At this moment, Grant was quietly helping the crown prince tend to his fields.

  Ever since he promised to take over the boy's education, he had done so earnestly.

  The emperor rarely showed up, only doing so when one of the guards would leave to notify him of the prince's efforts.

  The boy had a good grasp of the basics of magic, if nothing else, the tower master had done this well.

  As for the fields... less so.

  While he could easily use his magic to create a bounty of crops, this ruined the point.

  The boy didn't understand, so Grant had to take a class out to help the crown prince.

  This was fine for him, as Grant also took the opportunity to enlighten his other disciple,

  Yes, having chosen to focus on beasts, Grant admitted he had neglected to teach the fundamentals of magic.

  It wasn't too surprising of course.

  Despite being a teacher in his last life, and a pretty decent one in his own eyes, he'd be lying if he claimed that he was a well-rounded teacher.

  He could hyper-fixate on a subject or neglect it entirely.

  Both Devis and the crown prince were observant and patient children.

  Initially, they were a bit cold to each other.

  While not hostile, and both maintained cordial relations, there was also nothing in common between the two of them.

  This quickly changed once he realized that Devis was a beast tamer, eagerly pulling out his own companion dragon, and Devis pulling out his own ignystro, the two comparing their own companions.

  The emperor not only made no comment but even encouraged the connection. Grant wasn't that surprised.

  Whether it be to establish firmer connections with him, or even the fact that the child himself clearly had a unique origin, it was natural for emperor's to seek benefits.

  Perhaps most of all was that Devis and the prince's friendship could be genuine.

  They were fellow disciples, a relationship equivalent to brothers. Interests aside, the emperor believed that Grant was clearly a fifth level powerhouse, clearly on equal status to even the gods on olympus.

  If Devis became friends with this son, then it wasn't out of interest, but truly of shared interests.

  He knew how lonely it was as emperor at times, so to have genuine friends is not a bad thing.

  Today, the two were still eagerly discussing their respective beast companions, sharing caretaking methods while the two critters played with each other.

  Grant waited a few minutes before beginning the discussion.

  "Do you know what magic is?

  "Magic is the ability to make things happen using mana." The prince answered crisply, and Grant nodded.

  "Correct, but how?" Grant pressed, waiting for the child's answer.

  The crown prince paused, clearly scratching his mind, seeking an answer.

  It took him a good minute or so before he finally had an answer.

  "You control mana and inject it into the world to make things happen?" The boy answered unsurely, and Grant nodded.

  "Yes, but no. Honestly, the principle behind magic is quite difficult to explain, because it relates to the laws of reality.

  Alchemy has a decent explanation however. I've heard the description of equivocal exchange. You get what you paid for.

  You input mana out into the universe, and the universe responds to your wish.

  Actually, this applies to other things as well. Cultivation, martial arts, godhood, most paths can be simplified to this.

  You pay, and you receive.

  Do you know why I emphasize this point to you?" Grant asked, and the crown prince shook his head.

  "Because there's a third step that many overlook.

  Description and understanding.

  When you made that field grow crops, what did you ask it to do exactly?"

  The boy paused.

  "Well, I just wanted it to grow, and I felt like I could do it, so I did."

  "Non non non non non! That's wrong. " Grant said firmly, wagging his finger.

  "Do you know why when casting a spell magicians rely on incantations? Why when making a ritual, they rely on magic circles and materials?

  It's expense. To them, they believe that they simply can't, but that's not quite true.

  If they had enough mana, they could do so.

  But the sheer amount of mana required means that most people could never, pull it off, though they won't realize it as the universe will simply ignore them."

  "Really?" The crown prince asked unsure and Grant laughed.

  "Then what did you just do child? Didn't you just make plants grow? No incantation, nothing? Isn't that proof enough?

  Here's the thing, the reason why magic circles and incantations help is simply put, they help describe the spell, set parameters.

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  The universe actually requires extra energy of the caster if they don't specify. Consider it extra costs for handling.

  When the caster uses incantations and magic circles, arrays, talismans, runic, they're explaining the conditions of the spell, specifying and slimming the process, which makes it all easier to do, drastically decreasing the costs.

  That's precisely why what you're doing is wrong. Just saying "grow" is a total waste of mana. With the amount you're wasting, you could just as easily grow 4x the amount of crops under the correct circumstances."

  Hearing this, Devis spoke up. "Does that mean understanding can decrease the cost of spells too?"

  Grant nodded in satisfaction. "If specification decreases handling costs, then understanding is getting a n insiders discount because you know the people behind the inner workings.

  By people I mean the laws. The better you understand the laws behind the spell, the more intimate you grow with the fundamentals of reality, meaning your casting efficiency increases.

  A perfect example of this would be the taoists and buddhists of the dharma age.

  The techniques they practiced didn't actually increase their storage of qi and mana, at least not as much as cultivators today think.

  No, instead their techniques increased their own understanding of reality, so that they could decrease the cost of their spells.

  It's a lot more efficient honestly. Increasing energy capacity requires you to use resources to improve your body, which places great strain on the world around you. Increasing your understanding merely requires training the mind and becoming in tune with the world around you. While resources can be used to speed up enlightenment, they are merely supplementary, not primary.

  The spiritual masters in india do something similar, which is unsurprising since buddhism has roots in india.

  The tribes in North america use similar means, though they seek to understand their spirit partners better, so they can better draw upon their power."

  Hearing this, even the guards seem pretty interested.

  "You've been to India master?"

  "Yeah. While India certainly has some problems, its masters are truly masters. " Grant commented wistfully, not mentioning that he only knew them because of a shared annoyance at the shamelessness of buddhism.

