Spellcasting Gods

Once he understood this, he immediately stopped using fire magic and switched to arcane and frost magic.

Upon seeing this, the old mage immediately burst into laughter and clapped his hands: "Haha! You're quite the clever fellow! But unfortunately, what protects me now isn't just the protective fire barrier, but also protection against frost, shadow, and arcane magic. With your current strength, it's impossible for you to break through the defenses."

“Every barrier has a limit to its strength. As long as the power of my spell exceeds that limit, the barrier will collapse. So I want to try to see if I can break through your protection before my mana is depleted.” As Zhang Cheng spoke, he abandoned arcane and frost spells and chose to use the most destructive fireball spell, hurling it straight ahead.

Since he was destined to be unable to keep a low profile, he simply unleashed his full power, releasing nearly twenty fireballs in one go.

When the last one hit its mark, the fiery red light around Charles finally shattered. A wisp of spark passed through the barrier, gently falling onto his robe and quickly burning away...

Chapter 0029 The Apprentice's Trial - Completed!

“Ah! The protective fire barrier has been broken! A remarkable achievement! Based on this alone, I think the next test can be skipped. Now, say your name aloud, young man, on behalf of the Kirin Tor Council, I welcome you to the council.” Charles stared at the black spots burned into his robes, his eyes revealing undisguised surprise and astonishment.

"Zhang Cheng, this is my name. I am very honored to be a member of Dalaran." Zhang Cheng suppressed the dizziness after releasing all his mana, bent down and bowed slightly with one hand on his chest.

After all, according to the teachings in the book, most mages, upon sensing that a target has some kind of targeted protection, will immediately change the type of spell, just as he did at the beginning.

Due to the limitations of their habitual thinking, they rarely even think that each barrier actually has a corresponding upper limit, let alone try to break it.

But for Zhang Cheng, who had played games, everything in this world was just a series of numbers. The damaging spells he cast were one number, and the protective barriers were another.

When the total damage of the former exceeds that of the latter, the barrier will naturally break. Just as many people mistakenly believe that water can restrain fire, in reality, there is no such thing as one restraining the other.

If the flame temperature is high enough and the burning area is wide enough, then no matter how much water is poured on, it will only evaporate. Under certain pressure, it can even decompose into hydrogen and oxygen to aid combustion.

Similarly, if you want to extinguish a candle, a glass of water is enough.

All of these examples, in essence, are comparisons of quality and quantity, the simplest of mathematical problems, not some kind of metaphysics or uncontrollable supernatural force.

“Zhang Cheng? That’s a strange name. How do you spell it?” Charles asked without looking up as he opened a register.

"Forget it, I'll just write it myself."

Zhang Cheng sighed helplessly, took two steps forward, dipped his quill in ink, and filled in his name in the blank space according to the transliteration of the common language of Azeroth.

In fact, according to the original plan, he originally intended to use a pseudonym, but considering that the other party seemed to have used an unknown method to detect whether he was lying, he decisively chose to use his real name.

Anyway, he is not a native of this world, so even if someone uses this name to conduct an investigation, they will only find nothing in the end.

The moment the last stroke was completed, the name suddenly emitted a golden light, and Zhang Cheng's animated avatar appeared out of thin air on the page below.

Seeing this, the old mage immediately nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Now you are a registered mage of the Kirin Tor Council. I will craft a Violet Ring for you within three days. Tell me, what magical properties would you like to have enchanted on it?"

"You can also choose attributes?" Zhang Cheng raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Why not? Although most mages would choose Intelligence and Mana Regeneration, I have at least twelve other attributes to choose from. You can pick any two to add to the ring.” With that, Charles rummaged through the messy table and quickly found a yellowed list.

Zhang Cheng took it and glanced at it, discovering a series of combinations including increasing the power of damage spells, temporarily granting the wearer a mana shield, and reducing a target's magic resistance.

He considered it carefully for a few minutes, and finally pointed to the spell power and intelligence stats, saying, "These are the ones."

“No problem, come back in three days to collect the ring. Oh, by the way, regarding the other two violet rings you have, Damian's is spoils of war, so I won't take it back, but Rhysson's must be returned to the Council. We'll use this ring to make a small tombstone to commemorate his life.” Charles explained his reasons for taking back the violet rings as he wrote down the two sets.

"Of course! I have absolutely no objection." Zhang Cheng agreed without hesitation.

According to Risen's recollection, Dalaran does indeed have a tradition of using rings to create tombstones. Unless a traitor or someone who has committed a grave offense, every deceased mage will receive a place of their own in a secret chamber called "Rest Place".

“Very good. Here you go. This is your temporary ID card, which grants you access to the library, a private room in the common lounge, and free food. In addition, if you wish to use the alchemy lab, observatory, teleportation, or other services, you can apply one day in advance and pay the corresponding fees based on the time.”

After briefly explaining its purpose, the old master quickly stuffed a button-sized violet nameplate into Zhang Cheng's hand. Then, he took out a crystal-clear stone from the drawer, carefully placed it on the shelf, and used a carving knife to carve intricate patterns on it.

