I Made Up Forbidden Spells, and They Actually Worked?

Despite the scolding tone in Dean Bruce's words, Lucy Michelle didn't mind at all. In fact, she felt immensely grateful!

She knew that Dean Bruce was offering her guidance.

Such an opportunity was something others could only dream of!

Pressing her lips tightly together, Lucy Michelle pushed through the pain, stood up, and respectfully bowed to Dean Bruce. In a serious tone, she said, "Please, Teacher Dean, guide me."

Dean Bruce was pleased with her attitude. With his hands clasped behind his back, he slowly walked toward Lucy Michelle and asked, "Do you know what kind of magic I used to defend against your attack earlier?"

"What kind of magic?" Lucy Michelle blinked and met Dean Bruce's gaze, immediately falling into deep thought.

She could tell that he wanted her to figure it out on her own.

For a moment, the training room fell silent.

Dean Bruce wasn't in a hurry, and while he waited, he used the magic array in the room to recover the mana he had expended earlier.

After a long pause, Lucy Michelle tentatively said, "Teacher Dean, did you also use the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain spell just now? I could sense some kind of mountain-like aura."

"Indeed, it was Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain, but..." Dean Bruce paused for a moment before continuing in a serious tone, "I used three elements at the same time."

"What? Three elements in one spell? How is that possible?"

Lucy Michelle immediately gasped, her face full of disbelief. "That's impossible! My instructors at the academy always said that combining two different elements in a single spell could cause conflicts, let alone three!"

Dean Bruce responded calmly, "That's because your instructors are incompetent and couldn't achieve it themselves. But as you just witnessed, I used the power of three elements simultaneously."

"Wh-Which three elements?"

At that moment, Lucy Michelle looked at Dean Bruce as if he were a god.

Dean Bruce replied with a composed tone, "Steady as the Forest, Immovable as a Mountain, and Elusive as the Shade."

"Huh?" Lucy Michelle's face was full of confusion. She furrowed her brows, trying to comprehend Dean Bruce's words, but she couldn't sense when he had used wood or shadow elements.

Since Lucy Michelle wasn't familiar with modern concepts, she didn't fully understand the meaning of "shade" and assumed it was some special element. Thus, she struggled to grasp what Dean Bruce was trying to convey.

After waiting for a while and realizing Lucy Michelle couldn't figure it out, Dean Bruce explained calmly, "When you unleashed your magic, I used the Elusive as the Shade attribute, which made it difficult for you to hit me accurately."

Hearing this, Lucy Michelle thought back and nodded.

Indeed, during her attack, she had felt that Dean Bruce's body seemed somewhat illusory.

"When I walked toward you, I never stopped moving. The mana within me continuously accumulated. Once I had enough momentum, I was able to cloak myself in that energy, so that when you unleashed your lightning, I was shielded by the wood-like barrier, completely neutralizing your attack."

"As for Immovable as a Mountain, I activated it the moment you collided with me, making my body as solid as rock, completely nullifying your attack," Dean Bruce explained with a calm expression.

"Remember this," he continued, "the name of the spell is Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain. This magic incorporates multiple elements, and they must be combined to achieve their full potential."

"Not only that, but the sequence in which the elements are used, and how they are paired, will result in vastly different outcomes."

"If you're only using a single element at a time, it means you haven't fully grasped the true nature of the spell."

Hearing these words, Lucy Michelle suddenly understood. She smiled bitterly and sighed, "Teacher Dean, you're truly too strong! High-level spells are still too difficult for me. I was so proud after I successfully comprehended it, but I didn't realize how much I still lacked compared to your mastery."

"You shouldn't belittle yourself," Dean Bruce cautioned. His goal was to ensure Lucy Michelle followed his guidance, not to have her lose confidence in her talent.

If she were discouraged and couldn't grasp new magic, that would be a setback for Dean Bruce himself.

Thinking quickly, Dean Bruce offered some reassurance, "You've got considerable talent. Many people spend years trying to master this spell and still fail. All you need is a little more thought and consideration."

"You are gifted, smarter than most, but you're not quite extraordinary yet," Dean Bruce said softly. "Do you want to grow stronger? Do you want to restore the glory of the Michelle family? Then you'll need to put in even more effort."

"I see," Lucy Michelle's determination flared as soon as he mentioned rebuilding the Michelle family's legacy. She clenched her fists, her eyes shining with resolve.

