Chapter 178: Erosion Melody

Chapter 178: Erosion Melody

Starlight slowly rippled across the sky above Black Mist Jungle, while the final wisps of twilight outside the window were devoured by night's embrace.

Inside the second-floor laboratory of the Workshop, lanterns burned brightly, illuminating a figure hunched over a desk surrounded by scattered manuscripts and experimental apparatus.

Luo En inhaled deeply, savoring the novel mana coursing through his body—a result of his Bloodline Modifier attunement. The aftershocks of his recent Class Advancement still lingered, gradually crystallizing his newfound understanding of life’s essence.

"Unbelievable..."

He murmured, fingertips drumming the workbench. The power he’d gained exceeded even his highest expectations.

Suddenly, his Profession Interface flickered again, revealing additional information:

[Detected Career Synergy: Modifier + Wizard Apprentice + Alchemist + Potion Master + Bloodline Knight]

[Synergy Bonus Unlocked:

1. Enhanced Bloodline Extraction Efficiency

2. Improved Identification Precision for Transcendent Materials

3. Increased Mana Conversion Rate

4. Augmented Bloodline Vitality]

He could already feel the profound transformations these bonuses brought.

"Augmented Bloodline Vitality" alone carried extraordinary implications.

Closing his eyes, Luo En focused on the rhythm of his Chimera Bloodline. It surged more vigorously than ever—a dormant beast awakening part of its potential.

An idea took root: Now that his mastery of the Bloodline had reached this level, perhaps he could assist the two non-human members of the Workshop?

Ai Lan, especially. She’d just completed her metamorphosis, her body still in an unstable phase. This was the perfect moment for formulation.

With that thought, Luo En left the laboratory and strode toward the courtyard.

Under the moonlight, Ai Lan stood beside a small tree blooming with white flowers. Her fingertips brushed the branches, coaxing the blossoms to open at night, radiating a faint bioluminescence.

Daire and Liliya had already retired. The courtyard belonged solely to her.

"Ai Lan." Luo En called softly.

The Tree Spirit turned. Her emerald eyes shimmered with an otherworldly glow beneath the moonlight.

"Master, still awake?"

"I want to give you a complete physical examination."

Luo En stated bluntly, "You've just completed your transformation—many bodily functions remain unstable. I can help stabilize these changes."

Surprise flickered across Ai Lan’s face, quickly replaced by understanding.

"Of course. Shall we go to the laboratory now?"

"Hmm. The instruments there are more comprehensive."

Inside the laboratory, Luo En had already prepared a specialized examination platform. It was covered with soft velvet, surrounded by precise mana monitoring devices.

"What... must I do?" Ai Lan asked quietly.

Her roots lifted and settled gracefully with every movement, like an ancient dance.

When she stepped onto the examination platform, hesitation touched her delicate features.

"Master... must I..."

"Yes, remove those... coverings."

Luo En kept his voice steady, though he privately admitted to feeling a touch of awkwardness.

"This is for scientific research, Ai Lan."

Ai Lan nodded without hesitation.

Her green gown gradually faded with her will, dissolving into a wisp of verdant light.

Naked in the moonlight, her olive-green skin bore intricate wood-grain patterns across its healthy surface.

Forcing himself to maintain professional focus, Luo En concentrated on research rather than the perfect, artistic form before him. After all, she was still simulating human morphology—a plant-based lifeform wearing human guise. Only when she became the "Golden Oak Queen" would she achieve near-complete human resemblance.

Activating both "Transcendent Perception" and "Tracing Mark" traits, he began his comprehensive examination.

"Please lie flat." He instructed, preparing to meticulously record every finding.

Ai Lan complied, her green hair cascading down both sides of the platform like shimmering silk.

Luo En’s hands hovered inches above her body, channeling spiritual energy like precision instruments probing her internal structure.

"An astonishing construct..." he murmured.

Ai Lan’s internal anatomy proved far more complex than imagined. Instead of blood, emerald-green sap flowed through her vascular system, saturated with high-concentration mana.

Her "heart" wasn’t a conventional pump but a mana core continuously distributing energy throughout her body.

"Your subcutaneous layer contains specialized photosynthetic tissue—directly converting sunlight into mana."

As he examined, he recorded:

"This ultra-efficient structure surpasses ordinary plants, resembling the original form of Ancient Tree Fairies."

Ai Lan listened silently. Her wooden skin occasionally rippled where Luo En’s spiritual energy touched, like breezes stirring a lake’s surface.

