Chapter 173: Zi Kulu Nyiaga Luotipu

Chapter 173: Zi Kulu Nyiaga Luotipu

The pocket watch didn’t truly “charge,” but instead displayed his “Mana Quota.” Once depleted, these reserves wouldn’t require deliberate replenishment—simply waiting until midnight would automatically restore them to maximum. This mana system functioned more like a “quota” system.

The role of Time Sand was to expand the pocket watch’s maximum mana quota, rather than merely “charging” it. It was precisely this trait that made the pocket watch the most stable and reliable among all Luo En’s rare relics.

“It seems Time Sand is indeed the key…” Luo En mused, running his fingers over the pocket watch’s surface. “If I could acquire more Time Sand to raise the maximum quota to an even higher level, the potential of this Glorious Legacy would be truly astonishing.”

Carefully stowing the pocket watch, he calmed his mind to examine the transformations brought by becoming a High Apprentice. Unlike the hazy perception of the Elementary Apprentice stage or the fleeting clarity of the Intermediate Apprentice phase, his current awareness of surrounding mana flows was unprecedentedly vivid.

It was as if someone who had only seen the world through a murky window had suddenly been given glasses to see every detail. Every wisp of energy fluctuation in the room, the faint mana residue in the walls, and even the minute mana particles floating in the air were now clearly visible to his perception. Details that once demanded his utmost focus to faintly sense could now be grasped with a mere thought.

More significant transformations occurred in his spellcasting abilities. Luo En could now distinctly perceive the three proficient spells he had mastered—Sound Wave Oscillation, Slime Splash, and Radiant Halo—had formed stable “thought circuits” within his Spirit Ocean.

As described in the Apprentice Ladder:

“When an apprentice masters three or more spells to proficiency, these independent thought circuits begin intertwining into an organic whole. It’s not merely an accumulation of quantity, but a qualitative leap.”

Luo En attempted to construct the Sound Wave Oscillation spell model and was astonished to find the process, which once required over ten seconds, now took mere seconds. Spiritual energy flowed naturally through the established thought circuits, like water rushing through pre-dug channels—effortless and efficient.

Previously, spell construction demanded meticulous checks of every node and mana flow position, with the slightest error causing the entire model to collapse. Now, the process felt instinctive, almost like muscle memory.

“So this is the ‘thought network’ mentioned in the Apprentice Ladder?” Luo En’s eyes sparkled with both surprise and curiosity.

The Apprentice Ladder described it thus:

“A High Apprentice who meets the criteria will develop a complex ‘thought network’ within their Spirit Ocean. Various spell models act as nodes, connecting and supporting one another. Once formed, this network dramatically enhances spellcasting efficiency and success rates, laying a foundational base for mastering advanced composite spells in the future. The denser and more complete this network, the higher the mage’s innate talent. Many great mages developed exceptionally intricate thought networks during the High Apprentice stage, forming the bedrock of their future achievements.”

This transformation manifested not only in faster spellcasting but also in refined mana control. Luo En discovered he could now precisely regulate mana output quantity and direction—like evolving from a brute who recklessly swung a weapon to a swordsman who mastered every nuance of blade control.

Beyond standard transformations, Luo En noticed a unique phenomenon: after hearing the “Whispering” just a few times, those syllables had left indelible marks in his mind. During the consciousness battle against the Urchin Monster’s Whispering attack, he had painstakingly analyzed and recorded those strange syllables. This process revealed that Whispering wasn’t random noise, but rather a structured spiritual wave with specific patterns.

“These syllables seem to follow a grammatical structure…” Luo En realized that recalling them triggered precise patterns. Whenever the Urchin Monster uttered “Zi,” his spiritual defenses experienced a specific-frequency pricking pain. “Kulu” created a distortion sensation, as if his spiritual energy was forcibly stretched. “Nyiaga” induced vertigo, like being caught in a vortex, while “Luotipu” caused vivid hallucinations of non-existent sights.

These effects weren’t mere spiritual interference—they were techniques of mana manipulation governed by unique rules. Particularly telling was how the Thousand Shifting Shadows’ recording and reflection of the Whispering visibly disrupted the Urchin Monster, confirming it was a substantive mana transmission method.

