https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-62-Inspiration-is-a-Curse-Truth-/13535504/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-64-Royal-Messenger-The-Boomerang-Effect/13535519/
Chapter 63: We're About to Collapse
Chapter 63: We're About to Collapse
Back in his dormitory, Luo En meticulously secured the doors and windows before inspecting the trap sigils he'd laid the previous night. Only after verifying their integrity did he finally allow himself to relax.
He resolved to attempt The Murmuring of the Star Devourer's meditation again tonight but approached it with renewed caution, determined to avoid triggering the overwhelming Inspiration from before.
Reinforcing the room's defenses, Luo En repositioned Protective Runes at each corner, ignited a specially prepared calming incense, and placed his Timekeeper's Pocket Watch within reach as a precaution.
"Steady now", he reminded himself, settling into a cross-legged posture with closed eyes. "No rushing."
This time, he bypassed attempting to construct the complete Meditation Rune immediately, starting instead with the Basic Meditation to channel spiritual energy along familiar pathways, establishing a stable foundation.
Once he achieved equilibrium, he cautiously transitioned toward The Murmuring of the Star Devourer's structure, each step deliberate to avoid repeating the intense Inspiration that had surged the previous night.
As the rune pattern gradually took shape, Luo En sensed a subtle transformation in the spiritual energy's quality. Unlike the gentle warmth of Basic Meditation, The Murmuring of the Star Devourer infused the energy with a piercing sharpness, like transforming still lake waters into roaring rapids.
This shift produced an unusual sensation—his mind sharpened, perception heightened, even detecting faint mana fluctuations in the air. Yet, he also noticed a faint spiritual anomaly.
Not the maddening intensity of last night, but a persistent background hum—a subtle, lingering disturbance.
[The Murmuring of the Star Devourer] Experience Points +1
"As expected", Luo En mused, "avoiding forced Inspiration slows progress but significantly reduces spiritual pollution. Last night's danger must've stemmed from the 'Spirit Circulation' trait accelerating my advancement too rapidly, triggering the Inspiration all at once."
Focusing on Madame Ellen's taught stabilizing rune structure, he deliberately avoided delving into deeper, Inspiration-inducing layers.
Still, despite the milder pollution, he decided to use the Timekeeper's Pocket Watch for purification. Channeling the faintly disturbing energy into the watch through concentrated meditation, he observed:
[Successfully Reset Negative Status: Mild Spiritual Pollution, Energy -2]
As the watch absorbed the contamination, clarity flooded his mind. The lingering discomfort vanished entirely, replaced by refreshing vitality.
"Excellent. Even gradual cultivation paired with the watch maintains impressive progress", Luo En nodded satisfactorily.
Gazing through the window at the deepening night, his spiritual energy—now heightened by The Murmuring of the Star Devourer—reduced his need for sleep.
He immediately began assessing his current status without complacency, confronting potential risks:
Luo En/Lalf
Age: 15
Current Combat Class: Wizard Apprentice (One and a Half Star), Knights Squire (One Star)
Current Lifestyle Class: Apothecary Apprentice (One Star)
Attributes: Physique 1.5, Spirit 2.6, Mana 0.7
Skills: Basic Alchemy (Proficient), The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Proficient), Zero-Ring Slime Splash (Mastered), Potion Brewing (Novice), Herb Identification (Proficient), Foundational Swordsmanship (Proficient), Breath-Forged Body (Introductory), Spell Construction (Novice), Spirit Interference (Novice), Sound Wave Oscillation (Proficient)
Special Talents: Dual Soul, Solar Blessing (Fragmented)
Power Tier: Elementary Apprentice
Progress was undeniable. From Basic Alchemy to Foundational Swordsmanship, every skill had advanced steadily.
Notably, with the Timekeeper's Pocket Watch's assistance, Foundational Swordsmanship had reached nearly halfway to the "Proficient" tier, approaching its next qualitative leap.
"Even conservatively estimating, becoming a Mid-Level Apprentice within two months seems guaranteed", Luo En calculated. "Reaching Spirit 3.0 should unlock the Backup Mage Sequence—a goal within reach."
Such achievements would breed pride in any apprentice, yet he felt only growing caution. As Madame Ellen warned: the more gifted, the more perilous overconfidence becomes.
"Vigilance is key—especially monitoring my spiritual state."
After documenting his status, he retrieved the Silver Pocket Watch to begin his nightly cultivation cycle.
Though the day's work had drained him, the watch effortlessly reset his fatigue.
[Successfully Absorbed Negative Status: Exhaustion, Energy -1]
Reinvigorated as if freshly rested, Luo En seized his ironwood sword for tonight's training. Each movement aimed for precision and fluidity, seamlessly integrating the Solar Corona Breathing Technique with swordplay.
Blade arcs flickered in the dim room like shadowy, lethal fish, elegant yet deadly.
Two hours later, as muscle soreness peaked, he reset once more using the watch. This repetitive cycle—training, resetting, training again—steadily accumulated Foundational Swordsmanship experience.
When cultivation concluded, sleep brought a dream of wandering starry seas. The murmuring voices in his mind, though still cryptic, now carried a faint comprehensibility, no longer incomprehensible noise.
---
In the Falu Kingdom, within Lord Lalf's estate.
Winter sunlight, pale and weak, slanted through the study's tall windows, failing to dispel the room's oppressive atmosphere.
Lord Lalf sat hunched at his desk, brows furrowed over ledgers resembling insurmountable mountains. The fireplace's faint crackles barely softened the room's severity.
"Father, we need to talk."
A tall young man entered—Luo En's elder brother, Edmund, the Lalf Family heir and now the family's primary steward.
The Earl lifted his head, bloodshot eyes etched with exhaustion. "What now?"
Edmund sank into the chair opposite, inhaling deeply. "The western wheat fields have failed three years running. Last year's plague took a quarter of our serfs. Estate expenses far exceed income, especially..." He hesitated, choosing words carefully. "Especially the monthly Mana Shard Fragment allocations for Luo En. Our finances teeter on collapse."
The Earl's eyes flickered, then steeled. "Your point?"
"Last month you mortgaged the eastern vineyards. This month, Grandmother's silverware sold off. All to fund those ten Mana Shard Fragments." Edmund's voice trembled with pain. "Father, I know our situation better than anyone—we're about to break."
(End of Chapter)
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