Chapter 220: Thirst

Chapter 220: Thirst

Day after day, meditation felt like ants gnawing at a tree—seemingly insignificant, yet capable of creating miracles through the accumulation of time.

Deep into the night, Luo En sat alone in the most secluded Meditation Chamber within his Workshop.

Before him, two blue-flamed candles burned steadily, their flames motionless in the still air, casting faint, unwavering light.

This was the meditation environment he had specially designed for The Murmuring of the Star Devourer, a space engineered to shield him from external disturbances and amplify his spirit resonance with the "Star."

The air inside was crisp and pure, infused with a special potion to aid the condensation and release of spiritual energy.

Taking a deep breath, Luo En slowly closed his eyes as his spiritual energy extended outward like delicate threads.

The Murmuring of the Star Devourer had become an essential part of his daily cultivation.

At least two deep meditation sessions each day had made him increasingly familiar with the process, to the point where he now anticipated the wondrous sensation of connecting with the boundless Star.

The meditation technique flowed in his mind, his spiritual energy like a shadowy river—calm yet profound in its currents.

This was already his third session today, each lasting an hour. Over time, the rate of his spiritual energy growth had accelerated noticeably.

As his energy spread outward, Luo En felt an unprecedented pressure.

The living stars that once floated passively within the Star now seemed purposeful, slowly drifting toward his spirit core.

"This feeling..." His thoughts wavered slightly, but he quickly steadied his mind.

His spirit consciousness had already detached from his body, floating within the familiar darkness of the Star.

Around him, countless stars shimmered, their light brighter than ever—almost blinding.

Unlike the usual serene observation, these stars now trembled faintly, as if alive, their vibrations carrying a strange, muffled whisper.

[The Murmuring of the Star Devourer experience points +1]
[Current Progress: The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Proficient 291/300)]

"Just one more point", Luo En mused, his exterior remaining composed in meditation.

Only nine points remained until his breakthrough. In other words—within a few weeks, he could advance this meditation technique to its next stage, laying the foundation for his ultimate true breakthrough.

Yet as his meditation deepened, the anomalies grew more pronounced.

He knew this meant he was nearing the breakthrough to the next phase of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer.

According to Madame Ellen, this would mark the leap from "Proficient" to "Mastery Level"—a qualitative transformation.

As the experience points edged closer to the threshold, the whispers became increasingly distinct.

They sounded like murmurs from the Star's depths—alien yet oddly familiar, as if revealing ancient secrets to Luo En.

At first, they were mere fragments of hushed voices, like the rustle of wind through leaves, fleeting and indistinct.

Now, the whispers were clear and continuous, like dozens of voices murmuring in unison—obscure yet rhythmically hypnotic.

—and the sensation of being watched.

Luo En could distinctly perceive it: in the depths of meditation, countless eyes were observing him, scrutinizing him, evaluating his worth.

This was no ordinary gaze, but a greedy, ravenous stare, as though he were a delectable feast about to be devoured.

As his consciousness sank deeper, the Star's vision unfolded in his mind—a boundless darkness dotted with infinite stars.

These stars were no longer static points of light but living entities, pulsing, breathing, even hungering.

At times, Luo En could even see intricate patterns on their surfaces, like the veins or nerves of colossal beasts, throbbing with unknown messages.

"Ha..."

Luo En slowly opened his eyes, sweat from his brow already dampening his hairline.

As his meditation technique neared its peak, the stars' gaze grew bolder, nearly manifesting as tangible pressure.

He could feel his soul trembling—a primal reaction to confronting something far beyond his realm.

"Worse than before."

Luo En muttered, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

Though the process was uncomfortable, he remained satisfied with his overall progress.

After all, The Murmuring of the Star Devourer was the prerequisite to a Crown-Level meditation technique—its difficulty and risks were naturally extraordinary.

Still, the accumulated spiritual contamination had begun affecting his daily life.

Even outside meditation, Luo En often heard faint whispers, as if they had left permanent imprints on his soul.