“If I could integrate Whispering’s traits into Sound Wave Oscillation…” Luo En muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Perhaps I could create an entirely new attack with greater penetrative power.”

Conventional Sound Wave Oscillation relied on physical vibrations to damage targets—like an invisible hammer smashing structures from the outside. Whispering, however, seemed to act directly on the spirit level, bypassing physical defenses to disrupt the core. Combining both into a composite attack capable of simultaneous physical shockwaves and spiritual impacts would far surpass standard Sound Wave Oscillation.

Luo En began conceptualizing this new spell. He attempted to use Sound Wave Oscillation’s foundational structure as a carrier, weaving in Whispering’s specific frequencies and wave patterns. Though complex—like fusing two distinct languages into a new form of communication—the support of his thought network made this endeavor far more feasible than before.

“Perhaps this is my first step toward spell specialization.” Luo En’s gaze sharpened, his heart brimming with anticipation. To ascend from High Apprentice to Full Mage, one must develop at least one completely specialized personal spell. Now, he had found a promising path: sound wave magic fused with Whispering’s traits could become his signature ability.

Sitting at his worktable, Luo En meticulously recorded his understanding of Whispering and conceptualized the new spell. As his mind refined the details, new possibilities unfolded—a unique spell system entirely his own.

“The Murmuring of the Star Devourer is indeed a double-edged sword,” he mused. “It brings both danger and opportunity.”

This echoed an old adage: “True Knowledge Is Burden—wisdom often walks hand-in-hand with madness.” Human cognition was fragile. A single gaze from a great being could leave such profound consequences. What awaited him as he delved deeper into The Murmuring of the Star Devourer?

Luo En turned his gaze to the window, where stars were veiled by black mist, barely visible. Somewhere in the infinite cosmos, ancient beings might be watching this world—and him. He had only just begun to comprehend the meaning of that gaze.

………

In the laboratory, Luo En picked up a Soul Steel ingot. The crystal lattice structure within the metal, its mana flow pathways, even the distribution of trace elements—all were laid bare in his perception.

“Alchemist…” he thought, recalling his recent advancement to a Two-Star profession. Alchemists didn’t merely produce alchemy items; more importantly, they possessed unparalleled understanding of material essence, enabling profound transformations and mana conversions.

Especially that unique bonus of “greatly enhanced material perception ability”—allowing intuitive detection of internal structures and traits—proved decisive for creating advanced alchemy items and improving formulas.

To test further, Luo En retrieved a common iron plate, attempting an alchemical transformation. Channeling spiritual energy, he guided the metal’s molecular rearrangement. With the “Material Transmutation” skill, the process became astonishingly intuitive and effortless, like shaping soft clay with bare hands. The once rigid iron grew supple while retaining its metallic strength. The transformation consumed minimal mana, operating with near-zero waste.

“The synergy effect exceeds my expectations,” Luo En marveled at the perfectly transformed metal. “This efficiency and precision represent a true qualitative leap.”

Picking up the Soul Steel again, he felt its warmth and rhythmic pulse. The Soul Steel had achieved perfect resonance, with the Soul Seal ritual successfully imprinting his unique spiritual mark within its structure. This meant a mana-forged sword crafted from this Soul Steel would possess unprecedented affinity and stability—making it an ideal carrier for the “Furnace Conceptualization” technique.

Now, with Alchemist skills and the synergistic power of Material Transmutation, Luo En felt far greater confidence in forging his mana-forged sword.

Luo En turned toward the workbench and began sketching the detailed blueprints for the Mana-Forged Sword.

With the alchemist's enhancement, his Conceptualization ability had reached an entirely new level.

Designs that once required weeks of meticulous effort now solidified into breathtaking detail within days.

"The Furnace Blade..." Luo En wrote the name at the top of the blueprint, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

This sword would be more than a weapon - it would be a miraculous forge capable of purifying spirit pollution and transmuting it into pure power.

But there was an even more crucial aspect:

It would serve as the key tool for reaching that higher realm - the cornerstone of his "Furnace Conceptualization."

