Chapter 138: Differentiated Treatment

Chapter 138: Differentiated Treatment

Luo En attempted to merge his spiritual energy with this rhythm, seeking to understand the "Resonance" relationship between elements.

At first, it felt like trying to isolate one voice in a cacophonous marketplace.

Mana waves from different elements blended chaotically, impossible to distinguish.

But as time passed, Luo En gradually discerned subtle patterns and rhythms within the chaos.

The water element and fire element weren’t entirely opposed as he’d previously assumed—they maintained a delicate balance.

The wind element acted as a mediator, capable of connecting and harmonizing other elements.

The earth element, though seemingly dull, contained the most stable and enduring mana.

"I see..."

Luo En murmured inwardly. A new understanding crystallized in his mind:

"Elements aren’t isolated; they form an interconnected system."

As this realization deepened, he felt his control over elements becoming increasingly instinctive.

What once required precise calculations and deliberate guidance could now be achieved through intuition alone.

【Element Perception Experience Points +1】

After several hours of meditation, Luo En felt a slight dizziness—his spiritual energy had reached its current limit.

He slowly opened his eyes, noticing the Mana Anchor Crystal had transformed from pale blue to a deep violet-blue, clearly saturated with vast quantities of mana.

"The effect exceeds expectations", Luo En muttered, brushing his fingers over the crystal to sense its stored energy.

Over the following days, Luo En dedicated most of his spare time to elemental meditation and practice.

Workshop’s courtyard frequently became a stage for bizarre elemental phenomena—tiny flame vortices, levitating water spheres, even brief showers of radiant light.

His elemental control steadily improved, particularly with light element and fire element, which now responded with unprecedented fluidity.

The techniques Youni taught him allowed stronger elemental effects with reduced mana consumption.

【Element Perception Experience Points +1】

After each lesson, Luo En remained to ask Youni questions.

The old witch praised his diligence and progress, sharing her knowledge more generously.

"Your progress rate is astonishing, Luo En", Youni remarked after their third session, her violet eyes gleaming with admiration.

"Especially your grasp of elemental Resonance—you’re nearing journeyman-level proficiency."

Returning to the workshop, Luo En immediately immersed himself in further research.

Following Youni’s guidance, he prepared a specialized meditation environment:

Crystalline stones representing each element encircled the Mana Anchor Crystal at the center, while specially crafted lamps emitted a stable mana field.

Once meditation began, Luo En attempted to synchronize his spiritual energy with specific elemental frequencies, as described in his notes.

This process required extreme precision and spiritual control—any misstep would disrupt the entire effort.

After multiple attempts, he finally achieved the elusive "Resonance"—

Like two tuning forks vibrating in unison, his spiritual energy perfectly matched the light element’s frequency.

In that moment, an unprecedented surge of elemental power flooded his body, like a luminous river nourishing every corner of his spiritual space.

【Element Perception Experience Points +1】

【Breakthrough! Element Perception (Entry-Level 50/50) → Element Perception (Proficient 1/100)】

【Acquired Additional Trait: Resonance
(Increases efficiency of manipulating attuned elements, enhances corresponding elemental spell potency)】

When Luo En emerged from meditation, he seemed enveloped in a soft, radiant glow.

He felt an unprecedented connection to elements—particularly light and fire, which now responded as effortlessly as his own limbs.

"Incredible..."

He whispered, observing a miniature ball of radiant flame coalescing in his palm.

This flame was far more stable and luminous than any he’d created before, yet consumed only half the usual mana.

Testing his hypothesis, Luo En attempted to construct the "Radiant Halo" spell.

Previously requiring meticulous preparation and mana control, this spell now formed naturally within his spiritual space—effortlessly, instinctively.

Even more exciting, the "Resonance" trait amplified both spell potency and efficiency.

The halo formed faster, the flames burned brighter, and its power increased by at least thirty percent.

【Spell Construction (Proficient) and Element Perception (Proficient) produce synergistic effect】

【Elemental Spell Experience Point acquisition rate increased】

【Radiant Halo Experience Points +1】

【Current Progress: Radiant Halo (Entry-Level 42/50)】

"Skills can synergize too!"

