I Made Up Forbidden Spells, and They Actually Worked?

Instantly casting magic, or even using instant-cast spells, wasn't particularly impressive to a powerful mage. However, the members of the Jones family had lived their entire lives in Stanlow City, their worldview limited by the confines of the city. Naturally, they were astounded.

"No… this isn't just instant-cast magic. That spell is extremely powerful, strong enough to stop Herbert's attack in its tracks. It must be advanced magic at the very least!"

"Oh my God, he can cast advanced magic instantly? What level of power does he have?"

Suddenly, the way the Jones family members looked at Dean Bruce shifted entirely.

But that wasn't the end of it.

Before Herbert Jones could even recover, the ground beneath him began to shift as if it had come alive. The earth molded itself into a cage, trapping him completely, embedding him into the ground.

When Herbert finally came to his senses, no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't budge the soil. It was like iron, leaving him with no choice but to lie there in utter defeat.

Once Dean Bruce was sure Herbert was immobilized, he turned his gaze toward Erla, who was still in the middle of casting his spell.

Since this was just a test of strength, Dean didn't interrupt Erla's casting. Instead, he watched with mild amusement.

To be honest, Dean Bruce didn't know much about the magic of this world. Observing more spells in action gave him the chance to learn, and he was happy to take advantage of that.

After all, the more he understood, the easier it would be to… persuade people in the future.

Several long breaths passed before Erla Jones finally finished his incantation. With a triumphant shout, he pointed both hands at Dean Bruce. The thunderous lightning behind him surged violently, transforming into a swarm of serpents that lunged at Dean with deadly force.

Feeling the magic's power, Dean Bruce simply shook his head. With a single step forward, the earth responded, rising to form multiple walls of solid earth, perfectly intercepting the path of each lightning snake.

Boom, boom, boom—

A series of loud explosions echoed as the lightning serpents dissipated one by one. The earthen walls, however, stood firm, not even showing a single mark.

Seeing this, Erla's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! That was my most powerful spell! How could it not affect you at all?"

Erla's confidence was shattered, but Dean Bruce had no intention of holding back. With another stomp of his foot, the ground beneath Erla began to tremble as well.

The stone beneath Erla Jones cracked and crumbled, creating a large pit that swallowed him as it solidified instantly, trapping him in the ground. He was stuck, unable to move or cast any further spells.

"What…?"

"How did this happen?"

"The fight is already over?!"

The crowd was completely stunned by the scene.

Even Obona Jones was in shock.

Though he was confident he could defeat both his sons in a fight, he certainly couldn't have done it with the ease that Dean Bruce had just displayed.

And it will not finish with that speed.

The fact that Dean Bruce's power surpassed his own left Obona feeling uneasy.

In a world where the strong ruled, strength was everything.

Realizing that Dean Bruce was more powerful than him made Obona both nervous and worried.

Dean Bruce, sensing Obona's unease, flashed a smile and asked, "Well? What do you think of my strength? Or would you like to test me further?"

Lina Jones rolled her eyes and huffed, "Come on, Dean. He's still my father. Show him a little respect!"

She then turned to her father and smiled, "Father, I warned you that letting my brothers test Dean's strength could be dangerous. And that was with Dean holding back."

Hearing this, the members of the Jones family, except for Obona, looked at Dean Bruce with newfound respect and warmth.

It was clear—they had all come to accept Dean.

Appearance and family background? Those were superficial.

True respect came from strength. Only with power could the family thrive and command the respect of others.

Seeing that Dean Bruce possessed that strength made the idea of Lina marrying him much more appealing to them.

Obona, however, stood there silently, still grappling with his pride.

Meanwhile, Herbert and Erla Jones were suffering the consequences of their defeat.

The earth restrained their bodies so tightly that they struggled to breathe, both physically trapped and mentally defeated by the overwhelming force.

It was Obona's wife, Dana Jones, who finally broke the tension. "Alright, alright. The sparring is over. Dean, how about you release the magic now? You're a guest in our home, after all, and it's your first time here. I'll have the servants prepare a grand feast to welcome you properly!"

"Isn't that right, dear?" she added, giving her husband a pointed look.

"Mm."

Obona, finally given a way out, nodded and said in a low voice, "Make sure Dean is well looked after. I'm heading to the Lord's Manor now."

