Not even a full second after being stunned, Jiangliya reacted instantly, hurriedly moving toward where Zhong Shenxiu was.

Her decision was a wise one, for in the very spot where she had just planted her feet, Zhong Shenxiu's Seventh-Tier magic, the "Tornado Blade," was already unleashed.

Even though Angelina had prepared herself mentally, seeing the actual magic before her caused her body to tremble uncontrollably.

A whirlwind abruptly materialized, starting as wide as a bowl, then rapidly intensifying. In moments, it was enough to send objects scattering and clattering throughout the courtyard.

But that wasn't the terrifying part. The truly horrifying aspect emerged when the tornado thickened to the girth of a water vat: wind blades began shooting outward from its core.

"Splat, splat," came the continuous sounds—the noise of things being cleanly severed by the wind blades. As the tornado expanded, the suction force and the velocity of the outward-projecting blades grew more ferocious!

However, when it came to sheer astonishment, no one could match Gandalf at this moment.

Firstly, he had never anticipated that Zhong Shenxiu could actually cast a Seventh-Tier spell. Typically, the lowest rank capable of such a feat was an Archmage! Yet, Zhong Shenxiu, having only recently begun studying magic, could summon it now. This was clearly a jaw-dropping event!

Secondly, and what shocked Gandalf most profoundly, was the discovery that Zhong Shenxiu performed this high-tier spell without uttering a single incantation. This was beyond comprehension, seemingly impossible for a human to achieve! Legend suggested that even the mythical Divine or Demonic Archmages could only instantly cast up to Sixth-Tier magic, but this little anomaly, Zhong Shenxiu, had conjured it effortlessly in an instant. No one could stomach this reality, especially not Gandalf, whose mindset was deeply rooted in traditional doctrine!

This fellow is absolutely not human! Though Gandalf had entertained this thought before, never had he been so utterly certain as he was now!

Seventh-Tier magic truly possessed devastating power. While Zhong Shenxiu was admiring his own creation, the courtyard was already reduced to utter chaos! The surrounding walls bore numerous deep gashes carved by the wind blades, many roof tiles had been stripped away, and several small components within the yard had vanished without a trace, flung to unknown destinations.

Yet, the vat where Robin was situated seemed shielded by some mysterious force, remaining entirely untouched!

Zhong Shenxiu quickly realized the recklessness of his display and swiftly dispersed the spell.

The magic vanished, but the courtyard was utterly unrecognizable!

Zhong Shenxiu tugged at the corner of his mouth. He hadn't expected a whim of his to cause such widespread destruction. It truly proved the adage: Impulse is the devil!

However, this nascent regret was swiftly overshadowed by a surge of excitement rising within him. Through these few trials, he had arrived at a definitive conclusion: magic, truly, was something profoundly...

As a Great Archmage, Gandalf’s maximum casting capability extended to Eighth-Tier magic.

Since both Fifth and Sixth-Tier wind magic were already detailed in his texts, Zhong Shenxiu no longer needed to consult Gandalf on those matters.

When one is pleased, their spirit soars! Zhong Shenxiu was in such a good mood that he actually untied Gandalf and released the pressure points holding his body immobile. However, the layer of "Dark Sorcery" still blocked Gandalf's elemental connection, leaving him able to move, but utterly incapable of casting any magic!

Despite this restriction, Gandalf was overcome with emotion, sighing inwardly that effort truly yielded reward.

After slightly stretching his limbs, Gandalf felt an indescribable soreness throughout his body. When he tentatively touched the top of his head, he was speechless to find six or seven sizable lumps had appeared there.

"Hey, old man!" Zhong Shenxiu broke the silence with one of his mischievous, crooked smiles, already plotting some new scheme.

Gandalf’s demeanor toward Zhong Shenxiu had undergone a dramatic 180-degree shift; he now displayed a sliver of deference!

Indeed, the sheer power Zhong Shenxiu had demonstrated left him with no room for defiance.

"Tell me more about that so-called Spatial Magic again," Zhong Shenxiu said with a smile.

"Actually, I haven't been studying Spatial Magic for very long myself!" Gandalf stated humbly, before continuing, "Few mages practice Spatial Magic, and there are very few systematic texts explaining it, so I only understand the very basics."

"Oh, oh, that's fine! Just tell me whatever scraps you know!" Zhong Shenxiu smiled with a hint of wantonness that made Angelina, watching from the side, want to bang her head against a wall.

"Everything I know is recorded in these notes," Gandalf replied, looking genuinely troubled—his meaning clearly implied: If you don't give me the materials, I can't explain it!

This wasn't Gandalf trying to take advantage; he genuinely didn't know how to lecture on it systematically. Unlike his long-mastered Wind Magic, which flowed effortlessly, his knowledge of Spatial Magic was fragmented and lacked strong connections.