Thanks to career synergy enhancements and dual trait amplification, he could now "see" her mana flow with unprecedented clarity.

Every meridian, every mana node, appeared starkly clear in his perception.

"Your bloodline remains active."

He explained as he observed, "I count seven primary mana vortices at the core—typical of Ancient Tree Fairies. However, the connection between your fifth and sixth vortices lacks stability."

His voice carried academic fascination:

"That third node regulates your plant control ability, but its current stability is insufficient."

Ai Lan nodded slightly. "I’ve noticed—when commanding larger plants, I tire quickly."

His fingers traced a region on her abdomen. The skin there reacted immediately, radiating faint luminescence.

"Here... and here..."

His fingertips identified several key points, each touch triggering subtle reactions.

"I can perceive your natural energies gathering internally, but they require guidance."

Ai Lan remained still, eyes half-closed as she sensed the transformations within.

"Master, I feel your spiritual energy helping reorganize my internal structures. This sensation... is very pleasant."

Luo En nodded, continuing his work.

Using his Bloodline Modifier ability, he clearly observed her partially fused plant organs—structures suspended between plant and human forms, displaying astonishing adaptability and plasticity.

"Your body is truly unique, Ai Lan." He noted an unexpected detail:

"Not only have you retained all Tree Spirit traits, but you've developed partially human organ systems. This dual-structure is extremely rare in my records."

As his spiritual energy probed her lower abdomen, a shocking discovery emerged—a bud-like organ, dormant yet covered in countless delicate veins.

"What is this?"

"My Life Core." Ai Lan explained softly, "Ancient Tree Fairies reproduce differently from humans. This organ stores our life essence. When the time is right, it can independently nurture new life—but requires specific conditions and mana."

Luo En nodded, meticulously documenting this critical finding.

This non-human reproductive system held immense value for understanding diverse species’ bloodline lineages.

"Turn over. I need to examine your back structure."

Ai Lan complied, revealing her smooth back.

Along her spine ran a line of wooden grooves, faintly glowing with each breath.

Luo En’s fingers traced these wood-grain patterns, channeling spiritual energy through them to locate instability points.

"Frowning, he said, "Additionally, your mana conversion rate remains suboptimal. This limits prolonged ability usage."

After completing the examination, Luo En stepped back, organizing gathered data.

Ai Lan reformed her green gown, waiting silently for the diagnosis.

"Overall, your transformation succeeded admirably, though some adjustments remain necessary."

Luo En approached the medicine cabinet, retrieving several carefully brewed potions:

"I’ll formulate a stabilization regimen to help your bloodline integrate and stabilize more effectively."

He paused, as if recalling something:

"By the way, I recently acquired a Natural Affinity Elixir formula. Theoretically, it should benefit you as well—enhancing your connection with natural elements and improving mana conversion efficiency."

Though Cui Xi had only granted him usage rights to the formula, distributing produced potions to close allies remained permissible. This elixir primarily activated the user’s natural affinity. Due to limited demand and high brewing difficulty, Luo En hadn’t considered marketing it through the Workshop yet.

Ai Lan's eyes sparkled: "Master, are you saying I could become even stronger?"

"Not just stronger", Luo En replied, picking up some blueprints from the lab table to show her. "Through targeted formulation, you could evolve toward becoming a Golden Oak Queen. Of course, this would require time and rare materials."

A flicker of determination crossed Ai Lan's face, her breathing quickening slightly. "The Golden Oak Queen...the legendary being said to share breath with entire forests."

"Exactly", Luo En affirmed. "Your bloodline purity is already high. With proper formulation and guidance, this possibility is very real." He turned to mix a stabilizing agent, carefully combining several liquid ingredients in precise proportions.

"Master, I... I'm deeply grateful for everything you've done for me." Ai Lan suddenly spoke, her voice soft but trembling with emotion. "From that slave market onward, you gave me a new life and helped me reclaim my true self..."

She hesitated, seemingly gathering courage to express loyalty. Luo En paused, shaking his head gently. "Emotional bonds aren't necessary. Loyalty has value, but needn't stem from gratitude. Your existence and abilities alone are valuable enough."

"I understand", Ai Lan's voice steadied. "Precisely because you've never demanded anything in return, I want to help you even more."

Luo En stopped working, turning to face the beautiful Ancient Tree Fairy. He could sense her sincerity - not mere gratitude, but a deep soul resonance of belonging. "You're an indispensable part of this Workshop, Ai Lan", he smiled.

