Returning from the abyss

Chapter 1451 Learning and Life

The third tier is the stage where various spells undergo the most first qualitative changes.

Spells that originally had no combat function can now become lethal, and spells that were originally only used for killing can now have additional functionality; there are countless examples of this. For instance, the Light spell has reached the third tier, "Blazing Sun," which the pharmacist used to deal with the infected.

Healing spells have also seen significant improvements. For example, the "Rejuvenation Spell" mentioned in previous lectures, while first-tier divine spells can only heal external wounds and second-tier divine spells can restore internal damage, "Rejuvenation Spell" is a qualitative leap that can truly bring a person's body back to a healthy state. Previously, spells needed to be cast on the wounded area, but now, you can simply cast it on the person and the problem is solved.

Under the Church's divine spell system, all spells are strictly inherited according to rank, with no skipping of ranks and no higher-rank spell without a corresponding lower-rank spell. This is very different from the Plague Lord's divine spells.

"Alright, can you tell me what the corresponding third-tier divine spells are for Ignite and Mind Soothing?"

The second level of Ignite is Burning, and the second level of Mind Soothing is Calming, both of which are enhancement effects. Veronica and Vanessa looked at the spell names listed by the apothecary, carefully selected, and finally agreed that "Explosive Impact" and "Sleep" were probably the most similar.

"Unfortunately, that's why I'm giving you this lesson—because of the multiple systems involved in naming spells, the order of appearance has always been important, and there's no necessary relationship between the names."

Vanessa was taken aback: "Neither of these are right? But there aren't any other spells with names like fire or mind spells in here."

The apothecary cast two spells: "Frenzy" and "Repetition".

"Why...?"

"This is the change when a spell reaches the third tier. Of course, some spells only show this change at the fourth tier. Fanaticism brings a mid-term physical enhancement effect, along with an increase in body temperature, but it's best not to maintain this state for too long. As for re-chanting—I need to explain chanting to you first."

In this world's spell system, "chanting," something found in many magic systems, is unnecessary. This is because magic only requires sufficient Na and one's own class; given the right conditions, it's entirely possible to instantly cast several high-level spells.

So what is the purpose of "chanting"? It is based on a practical reason—to accelerate Na's recovery.

As a saint, the apothecary possesses ample energy reserves, but in this world, the average energy reserves of those who practice magic are only between ten and fifteen, and the rank they can reach is only around the fifth level. Insufficient energy reserves are a problem for many spellcasters, because while their talent may not lie in practical application, they possess exceptional research abilities. Even if it's just to cast more spells for research, they will try to shorten the energy return time as much as possible.

Thus, "chanting" was invented by a certain brilliant but troubled monk.

Nowadays, this technique is no longer about reciting a bunch of things before casting a spell. In fact, the inventors were reciting so-called configuration formulas. Because they were too long, they had to create a mnemonic to memorize while using the spell to avoid mistakes. Because of the different spell configurations, at least each school of magic needs its own mnemonic. People who don't understand it will feel like the other person is saying a bunch of incomprehensible but impressive things and then just throws out a spell.

Obviously, this only applies to research environments.

"Repetition is a unique divine spell of the Savior's Canon. It allows us to pre-record a configuration formula and directly apply it to the next spell we use. Or to put it more bluntly, it can accelerate the recovery speed of Na after the next casting of a spell you specify to just over ten minutes."

"But Reincarnation itself also consumes Naa, right?" Veronica immediately grasped the key point. "That is, using some Naa to exchange for the rapid recovery of other Naa. In that case, if Reincarnation is a three-Naa spell, it will definitely be used to assist spell attacks with a value higher than three Naa?"

“That’s right, but chanting is a five-element spell.” The apothecary laughed. “In other words, even if you learn this spell, it’s useless if you don’t raise your elemental affinity to eleven or higher.”

Veronica simply smiled, but Vanessa immediately said, "Give us some time, it's not difficult at all!"

The pharmacist had no doubt about this. Both of them were top-notch talents and were approaching adulthood—a spellcaster's Naa wasn't something that gradually increased as a person grew older, but rather it experienced an explosive growth over a period of time after adulthood. Veronica, who was a few months older, already had eight Naa, and Vanessa would soon be an adult as well.

Of course, practice is also very important; otherwise, talent can only bring a person to an average level, and it will be difficult to make any further progress.

"Alright, today I will teach you the third and fourth order spell configurations corresponding to the four basic divine spells you have mastered. However, I do not recommend that you practice using the first and second order methods, because the consumption is completely different."

"Then what method should we use to practice magic?" Vanessa asked.

"At this stage, there are no shortcuts. You must experience the operation of magic through practical application. Therefore, I will teach you the incantation methods for the corresponding spells. But you must remember two points: First, incantation is only for practice and research, never use it in actual combat; second, incantation is only used to speed up the recovery of your energy, but spell addiction still exists. Don't forget this when you're having fun practicing. The symptoms of spell addiction at the third or fourth level can be fatal."

At this moment, she saw Vanessa's thoughtful expression, guessing that she had some strange interpretation again, but there was no need to interfere. This method of inserting a complex structure before a spell has little practical value. After all, although spells are instantaneous, their effectiveness depends on the speed of their construction. Overly complex spells cannot ultimately be cast instantly, which is fatal in a world that values ​​casting speed.

Third and fourth-tier spells are not easy to learn; at least neither of them fully mastered them in this lesson. However, the burden was not as heavy as before. After all, their mental resilience had improved after this period of training, so they didn't feel like they were draining their bodies by learning spells.

