By the time Li De returned to the mage tower, it was already night. The faint glow of magical lights illuminated the tower, creating a fantastical atmosphere reminiscent of Harry Potter.
He had delegated the task of dealing with the Alex Merchant Guild to Laurent, who was accompanied by a few clever mage apprentices from the tower.
In the future, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild would become an integral part of the Crimson Mage Tower. These apprentices were the best labor force, and it was beneficial to have them involved early on.
On the seventh floor of the mage tower, the Goddess of Night had draped her skirt over the world.
Looking down at Green City from above, there was no sign of the dazzling lights typical of modern cities.
Scattered lights were only visible in the areas where nobles resided. Most shops along the streets had already closed, with only a few still lit by oil lamps or magical lights, continuing their business.
The streets were nearly empty, and even beggars avoided walking outside after dark.
The moon, half-covered by white clouds, cast a faint, cold light.
The bustling city had quieted down.
Vampires were the favored children of the Goddess of Night.
Li De could clearly feel that as the last trace of daylight disappeared, his control over mana became significantly more active.
During the day, the mana around him felt like mercury, requiring more effort to manipulate. But at night, it transformed into clean, gentle spring water, easily guided by his mental energy.
The mana itself hadn't changed, but the nocturnal enhancement for vampires made him more sensitive to it, creating this sensation.
It was no exaggeration to say that a vampire's strength increased by at least 50% after nightfall.
Li De was no stranger to this phenomenon, which was why he preferred conducting his magical research at night.
After several days of research, combined with the Vampire Progenitor's two centuries of knowledge, Li De had gained a deeper understanding of magic.
For a mage to cast a spell, it had to be done through a magic model.
Magic models were somewhat like computer programming. By inputting fixed formulas, one could directly obtain results.
The only difference was that magic models required mana as the input.
A first-tier spell's magic model had no more than 100 nodes. For example, Mage Hand had only 30 nodes.
Dozens of nodes formed a model, operating according to fixed rules. Inputting mana activated the model, resulting in a spell.
But Li De was deeply curious: Were the nodes in a magic model completely fixed and unchangeable? What would happen if he altered the nodes?
His modern soul's boldness far exceeded the imagination of this era. Mages in the world of Glory revered magic to their core.
Even the Vampire Progenitor had never attempted to modify a magic model, as it required not only a profound understanding of magic but also vast knowledge and a heart unafraid of the Goddess of Magic.
In Green City, only the transcendent mage had successfully modified a magic model. Even the three grand mages above level 15 had no such research to their names.
After several days of contemplation, Li De decided to begin experimenting with altering magic nodes that night.
However, to prevent accidents, he made thorough preparations.
First, he chose to study Mage Hand, a first-tier spell, because it was the simplest, with only 30 nodes.
In fact, many mages didn't even consider it a first-tier spell, viewing it more as a cantrip.
Moreover, Mage Hand wasn't an offensive spell, so even if the spellcasting failed and caused backlash, he could withstand it.
The current Mage Hand had a very limited function: it could only conjure a semi-transparent giant hand.
When he used this spell, the giant hand's strength was about 150 pounds, consuming 10 points of mana.
Ordinary mage apprentices, however, couldn't achieve this level of power. Their conjured hands had a strength of only about 10 pounds, a significant difference.
Yet, these apprentices also consumed 10 points of mana. Despite casting the same spell with the same mana cost, the results were vastly different.
This led Li De to two additional hypotheses:
1. Does greater mana depth result in stronger spells?
2. Does a higher level increase the efficiency of mana utilization?
Li De was deeply fascinated by exploring these mysteries of magic.
If magic nodes weren't fixed, could the magic model be improved by adjusting the nodes or the magic circuits between them, thereby reducing mana consumption or enhancing power?
What would happen if nodes were added or removed?
Thinking of this, Li De's heart raced with excitement and curiosity.
It was like a child seeing their favorite toy, but he was a man of action.
First, he began inputting mana.
Li De carefully observed the magic circuits from the first node to the last as mana flowed through them.
Once all 30 nodes were connected, the Mage Hand model instantly took shape. He could clearly sense that as long as he released this mana, Mage Hand would be successfully cast.
He didn't release it immediately but gradually reduced the mana input. As long as mana continued to flow, the magic model would remain activated, ready for casting.
Only when the mana dropped to the minimum required to sustain the model did he stop reducing it.
Lowering the mana input was a precaution to minimize damage in case of backlash. Keeping the model activated allowed him to observe the nodes' roles more clearly.
Li De focused intently; this was his first attempt.
After developing the idea to modify Mage Hand, he had cast the spell over a hundred times in the past two days to familiarize himself with it.
Thus, he had a thorough understanding of the spell's structure.
He first assigned numbers from 1 to 30 to each node.
Nodes 23 and 24 were very close in the Mage Hand model. If one were removed, the magic circuit could bypass that section and connect to the next node.
If a node were removed, could it reduce mana consumption during casting?
Removing a node was simple: manipulate the magic circuit to bypass the node and connect directly to the next one.
Li De slowly extended his mental energy, controlling the magic circuit to bypass node 23 and connect node 22 directly to node 24.
As the magic circuit bypassed node 23, the entire Mage Hand model shook, as if on the verge of collapse.
Li De, prepared for this, didn't panic and slightly increased the mana input.
The shaking model stabilized temporarily under the increased mana flow.
Just as Li De breathed a sigh of relief, the model flashed and collapsed entirely.
A sharp pain shot through Li De's mind, as if pricked by a needle.
Fortunately, the backlash from Mage Hand wasn't severe, and the vampire's enhanced control over magic at night allowed Li De to recover after resting for about ten minutes.
"Wrong approach. Nodes that are close together can't simply be removed. This node might be crucial for stabilizing the model.
If it's for stabilization, could adding a parallel node further reinforce the model?"
If removing one caused collapse, what about adding one?
Prepared for failure, Li De remained undeterred. He focused again and input mana into the Mage Hand model.
This time, he added a node parallel to node 23, connecting it to nodes 23 and 24.
Adding a node was straightforward: concentrate mental energy on a point, leave a mental imprint, and then connect it to the model with a magic circuit, integrating the new node.
After adding the extra node, the model didn't collapse as before. Instead, it operated normally.
Li De's heart leapt with joy. It seemed his approach wasn't flawed—magic models weren't immutable.
After a few minutes, he confirmed the model wouldn't collapse.
With a snap of his fingers.
A semi-transparent Mage Hand appeared before him.
But this Mage Hand was completely different from the original.
The original Mage Hand was a giant hand, but this one was a grotesque mutation.
Instead of five fingers, it had only three. The arm had thickened threefold, resembling a mallet. The entire spell exuded an unsettling, unnatural aura.
Instead of disappointment, Li De felt a surge of excitement.
"It can be cast successfully, and the model didn't collapse after casting. This means my hypothesis is valid."
This far-from-perfect spell greatly encouraged Li De.
Successful casting meant the direction was correct.
With the right direction, what he needed now was continuous experimentation and refinement until he understood the role of each node. Then, he could improve and repair the model, transforming this first-tier spell into something new.
Li De was filled with interest and confidence.
Researching magic was incredibly fun. The joy of creation was almost indescribable.