He was so focused that he forgot there were two other people in the room.

Feeling a little awkward being left out, Zhang Cheng didn't know whether he should stay and wait or turn around and go out to explore this miraculous city that was still under construction.

Fortunately, Ansrem Ruinvivor didn't embarrass him for long. Just three to five minutes later, he stood up from his chair and said in a slightly tired voice, "Let's go. I'll take you to see your friends now. By the way, thank you for helping that merchant keep the arcane crystal. I'll give you a reward later."

"You're too kind. This is all I should do," Zhang Cheng said, feigning modesty as he returned the greeting.

“Hypocrite! Young man, you don’t need to put on an act for me. Remember, as the ruler of Dalaran, I must always be vigilant against invasions from enemies, so what I just said wasn’t directed at you, understand?” Ansrem Ruinvivor asked, staring into Zhang Cheng’s eyes.

"understand!"

"Yes! You can continue to keep your little secret, as long as it doesn't harm the council."

Having said this, Ansrem Ruinvivor, leaning on his staff, stepped out of the domed hall and walked along the street that was still being paved.

He was completely unaware that Zhang Cheng, who was following behind, secretly pulled out a parchment scroll, his face showing an expression of ecstatic joy.

The message read: "Task completed, apprentice's trial completed, talent unlocked, you have gained seventeen talent points."

With seventeen talent points, based on the game's rule of gaining the first talent point at level ten, his current class level should be twenty-six.

Without any hesitation, he directly maxed out all five talents on the talent panel provided on the parchment: Enhanced Frostbolt, Ice Shards, Deep Freeze, Rapid Cooling, and Piercing Ice...

Chapter 0030 Talent

Zhang Cheng had long considered his choice regarding his talent and made his decision.

First, the increased Frostbolt ability reduces the casting time by five points, which is essential as it is the primary damage skill of the Frost magic tree.

Secondly, the three points of Deep Cold have a high chance of freezing the target in place when casting frost spells, creating a favorable casting environment for the mage, which is also very important.

Furthermore, the five points in Ice Shards and the three points in Piercing Cold allow Frost spells to trigger resonance (often referred to as a critical strike in the game), causing an explosion of shattered ice that deals secondary damage to the target. The latter, on the other hand, strengthens the caster's connection with Frost energy, increasing the power of all Frost spells. The combined power of these two is far more than simply one plus one equals two.

Finally, rapid cooling allows the caster to instantly control themselves, instantly calming magical turbulence that would otherwise take a long time to subside.

According to the book "Basic Principles of Spells", each time a mage completes a spell, it takes a period of time to calm the magical turbulence around them. Some of these periods are longer than others, and in the game, this is represented by the cooldown time.

However, the invention of rapid cooling techniques allowed mages to instantly self-regulate after casting frost spells.

Especially when combined with the Frost talent tree's Ice Barrier and Ice Armor, it's practically the best choice for survival. No Frost-specialized mage would give up this amazing skill, Rapid Cooling.

Feeling the unknown power infuse the corresponding knowledge into his brain, Zhang Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

From now on, his professional template is finally complete, and with the knowledge he has gained in the past few days, he will be able to protect himself even if he returns to Earth, which is full of mysterious creatures and supernatural powers.

Of course, since the parchment doesn't seem to be sending him back anytime soon, his journey in Azeroth is far from over, and he can still use his convenient status as a Kirin Tor mage to seek more benefits.

Just as he was pondering what valuable things he should do, Ansrem Ruinvivor suddenly stopped and pointed to the inn not far ahead, saying, "Go ahead, your friend is staying there. I need to go to the alchemy lab to test the components of these new plagues, so I won't accompany you. Remember, don't wander around these next few days. If there's an emergency, I may require you to attend important meetings."

"Please rest assured, I plan to spend the next few days in the library researching and practicing concocting magical potions in my spare time. I will not step out of Dalaran," Zhang Cheng assured him without hesitation.

joke?

Having finally arrived in this premier magical city of Azeroth, only a fool would want to leave.

"Oh? You also know alchemy?" A hint of surprise appeared on the archmage's face.

"I've roughly learned a few things, and currently I can only concoct a limited number of recipes such as Basic Healing, Lion King's Might, Basic Defense, Basic Mana, Weak Troll Blood, Basic Agility, and Basic Perseverance," Zhang Cheng casually mentioned a few recipes he knew.

According to the game's definition of professional skills, his current alchemy level should be at the beginner level, which is around 50 proficiency.

"Good, keep practicing. Alchemists are always in short supply. If needed, you can sell the potions you concoct to the council. We have a price list. When you go to retrieve the Violet Ring, you can ask Charles for a copy. That's all for today. Goodbye."

Having said that, Ansrem Ruinvivor tapped the ground lightly with his staff, instantly opening a portal to an unknown location. He stepped through it and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

“Magic teleportation…what a convenient ability…” Zhang Cheng muttered to himself with a hint of envy before entering the inn called “Hero’s House”.

As soon as he entered, he saw old George sitting very relaxed near the bar, gulping down a glass of dark purple, unidentified liquid.

