The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 67: The Fireball Spell

Han Li, who had remained motionless for a long while, suddenly raised his right hand and extended a single finger straight up, an action that seemed utterly baffling.

Before long, however, a faint spatial distortion appeared half an inch above his fingertip, and several sparks materialized out of thin air. The moment these sparks appeared, they let out a sizzling sound and, amidst the warping of space, inexplicably transformed into red fireballs the size of walnuts. Though small, these fireballs radiated an intense heat that instantly filled the entire room.

Han Li’s face remained obscured by the book resting on it, as if he were asleep, lying perfectly still. Only the small fireball at his fingertip continued to emit a sizzling sound, the scorching heat it produced standing in stark contrast to his motionless finger.

Minutes passed, yet the fireball showed no signs of extinguishing, maintaining its unusually vigorous energy. However, Han Li finally began to react differently—his fingertip, which bore the fireball, started trembling slightly. At first, it was just the finger, but as time went on, his wrist, his entire arm, and eventually his whole body began to shake.

Abruptly, Han Li sat bolt upright in the armchair, the book sliding off his face and falling to the floor unnoticed.

His eyes were fixed intently on the small fireball at his fingertip, his face flushed red. Beads of sweat dotted his skin from his forehead down to his exposed neck, as though he had just engaged in strenuous physical exertion, his entire body steaming with heat.

Moments later, the fireball began to waver as Han Li’s body trembled violently. The flames flickered, now growing larger, now shrinking, unable to maintain stability. Before long, they diminished entirely, reverting to sparks before vanishing into the air.

The moment the fireball disappeared, Han Li collapsed back into the chair as if his spine had been removed, utterly exhausted, as though he had just completed an immensely taxing task.

"This Fireball Spell is truly difficult to master!" Han Li muttered to himself, staring at the ceiling. "After nearly half a year of study, I still haven’t fully grasped its essence—only managed to extend its duration by a tiny bit."

It turned out that the final few pages of the Eternal Spring Art Secret Manual contained several rudimentary spells—clearly Entry-Level techniques for Cultivators. Han Li had been overjoyed upon discovering them, so much so that he had spent several sleepless nights in excitement.

His enthusiasm was understandable. Ever since witnessing the spells Doctor Mo had performed, Han Li had been deeply fascinated by these unfathomable, immensely powerful techniques.

Yet, pitifully, despite having reached the peak of the sixth layer of the Eternal Spring Art, Han Li was like a beggar holding a golden bowl—he possessed no knowledge of spellcasting techniques, not even the most basic principles of magic. Now, however, he had stumbled upon several chants perfectly suited for a novice like himself. How could he not be ecstatic?

The spells recorded on the final pages included the "Fireball Spell," "Mind-Calming Talisman," "Wind-Riding Technique," "Object-Control Technique," and "Heavenly Eye Technique"—five chants in total. Every line of these spells was archaic, abstruse, and exceedingly difficult for Han Li to comprehend.No wonder, these chants were composed using some rather archaic grammar and vocabulary. Although Han Li had read many books, his understanding in this area was quite shallow, making it difficult for him to grasp their meanings immediately.

Left with no choice, Han Li threw himself into the study of ancient texts with the same relentless determination he had once applied to mastering the Eternal Spring Art. He immersed himself day and night, meticulously analyzing every sentence and word of the chant, scrutinizing each phrase dozens of times to ensure he grasped their true meanings without any ambiguity.

Even though he had never learned any spells before, he was well aware that if something went wrong with such immensely powerful forces, the consequences would be far worse than mere Qi Deviation—it could very well cost him his life. For the sake of his own safety, Han Li proceeded with extreme caution, not daring to be the slightest bit careless.

After three months of intense study, Han Li finally mastered the theoretical aspects of these chants. He then began the practical training of actual spellcasting.

This hands-on learning process dealt a heavy blow to his confidence.

He had assumed that with the same intelligence that allowed him to master "Blinking Swordplay," learning spells wouldn’t be too difficult. Yet, to his surprise, he found himself inexplicably clumsy in this regard. Despite understanding the principles, he kept making mistakes—whether it was incorrect hand gestures, mispronounced chants, or insufficient mana—making him appear utterly inept.

Han Li had no solution to this problem. If it were merely a matter of insufficient mana, he could easily remedy it by consuming a couple more Spirit Medicines.

But this was clearly an issue of his own inability to grasp the techniques, suggesting that his talent for spellcasting wasn’t as exceptional as he had imagined. This was the conclusion Han Li reached after much effort.

After prolonged and arduous practice, Han Li finally achieved Minor Achievement in the "Fireball Spell" and "Heavenly Eye Technique." However, the other three spells remained entirely beyond his reach, showing no progress whatsoever.

Frustrated, he focused all his attention on the spells he could currently master—"Fireball Spell" and "Heavenly Eye Technique"—placing great hopes in them.

The power of the "Fireball Spell" did not disappoint Han Li; in fact, it far exceeded his expectations.

Though the fireball produced by the "Fireball Spell" was small in size, the terrifying heat it contained made it capable of melting or burning through almost anything.

Even weapons forged from refined steel would have their contact points instantly liquefied into molten metal upon being struck by the fireball.

After witnessing this inhumanly destructive power, Han Li even tested the fireball on water. To his astonishment, the water surface ignited as if it were oil, showing no sign of being suppressed by the liquid.

Upon fully understanding the might of the "Fireball Spell," Han Li finally grasped why Yu Zitong held such an arrogant disdain for mortals.

Just imagine—a Cultivator with even rudimentary spellcasting abilities could effortlessly kill so-called martial arts masters of the Jianghu with a minor spell like the "Fireball Spell." If a more powerful Cultivator were to act, they could easily dominate the entire Jianghu, becoming invincible under the heavens.The disparity in strength was so vast that it was no wonder Cultivators like Yu Zitong would look upon ordinary people with the same gaze one might give to ants.

(End of chapter)