Seeing Obona Jones practically flee the courtyard in a hurry, Lina Jones couldn't help but burst into laughter, her joy radiating from her like blooming flowers.

Dean Bruce, meanwhile, dispelled his magic and took a moment to observe the remaining members of the Jones family.

Aside from Ezra, who was still nursing his injured pride, the rest of the family seemed thoroughly impressed by Dean's display of power.

Herbert Jones, in particular, was fascinated. Being a martial arts enthusiast, he quickly shook off the remnants of the magic that had restrained him and approached Dean with eager curiosity. "Dean, what kind of magic was that? Not only was its defense incredibly strong, but it also managed to completely bind me!"

"I've tested myself against advanced magic before, and most spells can't hold me down. But when I was trapped by those rocks, I felt completely powerless."

"It's a high-level spell called The Compassion of Heaven and Earth," Dean Bruce explained with a smile. He had taken a liking to Herbert's genuine enthusiasm. "Your physique is impressive, but your level just isn't high enough yet."

"Ah, so it was a high-level spell. No wonder I couldn't break free,"

Herbert said, finally understanding. He then grinned widely, "But I've already begun training under a powerful master. When I return next year, I'll challenge you again!"

Meanwhile, the other members of the Jones family exchanged bewildered looks.

"Dean cast… a high-level spell instantly?"

"Good heavens, I need to chant for ages just to cast an advanced spell, and he did it without a staff or any tools, instantly. What level of power does that make him?"

"S-sister… what kind of monster did you bring home?"

Sounds of nervous swallowing could be heard all around. Even Dana Jones, Obona's wife, was astonished by Dean's strength.

In that moment, Dana made up her mind: they had to keep Dean Bruce within their family.

A man of his caliber joining their household would be an enormous boost to their family's standing and power.

And if Dean and Lina were to have children with even a fraction of his talent, the Jones family could secure their prosperity for hundreds of years to come.

"Quickly!" Dana ordered, turning to one of the servants. "Go and inform the butler—we must give Dean the highest possible treatment! And forget about the banquet preparations for now. All of you, stay and keep Dean happy!"

At Dana Jones' command, she turned and left the courtyard herself.

She was well aware that, given her age, she didn't have much in common with Dean Bruce. To make him feel comfortable, it was best to leave him in the company of her children.

As soon as Dana left, Ezra Jones, still worried about getting scolded or worse, slunk into a corner to avoid attention.

Meanwhile, two younger girls, the boldest of the bunch, approached Dean Bruce with curious eyes. One of them asked, "Brother Dean, what's your strength level? How could you defeat Herbert so easily?"

Hearing that, Herbert's mouth twitched slightly. If it weren't his younger sister speaking, he would have made sure she knew exactly what a punch felt like!

Erla Jones suddenly chimed in, "You must be at the level of a Grand Magus, or maybe even higher, right?"

"Only someone that strong could make me feel completely powerless."

Before Erla could continue, Lina Jones stepped forward and gave him a playful smack on the forehead, scolding, "Those tutors at the academy hold back because of the Jones family's reputation. Don't go thinking you're stronger than you are!"

"The further you go on the path of cultivation, the bigger the gap becomes. Even an ordinary Magus or Grand Magus could easily beat you without much effort!"

"I… understand," Erla sighed in defeat.

With the conversation veering off track, Dean Bruce was content to let it happen. After all, if he started boasting about his own power, it might raise suspicion. But letting others speculate about how strong he was? That was the safest approach!

Truth be told, Dean Bruce found the atmosphere within the Jones family rather enjoyable. Apart from Ezra staying in the background, the younger siblings were quite amusing, making sure Dean didn't feel bored.

Of course, their respectful behavior was partly due to the impressive strength Dean had demonstrated earlier.

Even a fool would know that angering someone as powerful as Dean could lead to disaster. So, the Jones children were extra careful around him.

After chatting with the younger siblings for a while, Lina Jones eventually led Dean Bruce to her bedroom.

The first act of their little performance had gone well. Now it was time to discuss payment.

After all, the second act, which involved going to the Lord's Manor, was going to be much more dangerous than dealing with the Jones family.

It was time to strategize about what might happen and how they would handle it.