Chapter 172: Murmuring

Chapter 172: Murmuring

"Its 'Record' ability might work..."

This was a gamble, even a desperate one, but faced with their current predicament, Luo En had no other choice.

He temporarily deactivated his "Boiling Blood" state, even deliberately weakening his movements to let the monster pull him closer.

Close-range contact was the prerequisite for activating the "Record" ability, and it required direct eye contact—a risky maneuver, but one that could turn the tide if successful.

The monster seemed to misinterpret Luo En's actions as surrender, tightening its grip with reckless abandon, dragging him toward its grotesque maw.

When the distance closed to less than three meters, the monstrous mouth opened again, preparing to unleash its lethal murmur.

"Now!" Luo En's mind ignited. He instantly activated the "Record" ability within Thousand Shifting Shadows.

[Record Activated]

[Target: Murmuring]

The monster's murmuring erupted as expected, piercing Luo En's mind:

"Zkrulnigart. Rotep."

This time, after resisting with his will, he allowed Thousand Shifting Shadows to fully record the soundwave pattern and mana structure.

The spiritual pain still lingered, like countless needles piercing his brain simultaneously, but Luo En gritted his teeth, waiting for the recording to finish.

[Recording Complete]

[Release will cost 1% mana]

The opportunity had arrived! Luo En immediately unleashed the recorded murmuring through Thousand Shifting Shadows.

The soundwaves, using his spiritual energy as a medium, overlapped to create a peculiar resonance effect.

"Zkrulnigart. Rotep."

The same murmuring, now emerging from Luo En himself, created an eerie resonance with the monster.

The creature visibly froze, its active tentacles suddenly stiffening as if receiving conflicting commands.

Its gaping maw remained half-open, seemingly unprepared for its weapon to be turned against it.

This brief confusion granted Luo En a chance to breathe.

Using "Transcendent Perception" and "Insight" in tandem to enhance his vision, Luo En observed the monster's core at its central depths, detecting an unusual fluctuation.

A core-like structure pulsed faintly with light, synchronized with the murmuring.

"Found it!" Luo En's spirit surged with hope.

He immediately mobilized the last reserves of his bloodline power.

The "Boiling Blood" trait activated once more, his blood burning like molten magma through his veins, delivering a final burst of explosive strength.

Simultaneously, he condensed "Radiant Halo" to its peak—flames of golden-red fire intensifying on his blade.

Luo En precisely controlled the direction and timing of the murmuring he released, ensuring it created a perfect counter-wave against the monster's.

This phenomenon was called "destructive interference"—when two opposing waveforms perfectly overlapped, they canceled each other out, creating a silent zone.

In this fleeting "silence", the monster's mana field became unprecedentedly chaotic.

Its entire body trembled faintly, like a machine suddenly stripped of its control program.

This was the opening Luo En had been waiting for!

With sudden force, he broke free from the loosening tentacles, his body launching forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

His blade carved a crescent arc, striking directly toward the core pulsing deep within the monstrous maw.

—Dawn Cross·Overlimit!

He roared lowly, channeling every last shred of spiritual energy and bloodline power into this final strike.

The blade's brilliance intensified exponentially, nearly blinding.

The flame-wreathed sword pierced through the dark maw, slicing through the black mass to strike the core itself.

"Weng——"

A thunderous resonance erupted within consciousness space, reverberating through Luo En's very being as a powerful recoil sent him hurtling backward.

He twisted midair, stabilizing his posture before immediately assuming a defensive stance, eyes locked on the monster.

The creature shrieked, its tentacles and spines convulsing violently like electrified limbs.

From its gaping mouth, thick black liquid began gushing out, evaporating instantly upon touching the void into wisps of dark smoke.

Finally, as the core shattered completely, the monster's entire body began disintegrating, collapsing outward into countless dark particles that scattered into the void.

Gasping for breath, Luo En felt his spiritual energy and bloodline power nearly depleted, yet he remained on high alert.

As the monster vanished, the dark star around them began to fade, its light softening, colors returning to their usual vibrant hues.