After finishing the potion, he handed Ai Lan a vial glowing faintly green. "Take a spoonful morning and night. Within one month, your bloodline should stabilize completely, allowing full control of your abilities."

Using her vines to carefully accept the potion, Ai Lan asked, "May I leave part of my consciousness in the ancient tree in the courtyard? That connection with the earth is vital for me."

Luo En nodded after consideration. "Of course. In fact, maintaining dual forms benefits your development. Shifting between humanoid and tree forms is one of your innate talents as an Ancient Tree Fairy."

After Ai Lan departed, Luo En returned to his desk to record his findings. Her transformation provided valuable first-hand data validating bloodline evolution theories. Particularly promising were the mana storage and organ creation mechanisms - these might inspire future "Furnace Conceptualization" research.

...

Luo En now shifted focus to another project - studying and applying "Whispering", a mysterious ability originating from Starmonsters.

Though brimming with potential, integrating it into his spell system proved challenging. Standing in his acoustic laboratory surrounded by precision instruments and crystal recording devices, he'd already attempted dozens of times to embed Whispering's unique frequencies into Sound Wave Oscillation spells, yet the results remained far from satisfactory.

"Zi... kra... niaga... rotip..." Luo En carefully recreated the strange syllables while channeling precise spiritual energy. The energy fluctuation patterns in the crystal orb showed his constructed syllables did trigger specific spirit interference patterns, but the effects were dispersed and unstable compared to true Whispering.

"Still too weak", he frowned, reviewing recorded data. "The syllables are correct, but the medium and mana patterns still differ greatly." Rubbing his temples, he felt fatigue creeping in after over ten hours of continuous attempts.

Suddenly his eyes fell on a violin in the corner - a gift from Cui Xi. "Wait... maybe the problem isn't the syllables themselves, but the delivery method?"

The violin, a precision musical instrument capable of complex resonance. Its four strings, tuned to specific proportions, could produce rich harmonics and diverse tonal transformations. Though only marginally skilled, his innate talent allowed him to play complex pieces.

"Sound is a form of mana transmission", he mused, plucking a harp string. "Musical instruments create stable, precise harmonic structures. What if Whispering's mana patterns were embedded in music?"

He rapidly sketched violin string vibration models and harmonic charts, integrating Whispering's frequency data with music theory. Referring to earlier research notes on string lengths and tension relationships, he began calculations to decompose Whispering's sound waves into foundational frequencies.

A bold hypothesis emerged: "Theoretically, specific note combinations could replicate Whispering's spirit interference effects - potentially more subtly and efficiently."

Taking the violin, he played a simple sequence based on calculated frequencies. The sound seemed ordinary, but contained meticulously designed frequency transformations. When he channeled mana into his playing, using spiritual energy to construct those special sound waves...

The air vibrated palpably - not just physically, but spiritually. A plant in the lab's corner trembled slightly, its leaf edges yellowing.

"There's an effect!" Luo En rushed to examine the plant. Through Transcendent Perception, he clearly saw its mana flow disrupted with faint contamination-like symptoms.

While minor, this proved his theory workable. Using music as a medium seemed easier than direct replication, though perhaps not optimal. He spent hours adjusting note sequences, playing techniques, and mana input methods, meticulously recording each experiment.

"Mapping 'zi's frequency to D minor's specific interval with weak spiritual energy fluctuations... 'kra' requires special vibrato to simulate manatwist effects", he played while recording observations.

Through countless trials, he gradually mastered a basic "Erosion Movement" technique - a subtle method to infiltrate spiritual defenses without direct exposure to specific syllables.

"Another startling discovery - musical instruments act as mana amplifiers", he recorded in his research log. "Same spiritual energy input through the violin increased effects by about 30%, while becoming more covert. Targets might be influenced unknowingly - this insidious erosion already holds value. Still insufficient for sudden combat encounters..."

Yet he clearly recognized this was just the beginning. True mastery of "Erosion Movement" required a long journey ahead.

"This technique holds immense potential, but also inherent danger", he concluded his log. "Even brief experiments carried subtle backlash effects. Progress must be cautious, ensuring control while pursuing power. Bold assumptions demand careful verification - this remains the first principle."

Setting down his pen, Luo En gazed at the violin and dense research records. Though no breakthrough occurred, he'd confirmed the correct direction. Like all great discoveries, true success would require time's accumulation and countless small advancements.

Carefully storing the violin, he organized his workspace to start a new day. Soon, his students would arrive for breakfast, Ai Lan would tend the garden, and Daire would clamor for new skills.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end