"It's time."

Luo En rose, straightened his slightly disheveled robe, and walked toward the door.

Leaving the Meditation Chamber, he entered the main hall of his Workshop.

At this hour, Liliya should still be studying in the study.

True enough, when he gently pushed open the study door, he found the girl seated at her desk.

She was engrossed in an ancient alchemy archive, her bangs disheveled from hours of reading.

Hearing the door, Liliya immediately lifted her head.

Seeing Luo En, her eyes flickered with surprise before settling into reverence:

"Master, do you need something?"

"I noticed you hadn't retired yet. I wanted to check if you encountered any difficulties in your studies."

Luo En approached, his tone calm.

Liliya's eyes lit up as she eagerly flipped to marked pages in her book:

"There are a few points I don't quite understand, especially the purification method for 'Jadeite Droplets'..."

For the next hour, Luo En patiently explained various alchemical conundrums.

From foundational theories to practical applications, including rare exceptions, he elaborated thoroughly.

Unlike his usual concise explanations, today he deliberately slowed his pace, using vivid language and relatable analogies to ensure Liliya grasped every concept.

He even sketched complex reaction pathways on paper, transforming abstract theories into visual clarity.

When he saw Liliya's face brighten with understanding, Luo En felt a subtle sense of fulfillment.

"I see now!" Liliya's eyes sparkled:

"So the reason 'Jadeite Droplets' are so hard to purify is because they exist as a balanced amalgamation of multiple elements. Disrupting any part causes the entire trait to collapse!"

Luo En nodded slightly:

"Exactly. That's why traditional heat extraction methods fail—they require the complex process of 'Elemental Separation and Rebalancing.'"

"Master, you explained it so clearly!" Liliya exclaimed, admiration glowing in her eyes:

"I read several books but never understood this principle until now!"

As their discussion deepened, Luo En felt a warm, pure mana quietly flowing through his body.

That was the "Boon" — a unique force crystallized from a student's sincere gratitude and respect.

Liliya's "Boon" remained as pure and enduring as ever.

The "Diligence Compensates for Inadequacy" trait meant her Boon possessed extraordinary purifying power and longevity, far surpassing that of ordinary innate talents.

As this force flowed in, Luo En felt the contamination entwined around his spirit gradually dissolving, like sunlight dispelling gloom.

The whispers grew muffled and distant, and the discomfort of being watched diminished significantly.

"Excellent approach", Luo En remarked as the discussion neared its end.

"But consider this — if you introduce a centrifugal technique during secondary filtration, could it further enhance the potion's stability?"

A spark of realization lit Liliya's eyes before she fell into deep thought.

"Indeed. Secondary filtration theoretically allows adaptation to broader amplitude transformations", she paused, mentally simulating the process before adding, "However, this requires the practitioner to maintain real-time perception and feedback capabilities. Otherwise, adjustments would lag behind energy fluctuations, causing even greater instability."

Luo En nodded in satisfaction, secretly impressed.

When he first accepted her as a student, he'd primarily valued her "Diligence Compensates for Inadequacy" innate talent and its pure Boon. But over time, Liliya's learning ability and depth of thought had exceeded his expectations.

"Extremely accurate analysis", he praised sincerely. "This is precisely the core challenge most complex operations of this type face."

Rising to his feet, he handed her a thin manuscript. "These are my recent thoughts on this specialized technique. Perhaps they'll provide some inspiration."

Liliya accepted the manuscript with both hands, her face glowing with joy and gratitude. For her, accessing her teacher's thought process was an immense honor and learning opportunity.

"Thank you, Master. I'll study it diligently."

After she left, Luo En exhaled deeply, sensing his spiritual state had fully recovered its clarity.

Liliya's Boon was indeed exceptionally precious — capable of effectively eliminating spiritual contamination. For Luo En, who was about to attempt the True Path, this was indispensable support.

"It seems I should increase the frequency of lessons", he mused. This would help Liliya grow faster while providing him a continuous source of purification. A two birds with one stone situation.

