Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

Ian sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room, his eyes closed.

Deep within the spiritual sea, the silver-white core that had absorbed the residual crystals of the Soul Weaving Civilization was radiating a soft light.

Over the past two months, he has carefully and meticulously integrated the crystallized essence that has settled within into his own spiritual power.

Now, we've reached the final stage.

hum!

Within his spiritual sea, the originally silvery-moon-like spiritual energy began to churn violently.

A pale golden light radiated outward from the core, like gold ink dripping into clear water, quickly spreading throughout the entire space of consciousness.

The light grew brighter and brighter.

The originally liquefied spiritual energy, under the guidance of the crystallized origin, began to contract and condense inward.

Ian could clearly "see" tiny, shimmering ice crystals beginning to appear at the edge of his mental sea.

They are like frost flowers that condense on a window on a winter morning—small, fragile, yet incredibly real.

The first piece.

The second film.

The third piece...

More and more ice crystals appeared, suspended in the pale golden sea of ​​spiritual energy, slowly rotating, and making a barely perceptible "crack" sound when they collided with each other.

That's a sign that your mental strength is undergoing a qualitative change.

Ian's breathing became long and deep.

He guided the power of the crystallized origin, washing over every corner of the spiritual sea again and again.

With each wash, more ice crystals form, and the spiritual energy becomes more concentrated.

The pale golden light grew increasingly intense, almost dyeing the entire spiritual sea pure gold.

I don't know how much time passed.

The last trace of crystallized essence was completely integrated.

Ian suddenly opened his eyes.

Deep within his pupils, a tiny golden glint flashed, so fast it seemed like an illusion, yet it felt incredibly real.

He slowly exhaled.

Its aura was so condensed as to be almost tangible that it drew a thin, pale golden line in the air, flying three meters away before slowly dissipating.

"Cultivation level 74%..."

Ian muttered to himself, his finger making a light stroke in the air.

An invisible thread, shimmering with pale gold, extended from his fingertips.

The threads are as thin as hair, yet they possess a cold, hard quality that cuts through everything.

Crystallized filaments.

Compared to when they were in the underground palace, the silk threads now are more refined and darker in color.

Its power... is at least three times stronger.

Ian could sense that, if he wanted, this thread could easily pierce through the shield of a level one liquefaction wizard.

It can even directly annihilate the opponent's soul.

"Not far from the first-level limit."

To truly reach the second level of crystallization, one must crystallize and fuse all spiritual energy into a glass-like texture.

He stood up and stretched his arms and legs.

An unprecedented sense of power filled my body, and the ice crystals in my mind slowly rotated.

Each rotation tempered his mental strength.

"It's time to move on to the next step."

Ian left the quiet room and went to the next room.

Pushing open the door, a silvery-gray energy mist filled the air, and a small silver tree stood quietly in the center of the array, its branches and leaves outstretched.

Five fruits huddled together beside the tree roots, their silvery threads intertwined, seemed to be fast asleep.

Lucy's leaves twitched, as if sensing Ian's arrival, and she groggily "raised her head".

"Great Demon King... what are you doing here...?"

The other four fruits were also awakened. Vivian yawned, Amy and Mili shrank behind the tree roots, while Benben rolled over and continued to sleep.

Ian crouched down and looked at them.

"Do you remember our promise?"

All five fruits froze at the same time.

Lucy's leaves instantly stood up: "What...what are you going to do?!"

"I need your help now," Ian said calmly. "That's what we agreed on before."

"Whoa!"

Lucy burst into tears.

"Liar! Big liar! You said you'd take good care of us! Now you're going to eat us!"

Vivian cried too: "No...no...it hurts so much..."

Amy and Mili huddled together, shivering.

Benben rolled directly behind the small tree and curled up into a ball.

Ian's head was throbbing. "I'm not going to eat you all, stop crying."

The branches and leaves of the silver sapling swayed gently, conveying a clear fluctuation of intent.

"Children, don't be afraid. He doesn't want to hurt you; he just needs help."

The five fruits all paused at once. Lucy lifted the leaf and asked softly, "Mommy...isn't he going to eat us?"

"It wasn't 'eating,' it was 'sharing.' He led you away from the collapsing underground palace, giving you a safe haven and nourishment."

The sapling's consciousness was gentle yet firm.

"He has now reached a crucial stage in his cultivation, and he needs the 'life energy' accumulated within you—a portion that you can't use for the time being and that can be naturally replenished."

"It's like...like sharing extra candy with a friend, right?" Vivian asked softly.

"Yes, it won't damage your original core. It will just guide the energy out. After you rest well, it will slowly grow back."

The five fruits looked at each other, their silvery threads gently brushing against each other, as if they were secretly discussing something.

A few seconds later, Lucy rolled out first and said softly:

"Well... okay then. After all, he saved us and Mom..."

"I agree!" Vivian rolled out after her, "But... be gentle, okay?"

Amy, Mili, and Benben slowly moved over as well. Although they were still a little nervous, they were no longer afraid.

Ian looked at them, a hint of gentleness flashing in his eyes.

He sat down cross-legged and said softly, "Thank you."

Five fruits surrounded him, each extending countless silver threads thinner than a hair.

The silk threads were crystal clear, shimmering with a faint light, and slowly reached towards Ian.

Lucy was the first to extend the thread, touching the back of Ian's hand. It trembled slightly, then adhered firmly.

Immediately afterwards, the threads of Vivian, Amy, Mili, and Benben also connected and landed on his arms, shoulders, and knees...

Fine silver threads enveloped him like a net, and gentle, pure energy flowed out along the threads, slowly entering Ian's body.

[Furnace Tempering Technique] operates naturally, slowly absorbing and refining the essence of these ancient alchemical creations.