  Only he and Vishnu knew of the origin of the dish named "Buddha Jumped over the wall" named not only because of how good the dish smelled, but also how good their disciples smelled.

  For the future of buddhism, they would jump over the wall and kidnap anyone's disciple!

  "Actually, I've been to all over the world, and met many sages."

  "In that case, what method do you think is the best?" The crown prince asked, and Grant admitted he had to stop and think for a minute.

  "That depends. There's no such thing as a perfect path." Grant mused.

  "Some paths are more supplementary, and others, while certainly filled with more potential, are difficult for those with average potential.

  While I praise taoism and hinduism and the like, they rely on one's own potential and character. Patience is needed, enough to weather centuries of practice. While personal potential is far less needed for this path, those with poor mental strength are not suitable for this path.

  Cultivation isn't a bad path, but the number of resources required is incomparable to the other paths. Entire cities have been refined by these cultivators, yet nothing has come of it, at least no particularly noteworthy cultivator. Not my preference honestly.

  Martial arts and magic circles are great for the general public. While martial arts have more variety than the streamline of magic circle developing, martial arts tend to on average be at the same level as the latter, though certain martial arts have some amazing potential. The eight nine arcane arts for example, is a supreme martial arts technique derived from Pangu's own experience on the path of body refining.

  They're both great for people of moderate income. Magic circles merely require increased magic density generally speaking and martial arts is basically just flesh and blood as well as endurance.

  The divine path is easy come, easy go. As long as you have enough followers, you can change the world but accordingly, if your followers abandon you, it is easy to fall and become victim to others.

  There's contractual development, a general term I like to use when describing those who make contracts with external beings to improve their own aptitude. To be blunt I consider it a supplementary path, since generally speaking, the beast taming, spirit bonding, demonic contracting, it all acts as a boost to one's own path "

  "Then my path is supplementary?" Devis asked, a bit confused and Grant nodded.

  "In a sense, yes. While you're pursuing the path of a beast tamer, your actual cultivation path is that of a martial artist, relying on supplements to grow. Of course, as a beast master, your primary strength resides in your bond with your partners, and your martial arts is purely to defend yourself in the worst of times.

  I'm just saying that while beast taming is a profession, it's not really a path.

  Am I being obscure? I fear my description is a bit misleading." Grant said unsurely, scratching his head.

  Devis shook his head. "No master. You've cleared it up well master." He said, thinking thoughtfully.

  Hearing this Grant smiled. "Good. Anyway, that's why I'm going to have you also study these basic spells." He said, pulling out a spiritual rain and plant nourishing spell, alongside the magical growth guide.

  "I've translated the crop development system of the easterners into mana-based spells for your convenience, and I've bought the basic magical plant spellbook for you to practice with.

  We're aiming to increase your understanding, starting from the basics.

  As a mid-level 1st rank, it's a little too early for me to preach or nothing to you. Would be more harmful than good.

  As for Devis, I'll just spawn some goblins for you to fight.

  I might have to start custom making you a dungeon to help your partner Ignystro get a better taste for battle." Grant said casually as he waved his hand, and out popped 3 feral goblins, with their vicious faces and drippling spittle lunging at the young hybrid.

  Devis was already prepared, commanding his Ignystro to battle.

  While the crown prince was surprised at first, calmed down quickly, turned back to his studies.

  Only the guards reacted appropriately, with sweat trickling down their backs.

  Creation is not a simple thing, and those who can do it are not simple people.

  To be more precise, to seen it done so effortlessly, so easily made them aware of how far the mysterious man before them had made it on this path.

  Combined with his lecture on understanding, it became apparent that the man before them likely had a deep understanding.

  It made one of them wonder how the emperor would deal with such a man, while the other remained silent.

  Grant wasn't kidding either, as he began to create a dungeon.

  This isn't that hard of a task.

  Dungeons are living beings, unique in their nature.

  Many even believe that dungeons are the descendants of the Eden, repelling all those who would seek its abundance.

  Whatever the case is, dungeons are immortal at birth, capable of living for essentially forever as long as no one destroys their dungeon core.

  Accordingly, those who bind themselves to dungeons and become dungeon masters can easily achieve immortality, albeit with the caveat that if the dungeon dies so do they.

  Dungeons are innately hostile to sentient beings, hence the theory of Eden, but as they grow older, dungeons tend to start developing intelligence.

  basically dungeons, due to their immortal status, age far slower than most beings, their thinking taking longer to develop.

  A dungeon at 500 years old may not even be considered more than 10 years old in human terms.

  Because of this, older dungeons, tend to have weaker levels towards the entrance, a compromise with other beings.

  Of course, dare to get to close to their core, and don't be surprised by their cold welcome.

  For dungeons, all you need to do is make a dungeon core, throw it down somewhere, and the core will entrench itself into the ground and begin growing instinctively.

  All you gotta do is form a beastmaster contract with it, and you now have a customizable dungeon!

  Naturally, Grant explained his request to the guards, seeking a place to implant the dungeon.

  This caused quite the stir, with the guard leaving and the emperor returning, alongside an entourage of scholars and mages, many in disbelief and suspicion.

  Grant didn't care.

  Once they arrived at a nearby forest reserved for hunting for sport, Grant tossed the dungeon core down, having already implanted his contract.

  The core produced tendrils and began digging straight down, much to the surprise of the people around them, who had never seen a dungeon core develop its dungeon before.

  Grant didn't tell them that dungeons actually start from underground before digging upwards, emerging, and creating its first entrance.

  He wasn't their teacher after all.

  Devis and the crown prince on the other hand, received his full attention, as he explained the development and gestation of dungeons in full to them, so that they could better understand its biology, especially since they would essentially be sparring partners for the dungeons for a very long time.