"get out of class dismissed. Also, there are no classes for the next two days. Father Thorne will most likely process the necessary documents, but even if the Church of East is moving quickly, it will still take several days. During this time, you two need to familiarize yourselves with Violet City. If nothing unexpected happens, you will be living here for a while."

“Oh…then, Pharmacist, are there any places worth visiting in Violet City?” Vanessa asked immediately.

"There are many places worth visiting for you, after all, the environment here is completely different from where you used to live. However, I would suggest that you change your clothes, blend in with the locals, and see what daily life in this city is like."

Veronica looked troubled: "But our clothes are all provided by the church..."

"So, the first thing you all need to do tomorrow is buy yourselves a new outfit. Remember, it has to be the kind of outfit that completely blends into ordinary life."
The requirements for becoming a pharmacist are not high, but it is still a challenging subject worth pursuing.

Veronica and Vanessa were both adopted by Father Thorne from a young age. Although they had come into contact with ordinary people and knew what their clothes were like, they weren't really clear about what ordinary people's lives were like. They couldn't possibly use the group of people in the procession on the road as an example, could they? Even if they lacked common sense, they knew that this group was just helping refugees and couldn't be compared to the common people of Violet City.

So the next morning, they went out together to observe the clothing of the residents on the streets of the parish.

Are people in parishes generally wealthier than those in other areas? Is this a factor worth considering?

"I don't think it's a problem for us to dress a little more extravagantly, right?"

"The pharmacist's requirement is to blend in with the common people. We can't just stay in the parish; we need to go out and see the world. She didn't specifically point out any safety issues, so we're probably capable enough. The only problem is how well we can travel in plain clothes."

"Aren't you overthinking this? Veronica, we just need something that doesn't look too extravagant."

“No, I’m worried… Didn’t the priest say that many people can tell a person’s background just by their clothes, mannerisms, and even the tone of their voice? If we don’t actually behave like that, then even if we choose the right clothes, we won’t have the right presence to match them…”

"You look absolutely unlike an ordinary person right now! Come on, let's just ask someone directly!"

The pharmacist watched from upstairs with a smile as Vanessa dragged Veronica off to the street for an interview. Then, she stopped smiling, grabbed a pre-packed package, went downstairs, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the Church of St. Ist.

The carriages were quite fast; Violet City had dedicated carriage roads, ensuring a smooth journey. However, once they reached the foot of the mountain, the carriages had to stop. To go up the mountain, one needed proof, such as the one Father Thorne possessed. Some special carriages were available, but simply calling one out casually wouldn't suffice.

"Thank you." The pharmacist jumped out of the car, left the fare on his seat, and then began his ascent.

The mountain in the center of Violet City isn't very high, but because so many core buildings are located there, the mountain roads are winding and twisting, and there are sentry posts every so often. Even if the Pharmacist wanted to climb directly up, she couldn't; she could only walk up the road. Of course, she had proof that she could pass through here—the insignia of a saint.

It took her more than an hour to finally arrive at the grounds of the Church of St. Ist.

The church, named after the fourth pope, possesses a complete ecclesiastical structure and staffing, and is itself a massive magical creation. The monks of Christina displayed almost extravagant artistry and skill here. Built into the mountainside, the church is predominantly white and gray, adorned with stained-glass windows, where the emblems of the gods are naturally integrated into its structure. Not only the entrance, but several core areas of the church itself are constructed corresponding to the seven emblems.

During wartime, this church can be used directly as a war fortress. Legend has it that churches named after popes can even "take off" for a short period of time, transforming into holy cruisers to crush any enemy that dares to invade with absolute power.

It sounds absurd, but since the Pharmacist is a saint of the Savior Pivot and knows what the Savior Pivot's secret weapon is, she doesn't think it's made up that the Primal Pivot could create such a strategic weapon.

Unfortunately, although the seven cardinals cooperate quite well, they are not entirely sharing information. Even the Pope may not know all the cards held by each cardinal. So far, only a few near-divine calamities have prompted the Church to use some truly astonishing methods, and these records have been strictly sealed, not even accessible to the Pharmacist.

There are indeed reasons why the Church has stood firm despite the many changes of kingdoms on earth.

The pharmacist entered the place represented by the Relief of Worries and the Salvation Pivot.

A warm glow shone upon her, and her slight fatigue vanished instantly. The apothecary looked up and felt the divine light bestowed upon her. Without a doubt, this was a blessing bestowed upon a saint.

Although the others could not see the radiance, they had no more doubts after the apothecary revealed the insignia of a saint. Soon, the Sunday priest of the Relief Church appeared. The kind old man smiled and came to the apothecary, bowing: "Your Excellency, the Church of St. Ist welcomes you."

"It is an honor to meet you, Father Petrov."

While the Sunday priests at the Church of St. Peter are not the highest-ranking priests, Father Petrov's reputation is quite high. This old man, who entered the Saviour's Cardinal through asceticism and then spent decades healing and relieving the sick among the common people, is highly respected despite his low rank. Even higher-ranking monks hold him in high esteem.

It's a pity that such a person was not favored by the gods and did not become a saint. The pharmacist himself knew all too well that the gods were not human and did not select saints based on human good and evil morality, which was a very helpless thing.

"What brings you here? I am on duty today. If you do not mind, I will personally receive you."

“You flatter me. I have a few important matters to discuss with the church today, the most important of which is whether I may borrow the records of the Plague Apostles’ activities in Violet City over the past five years.”

“Oh? What news have you received?” Father Petrov asked.

“Some bad news. Since I’ll probably be staying in Violet City for a while, I want to take precautions as much as possible,” the apothecary replied.

“In that case, please come with me. However, Violet City has never lacked plague apostles targeting this place, and the number of files is probably a bit too many.”

"No problem, I will select them myself. Please guide me."