https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-67-One-Month-Later-The-Threshold/13536261/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-69-Silver-Wing-Separator-An-Ancient-Boon-/13536263/
Chapter 68: Advancing to Middle Apprentice
Chapter 68: Advancing to Middle Apprentice
Familiar yet alien scenery emerged again—the infinite darkness between stars, and that monstrous, devouring presence.
This time, however, he didn’t panic. Instead, he observed everything with a calm, almost detached attitude.
The colossal entity, beyond comprehension, devoured star after star. Each swallowed star seemed to send a ripple of anguish through the cosmos, like a scream of cosmic agony.
For an untrained mind, such a sight would shatter one’s spirit. But after a month of relentless cultivation, Luo En remained composed.
[Spiritual energy entering unstable state!]
[Detecting potential spirit pollution!]
Decades of meditation practice and lessons from his previous Inspiration surge had taught him methods to counteract spirit pollution. Like building muscle through resistance, controlled exposure to spiritual turbulence could strengthen his core essence.
In the void, a glimpse of the "Devourer" sent icy tendrils of fear through his soul—a terror deeper than mortal dread, a primal horror of the universe’s raw, merciless truth.
Luo En felt his consciousness tearing apart under the Devourer’s gaze, like paper fluttering in a hurricane. This was his most intense spiritual assault yet, far surpassing all prior meditative experiences.
“Spiritrhythm… I must find the Spirithythm…” He repeated the mantra within his mind, clinging to it like a lifeline in a storm.
This time, his month-long cultivation foundation and reaching the critical threshold of 2.9 allowed him to endure far better than before.
As his spirit stabilized into a delicate equilibrium, sudden clarity surged through him.
The cryptic passages of The Murmuring of the Star Devourer—once opaque—now became startlingly lucid.
The rhythm of stars, the flow of cosmic energies, even esoteric dimensional concepts—all revealed themselves with intuitive simplicity.
When his consciousness vibrated in harmony with this rhythm, external pressure eased. The tearing sensation dissolved, replaced by a strange Resonance.
“I see… This meditation technique’s essence isn’t controlling spiritual energy, but guiding it to flow with the primal rhythm of the cosmos…”
The Inspiration lasted about ten minutes. When Luo En returned to reality, his body was drenched in cold sweat, clothes clinging to his skin, yet his spirit felt astonishingly clear.
Even more surprising was the torrent of newfound spiritual energy surging through him—like a breached dam flooding his entire being.
This was the qualitative transformation from a month of accumulated effort, crowned by the final push from his Inspiration.
[Spiritual energy breakthrough achieved!]
[Spirit: 2.9→3.0]
[Mana: 0.7→1.0]
“Success!” Luo En whispered, quickly steadying his breath to savor the transformation.
At Spirit 3.0, he’d officially entered the Middle Apprentice tier.
He sensed the environment with heightened acuity, detecting even the faintest energy fluctuations in the air. More importantly, his spiritual energy could actively extend—forming delicate Spiritual Tendrils—to probe distant surroundings.
But for Luo En, the greatest triumph was overcoming Inspiration’s spiritual distortions through sheer willpower without external aids.
“This proves I can face higher-tier spiritual challenges independently, even without the Timekeeper’s Pocket Watch.”
“Madame Ellen was right—Inspiration is both a curse and an opportunity. The key lies in how you wield this double-edged sword.”
[Warning: Detecting mild spirit pollution]
He reached for the Silver Pocket Watch on his nightstand, channeling consciousness into it to purge his anomalies.
The black gemstone on the watch glowed, absorbing his spiritual impurities.
[Negative state removed: Mild spirit pollution, energy cost -2]
As the watch drained the pollution, clarity returned to his mind. Though lighter than his first exposure, eliminating it entirely was still prudent.
[The Murmuring of the Star Devourer experience points +10]
[Current progress: The Murmuring of the Star Devourer (Proficiency 128/300)]
Despite significant progress, Luo En knew he’d barely completed half of this gem-grade meditation technique. Reaching Madame Ellen’s “first phase completion” still lay far ahead.
Completing the first phase would mark his transition to High Apprentice—preparing him for the breakthrough to Full Mage.
A breeze drifted through the window, carrying away his sweat and pulling him from his thoughts.
Time to head to the Herbal Medicine Shop.
Gathering his belongings, he cast one last glance at his modest dorm room—his home for nearly a year.
The narrow wooden bed and wobbly desk stirred unexpected emotions. This room had witnessed his earliest days of confusion and fear, and his gradual rise to strength.
Yet, with his advancement, this place no longer suited him. The cramped space and inefficient commute to the market and school facilities hindered his needs. More pressingly, as his power grew, the dormitory’s vulnerability became glaring.
Recently, too many had approached him with ill intentions. Though he could handle most threats now, prolonged exposure to such tension wore on his spirit.
“This place is no longer my home…”
(End of Chapter)
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