Luo En’s eyes gleamed as he realized Spell Construction and Element Perception had created unexpected collaborative effects at the proficient level.

This synergy accelerated elemental spell learning—nearly tripling his previous rate.

At this pace, he’d soon elevate "Radiant Halo" to proficient level, a feat that typically required months or years of cultivation.

"An unexpected boon." Luo En smiled, feeling uncharacteristically elated.

...

The next morning, Luo En rose early to begin his daily meditation of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer.

Since the Timekeeper Pocket Watch’s advancement, mana consumption to reset mild spiritual pollution had reverted to its original 1-point baseline, granting him more opportunities for deep meditation.

He retrieved a pale turquoise vial from his workbench—"Ambra Mind Elixir." Unlike the workshop’s standard version, his personal stock was pure premium quality.

Enriched with trace stardust and moonlight water, its effects emphasized meditation enhancement.

Carefully extracting a single drop onto his tongue, he experienced an unexpectedly pleasant taste—a fusion of minty freshness and honeyed sweetness.

Yet the effects were immediate and intense.

Almost instantly, his spirit soared to elevated clarity, his perceptions expanding dramatically.

"Perfect state..." Luo En murmured, settling into a cross-legged position to begin The Murmuring of the Star Devourer meditation.

The elixir accelerated his descent into deep meditation.

As his consciousness sank into the familiar stellar realm, he found his perception of constellations sharper than ever before.

These living stars no longer appeared as mere glowing points—they revealed intricate details.

He perceived their surface textures, sensed subtle connections between them, and even discerned unique "personalities" within certain stars.

"The journey has only just begun..."

Luo En silently intoned the meditation mantra, his spiritual energy extending through the stellar expanse to access greater knowledge and power.

【The Murmuring of the Star Devourer Experience Points +1】

【Current Progress: The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Proficient 180/300)】

After two hours of meditation, Luo En's spiritual energy had grown slightly.

Though this accumulation seemed slow, it was stable and lasting.

[Spirit: 3.7→3.8 (+0.1)]

"Finally reached 3.8", Luo En murmured, opening his eyes to feel the fullness of spiritual energy coursing through his body.

This number meant his spiritual energy had nearly reached the High Apprentice standard, just a hair's breadth from the 4.0 threshold.

Of course, considering the nonlinear nature of spiritual energy growth, this final stretch might prove more difficult than all previous accumulation combined.

"At this rate, when my proficiency in The Murmuring of the Star Devourer reaches 200/300, I should make another breakthrough and officially become a High Apprentice. By then, the Bloodline Altar ceremony should be near."

As Luo En calculated this, a notification popped up on his interface:

[Warning: Detected light spirit pollution]

While potion-assisted meditation had greatly increased efficiency, it appeared spirit pollution accumulated faster too.

Luo En had no choice but to activate his Timekeeper Pocket Watch's reset function again to eliminate these threats.

[Successfully Reset negative status: Light spirit pollution, mana -1]

Compared to the increasing mana cost from previous resets, this stable recovery value eased Luo En's concerns. This meant he could perform deeper meditations more frequently without over-worrying about mana consumption.

Over the next week, Luo En's life became both fulfilling and busy.

Mornings were dedicated to cultivating The Murmuring of the Star Devourer, followed by elemental meditation and spell practice.

When he had classes, he attended advanced courses at the School in the mornings. Without classes, he practiced independently. Afternoons were spent researching potions and alchemy in the Workshop.

Evenings involved checking on Siren Daire's situation and handling Workshop administrative duties.

In Soren's Spiritual Energy Control class, Luo En's performance remained consistently outstanding.

Especially during multidimensional spell model construction exercises, he nearly always finished first.

"Excellent work, Luo En."

Soren praised, observing the three stable spell models coexisting within Luo En's crystal orb.

"Your spiritual energy control has reached an exceptional level. Keep it up."

After class, as usual, Soren kept Luo En back for special guidance.

Today's lesson focused on spirit shockwave compression techniques - maximizing mana storage within the smallest possible volume while maintaining stability.

