CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 96: MEDITATION ASSISTANCE STONE

It doesn’t make sense. Didn’t Andre say there are also Magic Swordsmen and so-called "Crown Knights"?

Especially the Crown Knights, whose combat abilities are said to rival those of an Official Wizard, suggesting that the path of the Knight is far more extensive than just that.

Ron continued to flip through the pages, hoping to find detailed information on Magic Swordsmen and Crown Knights, but the book’s records on these rare professions were surprisingly brief:

"... The Magic Swordsman is considered an unconventional breakthrough on the Knight’s path, first created by the Bloodline Knight ’Abraham Silva.’"

"When faced with the limits of his bloodline, he created a new way to utilize power by channeling Spiritual Power into a specially crafted Magic Sword..."

"... Records of the Monarch Knight are even rarer, believed to be the perfect combination of special bloodlines and a magically enhanced body."

"It is said that only the few Knights who awaken the corresponding attribute of an ancient bloodline and master the most elite Breathing Technique can possibly embark on this path..."

[Monarch Knight], a new term appeared, perhaps corresponding to what Andre referred to as the [Crown Knight].

It seems that different kinds of elite Breathing Techniques can achieve corresponding advancements, which Wizards then collectively refer to as the so-called "Monarch Knight."

Interestingly, among the strongest beings in the Beast Race, the most powerful are also called "Monarchs." One wonders if there’s any connection there.

What puzzled Ron was that whenever the book mentioned the specific symptoms and consequences of Knight aberrations, the related passages would abruptly stop, clearly showing signs of editing.

"Why is there such a taboo about the consequences of aberrations?" He was filled with doubts: "Could it be that the consequences triggered by aberrations are even more terrifying than imagined?"

The entire book emphasized how to prevent and control aberrations from beginning to end, yet rarely mentioned what would happen once an aberration occurred, as if it were an unmentionable taboo topic.

"Like an incurable disease, irreversible, just waiting for death..."

Combining with the Spiritual contamination brought by the Meditation Technique, the path of the extraordinary in this world may be far more dangerous than he imagined.

Thinking of this, he closed the book, feeling a bit downhearted.

As he returned the book to its place, Ron had even more questions than before coming to the library.

About the Knight system, Wizard advancement, and most importantly—the essence of aberrations, seemed intentionally hidden, only known to those with sufficient authority and qualification.

......

In the afternoon, he promptly arrived at the teaching area to attend Eric’s "Magic Circuit Optimization" course.

The classroom already had a dozen apprentices, mostly Elementary Apprentices, along with a few Intermediate Apprentices revisiting the basics.

Ron chose a front-row seat, took out his notebook, and prepared to jot down key points.

Eric appeared punctually as always, dressed in a deep gray robe with purple trim, his expression focused.

"Today, we’ll continue discussing the cross-optimization of Magic Circuits." He started straightforwardly, his fingers sketching a complex energy network in the air...

Ron listened intently, occasionally jotting down critical information in his notebook.

Compared to the first class, he now had a deeper understanding of Magic Circuits, making Eric’s explanations clearer and more comprehensible.

"Apprentice Ron."

Eric suddenly called his name, his attitude noticeably friendlier than with other apprentices, "Please come up and demonstrate the ’Circular Flow’ technique we talked about last time."

Ron got up and walked to the front at Eric’s indicated spot.

This time, he no longer felt confused like the first time; instead, he calmly closed his eyes, adjusting his breathing and guiding the magic within his body to flow along a specific path.

With his guidance, weak but stable magic formed a Circular Flow within him, each cycle purifying the magic further.

"Very good." Eric nodded in satisfaction, "Please share your experience with everyone. What changes occurred in the magic after each cycle?"

Ron sensed briefly and then said, "With each cycle, some impurities in the magic are filtered out, and simultaneously the pure magic resonates with the circuit, making the circuit firmer and more flexible. It’s like..."

He pondered for an appropriate metaphor: "Like a river stream flushing the riverbed, clearing the silt while also making the riverbed more smooth."

"An excellent metaphor!" Eric clapped his hands, a look of admiration in his eyes:

"This is precisely the core principle of ’Circular Flow.’ It’s not just about purifying the magic but also about strengthening the circuit itself. By practicing this consistently, your reserves and quality of magic will significantly increase."

[Magic Construction Experience Points + 1]

Ron returned to his seat, feeling the envious and curious gazes from his peers around him.

Clearly, his level of mastery in this course had exceeded most classmates’ expectations in such a short time.

At the end of the class, Eric called out to Ron: "Your progress is surprising, faster than I anticipated."

He slightly lowered his head, speaking in a lowered voice:

"If you’re willing, you can participate in the special test next week, skipping the first stage of the course directly. With your performance, it should be no problem."

Ron expressed his gratitude: "Thank you very much for your recognition, Master Eric. I will prepare well for the test."

Eric nodded: "The test will include both basic theory and practical operations. Especially in the practical part, you are required to maintain a stable magic flow under pressure. Keep practicing."

After leaving Eric’s course, Ron hurriedly made his way to the third classroom on the north side of the fifth floor for Leia’s "Spiritual Stability Techniques" class.

Unlike the previous class, Leia’s course placed more emphasis on hands-on practice.

Upon entering the classroom, apprentices were immediately tasked with practicing a steady output of Spiritual Power in front of a specially designed Crystal Ball.

Ron sat in his seat, lightly placing his hands on either side of the Crystal Ball, and began to attempt the exercise with his eyes closed.

Soon, a pale blue light illuminated within the Crystal Ball, and as he input his Spiritual Power, the light grew stronger but always maintained within a certain brightness range.

