Chapter 125: Insightful Eye

Chapter 125: Insightful Eye

"This altar... is it a gateway to the Other World?"

Luo En struggled to contain his excitement, though his eyes betrayed the gleam of discovery:

"If the Black Mist Jungle truly has a stable Other World rift, it would be an invaluable resource."

Cui Xi observed his sudden fervor, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

"You seem particularly fascinated by the concept of the Other World, Luo En", she teased gently.

"But I must disappoint you—the Exotic Rift isn't the grand, complete Other World you imagine. It's merely a fragmented projection born from colliding realms."

Luo En's enthusiasm dimmed slightly. "So you're saying..."

"True Other Worlds are domains reserved for Full Mages or even Archmages to explore", Cui Xi continued seriously. "For apprentices like us, merely approaching a genuine cross-dimensional passage would result in our bodies and souls being shredded by chaotic spatial currents."

Seeing Luo En's expression settle into calm, she added, "But don't lose heart. Even a mere fissure contains extraordinary resources and structures that would make a large faction like the Crystal Spire eager to stake their claim. In fact, this is precisely why the Black Mist School established its base here."

"I see", Luo En quickly composed himself. "Then what exactly is this altar's purpose?"

"This altar possesses miraculous power", Cui Xi's eyes sparkled anew. "It aids in activating the Bloodline Tracing Origin, making it easier to transcend bloodline limitations and evolve toward a more ancient, purer form."

At the mention of "Tracing Origin", Luo En's heart pounded.

Wasn't this the core function of his earlier "Tracing Origin" trait?

If he could harness the altar's power, perhaps the replicated bloodline abilities could become even more potent and refined...

"This altar", he forced steadiness into his voice. "Can anyone enter it?"

Cui Xi shook her head, her expression tinged with regret.

"Of course not. The slots are extremely limited and require approval from the School's upper echelons. From what I know, the Black Mist School only grants five slots each time, with the rest going to the Crystal Spire."

Her gaze held anticipation, her voice laced with subtle tension. "However, considering your recent meteoric rise—especially revealing that Medicinal Body Resonance Special Innate Talent and successfully entering the Backup Mage Sequence—I believe you have a strong chance of securing one."

This was both information and a veiled suggestion—if Luo En secured a position, Cui Xi hoped to forge an alliance.

In such an unknown, perilous environment, having a reliable companion was undoubtedly a tremendous advantage.

"How often does this altar activate?" Luo En asked the critical question.

"Generally once every five years", Cui Xi replied. "The next activation will be in about half a year. That's why Kelinna Mentor has intensified my training recently—she believes I need to elevate my strength to a certain threshold to withstand the altar's trials."

"Trials?" Luo En arched a brow.

"Yes", Cui Xi's expression grew solemn. "The Bloodline Altar isn't just a location—it tailors trials to each entrant's aptitude and potential."

She added softly, "There have been fatalities in the past due to failed trials, so the School scrutinizes nominees rigorously. Every chosen individual must demonstrate exceptional potential and worth."

Luo En fell into thought.

Undoubtedly a massive opportunity—but equally fraught with danger.

Yet, with his current arsenal of techniques and hidden strengths, especially the Timekeeper Pocket Watch as a life-saving artifact, he felt reasonably confident in facing the risks.

"Thank you for the warning, Cui Xi", he finally said. "This information is invaluable to me."

"It's nothing", she smiled, her eyes glinting with mischief. "We're fellow townsfolk—we should look out for each other. And if we both secure a slot, we can support each other within the Bloodline Altar."

Her expression softened, carrying a maiden's shy hopefulness.

"My greatest fear is the potential dangers during the trials. Having someone as reliable as you by my side would bring me great peace of mind."

Luo En smiled faintly. Her offer contained both practicality and sincerity.

Cui Xi, as one of the rare peers in the Backup Mage Sequence and a fellow townsfolk, was indeed an ideal ally.

"If we both secure nomination slots, we'll certainly watch each other's backs", he promised.

