Chapter 304: Boon and Lineage

Chapter 304: Boon and Lineage

Eve stood at the edge of the Star Observation Platform, the night breeze gently caressing her black hair.

The recent confession about her origins had lifted an unprecedented weight from her chest.

It felt as though a heavy stone she'd carried in her heart for years had finally been removed.

Yet this relief was swiftly replaced by a deep unease.

As a princess of the Crown Clan, she had been raised to suppress emotions and never reveal weakness before outsiders.

Her moment of vulnerability just now was practically a loss of composure.

Eve inhaled deeply, letting the cool night air dispel her inner agitation.

Her amethyst eyes regained their clarity and focus.

The noble bearing of the Crown bloodline surged back like a tidal wave.

"Emotional impulsiveness ends here."

Her voice regained its calm and order, as if the momentary vulnerability had been nothing more than a hallucination.

"We should discuss something more practical now."

This sudden personality shift caused Luo En to raise an eyebrow.

He could sense her inner struggle, but more than anything, he admired her self-discipline.

The ability to regain emotional control so quickly was rare even among seasoned Full Mages.

"Regarding the deeper operational mechanics of the Boon Rules", Eve continued, walking back to the stone table. Her slender fingers traced the crystalline patterns on its surface.

"These insights are critical for your future development. Many details remain unexplored in the Crystal Spire's public archives."

Luo En leaned forward, his interest piqued.

In his view, any knowledge that could be transformed into practical power was worth studying in depth.

"First, I must correct a common misconception", Eve said, her voice carrying the precision of academia.

"Not all teaching relationships establish genuine master-disciple Boon links.

"In most cases, the Boon feedback generated when students acquire knowledge from teachers resembles mere politeness. Once instruction ceases, these connections fade into insignificance over time."

She paused, her gaze turning profound.

"Only when both master and disciple invest genuine, deep emotions does a true Boon link form - when the student truly regards the teacher as a life mentor, and the teacher genuinely cares for the student's growth."

Luo En thought of Madame Ellen, warmth rising in his chest.

That stern yet kind old woman had indeed played an irreplaceable role in his journey.

"Once a true master-disciple link forms, no matter the distance, the mentor senses every breakthrough and growth of the disciple, drawing immense Boon feedback from these moments."

A hint of envy colored Eve's tone.

"This is why true mentors spare no effort in teaching their students. The stronger the disciple becomes, the purer and richer the Boon the mentor receives."

Luo En mentally analyzed the deeper logic of this system.

He recalled Sorenmentor, Youni, Hayaek, and Magnus - all had clearly received some feedback during their guidance.

When he advanced to Full Mage, he had gained significant Boon.

But that paled in comparison to what he received from Madame Ellen.

"Among my students, only one has established a true master-disciple link."

Luo En spoke truthfully, Liliya's face appearing in his mind.

"Each of her advancements indeed brought me pure Boon feedback - a feeling that continues to this day."

Eve nodded slightly. "Perfectly normal. True mentor relationships require time to cultivate - a resonance of souls between both parties."

Her gaze lingered on Luo En's face.

"With time, I believe more students will form such profound connections with you."

"There's another important aspect - once a master-disciple link forms, it creates binding constraints."

Eve's tone turned serious.

"Neither party can intentionally harm the other, or they'll suffer soul-level repercussions. For students, these constraints are even harsher.

"If a disciple betrays or deliberately harms their teacher, the Boon circuit reverses instantly, transforming all accumulated Boon into spiritual contamination and directly flooding the betrayer's consciousness."

"What are the consequences?" Luo En asked, clearly intrigued.

"Light cases cause mental instability, severe ones lead to soul fragmentation", Eve replied bluntly.

"A Dusk Sun Rank mage once became an idiot for betraying his mentor - permanently incapacitated. This is an ironclad rule of the Boon system, one even the Lich King cannot violate.

"This is why history records many tales of familial betrayal but few instances of master-disciple discord. In many ways, this rule makes the master-disciple relationship stronger than blood ties."

As she spoke, Eve cast a subtle glance at him before continuing.

"Secondly, there's the Boon acquisition mechanism through academic achievements.

"When your research gets published and recognized by peers, it generates a special 'lineage Boon.'"

"This differs from mentor-disciple feedback - it originates from the dissemination of knowledge itself."

Excitement flickered in Eve's eyes.

"Every time someone gains inspiration from your papers, you receive tiny Boon feedback. Though seemingly insignificant, if your work's influence is widespread..."

Her voice took on a dreamy quality.

"An outstanding paper in a secondary journal might generate Boon equivalent to dozens of ordinary students' efforts over years. A top-tier journal paper could yield multiples of that..."

Eve inhaled deeply.

"It's said this Boon's purity can even help Dusk Sun Rank mages maintain rational clarity when constructing Phantom Husk Prototypes."

"As for the Monument of Truth..."

Her tone turned reverent, as if speaking of something sacred.

"That's the ultimate academic Hall of mage civilization. Only those whose achievements reshape entire civilizations get to publish there."

