The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 407, Section 406: Ian's Guidance

Chapter 407, Section 406: Ian's Guidance

Ian's gaze was fixed on the boy Amo's index finger, a finger that seemed unharmed, yet to him it was like a truth in the universe.

It contains the secrets that expand his entire understanding of magic.

His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, capturing every minute detail.

The selection and combination of runes, the precise adjustment of the engraving needle angle, the variation in the strength of magic output, and the mysterious ritualistic feeling of permanently imprinting magical power onto the source of life.

This is not a simple enchantment or inscription, but an alchemical technique that perfectly blends external magical rules with internal life potential, almost like that of a creator!

Ian could sense that each rune that fell was not just leaving a mark on the bones, but also opening new channels in the child's magical pathways.

Reshape how it interacts with magical energy.

This approach of directly using the human body as a base for alchemy is bold and audacious, yet it contains unparalleled wisdom. Ian's mind raced, and all the knowledge he had previously acquired in alchemy, magical literature, and even transmutation was being compared to this, sparking new insights.

He felt as if countless inspirations were boiling within him, itching to find some materials and put them into practice immediately.

After an unknown amount of time, as the last rune was perfectly completed, all the magical runes on the finger bone instantly lit up, flashing three times in sync with the breath, before the light completely receded, as if it had never existed. But Ian could sense that the finger bone had been completely transformed, becoming a perfect magical artifact intimately connected to its host's life.

"Alright, it's done." Master Caleb let out a long sigh of relief, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, clearly indicating that the process had taken a great toll on him.

He carefully closed the separated flesh, his fingertips emitting a soft emerald green light as he gently stroked the wound. The flesh healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and in the blink of an eye, Xiao Kanba's index finger was restored to its original state, the skin smooth, without even a trace of a scar, as if the breathtaking carving he had just witnessed was merely an illusion.

Then, Caleb chanted a soothing incantation again, dispelling the sleeping spell on little Kamba. The little boy slowly awoke, blinked his large eyes, looked around in confusion, and subconsciously moved his right hand fingers, seemingly feeling nothing unusual. The flesh had closed perfectly, the skin smooth as ever, leaving only a very thin, almost invisible red line. That tiny index finger was no longer an ordinary child's finger.

It is a living magic circle, a "wand" that coexists with life.

"Alright, child," Caleb's voice carried a hint of weariness, but even more so, relief. "The initial 'key' has been forged for you. Go back and, following the meditation method I taught you, feel it with your heart, call upon it. Only when you successfully activate its power for the first time will you truly be on our path."

He then turned to the anxiously waiting couple and gave them detailed instructions on what to pay attention to afterward, the methods of meditation, and what to avoid for a period of time.

"Remember," the master solemnly instructed the child's parents, "for seven days, the wound must not be exposed to water, must not bear heavy loads, and must not touch any metal objects. Every morning, apply the sweat of *Moon Dew Grass* to the wound until the red lines disappear. If the child develops a fever or his fingers turn black, bring him back immediately, otherwise—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but the weight of his unspoken words made the young couple pale, and they nodded repeatedly. They listened intently, as if receiving a divine decree, and finally, with profuse thanks, left the shop with the still somewhat bewildered little Kamba. The heavy wooden door closed, shutting out the outside noise. Only Ian and the alchemist remained in the quiet room, the flickering candlelight illuminating the silent "magical artifacts" on the walls.

It is possible to perform such an operation.

He was indeed a true master. The master alchemist wiped his sweat, took a big gulp of water, and then turned to look at Ian. His face was tired, but his eyes were unusually bright, and his attitude was even more humble than before, even carrying a hint of the trepidation of a student waiting for his teacher's feedback.

"Your Majesty, please excuse my crudeness," Caleb said respectfully. "This is merely the most basic finger bone 'key carving' ritual, rough and simple. I wonder if there are any points worthy of criticism or correction?"

"If I could receive even a few words of guidance from Your Majesty, I would be eternally grateful." The majesty and solemnity on his face had completely faded, replaced by an almost humble humility. Because he had misunderstood Ian's age, he also addressed Ian as senior, put his hands together, bowed deeply to Ian, and his single eye shone with a sincere thirst for knowledge.

of course.

Perhaps it's not necessarily a misunderstanding.

after all.

On the path of magic, those who reach the pinnacle come first.