"Well done, Apprentice Ron."

Leia stopped beside him, observing the state of the crystal ball with satisfaction:

"You have already grasped the essentials of ’Constant Output’."

[Spiritual Stability Techniques Experience Points +1]

At the end of the course, Leia also extended a special test invitation to Ron:

"Since Eric has already recommended you for the test, I have no objections. Your talent in spiritual control is equally impressive."

She took out a small, transparent crystal stone from inside her robe:

"Here’s a little gadget for you; it’s a ’Meditation Assistance Stone,’ a minor result of my supplementary study in alchemy. It’s not worth much in magic stones, but it can help you better perceive spiritual wave fluctuations. Practice more before the test; I believe you’ll perform excellently."

"Thank you very much for your trust and help, Lady Leia."

After expressing his gratitude, Ron took the crystal stone and then took his leave.

Upon leaving the teaching area, his heart was filled with curiosity about the ’Meditation Assistance Stone’ Leia had given him.

He always held an almost obsessive desire to explore new things, a habit formed during his student days in a previous life.

This tiny, transparent crystal stone, in the afternoon sun, emitted a faint halo, silently pulsating as if alive.

One can never be too cautious, but with his Herb Recognition ability nearing mastery level, he now possessed some basic discerning insight into non-herbal extraordinary items.

The crystal stone given to him had no traps or hidden mechanisms, clearly a gesture of goodwill, casually given as a small gift.

"Since I’m already in the teaching area, why not go directly to the meditation room and test the effect of this crystal stone?"

Ron contemplated and then turned toward the registration office nearby.

The meditation room in the teaching area charges by the hour, equipped with a special array that completely prevents magic power leakage, costing one magic stone fragment per hour.

For the barely-scraping-by period during his candidate apprenticeship, this was a considerable expense, but for Ron, now a professional alchemist, this amount was trivial.

He took out a magic stone fragment from his waist pouch and gently placed it on the tray in front of the registrar, who skillfully recorded the time before calling a guide to lead him to the meditation room.

The guide was an expressionless middle-aged man, and the sapphire badge on his gray apprentice robe indicated he was an intermediate apprentice, yet seemed to have been doing this simple job for a long time.

Ron couldn’t help but ponder how many such intermediate apprentices were in the Black Mist Jungle, enduring the elimination of the candidate and elementary apprenticeship periods, yet still seeing no hope of advancing further, spending their lives on such trivial tasks.

Perhaps this is the siphon effect of the Black Mist School, the top extraordinary gathering place in the surrounding region, like the powerful siphoning effect of first-tier cities on nearby counties and cities.

Upon entering the meditation room, the lighting was soft, with low-brightness luminescent stones embedded in the walls, and a layer of thick soundproofing materials on the floor.

The air was imbued with a subtle, calming fragrance, seemingly mixed with the scent of calming herbs and Winter Dream Flower, causing people to relax unconsciously.

Ron sat cross-legged on the meditation mat, gently placing the crystal stone in his palm, and closed his eyes.

After taking three deep breaths, he began to adjust his mental state according to "Star Eater’s Ravings."

Unlike the peaceful tranquility of the "Basic Meditation Technique," the mental state guided by "Star Eater’s Ravings" was more like standing at the edge of the universe, overlooking a starry abyss hidden with infinite dangers, filled with awe yet harboring an unfathomable sense of peril.

As his consciousness gradually sank into that sea of living stars, the crystal stone in his hand quietly began to take effect.

"This feeling..."

Ron was surprised to find that the crystal stone seemed to capture and amplify his spiritual waves, making the previously vague and indistinct lines of spiritual power become clearer.

It was like suddenly having a faint lighthouse while sailing at night, unable to illuminate the entire sea but providing crucial directional guidance.

The Star Track Rune required by "Star Eater’s Ravings" was far more complex than the "Basic Meditation Technique," where even a small mistake could lead to the collapse of the entire rune.

But now, with the crystal stone’s assistance, he could grasp the path of each rune line more precisely than before.

In the sea of spirit, those star-like spiritual powers coalesced into threads, depicting a complex double helix structure under the guidance of consciousness.

The process remained challenging, requiring extreme focus at each step, but it was smoother than before.

["Star Eater’s Ravings" (Proficient) Experience Points +1]

The effect of the crystal stone wasn’t particularly significant but indeed brought tangible help.

Ron could feel that the runes he constructed were more stable and purer than usual, with spiritual power flowing more smoothly under the rune’s guidance.

"Is this the charm of alchemy?"

He opened his eyes, gazing at the crystal stone in his hand, and felt a new interest rising in his heart.

This simple assistance stone had shown him the infinite possibilities of alchemy.

Using the right materials and techniques to create extraordinary items with specific functions.

This path of creation shared a subtle similarity with magic potion making, yet had its unique charm.

Ron closed his eyes, recalling the occasional snippets he heard in Lady Allen’s shop and the alchemical information he learned from Andre.

Unlike spells that directly manipulate magic power, alchemy emphasizes solidifying magic power within a specific medium, creating long-lasting and stable extraordinary effects.

It originated from the exploration of the essence of matter, gradually branching into multiple disciplines during its long development.

The most basic is alchemical transmutation—changing the fundamental properties of materials through a special alchemical process, such as turning ordinary metals into extraordinary metals with special properties;

There is also alchemical construction—combining various materials to create composite items with new functions;

And the most mysterious life alchemy—said to be a forbidden technique capable of manipulating the essence of life...

Among these branches, the most practical and formidable is alchemical explosives—extraordinary items that can unleash terrifying destructive power in an instant.