Chapter 1256 405: Biological Alchemy (2)

The old craftsman widened his single eye, and suddenly realized: "Ah! I never thought of it! I always assumed it was the inferior quality of the Lapis Lazuli..."

Ian picked up a bone knife, its blade engraved with a serrated "Earth Splitting" Rune.

"This 'Earth Splitting' Rune should manifest explosive power," Ian pointed out, "but you used the 'Continuous Ripple' engraving method, which disperses the power. If you change it to 'Staircase' engraving, the impact will be more concentrated, enhancing the armor-piercing effect."

The old craftsman's hands trembled slightly. These seemingly minor adjustments had never been pointed out in his decades of engraving Rune experience. He always thought his skills had reached their peak, unaware that in Ian's eyes, there were details everywhere that could be optimized.

"Master... Where did you learn this?" The old craftsman asked in a trembling voice, almost reverently.

"I've seen many systems of magic," Ian smiled, "European magic wands, Eastern talismans, Northern Europe's Rune Stones... Each has its own wisdom. Your 'Magic Rune Artifact', solidifying spells into entities, is perfect for combat. However... The energy conduction and Rune structure still have room for improvement."

He picked up an unfinished copper sheet and swiftly scratched a few new patterns with his fingernail: "For example, this 'Shield' Rune, traditionally engraved in circular nesting, but if you adopt a 'Hexagonal Honeycomb' structure, the defense area can expand and save more magic power."

The old craftsman stared at those simple engravings, as if seeing a whole new world, his admiration and respect for this legendary wizard Ian increased even more.

The old craftsman suddenly knelt down, his forehead touching the ground: "Please accept me as your apprentice! I am willing to offer all my skills!"

This truly showed a desire to progress.

"Master, there is no need for this." Ian glanced at the appreciative and emotional expression of Caleb, smiling warmly, and did not accept the allegiance-like request.

He was merely offering his suggestions as much as possible.

"Your Magic Text System is unique and exquisite; many of your concepts have inspired me greatly. Especially this idea of closely combining magic power guidance with external Rune manifestation, which is completely different from our reliance on internal wand cores, showing a clear advantage in many specific applications. Exchange is indeed mutual."

Upon hearing Ian say that he was inspired by him, Caleb was even more flustered and quickly waved his hands: "You... You actually said you were inspired by my crude craftsmanship? This... This is simply a blessing from the Ancestral Spirit! Your Majesty, you are too humble! This little old man's modest skills are as insignificant as fireflies compared to the glorious moon in front of your wisdom, how..."

At that moment, the bead curtain at the shop door was lifted.

A young couple, dressed in traditional tribal attire and with respectful expressions, walked in with a little boy about seven or eight years old whose eyes were filled with curiosity and a trace of timidity.

"Master Caleb!" The couple respectfully saluted the old craftsman, "We have brought Kamba, trouble you."

Caleb quickly reined in his excitement and reverence from facing Ian, returning to his usual dignified masterly demeanor, though deep in his eyes remained endless respect for Ian. He nodded to the couple: "Hmm, the timing is just right. This is…"

He looked at Ian, momentarily unsure of how to introduce him.

Ian took the initiative to speak, his tone calm: "I am Master Caleb's friend, from afar, very interested in African magic art, and specifically came today to observe and learn."

He cleverly concealed his identity.

The couple, seeing Ian's obvious outsider appearance and temperament, although a bit curious, did not dare to ask more upon hearing that he was Master Caleb's friend, simply nodded politely in greeting.

Hearing Ian call himself a friend, Caleb gratefully glanced at Ian, then beckoned the little boy Kamba: "Child, come here."

Little Kamba nervously walked up to Caleb. Master Caleb patted his head, his voice softening: "Don't be afraid, child. Today is an important day, which will open a new door for you. Close your eyes and relax."

Little Kamba obediently closed his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. His parents watched nervously from the side, hands clasped tightly.