Sitting next to me was little Jenny. This underage girl was drinking soup while looking around with curious eyes. Perhaps for her, who was at an age where curiosity was rampant, everything in Dalaran was so magical and incredible.

As for the injured Garrick, he sat alone against the wall in a corner, occasionally clutching his shoulder and grimacing. The skin around his shoulder was bluish-purple, which looked quite bad.

The other guests in the hall seemed to have long been accustomed to the presence of strangers, and still sat together in twos and threes. Some of them were wearing robes and were obviously mages, while others wore armor and robes with the Kirin Tor mark, and were probably patrol guards responsible for the perimeter of Dalaran.

Clearly, Zhang Cheng's arrival went unnoticed, so he walked across the aisle and sat down next to the businessman, greeting him with a smile: "Good afternoon, old George. How did it go? Was your valuable shipment delivered safely?"

"Oh, oh, oh! By the Holy Light! Sir Mage, it's such a pleasure to see you." The merchant was clearly a bit drunk, waving his arms and shouting to the dwarf waitress not far away, "Iggy, bring this gentleman next to me a glass of the best wine, it's on me!"

"Okay! Okay! Don't rush me! Can't you, a big guy, be a little more considerate of us little guys?"

The little dwarf, who looked like an adorable little girl, complained as she ran to the bartender and quickly delivered the drink to the bar.

"Thank you," Zhang Cheng said politely, looking the other person over with interest.

In his mind, if Azeroth were to choose the two most representative races, then goblins and gnomes would be the two most prominent.

The reason for saying this is not because these two races are full of idiots, but because they have driven the technological development of the entire world, and have forcibly steered a world that was dominated by magic to one where technology and magic are equally balanced.

It is said that if the dwarfs were not so few in number and had such unconventional thinking that they often dug their own graves, they would definitely have the strength to build a powerful empire.

The dwarf waitress named Iggy obviously noticed someone was watching her, and immediately stood on tiptoe to ask, "Hey! Big guy, is there a problem with me?"

"It's nothing, I just rarely see dwarfs, so I'm a little curious." Zhang Cheng took a small sip of the wine in his glass, smiled, and shook his head.

"Ha! Curious? What a lame excuse! I bet you're waiting to hear me say 'Wow, you're so tall,' aren't you?" Iggy waved his little fists in a fit of rage.

"No, I swear, I never had such a thought."

Despite the fact that the other person's punches were not threatening at all, Zhang Cheng quickly offered an explanation. He didn't want to get into a physical altercation with a little guy who wasn't even as tall as his butt in front of countless eyes.

"Alright, Iggy, I believe that the mage meant no harm. As for those jerks who want to make fun of your height, just ignore them." The bartender walked over, grabbed the dwarf who was in a berserk state, and dragged him back to the kitchen...

Chapter 0031 The Merchant's Ambition (Part 1)

Watching the irritable dwarf waitress being dragged away, Zhang Cheng turned around with a puzzled look and asked, "What's going on? She seems a little sensitive about her height?"

"Hahaha! It all started when Iggy became the waitress at this inn. She had just crossed the wetlands and arrived in Dalaran with a caravan. She often used the gnome's catchphrase, which many people found amusing and would deliberately tease her by repeating it over and over, eventually annoying her a bit. But don't worry about it, she'll forget about it in a while. After all, the most important reason why gnomes are so likable is that they usually don't hold grudges. One second they're angry, and the next they're happy." Old George explained with a hearty laugh.

"Well, it seems I've been wronged." Zhang Cheng shrugged helplessly.

He now finally understood why his mere glances had elicited such a strong reaction from the other person.

"Forget about her! Come on, let's have a drink to celebrate our safe arrival in Dalaran." With that, old George raised his glass, touched it lightly, then tilted his head back and gulped down the entire glass of wine.

Because he drank too quickly, he choked on the last sip, his face turned red and he kept coughing, but his eyes revealed undisguised excitement and joy.

Clearly, the safe delivery of the arcane crystals earned him a substantial reward and a series of additional benefits.

Zhang Cheng keenly sensed this and immediately lowered his voice to probe, "I'm a little curious, how much profit do you make per trip? You're willing to risk your life to secretly transport such precious goods as arcane crystals?"

Old George licked his lips and subtly held up five fingers: "Five hundred gold coins minted in the magical kingdom of Dalaran! And that's just the cash reward! In addition, I've also gained the right to purchase alchemical potions, magical materials, and equipment from the Kirin Tor Council. When I return to Southshore, I'll exchange all the money for goods and ship them to Menethil Harbor, earning at least three times the profit..."

When the topic of business comes up, he immediately switches into the role of a businessman and begins to explain his ways of making money.

Reality isn't a game; players can earn an endless supply of money by repeatedly killing monsters in the wild.

Five hundred gold coins minted in Dalaran would be an unimaginable fortune for the average resident of Azeroth.

It's enough to buy a medium-sized manor in Stormwind Kingdom with an area of ​​over 400 hectares, or two armed merchant ships equipped with cannons, or even allow someone to never have to work again and live a life of debauchery.