Her face lit up at his reply.

"Wonderful! I hope we both seize this opportunity."

She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Kelinna Mentor is especially intrigued by you—particularly your Medicinal Body Resonance innate talent. Should you truly secure a nomination, they might personally offer guidance. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"

"I'll treasure it dearly", Luo En replied outwardly, while inwardly alert.

They exchanged updates about recent studies and School gossip, the atmosphere growing relaxed. Luo En noticed Cui Xi seemed livelier than before—her previous reserve softened, replaced by vibrant energy perhaps stemming from her Forest Elves bloodline awakening.

"An upcoming quarterly meeting for the Backup Mage Sequence will see all members and key Mentors and Fuyuanzhang in attendance", Cui Xi reminded before parting. "Kelinna Mentor will be there—it's your chance to showcase your value."

"I'll prepare thoroughly", Luo En nodded. "Wishing you further breakthroughs in bloodline awakening."

Cui Xi beamed in reply, while Li Yue respectfully bowed to Luo En.

Watching them disappear down the Black Mist Jungle path, Luo En finally turned back toward the Workshop.

"Bloodline Altar... Tracing Origin power", his eyes gleamed with calculation. "This might be the perfect opportunity to further purify my Crimson Blood Flying Dragon branch bloodline."

Inside the Workshop, Ai Lan was tidying the teaware Cui Xi had left behind.

"Master", her vines swayed gently. "Her mana felt both familiar and frightening to me—why?"

"According to ancient texts, tree spirits and Forest Elves were once close companions", Luo En explained. "The dormant bloodline memories within you likely perceived that connection. As for the fear... perhaps the trace of Moon Elves in her bloodline awakened your instinctual awareness of royal-tier dominance over lower beings in the same lineage chain."

He studied Ai Lan's increasingly humanoid form, a new thought emerging.

"Ai Lan, if an opportunity arose to activate deeper layers of your bloodline, would you try? There would be some risk."

Ai Lan's vines trembled at an unprecedented frequency, her emerald eyes sparkling with expectation:

"If it's Master personally conducting the ritual", she said, her voice laced with anticipation, "I'm willing to attempt any possibility."

A warm feeling stirred in Luo En's chest as he raised his hand to gently stroke Ai Lan's vines.

"I'll give my all to help you", he replied softly, "just as you've always supported me."

The news about the Bloodline Altar had given him a clear timeframe - a little over a year from now, conveniently marking the completion of his first year as an apprentice alchemist.

Within this limited window, he needed to maximize his cultivation progress.

He glanced at the calendar, a fiery determination igniting within him.

"A little over a year", he mused aloud, "not particularly long, but not short either."

He needed to make his worth undeniable within this period, securing one of the five coveted spots.

Night fell, but the workshop remained brightly lit.

A solitary figure moved purposefully between the workbenches, stacks of ancient texts and notes covering the desk. The wall bore a densely packed schedule outlining the next year's plans.

......................

"The key to mana solidification lies in frequency resonance."

Luo En's fingers traced the yellowed pages of the thick tome, his eyes absorbing every detail.

Since beginning his alchemy studies, he'd developed the habit of dedicating at least two hours daily to theoretical research.

One corner of the workshop had become his dedicated alchemy research area.

Unlike the potion-making section's orderly arrangement, this space appeared chaotic:

Strange devices littered the area, half-finished alchemical creations carefully stored in specialized containers, mana flow diagrams and Elemental Affinity tables hand-drawn across the walls.

"Three cycles, nine rhythmic patterns, twenty-seven seals."

He murmured the incantation while sketching complex rune structures in his notebook.

Thompson's lesson on mana sealing techniques had been exquisite, yet classroom instruction remained limited.

To truly master this art, Luo En had spent countless nights poring over supplementary materials and conducting repeated practical experiments.

He picked up an ordinary grey stone from the table, his fingers brushing its surface.

To ordinary eyes, it was just a mundane rock, but Luo En could sense the faint earth-aligned mana within.

"Begin."