"Forehead--"

Ian was still reeling from the shock and inspiration of the operation he had just witnessed. When Caleb asked for his advice, he pondered for a moment. Although this was the first time he had seen this unique alchemy in person, his vision and understanding as a legendary mage and alchemist were still intact, especially his understanding of the nature of magic, which had long since reached its pinnacle.

"Master, you are too modest," Ian said slowly, his tone serious rather than polite. "The ingenuity of the entire ritual far exceeded my expectations. To inscribe magical runes directly onto the very essence of life to build the foundation for spellcasting—such a brilliant idea is truly breathtaking."

He first affirmed the other person's value, and then changed the subject to offer his own observations.

"However, in terms of details—I observed that when you were inscribing the sequence runes, there seemed to be a momentary fluctuation of about two percent in the conversion of mana output."

"Although it was extremely subtle and successfully masked by the overall energy of the ritual, without affecting the final effect, a perfectly smooth transition might allow the child to switch between these two magical attributes more smoothly in the future, reducing the extra mental energy consumption by about five per thousand. This can only be considered as striving for perfection."

Ian's words were very respectful, and they also demonstrated his abilities.

Caleb's pupils contracted as he jolted back to what had just happened, his expression changing slightly. He himself had barely noticed that fluctuation, yet the other party had seen through it at a glance?!

Ian continued, "Also, the angle between the third and fourth strokes of the seventh composite rune, 'Sign of Heartfire,' seems to be able to tilt it about 1.7 degrees further."

"It's not a mistake, but if it can be adjusted in this way, it can better match the child's own weak life fire attribute tendency. In the future, when casting fire-related magic, the power is expected to increase by about three percent, and the consumption will be reduced by two percent." There are still some areas that can be improved.

It wasn't Ian showing off.

That's all he can summarize for now.

of course.

That's enough.

Caleb was completely stunned. He subconsciously gestured in the air with his finger, indicating the angle Ian had mentioned. The more he deduced, the wider his eyes widened, and the more rapid his breathing became. This wasn't just identifying a problem; it was optimizing to the extreme! Even he hadn't fully grasped the child's hidden life attribute tendencies!

however!

The other party, who hadn't even tried it, had already sensed it and made a perfectly compatible suggestion while just observing!

Is this the true value of a human legend?

Caleb felt a renewed sense of awe.

"Finally," Ian frowned slightly, pondering a deeper question, "the entire inscription process seems to rely entirely on your experience and magical guidance to protect the child's fragile life force from the impact of the runes. While you've done an excellent job, is there a more universal and safer 'buffering' or 'harmonizing' mechanism? For example, before inscribing runes of a specific intensity, could a gentle, neutralizing energy be injected as a base? Perhaps this could further reduce the risks of the ritual, especially for children with slightly weaker talents."

This problem directly touches upon one of the core challenges of Caleb's lineage of skills! He has studied it for decades but has not been able to solve it perfectly, and can only compensate by constantly improving his own control!

Caleb stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning, his mind frantically processing the possibilities of Ian's proposed "neutral energy base." Countless past failures and elusive critical points, under the impact of this new approach, were suddenly showing signs of a solution!

Ian's guidance continued.

"Your rune consists of three parts: the starting ring, the guide lines, and the convergence point," Ian analyzed. "This is the correct structure, but there are three areas for improvement in the details."

The other person stared intently, as if afraid of missing a single word.

"First, the closure of the starting ring." Ian pointed to the light mark, "The ring you carved has tiny gaps. This is for 'pressure relief' to prevent magical overload from backfiring on the child, right?"

"Yes!" the master exclaimed in surprise. "This is an ancestral method, with a slight gap left in each step to save the child's life."

"The idea is right, but the method is wrong." Ian shook his head. "Although the gap can release pressure, it also causes magic to leak out, resulting in low efficiency."

Furthermore, there is a risk of deformity after the wound heals.

"Then—what should we do?"

"Use the 'spiral contraction method'." Ian flicked his finger, and the starting ring of the light trail began to spiral and contract, eventually closing at a single point. "The ring gradually narrows, and the magic power naturally flows along the guide line, requiring no gaps. If an overload occurs, the magic power will 'burst open' from the narrowest point of the spiral, similar to pressure relief, but normally the seal is excellent."

This conclusion is based on Muggle science, and most wizards don't even touch on this aspect.