Days passed steadily as Luo En's meditation cultivation progressed smoothly.

Beyond his three daily meditation sessions, he increased interactive teachings with Liliya. These sessions now covered not just alchemy, but expanded to foundational spell construction, elemental theory, and more.

This intensive teaching benefited Liliya immensely while providing Luo En a steady stream of pure Boon, effectively countering the spiritual contamination from his meditations.

One evening after training, Luo En stood on the workshop terrace, gazing at the distant Black Mist Jungle gradually swallowed by night.

Unconsciously, two and a half years had passed since his arrival in this world — nearly two years since his soul fusion. His physical body had aged to nearly eighteen, the equivalent of a senior year student preparing intensely for college entrance exams back on Earth.

In this short time, he'd risen from a Sixth Class Star apprentice on the fringes to the chief Backup Mage Sequence cultivator. He'd mastered multiple mastery-level spells, developed various high-end potions, and even achieved notable success in bloodline formulation.

Back on Earth, at this age, he might still be buried in textbooks fighting for college admission. Here, he already stood within the power pyramid of a new world, at least above the Commoner Realm.

"Still far from enough", he murmured, determination flashing in his eyes.

Though his progress was rapid, he knew he remained an apprentice. In this perilous Transcendent World, he couldn't even guarantee basic self-preservation. Without becoming a Full Mage, he couldn't enter the upper-middle tiers of society or gain true influence and security.

The road ahead remained long — becoming a Full Mage was merely the first step. He needed steady advancement, solid foundations, and to expand his limits as much as possible.

Not seeking to soar instantly like top innate talents, but determined to walk further and steadier on this path.

"Only one month remains."

The Stellar Ring Convergence approached, and his goal of becoming a Full Mage loomed closer.

Taking a deep breath, Luo En turned back indoors to continue his preparations.

...

The workshop at early morning exuded a tranquil serenity.

Ai Lan busied herself in the backyard, trimming medicinal herbs that grew too quickly.

Daire played by the small pond, their golden fish tail shimmering entrancingly under sunlight.

Liliya prepared a lavish breakfast in the kitchen, the air filled with enticing aromas.

These scenes and sounds blended into a harmonious daily tableau.

Sitting in his study, Luo En held a letter from the kingdom, the Falu Kesun Crown emblem clearly stamped on the wax seal.

"Andie finally has news", he murmured, carefully opening the envelope.

Since Andie's departure months ago, this was their first formal correspondence. Previous messages had been brief mana crystal transmissions reporting safety while hinting at tense kingdom politics.

The letter bore Andie's signature "Piercing Edge" handwriting — sharp, sword-like strokes radiating undeniable power.

"Dear Luo En,

By the time you receive this, I've reorganized Father's guard units and secured control over one-third of the capital's military forces."

Luo En raised an eyebrow, quickly scanning the letter as a satisfied smile curved his lips.

Andie's return journey had been anything but smooth. Upon entering the kingdom's borders, he'd been ambushed by two knights sent by his elder brother.

"Poor fools", the letter continued. "They probably never dreamed what awaited them. They were used to bullying weak noble offspring, but never expected to face a true knight who'd awakened the Crimson Blood Sky Dragonbloodline."

Andie described the battle casually — the enemies hadn't even managed a second threat before losing their heads.

He'd placed their severed heads in a specially prepared preservation bag, bringing them to the capital. At an appropriate moment, he'd displayed them for the right audience — a bloody but effective declaration.

"What surprised me most was Grandfather's reaction", the letter continued.

"When he learned I'd not only awakened the Crimson Blood Sky Dragonbloodline but also gained support from Luo En Lalf, sixth place in the Black Mist School sequence, that perpetually stern old face actually showed a rare smile."

Andie's grandfather, one of the few High Apprentices in the royal family, deeply understood the true value of sequence rankings. Upon learning Luo En had reached this level in just over a year, the elder had immediately realized — this was a future Full Mage in the making.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end