Who says I can't become a Grand Master?

Chapter 122 Human Magic Originated from Dragons

Chapter 123 Human Magic Originated from Dragons

"A curse—is it divided into nobles and commoners?" Zhang Qingzhe was even more puzzled.

"Based on the inferences of the academic community."

Xia Qiwei softened her voice, as if recounting an ancient secret, "These so-called Dragon Plague Curses are not simply viruses, but fragments of the souls of ancient dragons. They wander throughout the [Dragon Plague Zones], searching for hosts—humans, or other creatures."

Zhang Qingzhe's eyes widened in surprise.

"You mean—a nobleman from the dragon race, after dying countless millennia ago, had his remaining soul infect an ordinary human, and then—possessed him?"

That's roughly the idea.

Xia Qiwei nodded. "Ordinary dragon curses only erode the host's sanity, turning them into a walking corpse. But the souls of dragon nobles are too powerful, retaining a clear will and the pride they held in life. Once infected, that will will take over, causing the host to have the illusion that they are that dragon noble, thus 'awakening'."

Zhang Qingzhe processed the information and then grasped the key point.

"So—is that why he can cast spells without cards?"

Xia Qiwei's fingers gripping the steering wheel tightened almost imperceptibly.

She remained silent for a longer time, with only the low rumble of the engine remaining in the car.

"This actually involves some strictly controlled secrets."

She finally spoke again, as if she had made up her mind, "However, with your talent and potential, reaching the [Grand Card Master] level, or even aiming for the [Cleric Rank], is only a matter of time. Telling you some things now shouldn't be too much of a violation of the rules, right?"

Zhang Qingzhe nodded, but inwardly he was thinking:

When have you, this flexible "Great Witch," ever truly cared about breaking the rules?

Shakivi ignored his subtle expression and continued, "The magic we humans rely on for survival today, in essence—is stolen from the dragons."

"What?!"

Zhang Qingzhe was genuinely shocked by this statement.

"That's right."

Xia Qiwei's tone was calm, yet carried a heavy sense of history: "Although the current card system is diverse and has many schools of thought, they can all be traced back to the magic of the ancient dragon race."

"In an extremely ancient time, humans were servants and vassals of dragons. We were not only enslaved and oppressed, but we were also required to regularly sacrifice children as 'food' for the dragons."

Zhang Qingzhe held his breath, feeling as if he were listening to a long-forgotten dark epic.

"And then?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Then, sparks of resistance began to ignite sporadically around the world."

Xia Qiwei's voice carried a hint of remoteness, "The initial rebels had only the most primitive stones and wooden spears in their hands, yet they faced a dragon as powerful as a god. It was a struggle so desperate it was almost laughable."

"Using stones and wood—to fight a dragon?" Zhang Qingzhe found it hard to believe.

"Yes. But what's even more incredible is—"

Xia Qiwei turned her head and glanced at him, a certain light flashing deep in her purple eyes, "Among them, there was actually someone who succeeded."

"this----"

"Think about it carefully, whether in ancient myths of the East or the West, the story of the dragon-slaying hero is widely circulated, isn't it?"

""

Shaki guided him, "That's not a completely fictional romantic imagination, but a deified historical record that was passed down after humanity made unimaginable sacrifices to actually slay the dragon in those dark times."

"I see----"

Zhang Qingzhe sensed a vast and realistic historical panorama slowly unfolding before his eyes. "And then?"

"Afterwards, humans obtained the blood of dragons, dissected their corpses, and began to learn and imitate them with great difficulty, eventually learning to use the power of dragons."

Shakivi's voice carried a complex mix of emotions, "That was the dawn of magic."

"Directly learning dragon magic? So, ancient human mages, like that weirdo today, couldn't cast spells without cards?"

"Ah, that's right."

Xia Qiwei affirmed, "In that primitive era, whether it was the dragon race or the human pioneers who first mastered magic, they relied on complex incantations and special hand gestures to cast spells."

"Then why did it later evolve into a card system?"

"Because the dragons are too powerful, humans are still at a disadvantage when using incantations to cast spells."

Zhang Qingzhe nodded slightly, thinking this was normal.

"However, humans have a stronger will to survive and a greater thirst for knowledge."

Shakivi's tone carried a hint of human pride: "Humans will not stand still; humans are always exploring. Magical technology is also constantly evolving, from the initial [spellcasting], to [potion casting] which uses specific materials, to the well-made [wand casting], and now to the even faster [scroll casting] —"

"and then?"

"Then—about two thousand years ago, a sage named the Great Teacher appeared on the Eastern Continent. He gained crucial inspiration from ancient 'talismans'."

"The Great Teacher of Virtue? Talismans?"

Zhang Qingzhe immediately thought of yellow paper and cinnabar.

"That's right. He wrote the [Magic Circuit] and [Energy Structure] in a highly compressed and solidified form" on a specially made card-like medium."

Xia Qiwei tapped the steering wheel lightly with her fingertips. "This is the original [Card Spellcasting]. With its amazing convenience, extremely high spellcasting success rate, reusability, and stable power, it quickly became popular in the world of card magic and eventually spread back to the West, laying the foundation for the [Magic Card] system that is now used worldwide."

"The card—it actually originated from Taoist talismans."

Zhang Qingzhe murmured in amazement, feeling a wondrous historical thread weaving through his mind.

"That's right," Xia Qiwei nodded.

"Then why did Western magic later surpass us?"

"Alas! That's because the Age of Exploration arrived in the West, while we in the East were closed off from the world, leading to a complete stagnation in magical research."

"The Age of Exploration," "Closed-door Policy"—

Upon hearing these two familiar historical terms, Zhang Qingzhe instantly understood.

It seems that even in this magical world, certain historical trajectories share striking similarities.

He pondered for a moment—

Zhang Qingzhe steered the conversation back to reality, a hint of worry in his voice: "The sudden appearance of that dragon nobleman—does it prove that the nearby [Dragon Disaster Zone] is becoming increasingly unstable?"

>