Noticing her reaction, Dean Bruce breathed a quiet sigh of relief and smiled, "Continue to practice. When you're no longer confined to a single element, and you can combine multiple elements fluidly, that's when you'll truly have mastered Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain."

"Yes, yes!"

Lucy Michelle nodded eagerly, her face beaming with a bright smile.

"Oh, by the way..." Lucy suddenly asked, "Teacher Dean, were you looking for my sister? She went out for an assessment and hasn't returned yet."

"No," Dean Bruce replied casually. "I sensed that you had mastered Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain, so I came to see how well you'd done. I also wanted to check out the books in your family's collection."

"What? You can actually sense when I comprehend a spell?"

Lucy Michelle was even more astonished.

Normally, no matter how powerful someone was, they wouldn't be able to sense another person's mastery of magic like that!

Dean Bruce responded calmly, "No need to make a fuss. These things are easy for me. You keep training; I'll go check out the library."

With that, he began walking toward the library.

Even though his main objective was Lucy Michelle, he wouldn't express it outright. It was much more satisfying to have her come to him willingly rather than be too forward.

Besides, Lucy had just finished training and was drenched in sweat—he wasn't particularly interested at the moment.

After this recent relic expedition, Dean Bruce had plenty of unanswered questions.

How many types of relics were there? And why did the same entrance sometimes lead to different relics?

Even Biber Parson's mention of the "secret realm" was a mystery to him. He had no idea what it was.

He couldn't ask these questions directly—it would reveal too much about himself. Fortunately, the Michelle family had a vast collection of books. Perhaps he could find the answers to his questions there.

Knowing where she still fell short, Lucy Michelle didn't rest either, resuming her training with renewed determination.

As for Dean Bruce?

She wouldn't dare interfere with him, not even in her own home!

To Lucy Michelle, Dean Bruce wasn't just her teacher—he was the benefactor who could help restore her family's glory. She wouldn't dare oppose him in the slightest.

Though the Michelle family, like many noble houses, had faded from prominence, they still possessed a wealth of ancient texts. While there weren't many contemporary books, the collection of ancient tomes was extensive, lining the shelves and overwhelming Dean Bruce with options.

Time slipped away as Dean Bruce lost himself in the sea of books.

He didn't know how long had passed before he finally understood the difference between a relic and a secret realm.

Relics, as the name suggests, are remnants of ancient structures. People explore relics not only for treasures but also to uncover traces of magical spells that had once been cast there.

For example, take the Lulu Ruins. The Nine Provinces Alliance was so invested in them, stationing experts and sending research personnel, all in an effort to explore various traces, magical arrays, and to fully comprehend the ancient magical runes in order to gain ancient magical powers.

But in the end, all their efforts ended up benefiting Dean Bruce!

Since relics are formed in all sorts of unpredictable ways, there's always the possibility of them being occupied by powerful beasts, or filled with traps and magic left by their original owners.

This is why exploring relics always involves assembling a team.

Lina Jones had agreed so readily to accompany Dean Bruce not simply because she was impressed by him or wanted to repay him, but also because of the practical consideration of having someone to face potential dangers together.

After all, no matter how pure-hearted a designated saintess might seem, she certainly wasn't naive!

Secret realms, on the other hand, are artificially created spaces that have special effects.

These realms come in many different forms. Some are designed for training disciples, others for cultivating magic or simulating battles.

Their effects are varied and unique, but one major difference from relics.

It is clear: safety.

Unless a secret realm collapses, there is no danger to those inside.

[In other words, Biber Parson's offer is essentially a guaranteed opportunity to strengthen myself in a secret realm! He's certainly not holding back, but it's likely thanks to Principal André's presence that he's being so generous.]

[As things stand, it seems clear that Principal André doesn't know about the alliance's plan to kill me. Still, he is a member of the Nine Provinces Alliance, so I'll need to be cautious around him in the future. I can't let him figure out my secrets or uncover my trump cards!]

Having made up his mind, Dean Bruce continued flipping through the books. Now that he understood the difference between a secret realm and a relic, the next step was to figure out the peculiarities of the Lulu Ruins, and perhaps uncover more information about the ancient magical runes.

Ding!

Just then, the crisp sound of the system's notification suddenly rang in his ear!