical world without magic.

But now, he has a complete system of magical knowledge, superhuman mental strength, and a forum connected to advanced magical civilizations.

Others cultivate magic by borrowing power from heaven and earth, following an existing path.

Could he, on his own, start from scratch and painstakingly build up magic in this magic-free world?

The moment the thought arose, it spread throughout his body like wildfire.

The disappointment from before vanished, replaced by an irrepressible excitement and ambition; my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode.

What if it succeeds?

If he truly brought magic to this world, then he is the world's first mage and the source of all the extraordinary.

What kind of "Goddess of the Magic Network" is he? In this world, he is the one who sets the rules; he is the God of the Magic Network.

Lin Ze suddenly stood up and walked to the window. The rain had stopped, and the city lights stretched out before him, a bustling scene of cars and people, full of life.

This is the world he has lived in for twenty-three years—ordinary, commonplace, and governed by all the laws of physics.

But from today onwards, everything is different.

He turned to look at "Voice of the Magic Network" on the computer screen, a slow smile spreading across his face, his eyes gleaming.

"There's no magic network, right?"

"You don't have magic, right?"

"It's okay."

He sat back in his chair, tapped the post on the history of classical arcane arts, and began to study it carefully, word by word.

Roads are made by people walking on them.

Magic, too, is created by humans.

Since there was no magic in this world to begin with, I will personally become the first pioneer.

From this day forward, I will usher in a new era of extraordinary change for this world.