The book contained annotations explaining that while Line City served as the capital of the Sky Garden, its role was largely symbolic for external affairs. True governance was shared between the two clans, each with their own key cities: Heavenly Garden for the Angel King and Inferno for the Demon King.
Yan Yi made a mental note to visit the Sky Garden someday. His gaze then shifted to the section on the Spirit Beast Continent.
The Elf Kingdom and Beast Empire occupied roughly half the continent. The rest comprised chaotic neutral zones and smaller nations, most notably those of the Blood Clan and Ghost Clan. Yet even the tiniest non-human territories dwarfed human lands. Puzzled, Yan Yi recalled the human nation’s strategic location—sandwiched between three powers—yet the book mentioned no wars. *Could humanity possess individuals so overwhelmingly powerful they single-handedly deterred invasions?*
Another oddity struck him: he understood only human language, as if other races’ tongues were utterly alien to him.
After shelving *Continental Nations Vol. 2*, Yan Yi grasped the world’s surface-level structure—but deeper truths remained hidden. He knew such secrets wouldn’t appear in village library books.
Mo Qing’s call for dinner snapped him from his thoughts. He hadn’t realized the afternoon had slipped away. Glancing at the untouched papers on his desk—remembering Mo Ping’s evening duties—he grabbed the most intriguing non-reference book: *Magic Fundamentals*.
Dinner under the setting sun felt serene, like a true family. Warmth bloomed in Yan Yi’s chest, mingled with a flicker of envy—and irritation—toward Mo Qing. *Why would that girl abandon this peace to wander?*
*So this is humanity,* he mused. *The powerless crave strength; the mighty crave normalcy. An unbreakable cycle.*
Post-dinner, he retreated to his room. With no electric lights in the village, moonlight sufficed for reading—his eyes needed no candle.
*Magic Fundamentals* detailed dozens of beginner "Muggle-tier" spells: Fireball, Water Orb, and elemental spheres. Magic, it claimed, was the art of shaping innate Mana—the energy everyone possessed from birth.
Yan Yi frowned. His palm flipped open. White mist swirled, condensing into dancing, flame-like wisps—elegant and radiant. *"Innate? Like internal energy from martial arts?"* Any ancient Chinese master would’ve had a heart attack witnessing such effortless control. But Yan Yi’s body was unique: boundless growth potential, strengthening daily even without training. Years of relentless cultivation had honed it further.
Yet unease coiled in his gut. *Something’s wrong. I’m doomed.*
He turned to the Fireball page. Muggle-tier spells required no incantation—just the name. The rune was simple: a red square. *Form the square, unleash the spell.*
Confidence surged. He *understood* fire—not just the words, but the magic itself. He could almost feel the spell waiting in his throat.
Taking a deep breath, he raised his right hand toward the window. Lips parted.
"Fireball."
He pictured the blazing orb soaring, shattering spectacularly—
Silence—
Two crow-like birds flew overhead, cawing "*A-ho! A-ho!*" (idiot!).
Yan Yi blinked. Rechecked the instructions. Raised his hand again, solemn.
"**Fireball!**"
Silence. The crows circled back.
"*Haha... I jumped to conclusions,*" he muttered, sweat beading on his brow. "*My red hair and eyes made me assume fire affinity. How silly.*" He forced a laugh, flipping to Water Orb. The book was clear: elements were Mana conversions. Everyone could use all types—just with varying aptitude. "*Right. No exceptions.*"
He inhaled sharply.
"Water Orb!"
Silence—
"*Ahaha... not water either. Got it.*" Sweat trickled down his temple.
"Wind Blade!" Silence—
"Earth Shield!" Silence—
"Lightning Orb!" Silence—
...
**CRASH—**
Yan Yi collapsed face-first in a perfect OTZ pose. The truth was undeniable. Worse—he’d struck multiple cringey poses retrying each spell. He wanted to punch himself into orbit. Suddenly, Aqua’s smug face flashed in his mind: *Worship me! Bow down! Bow—*
"Bow my ass! Damn you, Aqua! Since when was I a believer?!"
The vibrant world dimmed again. He felt like slamming his head against a wall.
"*So I’m... trash?*"
He’d adapted too quickly to this world’s logic, forgetting his own monstrous physical prowess. He’d only ever read about OP transmigrators with harems and divine artifacts—not cannon fodder who died off-page.
Memories of the flame wolves sent a chill down his spine. *This world’s malice is real.*
"*Lucky it’s me. Others wouldn’t even know what killed them.*"
Acceptance settled: his Mana was zero. Magic was closed to him.
He closed *Magic Fundamentals* with reluctant finality. At least he’d stay in Ink Village. Magic didn’t matter. He glanced at his hands, smirking bitterly.
*With this strength... what more could I want? More destruction?*
Mo Qing hadn’t given him Mo Qing’s old bedding—"She’s my daughter," he’d insisted. Yan Yi simply wrapped himself in the flame wolf pelt and slept.
That night, he dreamed nothing. Slept soundly. As if the dream had never existed.
