Spell Advancement

Chapter 3: Spell Advancement

"Another spell?!"

Qin Lu was delighted to see the Ignition Technique appear on the panel. He thought he had worked out how its skills advanced.

"I must have cast it eleven times just now, and it shows eleven points. Does that mean each cast adds one point of proficiency...?"

He rose from the bed and rubbed his fingers together again, enduring the discomfort of his depleted Spiritual Qi.

Fwoosh!

A faint flame appeared between his fingers, lighting his face like a lighter.

"Extinguish."

With a mere thought, the flame vanished. He immediately summoned the status panel.

"Just as I thought!"

Ecstasy washed over him. The proficiency count, previously sitting at eleven, had ticked over to twelve.

"Wonderful! Practice adds points. It is at Novice now, so once it levels up, the Ignition Technique should get stronger!"

Qin Lu clenched his fist, a fierce light burning in his eyes.

He had arrived in this world unexpectedly, alone and helpless. His most important goal was to stay alive. Only then would he have a future full of possibilities.

Now he had a system. If he kept his head down and worked to improve his proficiency, he could survive in this dangerous world.

"Once I pay off these debts, I'm going to live more freely than anyone else!"

Just as he solidified his resolve, a thick, enticing aroma drifted past his nose.

"Hmm? The rice is ready!"

Qin Lu rubbed his empty stomach. He approached the stove and lifted the lid of the wooden steamer.

"It smells incredible!"

A wave of steam rolled out, carrying a fragrance unlike anything he had ever experienced. He licked his lips, his mouth watering instantly. The hunger in his gut roared to life.

He grabbed a porcelain bowl and shoveled in a heap of the steaming grain.

Steamed to perfection, the Spirit Rice had turned translucent. Each distinct, plump grain glistened like white jade—a feast for the eyes alone.

Ignoring the scalding heat, Qin Lu raised his chopsticks and shoveled a mouthful in.

The texture was exquisite—tender, delicate, and perfectly glutinous. As the flavor bloomed across his tongue, he felt light enough to float on clouds.

"So delicious!"

Qin Lu’s eyes lit up. He had planned to stir-fry some demon beast meat to eat with the rice, but he had not expected the rice alone to taste so good.

Who needed meat? He could devour this entire bucket plain.

His chopsticks became a blur as he attacked the porcelain bowl.

Before long, the entire bucket of freshly steamed spirit rice was gone. Scraped clean.

So satisfying...

Qin Lu collapsed onto his bed, rubbing his stomach. A warm, heavy contentment settled over him.

Maybe this hellhole isn't so bad. At least the food hits the spot...

Huh?

He paused. The spiritual energy he had drained casting the Ignition Technique was trickling back.

Wait.

Qin Lu bolted upright. A fragment of memory sparked in his mind.

Digestion. Meditating immediately after a meal of spirit rice maximized absorption.

I can't let this go to waste.

He immediately got up, went to the room's only yellow meditation cushion, and sat cross-legged.

Once he settled into the right posture and formed the hand seal, the cultivation method came naturally to mind. He closed his eyes.

As the cultivation method began to work, the Spiritual Qi within Qin Lu started circulating.

Hmm? So this is the dantian?

He had never experienced anything like it. A warm current stirred in his lower abdomen and traveled through his body. The sensation was so pleasant that he immersed himself in it, letting familiar instinct guide the Spiritual Qi.

......

Two hours passed in what felt like a moment.

Qin Lu slowly opened his eyes. His Spiritual Qi had fully recovered, and he smiled.

His first session of Qi refinement had gone smoothly. With his Spiritual Qi restored, he could practice the Ignition Technique again.

On a hunch, he summoned the interface.

It really went up!

Delight washed over his face.

[Technique: Mystic Sun Mantra (Novice): 83/100]

The proficiency of the Mystic Sun Mantra had nudged forward.

Just as he suspected. Repetition equaled proficiency. Proficiency equaled levels.

The discovery gave him the same thrill as the games he had spent years grinding, filling him with motivation.

"Rituals will not fix bad luck, and spending will not save an unlucky player. Grinding is the only way!"