Taking a deep breath, he circled his hands around the stone, guiding spiritual energy to construct the sealing array.

This marked his seventh attempt this week - the previous six had all ended in failure, with mana either leaking or the structure collapsing.

But today, armed with lessons from past failures and a sudden inspiration from last night, his movements were more precise and fluid.

Spiritual energy wove an intricate mana network around the stone, layer upon layer, perfectly interlocking.

"Three cycles." Sweat beaded on his brow, but his hands remained steady as stone.

"The rhythm." The mana network gradually solidified, the stone beginning to glow faintly.

"Seal!"

As the final seal completed, the stone blazed with sudden brilliance, its contained mana perfectly sealed into a stable manacore.

"It worked!" Luo En exclaimed, carefully inspecting every detail of the sealing structure.

Unlike previous attempts, this manacore remained remarkably stable, with no leakage or fluctuations whatsoever.

[Alchemy Experience Points +1]

[Breakthrough! Alchemy (Entry-Level 50/50) → Alchemy (Proficient 1/100)]

[Acquired Additional Trait: Resonance (Increased perception and control efficiency over transcendent mana)]

This breakthrough felt perfectly natural, as if rewarding his dedicated studies this past year.

Luo En could distinctly sense his mana perception had sharpened significantly, his control more precise, as though gaining a pair of mana-detection eyes in the darkness.

Eagerly, he summoned his profession interface in his mind:

[Profession Class Advancement Conditions Met:

1. Alchemy (Proficient) √

2. Completed one alchemical creation √]

[Would you like to immediately advance to - Alchemy Apprentice?]

"Confirm", he silently responded.

Familiar warm mana surged from his heart, spreading throughout his body, though this time felt slightly different.

The mana seemed purer, its flow more orderly, like precisely calculated water currents.

[Class Advancement Successful!]

[New Profession Acquired: Alchemy Apprentice (One-Star)]

[Foundational Attribute Increase:

Spirit 3.6→3.7 (+0.1)

Mana 1.5→1.6 (+0.1)]

[Profession Special Bonuses:

- Slightly increased perception of subtle molecules

- Slightly improved material trait analysis ability]

[Acquired Professional Skill: Material Analysis (Entry-Level)]

Attribute increases following class advancement were extremely rare, though understandable.

Considering this essentially constituted exploiting a system loophole, even minor improvements satisfied him greatly.

Moreover, later attribute increases - even by 0.1 points - could surpass earlier gains by countless times.

Luo En awaited new professional skill acquisition, but unexpectedly, the interface displayed a special notification:

[Detected Career Synergy: Potion Master + Alchemy Apprentice]

[Stability slightly increased during potion brewing and alchemical creation]

[Skill Fusion Triggered:

Herb Identification (Proficient) + Material Analysis (Entry-Level) → Transcendent Identification (Proficient 1/100)]

Luo En's eyes widened.

This was his first encounter with skill fusion, evidently a special interactive phenomenon between two related professions.

Instantly, a cool sensation flowed through his eyes, vision sharpening dramatically.

More astonishingly, when his gaze fell upon surrounding objects, he could instinctively perceive their material composition, mana structure, and even production techniques.

Picking up an ordinary stone, a single glance revealed its trace iron content, volcanic formation three hundred years ago, and even the faint mana resonance hidden within.

"This is Transcendent Identification?" Awe filled Luo En's heart.

This new ability far surpassed the original Herb Identification, no longer limited to herbs and potion materials, but extending to almost all transcendent substances.

Alchemy's foundational analysis ability combined with potion-making's precise identification created an almost "see-through essence" special insight.

He recalled those professional appraisers at the Black Market - even the most senior ones required various tools, typically specialized in specific item categories.

Yet now, with just his naked eyes, he could perform comprehensive transcendent material identification.

"No wonder I've never heard of dedicated 'Appraiser' transcendent professions."

Luo En mused thoughtfully:

"The combination of Potion Master and Alchemy Apprentice alone creates effects surpassing specialized appraisers."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end