His familiar meditation consciousness space was reforming, constellations resuming their designated orbits.

"Did I win?" He felt disbelief, soon overtaken by an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

This wasn't just a battle—it was a true transcendence.

He had overcome a formidable foe through sheer survival instinct in the most perilous conditions.

The satisfaction from this victory surpassed anything he'd experienced before.

A series of notifications then surfaced in his mind:

Under extreme pressure, his consciousness seemed to undergo a qualitative transformation.

[The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Proficient) Experience Points +10]

[Current Progress: The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Proficient 209/300)]

[Special Soul Mana absorbed, Thousand Shifting Shadows Charging +10%]

[Current Progress: 24%/100%]

[New Recorded Ability: Murmuring]

Luo En's eyes brightened.

He hadn't expected this trial to not only grant meditation technique experience but also charge Thousand Shifting Shadows, even recording a new skill!

"Murmuring... An unexpected gain", he mused, considering potential applications for this newfound ability.

Mastering this unique soundwave might prove invaluable against spirit-based attacks.

At this moment, his spiritual energy had also undergone a complete purification, becoming purer and stronger.

It felt as if a trickling stream had suddenly transformed into a mighty river—power surging with unprecedented coordination and stability.

[Spirit: 3.99→4.0]

[Power Tier Upgrade: Intermediate Apprentice→High Apprentice]

Luo En exhaled deeply, both surprised and relieved.

This bizarre consciousness battle had pushed his spiritual energy to the High Apprentice threshold of 4.0.

"That 'eye'... that 'gaze'..."

Recalling the immense, enigmatic eye, a peculiar sensation stirred within him.

He vaguely sensed that he might have inadvertently drawn the attention of some great existence.

Perhaps that battle had been a trial—or merely a fleeting observation by that being.

"This... is only glimpsing the surface." Luo En murmured, reverence filling his heart.

Such a mighty presence might be what Madame Ellen referred to as the realm accessible at the "Third Stage."

If so, his understanding of "Truth" was still superficial.

Closing his eyes, he felt the current of spiritual energy within.

It felt entirely different now—not just passively perceiving ambient mana, but actively influencing and reshaping the mana flow around him.

Spiritual energy coursed like a living entity through his body, each cycle deepening his comprehension and control.

"High Apprentice."

This title not only signified enhanced strength but marked his significant advancement toward deeper supernatural mysteries.

And this was merely the beginning.

Luo En gradually emerged from his meditation state, his consciousness withdrawing from that Star and returning to the physical world.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself still seated cross-legged in the laboratory.

The surrounding magic circle continued operating stably, its mana crystal lamp's soft glow intertwining with moonlight filtering through the window to create a tranquil atmosphere.

Glancing at the moon's position outside, Luo En estimated he had meditated for exactly six hours. Unknowingly, most of the night had already passed.

Yet the gains from these six hours surpassed weeks of ordinary accumulation.

Luo En slowly stood, stretching his stiff body after prolonged immobility.

He suddenly recalled Madame Ellen's words:

"Inspiration is both opportunity and danger."

These words now carried profound new meaning.

Clearly, among all practitioners of this meditation technique, he was undoubtedly the most unique.

After all, he possessed a soul from another world, granting him inspiration far exceeding ordinary humans...

Approaching the window, he gazed at the moonlight and stars:

"Just as True Knowledge inevitably brings burdens, my path must be constant self-strengthening until I can bear the deepest truths."

He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and sensed the surging spiritual energy within.

At the moment of becoming a High Apprentice, his connection to this world had fundamentally transformed.

Spiritual energy no longer passively perceived ambient mana—it could actively influence and reshape surrounding mana flows.

This sensation felt like someone locked within a cage observing the world, suddenly gaining the key to unlock their prison.

His thoughts drifted back to Madame Ellen's dim room filled with herbal scents.

"The Murmuring of the Star Devourer differs fundamentally from ordinary gem-grade meditation techniques", Madame Ellen had said, gently closing the ancient scroll with a mysterious tone:

"It's not merely a cultivation tool, but rather a bridge connecting commoners to ancient, mighty beings. Every mage who truly mastered it was once 'watched' by Them."