"Many historical figures became Archmages directly through their unique academic contributions."

Luo En recalled his ongoing research on expanding Simulation Combat Devices and his original theories on bloodline formulation and alchemy.

Perhaps these works held more value than he'd imagined.

"Finally, and most importantly", Eve's amethyst eyes locked onto his.

"If your spiritual contamination isn't severe, I strongly advise storing your Boon rather than using it for immediate purification."

"Why?" Luo En's gaze sharpened - his instincts told him this was crucial.

"Because at higher stages, Boon's functions extend far beyond cleansing contamination."

Eve explained, her pupils glowing with depth.

"Moonlight Rank mages need massive pure Boon to stabilize mana resonance between complex spell circuits when constructing composite spells.

"Dusk Sun Rank mages rely on Boon as an indispensable 'soul adhesive' when brewing Phantom Husk Prototypes.

"And for Archmages seeking to transform conquered other worlds into personal domains..."

Her voice grew distant.

"The required Boon quantities verge on despair-inducing."

Luo En leaned forward. "Elaborate, please."

"Establishing a complete 'Domain' requires subjugating an entire world's population, civilization, and even its fundamental rules under the conqueror's control."

Eve's tone carried wisdom beyond her years.

"This isn't merely military conquest - it's complete high-dimensional assimilation. And Boon serves as the 'lubricant' for this process."

She shook her head with a bitter smile.

"Mother once mentioned that even establishing a small other-world domain far inferior to true Domains would consume Boon equivalent to the lifetime output of thousands of ordinary apprentices..."

Luo En mentally calculated the astronomical figures, his perspective on the Archmage realm completely shifting.

No wonder Madame Ellen had said the gap between Archmages and Full Mages couldn't be measured by simple power comparisons.

"Now, let's proceed with today's spell matrix optimization training", Eve said, rising with renewed intense focus.

"Please demonstrate your 'Spirit Shockwave' - let me assess its current construction precision."

Nodding, Luo En began gathering spiritual energy.

Eve observed intently, her amethyst eyes capable of dissecting every detail of the mana structure.

As a prodigy forced to pour all her energy into spiritual energy research, her understanding of spell matrices had reached breathtaking depths.

"The foundational architecture is solid, with reasonable mana density distribution", she praised, then frowned slightly.

"However, there are several areas for further optimization."

Under her guidance, Luo En clearly sensed the subtle but real disharmonies in his spell structure.

"See how this mana flows here", Eve demonstrated, her spiritual energy weaving intricate pathways through the mana cluster.

"Transforming the linear shockwave into a spiral progression would enhance penetration while reducing mana consumption slightly.

"This minor adjustment may seem simple, but it involves complex fluid mechanics."

As she guided him, Luo En felt his "Spirit Burst" becoming more refined and efficient.

This wasn't a revolutionary transformation, but meticulous craftsmanship.

"Additionally", Eve's expression turned contemplative.

"From my observations, you've encountered time-related theories, haven't you?

"I detected some... extremely subtle time fluctuations within your Spirit Shockwave."

Luo En's heartbeat quickened.

He had indeed glimpsed the "Triple Phase Detonation" while observing Erika's historical memories, but hadn't expected traces to appear in his own spells.

"I... have some understanding", he cautiously admitted.

Eve's eyes sparkled with approval and excitement.

"That's excellent! 'Triple Phase Detonation' represents an advanced evolution of Spirit Attacks, requiring simultaneous strikes across past, present, and future temporal nodes.

"Though mastering the complete technique requires Moonlight Rank-level Spiritual Energy Intensity, you can begin attempting the preliminary 'Dual Phase Detonation.' By delaying the release of spiritual energy across time phases, you can create consecutive shocks within an extremely short interval."

Over the next half hour, Eve meticulously explained the key techniques behind time-delayed attacks.

Her depth of theoretical knowledge left even someone as knowledgeable as Luo En in awe.

"The crux lies in 'layered anchoring' of spiritual energy", Eve emphasized, constructing a glowing diagram in midair with shimmering threads of mana. "You must divide your spiritual energy into two layers – the first released immediately, the second delayed to create an overlapping effect. The challenge lies in maintaining the initial attack's potency while precisely timing the second strike."

Under Eve's patient guidance, Luo En began attempting this novel attack pattern. Though still far from true "Triple Phase Detonation", this dual-layer technique significantly amplified his Spirit Attack power.

...

Back in his quarters, Luo En entered the meditation chamber. That night's exchange had been profoundly enlightening, especially Eve's deeper explanations of Boon Rules and her theoretical insights into "Triple Phase Detonation."

He could feel his "Spirit Burst" teetering on the edge of breakthrough – like a cocoon about to hatch.

"It's time for the final exploration", he murmured, retrieving the silver pocket watch. A faint warmth pulsed through its surface. "Erika's combat memories must contain further techniques I've yet to grasp."

Re-entering his History Research meditation state, Luo En extended his spiritual energy like a probing tendril toward the ancient temporal imprints on the watch.