"Time will prove everything."

Rising from his seat, Luo En walked to the window, gazing toward the distant Black Mist Jungle.

"In one month comes the quarterly evaluation meeting to determine who earns the Bloodline Altar quota..."

His gaze turned contemplative as he began strategizing his next moves.

The quarterly evaluation was critical, and he already had a complete plan:

Apply for High Apprentice Certification in half a month while pursuing Bloodline Modifier Qualification, using this dual certification to catapult himself into the top five candidates and secure that coveted spot.

"First, I need to organize my current resources and tasks."

He began systematically listing his upcoming plans in the Consciousness Library:

1. Brewing Natural Affinity Potion for Cui Xi (High priority - personal commitment)
2. Preparing for High Apprentice Certification (Complete within two weeks)
3. Obtaining Bloodline Modifier Qualification (Simultaneous with certification)
4. Creating Soul Steel Mana-Forged Sword Blueprint (Ongoing)
5. Practicing Puppet Substitute and Furnace Conceptualization techniques (Ongoing)
6. Selecting precious ancient texts (Whenever time permits)

With his plans clearly outlined, all that remained was systematic execution.

Just as he began his first task, a gentle knock interrupted him.

"Teacher, breakfast is ready."

Liliya's warm voice came through the door.

Luo En smiled - over time, Liliya had become an indispensable part of the Workshop.

Not only had she demonstrated astonishing innate talent in alchemy, but her unique combination of meticulousness and thoughtfulness had brought remarkable order to the Workshop's daily operations.

From material procurement to equipment cleaning, from maintaining the Workshop Environment to document organization - these chores that once consumed vast amounts of Luo En's time were now efficiently managed by Liliya.

Most remarkably, she had established a comprehensive material classification and record-keeping system that made the Workshop operate even more smoothly.

Opening the door, Luo En found Liliya holding an elegant tray outside. On it sat a steaming cup of herbal tea and several perfectly-shaped pastries.

"Teacher seems to be in good spirits today", Liliya said with a smile, handing him the tray.

"I noticed several key materials in the storeroom are running low. I plan to go to the Market this morning - anything specific you need?"

"There are indeed a few", Luo En accepted the tray, pulling out a list from his pocket.

"These are the materials needed for Cui Xi's Natural Affinity Potion. Some are quite rare - you might need to visit several specialized shops."

Liliya carefully studied the list before nodding.

"I know where to find Lunaris Orchid and Stellara Bloom. As for Spirit Bark..." She frowned momentarily before regaining her confident smile, "I saw it at Kamp's shop last time. I should be able to get some."

Luo En felt reassured by her growing professionalism.

"It seems you've become more familiar with the Market than I am."

"All thanks to your teachings, Teacher", Liliya modestly replied, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"I've simply tried to remember every purchasing experience to save you more time."

Nodding, Luo En added, "You've done well. Oh, also help me look for 'Stellar Crystal Sand' - a special alchemy material that's quite rare."

"I'll definitely keep my eyes open", Liliya solemnly promised, committing the request to memory.

After sending Liliya off, Luo En returned to inspecting his Mana-Forged Sword blueprints.

In his Conceptualization, this "Furnace Blade" would become one of his most important power conduits.

But for now, he must first fulfill his promise to Cui Xi - after all, commitments came first.

Moving to the specialized potion-making area, Luo En began preparing the first batch of Natural Affinity Potion.

Cui Xi had indeed provided precious formulas. Just seeing those complex ratios and special brewing requirements made it clear why this potion was considered a treasure.

The formulas contained not only conventional plant materials but also several rare natural element crystals and fairy creature essences.

For ordinary Potion Masters, such formulas were practically insurmountable.

Precisely controlling those volatile fairy essences alone would make most Potion Masters hesitate.

But Luo En was certainly no ordinary Potion Master.

He instinctively arranged all materials in precise order according to usage, preparing to begin the familiar potion-making process.

Yet as he moved to start, he suddenly realized he had recently gained the "Material Transmutation" skill.