"Many ancient texts record that the true mage's path is emulating these great existences, gradually understanding and approaching their essence."

Her emerald eyes had pierced his soul:

"And The Murmuring of the Star Devourer is one of the rare keys that can open this door."

Luo En remembered asking:

"So the danger after the first stage isn't merely spirit pollution?"

Madame Ellen had simply smiled mysteriously:

"If an ant suddenly gained human language comprehension, do you think it could endure it? The 'watching' of these great beings brings commoners both supreme glory and extreme peril."

This dialogue echoed in Luo En's mind, merging with fragments from the ancient text Origins of Mages he had casually browsed in the School Library.

One passage had particularly impressed him:

"The original mystics were precisely those watched by the stars.

They glimpsed truths ordinary humans couldn't comprehend, attempting to collect and organize these passive knowledge fragments through specific meditation methods."

He recalled the descriptions of these "watched ones" in the text:

They typically experienced bizarre visions and trials related to stars, abysses, and ancient beings.

Success meant qualitative breakthroughs, while failure could trap them eternally in madness.

"This experience was absolutely no ordinary spirit pollution or random hallucination", Luo En frowned.

"That uncertain 'watching,' the trial formed from those 'hairs'—everything felt too deliberate."

A bolder hypothesis formed:

Could The Murmuring of the Star Devourer actually be a cultivation method gradually earning recognition from "Them"?

Were every inspiration surge and trial simply steps toward that ultimate goal?

Meditation wasn't the end—it was the means.

The true objective was emulating these great beings, gradually understanding and approaching their essence... even becoming Them?

"If this is true", Luo En's gaze darkened, "then what am I truly pursuing? And what awaits at the end of this path?"

As he pondered, sharp pain suddenly erupted from his temples, like red-hot needles piercing his brain marrow.

Simultaneously, an indescribable pressure squeezed his entire skull as if clenched by invisible hands.

Fragments of knowledge in his mind began irregular collisions, causing intense spirit pain.

A familiar chill climbed his spine as Luo En felt like a snake's captive, his whole body constricted mercilessly.

"Spirit corruption", he immediately realized—the recent consciousness battle and breakthrough had caused severe pollution.

This episode's intensity far exceeded previous occurrences; without prompt treatment, irreversible damage might follow.

Suppressing discomfort, he grabbed the "Clarity" potion, uncorked it, and drank deeply.

The potion's icy coolness spread from his throat throughout his body, like a mountain spring washing away chaotic thoughts.

[Spirit corruption temporarily suppressed. Current pollution level: approaching moderate.]

The potion worked, though Luo En knew this was only temporary suppression, not complete removal.

He must address this immediately—long-term accumulation could lead to unimaginable consequences.

With decisive action, he retrieved his Silver Pocket Watch—his most reliable safeguard.

Tracing the black gemstone on its surface, the gem immediately glowed with eerie red light, seemingly sensing its master's intent as faint gear whirring became audible.

[Detected spirit pollution. Initiate reset?]

"Begin reset", Luo En commanded without hesitation.

The black gemstone blazed brighter as the central gear symbol spun wildly.

A strange suction force emerged, directly acting upon Luo En's spirit world.

Spirit corruption flowed out like an invisible hand extracting it, continuously drawn into the pocket watch.

The gemstone gradually clouded, resembling crystal stained black by ink.

Luo En felt unprecedented relief, as if shedding burdens carried for years.

The process lasted about thirty seconds—several times longer than ordinary resets.

He could sense the corruption's stubbornness, like oil stains soaked into skin requiring repeated scrubbing.

When the last trace vanished, the pocket watch's glow dimmed, returning to calm.

[Successfully reset negative status: spirit pollution, mana consumed -10]

[Current mana quota: 20/30]

Luo En exhaled deeply, savoring his regained mental clarity like clear skies after a storm.

Unlike other rare relics, the Timekeeper's Pocket Watch indeed possessed uniquely special mechanics.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end