The Portal of Wonderland

Shi Mu finished drawing the second magic charm in an efficient manner. He noticed that the pattern he had drawn on the charm paper was identical to the sample recorded in ‘The Sacred Book of Charm Magic’. His heart brimmed with happiness. He put down the brush, and started to read some sort of an incantation. Then, he pinched the paper charm and shook it with the support of his magic power.

However, nothing happened. It seemed as if the magic charm was nothing more than a piece of an ordinary scrap paper. It didn’t respond.

He tried again, but nothing happened.

He flung the charm aside with a despondent sigh. Then, he went to his bed and sat down cross-legged. Soon, he fell into a deep meditative state.

Shi Mu opened his eyes after a while. He seemed to have figured-out the problem. Then, he picked-up the brush, and started to draw for the third time.

He tried to infuse his magic powers in the piece of paper after half-an-hour. However, the paper got self-ignited, and the magic charm failed for the third time.

Almost twelve hours passed…

Shi Mu was still sitting by his stone table. His pupils were pale-golden, and he was moving his brush with rapt attention.

This was the seventh paper charm that he was working on. The previous paper charms had received the same fate. They had failed because a certain character hadn’t turned-up correctly. His attempts had failed even if all characters had been drawn perfectly since the charm paper had destroyed themselves to ashes in the last step of instilling magic power.

The wind element spirit-stone in his hand had lost its radiance with the passage of time. It was clear that the spiritual energy inside it wasn’t abundant.

He was drawing the magic charm according to the method based on some sort of ‘Synchronous Spirit Filling Technique’ recorded in the ancient book. According to it, he could fill the spirit immediately-after drawing the charm. He could save plenty of time in this manner.

However, Shi Mu’s complexion turned pale as the seventh paper charm also turned into a piece of scrap paper.

He sucked in a long breath, and then exhaled it. He repeated this a few times until his mind had regained its tranquility. Then, he took-out the jade slip of ‘The Sacred Book of Charm Magic’ and placed it against his forehead. He gesticulated something with his other hand at the same time.

His eyes flashed after a while. Then, he slowly put the jade slip down.

He had finally figured-out the point where he had been committing mistakes while going through the book.

He controlled his breathing once again, and sat down on the stone bed. He returned to the table once he was sure that his magic power had been stabilized. He muttered as he picked-up the brush, “I mustn’t repeat the same mistake again. I didn’t know that this ‘Body Lifting Technique’ would be so hard to finish. Anyways, this charm is composed of twelve low-level charm characters. It doesn’t even constitute a middle-level charm. But, it’s one of the most difficult charms to draw among the low-grade charms. The charms that I’ve drawn so far had just five or six characters. If I hadn’t got my hands on the wind element spirit stone… then drawing this ‘Body Lifting Charm’ would’ve been next to impossible. I’ve also practiced several times beforehand… and have made a lot of low-grade charms. So, I still hope to accomplish this task. Other magician-practitioner can’t do it. So, I should truly rely on this…”

He couldn’t finish his words.

Suddenly, his face became dignified as his eyes shrank. Then, they dilated and turned into a pair of golden pupils. He had used this strange technique of ‘Spirit Eye’ to its full extent this time.

The blue charm paper appeared even larger than before; even its texture seemed more exquisite.

Shi Mu settled his mind. Then, he held his breath and bent his head. He started to draw the eighth paper charm with utmost attention.

Some strange feelings started to bubble-up in his heart as he drew the charm character. He had never experienced these feelings before. Suddenly, he felt that the brush had become extremely heavy. But, it still moved in a free and smooth manner.

He spent double time to draw this charm.

The twelfth character was finally drawn in a perfect manner. Suddenly, the pattern drawn on that paper charm emanated a mild-blue light with a ‘puff’ sound. Then, an invisible wind element force emerged out of it and started to swirl above the paper charm.

“Finally, the job is done.”

Shi Mu was delighted as he saw this. His eyes returned to their normal state, and everything before his eyes resumed to its original size.