Ian could feel a warm sensation deep within his flesh and blood, as if his parched meridians were being nourished by a clear spring, and every inch of his bones was being quietly strengthened.

The energy transfer continued steadily, and the light from the five fruits gradually dimmed, while their size began to shrink.

Lucy suddenly exclaimed, "Ouch! Ian, you're inhaling too fast! Slow down, slow down!"

Vivian quickly chimed in, "Exactly... Ian, can you hurry up?"

Amy's voice was a little weak: "I...I feel like I'm getting lighter...Will I fly away...?"

With a sob in her voice, Mili cried, "Waaah... Mommy... the energy is flowing so slowly..."

Benben kept muttering, "Hungry...so hungry..."

They huddled together, their silvery threads still intertwined, and began to chatter.

An hour later, the energy transfer gradually stopped, and the silver threads slowly retracted.

Five fruits nestled softly beside the roots of the sapling, their skins dull and lifeless.

Ian opened his eyes, took out the life essence potion he had prepared beforehand, and carefully dripped it onto each fruit.

Emerald green droplets seeped into the fruit peel, trembling gently and emitting soft, satisfied whimpers, gradually restoring some vitality to the dull color.

The silvery branches gently caressed the children, conveying a sense of approval and comfort.

Gaga poked its head in from outside the door, blinking its little eyes.

It had been peeking in from outside, but didn't dare come in.

Seeing the five fruits in such a miserable state, it surprisingly didn't laugh. Instead, it flew in and landed beside the tree roots.

"Uh...Are you all alright?"

Lucy lifted a leaf and weakly flicked it.

"It's all your fault... You always bully us... and now the Great Demon King is bullying us again..."

Gaga shrank back, unusually refraining from retorting.

It touched Lucy with its little paws and then looked at the other four fruits.

Suddenly, it pulled out a few small pieces of blood essence from its own feathers; they were snacks it had secretly hidden away.

"Here...here you can eat..."

Lucy was stunned for a moment, and the other fruits were stunned as well.

"Gaga you..."

"Hmph! I only feel sorry for you because I pity you! I don't mean I feel sorry for you!"

Gaga pushed the blood essence in front of them, then turned around and pretended to preen her feathers, but her little ears stood straight up.

The five fruits looked at each other, and finally stretched out their silver threads to carefully roll up the blood essence.

Although she was still very weak, her mood had improved slightly.

Ian watched this scene with a slight smile on his lips.

He didn't disturb them, quietly left the room, and gently closed the door.

Back in the quiet room.

Ian sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Inside his body, the essence of the five fruits was surging wildly.

When the [Furnace Tempering Technique] is activated to its maximum, the jade-like radiance beneath the skin almost shines through, illuminating the entire quiet room in a pure white glow.

He could feel his flesh and blood reorganizing, his bones and muscles strengthening, and every cell rejoicing.

That was a qualitative leap far surpassing any previous cultivation experience.

If the previous use of blood essence was like adding water to a pool.

So now, absorbing the essence of these ancient alchemical tree fruits is reshaping the structure of the pool itself.

Deeper, wider, and stronger.

Time passes little by little.

In the quiet room, the glow emanating from Ian grew brighter and brighter, until it almost transformed into a jade cocoon, enveloping his entire body.

On the surface of the cocoon, fine lines flow slowly, like breathing or a heartbeat.

thump...

thump...

thump...

A deep, powerful heartbeat emanated from within the cocoon, causing the floor of the quiet room to tremble slightly.

In the next room, Gaga and the five fruits heard the sound and turned their heads to "look" at the wall.

"Ian, he..." Gaga whispered.

"What is the Great Demon King doing again..." Lucy asked weakly.

"I don't know, but it feels...very strong."

one day.

Two days.

Three days.

The patterns on the surface of the jade cocoon became increasingly clear, and its luster became increasingly subtle.

Until the evening of the third day.

Click.

A soft sound.

A crack appeared on the surface of the jade cocoon.

Immediately afterwards, the cracks spread rapidly, covering the entire cocoon like a spider web.

Bang!

The jade cocoon exploded, turning into countless shimmering white specks of light that slowly dissipated.

Ian stepped out of the light.

He was shirtless, his skin covered with a layer of jade-like luster, the color of which was so light that it was almost imperceptible.

That wasn't external light, but a radiant glow emanating from deep within the flesh and blood.

The muscles are smooth and powerful, yet not bulky; every inch looks as if it has been meticulously sculpted.

He raised his hand and slowly clenched his fist.

Click!

The sound of air being squeezed and popped.

The sheer power of it has reached a terrifying level.

Ian walked to the corner of the quiet room, where a black steel test marker, about half a person's height, was placed.

This was borrowed from the Star Library, specifically for testing physical strength.

He took a deep breath and brought his right fist to his side.

Then, he threw a punch.

No witchcraft was used, and no energy was added.

A single, pure punch.

The fist slammed into the black steel monument.

Boom! ! !

The extremely dull impact sounded like the tolling of a giant bell.

The floor of the quiet room shook violently, and the protective runes on the walls flickered wildly, almost shattering.

On the surface of the obsidian monument, countless fine cracks spread out from the fist-shaped mark, like a spider web, throughout the entire monument.

then.

Bang!

The stone tablet exploded, shattering into countless pieces that scattered across the ground.

Ian withdrew his fist, leaving not a single red mark on its surface.

He was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.

"I should be able to withstand most first-tier spells."

This isn't blind speculation; it's confidence.

He could sense that his physical strength had now completely surpassed the "level one" category and entered another level.

"Next... is the altar."

Seven Degrees of Sunset Glow says: Read this book!