The other person gasped, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He had lived most of his life and never imagined that "closure" and "pressure relief" could be combined so ingeniously.

"Second, the curvature of the guide lines," Ian continued. "You used a smooth curve, which reduces magical friction, which is good. But children's bones are delicate, and magical flow is fast. The smooth curve actually causes the magical energy to 'overshoot,' forming a 'vortex' before the convergence point, wasting energy."

"Then what should we use?"

"Step-by-step descent." Ian waved his hand, and the guide lines transformed into tiny steps. "Each step acts like a small dam, slowing down the flow of magic and allowing it to reach the condensation point smoothly, increasing condensation efficiency by at least 30%."

The alchemist's hands trembled as he seemed to see the perfect runes he would carve in the future.

"Third, and most importantly, is the method of channeling magic." Ian's tone turned serious. "You used the 'Azure Flame' to inscribe it; this flame is highly compressed 'Ancestral Spirit Magic,' incredibly powerful. But when you inscribed it, you were 'pushing' the magic into your bone, right?"

The alchemist nodded: "Yes, it must be 'suppressed' with willpower, otherwise the rune will be unstable."

"That's the biggest drawback!" Ian asserted. "'Pushing' is violent; it damages bone cells, slows healing, and can even affect bone development. The truly superior method is 'guiding'."

"引|?"

"Imagine your magic not as a hammer, but as water." Ian closed his eyes, and the golden light blessed by the sun god flowed slowly within him. "When water meets stone, it doesn't crash head-on, but seeks out cracks, seeps in, envelops, and assimilates. Your magic should be the same."

He raised his hand, a soft golden light gathering in his palm: "During the inscription, first use an extremely fine magic probe to 'sensor' the natural texture and magic channels of the bone, then—following the texture, gently guide the rune to 'grow' into it, rather than 'implant' it."

He lightly touched the void with his fingertip, and the golden light seeped into the runes of the light trace as if it were alive, without any hindrance.

A truly enlightening experience!

It took Caleb a long time to recover from the immense shock and enlightenment. His gaze towards Ian was no longer merely one of awe, but rather an almost worshipful reverence for wisdom itself. He took a step back, straightened his robes, and then bowed deeply and solemnly to Ian.

This time, Ian did not stop him.

After all, Ian knew the true value of his guidance. For most wizards, receiving guidance from a legendary figure was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

This is exactly like in fantasy novels, where the Heavenly Emperor descends to earth and could change a cultivator's entire life.

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty!" Caleb's voice was trembling with excitement. "Your few words are worth more than a hundred years of my own painstaking thought!"

Not only did it resolve the minor flaws that had troubled me for years, but it also pointed out a safer and broader path for my lineage of skills! Such kindness, such kindness!

He was so moved that he didn't know how to express his gratitude. Suddenly, as if he had made up his mind, he turned around and walked quickly to a cabinet at the back of the shop that was locked with many magic locks. He carefully took out an old book wrapped in the hide of an unknown animal and with worn edges.

He held the book in both hands and returned to Ian, his eyes filled with utmost sincerity: "Your Majesty, it is our honor that you are interested in the techniques of my lineage. This book, 'The Secret Text of Bones,' is a rubbing passed down from my ancestors. It records our lineage's techniques regarding finger bone key carving..."

It even covers the fundamental principles and some core runes of more advanced body inscription techniques. While rudimentary, it might offer some different perspectives for your research.

Ian glanced at the book, which was clearly ancient and imbued with a sense of historical weight, and shook his head slightly, saying, "This is too precious. It's a family heirloom; how could I possibly accept it?"

"Your Majesty!" Caleb interrupted him urgently, his tone unwavering. "Please accept it! Knowledge only truly comes alive through exchange! If it remains with this old man, it may eventually gather dust with time. But if it can shine on the path of a legend, even if it only provides a tiny spark of inspiration, it will be an endless glory for my lineage!"

His eyes burned with fervor, filled with devotion and expectation: "Please grant this old man's wish!"

Ian looked into Caleb's incredibly sincere and persistent eyes, then at the animal-hide book that exuded an aura of ancient wisdom, and remained silent for a moment.

Finally, he solemnly extended both hands and accepted the book, "The Secret Text of Bones".

"In that case, I will accept it. Thank you for your gift, Master Caleb. I will certainly not let this wisdom go to waste," Ian said, mimicking the tone of a protagonist in a fantasy novel.