"The destructive power of Spirit Burst correlates directly with compression rate, but so does the risk."

Soren explained, tracing a complex mana structure in the air with his finger.

"Over-compression causes mana instability, leading not only to spell failure but potential backlash against the caster."

Luo En studied every detail intently, attempting to simulate this compression process within his own spirit space.

"You seem to grasp the principles quickly", Soren observed, watching Luo En's attempt with curious eyes. "Is that because of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer?"

Luo En's heart quickened, surprised Soren knew the name. "You...know about this meditation technique?"

"Yes. Ai Lun mentioned it."

Soren continued, his gaze mixing admiration and concern.

"The Murmuring of the Star Devourer is one of the rare meditation techniques that directly enhances spiritual energy essence itself. However, its dangers are equally terrifying. Many mages who attempted this cultivation were eventually corrupted by accumulated spirit pollution."

Luo En maintained a cautious stance.

"Madame Ellen did warn me of the risks. I've always carefully controlled my cultivation pace."

"I can tell."

Soren nodded. "Your spiritual energy remains remarkably stable, showing almost no pollution signs. This either proves extraordinary innate talent, or you've discovered some effective purification method."

He gave Luo En a meaningful look.

"Either way, you've proven yourself a promising young mage worth attention."

Luo En felt a flicker of unease, but Soren's next words quickly dispelled it.

"Don't worry, I mean no harm. As supervisor of the Backup Mage Sequence, my duty is to observe and guide promising seeds, not hinder their growth."

During the following guidance session, Soren appeared more generous than usual, sharing advanced techniques about spiritual energy stabilization and pollution resistance.

These were normally reserved for High Apprentices, making clear Soren recognized Luo En's special abilities.

[Spirit Interference (Proficient) Experience Points +1]

When Luo En left the classroom, he failed to notice his special treatment had drawn attention from other students.

...

"Another special session? How many times has this been now?"

During class, Luo En's enhanced senses unintentionally caught whispers from two students behind him.

"They say Griffiths gives him special guidance every time - at least half an hour extra after each class."

"What's so surprising? Everyone knows he has the 'Medicinal Body Resonance' Special Innate Talent. That's a second-tier rare ability."

"He's still just an Intermediate Apprentice newcomer. What makes him deserve such favoritism?"

Luo En stopped listening, focusing instead on his crystal orb.

But these words did raise his alertness - his special treatment had apparently become common knowledge.

After class ended, as expected, Soren asked Luo En to stay for special guidance.

This time, however, two students hesitated after the others left, mustering their courage to stay behind too.

"Griffiths sir..."

A middle-aged student appearing at least thirty years old gathered his courage to speak.

"I also have questions about Spirit Shockwave theory. Might I ask for your guidance?"

A faint flicker of displeasure passed across Soren's face before quickly smoothing over. "Of course, Morris Apprentice. What questions do you have?"

The other student seized the opportunity to step forward as well, clearly a coordinated effort.

Soren didn't refuse their requests, patiently answering their questions.

But Luo En keenly noticed how Soren's attitude lacked the same engagement and warmth shown during his own lessons.

After about fifteen minutes, Soren's expression darkened slightly, clearly frustrated by their limited comprehension.

"That's enough for today", he concluded flatly. "Before our next class, I recommend reviewing spiritual energy fluctuation foundational theory. This will help you better understand advanced concepts."

Though disappointed, the two students dared not protest, respectfully bowing before departing.

Once alone with Luo En, Soren's demeanor relaxed considerably.

"Now, let's continue our previous shockwave compression techniques..."

Luo En noticed how Soren looked at him now with a special glint in his eyes, like evaluating a precious artifact.

After the special guidance session, Luo En stood to leave.

"Thank you for your guidance, Griffiths sir. The techniques you taught have been extremely helpful."

Soren nodded slightly. "Your learning enthusiasm and innate talent leave deep impressions, Luo En. I look forward to witnessing your future achievements."

Leaving the classroom, Luo En hadn't walked far when he encountered the two apprentices who had earlier stayed for extra help.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end