He brimmed with happiness as he picked-up the ‘Body Lifting Charm’. It radiated a faint-blue light. He looked at it carefully. He noticed that several mysterious and complex red spirit lines were twined together on top of the blue charm paper. They constituted a delicate and mysterious pattern. In fact, a person’s eyes would get stuck on it the moment they fell on it.

Shi Mu’s eyes revealed a trace of excitement. He was impatient to try the power of the Body Lifting Technique.

He held the charm between his fingers. Then, he instilled his Real Qi into it. Suddenly, the blue paper charm ignited on its own. After that, a mass of blue-colored energy emerged out of the flames. Shi Mu pressed the burning paper charm to his skin.

“Puff” a light sound echoed.

A blue light sparked with that sound. Suddenly, Shi Mu felt that he was shrouded by an invisible layer of blue energy; it felt gentle and warm.

He felt as if his body had become very light. The weight of his body had reduced terrifically; so much so that even a gust of wind could blow him away.

Shi Mu was awestruck; he checked his body from top-to-bottom. He couldn’t find even the slightest of changes. He pounded his fists and kicked his legs a few times. He tried to move his limbs in every possible manner. He finally realized that they were lighter than before. He couldn’t help but relate this to the word ‘lithe’.

It was a marvelous feeling.

Suddenly, his mind was struck by a brilliant brainwave. He felt like trying his ‘Thirteen Series of Gale-Force Blade Art’.

He turned around to grasp the blade that lay on his bed. A cold light flashed as he picked-up that shining steel blade.

He concentrated his mind. He then poured his Real Qi into the blade through his arms with the help of the ‘Art of Breeding Heavenly Elephants’. The surface of the blade got covered by a thin layer of white light. Suddenly, his blade quivered and issued a faint sound… like that of a tiger or a dragon’s roar.

“Ha!”

A strange light flashed in Shi Mu’s eyes like an electric current. He shouted-out loud as he made a stroke in the air with his blade. Suddenly, the snowy-white light on the blade’s surface trembled and divided into twelve blade-shadows. Then, the fierce blade-wind flooded the entire room like tsunami.

“Thirteen cuts!”

Shi Mu waited for the blade-shadows to dissipate. Then, he looked at the wall and saw thirteen distinct traces on its surface. This meant that he could temporarily achieve the consummate stage of the ‘Thirteen Series of Gale-Force Blade Art’ with the support of the Body-Lifting Charm.

He wielded his blade in the air one more time. The white light of his blade blossomed around him like a noble snow lotus. Then, it shrouded his entire body.

Shi Mu continued to attempt the ‘Thirteen Series of Gale-Force Blade Art’ for some time. Finally, the effect of the ‘Body Lifting Charm’ dissipated. The misty-white blade shadows also dispersed then.

Shi Mu stood motionless with the blade in his hand. His eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.

The strikes of his blade had been continuous. Moreover, the Real Qi of the ‘Art of Breeding Heavenly Elephants’ flowed smoothly within his body. This made his entire body blaze with energy. It seemed that his overwhelming strength was about to burst out of his body. But, he felt as if an unclear hindrance would appear in his way. He had achieved the consummate stage of the blade art with magnificent thirteen cuts. However, he felt that he wouldn’t be able to unleash the utmost strength of his blade.

“There’s a rumor attached to this ‘Thirteen Series of Gale-Force Blade Art’. Some people say that this art is a Xian Tian level art… but it has been artificially dismantled into thirteen series.” Suddenly, Shi Mu remembered a few words related to the art. These words were spoken by his former instructor – Li Cang Hai.

Now, he had finally understood the crux of his words. He felt that Li Cang Hai might have been right.

But, he didn’t let this thought linger in his mind for long.

Right now, his priority was to make maximum use of the spirit stone, and draw as many Body-Lifting charms as possible – before the spiritual energy of the stone got completely consumed-up. After all, this magic charm would play a major role in increasing his strength.