This time, instead of rewatching the battle against the Time Hound, he focused entirely on Erika's execution of "Triple Phase Detonation."

Within the near-stillness of time's flow, he saw the legendary mage manipulating spiritual energy with breathtaking mastery. Erika's spiritworld revealed an incomprehensibly intricate structure – countless silver threads weaving a tapestry of temporal currents.

When she activated "Triple Phase Detonation", those threads instantly divided into three streams, anchoring to past, present, and future time nodes simultaneously.

"It's not simple energy division..." Luo En suddenly realized. "It's 'temporal replication' – projecting the same attack intent across the timeline!"

The technique surpassed his imagination. Erika wasn't maintaining three separate attacks, but rather creating temporal echoes of a single strike, forming perfect superposition across time.

As understanding deepened, Luo En felt his own spiritworld undergoing subtle transformation. The once-simplistic "Spirit Burst" structure began layering and reorganizing into a more complex mana pattern – like transitioning from flat painting to three-dimensional sculpture.

【Spirit Burst (Proficient) Experience +1】

【Breakthrough Achieved! Spirit Shockwave (Proficient 100/100) → Spirit Burst (Mastery 1/300)】

【Trait "Stagnation Zone" → Advanced Trait "Chaos Disturbance"】

【Chaos Disturbance:

Upon striking a target, spirit attacks generate micro twist fields.

These twist fields extend chaos effects and disrupt time-related abilities.】

A surge of inspiration flooded him at the moment of breakthrough – not just a rank upgrade, but a fundamental shift in power essence.

When he attempted his refined "Spirit Burst", he immediately sensed qualitative transformation. The attack had evolved from instantaneous impact into sustained spiritual oscillation – like a stone dropped into still water, creating ripples through the target's consciousness.

His newfound "Chaos Disturbance" trait granted initial capability for "Dual-Phase Detonation." Though true triple-node attacks remained beyond reach, he could now precisely execute two consecutive spirit attacks within an extremely brief window.

"This is the key to advancing to Moonlight Rank", Luo En exhaled, recalling Uther's words about the three advancement criteria for Moonlight Rank mages.

"First requirement – composite spell circuits", he continued mentally. Uther had explained that Dawn Star Rank mages typically maintained only one or two weak auxiliary spells simultaneously. In contrast, Moonlight Rank mages could construct complete spell circuit networks – precisely controlling multiple auxiliary spells while casting major spells.

"It's not merely about quantity, but qualitative transformation in control precision", Uther had said, demonstrating with a Phantom Husk that traced complex symbols in air – miniature mana structure schematics. "Like this – primary spell at the center, supporting spells arranged around through specific mana channels, forming complete circulatory systems."

"Second core system – Spirit Oscillation Grid", the memory continued. "Advanced application of Spirit Shockwave. You must elevate spiritual attacks from single impact to multi-layer grid attacks. While Dawn Star Rank attacks remain linear, Moonlight Rank strikes form 3D grids, assaulting targets from multiple angles and dimensions."

"Constructing Spirit Oscillation Grid requires mastering 'mana structure stratification' – transforming attacks into multi-layer mana grids capable of bypassing most spirit barriers to strike consciousness cores directly."

"Third core system – Radiation Field Control Matrix." Uther's expectant gaze returned in memory. "Given your 'constellation projection' trait, you should grasp this relatively easily. Moonlight Rank radiation fields evolve into multi-functional control systems, dividing radiation into specialized layers."

"Mastering 'field separation and fusion' allows radiation fields to expand and contract like breathing, switching seamlessly between ranges and intensities."

Luo En mentally cataloged these insights, contemplating their integration into his cultivation plan.

"To summarize", Uther had concluded, "Moonlight Rank represents not just power increase, but qualitative transformation in control precision and complexity. A true Moonlight Rank mage maintains three to five auxiliary spells during major incantations, using radiation fields for micro-environmental adjustments – sustaining strategic vitality even in intense combat."

"That's why the gap between Moonlight and Dawn Star Ranks remains so pronounced", Luo En mused. "Not merely accumulation, but transformation."

"Exactly", Uther had affirmed. "The leap from Moonlight to Dusk Sun Rank involves even deeper essence transformation. Dusk Sun mages begin constructing Phantom Husk Prototypes – preparing for Archmage-level existence transformation."

Moonlight Rank mages were elite forces anywhere – standalone powerhouses. Even in the Crystal Spire's top-tier mage circles, they formed the backbone. Hayaek's appointment to leadership positions demonstrated their influence.

With "Spirit Burst's" breakthrough, Luo En had made tangible progress in Spirit Oscillation Grid techniques. Next step: expanding these dual attacks into three-dimensional grids, forming true multi-dimensional Spirit Attack systems.

Yet as power grew, so did awareness of coming challenges. Powerful forces brought both protection and burdens. Every breakthrough meant more attention, higher expectations, and deadlier enemies.

"In three months, Cassandra returns", he murmured, gazing at the stars. "When that time comes... the Crystal Spire and even the entire Central Lands will face turbulent undercurrents. I must prepare."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end