Ian also focused intently, curious about how this so-called "Enlightenment" was carried out.

He saw Master Caleb extend his right hand, pressing his forefinger and middle finger together, the fingertips glowing with a gentle white light. He gently touched the boy's brow with his fingers, chanting a segment of ancient and melodic spell.

The spell's syllables were peculiar and magically charged, Ian could sense a gentle yet extremely pure stream of spiritual power flowing into the boy's body. Little Kamba's body relaxed slightly, his breathing became smooth and long, quickly falling into a deep, magic-guided slumber.

"This ensures absolute stability during the process, the child won't move due to pain or fear, affecting the precision of the Rune," Caleb explained to Ian.

Then the expression became extremely focused and solemn.

Clearly.

This was a version of the African Stupefy.

He signaled the child's parents to help lay little Kamba flat on a stone platform covered with a soft animal hide, prepared long ago. Then, Caleb took out his tools—not a carving knife, but a needle thin as a cowhair, shimmering with a silver light, the tail of the needle connected to a magic crystal whose color constantly changed.

He carefully supported little Kamba's right hand, straightening his index finger. The fingertips of his other hand glowed again, this time with a more concentrated power, carrying a subtle cutting sensation.

The next scene made the knowledgeable Ian widen his eyes slightly in surprise.

Master Caleb's fingertips acted like the most precise scalpel, gently passing over the tip of little Kamba's index finger. The skin and muscle tissue quietly parted to the sides under a soft force, revealing the white finger bone underneath! There was no blood, no trauma, just as if a miniature door had been opened.

The entire process was steeped in a strange and sacred ritualistic feeling.

Then, Caleb picked up the magic engraving needle. The magic crystal at the tail of the needle shone brilliantly, concentrating into an extremely delicate yet power-packed beam of light. Holding his breath, his gaze focused to the extreme, he began engraving on the surface of that slender finger bone!

The engraving needle fell, emitting an extremely subtle sound, as though directly affecting the soul, a faint "zzz" sound. Complex Runes were carved stroke by stroke upon the finger bone, each symbol lighting up then fading, magic deeply and permanently imprinted into the bone's deepest part, connected to the child's Life Origin.

Seeing this scene.

Ian suddenly understood!

So that's it! The core secret of African wizard's wandless spellcasting is here!

They don't completely forego tools, but instead, they engrave the tool—the "wand" bearing the magic text—directly onto their bodies through some sacred ritual!

With this method, the most commonly used and flexible index finger bone becomes their innate, unique, and ever-present "magic wand!"

The magic text on the finger bone serves as both their wand core and Rune combination!

One might say.

This should fall within the domain of Biological Alchemy.

With such Runes engraved.

Through specific gestures, spiritual guidance, and the overflowing of magic power, they can directly activate the magic text on the finger bone to perform magic! This fully explains why their spellcasting appears so natural.

Almost instinctive!

This is a technique that madly and exquisitely integrates magic directly into the bloodline, engraved into the marrow, belonging vividly to African systems far surpassing European's realm in biological alchemy techniques!

He finally understood!

Why do African wizards not need magic wands? Why can they cast spells wandlessly?

The answer is on this child's finger.

Their "magic wand" is not an external item, but their very own body!

By engraving the elementary magic text directly onto the finger bone during childhood, their bones themselves become "magic conduits" and "spell carriers." Each casting only requires mental guidance, and magic flows through the Runic network in the bones, releasing without dependency on external tools.

This is not only magic, but also bodily modification. This system, though harsh, is extremely efficient. It makes magic truly part of the bloodstream, a part of the body.

"Truly a miracle!"

Ian looked at Master Caleb's focused and sacred expression, watching the magical mark gradually forming on the child's finger bone, which would accompany him for a lifetime.

His heart filled with astonishment.

This completely overturned his understanding of wizard's spellcasting methods. This unique and profound African Magic System far exceeded his initial imagination.

This session of observation was priceless.

It broadened Ian's perspectives significantly.