Earth-element Magic (Part 2)

Linley ran straight back to his house and shut the bedroom door from inside.

He quickly took off his shoes, jumped onto the bed, and sat down carelessly. “Grandpa Doehring, come out quickly and help me test my magical aptitude.” Linley was extremely impatient. He had been thinking about it throughout lunch.

A hazy stream of light shot out from the Coiling Dragon Ring, landed beside the bed, and transformed into Doehring Cowart.

Doehring Cowart smiled. “Linley, do not be in such a hurry. First, I must tell you that because I do not have specialized testing tools, I can only test whether you have the aptitude to become an Earth-element magus. I cannot test the other elements without the tools.”

“You can only test my aptitude for Earth-element magic?” Linley felt a little disappointed.

He had heard that testing aptitude required special tools. Still, he had thought that as a Saint-level Grand Magus, Doehring Cowart might have some special method.

“What is wrong with Earth-element magic? Linley, I tell you that Earth-element magic is the strongest among earth, fire, water, wind, lightning, light, darkness, and all other types of magic.” Doehring Cowart’s face was full of pride. He clearly had great confidence in Earth-element magic, since he himself was an Earth-element Saint-level Grand Magus.

Linley did not quite believe him.

The various elements should be balanced. How could Earth-element magic be the strongest?

“Grandpa Doehring, I have heard that Fire-element magi have the strongest attacks. I have heard that Dark-element attacks are extremely strange. How can Earth-element magic be the strongest?” Linley asked with a frown.

The usually kind Doehring Cowart was somewhat displeased. “Linley, I tell you that in terms of attack power alone, the various elemental magics each have their own strengths!”

“For example, the Fire-element Forbidden Magic, Heavenly Fire Scorches the Prairie, Earthly Fire Burns the City. Once it is cast, a great city can be burned completely clean. For Water-element magic, once the Forbidden Magic Absolute Zero is cast, hundreds of thousands can be frozen to death in an instant. For Lightning-element magic, once the Forbidden Magic Heavenly Thunder Annihilates the World is cast, tens of millions of lightning bolts crash down. Who could survive? And for Wind-element magic, once the Forbidden Magic Apocalyptic Storm is cast, storms as sharp as knives fill heaven and earth. The result...”

Doehring Cowart let out a long sigh.

Linley’s heart trembled.

He had thought Fire-element magic had the strongest attacks. Now it seemed laughable. Whichever element reached the level of Forbidden Magic possessed power capable of destroying heaven and earth.

“What about Earth-element magic?” Linley had not forgotten it.

Doehring Cowart said confidently, “How could Earth-element magic be weak? When the Earth-element Forbidden Magic Meteor Descent is cast, countless great meteors crash down from the sky, and a city becomes ruins in the blink of an eye. Then there is the Forbidden Magic Heaven and Earth Collapse. Once it is cast, the ground rolls like ocean waves, houses fall, cracks split across the earth, magma erupts from below, and countless people are killed or injured.”

Linley held his breath as he listened.

“Earth-element magic also has the large-scale Forbidden defensive spell Pulsating Defense. Once Pulsating Defense is cast, a city is defended flawlessly from above, below, and every direction. It can even withstand Heavenly Thunder Annihilates the World.”

Doehring Cowart spoke with great delight, then smiled. “Of course... I am discussing large-scale destructive spells, not single-target magic.”

Linley nodded.

He could tell that Grandpa Doehring was describing large-scale magic of destruction.

“Grandpa Doehring, Earth-element magic seems to have many Forbidden Magic spells. Why is that?” Linley asked in confusion.

Doehring Cowart smiled confidently. “Linley, you do not understand this. In truth, the various elemental magics are nearly equal. They differ only in different environments. For example, Water-element magic is strongest in water-rich places such as the ocean. Wind-element magic is strongest where winds are especially fierce.”

Linley began to understand.

“Linley, magi throughout the continent fight almost entirely on land, correct? On land, Earth-element magi hold the greatest advantage.” A smile appeared on Doehring Cowart’s face. “With the boundless earth beneath their feet, Earth-element magi have their greatest support.”

Linley understood completely.

Each type of magus had a place where it was best suited to exert its strength.

Naturally, the places where magi of the Yulan Continent fought were almost always on land. Earth-element magi therefore held the greatest advantage.

“Among all types of magic, Earth-element essence from the earth improves the body the best after it enters the body. Mother Earth is also the kindest to us.” Doehring Cowart spoke with reverence. “When Earth-element magi sit upon the ground, they can feel the vastness of the earth, its pulse, and its care for us.”

“In terms of attack, Earth-element magi have the single-target Forbidden Magic Guardian of the Earth and the destructive Heaven and Earth Collapse and Meteor Descent. In terms of defense, they have the large-scale Forbidden Magic Pulsating Defense and the single-target Earthguard’s Holy Armor. The individual defense of Earth-element magi is the strongest!”

Doehring Cowart’s face was full of confidence.

“Individual defense? Grandpa Doehring, the individual defense of Earth-element magic is the strongest?” Linley looked at him in confusion.

Doehring Cowart smiled. “The defensive methods of Earth-element magi are initially ordinary Earth Shields and earth walls. But once one becomes a fifth-rank magus, one can cast Earthguard’s Holy Armor. Earthguard’s Holy Armor is a spell that continually advances.”

“For fifth-rank and sixth-rank magi, this armor covering the whole body is formed of rock. Upon reaching seventh-rank, it is formed of jade. At eighth-rank, it is formed of crystal jade. At ninth-rank, it advances to platinum. Once a magus reaches Saint-level and casts Earthguard’s Holy Armor, the armor is formed of diamond. Its defensive power...” As he said this, Doehring Cowart smiled.

Linley could not help sighing inwardly.

Earth-element magi truly were powerful. At Saint-level, Earthguard’s Holy Armor was formed entirely of diamond. Linley knew diamonds were very hard, and the diamonds of Earthguard’s Holy Armor were not ordinary diamonds. They were formed by magic and harder still.

“Ah, right—”

Linley suddenly remembered the two Saint-level experts who had fought over Wushan Town. The green-robed man had slashed at the gray-robed man with a sword aura. The gray-robed man’s robe had shattered, exposing an armor within that gleamed as dazzlingly as diamond.

The Saint-level magus named Rudi had relied on that diamond armor to withstand one of Tilon’s attacks.

“That was diamond-grade Earthguard’s Holy Armor?” Linley was secretly shocked.

It could withstand even a Saint-level warrior’s sword aura. Its defense could only be imagined.

“That is why I say Earth-element magic is the strongest of all types of magic.” Doehring Cowart’s white beard lifted, clearly pleased with himself.

Humans lived on the earth and fought upon it. Naturally, Earth-element magi held the greatest advantage.