Zhong Shenxiu understood immediately. He quickly handed over the notes—whose cramped writing he couldn't decipher—and said, "You may begin now!"

The reason Spatial Magic remained so mysterious was that people had yet to fully unravel its nature.

Spatial Magic had always been treated as a secondary pursuit; no one had ever been known to specialize in it and rise to the rank of Great Archmage.

To put it plainly, space is like a sheet of paper. Between two points in our space that possess distance, according to our laws of space, one must traverse a physical path to reach the other. But if one folds that sheet of paper so the two points overlap, the distance between them vanishes—becoming an alternate space is analogous to folding the paper, meaning those two distinct points in our reality become a single point in the alternate reality.

While this sounds simple, the actual knowledge involved is thousands, even tens of thousands, of times more complex! Truly unlocking its secrets would require immense manpower, resources, and an astronomical amount of time. This was clearly beyond the capacity of a single mage, certainly not something solvable in a year or two.

Human lifespans are finite, as is one's energy. No one is willing to dedicate an entire life solely to researching this field. Those who dabble are usually motivated only by curiosity or interest, which, it turns out, is insufficient!

Gandalf took the notes and began his lecture.

His stiff delivery betrayed his true lack of proficiency in Spatial Magic, and the content he read aloud revealed just how scattered his memorized information was.

Zhong Shenxiu was initially quite interested, but after ten minutes, he was on the verge of collapse. What was this disjointed nonsense? It grew more incomprehensible the longer he listened!

"Stop!" Zhong Shenxiu suddenly yelled, knowing that if he didn't interrupt now, he might just charge over and rip the notes to shreds.

Seeing Gandalf look at him in confusion, Zhong Shenxiu offered a strained, insincere smile. "Your train of thought jumps around as much as your Spatial Magic does!"

Gandalf had no rebuttal for that observation.

Zhong Shenxiu paused in silence, glancing again at the ruined surroundings. He offered a suggestion: "How about this: I'll get you some paper and a pen. You organize those notes properly. Once they're tidied up, you'll be free to leave. What do you say?"

Zhong Shenxiu had already learned what he needed; Gandalf now had nothing left to teach him. It was better to give the old man a task and then send him away quickly!

Gandalf nodded happily, though one question had been burning in his mind, and he felt the moment was right to ask it: "Can you tell me why I cannot sense magical elements?"

"Simple. I did it!" Zhong Shenxiu replied with crisp conciseness, causing Gandalf to momentarily freeze in surprise.

"C-Can you... can you help me fix it?"

"Not temporarily!" Zhong Shenxiu seemed to anticipate the question and immediately shoved a piece of jerky into Gandalf's hand.

Gandalf stood there dejectedly, looking utterly wronged.

"Stop talking, and get to work!" Zhong Shenxiu added as a final instruction.

However, this comment caused Angelina, standing nearby, to break into a sweat; it sounded suspiciously like a directive aimed at her.

Seeing that Gandalf had quieted down, Zhong Shenxiu nodded in satisfaction. He surveyed the surroundings once more. He hadn't paid attention before, but now he realized the courtyard was a bit small; any significant commotion caused trouble. If he could incorporate the adjacent courtyard... tsk, tsk...

A gleam shone in Zhong Shenxiu's eyes. He thought it a brilliant idea. If they merged the properties, he would have ample space to set up a "Violet Spirit Array," and the leftover area could even be used to grow some cucumbers and beans! (A nervous sweat drop fell!)

Zhong Shenxiu always acted on impulse. The immediate priority was to buy the neighboring property. If someone else snatched it up, he would only regret it later!

"Girl," Zhong Shenxiu suddenly called out to Angelina, "I'm going out for a bit. Watch this old man for me; don't let him escape!"

Angelina's expression flickered in surprise, then she shook her head vehemently. But Zhong Shenxiu pretended not to notice, adopting an expression that clearly communicated, This matter is settled.

"Hey, old man, listen up. You stay here and diligently organize those notes. If you even think about running, don't blame me for the consequences!" Zhong Shenxiu warned Gandalf.

Gandalf nodded. He wouldn't be foolish enough to flee. Freedom was imminent anyway; trying to escape and failing would be disastrous. More importantly, Zhong Shenxiu still had his magic suppressed. He certainly wasn't leaving yet!

Zhong Shenxiu had taken two steps when he seemed to recall something else. He turned back to Gandalf with one final instruction: "Forgot to remind you of one thing. See that vat? Stay far away from it, or suffer the consequences!"

With that, Zhong Shenxiu truly departed.

But there is a saying in this world: The thing you forbid is the thing you invite.

If Zhong Shenxiu hadn't mentioned it, it wouldn't have mattered. But after he spoke, Gandalf became intensely curious about that large vat.