"Perhaps it's time to try a new approach to potion brewing. With all the recent busyness, I almost forgot this new ability."

Taking a deep breath, Luo En began activating his new perception ability, focusing his attention on the materials before him.

In an instant, it was as if an entirely new world unfolded before his eyes.

The microscopic structure of every material, the flow path of every mana thread, the interactions between molecules - all presented themselves to his Perception in a strange yet clear way.

"This is the true power of 'Material Transmutation'..."

Astonished, Luo En began attempting to guide the potion-making process in this new way.

First, processing the Lunaris Orchid.

Previously, he would need to carefully extract its essence using strict cutting methods and precise timing, requiring at least half an hour of intense concentration.

Now, with just a thought, he could perceive the mana nodes inside the Lunaris Orchid.

His fingers instinctively pressed at specific locations, and a stream of silver light naturally flowed out, effortlessly merging into the prepared container.

The entire process took less than five minutes, efficiency multiplied several times over, while the purity of extracted Lunaris Orchid essence far exceeded his previous efforts.

The same miracle occurred at every subsequent step.

In traditional potion-making, the most difficult material had been Forest Elves tree bark. Ordinary potion brewing required extremely complex preliminary processing and slow mana guidance.

The slightest mistake could disrupt its internal natural elements, rendering the entire potion a failure.

But now, Luo En could directly "see" the mana network inside the bark, allowing stable connections to form between different materials.

Three hours later, when the first Natural Affinity Potion was completed, Luo En felt slightly dazed.

The entire potion-making process had not only doubled in speed, but the quality was also unexpectedly superior.

The potion in the vial displayed a near-transparent emerald green, with tiny glowing specks drifting slowly like fireflies, exuding a fresh and vibrant aroma.

This purity and stability far exceeded the standards achievable through the original formula alone.

"This isn't just quantitative improvement - it's a qualitative leap."

Carefully sealing the potion, Luo En pondered the tremendous transformation brought by this new ability.

"Material Transmutation", as the fusion of alchemical techniques, not only inherited the strengths of both but achieved a fundamental breakthrough at the technical level.

Traditional potion-making, no matter how refined the techniques, had always been essentially an "external guidance" - Potion Masters used spiritual energy and techniques to direct materials toward desired transformations.

Now, "Material Transmutation" became an "Internal Resonance" - directly awakening and guiding the materials' inherent traits and potential, forming a more natural and harmonious mana fusion.

It was as if moving from forcing materials to obey, to conversing with them - making increases in efficiency and quality only natural.

"With such high quality, perhaps I should ask Cui Xi for extra payment... Heh."

As Luo En immersed himself in marveling at his new ability, Liliya returned with a basket full of materials, her face radiant with joy.

"Teacher, I've procured all the materials on your list!"

She excitedly placed the basket on the table.

"And I discovered a new materials shop that carried the Stellar Crystal Sand you mentioned. I bought a small pouch."

Luo En raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Stellar Crystal Sand? That material is usually difficult to find. You had excellent luck."

"Not entirely luck", Liliya proudly explained.

"Following your teachings, I observed several shop owners' procurement channels. I discovered this new store's master seems to have connections with the dwarf city-states, specializing in rare materials."

She carefully retrieved a small, meticulously-packaged pouch from the basket.

"They asked a high price, but I used your negotiation techniques to reduce it by thirty percent."

Accepting the pouch, Luo En immediately sensed the unique energy fluctuations within - indeed high-purity Stellar Crystal Sand.

This material was crucial for casting the Mana-Forged Sword, enhancing the metal's mana affinity.

"Excellent work, Liliya", Luo En sincerely praised. "Your procurement skills have become capable of operating independently now."

Blushing at the compliment, Liliya quickly changed the subject.

"I only followed your instructions. By the way, I noticed you've already completed a potion. Is the process going smoothly?"

Her eyes curiously studied the vial.

"It looks much purer than the samples in the Basic Alchemy Manual."

Luo En didn't directly respond, instead asking Liliya to check on the ancient tree in the courtyard.

Through "Transcendent Perception", he knew Ai Lan would awaken in a few days...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end