Chapter 54

After opening his eyes, it felt like a rebirth, and the things around Zhao Mai seemed different. The trees were still tall, ancient, and majestic, and the grass was still lush, soft, and verdant, but Zhao Mai felt that they had a breath of life.

This was a feeling that was hard to explain, and words could hardly convey its depth. Although he had long known that trees and flowers were living things, it was only now that Zhao Mai felt they had "come alive." Not as intelligent as a human, but more like a reserve of food, they now seemed to have the ability to express emotions. He knew that they were conveying meanings through various postures, whether they were thirsty or longing for a hug. They were no longer just a monotonous background in a landscape painting.

The reserve of food looked at him with its large, dark eyes, and he could see joy and attachment in them. Every living thing was emitting emotions, which were evidence of their existence in the world. The so-called natural force was an energy field that all living things possessed and generated, enveloping, permeating, and connecting everything, covering the entire normal environment and concentrating the power of the entire world.

Lady Celine walked up to Zhao Mai and looked at him with a concerned gaze. In her natural perception, the natural force within Zhao Mai's body was like a spring, constantly seeping out, steady and continuous, a phenomenon she had never seen in anyone else. Even Lucius, who was hailed as a rare genius, when he enlightened, the natural force was merely in a state of evaporation, forming a rare white mist.

This unusual phenomenon lasted for a while and then gradually faded, leaving no trace on the surface. The elf Celine regained her composure and said, "Mike, congratulations, you can already feel the natural force, right?"

"Yes, it's a very magical feeling." The world seemed more vibrant, and being immersed in the forest with a strong natural aura, each breath felt like a pleasure. "Now, can I start learning?"

"Rest tonight, and our classes will begin tomorrow. We'll start with basic prayers, and you will officially embark on the path of a druid." Lady Celine said, "According to the original plan, I will take three students to choose animal companions later today. You can come along."

Zhao Mai shook his head and picked up the reserve of food. "I already have one, so I won't go. I want to stay here and further understand the feeling of the natural force."

"Of course, you can." Lady Celine waved her long sleeve and left with the three students. Purple Moon skipped along, secretly giving Zhao Mai the middle finger and pointing to his mouth corner and collar.

Zhao Mai looked down and saw that the white foam he had spat out had dirtied his clothes. He needed to find time to clean up.

The next day, on a thick branch of a tall tree, the sound of chanting spells echoed continuously.

Zhao Mai, dressed in a long robe like the other druids, endured the irritation of the rough linen on his skin, shakily standing at the edge of the branch, trying to calm his mind, and repeatedly casting spells on the poisonous mushroom in his palm. The natural force was right there, but he couldn't understand what he needed to do. He had already tried the simple grain purification prayer over a hundred times.

Next to him, Lucius, Aphra, and Purple Moon had already completed this spell and were now learning the water creation prayer. To avoid missing the lesson, he had to stop and listen first. He could practice the grain purification spell later.

His foundation was still weak, and he still had a sense of discomfort with the magical powers of spells and incantations. For the past twenty years, he had lived in a world with only magic tricks and no magic, where miracles no longer existed, and everything was related to science. Mysticism had become nothing more than entertainment. Even after seeing Joseph's magical transformation and Lady Celine's spell demonstration, this mindset could not be immediately changed.

The subsequent spell learning also encountered the same problem. Zhao Mai could pronounce the incantations and perform the actions and postures correctly, but he could not complete the spells. Only when casting the light spell did a faint glow form at his fingertips, giving him a glimmer of hope.

"Alright, that's enough for today. You three, practice more, turning the prayers into spells that your body and mind are familiar with, so you can cast them at any time. Mike, stay behind."

"Sorry, teacher, I didn't learn anything today." Zhao Mai said with a bitter smile, "I tried eight prayers, and none of them worked."

"Your actions and words have met the standards, and you possess the natural force." Lady Celine poked a finger into Zhao Mai's chest, "But it seems that you are not yet ready here. Tell me, what do you feel when you use the incantation?"

"Um... when I chant the incantation, I can feel a power responding to me. This power comes from the surrounding natural beings, especially the big tree under my feet. Of course, some of it also comes from within me. I try to make it move, go to the target, and accomplish my goal." Zhao Mai scratched his head, "But the spell stops there, with no effect."

"I see." Lady Celine opened Zhao Mai's palm, looked at his hand, and then at his shoulders and neck. "Are you a noble's descendant, and have you never done any crafts or farming?"

Not exactly a noble's descendant, but the other two points were true. In a highly commercialized society, Zhao Mai had never planted or raised anything he ate; the only way to obtain food was through the market. "You're right."

"Think about this scenario: you plant a seed, water it, and then can you command the plant to grow, flower, and bear fruit immediately?"

"Of course not." Zhao Mai shook his head.

"We druids must integrate with nature, connecting our small natural force with the larger natural force around us, communicating, requesting, and working together to achieve our goals. We are not priests, who have deities to help complete the effects of spells; we are not mages, who manipulate, command, and even twist elements to recombine them into the form we desire." Celine said, "What are druids? We harmonize with the surrounding environment, achieving unity, to become free wanderers in the world."

"I'll try again." Zhao Mai picked up the poisonous mushroom and began repeating the grain purification spell. He continuously relaxed himself, avoiding excessive interference with the power, going with the flow. But after more than a minute, the spell still did not work.

Lady Celine had been carefully observing Zhao Mai's expression, reading his thoughts from the changes in his facial muscles and the depths of his eyes. After Zhao Mai failed again, she had a good idea of the reason.

"Mike, do you not believe that the spell can succeed?" Celine frowned, "Elder Joseph said you come from another world and have received druid training, but have you never seen a spell before?"

Zhao Mai bit his lip and furrowed his brow. He looked at the elf teacher and saw concern in her eyes. Previously, to gain the opportunity for druid training, he had fabricated a druid teacher named Darwin in front of Joseph. Should he continue this lie?