The Path of Vengeance: Elemental Mastery

[This, then, was the essence of power and authority.]

[For the third, practical segment, you resolved to send Aile on her path of vengeance—a path that would ultimately lead to your demise.]

[To you, death was merely the conclusion of a simulation.]

[You were certain she would not betray your expectations, but instead, personally carry out her retribution.]

[In doing so, you would forge a peerless witch, while simultaneously fulfilling your duty to the young girl.]

[After your death, Chris and Eliza would become Aile’s most capable assistants…though, naturally, you had yet to inform them of this.]

[In this world, the system of magic corresponded directly with the elements.]

[Water, fire, and earth represented the three fundamental elements, while higher-tier talents included light, darkness, and wind.]

[You possessed only the most common earth element, but fortunately, Chris was one of the rare few who mastered all elements save for light and darkness.]

[Aile declared her desire to learn magic of all attributes.]

[Before the gem designed to test elemental aptitude, she radiated a kaleidoscope of colors.]

[This signified that Aile was a rare, all-elemental practitioner.]

[Yet, from beginning to end, no trace of joy flickered across her face.]

[Ever since her teacher’s demise that day, she had sealed off her heart.]

[Her heart had opened for only one person, and that person was now gone.]

[From that moment on, she would live solely for revenge.]

[You decided Aile should begin her training with the three most fundamental elements.]

[Thus, you found yourself perfectly positioned to instruct her in earth magic.]

Compared to her duties as a maid, Aile found the hours spent practicing magic each day far more preferable.

During her work, she constantly faced the Duke’s censure, punishment, and even verbal—or physical—assaults from Chris if the tea she brewed simply didn’t suit his palate.

Chris, it seemed, harbored a deep dislike for her.

The small wounds on Aile’s hands multiplied, forcing her to commit details to memory that she wished to forget.

The Duke’s preferences.

The specific types of tea he favored, the precise temperature of the boiling water, the placement of minute objects, and even the Duke’s biological clock.

Until now, she had only clearly remembered her teacher’s every preference, every small gesture; she had never imagined that even in these trivial matters, the Duke bore a striking resemblance to her teacher.

In Aile’s mind, this was nothing more than a ploy by the Duke to seize her memories of her teacher.

Inside her room, she etched the passage of time with a dagger.

That destined day would not be long in coming…

As always, Aile drank the crimson liquid.

She didn’t know what it was; she simply needed to be an obedient doll.

By mechanically repeating the Duke’s commands, she could truly grow stronger, and she refused to ponder what exactly the Duke sought from her.

Regardless, her hatred, her very heart, would remain unchanged.

She would please the Duke, and then he would teach her magic.

Until the day she grew powerful enough to exact her revenge…

Such was the circuit of her thoughts.

“Aile, your thoughts are impure.”

The Duke’s words shattered her reverie.

In magical cultivation, distraction was the gravest taboo.

Should one’s focus waver, they could even suffer qi deviation (TL Note: ‘Zou huo ru mo’ refers to a state of mental or spiritual derangement, often in cultivation, caused by errors in practice, leading to serious harm or madness.).

The state of qi deviation was exceedingly perilous; when one depleted their magic yet continued to cast spells, they would transform into a monstrous shell, a vessel of illness and misfortune.

Just like Aile’s mother.

She reined in her thoughts, striving to recapture that elusive sensation.

She had to be stronger… had to strive harder, for only then would she have a chance to avenge her teacher.

“Yes, Teacher.”

“Breathe, then perceive the magic.”

“Finally, release.”

In the sprawling courtyard of the Duke’s estate, Aile, clad in simple cloth, strained to gather the earth.

She had no choice but to succeed; she had to succeed.

Each time she cast a spell, the day her teacher died before her eyes replayed incessantly.

The pain choked her, yet this very suffocation aided her in releasing the magic.

Pain… but precisely because of this pain, she could vividly recall her teacher’s face.

She would never allow herself to forget.

Frowning deeply, she took a full five minutes to conjure an earthen wall as tall as herself.

An elementary earth magic spell: Earth Wall.

Truth be told, almost no one in this world succeeded in casting magic on their very first attempt.

Yet Aile, whose magical channels were not fully unblocked and who had never read a single magic book, accomplished it.

This was akin to a genius installing a computer for the first time and powering it on without consulting any manual.

She had done it.

She was worthy of the title ‘Female Xiao Yan’ (TL Note: Xiao Yan is the protagonist of the popular Chinese web novel ‘Battle Through the Heavens,’ known for his exceptional talent and rapid growth in cultivation.), and though her magic still contained many impurities, her growth was merely a matter of time.

Though Mingqian yearned to praise the young girl, a second thought reminded him that gentle instruction was not the path he should take.

Three years was not a long time; to lay a solid foundation for the girl, speed was imperative.

Thus, he had to keep Aile constantly under rebuke.

To ignite her will.

“Aile… I am deeply disappointed.”

“Can you not even manage elementary earth magic?”

His voice made Aile tremble, but her face remained expressionless.

Her clothes were soiled with mud, just like that child from before.

Mingqian hadn’t seen an expression on Aile’s face in a long time.

She parted her lips:

“I-I’m sorry, I’ll do better.”

She summoned the earth wall repeatedly, until every movement was devoid of excess and the magical intensity approached perfection, at which point Mingqian finally allowed her to cease.

****

[The second magic you taught her was fire magic.]

“Fireball.”

An elementary fire spell, nothing more than a simple fireball.

However, the spell’s power varied with the amount of magic channeled.

The elementary magic of any element served as a bridge to more advanced spells.

This underscored the critical importance of foundational magic.

And unlike the defensive Earth Wall, fire magic was predominantly offensive.

“Concentrate it in your hand, imagining the fire blooming forth.”

As Mingqian himself could not wield fire magic, he merely articulated the concept of the spell to Aile.

He believed the girl would surely succeed.

She drew forth the fire element, and a small fireball soared from her hand into the sky, eventually dissipating.

This was truly an extraordinary talent.

Yet Mingqian still addressed her:

“Is this magic for performing parlor tricks? Aile, I didn’t take you in to make you a jester.”

“…”

She lowered her head.

“I will try harder.”

She knew that if she failed to produce respectable magic, the Duke would not release her.

For the earth magic last time, she had practiced continuously for three full days.

She would collapse from exhaustion, only to rise and continue.

And this time would be no different…

She gritted her teeth.

****

[The third magic you instructed her in was water magic.]

Given Aile’s exceptional talent, he had no doubt she would master water magic with ease.

“Water Ball.”

With her previous experience, she effortlessly cast the Water Ball spell.

The entire process took less than an hour.

“Teacher, I have learned it.”

Aile looked at Mingqian, awaiting his next instruction.

Devoid of all expression, she resembled a porcelain doll.

By this point, she had mastered the elementary magic of all attributes.

Such talent compelled even Chris to exclaim in admiration.

“A demeanor fit for an Emperor.”

In her monthly level tests, Aile had already reached Level 20.

This rapid leveling speed stemmed partly from her inherent talent, and partly from your constant addition of various rare treasures (TL Note: ‘Tian cai di bao’ refers to natural treasures and spiritual herbs with potent effects.) to her food, as well as the lavish use of nourishing artifacts in her sleeping chambers.

This also explained why she recovered so swiftly each time Chris physically assaulted her.

What Mingqian had to do now was to build upon this foundation, further accelerating her growth.

This would require some time… but only a little.