Qin Lu looked serious, his gaze firm.

He cast the Ignition Technique until his Spiritual Qi ran out, then meditated to restore it. As soon as his reserves were full, he began casting again.

He repeated the cycle again and again.

Time passed quickly. Before he knew it, morning had given way to late night.

......

Night.

Inside the cramped room, Qin Lu’s face had drained of all color. His spiritual energy was running on fumes, barely sustaining the faint wisp of flame dancing between his fingertips.

Since dawn, he had cast the Ignition Technique nearly a hundred times.

Between the spellcasting came the recovery—eight full cycles of two-hour meditation to replenish his qi.

The relentless practice left his head throbbing as though he had stayed up ten nights in a row. He extinguished the flame, held his head with one hand, and let out a heavy breath.

I can't go on. I have to stop here. Any more and I'll drop dead. But by my count, it should have leveled up...

By his count, the Ignition Technique should have reached one hundred proficiency points. With a thought, he called up the panel.

[Name: Qin Lu]

[Lifespan: 35/102 years]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Layer 2: 62/100]

[Technique: Mystic Sun Mantra (Novice): 91/100]

[Skills:]

Spells:

Ignition Technique (Proficient): 1/200

[Talents: None]

From Novice to Proficient!

He was thrilled. After a day of hard work, he finally had something to show for it.

Huh? My cultivation improved too...

Qin Lu rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing to slits.

"It seems that regular meditation can improve my cultivation too. At this rate, could I reach the third layer of Qi Refining in less than two months?"

He shot up from the meditation cushion.

The previous owner had cultivated for over a decade without reaching the third layer. Qin Lu seemed able to get there within two months.

Qin Lu swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling like sandpaper. He took a step toward the table and reached for the porcelain cup, only to find the teapot bone dry.

Grabbing the pot, he shuffled into the small kitchen and lifted the wooden lid of the water bucket.

His hand froze in mid-air.

Staring back at him from the rippling surface was a stranger. An indescribable dissonance washed over him.

His features were somewhat rugged rather than delicate, but his face had clear, smooth contours. Healthy wheat-colored skin gave him a masculine look.

A bit of a scoundrel's face. Ugly-handsome, as they say. But this mouth... it really is huge. No wonder they call me Qin Big-Mouth.

He remembered the previous owner’s nicknames: Swallowing Sky Python, Qin Big-Mouth, and Man-Eating Monster. All referred to his large mouth.

Qin Lu felt a wave of helpless amusement. He leaned over the bucket and grinned at his reflection, baring his teeth.

Two rows of pearly whites flashed back, transforming the rugged face into something surprisingly approachable.

The mouth is wide, sure. But it's still a hell of a lot more handsome than I was in my past life.

In the modern world, he would have looked like a handsome older man or a domineering CEO.

After another glance, Qin Lu looked away, scooped up water in both hands, and washed his face. It helped him feel a little more alert.

He dipped the teapot into the bucket to refill it, then tilted the spout directly into his mouth.

Ah.

The cool liquid washed down his throat, drawing a long, involuntary sigh of satisfaction from his lips.

Standing there, he could feel the subtle hum of his spiritual energy recovering. He raised his right hand, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together.

Whoosh.

A flame ignited instantly between his digits, bright and luminous.

The former wisp of flame had become a small fireball, about half the size of a fist. It looked much more powerful.

This is the Ignition Technique at the Proficient level.

Delight surged through him. Unable to resist the urge to test it, Qin Lu flicked his wrist, hurling the fireball downward.

Thud.

With a soft impact, the fireball made a small pit in the earthen floor, leaving scorched edges around it.

This power is no joke.

He stared at the charred pit, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. But as his gaze drifted upward, the smile froze, then slowly slid off his face.

His gaze fell on the broken wooden door, propped loosely in the entrance.

After Fang Hu's kick, Qin Lu had only propped it back up without repairing it. The crossbar was broken, and a conspicuous hole gaped in the door.

Qin Lu shook his head and muttered helplessly.

This... if they come to collect the debt tomorrow, there is no hiding behind that.