"On the night of the full moon, collect river water, distill with a magnetite crucible, and finally add lotus essential oil for refinement..." Along with Ian's studies, he discerned the lost gems of civilization that had never been replicated. These pieces of knowledge had long been obliterated by the river of time, and even in Hogwarts' Forbidden Book Area, only fragmented records remained.
Understandably.
Whether it's Muggle civilization or wizard civilization, it's always a handful of people who drive the development of civilization, and once these people fade away, their achievements are difficult for future generations to replicate.
"Luckily, I am now secretly learning for civilization. How can this not be considered a good deed?" Ian's magic wand swiftly sketched runes for memory aid on the parchment.
A clay tablet with a dark red cover floated in front of him, and the cuneiform characters on it automatically reorganized into Ancient Egyptian, which Ian could understand—"Blood and Flesh to Bronze Transformation Art."
This is the ultimate secret of the legendary Life Alchemy.
Ian, the tireless learner.
Another book that caught his attention was "Elemental Spirit Language," which explored how to communicate with the elemental elves corresponding to the four basic elements (earth, water, fire, and air) in nature.
Unlike spells that directly manipulate elemental power, this book emphasized a form of communication based on understanding and respect. It stated, "To gain the power of the elves, one must first listen to their voices."
This means that to truly master elemental magic, one must learn to listen to the voices from the depths of the earth, the waves of the ocean, the flicker of flames, and the flow in the air. This philosophy outlines a peaceful path, suggesting that true magic might not be about power control, but a way to coexist harmoniously with the world.
"I won't learn this, but I can let other little wizards learn it, which could help them advance further in the path of magic." Ian almost wanted to store all interesting books in his Memory Palace.
The library, of course, had anti-theft measures, but Ian was clearly superior.
The magic detection mechanism of the Forbidden Book Area was still in operation. Every seven minutes, a green light would sweep from the cat's eye embedded in the ceiling, and any unauthorized copying action would trigger a deadly spell. Ian had to control the Memory Magic at a very delicate balance point—it had to be deep enough to preserve the essence of knowledge, yet not generate obvious magic fluctuations.
Ancient Alchemy is also intoxicating.
Next, he picked up a thick "Ancient Alchemy Complete Guide," which not only recorded various alchemy formulas and production steps in detail but also included numerous theoretical explanations of the principles of material transformation. The book described a magical liquid called "eternal water," which was said to keep any item in contact with it from deteriorating for hundreds of years.
However, preparing this liquid required extremely complex processes and rare materials, including dew collected under specific constellations, the heartwood essence of millennia-old trees, and specially processed pure metal powder. As Ian read, he marveled at how ancient alchemists' understanding of material essence far exceeded contemporary perceptions.
This ancient wisdom, like the brightest stars in the night sky, guides later generations to continuously explore unknown realms.
"I need to learn even faster."
Ian glanced at the water clock in the corner, the buoy indicated less than two hours until sunset. To his right, three ancient documents on "prophecy and destiny" simultaneously unfolded—fields modern divination couldn't touch, not relying on tea leaves or crystal balls, but on the original technique of directly observing the "lines of fate."
Very primitive, yet able to obtain more hidden information than later divination methods. The recorded "Nine-Star Alignment Observation Method" could even predict a specific individual's means of death, precise to time and location.
"Still, alchemy is more intricate, while these divinations make my head ache. Perhaps Aurora would appreciate this knowledge more." Ian's only shortcoming at Hogwarts was Divination, which didn't change simply because he traveled back to ancient times. Even looking at divination knowledge gave him a headache.
So he just forcefully memorized and then focused all his energy on his favorite alchemy, which in ancient times wasn't just about attempting life forging.
There are also other peculiar development directions—time flew by quickly during study.
Very soon.
It got dark.
Ian gently closed the last scroll of glowing papyrus, the residual magic warmth on his fingertips made him sigh slightly.
These ancient texts surged in his mind, like the fertile black soil of the Nile River during floods, nurturing countless magical mysteries already lost to later generations.
The astrological magic recorded in "Helio-Polis Star Secret Rite," the metal transformation technique described in "Theban Alchemy," the detailed prophecy system in the "Dream of the Desert."
Numerous precious pieces of knowledge are now deeply engraved in his Memory Palace.
"Truly an incredible magic domain..."
Ian was still somewhat unsatisfied.
This half-day learning yielded far more than expected, not only finding critical records on artificial deities but also unexpectedly discovering many ancient magic systems not even collected in Hogwarts' Forbidden Book Area.
A clay tablet on "Bone Blood Divination" especially shocked him—this extreme spell that temporarily extracts one's bones as divination mediums was considered unforgivable Dark Arts in later generations. Just when Ian was organizing and preparing to find the materials he needed, resolving the confusion before sneaking back, the purple torch of the Forbidden Book Area suddenly flickered, the light growing dim. Ian looked up to see an elderly hunchbacked librarian standing at the edge of the stone platform, his skeletal fingers entwined with seven-colored silk threads.
"Honorable Messenger, the sun has touched the western mountains." The elder's voice was much more respectful than before, and a peculiar glimmer shone in his cloudy eyes, "According to regulations, the library will soon close. However... "
He paused suggestively.
"Distinguished guests like you may continue to study here, just don't make it known when leaving." This was obviously an attempt to win over Ian, or to curry favor with this "Messenger."
Privileges are always so evident in any era.
"Rules are rules." Ian stood up, his black robe flowing like water in the purple firelight, "Even the High Priest must abide by the ordinances, how can I be an exception?"
His tone was solemn and sincere, yet his fingers discreetly drew a marking spell on his waist badge, facilitating a return visit later—a small technique just learned from the "Priest Secret Rites." With some embellishment by a legendary wizard, even the librarian couldn't detect anything unusual, extremely covert.
"Your integrity is truly admirable." The elder's expression clearly softened, a few genuine touches of esteem emerging amidst the wrinkles, after all, few people in this era would refuse privilege. He performed a complex gesture, and the suspended documents automatically returned to their places, with the bookshelf moving like a living thing, revealing a path to the exit.
"May Ra's light always shine upon you."
The elder bowed slightly.
"May the light of knowledge never extinguish." Ian returned the standard farewell, stepping out of the library's bronze gates, the evening breeze enveloping the moist scent unique to the Nile River rushed over him.
"Indeed, come night, it feels like a completely different city, with no trace of prosperity." Ian took a deep breath, surprised to find the air filled with the acrid scent of burning metal. The last hues of sunset were fading at the horizon, and all of Memphis City had prematurely fallen into silence.
The streets were eerily empty. The marketplace, bustling at dusk, now had not even a stray cat in sight. Shop doors were tightly shut, some even reinforced with heavy iron chains. Ian's boots echoed ominously against the stone-paved street, the sound stark in the deserted surroundings.
"Earlier than yesterday..." Ian frowned, observing his surroundings. Yesterday's curfew was imposed after sunset, but today, the city had self-sealed before twilight had completely ebbed. The sky in the direction of the Temple bore an unnatural crimson hue, as if blood-soaked brushes had painted over the clouds.
Evidently, the bodies taken by the temple during the day caused some panic among the populace. Ian walked along the main street towards the temple, his magic wand ready to slide out of his sleeve at any moment. As he turned a corner, his peripheral vision caught something moving in the alley to the right—a blurred figure moving swiftly along the wall.
"Another brave but reckless soul?" Ian kept his steps light, following. In the dimming twilight, he saw a slight figure draped in a coarse cloak, nimble as a desert fox. Every ten steps or so, the figure would pause and leave a mark on a resident's wall corner or doorframe.
Stealthy, mysterious.
Obvious not a good person.